#anyway. drink some water. get some fruit. Thrive!

[flowersandbigteeth]

Hi Flower! I hope you had a great new years! Wish you nothing but the best this year! I wanted to ask real quick if you took requests. Like

With a minotaur? Like I don’t see a lot of them on tumblr - or I can’t find them - but like it can me sfw or nsfw, whatever you want. I low key think that Minotaurs are so cute. Doesn’t have to be like super extravagant or anything, like something a little cutesy fluffy. I don’t know does that make sense? But like only if you want to 😂❤️

ANYWAYS I love your work and I hope you have a great day!

Thank you! I do take requests and I've actually been working on a couple of minotaur stories but I wasn't quite happy with any of them until I decided on this one. It's a little different with a reader with yandere qualities as well. I hope you have a wonderful new year with many delights <3

'Minotaur demigod (Solomon) x water nymph reader

Word Count: 2k

🌶️ NSFW MASTERPOST 🌶️

W: nsfw monster smut, some violence and minor character death, yandere vibes

You watched the golden bull warily as he lapped water from your spring. Next to him he’d arranged some fruits he’d found and nudged them to you. 

“T-thanks,” you murmured, accepting the fruit, taking a bite and picking at it with your small claws. 

Normally, you only ate the fish you caught in the nearby river, but fruit was a nice treat. As a water nymph you ate your meat raw as your ancestors had done for thousands of years.

Trapped in your spring, your territory ranged a few miles in any direction on the mountain where you lived, as far as you could walk in a day. When you were small, your mother had removed your still beating heart from your chest and nestled it at the base of this spring. 

Now your magic made the water sweet and endless. The forest thrived around you and creatures big and small came to drink, but your heart bound you to the spot. You could never leave. When you died another nymph would plant her daughter and the process would start all over again.

This golden bull had been coming for a few days, bringing you fruit and sleeping next to your spring. You’d thought he’d take advantage of the water and then move on, but he seemed to be settling in, spending hours lounging in the sun next to you and bringing you gifts.

“You seem to be getting quite comfortable,” you commented as he grazed on the grass around your spring. He paused for a moment and winked at you before resuming his grazing. 

Suddenly he was on high alert, his ears perked and his head lowered to charge. 

You followed his eyes through the woods until you too saw a handful of elf rogues tromping through the underbrush. 

“A spring! Finally!” one of them sighed. 

Two of them were hauling a large chest, while the others carried packs with supplies. They looked like a rough bunch, some without teeth, one missing an eye and all of them in need of a bath. 

“Well look what we have here!” their leader said, spitting and examining you, “a pretty spring nymph all alone out here.” 

He crouched down close to the water, apparently not noticing the massive bull pacing in the shadows. 

“Come here little girl,” he said, crooking his finger at you, “we just wanna have a bit of fun. If you're good we won't hurt you.” 

You drifted to the center of your pond on the lilypad on which you were sitting and the foolish rogue followed you in thinking the water was shallow and he could overpower you. It was up to a point, but nymphs didn’t live successfully in the wild for thousands of years because you were helpless.

Focusing your magic you willed the water to tug his feet from under him, leaving him sputtering even in the shallows. Every time he tried to get up you sent a new wave to hold him down as his friends watched in horror. If you kept this up you would slowly drown him. 

An arrow flew past you, nicking your shoulder and bringing your game to an end. An angry snort echoed through the clearing, distracting you from the trickle of blood making its way down your arm. 

The bull barreled through the archer, impaling him on his horns and when you looked, he wasn’t exactly a bull anymore, but more human…a minotaur! 

The other two elves, who weren’t being drowned or gored, turned to try to help their friend, pulling out swords, but you weren’t going to let the minotaur be taken unaware from behind. 

You willed a large wave of water over the two poor elves, dragging them, choking into the frigid depths at the center of your spring. You held the three of them under until they stopped moving, letting their bodies drift to a dark corner where the eels would pick them apart. 

They weren’t the only bones of hapless travelers who had thought to molest you that had collected at the base of your pool. 

You squirted a more gentle stream of water at the minotaur, rinsing him of the blood dripping down his neck as he dragged the body over to your pool. Sweeping it up, you maneuvered it with the others to be eaten. 

He laughed and shook his head, like a dog whisking the water away. He had fluffy blondish hair that fell in his eyes and long horns you quite liked. His nose was pierced with a gold ring as were his nipples. Around his waist was wrapped a cotton wrap secured with a gold belt that did nothing to hide his bulge. 

“You do not need my protection, fair water nymph,” he chuckled, rifling through the odd weeds at the edge of the pond, “yet, I still wish to assist you.” 

When he found a leaf he was happy with he chewed it up and spit it into his hand. 

“Come here,” he said, crooking his fingers at you. 

You drifted on your lilypad over to him, curious. You jumped as he leaned down to touch your arm, but his calloused, warm fingers on your damp skin was actually quite comforting. 

“It’s okay,” he purred, “it’s just for the cut.” 

He patted the leaf mush onto the wound on your arm and you realized it had stopped hurting, instead the sensation replaced by a cool tingle. 

“You’ve been here for days,” you commented, “what is your name and why have you not spoken to me?”

He blushed. 

“Solomon,” he said, “and as for why I did not reveal myself to you, I saw what you did with the last males who disturbed you and did not wish to end up at the bottom of your spring.” 

You returned his blush with your own. It was true you did have a habit of drowning males who frightened you or got on your nerves or overstayed their welcome. You were all alone in the forest, there was no one to help you. It was best to be cautious and drown first, ask questions later.

“You are no normal minotaur,” you pointed out, “you have two forms.” 

He smiled at you. 

“I’m a demigod, the son of a minotaur and the goddess of spring.” 

Around you flowers bloomed in the underbrush filling the air with a heady fragrance. 

“Then I could never have harmed you,” you added. 

He chuckled. 

“I did not wish to be drowned endlessly while you figured that out,” he laughed, “I can still feel pain and fear. I’m strong but your water can easily overpower me.” 

You preened at his compliments and smiled. 

“Why are you hanging around here?” you probed, “don’t you have someplace better to be? We’re in the middle of nowhere. There’s not a village for fifty miles.”

He grinned and peered at you from under his fluffy hair. 

“I was hoping that would be obvious, water lily,” he said, plucking a flower that had bloomed beside the pond and handing it to you. 

Your water churned around you, your spring flashing pink and purple as your heart fluttered with happiness, clutching the blossom to your chest. Without thinking your water scooped up the demigod and enveloped him in a bubble to draw him closer to your heart.

He was frightened at first, as you followed him down, swimming alongside the bubble. He soon realized you weren’t going to hurt him and relaxed, sitting down and putting his arms behind his head and his feet up. 

“It’s pretty down here,” he said looking up at the sun filtering through the green pads of the lotuses floating on the surface. Colorful fish swam by and your happy heart made the water glow pleasing colors. 

“Is that your heart?” he asked, examining the small sapphire crystal tucked in a clamshell near the bubble. 

“Yes, I think it wanted you nearby,” you admitted, “I’m not sure I have complete control over it. I hope you don’t want me to let you go, I’m not confident that I can.”  

He looked at you and reached through the bubble pulling you into his lap. 

“I don’t mind as long as you plan on making an honest minotaur out of me, little water lily,” he chuckled, “promise not to break my heart.” 

You blinked at him and turned pink. 

“I-I p-promise,” you stuttered quietly, overwhelmed by his scent. He had a pleasant musk mixed with the smell of grass. Leaning down he brushed his lips against yours, nuzzling you with his broad nose. You twisted around until you were straddling his lap, pushing his hair out of his eyes and looking at him gently. He’d been an attractive bull, but he was much more handsome as a minotaur with rippling abs, that hard chest, and soulful brown eyes brushed by golden hair. 

He kissed you softly, sure of what he wanted. He moaned and held you close to him, winding his thick fingers through your damp hair. Brushing your lips with his tongue he coaxed your mouth open, tasting you. Underneath you, you felt his cock hardening and to your embarrassment automatically ground your hips against it. 

He didn’t seem at all put out by your needy display, pushing your hair off of your bare breast so he could knead it with his big hand. Kissing you deeper, he thrust up to show you what he had to offer. As a nymph you never wore clothes, so there was nothing between you and him but the cotton wrap around his waist. That gave you a very good idea of what he was working with as it pressed into your pussy. 

His hot hands traveled over your breasts and your ass, getting to know your body. 

“You are so lovely, my lily,” he cooed, dragging his kisses down your neck, “you smell like sweet water and lotus blossoms.” 

His tongue found your pebbled nipples and he licked and nibbled them until you were whimpering in his arms, lustily rubbing yourself against him. Pushing you onto your back on the oddly squishy floor of the bubble, he dropped his kisses lower, sucking your clit past his lips. 

You moaned his name as he licked and kissed your little nub, gasping when he split your pussy with two thick fingers. 

“Solomon please!” you whined, trying to fuck yourself on his hand. 

He held you steady with the other one. 

“It’s like honey when you say my name,” he moaned into your pussy, so you screamed it as you came on his fingers. 

That made him feral, ripping the wrap off of his waist and looming over you, his huge cock bobbing against his stomach. He had gold barbell piercings down the shaft making your eyes widen curiously.  He didn’t have to ask as you tipped your hips up and spread your legs for him, spearing you with it as he kissed you passionately. 

You cried into his mouth as he stretched you, tears slipping down your cheeks. You felt the piercings rubbing your G-spot making the invasion that much more intense as they pressed into it. He didn’t rush, pushing into you slowly, but firmly until he bottomed out inside you with a grunt. 

He pushed your legs back behind your ears, enjoying the view of his cock splitting your tiny cunt. You loved the way he snorted and huffed as he held himself back from losing it on you, but you wanted his passion, begging for more. You could hardly move as he bent you in half, rocking his heavy body in and out of you. Memorizing his face, tense with concentration, you whined as his calloused finger circled your clit. 

“Your pussy is heaven,” he groaned, the pace increasing as he slowly lost control of himself.

His hands moved from your clit to gripping one thigh and one ankle so hard he would probably leave bruises as he slammed into you, holding your ankles over your head a pounding down into you. The soft membrane of the bubble cushioned your back as he railed you.

“Mine,” he growled. 

His voice was no longer gentle but gruff and animal. He grunted and growled as he took you, ruining you for any other male and you came to the sound of his feral noises. The water around you flashed colors as you orgasmed, squeezing his cock inside of you. 

He roared, filling you with his load, mixing with your fluids and squirting out of your pussy. After a moment of panting next to your head and flattening you back out, he pulled you into his chest as the little spoon. 

“I never asked you your name, water lily,” he murmured into your hair as you curled up safe and sound at the bottom of your spring with your new mate bent around you. 

“(Y/N),” you whispered and you thought you heard him repeat it as you drifted to sleep.

[blueskrugs]

I Wanna Know You | Matthew Tkachuk

I heard this hannah montana song in a store at the beginning of december, immediately thought of Matthew, and then spent a week with it stuck in my head and trying to plan it out. sorry this isn’t a request, but I needed a break from writing them to remember why I loved writing. yikes. anyway, apparently I’m still incapable of writing fics that aren’t based on or inspired by songs. maybe one day...

length: 2.4k words

When I saw you over there, I didn't mean to stare But my mind was everywhere, I wanna know you

Matthew Tkachuk was magnetic. He’d always been like that, loud, the center of attention, lighting up whatever room he’d walked into. He thrived when all eyes were on him, and he lived to make people smile. That’s where you met him, at a party just before the start of the season, in Gio’s backyard on a night that wasn’t quite summer and not quite fall, either.

You were friends with Johnny's girlfriend, and she’d insisted that you come along. She’d told you that no one would care, and she had been right, because no one had paid you any mind other than asking what you wanted to drink. Besides, looking around, you were pretty sure other people had brought plus-ones or plus-twos and threes. 

Matthew was holding court in a corner of the yard, always with a shitty beer in his hand and a small crowd of people around him. Your eyes kept being drawn to him, not just for the way whatever stories he was telling periodically sent up peals of laughter into the night sky, but for the way his face lit up when he talked.

He caught you in the kitchen when you were grabbing water. 

“I don’t know you,” he said bluntly. You were taken aback. “I mean-” Matthew shook his head. “I’m Matthew,” he said, holding out the hand that wasn’t holding yet another Bud Light. 

“I know,” you said before you could stop yourself. 

Matthew laughed. “You a fan?” 

“Would you stop talking to me if I told you I were an Oilers fan?” You mostly just wanted to see what he would say. 

Matthew wrapped an arm around your shoulders and dragged you back outside. “Nope.”

There's a mark above your eye, you got it in July Fightin' for your sister's reputation

It was well after dark, and you’d had more than a few drinks. Which probably amounted to whatever courage it took to reach out and poke Matthew in the forehead where he was sitting next to you at a bonfire someone had built. 

“Ow,” Matthew said, rubbing his forehead. You hadn’t even poked him hard enough to leave a mark, but there was something there, a cut just above his eyebrow that had barely healed all the way.

“How’d you get that?” you asked.

On your other side, Noah snorted. Matthew flipped him off. “I’ll have you know that I was defending my little sister’s honor.” Noah laughed outright now. “Okay, she and Luke Hughes were arguing about something dumb down at the Lake this summer, and I stepped in.”

“And?” you prompted, because you could tell the story didn’t end there. 

“And I wasn’t paying attention where I was walking and fell off the end of the dock and hit my head.” Matthew somehow managed to look sheepish while grinning as the group sitting around the fire burst out laughing. He rubbed at his forehead again wryly. “My mom says it’s gonna scar,” he added. 

“Maybe leave out the falling off a dock part next time you tell the story,” you told him. 

Matthew grinned at you and winked. You settled back into your lawn chair and took a sip of your drink, watching as Matthew launched into another tale of something that happened at the lake over the summer, thinking that you could get used to this.

Matthew kissed you for the first time later that night, alone in the hallway as the party was winding down, still tasting a little of beer, and, yeah, you could definitely get used to this. 

And valentines are lame So you bring me flowers just for no occasion

The first time Matt brought you flowers for no reason, you were suspicious. It wasn’t your birthday, or anniversary, or Valentine’s Day– and he hadn’t missed any of those things, either. But there they were, waiting on the table in your apartment when you got home from work. You knew they were from Matthew because the card had one of his dumb cheesy jokes on it, but you still didn’t know why they were from Matthew. You snapped a picture and sent it to him, simply asking, “what did you do?”

Matt called you instead of responding. 

“What did you do?” you asked again.

“What makes you think I did something?” Matthew asked. You could hear him pouting. 

“Why else would you give me flowers?” You were still a little anxious about it, and Matthew wasn’t exactly helping. “How did you even get them in my apartment, anyway?” The Flames were on a road trip, had flown out to Chicago that morning.

“Used your spare key and dropped ‘em off before I went to the airport this morning,” he said. He sounded a little proud of himself.

“Matthew,” you sighed. “I gave you my spare key for emergencies,” you chided.

“And I needed to give you flowers!”

“Matt!”

“Okay, I just-” Matthew cut himself off. “My dad used to send my mom flowers from longer road trips, and I always thought that would be something I would do one day.” Matt trailed off, and he sounded hesitant for the first time all conversation.

You reached out and ran your fingers over the petals on one of the roses in the bouquet. They were pretty, and it was cute that Matthew had wanted to give you flowers, had thought of it while getting ready for a road trip in the middle of a busy season. 

“You couldn’t have at least put them in a vase?” you asked, grinning, though Matthew couldn’t see you.

Matt huffed out a laugh, surprised. “I was running late!”

“Yeah, well, now these poor flowers are half-dead,” you told him, holding your phone between your shoulder and your ear so you could root through your cabinets for a vase to rescue the flowers that were indeed wilting a little.

“Then I’ll just have to send you more,” he said.

“Oh my God, Matthew.”

The flowers kept coming throughout that first season together, with no real rhyme or reason: before some road trips, whether they were over a week or just two days, or when he came home from a road trip, showing up at your door and producing a bouquet with a flourish and a crooked grin. It always meant that Matthew had been thinking of you, no matter where he was.

You smile, nеver shout You stand out in a crowd

As Matthew got older, he had developed a habit of adopting rookies. It was entertaining to watch: Matthew, not really much older than a rookie himself, but with an A on his chest nonetheless, going full big brother-mode on all the kids fresh into the league.

Which is why you were woken up in the middle of the night by a phone call from one of said rookies. You listened to Matthew stumble out of bed and root around for a hoodie in the dark, grumbling under his breath about “idiot kids.”

“What happened?” you asked, still half-asleep.

“Fucking ow,” he said, tripping over one of his shoes. “Fucking Zary got in a fight at a bar or something, I don’t know. He asked me to come pick him up.” Matthew had managed to get matching shoes on his feet, and was now looking for his keys. “I’ll be back with him later if I don’t kill him.”

Matthew did not kill Zary, just drove him home and directed him to the guest bedroom to sleep it off, because he did love his rookies, though he would never admit it to anyone. 

The next morning, Connor was waiting nervously in the kitchen when you both woke up.

“Coffee, kid?” Matt asked.

“I didn’t start the fight!” Connor blurted.

Matthew snorted. “I didn’t ask, but good for you, kid.” He started fiddling with his coffee maker. 

“You’re not gonna, like, yell at me?”

“Do you want me to?”

You laughed softly. “Be nice, Matthew.”

“I’m always nice!” Matthew protested. “And, no, I’m not gonna yell, but you are bag skating after practice for a week,” he told Zary, pointing a fork at him. The piece of fruit he’d had speared on it fell off and hit the floor. “Ah, fuck.”

You're fragile and you're strong A beautiful and perfect combination

For the most part, Matthew didn’t let much bother him. He was good at leaving the game on the ice, not taking anything too personally. He did, however, take his game very seriously. He was always trying to be better, for himself for the team, and he prided himself on becoming a leader in the locker room over the years. He took bad losses to heart, and he was the first to blame himself for any mistakes he made. 

The Flames were having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, well, couple of weeks. Okay, maybe you were exaggerating just a little, but it certainly wasn’t pretty. They were losing more than they were winning– they lost every game on a four game road trip, the games they were winning were sloppy, and they were losing ground in the standings. To make matters worse, in the latest game, Matthew had missed an easy goal on an empty net. Yeah, definitely not pretty. 

You made it home before him and waited. 

Matthew slammed the front door when he came in, but there wasn’t a lot of force behind it, like he was too exhausted even for frustration. You had been idly watching an Oilers game because it was on, but you turned the TV off when Matt came into the living room. He wasn’t wearing his suit jacket, his tie wasn’t tied properly anymore, and his dress shirt was rumpled. 

“Oh, babe,” you said. Matthew made a face at you. “Do you want to change or just-”

“Cuddle?” Matt asked.

“Yeah,” you laughed. “Come over here.”

Matt wasted no time in coming over and flopping gracelessly onto the couch with his head on your lap. You ran your fingers through his hair, and he pressed into your hand.

Matthew sighed, long and loud, ending in “Fuck.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” you tried, but you both knew you were lying. 

Matthew opened one eye to glare at you. “I hate this so much,” he said. There was a crease between his eyebrows, and he’d been chewing on his bottom lip. He sat up and pushed his hands through his already messy hair. “I don’t understand what’s wrong, we’re supposed to be a better team than this.”

You really weren’t sure how to comfort Matthew, but you hated seeing him like this. You reached out and took one of his hands, pulling him in for a hug. He slumped against you like his strings had been cut.

“I’m supposed to be better than this,” he whispered, and there it was. Matthew could grin his way through a game, letting chirps and insults roll off his shoulders, but when it came down to it, he would always be worried about being good enough, always wanting to impress everyone. To make people proud.

“Oh, babe,” you said again, but this time your heart broke a little for him. Matthew sighed again. “This is not your fault, you know that. You are good, and you’re a good team. You’ll get through this just fine.”

Matthew huffed like he didn’t believe you, but he didn’t argue with you. You sat quietly in the dark living room for a while, long enough you thought Matthew had fallen asleep. 

“Hey,” you said quietly. Matthew stirred and stretched. “You have a couple days off next weekend. Do you wanna drive out to Banff and do something?”

Matthew perked up immediately. “Can we go dog sledding?”

I like how you are with me In our future history

It was the end of the season, and you were at another backyard party at the Giordano’s. You were idly watching Matthew chase some of his teammates’ kids around. Well, actually, Matt was being chased by some and chasing some others. You weren’t sure how anyone knew who was doing the chasing. The other girls were chatting around you, but you were only half-listening as you watched Matthew scoop up a giggling Tillie Backlund and spin her around.

You couldn’t help but think about how Matthew would be with kids of your own one day. 

“I’m too young for baby fever,” you muttered into your sangria. 

Annica laughed next to you, following your gaze. “He’ll be a good dad one day,” she commented.

“You are not helping!” The other girls were laughing, now, too. 

“Have you two ever really talked about the future?” Meredith asked.

You scoffed. You hadn’t even been together for a year yet. “Not really,” you admitted. 

Your eyes didn’t leave Matthew as he flopped into the grass and let the kids swarm him. And yet. Matthew hadn’t stopped talking about how much he couldn’t wait for you to come down to St. Louis this summer, to really meet his family, to spend time down at the lake with everyone. How much his family was going to love you. 

You’d always dreamed of your future, of a picture-perfect wedding and a few kids and a dog. Growing up, the man of your dreams had always been just that, a dream, but lately when you thought about the future, Matthew was always there. That certainly felt like something important. 

After a few more minutes, Matthew extricated himself from the small mob of kids and made his way over to you, pulling the empty chair next to you close and kissing your temple as he dropped into it. 

“What’re you guys gossiping about?” Matt asked, plucking your glass from your hand and taking a drink. He made a face, but didn’t give it back to you.

“You’re great with all those kids,” Lauren said pointedly. Matthew beamed. 

Your group dissipated a little not long after that, and Matthew tugged you out of your own chair and into his lap. He poked you in the side a couple times.

“You’re awfully quiet.” You made a noncommittal noise. “What’re you thinking about, babe?” he asked.

You nosed at his jawline, pressed a kiss there. “You ever think about having kids?” you murmured.

Matt’s arms tightened around your waist, pulling you closer into him. “Yeah, of course.” He was smiling softly at you. “Oh.” 

You giggled a little. “Just one day,” you added.

Matthew kissed you, just a quick peck. “Yeah, one day,” he said.

One day didn’t feel so far away if you knew it would be Matthew by your side. Maybe you’d be used to his antics by then.

And maybe someday down the road I'll sit back and say to myself, "Yeah, I thought so"

[starbeyy]

how haikyuu characters would die on the oregon trail

this is so incredibly stupid. i guess you can imagine this as them playing the game but I like to think that it’s actually the characters in the old west dying from ancient diseases. it’s funnier that way. cw: cursing, lots of death (but it’s kinda funny)

Karasuno

Hinata // died from cholera. shit himself to death. literally the least glamorous way to die when you’re traversing in search of a better life.

Kageyama // he got bit by a venomous snake but we all know he’s the kind of bitch to get bit by a zombie then not tell anyone, so he’s walking around holding his wrist and then one day he just kinda drops dead and everyones like 🤨 huh?

Tsukishima // literally a broken arm. you can die from a broken arm on the Oregon Trail. and everyone is like a little convinced that someone poisoned him to make him die quicker cause they were so tired of his bitching..

Yamaguchi // broke his leg from jumping into a lake bc he didn’t want to pay for the bathhouse; he limped too much and got run over by the cattle that was pulling his covered wagon :(

Nishinoya // died from exhaustion. he just went too hard for too long and then he tried to wrestle a gator and dropped dead literally immediately after. mad respect tho that gator had it coming ✊🏼😔

Tanaka // another tragic exhaustion loss, but it’s only because he tried to carry Kiyoko the entire way. she tried to make him just let her sit in the covered wagon, but he INSISTED on carrying her piggyback. he made a huge deal of his death but Kiyoko was just like “this could’ve been easily avoided”.

Ennoshita // poor thing was doing a great job, more than halfway there, then he got a fever. a fever put this poor mfer down. i don’t even know what to tell you he just fevered himself to death.

Asahi // he was an early loss. he didn’t want to drink any of the river water or eat any of the meat they bought from ~suspicious~ men on the trail so he eventually died from hunger and thirst. like, you gotta eat. but he simply refused.

Daichi // i genuinely think he makes it to Oregon but then, idk tries to build a barn and accidentally lets the wood frame fall on him. like everyone knows him because he braved the entire Orgeon Trail then got K.O.’d by some 2x4s. rip.

Sugawara //  he got measles. like who gets measles? you get it from contaminated droplets and Sugawara just can’t figure out where he might’ve encountered those. except for when he kissed that cow that he didn’t know was dead until he got really close. genuine accident, i swear.

Nekoma

Kuroo // cholera :( he was kinda peeved about it but Kenma caught him one night writing out a bunch of possible jokes to be carved on his tombstone. they ended up just putting the piece of paper on top of his burial spot and calling it a day

Kenma // actually makes it to Oregon. no one knows how, he didn’t even really try. he’s just really good at games, I guess.

Lev // another snakebite lookin’ ass. i think he genuinely just wanted to pet the snake and didn’t think anything of it when its butt rattled. he though it was an invitation like when cats purr. his body didn’t hold up much longer once the venom ran its course.

Yaku // honestly? madness. he didn’t die so much as he tore off all his clothes and abandoned his cattle and covered wagon to run off into the prairie and start his new life as a crazy mountain man. he just shouted “you’re all fools” one day and no one’s seen him since.

Fukurodani

Bokuto // ate some bad wild fruits. it wasn’t hit fault, he was really hungry and he got too attached to his cattle and couldn’t bring himself to kill and eat him :(( but he had a nice little trippy moment before he bit the dust.

Akaashi // y’know what, I’m gonna say it, he makes it to Oregon. and he THRIVES. he builds his house and tends to his cattle. because that’s what he DESERVES. 

Aoba Johsai

Oikawa // HAHA he died of typhoid. and if you think this guy didn’t make the BIGGEST deal out of his death. it was absolutely shakespearean. like he was on the brink for three whole days. and he kept giving these long speeches to each of his friends and pretending to die in the middle. then he actually died in the middle of iwaizumi’s and it was kinda awkward.

Iwaizumi // I think he makes it to Oregon, but he like loses his arm to a bout of gangrene or something crazy. like it just rotted and then fell off. and now everyone in Oregon makes fun of him for only having one arm and it’s honestly kinda pissing him off

Kyoutani // let a snake bite him, just to see if he could take it. he could not. he died very shortly after but not before he could try to suck the venom out of his own arm. it was kind of terrifying, honestly. 

Yahaba // another brave soldier lost to cholera. no one knows how he caught it and he just kinda bitches about it all the time. Kyoutani pushed him out of the wagon once and he sustained some pretty nasty head trauma from that so it really sped up the process.

Matsukawa // he and Hanamaki thought it would be funny to eat literally any mushroom they came across. obviously this worked against them at some point and they both started dying horrible deaths.

Hanamaki // basically when he and Mattsun were on their deathbeads, they gave an engraving on a piece of wood for both of them to be put at the gravesites bc obviously they’re gonna be buried together. it isn’t until they’re six feet under and the pieces of wood have been stuck into the ground that the group looks really closely and sees that the pieces go together to spell “PENIS”. classic.

Shiratorizawa

Ushijima // listen he just looks like the kinda guy to catch typhoid. but he doesn’t tell anyone that he doesn’t feel well, he just kinda coughs on the low and wipes the blood from the crook of his elbow. when he finally dies, everyone just kinda looks behind them and is like “where’s wakatoshi?🤔”. he’s dead, ya’ll, like four miles back.

Tendou // i’m sorry he’s got that sickly victorian child look you know he was one of the first to contract something deadly. i think he like caught multiple diseases. he was collecting them like pokemon: diptheria, dysentery, typhoid, you name it. the worst thing about him dying on the trail was the fact that his body couldn’t be donated to science. no one had any clue how he lived so long with so many ailments coursing through him.

Goshiki // he broke his arm. he BROKE his ARM and then DIED. yes, that can literally happen in the game do not ask me how. there was no foul play, no overexertion, he just 💀. sorry, buddy.

Inarizaki

Atsumu // he drowned. you wanna know how?

Osamu // drowned while wrestling Atsumu. it was a friendly quarrel turned nasty fight as they rolled into the gross river water. everyone kinda stood around and watched but they couldn’t tell when the flailing limbs were cries for help rather than thrown punches. swallowed too much water. guess it’s better than contracting double-cholera with your twin brother.

Kita // exhaustion. this boy doesn’t stop walking. everyone is begging him to set up camp or lay in the covered wagon for a little while but he refuses, he just wants to keep walking. yeah he eventually just drops dead and everyone’s actually pretty sad about it.

Suna // the kind of bitch to fake diptheria. he acts all achey and feverish and says he just HAS to stay in the covered wagon. he says he can’t fish or hunt or do anything and then when someone actually catches diptheria, he’s forced out of the wagon bc he doesn’t wanna catch it. he does anyways. good riddance.

Aran // yeah he was the one who gave Suna diptheria. he didn’t mean to get it, but it was a little bit satisfying to watch Suna cringe as Aran gave him a big hug and called them “diptheria buddies”. they had a nice little double grave though <3.

[the-crows-typist]

riddle and floyd ficlet please! doesn’t need to be romantic. the word is “spoon”!

The Possibilities Are Endless

“The rules are meant to be broken.”

CW: potential OOC and discussion of medicine

“That’s not the right way to use a spoon, Floyd.”

Octanivelle and Heartslabyul had gotten closer, its students growing connection between each other and forming bonds of friendship and friendly camaraderie. One could say that the two dorm were alike, very goal oriented and hardworking, very cunning and observant.  While Riddle was happy for this growth, there was a part of him that loathed the fact that he had to spend time with some less than savory company.

“Eh? It makes cake easier to eat!”

Floyd Leech was an enigma, an unknown, an annoying unknown to be exact. There was never a time Floyd and he were running after each other nor was there any time that Floyd would leave him be, it was nothing but chaos around him.

“It still isn’t right.”

Riddle was very uptight no matter what the situation may be and no matter how plain or how extravagant the event was. To Floyd, Riddle was too serious, too angry. He was his polar opposite and boy, was it fun to see what buttons can be pushed to see that normally calm and collect face heat up and turn the brightest of reds, like the goldfishes he needed to often get rid of. “Does it really matter, goldfishy? I’m still gonna eat it anyway.” Floyd took a spoonful of cake and shoved it into his mouth, letting out a hum of satisfaction at the sweet taste.

“Sea turtle’s cakes are always so good! We should have added him as an employee a long time ago.”

“Such slovenly manners.” The dorm leader muttered under his breath, bringing the teacup to his lips to drink his tea with brows furrowed in frustration. Eating with one’s mouth full was an incredibly big no-no and Riddle felt annoyance bubble in the pit of his stomach. There were stains on Floyd’s cheeks and the spoon, a soup spoon, was used as means of picking out the cake. That goes against every rule taught in etiquette! Riddle couldn’t stand it.

“I’m glad you like it.” Trey jumped in, letting Riddle calm himself and breathe. “Though I appreciate the gesture, I might be accused of moonlighting if my family found out I was working for someone else.” He was always so patient no matter who he was dealing with, Riddle guessed it was because he had siblings to take care of. “Eh? I’m sure your family will understand if you needed money for school.”

“I’m fine, really.”

“Boo…Boring!”

Jade raised his plate to Trey with a pleasant smile. “Seconds, please.”

“Azul, you can eat my share. I don’t want it anymore.”

“Finish it yourself. I already ate my share.”

Floyd never liked to be held down, he hated the feeling of walls around him. He hated the way rules would hold him back and he absolutely hated those who tried to enforce it to ruin all his fun. Riddle Rosehearts was exactly that, he was uptight and brash, he was a goody two shoes and by-the-book. Floyd relished in seeing that face heat up, it was gratifying to go against someone like Riddle.

“Don’t run in the halls.”  He would say to him. “It’s improper.”

“You don’t know how to have fun don’t ya, Goldfishy?”

His words were harsh and blunt that not even someone like Riddle is immune by them. Riddle was silent and his shoulder hunched defensive. “The halls are not a place to do that, if you want to run then use the school’s field.” Floyd stuck out his tongue and ran away. “The field is boring!”

“Hey, I just told you—! Agh, what’s the point?!” Riddle stomped off, muttering about how there was no getting through to Floyd otherwise.

Floyd hated authority; he wanted to run as he pleased whenever he wanted to and where he wanted to. To be held down like a beast was like torture to him, like the weight of the shackles once put on his wrists.

Tea parties were not an uncommon thing between dorms, Azul knew that but to have the opportunity to have one with Riddle was quite rare. “It is only right that I expand on the relationships of our dorm, Azul. Knowing you, you would be quick to take advantage of that.”

Jade and Trey stood beside each other and pouring their respective dorm leader a cup of tea. “Indeed, Riddle. When an opportunity presents itself, I take what I can get my hands on.” Azul sips his cup of tea. “Rest assured that this is nothing short of a pleasant visit, we just want to see Heartslabyul for what it is since you’ve been running it since your first year as well as further tightening the bonds of our members.”

“I must say, they’re like a well oiled machine.” Jade commented, Riddle took his cup of tea specifically brewed by Trey. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Jade’s tea making skills but that Trey’s skills were enough for him. “It is to be expected of Riddle that he runs such a flawless system.”

Riddle set down his cup with a small huff. “I am only doing what is right to further the teachings of the Queen of Hearts.” He looks to the two visitors with a practiced neutral face. “I don’t see the need to praise responsibility. The rules were put into place to ensure that that a group thrives under discipline, without it there will be chaos.”

“It seems you have to take a page off his book, Azul.”

“Now, now Jade. No need for the pleasantries to be aimed at me.”

Floyd huffed, sitting improperly on the chairs; this talk was boring and dumb and he just wanted to eat something to take his mind off this. The group let out a hum or approval when Trey set down a cake in front of them. White cream, the smell of vanilla, the accenting fruits glazed with water and sugar. It looked wonderful. Trey was a good baker and there was no doubt about it. “The offer still stands, Trey. You’re always welcome aboard the Monstro Lounge any time you feel like coming.” Azul tactfully slid his cake to Jade. “I’m sure that your cakes will reach bigger audiences through us.”

“I’m flattered, really I am, but I’d rather stay here. If my dorm enjoys what I make then that’s good enough for me.” Trey sets begins cutting the cake and handing it over to different people with the last being Riddle. “Besides, I’m sure a certain somebody will miss my cooking while I’m away and I can’t let that happen.”

Riddle sipped on his tea, eyes closed and posture poised. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, it’s not you Riddle.”

The two laughed among themselves all so prim and proper, Floyd didn’t like it.

“Sea turtle and goldfishy have been friends since childhood, right?” Floyd said, a few grains of chocolate stuck on his face. “Woah, that’s amazing. You lasted that long with goldfishy.” Trey smiled at him as he poured another cup of tea while Jade helped himself to another piece. Riddle’s fingers shook for a moment but that soon calmed. Aww, he thought to himself, he didn’t react.

“That’s right; it was like us and Azul but a little less consistent. We did lose track of him at the start of middle school.”

“Yeah, he was always hiding in that pot of his. I didn’t know he was in there until I saw his pop out.” Azul grimaced at Riddle. “I nearly threw some seaweed in it too.”

“Yes, I remember that very well.”

Riddle set aside his used plates. “Floyd, elbows off the table.”

“Huh? Oh—.” Floyd pulled away from the table, Jade coming to him with some tissue paper and wiping his face as if he were a child. “I’d appreciate it if you would learn some manners for this kind of event, Floyd. Your slovenly ways don’t do well with it.” Riddle commented as he pat his lips with a napkin.

“Aw, come on Goldfishy don’t be like that. This is just a small tea party.” He said with a tone on edge, leaning towards Riddle to wrap his arm around his neck.

“I told you to stop calling me that.” Riddle slapped the hand away with a huff.

“Why not? It’s a cute name.” He brought a spoon to his mouth, a soup spoon with lots of cake.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s cute. It’s not my name, respect that.  And the proper utensil for eating cake is a fork. You’re not supposed to eat it with a spoon.”

“I’ll eat the way I want to. You’re just too prim and proper to try it out.”

“Settle down, you two. That’s enough.” Jade and Trey pulled the two away from each other. “Why are you always like this, Floyd?” Riddle demanded, his snarl was large and hand set down harshly on the table making the plates jump in place. “I’ve done nothing to you and you treat me like this! You’re uncouth, you’re rude! You’re everything the rules go against!”

“Huh?” The aura around him changed, the glare in his eyes was dangerous and his voice husky and low. “What did you say to me?”

“Floyd.” Jade stressed his voice, brows furrowed while Azul held his arm.

“What about you, huh?” Floyd shrugged off Azul in annoyance. “You’re always about rules and it’s no fun.” He pointed a finger at Riddle accusingly.

“I only enforce the rules because I’m supposed to. Without it, this dorm would be in chaos!”

Floyd scoffed eyes now slits and anger pushing through his veins in a fury of hot blood. “I’d rather see place in chaos than some stuck-up system being run by somebody like you. You wanna know why you overblotted that day?” Riddle’s eyes widened and his shoulders squared, his brows furrowed and lips tightened. Trey took to his side, arm out to protect Riddle and stop Floyd from coming any further.

“If you’re not allowed to have fun then no one’s allowed to. You got jealous cuz’ people stepped out of line and you couldn’t. If you can’t have it then nobody can. That’s what you are, goldfishy,” his finger pointed at Riddle.

“You’re just a jealous, small, stuck-up goldfish.”

There was panting, Riddle’s body shaking and eyes blown out in anger. His face didn’t heat up nor did he point his scepter at them. Instead, tears had begun to form in his eyes. Ones that were threatening to fall any moment.

“Get out.”

“Riddle,” Azul tried to reach over to the other dorm leader but was only met with the business end of the Heartslabyul’s scepter. “I said get out! I will not tolerate this kind of behavior. Take your things and get out!”

Azul sighed, standing up after and fixed his hat nodding to the two to follow him out.

“We’re having a talk later, Floyd.”  

“Whatever.”

Riddle relaxed into his chair, leaning back against the plush cushions with hands over his eyes and soon his façade began to crack, his lips trembled and his teeth were bared, his shoulder shook and his voice was no longer controlled.

The overblot was still fresh in his mind, the days spent trying to gain back his dorm’s trust, the talks he had with the woman who raised him to be this way, and the times he question himself and his magic while holding his pen close.

Trey knelt down, bringing him close to a hug. “Come here.” He looked to the path the trio had used to exit the dorm and then back to Riddle. “It’s okay.” He stroked the red hair with his fingers, his lips pressing a kiss to his head.

“It’s okay. It’s over now.”

“Deuce, what is all this?”

“Well…”

“Riddle, wanna eat some lunch together?”

“Ah—I suppose I have some time to spare.”

“They have some nice sweet bread you might like too!”

The two never crossed paths after that day, Floyd never once approached Riddle once after the small insult throwing match they had during the disastrous tea party. It was probably because of the fact that the group that followed Riddle, his friends, were always by his side and not once leaving him alone.

Floyd had been given a stern talking after the party, Azul putting his foot down on his behavior suddenly growing a heart. “I don’t need to list off the reasons why I’m upset with you, Floyd,” He said, arms folded and eyes in an angry expression. “This is the closest our dorms have ever been in years and I am not willing to let this connection go to waste just because you and Heartslabyul’s dorm leader can’t get along.”

“You two are different, I understand that.” Jade said, his arms folding in place and eyes closed as if in thought. He was equally as upset but he knew how to hide it. He and Trey had begun a friendship of sorts after spending time in the botanical gardens and he feared that Floyd’s constant teasing would put a foot in the mutualism like friendship he had formed. “But what you did was out line and uncalled for.”

Jade’s patted his brother’s arm. “I know you’re frustrated, I don’t need to strain my eyes to see it. You hate people like Riddle…” He looked down, thinking about his words carefully. “But Riddle is not like those people.”

There was a smile; Jade’s comforting smile and he pat his brother’s arm again. “You’re smart enough to know what I mean but while you contemplate what I said, I suggest you cool off. Azul and I will take the shift this afternoon. I’m sure some students are free to take your slot.”

Azul adjusted his hat and nodded his head. “I’ll go ahead and make some calls.”

“Come on, you can’t stay in the library forever.” Cater pulled at Riddle’s wrists while Ace pushed him from behind. “Yeah, no wonder you’re so tiny.” There was a small growl and the twitching hairs that made up Riddle’s signature heart-like hairstyle. “W-what I mean is that lunch time is a time to eat, not study. You can do that during study hall.” The younger first year backtracked at the sign of danger and Deuce as well as Trey couldn’t help but let out a small bout of laughter.

“At least let me walk on my own.”

“Nope. You’ll just run off to the library again!”

“Honestly…”

Floyd watched him basically get pulled into the cafeteria by his group, his friends, and his eyes saw something he never got to see when they were together. Riddle’s smile.

“You hate people like Riddle…But Riddle is not like those people.”

“You’re smart enough to know what I mean.”

He never once doubted Jade’s observations, Floyd knew better than to doubt his brother but those words caused a rift in him so much that he didn’t see the basketball flying towards him while his teammates yelled and screamed “Look out!” Floyd fell onto his back, his forehead sore and red. It was Jamil who pulled him up from the ground.

“Fucking hell,” The eel cursed. “That hurt.”

He was brought to the benches and Vargas inspected it with a huff. “What wrong, Leech?” He asked, putting his hands on his waist and expression serious. “You’re out of your element.” Floyd didn’t answer and only looked away with a huff. The swelling of his cheek was large and Vargas knew it needed medical attention. “Viper, Trappola, bring him to the infirmary.”

“Thank you for your help, both of you.” Said the nurse with a smile disarming and kind, “We’ll take it from here, the both of you can go back to class now,” The two students nodded and said their goodbyes and ‘see you later’s’ to their fellow team mate.

“Ace?” Riddle’s familiar voice was soft against the hum of the ceiling fans that swirled air within the large room. “What are you doing here?” The dorm leader asked, clearly concerned. “Did you get hurt?”

“Floyd got hit pretty bad during practice so we brought him here. What about you?”

“Just the normal check-up. You know…”

“Ah, right. I’ll leave you to it, then. See you later, Dorm Leader Riddle!”

“Take care.” While Jamil and Ace walked away, Riddle continued walking in. There was a pause when Floyd and he met, the same sense of dread he saw in his eyes appeared in an instant but this didn’t spike the thrill he’d feel when he had the upper hand instead an awkward pit formed in his stomach and his senses seem to be aware of everything around him.

“Mr Rosehearts, right on time. Have a seat and I’ll be with you soon.”

“…Thank you.”

Riddle sat on one of the chairs behind Floyd, looking down and playing with his pen. The bright red crystal still slightly dirtied with ink blots, Riddle was still recovering after the incident in his dorm. While he was still able to stand on both feet, his pen said otherwise about his ability to produce magic. The ink blots were a reminder of what it felt like pushing himself beyond the limit of what was acceptable.

It was quite embarrassing to think but if it weren’t for the instigation of those four juniors of his he wouldn’t have noticed the bars of the cage he was staying in or many years that he put a leesh on himself, a limiter to what he can and can’t do.

If it weren’t for those four, he wouldn’t have been free for a very long time. Perhaps, he wouldn’t be free at all.

“Ah, I ran out of medical pads.” Said the nurse, pulling back after swabbing Floyd’s cheek with a special numbing brew and some cream for the sore skin, they smiled at the two students sheepishly. “I’ll go get some from the storage, you two stay put. I’ll be right back.” The nurse left and soon, the two of them were alone in the silent room.

The ceiling fans were loud in his ears and sounds of the field busy with activity reached their ears like whispers. Riddle closed his eyes and sighing in a way to calm himself down. Floyd had always annoyed him but the small argument they had was what cemented the growing fear that had been growing in him.

He, like many other students before and after him, was scared of the Leech brothers.        

“What are you here for?” Floyd asked, breaking the silence between them.

“Medicine and check-up.”

“For what?”

“My blot.”

Even during the elementary school, Floyd had been taught that using too much magic is bad and can cause an overblot which was even worse but as he grew older, he learned that it wasn’t only magic that contributed to the overblot but emotional fatigue thus there was a simplified point he stuck with: the bigger the fatigue plus the more magic used equaled to a very big overblot. While he knew treatment for it existed, he had yet to see firsthand.

But what baffled him was that the blot took a few days or weeks at best for it to subside. And yet here Riddle was, his pen still dirtied with ink and needing to take medicine. Was Riddle’s blot that serious? “I didn’t know blot needed medicine.”

Riddle set down his pen, eyes still down on his lap. “They only give medicine to those who have had a bad case of it.”

“Like you?” Floyd asked suddenly, his eyes angled to look to the boy behind him, one that stayed silent for a minute. “Yes,” he admitted. “Like me.”

The chair creaked as Floyd moved to sit the wrong way on the chair. Both of his arms resting on the backrest and his chin snug between them. His eyes drooped but held no malice but a form of curiosity.

“Why?”

It was a question Riddle couldn’t answer immediately. Why was he a bad case? Perhaps it was the amount of magic he used in one sitting? It was a factor of it, yes, but there was another underlying factor that led to his blot being bad, so bad that he needed to undergo medical intervention. During his mother’s numerous lessons, he was taught that the heart of a mage is the real powerhouse of magic, it is what differentiates one’s magic to the next and it the origin of one’s unique magic. While it was a very powerful tool, it was also one of the most sensitive. Emotions can greatly affect how a mage’s magic manifests and his overblot in the Heartslabyul garden was a manifestation of what could happen to a mage when the heart goes out of control.

Years of resentment and fear, of anxiety and jealousy, and all the other emotions he couldn’t think of at that moment piled up and had been pushed down for so long only for it to gush out of him like a broken faucet and unleashing all the pent up feelings he’d been storing for the years he’s been alive.

“Because my case is serious.” Was his only answer and Floyd had seemed satisfied by that.

“For someone who says a lot of stuff about others, you don’t say a lot when you’re talking about yourself.” Floyd commented, leaning on his good cheek while the other still stung. “It’s pretty ironic.” Riddle smiled, laughing to himself. It was different to see it for himself, in fact, there wasn’t a time that Floyd could remember seeing him smile at all. Before the overblot, that is.

“It is, isn’t it?”

“You know what I think?”

Riddle’s face then morphed to one of confusion and curiosity. “What?”

“You hate people like Riddle…But Riddle is not like those people.” Jade’s words echoed in his mind as he carefully put his thoughts to words. “You were taught to love the rules. You don’t follow them because you want to, it’s because you have to.” He began and he saw there was no trace of discomfort so he continued. “I don’t know what you’ve been through but it seems to be that it would have been real bad for you if you broke one even if there was no punishment for it.”

“There are.” Riddle chimed in,

“I know but it’s not that bad once you get used to it.”

Floyd looked to the pen on Riddle’s side. “It must have been tough.” Was his final comment on the matter and Riddle took the said pen into his hand with a sigh. At the moment, remembering his mother running towards him and screaming his name. For all the years he had been with her that was probably the only time he really saw his mother for what she was, overprotective and far too concerned.

There was no excusing how she raised him, there was no excusing what damage had been done to him but looking back on it Riddle began to understand why she was like that. He knew parents can’t be perfect; they are just as damaged and just as flawed as any other person was but there was a fine line between what was acceptable and what wasn’t for a parent to do for their child.

So, Floyd was right. It was tough.

“It was.”

Another bout of silence passed before Riddle laughed again. “What are you, some psychoanalyst?” There was a teasing tone Floyd had never heard coming from him and that was enough to keep the ball rolling between them. “I can be. Wanna see me predict the future with your star sign?”

“That’s astrology, Floyd.”

“I foresee that you’ll be treating me to a meat bun from Sam’s shop!”

“I am not going to do that. You have your own allowance.”

“Eh? But it tastes better when people buy it for you.”

“I am not buying you a meat bun.”

The two laughed among each other before Floyd chimed in again.

“It’s not too late, y’know?”

It was a statement that confused Riddle initially. “What do you mean?”

“You can always start breaking the rules now if you’d like. I don’t expect a goody like you to get right off the bat, though.”

He saw the way Riddle’s eyes widened at the mere idea of breaking the rules and he couldn’t help but smile at the way he thought about it. He thought back to Jade’s conversation with him and couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, he couldn’t wait to tell Jade about the day Riddle finally breaks a rule.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Eh? Why not now?? We can skip class.”

“I’m not doing that!”

“Octanivelle’s purples and Heartslabyul’s red do have a nice accent to one another, don’t you think?” Another tea party had been planned right after Floyd had fully recovered from his sports injury and this time with a few changes to the décor, a break away from the white table clothes and red roses. “Indeed,” Riddle said as he brought a tea cup to his lips to sip at the tea that Trey had prepared.

“I had to take a few of your students aside to study the fabric and to see if we had some in storage.” There was a smile against his cup. “Luckily my students have perfected the color changing spell.”

Jade chuckled, his finger against his own lips. “As always, with Riddle as the dorm head, Heartslabyul is a well oiled machine.” Setting his cup down, Riddle smiles at his classmate, “I am only doing what is best for my dorm. That is all.”

Trey set down the cake by slice, giving it to each person at the table. Floyd and he exchanged looks and reach over for the utensils. At that moment, Jade, Azul and Trey watched as the two ate their cakes with their spoons. It was a confusing time for the trio, one even thinking he was dreaming.

“Hm, I suppose eating it with a spoon is easier.”

Floyd giggled, leaning back on his chair. “Right? The bigger the spoon, the bigger piece of cake you can eat!”

“That’s quite sinful, honestly.”

Trey chuckled, scratching his head in confusion.

“What in the world happened to the both of you?”

Riddle’s pen sat against his coat pocket, the medication in the other. The ink blots fizzling out little by little and he too, little by little, began living the way he wanted to.

[blainesebastian]

if you haven’t already written a fic about Sebastian picking up blaine while he’s curled up in a ball to the bedroom and peppering his face with kisses please please do with cherry on top! (Also i dont know if I explained myself well but I hope you got the point lol )

yessss, i hope you don’t mind but it’s not as ANGSTY as i’m usually capable of lol *u* enjoy xoxo love you! 

--

Sebastian hates having a busy work schedule but it pays the bills. It’s not that Blaine doesn’t understand, they both have high demanding jobs—time, effort, responsibilities, all keeping their New York life patched firmly together. They make it work, communication is key, something Blaine severely lacked in his last relationship (and well, effort, in Sebastian’s honest opinion). Talking through a lot of things helps, especially when hours run late and emotions run high.

Blaine’s theater schedule can sometimes be unpredictable and Sebastian’s law firm pulls him in when he least expects it (and usually at ridiculous hours) but the money and experiences have been good, so neither of them really complain. Blaine does admit one morning in a rush to eat breakfast and leave before eight that he misses him and Sebastian leans up from the counter and makes sure to kiss him. Because he misses him too and he hates that their erratic calendars cause early mornings and late nights.

Blaine presses him against the kitchen table to kiss him back, arms wound around his neck, mouths moving greedily like this might be the last intimate embrace that they share. They accidently knock piles of mail and fruit to the floor and end up leaving the apartment at 9:30—but it’s completely worth it.

No one ever told them that this was going to be easy, that balancing life, work, and a relationship wouldn’t have its challenges. But that’s okay, because they’re going at it together and Sebastian thinks that’s what really makes the difference.

Regardless, Sebastian feels bad when he can’t promise his presence at things Blaine puts together—like he’s throwing this small, congratulatory mixer at their apartment for the part he’s recently gotten on Broadway. Him and Blaine already celebrated privately but this is more so Blaine can invite his friends and theater people. Not an incredibly big deal but of course, Blaine wants him to be there.

And he would be—if it weren’t for this one case burying him alive with paperwork. He’d actually rather be anywhere else than stuck in his office in lower Manhattan, especially when there’s a party going on at his place. He can picture Blaine dancing in the living room, drinking a little too much so that his cheeks have that soft shade rose color Sebastian likes so much, eyes a liquid honey because he’s happy. Sebastian’s been getting a few pictures and texts over the development of the night but he also knows Blaine isn’t sending too many because he doesn’t want to be a distraction.

Sebastian calls him anyways when he has a small break, just to hear his boyfriend’s voice which has a slightly high-pitched excitement when he picks up. “Sebastian!”

The taller chuckles lightly, running a hand through the front part of his hair. He can hear gentle noises filtering in from behind Blaine—the soft cluster of beats in music and general chatter. “Hi, B. Are you having a good time?”

Blaine grins into the phone, Sebastian can picture it when he talks, “I’m having the best time.”

“I can tell.” He smirks a little; he’s not drunk yet but certainly on his way.

“Are you coming home soon?”

Sebastian lets out a soft sigh before shaking his head, “No, I’m sorry. I won’t be home until late. Trust me, I’d much rather be with you.”

Blaine hums a little and there’s some shifting on his end—if Sebastian had to guess, he probably slipped into the bedroom to continue their conversation and is sprawled out on their bed. “I’d much rather you be with me too,” He drawls out, “I’m very cuddly right now.”

Sebastian laughs a little, leaning back against his chair and drums his pen on his desk. “Oh, are you?”

Blaine hums in confirmation, “So sorry you’ll be missing it.”

Sebastian leans up to rest his elbows on the edge of his desk, glancing down at the paperwork he still has yet to complete. “You won’t be just as snuggly when I get home?”

There’s a long series of gentle noises from Blaine, like he started to agree with a sound but then ended up humming along to the song currently on in the living room. “Mayyyyyyybe, guess we’ll have to see, huh.”

Sebastian smiles, “I love you, go drink some water okay?”

Ironically, Blaine’s a pretty high-functioning drunk. He knows when he needs to drink water in-between alcohol. Sebastian’s seen him come home, practically tripping over his own feet and still able to floss and brush his teeth before tumbling into bed.

It’s rather impressive.

“I love you more.” And Blaine hangs up without another word—most likely because he didn’t want Sebastian to try and convince him that he was wrong about who loved the other more. Spinning his boyfriend into a tizzy while he’s tipsy and on the phone probably won’t be as entertaining anyways.

So Sebastian concentrates on getting his work done so he can go home to him.

--

By the time Sebastian makes his way into the apartment complex and unlocks their front door, it’s going on two AM. Definitely not the time he wanted to be home but there’s not much he could do about it—he did manage to put in a personal day for tomorrow (technically today) so at least he can settle in.

He turns the light on in the living room and glances around to survey the damage—it’s actually not as bad as he thought. Some wine glasses and dishes left about in the dining room and kitchen but nothing seems destroyed.

Blaine, as drunk as he can get, is still a neat freak. He was probably stumbling around in an attempt to clean despite the fact that he should have been concentrating on having a good time and worrying about all that tomorrow.

He sighs and takes off his coat and shoes, setting them near the couch before making his way into the bedroom—to find Blaine curled up on the floor near the closet. A soft, sudden chuckle leaves his lips because he’s half undressed and their dalmatian, Fitzgerald, is lying against Blaine’s back. His ears perk when he ears Sebastian, sitting up and beginning to wag his tail as his other owner steps closer.

He smirks a little and crouches down, petting the dog between his ears. “C’mon.” He motions for him to scoot and the dog gets up only to jump onto the bed but at least he’s out of the way.

Sebastian smiles, shaking his head as he reaches for the shirt Blaine seems stuck in, one arm in and the other out, and tugs it over his head. His boyfriend makes a soft moaning noise, turning into the touch. The taller’s pretty sure he’s not going to be able to get him out of his jeans, not down here anyways, so he maneuvers Blaine’s body until he can pick him up bridal style.

Blaine’s head falls to his shoulder, a soft pinch between his eyebrows at being moved and Sebastian instantly smooths that away by planting a bunch of soft kisses on his face. Blaine relaxes, especially when Sebastian lays him down in bed. It’s much easier to undo his jeans and tug them off, deciding his boyfriend can sleep in just his briefs for the night.

Sebastian runs his fingers through his messy curls, a small smile tugging the corners of his mouth when Blaine just barely blinks awake. “You’re home.” He croaks out.

The taller hums, “Yeah, I’m getting into bed soon. You gonna be sick?”

Blaine shakes his head and presses his face into his pillow, a gentle whining noise following. Sebastian, at this point, knows that means turn off the light and come here. He rolls his eyes but follows the request, moving around in the dark to get ready for bed. He strips down to his boxers and white t-shirt, brushing his teeth and shifting the dog down to a spot by Blaine’s feet so he can crawl into bed.

Blaine moves rather instantly, sensing the shift of weight on the mattress and Sebastian wraps his arms around him, keeping him close. He buries his nose and lips into his curls, breathing in the scent of his shampoo, and a twinge of sweat on his skin. The taller runs an open palm up and down Blaine’s spine, over and over again until he feels him drift off into sleep.

Sebastian knows that this relationship thrives on communication, on being able to be honest with one another—but he also knows that it’s built on this too—on how easy it is to come home.

[normal-thoughts-official]

Hey ever since u posted ur Maia x Raphael fic I've been hit with so much feelings for them so imagine my sadness when there's only your fic on ao3 that has them as a couple, also here on tumblr there's only 2 posts of them *insert sadangry emoji here*

you know what, I'm just gonna take this opportunity to

Why Maiaphael is a bomb af pairing that deserves all the love and content

A manifesto by me

Okay, so whenever i think of Maiaphael, i think of Taki's. Not (just) as the place, but as what it means for Maia, could mean for Raphael, and what that reveals about the both of them, and the absolute potential that a relationship between them has.

When Maia created Taki's, she had a very specific goal in mind: to create a place that could bring all kinds of downworlders together, where they could be safe and also build a real community together. This is explicitly said, and Maia's desire and even need to draw people together is mentioned many times, and arguably one of the core traits of her character.

She mentions how her relationship with Simon is important to her because it could bring werewolves and vampires together. She cares about and loves her pack, and wants to keep them together and safe.

Maia's been kicked out of her home, and survived abuse, not to mention she's black; she knows, better than anyone, the importance of having a strong, supportive community, and she works hard towards building one always. Taki's is a project that serves that purpose, while also allowing her to do what she loves (cooking, bartending, meeting new people).

On the last episode, they show Raphael at Taki's, talking to her, and look - we all know Raphael loves cooking, how much it means to him, and he has experience cooking for big crowds because of his volunteering. And the way that it fits is just.

First of all, we know that cooking serves pretty much that exact same purpose for Raphael. Cooking, for him, is about caring for others and bringing people closer together. This is shown by the fact that he made it a point to volunteer to cook for his sisters' elderly home, because he wanted to be able to give this to her; this is shown by the fact that when he fell in love with Izzy, the first thing he did was teach her how to cook his traditional dishes, which was clearly something very intimate and meaningful to him. This is shown by the fact that, once he's kicked out to Detroit, losing his Clan that is canonically like a family to him, he immediately started cooking at a shelter; it's a way for him to share his culture, history and feelings, and to bring people closer together, like at Taki's.

Family and community matter to Raphael as much as they do to Maia, that is very clearly what drives his character. And just the fact that he understands what Taki's is all about, what food is all about, makes Maia trust him to help her run the place. He's not only a great cook, he's someone who cares about the same things as she does, and who would pour their heart and soul into this project just like her, because he wants the same things out of it.

(Besides, doesn't hurt to have a werewolf and a vampire working together. That is half of the point, after all)

But also!!! This is so important to Raphael too, because, for so long, he's used cooking as a way to do something for others, and to repent. Food is a way to bring people together, but he does it in a way that leaves him at the sidelines. He excludes himself from the process, like he doesn't deserve the happiness it brings.

If Raphael started working at Taki's - that'd be different. Because he'd get to see the fruits of his work, to have a community he's a part of attend it, to be a part of this project. To enjoy the fruits of his labor, to see the results, to bring people together. To have a home.

I'm emo over Raphael and food again but anyway the point is that they could build such a great, trusting relationship as they worked together okay. From trying out new recipes to discussing decorations and even doing inventory, they have the same vision, they feel the same love, and they respect each other, fiercely. They're that kind of in sync where they work together without even having to look at each other, already knowing what they are doing. They handle the stress of running a restaurant together, and they enjoy it together, too.

And I'm just saying that it'd be so good for the both of them to have this kind of easy, trusting relationship? God knows Maia needs and deserves someone to trust, someone who wants her to achieve her best and get exactly what she dreams of, and Raphael needs someone as fiercely hardworking as Maia, who's willing to create the world she wants. He admires her, too, for how proactive she is, how she never gives up and does what's right. Maia admires how he can sometimes be the calm to her storm, how steadily he always steps and makes way to reach their goals. They complement each other, okay.

And speaking of complement I just gotta throw it out there that Maiaphael has huge sun/moon energy okay. In two different ways. Maia is fierce and joyful and beautiful and she shines and creates; Raphael is calm, and reliable, and through him her shine gains new, beautiful colors. Raphael is drawn to, and has been kept from, the sun. He loves it and basks in it and thrives under it. While the moon is usually associated with the sorrow of werewolves, but through Raphael, she reclaims it as part of herself.

But I can also see them the other way around - there's a melancholy about Maia, so much she hides and so much trauma she's been through, while there's a fierceness in Raphael, a neverending fight, and a room for that burning happiness that we got a glimpse of in the last episode that's been kept away. In that sense, he can also be the sun that shines through her, gives her his strength, and takes his place at the back, letting her do her own, breathtaking spectacle.

And how cool is that? They're complementary, but they're also complex, ever-changing, they rotate and create their own particular dynamic that allows them to find the best in so many sides of themselves. They can switch from one to the other when they're together, Maia can allow herself her slower, quieter days, and Raphael can find the strength to let himself shine bright, like he deserves. They get to be completely real with each other, to Contain Multitudes, and know that the other is just as vast and well equipped to support them in every role.

They're also both fiercely loyal and protective, and you know they'd do anything for each other, but they'd do it together. They'd do it side by side, not on each other's backs like we've seen so many times in the show with other couples. They'd build solutions with each other, not try to sacrifice themselves for each other. They have that kind of camraderie, and trust.

I mean, Raphael does have his self sacrificing tendencies when he gets in that mood (lmao) but that wouldn't fly with Maia. He'd try to solve a problem behind her back and she'd be furious, shove him, and tell him never to do that again, because she won't lose anyone else, and she won't have anyone trying to take the wheels of her life from her hands again. Anyone. No matter how well-intentioned. He doesn't get to decide this without her. He can't.

And Raphael apologizes, and wonder for a second how it never occured to him that he should just trust Maia to let him help her, when that's what they've been doing from the start.

And they're just so respectful of each other's boundaries in that way. Raphael knows not to try and take the lead from Maia, and he gives her space when she needs without her even needing to ask, and she does the same. She'd never pressure him to give her anything sexual, not even a single peck, and still be so undeniably affectionate. They would support each other without being overbearing, be able to allow each other their silence, their musings, their trauma and pain.

Raphael would also want fiercely for Maia to follow her dream of studying marine biology, I just know it, and support her through it in so many ways. Taking some of her responsibilities at Taki's when it's time for midterms. Helping her study. Going to hers with groceries, making sure she's eating, and drinking water, that her place is well ventilated and that she's okay. I have very soft images in my head of Maia sitting with her back to Raphael's chest, focused on her book, as he just strokes her hair, rubs her shoulders, and lets her study. It's good and nice and he is just there for her, silently helping make sure that she doesn't lack anything, that she can relax.

Also, as both of them are leaders of their people, there is so much they can share and understand about that, and even more beautiful things they can build together in that sense.

It's the kind of love that blossoms as steadily as their relationship, sure and deep and slow, with strong foundations, and infinite care. By the time they notice it's happened, they've already become an integral part not only of each other's life, but of each other's happiness. They come to care for each other, and trust each other, and be a part of each other, before they even realize what's happening. When the penny drops, it's almost funny, the both of them a little breathless by the fact that oh, they've fallen in love. And Maia asks, "what are we?" and Raphael says "something important," and Maia laughs and asks if that means he could be her boyfriend.

"Yeah," Raphael says, smiling, private but real and all for her, "yeah," and he takes her hand and kisses it. She kisses his hand back, and he's charmed, and happy, and their hands stay together over the table as they share nothing but joy and silence. The moment is steady and happy, just like them, and it feels perfect.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

currently t posing as hard as ever thanks to also being stuck in [i can't believe i have to create what i want to create] mode... comradeship... ✨🔮🍺⚡

ugh smh at all of us attempting to create anything......comrades in this mess for sure B/ when will we learn

✨ Favourite aesthetic?

i can enjoy some like Muted Atmospheric type palettes......like, dim lighting / atmospheric distancing, maybe some monochrome-leaning stuff, Desaturated Colors which is wild as i never use this aesthetic myself lmao and am being unusually “restrained” if i choose Non-100% Saturated Colors.......i like some nighttime / dusk type Visuals although then within that i like both like, more ~realistically~ muted/dark stuff And Also like stylistically brightened / more saturated blues than you’d Really see at night, plus maybe some Warm Lighting from some source, don’t have to lean full thomas kinkade with it or whatever but it’s good. and Sunset type lighting where there’s both like, some colorful Lighting but also more desaturated shadows.......i don’t go so much for earth / jewel tones really like, either Lighter & Brighter or Darker & More Muted is my like Palette sensibilities apparently

🔮 Any advice you would have given 10 y/o you?

i have to like count out like what year of school are people in at whatever age....that’d be circa 4th/5th grade i guess?? not much going on. 4th grade was that one [several scenes from julius caesar] where it was like oh this is pretty clear You’re A Theatre Gay (which i only put together v recently for how obvious it was lol) and also of Course You’re Trans lmao like, may as well explain not only what Being Trans is (i don’t like, particularly remember when i became aware of That Being A Thing was?? like i know i knew by 14 but...) and go ahead and explain being Nonbinary coz it Was a good few years before i like, heard of that as a concept.....speaking of the Circa-’10s Dialogue i could’ve explained “you aren’t obligated to like, lgbtq-dom to Come Out to your family” b/c my Attempt at that only inconvenienced me and it’s just not a good/true sentiment for anyone lol........took a minute to like, get Perspective on things where i had this assumption that i’d Age Out of what turned out to be more inherent issues like [you are autistic, and also queer, and ppl don’t always just Make Friend Groups by high school age lol] and [family dynamics are not all Like This and it seems like the ‘rents approach is Wild b/c it is and it’s not Really going to fundamentally change so just don’t worry about the Continual Strife lol not on you actually] like, there’s a real On The One Hand But On The Other matter where my getting to go away to college gave that chance for some crucial Distance / Perspective on things about myself and my existence, but also forever in “i kind of hate school despite whatever parts are alright-to-good” club and did i need to rack up the tuition-etc Costs, would i have been able to get the Perspective in high school? probably in part but i also would’ve probably hated the [academic] part more and also would’ve been around most of the same ppl since kindergarten and yet i was sitting at the Odds N Ends lunch table probably just reading, so even though i was also not magically Socially Thriving in college, it was better from that angle too.......maybe could’ve told myself to do Backstage Theatre Stuff, since there was that issue of “i like to Perform but didn’t quite enjoy Family Members seeing it lmao”......compromise about your theatre gayness? who knows. generally tell myself to not worry about being Not Unruly as much, see: [the conflict is inevitable and too fundamental] lmao from many angles......who tf knows what primers on [Political Awareness] i could give a 10 yr old, that’s sure developing more in those years............idk like there’s Much 2 Consider but at the same time even Theoretically i’m not pressed to mess with the timeline lmao. like really just Maybe the small tip like “people are trans and specifically being nonbinary is A Thing and you are not obligated to Come Out To Parents” like, lord knows you get enough of their [i suspect and resent my progeny is not gender &/or sexualitying Correctly] without even bothering to confirm it for them

🍺 Favourite drink?

damb.......i like a Coffee alright for like, non-practical reasons i.e. all caffeine is likely to do is make me even sweatier than usual........tea can be pretty good, i like fruit / mint flavors (separately...).......sweet tea / lemonade combo (or just sweet tea ft. like a lemon wedge) pretty much fucks, or just regular lemonade on its own lol.......orange juice is okay, teresa was talking abt orange juice And apple cider last night like yeah apple cider’s okay, i went from liking apple juice to finding it intolerable and now i think i Can power through it w/o enthusiasm but apple cider is always great. grape soda is good and so is orange soda, sprite, ginger ale......and also Grape Juice is rly good......s/o to Water, idk that anyone’s enthused or anything on average but thank you for the hydration........idk i’m just out here like Sipppp........just wanna avoid anything Overall bitter really (tea / coffee always gotta be sweetened.....if i’m having Alcohol it’s gotta be like some cocktail and even then i've like multiple times tried and failed to just power through a pina colada. various unsweetened Teas have also just been like, i’d rather have the plain water. oh yeah and sparkling water, tf is going on there, Gross......avoided it wholly for years but last i checked cherry juice Specifically is intolerable 2 me) but idk i guess yeah if you take the Average of everything the answer is just like. water.........this just epitomizes my Asks Answers lmfao there’s no real answer but i take forever writing down whatever thought crosses my mind in the course of figuring it out and go tl;dr n/a or [the most boring answer possible]

⚡ Ever had a Greek Mythology phase?

i feel like i’m sort of forgetting some aspects to the “not really but kind of” answer like, most summers i’d Partake in some sort of daytime 2-3 week Activities camp lmao and i feel like one of them of yore mayyyybe had some kind of greek mythology theme to it b/c we had yknow like these smaller groups and i think we had to come up with Skits explaining greek myths b/c our like 4-5 person group did Arachne and i’m fairly sure that everyone else’s was along those lines lmao nothing Completely Different.......most of what i really remember was like, first of all it’s that “i cannot simply Think Of An Idea” problem lmao like tf do you mean Create A Skit......but it wasn’t just Me so we worked around it lol. and anyways the most Memorable thing was like, the day before we were gonna Present these skits we were like “uh how are we gonna have a Visible Spider’s Web” and one of the people were like “i have like a sheet with a spiderweb design on it” and we were like are you gonna forget to bring it though, and then she forgot to bring it, and when someone in our group like told An Adult like “uh what do we do if a sort of essential prop is Unavailable” we were unhelpfully brushed off with “you’ll just have to use your imaginations” and so we bitterly were like Oh Is THAT The Sentiment Then............and what we did is like, i don’t remember what [sort of chorus / narrator] greek god i happened to be playing but i was the one to hold up the “web” like wow amazing weaving here, as per the myth of arachne, and since we didn’t have anything and were told to just use our imaginations to rectify the issue, i held up the corners of Absolutely Nothing and announced it was sure an incredible woven spider’s web, i.e. the audience had to Imagine It.........a real memorable event of Inspired Pettiness from us like 9 yr olds or whatever the fuck. lmfao. of course nobody would’ve given a shit either way but we were somewhat pressed about it so it was fun to just like, get that Stress brushed off and in turn go “ah fuck it then” lmfao

[songofsilentechoes]

The sun (or whatever passed for it in this realm) was a little hot for Noelle today as she walked across the dirtscape she found herself in. With no real paths beaten down by humanoids, the hike is more difficult than usual, although there were no plants obstructing her path.

Well...none she could cut through, anyway. Looking up at the towering foliage in this place, the light cutting past the green leaves, this world was certainly imposing for her. Hardly uninhabited, she felt she had to hide from a moving colony of multi-legged chitinous creatures carrying some prize back to what she could only assume was a nest only a half hour ago, and occasional shadows moving across the sky made her thankful for the protective foliage above her.

While the day was pleasant, she was nervous to take a break and enjoy a short meal in the unfamiliar scale of this place. Her tiny morsels would probably not appeal to the larger monsters she saw earlier, but why tempt them, especially when they might decide she is the tastier meal?

The tiny girl continued until she reached a large red/brown mound embedded into the dirt. Climbing onto it, she removes a small knife from her belt. She cut into the flesh of the mound and gags as the sickly sweet scent of the rotting fruit assails her. She steels herself to pry it open further before she takes a few steps back to let it air out.

She found one. A coffee cherry the size of a small car. Not fully sun dried, but that could be fixed. She turns her gaze upwards, scanning the leaves until she sees the tree it came from. Squinting, she can see the fruiting branches, but knows she can’t hope to hit one down when they’re so far away.

“I should’ve packed mountain climbing gear” she mutters to herself as she heads for the tree’s roots.

---

After another 10 minute hike, she made it to the base of the roots. To her relief, the rough bark made it easy to find handholds to begin her ascent. However, without lines to secure herself, she finds this method less and less safe as she moves upwards.

Taking a rest at a particularly knobby bit of the tree, she catches her breath and looks out, only just barely cresting the top of the overgrown foliage. Despite how long her hike has been, the sun remains high in the sky and the plants are thriving. Without their cover, though, it feels too hot for her.

She drinks from a water bottle, as she spies another multi-legged monster rushing up the tree. It doesn’t head for her, but into a tunnel, not much further up. Leaning back a little, she sees another, or perhaps the same one, emerge higher up. Entering dangerous monster tunnels seems dangerous, but likely physically easier. Furthermore, she could at least put up a fight if she were better rested. Surviving a fall while exhausted would be difficult in this realm, as it seemed somewhat resistant to her magics and thus would require greater effort.

She makes her way over and into the tunnel. Taking out a small electric light and clipping it to her bag’s strap, she proceeds forward with caution. The tunnel’s slope is far gentler than she expected, and winds its way upward. Eventually, the path splits into numerous branches as she continues on ones that seem to head upwards. Catching something in the corner of her eye, she aims her light at one of the walls near a fork and sees some etching. Looking around, she sees others. Difficult to see in the dark interior, but was this path perhaps used for travel by a native sentient species? She felt uneasy about the prospect of accidentally offending the locals with her presence.

Eventually, her tunnel hits the exterior again and she sees a dizzying view in front of her. The vertigo from the sheer height causing her legs to lose all strength and she sits in the mouth of the hole for a bit, resting and collecting herself. Looking outwards, she sees the branches holding her prizes not far from there.

Carefully making her way over, she sees a monster burst from the tunnel she was in mere moments ago and continue higher into the tree. She breathes a sigh of relief that she wasn’t trampled by the apparent rush they seemed to be in as she makes her way to the branch.

Wide enough to be a small street, the branch is easy to navigate compared to the tree itself. From here, she can more clearly see the fruits and spies one prime specimen glinting in the sun. She attempts to use a spell to cut it down from afar, but it fizzles in this realm.

She swallows hard and begins to climb out onto the branch and to the bright fruit. Wrapping her legs around the stem, she frees a hand to grab her knife and begins to cut at it. Sawing through the fibrous strands, liquid oozes out onto her hands. The final cut and the fruit drops like a boulder, causing the surrounding branch to lurch slightly, tossing her upwards, dropping her knife and causing her grip to slip. Struggling to grab at the branch, her fingers brush against the broken stem, still wet from the fresh cut, and are unable to get a hold. She falls after the fruit.

In a panic and a free fall, she cries out as she desperately tries to cast a spell for flight. It fizzles. Her panic grows into terror as she casts more, increasingly desperate.

“Fly!” Nothing. “Hover!” Nothing. “Slow Fall!” Nothing.

She gathers all of her remaining magic to try and break through this realms’ resistance, desperately trying to counteract the fall through her panic. A slight distortion is caused as she tries to create a small amount of upward force the counter the fall. She can feel herself decelerating a little as the foliage at the ground speeds towards her.

She lands onto the grass with a loud crack as it breaks and drops her onto another blade of grass. Her body rolls off and other another further down until eventually she’s dropped onto the dirt.

“.....oooooooww.....”

She’d forgotten how much this part of adventuring hurts. Noelle remains on the ground, checking herself for anything broken. Satisfied she only has significant bruising, and utterly spent from trying to overcome this realms’ resistance to magic, she remains on the ground, resting.

---

She awakens some time later in darkness, remembering where she is immediately drives away her grogginess. She winces in pain as she looks around and can see nothing in the dark.

She fumbles her light on her bag’s strap and sweeps the light around. Groaning, she stands up on her wobbly legs. Her light hits something glinting in the dark and she finds her knife, and not far she finds the fruit embedded in the ground. She breathes a sigh of relief and marks it for transport. Between this one, and the drying one, she’ll likely have two different flavors to present to Asova for judgement....just as soon as she figures out how to grind them.

[ironwoman18]

The Worst Third Date Ever part 29

Chapter 29: Relax and Pompeii.

Max and Spencer started their tour less day making love two times, one in their bed and one in the shower.

They decided to spend the day at the pool area so she put on a two piece blue swimsuit and on it a white dress while Spencer was wearing a green short and a shirt.

They went downstairs from breakfast. They ate the typical Italian breakfast, caffè latte with bread for Spencer while Max preferred rolls, butter and jam, and add some fruit. Then they had cookie-like rusk hard bread, called fette biscottate.

Later they went to the pool, Max was sitting in a deck chair sunbathing while Spencer was reading.

The pool started to fill with families, children playing and swimming. Max looked at Spencer.

"Spence, do you want to get in the pool?" She asked looking at him.

He looked back at her then the pool "do I have to?" He raised his eyebrow.

"Please?" She said like a little kid "I thought you said you were cure of being a germophobic"

"I am..." he said and this time was her turn to raise an eyebrow "...with certain things"

"Nothing will happen if we get into the pool Spencer" she pouted at him and he sighed.

"Ok let's go" she smiled big and he took off his shirt and stood up and also did Max.

She held his hand and they got in the water. It was a little cold but soon they got used of it the water temperature was great.

They swam around the pool, it was big and with a lot of kids with their fathers or mothers playing with them.

"Did you ever think about having kids?" She asked looking at him.

"I did. When he held Henry I thought it could be nice to have on my own but this job was all my life and my first time out of work was after getting out of prison. For every 100 days in the field I had to stay 30 out" he said as they swam "then Maeve's stalker killed her and I lost my faith in finding someone" she held his hand gently and kissed his cheek "then I met you and in months I found what I couldn't in 14 years. So my hope's of being father are there" he smiled and looked at her "what about you?"

She sighed "well I once did... when Sammy was born but as I said I didn't want to get married but also didn't believe in having kids without getting married" he looked at her confused "don't look at me like that Spencer... I'm a contradiction, but anyway... I think that I accomplished my first goal. Which was getting married I think my next step will be having kids" he smiled.

"So we are both agree about being parents" she laughed and nodded.

"Yes, we are" she hugged him. Then she saw some people playing volleyball in the pool "did you ever play volleyball?"

"No" he shook his head "I'm not good with sports"

"Ok I understand, not all people were born to practice a sport" she looked at the game "so if you want you can go back to our table and I will play here for a while"

"You sure, have fun" she smiled and kissed him "yeah babe I'm sure, you go back to your book. I will be right here" he nodded and swam back to their table while she joined the team.

Spencer walked out of the pool and on his way to their table a kid called him "sir... excuse me sir..." he turned to see the kid. He has a cast around his leg "do you know how to play chess? It just... I broke my leg at the Coliseum and now my vacations are doomed" he sighed.

"Umm yeah I know how to play but where are your parents?"

"My mom is doing pilates with "Mr. Handsome" and my dad is playing volleyball. My sister is flirting with a guy 5 years older and my brother is playing with his friends so I'm alone"

Spencer looked around. He was unsure but at the same time felt sorry for the poor kid "sure I can teach you" the kid smiled big.

"Thank you! I'm Steve and you?"

"I'm Spencer. Nice to meet you Steve" Spencer sat down "ok do you know the basic concepts of the game?" He nodded but Spencer to make sure explained again everything.

How every piece moves around, the main goal of the game and some rules.

When Steve could say everything correctly Spencer decided to play with him to teach him some basic strategies.

The kid was a quick study and after some games it was getting harder for Spencer to checkmate him.

After almost an hour Max and Steve's dad were going back to their tables when they saw Spencer and Steve playing with some kids behind each of them.

Max walked to her husband "um... Spence, what are you doing?"

"I'm playing with Steve. He made a good play and I need to protect my king"

She laughed and looked at the kid then his father "so this is your husband?" He asked and she nodded "I'm glad my son met him. He is so clumsy that he broke his leg yesterday at the Coliseum" he looked at his son "so my wife and I bought him a chessboard and he found someone who could teach him" he laughed.

"And he found the best. But I'm worry I may lose my husband for the day" she laughed looking at Spencer so focused on the game he did not say anything to her.

Spencer finally made his move and after some more minutes the game was over and they decided to stop right there.

"Maybe tomorrow?"

"I can't. My wife planned something for tomorrow and I have no idea what it is" Steve nodded "but maybe on Saturday we can play, if you want" he smiled.

"Sounds great! thank you Spencer" they shook hands and the man walked back to their table. Max was drinking some water and reading a book.

"Hey baby, what are you reading?" He asked sitting next to her.

"Inferno by Dan Brown. I never have time to read it so everytime I went to a pool I brought it to read it but I found something more interesting" she put down the book and smiled "how was the game?"

"It was nice. I won but it was harder. He is pretty good" he explained how everything happened and she laughed gently.

"I think kids love you after all" she laughed remembering what he told her about the Reid effect with kids and animals "the curse was finally broken"

He laughed and nodded "could be. And how was your volleyball game?"

"Awesome. My team won the first game but the other team won two games and we had to move so another team could play. That's where I met Steve's dad, Salvatore, he said they were from Virginia and came here because his mother died and of course they decided to bring their children with them"

"That is terrible. Have to travel across the Atlantic to see your dead mother" he sighed.

"Yes it is. I always was scared when I got a call from the nursery house my mom was in back in Vegas. And it was in the same country" Max held his hand and kissed it.

"What about we order something to eat? I saw pizza. I bet pizza in Italy must be better than anything we ever ate"

Spencer laughed and looked at her with thankful eyes. He got used to the idea of losing his mother at any moment but still the thought hurt him.

"Sure I will call the waiter and order" he did it and after some minutes they were eating pizza. They were small so he ordered two and after a few more hours they went back to their room.

They took a shower and then lay in bed to watch a movie.

"so what did you plan for tomorrow Max?" He asked curious.

"Well I decided to give you an especial day. I bought a tour to Pompeii" she looked at him "you were so excited about going so I thought we could visit it"

"I love you Maxine" he said seconds after she finished then he placed his hands on her cheeks and kissed her gently before she complained about her full name "thank you" he smiled and rubbed her cheeks.

"You are welcome" they kissed again. It escalated into something more and they ended up making love again.

They decided to skip dinner and just sleep early because their trip would leave at seven in the morning the next day.

The next morning they decided to buy something on their way to the place they will meet with their guide and the other people.

When they arrived it was six thirty so they bought something to eat and met with some other people, they talked to them until the van arrived, they hopped aboard and travel south in air-conditioned comfort to Italy’s Campania region.

As they traveled, they listened tales about the colorful southern Italian area and Mt. Vesuvius.

"After the volcano’s infamous AD 79 eruption, lava and volcanic ash destroyed the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii. Evidence of those ancient streams of lava is still evident in the area" said Spencer and their guide looked at him surprised.

"He loves the history" said Max smiling and everyone looked at them, then the guide showed them some pictures in their LED screen.

"Pompeii was once a thriving Roman city; today the town is best known for its UNESCO-listed archaeological digs, which are home to a wealth of relics" said the guide.

When they arrived they saw incredibly preserved fossils and other ruins, plus plaster imprints of the town’s victims who were buried for years.

There you can see the remains of the Forum and Teatro Grande, where some 5,000 people could once be seated.

The tour guide told them about day-to-day life for the Pompeii locals as they wandered streets where ancient shops, cafes and even brothels could be found.

Their guide let then some free time for sightseeing, and after that they had a Neapolitan pizza lunch.

They stood in front of them and said "Normally we could hike the Mt Vesuvius but from November 20 to March 31, the Mt is unacceptable" a lot of people sighed and cursed softly, the man continued "So the hike is replaced with a visit to the iconic City of Naples, where we will take a panoramic bus tour and have some free time to walk around the city center"

The city was beautiful and Max made sure to take photos of everything they saw. Then they returned to Rome.

Spencer and Max slept on their way back to Rome. When they arrived the guide woke them up and they took a taxi back to their hotel.

They spent their Saturday in the hotel with their new friends. Sunday was their last day so they decided to buy more souvenirs for the others left.

When they have it they used their night putting their things in their suitcases, then lays in bed and fell asleep hugging each others.

That was the best week they had and they will keep this amazing city in their mind, hoping to return some day.

OOooOOooOO

Hope you liked this. The next one will be their return to Washington.

Read you later.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #216

“cocaine in a crucifix, say your prayers, take your licks.”

How much money is in your wallet right now? Not a lot. Maybe like $10. What’s the last thing you purchased from the store? Me myself? No idea. Have you ever seen the movie Mean Girls? If so, did you think it was funny? Yeah, it's a nice movie. What do you usually get on your sub at Subway? Ham, American cheese, bacon, banana peppers, pickles, and Chipotle sauce. I think that's it. Is your bed made right now? Do you usually make your bed, or does someone make it for you? I'm in my bed. I always am. Have you ever had a crush of one of your friends’ brothers/sisters? No. Do you take naps often? I take one most days. Are you an only child? If not, do you get annoyed by your siblings a lot? No, and they don't annoy me, but then again, I live with none of them. What’s your favorite Disney movie? The Lion King. Does it take you a while to fall asleep? Ugh. Too long. Do you watch TV before you go to sleep? No. Do you listen to music every day? It's very rare I don't. If you could have ANYTHING in the world right now, what would it be? To be satisfied with where I am in life. Do you still watch Spongebob Squarepants? No. I don't not enjoy it, you know I just don't watch television. What kind of bottled water do you drink? Mom buys big jugs of some Great Value-esque or whatever brand. Do you collect stuff someone else would consider junk? If so, then what? No. What's the most your electricity bill has ever reached? Idk, I don't pay it. How much was your tax refund this year or did you pay? N/A How are the kids doing? I don't have any. Do you see a bright light at the end of your tunnel? Just being realistic, not deliberately depressing or anything, I don't know. I could have a very dull and unsuccessful life or a thriving and happy one. What's the most you’ve ever lost gambling? Don't gamble. Have you ever waited in line overnight for something? No. How many concerts have you attended? One. Do you think having an expensive phone is a good investment? To a certain high price, no. So long you can call and text easily and reliably, I don't find it necessary to buy a $500 or whatever phone. Any tattoos? How many do you need or want to cover up? I have six. I'm getting my "ohana" one covered at some point, and I'm going to have "perfectly flawed" tatted over as well; I just want to move it elsewhere, considering I want something else where it already is. How many funerals have you attended? One or two. Have you lost anyone your age to death? No one that I was especially close to, thankfully. Have you ever witnessed a birth in person? Not a human one, thank Christ. I've seen cats give birth many times, and maybe other animals, but I'm not sure. What gender do you identify with? Female. What’s your opinion on astrology? It's total, ridiculous bullshit. Are you more of a science or math person? I'm clueless in math, while science makes sense to me and is far more interesting. What religion/spirituality do you identify with, if any? Theism. I think something made the universe, but I don't pretend to know jackshit about him/her/them/it. What is your opinion on peanut butter & banana sandwiches? I like them every now and again. What is your favorite book that was turned into a movie? The Outsiders, probably. Do you like the movie or the book better? This was so long ago that I honestly don't remember either well... so I really dunno. If you identify as a girl, would you ever consider getting a pixie cut? Yeah. If you identify as a boy, would you ever consider growing your hair out? N/A Are you a metalhead? I guess I mostly fit the definition, but I don't like labeling myself as such considering honestly, the metalhead community tends to have such a "that's not heavy enough" attitude and ridicule anything less than their interests and treat those that like softer metal as outcasts and/or posers. Not even trying to stereotype; befriend or observe people in this category and you'll see what I mean. Do you even listen to metal? Hell yes. Do you watch porn? No. If you don’t, do you have a moral reasoning behind that decision? I just find it... very strange. I don't see the appeal of watching. That's just something I want between me and my partner, you know? Like if you watch it, good for you, so long your s/o (if applicable) is aware and fine with it, but it ain't for me. Do you know anybody who is a Wiccan or Pagan? Yesssss, she's cool as fuck. I need to reconnect with her more. Do/did you ever attend church regularly? I did as a kid. Do you have a godmother/godfather/both? I have no clue. Do you listen to Supertramp? I have no clue who that is. Do you watch Supernatural? Not anymore. I think I stopped at the end of Season 6. What’s your favorite character in your favorite TV show? That '70s Show, probably Hyde. I love and relate to Eric, though. Honestly I love every single character; they're very unique to each other and recognizable with strong personalities. Both Fullmetal Alchemist iterations, most likely Edward. Or possibly one of the Sins, but I don't remember them all well... Oh. I know I loved Envy, for one. Are you wearing any rings right now? Yeah, my Supernatural friendship ring w/ Sara. Calling each other "bitch"/"jerk" between Sam and Dean is a thing in the show, so I have one that says "bitch" on the interior, and Sara has "jerk." Bracelets? Yes, also the one Sara gave me. Necklaces? No. Anklets? No. Chokers/collars? No. Do you go to a firework show every 4th of July? No. Are you diabetic? No. I'm forever proud of that considering it runs heavily in my family, yet even at my worst weight, I didn't develop it. But more importantly, a recent blood test I had for my thyroid or something showed I don't have any indicators of even coming close/being at any risk at this point in time. Are you allergic to gluten? No. Are you lactose intolerant? No. What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries, yum. Your favorite vegetable? Broccoli. Do you live with your parents? I live with my mom. Have you written a formal essay lately? Not in years. How much experience do you have written down on your resume, approximately? I don't have a resume currently, but if I did, it'd only have two months as a sales associate as my other two jobs were so short-lived it'd be stupid to add, especially when you consider the obvious fact that would make me look awful. How long have you had the shirt you’re wearing? A year. What happened last time you got drunk? N/A When’s the last time you straightened your hair? I have zero clue. Do you bite your toe nails? Wtf no. Last time you laughed your head off? Idr. Do you find piercings attractive? Yeah. Did you accept or reject your last friend request? I rejected it. Had no clue who it was, even though we had quite a handful of mutuals. How many cigarettes have you smoked today? N/A Do you have a hard time admitting you’re wrong? It depends on what the subject of the matter is. Do you like potato chips? Is there a human that doesn't???? Do you give out second chances way too easily? Yes. Ever stayed up all night on the phone? Not all night, no. There was one night Jason and I were up a long time talking, but it wasn't all night. What are you excited for? SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you ever shoplifted? No. If you have shoplifted, are you afraid of getting in trouble? And are you afraid to go back in that store? N/A Have you ever gotten caught shoplifting? If yes, what happened? N/A Have you ever plotted revenge against someone? No. Are you mad at someone right now? Nah. Have you ever egged someone’s house? Fuck no, because I'm not a dick. If not, have you ever WANTED to egg someone’s house? No. Have you ever wanted to kill someone? I was fucking psychotic when I found out Jason was in a new relationship after we broke up. For a long time I wanted her dead. Are you glad you don’t own a gun, because of what you might do with it? Quite honestly, yes. I'm impulsive on bad days, and I don't entirely cross out the possibility of me shooting myself on an awful day. Do you avoid people when they’ve hurt you? Yes. Do you make the most of every opportunity? No. Are you honestly succeeding at life, or failing? Failing miserably at most things. What does your newest journal look like? I don't remember the last time I got a journal. Is there anything you currently want but can’t have? A lot of things. Do you have no one you can trust? No, thankfully. Do you like meatball subs? No, they're so messy. Are you severely sleep deprived? No. What music are you listening to? "LA Devotee" by P!ATD just came on. If you go to school (HS or college), does your school have a rival? N/A What’s your school’s mascot? N/A If you have a sib, do you call him/her “brother” or “sister” sometimes? No. Do you own a Wii? If not, do you want one? Yes. Are there any songs you could just listen to over and over and over? No. I get tired of a song after around 100 repeats. No, I'm not kidding. Before you could loop YT vids (or anyway, before I was aware), I used a website that repeated the video for you and kept track of the repeats. Do you have a favorite basketball team (NBA or college?) No. Have you been baptized in any religious tradition? Yes. If your best male friend got a mohawk, would he look good or ridiculous? Save Him. What did you have for breakfast? A PopTart. What kind of booze did you last take shots of? I've never taken a shot. Have you slept over at a member of the opposite sex’s house in their bed? Yeah, but we were dating. Who last slept in your bed besides you? Sara. If the last person you had sex with asked you to date them, would you? No. What color is your car? (Or the one you drive most often) White. How long have you been single? (Or dating your current interest) Sara and I have been together a year and ten months. Has someone of the opposite sex ever told you that you were sexy? Yeah. Do you own any books written by musicians? Yeah, Ozzy's autobiography. What is your most interesting invention? Probably some RP characters. Have you ever seen someone sleepwalk? Once. Have you ever thought about getting your tongue pierced? It is pierced. When you’re bored in class, what do you usually do? N/A yet. Do you like your phone? NO. Honestly, are things going the way you planned? Bitch hell no. Who was the last person whose phone number you added to your contacts? The woman who adopted Kaiju. I miss him, damn. Have you ever snuggled with someone you weren’t dating? No. Do you know a James? I knew one years ago. If you had to choose to have a different accent than the one you have now, what accent would you choose and why? British. It sounds sophisticated and just generally attractive to me. Have you ever or do you currently live in a Gated Community? I don't and never have. Do you know how to use a DSLR camera? Yeah. Have you ever owned an Axolotl? No, but they cute. What has been the longest amount of time you’ve spent on a plane? I actually don't know. Probably just around two hours. How often do you use Snapchat? I don't have one/never had. Have you ever adopted an animal from an animal shelter? Yes. Where do you usually find surveys from? Tumblr, and if I'm desperate, LiveJournal. Have you ever missed a flight? Yep. The airport biz took WAY longer than any of us expected. What is your favorite film from your childhood? The Lion King. I think it's always been my fave, honestly, I just never really thought about JUST HOW MUCH I love the film and its story since I was a kid. Do you know anyone who is named after a state? Uhhh I know at least one Caroline, and that's close enough? Jason's mom's name is a state, too. What was the reason for your previous doctor’s visit? I was getting a full blood panel done to check my thyroid. Have you ever been to an outdoor cinema? No. Well, my elementary school and church used to do these "movies on the lawn" type things where they used a huge projector to play a movie outside around late evening, but I don't know if that counts. Have you ever had a “bad trip”? If yes, what happened? N/A How often do you use Instagram? I usually check it once a day or two to follow certain celebs' stories 'n shit. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? If so, do you still smoke? No. Adam Sandler or Jim Carrey? Jim. Do you enjoy learning about conspiracy theories? If so, what is your favorite? Y'all know I love me some conspiracies. My favorite - as in most interesting, not that I seriously believe in it - is the one that our current reality is just a simulation from a "future" civilization for study or just play purposes. It's interesting to think about with alarming evidence. Elon Musk 100% believing in it puts more "hey this might actually be worth considering" into it, but I think I lean more towards it being false. It's not something I think about much though as I have THE most Detroit: Become Human mindset about it ever, lmao. It just doesn't matter to me. Wow, what a ramble. Do you find hand tattoos attractive on your preferred sex? I find tattoos (usually) attractive in general, so like- What is your favorite Netflix original series? I have no clue what's Netflix-exclusive. I don't watch it. Have you ever owned a Tamagotchi? Yep, or at least something similar to it. My sister especially loved those little things. Do you have a favorite “survey blog” on Tumblr? If so, who? Dunno if tagging random people in surveys is annoying, so I'll break the link, but @/thedarkeststarsurveys seems super cool and nice. Would you rather be able to control fire or water? Probably fire for self-defense purposes, and I just like fire. Water seems... overall pretty useless to control, unless you can like, manifest it. Then you could solve a world of problems. Have you ever used your phone in class or at work without anyone knowing? Actually no. Have you ever been to Canada? No. What is your favorite condiment to put on fries? Ketchup. Do any famous people follow you on Twitter or Instagram? Definitely not to my knowledge, but I highly doubt it. Do you usually take the stairs or the elevator? Elevator. Even though I'm scared of them. Stairs and my horrible knees don't mix. What salads do you usually get on your Subway order? None. Have you ever made your own cocktails at home? Not myself. My old friend did. Have you seen all the Star Wars films? I watched the first three disinterestedly with Girt once, and neither of us liked them. I didn't get the appeal at all. Do you own any shirts with funny words or pictures on them? Yeah. Are your eyes the same color they were when you were a baby? They were more blue. Do you take the pickle off your burgers? No. Who do you share your bathroom with? Anyone else in the house. What color is your bed frame? Brown. Have you ever kissed someone you met that day? No. Do you share a bed with anyone? No. Well, excluding Roman and sometimes Teddy. Name all the people you know that you’ve seen today. My mom. When a car cuts you off, is the driver a jerk or is there an explanation? "Most of the time the driver is a jerk." <<< Yep. What are your thoughts on cosmetic surgery? You do you, boo. Has a man/woman ever broke your heart? If so, have you recovered? Yes, and yes as well as a PTSD victim can; your brain is literally changed after trauma, and considering I still have dreams/nightmares about him very regularly and he suddenly crosses my mind literally every single day despite never wanting to think about him, I don't think you could consider me totally recovered. Name a few things that make you really happy. Really happy? Being with Sara, Mark doing so much as blinking, long car rides with my music blaring way too loud, finding a new song and binging it for hours, a mount dropping in WoW goddamn y'all I have over 300, being complimented on my photography (or like... anything), my niece and/or nephew saying they love me or anything along those lines without being prompted (ex. when leaving, that kinda stuff), going to Olive Garden 'cuz breadsticks and spicy shrimp fritas lol, finishing a drawing and actually liking the result, getting Venus out and she acts like a cuddlebug the whole time, uh... other stuff that isn't coming to me. What’s your favorite type of sushi? Never tried it, don't want to. Have you ever read a book about a character in a psych ward? I don't think so. Have you ever been in a mental hospital as a patient? Too many times fuck but those days done fam. Do you take birth control pills? Currently for taming the pain and symptoms of my cycle, but it's hopefully changing to a longer, better solution soon to just totally eliminate it to remove its effects on my mood entirely for mental health tracking purposes. When’s the last time you got a new outfit? I don't buy full outfits. Do you have an imaginary best friend? (i.e., someone you wish was your best friend but currently isn’t) No. Do you like soy sauce? NO. Do you have a good doctor? I haven't had her long, but she's nice and seems knowledgeable. What’s your favorite store to browse around? Whew, Hot Topic my friends. Do you ever meditate on Scripture? No. Do you like poetry? Yeah. What’s the name of the most recent baby a friend had? Dawson. Do you have expensive tastes? Definitely not. What is your dream job? Meerkat biologist or paleontologist. What is your favorite music style currently? I've been digging power metal a lot lately. I like, live off of Powerwolf. I've been wanting to find more symphonic metal I enjoy, too... Are you wearing comfortable clothes right now? Yeah. Is there a bad habit you’re trying to break right now? Yeah, rather just keep it quiet. Is it easy to find a job in your preferred field in your home town? Fuck. No. When is the last time you went to a fun fair? ~August 2015. I remember it because it happened pretty shortly before the breakup. How about an amusement park? I have zero clue. Probably not since I went to Disney World as a child. Ladies: Would you ever consider proposing? If not, why not? If I'm with a woman, yes. I don't really have a proper reason why I wouldn't if I was with a man... I have NO problem with women proposing to men, I just think I'd personally feel weird. Oh, that makes sense; the fact of how I am with men - scared and doubtful - probably says a good deal. I'd want to see "oh wow he actually wants to be with me so much he's asking himself." Gentlemen: How would you feel, if you were proposed to? N/A Have you ever played the original Mass Effect trilogy? No. If so, which Shepard and who do you like romancing the best? N/A Let’s say there’s a person in need. They need money which they can’t make. Would you be more likely to help them out, if a celebrity asked you to? "Tbh right now I’m not really in a position to help anyone out financially. But hypothetically if I had the money to do so, some celebrity’s opinion wouldn’t matter." <<< This. When you go to a restaurant, do you have a go-to dish? Pretty much always. I don't tend to try new foods. Or do you always try out something new? ^ No. Would you rather live next to a kindergarten or an old folks’ home? Holy fuck, the latter. Living next to a school, esp. elementary, might even be a deal-breaker as far as buying a house goes. I'm not dealing with the noise and traffic. What was the last game that you played? I'm "playing" World of Warcraft currently, waiting for a stupid dinosaur to spawn to be denied a mount again. :^) What do you know about Finland? Nothing. Where was the postcard from that traveled the longest way to you? I don't think I've ever gotten a postcard. Have you ever made jewelry? Besides like those bead, "friendship," and plastic bracelets that were popular in the early 2000s, no. Which app do you use the most on your phone? Uhhhh I think Facebook? I don't use apps much. Did you learn to play an instrument as a kid? If so, which one? Recorders in elementary school and then flute in middle school-junior year in high school. What is the best part of your most ordinary day? Mark uploading cries. What’s your dad’s hair color? It's almost entirely gray now, but it's naturally black. Who was the last person you heard sing? Myself, I think. Surprisingly. Do you bite your lips a lot? My bottom one, occasionally. Have you ever dated someone with tattoos? For less than a day. Did you donate to Haiti? No. I've never had a source of stable income. Are your parents rich? BITCH- What’s your mom’s job? She's a pharmacy tech. Have you ever thrown up in public? Yes. In the middle of my 1st grade class lmaaaoooo. Have you ever failed gym in school? No. Are you scared of dogs? Nope. What reality show would you like to be in? None. What TV show makes you laugh? Most consistently, That '70s Show. Doesn't matter that I've seen I think every episode multiple times, I still laugh so easily at it. Family Feud gets me good too, if it's Steve Harvey hosting it. Have you ever heard of Joe Purdy? If so, do you like his music? Never heard of 'im. What is the saddest movie you’ve ever seen? Probably Johnny Got His Gun. Would you ever wear real fur? Fuck no. Who do you envy and why? Successful people. Because I'm the polar opposite. What color is the house you live in? Khaki. Which one of your friends is most likely to be famous one day? Why? Probablyyyy... Shannen. She is phenomenal at photography and already employed in NY with a fashion company for it. I am unbelievably envious of her, too, but also very happy. She deserves it. Do you have a favorite cousin? No. I rarely ever see my cousins, and if I do, it's usually just two. What is the worst present you have ever gotten? I've never gotten a "bad" gift. I appreciate the thought behind anything. Like I've gotten things entirely unrelated to me, but I still appreciate them. Who was it from? N/A Who is your favorite author? Don't have one. Do you shave your arms? No.

[lemon-writings]

Playlist: Hamish

The atmosphere of Hamish is best described as “sad, vaguely religious, and dark”, and this playlist conveys that pretty well, in my opinion. 

Happy Pills - Weathers

We can go to my house if you wanna / Hang out in my bedroom, lose your honor / Even if they find us, we're apathetic / And they can't take that away

The voices in my right brain are kinda funny / They tell me "take a deep breath, it's always sunny" / But where I leave the lights on / It's so obvious that my life's pretty plain

Choke - I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

Now shut your dirty mouth / If I could burn this town / I wouldn't hesitate / To smile while you suffocate and die / And that would be just fine / And what a lovely time / That it would surely be / So bite your tongue / And choke yourself to sleep

You get everything you want / And money always talks / To the idiot savants

Daddy Issues - The Neighborhood

I know how much it matters to you / I know that you got daddy issues / And if you were my little girl / I'd do whatever I could do / I'd run away and hide with you / I love that you got daddy issues / And I do too

I keep on trying to let you go / Not even let you know / How I'm getting on / I didn't cry when you left at first / But now that you're dead it hurts / This time I gotta know / Where did my daddy go?

Go ahead and cry little boy / You know that your daddy did too / You know what your mama went through / You gotta let it out soon, just let it out

“From Now On We Are Enemies” - Fall Out Boy

What good comes of something when I'm just the ghost of nothing?

I'm just the man on the balcony singing: / "Nobody will ever remember me, " / Rejoice, rejoice and fall to your knees

Lunatic of a god or a god of a lunatic? / Oh, their faces are dancing / They're dancing til / Til they can't stand it / A composer but never composed / Singing the symphonies of the overdosed / A composer but never composed / Singing: / "I only want what I can't have"

Heralded as a king before I had a birthday / With double digits / Fit the crown to my head but I was only a kid

After the Storm (feat. Tyler, the Creator) - Kali Uchis, Tyler, the Creator, Bootsy Collins 

Whatever goes around eventually comes back to you / So you gotta be careful, baby / And look both ways before you cross my mind

So if you need a hero (if you need a hero) / Just look in the mirror (just look in the mirror) / No one's gonna save you now / So you better save yourself 

I know it's hard / But do you even really try? / Maybe you could understand / When all you had to do was ask / And just open your mind / When everything is passing by / And all you had to do was try / Yeah, all you had to was try

Garbage Bin - Tiny Little Houses

I don't want to go back home / I don't want to see my folks / Just gonna hold my breath and maybe with some time I'll learn to float

I need a little bit of money and a little bit more time / I keep on losing my friends to suicide / And it don't get much better than this / I hate to break it, but, the longer that you try / The less likely that you will make it / I don't want to be alone / I don't want to die at home

I think I’m getting depressed / It’s always me against the world / I’m well aware I’m egocentric / And it’s going to hell

Relapse - Divided By Friday

I don’t wanna be somebody falling into relapse / Every time I see that smile again / I just think of when you said “I love you, / But I don’t think I can be the one.” / And, the truth is, we could’ve been happy, / But you would not believe in me

And, no, I can’t pretend I’m fine / With the life you left behind / Or keep on hoping that you change your mind.

Happy Little Pill - Troye Sivan 

I’ll take a dip into the / Unknown, unknown

Oh, glazed eyes, empty hearts / Buying happy from shopping carts / Nothing but time to kill / Sipping life from bottles / Tight skin, bodyguards / Gucci down the boulevard / Cocaine, dollar bills / And / My happy little pill / Take me away / Dry my eyes / Bring color to my skies / My sweet little pill / Tame my hunger / Lie within / Numb my skin

Bad Blood - Bastille

We were young and drinking in the park / There was nowhere else to go / And you said you always had my back / Oh but how were we to know / That these are the days that bind you together, forever / And these little things define you forever, forever / All this bad blood here, won't you let it dry?

If we're only ever looking back / We will drive ourselves insane / As the friendship goes resentment grows / We will walk our different ways

Mama’s Gun - Glass Animals 

Dirty Dustin, said he saw him / Playing ball with Dizzy Jim / Dizzy Jim had never spoken / Whispered back, "You murdered him" / My heart strings broke and it was me / I pull, they stretch infinitely

Play with me, my love, in the summer sun / I'll be waiting in your favorite Cheshire grin / Lay with me, my dear, in the evening clear / I'll be dreaming in my paper-pale skin

Wires - The Neighborhood

Mr. Know-it-all had his reign and his fall / At least that's what his brain is telling all

If he said "help me kill the president" / I'd say he needs medicine / Sick of screaming "let us in" / The wires got the best of him / All that he invested in goes / Straight to hell, straight to hell

He tells me to be raw / Admits to every little flaw / That never let him sit upon the top / Won't tell me to stop / Thinks that I should be a little cautious / Well, I can tell the wires pulled

I'm having trouble in believing / And I just started seeing / Light at the beginning of the tunnel / But he tells me that I'm dreaming / When he talks I hear his ghosts / Every word they say to me / I just pray the wires aren't coming

Dirty Laundry - Bitter:Sweet

I'm just a bad girl, that's why we get along / Won't make excuses for anything I'm doing wrong / I'll pull the trigger in a flash / Watch out honey, step back

What's the fun in playing it safe? / Think I'd rather misbehave / We're simply mad / Simply mad

DeMarcus Cousins & Ashley - Hobo Johnson

I love breathing, pizza, Santa Claus and Jesus and other things that feel real nice to believe in / I love drinking, but not enough to ever have to go to all those stupid meetings (Let's go)

I love you like the stars love lonely eyes, ah / On seven consecutive Friday nights / I- I love you like the dog hates the leash / And the leash loves the dog, like I love nothing else at all

Father - Hobo Johnson

He told me son beware, of the monsters / That roam the depths of your head / Sometimes they'll make you real sad or / Or real real mad, or real real jealous and / That's real real bad, boy breathe / Nicotine until you fall asleep like all of our family 

My father's married to a shape shifting monster / Who can sometimes take the form / Of a really really really nice woman

Evil Woman - Electric Light Orchestra 

There's a hole in my head where the rain comes in / You took my body and played to win / Ha, ha, woman, it's a cryin' shame / But you ain't got nobody else to blame

Ha, ha, woman, what you gonna do / You destroyed all the virtues that the Lord gave you 

Ha, ha, funny how you broke me up / You made the wine, now you drink the cup / I came runnin' every time you cried / Thought I saw love smilin' in your eyes 

The evil woman (you're an evil woman) / The evil woman

Bang The Doldrums - Fall Out Boy

This city says / Come hell or high water / Well, I'm feeling hot and wet / I can't commit to a thing / Be it heart or hospital

Best friends, ex-friends 'til the end / Better off as lovers and not the other way around / Racing through the city, windows down / In the back of yellow checkered cars

The tombstones were waiting / They were half-engraved / They knew it was over / Just didn't know the date 

Tap Water Drinking - Lewis Del Mar

The night’s getting wobbly / It's seven in the morning / And I should leave you probably / But everything else is boring

I want to drink your water / A tap from the Caribbean / Forbidden fruit's in season / Cherry lips and fresh peaches

Sex in the City - Hobo Johnson

Beautiful people only live in downtown / And midtown and not around where I stay / Is it their brain that really matters / Or their character that flatters / Or dependent on their beautiful face

Wait for It - Leslie Odom Jr. 

Death doesn’t discriminate / Between the sinners / And the saints / It takes and it takes and it takes / And we keep living anyway / We rise and we fall / And we break / And we make our mistakes / And if there’s a reason I’m still alive / When everyone who loves me has died / I’m willing to wait for it 

I am the one thing in life I can control

Hamilton doesn’t hesitate / He exhibits no restraint / He takes and he takes and he takes / And he keeps winning anyway / He changes the game / He plays and he raises the stakes / And if there’s a reason / He seems to thrive when so few survive, then Goddamnit— 

Grave Digger - Matt Maeson 

I can't run to you, father / I need love / I can't talk to you, mother / I know it's got you caught up

But tell me if I run away, how long will I bleed? / So, tell me if I run away, how long will I bleed?

I'll be tryna suck all of the liquid out the dirt / Tryna catch a curve, digging my own grave! / Ooh, mama

Archive - Mal Blum

And the hotel where I slept that night / Was surely haunted, then / Because every hour, I woke up feeling / So watched and wanted and / I think I remember that from when we met / Which feels so insignificant / Or maybe odd now to admit / It's all in retrospect, oh

Pretending I was sane / And giving up / The things I love the most / Because they felt like pain

We don't believe in ghosts and such / We watch the hunt incredulous / But cannot look away

We're gonna die and maybe it's gonna be alone / We're gonna die and maybe it's gonna be alone / And no one will find the things we left behind

Do It All The Time - I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

No need to cry / I'm only doing anything I want to do / Because I do it all the time / (Do it all the time)

Now we're so young / But we're probably gonna die / It's so fun / We're so good at selling lies / We look so good / And we never even try / Get your money from a trust fund / Do it all the time

Pretty Little Head - Eliza Rickman

Hook, line, and sinker / Drop it down to the bottom / Butterfly float, flicker, soar to the top / Kill for the thrill / Cut it, stick it where you got him / Circle Rolling Under, running red to the stop

Boy, where's your mother? / Fall down dead / Dirty mind, dirty mouth, pretty little head / I wish you were here, I wish you'd make my bed / Dirty mind, dirty mouth, pretty little head

Take a breath, my heart, and hold your tongue / It's just a cog in the year of all my love

Peach Scone - Hobo Johnson

They're just really good friends, and that's fine / He understands, it's rational

Hi, what's your name? How are you? How’s your life? / Oh, you got a man? Are you in love? If so, what type? / Is it just platonic, strictly just as friends / Or the type that ties you two together 'til tomorrow’s end? / If it is, disregard every time I call you pretty / Though it’s meant sincerely, it’s just my imagination drifting

And I love the thought of being with you / Or maybe it’s the thought of not being so alone! / Hey, the second one’s way sadder than the first one / But I don’t know

Shit, I love being—I love being loved, but / Don't like crying on the phone 

Wait - The Dear Hunter

I lost my faith when I was young / I clenched my fist to bite my tongue

Then I said wait / Are our bodies really piles of dirt? / And is the soul just a metaphor? / I keep my eyes from looking too far up / I fear that there is a heaven above

I stood in lines to bow my head / I'd fold my hands and speak in tongues / To whisper worries to the dead / But I could tell no apparition heard a single word I said / But I'd still call my fear in to the air

Is my body really part of the earth / And is there blood running through my veins? / I'll know when I turn to dust / But I fear the answer isn't enough / So, will I never know heaven or hell? / Or is eternity something worse?

I hope there's not a heaven above

bury a friend - Billie Eilish 

What do you want from me? Why don't you run from me? / What are you wondering? What do you know? / Why aren't you scared of me? Why do you care for me? / When we all fall asleep, where do we go?

Today, I'm thinkin' about the things that are deadly / The way I'm drinkin' you down / Like I wanna drown, like I wanna end me

Step on the glass, staple your tongue (Ahh) / Bury a friend, try to wake up (Ah-ahh) / Cannibal class, killing the son (Ahh) / Bury a friend, I wanna end me

It's probably somethin' that shouldn't be said out loud / Honestly, I thought that I would be dead by now (Wow) / Calling security, keepin' my head held down / Bury the hatchet or bury a friend right now

Killer - The Hoosiers

I hate my work, but I'm in control / I'm fearless now, but it cost my soul

Blood red lips, they shake like leaves / You're flesh and blood, but what's underneath?

It's alright to scream, I'm screaming too / Why do you think I do these things I do? / For shadows haunted me like ghosts / So I became what I feared the most / I conduct fear like electricity / A man made monstrosity

This Is Home - Cavetown

Often I am upset that I cannot fall in love but I guess / This avoids the stress of falling out of it / Are you tired of me yet? I'm a little sick right now but I swear / When I'm ready I will fly us out of here

Are you dead? Sometimes I think I'm dead / Cause I can feel ghosts and ghouls wrapping my head / But I don't wanna fall asleep just yet

Exit Music (For a Film) - Radiohead

Wake from your sleep / The drying of your tears / Today we escape, we escape / Pack and get dressed / Before your father hears us / Before all hell breaks loose

Breathe, keep breathing / Don't lose your nerve / Breathe, keep breathing / I can't do this alone

And you can laugh a spineless laugh / We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one in everlasting peace / We hope that you choke, that you choke

Human - Jon Bellion

There's someone gorgeous in my bed tonight / Yet I'm still petrified that I'll die alone

I'm just so sick of being human

I got no guts to tell the one I love / That she's the reason that I wrote this song / And that's some coward shit, I know it's sus / But Lauren call me when you hear this song

Shrike - Hozier

Words hung above, but never would form / Like a cry at the final breath that is drawn / Remember me, love, when I'm reborn / As a shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn I'd no idea on what ground I was founded / All of that goodness is going with you now / Then when I met you, my virtues uncounted / All of my goodness is going with you now

Jesus Christ - Hobo Johnson

I've been on the wrong side of a bunch of arguments lately / Momma, I may never come home again / Momma said, "There's nothing wrong with being happy" / Happy trails, but Momma, I'm just feeling so alone / Momma said she's busy working, spending time with that other guy / But Momma, I just wanna come home / "But home is where your heart is, boy, at least you've got a phone"

Jesus Christ, you're super nice / But don't expect much from me, I / Would kneel down, but I'm afraid that I would just feel nothing Praise God / And other things that don't make sense to puny minds / Like ours, designing roller coasters that almost always seem to fall apart / Ain't it fun, ain't it fun, ain't it fun

Jesus Christ, you're super nice / I'm sure that you could love me / Even if I don't go to church every Sunday / Jesus Christ, you're super nice / How could you let me burn? / If I'm not murdering people, then smashing their fucking urn 

[rhinestonerespect]

Today

I can remember my mother's depression as a toddler. Some days she could not get out of bed. To remember her in that state is like a black and white movie. She looked gray and dark. She had no life force to keep her alive, let alone to care for me. When I think about it now, I feel less angry for the neglect I experienced as I do compassionate towards her- that she had to live through that.

I have struggled with depression before, but since I became mother to my daughter, it has become infinitely deeper and more challenging to live with. I find myself thinking that I must be just like my mother, that maybe I'm neglecting her just like that. But then I remind myself that our daily lives are really quite healthy.

We still sit and read books a lot. We have since she was an infant. Or we play games with whatever toys or art supplies or just whatever objects we have. I let her draw on the walls of my room. We talk about what she is drawing and I will draw stuff for her if she asks me to. We listen to music and dance

When I find myself or both of us are getting anxious or panicky, we go outside for a walk or just to play in the backyard. Even if the weather isn't nice, we at least try it for ten minutes. I like to tell her the names of plants and flowers and she repeats them. My mother did this with me- that is why I know the names. Sometimes when we go out, I cry and it is hard to move my body for the weight of sadness, but I still do it anyway for as long as I can.

I think lately I cry at least once an hour. That is my best and most honest assessment. I try not to do so in front of Eleanor, but she usually notices and asks me if I'm ok. That makes me feel incredibly guilty. Like I am dragging her down with my mood. So I try to hide my crying from her.

When I find that sometimes I am overwhelmed and really can not move anymore, I'll put on a cartoon or movie from my childhood. And we will watch it together. I am always sure to engage with her about the stuff we watch- as in- we talk about the movie and any feelings we are having about it.

I cook a lot of healthy food for her that I often can not eat much of myself, but I make sure she has whatever she needs. Mostly fruit and vegetables. I make sure we drink lots of water and take rests to just cuddle or drink a bottle of milk, as she still does that.

I tell her that I love her and how strong and capable and beautiful she is often. Several times a day usually. I talk with her always. I never ignore her or criticize her for asking me questions or expressing wants. I try not to be on my phone around her unless she is occupied with something else or its a quick message send. I show her that she's got my full attention at every point. I make sure she is safe. I express my gratitude for her existence and kindness.

I do all of this and regularly feel like I am failing at being her parent. Like I'm not doing enough or feeling good enough for her. Like I am not challenging or entertaining her enough. And clearly, I am actually succeeding in those thing because she is thriving beautifully and happy every day. I must remind myself. I must also remind myself that I have been scrutinized and criticized heavily by my former partner for years and I am having to do the work of lifting his perceptions of me from my own.

I have a lot of trouble eating and taking care of myself. I am grieving and heavy. I miss my family and my step children. I miss the safety I used to feel around my partner. I miss our love and how we used to care for each other. I miss our home.

Now I feel threatened by him and his control. I remember his violence. His fear and his anger. That he got to decide what was important enough for me to have and what was not. That he still exercises unjust control over my life and relationships. I am anxious and panicked. I feel isolated and ostracized. I feel helpless to change the way he treats me.

I am lonely and full of wants. I long for the touch of my dear friend who is far away. For the warmth of his body and the comfort of his voice. For the light in his eyes. To feel the song in his heart. I am fearful that we will never get to experience each other in person. That some inescapability of my current circumstances will keep us apart.

I wrote this for myself to remember that this is difficult and that I am struggling, but I am doing a good job of taking care of my daughter. That I am and will survive this period of my life. And that, in time, all things change and I am going to move forward and feel happiness and be able to thrive in myself again. No matter what that looks like.

And now I will cry some more.

[munroamings]

5:00 pm, Friday June 11th, 2021 - Courtenay BC

Hello!

Long time, no travel. Just some notes to self as I settle in on this comfy couch in The Airstream in the Old Orchard at the end of the lane (I love a good back lane). It’s overcast, and the door is open so I can air the place out while listening to the multiple sets of windchimes outside, and the breeze rustling the leaves. And, wonderfully, that is all I can hear.

All is green; it is the height of spring, after all. I hope that, one day, I can have a cute, quiet, green little yard and garden, and a thriving fruit tree on which to hang my own windchimes. Also, tulips,  pink peonies, and night blooming jasmine, to name a few.

Anyway, I need to make some travel-themed notes.

- You hate to disrupt your routine, and your systems. That’s why it’s important to do it once in a while. You will find yourself wondering, in the shower on the morning of your departure (hopefully not too early in the morning), “Why did I book this? I don’t want to go. What if I die? Maybe I can cancel and just stay home.” Avoid this by following all the following tips, especially the first 3, 

- Check your toiletry bag the week before you go. Stocking it is always the thing that takes the longest. Just maintain duplicates of what you use at home; this helps keep part of your routine consistent.

- Pack at least 2 nights ahead of time, and finish the last bits and pieces (30 mins max) the night before; this way, you’re not uncharacteristically stress-cramming random bits and pieces into an open bag the morning of. It also means you get a good, neckache free sleep the night before you leave. Important.

- The night before you leave, put out your complete outfit for the next day. Bonus if you can set aside a comfy outfit for the day you arrive back home as well.

- Always bring at least one foldable fabric bag

- You need to have lip balm to hand for the entire journey

- You should get a lock, alarm, or pepper spray; you just never know

- Must get some hard-soled, cozy travel slippers. There are a lot of hardwood and tile floors in the world, and they’re often cold and / or not entirely clean.

- Also, always bring your shower flipflops.

- Also need a travel nebulizer. Just get one. Places smell weird.

- Always pack a ballcap. It’s the quickest way to cover your hair and a good portion of your face, for those self-conscious times (like always). [This will not apply to Europe if you have the remotest hope of blending in. Speaking of, don’t even think about going back to Venice without a good guide. But do go back; springtime canals and cicchetti will always beckon.]

- Always always always ALWAYS bring an extra cardigan. And more spare socks than you think you need.

- Need a new overnight bag. Backpack is best, with a laptop slot, and a main compartment that zips all the way open so you can easily pack and unpack (nothing gets buried at the very bottom.) Should be water resistant at least, and have at least one additional smaller compartment.

- Portering stuff is hard work. Get in better shape. Get better at minimizing, and being uncomfortable. LOL! JK.

- But actually, toting stuff about feels unglamourous. Not sure what the solution is to this, especially as my ballcapped, Skechered, Eddie Bauered self is a far cry from the winsome, photogenic, heel-wearing, Starbucks-toting, white wheeled suitcase owners of the travel world.

I think that’s it for now. I’ve brought too much food, as usual. It’s dreary out there so there is a possibility that I will remain feeling trapped in here all evening with my bread and cheese, since I’m done driving for the day. I forgot to get wine, but that’s alright; it’s too cool to feel like drinking it and my unconscious is on overdrive being tired and in an unfamiliar place; it really does get wearing having to be so vigilantly self-reliant and careful every waking moment.

(PS. Remember when you married yourself to someone who disliked warm weather, windchimes, AND dogs? WTF.)

OH! I found it pleasantly bemusing that as soon as I got past Beach Club, the drive was much more pleasant, despite the ongoing rain; I think it’s because the land is higher, so there are no hills looming on either side, and the trees are shorter, and leafier. Big sky country. Like a northern Alberta highway. Less wind-y, as well. Now that I’m down in a valley again, in a wet rainforest, the affinity has dissipated, which is good to know: either I need to live on a southern coast (Cornwall, Spain, Hhhonolulu), or an open plain.

OH!!! Also, I saw a bear. :)

[thornstocutyouwith]

Basics:

Character’s Name: Setirasuri

Character’s Nickname(s):  Seti, Suri, Little Prince, Brat

Name pronunciation: It’s not that hard to say.

Origin of name: I love the Egyptian god Set, so I looked up the closest Egyptian name to it, and combined it with Ra, I don’t know where the Suri came from. I think it’s just something I tacked on at the end because it sounded nice with the other two names, not that it is a name all on it’s own. lol

Age: 19

Ethnicity: Egyptian

Sex/Gender: Male

Sexual orientation: Primarily Bisexual(Male Preference) 

Hair color: A light brown, with a reddish brown tent (Another homage to the god Set~)

Eye color: Green

Height: No taller than 5′10″

Weight: 105

Scars: Several on his neck, his chest, his arms, his hands, his back, and his legs. 

Tattoos: None so far.

Birthmarks: A few here and there

Piercings: Several on his ears

Right/left handed/ambidextrous: Right handed

Glasses/contacts: Neither

Apparel:

Clothing preferences: Seti in his Main Verse will usually wear next to nothing, or thin, airy soft fabrics. In a verse set in Modern times he would wear all sorts of colors, t-shirts, hoodies, jeans, he would be adventurous.

Accessories: Seti likes to wear stuff, jewelry can pretty much be found on most of his body parts, in his main verse. In a modern verse he wouldn’t wear too much like he would in his main, he would wear all sorts of bracelets, necklaces and some rings though. They wouldn’t be as flashy as in main, more earthy or Hippie like.

Style: In his main verse he could be viewed as extremely flashy at time, mostly pointing out his princely, royal, status. Though he is more so treated like an object and a lot of things are also just given to him.  In a modern verse it’s all more down played, casual clothing.

Trinkets: Probably a few magical items he’s come across. Some of them look like normal jewels, and such. 

Favorite possession: A lot of the things he wears, the artifact, The ring Sean gave him.

Equipment: Seti carries around a bag that he has his trinkets in and extra jewelry. Some scrolls, some with spells, or just for reading. A lot of things with text. 

Grooming habits: Usually oils, which he massages himself with often. He bathes a lot as well, mostly for enjoyment, and not so much for grooming.

Family and Relationships:

Parents: Seti and his mother and father got along very well. Seti was more of a momma’s boy, though. 

Siblings: Seti has several siblings. Husani, the eldest, but not first born of his siblings, is the current pharaoh and treats Seti like a pet or personal object to do with as he pleases. Which causes a lot of tension between them. Despite Husani’s abusive tendency’s toward Seti, Seti still tries to care about his brother. Seti’s elder sister, Isis, is a lot nicer than Husani, but is still a very cunning and powerful woman. She took on parenting Seti after their mother died when he was still very young. Making Seti’s relationship with her a good and strong one.

Grandparents: N/A

Marital Status: Married to Sean

Significant Other: Sean O’Hare

Children: 4 [Julian, Phoebe, Pfieffer, Phoenix]

Pets: A ton of cats at the abandoned temple to keep him company, especially when Husani chains Seti there.

Friends: Seti has some friends here and there who help him when he travels to the kingdoms.

Enemies: He has a lot lol

Close relatives: Quite a lot

Non-close relatives: Unknown

Ancestors: Mekh, Narmar, Akhenaten, Seti I and Tutankhamen bloodlines

Religion:

The religion they follow (if any): Egyptian polytheistic

Beliefs: In Egyptian gods, ritualistic things. 

Superstitions: A lot.

Virtues: Unknown

Location:

Country of Birth: Egypt

Place of Birth (State, city, etc): Memphis, Ta-Mehu (Land of papyrus, Lower Egypt)

First Language: Egyptian(Coptic form)

Cultures: Unknown

Traditions: Unknown

Schooling:

Highest Education: Minimal

Degrees: None

Home-schooled/public school/private school: Home schooled

Favorite subject: Anything to do with reading

Favorite teacher: Science Teacher

Least favorite subject: Math

Least favorite teacher: Math Teacher

Average grade: B- 

Study habits: None

Special education: Unknown

Graduating year: Never

Work:

Occupation: Nothing

Salary: A lot of monies

Employment history: None

Work space: No where

Mode of Transportation: Walking

Total income: Lots of monies

Boss: Husani

Hours: Life

Experience: Life

Co-worker relationships: Threatening

Rank: Scapegoat

Work ethic: None

Home:

Rent or Own: I guess he own’s it, he’s made it his own ahah

House, apartment, etc: Apartment in the Palace, Home under the Temple

Mode of transportation: Walking

Living space: Quite spacious 

Address: In the middle of no where mostly, At the palace

Hometown: Memphis, Ancient Egypt, Lower Egypt

Inner Workings Of Your Character:

Secrets: He was framed for the murder of his father. He has been abused by several people, mainly his brother Husani. Husani’s wife has in the passed forced Seti to have sex with her, in order to make her husband happy when she ends up pregnant with a child, that thankfully have almost all have been Husani’s, the living ones anyway. Can be easily manipulated into having sex with someone when drunk. Has, in the past more so then presently, sold his body merely to spice things up in his sex life. Has also had sex forced on him, whether drunk or not. 

Fears: Being crowded, or put in traumatic situations

Worries: Things getting bloody, hurting someone, having a panic attack and losing control over his powers.

Eating Habits: Seti eats in a polite way, usually. Keeping his mouth shut, not trying to talk, if possible as he is chewing. But sometimes he will toy with his food a bit.

Food preferences: Seti prefers sweets and meats. But he is okay with veggies and fruits too. He’s not very picky.

Sleep preferences: Usually prefers to be as comfy and cozy as possible. Though he doesn’t like to feel suffocated, so if he’s sleeping with others it could be a little problematic.

Work preferences: He has none, he doesn’t work.

Book preferences: Anything stimulating for him in the fiction section is pretty good. 

Music preferences: Stuff that makes him feel independent or just speaks to him. Other than that he would probably have no other preferences.

Introverted/extroverted: Probably an ambrivert

Optimist/pessimist: He’s more on the optimistic side

Hobbies: Exploring, Table games, Dancing, 

Pet peeves: Being stuck in awkward situations. Giving up easily. Referring to any government agency as "the Fed". Characters that have just met each other in movies arrange dates without exchanging any contact or meet information. When you're invited to a party (or any event) with people you have never met, and the host doesn't introduce you to anyone. People who blame anything but themselves for THEIR failure.  

Skilled at: Lockpicking, Monster Handler, Cartography, Swords, Bow and Arrows/other ranged weapons, Fire Building, Riding, Hunting, Desert Survival, Deduction, Persuasion, Botany, Hiding, Parry, 

Unskilled at: Hand to Hand, Playing Brass Instruments, Tailoring, Survival Arctic,  Firearms, Aura Perception, 

Attitude: Positive

Obsessions: Snacks, Sleeping in, Sex, Partying, 

Stresses: Being in tight spaces, Blood, Being put into situations out of his control,

Addictions: Fruit, Sex, Staying up late, 

Handicaps (physical): None

Handicaps (emotional/psychological): Emotionally scarred due to his brothers actions, and recent events. 

Allergies: Unknown, so far.

Medical history: Suffers random bouts of sickness, due to weakened immune system and rough life conditions.

IQ: 104

Temperament: Phlegmatic

Perception and outlook on life: Positive, for the most part. 

Habits:

Verbal quirks: For the most part, Seti’s speech is clear and he will mostly speak English. Outside of that, sometimes he will carry an accent when in high stress situations. Or mix up words/ slip in some things from his native language. 

Physical quirks: Thrives in hot weather, hates cold weather, Has a noticeable scar from a weapon,  Plays with hair, Shifts from foot to foot, 

Sleeping habits: Wakes up after noon, 

Annoying/Irritating habits: Drinks alcohol excessively when around others,uses drugs recreationally,

Eating habits: Is strongly susceptible to “brain freeze”, 

Healthy habits: None

Unhealthy habits: Sometimes overeats, Sometimes sleeps too much

Objects Kept In - And Why:

Their closet: Technically he doesn’t have a closet, but wherever he keeps his clothes, they are all fairly well made, considering where he lives. And the time in which he lives in. Thin breathable fabrics that at the bare minimum would cover up from the hip to the knee. 

Their bedroom: Styled appropriately, with an abundance of pillows and blankets. 

Their purse/bag: Survival items.

Their fridge: No.

Their car: No.

Their desk: No.

Their pockets: Probably small little trinkets, rocks, pieces of jewelry.

Their junk drawer: No

Their glove compartment: No

Their backpack: No

Their locker: No

Their car trunk: No

Their wallet: No

Their suitcase: No

Favorites:

Favorite book: The Journey To The West

Favorite movie: I, Robot

Favorite hobby: Astronomy

Favorite animal: Cats/ Snapping Turtle

Favorite color:  Emerald Green

Favorite season: Doesn't matter, it’s perpetually too hot. Spring?

Favorite food:  Rice

Favorite drink: Wine

Favorite time of day: Noon

Least Favorite:

Least favorite book: Harry Potter

Least favorite movie: Black Panther

Least favorite hobby: Car Racing

Least favorite animal: Birds

Least favorite color: Grey

Least favorite season: Winter

Least favorite food: Passion Fruit

Least favorite drink: Water

Least favorite time of day: Morning

Other:

Talents:   Tanning (furrier), Play Percussion Instruments, Trade, Speak (language), Leadership, Herbalist, Closed Fist, Archery, 

Political preference: It’s not important.

Strengths: Curiosity, Judgment, Bravery, Perseverance, Fairness, Forgiveness, Self Regulation, Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Logical, Friendly, Open, 

Flaws: Blunt, Moody, Indifferent, Intolerant, Naive, Lazy, Strict, Bold, Fierce, Proud, Smartass, Unpredictable, 

Social class: Royalty

Blood type: AB

Posture: Bird like, elegant, sometimes hands on his sides, or at his sides. 

Speech impediments: None

Spending habits: I’m sure he has some.

[wineanddinosaur]

We Asked 15 Brewers: What Are You Drinking in Dry January?

It might still feel like 2020 in some ways — OK, a lot of ways — but 2021 has indeed arrived, and for many people the dawn of a new year means setting resolutions for a cleaner, healthier life. The most temperate (and trendy) goal is Dry January, the widely popular month-long practice of abstaining from alcohol.

There’s a good chance someone you know (it could even be you) is pledging sobriety for the first 31 days of 2021. According to the London-based nonprofit that started the now-global challenge through a campaign to combat unhealthy drinking in 2013, more than 6 million people said they would become teetotalers this month, up from 3.9 million last year. The dramatic increase is not at all surprising, as data suggests alcohol consumption has risen sharply during the coronavirus pandemic.

Interestingly, the burgeoning segment of nonalcoholic beverages also continues to thrive amid today’s duress and uncertainty. In the first six months of the pandemic, sales of non-alcoholic beer increased by almost 40 percent, according to Nielsen, pointing to the legitimacy in the growing momentum of the sober-curious movement.

Depending on who you ask, having a Dry January this year could be extremely difficult, pretty easy, or somewhere between. Whatever you’re doing, we’re not here to judge. But we wondered: Are brewers participating? Here’s what we learned after asking 15.

Keep reading for details about all the recommended drinks!

“I definitely cut back after the holidays, and totally support Dry January, if it’s truly healthy for the person doing it. Me, I’m mostly alternating between low fills of our IPA and pils on the weekend. And for weeknight dinners I’m having an ice-cold Heineken 0.0, straight from the bottle. It is, by far, the most beer-like nonalcoholic beer I’ve tried, and it’s exactly what I want in the occasion: crisp, cold lager.” —Kyle Kohlmorgen, Founder and Head Brewer, Wellspent Brewing Company, St. Louis

“Scottish Blend tea. I’m not joking.” —Keir Hamilton, Brewer, Alewife Brewing Company, Sunnyside, N.Y.

“Local businesses, from breweries and bottle shops to bars and restaurants, are struggling right now, so I’m supporting them anyway I can. In lieu of Dry January I’ll be continuing to purchase beer from some of my favorite small businesses and I encourage everyone else to do the same. I’ll be saving the sobriety for more stable times and drinking saisons like Väsen’s Mierka until then.” —Brian Mandeville, Head Brewer, Fine Creek Brewing Company, Powhatan, Va.

”I have to be honest: I’m usually the first to tell trend-followers to get bent. But considering last year made me want to dive into a pool of strong Mai Tai, I decided to give Dry January a Mai-try. As with any vice, you give one and grab another. So I started drinking the glorious solution of my people, imported Mexican Coke. Why? Because it’s tasty as hell.“ —Javi Gonzalez, Brewer, Pacific Plate Brewing Company, Monrovia, Calif.

“I was planning on doing it, actually for the first time, and then an insurrection mounted against the Capitol and I realized it just wasn’t the right time for that.” —Candace Holmes, Brewer, Bearded Iris Brewing, Nashville

“My wife and I are both doing it, partly because she tested positive for Covid on Saturday and I a few days later, after first showing negative. Crazy. So we’ve been quarantining with a lot of La Croix.“ —Todd DiMatteo, Co-owner and Brewer, Good Word Brewing & Public House, Duluth, Ga.

“I’ve been drinking lots of water and coffee this month. We’ve also been experimenting with dry-hopping nonalcoholic seltzers with and without fruit purees, so I’m fortunate to enjoy those during and after my shifts.” —Eric Berg, Packaging, The Bronx Brewery, Bronx, N.Y.

“I really appreciate Dry January and any attempt to be a bit more mindful about sobriety and what we consume. This year obviously is a bit different, but in the past it’s been cool to see people drinking nonalcoholic options in social settings, proving even us awkward introverts don’t always need to be half buzzed to have a good time out. At the brewery we’ve been experimenting with these awesome little drinks we call Soft Seltzers. They’re fermented with a mixed culture we’ve cultivated, less than 0.5 percent ABV, bone dry, have some cool funky and refreshing herb and fruit flavors, and that seltzer-like carb and drinkability. I find most kombuchas and other fermented sodas either too sweet or too aggressively sour and gross. The Soft Seltzers are much more ethereal and delicious. Lately I’ve been crushing bottles of one with ginger and holy basil out of some clear bottles that, after a bit of time in the sun, gets a saison-ish, funky skunk character. They make me so happy.” —Gerard Olson, Owner, Forest & Main Brewing Company, Ambler, Pa.

“Whiskey and Diet Coke. I’m doing a beer-only Dry January because your boy gained that Covid-30 (pounds, that is) and it’s time to see my toes again.” —Tyler Smith, Founder, Kitsune Brewing Company, Phoenix,

“Despite brewing beer for a living, I don’t drink much, so the idea of participating in Dry January never even occurs to me.” —Jacob Mitchell, Head Brewer, Craft Brewing Company, Lake Elsinore, Calif.

“Local breweries need all the help they can get this winter, so I won’t go dry and instead wiIl pick up beers from our friends in our Gowanus neighborhood. For one, pretty excited to grab Antithesis, Wild East’s new West Coast-style IPA.” —Alex Biedermann, Brewer, Strong Rope Brewery, Brooklyn

“With all that’s gone on this past year, Dry January isn’t really in the cards for me. At work, my coworkers and I basically drink whatever lager is close to finished at the time. As soon as that’s packaged, we move on to the next one, and so on and so forth. I think it probably has something to do with the exclusivity of it. And maybe the convenience. Anyway, it feels like our little secret. And when I get home I’m usually drinking gin or Scotch. The weekends I save for a special bottle of whatever mixed-fermentation ale I can get my hands on.” —Savannah Roberts, Brewer, Triple Crossing Beer (Fulton), Richmond, Va.

“Lagunitas’ Hop Water is actually pretty fantastic. But these days it’s a shit-ton of seltzer, pretty much. Maybe mix in some lime and bitters if I’m feeling fancy.” —Bob Oso, Brewer, Austin Beerworks, Austin, Texas

“I think a major problem I, and maybe others, have is that I associate beer with fun and good feelings. And so I start to reach for a beer because of the way I’m hoping it makes me feel versus just enjoying the way it tastes. This month, I’ve been getting into trying different hot teas and creating a cozy, enjoyable atmosphere to retrain my brain into realizing I don’t need alcohol to have a good time.” —Jillian Farrell, Brewer, Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery, Flagstaff, Ariz.

“With a lot of breweries struggling from the pandemic, I’ll have some beers this month. It’s to support the local industry via buying and drinking beers from my peers, and because I enjoy drinking some every now and then. Maybe I’ll just do a double-DRY-hopped January, instead.” —Linus De Paoli, Owner and Brewer, Kitzingen Brewery, Wyoming, Mich.

The article We Asked 15 Brewers: What Are You Drinking in Dry January? appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/15-best-dry-january-beverages-brewers/

[johnboothus]

We Asked 15 Brewers: What Are You Drinking in Dry January?

It might still feel like 2020 in some ways — OK, a lot of ways — but 2021 has indeed arrived, and for many people the dawn of a new year means setting resolutions for a cleaner, healthier life. The most temperate (and trendy) goal is Dry January, the widely popular month-long practice of abstaining from alcohol.

There’s a good chance someone you know (it could even be you) is pledging sobriety for the first 31 days of 2021. According to the London-based nonprofit that started the now-global challenge through a campaign to combat unhealthy drinking in 2013, more than 6 million people said they would become teetotalers this month, up from 3.9 million last year. The dramatic increase is not at all surprising, as data suggests alcohol consumption has risen sharply during the coronavirus pandemic.

Interestingly, the burgeoning segment of nonalcoholic beverages also continues to thrive amid today’s duress and uncertainty. In the first six months of the pandemic, sales of non-alcoholic beer increased by almost 40 percent, according to Nielsen, pointing to the legitimacy in the growing momentum of the sober-curious movement.

Depending on who you ask, having a Dry January this year could be extremely difficult, pretty easy, or somewhere between. Whatever you’re doing, we’re not here to judge. But we wondered: Are brewers participating? Here’s what we learned after asking 15.

Keep reading for details about all the recommended drinks!

“I definitely cut back after the holidays, and totally support Dry January, if it’s truly healthy for the person doing it. Me, I’m mostly alternating between low fills of our IPA and pils on the weekend. And for weeknight dinners I’m having an ice-cold Heineken 0.0, straight from the bottle. It is, by far, the most beer-like nonalcoholic beer I’ve tried, and it’s exactly what I want in the occasion: crisp, cold lager.” —Kyle Kohlmorgen, Founder and Head Brewer, Wellspent Brewing Company, St. Louis

“Scottish Blend tea. I’m not joking.” —Keir Hamilton, Brewer, Alewife Brewing Company, Sunnyside, N.Y.

“Local businesses, from breweries and bottle shops to bars and restaurants, are struggling right now, so I’m supporting them anyway I can. In lieu of Dry January I’ll be continuing to purchase beer from some of my favorite small businesses and I encourage everyone else to do the same. I’ll be saving the sobriety for more stable times and drinking saisons like Väsen’s Mierka until then.” —Brian Mandeville, Head Brewer, Fine Creek Brewing Company, Powhatan, Va.

”I have to be honest: I’m usually the first to tell trend-followers to get bent. But considering last year made me want to dive into a pool of strong Mai Tai, I decided to give Dry January a Mai-try. As with any vice, you give one and grab another. So I started drinking the glorious solution of my people, imported Mexican Coke. Why? Because it’s tasty as hell.“ —Javi Gonzalez, Brewer, Pacific Plate Brewing Company, Monrovia, Calif.

“I was planning on doing it, actually for the first time, and then an insurrection mounted against the Capitol and I realized it just wasn’t the right time for that.” —Candace Holmes, Brewer, Bearded Iris Brewing, Nashville

“My wife and I are both doing it, partly because she tested positive for Covid on Saturday and I a few days later, after first showing negative. Crazy. So we’ve been quarantining with a lot of La Croix.“ —Todd DiMatteo, Co-owner and Brewer, Good Word Brewing & Public House, Duluth, Ga.

“I’ve been drinking lots of water and coffee this month. We’ve also been experimenting with dry-hopping nonalcoholic seltzers with and without fruit purees, so I’m fortunate to enjoy those during and after my shifts.” —Eric Berg, Packaging, The Bronx Brewery, Bronx, N.Y.

“I really appreciate Dry January and any attempt to be a bit more mindful about sobriety and what we consume. This year obviously is a bit different, but in the past it’s been cool to see people drinking nonalcoholic options in social settings, proving even us awkward introverts don’t always need to be half buzzed to have a good time out. At the brewery we’ve been experimenting with these awesome little drinks we call Soft Seltzers. They’re fermented with a mixed culture we’ve cultivated, less than 0.5 percent ABV, bone dry, have some cool funky and refreshing herb and fruit flavors, and that seltzer-like carb and drinkability. I find most kombuchas and other fermented sodas either too sweet or too aggressively sour and gross. The Soft Seltzers are much more ethereal and delicious. Lately I’ve been crushing bottles of one with ginger and holy basil out of some clear bottles that, after a bit of time in the sun, gets a saison-ish, funky skunk character. They make me so happy.” —Gerard Olson, Owner, Forest & Main Brewing Company, Ambler, Pa.

“Whiskey and Diet Coke. I’m doing a beer-only Dry January because your boy gained that Covid-30 (pounds, that is) and it’s time to see my toes again.” —Tyler Smith, Founder, Kitsune Brewing Company, Phoenix,

“Despite brewing beer for a living, I don’t drink much, so the idea of participating in Dry January never even occurs to me.” —Jacob Mitchell, Head Brewer, Craft Brewing Company, Lake Elsinore, Calif.

“Local breweries need all the help they can get this winter, so I won’t go dry and instead wiIl pick up beers from our friends in our Gowanus neighborhood. For one, pretty excited to grab Antithesis, Wild East’s new West Coast-style IPA.” —Alex Biedermann, Brewer, Strong Rope Brewery, Brooklyn

“With all that’s gone on this past year, Dry January isn’t really in the cards for me. At work, my coworkers and I basically drink whatever lager is close to finished at the time. As soon as that’s packaged, we move on to the next one, and so on and so forth. I think it probably has something to do with the exclusivity of it. And maybe the convenience. Anyway, it feels like our little secret. And when I get home I’m usually drinking gin or Scotch. The weekends I save for a special bottle of whatever mixed-fermentation ale I can get my hands on.” —Savannah Roberts, Brewer, Triple Crossing Beer (Fulton), Richmond, Va.

“Lagunitas’ Hop Water is actually pretty fantastic. But these days it’s a shit-ton of seltzer, pretty much. Maybe mix in some lime and bitters if I’m feeling fancy.” —Bob Oso, Brewer, Austin Beerworks, Austin, Texas

“I think a major problem I, and maybe others, have is that I associate beer with fun and good feelings. And so I start to reach for a beer because of the way I’m hoping it makes me feel versus just enjoying the way it tastes. This month, I’ve been getting into trying different hot teas and creating a cozy, enjoyable atmosphere to retrain my brain into realizing I don’t need alcohol to have a good time.” —Jillian Farrell, Brewer, Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery, Flagstaff, Ariz.

“With a lot of breweries struggling from the pandemic, I’ll have some beers this month. It’s to support the local industry via buying and drinking beers from my peers, and because I enjoy drinking some every now and then. Maybe I’ll just do a double-DRY-hopped January, instead.” —Linus De Paoli, Owner and Brewer, Kitzingen Brewery, Wyoming, Mich.

The article We Asked 15 Brewers: What Are You Drinking in Dry January? appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/15-best-dry-january-beverages-brewers/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/we-asked-15-brewers-what-are-you-drinking-in-dry-january