#can't be bothered scheduling these several days in advance

[batsplat]

introducing a new system where i take an evening where i'm not gonna do useful shit anyway and pick like... 5-10 asks that Do Not Need an essay response and answer them without an essay response. because the inbox has gotten truly worrying and the time i take to respond feels kinda rude at this point. so. sorry u get a bunch of posts in a row... i'm just posting these in relative quick succession

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Once Upon a Time 10

Warnings: non/dubcon and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

Characters: Andy Barber

Part of the Bookstore AU

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

A message pops up on your Instagram. You open it with dread, a blank profile with some generic photo of a bookshelf. You already know it's him. 

‘Your aunt is very nice.’ 

You nearly drop your phone as you glance over at Jo. She sits with a cross stitch as she watches a rerun of Cold Case. You shudder and look back down at the screen. 

‘Why r u doing this?’ 

You hit the arrow as your sweaty hands stick to the silicon case. 

‘Why am I being nice?’ He replies. 

You can't. You stand up with your phone and your Aunt Jo peeks over with an arched brow. You give an apologetic smile. 

“Sorry, I'll be right back.” 

You cross the room and pass the kitchen doorway. You lock yourself in the bathroom and look at your phone. You see three dots then they disappear. 

‘You followed me.’ 

He sends a rolling eye emoji. You nearly scream. What the hell? He's rolling his eyes at what? Stalking you? 

‘More than once.’ 

He sends a laughing emoji with tears. You huff. He's so confusing. Then a photo pops up, buffering before finally loading. 

It's Chelsea, well, the top of her head and she's… 

You want to puke. You can't believe he'd send you that. Does she know he took that? Even if she's a bitch, you feel bad. 

‘Looks like I'm all taken care of.’ He texts. 

‘Looks like you are.’ 

You turn your phone to do not disturb and lock it. He's disgusting. You don't even get what he wants from you. If he has Chelsea doing all that, why the heck is he texting you? 

You take your phone to the spare room, what was once your room, and leave it there. You don’t want to be bothered by him, even if you can’t shake the uneasiness stirring your nerves. You go back to the living room and sit down on the couch. You stare unseeingly at the television as the syndicated legal series drones on. 

“What was that, honey?” Jo asks, poking her needle up then pulling it through. 

“Work,” you lie, “um, they keep moving around the schedule or whatever. It’s... frustrating.” 

“Ah, that’s too bad,” she tug the thread to its limit, “you’re stressed. Maybe you should take a day off.” 

“Maybe,” you rub your forehead, “or get a different job.” 

“Could do,” she shrugs, “you know I’ll support whatever you do.” 

“Yeah,” you drop your hands into your lap and look at her, “I know.” 

You turn back to screen and try to hide your despair. Should you try to tell her about Andy? The thought’s crossed your mind a dozen times over. Your Aunt Jo is fierce and loving, she might just believe you but it’s not her holding you back. It’s him. He’s dangerous and he hasn’t yet shown you how dangerous. 

It’s better she doesn’t know. Not right now. You’ll have to deal with Andy. Just not tonight. 

📖

You grumble around the last mouthful of coffee. Another day, another shift. While Jo’s suggestion was tempting, you really can’t give up the hours. Nonetheless, you haven’t sat on your hands. Several applications were forward late into the night as sleep eluded you. Now you can barely hold your head up. 

It shouldn’t be very busy at opening. You can survive on an instant coffee packet from the breakroom. You yawn and grab your coat and bag. The snow puffs up around your boots as you step outside, shivering as you tuck your scarf into the top of your jacket. You pull your hood up against the frigid wind and tamp down the fresh powder as you come down the walk. 

As you get to the sidewalk, you stop and look both ways. Before you can cross and head for the bus stop, a horn honks, jarring you. You step back as a familiar car rolls up. You cross your arms, heart racing, and peek back over your shoulder at the safe hold of your aunt’s house. 

“Buses are behind,” Andy calls through the window as it slides down, “you’ll be late...” 

“I’m fine,” you sidestep to walk around the rear bumper and he shifts into reverse, blocking your escape. 

“I know your aunt didn’t teach you to be so ungrateful--” 

“Don’t talk about my aunt,” you snap as you turn back the other way and he rolls forward. You stop short and stomp your foot, “why are you doing this? Why are you bugging me? Chelsea--” 

“I don’t want Chelsea, she’s a slut. She’s easy. She gets the job done,” he sneers. 

You shake your head and blow out a cloud of warmth into the crisp air, “I’m sure there are other--” 

“You,” he says tersely, “that’s it. No one else.” 

You close your eyes and shudder, “I... I’m not interested... like that, Andy. I just was being friendly because it’s my job. Can’t you understand?” 

“I don’t understand,” he snarls, “I’m a lawyer, I’m good-looking, I take good care of myself and I could do the same for you. You wouldn’t have to work in some shitty bookstore.” 

You flutter your lashes and shake your head, “I...” 

“What? Why don’t you want me?” He leans over the seat further, glaring at you. 

“How old are you?” You blurt out, immediately sealing your lips in regret. 

He scoffs, “and how old are you? Bit over the hill to be in retail, huh? I know you’re not some college kid getting a few extra bucks. You’re a grown woman, your life is a mess. You need someone like me.” 

You huff, “I need you to leave me alone.” 

He clucks and sits up. The car idles in front of you as he sits silently. He grips the real and clears his throat, “I’ll be seeing you for dinner. Aunt Jo sure is sweet, maybe you could learn a thing or two from her.” 

The window rolls up before you can spit back a retort. The mention of your aunt flares in your chest. How dare he. You know it’s more than a snipe at you, he’s not saying her name for nothing. It’s a threat. 

He steers away down the snowy road, the snow packing beneath the weight of the car. You watch his headlights stop at the corner before you kick through the snow. Fuck. 

[taintedbenevolence]

Yandere! Gojo Satoru x fem! reader | Yandere! Inumaki Toge x fem! reader

! MINORS DNI !

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄             𝔾𝕆𝕁𝕆 𝕊𝔸𝕋𝕆ℝ𝕌 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀ℕ𝕌𝕄𝔸𝕂𝕀 𝕋𝕆𝔾𝔼 𝕩 𝕗𝕖𝕞!𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣                   ( INDIVIDUAL PAIRING PER CHARACTER )

𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐘            ℍ𝔼𝔸𝔻ℂ𝔸ℕ𝕆ℕ𝕊

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 ( + HEAVILY IMPLIED NSFW FOR GOJO ) 𝕀𝕄ℙ𝕃𝕀𝔼𝔻 𝕊𝕋𝔸𝕃𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾, 𝕄𝕌ℝ𝔻𝔼ℝ, 𝕂𝕀𝔻ℕ𝔸ℙℙ𝕀ℕ𝔾, ℕ𝕆ℕ-ℂ𝕆ℕ 𝔸𝔽𝔽𝔼ℂ𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ, 𝔻ℝ𝕌𝔾𝔾𝕀ℕ𝔾, 𝕄𝔸ℕ𝕀ℙ𝕌𝕃𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ, 𝕌ℕℍ𝔼𝔸𝕃𝕋ℍ𝕐 𝔹𝔼ℍ𝔸𝕍𝕀𝕆ℝ

GOJO SATORU

- ENTP - 28 y/o - He/him - December 7 - Jealous + Clingy + Self-indulgent Yandere

Gojo.. is a complicated one. By this I mean he isn't easy to pin down as a yandere type in itself. He has several traits that lead to different yandere categorizations, but I think that the best way to categorize him is as a jealous, clingy, and self-indulgent yandere.

JEALOUS - FIERCELY PROTECTIVE OR VIGILANT OF ONE'S RIGHTS OR POSSESSIONS

CLINGY - TO ACT NEEDY, DEPENDENT, JEALOUS, AND/OR OBSESSIVE

SELF-INDULGENT - EXCESSIVE OR UNRESTRAINED GRATIFICATION OF ONE'S OWN APPETITES, DESIRES, OR WHIMS

Gojo is generally someone charismatic with an open persona. He's the type of person who can either get along with everyone or be an asshole. Or both, even. That's just the type of person Gojo is, really.

However, when it comes to you, his energy goes out of bounds. He's someone very cheerful whose charisma will know no bounds when with you. He'll talk to you whenever he can, visit you whenever he can, shower you with random, spontaneous gifts whenever he can, and they might not even have the sender written on them.

It's on a degree, affectionate and cute, and also a little bit off-putting. He'll be all over you, asking you all sorts of questions.

How have you been? What have you been doing? What's your favorite time of the day? Why were you not at home at the usual time? With whom have you been spending time with? Do you like anyone in some sort of way? Do you love anyone? Do you love me?Do you hate me?

It's all sweet, but he's genuinely trying to catch your attention. Please, darling, can't you spare a second of your busy schedule and pay attention to him?

Will he have to fight for your attention and start removing any sort of obstacles that may be interfering, or will you finally look at him?

He's going to be stalking you anyways, so why bother trying ignore him?

Gojo's advances are paced and quick. He makes it clear from the start that he likes being around you and would not hesitate to be with you should he be granted the chance. If you're interested in him, that makes it all the better, and you're definitely in for some fun and a wild ride.

He'll show you all sorts of good and crazy things that come with being in a relationship with him. This may range from going on random trips to faraway places all the way to a nice cuddling moment during morning hours or late evening.

If you don't really like him, though, he won't care. You don't love him? He'll take it as a challenge, one that he welcomes entirely. He'll spend his time trying to charm his way to your heart, doing small favors all the way to more direct approaches to his intent.

When (and if) he sees that his attempts have not worked, he'll start to assume things. Are you with someone else? Is that why you don't want to be with him? Seriously, what does anyone else have that he doesn't? He could do so much better than whoever you're with.

Or maybe, you just are in denial. You're in denial, and you say you don't love him but you really do. How endearing! It's fine darling, just tell him! He won't judge you. He'll love you, hold you, protect you, care for you, what's there to lose?

He's going to push your every and individual button until you really show him what you feel. When he sees that all his doubts of why you're avoiding his advances are cleared and nothing works, he resorts to the worst.

Kidnapping you.

He has several ways of doing this. He could either right away nab you to his place and tie you up, or just knock you out. He could also just use a chloroform rag if he's feeling particularly lazy that day, but it might not be entirely efficient should you fight back and have good reflexes on how to act (it'd be a waste of resources and money).

He'll most likely just wait until you fall asleep, then take you quickly enough to his place, and if you still happen to be asleep, he'll tie you up, probably to a bed so you'll be comfortable, and place a blindfold around your head so that you can't see, and then place a rag on your mouth. It won't be deep enough to choke you, but it's just a cloth to make sure that if you scream, you won't be heard by anyone but him.

The second you wake up, you'll see nothing. Your first instinct then, is to scream, and then you'll hear Gojo's voice sounding again as he walks closer to you. He expected you to wake up later, but he doesn't mind this at all. He welcomes the surprise.

He takes off your blindfold, and for the first time in a while, you see him without his own, your eyes meeting his vibrant, blue hues. They're rather beautiful, and he knows that as enchanting as they are, they're also rather off-putting in this situation.

He'll hold you, whisper sweet nothings in your ear as he cuddles you, not really caring about how scared you might feel. He'll try to assure you that everything's fine and that you're safe here with him, but your mind and heart tell you otherwise.

Oh, and don't even dream about escaping. It's impossible. And even if you do somehow manage to escape, the second you leave, he'll know, and before you know it, you'll be back with even more restraints. It would take him less than five minutes to locate you. Whatever privileges you had before, you've lost them, and now you're trapped inside infinitely.

He's not really happy you tried to escape, but at the same time, it amuses him that you thought you could escape. He toys with the idea of a cat-and-mouse chase. He'd love to chase you down for the mere fun of it. He'd even have his usual, relaxed smile while he does it.

Now, what really pisses him off is if you reject any and all sorts of affection he tries to offer you. You try to get out of cuddling? Maybe he accepts it the first time, you're still getting used to this after all. He can understand that. Wipe off his kisses? Please, don't do that. He's trying. Avoid his gaze and look anywhere but him? Keep quiet and don't say a single word no matter what?

What the fuck is your problem?

He's not happy. Come on, can't you comply just once?

He's trying to understand just why it is you're acting in such a way. He can't comprehend why you would be like this, and he's not satisfied with it at all. He wants to know how to deal with it. And a behavior like this would require punishment.

Gojo isn't necessarily lenient. He might just starve you, or leave you alone entirely for days on end until he knows that you won't be able to stand it. He's going to drive you to tipping insanity until you become more and more dependent on him.

"Go on, darling. Beg.                 Beg me. Beg me to stay. Beg for my love."

That sweet act he had that he needed you? Please. You're the one who needs him. He wants you to be dependent on him, to depend on him for your needs.

Normally, this is supposed to be something healthy if balanced equally on both ends, but he takes it to the extreme, making it something unhealthy rather than helpful. He wants you solely depend on him for everything. He loves how helpless he can make you.

This will also show during more intimate aspects of your love life. Whenever he's holding you tight, his digits moving inside of you at a sufficient pace, he'll whisper words coated in honey as to wash you away in a fantasy. He'll fuck you through and through, and all while he holds you tight, smothering you in kisses.

In this moment, he wants this to be something special. He doesn't want you thinking about anything else other than him while he fills you up. He'll comfort you, straddle you, and hold you, whispering alluring and sweet words as the night passes by unending. This is meant to be something special, and he'll make it special.

After all, you're his, aren't you?

"That's right, darling..             there's no need to worry about anything else.                    I'm right here. I'm all you need to think about."

TOGE INUMAKI

- INTP - 17 y/o - He/him - October 23 - Caring + Protective Yandere

Much like Gojo, I had a hard time pinpointing what kind of yandere Inumaki would be. However, it was slightly more difficult than Gojo. It's not because he matches for several types, rather, I couldn't find any category to fully (and accurately) represent him. I decided to categorize him as a caring and overprotective yandere, given it's what I thought would fit best.

"Inumaki is a Cursed Speech user. He speaks in                     rice ball ingredients to not curse others."

Inumaki doesn't fall easily. He's not like some yandere types that tend to fall head over heels at first sight of their darling. It will take him time before he falls in love. This is to say, he'll become friends first, then develop interest, and then try to figure out how to deal with his feelings like a normal person.

The only small detail is that the more he grows attached to you, or the more time he spends with you, a small feeling to protect you grows too. It's not that he views you as weak either. He just thinks that he should be there to help protect you. A matter of concern for your well-being, the way he sees it.

And contrary to what most would think, Inumaki's an easy yandere to navigate and deal with should you not make any wrong moves. It could well turn out to be a relatively functional relationship so long as it's done well. To detail further, once Inumaki assesses his feelings for you, he'll realize it's not just love he's feeling, it's also obsession.

He'll know it's not exactly healthy, but will still try to show it in a healthy manner, as to not scare you off. When it comes to confessing, he'll most likely just write you a letter. He won't do it in person, unless he's confronted about his feelings directly by you, to which he'll then attempt to answer.

Something to note; Inumaki, regardless of your answer, is still protective of you and cares for you. His Yandere typing Caring and Overprotective show particularly when he believes that you're around a bad influence. He won't try to manipulate you into thinking that true friends you have are bad people, nor will he turn others against you so that you're all his, because he knows just how hard it is to have other people to truly care for you and have your back.

He cares for you very strongly, and thereby, grows incredibly protective of you when he thinks you're doing something irrational that could harm you or be detrimental to your health. This could be hanging around people that could hurt you, overworking yourself, unhealthy coping mechanisms and/or habits.

He's going to be there to offer you solutions to your problems, even if he's not exactly the best at communicating or showing that he does care and feel concern for you. He'll be there to help you out, if it makes you feel any better.

As for confessions...

If you reject how he feels, he's definitely going to feel heartbroken, but he'll get over that glum sentiment relatively quickly. After that, his obsession, instead of going away, grows more than his love for you, and starts to affect him more than before.

If you accept how he feels, it will work out better, and while it's certainly going to take a while to be able to learn how to communicate fluently with a lack of words, it will actually be a rather sweet relationship that ought to last.

When it comes to acting on his obsession, Inumaki would not exactly... kill for you, but he would most certainly fight for you, much like Itadori. Inumaki is not "willing to kill," because it goes against what he does for a living, and it's a waste of his time. Rather, cursing the person and then exorcising them is more in his favor, because it amounts to the masses of curses he already exorcises regularly.

Inumaki would try to convince you to stay with him if you ever realize that he's more deranged than he lets on. If it doesn't work, he'll use Cursed Speech, as much as he wishes not to. Just the words "Don't leave," are enough for you to freeze in your tracks. And from that point an on, you realize that whatever relationship you have him with him is not a colorful daydream.

He's kind, yes, but he's not exactly willing to let you leave either. He still does want you, after all, and even if you don't exactly love him back, he won't let you go. He will use his Cursed Speech to his advantage, even if his original plan was to not coerce you into this.

However, if push comes to shove... he'll do it anyways. He's willing to put his feelings of care and concern aside to achieve his goal if it means keeping you to himself. He's not against putting you in your place if it means he'll get to keep you within range.

Don't get the wrong idea; Inumaki wants what's best for you. He wants the two of you to have a functional, healthy relationship that can lead to a wonderful life, though that by now is much more like a dream-like delusion rather than a reality. He just hopes you can see that. He doesn't want to hurt you. But he also doesn't want to lose you.

Unlike other yandere types who say "I want what's best for you," for nothing more than a source for manipulation, Inumaki says such a statement truthfully and as a lie, so both as reassurance and manipulation. He uses it in both ways, depending which turns to his advantage.

This would, preferably, lead you to slightly become a bit more trusting of him. The way he views it, the more trust he gains from you, the better and easier it will be to have you believe his side of the story when it comes to explaining more serious matters regarding his feelings. And given his inability to actually speak in fluent, whole sentences normally without cursing others, it gives him a bigger opportunity to have you try and understand and open up to him.

Now, in the case that you don't want to be with him and you try to escape him? Inumaki won't take it lightly. He's not the type to take you back immediately as soon as he spots you, though. He observes you for a while. He lets you believe you've gotten away for a long while. He'll entertain this fake fantasy you have of being able to run away from him.

Even if he hates the mere idea of it.

He'll see that you're "happy" and running about, doing your usual, and meanwhile, he's just been preparing a perfect way to ensure you won't run away when he captures you. Last time, he just had you in his room, but maybe now, he'll have to strap you to a chair with ropes and other restraints to restrict you furthermore.

It won't even stop there, and all that he's done in the few days he's been tracking you after your "successful" escape. Maybe around three days, once you're back at your own room or house, he'll shut off the power and take you back.

You'll hear footsteps, and right before you manage to run again, you'll be hearing that chilling, cold voice that you thought you'd lost again; a simple command that'll keep you right in place.

"Don't move."

[camille2305]

Mutual Understanding 🫂

Part 2

2017

The time for Journey's new American tour has arrived...

Neal, like a good leader, has gathered his team for the big departure...

The first date is scheduled to take place two days later in Salt Lake City...

Steve, unlike on other tours, had decided to go to as many concerts as possible. The last few times, severe arthritis attacks prevented him from moving, but Neal called him every day by video...

This time, with a new, more effective treatment, he felt able to travel as often as possible...

The first half of the tour was magical, the fans happy, the band on top form, Arnel was on fire, and Neal was as perfect as ever on stage. Steve fell in love with him all over again every night he was able to be with them. He was even able to bring his two grandsons, Jesse and Andrew, with him several times. dates during the school holidays, they were delighted to experience this with Steve of course...

Steve, more in love than ever, felt particularly in the mood to welcome his man properly after each concert he attended. They didn't make love often because Steve didn't want to exhaust Neal further, but they would end up in bed together and chat about anything and everything, just like they had in their younger years...

Only, at the beginning of the second half of the tour, things started to get weird again...

Neal became distant again when Steve made advances toward him, each time claiming extreme fatigue or a bad migraine...

Frustration quickly set in within Steve, who began to ask himself questions that he simply kept to himself...

He remembers the day he and Neal were looking at photos from their youth and how Neal's nostalgic, almost melancholic expression upon seeing young Steve in the photo had jolted his memory...

He began to make connections in his head, then forgot about them, feeling stupid for doing so. think...

Because after all, Neal still loves him, doesn't he?

That was without counting on the sudden reappearance of this woman...

Michaele, a tall, platinum blonde, star of a reality TV show from the early 2000s with whom Neal had a supposedly "passionate" affair during the 90s...

For a few years now, she'd been regularly attending tours in the VIP area, meeting the band every time she came...

And Neal was never unhappy to see her; she made him laugh backstage, chatted with him about anything and everything, and even allowed herself to give him a friendly hug, sometimes in front of Steve...

It's just friendship, he told himself every time...

The fact that Neal had sex with her wasn't what bothered Steve the most; they were separated at the time, but the word "passion" awakened a feeling of jealousy in him...

Steve knows that Neal likes women too, just like him, but he knows he likes them blonde, long-haired, slim, and beautiful...

All the reasons for Steve to be worried about his relationship...

One evening, however, Steve took the lead and took charge of Neal...

S: Neal, get naked and make love to me now!

N: Ooooh! 😏 Yes sir, I'm just feeling in the mood tonight...

s: Perfect then, Mr. Schon...🫦😏

After Neal undressed, Steve kneels in front of him to prepare him...

Only, a new plumbing problem appears...

S: Neal? Are you sure everything's okay? Look, I've been working you for 30 minutes, you may be moaning, but you're not hard, darling...😕

N: Uh, yes, baby, everything's fine...

But you should stop...

S: Why?

N: It's starting to hurt, and I don't think I can do it tonight finally, sorry...

S: And you can't tell me before it hurts? Seriously, Neal!!!

N: Honey, I...

Steve suddenly thought of Michaele and the photos...

He immediately made the connection, everything becoming clear to him now...

S: No, it's okay, I get it. I think I'm the problem, and you refuse to admit it...

[nancypullen]

Sunday Evening

There are about ten different things I should be doing right now, but I am the queen of procrastination so here I am on the ol' blog. It was a very long week. I have such mixed feelings about the job. The people are absolutely wonderful. The work is interesting and beneficial. But the schedule is...unpleasant. Well, I say that as a person who doesn't really have a schedule. I had to ask several times if I could maybe know my work days/hours at least a week in advance. I'm there 8.5 hours but take a mandatory 1 hour unpaid lunch. So I work 7.5 hours most days, though I worked just 5 on Saturday. They are long days. I suppose I had the idea that part-time would be 20-ish hours a week. Looks like the plan is to work me just under the cut off between part/full time. Not having a set schedule in advance makes it really hard to plan any sort of normal life. For example, the Edgewaters have been asking me if I'm off on Feb. 10th to celebrate the grandgirl's 6th birthday. It's 12 days away and I still can't tell them yes or no. How can I make a doctor's appointment or even schedule a haircut? You don't call anywhere around here and get in quickly, so it would be nice to have, say, a month's schedule to reference when trying to make an appointment. I get the impression that it's not looked upon favorably if you throw a wrench in the works and request particular days off. I guess I'll ride it out and see if it gets better, maybe because I'm the newbie they're just seeing if I survive before locking me into the work calendar? Every time I asked, no one seemed to think it was a big deal. It's a big deal to me, I like to plan my life and get my ducks in a row - not knowing my works days/hours ten or twelve days out rattles me. Really hoping that part gets better.

.I'm a minimum of twenty yeas older than everyone at work, thirty years older than most of them. I feel like a fossil. Actually, the director is around my age, but she has put in her retirement notice. So I show up in my old lady glory and try not to grunt or groan when I get up from shelving books on the lowest shelf. I've had to move boxes, tables, racks of chairs, wood and glass bookcases and pretend that my sciatica isn't flaring up. There is a lot of ibuprofen involved. This is how I feel there...

but they're all nice to me because their mamas raised them to respect their elders. I was at the circulation desk one morning and talking to another employee who is not yet thirty. I realized that I could easily be her grandmother.

The eternal optimist in me says to keep plugging away and everything will settle into place and I'll just be the nice old lady at the library. The part of my brain that always yells, "FLEE! You don't belong here!" is screaming in my ear. Luckily, the eternal optimist occupies about 90% of my gray matter, so she usually wins. Onward, onward, onward. I mentioned that on Saturday I was off work at 2 o'clock. Shortly after that the Edgewaters came over and brought their pizza oven. That was a treat. They made gourmet pizzas for our dinner and we had a wonderful visit. Little Miss kept me busy with Barbies and books, and I plied her with cupcakes. They left today around 3 o'clock and the mister and I are sitting here now wondering if we even want to bother with dinner tonight. I'm ready for bed. The workweek is staring me in the face and I'm not ready. Have I whined enough? I swear I'm not unhappy, just tired. I'd give my right arm for 5 hour work days (like Saturday) instead of 8.5. Mickey has been amazing - actually cleaning and cooking! I have no reasons to complain. So I should probably shut up. That said, we're moving forward and starting to plan a 40th anniversary trip. I'm crossing my fingers that they'll grant me unpaid leave. As a part-time employee I don't accrue vacation days, so I guess we'll see how all of that plays out. Yikes.

I'm boring myself sick with this post and I can't imagine that it's been at all interesting or entertaining to read. I'll wait a couple of days and try to post something worth reading. There have been amusing incidents at the library, but I hesitate to write about any of it because this is a small town and my name is on the blog. I'll have to find my way with that. I certainly wouldn't name names or embarrass anyone. Oh well, I'm off to ready my clothes for work and pack a lunch. I'll try to keep a Mary frame of mind. No one I work with would get that reference.

I'm so old.

*sigh* Until next time - stay safe, stay well. Sending out loads of love. XOXO, Nancy

[whengeorgiawentblue]

Re: previous nonJ2 fan Anon - of course they’re right! Everyone knows something only happened if there’s a picture posted online, so if there are no pictures of Jensen and Misha together after a con or times in between, it must not have happened, right? 😂

The thing is, there are pictures, at least one I recall, that proves that at least after one jibcon jensen and misha stayed for 2-3 days in Rome when everybody else left:

The date says March 5th 2017, I don't know when the previous jibcon ended, can anyone confirm if this picture was taken days after the con? Anyway, as far as I know this picture was taken 2-3 days later, and the fan spotted Jensen and Misha, only the 2 of them at the airport.

In between: no fan reports, but Jensen himself confirmed he and Misha went to visit the Vatican and had a private mass. Only the 2 of them.

Before: I'm not sure about this one but I heard that at Honcon Jensen didn't need to travel to Hawaii yet (his panel was like 1 or 2 days later) and yet he came in advance "for no reasons"(lol), and then fans spotted him with Misha in a restaurant. Only the 2 of them.

So anon, according to your own logic... yes, it happened, and several times.

And I'm going to bring this back:

This happened after the EW photoshoot. Jensen and Misha stayed a few days more in Los Angeles and visited their friend. Only the 2 of them together. No Jared in sight, who was also at the EW photoshoot but apparently he left right after finshing.

But the most striking thing about this is the fact that they were in a hospital, with hundreds of visitors, medical staff and patients, and yet nobody noticed them or at least didn't bother them to take pictures. This further confirms they are private enough to be in public spaces and not to be seen or bothered by fans.

Oh one last thing: I know this happened at a con (dallascon) but it's still very telling

Idk when these pictures were taken, but it wasn't during their scheduled con duties. They took a bit of their sparse free time that weekend and let Chris (one of CE's official photographers) to take these photos. 2 separate pics, but you can obviously see it was at the same place and same time. Once again, only the 2 of them together.

If there are more examples, everyone is welcome to make their contribution. These are the ones I recall.

Anon, you said you are not a J2 fan. Maybe you are right, but I suspect you are one of those "jensen's fans" who deny his friendship with Misha.

Listen, you can deny they are lovers (after all, it's just tinhatting), but you can't deny they are very good friends, in and out of work. If you consider yourself a fan of Jensen, then be a real fan, that's it, love Jensen at his whole, including his friendship with Misha, because otherwise you are just a fake fan of Jensen, and you are hating on the same people Jensen loves to the bones.

[ambivalence-and-torpor]

🍀💐🍟🥞🤥💢✏️👖🚊💙 for mah boi Tio //though imagine me stepping on the back of his shoe and running away

He's a little confused about what the fuck just happened. Like... why would you do that? Looks like he's a lot less bothered about getting touched in the feet area than he is on his upper body? He'd still prefer you don't, of course.

🍀 CLOVER - do they believe in luck? are they lucky?

He believes in luck, but he considers himself pretty damn unlucky.

-

💐 BOUQUET - create a bouqet for them! what do those flowers mean? are any of the flowers their particular favourite?

I only really know ONE flower I kinda associate with Etatio and that's the Gladiolus.

Named for their shape and appearance, the term gladiolus stems from the diminutive form of gladius, which means sword in Latin. Translated literally a gladiolus is a little sword. Gladioli have also been called xiphium, which comes from the Greek word, xiphios, which also means sword. In addition to the name gladiolus, the flowers have been referred to as sword or corn lilies.

With a gladiolus, you do not need to include a card expressing your feelings because the plant itself carries and imparts symbolic meaning to the recipient. Gladioli express strength of character, remembrance, faithfulness, and moral integrity. The gladiolus, hence its name, is also meant to pierce the heart of the recipient.

-

🍟 FRIES - do they order food often? or they prefer to cook their own food?

Fun fact, Tio doesn't actually eat all that much. He sometimes goes several days without food and just takes water and some supplements. He's generally not all that hungry and most of the time he doesn't feel safe enough to eat to begin with.

That being said, when he does eat, it's pretty simple. Mostly meats with some seasonings. Usually cooked by himself, rarely ordered out. Boy has trust issues...

-

🥞 PANCAKE - what is their comfort breakfast?

Meat, I guess haha! So some nice and greasy bacon would probably make him very happy.

-

🤥 LYING - are they good liars? do they have tells to show they’re lying?

Etatio is a pretty damn TERRIBLE liar! He hates lies, and he can't for the life of him tell any! Before telling a lie, he'd rather fall silent and refuse to say anything at all! Though usually, if you ask him something (that's not explicitly supposed to be a secret) he'll literally just tell you.

-

💢 ANGER - what are some habits they have that will take some getting used to?

He prefers a predetermined schedule he sets for himself for the day and sometimes for a couple days in advance and he absolutely hates when it gets disrupted.

-

✏️ PENCIL - is there a particular quote / lyric that you associate with them?

"Talking to the mirror like I've seen them somewhere before You said I look familiar Did we meet the other night

Somebody once told me that there's two side to life What's yours I might have accidentally let the darkness eat the light And that's why" Missio - Sing to Me

-

👖 JEANS - what is their go-to outfit?

Tio likes well tailored suits, it's kind of a no brainer for him. Yet at the same time it's also a piece of comfort, because he knows how to put it on, how to take care of it, doesn't have to decide what else he might want to wear. It's basically the same outfit everyday, and the comfort of not having to think about it.

Though if he ever felt comfortable and safe he might try out something new for a change?

-

🚆 TRAIN - what is their answer to the trolley problem?

He'd probably jump in front of the trolley and derail it with either a heavy punch or grab and throw it to the side. He'd very likely be fine afterwards too. He's very strong/sturdy, probably just gets some minor scuffing from it.

-

💙 BLUE HEART - do they miss their s/o easily? how do they act when their s/o isn’t around?

Yeah... he's a bit of a sap. He doesn't fall in love easily, but when he does, he can't help but spend a lot of time thinking about them when they're not around.

-

Send me some Emojis from this Ask Game <3

[iwouldhavelovedyoustill]

EP6: Checkmate

She’s the queen.

At least to the chess club’s knowledge. Em Parreño had never lost a chess match… ever. The only people who had beaten her in her life are her father and her uncle. According to university records, she’s been really consistent in getting the gold place every year. Even male players can’t win against her and it’s a wonder she hasn’t competed for national titles yet.

Although she wears an imaginary crown only other people could see, Em doesn’t mind any of it, actually. She genuinely enjoys playing and learning from her opponents and the reason why she hasn’t participated in national competitions is that she wants to focus on her studies. “Ang bobo ko kasi,” she’ll always say. “Baka bumagsak ako.”

This is far from the truth because her grades are also exemplary.

It happened on a Thursday, though.

Her first loss.

She didn’t mind staying behind when someone challenged her to a fight and they even have a few audience members. Other students were all glued on the chessboard and perhaps, they were more focused than her.

Because she lost.. and not winning feels foreign to her taste.

On a Thursday evening, at exactly 7:48 PM, Em Parreño of BA Communication Arts lost to Miguel Lopez from BS Architecture.

No one could believe their eyes. The sports fest is only a few weeks away and here is another competitor who never came to light. There are separate categories for males and females in chess, but the thought of Em losing is new to everyone. Even if she’ll be able to bag the gold place again this year, they can’t erase the fact that someone is better at her in the game.

He stood up from his seat and offered his hand. It took her a while to take it and with a determined look on her face, she asked him if they could eat dinner together.

Miguel burst out laughing. “Ha?”

She shrugged. “Maybe we can talk about things… or maybe how I lost to you.”

“Anong how?” He shrugged and took back his hand. “You made a few wrong moves. Wala namang explanation na iba.”

Before they knew it, they’re walking to the school cafeteria. “Transferee ka ba?”

“Hindi.”

“Lower year?”

“Hindi rin.”

“E ano?”

“Fourth year.”

She’s in her third. “Mas matanda ka sa akin?”

“Yes, genius?”

“Bakit ngayon lang?”

“Na ano?”

“Mo ako inaya maglaro.”

“Busy sa plates.” He pointed at the bistek and asked for two cups of rice. “Hindi naman sa chess umiikot buhay ko.”

“E ngayon?”

“Anong ngayon?”

She opted for ginisang kangkong and she swore she did not miss the way he cringed. “Busy ka pa rin?”

Miguel looked at her suspiciously. “Bakit mo tinatanong?”

“Wala lang,” she took her first bite. “Gusto ko lang magpa-train.”

“Bakit? Yearly ka naman nananalo.”

“Eh baka may iba rin na hindi lang naglalaro kagaya mo,” Em confessed. “I’ve always wanted to find someone I can learn from.”

“Busy pa rin naman,” he answered, but the idea doesn’t seem so bad. “Try ko i-singit.”

She clapped her hands like a kid. “Pwede twice a week?”

“Ang dalas naman,” he declined. “Thrice?”

She obviously brightened up but tried to hide it. “Hala, sabi mo busy ka?”

“Dalawang araw lang klase ko,” he finally admitted. “Kaya kitang i-singit sa schedule.”

They agreed to meet in the library thrice a week and a week before the sports fest, they decided to meet everyday so she could focus. “Laging E2 to E4 opening move mo. Ayaw mo ng iba?”

“Sabi ng tatay ko e,” she honestly answered. That move stuck with her and she never bothered changing it.

“That’s the problem with you. You stick to counter moves. Need mo ring umatake.”

“E specialty ko sya,” Em reasoned out. “I just wait for my opponents to make a mistake.”

“That’s precisely why you lost to me,” Myk playfully tapped her head with his pen. “Inintay mo lang ako magkamali. I’m a careful player and I rarely make mistakes. Kung hindi ako umaatake, I just stick to the plan. There are other players like me.”

“So I need to be aggressive?”

“No,” he shook his head. “You need to take the lead. You always need a move to respond to and you slip away kapag mema lang ‘yung tira ni opponent. Kaya lagi kang nagpaparaya sa white e at puro ka black. Laro ulit. Ikaw naman white.”

Em was completely amazed. He was able to analyze her playing behavior within a few weeks. During the time they spent together, she realized a few things about him: He’s patient, kind, and cute. Miguel rarely smiles but he laughed tremendously when she slipped a fart. From then on, she stopped being embarrassed and just farted whenever. He got really annoyed because of it and reprimanded her several times.

She played D2 to D3 this time. “Hey,” she fidgeted with her hands. “Don’t you think you should give me a reward if I bag first place again?”

“Bakit naman?” He didn’t even look at her. “You always win.”

“Walang kasiguraduhan ha! A few months ago I’m really certain I would win but people like you exist pala. Sure bang wala kang younger sister?” G1 to F3.

“Wala,” he shook his head. “Brother lang.”

Ooohhh. “Bakit ka nag-Archi?”

“Masaya.”

"E ngayon?"

He chuckled. “Medyo na lang.” They both had a good laugh. “E Comm Arts?”

“Masaya rin,” Em smiled. “Marami lang attitude. Daming pa-queen behavior e.”

“Parang ikaw?”

She frowned. “Hindi ah.”

“Biro lang,” he looked away, a bit… embarrassed? “You’re actually nice.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really? You think I’m nice?”

“M-medyo,” he stuttered and she instantly knew that talking isn’t his forte. “Okay ka kasama.”

“I knew it!” She stood up and toppled the chessboard over.

“Teka anong ginagawa mo -”

“Would you give me a reward if I win first place?” She pouted. “Please?!”

“Tumahimik ka nga,” Miguel tried to calm her down. “Ang sama na ng tingin sa atin nu’ng librarian.”

“Oo ka muna?”

“Oo na, oo na. Ano ba 'yun?"

"If I win..." her voice trailed off a bit. "Can you.. see me as a girl?"

He gave her a confused look. "You're a girl."

"No! Like, like... a girl you can date?"

Miguel got speechless. "Ha?"

"I'm wondering lang if I stand a chance with you?"

"Ha?"

"Hotdog!" She picked up her things in an instant and headed for the door. "Basta pumayag ka ha!"

The only problem is.. she lost.

Everyone in the hall got really surprised. Em gave it her best while thinking of Miguel's reaction once she wins but her premonition became true. A transferee this year had beaten her for the last two games and she never recovered. The chess club members even tried to console her because she looked so sullen.

If only they knew why.

Miguel only texted her once, on the day of her final match. He said good luck and never bothered reaching out the next day. Word must have reached him and he might be feeling ashamed because their training went to waste. He shouldn't have spent time with her and took time off his schedule.

Em wouldn't blame him if he wouldn't want to associate himself with her.

And again, on a Thursday, she saw him walking towards her near the gate. She quickly pretended like she wasn't even there to begin with and started to walk in the opposite direction.

"Oy!"

Oy?! It's a good thing that Em wasn't facing him or else he'd see her offended face. Oy na lang ngayon?! I have a name!

"Oy, girl!"

She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. "Girl na lang ngayon?! May pangalan ako kaya?!"

He shrugged. "Ikaw nagsabi ah."

"Wala akong sinasabi -"

"I'm a simple man," he pointed at her. "I see a girl, I try to call her attention."

She pouted. "But I didn't win."

"Kaya mo ba ako iniwasan?"

She refused to meet his gaze, but they're walking side by side now. "Oo. Akala ko kasi hindi mo na ako papansinin."

"Eh ikaw nga 'yung hindi namamansin."

"Hindi ka nag-text?"

"I thought you needed time," his voice was gentle. "To process your loss."

"Okay lang naman sa akin 'yun," Em admitted. "Sa'yo kaya ako mas nahihiya. Kasi tin-rain mo pa ako and all tapos ganito result."

"Okay lang 'yun. Madami pa naman chance, may next year pa para bumawi."

"Buti na lang Archi ka."

"Bakit?"

"Para matuturuan mo pa ako next year."

"Hindi naman libre pag-mentor ko."

"Ehh," she whined. "Need ko manalo next year."

"Akala ko lang okay lang matalo?"

She stomped her feet. "Sabi ko nga.. I want you to see me as a girl you can date. I can't just ask you that out of nowhere because I'm afraid of rejection. So I want to place a bet para wala kang choice."

"I think that's rape."

"Rape ka dyan!"

"Anything forced is rape." He patted her head and she found their height differences cute. "Hindi mo naman kailangang manalo. I already see you as a girl."

"But not someone you could date."

"Sino may sabi?"

"Tsaka - " She stopped in her tracks. "What?!"

"Let's play again after dinner. White ka ha."

"Wait lang ano ulit 'yung sinabi mo! What do you mean?! Paki-clarify naman!!"

"If you win," he winked at her. "I'd tell you."

She lost to him again, and again, and again... until she reclaimed her title next year.

The only difference is her reward came in advance.