#coast self-storage

[kanekisfavoritegf]

PERFECT LOVER:The Life of Nanami Kento the 35 Year Old Virgin

MINORS & BLANK BLOGS DO NOT INTERACT YOU WILL GET BLOCKED

SYNOPSIS: Kento Nanami, a 35-year-old introvert with a tendency to avoid social interactions, has made a conscious decision to steer clear of romantic entanglements. However, everything changes when he meets a new colleague at his birthday party, (Satoru's Idea). From the moment they meet, he is mesmerized, finding himself increasingly unable to resist her magnetic presence. Like taking a bite of forbidden fruit, he becomes ensnared by the allure, delving into a realm of infatuation and finding himself unable to break free. As he delves deeper into this newfound connection, Nanami begins to realize that he craves more than just a fleeting experience and yearns for more than just a fleeting taste of what she embodies.

Table of Contents

WORD COUNT: 1.2K

CHAPTER SEVEN:

The supply closet and Kento were becoming acquainted as he hid again from her.

Why was he in the closet again? He thought to himself as he wallowed in his self-pity. Oh yeah. He was semi-hard and avoiding you.

You who had walked in in tight black pants and a white button-up.

All of this would have been fine if you hadn’t left the top three buttons undone, saying it was hot.

It would have been fine had you not leaned over his left shoulder to check the email that the company had received.

All of this would have been fine if he hadn’t turned his head a single degree of your way and caught a glimpse of a black lacy bra.

And still, maybe all of that would have been fine had you not rubbed his neck softly, telling him

“It’s okay to look, Kento. Tonight, maybe you’ll get to touch them.”

Before walking off to your desk where Suguru waited with a pile of paperwork that needed reviewing.

It was not fine.

He was not fine.

Not fine at all.

Since the night he begged you to teach him how to please you, Kento had been very serious. So serious, it was slowly chipping at your sanity.

Yes, you were at work, but he had also had his tongue lapping at your cunt. And no, he barely made eye contact with you. It was as if you guys were back to level zero.

So you made a good, totally not reckless plan to tease him. To slowly peel away at his sanity until he ravaged you right there in front of everyone.

It worked well enough; you watched as his nose flared at the scent stuck to your neck. You saw the way his teeth clenched at your words.

Watching him shuffle his way around in his set as if trying to fix his pants was fun.

And just when you were about to take another glance his way. The man disappeared.

Into thin air.

UNBELIEVABLE.

“Y/N? Y/N? You okay?” Suguru asked from his desk. You stood before him, papers in hand, staring off into the distance.

“Uh, Yeah! I was just wondering where Mr. Nanami went. I was supposed to confirm the location for the investor’s gala with him, but he disappeared.”

“Oh, Kento does that sometimes.” Suguru chuckled, “Whenever Satoru gets on his nerves, he runs off to one of his hiding spots. I’d start by checking the storage closet.

The closest storage was a no, and so were the bathrooms. As you looked through the kitchen window, you only saw empty chairs.

“Where could he be?” You whispered to yourself.

Just as you were going to give up, you noticed a small room in the kitchen area, a pantry of some sort. That’s where they kept the extra paper and miscellaneous office things that didn’t fit in the original storage closet. At least that’s what Kento told you on the tour.

Opening the door, there he was, hands clenching the shelf in front of him, back faced to you. His head snapped back, and he peered over his shoulder. His eyes flared with anger. 

Okay maybe you had pushed him too far. Bugs, it’s fine. You could make up for it right now. 

Taking a quick glance behind you to make sure the coast was clear, you slept inside with him, closing the door softly behind you.

“Kento.” He didn’t respond. In fact, he just grabbed onto you. Pushing you against the door and splitting your legs slightly open with his knee.

“No talking.” He spoke roughly, but you ignored him. The look in his eye told you he wanted just the opposite.

“Kento, it isn’t polite to hide from the person you are fucking.” You whispered in his ear,  hands sliding down to his dick; you began to palm at the bulge in his pants.

“It isn’t polite to tease the person you are fucking while they are working either.” He retorted back at you.

“Really? I don’t remember doing that.” You feigned innocence tilting your head to the side. Looking up at him, you hand still on his bulge. Under the small yellow singular light bulb, Kento seemed to glow, his cheeks flushed pink and his ears violently red. His eyes left your face for a second, staring up at the ceiling he seemed to pray for mercy, forgiveness, patience…

Your finger that once palmed at his cock moved to his throat, outlining a vein that bulged out in stress, and with that, the last thread Kento had seemed to have snapped. 

“What are you doing to me?” He groaned before moving his hand to the back of your neck, squeezing softly as he brought you to his lips. 

His kisses devoured you, and you did your best to conceal your moans. The air was hot and getting hotter by the second. Moving his hand away from your face and to your leg, he tapped it, a wordless way of demanding you raise your leg to his hip. 

As you did, he flipped the two of you over so your back was against the shelves, pushing his erection into you; you both moaned at the feeling. 

Kento’s other hand was just above your head and to the right, clenching hard onto the wood.

It was messy and carnal the way you two moved against one another. And just as you thought you could breathe, his mouth moved to your neck, licking and biting, relishing in the quiet gasp that escaped as he did so. 

“What a whore you are.”

“I’m not!” You whined out, still humping against him, adding to the friction.

“Oh, you aren’t a whore?” Kento asked with a teasing voice. “You are telling me you aren’t going to let me fuck you right here, right now?”

You let out a moan so loud that Kentos hand rushed to cover your mouth. He chuckled at your desperation.

“You are a whore.”

“Noooo, Kento.” You tried to sound like you had even a little bit of resolve, but as you denied his claims, you pushed him harder.

“Uh uh,” Kento tutted, “You must address me as Mr. Nanami, we are at work, remember?”

“Mr.— Mr. Nanamiiii”, you whined! Feeling his hand graze over your covered cunt.

“Ooh love.” He groaned at the feeling of you “you are soaking wet.”

He kissed you again, and you swore you could see stars. 

“P-please—” you moaned

“Please, what, Miss. L/N”

“Please fuck me, I am a whore.”

“Turn around.” Is all he said, his face serious and concentrated.

As you turned around, you caught a glimpse of him, sticking the hand that had teased you over your panties past his lips lay on his tongue.

Once you were turned around facing the wall, his hands found your hips, and you fought the urge to turn your head and face him. Worried he may, in fact, stop what he is doing because you disobeyed him.

Who knew he had such a dominant side…

“Bend over and be a good girl, Y/N”

And as you did, he laughed under his breath once more. His hands that rested on your hips no longer grasped at you. 

“Now you know what it feels like.” He kissed your neck once more before pulling away completely. 

The door clicked open. 

And he was gone.

And you were left there a wet, horny mess.

"Where to you want me?"

TAG LIST: @marikuchanxo @sukunasstomachtongue @getosgirlfailure @allysunny @tojicvmslut @typefeisu @aiyaaayei @villsophie @sillysillygoofygoose @jinleft @rivversin @haikioo @destinyblue-jjk @ramonathinks @actuallysaiyan @actuallysaiyan @melisuh123 @ureuphoriasworld @jaeminsmilk @rileyglas @bonnieblue0606 @alwaysfreakingout @lovelyiida @ayesayman @dreamgirl5300 @swoozleee @belle-oftheball34 @zeunys @yuzu-ku @aomi04 @y0urpr3ttyp0ck3tpussy @zombriesworld @hazzelle-kento @miinhooo @lucilles-witchery @areyouflying @cosmolight @doingthisjusttoreadnanamihcs @xxluzah @erensblackgirlfriend @cloudy-yyy @bxnfire @xxluzah @erensblackgirlfriend @mcr-ista @isapsps @trocaderoisyummy @iamharryswife @oidloid @howmanytimesamigoingtotrythis @1shyshy1sana @meowymeowbreow @ajrfanz

CHAPTER EIGHT: LOADING...

IT HAS BEEN SO LONG AND I AM SO SO SORRY😭😭😭 I HOPE THIS IS OKAY I AM SO SORRY SORRY FOR THE WAIT!!!

[melancholicstation]

The Socially Active Secretary: Chapter One

pairing: robert francis kennedy female ❤︎ original character charlotte agapov (secretary!reader)

authors note: this is more of establishing of context around our main secretary girl!! our favourite pathetic catholic men (the kennedys) will come very soon i promise, all in due time. 🍺 please leave comments of any questions/likes/dislikes/all around opinions so i know if your interested!!!

synopsis: charlotte agapov, a divorcee whom recently moved back to the states after a disastrous lovers quarrel, assumes the secretarial position to the most important man in America, but it is not he who has captured her attention, no. instead, it's his meek younger brother, the runt of the kennedy pack, bobby francis kennedy.

[1403 words]

taglist: @kennediva @absurdlyvintage

chapter two, three four

masterlist charlotte moodboard rfk moodboard

(border from jenny holzer truisms 2018)

Chapter One

May 1st , 1961

There Charlotte stood, rolling on the balls of her feet, observing the woman before her in the mirror, finding her increasingly difficult to place her as recognisable. She had all the features that Charlotte understood to be her own, but she felt like nothing of the sort. Swathed in wool, to accommodate for the seemingly perpetuate damp state of Massachusetts in the month of May, and encompassed by a calf-length dress fit with double-faced cashmere in a mousey grey. Due to her contentious divorce with the English baron Hugo Cornwall, he had ordered for all her typical clothes to be held in a storage facility in Kent instead of its original location: Brookline Massachusetts. He knew how important those items were to Charlotte, and he used them as nothing more as a bargaining chip.

As a result of the divorce Charlotte had been tabloid-manhandled out of Britain and promptly returned to her mother country, the United States, and backed right into perusing the job boards in the Cape Cod Times by her alimony-avoiding, hector of an ex-husband. Hugo, at 40, knew of nothing but a life of bone china plates and private charter jets, getting by in this world from a combination of generational handouts from his godmother's situated in a nondescript European country off the coast and the humiliatingly tacky private tours he host every Saturday evening of the inherited estates cashing in a small fortune. And yet, he avoids the alimony checkers in a not so dissimilar fashion to that of his shunned family embarrassment of an uncle, who was, as of last month, avoiding taxes of in sunny Monte Carlo.

Once it became incredibly clear that Hugo was never going to cough up, and that her mother's invitation of staying at her summer house in Martha's Vineyard had a fast approaching expiry date Charlotte started to look for her next move.

Just when she had nearly exhausted all her mother's country club friends who, in a tone that could only be translated as deeply patronising stated that,

"Unemployment for such a young, american divorcee was 'in' for 1962" and that they would "call back in April to work something out"

However, April came and went, and still nothing. During the 16-month stint since Charlotte's divorce of 1961, Charlotte felt very sorry for herself and--well that's about all she did really.

Not only did getting married at 20, and it's later disillusion 8 years later, create an abstract wreckage sculpture out of her self-esteem and physical health, it stripped all prior job experience that a girl her age should've been building. After all, she could still feel her mother's fingertips ushering an 20 year old Charlotte's hands away from a flyer, held by a piece of battered painter's tape on a lamppost advertising a law school in the area,

"Oh for christ sake what are staring at now Charlotte?, you know we have caroline's recital across town, and I swear if I have to hear your aunts nasally whine one more time so help me God I will--"

Charlotte abandons her post of intense eye contact with the poster fluttering by the winds will almost instantly and returns through a soft tone "I-I'm coming now, it just captured my eye that's all."

The rest of the walk was blanketed in a soft wool of repression and thoughts better left unspoken until her mother turned on her heal, the gravel exclaiming a pleasant crunch in response,

"Don't you dare think I didn't see what you were looking at Charlotte, these are not the aspirations expected of a future baroness, you won't have any need for these silly machinations once you're tending to your husband and your home together. I understand that your nervous but think of how happy you'll be in a short few months with Hugo."

Her mother assured her in such a cadence, with such wistful hope, not meaning to make Charlotte's stomach drop but it did all the same.

"You know, I got nervous too, when I was engaged to your father. I thought about leaving more times than Sinatra's gets played on the radio at Green's pharmacy, but I stuck it out. And I got rewarded a great deal for that, for that bravery, and you will too. Far more than I ever did, I mean you're marrying a Baron who is infatuated with you for Pete's sake!"

Charlotte thinks to scoff at the notion that Hugo is at all capable of the feeling of infatuation but halts when she observes the expression of sheer elation on her mother's face.

"Everything will run as it's meant to if you do what's best, I promise",

and with that a kiss is pressed to Charlotte's forehead, and the conversation is recklessly abandoned by both parties.

Charlotte had stayed in that marriage for 8 years and what did she have to show for it? Surely not anything tangentially useful. Sure, now she knew the intricacies of English etiquette and the British aversion to hugs but that's nothing to be put on a resume. However, one worthy advantage that came out of the grotesque misalignment that was their marriage was that around the 4th year mark Charlotte had managed to secure an English degree from the University of London. Now that was certainly something to put on her resume.

Still the world seemed to completely turn its back on Charlotte, though only on a strictly employment basis, she still attended mass each Sunday and caught up with her still married, though not happily, socialite friends but it was hard to find common ground anymore. Before she could feasibly pass as one of them, now even if they didn't explicitly state it, Charlotte was now regarded as persona no grata for the entirety of the high society scene of London. She was left with a bunch empty friends, and an, as if increasing by the day, empty purse strings.

That was until a job ad in The Boston Globe caught the baby blue shadowed eye of Charlotte during her quite lonely solo escapade to the local sandwich bar across the street from her flat.

It read, in a thick professional font:

'Exciting Secretary Position Available at political epicentre of Washington D.C!

Are you a talented and organised individual seeking a rewarding career in a fast-paced office environment? Our office is looking for a professional Secretary to join our team and contribute to our continued success.

Position: Secretary Location: Top Secret [Call to confirm details] Salary: Competitive, with excellent benefits

Responsibilities:

managing and prioritising daily office tasks with efficiency

coordinating appointments and travel

managing diaries

support senior executives

having a pleasant demeanour when interacting with important officials

Qualifications:

High School Diploma or equivalent

Apply today to be part of a supportive and thriving workplace!

Phone: *** *** ***''

Now sure, the vague nature of who exactly the job would have Charlotte working for was strange and a little more than unnerving but realistically Charlotte, a 29 year old women with the same employment history as a 18 year old fresh out of high school, was going to take whatever she could get at this point.

The girl took the changing of the sky from bright periwinkle to a dim earl grey, as a sign to head back to her place in order to escape the fast approaching storm, the newspaper resting comparably rolled up in the crook of her arm.

Prior to returning to her apartment Charlotte had come to forget about the job as she had ran a few errands after the sandwich bar, that was until her feet met the door mat of her apartment. It was no longer clean as she had left it prior it now had, scrawled in big black letters, 'warning of eviction if payment is not obtained by next month'.

Charlotte's shaking hands move to pick up the yellow slip, and as she makes her way through her apartment, periodically leaving her jacket on the armrest of her laughably small settee in her stress-filled haze, she then starts to remember the job offer from the afternoon.

Sure the ad's ambiguity was a bit strange, but truly who was she to judge? It's not like the job offers were exactly rolling in at the moment.

'Oh what the hell, she might as well give it a go!' Charlotte thought, as she hesitantly dialled up the rotary.

End of Chapter One.

[penrot]

Hello there world,

Last time I left off, I was getting cancer tested. Negative, by the way. Phew! Some levels of blah blah blah medical things that were causing the symptoms that made us suspect some skin cancer were still getting worse, so I started some medications. And, wow, did those do a number on my psyche and other physical conditions and quickly.

As I knew I was not in a place to be online, I quickly logged out and removed the passwords. Because I was not a person to be around for the last few months. Now, those medications have mostly left my system and I’m now on a better regime. Because while it was nice not to have those symptoms, I wasn’t all there to enjoy those lack of symptoms, either sleeping or in a vicious mood. I couldn’t even write fanfiction! But I’m managing on some medications that give me the most realistic middle ground.

So, when fanfiction? Updates?

I am taking some classes over summer (failed two semesters of classes in a row) and working on those will take a lot of time. But fret not, as while I’ve been re-reading through (and self-critiquing) my fanfictions, I rediscovered the drive for it. While it is only at maximum a few hundred words over the last week, I can feel myself getting back into it and remembering the little tails of plot and ideas I kept inside my brain. And others that I forgot and might need to wrap up those loose ends.

And, of course, trying to get back into my accounts. I wrote the passwords down. I know I did. But the stuff I wrote them down on is in storage and it isn’t well organised (besides Tumblr, thank you auto-saved passwords on an old browser I don’t use anymore). RIP my discord and AO3 for the moment, but I am hoping to at least have access in the next week (though my classes will depend on how active I will be). So if you know me on either of those… have a lookout!

It’s good getting back into things I enjoy instead of just coasting along. I’m trying to manage things but as always, trial and error. Many, many errors. Getting to create again has improved things a lot, even at the low quality and quantity I’m doing.

May the AO3 curse evade you,

-Pen

[dysfunctionalcreature]

ok I've never posted proper fiction writing on here before but here's a melancholic drabble I wrote about what might've happened if Hilbert survived and if the Hephaestus crews wore dog tags.....

Dog Tags (Deaths of your former self)

Doctor Alexander Hilbert doesn't have a clue how Captain Lovelace found their old dog tags. Something tells him they shouldn't even be on the Hephaestus anymore, the SI-5 should have scrubbed away all evidence of his old crew years ago.

And yet, one afternoon Lovelace shoves her way into his lab, her neck jangling with seemingly five sets of dog tags. He stares in confusion as she shoves one at him, the name on it reads "SELBERG, ELIAS".

"Found these in a box in the storage room. I don't know what the hell they were doing there, but here-" She says as she flicks the dog tags - his old dog tags - closer when Hilbert hesitates to take them. He grabs them after a moment and tucks them into his pocket.

"That's everyone?" He asks, gesturing at all the chains floating around her throat.

"Yup." She says briskly as she turns toward the door, it seems this conversation is done.

But she pauses in the doorway for a moment, barely long enough to notice, wonders to herself, "Does he want anyone else's tags? Does he care? He had been close with- No, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter for a second what he wants or who he might miss in his own fucked up way. He doesn't deserve any of them." She leaves quickly.

A few very near-death experiences and one very uncomfortable spaceship flight later they're all back on Earth. Goddard hasn't killed them, and they've gone through enough interrogations, signed enough paperwork, and been threatened about the consequences of revealing what happened enough times to finally be allowed to return to society.

He still has his dog tags, though he's not called "Alexander Hilbert" anymore. A new name, a new job, start again, try again, pick up the broken pieces and keep going again. He still has the dog tags, "HILBERT, ALEXANDER", "SELBERG, ELIAS". Dmitri never got his name inscribed in metal and looped around his throat in-case he died. Nowadays he doesn't know if that was a blessing or a curse.

He's not sure what to do with the dog tags. If he was a poetic man he might take them to the coast, any coast, and throw them as hard as he could into the ocean. If he were a sentimental man he might bury them, maybe even find his way back into Russia, trace his way to that small graveyard in the smaller village where his family lies, bury his old selves next to them.

But Dr Hilbert wasn't poetic or sentimental, and neither is he, so he doesn't, it would be a ridiculously impractical waste of time anyways. But, Dr Selberg had his moments of poeticness, and Dmitri Volodin was nothing if not sentimental, for better or worse.

So he does think about it, about traveling to the coast and throwing his dog tags into the sea, no less cruel and deadly than the void of space. He thinks about burying them in cold frosty ground, stumbling his way through a eulogy he can half remember fragments of his mother reciting. He thinks about it, walks through the steps in his head, plans it out, precise as a dissection. But he doesn't, won't, can't act on any of it.

So he keeps the dog tags with him, tucks them into a little bag which he puts in the small pocket on the duffel bag he hasn't let out of his sight or grasp since they returned, full of his surviving research, his most and only prized possessions.

He isn't Dr Hilbert anymore, or Dr Selberg, he won't ever be either of them again, but, he'll keep them with him for the moment. Not indefinitely, he'll dispose of them at some point he promises himself, he must, but not yet, not soon, he'll keep them with him just a bit longer.

[chameleonspell]

HTDC commentary - 24: lies

[Looking back at HTDC after nearly ten years: comments on lore, character notes, influences, art, whatever. May contain spoilers for later chapters.]

chapter text: 24: lies

TV Guide-style episode summary: After a spat with Tsiya, Iriel seeks out Sottilde for advice, but her drug dealer recommendation might be more than he seems.

I kind of love writing TV-guide-style chapter summaries. The format is such fun: one sentence long (maybe two if there's a B-character plotline), no spoilers, and as many cliches as you can cram in. If at all possible, end it with: "Hilarity ensues."

“Fool!” Tsiya hissed. “Vorar Helas was Tsiya’s connection! With that one dead, there will be even less sugar coming into Balmora! What was Iriel thinking?”

I hadn't thought of this direct consequence until I got to writing this scene, but it made immediate sense. And we need to inject some real conflict to get Ire out of this stagnant living arrangement.

Tsiya cannot care for all the thousands of slaves in Vvardenfell! Slaves die every day! Tsiya has enough to do caring for Tsiya, and making sure SHE doesn’t die, because nobody else will!” “You’re horrible,” said Iriel. “You’re a horrible person.

Iriel is perfectly familiar with Tsiya's viewpoint, having held variations on it himself. He understands survival. He has no interest in extending sympathy to Tsiya on this point, just as he has no interest in extending sympathy to himself on it. His words may be cruel, but they're technically not hypocritical.

But Iriel is so sure he’s superior to Tsiya, even though he’s the one leeching off her hospitality, wasting her sugar, using up her skooma, telling lies about her to Habasi.”

It comes off as hypocrisy, of course, complete with a sneering veneer of Altmer superiority. Is it Ire's fault, that his culture's reputation precedes him? No, but he's also leaning into it, as a defensive reaction. He's heard that tone, seen that expression. He can imitate it well enough, when he wants to. And it's not entirely a pose - he does think he's superior to Tsiya, or at least... that he ought to be. So it's worse, if he isn't. But we'll pick up on this mental thread, later.

“Lies? I told her the truth!

Given the chapter title is "lies", and accusations are flying, I should mention that nobody has told any actual lies, yet. It might be better if they had, since the truth is so much harsher.

He was too angry to tell how much of his own self-hatred was bleeding into his hatred of Tsiya. His inability to tell the difference only drove him deeper into fury.

Spelling it right out, here. Ire's habit of taking his self-hatred out on other people, looking for valid targets. Notice that he also, even in the heat of the moment, knows he's doing this, thus ensuring an ongoing supply of fuel for the self-hatred engine.

“GET OUT.” Tsiya’s claws twitched convulsively, and there were tears in her eyes. “GET OUT OF TSIYA’S HOUSE. NOW.”

I'm reminded of a passage from much later on:

Iriel sometimes felt the great turning points of his life were less about big decisions, and more about fuck-it moments. Times when his frustration would build to such excruciating levels, that it could only be relieved by acts that forced a change in his situation, even a negative, self-destructive one. Throwing himself off a cliff, because the bottom of the cliff promised to be a different place from the top.

Anyway, this moment comes under this heading: deliberately provoking Tsiya into kicking him out, because anything's better than continuing their rancid little cohabitation.

“There is no more skooma! Irrriel should give Tsiya the skooma he found in Hla Oad!” “What skooma? I didn’t find anything! Your information was as full of shit as you are.” He didn’t turn to meet her eye.

Ah, here are the lies. Iriel certainly did pick up some stray skooma bags during his Bitter Coast meanderings. And as for Tsiya...

Sure enough, three bottles of skooma were hidden inside one of the storage jars at the back, and he hesitated for less than a millisecond before putting all of them into his bag.

...of course she has a back-up stash. As Iriel knows, since it's what he would do. And he knows that, if the situation were reversed, she would steal all HIS skooma, so why (he thinks) shouldn't he take hers? They're exactly as bad as each other, so he can't feel guilty about hurting her - at least, not just yet.

Holding it high out of her reach, he forced his way through the door

Altmeri height privilege at work! Not only are Altmer the tallest race in Morrowind, (as you can see from the ingame character model height multipliers) Khajiiti women are the shortest in pure elevation reached - technically Bosmer men are shorter, and Breton women equally short, but in practice, Khajiit digitigrade leg angles knock a fair bit off the real-money height of female Khajiit. Even with her knife-hands, Tsiya doesn't have a hope.

[Sottilde] looked him up and down. "Shor’s balls! Your shirt looks like something with a whole lotta teeth ate it, an’ threw it back up.”

Tsiya definitely gave it her best shot, though.

I think I stole "Shor's balls" from @sunderlorn, but he thinks he stole it from someone else, too. Whoever created it, thank you. It is the perfect Nordic curse. Tilde didn't say it in my first version of this scene, though, because I hadn't yet realised she ought to talk like my friend [redacted]. Once I fixed that, everything fell into place.

“Ah… yes. That would be Tsiya’s claws, and then before that there was the boat, the silt strider, the blood, the swamp… Mara’s arse, when did I last change clothes?

I think "Mara's arse" is one of mine, though? Anyway, this line is me the author speaking through Iriel, as I realised how many consecutive scenes I had dragged him through with no chance to clean up or get changed.

Sottilde watched, grinning, as he pulled his shirt off and started rummaging through his bag for another. “That’s just rude an’ uncalled for,” she said, “taunting me with that view when you’re off-limits to the ladies.”

She's not fully formed as a character yet, but Sottilde's already making blatantly horny remarks, and generally being adorably dreadful. Which is why Iriel immediately fell in love with her, because what's a best friend, if not someone who cheerfully offers themselves up as a target for all your bitchiest jabs? As we know, Iriel likes having a target, and because Tilde's making herself one on purpose, he doesn't even have to feel guilty about it. Even better, he doesn't have to self-filter, with Tilde (evidenced by the fact he's already out to her), since she's always being filthier and more inappropriate then him.

Sottilde's just so laid back and non-threatening, she can get away with anything. She's so frank and open with her lascivious comments that it converts into a weird sort of innocence - there's no shame to her at all. I assume she opened their acquaintance proper by hitting on Iriel on general principle, but upon realising that was a non-starter, she swiftly and enthusiastically shifted gears into friendship, with zero awkwardness or damage to her ego. Iriel likes that she still makes a point of telling him he's hot, now and again - not because she's creeping on him, but because she thinks her friends ought to know that they're hot. He appreciates the effort, even if her specific tastes mean he's not sure it's a compliment.

“Oh, I like skinny, me. This one time, I saw a picture of a really hot guy on the town news-board, but when I got closer to see if I could get his name, it was a can-you-identify-this-corpse drawing of some poor sap they’d found dead of starvation in a cave-in.”

This is a true story, that I stole from a different friend, and slightly adapted for Tamriel. The original was something like: "I knew I had a thing for skinny men when I saw  a photo of a hot guy in the paper, and he turned out to be a prisoner on hunger strike, taken three days before he died." Which is way funnier, but Tamriel doesn't have photos, and also I didn't want to steal the anecdote too precisely.

Ire almost choked on his wine. “You’re terrible! What kind of Nord are you? Is that why you’re not in Skyrim any more, they threw you out for disrespecting brawn?”

See, he gets to feel all prim and pearl-clutching when he's with Tilde, which is great fun, since other people usually make him feel like the weird, perverted one.

“Yeah, that, and the whole stealing military secrets, traitor to my homeland thing.”

Everyone who meets Tilde gets to listen to this whole silly, self-deprecating bit, where she pretends to claim she's a superspy revolutionary and political dissident, then admits that what actually happened was that she worked as a clerk in an outpost near the Skyrim/Morrowind border, had military secrets flirted out of her by a cute Dunmer agent who got her drunk, and then had to flee the country in a panic when her boss found out.

She smirked. “Who says I wanna sleep? Why’d you think I came here?” She leaned forward, conspiratorially. “Seen any… elves?”

Because sometimes people tell me they read the fic without ever playing Morrowind, I feel I have to explain things like this: Nord NPCs in Morrowind often greet you with: "Seen any elves?" Then they laugh, because it's a Nord dad joke. Because Nords and elves are ancient enemies, and used to hunt and kill each other a lot.

Sottilde, in defiance of her country's usual "sporadically shaved bear" beauty standard, hunts elves for more salacious reasons. Iriel considers this a creepy racial fetish, and he's honestly not wrong. He likes her all the more for it, though, because it gives him free target practice on her.

She paused, tapping her fingernails on the bar. “You really oughtta quit, you know.” A sigh. “I know.” “I don’t wanna lecture you. I know it’s not an easy thing, and it’s gotta be your choice, but…” “I know. Thanks.”

You can immediately see how much better Iriel is, now, at navigating a friendship, and handling the gentle suggestion that he needs to quit drugs. Compare his panicked, defensive reaction, back in Vivec, when Dro'Zaymar tried something similar. Back then, he couldn't comprehend what his life might look like, without his addiction holding it up. He's much closer to being able to do that now, and he can see Tilde's non-judgemental concern for what it is.

But he's still not quite ready to make the break.

She rolled her eyes. “I shouldn’t enable you.” “Would it help if I took my shirt off again?” “Whore.” “Please don’t insult whores by comparing them to me. It’s a skilled profession, and I’m merely an enthusiastic amateur.”

I really don't know how Ire and Tilde became so close so quickly, it just happened. Right from the start, they glommed onto each other, and before I could blink, they were best friends ten bizarrre in-jokes deep, and I couldn't stop writing her into scenes. Obviously, this only continued to escalate. I am not kidding at all when I say that this is the most important and significant relationship, not just of the fic, but perhaps of Ire's entire life. The growth of their love is less messy and dramatic than Ire's romantic entanglements, and it takes up less of the word count as a result, but it's no less deep. That's part of why the ending is the way it is. Blame Tilde, basically.

There’s a friend of Bacola’s who comes in sometimes. I dunno much about him, but he’s a sugartooth. No clue where he gets his supply from, but he never seems to run out. In return for his name and address, though, you gotta tell me more about this Kaye guy.

Much later, Iriel says of Sottilde:

Do you know, she… she was the first person I ever met in my life who thought my gayness was a positive thing about me. Aside from Reu, perhaps, but everything he said had an ulterior motive. Tilde had no reason to pretend, she was open as a summer sky, and she thought it was wonderful. Encouraged me! She could be nosy and overly, um… imaginative, but… she’ll never know what her unconditional acceptance meant to me, at the time.

Iriel views Tilde's borderline-fujoshi streak with bemused toleration, because in his world, it's such a novelty. He tells her off when she goes too far, but on the whole, Iriel likes Sottilde for her faults, not despite them. She makes him feel normal.

Anyway. Ire's off to find the Spymaster.

It's nice when you can set up these little plot dominoes. To push a character towards something that most readers will know is inevitable, but you don't it want to feel inevitable, in a brutal, author-forced way. No weird coincidences, or out-of-character decisions. You want it to seem natural that this would lead to that happening. Iriel needs skooma, and Caius Cosades is well-known as a skooma addict, at the South Wall. Ire would never voluntarily attract Cosades' attention, if he realised who he was, but how likely is it that he recalls a name he was told once, back in Seyda Neen, when he was deep in a dissociative haze?

Let's see how fast he remembers.

Art pick: Iriel by @bigger-rat. Beautiful lighting. Immaculate resting-bitch-face. Absolutely perfect nose, in particular - the slight upturn and irregularity in the bridge that, if you're Altmer, marks him on sight as insufficiently highblood. That, and the moles, of course. Imperfection literally on display.

next: 25: expecting previous: 23: fix

[silverwings22]

Starfall: Chapter 6: I See Red

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Star hadn’t thought she’d end up at another GUN base so soon after getting out of the last one, but the nearest Chaos Emerald’s readings were coming from a barrier island off the coast of Florida. It was at least on the same side of the country as Ivo’s base, and Star had taken one of his flying contraptions that looked a bit like a sailboard for most of the journey until the terrain forced her to move on foot. The view was even near-charming if one could overlook the alligators, the base hidden inside Anastasia State Park. She picked her way through the swamps and woods, skating over the surface of the murky water and giving the eerie eyeshine of other creatures in the water a hard stare to discourage any of them from wasting her time. They weren’t Mobian, just animals, and she knew they meant nothing more than a means to their own survival. But any time fighting them would be time wasted. She didn’t intend to stay on Earth any longer than necessary. 

When she found the base, it was a dull gray monolith among the colors and textures of nature. GUN certainly didn’t waste funding on frivolity… just torture, it seemed. Part of her wondered if she could have just called Abe and asked for the Emerald, but she doubted he’d hand it over. Even to get back at Shadow, who he seemed to still harbor the same dislike he’d held for them both as a child. He’d been nicer to her, perhaps out of guilt or obligation now that he’d found out she tried to save his parents… but he was still a GUN operative. Specifically their Commander… no, he wouldn’t arm her. She was a living weapon as it was. He had to know that much, since GUN had been the ones paying for her and Shadow’s creation all those years ago. 

With no other option her mission was simple, get in without alerting security, grab the emerald in their storage locker, and then get out. She knew she could march in and destroy everything if she wanted to, and wipe out the entire base. But she had a handful of abilities she’d successfully hidden during the experiments on her in the High Security Facility, and she was curious to test them out. There was a chance to find out what she was capable of, and who she might have been before GUN made sure she became what they accused Gerald of making her when they killed him. A weapon of mass destruction.

Chaos, she was so tired of the self-fulfilling prophecy. She hadn’t wanted any of it. She’d wanted to stay on the ARK, safe and happy. She’d only ever wanted to cure Maria’s sickness and spend her unnatural life span curled up with Shadow. Such a stupid, childish, impossible dream… but it had been hers.

She carefully inched to the shadowed side of the base, having timed her approach to the cover of nightfall. She was outside of the perimeter sensors, and when the darkness reached her she melted into it and went semi-translucent. She moved slower in this form and if anyone stared hard enough while she was moving they’d spot her, but as long as she was quiet and careful she could glide through the shadows unnoticed. 

Once upon a time, she had used this ability to play hide and seek around the ARK, challenging Maria and Shadow to find her. When Star got older, they’d hide from each other and test their other senses to try to hunt one another down. It had been a game, one of her favorites because it was one of the few times that Shadow’s attention was 100% on her.

Star wasn’t playfully hiding any more, she was on the hunt. Still missed the little flickers of red in the darkness, Shadow’s eyes searching for her during their games. She missed him, even if her heart was broken because of him. He’d meant so much to her… he still did. Maria and Gerald were always her origins, but Shadow had been the future. A future that was gone with the launch of an escape pod, when he’d decided for some inexplicable reason to abandon her and Gerald in a bid to save Maria, and then never come back for them after she was gunned down.

She melted into the floor and reformed on the other side of the storage locker door, flickering back into her usual form and climbing a shelf to start digging through boxes for the emerald. The Master Emerald in her pocket seemed to call for the one here, and she honed in on the little hum only she could hear.

 When she opened the correct drawer and found what she was looking for, a little happy hum escaped her. The Emerald was red, too. Almost like it was meant to be hers, shining in her favorite color.

She wrapped her fingers around it, that flash of power down her spine making her tail twitch until she put it in her bag next to the Master Emerald. It wasn’t that heavy, but when she zipped the bag up it felt like she was carrying a grown man on her back all of a sudden. I don’t remember it feeling like this when we used the Emerald on the ARK. Why is it so heavy? 

She wasn’t sure if power had physical weight, or if she was just exhausted. She hadn’t slept properly in Chaos only knew how long, and was propped up on cheap GUN coffee before she’d left Abe. Spots flashed in her vision as she stood there, and she had to brace against the wall to avoid falling until her head cleared. 

She shook herself like an etch-a-sketch to try to sort the fog before gritting her teeth and warping out of the base, back in the shadow of the wall and embrace of nightfall. She could hear the footsteps of soldiers doing their rotation inside, they hadn’t noticed yet that she’d come and gone. She sat down for a moment, leaning against the gray stone, and closed her eyes. 

When was the last time I slept?

She couldn’t even remember. But after a long moment of catching her breath, she melted again out of sight of the monolith building. Carefully, she started picking her way through the swamps and woods again until it was open enough she could activate her sailboard, and ride the air currents in the direction of the mainland. The spots in her vision were coming back, and she needed a way to outrun her exhaustion. A gallon of coffee, or something stronger… 

Star managed to make it to the mainland, taking a minute to sit in the sand of a little beach town. Her head hurt and her eyes stung, feeling wrung out and raw. She rested her arms on her knees, looking out at the water with a groan as the mosquitoes started buzzing around her ears. “I hate this planet…” 

“Oh, Star…” 

Star looked up, squinting at the shimmery light coming off the water. She didn’t see anything, but she knew the voice “Maria…” 

“What are you doing, Star? You look so unhappy…” 

“I… I really am.” Star admitted, ears drooping. “I want to go home… everything’s wrong and I’m so tired.” Her eyes watered up and she hung her head. “I don’t want to do this all alone.”

“You’re never alone. I’m here. Why don’t you call for help, and rest a little bit? It’s okay.”

“It isn’t. I can’t stop….” 

“You can’t boil an empty kettle, Star.”

“I thought the saying was to pour from an empty cup. I remember Professor used to tell us that.” Star squinted. Was she cracking up and forgetting things? 

“An empty cup is just empty. An empty kettle will burn and be destroyed.” It almost felt like ghostly little fingertip touched the inhibitor ring on her left upper arm, though there was no warmth to be transferred. “I don’t want you to be destroyed.”

“I think I already am, Maria.” Star whispered. 

“Call Ivo to pick you up, and sit to rest. There’s a park bench over there.” 

Star looked ahead of herself. Sure enough, there was a bench right by a gas station. She looked back at where Maria’s voice had come from, hoping for a glimpse of blonde and blue but there was nothing beside her but sand and sea. “Hallucination…” She mumbled, getting up and dusting the sand off herself. Maria might have been a figment of her exhausted imagination, but she had a point. Ivo could send a bot to pick her up rather than her running halfway across the continent for a base. She touched her earpiece. “I need a pickup.” 

“I didn’t take you for lazy.” Eggman huffed. 

“Even Ultimate Lifeforms get tired. I’ll send my coordinates, just send your little butler bot. He’s pleasant.” She hung up on him and looked around, eyes drifting to the dark shop windows just down from the gas station that had energy drinks in a cooler by the window. She fumbled in her bag, past the priceless magical gemstones with the capabilities to destroy the world, and found a small billfold with some cash tucked in it. Abe must have tossed it in there as an act of goodwill… she almost felt guilty she’d just stolen from his people. Almost. 

She walked over to the gas station and pushed the door open, jumping when the cashier gave a cheery hello. Small talk was lost on her nowadays, but she managed a polite wave. Once upon a time she’d always had a smile and hello for passing researchers in the hallway of the ARK… it had been easy then. She’d usually have one hand wrapped into Shadow or Maria’s, Shadow giving a nod and Maria a cheerful wave as someone told them all good morning. That feeling of community she missed dearly, but even when she got back it wouldn’t be there. Going home didn’t mean home was there…

She snapped herself out of the melancholy that somehow only made her feel more tired, and picked up a six pack of the energy drink with the most caffeine per ounce. As she headed for the counter, she paused at a row of brightly packaged cosmetics. Lipsticks, eyeshadows, and nail polish, all in a brilliant scorching red. 

After a moment of hesitation, Star picked out one of each. After everything she’d been through… why not? What was makeup but a little war paint for her campaign, after all? And when she did finally see Shadow again… she wanted him to like it. Even if it was just to remind him what he’d left behind, she wanted him to think she was pretty before she finally defied her destiny, and severed what was between them for good. 

“It’s all over the news now, Sonic.” Tail hovered anxiously next to his friend as the T.V. played. “Another Emerald missing, and they released a security tape of the thief.” 

Knuckles pointed grumpily. “Yes. That’s the black hedgehog again! Shadow is on another rampage, and we must stop him.”

“I’m telling you, it can’t be Shadow.” Sonic groaned, shrinking into a chair. “Look at the outline. The quills are too short!”

“You sure it’s not a trick of the light? They curl up like his.” Tails frowned. The tape quality was awful, a black quilled figure climbing shelves in the thick shadow of an unlit room. When they had finally gotten their hands on the Emerald, its red light hadn’t made anything much clearer. But they had warped out of the room the way Shadow did in a fight.

“It’s not him. I know my buddy. He’s over the evil villain shtick.” Sonic mumbled. “He said it himself; it’s not what his friend Maria would want.” 

“That was before you brought up his dead girlfriend.” 

Knuckles looked at Sonic incredulously as Tails glared at Sonic. “That’s what you did? He did not need another motive for world destruction!”

“You guys act like I did it on purpose. How was I supposed to know about her?” He grumbled. “It’s not like Shadow is exactly forthcoming about stuff…”

“The guy is either telling you he wants to kill you, actually trying to kill you, or having an existential crisis.” Tails sighed. 

“Shadow? He’s the toughest person I’ve ever met.” Sonic looked surprised. 

“No, he’s the most guarded person you’ve ever met.” Knuckles huffed. “And very powerful, yes. But it seems that is not the same as invincibility.” 

Sonic’s ears drooped. “It can’t be him, guys. I’m sure of it. Let’s go check his house again. Maybe he’s home.” 

“Alright, but I don’t think it’s going to make a difference.” Tails sighed, much too wise for his age, and they headed out for the trek they’d made every day since this had all started with the first GUN base getting shut down. Sonic kept reminding him that Shadow had been home when that one happened, but it had been slow to break the news. Shadow was as fast if not faster than Sonic himself, he’d have time to get there and back before Sonic started checking up on people. 

Unbeknownst to the trio heading for his place, Shadow was pulling out of the driveway on his motorcycle at the same time. He’d been itching to get out of the house for days, but Sonic kept turning up about the time he’d talked himself out of what he had to admit was a depression nest of blankets. He needed to go somewhere less… domestic than a house. Somewhere to clear his head, and a ride without a destination felt like the best solution. Having the Dark Rider would at least limit him to places with a road and stifle the half-baked desire to get lost and never found again. 

He knew his fondness for the bike was a physical hindrance. He could run faster than it could drive, and over more terrain. But he’d never quite forgotten how Star looked star-struck at one in an old movie he’d long since quit caring about the title of. He’d promised her he’d take her riding one day, when they got to Earth. When Maria got better, and took them both to see her home planet. 

“You mean it?” She’d been sprawled across his bed, using him as a pillow. “We could race?”

“Nah. Ride with me.” He moved one arm from behind his head to rest it across the small of her back. “Then you can enjoy the view, and I’ll do the driving.”

“You just want me to hug you.” She teased.

“As if you don’t love that kind of stuff.”

“Are you saying you don’t like my hugs? Rude.” 

“You’re the one laying on me, not the other way around.” 

“You’re comfy. And fluffy.” She giggled, face dropping into his chest. He couldn’t resist a grin, curling around her. Chaos, he loved her so much. He just didn’t know how to tell her without it sounding dumb-

Fifty years later, Shadow wished he’d told her when he’d had the chance. He hoped she knew anyway, somehow. She’d always been quicker to pick up little emotional cues than he had… sometimes he desperately wished she was there to help him make his way through this new world with new people and new rules, without Maria or Gerald to outline it. 

Right now he just wished she was behind him, arms around him and her cheek against the back of his shoulder. He could almost perfectly imagine it, her hands clasped over his stomach and her grin just outside his periphery. At a stop, he could turn his head to see her. She’d give him a smile brighter than the sun, pearly white fangs gleaming and big blue eyes sparkling. He’d have made her wear a helmet, and she’d complain about him being overprotective, but how could he not be when he knew how terrible everything felt without her? 

If he had one more chance, he’d keep her safe like he was supposed to. Her and Maria both, like he’d promised Gerald and failed to keep it. Logically, he knew he’d been playing a losing game. All the power in the world, even the Ultimate Life Form, couldn’t stop an international government agency like GUN once they’d made up their minds to attack the ARK. Not without becoming the kind of person he’d only become after Maria and Star had died. It was a cruel paradox, the only way to save them was the pain of seeing them die. 

He’d never shake the loss, and he knew it. It was as embedded in him as his quills, the ways he’d broken without them. His sardonic wit, his guarded nature, his inability to face any conflict without immediately feeling unbridled rage burning him from the inside. He couldn’t get close to anyone else or summon a measured response when under everything, he was terrified everything would be taken away from him again. 

He didn’t want to imagine what Maria and Star would think, if they could see him now. Maria would probably be horrified; she’d wanted everyone to have a chance to be happy. She’d wanted him to be happy, and he was a little ashamed he couldn’t quite muster it within himself to try. And Star…

He could only imagine her with a hand on her hip, shaking her head as she took stock of his suspicion, temper, and aloofness. Those perfect blue eyes searching for his, worry in them even as her nose scrunched up into an adorable wrinkle. “That’s not you, Shadow.” She would have murmured, not a plea but a statement. She might have lacked confidence in herself sometimes, but when it came to him? She knew him better than anyone, and despite his flaws she’d said she liked what she saw. Star didn’t lie, either. Not to him. “You aren’t this mask you’re wearing. This isn’t who you are.” But it was. It was him, without her. 

[tarofairey]

Assortment of brief headcanons that've been sitting in my drafts, some of which may be elaborated on later.

Joined the BB League in the first semester of her first year. She hit the ground running.

Thanks to her Fortune 500 Gym Leader dad, Lacey’s enjoyed access to countless opportunities for self-betterment and a large network of professionals that many others could only dream of. Yes, she is conscious of the fact that she grew up ( and remains ) extremely privileged. No, she does not flaunt her family’s wealth, not even in her choice of clothes and accessories.

Definitely inherited her work ethic from Clay. The man started with nothing but rose to become the “ Miner King. ” Lacey may be his darling princess, his only child, but she wasn’t raised a spoiled rich brat who felt entitled to the stars.

Easy and surefire way to become her enemy : accuse her of coasting through life on Papa's wallet. Refuse to acknowledge that she is driven, industrious, and competent. She doesn't take kindly to being called a nepo baby, directly or indirectly. There are many wrongs she can forgive and probably forget, but that, she will absolutely remember until the day she dies.

Genuinely cares for others in any proximity to her, good friend or not, and part of that manifests through her pressuring encouraging them to be the best person they could possibly be ( as she envisions them ) . . . even if they’d rather not be subjected to that. If Lacey just isn't helping you reach your potential, be extremely forthright in telling her so.

Big fan of sweets —- ice cream, puddings, cakes, brownies, various other kinds of bakery goods, and so on —- but there is such a thing as too much sugar. She avoids most sodas and anything with heavy frosting.

Unconsciously sways her body a little when she’s standing / sitting idle and there's good music playing.

She usually doesn’t mind getting her hands and clothes dirty. In fact, little Lacey was a familiar sight in the Driftveil Mines, occasionally running around and delivering / restocking water and toolboxes for whoever needed it. Despite rigorous safety standards and omniscient supervision on-site, her mother didn't always approve.

Straight-A honor student all her life. She took as many advanced classes as she could handle before her admission to Blueberry. Definitely valedictorian material if she keeps this momentum going right up ‘til the end.

She was in elementary school during the events of Black and White. She knows how Ghetsis “ persuaded ” her dad to release the Plasma personnel he had arrested at the Cold Storage. She hates that bastard man.

Lacey doesn’t think any less of her father for setting Zinzolin and the Grunts free —- he was outnumbered and outgunned, after all —- but a tiny, very irrational part of her wishes he put up more of a fight. She won’t ever say that out loud, because she knows it’s irrational. Clay and Sophia raised her well.

[charlesandmartine]

Monday 11th November 2024

It's moving on day again today, this time to the Barkly Homestead. Our route has now left the Stuart Highway, and we are heading East towards the coast, but these are small steps. But we are jumping ahead. Just before the junction of Stuart and Barkly is a remnant from the past, one of the eleven telegraph repeater stations. We had planned to visit this place today because it was on our route, so on the advice of the man in the tourist information centre, who said it was open everyday, we expected no impediments to this rudimentary plan. How wrong can one be? It transpired that the site would be open but not the buildings. But that's not a problem because our caravan site has a key said the reception lady. You can't leave the place open, it would be trashed, she said. Just sign here and place a deposit of $20 cash. Well, we don't have cash, we said. Sorry, no key then. So we had to go into town to the post office and draw cash. Then, back to the site and collect key. Go visit Repeater Station 10 km away, return key 10 km, collect twenty bucks, all done! Simple.

The Telegraph Line was completed in 1872, a remarkable feat considering Stuart had only surveyed the route ten years previously. Some 1800 miles in length, 36,000 poles and an awful lot of wire. The project was conceived and planned by Sir Charles Todd, who was by training a mathematician and astronomer working initially at the Greenwich Observatory, but needed telegraph to communicate between observatories. So he was inspired by the concept of linking Southern Australia to India and on to England. The repeater stations received a morse message, then it would be relayed to the next, and so on until it reached London. It would take in the region of 7 hours to send and receive a telegraph message in London from Australia, which made a huge improvement on the previous record of some three months on a package ship.

The buildings had long ago been stripped of any technology, but it was easy to imagine how they were used, from the kitchen and dining areas to the telegraph room, bedroom and storage areas. When the centre finally closed in the 1930s due to technology changes, and then sold in 1951, finding one room being used as a butchers shop! All very interesting and good to see the fruition to our Mr Stuart's endeavours and the works of the ingenious Sir Charles Todd.

Before finally leaving Tennant Creek, we ticked the last box in the Lonely Planet Guide and visited the oldest Catholic Church in the region. Built in 1937 and looking remarkably pretty despite its corrugated iron components and, more importantly, appeared like it was well used. Then, driving briefly back up the Stuart to the intersection with the Barkly Highway, we passed over the Tennant Creek, which gave its name to the town. It is still possible to see the old crossing over the Creek which is a reminder of what the old, unsealed pre-1943 road would have been like where traffic had to go virtually down to the level of the water to cross over. Very much like a ford at home.

Our journey to Barkly Homestead was just 212 km, so we had arrived by 3.30. The decision to stop here for a couple of nights was made out of necessity; it was too far in one journey to make it to our next location. However, there was no choice in the matter of location as this is the only accommodation along this route. A comly little place, home to tourists, tradies, and truckies alike. Very limited in the self-catering department, but we shall cope.

We have really enjoyed our time at Tennant Creek despite all the bad press it had from pretty much all those we spoke to. As a town, it clearly has its problems. There weren't that many people in the post office, but two of them had ASBO tags on their ankles. But a lot of investment has been made in this clean town: large outdoor swimming pool, new library, bowling club, hospital, mens and womens clinics. Let's hope things improve for these people.

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers West Coast #62: the Witching Hour!

September, 1990

In final battle against IMMORTUS

Oh, comics, you silly. Always labeling things final when you know that they're just going to happen again.

Wonder Man isn't looking well. I think he forgot to eat his Wheaties.

Anyway. Immortus. What gives?

Last times on Avengers West Coast: a lot of things have happened. But apparently it was all Immortus' fault, manipulating Scarlet Witch from early in her career to make her fall for Vision so she would later have fake kids with him an have a mental breakdown over losing them. All so Immortus could use her powers, which he jacked up, to take control of time. For reasons. He's also been winnowing down the infinite divergent timelines to just one. Also for reasons.

Honestly, who cares? Let's just get this over with so we can hopefully move onto stories that aren't about torturing Wanda Maximoff.

The Avengers West Coast and Quicksilver are hesitant to attack Immortus as long as he has a catatonic Scarlet Witch as a hostage but he scoffs. He's not going to hurt her! She's so very essential to his plan!

Through her power, he'll safeguard whatever future he decided is the only correct future! You could say, that as a hero, this is what Wanda should be doing to serve the entire multiverse!

The Avengers and Quicksilver tell Immortus that he's dumb and these answers in no way satisfy them.

I'd also like to add that the team recovering between issues from their hard fought victories or near-defeats makes most of the last issue completely pointless.

I love a good Legion of the Unliving, I do, but it was all time wasting.

Anyway, hearing that Immortus needs Wanda for his plans, the Avengers and Quicksilver all charge in to kick Immortus' head in.

He tells them to knock it off because they might rouse Wanda from her trance.

Protip: Telling a hero team that the thing they're doing will thwart you will make them want to do it more.

So Immortus summons more assistance. Which he wouldn't have needed to do if he hadn't gotten rid of the Legion of the Unliving, for some reason.

Although in this case, the assistance is a big white dude named Tempus, the guardian of Castle Limbo. Which explains why he's never showed up any other time the Avengers have been here.

He can age anyone he touches, I guess. Which is a cool power to have in a world that is explicitly timeless.

Back at the Avengers West Coast Compound on Earth, Agatha Harkness yells at the afterimage of Immortus for his evil plans.

Agatha Harkness: "I know what you're planning, Immortus -- and you're a fiend! But -- why am I wasting my time shouting at a transparent doppleganger like you?" Afterimage Immortus: "I am sure I have no idea, Agatha Harkness."

What a weird series of writing decisions led us to this point.

Agatha realizes that she needs to get to Limbo to help Wanda but the only way to get there is for her to astral project her ethereal self out of her body and dive into Afterimage Immortus. Because of reasons, this sends her to Limbo.

Where the Avengers are getting their various asses kicked by Tempus, guardian of Limbo Castle.

Tempus smacks Old Man Wonder Man with his big club, knocking the aged hero at US Agent who catches him. And then passes the fuck out from the impact.

Hawkeye is surprised US Agent would be a team player - although he also calls him John Walters instead of John Walker.

Quicksilver watches Tempus no-sell attacks from Hank Pym, Hawkeye, and Iron Man and wonders whether even his superspeed will be able to help.

But seeing Trance Wanda inspires Quicksilver.

Quicksilver: "Wanda -- can you hear me behind that shield? We have been through so much, together and apart. For you to become, now, nothing but a human storage battery for Immortus to draw on -- no matter how noble or vital he claims his purpose is -- ! NO! In the name of Heaven itself -- no good was ever born -- out of something so clearly evil!"

Then he runs really fast and bonks Tempus with a club-shaped piece of rock.

Which doesn't knock Tempus down but at least gets him to react like he's been hit.

Iron Man and Hawkeye speculate whether it was because Quicksilver hit Tempus with a piece of the castle he's the guardian of. Hawkeye wondering whether he could make arrows out of it.

Tempus gets right pissed and decides to hit the Avengers and Quicksilver with... TIMESTORM!

Everyone of them is forced to relive their own "most fearful, most deeply buried memories!"

Which. I dunno.

That's not what I'd call a timestorm. Trip during memory lane. But not a timestorm.

And I dunno.

Quicksilver sees himself and Wanda fleeing one of the angry mobs that are ever-present in Eastern Europe and America in comics. I think, specifically, the ones that led to them being discovered by Magneto.

Hawkeye sees the moment of broken pedestal when he discovered his idol mentor Swordsman was stealing from the circus.

Wonder Man re-experiences that time he died. Again.

Hank Pym re-lives when he had to identify his first wife's dead body.

Iron Man gets that shrapnel to the heart moment. Oddly, not anything related to his alcoholism or Armor Wars.

Wasp sees when her dad was killed by an alien, all the way back in her first appearance.

And US Agent sees when his mom and dad were killed in front of his eyes by the far-right Watchdogs group.

All very emotionally devastating to have to go through again but I don't know if all of these would qualify as most fearful or most emotionally devastating. And the point is to confront the heroes with "the foe which, above all others, you can not hope to defeat."

But.

Everyone here has lived through these memories already. They've continued on. Coming to terms with what happened or not but still able to keep going.

Like, Wonder Man has coped with dying. So. MANY. TIMES.

This is called a timestorm so you'd think it'd be horrible, character-specific What-Ifs! Although, that wouldn't work with Immortus hating branching timelines. But still! Seems like a more interesting idea.

Whatever. Either way, these bad memories are enough to floor the Avengers and Quicksilver and leave them quivering helpless.

Agatha Harkness has basically just watched all this happen, sure she could do nothing to influence events.

But then she thinks 'what if yes can influence?'

And since Immortus is really distracted by watching the Avengers quiver, Agatha uses her mystic rapport with Wanda to try to contact her mind.

Agatha begs Wanda to give up the extra power that Immortus has been jamming into her. That if she gives up the ability to "alter the probabilities of cosmic timelines", then Immortus won't have a use for her.

But Wanda doesn't react.

Meanwhile, Immortus is wondering whether he needs to kill the Avengers or not. He should would hate to fit into the villain niche they're trying to jam him into but on the other hand he also hates that they might keep getting in the way so, yeah, sure, go ahead and kill them Tempus.

Agatha is able to get the faintest of brief reactions from Wanda when she begs her to fight against Immortus' control for the sake of her robot husband and for the sake of her imaginary kids who aren't real.

Okay, Agatha doesn't put it that way but the reality of Vision being an emotionless machine now and the kids being totally fake not real causes the ploy to not work.

So Agatha instead tries pleading for the Avengers' lives. Surely the Avengers hold a place in her heart? Her brother? Her friends?

Agatha runs out of time because Immortus can "feel their presence -- within my brain!"

While he blasts Agatha with PSYCHIC ENERGY, he orders Tempus to finish off the Avengers.

As Agatha fades she pleads for Wanda to "Reject those extra powers you never wanted -- for the sake of those who love you -- reject them also for the sake of those you love -- Reject the powers, Wanda! Reject themmmmm"

Wanda does awake. And she does reject the powers. And she basically declares "No more this arc."

And expelling the energy apparently somehow creates new timelines diverging from the most fearful, most deeply buried memories that were tormenting the Avengers.

Wanda and Pietro get burned at the stake instead of being rescued by Magneto. Grim.

Hawkeye scolds Swordsman into not doing crime.

Tony Stark dies of the shrapnel.

Wonder Man's death triggers a burst of radiation which kills all the Avengers except Thor.

Janet van Dyne is killed by the alien that killed her dad.

Maria Pym just... stops being dead on the morgue slab. Didn't even try to come up with a reasonable divergence on that one.

And the spray of bullets that would have killed Mr and Mrs Walker instead miraculously miss them.

These changes jar the Avengers from their bad memories floor quivering and also alarm Immortus who shouts that AGATHA HARKNESS HAS DOOMED THE VERY MULTIVERSE.

So dramatic.

Not Evil Anymore Wanda wonders if her blasting out all that energy is what will doom existence and thinks maybe she can just slurp it back up.

But then the Time Keepers show up and tell her not to bother.

Immortus is again alarmed. These are his boss mentors and them showing up is like they don't think he can do his job without intervention.

Time Keepers: "Immortus... be still. Long ago, we appointed you custodian of the segment of time between 3000 B.C. and 4000 A.D. Your duties required little more than the eventual transmutation of a particular nexus being into a source of power. You were to use that power over probabilities to safeguard key events which must occur in various timelines, in order to assure a certain future in which we have a vested interest... but even that simple assignment seems to have proven too difficult for you to fulfill."

Okay, so these are the dicks that told Immortus to go after Wanda?

Wellll, no. They gave him a list and he chose Wanda off of it. But choosing Wanda and then letting the Avengers and Agatha Harkness meddle caused such temporal chaos that it puts all futures in jeopardy and risks the Time Keepers never existing.

And what a big loss that would be.

Look. Immortus is a sometimes food. Too much of any Kang or Kang derivative is too much. But the Time Keepers kind of take away the only kinda cool thing Immortus had going for him. He's just middle management now.

Also, the Time Keepers are introducing so many words words words to this ending.

Wanda doesn't really care about all the words words words. She just points a finger at Immortus for fucking up her life. Immortus can only weakly claim he was just doing his job.

And then the Time Keepers jump in to remind him that he was shit at his job. And apparently, Immortus was trying to get control over all of time instead of the seven millennia they promised him?

I really can't care at this point.

The Avengers are all standing around commenting on this but it's just prolonging things.

US Agent yells at the Time Keepers that he wants to arrest Immortus and take him to trial by the US Government. The Time Keepers blah blah blah our actions are ineffable our deeds for the greater good. Also, we're cosmically powerful and you're a guy with a metal disc.

Hawkeye and US Agent can't take the Time Keepers' cockiness and both try to attack them. The Keepers just crank the velocity on the arrow and the shield way down and then commentate on which one would reach them first, ie which Avenger launched a faster attack.

Apparently Hawkeye wins but by so little it's hardly worth doing this sequence.

US Agent concedes that messing with Galactus-tier dudes is annoying and asks Hawkeye what they do now.

Hawkeye: "Not much... unless you've got a deck of cards up your sleeve."

Hah. I think he's suggesting they just play poker until all the exposition finishes.

Despite having fumbled the ball, Immortus demands his prize anyway. Because dammit, he worked really hard! And just as a reminder, that prize was rule over the stretch of time from when he was Pharaoh Rama-Tut to the time he spent as Kang conquering the year 4000.

Not that Immortus was ever that cool but he seems so much less cool when he's whining about 7000 years versus when he surveyed all time and had grown out of a desire to rule.

You suck, this new Immortus.

And apparently the Time Keepers agree.

They gather all the energy Wanda expelled and shove it into Immortus.

He at first crows at how much more powerful he's growing and then, like Wanda, he becomes catatonic.

Now, he will remain unmoving in Limbo, the power of probabilities residing in him to ensure that the correct future happens, or whatever.

This story is suck.

Despite everything, Wanda just feels sorry for Immortus. Sure, he was going to do the same thing to her but it is a truly horrible fate and she is not a jerk anymore because I guess she expelled the racism goo traces.

(Something that Hank mentions too, although more in the general sense that if she's feeling pity for Immortus, she must be on the road to recovery)

Actually, Wanda tries to claim that Immortus was "noble, in his own way."

Oh, Wanda, no. You don't have to big him up. He sucks.

Then, the Time Keepers decide they're tired of looking at the Avengers' dumb faces and just instantly scene transition them back to the compound.

Convenient.

Agatha Harkness claims that Actually, she didn't carry the team. Truly, this was an Avengers victory because they did a really good distracting Immortus by getting their asses soundly beaten by Tempus.

She phrased it nicer than I did but that is the gist.

Hawkeye just instantly passes out as soon as the plot is over. But Hank is left to worry about the dangling subplots of Tigra being tiny and feral and the Human Torch being broken.

Also, hey hey, Living Lightning's first appearance! I remember him fondly from the two things I've ever seen him in! The Great Lakes Avengers Misassembled mini and Avengers No Surrender!

Of course, next week next time, we're back over to the Avengers and the Crossing Line arc. Eh.

Follow @essential-avengers. Like, reblog, or comment. I'm hangry for feedback.

[owlbearwrites]

Rowan worldbuilding (dealer's choice) for WIP Wednesday

My previous worldbuilding post was stuffed chock full of space and body horror.

Jack has a robot horse called Buttercup!

This piece of lore is silly, completely self-indulgent, and serves absolutely zero plot purpose. And I love it dearly.

And would you believe it, there is not one, but two sources of inspiration for Buttercup Howard.

One of the major inspirations for the character of Jack Howard is Handsome Jack from the Borderlands game series, who is a proud owner of a diamond horse by the name of Butt Stallion. (Okay, he says she’s a pony, but visually, she’s a binicorn, and she is glorious.)

Furthermore, in the world of Fallout, which is a key inspiration for the story’s setting, there exist commercially produced robot ponies. The product is called Giddyup Buttercup, ‘the ultimate in equestrian robotics’. (They may or may not also be part of an alien conspiracy, but that’s besides the point.)

With these two glorious creations in my arsenal, there was simply no way I would deny Mr. Jack Howard a full-size robot horse.

Some facts about Buttercup:

She has her own stable attached to Jack’s country house

She loves solving mechanical puzzles that Jack puts together for her in his tinkering workshop

Jack can’t ride her, or any other horse, but Rowan can, and she allows him

Jack’s old friend Nadia, who owns a ranch with actual biological horses out on the West coast, is very skeptical of Buttercup and confused by her very existence; which is why she doesn’t get to ride

After the initial nuclear apocalypse, Jack is stuck in the city for a while, and doesn’t get to go to his country house for almost a year. During that time, Buttercup roams the grounds and viciously attacks anyone who dares to try and scavenge the place, earning Jack’s old place in the country quite a reputation. When he finally makes it out there, she is very happy to see him. He gives her a good clean and tune-up, and then puts her into storage in power-saving mode. At that time during his post-apocalyptic adventures, he’s about to leave the Boston area with a group of new acquaintances, and even though a robot mount would be extremely useful on the long-distance trip, he worries it might give away his identity (reception for former billionaires is… mixed in the current state of the world).

He has a plan to, eventually, take Buttercup on a journey out West, to see what became of Nadia’s ranch and of his old employer and mentor Edward Castle. Sadly, Jack doesn’t get to do that: first, life gets in the way, and then, death. But Buttercup stays safe and sound in storage, and WILL be reunited with her two favorite people after they find each other again in the future.

[anthemstorage]

Standard post published to Anthem Self Storage at July 10 2025 20:15

Standard post published to Anthem Self Storage at July 10, 2025 20:15 https://ift.tt/jVNS0zF Discover Jetty Island in Everett, WA Everett is full of hidden gems, and Jetty Island is one of the most distinct. This man-made island, accessible by ferry during the summer months, is a haven for nature lovers and beach lovers alike. With soft beaches, shallow waters, and great opportunities for kiteboarding, Jetty Island is a popular spot for families and adventurers. Located just off the coast from Everett’s waterfront, the island offers a ideal escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Anthem Self Storage is conveniently located close to, offering storage solutions for residents and businesses in Everett and surrounding areas. While you enjoy all that Everett has to offer, from nature to city attractions, it’s comforting to know that protected, flexible storage is just around the corner. https://ift.tt/nfcOPxm Learn more via GMB Posts For Location "Anthem Self Storage" https://ift.tt/tkFoK8D July 11, 2025 at 04:15AM

[solarinstallationcompanynerang]

Enphase Australia: Revolutionising Solar Energy with Advanced Microinverter Technology

Australia’s sunny climate makes it an ideal location for solar energy adoption, and innovations like Enphase microinverters are playing a vital role in maximising solar power efficiency and reliability. Enphase Australia has quickly become a trusted name among homeowners, businesses, and solar installers seeking cutting-edge technology to optimise solar systems.

What Is Enphase and Why Is It Popular in Australia?

Enphase Energy specialises in microinverter technology that converts direct current (DC) from solar panels into alternating current (AC) at the panel level. Unlike traditional string inverters, which centralise this conversion, Enphase microinverters operate independently on each panel, offering several advantages:

Enhanced Energy Harvest: Each panel works independently, so shading or malfunction on one panel doesn’t reduce the output of others.

Improved System Reliability: If one microinverter fails, the rest continue functioning normally, minimising downtime.

Simplified Installation: The modular design allows easier expansion and monitoring.

Detailed Monitoring: Enphase’s monitoring platform provides panel-level data, enabling quick fault detection and performance optimisation.

In Australia, where diverse weather patterns and rooftop shading can impact solar performance, these features make Enphase microinverters particularly attractive.

Benefits of Using Enphase Systems in Australia

Maximised Energy Production: Australian homes often experience variable shading from trees, chimneys, or nearby buildings. Enphase technology ensures shaded panels don’t drag down the entire system’s output.

Scalability and Flexibility: Enphase systems are easily expandable—ideal for Australian homeowners who want to add more panels or battery storage over time.

High Safety Standards: The low-voltage microinverters reduce electrical hazards on the roof, complying with stringent Australian safety codes.

Robust Monitoring and Support: The Enphase Enlighten platform offers real-time, remote monitoring, empowering Australian users to track performance via smartphone or desktop.

Enphase Battery Solutions: Integrating Storage with Solar

Alongside microinverters, Enphase Australia offers intelligent battery storage systems, allowing households to store excess solar energy and increase self-consumption. This integration helps Australian homeowners maximise energy independence and protect against grid outages.

Choosing the Right Enphase Installer in Australia

To unlock the full benefits of Enphase technology, installation by qualified professionals is essential. Experienced installers on the Gold Coast and beyond understand local conditions and regulatory requirements, ensuring seamless system design and commissioning.

Energy Solution Centre, located at 19 Price St, Nerang QLD 4211, is a specialist provider of Enphase microinverter solar systems, battery storage, off-grid solar solutions, EV charging, and commercial solar installations. Their accredited team offers tailored advice and expert installation to optimise system performance.

For enquiries, contact Energy Solution Centre at 1300 217 079 or visit energysolutioncentre.com.au.

Frequently Asked Questions About Enphase Australia

Q: How does Enphase compare to traditional string inverters? A: Enphase microinverters maximise panel-level performance, improving energy harvest in shaded or complex roof layouts and enhancing system reliability.

Q: Are Enphase systems eligible for Australian government rebates? A: Yes, when installed by Clean Energy Council-accredited installers, Enphase systems qualify for Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs).

Q: Can Enphase systems be monitored remotely? A: Absolutely. The Enphase Enlighten platform allows real-time, detailed monitoring accessible via apps or web browsers.

Conclusion

Enphase Australia has transformed solar energy systems with its innovative microinverter technology, providing Australian homeowners and businesses with smarter, safer, and more efficient solar solutions. Whether you’re installing a new solar system or upgrading an existing one, Enphase’s modular approach delivers tangible benefits in energy production and system reliability.To explore Enphase solar solutions and professional installation services on the Gold Coast, reach out to Energy Solution Centre at 1300 217 079 or visit energysolutioncentre.com.au. Start your journey toward a smarter solar future today.

[shinyechopact]

Acorn Mini Storage | Palm Bay, FL

If you’re in need of reliable and secure storage in Florida’s Space Coast region, Climate Self Storage Palm Bay  is the ideal solution. Palm Bay’s warm, humid climate — while perfect for outdoor living — can be tough on sensitive items like electronics, furniture, artwork, documents, and household goods. That’s why choosing climate-controlled self storage is a smart way to preserve and protect your belongings year-round.

Climate Self Storage Palm Bay offers temperature and humidity regulation inside the storage units. This controlled environment helps prevent damage caused by extreme heat, moisture, and mold — common challenges in Florida’s tropical climate. Whether you’re storing items short-term during a move or long-term for personal or business use, climate-controlled units provide added peace of mind.

These modern facilities in Palm Bay feature a wide range of unit sizes to meet different needs, from small lockers for personal items to large spaces that can store entire home contents or business inventory. Many climate self storage centers also offer other valuable amenities like 24/7 surveillance, gated access, keypad entry, well-lit interiors, and on-site management to ensure your items stay safe and secure.

Convenience is another major benefit. Palm Bay’s storage locations are typically close to major roadways like I-95 and Malabar Road, making them easily accessible from surrounding areas such as Melbourne, Malabar, and West Melbourne. Many facilities also provide flexible rental terms, online bill pay, and drive-up loading areas, helping make your storage experience hassle-free.

For residents, Climate Self Storage Palm Bay is perfect for storing extra furniture, seasonal clothing, holiday decorations, or items during a home renovation. For business owners, these units offer a practical space to store documents, tools, equipment, or excess inventory without cluttering your primary workspace.

In summary, if you’re searching for dependable Climate Self Storage Palm Bay, you’ll find secure, accessible, and well-maintained options designed to keep your items in pristine condition. With protection from Florida’s heat and humidity, flexible leasing, and top-notch security, climate-controlled storage is a smart investment for your personal or professional storage needs.

[auconstructguides]

Thinking of Expanding or Upgrading Your Home? Here’s What You Should Know About Renovations and Extensions

If you're feeling squeezed in your current home, dreaming of more natural light, better flow, or finally building that extra living space for growing needs, you're not alone. More homeowners across Queensland are choosing renovations and extensions over selling up and relocating — and for good reason.

Property prices, location sentiment, and a deeper emotional connection to existing homes are prompting many to reimagine their space rather than abandon it altogether. But while the idea of upgrading may sound exciting, the process can be full of pitfalls if not properly planned. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essentials of home renovations and extensions, from understanding when to renovate, to working with experts like custom home design by Sunshine Coast professionals, and avoiding costly mistakes that can derail your project.

Why Renovating or Extending Is Often Better Than Moving

Upgrading your home allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds: the location you already love and a layout that finally works for you. Consider the benefits:

Avoid moving costs like stamp duty, agent fees, and relocation logistics

Stay in your neighbourhood — no need to change schools, commute routes, or social circles

Increase property value with updates that appeal to future buyers

Customise your home to reflect your lifestyle and design preferences

For many families, especially on the Sunshine Coast, it makes more financial and emotional sense to renovate than to start from scratch elsewhere.

The Most Common Types of Renovations and Extensions

Depending on your home’s layout and your goals, there are various directions you might take. Here are the most common approaches:

Rear extensions to create open-plan kitchen/living spaces

Second-storey additions for extra bedrooms or an office

Garage conversions into media rooms or guest accommodation

Outdoor living upgrades including patios, decks, and alfresco dining zones

Interior refurbishments like kitchen, bathroom, and laundry remodels

Granny flats or self-contained units for multi-generational living

What you choose should reflect both your current needs and how you want to live in the future. A designer can help you think beyond today’s problem and create a layout that adapts over time.

To get ideas on how different home styles accommodate extensions, visit this Tumblr blog featuring before-and-after home transformations or explore this detailed breakdown on small-space extensions.

When Is the Right Time to Renovate or Extend?

There’s no perfect time, but several signs might indicate you’ve outgrown your current home configuration:

You’re running out of storage, privacy, or usable space

Daily routines feel inefficient or cramped

You want to improve energy efficiency or update outdated finishes

You're planning for a growing family, ageing parents, or working from home

You’ve weighed the cost of selling and buying elsewhere — and it doesn’t stack up

If one or more of these resonate, it’s worth exploring your options. Engaging with building designers early — like the team behind custom home design by Sunshine Coast professionals — may help clarify what’s possible on your block and what’s worth the investment.

What’s Involved in Planning Renovations and Extensions?

Renovations aren’t something to rush into. Here’s a basic overview of how most quality extensions unfold:

Initial consultation: Discuss your needs, budget, and site constraints with a designer or architect

Concept design: Early layouts and 3D renders help you visualise changes

Planning and approvals: This may include development applications or complying development pathways, depending on your local council

Construction documentation: Detailed drawings for council and contractors

Builder selection: Obtain fixed-price quotes based on finalised documents

Build phase: Site preparation, construction, inspections, and handover

Each phase builds on the last, so having a skilled designer to lead the process streamlines communication and avoids duplication of effort.

Key Considerations for a Successful Project

Renovations and extensions may seem straightforward, but the devil is in the detail. Here are a few things worth planning for from the outset:

Council restrictions: Check zoning rules, heritage overlays, and building envelopes

Structural feasibility: Not all homes are suitable for second-storey additions without reinforcement

Sunlight and airflow: Design should enhance passive comfort and reduce energy bills

Budget contingencies: Allocate 10–15% extra for unexpected costs or scope changes

Timeline planning: Consider where you'll live during construction and how long disruptions may last

These factors often influence design decisions, and overlooking them can cause delays or inflated budgets. Working with a knowledgeable team early helps reduce this risk.

What Makes Working with a Local Designer Different?

Choosing a designer based in your region comes with advantages. Sunshine Coast professionals, for example, bring local council knowledge, awareness of climate-specific design features, and relationships with trusted builders.

Custom home design by Sunshine Coast professionals ensures your plans reflect not just your personal style, but also local environmental conditions and building regulations. Whether it’s managing airflow in a coastal home or sourcing materials that perform well in high humidity, local insight adds value beyond the drawings.

Mistakes to Avoid When Renovating or Extending

Here are a few common pitfalls to steer clear of:

Jumping into construction without finalised plans or permits

Choosing a builder before a designer — this limits flexibility and often costs more long-term

Focusing too much on trends instead of long-term function

Neglecting the exterior or outdoor integration

Skipping soil testing or site analysis before starting a build

A good designer will help navigate these risks and guide you through the right sequencing for approvals and construction.

How Much Does It Cost?

Costs can vary significantly depending on size, complexity, finishes, and whether structural changes are involved. As a rough guide:

Minor internal renovations: $20,000–$60,000

Single-room extensions: $80,000–$150,000

Second-storey additions: $200,000+

Whole-house transformations: $300,000–$600,000+

Remember, thoughtful design can reduce your total spend. An efficient layout may negate the need for additional square metres altogether — something a skilled designer can help you identify.

Final Thoughts: Invest in a Home That Works for You

At its core, renovating or extending is about creating a home that supports your lifestyle. Whether you need more space, better flow, or simply want a home that reflects your personality, the journey starts with smart planning and the right team.

By partnering with experienced local professionals like custom home design by Sunshine Coast professionals, you gain access to expertise that ensures the design aligns with both your needs and local regulations.

So if you’re looking around your home and thinking “we’ve outgrown this,” maybe the answer isn’t moving — maybe it’s just designing smarter.

[harshieurovibes]

🌍 “Most Beautiful Places in Europe That’ll Leave You Simping for Nature (and Architecture) 💅✨”

Let’s be real: Europe didn’t come to play when it comes to beauty. Every corner of the continent is a whole aesthetic moodboard, and these places? They’re the main characters. Whether you’re chasing sunsets, fairy-tale towns, or vibes so good they heal your situationship heartbreak — here are 7 insanely beautiful places in Europe that’ll live rent-free in your mind (and phone storage).

🏞️ 1. Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland – Where Nature Has Main Character Energy

Picture this: 72 waterfalls, snow-draped peaks, flower-dotted meadows, and a village so cute it hurts. Lauterbrunnen is basically what your desktop wallpaper dreams of being. It’s peaceful, cinematic, and looks like a Studio Ghibli scene IRL. Pack your best wool coat — this is cozycore heaven.

🏖️ 2. Amalfi Coast, Italy – The Coastal Queen That Knows She’s Hot

Colorful cliffside towns? ✔️ Sparkly turquoise water? ✔️ Lemon everything? ✔️ The Amalfi Coast is giving “rich aunt energy” with sun-soaked glamour and dramatic views that make every hour golden. Whether you’re boating in Positano or eating your body weight in ravioli, it’s chef’s kiss every step of the way.

🏰 3. Bruges, Belgium – Chocolate, Canals, and Cottagecore Vibes

If fairytales were edible, they’d taste like Bruges. This Belgian beauty is all cobbled streets, gingerbread houses, swan-filled canals, and waffles so good you’ll question your reality. It’s peaceful, picturesque, and the definition of “cozy Europe” in every season. Bring a chunky sweater and your most whimsical self.

🌋 4. Iceland’s Golden Circle – Where Earth Went Full Power Mode

Hot springs, geysers, black sand beaches, and waterfalls that scream “epic background music here.” Iceland’s Golden Circle is like nature showing off on a flex day. Rent a car, hit the road, and let the scenery slap you with awe. Bonus: the Blue Lagoon will make your skin glow like you have a skincare deal.

🏛️ 5. Dubrovnik, Croatia – Medieval Realness with a Sea View

If stone walls, terracotta roofs, and sparkling Adriatic views sound like a vibe, Dubrovnik is your girl. Known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” she’s elegant, warm, and a little spicy (especially during sunset). You don’t need to be a Game of Thrones fan to feel like royalty here — but it helps.

🏔️ 6. Plitvice Lakes, Croatia – Literal Waterfall Wonderland

This place is giving: teal lakes, forest paths, wooden walkways, and more waterfalls than your camera roll can handle. It’s a national park that feels like it was designed by Mother Nature on a dopamine high. Go early, breathe deep, and let the healing begin.

🏙️ 7. Edinburgh, Scotland – Moody, Magical & Mysterious

Dark academia meets castle-core. Edinburgh is all brooding skies, gothic towers, cozy bookstores, and unexpected green hills. Stroll the Royal Mile, catch mist over Arthur’s Seat, and pretend you're in a fantasy novel. If vibes had a capital, it would be here.

✨ Europe isn’t just beautiful — she’s breathtaking, dramatic, and a lil bit extra. Just how we like it. Ready to explore? Head to https://escapeepic.com — your one-stop scroll hole for travel inspo, epic guides, and aesthetic trip-planning magic. 💼📍