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[astarion-can-spawn-me]

Archon

Club Owner!Astarion x Journalist!Reader

Modern Au

Warning: Heavy partying, drugs and alcohol mentioned

Just a little continuation of the modern one shots I'm making of the Baldur's Gate 3 characters and what their modern jobs would be. At first I pictured him as being some flamboyant designer, but it started to seem way too obvious and surface level for him. Though something about him meticulously rising in the party scene with his own club seemed to be way more fitting in my head the more I thought about. I'm also heavily inspired by my big city club scene, I spent many weekends getting sucked away in their extravagance. Also a little bit of my mom's stories of the 90's and early 2000's club scene.

The lights were heavy and blinding, the smell of sweat and body order in the air. The smell of lust was all too familiar between all the mingled bodies under those strobing lights, moving and swaying. All either high off the meaning of the life of night, drugs, alcohol. Hair and clothing swishing back in such a mesmerizing way, almost as if it was under the influence of witch craft, if you would count the party scene as such.

Which it could, the party scene was extravagant in the big cities, it was a time to let loose and let the big city take you in with it's embrace, whether it be done with safety or with the smirk of the devil disguised as a smile. You couldn't tell as you glanced around you, almost feeling yourself getting hypnotized by the graceful and sometimes sloppy movements of the people around you. Hell, it could have been the second high of the weed that hung heavy off their panting breathes. Though you were here with a purpose, with a job to do.

You sent here to hopefully snag an interview with the owner. He popped out of nowhere in the big cities downtown party scene. It was catching the attention of everyone. Anyone who had a name and a credit to follow, frat boys and sorority girls, even the minorities such as the LGBTQ community. That one garnered much attention from the conservatives the minute they introduced their drag shows to their mainstage, even now old women and men stood outside those tinted windows of the front doors clutching their pearls and purses as they yelled their obscenities to ward whatever evil they felt lurking behind those doors. Also other groups were starting to raise the worries of drug fueled nights happening within the building, worried of a spike in drugs within the city.

Now that was a worry that your local newsletter was raising within their own cubicles. They wanted the hot and heavy scoop on this place that almost everyone seemed to be in harmony in. Drunk off the simple charisma of the atmosphere.

Definitely a form of witchcraft in the air you thought as you continued your journey past the outstretched hands beckoning you to join them in their blissful stupor, tacky hands of sweat a reminder of all those people passed by upon your exposed arms and clouds of smoke from vapes swirling your senses. Your eyes kept scanning the crowds, looking for what, you had no idea, the building was packed to the brim as you continued your journey. A perilous one at that, you thought you felt the crunch of a broken glass cup beneath your shoe here and there. thankfully what you guessed were employees were quick to push everyone backed to sweep up the mess, that ocean soon engulfed that once empty space.

"Sweetheart, you look lost! Have a seat and get your bearings! It's $3 shots tonight!" Called out a voice almost crystal clear from over the heavy techno music. A man beckoned you forward, silver hair taking on the shade of whatever strobing light sweep across those strands. The sleeves of his button down rolled upon upon his arms. You could see that it was slightly wrinkled from his constant and skillful movement behind that bar. Faint droplets of whatever alcohol he poured tonight resided upon those wrinkles as well.

Despite all that, he still managed to look put together, mesmerizing, unlike the sweaty fools all around you.

But you were no fool, definitely not. You marched up to the bar that was littered with the remnants of condensation from the last glass that once rested their, slightly damp napkins also littering the surface.

"Actually, as shocking as this might sound, I'm not here to drink, is there anyway I can speak to the owner?" You called back over the obnoxiously loud music. You could have sworn it was vibrating ever organ, every cell, every single fiber of your being.

"Oh?" He spoke with a raise of his brows as he slid a drink over to another patron, them swaying off with their liquid luck to help them pushing for their night of fun and carefree. "He's not in at the moment, but I'll tell you what! He usually comes back when the lights come back on for clean up at 2:00, come back then." you didn't know if that smile was genuine, you couldn't help but sense a hint of mischievousness upon those pale lips.

"Good! I'll be back then, let him know that the Baldur's Post wants to ask him a few questions!" You shouted back. Though you weren't too hopeful that it would even happen as you made past all those sweaty hands once more and back into the fresh air of night where people lulled about, making out, fighting with the few protestors, or even wiping away tears as their friends coddled them from whatever happened that night.

Your cue to reenter the coven like place was when the hoards of people began to file out, all dazed, stupid drunk smiles slapped upon their lips, beads of sweat glistening upon their foreheads thanks to the streetlight that shined upon above along with the flashy neon light of the club. The unsuspecting prophets bidding their children of the night home and farewell until their next outing of extravagance.

Only few people were left within the building, only the few sweaty stragglers and the clean up crew sweeping and mopping the tiled floors. Now you good see the walls were a deep burgundy color, the floors and ceiling matching in the color of the dark void of sleep. It was almost as the void threatened the partiers, almost like they were dancing with death itself. You thoughts and observations might have been dramatic, but if you were in that scene as you were in your younger years, you would have found the so called dance with the void invigorating and thrilling.

"So, what do you think of the place, I hope it is to the Baldur's Post's standards" soon piped up a voice, that same man now walking up to you, hands lazily shoved within the depths of his pockets. Now a definite mischievous smirk upon those pale lips. "Welcome to the Archon, I'm Astarion who just so happens to be the owner of this fine establish."

The feeling of annoyance that bubble up within you came with a racing heart. You had to hold back the eye roll that your stare wanted to dearly display to the man before you.

"I know, it wasn't very um...hostly of me to do what I did, but I didn't think it would have been a very appropriate time to introduce myself, plus I wanted you to soak in the liveliness of the night" He said, words holding a playfulness to it as he slide onto one of the bar stools, a hand sweeping back his hair that was just ever so slightly damp. Probably from his work behind the bar or maybe it just because of all those sweaty dancing bodies that had surrounded him only moments before. "But nevertheless, what questions does your fine establish have for me?" he asked, his eyes only looking to you innocently, but at this rate, you didn't think it was very real.

"Well...do you mind if i record our conversation?" You asked, but he only gave a lazily wave of his hand, which you took as acceptance as you place your phone, now recording, on the bar between you him as you sat down. "Alright, how do you feel of all the eyes being on you? It's not all the time a club is so accepting of all groups, if you know what I'm saying.." you soon asked, notepad now out on the bar, those droplets from earlier smudging the note of whatever piece of paper was the unlucky one to be the one resting there.

"Well I like to say were are collectors of misfits, it doesn't matter if you are a football star or just a person who sells their soul to a bone crushing 9 to 5, those people can feel like an outcast and we are just the ones to give them a little pick me up, a moment to be seen" He said with a shrug of his shoulders, but he was soon calling out to one of the bartenders who was left on cleaning duty. "A drink would suit you, you are so up tight. Leon, maybe a vodka cran, they strike me as someone simple" You quickly objected, but the drink was already placed before you and also one to the now newly introduced Astarion in front of you who was already taking a nursing sip from the glass.

"Please do go on"

You couldn't even wrap your head around the character around you. Was this person real? How can someone be so...this? You didn't know if it was cockiness, but some how he was also so charismatic in the process. You were starting to slowly see why maybe this place was drawing so many people in. He was the on placing the spell upon every single warm body that walked past those doors. You were even so sure that if he were to ever speak to those bible thumping protestors outside, he would bid them farewell with only ever speaking just a few words to them.

"The community is also worried about this place fueling more drug habits" You finally spoke up, your fingers tucking a strand behind your ear. You were nervous under that piercing and analyzing gaze of his. it was like he was calculating every little thing about you. He gave a simple huff at your questions.

"Drugs were already a problem anyway and its not like it is my responsibility to say 'hey! stop doing that!'" he gave a small shake of his head as he leant his cheek upon his hand as he looked to you through those silver eyelashes of his. "But if your little post would be happy to learn that we have a zero substance policy, we can't control who does anything before they come in here, but we don't allow the activity to take place in here. I have employees undercover in every part of this bar, even in the bathrooms, to kick out anyone who is, is that satisfying enough?" His eyebrows now raised to you, waiting for your response.

"I didn't know that.." you could only respond with a simple lift of your shoulders, almost as in a surrender to the man before you.

"Hmm.." he only looked to you, you could practically see the thoughts swirling behind those eyes of his. "Com again tomorrow night" he simply stated, now standing up. "Give this place an actual chance, let that guard down. Clean slate, leave those poisoned words whispered in those pretty little ears of yours at home"

You were trapped in that little spell of his as you actually showed up the next night, clean slate. Old party clothes busted from their forgotten spot within that small apartment closet of yours. All smashed back into the void by the work clothes that took their priority over the years. You let yourself get sucked into the Archon, accepting the maze of hands this time as people happily pulled you in.

But there he was in the crowd, beckoning you with a delicate hand.

He was intoxicating as he took you by the hands, lovingly and caringly. A temptress. He so easily got you to sway with him to the music, letting the rhythm take him and yourself on a journey under those colorful lights. Each and every beat taking away an ounce of care from your shoulders as you became entangled with him. The smell of sweat all around the two of you, but it was invigorating. Feet never tired, body never tired. Laughter came so easy, smiles and grins.

It finally occurred to you that this was it. The freeness. It was the ability to just do, to let go, to breathe. No crushing feeling of impressing the editors at work or get the dirt on the next target. It was just you and nothing holding you back. Not a drink or substance to coax that feeling out of the soul within your swaying body.

Well the taste of his lips upon yours was possibly the equivalent to any drink that could have been brought to your own lips. The feeling of his fingers within your hair a shivering sensation. Such a superficially thing it could have been viewed as from someone glancing, but how it all seeped and swirled into your sense and his own. In a blink of an eye the lights were on and your were sitting on a bar stool, glass of water rolling with condensation sat in front of you, the same for Astarion besides you, his chest almost moving in the same rhythm as your as he also to catch his own breath.

"I forgotten what that felt like" you finally was able to say in your breathlessness.

"I know it may sound a bit cliche of me, but same" Astarion said with a laugh. "The moment I opened this place I was always behind the bar or making sure everything was running smoothly, you know, being such a mindful business owner. Though I let it make me into what I'm trying to make my patrons forget. Selling my soul to that pesky 9 to 5."

You understood what he meant. It gave a new insight into him. A business owner.

"But that still means we have jobs, dear. Go home before you fellow writers and editors send hounds after me" He said nonchalantly as he handed you the small hand bag you brought with you, leaving you to make your departure from the establish, the night finally catching up as you could feel those pesky blisters forming on the parts of your feet and toes that didn't agree with the shoes you were wearing, but it wasn't much of a concern to you as you bid those neon signs and street lights a goodbye.

Though it took you until the next morning to find that crumbled up napkin within your purse that had a number scrawled on it with the name 'Astarion' following after it, slightly smudged by a droplet of something wet it must have encountered at some moment during that night. Your fingers automatically typed the number into your phone, but you were at a loss at what to actually message him as you stared to the messenger bar on your phone. You could have face palmed at the fact of your simply sending a 'Astarion?' to him was actually a good way to approach it. It wasn't much of a shock when he sent your name back, he knew exactly what he was doing, whatever it was, it was unknown to you.

Nevertheless, that little insignificant text sent a flourish of something. Novels of words spilled between the two of you during the week. Jokes, slight flirting, slight windows of emotions of opening up about certain things. People would notice that stupid smile that would come to your face the moment his name would appear onto your cell phone. It was the same for him, but he was too prideful when someone would call him out on it, simply waving them off.

That's how you found yourself wrapped within his arms on the worn down couch of your apartment. A simple sunday night, the worries of work long forgotten, even if only in merely hours the two of you would have to bid bitter goodbyes to worry about work all over again.

What a pesky little thing.

But none of that matter, not even the heavy pattering of rain upon your window mattered as you snuggled up to him, basking in his cologne as a corny vampire movie played on the tv before you. His arms were good about melting the worries of the real world beyond this mortal realm along with those fingers that absentmindedly twirled your hair around his fingers, snagging on a little knot every now and then, but he was always quick to give a soft sorry that you could feel whisp by your ear.

the shivers that he subjected you to should have been criminal.

"And just to think, you sent to take down my little empire" He joked as his arms pulled you in close, the feeling of his rumbling chest up against you own.

"Good thing you have such a good way with words to stop me.." you quipped back, lifting your head to look up to him, his hand soon cupping your flushed cheek.

"Yes, good thing..."

[nervoushottee]

Flaws and All CH. 1 | Joel Miller x Fem!Reader Series

Warnings: Violence, guns, blood, cuts, regular ole the last of us shit.

Note: Had so much fun writing this. I’ve been working nonstop and haven’t had anytime to write but I am so happy I was able to get this out.

(Not edited at all so sorry not sorry just wanted to get this out of my head)

Series Masterlist

—————

Chapter 1

Winter was a deadly beast.

Depending on what side of the planet you’re on, it could be your saving grace or the demon within. The cold weather could bring frost bitten limbs, harsh winds and even death. Or it could be a glimpse of pure joy, excitement and tranquility.

And for you? You were honestly hoping it'd be your escape. The both of you were.

But all in all, right now you couldn’t feel your fucking fingers. And you were sure as hell that Joel couldn’t either. No matter how many grunts and grumbles that came from indicating that he was okay. It was just two words that he was saying to himself to help warm his chest.

You could hardly tell what time it was. With clouds filled with snow covering the sun leaving a tint of grey and white. You just hoped that you had a few more hours before nightfall.

Joel was in front of you, his dark green coat covering his back. His head hunched over a bit as he walked. Map in hand as he continues his stride.

“How long now?” You ask the man in front of you. He slows his pace for you to catch up with him. Your boots trudging in the cold snow. “Not far out.” He says to you simply. You sigh at his short response.

This is how it was with you two since leaving. Short and sweet conversations. Quiet nights, and even quiet walks.

You couldn’t tell if it was because you were still strangers to one another or that it was because he simply didn’t like you.

You were hoping it wasn’t the latter.

From what you noticed, Joel was a quiet man.

The two of you met on a whim. A fast chaotic and last minute decision. A quick change that maybe somehow was fate.

The settlement the two of you were in turned sour fast. What you thought was a decent place with decent rules of living turned into hell on earth in just two weeks. You and Joel were neighbors. Living in the same apartment and from time to time you would bump into each other during the day.

A simple “good morning” or “good night”. Or a “morning” or “night” on Joel’s end. Nothing but simple pleasantries between two people.

But one night, you woke up to the sound of glass breaking. Which probably wouldn’t be such a nervous thing with how the world was now. But this sounded a bit too close for comfort.

You had accidentally slept on the couch the night before and your living room window gave you a full view of what was happening within the streets.

There were people in the streets, screaming and killing each other. Matzel tovs were being thrown into apartment buildings. Nail bombs at the front doors of the makeshift stores people created for the community. You could hear the sound of women screaming. Men, bandits, laughing.

You couldn’t believe what you were seeing. Slowly in fear of not making any sudden movements for someone to see you through the window you quickly throw your jacket back on that you had dropped on the floor.

Thankful that you fell asleep still in the clothes your worn that day.

You were always an overthinker. Since birth it was something that was engraved in you whether you liked it or not. Even worse with how shitty life was. But despite its negative causes it had on your life, there were certain times where you were thankful for it.

The bag you brought into the settlement on your first day here was still packed with things. You didn’t pack out everything into the dusty closets or old dressers slowly starting to mildew. You would simply take out each thing you needed for the day and put it back at night.

You would rinse and repeat this method until you had lived here for a month. That was your plan. That was your routine. But life doesn’t always go to plan. You hurriedly put your boots back on. One already snug on your left foot.

The urge to keep your bag close came over you and you quickly limped through your bedroom door to retrieve it. But the minute you opened the door to your room. You were greeted with the reason you heard the broken glass in the first place.

A masked man broke into your bedroom.

He had a knife in one hand and your bag in the other. The pack was open and you could see the contents you had in there were swished around. Probably from him rummaging through it for anything of value for him to take.

That bag was like a pot of gold to anyone desperate enough.

But at the sight of you, his need to steal your bag was washed. A new need in mind as he dropped your bag to the floor. He storms over to you with his knife raised. You gasp at how quickly everything happens.

You’re slamming the bedroom door to his face but it doesn’t stagger him. You run to your kitchen area in a panic. A shriek leaving your throat as you run and go beside your table. You push it with all of your might into the stranger who simply laughs at your attempt to stop him.

He laughs like this is a joke to him. Like he’s play a game of cat and mouse. You knew if he catched you, that death would be more favorable than whatever ideas he had in mind. You could see his hunger in his eyes.

He continues forward walking toward you slowly until he has you cornered. And if you had any mind to do so you could hit him with something. Grabbed a knife from the kitchen. Hit him with your other shoe. Anything.

But it was too late to think about that. All you could think about now is trying not to die. Trying to stop whatever he would do to you before that if you could. And in this moment you thought that dying would be more of a blessing than a curse.

He charged at you which causes you to scream. Using all your might to push him off of you. Grabbing the knife quickly before he plunged it into your shoulder. You shriek at the intense pain of the knife slicing through your gripped palm.

You were trying so hard. Kicking and pushing using all the strength you could. But you didn’t think it would be enough. You knew it wouldn’t. In the end, he sadly had the upperhand. He was bigger than you and caught you by suprise.

And you were going to fucking die. With a final scream you almost accepted your fate. But the immediate force of your front door getting kicked down gave you a glimpse of hope.

Joel had seen what was happening outside his apartment window. Started grabbing his own things same as you did. And was a few feet out of his door before he had heard you scream and didn’t waste a second to come help you.

Both you and the masked man froze from the sudden intrusion. Which gave Joel enough time to shoot the man dead. The shot rang out, the man falling to the floor. His blood splattering against your face. The heavy sets of breathing leaving your mouth.

Joel walked over to you and bent down to your level. You didn’t realize til then that the man had you basically on the floor fighting for your life was dead.

“Are you okay?” He asked, his eyes trailing your face. “Are you hurt?”

You swallowed, still in shock for all that had happened so quickly. “My hand.” You croaked out. Your throat is sore from how loud you were screaming.

Joel nodded his head looking at your bloody palm. “Can you stand?” You nodded as you grasp the hand Joel extends to you. Your injured one curled against your chest, throbbing from pain.

“Get your stuff, we’re leaving.” He said to you.

We’re leaving.

After a few seconds of letting what he said register you limped over back to your room to grab your bag. Some of the items spilled out on the floor and you hurriedly pushed it back inside. You finally put on your second shoe and see Joel staring out your window. “What’s going on?” You say to him hoarsely.

Joel shakes his head without turning to you. His eyes still looking at the streets of the settlement. “Not sure. More or less Raiders, a big group of them. Wanting something like this. It was easy pickings with a settlement so small. With the mask on that guy I think I’m right.” Joel turns to you. Giving you a once over look. “You ready?”

You hadn’t even realize his attire. His green jacket in over his body. A bag of his own around both of his arms. And a rifle strapped on his shoulder.

You nod your head at the question.

With your confirmation, Joel starts to walk out of your apartment. Muttering for you to follow him. And you did exactly that.

That was four days ago.

Now here you both were. Walking in the snow to get to wherever the hell Joel was looking at the map for.

“There.” He spoke up. He points to the gas station in the far distance. You squint your eyes to see it better. It wasn’t far but it wasn’t close either. Still you couldn’t wait to get out of the cold. You doubt the gas station would even have electricity, so it would more than likely still be cold. But being cold in a shelter is better than nothing.

“Let’s go then.” You pushed ahead of Joel, walking toward the faint view of the building in front of you. Joel eventually catching up to you with a fiew long strides.

“So what’s the reason why we’re going here?”

You finally speak up. Turning your head to the man who saved you nearly days before.And granted you probably should’ve asked him that three days ago. But the trek to get up here was too dangerous as is.

The settlement was smackdown in the middle of a small city. So it took about two days to get out of there on foot. Hiding from raiders, killing any infected you saw along the way. Joel was very smart and skilled in both departments. There wasn’t much talk for what happens next. The priority was getting out of there.

When those days passed, you both were finally out of the city and there was nothing but greenery for miles. You were too exhausted to speak from all the walking you did. Your palm throbbing with pain every step of the way.

On the third night, the temperature dropped. By morning of the fourth day, it was snowing.

So as you both walked the snow dusted trail you felt like it was a good as time as any to ask him questions. “A guy that I knew before I stayed at the settlement has a radio. Marked my map with a few spots of where another might be just in case I would ever need to contact him.” He explains.

You contemplate what he says as the two of you reach the gas station. Joel turns to you, looking briefly at your empty hands. A silent statement for you to be armed and on your guard.

You grab the pistol that he had given to you to use and a flash light from your pack in the other hand. You twist your hands and wrists on top of each other. Both gun and flashlight in hand, aimed and ready to use.

You were hardly a good shot. It takes a few times to actually shoot a target from afar on a good day. But fear and survival have a good way of showing us what exactly we are capable of in certain moments.

Your wrapped palm hated the harsh tug you had on your gun, but it was the least of your worries. You nod your head towards Joel as he starts to pry the door open. The cold air causing it to need more force than it probably would have.

You check your surroundings as Joel struggles with the door. No one was out here for miles. The only thing you could see were trees and stranded cars. The snow that came in that morning was already starting to cover the surface of anything and everything it could. You hoped that the two of you could stay here for the night instead of out in the wilderness again.

The sudden jolt of the door pushing open made your turn your head back over to Joel. He had gotten the door open and quickly pulled his own gun and flashlight out. “Wait here.” He tells you before going into the gas station. Giving it a good look around, before calling your name to follow inside.

You look back for a second to look around in case anyone for some reason followed you for four days. You hear Joel call your name again. A lot closer now than he was before. You shake your anxious thoughts and enter the gas station with a heavy breath.

The gas station was ransacked. Shelves were bare and broken. And any supplies that were left were nearly finished. Joel had been a few steps out the door and nearly knocked into you before you came inside. His face almost filled with worry, a question almost leaving his mouth before he sighs. Going behind you to push the door closed and sliding a piece of wood through the door handles.

“The place seems secure. Ransacked for sure but no one’s here so we should be good for now.” Joel tells you as he walks back ahead of you. “Great.” You respond idly. Placing your gun away (your injured hand thank you for it) and flashing your flashlight through the abandoned station.

The building was small. Not a big gas station which was obvious. Probably just being a small gas station for travelers to full up on gas and stale snacks before hitting the road again. That’s what it was like only a few years ago. A simple store to get lottery tickets and making sure to press the right gas button instead of the diesel.

Now it was a free for all, ransacked for survival. Oh how time flies when it’s the end of the world.

You walk further into the station, behind what were once clean isles now filled with dirty and trash. The fridges that were once cold filed with refreshing drinks were now barren with only a few stranglers of bottles left. You could hear Joel doing the same as you. Looking through isles, rummaging for anything that was useful in the dim light of his flashlight.

This is what life was now. Breaking and entering, and stealing to survive. Hiding in plain sight from the dead that risen. Infected with sick disease that wouldn’t stop from killing you and a sudden sound. Raiders doing as they pleased. Like a god or devil granted them their wish of the world turning to shit so they can do as they please without a care in the world. Or people to stop them.

“Got some pain killers. Not much but a few packets to help with that hand.” Joel says to you out loud. You don’t turn to look at him or respond. To his statement. You flashlight shining over the drink you had not seen in a long time.“I got a can of Yahoo if you want to trade.” You say jokingly.

You turn your head back to see Joel staring at you with a confused face. You move your body slightly, hand still shining on the dead fridge with the red and yellow can sitting in one of the holders. Joel huffs a laugh before standing up from his need position. Shaking his head as he walks over to the cash register.

You look back over to the can of Yahoo for a few seconds before you hear Joel call your name. You quickly open the fridge door, the smell of dried water and mildew wafted your nose as you nonetheless pick up the can and sliding it inside your jacket pocket before heading over to Joel’s direction.

There was an door behind the register that was now open. Walking inside to see Joel behind an office desk. It was slightly warmer in this room. You really had no clue why but it would be a decent place to sleep for the rest of night if you played your cars right.

“Help me with this.” He asks you. You walk behind the desk to see Joel hovering over a old radio that had been hidden away in a old vent. You kneel beside him, shoulders touching as you both slide the rest of the radio and its equipment out of the slim vent. Placing it on the office desk with a grunt.

“That shit is heavy.” You mutter with a groan after releasing it.

“Abe preferred the outdated stuff than the modern day. With how its going now, its a good thing he did. Because this thing still works.” He nods his head towards it. “Abe’s your radio guy?” You question him.

Joel nods without saying a world. Starting to move his hands against the radio. Twisting and turning things you had no clue what for. You assumed in attempt to turn it on.

You let Joel focus on the radio as you get a further look around the office. The office was pretty small. Only the office desk and a wooden chair for furniture. There was a tall window that was covered in dirt and grime on the outside. It still created enough light for you both not to need you flashlights. There were a few potted plants on the windowsill. Small, dead plants that probably bought some joy once before.

A broken picture frame face down on the floor. You kneel down to pick it up, dusting the small shards of glass to take the slim picture out.

It was a picture of a family. A mother and father, with an older daughter and younger son. All smiling wide with fishes in their hands. A lake in the background.

This picture makes you think that this gas station was once family owned. Once a place where a family dedicated their time and money to make it useful for customers.

Now it is a graveyard.

It still baffles you how quick life changed. How so sudden the world went to shit. Just two years ago you were in your apartment, in your favorite pair of socks. With a warm cup of tea at your side. Now you’re taking whatever clothing you can find and tea is a useless thing to you now.

At least you had Joel.

You didn’t know how long you two would be together. But you were thankful all the same for his company. He was a quiet man, but a helpful one. He knew his way around. How to survive and protect like it was instilled in him before all of this happened. Despite only truly being in his presence nonstop for four days straight. You want to get to know him more. Hoping that whatever Robert says on this radio (Hopefully it works). That Joel will want to take you with him.

If you were honest. You were tired of doing this alone. And some company wouldn’t hurt. Even if it was company from a man who hadn’t talked much.

Ever so delicately, you place the flimsy picture against the window sill. Like placing a flower on top of a closed casket. You bid a farewell to the old life that feels like a lifetime away.

You put your hands in your pocket. Wincing at the cold aluminum can of chocolate milk against your injured hand. You walk over to the desk where Joel tinkers with the radio.

The loud noise of static makes the both of you jump from the sudden sound. Joel springs into action pulling out his map and and a small notebook from his bag. Turning the radio at whatever frequency has written throughout one of the pages.

He turns the knob back and forth and grabs the the microphone and takes a breath before speaking. “Abe. It’s Joel.” He says into the mic. Releasing his thumb from the mic button.

There’s nothing but static. You heart races with each long moment the two of you wait. Please listen, please respond. Please let this work.

“Abe. Hello? Are you there?” Joel says more sternly. His anticipation and fear crawling into to him. You know it is. He isn’t looking at you, ever so focused on the radio. Turning back to the notebook to make sure he was at the right channel.

All of the cards, all of your marbles. Whatever other fucking saying you could think of relies on this radio working and the person Joel needed to contact responding.

You didn’t come up with another plan besides this one. Hell you hadn’t even known this is where you were going to be five days ago. What would the two of you do now if Abe didn’t answer? Would Joel still stick with you without him? Will he still if he does?

“Joel-”,you start to say to him. Not wanting to tell him that the both of you might need to come up with a plan since the only sound coming from that radio was static. But he didn’t let you finish.

Quickly shaking his head he brings the comm up to his lips again. “Abe, This is Joel. Are you there?” He says again. This time, his voice is almost a bit weary. Trying to grasp onto some sort of hope.

He releases his thumb from the button and static comes on once again.

You start to turn around, feeling overwhelmed with stress and walk out the office to give yourself some space so Joel won’t see you cry over something like this. It was stupid of you for being so hopeful. It was a blessing you even got out of there alive all those few days ago. Nowadays, hope is a very small term and it is more than likely never as frequent as was before.

“Joel. It’s Abe. Turn to the second channel I written on your map.” You hear a man say on the radio. More static than actual noise. But you let out a breath you were holding. Walking toward the office desk, eager to hear more from the stranger.

Joel instantly grabs the make and brings his finger down to the old paper. Looking at the small handwriting to find whatever Abe had told him to turn to. You reach for you flashlight and shine the light over the map to try to help Joel see better.

He turns to the nobs on the radio before grabbing the mic again. “Abe. It’s Joel.”

“Been’s a long time since I heard from you Miller.” Abe says from the radio.

The both of you let out a relieved sigh when you hear the man’s voice. Eager to hear more, you lean both your hands over the office desk to listen in on what he has to say.

“Was hoping I wouldn’t need to for a while longer at least. But you know how things go.” Joel says.

“Unfortunately I do. Give me second and let me see if there’s any news for communities welcoming strays.” Abe tells him.

The line goes silent for a bit, the two of you not saying anything. Both eyeing the radio, hearts racing in anticipation for whatever Abe was going to say. You had yet to make your presence known. Neither has Joel. And if you were honest, you don’t know if you wanted to or not.

“So there is a place that’s available from what I heard over the radio a week ago. Small group, not too friendly but could work for a temporary solution to gather your bearings and try to find something else in the wind.” Abe suggest.

Joel asks for where the group is settled, telling Abe that he was radioing from the old gas station. “It’s South from that station. Not awful but not good either. Works better if you have a car but I really wouldn’t advise because the group may not let you in.”

You flash the flashlight again to give Joel more light as Abe tells him the city name and area. He draws lines down the map to find the way for the two of you to take.

“I’ve known you for a while Joel and I’m sure you can handle it. But this group aren’t the best to hang around. It’s mostly men and not the good kind. So I would advise you to go alone if you are with a group or anything. Especially any women.” Abe finishes

Hearing Abe’s last sentence, causes Joel to stop drawing on the map. His wooden pencil frozen. You hold in a breath as Joel locks eyes with you from across the table.

Here it is. What you’ve been worried about. The decision of whether Joel will leave you here. That one night four days ago was simply you getting lucky. And now you’ll have to be on your own again.

Joel stands straight from his hovered position over the map and his eyes doesn’t leave yours. You don’t know what he’s thinking. You don’t know what is on his mind and what decision he’s going to make. Something in you feels like you know that Joel isn’t the kind of man to leave you stranded. But you’ve been wrong about men too many times than you could count.

He puts his head down and stares at the floor. Almost if he’s contemplating something. In seconds that feel like days, he makes a small nod of his head as if he’s made up his mind. He raises the microphone to his lips and speaks.

“That’s not going to work. I have someone with me.”

With that, he extends his hand out with the microphone for you to take. You look at the microphone and look at him. It’s almost as if you could cry from relief. But you don’t . You simply take the microphone in your hand.

“Hello Abe.” You say the stranger’s name awkwardly.

“Hello.” Abe says intrigued.

“Well. There is one place. You can stay in temporarily. Another hideout I have with another radio hidden in there. It’s not much but it will give me some time to listen in on any other groups that are open for strangers. You aren’t the only person I help from time to time Joel.” He says.

Joel nods his head as if the man can see him but doesn’t say anything else. “It’s a lot farther than the one I just told you. It’s North. Not on the map when I marked for you because its really a hideout for me if where I’m at goes to shit. But, I’ve known you along time and let’s call this a referral or friendly discount of some sort.”

He tells the both of you the proper directions and Joel erases the old lines he made on the map just minutes before. “It’s not much. I know you were probably hoping for something more permanent .” Abe apologizes

“It’s great. Thank you.” You say on the microphone.

“It would be best if you take a car. Which hopefully won’t be too hard given the area you’re in currently. Until then, Joel and his lady friend. Hopefully I can have something better soon for ya.”

Joel says his thank yous and you do as well. Before turning to put the radio back in its originally hiding place. He stands up with a sigh and turns to you. “We should sleep here for the night. Find a car that works in the morning.” You nod your head in agreement.

A few hours pass and day becomes night. The both of you made the office your place of rest. Your sleeping bag against the wall and Joel’s near the office door. You had found an old lanter in the supply closet. It sits in the middle of the room. You and Joel’s laying on your own sleeping bags across from each other.

You were finishing the cold can of soup from your food supply. Joel looking through the map for the tenth time that night. The room silent.

With a couple more spoonfuls you place the empty can on the ground with a sigh. “I’m happy we aren’t outside. But I miss my soup being warm.” You joke.

Joel huffs a laugh and shakes his head. “Well you’ll get your wish soon enough. From what I’m seeing its going to be a long drive. Might be a day or two before we get to the place. I’ll try to siphon enough gas from a couple of the cars down the road. To have with us.” He tells you.

You nod at the plan. Still very thankful that Joel still wants you to tag along with him. From how Abe had spoke, it seemed that he wasn’t one to have company with him at all. So you wanted to thank him for it soon.

Lifting your injured hand. You slowly unwrap the dirty gauze, seething when it pulls on the sore scar. “Shit.” You mutter.

“Slow down.” Joel says.

“I am.” You respond back. You weren’t. It hurt too much to pull it slow. Not having much ointment to cover the cut caused it to stick tightly against the dry gauze. You wince again when you tug more off. “Jesus woman.” You hear Joel mutter.

He walks the short distance across to sit next to you. Taking your injured hand in his with caution. “You keep pulling at it like that and you’re going to tear the scab and have to let it heal all over again.” He scolds.

You sigh in annoyance and let Joel do what he’s done more than once since you’ve been traveling together. Tend to your wound.

You were right handed. So trying to wrap your bleeding hand the first night with the flashlight in your mouth. Your non dominant hand struggling to wrap the gauze tightly to stop the bleeding. Hearing your winces and groans from having to start over multiple times. Joel got up from his sleeping bag and wrapped your hand for you.

Ever since then he’ll ask about it. If it still hurts, does it need new gauze, to make sure you weren’t putting too much pressure on it.

You watch Joel slowly pull the gauze. Ever so soft feather-like touches against your scar. He removes the gauze. His calloused hands being so delicately soft against yours.

Flicking your eyes from his hands to his face. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration on your hand. You can’t help but feel thankful.

“Thank you.” You whisper to him.

“Be more careful next time, don’t want to have it bleedin’ again.” He says to you, still focused on your injured hand. The old gauze gone now as he reaches for the new gauze that you had pulled out moments before.

“No- not about this.” You gesture lightly with your other hand. “For the other night.”

Joel knows what you’re referring to. The night he saved you. The night he killed the man that was going to bad things to you and probably kill you afterwards. The night he took you with him to where you both are now.

He pauses from rewrapping your injured hand. Sits quietly. “I heard you screamin’. Wouldn’t have been right to just leave you after hearing that.”and with that he continues to wrap the gauze. “It pretty much looks healed. But you should keep it wrapped for maybe a day or two longer.”

You thank him as he stands up from his seated position. “You should get some sleep. We got a long trek ahead of us.”

“What about you?” You ask him. He softly jerks his head toward the map. “I’m going to mark a few alternative routes just in case the main one we’ll be taken is a dead end or blocked or something.”

You nod at his response before slipping inside your sleeping bag. You turn away from Joel and face the wall. You blink to see the picture you had once placed on the window sill, had been on the floor. Your eyes drift close as you think of simpler times, and the life you once had before this.

—————————————-

HEYYYY… How y’all doing??

I’m here with a new series that’s been flooding my brain nonstop for the past month. I am not setting any expectations on it but this is chapter one. I will post a more official series post later on. I just wanted to get this out thereeee

Glad to be writing again!!!

[outerbankies]

did rafes roomies ever know about his crush on yn before they started going out?

wrote this up super quick!!! y/n’s besties get a lot of love but we can’t forget rafe’s disaster trio 🫶

—

new light: girl at home — rafe cameron

new light masterlist

warnings: alcohol and swearing

“Why are you leaving again?”

Rafe grunts in disapproval from where he’s sifting through his tiny dorm closet, slipping a few more button-up shirts off of their hangers to pack carefully into his carry-on bag. “My dad has this thing he wanted me home for.”

“You drivin’?” Sawyer asks, surveying the mess of Rafe’s clothes on his bed.

His dad and Rose had been very specific about what he needed to wear this weekend, and the nerves convinced him it might be a good idea to just pack everything he owned, apparently. Cody lays somewhere under the pile downing a beer and scrolling on his phone, feet kicked up on the wall beside Rafe’s bed. Graham isn’t even here currently, yet his side of the room remains completely unoccupied.

“No, way too long. Flight’s tomorrow. Hey, can one of you drive me?” Rafe remembers.

“What time you gotta be there?” Cody asks dutifully.

“Six.”

Rafe rolls his eyes when they both start laughing, already dressed to go out and probably shut down the bars tonight, as is usual for a Thursday evening. Rafe wishes he could let himself be convinced to tag along, the whole reason his friends had even shown up at his dorm tonight, but he can’t even dare to risk missing that flight tomorrow.

“Rafe, I wish you a very safe Uber,” Sawyer says by way of answer, from where he’s rummaging through Rafe and Graham’s shared mini fridge.

“What’s so important? Thanksgiving’s like two weeks from now anyway,” Cody wonders. He crushes his beer can and immediately throws it across the room, where it misses the trash can.

“Dude,” Rafe sighs, folding everything as neatly as possible. “I’m trying to pack and you’re making a fucking mess in here.”

“Cheer up Cameron, have a beer,” Sawyer says, handing Rafe one of his own beers. “Oh, and come out with us.”

“Guys I can’t,” Rafe reiterates, wishing it weren’t so as he moves his laptop into his backpack, away from Cody’s line of fire. “It’s this stupid club thing in my hometown. There’s this society—I don’t even know, but they’re honoring my dad so he wants me home.”

“Every time you talk about your hometown it seems faker,” Sawyer says. Rafe doesn’t disagree, opening the beer he’d been passed against his better judgement. He just has to remind himself he really can’t let himself get dragged out tonight.

“You have a girl at home, right?” Cody suddenly asks. Rafe shakes his head after taking a gulp.

“No. I mean—my ex from high school, but that’s ancient history,” Rafe says, falling back onto Graham’s bed with his own occupied. He closed his eyes for a second; packing his clothes and making sure nothing had even a loose thread, the feel of his fresh haircut on his neck—it was all swirling him like a dark cloud.

He really couldn’t wait to see his sisters, even if the fact that Sarah could legally pick him up and drive him home from the airport made him feel old as shit. But it was a random weekend, so none of his friends would even be home from their college towns. And it was a weekend where he couldn’t even promise himself to stay out of the house and away from Ward as much as possible, because it was literally the only reason he was going to the Outer Banks—to stand there and praise his father as a pillar of the community.

“Rafe.”

“Sorry,” he answers Cody, scrubbing a hand over his face, still staring at the ceiling. “What’d you ask?”

“I was asking about the other chick. The one your buddy talked about when he was here?” Cody says.

“Oh, yeah,” Sawyer says. “Kelce told us. What about her?”

Rafe furrows his eyebrows, his interest piqued. Kelce had been there just a couple of weeks ago to visit, and Rafe would be lying if he said he wasn’t missing half the weekend. Kelce was always his partner in crime during Figure 8 antics, and the two of them unleashed on a college town had left Rafe the most hungover he’d been in his short life. “What was Kelce talking about?”

“He asked you about that girl—god, what was her name?” Cody says, rolling over onto his side, his eyebrows pinched together in concentration. “It’s on the tip of my tongue.”

“No it isn’t, dumbass,” Sawyer says.

“You’re both dumbasses,” Rafe quips, reaching for his beer again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Across the room, Sawyer had at some point found a couple of shot glasses and dragged whatever was left of the Burnett’s out of the mini fridge. He places the bottle down suddenly, looking lost in thought.

“You really don’t remember?”

“No,” Rafe says. “What did he say?”

“Kelce asked you about her, and you—drunk as shit at McGee’s—were like ‘I don’t know,’” Cody whines in imitation. “‘I miss her, she never talks to me anymore, her dog is so cute—’”

Rafe sits up immediately, feeling his entire complexion flush red. “Oh, that’s nobody.”

He clears his throat as a silence falls over the room, standing up again to pretend to keep packing, even though he’d already zippered his bag closed.

“Okay,” Cody says. “So she’s not nobody.”

Sawyer laughs loudly. “Yeah, no shit.”

“Both of you shut the fuck up.”

Through the ignored jabs, Rafe doesn’t hear the door swing open, or his roommate make an appearance, until Graham voices his own arrival. “What are we teasing Cameron about?”

“Dude,” Cody says, scrambling up from the bed. Rafe nearly lunges for him, knowing it’s his last resort. He throws a shoe instead, which Cody ducks expertly. “Graham. Dude. What was the name of that girl from Rafe’s hometown?”

“Y/n?” Graham answers immediately.

Rafe shuts his eyes as noise fills the room, cursing the day he ever met any of these idiots due to random roommate assignments. “Thanks a lot.”

“No problem, buddy,” Graham pats his back with a grin. “So that’s why you got a haircut? You seein’ your girl this weekend?”

“No, and she’s not my girl,” Rafe says. “Kelce was just fucking around. He’s an idiot, like all of you.”

“She’s hot though, right?” Sawyer asks.

“Yeah, she’s hot,” Rafe admits easily, even if talking about you like this stirs something uncomfortable up in his chest. “But we’re just friends.”

“Never even hooked up?”

“Alright,” Rafe says, threshold reached. “Cut it out.”

“Found her.”

Rafe looks up in confusion as Graham and Sawyer are pushing each other out of the way to peer over Cody’s shoulder at his phone.

“Ah, dude,” Sawyer groans. “She’s private?”

“Go to Rafe’s page,” Graham says.

“Suck my dick, Graham,” Rafe says, going ignored save for a middle finger.

“There she is. That one.”

“You took her to prom and didn’t hook up with her?” Cody asks.

“I didn’t take her to prom,” Rafe sighs, knowing exactly what picture they’re all looking at. It makes him look like a simp and probably isn’t the best thing to have on his page the next time he’s trying to talk to a girl, but he doesn’t really care. It’s a great photo of you, and he’ll probably never take it down. “Kelce did, actually.”

“So he’s hooking up with your girl?” Sawyer presumes.

“Alright, easy,” Graham says, which is rich seeing as he started this entire episode, but Rafe is grateful either way. But it’s short lived. “Don’t talk about Rafe’s girl like that.”

“She’s not—”

“Is it weird if I request to follow her?” Cody asks.

“Yes but do it,” Sawyer goads. “I wanna see.”

“Dude, don’t follow her,” Graham says. Rafe doesn’t let the sincerity fool him this time, raising his eyebrows in expectation as he waits for the punchline, which his roommate delivers readily with another grin. “Rafe’ll get jealous.”

[sensualnoiree]

astro notes: daily transits 9/8

Sunday, 9/8, is a day packed with multiple astrological influences, marked by a mix of mental confusion, the need for emotional space in relationships, and opportunities for practical progress. The day starts with a complex "yod" configuration involving Mercury, Neptune, and Pluto, potentially leading to difficulty in focusing and processing information. Venus's tense aspect with Uranus could create distance in relationships, while Mercury's entrance into Virgo later in the day shifts our mental focus toward practical matters. The Moon's harmonious aspects to Saturn and the Sun, as well as Mercury's sextile to Mars, offer supportive energy for tackling tasks with precision and endurance.

Key Influences

Mercury Quincunx Neptune and Pluto ("Yod" Configuration): Mental Confusion and Overwhelm: Mercury forms a "yod" configuration with Neptune in Pisces and Pluto in Capricorn, creating a sense of mental fog and difficulty in focusing. This aspect can manifest as feeling overwhelmed by incoming information, leading to frustration. There may be a struggle to connect the dots or make sense of what's happening around you. The key is to avoid making any hasty decisions or judgments today, as your perception may be clouded. Instead, allow yourself time to process and gain clarity before taking action.

Venus Sesquiquadrate Uranus: Need for Space in Relationships: Venus in Libra forms a sesquiquadrate with Uranus in Taurus, bringing a restless and unpredictable energy to relationships. Loved ones may need more space and freedom to express their individual needs, and could become aloof if they feel restricted. This aspect encourages flexibility and understanding, as forcing closeness may only create more tension. It's a good time to give each other room to breathe and explore personal interests, which can ultimately lead to a healthier and more dynamic connection.

Mercury Enters Virgo: Practical and Detail-Oriented Thinking: Mercury transitions from Leo into its home sign of Virgo, where it will remain until September 26. This shift brings a more analytical and detail-oriented approach to communication and thought processes. During this transit, there is a focus on practical matters, efficiency, and making improvements. Conversations may revolve around how to optimize routines, support growth, and address issues with precision. This is an excellent time for organizing, planning, and tackling tasks that require meticulous attention to detail.

Moon Trine Saturn: Emotional Endurance and Stability: The Moon in Taurus forms a supportive trine with Saturn in Virgo, offering a grounded and stable emotional state. This aspect is ideal for any project or situation requiring endurance, tolerance, and a serious approach. It's also a favorable time for establishing new habits and rituals that can provide long-term benefits. The combination of emotional insight and practical focus makes this a good day for dealing with serious matters and laying strong foundations.

Mercury Sextile Mars: Quick Thinking and Assertive Communication: Mercury in Virgo forms a sextile with Mars in Scorpio, enhancing mental agility and assertiveness. This aspect supports quick thinking and decisive action, making it an excellent time for tasks that require mental sharpness, technical skills, and effective communication. Cooperation with others is key, as working together can help you achieve your goals more efficiently. Express yourself clearly and confidently, but be mindful of how you assert your opinions to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

Moon Sextile Sun: Harmonious and Supportive Energy: The Moon in Taurus forms a sextile with the Sun in Virgo, bringing a harmonious and balanced energy to the day. This aspect enhances feelings of being loved and supported, and it’s a time when the universe seems to be on your side. If you’ve been feeling positive, this energy will amplify your sense of well-being. If you’ve been under stress, this aspect provides comfort and reassurance that help is nearby. Trust your intuition, and take advantage of this supportive energy to move forward with confidence.

Integrating the Influences

Managing Mental Confusion and Overwhelm: Mercury Quincunx Neptune and Pluto: Start the day with a clear plan to manage your mental energy. Recognize that your thoughts may be scattered or overwhelmed, so avoid taking on too much or making important decisions. Instead, focus on simple tasks that don’t require deep concentration. Allow yourself time to process any confusing information, and seek clarity before moving forward.

Allowing Space in Relationships: Venus Sesquiquadrate Uranus: Be mindful of the need for space in relationships today. If you or your loved ones feel the urge to withdraw, respect that need for freedom. Encourage individuality and personal growth within the relationship, and avoid pushing for closeness that may not be welcomed at the moment. Flexibility and understanding will help maintain harmony.

Focusing on Practical Matters: Mercury Enters Virgo: Use the practical energy of Mercury in Virgo to organize your day. Focus on tasks that require attention to detail and a methodical approach. This is a great time for planning, organizing, and improving routines. Conversations are likely to be more focused on practical matters, so take advantage of this energy to address any issues that need fine-tuning.

Building Emotional Stability and Endurance: Moon Trine Saturn: The stability offered by the Moon trine Saturn aspect makes this an excellent time to work on long-term projects or establish new habits. Use this energy to tackle serious matters that require emotional endurance and practical focus. Whether it’s a personal project or a professional goal, this aspect supports steady progress and the creation of strong foundations.

Quick Thinking and Cooperative Action: Mercury Sextile Mars: Engage in tasks that require quick thinking and assertive communication. This is a good time to take decisive action and express your ideas clearly. Cooperation with others will enhance your effectiveness, so seek out collaborative opportunities. Be mindful of how you assert your opinions, as clear and calm communication will lead to successful outcomes.

Embracing Harmonious and Supportive Energy: Moon Sextile Sun: Take a moment to appreciate the harmonious energy of the Moon sextile Sun aspect. Whether you’re feeling upbeat or stressed, this aspect provides a sense of support and well-being. Trust that the universe is working in your favor, and use this positive energy to pursue your goals with confidence. If you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out, as support is closer than you may think.

follow for more astro insights like this and head on over to @quenysefields or my etsy --> sensualnoiree to grab my new astrology guidebook on reading your own natal chart & more! :)

[frankenfossil]

13 books

What’s up readers?! How about a little show and tell? Answer these 13 questions, tag 13 lucky readers and if you’re feeling extra bookish add a shelfie! Let’s Go!

Tagged by @quarkscooljacket

This is perfect because I had an extremely slow start to the year in terms of reading and then SUDDENLY in the last few weeks I got my library card un-blocked and then maxed out my reservations and am now reading a bunch of books!!!!!!!

1) The Last book I read:

Question 7 by Richard Flanagan! I extremely liked it! Very contemplative novel/nonfic/memoir mishmash threading through such things as the way scifi writers & physicists prefigured & led to & failed to prevent the bombing of Hiroshima, his father being a POW in Japan who almost certainly would not have survived (and had him!) if the bombs had not been dropped, the history of Tasmania, his own near drowning while kayaking in the Franklin river, and the way history and memory shapes us and is eternally carried forward with us while also being forgotten/rewritten/impossible to pin down for certain. At least, that's my best go of describing this book.

2) A book I recommend:

This is... so open-ended... if you want to identify native trees in Victoria and nearby areas I would recommend Leon Costerman's Native Trees and Shrubs of South-Eastern Australia lmao. I really like The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker, a historical fiction/urban fantasy book about a golem and a jinni living in immigrant communities in New York in the early 1900s, and also the sequel.

3) A book that I couldn’t put down:

Not a book per se but one of the webcomics I got into relatively recently is What happens next https://whathappensnext.webcomic.ws/ which reminds me a bit of Nevada by Imogen Binnie except if all of the characters were youtubers and/or tumblrinas and either involved in a murder or just big into true crime (in universe, fictional). It's very gripping. Of course now that I'm caught up there's the usual wait for updates but such is life.

I also read The Wicked + the Divine last week, since I'd never previously read the final 2 volumes, and that was good. I'm glad to find out I liked the ending. Comics are always a quick read but nevertheless some are more action-packed and fast paced than others lmao, and I just ripped through these in every spare second.

4) A book I’ve read twice (or more):

Naomi Novik is probably my most read author because I've read most of her books twice or more... So far I've read Spinning Silver & His Majesty's Dragon three times each; those are 2 of my absolute favourites. I've read most of the rest of the Temeraire series 2 or 3 times too but few of them grab me quite as much as the first one, & I read the first Scholomance book twice. I feel like I should reread Uprooted because that's the only one of her books I've not liked (though some of the duller Temeraire books get a bit of a leg-up from being in a series with other books I really like lol); since I only remember vague impressions of it now, which might not be accurate, I would like to see if my feelings have changed, or if not, figure out more specifically what I didn't like about it.

5) A book on my TBR:

Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright also happens to be one of the books I borrowed!! It was mentioned on a podcast along with Question 7 and Search History (currently reading, q12) so that is how I found out about these 3 books and was compelled to reserve them. However, currently I am daunted by how fat it is (700+ pages) so it's just sitting on my bedside table and I am... reading the shorter books first lmao.

I will also leave the blurb copypasted from @quarkscooljacket's answer:

Praiseworthy is an epic set in the north of Australia, told with the richness of language and scale of imagery for which Alexis Wright has become renowned. In a small town dominated by a haze cloud, which heralds both an ecological catastrophe and a gathering of the ancestors, a crazed visionary seeks out donkeys as the solution to the global climate crisis and the economic dependency of the Aboriginal people. His wife seeks solace from his madness in following the dance of butterflies and scouring the internet to find out how she can seek repatriation for her Aboriginal/Chinese family to China. One of their sons, called Aboriginal Sovereignty, is determined to commit suicide. The other, Tommyhawk, wishes his brother dead so that he can pursue his dream of becoming white and powerful. This is a novel which pushes allegory and language to its limits, a cry of outrage against oppression and disadvantage, and a fable for the end of days.

6) A book I’ve put down:

The most recent book I decided I did not want to finish is The Female Man by Joanna Russ. It sounded conceptually cool but I was just finding it way too hard to follow or care about. Too many sections where I couldn't figure out which character/s' perspective it was or whatever. I'm sure there's other books I didn't finish before they became overdue and I had to return them but can't remember, I usually want to finish them eventually. Whether I will get around to it is another matter.

7) A book on my wish list:

I don't normally buy books these days, but nevertheless tempted by A Vast, Pointless Gyration of Radioactive Rocks and Gas in Which You Happen to Occur, edited by the Daniels. It looks extremely interesting and also extremely pretty...

8) A favorite book from childhood:

Hmmmm. I guess I did choose my name from The Wind on Fire trilogy by William Nicholson. Definitely up there among my favourite childhood books.

9) A book you would give to a friend:

Another very open ended one...... this depends so much????? what friend... what occasion... idk... there are books I do kind of want to give people but either I haven't decided or it's supposed to be a surprise and they may see this. although recently I have been incepting Lauren with my impeccable borrowing tastes, reading my library books after me is surely the same thing right??

10) A book of poetry or lyrics that you own

Ismene's Survivable Resistance by Claire Gaskin... she is one of my favourite poets, and I rly like the concept of this book, and I saw her do a reading of some of the poems! However I think my favourite poems by her are ones that are not in this book.

11) A nonfiction book you own:

Hmm... Evolution's Rainbow by Joan Roughgarden is an interesting book published in 2004 about the diversity of sexual and gender variation in the world. The first section is about other animals, and especially about the ways human biologists have imposed ideological frameworks in classifying them; the middle section is about human intersex variation and biology; and the third section is about human cultural sex and gender roles throughout history.

12) What are you currently reading:

Search History by Amy Taylor. About the dating life of a classic mildly messy millennial woman. In this case she goes through the facebook profile of the most recent guy she starts dating and then finds out that his ex girlfriend died, and then goes through the accounts and photos of the ex girlfriend and gets a bit obsessed with her, but has to not let on to the new guy that she has done this deep dive. It's okay! Enjoyable, pretty fast to read, some funny bits and observations and whatnot, but not particularly a stand out read. She is not as much of a freak as I expected she would be when I started reading it, which is both a relief and also a disappointment. So far everyone seems to just be normal mildly flawed people doing overall reasonable things imperfectly, and the conflict is just navigating life's complexity (there's a lot about everyday sexism though). Mostly I just keep thinking how glad I am to not be a heterosexual woman or ever had to attempt online dating/app dating, which are both quite boring and excessively smug things to feel, however, I am simply a bit boring and smug. Anyway I'm only halfway through, I'm expecting/hoping there'll be some twists or something. Maybe about the boyfriend...?

update: was talking to some friends about it this arvo and they said not only that it does get crazier, but ALSO that supposedly it's a modern telling of Rebecca, which I have not read but have now reserved lmao

13) What are you planning on reading next?

I have borrowed all of Delicious in Dungeon and am very excited to start them! Also the next books I have to read for my book clubs are Marlo by Jay Carmichael, which I'd better get onto as it is in less than 2 weeks, and Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H, which was one of the ones I put on the list myself and am very excited to read (I previously started it and got too busy to finish it but was rly enjoying it so keen to get further), but I actually still have over a month for that one since I can't make this month's meeting for that book club.

As for a shelfie... well here is a photo of all the plant reference books in my desk drawer for quick reference while working (though there's really only 4 I use very often, plus the australian standards on the side there):

Tagging (with ZERO pressure or obligation): @thesleepybabesclub @depthchargeforcutie @petricorrosion @andilovethisnovemberlife @dogelectedmayor @aesterea @commander-diomika @auntytim @zinjanthropusboisei @red-thorn

[kevin--of-desert-bluffs]

WTNV quick rundown - 162 - Alpha

Read the rest here!

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Fear makes the heart grow louder. And death makes the heart grow flowers. Welcome to Night Vale.

This episode tells the story of a citizen called Amelia Anna Alfaro.

Amelia hit all of her milestones incredibly early, having already mastered a second language, engineering and software creation by age 10.

Her mother, Yvette, signs her up for any kind of class she can in hopes that Amelia will be so smart she won't hit the glass ceiling like Yvette herself. Everything Amelia takes on she is great at because everything is easy for her. This includes; every class she takes at college as a teen, martial arts, sharpshooting, writing (including in German), the piano, bird husbandry and Academic decathlon.

Amelia is however plagued by the voices she hears, dozens of them, never talking to her but talking and talking nonetheless. The only thing which soothes them is doing some kind of logic puzzle, which Yvette hates and insists she does something else when caught doing puzzles. She tries therapy and medication but these do not help.

She graduates valedictorian at age 19 from 'State' (she got accepted other places including the University of What It Is but chose to go to State to stay close to home) and became an air traffic controller.

She held this job for 20 years, gaining fame within it's community. She chose this job because doing it made the voices go quiet.

On June 15th, 2012, Delta Flight 18713 appears briefly on the radar, with a voice apparently saying Alpha and then it is gone. Amelia's voices all return but this time she starts trying to talk back (there is no response) even though this causes a negative reaction from those around her.

One day she hears that same voice say 'Alpha' again except this time she is sure it says 'Alfaro'. She then realises that this is the captain of the flight and the other voices are the passengers and they've been trying to find her all of her life. She has a brief conversation with the captain, who insists he is 'No Where' as if it is a place. She packs up all of her things and leaves, never to be seen again, but Cecil is sure she is trying to find the plane and that if anyone can it will be her.

Weather: “Skinchanger” by Skeptic

Steve Carlsberg also went to 'State'.

Amelia's first novel (written at age 12) was called "A Golden Age for Parachuting," in which an all-Jewish female parachute team wins Olympic Gold in 1936 Berlin, in front of Adolph Hitler. The German novel is about Magical Baseball Players called "One Last Swing for the Tuesday Boys/Dienstagsjungen".

The classes she took were; English 113: Sonnets are for Lovers, Structural Engineering 212: 'Buttress' is a Funny Word, and Meteorology 301: Clouds, Y'all. Am I right? - and she got all A's.

Stay tuned next for our new investment advice show "Billionaire Roulette." And as always, good night, Night Vale. Good night.

PROVERB: Love means never having to say you're a werewolf.

[paperanddice]

Drakes are weaker, less intelligent cousins to true dragons. It's unclear whether they are true descendants from dragons or raised lesser beasts, and even the Three themselves have no opinion on the matter. While the Three will make use of drakes when convenient, they have no respect or care for them, ranking them far below true dragons and even their kobold and lizardfolk minions. Drakes are just temporarily useful tools to the Three, easily thrown aside without care.

Flame drakes will arrange themselves into small hunting packs known as "rampages," in which they hunt prey in the mountainous and desolate terrain they call home. These packs are typically separated between male and female, with the different groups only coming together once a year to mate and then splitting again. They constantly strive for the recognition and affection of the red dragons that they resemble, but rarely to any positive results.

Forest drakes look like relatives to green dragons, but make use of acidic mist instead of the poison of their draconic cousins. Like flame drakes they gather into small packs and mark out sections of territory to claim, though these packs are sibling groups rather than gender segregated. They are among the weakest of the drakes, which creates a potent complex when they interact with dragons or drakes where they try to prove themselves. They'll also launch vicious attacks onto forest communities in or near the territory they claim, causing clashes with elves and other people quite often.

Inspired by the Pathfinder 1e Bestiary 2. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as access to my premade adventures and other material I’m working on, consider backing me there!

Flame Drake  Large 3rd level wrecker [dragon]  Initiative: +6 Vulnerability: Cold Fire Bite +8 vs. AC - 10 damage plus 6 fire damage. Natural Even Hit: The drake can make a tail slap attack as a free action this turn. [Special Trigger] Tail Slap +8 vs. PD (can target nearby enemies) - 10 damage. C: Fireball Breath +8 vs. PD (1d4 nearby or far away enemies in a group) - 12 fire damage. Limited Use: Roll a d6 when the drake uses this attack. The attack recharges when the escalation die reaches that value. If it’s already above that value, this attack doesn’t recharge again for the rest of the battle. Flight. Limited Escalator: The drake adds half the escalation die to its attacks. Speed Surge: 1/battle, the drake can move as a quick action. It doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks and can’t be intercepted when it moves this way. Resist Fire 16+. AC 20 PD 17 MD 14 HP 74

Forest Drake  Large 2nd level spoiler [dragon]  Initiative: +4 Vulnerability: Psychic Bite and Tail Swipe +7 vs. AC (2 attacks) - 6 damage. C: Acid Cloud +7 vs. PD (1d4 nearby enemies in a group) - 4 acid damage, and the target is hampered (save ends). Natural 14+: The target takes 4 acid damage at the end of its next turn unless it ends its turn far away from where it started its turn. Limited Use: Roll a d6 when the drake uses this attack. The attack recharges when the escalation die reaches that value. If it’s already above that value, this attack doesn’t recharge again for the rest of the battle. Flight. Limited Escalator: The drake adds half the escalation die to its attacks. Speed Surge: 1/battle, the drake can move as a quick action. It doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks and can’t be intercepted when it moves this way. Resist Acid 16+. AC 18 PD 16 MD 13 HP 66

[hermits-that-craft]

Running and Falling

TW: blood, being shot, kidnapping. Ao3 in the notes.

In hindsight, they should have known. In hindsight, Pearl should have warned them. Impulse and Gem weren’t always a dwarf and an elf, respectively. They didn’t have the context to aid their gut feelings. Pearl has always been a dingo hybrid, she should have told them to stop, to turn back, the second she felt her ears pin to the top of her head.

But she hadn’t, and now she’s here.

The shopping district isn’t that big, but somehow she still can’t find a quick exit that can hide her well. The moon is full and bright, and while seeing her cousin shining is normally something that brings Pearl joy, she can’t help but feel bitter about it right now. She can hear the shouting behind her, the howls from Ren’s pack. She knows Impulse is down - weather or not he’s captured or simply respawning she can’t tell. She can’t afford to right now - she can’t help them if she’s captured or killed herself.

Pearl vaults over a bush, running into the forest outside the district. She needs to shake them long enough to equip her elytra. Gem screams in the distance, and a wolf howls too close for comfort. 

Gem’s down.

Pearl tramples through the brush, not bothering to hide her tracks too much. She needs a stream, a cave, some animal tracks or even just a few clouds to cover the moon so she can slip off into the night. So she can hide and gather support and get her group back.

An arrow hits the inside of her knee as clouds cover the moon, encasing the world in darkness.

Pearl collapses in mere seconds, though she drags herself under some bushes in a token attempt to hide from her assailants. She’ll be found. 

Pearl pulls her sword into her hand, lying silently on the cold dirt. She’s not a patient person, but she’s not incapable of lying in wait. She just has to wait. They might even pass her, they might not hear her struggling to catch her breath as the arrowhead digs deeper into her knee.

She’ll need to get that checked out.

Blue glinting eyes meet hers, and the magic that fades out of them fills her with dread. All she’s known is stories about the convex, and she’s found herself face to face with one. Cannibals and courtiers. Out of all of the Kings Court, these two are the ones she’d like to have found her the least. At least Cleo and Joe would be gentle. At least Iskall and Bdubs wouldn’t mock her.

“Found you.” Scar sounds elated, and Pearl’s ears press closer to her head, and snarl forming on her face. “Don’t be so angry. We’ll even treat your wounds! You’ll see our king is very forgiving.”

Something in his eyes tells her that he doesn’t even believe the lies that fall from his tongue.

Cub grabs one of her arms, yanking her upwards as Scar begins to roll back towards the shopping district. Now. While Scar’s back is turned. She needs to act now.

Pearl forces the guilt back down her throat as she slashes her sword against Cub’s throat. He dissolves before he can even shout. Dead before he hits the floor. Pearl silently equips her elytra as the notification rings out of everyone's communicators. And she takes off.

Scar is quick on her tail, following after her with a rage she's seen reserved for the life series. Pearl looked at her battles and seemingly chose all of them. It doesn’t matter. If she can get to her base, to False’s base, to Doc or Grian or Stress or Wels or Xb or Keralis or-

She needs help. 

Scar’s still following her. She can hear the rockets, she can smell the smoke. She’s not fighting the wind, but she isn’t built for flying. She isn’t like Grian or Gem or Stress, who can fly through obstacles without worry. She just needs to outlast, to fly for longer than Scar.

An arrow wizzes past her, and less than a minute later she starts to plummet.

Pearl doesn’t scream. She doesn’t shriek. A gasp wrangles its way out of her lips, but nothing else does. She just falls towards the ground, the wind whipping her hair out of her bun. She should be afraid, she doesn’t have any water and a fall from this height won’t kill her, but she won't be able to run for a while.

But Pearl isn’t scared. She isn’t hopeful.

She hits the ground with a sickening crack, and screams until the stars begin to shake. She can feel her legs and arms fade into nothing, as sweet shock begins to take them away. She’s a porcelain doll, the universe escapes through the cracks that now line her skin. Brittle bones do not scream in agony as Scar lands besides her, singing apologies and pleas for backup and help.

The stars shine twice as bright as her head spins. The moon sings her apologies as Pearl is scooped into someone's arms. The night breeze says their apologies as she is brought deep into the castle, into catacombs she never knew existed. The clouds cover the sky as she sees Impulse and Gem again, in cells of their own.

This is so much worse than they could have prepared for.

[bikepackinguk]

Day Thirty-seven

After a hard day pushing to get out here, and another spent hiking around seeing the sights, today has being spent as a well-earned rest day.

That's not to say I've been completely idle of course. After a morning jaunt with a shovel and bidding farewell to the cycling trio I shared the bothy with last night, I have a wander down to the river to draw some more water for drinking and cooking, and have a trek up the road to get signal to check the forecast as well as a brief chat with some friends.

The walk doubles as an opportunity to forage up some more fire building materials, and by the time I head back to the cove I have a bag of dried dead heather and gorse for kindling, and another full of sods of peat.

It does feel a bit odd basically using soil for a fire, but if it sounds stupid and works, then it's not stupid.

A couple more chores are undertaken on returning - giving the room I'm in a bit of a sweep out, packing up my tent which has been airing out, and preplenishing my water carriers from my purifier I'd set going in the morning. After that it's a hearty late lunch with some nice savoury rice & tuna that I'd been kindly gifted from the cyclists who had now finished their tour and no longer needed them.

The minibus shuttle from the jetty to the lighthouse had passed me a couple of times on the walk, so there are a few other tourists day-tripping over to see the sights, but none seem to be making their way over by foot or bike. By 3pm it becomes apparent that, after two very pleasant evenings of chatting with fellow travellers, I had the place to myself!

I have a nice relaxing afternoon sat by the firepit alternately watching and listening to the waves crashing in on the shore, and enjoying a good read. However, whilst they've been a minor annoyance at times, something about today has the local flies behaving quite aggressively and with the clouds starting to hide the sun I decide to retire inside for a while rather than have further chinks bitten out of me.

The bothy is impressively sized with multiple rooms to stay in besides a communal room with a fireplace, but there's also a nice separate room with its own hearth and door that I transferred into after its occupant left after my first night here. Having a nice fire going outside has been ideal with the multiple sets of folk over the last two nights, but as I'm by myself this evening I resolve to put my foraged fuel to good use in the fireplace and have a nice warm room to relax in for the night.

It's hitting 5pm at this point, so without any further obligations on the day it's time for another wander up the road for a quick check in and chat with friends and family, get this posted, and a stroll back downhill to start getting a fire going.

There'll be packing and prep to undertake for the morning of course, as getting the bike and gear back over to the ferry tomorrow will be no easy task, but all the more reason to get what I can done now and have a bit more time to appreciate my last night in this little slice of heaven.

[nfr-reviews]

NFR Reviews #4: San Francisco Earthquake & Fire: April 18, 1906

Released 1906 / Inducted 2005

Watch film here

There’s a clear progression here, a gradual tone shift that begins around the four-minute mark. At first, the camera pans slowly over the razing of giant destroyed walls and billowing clouds of smoke that sometimes obscure half the frame. When people appear, they’re either far in the distance or hurrying offscreen as soon as they can. By the end, people are the camera’s main focus, not an accidental scattered presence. They eat together in the streets and pose with mugs of some drink, fill the streets with horse-drawn carriages (complete with a joke about those newfangled automobiles), overstuff themselves into trollies, and pack boats as refugees to Oakland. 

The land that became San Francisco sits atop the San Andreas Fault, the meeting point of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. Earthquakes are inevitable whenever a lateral motion between the plates occurs. On April 18, 1906 at 5:12 AM, an earthquake was felt from Oregon to south of Los Angeles. The quake is tied to San Francisco in collective memory due to the three-day fire it caused. There were roughly 3,000 deaths and 225,000 left homeless. A central tension of both the film and wider earthquake recovery was whether to downplay the extent of the damage for the sake of the economy or to share the full knowledge in order to improve long-term safety. 

The film’s vast isolation gives way to a cramped togetherness that almost resembles normality–at least until a title card shows soldiers stationed outside the bank with a shoot-to-kill order in the event of looting. Their presence communicates that the normal operations of law and order are prevailing over the chaos of the earthquake, people’s life savings protected. Military, police, and firefighters provided the city with relief at rapid speed, tearing down buildings to prevent fire spread after destroyed water mains prevented typical firefighting methods. The “kill looters'' order was issued by the mayor, Eugene Schmitz, despite him not having the authority to declare martial law and thus suspend normal operations of civil law (that authority fell to the California governor or US president). Confusion ensued over which forms of laws were even in effect. Due process fell to the wayside. Homeowners retrieving their own belongings and people seeking help were mistaken for looters, including one instance of a man being shot exiting his own home. Authors writing about the disaster chose to emphasize the city’s quick recovery and portrayed the military as saviors, but their presence brought both relief from earthquake-caused fires and civilian deaths from gunfire.

San Francisco’s leadership downplayed the severity of the disaster on multiple occasions. They undercounted death rates to the point where the San Francisco Bulletin’s editor joked that the death count of sunstroke during a typical East Coast summer killed more people than the earthquake. Their quick rebuild didn’t implement as many long-term earthquake safety measures as there could have been, only adding new regulations if they didn’t cost too much time or money. They minimized the earthquake in favor of calling the disaster “fire-based” because fires can start anywhere but San Francisco’s propensity for earthquakes might scare off investors. Even after the earthquake, city officials didn’t declare a 1907 plague outbreak a public health emergency and antagonized the Board of Health until Edward Taylor became mayor and took action against the disease. This was to protect the still-ongoing economic recovery. 

Which reveals the reason for doing this: the city was a key hub of business in the western US, and their leaving would cost the city desperately needed money and jobs. However, not all San Franciscans had the same chance to take advantage of economic opportunities or even post-earthquake emergency services. Working class people, who lived in crowded wooden housing, were hit the hardest by the quake and fire. Chinese people were segregated, generally unable to find work outside Chinatown, and scapegoated as disease carriers before the quake. After the quake, they were frequently relocated away from white survivors by officials and barred from relief efforts. 

Despite efforts to downplay the disaster, scientific research laid groundwork for future generations of earthquake safety policy. The governor appointed a State Earthquake Investigation Commission, the first government-backed earthquake investigation in the US. Their 1908 final report contained extensive coverage of seismographic records, photos and maps of damaged locations, and explanations of how building construction and underlying soil/rock type affected how damaged buildings became. It was still being cited in earthquake safety proposals a century later. Measurements from triangulation surveys (showing how much angles changed in fixed lines on the ground) lead to the development of the elastic rebound theory. The US Geological Survey defines the theory as “how the earth's crust gradually and elastically distorts with accumulating plate motion until it is suddenly returned to its undistorted state by rapid slip along a fault, releasing the years of accumulated strain and, in the process, generating seismic waves that produce shaking.” The idea of fault ruptures creating earthquakes instead of the other way around only gained wide acceptance after the 1906 quake research. Generations of scientists built on knowledge shared in the wake of 1906. Predicting the timing of future earthquakes is still imprecise, but experts can tell which areas will be hit hardest by fault rupturing. Engineering, zoning, and building codes are all influenced by this data to protect from future disasters the best they can. 

So where does the film fit into all this? The people-focused sections, especially the bit about troubles vanishing at mealtime and the shots of bustling horse-drawn carriages add to the "extremely quick recovery” narrative that the government was also projecting. The film avoids the most egregious crisis-downplaying, though. There’s no effort to hide the fact that an earthquake occurred and not just a fire. They do mention Chinese people in this while discussing refugees who had to leave belongings behind; they refer to them as an offensive term, but don't engage in the scapegoating rampant among residents at the time. The coverage isn’t super detailed, but it was more comprehensive than many of its filmic predecessors. Nonfiction filmmaking up to this point was dominated by actualities, which were rarely over two minutes long and lacked editing or structure. This film’s edited intertitles attempt to educate viewers, add context for the images, and give specific names to places like Market Street and St. Patrick’s Church. Nowadays, many more in-depth sources are available who utilize information discovered after this film was released. The film functions as one of those Registry entries where its greatest importance comes not from narrative or filmmaking craft but from needing to preserve footage of a major historical event. At the time, while somewhat playing into the dominant “we’re fine, we swear” narratives, it offered a decent overview of the topic to viewers far away from the damage.

Sources

https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/san-francisco-earthquake-and-fire.pdf

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/events/1906calif/18april/revolution.php

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/events/1906calif/18april/

https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/why-are-there-so-many-earthquakes-and-faults-western-united-states

https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/actuality

https://hazards.colorado.edu/uploads/observer/2006/may06/may06.pdf

https://www.cairn.info/revue-annales-de-demographie-historique-2010-2-page-217.htm?contenu=article

https://escholarship.org/content/qt00f913xm/qt00f913xm_noSplash_2a0a8269463659626adcab8d09b6366f.pdf?t=p0tadq

https://www.nps.gov/prsf/learn/historyculture/1906-earthquake-law-enforcement.htm

[ourjobagency]

Are you looking to revolutionize your community engagement and enhance collaboration? Look no further than our Community Cloud Quick Start Pack. With our expert guidance and cutting-edge technology, you can unlock the true potential of your community and empower your members like never before.

[vapehk1]

How Much Do Vapes Cost? A Comprehensive Guide to Vaporizing Your Budget

So, you’ve decided to join the ranks of the cool and vaporized. You’ve seen your friends puffing away on their sleek devices, and you’re thinking, “Hey, I want to be that cool too!” But before you dive headfirst into a cloud of deliciously flavored vapor, there’s one burning question on your mind: how much do vapes cost? Grab your wallet and let’s break it down with a wink and a smile. The Starter Kit: Entry-Level Vaping Costs Entering the vaping world can feel like stepping into a candy store filled with gadgets and gizmos. The good news? You don’t have to break the bank to start. Entry-level vape pens, often the go-to for beginners, are budget-friendly. These little wonders typically range from $15 to $40. Think of them as the fast food of vaping—quick, easy, and gets the job done. For those who prefer a bit more bang for their buck, pod systems offer a step up in terms of functionality and flavor. Pod systems generally cost between $20 and $50. These devices are user-friendly and provide a satisfying vaping experience without requiring an engineering degree to operate. Why Pay More? Investing in a good starter kit can save you money in the long run. Cheaper devices might tempt you with their low prices, but they often lack durability and performance. Imagine buying a vape pen that quits on you faster than a Tinder date when you mention your collection of pet rocks. Not fun, right? Spending a bit more upfront can ensure you have a reliable device that won’t leave you high and dry. The Mid-Range Marvels: Balancing Cost and Performance Once you’ve got your feet wet, or rather, your lungs, you might crave a bit more from your vaping experience. Enter the mid-range devices, the sweet spot for many vapers. These devices, ranging from $50 to $150, offer better battery life, more customizable settings, and superior vapor production. The Mods and Pods Box mods and advanced pod systems dominate this price range. Box mods are like the SUVs of the vaping world—powerful, reliable, and often packed with features. They can handle various e-liquids and provide a customizable experience. Meanwhile, advanced pod systems cater to those who want a sleek, compact device without sacrificing performance. Investing in a mid-range device often means better build quality and more advanced technology. It’s like moving from a tricycle to a bicycle with training wheels—you’re still learning, but boy, is it a smoother ride. High-End Devices: The Luxury Vape Experience For the vaping connoisseur who wants nothing but the best, high-end devices offer a luxury experience. These devices, priced anywhere from $150 to $300 or more, are the Ferraris of the vaping world. High-end mods come with a plethora of features, including temperature control, Bluetooth connectivity, and customizable LED lights. Because, you know, nothing says “I’ve made it” like a vape that lights up like a disco ball. Why Splurge? High-end devices are crafted with premium materials and cutting-edge technology. They provide a vaping experience that’s smoother than a Barry White love song. The flavor, vapor production, and overall performance are unmatched. Plus, owning a high-end vape is a bit of a status symbol in the vaping community. It’s like wearing a designer watch or driving a luxury car—only a lot more vaporous. The Ongoing Costs: E-Liquids and Accessories Now that you’ve got your vape, what about the ongoing costs? E-liquids, the flavorful juices that make vaping so delightful, vary in price. A 30ml bottle typically costs between $10 and $30, depending on the brand and quality. If you’re a heavy vaper, you might go through a couple of bottles a week. So, budget accordingly—unless you plan to cut back on avocado toast and lattes. The Little Extras Don’t forget the accessories! Coils, pods, and batteries need regular replacement. Coils cost around $1 to $5 each, and how often you replace them depends on your vaping habits. Batteries can range from $10 to $20, and you’ll want a charger too, which adds another $10 to $20 to your budget. Think of these costs as the hidden charges of the vaping world. Like when you buy a cheap airline ticket, but end up paying extra for luggage, snacks, and the privilege of breathing. It’s all part of the experience! Conclusion Navigating the world of vaping costs can be a bit like exploring a new galaxy—exciting but potentially overwhelming. This comprehensive guide breaks down the costs, from budget-friendly starter kits ranging between $15 to $50, to mid-range devices priced at $50 to $150, and luxurious high-end vapes that can set you back $150 to $300 or more. Additionally, don't forget the ongoing expenses like e-liquids, which typically cost $10 to $30 per bottle, and essential accessories such as coils and batteries. With this guide, you're well-equipped to make informed decisions and enjoy a flavorful vaping experience without breaking the bank. FAQs ### How Much Do Starter Vape Kits Cost? Starter vape kits are typically designed for beginners and are relatively affordable. These kits usually cost between $15 and $40. They include basic vape pens or simple pod systems that are easy to use and provide a good introduction to vaping without a significant financial commitment. ### What is the Average Price of Mid-Range Vape Devices? Mid-range vape devices, which offer better performance and more features than starter kits, generally cost between $50 and $150. These devices often include advanced pod systems and box mods, providing longer battery life, better vapor production, and more customizable settings. ### How Much Do High-End Vaping Devices Cost? High-end vaping devices, designed for enthusiasts seeking top-notch performance and features, can range from $150 to $300 or more. These luxury devices often come with advanced technologies like temperature control, customizable settings, and premium build quality, offering a superior vaping experience. ### What are the Ongoing Costs of Vaping? Beyond the initial purchase of a vape device, vapers need to consider ongoing costs such as e-liquids and accessories. E-liquids typically cost between $10 and $30 per 30ml bottle. Additionally, users will need to replace coils ($1 to $5 each), batteries ($10 to $20), and possibly purchase chargers ($10 to $20), which can add up over time. ### Is it Worth Investing in an Expensive Vape Device? Investing in a more expensive vape device can be worthwhile for those seeking a high-quality, reliable, and customizable vaping experience. High-end devices often offer better durability, advanced features, and superior performance compared to cheaper models. While the initial cost is higher, the long-term satisfaction and reduced need for frequent replacements can make it a cost-effective choice for dedicated vapers. Read the full article

[digi-raahim]

What are some of the best site builder tools on the web in terms of affordability and functionality.

Several website builder tools were popular for their affordability and functionality. But here are some website builders that were well-regarded ones:

Elementor

Elementor is the world’s leading and most advanced WordPress page builder. With over 2M active installs, Elementor is designed to help business create great websites, improve their workflow and cut down on production time. Its drag and drop editor is quick, powerful and helps you create the perfect site or landing page without writing a single line of code. Without slowing down your page, you can confidently choose any theme and plugin for your site. Packed with widgets and features such as images, text, sliders, icons, testimonial and more, you can create a well-rounded site all with one plugin.

2. Visual Composer Website Builder

It allows you to create a website that has the features and capabilities you want, and you can do so without coding. One of the reasons you can build what you want to is the Visual Composer Hub. The VC Hub is a cloud marketplace of blocks, templates, and content elements for landing pages, business websites, portfolios, and products you can pick and choose from to build each website page exactly as planned.

You can also select your own page layouts and create custom headers and footers, and of course custom content. If you have the content you need on hand, you could build a website in a matter of minutes.

3. Webflow

It doesn’t require any coding skills to create spectacular pages, portfolios, or completely customized, responsive websites, however. Insofar as CMS is concerned, Webflow does that for you as well.

You can also use Webflow to create fully functional prototypes with real, dynamic content and easily add immersive interactions and animations – again without coding, and you can do so for eCommerce websites and any other website type as well.

Build your website from a free or premium template, a community-created UI kit, or simply start from a blank canvas. Webflow also takes care of your hosting needs.

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[zyonsay]

La nuit se calme.

Fem aligned people may read but not f3tishize my work!!

Summary: You want to escape your worries at the ice rink, but Oscar feels that you're not doing well and wants to support you.

Reader: Genderneutral

Warnings: Reader has problem communicating their feelings, and bottles them up

Now playing: "Eyes dont lie" by Isabel LaRosa

AN: I wanted to feed y'all something lol. Also, i think Oscar is such an empath. I love his calm attitude so much.

The ice beneath you sounded crisp and the rink just opened so it was still untouched, smooth, and shiny. the music was blasting through your headphones, shushing away any worries you’d had before putting on your skates.

your day was stressful, and you haven’t been feeling well lately. talking about your feelings wasn’t your strong suit, so you’d just escape to the ice rink with your favorite playlist.

left, right, left, right. you were mindlessly hovering over the ice, though your shoulders felt tight and achy. you knew that this wasn’t the solution to your problems, just skating around won’t help you in the long run, but it functioned well as a band aid solution.

a loud whistle blew through the air, startling you. you puffed out a lungful of air, creating a little mist cloud. your beloved partner, oscar, was standing by the watcher stands and motioned for you to come over. You happily obliged, but you had a heavy feeling in your stomach. he always knew when something’s up.

“hey there.” he smiled sweetly, ruffling your hair. you shot him a worried smile, which had him alerted immediately, but he would never force anything out of you.

“wanna show me the program you’ve been working on?”, he took your hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. you have indeed been puzzling together a program with your trainer, you’d be attending a competition soon. “yes, i still need to practice the last part though, so ignore that part.” you gave him a quick peck on the lips before gliding towards your starting position.

…

you were rubbing the blades of your skates dry as oscar was talking to you about the press conference he had today. his eyes looked tired, but as always there was this friendly glint in them. you packed all your belongings into your bag and slung it over your shoulder. “ready?”

“mhm.”, he took your hand in his once again. you said goodbye to the owner at the exit, giving her dog a gentle pat on the head. “See you on sunday!”

it was already dark out and bats were swirling in the air. it was a crescent moon tonight; the air was cold and crisp. your nose was red, and a little cloud formed with every exhale you made. oscar smiled down at you, admiring you. you were the most precious being in his life and he wanted to take care of you, especially since you tend to not do that yourself. he put his free hand in the pocket of his jacket as he began speaking: “do you want to tell me what’s up? I know you’re not feeling well.” he carefully glanced to the side, as to not make you feel pressured.

“I’m really tired. but not in a way of ‘I want to sleep’, it’s just… I can’t explain it.” you bit the inside of your cheek lightly, you wanted to confide in him, but it was so difficult to put your feelings into words.

“I get it.”, a talent of his was his empathy. he always knows, even if you don’t tell him.

you gripped his hand a bit tighter, cuddling into your warm scarf. “thank you for looking after me.”

his eyes met your gaze, a soft shimmer played in them.

he gently pulled you into him, embracing you with warmth and calmness. oscar was the sun to your winter landscape, warming you, even in your coldest moments.

“I love you.”

[cresastre]

              SQUID: ITS CLOUD OF INK

Squid is a delicious inhabitant of the sea mixed with vegetables and spices become a mouth-watering delicacy in our table. They are abundant and ready for the picking. You can find this very sleek and beautiful torpedo in their habitat at sea.

They flickered below the sea water with their greenish yellow light glaring above the sea. A large squid can measure 1 foot or more. They are like a phantom of the night jetting in the darkness shooting forward and backward motion moving up and down.

To protect them from their enemy they can spray a cloud of ink. They can even change color as camouflage to hide from them.

Squid eat small fish, closing and darting down capturing the victim. In a flash they easily darted, seized and shot off into the night. Squid is a translucent mollusk having self-illumination body and color change ability. They are the swiftest swimmers of their kind. They are powered with instant reverse thrust changing its altitude of their water-ejecting nozzles.

Squid has the behavior of swimming to move backward or forward without turning its body. His normal directions of movements are backward instead of forward. Their great nerve fibers made it possible for them to do a fantastic quick-start speed. They used this quick action for capturing prey and used in evading enemies.

Squid has very keen vision that can see its prey in the darkest night. Even how big or small their eyes, it was easy for them to adapt to different light intensity. The body of the squid shines as he has light organ called photophores to glow in the dark. Its light may have some purpose. It may be for frightening its predators or it is to attract its prey. They used their fins in steering and balancing their movements.

In the early birth of the squid, its internal organ was wrapped in a transparent mantle. Admitting water inside, this mantle opens and closes behind its head. It has red liver, waving tentacles. It has underdeveloped 8 arms. Squid has chromatophere, an elastic sac of pigment. It contains many set of colors like orange, yellow, blue, black, red, brown that covers its body. It is easy for him to change colors in agreement with the emergency situation in a new environment. The brain sends signal to change color. Its impulse will travel along nerves to his radial muscles. It opened its sac containing and blending different sets of basic colors. If this impulse from the brain is turned-off, the muscles will rest and the sac closed down.

During mating, male and female unite at the mouth by interlacing their tentacles. Using his specially adapted arm, the male shifts sperm packets from within his body to an area under female’s mouth. His arms encircle female and transfer his sperm to her mantle. Using his glue, it holds the sperm in the female’s mantle until the day it is going to hatch. Male sperm will fertilize the eggs.

Squid moved slowly in the water using its fin in cruising located along the sides of their mantle but if threaten, it jettison away in a hurry. Its speed came from his set of nerves containing series of giant fibers. Its muscles will contract once threatened. It can even shoot away more than 30 feet out of the water.

Normally, the eyes of the squid are large, about 1/8 of an inch or more. Its head are lopsided. The favorite foods of squid are marine worms, small shrimps and fish or even small squids. He ate by using his tentacles pulling it to his beak and bite. He gripped it in his arms, tore the flesh and opened it quickly.

They are voracious mollusks. They can consume lot of fish in the water that waylaid in their community and failed to defend against the school of squids. But vice-versa, they are also eaten by bigger fish they cannot handle or from whale living on squid for their meals.

Squid is one of the favorite sea foods of humans. They are being exported or harvested in vast numbers by packing industries for consumer’s consumption. This is how important squid is for human’s subsistence. Their abundance in the sea will depend on human behavior in harvesting squid in volume. If the supply is not handled properly there will be shortage of these in our table.