#i got to watch the kids work on the farm it was chill

[shadowsofthegun-if]

Meet The Writer Tag

Thanks for the tag @dragonedged-if!!

Rules: use this picrew to make yourself and answer the questions (leaving the blank question list below the cut)

I'm gonna leave this open for anyone who wants to do it :)

Three fun facts about me:

im getting a degree in stem even though i fucking suck at science (i literally failed chemistry junior year with a 21)

shadows of the gun is the first thing I've actually written for fun since i was about twelve. (ive been stuck doing nothing but academic papers for 6 god damn years)

oh i once got completely kicked out of my English class and switched to a new one because i didn't turn in a single assignment

Favorite season: Winter<3

Continent where I live: North America

How I spend my time: Playing video games, listening to music, oh and writing obviously

Are you published?: Not really no

Introvert or extrovert?: Introvert

Favorite meal: Philly Cheese Steak

Three fun facts about me:

Favorite season:

Continent where I live

How I spend my time

Are you published?

Introvert or extrovert?

Favorite meal:

[geminibsworld]

Preachers daughter (one shot *maybe* )

⚠️: daddy!kink (a bit) innocence!kink, pinv, fingering,oral recieving and giving (m & f)

it was a summer afternoon, church was just starting. pearl, the preachers daughter, sat up front smiling proudly, while her father preached about the good lord. her mother sat next to her, pearl looked around. her eyes landing on Jessie's gang, she rolled her eyes turning around to face the front. she was trying to listen to her father when she felt eyes burning into her. she turned around, her red lips agape, as she's met with bluest eyes she's ever seen.

Billy the kid, of course. an outlaw, basically. he had a wild reputation, he'd never kill anyone but he has a reputation. a harlot reputation. every girl and mom had been with billy. pearl could never, she would never allow it.

"Amen!" voices interrupted her, as she turns around clapping and smiling with everyone else. she stood up with her family, her dress sticking to her as it was 90⁰ outside. it was 1982, and things were simple. pearl and her family lived the simple church life. she liked it that way, simple.

"pearl," her father's voice came into peer, she turned and grinned.

"wonderful speech, daddy," her country accent sweet like honey. billy loved your voice, he knew you sounded like honey so you had to taste like honey. billy cleared his throat taking off his hat as he stood behind the family.

"hello.. young man," pearls father tight lipped smile, glared at billy. he didn't care, he knew what people thought.

Billy's hat was in his hands as he was showing respect, pearl smiled to herself behind her family.

"I've heard you need help on your farm, sir," Billy's gruff Texas accent played like a melody in her ears. she gulped, as she felt chills on the hottest day she's felt in awhile.

"well, uh, I don't know-" her father began.

"sir, I'm a hardworker and I can do anything you need, pay me or don't." Billy's pleaded, his voice trying to not sound desperate. truth was he needed work, he needed to take care of his own self too. he needed to eat.

♡

pearl was outside, on the porch watching Billy front a distance as he was shoveling hay. she watched his back, his tall broad frame yet skinny waist. he was strong, his muscles flexed, and he threw his head back taking off his hat and wiping his forehead.

pearl got an idea. she'd bring him water.

pearl walked out in a small white dress, nothing underneath of course, too hot for all that. her parents were already asleep, she felt bad but was so curious at the same time. she walked feeling the soft grass between her toes under her small feet, holding a jug of water. she felt so nervous, she hadn't talked to a lot of boys before, if so they were related due to her father.

she peered into the barn seeing billy, shirtless this time, sitting on the hay wiping his forehead again.

"y'know it's rude to stare," his voice caused her eyes to bug out of her head. she gulped before saying,

"well, you need water," she stated, quietly feeling nervous now. he stood up over her, and stared down at her, he smirked at her nervousness before grabbing the jug outta her hand and drinking while making eyecontact with her. he watched her shake, he almost laughed. so innocent, he thought. he wanted to see her shake in another way.

"thank you, maam," he handed the water back to her, she gulped nodding not making eye contact. billy noticed this.

"why won't you look at me ?" his voice low, causing a feeling to arise in her in her lower belly. she'd never felt that before.

"well, my momma said if I ever so much as look at a man they'll take advantage of me," pearl said, quietly. billy nodded, taking it in.

"well, I would never take advantage of such a pretty girl," his accent thick, and low now.

pearl gulped stepping back, looking at his naked large chest then back to his eyes then anywhere else. billy liked how innocent she was, how she wouldn't look into his eyes, he craved that.

*

pearl was cleaning up after the service. billy walked by and looked in the stained windows, seeing pearl bent over, he caught a view of her panties. her whole ass was out, and she didn't even notice or so he thought. he decided to walk in when she walked away, he locked the door behind him, quietly. she walked back into the room, she jumped seeing billy.

"h-hi william," she coughed, smoothing down her dress.

"hi, honey," his accent heavy, she shivered when he said that. she shook off her thoughts before asking a question.

"why are you here?" she asked, unsure. billy smiled at her.

"to see my favorite girl of course," pearl looked away, and continued to pick up every Bible.

"I don't think she's here, try again later. normally harlots don't go to church." pearl sneered at him, flipping her long dark hair over her shoulders.

"oh but she is," he stepped towards her, too close, she thought. she gulped, looking away continuing on grabbing every Bible.

"she wears little dresses, never a bra, and always wears the most innocent looking panties. but I know she could be my harlot if I touched her in the right place. would you like that, honey?" his accent low, and rough.

her mouth fell open, she was feeling something she felt the other night. her lower stomach bubbling in heat, a wetness poured in her panties.

billy noticed her silence and her reaction, she looked so small and innocent. he stepped forward, brushing a few hair behind her ear. her bright green eyes staring back. he leaned in and pressed a small kiss to her lips.

she was surprised and pulled back. his eyes darker and his lips fuller now.

she gasped at the sight of him, he was so beautiful.

"have you ever touched yourself before?" his southern accent breaking the silence.

"um no," pearl said, quietly. her cheeks reddened by now, she was biting her lip.

"may i?" he asked her, peering into her eyes.

pearl reluctantly nodded her head, billy picked up pearl like she weighed nothing.

"wrap your legs around me, dollface," and she did. he carried her to the priests office, shutting and locking the door then laying pearl down on the desk. her body lay there, as she anxiously waited, billy threw everything on the floor turning her body so it's long ways.

"billy, I've never done this before," she sat up on her elbows, hair a mess and her strap falling off her shoulder. billy laughed as he took off his belt and vest. he had lost his hat a bit ago, his hair had grown so much.

"baby, I know what you have and haven't done. I still wanna take care of ya," he leaned down between her thighs. she was soaked, she was so embarrassed, she tried closing her legs.

"let me taste you," he mumbled into her, before taking a long wet stripe to her wet patch on her panties. she moaned out, her hands fitting her dress. he pushed up her short dress more, exposing all of her.

"that feels nice," she said, not even realizing what was going on. billy smirked, pulling her white wet panties down her thighs. once they were gone, he pushed her legs up on the desk spreading her all the way open.

billy gasped, she was dripping. literally honey, he thought. he dove right in, no warning. licking her clit, she screamed out. his tongue playing with her clit, slowly.

"oh my-" she breathed out, whimpering. billy smirked to himself before speeding up, his tongue doing soft but fast. a feeling way coming up, she felt like she had to pee. she was a moaning whimpering mess.

"my messy baby, your pussy is soaking. can't wait to feel you around me. " he grumbled into her, she cried out as he took in all her juices, not missing any.

"feel good baby?" he sat her up, she lazily sat up. her hair falling behind her.

"take your dress off baby," she obliged, tiredly. billy smirked watching her as he unbuttoned his button up, and pulled down his pants. her dress was off as she watched him, she looked down and gasped.

"big, ain't it? sometimes the ladies call me billy the man," he laughed, "too bad, I only want you to call me that," he winked at pearl.

"I bet you say that to all the girls," pearl mumbled, looking down away from his gaze. two fingers lifted her head, their eyes met.

"I wouldn't lie to you, honey," he mumbled planting a kiss on her forehead, "now lay back and let daddy do his thing,"

she laid back, his large fingers rubbed her clit in circles. she was seeing stars, she was a whimpering messy little girl and billy loved it.

"billy,-" she breathed out, eyes rolling in the back of her head.

"baby, im gonna try somethin'" suddenly two finger plunged into her, his large fingers giving her a filling feeling. his fingers curled, causing this feeling to happen. billy continued, adding another finger. he finger fucked her, hard.

"daddy," she moaned, billy had to hold back his moan.

"fuck it," he mumbled, grabbing his hardened member spitting on it while rubbing in his precum. while pearl was in her own euphoric world, he played with her small bud rubbing in circles with his thumb.

he placed himself at her entrance, before pushing in slowly. inch by inch by inch, she could feel herself expanding around his large member. the farther he got in the more she wanted more, he pulled all the way out before sliding all the way back in hard. she cried out, he wrapped his toned arms around her back pulling her up, before slamming his hips into hers multiple times.

"fuck bi-daddy," she cursed as he fucked her roughly. rough sex was Billy's favorite and most girls liked it because his big cock.

billy moaned as he fucked her, their hips meeting, he pulled her into a messy kiss. he stuck his tongue in her mouth, she could taste herself. she sucked on his tongue causing this animalistic sound to come out of billy. he pulled away, before pulling her out and flipping her over so she was bent over the desk.

"such a pretty pink pussy baby, can't wait to destroy it," he spit on his cock, jerking it a few times before sliding into her wet hole.

she moaned, billy went in so deeply he could feel her cream on his cock. he grunted, her ass jiggling against him. he reached for her long hair pulling her back so she could look at him as billy was filling her up.

"fuck," she cried out as he plunged into her, billy was turned on, she was his bad girl. he wanted that, he wanted to turn her and he did.

"preachers daughter my ass," he only went harder, she clenched around him crying out. tears staining her pretty pink cheeks.

"you my dirty whore? huh?" billy grunted, pulling her head back more.

"oh my God yes daddy, I'm your dirty whore," she cried out, Cumming again on his cock.

billy was close, he became sloppy yet hard still. he wanted to cum on her back, he wanted to see the cum on her.

"fuck, honey, I'm close," he breathed, letting go of her hair, moving to her lips.

"daddy fuck, don't stop," they moaned together before billy pulled out and finished on her back.

pearl was out of breath, and sore. extremely sore, there was a liquid pouring down her legs. she looked around for billy, he wasn't there. she began to feel used, upset.

billy came walking in, his thermals on and a rag in his hand, she felt much relief.

"lemme take care of this mess baby," he smiled at her, she nodded grinning biting her lip as he wiped her and him clean.

"I'd like to see you again, doll," he smirked, she bit her lip hiding a grin slipping on her dress. she picked her panties off the ground, handing them to billy.

"keep these", she whispered before asking, " you workin today?"

billy smirked getting dressed, before looking at her .

"oh I'm workin' today darlin. I'll take ya home, and we can continue, if you'd like of course." billy said, smooth but sweetly.

"sure, daddy,"

she stopped calling her dad, daddy so dw no one will be confused or weirded out.

[fishofthewoods]

Oh my god I woke up this morning and my Stardew Valley meta post had almost 150 notes????? Hello?????????? Anyways I started writing this last night because @moon-is-pretty-tonight left nice tags on the original so thank you so much!!

We know from the starting scenes of the game that the farmer's grandfather loved Stardew Valley. So why did he leave? Pelican Town is a good place to grow old; George and Evelyn are just fine. It's a fine place to raise a kid, but maybe he just wanted to raise his child closer to real schools and other children.

Or maybe, just maybe, he understood.

Was there a day when he was in his thirties where he looked at his friends and realized they weren't like him? That he could run faster than them, work longer, explore deeper into the hidden places of the valley?

Was there a day when he went to the wizard to ask him for help, for knowledge if nothing else? Did he learn then that his family was different? Special? Chosen? And how did he react? He couldn't possibly raise a child in the valley if they would be as strange and fey as him. He had to leave. There was no other way.

But years later, on his deathbed, did he regret that choice?

Is that why he gave the farmer the letter?

Is that why they went back home?

When the farmer steps off the bus that first day, the valley is still on the cusp of winter, just barely tipping over into spring. The flowers are starting to bloom, but a chill still hangs in the air. As soon as the farmer's boots touch the soil there's a change. The air gets warmer. The trees get greener. Not by too much, not all at once, but it changes.

The junimos watch the farmer as they do their work. They're new to farming, but take to it with frightening speed; their first batch of crops is perfect. None of the townsfolk tell them that parsnips don't normally grow in less than a week, that cauliflowers don't grow to be ten feet tall, that fairies don't visit when the sun goes down and grow potatoes and beans and tulips overnight. The junimos talk amongst themselves in their strange, wild language, and agree: this is the one. They're back. The valley recognizes its own, even when they've left for a generation. The farmers have come home.

Things change fast in the valley. The community center, empty and decrepit for so many years, is rejuvenated. (Lewis says it was abandoned only a few weeks after the farmer's grandfather left. Strange coincidence, he says, that it both came and went with the farmer's family.) The mines and the quarry, similarly abandoned, are explored for the first time in ages. The town becomes cleaner, brighter, more vibrant, happier.

And it is happier. Not just the environment, but the people. It's the talk of the town for weeks when Haley does her first closet purge. Leah's art show in the town square is a huge success. Shane's smiling for the first time since he moved to the valley. All of them, when asked, say it's all thanks to the farmer.

People love to ask why Lewis didn't fix the community center on his own. Why Willy never repaired the boat to ginger island. Why Abigail or Marlon never went down to fix the elevator in the mines, or why Clint didn't fix the minecarts.

But isn't it so much more interesting to ask how those things were there in the first place? How they got so broken down? If the stories the townspeople tell are true, the valley was once a beautiful place, flourishing and full of life; why did that change? When did it change?

Was it when the farmer's grandfather, the locus of the valley, its chosen representative, left town?

And if so, what happens when the farmer comes back?

[bananadramaaa]

Idk if you’ve got any ideas or backstory for Alastor’s sisters, but I love the designs for them and have kind of taken some ideas about them and ran with it, mostly about the eldest, Adeline, though:

• Adelice was definitely a protector of the whole bunch. Alastor helped protect the younger sisters and worried a lot about his older sister, but Adelice would make a target out of herself to make sure the younger kids faced as little of their father’s bad days as possible.

• Leonore and Bertilda (the younger two) still experience a lot of the family drama, but it’s a little less than what their older siblings do since they try to keep them out of the fire, so while the older two seem to mature way too quickly, the younger two stay kids for a bit longer. This, however does piss off their father, who takes every moment to ridicule them on their inability to act like their older siblings when their older siblings aren’t able to keep them out of the fire.

• Adelice also gives off Tiana from Princess and the Frog vibes. She’s got a Dream and she’s gonna work hard every day to make it happen.

• Alastor Worries™️ and thinks she’s pushing herself too much, taking on the brunt of their father’s anger, taking on so many jobs, and trying to get as much of an education as she can for as cheap as she can get it. So he becomes her Distraction, constantly dragging her off to parties and out drinking and listening to music. Anything to get her to chill tf out.

• He’s also a hypocrite though, considering he takes on a ton of “side jobs” by the time he’s 15 before he starts working in radio to try to help out their maman. He somehow manages to get all the fun jobs though. She’s out here working in restaurants and factories and he’s playing piano at the speakeasy and working at a nearby gator farm during the summers. And even the jobs that shouldn’t be fun, he manages to turn into a blast, like apprenticing at the butchers or working the graveyard shift at the cemetery. He thinks he’s so damn funny, while his bosses low-key wanna strangle him. This somehow makes him more likable as a radio host.

• Eventually, Adelice manages to find herself a nice, rich, Creole man who she and Alastor run through the wringer trying to test just how wholesome of a man he is before she’ll accept his hand in marriage. This man is confused, but he is dead set on winning her heart. He offers her the money to achieve her dream, he offers her the happy and stress-free life that New Orleans won’t afford her, he offers a life where she’s free and not trapped by anybody, himself included, and most importantly, he offers to take her whole family away from their father and the impoverished life that keeps them with him.

• Their maman can’t fathom a life without her husband, but she can see why they’d want to leave.

• Alastor doesn’t want to lose his sisters, but he knows someone has to watch out for their maman and he’s far to attached to New Orleans to leave it now.

• Before all his sisters leave, Adelice jokingly says she’s gonna name a son after him and he politely declines the offer.

• They move to Alabama or something and he never sees them again, but Adelice has a bunch of happy children that she loves who know all about him :)

• Bertilda also gets married, but Bertilda and her husband find themselves unable to have kids so they adopt a cute little red-headed girl and her green-eyed little brother.

• Leonore dates a lot of people before she finds the perfect gal for her and they move in together as “friends.” Their maman was a bit progressive in some ways and taught them not to judge, where most others would do when Adelice and Bertilda don’t make a big deal out of it when they find out about it.

• All three of them keep an eye on the news regarding New Orleans and whatever can be said about their famous radio host brother from far away.

• The only times the lot of them return to New Orleans is when they hear about Alastor’s death and their maman’s death.

I've talked briefly about them in this ask :3 And I really enjoyed reading your version of their story. It seems more wholesome compared to what I have in mind for them (like Adelice definitely won in this one) XD

[doberbutts]

You've spoken some about the dammage being done by breeding all breeds for a similar temperment. I feel like I've seen this too, people want a dog for the look and then want all dogs to just be companions. Are you willing to talk more about why we don't want all breeds to be chill companion dogs?

Well, I'm not really sure if I don't think all breeds should be chill companion dogs, but I do think all dogs aren't correct being so.

You have to understand, we domesticated dogs not just for companionship but also to help us accomplish tasks. And sometimes, the temperament that helps us accomplish these tasks... make it more difficult for the dog to be a do-nothing couch pet that gets maybe a walk on the weekends. It's not a bad thing, necessarily. Different strokes, different folks. But it does mean that trying to force dogs which are bred to not do that to fit into that mold is not really feasible if we also want the dogs to be able to continue doing the job we asked them to do.

A friend of mine had a great pyr, who she got from someone who kept their dogs the way pyrs are traditionally kept. Outside, with the sheep, guarding the flocks with their livestock guardian bond day and night. She got this dog as a puppy. This dog grew into an adult that was absolutely miserable in the house. Everyone's lives got a lot easier when they fenced their lot and gave the dog the option to be in or out during the day. Suddenly, the dog's annoying and destructive behavior (largely barking and also trying to get outside) disappeared practically overnight when he discovered he could just. Go outside. She had no sheep, she lived halfway to the middle of nowhere, and he was usually found just hanging out on their back porch watching the world go by around him. Occasionally barking if a car came down their driveway (like my mom's car, to drop me off at her house, because we were kids).

The problem is that the thing that makes them really, really good at guarding the sheep can also sometimes make them not so good at being house pets that sleep on the couch. He did not want to sleep on the couch. He wanted to sit outside and watch for predators so that his "sheep"- the humans inside the house- could be protected by him. To take this urge away from him, would also make him be bad at guarding sheep.

I have a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. They, too, were bred to hang out outside all day, helping with various chores as their humans worked on the farm. Sushi's favorite activity is, you guessed it, following me around the yard as I pull weeds and rake up sticks and take a hedge trimmer to my never ending war with woody invasives. She loves when I take her to her breeder's house to chase the sheep or pull the wagon. She goes absolutely bananas in my car when we pull up to a hiking spot to go climb a mountain that day. These are things that make her a good mountain dog.

Now I actually think that Swissies are slept on but otherwise great pet dogs if their needs are met, but I have been part of swissy pet groups ever since getting Sushi and I can see when people have problems with their Swissies as a direct result of their needs not being met. Once again, barking and destruction from boredom. Dogs that throw around their body weight with zero regard to the humans involved. Dogs that refuse to recall, or that make their owners chase them down to come inside. Pulling like a freight train on leash. Chasing down and nipping at running children. These are behaviors that, while annoying in their worst forms, are often stemming directly from instincts that make them good at the job they were meant to do.

Sushi doesn't do any of those things- but then Sushi gets to do fun things that are mountain dog adjacent, so she is able to be a mountain dog without being a bad pet.

As long as we want to have dogs that have jobs, we will also have dogs that maybe don't belong in the hands of those who want chill companions. And, similarly, as long as people's idea of a pet is the most low effort dog ownership possible and anything even slightly more difficult is too much to ask, breeding these working dogs to not work will only result in dogs that can no longer work.

[rockybloo]

Feel like dropping a Beanstalked funfact before I go to take my daily nap so here is one about Jack's Slayer mode. This at some point becomes me rambling about fairy tales again so it's a long one:

Jack's Slayer mode exists because I grew up loving the trope of protagonists in anime that had an alternate side to them. I think one of my first encounters with such was watching Yugioh as a kid with Yugi and Yami Yugi...though that's like...a more positive spin on it. STILL - I loved how there was that switch up between a nice and innocent face to someone who was more skilled and experienced.

Then you got me getting into Inuyasha and his entire full demon mode he entered under specific circumstances, and then Ichigo's whole thing with his hollow self, and Maka's temporarily going insane during her battle with Crona. All of which are instances of protagonists becoming more antagonistic (or just losing some chill).

All a lot less wholesome than the Yugioh example (and all are things I got into when I was older)

BASICALLY - That switch being flipped in a character you typically see as the good guy, doing some wild ass shit just STUCK with me forever. It's very cliche and many kids these days would call it edgy but I adore how corny it is.

For Jack specifically, I felt like he'd be the best character for such a trope because Jack and the Beanstalk is a very interesting fairy tale to me. It's my favorite and I think one big reason (aside from how cool a gigantic beanstalk is) is the fact Jack isn't explicitly a good guy. He def can be depending on the story you are reading (especially one meant to be read to children) but some old retellings lack that moralization for him.

And that's something that has led to a very large amount of fairy tale adaptions featuring their own beanstalk Jacks that are viewed as the bad guy or are more mischievous than a Cinderella or Little Red Riding Hood.

TO BE FAIR the fella kind of just breaks into someone's house, steals their shit, leaves and cuts the beanstalk down, killing the giant in the process.

It helps ease the "illegality" of Jack's actions that the giant is typically a giant maneater with his whole "I'll grind your bones to make my bread" shtick. But many choose to just look past the cannibalism (or non-cannibalism since giants aren't really humans) to point at Jack and go "Hey that's actually really fucked up man"

Growing older, I def can see that perspective and understand it more than younger me who grew up with a more moralized version of the story where Jack was depicted as a little kid instead of a young adult (or straight up grown man).

So I always grew up with a bias towards a good guy Jack.

CIRCLING BACK AROUND TO MY FAV TROPE - Jack was the best OC for it because of the duality to the character he was based off of. His default personality is the Jack I grew up used to imagining: A wholesome guy just trying to do his best in a situation he very much didn't fully understand and winded up doing something drastic just because he didn't know what else to do.

And his "cool and edgy" personality was the Jack that would purposely cut down a beanstalk to kill a giant in cold blood.

Over the years of working on Beanstalked, Jack's Slayer mode became a lot more dynamic and wasn't just tied to him being angry. It shifted to something that triggered when he felt adrenaline and winded up being a peek into the emotions he'd bottle up and push down because Jack, at his core, just wants to make people happy. And some emotions make that a bit more difficult.

But it basically is just my way of having my cake and eating it too. I wanted a nice and sweet farm boy but I also wanted one who wouldn't hesitate if placed in the right (or wrong) situation.

[teecupangel]

Got another idea. XD Sorry! 💜

Do you know about Yuri on Ice? I loved the animation of the ice skating in the show and just imagine Desmond doing those graceful jumps is making me swoon like a maiden. XD

Could do a light AU where Desmond is scouted by a proffesional because he is so nimble shortly after running away from the farm or a full blown AU with Altaïr, Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton as professional ice skaters.

The light AU would be a bit difficult to pull off unless we make the trainer ex criminal or something, so that Abstergo couldn't try to grab Desmond immidiently when he starts competing. The trainer would assure him that whatever threat is out there he would protect him and it works until 2012. Abstergo probably got desperate enough to kidnapp Desmond, damn the publicity of a famous athlete going missing. The image of Desmond wielding the ice skates as knives is also both funny and badass. XD

Full blown AU could have Bill getting injured early on in his career and pushing(abusing) Desmond into becoming the star Bill was meant to be. Because athletes in general retire around their 30s, we can muck about with the ages so that Al Mualim, Haytham and Bill where skating around the same time and after Bill was forced to retire early, he decided to date and have a kid with another famous skater in the hopes that Desmond would be a prodigy(he is, but that is not enough for Bill).

Al Mualim, when he lost his eye in a duel skating rutine gone horrificly wrong(imagine a few years after Bill), decided to take on his old friend Umar's son as his personal trainee to live vicariously through.

Haytham is the only one of the 3 who retires of his own free will. He could discover that an intense, but short relationship he had with the skater Ziio resulted in a child and she saw how fiercly competetive and single minded Haytham was about the sport, so she decided to not tell Haytham about Ratonhnhaké:ton or more commonly known as Connor. Once Haytham discovers he has a son after Ziio dies(i imagine disease), he takes him in and tries to bond with him, to mixed results. Connor decides to follow in both his parents footsteps, to honor his mother and because it seems to be the best way to bond with his father. I imagine some light angst about Haytham pushing Connor because that was how he was raised after his father died early on, but eventually Haytham learns to just be proud of his son. 🥰

Ezio is the fan favorite with his devilish charms and outrages antics with his older brother, gossip magazines love them because Ezio loves to tease and indulge the photographers in exchange for most of them leaving his family alone. The Auditores are not an ice skating family, Ezio is just really talented and does it for the love of the sport, so he is pretty chill about competing. He is feared for his jumps though. VERY feared. XD

This could be Altdes or Ezides(because i'm traaaash! XD) where Desmond growing closer to the love interest lets him discover what true love and family is meant to be. Tbh think Ezio is the most fitting if we do that route, because let's face it: out if every goddamned assassin i know of, he is the only one with a good family/upbringing until the hanging. Fucking Disney mom syndrom over here. XD

Btw, i have no idea about ice skating and it's been years since i watched Yuri on Ice, so i am sorry if any details here is wildy inaccurate or impossible. ^^ And sorry for the text wall, got carried away. Again. XD Love ya! 💜

I love Yuri on Ice and I’m still waiting for that movie lol.

If you don’t want to choose between AltDes and EziDes, go with both? XD

But in all seriousness, EziDes would be more on the side of fluff and Desmond slowly becoming part of the Auditore family and learning what it means to have an actual loving family. Ezio would be the kind of person who would show Desmond the world beyond the small confines of being William Miles’ successor and he’ll learn to be interested in other things.

AltDes, though, considering the setup we have here, would focus heavily on the distorted mirror image they both share. Altaïr would be the son William Miles wanted to raise in Desmond’s eyes and Desmond would be the type of person he would have become had he not rose to all of Al Mualim’s expectation in Altaïr’s eyes. This is less of a found family kind of thing but more on the side of “I am jealous of you but I also can’t help but worry about you” kind of thing because they both have an idea of the loneliness and suffering they are hiding.

So yeah, it really depends on what kind of story you want to go for. Fluff for EziDes, angst for AltDes XD

Also… maybe in some ways, EziDes is about Ezio saving Desmond while AltDes is about the two of them saving each other.

Regardless of which path we take, Ezio’s relationship with Desmond would be about ‘learning of the outside world’ kind of deal and having an actual healthy support system who cares and love him. Desmond’s relationship with Altaïr would be more on the side of finding someone so similar to one’s self that caring and loving them (either platonically or romantically) is a way for one to care and love themselves.

Ratonhnhaké:ton, on the other hand, is that kind friend who serves as Desmond’s own foil thanks to his relationship with his own father. But, unlike Altaïr, their friendship is less burdened because Ratonhnhaké:ton actually knows what he wants and Haytham is trying. Their father-son relationship is actually what makes Desmond realize that, shit, his own relationship with his father is fucked up.

Ezio told him that too but Desmond can’t really wrap his head around it because Giovanni act really different from Bill that he can’t really compare them but Haytham? Haytham definitely acts a lot like Bill. And then he meets Al Mualim who acts a lot like Bill as well (it’s the other way around, Bill is trying to copy Al Mualim since he was more successful than Bill). So yeah, Haytham shows Desmond (and Altaïr) that a father can fuck up but make up for it as well.

Also, regardless of the pairing, the four of them would have a close bond with one another with the not-love interest and Ratonhnhaké:ton having front row seat to whatever shenanigans are happening between Desmond and his love interest.

(Sidebar: Kadar is absolutely Altaïr’s Number One Fan. Malik is absolutely embarrassed because he’s actually competing in the same competition and everyone who knows Kadar is his brother pities him because his own brother is cheering a different contestant. Kadar also skates and he can actually copy Altaïr’s performances. Ask him to perform his own and he blanks out though)

Love you too💜 and never apologize for text walls. I love reading them hahahaha

[familyvideostevie]

𝟭𝟮 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀: 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 

day three: buying a tree with steve | fluff, 1k 12 days of christmas masterlist

"What do you think?" Steve asks you. "7 feet? Is that too big? I've never actually done this before. Does the stand add inches?" He runs one hand through his hair and puts the other on his hip in what the kids call his trademark Steve pose.

You and Steve moved in together this year and this is your first Christmas in your own place. Living with him is wonderful --- he's your favorite person ever, even when he leaves his socks on the floor and forgets to shut the microwave after he uses it. Waking up to him, going to sleep next to him, brushing your teeth next to him, it's all a dream come true. And watching him pick out your Christmas tree makes your heart feel like it's going to burst in your chest. Every day you are struck by how easy it is to love him. It's like breathing. 

"You gonna be the one who carries it up the stairs?" you ask him. He's standing in front of a pretty wide tree that's taller than he is. The look he shoots you is all sass, all Harrington attitude, like he's daring you to question his abilities one more time. He seems to think that you're going to, because then he flexes, both arms bent at the elbow in the air like he's in a body building competition. You can't see any difference through his winter coat but you know that he's got plenty of strength hidden under there.

"What're you trying to say, huh?" You laugh and surge forward to push his arm down. He's so embarrassing and you love him so much. 

"You're suck a dork, Steve," you tell him. You look the tree up and down. "Yeah, I like this one."

"You sure?" he asks. "It's gotta be a good pick. I want you to be sure. Our first tree!" He's babbling in a way that's a little unlike him, but you know where it's coming from. The novelty of your life together has not worn off and you yourself feel giddy sometimes. It's exciting to know that you've got someone to come home to, someone waiting for you, someone thinking about you. It's better than you ever imagined, and Steve sometimes gets overcome with it too.

"You're the one who spotted it, Steve," you tease him. "Didn't you tell me that you have 'perfect tree spotting skills?'" You use air quotes and he rolls his eyes at you. 

"Alright, alright," he says. "Enough outta you." Despite his words, he tugs you close and plants a sloppy kiss on your temple before calling over someone who work at the tree farm to cut the tree for you. 

"Do we have all the decorations?" you ask Steve while you wait. He nods. A teenager hauls your tree to a chainsaw station and trims the bottom. Steve grabs your hand and rubs his thumb over your skin without thinking, like he always does. 

"I think so," he says. "My mom gave us her old tree stand and Mrs. Henderson gave us some lights. You said you moved with some ornaments, right?" You nod.

"Yeah, I put them in the hall closet."  He squeezes your hand. You admire him in the winter night, his handsome face lit by the farm's string lights. His nose is red from the chill.

"Should we watch a movie while we decorate?" he asks. 

You shake your head. "I think we should put on the Christmas radio station so I can hear you sing again." His cheeks flush even though this is an old routine by now. You tease Steve every time he sings along to the radio but he knows you love it when he does. 

"Yeah, yeah," he says. "Keep milking that." You'd caught him belting "Let It Snow" in the shower just this morning when he thought you were on a walk.

"Which car is yours?" the teenager asks you. Steve points to the BMW and together they haul the tree onto the roof as you watch.

"Will you roll down the windows?" Steve asks, tossing you the keys. You hop into the car and do as he asks, all four, and then pull the ropes through so the tree is secure. He pays the teenager in cash and you both settle into the front seats.

"Gonna be a cold ride home," Steve says. "You gonna be okay?" It's nippy, sure, but it hasn't started to snow yet so you figure you'll be fine. Plus, hearing the word home from his lips and knowing he's talking about your place fills you with a warmth that even Indiana winter can't pierce. 

"Good thing I have a furnace for a boyfriend. We can take a warm shower when we get back, yeah?" Steve wiggles his eyebrows at your suggestion and laughs. Once he starts the car he reaches over and squeezes your leg gently. 

"Our first tree," he says softly, like he can't believe it.

"You're a sap, Steve Harrington." He doesn't deny it and you lean over to smack a kiss onto his cheek. He makes a whining nose deep in his throat and turns his head, pursing his lips. You consider teasing him again, but decide against it because if you're honest, all you want to do is kiss him. So you do, leaning in to press your lips to his properly, maybe a touch longer than is appropriate for a Christmas tree farm parking lot.

"Okay, handsy," he says when he pulls away. "Now I'm cold." He puts an arm around your headrest and backs out of the parking lot.

"Home?" you ask him. He nods. 

"Home." 

thank you for reading <3 reblog, send feedback, masterlist here!

[alex51324]

Summer vacation 2024, Nockamixon State Park, part 3: Aquatic adventures!

After Chloe left, Sophie and I had a quiet day, and then on Monday we went out for some adventures, starting with a stop at the scenic spillway overlook:

This is where the water drains out when the lake gets high, but since it's been so hot and dry, there isn't much happening.

(This lake, like most Pennsylvania state park lakes, was created by damming up a stream. The founding goal of the Pennsylvania state park system was for every Pennsylvanian to have a state park within 25 miles--almost a century on, this goal still hasn't quite been achieved, but it's close! So, while we do have a few parks that were centered around unique places of intrinsic natural beauty, a lot of them were simply chosen for being conveniently located and having good potential to be developed for conservation and recreation. A lot of them are places that were unproductive for farming, and/or had been subject to extensive resource-extraction, especially timbering, so they required extensive ecological restoration, in addition to building park features. Some people are disparaging about our "fake lakes," but honestly, I think it's rather splendid, both in intention and result.)

Anyway, after the overlook, we walked the park's paved trail, which goes along one side of the lake and to a small waterfall. You can take a little detour out onto the fishing pier, which has stunning views of the lake:

(On the July 4 holiday--of which more, anon--this section of the park was packed. This is one of the parks nearest to Philadelphia, so a lot of people and families came out for the day.)

Here's the waterfall:

And a sign about it:

A wider view, showing more of the stone wall:

After that, it was back to the cabin for a campfire!

Tuesday, we got up early for a special adventure:

Kayaking! The previous day, I had tried to sign up for the local park's free kayaking program, again, and got wait-listed (even though it had just opened for registration that day), so I decided I'd just watch some how-to videos and try it on my own. Luckily, the temperature really dropped overnight, Monday into Tuesday, so it was cool enough for Sophie to hang out by herself in the car for a bit, as long as I got there first thing when the rental stand opened.

(Note: Sophie is very chill about being in the car; I clip her harness to the seatbelt and open all four windows the whole way, and make sure she has a big bowl of water in reach. This would not work with every dog.)

Anyway, kayaking was fantastic; I'm already planning to go again at the local lake, once the current heat wave is over. I mostly noodled around close to the rental area:

But the kayak felt very stable--I canoed a little as a kid, and I was really surprised to find that the kayak was less "tippy." It was also very easy to paddle; I expected I'd be super-sore the next day, but I wasn't.

This lake is long and narrow, so there was a lot of shoreline to explore. I think this is about as far out as I got:

Here are some cormorants that like to sit on these big floats near the boat rental stand:

One more kayaking picture:

So if anyone out there's been thinking about trying kayaking--do it! If I--with my noodle arms, aversion to physical danger, and general lack of athleticism--can do it and enjoy it, you probably can, too!

After the kayak adventure, we took a drive down to a nearby town with some interesting shops--Doylestown, it's called. It has three bookstores, a rarity in these days, and a found a parking spot in the shade, so Sophie could hang out while I popped in (and checked on her between shops). After that we took a nice walk around the town, looking in windows (me) and collecting pats from strangers (Sophie).

Back to the cabin for another campfire--I'm going to do a food post next, because I made a lot of interesting campfire dinners--and then a night walk down to the wading spot at the lake:

My phone camera is not especially good for low-light conditions, but this turned out sort of atmospheric, I think.

Wednesday we took a hike, through an area with lots of berry bushes and lake views:

It was pretty hot, but a gorgeous day:

Then a campfire and a sunset walk to the lake:

Thursday was the July 4 holiday, which in Pennsylvania is always a Free Fishing Day, when you don't need a license to fish on state waters, and the park had fishing equipment to borrow, so I picked some up, and we went back to the fishing pier! Luckily, even though there were a lot of people, we got a spot. And I caught some fish!

This was actually my second fish; I caught one almost as soon as I put the hook in the water, and I Was Not Prepared, so I just put it back right away.

After that I got a bucket out of the car and filled it with lake water, so I could appreciate my fish for a little longer:

This guy jumped out of the bucket and escaped, but after that I covered the top of the bucket with my fish identification brochure, and ended up with four in the bucket!

So, I may have caught six fish, or four and two of them twice. (I identified two different kinds, green sunfish and bluegill, but within each type they all looked pretty similar.) I fished for a bit over an hour, then put the fish back and gave the spot to somebody else. We walked around a bit, and checked out a few areas of the park; somewhere or other--I think it was the boat launch area where we had lunch, but it might have been at the fishing pier, or somewhere else, we saw this cool boat!

It's all wood; the guy said his uncle had it made in Canada.

Once we'd had enough of the crowds, we went to a spot called John's Pond, which is one of those where you park on the shoulder of the road and walk in a little ways. I thought I'd try fishing a little there:

I caught one more little fish in there--and a lot of seaweed, and lost most of the hooks they gave me.

So I went to the Marina and bought some more--they have a vending machine--and we tried the fishing pier there. This one had no shade, but luckily, we had stopped at a yard sale earlier:

This beach umbrella was only $1, and I've already gotten my money's worth out of it! It was kind of baking on that pier, and I wasn't catching anything, so we packed it in and went back to the cabin. I had been going to walk down to the wading spot and see if I could see any fireworks there--town 4 miles away in the direction you're looking in that spot was having them--but just as it was getting dark it started to pour. So instead we sat on the porch and watched the rain for a bit, then went in to start packing up before our last night at the cabin.

The morning was hazy and hot, but on our way out we made a last stop at the wading spot:

And that was our trip! Another good one, even with the weird incident at the beginning.

[starry-eyed-adam]

Usagi, Change

tw for themes of death

It wasn’t his fault.

That’s what he would tell himself.

He couldn’t go back and change anything. So he might as well let it go. That’s what his therapist would tell him, anyways. In a nicer way. Obviously.

Being next of kin was not easy on the mind.

She’d been alone, when it had happened. And that’s what Yuichi was trying to convince himself not to feel the overwhelming, aching guilt about. Of course she’d been alone. Yuichi had left her thirty-two years ago, ran away like the kid he was. Her nephew, her only family left. The only able body, leaving her to manage her farm, lonely, old.

The funeral was sparse. Yuichi tugged at his collar, forcing himself to take deep breaths. To swalllow and act like he wasn’t suffocating.

It wasn’t his fault.

It had taken them a week to connect his auntie to Yuichi, to find his contact information. He hadn’t called her in months. Heart failure, they’d said. Overexertion, she’d laid down in one of the garden beds and never got up. And now she lay forever, as if pleasant. Placid. Finally resting. She’d fought so long, so much. She used to say that war was nothing compared to raising a teenage boy.

Yuichi wished he’d been a little more grateful to have her around.

He turned away from the gathering of friends and family, nails digging into his wrist to distract himself as he brushed past the other guests. Around the corner, out the door, where the sharp chill of fall air filled his lungs until they felt they could burst. The overgrown farm laid out before him, crops overripe, withering. Of course she couldn’t handle it all herself. What had he been thinking, leaving her so many years ago?

He wouldn’t cry. He wouldn’t.

“Onii-chan,” a voice behind him jerked him out of his thoughts. His little sister stood behind him, eyes heavy with grief despite the small smile on her face. Yuichi rubbed at his eyes and folded his arms.

“Hana.”

“There’s been some chatter among the guests. What’s gonna happen to the Usagi farm. The general consensus is that you’ll take over.” She raised an eyebrow. “When’s the last time you even saw this farm?”

Yuichi didn’t answer. Too long. Hana sighed deeply. “You don’t want to.”

“I owe it to her,” mumbled Yuichi, blowing out a sigh. “I left her to do it herself. So now I… someone has to carry on her work.”

Hana laughed sharply. “Sure. Because that’ll fulfill you and not at all contribute to your overwhelming guilt about her death.”

Yuichi didn’t look at her, and a silent pause stretched between them. Quietly, Hana rested her hand on his shoulder. “You always know what you want, Yuichi. Since you were a kid. You weren’t happy here, you’re not going to be happy now.”

“I’m sick of the city,” mumbled the rabbit yokai, eyes low.

“So don’t go back to the city,” she replied, voice rising. “Pack your shit and go wherever you feel is calling you but for Auntie’s sake, Yuichi, do not stay here just because you feel like you have to.”

Another silence, and Yuichi’s ears twitched in contemplation. He swallowed and lifted his head, looking out towards the rotten beds again. “When did you get so smart?” he faintly mumbled, glancing with shiny eyes at his little sister again. Hana just smirked and ruffled his hair.

“Always have been. You were always just very preoccupied with yourself to notice.”

“Shut up,” Yuichi chuckled, shoving her hand away. He sniffed and rubbed at his damp face where a few tears had strayed down his cheeks. “I miss her.”

“Me too,” murmured Hana, looking up at the clear night sky. “When you go back to America,” she began after the peaceful moment, “I hope you don’t forget about me.”

Lifting his eyes to his little sister, Yuichi smiled faintly. “Anatawa hitorijanai, remember? We’ll always have each other.”

“God you’re so cringe,” hissed Hana, and the two burst into laughter, the sweet sound ringing through the night sky.

I have watched half of the first episode of samurai rabbit and read their wiki pages, apologies if it’s not character-accurate lmao.

some HOB Yuichi lore

[charkyzombicorn]

God au

Imagine if a cult was founded by a crazy follower of Jinbe who believed all devil fruit users must be drowned in order to be cleansed of there evil.

Know imagine if this cult leader and her followers kidnapped three of the roger kids (Circé Finn buggy) and beat sharnks within an inch of his life.

How badly would roger Rayleigh and the rest of the roger pirates react

Firstly: A.

Secondly: Jimbe supremacists are almost always fishmen so either the Oro Jackson is in/around Fishman island or they're in a small Fishman colony outside that area (Arlong maybe)

Thirdly: AAAAAAAAAAA

Fourthly: Since Circe is 10ish years older than Buggy n Shanks, that would mean I'm making Circe 18~, Buggy n Shanks 8 and Finn 6. Circe is very capable so she can be trusted on her own and watching her younger siblings when the rest of the crew is visiting an island with stuff Rayleigh really doesn't want to explain to the two 8 and the 6 year old. So, Circe ended up babysitting one time and took them all to the next island over because it was habited but it seemed like a farm town more than anything. Circe's got haki while Shanks is still working on his and Buggy and Finn don't have theirs yet, but observation haki only works when you can think. This cult knows their shit, they're not great fighters for fishmen but funnily enough really loud sound waves can affect people much more when they can't drown them out by diving into water. Their ship gets blasted with enough sound to make Circe's ears bleed while the fishmen are chilling underwater, then they break the boat from underneath while the kids are all on the ground covering their ears, and once they've got them underwater they're captured.

Fifthly: The cult can't just kill the devilfruit users, you don't make more followers with lame ass rituals, so they tie them all up underwater while none of them can fight back except Shanks (but Shanks is 8 and they might not be fighters but they're fishmen so they just wait for him to run out of steam [by steam I mean air]). They take them back to the island and put the three devilfruit users on display and just throw Shanks in a back room because they don't know what to do with him. Shanks gets out of his binds with a knife Buggy and him had been stealing from eachother for the last month, manages to kill one guy before he gets hit hard in the head because his hearing is still shot so his already not-great haki is now basically hindsight. He gets beat up pretty bad, the cult leaders really liked that guy he killed. They leave Shanks to die of his wounds (definitely enough to die from, but Shanks is a freak of nature) in the street in the town made of Fishman-supremacist Jimbe-worshipping cult nutjobs to spit on him and add insult to injury.

Sixthly: When the crew rolls up and sees Shanks just lying there you best believe they lock down the entire town until they find the other three, Buggy and Finn are in a tank half full of seawater, Buggy's barely standing but he's keeping Finn on his shoulders so she isn't touching the water more, and Circe's about to get waterboarded, so Roger and Rayleigh break the glass tank, stab the ones about to hurt Circe and burn the village down <3

Seventhly: This incident is the only solid evidence the WG has abt how cruel Roger is, the picture of the burnt island is featured on every article about how terrible he is

[troublebrewing-if]

Teenage Rebellion

A moment in Sloan’s life, 2 years before.

Early mornings are chilly in the forest, and Sloan shivers as he blinks groggily at the first rays of light shining through the opening in his makeshift tent. He tries to rub away the goosebumps on his shoulders as he pats the ground, searching for his discarded shirt. Once he finds it, he slowly sits up, carefully extricating himself from Elowen’s arms. She grumbles in discontent and tries to snuggle closer. She isn’t his first partner, but she is his longest-term relationship to date. Last week Robert teased him about when he was going to marry the girl.

When I can offer her something better than a life in the woods, evading the gallows, he had said.

Robert just laughed and patted his shoulder. It’s no use waiting for the world to change. Life happens anyway.

Elowen joined their band a few years after he did. She’s a farmhand from the southwest, displaced when her father and older brother were sent off to fight in the Crusades. Her brother died of illness, and her father came home to find that his wife and remaining children had been unable to make a living in his absence. Sure, they worked hard, but that only got them so far, being down two pairs of hands. He was lucky they were still alive. Then came debtors’ prison. With her parents locked away to work off their debt and her home reclaimed, Elowen traveled north, working where she could. Not many people could afford an extra farmhand.

That was when he and Robert ran across her in a village on the edge of the forest. There was a fire in her eyes then, and a thirst for change. Losing your brother, your parents, and your home at fifteen does that to you. Robert took one long look at the girl, a measured kind of look that somehow told him everything he needed to know about a person and said, “Lass, you look like you got a story to tell. If you’ll come have a meal with me and my boy, I’ll buy you a meal.”

That was four years ago, now. Elowen’s story was harsh, but she wasn’t the only one. Over the years, the small group of bandits that first took Sloan in had grown into a sizeable community, living in the heart of the forest. Each new member had been wronged by King Alistair I and his cruel policies. Each was ready to fight back.

Sloan feels restless sometimes, knowing that more and more people suffer each day, many of whom will never make it to their camp. He is tired of waiting for the right time, though Robert reminds him that revolution is a process, like a snowball rolling down a mountain, building into an avalanche.

“You’re brooding again.” Elowen yawns as she sits up. Sloan hands her shirt, which she accepts gratefully. “I know the celebration is over, but would it kill you to have a relaxing morning?”

He rolls his eyes. “Morning to you, too, El.”

She snorts as she pulls the shirt over her head. “I’m just sayin’. I can tell when you’re in your own head.”

“Since when can you read minds?” He arches a brow at her, tugging his stockings on while she pulls on her tights. The morning light catches on her curls and creates a halo effect, like the angels he’s seen painted in cathedrals. The sight makes his breath catch in his throat. The two of them have been together for the past two years, ever since she’d impulsively kissed him after a successful raid. Before her, his partners had been casual, just a couple kids sneaking off to the woods to kiss before watch duty. Elowen was the first person he had really felt a connection with.

“Don’t start. I’ve known you long enough.” She leans forward and kisses him on the cheek. He smiles at the touch and leans into it. “So, what are you thinking about?”

Sloan shrugs. “Us, I suppose. How we met. Things like that.”

“I don’t love that you get all solemn when you say that.” Her laugh isn’t dainty. Nothing about her is dainty. She’s a farm girl, with broad shoulders and calloused hands. “’Us,’ huh? Thinking of introducing me to your folks?”

Your folks. It sends a chill through him. He hasn’t thought about them in months. He hasn’t spoken of them in years. Elowen learned long ago that Robert wasn’t his real father, and she had asked him, bluntly, if they were still around. Some may have been offended by her straightforward question, but he knew she meant no harm. Elowen has never been one to mince words for the sake of politeness.

They’re dead. The lie is on the tip of his tongue. It’s the easiest thing in the world to say. He’s said it before. It hurts less than the truth, but he doesn’t want to lie to her. He’s been dishonest about so much already. “It won’t be possible.”

She flinches, but she asks, “Are they like mine?”

“They wouldn’t want to see me again, or meet you,” Sloan admits. He can’t tell her everything, but she has shared her story with him. Details that she hasn’t told anyone else, about how it felt to starve, to go to sleep in a flea-infested hovel, to receive a box of her brother’s things. “You shouldn’t want to meet them anyway.”

Sloan has often wondered if his life would be different had his father ever bothered to look at him for more than half a moment. He wanted for so long to be acknowledged and accepted. But he understands now that his father is a monstrous man. To gain his approval would be shameful.

Elowen sits next to him and takes his hand. She looks him in the eyes. They burn with compassion and a fierce protectiveness. “I understand. For what it’s worth, my Ma and Pa would love you.”

He smiles softly at her. The two of them climb out of the little makeshift hideout they built years ago and walk back towards the main camp hand-in-hand. Mòrag and Samson will tease him mercilessly, but that’s alright.

[kathyrealmstales]

So I might have made Rottmnt headcanons… 10 to be exact… But this is only part two…

Some of them are based on funny ideas, others on real events with me and my own family. Each is labeled on who the headcanon is for, so if you are looking for specific ones for just Leo, It's there. Most of them though are either doubles or all of them together. Hope you enjoy it! If you guys like it, I make more of these.

Part 1

(Also just a heads up… NO TCEST!!! MY GOD, THEY ARE FAMILY! DO NOT SHIP THEM!!! AHHHH!!)

Minecraft (All of them, but they each have a paragraph) They all play Minecraft, That's just facts. April was the one to introduce it to them, she is really good at the game and can both build and do PVP well, but she mainly works with Building. She mainly makes minigames for the boys to go through and watches them suffer. She also has a dog army she named the Mayhem gang. Raph is not the best at the game at all, but he loves adopting every animal he sees, including Creepers, Zombies, Endermen, and Phantoms. His entire base is covered in them Donnie is the best at Redstone and basic building ideas, But he is horrible at PVP. The problem is that he keeps challenging people to PVP and then running away when he realizes he won't win. The only person he has beaten in a fight is Raph. But he died after because he forgot Raph has pet creepers and got blown up. Raph was sad his creeper died and Donnie had to pay him back Mikey is an amazing builder and okay with PVP, at least knows the basics of it. He makes these crazy builds and usually has these giant builds in the process of being made. The problem is actually being committed, He has a bunch of half-made buildings, that he left to go work on something else. And he won't let anyone else touch them so they stay half-built forever. Leo on the other hand is really good at PVP but horrible at the building. Which does not help when he wants to just chill. He likes to pull pranks on everyone on the server when bored and will scare others by being really quiet and then just showing up randomly to say hi. He mainly messes with Raph and Mikey. (Also he and Donnie made an Iron farm together and have a “Drug deal” with Mikey where Mikey can take all the Iron from it if Mikey builds for them) Splinter does play the game, but he mainly just messes around. He dies a lot and gets a bit upset at the game, but he likes to hang out with his kids and see what they are doing. He has a dead fish as his sword and smacks drown with it. He also has been free from Leo’s pranks, because Leo feels bad for his Dad, and tries to help him out.

Not normal collections... But to them it is. (The brothers) All the boys have something they collect that is strange. Mikey collects stickers and has an entire wall to them. They are all random and some of them he made himself. By the way, when I say a wall. I mean WALL! It’s an entire wall with stickers covering every inch. You can’t see the paint anymore. Raph collects Stuff animals, yes. But he also collects fluffy blankets and pillows and sleeps with every single one. He has been known for stealing his brother’s pillows and blankets before and has not given them back until someone steals them. And no, he is not even making a nest with it. He sleeps with all of these normally. And yes, he does have some bodypillows he has stolen from Donnie in there. But none of them have anime characters on them. They are just blank. Because they are the best. Leo collects comics, Action figures, and posters. Normal stuff. But he also collects Chinese fortune cookies fortunes. One day he just started doing it, and he has yet to stop. Luckily they don’t have Chinese much since they love pizza and have that all the time. But when they do, he asks everyone for their fortunes. Donnie tries to throw away his before Leo can get it, but Donnie has caught Leo going through the trash to get them. That's when they knew they had a problem and had to have a sit-down and tell him he needs to stop. …He has not stopped, but he does not go dumpster diving for them now. Donnie’s strange collection would be useful if he actually used it. He likes to collect boxes. No reason why, he just does. He thinks he could make something out of them, or use them for storage, but never does. Now there are a bunch of random boxes in his lab. And you would think he would throw them away. But he won't. (Might I also add these are not cardboard boxes, These are boxes with cool designs or interesting ways to open them. He has also secret container boxes that he saw online once.) His brothers will take some of the boxes from him and will throw them away for him. Making him believe they just needed the boxes for storage. And he won't even notice if one is missing.

Sour (Leo) Leo eats lemons, Not squeezed lemons or flavored lemon things. Just Lemons. He likes the sour taste. That's it. He just really likes sour tastes.

Winter (Starts just Mikey and Splinter, then full fam) When little tots, Mikey and Splinter to the surface on a summer day to get some stuff, and Mikey saw a random happy old dude with a white beard and a red t-shirt. And Instantly started yelling out Santa. Splinter was so embarrassed and ran away as soon as the guy turned around. Splinter then had to have the talk about how you can’t call people that. One time the boys decided they wanted to try catching Santa, so they got cameras and hid somewhere near the ceiling in hopes to see it. But when looking down there, they saw Splinter putting the gifts down. For a day they thought maybe their dad WAS Santa, before Splinter heard what they were talking about, and decided to tell them the truth. During winter, The boys go more feral and want more cuddles and sleep. They stack up on food, make little dens, and might even kidnap each other for cuddles. The worst is with Donnie who for some reason always surprise attacks one of his brothers and pulls them into his nest and forces them for cuddles. When it’s over he pretends it never happened. The brothers have their own tally of who was kidnapped each year. With Leo being in the lead. April and Splinter were spared somehow and the others don't know how.

[marinerainbow]

I got some new OC's, and it's that time of year again, so here is part 2 to

How my OC's celebrate Christmas

Here's part one in case you guys want it.

✨Shiny Weasel (WFRR/Tooniverse)✨️

Shiny actually prefers Christmas off. Other holidays she's willing to work on, but Christmas is the one she most prefers to have a day off from the club. Not for any particular reason. She doesn't go to church or plan on even being out at a bar. She just wants to have a good day to detox before the New Year. And Christmas seems to be the best time to do that (though everyone wants Christmas off, so Shiny has had to find ways to put her request in first, or convince one of her coworkers to take her shift).

And since the moonshine is her side hustle, she just lets her clients know she won't be available on that day. If they don't like it, well, sucks for them.

If toons are drawn, Shiny has no memory of spending Christmas with anyone. Aside from the fabricated memories her character is supposed to have. But if toons are born, she does get a little sentimental; she remembers what it was like spending the holidays with her mother before she passed. Might put up some decorations around the house just in honor of her.

How Shiny celebrates? Since she's trying to have one more relaxing day before the next biggest holiday, she plans on just staying home, eating good takeout and fancy chocolates she bought herself, and watching movies or listening to the radio. And trying out alcoholic eggnog concoctions she experiments with. If she's feeling lonely, she'll try inviting Terry or the co-workers she gets along with, or even the TP if she feels like she can put up with their insanity. After befriending Poppy, Pops gets set on the top of Shiny's 'people I'd invite' list.

She does give gifts to her favorite people. Though usually the day after, as that is when she's back to work and has the opportunity to play Ms. Clause with her coworkers. The presents have been bought a while ago, though, so if she does invite others over, she'll just take the opportunity to give them their gift at her place.

Sometimes Poppy invites her over, and she decides to indulge her girlfriend and just take her little party over to her apartment. They both get to have a fun, chill Christmas party of their own.

All in all, Shiny prefers to take it easy on Christmas. One of the few days out of the year where she actually slows down and chooses the comfort of her home than the comfort of night ^^

🦊Henry Foxworth (WFRR/Tooniverse)🦊

Ngl, Henry doesn't have too many friends... Who am I kidding? He has none. He's too much of a cheating backstabber to keep his relationships for long. And he hasn't talked to his family in a long time. So Henry is on his own during the holidays.

Fortunately for him, the Christmas season makes people more generous, so he gets a better haul on average. Sometimes, if he's really lucky, he gets enough cash to spend a night or two in a really fancy hotel and spoil himself.

Henry also treats himself by breaking into one of Toontowns farms and hanging out with the chickens. He's pretty calm and careful around them, so the chickens actually don't freak out. Sometimes, he can even hold one. It's a rare, genuinely soft Henry moment.

He's... Honestly not that good at gift giving 😅 truly. Even when he's being serious, one can receive some of the most random gifts from him. Poppy still remembers how he got her a book about medicine... She's not interested in going to medic school, but it was a nice read!

🐺Moony Wolf (WFRR/Tooniverse)🐺

As a construction worker, it can be difficult to get a good day off. Though around Christmas time in Toontown, the weather does get pretty hazardous even for toons. So he can also get lucky.

Moony has his dad he can visit, along with Cake he brings everywhere. It's always nice to see his father. Or if he was just drawn, Moony still has his pet bunny ^^ and he makes sure to give Poppy a call, too.

He has a more traditional way of celebrating. Putting on holiday films, having a nice dinner, recalling old stories if he's with people, etc. It's nice to be able to do all that.

All in all, a more traditional/simple kind of guy when it comes to Christmas, but it makes him happy, so what does it matter? ^^

Yes, he gets his baby Cake gifts, too. She can have a few extra carrots on Christmas as well. My guy spoils that rabbit XD

💔Ben Cottontail (WFRR/Tooniverse)💔

If toons are born, then Ben has a normal family situation. A mother and father, maybe a few siblings, and they all carry themsekves as traditionally as him. They don't like how he ended up in Downtown or his drinking, but they still welcome him to the family Christmas party.

They also have a more traditional Christmas celebration. Gift giving, stories by the fire, etc. Along with Ben's mother asking him why he hasn't found a wife yet (to which he constantly claims that he just hasn't found 'the one'. We all know why he hasn't found anyone 🙄)

If toons are drawn, then they are just fake memories. Which only aid in making Ben more bitter around this joyous time of year. He's got no one to share it with.

On his own, Ben would either buy some wine and stay home, have a civilized holiday unlike some of the 'riff-raff' of Toontown, or just go to an extra decorated bar. He can tell himself that with the extra decor, he's sticking with the jolly spirit.

🐭Terry Ratt T. (WFRR/Tooniverse)🐭

Terry doesn't live with anyone, and so far no family (I haven't figured out his family. Though they could have easily just died of old age, I imagine Terry to be around 50's or so). But he does have some friends. Coworkers at the factory, and Shiny.

Sometimes, he likes to hang out with them on the holidays, but they have their own families and traditions, so Terry chooses not to impose on that unless he's specifically invited. More often than not, he and Shiny spend time together on Christmas, though he knows that this is more like a self-care day for her. So even then, it's not a yearly tradition for them.

It's kind of similar to Shiny,,how he celebrates. Though he actually goes out to do it; on his own usually, to a bar or a park or anywhere else, admire the pretty decorations. Just- more subtly getting into the Christmas spirit.

When it comes to gift giving, Terry is like that one relative you always got socks from as a kid, and only as an adult you really realize how valuable that was. He'll gift you essentials you may not even realize you were running low on. Living on his own, he's become pretty aware of what he needs, but knows that others struggle with it regardless of their living situation. So even if they may not appreciate it so much in the moment, it's relieving to him at least knowing they have that thing they need.

I hope you guys like these! And Merry early Christmas ^^

[fuck-yeah-classic-monsters]

Totally random, but I sincerely hope the sweetest man who got me into Godzilla had a wonderful day yesterday. I hope he’s doing well, he was an awesome dude and I’m grateful for all the memories I have of/with him as a kid. 

He was my grandmother’s boyfriend when I was younger, he never acted like a ‘grandpa’ and he loathed being referred to as that from my cousin. But whenever he’d come back from either the farm or work, he’d be totally excited to know I was visiting. We’d get ice cream and watch Godzilla movies together. I knew this dude from when I was little to about 6, and I always hold him and his father dear to me. I just have fond memories of horses, cowboy stuff, Roxy Music, and Godzilla. Also this blue truck of his that we’d always go somewhere fun in. 

I remember when they were breaking up, it wasn’t this tragic horrific breakup, just the relationship between him and my grandmother was up(my grandma is SUPER young btw) he was super chill about it and I just remember him giving me a few of his Godzilla’s and saying he’d miss me and my mom/dad. He was such an awesome human it’s hard to explain.

I truly hope he’s well, I hope he has a nice ranch up north. I’m thankful he gave me that little slice of imagination that’s still lived with me at 31. I think about the dude during his birthday and Godzilla’s because he was just an awesome dude to me. 

I hope he knows I thought about him yesterday, and that I hope he has moose track ice cream. 

Thanks Brian, you deserve the best in the world. I hope I can see you one more time before I leave California. I haven’t seen you since but I know if you ever saw my family you’d be ecstatic. 

[thecandywrites]

Monster March 2023 Day 26- Werewolf Part 2

Puppy Love? Or the Real Thing?

Because we all know that besides the super hot werewolf sex- it's the whole 'you're my mate' thing that draws us in to werewolves in the first place. At least, for me it does. And this is also where the story leaves reality and enters fantasy. And where, I wish things could have gone, had I the courage to actually ask any of those way too fucking hot farm boys- to bend me over between the northern highbush varieties of blueberries (we are talking a single blueberry bush the size of a small car) and plow me better than the fields ever got to be. And I could have gotten just as knocked up as my mom always seemed to be when we would go. The fact that she did it twice and we did it regularly enough that the actual Leducs recognized my mom, watched the belly bump grow during summer and would come back with a little baby the next year? And they would hold my little sisters and tease them that they were almost Leduc babies the same way we have the Gerber Baby. That was fun.

Also, as you can see, I just had to face cast Tim Allen- aka- any 90's kid would recognize Tim- the Tool Man- Taylor as Sasha's dad. And then because my husband loves Justified, I couldn't help but have Nick Searcy, who played Art Mullin on Justified as Tristan's dad. Because in Justified, he played a character who I would have loved to have as a dad or even a father in law.

So even though the Leduc's sold the blueberry part of their berry farm over to the Berry Brothers a few years ago (for nealy 20 million, which, good for them.) But it let them focus on the Leduc Strawberry Farm. And the Berry Brothers turned that barn that was once just purely there for U-pick stuff and sales of the blueberries the migrant workers picked. And they upgraded that barn. And when I say upgraded, like, UPGRADED. It's all enclosed, air conditioned, it has a bakery, a restaurant/cafe. All blueberry goods and products for sale, including blueberry wine and hard cider. And you can still buy the actual Leduc Blueberries. Granted, they are A LOT more expensive than what they used to be, but, in my humble opinion, still the best and worth every penny. Like my sisters who still live in Michigan, when they come down to visit, they actually drive all the way out there just to get me a 10lb box. I think it costs them like $30 bucks now. But to me? Priceless.

But, the Leduc blueberry is a northern highbush. At least to my knowledge. Which means that bush gets huge but it also has very high chilll hour requirements. And where I live, the weather does not give me those chill hours requirements. And blueberry bushes are finickey enough, that if it's NOT cold enough, they die. Everything else- if it gets a frost, it dies. But not blueberries, they're practically polar bears, they're out there going "Bring it on! You call that cold? It's still above 0, I need that negative numbers baby!" Or at least, that's what it's like for the true northern highbushes.

Which is why I planted Kabluey blueberry bushes, which are southern lowbush crosses which need low chill hours. So I'm not without entirely. It's never going to be the same or as good as Leducs. But damn it, southern Ohio just doesn't have the chill hours to support the northern highbush varieties of blueberries. So southern lowbush with low or no chill hour requirement I must go. Not the same. But better than nothing.

Part 2

The next day, Tristan woke up extra early and braved the cold shower in order to get clean and actually dressed in his nicer work clothes and even worked out a little so he would be good and strong and ready and primed when Frank and hopefully Sasha too would come and was downright antsy all morning. 

Right at 10, a huge box truck, with Wright Plumbing written on the side came into the driveway and Tristan nearly shifted so he could wag his werewolf tail to see Sasha again. She was wearing a Cabella’s baseball cap. And…overalls and even a baggy long sleeved shirt and not a flick of makeup. But she didn’t need it, if anything she was just as pretty now as she had been when he saw her last. But she had a little tupperware container in her hands as she went up to the door, where Tristan and his dad were ready.

“Hello Mr. Leduc, I’m Frank, this is my daughter Sasha who brought you some Kabluey blueberries?” Frank said as he gestured to her before she offered the small tupperware container, opening it up for them as she did so.

“Why thank you, so kindly Miss Sasha.” Chuck smiled happily as he opened it up and took a few and threw them into his mouth as Tristan thrust his hand into the small tupperware container and got some. 

“Oh, oh these are good. Really good! Damn near perfect for a blueberry.” Chuck praised as Tristan nodded in agreement. 

“Tristan said that you know a thing or two about blueberries?” Chuck asked Sasha. 

“Not as much as your son does, obviously. I’m just getting into them. But this place has always had the best blueberries. And so we have a little farm and we worked on the orchard last year  and this year, we’ve been working on the berries, specifically the blueberries and so I got containers for all of them and I’m trying to grow them up to see which ones I like best and then figure out where I want to plant them where they’ll get the right amount of sun and best soil conditions and when which variety will be in season so we can have blueberries throughout the summer, just like you do. So if anything, it’s you and your farm that inspired me and mine. And I’m honored that you would even entertain the idea of trying them. Thank you.” Sasha explained and Chuck was ready to take Tristan down to the jewelry store to buy him an engagement ring right then and there for Sasha. He could see what his son saw- plain as day. And Tristan had been right, just meeting her in person was like being in warm sunshine. Very sweet and very personable. 

“Well I’m honored too. That’s mighty fine praise Miss Sasha. Where’d you find ‘em?” Chuck asked. 

“Oh, I brought the catalog with me. I’ll be right back.” She offered as she put the container into Chuck’s hands before she left and got the catalog and turned it to the page they were featured on and handed it over to him to look over. 

“Huh. Well how about that.” Chuck appraised as he looked it over as he invited them into the house while Tristan got another handful of the blueberries that were practically like candy to him. Because they were- in all honesty, a really good blueberry. But they were also might have been little sapphires- for how precious they were to him. 

“So did your mom go into labor yet?” Tristan asked before Sasha barked a laugh. 

“No, I wish, but the baby did drop, so now my mom can breathe a bit easier. But the other things that are precursors to labor have already happened. So she’s due any day now. But knowing her, it could either be today or a week, if not two weeks from now?.” She shook her head no with a shrug. 

“But I’ll bet you’re still relieved you didn’t have to worry about getting EMT’s into your blueberry field huh? Although nothing feeds fields like blood does. They don’t sell blood meal for nothing. Plus, you guys would have a new kind of Leduc baby on your hands eh?” She offered. And it was when she said the ‘eh’ was a very…Canadian sounding ‘aye’.

“Girl, where’d you get an accent like that? You Canadian?” Chuck asked and Tristan wanted to face palm himself. 

“Oh, she gets that from her mother. Her mother was raised in Alaska.” Frank explained. 

“And all Alaska is- is Canada to the left. So, yeah, strong Canadian accent. And he was stationed at Eielson Airforce Base- right outside Anchorage. So once he finished his servitude, he met my mom and had me and Autumn up there. So technically I’m from there too. But we moved away and moved here once Ellis came along and Grandma and Grandpa needed the help with their declining health.” Sasha explained with a dismissive wave. 

“Ellis?” Chuck asked. 

“Short for Amaryllis. She’s out of her terrible twos and has gone head first into terrorizing threes.” Sasha explained with a light laugh. 

“Mmmhmm.” Tristan hummed and nodded his agreement because his youngest brother just turned four and was just as much of a terrible terrorist as he was when he was two and three, but now was big enough to do real damage when he could and would. Especially when he shifted. 

“So yeah, that makes me Sasha-Sabine, Autumn, Amaryllis, and now Arianna. A single S in a sea of A’s. Like you Dad, living in the middle of the estrogen ocean?” Sasha teased her dad with a crinkle of her adorable nose as her dad barked a laugh. 

“So four, and still not a single boy?” Chuck asked Frank. 

“Nope, my wife says if we have another girl after this, she’s done. What about you?” Frank asked. 

“Oh, I’m on the other end of that spectrum. Four boys. Each one,  even more rough and tumble than the last, we barely got the last one house trained. We kept trying for a girl and after four, my wife just said- no. And little Tyson is four now. And those terrible twos and terrorist threes have compounded into the fearsome fours.” Chuck laughed as Tristan’s cheeks darkened because being ware- house training was a big thing especially once kids would shift at an early age. 

“They’re eating you out of house and home huh?” Frank teased which got Chuck to bark a laugh. 

“You have no idea. I keep tellin them, there’s more than enough blueberries right across the street, just for the picking.” Chuck said as he gestured to where the blueberries were on the other side of the road. 

“Well this one is trying to turn our little farm into one of those self sufficient homestead farms Renee had when she was growing up in Alaska, it’s been their pet project since we built the place in the first place.” Frank listed off as she gestured to his daughter Sasha.  

“Oh, nice.” Chuck smiled approvingly as Sasha started looking more and more like the perfect daughter in law material, especially for Tristan right about now. 

“Well with her gift for it, you better be keeping a good eye on her, or she’ll get scooped up and swept up off her feet by any other farmer, especially the blueberry farming families. I know just about every blueberry farmer from Maryland to here in Michigan all the way out to Minnisota would give just about anything to have a girl like her in their family. Most kids can hardly name their fruits and vegetables, let alone know there is a difference between the different kinds.” Chuck goodnaturedly teased as he gestured to Sasha with the magazine rolled up in his hands as Tristan wanted to die as his cheeks and Sasha’s cheeks went strawberry red. 

“Well that’s why parents should introduce kids to where their food comes from. Like blueberry farms like yours so they can find out for themselves and find out just how much work goes into it in the first place.” Sasha managed to tactfully reply with a polite smile. 

“Aw shucks Miss Sasha, you’re buttering me up like I’m a dinner roll.” Chuck waived off with a fond grin. 

“Speaking of rolls, that’s quite the southern drawl you have, Sir.” Sasha noted. 

“That’s because I’m from the hills of Tennessee. Grew up only a stones throw away from where Dolly Parton built Dollywood.” He explained. 

“Then how’d you get up here?” Sasha asked curiously. 

“Oh this is my wife’s family business. They’re the Lauschs.” He explained. 

“Oh that’s wonderful. And especially from the biodiversity that you guys have on your farms, between the different varieties of blueberries. Not only do you get a longer season, but should one kind fall prey to either a disease or other pest, at least you would have the others to fall back on. So not all your eggs are in one basket, even if all the baskets themselves are blue.” Sasha praised. 

“Girl, you keep talking about that, and Tristan’s kin will hear you and come running from a 200 mile radius, each with an engagement ring, bigger than the last.” Chuck teased Sasha. 

“Ha! Well they need to get in line. She already made a lot of friends in the apple orchard community last year with making her orchard so we can have apples from August to November. But I have a firm- bachelor’s with a degree before bachelors with a T.” Frank insisted before Chuck outright busted up laughing a deep belly laugh. 

“If she was my daughter I’d feel the same way too!” Chuck laughed.

“But enough about me, let’s get a look at that water heater.” Sasha urged her dad and his. 

“Right this way.” Chuck had the pair follow him into the basement where it was as Sasha pulled out a small pad of paper and a pen and started writing things down as Frank started to list them all off and once he was done, Sasha repeated it all back to him to make sure she had heard her dad correctly before double checking which tools he would need first before Frank confirmed that she had heard him right and once he gave her the nod, she left and got to work as he continued to inspect the basement and told them that he was going to shut the water off for a while before Chuck urged Tristan to relay that message to everyone else in the family. 

But when Tristan left the house, he saw Sasha talking to an orc who was also in a Wright Plumbing truck for a moment before she smiled nodded and patted his arm before he drove off again with a waive. 

“Your boyfriend?” Tristan asked. 

“Huh?” She asked as she opened up her dad’s work truck to get the supplies she needed. 

“The …other guy in the Wright Plumbing Truck?” Tristan asked as he gestured to where the orc had driven off to. 

“Oh. No that’s Kihro. That’s my cousin Brianna’s boyfriend. He was just asking if my family was going to be with Brie’s and go to the beach with him and his family this weekend or not. And I told him, I had no idea, it depended on whether or not my mom went into labor or not. So no, he’s not my boyfriend. I don’t have one of those myself, obviously, the whole bachelors with a degree before bachelors with a T is a real thing with myself, my sisters and my dad.” Sasha admitted as she got what she needed from the various compartments in the truck and put them into the five gallon bucket that served as her basket for all intensive purposes. 

“Oh. Well, I’m sorry if my dad embarrassed you with all that, farmers from here to Minnisota with engagement rings…thing. That was a bit excessive.” Tristan offered even though he would have given anything for one right to magically appear in his pocket. 

“It’s ok. Every father who sees plumbing as a respectable profession and sees me as a shoe in with my dad’s business, usually tries to see what it takes for their sons to date me, even when the sons have no personal interest in the first place, so if anything I’m sorry your dad did that and put you on the spot like that, you poor thing. Is he so desperate to get you married off that he tries to pawn you off on every girl who comes to the farm who shows any interest in farming herself?” Sasha asked as she sorted through the coupling attachment bags to get the right ones for the brand new water heater next to her in the back of the truck. 

“Actually no, thank goodness.” Tristan shook his head no. 

“Well, you’re lucky then. Because I get all the time, not from my dad, but every other one I meet who sees me and sees daughter in law material. If it’s not the other contractors, it’s the other businesses owners period because my dad is part of not just the Plumber’s Union, but with the Business Owner’s Association. Trying to make all the business connections they can. And it’s the home shows that they tend to come out in droves.” She muttered rather irritably as she continued to go through the various bins to get what she needed as Tristan felt a sense of panic and a sense of possessiveness try to come over him as he had to reach out and clutch the edge of the door to ground himself to keep himself from shifting to keep himself from scenting her so she at least wouldn’t have an issue with other wares at least. 

“Or the issue that came up with Kihro when he expressed an interest in Brie was that his dad was a partner with our dad’s. And he wanted to make sure it was known that he was doing so because he was genuinely interested in Brianna herself, not because she’s the boss’ daughter or that she has a stake in the company, same as me and same as all of our sisters do too. And the hoops he’s had to jump through to prove that have been quite numerous. Because that’s always going to be an ulterior motive for any other plumber, especially other plumbing outfits who want to either take us over or infiltrate or whatever. It’s something that Brie and I have simply grown up with and gotten used to. Because we are both the ones who get it the most because we spent just about every summer with our dads since we were old enough to read a tape measure. Especially when we’re both our father’s right hand girls and firstborns, and firstborn daughters to boot. Even when we both want nothing to do with plumbing as a career for ourselves.” Sasha explained. 

“Well, I’m sorry you have to deal with that. Must be exhausting having your guard up all the time and always wondering or assuming everyone has an ulterior business motive.” Tristan offered, damning himself with every word as he couldn’t even bring himself to look up at her as Sasha paused and looked at him thoughtfully and couldn’t help but smile crookedly as she subtly shook her head while biting her lip, damning herself for going off like that. Her and her tongue were going to dig her own grave one of these days before she sat down on the end of the truck in the middle to more or less be eye level with him. 

“I’m sorry your dad just practically offered you up to me on a silver platter even when you weren’t even interested just to get immediately shot down and slapped away. That was rather cruel, and I’m sorry.” She offered. 

“Oh, psh, don’t worry about it.” He tried to waive off. 

“Are you saying that to save what’s left of your pride and to ease the discomfort? Or do you really mean what you say when you say that?” Sasha practically whispered. 

“That obvious? Am I actually bleeding?” Tristan sniffed and rubbed at his nose before he tried to joke and look down at his shirt. 

“Ok, let’s clear the air and back it up a minute. And pretend like the last… half an hour didn’t just happen.” Sasha insisted as she did a reverse rolling gesture with her hands. 

“Last week we were friendly acquaintances. Do you want us to stay that way, or would you like for us to actually be friends? Or are you actually, genuinely interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with me?” She asked. 

“Well I was hoping for at least friends.” Tristan offered because at least from there, he could build from there. 

“And seeing where it could and would go from there?” Sasha questioned. 

“Yeah.” Tristan nodded. 

“I’m ok with that. Friends for now, and we’ll see how and where it could go from here.” Sasha smiled as she pat him on the shoulder and then used her touch to help herself to stand up again and finish her task at hand. She was happy he had at least braced himself to lean into it and help her up. Which she appreciated the silent ask and wordless assist, which she took as a very good sign. 

“So beach this weekend? Which one?” Tristan asked hopefully. 

“South Haven. We were getting there in the late afternoon to swim and then grill dinner right on the beach. You and your family could always come there and just happen to run into us there. Because coincidences do occur and you live right off 43 that takes you straight there. That is however, unless my mom goes into labor before then, but if that happens, I could always give you a call.” Sasha offered with a wink that brought a small, but hopeful smile to Tristan’s face at the chance she was giving him as she handed him her phone with a new contact page already brought up on it. 

“Sounds like a plan.” Tristan smiled happily as he happily put his name and number and all other contact information into her phone before he used it to call himself so he would have her number on his phone and add her to his contacts that way. 

“So how are things going on The Wright Birthing Plan homefront?” Tristan asked, trying to bring the focus back to her and back to something he knew she would be more comfortable discussing and the bright, happy smile she gave him was better than any rainbow after a pop up thunderstorm, which he could tell was in the cards for today. 

“Good. I put that 10 dollars into a fund for monogrammed scrubs.” She smiled happily as she took her phone back and slid it into her pocket. 

“My mom works at a maternity center, has been ever since we moved from Alaska to Michigan. Because in Alaska, she was practically on her own besides her own mom and other sisters. And it was my mom who was my aunt’s midwife back in Alaska. And because my dad and his brother George were Irish Twins- when George went to leave home and join the armed forces, my dad went ‘don’t leave without me’. And when my uncle met my aunt, and they got together and got pregnant with Brie, my aunt hired my mom as her midwife and because my dad and my uncle were the only family they had and that’s how my parents met. And by the time my mom delivered Brie, she was already seven months pregnant with me. And when my uncle’s father in law practically adopted my uncle, he adopted my dad too. To the point he’s practically my grandpa too. And when my dad’s biological parent’s health went downhill, my dad and my uncle both moved their families down here and took Granny and Papa with them. But my Mom has been taken it easy and specifically didn’t take on any other new clients since she found out she was expecting, because she didn’t want to be in the middle of labor herself while helping another woman in labor too. Plus Autumn called dibs on staying with my mom today anyway. But it worked out. Because when your dad called last night, I was just testing the Kablueys and they were just right about perfect today. Plus your dad was just teasing anyway. I can take a joke.” Sasha smiled fondly before she took down various pipes down and put them to the side to cut up and use later. 

“He wasn’t joking. That may have been his delivery. But he wasn’t saying that just to tease, he was trying to warn you in all seriousness.” Tristan revealed. 

“Yeah, I got the sense of that too. I can’t blame him honestly. With Corporate Farming taking more and more family farms and turning and burning the land growing only winter wheat, or feed corn or soy just for pork or beef industry. Small family farmers are having to get creative with ways to stay afloat and keep the farm, let alone their livelihood. And the old ways of tending to the land and instead of spraying weedkiller and pesticides to make the soil practically toxic and unable to grow anything other than what you very carefully plant right there all while chopping down habitat, draining lakes to make more fields or outright diverting whole river systems because they’re “inconvenient” to their big corporate plans that look great on paper but are shit in practice. And with the consumer so far removed from where their food comes from. Most of my friends can’t comprehend that that cheap hamburger meat you buy at the supermarket wasn’t born that way and have no idea that red delicious apples are actually supposed to be delicious when you pick them right off the tree when they’re ripe. And not weeks and months before and have to spray wax on them and hope they ripen up and rot before they can ripen in storage while they’re being transported to cities. And that a lot had to happen to get it to that point. And then you have retards on the other end of the spectrum who are all about ‘I only eat organic non GMO’s’ when organic farming can be worse for the environment than traditional or “old fashioned” farming. GMO’s are not the end of the world, GMO’s are the reason we have food supplies year round. Hell every domesticated dog is a GMO. And to get people to realize that with everything- there’s a damn spectrum. And neither side is necessarily “wrong”. But that don’t make ignorance about any of it “right” either. But that’s just my humble opinion. Don’t have to like it or even agree with it. I’m sure you could probably talk my ears off about it yourself.” Sasha appraised. 

“Actually, you and I see eye to eye on…everything you just said about it. I absolutely agree, there’s a spectrum to farming. And while monoculture is dangerous. Because if every house in the neighborhood has the same lock to their doors, and the burglar has the key to the lock, the whole neighborhood is compromised. But the big corporate farms don’t care. It’s all about what’s on paper and what the stock market does, without a care at all about the land and the surrounding area itself. GMO’s have their place, as long as it’s within reason and there’s a balance between them and the heirloom varieties of things. Hell I don’t think anyone would even recognize what corn, or watermelon or anything else used to look like before civilization got ahold of it. Because I can tell you, I know of several farmers tried to go full organic and they get people who drive hours just to come and get their non-GMO - organic whatever. But those people are flakey at best and while they preach Non-GMO and only organic. It’s not always what they practice, and will usually fall back on the comfort of the familiar and convenience. And honestly, in my own humble opinion, it’s usually not worth that fancy sticker they like to put on it.” Tristan offered. 

“Well I’m happy we can agree on that much at least and we definitely see eye to eye. And a lot of people have no idea, that in order to get that produce for door buster deals, it’s either mechanized farming or someone is getting underpaid to pick it in the first place. So what I like to ask those uppity snobs is- what’s worse? Abusing people or abusing the land and the environment? Because the only way to not do either- is to do it yourself. And frankly those same people are just way too lazy to do it themselves, from the comfort of their Lazy-Boy while their foreign and underprivileged housekeeper sweeps under their lazy asses.” 

“Amen!” Tristan practically crooned before they gave each other a high five which got them to both laugh. 

“But I still appreciate your dad’s warning all the same. Every really good mom tends to want to adopt and look out for every child within line of sight and earshot or hell, a five to fifty mile radius and every good dad tends to do the same. And if you don’t have any sisters. I probably represent what he would want most in one if he got one himself.” Sasha shrugged. 

“You do.” Tristan nodded in confirmation. 

“Well, he wouldn’t be the first to give that kind of warning, I’ve heard it way too many times already and I’ve heeded it best I can. Last year when I was picking out apples to plant in my own mini orchard, I had the same thing happen with all of those families too. Every dad in the business who had kids who wanted nothing to do with the family farm had the same reaction that your dad just had. So, again, I’m used to it. It happens to me, every time I interact with anyone my parent’s age.” Sasha sighed as she waived it off while she double checked her check list off as her shoulders sagged a bit and Tristan worried that himself and his dad probably pushed things too far and suddenly in Sasha’s eye, let alone mind and heart got grouped in with all the others, and in trying to get a chance, they blew it as Tristan took a step back before Sasha turned her attention back to him. 

“Hey Tristan?” She asked. 

“Yeah?” He asked as he took two steps forward. 

“Are you expected to stay in the blueberry business? Or was there something else you wanted for your life instead?” Sasha asked him. 

“Oh, technically I don’t have to. My older brother Gabe says he’s gonna take it over for my dad.” Tristan answered. 

“Well do you even like it? Or is it simply just - all you know?” Sasha asked thoughtfully, without a hint of judgment. Which helped Tristan feel comfortable confiding in her. 

“Eh, it’s ok. But I feel kinda stupid because it kinda is what I know most about.” He admitted. 

“Well you could always go into an adjacent field or be the bridge between this one and something else.” She offered. 

“How do you mean?” Tristan asked curiously. 

“Well, last year, when I was researching what apples to get for my little hobby farm. I talked to a lot of the apple orchard farmers. And how they feel like they have one kid to pass on the family farm to. But another one who has no idea what to do but they don’t really want the farm itself, just something of their own, related but not the same. So because Saint Julian has their winery close by. You could always partner up and make a blueberry wine. Or you could even join a micro brewery or even start your own and do something akin to hard cider but with blueberries. Because a lot of the apple orchards are getting into the hard cider business with a lot of their excess from the traditional U-pick style. You could always do something like that. And with my family and our business, we service a lot of other businesses so we were able to make some introductions. So there’s always that. Although this year, the apple guys are getting their feet wet so to speak and at least will be making small batches of hard cider. Which they promised me and Brie at least a cup of.” Sasha shrugged again. 

“How old are you?” He asked in astonishment. 

“I’ll be 18 in September, why? How old are you?” She asked. 

“Just turned 18 last month. But you talk and act like you’re twice as old as you are.” Tristan praised. 

“Yeah, first born daughters get that. Because first born sons are their mother’s little princes half the time. My Cousin Brie, the middle child in her family is a boy- Gavin- and you’d think he was the prince of his principality, spoiled brat, damn addicted to fortnight and roblox. But that’s better than him being addicted to porn I think.” Sasha grumbled before Tristan outright choked on his spit. 

“You ok?” Sasha asked. 

“Yeah, just…wow, you have no problems speaking your mind. And I wasn’t expecting you to go there. But you did and I respect it. And admire it, it’s refreshing. I like it that you don’t mince your words or beat about the bush. I like it that you’re pretty frank at least it’s easy to tell where anyone stands with you.” Tristan once he regained his own composure even though he was sure his ears were as red as rhubarb. 

“Yeah, I get in trouble for it a lot too. Because I lack “tact” and “discretion” and I usually offend people about two seconds after I make them laugh.” Sasha admitted. 

“Well I ain’t offended yet. Not even close.” Tristan reassured her which earned him another appreciative smile. 

“Thanks. Anyway, what I was trying to say before was that first born daughters are the second mothers- to the younger siblings. They’re the second wives to their fathers as far as domestic labor goes, like doing dishes and laundry and cooking and all that. They are therapists, confidants and assistants to their mothers. And while boys are encouraged to go out and play and do sports. It’s girls who usually have to be inside and learn how to fold more than just their own laundry, but everyone else’s. And how to fold towels and blankets and how to get various kinds of stains out and all that too. So what you see as a mature, is in reality, our childhoods are simply taken and replaced with more responsibilities than anyone else and we are forced to grow up and be mature faster than every other child in our age group because we’re expected to, and things go to shit if we don’t.” Sasha expounded. 

“And more and more, you’re seeing women having to join the workforce on top of doing all the domestic labor too, which for me, is bullshit. Because if you share your home with someone, it better be as someone who is an equal in all things. If you’re hungry? Learn how to cook. If your clothes are dirty? Learn how to wash them. If things are dirty, clean it up. Especially if it’s your own mess. Men have two hands too, learn to do that shit too. And don’t think that just because a guy has a 9-5 that gets them out of doing any of the domestic labor in the first place. And more and more women are realizing that men need to bring more to a relationship than a penis and a paycheck. Because women deserve the same pay for the same work and vibrators are totally a thing.” Sasha stressed before she looked pointedly at Tristan. 

“Still not offended. Still in agreement.” Tristan nodded which got her to smile victoriously. 

“So what most don’t think to realize is - is by doing that to girls, firstborn daughters especially, you make incredibly strong, independent, entirely self-sufficient individuals who expect the same of their domestic partners. And the reason you saw me talking to Brie’s amazing boyfriend, is because he is also one of those kinds of people. He may work with my dad and my uncle, but by the gods in heaven above, he is his own man in every respect. He could start his own plumbing business tomorrow if he really wanted to because he helps his dad run the downtown branch in Kazoo. How he got out here, is he went to get Brie some blueberries because she’s down again because her health isn’t the best. But he does his own laundry in addition to the family’s laundry, he does dishes, helps his siblings with their homework and cooks. And not just cooks, like finger licking- stick to your ribs- soul food kind of cooking too. And my cousin and I are both pretty good cooks, but he can cook us both practically under the table, when he’s not drinking us under the table in the process. Now granted he ain’t perfect. But he’s my gold standard for guys. But he’s like the one in a million kind of guy. And while I’m happy for Brie, I just wish the universe made, like a second one of him. Because my luck with guys is dismal at best and that’s why I am doing by best to cling to that bachelor’s with a degree instead of a T thing- no matter how tempting any guy usually appears for all of about five minutes before I say just the right or wrong thing and I get to unlock that ugly, self entitled, selfish prick asshole side they try to hide from me.” Sasha grumped as she managed to get the toolbox her dad would need out from under the bench where he had practically shoved it into place last. 

“Because usually when fathers ask what kind of guy it’ll take to court myself and my sisters and cousins, when we answer that it’ll be a guy who is grown, independent, completely self sufficient and is willing and capable to cook his own meals, clean his own dishes, clean his own house instead of just his vehicle and only his vehicle. And keep it that way and keep a house the same as any female homemaker is expected to- on top of their own secular work. Because that’s the bare minimum every single mother is expected to do and be. And if he can’t be the same. He’s not worth my time, or any of my sister’s time or any of my cousin’s time.” Sasha explained and Tristan suddenly felt the strongest, most intense self possession to do and be exactly that. And now he had goals to make and reach for himself. Because that was the standard a real woman like Sasha wanted and needed for himself and he felt he needed to rise to it. 

“I agree. So the brewery and the winery things sound great. You’ve done me and my family a great service, not just with this and the Kabluey blueberry thing. But those both sound like great ideas. How much would it be for an introduction into those ventures?” Tristan asked as Sasha was impressed he hadn’t argued with her about the whole domestic chores- thing. Most guys usually did. Or usually backed off and backed away at that point. But if anything Tristan had taken a strong, confident but still relaxed stance and his body language showed he wasn’t trying to hide or conceal anything and not put on a front either, which Sasha really appreciated. 

“Oh, it’d be free, you just would have to be in agreement with your brothers and your dad about it. Because you said they have the farm right?” Sasha reminded him as she began to really appraise just what kind of man was before her. He was strong like she expected any hard working farm boy to be. But he had modern and forward ways of thinking and seemed to strike a nice balance between the two. No wonder she was drawn to him as much as she was and she found she was desperately trying to grasp at straws here trying to find something, anything that would be something to make him not look like the damn fine young man he seemed to be when they saw each other last.  

“Well, not all of it. I currently have my name on about fifty acres myself. It’s where my parents are trying to cross breed a few varieties so we will have an official Leduc variety of blueberry.” He revealed. It was supposed to be a super top secret family secret that had been the last few years in the making. But for Sasha, if it was something that could make him stand out and separate himself in her mind from all the others, he was going to take it and use it.  

“Now that is what you need to bring to the table when you meet with the wineries and other microbreweries along with a variety of blueberries and their different characteristics because they may see something different in what you have than you do.” Sasha encouraged him. 

“What about breweries?” Chuck asked as he and Frank joined them outside before Sasha handed her dad the bucket of items she had collected for him and gave him the corresponding toolbox he would need. 

“Oh I was asking Tristan what he wanted do with his future. And when he mentioned that he wasn’t entirely sure, I suggested to him the same thing I told all the other kids of the orchards I visited last year, to go into an adjacent field. So a lot of the orchards are getting into the hard cider business and starting their own microbreweries to go with it. And with blueberries, they have plenty of sugars. You could totally make a blueberry hard cider or even go to the wineries. Saint Julian is pretty close to here, you could meet with them and make a blueberry wine or learn how to make your own. Or you could take Leduc farms and really make it- it’s own destination. Not just a u-pick farm. But Tristan clued me into the fact that you’re trying to cross breed different varieties, he didn’t tell me which ones, but you were trying to make your own official Leduc blueberry. So take it and either come out with a line of blueberry goods, more than just the whole- pies, muffins, scones and other baked goods, candies, fruit snacks, jellies and jams. But things like pancake mixes, salsas, wine, beer. The possibilities are endless really.” Sasha explained. 

“If you don’t mind me saying so.” Sasha added when she had a hard time reading Chuck’s surprised and floored expression.

“Sorry, did I overstep my bounds again and tell people their own business again Dad? I’m sorry. I do that. It’s not very professional…” Sasha began to apologize before Tristan and his dad both immediately interrupted her.

“No! No! Not at all! That’s brilliant! Frank, seriously. You need to be paying her the same wage you pay yourself for the hard work she does. And, Young Lady. You need to be charging by the hour to give that kind of business advice. Most business experts would charge thousands of dollars for what you just did. In fact, Miss Sasha, let me get you my checkbook, and write you a check right now for that.” Chuck insisted. 

“No, no, it’s ok. We were just bouncing ideas off of each other. It’s not meant to be business advice like that.” Sasha immediately put her hands up to stop him. 

“She even said she has contacts she could put us into contact with- for both the winery and the microbreweries.” Tristan added to his dad. 

“Well, shoot. Little Lady, you do that, I’ll give you every variety of blueberry bush we have here and every one you could ever want from here to the U.P. to Maryland to Minnisota to Indiana and even Ohio and Pennsylvania. Hell, you put us in touch with those folks and we’ll name a beverage after you and give you the royalties to it too.” Chuck offered and for once Sasha’s pretty blue eyes nearly popped out of her head. 

“Deal.” Frank agreed before he urged Sasha to pull her phone out and make those phone calls to get Chuck and his family in touch with her other contacts while Tristan helped Frank with what he needed while learning all they could from him while Chuck and his wife Crystal and their son Gabe talked to Sasha at the kitchen table as she made phone calls and set up meet and greets for them. 

“You like Sasha don’t you?” Frank asked Tristan as they worked in the basement as Tristan got to learn the names of different kinds of tools and learn what fittings were what as he helped Frank since Sasha was busy with his dad and his eldest brother.  

“I do.” Tristan confirmed. 

“Sasha has a lot of boys after her. Always has since she became a teenager. So I’ll give you the same advice I gave all of them. Sasha has had to grow up fast, not entirely by choice either. And while I regret I took a lot from her childhood early on because my father in law and my brothers were trying to start this business, because she’s had to grow and mature so early- it means she won’t put up with any immaturity in anyone else. She has no tolerance for abuse of any kind and won’t put up with any shit from anyone for anything, traditions and customs be damned. She’s a very driven individual and has always had a clear vision of what she wants for herself and all the steps she has to take to get there. So she’s going to probably want someone similar to herself in those respects. And while she can be spontaneous and fun loving, she’s also pretty serious about a lot of things. And she won’t like to take something that is a hobby for her, and have all the fun she has doing it- taken out of it- by always thinking about money and the bottom line and making a fun hobby into a side hustle and grind. She doesn’t do anything half assed and she goes head first into everything she wants to do. She’s an all in kind of girl. So beware ok? Don’t let those big blue eyes, blonde hair and cute button nose fool you, I’ve seen her cut people down to the core with a look and a remark. That razor sharp wit she has, can be either hilarious or hurtful and not much in between.” Frank honestly warned him. 

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Tristan nodded.  

“Our family has had to go through some hard times so I’m pretty sure the reason why she’s so hell bent on having a homestead farm is because in Alaska there was a lot of food scarcity because of the 9 months of solid winter. So ever since she’s been in charge of cooking and keeping track of our pantry. She keeps it full at all times. And it almost borders on food hoarding. But we are a big family and we go through it pretty well. So I know there’s a saying that ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’. That’s true for her. The way to her heart is through hers, at least what I’ve seen. Her cousin Brie is dating an orc and Sasha has turned greener than the orc Brie’s dating ever was- with jealous and envy that he cooks for Brie when she can’t even get her own mother to make more than a salad or her own sister to bake anything other than cookies from a tub of cookie dough and while her and I do a lot of BBQ together, especially on the weekends. Through the week, it falls to her most of the time. So maybe start there.” Frank revealed in a low murmur. 

“Duly noted.” Tristan nodded in understanding. 

“Oh and she’s into horses too. She wants to get a blue roan and call it Kabluey just like those blueberries.” Frank added. 

“Blue roan horse, food, self sufficiency and independence, got it.” Tristan repeated. 

“Good, now, hand me that coupling.” Frank urged as he pointed to it before Tristan handed it over. 

It took most of the morning, but once Frank got everything cut out and unhooked, then all the guys loaded up the water heater onto a dolly and got it out of the basement and out of the house so the new one could get put back in as Sasha was relieved to get the help and simply get the doors for them to help with getting the old out and the new put back in and turned it on and it worked like a dream before Frank and Chuck settled up while Crystal, Chuck’s wife and Mandy, Gabe’s wife, gave Sasha a bunch of recipes for blueberry baked goods while Sasha swapped them for other recipes she had picked up from the orchards she had worked with last year that she had memorized as Crystal seemed practically enchanted with Sasha and the fact that Mandy and Sasha immediately hit it off and got along as Sasha was keen to see Mandy’s little baby bump and talk pregnancy stuff over because of Sasha’s midwifing background.

Then Crystal got Sasha in touch with a family friend who had horses, specifically those blue roans that Sasha seemed keen on getting and insisted that if Sasha’s mom wasn’t in labor, she needed to come to these meet and greets too, which Frank urged Sasha to attend which seemed to surprise her, because surely the family van would be in service elsewhere during. But Frank waived off that he would see to it that she’d have transportation for the events which caused Sasha to look at her dad curiously but not put up any other argument but simply agree that she’d be there to make the introductions in person. 

“She’s perfect.” Crystal told Tristan the moment they saw Frank and Sasha off. 

“Mom!” Tristan immediately ducked and flushed in embarrassment. 

“Hey, when it’s the one, it’s the one. And if she’s your mate, she’s your mate, don’t let anything or anyone else get in the way.” Crystal urged him. 

“Mom, she may not even be my mate, this might just be puppy love and puppy love never lasts.” He contested. 

“Yet your eyes shifted every time you looked at her when she wasn’t looking at you and you thought no one else was looking.” Crystal insisted before his dad put the catalog to his son’s chest. 

“Why are you giving me this?” Tristan asked. 

“Don’t turn into a stalker, but that’s her address, Son. Take a drive, check it out and see just how high the bar she’s set up- is.” His dad encouraged him as Tristan looked at the address on the catalog and suddenly cradled the catalog to his chest like it was the most precious thing in the world. But he had to play this, very, very carefully and not fuck it up.