#i'm in rome and i'll be honest

[n0heart]

.

[navree]

you'd think given how well researched and talked about augustus is as a historical figure, for obvious reasons, i wouldn't find obscure shit about him to obsess over, but you'd be wrong. i still have A Lot of thoughts about the perusine war and him de facto raising juba ii from age four onward and i shan't stop having them

[copperbadge]

I guess you probably get asked why you’re converting a lot but I still want to ask,

I dunno, I don't think I really get asked all that much, to be honest. Usually when I do it's like -- I mention I'm converting to a Jewish person and they'll be like "Getting married?" and I'll explain I'm not, which does necessitate an additional explanation.

It's difficult to vocalize, which is interesting because it has really very little to do with faith, and that's usually the most difficult part of discussing any conversion, I think. Often I'll just say, "I heard a call". Which is actually a rather Christian way of putting it, but I think it's probably the easiest way to explain, especially in a heavily Christian culture.

I had...I don't want to call it religious trauma exactly because compared to most people I know who exited Christianity, it wasn't traumatic -- I was just raised in Christianity and had trouble buying the faith in the various ways it was presented to me, and there's a certain type of ardent Christian who comes at you hard if you're in their church asking awkward questions. A few encounters with some egregious megachurches in my youth left a bad taste in my mouth, so in my twenties I really wanted nothing to do with religion and didn't have the time or energy anyway -- I wasn't actively anti-religion, just disinterested.

But in my thirties I had to ask myself, do I wish to be part of a faith community? And once I'd decided that despite being pretty heavily agnostic I did want that in my life, I had to decide what I wanted it to look like. There are churches within many branches of Christianity that are fine, and there are whole branches that are fine too, but I kept tripping over my disinterest in Jesus. I did almost become a Quaker but although I really like a lot of the Friends' attitudes towards social justice and I enjoyed silent Meeting, it eventually didn't feel quite right for me (the Quakers in my life refer to me as "Friend-ly"). I looked into Zen Buddhism but didn't click with it in quite the way I'd hoped.

Judaism didn't feel perfect, but unlike other faiths, after several years of study I have yet to reach a point where it feels "not for me" in the way the others did after a few months; even when I struggle with some aspects, instead of saying "I don't think this is it" I dig deeper, and Judaism is a place where you can just...keep digging. I like the sense of history, I like the idea that you can argue not only with other Jews but with the divine itself and maybe even win; I don't like arguing but I like that the option is there, which it never was in my Christian confirmation classes. I like the way Judaism frames community and family, I like the emphasis on scholarship and exploration. I've had to unlearn a lot of weird Christian and atheist attitudes about the Torah, but that's been educational too. Ancient cultures have always interested me and Judaism is sometimes the practice of actively conversing with ancient history that has been incredibly preserved but not calcified. I like that I can be an agnostic Jew if I so choose, once I finish conversion.

(Sometimes I joke, "Eh, I'm not really a huge fan of pork, either, so it's an excuse not to eat pork chops," but that's a joke for very specific company. I don't keep kosher or plan to, but I like that there is an option to show one's devotion through acts of nourishment, and that food is always such a huge part of Jewish ritual. And I like Jewish food.)

There is something in me that reacts to Jewish storytelling -- the fear and fasting of Esther, discourse on the sacrifice of Isaac, grumpy Rabban Gamliel from the Talmud, even the history of the Piazza Alla Cinque Schole when I stumbled into it in Rome. I didn't care particularly about the story of Moses when I learned it as a child, but I sniffle at the parting of the Red Sea in Prince of Egypt every damn time. Not even because of the miracle! I'm simply moved by the vision of a people going to freedom, scared but going, protecting each other and singing as they go.

Anyway. I'm in a conversation with Judaism that isn't over yet, and either eventually I'll reach a point where it ends, or I'll convert and be in this conversation the rest of my life. Kind of fun not to know yet which it will be.

[richeeduvie]

Can someone please explain to me the whole baby thing? And dog bone au? And all these aus im so confused

DOG AND BONE!AU BASICS

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.

This is asked every five months and I'm happy to explain it each time! I'll put it in the pinned post! This is a long one so sorry yall

So Dog and Bone is the title to the AU for a self-insert x Roman Roy fic compilation. There's no actual series yet…sorry, I know! How long has it been? But these fics range from entire one-shots that center around a plot that can lead into another one-shot/drabble, with the content of said piece becoming important to the whole AU, to just cute, fluffy or smutty drabbles and blurbs. Most of them are based on requests. Your request could become a big part of Dog and Bone!

BABY

Baby is the name for the self-insert. Fics will flip from a second person to third person POV, so you'll see her referred to as 'Baby' a lot. I don't consider her an OC because there's no and will never be a physical description of her and to be honest, I only started to referred to her as Baby so I could write third person POV fics when I'm lazy and don't want to go heavy in internal monologue, which is what I do for second person POV fics. I never use 'Y/N' for her or any self-insert. But many see her as other people and not themselves and I love that too!

Personality-wise, you'll find her to Roman's soulmate. Although she is still a victim of being out-of-touch due to her wealth, she's managed to be kind and respectful and just something that Roys don't have outside of her. She's the ultimate nepo baby with Logan just giving her some vague career path at Waystar to keep her around. She mostly works in marketing and spends her days with Tom and Greg. So, the story of DAB (lol). Baby is the childhood best friend of Roman (and Shiv). In the AU, Baby's biological father was Logan's best friend and business associate. She met the Roy family when she was five and when Roman when almost seven. She was meant to be the best friend of Shiv, but Roman stole her one day when Shiv when to get more toys and baby Baby was on the swings. His sister is still pissed about this to this day.

Nothing much has been mentioned of Baby's bio dad just yet, but it was a one-time thing (so understandable is yall don't remember) that we see Logan giving Baby the medal her father gave him after his funeral. He's dead and apparently fought in a war, or maybe just liked collecting medals as much as Logan did.

So, facts about the dead dad:

Maybe was a veteran

Was hinted to have given Baby an eating disorder

Died when she was eight

Possibly kept her away from her mother

Logan's her godfather, but it was Frank to take her in after her dad had passed. Frank ON TOP!!!! PAPA FRANK!!! Baby's mother is very distant and she's really only seen her for a few holidays throughout her childhood. I've always imagined her to be those wealthy hippies feigning spirituality and did maybe try to get Baby in terms of custody, but didn't try a lot - not even after Baby's father died. So, Baby gets to stay with the Roys with Frank being her guardian. With this, it's just co-dependency and possessiveness growing.

Roman and Baby don't really have friends outside of each other. They do everything together and eventually start doing relationship sort of things together. They take each others virginities. Roman gets panicky and painful in the muscles if Baby has to leave him for more than three days. It's great, but nothing's official.

They live this way until Roman gets with Tabitha.

Now, you may be thinking 'Why does he begin a relationship with Tabitha if he's so possessive and seemingly satisfied with the situation he has with Baby?' Well, I have two fics that'll help you to explain Roman's stupidity:

Why Does Rome Still Date Tabitha (They Don’t Have Sex, but Still) Kendall Wins!AU Confession

The latter of the two is a bit more personal and truthful for Roman. It can be noted that as much as I am a GerriRoman supporter, their relationship does not happen in the DogandBone!AU. Only because one, frankly, I don't know how to or have the desire to thread it throughout the story because I already kept Tabitha's plotline…which is Roman's downfall. You will see. And two, you'll find that Roman and all of the Roys, really, have a lot of themselves changed all because they have one genuine friend that's cared and loved them since childhood so that big part of Roman's plotless plot-time in canon is gone here. Grace didn't happen as well because Jesse Armstrong said so lol.

As I said, the genuine friend line applies to all of the Roys (excluding Logan, except for his AU…), but it really applies to Kendall. Going back to the point where Baby and Roman are fourteen/fifteen and fifteen/sixteen, he gets sent away to military school. I made it so he's only there for two years to which Logan just doesn't care to send him there anymore because I want Baby and Roman teenage puppy and needy love for as much as I can get it. During this time, Kendall has this belief, this kindness to take in Baby when she's at her loneliest.

and…so…Kendall and Baby's whole thing?

The link above sums up their whole situation but I'll elaborate a bit more here because there's Tern Haven. Tern Haven happens in the OG!DogandBone!AU and KendallWins!AU, the grooming situation happens in every AU.

Of course, Roman comes back and Baby sobers up for the most part and leaves groomer Kendall's ass in the dust! It's when Roman starts dating Tabitha decades later that Kendall, who never actually made a move on Baby, brings hell and tragedy to the family. Baby's not so keen on continuing to have sex and the weird thing she has with Roman as he is with Tabitha around, so she becomes lonely and thoughtful in the need to reconnect with friends, maybe start dating herself. She's there during Tern Haven and can't go to Roman's room to hang out, Tabitha's there. She doesn't bother Shiv and Tom, she could talk with Frank, maybe? Maybe, but she makes her way to Kendall's room.

And whatever high horse Kendall put himself on for not doing anything with Baby, maybe not being in love with her - or at least having no awareness about it, whatever was starting with Naomi, it's gone when Baby enters that room.

Again, Tern Haven happens in Kendallwins!AU and the OG!AU. The only difference is that after, Roman is either successful in pulling Baby away from Kendall, or he isn't. This is where it can get confusing as it can with all the AUs because there's so many little splices of moments within content that really helps you understand how things happen but I can say that the Kendallwins!AU is just sad, scary, and dark.

But enough of that!

OG!DOGANDBONE!AU

After Roman's successful in getting Kendall away from Baby, he immediately breaks up with Tabitha and they heal from what happened. Kendall declines quickly during this. Logan dies and they get married after the GoJo sale. They have Baby Jr. On occasion, we'll have fun and write them having two more kids, Baby Jr Jr and Roman Jr, but they aren't canon - or they at least would get a canon fic like Baby

FICS TO HELP: Romulus Sneakers | Dad Frank feat. Baby Roman Call Them Brothers Back in Town Bone and Her Heart Roman’s a Friend Stealer While you were sleeping Touch Me (I'm Sick) Date Death | Part One Date Death Part 2 Babied (He Loves It) Violet, Blue, Green, Red To Keep Me Out Phone Call Home Baby Baby in “I went to Market” Baby in ‘Too Much Birthday’ After the GoJo Sale Telling Roman She's Pregnant

BABY JR

Baby Jr is an unrealistically perfect angel of a child that belongs to Roman and Baby in their AU and was born a preemie with a slew of health problems, but because I love her so much, it's becoming a running joke for her to just exist in every AU, somehow. if Baby's there, Baby Jr's there. She's named fittingly. You'll see her a lot in smaller blurbs and fics. Another running joke is that she hates Kendall in every AU, though she's barely mentioned outside of the OG! and Loganwins!AU.

JUST MY FAVORITE BABY JR FICS:

Baby Baby's First and Last Day at School Bear Baby Jr! Baby Jr Doing Something Dangerous Connor Taking Baby Jr Fishing Baby Jr seeing Baby Roman with Glasses

VARIATIONS OF THE OG!AU

They aren't mentioned a lot anymore because we don't get so serious about them and it was more just to have fun with the story, but the OG!AU does have some variations to how the plot goes. You have Baby and Roman having Baby Jr before season one where Tabitha and Tern Haven are things that obviously never happened:

If Roman Knocked Baby Up Logan Bullying Baby Jr YoungBornBabyJr!AU With Roman Forcing Baby to Marry Him Roman Drunk and Loving If Roman Knocked Baby Up in Their 20s If Baby Jr was Little in The Pilot Logan’s Baby Jr Favoritism Where’s Your Daughter?

Then, you have Baby dying and Roman killing himself to leave Baby Jr an orphan: Come Time, Baby Jr Missing Mommy.

Or you have Baby AND Baby Jr dying to leave Roman killing himself after his last moments of suffering…which, I can't find, but do we really want to read that?

If you don't want to suffer, it can end simply as a nightmare Roman had in the night. Here's another Nightmare Blurb.

LOGANWINS!AU

Listen. I CANNOT be the only person who has consistently written for Logan. I CANNOT! But I do and Baby is unfortunately the victim of a joke turned into a horniness for an old, old man.

Logan doesn't actually have a fic establishing the Loganwins!AU. Everything that's longer than a blurb are moments that already take place after they've gotten together. Tern Haven does not take place here because it appears that this…intimate relationship takes place before season one. Roman doesn't get together with Tabitha in this AU because he's really fucked up about his soulmate having sex and marriage with his…Dad. His abusive Dad. Baby Jr does exist here! This started as a joke to get people grossed out over old man Logan cock, I played it so I was DISGUSTED to appease any requests that were sent in. I really was. I don't know what happened. But a lot of what is written expands past Logan x Reader and more about the AU itself, which happens with Kendallwins! and the OG!AU too.

FICS TO HELP: THE OFFICE CONFRONTATION Mondale The Second Baseball Sick Baby Jr Mom(my) Siblings and Baby Jr Buzz off! Sister Shiv Recital Alone Baby Jr How Does The Relationship Begin? How Does Logan Propose? Are Baby and Roman Still Close? Pregnancy Announcement in the AU They Bought a Cat Who's Baby Jr's Godfather? Panty Stealer Roman's Twitter Argument

You guys are lucky I can't find the smut fic I wrote. But it's here on this blog. Somewhere.

Nvm here it is my bad: Reflections.

AFFAIR!AU

There's the Loganwins!AU, then there's the Affair!AU, which was established pretty recently. It's where Baby begins an affair with Roman while she's married to Logan and Baby Jr ends up being Roman's daughter, not his little sister. As much as I have accepted my great enjoyment in indulging the Logan lovers, I do think this is Baby at her most Succession.

She gets the benefits of being Logan's wife and his favorite wife, a cute daughter, Roman at her heel, whining for her to really be with him but knowing he'll never leave her at her denial. She's horrible, a whore. A baddie winning.

FICS TO HELP: Baby Jr being Roman's Daughter Roman and Newborn Baby Jr Baby in the Affair!AU Roman revealing she's his to his siblings "Dada" A Slight Confrontation How does it start? In Dad's Bed

GROOMING SITUATION (OG!AU and KENDALLWINS!AU)

So, I explained most of it above, but these are the fics to help understand just how messed up DogandBone!Kendall is. He's a different man, guys.

(Also Stewy was there. Stewy was her friend. A flawed twenty-something year old who didn't care enough to separate himself from Kendall when noticing the red flags of him and Baby, but he denied, denied, denied. But he also gave Baby some sense of being…ya know, a kid…cause he saw her as a CHILD)

Tern Haven:

Tern Haven EXTENDED TERN HAVEN More of Tern Haven (…Yay…)

Ken's Groomer Era:

Sleepover Drugged Up Heart Does Baby go Clubbing With Kendall? The Birthday (Big One) Kendall being Confused That Baby's Not Jealous More of Ken being Confused That Baby's Not Jealous Sleepover 2 Kendall's Birthday Gifts....

The Aftermath:

Smacktalking During Too Much Birthday Bad Bit

There's more, of course. There's always more.

KENDALLWINS!AU

After Tern Haven, Kendall has Baby. He's won Baby. He gets more addicted to drugs while making her dependent on them. He turns her into nothing - and just for him. He's scary and paranoid when it comes to Roman. A variation of the AU would be the Babydies!AU, where she accidently overdoses after he leaves her alone. It's a lot. This is not a fun AU, guys. But I like to write it!

FICS TO HELP:

Housewife Thing Waystar Press Conference Accusing Baby Jr of Not Being His Roman Trying to Get Baby Back From Kendall A Slight, Brotherly Confrontation Daily Does of Horror (Heroin) Mention of Heroin Handsy Baby and Kendall and Pills Panty Stealer Brother Roman's Dick Pics Saying Roman's Name Flower Delivery

THE OD FICS:

No Time Needled Memories

NOW....

SHIV'S AU

Shiv's AU isn't even a win!AU, technically. We haven't really dabbled in the idea of her winning. Just more of her yearning, but all in all, this woman wants Baby soooo badly. Too sad she has the guilt of being a woman. And her father. And Tom. And the denial hot on her skin.

Calling Shiv Shiv

TOM'S AU

Apparently the man can get obsessed and they haven't even kissed in his AU, yet. Fitting considering the shit he pulls with Greg. It's Baby at her most guilty due to her friendship with Shiv.

KARL'S AU

No.

STEWY'S AU

I give crumbs and only crumbs. But we're getting something started with Wedding Bells (Part One)!

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.

I hope this helps! xoxo

[luvyuki0]

Amber ── .✦01.

✦ Summary: In which Esme and Hoseok fall in love but of course with love comes trouble especially when you're dating an idol.

Series masterlist| previous| next

"JUST SHUT UP! PLEASE!" Her cries echoed throughout the house, covering her ears as she laid on the floor. She couldn't deal with it anymore, the constant gaslighting and the mental abuse was getting to the point where it was too much. "I should've listened when they warned me, but nah I ignored them 'cause my dumbass didn't know any better, cutting the people I loved off FOR YOU! just so that you could be happy, for us to be happy!" She screamed while crying. He stood there confused as if he didn't know why she was crying, as if he wasn't the reason her mental health depleted and still is. when she finally looked up at him all that could be seen in her face was disgust. Disgust with they were he was looking and acting towards her over the years. "You know what I'm done with this bullshit." She got up wiping her tears, leaving the male's apartment ignoring all sounds and stares she received. All she could think about was why she never realized sooner......



. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Esme's POV:

        "Should I be doing this right now?" Biting my fingers anxiously as my decorated camera sat on my bed. I knew I would have to come back to making YouTube videos eventually,as it was all I knew and I would be nothing without it and my subscribers. I just never expected it to feel so foreign to me. Honestly I don't even know if I'm ready to get back but I know many of my fans miss me, and of course theres some who thought I'd be gone for good, and honestly I don't blame them for that knowing I did take a 6-month break with no heads up, not only on YouTube but on all my social media platforms, kinda like I just disappeared but if not now then  when?

I sigh grabbing my camera and turning it to start recording. "Hey guys! I know it's been a while and y'all are probably wondering where I've been, what I've been doing and more some of y'all were right and I did break up with Rome but I'm not gonna go into full details about it, cause I'm not ready yet when I am though you guys will know the full story and understand why I took a break but lemme not ruin the mood it's a time of comebacks and celebration! now I am going to get back on my routine, posting weekly and spamming my socials!" As I speak, I can just feel some of the weight I've been holding on being lifted off my chest.

I clasp my hands together before I continue talking. "To be honest with y'all I wasn't even going to start recording again this soon, but Jazmine and her Lil boo invited me and one of his friends to a trip to Hawaii!!! Like y'all don't understand how hyped I am right now! Like I may regret this later but who am I to say no to a trip to Hawaii." I shrug my shoulders jokingly.

"I didn't plan much for this video honestly, but I did want this video and the Hawaii flight video to be separate, and since I and Jaz are going tomorrow imma drop COCO off at my mom's, and hopefully jaz is gonna be home by the time I get back so we can pack together and hopefully make some cute matching fits." I explain to my viewers what I have planned for the day though it wasn't much. (A/N: coco is the name of her Pomeranian I didn't put her in the characters cus she wouldn't be mentioned much💀)

"Come here coco! Y'all why he tryna act like he dont know mee! get a hold of Coco who was trying to run away, I grab my keys, slip on my slides, and lock my door, leaving my apartment complex as I make my way to my car.

I prop my camera on my dashboard, so it won't fall, and put on Apple Music to play "Normal Girl". "As always y'all we're gonna stop by Starbucks so I can try a drink I saw going viral on TikTok then I'll head over to my mom's house to drop coco off." I look back at coco than at my camera as I speaking

"So, this is the drink I got and y'all already know I had to get my grilled cheese! Tew good." I showcase my order to my camera as I get the drink and my grilled cheese sandwich. I eat and drink my order as I make my way over to my mom's house.

I get there and ring the doorbell repeatedly to which she opens the door. "Esme gimme the damn dog so I can go back to sleep too damn early for this shit" she speaks groggily with an attitude.

"It's actually one though...and I don't even get a hello wooow" I joke with her knowing we were on the phone last night.

"Esme quit playin' with me and give me the damn dog."

"Damn here, Bye coco bye mama." I hand her coco and walk back to my car hearing her hum bye back.

"Ok so now that I dropped Coco off imma just head back home and hopefully Jaz is back so we can pack together." I talk to my camera as I start driving back home. . . . . .

I finally get back, unlocking my door to see Jaz in the kitchen getting a snack. "Oh, hey Esme" she turns and greets me.

"Hey sweetheart, did u have fun with your Lil boo," I ask with a smirk.

"Girl yes I have to fill you in on literally everything so fir-".

I cut her off before she started ranting on about what she and Yoongi did. "Before you even start let's pack while you tell me what y'all did because I know you ain't start yet and I know you gon be talking for a good minute. "

"You right" she laughs knowing what I said was true.

We both go into my room and start packing for the trip tomorrow.

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: I edited this chapter WAYY more than the second time and I'm actually happy with the beginning chapter and I made this chapter before the whole Starbucks boycott  so that's why they were mentioned I DO NOT SUPPORT them at all not even to the slightest degree

Please like and comment 🙏🏾

— 1089 words —

[lililovesthings]

How did I miss this??? (Part 2)

Now previously I said that I think these two have been together (and I mean TOGETHER together) for a very long time.

I have had some more thoughts/theories...they just keep coming and to be honest I'm not even sure where to start but I'll give it a go.

I do not expect anyone to read this but in all honesty, I just need to get it out. This has been going round in my head for a few days whilst I attempt to form it into a path of logical reasoning. I think I am there and there are holes but hopefully you lot can help me fill them in. So, get comfy, we might be here a while…

Assuming the meeting in Rome was a date...they have been doing this for a long time. Now at first they were extremely careful but over the centuries they became a little more brazen with being seen in public together, knowing what they could get away with. Again, nothing too obvious.

Now, many have been talking about the bookshop as a metaphor for Aziraphale and Crowley's relationship, but I think it's more than that. I shall explain:

Before I get into it, a few pieces of information that are relatively common knowledge and/or I have come across in my daily browsing (I can’t find where I saw all of them, so anyone please help):

Neil Gaiman has said that the scenes we see between Aziraphale and Crowley aren’t all the times they’ve met. This is just the meetings we see – which is understandable considering they’ve been on the planet for 6000 years.

Zira and Crowley evidently have some form of connection or awareness to their respective head offices. Even going so far as to know when they are being watched (S1, EP 6) just before they swap back.

We can all agree that there is almost nothing that is not there for a reason; details, easter eggs, acting choices, props, set etc.

We also know that the story is pretty much plotted out so it stands to reason that there will be a few story threads that go through all episodes, however subtly.

OK. So.

Aziraphale bought the bookshop in the 1700s, up until then where did they hang out? I'm thinking they were using the various 'rendezvous points' anyway regardless, we know Crowley has a flat but we also know that hell has a sort of direct line to it.

Anywhere is very open and somewhere they can be watched. Celestials have materialized inside the car, on the street, in the flat, even on the TV. The only place they never seem to materialize? The bookshop. Even Metatron came in through the front door (when he isn't a floating head summoned through a portal). note it has no TV and no radio if I remember. The only time any demons have materialised is at the end when Gabriel got his memories back. I believe that's because the demons were "invited" in earlier on.

Here's my point. The bookshop is their safe place, it's THEIR space. Remember we don't see everything, we haven't seen everything. Every time we see them, they are in a public place, with someone watching or in the bookshop...with the curtains open. And remember, they KNOW when they're being watched.

Allow me to draw your attention to Season 2, Episode 1. Crowley is already on the way to the bookshop when Zira calls him, and when they meet in the coffee shop he is rather confused as to why they aren't in the bookshop. (Then of course we have the whole naked man friend fiasco and Crowley's reaction to that...)

When they do go to the bookshop I noticed Crowley DOES NOT EVEN QUESTION WHY ZIRA IS CLOSING THE BLINDS. He has no idea Gabriel is there, (he just knows something about a naked man, which is another conversation). Now this suggests to me that this is something that is done often.

They go into the bookshop and have their 'us time'.

This also helps this make sense:

All lovers meetings would be in the bookshop. That was their space. Alone. Where no one was watching.

Now you may be thinking “We’ve seen them alone in the bookshop before when no one was watching and they weren’t behaving like a couple.” But someone was watching. WE were watching. And as we’ve established g-d only shows us what she wants us to see. She is telling the story.

I also think they have gotten so good at pretending in public that they have developed a code of sorts. For example, I think 'Breakfast/dinner at the Ritz' means something totally different.

They care for each other so deeply that they cannot stand putting each other in harms way.

They are celestial beings so their idea of love and relationships is something that is totally different and beyond the understanding of humans.

They saw Beelzebub and Gabriel be together openly in front of everyone and Zira grabbed Crowley’s arm. To me that is a very ‘familiar’ gesture. It’s saying ‘Look, they’re doing it. We can do that too.’ He then proceeds to look at Crowley with such loving adoration as if he cannot see any reason that they can’t be together openly and honestly.

Aziraphale then goes to coffee with Metatron whilst Crowley waits in the bookshop and tidies up. There is something strange about this. Throughout the time he is taking care of the bookshop whilst Zira is in Scotland, we see him chucking books all over the place. Even at the end we see him chuck a tray of food on the chair. So why is he tidying up now? – he tidies up because they are going to USE it.

He says, they are going to an ‘Extremely alcoholic breakfast at the Ritz.’ So if they are not going to be at the bookshop, why would it matter if Muriel is there or if it’s tidy? They do need US time. It’s a euphemism, it’s code. “Breakfast at the Ritz”, “I’ll give you a lift”, “Waiting inside”.

This is why it shocks Crowley so much when Nina thinks they’re a couple. They think they have been hiding it so well for a VERY long time and he can’t believe that someone has thought that for real. Yes we have all done it and been on the receiving end when someone thinks you’re a couple and you aren’t, it happens. But Nina just flat out refuses to believe that they’re not.

That is when Crowley goes to the winebar. Zira asks him why he isn’t ‘waiting inside’ “You like waiting inside.” As in “We never have a date in public, they can see us.” Then Crowley explains it’s because Jim is in the bookshop but in reality it’s probably partly because he’s realised that they haven’t hidden it as well as they thought they did, so they may as well sit there.

That reaction when Shax says to Zira, that hes not Crowley’s type? Seriously, that is a very much a “That’s what you think.” look.

We are a group of the two of us and we’ve spent our existence pretending that we aren’t. – They really were pretending. He wasn’t talking about being in denial about their feelings for one another, he was literally saying they were PRETENDING not to be together. Now he wants everyone to know. He doesn't want to pretend anymore.

He thought Zira felt the same way until he told him about the whole 'going back to heaven' situation. Not sure how it would have gone if Crowley spoke first.

Aziraphale did not seem shocked by Crowley's confession. He already knows. What he doesn't understand is why he doesn't want to go to heaven.

Zira still believes in the fundamental goodness of heaven because he has nothing to compare it to. Crowley has been on both sides and knows they are both as bad as each other “Life on earth would be just as dead, if heaven ended it.” That’s is why Crowley wants so stay on earth or go away with Zira.

Zira wants to go with Crowley to heaven because as others have pointed out, that’s where he believes they will have the best life and be able to be together. Crowley knows different, he was cast out into a pool of boiling sulphur just for asking questions. So he walks away and says ‘good luck’. Zira has not had the same experience of heaven Crowley has, Crowley has experienced the worst of the universe on both sides and can’t live like that anymore.

So "You can't leave this bookshop" yes, indeed, as we have established means "Don't leave US."

We could have been ‘US’. But Aziraphale won’t see it. So Crowley does the only thing he can think of and kiss the love of his entire existence. Whilst they are being watched. That is why Aziraphale says ‘I forgive you’. It isn’t just an ‘I love you’ it’s an ‘I forgive you for telling them our secret.’ I forgive you for trying to change my mind.

More in Part 3...

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

I live in a city with a lot of shawarma places, I eat a lot of shawarma, i have tried shawarma from other places and it's always terrible, even in a city that's bigger than mine like Toronto or Montreal. I am convinced that my own city is the only place in the entire Western world that has good shawarma.

I was curious to test this, so last year I had my friend who lives in London go up to Nish Kumar after a gig and ask what his favourite shawarma place is. I figure Nish Kumar would know what the best shawarma in London is (not because he's a brown guy - especially because shawarmas are not from India - but because Nish Kumar is the only British comedian whom I've ever heard mention the word "shawarma"), so I'll try that, and if it's bad then I can safely assume all British shawarma is bad.

Nish said Kebab Kid, which slightly concerned me because a kebab is not a shawarma, but I went there today. It was quite far out of my way but was a walk through a pretty neighbourhood.

The guy at Kebab Kid asked me if I wanted barbecue sauce or chili sauce on my shawarma, and I said no, because what the fuck? He said "so no sauce?", and realizing those were the only 2 sauces available, I said... okay, barbecue, I guess. He then asked me if I wanted fries with them (well, chips), which is definitely not how shawarmas are meant to be served. But I said yes because, I guess, when in Rome. When in England, eat chips.

I found a park bench to sit and eat. It was, to my surprise at this point, very good. Didn't taste anything like a shawarma, as those have garlic sauce and/or hummus and/or tahini sauce, and they definitely don't have barbecue sauce. The Kebab Kid shawarma also didn't have turnip or pickles, just salad, which is also different from any shawarma I've had before. But it was very good food, whatever it was.

A man sat next to me on the bench. He looked at my shawarma and said they make those in the country he comes from, which is Lebanon. He asked where I got it, and I said Kebab Kid up the road. The man scoffed and said that place is Turkish, they do shawarma differently. I said yes... I actually come from a city with a high Lebanese immigrant population, so we have a lot of shawarma places, and they're all run by Lebanese people. I haven't had a Turkish shawarma before, and maybe that's why this is different from what I'm used to? I asked him if shawarmas in England usually have garlic sauce, and he said of course, garlic sauce is crucial.

So maybe that explains it, I guess. Though I've not heard of barbecue sauce being a common part of Turkish cuisine. Don't know if what I had was different because it was a Turkish shawarma or an England shawarma. But it tasted good. As did the fries. Or chips. A pigeon tried to steal one.

When I said to the man on the bench "in the place where I come from..." (because I was about to say the shawarmas there are Lebanese), he said, "Ireland?" I asked why he thought that, and he said my accent. I assume it goes without saying that i was not intentionally doing an Irish accent. Apparently my accent can be read as Irish, at least by one guy on a bench.

So that's been my day so far. Crystal Palace, which was absolutely beautiful, to be honest, I can't imagine any of the tourist things I do in London will be more interesting to me than that. Then I had Nish Kumar’s favourite shawarma. This is why I had a hard time, back home, when people asked me what sights I'm planning to see in London. It takes too long to explain why I want to go to these places. And I wouldn't want to explain it even if I could. I'm intentionally not even explaining all of it here.

Pictured above: a tourist attraction

[goodnightmemes]

THE TUDORS SEASON THREE SENTENCE STARTERS (PART TWO)

s03e05 - s03e08

❛ We must set to work finding a new bride for the King. ❜

❛ It's true, he has an heir, at last, but one is scarcely sufficient. To be safe, he must produce another. ❜

❛ Poor lamb. Never to know his own mother. ❜

❛ Perhaps, someday soon, you yourself will have a child. ❜

❛ You're sheltering a traitor! I want to know where he is. ❜

❛ You are going to tell me, or God help me, I'll kill you, and I have the immunity to do it. ❜

❛ I've grown afraid of my own shadow. ❜

❛ Sometimes I think I do not want this child in my belly. ❜

❛ Like the ruins of ancient Rome, the Colossus of Rhodes, all things tend towards their ruin. Even great houses and the fools who build them. ❜

❛ It's illegal to carry arms in court while the King is in residence. The penalties are severe. ❜

❛ I trust you will now apprehend the villain and prevent any further violence. Otherwise, you will pay the price for your failures. ❜

❛ Everything he might touch is to be washed, and everything he might eat, tasted for poison. ❜

❛ What the King wills, the King must have. It's not to be argued with or crossed. ❜

❛ In the absence of the King there has been much malevolence and violence at court. ❜

❛ There are some who desire disorder with all their hearts, thinking of using it, at the end, to their own advantage. ❜

❛ You presume too far above your very base and low degree! ❜

❛ The King listens to him. That makes him dangerous to everyone. ❜

❛ Perhaps it is my fate never to marry. ❜

❛ I would think less of him if he were to accept such gifts in order to love me. ❜

❛ Though I cannot touch him, I swear I will make him eat his heart. ❜

❛ Death is not ready for you, yet. God has something else in mind. ❜

❛ I know what it is that we have both lost. We have lost our youth. There is nothing in the world, that can ever return it to us. ❜

❛ I will marry who I like! ❜

❛ I want to see my son. What have you done with my son? ❜

❛ Your son is unharmed. He will remain unharmed until we are sure that you are not all traitors. ❜

❛ I ask you, whether such dishonest and treacherous sons could ever have had an honest mother! ❜

❛ With your permission, Madam, may I ask if you would consider marrying the King? ❜

❛ Is it not strange that the King's Majesty was in so little space, rid of his three Queens? ❜

❛ Frankly, Sir, if I had two heads, then one would be at His Majesty's service. Alas, I only have this one. ❜

❛ How can you suppose that at my age, I am capable of plotting anything against anyone? I wish only to live a quiet life, away from this world. ❜

❛ You may well beg mercy, but whom shall say if it be granted or not. ❜

❛ Everyone has an agenda! And what I want doesn't matter! ❜

❛ My father told me that if you leave even a sapling in the ground, one day it will grow into a tree! And that little boy will have 40,000 troops flocking to his banner, and you will be the sucker! ❜

❛ I need pictures! Do you understand? I need to see them. I need to see the woman who's going to be my companion for life. ❜

❛ I'm afraid I was not born for happiness. ❜

❛ I swear he has poisoned the King's mind! And if I could, I would strip him from the King's side, and burn him. ❜

❛ You have ten seconds to get out of my court, or I will beat you like the dog that you are! ❜

❛ I see now what it takes for a man to make his way in this world. He must make a practice of hypocrisy. ❜

❛ I say to you, again, while you still have a free choice, will you live or die? ❜

❛ There's no doubt, now, he must be overthrown by force. ❜

❛ My conscience will not permit me to consummate this marriage because I feel there is some impediment to it. ❜

❛ I tell you, God will not grant me any more children if I continue in this marriage. ❜

❛ Not telling a woman what she must expect on her wedding night is like sending a sailor to sea with no biscuit. ❜

❛ He is charming and very good looking. I think you might like him a little. ❜

❛ I resent the King nothing, but others seek to undermine me, since I was born so low and they so high. ❜

❛ I hope you can forgive my impetuosity. I know we should have been formally introduced, but I couldn't wait. ❜

❛ May I kiss your hand? ❜

❛ I have found someone to amuse the King. ❜

❛ We ran a little wild. There was some fun in it. ❜

❛ I was told before that she was charming, intelligent, well-read, gracious. A true Princess. But nothing prepared me for her beauty. But a beauty that comes from inside. To me, she is the most beautiful creature on God's earth. ❜

❛ The King has noticed you. He may ask to see you. ❜

❛ You didn't step on my foot. How could you? Your feet don't even touch the ground. I wanted a moment alone with you. ❜

❛ Would you like me to kiss you again? ❜

❛ Do not sit there. That is no place for you. Traitors do not sit among gentlemen. ❜

❛ I left her as good a maid as I found her! ❜

❛ My pride has brought its punishment. ❜

[mimisempai]

Finding a new purpose

Summary

It was one of those days.

Crowley just wanted to sleep and do nothing.

But the appearance of a little bee might just help him find new meaning in his life. Even if it starts with something as simple as explaining how to make tea.

Notes

I'm not familiar with depression. But with the help of a friend who guided me through it, I could made my way to through this story.

On Ao3

Rating G -  1905 words

Crowley felt a gentle pressure on his cheek, followed by Aziraphale's voice softly in his ear, "Crowley, my dear, I must get up. I promised Maggie I'd meet her at 9:00 to discuss ways to make the record store thrive."

Crowley mumbled, "I thought you had an arrangement."

He felt the angel's hand stroke his hair as he replied quietly, "It remains unchanged, but poor Maggie needs to be able to earn enough to live on, too."

"Mmmh."

Aziraphale asked him gently, "Do you have any plans today?"

Crowley turned his head to Aziraphale and sheepishly replied, "No, I... I don't feel like doing anything. I think I'll go back to sleep. I'm sor..."

Aziraphale put a finger to his mouth and shook his head, "Hey, don't be sorry. It's one of those days, and it's fine. Rome wasn't built in a day, we both know that."

Crowley replied, "You're too good to me."

Aziraphale leaned toward him, "Not at all. I want you to get better, and you'll only get better if you give yourself time and don't try to force things. One step at a time."

"'Kay..."

Aziraphalel pressed a kiss to the demon's forehead, tucked him in, and planted a final kiss on his cheek before saying softly, "I'll be back in two hours." Then he rose and walked down the stairs. Crowley listened to the sounds until the tinkling of the shop door told him the Angel had gone out.

So he snuggled down a bit more under the covers and slid over to the side of Aziraphale's bed, burying his face in the still-warm pillow, which was also impregnated with the angel's scent.

He tried to fall back asleep, but he couldn't stop certain thoughts from running through his mind.

Aziraphale looked happy, thriving in his life, now independent.

He no longer needed Crowley.

He'd protected his friends, defeated a demon army, stood up to Metatron. Without Crowley.

He no longer needed Crowley.

But what was Crowley's purpose now?

No more apocalypse.

No more angel to save from himself and others.

What was he good for?

What if Aziraphale grew tired of him?

He was patient with him.

But even an angel's patience could run out, couldn't it?

And he no longer needed Crowley.

Despite all these thoughts, the demon finally fell asleep, only to wake up a few moments later to a noise downstairs in the shop. He looked at the wall clock and realized that it had only been a few minutes since he had fallen asleep, so it couldn't be Aziraphale who was already back. Sighing, he got up, dressed quickly, and walked down the stairs in silence. He heard the same noise again, and it seemed to be coming from the back of the shop, so he went there.

There, to his surprise, Muriel was staring in confusion at an empty cup, the kettle, and the tea box.

They murmured, "A cupperty, a cupperty."

The demon could not suppress a small, amused smile and asked, "How about a hand, little bee?"

Muriel gasped and turned to him, "Oh, Mister Grump- Crowley. I didn't know you were here and I..."

He held up his hand, "Calm down. You have every right to be here and have a 'Cupperty'. So I repeat, do you need help?"

Muriel sighed with relief and sheepishly confessed, "I have no idea how to do this, it's usually Aziraphale who makes me tea."

"Okay, little bee. So tell me what you want. You have a choice. I'll make you tea or I'll show you how to make it and you won't have to depend on anyone else. Your choice. No judgment."

Muriel nodded eagerly, "Show me how."

Crowley nodded. He had no doubt what their answer would be if he was honest with himself.

So he gently showed them how to use the kettle, how to make tea, and a few minutes later they were both sitting at the round table in the back of the shop, enjoying a cup of tea for Muriel and a cup of coffee for Crowley.

Muriel inhaled the smell of their still too hot tea with delight and said to Crowley with a smile, "Thank you for helping me. You're a really nice person."

Crowley was about to open his mouth and protest as usual, but something in the angel's demeanor stopped him. Probably because they exuded this aura of innocence and he didn't want them to lose it too quickly.

He simply nodded in acceptance of the gratitude and praise. It was strange, but not as uncomfortable as he'd thought.

Muriel continued, "I am grateful to you and Aziraphale."

Because... for the first time in millennia I don't feel like a nobody. I mean, there's you two, Maggie, Nina, everybody's nice to me. Nobody talks down to me."

Crowley thought back to the moment he'd accompanied Muriel to heaven, to their oh-so-isolated desk. And of course, he couldn't help but think of how Aziraphale had been treated.

"I don't want to go back up there."

Muriel's sentence snapped Crowley out of his thoughts and he immediately replied, "And you're not going back. Whether it's me or Aziraphale, we'll fight for it if we have to, and more than that, just like with the kettle, I can teach you to defend yourself. But whatever happens, my little bee, we'll protect you."

Muriel nodded and took a sip of tea, "Hm... this human drink is absolutely delicious."

Crowley, now with a mocking expression on his face, said, "For starters, you need to stop putting 'human' everywhere. It's the best way to show that you're weird. Not that you're not." 

He snorted slightly.

Muriel, not offended, replied, "I'm glad to see you're doing better than when you came down. I mean, you're still grumpy, but you don't look sad."

Crowley replied, "Sassy and sharp, huh? That's good, it'll help you."

They were right, he was feeling a little better. While he had originally planned to stay in bed all day, he didn't feel like it now. He still didn't really know what to do with himself, but he didn't feel like doing nothing either.

"Do you need help?"

"We'll protect you."

To have a purpose.

Big or small.

"Oh, you're both here?"

Aziraphale's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

He saw the flash of surprise in Aziraphale's eyes before he leaned over and planted a light kiss on his cheek.

Muriel emptied their cup and stood up, "I stopped by to borrow a book and Crowley helped me make some tea."

Aziraphale raised an eyebrow at Crowley as Muriel continued, "And now I'm off."

As they left, Aziraphale sat down next to Crowley and asked gently, "Are you all right?"

Crowley nodded, "Better."

Aziraphale asked no more questions, went to make himself a cup of tea and returned to sit across from Crowley with his cup

Crowley took a sip of coffee and said, "I... I think I'm starting to realize something. In my darkest moments, what kept me going was you. Knowing that you needed me. But ever since we averted the apocalypse, it's like you've soared, become independent. And believe me, it makes me happy to see you thrive, it really does. But it made me realize that you don't need me anymore. I had made you my sole purpose, you had nothing to do with it, and that's been taken away from me. So why get up in the morning? What is my purpose? These questions went around and around in my head. This morning again. Until a few moments ago. And just now, something as trivial as showing Muriel how to make tea gave me the beginnings of a sense of purpose. That I might still have something to offer."

Aziraphale had listened carefully, and when Crowley had finished, he pulled his chair closer and took his hands.

"You say I had nothing to do with it, but I'm still sorry you feel that way. And I want to make one thing clear to you. I still need you. Not to save me. Not to help me. I just need you. In my life. Not because you can give me anything, but just because you're you. Just you. And yes, you have a lot to offer, I always knew that, you've given me so much from the beginning and I'm glad you're starting to see that for yourself. But know that my love for you, my need for you, will never depend on what you have or don't have to offer."

"Thank you for helping me. You're a really nice person."

Maybe it was starting there.

Crowley said quietly, "I know it's just a start, a very small start, but it's there."

Aziraphale leaned over him and said gently, "That makes me very happy for you. And I hope I don't sound too condescending, but I'm proud of you. Really."

Crowley simply said, "Thank you."

After a few moments of silence, Crowley said in a serious tone, "We have to protect them, no matter what."

"Who? Muriel?"

Crowley nodded and told the angel about his conversation with Muriel. 

"You see, I saw their 'desk' up there. Mostly I saw their loneliness. I saw how they were treated. To the point where they saw it as a miracle that Metatron needed them when you and I both know that they would have been just a pawn on his chessboard. I want to help them to know their own worth, to be able to stand up for themself, I-what, angel?"

Aziraphale looked at him and smiled fondly, "It's good to see you all fired up about something. And I think you're just the right person for it. I seem to remember an angel you helped in much the same way. That angel took a while to open his eyes, but that didn't stop you from persisting."

Crowley chuckled, "Well, he was a bit of a pain in the ass at times, but..."

"Crowley!"

"But also incredibly lovable. I had no choice."

Aziraphale chuckled softly, "Idiot."

He reached up and gently stroked the demon's cheek and asked solicitously, "Are you sure you're all right, my dear?"

Crowley nodded and replied quietly, "I think so, yes. Anyway, I'm on the way to."

Aziraphale looked at him in silence for a few moments, then asked, "What do you want to do today? I decree the store is closed today."

Crowley chuckled before replying, "Well... we could go to the park, feed the ducks, and then finish off with brunch at the Ritz."

Aziraphale, whose eyes had brightened at the mention of brunch at the Ritz, replied enthusiastically, "I like that program. But first..."

Crowley raised a questioning eyebrow, "But first...?"

Aziraphale opened his arms and said quietly, "Time for some love."

Crowley laughed lightly, but nonetheless went to snuggle up to his angel, who closed his arms around him.

There, in the comfort of the arms of the one he loved, Crowley began to feel a weight he did not know he carried lift from his shoulders.

There was no doubt that the road was long and had only just begun.

There would be detours and setbacks.

But he knew there would always be someone to help him find his way back. 

All he had to do was keep moving forward and never let go of his hand.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable Growing Love series : here (After season 2)

Ineffable Husbands masterlist : here (Before season 2)

[ladysomething]

atp I don't even know why I keep asking stuff as an anon. my identity has been revealed but fuck it.

one more time, let's do 5+1

1. Charles thinking he's the world's most clever person ever has me on the fucking floor. you go get them babe. yes, surely keeping the other idiot satisfied is only because you want to escape. of course sweetie. but question: are omegas more prone to their alpha, or that only goes so far and then they actually can control the feelings said alpha causes on them?

2. Max is an idiot, isn’t he? like, I actually want to open his brain to see how the fuck it works because I am amazed at its capacity (or lack of it/j)

3. I have a thing for the starved man comparision, and it's lovely to see such an accurate scenario for it. because Max actually short-circuited. he's just a man and Charles broke his brain in what? like, less than 5 minutes?

4. Carlos is a little rat, but I'm actually thankful that's he's not like. gross. (please, I'm begging you on my knees. don't make him or other drivers gross) I have this thing where I can kinda stand when oc are gross and little shits, but, even if some would consider said person a little shit (completely reasonable, people are allowed to not like drivers) I don't like it when on fics, they're outright assholes and disgusting craps, cause I don't know with certainity if they are like that irl. idiots and that I can do but over that is too much to bear for me. that's the point where I am reminded that they're real and that stuff. of course, is totally on you, and I don't expect anything, but picture me making puppy eyes at you on this one. and I was wondering, what is he? a beta or an alpha? it probably was said somewhere but I don't remember. because according to my reasoning, he's a beta because he was not in the auction. or was he?

5.I'm so fucking glad I chose wygig as this year's questionable fic. I love it and I have now developed a deep emotional dependence towards it. but haven't we all? (this is to say I love it)

+1. glad you're enjoying (I'm also trip anon btw) had I been in Italy, I would've loved to go to the bar to watch the race. even though I've never gone to watch a race at a bar in Rome, in Italy, depending on where you go, it can be really exciting and ehmmm... definetely an experience, may I call it that way. but sadly, first of all there's a four hour drive from Toscana to Rome and I would get my ass even flatter, and second I left months ago. maybe next time

and as you may have noticed, I gave up with trying to tell you how many points there will be in my ask. have a nice day Mads, enjoy your vacay hun!

look I'll honest. you say your identity has been revealed but you could be any of a handful of anons that have revealed their identity to me. so my terrible memory means that your secret is still safe!

wellllllll ... hm. omegas are definitely more SUSCEPTIBLE to their alphas e.g. with the alpha voice. but anything Charles feels is his real feelings.

haha Max IS an idiot, but so is Charles. they're two idiot peas in an idiot pea pod.

yeah no for real, Max's brain was completely broken. it was like Christmas morning for him haha

Carlos is a beta - basically everybody is a beta. there's only one person whose designation hasn't been revealed yet, but they're not a driver, so. you can pretty much just assume that everybody is a beta. as for making drivers assholes - I don't really do that in general, because usually it's too one dimensional for what I'm writing. it's fun in some scenarios (particularly shorter fics) but even the drivers who are currently 'villains' aren't outright bad people.

hahaha and at the rate it's going, it's length will mean it probably lasts half the year too haha

+1. yeah, I'm really excited!!!! I was kind of like ... if I can't go to Iola, then this is simply an experience I MUST have. cheering for ferrari while they're driving in Italy while I'M in Italy??? ahhhh.

thank you so much, you have a great day too!

[nicole-from-co09]

I'm sorry. I was being a weirdo like a week ago. Honestly, I miss you. I really do. You're someone who did hurt me, but you're so much more than that. You're smart, you're witty, you're charismatic, you're confident, and you aren't afraid of anything.

Sometimes, you're even kind, and that's the best. I feel like I should get your boundaries and know that it isn't gonna happen. I don't think you really want a partner, not really. I think you want a friend who you can sleep with if you want. That's not a bad thing! A lot of people want that, and that's okay. I shouldn't have tried it with you.

It's just that you're not the dangerous, edgy self-destructive force that I kinda fetishized you as, and I shouldn't've insulted and degraded you by putting you into that box. I know it's been hard for you. I know you've dealt with a lot of real fucked-up shit.

I shouldn't have been part of that. I think I just need to find someone else, and I think maybe you should go somewhere where people treat you with the respect you deserve when you graduate. I don't know if that's UCLA or UConn or LSU or friggin' Rome.

I'm not mad that you hurt me. How were you supposed to avoid hurting me? When someone's been wronged like you've been, it's hard for that person to not wrong others here and there. That's not because that person's evil, but because they view how other people have mistreated them and assume that's normal.

I'm also really, deeply sorry for my role in our bad relationship. I hurt you too. I didn't fuck with you the way you messed with me, but I may as well have chained you up and forced you to play a role that wasn't you and that you never wanted.

Remember how I said that girls made me wanna kill myself? I thought I just meant it like I felt so wronged and unsafe that I had to date guys, and I meant it like that, but honestly I don't think it's true anymore. I thought girls made me want to, because you made me want to, but that wasn't it. After you, I finally had the first moments of love in my life and I lost them. Every girl I look at seems so much better than me, so much more moral and pretty and strong. How does a possessive, manipulative dick like me compare to girls like you, Emily, Jecka, Karen, and Kelly? I wish I could be like you. I wish I could have been hot and shit, and powerful and likable and normal and funny and witty and smart and strong as hell. You've survived so much.

What am I?

I guess I'm somene who needs to get better.

I'm sorry that the world doesn't understand that you're a diamond, and I feel like I should never have been one of your many goddamn abusers.

Nicole, you can respond to this with a hot girl "nah, I don't care, I'm cool" thing. In fact, I kinda expect you to, and it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I guess then you'd be the cool chick dismissing the emo gay girl, right? You could make a cutting joke or something, and it'd be funny.

That's a good lesson, and one I think you taught me: Honesty gets you screwed over. Nobody really likes being honest. They just don't want to feel like they're being lied to.

If you ever write a book, I'll read it. Like I said, you're smart.

Keep on shining like a beacon of willpower in this shitty fucking universe.

I'm sorry I was one of the people who gave you problems,

Ari

see, this is exactly what i was talking about - who the FUCK wants to listen to all of this? ten million words of "blah blah blah i'm so sorry you're so hot" like you're a fucking virgin or something, which i know you're not

ari, if you're reading this, i didn't read a single word of your three hundred page letter. if your stupid fucking essay lasts longer than you do in bed, that's like a serious character issue called "being a boring fucking bitch" - and maybe you should deal with that before ever speaking to me again, thanks

fuck, i'm way too high to be dealing with this shit

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Hi BPP, How will I know when the implosion begins? Is there an inverted yield curve for fandoms? Point form answers are are acceptable! Happy D-DAY!! 💜💜

Thank you for all the work you’ve put into this blog. It’s been a super interesting and enjoyable part of SM for me!

***

Hi @babyyourelemonade

An inverted yield curve for fandoms! Now that's a brilliant idea. I'd personally pay to contribute to funds for research on that topic honestly. And it could have implications outside of fandom too, such as for whole countries since many fandoms now work like splintered political communities more than anything else. I imagine it would be an upgrade to the theory on what caused the fall of Rome, or something like that.

I think I'm alone (mostly) in my opinions on the fandom imploding, and I don't want to talk much about it because I genuinely hope I'm very wrong, and because I don't have a lot of evidence to back up why I feel this way, so there's little point in going on about it.

But you've asked so I'll be brief:

Personally, I think the implosion has already started lol. The moment the fandom decided that taekookers were someone else's problem and should only be ignored, the seeds for implosion were already set. In my opinion. Think about Larries and the 1D fandom. Shipping is one thing but as I've said before, there are theories unique to taekook shipping that are inherently subversive to the very idea of BTS, and all it takes is someone crazy enough to do real damage. But that risk was somewhat contained so long as BTS was active and things were predictable. After the 2022 Festa Dinner and the fandom now experiencing Chapter 2 where so much is now unpredictable, where indulging in competition between the members is more permissible, the control on that risk has reduced somewhat. Solo stans, akgaes, and toxic shippers are like an immuno-virus that weakens from within because they're just as passionate and involved as regular fans, they're just twisted enough to prioritize their desires over everyone else, including the members they claim to stan.

The second problem is ARMYs. Lol. Specifically the ARMYs who have tied BTS's worth to the records and titles they hold, because those are the people most likely to do stupid shit when they feel threats to those records are imminent. At some point in 2021, I noticed when people would discuss what BTS means to them and to the industry, they'd just rattle off only records and accomplishments as if that was it. Before then, at least in my experience, people would talk about the lyrical impact of BTS's songs, they'd talk about the stylistic choices made in this or that album that relative to the other albums out at the time, and so on. There's nothing wrong with gloating about BTS's records because frankly that's the only thing that shuts up some antis. But it becomes a problem I think, when those records become the primary reason you think BTS have the status and caliber they have, and you’ve tied it to a central part of your identity.

Because records will always be broken.

And in Chapter 2 that is nearly guaranteed to happen. So the ARMYs who make that both their identity, and BTS's, will expose BTS to even more ridicule than they would've faced otherwise and will be disproportionately affected. If another group gets a Grammys nomination this year for example, or *gasp* actually wins the award next year, lol just pack it all up and give it to God. It will be bloody in these purple streets. Because too many ARMYs have tied BTS's worth to their achievements and only heightened the risk for implosion before 2026.

I've got a few more reasons but I've already written enough, and like I said I don't have much evidence for what I'm thinking anyway. But I suggest anyone who calls themselves a fan of BTS, reflect sometimes on why they're a fan, why they spend time in fandom spaces, and think about how to build real, honest community with people here while trying not to take too much personally.

[twoidiotwriters1]

The Curse of Oenone (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: I'll be honest with you sometimes I hate this fic bc it makes me sad and I can't skip reading it bc I'm the one writing it -Danny Words: 2,129 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'Kid Kingdoms (Acoustic)' -by Surfaces

XII: Weird Flex but Okay

They walk into a gift shop where Frank gets a stash of new shirts—he had to leave New Rome in a hurry, after all—and Percy calls Ara to a corner of the shop.

"Look at this." There is a rack of kids' backpacks just like her T-Rex, except these are all sea creatures.

"That's you," Ara points at a jellyfish at the top, its eyes are mismatched and half of its head is pushed in.

As they make their way out, Ara spots a shark-shaped hat and grabs it. When Percy catches up with her and sees what she's holding, he raises a brow. She puts the hat on. "Leo collects hats."

"Hats?"

"Weird hats," she clarifies.

Percy stares at it. "Weird hats for a weird guy. Makes sense."

Kate holds a light conversation with them, casually mentioning she's Phorcys's sister, so apparently, the nerd-looking girl is an ancient goddess, and Ara, the daughter of Olympus, is wearing a shark-shaped hat in her presence.

Percy keeps glancing at the exhibitions as if waiting for something to jump out of them. Ara's never seen him this worried while surrounded by water. When they reach the back of the Aquarium, they notice is packed with mythical creatures.

"This isn't right," Percy speaks under his breath.

The animals look malnourished and groggy like they're sedated. There are two Nereids in one of the tanks, and they don't even look up from their game when Percy walks by, which is alarming, cause all the Nereids love Percy.

"How can you keep them here?" Her brother asks Kate with anger.

"I know." She sighs with disappointment. "They aren't very interesting. We tried to teach them some tricks, but with no luck, I'm afraid. I think you'll like this tank over here much better."

"Holy mother of goats!" Hedge exclaims. "Look at these beauties!"

Ara turns the corner and stops. Her feet backtrack until she crashes against her brother and she points at the tank with a shaky hand. "Percy..."

"Are those—?"

"Telkhines?" Kate beams. "Yes! The only ones in captivity."

"But they fought for Kronos in the last war! They're dangerous!" Percy pulls Ara behind him.

"Well, we couldn't call it 'Death in the Deep Seas' if these exhibits weren't dangerous. Don't worry. We keep them well sedated."

"Sedated? Is that legal?" Frank asks.

"I don't think anything about this place is legal," Ara mumbles.

Percy keeps a hand on her shoulder for the rest of their walk to make sure she stays close, and just this once, Ara lets him. This place is freaking her out, it's quiet and dark and full of monsters.

"Hello!" A man appears out of a dark corner. Ara yelps and Percy yanks her back. To put it in the vaguest, most generous description she can think of, the guy looks like a humanoid crab. "Visitors!" Each word is blasted out of the speakers around them. "Welcome to Phorcys's Follies!"

"Do you think it gets old with time?" I ask Percy. 

We've been doing our homework in the living room, and I'm getting pretty bored.

"What thing?"

"Fighting monsters," I explain, rolling my eraser across the table. "Do you think it stops being thrilling as you get older?"

"It's getting pretty old already," he huffs, eyeing his pen with a scowl.

Percy's had to do most of the fighting so far. I get why he says that, but I roll my eyes anyway. "Well, I hope never to get bored of it like with school."

He snorts. "Why do you like going on quests? We're always getting hurt, you're always almost dying."

I laugh. "I can't snub on the cool stuff that happens to me, but I am sorry that most happen at your expense. If I could, I would change things to be the one protecting you, because I like fighting."

Percy nudges my side. "Now that you're learning to fight, we'll do it together. We'll protect each other, right?"

I smile. "Yeah."

"—THE MAP IN CHARLESTON," Frank startles her.

"But enough boring educational stuff! You've paid for the VIP treatment. Won't you please let me finish the tour? The three denarii entrance fee is nonrefundable, you know."

"Afterward, can we ask questions?" Percy inquires.

"Of course! I'll tell you everything you need to know." Phorcys claps and a new tunnel opens ahead of them. "Walk this way!" 

Frank leans closer and whispers as he mimics the god's posture. "Do we have to—?" 

"It's just a figure of speech, man," Percy replies. "Come on." 

"Hang on," Ara looks around. "Where's Hedge?"

Frank and Percy look at her. Her brother answers to her question. "He left with Keto, about two minutes ago." She stares at him blankly. Percy rolls his eyes. "You spaced out, didn't you?"

Ara shrugs and resumes her walk. "Gods talk too much, I can't help it..."

"The Greatest hero of our generation, everyone," her brother taunts her.

They walk until they reach a new empty tank. Phorcys stands in front of it proudly. "Beautiful exhibit, isn't it?"

"What do you keep in here?" Frank asks. "Giant killer goldfish?"

"Oh, that would be good! But, no, Frank Zhang, descendant of Poseidon. This tank is not for goldfish."

Frank backtracks when the god addresses him directly. Percy moves forward. "How do you know Frank's last name? How do you know he's descended from Poseidon?" 

"Well... It was probably in the descriptions Gaea provided. You know, for the bounty, Percy Jackson."

Percy draws out his sword and points it at the small god. "Don't double-cross me, Phorcys. You promised me answers."

"After the VIP treatment, yes," the god agreed. "I promised to tell you everything you need to know. The thing is, however, you don't really need to know anything. You see, even if you made it to Rome, which is quite unlikely, you'd never defeat my giant brothers without a god fighting at your side. And what god would help you? So I have a better plan. You're not leaving. You're VIPs—Very Important Prisoners!"

The god vanishes faster than they can attack him, his voice echoes from the speakers surrounding them. 

"You see, Mother never trusted me with big assignments, but she did agree that I could keep anything I caught. You two will make an excellent exhibit—the only demigod spawn of Poseidon in captivity—and the daughter of Olympus to fight them every day! 'Demigod Terrors'—yes, I like that! We already have sponsorship lined up with Bargain Mart. You can fight each other every day at eleven AM and one PM, with an evening show at seven PM."

"You're crazy!" Frank screams.

"Don't sell yourself short!" Phorcys replies happily. "You'll be our biggest draw!"

Ara hears a loud thud and turns to see Frank crashing against an invisible wall sealing the exit. Percy's hand is against the tank's glass and she can see the outline sinking into it, which means soon they'll be swimming. 

"We won't cooperate, Phorcys!" He shouts.

"Oh, I'm optimistic! If you won't fight each other at first, no problem! I can send in fresh sea monsters every day. After you get used to the food here, you'll be properly sedated and will follow directions. Believe me, you'll come to love your new home."

The crystal begins to crack. Percy can help Ara breathe but it would take some of his power away and eventually drain him, meaning she'd die. She spots a treasure chest from which bubbles are constantly coming out and feels slightly relieved, that's a good source of oxygen.

"I'm the son of Poseidon!" Percy claims. "You can't imprison me in water. This is where I'm strongest."

"What a coincidence! It's also where I'm strongest," the god chortles. "This tank is specially designed to contain demigods. Now, have fun, you three. I'll see you at feeding time!"

"Percy!" 

Her brother grabs her just in time before the glass shatters. The first thing she notices is that Percy's holding his breath, he holds her unmoving, and Ara slaps his cheek lightly to help him react.

"Hey!" It sounds like she's talking inside a box, but the boy snaps his eyes open and takes a sudden breath. Ara stares at him worryingly. "You okay?"

"Frank," he replies, holding Ara to keep her breathing and then turning around to look for the boy.

Ara pokes his shoulder and points up. "There."

Percy scowls at the giant Koi fish above them. Judging by his microexpressions, he's talking fish with Frank. Just another Tuesday for them. 

Percy shakes his head. "Frank's stuck as a Koi fish. Any ideas?"

Ara looks around the tank. She swims up—taking Percy with her—and touches the celestial bronze at the top. She closes her eyes and concentrates, starting to glow orange.

"The glass can stand low and medium force impacts, which is what we can generate underwater—at least Frank and I. But Phorcys thought of you as well, installed propulsors inside the tank that force the water to flow in separate directions at all times. Must be reinforced with magic so you can't rig it..."

She swims back down, pressing one hand against the glass, then seizes her T-Rex and opens it, fishing out a water bomb.

"We need something to optimize our strength, or get someone to hit it from outside at the same time we do. The glass wouldn't flex correctly and it'd crack, we could target the weak spots with Riptide and Almighty afterward."

Percy stares at her for a moment before replying. "So... in short?"

Ara places the bomb in his free hand. "Well, do you see anyone outsi..." 

Her question is left unfinished when Hedge and Keto enter the amphitheater facing them. Ara and Percy share a look and realize they're thinking the same thing. 

"Get his attention." She orders.

The girl drops Percy's hand, immediately feeling the pressure and coldness of the water around her. She holds her breath and swims towards the treasure chest. In the meantime, Percy grabs one of the giant marbles that they've got lying at the bottom of the tank. 

Ara dismantles the treasure chest so she can reach the plastic tube, she tugs it out and then takes a deep breath from it. Now she has an unlimited source of oxygen. She turns to see Hedge holding a conversation with Percy via wild gesturing.

Ara swims taking the tube with her, the currents making it harder to move since her cloak keeps dragging her around... Her cloak! She can clock in on another blessing, this feels like the right time to pray. 

Percy points at the glass and then lifts three fingers. Ara takes another breath from the plastic tube and then takes the water bomb from Percy and presses it onto the tube's end. She prays as she lifts it above her head with both hands.

Her body lights up a teal color. Ara's stomach sinks weirdly, she activates the bomb and lets go of it so the air from the tube throws it further away, the water swirls around them all in the same direction.

Percy smashes a marble against the glass and Frank—now human—pushes his whole body against it at the same time that Hedge kicks the crystal.

Several cracks spread across the surface and Ara locks eyes with her brother, knowing exactly what's next. She can feel the pressure building and pushing them against the glass, and so they press their hands against the cracks and force the water to escape through them at such speed that the wall explodes at once.

All the cuts she gets heal by the time she's back on her feet. She picks up her T-Rex, soaking wet and with the stuffing coming out. She spots the shark hat a few feet away and picks it up, coughing and trembling.

"Pan's pipes, Jacksons!" Hedge coughs. "What were you doing in there?"

Percy grabs him by the neck and starts running. "Phorcys! Trap! Run!"

Alarms blast around them. Percy glances at the trapped creatures with concern but Ara urges him forward. "Later, Percy! Don't stop!"

Phorcys voice booms out of every speaker. "Jackson!"

They don't know to which Jackson he's yelling, but it doesn't matter much. Phorcys must be desperate to activate some other trap because all kinds of special effects are happening around them. Ara catches her reflection in one of the tanks, the shark-shaped hat neatly placed on her head.

"Ha!" A sudden surge of adrenaline runs through her, Poseidon's blessing doing its job.

Percy looks at her, he gives her a hesitant smile at first that turns into peels of laughter as they keep running. For just one moment, it feels like they're kids again, exactly like the old times.

Ara spots a fire alarm and triggers it, causing panic among the visitors. She yells out confusing instructions so they run in every direction, distracting the staff so they don't go looking for them. She's not sure all the workers are monsters, but she won't leave it up to fate, they love messing with her and her brother.

They leave the Aquarium in one piece, but they continue to run, Percy and Ara laughing all the way to the Argo II.

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @asnyox-the-hoarder @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles @ellipsisspelled @thepixiechicks

[crispyjenkins]

more ac teasers bcause you can't stop me

to the lovely in my dms who wishes to remain anonymous, here's a lil look at that other ac thing i'm poking at, with that good good bleed effect angst 🤌 y'all get zero context for this scene i said in the tags but i'll say it here too: desmond miles is 🤏 this close to being my new obi-wan so you can imagine my current state of mind. do not even get me started on jaskier.

(modern plot era, gen or pre-slash, william miles' a+ parenting, off-screen blood n violence, in this scene they're still hiding out in monteriggioni, bleed effect, MASSIVE h/c in the full fic)

  “Did your mom know about this?”

  Growing more confused by the second, Desmond humours him if for no other reason than his own curiosity on where Shaun is taking this, “I mean, she was still around the Farm back then, so she must’ve. She went back to the Italian Order when I was fourteen, though.”

  This seems to surprise Shaun, even though Desmond is pretty sure all this would be in the file the Brotherhood has on him. “I didn’t realise you were actually Italian,” he muses, stepping back to start cleaning up their garbage, while Desmond holds up his jeans and frowns at them.

  “How else do you think I’ve made it this far with the gaps in Baby’s translation system?”

  “To be quite honest, I thought you were faking it.”

  Desmond barks out a laugh, before deciding there’s no way he’s putting his damp pants back on. His bag of things had been missed when escaping the warehouse, but he’s pretty sure Lucy and Rebecca had thought to buy him more clothes on their last supply run. Y’know. Hopefully.

  When he tries to help Shaun clean up, the man just shoos him off, so Desmond shrugs and leans against the table to wait for him to finish, tossing his jeans over his shoulder. “I’m Native and Kiwi on my dad’s side,” he says, scratching the beginnings of the growing beard on his jaw.

  “Native American?” Shaun clarifies, snapping the kit closed and gathering all the garbage in the poncho.

  “Yeah, something from the Pacific Northwest, he never did tell me exactly what. Uh, then I get the Italian and Colombian from my mom, and we’re pretty sure her grandma was Arab but she never talked about her life before immigrating to Rome, so.”

  “Quite the melting pot,” Shaun says, offering to let Desmond lean on him, but Desmond shakes his head: he’s walked off far worse than this. “Is she still with the Italian branch, then?”

  He almost doesn’t answer, clenching his jaw as Shaun leads them from the crumbling room. But eventually, when they’re almost to the bottom of the staircase and in danger of actually being heard by their other teammates, Desmond mutters, “I don’t know.”

  The look Shaun sends him is actually flatteringly distressed, without any of the usual sort of pity he gets when people realise just how distant he is from his parents. He awkwardly gives Desmond a pat on the shoulder, but doesn’t press for more — Desmond doesn’t know what he’d have done if he did.

.

[helianskies]

After reading Bitter Teeth and knowing you speak Italian, are there scenarios and stories you'd still like to explore having Italy as your background? And what are you favorite Italian historical periods to play with?

holy moly, months later she's finally decided to give you some sort of answer to a very interesting ask! :'0

i'm sorry i'm on my knees i'm grovelling cake i'm so sorry

i'll be honest, i love italy, i love italian, i love italians, and i would love to use it as a setting more often if it suits a fic - in a heartbeat. having been to a fair few areas now (Puglia you're next on my list bby i promise) there are such beautiful places i would love to use as backdrops, even for short works. a little romantic trip to Verona, a wet weekend in Venice, a sea swim in the marina in Naples across the bay from Vesuvius...

i think it helps with writing when you've been somewhere and can weave in personal experiences or even memories. i'd like to do it more in general, though i find my mind is not programmed easily for fluffy encounters haha. but i have fond memories of italy and i'd love to use them more as inspiration.

(what i'm trying to say is i suffered climbing up Vesuvius after a morning spent walking Herculaneum and i want someone - toni, south italy, whoever! - to feel my pain!)

anywho. as for historical periods... i dunno. as a student i only ever studied Risorgimento onwards, and very politically-based. i think the Renascimento in Florence would be interesting. i really loved visiting Davide and Venere haha (my duomo experience on the other hand...). and i'd love to learn more of Venice as a kingdom. Roman Italy i guess is a must, though i've already dabbled. otherwise, i'm not too sure....

though, when in Rome... i could send toni to walk around the Colosseum and Roman Forum omgggg... let him walk around and have his thoughts... a lil' character study...

i am never getting over leaving the Colosseum and finding a public water dispenser with sparkling water.......

OH THE TEMPLES! there were temples in the Forum! there's the Tempio di Antonino (e Faustina, ahem) and the Tempio di Romolo just across the way! i remember my mind working overtime with that nugget. the romespa was stalking me tirelessly on that part of my trip. and i'm yet to be cured!

anyways i hope that has in some way answered your question(?). i've not put much thought into the italies as characters themselves - i don't feel the same kind of draw to them that i feel with toni - but it would be curious to. i'd love to do more research into Venice during the times of the Ottoman Empire, in its sort of golden era. i'm sure i've seen a documentary or two, and i may even have a book... hmmm...

so many little threads to follow and not enough hours in the day, sadly, to do so :')

thank you for sending in the ask, it gave me an excuse to look back on some much loved holiday pics haha (and sorry again for taking my sweet time responding!) :)

[corvarrow]

NE Vacation lets gooo

So I'm still really worn out but less than I ended up being yesterday so HERE is a post about the trip I just went on! It's gonna get real big and have a couple photos so I'll just go ahead and cut it here lol

-We went to visit family in Rhode Island...I have been to NYC a couple times but not any further north than that so anything in New England was a brand new experience. I was not a fan of the humidity (pretty arid here at home lol) but I like ocean and forest so I thought it was super pretty! I could not believe all the flowers and blue/purple hydrangeas EVERYWHERE

-We did fly in and out of Providence airport...but since it is super tiny we had to do connecting flights both ways. Wednesday last week we had to get up at 3 AM (after I had a full work day the day before) to get to the first plane, and on this Tuesday the layover between flights was REAL tight so both travel days were kind of brutal.

-ANYway, we ended up going to the Brimfield Antique Show in Massachussetts for two days. I don't think we covered a quarter of the show, we didn't expect it to be as enormous as it was. I ended up getting an antique inkwell shaped like a shell (it rotates on its stand), a metal dog, some vintage postcards (I love old landscape photos and interesting buildings), an old fan with a beautiful mountain painting on the front and a funeral home ad on the back (wtf lol), and a vintage travel guide to Rome with a lot of pictures but everything in Italian.

-Some other family from New York ended up coming with us to the antique show, as my aunt had rented a Vrbo (first time I've been in one) and there was plenty of room. One of those days we got takeout from a local restaurant and there was a machine in there dispensing pokemon cards for 50 cents...I thought "Sure why not" and got one - it ended up being a Dark Energy card instead of actually anything so I thought that was extremely funny

-We also went to Boston for a day - very pretty as well! I liked it way more than NYC to be honest. I had NO IDEA there were so many tunnels! Rained on us a ton though it cleared up by the time we did a bus tour. I am a big fan of brutalist architecture so I thought the one government building (the bus tour guide called it the Hurley building, I think) was REALLY cool. Wish I had gotten a picture of it but I was on the wrong side of the bus. Also: Bostonians, I am very sorry but your green line subway train makes possibly one of the worst sounds I've ever heard.

I thought the top of this building, whatever it was, looked very neat. Very art deco.

And this one with the dark windows forming triangle shapes. Not super exciting but I like this kind of thing

Can't forget about the gothic cathedral

Also spotted this cool unicorn at one point

-Uhh, what else did we do....after that we did actually do stuff in RI. Went to Ft Adams, went to Blithewold Manor, did a scenic ocean drive...I love how none of those Beachfront Home buying shows actually show the wild amount of traffic caused by people trying to get to the beach - parking whereever and blocking lanes constantly. I'd never live that close to the water to begin with as I'd be too afraid of flooding or my house falling in, but I had no idea how bad the traffic situation actually was. 8'D

-We did get a milkshake from Newport Creamery! I'm not normally a milkshake person but we tried them anyway and it was soooo good. Really enjoyed all the local chains in general.

-On the last day we did a lighthouse tour on a large catamaran and that was super awesome, I think it was one of my favorite parts of the trip. There was a Karen on our boat throwing multiple tantrums as the tour did not start fast enough for her liking but that just ended up being also extremely funny. The guy actually doing the tour was great and I'm actually quite curious about the history of the area, as I had no idea there were so many pirates o_o

This one boat moored near Ft Adams was rad af