#its the area code of a city i used to live in too

[addicted-to-dc]

AK!Jason Todd x Catwoman’s protégé! Reader - Just for tonight, Kitty - Pt 3

Guess who's back, back again? There will be a few more parts as long as inspiration fuels me.

Content: 18+, MDNI... angst, fluff, alcohol use (why does that look like it's spelled wrong?? anyways), getting into some smut (finally) in this part. Nothing too serious yettttt 😏

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Holding tight onto Jason, he grapples to the top of your penthouse. Rushing through the historical district at night always takes your breath away, especially with Jason. It’s been 5 years since you’ve enjoyed Gotham with him. It’s almost like the city is alive again.

Your feet gently land on the balcony, Jason landing behind you. Walking towards the entrance to the greenhouse, you input your code and open the door. The cold Gotham air quickly disappears as you step through the doorway. Jason’s right behind you, closing the door as he takes your plants in. Gifts from Ivy, ones that you spared no expense to help them thrive.

Finally, you enter your penthouse, descending your spiral staircase into your living area. The building, funnily enough, was severely damaged during one of the never-ending battles between Batman and his long list of rogues.

“I guess crime does pay, doesn’t it, Kitty?”

You turn around in time to watch him take off the mask. He places it out of sight, then his armor quickly meets the same fate. A bottle of your favorite drink calls your name. Two glasses join the party as you pour generous helpings of the beautifully colored liquid.

A quick laugh escapes from your lips as you turn to face him, your arm extending to hand him his glass, “It certainly has its perks, especially now I’ve branched out of Gotham.”

You take a sip, testing the flavor as you sink into the most comfortable couch money could buy. The glass is quickly placed on the table as you begin to take off your suit. Your gloves are the first thing to go, the fabric and hardware easily slipping off your arms.

Jason stays still, leaning against your countertop. He watches as your boots get tossed near the staircase. His eyes wander to the whip still attached to your waist before taking a big gulp of his drink. “That why you were in Venezuela?”

You take another gulp, relishing in your newfound warmth thanks to the alcohol. “Shopping for things to pay the bills. Might’ve made enough to retire.”

He laughs, “Do you really think you can retire? Once you’re in, you’re in for life.”

Leaning forward, you swirl your glass as he makes his way towards you. “Maybe, but it wouldn’t hurt to make it a part-time thing. Have some more time for myself, maybe for us?”

Jason finally sits down, leaving no space between the two of you. “After tomorrow night, I’m all yours.”

You gulp down the rest of your drink down, needing something to rid the thought of the near future. He places his drink next to yours before pulling you closer. Your thighs drag over his until you’re resting on top of them. He drags his fingers along the seams of your suit, goosebumps trailing behind his touch. You lean in closer, sighing as you take in his body heat.

“What are we going to do after this? Stay in Gotham?” you ask, your hand playing with the fabric on his chest. “We could go anywhere if we wanted to.”

His hand weaves in between yours, pulling it up for a kiss. “I don’t know, haven’t really thought of anything after this.”

You sigh, squeezing his hand. “No matter what we do, we always end up back here.”

“Hey.”

Your eyes flick up to his immediately. He adjusts himself, taking you with him as he places his back flush against the cushion. The movement sends a gasp out of your mouth, the friction setting you on fire. Your hands shoot out to stabilize yourself, using his shoulders to recompose yourself. You didn’t even register he unzipped the front of your suit until you felt his lips on you.

“Jay,” you whimper, back arching as he pulls you closer.

“This is where we met, Kitty, had all our little adventures,” he begins, leaving a trail of kisses and bruises as he travels upwards. “A little vacation every now and then would be nice, but…”

He bites your neck, stealing your breath away as he soothes the skin afterwards. Your grip on his shoulders loosens, overwhelmed by everything he’s doing to you.

“…Gotham’s home as long as you’re in it.”

You forgot how soft his lips were against yours.

---

Aha CLIFFHANGERRRR XD. Felt right to torture you guys a bit. Part 4 will be out soon, won't be able to fend off the fic voices for long.

As always, likes, comments, and reblogs are always welcome!!

[spreadwardiard]

I wrote a little thing. A little megaorion fluff thing. I can't get this ship out of my head omg.

Title: Home is Where You Are

Summary: After a long time away in Iacon, Orion returns to Kaon and snuggles up in berth with his conjunx.

Rating: Teen and Up

It was well into the recharge cycle when Orion finally stepped off transport in the city of Kaon, and even later when he finally arrived at the run-down building that served as his second home; the Gladiatorial Apartments. He ignored the warnings flashing on his HUD as he trudged down the hall towards the elevator, alerting him to what he already knew; that he was exhausted and in desperate need of recharge.

As always, the elevator groaned in a worrisome reminder of the lack of maintenance that was afforded to this place. It would fail, one cycle, if they didn’t tend to it, Orion thought as it inched its way towards the upper floors. Orion hoped that by that time he will have successfully convinced Megatronus that it would be beneficial to allow Orion to purchase something… safer and more suitable to their needs. As much as he loved his conjunx, the tiny apartment provided to Megatronus, even as the Champion, was too small to comfortably house the both of them full time.

He felt that familiar tug at his spark tighten as the elevator ground to a halt. Orion wasted no time, stepping out of that steel death trap as soon as its doors allowed him the space to do so. He let that tug at his spark pull him forward down the hall. He knew even before he punched the lock code into the door that Megatronus was recharging, and that brought a smile to his face as he stepped into the dimly lit apartment. Orion made him promise not to wait up for him.

Home… The apartment consisted of only three rooms; the living area, the berth room and the washrack. The main living space was half a fuel preparation station, and the rest was only large enough to fit his conjunx’s desk and two chairs. Orion couldn’t stop himself from quietly tidying up the space. He yawned softly as he straightened up the pile of datapads piled on the corner of the desk, saving them from inevitable collapse due to their haphazard stacking.

A quick glance around the room ripped a heavy sigh straight from his intake. The place was a mess, though that was not the fault of Megatronus. The unit his benefactors used to house him was simply too small for the larger warframe to comfortably maneuver himself to tidy up small nooks and crannies- another reason Orion wanted to purchase something else for the two of them.

He made his way into the fuel preparation station, picking up any trash that was easily accessible. After tossing it into the waste receptacle, he made his way to the automatic energon purifier on the counter. It was not turned on. Still ignoring the warnings in his HUD to seek immediate recharge, he switched on the machine, and carefully added the raw energon into the unit. Now, they would have fuel prepared for them when they came out of recharge.

An exhausted yawn ripped free from his intake as he turned and glanced at the closed door to the berthroom. His conjunx lay beyond that door, along with the silent promise of comfort and rest. It was so slagging difficult to recharge now, when he was alone in Iacon.

Orion paused only for a klik once the door to the berthroom slid open, to admire his Champion's form upon the berth. His spark blazed in a momentary inferno upon the sight. He wasn't entirely sure when or how he had fallen so deeply in love with this mech. It was not an intentional decision on his part, but Megatronus had nonetheless burrowed into his spark and had become everything to him.

Even shrouded in darkness his frame was magnificent. Without his low light filters switched on, Orion could see the elegant angles of Megatronus’ armored pauldrons and the almost delicate curve where his waist slopped into his hips silhouetted against the dim light trickling in through the window. The beauty of his frame was enough to suck the air directly from his vents.

Orion still could not entirely understand why Megatronus had chosen him as his conjunx. He could have any mech he wanted, and yet Megatronus had given his spark to a simple archivist. Orion was no fighter. He was not especially strong. He did not have a station that gave him great political power or a voice amongst the people. Despite how deeply he loved Megatronus, he still often felt undeserving of the love Megatronus returned to him.

He felt another yawn begin to build up in his frame, and his HUD flashed that obnoxious warning once more. Finally, he stepped towards the berth, taking care to move slowly and quietly to not disturb the gladiator before him. Megatronus must have been just as exhausted as Orion was, for him to be recharging so soundly.

He sat slowly on the edge of the berth, careful to slowly distribute his weight so as to not disturb his lover's recharge. Orion could already feel the comforting warmth of Megatronus’ frame radiating towards him as he scooted himself close until he was finally able to press himself gently against his lover’s back.

“I missed you so much.” Orion whispered as he peppered gentle kisses along the Champion's spinal strut, before slipping his arm around his lover's waist. He knew that once the morning came, he would likely find himself pinned below this very same frame while they reunited carnally, but for now he was simply content to snuggle his face into the larger mech's back and hold him as close as possible while finally allowing himself to succumb to the demands of exhaustion.

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss' San Francisco Spots

Darren Criss loves sharing music and places with a sentimental meaning. The award-winning actor and singer takes a trip down memory lane and shares all of his favorite places in his hometown, plus he curated some spots he's loving right now.

Amoeba Music I’m probably the last generation of people growing up going to record stores and buying albums. Amoeba was such a fun place to go to. It was like an exclamation point on my hang-out day in the Haight. I loved going there, checking out albums, and listening to as many as possible. You could scan the bar codes and check out the music. There were always a lot of great artists coming through. It was a cool place to hang out, being around music and record people."

Wasteland "Haight-Ashbury has all these great vintage stores. I really got into vintage clothing when I was a teenager. I remember I bought some bell bottoms here that I thought were really cool. I used to wear those at school, and I was like, 'Man, I'm so hip.' I love Wasteland."

The Alembic "This spot opened after I left San Francisco, but when I go back to the Haight, I love to stop by here. As a cocktail bar owner, I’m pretty choosy about cocktail menus, but they have a great one. I pay a visit every time I’m in town."

Golden Gate Park "Golden Gate Park is very dear to me. I’ve enjoyed going there recently as Outside Lands is now a fixture of the city. I loved going to the park for runs. I had soccer games and practice there, too. I’ve just had a lot of fun here walking around all times of the year. I love when it’s foggy and cold, and you have to dress up warm for a walk. I have a Pavlovian reaction when I smell the eucalyptus trees in the park. I have a very strong connection to the place."

Japanese Tea Garden "One place in particular that I’ve always loved in Golden Gate Park is the Japanese Tea Garden. My wife and I are big Japanese culture fans. We taught ourselves to read, write, and speak Japanese during the pandemic, so it’s a big part of our life. I’m a fan of Japanese gardens, and I’m a big tea drinker, so it checks all the boxes for me. It’s a beautifully curated, traditional Japanese garden. It’s a peaceful place to have a contemplative moment in the park."

Marina Green "When I was younger, we lived in the Marina, and I spent a lot of time with my parents at Marina Green—going for runs and doing stuff with my dad. My dad was a big runner. He always loved it there."

Crissy Field Center "Crissy Field is a special place to me. I used to ride my bike here. In fact, it’s where I learned how to ride a bike. This park was fun for us because, obviously, our last name is Criss. So it became ‘Hey, this is our field,’ where we could ride our bikes. It’s an old abandoned landing strip for planes. They’ve transformed it into this really beautiful nature reserve in the past twenty years. A lot of the natural wildlife is coming back to the area, and it has completely been revitalized."

Bourbon & Branch "I recently did the Hedwig and The Angry Inch musical on Broadway, and then I did its tour. I first got into the musical when I was growing up in San Francisco, so I would be remiss not to do it in my hometown. We were stationed at the Golden Gate Theatre in the Tenderloin, and there’s a cocktail bar close by that I’m particularly fond of. You can have a quiet drink there. It’s especially nice after a show when I don’t want to use my voice too much. It’s my idea of the perfect cocktail club."

CreoLa "CREOLA is another newer spot I’m very fond of. It’s a great cajun, New Orleans–style seafood restaurant. My wife and I got married in New Orleans, and we love that city. I just stumbled onto this place when I went here for Sunday brunch. They had a lovely dixie jazz combo playing, which was such a nice treat. I had a delicious crab benedict here—one of the best I’ve ever had."

The Music Store "My brother and I grew up getting a lot of music from The Music Store. We were really into bluegrass. My brother is a banjo player, and we’d go see a lot of local folk and bluegrass bands there. Shelby was the guy that ran the store, and I was always fond of him. You know, even at that point, I realized that having a mom-and-pop record store was special. I hope it can live on forever."

Great American Music Hall "Every Sunday, I’d check the datebook in the SF Chronicle and look for great shows to go to when I was growing up. I saw one of my first concerts at the Great American Music Hall. I saw Phantom Planet open for American Hi-Fi there. I must have been 14 or 15 years old. Phantom Planet is a band that I've continued to love throughout my life. I even ended up playing with them, so the Great American Music Hall has a special place in my heart."

Stonestown Galleria "I spent a lot of time here, particularly during the holidays because that's where I did all my last-minute Christmas shopping. I went to Good Guys for electronics, cool walkmans, portable CD players, and Tower Records to look at records and buy cool stuff there. The mall was a one-stop-shop for my brother and me during the holidays. And, we'd go to the food court, get a hot dog on a stick, and go see a movie."

Seniore's Pizza "San Francisco is not a party city. It can be hard to find late-night eats. The only place that you can get a pizza after a night out somewhere is Seniore’s Pizza. It’s a place where you can find a bunch of young kids trying to squeeze in a pizza right before the whole city closes. It’s definitely a fixture for local San Francisco kids."

Submarine Center "Submarine Center is hallowed, sacred ground. It’s in the ‘last meal’ kind of category for me. The sheer ecstasy that I have going into that little room and having one of the best sandwiches in the world is something that I do wish upon everybody in the world. Whatever sandwich you pick from the menu, it's going to be delicious. Submarine Center is a big leading player in the show of my life."

Philosophers Club "If you want to live like a West Portal or Sunset kid, you hit up this dive bar next to Submarine Center. But if you’re one of the homies, you’d call it the Philly Club. So if you ever want to get a sandwich and hit the Philly club, tell 'em Darren sent you!"

[dynamic-k]

hi im back home

after a 12 hour flight

in which my dad threw up

and i have 20 mosquito bites

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-

Anyways, this has lead me to think:

Do they have planes in Stick City? (That is what the place is called, right?) Do any of the Becker siblings get car sick/plane sick/motion sick???

Wait are there other cities outside of Stick City? And if Stick City is named that because there are Sticks living in it does that mean other cities have other species???

Hold up- IMAGINE A HOLLOWHEAD CITY!!! It could be like- a Swap!AU of Super Sticks!! Like- hollowheads weren't the recessive gene and the Becker's are actually sticks?? EEEK

Also, is Stick City in the Outernet?? And if they have different worlds, would they have planets? Or areas of the web that are connected to each other with portals and stuff that count as different worlds?

Yeah I think you can tell I'm trying to make the Super Sticks and Spark AUs actually fit together.

WORLD-BUILDING IS SO HARD WHYY

i have some more questions but i think i should wait considering you've gone 2 camp or smth like that

It's funny, the moment I get back home you leave yours xd

aoshrflaouhdfpiuhdasfihsa jet lag lol

Have a nice day!!! :D And enjoy your camp!!

-R

ps if anything here is factually wrong and I've been rambling on about nothing actually true its cos i didn't bother to fact check it im lazy

Finally I have some time to answer this before the ask gets moldy-

:D Hi! Missed you! New ask yay!

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Planes in Stick City? I never once thought about this, so here I am now thinking about it-

See this is why your asks are so helpful!! I get to world build by answering questions I hadn't thought about until right this moment- :3

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I have decided that motion sickness is a thing that exists! Do with that what thou will. I think the hollowhead Beckers beloveds would be immune to normal motion sickness.

Red was already canonically prone to dizziness and motion sickness, hence the suppressants he'll get ahold of later in the plot when it comes up there's a minor issue with his teleporting armor. :>

[/proud-of-myself-for-casually-spoonfeeding-future-lore-to-everyone]

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Stick City was just the fanon-wide accepted name for the Outernet city we see from time to time in canon, and when I was starting Arc One, it was the name on my brain so therefore, was used.

I suppose, it does make sense for there to be implications of a Lizard City or something-

I think Stick City is the capital of the Outernet. For the world of Super Sticks, I mean.

(Not for canon, because then that would be a really bad capital to have- You see how shabby everything seems, and how indifferent the sticks are and how small it appears, aside from the mass that is Rocket Corp-?! That's a city, but it ain't no capital-) (...Is this just how I see the canon city? Does- Does anyone else think this too-? ..Is it just me here-)

In SuperSticks, I would absolutely say Stick City is the capital, hence the name that focuses on the species known as sticks that take up 98% of the entire Outernet. And also my SuperSticks version of Stick City is a lot more industrialized and expanded, truly worthy of being considered a capital city. THE CAPITALLLLLL-

And any other neighboring cities of sticks would have different names, like, uh.. Circuit Town and.. maybe, uh... Conduction, by itself as a landmark something.

I want to spend hours of my time coming up with map accurate expansions and hyperspecfic names down to the restaurants of my imaginary Super Sticks Outernet world now-

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There aren't planets, since the Outernet is virtual. There's basically world barriers at the edges, as I mentioned in a previous ask.

Also humans literally cannot travel to the Outernet, since it's virtual. Every stick figure is just tiny pieces of code to a human!

Can't canonically smash the very Human AU: The Spark, with the very code-structured heavy binary related stick figure society of Super Sticks, together. I need to author plot magic a portal and make a skit/non-canonical crossover.

XD

-

Now, portals that can go to different areas of the web? THAT could happen. :3

I think I'm wracking up Arc Three and Arc Four ideas, help-

[My brain works too fast, I literally just received a vague-ish idea of an extremely extensive webwide adventure in 4 to 8 seconds.]

....

HEHE Seconds-

-

:D

Thank you so much for the ask!!

[youngshinxjunghoo]

From the setting prompts: 029.   an extravagant greenhouse

omg lets so go <33 just so you know this is going to be so self indulgent i love writing about plants so much help. but also this is the first white collar thing ive ever written this is so scary but have some flower talk <3

(also this is set canon universe post 4x02)

It didn’t take a genius to realize that Peter Burke struggled with feelings. He liked logic, efficiency, and results, not sitting down and spilling his guts about uncomfortable feelings. Maybe because the emotions of other people- and sometimes himself- were completely uncontrollable to him. He liked solving puzzles, sure, but only when those puzzles ended in finding hidden treasure or someone getting arrested, not when he had to figure out what the hell was going on in someone’s brain and then try to comfort them about it. 

Which is one thing most people agreed he should never be allowed to do. 

Peter Burke wasn’t exactly good with sappy words or comforting others. 

However, he just so happened to have a wife who was great at it. 

It was only a week after Peter and Neal had returned from Cape Verde. Neal was still healing from getting shot in the leg and immediately being pushed back into work.

It was clear he was holding on to a lot and with everything that had happened, Elizabeth could tell he needed a well deserved break- and no, Cape Verde did not count. But since when did Neal Caffrey ever take care of himself? He was too focused with throwing himself into work in an attempt to do anything he could to bring Peter back to White Collar. 

He was the one who was shot, yet here he was, doing everything he could to help Peter’s career. 

He more than deserved a bit of gratitude from El, and since she lacked the skills to steal some pricey European painting for him, a personalized gift from event planner extraordinaire Elizabeth Burke would have to do for now.  

She had decided on making a flower arrangement for him. It was personal, classy, and it would hopefully make for a fresh new decoration to Neal’s apartment. Almost like a ‘welcome back’ gift. Besides, Peter was money conscience and Elizabeth just so happened to have a florist she often collaborated with owe her a favor. 

So Elizabeth and Peter soon found themselves in a homey greenhouse outside of the city. Elizabeth had a white basket around her arms as she entered the greenhouse, only to be attacked by the vibrancy of the plants and flowers that covered almost every area of the packed room. The bright sunlight used the glass walls to bend its rays to magnify the soft colors of the flowers that took up most of the greenhouse. 

Despite the bundles of plants scattered around the greenhouse, it was surprisingly organized. Each section was labeled and even seemed to be color coded. It was like a rainbow had exploded into hundreds of soft, flower petals. 

It was already giving Elizabeth inspiration, as she could clearly picture bouquets of different flower arrangements sitting as a centerpiece in Neal’s already lively home. 

Peter, on the other hand, was stumped. 

Elizabeth’s friend who owned the greenhouse was letting her pick as many flowers as she needed, and Peter soon found out how overwhelming simply picking out flowers was. There were too many shapes, colors, and types involved and Peter had no idea which ones would even look together. El was the one with a keen eye for style. 

“It’s not about the flowers, Hon,” Elizabeth tried to explain as they walked through the rows of flowers. “It’s about the meaning behind them.” 

Peter stopped himself from asking if she thought Neal would know the meanings behind all these flowers, because who was he kidding, of course he would.

“Make something that represents Neal,” El suggested, walking past a collection of lilies. 

Something that represented Neal? It’s not like there was a fedora shaped flower or anything. However, there were some brightly colored gaudy flowers that almost resembled those sparkly jewels Neal had an eye for. 

“What’s this one?” Peter asked when he came across a fluffy looking bundle of bright yellow flowers. Yellow flowers were usually used for joy or friendship, right? That could probably work. 

“Yarrow.” Elizabeth leaned over to get a better look at the small flowers that almost looked like a honeycomb from farther away. “You know, it’s actually known as a healing plant.” 

Huh. That was pretty on the nose, wasn’t it?

So Peter stuffed some of the lacy yellow yarrow flowers and placed them in Elizabeth’s basket. Sure, he felt a bit silly that he was wishing Neal a good recovery through flowers, but it seemed like flowers were good for speaking the words he didn’t know how. 

Hm, maybe that’s what he needed to do. Communicate through the flowers. Which, yeah, sounded a bit cheesy, but Neal knew how to appreciate cheesy. 

With that in mind, Peter let Elizabeth lead him around the greenhouse and tell him the meanings of each flower, occasionally stopping to let him pick out a few flowers he thought would fit. And after stuffing about four different flower types in their basket, they returned home to let Elizabeth demonstrate the artistry of actually arranging the flowers together. 

It wasn’t that difficult, as Peter’s floral choices had turned out to be strangely tender, with a soft and welcoming palette of pale pinks and yellows. 

Peter watched as Elizabeth started with pink chrysanthemums, which almost had an ombre look to them as the curved, leaf shaped petals in the middle started out as a vibrant pink and then faded out to a classy rose pink. Peter did not at all consider himself to be sappy, but when Elizabeth told him the meaning of chrysanthemums, his hands began moving on their own volition to pick the flowers and put them in the basket. 

Unwavering optimism. Positive growth. Joy. They were all such hopeful and colorful descriptions of the delicate looking flower and Peter couldn’t help picturing Neal. After all, there was no one he knew who had more ‘unwavering optimism’ than Neal Caffrey. It was almost obnoxious, how he could have such a positive outlook on everything and use that to fuel most of his hairbrained impulsiveness. 

But maybe Peter also wanted to use the flowers as a reminder. That yeah, he was proud of Neal. 

Which was something he didn’t say enough. 

And that led to the next flower, the dahlia. 

Elizabeth cut down the stems of the orangish-pinkish dahlias so that they hung just right underneath the petals of the chrysanthemums. The ball shaped flowers with the cone like petals were yet another soft addition to the arrangement as they symbolized devotion, love, beauty, and finding inner strength. 

It was at this point that Peter began to wonder if he had gone overboard. 

...This was extremely tacky, wasn’t it?

“You don’t think Neal deserves to know how you feel?” El had countered when Peter had voiced her concerns aloud. 

“Sure, through my own voice, not through flowers.” 

“I think he’ll appreciate the flowers. And he knows you don’t always have the easiest time saying what you feel.”

So the dahlias stayed. 

Peter couldn’t complain, the arrangement actually did look stunning- it was by Elizabeth though, so that was to be expected. 

El proceeded to weave the lacy yarrow in between the dahlias and chrysanthemums, injecting some neatly placed leaves throughout the bouquet. 

And lastly, she took the tall stalks of yellow and muted pink snapdragons and added them to the arrangement. Like many flowers, snapdragons held many different meanings. They stood for grace and strength, but at the same time, they symbolized deception. 

And what represented Neal Caffrey better than graciousness and deception? 

Besides, he knew it would get a long overdue chuckle out of Neal. He knew Peter didn’t mean it to be vicious or accusatory, but rather something that pointed to Neal’s strength.  

Soon enough, Elizabeth had put the finishing touches on the bouquet and stepped away from her creation, studying it for a few minutes with pursed lips before turning back to Peter. 

“What do you think?” 

“It’s like I’m staring right at him.” Peter admired the vibrant yet sophisticated arrangement as he pictured it sitting in June’s apartment, fitting right at home with Neal’s vintage suits and work in progress paintings. “Do you think you could add a mini fedora?” 

Elizabeth laughed, but grabbed sheets of brown and black origami paper a few minutes later. 

And just like that, Neal’s bouquet was decorated with a tiny fedora. 

It was straightforward, it was cheesy, it was bright and colorful and carefully crafted. It was everything that was to be expected from Peter Burke trying his best to represent the enigma that was Neal Caffrey. 

Peter wasn’t always the best at expressing his feelings, but hey, at least now he could try to communicate through the language of cutting and neatly arranging flowers.  

[mauesartetc]

Hi maue! You may know me for sending in random asks as well as asks about planet characters! Well I wanted to say my story is in development and it's also a musical. Since I'm also a songwriter. I wanted to ask about the design of one of my main characters dizari (they/them )

Dizari comes from a city in space outside the solar system called Celestia. Which is full of magic. And dizari is a rebel trying to combine technology and magic. They're a chaotic inventor type who also is pretty self absorbed and does like to look fabulous from time to time. But you may say. "Why the dull outfit ?" Well celestia is a town that has white as it's main color ( no not like that ) and citizens of celestia mostly wear white and grey with other colors needed to be muted so the white and grey stand out. Even hair is mostly dyed grey and white. ( Eyes is a different story ) Since dizari is a rebel, they have their hair teal instead of white, but of course it has to be muted and dark.

I wanted to ask if the colors of dezzy's design fully capture the whole muted colors and mostly white and grey thing. Or if their outfit looks too bland for their rebellious personality. ( Design wise not color )

Thank you! ( Note I wanted to ask about my primary main character, but her new design isn't really finished yet )

Oh hi! My first thought right off the bat is that an inventor probably wouldn't want to wear anything that restricts the movement of their hands and arms, as they need those for tinkering on their latest project. And depending on what they're inventing, I'm sure they wouldn't want anything too flowy or stringy, lest those strings get caught in gears and motors. So any outfit Dizari has would need to avoid this. As always, the type of clothing a character wears depends on their lifestyle.

As far as practicality for everyday use, the current outfit is serviceable, but doesn't show off much of the "rebellious" aspect. You mentioned that the town requires a certain color palette as its dress code, but you haven't mentioned shapes. Here's where the citizens of Celestia have the most potential to show off their individuality.

Just a few basic looks I whipped up in a couple minutes, but you get the idea. Focusing on the collar area and shoulders will jazz up the design a bit without restricting arm movement.

And since this is a sci-fi story, don't be afraid to get a little crazy with it. This person lives on an entirely different planet from us, as well as (I'm guessing) a different time period. Of course the clothes they wear will look a bit strange to us at first glance. It might be useful to follow some fashion blogs for inspiration and make a Pinterest board of styles you think would fit a certain character. Even movie costumes can be a great resource: The everyday outfit of one of my own sci-fi characters takes cues from Queen Amidala's gown in The Phantom Menace. (Say what you will about the movie, but that costume was iconic.)

Hope that helps!

Important: New policy for art asks

[ehghtyseven]

Do you have recommendations for what to do and see in Pittsburgh? And is it easy to get around by bus/subway etc?

anon I’m so sorry, I started replying to this at the airport on my way home then saved it to drafts and forgot to go back and publish, oops! anyway…

ok, please bear in mind I am just a person who has visited a few times so this is in no way exhaustive, and will obviously be coloured by how easy things are to get to without a car and things I personally find interesting!

presented in no particular order…

heinz history centre & sports museum

go for a wander through the strip district

fort pitt museum & point state park

national aviary (fun on its own but would thoroughly recommend the penguin encounter as an extra)

andy warhol museum

carnegie science centre (though I just went to a specific exhibit so I don’t actually know about the museum as a whole but I liked what I visited)

walk the three rivers heritage trail along the north shore & visit the mister rogers statue (and I always enjoy walking over one or other of the three sisters bridges to get across from downtown and back afterwards)

take a trip on the inclines (duquesne is the prettiest and has the best views of the city at the top but personally I like to go up the mon - when it’s not closed that is - walk along grandview then come back down via duquesne)

point of view sculpture (just a bit further along grandview from the duquesne incline)

pittsburgh has a couple of theatres so it’s always worth checking out what’s on during your trip, and pittsburgh has some great restaurants/bars to check out too.

also, not really a “thing to do” but I will never get tired of arriving via the fort pitt tunnel when coming in from the airport and downtown just explodes in front of you as you emerge!

there are some other places I haven’t visited yet but are on my list, including the zoo & aquarium, phipps conservatory, carnegie museums of art and natural history, the frick, and randyland.

on the second question, downtown & the areas close by are very walkable but I find it is pretty easy to get around on public transport, yes. PRT now has an app (ready2ride) that includes a journey planner and live trackers (amongst other stuff), lets you buy a range of different types of pass that you then use by just scanning your phone when you get on, and which covers buses, light rail and the inclines. as someone who lives in london and is used to just tapping my phone to travel on public transport, this was way easier for me than having to think about paying fares every time and took a lot of anxiety out of using buses!

the T (light rail) is also free between downtown and the north shore - all the stops between first avenue and allegheny - which is handy! I also think it’s neat that most bus stops have a QR code you can scan for live arrivals info, which also helps you check you’re at the right stop :)

[batsclass101-blog]

Dead People Book Club - Part 1

(Inspired by a post on @someoneimsure , I’m new to writing for the batman/batfam fandom, this is actually my first post for them, hope you all enjoy! Also this has an OC who forced me to write it as a friendship with a bit of a crush. ... Most likely will be more than one part! ) 

“Local Scarecrow sightings... Police recommend the west side of Gotham remain indoors and secure toxin masks. Have a wonderful day--- Now onto--” 

A groan escaped Hero Kingsley as she fumbled for the remote to her crummy TV. She’d fell asleep watching a documentary of some sort after a long evening studying. It was not a wonderful day, the brunette squinted hazel eyes at the too bright screen. It couldn’t be more than four in the morning. She ground the palms of her hands against her gritty eyes. No morning in Gotham was truly wonderful. 

‘Aren’t you just a Suzie Sunshine.’ Hero flinched at the imaginary voice of her mother before batting it away and rolling off her half demolished, rescue couch. 

Despite the warnings of a Gotham Rogue on the loose, Hero had places to be, namely her job. College was one thing to risk her life for, she could ace her classes easily, but she needed the money. In the cog of things, every Gothamite knew the importance of money to survive in the city. 

“If I were still on speaking terms with my parents it wouldn’t be an issue. Huh Doyle?” Hero shot a small smile at the tattered looking black cat perched on the back of the couch. “I’d still have the Vette, but I’d be stuck at some society party. I’d rather work myself through college any day.” 

A lazy meow mingled with the insistent drip coming from the roof. The joys of living in Crime Alley never ceased to amaze Hero. It was such a change from her upbringing among the blue bloods of Gotham, but she was determined to make it without her parents' interference. 

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” Hero tossed on a pair of jeans, neon green super-glued tennis shoes, and an old Gotham Academy Book Club shirt. The nerdy “I’m booked for the weekend, Gotham Academy Literary Club,” emblem always made her smile. She didn’t miss the snooty upper crust classmates she was tossed about with. 

She shuffled around making toast and coffee, listening to the morning radio announcements and fixing her hair. A glance at the clock alerted her to the need to leave to catch a bus or at least get past any criminals. 

“Gun check, pepper spray check. Purse with no money. Phone, keys... Think that’s all. Keep the place upright Doyle. I’ll be back before you know it.”

____________________

Hero was a strange character in general, for various reasons. Reason number one, she willingly ostracized herself from her blue-blood family to live in Crime Alley. Number two, she happened to love walking through the dangerous neighborhood... it must be the Gotham in her blood. Reason number three was her insistence of gaining a college degree rather than going into her family’s business (one that was questionable) in her opinion. 

The scent of stale cigarette smoke, booze, and other questionable odors pierced past the gasmask as she high stepped through the streets. She smiled a little as she passed a working girl, Ginny, who warned her to hurry as Scarecrow had been sighted headed towards the area. 

“I’ll hurry and I’ll be sure to shoot you a text to see if its all clear. Thanks a million Gin.” 

“Sure, thing Hero. Just stay safe.” 

It was an unspoken code among the women in Crime Alley to keep one another safe. Hero had learned a lot since her arrival to the Alley, it had included the unspoken women’s code and the second was that most of the Alley didn’t ask questions about her strange name. If she’d been brave enough, she’d have used her pretentious first name, Octavia. She smiled as she pocketed a stray switchblade, in a lot of ways she loved Crime Alley. 

‘You’re as insane as your name is pretentious.’ Hero rolled her eyes at the voice of an old bully in her head. Everyone has their quirks,

It took around an hour but eventually Hero made it to the combination cafe and used bookstore she’d snagged a job at. Books and Bites was a bit of a corny name, but the little hole in the wall had become quite popular. The pay was a smidge above minimum wage and Hero got free food, so she wasn’t about to complain. 

“Morning Short Stacks! Did you walk through the valley of the shadow of death safely?” 

“Perfectly fine. It was a lovely walk, the fumes of Scarecrow hadn’t even made it to my apartment.” Hero shot her coworker, Derry a grin. “You should come over sometime, you can help crush cockroaches. Also, keep calling me Short Stacks, I’m five foot two but I can take you in a fight.” 

“Right...Private lessons with Red Hood?” Derry smirked as he moved to flip the open sign on. 

“I’m beginning to think he’s a myth. I’ve lived in Crime Alley for years and I’ve yet to spot him. Toxin induced hallucinations if you ask me.” Hero slipped an apron on and began prepping the morning pastries. 

“He’s real! Don’t you ever watch the news?” The Indian boy rolled his eyes and turned on some soft jazz. 

“Not if I can help it. Unfortunately, it’s a must in Gotham. That is if you want to survive.” 

“Have you found yourself a new book club yet?” 

“No, unfortunately I’m too busy working and going to college. Alas. The joys of posh living have long abandoned me!” Hero flailed dramatically. “But if I do find one. You’ll be welcome to join.”

“Not me, I’m only working here to pay part of the bills.” 

Hero shook her head and turned to sort through the newest batch of book donations. Already she could feel that the day would be an extra-long day. The gloomy sky brightened just enough to tell that dawn had reached the dark city.

The day pressed onwards, and the former socialite thought carefully about Derry’s reminder about joining a book club. It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered extra-curricular activities, but there was little time to enjoy such things...though it wouldn’t be the same as her high school book club. All day long her mind flitted to her old book club. 

She hadn’t necessarily loved that club, in fact there wasn’t much she liked about Gotham Academy. Her desire had been to attend public school, but that was shot down quickly. She wanted to be normal; however, being from a family as old as the Waynes of Gotham had made that impossible. She’d taken to selective mutism, and it almost worked except for the school snobs that wanted in good with her. Her parents kept demanding she join more clubs so she’d chosen Gotham Academy’s Literary Club. She hated it until Jason Todd-Wayne had joined. 

_______________________________________________

 Four years prior - Gotham Academy

“I was just diagnosed with IBS—Impulsive Book-Reading Syndrome. Really?” Hero narrowed her eyes at the Club President. “That sounds... really classy. I’m sure that Principal Henson will love that.” 

“And what do you suggest Octavia?” Sharon Dillard snarled imperiously. 

“If I was suggesting something...it would be better than that,” She blew a huge bubble. “Sophisticatedly corny. Not something that would remind me of bowel movements.” 

“Listen here---” 

“What about a Jane Austen quote,” Hero crossed her legs with a smirk. 

“I second that.” A deep voice cut into the discussion causing Hero to turn. 

“You have something to add Todd?” 

“Like I said, I second Shakespeare’s motion,” Jason sent Hero an easy smile. “I’d rather not wear something about body functions and books.” He propped his feet up on a nearby table and stared Sharon down. 

“FINE. Let’s hear it Octavia.”

“I’m booked for the weekend, Gotham Academy Literary Club. It’s simple, tasteful and our parents will actually let us wear it. Most of us couldn’t even wear that around the house. You might get away with it...if you’re new money.” 

“All in favor?” Jason smirked and raised his own hand. 

________________

Present

All her memories of her old book club reassured Hero that she’d never find another one that measured up. She shook her head as she waved goodbye to her coworkers and headed off for her weekly grocery run. No book club could stand up to the fond moments Jason had brought to the club. He was the freshness that the club and the school needed. 

Hero had considered him a friend early on, even though they mostly chatted in club meetings and on the group chat...but it was sincere interaction. Sincerity was something that she longed for in a world of liars. As school crept on she slowly worked up the courage to share silent lunches in the library with Jason. 

He was her friend whether he knew it or not. She’d swapped copies of rare books with him, packed extra junk-food to share in the library and proceeded to share all the high society gossip so he’d have ammunition for the school snobs. 

When he’d died, she’d been shaken. It wasn’t fair and most of her “equals” were unmoved by his death. That was the straw that broke her. She didn’t have many real friends, friends she could trust... but Jason, he was a sort-of-friend, someone she could drop the act. She wasn’t Octavia with him, just Shakespeare. A passing fellow reader that didn’t give him a hard time and just accepted him. 

_______________

“Seventy dollars and eighty-three cent.” 

‘My grocery bill will be my villain origin story.’ Hero shelled out her money and hoisted up her bags and headed out. She needed to hurry home if she wanted to catch the Pride and Prejudice reruns from the BBC. The streets of the nicer side of Gotham brought back lots of memories...sometimes it played on her mind. 

Crowds swarmed around Hero as she marched towards the bus stop. It wouldn’t take her directly into Crime Alley, but it would get her closer and save her tired legs. Cautious eyes darted around watching for any potential threat. Living on edge was key when you chose to live in Gotham. Right before she made it to the bus stop, a familiar set of shoulders caused Hero to pause... She felt herself pale. 

“Jason... It can’t be...”

[uwmspeccoll]

414 Day

It’s 414 Day, or Milwaukee Day! We celebrate Milwaukee on April 14 because the area code for the Milwaukee area is, you guessed it, 414! This year for 414 day we are celebrating a few of the spectacular movie palaces in Milwaukee that still act as theatres in some capacity today. 

First shown here is Downer Theatre, located at 2589 N. Downer Ave on Milwaukee’s East Side. The Downer Theatre is Milwaukee’s oldest operating movie theatre in Milwaukee. It opened in 1915 and has been a movie theatre ever since! It may have a tile front now and a different marquee, but at its heart it is still a fine old movie theatre. 

The second theatre shown here is the inside of Riverside Theater, located at 116 W Wisconsin Ave, opened in 1928 as a live performance center, and was a first-run movie theatre in the 1950s. Today, it is once again a live music and performance venue with a capacity of 2,450 people. 

The third theatre shown here is the crème de la crème: the Warner Grand Theatre, located at 212 W. Wisconsin Ave. This theatre was opened in 1931 in place of the opulent Butterfly Theatre that once stood in its location. The theatre cost $2.5 million to build and was considered the most beautiful in the city. It continued as a movie theatre until the mid-1990s when it closed. In 2017, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) purchased the theatre and renovated it back to its original glory. The theatre opened again in 2021 as the home of the MSO now called the Bradley Symphony Center, and it is gorgeous! 

There are other movie palaces still in use in Milwaukee, too, like the famous Oriental Theatre on the East Side, which underwent its own renovation in recent years, and the Avalon Theater in Bay View, which offers an “atmospheric” experience with a starry sky lit in the ceiling in the main theatre. 

All of the images in black and white are from Milwaukee Movie Palaces by Larry Widen and Judi Anderson, published in 1986 by Milwaukee County Historical Society. 

These theatres are part of Milwaukee’s history as well as a part of their present! I highly recommend visiting any one of them for a movie or performance soon. 

-- Alice, Special Collections Department Manager

[udo0stories]

New York City is the most iconic and most visited city in the United States. With its distinctive skyline, diverse neighborhoods, world-class museums, incredible Broadway productions, and melting pot of cultures, NYC attracts millions of visitors each year. (It’s also the place I call home.) New York City is huge. I mean, ten million people live here. Where do you stay when you’re here? There are so many hotels to choose from. To help you plan your visit and narrow down your options, here’s my list of the best hotels in NYC: 1. East Village Hotel Located in the East Village, my absolute favorite neighborhood in NYC, this boutique aparthotel is run more like an Airbnb than a traditional hotel. You get sent a code before arrival to check in, and there’s no staff or restaurant on site (though an outpost of The Bean, a popular NYC café, is right downstairs). The studio apartments are designed to reflect the neighborhood’s bohemian spirit, with contemporary artistic décor, beautiful exposed brick walls, and lots of natural light. The kitchenettes include a stovetop, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and silverware. Rooms include comfy pillowtop beds, showers with good water pressure, a flatscreen TV, and complimentary bath products. Everything is pretty compact, but in an area with few hotels, this is one of the best-value spots. Stay here if you want to be in a central location with tons of great restaurants and bars at your fingertips.   2. The Marlton Originally built in 1900, this historic boutique hotel in Greenwich Village has been home to many of the area’s bohemian set, including one of my favorite writers, Jack Kerouac (he even penned a few novellas here). I like that the hotel’s extensive renovations still kept its classic aesthetic. The beautiful interior has a stately feel, with ornate moldings, herringbone parquet floors, and vintage furnishings like brass light fixtures, ornate rugs, and custom-made furniture. The staff are super friendly too. The rooms are pretty small, but well designed to make use of the space. They come with flat-screen TVs, comfy beds with plush bedding, wardrobes, minibars, and marble bathrooms. The Marlton is also home to an excellent bar that serves incredible cocktails, and there’s a complimentary breakfast available too. I think it’s the best value for your money in the area.   3. Vocabulary: The Franklin This three-star hotel is in a 19th-century brownstone in the Upper East Side, the neighborhood I live in (if you see me, say hi!). The rooms here are simple, but the hotel has some great perks, like a free 24-hour espresso bar and a standard late checkout time of 12 p.m. The restaurant is currently being renovated, so there’s no breakfast available on-site, but there are tons of places just steps away. The rooms are decorated in a minimal (but cozy) style, with white-painted chandeliers and cute original art. All rooms come with large TVs and comfy pillow-top mattresses, while their larger rooms come with a desk and easy chair. Everything is newly renovated, and the glass-enclosed showers have excellent pressure. The location is great too, as it’s on a quiet, leafy street close to Central Park and Museum Mile.   4. Hotel Indigo This four-star hotel is dedicated to supporting local street art and artists, and you’ll see plenty of their work throughout the building. The rooftop bar, Mr. Purple, is a favorite among locals for fancy cocktails, and on the weekends, the area turns into an upscale club. (Because of that, it’s a 21+ hotel.). There’s even a heated pool on the rooftop too. The rooms boast hardwood floors, bold artwork, and floor-to-ceiling windows with impressive views over the city. All rooms also include Keurig machines, desks, and a minibar (for which you get a $20 USD credit). The bathrooms are large, beautifully tiled, and feature rainfall shower heads. While there’s no breakfast served on site, you’re just steps away from tons of great eateries open at all hours. Overall,

I think this hotel is the best place to stay if you want to experience NYC’s legendary nightlife.   5. The Standard The Standard is one of the best hotels in the city (I think this East Side location is even better than the one in the Meatpacking district). The bar serves some of the best drinks in town and is usually always packed with NY’s fashionable set. There’s a café where you can get breakfast in the mornings too. The recently renovated rooms are gorgeous, decorated in a minimal design with bright pops of color and lots of natural light thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows. They’re pretty big too, especially by NYC standards. All rooms at this four-star hotel feature plush beds, fluffy down pillows, huge flatscreen TVs, Bluetooth speakers, cozy bathrobes, work desks, and stocked minibars. The bathrooms are spacious, with tiled walk-in showers and organic designer toiletries. You’ll also get complimentary access to the nearby Crunch gym (in case you want to work off all the delicious food from the plethora of nearby restaurants).   6. The Library Hotel Everything at this four-star hotel is book-related. Each of the ten floors has a different theme, and all of the 60 rooms have dozens of books that fit within that theme (the hotel has a collection of over 6,000 books!). There’s also a Reading Room lounge with work desks, cozy nooks for reading or writing, and 24/7 coffee, tea, snacks, and drinks. Guest rooms are a good size (for NYC) and feature rich wood furnishings in a sleek, contemporary design, with plush bedding, minibars, flatscreen TVs, desks, and luxury bath products. There’s also free breakfast, a rooftop terrace with a bar that serves literary-themed drinks, and really helpful staff. It’s a quiet respite from an otherwise busy and loud neighborhood. Stay here for a unique experience that’s close to major tourist sites like Times Square, the Empire State Building, and Grand Central Station.   7. The Sherry-Netherland Located on Fifth Avenue, right across from Central Park, this ornate five-star hotel is housed in a stunning Beaux-Arts building. The lobby boasts vaulted, painted ceilings and custom-made chandeliers, and the elevator even has a white-gloved operator, just to highlight how upscale this property is. The property’s Italian restaurant serves breakfast in the mornings, and there’s a fitness center available too. The spacious rooms are elegantly decorated, with mahogany desks, tasteful art on the walls, and large marble bathrooms. All rooms include flatscreen TVs, luxury bath products, complimentary soda, mineral water, and chocolates, and daily newspaper delivery. This is the place to stay if you want to splash out on a classy and timeless NYC hotel experience.

[blazingstarship]

Since I’ve been watching 5Ds, maybe talk about how you and Yus met? >:3

Aaaahhh yeah, its time to spill the tea about this story hehe @dark-magical-ships 😏 prepare for a whole essay🙈

Yus and me met 3,5 years before the canon events of the storyline.

It was back in Satellite where duel gangs reign over the Satellite sector and where a Project was set up to help out the well being of the people of Satellite. This project was created out of protest by a group of city rebels against the Neo Domino laws by trespassing to this Island and bringing supplies that’s been seen as illegal yet the most simple things like medicine, fresh fruit etc. To protect ourselves, they have fake names, field codes that presents an area in Satellite, duel guns with electric shocks and an electric belt.

One of the jobs was to deliver medication to Dr. Smitz as a request for a boy who needed this specific medicine thats impossible to get in Satellite. At Martha’s orphanage there is a wall of pictures of all the kids thats in or had been under her wings, including the boys and Yu.sei who catched the attention with his raven black hair with golden locks.

Rumors were spreaded all around Satellite and even got towards Team Satisfaction. Kiryu saw it as an opportunity to get new and illegal supplies to help with their game and duel disks. Yu.sei being the tech guy, he came along to make sure the supplies are okay for their upcoming duel. So at the dump there was a rearrange where the official meet happen, but didnt got a very long conversation between us.

The same night, the duel gangs came out the dark to duel the weaker. And it may happen Team Satisfaction had a duel too. But the team they played against werent into “playing fair”. It was an ambush, trying to robe them from their stuff. Knowing the guys, they dont give up without a fight. They got spreaded out and took them one on one, meeting at their spoken place to regroup again.

Everyone made it out fine except Yu.sei. A sereach was being hold to clear out every ally, every corner of the area. Our paths crossed as me and my buddy helped them out to look for “goldie locks”.

Yu.sei ended up not only taken some nasty hits, but also being hold against the wall and threat with a Kn.ife against his throat. The man brought up that he knows his little secret and will tell everyone else about it if he doesnt do what he has been told. Yu.sei figure the pieces together and realized this was a set up to get to him, not for the duel or their stuff. They wanted him. They wanted revenge. They wanted to take his life like the burden he buries deep down and only a few people know. The survivor’s guilt.

“Your dad didnt hesitate to take thousands of lives. Me and everyone who lost everything that day will gladly take yours without a single doubt.”

Being taken off guard, Yu.sei felt a big guilt growing inside of him. While the man got his eyes glued on him, burning with fury, he made a big mistake for not being aware of his surroundings.

Suddenly the man screamed, shaked and let the knife fall out his hand. Foam formed in the corner of his mouth as Yu.sei saw his change and kicked him to the ground. The man was passed out and got time to have a look what just happen as he saw someone standing with a gun. Breathing heavy and a little shaky of how much power it got, we looked eyes.

S: “Hi.”

Y: “Hello.”

S: “That was close, you okay?”

Y: “I am fine, I got everything under control.”

S: “Well from my point of view, you could use a little help. Your friends are looking for you, they are worried.”

Y: “Well I am fine now thanks, what about you?”

S: “Me!? Im good! Im good! Im…Do you think he is dead? I mean, I never shocked anyone before.” She points to the body on the ground, not moving at all.

Y: “He is probably napping. Byside, he is the last one I worry about.”

S: “True. He really got you.”

Y: “Huh?”

S: “You… you bleed a little.” pointing out his nose and mouth

Y: touching the place with the rug of his hand, looked at it and wipped it off more. “Dammit.”

S: offers a piece of cloth. “Here, take this.”

Y: hesitate for moment as he looked at the piece as he slowly took it and brought it up to the bridge between his nose and lip. “Thanks. Also for the shocking knock out. Your gun has an incredible volt power.”

S: “Thanks, I feel pretty safe with it. Also good for dueling.”

Y: “You duel?”

S: “Not yet. I got a deck and stuff but never actual dueled with the duel disk.

Y: “Your deck is your everything to make the best out of this place.”

S: “You are one of Kiryu’s friends right? I saw you today on the dump, regonize me?”

Y: “Yeah, I think so. We should get out of here before sleeping beauty wakes up or his friends show up. Come on, lets go.”

S: “You sure you are fine? You seem pretty shaken up.”

Y: “I said I am fine. Why do you care so much? You dont even know me and I dont know you.”

S: “But I know Martha.”

Y: “What?”

S: “At Martha’s orphanage I saw a picture of you and some other guys. She cares about you, she told me you guys were good guys. I trust her on her word.”

Silence

Y: “Let me bring you to your hiding place. What was your name again?”

S: “Uhm…Celeste.” She lies, not knowing if she can trust this guy enough to let her know her real name.

Y: “Celeste. Thank you for your help back there.”

S: “No problem, goldie locks.”

Y: “Yus.ei.”

S: “Indeed I say.”

Y: “No, my name is Yu.sei.”

S: “Oh! Oh…ooooooh. Now that all makes more sense.”

Y: “You aren’t from Neo Domino City, are you?

S: “I’m not even from around here close by. I come from the other side of the world.”

Y: “Why the heck would you chose to come here!? Of all places in world you can freely go!?”

S: “I am sorry?”

[thedummysdummy]

A Weekend in the Cabin: Part 1

Victor placed the two suitcases in the trunk of the car and closed it carefully. “This is your last chance to realize if you’ve forgotten anything. We aren’t turning around after we’ve left.” 

The girl shook her head from the front seat of the car. “I’ve triple checked and we have everything! Even the new slippers and matching fuzzy robes. I’m so ready for this quiet weekend after how hard we’ve both been working this month. We’ve hardly gotten any time to spend together. I’ve missed you.” She pouted and Victor sighed, though an indulgent smile played with the corners of his mouth as he walked back to the driver’s side. He slid into his seat and turned the key to power up the engine, then grabbed her hand as he backed out of the driveway and pulled onto the highway. 

The usual soft classical music filled the air in the cabin while the pair sat in comfortable silence. Nothing really needed to be said; everything they wished to communicate could be passed through their loosely entwined fingers. The girl did eventually break the silence; “How far is the cabin, Victor?” 

“A few hours. You have plenty of time for a nap,” he replied, the lilt in his voice showing his pleasure. His guess was correct; within minutes, the girl had shifted so her head rested comfortably on his shoulder and her eyes closed. She clutched his arm to her chest and he enjoyed the calming rhythm of her breathing against his side. The city gradually fell away and gave way to rural farms and finally a medium sized forest. 

The girl stirred as they entered the shaded road that wove its way through the trees. Dappled light which made its way through the leaves played on the hood of the car and the faces of the occupants as they slowly drove the mountainous road. The girl rolled down her window and took deep breaths of the fresh mountain air laced with birdsong. “It’s so beautiful,” she chirped, giving Victor’s hand a squeeze. “We definitely need to spend more time in the mountains like this. The air is so different here!” 

Victor nodded indulgently, returning the squeeze. “That is what happens when the smog of city living isn’t being pushed into the area,” he teased. 

“I know,” the girl replied with indignation followed by a laugh. “But that doesn’t mean it isn’t wonderful! We are going to have so much fun, Victor. We can roast marshmallows and drink hot cocoa and explore the woods and lay out under the stars! Do you think we’ll see any animals? I would love to see a fox! Or even a bear, if we’re inside!” 

“Perhaps. We’ll have to see what decides to wander too close to us when we get there. But I’m certain we’ll have plenty of fun.” The girl narrowed her eyes in suspicion at Victor’s tone, but he just chuckled and kept his eyes on the road. The wind from the window rippled his dark hair and she found herself again distracted by his strong jawline and handsome profile. It didn’t matter how many times she glanced over in the car and caught sight of him; every time, she was pulled back to that rainy night where the moonlight had emphasized yet softened that profile. Her heart warmed just by the thought of it. 

Soon they came to a stop beneath a large pine tree. The gravel drive crunched beneath their tires and a soft breeze swished the branches above them. To their left was a small wooden cabin. It was fairly standard; stripped pine logs, green tin roof, little covered porch and white door flanked by large windows on either side. The girl spilled out of the car excitedly and began rushing from tree to tree, around the cabin, and back to Victor’s side like an excited puppy. “Are you satisfied with your exploration?” he teased as he put the access code into the keypad and turned the doorknob. 

She nodded and brushed past him into the cabin to begin poking her head into every room. Victor chuckled and shook his head, heading back to the car to pick up their bags. The girl joined him moments later at the trunk to take one of the suitcases and happily made her way back inside with it. “It’s so cute!” she chattered. “There’s even a sauna and a huuuuuge bathtub. I bet we’ll both fit in it easily!” With a seductive wink she disappeared back into the cabin, leaving Victor blinking with surprise. 

He found her in the kitchen when he entered with their remaining two bags, already snooping through cupboards and refrigerator. Her eyes lit up when she found everything fully stocked, no doubt at Victor’s request. Victor took the bags into the bedroom and when he returned, the girl had already pulled out supplies to make hot chocolate. “You couldn’t wait five minutes for a snack?” Victor teased, stalking up behind the girl and wrapping his arms around her waist. He buried his face in her neck and took a deep breath, allowing her scent to fill every cavity of his being. 

She turned around and returned his embrace, laughing as she did so. “What? I told you before I fell asleep that I wanted to enjoy some cocoa with you! And besides, it’s nearly lunch time. It’s not like I just ate breakfast and now I’m clamoring for a snack.” She stuck out her lip indignantly and pleaded with her eyes. 

Vicor sighed indulgently and patted her on the head. “I know, I know. I made sure that there would be something quick and easy to eat when we got here just because I knew you’d want lunch. There are ingredients for sandwiches in the refrigerator and chips in the cupboard. Or you can have sliced fruit instead if you’d prefer. Why don’t you go get that started and I’ll make the chocolate?” 

The girl was fine with this, knowing that Victor would probably end up making the most delicious chocolate she had ever tasted. That was Victor, after all. A few moments of rummaging through the fridge yielded multiple deli meats and cheeses, sliced fruits, and condiments, while the cupboard gave up bread and small bags of chips. She placed them all on the counter and fetched two plates and a knife to begin making her masterpiece. 

“Don’t forget the tomatoes and lettuce. You need vegetables in your life, not just meat and cheese.” 

She grumbled and returned to the fridge, convinced he hadn’t even looked at what she’d gotten out already before (rightly) declaring she’d missed the roughage. But she did as she was told and returned to making her sandwich. By the time she was satisfied, the pot of milk was lightly frothing and the sweet scent of chocolate was beginning to fill the room. Victor finished with a pour of heavy cream and some chocolate shavings, ladled some into a cup, and placed the warm cup in his lover’s hand. She sniffed it appreciatively, the steam drifting pleasantly into her lungs. 

Victor quickly assembled his own lunch and the pair made their way to the carved rocking chairs on the porch to eat. Little birds hopped around in the brush just on the other side of the driveway and the girl watched them with a smile on her face as she nibbled on her sandwich. Victor, on the other hand, had his eyes fully fixated on the most important person in his world. Just the slightest smile tugged the corners of his lips upward as he sipped at his steaming drink. His dark eyes seemed to glitter more than usual, though the girl was too distracted to notice. 

After lunch, snow began gently drifting down to light upon the landscape. The girl watched through the window for a long time while Victor casually answered a few emails on his phone. “Come sit with me,” she eventually whined, patting the sofa beside her. “We’re on vacation. Put your phone away?” 

“You were perfectly happy on your own, so why wouldn’t I get a little extra work done?” Victor replied, his tone frosty but his eyes mischievous. She pouted and Victor swept her up into his arms, setting her on his lap with his arms around her waist. “Better?” 

“Mhmm,” the girl replied, resting her head on Victor’s collarbone and closing her eyes. “This cabin is really nice, but a little cold. Why don’t we go make use of that great big bathtub? It looks like it has jets in it and everything!” Her eyes opened and she looked up at him with her best possible impression of puppy eyes. 

Victor stared back at her for a long moment with a steely face, but all it took was the girl running her hand down his cheek for him to end the game of hard to get and scoop her up in his arms again. She giggled and clung to Victor’s arm as he carried her toward the master bathroom and set her on the large bed. “I’ll go run the bath. You get ready.” His voice was husky and he hurried into the next room with what she had long since learned to interpret as Victor’s brand of excitement. 

The sound of running water and the scent of sweet jasmine drifted into the bedroom where the girl had removed her clothing and left it in a pile next to the bed. She wandered into the bathroom and Victor turned, his ears burning just slightly as his eyes fell on her. “I can watch the bath. You go get ready now,” she said, wrapping her arms around Victor for a moment before stepping into the water. It was the perfect temperature and the oils he had chosen smelled heavenly. Her eyes closed and she let out a pleased sigh, immediately beginning to lose herself in her thoughts. 

So when Victor slid into the water in front of her, the girl was startled for a moment. Her eyes popped open and got a full view of his bare chest. “Oh, hello there,” she murmured as her brain caught up. The steam between them rose from the water in lazy tendrils as the two stared into each other’s eyes. It subconsciously became a war of wills as to who would move first; yet they gave in at the same moment and collapsed into each other’s arms. Victor’s hot lips latched onto hers and he roughly pulled the breath from her lungs. 

She bit at his lip when her chest threatened to burst, causing him to pull back just long enough for her to pull in a breath and him to let out a chuckle. Then they were back at it, breathing each other’s heat and holding each other close. 

The water had begun to grow cold by the time the pair hauled themselves, panting, from the water and wrapped up in fluffy towels. Victor pulled the plug and quickly dried off, though he opted for the black robe hanging on the door rather than putting his clothing back on. The girl grabbed the matching white robe and tied it loosely. “Now what do you have planned, Mr. CEO?” she asked, looking Victor in the eye in an attempt to keep her eyes from drifting downward. 

“I believe it’s late enough to begin dinner so it will be ready before a certain dummy is breaking down the refrigerator door,” Victor replied. “Why don’t you choose a film to watch while I cook? There should be a selection of them in the drawer beneath the television.” 

Knowing that translated to “you aren’t invited to help me cook this time,” the girl nodded and took Victor’s hand to drag him back into the wide-open living area. He led her to the couch and pulled his hand away, leaving her to her own devices. 

Soon the rich scents of garlic and onion filled the air from the kitchen, and the cheerful music of a comedy sang from the TV. The girl settled into an armchair from which she could see both Victor and the movie at the same time. Her world felt warm and comfortable, she couldn’t imagine it being any better than this.

[olliethescribe]

Ok but hear me out warren centric set in ottawa fic ykyk bc

I’m so cool /j

I wrote way too much for this. Heads up, it's on the angsty side and contains a death mention. I am a sucker for giving Warren Stone shitty parents. (This is also canon to Only Brooches - taking place three months before Breakfast). Enjoy!

It was supposed to be a weekend trip, straightforward in its depressed purpose as Warren had been called up north to engage in family matters. He was less than thrilled, keeping his mind on Ron and the boys, hoping that leaving them with the mini-van would be enough while he was away. It should be enough, fine even. Just two days and then he’d be back, basking in the warmth of their home, holding Ron tight and never letting go. Would’ve brought him up too had the magician’s passport not been expired. No, Warren had to brave it alone. 

The last time he’d heard from his parents was during Christmas, taking a chance on an unknown number with a Vancouver area code, a rough cough breaking the silence on the other end as his mother asked him if he’d gotten the socks she and his father sent. They had no idea that he’d moved, or had gotten engaged and married, or was far smarter than the nineteen year boy he used to be when they called him after running away all those years ago. Warren spoke in short and curt reponses, cutting off tangents before they could branch. He knew the tactic, make small talk then, as he was distracted, ask for money. It only took forty-five seconds for him to end that call. 

So when they called again just a week prior to this drive, asking him to join them at ‘home’? He should’ve hung up with record speed. But no, he had to listen, finger hovering over the end-call button when they told him his cousin passed, that he had been named in the will as a recipient. 

The newscaster hit a bump as he grumbled to himself, eye twitching as he turned down the nearest exit. Couldn’t get a call for the funeral, nah. Had to be about the will. He paused his thinking for a moment as his fingernails dug into the steering wheel of his BMW. “I’m an idiot! Newsflash: it’s still about money!” Warren looked up at the signs arching over the road. Thirty kilometers to Ottawa. Better than the alternative. He foresook his GPS, trashing the idea of seeing his ‘family’. Ron was right, this felt off, it felt like a trap. Warren didn’t feel like getting caught in another one. 

“Hey, babe,” he said, ringing Ron who answered instantly, “yeah, it’s not happening. I’m coming back tomorrow. No, I didn’t get there yet, managed to stop myself. Is everything good on your end?” Warren made another turn, driving down a long stretch of road before arriving at a roundabout. Ten kilometers away now. “What do you mean by ‘sad purple sheep man’? Oh, they weren’t kidding about the two dads thing, huh? Don’t ‘four dads’ me, I swear to… yeah, that checks out.” Five kilometers now, almost there. “And yes, I’ll bring back a case of coffee crisps. You’re welcome.” Warren smiled, eyes on the road. One kilometer to go. “Wish you were here, think you’d like where I’m stayin’. Next time. Love you too, Ronny.” 

Warren pulled up to the outer limits of the city and stared in awe for a bit, the capital of his home country glimmering in gorgeous shades of pink and orange in the dying light of the winter afternoon. He’d have an hour or so maximum before the sun gave up its light for the day, looking for something he could feasibly do. Warren passed by the Rideau Canal, taking a brief glance at the boats below before Google spat out the brilliant idea to visit ByWard Market.

The newscaster would’ve picked a museum had he been with Ron, the two getting lost in all types of exhibits for hours. Another go-to for them were typically live performances, frequenting theatres owned by small creators as the two quietly whispered to each other about not understanding what was happening but enjoying themselves all the same. 

Warren glanced across the street as he parked his car, an art gallery catching his attention painted in red tones, people streaming in, couples with their arms linked and laughing with each other as the gallery owner passed around glasses of sparkling wine. He felt his chest begin to dully ache, trying hard to ignore the feeling as he got out of the car and onto the sidewalk. He’d be home soon enough, would be back with Ron soon enough. Had to keep reminding himself. 

As it turns out, ByWard Market was less of one market and more so a conglomeration of shops and establishments within four city blocks. The area hummed with soft jazz, people out and about, enjoying the evening chill. Shops were nothing short of crowded, and food stalls were only slightly less so. The newscaster decided to wait in line for a coffee, fucking up his order at the last second by requesting a green tea instead. He drank it anyway as he strolled, the hot leaf water reminding him of his husband. 

Warren found himself bobbing in and out of shops, taking a keen interest in the fashion establishments that lined one block, walking away as soon as he saw the price tags. He couldn’t afford a decent suit in Ottawa, that was for certain. There were queer bars and loud resturants, speciality grocers and tattoo parlours. All lively, all inviting. The warmth that emanated from yet another gallery drew him in long enough as he warmed up, taking in the sights of a private collection of Georgia O’Keefe paintings as curated by the gallery’s owner. To view art of a desert so vast and lonely, well, it certain made him feel less so. 

The newscaster eventually left, checking into a hotel a block over, running back to his car once he realized he’d left his luggage behind. His phone was ringing non-stop, no calls yet from Ron but plenty from the ones that claimed to have raised him. He turned the ringer off, dragging his suitcase into the elevator and ascending to the fifth floor. 

His heart beat dully in his hollow chest, frowning as he stared out his window that overlooked the city. The guy at the front desk said it looked prettier in the daylight. Warren would have to take his word for it.

[lagycart]

tokyo tohoku trip - day 12.

starting the day at tsukiji outer market 築地場外市場, even though the fish market has moved to toyosu, this area remains very popular for fresh seafood and lots of other street food. we came here on a wednesday so a lot of stores are closed, it also means there should be less people, some stores are still super crowded though.

we walked around the market and tried a few street food, fresh sashimi from 築地 斉藤水産, the seafood variety here is plenty, you can ask them what is good for the day as well, everything looks super yummy. all the fish, prawn and sea urchin we ate was really good, very tasty and enjoyable. followed by grilled scallops from 築地うなぎ食堂, which also has grilled eel and other shellfish, another popular option among the crowd. last but not least, tamagoyaki from 築地 山長 is definitely a must-eat, especially for egg lovers like myself, it’s just so fluffy and i like to eat this while it’s freshly cooked.

for lunch, my friend and i went to shutoku 2nd store at tsukiji 秀徳2号店 for the omakase meal, we were served tamagoyaki, 10 pieces of sushi made from various local freshly caught fish, a handroll and miso soup. the chef prepared all the fishes and shell food first before starting to make the sushi. it’s a very enjoyable process to watch as the chef do wonders right in front of you. each fish is very fresh, has slight different texture and taste, and is complimented by various condiments which enhance the flavor. the meal was very satisfying and enjoyable, this was our second visit already.

we grab coffee after the meal at a rustic coffee store - yonemoto coffee 米本珈琲 本店, this store has so many different kind of coffee beans, and the coffee jelly i got is so yummy too. definitely a good place to visit for a great cuppa. after the coffee break, i head to shibuya on my own to continue my exploration, as shibuya has changed a lot recently.

i first did some stationery and souvenir shopping at loft, this is my favorite store to go to as it just has so many things to see and buy, and always something new to discover. they also offer duty free shopping which is very convenient too. after that, i went to shibuya scramble square, a new shopping mall that is super popular right now, to visit shibuya sky, the latest and hottest rooftop observation deck at the moment. i made reservation beforehand, so its very easy to get in with the QR code provided. they have lockers for visitors to store your things which is not allowed on the deck.

the deck is very spacious and windy, and there’s lots of tourists around, there’s also photography service which you can queue up for, otherwise you are free to roam around and take as many photos as you like, and stay as long as you wish to. as the sun goes down, the weather turns cold really quick though, but the sunset was very beautiful to watch. there’s some seating area and hammock and a helipad too. with a rooftop bar at one side which opens at night. it is definitely enjoyable to visit if you like the city view a lot and just wanna feel cool breeze.

when the sky starts to turn dark, i decided to leave and went down the building, and by chance, i found tokyu hands ハンズ on the 10th floor, and did more shopping, this is also one of my favorite place to shop for japanese stationery and home and living items. and this new store at shibuya scramble square is well organized and easy to look around too.

my last stop before heading back home is visiting the mega donki Megaドン・キホーテ渋谷本店 to purchase some souvenirs for friends and family, as this stores is so big, they have anything and everything that you wanna buy at a rather competitive price. i bought quite a few japanese snacks here, the options are endless and it’s also very reasonably priced. only downside is the paying process is long and painful as there’s only limited staff working at the counters for duty free checkout.

for dinner, my friend has prepared a feast at home for the both of us, she bought so many fresh ingredients and cooked a delicious and heartwarming meal. there’s grilled fish, pumpkin, miso soup, fresh vegetables and more. everything is really yummy, and we had a great meal and it’s so just relaxing to be able to have a homecooked meal. our meal ends with the egg pudding i got from shimokitazawa a day before, which is so creamy and the egg taste is really fragrant and rich and not really sweet at all.

to be continued...

[the-firebird69]

Sicario TRAILER 1 (2015) - Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro Movie HD

This movie Preamble is beginning now and we mean right now they need to weigh in and out emily Blunt is the one they're going to lose their stashes and cashes there BJA has to go there and a bunch of other people and it is on and the guy who got our son the saddlebag says they're blaming him what he should know is they're blaming us because he has the look they're using him as a code and his father has been and he says it sounds right and they're not in the good use house good hue it's very similar though and they might be sticking to the lazy boys and no that's not the case you don't like living like this and they say he doesn't like it either and he didn't grow up living like this and it's kind of torture. And the guys who are saying that the Pseudo Empire are guilty are liars it's really the Morlock who are eating everybody to take over and the Morlock who are eating everybody to take over and our people had to flee and run for their lives and they did. And they helped each other and we helped it's still going on and the guys are disgusting by comparison and they are starting to understand its brutality and that they have to apply a lot of pressure and main up and not get harmed. This movie is beginning because of our sons announcement and he saw the movie clip from red and they're going after people who were down there and got listed in the New York Times as being involved in the drug trade. And in the movie red it's actually Dave next door who's seeking these people out and Trump and they said wonder what he's doing there. And they went down and found out Emily Blunt is there and that he is taking over her apartment and letting her take the blame so we check other spots and we know about it and Trump is constantly ruining our son and he says I and Trump is constantly ruining our son and he says I'm gonna ruin you forever I said I'm ruining you forever already you're too late stupid **** you're already dead trump. And he's looking around saying what do I say to that you can say whatever you want nobody knows but us is not true so go ahead and embarrass your dead stupid brain. So he started yelling at and he said we know you're stupid now shut up we'll hit you again so they keep doing it it keeps saying it and then he says it's you people and I'll send this saying goodbye trump this is a series that starts and gets rid of you and it is. It leads directly into other movies and he starts to Croak one of them is Mr and Mrs Smith and that leads into a couple movies the Zombie Apocalypse movie and internals and after that he is pretty much toast but he does he does do a transformation before that but it is from but he does he does do a transformation before that but it is from this film that all that starts and he gets infected in Mexico a little yes and he goes to the Mars mission and gets infected big time. And he steals torsos from mutants and as people get slaughtered and the cities get destroyed and his island gets taken everything is beginning now because of this item and it is going to be very very huge there's almost nobody in this area who doesn't want to know about it and you're all thinking that this is where it comes from this weird lust for power and things like that and they see him down there right at it and he is at it and he's had a lot of other stuff like that and now they're going after him to see what it is. And BJA is going after those places and pulling him out. It's going on right now as huge fights and battles everywhere. They're entering the Midwest they're going to their areas that are off the populated areas warnings are being issued and there's still amassing if they start a sequence or to heat up their rockets if they start a sequence or to heat up their rockets they will all be killed it's a good size for us i at the pseudo empire it's good size that the other areas just not very large it's gonna be easy to wipe them out t is twice that of Satur's good size that the other areas just not very large

More shortlyThor Freya

Olympus

good

Hera

[kyndaris]

City of Lights

VIVID is an annual event in Sydney that began all the way back in 2009. For years, famous landmarks around the central business district have been lit up from late-May to mid-June, pausing only briefly due to the pandemic. Always, there have been magnificent exhibits to wow the senses and tantalise those with a creative bent. And nearly every year I go. With friends or family. To see what wonders the artists have conjured up for the year.

Of late, though, VIVID has become more and more commercialised. Exhibits are hidden behind paywalls. What was once free before now requires a person to fork over a decent of money. And in this day and age, where people are struggling because of the rising cost of money, many might choose to forego VIVID altogether.

And while I might have gone into the city with a friend or two in June, Dikottir asked me out first. Initially, he thought a Saturday would suit, until I told him of the crowds and that I was available for a weeknight adventure.

It didn't take long for us to set a date and arrange to meet at Wynyard. Since this was something of a date, it seemed fitting we pay a little extra to enjoy one of the paid offerings at VIVID. And so, we purchased the tickets for Dark Spectrum, which would lead us into the old train tunnels underneath the fair city of Sydney.

Surprisingly, I managed to arrive before Dikottir. After waiting for a few minutes, he also arrived and we made our way to the entrance of the exhibit. As we headed down the staircase, we caught up on how our individual lives were going. Mine, as is almost always the case, was hardly interesting. A cycle of work and quiet weekends had crept back into my very organised and routine life. And while some would attribute finishing off a lengthy fantasy novel something to chat about, I've learned Dikottir isn't all too curious (given his sister writes poetry and has actually won a prize).

As of typing up this blog post, I'm trying to finish off a short story that has ballooned into a 20k behemoth.

To be fair, I'm trying to conjure up an ending that makes sense for the character. Fingers crossed it won't be all too much longer and I can finally start work on a project I want to see published.

Can you imagine, dear reader? Kyndaris, New York Times Best Seller!

I'm certainly not short of ideas for my stories, but it's setting the time out to execute the vision I have in my head that is difficult to manage. If only I could be a division one winner for the lotto. That'll certainly set me up.

Anyways, what was I saying?

Ah yes. Dark Spectrum! Well, suffice it to say, Dikottir and I headed down into the bowels of Wynyard train station, handed over our passes and were greeted by snippets of history of the old trams that ran underground. And then, before I knew it, I was bombarded by sound and flashing blue light. We had entered Misdirection portion of Dark Spectrum.

Through the confusing maze of blue arrows, we made our way to Search, an almost peaceful experience with its hanging lights. Through this ethereal tunnel, we emerged into Revel. An area that encouraged dancing and spruced up the tunnel segment with green lasers, but was also quick to utilise the darkness.

Dikottir, it must be said, was very much in his element. He might not have been the most elegant of dancers, but he certainly did let loose and didn't mind if he incurred the judgement of the others traversing the exhibit with us. I, on the other hand, was a little bit more reserved and guarded. But also, a little overwhelmed by all the sensory outputs.

It wasn't until we reached the next chamber that I felt a little calmer as the space was a little bigger and the music was more diffused. From the yellow chamber filled with all manner of code and binary numbers, we entered a tunnel filled with lanterns. And what a sight it was!

This had to be my favourite one of the chambers. Especially because of how photogenic it all was.

From the lanterns, we headed to a very angry red room with arches almost reminiscent of tori gates. Making our way through, we entered the very last chamber: filled with white light that broke out into mutli-coloured rainbows to represent how diverse white light truly is.

By the time we stepped out from Dark Spectrum, it was still quite early and the lights of VIVID has yet to be switched on. So, Dikottir and I traipsed to Circular Quay in search of food. As someone who is constantly craving Japanese, we tried out the DOPA located in Sydney Place before we headed to Customs House to see more of the pretty light show that has made Sydney such a great destination even during the winter months.

From Customs House, we made our way towards the Museum of Contemporary Art before we meandered our way through the Overseas Passenger Terminal. Along the way, I snapped photos of the Opera House and Dikottir purchased a huge slice of watermelon, topped up with some soft serve.

Once he had finished his monstrosity of a dessert, we rounded Dawes Point Reserve and headed down the wharfs. Where once the piers hosted a vast array of exhibits, this year, there was a marked absence of anything entertaining. I relayed all this to Dikottir. Multiple times.

So palpable was my disappointment.

And as we walked around Barangaroo Reserve, my disappointment only grew. There was hardly ANY exhibits around this section of the city except for an unimpressive arch.

Even in Barangaroo, the offerings were slim. Yes, there was Horizon but did I really want to head like moths to a flame in between two rows of container lines and stare at a big LED screen flashing orange? And while the ChairWave helped to rest my weary feet for a few minutes, it was hardly worth taking a photo of.

Down we walked, making our way towards Darling Harbour with nary anything exciting to divert my attention.

Even in Tumbalong Park and just outside the Chinese Garden of Friendship, the pickings were small. Where was the huge Swiss Cheese-like monument from yesteryear? Or the sheer amount of frogs? Or the other pretty lights hovering over the pools? What about the water show and dome that had sat in the middle of Darling Harbour?

No. 2024 had none of these options.

As we trudged up the Goods Line towards Central Station, there were a few other exhibits to see but nothing exactly worthwhile.

Much like our last 'date,' Dikottir offered me a hug. One I returned, still somewhat awkwardly. Despite the poor showing at VIVID, the date was still a good one.

But while I don't find Dikottir offensive, and I certainly consider him a friend at this point (he did make a few jokes that he feared I'd lead him down into a dark alleyway and steal his organs - how, I don't know. I don't think I've revealed my unhinged side to him just yet), I'm still questioning how far this might lead in terms of romance.

The thought of holding hands with him, or me showering him with displays of affection, gives me the creeps.

A romance straight from the movies, this is not. At best, it'll be a love forged from a strong foundation of friendship. But this, of course, does necessitate a lot of time and investment. And it might still not eventuate into anything.

Of course, all of this is during a time when I'm questioning my sexuality and gender preferences. I know I'm certainly on the asexual spectrum but I still haven't figured out who I might be willing to enter a romantic partnership/ companionship with.

In all honesty, the idea of simply finding a fellow roommate I can share an affordable apartment/ house with seems more up my alley. That way, neither of us are too lonely, and there's still someone around I can talk to.

If anything, travelling with bleachpanda to Japan this year has shown that I'm surprisingly adaptable in my living arrangements. Yes, she snored terribly but our friendship still held. And we were able to work around each other's normal routines without too much fuss.

Will the same thing pan out if I were to enter a proper relationship with Dikottir? But what if he wanted to do the deed?

At this stage, I can't say for sure I want to jump his bones. Or, heck, even kiss him on the lips, but small steps right? And if the idea still doesn't set butterflies off in my stomach down the line, I can, at least, I gave it the good ol' college try. And hey, maybe we can still be friends! Just, you know, without the benefits.