#oh lol we are also now up to 9 times in 5 weeks that i have been Not Normal about mike richards where someone could see me

[danieyells]

Rui mizuki’s lines from Tokyo debunker if you haven’t yet PLEASE I will love you for all eternity

They’re edging me with the rui crumbs every chapter I can’t take it anymore

One flirty reaper coming right up!! And by right up i mean almost a week after you asked hhahaha

BUT YEAH WE DO GET A LITTLE OF HIM HERE AND THERE i wonder why he pops up so much. Especially for someone who allegedly tries not to be around other people much due to his deadly touch? Kinda sus--

also this is the first time i've posted all of someone's lines! not that i don't always end up posting 95% of them anyway, but for some reason some of Rui's were ordered weird(they're normally not entirely in order but they're usually sectioned properly, but for some reason one of his affinity chats was way in the wrong place) and I ended up closely paying attention to which one i was looking at and before i knew it i posted all of them lmao. . . .

Hello: (the first time the game is opened after that character is set as home screen NPC. Only happens once per day, unless the character is switched out and back.)

"{PC}, hey! Here's to another day vibing our way through curse twin life!"

You've Got Mail: (whenever there's something in the inbox, usually Arena rewards)

"Huh? Did you know you've got unread messages? Oh, that's why you've been leaving me on delivered! Ahaha!"

no that's just because my adhd makes me hyperfocus on things and it refuses to allow me to attempt to allot attention or energy to things it deems me not having enough attention span or energy or time for and i'm sorry--

Default: (requires no affinity, has no time constraints)

"Aw c'mon Ed, again? Why does he always leave his socks on the floor... It's actually exhausting picking up after him all the time..."

lazy sloppy vampire lol

"You look kind of tired {PC}, you doing okay? Why don't you stop by the bar later? I can be your shoulder to cry on."

"Hey! You on break now? If you're super nice and you're gonna come chill with me now, put your hands up!"

"{PC}...were you just checking me out? Hey, it's all good, don't be embarrassed!"

"Oof, Ed popped out of nowhere so I accidentally touched him and he died again. Now I have to carry him all the way back to the dorm..."

i love the face he makes when he says this lmao like he is so tired of Ed's carelessness!

Affinity 1: (between 5am and 11am)

"{PC}! Did you come here to see me first thing? No way! You just made my day!"

Affinity 2: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Aw c'mon, Ed, what are you doing sleeping out here? Didn't you just take a nap, old man? You're gonna catch a cold!"

Affinity 3: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Oh hey, it's {PC}! Can't believe I ran into you here, so random! Guess we've gotta go on a date now, huh? It's like, written in the stars!"

i love flirty characters like rui lolol just. there's always More Going On there. and Rui starts off with More right off the bat.

Affinity 4: (between 8pm and 5am)

"I can touch the plants as long as I have gloves on! I mean yeah, I'm pretty sure the same goes for people, but don't you think it'd be scary to test it out?"

Affinity 5: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Come swing by the bar later! I'd rather watch a pretty face like yours while I work instead of a bunch of drunk guys."

Affinity 6: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"What? Ed was praising my good looks? I mean he's right, right? People always tell me my face is my only redeeming feature!"

but rui works so hard!? who's saying that!!

Affinity 7: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Oh sorry, I don't do the whole class thing! You go, I'm all good here!"

Affinity 8: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Ouch! Aw man, that rose thorn just scratched my arm... Wait, nooo! My rose bushes are wilting!!"

it's so easy for him to accidentally kill anything lmaoooo

Affinity 9: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Are you out here by yourself, {PC}? Isn't that like not super dangerous? ...Wait, did that make sense? Whatever, let me walk you back!"

Affinity 10: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Sorry! A drunk customer broke a glass, so I'm cleaning it up! Everyone's a little pent-up lately, I guess."

Affinity 11: (between 5am and 11am)

"Watering plants in the AM is such a mood lift, right? Whoa, everything's blooming like crazy out here! Better get my pruning shears."

it's a testament to how well he takes care of these plants that they grow super well in permanently-night Obscuary, i think. 8'D

Affinity 12: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Huh? Look, you've got loose threads on your uniform. Give it to me, I'll fix it for you!"

Affinity 13: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Hey, {PC}, did you eat yet? My door's always open! You can just stay the night after!"

damn already inviting you to stay over at affinity 13--just don't share the bed, you'll wake up super dead

Affinity 14: (between 5am and 11am)

"(yawn) Wow, I am dead tired... but I've gotta take a shower, make breakfast, and do the laundry before those two sleepyheads get up."

it takes a real man to be a single mother. . . .

Affinity 15: (between 5am and 11am)

"Oh hey, what's your poison? Wait, I mean, morning! Man, I tried to take my friend's drink order when we were hanging out yesterday too, occupational hazard I guess."

Affinity 16: (between 11am and 4pm)

"A mission? I'm good, thanks though! Oh hey, you should invite Lyca! He'd totally be into that!"

Lyca also probably needs them to pass the grade lol

Affinity 17: (between 10pm and midnight)

"No way, look at the time! Wish I could keep listening to you talk... Wanna stay over?"

Affinity 18: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Oh man, I'm sorry! I'm closing early, I've got plans with a friend tonight. It'd be awesome if you could come by tomorrow!"

Affinity 19: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Congrats on making it through another day, {PC}! I seriously admire you for working so hard. You're not doing this all for me, are you?"

Affinity 20: (between 5am and 11am)

"Morning! Whoa, you wanna help me with the housework, {PC}? It's all good, thanks though! The thought's more than enough for me."

c'mon, refusing help at affinity 20? let the pc be your little helper at least!

Affinity 21: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Obscuary looks like it'd be full of downers, but it's actually pretty lively in there, right? Not gonna lie, I def prefer it that way."

Affinity 22: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Lyca's an open book, but the flip side is he says the darndest things... I feel like watching him is bad for my heart..."

he talks so much about his teammates, he really is such a mom. . . .

Affinity 23: (between 8pm and 5am)

"My eyes are red? Huh, that's weird... Oh yeah, I was cutting onions just now when I was preparing the appetizers for the bar!"

. . .idk this is pretty high affinity. . .you were crying about something weren't you rui. . .or romeo paid you in weed and you were getting tweaked up in the back of the bar

Affinity 24: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Oh, don't worry about me, I always sleep late! I'm down to chat till you drift off to dreamland."

Affinity 25(max): (no time constraints)

"Sometimes I wish I could've met you as a regular guy. I guess you wouldn't have given me the time of day if I had though, ahaha."

is it just me or. . .does it feel like he gets a little more distant as his affinity gets higher? like after affinity 17 it feels like he gets a little less flirty and a little more at arms length. . .like he knows his feelings are getting so strong that he might not be able to resist touching you, but he's too scared to do it even with the gloves on. . .so he tries to keep you a little further away. . .and then he admits it, he wishes he could be with you like a normal person, but if he were just some flirt in the street none of this would have ever happened. Poor Rui, he's cursed to be beloved but unable to give love how he wants in return.

Spring: (March-May) (between 5am and 11am)

"Oh man, so nice... The weather's like perfect this time of year, right? Wish we could just chill like this forever."

(between 11am and 4pm)

"Man, you wouldn't even know it was spring with how bleak it is in Obscuary! Aren't there any cuter anomalous plants out there?"

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"I feel like Ed's getting more senile every day... Maybe I should confiscate his tablet."

(between 8pm and 5am)

"So, what do you think of my spring-inspired cocktail? Almost as cute as you, right? I'm gonna add it to the menu!"

Summer: (June-August) (between 5am and 11am)

"C'mon! It's summer, how can the sun never rise in Obscuary!? I wanna get a tan!"

(between 11am and 4pm)

"It's not summer if you don't hit the beach! I used to go all the time back when I surfed. And then I'd pick up girls on my way home... Just kidding, I promise!"

why 'just kidding' lolol you're not together! this relationship is not monogamous even if you were!

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Ta-da! I've got sparklers! Fireworks are fun and all, but there's something special about holding a light that only sparkles for a hot moment."

(between 8pm and 5am)

"It's so hot out, I bet the bar's gonna be a ghost town... Guess I'll send Harurin and Romi a PR message!"

reaching out to the local population of alcoholic ghouls to remind them to give him business lol

Autumn: (September-November) (between 5am and 11am)

"There's so many dead leaves this time of year, it's a nightmare keeping on top of them! But you can use them to make a fire and roast stuff. Gotta look on the brights!"

(between 11am and 4pm)

"Hey {PC}, when are you free? I have a date idea for us—a romantic walk to admire the fall leaves! I'll pack us a lunch!"

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Oh damn! You look so cute all bundled up like that, {PC}! We've gotta take a selfie together!"

direct contrast to romeo who sees you in winterwear and calls you a fat slug kekw

(between 8pm and 5am)

"That piano anomaly makes the soundtrack for the bar! The song picks really tug at the heartstrings, right?"

Winter: (December-February) (between 5am and 11am)

"You're a little late today, huh? If you can't get up in the cold, I could be your alarm!"

just gotta be really loud since he'd be too afraid to touch you awake, since he actually wants you to y'know wake up--

(between 11am and 4pm)

"Oh man, how is Lyca so full of energy when it's this cold? You should take him to Frostheim and see if he runs around in the snow like a puppy."

rui pointing at lyca: that dog is my son please take care of him

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Nothing like winter to make you miss the warmth of human touch... Oh, I'm good! Just getting to talk like this is all I need!"

BBY WE ARE ALL BUNDLED UP. YOU CAN HUG YOU'VE BOTH PROBABLY GOT ON AT LEAST TWO LAYERS JUST DON'T TOUCH FACES.

(between 8pm and 5am)

"Here, this Rui-original hot cocktail will warm you up! I'll blow on it for you, free of charge!"

is this the next step after gamer bathwater. host club host breath.

His birthday: (March 14th)

"Yeah, it's my birthday today! Oh damn, you're gonna celebrate it with me!? No way, I'm like, super touched right now!!"

Your birthday:

"{PC}... Happy birthday!! C'mon, birthday girl, sit down and chill out! This is your day, you should take it easy!"

New Years: (January 1st)

"Happy New Year! Want to start the year off on a high and come on a shrine date with me?"

Valentine's Day: (February 14th)

"Oh damn, are these for me? My heart! Is this your way of professing your love to me? Do I have a shot here?"

White Day: (March 13th)

"Ta-da! Happy White Day! This is for you! What's inside? You've gotta open it and find out!"

April Fool's Day: (April 1st)

"Guess what!? I finally broke my curse! Let's hold hands... just kidding! April Fools!"

this feels more like a joke on him than on you. . .a mean one at that lol

Halloween: (October 31st)

"Happy happy happy Halloween!! Trick or treat! Obviously I'm picking trick, ahaha!"

Christmas: (December 25th)

"Merry Christmas, {PC}! Oh man, I must be like, super blessed to get to spend it with you!"

Idle: (about 20 seconds without interacting with the game) (below 13 affinity)

"Hey, hey, hey! We finally get to spend some time together, it's illegal to take your eyes off me!"

(13 affinity and above)

"{PC}? You seem kind of busy, guess I'll take this chance to get some work done…"

Absent: (logging in for the first time in 2 or more days?)

"{PC}, you're back! I was worried you'd forgotten about me!!"

he's so flirty and clingy, but also he can't be clingy because he's scared you'll die if he touches you, even if he's wearing gloves. . .also surely your curse would cancel out his? Then again I'm sure a reaper i stronger than any other [living] anomaly out there. . . .

but. yeah. rui's a darling haha he just. he's another one of the 'i just wanna be a regular person, i wanna go back to normal' characters whose desire to just be a guy makes him special in a more fantastical world. i'm really looking forward to seeing the Obscuary chapter--probably like a month away, right? 'u'

[yuquinzel]

[ 8:37 pm ] — miya atsumu.

the clock reads 8:37 pm, exactly 14 seconds to 38 and atsumu is painfully aware of each long, dragging and excruciatingly endless second because it's been exactly 4 hours, 19 minutes and 12 seconds since you left on him read.

he's currently laid on his bed, in his dimly lit room where the only source of illumination is the faint fluorescent glow of his mobile screen.

he's frowning, brows furrowed at the dull ‘seen 4hrs ago’ in anticipation because at any second now he'll see the ‘typing...’ indication and he doesn't wanna be late to reply.

atsumu is a fast and an energetic texter. he sends you at least 14 cat videos with the “ur the third one” message immediately after each. or he sends you those ‘ask your friend which hour of the day you are’ followed by a “you. blue hour” hopefully awaiting your reply because he needs to know if you think he's the golden hour or not.

y/n 🛐: you're definitely the golden hour then lol

the better twin: damn. didn't expect that.

he actually did. hoped for it in fact. he thinks about it for the next week.

you're not the type to leave people on seen for more than 5 minutes. at least not him. you reply as quick as you can with the same energy as him and have a habit of liking his rather funny texts from time to time.

so he's more confused than upset right now, thinking of all possible reasons you could've read his messages but were unable to reply. he hasn't seen you since last friday when you told him about a week long road trip with your family. his frown only deepens when the clock hits 8:40 and there's no sign of a reply from you.

he's beginning to type a quick “are u good?” when his screen flashes with a call. your contact name. the phone rings in atsumu's hand but his fingers are frozen.

you're calling him.

you don't like phone calls.

atsumu clears his throat because he doesn't want you to hear him squeal with excitement, but he's giggling and kicking his feet, running a hand over his heart and rubbing his eyes to make sure it really is you. he lets the phone ring for a mere seconds before picking it up, “oh hey” he hopes it's as casual as he thinks.

the moment he hears you speak from the other side, atsumu knows he has lost, “ATSUMU! I'm so sorry for leaving you on read. i was in the car and battery fucking died before i could reply and i lost my charger!” you're chasing after your own words, each cut by the next one.

“oh, nah that's fine. so ya found yer charger?” he groans internally at his words, but truthfully he doesn't know what to say.

of course you didn't willingly leave him on read. of course you're calling him now because you don't want him to think otherwise. of course your words are rushed, you've always been that way.

“oh, right yeah. i got home and charged it as soon as I could” you laugh with a newfound sense of relief.

atsumu blinks, “yer home already? weren'tcha coming this sunday??” he asks.

“ohh, no, we decided to come back earlier”

and the voice call ends, leaving you confused.

it's 9:29 pm and there's a knocking at your door, hastened and impatient, the way you know someone always knocks.

“’tsumu? wait, why are you here at this hour?” you ask, wide eyes set on the setter in front of you panting like he ran a marathon.

“ya said you were back and ya must be tired so i gotcha ice cream—” he breathes out, gesturing to the bag in his hand, “—gee, coulda told me you were comin’ back today, when'd ya get here anyway? how was the trip? did ya take pictures?—”

“atsumu” you say softly, and he pauses, “breathe ”

atsumu lives about 45 minutes away, 15 if he takes the car but as he's panting right now, you know he's ran all the way here. and if he stopped by the convenience store down the street and still get here in time, you're sure he needs at least a minute to breathe.

he smiles one of his boyish, princely smiles, “also got that movie ya wanted ta watch”

“i thought you'd have watched it already?”

“wanted ta watch it with you” he's giggling with excitement you know he's trying to hide.

“okay” you laugh, grabbing his hand to pull him inside.

“okay” he repeats.

© yuquinzel2023 [ plagiarism is a violation of moral rights ! ]

[angelisgonnastartchangingurls]

tell us everything about your day yesterday

oh, ok!

i woke up at 5:30am and went out for a run. it was pretty short, 3 miles, i was back in a half hour. i got really sick a few weeks ago and my lung capacity is still not 100%, i ran five miles a few days ago and i threw up on the sidewalk.

anyway, when i got back home i paced around in the backyard for ten minutes to cool down, and then i slipped back into the house to my bedroom and woke up jake by sucking his cock. we fucked (me on top, no real foreplay, the cocksucking only lasted a few seconds and we went straight to fucking) and we came at the same time, and then i laid in bed leaking while jake got up and showered as the kids woke up. at this point it was like 6:40. i got up and made oatmeal for my kids (with blueberries!) in a robe and jake was all dressed and ready before 7, so i left him to get the kids dressed and stuff and i answered a bunch of emails. i do this now in the mornings so i can get to the office after everyone but i already have them working on stuff. LOL.

the kids were playing for a bit before school, and margot woke up, so jake made breakfast for me and margot and himself, so i ended up out there with them having coffee and chatting until 8:10, and I was still in just a robe, so Jake walked the kids to school, which is usually my job.

i got dressed (no shower, LOL. white panties, no bra, jeans and a t-shirt - very professional) and margot was making a shopping list so i tried to remember everything i needed (i forgot most of it, i always do, so i have to go to target today). and then jake got home so i kissed him goodbye and left for work. i got to the office at 9:20. i had meetings with various little teams from 10-12 and by the end of the second meeting I was very bitchy and everyone was like, "OK stop giving angel new information" which i thought was a very insightful analysis of me as a coworker.

i had coffee and two cigarettes with jane, a fairly recent hire who is like a 40s goth punk chick who reminds me a lot of ivy if ivy had never gone corporate and had a dozen babies. i love jane, she's 15 years sober from heroin and she rocks. she also compliments my waist a lot, she (like many of you lol) can't believe i pushed two kids out of my pussy.

then i walked to my friend casey's work to meet her for lunch. i don't know if i ever talked about casey. i think so? she is like 27 years old and she has a baby and a much older husband and a stepdaughter who is 19. when i was in my lexi-obsessed phase she was adjusting to returning to work with a baby in her life so we didn't hang out much but now we see each other all the time.

we had lunch at a bagel place and i was back at work by 1:45, just in time for more meetings, but these were with clients and i was nicer. the t-shirt with no bra was a very good strategic decision, one of the bigger guys at the company stared at my tits the whole time, and agreed with everything i said. i wore my hair down too and played with it a lot, you know, alternating between ditzy hair twisting and sort of gathering it and arranging it behind my back like i was about to put it into a blowjob ponytail.

N.B. the ponytail blowjob is such a stereotype/meme but i never do that. i let my hair fall all over the place when i am sucking dick. men love my hair.

i had an hour in my office during which i accomplished literally nothing. i looked at my phone and deleted some emails. that's it. then i had a meeting with my boss, and we talked exclusively about sex with our respective partners. his wife is cumming really easily lately, which on the one hand he likes and on the other hand doesn't like because she's wrapping up sex really early. he said about half the time he doesn't get beyond eating her pussy; she cums and then sucks his cock and won't stop until she's swallowed every drop. but even when they get to fucking, he said she cums in like 40 seconds and hops off to suck his cock. i told him to start slapping her clit with his cock to stop her orgasms. he said she'd get so mad at him if he did that and i said, "i would beg for more." anyway, he told me i am doing a great job with the team lately so i flashed my tits at him.

alice called me at 4 and just clearly wanted to talk at me, but i let her, it's kind of like a podcast, and so she was in my ear for the end of my work day and my ride home.

when i got home, margot and the kids were in the park, so jake fucked me in the kitchen, quick and hard, panties and jeans down, bent over the kitchen island, his hand on my clit. he came inside me again and i pulled my jeans and panties up right over the mess and walked around like that all afternoon, making dinner and catching up with everyone. dinner, did a puzzle with my daughter, bathtime for the kids, storytime, bedtime, and i just took my jeans off and relaxed on the couch with jake and margot and we watched a movie. i fell asleep on jake's shoulder after the movie was over, and he moved me over on the couch, took margot to her room, fucked her and came on her tits, took a picture of it and sent it to me, which woke me up, LOL, but i was too tired to move so i let jake come in, naked, and carry me to bed. at some point in the night i took my panties off because they were full of dried cum, and this morning i woke up next to jake, he was naked and i was in just a t-shirt, so i pushed my ass against him until he woke up and fucked me from behind nice and slow. i came twice.

[georgies-ftts]

my thoughts and opinions on this weeks episode as someone who didn’t have time to watch last weeks episode, has never watched live american telly before and has discovered a new found hatred for your adverts. Also i swear a lot.

let’s begin

(spoilers obviously don’t be a knob)

1. he cannae be captain he’s only got two stripes on his epilette why are we focusing so much on this man

2. Bobby eyeing up that gun I like that (the acting)

3. this guy is giving me uncanny valley and i don’t like it

4. hehe dongle

5. i mean fair enough… in and out just like he said

6. Hen love of my life where the hell have you been loca

7. “and you won’t be anymore either” that’s actually dead funny to me

8. husbands that saw together survive trauma together <3

9. “everyone survived” i know foreshadowing when i see it

10. there’s a lot of drunk driver hatred (as deserved) somethings gonna occurr

11. oh he’s dead… lol karma fuckhead

12. Hen, i love you but why can noone on telly give me actual realistic CPR… break them ribs girl

13. christ these american adverts are weird

14. let me tell you advertising prescription medicine isn’t actually a normal thing to do

15. I don’t know boss man am no a dr but that’s an awful lot of blood are you sure you should still be breathing????

16. “Are you happy” “Yeah, Yeah I am” i have a feeling that’s all about to change buddy

17. just me or can anyone else not see a fucking thing that’s going on this episode why’s everyone in the dark for?

18. moving on from that i love the lighting in the office scene… chefs kiss

19. EXCUSE ME SHE WAS DOING HER JOB, NEXT YOU’LL SUSPEND HER FOR CODLING THE DRUNK DRIVER AND GIVING HIM TEA AND CHEEK KISSES PISS OFFFFF

20. Why do American comm’s systems always fail whenever you actually need them

21. They were axed to pieces. I will let you off -_- this time…

22. “I didn’t shoot him” honestly… same i hope you get yer pay out boss

23. Athena please for the love of god pop a paracetamol or a codeine and chill the fuck out

24. cause it has never been hard enough for them you just had to add a bastard bomb

25. ITS BEEN 5 MINUTES WHY MORE ADVERTS

26. WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU ADVERTISING TO YOUR CITIZENS

27. The Rookie ad i love it carry on

28. If he wasn’t under the influence then he was just being a cunt and hen had every right to react as such thankyou very much

29. Oh my fuck what is happening - don’t tear them apart i’ll start crying

30. Bitch you’re taking on water stop being a pussy and help

31. “Don’t test me.” Queen, you rag his arse

32. “port stabilisers are gone” surely you should be tilting like a bitch right now or did i miss a frame

33. MORE FUCKING ADVERTS????

34. why’s that lizard from london?

35. WHY ARE YOU ADVERTISING DEMENTIA MEDICATION THAT IS LITERALLY ADVERTISED ALSO AS A DEATH PILL WHAT DO YOU MEAN COMA AND DEATH THATS NOT HELPING

36. “i didn’t save him either” he quite literally refused your help despite being detained

37. didn’t get that SS Menow reference… try the Mayflower next time

38. “Saving the ship” “course she is” GIVE THEM ONE MOMENT OF PEACE PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU

39. okay good they are tilting like a bitch i will shut my mouth

40. NO STOP TILTING LIKE A BITCH I DONT CARE ABOUT REALISM I TAKE IT BACK NO

41. HOW MANY MORE ADVERTS DO YOU NEED

42. i don’t know but all your meds just seem to be doing the opposite of.. you know… keeping you alive.

43. woah therapy flash back get me one of those

44. you forgot to mention imminent death in your therapy session Mr Sir

45. “We did what we had to do” YOU’RE ALLOWED TO LIVE TOO.

46. “I couldn’t save my first family and I can’t save you either” and what if that was my last straw Robert Nash

47. ABC you can tone down the writing now i’m fucking sobbing

48. FUCK YOU AUSTRALIAN MAN I WAS CRYING MY EYES OUT

49. glad the us also have those Haribo ads

50. first time in my almost 20 years of life where i’ve seen an ADVERT for ANTIDEPRESSANTS that also actively make you MORE DEPRESSED

51. Hen i knew you were slaying you’ve never not slayed <3

52. no need for it was there mr boss man? no didn’t think so

53. You have no jurisdiction past the Gulf of Mexico??? ummmm??? distressed cruise ship full of your citizens???? idk??? do something????

54. oh. welp. no surviving that one, have fun with poseidon my loves

55. i don’t know about you but once i’ve been capsized like that in anything bigger than a kayak im giving up…

[shrekgogurt]

Well folks. I’m on my substitute teaching grind again this week! Scheduled each day up in hopes of getting some good writing done. I did on Monday! And then proceeded to finally start reading @ninemagicks Game/Set/Match yesterday and did that every bell so uhhhhhh. Today………..well ummmmm…..yeah today I worked on chapter graphics because I’m in big procrastination mode. I want to keep riding this wave of engagement (that sounds corporate gross) but I’m also very much in my head about delivering. I should probably channel this energy into writing the chapter since such pressure is Baz’s literal arc but uhhhhhhhh why do that when I could Simon avoid. I love being mentally well!

One might say I need to find my own bravado. (more under the cut)

lol the chapter title for 13 is bravado by lorde

ok anyway

“Work In Progress Wednesday” right? That means I can talk about the progress of every part of the process? Huh? Yeah? Are you gonna stop me? TRY! TRY TO STOP ME!

Aggression aside, let’s get into it.

As previously stated on Sunday, we find ourselves at intermission. But that’s just the theatrical way of slicing up the story. The fun thing about 24 chapters (I got rid of my originally planned intermission chapter because I didn’t want to write it anymore) is that math really loves the number 24. It’s scrumptious. Yummily divisible. Ergo, IKABIKAM also has/is/will be deliciously divided. Afterall, I do keep saying I’m cooking on it.

Now, to put @alexalexinii on blast (sorry for perceiving you), they wrote in the tags of a Chapter 12 reblog: #made me realise that this fic had proper arcs? And I grinned. I cackled. I rubbed my grubby little hands together at the top of my tower as I’ve been doing this whole time because oh ARCS???????? YOU WANT ARCS???????????? I’VE GOT ARCS LYING IN WAIT LIKE YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE. (I love overselling myself.)

Allow me to let you in on some of the building blocks thus far.

Chapters 1, 2, 3: a complicated reunion which is shaky but ultimately sets up

Chapters 4, 5, 6: developing the friendship which is a crucial foundation for

Chapters 7, 8, 9: the gay (Baz’s increasingly more external “hi i’m gay”, Simon’s internal “oh wait me too”) which then explodes into

Chapters 10, 11, 12: all that political parent stuff that’s been hinted at in passing which is BIG relevant and incredibly intertwined in this tangled up mess that leads into the work of….

You get it. They’re mini trilogies. Don’t ask me about dividing the chapters into groups of four because I didn’t have that in mind while writing. I like threes better. Always have. Absolute banger of a prime number.

If you for some reason want to read more about the structure, I write a little more about it in this wipsday from when I was procrastinating 9.

Now, @cutestkilla keeps telling me I’m at the downward slope now but honestly delivering on what I’ve set up scares the shit out of me WAY more than the grunt work. I’m uhhhhh yeah. This is why I’m chronically unable to finish projects but by GOD I will finish this one. I swear by it.

So here are three sentences. You get to guess from who and when.

Loving him comes as naturally as breathing. It’s intuitive when I’m not thinking. Or rather, when I’m not panicking.

If you want to follow along with all the songs I’m hyperfixating on as inspiration I’ve been sharing them over on the “shrogurt” instagram. There’s nothing I love more than talking way too much about this damn fic. Thanks for reading!

And thank you for the tags today: @nausikaaa @facewithoutheart @hushed-chorus @artsyunderstudy @prettygoododds @emeryhall

Now tagging: @brilla-brilla-estrellita @captain-aralias @dani-vc @ebbpettier @excalisbury @facewithoutheart @fatalfangirl @hagnoart @iamamythologicalcreature @ileadacharmedlife @imagineacoolusername @ivelovedhimthroughworse @j-nipper-95 @larkral @letraspal @martsonmars @messofthejess @moodandmist @mooncello @nightimedreamersworld @onepintobean @palimpsessed @raenestee @rimeswithpurple @theearlgreymage @theimpossibledemon @thewholelemon @valeffelees @whogaveyoupermission @youarenevertooold @you-remind-me-of-the-babe

[ep2nd]

@anxious-anon-time sorry for being late, was really busy this weekend

I'm very sorry this is 2 weeks late, had to board a plane, then was relaxing on Vacay, then had to catch up in school the next week

"What do you think of the Ink Scroll arc"

I absolutely stinking loved it.

Now here's the essay you ask for (or didn't, I just want to write an essay)

1. Love the foreshadowing/self awareness. Ex. When MK says "Maybe this the part of our journey where things get DARKEE" the poor boy- also love how the word Journey was used, foreshadowing how it was about the Journey to the West

2. Everyone had good arcs, except Pigsy? Like, MK beautiful, Meis opposite nature to Ao Lie, lovely, Sandy fighting the monster allegations, been his trauma since the beginning (when he references he's changed since meeting Pigsy last), showcasing the difference between Tang and Tripitaka qns for Tang to get more development?! Woo!!! But Pigsy?? Having the same plot/character development of Sandy, where being a monster doesn't matter Yada Yada Yada, it just didn't make sense.

There was no part beforehand where Pigsy EVER questioned that part of him, unlike Sandy who's been afraid of hurting someone, yes I enjoyed the episode, the Cook references from previous (and also Freenoodle crumbs) were amazing. What I wish they had done was something like Pigsy questioning his family, or chosen family in this case. THEY EVEN WENTOF THEIR WAY TO MAKE THE "MONKEY KINGS NOT MY DAD PIGSY IS" MOMENT. Like- I just Pigys arc was more family/friend centered, definitely would compliment whatever jumbo shrimp mess MK had going on

3. Talking bout MK- the trauma and angst were GORGEOUS we love it. My boy been through so much. And we learned more of his past?! The theorists were going CRAZY. Love the Sunburst and Soysauce moment, MMMMMMMM, this boy needs to stop trusting people so quickly oh my gosh AZURE WHEN I CATCH YOU-

4. Really good villain. Love how they went with a villain who thought HE was the hero, and main character I guess lol. Was he a turned villain? Yes but he was a good one! Kinda wish the foreshadowing was better, instead of that one episode where Tang just watched and realized it. He's a complex character, who just wanted to help people, and yeah his ambition wasn't even bad, the Jade Emperor isn't great even, but he took it too far

5. Great job yall, you guys made a character everyone hates, Peng, Revalis brother from another mother

6. Yellow Tusk was ehhh, wish we saw more of his character, seemed interesting, loved his loyalty

7. Now LMK is very special from other shows I've watched he'd because well, I'm willing to rewatch many episodes, even if I know what will happen, I tend to not rematch ANYTHING because of this problem, but LMK is just different. For some reason the Scroll arc is the exception, I like it, but for some reason I don't see myself rewarching it, don't know why

8. Ink MK was a beloved, his voice?! Design?!? DIALOG AND SPEECH PATTERN!?!? BRILLIANT. really love all Ink people moments, mostly just Ink MK, and Wukong.

9. Glad Wukong got development, man is facing the consequences of his actions and its really getting him, I'm glad he's getting really good development.

10. Master Subodhi. Do I need to say more?! Loved him dearly. Wish he and Wukong remet. :( liked his character very much, I like how he wasn't even real in the Scroll and still had omniscient abilities. My only question was what else did he know?! On that note, is anyone going to talk about how the girl is just, like immortal?! The Acolyte as yall call her. Now I don't think Subodhi just GIVES out immortality, I feel like he saves it for special people, like Wukong, no I have theories and headcannons for her but that's another day.

Also I'm a suckered for any JTTW character appearance. LMK GIVE ME ERLANG SHEN, GOLD STAR OF VENUS, GUANYIN, ANY OF NEZHAS BROTHERS, AND MY LUFE IS YOURSSSSS

11. The only thing I can think of left is how in the world did the Scroll worked?!? Like, it didn't teleport them to the past, I've been making a simulator almost? But then why does the characters inside feel so real, and how did Wukong trap Peng and Yellow Tusk, and where and hwt have they been doing?! AND HOW DOES THE OMNISCIENT POWER OF SUBHODI WORK. MAN CANT HAVE THAT MUCH PLOT REASONS POWER. AND FOR GOODNESS SAKE HOW DID THEY GET THE OLD PILGRIMS WEAPONS LAST TIME I CHECKED TRIPITAKAAS STAFF WSS IN WUKONGS CAVE

[polyamorouspunk]

Punkdate 2/9/24:

For anyone unfamiliar punkdates, or Punk Updates, are a slightly more structured version of posts where I talk about what’s been up with me/plans for this blog.

First of all, I went to my first local venue show tonight!

People always expect me to be someone who frequents local venues since I run a “punk” blog (more like alt culture) but I honestly don’t

I always just made excuses like oh there’s no local venue here oh okay there is well it’s still in the city and I work most Friday nights so I can’t go oh it’s Friday night and I have the day off well this is the only day off this week I get I don’t want to drive all the way back out to the city-

ENOUGH! Enough excuses from me! So I pushed past the SEVERE anxiety I had all fucking day and made myself GET DRESSED and GET IN THE CAR and DRIVE TO THE CITY and GO.

The opening band was late so we were sitting around for the first hour which was super anxiety inducing but shocker once the bands started to play I *gasp* had a good time.

I lasted about 5 seconds in the push pit before ending up on the floor in the corner reaching up to a goth couple behind me begging them to please help me up like I was opening my arms up to the sky to pray to God

Noticed someone’s phone on the floor and went lol that sucks and then realized it was mine and by that point it was gone and I was like lol oh well I’m sure the same goth couple picked it up and went back into the pit and thankfully they had along with my keys.

Being me, there was a girl sitting on the bench behind me so for the rest of the night instead of heading back into the pit I just covered her and made sure that she was okay

At the end of the night I got added to a group chat of a bunch of other alt people in the city? All it took was one night and I have a friend group now apparently. See kids, if I can do it, you can do it too.

Anyway I volunteered to cover my coworker’s shift next Friday night so if there’s another show I won’t be attending (also have to work tomorrow so can’t go to tomorrow night’s show) but if there’s another show the Friday after that I’ll probably head back.

[clementineofmine]

For the ask game :)

Same Weird Family (the series): 1, 4, 5, & 9

Thanks, @assaily, for the ask! I'm going to answer this based on Same Weird Family, the first in the series because I haven't gotten to talk about that one yet. It's the first fic I wrote (that you know of, lol) so while I now find parts of it a bit rough, it'll always be near and dear to me as it came about due to a visceral need to word vomit about these characters.

1: What inspired you to write the fic this way?

I started this fic a few weeks after S2, and like many I was absolutely inspired by the absolute savagery and increasing desperation of Five in that season. From killing the board to rewinding time, Five did so much for his family that season and none of them knew about it. Plus, the season ended in a new timeline, so the "what's going to happen next?" opportunities were almost endless.

I was also deeply inspired by those who took a stab at post S2 before me, including but definitely not limited to NonLinear Theory for Dummies, The Walls Kept Tumbling Down, Creeping Towards Extinction, and Tangled in the Hanging Tree. If you haven't read these and you like my fic, you're going to love these. They are all angsty and excellent.

4: What’s your favorite line of dialogue?

I'm gonna call out Allison here, because while she didn't get a lot of focus in this fic, I think she deserves a chance to yell at her brothers more often.

“Well, if we can’t take him to the hospital-” Allison’s words returned them to the practical matters. She looked around as Diego and Luther both shook their heads at her as confirmation. Vanya looked torn but didn’t disagree. Klaus remained focused on Five. “-we’ll have to watch him. We’ll take shifts.” “Oh boy, Five’ll just love that,” Diego scoffed. “He’s unconscious. He’ll deal,” Allison pointed out, closing the discussion. She finished cleaning up Five’s injuries and straightened his clothes. “And if you guys are done with playing pissing contest,“ she gave a pointed look to both Diego and Luther, “you can help me get him upstairs to the bedroom."

5: What part was hardest to write?

Chapters 1-6 and part of 7 came at me fast and furious, but I floundered a bit trying to get through 7 and 8 to the end. I think the writing is a bit awkward and it does make me cringe a bit.

9: Were there any alternate versions of this fic?

Not alternate versions so much as I did a lot of rewriting (I'm a pantser; I try to let my characters speak and sometimes they surprise me)

If you'll permit me to tag onto your ask, I'd also like to answer 3: What’s your favorite line of narration?

I spent a lot of time dissecting Five's internal emotions during this fic, trying to make sense of what drives Five - the anger and frustration and desperation that we saw on screen in S2, and beyond. I'm quite proud of some of it. Here's a snip:

“FIVE!” The shout cleaved him violently from his thoughts. Five blinked, confused, and looked up. His mind registered that his name had possibly been said more than once.  Oh, he remembered, almost absently. His siblings were pestering him.  Five sighed. All of the energy that had once fueled his rage was gone, drained away as quickly as it had spiraled up. Anger merely simmered now, rather than burned. He no longer felt dizzy, just…tired. In the clarity of hindsight, Five knew he hadn’t ever really been angry at his siblings. Annoyed, sure. Frustrated. But anger was reserved for the fact that Luther and Diego’s questions dragged things out of the little box, things that snagged and pulled at the cracks and exposed his weakness. For the memory of the light fading out of Klaus’s eyes, reaching for Five but still dead before he hit the ground. For the way that Vanya’s body crumpled like a discarded paper doll. Mostly, Five’s anger was directed at himself. For being played, and not figuring out the only possible end to the Handler’s deal until it was much too late. If he had been thinking clearly. If he only… Stop, Five. There’s no good destination down that road. “Five, we just want to help you” the soft voice said. He still didn’t care to pick out its owner. It didn’t matter. He couldn’t bear to keep listening. His siblings had died because of him. Again. And everything that happened afterwards – his survival, his thoughts, his actions – he could give them everything and still would never be enough to make it up to them. Never. 

fic ask game

[lilcatdraws]

Crack A Smile and Cut Your Mouth

Ledger!Joker Origin Story

Chapter Four - Desert Sands

Warnings: Depiction of 9/11

Chapter Summary: The US goes to war with Afghanistan and Jack gets called for his first deployment.

Author’s Note: This one was again shorter than I wanted it to be 😔 I didn’t outline this part of the story (chapters 3-5) well enough so I’m kinda winging it here. I really really want to write the upcoming chapters but I have to actually get there in the story first lol. Also I realized that haven’t updated this fic since May so I’m gonna work extra hard to get more chapters done this month. It will be easy since I have the future chapters outlined pretty well. Anyway, as always enjoy! <3

Taglist: @alittlesmartcookie

If you would like to be added to the taglist please let me know! <3

2 Years Later 

Coming back from his usual morning PT, Jack entered the main building, sweaty and almost out of breath. He was just about to turn and go back to his quarters when soldiers gathered by the TV in the front lobby grabbed his attention. They looked concerned about something.

What’s wrong with them?

 Raising an eyebrow, he walked towards the commotion curiously. As he looked up, the images he saw on the television shocked him.

“Breaking news. A plane has crashed into the North tower of the World Trade Center. As of right now, 8:52 am, we have very little information on this incident. We still don’t know the cause of the crash, how many are injured, the people on the ground, etc. Updates will be made as they come.”

There were many gasps and confused murmurs among the soldiers. Soon a commanding officer came out into the lobby to restore order. He instructed everyone to get back to their respective areas, causing the soldiers to snap out of their daze and scurry out of the room at his orders.

As the morning went by, more reports came in. Another plane hit the South tower. That was when it became clear that this was no accident. The next one struck the Pentagon and lastly a plane intended to strike the capital was reclaimed by the passengers and crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

Jack didn’t know what to think. The US was moved to defcon 3, which meant a state of readiness was put in place for all the military bases throughout the nation. Fort Benning was no different. 

Everyone on base was shaken. Even the more experienced soldiers who’d seen the worst of combat many many times were shook. Nothing like this had ever happened before and so close to home.

Uncertainty was in the air before, but now it was brewing ten times stronger. As the days passed, war was most definitely imminent.

…

One Month Later

Running his fingers through his hair, Jack let out a frustrated groan. He dialed his home phone number and waited anxiously for an answer. Finally his mother picked up the phone. 

“Hello?” Her meek voice answered.

“Mom?”

“Jack? Hi honey! How is everything?” 

“Uh, good right now. But I have some news.” 

He paused and took a breath. “I’m getting deployed in two weeks.” 

“Oh… Where?”

Jack bit his lip. “Afghanistan.”

“Oh God.” Jacqueline barely managed to choke out. 

She went quiet for a while and Jack could tell she was probably crying.

“For how long?” She finally asked.

“I don’t know. Nobody knows anything right now, Mom. It shouldn’t be more than a year though.” 

“Alright. Call me before you deploy. Be strong. I love you.” 

“I love you too, Mama.” 

They said their goodbyes and Jack hung up. He sighed, wanting to punch a wall. 

His duty called but that didn’t stop him from wanting nothing to do with this deployment. After a moment, he took a deep breath and composed himself.

This was his first deployment so he had no idea what to expect. He only had what people told him to go by. His mind was still processing the news that he was going since he was just informed this morning.

Man up, Jack. You signed up for this. It’s gonna be fine. Mom will be fine. 

One of the soldiers on Jack’s squad poked his head in the room. 

“Hey Napier, sergeant needs to see you.” He informed him.

“Okay. What for?” Jack asked as he walked towards the doorway.

The soldier shrugged. “I dunno. Probably more deployment stuff.” 

Jack nodded and the other guy departed. He sighed and started down the hall to go see what his sergeant wanted. 

…

Two Weeks Later

The hum of the aircraft’s engine buzzed in Jack’s ears as he gazed out the small window. The ocean below glimmered as the afternoon sun shone down. Jack had never flown before and even though the circumstances were bleak, he couldn’t help but admire the beauty beneath him.

Their destination was still several hours away so Jack was content to just sit and stare at the vast sea. Other soldiers were either sleeping or staring out the windows same as him. It was quiet inside the aircraft save for a few whispers here and there and the engines whirring. 

Jack couldn’t help but worry about his mother. A few days ago she visited Fort Benning to see him before he deployed. She looked so distraught, like any mother knowing their son was going into combat would. She gave him so many hugs and kisses that day. 

Jack thought it was a little much but he understood why she would be upset so he didn’t complain. He hugged her right back and assured her that he would be fine. After she left, his concern became more focused on her, not himself. 

Ever since he left home he worried about her. But this time not only was he away from home, he was out of the country. He couldn’t be there if something happened to her or if Scott did anything. That thought gave him more anxiety than his current situation.

Several long hours later, the sun was beginning to set and the base was in sight. The aircraft landed with a jolt and everyone began piling out, awaiting instruction.

Jack stretched, relieved from sitting for so long, and took in his surroundings. The landscape was nothing but sand for miles in every direction. He looked up and not a single cloud was in the sky. The air was cooler than he expected but then he remembered deserts were cold at night. In contrast the sand felt hot against his boots. It hadn’t yet lost its heat from the sun. 

The barracks in the base weren’t that bad. Certainly better than a rock in the middle of the desert. Jack knew it wouldn’t always be like this. The coming days when he would eventually be called into battle would definitely be worse. 

But he couldn’t think like that. He just had to suck it up and deal with it. Worry causes things to go wrong and that’s what gets you killed. He refused to die here. No way. 

Jack diverted his attention to making his bed. That would keep his mind off the coming days. Sure repressing emotions wasn’t healthy but it sure was convenient. 

Once everyone settled in for the night, Jack laid on his bunk and stared at the gray ceiling. He tried to get to sleep but he just couldn’t. The worry was consuming him. He had a lot to think about. His mother, himself, what was gonna happen…

He forced himself to take a breath and slow his thoughts. 

It’s going to be fine. You will be fine. You’re making it worse by worrying. Nothing good ever comes from that. Just calm down. 

His mental pep talk seemed to appease his mind for a while. At last letting his anxieties drift away, he began to fall asleep. He had no idea what was ahead but at this moment it didn’t matter anymore. He wanted rest so he was getting it. And he would need it for the hellish days to come.

[lunarriviera]

2023 ao3 wrapped

last year @programmedradly and i asked each other some questions, rather than try to field the entire thing. so we did the same thing this year! and here are my answers. i had a wild little annus mirabilis and somehow posted more work than i ever have before, so there was lots to choose from.

•

3. What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

tragically, one of my dead doves: the wu xie/li cu fic “you bear your scars, you've done your time.” no one reads it because it's an age-gap pairing, and it's inherently tragic (post-sha hai fucked-up wu xie). it has 17 whole kudos and it fought for every one. but like a lot of my badwrong pairings, it's honestly some of my best writing. i wrote it fast and the action scenes are solid, the dialogue is good and even funny, and the sex scenes are miserable and scorching. oh well, they can put it in my norton critical edition after i'm dead lol.

5. What work of yours got more feedback than you expected?

readers seemed to like the pingxie kissing fic, which was funny to me because it's literally just…kissing. (i wanted to put in plot and/or sex but mumble was very stern with me: “this is a KISSING fic.”) i guess we all are still battered by canon and just want wu xie dozing by the carp pool and getting kissed.

6. Favorite title you used?

“the subtle fire," with its title from the calamus poems by walt whitman; all its subheadings are from whitman too. sadly otherwise this was the year of taylor, and i exhausted midnights and all the vault tracks. new year's resolution: moratorium on fic titles from tay.

8. Pairing you wrote the most for this year?

somehow there were 18 dmbj fics. 😳 pingxie won out with 9 fics, followed by 6 heihua fics and then a smattering of rare pairs (not to say dead doves lol). there were 5 under the skin fics; at this point i post one of those like every two damm weeks because i'm down that bad.

10. What work was the quickest to write?

probably either of my drabbles—a little rpf prose poem for zhu yilong/unnamed photographer (still my most beloved pairing) or shen wei smoking a cigarette and zhao yunlan being horrified (and a little turned on).

11. What work took you the longest to write?

without a doubt, the 31k guardian fic i just posted. i got freaked out by its complexity and dropped it for a year, and then had to TOIL over all the canon details, because i didn't remember ANYTHING apparently (zhang shi who? fu you? li qian? what?). it took for fucking EVER to finish and i will NEVER write such a plotty monster again. the worst part was when ma gui randomly said, “oh there's a fifth hallow” at which point i was like “there's a WHAT NOW.” ironically that turned out to be the title. i hate characters that TALK and SAY SHIT.

15. What WIP are you taking into next year with you?

the pingxie epic 😭 i'm not sure if i even can ever finish it because it involves google searches like “recent tomb discoveries china” and “can you survive c4 explosion.” also it'll be another dead dove because it starts with wu xie divorcing bai haotian, and the iron triangle being broken up. and that's just the beginning. everyone will hate it, and instead read cute fics about liu sang being a fox, probably.

17. Your favorite character to write this year?

it's gotta be du cheng from under the skin. he embodies what is turning into my favorite character archetype, Big Dumb Hot Cop. so butch. so loyal. so stupid. just a blast to narrate. wu xie and hei xiazi have similar idiot energy but are also paradoxically very intelligent so that's more challenging. (writing xiaoge's dialogue is difficult as fuck. he can't just say "wu xie" ALL the time.)

28. Favorite work you wrote this year?

possibly, after everything, the end (for me) of the zhu yilong/unnamed photographer series. other people may keep adding to it but i needed to let them go. they exist in such a liminal unsettled never-together bittersweet place for me and i felt grateful to have spent time with them, as weird as that is to say. i'll always love unnamed photographer, and his aesthetic yearning. MY ONE RPF SHIP THAT WENT CANON. 😭

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

indulging myself and submitting a few:

Even Huos had to sleep sometime, or hang upside down, or whatever it was they did to restore themselves. [x]

•

Once he has him flat on his back again, with breathtaking pragmatism Shen Yi drips lube all over him, sinks down on him and then rides him so hard Du Cheng sees not just stars but entire constellations. [x]

•

Xiaoge kissed his hair. "Hold still," he said, and Wu Xie could do that, no problem. He fell asleep that way, curled against Xiaoge’s naked skin, and dreamed he was watching Xiaoge plant moss in the moss garden, in impossible colors: turquoise, bright orange. A richly saturated luminous violet. [x]

•

Xiazi added so much condensed milk to Xie Yuchen’s coffee that he finally had to arrest his hand forcibly. “Stop trying to give me diabetes.” Xiazi’s smile was worse than the cloying milk. “It’s to match the sweetness in your soul, my little flower." “Oh my god,” said Xie Yuchen faintly, as Geya listened, to all appearances visibly entertained. “What do you want? Because I assume you want something. Money? Work? Is this a hostage situation?” Xiazi just smiled harder, but at least he put the milk down, in favor of giving Xie Yuchen another pain au chocolat. “Why does he get all the pastry?” Geya said, sounding disappointed. “It’s to build his strength,” Hei Xiazi told him, and the patently, horribly uxorious look on Xiazi’s face made Xie Yuchen want to hit someone.) [x]

•

Xiao Hua manages to bite back a tart comment about how challenging it is to keep looking younger than forty when one’s companion will never look any older. It takes more than expensive rose hip and argan oil and ceramides; it takes never skipping the gym, and always skipping dessert. It means going to bed at nine-thirty when he’d rather stay up reading, and above all it means not letting Hei Xiazi know about any of these little maneuvers, lest it not seem effortless. [x]

•

As Wu Xie started enthusiastically laying out the details—and why was he awake at this miserable hour?—Hei Xiazi pulled the pillow away from his face and started gently hitting Xie Yuchen with it. “Wu Xie, let me call you back later,” he said, arresting the pillow’s movement with one hand. “I have something I have to deal with here.” “Sure,” said Wu Xie, cheerful. Then: “I bought Pangzi an espresso machine, and he taught me how to use it! Xiaoge’s not here, I wish he’d come home. I had five cups! You should take Hei Xiazi with you, just in case things get complicated. They might. Get complicated, I mean. I'll tell you all about it. When will you call me?” Xie Yuchen fought not to laugh. “After sunrise, probably. Drink some water. And tell Pangzi I’m going to kill him.” [x]

•

Su Wan seems lost in thought for a minute. “I always thought maybe one day I would like guys, but I don’t.” Li Cu elbows him. “What about Hei-ye?” Su Wan looks horrified. “Yali, no! What a thought!” “Okay, okay,” says Li Cu, and drunkenly tousles his hair. “Calm down.” Yang Hao puts out his hand for the bottle. “Hei-ye is pretty cool, though,” he says, which is high praise from him. It’s true. They sit without saying anything for a moment, in silent contemplation of Hei Xiazi’s inarguable coolness. [x]

•

The things about you that other people find unsettling, those have somehow never bothered Wu Xie. You’re spooky, Hei Xiazi told you frankly, once. I am too, but I drown it out by talking. You’re so silent, our little Yaba Zhang. People are afraid of you. Xiazi had been right, and you knew it. But Wu Xie has never been afraid of you, not even once. You think about the first time you came back from behind the gate, how furious and desperate he’d been to know why you hadn’t come straight back to him. Demanding answers, wanting to know why you went, what you saw. And you remember gazing back at him, still mute with the magnitude of it. He could never have understood, but no one could, not even Wu Xie whose intelligence shone as clearly as an aura around him, glowing, burnished—still innocent, still young enough to be passionate. Whereas even at the time you felt every single one of your hundred years lying on you like a burden, like fallen trees pressing you into the loam, the moss, the muck. [x]

•

He’s still half-asleep, is the only thing that could possibly explain why Zhao Yunlan ducks under some low-slung branches and strolls right up to the water’s edge only to see Shen Wei, stripped naked, hip-deep in a pool of still clear water, combing through his unbraided hair with his fingers. Why is this a surprise. What was he thinking. And above all, why is he still walking towards him on automatic, as if drawn toward him, as if not caring whether Shen Wei would see him or stop— Shen Wei startles and looks up, motion arrested. He’s bent at the waist, rinsing bits of dirt and bracken from his hair, skin glowing like wet marble, and Zhao Yunlan suddenly wants him so badly he couldn’t make a fist if he had to. Shen Wei smiles, and Zhao Yunlan will never get enough of that smile, artless and full-hearted. All he can do is smile back, helplessly. [x]

[bratshaws]

goodness gracious. 89 brb x oc

a/n: I was going to post this ahead but.....I had an anxious day, lol, and this was the only thing that helped me.

check out the fic's playlist made by the sweet @wiipes !!

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: fluff, are you ready for some tears?

chapters:

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41/42/43/44

45/46/47/48/49/50/51/52/53/54/55/56/57/58/59/60/61/62/63/64

65/66/67/68/69/70/71/72/73/74/75/76/77/78/79/80/81/82/83/84

85/86/87/88

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!!)

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @shrimping-for-all @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix

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-

The months were going by fast, so fast that Beatrice couldn’t even believe it. It was the fifth month already and he was going to come back the very next!! She was so happy, yes there was still a long time for him to return but it’d go by fast, she was sure of it! 

These past months were complicated, at first, but she managed it. She admitted some things to herself too, things she didn’t want to admit before but now couldn’t deny. It was a big step that she was more than ready to take honestly and hopefully so was he. 

They’ve been talking whenever they could, which wasn’t that often but he always replied to her messages when she sent them - especially the ones  with the pictures she took when Michael was gone and she had the house all to herself. But since it was June, he promised her he’d try and video chat on his birthday and Beatrice had something planned. 

It was silly but she bought him a cake, he wouldn’t be able to eat it, obviously, but it’s the gesture that matters. She also decorated the kitchen with a Happy Birthday sign ,bought Jolene a little birthday hat - that the pittie wasn’t sure if she liked, considering she stood still when Beatrice put it on her head - and had some balloons floating around the kitchen just to add to the atmosphere.

Beatrice knew he’d be online a couple hours before she leaves for the Hard Deck and that he probably wouldn’t be able to talk for too long but it’d be more than fine. She could do that. 

She sat in front of the laptop with her hands on her lap, smiling while waiting for him to show up. Oh she was so excited, she wished he was there to celebrate it with her and their friends, but since he wasn’t she wanted to make it as special as she could. Her leg was bouncing with nerves, waiting for the connection to finally happen, biting her lower lip at the loading screen, shining and dimming the light of her laptop screen.

Beatrice waits a little while longer, getting up to grab some water - it was June already so summer came in full blast- and fixing the spaghetti strap on her top as it rolled down her shoulder to her arm, running her fingers through the strands of hair that framed her face and fell from her high bun, a soft happy gasp breaking past her lips when she saw the connection established.

The transmission was a lot smoother from other times they chatted, his face appeared in high definition almost, “Hi!” she smiles, noticing he was no longer at the little room he used to stay in when they chatted, “Oh, did you change rooms?”

Rooster back over his shoulder then to her, “Yeah, the old room was getting too crowded so we moved here.” he smirks “Hi,gorgeous. How are you today?”

“I’m really okay, kinda stuffy because it hasn’t rained in…I think two weeks so everything is sticky and annoying.” she says, “But what about you? How are you doing?”

“I’m doing fine,I’m going to have a meeting in a couple hours.”

“Oh?”

“It’s nothing serious, gorgeous, just something I gotta do.” he replies with a grin, folding his arms over the table, “You look really good though.”

Beatrice laughs softly, looking down at her outfit of spaghetti strap top and soft cotton shorts with her cheeks reddening, “Thank you, you don’t look too bad yourself.” she grins,”Oh! Hold on– Jojo, come here!” she disappears from his view for a second, he hears her grunt offscreen and then return with Jolene in her arms, the pittie’s tail wagging when she sees Bradley’s face.

The pilot notices the birthday hat on her head and laughs, leaning closer to have a better look. Jolene whined happily, her whole body shaking the longer she looked at him, “You gave her a birthday hat. Oh my God, that’s adorable.”

“Isn’t it? I thought it’d be cool, but there’s more!” she leaned out of frame again to show the balloons and the Happy Birthday sign hanging above the cabinets. His smile softened, just like his gaze, his heart fluttering inside his chest the more he looked, “I know you can’t celebrate it here, so I just thought you’d like to see it. I even got you a cake!”

“A cake? Bea, you didn’t have to.”

“I know,I just…thought it’d be nice.” she replies after setting Jolene on the floor, “And I told you we’d celebrate in a different way, so.” she ends her sentence with a shrug, pulling one of her knees up so she could prop her chin on it, holding the leg in that position by crossing her arms in front of it, “How are you holding up?.”

Bradley drops his head with a gentle laugh, “I’m going through it. Can’t wait to get back home.” Home. With her. “But the mission is going well, everything is running smoothly so I can’t really complain.”

“Of course, that’s the most important thing.” Beatrice hears her phone buzzing on the corner of the table but doesn’t reach for it, she just turns it face down. Normally she wouldn’t mind it, but she missed Brad way too much and she knew if it was really important they’d call again. Right now her focus was on Rooster, “I miss you.”

“I miss you too, gorgeous.” he replies softly, his smile widening, “We need to make up for the lost time when I come back.”

Beatrice chuckles, still holding her chin up with her knee, her cheeks turning a light red, “I’m sure we can arrange something, lieutenant.” Bradley’s eyes hardened just enough for her to know it was effective, which always was to be honest, “We’ll have to do a lot of things when you get back.”

His eyes dropped from her face to her cleavage, that appeared fuller because of her knee touching it, licking his lips before she spoke “Kinda wish it was right now, to be honest with you.”

“It’s just a few more days, Brad.” she says, “You’ll be here before you know it.”

There’s a pause on his side and she thinks it’s the connection’s fault, but he smirks and then nods, tilting his head to the side “True.”

Her buzzes again and she frowns, “Sorry Roos,” she picks it up and holds it for him to see, “I need to see who it is.” she wasn’t surprised it was Shells, but she was surprised that they had to clean the bar later that night because the raccoons attacked again and just dragged so much stuff to the beach they’d have to clean everything before tomorrow. Beatrice sighs,typing back a response and putting the phone aside.

“Something wrong, gorgeous?”

“No, just gotta go to the bar later tonight to help clean, the raccoons are going insane. They stopped for a while but every now and again they show up and make a mess…the first time they go to the beach though.”

“Maybe they want to catch some waves.” he jokes and she couldn’t help the soft chortle that makes its way out of her lips. She sees him looking somewhere over his own screen, his brows turning in a frown “Damn, baby,I gotta go.”

Beatrice tries to not be disappointed, putting on a happy face for him, “Okay. I’ll talk to you before you come back?”

“You know it, gorgeous.” he says, winking at her and pushing himself to his feet, but not before he waves to her, “Bye baby,I love you.”

“I love you too.” and the screen goes black. Beatrice stays on the chair for a little while longer, sighing quietly and then looking back at Jolene - whose birthday hat was now under her chin giving her a shiny pink pointy beard. She gently removes the hat from her dog, kissing the top of her head and thanking the pitbull for doing that with her. 

Now that she was once again surrounded by silence, Beatrice just watched her reflection on the dark screen and pouted her lower lip, ‘...he’ll be back soon,I can wait for him.” she tells herself, pushing herself up to her feet so she could put the empty glass on the sink. Seemed crazy but they were going to have their one year anniversary next month.

One whole year, it’s crazy.

She hopes he’ll be here to celebrate it though. She’d like it a whole lot.

-

When she gets to the Hard Deck, the parking lot is empty saved up by Shells’ car, which was normal since it was a Monday and the bar didn’t open on Mondays. What was strange was how some of the lights were off, Beatrice wondered if the raccoons actually did something with the electricity and it was worse than she thought.

Bea didn’t even manage to open the door before Shells’ yanks it open, “Finally!Oh my God, Bea.” the brunette doesn’t even say hello, blinking in surprise as her friend pushes her inside. “Come on in, come on in. Oh it’s a mess!”

Beatrice’s green eyes move all around the bar, furrowing her brows because…it doesn’t seem that messy in there, “Penny and I already cleaned a good chunk, but oof, the beach? Yeah, it needs three people, here gimme your bag.” she feels the weight leave her shoulder before she could stop it, looking back at Shells’ blonde head disappearing into the employee’s room.

Penny steps back from the beach and once she meets Beatrice’s eyes she sighs in relief, “Oh, Bea, thank God.”

“Is it that bad?”

“It goes down all the way where the guys play football.” she explains, propping her hands on her hips and shaking her head, “Those raccoons,I swear, I need to deal with them soon.” she then looks back to where Shells was, “Tell you what, why don’t you go ahead? We left everything there and we’ll just close the bar’s doors so no one enters while we are away.”

Beatrice nods quickly, “Of course Penny!” she says, glad she wore a clean pair of sneakers that night, pulling her hair up in a ponytail and fixing her Metallica shirt over her shorts, “Will you guys take long?”

“No, no,I just need to make sure we don't forget anything.” Penny offers Beatrice a small smile and then moves her hand for her to go ahead before disappearing back into the employee’s room. Beatrice could be wrong, but she could swear she heard more than the two in there…maybe she was imagining things.

She walks out of the bar, past the seating area and looks up at the sky that was now completely dark blue tinkling with stars, not a single cloud to cover them with the full moon round and illuminating the shore, giving it a light blue color. Beatrice wonders what she’s going to find, honestly it’s a bit hard to imagine the raccoons taking the trash so far away, but something would have scared them.

A bear, maybe? There are bears roaming around San Diego but they’ve never even approached this area before. 

Beatrice was so into her head trying to think of reasons why it happened, she almost missed the tiny light in the sand. She stops, seeing the glowing dot in the distance and analyzes it for a few seconds before she decides to move again, stepping closer and closer until she sees what it was.

It was a tiny candle. Those flat battery powered ones, deep in the sand…that…is weird. She looks back over her shoulder to see if Shells and Penny were coming, but there was no sign of them. When she looks ahead she sees another candle a few feet away, so she gets closer to it only to see a few more forming almost like a line guiding her away from the bar.

“What the hell?” she asks quietly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear when the wind made it drop from her ponytail before it hits her in the eye. She’s confused…wait was she on the wrong side of the beach? But this was usually the area where the guys would play football, then what was going on? The more she walked, the more tiny candles she could see until she reached an area where the candles no longer formed a line, but a circle.

Now she was extremely confused, furrowing her eyebrows and looking around, trying to find anyone. By the time she looks back ahead, her eyes widen and her mouth parts in a gasp. At first, she thought it was a trick of her eyes, maybe she’s seeing things - she’s hearing things, why wouldn’t she see them? - because she desires it so much.

Because, for all that was Holy, Bradley was right in the center of that light circle. Wearing all white with his hands clasped behind his back. Beatrice doesn’t move, in fact she’s not even sure she’s breathing, “...Brad?” she asks quietly, slowly getting closer. His figure gets sharper and solid, she could see the creases on his white jacket and she could smell his cologne.

If this was just a figment of her imagination, she had to check. Not-So-Sure-He-Was-Real Bradley opens his mouth to speak, but stops when she puts her palm in the middle of his chest, then the other one, then drags them all the way up to his face. The second her hand comes in contact with his cheeks, she pulls them back as if she was electrocuted, giving a few steps back in surprise, “Brad?” She repeats and the Not-So-Sure-He-Was-Real Bradley turns into Oh-My-God-He-Is-Real Bradley in a matter of seconds.

“Hi gorgeous.”

Beatrice screams in surprise, then lunges at him with her arms immediately wrapping around his neck and his own around her waist, keeping her up in the air as her legs kick back and forth. She didn’t know how to react, she was crying and laughing and thanking every deity that existed, pulling back to kiss him over and over, cupping his cheeks with both of her hands and laughing against his mouth, “You are here.” she whispers on his lips, her glassy eyes shining under the moonlight and the tiny candles. “I thought–you said you were coming back next month.”

Bradley smiles, placing her down back on the sand gently and kissing the top of her head, “I might’ve…” he shrugs, “Added a little white lie.”

“...you–what?”

Rooster sighs, then licks his lips, “I wasn’t going to stay there for six months, baby. I…had to say it because of what I was planning to do.”Oh he was going to surprise her on his birthday! Of course! But when she says that to him he just laughs again, then shakes his head, “Well..sort of. It’s…well…” he clears his throat, rubs his hands together and looks behind her for a second then returns his gaze to her green irises, “It’s…whew this is harder than I thought?”

Beatrice’s smile falters and she furrows her brows, “You…said you had a meeting to go to.”

“I did have one.” he clears his throat again, “As soon as I left the base,I…really didn’t even change it.”he chuckles, gesturing to his white uniform, “It was a very important meeting.”

-

He was sweating, he was sweating and he was trying really hard to not chicken out before the time. This was immensely risky, but it was Pete who assured him he should try. So, once he reaches the colorful glass door he stops and leans his hands on his knees, inhaling and exhaling quickly before he straightens himself, “Okay.” he bounces on the porch, hearing the dogs’ nails clicking behind the door, “Okay,I can do it.”

He knocks on the door and waits with his cap under his arm, and to him it’s like it takes an eternity for the door to open. He heaves out a sigh of relief once it does reveal Beatrice’s mother, “Bradley! Hello!” the woman immediately hugs him, pulling back to look at him from top to bottom with confusion, “Why, were you just at the base, bambino?”

“Ah yes, is um,” he clears his throat, trying to swallow the nerves, “Is Rafael home?”

“Yes!Yes he is! He’s in his office, come on in, do you want some coffee, bambino?” he just nods because that’s all he can do. The pitbulls greet him at the door, where he gently pets them before he walks into the house. Every sound of his shoes hitting the floor is louder than he thought, Claudia’s voice alongside the pitbulls rushing around just fade into the background when he nears Rafael’s office.

It’s like slow motion.

But worse.

He feels a bit sick.

Bradley stands at the door frame, seeing Rafael’s back as he messes with his piano. The older man looks up from what he was doing and smiles, pulling off his glasses, “Bradley! What a surprise!” Beatrice’s father claps the pilot on the shoulder “What brings you here?”

Rooster licks his dry lips, then sets his cap on one of the many bookshelves her father had in this room, then he…doesn’t know what to do with his hands so he grabs the cap again and returns it to its place under his arm, clenching the black rim, “I…I would like your permission.” Rafael’s posture straightens, “To ask Beatrice’s hand in marriage.”

There’s a loud crash outside the office, followed by the dogs’ startled yelp that makes both men look back at the door, “Amore?” Rafael asks “Are you okay?” 

Claudia doesn’t respond, she just shows up at the door with her eyes glistening with tears and her hands tented in front of her lips, “Dio mio, Bradley, I–” she starts fanning herself, “Dio santissimo oh I need to-to clean this…do not come outside! Th-There’s ceramic and hot coffee all over the floor!”

Her mother wanders off still looking shocked, but they could hear her whispering to herself and gently crying once she walks away. Rooster hoped it was a good reaction. When he faces Rafael again, the older man has a knowing smile on his face under that thick beard of his “So, you want my permission.”

“Yes.”

Rafael lips purse when he nods, “And…you have a ring?”

“I do.” It took some time, and a lot of help from Penny, to pull it off. He grabs the velvet box from his pocket and opens it for Rafael to see. His future father in law looks down at the ring, his own eyes widening in recognition and he couldn’t help but look back at Bradley in surprise. Rafael’s own eyes shine with unshed tears, and he tells Bradley he can close the box, “I know you might think it’s too soon but–”

“It does not matter, Bradley.” Rafael’s own voice sounds a bit choked up, wiping under his eye so he can remove the tear that dared to fall, “She loves you and you love her and…time isn’t going to prevent it from happening. Of course you have my permission, ragazzo.” he says, wrapping his arms around Rooster’s shoulders and engulfing him into a hug. The younger pilot clenches his eyes in relief, hugging Rafael just as tightly. The older man claps his upper back twice and pulls back, giving the pilot a teary smile, “When are you proposing?”

“Tonight, actually in–” he looks down at his watch “A few minutes, hopefully.” he felt so much lighter and his stomach was no longer in knots anymore, “...thank you.” 

Rafael just shakes his head with a chuckle, “Do not thank me, I thank you, for making my tesoro so happy.” he was about to say more but Claudia’s crying gets louder when she appears back on the doorway. She has fat tears rolling down her face and is trying so hard to stop them by fanning herself.

“Oooh, my God.” her voice is shaky and cracking, “Ohh Dio Mio.” she doesn’t even stop herself, she just hugs Bradley like her husband did,pulling back to cup his cheeks and kiss his forehead, “You,” a sniffle, “You are a wonderful boy and I…am so honored you are asking us this, Bradley.”

“Thank you ma’am.” he smiles back, “I really want to make Beatrice happy.”

Claudia just tilts her head and smiles, “You already do.”

-

“...oh.” Beatrice says, he hasn’t elaborated why the meeting was so important, “Well but if that’s the case then why– what are you doing?” she immediately stops talking when she sees him going down on one knee, “Why are you on your knee?”

“Bea.” he reaches for her hand, grabbing with his own as the other comes up to cover her mouth, “Baby.”

“You are joking, what are you doing??!!” 

Bradley just takes in a deep breath, “You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he begins, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, “And I can’t imagine my life without you. Baby, baby look at me.” Beatrice is looking anywhere but at him, “Bea, angel, look at me.” the waterworks are already flowing down her face when she meets his eyes again, “Beatrice Schiavoni–”

“Brad–”

“Will you,” her eyes widen, about to pop out of the sockets when she sees him pulling out the red velvet box from inside his pants pocket, “Give me the honor to call you my wife?” When he pops the box open it takes a few minutes for her to see what it was…but once she does she immediately drops to her knees in front of him. It was obviously a ring…but it was very similar to her nonna’s engagement ring. Except the gems were smaller and the band thinner, in white gold instead of the usual yellow.

Beatrice is now on her knees, both of her hands cupping her mouth as she breathes in and out heavily, sobbing quietly as she looks at it. He was proposing, Bradley was proposing to her when she didn’t even talk to him about getting married yet, he was…he wanted to marry her, he wanted to marry her. Beatrice barely sees his face anymore because of the tears in her eyes, he’s a blob of white but she hiccups, “Y-Yes.”

“Yes? Is that a yes?”

“I-It’s always a yes.” she manages to blurt out, holding up her shaky left hand and trying her best to calm herself down. The ring slides down her finger until it reaches the base and Beatrice feels another wave of tears crashing down on her, holding her hand closer to her eyes to have a better look only to give it up because she was still crying too much to see. She whimpers quietly, trying to wipe her eyes the best she could, “I look a-a mess,”

“You look beautiful,” he replies, his voice lighter, “You always do.”

Beatrice couldn’t stop the teary laugh that make its way out of her mouth, sniffling and looking down at her ring one more time before she sees Rooster’s face more clearly. His own eyes are shining and he’s grinning back at her with his position still the same, “You want to marry me.”

“I do.”

She couldn’t help the next sob that comes out, pushing herself to her feet and then launching her body on his so she tackles him to the soft sand, laughing and crying on his shoulder and kissing his lips over and over as they both lay on the sand like that. “I love you.” she whispers on his mouth, “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,Bea. I really do.” he says back, the two chuckling like teenagers with their foreheads touching.

“Did she say yes yet?!”

Shells’ voice from the distance breaks the moment, making the two turn their heads to the voice. Beatrice’s mouth drops open when she sees not only Shells but the whole Dagger Squad standing there with their phones up and not so far from them either. “She did!” he shouts back, “We aren’t just rolling on the sand for nothing!”

“Thank God!”

“Wait, what–” Realization hits, “Oh my God!!”

“I’m sorry baby, they were all on it too.” Bradley offers an apologetic shrug that wasn’t apologetic at all, “It was hard keeping some people’s mouths shut, but it was worth it.” Beatrice looks down at him with surprise written all over her face, but she starts laughing, pushing herself off his chest so he could sit up. She gently brushes the sand off his hair and coat, with the hand that had her ring.

The ring he proposed to her with. 

Beatrice just looked down at it again, still trying to wrap her mind around it, then looks up when she sees he’s already on his feet, offering his hand for her to take. She does, he pulls her up and he hugs her to his side, dropping a kiss to her head as the two wander back to the Hard Deck where the cheering was louder than the Fourth of July.

[causenessus]

hi my dearest loveliness !! good evening afternoon OR morning I HOPE YOUR DAY IS GOING WELL TODAY!! AND I HOPE YOUVE EATEN!! i literally just woke up (it’s 3pm…. my parents literally watched me come out of my room and were like ???)(you just woke up???)LMFAO BUT BUT i’m back to work tomorrow so i wanted to sleep in a lot today(I HAVE A 9-5:30 RIGHT OFF THE BAT)(MY WORK HATES ME??)but omg i just saw the ask from sav(sorry am i allowed to call her that too)(IM SORRY IDK) and i was like AWWWW “you and your mango anon” I AM NESS’ MANGO ANON idk why i thought it was so cute and sweet like YOU GIGGLE AND READ THEM?? THATS SO CUTE?? IM GONNA EXPLODE?? but let’s all yap together this is yap central(a safe place for yappers)

omg last night i got so many notifs if you answering every ask bat to bat and I FELT SO BAD BECAUSE I WROTE A LOT YESTERDAY BUT YOU STILL ANSWERED EACH ASK WITH LIKE SO SO MUCH PASSION??(idk if that’s the right word) but you always answer each ask with ur heart like non of it is halfassed(sorry am i allowed to swear)(IVE BEEN REFRAINING FROM SWEARING BECAUSE IDK I DONT THINK IVE SEEN YOU SWEAR OUTSIDE YOUR SMAUS???)(or idk i’m crazy i think i’m crazy)

I WOULD SHARE WHAT CONCERT IT WAS LIKE I WAS GOING TO but i was like omg i’m gonna dox myself LOL BUT actually you know what’s so funny i don’t even live in the states(LORE DROP) ALSO DECLAN MCKENNA?? THATS SO COOL THAT YOU GOT TO SEE HIM i think he’s on tour again right now?? or just performing right now (I THINK) im pretty sure i saw on ticketmaster! i would 100% go but literally my bank account is decreasing a little too much for my liking and it’s time to lock in and go ultra saving mode LOL BUT OMG MITSKI??? stop it if i was rich i would 100% fly over to your state and buy tickets for you and me and we could go together and have our losing dogs moment(on repeat by eggy always in my heart)(literally one of my fav smaus LOL)

ness i will read every single part of your response LITERALLY I WILL READ AND ABSORB EVERY PART SO do not worry your pretty little head(as i said this i imagined myself tapping your head with a pretty little fairy stick)BUT OMG ME AND YOU WORKING AT ILLEGAL AGES(actually actually hold on)okay because i started working my retail job when i was 15 but i was like a week away from turning 16 but they accepted me anyways? idk it’s kind of silly but i remember saying i was 15 but turning 16 in a “few days” (i think it was a week and a bit) and they were like mmmm okay! here’s your training days blah blah blah LOL listen i really wanted a job… i always felt bad asking my parents for money so i was like you know what ILL get my own money(here i am 2-3 years later still trapped in retail)also i totally get the hostess thing because my friend works at olive garden as a hostess and like it SOUNDS SO STRESSFUL? because like… you’re kinda in control of how much tips a person gets? (if that makes sense) and it just feels ITS TOO STRESSFUL FOR ME TO FANTOM LIKE i cant i feel like im too much of a people pleaser where id just be like oh! oh you don’t want this table? okay! oh i have you too many tables? i’m sorry! my bad! let me do it! ALSO IDK i hate fixed schedules like i like the random rotation every week LOL like it’s kinda a surprise!! like omg what days am i working today type of thing you know! BUT OMG THEM KEEPING YOU ON STANDBY IS CRAZY AFTER YOU QUIT LOL they love you so much they want to keep you <3 i can’t blame them <3 ness is a very lovable person <3 but restaurant environments are different from retail idk how you do it like I APPAUD YOU AND EVERY OTHER RESTAURANT WORKER because like dealing with hangry people everyday like… i already deal with impatient customers which make me wanna pull my hair like i remember one time during this rush we had everyone on cash like everyone on the tills right and this guy came up to my till and he’s like “yall need more workers” LIKE CANT YOU SEE EVERYONE ON THE TILLS RIGHT NOW??WE ARE TRYING OUR BEST !! and i was deadass like “haha sorry….. would you like a bag for 50 cents?”

ALSO YOURE SO BUSY WHAT?? your schedule is so jacked up HOW DO YOU DO IT??? like literally uni + job AND THEATRE??? and also the fact that you have more than one job?? PLS PLS PLS EAT AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF LOVE YOURE GONNA BURN OUT </3

omg if i worked lights with you it would’ve been so so so much better like i’m not discrediting the light people i worked with BUT it was the fact that they were a year younger right so they didn’t really know what they were doing since all our light crew graduated and for some reason people didn’t like doing lights as much? so they were just first years doing lights and i had to help out a bunch and kind of guide them BCUZ IDK WHY MY TECH TEACHER DIDNT DO IT RIGHT so i had to focus on sound PLUS helping the lights people which i don’t really mind too much when we’re just having rehearsals but like during shows i was a little more stressed because they weren’t that confident and was always asking just to make sure and it was 100% not their fault of course but I WAS STILL STRESSED and doing my hardest to help him while trying to also keep track of where the play was(sorry very messy)(i too am like you and i do NOT proof read these whatsoever) IF I COULD I WOULD DROP EVERYTHING AND FLY THERE !! we could be the light + sound duo because i literally miss my tech days like i lowkey thought about doing it in uni but IDK WHY I DIDNT !! I SHOULDVE !! also another suna smau would heal me (LMFAO NO PRESSURE) BUT I LITERALLY LOVE ALL OF INARIZAKI?? like they all have my heart(especially kita and osamu like oh my god)BUT OH MY GOD IF YOU DO I THINK ILL CRY LIKE “OMG THATS ME GUYS” “I AM MANGO ANON !!!” BUT you have sooooo much stuff lined up so DO NOT WORRY TOO MUCH!! what you’ve been giving right now (TRY AGAIN AND TONICS <333) is already so good like the idea and concepts AND IM SO EXCITED FOR THEM TOO AHH

THE CAST NOT BEINF ABLE TO PROJECT THEIR VOICES ARE SO REAL !!! maybe i’m just saying this because i only did plays in high school right so it was a bunch of kids right but it was soooo frustrating because like SPEAK UP but also the fact that some cast got better mics than others? like tell me why i can’t hear this lead but i can hear this random person playing a citizen like?? BUT LITERALLY WHEN MICS DIE I LITERALLY WANNA JUST FALL TO THE FLOOR LIKE and the director is just like “keep going” LIKE DONT KEEP GOING WHAT? I CANT HEAR? like i literally feel like i have to focus my energy like some type of anime character to my ears just to hear a SNIPPET of what they’re saying but then sometimes i get in trouble for missing cues </3 LIKE I’M SORRY IT ISNT MY FAULT LIKE MAYBE GET BETTER SPEAKERS AND MICS?? also not you literally running the whole tech crew like rewiring the motherboard and climbing stuff like ness mvp tech girl LOL BUT I GET NOT WANTING TO THINK ABOUT THOSE TIMES LIKE i swear all tech/cast crew environments are SO toxic like i literally remember one of the cast fainting because like we literally got no breaks at all so she was probably overwhelmed with the lighting and everything else then that’s when the director was like ok… let’s take a break like YOU THINK??

ALSO YOURE SO RIGHT if the previous men i’ve talked to is on tumblr reading cutesy little haikyuu x femreader stuff THEN THATS ANOTHER PROBLEM(NO STOP I LITERALLY GIGGLED SO HARD WHEN YOU SAID THAT LOL)(everytime i read your responses im always smiling and giggling like i always reread it too LOL) but omg ness… the quarantine online gaming breakout season is such a canon event like BECAUSE ME TOOOOO LOL(we are so soulmates) mine was a mix of minecraft and roblox and I LITERALLY MET A WHOLE GROUP ONLINE TOO IT WAS CRAZY the ptsd flashbacks is so real but THATS SO GIRLBOSS OF YOU LIKE YES!! CALL MEN OUT ON THEIR SHIT!!(sorry swearing again) BE NO MANS PEACE!! i will literally find him and politely beat him up for you <333 TIME FOR LORE DROP AND IF THE PERSON READS THIS THEN ??? WELL ??? oh well LOL but anyways so i was in this little online group idk i kind of just found them through twitter and i was like WHY NOT so i became friends with this guy he went by socks(discord names are so real)and like we got really close right and like he was the only person i really VC’d with (AND AND TO BE FAIR I THINK ITS BECAUSE WE WERE LIKE THE BABIES OF THE GROUP) like we were the same age while everyone else was like 19-25ish now(idk what i was doing hanging out with them as a minor but oh well)(i’m 18 now so it’s ok!)(but i literally don’t talk to any of them now LOL)but i remember this one specific conversation where he was like teaching me spanish?? because i don’t know i was teaching him viet too so it was just a silly little thing and i translated it(this was through texts like i still have the screenshot LOL) and he basically confessed to me through text in spanish right then afterwards they were like JK JK JK!! IDK idk if it was real or not but we drifted a lot after that so idk! sock if ur out there !! im sorry !! to be fair though they didn’t give me a chance to reply because i had to translate it then when i came back to the chat they were like IM JK IM JK SO idk! I GUESS WE’LL NEVER KNOW!! also i will def report back when i get a poke bowl but im very very picky about the way i eat raw fish bevause sometimes it’s okay but when there’s an overwhelming amount i kind of get scared and im like hmmm maybeeee.. not this time… LOL It really depends for me!! but maybe ill try the imitation crab one if i see it!

AND UR SO RIGHT ONE DAY I WILL COME TO YOU AND I WILL BE UR GUARD DOG AT WORK !!! i’m glad yesterday was better! hopefully it keeps getting better, i will fight off the bad omens for you ness i will stand in the front lines fighting them off I COULD NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED IN YOU but i will be a tiny tiny bit upset because I WANT YOU TO EAT WELL AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF !! eggs and toast is so real but don’t worry :( a meal is a meal and you did good by getting up and making yourself something small! little steps are okay, i will be here along the way so don’t worry! take your time <333 I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY!! (it literally took me an hour to write this because now it’s 4:30)(BUT i did eat in between writing) I HAD RICE AND CHICKEN YIPPPPEE!! i had to take a little break to eat then i continued writing LOL(but so real on saying ill go back but you never do because … me too)(i’m too lazy to look back on what i wrote so ill just trust myself) (mango anon loves you very much pls take care of yourself) (ALSO) i just realized i could make the font smaller (thank you again sav for the idea) so it would be easier to scroll pass these LOL BUT ANYWAYS MAKE SURE TO EAT AND REST WELL !!! xoxoxoxo

HELLO MY LOVE!!! MY DAY WAS PRETTY OKAY!! BESIDES THE CAR CRISIS OFC 😭😭 AND PLEASE WAKING UP AT 3PM IS SO REAL I'VE DONE THAT BEFORE </33 AND ESPECIALLY IF U WORK A 9-5:30 TOMORROW DEFINITELY GET ALL THE SLEEP YOU CAN GET!! REST UP AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF PLS <3 MAKE SURE TO DRINK LOTS OF WATER AND BRING PLENTY WITH YOU TOMORROW AND PLEASE EAT!! and don't apologize at all you're def okay to call sav sav as well (i'm pretty sure!!) AND YOU ARE MY MANGO ANON <33 AND I LOVE U SM!! AND I LOVE UR PARANTHESES LMAO THEY'RE SO CUTE <3 YES YAP CENTRAL!!

AND omg mango anon i just have to tell you like how honored i am <3 like i feel so seen by you!! the way you see the passion in my writing and like notice that i don't curse outside of my writing pls :(( my face is literally going :((( rn /pos i try not to curse outside of my writing just bc it's not my thing!! but ofc you can and like sometimes i still do!! definitely do whatever you want AND SORRY FOR ALL THE NOTIFS YESTERDAY AND TODAY SINCE I'M DOING THE SAME THING LMAO 😭 i'm the one that lets them bunch up so dw about them at all!! and mango anon i genuinely love talking and replying to you so so much AND I'M REALLY SO THANKFUL FOR EVERY ASK FROM ANYONE SO OFC I'LL BE ANSWERING IT WITH PASSION!! I GET WHAT YOU MEAN ENTIRELY AND I'M GLAD THAT GETS ACROSS WELL <3 I JUST APPRECIATE YOU ALL SM <3

AND YOU DEF DON'T HAVE TO SAY WHAT CONCERT YOU WENT TO!! I WAS WORRIED ABOUT LIKE THAT DOXXING U OR SOMETHING bc i had no idea you didn't live in the states!!! i definitely automatically assumed that and that maybe u had went to a different state since we were in the same timezone for a little bit but that makes total sense and that was my bad for assuming 😭😭 BUT AA YES!! I'D LOVE TO SEE HIM AGAIN AND MAYBE I WILL <3 LIKE HIS TICKETS DEF ARE NOT BAD PRICING AND HE'S AMAZING!!! i'm just insanely broke and like ik he's touring with sabrina carpenter rn or something??? which is super cool and good for him!! and sabrina's cool but i don't think i'd enjoy or be able to afford her concerts 😭 and that's okay!! maybe my tickets were cheap the time i went to see him bc it was a little more niche <3 AND AAA YES I WISH WE COULD SEE MITSKI TOGETHER!! the entire crowd would be in tears over i bet on losing dogs like that's our national anthem FRFR!!!!

I WAS IMAGINING THE PRETTY LITTLE FAIRY STICK WITH U thank you for tapping my head <33 AND I ALSO READ ABSORB EVERYTHING U TELL ME SO PLEASE YAP AS MUCH AS YOU WANT!! AND DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT SMALL FONT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO <3 YOU DO WHATEVER YOUR PRETTY LITTLE HEART DESIRES!!! (i am giving ur heart a kiss rn mwah <3) BUT PLEASE THE ILLEGAL JOBS FR SOME PLACES BE CRAZY AND THEY STILL GET AWAY WITH IT!!! BUT YOU GET IT EXACTLY like at the restaurant i often work at we often just have a rotation with no server sections bc it's pretty small (i'd only be forced to do sections when i worked with my manager who made me want to DIE and made me cry once i literally ran out and cried next to a steakhouse across from us) and so basically i just sit people at random tables (i always ask them like "is this table okay?" and i'm not really asking them like girl i have better things to be doing than escorting you around this restaurant trying to see what table tickles your fancy the best. i just ask them so i don't sound super forward like "THIS IS YOUR TABLE SUCK IT UP." yk??) and whoever's turn it is next, they get it so i'll tell them like "table three for two people" so like I REALLY DO NOT CONTROL WHAT CUSTOMERS A SERVER GETS BUT THEY ALL COME AND COMPLAIN AT ME FOR HOW BAD THEIR TABLES ARE (probably bc they're trying to guilt trip me or be passive aggressive) BUT LIKE WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO ABOUT IT?? I'M NOT PURPOSELY GIVING PEOPLE BAD OR GOOD TABLES LIKE 😭😭 and i'm sure it's even worse at places like olive garden which are way bigger! and you have to work with other hosts and more people so best of luck to your friend she's doing amazing <3 AND YOU GET IT!! LIKE IT'D PROABABLY BE NICE TO HAVE A FIXED SCHEDULE BUT ALSO I COULDN'T DO IT I LOVE BEING SCHEDULED ON RANDOM DAYS EVERY WEEK I NEVER KNOW WHAT'S COMING also the guy who told you you guys needed more workers??? THANK YOU SIR FOR STATING THE OBVIOUS!! I HAD NO IDEA, LET ME, JUST A PERSON WHO WORKS HERE, NOT A MANAGER OR ANYTHING, GO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!! IN FACT, WHY DON'T YOU JUST PUT ON AN APRON AND START HELPING SINCE WE NEED MORE WORKERS!! CONGRATS YOU'RE HIRED!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH MANGO ANON 😭 I ALREADY FEEL SO BURNT OUT I'M REALLY HOPING THINGS WILL CALM DOWN AFTER SEPTEMBER IG (WHEN I STOP WORKING TWO JOBS) OR BY NOVEMEBER AT LEAST (WHEN THEATRE IS OVER) BUT WE'LL SEE </3 i'm sure things will continue to come up but i fr just want to lay down and sleep until 3pm like u did today 😔😔 that sounds so nice </3

AND PLEASE WHY IS YOUR TECH THEATRE STORIES THE SAME AS MINE like i was a run and props kid until my school's musical sophomore year where we got these three boys who all wanted to do tech and we had too many run and props kids so i was like "yk what. let me go to lights so that hopefully u three can be together" which didn't even work out bc one of the boys got thrown into lights with me while the other two were on run and props but were on opposite wings LMAO and so that was my first show doing lights which i did board op for because it was also our last show of the year which was also our like senior who knew everything about lights' last show so after that she GRADUATED and i was the one left to figure everything out 😭😭 and then the year after we lost our senior that knew everything about sound so my senior year was a STRUGGLE omg...bad times. but then i left that department a mess bc i could no longer care. like that lights kid wanted my job so badly? fine, fend for urself bro i'm not teaching u anything (sorry i am spiteful against that kid still LMAO) I ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT DOING TECH IN UNI!! my junior year i was fully planning to go to school to get a bfa for lighting design (new grounds was such a self insert for me LMAO) and my tech director literally pushed me to do it but then i decided i really did not want to be in these toxic stressful environments for the rest of my life 😭 BUT IF I HAD YOU!!! I DEF ACTUALLY WOULDN'T MIND <3 WE WOULD BE THE BEST DUO EVER I KNOW IT!! WE'D BOTH KNOW HOW TO DO OUR JOBS AND THAT WOULD BE LITERALLY GROUND BREAKING!! i mean even just reading ur stories i could feel the stress of like managing EVERYTHING i am so sorry for u mango anon but i am with u completely and from one tech mother to another, thank u for ur services 🫡 (i say tech mother bc WOMEN IN STEM!! in my entire four years of high school our top of the mill techies were always girls until we had this one run and props guy ruin it 🙄 he's actually the same guy who i used to like and the one who my mutual friend tried to get us to go to prom together but like i would NEVER UGHGHGH sorry he's also so frustrating to deal with i need to stop thinking about those times and this is exactly why i didn't actually go into theatre for school LMAOO) BUT YES AAA!! I WILL UPDATE YOU ON THE SUNA TECH SMAU AND I LOVE ALL OF INARIZAKI TOO <33333 haruichi furudate really put his whole budget into that team like please everyone on there is so pretty and beautiful and amazing and pookie shaped i love them sm <33 AND LOWKEY i was feeling like a stage manager reader (probably usually audio head but is stage managing this show) x lights head suna...bc i think that'd just be a crazy dynamic of her lowkey being in a higher position than him and he's just teasing and messing with her the whole time..BUT IDK and ik like theatre works differently in college but THIS IS MY WORLD AND WRITING SO I'LL DO WHAT I WANT!! i also have absolutely nothing actually planned out for the smau so who even knows LMAO THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME TO TAKE MY TIME </3 THERE'S DEFINITELY SO MUCH I NEED TO DO AND TOO LITTLE TIME UEFBIEWIOEGLN

BUT I'M GLAD U HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCES WITH PEOPLE NOT STRUGGLING we did this one horror play (which was SUCH a mess. okay let me just say this. our stage manager full on just gave up like halfway thru and would sit next to me reading vampire books and so same lights kid that kept trying to steal my job decided that it was "UP TO HIM" to save the show HIS WORDS EXACTLY I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT THIS when literally the entire show was going fine and so basically he was like overthrowing our stage manager and was taking it upon himself to stage manage instead and give cues and just OMG THAT SHOW WAS A MESS BUT ANYWAY) and our main character just would NOT project like she was always cranky the musical we did that year she would just not sing or talk and we were like bro...ur in a musical BUT ANYWAY she wouldn't project we literally ended up hanging a mic and putting a little speaker in the booth so we could hear her bc like it was so important that we heard her lines but we couldn't when we were in a booth behind four windows and a closed door 😭😭

AND HELP YOUR ONLINE STORIES??? I GIGGLED READING ABOUT HIM TEACHING YOU SPANISH AND YOU TEACHING HIM VIET BUT ALSO THE ENTIRE FRIEND GROUP BEING OLDER WHEN YOU WERE A MINOR WAS CRAZY BUT I CAN'T EVEN JUDGE BC THAT WAS ME TOO 😭😭 I FEEL LIKE THAT'S HOW IT ALWAYS IS FOR ME I'M LIKE ALWAYS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST PEOPLE IN A FRIEND GROUP but i cannot imagine what that guy was thinking (i LOVE DISCORD NAMES HOLD ON LET ME GO FIND THE NAME OF MY GUY i think he changed it bc it's froge now...but ANYWAY IT WAS SOMETHING LAME AND SO WAS HIS ROBLOX USER IT WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING LIKE DARK KNIGHT IDK) but i cannot imagine the stress socks was going thru </33 i bet he sent that and then u were like "oh let me go translate it!" and then he was like "OMG SHE DIDN'T RESPOND AND SHE WENT OFFLINE SHE HATES ME" and just flipped and said "jk" bc THERE'S NO WAY THAT WAS JUST A JOKE LIKE U DO NOT TEACH PEOPLE CONFESSIONS LIKE DID THE TAMING OF THE SHREW TEACH U PEOPLE NOTHING THAT IS SO OLD SCHOOL!! (i also never proofread these and just go on tangents and for that, i am sorry </3)

BUT I ALSO DON'T LIKE RAW FISH DW AT ALL!! like they have a hawaiian poke bowl too or something with all raw tuna and i'm like...yeah i'm good actually... and so my only other choice is imitation crab unfortunately 😭 BUT I HOPE YOU FIND SOMETHING GOOD AND LIKE IT!!

MANGO ANON I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND IT WAS SO GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU <3 I ATE A BAGEL HALFWAY THROUGH THIS AS WELL (you can probably tell when i started eating it bc i was only typing with my left hand and probably didn't use as many crying emojis for a bit LMAO) AND I LOVE TALKING TO YOU!! I LOVE YOU <3 AND I HOPE YOU'RE DOING WELL!! I LOVE CHICKEN AND RICE AND I WILL MAKE SURE TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF AS LONG AS YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!! DRINK LOTS OF WATER AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR SHIFT TOMORROW!! <3

[kirkwall]

tagged by @camelliagwerm <3 tysm harps!! this is probs gonna make me sound like a lunatic tho bc im still in my self-made vampire chronicles prison lmao

tagging whoever is reading this and wants to do it :3

1. the last book I read:

i finished blackwood farm (vampire chronicles #9) like a week ago. idk what to say about this one except that it has the first appearance of the word bisexual which is WILD in a series where at least 90% of the characters are in fact bisexual

2. a book I recommend:

have you heard of our lord and saviour babel by r.f. kuang? now you have. no but seriously it is so fucking good and all the ppl saying it's overrated or gets recommended too often are simply wrong lol

3. a book that I couldn’t put down:

also babel tbh. i vividly remember reading the last 150 pages in one sitting and then looking at my phone for the first time in hours only to find out the queen died in the meantime lmaaooo. 10/10 experience

4. a book that I’ve read twice (or more):

honestly i don't think i have? i went from barely reading at all to wanting to read so many books that i haven't really found the time to re-read anything beyond looking up specific passages. i do wanna re-read babel and iron widow tho

5. a book on my TBR:

way too many 💀 i think once i'm free from my vampire chronicles prison i'll tackle what moves the dead by t. kingfisher next

6. a book I’ve put down:

uhh i think leech by hiron ennes? we read it in the book club and it just didn't really grab my attention long enough but i honestly don't remember if i finished it and forgot or if i never actually finished it. i also have like two books on pause bc i forgot about them but i'll pick them up again at some point i hope lmao

7. a book on my wish list:

the gilda stories by jewelle gomez. among other vampire books bc no offense to miss rice but i need to read some that are not Like That lmao

8. a favourite book from childhood:

i really did not read as much as a kid as i should have tbh. i remember reading a series that my aunt got me called abby lynn by a german author. it was about a girl who got arrested and sent to the penal colony in new south wales in the early 19th century and i remember liking it bc it was a lot darker than i assumed was appropriate for my age lmao. but looking at it with an adult brain the colonialism of it all would probably kill me

9. a book you would give to a friend:

i have actively shoved my copy of babel into multiple ppl's hands already lmao. but i also love recommending this is how you lose the time war by amal el-mohtar and max gladstone

10. a book of poetry or lyrics you own:

oh boy i don't think i do. my copy of edgar allan poe short stories might have some of his poems in it as well? but i'm not sure

11. a nonfiction book you own:

one that i recently enjoyed is otherlands by thomas halliday. i passed most of my biology books on to friends but i still have one on immunology and i have a really cute edition of from so simple a beginning

12. what are you currently reading:

prince lestat (vampire chronicles #10). really sad that this one didn't have a signature lestat cringey my immortal type intro :( the showrunners said s2 is gonna include nods/easter eggs for this book which feels wild given how far ahead it is but i'm really curious to find out!!!

13. what are you planning on reading next:

blood canticle (vampire chronicles #11) 🤡 and only 2 more books after that one and then i'm free (to read other books, not mentally tho)

[lightspren]

I’m still proud of the Polite Calm I managed to keep, so I’m copying the message I sent my sister earlier. I think the best way to tell the story of this afternoon is in a numbered list, prefaced with “everyone is fine”

* important additional context: my car has had a bent rim for. a really long time now. but it only started being A Problem about 5 weeks ago. and due to the clownshow that is life, we’re just now getting it fixed. SO:

1. Spouse takes my car to car dealership to get fixed at 1:30. is there for THREE HOURS before it’s done OH WAIT

2. They ordered the right wheel, but the wrong one was delivered!!! So he has to come back next week!!!!!!!

3. Drives it home, OH WAIT nope! Because the fucking tire blows out halfway home (he’s fine else this story would be having a very different tone)

4. I had just gotten home, but my car doesn’t have a jack in it (he already added one to online cart to rectify that), so I go back out to rescue him.

5. Soon as I get there and he starts working on putting on the spare I call car dealership to be like “Hey guys! Y’all done fucked up!” In the most polite, well mannered voice I could manage, though I think my *incandescent rage* was still coming through because the receptionist had a definite OH SHIT tone to her voice

6. We come to the solution of they are buying us a new tire, it’ll have to be ordered but we just gotta get the spare on and OH WAIT

7. The bolt snaps off the wheel. like in half. Which I relay to the dealership person. who’s like “…I’m gonna see if someone can come out there.”

8. Two dealership guys, a mechanic and the service rep spouse talked with at the dealership, show up about fifteen minutes later. The mechanic one tries to get the other bolts off and SNAPS ANOTHER

9. At this point they figure the bolts were cross threaded and that destroyed them, and possibly the tire got nicked when they put it back on the wheel. Apparently my Manic Friendly Smile and Unwavering Politeness was a little unnerving because the dude kinda looked panicked. so

10. they call a tow truck (that they’re paying for) to take it back to dealership until they can get the new tire (that they’re also paying for) and the correct wheel. They didn’t have a rental available today so he’s going to talk to me tomorrow when they should hopefully have one back, to try and make sure that by Monday we have two cars (rental that they are ALSO paying for).

Anyway. That’s my novel of an evening. I was Very Very Nice to all of them throughout the interactions which maybe was helpful, though they all kept acting like they were waiting for me to flip shit. If I had an ounce less self control I probably would have. If spouse had gotten hurt I’d be going to jail for arson.

anyway. i’m glad this week is over lol.

[devondespresso]

WIP WhhhMonday Nightish

Once upon a time Devon was tagged in a wip wednesday by @eriquin and meant to do it but missed both wednesday and the weekend before remembering again. totally unrelated, Devon is working on getting their official adhd diagnosis.

i also noticed that the past snippets shared in wip-whatever posts have been purposefully the least interesting parts because i was worried about spoilers, which is dumb because that's created the unintended consequence of my tag is full of everything i don't like as much and a very different impression of what my fic is (as seen by most of these snippets being my rewritten scenes despite the actual fic being mostly new in-between scenes)

TLDR: WIP Whatever-day-it-is: But Actually For Fun This Time

The Rules

Post the file names of up to 5 of your WIPs for people to send you asks

Post a snippet of one of those WIPs

When people send you an ask with the name of one of your WIPs, write 3 lines of that WIP.

(Optional) Post the lines you wrote.

You can send multiple requests especially since this is going on through the weekend!

The WIPs

we're doing bulleted chapter titles to share from since that was my favorite and genuinely most productive format I've used. Feel free to ask for as many as you want, I plan on working on this basically all week

Karen Wheeler POV Bonus Chapter (Prologue kinda? side story in the same universe?? Bonus chapter set after season 1 and way before ch 1)

Steve, are you okay? Are you okay, Steve? (ch 9)

What's this? The consequences of my actions? (Is that a motherfucking Lovejoy reference?) (ch 10)

Kidnapping? no. surprise adoption. (lol get taken care of BITCH) (ch 11)

NEXT CHAPTER BC IDK HOW TO TRANSITION (ch 12) (a very tentative title for the next chapter to be written)

The Snippet

here is my favorite and most recent scene I've written, which takes place before they junkyard where Steve and Dustin are at the grocery store to get that ungodly amount of raw meat they have to toss around (also i've split chapters up a bit in the name of structure so the third chapter is now called "Mommy Issues Central". Lemme know any goofy vine reference ideas you guys have or if it should stay like that) (fear not, Get Yo Fucking Dog Bitch lives on still as chapter 4)

___

They turned down the next aisle, lining the edges of the cart with some other pasta-related shit that he could still probably use. They heard someone coming over from the next aisle and before he could turn the cart around Mrs Wheeler pulled up.

"Oh, Steve ...and Dustin. What're you boys up to?"

He took a short breath to work their story into something without Mike, but Dustin beat him to it.

"He's teaching me stuff." 

He was imitating the tone Steve used but still way too vague. Mrs Wheeler held up a smile, her brows slightly lifted.

"Y'know, like cooking-" Steve said, throwing in a little gesture to the cart.

"And cars, changing oil and things. Y'know just.. dad stuff."

Dustin's part convinced her, Mrs Wheeler's expression softening into a real smile.

"Well I won't keep you long," 

She nodded off to the side to talk to Steve one-on-one.

Great.

“Are you and Nancy okay?”

“Wh- we’re- Why? Did she say something?”

“No, no, she’s just been… closed off, lately. And I drove her to school the other day, she didn’t say why.”

“Sh- yeah, that- that’s on me. Sorry.”

“Did you break up?”

“No no, definitely not. We’re kinda… we’re working on it. I’m going to try and make it better, after y’know..” he gestured to Dustin behind him.

“Right.” she smiled again, “Let Nancy know she can talk to me about any of this? Please? I tell her but- I don't know, maybe it’d be different coming from you.”

He held up a smile for her.

“Yeah, sure. Mind if we..” he jutted a thumb towards the end of the aisle.

“Yes, go ahead.”

He gave her a short wave and turned back to Dustin, who studied random shit in the aisle like Steve would believe his sudden fascination with olive oil outweighed childish curiosity.

“Steve-”

He turned back around, seeing Mrs Wheeler coming back up to him and whispering again.

“I know I’m not your mother, but you can talk to me, too. Both of you, okay?”

He kept the smile in place and nodded again, and she finally went back to her cart.

Dustin “Definitely-Not-Eavesdropping” Henderson followed him out of the aisle, thankfully waiting until they were out of earshot to ask.

“What's going on with you and Nancy?”

“Thought we had ‘much bigger problems than my love life’?”

He pulled up to the deli, stopping to pretend to look at the options.

“We’re not dropping everything for it but we can still talk.” he groaned.

“I’ll tell you later, kay? Not exactly the best place to talk.''

___

Tags

@stobinesque @spoookysix @marvel-ous-m @alexcharmsyou @museumgiftshoperaser @blushweddinggowns @sharpbutsoft @fag4dykestobin @findafight (no pressure ofc and feel free to switch it to actually wednesday fhuhjdklashj) (also just let me know if you don't wanna be tagged in these)

[theresthesnitch]

20 questions for Fic Writers

Thanks for tagging me @puuvillaa!

How many works do you have on AO3?

106 total.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,313,884, but that includes a few cowritten things, and I couldn't begin to break down how many of those belong to jus tme.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Just HP!

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

A. Step & Repeat - Wolfstar, Celebrity Sirius fake dating AU, Rated M, 62k words

B. Three Strikes 'til you're out - Jily, Celebrity James fake dating AU, Rated E, 69k words

(I have not, until just now, put together that those two are so similar)

C. Bathed in the Moonlight - Wolfstar PWP, Rated E, 2.1k words

D. Ignite - Jily, 7th year Canon, Secret relationship smut fic, rated E, 192k words (WIP)

E. One More to Love - Wolfstarbucks, omegaverse w/ Pregnant Omega Remus, written with @krethes. 146k words, Rated E, WIP.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Omg 🫥. I do.... sometimes. I really, really love comments, and I need to be better about responding to them! It's a mixture of social anxiety and savoring them that leads me to not responding, and then I wonder if it's too late to respond, and then they stack up, and then I'm anxious over how many there are and I just.... never repsond. i try to repsond to at least some of the, but I'm very anxious about how many unresponded comments I have. (My inbox currently sits at 1136, and I've cleared it out before.)

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Dusk. However, i have 2 more in the works that (assuming I ever finish them) may be worse.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my fics have a happy ending, so I'm not sure what the MOST happy ending was. Maybe Save the Groom? I can't imagine STG James being any happier than he is in that epilogue.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Occasionally. It's rarely hate but I do occasionally get dissatisfaction, like "i don't like the way you ended this" or "I read the side along you wrote and I'm no longer interested in the main story" which is weird to get.

9. Do you write smut. If so, what kind?

Lol, yes, and.... all kinds? Honestly, what does that mean. I've written MM, MF, and FF. Also Multi (though mostly MMM+). I've also written both vanilla and kink?

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

NOPE. Not something that really interests me, tbh.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of, but I wouldn't be surprised.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I've had a couple of people ask, but no one who has delivered on it. or at least no one who tagged me the way I asked them to if they did it.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yes, a few! I'm actually very fond of cowriting. Quietlemonhush and I have been working on cowriting more, and I adore working with him.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

I've gotta go with my Wolfstar boys. 💖

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doublt you ever will?

I'm not ready to call anything that's posted now and a WIP abandoned (though I know I occasionally get comments calling things abandoned). I think it's probably unlikely that I ever write my Voldy Wins AU at this point because I've been sitting on it for 2 years at this point, but it was never posted.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Worldbuilding and tension building, I think.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Sticking to a plan. 🤣

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I've done it before, and I'm not a huge fan, tbh. I probably won't do it again unless I have a cowriter who is fluent. It's a pain if you don't know the language, and there's no way to really build the dialogue as you would in a language you know.

19. First Fandom you wrote for?

HP, but make it Hinny.

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

Oh, gosh. I think maybe The Way We Fall. Ask me next week and that will be different.

No pressure tags to @krethes, @charmsandtealeaves @annabtg @mppmaraudergirl @eyra @wanderingdonut