#retail sucks but I actually quite enjoy it at the same time. I’m like a really nice person contrary to tumblr user belief

[awek-s]

I want this job so bad and the fact they actually messaged me to ask questions rather than straight up ignore me if they didn’t like me or offer a courtesy interview while knowing they didn’t like me is giving me a lot of hope but I realllly hope it’s not like. false hope lmao

[barbiebanker]

The way u always pop off with ur blog theme >> hope ur doing good! Do u have tips for building a good rapport with ur interviewer? I’m decent at making them laugh and feel comfortable but it still feels like we’re going back and forth with questions instead of a conversation

i personally really enjoy interviews but it might be because i love the sound of my own voice, who knows haha. it's good that you can already get them laughing and setting a comfortable tone, and i'm sure you remember whenever i said to consider interviews as a conversation rather than an interrogation.

off the top of my head;

listen closely to what your interviewer says. i'm not quite sure what positions (internship, part-time retail job, etc.) you're currently interviewing for, but if you want to be a great conversationalist, you have to be a great listener. usually, they should introduce themselves either at the beginning or after you answer the "tell me about yourself" question. i've interviewed for two different BB banks (2 diff internships at 1 bank / 1 position at the other), had three superdays (just a cute little way of saying final round of interviews) + received offers the same day afterwards. combining all of my interviewers at all 3 superdays, i ended up interviewing with 18 people. that's not including earlier on in the year/in 2021 when i was interviewing at tax firms. a majority of the people told me something about themselves — what they do within the bank/firm, how long they've been working here, etc. file that away in your brain. whatever scraps they give you, hang on to them.

how are you answering the questions? really consider if you're just giving a cut and dry answer or if you're leaving room for more questions (they could be curious abt a comment you make and ask you to go deeper) or just a chance for them to build rapport with you (add in a slight joke when answering the question, for example, can usually work in your favor). the trick is, give them something to work with.

at the bank that i'll be doing my summer internship at, the people there were phenomenal when it came to building rapport with me and making the interview go by so quickly. (if you or anyone wants me to, i can go into a very deep/play-by-play of how my successful super days went). they were great conversationalists as well, and they were incredible at matching my energy, and not to sound cocky, but i felt like the same could be said of me.

at the start, i told you to pay attention to what your interviewer says. at the end of the interview, always ask them questions!!! this is your chance to showcase your genuine interest in the position or the company, but also to show them that you're actually a people person/you actually listened to them when they spoke. if they mentioned something, such as how long they've been working at said company, you can say something like "i remember you said you've been here for ___ years. do you enjoy working here?" lots of the bankers who interviewed me often times told me about their own experiences (very briefly) while they were in the middle of interviewing me, and when it came time for me to ask questions, i would ask how their own internship experiences went and if they believed it prepared them properly for the full-time job.

keeping all of the above in mind, conversations obviously work both ways. you can do all of this, leave all the openings and deliver the perfect lines to your interviewer and it'll still feel stiff and very much like an interview. sometimes, this can't be helped. some people are awful at interviewing others. some people just might not like your personality, which isn't to say there's something wrong with you. if you two don't click, you just simply don't click. sometimes, interviewers just suck. it happens; don't stress too much about those circumstances.

also, thank you very much <33 hope you’re doing great as well & i know you’re gonna crush all ur future interviews!

[shimmershae]

My thoughts on Episode 5--Out of the Ashes.

Okay, though.  I’m already excited about this one because Carol and Lydia are on the little guide picture thingy, lol.  My girls.  

As usual, I’m going to put the rest underneath a cut to save you lovelies potentially being spoiled should you not want to be.  

Wow.  Look at that full moon.  And the colors in the woods.  

I’m telling you.  These cold opening scenes have been generally pretty awesome this season.  

Aaron with Gracie always gives us such sweetness but this time maybe not.  

Omigosh.  Now *that* is a nightmare--the Walkers, the Wolves, the Saviors, the Whisperers, Mays.  Did I miss anybody?  And then Gracie gone just like that?  Poor Aaron.  All he wants is to keep his little girl safe and happy.  

So.  Is Gracie sleeping right next to her daddy because she had a nightmare or because her daddy’s been having them?  Because either way, oh my freaking heart.  Especially at her still sleeping with her stuffed bunny.  I’m really, really hoping that bunny isn’t a bad omen of sorts for our Gracie, because little girls with bunnies haven’t fared all that well--going all the way back to the first episode and as recently as the subway episode where Daryl found that picture of the two siblings after they’d already found the bunny from the picture amongst the bodies.  Please not Gracie.  Aaron has already been through so much.  

Are they all just communing together now?  Because I can see how that would harken back to Season 4.  

Jerry!  Not even 3 minutes in and already two of my faves are present.  I can tell this is going to be a good episode.  

That really sucks.  Not even being able to take a peaceful piss because you can see Walkers shambling past your window, lol.  

There goes my queen running straight at danger as real queens are apt to do.  ;)  

Were there always lights coming on in the windmill during the opening credits or is that a new thing for this episode?  

That orientation video was so surreal.  Had to laugh at the political touch of having “this message is approved by Pamela Milton” at the end.  

Okay.  So they’re getting their work assignments, huh?  Orientations are the worst, lol.  All that damn paperwork.  

Retail clerk--Princess being excited at the prospect of working in a mall, even having a mall again, has me LMAO even as I’m like girl.  No.  You’ll love it ‘til you hate it.  

I didn’t catch Eugene’s job.  But Ezekiel doing animal control kind of cracks me up.  For reasons.  

So.  Essentially Eugene and Princess and Ezekiel got blue collar jobs while Yumiko’s got an invitation to join the upper crust.  

I love Lydia being accepted as part of the community.  About damn time.  

For a second I thought Rosita said what’s left of the horses plural and I was fixin’ to go OH NO.  

This is where I’m at on the Maggie/Negan issue, for better or worse:  Maggie absolutely, IMHO, has earned the right to stay mad at Negan for the rest of her days.  Because Glenn.  Because her little boy was robbed of his daddy.  That said?  I don’t think I have it in me to watch 5 more episodes of this beaten horse antagonistic conversation much less a whole season.  It would be one thing if it hadn’t already stolen valuable and earned screen time from other characters that seem to have been pushed to the periphery to spotlight it like it was the marquee event or something.  I don’t want want 2/3′s of the final season so heavily focused on the conflict between these two when there are so many characters that are already woefully underutilized.  It’s only compelling if it doesn’t become commonplace.  

It’s a sad business having to put down people you know, I’d expect.  Funny, though.  We never knew them so the impact is kind of artificial.  I appreciate the intent of the scene, though.  

Where the hell are all the Walkers coming from?  Like, I thought most of them went skydiving off that cliff without parachutes.  

Judith training the other babies.  If only her parents--every damn one of them--could see her now.  

Gus!  How cool and awesome for him!

ASZ is just full of asshole teens isn’t it?  How dare that little dipshit push our Asskicker down like that and say such hateful things?  To be fair, though, the kid is probably just repeating what he’s heard from others and I’m glad they’re being realistic here even if I don’t like seeing Judith cry.  

Cailey Fleming’s expressive face and eyes!  This kid has my heart, ya’ll.  

That perfectly pretty cake wasted!  LMAO.  Seriously though.  How does a cardiothoracic surgeon end up assigned to work in the bakery?  Yumiko’s reunion with her brother Tomi honestly was on par with what I’d expect from someone seeing the sister they’d long given up as dead.  

Freaky still how the Whisperers choose to herd the dead even without Beta and Alpha.  

Was that the real Stephanie in the scene with the ice cream?  Right under Eugene’s nose while he’s with Fake Stephanie?  They have a connection, ya’ll.  Eugene felt it.  

Okay, though.  I wanted the kids having their first ice cream cones.  If I were Eugene, though, I probably would have inhaled that thing after being deprived for so long.  

The Milton Hotel?  Alrighty then.  Somebody feels self-important.  

Aww.  Eugene’s thinking of Rosita and Coco.  They really have evolved into such a sweet, good friendship and I miss them together.  

Literally, I love Princess more each time I see her and hear her open her hilarious mouth.  LOL at her with the ice cream cone.  

Is everybody in ASZ staying in the same damn house?  Whoever broke the board with Carl’s and Judith’s handprints on it needs an ass kicking.  

“Me, too.”  Welp.  Guess RJ’s already met his line quota per appearance 24 minutes in, LOL.  

Aww.  My heart.  A Rosita/Judith scene.  I’m already loving it but not gonna lie.  Who do we have topay to get a Carol/Judith scene because she’s been there since Judith was an embryo?  

“Now it’s broken.  He’s gone.  Everybody is.”  The way this scene is unexpectedly gutting me right now.  Because Rosita’s right.  It never really gets easier.  It’s just something you figure out how to carry.  How many people devastated by Covid or other illness or tragedy are carrying these same feelings of loss and hurt everyday?  

Give us more of those heartfelt moments, dammit.  This girl at least craves them.  Not the endless Maggie/Negan conflict.  

Ouch.  “I think I haven’t met a Whisperer who wasn’t a liar.”  Damn Aaron.  Lydia’s right there beside you. 

Angry Jerry hurts my heart in ways I cannot explain.  

On a completely shallow note, Miko’s brother is attractive too.  I quite like his accent, lol.  I wonder why he’s so hesitant to put his skills as a surgeon to use.  

“Want some cake?”/”Hell, yes.”  Yumiko=me 99% of the time.  LOL.  Just kidding.  In reality, I have to say no.  

“They clearly got a gym in this joint.  Your chiseling is perfecto.”  LMAO.  I’m all for Princess/Mercer.  She flusters him a little and I’m loving it.  When she told him he had beautiful eyelashes, I howled.  

Oh my sweet Aaron.  I’m in the same kind of pain and disbelief as Lydia watching you interrogate that Whisperer.  

Thank you, Carol.  Melissa McBride?  I effing LOVE you.  My heart hurts.  

I’m sure she’s gonna get hate from the usual crowd while they cheer Aaron further along his dark and desperate path.  Yes.  Ya’ll are *that* predictable.  

But Maggie, though?  How long you gonna wait?  Because you gonna be waiting on Daryl’s ass a long time.  

“Cheesy video guy.” LOL.  Leave it to Princess.  Somehow that Lance dude looks even cheesier in RL.  

By the screaming cave?  What the hell is the screaming cave?  

Ohh.  Next episode actually looks interesting.  Thank goodness it’s not a bottle episode strictly focusing on Virgil/Connie though because no matter how much I like Connie/Lauren?  I don’t think whatever story she’s stuck in with Virgil is enough to keep me riveted to the tv.  

Overall impression of this episode--again, I enjoyed it.  Aaron’s dream was dark AF.  Hell.  Aaron was dark AF in this episode.  Ross Marquand did some really strong work and I’m glad he finally got a moment to shine even though I hate seeing him leaning into the darkness instead of his inherent goodness.  Judith and Rosita’s scenes were touching.  Carol/Melissa made me bawl in the span of two minutes.  That’s why she’s the MVP of this show, lovelies.  She does so very much with so little.  I’m just glad we didn’t have to see Leah and her band of bitchass brothers this episode.  

I’m going to miss this show when it’s gone.  At least I’ll have the Carol and Daryl spinoff off to ease my heartache.  

[soliverse]

sugar, sugar - z.cl

reader x chenle

genre: angst, fluff

warnings: a kiss in the cheek, cuss words, pessimism (I think that’s about it? Let me know if I missed something.

word count: 6.2k

part of the Candy Hearts Collab by @127-mile (click the link if you want to read the rest of the collab)

synopsis: Your whole life, especially working for your boss, is a living nightmare. That was until you got some sugar in your life.

inspiration:

Isn’t It Romantic (The film from Netflix by Rebel Wilson),

Sugar, Sugar by the Archies

networks

@nctcreations @kdiarynet @kpopscape @kwritersworld @culture-cafe @neowritingsnet @neoswitchnet @czennienet

February 13,202x / 8:00 AM

It was a quiet and peaceful morning. Which is too bad since that’s not what you’re aiming for.

Your alarm should’ve sounded at 6:00AM. Instead, it woke you up an hour late despite how much fumbling and crying that you did make it work last night.

You have completely ditched breakfast, running as fast as you can to the bus stop that never comes and leave as scheduled.

Already half an hour late, you still sat down that bus seat, fidgeting as if not staying calm on your seat will make the bus ride shorter. Right now, the only thing that you’re still holding on to is that small, sliver of hope that you get there before your boss does.

After climbing down the vehicle, you ran like you’re in a marathon and looked for that one window that your coworker always leaves open whenever you’re late like today. You ungracefully climbed up the window of the storage room and met Jisung, who’s already getting himself ready before opening.

“Is he here yet?”

You whispered as you tried to dust your red shirt and smoothened out your wrinkled uniform. The goal is to make yourself look decent, an attempt that you barely managed to accomplish

“He just came in. Hurry up before he notices.”

You mouthed “Thanks” to Jisung before leaving the storage room and sneak into the main entrance to log yourself in for today.

Your eyes scanned the candy-themed decorations for any signs of life (or danger, in your boss’ case) but he is nowhere to be found. You walked casually towards the main entrance, breathing only a sigh of relief as soon as you get to the front door.

Finally feeling at ease, you pressed your thumb on the device that records your time and gave yourself a mental pat in the back for actually pulling it off. At least, before a hand pops out of nowhere and touched you by shoulder.

You yelped at the surprise appearance of your ever-so-stealthy boss right behind you.

“You’re late again.”

He was staring at you with those black intense eyes and his resting bitch face. His expression always made you worry because there’s no way to actually now if he’s mad or not. You kept your head down and tried to avoid as much eye contact as possible.

“Surprised? I saw your little stunt by the window. You know that it’s right in front of my office, right?”

He patted your shoulder before placing his hands back to his pockets.

“You also know that I’ll be deducting that on your payroll, right?”

“Yes sir.”

He didn’t even let you finish and just turned his back at you, walking towards his office.

“That reminds me. We should bolt that window down before someone else tries to sneak in and steal. Tell Jisung to work on that as soon as possible.”

As soon as he’s out the way, you rolled your eyes and went back to straightening the wrinkles off of your uniform.

“Tell Jisung to work on that as soon as possible.” You said, mimicking him made faces behind his back.

As if Jisung knows how to shut that window properly.

 After that delightful conversation, you helped Jisung in refilling the candy containers, tidied the shop by little bit, and breathe for one final time today before you opened the shop.

Some people may have imagined working on a candy store to be a dream. You get to bask in all of the aesthetics, you get to interact with children every day, and there’s that perk that you get to enjoy an unlimited supply of sweet treats during your shift.

Oh boy, some people couldn’t have been more wrong.

Your location is near an amusement park, which is already hectic as it is, but you also need to deal with stuff that all retail staff goes through.

If you were to make an entire list of the stressful situations that you have to deal with every single shift, it would take you all day.

There are children throwing temper tantrums because their parents refused to buy the candy that the wanted, entitled Karens demanding free candy because you made her baby cry, teenagers who thinks they’re so smart by stealing handful of candies from their containers while you’re distracted. It’s a mess.

And that’s beside your main source of stress. That one is sitting on his office at the back of the store, probably playing some game on his phone while you act as both staff and manager, is the best boss in the world, Mr. Zhong Chenle.

Note the sarcasm.

That guy deserves a whole separate list by himself.

///

So far, the first few hours of your shift went smoothly. There were a few customers here and there but nothing that you and Jisung can’t handle.

All is well. But if you’ve worked retail before, you would know that those words are cursed.

You’ve always had this thing where you’d get a stomachache whenever something bad is about to happen. Ever since that one nice lady earlier told you to keep the change with a very kind smile, your stomach has been grumbling like crazy.

You sneaked into the counter and sat there for a moment to rest. The pain is bearable, but it makes it very hard for you to breathe properly. After taking a few deep breaths, the pain subsided a little bit.

Until, someone wrapped their arms around you, startling you off the chair and had you freefalling straight into your butt.

“I’m not paying you to slack off Y/N. Do something. I don’t know… rearrange the Valentines display. Just don’t sit around while there’s so much stuff to do.”

He dusted his overprized outfit that probably cost more than your wage, even grabbing the hand sanitizer from his pocket, completely acting like you had a contagious virus that.

Fighting the urge to talk back, you just turned around and went back to work.

Someday, I’m going to punch that resting bitch face off his face.

Someday.

You went back and found Jisung painstakingly arranging the M&M piece by piece, arranged by color, size and filling.

The kid makes you worry sometimes.

He’s a good kid but sometimes he can be a bit… clueless?

You remembered the first time that your boss bought a cotton candy machine and asked you and Jisung to figure out how to operate it. He almost left work with nine fingers that day.

“Hey kid. Bossman wants us to change the Valentines display.” You explained as you walk over to the center of the room where the display case is placed.

“Not again. What does he want this time?”

“I don’t know. His only instruction is do something.”

He whined for a bit, but he followed your lead shortly after and started removing all of the candy jars on display one by one.

You started working on it as well, hoping that he (aka the owner) won’t notice that you just switched the glass containers of the candy displays with each other and then placed them back in their original place.

You realized that he probably didn’t know what the display looked like in the first place. It’s just more unnecessary work just to keep you moving.

To pass the boredom, you decided to dote on the kid that is busy making a bouquet of out of rose-shaped lollipops right beside you.

“Sooo…”

You said in a high-pitched voice and tried to lighten up the mood a little.

“Any plans for the V-day?”

He stops for a moment, bowing his head down while he tried to hide his shy smile.

“I’m taking this girl out bowling.”

You squealed and poked his side to tease him. He used to be a little highschool kid that you were told to keep an eye on just in case he accidentally kills himself. It was a headache at first, but he grew on you and now he feels like your honorary little brother.

“Awww. My Jisungie is grown up. It felt like it was just yesterday when I was to trying to teach you to tie your own shoelaces. And now, you’ve got a girlfriend”

“Uhm Y/N. That was yesterday.”

You were about to pinch his cheeks once again when Chenle squeezed himself in between you and Jisung.

“And now you’re flirting. Geez. Do I have to do everything around here?”

Why does this guy keep popping out of nowhere?

He stared you and Jisung down before he slithered back to his office once again. You just stood there in disbelief, shaking your head as you went back to work.

///

The end of the day went by smoothly, which made you worry even more. As you return some of the candy displays back to the stock room, you can’t help but think that today was just the calm before the storm.

Take last year’s Valentines for example.

The shop was stuffed with that a customer fainted because of suffocation. Jisung was bleeding because some guy punched him for flirting with his girlfriend (even though the poor kid is just being nice and gave her one of the extra candy flowers.)

And oh, no dates. While everyone is busy celebrating the love that they will share together you celebrated at the fact that the day is all over.

Ever since you’ve started working at that shop, you’ve never really tried to meet new people. You keep explaining that you’re tired all day. That your job is very demanding time-wise and physically. But in reality, no one just asked you out.

You could’ve quit, but who would take in a highschool graduate without work experience? You’ve barely saved up for a whole college semester, let alone the curriculum. There’s nothing to do besides suck it up.

It’s just one of those things that you stop celebrating as you get older.

Valentine’s day, your birthday, your birthday which is the same day as Valentine’s day.

Sighing, you picked up the stack of empty boxes that you needed to take outside for the garbage truck. Once again, Chenle pops out of nowhere, hitting some of the boxes that tumbled back on the floor. His are arms folded at his chest, sneering because of the mess that he created.

“Will you clean up this mess? It’s almost closing.”

You just pursed your lips, nodding as you stacked the boxes once again, trying very hard not to lose your composure.

“And will you please close the lights outside this time? I doubt that can pay for the damages if this shop burns down.”

Back turned against your employer, you picked up the boxes from the floor. You’re just glad that it is tall enough to cover most of your face. If someone could see your face right now, they would say that it is the face of someone that is about to murder somebody. Which is getting closer and closer to reality every single time Chenle opens his mouth.

Besides, you left one of the lights open one time. His petty ass just can’t seem to live it down.

“I’ll make sure to double check before leaving, sir.”

“Good. Make it quick.”

Holding out the boxes, you figured that he’d at least hold the door out for you. You had that one tiny glimmer of hope that he’s nice after all and you judged him too hastily.

Nope.

He slams the door right behind him and closed the lights from outside.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

You slammed the boxes down to search for the lights and open the door for yourself.

Just one punch. I need just one punch and that’s it. He’s gonna get what’s coming to him.

Scrambling in the dark, you almost faceplanted as you tripped one of the boxes in your way. With your arms stretched out as you feel up your surroundings, it took you a few minutes before you’ve finally managed to open the switch and see the mass that you made while stumbling.

You just facepalmed and stood there for a while, reminding yourself to take deep breaths and calm yourself before you actually burn this place down.

One by one, you stacked the boxes once again in one corner, making sure secure them this time. Keeping the door open, you’ve successfully placed them inside the bins.

One box in particular fell down to the ground. You picked it up to stuff it back to the garbage can but the motion made a rattling noise.

I must’ve missed a piece.

You dusted off the nearby pavement and sat down so you can open the box.

Inside was a few bags of candy, adorned with the usual red and white swirls with the text “Sweet Escape” taking over most of the packaging.

This one must be new.

You stuffed the box back to the garbage can, looked around for signs of a snooping, grumpy adult and placed candy on one of your back pockets.

If your boss found out that you messed up the inventory again, he will not hesitate to fire you. You’re just gonna have to sneak it inside before he gets there tomorrow. Well, assuming that your alarm clock works this time.

///

“Mom, what’s for dinner?”

You closed the door behind you and took off your shoes as entered your living room.

Throwing your keys and jacket aside, you’ve just noticed that the lights are all off and the house is eerily quiet.

You grunted as your sore feet walked itself to the kitchen, only to find a single note on the counter.

Me and your sister went out to eat tonight. Just order something for dinner

Love Mom,

All you ever wanted that night that you just to a nice, warm dinner and go straight to the bed and shut yourself from the world.

Great. No breakfast and dinner.

Fuck my life.

You threw the note in the garbage bin and just stomped your way to your room. You felt like breaking down at that moment but you didn’t have the strength to make cry and make a fuss. Maybe you can just sleep all the frustrations off and feel a lot better tomorrow.

Maybe it doesn’t get much worse than this.

You scoffed.

Sike.

As if.

You slammed yourself to bed but soon realized that it wasn’t a very good idea.

You felt something in your pocket popped and it made a huge mess in your bed. You took it out of the pocket and realized that it was the bag of candy from earlier. The seams popped out and tore open from being squished by a tired, underpaid employee.

At this point, you just glared and cursed yourself once as you cleaned the candy off of your bed. Some of the candy is inside the box, so you cupped your hands and poured the remaining contents to your palms. It was filled with tiny colorful candy hearts, which looked appetizing despite the tiny bits of disfiguration and the fact that it was in your pockets the whole time.

Well, I guess this is dinner then.

You popped the candy in your mouth, letting it sit as it oozes a strong citrusy flavor. It had a texture similar to those fever tablets for kids. In fact, it tasted like medicine a bit, too.

The citrus taste kept on spreading in your mouth and your face now contorted to a grimace. It felt like all moisture is getting sucked out of your body.

They sell this to kids?

You ran to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water to water the taste down. It didn’t do anything, so, you kept on chugging more and more water until you’ve finished an entire gallon of liquids.

You sat down at the kitchen floor and breathe a sigh of relief. The taste finally left your tastebuds, but you can still feel your body feeling repulsed by the extreme sour sugary candies that you just consumed.

Drinking one more glass of water, you went back to your room and changed into your comfortable clothes, finally ready to leave this day behind.

Let’s just hope that those candy bits won’t get you sued tomorrow.

///

February 14,202x / 8:00 AM

The alarm started blaring off from its place, scaring you shitless and making you jump out of bed in panic.

 You could've have been happier and more annoyed at the same time.

You leaned against your bedroom wall, giving yourself a few minutes to calm yourself down before you decided to turn off the alarm.

Once your heartbeat has cooled down, you stepped back to the bedside table and pressed the alarm button to check the time.

8:00AM

"Dammit!”

Your heart started to race once again. This time, it’s the adrenaline rush that’s making you move faster than normal. You even contemplated about getting a shower. However, you're already screwed as it is, you're not going to work without breakfast and shower again.

You stepped back to your room, wrapped on a bathrobe and panting like you just ran a marathon. Digging into your own closet, you noticed that your uniform, a red polo shirt and matching star white pants, is missing from your closet.

"Mom! Have you seen my uniform?"

You shouted from your room but you heard no answer. It seems like they didn't stay the night either.

Great.

Seeing as how your day started, you've deemed the rest of the day unsalvageable and just grabbed the closest thing to red that you have on your closet, which is a red frilly blouse and a white paneled skirt that you've never worn before. It's right at the bottom of your closet, so you've figured you or your mother bought this before and just forgot all about it.

You also grabbed one of your newer shoes to match and bolted to the front door as fast as possible.

You locked the door behind you, only to be spooked as you turned around to see a car parked in your driveway.

It was one of those fancy ones too. The ones that have their doors open at the side like an alien spaceship.

You only know one person in the world that's flashu enough to ride one. And he's just came out of the car.

"Happy birthday! You're pretty early..."

Chenle smiled as jogs over to you, keys jingling on his fingers, and gave you a small peck on the cheek.

You stood there in your porch, frozen.

Zhong Chenle knows how to smile. And he knows about your birthday

"I was about to call you but I didn't want to wake you up. So, I came over instead. Did you eat your breakfast yet?"

You shook your head hesitantly, still unable to speak and process the situation.

"No good, young lady. Go back inside. We're not leaving with an empty stomach."

 ///

 Here's something that you never encounter every day. Your spawn-of-the-devil employer is making you pancakes in the kitchen. And you finally have fresh milk in your fridge.

What happened to the world while you were sleeping?

"I'm not a professional chef but at least it's edible."

He said as he placed a perfectly fine plate full of fluffy pancakes right in front of you. Is this him being cocky?

He sets the apron aside and sat down right in front you, grabbing a plate and a piece of pancake for himself.

"Go on... Tell me if it's good."

You hesitantly took a bite, and then chewed in silence as Chenle expectantly watched you from the side. You set the fork down, speechless.

They're as good on the inside as they looked on the outside.

 "You don't like it?"

He sounded upset. It wasn't like "I can't believe you forgot to do this thing that I told you" upset either. He looked at you with his puppy dog eyes and a bit of a pout.

You froze. What if all of this is trick? And this is just is way of firing you, like letting you down gently in case you formed a vendetta and burn the shop down in your anger.

Which, for the record, is partly true.

"Uhm. It's nice. It's very niceee"

In your panic, you might've overdone the compliment. It sounded like you're on gunpoint and you had to say it to live. Nevertheless, he still smiled to himself and took the compliment well, even pouring you another glass of milk so "it would go down better".

The interaction alone gave you the chills. It felt like you're walking on thin ice and the former Chenle will come out and bury you alive. But even that would've sound more real than what's about to happen next. 

Like the gentleman that he is, he opened the car door for you. You never even got the chance to question where the two of you are going. After sitting down, just when you're about you're about to ask, he held your hand and gave it a kiss.

"You buckled up?"

"Uhm. Yes..."

Still holding your hand, he pressed some buttons on the dashboard and then music started playing. You recognized that it was that song, Sugar Sugar by The Archies. It’s one of the songs that you ironically played in the candy shop. There was also Sugar by Maroon 5, Sugar by Florida.

Well, you get the point.

“Sugar Ah, honey, honey You are my candy girl And you got me wanting you…”

He proceeds to sing along to the song merrily as he backed up your driveway. Meanwhile you sat there quietly as you tried to assess your situation. 

Is this kidnapping? Would it be considered kidnapping if I willingly went inside the vehicle?

Once you’ve realized how ridiculous you sounded in your head, you relaxed for a bit and started humming along to the song. It was at this point that you realized that Chenle had a beautiful voice. The song didn’t have high notes, but it was hard to make your voice pop up with the middle register. It sounded stable, like he’s a recording artist.

The atmosphere at the shop would be much better if he sang like this all the time.

…which reminded you of something that Chenle might be neglecting to think.

Panic washed over you and soon, you can’t keep still and moved around your seat a lot.

“Are you comfortable?

He kept on glancing on your direction, keeping you in check for a few moments while he still kept an eye on the road,

“We can make a quick stop if you need something.”

Trying your best to keep yourself still, you finally sat down and placed both of your hands on your lap, like the kids at school when their parents ask them to behave.

“Where are we going again?”

The question finally popped out and you pursed your lips while trying to wait for the answer.

“I don’t know. It’s your day. We can go wherever you want to.”

“Oh.”

It’s not like him to be away from the shop at this time of the day, let alone the whole day. No matter how sucky he is, he did what is best for the shop. It was his baby.

And if the both of you aren’t going, then it only means one thing. His baby is screwed at the hands of someone.

"By the way, who's taking care of the candy shop?"

You tried to ask nonchalantly, but it only came out sounding more inconspicuous.

"Oh yeah. I left Jisung in charge."

He wistfully replied. Suddenly, you feel your head spinning from your seat from the sheer realization that he left the kid alone, in his shop, with no adult/proper supervision.

"You left Jisung alone... In charge... On Valentine's Day"

You turned your gaze away from him, trying to hide your internal panic. You'll be lucky if the guy made it alive until lunch by himself.

"Relax. He'll be fine. He's with the trainees. Figured it might teach them a thing or two in getting the actual job done."

“And with trainees too… oh my god.”

Great. More casualties.

“You don’t mind if we stopped by the shop first, do you?”

“Of course. You’re the boss.”

///

In a few minutes, he pulls over to the parking lot and you’re glad to see the shop in piece. On the outside at least.

You stepped inside the car and practically ran over to the inside of the shop, leaving Chenle behind.

“Welcome to Sweet Escape, how may I help you?”

Two unknown faces greeted you at the door. They must be the trainees that Chenle talked about earlier.

“Would you happen to know where Jisung is?”

They both nodded and pointed to the direction of the left side of the shop, which was supposed to be all the supplies were. Instead, there was Jisung on the register, which by the way looked different from what you can remember.

In fact, the whole shop looked nothing like it was yesterday. The colors seemed more vibrant and festive and the whole thing looked like a candy wonderland. To be honest, it reminded you of that one Katy Perry music video.

Jisung bowed at you formally and wore his usually customer service smile.

“Welcome to Sweet Escape, how may I—”

“How many fingers do you have now?”

You replayed the question in your head and it sounded just as crazy when it came out of your mouth. At this point, you decided to continue on with the question. For obvious safety reasons.

“Uh ma’am. What do you mean?”

“Hold your fingers up. How many do you have?”

He was hesitant to do as you say. Chenle just facepalmed and gestured him to do as you said, putting up all of his tall fingers in the air.

“Ten?”

You breathe a sigh of relief, almost rushing over to hug the confused Jisung when Chenle pulls you from behind.

“Please excuse her for the moment. She’s feeling a bit under the weather.”

He smiled and bowed to Jisung as an apology, another gesture that you haven’t seen him do before, pulling you outside the store to give you some air. Once you’ve reached the parking lot, he placed his hands on your shoulders to hold you still.

“Okay. Since when is hugging my staff became a thing?”

He stares you down with a genuine concerned look on his face.

He placed one of his hands on your forehead.

“It’s not like you’re sick either…”

Chenle sighs, finally releasing you from his grasp

“Tell me. What’s the problem?”

He sat you down at the pavement and gave you enough space to reflect on your actions.

You had the choice to say that you have absolutely no idea what’s happening to you right now, but you thought that he ought to know why you’re acting that way. Now, you just have to figure out how to explain it to him without sounding like a crazy person.

“I…”

You started slow, working your way into explaining that you woke up into this insane dream about how her boss is suddenly so nice to her that morning.

And then it hit you.

“I had a dream about you...”

Ideas started pouring down to your head, starting to piece together a story that actually made sense.

“And in that dream, you’re this mean guy that never cared about me and other people’s feelings. You just made everyone around you miserable. The dream felt so real so I’m very uncomfortable that you’re acting nice to me now.”

“Is that so?”

You nodded your head as an answer. Chenle pulls you over to a side hug, relief washing over him knowing that it wasn’t that bad as he made it up to be.

“I’m sorry if that mean version of me hurt you.”

He rested his head on your shoulders and pulled you closer to him.

“If I decided to be mean to you in a dream again, feel free to punch me or whatever. I promise to make up for all of it once you wake up.”

It was probably the nicest thing that anyone has said to you in a while. Even though it wasn’t actually him who’s hugging you and making you feel all warm inside, you’re not going to see your boss the same way again.

“You know what, why don’t we start now. There’s plenty of time today to make it up to you.”

He stood up from his seat and brushed himself, helping you do the same right after.

“Where does my y/n want to go right now?”

Your lips formed a mischievous smile.

You knew just where you wanted to go at that moment, but he’s probably not going to like it

///

“Would it hurt you to rest for one second?”

You’ve been running around the theme park for the whole day and Chenle just barely kept up to you and your antics. He gave you a small opportunity for a payback and you’re not going to let it slide. Even if it’s with nice Chenle.

You were about to run off again somewhere when he tugs you by the hem of your shirt.

“Y/N-ah, don’t you feel sick at all?”

Chenle’s eyes droop down as he tried to compose himself. As someone that doesn’t like heights and gets dizzy easily, it seems like he’s about to faint any minute now.

“But I want to ride the Ferris wheel.”

He went sheet white, if that is humanly possible. Chenle had barely enough time to recover from the roller coaster ride a few minutes ago and now you’re already on your way to hop in to another one.”

“Fine. We can rest. I don’t think my ears can handle any more of your screaming.”

You can hear Chenle complaining under his breath. The two of you went to the horror house a while ago and there was a high-pitched screaming the whole time. You’ve been teasing him with it ever since.

“I told you, that wasn’t me!”

“The only person inside is you and me. And I don’t remember screaming my own name for fifteen minutes.”

His mouth opened like he was about to say something, but he stopped midway and just took your hand to drag you at the nearest bench. He sat you down first before he took the seat right next to you, both palms on his face and trying to give himself a moment to breathe.

As much as you wished to torment that guy to death, he really looked sick to his stomach. He can barely lift his head up without taking deep breaths.

“You alright?”

You said as you patted his back gently, giving some time to relax and a moment to breathe.

“I’m fine. I did say that I’ll do anything for you today.”

He takes one last breathe before getting up the bench, only to lean on one side too much and almost toppling over.

“Yeah. I think were done for the day. You can barely stand up.”

You sat him back at the bench and caressed his back to get him to relax. Not even a minute after sitting back down, he did a thumbs up to let you know that he’s doing fine already.

“What time is it?”

“4:30. Why?”

He tried his best to stand up and keep himself still. This time, his attempt was successful.

“I’ll drive you home.”

“Are you sure?”

“You can barely stand up. What makes you think that you can drive?”

“Just trust me.”

///

Sure enough, you both got to your house unscathed.

He told you to step out of the car, which you did, and he smoothly backed the car to your garage.

“How was that?”

He said smugly just as he came out of the car, keys jingling on his fingers once again. You can joke about his motion sickness but you can’t comment on his driving.

Chenle was then about to enter your house, but you stopped him just before he turned the doorknob.

“You know what, I had a lot of fun today. It’s probably the best birthday slash Valentine’s Day that I’ve had a whole life. I think you deserve this…”

You held up your fist into a ball and pretended to land a punch to his face. He winced, which gave you and opportunity to tiptoe and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

He stood there frozen for a few seconds, but it was replaced by a cheeky, boyish smile that he’s been hiding from you the whole time that you know him.

You twisted the doorknob and stepped inside your house first, when a popping sound greeted you from inside.

Turns out, those were party poppers.

“Surprise!”

Your whole family is there, alongside all of your friends from way back highschool.

“Sorry for missing you this morning sweetie, we needed some time for the party preparations. Chenle did a good job of distracting you the whole day.”

An arm wrapped itself on your shoulders and gave it a tight squeeze. It didn’t take long for you to find out who it was.

“She made me ride the roller coaster, twice.”

“Stop being a baby. I asked you the second time but you refused to come with me.”

Laughter fills the room and it went for the rest of the night. The celebration wasn’t fancy but it was enough for you to realize what life you’re missing in the real world. And as much you want to make it longer, sooner or later you’re going to have to come back to your old life.

That time was the next day.

///

February 14,202x again / 6:00 AM

The shrill sounds of the alarm clock woke you up, but you were smiling ear to ear. Something about your dream have placed you in a very good mood. Too bad you can’t remember the specific details. All you know is that there’s a car, the shop, the theme park… Zhong Chenle.

Why would it be a nice dream if your boss was in it?

Before you started conspiring some theories, you shook it off and started to get ready for today. To your surprise, the alarm woke you up on time. This means that you can take your sweet time in getting ready, possibly even make yourself an English breakfast for a change.

Your plans are foiled, however, when you realized that the kitchen wasn’t empty.

“Happy birthday…”

Your mom came from the living room to give you the tightest hug. She hasn’t hugged you like this for a long time, so you reciprocated and pulled her in a tighter embrace.

“I’m sorry that this is all we can afford for now…”

She sits you down the table and pushed the small bento cake right in front you. It is not bigger as your hands, but the pink icing and the decorations looked so delicate and beautiful.

“I promise to make you a better cake next year.”

“This is all I need Mom, thank you for doing this.”

///

Everything is going smoothly today. The bus is on time and the driver even gave you a small Valentine’s card as you went inside. For the first time in your life, you looked at the streets painted different shades of red and you’re perfectly fine with it.

You even got to work early. Doors are still shut down when you got there, so you decided to climb up the storage window so you don’t have to wait outside. As instructed, you finally locked it behind you and made it a point to be on time so you’ll never have to use it again.

You started with work right away, cleaning up as much as you can before everyone gets there. While you were mopping the main shop, you can hear keys jingling from outside, meaning that your boss already got there. The door swings forward and upon turning around, he opened the lights, only to see you standing in the middle of the shop.

He screamed at an ungodly pitch and almost fell down at his place.

“Oh, it’s just you. That wasn’t me, alright? ”

He dusted himself off tried his act together and be as cold as before, only to be embarrassed because you kept laughing at his face.

You tried to keep a straight face and bowed at him to excuse yourself. If your tardiness won’t get you fired today, it would probably be your excessive laughing.

“This is the horror house all over again.”

You swear that you heard him mumble something else, but you weren’t sure if you heard it right.

What are the odds that he dreamt about a horror house too, right?

Before you got the chance to go though, he said something that made your heart race for the rest of the day.

“You were there too, right? I just want you to know that that was really me.”

You turned around to see if he’s joking, but instead found a smiling Chenle at the other end of the shop.

“I actually liked you for a while now. So forgive me for always lashing out on you.”

He placed his hands on his pockets and walked slowly towards you, his head down while he tried to hide his shy smile.

“Happy birthday Y/N. I don’t mind repeating that day again... just don’t make me ride the roller coaster twice this time.”

///

[bluejayblueskies]

storge

n. familial love, born out of familiarity or dependence; a natural, unforced, instinctual love

Words: 3.3k

Fandom: The Magnus Archives

Relationships: Danny Stoker & Tim Stoker, Sasha James & Tim Stoker (background)

Characters: Tim Stoker, Danny Stoker, Sasha James, Minor OCs

Additional Tags: AU - No Supernatural, AU - Everyone Lives/No One Dies, Internalized Acephobia/Arophobia, Implied/Referenced Arophobia (minor), Aromantic Character, Asexual Character

Summary:

Danny finished the last slice of the pizza they’d ordered, stared at the credits scrolling across Tim’s television screen from the cheesy Valentine’s Day rom-com they’d just finished watching, and said with feigned casualness, “I don’t think that’s for me.”

Tim, who had wanted that last slice of pizza, thank you very much, rolled his eyes and said, “Well, then I’m picking the pizza toppings next time. Maybe then we won’t have a pizza that only tastes like jalapeños.”

“Oh, absolutely not. Last time you put pineapple and pepperoni on it, which is grounds for termination from topping-decisions for life.” Danny paused, and then he took his eyes away from the television, looked at Tim, and said, with distinctly less casualness, “I meant the movie. Um. The romance part, specifically.”

Read on Ao3

Or, read below (additional warnings below the cut):

Additional warnings: - character forcing himself to stay in a romantic situation even after he becomes uncomfortable - character mentioning the possibility of forcing himself to have sex with someone (doesn’t actually occur)

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So here’s the thing: Tim is terrible at giving gifts. It doesn’t matter how long he’s known someone or how many of their favorites he can list off the top of his head—he still always ends up getting them something so incredibly, horribly generic because he just can’t do it. Sasha’s never going to let him live down the time he got her the exact same mug she keeps in the archives because he panicked, okay? And it was the only thing he could think of that wasn’t just candles or soap.

 (“I honestly would have preferred soap,” Sasha said as she covered her mouth with one hand to stifle her laugher, the other still grasping the mug. Tim was significantly less amused.)

 The one silver lining to the whole thing is that it’s never been a problem with Danny. Not because Tim is necessarily any better at getting gifts for him, but because Danny treats each and every gift from Tim like it’s something incredibly special and unique. Once, Tim got him a six-pack of plain black socks—just to test his theory that Danny was just being nice, or maybe just as a joke (or possibly both)—and Danny said, with a million-dollar smile, “You know, I was just thinking the other day how cool it would look to pair a patterned sock with a black one. This is great, Tim!”

 Yeah, Tim’s pretty sure that Danny’s just fucking with him at this point. But honestly, Tim doesn’t really mind. It takes a lot of pressure off him during any of the traditional gift-giving seasons because he knows that whatever he gets Danny, Danny will just smile and thank him like it was what he’d always wanted.

 Maybe that’s why Danny does it, Tim thinks as he stares at the dozens of tabs open on his computer, each for a different online retailer. To relieve the pressure.

 If so, then Tim’s really ruining the whole thing now, isn’t he? Because instead of doing that follow-up Jon requested two days ago, Tim’s been agonizing over whether to get a mug or a shirt or a pin, or maybe something more personal like those sunglasses he’d seen the other day, or—

 Or maybe something from the million other terrible ideas Tim’s had. With a long, drawn-out groan, he pushes back from his desk, stands with a too-loud pop of his back that has Sasha glancing up from her paperwork with a grimace, and makes his way to the breakroom.

 He needs coffee.

 As he waits for the pot to brew—because he’s the only one who drinks coffee in the archives (and yes, Sasha’s intricately named espresso beverages are technically coffee, but he doesn’t deign to count them)—he closes his eyes and tries to convince himself, yet again, that there’s a good reason he’s putting himself through this, and that no, it is not a stupid idea that has a ninety-nine percent chance of backfiring horribly.

 It had gone like this:

 Four months ago, Danny had finished the last slice of the pizza they’d ordered, stared at the credits scrolling across Tim’s television screen from the cheesy Valentine’s Day rom-com they’d just finished watching, and said with feigned casualness, “I don’t think that’s for me.”

 Tim, who had wanted that last slice of pizza, thank you very much, rolled his eyes and said, “Well, then I’m picking the pizza toppings next time. Maybe then we won’t have a pizza that only tastes like jalapeños.”

 “Oh, absolutely not. Last time you put pineapple and pepperoni on it, which is grounds for termination from topping-decisions for life.” Danny paused, and then he took his eyes away from the television, looked at Tim, and said, with distinctly less casualness, “I meant the movie. Um. The romance part, specifically.” Then, with a disarming smile: “I’ve got the comedy more than covered, after all. I told you I got that wedding gig, right? Maybe I can try some of my jokes on you.”

 Danny opened his mouth again, clearly ready to launch into a demonstration of his latest vocational pursuit, but Tim’s brain had finally parsed Danny’s words enough to say, maybe a bit too abruptly, “Hold on, hold on. Let’s go back to the romance bit, yeah?”

 He really, really hoped the statement had come off less accusatory and more encouraging. It must have worked because Danny’s smile faded into an expression that didn’t look afraid, only nervous. Still, Tim felt the need to add, with the edges of his words sanded down into something softer, “Obviously, you don’t have to tell me anything you aren’t comfortable with. But I’m all ears.”

 “Mm, they are pretty big,” Danny quipped. “Only going to get bigger, too.”

 Tim just sat back on the couch, crossed his arms, and waited. The credits on the screen continued to roll, the peppy pop music that accompanied them disrupting what might have, in any other situation, been an awkward silence. It still felt like an awkward something.

 Then, Danny sucked his bottom lip between his teeth, worried it for a few seconds, and said, “Okay, so- you remember telling me about when you figured out you were ace, right?”

 “Right,” Tim said.

 “Right,” Danny echoed. He fiddled with the silver ring on his left thumb absently, like he always did when he was nervous or when he had a million things racing through his head and he was trying to decide which thread to pull that would make them all come together into a neatly-stitched pattern. “Well, I guess all the stuff you said about liking sex but not wanting it with anyone in particular got me thinking about things that I like. And, uh. Things that I don’t.”

 There was another pause. The television screen had gone dark and the silence that stretched over them didn’t feel awkward anymore. Just heavy. Danny gave the ring on his finger another twist and said, “It had never really occurred to me that I could like to do something but not with anyone in particular, you know? Like- okay, so I enjoy flirting. I think all those stupid, cheesy pickup lines are hilarious, and seeing how people react to them is really fun. I mean, sometimes people laugh, sometimes people get annoyed, and sometimes people blush. But I never want anything out of it, you know?”

 Danny stared at the blank screen; the profile of his face showed a smile, but the lines of his forehead and the creases around his eyes were tight. Wordlessly, Tim moved closer so that his shoulder pressed against Danny’s, light enough that it wasn’t oppressive but a grounding presence all the same. From the way that Danny relaxed slightly at the touch, Tim decided that it was a good move.

 “One time, actually, someone offered to buy me a drink. You would have liked him, Tim—he had this really strong jawline, little bit of a five o’clock shadow, bright red hair. So I got the drink, and we talked, and even though he was funny and I had to stop sipping my drink because I kept choking on it when he would tell another joke, I just had this itching underneath my skin, like I just couldn’t get comfortable. But,” Danny said with a tight smile, “I ignored it. I told myself, You flirted with him first, Danny Stoker, and this is what happens when you flirt with people. Sometimes, they flirt back. So I had my drink. And then another, you know, because drinks are like potato chips, you can’t have just one.

 “He didn’t ask me to- to come back to his place or whatever, which was- god, I don’t know what I would have done.” Danny bit his lip, leaned more heavily into Tim’s shoulder. “Probably would have said yes? And I don’t need you to tell me that that would have been stupid. I know.

 “Instead, he gave me his number on one of those fancy business cards—I don’t really remember for what company, I threw it away as soon as I got home—and told me to call him. And I knew, as soon as he said that, that I wasn’t going to. That it- it wasn’t fun anymore, because there was this expectation to deliver.” Danny’s forehead creased, and he shook his head slowly. “No, that’s- that’s not quite right. An expectation to reciprocate, maybe?

 “The thing is, the idea of romance and dating and all of that sounds interesting in theory, and sometimes I can even imagine myself doing it—albeit not with anyone in particular, just like as a thought exercise I guess. I tried, a few times, to put a specific face to whoever I was going on lovely Italian wine tours with or- or hand-feeding grapes to on a bed on some island. Tim, don’t make that face, wine tours and grape feeding are peak romance. Uh, I think.

 “Anyway, anytime I tried to imagine dating someone instead of just dating, I got that same itching feeling under my skin. And I thought, well, I’m just not picking the right people. It’s got to be someone I really like, you know, someone I care about. Clearly, red-haired guy had not been the one.

 “And then… I found someone. Her name was Ash and she was just everything I ever could have wanted. She was funny and brave and did this little thing with her nose when she laughed that made me laugh, and she was a much better rock climber than me but I was better at rappelling because she could never trust herself to lean back unless someone guided her down, and I really, really thought that it could be her, you know? I knew that I loved her, and even though most of my standard lines bounced right off her, a few stuck. If I tried, really tried, I even thought I could picture it: every single corny, cheesy date I’d ever imagined, with her face cut and pasted into the image. It was a bit like a bad Photoshop edit, you know, where the edges clearly didn’t fit? But I ignored it because it fit well enough, and she made me happy.”

 Danny took a long breath and let it out just as slowly. Tim thought of a million things to say, a million reassurances, that he eventually let sink to the back of his mind and dissipate. Instead, he fought back against the instinct to break the silence with a laugh or a word or just a noise and instead leaned further back against the couch. Patience was not his strong suit, but he could do it for Danny.

 Finally, Danny continued, “And then one day, she… she asked me out. I guess I must have looked pretty shocked because she laughed and said that she’d been flirting with me for weeks, just like I’d been with her, and so there was no need to look so surprised. The thing is, I hadn’t even noticed. Every time she’d made some joke and I’d laughed, I’d thought that was just normal. Being friends, you know? Maybe that’s stupid, given that I’d been flirting with her too. Maybe not. I don’t know.

 “I said yes. And spent the next four days regretting it. I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. We were planning on going out to dinner that Friday, and the entire night before I got maybe an hour of sleep? I just kept thinking, you know, is she going to want to hold hands? Is she going to want to kiss me? Is she going to want to do more than kiss? What about other things, the wine and the grapes and rings and weddings and kids and—”

 Danny cut off with a sigh, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. “Yeah, so I called her an hour before I was supposed to meet her at the restaurant and said that something had come up and I couldn’t make it. Which was a lie of course, and I’m pretty sure she could tell because instead of asking what was wrong or what had come up, she just said okay. In a voice that sounded like it very much wasn’t okay. And when she hung up, I realized we hadn’t scheduled a new date. And it filled me with so much relief that I just felt guilty, because I still loved her, you know? And I just couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong, why I liked to flirt but felt so uncomfortable when it actually worked, why the idea of dating didn’t bother me until it became a reality, why every single ‘crush’ I had just felt so forced even if I cared about the person so much it hurt.

 “And then you told me that you were ace, and you talked about how it felt to be ace, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about Ash. I didn’t think that your situation was the same as mine, but it just—it felt close? So I finally thought to look up how I felt. And I’m still not one-hundred percent sure what label fits or whatever, but just knowing that there’s labels at all, that there are people out there who feel the way that I feel and that I’m not just- just doing it wrong—god, it was just this huge weight lifted off my shoulders.”

 Danny laughed, a bit harshly, born more of a release of nerves than of humor. “Is it a bit weird that I still really like to flirt? Maybe I should give a disclaimer before every pickup line: Hello, I’m Danny Stoker, I’m some flavor of aromantic and asexual, this flirting is purely platonic. Hmm, that’s a bit wordy.”

 Then, a smile cracked Danny’s face in two, tinged with more than a hint of devilish teasing. “Maybe I’ll make a business card.”

 Finally, Tim broke his vow of silence with a snort. He nudged Danny’s side with his elbow and said, “It can be a family venture. Stoker and Stoker, aspec brothers in crime.”

 Danny’s smile softened into something subtler, and he said, with an unusual amount of sincerity in his voice, “Thanks, Tim. I… I mean, I didn’t think you would react badly, but still. Thanks.”

 And Tim’s heart broke just a little, and he pulled Danny to his side and wrapped his arms around him tightly. “Never,” he said firmly. “I’m really glad you told me, Danny. Really, really glad.”

 So yeah. Tim can’t mess this gift up, because Danny had trusted him with this part of himself, and Tim really, really wants to support him in every possible way. Even if that way involves cheesy novelty mugs striped with the colors of the aromantic flag.

 Ugh.

 Tim grabs his distinctly not cheesy plain black mug of coffee and makes his way back to his desk, entirely absorbed in a swirling mess of thoughts filled with blacks and greens and whites and purples. Which is why he doesn’t notice Sasha sitting at his desk until he nearly sits on top of her.

 “Christ,” Tim says, jumping back so quickly he nearly spills his coffee. Sasha barely acknowledges him; she’s too busy typing away at something on his computer, and when Tim looks over her shoulder, he realizes with a sickening horror that she’s closed all but a few tabs on his computer. Tabs that he’d carefully curated. Tabs that he needs.

 (Tabs full of indecision and terrible, terrible ideas. But he needs them all the same.)

 “I hope,” Tim says with a voice that’s only slightly on the saner side of panic, “that there’s a perfectly good reason why you’ve thrown a wrench the size of a small house into my gift planning process? Because otherwise, I am three seconds away from freaking out.”

 Sasha waves a hand at him, still not looking away from the screen. “All your gifts suck, Tim.”

 “Hey!”

 This time, Sasha does look at him, something apologetic in her eyes. “Sorry. But they do.”

 Sullenly, Tim says, “Danny doesn’t think my gifts suck.”

 Sasha sighs and turns back to the computer. “Danny loves you a lot more than he loves your gifts. But that’s not the point.” She types something on the keyboard, navigates through a few windows without even taking the time to look at their contents. “You’ve been scowling at your screen all day, Tim. And I know it’s not because of that Remmier case that Jon assigned because I finished that yesterday.”

 “Oh. Thank you?”

 “Yup. You owe me coffee.” Sasha types a few more things, squints at the screen, then makes a noise of triumph. “There. Get him that and thank me later.”

 Then, Sasha’s out of his chair and back at her own desk, leaving behind only a warmth that Tim can feel as he takes his own seat and finally gets a good look at what’s on the screen.

 Huh.

 Tim orders it. And a few days before Danny’s birthday, he has an idea. Maybe the only good gift-giving idea he’s ever had.

 So the next time he’s at the shop, he picks up some supplies. And for someone who majored in anthropology and doesn’t know the first thing about graphic design, he’s quite happy with the final product.

 And when Danny unwraps the box on his birthday, sat on Tim’s couch with empty boxes of Thai takeout in front of them, the first thing he sees are the cards, set right on the top. It’s a silly little design, a set of two mountains striped with the aromantic and asexual colors, and next to them:

 Stoker & Stoker, Inc.

Aspec brothers in crime

Where the flirting is platonic, NOT erotic!

 Underneath the cards, there’s a new climbing rope, striped with greens and whites and greys and blacks, and a matching set of metallic purple carabiners, something that Tim absolutely never would have thought of but that’s perfect nonetheless. Danny takes a card in one hand, runs the thumb of the other over the edge of the climbing rope, and looks at Tim.

 And Tim thinks he gets it, then. Why people put so much time and effort into giving people thoughtful, meaningful gifts. Because Danny’s expression isn’t fucking with him or relieving the pressure or just being nice or even this was what I’d always wanted. It’s something truer, something softer, something that sits in the pit of Tim’s stomach and burns softly, warming him gently from the inside out

 Yeah, Tim’s never going to be able to go back to generic gifts after this. He’s going to need a much larger coffee budget.

 (This conviction lasts, at least, until later in the evening, when Tim confesses that Sasha helped him with the gift and Danny laughs and says I figured, before saying in a quieter voice that the climbing equipment is great but the cards were Tim. That the black socks and novelty mugs and vanilla candles were generic but that they were Tim as well and that Danny had made it a game to try and guess what Tim was going to get him that year, keeping a bet with Sasha on how long it would take Tim to accidentally give him the same gift twice.

 Hey, Tim says, but his mouth is twisted into a smile. He ruffles Danny’s hair in that way he hates and says that he’ll stick to the basics from now on, then, and they put on some shitty comedy that Danny insists on watching and eat ice cream until their stomachs hurt.

 And if Tim sees Danny glancing at the business card every so often, wearing a smile so soft it’s almost melting, he certainly isn’t going to mention it.)

[theliterateape]

Why Keep Giving Facebook My Business?

By David Himmel

It was the day after Christmas, 1996. I was a senior in high school on winter break. My friends and I piled into Brad Feely’s red Jeep Cherokee—me in the trunk because there weren’t enough seats for all of us and I was the smallest and cramming into a car too small for the passenger load is what high school kids do. We were headed to the mall to return ill-fitting gifts and fuck around because fucking around at the mall is—was—what high school kids do.

Brad had some things to return or exchange at Abercrombie & Fitch. He was at the checkout counter with the young woman making the exchanges. The rest of us wandered around the store. I started throwing on shirts, coats, hats, scarves, and such and acted out a runway fashion show. My friends giggled. I went bigger with my one-man flash mob fashion show. Other customers stared, some laughed, some ignored me. I went bigger. My friends laughed harder. Other customers laughed harder and tried to ignore me. I had achieved my goal. I’d fucked around in a store and made people laugh.

I took off the clothes, placed them back on the racks and shelves and walked up to Brad still at the counter. The employee had stepped into the back to retrieve something.

“Almost done?” I asked him.

He whispered to me, “You won’t believe what this girl just said about you.”

“What.”

“She called you a ‘dirty faggot.’”

“What!?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re sure.”

“One hundred percent. She said it under her breath, but, yeah. I heard her say it.”

I waited there for the young woman to return. A few moments later, she did. She finished up Brad’s exchanges, handed him his bag of stuff and said, “Have a nice day.”

“Excuse me,” I said to her, leaning in so as not to make a scene. Because this scene wasn’t going to be funny. But I was sure not to be too quiet about it since I did want the store to know what was going on. “Did you see my fashion show?”

“Um. Yeah?”

“Did you like it?”

She smirked uncomfortably. “Sure.”

“So why would you call me a ‘dirty faggot’?” Her face went white. Blank. Her eyes wide. Mouth agape. She’d been caught. “Yeah. My friend here heard you say it. So my question to you is this: What was dirty about what I was doing? And what about what I was doing made me a ‘faggot’? And if you thought I was being gay, what’s wrong with that? And why would you refer to a gay person as a ‘faggot’? Seems a little hateful.”

“I… I…” she stuttered, still pale faced and surprised.

“Doesn’t seem like the best customer service, does it? Insulting your customers—or their friends—with homophobic slurs.”

“I… I…”

“Yeah. Mind your mouth. Don’t be such a hateful, homophobic asshole. Especially in a store filled with photos of what have to be the gayest modeling shoots in retail history.”

People were watching and I took the cue to go louder. “That’s right, everyone. This woman, this Abercrombie & Fitch employee called me a ‘dirty faggot’. Just know the kind of person you’re buying your clothes from.”

I saw one guy drop whatever was in his arms and walk out. My friends and I followed suit.

✶

I never stepped foot in an Abercrombie & Fitch store after that. And I’m proud to say I never owned or wore a single item of theirs after my impromptu fashion show. Yeah, sure. She was a bad apple, but still. It had turned me off to the whole brand. Fuck ‘em.

Did my not buying their mostly ugly clothes—country club grunge?—hurt their bottom line? Did it send a message? No. Certainly not. Did it change the mind and behavior of that employee? I have no idea. Maybe. Maybe she’s a super-duper social justice warrior today. Maybe she doubled down and tried to Stop the Steal. Doesn’t matter. What matters is that I experienced an insult to the customer and a group of people, and chose not to give that company my money.

I don’t shop at Hobby Lobby because of their treatment of workers—denying them birth control through their benefits program. I don’t eat Chick-fil-A because they oppose marriage equality and used to fund activities to suppress it. I wring my hands every time I order something on Amazon because I’m worried the worker filling my order might piss or shit themselves trying to meet their quota with my order. Or worse, get hurt doing so. Because we all know that Amazon treats its warehouse workers like demented mules instead of actual human beings with physiological limitations and full bladders.

It’s principle. I try to spend where my money will do the least harm because I know, in most instances, my spending won’t help much other than to keep someone employed at a shit job and make the owner that much richer.

So why haven’t I quit Facebook yet? Same reason I haven’t quit Amazon: It’s too convenient.

Also like Amazon, but far worse, Facebook is a monster. It was from the start. I joined under duress in 2008 because it was part of my job. When that job laid me off in the wake of the Great Recession, I killed the account. But Facebook gained more and more traction, and it seemed that I was missing out. Plus, it was a great way to promote the shows I was writing and producing. And I reconnected with old friends from lives past. Fun!

It became a reflexive way to procrastinate. Instead of standing up and stretching or reading a news story or going for a walk, I’d scroll mindlessly. Still, it was fun. It became a habit I wasn’t even aware of.

And it’s still fun, sometimes. I enjoy being easily—reflexively lazy—connected to those old pals I don’t see every day and probably wouldn’t communicate with if not for the ease of Facebook. But Facebook is bad. And when I say Facebook, I’m including Instagram, which I rarely use. (I have no issue with WhatsApp but I also only use that maybe once every two years.) They both suck. So it’s bad for our brains, bad for our body images, bad for democracy, bad for discourse, and so on. None of this is news. And this week’s whistleblowing of how actively evil Facebook leadership is reinforces the fact of how bad it apparently wants to be. And that’s insulting to all of its users and even non-users.

Because Facebook could still make millions of dollars a week and take active measures to be a better corporate citizen, a better steward of human decency. Like, has Facebook even added a pink ribbon to its logo for Breast Cancer Awareness Month? I don’t think so. Evil.*

I don’t need Facebook. The community groups are nice. And I really do like seeing those old friends I wouldn’t otherwise communicate with. And I take joy in the possibility that ex-girlfriends might occasionally poke through my profile and see how awesome my hair is. But I don’t need it. If I want to promote something, I can place an ad anywhere else. My god, what did we do before Facebook? And there are so many other digital ways to share our bullshit.

If I leave, will Facebook feel it? Nope. Just like Abercrombie. My aversion is less than a pebble drop in the ocean. But I’ll feel better. Right? I’ll miss my friends I wouldn’t otherwise talk to, but if they mattered that much to me, I could make the effort to text or call. But I won’t. Because the apparent truth is that having them as friends on Facebook is more about the voyeurism. So wait, are we even friends then? Jesus. Facebook has even warped our sense of friendship. 

I don’t know if I’ll leave it. But it’s been on my mind for a while now. Maybe I won’t go cold turkey, maybe I’ll start by deleting the app from my phone. Or maybe it’s best to pack up all my shit and walk right out. That’s the advice I’d give to someone else in an abusive relationship.

 *Just so we’re clear, this whole going pink in October thing that companies, local police departments, sports organizations love to do is dumb. It’s the bare minimum at best and limp virtue signaling at worst. If you really care about breast cancer, do a better job of caring about women. So, you know, pay better wages, offer childcare, don’t shoot them in their homes. Take your pink ribbon and shove it. Do better.

[williston-force-portable-ac]

Williston Force Portable AC Review: Does Williston Force Desktop AC Really Work?

Williston Force is a perfect companion for those hot summer days that make you want to hide inside your fridge. Instead of going to such lengths, get your personal air conditioner and stay cool wherever you go.

Trying to beat the summertime heat with air conditioning used to be a very expensive proposition, but thanks to a revolutionary new personal cooling system – the Williston Force Portable AC – customers won’t have to delicately balance their energy bills with their personal comfort any longer.

Designed to provide rapid cooling results (cooling down a person’s body temperature inside of 30 seconds, according to the folks behind the Williston Force Portable AC), this amazing piece of climate control technology is portable, simple and straightforward to use, and produces next to no background noise whatsoever. It sounds like a scam, but it is not.

Best of all, customers will significantly cut down on their energy bills during the summer months – energy bills that would have otherwise skyrocketed with traditional AC systems being used.

The portable nature of the Williston Force AC makes this air conditioner highly flexible and adaptable for a variety of different situations too. Homeowners will be able to move this unit around as they move through their home, and people in office settings are going to be able to relocate this cooler as necessary to get the best possible results, too.

Intrigued? Read one of the many Williston Force reviews to find out more!

Visit the Official Williston Force Website For 50% Off Retail Price

What Is Williston Force?

Williston Force is a portable air cooler that will make scorching summer days not just bearable but also enjoyable. Don’t want to spend the whole summer in a single air-conditioned room? You don’t have to! Bring the Williston Force AC with you to your bedroom while you rest, kitchen while you cook, or even your office while you work!

Williston Force is a portable air cooler that has recently been released in the United States, United Kingdom and many other countries across the globe. After only a short period of time, it has made quite a splash in the world of cooling devices. That comes as no surprise — the cooler is easy to use and deals with the heat effectively. Most Williston Force reviews agree that this product is a must-have for a pleasant summer.

How Does Williston Force Work?

Williston Force reviews claim that the unit works like a charm and requires minimal effort to use and maintain. Unlike the cheap knockoffs that can be bought in stores, this air cooler lasts for a long time and doesn’t disappoint. In fact, it may even exceed expectations.

In just a few simple steps, any consumer can enjoy cool and fresh air with Williston Force Portable AC. When the Williston Force Portable AC arrives, you need to open the top of the tank and pour some water in. Then, insert a water curtain at the front, and that’s it — the Williston Force Portable AC air cooler is now ready to use.

The unit has three adjustable fan speeds that the user can choose from. The lowest one reminds of a pleasant breeze, while the highest one is perfect for a sweltering summer afternoon.

While Williston Force AC is running, it will use up the water in the tank, so more needs to be added once in a while. Luckily, though, users will be aware of the water level at all times. The transparent water tank makes sure of that.

Click Here To Claim a Special Price Reduction Directly From Williston Force Manufacturer

 What type of technology does Williston Force AC use?

The Williston Force AC works based on innovative cooling principles taking cold water (ice water, usually) to cool down, then blowing into a space, sucking in hot air to go through a heat exchange, very similar to Williston Force Portable AC. This way, users are able to dramatically lower temperatures in dedicated spaces with the help of this “reverse evaporative” solution.

One of the biggest benefits of taking advantage of the Williston Force Portable AC is that individuals aren’t going to have to remove a lot of the moisture in the air to cool things down. Traditional evaporative cooling solutions end up drying things out, causing skin to crack and becoming irritated.

The Williston Force Portable AC works to introduce a bit of extra moisture into the space (when necessary) through the reverse evaporative technology built right in. This allows for spaces to cool down rapidly without becoming uncomfortably dry, the best of all worlds.

All customers have to do to make the most of this cooling technology is simply:

1.     Add water directly into the removable reservoir

2.     Insert a “water curtain” that doubles as a water filter

3.     Power the cooler on

… And that’s it!

(Right Now) Special Introductory Discount – Take Advantage Here

 How is Williston Force better than its competitors?

Williston Force AC is a small but powerful AC device that makes the summer heat bearable and the air breathable more than any other product in the market. Its size makes it extremely easy to carry, so users can take it to different rooms in the house or even bring it along to work. They don’t even have to plug it in — the Williston Force air conditioner can work for several hours on batteries alone.

You can use the Williston Force Portable AC in two ways — as a regular fan that you need to plug in, or as a cordless cooler that works on batteries. I love carrying it around with me without the hassle of looking for a power source and dealing with cables. Cooling down in the summer has never been easier!

But the Williston Force air conditioner won’t just keep you cool. The device has a built-in humidifier and a dust filter, ensuring that the air you breathe is crisp and clean. If you suffer from allergies or don’t handle dry air well, Williston Force air conditioner is a game changer! After using it for just a few days, I noticed that I was breathing with ease, and my skin was glowing!

If you’re like me, summer nights are a struggle. It’s usually too hot to sleep, and even opening the window doesn’t always help. Plus, there are insects to worry about — mosquitos tend to rush inside as if they’re the ones paying the rent!

Luckily, the Williston Force portable air conditioner works silently, so I can let it run at night. In a nutshell, it keeps me cool and allows me to get a good night’s sleep!

Who Is Williston Force good for?

Williston Force is a portable air conditioner for all ages — kids, elders, and everyone in between can use it during sweltering summer days. It’s completely safe, so I’m planning to buy one for each member of my family. That way, we won’t have to fight over it anymore!

At the end of the day, those looking to beat summertime heat without spending a small fortune on energy bills or want to take a very close look at all that the Williston Force portable air conditioner provides.

Already quickly becoming one of the hottest selling cooling systems of this summer, the glowingly positive Williston Force reviews are piling up because of how great a job this unit does at helping people comfortably fight back against skyrocketing summertime temperatures.

Those that do not want to deal with the headache, hassle, noise, and unnecessary expense of traditional air-conditioning units will want to take a much closer look at this Williston Force Portable AC. It’s possible to get almost all of the same cooling results (nearly 90% of the cooling results) in a much more targeted and focused way when choosing to move forward with portable air conditioner technology like this or like Williston Force Portable AC which is another portable air conditioner very similar to this.

Customers shouldn’t be surprised if they find themselves writing their own overwhelmingly positive Williston Force reviews after trying this technology out for themselves. It’s just that special!

Does Williston Force Work?

Williston Force is a product you won’t regret buying. You may have heard a lot about portable ACs and how they usually disappoint, but the Williston Force Portable AC is different. It delivers on everything it promises to do — it cools the air, filters dust, and works as a humidifier.

But surely such a device like the Williston Force Portable AC would be difficult to operate, right? Actually, not at all! That’s perhaps the best part — everyone can use the Williston Force air cooler by just following a few simple steps. Even my grandma, who is on bad terms with most technology, finds this device quite intuitive.

In just three easy steps, you can enjoy the cool air too. All you have to do is pour water into the top of the unit and then add a replaceable water curtain. Once you close the device, it’ll be ready to go! Turn the Williston Force Portable AC on, and you’ll feel the difference in just a few seconds.

Sounds incredible? You could get a second opinion — just read one of the many Williston Force reviews out there. I’ve scoured the Internet in search of a negative one, yet I couldn’t find anything. So if you ask me, that’s a good enough reason to get this fantastic cooler today!

Williston Force Benefits

·         Noiseless Air Cooler. Unlike large ACs, Williston Force is so silent that it’s easy to forget it’s running. There is no humming, buzzing, or whirring, or at least, nothing too noticeable. Users can put it on the desk while they work, the coffee table while they relax with a book, or even their nightstand as they sleep. This air cooler is a perfect summer companion.

·         Humidifier and Dust Filter. Summer air can be quite dry and hard on the skin and the eyes — but Williston Force cooler is here to change that. It has a built-in humidifier that adds moisture to the air and makes it more breathable.

On top of that, its powerful dust filters remove the particles that are likely to cause allergies. So, Williston Force isn’t only a must-have for those who can’t bear the heat — it’s equally beneficial to allergy sufferers.

·         A Sleek Design. The design may not be a crucial aspect of an air cooler, but Williston Force doesn’t neglect it. This is a modern, sleek device that won’t look out of place in any home. What’s more, its smooth white surface and the transparent water tank can add a futuristic feel to an otherwise plain room.

The Williston Force Portable AC water tank is perhaps the most interesting part of the device. It’s not only mesmerizing to watch the water move in it, but the tank can also provide mood lighting. When turned on, it emits a pleasant white glow in the dark that isn’t too harsh on the eyes.

·         Cooling Mist. For those particularly scorching summers, cold air alone might not be enough. That’s why the Williston Force air cooler comes with a unique feature — cooling mist.

The mist is made of tiny drops of moisture that disperse through the cool air, bringing the temperature down quickly. It’s also great for the skin — after using the Williston Force Portable AC for a while, consumers will notice that it looks healthier and more youthful.

·         Easy to Maintain. As Williston Force reviews claim, the product requires very little maintenance. It’s enough to wipe it down when the surface gets dusty and clean the fans once in a while. All of that can take less than 20 minutes, which is convenient for people who don’t have much time to spare.     

Click Here To Get The Williston Force at the Lowest Price Available

Williston Force Facts and Specs

·         Easy to use and maintain

·         No chemicals — it uses only water to cool the air

·         No excess noise

·         Can be used as a fan or as a cordless air cooler

·         3 fan speeds

·         A transparent water tank that’s easy to refill

·         Water curtain suggested changing every 6–8 months

·         A dust filter and humidifier

·         Sleek and compact design

·         White colour

·         USB powered

·         Cordless thanks to its rechargeable battery

Williston Force Pros and Cons

I know I’ve praised this product a lot, but the last thing I want is for this to sound like one of those biased Williston Force reviews. So here is a list of both pros and cons to help you make a more informed decision about your purchase.

Pros

·         Portable and cordless. No more fixed ACs and bulky fans! This light and portable air cooler can go with you everywhere, even to your office. And you won’t have to fight a tangle of cords and cables either — just let Williston Force run on batteries. They last quite long!

·         Three fan speeds. Sometimes, you want to feel a cool breeze on your neck, while other times, you prefer a powerful blast. Obviously, a single fan speed isn’t enough — so Williston Force has three of them. You can easily switch between them at any time and find the one that suits you best!

·         Cooling mist. Some days are so hot that even cool air isn’t enough! That’s why this air conditioner comes with a special setting — it sprays cold moisture. Just sit by the cooling unit, and you’ll soon feel its soothing effect on your face.

·         Transparent water tank. The air conditioner uses water to cool you, so naturally, you have to add it when there is none. And how do you know if there is enough water? Well, in the case of Williston Force, it’s simple! The water tank is transparent and illuminated, so you’ll always be aware of the water level. On top of that, it looks quite sleek!

·         No noise. The last thing you want is a device loudly humming by your ear while you’re trying to read or work. Williston Force is rather silent — so silent, in fact, that you’ll barely notice it’s there!

·         Easy to maintain. This air cooler barely needs any maintenance — you should only replace the water curtain every six to eight months. In the meantime, you could wipe it down once in a while and clean its fans to ensure it continues to work properly.

  Cons

·         Limited availability. This air cooler isn’t always in stock, so it’s best to get your hands on it quickly.

·         Available only online. The best and only way to buy Williston Force is to visit the official website. You can’t find it in physical stores, which may be a problem for some people.

 Claim The 50% Off Available Only At the Williston Force Manufacturer’s Website Here

 What are the Williston Force reviews saying?

Most Williston Force reviews agree that the benefits of this product far outweigh the few negatives. It’s a small, portable cooler that fulfills its purpose quickly and without using any dangerous chemicals. It’s not only safe for people and animals, but also for the environment — which isn’t always the case with regular ACs.

Ultimately, the product is well worth its price, and it’s unlikely to disappoint. However, if it does, the company offers a fantastic return policy. If the customer doesn’t like the product or experiences issues with it, they can return it within 30 days after purchase for a full refund. In essence, there really is no risk involved with buying Williston Force.

 Final Verdict

You probably have only one question left — is this product worth the money? And my answer to that is a loud and clear yes. All of the Williston Force reviews agree that this air conditioner is a summer must-have — a device that both cools and purifies the cool air.

But if you end up disliking it for any reason, don’t worry. You’ll get a full refund if you return the device within 30 days. Sounds like a fantastic deal to me!

http://www.healthywellclub.com/williston-force-portable-ac/

https://kit.co/WillistonForcePortaac/williston-force-reviews-portable-ac-scam-of-the-summer

[petork]

-105 please

NB i am told this was meant to say 1-50

thanks queen <3 here we go

1. Who is your favourite ghost?

lately? it's been kitty. and i'm contractually obligated to love the captain

2. If you could see the ghosts like Alison, which one do you think would come the closest to making you want to leave the house?

the obvious answer is julian but probably actually robin, i HATE being spooked (as the asker can attest xx)

3. How would you feel if you couldn’t see the ghosts, but knew they were there, like Mike?

i'd feel mad jealous even though i'd actually have it pretty good. the other person would be trying so hard to tell me how much it sucks and i'd just be like 'but... goast.....'

4. Would you want to see ghosts like Alison, or would you rather be ignorant to their goings and doings?

again my immediate answer is I WANNA SEE THEM but i also know that might suck in many ways. at least for a while. i am not a patient person so i don't know if i could learn to live with them like alison could. but on the other hand... the chance to actually talk to people from the fucking actual past... thinking emoji!

5. If you were a ghost living in the house, would you rather be upstairs with the main nine ghosts, or downstairs with the plague ghosts?

upstairs for sure, sorry to the plague ghosts but i do not want to hang out in a basement for eternity

6. If you were someone who died in the house would you rather be “sucked off” immediately, or would you like to hang around a bit and get to know some of the other ghosts before getting “sucked off”?

i would probably just end up staying forever because i'm scared of the void of death.... <3

7. Which ghost would you miss the most if they were “sucked off” in the next series?

UNBELIEVABLE question? i'd miss ALL OF THEM. but see question 1 also

8. Which ghost do you think you’d get along with the best?

it's hard to say. i think they would all get on my nerves because as said i am not very patient. but the one who would irritate me LEAST... maybe pat?

9. Which ghost would you say you’re most like?

captain. not to be a cliche but i'm gay and repressed. and also irritable and grumpy

10. Which ghost would you say you’re least like?

JULIAN

11. What is a (popular or not) fan theory that you love?

(pasted from prev answer) i don’t actually like ship it because he’s definitely older than her, but a couple of people have said kitty sometimes acts like she has a crush on thomas. which is cute to me even if she does need to get better taste (love u kitty xxx)

12. What is a (popular or not) fan theory that you don’t quite agree with?

(pasted from prev answer) not so much a specific theory but i disagree with the general idea that anything of consequence went on with the captain and havers. i think it was meant to come across as just a snippet of the captain’s poor sad gay life and, as several brain geniuses have pointed out, due to the timing of germany invading france + the captain’s medals the flashback must have been from a good few years BEFORE he died. and i think the flashback was the last time they ever saw each other, so i don’t think that a) havers has any link to the captain’s eventual death or 2) anything romantic ever happened between them

13. Favourite ship and why?

captain x my cute oc boyfriend because i've tailored it to my exact needs. why ship retail when you can ship bespoke?

14. Least favourite ship and why? (Please be nice though!)

patcap as we all know. like YES i'm a contrary bitch so i don't like things that are popular and i do think i'm better than everyone else... but really idk why exactly i just don't gel with it at all. and when i've tried to read fic in the past it feels to me like their characters are kind of flattened. and i think the captain is too much of a bitch. and i think pat is serving us normie heterosexual. it's the 'cinnamon roll' ship of this fandom and i can't STAND (metaphorical) cinnamon rolls. AND ALSO pat is not the simple soft dad cinnamon roll fandom often makes him out to be! like he is a very nice person but he's also fucked up and insane like all of them. anyway my brain charges extremely low rents

15. If you could go back in time and live in the house/on the property at the same time as one of the ghosts when they were alive, who would you pick?

captain. need to know wtf's going on with him

16. Would you rather inherit the house (and its ghostly inhabitants), or just visit?

realistically... visit. i think i would lose my mind eventually if i lived there

17. Do you think we’ll ever know how every ghost died? Do you think there will be anyone whose death we’ll never learn about?

i hope we do, but i also appreciate that isn't the sole point of the series, otherwise it would be kinda boring and discovering how they died wouldn't be as impactful. if there's anyone's death we don't find out about, i think it would probably be robin? lol what if it was so long ago he just forgot

18. What is your favourite Ghosts fanfiction?

so i'm stupid and i never use bookmarks on ao3..... i've read a LOT of different fics i like but do you think i can revisit them? no! because i'm stupid! so i cannot fairly pick an absolute fave sorry

19. What is your favourite Ghosts fan art?

THIS <3

all the babies and children on here talk about horrible histories the show being 'their childhood'........ put some respect on terry deary's name. and this artist did!

20. Tag 5 favourite Ghosts fandom content creators!

honestly i'm not good with like. knowing people. but here are 5 fanfics i've enjoyed (based on the author's replies in my inbox because, again, i am too stupid to use bookmarks)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287567

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29868645

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28653192

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28067277/chapters/68761830

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26957662/chapters/65795407

21. Are there any historical periods you wish we’d have gotten to see a ghost/ghosts from but didn’t?

(pasted from other post) not to be predictable but i would have liked to see a 1960s ghost. like a mod who crashed his scooter or something. we have enough 20th century ghosts though but i believe the us remake has some kind of hippie ghost…

22. What is something you’re hoping to see in a future series?

flashback to the captain getting some. like implied or whatever. i can't cope with him dying a virgin. he needs this

23. What is something you’re hoping to see in a future series, but know we probably WON’T get to see?

(pasted from other post) alison meets someone else who can see ghosts, and we get to see the ghosts at THEIR house…. i always love it when we see extra ghosts but i know they probably won’t make any recurring because it would come off as running out of ideas. but i still think they should add a 90s teenager named roy

24. Which lesser-seen characters would you like to see more of in future series?

tbh there's none i can think of that i think we should SEE more of, they get a pretty good balance. there are some i definitely want to learn more about though

25. Are there any characters you wish we’d see less?

don't make me pick a least favourite child </3 but also i think thomas could probably tone it down a bit.

26. Favourite one-liner?

I'LL WAIT FOR YOU, MY COMELY NUG - me whenever i order chicken nuggets on just eat

27. Favourite episode?

DON'T EVEN... i like 2x06 and 3x05 a lot

28. Top 5 headcanons for [insert character name here]?

i'm going to do the captain because obviously i am

- he may or may not have been lavender married

- he may or may not have had a drinking problem

- public schoolboy with domineering father, clearly

- IF he had a lavender wife then she spent all her time in the company of her 'odd' female friend who wore men's clothes, smoked cigars and drove a motorbike. the captain was obviously clueless

that's 4 so a cheeky one for fanny:

- she did a lot of medicinal coke

29. Whose costume is your favourite?

kitty. gotta love an ott ballgown

30. Whose costume is your least favourite?

that's an offtopic question. you have been stopped.

31. If you could do a complete redesign of one of the ghosts’ costumes, whose would you change and how?

i would give thomas his double denim

32. If you could play any of the existing ghosts, which one would you want to play and why?

i think i'd be good at playing mary. meek weird girl who says things that don't make any sense? omg she is LITERALLY me

33. Which ghost would you least like to play and why?

julian, i'm not getting my pussy out

34. What one thing would you miss most if you became a ghost and had to live by the same rules as the Button House ghosts?

FOOD. food. eating and food.

35. How do you think one or more of the ghosts whose deaths we haven’t seen died? Or, if we know the cause of death but not the reason for the death (like Mary being burned as a witch or Humphrey being beheaded), why do you think they were killed?

i think mary's execution might have had something to do with her husband's death and her being unfairly accused or something. also like, she just acts kinda weird, and we know how that often played out for women back then...

and i think the captain died in some really boring mundane natural causes way (congenital heart attack or something) but he's stuck around because a) he's never come to terms with the whole h*mo thing and 2) he was just really mad that he died so boringly

36. Favourite [insert character name here] moment?

CAPTAIN GETTING KITTY TO SMILE

37. What do you think [insert character name here] was like when they were alive? Do you think they were exactly the same as they are now, or do you think there were any major or minor differences?

ok i'll do fanny for this one. i think she was less domineering when she was alive, in death she clearly thinks of herself as above the other ghosts and bosses them around, and when she talks shit about george it's not like he can get back at her in any way. but it would be interesting to see how they interacted when both were alive

38. It’s your turn to pick a movie for film club! What are you watching?

(from prev post) i haven’t seen any movies errr….. maybe austin powers because it’s so sad that julian died just a few years before it came out because he would love it and get really annoying about quoting it all the time and it would be really funny for the captain (who thought the movie was unironic) to have to deal with that. and fanny would NOT COPE.

39. Would you rather share a room with Thomas (constantly sighing and reciting bad poetry) or Fanny (falls out of the window screaming every night)?

fanny. men be quiet challenge

40. If you could do some kind of historical swap (i.e. place a ghost in a different period from their own), who would you choose and what period are they from now?

i would like to give kitty the chance to be a 20th or 21st century girl. maybe an era like the 60s or 80s that was known for daring fashions, i think she would luv it

41. Let’s settle this once and for all. Who’s the real leader, the Captain or Pat?

fanny

42. If the ghosts could eat, what is one food you would like to share with them that they might not have tried before?

doritos tangy cheese, mountain dew baja blast, 4loko. i would make thomas try a jalapeno. i would also make them try my cooking experiments because i do that to anyone i live with

43. You’ve heard rumours of a tenth upstairs ghost who doesn’t often venture out of their room to visit with the other residents of the house. Who are they? (i.e. make up a ghost OC. I know i’m putting you on the spot. I just want to see what you come up with.)

it's george button and his bitch ass is too scared of his wife to come down. his downfall comes when he finds out there's another gay ghost and simply has to clap them cheeks (he fails)

44. Tell me a song you think [insert character name here] would like, or a song that reminds you of them!

i think alison's probably already introduced him to them but thomas + anything by the smiths. i would also make the captain sit quietly and listen to a tracy chapman cd (for my lover...)

45. What song(s) do you think would annoy certain ghosts the most?

the smiths would annoy everyone except thomas. literally they'd all be trying to re-kill him

46. Who is one actor you’d love to see guest star? What kind of character would you like to see them play?

steve coogan as like. anyone. preferably a ghost. a roman centurion ghost if you wanna get cultural. but seriously i just want alan

47. If you could have one Horrible Histories song in Ghosts (either sung by a ghost/ghosts, or playing on the TV or computer for them to watch), which one would you want it to be and why?

that song about how no 'british' stuff is actually british. like tea. i want julian to melt down

48. What do you think the ghosts’ jobs would be in a modern living-human AU where they’re all just chaotic housemates?

captain & kitty: have their own wedding planning company

julian: still a politician but instead of an mp he's like a parish councillor. handforth antics

fanny: headteacher

robin: cool off the shits teacher at same school who undermines fanny wherever possible. deals weed to students

mary: runs a shop selling like healing crystals and incense and dreamcatchers

humphrey: customer service supervisor who actually likes his job because he takes no shit and just fucks with every single customer

thomas: unemployed podcaster

pat: dogwalker

49. What is one modern invention you think [insert character name here] would be surprised or confused by?

fanny would be so baffled by any Feminine Products. when she discovers tampons it's all she can talk about for a week. the mooncup made her go into a coma

50. Name an AU you haven’t seen someone create content for, but which you’d love to read a fic or see some art for.

not to be the way i am but i'd love if anyone ever drew art or something about my au which is a modern-day au where fanny and captain are alison and kitty's divorced parents, julian and robin are captain's brothers and alison's wack uncles, mary is their childhood nanny, thomas is a student lodger at button house, humphrey is a cat and pat is just some guy. but yeah in the past i've had a couple of anons on here mention it and i did melt into a puddle... i think if someone did art i'd explode and die. in a good way like

[ificanthaveu]

Holiday Cups || Shawn Mendes

Description: Holiday working at a Starbucks could quite possibly be the worst thing to ever happen to you, especially when you’re tasked with decorating the store with the shift manager who couldn’t get enough of annoying you: Shawn.

Description per my notes (aka jumped, also this is my fave I love myself for this one): STARBUCKS HOLIDAY AU YES BABY YES

A/N: hi it’s me Dani your local former Starbucks barista aka the worst 3 months of my life aha anyway this idea came outta nowhere but I've never seen anyone do it and we all know I'm a hoe for Starbucks and holidays so enjoy :)

Word Count: 2.4k

12 Days of Ficmas

If you could describe your personal hell in one sentence, it’d be easy: working at Starbuck’s during the holiday season.

You loved your job, and it’s what got the bills paid while you went to school. So, for now, you’d deal with the 4:00 am opening shifts, people complaining about their drinks and cleaning until your hands burned (which, let’s be honest, they were probably burned from something you spilled earlier anyway).

It was a few weeks before Christmas and the biggest store change of the year. The typical green menu signs got switched to cheerful red ones, and the white cups were switched out for the ones adorned with red and green. 

Out of the few years you worked here, you never had to work the closing shift of the day this all had to be changed.

Until now.

When your schedule was sent to you, you felt your heart drop to your feet. You had an 8:00 am class that next day, and you knew that you wouldn’t get out of work until well after midnight. 

And to make it even worse, you were scheduled with the shift manager that seemed to want to make your life a living hell. 

Shawn.

So, when you arrived that day, you plastered a smile on your face and dealt with it. It’d be over before you knew it. 

“[Y/N], nice of you to finally show up. Go find the boxes we’ll need for tonight,” Shawn barked as he slid a croissant into the oven.

“Hello to you too, Shawn. I’m not late, in fact, I’m five minutes early,” you said with a sickeningly sweet voice. 

You glared at you and was about to say something rude when his headset beeped. He swiveled the mouthpiece and turned on his charm as his retail voice came booming through the headset. 

“Welcome to Starbucks, what can I get started for you on this beautiful day?” He said with a cheery tone and a frown still plastered on his face.

You shook your head as you walked past him to gather the multiple boxes full of decorations and supplies that they had sent over for the store change. You stacked them all neatly by the back door in order of what you had to get done first. You triple checked the list and tried not to groan out loud when you saw all the things you had to get done. This place had to look like a winter wonderland before 5:00 am tomorrow morning. 

You took a deep breath and went to the sink to start working on dishes because the sooner those were done, the sooner you could close down the store and start the changes. 

Shawn whisked in and out of the back, piling up more and more dishes. You breathed slowly and continued washing as quickly and thoroughly as you could. Eventually, the pile dwindled down, and the clock struck 10:00.

You dried your hands as you walked out to the front of the store while Shawn locked the front doors. 

“Bring the boxes out. I’m going to close down the register,” he said quickly.

You nodded and walked back to start bringing the boxes into the lobby of the store while you heard the clinking of the change as Shawn counted it. 

You set the last box down and leaned against the wall, waiting for Shawn to finish. He looked up at you for a moment before typing a few things in the register and shutting the drawer. 

“Alright, I’ll change out the cups while you switch the signs,” Shawn said as he rounded the counter to look through the boxes. “What’s in what box?” He asked with a raised eyebrow, expecting you to not know.

“I labeled them all on top,” you said with a smile as you tapped a finger on top of the nearest box where you had written what was inside. 

“Oh,” Shawn said as he looked at the writing on top, letting him know ornaments were in this one. “Thanks,” he mumbled.

“Never heard you say that before,” you said almost under your breath as you grabbed the tall box that contained the signs.

He turned around and watched you walk around the corner before you climbed onto the counter to pull out the old signs. 

“I say thanks all the time,” he said defensively. 

You scoffed, “Yeah, right.”

He crossed his arms across his chest with a displeased look written on his face.

You glanced back at him as you set the sign down. 

“Are you just going sit there and stare at me or start actually doing something?” You said. “I don’t want to be here all night.”

He didn’t say another word as he hauled the box of cups onto the counter and started pulling out the old cups, throwing them in bags and putting in the new ones. 

Silence settles between you two as all you could hear was the shuffling of cups and signs. You hopped off the counter, collected the old signs and put them in the box before bringing it in the back where all the other signs were kept. By the time you got back, Shawn was looking at the list and writing things in the margins. 

“Ok, let’s get this place looking like a winter wonderland,” he grumbled as he opened up the box that contained the fake Christmas tree.

“Cheer up, Scrooge,” you said as you held the box down and Shawn tugged the tree out. 

“No offense, but this is the last place I want to be right now,” Shawn said as he positioned the tree into its stand. 

“That makes two of us,” you responded. “I have an 8:00 am class tomorrow.”

“I was supposed to be singing at that art thing they’re having downtown,” Shawn said quietly. 

“You sing?” You asked as you handed him the lights to wrap the tree. 

He nodded his head, “Yeah, but here I am. Living the dream at Starbucks.”

“Is that what you want to do?” You asked him. 

“Work at Starbucks for the rest of my life? Hell no,” he responded quickly. 

“I meant the singing,” you clarified with an eye roll. 

“Oh, yeah, but it’s pretty unrealistic,” he said. 

“But you were going to perform at that art thing? That’s pretty hard to get into.”

He shrugged his shoulder as a soft blush spread across his cheeks. 

“What about you? Starbucks forever?” He turned the question back at you. 

“Hell no,” you responded the same way he did as he smiled for the first time that night. “I’m actually finishing up my last year in pre-med, and then next year is medical school.”

“You’re pre-med? I had no idea,” Shawn paused and looked up at you from his spot on the ground. 

“Well, you don’t really listen much,” you said slowly, not wanting to break the bond you were slowly building with him. 

“Neither do you,” he said back.

“That’s not true.”

“Really? Do you even know my last name?” He asked with his eyebrows raised. “Because Greg only calls me by it, so everyone should know it.”

You stopped hanging ornaments for a second as you looked over at him, trying to figure out what it was. 

“Does it start with a P?” You asked cautiously.

“Nope,” he said as he continued to wrap the lights. 

“Can you give me a hint?” 

“It’s Mendes,” he said as he shook his head. 

“Well, you just gave it away,” you said defensively. “What’s my last name?” You tested.

“[Y/L/N], I help make the schedule,” he said with an eye roll. 

“Ok, not fair,” you said with a slight laugh, and Shawn returned it. 

Silence fell again as the two of you finished the tree. You both stood back and looked at it side by side. 

“Not bad,” Shawn said.

“Looks good enough to me,” you said as you looked at the list. “So, we just have to hang the garlands and switch out the merchandise.”

“The merchandise is what’s going to suck,” Shawn groaned as he dragged two of the boxes to the shelf. “You can start hanging the garlands and wreaths while I start this.”

You grabbed miscellaneous decorations and started hanging them where the guide directed you to. You carefully hung a garland around the counter and around the menu, ending with a wreath on the front door. 

You break down the boxes, put them away and wander over to Shawn as he fills the merchandise, only being halfway done. 

You sit on the floor next to him and grab the sheet he’s working off of. 

“This doesn’t seem right,” you said carefully as you looked at the sheet and back up at the shelves. “I think you did it backward.”

“No, I didn’t,” Shawn said without even looking at you. 

“Yes, you did. The coffee is supposed to be closest to the door, and you put it the farthest away. You’re supposed to mirror what flip what this sheet shows based on our store design,” you said as you pointed at where it said that on the instructions. 

Shawn leaned against the shelves and sighed as he stared down at the sheet. 

“You sure you’ve never done this before? Because you’re doing a great job at proving me wrong,” he said with just the right amount of sass.

“I worked at other places before this one, and I was a supervisor. I know my way around floorset sheets. But it’s totally fine that you don’t get it yet,” you said with a sympathetic look. 

He rolled his eyes at you, and you couldn’t miss the blush that crept up on his cheeks, which caused yours to do the same. 

You helped him move the items in the correct positions before looking back down at the sheet and finding the new items among the boxes to put on the shelf. 

Shawn moved to put one in the wrong spot again, but you slowly pushed his arm until it was in the right spot. He looked down at you with a small smile.

“I don’t know why they put me in charge of this,” he whispered. 

“Neither do I,” you whispered back. 

He bumped his shoulder into yours as he leaned down to grab more mugs. 

“Why do you hate me?” You asked out of nowhere as you folded your arms across your chest. 

Shawn turns around, mimicking your stance with a confused look on his face. 

“I don’t hate you,” he said bluntly.

“You’ve never said one nice thing to me, and you’re always yelling at me for things I can’t control,” you said carefully.

Shawn paused for a moment, not meeting your gaze. 

“I can’t risk losing this job,” he started. “It’s all I have right now, and I know you can handle it and that you’ll fix whatever the problem is. I can’t say that about anyone else here.”

You stayed quiet for a moment, watching him straighten a row of to-go mugs. 

“If I never call you guys out when something goes wrong, Katie’s eventually going to yell at me about it. But she loves you, and you do everything right. You do everything beyond what’s ‘right.’ And I’m sorry if I came off as anything else other than admiration. You’re amazing at your job,” he said, not looking at you. 

“Really?” You said. 

He simply nodded his head before reaching down to grab the sheet and check his work. 

“If you wanted to work at Starbucks for the rest of your life, you totally could,” he said as he looked back at you with a smirk. 

You rolled your eyes and plucked the sheet out of his hand. 

“What a tough decision. Starbucks or medical school?” You questioned. 

“I think it’s a clear choice. Starbucks,” Shawn teased. 

You grabbed the last few items and put them into the last remaining places as Shawn grabbed a broom to sweep up scraps of cardboard and other paper. 

After that, the two of you stood in the far corner of the store, scanning it carefully to make sure nothing was out of place. Katie would have your heads on a silver platter if it wasn’t perfect. 

“I think it looks good,” you finally said after a minute of silence.

“Yeah, I agree,” Shawn paused. “You did good, [Y/L/N].”

“Wow, the first nice thing you’ve said to me. Thank you, Mendes,” you retaliated. 

“And she remembered my last name,” he said out into the store a little louder than necessary. 

“Alright, let’s get out of here,” you said as you walked away with a skip in your step to grab your bag. 

Shawn followed behind you and grabbed his coat. You followed him towards the back door. 

“What are you up to for the rest of the night?” Shawn asked as he opened the door and held it for you. 

“Sleeping,” you said with a smile as you turned around to look at him. 

“I may not have been able to sing at it, but there are fireworks at the art thing I was telling you about,” he paused and glanced at the time. “They don’t start for another thirty minutes.”

“Are you asking me on a date? Because I’m positive I’m not allowed to date a supervisor,” you said with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes at you. “Fine, then it’s not a date.”

“Ok, not a date. Am I driving or you?”

“You. If I drove, that would be too close to a date, and your car has remote start and is already warm,” he pointed out with a smile.

“Alright, Mendes. Let’s go to see some fireworks,” you said as you began walking him to your car. 

“Can we get hot chocolate?” You asked as you started your car and Christmas music started playing softly through your speakers. 

“Hot chocolate? That’s not Starbucks?” Shawn with his hand to his chest. 

“Guess you’re going to have to fire me,” you said as you threw your hands up. 

“Ok, you’re fired,” he said with a smirk.

You caught on to what he was doing. 

“Fine, let’s go on a date then.”

REBLOG, REPLY, SEND ME A MESSAGE OR AN ASKKKKK

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[saybees]

Ugh, my mother acts like a rich person, it drives me nuts.

She texted me a photo of her new microwave mounted above the stove and she said that now the stove looks ugly and she wants to get a new one.

It works. It works very well. It functions flawlessly aside from the little screen not showing the time anymore. It's the exact same stove we have in the house we are renting. It's older than me, but it works brilliantly.

I am SO tired of listening to my mother complain about this kind of thing. She's lucky that she has the money to be able to buy new appliances whenever she feels like it. She can repaint the whole house on a whim. My mother complains that they are always so tight for money, but they clearly aren't. They just don't always have the disposable income my mother wants so she can constantly be spending money on stuff she doesn't need to buy.

I have been poor for EVER. Even when I was living at home and I had my parents supporting me I didn't have an allowance or a job (lived out of town and didn't have a car) so I could never spend money. I was lucky to get a $100 bill from my grandmother when I graduated high school. That was a lot of money to me because I never had any. I had to rely on my parents for everything, which is fine, they provided me with what I needed and they did contribute quite a bit to my first couple tries at post-secondary education.

But I have been on my own for a long time now. I have always barely made enough money to get by with a little bit of spending here and there that I probably shouldn't have done, but did anyway because life is short and I want to enjoy things.

My mother was telling me once about how since her and my dad both retired they were only getting $[REDACTED] from my dad's investments and it wasn't enough for them to live off of each month. All I could think was HOLY SHIT because it was twice as much money as I had ever seen in a month and I could survive on it more or less fine. But that wasn't enough for my parents to sit at home doing nothing?? They don't have a mortgage anymore, that's been paid off for several years now. They both have newer vehicles that they got gently used. They have a new tractor my dad went out and got himself, real fancy. They really don't have much for expenses aside from hydro and car payments. Like it blows me away and it makes me so MAD that my mother acts like such a rich person and she can just go and spend that kind of money like it's no big deal while I'm struggling to pay for university that might get me nowhere, but I had to go and do it because I was going to have a complete mental breakdown if I stayed in retail any longer.

It just hurts, I guess, to see my mother living so frugally while I'm struggling. Even my little sister makes really good money at her job that she somehow stumbled into and I feel like such a loser because I'm the only one that's really struggling financially.

I feel like my mother put too much pressure on me to go to university and "make something" of myself. She always drilled it into me that she wanted me to be better off than she was and have what she didn't have, but so far I'm living in more poverty than she did. She pushed me to go to uni when I wasn't ready and I ended up wasting all my money and blowing through my small trust fund. I have nothing to show for it. My mother always put so much pressure on me and I have always felt like a failure.

It's just really hard. I don't want to be in the place that I am. Everyone else is doing much better than I am, but I'm the one that took risks and went out into the world. All it did was burn me.

And now that I'm in uni again I'm struggling through some of my classes and I'm probably going to fail at least one and have to redo it, which means paying another $1000 and spending another 4 months going through the same material. And that's only if I fail the one. I might fail another one yet.

Like my parents are by no means actual rich people. They're very middle class. It just bothers me that I have to work so hard to get nowhere and they have done so little and are so comfortable. I don't think I'll ever get to a place like that.

My sister struggled through grade school, but now she has a killer job that she makes fucking bank at. She bought herself a newer Jeep last year. While I have a 25 year old truck with 260,000 kms on it. Don't get me wrong, I love my truck, but if I had the money to spend on something newer I probably would.

My sister is also autistic, but that doesn't seem to affect her life at all anymore now that she's out of school and I'm here just now figuring out that I probably have autism and adhd and it's making my academic career a nightmare right now. I'm having such a hard time with everything right now because of that and I reached out for help and was completely shut down over it.

I just look at my life and the lives of my family members and I feel like I'm the only one that's ended up in such a crappy spot. Everyone else is so much better off than I am right now and it sucks. I know I shouldn't dwell on it and this is just some depressive episode triggered by a text of a microwave, which is really fucking stupid now that I put it into words, but I just feel so miserable. I feel like I'm stuck and I don't know how to get out. I thought university would help and change things, but so far it hasn't.

I just want to do the things that I love and be surrounded by people that I love, but that's such an impossibly distant goal at this point. I want more from life than this. I want to not have to worry about money anymore. I want to be free to do the things I want to do. I want a job that isn't going to drive me fucking bananas and pays well enough to fund my hobbies. Why does that seem so out of reach? Why can't life just be easier? It seems so easy for everyone else around me.

Money can't buy happiness, but it sure can solve a lot of the issues that cause me to be fucking sad.

[interactivodular]

I just wanted to vent my own feelings about the whole #haywoodgate thing, because AH has been near and dear to my heart for a very long time.

I first starting watching Achievement Hunter regularly in 2013. I had seen a few random videos prior to that (Rage Quit mostly), but I didn’t really “get into“ the channel proper until ‘13. Their Minecraft videos immediately drew me in, and as a fan of the Grand Theft Auto games, their GTA IV videos also got me hooked.

Achievement Hunter has always been a source of escapism for me. Whenever I had a shitty day at work, or just a bad day in general, I knew I could come home and pop on a 30-50 minute video, whether it was a new upload or an older “classic,” and the crew would always make me laugh. As I started working more hours at my job and eventually officially became full-time, my interest in my other hobbies waned significantly. I often felt (and still do feel, actually), so tired when I got home, that I always felt I had to choose between my hobbies, and since popping on a video is less effort than trying to knit or draw or play a video game myself, I would just go on the RT site and watch Achievement Hunter for a bit before I had to eventually get ready to go to bed and do the same shit routine all over again.

As my soul-sucking retail job continues to, well, suck, my source of escapism over the years has become a literal crutch, almost entirely holding the foundation of my happiness together. I watch Achievement Hunter every day, because they make me laugh. They make me happy in a world that is increasingly less happy all-around. They made me smile on days when all I wanted to do was quit my job and crawl into bed and stay there for the next twelve years. I’ve idly wondered over the years what I would do if/when the channel inevitably fell apart, but I tried not to think on it. AH was doing so well, and it didn’t seem like an issue.

All that being said, I should now add this: Ryan was my favorite.

The personas and characters he made and cultivated in Minecraft and GTA Let’s Plays were definitely my faves, and on the rare occasion that Ryan wasn’t in a video, I definitely felt the quality was less. In counterpart to the chaotic nature of his in-game persona, I always felt that, in real life, Ryan seemed to be a very sweet guy. A theater nerd with a knack for gadgets and who loved his wife and kids.

Finding out how wrong we all were about him is like having the rug ripped out from underneath. He cheated on his wife and used his fame to solicit his fans for sexual content. He is an actual, literal scumbag, and because of this, Achievement Hunter is no longer a happy source of escapism from my own life. Ryan was a HUGE part of AH for so many years. He is in so many videos, and he was one of the main reasons I enjoyed so many of their vids. He’s literally taken the last near-decade of content and made it unwatchable to me, and to others like me, who feel too sick about his true colors to ever watch a video with him in it ever again.

I know that we, as fans, can’t possibly feel anywhere near as shocked and betrayed as his family, and his friends and co-workers. But I don’t think we’re any less entitled to our own feelings. We’ve watched this guy for years. We trusted him. Knowing that I’ll never again view years and years worth of videos--ones that I have loved and watched and laughed at so much, that I’ve watched them again and again and again--makes me so very sad, and so very upset.

I know some people are still okay with watching content with him in it, and that’s fine. Your mileage may very, and we’re all entitled to our own thoughts and feelings. Mostly I’m just left wondering... what next? I know the rest of Achievement Hunter (to our knowledge, obviously), are innocent. But fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice? Well. We all know how that goes.

I still want to watch them, but I’m hesitant and just... not comfortable, right now.

[alwaysspeakshermind]

A-Z of Favorite Fictional Ladies B is for: Buffy Summers

As a rule, I endure rather than enjoy nine out of ten fictional female protagonists, and it’s incredibly frustrating. But it’s also something I’ve kind of come to accept.With all the different types of women out there in the world, nine out of ten fictional female protagonists will still wind up being one of the same two types of characters: the oft-overlooked Good Girl™ who’s sweet/accommodating/a little shy-but-also-feisty, or the Rebel/Intellectual/Tomboy who is Not Like Other Girls and scorns pink but turns out to be movie-star gorgeous when a friend who knows all things girly forces her to dress up and turn heads. (Basically, Mary Sue or Scary Sue.) By the time I was eight, I had sort of figured out that my favorite female characters, the ones I actually related to and who inspired me, were not liked/admired by 90% of the other girls around me, because basically none of them had problems learning when to speak up—they all had problems learning when to shut up.

When I first began watching Buffy, I figured it would be the same old story: I’d sigh at the protagonist, love one of the secondary characters best, and at most, get a few laughs out of the whole thing. At that point, I was already in college and frankly, I was pretty sure any show as hyped as this one would have a protagonist I would hate.

But! 

Then I met Buffy.

And Buffy is just…Buffy.

Why she’s my girl:

She spends her evenings roaming graveyards and fighting vampires, but fashionably. She quips non-stop and has a tight-knit group of friends, but is a lonely little soul. She saves the world (a lot) but mostly just wants to be left alone to live her life in peace, and to quote someone formerly dangerous and currently annoying, she has bleedin’ tragic taste in men (Je stink).

From the beginning of the series to its end, the Buffster is a protagonist who flirts with the thin line of likeability. While she is a protagonist who is easy to root for, she is also one who makes many, many mistakes that frequently come back to bite her (pun only semi-intended). I personally don’t 100% relate to her until about S5 and then it starts getting uncomfortable how much I relate to her, but her actions in response to dicey situations command my respect at all times.

For all her cute blondeness and ever-present wisecracking, Buffy’s tough. Diamond-tough, really, and unapologetic; she’s simultaneously an unabashed girly-girl and a kickass bitchy-bitch, and she will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Responsibility isn’t a thing she seeks yet somehow, it always seems to find her, and even when she wants to run away and let someone else deal with it for a change, she ends up staying and battling. She’s a peppy cheerleader turned college dropout turned person who would rather work construction over retail (but winds up in fast-food) turned high-school guidance counselor, and she’s forever wistfully eyeing the normal lives of those she protects. But ultimately, her calling is Slayer, and the “dumb” blonde Valley girl who resents messing up her manicure punching vampires and paying too much for cream rinses that are neither creamy nor rinse-y is a powerful force to be reckoned with.

She is, sadly, still only one of a small number of female characters who highlight that liking pink and caring about clothes and wanting a date do not equal weakness, and I will always love her for that—as someone who loves boxing/self-defense/general punching things but also shopping and cute outfits, Buffy makes me feel very seen. She doesn’t apologize for liking miniskirts and heels, but she doesn’t exclusively wear miniskirts and heels…she’s practical enough to wear clothes that can survive slaying (halter tops, for instance). She’s funny, bright, impatient, and stubborn, and she’s loyal to a fault. She talks a lot but isn’t great with words. She puns obsessively, often at inappropriate times. She holds grudges and isn’t the greatest student, but she continually fights to protect those who can’t protect themselves, and when she’s quite literally dragged from her rest, she still tries to pick up the shambles of her life and keep going—without telling any of the responsible parties how it’s affected her. I mean, the part where she has to ahem, claw her way out of something her own self-sacrifice put her in in the first place? THE STRENGTH THAT REQUIRES IS NOT JUST PHYSICAL, and I still get a little angry at the Scoobies for that one.

She’s considered kind of dumb even by those closest to her, yet they constantly look to her for leadership when things go south. She deals with (don’t even get me started because I could happily smack all of them) the Potentials, and does what she can to prepare and comfort the younger girls for the death and destruction most likely coming their way. She defies senseless, heavy-handed authority that attempts to impose rules and traditions on her and those she cares about, and when she loves, she loves deeply.

She is, in essence, powerful but enormously flawed—and anyone who considers that a negative thing in feministic representation is egregiously myth-taken.

Favorite Quotes:

WAY-hay-hay too many to count, but some especially meaningful faves off the top of my head are:

“I may be dead...but I’m still pretty.”

“Hi, honey. I’m home.”

“The whole earth may be sucked into Hell, and you want my help ‘cause your girlfriend’s a big ho? Well, let me take this opportunity to not care.”

[“No weapons. No friends. No hope. Take all that away, and what’s left?”] “Me.”

[“You’re really campaigning for Bitch of the Year, aren’t you?”] “As defending champion, you nervous?”

“Bite me.”

“She irons her jeans. She’s evil. She has to be destroyed!”

“So you haven’t murdered anybody lately? Let’s be best pals!”

“That probably would have sounded more commanding if I wasn’t wearing my Yummy Sushi pajamas.”

“Conversation’s over, hell-bitch.”

“The hardest thing to do in this world is live in it.”

“I think I know why Joan’s the boss—I’m like a superhero or something!” 

“Goodnight, bitch.”

“No guy is worth your life. Not ever.”

[ssecretssanta]

@h-isforhome​​ Hi, Lovely !! This is your secret santa and I’m trying something out so bear with me lmao. I’m pretty sure Tumblr keeps eating parts of my asks so I’m gonna try to start replying to stuff using this blog instead of asks so things don’t get all split up (I’m still going to send asks don’t worry, just not obscenely long ones that get munched on by Tumblr, lol). So I’ll just put the message below the cut and we can hopefully communicate more coherently without Tumblr hating us. Feel free to either reblog and continue the conversation that way (you can add your own cut so they don’t get too annoyingly long for everyone, lmao) or make your own posts and @ me, whatever works best ! (or if it doesn’t work at all I’ll just keep sending anon asks instead, lol)

heya !! I’m really hoping this will work, lol (and if not we’ll just pretend like it didn’t happen). sorry for taking so long to sort my shit out and respond !! it’s been a hectic week for me and i’ve been trying to balance work and school because they keep overscheduling me so i’ve been neglecting my homework which is stressing me out more (rip to my grades rn lol).

anyways, time to respond to everything let’s go:

my favorite from fine line is probably falling because it makes me Feel Things but also golden and canyon moon and sunflower and wow this entire album is just so good holy shit.

houses 100% should not be decorated before thanksgiving. I can get behind some christmas lights because I strongly believe those should be a year-round decoration but other than that, No. I should not have to stare at a bunch of creepy santa decorations or have that whole red and green color scheme anywhere near me while I’m trying to devour some turkey and mashed potatoes. now you’re really making me think of how much potential thanksgiving music could have and i’m kinda Upset that it’s not already a thing. petition to start a pop punk thanksgiving band to take the Boomers down?

alksdjlfaj minutt for minutt I’m EMO. and yeah, the stress is already back full force but also less so towards work now so that’s nice?? like at least I know that people there won’t really care what I do and I’m figuring out where I stand with everyone so that’s nice (also my favorite manager told me that I’ll definitely get hired on after seasonal if I want so that’s nice !!) I’m putting “life is just a bunch of mistakes in a trenchcoat pretending to be perfect” on my wall bc I need the reminder every day lmao. my constant state of mind rn is just:

i would like to criticize you on using those contacts but honestly it would be hypocritical because I too cannot be assed to pay more for things and use things way past the time they should be used lmao

sasha sloan does have a lot of slower songs but sometimes that’s my Brand and i’m so glad you like her music !! oh boy i’m the EXACT same way with playlists lmao my friends have learned not to give me the aux cord bc my music taste varies so much from day to day and no one else seems to vibe with it lol (I’m always fine with listening to whatever they put on but when I’m alone it’s a shitstorm).

seasonal work is so Exhausting. like, I knew retail would be bad, but it’s Bad. at least the people I work with are super chill and nice bc if they weren’t I would have already quit lmao. tutoring honestly sounds pretty fun !! I’m sure there are lots of challenges that come along with it though so kudos to you for helping the youth, I’m sure you’re amazing at it !!

aksdj The Couple is the same reason I started watching Schitt’s Creek and it’s seriously just So Good. I didn’t know how I felt about the Good Place at first but I was bored enough to get through the first few episodes and then it just kind of picked up from there and now it’s one of my favorites, so I’d definitely recommend giving it another go !!

high school just sucks ass overall lmao, the breaks are always awful and most people spend them catching up on homework anyways so like??? there’s almost no point?? oh well. I’m just glad I’m almost done and then I can Move On. I’m always happy to send you asks that let you talk about yourself bc I love hearing about you so it’s a win-win !

I love your tags so much here we go:

I have two siblings that are both 4 years apart from me, an older sister and a younger brother. I’m literally right in the middle, lol. It’s a blessing and a curse.

I would love to visit New York for the first time or D.C. again (I went there over the summer for a school trip and it was so pretty and I would love to go again and actually take time to see every museum). I’m going to Nashville for another school trip this summer and like I’m always excited to see new things but like?? Tennesee is not really in my To Visit places so we’ll see how it is. you’re absolutely right about the South and you should say it. way too hot.

too sad to cry and smiling when I die were literally my repeat songs for like a week when I just needed some Emotions lmao !! sad bby hours for days

oof I think i’m more of a tv person but I also have really bad commitment issues so I tend to leave things unfinished oops. but I’ll honestly watch any movie and most likely will enjoy it which is why it’s hard for me to pick a favorite movie bc like?? all of them?? so idk really, haha. rom coms are the superior movie genre but I also enjoy some action and horror as well. (why would you bring that moment up oof).

okay I think that’s all for now. hopefully this was easier to deal with than having 20 asks but if not just let me know and I’ll go back to that, lol.

wishing you the best as always,

- s.s.  🎅

(i love your new sign-off. it’s perfect for you and makes my heart do Things)

[necromancybilly]

No luck on officially getting part time (20+ hours weekly, versus 19 or less) even though I’ve been averaging 22ish hours a week lately. It sucks. I really need to quit the bar job because I little to no tips (in my last two shifts I’ve had people tip me a dime on a $10 order and a penny on a $30 one, and my average tip per drink order is normally under a dollar) and they’re trying to take advantage of my other skills without recognizing my worth (also tons of violations there). BUT I’m still getting training for the promotion at Lush with comes with a pay increase and my boss said she really wants to give me more hours officially and the promotion now but that the company won’t let her due to the location that’s on the horizon for next month. But hopefully soon after that.

I got scouted to work at a medical pot dispensary and that could be neat with much better money than the bar, so if I could quit the bar and work there for two days out of the week I’d maybe make a good jump in my monthly earnings.

I really want to get a career at lush, maybe work at HQ and do merchandising design or work for charity pot or even just manage a region of stores. That’d be neat. And I really love working at lush, which I know a lot of people hate working retail, but I feel so lucky to work there. I love everyone I work with and I love interacting with so many different people. Some people suck but I’m also one of those folks who just needs one really good thing to happen in a day and I can kinda ride out on that. Same goes for is something really bad happens but at Lush it’s easy to brush such things off because you don’t have time to dwell and complain about it. If you do, people back you up and always make you laugh.

Still need to decorate the apartment more so it feels like I actually live here. Convincing S to do it the way I want might be a challenge though. While I like a lot of his style he doesn’t like a ton of mine. (But to be fair he has a very curated and selected pallet that he is really passionate about and I enjoy much more of a modgepodge, some things I can’t even explain why I like, I just do!)

[searching-for-mercury]

This Christmas Needs More Minty Hot Cocoa -- Klance

As part of the Klance Secret Santa Event (@klance2017secretsanta) for Sam (@koganelovesmcclain)! I hope you like it!!

Summary: Keith and Lance have been both so busy with work and school, they've hardly had any time to really enjoy the holidays. A single free day lines up for both of them, so what do they do? Put up the tree, of course!

(ao3)

 ---

After weeks of scrutinizing each other's school and work schedules, the day both Keith and Lance had free finally arrived. December was a busy month anyways, with all the school papers being due, the final projects that were worth more than most of the semester, and the rush of customers searching out last minute gifts. But they'd finally found a day that worked for them both and it had arrived with cold winds and no snow.

              "I was really hoping it'd snow," Lance said, peering through the curtains. He worked retail and not only had he gotten them out of the clearance bin, but he got his 20% discount slapped on top of it. Sure, they were a bit shimmery and a dull sort of gold, but they made the apartment look a little more put together.

              That was sort of what that day was about. Their first Christmas together in their first apartment. They'd been dating for nearly their entire college career, but it was the first time it felt really real. They were adults -- they'd gotten goddamn curtains together. Well, sort of. Lance had called Keith to ask and Keith had been a little too fussy about the details until Lance reassured him they could work with the color. But still.

              "Why would you want it to snow?" Keith asked. Lance didn't have to look at him to know he was making a face.

              "To set the mood!" Lance said, turning back to his boyfriend. He didn't really need the snow, though. He'd been excited since he went to bed the night before.

              Keith only made some sort of 'hmph' noise that got partly swallowed by his mug of tea. Normally he slept in a t-shirt and pajama bottoms, but the living room was "too damn cold" so he'd donned a large sweater. Lance suspected it was his, but he didn't want Keith pulling it off while rolling his eyes. He didn't mind the clothes trading -- they both wore the exact same size.

              "You know," Lance started singing. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"

              Keith groaned. "Don't make me regret this," he said.

              "Everywhere you go," Lance continued, getting steadily closer and a grin growing wider.

              "I will divorce you."

              "We aren't even married!"

              "I mean this for later," Keith replied, very matter-of-fact like. "We will get married and several years later I will demand a divorce. You will ask me why. And I'll tell you, you know why."

              Lance narrowed his eyes. Did he keep singing or take his boyfriend, with his black hair still mussed up from sleep, seriously? But Keith's lips wobbled a little, like he was trying to keep a straight face and failing, so Lance decided to aim for those instead.

              "Gross," Keith said.

              "You're gross," Lance shot back before settling on the couch beside him and kissed him again.

              "You fight like a kid."

              "You fight like a baby."

              "Like a second-grade kid," Keith insisted.

              "I would be the champion amongst second-graders," Lance replied.

              "You'd be the kid who runs away when things actually get serious," Keith said, as if to say, "Let's be real here, now."

              Lance was most definitely the kind of person to talk big and get in serious trouble fast without realizing it, but would he run away? Maybe. He liked to think it wouldn't be his first reaction, though. Maybe as a second-grader he'd run, but as an adult, he would at least survive a bit by dodging. And throwing. His aim was fairly good.

              "Are we going to do this?" Keith asked. "Or are we going to end up discussing the fighting capabilities of our second-grade selves? Because I'm down for either."

              "No!" Lance shouted while springing to his feet. "We are going to do this! There's no way we lugged that thing up here last night for nothing."

              They didn't have a very large living room -- there was enough space for a couch, coffee table, and a sort of dresser they'd found on the side of the road one day for the TV to stand on. They'd painted it over with a simple dark brown color, like coffee with only a drop of milk mixed in. Some of the drawers didn't like sliding out quite as smoothly as they wanted, but it hadn't collapsed yet. Lance had been in charge of hanging up picture frames, full of their friends and animals, of family members. Them too, of course. Keith didn't like getting his picture taken if it wasn't for something with purpose, like his driver's license, but Lance could be sneaky.

              Late last night, Keith called him after coming back from work. He was downstairs, he'd said. Lance ought to come down. When he did, Keith was standing there, with a hat pulled down over his ears and a scarf covering most of his face, beside his tiny red car. Their very first Christmas tree was strapped to the roof, bundled up tight in netting.

              It now stood as proudly as it could, being only an inch or two taller than them, right next to the TV. Some of the branches were up against and on the coffee table, but Lance didn't want to cut them; it would look too weird. Mutilation, he'd said, but he'd never admit to being so dramatic.

              After they both took showers and Keith made the bed while Lance did the dishes, the boxes of ornaments were taken out of the closet they'd been in since Thanksgiving. Most of them were new, but a couple boxes had been given to them by Keith's parents. Lance's grandparents lived too far away -- any bulbs sent their way would probably arrive in pieces.              

              "First go on the lights," Keith said and handed the box over for Lance to open.

              "You think one box is going to be enough?" Lance asked, picking at the tape.

              Keith waved another box at him. "Just in case," he said.

              "We should have gotten the one that played music," Lance said as he pulled out the bundle of tiny lights. According to the package, the ones they bought could only do two things: blink or not blink.

              "No." Keith said it with such conviction, Lance could imagine himself waking up one day to find the plastic pieces of the switch controlling the music scattered on the floor. Maybe there'd even be the hammer used to smash it with.

              The lights were strung up with only one major incident: getting stuck behind the tree.

              "Don't push on it," Keith said. Lance wasn't sure what he was doing, because he had a bunch of pine needles trying to poke into his eyeballs, but it didn't seem like he was helping. "You'll ruin it!"

              "Well I don't see any other way!"

              "Cut it out! I'm thinking!"

              "Think faster!"

              Then the tree moved, just not in the direction Lance wanted it to.

              "Pine trees don't taste good, you know."

              "I'll keep that in mind," Keith grunted, his voice coming from somewhere below, "the next time I consider eating a pine tree."

              Suddenly the tree was gone and Lance could breathe. He darted out from the corner, as if staying would mean making it his permanent new home. Pine needles were everywhere and Keith was already eyeing them the same way he eyed his sweaters full of cat hair.

              "Okay," Lance said, straightening his shirt. "Lights are on and plugged in."

              "I pulled it out a little, so we'll just push it back when we're done decorating," Keith said. He reached up to brush some pine needles out of Lance's hair.

              "After you, sir," Lance said with a sweeping gesture towards the boxes of ornaments.

              It was a simple task, decorating the tree. It would have been done in silence had Lance not turned on the radio. Hanging shiny red bulbs onto branches to the various melodies of classic rock didn't exactly feel like Christmas, but Keith threatened him in a very serious "til death do us part" sort of way if Lance put on anything relating to the holidays; he'd gotten out his pocket knife and everything.

              "I hear enough of that at work," Keith had said.

              It was true -- stores were putting on Christmas music earlier with each year. Lance was lucky: the clothing department he worked at had ten different songs with each song having two or three different renditions throughout the whole track. Keith's just had five.

              Lance could've gone on about the evils of corporations sucking the fun out of literally everything, but that would mean letting them win. Pidge and her brother, Matt, had explained it to him before, when he'd voiced his complaints.

              When it was finally done, they stood back and watched as the lights twinkled off the shiny glass ornaments. It was a masterpiece. Lance went and grabbed his phone, taking pictures from every angle (except from the corner, he was not going back), and Keith watched as he started preparing hot chocolate from the kitchen.

              "Send those to me when you're done," he said.

              "As always," Lance said. He swiped around on his phone until he'd sent them not only to Keith, but to his own extended family as well. A couple he fiddled with on Instagram until he decided on a filter. He was always taking pictures, though, and Keith was always asking for them. Keith blamed it on his phone ("It's old. Yours takes better pictures."), but Lance knew he just didn't want to bother.

              Netflix was pulled up and a couple DVDs were pulled out of their collection. Keith ended up deciding for them both, though, when he said no to all of them except one.  It wasn't an exact yes, though -- he made a kind of shrug and an "eh" to Nightmare Before Christmas.

              "Did you get candy canes?" Lance asked as Keith handed him his mug.

              "Oh right."

              Lance popped in the DVD and waited for the chance to skip to the main menu. A pack of the leftover candy canes they'd used to hang on the tree was dropped down next to the tin of cookies Keith had also brought over. They'd both baked them, at some point or another. Only one set was done together, due to their conflicting schedules. Another was given to them by Keith's dad.

              All the lights were turned off except the tree. Lance swirled a candy cane in his hot chocolate, watching it melt as the movie started. Keith had burrowed himself under a blanket, so Lance stole a piece of it so he could be at least a little burrowed under as well. The tree really did look good. It didn't look like the super fake magazine pictures of trees or the ones in model houses or in store windows. It had personality -- their personalities, scrambled up into one. And it would look just as good on actual Christmas morning, with presents tucked underneath it.

Yes, a very good tree indeed.