#reuben pepper

[mechanicalchickens]

Dang, is that a pun in the ominous background conversation? Very dadly wordplay.

[tenmillionthfirefly]

Ivy Pepper, surrounded by her three dads and her dads' weird henchman (1921)

[miles-crow]

Yet another bunch of Lackadaisy fanarts!

Old & new :)

[cipher-club]

I'm glad Ivy takes after her dad 😁

[lordofdestructionm]

[inktailsaystuff]

Introducing Freckle to Ruby (Ivy's dad)

Ivy meets Nina

Freckle stood outside the grand home of the Pepper’s. The mansion stood tall and proud, snowy walls with tall windows and large oak doors stood before him. Freckle fixed his bowtie, trying to look as professional as possible. He had worn his usual green pants and suit jacket, since according to Ivy “they matched his eyes.” Speaking of Ivy, the gray short furred cat stood next to him, her long thin wiry tail swishing with excitement. She was wearing a yellow sundress with matching heels and a matching hat adorned with flowers. 

“You ready Freckle?” Ivy’s chipper voice broke through his thoughts.  

“...Uh yeah. I’m ready.” He smiled at her, his tail twitched as his anxiety bore down on him. This was it, he would meet Ivy’s parents and if everything went according to plan… he could ask for their blessing, and hopefully marry her. 

“Great! Come on.” Ivy led him up the marble steps, her heels hitting the floor each time with a clack. He followed albeit less enthusiastically behind her. His blood ran cold as the door opened, only to reveal a silver furred butler. 

“Welcome back Ms. Pepper.” He bowed, holding the door open for the both of them. 

“Hello Damien.” Ivy beamed. “Where’s Mother and Father?” She asked as she dragged Freckle along behind her. 

“Your father is in his study, your mother is with your sisters in the garden miss.” Damien answered as he shut the door behind them. 

“What time is lunch?” Ivy asked as she fished a pocket watch out of Freckle’s coat.

“At 12:30 Miss Pepper.” Damien answered. “Would you like me to notify your father of your guest?”

“Yes please.” Ivy nodded, “This is Fr- Calvin and he will be having lunch with me right?”

“That is correct.” Freckle straightened his posture trying to make himself look more confident than how he felt. As Damien vanished Freckle turned to Ivy. “That’s like twenty minutes. What are we going to do while we wait for lunch…?” 

“Come on.” Ivy gripped his paw in hers. “Damien said that mother is in the garden with Rose and Willow. Anyway, Willow is the younger sister, she's six. Rose is ten.” Ivy looked at him. “Got it?”

“Yeah I think so…” Freckle blinked as Ivy led him back outside into the gardens. Rose bushes surrounded him, and snaking ivy grew along the wall like snakes. A small stream cut through the garden leading to a pond with a snowy white pavilion under a willow tree. Even from across the garden Freckle could see a pale cat sitting in the Pavilion. She had a long fluffy tail with a few ginger spots across her snout and long black hair, she also had large yellow eyes just like Ivy. Next to her sat two more girls, the seemingly older one had gray fur with white spots and yellow eyes, while the younger had dark gray fur and blue eyes. 

“Mama!” Ivy beamed running up the stairs to the pavilion while Freckle trailed behind. “Willow! Rose! It's great to see you again!” Ivy hugged her mother and sisters respectively. 

“Ivy. Hello darling.” Her mother smiled, she had a soft quiet voice. She moved gracefully as she hugged her daughter. “And who’s your friend?” She asked, her yellow gaze landing on Freckle. 

“Mama. This is Calvin, Calvin this is my mother.” Ivy introduced Freckle to her mother. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Ms. Pepper.” Freckle smiled politely. 

“Calvin hm?” The snowy cat hummed. “I’m Charlotte, Ivy’s mother as you know. It’s a pleasure to meet you Calvin. Upon what business are you here?” She raised a brow as she stirred her tea with a silver spoon. 

“Oh- Uh…” Freckle stuttered over his words. 

“It was my idea!” Ivy jumped in to save him. “Kill two birds with one stone you know? You all get to meet Calvin, and he gets to asked Father for his blessing.” Ivy sped over the last part of the sentence. 

“Blessing?” Charlotte raised a brow, sitting up straighter. “How curious. How about you and I discuss this Ivy?” She turned to Freckle. “Could you watch Willow and Rose while we chat?” Freckle nodded, despite being phrased like a question he could tell that it was an order. 

“I would love to, after all I get to meet more of the Pepper family.” Freckle watched as Ivy vanished with her mother, the duo walking along the garden leaving him with the kittens. Rose immediately dragged Freckle over to a small table. 

“Play with us.” She demanded, her stance was similar to Ivy whenever she demanded something of anyone at the speakeasy. 

“Oh… you want me to-”

“Play with us!” The girl screamed, stomping her foot.

“Ah! Right yeah sure.” Freckle sat down in one of the tiny chairs. 

“So you are Rose?” Freckle smiled at the fiery kitten as she dressed him up in one of Charlotte's sun hats. Like Ivy, Rose clearly took no for an answer, she even had Ivy’s signature glare. He started to regret giving into the girl’s antics as Willow wrapped him in a fluffy shawl. Similar to the one he could see Mitzi wearing around the Lackadaisy sometimes.

“Yep! And that’s Willow.” Rose pointed at the younger kitten while Willow poured imaginary tea into the broken china set. 

“Now. I’m going to be the Queen, Willow you are the princess, and Calvin is the King.” Rose commanded as she strung pearl necklaces around her neck. Placing a flower crown on everyone's head. “And the Queen is having a tea party.” 

“But I wanted to be the Queen.” Willow protested, pouting as he tail swished in annoyance. 

“I’m the oldest. So I am the Queen.” Rose hissed, stomping her foot. “And I want a tea party.” 

“Uh… How about you both are queens?” Freckle offered before this became an all out argument. “Just from different kingdoms. And you are having a tea party to discuss… queen things.” 

“...Fine.” Rose sniffed. “You can be queen Willow… but only because I said so!” She added. Freckle played along as the girls did their thing. However when Ivy and her mother returned they were met with an interesting sight, Freckle was wrapped in random items of clothing holding a teacup in hand as Rose gave a toast. 

“You look ridiculous.” Ivy burst into giggles as she liberated him from her two sisters. 

“I noticed.” Freckle smiled at her, as he stripped off the unmatching clothing.

Freckle stood by Ivy as they got ready for dinner. “Father. Meet Calvin. Calvin, this is my father.” Ivy smiled, as she stood between the two men. Ivy’s father was a dark gray cat with sharp blue eyes, he didn't have a particularly bulky build and was more on the slender side. He wore a baby blue vest, with darker blue pants and black glossy shoes. 

“Greetings Calvin. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The cat smiled. “I’m Reuben Pepper.” He had a soft smile, similar to Ivy but less energetic and more tired. 

“It’s good to meet you Mr. Pepper.” Freckle smiled politely.

“Oh nonsense you may call me Ruby.” Ruby chuckled, waving a paw. “Now please sit down. We can discuss as we eat. No point in standing and chatting as the food gets cold.��� Freckle sat down next to Ivy. Ruby gave him a good vibe, he seemed friendly enough. “So how did you meet my daughter?” Ruby asked as he cut up his steak, his eyes never leaving Freckle as he slowly ate his food. His long thin wiry tail coiled like a snake. 

“We met at the Little Daisy.” Ivy cut in, “I decided to talk to him first.” She was clearly more eager to prattle on about how they met than Freckle was. Something Ruby most definitely noticed by the small smile that formed on his face as he watched the duo.

“Ivy. If you please let Calvin get a word in.” Ruby chuckled at his daughter's antics, as he drank some water, his tail flicking side to side. 

“Sorry Father.” Ivy shoved a piece of bread into her mouth.

“So… I assume you are not here just because you two are friends.” Ruby looked at Freckle, “Am I right?” 

“Oh… well…” Freckle gulped. “I wanted to ask for your blessing…” He took a deep breath as he felt Ivy interlock her fingers with his. “I have liked Ivy for a while now… no… I love Ivy. And I would like to marry her and I would like your blessing so I can do that.” Freckle sat awkwardly in his chair, twiddling his thumbs. 

“Well… from what I’ve seen and what Ivy has told me… you are a good match up. Considering you can keep up with Ivy.” Ruby nodded. “I give you my blessing.” 

“O-Oh…” Freckle blinked, he hadn't expected Ruby to relent so quickly, he had even made a whole speech and list just in case he had to convince him.

“Surprised?” Ruby chuckled. “Ivy has told me you're her only partner to not get attacked by Viktor. So I say you're a good match if even that hard head approves.” 

“Thank you…” Freckle blinked, turning to Ivy. “I… I guess we are getting married.” The rest of the dinner went by rather smoothly other than Ivy whispering into his ear. 

“You're really good with kittens, you know?” Ivy grinned at him, looking at him through her lashes. “I think you’ll make a great father for our kittens.” It took all of Freckle’s self control to not hide his face in his paws out of embarrassment. Ivy smiled, noticing that he was flustered. 

“W-What kittens…” Freckle mumbled as he drank his water. 

“The ones we’ll have soon hopefully.” Ivy remarked, making Freckle almost choke on his water. “I mean… you said it yourself… we are getting married.” She teased, looking at him with a sly smile. 

“Ivy please.” Freckle whispered as he tried to regain his composure. “I’m not trying to embarrass myself in front of your family.” He tried to act as normal as possible, the only giveaway of his increasing state of flusteredness being his tail that whipped side to side.

[sleepylion]

Lackadaisy Ingenue (Mini Episode)

[hottest-ld-character]

~ Who's more attractive?

Reuben "Ruby" Pepper vs. Ivy Pepper!

Rules: Vote only for the character you find the most attractive (*or aesthetically pleasing, if you don't find yourself attracted to either); please don't vote off of bias and favoritism!

[eggman91lives]

lackadaisy idea au

Ivy dad is Reuben is a nice guy but he’s extremely anti-Irish…. Like comically so …..even though he like half Irish

like coffee ruined damn Irish

atlas dead damn irish

his daughter a bootlegger damn Mitzi…….and the Irish

[tiredtief]

1 for Zytaveon, 3 for Reuben, 4 for Aedan, 7 for Aventurine, 9 for Daryl, 10 for Jayden, 13 for Myrine, 16 for Ash, 17 for Marnie, 20 for Maryangela and 34 for Pepper!

Ouagh, so many! Thanku!

1. If your oc was to host a TV show, what would it be about? Would your oc be good at it? What sorts of guests would appear?

Z is a bit shy, so it's not really likely for him to host anything public like that, but if he did I'm sure it would be some sort of cooking show, and he'd be great at making yummy treats. Maybe my other cheffy OCs like Luke could come by!

3. If you were to choose another name for your oc, what do you think it would be? Did you choose it for how it sounds or for its meaning?

I honestly picked Reuben first and never settled on anything else. It was definitely a case of name creating OC and not the other way around. I have no idea why I picked it tbh, but I think it suits him.

4. How does your oc fare in the dark? Are they scared? Do they trip over things really easily or navigate like they have night vision? (Or do they have night vision?)

Aedan is probably neutral about the dark, he doesn't really fear or like it. He does tend to trip though, which can be troubling considering his past.

7. Does your oc have any allergies, intolerances, or other sensitivities? How dangerous is it? Does this affect their daily life in any way?

Does being allergic to bad gamers count? In all seriousness Ave is pretty hardy and doesn't have any trouble with eating.

9. How easily does your oc make friends? Do they have difficulty talking to new people? Why?

Daryl is actually pretty shy and keeps to himself - a literal lone wolf if you will - which makes it difficult for him to meet people or hold long conversations.

10. How open is your oc to trying new things? Are they the adventurous sort, or would they rather stay in their comfort zone? Why?

Jayden used to definitely be a comfort zone guy due to his social anxiety, but I think with time and his story/development he becomes more outgoing and willing to try new things or be more out there.

13. How dangerous is your oc? Are they completely innocent, or someone to be feared? Do others know?

Considering she's a bounty hunter/seductress, probably very dangerous. She definitely tricks you with those cute doe eyes and then fuckin GETS you.

16. How often does your oc lie? Why is that? What was the biggest lie they’ve ever told?

Ash is very much a white lier who prefers to avoid conflict with friends and acquaintances and will thus come up with small fibs (e.g, no you look fine in that dress, no I'm not mad, etc). Of course, they do have a tipping point where they'll let their true feelings be known if you make them mad enough. However, they really don't tell any big lies.

17. How well can your oc keep secrets? Is there a difference between how they handle their own vs someone else’s? To what lengths would they go to keep something hidden?

Marnie keeps MANY secrets as evidenced by her story and very much keeps to herself. Due to this, she's a very good keeper of others' secrets too, and is perfectly capable of taking something to the grave as needed.

20. What is your oc’s personal hygiene like? Is it important to them? What is their daily routine for this like?

I'd like to think Maryangela only took modest baths before Falling due to the humility being forced onto all angels, and after Narci introduced her to the luxurious world of bubble baths and spa days she got more into self-care.

34. How easily does your oc throw something away? As soon as something is through with its usefulness, or are they more like a hoarder? Is there a reason?

In terms of being precious with things, Pepper is really not the type. However, she is very ecologically-minded, so if she can recycle something or repurpose it, she would rather do that than contribute it to a landfill. She's definitely the kind of person to hold onto a chips bag or soda bottle until she finds a recycling bin.

Thank you again bb!!

[666calistaxx]

I put glasses on mothaflippin Reuben Pepper! Because hes so darn cute ever since I saw how hes gonna look AAARRGGHHHH WJSMKANDJSND

[downthetubes]

Comic Spotlight: "Turville's Touchstone", aka "The Spellbinder", from Lion

Check out this clever "Spellbinder" artwork offering a complete story in just one illustration...

Here’s some smashing art featuring British comic character “The Spellbinder”, providing a story told in just one illustration, as you’ll discover reading on, presumably drawn by the series regular artist Geoff Campion. Although “The Spellbinder” ran in Lion for several years, this art featured in The Valiant Book of Mystery and Magic (1976), one of the last appearances by the characters, where…

[lackadaisycats]

May I ask about Reuben/Ruby Pepper? He is so darn charming rn- but moving on to the questions:

1. Is he a single #1 dad? (Like did he lost his wife when Ivy was born? Or like she passed after some time?)

2. What could possibly be his relationship or dynamic with Atlas? Since I heard that Atlas is Ivy's godfather, so I was a bit curious if Ruby worked for Atlas too! Or Atlas and Ruby turned out to also be good friends or just friendly acquaintances?

3. If he did work for Atlas or anything about the Little Daisy and Speak-easy, what would his work be?

4. I bet on him calling Ivy baby nicknames since he still sees her as his lil baby daughter-

He's not a single dad. Ivy's mother is alive.

Ruby did work for Atlas, yes. And they were friends. As with most of Atlas' friendships, though, the power dynamic is lopsided.

Well, 'deal broker' would be the polite way of putting it. He's a gregarious fellow, and helped Atlas make a lot of the personal connections and arrangements one needs to get away with trafficking large consignments of illicit alcohol from one place to another. A little of what he did features in a mini-episode, so I'll leave it to that to do the explaining when it comes out.

She's his Peanut.

[callsigncurse]

strange happenings (jake seresin x reader)

Summary: A trip to the falls with the Dagger Squad turns into a story told around a bonfire. You learn about Evergreen Falls' interesting history & you nearly break the promise you made to Jake.

Warnings: Brief mention of an animal attack.

A/N: Based off of a poll I did, the reader's Dagger Squad nickname will be Pepper! Congratulations on becoming the newest member. :)

Without further delay, I present to you part two of Evergreen Falls.

←prev.

It was shaping up to be a good day. The sun had risen far above you; it was pleasantly warm, and your friends were lounging around your porch as you packed a bag for your trip to the falls. You would have done it sooner, but Jake had absolutely insisted on taking you for breakfast, and the conversation had run long. You found it easy to get lost in his eyes, and apparently the same could be said for him.

You'd also had to run errands, and he'd tagged along while you ran to the store to get paper plates and napkins and while you purchased candles and a new charger for your cell phone. He didn't say much while you walked around the store, but you figured that was just how he was. People had watched the two of you curiously, the newcomer and the huge, quiet woodworker. You'd paid them no mind as you paid and left, your tall shadow following close behind you.

"Let's go, Pepper! We're wasting daylight!" Bradley complained, and you grabbed the paperback book you'd started and stuffed it into your backpack. The nickname he’d bestowed upon you was the result of you threatening to kick him in the nuts for a comment he’d made about seeing you in a bathing suit. It was all in good fun, but he’d laughed and told you that you were “a feisty, spicy woman” and the nickname ‘Pepper’ was born. 

Taking one last look in your mirror, you smoothed your hair down and adjusted the straps of your bathing suit top. The color is a lovely red, striking against your skin, and you shimmy your cutoff jean shorts back on. You’re a little worried that the cut and the color were a little too much for such a small town, but it was all you had on such short notice. Besides, you really liked the way you looked in it.

You feel eyes on you when you walk out of your house, turning to make sure the door is closed and locked securely. Sure, this was a small town, and crime happened very rarely. But the motions were ingrained in you after spending so many years in San Diego, so you did them anyway for your own piece of mind before you turned around to face everyone.

Jake was standing nearby, his hypnotic eyes trained on your every movement. There was something in his eyes, and whatever it was made your stomach erupt into butterflies. The way he made you feel just by looking at you was both mystifying and incredible.

The others were already gathering their things, with Bob and Bradley dragging coolers while Javy, Mickey, and Reuben walked ahead in their own little group, each carrying two camping chairs slung across their backs. Besides Jake, they knew the forest best and would lead your little friend group up to the falls. Nat walked on your right side, chattering with you, while Jake took his place on your left. He was walking in the grass rather than on the path, and he’d insisted on carrying your backpack in addition to two camping chairs. He seemed happier than he had this morning, even if he’d been roped into carrying chairs. Not that he struggled with that – the guy was extremely strong. 

"So I've been thinking." Nat was playing with her hands nervously, looking down at you as you walked.

"That sounds dangerous." You quipped, and you dodged her hand when she reached out to swat at you. You brushed up against Jake doing so, and you ignored the little shivers his warmth gave you. "Kidding, kidding. What's on your mind, Phoenix?"

"I've been wanting to talk to you about possibly becoming my partner. With the business." Your head shot up, your eyes meeting Nat's with confusion and a little worry. "Not like that; the business is doing totally fine financially. I'm wanting to work out a plan to expand it, you know? I want it to be a cafe and bookshop, and I thought maybe you could help with that part. Obviously you wouldn't have to work full shifts, just help me with planning, chime in with ideas, etcetera. I can pay you. Plus, I figured, you're here now, and books are your thing since you're an English major, and-"

"Phoenix." Your voice broke her out of her nervous rambling, and while you were stunned, you were also ecstatic. On one hand, this opportunity meant you'd be able to get out of the house and spend time with your friends. On the other, it might leave less time for you to write. Regardless, it was an easy choice to make. "You know I don't need the money, Nat," You murmured. She knew about the inheritance your parents had left behind for you. "But I'd be happy to pitch in. A bookshop sounds magical."

"Nonsense." She waved a hand, dismissing the very idea of accepting your help without some sort of payment offered. "I will absolutely be paying you. Stop by Top Bean on Monday, and we can talk more about it, okay? That way, we can have fun this weekend without thinking about work." When Nat set her mind to something, you knew there was no changing it. Not without a long, well-thought-out discussion.

You finally nodded. “Alright, fine. You got yourself a deal. And a business partner.” This part didn’t worry you. You knew that Nat would make an amazing business partner; she was well organized, focused, and driven. Yeah, this might just be the thing you needed. Another good change—something to focus on. Something you could be passionate about. What better way to start over than to start over in a place where your best friend was trying to help make a home for you?

“Awesome!” Nat threw an arm around your shoulders, dragging you in so she could squeeze you against her side. The affection had warmth blooming in your chest, and you did the same, slipping an arm around her waist. It was so nice to be with her again after having spent so much time apart. You had mostly survived on texts, the occasional call, and video chat. There was nothing quite like seeing her in person, bright, smiling, and happy to see you.

A hand touched yours, and you looked to the side to see Jake smiling softly down at you. “Do you hear that?” Sure enough, when you stopped chattering with Nat and really listened, you could hear the faint sounds of a flowing river. “We’re near the falls. This is about the halfway point from your cabin to the top of the falls.” He explains, his free hand gesturing toward the treeline on his left side. “This is the most beautiful part of the Evergreen Forest, but this is where it gets darkest at night. Very unsafe.”

You nod, studying your surroundings as you follow your friends. It doesn’t seem so dangerous, especially not when there’s a path that’s pretty clearly marked. Part of you wonders why Jake is so adamant about keeping you out of these woods, but the other part remembers the fact that you promised you wouldn’t come here alone. You wonder if you’ll ever find out why Jake seems so scared of this place or why he’s so worried about you.

Nat once again grabs your attention, telling you about the first trip to the falls of the summer. She tells you all about how they had made burgers, had a small campfire, and about how the boys had played football too close to the river, and a fumble from Fanboy caused the football to fly off into the water, never to be seen again. 

“That was not my fault; Coyote threw it over my head! I’m just a little dude compared to you guys.” A ripple of laughter traveled through the group, and you even heard Jake join in. His laugh is deep; there's a rumble in his chest, and it makes you smile just to hear it. You vow then that you’ll do your very best to make sure you hear that sound again, as many times as you can. “Besides, I bought a new one, and we’ll stay further away from the river.”

Another few steps revealed a break in the foliage. Up ahead, the river flowed peacefully, dancing over large rocks and under tree limbs. It sparkled beautifully as it went, the sun bouncing off into fractals. It was a gorgeous sight to behold, and you stayed behind just a moment to really take your fill of the landscape. You’d never lived somewhere so beautiful—sure, San Diego had the same ocean, but the views here were just indescribable. The falls were a little further upstream, but the place the group decided to settle was perfect – not too loud, and a huge clearing off the sides for tossing the football around, and a little bank so you could wade into the river.

Jake hovered just beside you, his green eyes studying your frozen form. The soft upturn of your lips had his heart racing, and the way the sun touched your hair, your bare shoulders and arms made you glow. Watching you, he wondered if you knew just how much you resembled an angel. He’d known from the second that his skin first touched yours that you were meant for him, but he also couldn’t deny the fact that you deserved so much better than what he had to offer.

“Jake?” The sound of your musical voice broke him out of his quickly spiraling mind, and he glanced back down at you. “You wanna come help me set up a spot? I think I’ll get some sun and read for a little while.” You didn’t really give him a second to answer you; you were just too excited to be here. You hurried toward the group, adjusting your sunglasses as you watched the guys start setting up. Nat grabbed a space between you and Bob, so Jake settled on setting his chair directly next to yours on your other side. As soon as that was settled, he reached up, took his shirt by the collar, and did that hot thing guys do when they slide their shirts off just like that.

You very nearly whimpered. You caught yourself in time, biting down on your lower lip so hard that you swore you nearly drew blood. But God, he was gorgeous. He was just as tan on his chest and belly as he was everywhere else, strong muscles moving under the surface of that golden skin as he moved to carefully fold his t-shirt. And the trail, holy shit. It was the same dark honey shade as his beard, and you wanted to swoon. And he had a tattoo on his left arm, the dark imprint of a forest wrapped around his bicep. You wondered when he’d gotten it. You suddenly had the urge to kiss all over his skin and feel how warm he was with your fingertips.

Instead, you duck your head and move to sit in your chair, digging around in your backpack for the book you’d dropped in there earlier. It was easier to breathe when you weren’t looking at him, but the thing was, you never wanted to stop looking at him. There was something about him that just drew your attention to him whenever he was nearby. Which was a problem because this was a small town and you shared a friend group.

“Pretty girl?” When you looked up, Jake was looking at you with a glint in his eyes. It looked like he was up to no good. “You’re sitting directly in the sun at half past noon; you maybe want to put some sunscreen on before you get pink all over?” That was a good point. You dive back into your backpack, dragging out a tube of SPF 50 and uncapping it.

You felt his eyes on you as you squeezed some into your palm, and then as you slowly started working into your skin. It took everything in you not to pretend that it was his hands doing all the work instead, loosening knots in your muscles as they worked their magic. So instead, you started counting backwards in your head, rubbing more sunblock into your legs, your belly, and your chest. When you finally looked back at him, you were startled.

He looked, for lack of a better word, hungry. His seafoam green eyes were several shades darker, and his hands twitched from their place in his lap. It was like he was holding himself back from reaching out to touch you, and a shiver raced its way down your spine. You understood how he felt, because you were feeling the exact same way towards him – that undeniable pull tugging at you, making you want to touch his skin and press kisses to his lips. 

“Here, Pep, let me get your back.” Bob was suddenly there, completely oblivious to the tension between you and Jake that was currently making the air hard to breathe. “Gotta make sure you’re covered, yeah?” You knew Bob meant absolutely no harm, he was just sweet like that, but Jake looked absolutely murderous as your friend took the bottle from you and gently covered your back in the sunscreen. His hands were warm and soft with small calluses on his fingertips, most likely due to the fact that he was the high school’s music teacher. You’d heard from Bradley that he was damn good at playing the guitar. 

When he was done, he handed the bottle back. “There you go, all set.” He declared, and you thanked him with a gentle squeeze of the hand. He really was one of the sweetest people you’d ever met, and you were happy to know him. “I’m gonna go help Bradley set up the grill so we can get lunch going. Come over if you get hungry, okay?”

 With that, he wandered off toward Bradley, and you turned back to face forward. Nat had watched the entire thing, and she noticed the dark look on Jake’s face. In all her years of knowing him, she’d never seen him look downright dangerous before. She wondered what all that was about.

You weren’t oblivious to what was happening. You saw the way he was looking at the ground, and his jaw was clenched so tightly that a muscle was twitching. It was almost like you could feel what he was feeling—the jealousy building in your gut. You wonder if you're having some sort of hallucination or if you’re just going a tad bit insane. There’s no possible way that you could actually be feeling what Jake was feeling, right?

You’re broken out of your thoughts by the sound of your friends starting up a game and the boys tossing the football around. So you push aside whatever the hell you think is happening to you and follow Phoenix over to the excitement to watch.

By the time the sun starts to go down, you’re a little sore, and your skin is just the slightest amount of pink from too much sun. But the river had been nice and cool, and it felt like you’d really bonded with ‘the Daggers’ as you’d come to learn that they called themselves. You were a part of them now, and nothing felt better to you than knowing that this incredible group of people liked you and wanted you around.

Now you were seated in your chair, watching Javy, Reuben, and Mickey chow down on snacks while Bradley and Nat talked quietly. Bob was watching the fire, and Jake seemed to be in his own world. The flames threw his features into a gorgeous shade of gold, and you couldn’t help but try to discreetly watch him. You wonder which parent he got those beautiful green eyes from, and you study the way he taps the fingers of his left hand on his thigh like he’s playing the piano.

“You know, I think it’s time that Pepper here knew a little more about her new home, don’t you guys?” Mickey pipes up, and you turn your head at the mention of your nickname. “Has Nat ever told you about the legends around this place, Pep?” The others are looking at you, and you feel your eyebrows furrow as you sit up straighter in your chair.

“No, she didn’t, but I love learning about myths and legends." This is actually of particular interest to you, being that you’ve studied and read a lot of stories based on myths and legends. “What do you guys have here? Spirits? Cry baby bridges? Bigfoot?” Jake snorts, and you laugh, too. “Sorry, this is just super interesting to me.”

“I mean, Bigfoot is a given; you live in the PNW now,” Bob points out, “but our legends are a little cooler than Cry Baby Bridges or just plain old ghosts. How familiar are you with werewolves?”

You cock an eyebrow, meeting Bob’s gaze from across the fire. "What do you mean, like, ‘turning under the full moon and silver bullets kill us’ type of werewolves?” You didn’t particularly believe in the supernatural, as fascinating as you did find the legends and stories surrounding them. “That’s a little far-fetched, isn’t it?” Part of you wondered if your friends were just trying to scare you or something.

“Not that kind of werewolf.” The soft reply came from beside you, and you knew without looking that it was Jake. “These wolves, the ones from our legends, are different from the ones in your storybooks, pretty girl.”

The rest of the Daggers seemed content to let Jake tell the story, so you turned in your chair as much as you could to watch him as he told it. “Our town was founded a very long time ago, not long after the Oregon Trail. Back then, this land was wilder and harsher. And, little did the town’s first settlers know, a lot more occupied.”

He pauses for a moment, like he’s searching for the right words. “The ones that shared the land here were born as werewolves. Part man, part beast, but they lived as though they were beasts all of the time. They lived in the forests like animals; they hunted, fought, and bred like they’d never been humans in the first place.”

“And then humans started arriving in droves, taking over their land, and the wolves felt threatened. They fought back.” Jake’s eyes have a faraway look in them. “As much as they could, at least. They sabotaged the town, chased people away, and once, a man was bitten by a wolf. Of course, he was treated for it, and no one thought much of it. At least, not until the next full moon. It’s said that when the Bitten first turn, they have no control over it. The man that had been bitten fell to the floor in front of a clergyman, and the clergyman said that it seemed like every bone in the man’s body broke, just these horrible snapping sounds coming from him until he was nothing but a heap on the ground.”

Jake pauses for a moment before he continues. “And then fur started taking over his skin. Black as night, and then his teeth elongated and his nose and mouth turned into a snout and suddenly, in front of him, where the man had been, there was a wolf. And that wolf snarled at him, and the clergyman fled. Ran as far and as fast as he possibly could.”

“No one ever saw the man that had supposedly turned into a wolf again, not after that night. And of course, eventually, the rest of the wolves were forced to leave when yet more humans came. Some say they never returned to this area, but others say that they’ve heard the howls at night.” The corner of his mouth twitches, almost like he’s about to smile. “Nothing truly remains of those times but word-of-mouth, because the town’s archives mysteriously burned along with the first library back in 1901. There’s no way that we can say for certain that the stories are true."

His eyes refocus, and he studies you with those gorgeous eyes. “But then again, most legends are based on facts, so who’s to say the monsters in our legends aren’t real?"

You’re quiet for a moment, your gaze meeting his, and then you snort and roll your eyes. “Yeah, yeah, neat story, guys. You’re not going to scare me that easily. I lived in San Diego, in case you didn’t remember. Nothing scares me anymore.”

The others laugh, with Nat pushing your shoulder good-naturedly as she giggles. Mickey has a shit-eating grin on his face since this was his idea, and Bradley looks disappointed that the stories didn’t seem to rattle you.

Jake is too busy staring at you again, and his expression is entirely unreadable. 

It’s not long after the story that the Daggers decide to start packing it up. The boys grab the chairs, and once again, Jake grabs your backpack. He seems to hesitate for a moment before he offers you his hand, too. “It gets real dark out here,” he explains quietly, almost shyly. “Wouldn’t want you to trip and fall.”

You slip your hand into his, and his skin is so warm against yours. A shiver skitters its way down your spine, and you avert your eyes before you once again get lost in his. “Thanks, Jake," you murmur in response, threading your smaller fingers through his and giving his hand a squeeze.

The walk back is quieter than it had been on the way in. A day in the river and under the warm summer sun had pleasantly worn you all out. Bob, Javy, and Reuben walked at the front of the group, while Bradley and Mickey were discussing something that you couldn’t quite hear. Nat walked just in front of you, seemingly content to be walking alone. You were content too, at Jake’s side, with his hand in yours.

When your cottage comes into view, everyone starts saying their goodbyes. Nat gives you a hug, Reuben and Mickey give you high-fives, Bob waves, and Bradley bumps your shoulder with his and gives you a wink. Javy gives you a cute little two-fingered salute and wanders off after Nat.

Soon enough, it’s just you and Jake left, standing in front of your home. Finally, you turn to look at him, just as he leans down and presses a sweet kiss on your forehead. While your face warms, you lean into his touch. “Today was amazing." Your voice is soft, but you mean it with all your heart. “Hanging out with you all day was the best.”

“I agree.” His free hand, the one that isn’t holding yours, brushes a loose lock of your hair behind your ear. “Thank you for insisting that I come with you all today. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken a day to just hang out with friends. It's been even longer since I had a breakfast date with a beautiful woman."

“It’s been years since I’ve been on a date.” You admit, and you're getting lost in those green, green eyes again. “Not that I thought it was a date; I’m sure you were joking about that. I mean, we just met, and you’re unfairly handsome, and I’m sure you could have any girl you wanted–" 

“Hey.” He cuts off your rambling, his voice soft as he lays his large hands on your shoulders. “I wasn’t joking when I said it was a date. I want it to have been a date because I like you. And I like you because you’re smart, insanely beautiful, and so interesting, and I’d really like it if I got to keep getting to know you. It’s been a long time since a woman has captured my attention the way you have.” You could swear your heart just stuttered in your chest at his words, and you nodded.

“I’d really like that too, Jake.” His touch is warm, and you lean into him a little more. “I knew I was going to be happy to move here since Nat was here. But meeting you guys—the Daggers—has been the most amazing thing. I feel like I really belong here.”

One of his hands touches your cheek, and he smiles serenely. “I think you do belong here, sweet girl.” The new nickname sends a pleasant shiver down your spine, and an answering smile flickers on your lips. “Getting a little late. I should probably let you go so you can get some rest.”

You’re about to argue—maybe invite him in for a cup of coffee—but a yawn overtakes you, and yeah, you’re exhausted. Moving took a lot out of you, and you’d only managed a few hours of sleep the night before. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow? I don’t have much of a plan since it’s Sunday, but if you want to stop by or anything, I wouldn’t mind the company.”

“I have a few things to work on at the shop." His hands leave you as he readies himself to leave, and you mourn the loss of his warmth. “But that should only take me a few hours. Maybe I can swing by in the evening? I can even cook you dinner.”

You have to suppress a smile at the idea. “That sounds perfect, Jake. I’ll look forward to it.”

“Goodnight, pretty girl.” He murmurs, and he waits until you’re safely inside the house to start the half-mile walk back to his place.

You’re still smiling to yourself when you get in the shower, washing the river water, sweat, and sunscreen off of your skin. You let yourself dwell on the fact that Jake admitted that he liked you and that he was planning on seeing you again tomorrow. It almost felt like a dream. 

It’s nearing midnight when you’re pulling on your pajamas, and you’re just about to turn out your light when it happens.

Howling.

It’s coming from behind your house, and you remember then about the howling you’d heard the night before, just before you’d fallen asleep. You’d chalked it up to exhaustion and an overactive imagination, but you knew for certain now that it had been real. Just as real as it was now.

Your heart was pounding as you grabbed your phone, and yeah, what you did next was probably extremely stupid. Instead of crawling into the safety of your bed, you turned around and crept down the stairs, your phone’s flashlight lighting your way.

Each new howl sounded closer, and you tiptoed through your kitchen to the backdoor. It sounded so close, and you knew that Jake would not be happy if you went out there, but your curiosity was getting the better of you. Wolves, you knew from your biology class in high school, were less likely to attack than say, a bear or a moose. So where was the harm in seeing one for yourself?

The door creaked when you pushed it open, and your feet touched the soft grass of your backyard. You knew that the path that led back into the Evergreen Forest was just a few feet ahead of you, but the night was pitch black and you could only see a few inches in front of your face with the help of your phone’s flashlight. All is mostly quiet now, just the sound of the wind rushing through the trees around you. It was almost eerily silent, like all of the other creatures around you were too afraid to make any noise. 

You find yourself moving toward the treeline, your phone gripped tightly in your hand. Half of your brain is screaming at you to get back inside, take refuge in the safety of your bed, but the other half is curious–you can’t help but remember the story from tonight. The werewolves, the legend that was perhaps based on fact, and Jake’s expression when you told him that you didn’t believe the story.

Another howl cuts through the air, closer than before, and your phone chimes with a text.

Jake: Don’t go in the woods tonight.

A strange feeling pools in your gut, and you turn and flee back into the house.

Taglist;

@twsssmlmaa

@mamachasesmayhem

[coco-bee]

COCO'S REVIEW: LACKADAISY INGENUE (Ft. @thesilliestofallqueers)

Welcome to Coco’s Review! Where I review and breakdown episodes, movies and etc and overthink every tiny detail  and/or give my thoughts and opinions :D

Today I'm discussing Lackadaiy Ingenue (ft.Robin)

Yes I’m a fan of Lackadaisy! I haven’t been there since the start BUT I have been following the series ever since the animated pilot- I’ve also read a handful of the comics but I wasn’t able to read everything. But I have a good idea of the characters and their lore. I’m very happy to revisit this series through Lackadaisy Ingenue! So to start things off I want to define what ‘Ingenue’ means for those who don’t know (like I did). According to google, “An Ingenue is an innocent or unsophisticated young woman, especially in a play or film.” which makes a lot of sense since this short focuses on Ivy when she was a little kitten (I’m assuming she’s around 6-9 here), and I guess this short technically counts as a film. New word to add to your vocabulary ✨ So the short opens with Ivy’s father, Reuben Peppers showing off a car to Atlas (who is confirmed to be Ivy’s godfather in the description). Btw Reuben sounds INCREDIBLY young in my opinion, I didn’t even think he was her father- I thought he was her older brother or something but nope, that’s her dad. Confirmed in the description!

We aren’t even a minute in and I’m already asking questions- mostly with how close Ivy and Reuben are. With “I like it when it’s just you and me”, it got me confused since it IS just them traveling. I’m going to assume maybe she prefers private trips with her father over using public transportation where others can hear their conversations. Which really shows how close they probably are if Ivy really enjoys one-on-one time with him. 

So as Reuben greets Mitzi, Atlas, Viktor and “Joe”. Reuben and Mitzi have an interesting conversation… “What happened to New Years?” “It’s Effie, she's uh.. We’ll talk later” The look Reuben gives Ivy might imply that “Effie” is Ivy’s mother or just a relative of the Pepper family since Reuben doesn’t want to talk about it with Ivy listening. But that's just me- So that’s totally not suspicious :D 

I also just want to mention the nice hug Atlas and Reuben have- it really does seem like they’re very close. Which is probably why Atlas is Ivy’s godfather- Atlas seems pretty comfortable around Reuben too! From what I can tell Atlas was more of a “show more, talk less” kinda guy but that’s maybe because this is my first real introduction to him before he died (lmk if he appears in a flashback in the comics). He doesn’t have any lines in this episode too so I just thought that’d be interesting to point out. And that's why I came to that conclusion.

Upnext is Ivy meeting Mordecai for the first time I’m assuming. So this seems to take place when Mordecai used to work with Lackadaisy before switching to Marigold. This also confirms that he was the bookkeeper for the daisy cafe to which if you don’t know- a bookkeeper oversees a company's financial data and compliance by maintaining accurate books on accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and daily financial entries and reconciliations. They basically take care of the finances of the cafe. This scene also highlights the gun Mordecai was trying to hide, which I guess adds more evidence for Ivy to what these people actually do for a living. In the description it seems that Ivy is not very aware of what her father does for work. At least at the time. Mordecai having a gun despite being “just” a bookkeeper gives her an idea of what they might actually do other than running a cafe.

Also the “I subtract numbers too” line is fucking hilarious I’m sorry 😭 Now we have the scene where Ivy and Viktor’s bond seems to have started! I would eat up their interactions in the comics istg I LOVE THEM<33 Victor becoming that one chill uncle 

Viktor lying about how Mordecai broke his arm is fucking hilarious too- I’m now requesting a short comic of Mordecai trying to rollerskate but failing miserably! ANYONE PLEASE- TAG ME IF YOU DO THAT (Rob ik youre an artist pls /j)

I don’t have a lot to say about this scene- I just love Ivy and Viktor’s dynamic smm! I gotta talk abt them in one of my Dynamic Duos episodes! (getting ready to go through so many comics) After their interaction Ivy notices a broken car door with bullet holes on it. It looks very similar to the door Viktor was replacing while he and Ivy were talking. That’s when Ivy pieced it together, Mordecai’s gun and the bullet holes? Yeah it became obvious to her that these guys are criminals-

You can tell that was her conclusion with her asking Viktor directly if they were robbers or gangsters while also assuring that the secret is safe with her! 

I’d just end my breakdown here BUT YOU SAW THE TITLE! I would like to welcome my first guest ROBIN!!! Aka TheSilliestofallQueers :D I wanted to bring them in because they know more about the extensive lore of Lackadaisy so I feel like this’d be a perfect time to have them featured! SO I GIVE THE FLOOR TO ROBIN!! 

HELLO YES THIS IS ROBIN!! (@thesilliestofallqueers)

I’m not as obsessed with Lackadaisy as I used to be back when the animated pilot was just released (I had a friend who got me into it, thank you for that Breezy) but I still know quite a bit so I’ll be putting a few footnotes to this already extensive deep dive into the animated short

Apologies in advance but this is just going to be me analyzing / ranting about Viktor and Ivy’s interactions since Coco didn’t!! (ITS SPELLED WITH A K?? -Coco fixing her typos) (YEAH ITS VIKTOR LMFAOOAOAOAO -Rob) Now first of all, I found it so endearing that Viktor almost immediately warms up to Ivy and starts joking with her / trying to cover up what they actually do with lighthearted / white lies. 

As someone who has read the comics I always knew Viktor was fiercely protective of Ivy (He beat up her exes because he thought they were no good lol) but Ivy almost always responded to this by being annoyed with Viktor (specifically in the instance of the ex boyfriends, she got mad at Viktor for it)

So seeing her as a kid getting along with Viktor so well was refreshing and sweet (Also this short implies that these mfs are OLD AS HELL -Coco) (YEAH IT DO DUNNIT LMFAOAOAO -Robbobin)

Now they keep getting along until Viktor suddenly tells Ivy that she shouldn’t be there in the middle of her telling a joke, and you can SEE his expression shift from fond to worried as I guess he realizes that if he keeps being nice to her, she’ll want to stick around. Therefore putting her in more danger than if she was kept away

He slams the car door as he yells at her to go, and she does, but not before giving him one last angry look because dude WHAT THE FUCKK WE WERE SO CHILL LIKE 5 SECONDS AGO

And then Coco details the rest of what happened 

SORRY IF MY PORTION WAS SHORT I JUST WANTED TO EXPAND ON WHAT COCO DIDNT LMFAOOAOA (also there wasn’t much to go off of since it was short + coco covered most of it in detail already) THANK YOU ROB FOR YOUR INPUT!! Tbh I was struggling with finding words for Viktor and Ivy’s scene so thankfully Rob did the job! Please go follow Rob on their page! And that concludes our breakdown of Lackadaisy Ingenue :D  Huge respect to Tracy Butler and her team for their amazing work on this because the animation is GORGEOUS and the storytelling is super clever! I’m so excited to cover the future episodes of the series when it eventually comes out !!

This is Coco and Robin typing... thank you for reading!

[jungle-angel]

these farmcore prompts all look so good! but you’ve talked a lot about the floyd family and farmer’s markets, would you mind expanding on that with #1 and bob, please? ☀️

OOoooooh absolutely my dear, I'd be more than happy to do so (lol).

"You got her?" you asked, unbuckling yourself from the passenger seat of the truck.

"Yep, I've got Deidre if you've got the two little demons next to her," Bob chuckled.

You jumped out of the truck and into the crisp fall air, cool and almost biting as you unbuckled Auggie and Patrick from their carseats and helped them down to the ground in the dirt and gravel parking lot where you had parked. It was one of those days where it was peak season for the markets and for all the things that came with the fall.

Bob lifted four month old Deidre out of her own carseat, kissing her soft pink cheeks as he wrapped her loosely in her Irish knit blanket his grandmother had made for her.

"Do we need to get the stuff out of the back of the truck?" you asked.

"Nah, my brothers can get it," Bob said with a dismissive wave. "Besides, I think Hangman and Rooster are driving my mother and father crazy."

You laughed as Bob's brothers, Sean, Michael, Eugene and Liam, all went around to the back of the truck and began unloading the produce, crates and baskets for the stands.

You couldn't believe how huge the market was this year, nor had you seen so many people in one place. So many farm and ranching families had come to make an extra penny, some as a side hustle and others just to keep the farm or the ranch afloat. All around the bright reds, yellows, oranges and browns exploded from the tops of the trees while the smells of cinnamon, pumpkin, apples and hot autumn lunches reached your nostrils.

Sure enough, you found Rooster and Hangman both with Bob's mother, Irene, and his grandmother, Marty. The Nguyens had the stall across from the Floyds, both Philip and his wife conversing back and forth in rapid Vietnamese that was easily lost in the cacophony of chatter surrounding you and Bob.

"Dare you to eat one," Hangman told Rooster when Rooster was done filling a basket full of long, thin, wrinkly looking chili peppers from Irene's garden.

"No thanks Bagman," Rooster told him. "I don't wanna be parked on the can, shootin fire outta my ass all day long."

"Oh c'mon," Hangman insisted.

"Jake, we are not burning down the farmstand," Irene said, pretending to chide him. "This is the one thing that helps keep the ranch afloat and the last thing we want is the newspapers reporting that the market burned down from you two lighting your own farts on fire."

"Oh honey come off it," Marty chuckled as she filled the small wooden barrel buckets with apples and peaches from the orchards. "Navy boys used to do alot worse back in my day."

You and Bob caught the tail end of the conversation, greeting your friends and family as the first few customers came up to make their purchases. "You guys all doin ok?" Bob asked.

"Yeah save for the fact that ass-jack over here is trying to make me eat one of your Meemaw's chili peppers," Rooster pointed out.

"Hey!" Hangman cut it.

"Any idea where the other numbskulls are?" Bob asked.

"Mickey's helping your dad and grandfather and so isn't Natasha," Irene explained as she plated some of Marty's soft, cakey cinnamon cookies and stuck them on the counter with the rest of the baked goods. "Javy and Reuben? I have no idea where they went."

You and Bob glanced at each other curiously, but no matter, they were bound to turn up somewhere.

"Alright my lovely queen," Joe called out as he placed a crate full of glass bottles full of milk. "This is the last of the milk, straight from the cow herself."

Bob snorted and smothered a laugh. You carefully put Deidre in her little wicker basket while your two sons ran off with their grandfather to finish off the last of the unloading.

You and Bob were in absolute heaven as you helped people with their orders, handing out hot cups of cider, little bags full of apples, peaches, little teal colored containers full of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, chili peppers, potatoes, lettuces, cabbages, carrots, onions and so many other things that had grown easily on the Floyd land.

The baked goods of course had been the biggest hit with Marty's cinnamon cookies being the favorite of the kids who would come by, along with slices of Irene's coffee cake, chocolate and caramel turtles, carrot cake bites, cinnamon and pumpkin cake donuts and steaming hot cups of pumpkin and cinnamon flavored coffee. However, the antics that had ensued were a little less than expected.

"Hi, I'm cute, why don't you take a photo with me, it's just a dollar," Jake said, holding a giggling Baby Deidre up in front of his face, his voice as high pitched as it could possibly go.

"Jacob Glen Seresin! Put my baby down!" you demanded.

"Oh c'mon (y/n)," he pretended to whine. "She's cute, it'll help rake in extra money."

You rolled your eyes, handing off a carrot cake square to an elderly woman and her husband. "I wouldn't worry about it (y/n)," Bob assured you. "Ten to nothing, she'll spit-up on him later."

Bob had spoken a little too soon when a flabbergasted Jake looked at the two of you, the front of his shirt covered in a splatter of white goo. "Um.......um......I dunno what just happened," he stammered.

"C'mere princess," Bob said, taking your daughter from her uncle's arms gently putting her over his shoulder and patting her back.

You handed Jake the dish rag, feeling a little bad for him. "Thanks (y/n)," he said.

"No worries dumbass," you replied with a chuckle. "This is why we love you guys."

All day long you and Bob did what you could to help out at the farmstand, selling all the goods that had come from the farm. You and Bob lived for days like this, when you could be surrounded by friends, family and all that came from the land itself.