#seeing as how she's very /very/ prone to overthinking--

[iiguess]

which aesthetic™ colour are you?

FOREST GREEN.

You're in your own world, spinning fictions and building realities and finding the poetry in ordinary things. The people around you can tell there's something special to you, and you're well-loved by a some very good people. But even to your closest friends, you're a bit of a mystery. This always surprises you to hear, because you don't mean to put walls up-- you just get so caught up in things nobody else sees that you forget to let yourself be seen. You're complicated, and sometimes you get tangled in it. Don't worry, though, it's not off-putting; despite your accidental air of mystery, your warmth can be seen like a campfire through distant trees.

[strangersmunsons]

read 'em and weep #3

you and Eddie spend more time together. romance blossoms.

Chapter 3 Eddie x Bookworm!Reader Series Read Ch. 2 -> Here!

Contains: Eddie x Reader, fem!bookworm!reader, lowkey shy!reader, new love and giddiness all around, and a brief cameo from Steve. No mention of reader's physical appearance, no use of y/n. Warnings: mentions of food/eating. Word Count: ~5.5k this took me sooo, ridiculously long to finish. work, writer's block, etc kept getting in the way! hopefully this is okay. i've spent far too much time at this point editing & second-guessing everything, i finally just had to stop overthinking & post!

You’re lying on your bed, nearly dozing when the telephone on your nightstand starts ringing shrilly.

The shock of it startles you from your half-sleep, and you blearily push yourself upright from the prone position. One hand smashes into the pages of the magazine you’d been skimming through, which slips forward on the soft bed covers.

Too comfy to really want to move, you stretch over and clumsily pick up the phone, bringing it up to your ear. “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Eddie,” says the voice on the other end. There’s a fuzziness around the edge of his words as they crackle through the speaker.

It’s not the first time he’s rang you at this hour, but a thrill still shoots through you at the sound of his voice. “Hi.”

Eddie has quickly become a fixture in your life over the past few weeks. Your friendship continued to blossom with each visit he paid you at the library, where he gave you live updates on his reading progress, not even bothering to wait until he was finished before sharing his opinions. He was nice, and funny, and you became increasingly fond of him.

Then one day, while he was chatting your ear off about something or other, it hit you: you think Eddie’s pretty. His face is sculpted but soft, everything just looks so soft. The rounded chin and cheeks, the bulbous tip of his nose that looks like the perfect place to plant a tiny kiss…

He had kept on talking, but you could hardly hear what he was saying. Suddenly all you could focus on was the prickly warmth creeping up the back of your neck and into your ears. It was reminiscent of a feeling you’d had once or twice before around him, but this time it came in swinging. And finally, you could see it for what it really was. Oh.

“Did I wake you up? Sorry, I know it’s kinda late.”

“No, I was still up.”

You sound a bit groggy, but if Eddie notices, he doesn’t mention it. “Okay, good. How are you?”

“I’m alright. How are you?”

“I’m alright,” he echoes back wryly. “How was your day? Did you have to work?”

“Yes, I did. It was good.” You reconsider, an uncomfortable moment spent with your boss flashing back to you, and grimace. “Mostly, anyway. How was your day?”

“Listen, don’t worry about me yet, I’m trying to ask about you. Tell me about your day, why was it only mostly good?”

Eddie seems to have a knack for that; saying things that make your heart flutter in a very nonchalant way, like it’s no big deal. You’re glad this conversation is over the phone, so he can’t see the dopey look on your face.

“Well…” You bite your lip. “It’s not a big deal, but do you know the librarian at all?”

“Marissa? Unfortunately. She’s kind of a bitch.”

“Yeah, she is. And today she overheard me telling another clerk what I have planned for Story Time this weekend, and she doesn’t like it. So she got kind of nasty with me.”

“Why? Are you reading something very inappropriate?”

“I want to read them this Dr. Seuss book, Bartholomew and the Oobleck, do you remember that one? And then for the craft period, we’ll make the oobleck. It’s really easy, just cornstarch and water. But she’s saying that I shouldn’t do it because it’s going to make too much of a mess.”

“Oobleck is supposed to be a really thick slime, right? The whole point is that it gets everywhere and they can’t get rid of it?”

“Well, yeah,” you admit. “So she might actually have a point.”

“Are you kidding?” he replies brightly. “They’ll love that shit. You should do it anyway, I think that’s a sick idea.”

“Thank you.” There’s a touch of pride in your voice. You really do try your best to come up with fun and interesting things for the kids. Encouraging them to read and sparking their creativity is all you ever hope for. “I also think it’s a great opportunity to teach them all about non-Newtonian fluids.”

Eddie barks out a laugh, and it digs sharply into your ear.

“You’re funny sometimes, you know that?”

You were being serious, but if it means you’re making Eddie laugh, then you suppose you’ll take it.

He continues without waiting for an answer. “If you need help cleaning up after, I can be around for that, since I don’t work until later.”

Immediately, your brain conjures up visions of green goo splattering everywhere, getting stuck to the low tables and entrenching itself into the carpet. You can’t bring yourself to inflict that upon him. “That’s awfully sweet of you, but you absolutely do not have to do that,” you reassure him.

“I’ll be there,” he says firmly.

“No!”

“I wanna play with the oobleck. I’ll be there.”

“Fine,” you concede with a laugh. “I won’t argue with that.” There’s a warm pause, mutual affection running through the miles of telephone wire connecting the two of you. You fiddle with a small pilled spot on the bedspread. “So how’s the latest book coming along?”

“Well,” he heaves out with a great sigh, “I finally finished Left Hand of Darkness, which was really good. I can’t say I liked it better than Earthsea, but I enjoyed it. I get why you like it so much.” 

“Comes down to personal preference. I’ve never met a bigger fantasy nerd than you, so Earthsea would be tough competition.”

“For my own sake, I’m choosing to take that as a compliment. Oh, and Genly and Estraven definitely had sex when they were alone on the ice together. I don’t care if they say otherwise.”

“Oh, they totally did!” you concur with a giggle.

“They were definitely kemmering, or whatever it is you’re supposed to call it. Anyway, I’m on to Geek Love now, and frankly, I’m shocked that you recommended this to me.”

“Why? You don’t like it?” It is a little grotesque, but you thought he’d be into that.

“No, I do. But I just can’t believe that a sweet thing like you would read a book like this.”

Your cheeks flood with heat as the word bounces around your head. Sweet, sweet, sweet — he thinks I’m sweet. “I like all kinds of books,” you mumble, and mentally kick yourself for not coming up with something more flirtatious to say back. The banter came a little more easily before you realized just how much you like him.

“So I’ve gathered.”

“Just you wait. I’ll have you reading the Brontës in no time.”

He huffs in disbelief. “Right. That’s likely.” He clears his throat. “Hey, um, can I ask you something?” There’s an edge to his voice you’re not used to hearing. 

“Shoot.”

“Do you wanna come and hang out at my place this weekend? We could get food and watch a movie, like Lord of the Rings or something, if you still wanted to see it. Or we can go to the video store and pick something out. You can choose.”

So far, Eddie’s only ever come to visit you at the library. The prospect of spending time with him alone — truly alone, without coworkers and patrons lurking just around the corner — makes your heart hammer dizzyingly against your ribs. You keep your answer simple. “Yes. I would like that.”

“Awesome.”

Wayne can hear one side of the discussion drifting through the trailer when he comes home, kicking his work boots off and leaving them by the door. Halfway across the living room he spies his nephew in the kitchen, and his eyebrows shoot up at the state of him.

Eddie’s leaning with his back against the wall, the phone held in place between his cheek and his shoulder. One ringed hand is twirling the phone cord around his finger as he speaks in a low voice, goofy grin plastered on his face.

They make eye contact across the trailer. Eddie immediately straightens up and tries to neutralize his expression.

Wayne snorts out a laugh.

“So, um, so anyway—“ Eddie fumbles with the phone “— does six o’clock work?” He turns to the side in a poor attempt to muffle the conversation. 

Wayne steps into the kitchen and tosses his jacket and lunchbox across the table. He makes a kissy-face at Eddie.

Eddie gives him the finger.

The day Eddie is meant to see you takes forever to arrive. However, as he stares at his reflection in his dresser mirror, he starts to feel like maybe it actually came way too quickly.

He’d spent the past half-hour wildly picking through his closet, combing his hair with his fingers, trying to figure out how he should present himself as more and more clothing gets flung around the room. Eventually he gave up on his hair, and came up with an ensemble he liked, but would you like it? Would you like him?

To the untrained eye, Eddie is wearing his standard Eddie-uniform: tight black pants and a band t-shirt. On the surface, it’s a regular outfit for him. But if one is a truly acute observer, they should clearly be able to see that there are subtle variations within this basic framework he’s donning that scream “Eddie Munson is Trying to Impress a Girl!”

His ripped jeans have tears that expose swaths of skin not just on his knees, but his thighs as well (scandalous!) and he’s wearing his coolest Slayer t-shirt, the one that he ripped the sleeves off of so that his tattooed arms are on full display. And it’s just loose enough so that when he leans forward, the fabric gives way so you can catch a glimpse of his chest, with its sparse hair and winking nipple ring.

It’s all very deliberate.

But as much as Eddie doesn’t want to admit it, he’s nervous. While he becomes increasingly enamored of you, unable to keep the sly compliments and saccharine terms of endearment from slipping out, you get more shy. He still hasn’t figured out if that’s a good or bad sign.

Both of you seem to be hovering in romantic limbo, tiptoeing along the fine line between friendship and flirtation. Playful and insecure. Tender and uncertain. Was your puckish rapport a new experience, or were you like that with every person you met? Did you like it when he phoned you late at night and called you honey and sweetheart, or were you just too polite to correct him? Did you hold his name and face in your soft heart when he wasn’t right there next to you, like he did yours?

He’d chickened out at the last minute, dancing around the word ‘date.’

Eddie could be smooth on occasion, sure. But it was different when you knew you didn’t actually have a shot in hell with the person you were talking to. He didn’t have to be afraid of rejection when he already knew it was coming.

Like, he could flirt and wink at Chrissy Cunningham all he wanted and invite her to the Hideout because he knew full-well that she was never really going to show up to watch his band play — let alone dump her boyfriend to go out with him. So he could ham it up, make a fool of himself, and then shrug it all off when nothing happened.

Only a few girls had ever taken him up on his offers. And they always ended up being private affairs; nobody wanted to risk being seen out at dinner with Eddie Munson. Instead there were quick and clumsy trysts in the back of his van or in the woods behind the school, and he was reduced to a novelty notch in the bedpost, a secret for them to whisper about at slumber parties, the eponymous who of a giggly “Guess who I hooked up with!” 

It took Eddie a minute to catch on. He remembers the first time, when he hooked up with a girl at a party he was dealing at during his junior year. The next school day, he tried approaching her in the hallway as she chatted with a fellow cheerleader, and she quite literally turned on her heel and ran — but not without shooting him a look of such intense disdain that it made Eddie physically flinch. Her friend snapped her locker shut, and snickered knowingly at Eddie before following suit.

He won’t lie, that one stung. He’d stood there in mild shock at being brushed off so harshly, while other students milled about, completely oblivious to his distress; someone deliberately knocked their shoulder into his as they passed by, causing the handle of his lunchbox to slip out from his sweaty fist. It fell to the floor with a loud clang that echoed about his ears.

Eddie had already had a pretty good idea of what other people thought of him, but boy, did it really sink in that day.

It set the framework for what his love life would look like for the rest of high school. Which maybe wouldn’t have been so horrible to deal with, if only he hadn’t been in high school for two years longer than he’d expected to be.

So he leaned into it. It was really the only thing he could do, and hey, at least it meant that he could get some every now and then. What did it matter if they refused to make eye contact with him the next day? He didn’t need all that relationship mess, anyway. He didn’t care.

He didn’t care, he didn’t care, he didn’t care — if he tried to tell himself that one more time he was going to explode.

In reality Eddie’s a pretty lonely guy. But since meeting you? He’s hopeful for the first time in a long time that maybe his life doesn’t have to be that way.

Eddie raps on your front door with his fist, biting the inside of his cheek. Pizza and movies. Easy breezy. There has never been a more relaxed person than you, ever, he thinks, buzzing with nervous energy.

After a moment the door swings open. “Hi,” you greet him, stepping out onto the welcome mat, tugging at the shoulder strap of your purse. 

“Hey,” he responds with an easy smile on his lips, one that doesn’t betray his anxiety. He gives you an approving once-over and lets out a low whistle. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

And you really are. He’s never seen you in anything but your work clothes, so he appreciates this chance to see you in an outfit that’s true to your style. 

You let out an embarrassed chuckle and wave a hand at him. “Oh, please.” 

“No, I’m serious! You look very nice.”

You can hardly meet his gaze, a flustered grin forming on your own face. “Thank you. So do you.”

He shrugs modestly, but his dimples show. He gestures to where his van sits parked by the curb. “Shall we?”

The interior of the van is plush and blue and smells of tobacco and something vaguely minty. Eddie insists on running around the vehicle so he can open the passenger-side door for you, and holds out his arm for you to grasp while you climb in; an unexpected act of chivalry.

“Wow, I’m getting the full VIP treatment here, aren’t I?” you ask him jokingly as you clamber onto the seat.

“Get used to it, sweetheart. I may not look it, but I’m a gentleman of the highest caliber.”

“I’m sure you are. I’ll bet Emily Post writes to you for etiquette tips.”

Eddie turns the engine on, and music starts blaring from the speakers. He quickly turns the volume down, shooting you an apologetic look. “Sorry. I, uh, I like it loud.” He gestures to a shoebox tucked away on the floor by your feet. “There’s a bunch of other tapes in there, you can pick a different one if you like.”

You’re delighted to realize that you have an opportunity to tease him. You tilt your head up, lips pouting as though you’re deep in thought. “Okay. Let's say I pull out a different tape.”

Eddie looks at you quizzically, but plays along. “Okay. Let’s say you do.” 

“Now, hypothetically, I would do this because I want to hear something different from what’s playing currently. Right?”

“Right…”

You reach into the box and pull out the first tape you make contact with, and end up with the latest W.A.S.P. album. You cock an eyebrow at him while you hold out the tape for him to see. “So riddle me this: what are the chances that this album — or any of these albums, for that matter — sound any different from what you’re playing right now?”

Eddie attempts to stifle a laugh and fails. “Hey now,” he says, trying to sound stern, “there is something incredibly special and nuanced about every single tape in that box. I would never deign to compare Ride the Lightning to The Headless Children. Completely different. Worlds apart, in fact.”

You shrug, pleased with yourself. “If you say so. You would know better than me.”

“I’m gonna teach you how to be metal,” he promises, peering over his shoulder as he backs out onto the street.

You continue rifling around in his box of tapes. “Do you really think I could be? My job is reading picture books to preschoolers.”

“Totally. There’s nothing more metal than the public library.”

The first stop you and Eddie make is at his favorite local pizza joint, where he insists on paying for dinner himself — he wouldn’t even let you throw a dollar in the tip jar. The shop is conveniently located in the same strip mall as the Family Video, so after putting your order in, the two of you cross the road to browse for a movie while you wait.

When you enter the store, you’re greeted by the little tinkling sound of bells and a bored ‘Welcome’ from the employee seated at the counter.

The cashier is cute — not as cute as Eddie, you think — and probably about the same age. When he finally looks up from the counter and sees the two of you together, his eyebrows shoot up in surprise before furrowing again as he makes eye contact with Eddie.

The two boys stare at each other in mutual distaste. He nods coolly at Eddie. “Munson.”

Eddie’s reply is flat. “Harrington.”

As you approach the counter, the employee’s name tag comes into view: Steve. 

Eddie strides past him and doesn’t stop, even when Steve calls out to his retreating back —

“You still haven’t brought back Spinal Tap!”

“I know,” Eddie replies, not bothering to turn around.

You follow Eddie across the store, skimming through the colorful titles. He stops abruptly in the middle of an aisle, and you bump softly into his back.

He gives you an amused smirk from over his shoulder. “Easy there.”

“Sorry,” you reply, giving him a little smile that’s all too apologetic for his liking. He can’t resist the urge to reach out and take your hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before letting go again.

You beam at him.

“So what are we feeling?” he asks, feeling needlessly scrambled at the brief but lingering affection. “Something scary? Funny?” He bats his eyelashes dramatically. “Romantic?” 

Your response is automatic. “Whatever you want is fine with me.”

Eddie frowns at you. “I told you, it’s your choice. I already picked out a two-hour cartoon.”

He’s being very sweet. But you want to pick something that he’ll enjoy, too.

Acting on a little tip from your new friend Steve the Cashier, you ask Eddie —

“So you like Rob Reiner movies, huh?”

Eddie slaps The Princess Bride down on the counter in front of Steve. 

“Nice vest,” he comments.

Steve shoots him a dirty look. “Your late fees are gonna pile up.”

Eddie ignores this.

Steve sighs and begins the checkout process. Eddie can’t help noticing Steve casting you sidelong glances, his eyes flitting up and down your figure appreciatively. 

Eddie clears his throat pointedly.

“Here.” Steve pushes the film back over the counter.

Eddie grabs it and heads for the door without saying anything; you, confused and a little put off by the attitude, offer Steve your most polite “Thank you!” before scurrying out after him. 

Eddie holds the door for you when exiting, a pleasant expression on his face that’s a stark contrast from the one he wore when talking to Steve. When you’re both back outside, you can’t help but wonder what that cashier ever did to him.

“I take it you’re not a fan of Steve from Family Video?” you press.

Eddie looks sheepish. “You caught that, huh?”

“It was kind of hard to miss.”

He hesitates. “Well, we went to school together, and he wasn’t very nice. Let’s leave it at that.”

You simply nod, understanding his reluctance to say more. Reliving your high school trauma isn’t exactly something you’re interested in right now, either.

As you and Eddie head back across the street, your swinging arms cause your hands to brush against one another. After a moment’s hesitation, he clasps your hand in his, and your fingers intertwine, like two puzzle pieces clicking into place.

Eddie starts the drive home, and he feels a wave of apprehension.

He told you he lived in Forest Hills early on, and you didn’t bat an eyelash. But with you being so new in town, he wasn’t really sure that you even knew it was a trailer park.

It’s not that he’s embarrassed, exactly, or even that he thinks you’ll really mind — nothing you’ve said to him thus far indicated that his economic status would bother you — but being called trailer trash as many times as he has…well, it’s enough to make anyone defensive.

By the time he pulls up to the Munson trailer, he still hasn’t dared to look across the cab to see your reaction. “Well, here we are!” he exclaims in a hearty voice that doesn’t match what he’s feeling inside at all.

While you fumble between unbuckling your seatbelt and balancing the pizza box on your lap, Eddie darts out of the van so he can help you climb out again. When he opens the door he’s relieved to see that you don’t seem phased by your surroundings; you flash him the same happy smile you always do, and it gives him a boost of confidence.

Hopping up the porch steps, he unlocks the rickety front door and gestures for you to enter, bowing slightly. “After you, miss.”

You curtsey back. “Thank you, sir.”

Eddie pretends that that has less of an effect on him than it actually does.

Inside, he watches you peer around the trailer in interest. He’s glad that he did a deep-clean yesterday: there’s no clothes hanging over the furniture, any garbage he could find was bagged up and taken out, and he wiped down all the flat surfaces with the lemon-y spray cleaner that lives beneath the sink. He even dumped out all the ashtrays; when Wayne saw that, he commented that he must really like this girl.

“That’s a lot of mugs,” you comment, looking admiringly at the shelves that display years of Wayne’s little hobby. “I’m impressed.”

“They’re my uncle’s,” says Eddie as he kicks off his shoes. “I keep telling him he’s got a problem.”

“No, they’re great,” you insist. “Everybody collects something. Don’t you?”

Eddie pauses, hovering by the boxy television. “I guess so. Music. D and D shit.” He sets the pizza down on the coffee table. “Here, have a seat. I’ll get us some plates.” 

Eddie walks to the kitchen and starts rifling through the cabinets for some paper plates and napkins. You call out to him from your seat on the worn sofa. “Is your uncle working right now?”

“Yeah.” Eddie pads back into the living room. “He works a lot of night shifts.”

“Are all Munsons generally nocturnal?” you ask, referring to his bartending gig at The Hideout, a job that keeps him busy well into the night.

Eddie chuckles as crouches by the coffee table, pulling off two slices of greasy pizza and laying one on each plate. “I guess you could say that,” he says, handing you your share. Brown eyes find yours and he nudges your knee with his elbow playfully. “But it leaves me free to come and bother you at work during the day, doesn’t it?”

You dig the toe of your sock into the rug and look down at the food instead of him. “I wouldn’t call you a bother.”

His full lips turn up at the corners. “You wouldn’t?” He rests his hand on your leg, and his fingers swirl a gentle pattern over your skin.

You swallow. “No.” The word comes out subdued and breathy.

Eddie doesn’t move, but stays positioned by your knee, staring up at you. “Look at me again,” he says softly, leaning in a little closer.

You do as he asks and it’s almost too much. His eyes are huge and warm and they look like everything you’ve ever wanted.

A few seconds tick by, and then the phone rings and Eddie’s standing up again, whatever momentary spell the two of you were under, broken.

“Hang on,” he says, face tinged pink.

You settle back into the sofa and squirm, feeling feverish. 

Eddie wrenches the phone off the hook in annoyance. “Hello?” When the person on the other line answers, he huffs and rolls his eyes, turning away so his back is towards you. Still, you catch snippets of the exchange:

“Henderson, I said tomorrow, okay?” Eddie hisses in aggravation. “No, I don’t care if you don’t wanna do it in the morning, man. I’ve gotta work tomorrow night. You guys either come early or it’s not happening.”

You watch him curiously.

“Suck it up.” Eddie pauses to listen to the person speak again, and turns and glances at you across the trailer. Then his tone becomes noticeably gentler. “Thanks, man. I’ll let you know. See ya.”

He hangs up the phone with a sigh, and his face relaxes into a smile again.

He strolls back into the living room and claps his ringed hands together. “So! Are you ready to experience a cinematic masterpiece?”

Some three hours later, you and Eddie are slumped back against the worn cushions, now one and half movies deep. Over the course of the night you’ve slowly closed the distance between your bodies, so his leg is pressed against yours. Eddie has one arm slung over the back of the couch, fingers dancing just above the skin of your collarbone. Both of you are stuffed to the gills, and more than a little sleepy. Even Eddie, who kept up a stream of commentary during Lord of the Rings, eager to discuss his favorite bits of Middle Earth lore with you, is tuckered out.

Shenanigans play out on the television screen. You let out a huge yawn. 

Eddie’s arm curls around your shoulder, hand digging into the meat of your bicep, pulling you closer to him. “This okay?” he murmurs.

You nod clumsily and start fidgeting, your hands twisting in your lap. 

Eddie says your name softly. You hum in acknowledgement. 

“I really like you. And I think you like me.” He cocks his head to the side. “Is that right?”

Your heart throbs.

“Yes,” you whisper.

“Okay,” he whispers back. “Can I kiss you then, sweetheart?”

You nod; Eddie leans in slowly, then presses his lips to yours for a moment before pulling back again. It’s quick, chaste and sweet, and not nearly enough. Your hands find his face, palms landing on both his cheeks so you can bring his mouth back to yours.

He’s happy to oblige. 

Eddie sighs, tongue dipping into your mouth, deepening the kiss. One hand cups the back of your head, keeping you right where he wants you. The other snakes around your thigh, and he uses the leverage to abruptly pull you up and over his lap. A small “Oh!” of surprise escapes you at the jolt, but Eddie wastes no time in securing his mouth to yours again.

His kisses are wet, heady, and grow increasingly frantic as the two of you clutch at each other. Your hands weave into his hair — a longtime fantasy of yours come true at last — and he lets out a soft moan when your fingers tug gently at the tangled tresses. 

Your skin feels tingly, sensitive, alight at every little touch he gives you. Your head is full of nothing but Eddie, the way he looks and feels and smells, and the way he makes you feel, like a shaken-up pop bottle, full of pink fizz and ready to burst.

Eddie suddenly laughs against your lips, smiling into another kiss.

You pull back hastily, self-consciously. But he looks jubilant, cheeks dimpled in joy, chocolate eyes crinkled at the outer corners.

“Sorry,” he says breathlessly, “it’s just — I couldn’t tell — I wasn’t really sure where your head was at.” He kisses the tip of your nose. “You kept gettin’ quiet on me all of a sudden.”

You let your head fall forward, forehead pressing into his shoulder, and let out a tiny groan. “I know. I’m sorry, it wasn’t you.”

You lift your head back up and face him. “I’m not usually very good at this stuff,” you admit. “Connecting with people. It’s harder, when you’re introverted…and have different interests. But you were so easy to talk to when we met! And I was so excited to make a new friend, but I…,” you trail off.

“But you what?” he prompts.

“The more I looked at you the cuter I thought you were.” The words come out in a rush. “When I realized what was happening I got nervous.”

Eddie waggles his eyebrows at you suggestively. “Oh, something’s happening?” 

You swat at him playfully.

“I’m kidding!” He rubs your shoulders soothingly. “But you don’t have to be nervous around me. I’m just some guy, y’know?”

“You, Eddie Munson, are certainly not just some guy.”

“Aw, shucks, sweetheart. You’re makin’ me blush.”

The movie has long since ended, and a peaceful darkness settles over the trailer. The only sound is the chirp of the summer crickets outside and quiet breathing.

Eddie’s fully sprawled out over the couch with you nestled in his arms. It took some coaxing, but eventually he convinced you to lay on top of him, your warm weight better than any blanket, the sweet fragrance of your perfume soothing his senses. Your face is half-hidden in the crook of his neck, and he presses a kiss to the top of your head.

“I have a confession to make,” he says sleepily.

“Ooh. It better be something juicy.”

“It is. Excellent gossip. You can tell all your friends, I won’t even be mad.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“I scoped you out at the library,” he admits. “I came in that day specifically to talk to you. Y’know, turn on that Munson charm, and sweep you off your feet, and all that.”

“Really?” You blink, trying to jog your memory. “I don’t remember ever seeing you before that.” You think of his tousled hair and clunky jewelry. “And you’re pretty memorable.”

“Well, there’s a slight chance that I, um, ducked, and hid behind a shelf when you got close. It was the Saturday right before we met, after you did your reading.”

That recalls something for you. “Wait, wait, maybe I do remember…” It’s hazy. Pale face, brown hair? You can’t quite place this person as Eddie, but it must have been him. “I think I did see you creeping around.”

“What can I say? Your story telling enthralled me.” 

It’s the truth. He’d been browsing for a Clive Barker book when he caught sight of you in the children’s area. You read We’re Going on a Bear Hunt with an enthusiasm usually reserved for trained Shakespearean actors, and it left him undeniably impressed. 

You cuddle closer to him, burying your face in his chest. “I’m glad you decided to nut up and talked to me.”

He smiles against your hair. “Me too.”

Early the next morning, in the hazy gray-blue dawn, the front door opens quietly — cautiously even. Wayne’s not sure what he’ll be walking into. All he knows is that his nephew really likes this girl, and that for Eddie’s sake he hopes that his date went well. He’s not sure how much more disappointment the boy can take. He wants to see him happy.

So he’s pleasantly surprised to see you and Eddie piled up on the couch like two puppies, fast asleep and — thank Christ — fully-clothed. Eddie’s arm is slung over you protectively, his soft snores just barely audible. 

Good for him.

And if they wanna sleep in the living room, that’s fine. 

Wayne’s gonna take the bed.

thank you for reading!! <3 Read Ch. 4 -> Here! taglist: @eddiesgirlforever, @eds6ngel, @sheisahauntedhouse, @lokis-tardis-companion19, @teary-eyed-egg, @whenshelanded, @nanaminswhore, @witchwolflea

[deepmochi]

Lilith in the 3rd house 👅⛓️

What you need to learn: to listen and learn, be intelligent, and adaptable. Edit: Learn to accep your faults.

What you need to avoid: don't exaggerate, gossip, and blame other for your mistakes.

Celebrities with these placements: Rosalía, Bill Clinton, Bruce Willis, Olivia Rodrigo, Kendall Jenner, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Nicole Rochie, Kate Hudson, Virginia Wolf (apparently), and Jackson Wang. (to name a few)

Lilith in Gemini ♊️ can read it too. It could resonate to a certain extent.

🗝 Easy way with words and at the same time is an issue. People pleasing tendencies that can be damaging.

🗝 An immature native has the syndrome of "I'm different that you because I say so". This could be due to have many siblings.

🗝 Issues with siblings or neighbors, they could feel less than them.

🗝 They like to gossip about others, but they hate to hear things about them.

🗝 Their tones of voices are nice and powerful, so use them wisely.

🗝 They have distinguished words or phrases. Their voice belong to them.

🗝 Artists with these placements have a way with words, in a creative way. For example, Rosalía and Olivia Rodrigo have creative titles and wording.

🗝 Her personal life is very "gossip worthy" to others. People really like to opinionated about it, look a Olivia Rodrigo's issue with Sabrina and Josh. (Note: that wasn't cool for any of them).

🗝 Ironically, sometimes these natives seem to speak something others don't understand.

🗝 Whenever they are insecure, you may notice it when they try to show "how special they are" from the rest.

🗝 The way they damage themselves is through gossips. If they put bad energy towards others, it would come back to them.

🗝 Some give "pick me vibes" since they force the "I'm different discourse". They cannot stop talking about how special they are 😮‍💨. They want you to see it and say it.

🗝 Some can be very annoying about things. Like whining when thing don't go as they wanted.

🗝 They're very intelligent, but they may not appear like that; they feel frustrated at times.

🗝 They have a sibling rivalry. If they are only child, this may translate to peers or neighbors. The truth is that you don't need to compete with anyone. You are you.

🗝 This Lilith is very vocal; she could be very passive aggressive with other and even herself.

🗝 The type of person that says is joking, but it isn't really joking completely. Regina George's style. Her anger will be masked.

🗝 Her words have power.

🗝 This native tend to have many friends or is part of a big social circle. However, they feel alone at times, but they prefer to be with others than alone.

🗝 They know what to say. It clears to them that people believe whatever they say easily.

🗝 They could be the teacher pet or class clown...you name it. They are known in academic settings anyways.

🗝 An undeveloped native is like Gossip Girl, always talking of others and hiding.

🗝 Journaling is very useful; they may have a black list somewhere 🧐✒️.

🗝 The issue with an undeveloped native is that women would avoid them. Why? Is not because she is better than them? No, it's because they cannot trust her. She would use them when she need to. How? Through gossip or lies. I would not trust my deep secrets to a "friend" like that sorry.

🗝 They give me Regina and Gretchen (mixed) vibes from Mean Girls.

🗝 They my overthink about life or academic, prone to anxiety and stress. Also, don't need to be perfect about your performance (school related).

🗝 Overachiever in some cases. Burnout student syndrome. Perfect grades dilemma. This could extend to workplace.

🗝 This is the type of girl that says one thing and do the other. For example, she may text you she is feeling sad; next, she is in party looking happy. 🧐

🗝 She will try to climb in the social game. So, she will not care if she need to steal your bf for the matter. She doesn't want your bf, she needs him for the status.

🗝 They could very detach with others. Be careful with your words. Sometimes, they lack empathy and compassion.

🗝 Good with words, Lilith is so good at gaslighting and manipulating people, even herself. They see feelings in a logical way.

🗝 Deep down, she just wanna feel valuable for her merits. She wants the attention that they didn't give her when she was a kid.

🗝 Professor or teacher humiliated her in some way. She likes academic matters, so don't ever subestimate her abilities.

🗝 She may downgrade herself in other to fit her role.

🗝 Easy to jump from place a to b, but it's hard to stay and establish herself.

🗝 People will try to seal her work, or they don't give her the credit she deserves. Writers and musicians be careful. You need to protect your work.

🗝 Siblings are a threat from their reputation or admiration. I mean, she is jealous about them for x or h reasons.

🗝 Her social circle can be wishy-washy. She does have inner circle, but she's the only one who knows.

🗝 🔞 she enjoys dirty talk, sexting, quickies, and probably very loud or likes a loud partner. However, don't send nudes. People would expose.

🗝 I was writing and writing, so I believe writing ✍️🏼 could work for you as a way to release stress and intrusive thoughts, bb. Also, you use social media a lot.

🗝 Social media, be aware of what you post.

Credit to @deepmochi

Take care, bbs 💓

[the-insomniac-emporium]

random RL headcanons: game night edition

Mia is weirdly and inexplicably good at charades/any similar games. just anything to do with abstract communication. Poetry With Neanderthals is a personal favorite of hers.

(silly OC addition: Mia and Caldwell have a game they created for parties that's essentially just an alternate version of charades. Caldwell, who is cursed and cannot speak coherently, draws a prompt from a hat, and has to try to explain it. the audience is split into teams and attempts to guess the prompt. Mia, who is an expert at interpreting Caldwell's speech, is usually barred from playing (the exception being themed rounds where the theme is outside her specialties) and acts as a judge/curates the prompt list)

Angie is both very, very good and very, very bad at Monopoly Cheater's Edition. seems to get better the more she's had to drink, of course. gets caught cheating 90% of the time, but usually manages to pull off something insane near the end of the game.

Bela is surprisingly killer at games like Cards Against Humanity. nobody ever expects her to play the cards she does, no matter how many times they've played with her. equally an expert at games where having a good memory comes in handy.

Cassandra excels at games of deception, trickery, and mindfucks. playing a game like Werewolf with her is honestly insane. will attempt to "seduce" (i.e. distract) players she thinks are close to figuring her out. she's also decent at trivia games, but likes to narrow down the categories if the other players are cool with that.

Dani mostly likes chill, shorter games (the kind where you can play multiple rounds in one sitting), especially card games. I can see her enjoying Here To Slay, Muffin Time, and Happy Little Dinosaurs. on a semi-related note I think she low-key went through a magic trick/sleight of hand phase, but these days she doesn't usually do tricks unless she's had a couple drinks and someone brings it up.

Miranda prefers 1v1 games... on the rare occasion where someone (*cough* MC *cough*) convinces her to play. she's decent at actual chess, but is prone to starting out overconfident, only to end up getting flustered towards the end because she overthinks her moves. do not play checkers with her. she will win. you will lose. you will lose by an embarrassingly large margin.

Alcina is only slightly more interested in games than Miranda, and usually uses them as an excuse to socialize. likes big group games where there are opportunities to chat with other players while someone else makes their turn. probably plays the kinds of games that I've seen on TV a lot (classics like Mahjong) but don't personally have enough experience to talk about.

Donna kicks ass at pool, but almost never plays. you (and Angie) would have to talk her into it. totally worth it tho, because she'll have a lot of fun, especially if you're on her team and let her "show you the ropes". if you catch my drift ;) aka that thing where she'll lean a lot of her body against you, her arms alongside yours, helping move you into position. that thing tv shows/movies do to increase sexual tension between two characters.

Mia is also unfairly good at darts. it's honestly really attractive.

[vinnival]

I think I will now drop my Jonah HCs !!

Buckle in, boys, there's a reason why I call myself the CEO of him/hj

Things he likes

Drums!! He used to always sneak to the band room in high school in order to practice on them. At least, before he got a set of his own and all.

Honeybuns! Always loved them. He in general has a sweet tooth (blame weed brownies) but always catered to honeybuns. Any time he shoplifts you'll most definitely find him pocketing a honeybun somewhere.

Weed. This is canon, yes, but he's also tried out many of the other drug methods and hated them, simply stuck to weed.

Physical affection. He's prone to hugging and cuddling. He will hold his friends' hands if they're cold, or flop on top of them if they're stretched out on a bed (all strictly platonically). This is more pronounced when he's high.

Things he dislikes

Authority. You've never seen a man be so spiteful towards the law before/hj

Going back on promises.

Cats. Not even in the funny cat alternate way he's just allergic.

Littering. He always makes sure to pick up after himself and will make sure no one he knows/sees litters.

Social

Whenever he meets someone- unless in a formal or professional setting- he will make a nickname up for them almost immediately. Nicknames include Ads, Sar, Eevee (Adam, Sarah, and Evelin respectively), and so on and so forth.

ASK HIM ABOUT ANIMAL FACTS.

He has DEFINITELY learned some whale facts as a kid just to spite his namesake. So y'know. If you ever happen to find yourself swallowed by a whale--

"Trust me on this. You get eaten by a whale. End of the world, right? NO. Curl into a ball, reduce your surface area. That way, those whales with teeth won't chomp you as easily and you'll just make a harder time for the whale."

He has a wonderful ability to make friends, but most times he chooses not to in favor of hanging out with the ones he cares for most.

Fiercely cares for his friends. This one's a given.

Sceeeene !! Of course, in order to avoid standing out in the era of Being Wanted By The Fucking Feds, he toned down his fashion taste and looks to dark greys and blacks. But before then, he was very much an eyesore. Taste the rainbow mothafuckaaa

He's the type to goof around a lot, so he will poke-poke teasingly or start impromptu pillow fights. This gets even more pronounced when he's high.

Easy-going.

Very... dog-like in personality. Golden retriever of a man/hj

He can and will start impromptu road games while on a drive. Expect him to spot a Volkswagon Bug and LAUNCH A PUNCH—

Mental

He has anxiety. This causes him to overthink... a lot.

He has a tendency to try and blanket his negative emotions or play down bad situations by joking about them. Sometimes it helps him process it! But most times this essentially turns into bottling up his frustrations, which... well. We all saw how that turned out in v2.

He's convinced himself that most times it's just better to walk away than to face things head-on. I repeat, we all saw how that turned o

Educational

Fucking LOVES biology. Always had an interest in animals and plants. He went to college to study biology :)

Keeps a few bugs at his place. Names them after celebrities so he can say shit like "Beyoncé's new roommate Madonna arrived yesterday. They immediately started fighting." and not provide any context to it.

His dad (mentioned up next) wanted him to go to law school. He just ignored that

Familial

His father, Mervin, is a lawyer. He was rarely home.

This left him with his mother, Clementine (OC), who was... eh. She was the bare minimum.

One fateful day, she ran away from them with 50k from Mervin's savings and never returned. In a panic, Mervin sent Jonah off to his grandpa to live with him while the lawyer strained himself to regain the money.

This left Jonah essentially without proper parents, only his abuelo. This is where he learned Spanish, at least!

He has a younger brother he doesn't know about, named Lucas (OC).

Miscellaneous

Peruvian. Obligatory

Will always be overtly dramatic about going to lay in bed. He'll usually do some extravagant dive onto it or something.

Bouncing off the last one, this man LOVES to sleep.

He's always had a hyperfixation on ghosts and the phenomena of spirits, even before he met Adam. Of course, any time too much fuckery happens, you bet your ass he's out of the place and back in their vehicle/observation area, on the cams for other evidence (ghost orbs, etc), or reviewing spirit box recordings.

He shoplifts. He knows all the good tips and tricks of stealing small items.

He's a goddamn furnace. He can have a simple t-shirt and sweatpants on and he'd still feel like he just hopped out of the Sahara.

Very proud of his hair! He loves it. In my HC it's a silver-ish, with just a hint of purple in there.

Has read the JJBA manga.

His favorite movie is The Lion King! He's basically adopted the hakuna matata ideology for his own

He's a big optimist. He'll always try and see the good in things, because... well, it's gotten him this far, hasn't it?

Whenever he listens to music he finds catchy, you'll likely see him tapping out a drum beat, whether it be with his hands or feet.

Likely has ranted before about how common 2/4 beats are in music and how annoying it is.

Likely has ranted about many other things- silly and serious- relating to his interests. He can just do that. Good for him <3

He can and will find ways to always joke about things, whether it be good or bad

Listens to a variety of music, he likes stuff ranging from breakcore to metal. Anything with a good beat.

He usually drives the car but sometimes he takes shotgun so he can watch the scenery fly by.

Demisexual+biromantic, he/him+they/them (when he feels more fluid.)

Started smoking weed because of getting MAD as a kid. He's since forgotten why.

Convinced himself Always believed alternates didn't exist.

Ended up dying via alternate.

[sapphire-dreamsky]

the cards we chose 

Starring: Hades | Reader | Minos [ original character ] | Hypnos [ original character ] 

Pairing: Hades / Female! Reader

Genre: Mutual Pining 

Trigger Warnings: Death 

When he first saw her, he didn’t think much of her. Just another human. Another fleeting life. Another being that couldn’t matter much in the long run. In the grand scheme of things, her role was inexistent. Though, he must admit, the circumstances of their meeting must have, in retrospect been fate itself. Humans rarely stumbled into Helheim while they were still very much breathing. Much less when they had this light in them. He knew immediately, when his purple hues met hers across the throne room, that she didn’t belong to Helheim. Her place was in Elysium. He didn’t know her. He didn’t bother looking at her soul. And yet, he knew with certainty that she deserved to be in Elysium. She was not a hero. In fact, she didn’t stand out much from other humans. She was just that. A human. A flicker of dust with emotions that ran high. A spontaneity that rivalled that of his youngest brothers. She was the most humane being that he ever met ever since he started ruling Helheim. No souls could compare to hers.

If someone would have told (name) that she she would stumble into Helheim one mundane afternoon, she would have believed them immediately. No need for any further convincing. This sort of turn in events only happens to her. Amongst all her family members, she was the one who would always manage to end up in peculiar situations. It’s not like she went looking for these situations either. It’s just that circumstances always stacked up against her. So, if someone were to read some cards and tell her, “You will find yourself in Helheim while still alive,” (name) will acquiesce and ask what would be next. However, if a tarot reader were to tell her, “while on your journey in Helheim, the Ruler of the domain will make you his wife,” the human woman will laugh at the tarot reader face, which might be offending but the reading would be too hilarious for the human to hold her laughter of disbelief in. Love was simply not something that (name) had chance in.

The human woman could count on her hands how many times she had fallen in love, and how many times it was reciprocated. She always fell first. But it never led to anything more than friendship. (Name) decided she just wasn’t cut out to be anyone’s partner. She made up her mind. A life without a significant other would be lonely, but it would spare her all the overthinking she was often prone to. She wasn’t easy to love. An opinion many people in her life made sure to remind her. 

“You have to be more vulnerable.” 

“You need to let him take care of you, that’s what he wanted to do.”

“Stop being so independent. No one wants a wife who can fill in the husband’s role that easily.”

“I don’t want to die knowing you don’t have anyone by your side.”

This line never failed to make the woman feel guilty. Whenever it was uttered by her mother, she could feel the additional burden she was putting on her old tired shoulders. She understood her concerns. After all, if she had a daughter, she would want her to be happy with someone by her side to support her during the highs and the lows when she wouldn’t be there anymore. This sentence always made her give love another chance. Another chance followed by yet another let down. Another crushed hope for her mother. Another wound added to her already scorched heart. Sometimes, she wondered if she really was the problem. Was she so boring that she couldn’t maintain the attention of her love interests? Or did her shattered glass make them bleed too much when they stepped into her life?

But Hades didn’t see her reflecting shards. He took careful steps around them while he picked them up one by one, unconcerned if his hands bled in the process. He didn’t realise he was mending anything at first. All that he saw in her was another tired human (well, one that was still alive that is). A human who exhausted her heart. A jaded woman who gave up on love. A human he wanted to give a moment of peace to. So he let her stay in Helheim; gave her the best rooms in his palace, made sure that all her needs were met. She lived in the comfort of his home for six months. Six months during which she assisted him as a secretary in his affairs as a way to pay him back for his kindness despite him not wanting to take anything from her.

“You don’t have to give me anything. Consider it as a holiday.”

“I don’t feel comfortable living here with everything you gave me and not repaying you in anyway.”

Hades let out a sigh. She was indeed a stubborn human.

“Do as you wish.”

During six months, she assisted him. He never realised how much he did until she took some of his responsibilities off his shoulders. Hades was never one to complain about the workload. But he never realised how much he took on until suddenly, one afternoon, he realised he had nothing to do. (Name) was by his side, feeding his parrot with some watermelon she got from Hermes. 

He watched her in the corner of his eyes, head leaning on his hand, as the human gently cooed at the bird, finger gently petting the parrot’s head. A reckless annoyance filled his chest. He never felt so envious of his damn parrot ever in his life. ‘Why does she never pet my hair? Am I too tall?’ As soon as these thoughts came, his cheeks went red. Ridiculous. He was not too tall. He could lean down if she asked. 

Hades didn’t quite realise his feelings had shifted in that moment. He was not dense. But love was not something he had experience in. Sure, he slept around as much as his brothers…alright, perhaps less than Zeus, but he did have a few nymphs here and there that he knew more than just on a name basis. Lust was something he could predict. But love… he loved his brothers. It was familiar. He knew them since their first breaths. The ichor running in his body tied him to them forever. But this…this was uncharted territory. 

While Hades couldn’t tell when he started feeling differently about (name), the woman on the other hand knew perfectly when was the moment she fell for the quiet god. His kindness and compassion never failed to astound her. However, one evening, as the guards were closing the doors to the palace, the last hearing of a soul concluding the night, a girl no older than sixteen, came barging into the court room and kneeled in front of Hades, head bowed to the ground. Guards tried to grab her, but the swift raise of a hand from Hades stopped them promptly in their movements.

“My lord. I know I have no rights to request anything from you. However, please allow me this mere request. My mother must be beside herself. I am her only daughter. I want to send her a message, I implore you.”

“The dead cannot send messages.”

“I am very aware of this my lord. But if I cannot, then can you on my behalf send her a message?”

“Would it not be better to let the alive move on, on their own time rather than force nature?”

“No my lord. I know my mother, all my life all she has ever done was to ensure my happiness. She devoted all her life to me as soon as I was born. I know the news of my death is not easy on her. Let me please, I implore of you, to send her this message.”

Hades stayed silent. (Name) watched the girl, thoughts of her own mother flashing in her mind. It had been three months since was last in the human world. Hades was gracious enough to allow her to contact her mother on a daily basis, reassuring her that she was alright and well, visiting a foreign country and would return once her self-discovery was done. She knew she shouldn’t say anything. She had no right to request Hades anything. She was a mere guest who was living under his generosity.

“Hades…”

The god knew what (name) was about to ask. He saw the glistening in her eyes as the girl pleaded with him. In those three months, he learned to read her expressions. Words were not a necessity between them anymore. The expressions she wore were enough for him to know what state she was in. 

“Very well. Minos, bring the girl a parchment and a quilt. Your message will be heard.”

That moment was one amongst many. But it was a defining moment for the woman. Warmth spread throughout her chest, eyes grew softer at every glance she spared him. It was obvious. Hypnos, despite his title as the god of sleep, was very observant and vigilant. 

One morning, as she tended to her duties, giving the tired-eyed god documents he needed to go through, and explaining to him what Hades intended with the new change of policies, he cut her off midway through.

“Your affections for our lord Hades…are you not afraid of getting burned? He is a god, an immortal with a sterile domain. He might never look at you the way you do, or if he does, he would rather let you go than say anything.”

“Hypnos.”

“Take these words as that of your friend, not the god of sleep speaking to you. You are a mortal. The clock will always be tickling above your head. Hades is a martyr. He would rather see you leave and find happiness above than have you tied here forever. In my opinion, you are wasting your months here.”

“Even if I am wasting my life here, Helheim has become my home. You have become my friends. Leaving has never crossed my mind. Do I miss my life in the human world? Perhaps. I miss my mother, my dogs. But I have found here, a new home. I do not need Hades to reciprocate anything for now. I am perfectly content with our relationship.”

Hypnos closed his golden eyes tiredly. A sigh escaped his lips.

“You are stubborn. I can see why Hades loves you so much. You remind him of that one brother.”

“I don’t think Poseidon and I are similar.”

Half-moon golden eyes glanced at her for one second. In these one thousand milliseconds, he saw what his old friend and lord saw in her. A stubborn, very much human woman with a stubbornness and determination that rivalled Poseidon’s but with a softness in her heart that Hades looked for in every nymphs and goddesses. His friend always had a soft spot for soft things. His lord really went and drew the worst cards Destiny shuffled. 

[cypriathus]

Main protagonist of In A Thicket of Spaciousness

WARNING: I talk about specific mental health issues and how it affects the following character.

Ephoszumina Uynaszoide Higenbrotamus-Teixojzura is the 36-year-old determined and protective commander of the Ichnaea 5 spacecraft. She’s part of the Galactic Investigation of Anomalous Phenomena Division (GIAPD), one of the few subdivisions of the Bureau of Researching and Securing Extramundane Curiosities (BRSEC). As a hard-working individual, she feels confident about her work and possesses an unwavering commitment to her given tasks. She’s a reliable member of the GIAPD, putting effort into their work and obediently following orders. She’s also viewed as trustworthy by her crew members due to her good listening and emotional intelligence skills. Ephoszumina is quite independent and honourable, being able to not rely on others for aid or support and believe in truth as well as doing what’s morally right. However, she sometimes struggles to break out of her unyielding independence and collaborate with her crew members due to her stubbornness. She respects the opinions and ideas of others, showing consideration and regard to what they have to say. However, she will put her foot down and tell them off if she views it as necessary. Ephoszumina is very organised and is quick to notice things, especially if it involves her plans or any potential problems that might arise amongst her group. She’s decently down-to-earth, ensuring that she focuses on the task beforehand and dealing with people practically and directly.

She's capable of uplifting the management of her team, but she does occasionally overthink and/or disregard the potential negative consequences. She tends to appear menacingly and isn’t afraid to threaten those who try to invade her privacy or harm the safety of her and the members of the Ichnaea 5. She can be quite sarcastic at times, which is usually in the form of mocking and contemptible remarks. Ephoszumina does have a bit of a fiery temper, but that’s usually targeted towards those she finds irritating or it’s a sign of wanting to be left alone. She tries to hide the fact that she experiences depression, insomnia, and borderline personality disorder (BPD). Her depression makes her feel sad, empty, and hopeless, and prone to angry outbursts and frustration, even over small matters. She often desires to be non-existent and can be somewhat fixated on past failures. She has difficulty with concentration, decision-making, and recalling, which makes dealing with her tasks feel like an absolute chore. Her BPD makes her feel uncertain about how she sees herself, experiences mild mood swings, and intensifies her fear of abandonment and instability.

Ephoszumina is slightly above the average height of an Irishwoman and is almost about 5’ 6” (167.64 cm). Her body shape is more rectangular, but her hips are fairly defined, her shoulders and buttocks are slightly rounded, and she carries some weight in her upper thighs. Her medium-length hair is in a side-parted wavy, messy lob and it’s a lovely shade of golden bronze with red brown streaks. She has striking sienna skin with reddish freckles decorating her face, chest, and shoulders. She has long eyelashes and cerulean eyes, but the left one is slightly lighter than the right due to it being made from glass, which she tries to cover up with a purplish eyepatch. After the spaceship crash, her left arm is replaced with a prosthetic, the wires being the veins and muscles tendons, while the flexible metal are the bones and flesh. Her lower back, buttocks, and behind the left leg have received some scars, primarily second- and third-degree burns and lacerations.

Like the other main members of Ephoszumina’s group, she wears the traditional GIAPD space uniform. This uniform consists of teal blue space flight suits with two white strips from the neck gaiter to the end of their jacket sleeves and well-placed pockets. GIAPD workers also wear position badges, the flag of their country on the left arm, the logo of their organisation on the right arm, and a monochromatic shirt underneath the flight suit. The logo depicts the simplified black silhouette of a rabbit before a burning star of blue, yellow, orange, red, and white. Below that striking logo design is the organisation’s abbreviated name in bold pomp and power lettering. Each member possesses a badge with their position and the depiction of a planet or moon. However, her badge is the only one in her group that depicts the Sun and the title of commander. The sleeves of her uniform jacket are sometimes rolled up or the jacket is wrapped around her waist. Beneath Ephoszumina’s standard uniform, she wears a white button down shirt and a tangerine undershirt. On her left uniform arm, her country’s flag is that of Ireland. Sometime after the spaceship crash, she wears a drop leg holster attached to a flexible waistband. She wears a solitaire wedding band with a princess-shaped diamond below her engagement ring on the left ring finger. She also has a spacesuit that has her commander badge and Ireland flag in the same places as her flight suit. She occasionally wears a bronze shawl with floral patterns of saffron, red-violet, ruddy blue, and pale rose with a silver amphisbaena engulfed in flames on the back. When wearing her shawl, she dons a pair of dirty brown jeans, which are both gifted from her lover named W’Viphatroglukebyx.

Besides her BRSEC ID, she holds onto a very special photograph of her with her deceased husband, Veljahomius. As the commander who survived a spaceship crash and is roaming through alien planets, she has a few weapons on her person. One of the weapons she wields is an energy weapon with a sling that’s partially modelled off of the Russian RGS-50M. Instead of regular bullets or the ammunition that the RGS-50M uses, it shoots out either blasts or large orbs of slow-moving energy, but that greatly depends on the firing settings. Another weapon on her person is a double-barrelled pistol with a built-in flash suppressor. Ephoszumina also has a multi-purpose taser that fires three stun probes and is partially based off of the Raysun X-1. The energy weapon is named the Blazing Whispers 0.3, the double-barrelled pistol is called the Zermillionus LCTI-7390, and the taser is referred to as the Weather’s Eye J-XT81. She wears a highly advanced black, blue, and gold wristwatch given to her by the BRSEC, appearing to be modelled after the DB28 Kind of Blue Tourbillon and Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon Watch. It’s capable of faster-than-light communication, notifications in regards to receiving work-related emails, passwords to access confidential documents, and telling the time. This very special model of watch is referred to as the BRSEC-35 Cirrostratus Parhelia.

FAMILY:

Unnamed father

Unnamed mother

Unnamed brother

Veljahomius (ex-husband)

W’Viphatroglukebyx (lover)

Aprichotenus (daughter)

Korwudelaszith (daughter)

Musaphordzen (daughter)

ALIASES/NICKNAMES:

Ephoszuma (by a few friends)

Uyneszoda (by a few friends and coworkers)

Commander (by the members of the Ichnaea 5 spacecraft)

Liefje (“little dear” in Dutch) (by Veljahomius)

Snoepje (“little candy” in Dutch) (by Veljahomius)

Knapperd (“beautiful” in Dutch) (by Veljahomius)

Lekker ding (“delicious thing” in Dutch) (by Veljahomius)

Fuzzy lumpkins (by W’Viphatroglukebyx)

Precious heartstring (by W’Viphatroglukebyx)

My graceful little daffodil (by W’Viphatroglukebyx)

My strong-hearted lioness (by W’Viphatroglukebyx)

Mama (by Aprichotenus, Korwudelaszith, and Musaphordzen)

Señora Ephoszumina (“lady” in Spanish) (by Gulebharto)

Madame Higenbrotamus (by Emarontius and Ayndefolius)

Higenta (by Sukhajowinder)

Schmusebacke (“smooth cheeks” in German) (by Friedoschalk)

Liebster (“most beloved” in German) (by Friedoschalk)

Honigbienchen (“little honey bee” in German) (by Friedoschalk)

Ephoszu-san (by Chitazuko)

Uphoszaide (by Gunaholde)

Ephostuxja (by Oyldzriska)

Ephoszumina Hanimefendi (“lady master” in Turkish) (by Evranfotih)

Miss Higenbrotamus-Teixojzura (by Plejzakhominus)

Unmovable cunt (by Plejzakhominus)

Lady Teixojzura (by Garwelohud)

Higebo (by Mjolahvet)

Grumpy albatross (by Aylbepurcht)

Lonesome heifer (by Eyschurota)

Mademoiselle of a Rocky Heart (by Kafenodisch)

Uyneszroda (by Gibhazlodus)

Higenbrota (by Gibhazlodus)

Teixoju (by Gibhazlodus)

FUN FACTS/EXTRA INFORMATION:

She’s demisexual

Her birthday is April 12th (Aries)

Her blood type is A-

In regards to her ethnicity, she’s 50% Irish, 37.5% British, and 12.5% Portuguese.

She used to have a Borzoi, but he died from cardiomyopathy.

She has double-jointed fingers

Besides English, she knows five different languages, which are Korean, German, Afrikaans, Portuguese, and Greek. However, she does know some Dutch as a result of her deceased husband.

She originally wanted to be a marine biologist due to her fascination and love for the ocean and its unique aquatic life. However, she became an astronaut for the Galactic Investigation of Anomalous Phenomena Division (GIAPD) due to reasons she doesn’t want to talk about.

She used to get teased a lot the time she first worked at the GIAPD, but it didn't last very long after she beat up a sexist coworker and reported him to his superiors.

Her grandfather's place was near a cozy beach and that's why she's learned to like it as she grows up.

She likes cappuccino, sea foam, the sounds of the ocean, marine biology, her grandfather’s bike, the spectacular sights of space, her husband and the memories they made together, birds in general, rare dog breeds, and the outdoors.

She likes to listen to the sounds of ocean waves she saved on her phone when she’s having trouble sleeping.

She dislikes the taste of cooked almonds, the uncomfortable vastness of outer space, black holes, social isolation, death, funerals, having an upset stomach after eating spicy foods or drinking booze, dangerous machinery, sexual harassment, and wasting food.

Her hobbies consist of mountain biking, playing badminton, metal detecting, doing word scrambles, reading short stories, trying out magic tricks, and collecting bird-themed items and seashells.

Her favourite planets inside the Solar System is Saturn and Neptune

Her favourite animals are the barn owl, mountain hare, Araneus diadematus, horse, and goldcrest.

When she was a kid, she used to like going to an aquarium due to her love of jellyfishes, sea anemones, starfishes, and other small fishes.

Her favourite flowers are the ragged robin, bog rosemary, wood anemone, and cuckoo flower.

Her favourite comfort foods are colcannon, Gur cake, jambon, and garlic cheese chips.

Due to her tritanopia colour blindness, it’s difficult to identify certain hues. From what she can see, her favourite colours are lapis lazuli and rose vale.

Her biggest pet peeves are obnoxiously loud yawning, leaving drawers and cabinets open, not screwing lids on bottles and containers all the way, people who comment on what she’s eating, heating up smelly food in a work kitchen, being condoned to a gender-based stereotype, and microaggression.

At one point in Ephoszumina’s life during her high school years, she used to be quite a nerd because she read books a lot and focused on her studies more than her other classmates. She also got those thick glasses as well, which many people made fun of. However, when she grew up, she preferred to put contact lenses on instead because she thought those glasses looked ridiculous on her.

Sometimes when she sits down it hurts her because of the injury around her butt, so she tries to avoid sitting down as much as possible.

Her prosthetic arm occasionally doesn’t function properly, so she gets it checked out every Sunday.

She paces a lot when thinking

She has a tendency to talk to herself

She knows a myriad of useless trivia

Ephoszumina secretly loves watching “bad” movies

Ephoszumina sleeps with her old baby blanket

She’s a contortionist

She can’t drive well

She usually taps her fingernails on hard surfaces

Ephoszumina’s guilty pleasure is following conspiracy theories that are considered to be blatantly false and out-of-this-world.

[destinyc1020]

Timdayas don't have anyone but themselves to blame tbh. It's not as bad as the 2 leads of Queen Charolette (idk if you watched QC but the leads had great chemistry to the point where fans were getting really weird about them and the male lead has a gf. It got the point where the leads were standing like 5 ft apart during promo) but Z and Timmy were definitely making a point to not be too chummy with each other this go round.

Though, I never thought they were besties and were just playing it up during the first press tour. This go round, they didn't bother selling that story especially since Paul/Chani has been sufficiently established. I don't even know if they really ship Z and Tim or if they just want Z to be with someone "trendy" to fulfill whatever image they have of Z/her career.

Timdayas don't have anyone but themselves to blame tbh. It's not as bad as the 2 leads of Queen Charolette (idk if you watched QC but the leads had great chemistry to the point where fans were getting really weird about them and the male lead has a gf. It got the point where the leads were standing like 5 ft apart during promo) but Z and Timmy were definitely making a point to not be too chummy with each other this go round.

I agree Anon. They really have nobody to blame but themselves honestly. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Re: Queen Charlotte...

Are you talking about these two?

I never saw this Bridgerton series, but I am familiar with them. I didn't realize ppl were shipping them in REAL life though. 🤦🏾‍♀️😵‍💫

That's gotta be awkward tbh....esp if you're in a rlshp with somebody else. Idk why fans can't separate acting from reality these days? 🫤

Anyway, I saw what they said in response to filming intimate scenes with each other (there goes that question again 🙄), and I thought their responses were VERY professional and insightful.

They had to film waaaay more intimate scenes than Timmy and Zendaya ever had to film for Dune, so that's saying smthg.

FF to Min. 2:32 where they talk about the "steamy scenes"

Idk why people think that love scenes are an "anything goes" type thing? 🥴 They are HEAVILY coordinated (JUST like fight scenes), and the two actors explain that in the video above, just like Timmy and Zendaya have been saying all along. It's just WORK. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Re: Timmy & Zendaya

I definitely think they're good friends. But that's basically it. I don't think it's as complicated as fans are making it out to be.... on either end.

I actually don't see this "awkwardness" btwn Timmy and Zendaya that some of you all are seeing on this press tour. 🤔 They've been laughing and joking with each other lol. I don't see them avoiding each other at all? 🤷🏾‍♀️

Z is the same way with just about ALL of her male costars imo. 🤷🏾‍♀️ She's different with Tom of course cuz he's actually her BOYFRIEND. That's just how Z is. Someone like Florence might be different. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Some ppl just approach things differently. Keep in mind, Z is a Virgo. Even she says herself that she is prone to overthinking things all the time lol. She plays things SAFE. Like, that's just her nature and personality.

Idk what Timdaya fans were thinking they were gonna get with this press tour, but these ppl are just doing their JOBS. They're working.

I still don't get the awkwardness some ppl are referring to honestly. She's been laughing at his jokes, she's acknowledged Timmy, etc. They just haven't been playing into the "Omg it was the best love story ever and I LOVED kissing him/her" fauxmanship that maybe SOME costars engage in lol 😆

To me, they're acting like any other normal cast on a press tour together. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[humbuginmybones]

Another chapter!!!

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝔀𝓸: "𝓢𝓱𝓮'𝓼 𝓐 𝓢𝓲𝓵𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓛𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰..."

You couldn't help but question if it was a polite or stupid move to not approach Alex Turner. You had been prone to overthinking, and ever since you got in the cab to go home, your mind had been cracked with a mental, endless pros and cons list from that one action. To think that you got so close to meeting a star, hell, even meeting your favorite band.

But on the other hand... That was also a strong and good thing of you to not approach them. You had enjoyed your night on your own, and that was all that mattered - The night had been a net positive.

The next few days went by very nicely - You had a lovely job at this cute little book shop in High Green, and had a handful of coworkers who were just the sweetest. There was Henry, who had worked there the longest, and you were convinced that he had read every book they stocked in the store. His parents were from Wales, and were the sweetest people ever, they had even invited you over for tea a few times. Then there was Sahari, a wonderful young woman of Indian descent, and she made the best tea! She even paired certain teas with classic novels, which added an extra special touch to your store in particular. And then there was Josi, a non-binary person of African descent, and they did the best makeup, you two loved sending each other pictures and videos of your individual looks. Josi was also awesome at pushing you out of your comfort zone without ever overstepping boundaries. These friendships grounded you, and we're some of the best people you knew. You were so lucky to have them. The four of you had a book club, and loved analyzing books. Meetings were usually hosted on slow days at the shop. The job was good and sustained you, and the friendships always lit up your days. These three always made you feel comfortable and secure.

Josi said they'd close down the shop for tonight, so you left thirty minutes early. You treated to yourself to the local cinema, the kind that re-ran old movies all the time. This weekend, they were showing a re-run of Mean Streets.

It was a good way to start your weekend. The film ended late, and had a small crowd. Throwing your jacket on, you exited the cinema and started walking home. Yes, it was nighttime, but your home was less than a mile away, you were a fast walker, and had pepper spray and a switchblade - This wasn't the first time you had walked this path, thankfully. There was another break in the rain, the weather had been letting up since an exceptionally rainy Tuesday night.

You turned a corner, and... You noticed a figure... The figure got closer to you, trying to talk... Maybe you recognized the voice, the outline?

A man got a lot closer to you, and through the darkness, he looked a hell of a lot like Alex Turner - Or maybe you were just imagining things, since the subject of this man has occupied so much of the space in your mind. Who the hell in the world would be walking around at this hour? This was a sleepier side of town, and... Wait, was that man wearing sunglasses... At night?

The man lit up a cigarette, and the slight light from the butt finally illuminated his face.

He's either the man you've hyper-fixated on, or... The world's greatest doppelganger.

Oh fuck me - Fate really does exist. Alex Turner thought to himself. He asked himself what to do - He would sound creepy as fuck if he said this was the third time he had laid eyes on you. But he knew that he had fumbled his chance last time, and swore to himself that he wouldn't let that happen again. He asked himself if he should open up with a cheesy pick-up line, or to act normal, or... His options flooded his hand, but you would walk by at any moment, so he simply muttered to you: "Hi."

Goddamn. You couldn't help but think. "Hello." You responded, finally stopping.

This was Alex's chance - What does he say...?

"It's nice to see a lovely lady like you tonight." All he could think was how grateful he was that he didn't slip up or mess up his words.

You heard that deep Sheffield accent - And some blood rushed to your cheeks, finally adding warmth to that area after the wind nipping at your cheeks your whole walk home. Would you offer a name? All three of your closest friends had your location... And you were polite.

"Thank you, how are you?" You responded curtly. You swallowed and finally admitted what was stuck on your mind.

"Oh my God, you look like Alex Turner! Sorry for being so blunt."

Holy shit, she talked back - This is really happening. Alex kept his cool demeanor, and responded quite quickly. "Hey there. You caught me, yes I'm Alex Turner."

Almost all your brain cells shut off. You started talking without thinking of the consequences, you were that starstruck.

"Holy shit, Alex Turner - I'm... Quite the fan. I really hope this doesn't bother you, but may I have an autograph, or a picture? It's alright if you decline."

He's surprised by how chill you seem to be taking this whole situation. He feels relieved, he hates it when he gets people freaking out and acting weird. He takes a quick drag of his cigarette, and smiles softly.

"Always nice to meet a fan, what is your name if I may ask?"

"Y/N." You two shake hands.

He shakes your hand, and nods, his eyes wandering to your body a bit, before he realizes what he is doing and smiles warmly at you.

"So uh, what are you doing here out this late? Just walking home?"

"Ah, you've got me. Can we take a pic and get an autograph, if it's not too much?"

He smiles warmly, thinking it was kind of cute that you wanted these things from him.

"Sure, sure. I always like to interact with my fans as much as possible."

"Thank you!" You two get the pic and autograph done.

He's surprised that you're not asking more of him, he's gotten too used to weird fans. He laughs a bit.

"That was surprisingly quick and easy! You seem very laid back."

"Thank you!" You smile so brightly.

He notices that beautiful smile of yours, your beautiful eyes, and he couldn't help but keep staring. There was something about you that kept him drawn in.

"Well, you're welcome. I guess I could ask you a question in return?"

You nod eagerly.

He laughs a bit, finding it cute how star struck you seemed.

"What's your opinion on my solo project The Submarine EP, if you've heard of it?"

Why the fuck did I ask that? Alex thought yo himself. Does your brain short-circuit the second you see a pretty girl?

He cleared his throat and tried to play it cool.

"Yes, it was beautiful, and Submarine is one of my favorite films." You responded quickly.

His eyes widen, and he looks extremely pleased. He breathed an extreme sigh of relief, so happy that he didn't come off as awkward.

"So you've not only heard it, but you've seen the movie it was for too. That's quite a surprise. Not many people know it's... There, you have excellent taste, if I may say."

"Wow, thank you sir." You responded.

He laughs again, you seem quite respectful.

"No need to call me sir, just call me Alex. Everyone does."

"Well, thank you, Alex. It was very nice to meet you."

He smiles warmly at you, he's enjoying your presence more than you'd know.

"Well, it was just as nice to meet you. I'm glad to see that I have a fan who isn't going to stalk me or be crazy over me."

"Damn, that must be intense and scary..." You said quietly.

He laughs quietly at that, you're not wrong.

"It's why I'm happy to be here now, though I'll be leaving in a few weeks to record." He smiled then continued.

"Yes, the US is quite intense, a lot more fans there than here, and they're so... extreme. I've had people come to my house in America and demand things from me that I am not willing to give. I'm really just happy you're not like that."

"Oh, of course! So sorry to hear that!"

He shrugs, it's just the nature of being famous.

"I signed up for this, it's no worries. But, I am really glad that you're not as extreme as some of my other fans. I think we can be friends if you'd like? You seem quite friendly and genuine."

"You mean it?!" You smile in glee.

He laughs a bit, quite surprised by this reaction, but also amused by it.

"Of course, you seem like a friend-worthy individual!"

"Thank you! Would you like my number?"

His eyes light up briefly, yes please!

"I would, would you like mine in return?"

"Please. What an honor."

He smiles widely, and pulls out a silver sharpie he keeps in his back pocket, he writes his number down and hands you the sticky note.

"You can contact me anytime, and I'm happy to reply as long as I am not busy with things."

"Thank you... Well... I have a celebrity's number... Thanks!" You chuckle cutely.

Alex has to resist the urge to put his hands on his cheeks at how cute she is, she truly is adorable.

"Just remember what I said, you can call me anytime. Maybe we could meet again, hang out as friends maybe?"

"Sure. I won't keep you too long, but text me the details when you get a chance!" You smile cutely and courteously.

He smiles back warmly, you're one of the least crazy fans he's met. It's quite refreshing.

"I most certainly will, I've really enjoyed this small interaction, I want you to keep in touch."

"Thanks, thanks, great to hear!"

"Talk to you soon!"

You smile and the two of you part.

Alex nods and smiles again, his eyes drifting over to your hips, he can't help it, and he blushes a bit. He's very interested in your body. As you separate he's left blushing, and he decides to text you.

"Have a good night, we will definitely keep in touch."

You smiled as you went back to your home, and the rain started up again. You snuggled up in your blankets and flicked on the heater as the warm lights in your room gave you this angelic glow - A supernatural beauty, which was exactly what Alex thought you were, even if you didn't know that yet. You texted Alex again, and then texted your group chat the picture of you and Alex, and tons of caps and exclamation marks were exchanged between the four of you. Alex texted you 'Goodnight', and you finally put your phone away to charge, and drifted off to a land of dreams... And it seemed the future would give you opportunities to pursue new dreams - That could become reality.

[rising-volteccers]

hiii! it's star anon 🌟

this week was relatively hectic, and it's just wednesday! 😭 i was going through your writing prompt tag and the first set that popped up (food as a love language) reminded me of how i felt today.

tw for discussions of eating and food!

technically, i felt "fine", but for some reason, my hunger cues were non-existent? for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, i barely had the motivation to eat. this is very odd for me because i love food. 😔 i resorted to eating outside and going for my comfort foods, which at least helped me eat and hydrate regularly today. i was surprised because this happened out of nowhere, though i'm thinking it's the stress piling up from college. i kept zoning out during today's lectures and study sessions.

so yeah, all this made me think about how murdock would prepare to respond to situations where any of the crew members may be going through what i experienced. three prompt bullets stood out to me:

⋆ “i know you said you weren’t hungry, but i made you something anyways.” ⋆ gently reminding them to eat ⋆ always having the ingredients for their comfort meal on hand in case they have a bad day

of course, murdock would do any of these for all the crew members, though i feel like this would be a more frequent occurrence with friede, liko, and dot. i guess that's because they're the most prone to forgetting, overthinking, or worrying.

though do feel free to go about this in any way you wish! i'd love to see your take on this. ❤️ i'll just take it easy for now. hopefully, the rest of the week goes better for me, and i hope it does for you as well!

Heya! I totally get what you mean about stress dampening hunger cues. I'm someone who experiences the same and still working on finding ways to eat better! I hope that the rest of your week goes well, and that you'll do well with your classes! I believe in you!

This was such a nice prompt that I ended up writing a piece about it! I also rub my self indulgent hcs about Friede too in this hehe. Hopefully this would be a nice read!

Series: Pokemon Horizons

Characters: Murdock, Friede, Liko, Dot

(This piece centers around food and eating. Also the food mentioned are meant to be potato stew, ochazuke and bento respectively!)

--

The quote 'food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate' has stuck with Murdock for the longest time. He can't properly recall the origins, only that it carved a spot in his heart and he grew around it. Murdock enjoyed food and cooking. He loved cooking for others. To him, there was no greater joy and satisfaction than seeing the people he cared for eat the food he made for them.

When he became the chef for the Rising Volt Tacklers, Murdock understood the weight of responsibility now saddled atop his shoulders. With all the traveling they do, he needed to take into account the supplies on hand. Mollie helped him in that regard but ultimately, it came down to him on how he stretched a particular ingredient to use in several meal times. 

Not to mention keeping track of everyone's eating habits. Food allergies aside, Murdock knew what people liked and disliked so he cooked accordingly, ensuring that no one left the dining table hungry. He also regularly asks what the crew wanted to eat for mealtimes, indulging in special requests or making someone's favorite if he felt like they could use a pick me up.

(Like Liko for example. She had adapted to life on board remarkably well but unlike the ever cheerful Roy, Murdock noticed that she had the tendency to keep to herself. It reminded him of Dot–it was thanks to her friendship with his niece that Dot had started to come out of her shell. The gratitude he had couldn't properly be expressed through words so he showed it through his cooking.

The day after they found Liko and got back her pendant, Murdock chose to make one of her favorite dishes. He sensed that she had a lot on her mind, unsurprising given the nature of her disappearance. It pained him to learn that a child her age had to experience an awful thing yet he felt pride that Dot saw Liko to be a valuable friend, drawing her out of her room and off the ship for the first time since he brought her along. 

Murdock spent the time after breakfast prepping the ingredients to make a stew. It was similar to Mollie's favorite but with more potatoes added in and different seasonings were used. He also made fresh buttered rolls to dip into the stew, making it into a hearty meal to enjoy during lunch. 

When he spotted her initial surprise morphing into quiet excitement, Murdock knew he made the right choice. He happily refilled her request for seconds, enjoying the warmth that blossomed in his heart at seeing her overall mood improved). 

Aside from making the food, Murdock got into the habit of reminding others to eat. He understood that at times, circumstances made it difficult for all of them to sit down and have a meal together. If they were in for a spot of rough weather, most of them would eat when they had the chance to seeing that they had different responsibilities in getting the Brave Asagi through safely. 

Arceus knows the amount of times where he gently nudged Orla into leaving the engine room to grab some muffins he made, or all but strong arming Friede into eating something because the endearing fool had it in his head that he would only eat after the danger had passed. Mollie didn’t need much convincing seeing that she ate when she was hungry, while the Liko and Roy happily ate anything he put on their plates. Especially Roy who ate like he had a bottomless pit for a stomach. Good appetite for a growing boy his age. 

These days, Murdock found that he had another person to add to his list of gentle reminders. It was one that he’d always be happy to do so because it was Dot, his niece who recently started eating solid foods. He trusted Mollie’s assessment in that Dot got all the nutrients she needed from the gummies but it still pained him to see her subsisting on only that.

Eating shouldn’t just be about getting the appropriate amount of nutrients. It should be an occasion, something to enjoy and make one feel happy to be alive. Thus when Dot started to eat the doughnuts he left out, it motivated Murdock to find more dishes for his niece to try. Once Dot started to eat more, he encouraged the habit through gentle reminders. 

(Like the night where Murdock spotted Dot standing on deck, a rarity seeing that she only really came out when Liko or Roy was around. Quaxly was with her, spotting his presence first by waving a wing at him. This prompted Dot to turn and look at him in surprise.

“Uh… hi,” she spoke up, soft and slightly hesitant.

“Good evening Dot,” Murdock responded warmly. He knew better than to press the reasoning behind her being out here, lest he spooked her into returing back to her room. Instead of letting the silence between them grew awkward, he asked, “Have you eaten yet?”

“H-huh?”

“Have you eaten yet?” he repeated gently. Judging from the way Dot fiddled with her sleeve, it gave him his answer. Murdock kept his tone kind, lacking any judgement upon knowing that she hadn’t eaten dinner yet. 

Murdock instead invited her to join him for supper. Dot looked hesitant at first but Quaxly’s encouragement had her shuffling behind him as they made their way to the kitchen. While she sat at one of the chairs, he made a simple Johtonian dish where the leftover rice he planned on using for fried rice tomorrow had soup added into it. He found this to be a nice, comforting dish that was light on the stomach. 

Dot seemed to agree, or at least she ate it with minimal complaints. Murdock hid his smile behind each spoonful, pleased to see his niece slowly learn the joys of eating).

Still, sometimes reminders were not enough for he could not contend with what went on in a person’s mind. In this particular case, he meant of Friede’s. His captain proved to be the one that pushed Murdock to expand his repertoire. Try out various recipes that would fit his particular palate, or fit a certain texture that he liked.

Murdock knew of his dislike for sour and sweet-spicy flavors. His aversion to slimy and too soft textures, of leafy greens and things that pop in his mouth. How he had the tendency to skip meals when he became fixated on a task, or whatever belief that settled in his brain that told him that he shouldn’t eat until they were in calmer waters. Sometimes Friede just plain forgot to eat, citing that he didn’t feel hungry until Murdock placed food in front of him. He ate like a Munchlax by then. 

While it pushed him to work harder, Murdock did not harbor any resentment towards Friede. In fact, he found it to be quite the fun challenge to see what sort vegetables he could sneak into the captain’s meal without him realizing. The sense of pride and gratification to see Friede happily eat something that he made was one that he cherished too. It made him happy that he was able to provide his friend a proper, balanced meal that he could enjoy without worry. 

(A recent memory of this was the time Friede became fixated in understanding more about Roy’s Ancient Pokeball. He apparently found some old books from an antique store during their last supply run in the city that could provide more information and had holed himself in his room since then.

While Friede did come out occasionally, it was for more coffee and some berries he swiped from the fruit bowl before he disappeared in his room again. Murdock had long since learnt that while he could force Friede to eat something, that would in turn make him reluctant to eat whatever meals that he ate now in the future. Something about association with an unpleasant event, even if it was necessary for his continued good health. 

Instead, Murdock spent a bit of time after everyone ate their dinner to make something for Friede. He pulled out a medium sized container that would fit his purposes. Murdock easily put together some sandwiches, vegetable sticks with peanut butter and sugared doughnut holes to put inside. Friede would be more likely to eat something that he could eat with one hand, as well as contrasting crunchy and soft, toothy textures. 

Murdock also filled a thermos with his preferred nighttime blend before carrying it with him to Friede’s bedroom. He entered after some perfunctory knocks, finding the young professor hunched over his desk with several open books, one hand lightly tugging at his hair. An easy indicator for stress, he came to learn. 

“I know you said you weren’t hungry but I made you something anyway.” Murdock went straight to the point, knowing that Friede would be in no mood for small talk. 

Friede briefly raised his head to acknowledge Murdock’s presence and the containers he placed on his bed, then went back to his book with a soft grunt. 

The chef simply smiled, bidding Friede a good night before returning back to the kitchen so he could clean up. Come the next morning, Murdock would find Friede fast asleep on his bed, the container empty sans a few crumbs while the thermos was all but drained).

So yes, Murdock shows his love through the food he makes. It speaks for him when words would fail, and the joy he gained was enough to make all the effort he put in worthwhile. As long as his family ate well, Murdock wouldn’t ask for anything more.

[outsidereveries]

karina (aespa)'s personality

what she was like in her childhood: very determinated to do what she loves because she felt unfulfilled in her childhood. her parents might've been very distant during when she was a kid in one way or another.

which qualities has changed during puberty: she become more obervant than before. moreover, she learned a lot through other people's traits for her insecurities and other traits.

what she's faking: like other idols, karina might be more passive when receiving solo gigs. she feels obligied to accept them.

what's also fake but tries not to be: her experimenting with solo gigs, her determination to work harder than before.. basically how she works, she can be risky but she just overthinks everything.

what's genuine: karina is more .. i wouldn't say stubborn/passive, but she ignores easily things. karina's vibe is authentic and also she's very individual. fortunately or not, she has egoistic tendencies. for good or bad, karina just cares for herself more than anything in some occassions.

what we don't see: she balances everything pretty well. considering she's taken, she controls her job with her personal life very seriously and does it well.

political views: she might be aware of some tactics koreans do when elections are nearby and she just does them, like most people do. she doesn't care for her country's future because she lives well as of now.

what's mixing between her morals and the fame: although she's hardworking, she might hate certain people. she might come off as egoistic, but she just dislike them. certain people might question is the fame worth it.

would she choose the fame over her standarts: no. not in these circumstances at least.

religious/spiritual views: same as felix, might be currently non-spiritual and atheist. considering how karina relies on her intuition though, she might become more spiritual in the future or will believe more in the future.

controversial things she agrees with: she understands when there's creative blockage but if you can do the needed job, it would be nice. she knows how monotonous it is, but she understands that sometimes we don't have choice.

addictions (either more prone to has them or might have them): karina should be careful of her emotions regarding her personal life.

destruction traits: she should be cautious of higher-ups who don't think the best for her. there can be things who can make her happy at first but just up to that. it's just not worth it.

qualities she's proud to have: balancing her emotions and the way of thinking. although she might be overemotional and too realistic at the same time, she controls them just fine. she's proud to be in that way.

intentions for the future: karina wants to do more solo gigs, more specific fashio-related ones. she wants to be more relatable and get the bag at the same time, lol. she's yet to choose her path.

[tokuvivor]

🍉, 🍊, and 🍈

🍉Do you prefer to write short fics or long fics? Multichaptered works or single ones? Why?

I like writing single-chapter stuff (length may vary). I like being very straightforward with my stories, and I don’t want to feel like I’m dragging out the action. Most of my story ideas are made for single-chapter action, and getting to the point in one go. That is not to say that I don’t like writing multi-chapter stories; of course I do. I just feel like one-shots are my forte.

🍊 Who’s a character you don’t write for that often, but keep meaning to write for more? (They’re so interesting! But maybe you have trouble pinning them down, or keep getting distracted by another blorbo…)

Louie! He’s a great character, and I love what Bobby Moynihan did with him. But I find it hard to come up with story ideas primarily focusing on Louie, plus, I get distracted by Huey and the other geeky characters. (Also, I don’t wanna come across as writing him too angstily).

🍈 Who’s your blorbo and what are some of your favorite headcanons/ideas about them that repeatedly show up in your fics? Free pass to rant about blorbo opinions.

Already answered, but that’s okay, I have more than one blorbo! So for this one, I’ll pick Violet.

I enjoy seeing Team Magic content with her, Webby, and Lena. But comparatively, I haven’t seen as much overall content of her, Huey, and Boyd as, well, Team Woodchuck. I like to strike a balance with paying attention to both such dynamics, obviously giving a bit more nurturing to the latter, since we didn’t really see that in canon.

Individually speaking, I enjoy writing her as autistic as well, but at her core, a bit differently from how I would go about the subject for Huey. I try to strike a chord between what we got of her in the show, the blunt, straightforward, eclectic magic nerd, and what I see in her beyond that, being prone to nerves and overthinking things, as well as caring deep-down how others perceive her; since she was not one of the main characters, it makes sense that the writers wouldn’t focus on this stuff as much, preferring to highlight the main 9, for the most part. Thus it falls to us writers to fill in the blanks.

[isfjmel-phleg]

OC asks:

Rachel - 1 Rietta - 2 Declis - 8 Amarantha - 9 Elystan - 10 Tamett - 15 Josiah - 20

Rachel: What kind of person is your OC in a crisis? Are they calm and collected? Do they panic? Or are they chronically the cause?

Rachel is very nervous and prone to panicking but can be surprisingly proactive in a crisis. In Book 1 Chapter One, she and her little sister accidentally are left on their own in a large unfamiliar city and have to find their way to the train station, and she's a mess inside but manages to take charge and stay strong for her already scared sister. She's braver and more capable than she realizes.

Rietta: Is your OC a loner or a social butterfly? Are they satisfied with how they come across to other people?

Rietta is a social butterfly whom circumstances have forced to live as a loner, and she hates it. She loves people, she wants to make friends with almost everyone, and she acts as if she doesn't realize it when she gets rejected. She does. And it hurts.

She tends not to overthink how she comes across to people, but she has often regretted specific interactions after she's said or done something without thinking.

Delclis: What was your OC's most embarrassing moment? Does it still bother them or are they able to shrug it off?

He once fell asleep in the middle of a meeting with a lot of very important political people and even snored loudly in the middle of someone's speech, and ended up offending multiple people with this rudeness. This incident does bother him, not so much because he cares about the faux pas, but because all the fuss with trying to smooth over the incident was more than he wanted to deal with, and now he has to put more effort into not repeating this mistake.

Amarantha: Is your OC laid back or do they thrive on drama? What role do they play in their group of friends/associates?

Amarantha has never been laidback a day in her life. Everything is Serious Business. She may not necessarily create drama, but she is more than ready to react to it at any time. Among her friends, she would like to think of herself as the Voice of Reason, the Sensible One who knows what to do. A mom friend, but the kind of mom who's always lecturing you.

Elystan: Is your OC sentimental or pragmatic? Do they keep mementos or only what they need to survive? Have they always been this way or did something happen to make them change?

He is not sentimental at all, except when he is, and then he'll do everything he can to disguise it as pragmatism. He does very much keep mementos; things like the silver cigarette case that his father gave him when he was ten and Talfrin taught him how to smoke (...for medicinal purposes, long story) are very important to him. This trait has really only emerged since all the events surrounding his father's banishment, treason, and execution, and also after Edmara stops working for him. He had never really lost anything before then.

Tamett: What places hold significant meaning or memories for your OC? Do they have a positive or negative association with those places?

He has a very normal attachment to his home and the surrounding outdoors, which is associated with the times he's allowed to see his family and have some freedom. And, like every child in the royal household of Lienne, he has a dread of Odren's study, which is where you're called to whenever you've done something Out Of Line. It's not an inherently fearsome room--eerily over-orderly and pristine, perhaps, but not scary--but the severe scoldings dished out there give it the worst possible associations.

Josiah: Has your OC ever done something terrible and lied about it? Did they run away or blame someone else for it? How long did they maintain the lie and did the truth ever come out?

He managed to find a way to avoid going to lessons for anything athletic and somehow cover it up--for quite a long time. The lies were exposed when his father wanted him to display his fencing skills at a social event with a lot of important people and he made a fool of himself (and by extension his father) very publicly. Odren was furious, and that's why Josiah got shipped off to boarding school a year early.

[invinciblerodent]

Hi, lowkey obsessed with your tavs (and a durge when I get to know her, I assume)

Did you create/pick them specifically with romances in mind or did it shuffle itself successfully?

Aww, thank you, that feels so nice to hear! ❤️❤️❤️

Kind of both, actually! It's kinda what I've been doing since my Dragon Age days, lol: for first runs of a certain game, I ofc just let it happen (make a vague character whose personality unfolds as the story goes, romance whoever I feel they'd fall for, reverse-engineer how that works out for them), but once I know the main story and the characters, I... generally like to pick an LI, then pick a trait or theme of their story/arc that interests me, choose an angle from which to approach that theme, and make a person whose story centers around it in a different way, but who I think would have their own arc, but would... understand, and eventually, naturally fall for the character based on things they have in common.

Like, if you'll allow me to rant a little... picking a cleric, and Arvid's whole deal and personality playing off Gale's themes of devotion and divinity so nicely was a complete accident lol. But my second run, I went into building Iona in a pretty conscious manner, after having purposefully decided that I want to do Astarion's romance, and that I wanted the character I make for him to be a highly charismatic person (who would see through him, and act primarily out of their own self-interest themselves), but also someone who would be able relate to him more and more as he reveals details of his story and past to them.

At first I just knew that she'd be an elf (because of the long lifespan, and because both of them only needing to rest 4 hours gives them lots of one-on-one time). Then I decided on a sorcerer to make her able to relate to him in their inability to deny their nature (sorcery is a living thing that yearns to be used, it's a little like vampiric hunger if you squint), decided to make her someone who was, like him, trapped/denied self-expression for a long time because of that nature (vampire spawn vs. person with inborn magic forced to hide it), and the rest (her being a compulsive liar who yearns to tell the truth, her having pretended to be someone she isn't for so long that she struggles to let the masks go, her repressing her feelings and being prone to deflecting and saying what others want to hear, all of that) sort of unfolded as I thought more about her, and the kind of story I wanted hers/theirs to be. And that's... kind of the same general process I follow with all of them.

I know it's kind of silly, and that I'm overthinking a lot of things, but I've always found character creation to be a lot of fun, and playing through a story as a little guy (gn) who has their own headful of issues to sort out like all the others has always been my absolute favorite part of playing RPGs. It's like writing the parts of stories i enjoy thinking about the most (characters and their relationships), but all the worldbuilding and plot-writing has already been done for me by someone much better at it than I am, lol.

I honestly never think that someone is reading through my mini-rants about my OCs, but I'm very, very happy that you like them!! The Durge run is going to be emotionally rough as hell!!!!

[leorawright]

oh my goodness!! hi!! can i get a romantic matchup for tf2??

my name’s sammie! i’m bisexual, use she/her pronouns and im an isfp 4w5, slytherin, and on the gemini/cancer cusp. initially i am a little stand-offish and a bit judgmental of everyone (given my BPD) , but i slowly warm up to people over time. i feel my emotions very very strongly and as a result can quickly jump to conclusions or overthink situations. i guess im pretty sensitive all around. this also means i’m pretty damn anxious over everything lol but i usually manage to pull through. i am very protective and defensive of people/things i love & can, and will, die on a hill for them. im prone to a bit of jealousy if i really really like someone unfortunately and may be a little clingy because i don’t like being alone and prefer to be with people. my humor is very pessimistic and sarcastic and i prefer people who understand/share that kind of humor. i look out for my friends and try to take care of them as much as possible (reminding them to go to sleep, helping them do their work, etc). i worry a lot and am always making sure they’re okay. i normally give out solutions rather than comfort when people come to me for advice but i generally am kinda okay at comforting people. i enjoy debating and yapping (go figure) because i am very opinionated & competitive and love to share my feelings/opinions/etc. i am a little stubborn though as i either see things as really good or really bad so it may take a little while for me to open up to new ideas but i am not entirely closed off to it. i love collecting silly little trinkets & knives, listening to 70s-90s punk rock music, going outdoors to various different places especially concerts, playing video games & watching movies, gambling on card games, and writing/reading. but i am really open to doing anything!! no matter how risky it is!! i have a soft spot for cute things & animals and my favorite has always been cats. as for what i enjoy in partners and friends i guess someone who can keep up with me and my emotions, who can listen well when i need someone to talk to, and they don’t take things TOO seriously.

hope this is enough! tyvm <3

Demoman!

Try not to tell jokes when he's drinking something because he can and will choke on whatever he is drinking

He's always happy to explain situations if you jump to conclusions

He's a great listener and gives some pretty good advice if you're looking for any

He's also pretty open to new experiences, so concerts, card games, whatever you want to do with him he's happy to try

Please remind him to sleep, he probably needs it

[nulltune]

i'm Naut a gamer and they're changing it for the remake but honestly fate/extra's gameplay is really fitting for hakuno's character! it's all about finding out who your opponent is, understanding them and predicting their patterns based on that and countering it. i think this is why fate extra materials say she has "amazing detective skills and inference ability" – specifically about the how she figures out the heroic spirits' identities but i think this should fit too. though on the other hand, i imagine she'd be stuck if there's not enough information to analyse.

for my portrayal, i want this trait of hers to rlly play into part with how she interacts with others too >:3c she's a good judge of character (though very idealistic and prone to giving others a chance or the benefit of the doubt) but takes her time to get more information and get to know them. from that, she can get a better understanding of just what is needed by the situation/person and fulfill that.

i feel like you already see this in canon too! she's pretty good at figuring out people and how they'd react, and filling in the blanks from what she knows about them.

AND PLSS THEYRE SO FUNNY SVSNAVXJ

+ this dialogue option where you have to convince jinako to help you out and the correct option has hakuno appealing to jinako's,, tastes (🗿)

SO you'll usually see things like her going with the flow and doing things based on what the others want/need rather than herself, mostly because she doesn't know what she wants herself and is trying to figure out this way.

it's important because foxtail makes it a point that your choices is what shapes who you are. hakuno even admits to "going with the flow" and "following what everyone says" in and has her important turning point when she chooses her own path. good character development!! which i think can be best exemplified in this dialogue option from true route:

where the right answer isn't solely doing what hakuno thinks sakura wants, but also taking what hakuno herself thinks into consideration. it seems like a small thing but it's such good development for my girl /sobs

i alao wanna mention how hakuno highly introspective (though to the point of overthinking actually) and can easily understand parts of others that they don't explicitly show or tell or even admit to themselves. and how her best dynamics are the ones that also explore her character and taps into her emotions and feelings and how it relates to the other! like julius for example:

Just like Julius, the protagonist worked their way up from the bottom. So when they met the protagonist could immediately and clearly see through Julius, and this pissed Julius off to no end.

it's not just hakuno understands that julius is weak, but it's how hakuno understands what it's like to be weak. she understands what's it like to be deemed inferior and useless, and to try your hardest to prove yourself. not just an observation of the other person as a character and making informed guesses based on that, which is how i think hakuno navigates her usual interactions; but with a connection with them as a person that would also require hakuno to consider her own self and how she relates to the other person, which is great development for her!

so basically- not just understanding others intellectually, but truly understanding them from the heart,, 🥹

it's not to say that having something in common is required to have a bond though, ofc! the point is that it's necessary for hakuno consider herself too. as more of a character who interacts with the world and others rather than a self-insert who's just viewing things as an audience surrogate y'know </3

like this moment, where hakuno doesn't just pick up on bb acting different, but has her own thoughts and feelings about it (even if she doesn't really understand it):