#tams aunt

[louielle]

"Já když jezdila stopem, tak Žižka měl ještě vobě voči."

— postarší rodinná známá

[pussymasterdooku]

if my mom could find a cure for her chronic case of outing people to people they are Specifically Not Out To, For A Reason, that would be, uh, great!

[elendiliel]

Women of Star Wars (34 ABY edition)

This is the third and probably last in this series (apart from some follow-ups and smaller groups that may appear in due course), marking the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Lady with another lot of amazing female/feminine-programmed characters from a galaxy far, far away.

[Design notes: all traced either from Googled pictures (Rey, Rose, Kaydel, Maz, Zorii, Jannah, Torra, Freya and CB-23) or screenshots with Googled pictures or close-up screenshots used to get the faces vaguely right (everyone else, apart from Paige, for whom I had to splice two different shots together, hence the weird proportions). Colour strangeness can be blamed on the lighting of the original shots; I don't know how to compensate for that yet.]

[wiseabsol]

I saw that you previously had an AU of Dominion dreamed up. What would it have entailed? Themes, subjects and tone wise?

So the AU I've mentioned on occasion is something Aurelia and I have been calling the Aunt Tam AU, in which Azula has an aunt who acts as a mentor figure to her, since we don't have a lot of female mentor figures in ATLA (the fic is also inspired by 水火 by trascendenza). This aunt would be a recognized bastard Azulon had with Lo or Li, who was born between Iroh and Ozai, but was ultimately closer to Ozai when they were young.

The two drifted apart when Tam snuck into the army to escape an arranged marriage. Since women were not in the Fire Nation military at this time - in Dominion, gender equality in the military was something Ozai implemented - she had to keep her gender a secret. Given that she was a foot soldier, she saw more of the ugliness of the war than Iroh did, and due to this - and due to the influence of a friend who knew her secret - she became disillusioned with the war earlier. That being said, Tam still fought for her country, and only when she suffered grave injuries when securing a victory for her side (perhaps protecting a colony or taking a town with some strategic importance) was she found out and sent home.

By this time, Ozai has married Ursa and had Zuko and Azula, with Azula being newly born. Ozai trusts Tam enough to allow her to tutor his children, though ultimately she gravitates towards Azula, in part because Iroh and Ursa prefer to spend their time and efforts on Zuko, but also because she sees herself in Azula.

Having another adult in the family - and one who doesn't really get along with Iroh and Ursa, but is also getting increasingly uneasy over how Ozai has changed over the years - causes some major ripple effects down the line. Some major characters die who don't in Dominion; at least two minor characters get to play bigger roles than they did in canon. The result is that, arguably, the Aunt Tam AU would be darker than Dominion and canon, but would give Azula an adult who is in her corner. I also don't believe Zuko and Azula would end up as entangled as they are in Dominion, due to how off the rails the story goes. It's very much a story where fixing one thing - adding an adult to the Royal Family who genuinely cares about Azula and extends a hand to her - has the nasty side effect of breaking other things. Tam, after all, is not a nice person, but she's willing to grapple with the ugliness in front of her, and in some ways is more clear-sighted than the rest of her family. Ultimately, it would be a story that forces the characters to weigh their ambitions against what they love, and one in which ruthlessness is shown as a valuable quality to have.

[dearest-lady-disdain]

every surface is sitable if you’re cool enough

[captainpirateface]

Found out today that my Aunt's stage 4 Cancer is beyond treatment. She is in her mid 60s and never smoked a day in her life. This has wrecked my family and will wreck it further when she passes. The cancer has spread throughout her stomach and into her lymph nodes. We have no idea how long she has, but we know it isn't long because hospice will be set up tomorrow at my grandparents' to help her with her final moments in a comfortable place.

We don't want to lose her.

When I was a kid, she was my movie buddy. Bringing me to every new release in theaters for a good majority of the 80s and 90s. My Grandmother always waited for our reviews, calling us "Siskel and Ebert".

I love you Aunt Tam.

I am devastated.

Fuck cancer.

Johnny

[munson-blurbs]

Living After Midnight (Failed Rockstar!Eddie x Motel Worker!Reader)

♫ Summary: Perhaps Eddie Munson was someone you could lean on--literally and figuratively. (4.7k words)

♫ CW: slowburn, strangers-to-lovers, angst, anxiety, parental conflict, poverty, vandalism, so much yearning, an accidental boner, eventual smut (18+ only, minors DNI)

♫ Divider credit to @hellfire--cult

chapter nine: rest for the weary

Destroyed.

That was the only thought fleeting through your mind when you approached Eisen’s shattered door, jagged edges like rows of shark teeth. Your hand faltered, stopping just before the knob, like the whole store would disintegrate at the slightest turn.

Eddie stepped aside and gently opened the door, the bell jingling mockingly, watching to ensure that no more glass fell from the panes. “Careful,” he murmured, fingers ghosting over the middle of your back for just a second while you stepped over the threshold. Goosebumps formed beneath your shirt at his unexpected touch, brief as it was. 

Your heart lurched once more as you entered the store, the normally meticulously organized shelves now coated in spray painted tags and profanities. A crudely drawn phallic symbol, complete with testicles and pubic hair, took up most of the front of the desk. The office door bore another one with a similar resemblance. 

You were definitely surprised by Eddie’s offer to help out at Eisen’s, but nothing compared to the blatant shock on Ben’s face when he saw who accompanied you to the store. Your friend’s jaw clenched instinctively, and you realized he must have thought you brought Eddie here to confess. 

“We came to help clean,” you quickly clarified, hoping Eddie didn’t sense the reasoning behind your explanation. 

Silent tension thickened between the two men, your words your sole weapon to tear into it. “What can we do?” You asked Ben, volunteering yourself and Eddie in hopes of derailing potential conflict.

Ben cleared his throat, eyes swooping over the store that was still very much in disarray. Glass shards glittered across the floor despite his previous claims to have swept up, though you imagined that it was difficult to see clearly through his cloud of exhaustion. When he didn’t answer, you grabbed a broom from beside the door. 

“I just got off the phone with the—” Aunt Tam walked in from the office, pausing mid-sentence when she spotted you. Her lips curled into whatever semblance of a smile she could muster as she shuffled over to wrap you in a hug. Her dark brown curls brushed your cheek. 

When she pulled back, you hardly recognized her. Besides the passage of time carving wrinkles into her forehead and the bridge of her nose, her skin was free of make-up. You couldn’t remember the last time you saw her without at least mascara coating her lashes. 

“We’re here to help with whatever you need.” You swallowed the lump in your throat at the sight of her bare face, the worry now permanently sealed into her eyes. 

At the mention of a we, Aunt Tam glanced at the man beside you. Tepidly, Eddie stepped forward and held out his hand to shake hers. “Eddie Munson,” he said, posture straightening as he braced himself for a reaction. But if Ben truly suspected that Eddie had vandalized the store, he hadn’t shared that theory with his mother, because she shook Eddie’s hand without hesitation. 

“Eddie can help remove the graffiti,” you offered, and Eddie nodded. 

“Just need some WD-40,” he added with a small smile. “Maybe some steel wool if it’s really stubborn.” 

Aunt Tam’s eyes lit up, taking your hand and giving it a squeeze that leaves your bones aching. “Thank you,” she said, her voice thick with emotion as she turned to face Eddie. “Thank you, Eddie.” She wiped at her nose with one shirt sleeve. “We should have all of that in the back, if you’ll follow me…”

Eddie nodded again, stuffing his hands in his pockets and trailing behind her. “Yes, ma’am.”

When you could be sure that both he and Aunt Tam were out of earshot, you shuffled over to Ben. “It wasn’t him,” you said under your breath. “He was at a concert that night, and even if he wasn’t—he wouldn’t do this.” You gestured at the destruction. 

Not fully convinced of Eddie’s innocence, Ben narrowed his eyes behind his glasses. “How do you know?”

“The first night he stayed at the motel, he was smoking pot in his room. And when I told him not to, he listened.” You thought back to that moment, to his smirk that had you wondering if he would light another joint as soon as you turned your back. “And even though I basically accused him of vandalizing Eisen’s—before I knew where he really was—he still brought my essay to school today.” 

Ben breathed out a defeated sigh. “Okay, fine,” he conceded, scratching at the back of his neck. “Is it bad that I wished it was him, so that we could stop worrying about whoever it was coming back and doing it again?”

You wrinkled your nose. “Kind of, yeah.” He scowled, playfulness stronger than any contempt, and you tapped the broomstick against his arm. “I’m guessing you didn’t share your theory with your parents?”

He shook his head. “My dad’s at the police station right now to see if any other shops caught the person on camera.”

“Yours didn’t?”

“Never installed any. Safe neighborhood, no need, y’know?” He rolled his eyes at his family’s naivety. “Seems like everyone else on the block felt the same way.”

You wanted to say more, to properly convey your sympathy, but your aunt and Eddie returned with the spray paint removal supplies. The broom suddenly became more interesting than ever before, your eyes glued to it as you brushed it against the floor. You didn't dare look at Eddie until he turned his back to you. 

“All right,” he murmured to himself, tossing a rag over his shoulder and placing his hands squarely on his hips. The paint cans that had been sprayed were a lost cause, the veins in his biceps pulsing as he grabbed two at a time and heaved them onto the floor with soft grunts. 

A teasing whisper tickled the shell of your ear. “Wipe your drool.” You could feel Ben’s smile as he spoke but didn’t have time to swat at him before he jogged over to help Eddie. 

You preventatively swiped at your chin, relieved that you weren’t actually drooling. And why would you be? Eddie was your friend; nothing more, and sometimes a whole lot less. The excitement you’d felt when he’d shown up with your paper this afternoon was relief, not some burgeoning crush. Your hope that he would visit the front desk during your shifts could easily be explained as an eagerness for conversation, the ultimate cure for boredom. And the way you felt your heart beating in your stomach when he’d held your hand earlier–

It was only because it had been a long time since anyone had reached for you with an intimate gesture, you told yourself, save for Nora briefly squeezing your hand just before Eddie had taken it. But there was no flutter with Nora. A surge of gratefulness, maybe, but nothing compared to what Eddie’s touch had evoked.

“Heiress?”

Your head swiveled towards the sound of your nickname being called. Eddie looked at you, puzzled and impatient. “You okay? I’ve called your name, like, fifty times.”

“Twice,” Ben said; the clarification could have been a reassurance that you hadn’t spaced out for that long, or just a belated dig at Eddie. Either way, you appreciated it.

“Do you have one of those hair tie things?” Eddie shook his hair, which was already frizzing from perspiration.

You nodded dumbly, fingers fumbling for the elastic shoved deep into the abyss of your purse. Had you been staring at him? Gawking, even, as you silently tried to sort out your feelings? 

“Thanks.” Despite your best efforts, you couldn’t draw your gaze from him as he tied back his mess of curls into a bun at the nape of his neck.

Sweep. Sweep, and stop thinking about how his stubble-coated jawline might feel beneath your lips.

This desire, this lust–it was all temporary. Fleeting. It would swiftly exit once the rush of exhilaration from his rescue fully wore off, and you would once again be content with a platonic friendship.

Your insides backflipped once more when Eddie rubbed the rag over the shelf, wiped away the graffiti, and flashed a million-watt smile in your direction. 

If you had your way, ‘moving on’ would happen sooner rather than later. 

Pristine wasn’t the right word to describe Eisen’s state when you finally left a few hours later, but the clean floor was a definite improvement. The graffiti was still visible on the shelves, but it had faded considerably with Eddie’s hard work. He stood next to Ben now, explaining how often to apply the WD-40 without ruining the finish. 

Were they friends? Not even close. But each had let down their guard an inch more, though you remained unclear of the reason why Eddie’s was up in the first place.

A weighty exhaustion reminded you that you were surviving on pure adrenaline that had been steadily waning and was nearly depleted. A gentle hand rested on your shoulder as you returned the broom to its corner. 

“Go home and rest,” Aunt Tam said kindly. “Ben told me you’ve been working nights and going to school. You need your sleep.”

“I know.” It was easier to agree than to argue, but the shop would be a mess if you had spent the afternoon sleeping. 

Your aunt cocked her head and assessed you; whether you were too tired to properly fib or just her mother’s intuition, she didn’t believe you. “Well,” she sighed, “I told your boyfriend to get you home—”

Heat crept up your neck as she gestured a thumb towards Eddie. “Eddie’s not my boyfriend.” 

Aunt Tam raised her eyebrows. “Oh, I just…he didn’t correct me earlier when I called you his girlfriend…and the looks you were giving each other…I figured…” She stopped, shaking off the notion as ridiculous. 

Because it is ridiculous, you thought. 

“We’re just friends.” That ‘just’ was cumbersome, like there was something inherently wrong with you and Eddie being friends. “We’re friends,” you amended, complete with a tired smile. 

She fixed her composure, swiping her brunette bangs from her line of vision. “Well, we can’t thank you and your friend enough.” 

She said that word like she knew something you didn’t. Worse, like you knew but refused to admit it. 

Grogginess slowed your usual fast pace, and you stepped into the subway car with only a second to spare. 

The adrenaline fully wore off once you sat down; the plastic subway seat might as well have been a plush mattress swathed in Egyptian cotton sheets. It wasn’t until you allowed yourself to sit back and breathe that the achiness crept in. Your lower back twinged; your shoulders and biceps remained tense from sweeping and scrubbing the shelves for so long. If you could feel your feet, they would probably hurt, too.

The yawn you let out stretched the skin on your face and brought reflexive tears to your eyes, and you wiped them away with the back of your hand. 

“Tired?” Eddie asked, the question warped by a heavy yawn of his own. 

You nodded, blinking a few times to keep your eyes open; your head felt like it could loll right off of your neck without warning. 

Eddie shifted slightly and patted his right shoulder with his left hand. “Rest.”

“S’okay,” you mumbled, heaviness tugging at your eyelids even as you spoke. Exhaustion had its grip on you, tight enough that you barely noticed your stomach fluttering at the thought of resting on him. “I’ll just pass out when we get home.”

But he took one look at you, at the fogginess that draped over your body like a weighted cloak, and promptly vetoed that idea. “Rest,” he said again; this time, his words held a commanding air. 

You clocked his concern, so unused to the way you ran yourself ragged until the kettle ran empty, until the match burned out. Another yawn escaped you, bringing a single hot tear with it, and any attempt to convince him that this was normal instantly became obsolete. 

Sparing yourself the argument, you laid your head atop his shoulder. His cotton t-shirt was soft against your ear, somewhat muffling the train’s clanking and other passengers’ conversations. As quiet as the subway could be at seven o’clock in the evening. 

“Our stop is—”

“I know.” The vibrations of his voice, your head so close to his throat, punctuated the reassurance. “You sleep, Heiress.”

The last thing you remembered was your grip loosening on the backpack strategically placed between your feet, your fingers unfurling from the strap as you succumbed to a dreamless sleep. 

A hand on your knee gently shook you awake just as the conductor’s muffled voice announced that the train was approaching Forest Hills, and you felt a yank on your consciousness that pulled you out of your seat and towards the open doors. 

“My backpack—” The icy panic that flooded your veins was enough to jar you awake. When you turned back, you saw that the train had already pulled away from the track. 

“Right here.” Eddie patted the bag now slung over his shoulder. Your heart rate returned to its normal beat as relief washed over your skin, a wave crashing into the surf at high tide. 

The station’s stale air covered you like a quilt, and the conductor had barely announced the grating reminder to stand clear of the closing doors before unconsciousness again hooked its claws into you. 

“There ya go,” Eddie whispered when you rested your head on his shoulder once more. “Comfy?”

“Mhm.” And you were–unnervingly so. You hadn’t been this relaxed in a long time; no moment in recent memory came to mind. The questions you desperately sought answers to–why he hesitated to tell you about the concert, why he let Aunt Tam believe that he was your boyfriend–seemed utterly inconsequential. 

You could vaguely feel Eddie fidgeting as you drifted in and out of consciousness, struggling to adjust his posture and avoid any unwarranted touch. 

Sleep transformed your body into that of a ragdoll, slumped over and limp, moving only as the train car swayed. Your limbs felt disconnected from your torso, which was why you barely registered the urgent grasp around your wrist. 

“Hmm?” You blinked awake, blurred vision sharpening to reveal Eddie’s hand holding yours. No, not holding it; he was moving it. Moving it away from the denim that creased along his inner thigh. 

“Shit, I—” Humiliation stole your words, stabbed at them with its forked tongue and left you scrambling for an explanation. “I didn’t mean to.”

Eddie’s own cheeks turned a rosy pink, as though his fingers had been accidentally creeping towards the inseam of your jeans. “No, I—I know,” he stammered, clocking the horror on your face and offering a sheepish smile. Your fingertips burned where he’d touched them, where you’d touched him.

There was no way you could sleep after that, your body far too alert despite the ever-increasing weight of your eyelids. You sat up straighter; as you did, Eddie placed your backpack on his lap. When you reached for it, he shook his head and pulled back slightly, and your brows furrowed at your misinterpretation.

“I got it,” he said, a hoarseness in his voice that you weren’t able to place. “You can keep resting.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yup,” he answered too quickly, wrapping one arm around the bag and tugging it even closer to his chest. “S’all good.”

A strange tension lingered, one that differed from the anger that pulled the conversation taut during your last subway ride home together. Eddie was physically beside you, but his eyes searched the car like he was gearing up for another round of I Spy. 

You needed to speak and move past the embarrassment that tethered you to silence. 

“Eddie?” Your voice was a whisper, barely audible over the train’s clacking and your own internal monologue.

“Hmm?”

You swallowed. “Why didn’t you tell me about going to see your old band?” 

Eddie froze, his arm still tight around your bag; for a moment, you wondered if you crossed the line. 

Finally, he spoke. “Didn’t want to.”

An answer and a non-answer simultaneously, telling you to back off. But you’d be damned if you let today’s progress be soured.

“I wouldn’t have judged you.” Slowly, you let your eyes fall on him, noticing his fingers picking at a loose thread on his jeans. “You don’t have to tell me. But just so you know.” 

He nodded, and you prayed he absorbed the reassurance as it traveled from your lips to his ears. His response was not what you expected, although nothing with Eddie has gone to plan thus far.

“Why haven’t you told your parents about school?”

He knocked you off-kilter despite his calm tone; surprisingly, there was no judgment from him, either. “I don’t want to disappoint them.” When Eddie just looked at you, palms open and brows raised, you realized you’d just answered your own question. “How would you seeing Death’s Echo disappoint me?”

“I dunno.” One scuffed sneaker squeaked against the floor. “I talked a big game about how the music industry is all bullshit and how I didn’t care about the band anymore, but…”

“You miss it,” you filled in.

He sucked his lips to his teeth before nodding. “I miss it,” he said with a reluctant chuckle. “I miss it so fuckin’ much.” 

Exhaling a long breath, he continued. “I mean, I really don’t miss being the record label’s bitch. And I hate the thought of being a sellout. But nothing beats that adrenaline rush you get when you walk on stage and the crowd is screaming your name, or when they sing your lyrics back to you. Lyrics you wrote.”

You stayed silent for a minute, letting the heaviness of his statement sink in. Important. He felt important, wanted, needed. Without saying so, it was evident that working at the motel would never give him that same satisfaction. No amount of desecrated wasp nests or perfectly glued wallpaper could ever compare to the cheers of adoring fans. 

“It’s not over, you know. Your chance to have that again.”

Eddie’s eyes locked onto yours, chocolate irises swimming with a juxtaposing combination of hope and defeat. “No one’s exactly lining up to sign me,” he said. 

“They will.” You smiled, lips together. “You’re too talented to slip under the radar.”

He returned the smile, reaching out his pinky and interlocking it with yours as a thank you. You gave it a tiny pulse in recognition. 

“The other night…” Eddie started. He still looked at you, but the twitch of his nose told you that it was harder to hold than before. “I shouldn’t have said that you’d treat your clients badly.”

“It’s fi—”

“It’s not.” Eddie’s voice was stern, unwavering, but not cold. “And I’m sorry.”

Your pinky remained wrapped around his. “We both said some shitty things that we didn’t mean,” you offered.

“Yeah.” The right side of his mouth turned up, not a full smile, but one filled with compassion nonetheless. “Forgive and forget?”

You cocked your head to give him a knowing look. “One other thing to know about New York women,” you said, “we might forgive, but we never forget.”

Eddie’s half-smile turned into a grin, and he leaned in closer to whisper. “Y’know, for a bookworm, you’re kind of a badass.” 

Trying to ignore the now-familiar tingles that accompanied his tobacco-scented breath on your ear, you resumed your previous position of your head on his shoulder, humming in agreement. There was no hiding how pleased you felt from his praise, his newfound ability to see you beyond a singular dimension.

He peered down at you, his lips brushing your scalp. “Still tired?” 

“Not really.”

He chuckled, leaning back in his seat and stretching out his legs in front of him. “Okay, then,” he murmured, and from the subtle movement in his jaw, you knew he was still smiling as he said it.

Consciousness was a drifting cloud, one that passed overhead quickly to make room for thunderous exhaustion. The storm hit the moment you walked into your room as you flung your backpack and your body onto the bed. 

Your eyes didn’t flutter closed like a fairy tale princess; they snapped shut like an iron gate, impenetrable to any forces. 

Including a clock radio alarm. 

12:09

The digital numbers stared at you, harsh and blinding, as though they also couldn’t believe the time. The alarm you’d set for 9 PM was clearly ineffective, seeing as you were over two hours late to work. 

“Shit!” Whatever spell had enchanted you instantly broke, and you jolted out of bed with such ferocity that you briefly saw stars. 

You smoothed down your T-shirt from where it wrinkled against the starchy comforter. Chalky white deodorant remnants stained the black fabric, right along your ribcage, and you hastily undressed and threw on the nearest clean shirt. 

Sleep tainted your tongue and dried saliva decorated the corner of your mouth, your slumber so deep that you’d drooled. 

“Son of a bitch,” you grumbled, grabbing your toothbrush from its place at the sink and brushing just long enough to chase away the stale taste. 

Was Mom still at the desk? Did Dad have to take over your shift? Had they both assumed you’d show up on time and left the desk unmanned for what they thought would only be a few minutes?

Your blood ran cold. Anyone could have taken a key off of the wall, could have broken into the register and taken what little money you had…

Feet flying, you push open your door and squint to adjust to the harsh hallway lighting. 

Before you did anything else, you needed to apologize profusely to whatever parent had the misfortune of still being behind the desk. Offer to do some extra chores, or take on a few hours of their shift. 

But that plan is stalled when you run into the lobby and see neither your mom nor your dad. Only Eddie, hunched over a stack of scribble-filled papers. 

When he hears your panicked footsteps, he looks up and grins cheekily. “Morning, Sunshine.”

You would have flipped him off if it weren’t for the overwhelming relief that your mistake hadn’t burdened your parents. 

“You know,” he continued, tapping his pen against his teeth, “this gig isn’t half bad. I’m almost finished with these lyrics.”

Your eyes blinked rapidly of their own accord. “Why didn’t anyone wake me up?”

Eddie snorted. He put his pen down on the desk and folded his arms across his chest. “Sweet, naive Sleeping Beauty,” he tutted, adopting a playful tone. “I knocked on the door not once, not twice, but thrice to no answer.”

“Thrice?” You raised a brow at his formal word choice. 

“Thrice.” He held up three fingers and wiggled them for emphasis. “But I figured you must really need the sleep, so…” He gestured vaguely as if to say, here I am. 

One foot in front of the other, right arm still crossed over the left and showing off a litter of inked bats, he sauntered over to you. “I believe this is where you thank me for saving your ass.”

He was teasing, though he did deserve your gratitude, but your mind only focused on the reason why. 

“My parents—”

“Adore me,” Eddie cut in with a knowing grin. “Even gave me the whole ‘any friend of our daughter’s is a friend of ours’ spiel.”

There was that word again: friends. It rubbed you raw, salt on an open wound, and it stung even more coming from his mouth. 

Eddie remained oblivious to your inner turmoil, still ranting about his successful encounter. “Maybe I should be thanking you, since this scored me some major points.”

It was a lifeline; something onto which you could latch instead of letting your thoughts spin in never-ending circles. “Well, then, you’re welcome.”

He noticed the hesitation, even without the context of its cause. “Look, you got a few extra hours of sleep and nothing happened. The place didn’t burn down, didn’t spontaneously combust, and I only accepted one bad check.”

“You what?!”

Eddie guffawed at your widened eyes. “Kidding. Besides,” he added, “you wouldn’t even know it bounced until you took it to the bank.”

“Go fuck yourself.” But the corners of your mouth turned up in a smile, betraying the annoyance you’d tried to present. 

“Will do.” He gave a small salute, two fingers to his forehead, and grabbed his papers off of the desk. “But before I get to that, we need to talk about you not going to your graduation.”

For a moment, you forgot about Nora’s comment earlier that day. It seemed like weeks ago, rather than mere hours. “I can’t.”

Eddie quirked a brow. “Can’t talk about it or can’t go?”

“Both.”

He blew out a breath, equal parts frustration and disappointment. Like he was invested in this, perhaps more so than you were. 

It was enough to pull a genuine explanation from you. “I can’t afford the cap and gown,” you said, “and even if I could, the ceremony starts at nine in the morning. That’s when I sleep.”

He nodded, incisors digging into his lower lip while he digested the information. “So…you’re not doing anything to celebrate?”

“Not having to drag my ass to classes anymore is celebration enough.” Until graduate school starts, you thought wryly, the sinking feeling returning to your stomach. 

Eddie wasn’t accepting that answer, shaking his head so his curls were a brunette blur across his face. “No. No.” His tone was insistent, teetering on the brink of stern. “You worked hard, and you should do something fun.” He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he considered his options, his brown eyes sparkling as an idea came to him. “Let me take you out for a drink.”

“With what money?”

He scoffed playfully. “I think I can splurge on one drink. No specialty cocktails, though.” He pointed his forefinger in your direction, emphasizing his point. “And house liquor only.”

You wanted to–more than anything, you wanted to. Each weekend, you felt taunted by the sounds of friends traipsing down the street, sharing inside jokes and making memories that would either last a lifetime or be washed away with a few more beers. It was an experience you’d never had, but there was little time for friendship outside of school. 

“I can’t,” you said finally, feeling just as dejected as Eddie looked. “My shifts start at ten.”

“So I’ll get you back by ten,” Eddie said with a shrug, no big deal. “And it’s one drink; ‘s not like you’re gonna be wasted.”

You hesitated before responding, your brain already churning out a thousand excuses to bail. 

I’ll be too tired. 

I don’t want to smell like booze when I’m working. 

I have a cult meeting right before my shift. 

“I…yeah, okay. I can do that.”

Eddie nearly did a double-take at your acceptance; truthfully, you surprised yourself. 

“Oh, uh, yeah. Sure.” He cleared his throat and regained his composure with astonishing speed. “I’ll pick you up at 8 tomorrow?”

You shook your head. “The bars around here always overcharge on weekends. Let’s do Monday.” And maybe by then I’ll conjure up a solid escape plan. 

He grinned, jogging back to the desk and grabbing his pen. “Monday…8 PM…Heiress.” You watched as he wrote the words on his palm, going over the spots where the ink flow weakened. 

Eddie’s hand found yours, left fingers grasping your wrist to keep you steady, his right fingers busy decorating your skin in black ink. His tongue poked out from between his lips as he focused on writing without applying too much pressure, and you tried not to squirm whenever the pen grazed a ticklish spot.  

When he pulled back, your own palm bore a near-identical message to his: 

Monday 8 PM Eddie

Like you could forget. 

-- taglist:

@theintimatewriter @mandyjo8719 @storiesbyrhi @lady-munson @moonmark98

@squidscottjeans @therealbaberuthless @emxxblog @munson-mjstan @loves0phelia

@kthomps914 @aysheashea @munsonsbtch @mmunson86 @b-irock

@ginasellsbooks @erinekc @the-unforgivenn @dashingdeb16 @micheledawn1975

@yujyujj @eddies-acousticguitar @daisy-munson @kellsck @foreveranexpatsposts

@mykuup @chatteringfox @feelinglikeineedlotsofnaps @sapphire4082 @katethetank

@sidthedollface2 @eddies-stinky-battle-jacket @mysteris-things @mrsjellymunson @josephquinnsfreckles

@the-disaster-in-waiting @eddielowe @hugdealer @rip-quizilla @munson-girl

@fishwithtitz @costellation-hunter @cloudroomblog @emsgoodthinkin

[thatonesongyouretryingtoremember]

Kotlc and the inherent tragedy of siblings, and the way siblings define one's identity. Dex being the baby of the friend group while also being the tragic older sibling. Fitz being the older "responsible" one while also having a tragic older sibling. Sophie having a sister she's never met and another she lived with for nine years and yet being a sibling isn't a part of her identity and she and Amy are still tragic. Biana being defined by her brothers and yet being more of her own person than either of them while being the youngest. Juline and Edaline staying friends as adults and being defined as mothers and wives more than siblings or aunts, and who don't even share a last name anymore. Kesler being let down by society, and who was probably let down just as much by five older siblings. Tam and Linh who couldn't escape bad luck but at least they never lost eachother, until they did.

[iaminsideyourwalls]

More of these gals! i can't physically stop drawing lesbians, i am spiraling! :)

what's a fem Demoman's class name? would she call herself Demowoman, or Demoman still? Demolass? Just Demo? (((If i hear 'femoman' i am going to throw up)))

blu wears a blue tam o' shanter--which i gather is no more feminine than masculine, but i think would be more comfortable for longer hair than a skullcap--and red wears a red plaid scarf because I wanted something reminiscent of an earasaid. she's so liquor aunt!!!

[maysrinn]

District AU:

What was Lucy Gray/the covey’s strategy for raising kids in the wilderness without getting caught by the public eye? (Also what was the covey’s opinion/reaction to finding out Lucy Gray was pregnant?)

(Did they encourage dirt eating to “build up a tolerance”)

Good question, I don’t think they had a strategy at first with each single member trying to make it till next month dragging Lucy Gray along the way. Each incoming child had to be taught and excluded from the same thing, which was going out into the district towns. In the book they lived at the edge of the Seam near the forest edge if I recall correctly, I have no idea how it is with neighbors, idk if they have any, in the movie they don’t seem to have they are surrounded by the meadow and trees (On set pics show some kind of run down trailers they call the “covey nest” which I adore…4 hour cut where are you my beloved) So I don’t think people would notice or care about little wild gremlins running around or Lucy Gray giving birth where nobody goes voluntarily anyway.

______

Upon her revealing it to the covey there were some mixed reactions about the reveal, especially with Tam Amber and Barb Azure being the oldest having the most worried ones. Lucy Gray insisted on keeping it a secret for the babies sake with the two oldest Covey members agreeing. The one with the most reaction variety was Barb Azure, while Maude Ivory and CC thinking about names, where to put a little crib, colors, new and old lullabies or if the babe would like goat milk.

Meanwhile Barb Azure being wooried about:

Food shortage, Lucy Gray now needs to eat for two and later be able feed the little one

Performances, if they want to keep this a secret Lucy Gray has to step out at some point and even then its risky

Billy Taupe who tries to get her back with an angry pissed Mayfair on his trail who goes lengths to hurt Lucy Gray

Medical assistance

Birth in itself and where with who

Potentially also Lucy Grays lingering ptsd since the games maybe the little critters improve it

Don’t get me wrong she is just worried and scared for her cousin, but whatever Lucy Gray chooses for herself Barb Azure will be there to support her with the challenges laying ahead (She’s a great aunt by the way).

_________

Lucy Gray: please don’t tell HIM a thing, Coriolanus will turn Panem upside down trying to get back here

Barb Azure: what? Oh no sweetheart don’t worry about that I won’t tell him a thing…WE wont tell him a thing, I promise.

Lucy Gray: *sigh of relief* thank you

Barb Azure: especially not before I shot him myself….where are those riffles at Lucy Gray-

Lucy Gray: Barb Azure NO-

—————

Also yes absolutely, especially Clementine the little stomach bug was trying to eat everything that she could get her hands on, especially grasshoppers from the meadow. Rosalyn tried to eat flowers or grass and Cedar is definitely a dirt babe. Builds character and resistance.

[visualtaehyun]

I still have yet to finish ep. 4 of Naughty Babe because I keep getting side-tracked by pronoun choices, the tiger symbolism, the color-coding, and my draft about Yi and his name(s). Since it's all starting to merge in my head, I figured I'd at least attempt to combine the easy ones for a start:

More pronouns (and some names)

Disclaimer: not a native speaker of Thai, still learning 🙏

Diao's father: Sattha ศรัทธา /sat thaa/ = faith, belief; have faith/confidence

- calls himself อา /aa/ = lit. younger sibling of father; uncle - calls Yi: คุณอี้ /khun Yi/ = Mr. Yi; Yi is his nickname - calls Diao: คนเดียว /Kondiao/ = Diao's full nickname

Diao's stepmother: Orn อร /awn/ = beautiful (woman); make happy

- calls herself น้า /naa/ = lit. younger sibling of mother; aunt - calls Yi คุณอี้ /khun Yi/

Diao's younger siblings: Tam and Tem แทม & เทม /taem & tem/ = I don't know that these hold meaning, might be shortened from something like Tambourine, Thames etc. or they've just been given these nicknames because they sound good together

- call Diao พี่เดียว /phi Diao/ = lit. older sibling; polite, used for anyone older - call Yi เฮีย(อี้) /hia (Yi)/ = lit. older brother; polite, of Chinese origin, and used for an older male, it's how Diao, Kuea and Yi's sisters all call him

Yi's father: Makorn มกร /ma gawn/ = dragon, sea monster

- calls Diao น้องเดียว /nong Diao/ = used to address any younger person; calling someone nong+[name] reads as affectionate - calls himself ป๊า/ป๋า /bpaa/ with Diao and with Yi generally only when Diao is present lol = dad, Pa -> Diao uses these reciprocally, so Makorn ป๊า/ป๋า /bpaa/ and himself น้องเดียว /nong Diao/ which is so endearing

- calls Yi มึง /mueng/ = rude informal 2nd person pronoun - calls himself กู /guu/ with Yi = rude informal 1st person pronoun -> these are the same pronouns Yi and Lian use with each other for example -> Yi calls his dad ป๊า/ป๋า /bpaa/ and himself ผม /pom/ = polite male 1st person pronoun

Yi's younger sisters: Ing-Ing Chatchada * อิงอิง ฉัตรชฎา * Aun-Aun Chatchanok * อันอัน ฉัตรชนก * ฉัตร /chat/ = a type of royal regalia shaped like a multi-tiered umbrella + ชฎา /cha daa/ = a headdress used in Thai classical dance and theater + ชนก /cha nok/ = father *the sisters' last name(s) are unknown afaik

- call Yi เฮีย /hia/ - Aun-Aun calls Diao พี่ธชา /phi Tacha/ that one time = Tacha is Diao's first name

Aun-Aun, Ing-Ing, and Yi-Yi

Yi Phayak Chatdecha Chen อี้ พยัคฆ์ ฉัตรเดชา เฉิน พยัคฆ์ /pha yak/ = tiger + เดชา /deh chaa/= power, heat เฉิน /chen/ = a common Chinese surname

Kuea and Diao think he's lost his marbles because he just went /ee ing ing an an/ as if he's making baby babbling noises lmao until Kuea realizes that Chinese nicknames commonly use reduplication and all three nicknames go together... almost like they're siblings haha... who'd have thunk, what a funny misunderstanding, hia Yi 🫠

Yi-Yi is delightfully cutesy for Mr. tiger himself, no?

ผมฉายาพยัคฆ์กระดูกเหล็ก /pom chaa yaa pha yak gra dook lek/ = I'm called the iron-bone tiger!

Sure, honey.

[ultralazycreatorfan]

Kotlc as happenings at our family Christmas parties throughout the years

Sophie: the accidental mind reads; we aren’t allowed to play Pictionary anymore because we get three lines in and it’s over

Keefe: my cousin rounding the corner, armed with four rubber chicken slingshots, yelling “ARMAGEDDON,” as she launched all four at our uncle.

Fitz: the parents talking about their kids accomplishments before one of us does/says something absolutely out of pocket. gotta keep the parents humble!

Biana: the cousins staring at each other down as the adults do the dinner prayer

Dex: my grandma’s scotty dog getting the zoomies and running through the whole house at sound breaking speeds every year. I love him

Linh: the elders of the family getting WAY too competitive over spoons and my great aunt accidentally being launched into the cabinet full of china

Tam: the small children trying to send themselves down the laundry shoot every time someone turns their back

Marella: the cousin sit down, talk shit, catch up, work fucking sucks, why did you date him, circle (best part <3)

[nthngtoseehere-blog]

THE PLOT THICKENS.

Spoilers for episode 6 of The Sign ahead.

I love how this show is playing out. Things that stood out:

So Tharn HAS told Phaya about his visions? I would have liked to see that conversation.

Oh no, is Tharn now telling people about Phaya's dreams? Or are they common knowledge among the friend group after Yai found out?

Also, Tharn has a dead ex, ouch. Between that and his parents, no wonder he feels cursed.

The Khem/Thongthai back story killed me. Khem is such a dumbass, and the fact that Thongthai is apparently into that actually makes me like him more. Thongthai: angel in the streets, freak in the sheets ("freak" in this case meaning hot for a big sexy blockhead).

So probably Dao is not going to be a bad guy? Which yay because Dao & Nee would be SO CUTE together.

I love the sibling relationships in this show (Yai might not be Tharn's bio brother, but they're obviously brothers in all the ways that matter).

So are Phaya and Nee orphans too? They live with their grandmother, but their parents aren't mentioned at all. Dao too, actually - she only mentions an aunt.

Oh holy shit the past life vision that Phaya had!!! Aaaaaaagh I need MORE of that! MOAR. Seriously, I cannot wait to see more, it's so! Just! Gah! Want!

Wi the art dealer is clearly dealing with some shit, professionally, and I'm going to put my vote in right now that it will tie into a case coming soon.

OH WOW there's a picture of Chalothorn in the old mythology history book??? Will Phaya and Tharn be in it too?? Wansarat??

Ok, I do NOT blame Tharn for punching Phaya. Phaya is acting unhinged, and Tharn doesn't know why. Yikes.

I LOVE Chalothorn using magic to lock Tharn in the car. And! OMG this:

I'm SCREAMING! Dammit, I love me a creepy evil magical scene-chewing villain.

And now we're getting back to the Lt. Tam case, woo! Which ties into the previous murder-of-rapists case. And! POSSIBLY! Into Tharn's parents' case???

I'm starting to feel like Inspector Akk has an agenda, and he's brought these guys in to further it. I'm getting "good cop frustrated by a corrupt system" vibes here.

Oh boy Tharn having more visions of crime things!

The show is half over, and so far it hasn't wasted any of its episodes. I feel like the pacing is perfect. Obviously it could go off the rails at any point, but there are so many things going on with the crime element, the reincarnation/mythology element, and the romance, that we've needed all six episodes to give the stories time to develop and weave together.

Even if it does fall apart, I gotta admit that I'm having so much fun watching this show that it's possible I might not care if it imploded.

I love all of these characters. I love that this show isn't just a romance, that the characters are adults with serious jobs, that their jobs are not only exciting but also a big part of their stories and characters. I love the scraps of the past lives we've gotten so far.

[alaydabug2]

@justmossyall hers the one shot

Ending is pretty lazy cause writers block but whatever

(Wylie Pov)

Wylie was sitting on the couch with his father. They were just enjoying each other's company, playing card games.

That was until Prentice's imparter rang. He paused the game so he could answer. Wylie got concerned when his dad's face fell.

After the call, Wylie asked, "What's wrong?"

"We-we need to go to your aunt's. Now."

He didn't like the sound of that one bit.

When they glittered in the yard of his aunt house he saw his aunt and uncle in tears. He tried to see where Maruca was, but he didn't see her.

His aunt ran over and threw her arms around them. What was going on?

When his aunt pulled back, she saw Wylie's confused face. "The Neverseen attacked."

"Who did they hur-"

He knew who it was before finishing hus sentence.

His heart picked up pace, and his eyes burned. "Is she ok?"

His aunt let out another sob and held him tighter.

"Is she ok. Is she in the Healing center?" he reiterated.

She pulled away and shook her head. His heart sunk when she pulled out a small seed with a black curly hair curled around it.

"No," he muttered. "No, no, no, not her. Please tell me it's not her. That there's a mistake."

She shook her head. "The planting is Thursday."

Wylie felt sick to his stomach. "What."

He reached for his dad. His aunt wiped her eyes. "Her body was... unrecognizable. She got blown up with those rocks that lady Giselle has. A few others are in the Healing center right now.

Wylie clenched his fists. "Who?"

She sighed. "Sophie, Tam, and Marella. They got caught in the outskirts of the blast. From what I hear, their injuries are pretty severe, but I don't believe fatal. They were trying to save her, but it was too late."

He dug the heels of his palms into his eyes to block the imagery from his brain, but it wasn't helping. "I'm gonna kill em," he muttered.

The neverseen had already taken his mom, part of the reason his dad was in exile. Now his cousin. He wouldn't feel bad about hurting any of them anymore. He was ready to kill.

That vow was reassured at the planting when Maruca's tree sprouted from the ground. It had dark brown bark and leaves, with aquamarine flowers. The tree being itself was quite tall.

Sophie, Tam, and Marella were obviously not able to make it. Although he did go to visit them after the planting.

Elwin let him off with a warning before he came in. "It's... pretty bad. Probably the worst injuries I've seen."

He went in anyway and immediately fought back a gag. Sophie's arm was half mangled, same with Tam's leg, and Marella's shoulder.

He took another breath before saying, "Hey."

"Hey," Tam mumbled.

Wylie sat on an empty cott. "How are you guys doing?"

Marella snorted. "Great, thanks."

He turned to Sophie. "Hey."

She finally met his eyes. "I'm so sorry." Tears fell down her face.

He wrapped his arms around himself. "It's not your fault."

"But... you told me to not let her join the black swan."

"Listen, I know how stubborn she is. I knew she would've joined anyway. I was just wanting a little hope." He wiped away one of his tears.

"But..." She murmured. "I've already ruined your life. Your dad went to exile because of me, and-"

"Sophie!" He sniffled. "It's not your fault. None of it is. You tried your best to save her. Look where you are right now! Don't feel guilty. After all the things you accomplished, don't break from guilt. Please," Wylie's voice cracked. "It's what she'd want."

Sophie nodded and used her good hand to wipe her tears off her face. "Ok. I'll try my best."

"Thank you," he murmured. "Also for trying to save her. All of you," he said also to Tam and Marella. "Just know, I'm sure she'd appreciate it." He chuckled darkly and looked up at the ceiling. "She always said she wanted to go out with a bang." Wylie rested his head down in his hands. "But... thank you."

[goblinwithartsupplies]

After learning about his pregnancy, Percy and his family flee.

No, not to Alaska.

they are returning to their origins.

they're going back to Hawaii.

the ancestors and the family accept them.

The son of Percy and Jason is born on the island of Maui.

little boy and his dad will not be offended by either the Greeks or the Romans.

Ancestors and family protect them.

Yes!! I’m obsessed with native Hawaiian demigod Sally!!!

Percy shouldn’t have been able to explode mount Tam. Poseidon knows that, he doesn’t know how Percy did that. But Sally knows. Because she is a daughter of Pele the Hawaiian goddess of volcanos.

Sally hid the truth from both Poseidon and Percy. She was scared of the repercussions of Percy technically being 3/4 god.

When Percy lands on Maui he has no idea that he’s a Hawaiian legacy. He just hopes his ancestors will protect him.

The ghosts of his maternal family were a surprise but a welcome one.

His grandfather Jim was always hovering protectively over the newborn a ghostly pololū (spear) in his hand. His great aunt taught him how to make traditional Hawaiian food. His great uncle taught him how to make and sail traditional outrigger canoe. His grandfather also teaches him how to lava sled (apparently how he impressed Sally’s mother).

when an old woman comes to his door asking for smokes and booze. Percy knows that it’s Pele from the stories his mother told him. The real surprise is when she starts calling him grandson.

[phoebehalliwell]

which branch of the family is each next gen closest to outside of their own?

like example being chris is closest to maybe his siblings (only for an example) but of the cousins and his aunts/uncles respectively

like he might be closer to parker but overall closer to paige/henry/kat/tam/henry's unit (or majority of five) does that make sense

if they were going to absorbed into a different branch. which would it be is what I'm saying (I think. now I'm unsure)

ooh okay kk

wyatt is probably closest with mitchell gang and honestly henry jr is probably doing a lot of heavy lifting in this as wyatt and henry are basically the only two to study magic But wyatt and tamora are the only one with healing powers and the wyatt and kat both like weird looking art (headcanon that paige was really the one to drag kids to art museums and really helped foster wyatt's love of art)

chris is with the cupitches & co honestly mainly bc of paige bc let's not forget paige did watch him die so she gets the same overprotective quality leo gets whereas phoebe trusts him a lil bit more, so to speak. next gen + relationships with phoebe and paige! chris still is really close with henry jr (he's like wyatt minus the i'm coming with you which is great for chris) and he's close with kat bc they're both black sheep. but as a trio chris does really like all of the cupitches he kind of views them as little sisters they're like melinda lites bc melinda still has empathy and won't dunk on him mercilessly (she's still call him out on his bullshit, but in a constructive way) whereas the cupitches will draggg him for not having a bedframe and never really having a girlfriend and for having pathetic lil outfits. chris likes pj bc she's a skilled witch and very competent charmed one, which he respects. he likes parker bc honestly she's really fucking funny and a good sparring partner. he likes peyton bc she's quiet (like, the only quiet one in the family) and they both are telekinetics with interests in tech/coding/etc so there's opportunity to bond there

rest under the cut!!

melinda is closest with the cupitches & co bc not only are they all very close in age but also phoebe was kind of her main trainer seeing as she's an empath and that is a notoriously hard gift to control. she is still v close with henry tam and kat but her bond with phoebe really is the deciding factor

kat is closest with cupitches & co bc she is both a hopeless romantic and a fashion fiend. she is still close with mellie and obvi with chris and piper as well bc piper trained her but she does kind of have beef with leo bc leo respectfully will snitch to paige sometimes who has a bad (well, bad in kat's opinion) of freaking out when her children get mortally wounded

tamora is closer with halliwell household bc first off, someone needs to snitch to mom when kat gets gravely injured and she doesn't want it to be her, secondly she has always been incredibly uncomfortable with her power (of molecular combustion) and piper has really helped her get a hold on it. she thinks kat and chris can be overdramatic sometimes (most times) but she's close with wyatt bc they again both have the healing factor and the fear of the immense and deadly power just constantly coursing thru them (really no one else has insta kill it is very difficult for almost anyone else to accidently murder someone) and she's close with mellie bc mellie is kind and not loud. she likes the cupitches and she has fun helping them put together outfits (that she would never wear bc she does Not want that kind of attention on her) but they are just so love oriented and like. tamora just. is not that she's not both her and peyton have a lot of fun playing dating sims but she is so so so scared of dating and just would prefer not to talk about it. also does not like combat training (something the cupitches frequently engage in) bc she is very scared of injuring someone

henry jr & cupitches & co easily. for starters he's closer in age to them and then secondly they involve him in a lot piper and leo get really concerned about him bc he's mortal he and wyatt are close he and chris are close hell even he and mellie are close but he just hangs out with pj and parker like all the time they even insist that he does partner sparring with them and they di use their magic against him in fights (something he insists on bc it's not like evil will hold back just bc he's mortal) so yeah. cupitches.

pj is probably closest with the mitchell gang probably with henry as the deciding factor she and henry are also in the same year at school. she's still v close with melinda and close with chris she's not as close with wyatt just bc of their age delta and they don't have so super much in common but they will def gossip about anything and everything at family get togethers so it's not like she dislikes him it's just that she's much closer with his sister you know? she also likes yapping with kat about love and with tamora about clothes so those are all pluses

parker is a tough call actually. i'm gonna say the halliwell household with the deciding factors being she really likes kicking it with mellie bc psychic girlies need to stick together and chris is spiritually her annoying old brother. she loves the mitchells too obvi esp henry i would say the deciding factor is just sometimes it gets under her skin how tam and kat kind of complain about their powers. like kat does not consider herself all that powerful and of course tamora is a lil scared of her power and parker would never say anything to their faces but like. they have active powers. and she kind of doesn't. but she really doesn't want to bitch about it bc no one likes a whiner and besides she can kick ass regardless but like. she would Like an offensive power

peyton is also gonna be halliwell household she is really close with tamora probably the closest with her tbh and she does like henry but i think she connects the most with mellie and wyatt re: wanting to be a person first and a witch second and then also she really likes piper bc piper will always teach her how to cook (peyton's more of a baker in general but loves being in the kitchen regardless)