#the crockpot is my mom’s current best friend

[skyward-floored]

My parents ordered a new oven and it’s supposed to come in a... week. Which means we will be eating a lot of sandwiches in the meantime I’m thinking

[oh-no-another-idea]

Get to Know You Tag 

Thanks for the tag @blind-the-winds! 💛💙

Relationship Status: Single as they come! And saddled with high standards thanks to fictional characters, alas...

Favorite Color(s): Yellow! And also green, and black for clothes :D

Favorite Food: How to choose? Some current favorites include barbacoa burritos, pork wontons, and soup--matzoball, miso, chicken noodle, ramen...YUM!

Song Stuck in My Head: Cool from West Side Story--listened to the whole soundtrack today and nearly died from conducting too enthusiastically ;)

Last thing you Googled: Pound cake origins (writing things). Answer: northern Europe, apparently.

Dream Trip: Finally got to beautiful Italy this year, so new dream trip would be Egypt, Israel, and Greece!

Last Thing You Read: Gosh it’s been a while. Probably fic, if I’m being honest

Last Book You Enjoyed Reading: Mister Impossible gave me extreme mental illness--highly recommend! 

Favorite Thing to Cook/Bake: I love doing a full out Chinese stir fry, even though it takes a LONG time--mapo tofu and pork ribs and broccoli and fried rice...also recently found a terrific chicken cacciatore recipe that’s relatively easy and SO tasty! Also the crockpot is the man’s best friend. Love me the crockpot

Favorite Craft to do in Your Free Time: Well, if I’m not writing, I’m likely reading or drawing--digital or traditional. Knitting hats is fun too and taking care of my potted plants....

Most Niche Dislike: People who simultaneously think they know everything, and also are super incompetent and rude--fine, have your opinions that’s valid, but don’t start preaching on everyone else while obviously doing it in the stupidest slowest way!! oy vey

Opinion on Circuses: I went to a few old fashioned circuses as a kid and they were fun back then, but I’m glad people have worked on fixing animal cruelty and whatnot. Just saw my first Cirque De Soliel performance this summer (sister #2 is into contortion and aerial) and was absolutely BLOWN AWAY. Just WOW.

Do You Have Any Sense of Direction: I rather think so! My dad is the real navigator and I’ve learned at his knee, and my mom is absolutely rubbish and so far the little sisters are following in her humble footsteps. 😌 So I’m number 2 in the family. And one of my favorite things when traveling to a new place is orienting myself, learning the streets...

10 people I'd like to get to know better: @the-finch-address @aohendo @sleepyowlwrites @fiercely-raging-writer @dontjudgemeimawriter @indecentpause @ghost-town-story @winterandwords @papercutsunset @pertinax--loculos and honestly anyone can tag me in this--I’d love to see your answers!

[noorakardemmomesaetre]

Through The Snowfall 

Or Read It On AO3 

Pairing: Betty Cooper x Jughead Jones

Summary: The Coopers and Andrews have rented the same cabin in the woods every holiday season since their kids were two years old. 

And with Archie and Betty leaving for college in just a few months, Betty is determined to make this Christmas a memorable one…by telling Archie how she really feels.

What she doesn’t plan for is Archie bringing his best friend. 

Or the way her gaze is suddenly lingering on the wild dark curls peeking out from beneath a crown beanie rather than the ginger spikes she’d set her sights on so long ago.

Chapter One: Moonlight 

She wrings her hands together in front of her body as she takes a shallow breath and straightens her shoulders. 

“Archie,” she begins softly, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth nervously before releasing it to continue. “I like you. Like really like you. I have for a long time now.” 

Her reflection stares back at her blankly and if that’s any indication as to how this confession is going to go she’d rather shove her hand in a garbage disposal. 

Shaking her head, Betty turns on the faucet and splashes the cool water on her heated cheeks in an effort to relax. When that’s not enough, she turns to the clawfoot bathtub behind her and begins running the water, tossing in a lavender rose bath bomb. There are dried petals laced throughout and watching them rise to the top of the now swirling purple water begins to calm her nerves. 

She can do this. 

She’s spent two weeks of every winter holiday break with Archie Andrews for the past fifteen years, since they were both running about this very same cabin in their diapers and ugly toddler-sized Christmas sweaters. 

Though they had never been able to spend more time together than that, they’d grown closer every winter and a few years ago they’d declared themselves the best of friends. This had lead to the occasional impromptu FaceTime conversation, encouraging texts before her school paper article releases and his important football games, and even a phone call before bed if either of them were feeling especially anxious. 

Her family had moved to Connecticut, away from their hometown of Riverdale, when she was two years old due to her father’s new job. Archie and his family had remained in Riverdale, which had only broken her mother, Alice, and Archie’s mother, Mary’s, hearts. They’d quickly decided they couldn’t bear not to come up with an annual reason for the families to spend an extended amount of time together and after several glasses of wine and much research, the ladies had decided on a yearly holiday trip to a little upscale town outside of Whistler, Canada. 

She peels off her pajamas and undergarments as soon as the water fills the tub and the hot water is exactly what she needs to quiet her overactive mind. She tilts her head back against the tub rim and runs her fingers absentmindedly through the colorful bubbles atop the water.  

The chime of her cell phone interrupts her efforts and she glances at the device resting on the small side table near the tub. 

Reaching out to see who the message is from, a small smile forms on her lips when she recognizes the name. 

V: Is three full suitcases too many for this winter wonderland vacation? Be honest. 

Betty rolls her eyes and chuckles to herself as she imagines her - and she means this in the kindest of ways - high maintenance best friend dragging all of these suitcases up their snowed in cabin driveway. 

B: I’d strongly advise cutting back to two. 

V: Please tell me you’re joking. 

B: Are you packing with Cher? Only she could convince you to pack that much for a two week trip 

V: Fine. Cutting back to two and a carry on! 

Betty smiles and closes her eyes once more, about to set her phone back on the nightstand when the sound of her phone pings once more. 

Cher: @ me next time, Betty Dearest. 

B: 😘

Betty grins at the fact that her best friends are currently together and turns the sound off of her phone in an effort to focus on the relaxation she’d drawn this bath for in the first place. 

The steam from the tub has been rising against her face and she welcomes the warmth and the invigorated way it makes her skin feel. She’s wondering whether she should apply a deep clean clay face mask - one can never look too refreshed and moisturized when professing their longtime feelings for their even longertime friend - when she spots her phone lighting up out of the corner of her eye. 

Groaning, she’s about to flip it over until her heart begins to thump erratically. 

Archie: packing to see u tomorrow 

B: Shouldn’t you already be packed? I thought your plane was leaving around noon! 

Archie: it is! considered packing in the morn but gotta get in that last work out u know 

Betty smiles to herself, knowing she hasn’t seen him in an entire year and she’s sure football has been working wonders on his already impressive body. Although, she’s never been that interested in overly muscular guys…but this is Archie. It’s different. Right? She brushes the thought away as she runs her tongue along her bottom lip and decides whether she should take a little risk with this next text. 

B: I’m excited to see you tomorrow :)

Archie: same. see u then ;) 

She tries not to overanalyze the winky face emoji as she sinks further into her now lukewarm bath. 

__________________

Veronica arrives promptly at 3:00PM and Betty rushes out the front door the moment she sees Veronica’s private driver pull into the driveway. She looks like a picturesque beauty snow queen as she steps from the car in a lovely periwinkle snow jacket and matching beret, but the second she sees Betty, she squeals excitedly. 

They throw their arms around each other in a tight hug as though they hadn’t just seen each other at school a few days ago. Veronica had agreed to come with Betty on vacation this year as soon as Betty had asked and she knows it’s because Veronica’s home life is currently a parental war zone. 

She also knows she’ll have to ask more about that later. 

“Oh, Betty! This cabin is absolutely gorgeous! I can already feel how cozy it is from here,” she says approvingly as she waves for her driver to follow behind her with her bags. 

Betty wonders if she should help him, but he seems to have an understanding with Veronica and follows suit. 

“It’s so wonderful! Mom has the fire going and wait until you see our bathroom,” Betty gushes as Veronica loops her arm through hers. “We even have a clawfoot bathtub!” 

They make their way inside and Veronica tips her driver an amount of money in cash that Betty’s only seen a couple of times in her entire life. Alice rushes over to squeeze Veronica tightly while berating her for not wearing a heavier jacket with these freezing temperatures. 

Hal brings her into a quick hug and lets her know that he’s got a pot roast cooking in the crockpot for dinner, if she’s interested. 

Betty’s laying on her stomach across Veronica’s bed in their large shared room on the second floor of the cabin, her ankles crossed as she swings her feet gently back and forth. Veronica is unpacking and chattering on about the latest drama with her parents before she shakes her head.

“Okay, enough of that! When is the infamous Archie Andrews coming?” 

Betty’s cheeks warm as she rests her head against a pillow and looks up at her best friend. “Around 8:00PM, I think? That’s when we’re expecting them anyways.” 

“I’m so excited to meet the boy you haven’t stopped gushing about since you fell for him three years ago,” Veronica says, giving her a teasing smile. “He better be everything you’ve amped him up to be.”

“No pressure,” Betty groans, tugging the pillow from beneath her and smacking her friend with it. Veronica laughs and tosses a pair of rolled up pantyhose at Betty’s head. 

“Do you think you’ll tell him tonight?”

“Of course. The earlier I tell him the more time we get to spend together,” Betty replies happily before grimacing. “Or the longer amount of time I have to face rejection.” 

“He won’t reject you.” Veronica arches an eyebrow dramatically and purses her lips as she says, “unless he’s a complete idiot.” 

Betty laughs just as Alice waltzes into their bedroom and she fights the urge to ask her mother if she has any idea knocking exists. 

“Elizabeth, darling, have you told Veronica about the Snowflake Soirée?” 

“Not yet, Mother.”

“Oh, do tell, Mrs. Cooper!” Veronica sits down next to Betty, crosses her legs, and smiles up at Alice, clearly excited about the prospect of an event. 

“Every Christmas Eve, everyone in this little town dresses to the nines and heads down the road for an upscale evening party. There’s dinner, decorations, dancing, champagne!” Alice is currently opening her drawers and refolding the sweaters Betty already folded yesterday and she curls her fingers into fists to keep from snapping. 

“That sounds absolutely wonderful! B, you could go with Archie!” Veronica claps her hands excitedly as Betty’s eyes widen in her direction, attempting to send an ohmygod, not in front of my mom, V! message. 

Alice finishes with the last of Betty’s sweaters before flashing Veronica a bright smile of approval. “That is a great idea, Veronica. Elizabeth, be sure to straighten your shoulders when the Andrews arrive, slouching makes you look lazy and indifferent.” 

She plants a kiss atop Betty’s head before waltzing out of their bedroom door and Betty’s nails are now threatening to pierce the skin of her palms. 

“She makes my mother look like a nominee for Mommy of the Year,” Veronica scoffs, making Betty chuckle as Veronica reaches over to clasp her hands in hers, somewhat effectively releasing the tension in her fingers. 

“Do you want to FaceTime Cher?” she asks in an attempt to distract Betty from her mother’s whirlwind appearance. “She and Toni are dying to see the cabin and you know they’ve been snowed in at Thistle House for the past two days.” 

FaceTiming Cheryl and her girlfriend, Toni, lightens Betty’s mood until she forgets about her mother’s controlling ways and can only think about the impending arrival of the Andrews. 

__________________

Betty and Veronica are sitting on the loveseat admiring the cabin’s over-the-top holiday decorations and sipping hot chocolate with marshmallows from festive mugs when the Andrews pull into the driveway in their rental Jeep. 

Betty pulls at her black tights anxiously as her father swings open the front door. 

“Fred! It’s been far too long, my friend!” The men embrace as Betty and Veronica stand and Betty finds herself smiling. Fred Andrews has always been nothing but kind to her and today is no different. He greets her with a bear hug before turning to hug Veronica, a girl he’s never even met. 

“How are you, Betty?” he asks and she knows the question is genuine. 

“I’m good, Mr. Andrews! Excited for these next couple of weeks off.”

“I already told Mary I’ll be sleeping until 11:00AM everyday,” he says with a look of defiance and the girls can’t help but giggle as Mary comes bustling into the house with a few containers of home baked Christmas cookies. 

“And I’ve already told him he will absolutely not be doing that,” Mary says loudly, making Fred huff teasingly before heading back out to bring in their bags. Mary hugs Betty and introduces herself to Veronica before adding, “honestly, he couldn’t sleep that late if he tried.”

Betty’s trying to focus on what Archie’s parents are saying, but her eyes dart to the front door at any sign of movement and she tucks a few loose strands of hair behind her ear nervously. 

“I see him!” Veronica whispers excitedly, standing on her tiptoes to see through the branches of the elaborate and large Christmas tree Alice and Hal had been working on all morning. 

Archie barrels through the door, not a moment later, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder and a wide smile on his face. Betty’s heartbeat quickens and her face breaks into a wide grin at the sight of him. 

But he looks...different. 

His muscles are large and defined now from his football training and instead of the cropped haircut she’s used to, his hair is coiffed to perfection. He spots her out of the corner of his eye and his entire face lights up. 

“Betty!” He makes his way over and quickly wraps her in a huge hug, his arms and body enveloping her petite frame. She giggles into his chest, happy that, at the very least, he smells familiar. Like a dash of men’s cologne and spearmint. “Still rockin that ponytail?” 

He releases her and she rolls her eyes, shoving him playfully. “Archie, this is my best friend, Veronica Lodge.” 

She’s now hyper-aware of her ponytail swinging gently behind her, brushing her shoulders. Does he not like the ponytail? Should she wear her hair down more often? But the ponytail is her signature look…

Her thoughts are interrupted as an unfamiliar feeling of dread settles in the pit of her stomach. Veronica has stepped forward, slipping her hand in his in a formal greeting that Archie seems all too eager to take part in. 

“Veronica? Betty’s told me a lot about you.” 

“Oh, I’m sure she has,” Veronica answers easily, tilting her head and smiling that 100 watt Lodge smile. He smiles back, but there’s a curiosity behind his eyes that makes Betty’s fingers close into fists once again. 

It’s not that she hadn’t thought about this predicament occurring when she’d invited Veronica, but she had convinced herself that Archie’s wandering eye only applied when she wasn’t in the room. Standing right next to him. 

“Shit.” 

There’s a commotion near the front door and Betty immediately turns around to find another guy their age attempting to pull what looks to be the Andrews’ small wagon overfilled with gifts through the front door. 

“Oh, son, I should’ve helped you with that!” Fred and Hal immediately move to where the guy has managed to get it halfway through the front door.

Archie is laughing as he watches the scene unfold, his eyes glittering in amusement. “Oh, Betty, you remember me telling you I was bringing Jughead, right?” 

Betty’s eyebrows furrow because she absolutely does not remember this. She does remember that Jughead is Archie’s best friend from home, but she’s never actually met or seen the guy. 

“Jughead, come meet the girls!” 

Jughead drops his own duffel bag near the front door, shaking hands with Hal and Fred before he turns around and shakes his head in fake irritation at his best friend’s lack of assistance with the wagon. 

Betty’s mouth parts. 

She’d always assumed that a boy named “Jughead” could only be some weird Jeffrey Dahmer-esque kid covered in dirt who curses loudly and demands extra meat with every meal. 

But Jughead is nothing like what she had spent the last few years imagining whenever Archie spoke of him. 

He’s handsome. 

Tall and lean with a smile that tugs on the corners of his mouth as though his happiness is a secret only a few are privileged to know. A worn gray beanie in what looks like a misshapen crown rests atop his head in an attempt to tame the wild dark waves peeking from beneath it and falling just above his eyes. 

“Hey, you must be Betty Cooper,” he says as he closes the space between them, tugging his snow-dusted gloves off and shoving them into the pockets of his flannel jacket before offering his hand to shake. “My sole competition for Archie’s friendship.” 

Veronica nudges her and she finally blinks, registering the introduction. She slides her hand into his and, despite the fact that he’d just had gloves on, is surprised to find that his hand is warm and soft. She smiles at him and shakes her head causing her ponytail to swing gently once again. 

“That’s sweet that you think you’re any competition at all.” 

He chuckles good-naturedly, his free hand moving to tug at one of the points on his crown beanie and her heart suddenly feels warm. She’d made him laugh. 

“I guess we’ll have to let Archie decide.” 

“Then I guess we’ll never know.” 

“Touché.” His playful smile widens at their shared knowledge of Archie’s indecisiveness being an obvious character trait.

After another few seconds her gaze follows his to where their hands are still currently interlocked in what could now be debatably referred to as the longest first meeting handshake of all time. 

His grip is warm but lax, as though he’s waiting for her to make the move to break the contact and she feels her cheeks burn. 

She immediately drops his hand and turns to Archie and Veronica, who are now both watching them with curious expressions. 

“This is my best friend, Veronica Lodge.” Betty introduces them and quickly moves next to Archie in order to put some space between herself and his best friend.

“Is that Alice’s famous hot chocolate?” Archie asks suddenly and Alice confirms from across the room that it is and that both of the boys should come grab a mug. 

They make their way over to the kitchen and Betty swallows audibly, touching the ends of her ponytail that fall against her shoulder. She’s watching Archie talk animatedly as he adds marshmallows to his mug, his arms flexing in his long-sleeved Under Armour shirt even from the small movement. 

But then her gaze shifts to where Jughead has shrugged out of his large flannel jacket, nodding along with whatever Archie’s saying as he grabs one of the cookies from Mary’s tupperware. 

“He is good looking,” Veronica observes next to her and it takes a moment for Betty to realize who she’s talking about. 

Archie. 

“Yeah, he is,” she confirms, turning back to the small table where they’d left their own mugs of hot chocolate resting. 

“So...are you still planning to profess your love for him tonight?” 

Laughter from the kitchen fills the air and Betty immediately looks in the direction of the sound, the tips of her ears burning. Jughead. 

“Um...no,” she decides suddenly, ignoring the look of confusion crossing Veronica’s face. “Maybe not tonight.” 

___________________

happy december everyone! ☃️❄️

thank you for giving this little holiday fic a chance! it’s been a ton of fun to write and i hope it adds a little Christmas cheer to your holiday season. 

i strongly advise enjoying with a mug of hot chocolate - extra marshmallows 

xx B 

[surveys4ever]

35.

Have you ever been to Australia? I have not! The heat and the bugs are a large deterrent, haha.

Who was the last person you know to have a birthday? My mom’s was at the beginning of this month and then a friend from high school had a birthday last week.

Are you wearing a necklace? If so, describe it. I’m not but I was, it’s a gold chain with a simple little (fake) diamond in the middle.

Do you know anyone who is left-handed? My little sister is.

Ever wear out a CD? What was it? Metaphorically, sure, but not actually. I listened to Metamorphosis by Hilary Duff a shameful amount of times as a kid.

What’s your favorite card game? Skip Boooo. I am a beast at Skip Bo.

What’s your favorite fast food meal? It really depends on my mood.

Where is the best restaurant you’ve ever eaten in at? I just love Longhorn. Their parmesan crusted chicken and firecracker wraps are legitttt.

Lamb chops or pork chops? Neither. I remember my mom cooking pork chops as a kid and she would just toss them into a crockpot with baby carrots and potatoes and a can of mushroom soup....the woman doesn’t use salt. That was always my LEAST favorite meal.

If you HAD to pick ONE song to listen to for the rest of your life, and that would be the only song you ever heard, what would it be? I’d rather never listen to music again than pick only one song to listen to forever. 

Ever heard of Shinedown? I have not.

What size is your bed? Queen!

What is the first meal you remember eating? I don’t know if I remember that. Maybe a happy meal? My mom didn’t cook back then lol.

What was the first movie you ever saw? Something to do with Barney I’m sure.

What percentile of your class were you in? I don’t know the exact percent but I was always on the high honor roll.

Can you name every place you’ve ever had sex? Well. Obviously my husband’s bedroom, a travel trailer on the couch and the bed, several hotels, all over our first, second, third, and current house, the stairwell of our building, the back of our car, the fitting rooms in Kmart and JCPenney, andddd...I think that’s it?

What forms of birth control have you used? Condoms and then vasectomy.

Do you use sponges or dishcloths when doing the dishes? A sponge. It works so much better than a cloth.

What’s your favorite song on the top twenty right now? I honestly couldn’t tell you what’s on the top twenty rn.

Ever punched a wall? No, I’m not a teenage boy.

What was the last bug you killed and what did you use? A mosquito, my hand.

Ever get pulled over by the cops and get away without a ticket?  I’ve been pulled over a handful of times but only gotten a ticket once.

What was your first legal alcoholic drink? I don’t totally remember...I know it was at Longhorn and it was very sweet and it was funny because I wouldn’t share with my husband because I’m 3 months older than him and he technically wasn’t allowed to have alcohol yet hehehe.

What’s the most expensive things your parents ever bought you? A laptop for Christmas one year.

What’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought? Our car or my MacBook.

What is your favorite cover song? I love Sleeping With Siren’s version of Iris and Miley Cyrus’ version of Heart of Glass.

Did you ever drop out of school? Nope.

Ever raise a child that wasn’t your own for more than 3 months? Babysitting them every day, yeah.

Strangest medical procedure ever performed on you? I don’t think I’ve ever had any weird medical procedures lol.

Does the place you work have music playing? What sort? I play whatever I want haha.

Do you use Windows, Mac, Linux, or something else entirely? Mac!

Do you cut tags out of clothing so they don’t itch and bother you? If it’s bothering me, yes!

How many times a year do you go on vacation? Usually twice a year.

What is your favorite time period in history to learn about? I don’t know if I have a favorite!

What’s the saddest report you have ever seen on the news? I don’t watch the news for exactly that reason.

In your honest opinion, what is the scariest sea creature you know? Omg that massive fucking squid that just hangs there and stretches out its massive arms and has super long feelers that hang to the ocean floor? That thing is T E R R I F Y I N G.

What superpower do you think would be the most handy in times of trouble? Shape shifting.

Do you believe there is just one love for everyone, or…? Noooo. The world is far too vast for there to only be one outcome.

Why are you best friends with your best friend? Because he’s got a nice penis. Hahaha jk. But he does.

Do you world peace is truly a possibility in the future?  Oh no way. Humanity has always and will always be at war with one another.

Pretend you are a really good cook, what meal would you make? I am a good cook actually but I always manage to blow people’s socks off with my mac & cheese.

What do you think of when you look at the stars? It’s just wild that we’re so small and that there are whole other worlds out there that we haven’t even begun to dream about touching.

If a turtle doesn’t have a shell, is he homeless or naked? Theyyyy would be dead. Their shell is part of their body, not their house. 

What’s one thing you feel you must do in your life before it ends? Learn to be happy.

What Disney princess are you most like? Does mEGARA COUNT?

What do you think is the most important thing in this life is? Finding a way to be happy despite all the awful in the world.

Do you use any acne medication? When I get pimples, I use these star acne patches that are very cute and very effective.

Have you ever tried to learn another language? How did it go? Spanish and French. I still only speak English so uh...you can guess how well that went.

Do you still have a landline phone in your home? Newp.

Throughout a typical week, which places are you likely to go? Thrift stores, a grocery store or two, maybe some garage sales, a craft store if we’re feelin’ it. We’re not very exciting haha.

How often do you use your webcam, if you even have one that is? Raaaarely. I prefer to facetime on my phone.

Do you have a lock number or pattern for your phone? A passcode but I usually use Face ID.

What was the last thing you bought from a liquor store? We were going to buy some beer and cider but we got there 6 minutes after it closed lol.

Is there any cereal in your house? What kind? My husband just bought honeycombs!

What's the most number of people you've ever lived with? 5. My parents and 3 siblings.

Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? I might wear green if I’m feeling super festive but that’s literally it.

Do you have any pets? How long have you had them? Yup! We’ve had her since she was 4 months old and she’s 7 1/2 now.

What's your favourite kind of cheese? Gruyere.

Have you danced in the rain? When I was really young, yeah!

Who is your favorite person to text? Tbh I don’t love texting but if anyone, my husband. I much prefer to talk to him in person tho.

What’s your favorite brand of jeans? Torrid.

Do you enjoy Mario games? Overall, yeah! There are a few turds in the bunch tho.

What’s your favorite online game? Among Us I guess? I haven’t played it in a long time but it’s the only game I really play online ever.

Have you ever been hit with a ball in gym class? Every fuckin sport. My head is a ball magnet...and I do mean that in both ways.

Who was last to cook for you? A cook at a restaurant lol.

Would you ever wish to explore a cave? Ummm..if it was safe and guided I guess?

You see the person you fell hardest for. What do you do? ...Hug him? He’s my husband, so.

Have you ever ridden in a car with someone who was high? Nope.

Did you ever date the last person you kissed? I married him!

Have you ever held a snake? I have! They’re very smooth.

How often do you have friends over to your house? All my local friends have moved away sadly. But I met a new friend last week and we’ve hung out a few times already and she’s coming over for dinner tomorrow night.

Have you ever had a boss who acted unprofessionally? Ugh yes.

Who was the last person who cried around you? Why did they start crying? Was it unexpected? I honestly can’t remember. Beebs physically can’t cry because #trauma and I don’t really feel like I spend enough time with other people to see them cry haha. Maybe my sister?

Do you have any exercises you do everyday? Nope.

Are you more of a dog or cat person? Absolutely dog!

Have you ever had a dream of stabbing someone? I have, actually.

Would you ever have a bird as a pet? Noooo thank you.

Have you ever had to speak at a funeral? Nope. I don’t think I’d be good at it.

Do you know someone who’s been cremated? My grandparents’ dog lol.

What is your favorite animated movie? I can’t think of one at the moment!

Did your grandparents teach you anything? My grandpa taught me a lot about how to hold your tongue until you have something meaningful to say as opposed to just talking to hear yourself speak and to be kind and gentle. My grandma taught me how to be tenacious, funny, thoughtful, a great gift giver, and a top notch thrifter.

Do you want/have a Bachelor's degree? Nope.

Are you into superheroes? Who's your favourite? Not really tbh. Deadpool is pretty cool tho.

Have you ever played Cards Against Humanity? Did you like it? I haven’t, actually!

Have you ever played a drinking game? Which ones? I’m not a big drinker!

Did you ever play Neopets when you were younger? I did!

Have you ever been to Mexico? Nope!

Have your parents ever worked in medicine? My dad currently does. He shouldn’t tho, considering he’s a covid denier who’s refusing to get the vaccine, openly criticizes people who take medication for mental illness, and is a very unsympathetic hypochondriac. He’s literally the LAST person I would ever want working on me if I was in the hospital.

Is there anything unusual about your house?  I don’t think so! It’s pretty regular.

How many serious relationships have you been in? One.

Do you listen to Rise Against? I think I listened to a couple when I was in high school but I couldn’t tell you what they were haha.

When was the last time you congratulated someone? My sister graduated this weekend!

Have you ever taken care of a newborn baby? I have! It’s honestly pretty chill. They only cry when they need something and they only need like 3 things.

How old were you when you got your ears pierced? I first got them pierced when I was 8 and then they got infected and I had to take them out, got them repierced when I was 10, and then got my second holes when I was 12.

Do you snore when you sleep? Haha my husband tells me I do sometimes.

What was the last type of burger you ate? A veggie burger!

[resbang-bookclub]

AMA Transcript: bouquet garni

Next up, @skadventuretime, @guacamoletrash and @jamesfalt (Souly on Discord) stopped by to chat about their Resbang, bouquet garni! Here’s some of what went down:

Q: Madi, how did you come up with everyone's characters, like Harvar being a gaming streamer and Tsu and Liz being farmers etc. etc. because I thought those were all really unique and interesting!

madi: Ahaha let's see, I started planning this back last... May? and talking with the beta crew, as one does. And naturally marsh [ @marshofsleep ] , enabler that she is, just put it out there.

madi: And I was just playing a bunch of overwatch at the time and thought he'd be a good gamer nerd, and also I had decided to make this Extra self-indulgent, so I was like “my city now”. I basically poured all of my friend feels into [Harvar] and Anya in particular. The past couple years have been rougher for me, but I've had some really spectacular friends, and I decided Maka and Soul needed them, too.

Q: The part with the sword and stuff, I just…

madi: OH THAT ahahahaha. Okay yeah that was end of Resbang crunch time and me being extra 'fuck it.'

madi: That was what the team thought about that.

Q: Artist-chans, what programs do you use and how does your arting process go? And how is guac so good at playlisting??

Souly: I use paint tool SAI :0 I might still have some of my progress pics, lemme look.

guac: Lol. I don't think I'm super good at it but I do enjoy music a lot and like to make playlists so maybe that's it!

Souly: Yeah here we go. Mid lining.

I did it a lil differently than I normally do. I normally line everything and then do flats but I was actually super behind bc of life stuff so I just started doing flats per character after their lines were done. This is a sample of what the layers look like:

madi: Man how do u keep track of ur layers? Or is it like, a sixth sense?

Souly: I go off of the little layer previews and hope the layer has what I'm looking for.

madi: LOL that sounds like me.

Souly: I also like... tend to set up layers for characters a specific way so I can normally find those?

guac: BRUH THAT'S SO MANY LAYERS.

Q: Did you have a favorite character to write? 8)

madi: I just love writing Star being balls to the walls ridiculous. The saxophone thing came about because I saw this video and was like oh my god it's Black Star in the flesh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMyqasy2Lco . But I also really liked writing Maka being sort of the one with issues, too.

Q: Which character in your fic did you most identify with? And was it purposeful or accidental?

madi: Iiiiiiii'd have to say I identified with [Maka] the most this fic, for once. Usually it's soul, but I ended up pouring a lot of myself into her, and it was both purposeful and accidental how it all worked out.

Q: I’m surprised, because there were a lot of things I noticed about Soul that I know are you-things!

madi: Yeah!!! I definitely can't help that with him, they both got a lot of me.

Q: I know you said this fic was super personal and self-indulgent so was it generally pretty easy to write because of that, or did you have trouble?

madi: Hmmmm yeah I definitely had some trouble. About 20k in, I sort of lost the emotional thread of it, and whined a lot to Bones [ @adulterclavis ] about what I could do to fix it, and it turned out that I just needed to talk to someone about it to find where I wanted to go again, and then it got easier. I still struggled for sure not having a traditional Big Antagonist plotline thing, it was more personal and then Maka's mom… Bones let me cry in her inbox about writing.

Q: What brought about your characterization of Mama Albarn (who i still hate btw >: ((( )?

madi: You are not the only one...

guac: I'm always ready to fight her.

madi: Okay so, basically Mama Albarn came about just from how I used to (and still sometimes do) talk to myself. It's that internalized idea you always have to be perfect, and if you aren't given everything you've been given and have, then you're weak and a fuckup and how dare you not be the best? DEFINITELY a toxic mindset, and Bad. And this fic was sort of exorcising that, a little. This was an external abusive deal, but you can absolutely develop abusive thought patterns towards yourself, and you can also free yourself from them, like Maka was ultimately able to.

Q: Was there a scene in particular you really enjoyed?

madi: I heckin’ loved the butt lamp scene. It honestly kept me going, knowing I'd be able to write that monstrosity. And also drunk Kid, who marsh aptly named Five Drink Amy. AND THEN GUAC skl;dfkld. So there was this, right, and then guac

madi: Which linked to THIS PIC:

madi: And we all could not stop laughing.

Q: What was the hardest part to write?

madi: I got stuck at the end of chapter 3, and I ultimately added another section on to it to make it work, but I think deciding how I wanted to transition from her debauched night out into a Soul POV chapter given what I wanted each person to sort of be faced with was probably the hardest thing for me. This whole deal was largely driven by me groping in the dark at what felt right.

Q: PS I loved the debauched night out. And Patty's drinks.

madi: I loved patty in this!! Bones wanted to marry her, so I know it Worked Out. She was another fun one to write, as were her drinks ahaha.

Q: What was your favorite thing about this Resbang in particular?

madi: Oh jeez, hm. I think my favorite thing was doing a better job fleshing out the side characters in Harv and Anya and Kid and Star. That was something I regret not doing better in my older work, so I'm happy I got to try my hand at giving people other than Soul/Maka some personality.

guac: They became such a cute little chosen family.

Q: Why a food-themed story specifically? What about that appealed to you? (For everyone!)

madi: (Apeeled).

Souly: I fucking love SoMa. [And] the cooking aspect really drew me in... idk why but I've always had a thing for those kinds of things with anime I'm into?

guac: My current relationship started with them teaching me how to cook real food cause I used to eat like a garbage can, so I was like ‘welp this is gonna be hella cute, count me in.’

madi: Omg, I didn't know that, that's ADORABLE.

guac: Shhhhh. I don't talk about my feelings very much. But yeah. I was like ‘a SoMa AU about my life!!!’

Souly: Honestly yeah same, I feel like I also like... connected with Maka about being poor and just buying shit to eat.

madi: Let's see, I had a prompt sitting in my inbox FOREVER that was like 'I’m obsessed with a food blogger who writes about cheap ways to be gourmet in your 20s and I flirt with them over comments but they never post pictures of their face and ALSO there’s a really cute grocery bagger at the store down the street who teases me and always asks to join me for dinner and I definitely want to say yes AU' that I was initially gonna go with, and originally it was a little closer to this deal. My first blush ideas for this sort of had the drama in not knowing who was whom, and the big reveal being the climax, or something like Maka thinking Soul was taken because she thought he was involved with the comment girl and then that whole drama. But then I thought that that sorta thing had been done before, and I wanted this to be less about the drama of the reveal and more about the process of them growing closer, I guess. And I also looooooove cooking and baking, so that definitely bled through.

Q: I thought it was a neat shake up how you didn’t make the reveal the crux of the whole thing.

madi: Ahahaha yeah, I definitely thought about it, but ultimately wanted this to be less 'gasp, it's YOU!' because the reader knows, and if I wanted to make the reader invested, I'd have to keep them apart and do the kinda drama I wasn't feeling for this fic. The insta bit came about because I spend some time looking at food pics before I go to sleep, and that provided a lot of insp for that section. Half of my degree is in nutrition, so I like to see the recipes people come up with, and also roll my eyes at some of the bougie stuff, because insta is definitely a Platform for that, depending on where you end up haha. Also like, I definitely took some things I've experienced flat out and added them in, like Harv shoving Maka electrolyte packets. Last year when I was deep in the sad pit, my diet was terrible, and I knew it, but I wasn't doing much about it. And then one day I was talking to Bones and my leg muscle kept spasming, and she was like dude when was the last time you've gotten minerals and I was like .....oh. So she sent me a link for those packets to hold me over on days I wasn’t getting them from my diet ahaha. Bones is also where some of Kid came from, and bits of Anya.

Q: Where did you get your recipes? I want a cookbook based on this fic p...please.

modi: Okay okay let me find some of the recipes that inspired things:

https://showmetheyummy.com/crockpot-mexican-chicken-recipe/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BfWNxv9HuHg/?hl=en&taken-by=thefeedfeed.

[Bones] was also the steak recipe insp!

madi: The kitchn, thefeedfeed, showmetheyummy, minimalistbaker were all feeds that I was inspired by, and then I just improv’d from there, because I have cooked all or most of the things I described in there. AND IT'S WHERE MAKA'S CUPCAKE GAZING CAME FROM. LOOK AT THE GLORIOUS MOUNTAIN OF ICING https://www.instagram.com/p/BaRGvjGDBpr/?hl=en&taken-by=thescranline

Q: Did you feel like your writing has changed at all during writing this?

madi: Yeah, for sure! I thought that this year I got better at characterizing people, adding some personality to them that was a little more nuanced than I'd done before. I think I absorbed some of Bones's longer sentence style, which I personally tend to like even though I am still getting a handle on it, and I think I got better at describing things in general. Next step is being better with plot and tightening up the language a little more >:) Most of the changes, I think, were sentence style and how I handled dialogue, which is usually harder for me.

Q: Artists: did you learn any new techniques that you plan to practice or improve on any you've been trying to learn?

Souly: Oh yeah, I learned doing flats as I go with lines actually speeds up the process slightly... I practiced a different lighting technique that I never did end up going with but I kinda figured out what I need to do to make it work. It sadly just didn't work with how I set up this pic.

madi: Oooo nice, linework is Intimidating but you made it look easy.

guac: I am just glad to force myself to make stuff. Glad to be here. Thought my drawing of bodies got better (thanks Black Star).

madi: Y'all don't understand the sound I made when I saw guac drew the apron.

Souly: That Blackstar pic is my fave.

Q: WHAT'S NEXT, everybody? ;D

madi: >;) well, I have a secret project that I thought of last year that I am not yet sure will be a Resbang or a chaptered dealio, so I want to pick at that. Then I have a chaptered Star vs the Forces of Evil fic I need to update, and I owe Pip [ @paperypiper ] like two or three Noragami fluff pieces, and SILLY’S BDAY SMUT. Which will proabbly be like a whole year late but whatever I’m sorry, I will try to make it extra spicy.

Souly: I'm signing up for a few zines! I'm currently waiting for them to open apps but I'm looking at an Enstars zine, FMA tarot project, and some YOI zines. I was also recently in the Soul Eater reversal zine that just closed preorders the other day so I'm waiting to be able to post my piece :0

guac: I'm arting for the BNHA big bang and mostly consumed by school. Who knows what will happen next! There's a little pop punk lyrics + anime project I'm working on so maybe I'll show it to the world someday soon. We will see.

madi: OH YEAH I’m writing for that bang too! AND GUAC GOT ME AS AN ARTIST. It's the ultimate resonance.

[hawkland]

The Best Gift (Rollisi fic)

So, I actually wrote the following fic for the Rare Pair Exchange a few weeks ago. But author reveals just happened today, so I decided to share it here for Amanda Rollins week, in @svucharacterappreciation

It’s my first time writing Rollisi and I had a lot of fun doing so! (Maybe I’ll do it again?) G-rated, about 1700 words. Crossposted from my AO3 account (where you can find the rest of my SVU fic.)

“You don’t have to stay and help, Carisi.”

“It’s no problem,” Sonny assured Amanda, as he picked up another errant plastic cup and tossed it in the trash. “See, in my house, growing up? My mom always used to throw these huge birthday parties for us kids. Everyone in the family would be there, all the cousins and aunts and uncles. Seemed like half the kids on Staten Island, too. She’d be up all night before the party cooking and baking, and then she wouldn’t go to bed after the party until every room was pristine clean again. The rugs had to be vacuumed, the kitchen floor swept, every dish washed and hand-dried.” He paused, bending over to retrieve a streamer that had somehow gotten wrapped around the dining room table leg. “But she wouldn’t let anyone help her, either, because she had her way of doing things—the only right way. It was just how she was.”

Amanda snorted and kicked a chair back in place, her hands full of gift bags to be sorted through tomorrow. “Well, as you should be able to tell by now, I’m not nearly so fastidious.”

“No one was—short of my mother’s mother, my nonna Marie. But I always felt bad seeing my mom exhausted by all that work. So trust me, you don’t need to do everything here yourself.”

“You’re right about that. And I definitely won’t refuse help offered willingly,” Amanda said with a smile, one that Sonny beamed right back at her.

All the other guests who’d shown up for Jesse’s first birthday party had left some time ago. Fin had dragged Munch off the premises first, the two of them arguing about current political events—as usual. Olivia had said goodnight when Noah started getting cranky and restless, perhaps not pleased that he wasn’t the center of all the adults’ attention for once. Melinda and her husband had stayed a while longer, happy for the relaxing evening out with friends—and sharing stories of how nice it was once the kids had grown up enough to leave the house for college.

“It’ll be a lot of years until I know how that feels,” Amanda had said, “but I’m in no hurry to rush through these early years.”

“Don’t be,” Melinda had assured her. “You’ll be reminiscing about them from the day she starts talking back at you.”

Amanda had also invited a few other young moms from the prenatal yoga class she had attended before Jesse’s birth. They’d stayed in touch because it was nice to have other mothers—most of them single moms themselves—to talk to, vent at, and lean on as necessary. And Amanda had been happy to see how their little ones were growing so fast...much like Jesse herself.

Jesse, who surely had no idea why so many people had been in their home, making all this noise and fuss over her. She was now fast asleep in her crib, and Amanda was getting close to the point where she’d love to simply crawl into her own bed, too.

But she didn’t mind Sonny lingering behind. She wasn’t a neat freak, but it could be depressing to wake up the morning after a big party and have nothing but a huge mess to clean up.

Wake up by herself, to the quietude of an otherwise empty apartment, save her dog and the baby she hadn’t planned for, nor expected.

“I’ll take these out to the trash chute,” Sonny said, hefting three plastic bags up over his shoulder as if he were Santa Claus.

“Thanks,” she replied distractedly as he headed for the door, throwing the deadbolt so it wouldn’t lock behind him. Sonny knew where the trash room was; he’d come over to make and share dinner enough evenings. In fact it had almost started to become routine, once every few weeks when they had the time. Dinner, catching up on the latest reality shows piled up on her DVR, talk about their various ongoing family dramas...

Talk about anything other than work.

Or the possibilities that were right there in front of them both.

It was nice. Sonny was nice, she thought as she settled down on her sofa with a wistful, tired sigh. She’d been seriously skeptical about him at first, but he’d grown a lot since he’d first landed at Manhattan SVU. Or maybe...maybe with time she had become more able, and willing, to see who he had been from the start.

Because Sonny was always there for her, in ways that few other men ever had been. And that’s why she was determined not to do anything to fuck that up.

She’d made more than her share of mistakes with men in the past, including���on more than one occasion, she had to admit—men she had to work with. At least her “mistake” with Declan had ended up giving her Jesse, who was now the best part of her life...but.

Still.

Sonny.

Sonny was a man who would stick around, unlike Declan. She knew that. And Sonny wasn’t carrying tons of baggage with a separated wife and multiple kids, like Nick had been.

Damn it, Amanda. A good guy—maybe the right guy—finally comes along and now you’re gun-shy. Don’t want to be the girl who ends up sleeping with every available man at the office. And yet, with Sonny she had the feeling it would be about a lot more than just sex. They’d had all this time to get to know each other, to become friends first. That would make things different, and better, right?

“Amanda, did you hear me?”

“I’m sorry, what?” she said, jumping as he startled her out of those thoughts. Sonny had returned from trash duty and was now standing before her, looking concerned.

“I asked if you wanted to save what was left of the meatballs and sausage in the crockpot? I just need a container for it.”

“Uh, yeah, sure. There should be some clean tupperware in the cabinet above the sink.”

“OK, will do. There’s easily enough for two lunches yet in there.”

“You can take it home if you want.”

“I won’t say no to that.” He turned to head to the kitchen, but then paused to ask, “You okay?”

“Me? Of course! I mean...why?”

“You...you looked kind of sad when I came back in.”

She shook her head. “It’s nothing. Just the post-party blahs, I suppose.”

“Being ‘on’ and entertaining for hours. I get that. It can be pretty draining.” He sat down next to her. “You sure that’s it, though?”

She bit her lip. Did she really want to have this conversation?

Right now?

Ever?

Or was she being stubborn and unfair to both of them, to keep denying what was there between them? “Sonny, you ever think about...I mean if I am projecting and off-base here please tell me to shut up and that’s fine and forget I ever even asked, but...”

“About us?” he interrupted.

“Uh...yeah. I mean...we hang out after work, you’ve tried giving me cooking lessons, you like being here with Jesse...”

“And Frannie!” he put in with enthusiasm, causing Amanda to laugh. The poor pup had gone into hiding from all the noise and activity and was still sulking in her dog bed in the bedroom.

“Yeah, and of course Frannie, how could I forget my first baby-girl. I guess I can’t help but wonder, why you do all that instead of, I dunno...getting out there and trying to find someone to share time with who you don’t have to see every day at work already. Someone who isn’t all tangled up in this line of work and all the stress we have to deal with.”

“I could do that,” he agreed, nodding his head. “But...maybe I’m more interested in spending time with someone who knows what this job is all about, who can help me deal with it better myself. And because...well, I like you, Amanda. I like you a lot.”

“I like you too, Sonny,” she admitted, and it was true. Her attraction to him had been far from immediate. Yet as she’d come to appreciate his kindness and heart, she’d felt her own heart opening up to deeper feelings for him.

“But I know you’ve been through a lot and I didn’t want—I don’t want—to rush you into anything you aren’t sure about.”

“I appreciate that,” she said, allowing herself a small smile—one that grew as she saw Sonny flush a little and look away, endearing in his moment of shyness and vulnerability. And so when he looked back to meet her gaze, she took a chance on leaning in for a light kiss on his lips.

It was sweet, and tender...and cautious. Like Sonny. She pulled back and they sat quietly, awkwardly, for a few moments, sharing shy glances and a few nervous laughs. Then he looked to her with a serious expression, his eyes focused as one hand cupped her cheek, and drew her to him for a much more sensual kiss.

Oh, she could fall hard, and fast, if there were more kisses to be shared like this one. What other surprises might Sonny have for her, she wondered?

Before she could contemplate such things for very long he pulled away, giving her a dreamy if regret-tinged smile. “It’s getting on pretty late, I should head home.”

“You could...stay...if you want.”

“I could,” he agreed, reaching up to stroke her hair with a light touch. “But, I meant it about taking things slow. I don’t want to mess this up. You know?”

“Yeah, I do.”

He stood with a sigh, and so did Amanda, following him to the door. He lingered there for a moment, in the open doorway, and then suggested, “If nothin’ comes up this weekend, I can give you a call, we could do something together? I mean, something more than cooking dinner and watching Below Deck or Dancing with the Stars.”

“I’d like that. Good night, Sonny.”

“Good night, Amanda.” He seemed to be considering one last kiss, but then perhaps he knew if he went for it, he wouldn’t be going anywhere tonight. So instead he smiled and headed down the hall to the elevator, casting one last smile and wave in her direction as he did.

She returned both, then closed the door, locking it behind her. Still grinning, she looked at all those gifts for Jesse from her friends, and appreciated having them in her life.

But Sonny had given her the best gift of all tonight.

The gift of hope, and maybe one more chance at love.

[headcanon-haven]

Can I totally bogart this opportunity here and include multiple requests? Sorry but I love your writing so whenever I see these, just have to... Re: "Headcanon Meme Put a symbol (or several) and a character/characters/ship in my ask box, and I’ll give you a headcanon. Yes. Do it." All Stucky of course!! ■ - Bedroom/house/living quarters headcanon
♡ - romantic headcanon
♥ - family headcanon ♦ - quirks/hobbies headcanon ♒ - cooking/food headcanon
☼ - appearance headcanon Thank you SO much!!!

YAY this is literally the reason I posted the meme XD  of course, I’m going to do them as Bucky and Steve rather than explicitly Stucky, because otherwise it’d give away some major spoilers… maybe I’ll post the meme again once the story’s done and we can re-visit the answers after.  

Bedroom/house/living quarters headcanon: I’ve already posted the blueprints for their apartments here and here: Steve lives in a massive penthouse in Lennox Hill that he bought when he married Peggy, one that was meant to be for a family that obviously never came to be.  It’s way too big for one person, but he was never able to bring himself to move out of it - luckily with some renovations it will still make for a great place to raise a baby in.  Bucky on the other hand lives in a little ground-level studio in Bed-Stuy; it’s tiny and drab, but it was something that he could scrape by affording on his student loan money and he keeps it clean, and the building is relatively safe while the other tenants on his floor are also destitute enough that they can all split a wifi account that Bucky finagled to reach all of their units.  The same goes for most of his belongings - it’s a lot of shit that he found on craigslist free or broken in thrift shops, that he was able to either repurpose or rebuild so that he has a relatively functional kitchen and living space… it’s a depressing little shoebox, but it’s his depressing little shoebox, which means the world to him.

Romantic headcanon: Steve Rogers is one of the most ridiculous romantics you’ll ever meet.  People might assume that it has to do with compensation, that he goes a little over the top to make himself more attractive to omegas who would otherwise be put off by his physical stature, but the fact of the matter is that it’s just the way that Steve is. As far as he’s concerned the people that he loves (both romantically and platonically) deserve the world, and at this point in his life he has the money to more or less give it to them - but he also grew up without said money, so he’s capable of being ridiculously thoughtful with his gestures, too.  Bucky, on the other hand, has really only been in one serious relationship in his life, and is more-or-less romantically clueless.  Plus, he’s spent so much of his adult life trying to prove himself equal to alphas that he hasn’t had time to put thought into romance, lest it send the wrong message and screw him further in the job market.  And even worse, the few ‘relationships’ that he has had has been with pretty shitty people, so he’d probably be put-off by romantic gestures, at least initially.  (needless to say, there will definitely be a learning curve there once they finally get their acts together)

Family headcanon: At the start of the fic, neither of them have much in the way of blood-related family.  Steve’s parents and grandparents have been gone for years, and both were only children so he doesn’t have any extended family that he’s ever really met, and while he was married to Peggy and still has some contact with her family it was too painful over the years to really keep in touch with them.  Bucky on the other hand does still have a decently-sized extended family in the midwest, along with a little sister who is still alive, but after the death of his parents and the fallout that came from it he pretty well cut himself off from the rest of them (plus he didn’t exactly have the money to be traveling back and forth between Indiana and NYC, especially not after he left his inheritance money for Becca).  So really both of them rely on their found families of friends in New York, which luckily for them are really awesome and supportive, if relatively small.  We’ll see how much that changes throughout the course of the fic ;)

Quirks/hobbies headcanon: So clearly Steve’s best known hobby is his art; graphics are his career, and painting was what allowed him his big break in the first place, but he also loves to sketch and paint murals for fun.  All of his friends’ kids have huge, elaborate murals in their bedrooms, a trend that started when he helped Sam decorate Maggie’s nursery before she was born and continues, with the added fun that as the kids grow older he re-paints them every couple of years, with their directions (Maggie’s current theme of dinosaur Disney princesses is probably the most fun that he ever had on a large-scale project, although he’s secretly looking forward to whatever craziness Tony and Pepper’s kid can come up with this year).  He’s also a big baseball and American history nerd, and likes to keep active with martial arts and jogging.  Bucky is a self-professed math and physics geek, who has loved building robots and simple machines since his dad first bought him a Kenex set as a little kid.  There’s definitely a backstory to why his interest switched from robotics to bionics, but that’s for another time… although if anyone asks him he usually has some flippant answer about his not-so-secret love of science fiction novels and movies.  His biggest quirk is his ability to focus on projects; one that’s going to low-key freak Steve out once the baby’s big and strong enough to noticeably be moving.

Cooking/food headcanon:  They’re actually both pretty decent cooks, mostly out of necessity.  Steve learned how to cook at an early age because his mom worked so often; like I said earlier Sarah was a singe omega raising Steve most of his life, so the money was tight and she had crazy shifts, making Steve a latch-key kid after his grandparents had passed and he was old enough to not need a babysitter anymore.  So he learned how to cook the basics at an early age, and then once he had the money to start cooking more extravagant things (and a mate to woo and impress) he had a lot of fun with cooking classes and learning how to do more and more things in the kitchen.  Bucky, on the other hand, is the master of minimalism - even when his bank account was at its lowest he found a way to make ends meet, in part because of help from shop owners like Mrs. Ciobanu but also by fixing a broken crockpot and stocking up on dried rice and beans.  So yeah, while they have very, very different cooking styles, both are more than capable of working their way around a kitchen.

Appearance headcanon: I already kind of answered this one in the ask that I answered this morning… Steve also has a few pairs of stylish glasses, and dresses a little like a hipster crossed with a middle school teacher, but it works for him.  99% of Bucky’s clothing is from thrift stores and charity bins, so they’re a little worn and out of style to people who really pay attention to that, but he takes impeccable care of all of his belongings so they’re always clean and well-mended (and were well-fitting, at least until the new chapter begins).

[hyrulianhobbit]

I was tagged by the amazing @inktaire and damn this thing is long thank you so much!

Your last 1. drink: Orange Crush 2. phone call: My mom 3. text message: @dragonspaceprince 4. song you listened to:Pretty sure it was Popular from Wicked 5. time you cried: I’m not sure, actually. Which is a nice feeling tbh.

Have you ever 6. dated someone twice: No 7. kissed someone and regretted it: No 8. been cheated on: No 9. lost someone special: One of my best friends and my uncle 10. been depressed: Yep 11. gotten drunk and thrown up: No

3 favourite colours: Blue, Green, and Yellow.

In the last year have you 15. made new friends: Yeah! 16. fallen out of love: No 17. laughed until you cried: Plenty of times. 18. found out someone was talking about you: I don’t think so? 19. met someone who changed you: Yeah! 20. found out who your friends are: Not in a bad way, if that’s what this question means. 21. kissed someone on your Facebook list: I mean…My boyfriend?

General 22. how many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: All of them, pretty sure. I only really have family and close friends on FB, plus some random people I went to high school with. 23. do you have any pets: 2 cats who I love very much but who don’t particularly  love each other yet. 24. do you want to change your name: No. 25. what did you do for your last birthday: I think I went out to dinner and a movie with my bf. That was almost a year ago and I barely remember last week, don’t do this to me. 27. what were you doing at midnight last night: Sleeping 28. name something you can’t wait for: Meeting @dragonspaceprince in person in October! 29. when was the last time you saw your mom: Today. 31. what are you listening to right now: Nothing. 32. have you ever talked to a person named tom: Probably 33. something that is getting on your nerves: Nothing really 34. most visited website: Google. I look up a lot of things on my phone like every day. 35. hair colour: Dyed black. 36. long or short hair: Short 37. do you have a crush on someone: Yeah, but it doesn’t matter because I am happily taken so  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 38. what do you like about yourself: I think I’m a pretty good person all things considered. 39. piercings: None 40. blood type: No idea, oops. 41.nickname: Nikki is my nickname 42. relationship status: In a relationship 43. zodiac: Cancer 44. pronouns: She/Her 45. favourite tv show: Currently New Girl but honestly it changes based on whatever I’m binging at the moment. 47. right or left handed: Right 48. surgery: Nope 49. sport: No thanks. But I do like going to baseball games. 50. vacation: Florida to visit Kelly! Sooooooon. 51. pair of trainers: As in shoes? Converse All Stars.

More General 53. eating: Just had dinner. A roast with potatoes and carrots that I’ve been smelling all day in the crockpot.  54. drinking: Orange Crush 55. i’m about to: Go watch a movie with my mom. 56. waiting for: Nothing in particular. 57. want: Financial stability (stealing Paula’s answer because honestly.) 58. get married: No thanks. 59. career: Not sure. I’ve had the same job since I graduated high school so…

Which is Better 60. hugs or kisses: Kisses are nice :) 61. lips or eyes: Eyes 62. shorter or taller: No preference. 63. older or younger: Older 64. nice arms or nice stomach: Arms 65. hook up or relationship: Relationship 66. troublemaker or hesitant: I don’t know? Probably hesitant I guess.

Have You Ever 67. kissed a stranger: No 68. drank hard liquor: No? I do drink alcohol occasionally but I prefer softer drinks. 69. lost glasses/contact lenses: Glasses. All the time. 70. turned someone down: Can’t remember. I’ve been with the same person since I was 15 so that was a long time ago. 71. sex on the first date: No 72. broken someone’s heart: I hope not. 73. had your heart broken: Once but it all turned out fine so :) 74. been arrested: Nope 75. cried when someone died: Yes 76. fallen for a friend: Yeah

DO YOU BELIEVE IN: 77. yourself: Kinda 78. miracles: Sometimes 79. love at first sight: Not sure. 80. santa claus: Nope 81. kiss on the first date: Idk. 82. angels: Nah.

OTHER: 83. current best friend’s name: Tori and Kelly because I can’t choose. 84. eye colour: Hazel. 85. favourite movie: Oh man, I don’t even know. Right now I’ll say The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. But really it changes constantly.

So this is super long so idk who will wanna do it but I’ll tag @brohorel @dragonspaceprince @enjolras-would-bang-that @petalprouvaire and @mariuspontbambi (apologies if any of you have already been tagged, I didn’t check.) 

[annachronismmm]

2016:

A year of transition, of change. When I started writing this, I wanted it to be a melding of world events and my life, but it turned out to mostly be my life. Whoops. Anway, here’s my take on the craziness of last year: 

2016. A sentence that begins with quotation marks savoring of both endings and beginnings. The last year of chlorine, of perpetual exhaustion. A year of anxiety and apprehensions, applications and lessened application in the pool. A year of decimals--disappointing decimals, that is, slightly more than there were last year. Of yellow ribbons instead of white. Of love for the girls on your team--and those annoying boys, too. Of that mattering much more than the times.

A year of breakfast, of starting something silly with your friends because it’s second-semester senior year and what the heck. A year of dancing. Of learning to let go of leading and letting the up-and-comers take charge.

Again, a year of uncertainty. Of loading admissions portals with your eyes squeezed shut, terrified to see the results. Of celebrating good news and bemoaning the bad. Of finding new friends in strange places--in potatoes, of all things. Of knowing exactly what you want and spending spring break working to make it happen.

But then: a year of the guidance counselor materializing above you as you sit in the hallway with Maddie, Jeffrey, and Frankie. Of the valedictorian standing behind her. Of an invisible choke hold around your neck as you realize what’s happening and you know you should be exhilarated but you just aren’t. Of lilies, clutched in your arms, that break your heart but not because they’re beautiful. Of going home and crying in the bathtub because you feel like a piece of shit for wanting to throw away something that so many people you know would be incredibly grateful to have. Of revisiting a school you’d entirely written off so long ago, of realizing yes, you could love this place, too.

Still, though, a year of picking the sensible option, because that’s what you always do--your heart is forever muzzled, your mind with its hands firmly grasped on the leash.

A year of realizing that you can’t make a hero out of a person, because they’re bound to let you down, bound to be just as flawed as everyone else. Of proving him wrong, of adrenaline-rushed match play because that spot is ours, goddammit, we’re boss ass bitches who are fucking CLOSERS and we’ll be damned if politics are going to get in the way of that. Of deuce, of sheepish laughter. Of sunburns. Of dinner on the river bank. Of calls from the hotel front desk and pretending like we don’t know what’s going on, that people haven’t been banging on our door for the past hour even though we’re just inside hanging out.  

A year of a swanky dinner and ball gowns. Of speeding along in a jolting red sports car with a king, a prince, and your best friend with you. Of driving to the roller rink, contentedness emanating throughout you, with “Scar Tissue” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers illuminating the dark roads packed in by corn.

A year of finally not caring about a class. Of frauleins, frown lines, of saying plEASE in the most nasally voice you can summon. A year of Le Petit Prince, of right wingin’, bitter clingin’ proud clingers. A year of “Copperhead Road,” of Microsoft Paint.

And, finally, a year of endings, of goodbyes. Of lasts. Of it all feeling surreal for the next three weeks. Of knowing the next time you walk through those doors, you won’t have your backpack and it will all feel different, changed, permanently.

A year of ducking out early, of school being out of session for UDHS but still in session at FSU. Of, a week earlier, overconfidence at sectionals and paying dearly for it. Of petty parents and unrelenting shame as you trudge off the court. Of, today, craving redemption with every atom in your body and attempting to contain the nerves that come with that. Of an ace on match point. Of 6-3, 6-3. Of a win at regionals. Of the bus breaking down in the parking lot, but that being surprisingly okay because oh my god, it was the last day of school with these people forever and we just won regionals, too. Of sprawling out on the sun-drenched, dusty red courts with our water jugs in hand, again watching the up-and-comers rally half-lazily, half-seriously because they know their time will come, too. Of Ivanhoe’s with your best friends, sitting at a booth awkwardly because it all just ended and no one knows where to tiptoe first in this vast, exciting unknown.

A year of semi-state. Of being ridiculously, completely the underdogs. Of entertaining hope but entering the court with the suspicion that today, you’re playing for personal honor instead of team victory. Of personal victory and team defeat--again, another ending, another fig falling off the tree, spoiled.

A year of mortarboards and gowns. Of walking out of the auditorium at the front of the line, past all those parents who have shown you kindness over the years. Of emerging outside into the setting sun, laughing and hugging. Of pictures. Of Dairy Queen with your grandparents. Of post-graduation s’mores with friends, the reality of it all still not reality. Of never-ending parties and crockpots of pulled pork.

A year of t-shirts--lots and lots of t-shirts. Of ink and squeegees and screens. Of conveyor belts and boxes.

A year, still, of tennis. Of deuce, endlessly. Of small redemptions, revenge served. Of penguins. Of letting your partner’s ego run rampant because it’s funny and honestly kind of entertaining--then, of seeing him defer to the alpha tennis male. Then, beating said alpha tennis male and his partner. Of being a dark horse and #norespect.

A year of new cities. Of streets and avenues, crowds of people who don’t give a shit about you and honestly, that’s wonderful. Of mind-blowing cookies and the musical you’ve been dying to see. Of renowned paintings and sculptures, of a lush green square plopped in between the skyscrapers. Of wandering the High Line on Bastille Day with an old friend. Of returning home with a hunger for more.

A year of summer bonfires with friends old and friends really quite recent. Of kayaking down the river, letting the current pull you, of laughing when the others get stuck on a sandbank. Of county road car adventures. Of blue raspberry creamy slushes and that disgusting candy cotton Mountain Dew concoction you refused to try.

A year of an excruciatingly long July because you can’t wait to JUST GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE ALREADY. Of scouring Pinterest for dorm decorating ideas. Of packing, and, finally, more goodbyes. Of not knowing how to say goodbye to the best friend you’ve had since fourth grade. Of not crying until you’re on the interstate and not really knowing why, because this is what you’ve been looking forward to for years. Of the bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way into campus. Of you, your roommate, and your mom carrying your stuff into the dorm.  Of initial awkwardness--with everyone. Of having to walk away before your mom even gets in the car to drive away because she’s your best friend and you know you’re about to lose it.

A year of sweltering heat that first week, yet trekking all over the campus you don’t yet know in spite of it. Of adventures with people who will turn up again later. Of wandering through the art museum with people you’re pretty sure are going to be your friends.

A year of finding your people--the ones who love books and learning and early mornings just as much as you do. Of early Saturday morning runs through campus, when it’s empty and covered in a layer of dew. Of sitting in your friend’s dorm room in your pajamas as half the floor troops down the hallway for a night out. Of being perfectly, incandescently happy right where you are. Of sitting in the quad on a blanket with your friends, gossiping about boys. Of weekend afternoons spent at the library.

A year of enlightenment, of lots and lots of reading. Of timid knocks on professors’ doors for office hours. Of falling in love with the subjects you didn’t expect. Of call-out meetings. Of weekly deadlines and parliamentary procedure.

A year of late nights studying, but not always. Of staying up until 6 with a boy who, in the end, can’t ever say what he feels. Of kissing him, of disappointment in that. Of silence. Of realizing that you really didn’t care that much about him, either.

A year of nonsensical videos, of 9 P.M. runs to the cafeteria with your friends for donuts and hot chocolate. A year of exploring a new town. Of downtown festivals and restaurants and farmer’s markets.

A year of color runs. Of swim club. Of coming to the realization that working out is still a necessity, even when you’re walking five miles a day.

A year of SNL, of David S. Pumpkins, of Kate McKinnon’s Hillary Clinton. A year of disappointment and realization on a national scale. Of waking up on November 10th to the results you never expected. Of numbness, of shock. Of rude relatives on Facebook. Of sorrow.

A year of more cities--cities of the windy variety, that is. Of long hours in committee, of new friends. Of finally being home. Of it feeling like it’s been a day since you last saw some of your high school friends and running out of things to talk about once you’ve gossiped about your former classmates with the others. Of starting to appreciate your hometown, of loving it for its flaws, road entirely made of fast food chains and potholes and all.

A year of deciding to trust the boy who, if you’re being honest with yourself, you’ve been intrigued by for a good chunk of the semester. Of illusory hope. Of realizing that he’s either completely full of shit or great at telling one helluva fish story. (Probably both.) Of naively, stupidly looking for answers when you’ve been reminded that real-life isn’t like a book--no denouement, no closure, no loose ends wrapped up in a nice little bow. Of making peace with this.

A year of your first collegiate finals week, a week slower than any other the whole semester. Of packing, again. Of going home, however temporary it may be. Of living halfway out of your suitcase and your old dresser. Of all the adults in your life and the same questions, over and over.

A year of long road trips. Of the puppy bothering you the entire time. Of cousins and and aunts and uncles and grandparents. Of deciding that your grandmother has finally, really, truly lost it. Of tubing at night, looking not down the hill but up, feeling the ice dust through the air as you slide down the chute at a breakneck pace. Of unconventional New Year’s Eve shenanigans, because when have you and Krissy ever been conventional? Of gingerbread and hot glue guns and fireworks.

And, finally, the ending punctuation; a year of deciding, of choosing, to leave the things and people that belong in 2016 in the past, your eyes focused only straight ahead, on January 1st.

[lalka-laski]

If you have a job, how long is your shift? I do have a job though I’m not working at the moment. My shifts are either 6 hours or 10 hours, oddly. It’s very rare that I work a typical 8 hour day.  What was the last thing you received in an envelope? A super sweet card and gift card from my mom. She is a lifesaver! Do you ever wear your hair in a pony tail? Actually no. I either wear it in a messy bun or piled up in a big claw clip. I have’t worn a true ponytail in ages. When was the last time you got a new phone? Years ago Do you wear your watch on your left or right arm? I don’t wear a watch

What was the last kind of pop you drank? Diet Coke that I spilled over ALL the contents of my coffee table and the rug underneath it. I was very close to tears. It was just the icing on the cake of an already shitty day. (But good news: today has been much better!) Do you think you’re single because you repel the opposite sex? I’m not single What language did you take up in high school? I took French every year Why are you home? Well we are all quarantined to our homes except for essential trips so WOOHOO! Do you like sunflowers? They’re pretty but they’re not my favorite. Whose bedroom were you in last? Besides my own it was my sister’s, but that was a couple weeks ago now. Are you counting down for anything? This pandemic to be over? Whenever that may be.  Are you watching TV? What’s on? For ONCE the TV isn’t on. It’s a nice break! Have you ever been bitten by a mosquito? Mhm  Do you have a sweatshirt on right now? Yep Where is your ex? Don’t know or care in the slightest Have any pictures on your dresser mirror? Two actually Did you hang out with anyone today? What did you do? I’m not sure if it counts as “hanging out” when I spend time with Glenn now since we live together. Have you had any beer this week? Nope just wine. It’s the official drink of my quarantine, apparently.  What channel did you last watch on tv? NBC to watch a press conference with Cuomo  What was the last alcoholic beverage you consumed? I’m having a glass of Sauv Blanc right now. Surveys and wine seem to be my wind down time. Currently waiting on something/someone? I’m wait for the clock to hit 5 so I can get started on dinner. That’s really it. Last time you painted your nails? I haven’t painted my own nails in YEARS. I was never good at it. But with salons being closed it looks like I may have to learn...  What was the last thing you watched on television? Didn’t I just answer this? Is your shirt yellow? Nope How old will you be in 12 months? 28 *throws up into mouth* What did you do last night? The same thing I’ve been doing every night.  What woke you up this morning? An obnoxious bird outside the window. So I had to get out of bed and close it shut.  Do you sleep naked? Sometimes. Always pantsless though.  What should you be doing right now? I’m about to start making dinner but that’s it Looking back, did you ever think you would be where you are now? Never in a million years did I envision I’d live through a global pandemic. Such is life! Does the person you have feelings for start with any of these letters: B, L, D, or M? Nope Do you have make-up on? Nah  Have you kissed anybody in the last 4 days? Sure have Have you ever held hands with someone in a car? Yep  The last person you kissed name started with a J or R? Nope Are you taller than 5 foot 7 inches? I’m about 5′7″ exactly. Although Glenn is convinced I’m 5′8″ because I appear taller than him and he thinks he’s 5′7″. Lol. Would you rather be called honey or baby? I love them both! Honey feels best coming from an older, caring figure and baby is best coming from a romantic partner. So for example, I love when my aunt calls me honey and when my boyfriend calls me baby. The person you have the most feelings for calls you right now, what do you do? I’d ask him why the fuck he’s doing that since he’s sitting three feet away from me.  Why aren’t you texting the last person you kissed? Because ^^ that  Could you go the rest of your life without smoking a cigarette? I intend to. Cigarettes are naaaasty.  Your last kiss meant nothing to you, right? Absolutely wrong Where is your phone? Right next to me  Will you kiss the last person you kissed again? Yes, probably in a few minutes.  What if you had a baby with the last person you kissed? Well we’re actively avoiding that until we’re financially ready but if by some chance I got pregnant, we’d go through with it.  Where did you get the shirt you are wearing? Well technically Plato’s Closet but it’s PINK.  Do you think you’ll be married in 5 years time? Most likely Would you ever try being a vegetarian? I’ve been one for 13 years! Did anyone call you babe yesterday? Yep  Did you ever slam a door on someone? Yes Have you ever walked on the beach at night? It’s one of my favorite activities  I bet you’re thinking about someone right now? Not particularly  Are you in love with someone right now? I sure am What have you watched so far today? The news and Bojack Horseman What is the weather like right now? It’s beautiful. Warm but with a slight chill, and sunny skies Are you talking to anyone on AIM right now? Who? GIRL HOW OLD IS THIS LOL What is your favorite card game? I don’t care for traditional card games but if we’re talking just games that involve cards- I love this new game “Buzzed.” It’s a drinking game, go figure.  What kind of pet do you have? Any certain breed? None What color shirt are you wearing right now? Black  Do you wish someone was dead? No way  What’s your favorite ice cream? Creme Brulee! I’m still enraged at Ben & Jerry’s for discontinuing theirs, but I like other brands too.  Have you ever given a toll collector 75 cents in pennies? Fuck no Give me the link to your favorite Youtube video: I don’t have a single favorite  The last time you hurt yourself-how did it happen? Who knows? I run into shit all the time.  What’s the name of dance you can actually dance to? I can do all the cheesy step-by-step dances they do at weddings and parties. (And I love them, sue me!)  If you could have any pet you wanted, what would it be? I’m not much of a pet person. Maybe a cat or a bunny. Did you ever have an invisible friend? That’s.... not healthy lol.  How many emails were you sent today? I had one work email and a few personal emails (confirmations for online shopping I just did).  Favorite sleeping position? I sleep on my back and sometimes in the fetal position.  What are you drinking right now? Sauv Blanc What’s your favorite alcoholic drink? Beer- Red ales, specifically Smithwick’s Wine- Dry whites like the Sauv Blanc I’m enjoying right now. Although if I could, I’d drink sparkling wine every. damn. day. Prosecco is my go-to! Liquor- Vodka, usually with diet ginger ale or soda water.  How many hours of sleep do you get each night? It varies night to night. Last night I got about 8 maybe? Are you a good morning person? Actually, yes! Have you ever been on a diet? I’ve had my share of dangerous crash diets. Right now I’ve been doing OMAD although I don’t consider that a diet. Annnnnd to be honest, I haven’t been sticking to it anyways during quarantine. It’s too easy to snack! What’s your favorite dessert? Cookies! I’m not a fan of cake/cupcakes but I’d throw down for a good chocolate chip cookie. And a glass of milk, of course! What was your favorite Christmas gift you got last year? I got an air fryer and a crockpot and I use them both religiously  What have you thought up yet for this year’s list? It’s only April so, definitely not. What’s the best activity you’ve done so far this summer? See above^ What baseball team do you root for? I couldn’t care any less about baseball 

[swipestream]

Troy’s Crockpot: Character Background Generators

When a GM is plotting a campaign, one of the things she or he wants to do is identify points of conflict that will directly affect the player characters.

Published adventures will have all sorts of thrilling moments and engaging encounters. But making the story personal can often be what makes it memorable — what brings it home.

You want to hit them where it hurts.

When the authors of Gnome Stew created Eureka: 501 Adventure Plots To Inspire Game Masters in 2010, we used Georges Polti’s list of 36 dramatic situations as a guide. Thirteen of the dramatic situations involve family or loved ones. Who the character loves and is loved by is essential to establishing those dramatic beats.

It’s Your Life

Over the holiday I caught up with some game-related reading, including digging into D&D’s Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (so I’m a year behind, shoot me).

Included in the book is a list of tables designed to generate a background for PCs. Tables such as this can be helpful because they provide additional material that a player might not have considered when coming up with a backstory. (Or, if the player isn’t inclined to do a backstory, at least it can provide the GM with an item or two that can be used as a personal hook).

Tables such as this should never be used slavishly. I think they work best when they serve as a menu that a player can select from.

As an exercise, I rolled up two character backgrounds using the Xanathar tables, then for comparison’s sake, did the same with two other tables I have found useful — one from the Hero Builder’s Guidebook (Wizards of the Coast, c. 2000) and the other from Pathfinder’s Ultimate Campaign (Paizo, c. 2013).

Xanathar’s

First: Dragonborn sailor/bard.

The dice produced a couple of interesting points: 1) The dragonborn came from a wealthy family that resided in a palace or castle, but whose mother is missing because she was imprisoned, enslaved or for some other reason was taken away. 2) The character is a gifted performer whose love of knowledge and stories was awakened by spending time in an old library, and who learned his craft from a master bard who was a human aristocrat, someone alive and famous.

Both of those things work well, and could even be combined together. The missing mom could be a victim of palace or imperial conflicts. She could be like Eleanor of Aquitaine, who spent close to 16 years in prison for siding with one of her sons over their claim to the crown. And perhaps this aristocrat is her keeper, by some arrangement with the father, but the PC can still visit and learn from them.

Second: Gnome fighter.

My favorite part of this random generation was the 11 siblings the chart produced. Big families produce lots of conflict, reasons to do things, reasons to NOT do things, and frankly, every time a character needs a brother or sister to this that or the other, you’ve got one. (“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”)

The other part of the conflict is built into the origin; the family lived on the frontier, on the edges of civilization, and that pop died and got eaten by monsters. Whatever that monster is — picking one is always fun — gives the gnome a built-in enmity for the rest of its career.

A life event that provides fertile ground for a revenge storyline is that the gnome was knocked out and left for dead in a feud with a rival adventurer over shares of a treasure. This adventurer is now an enemy.

Hero Builder

This generator provided me with a human from a family of refugees who established a homestead along the mountainous frontier. This character was raised in adventure territory, combat was a part of their lives.  Of her or his immediate family, only an older sister survives. However, there is a large extended family of uncles and cousins.

Why was the family on the run? Well, the generator said the family held dissident political views; they supported a rebellion. In fact, an ancestor achieved folk hero status as a failed rebel. That’s a legacy the character might wish to embrace or discard. Either approach can be interesting.

Pathfinder’s Ultimate Campaign

This generator produced a half-elf cleric who was raised among forest-dwelling elves as an only child.

Two events are pivotal for the character: 1) The PC was a convert to the faith, a decision that was heavily influenced by a current love interest. 2) The PC twice has had run-ins with the law, once imprisoned for smuggling and later for assaulting a close friend for religious reasons. Does this make the PC a zealot? Are they someone under the sway of another (the lover)? Does the newfound religion jive with the folks back in the forest home?

This character has the makings of a pariah, which is interesting. Maybe the only way they’ll find themselves is within a party of adventurers.

Takeaway

Obviously, different background generators do different things, emphasizing different aspects of lives. What I like about each:

Xanathar: It creates a conflict that is fresh and immediate, often familial, often involving a patron or teacher. The PC has to fill in the blanks a little bit more than in the others.  On its own, there are gaps. But if a PC pairs it up with the Backgrounds, Boons and Traits section of the character development, a more cohesive picture of their past takes shape.

Hero Builder: Family legacy is very important. Where you are from and who your parents were are key to your development. The apple does not fall far from the tree.  The ethics charts can be useful. I also found that religion and political beliefs factor in more strongly here than in the others.

Ultimate Campaign: Everything is driven by the PC’s character class, and secondarily, by their race. There is a darker tone to the background material; in all likelihood, something traumatic happened that spurred an adventuring career.

  Troy’s Crockpot: Character Background Generators published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

[kayawagner]

Troy’s Crockpot: Character Background Generators

When a GM is plotting a campaign, one of the things she or he wants to do is identify points of conflict that will directly affect the player characters.

Published adventures will have all sorts of thrilling moments and engaging encounters. But making the story personal can often be what makes it memorable — what brings it home.

You want to hit them where it hurts.

When the authors of Gnome Stew created Eureka: 501 Adventure Plots To Inspire Game Masters in 2010, we used Georges Polti’s list of 36 dramatic situations as a guide. Thirteen of the dramatic situations involve family or loved ones. Who the character loves and is loved by is essential to establishing those dramatic beats.

It’s Your Life

Over the holiday I caught up with some game-related reading, including digging into D&D’s Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (so I’m a year behind, shoot me).

Included in the book is a list of tables designed to generate a background for PCs. Tables such as this can be helpful because they provide additional material that a player might not have considered when coming up with a backstory. (Or, if the player isn’t inclined to do a backstory, at least it can provide the GM with an item or two that can be used as a personal hook).

Tables such as this should never be used slavishly. I think they work best when they serve as a menu that a player can select from.

As an exercise, I rolled up two character backgrounds using the Xanathar tables, then for comparison’s sake, did the same with two other tables I have found useful — one from the Hero Builder’s Guidebook (Wizards of the Coast, c. 2000) and the other from Pathfinder’s Ultimate Campaign (Paizo, c. 2013).

Xanathar’s

First: Dragonborn sailor/bard.

The dice produced a couple of interesting points: 1) The dragonborn came from a wealthy family that resided in a palace or castle, but whose mother is missing because she was imprisoned, enslaved or for some other reason was taken away. 2) The character is a gifted performer whose love of knowledge and stories was awakened by spending time in an old library, and who learned his craft from a master bard who was a human aristocrat, someone alive and famous.

Both of those things work well, and could even be combined together. The missing mom could be a victim of palace or imperial conflicts. She could be like Eleanor of Aquitaine, who spent close to 16 years in prison for siding with one of her sons over their claim to the crown. And perhaps this aristocrat is her keeper, by some arrangement with the father, but the PC can still visit and learn from them.

Second: Gnome fighter.

My favorite part of this random generation was the 11 siblings the chart produced. Big families produce lots of conflict, reasons to do things, reasons to NOT do things, and frankly, every time a character needs a brother or sister to this that or the other, you’ve got one. (“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”)

The other part of the conflict is built into the origin; the family lived on the frontier, on the edges of civilization, and that pop died and got eaten by monsters. Whatever that monster is — picking one is always fun — gives the gnome a built-in enmity for the rest of its career.

A life event that provides fertile ground for a revenge storyline is that the gnome was knocked out and left for dead in a feud with a rival adventurer over shares of a treasure. This adventurer is now an enemy.

Hero Builder

This generator provided me with a human from a family of refugees who established a homestead along the mountainous frontier. This character was raised in adventure territory, combat was a part of their lives.  Of her or his immediate family, only an older sister survives. However, there is a large extended family of uncles and cousins.

Why was the family on the run? Well, the generator said the family held dissident political views; they supported a rebellion. In fact, an ancestor achieved folk hero status as a failed rebel. That’s a legacy the character might wish to embrace or discard. Either approach can be interesting.

Pathfinder’s Ultimate Campaign

This generator produced a half-elf cleric who was raised among forest-dwelling elves as an only child.

Two events are pivotal for the character: 1) The PC was a convert to the faith, a decision that was heavily influenced by a current love interest. 2) The PC twice has had run-ins with the law, once imprisoned for smuggling and later for assaulting a close friend for religious reasons. Does this make the PC a zealot? Are they someone under the sway of another (the lover)? Does the newfound religion jive with the folks back in the forest home?

This character has the makings of a pariah, which is interesting. Maybe the only way they’ll find themselves is within a party of adventurers.

Takeaway

Obviously, different background generators do different things, emphasizing different aspects of lives. What I like about each:

Xanathar: It creates a conflict that is fresh and immediate, often familial, often involving a patron or teacher. The PC has to fill in the blanks a little bit more than in the others.  On its own, there are gaps. But if a PC pairs it up with the Backgrounds, Boons and Traits section of the character development, a more cohesive picture of their past takes shape.

Hero Builder: Family legacy is very important. Where you are from and who your parents were are key to your development. The apple does not fall far from the tree.  The ethics charts can be useful. I also found that religion and political beliefs factor in more strongly here than in the others.

Ultimate Campaign: Everything is driven by the PC’s character class, and secondarily, by their race. There is a darker tone to the background material; in all likelihood, something traumatic happened that spurred an adventuring career.

  Troy’s Crockpot: Character Background Generators published first on https://supergalaxyrom.tumblr.com

[yesterdaysdreams]

2017 Reader Favorites

This year is quickly coming to a close (what?!) and so we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of YOUR favorite posts from the year. I’ve compiled this list from each month’s favorites based on page views as well as engagement (like pins, shares, and comments), and it was really fun for me to look back to not only see what you all loved, but also DANG, did a lot happen this year!

One pretty common thing I noticed is that you all LOVE room tours. And we had plenty of those this past year. Elsie gave a before and after tour of her Nashville kitchen.  We actually had a bunch of bathroom tours this year too … I guess we were in the mood to fix up our get-ready spaces. I shared a before and after tour of my master bathroom renovation. Elsie shared her home’s master bathroom, her Airbnb master bathroom, and her Airbnb second bathroom. So much tiling this year! Elsie collaborated with her friend, Kacey Musgraves, and shared a tour of her living room and dining room. So fun!Elsie and Jeremy spent a good part of this past year preparing to adopt their daughter (Nova!), so she also shared a tour of her playroom and nursery.

Other than room tours, we shared lots of DIY projects, crafts, and beauty tips/hacks throughout the year that you all seemed to love. Here’s some of your favorites …

I think we all died when we saw the Larson’s soft book they made for their daughter and mailed off to her in China. Part of their adoption process including them sending off a little book with some basic information for Nova. Ugh, so cute!  You loved Kara’s colorful indoor herb garden. You all loved these simple DIY custom nail polish shelves. Also, Elsie’s nail polish collection puts mine to shame. Ha! We shared a lot of natural beauty products this year (we’re all about it!), but one you all seemed to really love was this homemade pink salt hairspray. Hello texture!

We shared a lot of hair tutorials this year (see all our archives here), but one you really fell for was this easy messy updo for shorter hair.  We have some of the very best DIY and craft writers around if you ask me (I guess I’m biased, but still), so I always LOVE seeing what our writers come up with and so do you! One project you loved from Rachel this year was her hand-stitched floor pouf. Maybe the cute kitten helped? I’m glad you all liked this adorable ice skate pillow DIY as much as me.

We do love to share a few more advanced construction-type projects from time to time, and although this one is a lot of effort for a DIY, it’s totally worth it! How cute is this midcentury playset??? Loved this DIY transformable hairpin leg desktop; so awesome to be able to change the shape and size in case you move or just need to set up your space differently.  This was one of my favorite projects from Mandi this year, and apparently you all loved it too. She’s doing so many beautiful and inspiring things in her new home (and she’s going to share more with you all in 2018), but we all totally fell for this Channel tufted storage banquette.  And here’s another awesome natural beauty post all about what you can do with Witch Hazel.

In addition to loving room tours and craft projects, you all love FOOD. But then again, who doesn’t? Here’s some of our top food posts from the year …

We shared 5 cold brew coffee recipes. You better believe I’ll be pulling this out again as soon as the weather warms up.  Cocktails are always pretty popular with you all, and you especially loved this boozy apple cider recipe.  Make ahead healthy dinners are always a winner, and you really loved this recipe for crockpot butternut mac and cheese. (It’s a high-protein plant-based meal, so it gets extra points from me too.)

This was a fun one! You all loved this tutorial for marbled rainbow bread.  Along with launching our new cookbook, Weekday Weekend, which is all about finding a healthy balance in your diet, we also launched a new series with the two dietitians we worked with on our cookbook. We’re calling it Ask a Dietitian and you all have been loving those posts so far. Hooray!

This was a fun seasonal post you loved: Easter Bunny pancakes!  Who doesn’t love an easy and decadent chocolate dessert? I had so many of you tag us when you made this no-bake chocolate silk pie. Clearly, it was a hit!  Call me basic, but every autumn I just want to bake with pumpkin. Thank you so much for making me feel OK in my basic-ness because you all seemed to love these Pumpkin and Tahini Chocolate Chunk cookies just as much as me.  There’s still time to make this reader favorite for NYE: Rosé soaked gummy bears.

And finally here are a few more reader favorite posts that didn’t really fit into any category—we’ll call these ‘big events,’ if that’s alright with you.

Our brand Oui Fresh expanded like crazy this year!!!! We launched our own line of natural lipsticks, lip glosses, and also essential oils. We added a natural beauty box subscription, which has sold out every single month since the launch. Thank you! We also added new T-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, and our bestselling daisy sunglasses! We have some office supplies launching soon and we’ll be bringing back Happy Mail in early 2018 (the first month is already in production). We are so glad that you all are loving Oui Fresh because we are so immensely proud of all the products we are putting out with this brand, and we are so excited to share more with you soon. We added a few new cuties to the ABM family this year. First, Laura and Todd welcomed their daughter, Lola, into the world this year—and my goodness, she is about the most beautiful baby you ever did see. I’m currently trying to convince Laura that Lola should be a baby model—she’s gorgeous. Of course, it’s no surprise, given her genes. Here’s Laura glowing at her baby shower earlier this year.

And the Larsons very recently welcomed their daughter Nova into their lives as they are all back from their China adoption trip.  And speaking of awesome moms, our own mother wrote a really awesome post this year called Raising Creativity. It’s all about lessons from the film Mary Poppins that apply to raising children to be creative, full of love and self-confidence. I am trying to convince my mom to write more articles for our blog in 2018; I’m pretty sure I have an in on that situation.   And the last two ‘big events’ I wanted to point out from the year based on what you all loved is we updated you all on a few things at our bar, The Golden Girl Rum Club. We recently got new merch that I am STOKED about and we’ll be creating a little online shop for that soon.

Last, we celebrated our 10-year blog anniversary this last summer. So if you’ve been reading for a while and want to take a walk down memory lane, you can see that super long and nostalgic post here.

Thank you for reading in 2017—we love you guys and love creating content that you enjoy! It’s both an honor and our pleasure. We have a LOT of really fun stuff already in the works for 2018, so happy New Year and stick around. xo. Emma + Team ABM

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8265713 http://ift.tt/2E0eYPG via IFTTT

[toomanysurveys9]

What is the title of the strangest book you own?

i would have to look, and most of my books were taken to storage, so i have no clue.

How often do you actually wake up in a good mood?

pretty often thanks to wy.

What can we usually find you doing on a Friday night?

staying home with wyatt or out with jacob, wyatt, jon, and jade.

What would you say is your guiltiest pleasure?

i honestly don’t know anymore. i guess sweets sometimes.

Tell me all about your special lady/gentleman.

he can be such an asshole, but he’s been so supportive of me and he’s currently working two jobs to help support us (he got the second job because he’ll be off a couple weeks soon).

What is the highest outdoor temperature you’ve ever had to endure?

i don’t know. maybe a little over 100 degrees when we visited florida.

And the lowest?

negative degree weather.

What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

oh gosh. i don’t even know. some of the things lilli and rose come up with kill me though.

Do you let your pets on your furniture?

when we didn’t live with my mom, yes. but she’s doesn’t like them being on her couches..

Can you usually tell when someone has feelings for you?

not really. i’m bad at that kinds of stuff.

Do you know what things your pet(s) prefers to eat?

yeah... i’ve had her long enough, so i should know.

What would you plant in your dream garden?

vegetables we could eat.

Do you believe in fairies, gnomes, or elves?

lol, as much as i would love for them to be real like in the books i read, no, i don’t.

What does your wallet look like?

black and white zebra stripes.

What is your favorite thing to cook for someone else?

i like using the crockpot. it is so much easier with a baby and things to do. i miss cooking and my crock pot.

Tell me about the last book you read.

it’s young adult fantasy, and i’ve only been able to find in on the kindle store, which bums me out. it’s the first one in a series i’ve read a few times, or at least, i’ve read the first three books a few times. there are several more now. it’s relentless by karen lynch. a girl finds out she’s not quite as human as she thought she was and she gets in all sorts of trouble/adventures, and it’s a good read

Who was the last person to leave you flustered?

jacob i guess.

What’s the last thing you ate that was made with phyllo dough?

i don’t know. i don’t think i’ve eaten anything made with it but i could be wrong.

Have you ever bought underwear simply because it made your underwear drawer look nice?

no i buy underwear i will wear..

Describe the outfit that makes you look and feel your best.

i don’t know. i prefer just jeans and a hoodie.

What can you see from where you’re sitting?

lots of things. i’m sitting on the couch in the living room.

When you have a chance at happiness, do you allow yourself to take it?

sometimes.

What are some bands others would be surprised to find in your music library?

i don’t know, to be honest. i don’t think i have anything that would surprise people...

How do you feel about kettle cooked chips?

i don’t really like them much.

Tell me something about yourself that you’re most proud of.

i was the first in my family to go to and graduate college.

What do you like to dunk in your coffee, if anything?

nothing. i rarely drink coffee though.

What was the subject of the last documentary you watched?

i don’t recall.

What sort of things do you do when you have the entire evening to relax?

cuddle wyatt. read. this. watch tv. whatever.

Are there any books I should check out next time I’m at the library?

depends what you’re into.

Opinions on cold pizza?

i can’t do it anymore.

Do you have a favorite brand of tea?

i don’t drink tea. it hurts my stomach.

What’s the last stupid question you were asked? (Besides these.)

i don’t know. i can’t think of it right off hand.

What’s been on your mind lately?

i just want to run away. just jacob, wyatt, and me.

Tell me about the best thing you created with your own two hands.

he’s not a thing, and i didn’t make him with my hands, and not by myself... but wyatt. haha. hmm. uhm. i guess my papers i wrote for school, if those can count? i do really well with writing essays and things. otherwise, i don’t think i make much..

How strong do you like your coffee?

i don’t know. i don’t care as long as i can add enough creamer so it’s not an overpowering bitter coffee flavor.

Do you feel like you need to get something off your chest?

i guess not.

Describe your morning routine.

get woken up by my alarms, so i wake jacob up for work. i feed wyatt. i go back to sleep for a couple hours. then i wake up and feed wyatt again. i go back to sleep. i get woken up by wyatt hitting my face, arms, stomach, or chest. we play a little. then i get up, get dressed, take wyatt out to the living room and change his diaper.

What strange food combinations do you thoroughly enjoy?

i don’t think i eat any strange food combinations. some people in my family think it’s strange when i eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches, but i mostly did that when i was pregnant.

What’s your favorite Elvis song?

teddy bear. my dad used to sing it on karaoke and i loved when he did. he doesn’t really sing anymore even though he should.

Are there any songs you wish your favorite band would cover?

none come to mind.

Do you enjoy talking on the phone?

no. i hate it with a passion. i would rather someone just text me.

Are you currently waiting for something to come in the mail?

yes. i swear to god if hot topic cancels my order again because they end up not having what i ordered in stock, even though it doesn’t say it’s out of stock, i will be pissed. it has ashley’s now super late birthday present, and the main parts of erin and ashley’s christmas gifts, which they likely won’t get until the day after christmas, assuming it doesn’t get cancelled on me AGAIN.

Would you rather see someone of the opposite sex naked or nicely dressed?

nicely dressed, to be honest.

What makes your best friend the best?

she puts up with me and even if we don’t talk for days, when we do start back up, it’s like we haven’t stopped.

When was the last time you felt incredibly stupid or embarrassed?

probably last weekend when i went ice skating for the first time. but i got it pretty quickly and had fun.

How do you go about cheering someone up?

depends on the person i’m trying to cheer up. different things for different people.

How would you react if someone told you they had feelings for you?

that’s always weird.

Serenade me with some lyrics from the song currently stuck in your head.

i don’t have a song stuck in my head.

What is the last thing you wrote down?

little note i put in jake’s lunch box. just thanking him for being awesome.

Tell me something great about the day/night you’re having.

wyatt is silly and adorable, and he didn’t poop up his back even though it was really close.

Would you ever participate in a suspension?

?? no..

What was the last thing to annoy you?

rose kept giving wyatt her spoon she was using to eat breakfast and then she’d freak out because wyatt had her spoon.

Name five things that begin with the letter C.

camel, coconut, cow, chef, and crayons.

What’s the title of the last book you bought?

i bought two books.. one as part of ashley’s christmas gift, and one as part of my grandma’s christmas gift. i don’t remember the titles. but i do remember the one i got ashley was by lisa jackson.

Would you ever consider visiting Texas?

i would love to go there actually. check out jensen ackles brewery.

Where do you go when you need to escape?

bedroom or i get in the car and leave with wy.

How big is your town’s library?

i think it’s pretty decent size. i’m sure there are ones a lot bigger, and i’m sure there are ones that are smaller.

Which bands would play in your dream concert?

ed sheeran, lee brice, a.f.i., and maybe mcr.

Do you know of any home remedies that work surprisingly well?

uhhh. spoon full of sugar gets rid of hiccups. it tastes gross though.

If you could make a movie, what would it be about?

i’d want to make a movie about the relentless series i enjoy reading. it’d make a good movie.

Tell someone something they need to know.

you’re part of the reason i can’t wait to get out of here. you’re toxic and i’ll be glad when you won’t be around my child so much (not my family - but jacob’s).

What’s something you’ve never been able to live down?

when i was driving as a teenager. my whole family was in the van, and the entire wheel flew off and went across the street.

What’s something that’s been on your to-do list for awhile?

move out of indiana. it will happen though . we’re actually getting money saved.

How do you take your mind off things?

i don’t. lol.

Tell me a joke.

all the jokes i know are lame, so i’ll spare you.

Do you own a battle jacket?

no. i don’t even know what that is..

[lalka-laski]

A survey clearly meant for tween girls that I still took anyways

1. Do you sleep in your bra? What kind of monster....  2. Do you sleep with socks on? Again, what kind of monster would do that? I hate socks/shoes/pretty much anything on my feet. Although I have been wearing slippers around the house once in awhile lately. Except I can only wear them for a brief period before my feet get too hot. 3. Would you rather sleep alone or with someone else? I can’t sleep without Glenn now. And he can’t sleep without me. The other night I had to stay up late to turn off the Crockpot; he didn’t feel like waiting for me so he went to bed. I’m just chilling on the couch and then like a half hour later he’s standing at the corner of the living room like a little kid waking up his mom and sheepishly goes “I can’t sleep without you.” It was heart melting!!  4. Do you enjoy drama? I know it’s the mature response to say I’m above drama but I admit there’s some of it I find entertaining.  5. Are you a girly-girl? I’ve been told I am

6. Who was the last person you hugged? Glennie 8. Are you short? No, I’m tall for a girl

9. Do you like somebody? A little bit 10. Does your Facebook password have to do with a boy? Mmm nope 11. Do you care if your socks are dirty? Well I only wear socks unless it’s ABSOLUTELY necessary. And they have to be clean. 12. Do you think you’re alone sometimes? If anything I want MORE alone time. And if you mean alone in the figurative sense, I never feel that way. I know the support I have. 13. Do you dress up on Halloween? This past Halloween I didn’t actually. It’s normally one of my favorite holidays but I got wrapped up in other stuff. 14. Are you double jointed? My index fingers are 
15. Where is the weirdest place you have slept? I went to some very questionable parties in my youth... 16. Has anyone touched/smacked your butt in the past 24 hours? Yeah, it’s like a reflex for Glenn lol. He can’t help himself.  17. Is there any type of rumor going around about you? I sure hope not. 18. Do you call anybody by their last name? A few people. And I refer to quite a lot of my friends by their first + last name entirely, even in regular conversation. Some people just have a name that lends itself to that! 21. What color is your bra that your wearing? I’m not wearing one, sucka. I haven’t worn one in 2 weeks! 22. Do you prefer light or dark haired guys/girls? I’ve never had a preference. And now my boyfriend is bald, so look at that! 23. Are you currently frustrated with a boy? Nah. I mean he’s getting on my nerves a little here and there but that’s because we’re confined to the apartment 24/7.  24. What’s one thing guys can do to make you like them? Write me a letter/song/poem 25. Do you have a best friend? Several 26. Have you ever had your heart broken? I sure have. It’s some of the worst pain I’ve ever experienced.  27. Have you ever thought of having plastic surgery? I have a list of potential surgeries I’d get. Though if I ever had the oppurtunity, I’d probably chicken out.  28. Do you like your life? I do!  29. WHERE DID HE GO? …. 30. Has one of your friends ever stolen a boy/girlfriend from you? Nope. And what kind of friend would that be? 31. Have you ever jumped in the pool with your clothes on? Oh no! I hate the feeling of wet clothes sticking to you. 32. Do you have more friends that are girls or boys? Probably more girl friends if I ever took the time to count 33. How long have you had a Facebook? Since like 9th or 10th grade? I don’t even want to share how many years ago that was.  34. Have you ever slapped a boy in the face? Yeah. A guy at a concert (Goo Goo Dolls, of all bands??) grabbed my ass and I just wasn’t having it that day. I’m normally a pushover but I had a few beers in me and I don’t know, the aggression just jumped out. I will never forget how hard my best friend was laughing and going “I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU JUST DID THAT!” 35. What are your biggest fears? Death, losing loved ones, the apocalypse.  36. Have you ever cried yourself to sleep? Several times. Fun memories!!  37. Have you ever not been able to get someone off of your mind? Frequently  38. Do you believe in the saying “once a cheater, always a cheater?” No, I believe reformation is possible. However, it’s entirely up to the individual who was cheated on to decide whether or not to provide that opportunity. 

39. Have you ever had a good feeling about something? Could this question be any more vague? 40. Do you ever wish you were famous? I value my privacy too much. And I could NEVER deal with public criticism and Internet trolls etc.  41. Are you currently missing someone? Always 42. Cowboy or Gangster? Do I have to choose?  43. Preppy or Punk? Again, do I have to choose? 44. Face or Body? It’s about the whole package! But I guess a lovable face goes a lot further in my opinion. I’ve never been the type of girl who gets hung up on what’s considered a “hot” body.  45. Good cook or take you out a lot? I do the cooking in our relationship. BUT I do have a serious soft spot for takeout. Pizza especially is my ultimate weakness.  46. Sweet or sexy? Sweet IS sexy  47. Armani or Abercrombie? Armani because I’m not 12. 48. Contacts or glasses? No preference 50. Have you ever thought you’d marry someone you dated? I know so right now