#this one has always been a difficult mental workout | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ssuperficialspacecadett · 1 year

Text

Friday Fight Night

Chapter Four of the Through the Scope series | Chapter Five

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 3.4K

Chapter Overview: You help Benny and the guys get ready for FFN.

Notes: this chapter is just a bit shorter than what i usually like to post, but i didn't have a lot of time to write this week & i'm actually content with where i ended it ! sometimes u just have to stop a little short so u don't just start typing random shit to meet a bullshit word count u give urself u know? i updated the tag list so if i missed u PLZ LET ME KNOW & i will add u asap !! well as usual...my asks are always open & happy reading <3

*no use of y/n & female presenting reader*

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Why is this so difficult? It's just like every other day at work, except for the fact that it's not. You have been standing in front of your closet for a good 10 minutes now just looking at your clothes. Suddenly nothing seems good enough to wear. Maybe something would be good enough if you knew how to dress for a fight. Should you wear workout gear? No, you weren’t the one fighting. Should you wear a tank top and a tennis skirt? Probably not if it gets as rowdy as Benny says it will.

“Just pick a fucking outfit, you idiot.” You chastise.

After yet another once over of your closet you pick out a worn, white t-shirt with an image of Speed Racer on it. It had definitely seen its glory days years ago when you were still in college. If it worked then, it should work now. You take it off its hanger, along with some jeans, and put it all on. You’re tying your shoes when your phone chimes next to you.

???: Hey, we will be getting to the gym around closing time. Are you staying to help Benny set up?

???: Oh, this is Frankie BTW

Seeing his name on your screen makes your chest tighten with excitement. You obviously gave him your number so he could text you, but now it feels so real. Something about Frankie texting ‘BTW’ makes you giggle to yourself as you sit on the floor.

You: Yes, I figured I would make myself useful. No point in going home since the fights start at 10:00 P.M. and I might lose my parking spot.

You have to set your phone down before you overthink the most basic text you have ever sent in your life. Just for good measure, you leave it on your bed while you go into the bathroom. Despite your best efforts to remain nonchalant about the whole situation, you find yourself putting on a little more makeup than usual. By the time you have wrapped up and returned to your room an unread text is waiting for you.

Frankie: Good thinking. See you tonight then.

The rest of your morning has a bit more pep in it than before.

***

Your day at the gym passes by as usual. The only two exceptions were a truck load of last minute Friday Fight Night tickets sales and then compliments on how the gym was smelling. You made a mental note to smack Benny upside the head for throwing such a temper tantrum about it. In between customers you found yourself checking your phone more than you regularly do. You told yourself that it was just because you were excited about the fights and were counting down the minutes and not because you were hoping to receive another text from Frankie. Unfortunately, lying to yourself never really works out.

In an effort to keep yourself occupied, you answer emails from people that are applying for a gym membership, make laps around the gym to see if you need to replace any of the wipes used to clean the machines, and collect all of the dirty towels for a load of laundry. Much to your dismay, these tasks don’t take very long to complete. By 3:30 P.M. you reluctantly slink back to the front desk where the single most unwanted guest is waiting.

“There she is! My favorite receptionist! I’m still interested in knowing your name, darlin’.”

“Good afternoon, Brunson.” You plop yourself down in your chair and pull up the schedule on the computer. “Just working out today? I don’t see that you’re with Benny.”

“You caught me. I want to make sure that I’m in good shape when I fight in a few weeks time.”

For a few blissful seconds you allow yourself to indulge in the idea of Brunson getting clocked, hard, right in the jaw.

“Well, enjoy yourself.” You scan his card quickly in an attempt to move him on his way.

“I always do so when you’re here.” He clicks his tongue at you while he walks past your desk.

“God, he’s insufferable.” You mumble to yourself.

It’s 4:00 P.M. when Benny finally ventures up to the front lobby with you.

“Where have you been? I feel like I haven’t seen you all day, man.”

“Because you haven’t,” He covers his face with his hands and whines into them before coming back up for air. “At first I couldn’t find where the white board I used to write out the fightin’ pairs was. Then there was somethin’ wrong with the beer delivery and they kept me out back for fuckin’ ever. That isn’t even coverin’ all the one on one sessions I've had today or the ones I’m still goin’ to have.”

It’s breaking your heart to see how stressed out he’s getting with all of the things he has to juggle today. You get out of your chair, walk over to him, and rub on his shoulder comfortingly.

“It’s going to be alright, Benny. I’m staying after work to help you set up and Frankie told me that the guys are coming to help around closing too. You won't be in this alone for much longer.”

He places both of his hands on his hips and exhales deeply.

“Thank you,” You can see the earnestness in his eyes. “I really appreciate it.”

“Of course. That’s what friends are for, right?”

He smiles down at you from his 6’2 frame and before you can move he pulls you in for a deadly tight hug.

“Benny!” You can’t stop laughing. “Let me go this fucking instant!”

“Friends like hugs from other friends, right?” He yells over your incessant protesting.

“I’m going to kill you, you know that?!” Your tone of voice doesn’t even sound remotely serious.

Eventually you get him to unlatch himself from you so the two of you can finish up the work day in order to prepare for this evening.

***

You stand back proudly and admire all of your handiwork. Benny put you in charge of setting up the beer table, so set up the beer table you did. You designed a poster to hang on the wall above the table so people would be able to clearly see their options and their respective prices. You set a long, metal tub in the center of the table and filled it halfway with ice. Then you made a little arrangement out of the beer and poured the last half of the ice on it to keep it cold. The cash box was fully stocked and set to the side. All in all, you did a pretty good job. Thankfully, one of Benny’s regulars volunteered to work it this evening.

“All done over here!” You call over to Benny. “How’s the sign coming?”

You watch in horror as he stands up to reveal a barely legible fighting roster. He must have seen your face flounder when you looked at it because he just tosses the dry erase marker over to you and crosses his arms.

“Oh, Benny I-”

“I know it looks bad. I’ve never had a knack for all this creative shit.”

You squeeze his hand as you pass him while heading to the white board. He slides over the roster that has been printed on paper for you to use as your guide. You’re so engrossed with your new task that you don’t notice when the guys come in around 8:30 P.M..

“You sure are givin’ Benny a run for his money this evenin’. The place hasn’t looked this put together in…well ever.” That sugary, sweet southern drawl could only belong to one man.

“Thank you, Will!” You toss over your shoulder.

“Aw screw you, dude. Maybe it would have been if y’all had gotten here when y’all said you would.” Benny notes.

“Blame Fish.” Pope snickers. “He couldn’t find the perfect outfit.”

That got your interest peaked. You turn around to look at what Frankie is wearing. Regular work boots, soft looking denim jeans, a black undershirt, a worn blue button up with the top few buttons left undone, and finally his cap- oh god he’s looking at you. If you had been a smarter woman, you would have noticed that two thirds of the group standing behind you were looking at your sign. That damned one third of the group was watching you trail your way up his whole body. He’s like an oak; completely unwavering as you take him in.

“Well, I like it. ” You squeak out as you turn your attention back to the roster. “Now why don’t you guys go make yourselves useful and help Benny?”

You hear a unified ‘yes ma’am’ come from behind you followed by the scattering of three pairs of feet. There truly isn't anything more sexy than men who can follow orders.

All five of y’all work tirelessly for the next hour to get everything finished before the doors open to the public. When you cross off the last item on your to-do list, you decide that you have earned a drink. You sneak over to the beer table and open one of the coolers that you set up behind it that contains the excess bottles. Much to your dismay, the bottle caps don't twist off like you originally thought. You’re on your knees looking around in the extra bags and praying that Benny had the foresight to get a bottle opener when Frankie walks up next to you.

“Lose something?”

“Just my dignity trying to locate the stupid fucking bottle opener.”

He laughs jovially as he extends his hand to help you up. You take it and sheepishly hand him your bottle when he motions for it. The two of you walk around to the front of the table and you watch as he easily takes out his keys and pops the cap open with a bottle opener he had attached to them. You notice that instead of tossing the cap in the trash he places it back in his pocket along with his keys. Right when he starts to hand the drink back to you he pulls it back towards him.

“Hey! What gives?”

“I have to test it to make sure it isn’t poisonous or something.”

“Oh my god, you dick.” You lean back on the table behind you.

“You won’t be saying that when I save your life.” He takes a small sip and passes it over to you. “Nope. It’s not poison. You’re in the clear.”

Now it’s your turn. You turn to look out at the gym while you take a drink of your well deserved reward.

“Wait,” You look over at Frankie. “What if it's a slow acting poison and now we are both infected? I guess you have to stay here and finish this with me so we can go out together.”

He leisurely reclines next to you on the table and takes the bottle in his hand when you offer it to him. “That's some pretty sound logic. I can’t argue with that.”

You try to stop yourself, but you watch as he brings the frosty glass to his pouty lips. They look more pink than usual against the dark color of the bottle. His hands make the beer bottle look so much smaller than it really is. Your eyes wander to that nose you’re so fond of. God, what would it feel like on your clit as he ate his fill of you? Now that you’re closer to him you’re able to see the gray that's intricately woven into his beard and hair. Would it tickle the inside of your thighs when he buried his face in your pussy? Feelings you haven’t had for a man in a long time rock through your body the further you sink into your fantasy. Drifting even further, his adam’s apple bobs as he swallows the chilled liquid. You want to decorate the sensitive skin with blossoming purple marks.

“What?” He’s looking at you now. “Do I have something on my face?”

“No,” You say almost breathlessly. “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t hog it all.”

“I would never.” The low baritone of his voice reverberates through you.

Benny, thankfully, yells from across the gym at the both of y’all before you do something questionable.

“Hey, lazy asses! It’s showtime!”

You and Frankie both let out a breath neither of y’all realized you were holding. He looks down at his watch and then faces his friend with a mild look of annoyance.

“It’s 9:30, man. It’s just the boxers and the ring girls coming in right now.”

You notice that Frankie’s body immediately tenses up after he says this. Confused, you look over at Benny who has eyes as bright as the sun and is making a beeline towards you.

“I’m sorry.” Frankie whispers down to you. “I’m so sorry.”

“Benny? What are you-?”

“I have a proposition for you.” He says while gripping both sides of your arms. “Do you wanna hear it?”

“I don’t think I have a choice by the look of things.”

“Please be my ring girl.” He gasps.

“Oh my god.” You let your head roll back. “Benny, are you serious right now?”

“Don’t say no yet. Just think about it before you decide.”

You roll your head over to face Frankie and raise your eyebrows. You’re met with a shrug that is just as innocent as his grin.

“Does this offer have an expiration date?” You inquire shifting your focus back to the man that currently has you in a vice grip.

“Just think about it.” He pleads.

“Fine, but I’m pretty sure I’m gonna say n-”

“La-la-la! I can’t hear you! La-la-la!”

“Don’t you have fighters to go hype up in the locker room?” Frankie cuts in.

“Nothin’ I hate more than when you’re right, Fish. Catch y’all in between the matches!”

With one final ‘think about it’, he bounds off into the locker rooms. All you can do is laugh hysterically at what just transpired. Frankie probably thinks you have lost your mind with the way you are doubled over right now.

“Hey let us in on the joke, why don’t you?” Pope sits next to you on the table.

“I could use a good laugh as well.” Will adds blithely.

“What you two could use is a reality check.” you walk around the table and grab a beer for each of them. “God, I can’t believe him.”

You hand Will and Pope their drinks completely forgetting about taking the tops off. Fortunately, that didn’t stop them. Will snatches Pope’s beer out of his hand and positions the bottles where one has its cap resting just barely on the edge of the other's cap. Then he slams them down on his knee and Pope’s opens with ease. After he hands the open one off, he pops his own with a thick ring he’s wearing.

“I’m thoroughly impressed, Will. What the hell was that?”

“You just gotta learn to make due sometimes.”

Frankie and Pope both mutter ‘show-off’ under their breaths as Will explains to you the physics behind his little trick.

“Okay, now back to what Benny was talking about.” You adjust your stance so you can better face the group. “Are y’all in on this? This ‘ring girl’ shit?”

“Can’t say it wouldn’t be fun though.” Pope prods his finger at you.

“Oh, yes I can.” You say swatting at him.

“You know, Benny. Once he sets his mind to somethin’ he’s pretty determined to see it through.”

“That doesn’t even begin to answer my question, Will.” You groan as you take the beer from Frankie’s hand.

The movements between y’all are so natural, so fluid that it feels like something you have been doing for years. You see Pope, almost in shock, watch you as you take a drink.

“Can I get some of that?”

“No way, man.” You shelter the bottle against your body. “Three is a crowd and you literally have an open one in your hand.”

“Will’s right,” Frankie reasons with you. “Benny is as one track minded as they come.”

“Tell him to get on another track then.”

“How about this?” Pope counters. “You go into the locker room with Benny and see what it takes to be a ring girl. Then and only then will he accept your answer of ‘no’ if that’s still what you want.”

“If that will get him off my case then that's fine with me.”

You start to turn towards the locker room doors when a blue sleeved arm reaches over your shoulder and plucks the beer from you.

“Hey, give that back!”

“I just want to make sure you don’t hog it all.” Frankie’s tone is thick with sarcasm.

“I would never.” You grin.

Pope waits until you have cleared the locker room doors before he whacks Frankie in the shoulder. Unfortunately, Frankie doesn’t see it coming because he is too busy hoping to catch one more glimpse of you.

“If that's how you act around women you think are ‘just cool’ then I’m terrified to see how you act around women you actually like.”

“The fuck was that for? And the fuck are you talking about, man?” He massages the spot where Pope smacked him.

“Will, please tell me you aren’t as blind as he is?”

“Sorry, Fish. I see it too.”

“See what?”

“That you look like a goddamn catfish whenever you look at her! Eyes all big and mouth agape.”

“I do not.” Frankie mutters.

“Come on.” Pope folds his arms across his chest. “You think she’s cute.”

“What are we in middle school? You’re being ridiculous. Will?”

“I’ll be honest, I wanna know too.” He flashes that signature boyish Miller smile.

All Frankie can do is laugh nervously while he removes his cap and runs his fingers through his hair. He knows that he’s in the middle of a losing battle and that he’ll have to concede. They are going to be ecstatic that a woman other than Rochelle has caught his eye. Especially when it's a woman that meshes so naturally with their group. No, what’s stopping him is that a part of himself wants to keep it a secret. To have something that is just his. No prying eyes, no unwanted advice, no consequences, and no one else has to get hurt but him. As soon as the acknowledgement of his affection for you falls from his lips, it's real. As selfish as it sounds, he wants to keep you at arms length. He feels like everything he touches breaks and he doesn’t want you to become the next casualty. You wouldn’t want him if you knew the truth about the things he has done. But then you smile or laugh and he can feel himself falling deeper and deeper into his delusions of grandeur.

“Well, if you don’t like her then maybe I’ll ask her out.”

“No, you won't because,” Frankie puts his cap back on. “I think she’s cute. Are y’all happy? I like her.”

“Atta boy, Fish!” Will cheers.

“I knew it!” Pope says as he pulls Frankie in for a hug. “She’s a good one, man.”

“I know she is. I just don’t know if I’m going to do anything about it right now.”

Will’s hand comes to rest on his shoulder. “Why’s that?”

“I don’t want to fuck it up. To drag her into the shit show that is my life. I don’t even know if she feels the same way either!”

The two other men nod in understanding. Frankie takes a sip of the drink he stole from you and sighs as he looks up at the ceiling.

“All I know is…is that I like her.”

“Shh!”

“Pope, you were the one that wanted to talk about this!”

“Shut the fuck up! She's coming!”

“Y’all ready? I’m going to open the doors for everyone!”

The three of them use the time it takes you to unlock the doors and arrive back in order to regroup from their previous conversation.

“Did you,” Will clears his throat. “Did you like the view back there? See a future in being Benny’s ring girl?”

“I like the view from right here, thank you very much.”

“So,” Pope rubs his hands together. “Who ready to see some dudes get the shit beat out of them?”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

{tag list: @cutesyscreenname @rsquared31 @smol-beb @bitchwitch1981 @avastrasposts @hoeslingz @saltybutteredtoast @javicstories @c-justhere @pimosworld @modernperplexity @beboldbebravethings @modernperplexity @mxtokko @moonliqhtszn @tanzthompson }

#francisco morales #frankie morales #catfish #frankie morales fanfiction #frankie morales x you #frankie morales x reader #triple frontier #triple frontier fic #benny miller #will miller #ironhead #santiago garcia #pope #through the scope #read on a03

206 notes · View notes

manicsweetheart707 · 2 months

Text

This has been a pretty harsh month for me, that doesn’t mean I haven’t tried to make it a good one, if I could describe this month I would say that I’ve been pushing myself through it, I’m doing my best to not let the negative thoughts get to me.

Trying out new things is not always the easiest thing to do, but it's part of growing up; I wanna keep growing as a person and I think being aware of shit that happens to me, of my thoughts, even if they're not always positive will help me in that process, because I want to fall in love with life, and loving something implies loving the pretty and the ugly.

I really don't wanna do this alone, the growing uo thing, and maybe you reading this don't want to either, so maybe if I start posting these monthly recaps we can help one another to feel company in some sort of way, with time this will evolve to fit each other's needs ig.

Tennis

This month I started to workout like fully, last month I began taking tennis classes but skipped a lot of days due to me being depressed, that made me feel pretty stupid because I payed for those classes, the economic situation is not good enough for me to be wasting money in classes I’m not taking y’know?

I switched my classes from tuesday and thursday to wednesday and friday, and I feel it has helped me in keeping consistency a lot better, my mom’s also been the one taking me to class because I’m fucking stupid and it made me panic not finding anywhere to park my car so I ended up directly not going to class, I know that sounds so stupid but I tend to take those kind of situations as an omen that something is going to go not according to plan and that I’m gonna fuck something up, so yeah-

Chloe Ting

Besides tennis classes this month I also started Chloe’s 2024 summer shred challenge; I figured it would’ve helpful for losing weight and helping me build endurance for tennis, it’s not the first time I try to workout from home with youtube or something, but it is the first time I actually feel comfortable doing it in a sense that I haven’t given up and I don’t plan on doing it, even if I’ve been too depressed to do shit I haven’t skipped any days, I think the fact that the app has like a nice percentage indicator motivates me to keep going.

Maybe doing both tennis and Chloe’s routines in my current physical state is not ideal since I’ve been feeling a bit nauseous this past days, but I am doing it either way because I’m not giving up, I am a strong bitch and can do whatever I set my mind to.

I am not in a good mental state right now, the crippling feeling of how everything I do is wrong and everything I touch gets all fucked up is coming back strongly, even tho I’m doing shit that’s supposed to help me emotionally, they say that working out releases endorphins right? I drink a lot of water and been trying to keep myself distracted with other activities to stop myself from overthinking, but nothing really seems to work, the loneliness is a constant reminder of how fucked I am and how little value I have in other peoples lives. And I know that if I keep telling myself just how fucking awful I am I’m just gonna end up pushing people even further with my negativity. Loneliness is like a crater, sometimes no matter how much you scream no one is there to hear you, and the times there’s someone your throat is just too sore to let them know you’re there, and sometimes when you find a ladder you feel oh so scared of what’s outside to climb up, it’s really fucking difficult man.

My vacations are sadly over, although I only have 2 classes this whole semester I still feel a bit anxious about going back to uni, it’s a mix between the people and the work, I’m usually pretty work focused while I’m at uni so I don’t give myself enough chances to be friendly with people (adding to that the social anxiety), this semester I need to work on my degree proyect/thesis/whatevs and that makes me oh so nervous I really want to give it my best and don’t fuck it up.

There’s people I don’t like in my trademarks class, I don’t think they’re bad people, but their voices annoy me, which ig makes me a bad person, but I can’t help it they’re too loud and speak too fast and talk with so much confidence over topics they don’t know shit and that annoys me. I’m being a bitch, I’m sorry.

I find it particularly scary having to build a portfolio, and begginning the whole working thing, although I hate my current state of living I do like having my own time and bedrotting whenever I feel like it, growing up is so fucking scary isn’t it.

It’s a terrible idea to replace a bad habit with another bad habit, and this month is the month I’m trying to get skinnier, so I’ve been working out, starting a diet, taking laxatives, and most importantly cutting sugars; that has been really hard for me and I think it didn’t help that much to the darkness I was feeling the first half of the month. I am aware is a terrible idea, for a while whenever I got sugar cravings I used to light up a vanilla incense stick and hope for the best but it really didn’t helped, and since I discovered that mints do have calories and shit I don’t really want to eat them no matter how much I love them. So I thought a solution to my problems could be vaping, I can’t get fatter from it can I? I bought a blueberry one, I do enjoy it I think, I like that is minty and I’ve always been a huge fan of candles, incense, that type of stuff, I feel like I’m in some sort of way eating a candle. It does make me feel a bit guilty because I am pretty aware of how awful nicotine is, and that vapes are far worse than a cig, and also that my mom has asthma yet here I am probably fucking up my lungs, but I think right now, currently, it makes me feel even guiltier to actually eat sugar.

✦ Keep losing weight and being consistent with my workouts

✦ Progress as much as possible on my degree project

✦ Reorganize my notion

✦ Set up a dating app profile maybe?

c u next month!!

xoxo, mani

#girlblogger #girlblogging #im just a girl #just girly things #just girly posts #just girly thoughts #manic pixie dream girl #girl interrupted #monthly recap #self development #self love #self care #self improvement #personal growth #public diary #journal #diary

3 notes · View notes

panuccispizza · 10 months

Text

suffered and suffering from an incredible era of depression this year. here's my collected advice from 2023

- never smoke cigarettes and never vape. do not allow that into your life. you will only have one set of lungs, one trachea, and one immune system. there will never be another. take care of your physical body.

- substances will never make anything better, it numbs or distracts the present by letting you avoid the past. your future comes whether you want it to or not. substance abuse has only allowed my present to become my past and I have done nothing for my future. work on your future. every plan. everything. just fucking do it.

- no one should be allowed you 24/7, it's ok not to reply to people for hours. but make sure you do reply to them. do not let the messages pile up and do not wait more than 2 days.

- make friends. keep friends. water and nourish your friendships and relationships. you can be friends with people from work or school or whoever you meet. do not allow your fellow man to be a stranger, not everyone is here to hurt you and you are hurting no one by being nice. be yourself and love people

- journal. workout, yoga, exercise, dance, move your body repetitively in some way for a little while. drink water, get sunlight, spend 15 minutes outside every single fucking day, I don't care about your individualized situation where your allergic to the smell of fresh cut dandelions. stop being annoying online and treat your mental disorders. expose yourself to betterment. you can live in better.

- literally just talk to people about your needs no one knows what's wrong with you. no one will see that you are hurting when you purposely try to act like you're fine.

- do what makes you happy. algorithm is fake and trying to work with it will only cause you pain. you will never flourish. your audience means nothing when you purposely make content for them, and you may as well be buying followers or likes. do whatever you want to, within moral reason.

- it's ok if you don't want someone in your life. it's ok if you feel like someone has fucked up and you don't want that. it hurts to remove them, but to keep toxic or uncomfortable people in your life won't make your situation with them any better. rip the bandaid.

- reliving PTSD flashbacks looks like something completely different than what you think it does. maybe this is my own individual problem. I did not know what I was reliving for so much of my life has always been a flashback. since identifying them, I've been able to avoid them and avoid triggers.

- if you have autism then just be autistic. its embarrassing to unmask but you have to do it to live /your/ life. not the life you want people to perceive. you're not a character, you're not written, you're alive and human and complex. you will fuck up some times and it will be hard a lot of the time but literally allow yourself to rest. you will have bigger problems in the future if you allow the anxiety to stay in your body

- there is a solid part of life that does not change easily and there is a soft part of life that does. you're actions, while soft, will solidify. this is forming habits and routines. the solid part of your life will rot away if you do not support it with the soft. sometimes the hard is difficult to change because you live with other people present in the same world. do what you can, there is no changing them. they also have solid and soft parts of their life they need to work on as well.

- expand your knowledge. if you're solely a digital artist then pick up a new medium. if you solely write short fics then write a longer one, or a novel. read books. read physical literal books from your public library. learn about the environment around you. go to museums and national & state parks. visit towns you normally don't. visit shops. look for things outside your interests. learn about cultures outside your own. learn a language. if you do not know where to start, make a short list of things and roll dice to figure out what wikipedia-youtube rabbithole you need to go down.

love yourself.

#long post #sorry lol but this made me feel better ndjsjdjdhd remembering my love for life alwags helps #hopefully the 2024 list will include throwing my phone into the river and getting a flip phone

11 notes · View notes

yahoodarling · 2 years

Text

Patient!Thoma X Patient!GN reader Asylum AU

Warnings: mental instability, death (not reader or Thoma), mentions of drowning, blood, extream violence and body language/triggers that some may relate to with self harm.

Funny enough this is a comfort fic, extreamly violent comfort.

Read with caution!

(I really like this fic)

(*****) is used in place of a random name of your choice.

A new patient would be joining the ward today, exciting news Thoma heard from a few staff that were cleaning and preparing an unoccupied room, no doubt for the new person and best of all they would be right next to him! It had been a while since Thoma had any neighbouring company so he was estatic to hear he could have someone to talk through the walls with.

"And otherwise, how are you feeling today?" His assigned doctor asked. Ayato was his favourite person here, he had a silky voice and soft tone and spoke to Thoma like an actual person rather than like a child or animal like how other staff worked.

"I see you have left your bed unmade. Im very proud to see your progress. What made today different from others?" He asked

"Ah, i guess something has been taking up most of my focus. I was too preoccupied on that rather than my surroundings."

Usually hed spend at least an hour making his bed. If the sheets didnt hug the mattress properly or if the pillows didnt sit right hed redo it over and over untill it felt right. Thoma had been diagnosed with sever OCD, it made his life difficult but that in its self wasnt enough to be sent to a ward like this. His cleanliness did lead… elsewhere through.

"And what is this thing on your mind?" Ayato asked. Every few days they would have a long conversation session, doctor to patient just to catch up and for Ayato to see how Thoma was reacting.

The rest of the days inbetween were fulled with sitting in his room reading, knitting or crafting and every three days a group activity was held in the main lounge for all stable patients to enteract with. At any time in the day patients who wernt in time out could walk out to the gardens and enjoy light workout equipment or helping in a garden, Thoma preferred gardening and had a vegetable garden dedicated to just him where others didnt dare meddle in.

Thoma hugged the pillow to his chest as he happily responded. "I heard someone new was moving in. That they would be in the room next door. Im quite glad to have a neighbor again, I wonder what they are like."

"I heard. They arnt on my list so i wont be checking on them, i hear they are being looked after by Doctor Dottore though." Thoma scowled, he never liked that guy.

Ayato, suddenly reminded of something, had his smile drop. "Thoma, i hope you dont get too expectant on making friends. Im not sure of the details but i heard the new patient is coming in because of spurratic violent behaviours, i believe that is why Doctor Dottore was assigned to them. I generally work better with patients such as yourself, who hardly act out or desplay violent tendencies. We can have a formal conversation such as we are now but for Dottore… he works with the more mentally deranged sort. Again, i dont know the details but if Doctor Dottore is looking after them then becoming friends may be unwise."

Thoma was confused by that. He knew mentally unstable people were looked after here but they were in a different building, one more regulated which worked more like a prision than a hospital. Where he stayed in was more of a recovery place, a place safe from triggers normal life would bring. If this new person was so bad why would they be brought here where there was more freedom of movement?

None the less Thoma was excited. Hed just have to see with his own eyes how this person was.

The session eventually ended and Thoma got stuck into his prodjects, keeping himself occupied like he always did.

A lot of shuffeling was heard outside. Thoma got off his chair at his desk to look out the small window of the door into the hallway. He saw about three people approach, one he recognised as the Doctor Dottore, another dressed as an assistant and then a person between them dressed in the white and blue pajama like pants and shirt that matched his own that all the patients wore. They didnt seem to act unnaturally, nodding their head along to the doctors words and looking around the hallway. It would be best to let them settle in first and then Thoma would go greet them.

At late noon he decided would be a good time, they must have settled in by now. Thoma left his room, closing his door repeatedly until it clicked the way he liked to hear and then moved a few strides down to the next door down the hall. He knocked 3 times and then attempted to twist the door knob but it jammed and refused to open like it was locked. That was confusing, these doors were never locked unless someone was on time out.

"Thoma, whats wrong?" A guard approached him and asked. Thoma had been in the ward for a good few years now and was friendly to staff so many knew him by name.

"I was wanting to visit the new person. Why is their door locked?"

"Special orders. Apparently they arnt unstable enough to go to the high security place but they arnt stable enough to be trusted to simply walk down the halls at their whim. They need a member of staff with them at all times when outside their room. "

Thoma frowned, that would make it hard to chat with his neighbor.

"But hey," The guard said taking his keys out and unlocking the door. "You guys can chat if im in the room. You can make your greetings and have a quick conversation." He opened the door and leaned in.

"(Your name). Your new neighbor wants to meet you."

Thoma saw the person walk to the door, their hair seemed a little messy which didnt sit right with him and their shirt sagged against their body.

"Hi, its nice to meet you. Im (first name) (last name)." And they out stretched their hand for a handshake.

Thoma smiled and took it, giving a solid shake back. "Im Thoma, the guy right next door. I hope we can become good friends"

"Id like that"

And with that the two got along. During group activities they would partner up and work together, share craft ideas and talk through the walls late at night. As the months passed Thoma began to feel light in his chest when ever he got to talk with (your name), he also improved in allowing his environment to be less organized than usual, bed sometimes unmade, books left open and knitting needles simply stabbed into the wool rather than neatly aligned on his desk. It must be because his mind was able to focus on you more than anything else.

Everyday he woke up he waited eagerly for breakfast where he was allowed to meet with you in your room and eat together. You wernt allowed outside as often as he was, that being because you always had to have staff nearby, but when you could youd sit next to him on the grass as he potterd in his garden and talk about random subjects. You were very soft natured, he couldnt imgine you being violent in any way but slowly your meetings with him decreased, when he did see you you seemed dazed and withdrawn. It worried him.

"Hey, whats wrong my friend?" He asked as you sat staring at your breakfast, not taking a single bite. It took you a while to respond.

"I dont like my Doctor." You simply said. Thoma no doubt knew having Dottore as your assigned doctor must have sucked, you didnt have someone open and sincere like Doctor Ayato was to him. If it was Doctor Dottore that was making you seem so distant then his opinion on the masked man lessened even more than it already had, he hated the idea that something was disturbing you.

"He… he says stuff and pokes at topics he knows i dont like. He wont stop until i lash out or just close my eyes and shut him out. Yesterday he had this sick smile and grasped my wrist. He knows i dont like people touching me there, he knows it, ive told him before but he still did it and he kept holding me there and just squeezing my wrist. I ended up trying to shove him off me but i guess… i acted out a bit too much and got wrestled down and locked in my room for time out. Thats why i couldnt see you yesterday."

Thoma felt so frustrated. He couldnt do anything to help yet had to sit still and watch as his friend slowly drifted away.

"I see. Do you… do you want to clean out these weeds with me?" He asked.

You looked up at him in shock. Thoma was offering to let you work in his garden? His garden was so important to him and he was allowing you to join him. You knew Thoma couldnt help in your situation but him offering this meant a lot to you.

"Thank you." You said and slowly picked at the soil, being as careful as possible to not trigger him.

Thoma couldnt sleep. His mind was on you. It was late in the night and he tried everything he could to settle down but his mind refused to let up. He tried reading, knitting, writing, all the things that usually kept his mind else where but no matter what he couldnt stop thinking about you. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, doing everything he could to will himself to sleep.

A pained sound vibrated in his room suddenly, every hope of calming down left his body. It was muted due to the thick walls but he could still hear your voice from your room. He got up and leaned into the small vent where you and him usually sat and talked on normal days, it was the most clear spot to hear between the walls.

An unearthly scream rang, begging and pleading incoherent words in despiration, the sound made Thoma want to vomit. Suddenly it went silent, he could hear his heartbeat loudly pump against his chest.

"There you are (*****). Im glad we could finally meet." He recognised Dottores voice but not the name he called.

"Haha, you were knocking on my door so violently id have to answer eventually."

What was going on? Thoma was so confused. That was your voice but you spoke with a foreign tone and were never that sarcastic and blunt in your speech. He stood up and walked to his door which was unlocked and left his room to look through your doors window and what was going on.

He saw three figures, Dottore hunched on his heels and looking down on you with that putrid grin. You were knelt down, restrained by the third person, a guard he didnt recognise. At this location Thoma couldnt hear what was being said so he silently opened the door to listen in.

"I was hoping you could humor me (*****). I want to see what you were like on that night. Show me what (your name) cant. Show me the person that killed that couple. I could easily find a random nobody and you could give me a live demonstration of your ruthlessness."

"Haha! Why dont i use you instead?! I could gladly turn you and this meatloaf into pretty dangling chandeliers."

Dottore stomped his foot down harshly onto 'your' head, forcing it to the ground and leaving blood running down 'your' nose and smeared on the floor.

"Come on! Show me more!" Dottore began repeatedly slaming his boot into 'you'. The spot where your body was knelt starting to go bloody.

Thoma began to shake. Thats not right! That blood wasnt meant to be there, you wernt meant to be treated like this. Tears of frustration formed and Thoma couldnt handle it anymore. He threw the door open and rushed into the room only to stop in his tracks as Doctor Dottore looked at him.

"You arnt allowed here pest." Dottore move his attention to Thoma. (*****) took that chance and lunged forward out of the guards grasp, attacking Dottores legs and pushing him to the ground where they realed in to punch him in the face but was immediatly detained and thrown against the wall by the guard. 'You' went limp for a second. Thoma saw your sweet face, the person who kept him company these many months, the person he allowed into his space and came to love bloodied all over.

Thoma took hold of the hard cover book that sat on your desk and smashed it into Dottores head which pushed him back onto the ground. This feeling was familiar as he repeatedly slammed the books spine into Dottores cranium, eye sight going blurred as blood spattered his hands, drops landing themselves on his face and clothes. This was the same feeling he had when he beat his roommate into submission way back in his college years. His roommate didnt respect his space, he teased and messed with Thomas organized life constantly and made it hell to live in. One day he snapped, he got tired of being pushed over and over and forced his roomate to drown in bleach to clean off the dirt that covered him.

Dottore wasnt even given a chance to fight back, his attempts of getting away muted as Thoma mutelated his face.

'You' pushed your attention on the guard, the violent action of Thoma pushing (*****) to crave some violence as well. They grasped the guards throat and forced their weight down on his jugular to halt his breathing. A sick laugh and smile etched onto their face as they watched the guards life force fade away.

The room soon fell silent and (*****) was pleased with their work when suddenly they fell asleep as they looked at Thoma. Thoma stood up off of Dottores bloodied body and rushed himself to you, tears draining from his eyes as he clasped you tight in his arms. Why was he crying? What happened? Was this your fault again?

"Did… did (*****) do this?" Your voice shook as you began to cry as well, looking at all the blood and dead bodies that lay on the ground.

Thoma shook his head against you, cradeling you further into his hold as he cried into your hair. "No no! It was all that doctors fault. Its not yours. Everythings okay. Everything is fine" and hyperventilated against you.

"Really?" You whispered out and hugged back into Thoma, closing your eyes and letting yourself surcumb to your tired body. You fell asleep in his protective arms, shieled away from the pain your mind would usually bring you.

Thoma knew you guys were in trouble. Someone was bound to find the gruesome field and you and him huddled together in the middle of all the destruction. He was going to be put away again like he had when he first arrived. Locked down and treated like an animal. He had worked so hard to avoid relapsing but really it was worth it, it was all worth it to know you were safe. Maybe if he begged and pleaded, maybe he could ask Ayato his only wish. He hoped and prayed that he could continue to be your neighbor in your new cells.

If you havent caught on, reader had DID. I think that was pretty obvious haha. Also the reason Dottore was violent with the reader is because he is interested in DID cases and wanted to see your other part which required him setting you off as a defensive mechanism.

#yahooworks #x gn reader #x gender neutral reader #x male reader #x female reader #genshin x gender neutral reader #genshin x male reader #genshin x female reader #dark content #genshin thoma #asylum au

36 notes · View notes

wool-f · 2 years

Photo

Wellness: Through & Through | Part Two: Pilates

If you subscribe to me, you’d know I posted a video on my channel not very long ago about my experience trying pilates for two months. It’s now been four months, and I can fully say that I am a member of the pilates cult that seems to be taking girl social media by storm.

I remember the first time I really began to see the rise in popularity of reformer, and it was just after an article where Lori Harvey said she loved pilates. After that, pilates was everywhere, and I really mean everywhere.

On TikTok, Instagram, Facebook even, my colleagues in the office were talking about how they were thinking of trying it, and my friends were signing up to expensive studios around Melbourne to get into the newest fad of fitness.

I say fad very loosely, because once I began classes at my local studio, I realised this trend was very quickly going to become a habit for me.

I’ll be honest, I was doubtful about whether pilates would do anything crazy to my body, and boy was I surprised! I had heard one of my friends talk about it previously but didn’t really think anything of it, until suddenly every second girl and their mother were achieving insane results from five 45 minute workouts a week.

I was flawed. I wish I’d listened to my friend sooner (take this as a lesson well learnt from me). So my friend and I decided to join a studio, and we got a pretty good starter deal. Pilates is quite expensive, it’s definitely not an affordable fitness method if you’re wanting to go to an actual studio, I will say that much.

Four months down the track, I can genuinely say I’ve never stuck to any fitness regime the way I have stuck to pilates, and I have never felt better. In the first two months of going to pilates consistently, I dropped FOUR KILOGRAMS without trying.

A disclaimer to this is that I never started this wellness adventure to lose weight - I don’t hate my body or myself, and I always wanted the focus to remain on how I feel about myself and my mental wellbeing, and what ways my physical health could assist with improving those aspects of my life. That being said, I can’t ignore the obvious difference in my body since beginning pilates.

Outside that, and now that I am well into my pilates obsession, I have a few notes on the difference it has made on my body.

I feel stronger in all ways, and I’m sleeping way better. I have gotten myself into the routine of getting up early to go to the studio and take a class before my work day begins and I notice that I have so much more mental clarity and motivation throughout my day. If I don’t get up and exercise before beginning my workday I often feel lethargic and foggy in my mind. I love the feeling of finishing a class and coming out of the heated room into the fresh air - my cheeks flushed and lungs breathing in the crisp smells of the early morning, and the satisfaction I feel when I finish a really tough class. I have increased my weight usage from 2kgs being my difficult weight to 4kg. I’m just happier as a person, obviously because any exercise creates endorphins.

If you’ve been looking for a sign to try out pilates, let it be this - it is honestly the best investment I’ve ever made in my health and fitness, and it’s an inclusive environment. It’s not necessarily price effective if you want to go to a studio, but there are so many free videos on YouTube you can use too - please try it if you’re even thinking about it.

If you are joining me on this group science experiment, investigating what wellness truly means and how I am achieving it, both physically and mentally, welcome! Comment below any suggestions or trends you are seeing to do with wellness that you’re too afraid to try yourself - I will try them. Also let me know if you tried pilates because of this post or my video! I’d love to hear your feedback :)

If you want to follow along with this experiment with me on a daily basis, please follow my Instagram and TikTok accounts, I am much more active on there and will have little updates throughout the weeks that I am posting the videos.

Leave any comments down below or in my questions box, and we can chat!

Until next week, all my love,

G xx

14 notes · View notes

edwardglitterhandss · 9 months

Text

Roommates have all split chores and we are all neurodivergent and have different mental illnesses in different ways which can make it difficult to cohabitate but like one of them just like never fucking does their chores and gets really pissy when they are asked to do their chores or when things get messy too frequently and they have to do it more than once every two weeks and it's really frustrating bc I either have to do it myself in order to not always be sticking to the floor or getting gunk on my clothes and hair when I work out or I have to ask them to do it and get really anxious when they start slamming shit and hurting all over the place when they clean. They are super depressed and always exhausted, partially bc they don't eat or sleep regularly and I know that that is impacting it but it's also something that has been agreed upon and we have made it an open discussion that if it isn't something you can do or don't want to do you can bring it up for renegotiation or set new boundaries. Anyway I interrupted my workout to make this vent post bc i got fucking glass and rocks scraping my hands bc he hasn't fucking vacuumed in four months and the last one to vacuum was me the last time I got fed up with it.

#blegh #personal #vent #roommate shit #chores #time to go finish my workout now that i interrupted my heart rate zones #i just got angy wnd my emotions get big and harder to control when im hormonal

1 note · View note

iraliira · 1 year

Text

Life update

22/08/23

This past week has been better because my life is starting to fall back into place. Although its going slowly, its comforting to know that im doing better both mentally and physically.

This week i managed to prove to myself that im capable of fufilling my own promises to myself and im becoming better at self discipline. And the more i do it, the more i feel confident about myself. Real confidence. Because before i had fake confidence and by fake i mean i made myself believe i was confident but in reality i was lying to myself so that i dont have to face my own miserable reality.

Here are the things that im doing:

1. I began to workout, its been difficult at first and im not doing it concistently but its a start and i am trying my best. So far i managed to complete a whole workout which was a great accomplishment and i was proud of myself.

2. I decided to practice fasting. Im following a pattern where i eat for 12 hours and fast for 36 hours. I am following this pattern in order to get my measurements down to about 34-23/22-35. And so far i managed to complete a 36 hour fast and whilst i was fasting i realised that i dont get hungry easily and its just that i eat out of boredom.

Fasting has a lot of benefits and this is a short-term diet since i am not fat and just out of shape and during my 12 hour eating pattern i can eat anything i want. I DON’T HAVE AN EATING DISORDER and im also fasting for the other benefits such as: autophagy, cognitive performance and other amazing benefits. And i have fasted before so i know what im doing. If you want to learn more watch this video.

youtube

3. I decided to read a book a week. For a number of reasons: i want to spend less time on social media, i want to increase my knowledge, i want to widen my vocabulary, i want to speak properly because even though english is my first language, i cant speak because i keep tripping over my words and mid sentance my brain goes blank.

Other things that ive been doing:

im watching my comfort show One Tree Hill and im soo close to finishing the show which is making me sad because i dont want to finish it. The show is my absolute favourite thing in the entire world. The characters in the show are relatable in a lot of ways and this show taught me that being a teenager can be confusing but its also fun because im learning and going through a lot of change

Also the cast are soo fine

I mean…

Lucas scott (chad micheal murray) is soo fine

Anyways, back in June, i did my GCSES which if you don’t know is some standerdised exam every 15-16 year old does in the uk, and i get my results this week Thursday. And im not nervous about the actual exam results, im more worried about meeting everyone at school again and seeing my “friends” again. Which im planning on cutting them off and im really really scared about it because i hate confrontation. But im going to do it for myself and i dont want to live a lie anymore. Its exhausting. So im going to say to them that i dont want to be friends with them anymore.

I personaly am sick and tired of letting other people around me dictating my life and controlling the type of person i should be because thats my job. All my life ive been trying to please everyone and not myself. I also am a shy person (according to literally everyone around me) but i believe that im not and im sick of being “quiet” and “introverted” like i cant even set boundries or stand up for myself. WHICH IS SOOO PATHETIC. So that has to change because this type of behavior prevents me from achieving many things in my life.

And im not a little girl anymore and my parents arent always going to be with me so i need to grow up and act grown. I really hope i change and i believe that i can because this summer i went abroad for vacation and i spoke a lot of people so i can.

I really need to believe that im not who i used to be and if i want to have my desired futrure, i need to act like my desired self.

Well thats all i’ve been doing so far and im starting to like this new version of me.

Thank you, ira

2 notes · View notes

mookybear12404 · 2 years

Note

Mooky, I saw your tags on the exercise post; do you have any tips for starting out weightlifting? Including tips for getting over nerves about going to one's college's gym?

YES VERY MUCH I DO

(I'm not sure what level of beginner you are so if any of this advice is too basic or you are left with questions just hmu I'm always down to help! Lifting has really helped my confidence a lot and has been like a miracle for my adhd/mental health/chronic pain so I'm super happy to share!)

Going to the gym at first can be TERRIFYING but I promise that once you get used to it, you'll find it really isn't so bad When you're in that initial phase, my #1 recommendation is to have a plan of action prepared for your first visit. That way you don't feel flustered when you get there and ruin the workout experience for yourself. Deciding before you go what you want to do, (what muscles you wanna work out, if you wanna do free weights or machines, if you're planning to do cardio (running) there, etc) can help lessen anxiety. It's also good to have a bag that is your designated "gym bag" where you can have everything you could possibly need during workout ready at a moment's notice (Like a backup hairtie, waterbottle, spare headphones, deodorant, etc)

Naomi King is a youtuber who helped me a lot when I first started out! She has several videos where she explains how to use specific machines step by step, including all of the details that regular gym goers might not realize aren't intuitive (like how to adjust machines for super short ppl ;_;) If you don't know what kind of exercises target which muscles, she (and other youtubers) have plenty of videos that could help!

You can certainly do a fullbody routine if you'd like, but I find personally that it's a difficult workout to maintain. If you are limited to going once a week then it makes more sense, but otherwise it can take a good hour or more, to do a full body workout. I personally really enjoy being able to pop in and out of the gym in 20min every other day and feel the "gym high" gradually throughout the week Personally, my gym workout routine looks like this:

Day 1: Biceps, (muscle on top of your upper arm, used when lifting a weight up), and back muscles. Day 2: Triceps (muscles on the bottom of your upper arm, used when pulling a weight down), and chest muscles.

Day 3: My favorite! Legs and shoulders. Between each day is a day of rest where your muscles can recover.

Each day should also include some sort of core workout. Core workouts can include crunches, planks, sit-ups, and ab machines. My cardio schedule is honestly just. Whatever days line up with my hair washing schedule. (I refuse to run and then show up to work sweaty LOL). Bikes and treadmills are my favorite, but you should also try stairs and rowing if those are available!

Besides just having a plan, here are a few other tips that could help!

Have a buddy. If you have a friend that is non-judgmental and safe, I highly recommend going together. It helps to keep your focus off everyone else and also keeps you accountable for showing up!

Have a treat waiting for you. I REALLY love Gatorade, and even though its not really a necessity for hydration, I keep a stock of them that I'm not allowed to drink unless i'm working out, so now my brain associates yummy drink with exercise! When I'm with friends, I like to go out for bagels or smoothies afterwards. On weekends when I have more time, I'll make my favorite coffee protein shake as a treat :D

If you're working out alone MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC. Have a playlist made ahead of time or else you'll spend forever picking songs between machines. It helps keep you motivated and focused on yourself. For longer cardio workouts, I like to have a podcast ready

Perspective is an important part of going to a gym. PLEASE know that nobody there is judging you or thinking about how you look/are performing. From my experience, they're too busy absorbed in their own thoughts to care about you. Seriously.

This sounds stupid but If you have glasses? Take them off. I sometimes don't wear glasses or contacts in the gym even though I have pretty bad eyesight because that way I can't see other people. Out of sight out of mind I guess?

Some other tips include:

Be careful what your reasoning is for going to the gym. Are you going for health? Confidence? A hobby? Exercise is an excellent way for me to improve my chronic pain and mental health, but if you're going just to change your body you're probably gonna hate it and spend the whole time hyper focused on how your body looks. Learn to pride yourself in your improvement and your commitment to caring for yourself.

DON'T PUSH YOURSELF TOO HARD PLEASE I hate those internet memes that are like "If you don't feel pain the next day you weren't working out hard enough!" ACTUALLY NO THAT MINDSET CREATES INJURIES WE DON'T WANT THAT

I know this sounds dumb but like. What you do outside the gym matters JUST as much if not more than what you're doing in the gym. When you're lifting, your tearing apart your muscle fibers, and if you aren't providing your body with the proper hydration, protein, and sleep it won't be able to repair those muscle fibers with newer and stronger ones, and you will be left instead with several days of muscle soreness and no progress to show for it.

Hopefully this helps!!

#also I'm gonna be honest with you #I go off campus for my gym ;_;#I find that I run into less ppl I know that way #If that is an option for you #Also I used to work out in my dorm on days I couldn't make the gym happen!#five and below was a life saver #they have up to ten pound weights for super cheap #mooky talks #long post

7 notes · View notes

yourdaddyfigure · 1 year

Note

You're proud of me? 🥺🥺 Why, thank you so much! You're very kind! And you definitely got me in your web now 😂

I'm outing myself as someone who has no clue about basketball (and who is too short to play anyway) but I hope you enjoyed the game!!

Do you also like to play ⛹️ if you don't mind me asking? I'm always struggling a bit to find time and motivation to work out, but I plan to brush the dust off my skates this weekend. Let's see how that goes.

And since it's already Friday over here, I wish you a wonderful weekend❣️ Love, Leah

Hello again Leah it’s always nice to hear from you. Also yes I am proud of you 🥰 and you’re the super kind one so I appreciate you so much!

Sadly that game was a bad game since we lost that specific one. 😂 but hopefully we win the next one 😌

I use to play a lot of basketball growing up and it’s always been a favorite for me because of the pace. I enjoy playing and watching sports where it’s like go go go you know? Also I completely understand how difficult it can be to find that motivation and for everyone it is different. I workout because it helps me with my overall mental health and I use that as my motivation. A good workout just puts me in a good mood for the rest of the day. I’d love to hear how the skating went for you 🥰

My weekend was wonderful thank you and I hope yours was too 🥰

#malakai’s ask #sweetsummergirl

1 note · View note

mauricio-swiftie94 · 2 years

Text

I would like to do two list ranking from my more to less favourite @taylorswift albums and other where i rank from the more to less special album to me and why.

My favourite Taylor Swift albums list is:

1- folklore (of course)

2- evermore (duh)

3-red (masterpiece)

4- fearless (country realness)

5-1989 (pop realness)

6-speak now (lyrical masterpiece)

7-midnights (i felt seen)

8-lover (makes me smile)

9-reputation (when I workout)

10-debut (still has some of her best songs)

And now from more to less special album to me :

1-lover: this album come out in probably the best stage of my life, brings me such good memories and daylight would be forever my breath in breath out moment.

2-folklore: even though it was during pandemic i was having still having a good time in my life and also some sad moments but folklore was my scape and my soundtrack of 2020

3-evermore: come out while i was having a relationship and then the breakup, but even that evermore help me to create such good memories and help me to release such good amount of tears.

4- red: this album come out during probably the most difficult time of my life, I cannot explain all that but red was the reason i was happy sometimes thanks to this album I become a fan of Taylor and then with tv come out i create even more and better moments, red would be forever special to me.

5-speak now: thanks to speak now I became a fan of Taylor Swift MUSIC, I remember vividly wanting to buy this album just because i used to LOVE. The cover album even though i didn’t listen any song of the album till mid 2011 then spark fly come out as a single and wow i was blow away I wanted to know every single song of the album.

6- reputation: this album come out during a bittersweet moment of my life, i didn’t know what to do with my life but also I was not sad with it, i was just trying to figure it out everything and reputation was the soundtrack of a year where i was going through many changes.

7-1989: this era has two moods, when it started it was such a blast I remember during August 2014 through may 2015 this era was magnificent, in my life everything was alright (kinda) but then in my life I was starting to having “problems” and then Taylor career there was a lot of drama and i was always in Twitter defending her and everything but then it became too much, I think 1989 was huge for her and that bring a lot of good and bad, I still have really good memories of this era.

8-fearless: i was in my last year of middle school and this album introduce Taylor music to me even though I used to listen only three songs, love story, forever and always and you’re not sorry, i was listening more other artists, but with fearless tv I created more and better memories with this album.

9- midnights: well this just come out not even month ago I still cannot say how special this album is to me, right now I’m focusing on my mental health and since the era started i been struggling with it but midnights has some songs that make me feel seen and I relate to those or makes me think about a past relationship, it may be more special but to know that i need a year or two.

10-debut: I know I know debut always in the bottom but tbh I didn’t knew about the existence of this album till 2008 and i was not a big fan of country like i am right now, debut grow in me and even though I don’t have memories of this era, I’m pretty sure I’ll make the best ones when Taylor releases her version 💕

#taylor swift #swifties #reputation #taylorswift #swiftie #love #lover #folklore #evermore #midnights #1989 #speak now #fearless #red

2 notes · View notes

bekandrew · 20 days

Link

"Gather 'Round the Trashfires," a Deviant: the Renegades horror/comedy fiction podcast Sat, 31 Aug 2024 19:37:41 +0000

AJ must reach his mom to seek her help and check on her. The cohort comes along as support, but it's a race to the bottom to determine which one endangers the cohort the most with their antics.

---------

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: GCC Episode 14: Zuse Needs a Leash

Get your snack and beverage of choice ready.

It’s time to “Gather ‘Round the Trashfires” for a tabletop roleplaying story! I’m your host, Bek Andrew Evans.

Those of you who've followed the podcast will have noticed I haven't posted in a while, and also didn't announce I was going on break. I wasn't planning on it. It's a little cliche to say that nearly everything possible went wrong, but my lights did nearly get shut off, had to take point on getting new jobs for both my family members I live with, I had to repair my computer, and everyone got COVID. As much as I would have loved to keep putting out episodes through that whole thing, it's a little difficult to focus on much of anything but trying to solve whatever the most severe and immediate problems are - and the occasional game session itself.

And then, even when I expected to get back, my mental health had taken a pretty major hit for a while so transitioning back into working on tabletop stuff has taken longer than expected.

I plan to be back to my update schedule now since things are looking better. As always, you can get more between-episode updates and directly support me through my Patreon at Patreon.com/BekAndrewTTRPG. You can also see pictures of my service dog in training, Remi.

My current and main running story for this podcast is the misadventures of the cohort from the Deviant: the Renegades chronicle I’ve been playing in since early 2021. And I play Geri.

For those of you unfamiliar with Deviant, it’s a TTRPG about people who were formerly human but were irreparably changed in traumatic ways to the point their very Souls broke and they became something Other. They seek vengeance on those who made them, those who hunt them, those who seek to exploit them for what they are and will never leave them be.

As such, this podcast will feature heavy themes and content throughout. There’s an overall content warning for language, violence, criminality, homelessness, substance use, human experimentation, cults and religious extremism, mentioned torture, kidnapping, implied incest and incest-related comments, and abusive relationships. On episodes where there is a new content warning or a particularly notable instance of one of these, I’ll call it out.

There's an episode content warning for cancer mention.

I hope y’all enjoy hearing about my cohort’s antics and stumbling headfirst into the mysteries of the world as much as I have.

[Music Intro: "_violence" by Avantist]

Green Country Calcination Episode 14: Zuse Needs a Leash

The cohort begins to gather in the common area the morning they're meant to go out. Grant's freshly showered, wearing his normal sort of outfit and had already been awake for a while. Geri was awake at sunrise for a workout, took a nap, and woke up for the mission. She's fixing a last coffee before they head out.

Unlike his normal, AJ's actually up relatively early, ready to go with backpacks packed for everyone sitting in the living room. He also has a wrapped present about the size of a small toddler wrapped in snoopy Christmas paper. He's wearing his normal sort of bright-colored nerdy joke superhero graphic tee, a green and blue open jogging suit jacket with matching pants, and some running shoes. He's pale and tense.

Grant doesn't sit down, always seeming ready to go. He greets the other two and asks AJ if he's ready to go.

AJ nervously says he is and thanks them for agreeing to come along.

Grant figures the group's proven they're trustworthy after the last mission, and are helping him with Sophie. Besides, at least this one's a person.

Geri declares they are NOT rescuing any more cats.... unless the cat's not out of the way.

AJ gets into the plan when Grant asks. He says he'll call his mom once they're about an hour out and she'll tell them what area to meet her. Madison's already nabbed the floor plans. AJ explains they can cover the different access points on the way up be able to play lookout or be ready to make decoys for a getaway - with the present in his hands being one of them. He asks who wants to be a decoy and who wants to do lookout.

Just then, right after the explanation, Robert arrives. He's wearing an all-white jogging suit, hoodie hood up and a face mask with an energy drink in his hand.

Geri looks at Robert and... sighs. AJ takes Robert's outfit in and tells him they already have to get all this clearly metallic stuff past museum security without Madi's help since she's still doing hacker stuff.

Robert tells the others to complain to the lake if they don't like how he's dressed, he didn't choose to be allergic to the sun - or do the mission during the day.

Geri asks if he could get an umbrella or maybe just a ton of sunscreen, so he could be a little less conspicuous. Grant agrees and suggests he could say he has skin cancer.

Robert says his protection stuff is just for outside, he can put it away once he's inside since it's the act of being under sunlight that's bad, not the UV, which he's discovered through more trial and error. An umbrella could work, but people would get suspicious if he gets hurt from it moving wrong by accident. So the mask and hoodie helps prevent that.

Grant says all of it's suspicious and they're trying to help him workshop the least suspicious thing.

Robert says he can try it next time, but if he gets burnt, it'll be Grant's fault. Grant just shrugs at that.

Geri offers for Robert to wear a medical facemask instead to support the cancer ruse. Only a monster would question a cancer patient.

Robert says there's lots of everyday monsters around. He dismisses the idea of changing clothes for the time being and changes subject to his idea for the mission - he can be all the lookouts with his clones, switching between them a few times every minute. That way the others can use their powers to the fullest extent.

AJ thinks that's a good idea, but Robert needs to make sure he doesn't end up looking like a coordinated attack of hooded masked people. Then he hands out the backpacks he brought to everyone and explains what's in them. He tells Grant he's got a Smokey Boi and Shouty Gal, Geri's got a Flashy Gal and a Smokey Boi, Robert's got the Sugga Daddy, and AJ's got Party Boi.

Robert asks what Sugga Daddy does, and AJ says it's a people trap. He explains it's for getaways. You put it on the ground, flip the switch on top and run away. It'll activate five seconds after.

Grant asks if they'll talk in each other's heads again, Geri confirms and explains it helps for distance and communication security.

The four finish their last second preparations and head out the door, AJ leading the way. They wander through the park to the secluded parking lot where they store the vehicles. Zuse is already there with a former youth group van - he's got a black backpack, bare chest, black board shorts, flip flops, and a rubber duck floaty on his waist. He's holding a pool noodle and his hair's dyed bright purple. There's sunscreen that hasn't absorbed properly on his nose.

He shouts across the parking lot that they missed the beach.

Geri chuckles at Zuse's antics. Grant gives an overwhelmed and grossly underpaid for this experience look. Robert curses in frustration.

AJ smirks but then gets very serious. One by one he tells Zuse each part of his ensemble is unacceptable. And that he has to wear a shirt to the museum.

Zuse complains that he knows what museums are like, he's been to them before. He says he basically is one with all the internet he's experienced over the years. He starts tossing his water toys in the van.

Grant, Robert, and Geri start getting settled in the van, themselves.

AJ says if that's the case, Zuse can just wait in the van alone with his toys. Zuse sarcastically replies that he'll totally stay in the van the whole time.

Geri mutters that Zuse never stays in the van, and Grant reminds her last time Zuse was helpful and stayed put.

Zuse explains, much less suspiciously, that AJ's mother will be disappointed if he doesn't come say hello.

AJ climbs in his seat and pulls out one of the burner phones. He adopts a horrendous fake Australian accent and starts the classic 'refrigerator running' bit with whoever's on the other end.

The rest of the cohort stop what they were doing or looking at to stare in bewilderment, judging, and in Robert's case, mild awe, at AJ's accent... skills.

After a moment, AJ frowns and breaks character to quietly whine to his mom on the other end that she's supposed to say 'Yes, the refrigerator's running.' He grins, again putting on that fake terrible Aussie accent and finishes the bit, telling his mom that she better go catch it.

The cohort can hear AJ's mom exclaim 'Alexander Joseph' through the phone at the bad joke.

Grant rolls his eyes. Geri giggles. Robert chuckles.

AJ finishes up a very short check-in with his mom before hanging up and breaking the burner phone. He tells the cohort it's time to go.

Robert starts driving, and it's busy the whole way there. At the very least, there's no accidents or too much police presence.

AJ asks Zuse to mess with the metal detectors when they get there. Zuse excitedly says he'll try, but doesn't make any promises. He's also intent on hearing a new Ariana Grande song, so he keeps switching the radio back to the local pop station no matter who changes it. The cohort just have to deal with it. He'd found a tee-shirt stored in the van - an 'I'm with stupid' shirt that points in both directions.

It takes the cohort a bit over an hour to make it to the planetarium, but once they get there, the rain's let up. The parking lot at the planetarium is super packed and Robert looks for a spot like an irritated sit-com father on a road trip. Geri impatiently tries, with little luck, to point out a spot for Robert, but it takes him a while longer to find a suitable spot for the large van.

Robert parks and tells the others they should go to the entrance nearest to the elevators so they can head up to the second floor right away. Grant asks where they're meeting AJ's mom, and AJ clarifies they're meeting at the planetarium - which is only a section of the museum - and they have tickets already reserved. They're supposed to be youth counselors coming to meet Ms. Holt.

Zuse decides, on hearing the plan, that maaaaaybe he should change his shirt. He throws on a tee shirt from the thrift shop pile with a giant neon pink graphic print design of a cross on the front.

Geri complains about the new shirt, and AJ assures him they're all just glad he's actually wearing a shirt. Zuse compromises by wearing both shirts at once.

Robert struggles to avoid getting any sun on his skin while he's getting out of the van, even covered up. He refocuses the group from the Zuse shenanigans, asking where he's supposed to watch and if AJ's gonna tell him when he's supposed to transform.

AJ pulls out a paper map of the museum and a marker and starts marking out locations for the others. Geri, meanwhile, boots up the Mindcraft Server.

Grant remarks he's not sure he'll ever get used to the telepathy and takes a look at the long line to get in. He notices why it's so crowded - it's law enforcement appreciation day at the museum. Officers and their families have free admission.

When the cohort realizes this, they all have a moment of 'are you fucking kidding me?' Except for Zuse. He seems completely oblivious to why the rest of the cohort is suddenly in a very sour mood and instead comments on how happy all the families look.

AJ tells everyone, through the Mindcraft, to act normal. Maybe they can use the crowd to their advantage?

Geri asks Zuse to be on extra-good behavior as the cohort trek forward. Zuse doesn't understand what she means, so AJ explains to pretend to be a normal, boring person and just walk inside.

Zuse wonders if that means they don't need him to fool the scanners anymore. They still do. But otherwise need him to be boring.

There's a lot of flashes of binary code in the network, right as they get up to the front of the line. The acne-pocked young worker, 'Elijah' from his name tag, smiles awkwardly to the group, stammering as he speaks. He stares at Robert and his overly-covering outfit and asks if it's hot.

Grant smoothly slides to the front of the cohort and sincerely confides in the poor worker that Robert's got real bad skin cancer, but he came to see the planes... cuz it might be his last chance.

Robert nods solemnly. Geri tears up a little at Grant's explanation, apparently able to cry on demand.

Elijah looks away like Robert's turbo-cancer might be contagious via line of sight and immediately changes the subject to ask how many tickets they need.

AJ takes the lead and says they're youth counselors from Camp 'Touch-a-Star,' and they have tickets reserved to meet Ms. Holt inside.

Grant, meanwhile, keeps up the act pretend-consoling Robert in front of the ticket worker and makes sure it's real awkward, saying things like 'it's okay buddy, we're gonna make sure you get to see that crop-duster.'

The cohort doesn't get too many weird looks, only the occasional child - who promptly gets a scolding from their mother. It's downtown Tulsa, after all.

Elijah looks the tickets up on the computer, appreciative to be free from awkward conversation for a moment, before printing them out and ushering the cohort through security.

Before the cohort can leave, though, he tells them the elevators by the planetarium are out of order, so if they want to check out the new digital sky maps, they'll have to go to the food court to get upstairs.

While Zuse wonders in the mindcraft if the food court has tacos, the rest of the cohort express frustration their very simple plan has already been complicated again.

AJ quickly devises a new plan. He tells Robert to station a clone by the food court entrance instead of the planetarium elevator, but he also thinks they should watch the elevator in case it's a lie that they're nonfunctional.

The cohort approaches the row of metal detectors. Zuse gives them a grin and wink of surely being up to no good and takes his ticket from AJ before going up first. He runs his fingers along the device, and has to go through again because it popped up an error message. They keep passing him through different metal detectors. Three give error messages before security gives up and pats him down and clears him. He nonchalantly leans against the security desk equipment while he waits for the others.

The cohort pass through, one by one without issue - except for that the guards' faces keep getting redder and more clearly shocked and embarrassed with each one they let go through. They're VERY eager to end the interaction with the cohort.

AJ gives Zuse a questioning look, and Zuse explains he made anything illicit the cohort was carrying look like dildos on the security screen.

Geri thinks it's funny. Robert asks him why the fuck he did that. Grant's just glad it worked. Zuse points out who would stop and question a stranger why they brought their dildos to the museum?

AJ is already exhausted with all of this and just trying to herd the cats into the lookout locations already. Robert says he'll duck into a bathroom to transform.

They need another person to take the additional lookout spot of the "broken" elevators, since Robert only has three clones. Zuse offers, especially since he wants to see if he can get them working for an escape. Zuse wanders off then to go play with the elevators, or tries to until AJ tells him to stay with the group until they're on the Planetarium side.

Zuse cheers for the food-court and runs ahead, in the correct direction at least, like the hundreds of kids and teens already inside.

The food court is a massive structure within the museum - two stories with stairs, an elevator, and escalators connecting the floors. There isn't much of a floor between the second and first floors, instead the second floor is a balcony that opens into the restaurant stands and looks down to the first floor. Dozens of model planes from different eras and a NASA space shuttle are suspended from the high ceiling. The place has hundreds of people getting food from the dozens of restaurant stalls to eat at the many tables with children running around.

Zuse makes a bee line for a taco stand. Robert, meanwhile, heads to the second floor men's bathroom to start cloning himself in peace.

AJ spots Zuse, strolls over to him, grabs him by the collar, and leads him back to the cohort without a word. Zuse flails and pouts for a moment, but hangs his head and sadly returns without a fight.

The cohort surveys the area. AJ and Grant are able to confirm at least a few off-duty cops in the large crowd, but no one's on-duty except for the museum security guard chatting with a guy in a Tulsa PD t-shirt holding his baby.

Meanwhile, Robert is upstairs in the men's bathroom. He has to wait in line for a stall and then, when one does finally open up, it's the disability-accessible stall. The stall smells horrific from the visitor who just left it. They didn't flush.

Now hidden, Robert begins to transform. He becomes more slender and stretched out, deathly pale. He has a leaner, more wiry muscular build in this form with skin that appears thinner and stretched.

Thankfully, no one in the bathroom notices the transformation since he's in the stall. It could quickly become obvious, though, if multiple people come out since there's a line.

Robert updates the rest of the cohort over the Mindcraft about the situation, that he's transformed but there are people outside. He's unsure how to pull off duplicating himself unnoticed.

AJ suggests having the clones exit at 5-minute intervals. Grant suggests having the first clone tell people the toilet is out of order to discourage people from trying. He also notes there's a lot of police present.

Robert.... sort of does as suggested. He quickly kicks pipes behind the toilet until the pipes break and flushes the toilet until it overflows. By some freak stroke of luck, the sound of his banging is covered up by an extremely loud fart from the other stall. Dirty water has flooded the bathroom. He peeks his head out and tells the now extremely few people waiting that the previous occupant broke something. They don't argue, just rush out.

Robert's free to duplicate himself and begin releasing his three clones. The clones go to their designated lookout points and the original meets up with the cohort again. He says he'll switch to his clones to peek in every 30 seconds or so, but the real him can keep walking around with the cohort - he's faster now.

No one's noticed yet that the clones are clones. There are too many people around, and the clones quickly spread out to different areas.

They cohort starts making their way to the planetarium finally, with Grant and Geri keeping a lookout for cameras. Zuse trails behind, having to retrieve the flip-flop he keeps accidentally kicking off. Geri flashes images of the locations she spots into the mindcraft. Grant subtly indicates camera locations with small gestures, keeping his face lowered so the camera can't pick it up with his ball cap. Grant notes the cameras seem normal, but two are trained right at the door.

Once they're upstairs, Robert switches to sentry mode and periodically switches between his clones to act as a living camera bank.

There's a crowd trying to get into the planetarium. Most of the cohort's able to blend in just fine, but a running kid smacks right into Grant and knocks them both over. When he glances up, his ball cap's fallen off and he's looking right into a camera. A guard comes over to make sure everyone's fine, and Grant graciously plays it off. He sends the kid on their way back to their parents, quick lets the parents know its no big deal, and catches up to the cohort.

AJ assures them that so long as there's no incidents, no one'll have reason to look at the tape ever, anyway.

The cohort have a moment of child-like wonder - even Grant - when they enter the Planetarium and experience the huge, extremely hi-def images of the night sky and Milky Way suddenly surrounding them. There's a pleasant recorded voice discussing space facts from speakers around them.

AJ's the only one not enraptured by anything around him. He's, for once, on task trying to track down his mom. He asks Zuse if the elevator's really busted. Then yells at him when Zuse is too busy drooling about all the tech in the room to immediately answer. After more insistent prodding and demands, Zuse separates from the group (and those tantalizing pieces of technology) to investigate the elevator.

Robert looks for anyone with a familial resemblance to AJ. Geri actually asks what AJ's mom looks like. It doesn't matter, though, because AJ quickly spots Rebecca Werner-Holt on his own. He's so excited to see her, he forgets to speak aloud and calls out to her through the Mindcraft at first.

Rebecca's sitting alone by a computer stand with bar stools. She's taller than average at 5'8 and holds her head proudly. She dresses pretty, but casual, in a white lacy button up short-sleeve top, jeans, and tennis shoe, her long dark brown hair pulled back in a loose bun. She keeps her small purse close under her arm and a grip on her phone.

She smiles with relief to the cohort when she AJ calls out to her and quietly beckons them over, greeting her son and addressing the chaotic tech-merger as... "Uncle Zuse."

He's just now returning from inspecting the elevators, and ends up behind the cohort in time for Rebecca to see him. He waves back to her as if he expected this.

The cohort's collective brain breaks. They ask in the mindcraft about why AJ's mom called Zuse uncle. Zuse explains technically he's her great-uncle, as if that answered what they were really asking.

AJ quietly shares his confusion with his mother and shouts his confusion in the Mindcraft.

Zuse thinks they're all confused because they don't know what a great-uncle is, so he sincerely explains he's the brother of Rebecca's grandfather.

Rebecca gives AJ a hug and asks him what's wrong.

AJ bemoans how complicated and tangled his family tree keeps getting in the Mindcraft and explains to his mom that he didn't realize Zuse was his uncle.

Rebecca gives her great uncle, who physically appears close in age to her son, a look but asks the cohort if he's been taking care of them all. Zuse asks in the Mindcraft for them to tell her he's been doing good at his job.

Robert keeps his comments about the cohort taking more care of Zuse than the other way around contained to the mindcraft. Geri and AJ cover for Zuse and assure Rebecca he's been helpful.

AJ introduces the cohort by saying they're his friends and they've all helped keep him safe. Rebecca seems happy to hear all this and greets the cohort, asking if they're all from the ward run by her "in-law in-chief", Gabriel.

Before they can answer, Robert quietly announces that they should talk outside. There's a moment of confusion whether Robert saw something, and it turns out he was being overly cautious. They decide to stay where they are in the dark and din of crowds and recorded voices.

The cohort as a whole is antsy and on edge while they're chatting. AJ answers belatedly that they're from the ward and emphasizes that he couldn't've made it without them. He asks if his mom's okay, and where the people watching her think she is now.

Robert has another announcement, this time through the mindcraft. Agent Knox is in the museum with a woman. He's off-duty. The mindcraft becomes chaos.

Oblivious to the mindcraft discussion, Rebecca answers she doesn't report where she's going, but Gabriel's friends have deep government pockets - so it's reasonable to assume she could be watched.

AJ confirms they are watching her, so asks again where they think she is. She says the salon.

Geri snoops on Knox from afar, reconnecting to him with telepathy. She makes extra sure this time to keep him fully out of the mindcraft server. There's still a small trickle of the Long Man Song that slips into the Mindcraft Server from Knox's idle thoughts when she connects, which makes AJ forget what he was saying.

Grant asks if Zuse can fix the elevator, and Zuse says he'll try, but it seems to be legitimately broken.

From Rebecca's point of view, her son visibly spaces out, takes a moment to recover, then tells her to not panic but they've got company. He starts apologizing that he knows she had things to tell him but they don't have a lot of time. He walks with her to the back of the room with his big wrapped present, placing it on one of the tables, then immediately changes his mind to get it back.

Meanwhile, Geri finds out that Knox really is just there on a date. Unrelated, he knows Rebecca Werner-Holt is AJ's mom and someone the cohort would be likely to contact.... however, he is extremely hesitant to do anything that would endanger her. He heard Gabriel murdered the last person who put her in danger. The wildest rumor he heard was Gabe ripped out a guy's heart with his bare hand in a board meeting.

Rebecca's immediately concerned and asks AJ how he knows that, that they don't have a lot of time.

Geri passes on the information to the cohort and has to assure AJ Knox wasn't actively thinking about his mom, Geri had just gone digging for what he knew about Rebecca.

AJ... carefully says he has 'eyes all over the place.' She glances over to the cohort members who aren't paying attention to the conversation between mother and son. Robert keeps spacing out every so often when his consciousness oscillates between his clones and Grant is keeping a watchful eye for danger, ready to pounce.

She skeptically accepts but doesn't press further. She says she wasn't expecting it to be Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.

Unfortunately, with no one checking on him in a while, Zuse has grown bored. And there's lots of technology around. He wanders over to one of the computer display stations. Right as he's about to do something ill-advised, AJ asks again if he can get the elevator working. Zuse freezes with hand outstretched toward the screen and pouts, reluctantly agreeing to try again.

Grant suggests if the elevator can't be fixed, they can pull a fire alarm to cover their escape. Geri thinks it should be a last resort given it'll alert Knox and the whole 'all the cops are there' thing.

AJ and his mom have a touching moment of reminiscing, share a hug, and Rebecca tenderly fixes her son's mane of curls. After a short bit, she asks what information AJ's looking for.

Meanwhile, the soothing informational voice is replaced with an Ariana Grande song. Some kids in the area get very excited with the change in background audio. Zuse proudly announces in the Mindcraft that he found the speakers! Also the elevator's broken, broken. But speakers!

Grant asks for an update on Knox's location. Robert says he's in the food court with his date, and Grant points out they'll have to sneak right past him when they leave. Robert also has to make that clone back off since it got spotted but since it didn't look quite like Robert, Knox didn't recognize him.

AJ had attempted to insert code in his reminiscing, but didn't feel his mother was properly picking up on it. So while he's still chatting, he asks Geri to check her to see if she's REALLY his mom. He asks Rebecca about their family history. why his dad really left.

Rebecca does not like where this is going. She gently asks what he means, because he already knows why his father left. AJ replies he knows what she and Gabe told him... and he asks who Brody is.

Geri asks Grant to stay with her while she switchboards between all the minds. He agrees and sticks by her side, subtly keeping watch over her and the area.

Geri connects, keeping Rebecca's mind separate from both Knox and the Mindcraft. In Rebecca's mind, she hears the Long Man Song and then... curiosity. Awareness. Geri doesn't get anywhere meaningful in her search before she hears Rebecca's voice in their link, gently scolding her that it's very rude to read minds without permission. She reminds the young telepath she's been around the Society long enough to be prepared and asks her what she wanted.

Rebecca repeats the name Brody aloud... and glances to Geri. AJ says he heard Rebecca say the name, and asks if his father left them for a man.

In the Mindcraft, Geri suddenly yelps oops! with no context... and is quickly too distracted by talking with Rebecca to deal with the shitstorm she accidentally creates.

AJ panics in the Mindcraft and mentally shouts for Geri to activate the flashy-gal so they can make an escape. And for everyone to cover their eyes. Robert covers his.

In the private conversation, Geri... has no idea how to deal with getting mommed by AJ's mom, so she explains with no guile that AJ was concerned someone might have replaced her and had asked Geri to check.

Rebecca acknowledges it was smart of the kids to try to verify, but also says Gabriel would kick anyone's ass who tried... so they don't need to worry about that. Geri thanks her and ends the very awkward-for-her conversation.

Rebecca tells AJ that Brody is AJ's brother. AJ stares at her and protests; he doesn't believe her.

In the Mindcraft, AJ is sounding the alarm even harder. He shouts to Zuse that it can't be her - he doesn't have a brother!

Geri's now focused on the mindcraft and yells at AJ to wait. She awkward-laughs and explains AJ's mom's been around the Society enough to sense telepathy, but that's definitely AJ's mom.

Rebecca very quietly explains they made him forget. AJ's conflicted - immensely relieved he's not in a trap, but also. What the fuck. He can barely get the words out to formulate a coherent question, he has so many at once, but settles on 'why?'

Her pain is audible and written on her face as she explains Brody's gone. So she allowed Gabriel to have their memories altered, so try to let AJ live a normal life.

By then, Zuse has stopped playing with the speaker system and wandered back to the cohort, shuffling around in his flip-flops he's terrible at walking in. Rebecca notices him and adds that perhaps it's not possible to try to be normal in a family like theirs.

AJ gets increasingly distressed and asks what she means by gone and why does everyone keep lying to him?

She says AJ's father took Brody, and admits that she tried to let herself forget, too, but Mothers can never forget their children.

Robert, meanwhile, updates the cohort that Knox and his girlfriend are heading up to the planetarium. Geri asks which direction he's coming from. Robert saw them at the escalators.

Grant says the fire alarm sure sounds like a good idea about now... and Zuse is WAY too ready to pull it, already halfway across the room as soon as Grant suggests it.

Robert shouts in the Mindcraft for Zuse to NOT. Geri reminds them the fire exit is the only other exit and asks Zuse to disarm the fire alarm on the door for them.

AJ is still with his mother - betrayed, anger boiling under the surface. He says he wishes people would just tell him the whole truth for once - and lets that go for now. He tells his mother she's not safe, and they all need to go.

Rebecca looks around the room for danger, asking what's wrong, and asks why her uncle shuffling away looks like he's up to no good.

The rest of the cohort is sneaking toward the back fire exit and then, Knox and his girlfriend enter the planetarium. Robert spots him and warns AJ over the Mindcraft.

AJ doesn't answer his mother, instead grips her hand and stumbles slightly when he blanks out momentarily for a vision. He very seriously instructs her to wait there in the planetarium, and then leave. Immediately when she gets home, contact Gabe, invite him for breakfast tomorrow, and tell him they'll have it together. He then instructs her to place the wrapped present he brought in the center of the room, open it, step back, count to three, and turn around. He doesn't explain why.

The others are sneaky-rushing toward the exit with Zuse in front. He merges his arm with the door bar alarm to... disarm it.

Rebecca takes the present and tells AJ he's worrying her. But then, she spots Knox wandering around and tells AJ to get his friends out. She kisses him on the cheek and moves to put herself between Knox and her son, and keep him out of view. She approaches Knox and his girlfriend.

As the cohort scurries out the back, Rebecca greets the couple like it's been ages since they talked and she's so eager to catch up. Knox is... distinctly less than pleased by his date being interrupted by someone he knows through work, but he's cordial.

Zuse is the last one out the door and loses one of his flip flops on the rush down the exit. He has to run back to get it and pause to put it back on. Robert masks back up to keep from getting burned later.

Once they're back on the first floor, they're headed toward one of the back exits, but some of them spot some familiar faces in the entry line - Jake and Serena wearing camp counselor outfits surrounded by a group of Vacation Bible School kids.

Robert warns everyone not to confront them. Grant asks who, since he hadn't seen. AJ tells him not to worry about it and leave. Robert tells him it's Jake and Serena.

The cohort is so close to a clean exit. Not a single one of the enemy conspiracy agents have recognized them the entire time so far. None of the many cops in the area have had their attention drawn to them. They got what they came here for, they JUST need to make it to the van and get away quiet.

Geri can't fucking help herself and telepathies Serena without telling the cohort.

Grant starts losing his shit in the mindcraft and demands to know where Serena is because he's never seen her before. And she's involved with kidnapping his daughter.

Geri gets nothing, except the distinct sense she was noticed. She suddenly psychically yells at everyone to leave. Serena has stopped what she's doing in line and is searching the area for a certain dipshit baby telepath.

Robert's psychically yelling at Grant that now is not the time. Grant's yelling back just as loud demanding to know where the bitch is.

Geri joins in the psychic yelling that they can't fight her here with all the fucking cops and Knox.

Robert has an idea to stop the yelling, to draw attention away from Grant, and Grant's attention away from Serena. He thinks they got spotted anyway.

Without warning, he suddenly runs at his clone form's full speed of about 26 miles per hour through the back exit.

In fairness, it does momentarily stop the bickering, because the rest of the cohort's in shock that this just happened. Then there's a chorus of 'WHAT THE FUCK, ROBERT' as the cohort tries to drag Grant out the back exit in the new chaos Robert unleashed. A ton of random people saw the obvious supernatural. A kid thinks he's the Flash, but sick and pale.

It takes Zuse mildly zapping Grant before he finally relents on his need to tear Serena into a million pieces and lets the others pull him out. He's still trembling when they're outside.

Serena and Jake don't follow the cohort with the crowd now condensing around Robert.

The cohort manage to make it to the van, but not without the crowd watching Robert's moves to the van. Grant and Geri are boiling with rage the whole time, but they make it home safe.

For now.

[Music Outro: "Time Will Fail Us" by Troigo]

Thanks for listening, This has been Gather ‘Round The Trashfires with Bek Andrew Evans. Please subscribe to this podcast for future updates and leave a review or comment, I’d love to hear what you think.

AJ is played by Roen,

Geri is played by me,

Madison is played by Syn,

Robert is played by Pandito,

And our Storyteller is Casey Grant.

The intro theme is "_violence by Avantist" from the Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0.

The end theme is "Time Will Fail Us" by Troigo from the Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0.

If you like the songs, I encourage you to check out more of their work. I've linked their Bandcamps in the description.

Until next time.

Follow my Patreon at Patreon.com/BekAndrewTTRPG Check out my other work at linktr.ee/bekandrew Check out the Intro and Outro artists' Bandcamps! https://theavantist.bandcamp.com/music https://troigo.bandcamp.com/ Remember to subscribe and see y'all next week! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gather-round-the-trashfires/donations Transcript:

1 note · View note