#we'll get through it together

[neapeaikea]

I'm a little bit worried for the well-being of several people here, and the fandom as a whole, if Tommy turns out to be an ass tomorrow. What are we gonna do with all these amazing fics then, the ones already posted, and those in progress?

But like, I suppose even that is supposed to help Buck's growth and storyline along? idk it's a bit weird to do this mass-psychosis thing in real-time. The story is gonna go where the story is gonna go.

[fayeandknight]

I am pulling Forte from public access. While service dogs in training have full public access rights in the two states I occupy most, I no longer feel comfortable taking him into non pet friendly places.

His behavior at the beach the second day was really rough but I justified it due to the extreme weather conditions. However he was reactive on the hike (two days later) any time I couldn't create enough space between him and other dogs.

Growling at dogs who passed us at narrow spaces on the trail even if they were ignoring him. Growling at dogs who passed too close to our table while we were eating. Also there was some serious codependent stress with Faye that I don't know if it is a recent development or I just haven't been in a position to bring it out before.

When I take the dogs on outings it's either one on one or I'm handling both. But today I had a family member handling Faye and Forte had a really hard time with it.

When she was ahead of us his was pulling and whining and stressed out about not being next to her. He was better when we took the lead position but it's definitely an issue that he struggled with having her just a few paces ahead.

So yeah, I'm pulling him from PA until I can get these things sorted. I have some game plans in mind and I'll be consulting my boss for an outside perspective.

First and foremost, I just don't want him to have to live like that. I don't want him to be stressed out and reacting to other dogs who are just crossing paths with him. Nor do I want having Faye with us to be a source of anxiety.

But also that behavior is entirely unacceptable for a service dog, even one in training. I won't risk him reacting to another team in a non pet friendly place because that could put them in a bad position. I will not jeopardize another team for the sake of my own ego.

We'll keep practicing task work because he enjoys it. But public stuff will be in pet friendly places with confident neutrality as the goal. I'm hopeful we can work through it. But at this point we need to take a big step back and focus on him being okay around dogs.

It sucks. It really fucking sucks. And I feel a great deal of shame in admitting this. But this blog is meant to document our journey and sticking my head in the sand serves no one. Sometimes there are setbacks. Sometimes everything is going great until it isn't. Forte isn't a bad dog, he's just struggling. And it's my job to acknowledge that and help him through it.

[treluna4]

🏆 and ⛔️ for the Fanfic Writer Emoji Ask, please!

🏆 What's your most popular fic?

For the History Books

oh wow. That's surprising! I love that little fic.

⛔ Do you have a fic you started, but scrapped?

CW: Major character death

so, I started a fic a year ago that I haven't touched since. i have maybe half an outline so far. And although I don't think I'll ever actually finish it, I refuse to scrap it. I don't know why. but I can't.

Summary:

David dies. Patrick has to figure out how to move on. Everyone grieves in their own way and the town comes together to support him.

It's heavy. It's important. It's scary. I'll likely never finish it, but I refuse to fully scrap it.

[idealisticrealism]

(Warning, spoilers) Okay so I feel like I need to rant to someone about The Cleaning Lady because I'm sick and have just binged the whole series in I think 24 hrs( So l spoilers included here ). First of all, after S3 E1 decided to then google somethings and then find out Adan passed away and I'm just gobsmacked, he was waaaaay too young and had young kids and a wife? :( But I also have some thoughts about the series. S1 - loveeeeed! Like there was somethings that was a bit too much but the chemistry between Thony/Adan and Thony/Fi was great and for me that really made the show. I'm going to be honest and say I found S2 a bit too all over the place.But I do feel like Adan was the shining star in this season. I think they could have had a bit less of the Luca plot line and I wasn't a super big fan of Thony developed in this season. I just sort of wished as well, that Thony and Adan at some stage after their kisses or at least in S2 would just talk about their feelings for each other. I was so sure the S2 was going to end with Nadia turning Adan to Kamdar to show that she was still "evil" while Adan wanted to turn good because he meet Thony. Because honestly, I just felt so confused to his feelings about Nadia, and they didn't grow the Thony/Adan bond either since they didn't even kiss even though both were at one point both available. Like when he came to her house, I 100% thought they would finally hook up. Sorry for my rant, just needed to write some thoughts off. Not saying they are right just my opinions.

Haha hi anon. I am always happy to receive messages about this show, rants or otherwise, so welcome :)

First off, I really feel for you with how you found out about Adan-- being right in the middle of a brand new obsession and then suddenly being hit with the knowledge that we'd lost such a vital part of it? That must have been really tough. Most of us had a couple of months to adjust to the news before the show came back, and honestly that was hard enough.

As for your feelings about S1 and S2, they're pretty normal! I think most people loved S1 and the amazing Armony chemistry, and found the "My son is dying!" situation a tiny bit repetitive. Lots of people would also agree with you about S2 and the physical distance that formed between Thony and Arman. I think we were all desperately hoping for a kiss scene or two (myself included), though I'm one of the few that actually felt that not getting an S2 Armony kiss made a lot of sense, and that their bond was actually still beautifully developed and built upon in S2 even without them getting more physical. In general, I feel that the way the characters were written in S2 was actually very well done, particularly Thony, who made realistically irrational decisions in high stress situations, and then had to deal with the consequences. If you scroll back on my blog you'll see a bunch of posts with many many words about my feelings on the subject lol, or you can check out the TCL tag which certainly has posts with less positive perspectives- but like you said, I'm not trying to say that either take is right or wrong! We all have our opinions and that's okay. Mine enable me to get the most enjoyment possible out of something that I already love, so I'm sticking with them.

Anyway I hope that you will continue to watch and enjoy the show, but if not, at least there'll always be Thony and Arman slowdancing by the firelight to look back on....

[runawaymun]

moment of silence for absolutely anyone who was in the middle of a cliffhanger/slowburn/a makeup sex scene/etc when AO3 went down today 

[bildads-shoes]

honestly i'm a bit obsessed with their wings. every scene i'm like ok but do you have wings? will you have wings? when will you have wings???

[dykealloy]

supernova idiots supercut

[daisynik7]

you know what's hilarious? aside from all the delicious choso smuts I am reading right now, THIS is the image that is sending me into orbit around him

[feminaferitas]

"She wants us to."

[simplepotatofarmer]

i am going to fix this stew into something edible so help me!!

[xoxoemynn]

Things I'm doing today to cope with the news that OFMD won't be finding a new home:

Cry. Duh.

An eye mask, to deal with the side effects of crying. Roach and Fang would approve. Self-care is sooo important.

I'm going to have my first appointment with a new therapist. The decision to finally start therapy was a direct result of a Rhys Cameo hitting a bit too close to home, and then supported by friends I made in this fandom.

I'm going to support some artists by purchasing some OFMD merch.

I've purchased a Blu-Ray of the show off eBay. I've seen so many helpful guides around torrents, etc., but the sad fact is I am lazy about learning new technology and just want to be able to watch on my TV with no effort.

I'm going to read at least one fic that's been on my MFL for ages and leave the author lots of love.

I'm going to noodle on my own WIPs, and if I'm able to get the energy, I'm even going to write.

It's a gorgeous day outside, so I'm going to go for a walk and enjoy the sunshine. Captain's orders.

I'm going to take every opportunity I can to shower our crew with love. I'll be honest, my heart is very fragile right now and I'm not sure if I'm really up for, let's say, enthusiastic loving? But once I've recovered a bit I am going to be SMOTHERING all of you with love. (And in the meantime, please know there's still plenty of room in the blanket fort and I am giving you all the tightest of hugs.)

Hope you all are finding ways to get through. Always here for anyone who needs to chat, mutuals or not. I may not be able to respond right away because, well, see above. I'm having a day! And so should all of you. Much love. 💕

[fayeandknight]

Shared the weekend and my concerns with my boss, who specializes in reactivity and behavior modification.

She said it was likely a combination of age, he's just about to turn 2, possibly some resource guarding of Faye, and a perfect set of bad events to kick it all off.

He didn't react at any of the dogs at work, though I did notice some staring/loading at the door when he was laying down while we were talking. I interrupted him with some engagement games and he was able to resettle without issue after.

Stopped at the dog park after work and had Forte practice basic obedience in the parking lot. I set a timer for 15 minutes to make sure the session stayed short. We began about 100 feet away and I noticed that he was distracted and only half paying attention to me. So I kept my rewards interesting and generous and after about 5 minutes he was moving more loosely and paying more attention to me.

He did growl and fixate when a fight broke out inside the park but he redirected his attention fairly quickly. That was his only outburst. So I feel like I've got a good read on where things stand and what we need to work through it.

Not where I'd hoped we be training wise. But dog training isn't linear.

[we-were-so-beautiful]

3. taxi

oh man, this one FOUGHT me y'all. so much cutting and pasting. I am not even kidding when I say that everything that happens in this chapter was supposed to be part of the last one, and I gave up and cut that one off early because I was sick of trying to finish this part. and now this is my longest chapter yet. you know, out of all three of them. at 1.3k. lol. I am not, how do you say, fast. but I was hoping I'd be able to get a chapter written over christmas, and I'm really proud of myself for finishing it!

Content warnings for this chapter: box boy universe, pet whump, dehumanization, cage mention, rampant classism. As always, please tell me if there's anything else I need to tag.

[masterlist] [chapter two] [chapter four]

“Okay I know they’re supposed to be expensive but what can you possibly be charging this much money for.”

“Adoption fees are to offset the cost of room, board and medical care while at the facility,” the employee parrots, without so much as the decency to look ashamed. 

“He does not look like he has had literally any of those things while he’s been here. Or possibly in his entire life.”

“Ma’am, if you cannot afford the adoption fee, then you cannot adopt a Pet.”

“Oh, I can afford it,” Vanessa growls, handing over a very shiny credit card before her mouth can get her in enough trouble to stop the employee from taking it. She bites her lip until she tastes copper to keep from saying, I’d just rather put it towards something that isn’t blatantly and obviously going right back into Worldwide Rehabilitative Un-fucking-limited’s pockets despite the fact that this is supposed to be a goddamn government facility.

Harm reduction, she reminds herself. Paying extortionate fees to kill shelters is still harm reduction. It’s the unsavory truth, but it doesn’t make the blood in her mouth taste any sweeter.

“Sign here,” the woman says, handing her credit card back along with a digital pad and stylus, and Vanessa cracks her wrist before she takes them. It’s sore and snapping like a glowstick from the mountain of paperwork she’s already been made to sign since the employee unceremoniously hauled the man on the floor behind her down from his double-high-stacked wire crate. She can’t decide whether to consider it an obscenely large amount, or an obscenely little one for all that it represents.

She can’t think about it too hard. Can’t draw too much of her own attention to the fact that she’s really doing this, or she might just run screaming back out into the grey-tinted autumn afternoon, and then where would this guy be? 

She scribbles her name on the touchpad, and just like that… it’s done.

—

“Don’t forget your leash and collar,” the employee reminds her.

“I won’t be using those,” Vanessa says, with all the imperious rich-lady self-assurance she can fake.

“You will if you don’t want to be liable for civil and/or criminal penalties up to and including the permanent forfeiture of your right to Pet ownership,” the woman drones like she’s rattling it off from a handbook, and nobody has the right to own a person but even Vanessa knows better than to argue the system with someone who literally works for it.

She grinds her teeth as she takes the lengths of bulky blue nylon from the woman. She crouches beside the man, who’s bent himself into an odd kneeling fetal position on the cold tile floor. “Sorry,” she whispers as she slides the coarse material around his throat, feeling his pulse beat harsh and rapid underneath. She hopes she’s being quiet enough that the employee won’t hear her talking to him like a person—because he is a person, goddamnit—but she knows better than to trust her own volume. Best if she can get the fuck out of here with him now, before she makes a mistake.

She really doesn’t want to lead this dude crawling down the street like an animal. Doesn’t want to imagine what people will think. But she asks him, “Can you stand?”, and he makes a sound like a choking dog, and so much for both their dignity, she fucking guesses.

“Ugh, fine, whatever, just… come on.”

—

Fuck standing, the guy can barely support himself on all fours. His joints threaten to buckle at every step as Vanessa urges him out onto the chilly sidewalk. Coat of dirt aside, he’s got nothing on him but a pair of boxers as filthy as he is and that godawful blue collar, and when his bare skin meets the frigid pavement his body clenches so hard she can practically hear his teeth slam shut.

She looks at the unwashed man before her, shivering hard enough to rattle his bones in the cold October air. Looks at her thick brown coat. Ugh, she likes this coat, the lining is stitched in in all the right places to keep the texture of the shell from making her want to climb out of her own skin and no amount of dry cleaning in the world is going to convince her to put it on again once it touches… whatever the fuck is all goddamn over this guy. She sighs and shrugs it off.

Fuck fuck fuck it’s cold. She’s shivering herself in just plain blue jeans and her second favorite Cure t-shirt. But a million “if you’re cold, they’re cold!” memes flash through her mind and she grumbles aggrievedly and drapes the wool coat over his massive, gaunt frame. This dude has like a foot on her standing, she remembers when the lapels will barely pull around his shoulders. She’s gonna have to shake Austin down for clothes.

God, it feels beyond fucked up to have a person on a leash, and it doesn’t help that the cheap blue nylon feels plasticky in her hand and she hates the texture. She can’t imagine how much worse it must feel around the throat of the shuddering man before her. She’s taking the damn thing off him as soon as she gets him home, she’ll get him a better one if Roselle can’t find her a loophole and she absolutely fucking has to, but when the fifth or sixth cab passes her by without even slowing down she starts to wonder how the hell she’s going to get him home at all.

—

“You want to go to the corner,” the employee says boredly, not so much as looking up from her newspaper when Vanessa shoulders her way back through the door.

“You what?” Vanessa echoes.

“The corner. Better if you go another block or two, even. Cabs don’t stop in front of the shelter.”

Of course they don’t, Vanessa thinks. 

She hipchecks the door back open and returns to the stupid goddamn hitching post they so conveniently provide along the front wall of the shelter, where she’s awkwardly strung up the loop of the stupid blue leash. “Hey, uh, dude? I’m gonna go up the street a bit, okay, I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

He barely acknowledges that he’s heard her, curled back up under her coat in that same odd position with his forearms tucked into his chest. “...not that you would,” she adds dubiously, before power-walking away to the next block.

Vanessa hisses through her teeth in the bleak grey air and rubs at her goosebump-riddled arms, but true to the employee’s disaffected word it’s only a matter of minutes this time before a cab driver catches her wave and pulls over. “Thanks,” she says as she tumbles in. “I’m going back to the Heights. Need to pick someone up first, though. Just on the next block.”

The driver looks skeptical, but he rolls down the quiet street all the same—until he clocks the shelter just as Vanessa tells him to stop. “No. Nuh uh. No way. I don’t let Pets in my cab.”

“I’ll double your fare. Up front.”

The driver shakes his head, staring revulsed in the direction of the hitching post. “Not worth all that crud on my seats.” Oh. Great. He’s seen him.

“What if I cover the seats. Newspaper.”

The driver sizes her up with a calculating gaze, one elbow propped on the back of his seat, and somewhere in the middle of wanting to punch him for looking at her she finds herself wishing for once that she’d dressed… richer. Finally, he grouses, “Triple fare. And the meter’s runnin’ while ya cover ‘em.”

“Fine,” Vanessa spits, and sprints out with the door wide open before he has time to change his mind.

She barges into the shelter one last time, hopefully the last fucking time in her life if she has any say in it. Leaning over the counter, with a grin that’s probably a little too smug for her to be proud of, she snatches the newspaper directly out of the apathetic employee’s complicit hands.

-

taglist: @maracujatangerine @pigeonwhumps @tragedyinblue @marchtothefuckingsea @octopus-reactivated @briars7

[onyourowndaisymae]

hooooooo brother this is so sweet i think i'm gonna collapse. the burden solomon must feel as your guardian in the new timeline, the guilt for being the reason why you were at the fountain in the first place to get cursed, the worry haunting him knowing that you're asleep in the house of lamentation and he can't check on you whenever he wants.... AHHHHHH

[rearranging-deck-chairs]

13, trying to prevent yaz from spiralling when they get separated: i need you to do a deepdive into eschatology

[bununuu]

bonus screenshot that makes me laugh/cry because of everyone just letting them have their moment: