#[[ just minus the rings/jewelry and stuff. ]]

[hughiecampbelle]

Hii! I'd like to get shipped with someone of the boys, and it can be pretty much any character except from the seven

Info: I dyed my hair purple, I have blue eyes that seem gray in some lighting. I love fire for no particular reason, and I dress in more baggy clothing, and sometimes goth (minus the makeup). I enjoy all kinds of music, and usually put on music whenever I need to do chores or travel somewhere. I love going to second hand stores, but I dislike going furniture shopping

I love drawing, though I prefer drawing abstract things rather than realism. I love animals, and my favorite animal is a cow <3

I love wearing lots of rings and bracelets, and I enjoy necklaces too, but I often forget to put them on

I don't have any tattoos yet, but some day I'd love to get wings tattooed on my shoulder blades/back, I'm not sure whether I want bug wings or feathered wings yet, maybe I'll even do bat wings (so in this case, let's pretend I already have that)

I'm really good at being quiet and sneaking up on people, I often accidently scare people

I even manage walking up creaking stairs QUIETLY, somehow

I'm not a very fast runner, but I am steady when it comes to standing. Like, if someone would suddenly jump on my back, I'd barely stumble, so maybe that's interesting

Thank you so much!!

Hi my love! I ship you with: Frenchie!!!! He loves your jewelry. He's not sure why it drives him wild, but seeing the many rings on your fingers and bracelets on your wrists just does it for him. He's always trying to find the perfect additions to your collection, shopping second hand for something as cool and unique as you as well as something that fits your overall style and aesthetic. He loves watching you take it off at night and put it on when you're getting ready in the morning. He also loves the idea of you getting tattoos. Frenchie is all for that aesthetic and definitely helps you figure out where and what you want to get. You'll look amazing with wings on your back.

You love his intelligence. Frenchie is incredibly smart and resourceful, but this kind of thing gets forgotten or ignored until The Boys need his help with something like isolating the virus. He knows a lot about random things and shows it off to you, more comfortable around you than anyone else. He was the first to pick up on Kimikos sign language and become fluent in it. He always gets the answer right when you're watching those cheesy game shows with wheels and hidden letters. He does the crossword puzzle in record time. His intelligence blows you away constantly and you're always reminding him he's more capable than he gives himself credit for. Your relationship is silly. You and Frenchie have so much drama in your lives, you both need an outlet that is fun and silly and goofy. You rarely take things seriously when it comes to your relationship. Your dates are spontaneous and impulsive and random. Even when you accidentally scare him because your footsteps are so quiet, it always ends in laughs. Of course when it's necessary, you two can have a serious conversation. After Butcher gets him back after turning himself in, you two have a long conversation about guilt and shame and not feeling good enough for one another. It's not always easy, especially with the lives you live, but you know, no matter what, you can come to one another looking for a laugh and a little relief from the every day stressors. Your first date isn't actually a date. Rather you and Frenchie are the last two to leave. Since neither of you want to go home, you end up watching movies together late into the night. He tells you random facts he knows about the weapons the bad guys use or the name of the camera angle they're using or what a certain scene is called. He just knows this kind of stuff. He laughs it off, calling it useless, but you don't think so. You two really get talking and end up falling asleep together, waking up only when Annie's walked in and brought coffee. You're embarrassed, but you also know something in your relationship has shifted. After that, you spend countless nights doing the same thing, watching and talking until you fall asleep. It's something you really look forward to after an especially hard day. Relationship Headcanon: Frenchie loves helping you dye your hair. He's been helping you with it for as long as you've been together and each time he gets a little better at it. He jokingly calls himself a professional and the apartment bathroom your salon. He still gets it all over himself, in his own hair, all over his hands and clothes, but he's never minded. He knows how much you like the purple, how confident it makes you feel, and that's all that matters. You do your best to clean him up afterwards, laughing at the bright purple stains across his face. He wears those spots with pride.

Hope you like it my love!!! Xoxoxo💜💜💜

SHIPS ARE CLOSED

[broiderie]

Lost Princessa: Meet the Reaper 16

*insert evil laugh here* I know some people have been waiting for this chapter.

I want to note - this chapter has the bonfire at the Rez. I am associated with a completely different tribe than Megan and Taza. Completely different. Other side of the country. So I tried to keep it a little vague while still catching some of the wonder that I experienced at my first bonfire. No offence is intended if I got some tribal things wrong.

That being said, let the fun begin.

Don't steal my shit.

Warnings: cursing, vague doctor shit (that actually happened to me when I was younger), negotiations with (technically) terrorists, Megan's first Templo at home.

Taza knocked softly on the adjoining door of the bedrooms and cracked it when Hank didn’t answer. He smiled as he saw Megan curled against his friend. “All good, hermano?” he called softly. 

Hank waved him forward. “A hard conversation. She wore herself out again.”

“Anything I need to know?” Taza asked, stepping fully into the room.

Hank sighed. “That’s for her to decide, Taza. It’s… not something I feel comfortable sharing on her behalf.”

Taza nodded. “We have plenty of time. Adam sent her up something. His daughters can’t wear the skirt and shirt anymore. He thought she might like something like what the other girls will be wearing tonight.”

Hank smiled. “She might.”

Taza sat the outfit down on the dresser. “When she wakes up, let me know if she wants her hair done, will you?”

A few hours later, the bedroom door opened and Megan stepped out. Hank had helped her dress in the white peasant blouse and colorful ribbons skirt Taza had left for her. She carried her jewelry box and hair stuff.

Marcus grinned. “Well aren’t you pretty, Poquito.” He stood and took things from her hand so that he could spin her. Her skirt flared prettily.

Megan giggled. “Thanks, Tío.”

Bishop smiled at her from his seat. “Your papa will be out in a minute.”

“Okay. Hank’s getting changed too. We’re leaving our kuttes here tonight. I hope that’s okay.” Megan walked with Marcus as her escort to join Bishop at the table. 

“What do you mean, Papa?”

“Good,” Taza said as he joined them minus his own. “Tonight, you get to learn right along with Hank, Chica.

 

Taza took her jewelry case and pulled the beaded choker out to tie on for her. “Hank’s never been to one of these either. He won’t know the dances any more than you do. He won’t know the stories or the culture. You’ll be on completely equal footing.”

Megan laughed and lifted her hair for him to fasten the necklace. “For once…”

Once the necklace was on, he kissed her hair. “Do you want your braids, Chica? Or do you want to leave your hair down?”

“I think I’ll leave it down, Papa. Hank likes it down.”

Bishop snorted into his glass. “Trying to short circuit his brain, Poquito?”

Megan giggled. “Maybe a little bit.”

Taza laughed. “Alright, Chica, but how about if I just braid the top part back? I found something pretty in the lobby store…”

“Okay.” She smiled and sat in one of the chairs where he could braid just the top part of her hair back out of her face. He fastened it and then slid a few silver rings though the braid with tiny beaded feathers hanging from them. 

“There. Beautiful.” Taza pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. 

Hank came out fastening the sleeves of his button down with Megan’s rebozo over his shoulder. “You forgot your wrap, mi princessa,” he said before he looked up. He smiled when he did. The way Taza had done her hair showed off her high cheekbones. “Mi reina hermosa…” Rex followed him out with his harness already in place.

Megan took her rebozo from him with a kiss and a smile. “Thank you, mi caballero.”

Creeper joined them shortly after and they were ready to go.

The bonfire was taking place in the desert behind the casino. The fire had been lit at sundown and now in the full dark, it was easy to find. Drum beats echoed through the desert night and rhythmic singing in a language Megan didn’t recognize joined it. As they walked towards the fire, Taza explained that the musicians and dancers took turns with the elders of the tribe telling legends and stories. Most of the people there were Navajo to their Apache, but there were some of their tribe there as well. Around the fringes of the firelight were pop up canopies that served things like frybread, Navajo tacos, and chili.

“So it’s like a pow wow, almost,” Megan said smiling. “I used to go to the public pow wow back in Tennessee.”

“Basically,” Taza said. “But there’s no prize money or competition here. Just celebrating culture. They don’t advertise these. Anyone at the casino who gets curious can come, but most don’t.”

Megan stumbled a little in the dark and Hank steadied her.

“There will also be some tribal artists there, so don’t be afraid to look around, Chica.”

They reached the bonfire and spread the blankets they’d carried with them on the ground that was still warm from the sun. They were in a good spot to see the dancers who were currently in the circle. 

The men smiled as Megan became immediately entranced by the drums and the dancers. She sat on the beach blanket with Rex. Taza sat down next to her and began explaining the stories behind the dances while Hank sat behind ehr. He scooted so that her back was to his chest so she could lean back into him and rest. Creeper joined them after slipping off to buy bottles of water.

Megan spent the night learning about the culture around her. Taza introduced her to members of the tribe he knew and taught her the basic step to some of the dances. Hank joined in for the dance lesson and they all laughed when they realized that he wasn’t actually that great at it.

Taza chuckled when some of the little girls nearby corrected him on the steps for a shawl dance. They led Megan to the side and taught her the way they had been taught, enjoying her questions and cheering her successes. They admired her rebozo and showed her their own shawls with colorful ribbons and designs sewed into them. When it was time for the shawl dance in the circle, the little girls led Megan out with them to dance it.

Hank videoed Megan’s laughing attempt to keep up with the little girls as they spun and bounced. He looked over to see Creeper and Taza snapping pictures as well.

When Megan was tired, she came back to the blanket to rest. She was joined by a few of the little girls who had so adopted her. Soon, the storytelling began. Taza translated for her when the stories were in tribal languages, but some of them were in English. While Megan was entranced with the stories, Hank slipped away.

He found the little girls from earlier who weren’t already sprawled on the blanket with Megan, and recruited them to help him find Megan a gift. He explained that it was her birthday and he wanted to find her something to remember tonight by. They took him to the jewelry and clothing vendors on the other side of the circle. One little girl showed him beaded hair combs she thought would be pretty on Megan. Another found a bracelet woven of green string. The littlest one tugged on his pants leg and pointed out a pair of silver and turquoise earrings. Hank bought them all and tucked them away into his pockets. He also found a vendor who sold charms and bought a silver feather for her charm bracelet.

The night got later and Megan shifted to laying with her head in Taza’s lap as he translated stories for her and stroked her hair out of her face. Mothers came to collect the little girls with smiles for the little family. As it approached midnight, Megan’s eyes blinked closed and she dozed to the sound of the drums. 

Adam came and joined Taza on the blanket, grinning when he realized that Megan had fallen asleep. “Has she enjoyed herself?” he asked. 

Taza chuckled. “I think so. She hasn’t wanted to leave. Every time we’ve tried she’s insisted that she wants to stay longer.”

Adam chuckled. “My granddaughter says she taught her to dance.”

“I apparently wasn’t teaching her the right way. They corrected me,” Taza said with a grin.

“It’s good that she’s interested in learning, brother. Bring her back anytime. She would benefit from some time with her ancestors.” Adam patted his shoulder and stood. “She’s strong. Only fitting that we can help make her stronger.”

“Thank you.” He looked down with a small smile and stroked Megan’s dark hair some more. 

Hank carried Megan back to the rooms when everything started to wind down. She’d had a long and eventful day. 

—----

The next morning, Bishop and Riz waited in the small conference room downstairs for Taza, Hank and Megan to return from the doctor’s office. They’d been waiting only a short time when Adelita joined them.

“Buenos días, Adelita. Thank you for meeting us,” Bishop said, standing to shake her hand.

Luisa nodded politely. “Buenos días, Bishop, Riz. When we spoke on the phone, you mentioned a possible alliance…”

“Of course. If you don’t mind, we’re waiting on a few more members before we discuss business. They took Megan to get checked out after her pain yesterday,” Riz explained.

“Of course. How is Megan? She looked… distressed… is that the word?... yesterday.” Adelita took a seat at the table and the men joined her.

Bishop nodded. “She’s alright. She was in a lot of pain from her cast. More than any of us knew. They’ve gone to get it taken care of this morning. They texted to say they were on their way back, so they’ll be here soon.”

“May I ask… how was she injured?” Adelita asked quietly. “Her injuries are quite serious.”

“A car accident when she was abducted recently,” Bishop explained. “She’s had a very hard time. She’s the one who actually thought we’d be able to help each other though.”

Luisa smiled. “She is strong then.”

“Very,” Riz agreed. 

There was a knock at the door, but before any of them could stand, it opened to reveal Taza. Behind him, Hank came with Megan tucked into his side and Rex’s leash in the other hand.

“Ah! Good. Sorry we’re late. Doc made us wait while he gave Megan another shot,” Taza explained. “He was worried about side effects.”

Megan smiled at them. “Good morning, Adelita, Tío, Riz.”

“Morning, Poquito. How’s the arm?” Bishop asked, standing to hug her.

“Alright. The doctor put me in a soft cast instead of plaster. He thinks my collarbone will heal much faster without the weight. I hope you haven’t been waiting too long,” she replied, hugging him and then moving to shake hands with Adelita.

Once everyone was seated, Bishop gestured to Megan. “Well Poquito, your idea - your meeting.”

Megan frowned but nodded. “Yes, sir.” She looked at Luisa. “We have a proposal for your rebels, but first - do you have access to a shipping port in Mexico? One that can take fairly large shipments and that you have total control over?”

Luisa looked thoughtful. “We might. It would depend on how large the shipments are. This is not a deal with Galindo, is it?” she asked calmly.

“No ma’am. This would be between Los Olvidados and Mayans M.C. Miguel Galindo is a buyer from us - but not part of this negotiation.” She looked to Bishop. “As for shipment size…”

“Anywhere from fifteen to thirty oil drums - about once every six weeks,” Riz supplied.

Adelita nodded. “That could be arranged. What is being… hidden?”

Megan looked to Bishop again, but he just nodded at her. She smiled. “Guns. Mayans M.C. is taking over the gun trade from a club up north. We’d be receiving shipments of weapons from Ireland,” Megan explained. 

“And what would we benefit from this arrangement?” Luisa asked.

“Fifteen percent of the profits we’d make from the sale of the weapons. That’s a large chunk of money, every six weeks for your organization to use in whatever way you see fit.” Megan said, looking at her. “Los Olvidados receives the shipment and assembles the weapons. Santo Padre Mayas transport and sell.”

Adelita leaned back in her chair thoughtfully. “Fifteen percent? That seems low. Especially for the risk of storing the weapons… twenty-five would be more fair.”

Megan shook her head. “If you control the port and already have strongholds for storing supplies in place - where is your risk? We risk it all transporting them across the border and to buyers. Eighteen percent.”

Luisa chuckled. “Ah, but we would need to pay off more officials for dangerous cargo such as guns. This is not bags of rice to feed hungry orphans. Twenty-two percent.”

“Fair - but you already own those officials and we know it. If you didn’t we would have already found you weeks ago. And your people are most likely already trained in the assembly process. Twenty percent.”

“Twenty percent and first option to buy when we have a big operation,” Luisa said. “We won’t even ask for a discount.”

Megan once again looked to her godfather. This time when he nodded she could see the pride in his eyes. She turned back to Luisa with a smile. “Done.”

Luisa smiled back. “You are very good at this, Armorer.” She offered her hand to shake, which Megan took. “I will put you in touch with my second, Paulo. We’ll get things arranged.” Adelita rose. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Mr. Galindo is waiting to take me back to my people.”

As they exchanged goodbyes, a knock sounded on the door and it opened to reveal Angel. His eyes followed Adelita as she left and until she turned the corner. Megan noticed. 

“Need something, Angel?” Riz asked.

“Just wanted to let you know we’re all packed up. El Padrino finished his meeting about ten minutes ago too, so we can roll out at any time.” Angel said, standing a bit awkwardly at the door.

Bishop nodded. “Good. We can go home and call a table. Then we can call Charming with news.” He looked to Megan with a smirk. “Beautifully done, Poquito. I’m impressed.”

Megan kind of ducked her head and shrugged, hiding her embarrassed grin behind a curtain of hair. “I didn’t do anything…”

Taza scoffed and looked to the other men in disbelief. “You just negotiated exactly what we wanted - with no extra concessions on our part - with one of the most dangerous women on this continent, Chica.”

“And you made her think it was her idea -” Riz pointed out. “Plus - you giving her first option to buy - that just means we gained ANOTHER client that no one had before. Do you know how hard that is to do in this business?”

Megan laughed. “I just treated it like a horse auction - not a big deal.”

Hank chuckled. “Only you would compare an international arms deal to a horse auction, mi amore.” He stood and offered her his hand to help her join him. “Come on. Let’s go take the pooch for a walk before we get in the car.”

The drive back home was long, but Megan passed the time happily talking to Hank about her new bike and the plans for the party for her birthday. She was excited. Bishop had given in before they left and called Charming to see if Chibs was interested in meeting. 

Chibs and Tig were on their way down even as the Mayans made their way back to SanPas. And - per request of the birthday girl herself - Venus was coming too. Happy had, unfortunately, been sent North to settle another issue for the club, so he wouldn’t be able to come.

They pulled into the clubhouse gate at about dinner time. Chuckie rolled it closed behind them.

As the men all dismounted in the pit, Hank grinned at Megan from the driver’s seat of her car. “Glad to be home, mi amore?”

Megan smiled and leaned over to kiss him softly. “Yeah. I am.”

Hank cupped her cheek in one of his large hands and kissed her back. “Good. Let’s go inside and debrief. Then we can go home for the night.”

He got out and unloaded Rex before coming to open her door. Rex followed him easily without a leash. Megan got out and immediately went to the trunk to retrieve Rex’s bowls for the clubhouse and one of the motorcycle tire toys. 

Chuckie approached to help her, but stopped when the big dog growled at him.

“Easy, Rex. Just another new friend.” Megan dropped down to put her arm around him. “It’s okay, Chuckie. Come meet Rex. He just doesn’t know you yet.”

“I accept that…” said the little book keeper as he came cautiously forward to be introduced. Once Rex had his scent mixed with Megan’s, the dog’s tongue lolled out in a doggy grin. Chuckie did his best to pet the dog. 

Hank laughed and got the supplies from the trunk. “Get used to him, Chuck. He’s la princessa’s shadow.”

“Dogs are very good judges of character. I’ll add dog treats to the bar order…” Chuckie said, making Megan giggle.

“Thanks, Chuckie.” She stood and dusted herself off.

“Of course, Princess Megan. Welcome home and happy belated birthday.”

“Thank you,” she smiled and laughed as they all went inside.

Megan handed the dog bowls to EZ. “Would you find a good place for Rex’s bowls for me please, EZ? I have a feeling Tío Bishop-”

A sharp whistle cut through the evening. “Let’s get to table so we can go home,” Bishop called.

“- is going to call Templo…” she finished with a smile.

“Of course, Princessa. If you’ll leave your phone with me - I’ll get it set up for Amazon. Taza gave me all the account info.” EZ gave her a grin and held his hand out for her phone. 

Megan handed it over as she turned to head into her first official Templo. Rex fell in right at her heels. Taza waited for her at the door with a grin. When she reached the stained glass door, he slid his arm around her shoulders and escorted her to the high backed chair between his chair and Hank’s.

Megan admired the intricately carved table for a moment before Bishop banged the gavel making her jump as he called the meeting to order. All eyes turned to him. 

“I know we’re all tired from the drive, but before we go home for the night, we need to catch everyone up on some shit.” Bishop looked around the table. “Let’s start with the easy shit - Megan, what did the Doc say?”

Taza chuckled. Of all the things they needed to discuss tonight, that’s what Bishop decided to lead with. 

Megan smiled a little. “He said I’m healing well. The break in my wrist is actually a fracture - painful but not something that should have been in the plaster cast with my collarbone being broken too. He cut it off and gave me a soft cast that doesn’t weigh as much. I’ll be able to take it off to shower and stuff now too. Without the weight of the cast - he thinks about a week and a half before the sling can come off. I’ll still have to wear the soft cast for another three plus weeks though.”

“And the pain you were in yesterday?” Creeper asked quietly. “He say what that was?”

Taza answered. “Shitty work at the hospital. They casted her arm when it was flat on the table. Meant her arm was basically twisted all the time in the sling. Most of her pain has actually been muscle spasms from the awkward cast position. The muscles pulling on her broken bone was causing major issues.”

“So - that jackass doctor at the hospital that knocked her out without any reason to, made her be in worse pain because he’s a shitty doctor too?” Gilly asked with a growl.

“Basically,” Taza agreed.

“Oh fuck that shit. We gonna let him get away with that?” Gilly asked angrily.

Megan eased herself closer to Hank as Gilly got loud and felt Rex lay his head in her lap from under the table.

“Cool it, man,” Hank said, sliding his arm along the back of Megan’s chair so that she could move closer. “The doctor isn’t club business. That’s Megan’s choice.”

“But -” Gilly said, smacking the table. 

“No fucking ‘but’, Gilly. And settle your ass down. She doesn’t need your shit temper right now,” Hank growled.

Megan swallowed hard, but tried to sit up straight and not hide in Hank’s side. She had to get used to things getting heated if she was going to be at the table.

Marcus was across from Taza at the table and cleared his throat. “That’s good news, though, Poquito. Means we’ve got about a month until your quince party.”

Megan smiled at him a little shakily. “Hopefully, Tío.”

Bishop nodded. “That is good news.” He looked at Gilly. “And Hank is right. Cool it.”

“Sorry, Bish,” Gilly said sullenly.

Bishop nodded. “Second order of business - the Irish gun deal.”

Everyone sat forward. 

“We spoke to Adelita today. Los Olvidados does have a port we can use for the shipments.” He paused at a few excited whoops from the men. “Furthermore, our Armorer once again proved herself to be exactly what we need. She set the terms of the deal in our favor. Los Olvidados will receive the guns, store and even assemble them on their side of the border. We will run the guns and handle the buyers.” He grinned at Megan. “AND - they’ll do all that for twenty percent and first option to purchase guns when they have a big operation. Purchase them AT FULL PRICE,” he finished proudly.

The men cheered and banged on the table as Megan laughed and hid her face against Hank’s shoulder.

“Well done, Poquito. Well done,” Marcus congratulated her as he lit a cigarillo and smiled. Once everyone quieted down, he continued. “That means everything to our club. This deal…” he looked around at everyone around the table. “This deal will make ALL of our charters lives better. Between the H and the guns, we may be on our way to becoming the center of the M.C. world on this side of the country.”

Everyone grinned and nodded.

“So - tomorrow the Reaper will be paying us a visit along with quite a few members of the Oakland charter. We’ll have Templo to vote on the gun deal and then…” Bishop paused to grin. “Then we get to throw our Armorer her first birthday party.”

More whoops followed that with more table banging.

He looked at Riz and Creeper. “How’s the planning going?”

Creeper answered. “Got meat coming from Angel and EZ’s pop for the grills. Cake ordered per Mama Loza’s instructions.”

Riz picked up the report. “Rest of the food - Vickie and the girls have covered as well as the music. They’re also coming tomorrow morning to decorate. Bar is fully stocked including enough Jamison to sink the Scot twice over. Bar work is covered too since our barkeeper won’t be on duty.”

Coco piped up, “Chuckie said he thinks everything ordered got here. He gave it to Letty to take care of.”

Megan looked around wide-eyed. “You weren’t joking?” she asked.

Taza kissed her head. “Hardly, sweet Chica. We don’t joke about parties often.”

Creeper grinned at her. “Told you we’d be sure you enjoyed the party, Little Princess.”

“Alright. Sounds like everything  is in order. Anyone got anything else to add?” Bishop asked, looking around the table. “Alright then.” He banged the heavy gavel. “Get some rest. I want everyone except Taza, Hank and Megan here by eight tomorrow to prepare.”

“Wait… what? Shouldn’t I come help clean and get things ready for Oakland and Samcro?” Megan asked.

The men filtered out laughing.

“Chica - you aren’t throwing your own birthday party,” Taza said with a laugh.

As everyone filtered out, Marcus caught Megan’s hand. “Stay a minute, bebita? I’ve got something to run past you in private.”

Megan squeezed his fingers gently. “Of course, Tío.”

Hank kissed her softly. “I’ll wait for you in the bar.” He patted his leg. “C’mon Rex.” He and the big dog were the last ones out, so he rolled the stained glass door closed. 

Taglist:

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[the-whispers-of-death]

so you know how sometimes in movies or fantasy stuff a thief (i can't spell so "the perso who steals stuff") would use sleight of hand to steal peoples jewelry?

rich reader does the exact opposite with Sarabi. reader grew up watching his own dad sneakily and using sleight of hand putting on new jewelry on his mom as a way to surprise her so reader learned from his father and now when he grabs Sarabis hand to kiss it whoop! suddenly there's a white gold diamond ring on his finger. reader leans in to take Sarabis breath away with a kiss abd when he pulls away there's a brand new fancy necklace on Sarabis neck. Sarabi has lost count on the amount of times he went to hold hands with reader and found several expensive bracelets on his wrists after. reader just loves being cheeky and sneaking fancy stuff onto Sarabi

(reader is claiming Sarabi as his but you didn't hear it from me)

Honestly, that would make Sarabi giggle. Like yes, please sneak expensive jewelry onto his person. You'r so creative and clever, he thinks.

Man comes back to the Shadow Company base, decked out in the most expensive jewelry anyone has ever seen. The other Shadows (minus the other Lions) are all jealous, because they don't have rich partners to dote on them.

[vannrichmond-archive]

where → savannah, GA with → julia richmond, mentions @junewatson

She didn’t change, he stood there casually watching the blonde as she read a book and he zipped up his Carhartt vest over a button down with some sort of print, sun shining though the window, back lighting her in the most perfect way. She looked the same as she did when they’d met a decade ago, and he was the one that looked like he’d aged forty years, at least he thought he did. He stood there absent minded for a few more seconds until he noticed she was looking back at him, “what?” She asked, a confused look on her face and he just shook his head, “nothing, baby.” He smiled at her before turning away. He’d have to spend the rest of his life trying to convince her she hadn’t married down, and he could continue with the knowledge that he’d married up. 

Moving back to their bedroom, he padded into June’s closet only to look for her jewelry case. She had a lot, probably too much if you asked him but no one ever did so he never gave an opinion. He opened the case looking for one thing, only to stop when he found it-- his wedding ring. The one he’d only put on once at June’s request to make sure it fit, then he took it off and handed it back to her, never to see it again, until now. He plucked it from the foam and velvet insert, it looked like the ring of a giant compared to all the small ones around it. Ones that fit petite fingers. Back to his closet it slid off the black silicone band he’d not taken off in months, he’d finally gotten used to it. The half a second it was gone his hand felt wrong. Strange how that happened, for months it felt heavy and he hated it, it was misplaced, now it was the opposite. 

But in the second it was off he slid the other one on. Metal was cold against his finger, it was heavier, and almost immediately his finger wanted to ache from the weight. Rings were weird. He didn’t understand how people wore them, how June wore a hundred on her hands at once. Silver? White? Weird gold? Around a black core, it was very much looked like something that June had picked out, but it was fine. He didn’t care, it was fine. He was wearing this one to make a point, along with everything else. He was doing fine, without them. He didn’t need them or their comments. Back to the bathroom for a second, he looked at himself in the mirror, he looked like something straight out of a Wrangler catalog, mostly because June was back to June antics, buying him clothing when she didn’t need to, and he’d told her that but it fell of deaf ears because she was still coming home with stuff. 

Vann found himself walking back out to June, he didn’t really want to go meet his mother for lunch, but if he was anything he was a man of his word and he’d always done what he said he would. Minus the one time June was in the hospital but extenuating circumstance prevailed for that. Leaning down, his arms found their way around her shoulders and he pressed a kiss to the top of the blonde’s head. “You look good.” She said. 

“Mmmmm.” He murmured in her ear. Her hands found his as they always did, and she played with the metal band on his left hand, “you fancy married today?” He couldn’t help but laugh at that, “yeah, somethin’ like that.” He rolled his eyes at her, despite her not being able to see them, he hoped she could feel it. She was ridiculous. “I don’t want to have lunch with her.” He sighed, he was speaking quietly like they weren’t the only ones in the house, but he always did when he was talking about things he would rather not, whether it be tasks or emotions. “She’s your mom.” June said in the exasperated tone she reserved for him when he was being a little ridiculous, “yeah, but I don’t--” he started, but June interrupted, “don’t. You’ve put this off for too long already. Just get over it.” He laughed at that before pressing a kiss to her cheek which prompted the blonde to turn her head and catch one on her lips. “Fine, but somehow this is your fault and you’re going to make it up to me.” June laughed at him, “I have and idea or two.” She said in her devil may care way, and he perked a brow, “lets do that instead of me leavin’.” She shook her head, “nope, no dice.” He sighed, “fine.” He said again as he stood up once more. “Baby you really do look good.” She said again, and he rolled his eyes, this time for her to see, “you always say that.” He said, and she shrugged, “well it’s always true.” 

-- 

He told her he’d meet her at her favorite restaurant in Savannah. Mostly because he didn’t want to go home, have her cook something and have to eat lunch with his father too. He wasn’t in the mood. That was something he would have to build up months for, and he hadn’t been doing that. Of course she was there early and he was verging on late. He had always been of the mentality that the party didn’t start until he got there, even if it was a lunch with his mother, and he hadn’t seen her since the summer. A lifetime of moments had happened between now and then, and the way she smiled at him through well placed tears ate at him a little. A mothers love was different any other kind, even if her venom had been misplaced. 

“Baby.” She said between tears as she got up forcing her arms around him like he was the only comforting thing in he life and she’d been missing it for quite some time. Vann wasn’t rigid in her arms he wrapped his arms around her, giving her a squeeze until she finally let go. It must of been minutes, but he let her, he was guilty for the time he’d been absent. “You look exactly the same.” She said as they sat down across from each other, a direct contradiction to the way he’d felt that morning prior, but maybe a mother knew best. Her eyes scanned him for defects and injuries as they always did when she saw him, like he was a danger to himself, but the bypassed his body and settled on his left hand. The attention to it drew his hand and he twisted the ring around his finger for a second, “how was the wedding?” She asked still holding back a bigger emotion she knew would scare him away. As much as the both liked to deny and disagree to this point, he was his father’s son. “We didn’t really have one. It was 10 minutes in the middle of a rodeo on a whim.” He said with a shrug, a small hint of a smile pulling the corner of his mouth upwards. As much as he wanted a real wedding it was fitting that they didn’t have one. They never did anything right. 

“It’s been too long.” She said simply, and he shrugged, “that ain’t my fault.” He said, giving her a pointed look, “I know.” She said with a small frown. Richmonds were people of small gestures that spanned galaxies. If you didn’t know to read it you’d think they were emotionless, but the smallest tug on a pair of lips, a little twitch in a fingertip? That was all you needed to know there was a faucet on somewhere in the depths of their cores. “I was just--” she paused looking up at him through grey eyes, “I was worried about you. You ain’t ever listen to someone when it comes to her, and I was just afraid she’d go and do what she always does to you.” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and middle finger, “that ain’t your call to make, that’s what got us here. And fuck knows what you said to her.” He gave his mother a look, “she won’t even tell me and it’s been months. You don’t get to talk to her like that, I don’t talk to her like that. No one can.” He said, heavy in his tone, his southern accent pushing husky as it did when he was trying to be the bear in the conversation, much like his father. “I ain’t an idiot.” He said, “I go back to her for a reason, not because I just think she’s hot and famous.” He rolled his eyes, “she wasn’t that when I met her.” Well she’d always been hot, but that wasn’t a conversation he had with his mother. Hell, he didn’t even have it with his buddies, he didn’t want anyone thinking about her that way to his knowledge other than himself. He had June’s hot conversations with June, because those always led somewhere fun. 

“I know whats good for me.” He continued, “you should know that, I thought you taught me to know what is good for me. When did you mistrust your judgement in me?” He asked, and that prompted the woman to speak, “I didn’t, Vann. I don’t know, I just know how you were when she left the last time.” He shook his head at the woman, “No you don’t. You weren’t there. You didn’t see me for a year, you don’t know a damn thing about what happened to me.” He disappeared off the face of the earth. Left his phone in his house then left his house for somewhere else. He’d still never told anyone where he went, and at this point in his life, he probably never would. Only person who might want to know would be June, but he knew that was a particular wound she knew to not dig at, as it hurt her the same amount. “I know what’s good for me, you gotta remember that.” He said with a shrug as the waitress came up to the table during a calm in the conversation. They placed their orders and continued after she’d left. 

“I’m sorry.” She said after a long pause. The pair of them drinking out of now empty cups looking at each other, “okay.” He said, exhaling, “can you tell her I’m sorry?” Vann shook his head, “no. Tell her yourself. That ain’t my beef.” He said, he wasn’t a messenger, he’d never been. And just like that, it was done with. Maybe because he was sitting there in front of her, and reading the regret on her face, and ache he could only assume a mother felt when she didn’t see her child for far too long, and for all of that, he felt guilty. “We saw you’ve been riding again.” She said, and he nodded, “and doing well?” She asked but it wasn’t really a question. He had been. With the last rodeo he’d went to, his last for 2022, he was comfortably sitting number 2. It was a nice way to start the new year, knowing he didn’t have to make big leaps to get to a place he could cruise on. “I’ve been doing fine.” He wasn’t puff chested to his mother, more reserved than he was to anyone else. “I assume you and June are fine?” She brought her back into the conversation, “she’d okay with you riding again?” She asked, but the ice was thin, they both knew that. “I had already started again before we got back together.” He said with a shrug, “she doesn’t seem to mind.” And if she did, she kept it quiet. But it was half her idea, she was the one that told him to go back out on the road. 

The conversation continued much like this, Julia peeling back one layer carefully as he would allow, much like his father, until it was an easy conversation. There was a certain way to navigate the Richmond boy, she’d learned it with his father, and he was very much the same in repeating the controls. Eventually they finished eating, Vann grabbed the bill despite his mother’s protests, and they were hugging goodbye. He didn’t realize how much that was sitting on his chest, and how light it felt with it gone, at least for now. Would it stay that way? He didn’t know, he couldn’t predict the future. 

Back home, he treaded through the door with heavy feet. “Baby?” He heard June yell through the house, and he followed her voice, only to find her in about the same face he’d left her in. “You move at all?” He laughed out, “all day?” He asked, as he moved through the room, only to stand in front of her, giving her shoulders a quick shake, and she laughed and pushed him away. “What?” He said, “I was making sure you hadn’t grown roots.” He shrugged before walking back to their bathroom and closets, he was wearing far too many clothes to sit on the couch. 

He grabbed the silicone ring he’d left on his dressed and swapped it with the metal one, only to turn and see June there, “so?” She asked, and he handed her the ring instead of walking to her closet himself. “It was fine.” He said louder than he would have until she came back, finishing his low work of his vest. He started on the buttons on his shirt, but her hands were there just as quick, “and?” Expectant eyes trying to stare a hole into his soul, “she cried, said she was sorry--” He said like that was the only thing that would have happened, “okay but there was more.” June said, with a huff, pulling the shirt off his back, “that’s it.” He said, always short with the details, “and now I am here to collect on what you owe me.” He said, smirk on his face, “you’ve already half taken off my clothes, I mean--” he shrugged, and she rolled her eyes, but there was no protest. “Wanna take a shower?” He asked as he kicked his shoes off, and she shrugged, “sure.” She said in response. Sexy he thought to himself, but she was slipping out of her clothes and thats when it hit him that it really didn’t need it to be, he just needed her. 

A shower between them never was an effort to conserve water. They went in, water was hot, they came out, and they were using their body heat to stay warm because the water was little better than ice. “New house has to have a second water heater.” He said with a laugh, as he walked out his closet, sweater and sweatpants, only to see June in nothing but one of his shirts, oversized on her small frame. “So you can kill the environment even more?” She said, a blonde brow popping up, “thats all you farmers do. Just trash the environment.” She said in a mocking tone, and he huffed, “I hate you.” And she bust out laughing, “Vann no.” She ran after him, hopping on his back, “you don’t. You love me.” She said, a kiss pressed to his neck, “no, I think its hate.” He said, but he supporter her legs with his hands none the less, “I’m no a fuckin’ farmer.” He  grumbled at her, “but you are.” She said, chin resting on his shoulder as he walked her back out the living room, dropping her on the couch.

“Can you get me a new drink?” She asked as she held up a half full cup, “It’s stale.” She said, triggering a look she knew all too well with a sly smile. Without a work, he grabbed the cup, she was dumb. But he went and came back, new water, and he sat down next to her, head going to her lap like it was a pillow grabbing the remote from the coffee table. “Oh.” He said, looking up at her, “we’re goin’ to church on Sunday.” He said causally as he turned the TV on, and June looked down at him, mildly shook, “excuse me, what?” 

[chronic-boogara]

𝚂𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚗𝚜: 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 2

more slasher content !!! might make this whole blog slasher related..i’m tempted. you can find part one here. enjoy some more headcanons.

stu macher

•stu is a really chill person to be around. he gets along with everyone and is down for literally anything. it is not often he says no to something

•he likes to have fun. so as his s/o you’re going to be attending a lot of parties , gatherings , smoke circles and bonfires. if you aren’t down with all the social stuff don’t worry he’ll let you nap in the car. he just doesn’t want you to be away from him

•loves to laugh! as stupid as his humor/jokes is/are it’s nice to have a good laugh sometimes. he tends to use humor instead of dealing with the horror of the real world so it’s a bit of fresh air

•sharing is caring. you want his favorite sweater ? have it. you want to borrow any of his jewelry! don’t return it , it’s yours now. stu finds it cute when he sees you wearing anything of his.

•he’s a free spirit. stu is just living his life. he doesn’t have any big plans and you will not catch him stressing about the future. he likes to live one day at a time. so dates are often spontaneous and unplanned.

•he’s literally a giant basically. he’s tall and that means getting things in high places. that is a plus

•stu embraces imperfection and makes the best of it. this is especially nice for someone who is very self conscious or anxious. he is able to calm you down and slowly help you come to terms with your issues and see the bright side

billy loomis

•insanely good at knowing what you need. he will make you a snack the minute you start to feel hungry , he can tell when your period is coming before you , knows your body better than you do. it’s almost supernatural

•billy has a hard outer shell but once you’ve been dating a few months it’ll crumble. in reality he’s a big sweetheart that wants to love and to be loved. whisk closed doors he is the sweetest most attentive boyfriend you have ever had

•he’s pretty smart. he doesn’t like to apply himself a lot of the time but if you need help with homework he is very helpful. if he wanted to he could probably go to a pretty decent college. but he’d rather stay back and satisfy his blood lust and keep going home to you

•while he is willing to go out and socialize he is much more of a home body. if you like to stay in your room and watch movies all day then billy is your perfect match. he doesn’t like people much so he’d rather relax in his room

•has lots of jewelry, including piercings. this one is self indulgent since i love my piercings. as long as you disinfect them before you give them back he allows you to wear them. his rings are too big for your fingers usually but they’re really cool to wear on a necklace

lester sinclair

•he is such a wholesome sweetheart. lester is literally the picture perfect hallmark boyfriend minus the fact he lives with murderers and is a little trash boy. anything you want or need he will get it.

•you’re his first partner so you happen to be a lot of his firsts. it’s adorable seeing his reaction to having his first kiss.

•he likes to do things he doesn’t like with you. such as baths, chores, cooking.if you’re there with him the experience will be 100% times better

•he’s a simple man at heart. it does not take a lot to please lester. he’s a sweetie who just needs some love

bo sinclair

•honest and hardworking. when he says he’ll do it he will and better believe hes going to get it it done damn well. he will NOT break a promise

•as a family man he believes blood is thicker than water. once you start dating he treats you as one of them.he will give you a sense of belonging and meaning to your day to day life.

•he always feels the need to “be the one that wears the pants” in the relationship. as annoying as this can be having him do a lot of the physical labor is a blessing

[beautifulblooms]

Eddie Munson with a Shy!Alt!Bf Headcanons

Male!Reader, he/him used for the reader, deadass stole this idea from @miloistired who is also very tired of the fem reader fics for Eddie, so here I am to bring that idea to life and throw in a bit of gay magic, ONTO THE HOMOSEXUALITY

CIS Women and Female Aligned people, please DNI, this story and all of my others are for non-binary, masculine aligned and male readers!

THIS MAN

He’s such a golden retriever for this stuff

You’re shy? That’s fine he doesn’t care he’ll take you out of situations you don’t wanna be in

If you get overstimulated or uncomfy he’ll just grab your hand and leave, no questions asked

Adores the fact that you’re alt too

You two can share clothes and it actually works for the both of you

Ps, steal the leather jacket, he’ll be stuck trying to process just how hot the scene is

Oh you’re down to do his stupid little shenanigans? Perfect

Y’all end up at playgrounds in the middle of the night smoking and playing around

Abandoned buildings

Driving around town at the wee hours of the mornin

I feel like there’s this hill that overlooks Hawkins and he loves to take you there for calm dates or just to chill

He honestly doesn’t care if you’re a little dumb, he loves that

He loves being able to help someone he loves figure something out of they need it

Sharing jewelry is something he’ll do without thinking

Accidentally snagging on of your necklaces or rings for the day

Or you doing the same and not relaxing just because of how similar the two collections are

There’s definitely a shop or two around Hawkins that specialize in alt attire and especially the jewelry

One day Eddie decides to take you to one of them for a cute little surprise

“Hey, get your shoes on we’re going somewhere special”

“Where?”

“If I tell you how it’ll ruin the surprise I have waiting there”

As soon as y’all get to one of the stores you have a bit of an idea about what’s going on

But as soon as you walk in the door Eddie runs up to someone behind the front desk and whispers something to them

They disappear into the back room and only a minute later they come out with a gift bag and hand it to Eddie while he gives them cash to pay for whatever was in it

“Whatcha got there Ed’s?”

“Come sit in the van with me, I’ll show ya”

As soon as you guys sat back in your seats Eddie became a little nervous

“So a while ago I noticed you took a liking to one of my skull rings and then I lost it in the trailer. I searched the whole damn thing top to bottom and I couldn’t find it. And the first thing that came to mind was buying a new one, but I didn’t want us to have to share just one of them.”

He hands the bag over to you and inside is a small little box that has the company logo printed on top

Opening it you realize there’s two matching skull rings, one that fits one of your fingers and one that fits one of Eddie’s

“They’re beautiful, thank you Eddie, you didn’t need to do this”

“But i wanted to babe, I know how much you liked it and I wanted us to match so even if no one at school noticed, we’d still be matching and it’d be cute, ya know?”

He had that precious smile on his lips and the only thing you could think of was leaning over and giving him a big ol’ kiss

Now that wasn’t the only time that you two somehow ended up with matching jewelry, because a couple months later you did the same thing to him

Minus the driving to the shop

You had picked up the chains earlier and headed to Eddie’s trailer to meet up with him and hang out

Walking in his uncle Wayne was passed out on the couch, must’ve come home late from the Night Shift

Eddie was jamming out in his room so you walked over and knocked on the door fairly loudly to announce your presence

“Shit, come in!”

“Hey baby, I got something for you”

He quickly hug up his guitar before sitting down on his bed and patting the space next to him

“You remember how you got us matching skull rings a while back?”

“How could I forget when I never take it off, but yeah, why?”

“Well I wanted to repay that and got us both a little something to match even more”

This time you handed over the bag to Eddie and when he reached in to grab the matching chains his eyes lit up

“You got us matching chains?”

“Yeah, if you don’t like it I can return them, I just thoug-“

“No don’t return them! I love it, thank you (y/n) this is so nice”

That night he definitely cuddle trapped you the whole night and covered your face with kisses

Speaking of kisses!

Nose kisses

I’m slamming my card on the FUCKING TABLE

HE LOVES NOSE KISSES

Especially when they’re random and he doesn’t expect them because then he gets all blushy and adorable

Nose kisses before bed

Before a Hellfire session

Before work

Before anything really

Just loves getting and giving kisses

Now the first time you did it he was a little stunned

Not like “what the fuck was that” but more like a “Eddie.exe has stopped functioning” stunned

After it happens he asks you to do it more because he loves it

And his favorite time to GIVE them is when he’s teaching you to play one of his favorite songs and you get a part right

Especially when it’s a difficult part

He gives you like 50/50 kisses and praise whenever you do a good job

“Good job baby you’re really getting the hang of this!” “Look at my little rockstar” “i think I’m gonna have to get you into Corroded Coffin”

Praises along those lines

But he does throw in kisses after each one, doesn’t matter where just kisses

He also loves teaching you songs just so you can play together

If you both have a long day and just need to unwind he pulls out a spare guitar to play with you and you guys just sing and play until you’re tired

1000% a cuddle bug too

Refuses to let go when y’all sleep

Like needs constant touch and warmth from you when he’s sleeping

He needs it so much that whenever you get up to go to the bathroom or move away from him he immediately wakes up because he can’t feel you anymore

Overall Eddie is just a cutie that loves having an alt boyfriend to enjoy the hell of Hawkins with <3

[uncpanda]

Small Town Moose: Part 11

AN: After watching the show, I noticed that Hotch is fairly open outside of work, he’s not as serious and he smiles more. Also, JJ doesn’t leave, she will be promoted when it’s time.

This is taking place about two years after Haley’s death, Jack is six. Reader is around 25-28.If you want to be notified when this story is updated you can subscribe to it on AO3.

AN: Want to see the outfits mentioned in this chapter, click on the link in my bio to go to pinterest and see the board!

Part 10

Aaron doesn’t actually get to go ring shopping for a few weeks. He has managed to talk to Jack about it, and his son had been excited about the idea. He’d also promised not to tell anyone.

When he does get to go ring shopping, it’s right after a case. They’re finishing up in California of all places, and a storm is keeping them from flying home. So he and Dave go out into the rain, to a jewelry store that Dave learned about through some contact. They make their excuses to the team and head out. 

The store is big and fancy. It’s a far cry from the chain store he had bought Haley’s ring at. He’d just started law school, and had taken Jess and Haley’s mom with him. He’d had no money, and had maxed out his credit card to buy it. It had taken him years to pay it off. 

At the very least he was more established this time. He had savings. He was prepared to spend money. He was not, however, prepared to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a ring. He knew you, if he spent that much money on a ring, you would kill him: kill him dead. The store alone has a diamond chandelier, and marble floors.

“Dave, what were you thinking?’

The man shrugs, “I bought the ring for my second wife here.” 

Aaron closes his eyes, “You’re also a bestselling novelist. I’m a government employee with a son and a second child on the way. I’d like to be able to send them to college.” 

He watches as Dave thinks for a moment before waving that off, “I’ll pay for their college, you pick out the ring.” 

Aaron just shakes his head, “We’re going somewhere else.” 

Dave sighs, but finally agrees. He calls some of his contacts and finds a small, family owned store. He feels much more comfortable here. 

The sales girl is kind. She smiles, and offers any help she can. Aaron gives her a small smile, and starts to look around. Dave hovers around his shoulder, and whispers in his ear. “Not that one. No. Don’t even think about that one!” 

He wonders if he could get away with punching his friend without the team questioning why. With a group full of profilers he knows that’s not possible. 

His eyes move over the display cases before he finally stops on one. There’s a large oval diamond in the center and small clusters on the side with a simple gold band. “Can I see this one please.” 

The sales associate is happy to show him the ring, he picks it up and examines it. He can feel his lips twitch into a smile, “It looks like her.” 

Dave’s hand lands on his shoulder, “It’s very nice.” 

“It would go well with her red dress.” 

“Hunh?” 

“She has this red dress that she breaks out for special occasions. She loves this dress, she wore it on our first date. For some reason this ring reminds me of that dress.” 

Dave smiles, “Then that’s the ring.” 

The ring sets him back slightly, but he knows you’ll love it. He leaves with the ring that day. It’s Dave who makes sure the coast is clear for him to get up to his room. He stuffs it into his go bag, and makes sure it’s secure. 

Life had been nothing short of hectic for the past three weeks. You had been busy finishing up a major project for work, Jack was fully involved in soccer now, and Aaron had been gone for a good week on a new case. These are the reasons you give yourself when you realize your jeans aren’t fitting anymore. You have no less than four pairs of jeans laid out on the bed, none of which will button over your burgeoning bump. It was like it had popped out overnight. You don’t have time for this, Jack has to be at the bus stop in 10 minutes. You grab a pair of leggings, and a top. And you nearly cry when you realize how tight the shirt is around your breasts. Your eyes flick to Aaron’s side of the closet. You grab one of his dress shirts, and let out a sigh of relief when it fits. You roll up the sleeves, and slip on your shoes. 

  You walk out to find Jack dressed and ready to go, sans shoes. He smiles at you and your smile back. “Do me a favor bud, get your shoes on.” 

“Okay.” 

He moves to do that and you go to pack his lunch. You’ve just finished when he comes back in with his backpack. Moose is waiting by the door, with his leash in his mouth. The three of you head downstairs, and wait for the bus. Jack talks about soccer, and his dad, and you make sure to chime in. 

Once he’s safely on the bus you take Moose on his morning walk. When you get back, you notice the dress shoes by the door. You smile, and call out for your boyfriend, “Aaron.” 

His head pops out from the home office, and you smile at him. He smiles back, and then his eyes go wide, but he doesn’t stop walking towards you.

You go up on your tiptoes to give him a kiss, “Welcome home.” 

“It's good to be home . . . is that my shirt?” 

You blush slightly, “Yeah. I woke up this morning. My jeans didn’t fit, and my shirts were tight across my chest. So I borrowed your shirt. I hope you don’t mind.” 

He pulls you flush against him and kisses you, when he pulls back he places a kiss on your forehead, “I like it on you. You look good.” 

Your eyes narrow at him, “Have you gone alpha male on me Aaron Hotchner?” 

He doesn’t say anything, “You are more than welcome to any of my clothes.” 

You walk side and side with him to the couch, “As nice as that sounds, I’m going to have to go shopping.” 

“Other than our growing baby,” his hand goes to your bump, “How are you feeling?” 

“Pretty good, the morning sickness isn’t coming as often, but my boobs hurt.” 

You curl up together on the couch, and you catch him up on Jack’s soccer practice. “They’re so cute Aaron. He looks adorable in his little uniform, and they all just run around the field in random directions, and they never score in the right goal. But it was so cute.” 

“Did his team win?” 

You pat his thigh, “They’re too young for that babe.” 

“If you say so. We still have a few hours until Jack gets home. Let’s go get some food, and some new clothes for you.” 

“You want to go shopping?” 

He kisses you, “Absolutely. Let’s go.” He pulls you to your feet and out the door. 

Shopping with Aaron is an experience. Unlike most men, he seems to have limitless patience, doesn’t complain once, and actually hands you a few things to try on. When he hands you a pair of overalls you just look at him. 

He shrugs and says, “I think they’d look cute on you.” And damn it, they do look good on you. You get payback a little while later when you find a gray tee-shirt that says dad squared. He laughs, and tosses it into the buggy. You have lunch in the food court, and it’s so normal it makes your heart hurt just a tad. 

The two of you make it home in time to stash your bags in the closet, grab Moose, and head down to the bus stop. You make conversation with the other parents, and as the bus approaches, Moose’s entire body starts to wiggle. His boy is home. 

You and Aaron watch as Jack bypasses you and his recently returned father in favor of the dog. When he plops down on the sidewalk to start showing Moose what he had done that day in class Aaron turns to you and asks, “When was I replaced by a dog?” 

You shrug, and his hand goes to your belly before he leans down and whispers, “You like me more than Moose, right?”  

You just roll your eyes as Aaron goes and scoops Jack up from the ground. The boy giggles and hugs his father, and starts telling Aaron about his day. Aaron shifts Jack to his shoulders, and grabs Moose’s leash as your hands go to cradle your bump. This time it’s you who looks down and whispers, “Just so you know, you lucked out in the daddy  jackpot.” 

[bbyboybrock--archived]

Birthday Surprise (Colby Brock Imagine)

Summary: *REQUEST* If you’re doing request I had this idea because my birthday is literally a few days before jakes. What if the reader is dating colby and he and Tara teamed up to do a joint party for reader and jake 🥺 and like there could be a video message thing like how sam and Tara did it for colby and then how she did it for jakes

Written: 2020

Word Count: 1,730

Warnings: swearing, minor fluff

Masterlist

I let the sun hit my masked face. Not to sound too dramatic, but I forgot how it felt to have the sun on my face and be outside of the house. To have my hair blown by the wind, with whatever little windy moments there are in Los Angeles. I missed this, and if this the only thing I get for my birthday, I’ll be okay with that. Colby already has done more than enough for me. Maybe he feels bad that we got to celebrate his birthday the traditional way before the world shut down. But he woke me up early this morning to head to the beach to watch the sunrise and have breakfast. Now we’re in the Descanso Gardens, walking around and taking in the sights. I think he went out of his way to find things to do that wouldn’t be too crowded. I think he mentioned that we were going to get lunch here later.

“Look, babe, a deer!” Colby whispers excitedly.

I follow Colby’s finger to where a baby deer is trying to eat. I pull my phone out to take a picture. Colby’s been taking photos and videos all day. He’s probably clogging everything to kill two birds with one stone: he’ll have a video for Friday and a cute video for us to look back to.

“This is the best birthday ever. Thank you, Colbs.” I kiss Colby, through our masks, and continue our walk.

“Well, the birthday surprises aren’t done yet. I haven’t even given you your present yet. “

“You don’t have to give me anything else. Just being able to get out of the house for the day and do what we used to normally do, even just once, is enough. I think if I stayed inside the confines of our place I think I would have lost my shit.” I joke.

“Yeah, you’re my girlfriend and it’s your twenty-second birthday, I have to spoil you. You spoiled me for my birthday, it’s only fair. Even if we can’t do much right now. Now let me spoil you, damn it!” Colby tugs my arm to pull me deeper into the gardens.

****

“The chaos twins are back together,” Colby says when he sees Jake and Tara walking towards us. That’s our whole friend group's nickname for Jake and me.

We’re not literal twins, but we may as well be, we share the same birthday. Plus, whenever we’re together, we caused a whole lot of chaos. One time we played a game of pool volleyball so intensely that we broke a window and set the ball on fire. Needless to say, we’re no longer allowed to hang out together unsupervised.

“Happy birthday Jake, what did you do?” I ask as I hug Jake.

“Hey, happy birthday! We went to breakfast, and then lunch on the beach! What did you two do?” Jake patted my head and ruffled my hair.

“We went to the beach too! Except, we went this morning and watched the sunrise and ate breakfast. And then Colby took me to Descanso Gardens and we explored and had lunch there. And now we’re home for what I assume is the cake? Colby hasn’t told me a single thing about today. He just dragged me places.” I turn back to my boyfriend who is talking to Tara secretly.

“Tara has been dragging me places too! Something smells sus. It smells fishy.”

“Psh, and they call us the chaos twins. Look at them, plotting behind our backs. Keeping us separated for most of the day. They couldn’t handle the double birthday chaotic energy.”

“Are you two ready to go inside yet?” Colby says, clapping his hands like he’s a teacher ready trying to get our attention.

“This bitch…” I gasp. I watch my boyfriend in disbelief. The audacity he has to rush me like I was the one to make us stand outside.

Jake tugs me away from Colby and Tara because he could sense the amount of whoop-ass that I was about to unleash. He pulls me the front door. As Jake starts to open the door, I’m taken aback by the chorus of “surprise” that comes through the door. I step back out of fear and bump into Colby, who must have known that I would get scared and came behind me just in case.

“Happy birthday, Jake!” Someone says from inside.

“Where’s Y/N? I thought she was with you two.” Someone else says.

I poke my head in to see all of our friends standing in our house, waiting for a party. I know that our friend group is known for throwing surprise parties for our birthdays, but with the pandemic going on, I honestly just expected the roommates and maybe Kat, because she’s dating Sam, to be at the house. But this is better. Our group has taken quarantine seriously. Even with the partial lift, the only time we’ve gotten together was for working on stuff like the goof juice music videos and other stuff. We haven’t hung out in a group like this in a while. To see the whole group, minus Mike because things are still weird with him, Xepher, and Griffin, warms my heart.

“I’m right here, I was just… surprised.” I walk inside to see some people who I haven’t hung out with in a while. I spot Jake in the corner of my eye wearing a red feather boa and red party hat. Devyn walks towards me with a yellow boa and yellow hat. I put them on and start to greet everyone at the party. I stop for a second and Colby in the room and run to him.

“Thank you for this, I know you hate planning things.” I wrap my hands around him and bury my head in his chest.

“For you, I’d chase the sun. I’m just glad you’re having a good birthday. You’re having a good birthday, right?” Colby moves the party hat so he can rest his chin on my head. He wraps his arms around me, the camera in his hand slightly presses into my back.

“I’m having the best birthday. I love you, Colby.” I push my head up and give him a quick kiss.

“I love you too, Y/N. Now go enjoy your party. And please, can you and Jake not start a fire or something. We haven’t lived here for a year yet.” Colby smacks my butt to send me off.

Throughout the party, I noticed both Tara and Colby walking around and talking to people with their cameras. They’re both vlogging, the party, I guess. That might not be the best idea because of the pandemic, but maybe they know what they’re doing. Jake and I have both been yelled at if we got too close to them while they were filming.

Kevin started a game of beer pong. Jake and I teamed up and went against Kevin and Reggie. Everything was pretty chill until we started the game. Before, everyone was spread out of the house, but now, they’re watching Jake and I win. I throw the last ball perfectly into Kevin’s cup and high five Jake. I only win if I’m playing for fun, if it’s a competition and there is a prize, I fail.

“Everyone in the kitchen!” Colby yells. We make our way to the kitchen where Colby and Tara are standing with cakes. Tara is holding a bundt cake with vertical lines of white frosting and red “22” candles. Colby is holding a small chocolate cake with yellow “22” candles.

“Happy birthday to you…” Everyone starts singing as Jake and I get closer to our cakes. I stare more at Colby, who is smiling so hard that you can’t see his eyes. I like it when he smiles like that. He doesn’t do it often because he hates how he looks, but I love it.

“Make a wish, guys!” Tara says when the song ends.

I close my eyes and make three wishes. First, I wished for infinite days with Colby like we had today. Then I wished for the pandemic to be over so I could spend more time with my friends like before. And finally, I wished for more crinkly eyed Colby smiles. I open my eyes and blow out the candles.

“That was a long-ass wish!” Someone shouted.

“That’s because I wished for me and my homies!” Jake explained. Everyone cheered and started getting in line for cake. Jake and I cut our own pieces and wait off to the side for everyone else. I watch Colby grab a piece of cake and walk towards me.

“Hey, wanna go sit outside for a bit?” He asks. With my mouth full of cake, I nod and take his hand.

Colby takes us to the backyard and sits by the pool. Everyone is still inside, eating. I don’t think they realized that we left yet. I take off my shoes and put my feet into the water. The cool water feels soothing.

“Okay, I’m giving you your birthday present now. But, I don’t want you to freak out over one of them.” Colby says as he pulls something out of his pocket.

“I won’t, but I already told you that you don’t have to get me anything.” I set my cake aside and fully face Colby.

“Shut up about that already. I wanted to get you something so I did. Here,” Colby takes my hand and places two small boxes in it.

I open the first box and it’s one of those “my intent” bracelets, like his, but mine says “creative chaos” on it. In the other box is a skull pinky ring, also like his.

“Since you like stealing my jewelry while I’m wearing it, so I got you your own. Now we can match.” Colby says softly. He might be getting embarrassed by his mushiness. I quickly pull them out of the box and put them on.

“I love this. Thank you. This truly has been the best birthday. I love you, Colbs.” I kiss Colby on the cheek and place my head on his shoulder.

“I love you too, Y/N.” Colby gently grabs my chin and lifts my head up. He looks me in the eyes for a second and smiles, really smiles, and leans in.

[cityandking]

32, 42, 46, 50 for daichi and bran!

oh the babes! ty! // super detailed questions about your ocs

32. What do they dress like? What sorta shops do they buy clothes from? Do they wear the fashion that they like? What do they wear to sleep? Do they wear makeup? What’s their hair like?

BRANWEN — dresses like a PIRATE! sturdy pants, good boots, shirts buttoned and/or laced just a little low. bandanas and jewelry and her coat, of course, can’t forget the coat. her fashion is comfort > everything (except for being A Little Bit Sexy) and she’s not picky about where her clothing comes from so long as she likes it. I don’t think she wears makeup too often, but she cleans up so nice when she does. her hair is an unrurly tangle of a mane but also I think modern au she’d have a really great hair care routine

DAICHI — grew up sort of wearing whatever was available, and then a uniform, and is only just now getting the chance to explore things like style and preference, only he’s been mostly tossed from one horribly high-stakes situation to the next so I wouldn’t say there’s a whole lot of experimentation going down. he really likes sneakers. he mostly wears robes. you know those videos of guys in modern hanfu/hanbok with tennis shoes on skateboards? that’s daichi minus the skateboard. he buys everything secondhand because he has no money so you can imagine the kind of stress he is under. he used to wear his hair in locs but then he died and had a Serious Haircut Moment and shaved it all off. it’s been growing back but it’s still short

42. What are their goals? What would they sacrifice anything for? What is their secret ambition?

BRANWEN — wants to be free and wants to be remembered. in that order, but only just. she’s loyal as hell and rather possessive but would sacrifice a great deal in the name of that loyalty for the right people (or person). her secret ambition is to find what lies on the other side of the water. but more than anything she wants to be a story people tell for a long long time to come.

DAICHI — dai just wants to get everyone home in one piece, which is proving to be a fuckin’ nightmare. he’s already given up plenty for it, up to and including some of his morals. as for ambitions, he hasn’t got any. he thinks he’d like to be happy.

46. Do they make a good first impression? Does their first impression reflect them accurately? How do they introduce themselves?

BRANWEN — introduces herself by her name, her title, or not at all depending on the situation. she makes pretty good first impressions; she’s charming and charismatic and self assured, and knows how to carry herself for different situations. she can lie or pull on a mask to a certain degree—she has an incredibly talented silver tongue—but for the most part, the first impression tends to be accurate, if a little impersonal

DAICHI — is an awkward dude, bless his heart. his first impressions reflect himself exceedingly accurately, which he’s pretty much made his peace with. he tends to be overly formal, though he’s getting better about it.

50. If they could only take one bag of stuff somewhere with them: what would they pack? What do they consider their essentials?

BRANWEN — her gun, her sword, a compass, her mother’s ring. clothes (her favorites) and food and the like, probably. rope? can never go wrong with some good rope. she’s pretty pragmatic; she’d take the things she liked of what she needed and maybe one or two other items for personal reasons

DAICHI — honestly just your standard explorer’s bag, plus his holy symbol and his dad’s letters. maybe a couple of the tchotchkes he’s collected during his travels; nothing like a noelty key chain to round out your basic survival gear. and the sneakers, obviously

[tyrusquacks]

WikiHow To Flirt With a Guy

Previous

Tuesday (Part One)

This morning TJ wakes up intentionally early. He’d even set an alarm to make sure he’d have ample time to get ready. On his way out of his room, he pauses, one hand on the door handle and glances at the list on the same spot he’d left it last night on his desk. He’d studied it for so long that he’d memorized it. There was almost no need for it, except the satisfaction of crossing out the ones he’d already tried. Since everything had gone so wrong yesterday, he might as well get satisfaction from something.

TJ finally exits the room and shuts the door behind him as slowly as possible to avoid making any noise. It’s only 6:46 AM so his sister, Amber, is still asleep, even though classes at her high school start earlier than his. The house is very quiet and the only audible sounds are coming from downstairs where his mom must be making her breakfast before leaving for a long day of work. 

He tiptoes just as carefully to the bathroom and turns on the light. One look at his face in the mirror and he knows he’s not completely awake yet. He rubs his eyes with the back of both hands, hoping it will help. Then, he turns on the faucet and fills his hands with as much cold water as they can hold before splashing it onto his face. After a quick wipe with the nearest towel, he’s ready to get work.

When he got home yesterday, the first thing he did was figure out a way to undo the fiasco of his morning attempts at flirting, not without spending a significant amount feeling guilty about avoiding Cyrus the rest of the day. It’s for the better, he’d thought to himself. I don’t wanna make this any worse than it already is. Not that it was even physically possible.

At his desk, he’d come up with a foolproof plan with no room for disastrous improvisation. Since number 3 and number 5 on the list were both essentially about style, he figured he’d try them on the same day. Three: Play with your jewelry. Five: Try different hairstyles.

The second part seems easy enough. That’s why he currently standing in front of his bathroom mirror, trying to figure out a hairstyle that Cyrus would notice, but in a good way. Usually, his hair is styled all the way with as much gel as he can get away with without it gross. He nervously runs a hand through it, unsure of what to next. Soon enough, he pulls out his phone and makes himself comfortable on the toilet seat.

After several minutes of scouring Instagram for inspiration, TJ bitterly puts his phone away, disappointed of not having found anything even worth consideration. Deep down, he knows his usual hairstyle is the only he’d even been satisfied. He’d grown so accustomed to it that everything else just looked...wrong. 

He gets up and rests both hands on either side of the sink, eyes fixed on the mirror as if his hair will magically style itself if he stares at it long enough. Suddenly, an impatient knock on the door startles him and interrupts the one-sided staring contest. His hair isn’t looking any better.

TJ’s hair: 1

TJ: 0

Before he even has time to respond, Amber starts shouting at him through the closed door.

“TJ!!! I know you’re in there and you better get out right this second.” She interrupts herself to knock again, louder this time. “You know I have to leave before you so whatever is going on between you and that tube of hair gel, you better end it now, TJ.”

TJ rolls his eyes at the last part. “Calm down, Ambs, I’ll be right out. It’s only…” He paused to check the time on his phone and instantly widens his eyes. “... 7:28!!!” he exclaims. “It’s 7:28??? How is that even possible? I was in there for like 10 minutes, I swear” he says, not as a response to Amber, but more to himself. 

Amber. He can’t afford to upset her this morning because he absolutely needs her help. So he opens the door as soon as he finishes his sentence, hoping that his older sister isn’t too annoyed yet. 

“Yes, TJ. Thank you for telling me the time. Now, excuse me, I need to get in there” she huffs, pushing him out of the way while inserting herself through the door.

“Ambs, wait” TJ manages to add before she’s fully inside. “Can you help me with something when you’re done?” He can tell that his question immediately raises suspension, but he’s thankful that Amber doesn’t dismiss him right away. “What kind of help?” she asks instead, crossing her arms.

“Uh you know... stuff. I’ll tell you when you get out but I really really need you to help me out on this one. Can you do that?” he pleads. Amber seems to think for a second; she’s definitely intrigued. “Depends. I’ll see what I can do,” she finally answers. “Thank y-” Click. And the door is closed mid-sentence. TJ shrugs. At least she didn’t say no. 

TJ heads back to his room to get dressed while he waits for his sister. He figures he’ll deal with his hair later. So much for waking up early, he thinks bitterly. But he remembers he did it for Cyrus and it’s automatically worth it. Thankfully, he has less trouble getting dressed. Staying on theme with today’s list items, he picks out one of the nicer shirts he owns. In other words, one without a basketball on it. 

He also slips into his third-best pair of jeans because it’s only Tuesday and he doesn’t wanna look like he’s trying too hard. If he learned anything from yesterday, it was that subtlety is key. And to top it all off, he picks out a pair of sneakers with green stripes to match his shirt. He doesn’t need a mirror to know that he looks good, minus the hair of course. Hopefully, Cyrus would agree.

Since Amber is still not out of the bathroom by the time he’s done, he gathers his books and homework from last night into his backpack to pass time. Sure enough, there’s a knock on the door right as he’s finishing up. He practically runs to open it, worried that Amber would change her mind if he made her wait. 

“So what’s your deal, Speedy?” she wastes no time in asking, and TJ can tell he’s piqued her curiosity. “Morning big Sis. You look rather ravishing today” he answers in a tone that’s halfway between sarcasm and flattery. “Wow, this must be serious. That was really close to actual compliment, TJ” she utters quietly, feigning concern in her voice. TJ suppresses an eye-roll, aware that it wouldn’t be helping his case. Instead, he cuts to the chase and voices his request to Amber as seriously as he can: “Ambs, I need to borrow a necklace. Preferably for the rest of the week, but if you can’t it’s okay. I just really need it for today at least.” Amber is silent for a moment. That’s probably not what she was expecting. “Do I wanna know why?” she questions. 

No way! I’m not telling you about my secret crush on Cyrus so you can go blab about it to your girlfriend. Next thing I know, it won’t be a secret anymore. 

He doesn’t say any of this, of course. TJ simply shakes his head no and tells her with a smile: “I’ll let you know if it works out.” Amber narrows her eyes at him, quickly inspecting his face in the hope of finding a hint about whatever was going on. But her brother knows the game and maintains a blank expression. Eventually, she sighs. “Fine. Let me see what I can do. I probably have one I don’t use anymore,” she admits before heading back to her room.

TJ believes her. She’s been into fashion for as far as he could remember, so he’s certain that she owns a number of accessories she no longer used. Andi would often claim her neglected possessions to use on whatever craft project she was working on: an old belt, random artificial pearls, a faded jean jacket—it didn’t matter. If Andi could use it and Amber didn’t need it, she’d take it. They’re just that perfect for each other.

Surprisingly, it doesn’t take long for Amber to come back, in direct contradiction of TJ’s expectations. She does own a lot of stuff. But to be fair, her room is way better organized than his. As agreed, she doesn’t ask any questions and simply sets the necklace before turning back around. “You can keep it,” she calls out over her shoulder. “Amber?” TJ calls back, stopping her in her tracks. “Yeah?” she answers. “Thank you. I mean it.” Her back is still facing TJ but he can tell she’s smiling. “Whatever.”

TJ looks down at the necklace in his hand. It’s a simple silver necklace with a silver ring through it. It’s perfect. He shouldn’t be so surprised, Amber never disappoints. Not when it comes to fashion anyway. Or being there for her brother in general, even if she likes to pretend she doesn’t care.

With the necklace safely hanging down his neck, TJ checks his phone to calculate how much time he has to fix his hair before he has to leave for school. When the phone powers on, the first thing that greets him is a notification for a text message sent by Cyrus four minutes ago. Cyrus who he hasn’t spoken since the morning incident.

Cyrus:

Hey, you at school yet? :)

Okay, so Cyrus isn’t mad at him, as confirmed by the smiley face. He instantly feels better.

TJ:

Nope. Are you??

TJ:

You better not be, if me being early yesterday outraged you as much as I think it did

Cyrus:

Ha. Ha. No I’m not. BUT…

TJ:

But???

Cyrus:

I was hoping you’d pick me up since you wanna wake up early anyway. A little detour won’t hurt

TJ:

Um. Pick you up. But I don’t have a car :////

Cyrus:

But you have legs. Basketball legs!!

TJ:

You’ve convinced me. Don’t move, I’m coming

Cyrus:

Uhh that’s kinda the whole point….? Not moving until you get here so we can move together

TJ:

I-

TJ:

You know what I mean

Cyrus:

I do :)

The boy smiles at the reply a moment too long. Then he remembers he’s supposed to be hurrying. Without wasting any more time, TJ pockets his phone and rushes to the bathroom to brush his teeth before he leaves. As soon as he catches a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror, he lets out an involuntary gasp. His hair. In all of the excitement, he’d forgotten about his hair. 

Unfortunately, the realization hits that there isn’t anything he can do about it now. He can’t keep Cyrus waiting; he already told him he’d be on his way so he definitely doesn’t have time to struggle with his hair this morning. Oh well. At least the rest of him looks good. In one quick motion, he runs his fingers through his hair to at least get rid of bed head. It doesn’t do much, and a few locks of hair stubbornly fall to his forehead.

And then his bag slumped over his shoulder and he’s running down the stairs. He makes a quick trip to the kitchen and hurriedly kisses his mom goodbye before grabbing an apple and taking. This isn’t normal behavior for TJ and he knows she’ll be asking him about it later. Right now though, Cyrus is his primary concern.

TJ tries to keep a steady pace as he heads towards his best friend’s house. Yet, he inevitably finds himself almost running so he can get there as fast as possible. He’s probably never been more thankful for being in good shape because of basketball. In the end, the athlete’s efforts pay off because he’s turning the corner of Cyrus’ street. And sure enough, the brown-haired boy is sat on his porch, waiting for him. 

Almost as soon as he gets into his crush’s field of vision, he stands up and throws his bag over his shoulder before starting to walk towards TJ. He knows that it’s because they’d be heading in that direction on their way to the school anyway but he can’t help but hope that maybe Cyrus wants to be around him as much as he does. The boy blushes at the thought.

“Hey Teej,” Cyrus starts when he’s close enough that TJ could hear him if he whispered, but he doesn’t go in for their usual morning hug. He immediately notices and clutches a backpack strap with one hand while nesting the other in his front pocket.

“Morning, Cy. Ready to go?” he asks with a smile. A regular smile. Not the creepy kind from last time. This seems to reassure the shorter boy who smiles back and starts walking next to him. TJ follows. They hadn’t taken ten steps when Cyrus speaks up.

“So what happened to you yesterday?” he asks in a way that’s probably meant to be nonchalant, but TJ detects a hinge of nervousness from the small crack in his voice. “You were being weird in the morning and then I barely saw you after that,” he continues. The athlete feels cornered. So that’s why he wanted to see me so early. “I’m fine, Cyrus. You don’t have to worry. I was just, um, a little stressed out, that’s all,” he explains, which isn’t completely a lie. He just can’t say what exactly was stressing him out.

The shorter boy looks up at him, trying to read his face to see if he’s telling the truth. TJ doesn’t think he’s made a verdict on the sincerity of his explanation when he asks: “Is that why you also weren’t at lunch? It kinda felt like you were avoiding me.” TJ doesn’t know what to say. Feeling the weight of his best friend’s unwavering stare is giving him an especially hard time coming up with sentences. Finally, he sighs and decides to tell him something as close to the truth as he can get without exposing his feelings. 

“Listen, Cy. I swear I’m okay. It’s just that I’m trying to figure something out right now but I can’t tell you about it until I’m ready. Before you even say it, I know that you’re my best friend and I can tell you anything. Trust me, I know. But you also have to trust that it’s best if I don’t say anything yet. But when it’s time, I promise that you’ll be the first to know.”

By the end of his speech, TJ’s heart is racing like crazy. That isn’t an unusual thing when he was with Cyrus, but if even indirectly talking about his feeling can make him so nervous, he can’t imagine what the real thing will be life. That’s basically a death sentence, he thinks. He looks over at Cyrus whose gaze hasn’t left him the whole time. At that moment, he probably realizes that he needs to say something back. “Oh. I understand. And even though you already said it, I wanna emphasize that I’m always here if you ever need to talk. You just have to ask,” he reaffirms in a voice so soft that TJ almost trips. He looks down at the boy, certain that it didn’t matter how many times he’d embarrass himself trying to convey his feelings or make himself look like a total idiot because as long as it meant he had a shot with the boy walking by his side, he’d always keep trying. “Thanks, Cy,” is his only reply.

“You don’t have to say if you don’t want to but are you dressed like this because of your… stuff?” Cyrus asks in a teasing voice, deeming the question appropriate since the tension between them had completely dissipated. “Dressed like what?” TJ feigned confusion. “You know, like that,” Cyrus answers, vaguely motioning in his general direction. “Like… nice. It’s only Tuesday. There’s no reason to look this good on a Tuesday.” Cyrus mumbles that last part but he definitely hears it if the pink on his cheeks is any evidence. He just said I look good, he thinks. This must be working.

“Yeah I mean, you do. Not that you don’t look good the other days, but today it looks intentional,” he continues. Oh wait, did I say that out loud? “Yes. And that too,” the boy chuckles. “I would ask what’s going on but I’m assuming it’s your stuff again,” he adds, thankfully. “Uh yeah sort of,” TJ replies as a kind of blanket statement to justify his appearance and the fact that he forgot how thinking works. He knows he should say more, but they’re already arriving at school, so he decides against it. “Hey, we’re still a little early. Wanna have breakfast?” he asks, completely changing the subject. “Yes! I’m actually starving,” the brown-haired boy replies slightly too quickly and he thinks he knows why.

“Underdog! Did you not eat breakfast this morning??” TJ questions in disbelief. “Maybe not,” Cyrus responds, looking at the ground as they head for the cafeteria. “I wanted to ask you in person if you were okay and you walking me to school was the quickest way. By the way,” he says while yawning, “you owe a milkshake at the Spoon. I woke up too early for this.” The athlete knows that he isn’t joking but he doesn’t mind. All he hears is that he owes Cyrus a date at the Spoon. “Sure!” he exclaims a little too enthusiastically. “We can go tomorrow after school if you want.” Cyrus looks up at him and smiles: “It’s a date.” 

TJ swears he forgets how to breathe. He’s not sure how to respond to that, so he does the next best thing and coughs obnoxiously. “Oh my God! TJ, are you okay?” Cyrus questions and rests a hand on his back. Somehow, the added physical contact doesn’t help at all and TJ nearly hyperventilates. He is used to Cyrus’ touch, of course, but he certainly isn’t used to Cyrus touching him after suggesting that their hangout at the Spoon was a date. 

Thankfully, they are entering the cafeteria, which TJ sees as a chance to go recollect. He clears his throat. “Yeah, I’m fine. I must have accidentally swallowed some spit. I’m gonna go and get some water now while you get your food. I’ll be right back,” he announces in one breath and darts towards the water fountain without waiting for Cyrus’ response. Aware that he is still within his best friend’s peripheral vision as he stands in line, TJ takes several big gulps of water. Turns out, it helps. But he knows that even if he drinks the whole fountain, he’ll have to head back because avoiding Cyrus for a whole other day is out of the question, and so he does, with a smile—a normal one—plastered on his face. This is going to be a long day, he thinks to himself, silently this time.

Tag List

@tyrusmuff1n @thedampjofangirl @mackpocalypse @vi-the-best-you-can @judgemental-llama @thesubtextmachine @green-lemonboys @tjfruitymixitup @tyrustina @90svalykrie

[ibitchytimemachine]

Author Showcase

Ok so for this first Author Showcase, I decided to review four of my favorite fics from an author who writes mostly one shots. I love so much of what she writes, and am so excited when she posts something new because I know it is going to be in depth, emotional, twisty and just everything I want out of a fic. So we will be diving into four fics from @blacksheep1105, Fine, Royal Jewelry, The Sweetest Dream and her newest fic, Within. You can click each of these titles to read the fics, or you can click the titles in the post to go to the works!! Thoughts below the cut!

Fine

So this fic is absolutely my favorite story from Sheep. I love the whole message behind it. Bulma is feeling pretty shit about something doesn't matter what it is, cause people get pissy about serious shit and stupid shit so it's realistic. Yamcha is a total douche to her, blowing her off and then momma briefs just blows her off too. BUT then here comes Vegeta and he offers her what she needed, a sounding board.

So firstly, i love this idea of Vegeta seeking Bulma out when she's upset because he realizes she's helped him after the GR explosion just cause she's a good person. And he kinda liked that… and he kinda wants to share that feeling back with her. I can see that as a legit like canon reason their whole friendship turn relationship begins. Sure Vegeta is OOC in this fic, but he needs to be to get the moral across so it doesn't bother me.

Sheep has fantastic characterizations of Yamcha and Panchy too. Yamcha is completely oblivious, and carefree and douchey. Panchy is also oblivious and too happy and whatever…. She is like a stepford wife wanting and needing everything to be perfect.

This is the best thing ever. I have crippling anxiety/depression. Sometimes i freak out about seemingly stupid things. Sometimes i just need people to notice me. I'm not one to scream and make a big deal about my feelings (especially online) but sometimes i just try to tell people.. hey im not ok. If you run into someone who is not ok - let them vent. Please dont tell them its ok. And this is advice i need to take too cause i suck at people, but just be there for them. And go read this one shot cause it is fantastic.

The Sweetest Dream

So I think this is the fic most people know by her, and rightfully so. One thing that Sheep does really well is creating an atmosphere. From the very beginning of the piece you can feel the tension in the air, Bulma’s complete despondency. The way she fixates on certain objects in the room and describes how Bulma walks by them and thinks about them really adds to the idea of a great obsession or depression. I like the bookending of the scenes with words, helps drive home this obsessive feeling. And Bulma is very obsessed at this point. Vegeta is lost to war and her life is once again thrown into turmoil.

Each scene drives home the fact that Bulma is basically killing herself with grief. Between the details of things that happened in the past, and sheer world building that takes place all in one room of the palace (and the world feels so much larger than the palace which is really special) the story feels rich. One of my favorite details is when the servant comes in and she is wearing golden chains because she is going to be around the royals, but that she will go back to wearing the iron (or steel) chains when she is relegated to the kitchens in the upcoming week.

It is really nice touch that you need to pay attention to the passage of time. I have to admit I had to read the story a few times before I actually understood what was happening, but only because I didn’t pay attention to the time stamps. The utter horror that you feel at the end of the piece is so heartbreaking. Bulma gets her world torn away from her, then its given back and hell if it isn’t torn away again. The emotion in the piece is fantastic. Speaking of emotion…. This last scene with the Beeps… fuck it is heartbreaking. Like I cry reading it. She keeps this Beep throughout the scene and it helps build the tension and takes the emotion to another level by having the reader focus on this sound that is driving Bulma out of her dreamland… and the last beep reverberates so much because it is like a blackout scene at the end of a TV show and it just fucking rings in the audiences brain… Just very very intelligently written.

Royal Jewelry

So this piece is the first I read from her and there are several things I really love about it.

The first is the humor in it. It is not a serious piece and it is written in the way that reminds us that it is not serious. She was so smart in the way she chose words to elicit a humorous response in the reader. Even in some of the smut there is an irreverent humor that is just really special and I think adds exponentially to the charm of the piece. Bulma is in the IDGAF stage of dealing with Vegeta and his sex bullshit, hell even the name of the piece is a wink and its almost puny which I adore a good pun so that always good.

The next thing is the smut. Its just a fantasy, but it is written really well. Vegeta is imagining all these things and who the hell knows if it is actually gonna happen, but it is pretty damn detailed. Her choice of terminology is fantastic and really feels dirty in the best way. Her descriptions of things like the way Bulma is shaved and how Vegeta will push her deeper into the bed as he fucks her is really really hot. Also, I can’t forget to mention my personal favorite, when Vegeta is imagining how his dick will spread her lips as he puts it inside her. The imagery is just on point and really stellar.

The last thing I want to talk about is the tone of this piece and the growth that I see from this piece to her most recent fic Within. This piece is astoundingly different in tone from the other pieces I have reviewed here. She has a talent for writing heavier pieces, but she also writes humor and light things just as well which I really can’t say for everyone. This piece is good - I genuinely enjoy it, but it is quite a bit more raw feeling than her most recent pieces. I completely blame that on practice, she has been writing in this way a lot longer and the growth is astounding between this first piece of hers and the new stuff. This last piece is so well put together and I can see how her writing is just getting better and better and better with each piece she puts out. I am genuinely astounded by how good she was when she started putting pieces out there, but then I think about how fantastic Within is and there is such a difference in her writing. So I commend her on working at getting better.

Within

So this is Sheep’s submission for the Vegebulocracy Mini Bang 2019. It is absolutely fantastic and combines all of the best things she does into one piece (minus smut, there are a few hot scenes, but if you are looking for smut, its not here). The freaking tension she builds in this piece is fantastic. You really have no clue what the end game of the piece is until the very end. And then when the twist hits you, it is insane. The way she has Vegeta use his sexuallity against Bulma is fantastic. There are two places he freaking plays with her sexual attraction to him just for shits and giggles. And hell the last time he flirts with her, he does it simply to knock Bulma off her guard so he can get the information he wants out of her.

This is her best work. I say that knowing just how fucking good The Sweetest Dream is, but the range of emotions in this piece is really fantastic. She writes this wonderful sexual tension, humor, anger. And they all fit within the piece in a fantastic way, but also they are so in character. She uses the same bookending device where she repeats a phrase at the beginning and end of a scene and it works so nicely to anchor the main theme of each section. This is a freaking complex one shot and it was quite ambitious of her to write this for something like the Mini Bang.

If you don’t read anything else by her, read this one. She captures such an amazing range of emotion in it.It has this beautiful plot that feels meandering, but all of a sudden all the parts fit together and you see what is happening, which makes second read throughs so nice.  

Something I really love about Sheep’s writing, is the uniqueness of her ideas. I would have never come up with the twists that she did in The Sweetest Dream or Within. They are truly fantastic story ideas and hell if they aren’t really really well written. One thing that I will say is that as I read through her pieces again, I see so much growth in her writing. She started with Royal Jewels, which is NICE, but then when you read some of her other pieces you see this wonderful Craftsman she is. Because she is not a native English speaker some words have contextual issues, but the main idea is always there. Some slight grammar things are in the pieces, but they are not issues that take away from the reading experience at all. It takes her a lot of time to write, partly because of the fact she is writing in English instead of German, but I whole heartedly believe that her pieces are worth the wait. They are super unique, the twists are fabulous, they are slightly dark (which I love), really well written and I gotta be honest, sometimes I want a really good story that doesnt take me a week to read cause it is 300,000 words. Please take some time to go read this awesome authors works, I 100 percent recommend the above ones, but she has others that are really really great too!!

If you liked this review, after you check this fic out, head over to my A03 and read some of my stuff! 

[furryalligator]

Even if you think you're already a Google pro, these tips – including how to add search shortcuts to your browser’s address bar – will help you find what you're looking for even faster. https://t.co/vMAq5qJdl7

— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 1, 2019

Use quotation marks to find a specific phrase

It’s one thing to search for a couple of words, like Sony HT-Z9F soundbar, and find the product(s) you’re seeking. But let’s say you need more specific information — like the dimensions of the speaker drivers inside that soundbar. Searching for HT-Z9F soundbar driver diameter does not return any pages that list that particular spec, nor does including the word inches. Instead, we need to think about how this would exactly be phrased on the page, and use quotation marks to narrow our search.

When you put quotation marks around a collection of words, it tells Google to look for the words only in that order. So, sony HT-Z9F inch drivers (don’t worry, capitalization doesn’t matter) will search for any page that has the words “inch” and “drivers” on it — but not necessarily together. Searching HT-Z9F soundbar “inch drivers” on the other hand, narrows our search considerably, producing a result right at the top that lists the exact spec we’re looking for: 2.5-inch drivers. (If you can’t find the terms you searched for on the resulting page, press Ctrl+F on your keyboard — Command+F on a Mac — to locate your words on that page.)

Bonus tip: If you’re looking for a specific page but aren’t sure the exact words it uses, you can put an asterisk in those quotes to symbolize any word. For example, if you forgot the title of Taylor Swift’s dance-pop single from “1989,” you could search taylor swift “* it off” and find the “Shake It Off” lyrics you’re hunting down.

Exclude words with the minus sign

It’s frustrating when a search returns oodles of results that have nothing to do with what you’re looking for. This is especially common with homonyms — words that are spelled and pronounced the same but have different meanings. For example, let’s say you’re searching for a music group to play at your wedding. Searching for wedding bands brings up a ton of results, but most are for wedding rings — often called bands — not musicians that play at wedding receptions.

The minus sign is your friend here. Think of a word that would appear on all the irrelevant pages — in this case, “jewelry” or “jeweler” is probably a good bet — and include it with a minus sign in your search: wedding bands -jewelry. Just like that, you’ve got yourself a bunch of sites that review wedding bands across the country.

I also use this often for products with similarly-named siblings — say, Apple’s MacBook line, which includes the MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro. Getting too many results for the Air and Pro? Just eliminate them from your search with macbook -air -pro and you’ll get more relevant results.

Narrow your search to a specific time period

If your head is spinning after that last one, here’s an easy tip for you. Occasionally, search results will consist of older articles that have ranked on a given topic, but haven’t been updated to include recent changes. If you encounter this problem, you can put a date restriction on the results by clicking the Tools button under Google’s search bar, and then clicking the “Any Time” drop-down. You can narrow your results to the previous week, month, year, or a custom time frame.

Search your favorite sites with the “site:” operator

If you’re looking for an article you read a while back, but can’t find now — or if you specifically want to see what one of your most trusted sites has to say about a topic — you can use the site: operator to limit your search to that specific publication. (This is especially useful for sites that don’t have a search function — though it’s often better than a site’s built-in search bar, too.)

Let’s say I want to read about the Iran nuclear deal, but I prefer coverage from The New York Times. Instead of just Googling US iran deal for the latest news, I can search site:nytimes.com iran deal to see coverage only from The Times. This also allows me to see everything The Times has done on the topic going back weeks or months, rather than my results getting cluttered with versions of today’s news from other publications.

Add search shortcuts to your browser’s address bar

Ready for a more advanced lesson? Tricks like the site: operator are great, but they take a while to type out — especially if you search for Times content regularly. You can save yourself precious seconds on every search by creating a short keyword for bits of text you search regularly, if your browser supports it, and most do. That way, instead of typing site:nytimes.com every time, you can just type nyt in your browser’s address bar, add your search terms, and get right to the good stuff.

To do this, perform an example search on Google, then copy the URL from the address bar. Using the above example, my URL is:

https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Anytimes.com+iran+deal

This is what we’ll use to create our shortcut. In Chrome, right-click the address bar, choose “Edit Search Engines,” and click “Add” to create a new one with nyt as the keyword. In Firefox, right-click the Bookmarks Bar and create a new bookmark instead with nyt as the keyword.

Paste the search URL you copied earlier into the “Search Engine” or “Location” box, and replace your search terms with %s (making sure to leave in any terms you want to keep as part of the keyword). So, since I want my nyt shortcut to search site:nytimes.com and whatever search terms I add, my URL would look like this:

https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Anytimes.com+%s

See how I replaced iran+deal with %s in the URL? Now, whenever I type nyt into the address bar, I can search The New York Times for any terms I want.

I use this for all kinds of common searches: sites I like (nyt searches site:nytimes %s), authors I trust (jk searches Jolie Kerr %s), or — if you want to get really advanced — other URL tricks, like getting driving directions from Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=from+123+main+street+to+%s).

Find the source of a photo with reverse image search

Finally, not all searches are made up of words. Sometimes, it can be handy to know where a certain photo came from, or to find a larger version of it. You probably know you can type a few words to find a photo with Google’s Image Search, but you might not have realized it works in the other direction too: Drag an image into Image Search and Google will find other versions of that photo for you.

A few years ago, I was searching for an apartment, and found one that looked great — it had the number of bedrooms I needed, in the part of town I wanted to be in, and the photos looked nice. But I found it on one of those “members only” apartment listing sites, so I had to pay a monthly subscription in order to get the name, address and contact info of the complex. Not to be outdone, I dragged the building’s photo to my desktop, then dragged it into Google Images. Google immediately found another site that had used that photo: the building’s official website, where I could call or email and ask directly about open units for rent.

Google isn’t the only site that has this feature, either. TinEye is a similar tool with a few more options, if you’re trying to find where the image first appeared. EBay’s iPhone and Android apps also let you search by image, which is useful if you’re trying to find a rare piece of china with no markings, or something like that. It doesn’t always work, but when you’re in a bind, it’s worth a shot — and if nothing else, it may give you another clue to add to your search terms.

[commandermeg]

Thanks for the tag @galaxiesworldsaway

Fave Time of Year: Autumn! I once spent a few weeks in Autumn out near White Mountain and it was stunning. Also, Halloween is my favorite holiday!

Comfort Food: Duck Dumpling soup - we traditionally have duck for our Christmas dinner, and we use the leftovers to make a duck stock from scratch for a dumpling soup as our traditional New Years eve dinner (I make my own dumplings, too. Now I'm hungry...)

Favorite Drink: It sounds weird, but it's basically lemonade minus any sweetener. Just lemon juice+water. It's especially refreshing when you sparkle it up with a soda stream.

Do you collect stuff: Star Trek things, old sci fi stuff, and objects from the 1920's. My newest addition is a jewelry box from 1921, but the crown jewel is my 1919 tea set that was a graduation present!

Favorite Song: "Burning Ring of Fire" from Fallout 76, as sang by Spank. The singer has the most incredible voice and I have zero clue why he isn't famous.

Current Favorite Song: see previous answer

Favorite Fic: I haven't found one yet. I'm taking suggestions. I ship J/C and I like happy fluff.

I know tagging makes some of my friends anxious, so if you see this and want to jump on consider yourself tagged!!

Rules: tag 9 people you want to get to know better.

Tagged by:  @spookysexy and @enigmaticxbee  (thank you so much <3 )

Favorite time of year:   Probably summer?  I love all the seasons for different reasons, but summer is a time off work to be with family, go hiking and exploring, and stay up late.  Summer nights are my favorite.

Comfort food:  Mom’s homemade strawberry shortcake 

Do you collect something:  I have a few X Files books, comics, etc.  As a teen, my room was top to bottom X-Files. <3  When I was a kid I collected seals.  I mean TONS of stuffed animals, figurines, photos- all harp seals all the time.  My favorite animal is still the adorable, snuffling, chonky harp seal.  

Favorite Drink:  Water and black coffee.  Sort of boring lol

Favorite Song:  This feels impossible.  I love so much music.  So.. artist wise I like Greg Laswell (And Then There’s You) and indie, but also Flogging Molly, Paul Simon, Toby Mac, King and Country, Mike Doughty, My Chemical Romance, Mumford and Sons…..  It’s impossible to narrow down :)

Current Favorite Song:    “Walking After You” by the Foo Fighters, the song from Fight the Future.

Favorite fic:   Waldron Island by Sister Spooky1013 . Shared above.

Tagging: @lauraxdee @ussfaramir @danakathrinen @baronessblixen @danascullyseniorthesis @joytothegirls @hippocampouts @t-ruthisoutthere @freckleslikestars and anyone else who wants to do this! 

[half-italy-half-austria]

Werewolf ideas

Brought on by this post, but I go far beyond clothing in this.

I have a thing where I made up (or perhaps just grouped together, idk) several werewolf species that have different properties, however I’ve really only focused on one, so I’ll do the basic gist of three and pretty much all of the other one.

One species only transforms on full moons, which causes clothing to get ruined if they don’t get naked beforehand.

Another can transform at will (even during a full moon) and their clothes sort of “go with them” during the transformation and come back when they enter human form.

The third (which is the one I’ve fleshed out the most, so it’s really the first but whatever) is called Lupus Grandifauna, mainly because the people who fall under that category (males specifically, though females are no less imposing) get REALLY huge during a transformation. I based “grandifauna” on the term “grandiflora,” which is a cultivar of roses that are known for having large blooms. In human form Grandifauna men range in size almost as well humans, however the amount of above average sized men is much larger in quantity. Grandifauna men may also experience what I’ve called equilibrium, in which they may have been of average human size (or smaller, or bigger, or really anything) at one point, but due to an increased number of transformations (i.e. frequently transforming when not under a full moon), their height and musculature increase. While the transformations under a full moon may contribute to equilibrium, they will not have such a drastic effect as excessive transformations at will. Put simply: More big doggo=bigger manno. Grandifauna fall under the category of being able to transform at will and also being forced to transform on a full moon. Just like the second group I mentioned, when they do it at will, their clothes get preserved in the process, but their clothes can potentially get wrecked on a full moon, just like the first group. Grandifauna are humanoid from the knees up (about 3/4 the body minus the head, which is, you guessed it, a big wolf’s head) and possess the lower hind legs of (Shocker!) wolves, as well as having humanoid hands tipped by large claws. The structure of their legs allows them to stand upright like bipeds as well as sit, lie, and run like quadrupeds. Male Grandifauna are beasts with a massive, densely packed musculature coursing with extreme brute strength, whereas females possess long, graceful bodies capable of much higher agility and movement. While females on average are physically weaker, their strength is not something to misjudge, especially when combined with their high speed, mobility, and greater stealth capabilities. Males, despite their size are experts at stealth as well, but to a lesser degree. While a male may be able to silently track a herd of deer, the female is often the one to invade and kill off several before the herd notices, that way the male will still have a share should he not catch enough for himself.

In the case of equilibrium, I have a character who, in wolf form, is 10 feet tall standing upright and about 700 pounds, which is massive even for a grandifauna (they average 7.5-8 feet) and in human form he’s 6'5" and 300 lbs. Before a certain plot development he was 6′0 and 210 pounds, and because he began frequently searching for something in wolf form his height and weight increased, his transformations actually becoming so frequent that even his wolf form increased in size.

The fourth group is like the second, but they have an additional trait which is that the brightness of the moon affects their speed, full being the fastest, and new being the slowest. Other than that, there isn’t much of a difference.

In addition, there is a fifth group of werewolves known as the “Moonless,” which is a nice way of saying they can’t transform. The Moonless have to wear half moon necklaces depicting the First Quarter (the half moon before the full moon) to indicate their status in their communities. In old times the moonless were persecuted for being “essentially human failures” (ouch, right?), but modern communities are much more accepting of them. However, some still hold prejudice toward them, which is why they are given more security in the community than others due to the fact that they are still frequently attacked by members of their own kind. In the past, Moonlessness was thought to be a curse from the Moon Goddess, but modern science determined it was brought on by a rare gene. As mentioned before, the Moonless are essentially human, meaning they heal at the same rate and have the same average body temperature. They really are no different from humans aside from the fact that their blood doesn’t register as human on a DNA/blood test.

There is also Induced Moonlessness, in which an individual goes to the local witch/magical family (witches/sorcerers and all that jazz often get along well with werewolves) and buys a necklace or other piece of jewelry that catches their fancy (watches, rings, etc.) that is enchanted in a way that suppresses the wolf form, whether it be forced transformations under a full moon, or transformations brought on by those unable to control their emotions (read: rage). Induced Moonlessness is indicated on said jewelry by a Third Quarter moon, which is the half moon after the full. Some choose Induced Moonlessness of their own volition, whereas others are forced into it, usually because they have poor self control, criminal backgrounds, or both (instead of jewelry, which can be removed, the witch curses the individual.) Those with Induced Moonlessness still retain their accelerated healing rates and higher body temperature (around 105 degrees Fahrenheit).

As for reproduction, children (commonly referred to as pups) can be conceived in human or wolf form by way of sexual intercourse. It is believed a child is likely to be a better wolf when conceived in wolf form by its mother, and especially so on the night of a full moon. Conception in werewolves is the same as in humans, meaning it can take a few hours or up to 5 days for the egg to become fertilized. Should conception occur before the end of the full moon, the mother may be unable to transform into a human until after giving birth. Gestation is also the same as in humans: 9 months (about 40 weeks). Should the mother be unable to become human again she is often brought to an area of the community made specially for her and other expectant mothers, wherein they receive fresh meat and groomings from caretakers. Contrary to popular belief, most werewolves retain a large portion of their mentalities in beastly form, however mothers may become territorial and only allow mates and trusted friends into their areas. Mothers in beastly form will often give birth to a pup at night, after which the pup changes into an infant in the early morning. Other times both will retain beastly form until the child has been weaned off suckling the mother’s teat. Giving birth on the night of a full moon is considered good luck.

This leads us to imprinting, of which there are two kinds: child to mother and mate to mate. Child to mother imprinting happens when a newborn “latches on” to its mother as its primary source of care until it can move and (to a small degree) hunt on its own. The parents still have to watch over the child, but it can’t be considered fully defenseless. In some cases, children may imprint on the wrong mother and find difficulty adjusting when informed that the person to whom it has become so attached is not, in fact, its actual mother.

Mate to mate imprinting is when a werewolf feels an inexplicable connection to another (usually werewolf) individual, which results in them seeing that person and that person only as a mate. Very rarely will a werewolf imprint on another who does not reciprocate, which can lead to violent outbreaks and even acts of murder. Such behavior leads to the instigator being shunned, forced out of the community, cursed with Induced Moonlessness, or a combination of the three. As each community is different, they often welcome those who were forced out of others, but still take precautionary measures depending on the individual’s past. Should a werewolf lose a mate (by death, most commonly), they often find life difficult to continue, to the point where they may take their own lives or go live out their lives in isolation. Imprinting can also be extremely dangerous if one of the mates is abusive. In the worst situations, because the victim and the abuser have both imprinted, it is effectively impossible to get them away from one another, and attempting to do so may wind up in several deaths, including that of the victim, should the extremely possessive abuser become enraged. Due to a rise in mental health and welfare concerns, community members may ban together and perform an intervention to send the couple to counseling.

Small notes:

All of my species might possess a recessive gene that causes immortality. Some may get it, others may be carriers, and some don’t have it at all.

Werewolf communities (mine, at least) are very accepting of LGBT+ people. It’s generally believed all members of the pack are important (by most, ‘cause there’s always that one asshole.)

Thanks to @shawnlenore because I just randomly stumbled across their post someone had reblogged and subsequently spent a few hours writing this. It doesn’t really go with the post, but the post inspired all this stuff I just wrote, and I’m normally a very silent person online, so I want to thank them for making me want to voice my ideas for the first time.

I’ll put a link to the post here at the bottom, too. Just in case.

If anyone wants to use these, please ask/credit me.

And thank you to whoever took the time to read this, because it turned into something much longer than I thought it would be. You’re cool, and you get a nose boop.

[healthnotion]

7 Romantic, Non-Lame, Can’t-Miss DIY Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Gal

Valentine’s Day is in two weeks; have you thought about what you’re going to get for your lady love?

Chocolates and flowers are pretty boring and cliche. Jewelry is expensive, and equally unoriginal. She might swear she wants “nothing,” but what she usually means is that she doesn’t want anything big. She’s probably still hoping for some small acknowledgment of the holiday, even just a card. And if she thinks she’s okay with your skipping even that, she’d still be thrilled — especially so given the surprise — to receive something from you. Everyone prefers to be thought of and appreciated, rather than not.

So what to do?

How about a DIY gift? Something super low in cost but super high in thoughtfulness.

To peruse the mountain of DIY V-Day gift ideas out there is to get lost in an avalanche of lame-ness — stuff that’s overly cheesy and too foo-fooey for most guys to consider making. A few gems do exist in the rough though, and we’ve collected the best ideas for you below.

Heart & Map Print

By our lights, this is the best idea in the bunch. It’s both romantic and cool, and creates a nice piece of wall art that she’ll actually want to hang up. It’s always an amazing fact that two people who grew up hundreds or thousands of miles away from each other, ultimately meet up, connect, and join their lives together ever after. You can create a print that showcases this wondrous serendipity, where one side shows a map of where you’re from, and one side shows a map of where she’s from. Another option is to create a 3-paneled heart, that also puts a map of where you both live now in the middle. Primer Magazine has a free downloadable Photoshop file for both a 2-panel and 3-panel heart, and walks you through the process of bringing these prints to life.

Full instructions here.

Wire Heart Ring

A simple ring that will still elicit a sincere “Awww,” from your gal. All you basically need is wire, two types of pliers, and a file. It’s not the most difficult process, but if you’ve never worked with wire before, it might take you a few tries to really nail it.

Full instructions here. 

Framed Book Page Print

If your main squeeze is into reading, a literary-themed gift can be just the ticket. You can find framed pages of books overlaid with images/text for sale (the one in the image above is). But they’re also not hard to make yourself. Given the nature of the holiday, a page from one of her favorite romantic-themed novels (paging Jane Austen), overlaid with a romantic image or quote, is of course apropos. 

Full instructions here.

Valentine Light Bulb

A sentimental shelf or desk ornament, for less than $5. You hollow out an incandescent lightbulb, replacing its innards with a wire heart “filament,” and then attach it to a wooden base. It’s simple but sweet. And eye twinkle and crinkle inducing.

Full instructions here.

Initials Carved Into a “Tree”

Carving initials into a tree is a classic romantic gesture. Unfortunately, it’s not actually good for the tree, and unless the tree is near your home, your lover won’t get to see it very often. This easy project evokes the romance of this timeless gesture, but creates a piece that can be put on a mantle and gazed at indefinitely. You can actually buy wood rounds like you see above from a craft store, but you can also create your own from a discarded backyard tree branch. (Follow the same instructions we gave for making wood coasters here.) Then all you need is a wood burning tool, and you’ve got a Valentine’s gift that costs nothing, but will make your gal swoon.

Full instructions (minus how to make the wood round) here.

X Things I Love About You Jar

Your partner wants to be appreciated far more than she wants some material bauble. Think about all the reasons you love her, write them down on pieces of paper, fold them up, and then stick ’em in a jar. You don’t have to do 100. “10 Things I Love About You” will do. If you are feeling ambitious, 52 is a nice number; then she can open and read one of the messages once a week for a year. There are all kinds of ways you can jazz up the jar if you want, like etching something on the glass.

Homemade Card

A card can often really be enough, particularly a homemade card, particularly a homemade card that involves a nice pun, and which is emblazoned with an actual physical object on the front. The ideas above are pretty clever and will be sure to make her smile.

See more card ideas, and tips on making the cards above, here.

The post 7 Romantic, Non-Lame, Can’t-Miss DIY Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Gal appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

7 Romantic, Non-Lame, Can’t-Miss DIY Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Gal published first on https://mensproblem.tumblr.com

[hkeath-blog]

This was odd

1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? -More milk 2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? -Yes ☺️ 3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? -junkmail haha 4: how do you take your coffee/tea? -cold coffee cold tea 5: are you self-conscious of your smile? -Yes! 6: do you keep plants? -alive? No. 7: do you name your plants? -nope 8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? -🤷🏼‍♀️ 9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? -kinda yes 10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? -all of the above 11: what's an inner joke you have with your friends? -"Prob won't" 12: what's your favorite planet? -Earth.. haha 13: what's something that made you smile today? -New job! 14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? -A mansion haha 15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! -nah 16: what's your favorite pasta dish? -ALL PASTA! 17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? -Nothing, Love where it's at! 18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. -Eating cheese in my sleep 19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? -nope never have 20: what's your favorite eye color? -My husbands 21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that's been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. -Don't think I have one 22: are you a morning person? -Yes ❤️ 23: what's your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? -binge watch Netflix duh 24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets? -Hubs 25: what's the weirdest place you've ever broken into? -An abandoned trailer house, found a bunch of creeepy stuff 26: what are the shoes you've had for forever and wear with every single outfit? -flip flops 🙈 27: what's your favorite bubblegum flavor? -super minty! 28: sunrise or sunset? -sunrise! 29: what's something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? -Hmm 30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared? -Yes 31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. -I actually hate wearing socks 32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends. -Went on the rooftop of an old building downtown and looked at the stars 33: what's your fave pastry? -cheese danish 34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it? -a build a bear and idk where it's at 35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? -I do! And no :( 36: which band's sound would fit your mood right now? -Keith urban always 37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? -clean 38: tell us about your pet peeves! -lying!!!! Ignoring me, not listening, having to repeat myself.. I have a few 39: what color do you wear the most? -black or blue 40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what's it's story? does it have any meaning to you? -wedding ring, has more meaning than I have room to type 41: what's the last book you remember really, really loving? -the choice by Nicholas sparks 42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it! -iced coffee from Starbucks is unbeatable 43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? -KRK 44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything? -now 45: do you trust your instincts a lot? -50/50 46: tell us the worst pun you can think of. -no. 47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? -seafood minus shrimp 48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? -snakes, kinda but I've got bigger fears now 49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? -not anymore 50: what's an odd thing you collect? -cards from people haha 51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? -"My everything" 52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? -baby memes 53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? -beetle juice, pulp fiction 54: who's the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face? -mom 55: what's the most dramatic thing you've ever done to prove a point? -idk 56: what are some things you find endearing in people? -ability to forgive and forget so easily 57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? -no 58: who's the wine mom and who's the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? -kynzi-keeley 59: what's your favorite myth? -you can't get pregnant when on top.. haha 60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? -no 61: what's the stupidest gift you've ever given? the stupidest one you've ever received? - 62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind? -if I do it's apple juice 63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? -no 64: what color is the sky where you are right now? -black 65: is there anyone you haven't seen in a long time who you'd love to hang out with? -my niece 66: what would your ideal flower crown look like? -look @ snapchat filter 67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel? -chill 68: what's winter like where you live? -not good enough 69: what are your favorite board games? -monopoly and life 70: have you ever used a ouija board? -nope 71: what's your favorite kind of tea? -sweet 72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you'll forget it? -YES 73: what are some of your worst habits? -biting my nails 74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. -sassy 75: tell us about your pets! -English bulldog, lab mix, French bulldog! All bratty :) 76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren't? -sleeping 77: pink or yellow lemonade? -strawberry* 78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub? -no 79: what's one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? -he's done a ton of cute things 80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why? -tan, no 81: describe one of your friend's eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of. -ocean haha 82: are/were you good in school? -yes 83: what's some of your favorite album art? -idk 84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones? -none yet 85: do you read comics? what are your faves? -nope 86: do you like concept albums? which ones? -nope 87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? -war room 88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? -no 89: are you close to your parents? -yes 90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. -I love love love fayetteville 91: where do you plan on traveling this year? -punta cana! 92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? -drowns 93: what's the hairstyle you wear the most? -up :( 94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday? -keeley 95: what are your plans for this weekend? -not shit haha 96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? -procrastinate 97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? -huh 98: when's the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? -a month ago, yes 99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. -song for dad, many many more 100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? -past, only if I could keep the knowledge I have now