#'bulk swimming hats"

[jillyb2004]

Happy (Late) 20th Anniversary to The Shaving Episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force!

[swimhat12]

Why Opt for Swim Hats and Printed Swimming Caps for Enhanced Performance and Personalization – Swim Hat Co

Swim hats and printed swimming caps have transformed from basic accessories to essential gear for swimmers at every level. Whether you’re a casual swimmer, a competitive athlete, or part of a swim team, investing in high-quality swim hats not only improves performance but also offers a unique opportunity for self-expression and team identity. This guide explores the benefits of swim hats and printed swimming caps, highlighting why Swim Hat Co is the go-to choice for swimmers seeking both functionality and style.

Visit website to make your order.

Website: www.swimhatco.com/ E-mail: sales@swimhatco.com Call: +44 1384 262335

[hannahssimblr]

The day I leave the beach feels like the last chapter of a book. I awake that Wednesday to change. The sky, which held steady and cerulean all summer, perfect, porcelain, is a mottled grey as clouds roll in over the beach. I swim, early in the morning, in a sea that is choppier than before, the waves crashing over the rocks and tossing foam into the air, and over the shore now slimy with seaweed.  

I spot Liam in his wetsuit, board in hand, and I wave. He waves back, and I have the striking realisation that this may be the last time I ever see him.

I say goodbye to Joe and Kasper at the door that morning, their PlayStation games and the half-filled bags of Doritos they never finished bundled under their arms. 

“Good luck with it all,” says Joe. “We’ll see you around.” It’s a thing you say to a person when you’re not sure you will, and as I watch them go from the window, there’s a finality to it. It’s like I’m watching them leave, not just with their games and their snacks, but with a phase of my life, too. We’ll never be together in the same way, and never be these exact versions of ourselves again. 

Shane is the next to go. After a thorough clean of the bedroom, the sheets washed and dried and put back on the bed, ready for next summer. He drops a hand onto my shoulder. 

“Good luck in Germany, yeah? Maybe I’ll come and visit.”

“You should.”

“Yeah, I might.”

“If you do, I’ll see you there.”

He nods and ducks through the door, and to his back, I shout “Good luck in college!” He lifts a thumbs up into the air, and he’s gone. 

And then there is Jen. With a click of her last suitcase, she has packed up, and in the empty house, there’s nothing to distract us anymore from the new, yet ever present rift between us. 

We’ve barely spoken since the festival. I haven’t known how to, despite her pleads, and made a big deal of getting Kasper to sit in the passenger seat during the ride home. I asked him all kinds of questions about himself, realising only then, to my immense guilt, that it was the only bit of effort I had made with him all summer. 

I spent the days between then and now away from the house. Swimming, cycling, driving into town and just looking around, reading a book while the last of the summer tourists milled about, still in their flip-flops and sun hats as though they hadn’t noticed that autumn had already taken up residence in the shadows. 

I’d come home before dark and stay in my room while the others watched their movies and played their games. One night, I heard Jen crying softly in bed. I didn’t ask her if she was okay. 

Now, once again, I avoid her as she sits on the floor surrounded by her bags, by arranging a stack of books on the shelf. One of my sketchbooks is there, complete with a thousand drawings of the summer. I leave it where it is.  

A clock ticks somewhere in the room. 

“I’m sorry you’re so mad at me,” Jen says to the back of my head. 

“Same.”

“I still think you should give me a chance to explain myself.”

I sigh. “I’m not ready to talk about it.”

“Okay. Have you seen her? Have you talked to Evie?”

“No, I haven’t.”

I turn around to see her hugging her knees to her chest. She looks remarkably small like that, and her hair, which was so bright in June, has faded with the salt water and the sun, and now her brown roots are showing. 

“I think I’d like to get the bus home.” She mutters.

“That’s alright. Do you want a lift to the station?”

“No thanks, I’ll just walk.” 

I don’t argue, and before that hour is out, she, too, is gone, and I am the last man standing. 

Turn off all the lights, switches and the hot water. Store the garden furniture. Leave the fridge running. Double check ALL doors and windows are locked. 

This is all contained in a cheerful email from my father, followed by a paranoid diatribe about all the catastrophic things that will happen to the house if I fail to comply. There’s something about a potential flood or explosion in there, I think, but I barely skimmed the bulk of it.  

Thanks for the essay lmao.

I write back.

Be home at 2.

I do my last check of the house, then stand by the door for several minutes just looking at it. The kitchen, once a hub of activity with friends chatting over breakfast and a sink full of dirty dishes, is now deserted, immaculate, and quiet. I realise I hate endings. I do not want to dwell on things anymore, or be sentimental, or hang on to the past. 

I lock the door behind me and get into my car without another look back.

Beginning // Prev // Next

[cebwrites]

Hey hey! I'm not new here but I am quite shy!!

I'm a little buzzed though so hehehehehe ╮⁠(⁠.⁠ ⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)⁠╭

If it's okay, could I ask for Sanji's reaction to a male s/o wearing his shirt? Maybe it's a tad too big? XP

Sanji's just.. filled with love? Sorry I'm a little hehehehehehe

a/n: liquid courage to help the tumblr asking go down!! thank you for sending this in and enjoying my work from the shadows 💕

(i'm adding some north blue boys for space filler under the cut if you don't mind <33)

reacting to their boyfriend wearing their shirt (Sanji, Drake, Law)

masc reader, he/they law word count: 0.5k

Sanji

Like you said, anon, he's completely filled with love <3

Sanji whines and twirls for you at the drop of a hat for no particular reason on the average day anyway, but for this? Shit, he might have to actually sit down for a minute

When you roll your eyes and lightly whack his shoulder for the theatrics, Sanji takes ahold of your hands to press the gentlest of kisses against them, you note how the scruff on his upper lip tickles your skin

He'd take a moment to spin you slowly admiring you in his loose dress shirt in the blushing morning light, pulling you close for even more kisses in his lap when he simply can't take having even an inch of space away from you

He's completely and utterly smitten with you, hiding the heat radiating from his face in your shoulder before his own embarrassing thoughts can get the best of him, but would you really have it any other way?

Drake

The first time he sees it, Drake doesn't quite know how to process this information - tangled up in the sheets, a few loose strands of hair framing your face, and the comfy dino shirt he usually wore to bed on days off adorning your sleeping figure instead

He may or may not have blown a fuse from the cuteness

It's not that you're small by any means, the average man's height with decent bulk, but Drake is just, well - huge, standing at 7'7, the guy does tower over most regular folk quite a bit ('regular' people in the Grand Line need not apply)

So its natural that his clothes leave more than a little bit of room for you to swim in

It's not hard to make him a flustered mess to begin with, but with this added bonus, you tease him to no end - walking around the house in just his ratty old sleep shirt all day, cuddling in his lap while wearing it, trying on different things from his wardrobe and then asking your dino boyfriend's opinion on how you look - truly, you'll be the death of him

Law

They're unamused, at least on the surface, that you keep stretching out their hoodies

There's no doubt whenever Law gets a new sweater or shirt that it'll hang awkwardly on them within the next few months (it needs some time before it starts to smell like him, of course)

Law pulls your ear and gives you the patent 'angry kitty' stare and pretends to push you away when you want cuddles for doing this, but they can never stay too mad at you for long

Eventually, Law starts to buy clothes that are a little bigger on purpose for when the inevitable happens - of course, there are some hoodies that off limits lest you get the cold shoulder and locked out of their bedroom for the night

But perhaps Law shouldn't complain as much as they do, especially when you catch your beloved captain cutely falling asleep at his desk in one of your animal print hoodies, or see them groggily drag their feet into the kitchen in the morning wearing draws a little too loose on them

[injestedsoap]

https://www.tumblr.com/zeenmrala/710983885953138688/blossoming-romance-writing-prompts-accidental

#22 pretty please for GhostRoachSoap

blossoming romance writing prompts

22. playful teasing

On Monday Roach went to put on his boots and pulled his foot out with a yell.

"Dude," Gaz yawned, giving him the best approximation of a scowl he could when it was six in the morning.

Roach signed sorry before reaching into the boot nervously and shivering when he closed his hand around something cold and hard and... he pulled out a tiny glass duck. He rolled his eyes.

Soap.

Soap had found out you could bulk order little bitty rubber ducks and now it was everyone's problem.

Well.

Everyone but specifically Roach and Ghost. Sure Gaz has found ducks in his dresser drawers and his pockets and sitting on his contact holder. Price had found them in all of his desk drawers, his hat, his secret cigar box everyone knew about, and in all of his pencil cups. But Ghost and Roach seemed to find them everywhere.

On Tuesday Ghost went to put on his mask and it took him much longer than it should have to notice little tiny lump on the very top of his head. When he pulled out the little duck he forced down a grudging smile even as he rolled his eyes. Crafty little fucker.

At breakfast he gave Johnny a thump on the back of the head and put the duck down beside his coffee. "Keep out of my mask."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Lt," Soap said, smiling as he took a bite out of his toast.

When Ghost went to get his food and make his tea there were two little ducks in with his favorite tea bags. When he turned back to glower at Johnny he was very busy spreading jam across his English muffin.

On Wednesday the Humvee Ghost and Roach were riding in was utterly infested with ducks. One in each cup holder, a handful in the glove compartment, at least ten scattered across the dashboard, and one in each seat. Roach went to lower the sun blocker a duck fell into his lap.

"This is getting bloody out of hand," Ghost muttered, collecting the ducks up.

Don't throw them away!

Under the mask Ghost felt himself blush. "Why not?" He asked, he hadn't been planning on it. He supposed he probably should, it didn't make any sense to give them back to Johnny only to be bothered with them again. He looked to Roach who was carefully collecting them and placing them in his pocket, even behind the goggles Ghost could tell the younger man was avoiding eye contact.

"You know he'll just cover our bunks with them if we give them back, right?"

Roach made a little humming noise behind his mask and held one of the ducks up to look at it more closely. Ghost stayed silent and watched. He could wait.

Roach finally deposited all the ducks in his pocket before signing in a way that made it clear he was mumbling, It's fun.

Ghost made sure his eye roll was as visible and audible as possible and ignored the little laugh behind Roach's mask. "Fun," He muttered, "Yeah tons of fun with these little fuckers." he shoved his share of the ducks into his pocket and started up the Humvee. Fun.

On Thursday they got bad information and Roach's bullet proof vest did its job but didn't stop four ribs from breaking.

On Friday Ghost took a knife to the hand that looked like extended leave.

On Saturday Soap put in a request for the exact same amount of time off as Roach and Ghost

And on Sunday Laswell reached out to them about a health spa hotel she was booking them all stays at.

The three room suite was perfect, Roach decided. He healed fast but his ribs were still tender and knowing that he had Ghost and Soap nearby if he needed them was a real weight off his mind. They each had a bathroom with a shower and toilet and sink but then they also had a massive private spa accessible by any of the three rooms. The heated pool was big enough that Ghost could swim laps if he wanted to and the view it offered was pretty damn spectacular.

"Should have brought your ducks." Ghost joked, clapping Soap on the back with his good hand.

"Aye," Soap said in a distracted way before they had all broken off into their separate rooms. Roach, for his part, was fucking exhausted. He fell asleep almost as soon as he hit the pillow. It was hours later when he woke up, the sun was low in the sky and he wondered if he could see the sun set from the spa. He started to sit up and let out a noise of surprise when... things fell off him. Roach scrambled for the light and when he turned it on he threw his head back and groaned. Ducks! Ducks, ducks, ducks! In the adjacent room he heard a string of swears from Ghost who must have also woken up in the same state. Roach sat up and climbed out of bed, careful of the ducks leading off the bed set in a very neat row leading to... Roach felt a funny kind of excitement in his chest as he followed the trail of ducks to the spa door. He had... well he had a hope he was going to find something on the other side of the door. Roach reached for the knob when his door was flung open and Ghost walked in. He looked around and huffed, "You too?" He asked, then looked to the door that Roach was standing next to, "Well let's see what the fucker wants I guess,"

Roach was fighting a grin as Ghost opened the door. How one of the smartest people Roach knew was able to miss such blatant signals was amazing.

The door whipped open and Soap, grinned up at the two of them. The sunset behind him set the sky on fire in streaks of orange and pink and red, it was beautiful, but Roach couldn't take his eyes off the naked man in the water smiling at the two of them.

"Hey," Soap said, swimming over to them, his gorgeous ass bobbing in the water as he did, "You followed the ducks."

Next to him Ghost let out a little 'oh', in the heated pool Soap smiled broadly, pushing his hair out of his face before reaching out and beckoning the two of them in.

[oliverreedmasterass]

Some highlights from the DIG Reno show:

Jake was giving just about everyone a thumbs up and giving the right side of the stage a LOT of attention

Josh randomly broke into The Music Is You

Jake was wearing massive gold hoops again

Danny did an 8 minute drum solo and then Josh said “better than sex, the only thing that would make this better is FIRE 😈”

Super duper extended version of Age of Machine that took like 30 minutes (I might be exaggerating but they stretched it out a LOT)

Josh went on an unprompted spiel about how he was gonna go swimming in his jumpsuit and drown and then was like “okay sorry let’s get back on track”

Danny kept standing up to bash on his cymbals at the end of a lot of their songs

Sam stood on his keyboard or whatever when he first came out for the encore and someone shouted “OH MY GOD ITS JESUS”

Sam was sure was making some sounds before Age of Man - my cousin thought it sounded like farts, I thought it sounded like a barge or a fog horn

Danny got a HUGE applause when he came back out on the stage for the encore

They did a really quick speed round of Highway Tune since they were cutting it really close with curfew but Sam wore a boa and Josh put a trucker hat on Danny that said “I ❤️ Danny”

By the second half of the song Danny was wearing the hat backwards and it looked SO GOOD

The crowd was really into it (but people got up to leave during Broken Bells and The Weight of Dreams which, like, what??!)

I’m pretty sure there was a guy with a microphone outside the venue yelling at us that we were all going to hell so that’s how you know it’s a good rock show

That’s the bulk of what I remember now, I wish I had good photos and videos to share but I was pretty far from the stage and my phone’s camera is subpar at best :(

[silent-dark-entries]

This is probably one of my favorite chapters from my Draco Smut I’m writing. :))

I love the sound of the crunchy leaves under my feet. It's too bad it's been raining all day and those crunchy leaves have quickly turned into mush for slugs to hide under. I don't mind though. I love rain on Sunday mornings.

I'm on my way into the village to meet Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville. Miss.Longbottom will be out of town this Halloween and of course Neville decided to throw another party. I'm meeting them to pick out costumes. I have my mind set on just getting vampire teeth and leaving it at that.

As I approach the seasonal store I see my friends laughing together. Harry is the first to wave at me. We've grown closer to each other as the days go on, being forced to only talk to each other in swim on the days that Neville was sick.

"Maisie, what’s your opinion on Neville being a cactus for Halloween." Harry says pushing me along into the group. Neville rolls his eyes at Harry and pouts.

"Luna is going to be a Oxalis triangularis. It's a matching costume." Neville states.

"Neville for the last time: you're the only one who knows with the hell that is." Ron says. Neville turns to the store door and swings it open letting the rest of the group inside.

"You'll get it on Friday when we win best costume at school and you're stuck in your bloody rat costume." Neville snaps.

"My mums making my costume." Ron mumbles. Everyone laughs as we pour into the shop going our separate ways. Hermione and I head to the women's costumes.

"What are you thinking ‘Mione?" I say rustling through a couple of costumes. Seeing all of the different costumes makes me want to reevaluate my vampire teeth plan. But I hate to spend money, especially with application season approaching. I've decided that Trinity is the school I want to go and that's going to take most of my savings for the next five years.

"Maybe I'll be Cormac's grades, that's scary enough." She huffs. " You know Neville asked him to come Friday."

I laugh at Hermione who's so flustered her face turns crimson.

"How's it going with Malfoy? You never really talk about it." Hermione adds. I bite the inside of my lips and try not the look her in the face. When it comes to tutoring Draco it's going great. His grades in English have improved drastically compared to last years. He doesn't have one missing assignment and his book is coming along, though it's as boring as can be. But in the other sense of what happened physically between Draco and me, we both agreed to start meeting in public spaces like the library after school. We didn't really discuss the whole make out session but surely chalked up as being high. I also blame the rain and the Bauhaus album in the background.

I shrug at Hermione. " He's smarter than one might think."

Hermione picks up and pointy hat from the top shelf and places it on her head. "Maybe I'll be a witch?" She says looking into the mirror.

"I'm starving" Ron grumbles. Ron and I waiting outside the sweets shop for rest of the group while Neville ordered jelly filled brains in bulk for Friday. I swears they're the best thing he's ever eaten.

"We're going to the pub right after this Ron." I say.

"Yeah, a shit pub." He adds.

"Why does it matter. You eat off the kids menus anyway..." I mutter. Ron laughs and looks up at me again. His smile fades into a serious stare.

"I think we should talk about the last Neville party..." Ron says. "You know, after our...uh, kiss. You ran off after and I just don't want to mess anything up. We were just starting to become friends and then I asked if you wanted to go in private....it was inappropriate. I'm just really sorry."

"Ron, I'm okay. It's okay." I say smiling. Suddenly from across the way theres a familiar loud high pitched laugh. It's Pansy Parkinson alone with Draco.

Though I try not to, I see Draco in a different way now. When I see him in the halls, I stare. Just hoping he'd do the same. Sometimes he does the same. I catch him at lunch staring at me and when I do he looks away almost immediately. When we have our tutoring sessions I'll look up from my books and see him staring and not just at my breast. Sometimes he stares at my thighs and at my neck, but mostly at my lips and eyes.

Pansy let's out another annoying squeal.

"You know, he's not that funny." I say to Ron as Pansy and Draco disappears into a bakery. "You know what... I'm in the mood for a lemon sponge." Before Ron can answer I'm pulling him across the street, into the small bakery. Draco and Pansy turns to look at us and I feel my face turns hot. What the hell was I thinking...what's my next move...think dammit.

"Look Draco its Fire Crotch and big-tits-magee" pansy squeals.

"Please Parkinson your laugh is far too annoying for this small space." Draco cringes. Pansy's face drops as she rolls her eyes. Draco searches my face before finding my eyes. He softens his face a little before looking at Ron and then back at me. His face nearly becomes stone. "Is it cold in here or are you just happy to see me Maisie?"

"Don't talk to her like that." Ron says. "Have some fucking respect Malfoy"

Draco looks over at me and smiles then back at Ron. "Who are you Weasley? Her fucking bodyguard? Oh, or are you her boyfriend?" Draco quips. Ron walks up trying to size up Draco but Ron's stature doesn't stand a chance to Draco's.

"You sound a little jealous Draco..." Ron jabbed.

"Oh, trust me, Weasley I have nothing to be jealous of." Spits Draco. Pansy grabs her treat off the counter and snakes her arm with Draco's. "See you Thursday night Maisie. How about we meet at my house this time." Draco smiles at Ron before pushing passed him and exiting the bakery.

"You don't have to take that Maisie.." Ron scoffs. "We can go straight to Snape and-"

"-Please Ron leave it!" I beg.

"What can I get for you?" The boy behind the counter ask.

I dig into my pocket to pull out my wallet. "Two lemon sponges please"

[euroswimcap]

Make a Splash with Custom Swim Hats: Personalized Designs for Every Swimmer - Euro Swim Caps

Swimming is more than just an exercise or sport – it’s an experience, a lifestyle. Whether you're training for a competition, casually swimming for fitness, or simply enjoying the water, having the right gear can make all the difference. One piece of gear that often gets overlooked but plays a crucial role is the Swim Hat. Not only do Swim Hats keep your hair out of your face, reduce drag, and protect your hair from chlorine, but they also serve as a stylish statement.

In today’s world of personalization and self-expression, why settle for a generic swim cap when you can sport a Personalized Swim Hat? A Personalized Swim Hat is more than just a practical accessory; it’s an opportunity to express your personality, represent your team, or create a unique look that sets you apart from the crowd. With brands like Euro Swim Caps leading the way, it's easier than ever to make a splash with custom swim hats.

Why Choose a Personalized Swim Hat?

When it comes to swimming, performance and comfort are top priorities. But there’s another aspect that can enhance your swimming experience: individuality. Here are a few reasons why opting for a Personalized Swim Hat might be the best decision for you:

1. Unique Style

One of the main reasons swimmers are opting for Personalized Swim Hats is the opportunity to showcase their unique style. Whether you’re part of a competitive team or just an avid swimmer, a custom-designed swim cap gives you the chance to stand out. You can select from a variety of colors, patterns, and fonts to create a design that reflects your personality, team spirit, or favorite colors.

With Euro Swim Caps, customization is easy and fun. The brand offers a wide range of design options, from simple text to intricate graphics, ensuring you can create a Personalized Swim Hat that matches your exact vision.

2. Team Identity

For swimmers who compete or practice as part of a team, a Personalized Swim Hat is an excellent way to promote unity and identity. Custom swim hats are a great tool for team cohesion, especially when you want to show off your team's logo, colors, or name.

Whether it’s for a local swim club or a school team, Euro Swim Caps offers the flexibility to create bulk orders with matching personalized swim caps for everyone. These custom hats not only give your team a professional, unified look but also help build camaraderie and pride among team members.

3. Improved Performance

Though it may seem like a small detail, a Swim Hat can actually play a significant role in your swimming performance. Personalized Swim Hats are often made of high-quality silicone or latex, which are materials designed to reduce drag in the water. The sleek design and tight fit of these hats help streamline your head and reduce resistance as you swim, allowing for smoother, faster movements.

Additionally, Euro Swim Caps are engineered to be both durable and comfortable, ensuring you can swim laps without constantly adjusting your cap or feeling discomfort.

4. Hair Protection

Chlorine and saltwater are tough on hair. Whether you're a competitive swimmer or someone who swims for recreation, repeated exposure to chlorine can cause dryness, frizz, and color fading. Swim Hats serve as a protective barrier between your hair and the water, helping to keep your hair in better condition.

A Personalized Swim Hat allows you to have this protection while still looking great. Choose a cap in a vibrant color or with your name and swim club logo to create a fun look while safeguarding your hair from chlorine damage.

5. Comfort and Fit

The best Swim Hats offer a snug, comfortable fit that doesn’t slip off during a swim. No one wants to be distracted by a loose or tight cap while trying to focus on swimming techniques. A Personalized Swim Hat from Euro Swim Caps is designed for maximum comfort. With a soft interior and a stretchy exterior, these caps fit snugly over your head without causing discomfort or restricting movement.

6. Perfect for Any Age Group

Whether you’re a child just learning to swim or an adult who’s been swimming for years, Personalized Swim Hats are available for all ages. Kids love the fun designs, colors, and characters that can be incorporated into their custom swim hats, while adults appreciate the stylish, sleek designs that can be easily personalized to reflect their personality.

Euro Swim Caps offers a variety of size options, ensuring that swimmers of all ages and head sizes can find the perfect fit.

The Benefits of Choosing Euro Swim Caps for Personalized Swim Hats

When it comes to custom swim hats, not all brands are created equal. Euro Swim Caps has earned a reputation for providing high-quality, durable, and stylish swim caps. Below are a few reasons why Euro Swim Caps should be your go-to brand for Personalized Swim Hats.

1. High-Quality Materials

Euro Swim Caps are made from premium silicone and latex, known for their strength and flexibility. These materials are designed to last, even with frequent use in chlorinated pools. The silicone options are particularly known for their durability and ability to maintain their shape, while the latex swim caps provide a more lightweight option for those who prefer a softer feel.

Whether you’re looking for comfort, durability, or performance, Euro Swim Caps delivers on all fronts.

2. Customization Options Galore

One of the standout features of Euro Swim Caps is the wide range of customization options available. From adding text, logos, or even intricate graphics, you can make your swim hat truly unique. Whether you're designing a cap for a team or just want something special for yourself, Euro Swim Caps allows you to choose from various font styles, colors, and design layouts.

3. Affordable and Bulk Orders

For those looking to outfit an entire team or group, Euro Swim Caps offers competitive pricing for bulk orders. You can create a custom order for any number of caps without breaking the bank, making it easy to give everyone a personalized look without sacrificing quality.

4. Fast Turnaround Time

When it comes to custom gear, timing is often a crucial factor. Euro Swim Caps is known for its quick turnaround time, ensuring you get your Personalized Swim Hats just in time for your next competition, event, or training session. The brand is committed to delivering high-quality custom swim hats efficiently, so you don’t have to wait long to sport your new, stylish cap.

5. Great for All Skill Levels

Whether you're a competitive swimmer, a recreational swimmer, or a casual beachgoer, Euro Swim Caps offers a cap that meets your needs. The customization options also allow you to choose a design that matches your personality, giving swimmers of all levels the chance to express themselves.

How to Create Your Perfect Personalized Swim Hat with Euro Swim Caps

Creating your ideal Personalized Swim Hat with Euro Swim Caps is a simple and enjoyable process. Follow these easy steps:

1. Choose Your Material

Start by choosing the material that suits your needs. Whether you opt for silicone or latex, both materials offer their own benefits. Silicone is more durable and resistant to tearing, while latex provides a more lightweight, flexible option.

2. Select Your Design

Next, it’s time to choose your design. You can opt for a solid color, a gradient, or a more intricate design. Euro Swim Caps provides a variety of templates, or you can upload your custom design, logo, or text.

3. Customize Your Text and Graphics

Add your name, team logo, or any other text or graphic you'd like on your cap. Whether you're a solo swimmer or designing caps for an entire team, Euro Swim Caps makes the process easy. Choose from a variety of fonts, sizes, and colors to make your cap truly yours.

4. Order and Enjoy

Once your design is ready, place your order. With fast processing times and reliable delivery, you’ll have your custom Swim Hat in no time, ready to make a splash in the pool!

Final Thoughts

When it comes to swimming, every little detail counts, from your stroke technique to the gear you use. A Personalized Swim Hat from Euro Swim Caps not only provides protection, comfort, and style but also allows you to express your individuality and team spirit. Whether you're training for a competition, swimming for fitness, or simply enjoying the water, a custom swim hat is a must-have accessory.

Make your next swim memorable with a Personalized Swim Hat that perfectly matches your style and performance needs. With Euro Swim Caps, the possibilities are endless. So why settle for a generic cap when you can make a splash with your very own custom design?

Visit our website and place your order now:

Website: Euro Swim Caps  

Email: info@euroswimcaps.com  

Phone: +44 1384 262335

[dsandrvk]

Thursday, March 7 - At Sea

Our weather has certainly changed. Last night before we left the Tristan da Cunha group, we noticed the outdoor cushions were all stored inside and all of the rest of the outdoor furniture was lashed tightly to the ship - often a sign that rough seas are ahead. It was rocking a bit when we went to bed, but when we woke up this morning, the sky was clearing, the seas were relatively calm with only about a 1 meter swell and it was warm! The rain gear, coats and hats of yesterday are off, and and we are mostly in T-shirts and shorts. Amazing what a difference a few degrees of latitude makes. We have also lost almost all the birds and seals that we have been seeing for several days.

Last evening, after we left Tristan, we first cruised by Inaccessible Island, which is the latter but not the former. There aren't many good places for people to land, but some have been there, mostly doing biological studies. The island has a few endemic birds, but the most special one is the Inaccessible Rail, only found on this island. It is small and dark and lost its ability to fly a long, long time ago, as it lives on an island with no predators. It is most closely related to a crake from South America, but came here probably as a flying predecessor. There are thousands on this island, but it is still considered a vulnerable species since the entire population is in this one place and an accidentally introduced cat or rodent (both present on nearby Tristan) could wipe out the entire species. It was too foggy to really see the island very well, although we could make out the breaking surf and a waterfall or two.

From here we cruised a short distance over to Nightingale Island, the largest in a little cluster. These are also all volcanic, but not as perfectly shaped as Tristan, and have been dormant for quite a while. The first foggy picture is of Nightingale and the second is of Stoltenhoff. We spent most of the dinner hour dynamically positioned there, watching for birds and gradually watching the fog lift a bit. It was a lovely end to a wonderful day.

Nightingale Island is also the scene of a fairly recent marine disaster. In 2011, the then two-year old MS Olivia, a 225 meter long bulk carrier with a load of soybeans, missed the minimal avoided clearance of 10 nautical miles, and went aground on the rocks by the shore - in fairly good weather with good visibility, although just before dawn. Immediately the ship began taking on water and leaking oil and 12 of the 22-man crew were rescued fairly quickly by a fishing vessel from Tristan, but the seas worsened. Our main bird guide from the expedition team, Will, happened to be on a small cruise ship at Tristan at the time and told us the rest of the story, complete with photographs.

For some reason, the lifeboat that should have been at the top of its chute on the stern of the boat was missing, and no one had noticed. It turned up two years later in South Australia. Because the cruise ship had Zodiacs, they were called into service to get the remaining men off of the ship. By this time the area was an oil slick, and the Zodiacs, the rescuers and the rescued were all covered in it. They did manage to rescue all the men, but the next day the ship broke in two and sank. It is estimated that over 20,000 Northern Rockhopper Penguins (half of the total number for the species) were coated in oil. A heroic attempt was made to rescue as many as possible, degrease them and wash them in the Tristan swimming pool, but only a small percentage survived. About 1600 tons of heavy fuel oil was released, and other species also suffered losses, although none as great as the penguins.

It was a completely avoidable incident, as the plotting chart on the ship erroneously took it directly over Nightingale Island and although some thing was noted on radar several times, it was always discounted as a rain squall or an iceberg (very unlikely at this latitude). Will did mention that when they loaded the very unhappy captain onto their Zodiac, he had a black eye, so there had been some "discussion" on board the Oliva after the grounding.

We headed out just at dark, giving all the islands the wide berth they deserved, and settled in for four sea days, which will bring us to Jamestown on Saint Helena. We have burned a little extra fuel getting to Tristan faster, but can take our time on the next leg. It's nice to have warmer, sunnier weather, too, although we know it will get much hotter in a few more days.

All the other photographs are from yesterday on Tristan and include a picture of the Albatross Bar and a beautiful garden of hydrangeas. I've also included a picture of the "road" west, and a few other sights.

[southkoreaandjapan]

Pearls, seafood and more pearls (of wisdom)

July 2, 2023

Well, you don't know what you don't know. Today we spent some time learning about cultured pearls. We visited an oyster farm that was started 70 years ago by our hostesses' father. At one time the family had many farms but now they have only this one and it is much more about tourism that oysters. First of all - the setting..

Two sisters - both in them 80s run - run the place and they explained to us the process of "growing" pearls. Fascinating.

In the early 1900s the biggest place for to find an abundance of pearls was the Persian Gulf. At that time the pearl divers were taking 36,000 oysters a month out of that area and on average they were finding 4 pearls. I know I make a lot of of typos - BUT those numbers are not a typo. Using the techniques we learned about today "seeding," that many oysters would generate about 28,000 pearls.

This "seeding" is unbelievably labor intensive and is a complicated surgery. We were told that they wait until the water temperature is cool and they remove the 2 year old oysters and implant the nucleus (The nucleus is a small ball made from the mother of pearl of a Mississippi oyster. We did not find out WHY they use the Mississippi oyster but to no avail - but who cares.). This operation mimics the action of a "parasite" drilling through the shell, so the oyster is actually fooled into believing an intruder is inside. Thus, the oyster's mantle will cover the implant and then, slowly coat it up with layers of nacre.

After the implant the oysters are returned to the water. Between 20-30% of the oysters die after the implant - FYI. Now that is in the sister's set up using these tools...

Reading a little more about massively large pearl farms that seed in a operating room setting the survival rate is much greater and some oysters are seeded with 2 nuclei.

If you would like to see the process - here is YouTube about the it from Sea of Cortez - not Japan - but the process is the same:

After we learned about the process - we each got to open an oyster and find our pearl. Below is my pearl:

After the oysters are 3 or 4 years they are collected and the pearls are harvested and sorted and sold in bulk.

The colors reflect the color of the mother of pearl of the oyster. Not all are round, some look like tadpoles (3rd section, bottom row) and some have blemishes.

They do not sell the meat of the oyster but use it for fish food or fertilizer. (That is a lot for freaking fish food and/or fertilizer.). We got to feed the fish. Check out the colors of the tiny fish. Pufferfish were eating the bulk of the food.

After we found our pearls we went to their little store and some of us have new jewelry.

For lunch we went to another fabulous bay to talk to some women divers and to eat a lunch they prepared for us.

It was a quite incredible experience. We took this path along the bay until we reached a shack with a charcoal fire awaiting lunch preparation.

The two women - both in the 70s had been divers since they were young girls. This job is for females. They dive every day for scallops, lobsters, octopus, clams, squid, etc. - whatever is in season. They row their boat to their location of the day, throw out and anchor and tie a basket to their waist and dive in. They sell their catch to the locals at the market.

They wear hats and shirts and white pants while diving to make themselves look bigger to any sea creatures that might want to eat them (sharks).

Later that day we saw a demonstration of these baskets and divers. They swim with a piece of metal with a hook at the end and that is how they harvest mollusks they cannot just pick up.

I can't forget to tell you about our meal - AMAZING!

This was quite a meal.

Swimming earlier today and then on the plate. Marvelous!! Mackerel, scallops and clams - just to start.

The diver/chefs were so friendly and funny. One told us she cannot put on weight no matter what she eats and it is a problem. The other told us she would put on weight if her diet were air and water. They were delightful.

From there we headed back to our hotel and went to the Mikimoto Pearl Island Museum. It was there we saw the demonstration and learned a great deal about the "making" of cultured pearls.

Back at the hotel the guys headed to the onsen and I took a nap!

Later we made paper cranes and let me say they are MUCH harder to make than they look. Ken-san was a saint! Everyone left with a paper crane.

Mark looked way better than mine....

Dinner was phenomenal!! In a private room - we had this....

So here is what we had...

And here is what that said...

Ahhhhh - technology! The meal was one of the best we have had - and THAT my friends is saying something!

Stay tuned. Tomorrow we head to Kyoto - by way of Nara.

[swimhat12]

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[jeanbie]

ATTACK ON TITAN! AND THEIR ICKS ★ masterlist.

⏤ these are mostly for fun ^__^ sorry if u think some of these are not icks...ur wrong....but fair enough...

reiner always posts thirst trap work out stories on instagram

gabi has a sticky ipad screen

whenever eren is on discord his microphone is always so crackly and loud and he’s always asking if everybody can hear him

connie and jean genuinely love minecraft parodies and did not get the message when the creeper song stopped being funny

zeke smells his underwear to see if it’s still ok to wear for a second day in a row

sasha and hange own galaxy print leggings

historia takes pictures of her starbucks

connie and sasha scream when the teacher turns off the lights

ymir pushes people off their chairs at lunch because she finds it funny but it isn’t and nobody laughs

connie always tries to throw his trash into the bin and it misses every time and he never picks the litter up

falco knows all of the fortnite dances

eren was subscribed to onision when he was younger and found him funny

erwin claps when the plane lands

berthold listens to imagine dragons

historia always complains about how short she is

reiner and connie bully falco on roblox

pieck never washes her hands after using the toilet

mikasa owns a “normal people scare me” t-shirt

armin reminds the teacher about homework and tests

marco chews with his mouth open and talks when eating so the food goes absolutely everywhere

erwin fights with people on facebook

levi uses really out of date memes and it’s just cringey and awkward

hitch tells other girls that they belong in the kitchen and that she’s one of the boys

sasha had a dan and phil phase and drew whiskers on her face to go to school

erwin says “who’s that” when you show him a meme

jean plays his music out loud and tries to sing along to it but he’s really awful

reiner tries to show off in the library but gets yelled at in front of everybody and it’s awkward

petra never swears and she always says “oh DARN” or “dang flabbit”

porco listens to xxxtentacion

armin takes harry potter houses a little too seriously

mikasa always calms eren down after fights by being like “don’t worry i’ll calm him down. eren, it’s me, it’s mikasa, it’s me”

reiner burps and blows it at people

levi asks to speak to the manager

floch makes misogynistic jokes but nobody laughs

zeke constantly smells like cigarettes

pieck wears her pad for a little bit too long than normal

colt sends thirst traps but gets left on read

connie still tries to send streaks but only sasha replies

mikasa wears those tattoo chokers

erwin and levi sign their names at the end of text messages

marco uses XD

eren enters instagram giveaways

armin says doggo

connie has no social awareness and farts in public

sasha eats really loudly and you can’t hear the tv over her eating

jean pushes people as a way of flirting

all of them say twitch emotes out loud except for maybe levi and erwin

annie is terrible at eyeliner but she still posts pictures saying “makeup looked good today”

reiner never crops his screenshots when he posts them

berthold carries a chessboard everywhere with him

porco thinks he can dance but he can’t

historia drinks wkd and pretends she’s drunk when she isn’t

reiner, jean and connie moan in class

armin pretends like he’s best friends with the teacher

levi bulk bought essential supplies at the start of corona lockdown and didn’t care that there was nothing left for anyone else

olou does not wear a mask

gabi picks her nose and eats it

erwin always wears a swimming hat even if he’s in a paddling pool or the ocean

annie has a monster energy can collection

ymir and porco make fun of people’s dead parents

historia fakes her sneezes to be more high pitched

armin and eren used to make song parodies on youtube but forgot the password so they can’t delete the videos

zofia is a horse girl

mikasa thinks liking lana del rey makes you unique

armin runs to classes

eren constantly has dirt under his fingernails

sasha eats loudly over zoom in class and never goes on mute

jean and connie renegade

you can always hear armin biting his fingernails and skin if the class is quiet enough

jean loudly asks questions during movies

[prettywordsyouleft]

The Cowboy - Part 3

Summary: Leaving the city for a rural area called Blayne seemed simple enough. Your task was to convince the people to agree with selling their land for a resort redevelopment. But once there, you soon realise that your city ways are entirely different to theirs. Winning their trust was going to take some effort, and when you start to fall for a local cowboy, you wonder if you really needed Blayne more than the city life after all.

Pairing: Jung Jaehyun x female reader

Genre: cowboy au / drama / romance / if you squint there’s some enemies to lovers up in here.

Warnings: Jung Jaehyun is a cowboy, need I say more? (a bit of angst and drama, and it sometimes might feel like you’re reading a Nicolas Sparks book, so I’m told lol)

Word count: 2054

This series will be updated every Thursday and Friday.

Preview | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

“What are you handing me those for?” you asked when the man you had arranged to meet with at eleven shook your hand in greeting and then placed a pair of gumboots up on the hood of your car. You eyed the footwear and then looked back at Avery McConnell with interest.

Avery chuckled. “I know how expensive those boots are.”

“It’s not muddy, though. I’ve come at the end of spring.”

“You’re in for an awakening, Y/N. Trust me, put them on.”

You took Avery’s advice and followed him over to his truck. Climbing inside, you then glanced at your guide. “Thank you for meeting with me today.”

“Hey, it’s my pleasure. Always nice to see a new face once every three or so years,” he teased, and you laughed with him.

“So I’m learning. Not many venture out here.”

“It would be nice if people did.”

“Right?!” you enthused instantly, gesturing to the mountain ranges in the distance. “This place has so much untapped potential.”

“You won’t get to un-tap it, Y/N,” Avery told you upfront as he swung the vehicle out onto the main road. “But I wish there was a happy medium. If we could create more jobs and better housing, it would improve our farming. It’s hard to get help to come out here when services like Amazon don’t.”

“Wait, they don’t?!” you groaned heavily at the concept of not being able to order coffee pods in bulk.

“You’ll have to set up a PO Box in the township over. And if you need to have any internet meetings, it’ll be best to do them there too. The internet reaches out here, but the signal drops so frequently that no one bothers.”

“Why hasn’t anyone asked for services to be improved?” you asked and Avery smiled at you knowingly. “What? You can request cables to be laid, and I’m sure if you pay half the cost-”

“There’s not a huge focus on the internet out here when the sun rises in the morning for outdoor productivity. Most of us just have mobile phones to ring one another when we’re out on our property. And even then, the signal can be dodgy.”

“But there could be improvements,” you insisted, and Avery nodded.

“You’re persistent.”

“Well, it’s not the primitive age. I appreciate there’s a historical factor and a tight-knit community here, but this land is capital, and you could all win from some modern intervention.”

“I’m not your enemy,” Avery admitted, parking the car up on the side of a country lane. “I went to the city to escape how plain Blayne is.”

“You did?”

Avery nodded.

“Then how come you’re back?”

“It’s my home. It’s strange. Not a lot of people get why we live like this, but to us, it makes the most sense. Plus my old man got sick and needed me to help take care of the steer.”

“Okay, I’m going to sound really ignorant for a moment, but is a steer some kind of deer?”

“You came out here without knowing your basic farm animals, Y/N?” he asked with a laugh, and you rolled your eyes. “Come on I’ll show you why we need gumboots around here.”

Holding your nose, you attempted to listen to Avery’s speech about how the pigs of Blayne were some of the best meat pigs in the country. However, you were overstimulated by the smells and the sounds of the barn that you couldn’t quite keep up with the knowledge he was passing on to you.

“Ah, so this is where you were,” a voice mentioned, and you spun around, letting go of your nose and gasped for air. The newcomer smirked, his dimples deepening.

God, you wanted to hate him for being so attractive.

“You know me. I’ve got to help any damsel in distress out.”

“Where is she?” he teased, and you rolled your eyes. “Oh! Miss City, are you getting snippy with me?”

“Thank you for the warning about the owl.”

He grinned. “You’re welcome. So, seen enough pigs and want to go back to the city yet?”

“Not a chance.”

“That’s a pity, should we take her out into the cattle fields, Avery?”

“No need to be that eager to get rid of me,” you bit back and Avery, who had been watching the two of you, started to laugh heartily. You realised then how similar it sounded to May’s laugh. You pointed at him. “Wait, are you two-”

“Sadly, I’m related to him,” Avery admitted dramatically, and you glanced at the scowl on the other man’s face. “Come on Jaehyun, who wants to be your cousin anyway?”

“I never asked to be related to you either but here we are!”

“Jaehyun,” you breathed, and the man in question blinked at you curiously. “Oh, I didn’t get your name last night, you see.”

“I thought you had,” he answered back, grinning again. “Mr Cowboy, isn’t it?”

“Well, you do look like the typical cowboy in the movies when you go around in your boots and hat,” Avery defended, which you couldn’t help but snort a little at.

Jaehyun folded his arms across his chest. “Cattle fields, next. Right?”

You followed them out onto the field, watching where you stepped. Now you knew the reason for the boots. If there hadn’t been enough dung and muck in the pig barn, you certainly had seen more than enough of it out in this field. Climbing up the hill after the two men, you huffed at how easy it was for them.

“I guess there’s no need for a gym membership out here,” you muttered, sucking in a deep breath.

Jaehyun turned and looked at you then. “Come on, Miss City. The cows are over here.”

“I never wanted to see a damn cow, I came to survey the land for suitable resort spots,” you grumbled out of earshot, grateful when the slope evened out, and you reached the top of the field.

Stopping to catch your breath, you blinked at the view. In every direction you looked, the mountain range was so beautiful. All you could see was an expanse of land, which held a lot of possibilities. A golf course, a swimming and spa resort were merely two of the possibilities for Blayne’s development. Being close to nature whilst enjoying leisure pursuits could really put this place on the map.

You turned again, smiling at the wondrous thought of redevelopment until you saw what had come upon you. Backing up from the impossibly large beast, you raised your hands in defence.

“Nice cow.”

“She sure is a beaut, isn’t she?” a voice mentioned at your side, and you yelped in surprise, slipping on a cow patty.

Strong arms reached out to balance you before you hit the ground and you looked up into the face of your saviour, Jaehyun washing his gaze over you momentarily.

And then he started to laugh. “Wow, Miss City, you sure are jumpy! Feeling a little scared, are we?”

“You scared me first!”

“Was it me or the cow?” he questioned with a chuckle, and you yanked yourself free from Jaehyun’s grip, skirting around the curious animal and dashing over to Avery’s side.

He seemed equally amused. “You sure this is a place for you?”

“I’m adaptable,” you muttered, blinking rapidly.

Even you didn’t believe your words now.

“Wow, I’m exhausted,” you mentioned when you arrived back at your residence, falling down onto the couch with a groan.

Jaehyun had joined you for the rest of your exploration with Avery, much to your disdain. Every time you got close to discussing some sort of loose plan with the man, Jaehyun would distract you or shoot down your ideas entirely.

You glared up at the ceiling. “Stupid Cowboy. What would he know?”

The phone rang then, and you whined childishly, hauling yourself up from the couch and going over to answer it. “Oh good, you’re there!”

“Ah, yes. You have a nice home here, June.”

“You think so? It was once the home I raised my children in until we built the one we’re in now. Ah, that’s why I called you. I’ve made extra food and wanted to invite you around for dinner.”

“That’s too generous of you.”

“It’s the least I can do after knowing how long the boys had you out for. I told them to take it slow since you weren’t used to our ways yet. I bet your feet hurt.”

“They do, I’ll admit it,” you confessed and June giggled down the line with you.

“That’s it then! I’ll send Jaehyun around to fetch you!”

“Oh, it’s fine. I can drive myself there if you give me directions.”

“He’ll be there shortly, dearie. I pushed him out the door long before making this call.”

“Well, he should be here then,” you mentioned, glancing outside the house with some unease. “I’ll get ready!”

“See you soon, Y/N.”

After placing down the phone, you dashed upstairs to freshen up your appearance, pulling out a floral boho styled maxi dress that you had bought specifically for your country adventure. Picking up a straw hat and accessorising your middle with a woven belt, you laughed at how carefree you looked out of your usual business attire.

“He should be here by now,” you guessed, looking down the drive for Jaehyun’s truck. Collecting your bag, you stepped out of the house and locked it, slipping the keys into your purse and then jumped when you heard a loud whinny.

Turning to the field adjacent to the drive, you gaped at the sight before you. Jaehyun watched you for a moment before leaping down from the wagon. “It’s a good thing I had to run errands for Dad and didn’t bring a horse for you to ride instead, huh?”

“You didn’t bring the truck?”

“You asked if it was legal yesterday. I doubt you would have gotten in it.”

You eyed the large animal warily. “And you expect me to get up there?”

“Miss City, don’t tell me you’re scared of a mere horse. Back before any car, they were man’s best friend.”

“I thought that was a dog,” you murmured as Jaehyun leapt back up onto the cushioned seat of the wagon, his hand reaching down for yours.

“Ever seen a dog plough a field for crops?” Jaehyun asked with a chuckle, his grip firm around your wrist as he helped you up.

You sat down and looked around yourself hopelessly. “Do I need a seatbelt?”

“You really haven’t experienced much in life, have you, Miss-”

“Y/N,” you interjected, smiling nervously. “Please, call me Y/N.”

Jaehyun stared at you again and then smiled, picking up the reins. “You can hold onto me if you get scared, Y/N. I won’t tell anyone that our city slicker is frightened to ride on a horse wagon.”

“Why did I agree to go out tonight?” you wondered with a groan, shrieking and grabbing onto the front of the wagon when it started to move. Jaehyun laughed at you before eagerly asking the animal to move faster, your hands gripping on more tightly to the bar. “You’re working too hard to get rid of me, Jaehyun.”

“Really? Is it that noticeable?” he wondered and smiled when he watched you loosen your grip. “You’re adapting to this pretty well, though.”

It was your turn to look at him, a smile forming on your lips. “I am, huh.”

He glanced at you and nodded. “Who knows, maybe you’ll last more than a week.”

“Talk to me again when I make it to a month.”

“You’ll be riding a horse by that time,” he suggested, and you scoffed loudly.

“No, thank you. I’m not here to play farm. I’m here to work.”

“Farming is one of the hardest jobs out there. I thought you were here to see how us Blayners tick?”

“Well…”

“I guess you better think about what you’ll wear for a horse riding lesson tomorrow then.”

“I never agreed to it,” you objected and then sat back in your seat when Jaehyun leaned towards you.

“I like your dress by the way. It’s pretty.”

“Still full of yourself,” you mumbled, fanning your cheeks with how hot they grew with his compliment.

Jaehyun grinned. “Still enjoying it, aren’t we?”

_________________

Part 4

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[iampikachuhearmeroar]

in honour of the rawring 20s, more cringy things from my emo/scene phase, a semi-masterpost:

•putting the you me at six lyric “whose keeping a score of who is a whore??? i know you don’t!” as my myspace header in japanese…… so the girls in my year at school that i thought were “whores”, and didn’t like them bc of that, wouldn’t pick up that that i was aiming it at them. like being a weeb and a scene kid douchebag???? they don’t mix lmao.

•screaming “IF YOU HAD A SEX LIFE, A SEX LIFE WOULD YOU EVEN WORRY ABOUT MINE WHEN YOUR BED IS EMPTY???? YOU’RE A WASTE OF TIME!!!!” from the song sex life by d.r.u.g.s (destroy rebuild until god shows) through the halls of catholic school in year 10/2011 to try to ~subtly~ and bitterly flirt with my crush lmao. like honey. chill the fuck out!!!! you’re 15!!!!! not many people have a sex life at 15 anyway lmao

•my uh. jeffree star music phase in 2007

•i’ve mentioned this before but wanting to score my entire year 10 drama shakespeare monologue with emo music and my teacher having to block the idea constantly bc “it’s good enough on its own! i swear to GOD!”

•taking a studded belt to school on the 31/10/2009 bc i had to get ready for amity affliction at my besties house that day after school so we could head up to sydney that night for the concert. saying shit about having a studded belt made me hardcore and wanting to punch people in the face with it bc it was some dumb reoccurring theme i had

•watching the music video for one love by aiden on my ipod nano at school and telling everyone about jeffree star’s i hate you ring in the video and how if i ever had it i’d punch all the people i hated in the face with it….. and then they’d be branded for life with the fact that i hated them?????? like bro. i KNOW you are the embodiment of angsty harry potter from HP puppet pals. but literally!!!! calm the fuck down!!!!!!

•i’ve talked about it before, but breaking up with clear braces boy and immediately demanding him to “hurry up and listen to a day to remember bc they’re fucking amazing!!! and you know i’m motherfucking right!!!!”

•taking 3 hours to straighten my hair just to go swimming….. then like someone pushing me in a pool or the surf (if we’d gone to the beach) and RUINING MY PERFECTLY STRAIGHTENED HAIR AND MY AESTHETIC!!!! HOW DARE YOU????!!! you KNEW you were going swimming girl. why the fuck did you bother to straighten your hair anyway, lmao???

•the whole cringy thing of me wanting to work in the CD shop sanity just so i could play a bunch of emo music and have some cute heavily tattooed emo boy/guy in his skinny jeans, slouchy beanie/now gross beanie hat type thing and band shirt come in and mysteriously fall in love with me….. and then kiss me to “kill me in a record shop” by boys like girls… or like alternatively i’d be making out with my hot older emo coworker in the back to the same song or some other horny emo song anthem/s 😂😂 same went for JB hifi when they came along and started stocking all time low and cute is what we aim for cd’s 😂😂😂 the hot emo bro would also teach me to skate as a bonus hobby outside of work. like KILL ME NOW!!!!

• alternatively to the above, i’d just magically have a hot emo boy boyfriend who was preferably the singer in the band…. but also could play guitar and could hardcore scream really well….. when like the bulk of those dudes were literally in their 20s 😂😅. on this point, teen emo me believing that her liking 20something emo dudes who were covered in tats and piercings and wrote ~hella deep~ lyrics etc etc just apparently made her more mature than the girls in her year at catholic school who liked justin bieber or one direction (who were literally the same age as us lol). like girl no. if those older dudes hit on you, IT’S A RED FLAG!!!! FUCKING RUN!!!!

•wanting to take my edgy pop punk road trip to a town 8 hours north from where i am as soon i got my licence and stuff… also the whole moody thing about ~crashing my car just to feel again~ theme i had going on 2011/year 10 in my teen mental breakdown phase in regards to getting my licence bc i was so desperate to do something ~reckless~

•basically a good bulk of my high school statuses tbh

•me taking in the same 3 pics of the same 3 scene queens and hayley williams (and cassidy pope, once) into my hair dresser EVERY 8 WEEKS to get my hair cut just like them 😂😂 i even updated my facebook status in year 9/2010 once with “got hayley williams hair cut today :D :D!!!!” i swear to god my hairdresser got so sick of me taking those pics in lmao 😂😅

•stage diving at a local amity affliction show in 2010/year 9 and going straight to the fucking floor bc i accidentally jumped into a hole in the crowd…. but i suppose it’s bc i was the biggest wanker at the show bc….. before we went in, i was bragging hella loud about how “hardcore” i apparently was 😂😂

•using my hot topic dress in my year 10 drama monologue bc i thought its steampunk style was elizabethan enough when paired with my black marching band style jacket (that i used to imitate black parade era mcr) and a pocket watch that was a tiny moveable robot. and also my trusty red flanno shirt from jay jays

•wanting entire clothing lines from certain band members from certain labels. and most especially booty shorts with the persons name (most frequently a dude) plastered across my ass 😂😅

•wanting the entire mid2000s line of drop dead merch. also bbycks (baby cakes) and zumiez etc etc. also glamor kills.

•desperately wanting my bra to be on a mic stand of a certain band dudes mics (just why lmao)… or on certain band members mics lmao (also just why)

[prettywarriors]

what are some of your favorite and least favorite magical girl raising project designs? and your thoughts on magical daisy just because she's my fav

Heck yes opinion time! But first what you asked for:

Magical Daisy Good. The yellows-browns-beige works really well with both the purple accents and the minty green hair. She has pleats distributed evenly through her design, and they work in tandem with both the ribbons and with the daisies through her outfit without it getting too busy. I like her detached sleeves with gloves, and I am a sucker for practical footwear on a MG (both for them and for possible cosplayers) I’m not Crazy about the. Pouch? Asymmetrical bustle? The thing off her waist on her right. But it balances with her off-center headdress and has the same small design on it so it get’s a pass. Her hair is simple, but I like it and I think it works for her A good design for an anime (if the MGRP anime had done really well, do you think we would have gotten an in-universe magical daisy episode?)

Other opinions under the cut

Haha only giving opinions on 3 girls? I’m reading Peaceful Days now so enjoy my speed thoughts on MGRP-Aces outfits.

But first Maruino deserves so much recognition because her use of cream and dark brown in place of white and black whenever possible, combined with her chibi style and general color pallet choices, is so good. I know I’ve talked about the LN look vs the anime looks here before, but some designs would just look not nearly as good if she didn’t know how to use colors as well as she does

MGRP:

Snow White- School uniform with an armband indicating she is someone who can help, but with flowers. It’s cute, it’s fairly simple compared to other mgrp outfits, I like the big flowers on the sides of her outfit over the ones hanging from the ribbons off her back. A solid look, but not a winner in my book

Ripple- This is going to come up with quite a few of these designs but I like basically everything but the body. I like the sleeves, the geta are great, love the one ponytail with big shuriken, scarf brings great contrast to the rest of the color scheme, bikini top with ribbons attaching it to a wrapped skirt? The skirt feels like this could have been a keikogi but the top is almost wholly unadorned and overall I wish this was a better look than it is

La Pucelle- Great idea, meh execution. Knight And Dragon? Love it! The navy blue for military feels with armor and goes well with the gold&cream&brown. Her horns are cute! I like the tail- it fits the character and isn’t too large or distracting. Once again I like the arms-neck-legs but the body is. a bikini with a drapery bit off the top and the tabard. The tabard is good! But why is she in her underwear? Give pants??? 

-And yes I know swimsuits cover just as much as underwear but this isn’t a swimsuit and it’s a lazy way to cover what needs to be cover and not even try to make that area of a design more interesting. This doesn’t apply just to LP or even MGRP I have seen comments on this before and unless the character’s outfit is an actual bathing suit, try harder.

Top Speed- A wife. A halloween wife. God I lover her personality and her outfit is definitely on the simple end of mgrp outfits but very fitting. The colors are great, love the hat and the tall boots, the cape stripes might be my least favorite bit? But I feel if it was solid it would be too bland so. And the end of her braids looks like a broom. I love her. Good design.

Ruler- I hate this. But why..... Is it the navy blue is a singular piece? I liked Ripple’s scarf for contrast but maybe this piece isn’t large enough? Her head things look like two crowns on the sides of her head and their weird and. Not awful? But not great. The cape looks chunky at the end? In a weird way? Or is it the drop waist on the top. I know I don’t like the butt fluff. I do like the shoes&leggings? pants? And her crown and hair stars. bad/10 for reasons I can not place

Swim Swim- Techno demon in the accessories, pure schoolgirl in swim class in the torso. The white suit+black devil wings is good as character contrast , and her....hip...discs? have demony tails which is good, but the big headphones and floating disc things work great with the shoes but not with the rest of the outfit? This is two outfits in one but not in a good way. Pick a lane.

Minael&Yunael- They might not be super-murders but boy that’s their only redeeming trait. I do not like them as fictional people. And outfitwise? Meh. I like the chat balloon halos, and the one wing look for the two of them works, and again the use of Navy rather than pure black is good, but the old fashioned dress with a bib is. boring. and not in a simple way just not interesting? Like I think if the stiped bib thing was removed it might look better? This also might be a secret hatred of mine as I think I have figured out from a later outfit. For now- boo

Tama- Are you spotted or brown&white? Her fluff bits and legs say spotted and her ears and tail and paws say brown and white and I wish we’d pick a lane? Also not crazy about the butt-length cape. I do like the bone clasp and the hood, and you have to have big ol paws for a dog girl. She’s. Fine. Just fine.

Nemurin- Her hair clouds say magical girl, the rest says generic cute sleepy anime girl. I like the socks, and her hair, but she’s not that interesting? Don’t get me wrong she’s cute but the bulk of her design is Big PJs. The candy clasp is nice as a sweet dreams thing? Sorry Endo

Calamity Mary- Titty fur. Boots with spurs and arms with fringe and mini cowboy hat are all good, and her skirt is. A little boring but fine. But the best part of her top is the sheriff badge. If we’re committed to evil=slutty=evil, you can still make a more appealing lewd top than a bikini over some fluff. Let sluts be sexy? Stay dead bitch.

Magicaloid 44- Elementary schoolgirl but robot. Bulky but in that smooth modern look. I’m a sucker for hair horns, even when they’re metal or plastic, and she just has a good silhouette. But her colors could be better? I will say her mn art has her skirt look like a skirt, and the anime said This Is A Solid Hunk Of Plastic/Metal and I think that works better. Swap her dark brown bits for a navy to go with her skirt and i think i’d be out of complaints

Sister Nana- There are multiple MG nuns. What’s up with that. Good use of sexy belts for theme consistency, but I with there was more red up top or her shoes were a different color. 9/10 for dirty nun

Weiss Winterprison- Girl I love you why is your outfit not good as a MG look or even really as an outfit. Your practical looking boots have heels, your colors are boring and messy, you have like. belts but not enough for them to look interesting? Gurl I love you do something with this bland mess.\

Cranberry- ‘I love this’ I say threw clenched teeth. I love green and flower motifs, and I like boleros and big sleeves. But I’m not that into this? I think it’s that her top looks like a nice shirt that’s a little long and then she. Just has leggings on and a big belt. I guess the buckle is like. A big thorn? And i’m into tunics with leggings but this doesn’t? do that in a way I like? The red-blue roses are a nice contrast to the green and creme but i just. I have no idea I want to be in love with this and it’s Middling for me. More elf ear’d MGs pls

Hardgore Alice- I love alice, I am a fan of edgy spins on stuff(sorry), so I’m a bit disappointed? And I think it’s just the colors? I love the checkered pockets and the striped stockings and bows and the headband and apron and bloomers and dress shape and even her eye bags (mood). I guess I just wish there was more of the off white-maybe for the full apron? or even the bloomers? I love you please re-color.

Restart:

Keek- This bitch might win it for worst look. I like her hair color, and giant sleeves, and the cd and rubix cube are nice touches for an outfit, but what outfit. A bikini top and slightly-larger-than-usual underwear style bottom with a big plate of metal? Are those supposed to be shorts??? Points for normal shoes but take off the coat and this is nothing. And the coat isn’t much to begin with. 0/10 might take home the gold

Clantail- I wish the apron part was gone? But the colors are good tho I do have a question about the horns- they’re cute but if she can change her lower body to other animals they won’t always fit very well? And her necklaceuhhh tattoo? is odd. But she’s fine

Pechika- Good colors, like the feathers, I wish the chef’s coat had a different fit but it’s good. Could go without the tail. Also has some almost military feeling elements like the hair cross and the? epaulets? This is a spats stan account

Rionetta- Great use of colors, patterns, ribbons, has a specific look that works great for the doll dress. Hell year ball joints and weird eyes. Wonderful. I hate it. No fucking clue why. Like with the angels maybe? I hate strips? Except I don’t. Maybe just in specific situations? Or I hate multiple patterns? Rio looks good. I just see her and go into a rage. 

Nonako Miyokata- A very good look overall, just not super Magical Girl? Definitely magical miko but. The yin yang accessories feel a tad out of place- replace them with existing themes or add them in elsewhere

Magical Daisy- Still good

Nokko- This is just a maid. A cute maid with a weird choice of hair decor, but I think she got her outfit at the same shop as Milkit. *shrug*

@Meow-Meow- boy I hope I didn’t just at someone for real. I like her colors and tail, poofy detached sleeves are good, her top works with the open dress. I’m a fan of detailed edging on a piece, and it works with the pattern.  I’d’ve liked to see more of the bells that are on her wrists? I guess she had a racist accent originally though which yikes. 

Genopsyko Yumenoshima- A great sentai outfit, love the helmet ears and the tail. Not good as a magical girl outfit unless we fully dissolve the mg/sentai line. But the suit is great, slightly oversized gloves, and retro lasergun that doesn’t even work? Yesssss.

Detec Bell- Fwuffy. Great hat, love the dress, a good use of a cape, simple but very good. I feel a feel some of the ribbons could be changed up but a solid if simple design. 

Lapis Lazuline (2)- Cute starry tiger princess? I guess I’m a fan of navy and brown because i’m into it here too. Good use of the silvery details on the sleeves and dress bottom, and the links both at the cape clasp and on the boots. Really nice.

Melville- Bootleg Cranberry in every way. I like her over-pants and sleeve-cape, but the weird bib-top under the bikini top is a bad shape? Hair roses good and leg thorns do get a thumbs up. 

Cherna Mouse- If the turtle gets it’s own distinct look, why is Cherna just baby+ hamster? The hood is cute, and I dig the boots which work with the shoulder things, but said things don’t go with the toddler one piece+cape. She reminds me of Moetan and that is a bad thing.

Pfle- Ohhh this bitch. I may have been reading these books but I have no damn idea what she is up to and I hate it. Love her eyepatch tho. Super cute throne-wheelchair and it continues the bird motif. Her dress is nice but not that interesting? Seems more generic old timey fancy lady dress than Magical. Honestly I could go for some mixing up of the colors here? The dress and hair and throne all are a bit too similar. Maybe make the dress wine?

Shadow Gale- I like her look but I don’t feel it says nurse as much as it’s supposed to? Her aces profile honestly gives Rue vibes. It’s very monochromatic but I guess that works for her. Big fan of her skirt, kindof with it went all the way around. Solid design

Masked Wonder- Who? I refuse to play person5 because it’s been overhyped but isn’t this one of them? Not awful as a phantom thief outfit, but doesn’t say magical girl phantom thief at all. I do like the roses on the belt and. garters? Kindof wish we’d loose the color on the cape because it clashes more than anything with the rest of the look

Akane- I like her long hair flower. But her samurai-kimono look doesn’t feel blended well enough imo and the colors are too over the place while still being bland.

Lake of Fire Flame Flamey- Hell if I know how she looks I just love typing that name

Limited:

Weddin- Good colors, a bit too busy? The chains+roses+lace doesn’t feel well balanced. But the flame and ankle chain are balanced because Maruino is good at asymmetrical details 

Captain Grace- A pirate magical girl? Is she legit the only one from any main stream series? Well she set the bar high. The captain coat is great, multiple small anchors, the hat, and her skirt(?) is very cute. I guess the sole of the boots stands out a bit? But very solid (wait is that a tail? or a butt hook? :/)

Funny Trick- If Las vegas was a magical girl. Colors and silhouette are good, I’m just not vibing with this. sorry girl

Kuru-kuru Hime- Yiss more ballet themed outfits. Good colors, love the shape of the giant back bow. I could go without the big ribbon coming off the headpiece? It’s nice

Postarie- Buttwings! I love her hair shape, just. Not a fan of the orange and green colors? She’s a delivery girl but feels more marching band. It’s a good design, just doesn’t feel fitting? Great just not for her

Rain Pow- Now this is a sci-fiy look while still saying magical girl. The tail is yet another weird thing, and I could go without the permeant ring behind her, but the shape of her outfit is very good, and love the silly heart hair. Wish the gloves were a different color? But this is up there

Tepsekemei- Genie outfits being problematic isn’t something I can speak to, but this is a solid genie look with additions to feel different, specifically the lotuses. It’s good, and I haven’t seen flying turtles since love hina so. Good for her.

Mana- You’re not a magical girl. Maybe I just hate bibs? The hat is great and snake leg is fun, I wish her collar was actually smaller to stand out more? It’s a fine mage look i guess

Hana Gekokujou- Great use of hair color as contrast to a committed color scheme. A cute traditional bunny look. Not personally my favorite but it is Good.

7753- Big Coat! Giant heart braids! Consistent heart theme! It’s bland compared to a lot of the other outfits, and I don’t think her flat heart uhh hair? pieces? like rain pow? work as well with her. But I think she works well for a member of the resources department. Wait is her hat backwards? Amazing

Archfiend Pam- I’m mostly a fan of this. The top is great, it’s carried through at one hip, she has the weird arm guy to keep her asymmetry going on. I just wish she’d commit to either fur Or pleats as trim? Both is a weird texture choice

Pythie Frederica- This bitch took a while for her proper appearance. I love the horns on the hood, and the stars throughout work well. I really don’t care for her skirtdress though? It’s too long and in ribbons and feels almost jellyfish-y? I feel it’s supposed to feel like she’s standing in fire but that doesn’t work pass a glance for me

Tot Pop- Love hot topic. Her spiky ribbon is my favorite bit, and I’m a fan of oversized sleeves. A great mall goth look, not amazing as a magical girl look tho. The head decor feels most on brand for the genre.

Punkin- What if the three musketeers were murderous and royalty. I love the hair feather and dig the ruff, the cape honestly feels like overkill? The boots are great and I dig the pants. Once again, why tails. I know mahou-furbies has reviewed a lot of these girls with the same comment and she’s right. Pick red or blue for this look though.

Sonia Bean- Kindof busy, in a garbage way. Like her outfit is made of fancy garbage to make an old timey doll. Which is fitting. Love the dress shape. Less into the weird dangly poofs.

Jokers:

Princess Inferno- The whole princess line works well together. Quake has the least Team outfit but I feel all four work well together? Inferno’s bikini is a smidge above other tops with the fire shapes, and I like her hair, but I think she’s my least favorite princess.

Princess Deluge- Swirls and scales throughout? Armor? Gold jewelry? My biggest issue is the chain to the weapon because this is a really nice outfit.

Princess Quake- Why does your tail start in the middle of the back? I like her leotard and eye theme, and her head piece adds nice shape. Good asymmetry. shame she’s into children The hair gem is a fun touch

Princess Tempest- The apples are a weird touch? Good for color but weird as a theme? I love the leaves- honestly I’m a huge fan of the vaguely toga-y look. Are the apples supposed to be an atlanta thing? Her skirt could be a bit better but Nice

Prism Cherry- Princess of our hearts. What a color scheme. Her oversized dangly accents work well here I feel, and I love the skirt and the leaf looking ribbon behind the neck. I could do without the arm fluff, but the top garter for the skirt is a nice touch

Marika Fukuroi- My wife is a bitch and I like her so much. A much more vibrant outfit than most of the mgrp girls, the black is edgy but in a fun loud way. I love her skirt and every damn crazy flower. Her top is my least favorite with the smaller flowers connecting her top to her bottom and the frills that honestly are out of place. Great eyes

Styler Mimi- A fancy outfit that fits her theme, with a nice silhouette and simple color scheme. Ruined by the giant back powder puffs. Yes she would be fairly simple without those but they’re so garish and awkward. Good hair

Stanczyka- I thought her middrif was another hunk of plaster like the mask and now that I see it’s just skin with some stars :/ The whole head thing is good, and the fur is consistent throughout even if I’m not a fan of it. The giant sleeves are. weird. I want to like them but. Her swirly tiddys are a nice touch. The brown hair on the tail doesn’t fit

Lady Proud- For someone who lived for a lot of pages I do not remember her. Her leotard works with the sleeves to feel like an old timey dress and the way the cape is being held up to look like bat wings is nice. The green layer in her hair is an odd choice. I do dig the hair clips with the horns

Umbrain- Froggy slicker. ...Sakura did it better, the yellow and purple&red is a meh color combo sorry. I do love the candy additions for the ame(rain) ame(candy) play, and her umbrella is great. But once again I am confronted by a bib. Also her slicker is actually two pieces? Bad colors, bad body, good theme

Filru- I like the colors and the corset, and in theory the chunky knitting is very cute but I feel it’s at odds with the boots and corset. Make the whole thing chunky knitting- it’d be cute. The head doily also could be more on theme imo

Uttakatta- again, what did you do? giant overalls are good in theory, but the slits and the. bubbles? clear donuts. are just ugly. Honestly her whole look is not good, and a bubble theme has so much potential for cool shit :(

Kafuria- good use of colors, I’m not personally into the shape of her kimono as a mg dress, but the wings and the veil+such are nice

Grim Heart- this bitch. God her dress is a great shape. I think i’m not fully into her spade tail ribbons, but otherwise love? The flamingo is Silly but again as an alice fan, i do not care (ask me about kagihime for 10000 words of rage!)

Shufflin- the tiny bib haunts me but the big double sides apron card piece is a nice way to do the simple and versatile Card look. The hair is cute and i like the suit as a big piece behind the head

Aces:

Armor Arlie- chunky suit of armor. but Cute. as an armor fan in MG designs, even I think this is A Bit Much, but it has enough going for it that i think it’s a fun look

Bluebell Candy- once again Maruino kills it with using navy very nicely. A military vibe with the epilates and double breasted uhh skirt decor. honestly shocked the hat is center, and mm good hair happenings. A very nice design. still not into the weird fluff tail stuff

Dark Cutie- Great hair decorations, love the lunar details, seems to be a leotard over leggings? It’s nice. It’s not crazy grabbing or stands out that much in silhouette, but i do like it

Micchan the Dictionary- tying your coat around your neck is not valid, motarboards are not good magical girl accessesories, i personally have an owl vendetta, the red in her shoes appears no where else, and the shape of her dress is just weird. plus that hair is. not good. Oh wow. I might rank her lower than keek. oh Wow

Glassianne- this is just that alcreamie pokemon. i wish the exposed strawberry went all the way down instead of there being more icing along the bottom. she has a consistent theme and nice colors, i’m not not digging it

Uluru- said dog. 7753 and tama’s child. she looks warm but not super magical. why is she dog themed?

Sorami Nakano- gamer aesth. I could do without the hair paws, but the jumper is super cute, love the eyes and the hair tones, general color scheme, bandaid is a cute touch. A solid look.

Premium Sachiko- good colors, i like the cut of the sleeves/boots/dress, but her art has her legs blend together and that’d just the art but weird. nice use of four leaf clovers and horseshoes throughout for her luck theme. 

CG Angel Hammer- I like the flowers and the bones tail/wings. The halo thing is. odd, and it’s hard to get a great idea of her actual outfit. weird hair choice, tiny bottom but at least it has some frills. Needs more art

Patricia- acab. great colors tho and I like the shapes for the shoulders and wrist, and the light theme. The bright blue ribbons and earrings stand out well. This is actually a really solid design. 

Puk Puck- i hate this baby angel there’s too much to look at. Your bondage leg is weird! cute chest piece. you can’t have cloud swirls and drills for hair damn it. your halo also has a veil? fuck you. 6/10.

Best Outfits: Princess Tempest and Grim Heart Worst Outfits: Keek and Micchan the Dictionary and Uttakatta

[yikesharringrove]

Devil Horns

Part 2/Billy version of Please Tell Me So

Read on Ao3

-

Billy was six when he realized his mother was different from the other kids’ mothers in his class.

Billy loved her more than anything else in the entire world.

She was young, no lines adorned her face. She wore long dresses and didn’t brush her hair. She was beautiful, and kind, and sang to him. She bought him comic books and read literature like Little Women to him. She would take him to the beach and braid his long hair, grown out to mimic hers.

She was young when she became pregnant. She dropped out of college at fifteen, a sophomore kicked out of her parent’s house. She found the only people that would take her in, friends from concerts and peace rallies that lived in tents and trailers on a large property together. She delivered him in a trailer, an older woman, the matriarch of the community, acting as midwife for all the young mothers. She screamed and held the hands of other women and brought a tiny pink son into the world.

She always cared for her baby, but a child herself, she made mistakes. She welcomed Neil back into her life, keeping correspondence through letters his entire deployment. She married him at the courthouse, Billy swinging on her arm, one little hand fisted in her white gauzy dress.

She made sure Billy knew he was loved for exactly who he is every single day.

But where she was kind, sunshine and flowers, Neil was mean, gravel and boulders.

Billy was six the first time his father hit him.

It was a quick backhand for talking back one night after dinner.

His entire life changed in one instant. The innocence of childhood melted right off him.

Neil Hargrove was an angry man. He liked things a certain way. A military man, he served his time in ‘Nam. He wanted the precision and order of boot camp in his everyday life. He married Billy’s mother when he returned for war, returning to a six-year-old Billy raised entirely by a community.

He was tight-laced, didn’t like the free spirit Billy’s mother passed onto their son. He didn’t like that the boy was soft. He cried easily over small, stupid things. His blue eyes would fill with tears at the idea of eating meat, traumatized at the concept of eating animals .

Neil didn’t like hippies. He saw them as the scum of the earth, people who did drugs and had sex and lived disgusting, dirty lifestyles. He was livid when he returned to California to find his only son growing up in a hippie community, being raised by many. Being raised to be soft, kind, to love anyone, everyone .

He never forgave the boy for being emotional. He was a crier, his heart broke easily and quickly. He felt the pain of others as his own. His father was pain incarnate. All he did was hurt .

He called Billy’s mother a whore, a dirty hippie, a beatnik . He called Billy a lardass, a pussy, a queer .

So Billy got angry. Internalizing his pain in any way he knows how.

He was seven when he first got in a fight. Just a little tiff between kids. He spat ugly names fairy, pussy, queer and threw his hands, trying to make any contact he could. His mother told him it’s not right to hurt others. His father called him a piece of shit and pushed him into the wall.

He was eight when he discovered metal in the record shop down the street. He loved the anger, the fire, the passion, the fun . He loved the men with tight pants and long hair. He learned that his mother, with her soft rock and psychedelic tastes would still dance around the kitchen to Black Sabbath and AC/DC. His mother smiled at him when he showed her the poster he bought of Jim Morrison, knowing she loved The Doors. He told her he thought he was pretty. His father called him a piece of shit and slammed him into the wall.

He was nine when he first heard another kid call his mother a name. Said hippie like his father did, as though it was a swear. He tossed a milkshake in the boy’s face, only to cry as his mother, a waitress at the diner, was forced to mop up the spill. She stroked his hair and told him it was okay and gave him an extra plate of fries. His father called him a piece of shit and slammed him into the wall.

He was ten when his mother left. She was gone by the time he woke up the next morning, her dresses and hats, her books and perfume, gone , only an empty space left in Billy’s heart. She called him a few weeks later, explaining to him that she loved him, but his father was causing her too much pain. His father cornered him in his room and slurred that his mother left because she’s a whore and that she never loved Billy.

He was eleven the first time he met Susan. She made dinner for himself and his father. He was told to be on his best behavior and set the table and clean the dishes. He complimented her hair and her cooking and met Max less than two months later.

He was twelve the first time he kissed a boy. He and Thomas met up under the boardwalk. Billy ended the short, sweet kiss by pushing him to the sand, threw the same slurs his father threw so easily, and screamed if you ever tell anyone, I’ll fuckin’ kill you . Thomas never spoke to him again, and Billy lost the closest friendship he had ever had.

He was thirteen when he finally lost his baby weight. He was lean, growing quickly and bulking up due to the sheer amounts of sports he was playing, at his father’s will. He grew strong, and his mean streak only widened, now backed up by a punch that could break. Girls started noticing him, women started noticing him, but he never noticed them. So he began to learn.

He was fourteen when he started going to parties. He learned to lean over girls, to wink at them, bare his teeth and stare at their breasts. He learned they liked it when he was mean, when they thought he was a bad boy in need of fixing . They would give him gossip, a warm body, and hold him when he wanted it. He learned to close his eyes and press their heads down until they choked on him. He learned that parties usually had drunk boys that would stare at him from across the room. He learned that a smirk and a long bout of eye contact was enough to let them know to follow.

He was fifteen when he spent all his savings on the Camaro, a junker he began fixing up entirely by himself. The car was loud, and made him feel free . He drove two cities over, finding a bar that catered to his type and got in with an unbuttoned shirt, tight jeans, and a well-timed wink at the bouncer. He learned he liked pretty boys, soft ones he could bury himself in. He learned he liked it when they moaned, high and breathy. He learned to pull hair and coo God, you’re gorgeous .

He was fifteen when he began lying every weekend. Citing parties and non-existent concerts as covers while he followed nameless men to motel rooms from the crowded gay bar he had chosen that night. He learned to spray dainty perfume on his jacket before he re-entered his house. He learned to toss around names like Amber and Courntey and Becky .

He was fifteen when he came home past curfew, with a hickey on his neck, on his chest. His father slapped him across the face and locked him in his room, took his keys with a reminder that he shouldn’t be driving yet . He learned that piercing your own ear doesn’t hurt that bad. He learned that he liked the way a gold hoop looked in his lobe.

He was sixteen when his father caught him with a boy, Seth from down the street. They were in Billy’s bed, kissing hungrily. Billy learned what it feels like to tumble down the stairs. He learned what it’s like to be hated. He learned how long the drive is from San Diego to Hawkins.

He was sixteen the first time he saw Steve Harrington. A beautiful boy with fear and sadness in his eyes. Tommy loved to spin tales of King Steve, the Great and Terrible , but Billy couldn’t match up the bullying douchebag with the sweet boy who looked at Nancy Wheeler like she hung the stars in the sky, just for him. He learned that Steve blushed when he called him Princess and Pretty Boy .

He was sixteen when he was angriest at Max, blaming her for the move, knowing it was his own preferences that brought them here. Knowing it was a father that hated him enough to move him to a place he could be killed for being himself. He learned to pick on her friends. He learned to break her things. He learned messing with her made him feel like shit.

He was sixteen when he met Steve at the quarry for the first time. They tangled themselves together in the back of Steve’s car, the air smelling like sweat and cigarettes and cum . He learned that Steve had a big house, that his parents were almost never home. He learned that Steve had nightmares and was afraid of his own swimming pool. He learned that Steve liked it when he was gentle and slow, treating the porcelain skin like it was made of porcelain glass, pressing kisses and pet names into his body. He learned that Steve fell in love quickly. He learned that he fell in love quickly too.

He was sixteen when he told Steve about his father. He came to Steve when he was hurt, angry and ready to break, to break something . He whispered about how his father hated him, hated people like him, like them. How it felt to fall downstairs. How it felt to have a split lip in the same pattern as his father’s class ring. He learned that Steve didn’t mind if he cried. He learned that Steve cried with him. He learned that trusting Steve made him feel lighter the next day. He learned what apologizing to Max is like.

He was sixteen when he planned for his summer in Hawkins, getting a job he was overqualified for. He drove to the mall as often as he could, eating far too much ice cream for someone who was about to spend all summer shirtless. He learned what Steve’s ass looked like in blue sailor shorts. He learned that Steve could be convinced to leave it on, Pretty Boy . He learned that he wanted to save up money for college, for California, for his future, for his future with Steve.

He was sixteen when Steve cooked him an elaborate dinner, early into summer, staying awake in the sticky night to count down to Billy’s seventeenth birthday. Billy learned that Steve preened when Billy told him he loved him.

He was seventeen when he began taking the lifeguard stand at the public pool. Overtired moms and bored housewives flocked to the sun loungers, watching him sit and blow his whistle. He learned that if he called them by their names they would buy him cold drinks. He learned if he smirked at them just so they would tip him for swim lessons.

He was seventeen when he got in a fight with Steve, disappearing in the Camaro to cool down and think things out. His car got hit, the right side smashing inwards, the windscreen splintering. He learned that monsters are real, that the stuff of nightmares lives in Hawkins, Indiana. He learned what possession is like.

He was seventeen when his veins went black. When he felt nothing but the urge to build it, build it . He hurt the people around him, offering Heather and her family to the creature, knocking out Max and the Wheeler boy, and taking El to impending death. He learned what being afraid was like, he learned that he had been afraid his entire life. He learned that some monsters are made from stolen flesh, some monsters are made from the flesh that created his own.

He was seventeen when he died. Rather him than any of these children . He was only a child himself, but a child that had seen too much, been hurt too much. He learned that death in that way is painful. He learned that resurrection is only more so.

He was eighteen when he left the hospital, the one run by the government. He left with scars, a limp, and a large sum of cash for compensation . He learned that Steve still loved him. He learned that Steve didn’t mind his scars, his pain, would hold him through the worst nightmares. He learned that Steve would take him to therapy, one at the government hospital, and one in a local church for Survivors of Abuse .

He learned that his father was killed by the monster, the monster that was Billy. He learned he didn’t know how to feel about that. Steve had just pet his hair, said fuck him , and you don’t have to mourn that asshole .

He was eighteen when he took his college fund, his compensation money, his savings, and Steve’s paychecks and put them in a box in the back of the Camaro. He learned that Steve had a hard time reading maps and that the drive was more fun when all that was waiting was love and warmth.

He was nineteen when he earned his G.E.D., citing severe injury as the cause to his delayed education. He applied to college. He got into college. He began going to college. He learned he loved meeting new people, being able to tell them about his boyfriend, Steve . He learned the California sun was more healing than any amount of physical therapy. He learned he was not ashamed of his scars.

He was twenty when he held Steve to his chest and rubbed his back and told him he was so sorry you had to go through that, Pretty Boy, when he finally let Billy in on the secrets that haunted his big brown eyes. He learned that he had saved Steve’s life as much as Steve had saved his.

Billy Hargrove was twenty when he learned what happiness was.