#Because of all the petty ass shit we've been getting

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

UPDATE What's up, it's the proposal guy. You said you wanted to know how this turned out, so I figured I'd tell you. First some context though, because I'm mean and I wanna keep you in suspense longer.

1- I don't wanna doxx us so I'm not telling you where we live, but suffice to say, neither of us are American, and gay marriage has been legal here for less than five years. For both of us, this is the first relationship we've had where marriage was even an OPTION, and I think that's where we've been getting some of that whole 'this has to be a REAL proposal with EVERYTHING' idea.

2- I gotta figure out how to explain this properly. So, I'm pretty used to being the GUY guy in relationships? I was always the one who did the nice gestures, not the one they got done for. Before I met my dream guy, I didn't really notice or care that it was such a thing, I just assumed that's how shit worked. Also, I promised I wouldn't talk a lot about his stuff here, but his last boyfriend before me SUCKED. Anyway point here is, it turns out we both REALLY like feeling swept off our feet sometimes, and a big part of finding each other has been getting to feel special for once? That's a stupid sappy way of putting it the point here is I think all that's what morphed into "I need to be the one getting proposed to, also it has to be completely perfect", and then our Petty & Extra genes got involved.

So I'm sitting in bed thinking about all that up there, and watching all the comments coming in basically being like "Dude, you are BLOWING this" on repeat, and telling me to compromise, and I look up and see him flossing in the bathroom and making all these doofy faces at the mirror, and it's like a switch just flips in my brain, and I'm like "Oh, I'd rather he gets to have his perfect proposal than we both have an okay one". I'm gonna do it.

Morning rolls around, and while I'm 'out for my jog like normal' I hit up a pawn shop for a temp ring (the ring pop thing is cute but NOT HIM). I found one I was at least confident wouldn't get ruined the first time he got his hands greasy (he fixes old machines as a hobby it's hot as hell), got back home, and hid the box in the toe of my nasty ass workout shoes in the bedroom closet, since I figured he'd check there last.

He was still asleep, because he stays up late no matter what and then is SHOCKED he's tired the next day, so I called and booked a table at our usual anniversary spot. (Side note about the 'he picks bad restaurants' thing. This isn't an 'I like Greek, you like Chinese' situation, dude's just BAD at finding places. He either assumes pricey is tasty and I get to eat some overrated gourmet bullshit, or he'll try and find something hip and underground and risk giving us food poisoning again, and he REFUSES to give up and pick somewhere we've been before when it's his turn to plan date night. I'm obsessed with him <3.) Date was set, I'd propose on the 21st.

Some of you might have noticed this, but fun fact! It's currently the 16th.

Last night I'm doing dishes and he's been sent to our room for mug collection duty, and he's taking FOREVER, so I go check just in case he found the ring, because the man's a gift tracking BLOODHOUND. Turns out he hasn't, he's found my Angry Box.

I assume other people have an Angry Box? Basically, we had this huge messy fight right when we first moved in together, and I never wanna let it get that bad again, so I have this shoebox where I keep a bunch of our stuff I can look at if we're fighting and hopefully cool off. There's one of those photo booth roll things, letters we wrote when he moved back with his parents for COVID, the wine cork from our first date, shit like that. Anyway, he's just sitting on the floor staring at it, and I explain about the Angry Box, and then he! Proposes!!! Kind of.

He definitely didn't have anything prepared, because by 'propose' I mean 'ugly cried & rambled at me for several minutes before I figured out it WAS a proposal', but once I got on the same page it was amazing. I said yes, and he had to admit he didn't have a ring for me because he was CONVINCED he'd win and I'd do it, so I grabbed mine because, yeah, he was right. He was like "this is the ugliest ring I've ever seen" and I was like yeah well the plan is to replace it later and he went "No. You can pry this off my cold dead fingers. After I'm buried with it." So I guess it's not a temporary ring anymore.

I'm just gonna go ahead and skip to this morning. I pointed out we still have the reservation, and he said I should propose there anyway because "We can get a free dessert. They have those creme brulee shot glasses you like. And for love, or something" and I said ok deal, but that means you gotta get me a ring to keep it fair, and his eyes LIT UP. When I swung by his work for lunch he was still on the phone with a jeweler and he had a whole page of notes on three other ones. Pray for me.

OH PS: I was RIGHT that he'd been the one behind the cat biting me, but it wasn't about the proposal stuff, it's because I paid my baby sister three dollars to shout 'fuck you' every single time he enters a room she's in for (if you ask me, he should be madder at my sister for charging so little), and he did it by giving her a bunch of treats for biting his hands too, so now neither of us can pet our baby girl without oven mitts on. HOLY SHIT I love this man.

Oh my goddddddd I love everything about this <333 I awwww'd out loud on a voice call, like, six times while reading. You two are friggin perfect for each other and so obviously smitten with each other and I wish y'all all the happiness in the world

PS Are y'all planning to have a big wedding? If so oh boy I can't WAIT to get that one in the inbox

Original post

[weebsinstash]

What do you MEAN the early access episodes of hazbin hotel are pre-orders that were limited quality and are sold out now?? 😫 you can't dangle something in front of my face and then take it away and tell me I have to wait 😫

Even that Vox vs Alastor song I linked before is hard to find on YouTube! Spindlehorse (totally justifibly i mean) is being really aggressive taking down clips people are making and uploading and I'm getting CRUMBS of these episodes and my impatient ass can't take it

I know I've been, you know, thirsting for Valentino but, now that we've seen more of him.... VOX THOUGH! The charisma! The panache! The style! The BEEFING with Alastor!

It's kinda too old for me to go searching for the link (someone found it for me, mid pencil art alert lol) but now I'm thinking of that one idea I had in the past where Val and Vox meet you in a bar/club and start bonding and thinking you're actually pretty interesting and you eventually pepper in these "my boyfriend doesn't let me-" kind of statements, and they're both, jealous af, but, you know. Don't wanna rock the boat and chase you off! So they kinda just keep hearing all these details, "oh, my boyfriend doesn't like me going to these kinds of places, I have to lie to him" "oh, you know, hubby doesn't like me drinking, so I have to sneak around" "ugh, my baby never wants to have fun like this"

I just picture now it evolving into a plot where you're fucking sick of your old fashioned BORING boyfriend who won't let you break up with him, literally you tell him you're done with him and he keeps showing up saying you're together, won't let you out from under his thumb, and you finally sidle up to Vox, "listen dude, I'll be real with you: I think we can help each other out"

I just see Reader doing the most petty shit because you want this stag GONE and you're full of anger and spite. Alastor is walking down the sidewalk thinking you're like, at book club with the gals, and suddenly he walks by a TV on display and here's Vox, "- and here with us in the station today is a very special guest-" and THERE YOU ARE, getting interviewed about being the partner of the Radio Demon!

"So, toots, what's it like, shackin up with Alastor?"

"Oh, you mean what is YEARS of no sex, no TV, no video games, and no weed like? I'd kill myself but I kinda already did that!"

"What, you mean you don't like dating some limp dick old timey FUCK?"

"Not as much as I've liked hanging out with you ;)"

All the radios in town are blaring deafening ANGRY static for hours while you and Vox are getting high and eating cheeseburgers and playing Monster Hunter somewhere while Valentino thinks about "acquiring you" as a little ~companion~ for his man (and maybe himself) right here and now since you two are already so cute together ❤️ I mean, they were already gonna scoop you up anyways, so he might as well rush the process, right?

[respectthepetty]

The Loyal Pin - Episode 14

I was going to save this episode for last in my Sunday watching like I normally do, but if I'm going to be mad at Pin, I need to get it out of the way, so let me get this point out of the way as well - - -

WHAT IS PIN EVEN SAYING?!

If she thinks marrying a horrible man is her karma for breaking Anin's heart, you know what actually fix that? NOT MARRYING THAT MAN! Pin gives her reasons: she can't embarrass the family and taint their reputation, but like . . . SHE NEVER HAD TO MAKE THIS DECISION IN THIS FIRST PLACE! Anin doesn't give two fucks about anybody but her, and Pin is thinking about everyone else. She is saying she must now live in hell because she did make this decision, but she isn't the only one in hell because she damned both her and Anin to this sentence. Just because I understand her whys doesn't mean I have to like, and I. Don't. Like. It!

And to make me more upset is Pin being pressed about every girl who has been SUPPORTING Anin even though Anin has been a loyal Blue Beauty to Pin SINCE DAY ONE as if Pin ISN'T GETTING MARRIED IN A WEEK! My babygirl is too beautiful and too perfect to be dealing with this.

And that's why Penelope has no color!

I pray that I see Anin in pink by the end of this story, but right now, I'm proud of her for maintaining her color throughout all of this.

AND HER PETTINESS!

Because, in this house, I respect the petty!

Anin understands the importance of a queer community and my beautiful and perfect babygirl is helping her in her time of need just like Anin has helped her.

Yet Penelope is over there just looking miserable and colorless. Once again, I understand her, but what does she want Anin to do? Help her plan her wedding? Redecorate her bedroom, so her future husband will be comfortable in it?! I WANT ANSWERS, PENELOPE!

Of course this cabrón sucks. We've done been knowing that.

Anin ran IN HEELS to get that man, and if a woman is running in heels, you know that shit is serious. GET HIS ASS, POSH SPICE!

Anan sits at the table with To Sir, With Love's Yang as the best brother to ever exist in a QL because, unlike Anon, he does not trust Kuea because his ass IS NEVER AT WORK, which has been pointed out several times.

And he trusts what my girl Prik is saying about this very important matter because Prik has proven to be elite in getting information! Prik isn't a simple gossip. She is a chismosa and that takes skills.

This motherf*cker.

Not even seeing Pin in her and Anin's colors is making me happy right now. Anin's mom is in red, and the sight of Patricia is pissing me off that I'm seeing more red, so let's get back to murdering Kuea.

And this is what I mean by skills! Prik understands how to treat herself and how to make small talk! She doesn't look suspicious like rich chick Anin. No! She easily got the information and a snack by merely asking where that hot guy was today.

And even though Anin said "Yes, ma'am" slightly irritated when Prik told her to move, Anin better appreciate that without Prik's excellent talent, she wouldn't have known any of this. Prik didn't even have a car! She was just walking around and getting the chisme. The royals could NEVER!

THIS MOTHERF*CKER!

Girl, no! Just like Penelope, I get her reasoning, but this man done lied to you a million times. Your baby deserves better!

PATRICIA! I HATE YOU!

And now I am back where I started. Penelope believes Anin but will stay with Kuea because . . . reasons.

Anin is probably trying to figure out why she loves this pendeja so damn much. Girl, why we love the people we love just doesn't make sense sometimes. This is one of those times.

My Mexican grandmother is coming out in me because all I keep thinking is Penelope better be drinking lots of water if she wants to keep crying all these tears.

Prik telling Penelope that Anin left with Aon, then telling Penelope to smile shouldn't come across as Prik being loyal to Anin, but if I was Prik, I would get my digs in where I could too. I'm not romanticizing being poor, but that big bed in that big house ain't worth it, girl. Anin wanted YOU!

And now this is where my feelings get hurt by the colors, and I start singing Adele.

"WE COULD'VE HAD IT ALL, ROLLING IN THE DEEP!"

"NEVER MIND, I'LL FIND SOMEONE LIKE YOU! I WISH NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR YOU!"

THIS MOTHERFUCKER!

Anan, get up right now and smack your bother. My beautiful and perfect babygirl is right next to him and she will help you. Start a fight, so the wedding gets postponed.

I FUCKING HATE THIS!

Whew! That was an amazing hour of television. Blessed to be alive the same time this is airing.

[heathertsuki]

TADC - Episode 4: Short thoughts about Jax, Zooble and Ragatha + some goofy shit (SPOILERS AHEAD, HOES!)

Apart from giving us a well-needed glimpse into Gangle's mind and past, we got to see how our scrimblos deal with the silent insanity of normality in a fast-food chain environment. Not as the clients, but the workers, of course. Firstly, we get to see a defeated Jax, conforming to the situation around him because it's all he can do, especially after being stuck glued to a screen. He was, for once, truly stripped of all control, and thus unable to get a kick out of the whole thing. Though perhaps not in a more humiliating way than when Ragatha tied him up. Not a whole deconstruction of his psyche just yet, but definitely a look into another side of his. It felt nearly personal, if you ask me... Was he also a fast food employee before, much like Zooble? Kinda fits tbh! And Zooble getting to be themselves again. God I've been yearning for more of her and we've REALLY been getting it lately. Zooble is shaping up to be the straightman (har har) of the gang, and possibly the most stable despite his internal, dysphoric struggles, and I'm VERY interested in seeing more of that dynamic, seeing as how so far, she's the most emotionally mature out of everyone, even more so than Pomni or Kinger who I'd argue are quite mature on their own. One dynamic I'd love to see is the one between Zooble and Ragatha, for reasons I'll get to right now. Ragatha seemed like she was about to be the joke character here at first and well, yeah, she delivers the laughs, but she also lets slip what she truly thinks when put into a vulnerable state of mind. That she wants to be loved, desperately so, but that she may not truly love everyone as we imagined. And before most get their pitchforks aimed at her, I just wanna say, most of us are like this. We can't and won't love everyone, but I reckon a lot of people are in fact, just trying to get by without much trouble and maybe even helping others along the way regardless of any petty issues we may have. That's Ragatha. But this isn't just a woman going through life, it's a woman trapped in a seemingly endless digital purgatory with a limited amount of people who may or may not dip into a state of unrecognizability due to an insane mental state. Is it really the best idea to keep things bottled up? I gotta see Zooble and Rags having a real ass, adult heart-to-heart.

Oh and the ships have truly sailed and sunk with this one huh. Gummigoo got re-used as an NPC and swiftly killed all hope of Pomni ever getting to truly be his friend ever. Or lover, too, if you like this couple. Some would say she was fawning over him but to me it seems more like she was just in pure awe that the being she came to care for so much and saw DIE, is suddenly back, very much so alive. All that for nothing, though, because he can't remember a thing. And Ragatha...? Ragatha's jealous. RAGATHA IS JEALOUS. Reminder that what happened to her was basically getting drunk. When drunk, most people lose their filter and speak a lot more loosely about what they think, so, perhaps Pomni's wishes of being by Gummigoo's side instead of Ragatha's when the doll looks out for her so much is more bothersome than we think. I get it though. I get you girl.

God save this one-sided doomed yuri...

[itmeansiris]

The Solar System Legacy Challenge: Friends to Enemies Gen 1 pt.71

After Kason left Madison made the short walk back to her house. The clouds made good on their threat. A light rain started as she approached her front porch. She stood in the rain holding out her hand, allowing the water to build and pool threw her fingers.

When she was uncomfortably soaked she made her way to the door where she finally noticed Paris's black truck parked outside. She stormed inside to find Paris lazing around on her sofa.

Madison: How could you?!

Paris: Whatever it is, I'm sure a drink would help. I'm having some of that spooky day wine you had in the fridge.

Madison: You took pictures of me and Kason at the clinic and at my meeting and posted them online!

It wasn't a question it was a blatant accusation.

Paris: Oh, that. Yeah so?

She shrugged nonchalantly never once looking up from her phone.

Madison: Paris do you have any idea what you've done?

Paris: I'm sorry did I do something wrong?

Her tone didn't imply she thought she'd done anything wrong and it pushed Madison over the edge. They had been friends for years and Paris had constantly roped Madison into her little stunt’s, but Madison had always been in the background. She had grown used to being one of Paris's pawns, she never agreed to be made a public display. Her life turned into some trashy rumor. Her reputation would be ruined rendering her talents as an artist useless considering no relevant artist would ever work with her after this.

Madison: Yes! I just met with Kason at the dog park. He's pissed! He thinks I set him up! He was going to help the book club host an event in Mercury's honor and now he's going to cancel the whole thing. All the clubs work down the drain! This was important to me. Important to the club. I asked you to leave them alone. I told you I was done being a part of your stupid chase.

Paris rose from her seat on the couch and came around the table to stand before Madison. Her expression showed no signs of regret.

Paris: Tsk, Tsk. Mercury won't like that. This was never about making friends. If you're not with me on this then you're against me.

Madison threw her hands up in frustration.

Madison: Here we go. Classic Paris. We've been best friends our whole lives and you would throw it all away just because I don't want to be a part of your shenanigans. I've been here for every cat-and-mouse game you've played. Even when you ended up in trouble with that married guy in high school. For once, I got something out of it and I asked you to respect that and you couldn't. And no, Paris, I'm not on your side. Please Spare me the dramatics.

Paris: How about you get your head out of your ass and stop being selfish. You only met Kason because I let you. You told me to leave him alone, yet you're the one messaging and meeting with him behind his wife's back. You're rambling about friendship and respect but what about you huh? You claim to be all wrapped up in Mercury, but all I've seen is you getting friendly with her husband. Is that it Maddy, you want Kay all to yourself?

Paris took the seat across from Madison the smirk on her face proof she thought she had won. Like Madison was some helpless animal ensnared in her carefully laid trap.

Madison couldn't believe her ears. Paris had tried to turn the whole thing around on her. Paris was accusing her of being a bad friend, of using her to get close to Kason. After all the years of putting up with Paris's shit Madison felt she had finally crossed a line. She seethed with anger. She got up from her chair. Paris followed assuming the conversation was over when Madison picked up the cup on the table and before she could stop herself threw the contents in Paris's face.

Paris: You Bitch!

Though petty, Madison couldn't deny how good it had felt to do that. She didn't feel a shred of remorse. She was tired of bending over backward for someone who didn't give a damn about her. Paris didn’t deserve a friend like her and she’d finally realized it.

Madison: I can't believe you would say that to me. Kason is a nice guy who doesn't deserve to have to deal with your crazy stalker bullshit. A nice guy who happened to be married to Mercury. Who, I know you can't stand, but watcher forbid you should ever put your feelings or childish demands aside for anyone else. I've been her fan since we were in high school when she was writing short stories out of her studio apartment while finishing college. I own all of her books. I got her autograph at the book signing in San Myshuno the year we graduated high school. You would know these things if you paid attention to your friends. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me and you couldn't put your obsessive woohoo needs to rest. He doesn't want you and you will never be Mercury.

Paris: Fuck you Madison!

She shrieked.

Madison: You already have. Over and over. I'm done. Get out. You can leave the key on the table.

Paris let out a scream that could only be described as animalistic. Madison heard her slam something down on the table before she stalked off towards the door, closing it with enough force to stutter the frame. Madison stayed cemented to her spot listening to the sound of Paris's driver-side door crashing against the body of the car. The engine roared to life and the tires screeched as she peeled out of the driveway.

Madison exhaled loudly. Releasing all the built-up tension from the confrontation. She peeled off her wet jacket, curled up on the couch, and cried herself to sleep.

[chibikinesis]

Things are really coming to a head at work and I think the dam is gonna break soon. Not just with me, either, but yesterday was almost the straw that broke the camel's back. Our regional auditor was on my ass about filling out production logs, and I was honest with her - I do what I can when we have time, but I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. If I'm not getting yelled at about the book and temps not being filled out, I'm getting yelled at for not doing enough production, and that we've been running ragged since goddamn covid. I know she didn't like that I wasn't receptive in the way she expected, but I'm not the first employee to tell her that. They've admitted, themselves, in an email that was printed and hung for us to read that not only do we have "staffing issues", but also that they've been putting on some "aggressive promotions", and they're not happy that our quality is starting to falter. What the fuck do you expect when you spread your staff so thin for literal years and refuse to hire adequate help??? Zero accountability.

But what really set me off is that after this exchange, my manager came back in and asked if I had a necklace on. I told her I did, and she told me that the auditor wrote her up for it. I was livid. "You mean my dead dad's fucking ashes?!" She didn't have the balls to say it to my face, she just got petty because she didn't like my tone and my honesty. I cried off and on for a couple of hours. I almost walked out, and honestly, I can't fathom why I haven't left that shit hole yet. I just hate big changes like that, even when I know something is toxic as hell, and not good for me.

That being said, one other local job that I've been considering off and on for a while popped up on my Facebook feed today - a cleaning agency, hiring for part time - afternoon and evening shifts. Weekends and major holidays off. And I'd start out making just ten fucking cents less per hour there as I do after more than a decade with my current employer. I just wish something would slap me in the face with a hint to go for it.

I want to start doing more art shows and cons and selling my art - and most of that happens on weekends. Weekends that are really hard to get off at my current place of employment. I feel like the job itself would be much less stressful, too. And there's a $500 sign on bonus (with stipulations of course lol).

I know I need to make a change soon, and I'm mostly just shouting into the void about all this, but just... I need to vent somewhere 😮‍💨

[jthm-opinions]

I’ve been following and tracking this blog with my boyfriend since the 13th December and I am fucking horrified with where this has gone. I can’t fucking believe I’m watching all of you sentient clown shoes fighting and debating like 6th graders over whether or not you should kick out an actual tcc necrophile arsonist who literally makes bombs for fun or an annoying dox-happy preacher. This is disgusting and shameful of every single one of you.

You all should’ve handled this shit a long time ago. Nipped it in the bud. But you didn’t and now you’re all stuck here.

When all of this petty bullshit was starting to go down, I thought this was a parody like SFRJ (yes, I am SFRJ anon. Yes, I do regret it.). But no. This is real. This isn’t a joke anymore and people could actually get hurt now. All of you need to kick both Jimmy and Edgar out and put this blog on a hiatus as you settle this in private and manage the damage that was already caused. I repeat: SETTLE THIS IN PRIVATE.

I understand that you’ve all been through rough shit, wading through the swamp of fuckshittery and all that, but I don’t care. My sympathy for you all is up my ass and it’s not coming out because every single one of you have been enabling Jimmy and his—what’s the word—bullshit? Shenanigans? Spiral? I don’t even know if there’s a noun accurate enough.

I woke up at 01:00AM on goddamn Christmas morning to screenshots and a video that documented some of the most disgusting and horrific shit I’ve ever seen on this hellsite, and this is coming from someone who used to watch gore reaction videos for fun.

Devi, Nailbunny and Phlegm if the poor bastard is still around at this point are the only mods who I can tolerate, and two of them don’t even have intros. The sparse confessions and mediocre entertainment aren’t worth it anymore. I’m frustrated and—dare I say it—furious. Johnny C would be revolted at all of you. Not just Jimmy or Edgar, all of you.

Fuck, man.

Wretched holidays and good fucking riddance.

i'm sorry to hear you've had such a rotten start to the holidays, anon. you're right, this should've been handled a while ago. a lot of us didn't know jimmy super well before we started the blog, so by the time we realized the extent of his everything, the situation got impossible to navigate. while i'd have just kicked them if it was that simple, it isn't. the others will just kick me out instead if i do anything without majority approval from the other moderators. that and the blog is hosted on jimmy's account. we started the blog before we knew about the members feature, so it's going to be a tumblr custody battle to get this all sorted out. i've just been trying to discourage public tomfoolery here on the blog and mediate behind the scenes.

ideally this would've all been settled privately. however now that everything's been brought to the blog we have a responsibility to explain ourselves in whatever actions we take going forward. all the moderators have talked today, and we've come to an unfortunate compromise. the decision of who's going to be kicked off the blog, be it jimmy, edgar, or both of them, will be decided by our followers as all parties are allowed to make their case. basically, we're holding a trial. i'm so sorry, anon. no matter what decision is made. we'll be taking a hiatus afterwards as we decide on their replacements. - devi (she/it)

[vampirelova92]

The Substitute Vol 5.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Media Storm .2

July•

Anai E.

For the rest of the afternoon Anai focused on arts and crafts activities for the kids and Malikai joined in on playing Xbox until it was lunchtime. It was fun for her to watch every coming moment of the many ways Mayson and Malikai were bonding.

"You're pretty good at Fortnite dad, it came out while you were sleeping." Mayson told Malikai who smiled at his statement.

"Did it? I've actually always been good at video games, you didn't get your gift from your mom." Malikai told him as they turned the console off hearing Anai announce that lunch was ready.

"That makes a lot of sense, mom is definitely not a gamer." Mayson retorted as he followed his dad to the dining room table.

"Exactly." Malikai agreed.

"I saw you last night by the way." Mayson told him making Malikai stop in his tracks and he ran into the back of him from the abrupt halt of his feet.

"What?" Malikai turned around looking down at him with his eyes wide.

"Don't worry I won't tell mom you snuck in last night." Mayson whispered moving around him to continue out the living room towards the dining room.

His heart racing suddenly Malikai could've sworn he was careful last night but not careful enough to get by his clever son, "Shit."

Once everyone sat at the table with chicken sandwiches and plain chips in front of them talk about what the rest of the day included was going to be.

"I've always wanted to build a treehouse in the backyard." Mayson mentioned before biting down on his sandwich.

"Mayson." Ana's eyed him, "We've already talked about that, trying to bring it up because your father's here."

Malikai looked between them both chewing his food in silence, while Vanessa kept her eyes down at her plate with a smile.

"That's because he is finally here ma and we can get a second opinion on that I won't get hurt if dad helps Kenneth and I." Mayson argued back.

The statement made Malikai smile to himself but knew that Anai being stubborn, would take it as a defiance to her authority so he said nothing.

"I don't care if your father was sitting here or not. The answer is no Mayson, and for talkback you can go spend the next two hours in your room. No TV, phone, Xbox or Nintendo, got it?" Anai turned her head to the side at him surprised at his behavior suddenly.

"If he was sitting here or not?" Mayson looked at his mother with anger and hurt, "It's been or not for seven years, I've lost my appetite I'll go to my room now."

"Mayson!" Anai yelled watching him leave from the table to run upstairs.

"Nai." Malikai placed his hand on her arm as she tried to stand up and go after Mayson, "I'll go."

~

Kaylee A.

Tapping her emerald green gel polished nails on her black marble kitchen counter in frustration while Jasmine along with Andrea laughed while sitting at her dining room table sipping on margaritas Kaylee took a huge huff, "Are y'all serious right now?"

"It's honestly all I can do with the irony of how her ass ending up treating Joe. In the end I just think she's being petty as hell." Jasmine shook her head while picking her phone up off the table to unlock and scroll on her social apps.

"I agree, like you literally broke up with him and hooked up with his brother, now you want to be jealous because he's happy with another woman?" Andrea shook her head, "That girl need to focus on her own damn relationship before she lose the other damn brother."

"Riiight!" Jasmine laughed raising her glass to clink it against Andrea's.

"So y'all advice is..? Because she's part of our friend group." Kaylee walked out her kitchen to sit down at the table with them.

"Joe isn't the same guy he was seven years ago, point blank period and guess who obviously notices it now the most?" Jasmine asked looking over at Kaylee with a grim look.

"Wow." Andrea shook her head taking another sip of her drink.

"If he's who you choose, fuck it she had her chance to choose on waiting until he was ready to be serious about an actual relationship...or.." Jasmine trailed off looking over at Andrea.

"Fuck his brother?" Andrea asked like that was the right answer seriously then she busted out laughing.

"Yerp aha!" Jasmine laughed pointing at Andrea.

"I can't with ya'll." Kaylee shook her head laying her head on her hand while closing her eyes.

"Fuck how she feels, she can't respect your blossoming relationship with Joe because for whatever reason she doesn't want him to be happy screw that." Jasmine shook her head, "Why aren't you drinking?"

"I'm about to make one right now after what you just said." Kaylee sighed standing up to go back into her kitchen.

"We haven't been in touch with each other forever, I don't need Erica's usual drama bullshit when it comes to the guys in her life she screws up with." Jasmine spoke raising her glass to take another sip.

"What are we even suppose to be doing tonight?" Kaylee asked while pouring Jasmines brand that had been doing very well.

"Bryce said something about hitting up a new club that opened downtown, trying to reign anyone in that wants to go." Jasmine nodded, "Pretty sure Joe will ask if you want to go at any second. That is if you guys don't already have plans."

"No." Kaylee shook her head coming to sit back down, "I haven't seen him since the Fourth of July party Myla had on Thursday."

"Wait you've at least talked to him since then right?" Andrea asked sitting up in her chair, "I'm Bi and Joe is a hot piece of ass."

"Tell me again how this all went down at the party again because it's just an unfucking-believable story." Jasmine took another sip of her drink leaning back in her chair.

Taking a deep breath Kaylee shook her head, "She basically must've seen us talking and me thinking we're cool told her about getting to trying to get to know him and she said that I was breaking girl code."

"Girl code? Kaylee no, fuck that, mutual friends with this person that you barely know and just hang with because Anai does." Jasmine defended.

"I agree." Andrea nodded, "Like I said don't ruin whatever bond you've created over that girl, I wouldn't."

"Hell no." Jasmine added in, "Joe is a good guy."

"Thanks y'all, are we still going to this outing though?" Kaylee asked taking a sip of her margarita.

"Mhm, let's do it man." Jasmine finished her glass, "Dre and I already brought with us what we're wearing."

"Okay I'll go search in my closet for something." Kaylee stood up taking her drink with her.

"Hell yeah and we shall be judges of your 'fuck you bitch the boy is mine' outfit." Dre laughed following behind them to head upstairs to Kaylee's bedroom.

"Dre you've had too many of those." Jasmine laughed, "Going to be sleep before we even leave out."

Kaylee phone rang showing Joe's name across her screen making her stop in her tracks once she was in her walk in closet, "Shit."

"What?" Jasmine asked sitting on her bed.

"He's calling." Kaylee told them.

"Answer!" They both yelled in unison.

Kaylee laughed at them answering the phone and stepping back deeper into her closet after closing the door, "Hey."

"Hey, where you been hiding woman?" Joe asked like he wasn't trying to sound like he didn't care.

"I just been home honestly, hanging with Jasmine and Dre today. What's up?" Kaylee asked sitting down on the black stool that was in front of her full body mirror.

"I want to see you." Joe told her, "What you doing tonight?"

"Um, as far as going out nothing really." Kaylee smiled missing hearing his voice.

"There's this club that Bryce want to check out, you want to meet me there? Pretty sure Jasmine already know about it." Joe explained.

"I'd love to meet you there J." Kaylee told him softly biting down on her bottom lip.

"Alright see you soon." Joe spoke with a spark in his voice.

"Okay, bye." Kaylee smiled feeling her heart pound in her chest.

"Bye."

Ending the call, Kaylee closed her eyes placing the top tip of her phone to her chin.

"Bitch let's get to it!" Jasmine yelled from her bedroom making her and Dre laugh in sync.

~

Anai E.

Standing over the sink two hours later to clean up after having banana splits for a midday dessert, Anai noticed Mayson putting his white ceramic plate with his spoon on the counter with a sullen face as he looked to the floor. Malikai leaned against the nearby wall watching him after they ate their dessert together upstairs during their talk.

"I'm sorry mom." Mayson spoke slowly looking up, to place his light brown eyes on Anai's face.

"I forgive you Mayson. Go play with Nessa outside with what daylight y'all have left, I will discuss with your father more about this tree house." Anai placed her black dish rag in the sink.

"Yes mama." Mayson replied before turning around to look at his dad, "Thanks dad."

Malikai nodded at him watching as he ran outside to go find Vanessa with a satisfied look taking a deep sigh he went to sit at the dining room table.

"Whatever you said to him, thanks. He's definitely growing into..." Anai trailed off shaking her head. Feeling her phone vibrate in her lap she unlocked it to see the notification.

Jazz🙄: hey going to a new club tonight, you and Kai down to go? 5:05PM

Anai: nah, we're babysitting this weekend. Ken had to go out of town. 5:06PM

"A different person than the sweet little boy you remember a year ago?" Malikai smiled looking over at her.

"He doesn't even want me to hold his hand anymore." Anai crossed her arms over her chest looking out to the backyard.

"Believe me he does still just not in the way it started. Promise no one will have to take a trip to the ER when treehouses start going into construction in backyards." Malikai chuckled while sliding his phone out of his front hoodie pouch.

Anai walked over to him raising her right hand his way only outstretching her pinky finger, "I have your word?"

Looking from his phone to her hand Malikai smiled at it that she still did the same thing years later before raising his hand to hers, "Yes dork."

"It's like I'm slowly starting to deal with a preteen way too early." Anai slipped her hand out of Malikai's biting her bottom lip.

"I was the same at his age." Malikai informed her with a smirk placing his hand back in his lap.

"Going zero to one hundred million when you don't get your way?" Anai asked sitting down in the next chair at the table by him.

Malikai licked over his bottom lip before answering with, "I know you're not talking right now, he don't just get it from me."

"Yeah right, more from you than me. The sun is slowly setting again." Anai mentioned putting her sights back on the view outside.

"Hm, so you say." Malikai kept his gaze back down at his phone, biting inside his jaw on what he was reading suddenly standing to his feet out his chair, "Nai..."

Instantly his phone started ringing showing that his assistant Rebecca was calling him, "Fuck..."

Looking back at him Anai was confused watching him walk off to answer the call as well as Mayson and Vanessa running back to the patio entrance of the backyard.

"Mom what's the plan for tonight?" Mayson asked first, then looked at Malikai walking away to the front door.

"Yeah I'm actually hungry again." Vanessa took her hair out of her ponytail to retie it over again.

"Um, movie slash pizza night and no phones." Anai suggested looking over at Malikai who still had his back turned walking into the front living area.

"Seriously mom?" Mayson pouted up at her.

"Yes it's important that while spending time together we keep our attention on us and not on them so cough 'em up." Anai reached out both her hands to them waiting hoping that whatever broke in the media suddenly blew over by tomorrow.

"Okay..." They both said a little sadly handing over their phones.

"Go take your baths while I order the pizza." Anai told them while putting their phones down on the table.

While the kids watched the decision of Marvel movie night and ate pizza in the family room, Anai popped popcorn in the kitchen on the stove.

"Hey." Malikai walked up looking from the stove to her with a calm look.

"Everything ok?" Anai asked with the fact he had been outside in the driveway on the phone for almost over an hour.

"Yeah my team is currently doing everything possible to get media headlines under control. It's leaked through some unknown source, and we're trying to find where it came from." Malikai explained looking towards the family room.

"No phones rule for the rest of the night." Anai told him while shaking her big black pot as the kernels inside started to cook faster.

"Understood, that includes me?" Malikai asked with a smile her way.

"You're excluded being the center of trying to get this under control the best way how with your team." Anai looked over at him, "Mr. CEO."

"I won't know more until the morning." Malikai leaned on the counter with his back crossing his arms over his chest.

"Okay, just keep me updated." Anai turned the knobs on her gas stove off to pour the popcorn in separate plastic red bowls on the counter.

"I will." Malikai picked up one of the red bowls popping some popcorn in his mouth, "Let's focus on the important things right now."

"I'll try." Anai sighed picking up two more bowls off the counter following behind him to go watch the movie with the kids.

Into the third Iron Man movie Anai noticed Vanessa sleep leaning on her arm while Mayson was doing the same to Malikai it made her smile looking over at them.

"They are zonked." Malakai lowly spoke rubbing his right eye with the back of his hand, "I got 'em."

"You're sure?" Anai asked watching him pick up Mayson in his arms before scooping up Vanessa next.

"Mhm you can relax mom of two for the past seven years." Malikai muttered with a small smile headed towards the stairs to put the kids in bed.

Leaning back on the sofa Anai used the remote to cut the TV off before closing her eyes, as much as she was glad for the distraction of movie night the thought of someone leaking things about Malikai's family to the media started taking over her mind. Over the years she thought about only the enemies that she's met or knew of that would want to hurt Malikai. Including Ebony into that mix only made the pool of people bigger, with knowing how she was. It made her wonder if Ebony was even trying to do what she can to find out who the source of the leak was.

Opening her eyes she took a deep sigh staring at the ceiling before standing off the couch to clean up popcorn that fell on it and the floor, "Bastards I swear."

"This has been a fun weekend." Malikai came back downstairs to help clean up, "Only eleven thirty two."

"Babysitting isn't all that bad when you have help, I'm glad you're here. Mayson is having the best summer he could possibly ask for just so you know." Anai smiled over at him.

"Same for me, I look forward to every future summer being just as fun." Malikai folded blankets while Anai brought the bowls filled with empty capri sun pouches in them.

"Me too." Anai agreed while starting to wash the bowls in the sink, "Have you heard anything from your-"

"No phones for the night remember?" Malikai asked leaning against the counter watching Anai.

"I said that rule didn't apply to you just for the simple fact that-"

"Not every headline is going to be fully eradicated probably until tomorrow afternoon. Meaning I don't need to be on my phone looking at the shit I already know regardless. My phone is off for the rest of the night till nine in the AM, it's okay I'm not worrying about it. You shouldn't either okay?" Malikai gave a sincere look that he was sure of his words.

"Alright." Anai shook her head continuing to wash the last bowl.

"I'm going to go ahead and head upstairs to lay down alright?" He started to walk out the kitchen.

"Yeah see you in a bit." Anai replied ringing out the dish rag and putting dried dishes away.

Once the kitchen was cleaned for good Anai turned off lights and headed upstairs to her room. Opening her door she didn't see Malikai nowhere in sight.

"Where is he?" Anai asked herself looking back down the hall.

Going back past the kids room to the guest room tiptoeing, she grabbed the golden doorknob opening the black door to see Malikai lying on the bed of a dark blue comforter on his stomach with his head on a pillow faced away from her still fully clothed.

"What are you doing in here?" Anai asked turning on the light looking around the room.

"Lying down like a normal human would do after a long day of looking after kids." He replied a little muffled from the pillow he was using.

"I get that by why are you doing that in here and not in my room?" Anai asked confused turning on the second light switch walking more in the room, closing the door behind her.

"The way you strong handled me earlier, almost busting my knee open on the counter before the kids saw us only hugging gave me the hint I need. So I'm in here." Malikai responded, "Can you turn the light back off."

"They're sleep now," Anai giggled, "Get up, come on."

"Mm mm, they might wake up and I don't need you pushing me off the damn bed next." Malikai answered not moving his body an inch, laying like a log.

"Kai." Anai poked his left side with a finger, "Seriously I'm not going to push you off the bed."

"You're not going to just lay and go to sleep either if I do come." Malikai countered.

"I'll lock my door." Anai laughed at him and his silliness, but she really wasn't playing either. Climbing on top of him she sat on his back leaning down to put her mouth on his right ear softly biting it, "Kai..."

"Remember earlier about zero to a trillion in not getting what you want?" Malikai asked with his eyes closed.

"Oh my gosh, we said a hundred million." Anai corrected him.

"I know the trillion for you, biting my ear because you know it turns me on." Malikai told her smiling on his pillow with his eyes still closed.

"It's been over a week." Anai spoke on his ear before licking behind it softly from the top down to the diamond in his earlobe.

"Anai Ericsson." Malikai groaned, "Get off me."

"No, I meant what I said about missing you and I just got off of my six days of mother nature." Anai whined in his ear squeezing the sides of his torso with her thighs.

"You have plenty of vibrators that I have personally bought you." Malikai replied with a serious tone that sounded like he was struggling to maintain.

Anai sucked her teeth at him climbing off top of him, "Do you truly forgive me? Or are you making excuse right now?"

"Where is this coming from all of a sudden? Seriously?" Malikai spoke on his pillow.

"What other reason would you not want to lay in bed with me Malikai?" Anai asked starting to feel like all her efforts to try and apologize wasn't enough.

Malikai laughed into his pillow as she grabbed another pillow off the bed hitting the back of his head with it, "You're being absurd and going to wake the kids up."

"Whatever." Anai groaned leaving out the room not turning the light out and closing the door.

Going back to her room she changed into an all black XL tshirt only and got in her bed laying on her side horny and irritated, "Childish asshole."

Five minutes later in the darkness she heard her bedroom door open and close then the lock clicked making her smile as she felt her covers being pulled back the smell of him invading her nostrils sliding in bed next to her.

"We're going to sleep." Malikai whispered in her right ear once he was fully intertwined with her body under her sheets.

"Kai." Anai begged with her eyes still closed, feeling by his body warmth that he only had his boxers on his body.

"What?" He asked holding her closer to him.

"Whispering in my ear and feeling your dick rub against my right ass cheek, no we're not." Anai said trying to turn her body towards him but his hold on her was strong.

"Shhhh." Malikai softly spoke on her ear, "That's because it's been a week just be still."

Using her mouth she used her teeth to softly bite down on the skin of his arm before licking it, "I can't."

"Nai..." Malikai breathed on the back of her neck, "I came in here so you wouldn't be mad at me."

"And..?" Anai pressed.

"Because you're my beloved. Now sleep please." Malikai sighed deeply feeling Anai moving her backside against him.

"And what?" Anai asked more lowly and sensually.

"It's obvious we can't sleep without being with each other anymore." He answered.

"Then why you locked the door?" Anai asked smiling on his warm strong arm before looking back at him as his head laid on her pillow.

"Because..."

"Because....?"

"I told you, I'm not trying to get pushed off the fuckin' bed."

"How can I push you when you're holding me tightly like this where I can't even move?"

"Go to sleep."

"Put me to sleep, then I will."

"Nai."

"Kai."

Turning slowly a little after a few minutes from his grip loosening on her, Anai connected her lips to Malikai's pushing her tongue past his lips "You forgive me?"

Reciprocating her kiss he pushed his tongue back against hers as she tried to move her body to move atop of his, "Yeah."

Not thinking about it Anai moved her face closer biting down on his bottom then top lip. Gripping her arms tightly he pushed her back down on the bed to lay on her stomach.

Leaning his mouth on her ear keeping his grip on her he grumbled, "You've always enjoyed trying to tell me what to do though."

Anai smiled biting her bottom lip, "I'm not I just-"

Her words halted by his hand easing its way slowly down her back by his fingertips got caught in her throat.

"Yes you are." Malikai whispered continuing his hand down her backside squeezing her ass cheeks before popping them hard with a slap.

The contact made Anai moan into her pillow feeling herself become more deeply aroused than she already was by his sudden forcefulness, "Kai."

"Hush, you asked for it." He spoke on her ear sliding a finger deep into her warm wet folds making her groan into her pillow.

"Baby." She moaned not having anywhere to run with his weight on top of her slipping inside another finger pumping slowly three times before pulling them out.

"Let's see just how much you can take Nai." Malikai kissed the back of her neck holding down her legs with his as he eased his fingers back towards the center of her vaginal opening and rectum area moving his fingertips in small circular motions.

The sensation was foreign never being touched before in that specific area Anai bit down on her pillow, "Shit."

"Take it..." He bit the back of her shoulder speeding up his fingertips against her sensitive flesh.

Biting harder down on her pillow moving her hips left to right as the sensation slowly built and filled in her body fully, Anai felt her legs going numb as Malikai continued his gentle grip of caressing both her cheeks repeatedly before going back to the same stimulated spot.

"Yes." She moaned out making him cover her mouth with his other hand, poking her ass out more towards the sensation.

"You like that?" He asked smiling on her cheek as she drew closer and closer to her peak, "Make you rethink trying anal?"

"Don't fuckin' push it." Anai groaned becoming lost in the pleasure of his hand on her skin, going faster and faster.

"Push?" Malikai chuckled sliding one of his fingertips against the opening of her rectum setting her over the edge.

"Oh fuck." She cried into the pillow coming down from the climax of her orgasm not believing what just happened. Slowly catching her breath she looked over at Malikai laying his head on her pillow with a look of passion in the darkness.

"Tired yet?" Malikai asked kissing the back of her right shoulder.

"No, I want to feel you." Anai turned her head to look his way leaning over to lean her face against his, softly kissing his lips.

Malikai leaned back as she climbed on top of him slowly. Moving his hands to her hips he swiped his thumbs slowly back and forth across her skin as she leaned up to take off her shirt, he moved his right hand up to her piercing in her navel feeling the diamond with his fingertips that was a solid reminder of their promise. Anai grabbed his hands to grip both her breasts as she moved the front of his boxers down for his fully erect nine inches to spring free upward.

Malikai looked up at Anai biting his bottom lip as she looked back down at him, "I love you."

"I want you." Anai whispered slowly easing her body to align with his length, sliding down it easily with how slick her sex was from the orgasm she just had.

"I want you," He responded back in a soft tone inhaling then exhaling out as Anai clenched her world around him without warning, "Shit Nai."

"Let's see how long you can take it now jerk." Anai grinned down at him moving her hips to start a rhythm like she was using a hoola hoop, "Like I've already told you, I do it because only I can."

"Fuck you." Malikai gripped her hips tightly closing his eyes making Anai laugh gently at him.

~

The next morning Anai rolled in her covers feeling in her sheets for Malikai but didn't feel his warmth at all making her open her eyes in panic from the past horrible feeling of not feeling him. Raising up out of bed seeing it was no sunlight coming through her blinds, it was obviously going to be another cloudy day with a chance of some rain. Looking at her phone after grabbing it off her bedside dresser she saw the time on her screen read eight nineteen.

Going to her bathroom door after fixing her tshirt she opened the door seeing Malikai sitting on the floor next to the toilet with his eyes closed and like all the blood was slowly draining from his face, "Malikai?"

Slowly opening his eyes, the grey stare on her lit up a bit as a smile broke across his lips, "Hey Nai, far cry from the intimidating Calculus professor you once knew huh?"

"Oh my gosh, what's going on? What hurts?" Anai dropped to the floor grabbing his face into her hands trying to stay calm.

"I'm alright." Malikai grabbed her wrists, "I swear."

"Kai." Anai felt her eyes filling with tears in being worried, "Do we need to go to the hospital? I can call Dr. Roman and.."

Suddenly she moved her legs she started to try and get up but Malikai held her with his hands to sit fully back down, "I'm alright, nausea...it's just a side effect of the medicine I'm taking so I won't need to go to the hospital love. Please."

"Are you telling me the truth?" She asked looking into his eyes that turned serious.

"Yes." He shook his head, "Calm down, I'm okay."

Taking a relieving breath Anai felt tears starting to fall again from her eyes as she laid her head on his chest letting him hold her close as she felt herself not being able to control her body to stop crying, "Is it because we had sex?"

"No. It's okay baby." Malikai spoke softly chuckling kissing the side of her head.

"Do you want some water?" Anai asked raising her head up off his chest, seeing he was slowly starting to look back normal after throwing up.

"Yes." Malikai took a deep breath, "Let's get up before the kids come up out of curiousness."

"They're already up?" Anai asked helping him stand up.

"Yeah, left them downstairs watching spongebob before I felt a wave nausea." He replied bending down to wash out his mouth in the sink.

Anai leaned against the wall of the bathroom behind him watching as he brushed his teeth and gargled some Listerine mouth wash, "Have you been a low-key super dad all this time?"

 "No," Malikai wiped his mouth with a wash cloth on the sink smiling at Anai through the mirror, "I just know what time they wake up."

"And you're wrong Kai, you still intimidate me to this day, thirteen years later." Anai sighed looking him over, making him look back at her before turning back to the sink.

"Sure I do."

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Anai asked again leaning up off the wall to wrap her arms around his waist.

Raising his arms to wrap around her body into a hug he nodded softly, "Swear I'm alright, you'll be the first to know if I'm not okay?"

"Okay." Anai closed her eyes wanting to hug him just a little bit longer before joining the kids downstairs.

~

Sitting on the couch watching TV with the kids Anai couldn't help but look over at Malikai sitting on the couch with Mayson out of worry.

Making eye contact with her, he made a funny face her way sticking his tongue out at her mouthing 'I'm still here.'

Smiling a little Anai nodded at him softly whispering, "I know."

Malikai's phone vibrated on his lap making him immediately raise it to his ear, "Wassup T?"

Trying to ignore that he was on the phone, Anai waited until he showed he needed to get up to talk about whatever was going on.

"Okay, lemme up Mace." He tapped his shoulder to stand up  and walk out of the living room.

Anai watched him as he went to the back patio of the yard, closing the patio doors behind him, "Mama?"

Looking back to Mayson, she gave a smile small, "Yes Mayson?"

"Is everything alright?" He asked.

"Yes babe. Why what's wrong?" Anai asked him.

"It's just that you haven't given us back our phones and Vanessa keeps complaining about it to me but won't say anything." He told her.

"Hey." Vanessa mugged him from her side of the couch she shared with Anai across the room.

"Oh, I'm sorry y'all. I'll go get them now okay?" Anai stood up not even realizing that she still had their technology, not just their phones.

Walking to the backyard patio doors in the kitchen, she cracked one of them slowly once grabbing one of the door handles to make sure it was even alright to give the kids back access to internet.

"How long ago?" Malikai asked on his phone sounding not alert in his tone but a bit of sadness, "Oh my God."

Anai's heart raced suddenly hoping they weren't going to have to leave the country from how distressed he sounded.

"Okay, yeah no I'll be more than happy to do that tomorrow morning." Malikai spoke last before hanging up his call.

"Kai..?" Anai gently called out to him making him spin around at the sound of her voice.

"Yes?" He slid his phone down into the black sweatpants that Anai noticed he wasn't wearing yesterday. She figured he must be having James and his team bring him clothes the past two days.

"The kids are asking about their phones." Anai told him, opening the door more while leaning on it.

"Um, it's fine. Things just got a lot more complicated anyways." Malikai nodded taking a slow breath.

"What happened?" Anai whispered biting her bottom lip.

Looking her over he crossed his arms across his chest, "Jalia is dead, they think it could be murder."

"What?" Anai couldn't stop her jaw dropping down before she realized it, then clenched tightly in disbelief. All in all she never could respect how the woman was hell bent on breaking her and Malikai apart but she'd never wish death on her.

The front door opened suddenly with Kenneth coming in suitcase and extra bags in tow, "Hey everyone I'm back."

~

Summer W.

"What the fuck!?" Summer yelled while currently at the Townsend estate, learning the federal investigative bureau had no leads on her friends murder.

People in all black suits, FBI jackets stormed in and out on phones talking to each other working on finding out if Jalia possibly died at the estate.

"I don't think this is the end but just the start of problems." Detective Willis told Summer.

"What do you mean?" Summer was confused feeling more tears that wanted to fall from her eyes in not being able to process the death of a longtime friend.

"Whoever did this, has left a note saying specifically that and might be trying to target your friends Summer." He told her, "It's imperative that they all are warned."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[mischief-lies-and-stories]

Immortal Thor #7 Reactions

Again, I feel like I've been waiting for this forever.

Spoilers for Immortal Thor 7 and prior.

God. I'm never not gonna be so into Loki as the Teller. They're lovely.

Past Loki continues to be whiny and no fun

Thor calling Loki stupid, a coward, and adopted in the same sentence is fucking rude and uncalled for, even if 2 of those things are currently correct

So there's this Winnie the Pooh movie (and chapter from the book) where Pooh eats too much honey at Rabbit's house and gets stuck in the door trying to leave and there's definitely if not an illustration then a shot from the animation that looks exactly like this panel.

I get it, Ewing, you saw Endgame. Clever "America's Ass" reference, good job. I'm gonna get on a plane and fist fight you over this.

FLAMING!!! SKELETON!!! FUCK! YES! LET'S! FUCKING! GOOO!!!

So I knew it was Utgard-Loki, but when he gave himself all those nicknames, I was like, Hey! The magpie calls Loki that, don't say we won't know his name. Some riddle that would be.

So at first I was like I'm gonna roll with the punches, but Marvel Loki (at least currently, I can't speak for prior to like early/mid-2000s) isn't really known for his eating prowess, so trying to out-eat fire like in the myth doesn't really make sense characteristically. I like this myth so I was willing to overlook the possible out of character behavior, but I just realized: he's hungry. He hasn't eaten in like three days! He doesn't want to sit though a bunch of trials they might lose and then still be hungry (and possibly also dead). He wants food now.

I've gone back and forth about Thor's constant smacking of Loki. On the one hand, they're siblings and most of the hits have seemed like (to me) acceptable level of sibling violence, like how my siblings and I would have smacked each other around as kids. (Not saying it's okay to do, necessarily, just that it's more typical sibling behavior, especially for siblings this close in age.) And given how long Asgardians live, technically they're probably closer to the equivalent of 14 or 15 here, so this kind of behavior seems "age-appropriate." On the other hand, they do look like a couple of 30/40 year old siblings beating the shit out of each other over petty nonsense, which is weird. And then you have panels like THIS.

This is not smacking your sibling upside the head because they said something snarky. This looks like he intends to BREAK something. Damn, dude, and you wonder why he turns on you every other week for like a hundred years.

I take it back. I don't need to see this myth in pictures. Logi is off-putting.

Little disappointed we've erased Thialfi from this retelling. Loki shouldn't run on a full stomach.

Loki, I need you to fuck with Amora

Thor that's rude. Even if it's true.

Best panel in the whole issue.

I'm gonna need to do a separate post discussing the cover because it's fantastic and so detailed

Also the poem gears are turning already!

[helly-watermelonsmellinfellon]

So, the drama currently going on in my life is Dave throwing a 3- month temper tantrum based on something I said months ago.

3 months ago, we were in a motel, and I was STILL sleeping on the floor. We had no food left besides bags of rice, cans of mixed veggies, and cans of diced tomatoes(plus salt, pepper, and garlic powder). Obviously, everyone was hungry. We only had a few dollars in the PayPal, and that money came from a renewed Subscription on my Ko-Fi.

At most, it was enough for rising-crust pizza at Walmart. Or... a tub of ice cream apparently.

See. Dave spent the past several hours complaining about there being no food and everything Bethy suggested was shot down cuz he had no money. Mom had no money. And there was less than $10 on PayPal, which was given through Ko-Fi, which PayPal took a portion of, so it was even less than the Subscription cost. And after hours of back and forth he suddenly sits up and goes, "Let's get ice cream."

So I, being the one with common sense and no small amount of annoyance, asked, "Why are we wasting money on ice cream after going hungry all day? Why would you buy ice cream instead of food?" (And his ass wonders why he can't lose weight? What is the obsession with ice cream ffs?)

Ever since then, he has been throwing a tantrum. Turns out, he HAD money of his own he just didn't want to use it personally. So, he drove out to get HIMSELF ice cream, and got like a pack of already-made cones, that he then ate all right there.

He was going to use MY MONEY to buy ice cream for everyone instead of getting like, stuff for PB&Js(which we could have afforded). He had some petty cash of his own on hand AFTER filling the gas tank, with more of MY MONEY.

His tantrum has extended all the way up to now. I've talked about how we've been able to do so much since we're not homeless anymore and we now have a stove. We've made homemade cheese sauce for mac n' cheese, homemade biscuits, homemade gravy, and homemade pasta. We've had chili, quesadillas, spaghetti & meatballs, baked chicken, ham & scalloped potatoes, hasselback potatoes, oatmeal, sausage gravy & biscuits, pancakes, rice, all sorts of canned veggies, soups, cereal, egg & cheese bagels, grilled cheese, PB&Js, lasagna, French Toast, and homemade Salisbury steak with a different homemade gravy.

Also, we made brownies. (And I'm gonna make choco chip cookies and Rice Krispy Treats soon.)

AND DAVE ATE NONE OF IT.

He whines about going hungry and having nothing to eat to anyone who will listen, but it's because of his own fragile ego. All cuz I had a problem with his plan on spending MY MONEY on shit we did not need; he's making it everyone else's problem.

(The biggest issue is that the lease is in his name this time so... mom doesn't want to start anything with him just to be safe. And ain't that a sad reality? We have to worry about potentially being kicked out if we offend him too much. After an entire year of me and donations from generous strangers keeping us afloat so we're not in a van all the time, we still can't fully relax cuz his ass is ungrateful. He's now telling people he's been working this entire time, and he will ignore all the good other people have done for us because it didn't come from him specifically.)

[tobiasdrake]

Into the Tower of Antsudlo to face our kinda shitty destinies.

So it turns out it's a jetstream, not a portal. I'm disappointed.

This is it. I hope the door that no one could open wasn't this one because it just took two baps with the Coral Hammer on the Coral Bells nearby to budge it. The Docarri build the Coral Bells. Surely they meant something else.

Alright team, let's make camp here at this inexplicably flammable lumber pile half-submerged in water.

So. That sucked and I hated it. We all got put through the ringer on that trip. Except you, Garl, because even total dickweeds can't bring themselves to be mean to you. You're a cinnamon roll. Keep doing what you're doing.

Key takeaway is that we're going to fucking die. That's a downer. But we knew that already so it's not that much of a downer, right? ...right?

...

I'm going to bed in my soggy bedroll. Good talk, everyone.

...that actually means a lot to me.

Okay, maybe we've got this. You aren't even supposed to be here and that means you might be able to change things up! We've got this!

Do you think the Docarri come here and leave all this pottery? There's a bunch of jars and stuff that's definitely not naturally occurring.

No, wait. Obviously the tower isn't naturally occurring, so the pottery may have been left behind by whoever built this structure to begin with.

Sorry, I'm still a bit shaken up.

I'm sure this is fine. We were probably meant to do this, right? Completely normal method of transportation.

SHIT THAT'S THE DOOR

Probably! It's a door, but it looks important! Guys! Break the pipe! Do something! Don't let it pass us by! GUYS.

You guys are fucking useless.

Except you, Garl. You're my bestie.

And you, Serai. We adore you and we're glad you're with us, regardless of whatever might be going on with you.

Zale, I give you a lot of shit but you're pretty cool too.

Everyone else here is fucking useless.

THE DOOR

Great work, team. We all pulled together and made it through. See, Zale? I told you we didn't need to resort to petty vandalism to get here but no, you wouldn't listen to me.

What are we, thugs or something?

Now, this looks much more like an ancient door sealed away that no one has ever crossed through. Look at those markings. There's something almost spiritual about this place. Teaks could probably spend a lifetime examining these carvings.

Well, that's not much of an obstacle. Garl, you still got those pressure cooker bombs of yours?

Just because I deserved this, that doesn't mean I can't be mad about it. Remember me as I was. Crying and shrieking obscenities that can't be published in most sections of this library at the World Eater as it swallows me whole.

Why didn't it open? Aren't we supposed to be children of fate or some shit? Defective-ass fucking prophet gave us some defective-ass prophecies. "You are the Chosen; Go to the door that only opens for the Chosen WHOOPS IT DOESN'T FUCKING OPEN I GUESS I'M LYING."

I hope I drowned that fish before we all died.

Oh you're on the other side of the Liar Door. That's fantastic. Hang on a sec... Zale, give me those papers I gave you. Yeah, the ones we wrote out during training.

Right. Here we go. Ahem.

This here's a court summons. I will expect to see you in the courthouse at Mirth, right after we build one, so that we can settle the matter of false advertisement.

Awfully informal. Are you coming with us? There's still room in Garl's backpack if you want to be Cargo.

Codes are flexible. They're social structures that only exist because we choose to let them. The only power they have is what we pretend they do.

So that's a "Yes you can" but "No you won't".

Guessing that's the true name of the Fleshmancer, then?

Yep, that's the Fleshmancer.

Shot in the dark, have you ever considered solving the Fleshmancer problem with violence?

Alright, I get it. "The consequences would be dire" or whatever.

GARL NO

Love the enthusiasm but please don't let your mouth write checks that I don't know if we can cash. I am not ready to throw hands at the Dweller of Strife's dad. When I suggested violence a moment ago, that was not me volunteering our services.

Well, the Chosen Ones door wouldn't open for us and we're failing at our prophecies. So. Probably not. I'd say that's a definite no. We are not who all this predestination shit had in mind.

But beggars can't be choosers and I don't care if you're a god or not, those ratty clothes do not imply a man with many options. So we're the best you've got. Deal with it.

Oh, sure. Piece of cake. We live in a tropical paradise so. Y'know. We're definitely equipped to hit up the fucking arctic on a goose chase for a homeless deity who smells of book must and mold.

Oh. Not even going to let us find warmer clothes first. Straight to the arctic.

Okay, but I'm taking three books with me as collateral. If this winds up being a trap and there is no artifact, I'm burning them for warmth.

[bunni-bun]

welp 🫠

i am just being petty but truly, i think this trip could've been better had i not brought my partner along and just came by myself. maybe it's cuz i'm sleep deprived since his ass snores so fucking loud that not even my noise-cancelling headphones can drown him out but i'm also just really annoyed in general.

korea is my dream country. it's beautiful here and there have been so many moments where i feel like i'd be happy here on my own or at least with my best friend. yesterday, it snowed again on our way back and it was just so pretty and magical at one point because of the quiet. it felt wonderful for a few moments.

but then being next to my partner's loud ass snoring and annoying self in general kinda dampens my mood about this whole trip. yeah, he enjoyed a lot of stuff here too but we also only went to weeb stuff here for him and japan would be way better suited for him. like ngl, my best friend and i suffered dissociating in crowded as fuck malls just to go to weeb places that you can get shit like this from off of ebay in america. i really, really hate that since she and i have major anxiety and crowded places fuck us up something awful.

that's why all the places i wanted to visit are very much less crowded or outside in a way that the crowds aren't as bad. it helps us since it makes us less anxious and for me, less likely to get even more sick tbh. yesterday, i was so dizzy and overheated when we got home and i think it was cuz of both the crowds and the stress of being in a really big, hot place like 30 minutes before closing and my partner being a fucking american about it by still wanting to see stuff even when they were turning off the lights. like holy fuck, just let these people leave, don't be a fuckass american by keeping them longer than they need to. idk but it feels embarrassing and tiring.

i think more than anything, i have felt both very embarrassed and very stressed about being with him the whole time we've been here and just....... i dunno. feels like it cements those feelings of leaving that i've been having for a while now. i'll talk to megan about it when we get back to florida but i just feel like i can't do this anymore.

my partner isn't a bad person by any means but he's not the right person for me. he's nice but immature and doesn't see things the way i do and it makes us argue and it makes me very fucking mean and i don't like that. i know it sounds mean but i just wish he would actually care about other people's opinions in the sense that he would take them and use them to better himself. i can't do that for him.

to me, like always, i feel like a relationship with someone should bring out the best in both people and drive them to always do good for both themselves and each other. i don't feel that happening here with my partner. in fact, i feel very limited and almost mediocre when i'm with him. i know i can do better. i know i can be better. but not with him.

i want to come back here by myself. i know i'll be happy and i can explore more and i can enjoy time with my best friend properly. i want to have an actual good time that doesn't involve stress and embarrassment tbh. i guess we will figure that all out when we get back.

for now, i really just wanna enjoy the last day here with my best friend. i miss her. i'm going to cry so hard when i have to say bye to her. i don't want to.

[illzazzorino]

Actually I got more shit to say about the Tik Tok thing.

I was vagueing about an argument I got into on a fandom Discord, this person was venting about some person they know on FB talking about their neurodivergency too much and being an ND supremacist apparently (this same person would go on to say they had an "Autistic desire for the truth" which IDK sounds way more aspie supremacist than calling someone ableist over some petty bs but I don't know your life I guess) and like;

1) No seriously Kim there are actual people that are actually dying. The Judge Rotenburg Center is still running and still enrolling kids like any troubled teen institution and still electrocuting them, people are still refusing to vaccinate their kids bc they think it'll make them autistic and everybody's getting sick for it, as far as I can tell it still isn't considered a hate crime (in the US) if a mommy blogger kills their autistic child explicitly to "save" them from the autism, and some of us are straight up banned from emigrating to certain countries due to ableist immigration laws (google it)

2) Honestly I'm glad the Tik Tokers are presenting autism as something fun and quirky. If you're not chronically online autism is still the boogyman for adults, and especially when I was growing up, autistic kids were treated roughly the same as a monster kid from any horror movies about a monster kid.

When I said I was abused for being autistic I meant it. My mother (and others) always found a way to use it against me (because autistic people are incapable of reading/understanding others, don't have empathy so of course I just misunderstood the harm they were doing to me right?) and would say shit like a gluten free diet would fix me and that my sister shouldn't vaccinate my niece (and now nephew, probably) because we can't have another one of me in Her family, and then would scream at me if I was like 'hey that hurt my feelings'. If anything we need the Tik Tok kids to romanticize autism more just because we need even more of a counternarrative to all of that toxicity

3) Stolen valor IMHO. Us millennial and Gen x auties were being cringe and blogging about our autism 'a bit too much' way back when people still read blogs. While some of y'all were still having Gerber for breakfast there was like 1 website making adult chew toys and selling them and giving away weighted blankets bc they were hard to find and expensive af, writing long ass vent posts on our blogs about the casual ableism we put up with that day, and, oh yeah, advocating for the basic safety and support needs of autistic kids in school because back in the day everyone thought the best way to teach an autistic student was through violence (you should also look up 'restraint and seclusion' later).

Like I'm so fucking sorry that an acquaintance of yours being proud of their autism is such an imposition to you, but the rest of us have real problems, many of which we've been trying to solve since the 2010s *at least*. Get over yourself.

[littlewalken]

Yeah, no, I'm not petty enough to block someone who liked something I posted just because they're pro shoplifting but I am gonna bitch about it.

I don't see people who need food and hygiene supplies, that's none of my fucking business, but things that aren't life necessities are the reason people who aren't involved get followed and end up paying more. And it is a pain in the ass for those of us standing in line to pay the salaries of the minimum wage workers who need those jobs. So it's nice there are people that entitled and full of main character syndrome that only they mattered. Spent too much time with that bitch.

This is 'Murica and places will give you food for free. You can get hygiene supplies for free, hell I was a product tester in some of my leaner times and I got all sorts of shit for free and was paid for my opinion on it.

Don't care if you don't agree with some of those organizations out there who will give you work clothes and job training, get off your high horse. The Gudwara will feed anyone.

Like with the results of the election it's all a result of everyone's collective actions. You can't police other people but you can police yourself to make the society you want to live in.

As I said food and hygiene is none of my fucking business, but affecting the jobs of people trying to get by on minimum wage is.

I've been there waiting for my first paltry pay check needing a loaf of bread to get thru the week at my new job. We've had Imagination Thanksgiving and Gift Season because car repairs came first. So I know what it's like and how I chose to behave.

Don't be the reason we can't have nice things.

[thenerdyunhealthybrit]

garglyswoof replied to your post: “Remember that Twitter spat I had yesterday, the one where…”

Theres nothing hypocritical about choosing to watch or not watch the show. I don’t really get how anyone could make that argument. If they’re referring to not having watched the show until now, there is nothing hypocritical about that. You can dislike the shows first four seasons  and still want to see the current. Even if a s5 watcher ends up liking the rest of the cast….still not hypocritical lol  

It’s just stuff, I’ve been seeing online a lot. I admit part of the reason I’m watching S5 is because of Klaroline, but the truth is I would have gone back to the show regardless. I hate leaving things unfinished and at the end of the day, I love Klaus, Kol and Rebekah. Me and my friend even planned to binge watch the show when the Klaroline gag on The Originals was still on and Caroline wasn’t appearing on The Originals (We got through to 4 episodes, my friends Wi-Fi was bad, shockingly bad).

But after hearing all your thoughts about it, it really does put it into perspective because I can see where some of their fans annoyances come from. There are a portion of fans coming back solely for Klaroline and you feel like you aren’t getting your way - but many are hiding it under the excuse of family when it’s really all about ships. I’ve seen Klaroline stans resign themselves to the fact that Klaroline was unlikely happening on the show and they just wanted the show to be about family, treat their POCs with respect, not have misogynistic writing...but they dismissed it as us being haters, yet now that something is happening that they don’t like, suddenly they are preaching the same stuff we have been preaching for years.

Also I’ve seen many ignore that The Originals is a spinoff show, that The Mikaelsons did have a life and story before Mystic Falls and Julie is bringing Mystic Falls in to honour that (as well as to satisfy her TVD boner). They also ignore that before all their ship, The Originals fans were made of fans of the family as well as fans of Klaroline. Klaroline were not only there at Day 1, they were there at it’s conception, when it was just a fan idea on social media and fandoms, when it was announced to be in development. We were there when it started and when we first met The Originals, so we equally have a right as fans of not only Klaroline (because we’ve criticised the hell out of Caroline in TVD) but also as fans of The Original family to judge the show and the direction that a set of writers are taking our faves. Especially when they don’t bother honouring it’s past on The Vampire Diaries and enjoy making their own rules.

Angel was able to perfectly stand on their own two feet and still was able to honour it’s history on Buffy.

Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures were able to stand on their own two feet and was still about to not only honour Doctor Who, but also extend the Universe, exploring Aliens on Earth when the Doctor isn’t around.

[micahs-chin-scar]

Storytime about me being a menace bc I feel like you'd appreciate this lol:

So this girl, let's call her Sarah, is a stereotypical taki-loving bitch, and even the kids that would bully me praised me for how much I bitched that whore making her so angry she had to get sent out

Well, one day Sarah was starting shit with others as she typically does bc she's clearly starved for attention and was giving out unoriginal shitty ass insults 💀

like literally this was one I'm not kidding, "You look like ratatouille" (she meant Remy, the rat FROM the movie ratatouille)

okay so she was talking, throwing pencils and acting like a fucking fool during testing, well we cant do that or else it fails EVERYONE in the room

Well I was sleeping after I finished my test, and I literally chose violence that moment (true Ran Kinnie moment) and cussed her ass out

like even the teacher was joining in and agreeing with me like pretty much I said, "You look like a goofy-ass cockroach so stfu, also its the RAT from ratatouille so get yo fucking facts straight, just because you don't wanna take this fucking test bc I know damn well we've been in here for 3 hours and you aren't even on question 10, doesn't mean you get to fuck up the rest of us who are actually trying to pass the grade, I'm sorry your 14 and still in 5th grade, and if you got a problem with this test go tf outside <3" (btw I go to a school where the 5th-12th grade is mixed together)

then she got offended and said "girl like you're so annoying" Me: "No need to describe yourself" Her: "UGH IF YOU GOT A PROBLEM WANNA FIGHT" Me: "All I gotta do is get raid, besides I dont touch bugs" and so the teacher who is in charge of discipline came in and took her ass out as the whole class was going on about how I bitch Sarah and I literally was so petty, I said, "Buh bye!~" smiled, and waved to her before flicking her off

and I never got in trouble or my test invalidated 🤩

rate my barking back 1-10 💃✨

Emma Sano/10, Draken stamp of approval worthy