#Diners Club International

[piperlivingdeliberately]

or a headcannon of how the relationship with Hazel callahan evolved, the first time they held hands, first make out, first time together

I LOVE THIS YAY

I think the reader and Hazel would develop feelings for each other around the same time. Whether they have class together, or they meet in the fight club, whatever!

As much as I love friends to lovers and years of slow-burn pining, I think Hazel's too much of a nervous wreck to survive that. You probably would start out as someone who she suddenly noticed was gorgeous. So, naturally, she would become incapable of properly speaking to you.

She would be incredibly obvious when she has a crush on you. Constantly being caught staring at you from across the room by her friends, stalking your instagram and panicking when she accidentally likes a picture from four months ago, apologizing profusely when she accidentally bumps into you in the hallway and cursing herself for being so awkward when she finally walks away.

Like I said, you'd notice her around the same time--probably through her blatant staring--and take interest. Even if you were as embarrassing as she was, she would never notice the signs.

Realizing this fact, you would make subtle moves every time you saw her. You'd compliment her outfit, ask her a question about the material you were learning in class, congratulate her after a successful spar. This would continue until you could comfortably call yourselves acquaintances.

After many observations of these interactions, PJ and Josie would realize your motives. They would desperately try to convince Hazel to ask you out, probably taking full days to do so.

She would finally be convinced when you "casually" brushed her arm as you laughed at her joke. She would be taken over by her feelings, blurting an invitation to a movie or a diner before she even processed what she was doing.

She would be even more surprised when you excitedly said yes. Internal panic would take over any feelings of excitement. She would be so anxious about what to wear to your date, trying on dozens of outfits and spraying five different colognes before realizing that she smelled like a middle school boy.

All of her nerves would be eased when you finally met up. Your beauty was one thing, but the way you lit up when she approached you made her anxiety melt away.

The first date would be very wholesome. Hazel making lots of jokes, you making lots of flirty comments to watch her blush, her fighting you to pay the bill at the end of the night.

You would give her a quick, chaste goodbye kiss after several minutes of tentative staring. Of course, she would replay this four-second-kiss in her brain until it was burned into the back of her eyelids.

You would have a few more dates in the following weeks in which you would realize that Hazel is the absolute best date-planner. Seriously, she should have her own TV show.

She would take you to so many fun places to see so many cool things, always ending the night with deep conversations and lingering kisses.

After a couple of weeks, she would work up the nerve to invite you to sleep over. Watching movies in her bed would turn into your first cuddle session which would turn into your first makeout session.

Both of your hands would begin to wander, snaking over each other's bare skin until someone needed to pull away for a breather.

"I've never done... anything like this before," Hazel would confess to you bashfully during this break between kisses. You would assure her that you were just as new to it as she was. She would take so much comfort in knowing that you also wanted to take it slow. You would finish out the night with the TV still playing, tangled in each other's arms.

The following morning, she would nervously ask you to be her girlfriend as she cooked breakfast. Your enthusiastic "yes" sparked another heated kiss and caused the pancakes to begin burning.

Many weeks, movies, and makeouts later would come your first "I love you". It would be a casual moment that you two had grown so fond of; your head on her chest as she ran her fingers through your hair.

The feeling of you in her arms would just overwhelm her in that moment until she couldn't keep it a secret anymore. She would whisper it so quietly that you would have to pick your head up and ask her to repeat herself. She would lose her courage for a moment, but after much prompting, she would confess once again.

You would return the statement and kiss her with so much passion that you thought your bodies might melt together. As the kiss progressed, you would gain the courage to ask her if she wanted to take your clothes off. She would nod so furiously, causing you to laugh as you gently undressed each other.

The sex would be soft and full of love. Since neither of you would be very experienced, you would just take your time learning each other's bodies, switching up often to try as much as you could.

After your exhausted finishes, you would cuddle up in your usual fashion and fall back into the routine you had grown so used to with your love. <3

[soft-girl-musings]

Perks of Being a Wallflower

Jake Lockley x plus size fem!Reader

cross-posted to ao3

tags: rated T for thirsty jake, author does not dance but saw it on the tv once (i'm mostly kidding), mustachioed jake jumpscare (tagging for the haters), no use of Y/N

wc: 1.9k

fic summary: For Jake, a night on the town means sticking to the background, listening for signs of trouble. That all changes when he sees you at the dance hall.

A/N: still on the jake train and I am making it everyone's problem. just wanted to preface by saying, as a curvy girlie, i recognize that plus size folk are not a monolith. so everything in this fic is based on my own experience, etc. enjoy!

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Jake likes to keep his intel hotspots in rotation. 

Mondays and Wednesdays he'll head to the diner after a day in the cab, refueling and checking in with his network.

Tuesdays and Thursdays he'll hit the bars. Weekends are mostly for driving.

But Fridays? Fridays are for dancing.

Jake's guilty pleasure is scoping out the dance hall. The clubs have their appeal, but there's something timeless about the hole in the wall he’d discovered a while back. Nothing special, just a cozy ballroom with a bar, tables lifted on a platform framing ¾ of the room and turning the dance floor into an inverse stage.

Tonight he nurses a beer in the corner, listening to a couple of seedy characters describe some suspicious activity at a warehouse he'd been tailing. But he hasn't caught much of their conversation. Truth be told, he's a bit distracted tonight.

Because of you.

He'd seen you come in with four other people, two couples by the look of it. He'd been immediately taken by you: while some patrons came to dance in jeans and t-shirts, you'd dressed to impress. He'd shamelessly raked his eyes over your form, generous curves hugged by the bodice of your dress that trailed down over your ample hips. You walked with a timid sway, the movement inevitable even as you drew your arms about yourself, settling into your seat with care at a table clear across the room from him.

As much as he's tried to fight it, his attention always drifts back to you: poised and pretty, eyes scanning the room as one couple, then another leaves you for the Latin-dance-of-the-week group lesson hosted like clockwork every Friday. The instructor drones on, but Jake is zeroed in on you: all softness and warmth, criminally tucked away from the rest of the fun.

The warehouse can wait.

__________

You don’t consider yourself the kind of girl someone crosses the room for.

That’s probably why you don’t notice the determined stranger making his way across the crowded dance floor, eyes trained on you as he adjusts his cap with a smirk.

You’re taking another sip of your overpriced cocktail when you hear an unfamiliar voice below you.

“Not a fan of the rumba?”

You finally register the man standing by the corner of your table. He’s handsome, you have to admit, his dark features highlighting kind brown eyes, creased from his almost too-eager smile. When you realize he’s talking to you, your words are still slow to come out.

But he doesn’t miss a beat. “It’s the mustache, isn’t it?” He grins sheepishly, dragging a palm across his lower face. “Knew it’d skeeve some people out, but I thought I’d give it a go.”

“No,” you say too quickly for your own liking, “It’s, ah– nice. Suits you.”

You’re met with a cheeky grin as he steps closer, eyes half-lidded as he leans in. “I’m Jake. Nice to meet a friendly face.”

You eye him warily, wondering what his angle could be. A quick glance around the room confirms there’s only so many unattached women surrounding the dance floor. You sigh internally. The game is always the same: keep them entertained until the girls they really want to talk to come back from the bar, or the bathroom, or stray just far enough from the guys they arrived with.

Might as well play along. 

Settling back into your seat, you tell him your name. His grin widens as he echoes it with something bordering reverence, and you bite your cheek to keep from smiling too wide.

Jake props one elbow on the table, looking up at you. Seems like he’s not going anywhere for a while.

“I gotta know– you not a fan of the rumba?”  He asks again, staring up at you dreamily. You don't catch it, your eyes flitting between him and the dance floor. The lesson is over, and couples spread out to dance independently.

“Hm? Oh, um– it’s alright,” you say with a shrug, arms wrapping around your middle again. “Just not a dancing night for me.” 

Truth be told, it’s been ages since anyone’s invited you to dance. You’ve contented yourself with watching, although something deep inside aches for someone to ask you to–

"Dance with me."

You raise an eyebrow, struck by his bluntness. "I'm sorry?"

He leans in, both arms now resting on the table. "Dance with me, doll." His grin widens as he drinks you in. Your cheeks heat under his gaze, and you almost believe the admiration behind his eyes.

You press your lips together and look back to the crowd. "No thanks."

"I promise I don't bite," he teases, baring his teeth for effect. The slight gap in his smile catches your eye and you look away again. He's definitely a charmer.

"I…" you trail off, searching for an excuse but find you're hesitant to give it. 

Your self-sabotaging streak wins out. "Sorry, I have to keep the table for my friends." You nod toward the couples you came with, each person settled in the arms of their partner as they stumble through the rumba on their own. Your frown deepens; it does look fun.

Jake hums and props his head on one hand. "Don't tell me you only tagged along to watch their purses? Not the best of friends," he adds, critique mixed with sympathy.

You almost tell him that this wasn't the plan, you were meant to have a date tonight. A date who suddenly couldn't make it once your friend had caved and sent him a picture of you– a snapshot you'd both hoped wouldn't "fatfish" but was flattering enough to entice him to commit. Clearly he didn't.

You consider telling him everything, so lost in thought you don't realize he's been saying your name. He calls you once more, and you snap back to the present, tearing your eyes away from the dance floor.

"Sorry, what was that?"

As you speak, Jake walks around the table until he's closer to your side. He holds out his hand.

"C'mon, one dance." He asks again, angling his head to catch your eye. "Please?"

The last of your resolve absolutely crumbles at the way his voice softens with every word. As if you have something he wants. As if you could reject him and make it sting. 

Oh, what the hell.

"...Alright. One dance." 

You didn't think he could smile any wider, but he does– tossing his cap onto the table and trailing a hand through his thick black curls, he's all crow's feet and smile lines as you accept his hand.

Jake weaves between dancing pairs with you in tow, until you reach the middle of the floor. Your eyes dart around at the couples surrounding you, but a gentle touch under your chin brings your attention back to him.

"Just focus on me, yeah?" His voice is still soft, keeping you grounded in the eye of the busy dance floor. You nod, letting out a shaky breath.

"Right, so–" Jake clasps your right hand and raises it to chin level. He moves your left hand to cradle his shoulder, and places his right hand on your shoulder blade. It takes everything in him not to squeeze the flesh under his palm; you're just as warm and soft as he'd thought you'd be.

He talks you through the basics, how to time your steps and the flow of each movement. Every so often, he’ll lift your chin again, since you keep looking at your feet to keep up.

You catch on quicker than you’d expected. Even though your cheeks are blazing, you feel yourself loosen up– your body relaxing, your hips swaying a bit more freely. 

Jake can tell: he’s never short of praise and encouragement, and has to remember his own advice to stop himself from watching your hips the whole time.

"Alright," he warns, "here's something a little tricky-"

As soon as you feel his hand flex, you know what to do. You step out and deftly spin under his arm, hips swaying with a cheeky flourish for effect.

Jake barks a laugh of surprise, arms settling back into place as you complete the step.

You let yourself crack a smile. “You third wheel enough of these dance lessons, you’re bound to pick some things up.”

“No kidding,” he affirms, resuming an easy rhythm for you both. You’d think he was born with that grin on his face, the way it hasn’t faltered since he introduced himself.

One song bleeds into another, but neither of you notice. Instead, you draw closer together, your frame more relaxed and your heart racing. With every beat, you fight back the budding intoxication of the moment. Because this can't be real; this can't be something that lasts. No matter how many praises he showers, winks he offers, or lingering brushes against your hips, shoulders, seemingly anywhere he can touch you, you know you won't be hearing from Jake once you leave this dance floor. That's how this always goes down.

The song ends and you both slow to a stop. Slightly breathless, your hands trail up to Jake’s shoulders, thumbs tracing the fabric there as you work up the courage to ask one last question.

"So… is this the part where you go back to your friends and tally up who got the big girl to believe you were interested?"

Jake's brows knit together, his hands pressed to your shoulder blades to hold you steady. "I don't-"

"Oh please, you don't have to pretend. I survived high school, I can take it." You smirk, worrying your lip to keep your disappointment at bay. This was a nice fantasy, but you know how this ends.

The band starts to play a slower tune, and his eyes meet yours. In a flash of flexed arms and footwork, you’re suddenly looking up at him, body tilted back as he dips you. A cheeky grin is plastered on his flushed features.

"Doll, you misunderstand." He draws you back up, bringing you cheek to cheek as the stubble of his warm face scratches your skin. He continues, voice low and close to your ear:

"We're dancin' because it'd be criminal to leave such a pretty wallflower unplucked all night." He starts to sway in time to the music, still holding you. An invitation to stay, to do this all again.

You lean back; his rapt attention is trained on you like before, the warmth in his brown eyes seeping into your cheeks. Your face blossoms into the widest smile, your soft angles catching the light and making you look downright radiant. 

"That's… so corny." And you laugh, a rich, uninhibited sound pouring from your lips until tears nearly spill down your cheeks. 

Jake takes it all in– the vision that you are. His hand trails down to the softness at the small of your back. The way you quake from laughter sends a thrill up his spine, and he chuckles in turn. If he wasn’t holding you, he swears he’d be a little weak in the knees.

You rest your forehead against his shoulder as you calm down. “What’s one more dance?” You breathe, letting yourself move in time with the music.

Jake bites his lip and nods, taking your hand again. “Thought you’d never ask, doll.”

With a flick of the wrist he spins you out, eliciting another laugh from you as he pulls you back in.

The warehouse can definitely wait: his night's going to be spent drawing that sweet sound from your lips as long as you'll let him.

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A/N: when I say "brainrot," i mean i couldn't sleep until i set this gd thing to publish (don't ask me what time)

huge shoutout to @hon3yboy @chrissymodi-frost and @mrsnadeem for letting me ramble in your DMs about dancer!Jake, all my love my darlings <3

addtl tag list: @lunar-ghoulie @shadystarlightgentlemen @casa-boiardi

tysm for reading!

[guzhufuren]

GMMTV Thailand 🇹🇭 A Guide to Some of the Best Queer Asian Shows

Full list here.

1. My School President high school setting; secret crush; school president/rebel musician

Gun is the head of his high school music club. Tinn is a school president and Gun's long-term rival. The Principal wants to disband some of the school’s “useless” after-school clubs, especially the music club. Per school rules, the student council president is the one who has the power to dissolve clubs. Gun is now at Tinn’s mercy, so he attempts to do whatever he can to persuade his rival not to cancel the music club. Little does he know, Tinn actually has a secret crush on him. Could romance brew as Gun makes a desperate attempt to secure the future of his band?

Viki (MSP) & YouTube (Our Skyy special 33-40) & YouTube (special)

2. Moonlight Chicken adult romance; age gap; deaf character

Jim is an ordinary guy running a chicken rice diner. One night, he meets Wen when he stays past closing drunk. Brought together by fate that night, intangible feelings arise. Neither can stop thinking about the other despite Jim's efforts to remain unattached. Jim also takes care of his nephew Li Ming, who is falling in love with Heart, a deaf teenager who is practically kept under house arrest by his affluent parents.

YouTube

3. Not Me revolution; freedom fighters; secret twins

When his twin Black is viciously attacked and subsequently left hospitalised in unconsciousness, White is unable to endure the harm done to his brother in silence. He learns Black was a part of a gang of anti-capitalist freedom fighters, and it was one of them who betrayed him. White disguises himself as Black to discover which one of them betrayed him and put him in a coma.

YouTube

4. 23.5 wlw; high school setting; secret admirer

Ongsa moves to a new school and meets Sun, a cute popular girl who she immediately falls for. However, she decides to approach Sun in instagram dms under the pseudonym Earth, leading Sun to believe she's talking to a guy. But Ongsa does not want to lose the opportunity to talk to Sun, so she decides to keep the fact that she is a girl a secret and continue talking as Earth.

YouTube

5. Bad Buddy (+ Zero Photography) enemies to lovers; forbidden romance; university setting; wlw side couple

Fueled by their parents animosity, Pat and Pran have competed with each other in nearly everything in life. In public, they are rivals, but behind closed doors the pair are open to being friends… maybe more.

YouTube (Bad Buddy) & YouTube (Zero Photography) & YouTube (Our Skyy Special 49-60)

6. Cherry Magic Thailand mind reading; secret crush; office setting

By still being a vіrgin at 30, Achi gains a magical power – the ability to read other people's minds by touching them. At first, he’s overwhelmed by his new ability, and it’s not proving to be helpful to him. But that all changes when he accidentally touches their office’s most perfect guy Karan, who he learns has romantic feelings for him.

No easy international streaming available to my knowledge, watch on KissKH. I also recommend watching original japanese show first, it’s listed in the japanese section.

7. Enchanté childhood friends to lovers; university setting

After living in France, Theo comes back to Thailand and he meets his childhood friend, Akk. Theo finds a book with a message welcoming him and signed as Enchanté, he becomes curious about who this guy is. Will Theo successfully guess who is the Enchanté in the university?

YouTube

8. 3 Will Be Free polyamorous trio; on the run; mafia

After an unexpected event that involves sex work and mafia gangs, three individuals find themselves on-the-run together as they attempt to escape death.

YouTube

9. Theory of Love unrequited love; best friends to lovers

Third year film student Third has been harboring feelings for his friend Khai. After three years of painful unrequited love, Third decides to stop, no matter how difficult it may be. But when Third decides to stop, Khai decides to start.

YouTube

10. He's Coming to Me ghost/human

After his death, Met is a ghost consumed by loneliness. That is until he meets a strange boy that can see him. The two bond in a state of happiness and joy as they develop into friends. But what happens when Met falls for the boy who is alive? YouTube

11. Last Twilight blind character/caretaker

Mhok, who can't seem to get his life back on track after spending six months in prison, applies for a high-paying job as a caregiver to Day, a young man with partial blindness. Day used to be a badminton athlete with a bright future who discovered that his cornea is injured and he will soon become completely blind. Day hires Mhok who—unlike other applicants—seems to take no pity on him. With so much time spent in each others' company, the two develop a deep bond.

YouTube i recommend to stop watching on episode 12 clip 3/4 timestamp 28:04, because after that moment the story goes for the “curing disability” trope and gets ruined, but it will not be ruined for you if you stop.

12. Be My Favorite time travel

Kawi has been in love with Pearmai since university. After receiving an invitation to her wedding with Pisaeng, Kawi spirals into regret. He uses a crystal ball to travel back in time to the age of eighteen to set things right with her. But everything turns upside-down. Instead of fulfilling his hopes and setting things right with Pearmai, Kawi somehow ends up in the arms of Pisaeng, Pearmai's future fiance. Thus begin their cat-and-mouse games with Pisaeng chasing after Kawi. Enraged, Kawi keeps twisting the crystal ball in an attempt to get his desired outcome. But what if Botkawee and Pearmai were never meant to be together? What if he was destined to be with Piseang instead?

YouTube

13. The Eclipse  high school setting; self discovery; corrupt school system; school president/rebel

Akk is a head student prefect in country’s leading all-boys school. Rumour has it that there is a curse that will punish students who disobey the school rules, a curse that grows stronger as the solar eclipse nears. Akk has to keep an eye on a mysterious new student Ayan, who regularly challenges the school’s norms.

YouTube & YouTube (Our Skyy Special 17-24)

14. A Tale of Thousand Stars (1000Stars) a second chance in life; village setting

After a volunteer teacher dies in a tragic accident, her heart is transplanted into Tian. He learns about his donor’s life through her diary and decides to follow in her footsteps. Now a new village volunteer teacher himself, Tian meets Phupha and as the two slowly grow closer, Tian notices his new heart beats quickly whenever he's near the man. Much like the heart’s previous owner, Tian cannot help but fall for Phupha.

Viki or YouTube (ATOTS) & YouTube (Our Skyy Special 49-60)

15. Only Friends queer friend group; messy relationships

A group of business students running a hostel together blur the lines between friendship and romance. Mew has been focusing on his studies, setting aside no time for sex and relationships. Upon learning of his friend's innocence, Boston introduces Mew to Top. What Boston intended to be his friend's one-night affair turns into something more and he isn't happy with the turn of events. Economics student Sand wants an exclusive relationship with Ray, but Ray has feelings for Mew. IT shop worker Nick finds nudes in Boston's phone and ends up in a friends-with-benefits relationship with him.

YouTube

16. Never Let Me Go rich boy/bodyguard; high school setting; mafia

Nueng is the son of a mafia leader. One day his father is killed and Nueng is forced to take the reins in his place. His mother appoints Palm, a country boy, to be his bodyguard and protect him from dangers in and out of school. However, one person would like to see Nueng dead: his uncle who aims to become the next mafia leader. Will Palm successfully protect Nueng from the dangers balanced by his uncle, as the two begin to fall in love?

YouTube & YouTube (Our Skyy Special 1-8)

17. A Boss and a Babe office setting; boss/intern

Cher, a vibrant aspiring pro-gamer, has just started his internship at a gaming company led by Gun, the uncompromising CEO. In addition to his gaming, Cher has an ASMR channel and it's those videos that coax Gun to sleep every night. As they continue to grow closer both in and out of the workplace, what will become of their striking connection?

YouTube & YouTube (Our Skyy Special 41-48)

18. 2gether (+ Still 2gether) fake/pretend relationship; university setting

When Tine is chased by Green, who he does not reciprocate feelings for — he ends up begging Sarawat, the campus’ most popular guy, to fake date him in order to chase Green away.

Viki (2gether) &  Viki (Still 2gether)

19. Cupid's Last Wish (+ Zero Supporter) farm setting; best friends to lovers; body swap; road trip

Korn and Win are childhood best friends. Conflicts arise when Win's father includes Korn in his will, granting him part of the family's farm's stocks and breaking up their friendship. Win gets into a car accident with his sister Lin, and wakes up to find his soul in her body. To return to his original body, Win sets off on a road trip to collect holy water across the country with Korn as his companion. Can this adventure get their relationship back?

YouTube (CLW) & YouTube (Zero Supporter)

20. Dark Blue Kiss (+ pre-story in Kiss Me Again) established relationship; university setting

(Taking off from the Kiss Me Again series) Pete and Kao have grown closer to each other in their relationship. Kao takes on part-time tutoring for high school students. With one of the students fueling Pete's jealousy, his relationship with Kao gets tested in several occasions. Meanwhile, the love story between Sun and Mork begins.

YouTube (Kiss Me Again) & YouTube (Dark Blue Kiss)

---

You can watch many shows for free on YouTube, and watch others on the streaming websites by setting VPN to Thailand. In other cases I recommend paying for subscriptions to show appreciation and support of content in order to get more of it in the future, but if you can’t, watch on KissKH (better quality), Dramacool or get files from MkvDrama. Enjoy!  🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

[findingnemosworld]

𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 - 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐤 𝐬𝐳𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐳𝐥𝐚𝐢

・𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬

[ 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 (𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 ) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 (𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 ) ]

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐲 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲!

Dominik cherished the mere moments in which he wasn't tied with club football, or international football - as these moments would be spent entirely with her, the woman of his dreams, the girl that had seen him in his highs and lows, never once faltering or letting him go when he felt like the pressure was high, she was always there for him to lean back on, her support had been the core reason for his strength, she was and still is his entire world, the person he can truly see a future with which prompted the notion of them unifying their love officially in the eyes of God.

That night, while the pair were seated outside at a small and cozy diner in his neighborhood that he finally brought up the subject to her, " Baba "

" Yes, Édesem " She smiles softly, " What's up? "

He reaches over, intertwining their hands together, his lips curling into a soft smile, " Let's get married! "

It didn't seem like a question, or a proposal for that matter - her brows knit, confusion etched across her features, " Are you sure? "

" Yes " He beams, his eyes twinkling with love, before adding on. " I love you baba, these five years together have been a blessing for us, but I'm going to lose my mind if you don't become my wife "

She laughs, " Seriously? "

He nods, his cheeks flaming as he smiled shyly. " Yes, seriously "

" Domi " She whispers, her eyes brimming with tears. " How long have you been thinking about this? "

He inhales then exhales before responding, " So long baba, every time I see doting on my sister, every time you're playing with the neighborhood children, every time you laugh with my mother or hell, joke with my father, every time you take care of me even at times where I feel so distraught, you're right there " he smiles softly, his voice wavering with emotion, " Baba, I don't think I can have a future without you in it "

Rare were the moments where Dominik would bare his heart out entirely to her, sure he showcases his love with his actions yet it was rare of him to truly bare his emotions.

" I had no idea you felt like this " She admits, wiping away the tear stains off her cheeks. " I would love nothing more than to marry you Domi "

His eyes light up, " Let's do it tomorrow! "

Her eyes widened, as she chuckled. " What! we can't do that "

Dominik shakes his head, " sure we can, we don't need a fancy wedding baba, I don't care about any of that, I just want to marry you, I just want to call you my wife "

She giggles, unsure of what to say as she shared the same sentiment, she loved Dominik, had loved him for the better part of the entire time she knew him. " Well, what should we do? "

" I'll call Tamas and Bela, they'll be our witnesses, you prepare a dress, I'll prepare a suit, I'll ask Bela to get a bouquet, we prepare our vows and the rest is history " He smiles widely.

She exhales a deep breath, before smiling and nodding. " Ok "

They spent the rest of the night chatting with a hopeful tone about tomorrow in their voice, they knew they wanted this, despite being young, this was the right call and they could only hope their families would understand.

The following morning, Bela had arrived early to help her get ready - she had opted to wear a silken white dress that flowed effortlessly on her body, stopping directly above her knees, she paired the dress with silver heels, her hair swiped to the left and pinned with flower clips while her features were enhanced by a soft layer of makeup, Bela beams at her work and says, " He is going to go wild when he sees you "

She breathes out a nervous chuckle, " You think so? "

" I mean, he is the one that brought this up, it was always clear just how much Dominik loves you " Bela states, " Tamas and I could see it from the day you moved into the neighborhood "

A soft nostalgic smile adorns her lips as she recalls the day she and her family moved into his neighborhood due to her father's work, she remembers hearing a knock literally four hours after they settled into their new home, her mother opening the door to find a young boy there who kindly offers her a plate of delectable treats and asks if it was ok for her to come out and play, her mother turns to her, encouraging her to go out there and play, from then on she befriended Dominik, Tamas and Bela.

" I am just scared of how our families would react " She admits, a fearful expression adorning her features as she adds on. " They'd think we're crazy "

Bela laughs, shaking her head. " I think they'd freak out but I mean, let's be honest, you guys are meant to be, so just live and let live, now let's go so we're not late and Dominik thinks you escaped "

A thirty five minute drive, and they were in front of the courthouse - Bela had to physically drag her in, where Dominik and Tamas stood in front of the clerk, the minute Dominik looked up it seemed as if every ounce of oxygen was stolen from him, with each step she took, it felt as if he was about to lose all consciousness, he'd always believed that she was beautiful yet now, it seemed as the angels had bestowed a glow to her that felt different, ethereal in some sense. " Wow " he whispers.

She blushed under his gaze, inciting a giggle from Bela and a chuckle from Tamas, she ignores them then says, " You clean up well "

" You are perfect " He takes her hand in his. " So perfect " he leans in to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, " Ready to become Mrs. Szoboszlai? "

" I'm more than ready " She beams with pride.

Bela hands her the bouquet, " Come on you two "

They stand in front of the local clerk, who officiates their wedding as per the standards of their hometown, once they say their 'I do's', they slip on their wedding bands before signing the document to officially solidify them as Mr. & Mrs. Szoboszlai, Tamas and Bela sign the document as well before all four of them step out of the courthouse, Tamas was the first to speak. " Now you two, pack up and enjoy your time in Italy "

Dominik beams, " Oh we will " he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

" Thank you guys " She smiles at Bela and Tamas. " I really appreciate you "

" We both do " Dominik pipes up.

" We got your back, now you crazy kids go and have fun " Bela smiles.

And with that, the pair take off, having already packed their suitcases for their brief trip to Italy whilst Bela and Tamas had woven an excuse to their families, claiming that the pair were away, just not divulging into further details.

___

Their families were indeed upset by the abrupt and rushed decision, however upon seeing how happy the young couple were, they'd given them their blessings and had even insisted ( or in this case forced ) the pair into allowing the families to jointly host a reception event in her family's farm house - and so the pair were thrust into the preparations that were quite daunting yet had brought in quite the pay off as within two weeks, the farm house was decked from top to bottom, and almost all their extended families as well as their friends confirmed that they will be attending.

On the day of the event, Dominik had whisked her away on a private stroll, wanting to spend as much time with her as he can before she was whisked away by their relatives, they strolled through the spacious paths in silence before he decided to break it by saying, " I never thought this could happen "

She turns to him, " What do you mean? "

" Us " He laughs softly, " I mean, when you first moved into the neighborhood, I was bestowed by how beautiful you looked in that blue dress, Tamas laughed at me because I kept watching you as you helped your mother carry things into the house "

Her eyes widened, " Really? "

" Oh I was done for " He grins, " When I went back home I begged my mother to let me be the one to take the plate of cookies and treats for your family, I just wanted a valid excuse to see you, as we got to know each other, you found your way into my heart, and I knew right then and there, that you were the one for me "

They stopped midway, Dominik interlocks their hands together, he inhales then exhales a deep breath before he said. " Baba, I love you so much "

She smiles tearfully, " I love you too Domi " she leans in to peck his lips.

Later on that evening, the newlyweds celebrated with their family and friends, who showered them with love and jokes regarding their decision to elope, along the night - Dominik had grabbed the microphone from the stand to speak, " If I can have everyone's attention please " he speaks through the microphone, grabbing everyone's attention including her, " I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has come to celebrate our love with us, and sure we have rushed through it, but it's only because I love my wife so much that I couldn't wait "

The guests laugh, as Dominik continues. " I will also take this chance to ... " he pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket, " get a lot of things off my chest " he looks at his wife who smiled softly, " baba, can you come over here? "

She tentatively approaches him, as he takes her hand with his free hand.

He swallows the lump in his throat, " Baba, you've been my light since the day I saw you in that blue dress, and each year we got to know one another, my heart found its home in the palm of your hands, your kindness, your compassion, your talent, your heart, I can go on and on " his voice wavers with emotion, " And it still won't be enough for me to say just how much you've saved my life, a life that I thought would only be ruled by football, except now it's a healthy balance, I get to do what I love as well as be with the woman that I love, my heart is secure knowing that despite the distance that my work may put between us, our hearts will always be connected, that at my lowest, your arms will be open for me to lay in, your warmth will envelop me when the world is too cruel and most of all, our children in the distant future will be the luckiest to have you as their mother, I know that we didn't have the grand fairytale wedding, yet I don't care at all " He smiles, squeezing her hand, as he wiped away some stray tears. " Living life with you has been the greatest fairytale "

A course of cheers ripples through the reception venue, with some even whistling.

She embraced him warmly, both of them shedding tears of joy before she pulls back and grabs the microphone, " You sneak, how am I supposed to top this? " she laughs, turning to Bela who walks up to them handing her a piece of paper, " Here goes nothing, ... "

Dominik squeezes her hand and smiles warmly.

" Dominik " She starts with a shaky tone, " I genuinely never thought I'd find my Prince Charming, I mean I saw the love between my parents yet I've never truly believed that I am capable or worthy of such love until I met the sweet boy living next door - he shows up at my doorstep with a plate and a soft smile ... I knew I was hooked, yet I refused to admit it, despite a lot of our friends saying that it was there ... " she exhales a soft breath, " You have been my constant despite the darkness looming, when I needed a shoulder to cry on, you were the first and only one I can turn on, you shared my highs, my lows and if there is one person, I want to be the father of my children, then that person will be you "

He grins, playfully grabbing the microphone to add on. " You hear that men? she's mine, I even got the paper to prove it "

Everyone laughs, cheering on the couple as they shared a sweet kiss before the music soon flowed through the venue, couples and children were dancing left and right while the newlyweds slipped away to get a moment for themselves, Dominik tugs her close to him to press a gentle kiss on her lips. " Under these stars, I vow to love you for a thousand years, even in the afterlife "

She smiles widely, " I'll love you for a thousand more, even in the afterlife "

[isabelle-spray]

Euphoria S3 theory/fan fic

Rue - attending community college, working at the diner in the evenings, living with Mom, sponsoring a kid at NA

Gia - just graduated high school with excellent grades and has a place to study psychology at a good school in the city. She is suffering with severe anxiety and PTSD from the events of s1&2. Her relationship with Rue has become strained.

Leslie - is a couple of years into a new relationship with a guy that both girls like. She announces that once Gia heads off to college he will be moving in, and suggests that Rue may want to get her own place.

This makes Rue feel rejected and angry and pushes her towards a relapse. She starts hanging out more with the kid from NA - but eventually avoids relapse after she encounters a crack-addicted Eliot living in a trap house, and is reminded of her experiences with Laurie. She visits Fez-co and Ashtray’s graves and promises him she will not let herself or him down again.

She also visits the grave of her father and tells him that she is doing ok and how proud she is of Gia, even though Gia kind of hates her now.

Lexi - fresh out of her masters in screenwriting at NYU, Lexi is in LA working as a runner on a TV show. After the artistic triumph of her play we all expect her to be flourishing - but she is now grappling with the realities of life in the film and TV industry. Feeling frustrated creatively at having to work at a movie theatre to make ends meet - not the glamorous life she had in mind.

Cassie - the Howard’s mom has liver cancer. After dropping out of college (which she never wanted to go to anyway) she began working as a host at a gentleman’s club, but has now moved on to working as a high end escort - which pays for her mom’s treatment much better, but she is maintaining the facade of her job at the club. She has also become an alcoholic.

Lexi hardly ever comes home because she does not want to face her mom’s illness. Cassie is mad at Lexi for not helping care for their mom or financially contributing, but her mom assures Lexi that she wants her to follow her dream, so she plays up her role on the TV show. Cassie and Lexi both eventually find out about each other’s lies.

Rue supports Lexi in facing the reality of her mom’s illness.

Jules - living in a loft in Chicago and working on her art and gaining a biggish following on her instagram. She caught the attention of a LGBTQ art foundation with her college artwork and is now interning with them. Jules has a new group of artsy friends but after a traumatic experience of transphobic harrassment she finds that they are more interested in coat tailing her than caring for her. This makes her reminisce about her friendship/relationship with Rue - because Rue’s love - whilst toxic in some ways - was authentic.

By the end of the series they have reconnected and will never be as close as they were but have forgiven one another.

Lexi and Jules connect over their frustrations of the creative industries, but Lexi is envious of Jules’ success.

Maddy - married to a 35 yr old realtor she met through her babysitting work, Maddy is seemingly living the dream. Stay at home mom, twins, sitting by the pool drinking rose. But she finds out that he has been cheating, and so she goes into a tailspin of affairs.

Whilst leaving a hotel where she has met a guy, she finds Cassie waiting for a cab. One of her clients has brutally beaten her and she is visibly hurt. Maddy’s memories of her assault by Nate make her soften towards Cassie. She takes her to the emergency room. The two begin spending time together and Cassie finds healing in getting to know the twins. Maddy offers her a job as a nanny.

Nate - Nate attended North Western on a football scholarship - however he is suspended as he is embroiled in a legal case of sexual assault against a female student. He visits his Dad in prison but Cal has not forgiven him for turning him in. He does however, tell him to get help and explains that he has accessed therapy and can see how his treatment of Nate has affected him. Nate does not listen and is further aggravated by this.

Nate asks to meet with Maddy on the pretence of apologising for his actions in the past. She turns him down. Instead he turns to Cassie and offers her cash to sleep with him in order to make Maddy jealous. He is the client who beat her. Maddy finds out and decides to expose Cassie’s escort work to humiliate her.

However before she can do this, Cassie’s mom passes away. The funeral sees all the characters reunite and temporarily set aside their differences to support Lexi and Cassie. Maddy and Cassie later reflect in the way that Nate manipulated them both. Maddy encourages Cassie to go to the police with the evidence of her assault and press charges against Nate, but Cassie is too afraid.

As Nate’s trial for the allegations of sexual assault at college draws near and attracts media attention, Lexi discovers what he did to her sister. She, Jules and Rue hatch a plan to stage a protest against violence against women, including an art installation made by Jules, outside the courthouse which Jules uses her instagram to promote. Cassie is too afraid to attend the protest but gives Lexi her blessing.

The final episode:

The protest is at first a roaring success but then is mobbed by TERFs claiming Jules cannot organise for women since they don’t believe she is a woman. Lexi throws a heavy book at them and is arrested. Rue and Jules later go to collect her after she is released and ask Lexi when she got so badass.

Nate is acquitted of his charges due to a technicality and due to his lawyer being expensive. This prompts Cassie to go to the police. She meets the other 3 who are on their way out. They joke that no one ever thought Lexi would be the one getting arrested and not Cassie. In the end Lexi and Cassie have not fully resolved their differences but have been brought closer by the events.

After all this is done, Rue goes back to the crack house to check on Eliott and finds the kid she is sponsoring there has overdosed. She calls the ambulance and watches her own life flash before her eyes in a coup d’etat, full circle moment as they try unsuccessfully to resuscitate him. She realises that she was lucky to get out when she did and the full extent of Gia’s trauma. She goes back to her Mom and does not tell her what happened, but they hold one another and Leslie tells her she loves her.

[twcfaces]

actually fun facts : snacks edition

he likes food! his tastes are pretty American as far as that goes - steak, baked potatoes, all those fried and barbecued and wonderful things that make life worth living, etc.

he takes his coffee with two sugars and two half-and-half pls. :)

he can tell you where the worthwhile restaurants are in Gotham and which are just tourist traps.

his favorite Chinese place, Ming's, is so familiar with him that all he has to do is say who he's ordering for and they're already on it

his favorite bar is also Bruce Wayne's favorite bar. Every time he's tried to pay for his own drinks, Bruce seems to appear from the ether to do it for him, or has left money on the table on his behalf.

It would be my favorite bar too, damn.

He and Gilda went cake-tasting before their wedding. The bakery they used is a mob front now, but goddamn they still know how to make a cake.

His wife packs him a lunch now and then. He guards this quite zealously. Oh, you wanted to try it? Get your own wife who loves you.

He takes undergrads and interns he works with to the diner so they can have real food and a decent experience at least once while they're in Gotham.

Cuts his sandwiches in half. It's just easier, and more polite than trying to cram a turkey club in your gob when talking to someone.

[emma-dennehy-presents]

Subjected myself to the Netflix Death Note movie for the first time, while I'm hyperfixating on the series again. Willem Dafoe voicing Ryuk is one of the only things I think I particularly care for. That doesn't mean I like DN'17 Ryuk (the Faustian bargain feels so weak when it feels like he's forcing it), just Dafoe voicing him. Similar feeling about L. I stan Lawliet, love LaKeith Stanfeild, doesn't mean i like the movie character. As for the rest:

-why is Sachiko fridged?

-where is Sayu?

-WTF is Soichiro's deal?

-what was wrong with heart attacks?

-why do they get rid of ppl touching the notebook seeing the shinigami?

-why is supposedly 4d level chess Light dumb enough to show Psuedo-Misa the notebook just because he's a lil thirsty?

-WTF is Psuedo-Misa's deal?

-Kira means literally none of the things Light says. Celtic is also not a language.

-the jingoism behind Light's international kills

-totally not surprised US LEO were big Kira fans from the jump

-what did the sex workers in the club slaughter scene do wrong, other than be sex workers?

-wtf is up with ninja L asking Watari to sing Wizard of Oz karaoke to him?

-the Raye Penber incident carries so much less weight

-fuck yea Phantasm

-I appreciate Light retaining some humanity, with the concern for his dad

-L's case feels so much weaker in this

-The OG rules were fun and compelling, the movie ones aren't

-emotional L crushes so much of my personal relation to the character

-i don't like ghost town Whammy's House. Assuming The Rochester in Rochester House means Rochester NY (judging from L reaching the NY field office), nothing even close exists. I grew up in the area and went in a lot of vacants. We would have found that.

-whats with the Bladerunner guns?

- L did NOT need to shove diner guy's face into his plate to parkour around

- L using a page? No.

-i hate it. I Hate It. I HATE IT.

About as seething as I expected, so can't exactly say disappointed. I'd rather rewatch DB Evolution, though. I assume all of these are very cold takes, but my body physically recoiled in reaction to exposure to this souless monstrosity. I know a lot of ppl hate on the '06 live action movies, but I'm so happy to be moving on to them.

[justawanderer]

Mike Change follows his friends to NYC for university-NYU Pre-Med with a shit ton of dance classes because his parents never said anything about a minor in the arts, only that he was expected to go to med school.

He has a solid support system in his glee friends but doesn’t mind branching out and is kinda excited to not be in Lima and to lean into who he is-he starts wearing the clothes he’s always wanted to wear, ones he bought on a secret shopping spree with Kurt on a summer steal away trip to Colombus their last spring break at home.

He lets Blaine talk him into a helix piercing when Blaine gets an earring and he loves having a family in New York.

A bunch of his dance class mates comment on it when he starts eating lunch with them. He feels a weird twinge in his chest when he notices half the compliments come from his fellow male dancers and realizes he doesn’t mind their attention.

But he also starts hanging out with an international students exchange club and meets Raphael and Ragnor and Catarina. He loves his glee friends but he’s starting to feel seen as his own person. Something that had been impossible in Lima and in HS.

He starts a study group with the beautiful Izzy in his Biology and Chem classes and becomes fast friends with her. He lets her do his make up and finds a thrilling sort of inner peace when he sees himself in eyeliner. She gushes and complains that her big brother would never let her do this.

He meets said big brother-a pre law giant of man (seriously taller than Finn!)- who glares at everything that’s not his sister, but smiles at Mike when he asks about the man’s archery medals. (Who the fuck is on an Olympic team and Doesn’t brag about it?!) Mikes chest twinges again and he tells himself it’s because Alec is the type of guy friend he’s always wanted.

He wakes himself up one Friday morning, sheets a damp mess with hazy memories of his dream but possibly Alec’s name on his lips. He shakes himself out of it and lets a pretty blonde ballerina from class push him into an empty bedroom at the party he attends that night.

He spends the next few weeks with all the various girls he dances with.

He spends an equal amount of Wednesday’s studying with Alec at a coffee shop-But! They both have that time free and they both like coffee and Mike’s never really made his own friends, they always adopt him, not the other way around! So that’s why he’s always so excited to see Alec.

It’s getting harder to lie to himself when the bottle he spins at the next party he’s at lands on a ginger ROTC guy named George. They make out to the cheers of the other partiers and Mike spends the night drunkenly telling himself that kissing is just an enjoyable thing. He spends the next morning soberly googling if a kiss makes you gay.

A couple more weeks, a couple more weekends spent with the dance girls, until Rachel and Kurt throw a NYADA midterms party and he only had a half a beer but let’s Kurt’s friend Imasu blow him in the bathroom. He tries to talk it away like the kiss-it feels good no matter who it is-until he’s on his knees reciprocating and finds he likes it as much as any other part of sex.

He skips that Wednesday with Alec and can’t explain why the “Hope you’re okay” text makes him ache when he ignores it.

He shuts down on himself, only hangs out with his known friends and throws himself into a short lived relationship with the blonde ballerina to try and keep himself “on track” when he walks in on her and their teacher. He wasn’t in love with her, but it does hurt and he definitely doesn’t want to be involved with whatever shit is going to hit the fan when the administration finds out about her.

He spends Halloween half drunk, crying and spilling all of this to Kurt and Blaine. They sit with him, cuddle him, drink with him. And they’re there with him when he finally says out loud that he’s Bisexual. They celebrate at 4 am with pancakes at the local all night diner.

He rejoins study group and explains himself to an icy Izzy who thaws and sends him a blinding smile and wraps him in a big hug.

Ragnor didn’t know that he didn’t know that he was bi but bucks him on the shoulder in solidarity. Cat hugs him and welcomes him back. Raphael tells him he doesn’t care as long as he doesn’t have to see any sappy shit.

On Wednesday he gets to their table early and buys Alec his stupid sweet caramel latte as an apology. He awkwardly stutters out an explanation and even more awkwardly comes out to the then man who is watching him with wide owlish eyes. Alec grins at him when he’s done and quietly comes out to Mike himself and if his whole being light up on the inside, then that’s Mike business alone.

He goes home at Thanksgiving and comes out to his family. He sister hugs him. His mom smiles kindly at him, but his father yells in a tone Mike’s never heard before. It’s ugly, it’s horribly painful and Mikes ready to get up and leave after his father vows to cut him off when his mother stands up for him. He leaves Lima with a hug from his mom and sister but totally disowned by his dad.

His mom’s parents step up to cover his expenses and tell him they don’t care who he loves and long as he’s successful and happy-San Francisco is good for them. He’ll keep his pre-med for now-he likes the idea of providing healthcare to those in need, but declare dance a double major to keep his options totally open.

He goes back to NYU and his friends and they mourn with him and rage with him and are there on his birthday when he moves to change his name in court so he doesn’t have to be tied to a man who hates him. (if his father wanted resort to Latin for insulting him, then he’s going to own that)

At the new year’s party he throws celebrating his new name and identity-he introduces himself as Magnus Bane and is greeted with an eager Alec grabbing him by the lapels of his jacket and kissing him In front of the whole party.

He walks into the new year a new man with an extended family he wouldn’t trade for anything and love he never saw coming.

[abandoned-mars]

humanstuck names + more ! :]

john - ivan greenfield; korean/english; comic book store employee + shifty mom & pop restaurant waiter/support staff

rose - lavender buchanan; vietnamese/dominican?; sells custom clothes on depop + nsfw tumblr writer/artist

dave - dominic santiago; puerto rican/dominican; audio tech store employee + local club dj + aspiring rapper

jade - dahlia flores; pacific islander; unemployed, works for family farm

aradia - gabriella diamanté; japanese/mexican; texas road house type restaurant kitchen expo/dishwasher

tavros - antonio ‘tony’ noquez; spanish; works at dad’s animal shelter

sollux - niko park; korean; probably unemployed or sells nfts or some shit

karkat - donnie santos; black/colombian; mexican restaurant busboy + movie theatre employee

nepeta - june bernard; french/irish (white); dairy queen employee lol + volunteers @ pet shelter

kanaya - harper norris; african; sells custom clothes

terezi - quinn nephus; greek/italian (white); unemployed

vriska - viktoria ‘vikki’ huffman; russian (white); rue 21 cashier (is about to be fired)

equius - sterling rudd; black/native american?; training to be a mechanic at dad’s auto shop

gamzee - jordan scott; black/mixed; little caesar’s cook

eridan - cory reynolds; russian/scottish (white); unemployed

feferi - josephine galette; black/indian?; diner waitress + volunteers @ pet shelter

jane - janet greenfield; korean/english; pastry shop employee

roxy - macy buchanan; vietnamese/black; shitty dive bar bartender

dirk - diego santiago; puerto rican/dominican; burger king window worker/cook

jake - fletcher flores; pacific islander; texas roadhouse waiter + works on family farm

hal - alex santiago; puerto rican/dominican; thrift store cashier + furry tumblr artist

damara - anastasia ‘ana’ hoshi; japanese/mexican/filipino; hotel maid + fancy-ish restaurant waitress

rufioh - richard ‘richie’ noquez jr.; spanish; works at dad’s pet shelter + grocery store bagger

mituna - tatum ‘tate’ park; korean/welsh?; pizza delivery boy + aspiring twitch streamer

kankri - marcus santos; colombian/egyptian; diner waiter

meulin - lauren ‘laurie’ bernard; french/irish (white); coffee shop barista + tumblr writer/artist

porrim - elle norris; african; high end fashion store employee

latula - presley nephus; greek/italian (white); bowling alley attendant + dive bar bar back

aranea - leah huffman; white; restaurant hostess + interning at mom’s job

horuss - kade rudd; black/native american; dad’s auto shop mechanic + welder

kurloz - jesse scott; mixed; mexican restaurant dishwasher/cook + drug dealer

cronus - trent reynolds; white; works at dad’s company

meenah - natasha galette; black; new wave fashion store + aspiring hair braider

handmaid - hanna hoshi; japanese; house cleaner

summoner - richard ‘rich’ noquez sr.; spanish; owns the local pet shelter + personal trainer

psiioniic - jonathon park; korean; data entry manager + fixes computers for extra money

signless - derrick santos; colombian; preacher/missionary?

disciple - lizette bernard; irish; elementary school teacher

dolorosa - rosa norris; african; interior decorator?

redglare - monroe nephus; greek; lawyer

mindfang - marina huffman; russian; runs her own business (it’s a cover up for some illegal shit)

darkleer - darius rudd; native american, owns an auto shop + army weapons coordinator

ghb - grant scott; black; club bouncer

dualscar - dylan reynolds; russian; chief of surgery at hospital?

hic - cora galette; black; ceo of large cooperation (somewhat in cohorts with marina + dylan)

dad - david greenfield; white; 9-5 sales businessman

mom - lorelei buchanan; vietnamese; retired (used to be a scientist but found the cure to something and retired at like 35)

bro - drew santiago; dominican; club bouncer/dj/bartender + drug dealer + probably has an only fans

grandpa - jake flores; pacific islander; retired air force

calliope - caroline ‘callie’ umbridge; mixed; librarian assistant + stage manager at local theatre

caliborn - caleb umbridge; mixed; unemployed (reddit sub moderator)

i might go back and edit some of these bcus im not in love w all of them but i also don’t give a fuck abt most of them

[doamarierose-honoka]

Sonic the Hedgehog speeds his way back into restaurants with a Sonic themed menu at IHOP (aka The International House of Pancakes), and SEGAbits was there to sample Sonic’s offerings! Longtime readers of the site might know I have an affinity for Sonic food promotions, so much so that I dedicated a YouTube series to chronicling past promotions. When SEGA emailed me to tell me about the limited time menu, I had to make plans to visit my local IHOP to see how the promotion was rolled out.

I have not been to an IHOP in decades, so I did not know exactly how they operated, but it’s a sit down diner with table service. The restaurant was surprisingly clean, and I say that because I’m used to the more mom and pop diners which prefer to show a little more grease. As far as Sonic decor, the menus at the tables were all the branding I saw. I was hoping for maybe some window decals and posters but a quick search on their website did reveal that Sonic branded gift cards also exist.

The menu itself does not offer anything new or unique to Sonic, as all the items are existing menu items with new names. I will say, however, that they are all very appropriately selected with either the character’s color being referenced (Sonic’s Blue Blur Special being blueberry pancakes), a pun being made (Knuckle’s Chicken Sandwich) or a characters favorite food being utilized (Amy’s Sweet Strawberry Delight). The Sonic nerd in me noted that the menu was using renders from 2010’s Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing and in Amy’s case, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)! This isn’t a complaint, it just was kind of wild to me that I was sitting in a restaurant in 2024 and was looking at renders for a game that was released the year SEGAbits started.

One omission from the physical menu that does appear on the IHOP app is the mention of making your meal “Sonic Style” which adds a side of onion rings. This little bit is probably the one addition that pushes the menu over the top for me. Pancakes and onion rings are such a bizarre combination that the food promo fan in me totally loved.

As you can see above, I went with Sonic’s Blue Blur Special and I asked the waitress to “Sonic it up” with some onion rings. I also added a side of fruit to create the illusion of eating healthy and had a side of coffee. The pancakes were quite good, and the onion rings were a special treat.

I even managed to take some “ring portal” photos with one just because I was in a silly mood. The promotion did not end with the menu, as a QR code invited guests to join the IHOP rewards program. New members received 5 points, and you receive 1 point for every $5 spent. After my visit I managed to rack up 13 points which I could redeem for various digital codes of newly released Sonic games or an exclusive Amy Rose costume for Sonic Superstars which sees Amy in a retro diner costume.

I’ve seen some fans online complaining about how the costume is tied to buying food from a restaurant, which is just baffling to me. The costume exists as a promotion for IHOP and the intention is to get new customers in and expand reward club memberships. Without the IHOP cross promotion there would be no retro diner DLC! The fun is in eating a Sonic themed pancake and leaving with a unique Amy Rose costume. It’s like in the early 90s when you had to buy Cookie Crisp to get a little plastic figure of Sonic standing on a skateboard.

Overall, I’d highly suggest Sonic fans run over to their local IHOP and check out the menu. It’s fun to have a Sonic infused breakfast and getting some DLC is a special treat. Here’s hoping we see more Sonic food promotions in the near future, my fingers are crossed for another Sonic movie Happy Meal this December.

[ty-bayonet-betteridge]

The Performance Protectors

remember when I said I was making new OCs. theyre here. im missing a lot of things like Where Powers Come From In This Universe and How The Team Happened but i have characters at least so what else do you even need :P anyway heres my music-themed superhero team (i only have picrews of them in civilian clothes bc i dont think theres a good picrew for doing superhero outfits jskldfhlskdjh)

Lauren Fisher, AKA Lo-Fi! 21 years old, she/her, transfem, college musical studies student. Ask any of the others and they'll tell you she's the team leader; ask her and she'll say they don't have a leader. Her powers slow and "degrade" reality within a short distance of her, allowing her to dodge projectiles, disable technology, and drain the stamina of her enemies.

Keisha King, AKA HI-NRG! 24 years old, she/they, AFAB intersex transfem (she has CAH), currently working as a bartender at a disco club. Their power increases their speed, strength, and stamina greatly while in a fight-or-flight situation, the effects getting steadily more pronounced the longer the adrenaline is in her system.

Devon Jordan and his twin brother Lamar Jordan, AKA Rhythm and Blues respectively! Both 22 years old, Devon is he/him and Lamar is he/it. Devon works as a server at a diner while he tries to get his rock band off the ground, while Lamar is a caretaker in an assisted living facility. Rhythm has a perfect internal clock and very limited control over the flow of time, being able to jump his consciousness forwards or backwards exactly half a second with another half a second minimum of cooldown between. Blues is an empath, though its ability to sort out people's emotions is highly dependent on his familiarity with them. Because of its lifelong relationship with Devon, it can read his emotions well enough to both notice when he affects time and not get tripped up, making Lamar the only other person whose mind isnt affected by Devon's timebending.

Désirée Riker, AKA Riot Grrrl (she's very particular about the spelling, she's written in anonymously to complain about news coverage that called her Riot Girl.) 27 years old, she/it, hair stylist. Has absurd amounts of gay lust for Keisha but hasn't said anything about it because she thinks they wouldn't want a loveless partner. She shoots explosions from her hands, and can control them well enough to also use them as a method of propulsion.

Ash White, AKA Outsider! 16 years old, they/them, dropped out of highschool to help take care of their terminally ill mother. Studying for the GED test in what little spare time they have. The only member of the team whose secret identity ISN'T known to the rest of them; everyone knows that they're the youngest member of the team, but none of them know that they're a minor (though Lamar is close to figuring it out.) They have a power-negating aura that they can crank up and down, though high-stress situations make them lose control of it.

[boroughshq]

Welcome to the community bulletin board! Here are some events happening around the Boroughs this month:

March 2-3: Women's History Month Trivia at The Corner Pub, Brooklyn

March 6: Free Mini Scoops* at Freshly Churned, Staten Island

March 14: National Pi Day at the Diner, the Bronx

March 16: St. Patrick's Day Parade, Manhattan

March 19: Volunteer Spring Cleaning at the Bronx River, the Bronx

March 25: Holi Celebration at Prospect Park, Brooklyn & Club 51, Manhattan

March 30: Beyoncé Night at Cowbells, The Bronx

March 31: Easter Egg Hunt at Socrates Sculpture Park, Queens

Continue reading below to find descriptive blurbs of each event. As a reminder, community events are optional events for members to use during their threads throughout the month of March.

March 2-3: Women History Month Trivia at The Corner Pub, Brooklyn

It's International Women's Month! To kick off the celebration, the weekend trivia topics for the first weekend of March at the Corner Pub will be all about the historical women who've helped fight for women's rights throughout the world.

March 6th: Free Mini Scoops* at Freshly Churned, Staten Island

In celebration of National Oreo Cookie Day and National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day, Freshly Churned have turned both delicious flavors into their own ice cream at the parlor, and patrons can have a complimentary mini scoop of each to boot!

March 14: National Pi Day at the Diner, the Bronx

For one day and one day only, all pies at the Diner will be priced at $3.14, in honor of pi day. Do not try to talk mathematics with the owner - they're doing this because they think the idea is quirky, not for any fondness towards the subject.

March 16: St. Patrick's Day Parade, Manhattan

The annual St. Patrick's Day parade returns this year to Midtown Manhattan! Starting promptly at 11am and ending around 4:30pm, stop by and observe a spectacle of Irish culture!

March 19: Volunteer Spring Cleaning at the Bronx River, the Bronx

It's the first day of Spring! What better way to celebrate than with a little bit of spring cleaning? Join the Bronx River Association as they steward and keep the river clean. Trash collecting tools and gloves will be provided to volunteers upon arrival.

March 25: Holi Celebration at Prospect Park, Brooklyn // Holi Part at Club 51, Manhattan

The family friendly version of the event will take place in Brooklyn, where guests of all ages are welcome to come dressed in white and have fun partaking in the colorful holiday festivities associated with Holi. As the night approaches, adults can keep the party going over at Club 51, where the Main Room will be pumping Bollywood hits while the staff hands out paints and glow sticks to celebrate!

March 30: Beyoncé Night at Cowbells, the Bronx

Beyhive fans will only have one day to study the lyrics of Beyoncé's recently released Act II in preparation of Beyoncé night at Cowbells! Act II will be on rotation all night long, along with other hits from Beyoncé's extensive catalog, in order to ring in her new era of music.

March 31: Easter Egg Hunt at Socrates Sculpture Park, Queens

Sponsored by local religious organizations, a large, free Easter Egg hunt will take place at the Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens at 11am. While directly targeted towards kids, guests of all ages (and all religions) are free to attend and hunt for eggs! Rumor has it thousands of eggs have been scattered all around the park by local volunteers, with the sculptures providing some interesting hiding spots.

Admin Note: The above events are all optional events that members are free to use as the setting for threads throughout the month of March. Though each event comes with brief descriptions, writers are free to manipulate and take liberties with them however they like for their threads. Additionally, writers are not restricted to only writing threads on the dates of the events listed; you are free to create threads around these events and post them whenever you like during the month of March.

[sup3rqu33n]

Have you noticed that my favorite stories about crawling around the scene in NYC involve me getting some?

But what can I say. Lots of opportunities to move and shake at drag events. More than one would think…. If one isn’t frannie.

Confessions of an accessories curator #6…

It started with utter chaos backstage - wigs and titties flying as per. But your girl Frannie stayed cooler than cool whip with her duct tape magic.

That's when he appeared - the snacc handed us coffees. “I’m Tariq and I'm Lebanese.” he purred… irrelevantly. I didn’t understand it, though, at first. Maybe it was supposed to mean something and I didn’t get it? Good coffee though. Also he was really very nice looking, like really strong with big almost black eyes.

We followed him like lost puppies, hypnotized by his small but flawless booty. 🍑 he was some drag contender cutie’s houseboy assigned to service the staff, I figured.

But no. His dad owned the club and he was spending his summer in NYC too, and he was from overseas but had only been in America a couple times… also, he thought he’d be doing big things. Not doing shitty intern work and not going near any event talent. Later at the 24hr diner, his charm had me jelly from the thighs up as we flirted over Turkish coffee and snacks. 🥰 we became pretty good friends too.

[shadow-operetta]

<<Chapter 9 || Masterlist || Chapter 11>>

Chapter 10: a look into the past

10 years ago, Sunday, xx/xx/xxxx, Spring

A little boy slowly opens his eyes to the sound of his parents' voices. Green eyes blinked several times, gradually coming into focus as the boy got up. He looked out of the car window, seeing unfamiliar scenery pass by. He frowns before groaning. He had hoped that his family moving was just a dream. 

He grabbed the large teddy bear sitting beside him - a farewell gift from his friends - and buried his face in its soft fur. He hates everything. Who cares if his parents finally bought a house? Who cares if they're not gonna pay monthly rent anymore or work as… as… a corporate slave, or whatever that meant?

"Midori, it's all going to be okay. You'll make lots of new friends." His mother said once she saw him sulking from the rear view mirror.

"I don't want to make new ones." He replied, face still buried in the teddy bear. Stupid adults and their stupid adult plans. His parents looked at each other and sighed. 

"It's a difficult time, especially for someone his age. Just leave him be for now. We'll make it up to him later." His father said. In his mind, Midori promised to never forgive his parents.

10 years ago, Thursday, xx/xx/xxxx, Spring

Midori was a quiet and introverted child. Despite his parents' reassurances that he will find new friends; he didn't expect anything. Back in his hometown, he only had a total of three friends. He wouldn't replace them for anyone, so he didn't bother to play nice. 

"Gloomy Midori", his classmates called him. He was the weird kid in class that never talked to anyone and if he did, it would only be short conversations. And very tense ones at that. He would eat lunch by himself, play on his console during break times, didn't join any clubs, and went home by himself, uncaring of the cliques and friend groups that started to form as the new school year went on.

Midori thinks that he's always gonna be alone. And he's fine with it.

"...Um! Hello!" A kid says to him, one sunny afternoon in the school's playground. Midori barely glances at them before continuing his lunch. The kid blinks before making themself comfortable on the swing next to him.

"You're Midori, right?"

He takes a huge mouthful of rice, hoping that the kid would take a hint and leave him alone. No such luck.

"I'm [ name ]! I saw you move in with your parents a few weeks ago! Sorry, I probably should have talked to you sooner. I was feeling kinda shy. Ehe…"

Apparently, his silence wasn't a good deterrent since the annoying kid kept talking. He tries to tune them out as much as he can as he finishes his lunch. Once he is done, he packs up and walks away without a word.

"Eh? You're going already? Bye bye! Let's talk more later, Micchan!"

Midori stops in his tracks and looks back at [ name ] with a glare. "Don't call me that!" He runs off in a huff, not listening to [ name ]'s response.

10 years ago, Friday, xx/xx/xxxx, Spring

"Hi, Micchan!" Midori almost drops the cabbages he was arranging as a familiar voice greets him. He sees [ name ] walk in with a woman - their mother probably - and they run towards him, shopping bag in hand. Midori feels his own mother's excited gaze drilling into his back and he groans internally.

"Yeah. Hi." He tries to keep a straight face at least. His mother would scold him if he acted rude.

[ name ]'s mother starts chatting with his, so he was left to entertain the annoying kid in front of him.

"Micchan, you know that diner down the street, right? It's ours! Mom was really happy when your grocer opened up since the market is really far and she gets tired really easily. Now we can buy ingredients here instead!"

"... That's great?"

"Yeah! Hey, Micchan, since we live so close to each other, let's walk to school together from now on!"

Before he can reply, his mother replies from the other side of the store, "That's a wonderful idea!"

Midori internally groans. Once more, with feeling.

10 years ago, Tuesday, xx/xx/xxxx, Summer

Midori's quiet days disappeared once [ name ] intruded into his little bubble. At first, they really were just an annoyance. He only acted like he was okay with them since his mother was so happy that he found a "new friend". [ name ] would come knocking at his door first thing in the morning. They would talk his ear off as they walked to school. They wouldn't leave Midori alone during lunch time. They would tug on his sleeve if they needed a partner in group projects. They were always accompanying Midori.

But over time, the annoyance he felt faded. Before he knew it, he really did start to see [ name ] as a friend. He even showed them his plushie collection, his precious treasures. The thought of the friends he left behind still hurt, but spending his days with [ name ] made things a little brighter.

10 years ago, Monday, xx/xx/xxxx, Autumn

Midori sees [ name ] standing by the window and feels himself smile. He was about to call out their name when he saw two boys and one girl talking to them. He recognized them right away - his bullies. 

"How come you're friends with Gloomy Midori anyway? Is it out of pity? Are you weirdo too?" He feels a spike of anger before stomping towards the group.

"Hey. Leave them alone." Midori quickly stands in front of them, hiding [ name ] from view. He can put up with their teasing, but there was no way he was going to let them near his friend. The girl steps closer and jabs her finger on his chest. 

"What are you gonna do about it, Gloomy Midori? You gonna cry?" He glances at the end of the hallway before looking back at the girl's obnoxious face. "Actually, yeah."

"Wha-"

He takes a deep breath and starts sobbing. Very loudly. Big crocodile tears drip down his youthful face, attracting the attention of everyone in the hallway. The girl gapes at him before backing away. Midori mentally cheers as he sees the principal approaching from the corner of his eye. [ name ] tugs on his sleeve, whispering if he was alright. He nods before urging them to play along.

The bullies didn't have time to run. Before they knew it, the principal was standing right in front of them. She was a very strict old woman, with her graying hair tied into a neat bun. The glasses she wore glinted maliciously as she took in the scene. She looks at Midori's distraught expression and [ name ] peeking out from behind him, scared and nervous. Then, her gaze moves to the three bullies and her eyes narrow. 

"What is going on here?"

"T-They…" Midori starts, "They were bullying me and my friend for a long time now… They said we were both weirdos and that no one would ever like us. Even our classmates started to bully us because of them!"

"Wait-!"

The principal's expression turns severe. This wasn't the first time this trio of troublemakers harassed other students. "I gave the three of you my final warning last time. Enough is enough. I'm calling your parents. Meet me at my office after class."

Midori tries not to laugh at the trio's horrified expression. He keeps his act together, looking meek as the principal turns to him and [ name ] with a softer gaze; in her eyes, they were just a couple of poor children that became targets.

"As for the two of you, you may go. Eat your lunches if you haven't already. The bell will ring soon."

"Yes, sensei. Thank you."

Midori grabs [ name ]'s hand and drags them off. As they ran outside, [ name ] starts to laugh, prompting Midori to laugh as well. They ran towards the school's playground, red-faced and out of breath, but there were smiles across their faces.

"We showed them!"

"Yeah! You were amazing, Micchan!"

"I'm glad I got there in time. Did they do anything to you?"

[ name ] shook their head before they took a seat on the swing.

"Nope~"

"Good." He sits on the swing beside them and tries to catch his breath. He hasn't run that fast in a long time.

"Hey… Micchan."

"Yeah?"

"You're my friend. I'm not hanging out with you out of pity, okay? Back when I first saw you, you looked so sad, so I wanted to be your friend and cheer you up!"

He snorts before flicking them on the forehead. He grins at their shocked cry, watching them clutch their forehead while looking at him with a pout.

"I know that, dummy. You're too nice and honest for your own good. No one sticks around a bratty kid like me for long. …I was the one that didn't like you at first. I only put up with you because of my mom. But now, I like you. You're my friend. Sorry for treating you so badly at first…"

[ name ] shakes their head. "That's okay! You can make it up to me by making a pinky promise!"

"A pinky promise?"

[ name ] holds out their pinky expectantly.

"Promise me that we'll always be friends from now on!"

That's right…

5 years ago, Spring

"Micchan, we're going to the same junior high, right? I hope we're classmates!"

We're always…

4 years ago, Autumn

"Uwaah, Micchan, you've gotten really tall? What's with your growth spurt?!"

Always…

3 years ago, Winter

"Hey, Micchan, I met a strange guy the other day."

...going to be friends.

2 years ago, Spring

"Micchan, I think I like Rei."

Present time, Saturday, xx/xx/xxxx, Winter

TAGLIST: @eichikissed

[lattesforlife]

For those who live in New Jersey and those who visit . . . .

New Jersey is a peninsula.

Highlands, New Jersey has the highest elevation along the entire eastern seaboard, from Maine to Florida.

New Jersey is the only state where all of its counties are classified as metropolitan areas.

New Jersey has more race horses than Kentucky.

New Jersey has more Cubans in Union City (1 sq. mi.) than Havana, Cuba.

New Jersey has the densest system of highways and railroads in the US.

New Jersey has the highest cost of living.

New Jersey has the highest cost of auto insurance.

New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation.

New Jersey has the most diners in the world and is sometimes referred to as the "Diner Capital of the World."

New Jersey is home to the original Mystery Pork Parts Club (not Spam): Taylor Ham or Pork Roll.

Home to the less mysterious but the best Italian hot dogs and Italian sausage w/peppers and onions.

North Jersey has the most shopping malls in one area in the world, with seven major shopping malls in a 25 square mile radius.

The Passaic River was the site of the first submarine ride by inventor John P. Holland .

New Jersey has 50+ resort cities & towns; some of the nation's most famous: Asbury Park, Wildwood, Atlantic City, Seaside Heights, Cape May.

New Jersey has the most stringent testing along its coastline for water quality control than any other seaboard state in the entire country.

New Jersey is a leading technology & industrial state and is the largest chemical producing state in the nation when you include pharmaceuticals.

Jersey tomatoes are known the world over as being the best you can buy.

New Jersey is the world leader in blueberry and cranberry production (and here you thought Massachusetts?)

Here's to New Jersey - the toast of the country! In 1642, the first brewery in America, opened in Hoboken.

New Jersey rocks! The famous Les Paul invented the first solid body electric guitar in Mahwah, in 1940.

New Jersey is a major seaport state with the largest seaport in the US, located in Elizabeth. Nearly 80 percent of what our nation imports comes through Elizabeth Seaport first.

New Jersey is home to one of the nation's busiest airports (in Newark), Liberty International.

George Washington slept there.

Several important Revolutionary War battles were fought on New Jersey soil, led by General George Washington.

The light bulb, phonograph (record player), and motion picture projector, were invented by Thomas Edison in his Menlo Park, NJ, laboratory

Jersey also boasts the first town lit by incandescent bulbs. The first seaplane was built in Keyport , NJ.

The first airmail (to Chicago) was started from Keyport, NJ.

The first phonograph records were made in Camden, NJ

New Jersey was home to the Miss America Pageant held in Atlantic City.

The game Monopoly, played all over the world, named the streets on its playing board after the actual streets in Atlantic City. And, Atlantic City has the longest boardwalk in the world, not to mention salt water taffy. ( Now made in Pennsylvania)..

New Jersey has the largest petroleum containment area outside of the Middle East countries.

The first Indian reservation was in New Jersey, in the Watchung Mountains

New Jersey has the tallest water-tower in the world. (Union, NJ!!!)

New Jersey had the first medical center, in Jersey City

The Pulaski Sky Way, from Jersey City to Newark, was the first skyway highway.

New Jersey built the first tunnel under a river, the Hudson (Holland Tunnel).

The first baseball game was played in Hoboken, NJ, which is also the birthplace of Frank Sinatra.

The first intercollegiate football game was played in New Brunswick in 1889 (Rutgers College played Princeton).

The first drive-in movie theater was opened in Camden, NJ, (but they're all gone now!).

New Jersey is home to both of "NEW YORK'S" pro football teams!

The first radio station and broadcast was in Paterson, NJ.

The first FM radio broadcast was made from Alpine, NJ, by Maj. Thomas Armstrong.

All New Jersey natives: Sal Martorano, Jack Nicholson, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Jason Alexander, Queen Latifah, Susan Sarandon, Connie Francis, Shaq, Judy Blume, Aaron Burr, Joan Robertson, Ken Kross, Dionne Warwick, Sarah Vaughn, Budd Abbott, Lou Costello, Alan Ginsberg, Norman Mailer, Marilynn McCoo, Flip Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, Zack Braff Whitney Houston, Eddie Money, Linda McElroy, Eileen Donnelly, Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, Walt Whitman, Jerry Lewis, Tom Cruise, Joyce Kilmer, Bruce Willis, Caesar Romero, Lauryn Hill, Ice-T, Nick Adams, Nathan Lane, Sandra Dee, Danny DeVito, Richard Conti, Joe Pesci, Joe Piscopo, Joe DePasquale, Robert Blake, John Forsythe, Meryl Streep, Loretta Swit, Norman Lloyd, Paul Simon, Jerry Herman, Gorden McCrae, Kevin Spacey, John Travolta, Phyllis Newman, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Eva Marie Saint, Elisabeth Shue, Zebulon Pike, James Fennimore Cooper, Admiral Wm.Halsey,Jr.,Norman Schwarzkopf, Dave Thomas (Wendy's), William Carlos Williams, Ray Liotta, Robert Wuhl, Bob Reyers, Paul Robeson, Ernie Kovacs, Joseph Macchia, Kelly Ripa, and Francis Albert Sinatra and "Uncle Floyd" Vivino.

The Great Falls in Paterson, on the Passaic River, is the 2nd highest waterfall on the East Coast of the US.

You know you're from Jersey when . . . .

You don't think of fruit when people mention "The Oranges." You know that it's called Great Adventure, not Six Flags. A good, quick breakfast is a hard roll with butter. You've known the way to Seaside Heights since you were seven. You know that the state isn't one big oil refinery. At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen, and you know the town Jon Bon Jovi is from. You know what a "jug handle" is. You know that WaWa is a convenience store. You know that the state isn't all farmland. You know that there are no "beaches" in New Jersey--there's the shore--and you don't go "to the shore," you go "down the shore." And when you are there, you're not "at the shore"; you are "down the shore." You know how to properly negotiate a circle. You knew that the last sentence had to do with driving. You know that this is the only "New" state that doesn't require "New" to identify it (try . . Mexico . . . York ..! . . Hampshire-- doesn't work, does it?). You know that a "White Castle" is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich. You consider putting mayo on a corned beef sandwich a sacrilege. You don't think "What exit?" is very funny. You know that people from the 609 area code are "a little different." Yes they are! You know that no respectable New Jerseyan goes to Princeton--that's for out-of-staters. You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls. You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers. Every year you have at least one kid in your class named Tony. You know the location of every clip shown in the Sopranos opening credits. You've gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of the mall. You know that people from North Jersey go to Seaside Heights, and people from Central Jersey go to LBI, and people from South Jersey go to Wildwood. It can be no other way. You weren't raised in New Jersey--you were raised in either North Jersey, Central Jersey or South Jersey. You don't consider Camden to actually be part of the state You remember the stores Korvette's, Two Guys, Rickel's, Channel, Bamberger's and Orbach's. You also remember Palisades Amusement Park. You've had a boardwalk cheese steak and vinegar fries. You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.

And finally . .

You've NEVER, NEVER NEVER, EVER pumped your own gas.

(Copied from a friend)

[jenny-from-the-bau]

Help me choose a setting for a Criminal Minds HSAU

1. Tucker, FL - sweat, bugs, saltwater. A small town where everyone knows everyone, but there are still too many secrets. Empty during the school year and too packed during the summer. Pizza parlor, arcade, skating rink, laser tag. No real sports programs to speak of and all the kids know they need to get out. There's a cabin that has been the site of teen hangouts for generations. The old lighthouse serves as a clubhouse.

2. The Pacific Northwest - snow, hiking, stargazing. A sleepy town outside the city where people start families. There isn't too much to do in town, but teens hangout at the local diner, the 7/11 parking lot, and the nearby lake. Football is king, but the high school also has a debate club, a robotics club, and other activities to pad out your college applications. Ice skating, camping, fishing, baking, roadtripping. There's an old cabin in the woods that serves as a clubhouse.

3. Traverse City, Michigan - The Cherry capital of the world. There's a beach every few miles and teens love to watch the sunset and secretly drink beer. Bookstores, an old movie theater, festivals, cafes. It's a well-funded area, one step away from classic Americana. Night time is silent and black as pitch, so drive carefully. Soccer and Football are popular, but there's plenty to do. Every summer, local teens work at the International Cherry Festival. bonfires on the beach and smoking weed in the forest and ice cream with the cows.

4. Nowhere, Pennsylvania - It's a tiny town, but the city is close enough (if you have a car). The high school is normal, if a bit small. There's a local horse farm that cares for rich folks' horses, a movie theater, a diner, an ice cream parlor, and a few other things to do. It's not an awful place to grow up, but any teen with ambition is counting the days until they can leave. The town decorates for holidays, goes to church every sunday, and doesn't talk about what happens at night. stargazing, camping, swimming in the nearby lake. hunting, roadtripping, fishing in the creeks.