#I LOVE NERO HES WAS SUCH A CUTIE IN 4

[coeursetcolores]

What I Would Add To/Change About: Devil May Cry 4

Good day! It’s January 31st, and I actually remembered this year! What did I remember?

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE BESTEST WHITE-HAIRED DEMON KILLING BOY EVER (OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY, BUT HE IS THE BEST!)!!!!!!!!!!

In non-squeeing terms, it’s the fifteenth anniversary of Devil May Cry 4, quite possibly the most divisive of the franchise (non-rebooted)! 

My thoughts?

...Did the squeeing not make it obvious?

I LOVE this game!

My first Devil May Cry game, and it was a great investment! Not only did I find a new franchise to fall in love with, but it’s what got me interested in hack and slash games in the first place! Thanks to this one, I expanded my tastes to a whole new genre!

Sure, it has it’s flaws. I know, they are pretty obvious *cough* rushed development *cough*. Even so, this is my comfort game and I want to talk about it and criticize it with all the respect it deserves. Now let’s get into it!

This is all just my own personal opinion and if you disagree with me, that’s perfectly okay! If you’d like to talk about a point I made, please let me know, but please try to respect my opinion as I respect yours.

Alright! Let’s do this!

Come on!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

As per usual, let’s start with all the things that this game did wonderfully!

NERO!!!

NERO, NERO, NERO!!!!

NERONERONEROOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

...I like Nero. (๑꧆◡꧆๑)

Just gonna say it, DMC4 Dante is best Dante, I will hear nothing else. The man was born to be a funcle, it is the obvious path of his character development.

Also he looks cool as a cowboy, I don’t care what anyone says; that look is iconic.

Trish and Lady are back! Re-occuring characters are a thing now!

And DANG! They look hot. Love the outfits! They always look good!

Opera! That whole opening sequence, my boy is a remorseless demon killer who is also such a sweetie pie who gets his girlfriend presents! D’aww!

Fortuna is gorgeous. The bright colors and changing environments really helped this game differentiate itself from the others, but the gothic elements still tie it in. And the enemies blend in while still clearly being obvious they don’t belong in the Human World.

DEVIL BRINGER! The most cathartic gaming mechanic ever! There is nothing more satisfying than getting your enemies health low and pressing that blessed button. All those beautiful combos, savagely ripping enemies apart...perfect for my bloodthirsty son.

Ah, the classic “Church is Evil” trope Japan so loves. Never gets old.

MUSIC! Vocal character themes! That play as you slay!

And man, I love it when a character theme transitions into an opening/ending theme! The Time Has Come/We Shall Never Surrender, perfect way to get energized then cool down.

Did I say anything about Nero yet? Like how he brings a different and interesting perspective to the story? Or how his more emotional and naive personality can be explored as well as Dante’s wiser and cooler one? Or the fact that his willingness to attack humans could lead him to be a darker protagonist than Dante? Or the fact he’s a video game hero that already HAS the girl? Unambiguously? OR THAT HE’S THE CUTEST THING EVER, THE SWEET LITTLE BLUSHY, FACE-HIDING DORK?!!!

And he has a Persona!

AND HE’S JOHNNY YONG BOSCH!

Dante and Nero’s developing relationship. Dante’s clearly just having a good time trolling this little hothead and knocking him down a peg, but still knows when to tone it down and help out. And OHMIGOSH HE WAS CONCERNED! Get those strong male parental figure points! You were born for this!

Ah, Dante mode. Switching the novice’s simplicity for the master’s variety.

And yay! They finally settled on a voice actor!

Kyrie! Cutie!

The FUNNIEST boss fight interactions!

CREDOOOOOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO! （Ω Д Ω)

And, oooh, I love the continuing narrative from DMC3 that humans can be just as evil as demons. The loose but present repeating elements between the games are so much fun to analyze.

That secret ending. Words cannot describe it’s beauty.

Alright, that’s enough gushing, time to go over what should have been expanded on/brought in but was probably left out because of reasons *cough* rushed development *cough*.

ADD:

They. REALLY should have had more cutscenes between Nero and Kyrie. Y’know, make the relationship believable and well-developed. Establish their dynamic. Maybe have them talk on the phone? It’s 2008, they would at least have cellphones, demon cult or not.

For that matter, give us some more time with Credo: Make us really feel the conflicting emotions when we finally have to face him. Come on, we play Japanese videogames, we’re clearly emotional masochists!

Give. Dante. His. Own. Bosses.

And if you’re going to give us two characters, expand the level count from twenty to forty.

With someone as cocky as Nero is when the game starts, why not show him clearly messed up after losing to Dante? The guy who clowned on him, one of the best in the country? Especially since his inferiority complex was such a big deal in 5.

Give some more time fleshing out Nero’s relationship with Fortuna/the Order, like in the novel? Everyone loves an All the Other Reindeer character and it really could have helped endear him to the fanbase with explaining his abrasive side.

Explore that Nero’s willing to kill humans? The thing Dante refuses to do? He didn’t know that armor didn’t have a person and went straight for the kill, and he had no qualms about ending a seemingly human Agnus. Would have been an interesting point of confliction. Might’ve been interesting to explore in later games...

Show how the events of the game affected the people of Fortuna? We saw the city in ruins, but what about the folks living there? Would they turn on the Order? How would they treat Nero? Do they consider the city worth restoring? How did Nero and Kyrie react to losing Credo?

And now, what needed to be completely overhauled.

CHANGE:

Get rid of the dice game. Leave the puzzles to Dante, Nero.

Maybe make Dante mode a bonus for beating the game the first time? The bonus ending could just be his ending.

Honestly, the game was more unfinished to me than flawed. 

Overall, the game isn’t perfect, but I love it. Whenever I need to just chill out and play something that makes me feel good, DMC4 is my first option.

I’m so happy I picked it up the day I did. I got to discover a whole new way to enjoy gaming and found one of my most favorite videogame characters of all time, along with others that I love. 

Others may see it as the weak link in the franchise, but Devil May Cry 4 will always be my favorite.

One question, though.

Shall we dance?

[kayayeteae]

Scenes that makes me soft in DMC5–

Nero offering food to—at the time—an unknown stranger

Dante telling V “this is my gig, leave Nero out of this” knowing damn well that Vergil is in fact his father and probably is doing it to protect him

[licncourt]

top 5 moments of louis characterization

or

top 5 pieces of vc fanon

Honestly, I'm at the point where I hardly know what's canon and what's fanon because AR lore is so wild, so I'm taking option one for my own sanity.

The lead-up to Paul's death! What we find out about mortal Loui really encapsulates the clash between the moral pillar Louis aspires to be (and believes himself to be in some cases, whether he'd admit it or not) and the reality of his selfishness. He's a spoiled brat who has the privilege to sit around and contemplate his adherence to Aristotelian Christian morals while his lifestyle is made possible by pure exploitation. It tells you everything you need to know about Louis and how his moral compass, how it's all theory and no practice. That carries over directly to vampirism in so many fascinating ways.

THE PRIEST SCENE. I think that's really the first time we see what Louis is capable of when he loses it entirely. Feeding on Claudia was a lapse in control, but the priest scene was a concentrated descent into madness, like a microcosm of his issues around desire and control and guilt. He goes from a quiet, pious young man to a bloodthirsty monster over the course of a few paragraphs. It's so chilling and so revealing, Louis as he wants to be and then Louis at his worst (which is also what he thinks he really is). Truly masterful and one of my favorite scenes from VC as a whole.

His stupid little Aesthetics monologue. Literally what the fuck is this Lewis. What a fuckhead.

"But why…you’ve said Lestat shouldn’t have made you start with people. Did you mean…do you mean for you it was an aesthetic choice, not a moral one?"

"Had you asked me then, I would have told you it was aesthetic, that I wished to understand death in stages. That the death of an animal yielded such pleasure and experience to me that I had only begun to understand it, and wished to save the experience of human death for my mature understanding. But it was moral. Because all aesthetic decisions are moral, really."

"I don’t understand,” said the boy. “I thought aesthetic decisions could be completely immoral. What about the cliché of the artist who leaves his wife and children so he can paint? Or Nero playing the harp while Rome burned?”

"Both were moral decisions. Both served a higher good, in the mind of the artist. The conflict lies between the morals of the artist and the morals of society, not between aesthetics and morality. But often this isn’t understood; and here comes the waste, the tragedy. An artist, stealing paints from a store, for example, imagines himself to have made an inevitable but immoral decision, and then he sees himself as fallen from grace; what follows is despair and petty irresponsibility, as if morality were a great glass world which can be utterly shattered by one act. But this was not my great concern then. I did not know these things then. I believed I killed animals for aesthetic reasons only, and I hedged against the great moral question of whether or not by my very nature I was damned."

4. The flower picking and stargazing and singing!! It's an adorable passage, but it also encapsulates what makes Louis so endearing. No matter what happens, he never loses his reverence for the wonder of being alive, the inherent optimism and love that keeps him going through everything and the unexpected whimsy that makes you so aware of why he winds hearts like he does. It's so little but so much. I talk a lot of shit about Louis, but God. He's a cutie pie. Baby.

5. The Prince Lestat epilogue, my beloved. It may be the bare minimum from Anne, but my little guy is HAPPY. He is forgiving himself and finding peace and it makes his arc feel worth it. I'm SO glad AR let him have this after so much suffering. It's so lovely and so needed.

+ Honorable mention to him standing in the rain and watching Romeo and Juliet (1996) through the storefront window. It serves functionally the same purpose as no. 4, but it is so.

[harlot-of-oblivion]

A Rose of Unconscious Beauty (Part 6)

All work and no play make Dante a dull devil, but when he finds out about his brother's flowery friend he sees an opportunity to cure his boredom. Well, that and his curiosity about what kind of woman catches Vergil's attention. So, he decides to spontaneously visit your garden to see what all the buzz is about.

Hope you enjoy these two finally meeting! And gardening puns...just all the gardening puns. 😆❤

Here’s the link to the list of all the flowers featured in this part. 🌹🥰🌹

Chapter 1: Meeting Dante

Life has been pretty good for Dante since he got back from his little foray into hell. He may still be in quite a bit of debt, but that never stops him from living life to the fullest. For the first time in a long time he does not feel so alone in the Devil May Cry shop. There is just one problem that plagues him now as he leans back in his chair, feet propped up on the edge of his desk as a huge overdrawn yawn escapes his mouth…

He is bored.

Very, very…BORED.

The occasional odd job usually keeps him entertained, but business has been slow recently. There is only so much games of pool and swimsuit magazines before Dante is positively itching to fight something…anything. Nero has taken advantage of this dry spell and is finally getting hitched to Kyrie. Even Vergil, who he annoys into fighting sometimes just for sheer fact that it relieves his boredom for a while, has taken to disappearing from time to time.

Oh yeaaaaah. The mysterious flowery friend.

Dante ponders the potential of that whole situation giving him something to do besides sitting alone in his shop. He did not think it strange when Vergil started to go out more…in fact, he is proud that his brother is finally embracing his humanity and making this world his home. But when his cranky brother came back to the shop with pretty little blue flowers wrapped around his beloved Yamato…well, now that just piqued his curiosity. He tries to goad Vergil into telling him where he got the flowers or where he has been disappearing off to lately, but that conversation usually ends with him being stabbed a lot. Dante got his answer one day when Nero asks if he knew this florist that his old man just recommended to him. It all just suddenly clicked. The constant visits, the soft cloud nine smiles, just the overall secrecy…

Vergil…has a crush.

Just the idea of his brother being head over heels for someone has Dante shaking his head in wonder. Vergil has already left the shop, probably visiting his florist friend if Dante had to guess. It happens to be the day that Nero and Kyrie are supposed to meet their savior of flowers. He wanted to tag along to see what all the hype is about, but Nero absolutely refused to let him. Usually, that is not enough to deter Dante, but then his nephew just had to sick Kyrie on him. And how could anyone say no to her? So, here he sits…extremely bored and very curious.

I have to know if it’s true…if my dumbass brother really is lovestruck…

A sudden idea pops into Dante’s head as he takes out his cellphone and begins to text:

Dante: Hey! Gonna see your old mans flower girl today, amiright?

Nero: NO. Forget it.

Nero: Im not spying 4 u

Dante: NO ONE said ANYTHING about spying!

Dante: Just a couple of pics!

Nero: NO U CREEP

Dante: OH C’MON!!!

Dante taps on his screen vigorously as he provokes his stubborn nephew to reply, but after a few minutes of continued silence he gives up. He rolls his eyes as he groans in mild irritation and drops his phone onto the desk. His nimble fingers stroke his scruffy chin in thought, wondering if there will ever be an end to this torturous boredom…then it hits him faster than the Devil May Cry van. Nico! Dante snaps his fingers and nods his head in approval at his own ingenious idea. He snatches his phone back up and begins to text again:

Dante: Heyyyyyyy

Nico: Wat

Dante: Wanna help a friend out?

Nico: Lemme guess

Nico: U want me to spy for ya, right?

Dante: A couple of pics is NOT spying

Nico: Yeah yeah whatever

There is a long pause and Dante almost thinks his last-ditch effort is a bust. Until…

Nico: Mayyyyybe I’ll do it

Nico: Wats in it for me tho?

Dante only has to think about her prize for second before replying.

Dante: I’ll let you check out my guns

Nico: Ive already seen my fair share of muscles

Dante: Im talking about Ebony and Ivory

Nico: U GOTTA FUCKIN DEAL

Dante clenches his fist in victory. Nico tells him to hold tight while she finds a good hiding spot and the perfect angle. So, he grabs the nearest swimsuit magazine to read while he waits for Nico’s sneaky photos.

He only has to read a couple of pages of articles and check out a few curvy ladies before his phone vibrates. “Well now…let’s see what we've got,” he announces aloud as his hand instantly picks up his phone and eagerly opens up the message. Here she is! is written below two pictures of a bubbly woman with a bright smile and lively eyes. In one photo she is sitting down at a garden table, and in the other she is standing by a bed of flowers. She is wearing white summer dress and has a white flower in her hair. Dante chuckles in glee because now he understands why his brother has fallen so hard: the local florist is a total babe!

Dante is about to get back to his magazine when another text from Nico comes through:

Nico: Yoooooooooo

Nico: U didnt tell me that Vergil was gonna be here!

Dante: Im not my brother’s keeper!

Nico: Im NOT about to get stabbed if he catches me

Nico: Im out

Dante: WAIT

Dante: I’ll sweeten the deal!

Dante: If you get a pic of them together

Nico: DANTE

Dante: Then I’ll let you check out my guns

Dante: FOR A WEEK

A very long pause follows and Dante thinks that Nico is still going chicken out despite his sudden add on to her prize when her response chimes in:

Nico: U better hold up your end of the deal, Dante

Dante: Nicooooo u know I always keep my word!

Nico: Cuz if u dont, I’ll run u over with the van

Dante: No u wont

Nico: VROOM VROOM BITCH

Dante’s amused chuckle echoes throughout the shop. “So, that’s where you’re running off to,” he comments to himself. “The secret garden.” As he waits for Nico’s next photo, he starts to wonder what kind of a woman catches the eye of his broody brother. I mean…sure, you’re a cutie, but Dante knows that Vergil is not so easily swayed by looks alone. Of course, he could be reading into this too much and you’re actually just a really adorable friend…which is why he has to see both of you together. If Vergil has that soft smile on his face and if you show any sign of reciprocating his brother’s feelings…

His phone vibrates and Dante immediately opens the message. How's this for ya? reads Nico’s text along with a bunch of laughing emojis and a video clip. He arches an eyebrow as he presses play. He sees Nero, Kyrie, Vergil, and you all walking together by a bunch of flowers. He cannot make out the soft conversation of the group, but he does hear a lighthearted giggle as you do a twirl. Dante squints his eyes when he notices your hand reach for something in your dress…then his eyes widen as you throw petals into the air. The distinct growl of his brother comes through the audio and Dante nearly chokes on his own laugh. Some of the little pink flowers you threw…are sticking to Vergil’s hair!

I’m totally saving this just for the look on his face!

Dante kicks his feet off of the desk and he leans forward in his chair, never taking his eyes off the screen as Nero and Kyrie step out of frame. He tilts his head when Vergil kneels and you start to pluck the flowers from his hair. Dante has to rub his eyes to make sure he is really seeing these events correctly. Things get really interesting when you move in closer. The awkward expression on his brother’s face is pure gold. But what really has him pressing his nose to the screen is when Vergil stands up and you both just stare at each other. It is like a scene cut straight from a romantic movie. Dante has never seen his brother look so…totally in love. And you are mirroring the exact same expression.

Jackpot!

The video starts to shake and he hears Nico quietly cursing up a storm. The screen is a blur for a moment before it just totally cuts off. Dante is still for a while as he takes in everything that just happened. He honestly did not expect Vergil to be bitten by the love bug. A genuine smile curls on his lips as he thinks that maybe you are exactly what his brother needs to finally let go of the past and start living. But he cannot be the helpful little brother that he is without at least meeting you first. The genuine smile turns mischievous as Dante texts Nico about happened after the video ended and where exactly is this secret garden in the city...

(A Week Later...Reader’s POV)

The late afternoon sun beats down as you wipe the sweat from your brow. You examine the rambling roses you are currently pruning, checking to see if you missed anything before standing up and stretching your legs. Sweet basil, it’s hot, you thought, taking off your gardening hat and fanning your face as you pocket your pruning shears. You think about Vergil and how he always seems to keep cool while wearing a long blue coat in the summer.

The power of Sparda must also include internal air conditioning. You giggle at your own quip as you put the gardening hat back on your head and decide to take a break. As you walk through the multitude of flowers you search for any sign of the Son of Sparda among the flora. He has not called to inform you that he is stopping by today, but that does not necessarily mean he will not show up unannounced…annoyingly startling you before buttering you up with an offering of beautiful blooms.

Vergil has been regularly visiting you in your garden now. Sometimes both of you read and drink tea under the fruit trees, other times you have to work and just let him read in peace while frolicking about your garden. Every now and then he insists on looming close behind you, claiming that he wants to observe how you arrange bouquets and care for the flowers. There are a few times that you somehow rope him into helping since he is so inclined to learn and you must admit…seeing a tall and imposing man handle tiny flowers carefully is so endearing, making you fall even harder for the handsome devil.

You step through the backdoor and walk into your kitchen, heading straight for the fridge and swiftly open the door. When the cold air hits your face you sigh and just stand there for a moment to cool off as you reach for a bottle of water. You close the fridge and head to your office to check the status of a shipment on your computer while you guzzle down half of the bottle. The flowers for Nero and Kyrie’s wedding are well in supply, but you ordered some extra ribbon, wires, needles, and other miscellaneous supplies. It is a little stressful that you only have so much time to pull this off, but that only pushes you to do your utmost best to give them the best flowers they have ever seen. All seems to be order, you mentally note, finishing off your water bottle as you tab out of the website.

Time to get back to work! You go back out to the garden, grab the garden hose, and turn on the outdoor faucet. You adjust the nozzle on the hose to spray into a mist and set off to water some flowers. “Alright, my darlings!” you say cheerfully as you step up to the first section of flowers. “Who’s thirsty?” You happily spray their petals with glistening droplets as you hum softly. One of the many reasons why you enjoy gardening so much is just how tranquil it can be, your mind slipping into a peaceful state as all your worries just drift away and you feel like a flower basking in the warm sunlight.

Although, you do find yourself ceaselessly daydreaming about a certain white-haired gentleman while gardening lately. You cannot get the feel of his slicked back locks out of your thoughts, yearning to do more than just pluck petals from his hair. You wonder if the bergamot scent is from a cologne he is wearing or the constant cups of his favorite tea. And the expression on his face after you picked the stray petals from his hair…cheeks slightly blushing as his gleaming silver eyes stare straight into your soul. The very memory of it has you shivering in delight as you turn around to water the next section of flowers.

“Holy hollyhock!”

The sudden appearance of a man in a long red jacket standing in your garden has you jumping back in surprise. Your foot steps on the garden hose, making you lose your balance and start to tip over. Thankfully, the stranger has quick reflexes and quickly leans forward to catch your fall. “Whoa! Easy there!” he exclaims as he sets you upright, doing his best to avoid the misty spray of the hose still clutched in your hand. That is when you notice his distinct white hair swaying in front of his blue eyes. And his face…if it was not for the slight fuzz of a beard or the care-free expression, he would be the spitting image of Vergil. Which can only mean…

“You must be Dante.”

“What gave it away?” he asks, dramatically holding his hands out to the side as he nods his head in confirmation.

“You wouldn’t be a Son of Sparda if you didn’t scare your local gardener to death!”

Dante tilts head at your answer and smirks as he examines you from head to toe. “I dig the overalls,” he comments as he gestures to your attire. You look down at your green gardening overalls, the phrase "I like big buds and I cannot lie" imprinted on the front surrounded by large colorful flower buds.

“Thanks!” you laugh, turning off the garden hose. “I’m Y/N! I don’t recall Vergil saying that he was going to finally introduce me to you.”

“So, he’s told you about me? Did he mention that I am the better-looking twin?” he jests as he takes a step back and strikes a charmingly rugged pose.

“Uh, he mentioned that you are a demon hunter, a foolish buffoon, and…whoa!” Your eyebrows shoot up as you closely examine his coat. “Your jacket does look really expensive!”

Dante rolls his eyes as he relaxes from his over-the-top stance. “He just can’t let that go, huh?” He shakes his head and lightly chuckles.

“So…what brings you to my garden?” you inquire kindly, not letting his surprise visit distract you from being hospitable. Dante did not mention his brother being present here with him, so you hope that Vergil does not mind you being friendly and helping his brother out if he needs it.

“The girls keep telling me I need something to brighten up the shop,” he explains as he scratches the back of his head. “So, I figured some flowers from my brother’s friendly neighbor florist might do the trick.”

You smile sweetly. “Okay! Do you have any kind of flowers in mind?”

“Well, my mother’s favorite flowers were-”

“Burgundy roses!”

Dante quirks an eyebrow. “Did you just read my mind?”

A giggle escapes your lips as you shake your head. “Vergil told me that his mother had a modest garden herself, and that she grew those roses a lot. Don’t worry,” you affirm as your hand sets down the garden hose. A big confident smile spreads across your face as you twirl in excitement, pausing to strike your own cute pose. “I got you covered!”

He nods his head in approval. “Right on.”

You make small talk with Dante as you lead him to the rose section of your garden, asking if by “the girls” he means the other two demon hunters that work with him. He confirms your guess and grumbles about how unfair it is that you know so much the crew while he knows next to nothing about you. That is quickly remedied though as he bombards you with the oddest series of questions…most of them involving strawberries and pizza. When you tell him that you used to work at the local pizzeria and bakery in your home town he enthusiastically asks if you made the pizzas. You laugh at his boyish glee and inform him that you sometimes helped with the pizzas, but you mostly baked the pastries and desserts.

“Here we are!” You point to a bush full of the dark reddish-purple roses as you step through the various buds and blooms. “Roses of unconscious beauty!” Dante studies the rose bush as you approach it, lean in, and inhale their lovely fragrance. You breathe out in delight and start looking for the best blooms for a bouquet. “Aren’t they lovely?” You look over your shoulder and see that Dante is barely paying attention. His blue green eyes gaze distantly at the rose bush, reminding you a little of Vergil’s silver blue eyes when he recedes into his head. You wait a moment before deciding to coax him out of pensive stupor.

“Flower for your thoughts?”

Dante blinks and shakes his head. “Sorry about that. I was just…remembering something.” He walks over and stands next you, a small grin appears on his face as he peers down at you. “These would look nice on my desk. I’ll take ‘em.”

“Alright!” You reach into your pocket, taking out the pruning shears still stored in there and begin snipping some select roses, carefully removing the thorns before sticking them in another pocket until you can properly tie them together.

Dante quietly watches you for a few moments before he crosses his arms and leisurely leans back. “So…you and my brother.”

You snip a third rose as you glance over at him. “Me and your brother…?” you repeat, hoping he will expand upon the conversation he started. Dante just continues to gaze at you inquisitively. Your brow furrows in puzzlement as you wonder what he is trying to imply…until it suddenly hits you.

No way. He can’t be…

“Are you…Dad-terogating me?”

“Am I what now?”

“You know…that thing fathers do when daughters bring home their boyfriends.” Your voice drops as you do your best impersonation a stern father figure. “What are your intentions little girl?”

“Oh man,” Dante snickers. “And what if I am?” he counters with a puckish smirk.

“Well, Mr. Sparda,” you begin with a cheeky grin, turning to him while you clutch a thornless burgundy rose close to your chest. “I only have the best intentions towards your brother, Vergil. They include smiles, laughter, and a healthy dose of poetry with dash of tea…Oh!” You dip your hand into the front pocket of your overalls. “And lots of flower showers!” Your grin turns cheerful as you toss pink hydrangea petals high into the air.

Dante stares at you closely for a moment, totally unfazed by the petals scattering around him before he chuckles softly. “Well now…how can I argue with that? My party pooper of a brother needs it.”

You giggle and go back to snipping more roses. A fourth one is freed and you begin to remove the thorns from the stem. “It’s sweet of you to look out for him, you know,” you point out with a genuine smile. “You’re a good brother, Dante.”

He smiles back and is about to respond when an awful hellish screech fills the air. Your head snaps over to the direction it is coming from, but you already know what those sounds mean. Dante casually looks over as well, but he does not look as concerned as you. His face reminds you more of the neighborhood kids when the ice cream truck drives by. “Looks like our flower pickin’ is gonna have to wait,” he surmises as he struts briskly towards the commotion.

You pocket the pruning shears and the rose in your hand as you hurriedly follow behind him. The screeching is now really loud and as you step into to a clearing you see the familiar forms of demons just beyond the gates of your garden. Even though you live in a city known for its constant hellish attacks, the sight of their malformed bodies never fails to freeze your blood. The closest one, resembling a large corrupted bat, flies over the gate and hovers near one of your apple trees. It shrieks as its throat starts to glow red. Anger floods through your body when you register what it intends to do to your lovely fruit trees.

“Oh, no you DON’T!” you shout as you run by the gardening tools still laying out, grabbing the garden hoe as you pass by and rush towards the bat-like creature. It swivels around just as you draw your makeshift weapon back and swing up at it with all your strength. The hoe connects and a pained squeal rings out as the demon is knocked back a little bit away from the apple tree. You let out a shuddering breath, quickly realizing that perhaps smacking a demon with a gardening tool was not the best idea.

Multiple gunshots startle you out of your internal dread as they streak up at the bat-like demon. It shakes violently before it drops to the ground and disintegrates. You turn around and see Dante holstering two guns behind his back before giving you a round of applause. “Not bad! Very inventive use of…” his hands pause as he inspects your tool curiously.

“It’s a hoe,” you bluntly inform him.

“Really?” Dante puts his hands on his hips as he circles around you, shielding you from the oncoming demons notice. “Well then…you really know how to handle a hoe!”

You snort and check your tool for any signs of it being broken or bent. “You know what they say…a dirty hoe is a happy hoe!” you joke, flashing him the disgusting bloody residue on the tip. Dante hunches over as a hearty laugh burst from his lips. You feel a sense of accomplishment at making such a clever gardening pun, but it is short lived as a series of terrible growls and roars remind you of the current danger. “Umm,” you mutter softly, “as much as I would like to give more demons a good hoeing…”

Dante reigns in his boisterous laughter and nods. “Yeah...get yourself to safety.” He runs and skillfully jumps over the gate. Before he goes to deal with the demons, he looks over his shoulder at you. “Even though I’m not a hoe I can still get rid of these nasty weeds,” he quips with a wink.

You laugh and shake your head at his own gardening pun before retreating back to your house, sighing in relief as your backdoor comes into view. When you are a few feet away from safety, a low rumbling growl reaches your ears, making you stop in your tracks. You still have your garden hoe, so you hold it up in defense as you scan your surroundings for any immediate threat. It is quiet for a moment…then a series obscure red streaks zoom around you. Your eyes try to track whatever is circling you, but you cannot see what is stalking you like prey.

Your body is quaking now as you turn around to glance behind you. A lizard-like demon with a vicious red blade protruding from one of its scaly arms is leaping through the air straight at you. Your instincts kick in and you raise your gardening tool up in defense, even though you feel certain that it will not enough to block that sharp blade. A series of tumultuous emotions sling around your mind, but one strongly overtakes you as the image of Vergil pops into your head…regret.

I didn’t even get to tell him that-

Before you are able to close your eyes and brace yourself for the deadly impact, a sudden blur of blue spheres pop up and knock back your scaly assailant. A familiar form clad in a blue coat suddenly appears next to the demon and proceeds to hit it with a series of slashes. When he finishes his ruthless onslaught, he turns his back on the demon and dramatically sheaths his sword. Just as the hilt of the sword slams into the case, the demon convulses in pain one last time before collapsing on the ground.

The regret you felt earlier fades away as your devilish rescuer turns towards you. The usual scowl on his face is now even more severe as he scrutinizes your appearance. He may be fuming with rage, but you do not mind, nor do you care. “Vergil!” you cry, trying to thank him for saving your life, but you feel so overwhelmed that no words come out. All you can do is smile gratefully as your eyes well up with tears, so happy that you get to see the man you feel so deeply for again after all.

Read Part 6 (Ch. 2) here

Read on my Ao3

My Master List if you want more ❤

Tagging: @drusoona, @thedyingmoon, @bettybattaglia, @veenus-ow, @meowykittenn, @fandomhell97, @vergilsangel, @venomous-lawyer, @alicewinchester

[koalateamusings-archived]

twenty otp questions    

tagged by @fakefroot @chuckhansen & @queennymeria

tagging @rebelfatebinder @fillianore @cryptcombat @coruscas​ @honesthearts​ @vitosscaletta​ @jennystahl​ (no pressure whatsoever!)

(this is the closest thing i could find that looked a little similar to them, rip)

1) who can out drink the other?

vergil lmfao, but it’s due to his half-demon blood. he could probably down twenty shots of something before he felt a buzz, meanwhile arden’s out with her half finished cup of wine hfghjffg

2) who says “i love you” more?

arden. not that vergil minds it. if anything,every time she tells him, he still gets thrown off by it and has to look away to hide his blush.

3) who has trouble sleeping alone?

vergil :( he rarely sleeps because of his nightmares and also i don’t think even think he really needs to once he’s older (he likes to say he slept enough when he was child). but when he does let himself sleep, arden has to be with him, even if she’s not tired she’ll lie down with him.

4) who swears more?

i guess arden, but not that much, she’ll random blurt out a “fuck!” or “shit!” when she stubs her toe or messes up a spell. vergil blames it on her spending a lot of time around dante.

5) who does more of the housework?

it’s equality in this house, baby. at first when vergil moved in arden’s house, arden kept her house very messy, which prompted vergil, to make it up to her for feeling like he was mooching off of her, by cleaning up. then she felt bad for that and started to clean up when he’d be out.

6) who forgets their anniversary?

arden, but not on purpose! especially because vergil has a very sharp memory, so he’ll be up way before her and just say it in passing like “we met today, (x) years ago.” and she’s like “..............what” so, it’s not her fault.

7) who steals the duvet in their sleep?

arden, although it’s not like vergil needs it so it’s no big deal. he’s got his demon blood that keeps him running hot every day, which arden takes advantage of when it’s winter and ditches the duvet to snuggle up to vergil.

8) who keeps the other awake at night with their snoring?

neither, but vergil does tell arden she snores, something she didn’t even know she did lmao

9) who finds stray animals and begs the other to let them keep them?

arden.... she knows she can’t but vergil doesn’t help much, he’ll just be like “yeah sure whatever” while he’s got two cats on his lap

10) who usually makes dinner?

since vergil doesn’t actually need food to sustain him, it falls on arden to cook for herself. she’s not that good at it. vergil does eventually learn to cook since he still feels like a burden on her. he ends up being really good at making dinner though, something arden is very >:( about, but in a “how are you so perfect??” playful way 

11) who plays their music out loud?

arden i guess? she usually plays music when she’s reading, making potions, but the music is never too loud for it to really bother vergil. they both have the same taste in classical music.... which nero finds weird when he comes over every now and then.

12) who hogs the bathroom?

have you seen vergil? he just slicks his hair back and calls it a day, so of course it’s arden. though she doesn’t spend a lot of her time fixing herself up.

13) who gives the most compliments?

maybe vergil? vergil will just say it at random times while arden’s getting ready for the day or while she’s reading, so you know his compliments are heartfelt and sincere

14) who usually starts/causes arguments between them?

they don’t really fight, but when they do, it’ll be arden who starts it because of how she takes vergil’s comments until he actually explains himself then she’s like “...oh.” and then they both get over it once the argument is done.

15) who isn’t afraid to embarrass the other in public?

arden lmao it’s not like super embarrassing? she’ll just be latching on to him when they’re walking out in public. he’ll be like “do you really need to be holding on to me like this?” and she’ll say “no... i can stop if it bothers you.” and vergil’s immediately like “no.” so he brings it on himself smh

16) who gives the other cringe worthy pet names?

arden gfjmlmfhfk vergil HATES it and is like

when she calls him “vivi” (because of V and she definitely teases him because “really V? that was your alias? you might as well have called yourself ‘Gliver’”) or “cutie patootie” and when he looks pissed (pictured above) she’ll call him “awww mr. grumpy whumby....” he has to leave the room every time.

17) who fusses over the other when they get sick?

again with vergil being nearly invincible, he never gets sick, so he’s the one fussing over arden when she’s being stubborn and trying to tough it out. the first time she was sick, he thought she was dying until dante told him “dude, it’s just a fever.” so now he’s chill about it but he’ll still be making chicken soup or giving her medicine when she needs it.

18) who finds it impossible to stay angry at the other for long?

vergil. it’s like this:

19) who clings to the other for comfort when they’re sad or scared?

vergil.... he’ll wake up from a nightmare and have a panic attack and relax once he finds arden in bed asleep next to him. he’ll cling to her a little more tightly when he falls asleep again.

20) who is more ‘physically passionate’? (hugs, kisses, or maybe more…)

arden, but she’s always been more affectionate, so she’ll be the one to always hold vergil’s hand first, or give him a hug. the most vergil will do is kiss the back of her hand when they’re out in public. he’s more affectionate in private though. 

[suepixels]

Makeover Your First Sim Challenge 💜

Being tagged by @yooniesim Thanks a bunch, *_* I love such tags!!!

Well, to be honest, the first Sim I ever created was in Sims Social. If someone remembers! So kinda hard to recreate this one, LOL. Just kidding, I’m a late bloomer and started to play Sims 4 in March 2015. Yep never played it before. But I always knew once I start I will get addicted and here I am loving those pixels like a maniac, luckily you can’t get arrested for this unhealthy love. The first Sim in Sims 4? Geez, this is challenging! Uuuh checked my files and found the cutie but Nah because it’s my first simself she still exists LOL and can be viewed here, uploaded her on the gallery after playing in the Sims for three months with her. I did a bunch of edits on her too and you can see my current simself as a profile picture here on my site, already.

Instead, I decided not to pick my first sim ever. But I will go with Nero, he is my first Sim ever for a Simstory I started here on tumblr. I love the real alpha males. I didn’t change his facial features or physique but a new haircut, some new skin details, and new clothes. Can I say I luv this man? Just in case if you know someone who looks like him, he can message me, haha ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Nero, the thinker, the magic pianist, and serious man. Need to check if I can find some smiling poses because he is even hotter when he smiles  ❤️_ ❤️.  Isn’t he a hot snacc? I can’t get enough of him, love all my babes but him the most. Working out and will come back to finish the next story post for Allure of Darkness.

Until they meet a wolf. All dogs think they’re alpha                                         Valcari, Nero

Well, I need to make more edits of my fav simmies, yep will do.

Tagging @sani-sims4 hmmm who was your first? The brothers? and @ellemant Let me see a makeover for the first man you created for your story, Josie ;) and anyone else that wants to do it!

[phoenixgirlreviews-blog]

A Blessing In Disguise Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here

Theresa was hanging onto a huge boulder on top of a waterfall, looking up at a small group of people crowding around above her, with one young blonde-haired woman with bright blue eyes reaching out towards her.

“Hang on, Theresa!” she yelled. “Just hang on!”

“I’m trying!” Theresa yelled as she nearly lost her grip on the boulder and she tightened her grip even more, determined to not let go.

She looked down to see a much older stern-looking woman with dark black hair and blue eyes and an elderly man clinging to her legs. Theresa then mustered all of her strength to pull herself up to safety, but to no avail.

“I can’t! They’re too heavy!”

“Don’t worry, Theresa! Everything’s going to be just fine! Just focus and don’t let go!” a brown-haired man with a scruffy face and an average build bellowed as he also reached out to help her.

Theresa then looked into his eyes and felt herself freeze in astonishment. For some reason she wasn’t feeling particularly scared, worried or frightened. She actually felt… safe.

Safe?

How could she possibly be safe around this man? She doesn’t even know him, much less his name.

But before Theresa could entertain any more questions in her head, her fingers suddenly slipped and she was tumbling down rapidly towards the rushing and crashing water, screaming and flailing for her life along with her companions.

“Theresa!”

Theresa screamed out with pure and blood-chilling terror as she fell faster and faster to her doom.

Then before she knew it, everything went black.

Theresa shot up in her bed, panting and hyper-ventilating with her heart racing and throttling wildly in her chest and her body covered in sweat. She took a couple of deep, calming breaths and she briefly glanced over at her alarm clock.

2 a.m.

Theresa ran her hands through her face, exhaling sharply and massaging her temples. This was the third time this week that she had been having this nightmare, and she wasn’t exactly sure why.

At first Theresa rationalized that maybe it was just because she was mentally adjusting to her new surroundings and her anxiety was somehow manifesting into these weird and bizarrely vivid dreams. But now she wasn’t so sure anymore.

As far as she could tell, Tate seemed to be adjusting rather well to his new home, as well as any normal 2-year-old would be. Sure sometimes he would wake up in the middle of the night, crying and begging for Maggie and Victor and sometimes for his dad, which was perfectly normal considering how close he had been to all of them, especially his dad.

After all, it was Brady who had first suspected that Tate was his son, even before Theresa did, although she had nagging suspicions for a long time beforehand that something was horribly wrong after Kristen had her goons kidnap her and also arranged to have her baby stolen from her womb.

Theresa shook her thoughts out of her mind. Now was not the time to think about that. She had a whole new chapter in her life to build. Kristen DiMera was dead and she and Brady are responsible and mature parents now, and most importantly – sober. No one was going to take away the greatest joy of their entire lives from them, not even a deranged psychopath like her.

Theresa then fell onto her back again and closed her eyes, begging and praying for sleep to overtake her again.

--

The very next day, Theresa walked into General Hospital with Tate in the stroller as she sat down in the waiting room, waiting to be called up for her appointment.

While she was leafing through a local tabloid magazine, a young and attractive dark-haired woman appearing to be in her early to mid 30s and wearing a purple nurse’s outfit passed by her and then noticed her sitting there.

“Oh hey there, haven’t seen you around before. Are you visiting a relative here?”

“Actually no; I just moved here a couple of days ago,” Theresa answered, glancing up from her magazine.

“Oh really?” the woman smiled earnestly and then held out her hand. “I’m Elizabeth Webber. But everyone around here calls me Liz.”

“Theresa. Theresa Donovan,” Theresa replied, smiling and accepting her handshake. “I’m from Salem, Illinois. I’ve lived there for about 4 years before coming up here. But before that I was living in L.A.”

“Oh wow, sounds really amazing!” Liz exclaimed in astonishment. ��Seems like that would’ve been a very cool place to live.”

“Yeah, it was… for a while anyway,” Theresa bit her lip, averting her gaze hesitantly. “My stepdad worked with a lot of famous and well known producers in Hollywood and some of them would even come over to my house sometimes for dinner. But that was a long time ago.”

“Oh…” Liz frowned, noticing Theresa’s reticence. “Sounds like you aren’t very comfortable talking about your childhood.”

“It wasn’t exactly the easiest or the happiest,” Theresa explained with a sigh, narrowing her eyes sullenly. “My parents split up right after I was born and I never got to see my dad very much because he was away working all the time.”

“My mom was also too preoccupied with her work as a child psychiatrist to take care of me and my brother Andrew properly and as a result we were left alone with Philip a lot. Suffice to say he wasn’t exactly the nicest or most pleasant person to be around.”

“Well, what happened with him?” Liz asked.

“He was a tyrant and a total asshole; he would often take out his rage on me when Mom wasn’t looking and blame me for a lot of crap that wasn’t even my fault. I was also angry at my mom for basically driving my dad away and for a long time I hated her for not only ignoring me and neglecting me but for also devoting so much time and attention towards Andrew. He was like the kid that could do absolutely no wrong in my parents’ eyes. It was pretty obvious as far as I was concerned who the real favorite was.”

Theresa paused, breathing deeply to keep herself from shaking from the painful memories flashing in her head.

“But it’s okay. It’s not like he’s my real dad anyway. It’s old news and I’m not interested in hashing out all that old family drama again. And I’m just so glad that my parents are finally back together after all this time.”

“And the best part is that ever since I had my son Tate, our relationship has improved tenfold and we got even closer when I had my bout with breast cancer last year.”

“Well, congratulations, Theresa,” Liz beamed and she bent down to look at Tate with a disarming and sweet smile. “And he is such a cutie. You and your husband must be so proud.”

“Oh, well actually I’m not married,” Theresa flashed a sheepish grin at the comment. “Well, not anymore anyway. It’s… kind of a long story. You see, I had a very turbulent and complicated relationship with the father of my child and we were super knee deep into drugs and alcohol back then.”

“We were so screwed up mentally and psychologically that we even went to Vegas and got married on a whim. The day that we finally got our marriage annulled, we actually had one last romp in the sack and then… well you know the rest.”

Theresa then laughed nervously with a slow face-palm, gazing up at the ceiling with pure disbelief and incredulity.

“God, I was so selfish and narcissistic back then, thinking that I was so entitled to his love and money. We weren’t exactly good for each other, but at the same time, Tate was the absolute best thing that ever happened to us. When he came along, we had no choice but to clean up and get sober for our little boy. I always say to everybody that kid represents the very best part of us. My brains and his heart.”

“That is so sweet,” Liz replied and then breathed deeply while running her hand through her hair. “Well, I’m not exactly the best role model when it comes to healthy and long term relationships either. I have three boys with three different guys.”

“The father of my eldest son Cameron got killed in a horrible shoot-out with the police and the father of my youngest son Aiden just… ran off and disappeared one day. I haven’t really heard from him since and sometimes I don’t even know if he’s even alive anymore. At least you know where Tate’s dad is.”

“Well… I can do a hell lot worse,” Theresa shrugged. “I could’ve ended up with a total psycho for a dad like Cal Winters and I also could’ve ended up with an assassin for a dad who kills people for a living.”

“Well… my middle son Jake has a dad who is in a um… very similar profession,” Liz forced a nervous and uncomfortable smile as she says this.

Theresa let out a loud exhale with a small chuckle.

“Welp… Brady may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he’s one of the nicest and most compassionate and wonderful guys you’ll ever meet.”

“Great, so can I have his number?” Liz quipped.

Theresa laughed with a knowing glare. “I don’t think so, girlfriend. Brady is already spoken for.”

Liz then stepped back, holding up her hands defensively.

“Okay, chill. I was just asking.”

“Theresa Donovan?” an innocent and doe-eyed woman with a slender build, long, dark brown hair and wearing a doctor’s outfit appeared out of her office as she approached the two women.

“Oh hey,” Theresa greeted her as she stood up and shook her hand. “Dr. Kim Nero, right?”

“That’s right,” Kim nodded with a warm smile. “You must be Theresa Donovan. Welcome to Port Charles.”

“Oh thank you,” Theresa replied as she grabbed her stroller and turned to face Liz.

“It was really nice meeting you. Maybe we can set up a play date with our boys and hang out sometime.”

“I’d like that,” Liz nodded as she walked away. “I’ll leave you to it. Gotta get back to work.”

“Alright, bye,” Theresa grinned as she watched Liz disappear into a corner.

“Well, well, well, looks like you made a brand new friend,” Kim smiled as Theresa whipped around to face her. “You must be pretty popular.”

“Well, maybe a lot more now than when I was a kid,” Theresa shrugged.

“Come on into my office then,” Kim beckoned her as Theresa followed her into the examination room.

As soon as the two women entered the room, Theresa took a seat on a metal chair right near the door while Kim sauntered over to the counter and looked over her clipboard, examining its contents carefully.

Theresa glanced over at Kim with a thin line, looking very puzzled and befuddled. Kim then sensed that Theresa was watching her and turned around to face her.

“What is it?”

Theresa then let out a small, sheepish laugh, grinning bashfully.

“I’m sorry. It’s just that I could almost swear that you look a lot like someone that used to be in Salem.”

“Really? Who?” Kim asked.

Theresa grabbed the handlebar of the stroller, rocking it slowly back and forth with her right hand as Tate slept.

“My uncle Steve used to be involved with a woman named Ava Vitale a long time ago. She was really obsessed with him and she tried to break up his relationship with my aunt Kayla numerous times. They actually met during a period where everyone thought that Uncle Steve was dead and he didn’t even know who he was.”

“Wow, sounds insane,” Kim’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“Yep,” Theresa nodded. “You seem a lot nicer though.”

“I’m sure a lot of my friends and family can attest to that,” Kim chuckled as she turned back to her clipboard.

“Now then… your son’s name is Tate Donovan Black, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“And his birth date?”

Theresa flinched nervously. She and Brady were never really sure when exactly Tate was born, seeing as he was with Kristen in Italy at the time, but then they went to a doctor to try to determine how old he actually was. He then determined that Tate was anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks old, so his parents concluded that he was probably born sometime in mid to late March.

“March 30th, 2015.”

“Okay, so he’s 2 years old,” Kim nodded. “What about his medical history?”

“Well…” Theresa frowned, tapping on her face thoughtfully. “He did have a congenital illness that required a bone marrow transplant. But other than that, he’s been perfectly fine. He’s been putting on weight and he’s hitting all his milestones like he’s supposed to.”

“Excellent!” Kim beamed as she then looked up right at Theresa. “I also see that his immunizations are all up to date and he’s due for another one very soon. Let me take a look at him.”

“Come on, kiddo,” Theresa urged as she unbuckled Tate from his stroller and handed him off to Kim.

Kim then brought him over to the examination table and checked out his ears and eyes first.

“Okay, now say aw,” Kim instructed and Tate opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue.

Kim then examined his throat with a light and studied it carefully, nodding with great interest.

“Uh huh… Uh huh…”

Kim then pivoted around to face Theresa with a solemn expression.

“He may be developing a little bit of a sore throat. You might want to get that taken care of as soon as possible.”

“Okay, sure,” Theresa nodded, a bit concerned and nervous.

Damn it, I’m such an idiot! Why the hell didn’t I notice that?!

Kim then listened to his heart for a few minutes and moved on to check his lungs.

“Okay, Tate, now I want you to breathe in and out deeply a couple of times.”

Tate nodded and did as he was told.

Kim then turned back towards Theresa with a satisfied smile.

“Well, his lungs and heart are both fine. It’s just that sore throat you need to worry about. I’ll write out a prescription for some medication just in case so we can nip this problem right in the bud. You can pick it up when you get to the pharmacy.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Theresa nodded gratefully as she went to pick up Tate from the examination table and placed him back into the stroller.

“Oh, and Theresa?” Kim interjected.

“Yeah?” Theresa raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her.

Kim smiled warmly with a compassionate and understanding gleam in her eyes.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. I know how difficult it can be raising a kid all by yourself sometimes.”

“Wait, you have a kid too?” Theresa questioned her suspiciously.

Kim averted her gaze with a wistful expression.

“Well, he’s not so little anymore. His name is Oscar and he’s in high school now. His father Drew came to town a while ago and now we’re both trying to do the absolute best we can with him.”

“Just like me and Brady,” Theresa murmured pensively.

She then glanced up at Kim again.

“So what’s Oscar like?”

“He is the most loving and sweetest boy that you’ll ever meet. He is also extremely thoughtful and intelligent and he does very well in school. I couldn’t ask for a better son.”

“I couldn’t ask for a more wonderful and amazing boy like my Tater Tot either,” Theresa gushed excitedly, overjoyed and thrilled that she got to brag about her offspring with a fellow single mom.

Kim then broke out into a short laugh, amused.

“That’s your nickname for Tate? That’s so adorable.”

“Yeah, I just started calling him that when I first brought him home and it has stuck ever since,” Theresa explained with a shrug. “I’m pretty sure that by the time he goes to high school though that he’s going to start hating me for that nickname but until then I’ll just be more than happy to keep using it without any shame or embarrassment.”

“All right then,” Kim nodded as Theresa got up and started heading out the door. “See you in six months?”

“Yeah,” Theresa replied and just as she was about to leave, a lanky and gawky brown-haired teenage boy walked right through the door.

“Oh, hey Mom,” the boy greeted Kim in a friendly and earnest voice.

“Hey, Oscar,” Kim beamed as she walked over to him and hugged him. “How was school?”

“Good,” Oscar nodded and then he stopped the moment he met eyes with Theresa. “Um, Mom, who is that?”

“Oh, this is one of my patients, Theresa Donovan,” Kim answered as she gestured over to her. “Theresa, this is my son Oscar.”

“Hey, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Theresa said.

“Likewise,” Oscar nodded.

He then turned to his mother. “Mom, I’m going over to Josslyn’s house to study with her. Is that okay?”

“Sure thing, honey,” Kim answered.

“Cool, thanks Mom!” Oscar grinned as he rushed out the door again.

Kim chuckled while shaking her head. “Aw, teenagers. Just wait till Tate becomes one, Theresa. Then you’re going to wish that he was a cute little munchkin again.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Theresa retorted in a sardonic and wry voice and she also headed out of the room. “See ya, Dr. Nero.”

“See ya,” Kim waved goodbye as she watched Theresa leave.

As Theresa was walking through the lobby of the hospital, she was full of smiles as she was mentally relieving her meetings with both Liz and Kim.

Wow, I never would’ve imagined that everyone would be so nice here. I honestly thought this town would be filled with nothing but assholes and creeps. Maybe Port Charles isn’t nearly as bad as New York City itself. I think I’m really gonna like it here-

But then Theresa was abruptly jolted out of her thoughts the minute she felt the stroller crash something and she nearly fell onto the handlebar. She glanced down just in time to see a much older woman bending down and frantically picking up a clipboard and a couple of loose papers. When the woman finally rose to her feet with her things, Theresa froze in horror and fear the minute she got a very good look at her.

She was very stern and severe looking with a long nose and sharp, intense blue eyes and her long, black hair was tied neatly into a bun. She was also wearing a white doctor’s outfit and had on a pair of black boots.

“You stupid girl, watch where you’re going!” the woman snarled in German with a curt sneer on her lips as Theresa suddenly stepped back with pure dread and terror in her eyes, clutching tightly onto her stroller. Tate began to whimper and sniffle with fearful tears seeping out of his eyes.

“Mommy!”

“Hey, Doctor!” a deep, brassy, female voice bellowed as a large, portly, middle-aged black woman charged right into the area and stared the other woman down fearlessly. “Leave that poor girl alone!”

The elderly German woman growled and stormed off, not wanting to have a confrontation right in the middle of the lobby.

Theresa then let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding and sighed in relief.

“Thank you so much, ma’am,” she informed the older black woman. “I got so scared; I didn’t know what to do. That strange lady literally came out of nowhere and just started raving and yelling at me in this really weird language…”

“Think nothing of it, child,” the older black woman waved her hand dismissively with a reassuring, disarming smile. “That was Dr. Obrecht. Don’t pay any mind to her.”

She then noticed that Tate was still shaking and crying and she bent down to pick him up and cradle him in her arms.

“Awww, you poor baby. Did that mean old lady scare you?” she cooed softly.

Tate nodded as he kept on sniffling and whimpering. The older black woman then pulled him into a hug and comforted him.

“It’s all right, little one. Auntie Epiphany is here. Nobody is gonna hurt you or your momma when she’s around.”

Tate then gradually began to calm down and relax as he buried his face on the crook of her shoulder, still trembling.

“Hey, I never got to ask you what your name is,” Theresa interjected.

“Just call me Epiphany. I’m an old friend of Liz’s,” Epiphany explained as she rubbed soothing circles on Tate’s back. “Any friend of hers is a friend of mine.”

“Theresa,” Theresa said with a confident yet self-restrained smile. “I’m Theresa Donovan.”

“Yeah, I know who you are,” Epiphany smirked. “Liz told me all about you.”

“She did?” Theresa quipped with a curious eyebrow.

“Yeah, she sure liked you enough,” Epiphany replied. “Listen, if you ever need anything or you just want somebody to talk to, you can come to me.”

She then handed Tate back to Theresa as she put him back into the stroller.

“Um, thanks, Epiphany. I’ll hold you to it.”

Theresa then rushed off with the stroller as she quickly made a mad dash out of the hospital.

“See ya!”

--

Later that evening, Theresa hired a babysitter to look after Tate while she went out to Charlie’s to unwind and have fun. She was sitting alone at a table, slowly sipping on a pink strawberry martini.

She saw a couple of people file into the bar and got their drinks as they sat down together and had a good laugh. Theresa nodded dumbly and just ignored them, continuing to sip on her drink.

Just then, a couple of young blonde women appearing to be in their early to mid 30s came over to Theresa’s table and sat down with her.

“Hey, what are you doing sitting here alone?” the younger of the two asked her.

Theresa shrugged weakly, not exactly in the mood to engage in any sort of conversation.

“Just chilling.”

“Just chilling?” the older of the two blonde women reiterated incredulously, narrowing her blue eyes and glancing briefly at her companion. “Don’t be silly. Lulu and I are not letting you sit here all by yourself.”

Theresa took another sip of her drink and pointed at them.

“So one of you is Lulu?”

“Yeah,” the latter nodded. “I’m Lulu and this is my best friend Maxie.”

Maxie grinned enthusiastically.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Theresa offered a weak smile. “I’m Theresa. My son and I just moved here.”

“So where is he?” Maxie asked.

“He’s with the babysitter,” Theresa mumbled, making a sudden and odd wave of the hand. “His name is Tate.”

“So are you married?” Lulu inquired.

“Lulu!” Maxie hissed, elbowing her sharply.

“You wish,” Theresa smirked sarcastically, taking more sips out of her martini.

Lulu then studied her intently, narrowing her eyes.

“Um, no offense, but you seriously look like hell.”

“Is it that obvious?” Theresa giggled, rolling her eyes. “Well, that’s because I’ve had a hell of a day. My son may be coming down with a sore throat, I’ve been having recurring and vivid nightmares for the last couple of days and I almost ran over an old German lady with my own son’s stroller.”

“Yeah that ‘old German lady’ is my mother-in-law,” Maxie retorted while exchanging weird and befuddled glances with Lulu.

Theresa nearly choked on her vodka as she coughed and gasped violently, pounding on her chest. After taking a couple of minute to catch her breath, she gawked at Maxie.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Yeah, her name is Liesl Obrecht. She’s one of the many doctors that work at GH,” Maxie explained.

“Oh my God…” Theresa groaned as she sank into her chair while slowly running her hand on her face. “I cannot fucking believe this.”

“What?” Lulu asked.

“Your mother-in-law scared the living daylights out of my son and she nearly ripped me to shreds!” Theresa yelled angrily, clutching her drink tightly. “She probably would have had me for lunch if Epiphany hadn’t stepped in!”

“Wow, I’m really sorry to hear that, Theresa,” Maxie frowned sympathetically. “But please don’t blame yourself. Liesl isn’t exactly the easiest person to live with, trust me. Just don’t take it too personally.”

“Well, all right then,” Theresa averted her eyes with a sullen glare. “I suppose you’re right.”

Just then a group of young people sauntered into the bar and sat down at another table. Theresa then looked up to see a dashing young man with boyishly good looks and short, cropped, dark black hair.

“Wow, who is that?” Theresa gawked in amazement upon noticing the young man sitting several feet away from her.

“Well um… That’s Michael Corinthos, Sonny and Carly’s son,” Maxie replied, glancing over to see him.

“Really?” Theresa smirked, her face suddenly brightening up and her posture straightening up dramatically. “Well, I better say hi to this gorgeous, sexy hunk then!”

She then bolted out of the table and confidentially sashayed over to where Michael was sitting.

Lulu and Maxie grimaced anxiously together with worried looks.

“You didn’t tell her that he already has a girlfriend, did you?”

“Nope.”

Michael was sitting around with his friends laughing and drinking beers when one of them noticed Theresa approaching their table with a huge bounce in her step.

“Hey, who is that girl?” Brad asked.

“I have no idea,” Lucas shrugged.

“Beats me,” Dante interjected.

Nathan just took a swig of his beer, smirking with pure amusement.

Once Theresa reached the table, she tapped Michael on the shoulder. Michael then stopped what he was doing and turned around to see her gushing and beaming at him with entranced eyes.

“Oh, hey, miss. What is your name?”

“My name is Theresa. What’s yours, sexy face?”

Dante then coughed to hold back a laugh with his fist covering his mouth. Lucas and Brad snickered and gave themselves a high five.

Michael just smiled politely, tickled pink that the new girl in town was taking such blatant interest in him.

“My name is Michael Corinthos III. But you call me Michael.”

“What brings you here then, Michael?” Theresa asked.

“Just hanging out with my buddies,” Michael replied, turning back to face the other men.

“Cool! Me too,” Theresa squealed, feeling extremely excited and giddy at getting the chance to speak with her new crush.

“You friends with Lulu and Maxie?” Lucas queried, beckoning over towards Maxie and Lulu.

Theresa glanced back at the two women and nodded.

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, why don’t you come and sit with us?” Nathan offered, pulling up another seat. “We’d really love to get to know you better.”

“Really?” Theresa’s eyes gleamed as she glanced back at Maxie and Lulu for reassurance and Maxie nodded.

Theresa then nodded and was about to join the men when suddenly Nelle came gliding through the door and flew over to Michael, swooping her arms around him.

“Hey, babe,” she said as she and Michael shared a kiss.

Theresa’s face then suddenly drained of color and she suddenly felt faint and dizzy, horrified and appalled that her latest chance at love had officially been shot to hell. Brad then noticed that Theresa was shivering and trembling with her eyes filled with sheer dismay and disbelief.

“Um, are you okay, Theresa?” Brad inquired concernedly.

“I uh… I gotta go!” Theresa exclaimed as she was now suddenly scrambling to exit out of Charlie’s.

But just when things couldn’t possibly get any worse, Obrecht walked right through the door and stopped right in her path, baffled and aghast that their paths have crossed again for the second time that day.

Theresa stopped and stared silently at the older German woman for a moment, not moving or reacting. But then within a matter of minutes her face quickly changed into an ugly and vicious snarl, her eyes flashing with a furious and evil gleam.

“You…”

Obrecht growled back, her fists clenching tightly.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded in a thick accent.

Theresa then let out an arrogant laugh. “So you actually do speak English.”

“You watch your tongue, you insolent little girl!” Obrecht snapped back.

“Little?!” Theresa shrieked, now showing up her fists and taking a step forward with a menacing stance. “I’ll show you little, you ugly old hag!”

“Ugly, old hag?!” Obrecht spat with a contemptuous glare. “You stupid kids have no respect and appreciation for your elders! I’ll show you respect!”

She then delivered a swift backhand to Theresa’s face, sending her reeling to the ground. Theresa then got up to her feet, still feeling the stinging impact of the blow on her face. After taking a couple of minutes to collect her bearings, she then charged right at Obrecht with a scream and gave her a swift kick to the face. Obrecht nearly recoiled from the blow as she held up her nose, which began to bleed profusely.

She removed her hand and saw that there was blood pooling in the palm of her hand. Everyone gasped with horror as they all realized that the fight was about to take a very ugly turn.

Obrecht then pounced her to the ground and began to assail her with several punches and uppercuts to the face and jaw. Theresa did her best to fend off the blows as she punched and slapped her repeatedly in the face. She then delivered another swift kick to the chin, forcing Obrecht to roll off her.

Just then, Julian, Dante and Nathan rushed over to the two women and Nathan and Dante helped Obrecht get up on her feet.

“Easy, Mother. You’re badly hurt,” Nathan shushed her gently as Obrecht whined in pain, her eyes black and blue and her nose all a bloody mess. Julian then grabbed Theresa and helped her up too.

“All right, you ladies out,” he ordered as the three men helped the women out of the bar.

--

It was over an hour later and Theresa was lying in a hospital bed fully bandaged up, as was Obrecht. The two women were now recuperating in separate rooms as Nathan and Maxie were staying with Obrecht and Lulu, Dante, Michael, Nelle, Brad, and Lucas were staying with Theresa.

Theresa groaned and sobbed in bed, lying weakly on her back.

“Mother, what the hell were you thinking?” Nathan demanded.

“She disrespected me,” Obrecht growled in exasperation and anger, wincing and grimacing. “And I needed to teach her a lesson.”

“Well that doesn’t mean that you get to beat up a defenseless, tiny girl in the middle of a frickin’ bar!” Maxie chastised her.

“She started it! And she broke my nose!” Obrecht protested.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Liesl,” Maxie crossed her arms sternly.

“Just get some rest, Mother. We’ll see you in the morning,” Nathan instructed her as he and Maxie left.

“Nathan…” Obrecht pouted as she turned to glare at Theresa.

“This is all your fault. If you only have kept your mouth shut…”

“Well maybe you should stop acting like a psychotic maniac and then perhaps you might have more friends around here,” Theresa snapped.

“I don’t need any friends. All I need is Nathan, Maxie, Nina and Franco,” Obrecht insisted.

“Okay, suit yourself,” Theresa rolled her eyes and closed her eyes to sleep.

Obrecht then rolled her eyes and also went to sleep.

--

When Theresa finally got discharged from the hospital, she spent the next several days recuperating at home. She was also banned from going to Charlie’s for at least a month for the bar fight with Obrecht.

As a matter of courtesy, Theresa called Maxie up to personally apologize to her for picking a fight with Obrecht in the first place. Maxie accepted the apology, but Obrecht still refused to forgive or even acknowledge her.

Then the day finally arrived for Theresa’s big interview with Crimson. She put on her best work clothes and makeup, hired a babysitter to watch Tate again, and drove off to meet with her prospective new boss.

Once Theresa arrived at the lobby of the Aurora Media building, she came across a beautiful and attractive brunette woman with a slender and thin build, accompanied by a muscular built man with dark brown hair and a scruffy face.

“Oh hey! I’m here for the Crimson interview. Do you know where it is?” Theresa asked.

“Yeah, it’s right upstairs,” the woman answered, gesturing towards the elevator.

She then offered a hand.

“By the way, I’m Sam McCall. This is my husband Drew McCain.”

“Hey,” Theresa beamed as she shook both of their hands.

“Hey, if you’re here for Nina, you can just wait in the office. She’ll be here soon,” Drew explained.

“Okay, thanks,” Theresa replied as she quickly raced for the elevator.

Just as she got there, another tall and lanky woman with long, blondish brown hair and an athletic build caught up to her as they both entered the elevator. Once the doors closed, they soon ascended up the floors as they were heading for their destination.

Theresa then glanced over to see who was standing right next to her and gave a polite smile.

“Hey, are you working for Crimson too? Because I’m heading there right now for an interview.”

“I’m Nina,” the woman announced, looking over at her.

Theresa jumped in surprise, not having expecting to run into her like this.

“Um… wow…” she stammered as she gave her a once over. “I wasn’t really expecting you to um…”

Theresa collapsed on the back of the elevator, feeling particularly overwhelmed and embarrassed.

“Jesus, I honestly thought you were going to be some old lady or something…”

Nina chuckled with a playful smirk. “Nope, I’m not quite there yet.”

“Okay,” Theresa laughed.

“So you’re Theresa, right?” Nina raised an eyebrow at her.

“Yeah,” Theresa nodded.

Nina then studied her carefully, eyeing her recent injuries.

“That a black eye you got there?”

“Yeah… that was from a bar fight from a couple of days ago,” Theresa answered nervously, feeling very uncomfortable.

“I’m guessing that was over a guy, right?” Nina quipped emphatically.

“Yeah…” Theresa’s eyes darted to and fro, feeling even more apprehensive. “Something like that.”

The elevator doors opened and Nina and Theresa stepped out as they headed for the Crimson office. Upon entering, Nina advanced towards her desk and took a seat. Theresa also sat down right in front of her, her resume in hand.

“All right then. Let’s get started,” Nina announced as she grabbed her resume and looked it over.

“Huh, interesting. Seems like you have quite the work history.”

“Yeah, I only have a high school education,” Theresa frowned. “I don’t even have a college degree to speak of. But I was able to hold down my job at human resources at the hospital back in Salem and I did build a brand new fashion house with my former partner Nicole Walker from the ground up.”

“Well, for someone with a high school education and with a history of drug addiction, that is extremely impressive,” Nina mused, continuing to read over her resume. “Not to mention that you were on parole for roughly two years too while you were in Salem.”

“Yeah, I had to get my act together,” Theresa shrugged. “I needed that good ol’ kick in the butt to straighten myself out. Although sometimes I kind of slip back into some pretty bad habits.”

“Like that bar fight with my Aunt Liesl?” Nina questioned her suspiciously.

“What?!” Theresa gawked with a start. “How in the blazes did you know about that?”

“Maxie told me,” Nina answered coolly. “She also works here, in case you didn’t know.”

“Oh…” Theresa inhaled sharply, feeling suddenly awkward and humiliated. “Well, she did tell me that she was her mother-in-law.”

“Yeah, well that’s because Nathan is also my brother,” Nina replied. “And he’s a cop.”

“Okay…” Theresa scratched the back of her head. “That would explain why he helped those other officers drag us out of Charlie’s the other night. But you see… that was totally not entirely my fault. Liesl was the one that came snapping at me unprovoked. I didn’t even do anything. I only just accidentally bumped into her with my stroller.”

“Wait, you have a kid?” Nina asked.

“Yeah,” Theresa answered. “A son – Tate. He’s 2-years-old. I’m currently sharing joint custody with his dad Brady, which coincidentally was also my ex-husband, and if you were to ask around any of my old friends and associates back in Salem, that was a relationship that probably shouldn’t even have happened in the first place.”

“And if I were to ask around your associates back in Salem about you, would they also tell me about your constant habit of getting into bar fights with little old ladies?” Nina queried, tapping on her finger on her desk.

“N-No!” Theresa shook her head with a sheepish smile. “N-Not usually.”

Nina then pursed her lips, gazing right at Theresa.

“Okay, your history of drug addiction and alcohol is extremely concerning and therefore I’m going to have to subject you to random drug tests every so often. Also as long as your activities outside of work don’t adversely interfere with Crimson business, your ability to work here won’t be affected. Your uncanny talent for creating all kinds of fashion-wear for all sizes and ages would be a great asset to this company and I am willing to utilize it to the fullest extent possible. So come to work on time, give your 110% effort and make some amazing fashion lines and you will have a bright future here. Congratulations.”

Theresa let out an excited cheer and threw her arms around her in a hug.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I promise you that you won’t regret it!”

“And Theresa?” Nina added.

“What?” Theresa frowned.

“Please do me a favor and do not antagonize my aunt anymore. I don’t want you to keep showing up with bruises and black eyes. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Theresa nodded and saluted.

Nina chuckled. “We’re going to get along just fine, kid.”

[disabledbears]

Salt: 7, 17, 27

Oh thank you!!

7.Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now? 

Dragon age fandom It’s Solavellan, I’m too mad at Solas for breaking my naive heart & wanting to destroy Thedas. Also I’m a bit on edge with Cullen now, as I’ve seen few critical posts of him.

Also on Doctor Who side it’s Steven Moffat’s writing, I like it in series 5-7 if I don’t think too much how annoyingly confusing it all is. He’s the reason why I am not interested in the twelve doctor nor his storyline. I do like his few one liners like “attack eyebrows” & “don’t be lasagna” but that’s it.

17 Instead of XYZ happening, I would have made ABC happen

Yugioh 5ds: Oh god the love triangle, or fourth whatever. The thing is my fav likes this super amazing lady who likes this cocky teenager who likes a cutie reporter. Completely unnecessary if you ask me. I would pair the teenager & the reporter together (like they are said to love each other in canon) & pair the amazing lady to another cop who happens to be sweet & amazing too. I’d leave my fav to heal & not like anyone but I’m bit biased since I love him.

Dragon Age: I would change Sera’s dialogue options. You can’t really be nice to her at all in game and it pisses me off that you get disapproval if you romance her! Bioware wrote Dorian’s romance wonderfully why Sera can’t be respected the same way? 

There’s a lot of other stuff that I would change on Dragon Age too like Anders would blow up just the chantry when there are none inside (or he starts the war some other way cause what the fuck Anders) & doesn’t call Fenris a wild dog etc but we would be here all day.

Even though I haven’t played Mass effect yet (I’m planning on getting the series minus Andromeda) I would totally change the third games ending, it’s insulting to fans, make it more meaningful & happy.

Also I would make DMC reboot disappear & make an actual DMC 5 to happen with Nero & everyone else returning, possibly with all the creepyness of DMC 1 like the music scores and such. Oh and so that Kyrie isn’t getting kidnapped into the Savior in DMC 4 so she wouldn’t be damsel in distress, I love Kyrie but no dmc bad dmc

I better stop now too :)

27 Least shippable character?

Any villain ever from any of my fandoms basically.

But I’ll say for me personally it’s Iron Bull from Dragon Age right now. I’m just too uncomfortable personally of his bdsm whatever sexual stuff to ship him with anyone especially Dorian.

Then there’s Dante from Devil May Cry who I see as single all his life for some reason.

[riannagalvez]

Hello, dolls! Hello, Throwback Tuesday! I am now 2 days away from my due date and feeling every symptom that I could be in labor soon except for my water breaking. I have never felt this restless after 2 weeks of relaxing — how is this even possible? There is no doubt that I am in full on pregnancy brain mode now and just 1 million percent nesting! I have been trying to get our house organized and I find it really….soothing.

Our trip to the Philippines is still 7 months away but it feels like it’s going to happen tomorrow. It’s going to be a big trip for me since I will be traveling with both kids so I guess that’s why I started planning everything as early as January of this year lol. I started a list of restaurants I miss and would love to try and I just hope I have the time to go to all of them!

I have been on many adventures with my boy, but I know nothing will compare to the joy he will feel once he becomes a big brother ❤

TICKLE YOUR SWEET TOOTH

Were you even on vacation if you did not indulge in sweets? Whether it’s a refreshing milkshake or a dessert I’ve never heard before, I always look forward to satisfying my sweet tooth every day when I am in the Philippines!

SPLURGE: SUNNIE’S CAFE – The Fort

Sunnies Cafe is a growing brand in the Philippines. They started as a sunglass hub that blossomed into different branches like the cafe and their cosmetic line that a lot of Filipinas go gaga for!

Since food is closest to my heart, I knew I had to go to Sunnies Cafe and try their milkshakes! Lucky for me my sister came with us so I was able to try their KimYe and Matcha milkshakes.

Sunnies Risotto

(cheese risotto, crispy bacon, sous vide egg, caramelized onion, homemade gravy)

I loved this so much because it was creamy and extra cheesy. I was impressed to see a cooking method that I know is not commonly used in restaurants in the Philippines — sous vide! Every ingredient complimented each other so well. Honestly, I would go back to Sunnies Cafe just for the milkshake and this perfect plate of risotto!

Creamy Carbonara

Same ingredients as the Sunnies risotto above minus the gravy! My sister’s all-time favorite is carbonara, if she sees it on the menu, she’ll order it!

The matcha milkshake was worth every calorie!

The main purpose of our Sunnies Cafe trip, for these babies to meet and for the Moms to catch up 😛

These cuties are only weeks apart! Angela and Hannah were my seatmates in college and it’s funny how we all had babies at the same time (pretty much).

SAVE: VANDERLUST BISTRO + PATISSERIE – Quezon City

Living in Quezon City is so convenient because we are so close to a lot of restaurants that are open late. My siblings love to take me to new dessert places whenever I am home, and I don’t mind if it means going there right before bedtime 😛

They know I love to try new things so they picked Vanderlust, a European inspired dessert place in the heart of Quezon City.

Cannoli

Pistachio, White Chocolate Lemon, Purple Yam

Red Velvet Churros

Being a red velvet lover, this was heaven for me!

Paired our desserts with delicious drinks.

My choice? Matcha forever! Look at my delicious cup or Matcha Latte ❤

A’s drink of choice, beer! 1906 Black Coupage brewed in Spain.

Cookies and Cream Schneeball

This was a whole experience for me! I’ve never had a dessert that I have to smash before so there was no doubt I enjoyed it so much! lol

Peanut Brittle

Schneeball reminds me of chocolate bark. I like how both flavors were not overly sweet! One Schneeball is perfect to share.

ITALIAN FOOD

A is half Italian and loves pasta SO much. Taking him to Italian restaurants in the Philippines gives me anxiety because I know how he could be when it comes to food, and I am the same when it comes to Asian food here in the US. I think since we know a lot about the cuisine and food itself, we tend to have expectations when it comes to certain price points or restaurants — we do not expect gourmet food from a fast food restaurant of course! lol

SPLURGE: PARMIGIANO – Resort’s World Manila

Parmigiano is one of the best restaurants in Resort’s World Manila. I think the fact that they’ve been around for more or less a decade now show how well-loved their food is. My first time going there was in 2011 and the food was just as good!

The best way to start an Italian meal!

Caprese Salad

FRESH everything — tomato, mozzarella, and basil. YUM

Insalata Di Greca

Risotto Al Funghi E Crema Di Tartufo, Risotto Al Parmigiano

Margherita pizza, 6 cheese pizza

Going to an Italian restaurant means loading up on carbs and CHEESE!

Spaghetti Calamari Nero

Come to Mama!! Squid ink pasta is one of my favorites and this did not disappoint.

Rigatoni Ala Grica

Chicken Parmigiana

The only dish we ordered with meat! 😛 This was a little disappointing because the breading was too thick, the hefty amount of mozzarella on top made up for it though.

SAVE: SHAKEY’S

This is probably not too “Italian” for this category but I think the pizza and pasta dishes will make do. Shakey’s is a fast casual restaurant in the Philippines that has been around for decades. My siblings and I love their “mojos”, who doesn’t really? I also love how you can get “family meals” that you can customize.

Thin crust or thick crust? Growing up thick crust was my choice because that’s what we were used to eating. Now that I understand calories and all that, thin crust has been my go to! And I actually prefer how the crunchy the crust gets.

Aside from pizza, Shakey’s has delicious fried chicken too — lightly breaded and friend to perfection! YUM

Another reason why Shakey’s is on my list every time I am in the Philippines is because of their caesar salad with tuna that A and I got addicted to 4 years ago! It’s not very special but for some reason, everything just works together. Sometimes when we just want a relaxing night at home with no added pressure on dinner, we just make caesar dressing and croutons, toss them with freshly cut romaine and top off with tuna — all inspired by Shakey’s!

Best of all? This cost us less than $100 and there were almost 10 of us!

EASY FIX

Since we always have a gazillion things to do whenever we are in the Philippines, there are times when we know we do not have more than 2 hours to spare for dinner or lunch. Luckily. there are a lot of options for quick meals in the Philippines.

SPLURGE: TONG YANG BUFFET – Greenhills

If you are really hungry but pressed for time, buffets could be a good option! food is ready and all you have to do is serve yourself.

My relatives wanted to have dinner with us before our flight to Baltimore. They know how much A loves Asian food especially noodles so they picked Tong Yang.  The selections were amazing! From having your own pot of soup to cook your noodles and “hot pot fixings”, smokeless grill for barbecue meat, sushi, other Asian favorites like fried rice and savory dishes, and of course DESSERT to end the meal!

  SAVE: MISTER KEBAB – Quezon City

Mister Kebab is another all-time favorite! I have so many memories here, especially with friends. This was our “3AM” spot after bar hopping in Makati, go-to place when we feel like hanging out, pretty much one of the constant things in our friendship.

Their keema, beef kebab, and YOGURT SHAKE are to die for! It was hard to type these without salivating for real lol.

  Little A’s first trip to the Philippines was unforgettable because of our family who planned adventures for us every day.

Can’t wait to have an updated family picture in 6 months! ❤

…and feel like a kid again around my Dad because he loves to spoil us lol

Are we going to be a family of 4 in 2 days? Let’s see! The anxiety is killing my sanity and I know it’s not ideal because I am only adding pressure to my mind and body! But really, I am so ready to push this baby out! lol

Little A’s life is going to change and I know his excitement will bring so much love to his sister once she’s home. I can’t wait for him to have the playmate he’s been wanting! I know he is going to be an amazing brother ❤

xx

R ❤

Where To Eat In Manila: Save VS Splurge Hello, dolls! Hello, Throwback Tuesday! I am now 2 days away from my due date and feeling every symptom that I could be in labor soon except for my water breaking.

[bloojayoolie]

Alive, Being Alone, and Andrew Bogut: Gorgeous little Shiba Inu boy T need somebody to Love me Nero 19539 is Friendly, Mellow, Mischievous ery housebroken, Confident& sometimes a bit stubborn. A GOOD little boy desperate for someone to love him. Give love.&-little-Nero a chance & APPLY NOW to save his life eecce ease ycars young only 23 lbs them don't let them6 simply beautiful Little Nero NEEDS YOU Now to s ven s Team-e-Manhattan EA d-. Pleeease, APPLY NOW to Save my Life ***** To Be KILLED 2/3/2018 in NYC ***** Gorgeous, young little Shiba Inu boy Nero is described as Mellow, Mischievous, Very housebroken, Confident & sometimes a bit stubborn. He is also ON the NYC Kill List. HELP! Nero loves to play with balls, fetch & is well behaved when he is left alone at home or in a yard. He knows commands, enjoys a good walk & would do best in an experienced adult-only new home. He is A GOOD little boy who needs time to adjust, decompress, feel safe & loved again in a familiar home environment. Just give him a chance, you'll see! Give love & little Nero A CHANCE & APPLY NOW to save his life but **HURRY** he IS OUT OFF TIME :( Little Nero WILL DIE at the Manhattan, NY ACC UNLESS ✔FOSTERED✔ADOPTED✔RESCUED✔RIGHT NOW!!! Just DO IT, APPLY NOW!!! ✔Pledge✔Tag✔Share✔Foster✔Adopt✔Save his life! ==== TO FOSTER or ADOPT little Nero ==== Little Nero needs to be pulled by a rescue because he is super nervous and scared at the shelter. To Foster or, even better, Adopt this cutie pie, please APPLY with rescues NOW or MESSAGE Must Love Dogs - Saving NYC Dogs for assistance with filling out applications. BUT... Hurry please, time is short, and the rescues need time to process the applications. The general rule is to foster you have to be within 4 hours of the New Hope Partner rescues you are applying with and to adopt you will have to be in the general NE US area; NY, NJ, CT, PA, DC, MD, DE, NH, RI, MA, VT & ME (some rescues will transport to VA). Thank you for caring. ❤ ================================= Nero 19539 Small Crossbreed Second Shiba Inu Sex male Age 6 yr (approx) Weight 23 lbs My health has been checked. My vaccinations are up to date. My worming is up to date. I have been micro-chipped. I am at the Manhattan, NY Animal Care Center location. For a New Family to Know: Nero is described as gorgeous, shy yet confident, mischievous, independent, mellow and sometimes a bit stubborn. He enjoys play fetch with balls, ate kibbles and bits dry food 2 times a day, is considered very house trained and well behaved when he is left alone at home or in a yard. He knows the commands sit, stay, come and down, pulls lightly on leash and was walked twice a day. He is a good little boy who needs time to adjust, decompress, feel safe & loved again in a familiar home environment. Just give him a chance, you'll see! <3 DVM Intake Exam Date of intake:: 1/30/2018 Means of surrender (length of time in previous home): 6 years Owner surrender 1/30/2018 Reason: Not good with kids. *** PLEASE KEEP IN MIND that Nero has lived with a child for 6 years, has NEVER bitten it and was tolerant of him/her. He is NOT a bad dog & needs to be in an experienced adult-only new home to blossom into the wonderful pup we know he can be. Give him A CHANCE!! Previously lived with:: Adults, a child, and a dog Behavior toward strangers:: Reactive, very nervous Behavior toward children:: Usually tolerant, does not play Behavior toward dogs:: Apathetic Resource guarding:: None reported Bite history:: Yes, Nero has bitten TWICE in his 6 years alive. One bite occurred THREE YEARS ago when the owner's partner approached Nero when Nero when Nero was eating a bagel. The second bite occurred TWO YEARS ago when Nero got tangled in a leash and the owner attempted to untangle him. House trained:: VERY Energy level/descriptors:: Nero is described as friendly, shy, confident, mischievous, independent, mellow, and sometimes stubborn with a low level of activity. Date of intake:: 1/30/2018 Summary:: Nero was tense and froze, scared when the counselor approached him. DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 6 reported Microchip noted on Intake?y Microchip Number: 985121008150457 Evidence of Cruelty seen -n Evidence of Trauma seen -n EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam:clean teeth PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G:2 testes MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment: healthy Prognosis: excellent Plan: neuter BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: Place with a New Hope partner Behavior Asilomar: TM - Treatable-Manageable Recommendations:: No children (under 13) Recommendations comments:: No children: Due to Nero's history and observed behavior of redirecting at the person handling him, we recommend an adult only home. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to all noted concerns displayed in a home environment, the behavior department recommends Nero be placed with a New Hope placement partner who is able to provide an experienced adult-only foster home. A period of decompression is recommended to allow Nero to acclimate comfortably to his new environment; force-free, reward based training only is advised when introducing Nero to new and unfamiliar situations. Consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended for guidance to safely manage/modify any behavior Nero presents with outside of the care centers. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: Nero has been reported and observed to react to other dogs and people on leash, lunging towards them and snapping. Nero may need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach him to look at you rather than other dogs and people. We recommend a front clip harness or head halter to help manage this behavior. Guidance from a professional trainer/behaviorist is strongly recommended. Force-free, reward based training is advised when introducing or exposing Nero to new and unfamiliar situations. Date of assessment:: 2/1/2018 Summary:: Nero has been reactive and very nervous at the care center, snapping and has been observed to redirect and attempt to nip the person handling him when pulled away. For these reasons, a handling assessment was not performed. Please see his owner surrender profile for a full summary of his behavior in his previous home. ================================= - Brooklyn Shelter: 2336 Linden Boulevard Brooklyn, NY 11208 - Manhattan Shelter: 326 East 110 St. New York, NY 10029 - Staten Island Shelter: 3139 Veterans Road West Staten Island, NY 10309 - Phone number (212) 788-4000 (automated only) Operating hours: Monday through Friday 12.00pm to 8.00pm, Saturday & Sunday: 10.00am to 6.00pm. Closed on all Holidays. ================================= https://newhope.shelterbuddy.com/Animal/Profile/Index/84290165-6066-4847-a83b-f81ff5730db0 Tri-State Shiba Inu Rescue Inc. Midwest Shiba Inu Rescue DC Shiba Inu Rescue (DC SIR) Cindy Ann McManus Lori Carpino Diamonds in the Ruff Animal Rescue Denise Gareau