#I am travelling by train today so I can only do littl doodles

[spielzeugkaiser]

IM STILL HERE your return 10000% reminded me why I loved those two doofuses in the first place 😭 im so happy to see u on my dash again ily❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Ahhhh thank you!!! Have this little doodle:

[ranaiki]

i saw u wanted requests...

how about a little domestic fluff with some genshin men? How do u think they wake u up in the morning??

(i'm thinkin like, ayato, zhongli, tartaglia... however many of the men you're okay with doing!)

ah hello nonnie! Tysm for sending something in I really appreciate it, this'll be the perfect warmup before I work on more chapters today. I included more of the genshin men than you suggested hehe...

I didn't proof read this or anything, just whipped it out to get me warmed up <3

included characters: Childe, Thoma, Kazuha, Ayato, Kaeya, Zhongli, Albedo, Heizou.

warnings: entirely fluffy, but kinda suggestive in Kaeya's part. Not anything to warn about.

-

Childe

wakes up wayyy before you do. He's up at the crack of dawn, either to go take care of business, visit a coworker, or train. Either way, it's far earlier than you'd prefer to be up.

So instead of waking you, he tucks the sheets a little closer to your sleeping figure, and presses a little kiss against your forehead.

Sometimes you stir, and wake for long enough to wrap him in a tight hug, other times you only softly sigh and cuddle further into the warmth of your bed.

By the time you do finally rise, the bed has turned cold and Childe is long gone, but it's no matter, because when you walk into your kitchen, there's always a little note on the counter with a good morning message and a doodle.

Thoma

ughhh he's the most husband material ever istg.

He doesn't wake up quite as early as Childe. At least, it's late enough to where your days start around the same time, though Thoma is always up before you, no matter what.

He makes it a mission that you don't have to be woken by an alarm, getting up on his own so he can take it upon himself to rouse you as gently as possible.

Each morning is full of gentle strokes along exposed skin, and his warm chest pressed up against yours as he pulls you close and presses a kiss into your hair.

He whispers sweet words, good mornings and I love you's, staying put until he's satisfied that you're awake, before he finally gets out of bed, and goes to the kitchen to make the both of you cups of hot tea.

Kazuha

am I in love with this man? I'm in love with this man. For those of you who don't know, Kazuha is forever and always my number one AND FOR GOOD REASON.

The pair of you travel together, so it's rare that you sleep in an actual bed. Sometimes you rest beneath trees in Liyue, or on the deck of Beidou's ship.

But it's no matter, because anywhere is comfortable when he's by your side.

And when he wakes you up in the morning?

He rouses you once the sunrise is starting to fade away, just before the rest of the world begins to stir. He likes spending that brief window of silence with you.

Each morning you're woken by a soft kiss against your lips, and his hand tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear.

He's so soft, smiling down at you with the sun framing his face, grilled fish ready for breakfast and piping hot at your side.

And you two sit together, slowly adjusting to morning, as you eat and watch the surrounding nature, nestled into each other's sides.

Ayato

hehe I love him, but it's kinda funny to think about what it would really be like, considering his status and all.

He'd wake up early, and wake you with him. It's terribly lonely, leaving the bed with you still asleep, so he presses his nose into the crook of your neck and holds you tight, waking you up in the process.

You don't mind, of course. Being woken like that is quite pleasant, not to mention you enjoy seeing Ayato before he goes to work.

He's clingy in the mornings, holding on tight as a servant of the Kamisato household brings in breakfast for the two of you to share.

And you'll indulge in the meal, getting ready for the day with him glued to your side the whole time. You think its cute, the way the elegant Kamisato Ayato holds onto you and blows you kisses even as he disappears around the doorframe.

Kaeya

he has a little more... energy in the mornings than the other genshin men do.

As soon as he wakes, he'll roll over in bed to find you, grabbing you by the waist and tugging you in close. He loves feeling your warmth, and being wrapped up in your smell first thing in the morning.

That alone is enough to stir you from your slumber, but you're still drifting in and out even as he nudges his nose along the column of your neck, breath tickling the sensitive skin.

You feel it as he pulls himself impossibly closer, hands straying from their spots on your hips.

And you're fully awake by the time you feel him prying your legs apart, sultry words filtering through your head.

A bit too much to process in the morning but oh so good.

Zhongli

a sweetheart in the morning.

Much like Thoma, he wakes you with a cup of tea.

Only he's been up for a long while before you, and he only returns to your bedroom to gently rub his hand along your back, and pass the steaming cup into your hands.

It's a little morning routine you share.

Zhongli sits on the edge of the bed, talking with you as you slowly wake. Most of the time, you barely respond, but he doesn't mind.

Getting to see your pretty face, and the way you smile so softly at him, is more than enough of a treat.

Albedo

as much as I love him, I don't think he'd be the best at the classic good morning wake ups.

You'd wake up to the bed already empty and cold, the sheets on his side ruffled from use.

Who knows how long he has been gone.

So you get up and get ready on your own, making breakfast that you pack into a little bag, and then you set off for his lab.

It's not too far of a walk from your residence. You and Albedo moved to Dragonspine (much to your dismay at the time, but you've grown to love it) so he could better access his research and still see you.

And he's there, every morning, hunched over his tables and papers, muttering to himself or concentrating so hard on mixing ingredients that he hardly notices you come in.

But when he finally does, you see the way his eyes light up, and he stops what he's doing to greet you with a hug, pulling you in close and saying his good mornings.

You share your breakfast together, talking, or sitting in a comfortable silence.

It's a little different than what most are used to, but its inherently him, and for that, you love it with all your heart.

Heizou

a clingy baby.

He doesn't even have to pull you in when he wakes up, because the pair of you are already tangled together.

Heizou does not let go of you when you're cuddling at night.

He wakes you by hugging you impossibly tighter, and you welcome him into your arms.

You spend at least an hour cuddling with him in the mornings. If you try to move, he whines and complains at you.

Eventually, you have to remind him that he must get up so he can go to the agency, that its getting close to his clock-in. He still complains each time, so you pry yourself away from his grasp, and drag him along with you to get ready.

Like I said, clingy.

You often have to help him put on his clothes, because if you don't, he'd probably not get ready for work and stay in bed with you all day.

By the time you finally get him going out the door, he's blowing a thousand kisses goodbye, promising he'll see you soon, and whining about how he'll miss you.

It's endearing, honestly.

Your clingy detective bf <3

[lady-literature]

ayy, so ya’ll know that Miraculous/DC crossover I screamed about a while back? I found plot for it.

It is not quite finished yet, but it’s also so much longer than I originally planned on it being. (me: I’ll just write a fun little thing to get this out of my head!

me, 13k words later: oh no)

SO! Here’s a little sneak peak!

(or, find the finished product here!)

***

There is an unspoken rule, kept by any outsider who’s ever set foot in Gotham, that you should only ever visit the city once. Most find that visiting even once was already too much.

The most dangerous city on earth isn’t kind to its residents—much less strangers who don’t know how to watch their pockets or keep off the streets after dark. It’s gotten better, perhaps, in recent years since the Bat started lurking on rooftops, but that doesn’t mean the city is good.

Normal people stay as far from Gotham as they can get.

Marinette, (un)luckily, is far from normal.

***

The touring of Metropolis, New York City, and Gotham had been going well as far as Marinette was concerned, no matter what Chloé says to her about carelessness and naivety.

She’s glad her, Adrien and Chloé all decided to take this summer trip before they started University in the fall. It sucks that it was just the three of them, she wishes more of their friends could’ve tagged along but, alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

Kagami was in the middle of training season and couldn’t come. Luka was touring with his father, learning the tricks of the trade and other things. Nathaniel had already been commissioned to paint a mural downtown before they really finalized dates. Nino was in much the same boat as Nath, just with music and pitch meetings. Felix hated traveling and Alix was doing… something. Time travelling, probably. Or at least spending more time in the burrow.

Marinette was certainly starting to notice the way she’s begun talking about ancient history like she was actually there when she goes on rants now. Felix also probably noticed but Marinette’s also sure that he’s aiding and abetting her in exchange for insider information so…

She’ll probably have to deal with that later, unfortunately. But not today.

Their tour group was going to Amusement Mile later that afternoon, but had been given free roam until then. Marinette decided to spend the time up until lunch at the park near the meetup spot in Gotham Square and Chloé hadn’t complained or vetoed that idea so the trio happily camped out on the grass.

Marinette had returned to her sketch of Lady Gotham in between eating bites of her sandwich. She thinks she much preferred the style of it to New York City’s Lady Liberty. There was just something about the Statue of Justice that inspired her.

She’d been doodling about it since they left the marina yesterday. She also had plenty of pictures of the statue for inspiration later. There’s one she especially likes and thinks she might even print out to put up on her wall at home.

She’s playing with the idea of draping fabrics for formal wear designs like the roman togas both Lady statues seem to wear when a tennis ball rolls up and bumps into her leg. She has only enough time to move her sketchbook out of the way before a large dog bowls into her, tail wagging happily and barking up a storm.

“Oof!”

Adrien’s already halfway up the tree, startled out of his light doze by the barking and Chloé only daintily moved away from Marinette, leaving her to her fate. 

Pushing herself back up so she’s not crushed by what feels like one hundred pounds of dog, she comes face to snout with quite possibly the biggest dog she’s ever seen. From there, there was really only one choice of action Marinette could have followed.

“Oh! Well, aren’t you just the prettiest boy?” she tells the dog happily, reaching up to give him scratches. “Such a big boy! You nearly bowled me over, didn’t you?”

If it’s possible, the dog’s tail begins to wag even faster, enough that he accidentally overbalances himself and decides to roll with it, flopping onto his back and letting her rub his stomach. Marinette does so enthusiastically, her baby-talk to the dog devolving into broken not-words and the occasional exclamation of good boy! in both English and French.

The dog was a great dane, and had the softest coat of black fur she’s ever seen. There was a thick red collar around his throat, and Marinette stopped furiously rubbing his belly long enough to look at the silver tag attached to it.

“Titus, huh?” she says to the dog. “Such a strong name for such a distinguished boy, huh?”

“Oh god,” she hears Adrien groan from his spot still up in the tree. When she looks up, she finds him eyeing Titus with distrust, the absolute kitten. “I hope whoever his owner is, they’ve never read Shakespeare.”

Both her and Chloé blink at the strange non sequitur.

“Uh, why? Exactly?”

“Because they have shit taste in his plays if they do! Titus Andronicus is, like, Shakespeare’s worst play.”

Chloé glares up at him. “You’re such a nerd. Now stop being ridiculous and get down from there.”

“But, Chloé! It’s a dog.”

“Adrien Agreste!”

Marinette tunes out the two blondes as they devolve into sibling-like bickering. It’s a skill she’s had to learn and learn quickly with living in such close quarters with the pair for the last few weeks and also being friends with the pair for the past three years.

“Speaking of your owner, I wonder where they are?” She scratches under Titus’ chin thoughtfully. “Should we go look for them?”

Titus' head flops to the side, almost like he’s listening for something, before he’s clambering up onto his feet to tower over her. He’s almost twice as tall as she is sitting, which is just ridiculous. Why is everything in America so big?

Getting to her feet herself, Titus still stands almost as tall as her. She can rest her elbow on his back when she grabs his collar to make sure he doesn’t run off. He leads mostly, pulling her along at a steady trot she has to jog to keep up with.

He truly was such a well behaved dog and certainly lived up to his breed’s reputation as a gentle giant.

Or at least she thought so, until the call of “Titus! Here!” echoes through the park and he goes racing off towards it, dragging Marinette along for the ride no matter how much she tries to slow down.

Titus comes to a skidding stop, and Marinette barely stops herself from falling by keeping her arm around Titus.

“And who are you?”

Looking up, she finds a young man, probably around her age, staring down at her. He does not look happy—but most Gothamites don’t, Marinette’s found. He’s also, despite the almost glare he’s giving her, very attractive.

When she opens her mouth, incoherent French comes tumbling out, much to her embarrassment.

Ah. ‘Not being able to speak coherently to people she finds attractive’, she had wondered where that particular personality trait had been as of late. Even after so many years hanging around people who should be—and are—super models, she still acts like a spaz. Why is she like this?

The man raises an eyebrow at her, looking very unamused.

She tries again. “Ah- Je suis- I mean, I am very sorry. Your dog found me sitting over there with my friends and I figured I should find his owner instead of letting him just wander around and I assume your his owner because if you aren’t this is very embarrassing for me. Not that it wasn’t embarrassing before but, oh, I’m definitely rambling and I’m going to shut up now.”

Pressing her lips together as tightly as humanly possible so her tongue will stop making horrible life decisions, she holds Titus’ bright yellow tennis ball out to his owner.

The man huffs, taking the ball from her hand. “I didn’t ask for your life’s story.”

Marinette blinks and then frowns. Her hand tightens around where she’s still holding onto Titus’ collar and she has to very carefully unclench her hand before she breaks it or something.

“I didn’t give it,” she says through clenched teeth, embarrassment abruptly forgotten. There’s no need for the man to be rude.

He scoffs. “Could’ve fooled me.”

She doesn't really have anything to say to that. Instead, she turns to Titus, who’s sitting like the good boy he is. She very seriously leans down to eye level—she does not have to lean down far—and tells him, “Your owner is an ass. But you are still a very good boy.”

She plants a kiss to his forehead that makes his tail wag, gives him one last scratch behind the ears and walks back towards her friends without looking back at the rude man. 

***

Colonel Bug: so I met kagami and felix’s lovechild today

MY HONOR: I would never stoop so low.

the evil twin: I would never stoop so low.

ShutUpTurtleMan: Nettie

dearest

the evil twin: Okay first of all-

ShutUpTurtleMan: sunshine

light of our collective lives and reason I breathe

what the fuCK

YoureUnderAgreste: Kagami, my love, how could you?

The Betrayal™

GottaGoFast: ew

Queen of Salt: ew

sneaky snake: Send pics or it didn’t happen

give me art or give me death: [a photo of the ‘right in front of my salad?’ meme]

Queen of Salt: wait

I was with you all day when did this happen?

was it the owner of the dog that attacked you?

ShutUpTurtleMan: WHAT

Colonel Bug: he didn’t attack me!

chloe stop spreading misinformation!

titus was a sweetheart!

YoureUnderAgreste: incorrect

he was, in fact, a menace

give me art or give me death: wait was Titus the dog or the lovechild

ShutUpTurtleMan: ^^^ ?

Colonel Bug: shut up adrien

all animals are great

stop being elitist

give me art or give me death: okay but seriously what kind of dog was it

the evil twin: why exactly was he our lovechild?

GottaGoFast: because of the dramatic tryst you and Kagami had obviously

keep up

Colonel Bug: because he was as pretty as he was rude actually

And gave me the feeling that he’d rant about his honor and parentage if it given the chance

MY HONOR: you say something once as an unsocialized teen

GottaGoFast: MARI YOU DOG!

ARE GETTING TAIL IN GOTHAM OF ALL PLACES?

Colonel Bug: no alix

did you not read the part about how rude he is

YoureUnderAgreste: i mean,,,,,

Felix is pretty rude and we all still like him

ShutUpTurtleMan: and Chloe

YoureUnderAgreste: oh good point nino

Colonel Bug: i hate it here

i spoke to him for like 2 seconds

Queen of Salt: Okay first of all-

YoureUnderAgreste: so i mean it’s not really a dealbreaker yaknow?

Colonel Bug: this familys a nightmare

i shoulda left you all on the street corner where i found you

YoureUnderAgreste: BUT CHA DINDT

ShutUpTurtleMan: but yA DIDNT

GottaGoFast: BUT CHA DIDNT!!

sneaky snake: but ya didn’t

***

I have every no regrets. stay tuned for more!

[bandaged-writer]

“you are my soulmate.” || dazai

lyric prompts are still open ^.^

➤ Requested by: nonnie (I accidentally deleted the ask instead of saving it)

➤ Lyric prompt: "You are my soulmate."

➤ Pairing: Dazai x Reader

➤ Genre: fluff, romance, soulmate! AU, friends to lovers-ish(?)

➤ Warnings: none

➤ Word count: 2k

The remains of steam trickled down the foggy bathroom mirror while you were busy rubbing your wet hair dry, the smell of showering gel and shampoo lingering in your nose and relaxing your tense nerves. It had been quite the rough week at the agency; a couple of fights, tons of paperwork which your back hated you for and more than enough complaints from the neighbors about the noise and damage. Of course, you couldn't help but reward yourself with a nice, long shower.

Wiping the steam away from the mirror, you tilted your head at the monochromatic reflection staring back at you. There were no colors whatsoever, only a gloomy mix of black and white painted your world once again. Suddenly, you were reminded of the time your mother had told you about soulmates who would paint you a clear blue sky overtime, but what the hell was blue? What did it look like? You were already in your 20s, you doubted that your soulmate was close by - for all you knew, they could live across the globe or died already. Fate wasn't always kind, after all.

Shaking these memories away and wrapping a fluffy towel tightly around your torso, you finally stepped out of the comfort of your bathroom only to be greeted by a pouting mummy lazing around on your couch. "[Name]! Good that you finally finished your shower, the remote control isn't working anymore!" Dazai whined dramatically and held the defective device in his hands as if it had committed a felony. "I've been stuck having to watch a documentary about dogs! Dogs of all animals! Only your beauty can cure my eyes from what they had witnessed-"

Embarrassment heated your cheeks up while your hands were clutching your towel to your chest, your friend's words fell on deaf ears. "What the hell are you doing here?!" you yelled at the brunette and swung a trained leg at the suicidal man whose hand easily grabbed your bare ankle. "My sweet [Name], don't you know how lonely I am without a pretty lady to spend a Saturday with?," by then, you were already used to Dazai's flirty antics and only rolled your eyes at his sugar-coated words for they were nothing more but just that. "That gives you no right to break into my house while I'm showering!," you were beyond flustered, although even this wasn't exactly new. Dazai had seen you half naked numerous times over the course of your friendship and it had never gotten under your skin so deeply. "It's not breaking in when you showed me where the spare key is," a smug expression settled down on Dazai's handsome features as he showed you the glimmering key which was usually hidden in the flower pot in front of your door.

Just as you were about to give in, something weird happened.

For a moment, you could see Dazai's eye color, the shade of his hair and clothes. It was a mere flicker of faded paint filling your vision before your world went back to its monochromatic state and left you staring at your friend like a deer caught in headlights.

"Earth to [Name]," Dazai snapped his fingers in front of your eyes and whipped you back to reality where everything was very much black and white and not colorful. "Wait here, I need to get dressed," pulling your leg from Dazai's grasp, you made a run to your bedroom, slammed the door shut and let your back collide with the cool wood, small gasps leaving your lips as your breathing picked up in a horrifying realization.

The one person you were closest to made you see colors. The one person who knew you better than the back of his hand, knew every little flaw and imperfection and was the epitome of a suicidal womanizer.

No, it had to be a mistake. A simple miscalculation, a cheap trick of the eye. Yes, nothing but a mistake - you had heard of some people seeing colors from birth or they randomly gained the ability to see them without developing feelings towards anyone.

This would be a disaster.

_____________________

And oh boy, were you right.

With each passing day, the dreary monochromatic life you were used to, gradually disappeared and tainted your vision with colors you didn't want to see, because you could finally see that everything your co-workers had told you about Dazai was indeed true.

"What does Dazai look like?," doodling on a random sheet of paper and with coffee resting next to your computer, you threw the sudden question at Naomi who was one of the few people at the agency who could see colors. The ravenette raised a fine eyebrow, looking at you like you had lost your mind. "You don't suffer from long-term memory loss, do you?," a teasing cadence laced in her voice. Letting your body slightly slide down the chair, you leaned your head back against the furniture and pouted. "I know what he looks like! But like..what colors is he made up of?," it was a funny question - you considered Dazai your best friend and yet, you didn't know the color of his irises, of his coat, of the silly pendant he always carried around his neck. You wanted to see your friend.

Naomi's gaze softened at that, a tender curve finding home on her lips which made her eyes smile. It was a question so trivial that only few people worried about, and yet there you were, oblivious to the feelings that were so painfully obvious to everyone at the agency.

And so, Naomi told you about every color that was Dazai Osamu: from the black shoes, to the beige coat, to the blue pendant and his brown locks.

"I envy you for seeing so much more, Naomi."

Those words turned out to be a blessing and a curse alike.

On one hand, you could faintly make out the sparkle in Dazai's coffee-colored orbs but on the other hand, that sparkle was reserved for the pretty waitress of Uzumaki's whose hand he was currently holding, his mind smitten with the mere idea of committing a lover's suicide. You wish you wouldn't see them light up even though the color you saw was barely there, washed out.

"Would a fair maiden such as yourself allow me the honor of you accompanying me to the afterlife?," a moonstruck smile stretched Dazai's lips, his calloused thumb stroking the delicate knuckles of the waitress who remained unfazed by Dazai's attempt to woo her. It was a typical sight, yet why did it bother you? You had witnessed such scenes countless of times and even acted as the brunette's girlfriend just so he could get rid of another woman's unwanted affection. "Hmm, maybe if you have a life insurance," the waitress twinkled, clearly uninterested in Dazai's proposal.

You realized that not even a soulmate could tie Dazai down.

"Are you alright, [Name]?," Atsushi pulled your attention to the matter at hand which was assigning several cases to different colleagues, but even Atsushi could tell that you weren't really with him. He saw the way your gaze would travel to the counter where Dazai was keeping himself busy with the waitress, he noticed the way you'd only ever give him an occasional "mhm" or a short "yes".

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm good. Don't worry, Atsushi," you waved a dismissive hand in front of your face and put on the ghost of a smile which never reached your eyes.

"I was just thinking about how blue the sky is today."

_____________________

"Have you ever seen colors, Osamu?," mindlessly, you stared at the sake in the small cup held by your fingers, your body resting on Dazai's floor with the wall supporting your back. It was a lazy night of having a few drinks at the brunette's place, talking about anything that came to mind or letting silence and unspoken words fill the space.

Dazai effortlessly downed a shot and let the liquor burn his throat. At least, the drinks were less bitter with you around. "Well, have you?" Ah, that bastard once again avoided your question by asking his own and putting the spotlight on you. It was such a painfully obvious tactic to dodge personal questions, but it still worked every damn time. Or maybe you just needed to get some thoughts off your chest and run the risk of Dazai figuring out the secret you had only told Atsushi about.

"What do you think about it?," stupid how the two of you danced around the topic like it was poison which could bring death upon the both of you.

Sitting down opposite of you, Dazai scanned your face. The way your gaze was fixed on him like a magnet, the missing makeup, the slightly disheveled hair from work and the way your lips shone thanks to the lip balm you always carried with you. "You're a curious thing, aren't you?," a chuckle caressed your ears and you wished it was a bit more lighthearted, a bit less closed off. Dazai rested his elbow on his propped up knee in a lazy manner as he gathered his thoughts; it was something he had never talked about.

"I don't think I like the concept of a soulmate. After all, your soulmate can be dead or be against the beliefs you hold on to so tightly. It'd cause unnecessary conflict over and over again until both individuals grow tired of each other and eventually break up, no?," Dazai paused then sighed, his eyes drawn to the night sky outside. "Isn't it a bit mean to gift color only those who feel something like love towards someone?"

Those words were as bitter as the liquor scorching your throat, but could you really disagree? A soulmate was only a partner suggestion given by the universe and whatever created it. Many soulmates eventually got tired of one another, yet no one broke things off since having someone to come home to was comfortable. It was comfortable, but it was no longer love. "It is. I've been dying to see what colors you are," you admitted softly, hoping he couldn't tear through the lie and discover that you saw the color of the cut that he got from an earlier fight.

At that, Dazai smiled at you with tender eyes and tilted his head to the side, brown strands of hair framing his stupidly dreamy face. "Honestly? I've been wondering what your eye color is."

You swore the world just got more colorful.

_____________________

The day the colors reached their peak of vibrancy was the day your heart skipped a beat for the first time in quite a while.

In the background, you could hear Kunikida scolding Dazai and threatening to kill him with his own bony fingers jus because the brunette was trying to shove his reports to Atsushi. "I swear I'll make you see the end of your life!," the blond man yelled, clearly fed up with his colleague's antics and non-existent work ethics. "At least let me die with a beautiful woman by my side!"

You couldn't help the chuckle that left your lips. Their arguments never failed to squeeze a laugh out of your lungs even when you didn't feel like laughing at all. The agency was your safe place, it was your home.

"Oh, I spent an entire minute dealing with your crap although we should get going. Let's go, Dazai," Kunikida let go of his partner's collar, dusted off his pants like nothing happened and grabbed the keys for the car; no way in hell would he ever let the suicidal maniac drive, again. "Punctual as always, Kunikida," Dazai mock praised the blond and crossed his hands behind his head, a smile on his face.

"Ah, good luck, guys!," you called after Kunikida with quite the stack of paper in your hands and smiled up at Dazai who just..looked at you. You were about to tell him to hurry up and head out before Kunikida would scold him again, when he spoke in a hushed tone which was only meant to be heard by you.

"I like your lip balm. Red suits you."

[yuanzhous]

Tim always liked it when Dick was in town. He liked working with Nightwing, he liked training with him, he liked their post-patrol talks in the kitchen. He liked how Dick always seemed to have time for these things, how he always looked interested no matter what they were talking about.

Of course, Dick wasn't in town very often. And it was easy to be nice to someone when you only saw them once in a blue moon. Whenever Tim's mother was home - she and his father traveled together for the most part, but not always - she was always pleasant and happy to see him, taking him to museums and exhibitions and fancy coffee shops. But once his nanny had bailed, and his parents had been forced to take him on a trip with them, a whole month. He'd never felt more acutely how much of a burden he was on them. Dick had never had to be around him for a month.

"What're you thinking?" Dick asked now with a disarming smile, enough to put anyone at ease. Tim knew it was at least partially an act, but that didn't mean it didn't work.

They were sitting together at the den, in comfortable silence up until now. Dick was sprawled across the sofa, feet on the armrest and crossed at the ankles, reading a comic. Tim was curled up with his knees close to his chest, absently doodling new costume ideas. The suit he was using currently was one of Dick’s old ones, but Bruce had given him permission to come up with a design of his own.

It felt good. He couldn’t think of a better confirmation that he was Robin for real.

"Just about the upcoming science fair," he lied easily. "My science teacher thinks I should participate, but I don't know. I'm kinda busy."

Dick's smile slipped. "Robin stuff?"

"Yeah," Tim said with a shrug. "And I mean, I don't care about it that much? I have better things to be doing than making mini-volcanoes or potato solar systems, you know? Mom and dad might think it's cool if I won first place, but..."

He cut himself off and shrugged again. Dick was quiet for a long time.

"Well,let me know if you decide to go for it," he said cheerfully. "I'd love to come. And I'd offer my help, but you're probably better at this stuff than I am."

"Why?" Tim asked, baffled. "You know it's just gonna be a bunch of middle schoolers with projects made by their parents, right? It's not very interesting."

Dick shrugged. "If you're participating, it'll be interesting enough."

Oh. That was a very nice thing to say, but it made Tim want to cry a little. No one had ever been interested in something just because Tim was.

"I mean, I don't know," he said, "I'm not even sure I wanna do it, you know? And you don't have to drive all the way from Bludhaven just for that, so..."

"Oh, I don't mind the drive," Dick dismissed. "It's an hour tops. Totally worth it."

Tim wanted to insist, but his mind was already spinning with ideas for the project. He'd have to balance his time, obviously, he couldn't afford to look like he was slacking in his duties as Robin, but there was still plenty of time before the fair. If Dick really wanted to come, at least Tim ought to present something that would make it worth his while.

"Okay," Tim agreed.

True to his word, Dick was there. Tim watched him make his way through the crowd, eyes scanning the room. His face lit up as soon as he spotted Tim and he waved, changing course to come greet him. Tim waved back halfheartedly, glancing at his solar oven.

It had seemed like a good idea at first, but now that his project was out in the open for everyone to see, it felt woefully insufficient. He'd hand-painted it and made sure it looked good on top of being functional, experimented with different materials for the insides of the oven to find the one that'd heat up faster, double and triple tested the boiling time to be sure he wouldn't keep the judges waiting too long. It didn't feel like he'd done enough. Why had he even bothered participating in this again?

"I'm not late, am I?" Dick asked as he reached Tim, catching him off guard and momentarily trapping him in a one-armed hug. He pulled away and ruffled Tim's hair. "This looks amazing. Can I touch it or am I gonna break it?"

Tim squirmed. "Maybe wait until after the presentation."

“You got it,” Dick said.

By looking at Dick, you would have thought he was faced with a real scientific creation, not just some kid's school project. It made Tim equal parts wary – he wasn't at all sure what he'd made could live up to those expectations – and excited. If he did well in the competition, his parents might be pleased, but there was no question that they would ever take the time out of their busy lives to attend something like this. Neither would they gush over a cardboard cut-out solar oven.

It gave him the confidence boost he needed. Once it was his turn to show his work to the judges, he placed the little black pot filled with water he had next to him in the oven, walking them through the way it worked while they waited for it to boil. He'd timed his speech exactly so that he could take the pot out the minute he was finished talking, presenting it to the judges as proof that it'd worked.

To his immense relief, everything went off without a hitch. He got the timing down perfectly and he didn't trip over his words too much, neither did he stumble and shower one of the judges in boiling water, as had been a recurring fear of his. Throughout the whole thing, Dick watched with a wide, proud grin spread across his face.

Tim kind of felt like a fraud – he hadn't done anything that cool. He didn't even win first place. Other kids had better, more nuanced projects.

Dick insisted that they go for ice cream to celebrate, and like that wasn’t enough, that Tim tell him where his favorite ice cream shop was. Tim squirmed a little because it was halfway across Gotham, and it felt like he was just wasting more of Dick’s time, but nobody could resist Dick’s puppy eyes and relentless spirit for long.

They each got a huge ice cream in a cup with far too many toppings, and the lady behind the register slipped Tim an extra oreo. He was happy to have it but frowned a little. Surely twelve was far too old to be given free stuff on account of cuteness, although Dick did always tease him about how small he looked.

“Nice of you to treat your little brother,” she said, eyes crinkling at the corners. “All my sister ever does is hog the TV."

Wincing, Tim opened his mouth to correct her, but Dick just laughed it off.

“Well, I don’t live at home anymore, so that’s rarely a problem,” he said in good humor. “And he deserves the treat. His school was holding a science fair today, and -”

To Tim’s growing horror, Dick proceeded to talk her ear off about Tim’s project, blowing the whole thing out of proportion. Luckily the shop was mostly empty and the girl didn’t seem to mind, but Tim was still mortified by the end of it.

“What was that for?” Tim demanded quietly as they finally turned to leave.

Dick put an arm over his shoulder and pulled him into a loose hug. “Hey, you did good. Don’t I get to brag about you?”

Tim shook his head, perplexed and embarrassed. “Think you might be overselling it a little?”

“Nope,” Dick declared, popping the ‘p’ with great authority. “I’m proud of you, and that’s that. I’m telling everyone we see today about it. Deal with it.”

“Dick, no,” Tim groaned.

“Everyone,” Dick insisted, and just to prove his point, waved cheerily at a man crossing the road. “Excuse me, sir, but did you know that -”

“Dick,” Tim hissed, grabbing his arm and dragging him away. Dick went willingly, laughing all the while. “Oh my god, what’s wrong with you. That guy’s giving me the stink-eye now.”

Dick waved a hand as he tried to catch his breath. “Sorry, sorry. I’m just teasing you.”

Tim huffed. “You’re a real dick, Dick.”

“I know. But Tim,” his smile fell away, eyes earnest, “you know that I really am proud of you, right?”

Affirming it verbally felt like hubris of the worst kind, so Tim only nodded and, for once, allowed himself to believe it.

[timeforelfnonsense]

Mistress Wit

Wyll x Criella

Rating: T 

Ao3

With Patch 3 out now, I decided to make another bg3 oc to romance Wyll! Dafni will still be the main character so to speak of my bg3 writing with Criella serving as a secondary protag & member of the party in Sunshine and Starlight. She and Wyll will also be getting their own little collection with Dafni & Astarion serving a similar role! However, as my writing is pretty ship centered you wouldn't really need to read one to enjoy the other!

                                                     Prologue

Criella brought her hands above her head, fists pounding against the transparent shield that kept her snuggly trapped in the mind flayer pod. If she could just find a weak spot…

Ah-ha!

It was faint but, Criella spotted a hairline fracture in the upper right portion of the glass. Perfect. Her tail dipped into the worn leather bag strapped to her thigh seeking her tinker’s tools. If she could just find her mallet she’d be able to shatter the glass and free herself from her confines. She reached for the top of her head, pulling her goggles over her eyes. With one precise strike, the mallet made contact with the pod’s lid. What had started as a single small fracture now spread across the whole surface in a spiderweb of spits and breaks. Carefully, her fingertips traced the somatic symbol needed to cast a gust cantrip.

“Ventus!” With the command spoken a small tempest broke free of her palms sending shards of glass flying across the clearing.

Her boots hit the ground with a soft thunk, the collateral of her escape crunching beneath her feet. She scanned her surroundings nose wrinkling with repugnance. This was definitely not Waterdeep. She’d crashlanded in some sort of hinterlands located god knows where. She brought her fingertips to her temples rubbing away the tension with little circles. She needed to locate civilization and quickly. It was only a matter of time before the dangerous effects of the tadpole squirming behind her eye would manifest.

She dug around her bag until her hand found its target. A spyglass forged of brass, runes of her creation glowing across the tarnished cylinder. Pushing her googles back up, she pressed the scope to her eye looking out into the forest. Her mind tingled, the Spyglass of Clairvoyance reveling a small settlement nestled in a nearby grove. It was no city of splendor but it was a lead. The only one she had anyway. Perhaps, whoever called the grove home would be able to point her towards the nearest healer if they didn’t have one of their own. Her body ached from the top of her horns to the tip of her tail. Even if they couldn’t see to the parasite they could ease the discomfort of being crammed into a pod had caused.

----------

Criella sat atop a traveler’s chest, her tail flicking idle from side to side. The groves healer had just set out alongside a mercenary band just recently. Meaning her only choice was to doodled among the druids until their Master Halsin returned. She let out a huff of air, blowing away a stray strand of straight, lilac hair from her eyes. If someone were asked to rattle off a list of locations they might find Criella Wit of Waterdeep, a druid’s grove would certainly not have been among them. She’d never been one for nature’s charms. Given the choice between a bustling market or a quiet glen, Criella would have picked the crowded walkways and noisy rabble of the city to the glen every time. At least she was among kin. All around her other Tieflings mulled about weary faced as they set to packing up what little they had. Criella’s gloved fingertips tapped out an anxious rhythm on the side of the chest. Criella knew better than most that right and wrong could be terms with objective definitions. But turning out helpless refugees and children? That was wrong by every definition. She had sat in Zevlor’s quarters discussing the events that lead his people to take refuge among The Oak Father’s servants. They had come from Eturel originally- Collateral damage in the wake of post-Decent xenophobia. People who had once been treasured friends and neighbors became easy scapegoats for the suffering Elturel’s people experienced in the hells. Her grip on the chest tightened. Were it not for the black leather gloves her pointed fingernails would certainly have left a mark on its suede surface. Well, if the druids weren’t going to help she would. She pulled out a well-weathered note pad and nub of charcoal. She could adapt her design for the Protector canon with relative ease. She’d have to find a way to streamline and simplify it given her the groves appalling lack of anything metal. What she wouldn’t do for steel and iron! Perhaps their smith would have some to spare though she doubted it by the state of his forge. “What are you drawing?” a tiny sing-song voice asked. Criella glanced up from her work. A little tiefling girl of no more than 10, was staring owlishly over the edge of her notebook. Criella’s lips quirked, tuning the book so the girl could get a better look at her scribblings. “It’s a diagram of an Eldritch Canon. I’ve made hundreds of the things but today I’m working on one just for you and your friends. To keep you safe.” She explained, tapping the tip of her finger to the sketch, “It’s sort of a… a mechanical cleric! If anyone gets hurt on the road it might be able to help.” “You can make that?” The child whisperer reverently. “I can make anything.” Criella winked, “Just give time and the right tools.” “Could you teach me?” She asked, her lower lip quivering ever so slightly, “I want to be able to make anything! I want to help! I’m not good at fighting or sneaking like the others maybe I’m good at making things!” Criella let out a chime of warm laughter. The little girl’s eyes were full of wonder and optimism despite all she and her kin had endured recently. She’d too had been more interested in tomes and tinkering as a girl. While her peers were swinging sticks and imagining themselves as knights and guardsmen, little Ella would climb the tallest tree in the yard and name it Blackstaff Tower. “Well I can’t teach you how to make everything in just one day but, I can show you a few things.” Criella brought her hand to her lips, sharp teeth tugging the grove from her left hand. With a heartfelt smile she extended her hand to her would-be apprentice, “They call me Misstress Wit of Waterdeep but since we are friends, you can call me Criella.”

Wyll walked the length of the makeshift training ground. Adjusting postures and offering up every word of tender engorgement he knew. The tiefling children had been ecstatic to meet a ‘real-life hero’, bombarding him with sweet, curious questions the moment he stepped through the gate. After such a warm welcome teaching a few sparing lessons while he waited for Halsin to return, was the least he could do. These children had already witnessed more than many noble old men would in their whole lives. They should have been chasing frogs, enjoying their childhoods without fear. Not training for battles they couldn’t win. Despite the cheerless nature of his thoughts, Wyll put on his warmest, bordering on a fatherly grin. “Not bad! Not bad! Now, remember not to keep yourself so open.” He instructed demonstrating his instruction for a little boy with rusty hair, “Like this.” “Keep it up little one. You’ll be a fine warrior one day!” A lovely voice called. The gentle, golden timbre belonged to a statuesque tiefling woman. Wyll’s heart sputtered a bit when her soft silver eyes fell across his face. A dazzling smile on her rose-petal pink lips. Walking beside her was a child- Nalia, the little girl with a missing horn. He’d invited her to spar but she’d only blushed and ran off. “Wyll! I look at what I made!” Nalia shouted dragging the pretty-pink woman along behind her. When she reached the ring she pulled free a small metal gadget no bigger than her palm. The steal contraption glowed with a soft purple light. It’s slivery surface marked with an inscription: Be Brave, scrawled in infernal. “Aren’t you clever!” He said crouching down to admire her handiwork, “What is it?” “It’s an eldritch canon!” She rolled her eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world The woman stifled a giggle, covering her grin with the back of her gloved hand. “Is that safe?” He asked cocking an eyebrow at the smirking beauty. “Yes! think of it as a mechanical cleric, Wyll!” Nalia said winking at her companion, “I’m going to be an artificer just like Mistress Wit!” “That’s right!” Wit nodded, “I think you’ve done enough work for today apprentice. Go on, take the rest of the day off...” As Wit trailed off a strange feeling began to unwind in Wyll's mind. The sights and smells of an unfamiliar harbor city danced across his senses. He could almost feel the sea breeze on his face. He saw a workshop so organized and meticulous it reminded him of his time with The Fist. He felt the uneven surface of cobbles stone under his feet as he tore after a thief, tears stinging at his eyes as the hooded figure mad off with the last project he and a half-drow woman had planned before she left. Lastly the memory of being confined to a pod and dragged to the hells. Wit blinked back at him dazed. Her slender nose wrinkled, her lips turned down in a worried grimace. “We should talk.”

Criella sat across from the Wyll at a shabby picnic table, poking at her gruel with a wooden spoon. The old woman had called it vegetable soup but remind her too much of the oil she used for in some of her machines to be palpable. “Not much for stew eh?” He teased taking a long sip of his bowl, “You haven’t spent much time in the wilds, have you?” “I am I that obvious?” she giggled, “I’m from Waterdeep- I’ve lived there all my life. Not much work out here in the woods for someone in my line of work.” Wyll tilted his head, bringing his chin to rest along the top of his knuckles, “Oh? And what is your line of work Wit?” He hadn’t heard of her? How strange. She was something of an arcane darling back home. If you asked someone where to inspired spellwork or magical mending. If they had any sense they would give you one answer: Wit and Wander. Well- Just Wit since Zoria had left for Neverwinter with her new wife…. “I’m many things; wizard, artificer, genius. Take your pick.” Wyll chuckled raising his tankard in approval of her assuredness, “Impressive.” “And what about you Wyll?” She said playfully, “Let me guess? You are a soldier. Mercenary? No, you are too upstanding to be a sellsword.” “They call me the Blade of the Frontiers.” He stated with a proud nod before continuing “Monster hunter. Hero. Protector of the common folk.” “The Blade of Frontiers? Now that’s a name!” She whistled, “And I thought Misstess Wit was a clever epithet! Now tell me Blade- How did you find yourself aboard the nautiloid?” Before he could respond the sound of a war horn rang out across the grove. Zevlor sprinting past them as shouting about a goblin siege at the front gate. Both adventures sprung to their feet as panic spread among the refugees. “Alright Blade.” Criella purred pulling her storm canon from the holster at her hip, “Let see if you live up to the legend.”

[ojamies]

European Itinerary Tips by Rick Steves

Transportation inside Europe (i.e. traveling from city to metropolis) can make up a large percentage of your journey price range, but additionally it is very exhausting to predict how much you’ll spend. There are so many elements that go into how a lot every type of transportation (practice, aircraft, bus, car, and so on.) will price that I can’t actually give a super correct estimate. However, I may give you some general tips and point you to more in-depth articles. There are loads of cheap (and crappy) hotels all throughout Europe — just don’t anticipate much at the finances traveler’s worth range.

But typically price shouldn’t be the only figuring out factor in your trip. If you wish to expertise the sights and sounds of the area people and eat and drink because the locals do, going with a non-all-inclusive possibility is a greater bet.

Two a long time ago, you’d piece collectively a visit based mostly on which cities could be related by helpful train journeys (or, at most, in a single day trains). But today, it’s comparatively low cost and simple to mix, say, Portugal, Poland, and Palermo on a single itinerary. Turning a want list right into a day-by-day itinerary in your European trip isn’t simply smart, it’s enjoyable. Filling in the blanks between the flight out and the flight home is among the extra pleasurable elements of trip planning. It’s armchair travel that turns into actual journey.

To be trustworthy, outside of the capital, there are fairly a number of of the most cost effective cities in Europe which might be based mostly in the Czech Republic. Just make sure to do your homework and go to extra regional cities. Airfare, after all, is dependent upon your origin, destination, and season of journey.

Sounds like your a seasoned travelled who has put lots of thought into planning the proper trip. You realise how a lot effort it takes to assemble the proper journey and how many steps are involved whenever you put all of it collectively like this. Great tip to plan in your nightlife and e-book tickets upfront based on how in style the activity is more likely to be.

How can I visit Europe in 10 days?

For many of us the answer is money. From high prices to strong currencies, Western Europe is one of the most expensive destinations on a U.S. traveler's roster. In fact, with just a little bit of knowhow you can see the continent for less than $100 per day.

All you have to do is ahead your journey affirmation emails to the service, and the app instantly creates a journey schedule for you. No extra having to piece issues together yourself. It’ll inform you exactly when you should be at your flight gate, when the automobile is ready to pick up from the rental place, and when you’re good to check in at your resort. It even retains on prime of your restaurant reservations. ,” Ed Perkins writes, “An agent is a giant help if you value your time.

For me, the enjoyment of an upcoming trip starts the moment I begin researching and planning for the trip. Planning our trips nicely does assist make the most of the money and time during the vacation. I hadn’t recognized about Get Your Guide until I read your post – will examine their website when we plan our subsequent getaway. Because I journey so much and I am used to the flow of placing collectively an itinerary, when somebody writes a publish like this, you then realise just how a lot goes into planning a visit. Great that you're also providing a planning guide for download.

As a special note, you don’t need to add any lettering or doodles! Just thought these had been fun to share for the holidays.

This doesn't essentially cost you more – commissions are usually taken from the whole value to you not as well as. Accordingly, if you use a travel agent, you are always in danger for there being one thing that might have been higher for you had you spent the time trying yourself. Sometimes the difference between a good vacation and a GREAT vacation is found within the little particulars. A travel agent does not really “know” you when creating a vacation itinerary. You shall be proud of a holiday itinerary and resorts that may not be excellent for you but hopefully, shut enough.

For those of you excited to start planning your next holiday immediately, please obtain your individual free pdf copy of my Planning Guide with an important steps highlighted. I always define a tough plan before I finalize something. This is essential for a few reasons.

Ibiza has now discovered a stunning steadiness for those looking to dance til daybreak and households on the lookout for a calming out summer season break. The big superclubs in Ibiza Old Town and San Antonio like Amnesia and Pacha are huge attracts for the youthful crowd. Or search for packages to Playa d’En Bossa for some nice beaches and bars. For households, attempt the waterpark Aguamar or hire some bikes from San Antonio if you want a break from the beach. If you wish to get away from it all, take a day journey by Ferry from Ibiza Town to tiny Formentera.

There might be resort charges, local taxes, or administrative prices, as well as costs for using a secure in your room or choosing premium liquor. Some resorts even carry an added insurance value for unescorted visitors younger than a sure age. You’ll want all those particulars hammered out earlier than booking.

Turning a wish listing into a day-by-day itinerary for your European vacation isn’t just sensible, it’s fun.

State Department travel advisories, and at present has none (that means a trip here is technically safer than visiting France as of 2019).

If you want parties, hit as many festivals, national holidays, and arts seasons as you can (or, when you hate crowds, learn the dates to keep away from).

The good news is that there are times of the yr—and even days of the week—when flying costs much less. Take advantage of online tools and apps which let you browse locations, map itineraries, and even get recommendation from friends or fellow travelers. Be certain crucial sights are open the day you’ll be in town. Remember that most cities shut a lot of their main vacationer points of interest for one day in the course of the week (normally Monday). It could be a shame to be in Paris only on a Tuesday, when the Louvre is fermé.

Days in Europe: 10 Amazing Itineraries

They can be extremely reasonably priced in many cities. My go-to web site for locating rental flats is Airbnb. Rental flats are an particularly good worth if you’re traveling with a number of individuals. There is a wide range of lodging options in Europe — from tremendous low-cost to tremendous expensive.

Hotel Riu Palace Mexico, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Circle your destinations on a map, then work out a logical geographical order and size for your trip. Pin down any places that you have to be on a sure date (and ask yourself if it’s actually value stifling your flexibility). Once you’ve settled on a list, be happy along with your environment friendly plan, and focus any more research and preparation solely on locations that fall along your proposed route.

We do have a guide to finding cheap flights to Europethat will help you get the most effective deal attainable. Most folks select to convey a backpack to Europe. We’ve compiled a listing of our favourite travel backpacksand created a guide on how to choose the right backpack. If you’re on a budget, ask your folks if they've an old backpack or consider buying used.

How do I plan a cheap vacation?

The Holiday Plan are a rock band from Hackney and Islington, London that split up in May 2005, but reformed in June 2006 (performing under a host of different names) Consisting of a bassist/vocalist Matt Rider, as well as two guitarists (Gary Jenkins and Blue Quinn) and drummer (Daniel Bodie), The Holiday Plan play

As you’ve probably realized, hurricanes are a menace here, so think about the time of yr that you simply’re planning on visiting for climate-related considerations. Don’t schedule your self too tightly (a typical tendency). Everyday chores, small business matters, transportation problems, constipation, and planning errors deserve about at some point of slack per week in your itinerary. If your journey is a protracted one, schedule a “trip from your vacation” in the middle of it.

Most journey agents are paid a commission from resorts, airlines or tour operators after they guide a client with them. Some resorts or tour operators pay more fee than others.

The north east is peaceful, with classic sleepy locations like Agni and Agios Stefanos. If you’re eager to get together in your summer season trip then in fact there’s the southern get together city of Kavos.

Of course, train the conventional precautions you'd when touring anywhere, though you’ll probably have no issues here. If you’re in search of a trip that’s free of the devastating potential of hurricanes, is extremely person friendly, and safe, look no additional than Aruba. It additionally has broad enchantment, drawing solo traveler, couples, households, and retirees.

[escapingreality1992]

Secret Pen Pals ch. 2

Keira's POV

My alarm went off at 8 a.m. sharp and I groaned as I scrunched up my face annoyed at the early hour. My hair fell in my face as I pushed myself up from lying on my stomach. Unfortunately, I couldn't go back to sleep because a client of mine was coming by to drop off her two golden retrievers to be watched for a week; She'd be here at 10 a.m. and I'd go over a couple things before having to leave the pups in the apartment two hours later in order to meet my friends for lunch.

An outward groan left my throat again, dreading the conversation I would have with them. If they had seen the advertisement for the pen pal event, I was sure that they'd have their own opinions about it. If they hadn't...well either way I planned to keep it a secret from them. I considered myself to be a romantic; to them, I'd be nothing more than a hopeless romantic, the idea that two people might fall in love through letters ridiculous in their minds.

My job was already a joke to them, a disappointing career to anyone close to me. The thing is I enjoyed what I did for a living. Dogs brought me joy to my life and today I planned on taking them for a swim at a local pool strictly for dogs. I released a content sigh thinking about it. In addition, I also wanted to stop by one of those unique specialty stores which sold anything from antiques to dolls, but more importantly the one I wanted to shop in had those instant Polaroid cameras. The reason behind this being that I had wrote Steve about sending him a picture of the coziness of my room, capturing the many blankets thrown across my bed.

Making a mental note to clean my room, I strode to the bathroom to take a shower in preparation for the day ahead of me. I let the hot water pour over my body, taking my time to cleanse it of the sweat that clung to it from the heat of the apartment. Fall came quick this year, meaning cooler nights and I had yet to make a thicker blanket to envelop me in warmth. Once finished with my usual routing in the shower, I stepped out into the coldness of the bathroom; I constantly let the fan run to avoid paint peeling off the walls from the steam that encased the entire room from the hot water. I wrapped a fluffy, light blue towel around my body - my arms and lower legs still exposed to the cool air - and ventured to the warm air of my bedroom.

Making my way to my closet, I chose an outfit consisting of a violet t-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers laying it across my unmade bed before grabbing undergarments from my dresser. Slipping those on, I dried my hair, leaving it slightly wet and pulling on the t-shirt and jeans before continuing the drying process. Since I had longer hair, it took a little while for it to get fully dry; I pulled it up in my usual ponytail and grabbed my current read and phone to sit on the couch while I waited for my client to arrive. At 10, a knock sounded at the my door, prompting me to put my bookmark in my book and set it aside to greet Andrea and Mark Peterson, the owners of the two golden retrievers; Jamie age 4 and Sherlock age 6.

"Good morning Keira. Thanks again for watching them. This trip to Paris is very important," Andrea greeted me. They were business partners who were trying to get word out for the wedding cakes they crafted from scratch. Andrea was a petite, 5'2" woman with honey blonde hair and brown eyes, while her husband stood at 6'3" with broad shoulders, dark hair and hazel eyes. They had no children apart from the dogs whom they sort of treated as such. They were humble and our first meeting involved picking out a cake for a friend's - well former friend's - wedding five years ago. They were a sweet couple and had seen my ad three weeks before that wedding, never needing to use my services until a month after; they went to travel to England for supplies for more extravagant decorations for their many delicious cakes. Now in the present, they became a regular client as their business continued to propel forward. They paid well, but it wasn't about the money for me. I loved taking care of each and every dog I watched.

"No problem. I enjoy having Jamie and Sherlock around. You said you were picking them up Saturday?" I told them, taking the leashes and walking the dogs to the couch, setting them loose once my apartment door was shut by Mark, who set down their dog bags.

"Can we pick up Sunday actually? Sunday night if possible. We'll be getting in pretty late Saturday and I have a feeling the jet lag is going to be horrendous," Andrea replied, pulling out her checkbook.

"Sunday is perfectly fine. Are you okay if I take them swimming? I'd be taking them to an indoor dog pool a few blocks from here,"

"Yes that sounds like a wonderful idea. I imagine they might enjoy that very much. If they stay until Sunday, how much more will that be?" Mark stated.

"Only 30 dollars more. Anything else I need to know about this week? Any questions about anything else?" I responded.

"30 dollars? Really? You know what, I'll give you a little more. I think 4000 should suffice," Andrea commented.

"Oh, but I only charge 2000 in most cases," I stated.

"We don't mind. You take care of them so often and so excellent that you deserve a big tip," Mark commented, smiling politely. I returned the smile and rubbed the head of Sherlock who had padded over to me and nudged the fingers of my right hand. Andrea ripped out the check and handed it to me, both owners waving goodbye to both goldens. My apartment door closed again and I turned to the pups.

"What do you say? Want to go for a walk before lunchtime?" I asked them. At this both dogs circled me jumping up to place their paws against my body.

"Okay, okay. First you two have to sit and wait so I can hook up your leashes," I told them, slipping on my sneakers. I grabbed a few poop bags, leashes and keys in the other hand before going outside for a walk. While walking, I couldn't help but wonder what Steve was up to at this very moment.

Steve's POV

Another 5 a.m. run, another training session, and another debriefing on the latest threat. That's how my day began. Not at all exciting, especially with debriefing, which wasn't even about a threat at all. It ended up being a report about the last enemy we defeated, a couple of paranormal entities, which we had to enlist Stephen Strange's help with. What followed the report was Tony discussing plans for an upcoming benefit we had to attend. As he droned on, I found myself aimlessly drawing on a piece of printer paper to stave off my boredom. Well, at least, I'll have something to send to Keira, I thought, focusing on the curvature of a ball of yarn I drew. Funny, I'm letting details of her first letter influence my sketches. Weird how it happened, I thought, a small smile creeping on my lips.

"What do you think Cap?" Tony's voice cut into my concentration.

"About what?" I answered, not even looking up, too involved in sketching out a dog's paw.

"I thought about showing up in my birthday suit and dancing all night," he stated. My pencil froze and I glanced up to see Tony grinning in pure amusement.

"I'm only joking. The theme, Steve, would be dark tones. Not necessarily black tie but shades of gray, black, maybe even white," he stated.

"No white. If you served red wine or colorful cocktails, there would be obvious stains should you spill anything on yourself. Shades of gray? Like the movies? Isn't that a little inappropriate?" I told him, my hand itching to get back to my drawing. Snorts of laughter went around the room as my friends glanced at each other.

"No, not the movies. The benefit is supposed to be formal. I didn't want it to be black tie again," Tony answered.

"Oh, alright. What is this for? Remind me,"

"Saving the world from total destruction and as it turns out paranormal beings. We're giving back to the community as well," Tony explained.

"Of course with a huge donation on your end," Natasha commented.

"We work hard and Stark Industries is doing pretty well in the technology department,"

"Maybe Strange is right. I don't see how that ego fits in..."

I barely registered Nat's entire quip at Tony, resuming my drawing as they bickered back and forth.

"You know Nat and Wanda could be having sex on the table right in front of us and you wouldn't notice. What's got you all distracted?" Bucky asked me, getting my attention by waving a hand in front of my face.

"Nothing. I hate these kind of debriefings. They're important but I find them dull and boring. At least the ones with missions have more excitement," I responded, flipping the pencil to use the eraser, correcting a mistake I made with the dog's body.

"Nothing? Seems like it's something since you've become super quiet. You must be really bored if you're drawing. What is it this time? More monkeys?" Bucky stated. He leaned over to see and I immediately moved another sheet over it to block his view.

"No. It's not finished. I'd rather not let anyone see it right now," I said, causing him to furrow his brows.

"What is it for anyway?"

"No one...I mean, it's not for anything. You know how I get when I'm bored. I doodle things instead of letting sleep take over. Especially in this meeting," I stated, a slight panic coming over me at revealing my pen pal. It's not like I didn't want to tell him but I didn't want anyone to poke fun at the idea. My friends wouldn't judge but I couldn't have them deter me from the exchange anyway. Plus, I wanted someone to talk to - write in this case - about anything I felt like. I wanted to have someone to interact with that wasn't involved in my world. Although I still had a recurring though of Keira already knowing who I am, though re-reading the letter it seemed like she didn't. If she did...maybe she hadn't revealed that fact yet, afraid to drive me away when she could have me to herself. Shaking my head, I tried to shove it away from my mind. Relax, Steve. Have some faith in this girl, I thought. Turning my attention to my best friend, I managed a small smile.

"Honestly it's a silly drawing. I wouldn't worry about it. I don't mean to be secretive about the beginnings of the sketch but I want to make sure it's perfect before I show anyone," I told him.

"That's understandable. That being said, are you sure nothing else is on your mind?"

"I'm sure, Buck. Thanks for your concern," I stated.

"That's a wrap everyone. On your way out of the room, grab a packet so you can review details of the benefit later this week," Tony informed us.

"This week? I thought it was next week," I commented, inwardly groaning.

"If you had been paying attention, you would have already known it's happening this week. Why the long face Cap? Afraid you can't get a date?" Tony mocked me. I frowned, standing up to approach the table where our packets lay.

"I'm not going with anyone. I forgot to purchase a suit to match the colors of this benefit. If you'll excuse me, I must go out and do so. Especially if I'm to be presentable for your taste," I remarked, almost hissing the last part. Tony and I had a different relationship, agreeing on some things, disagreeing on most. Today happened to be a day where the littlest of things could set me off. I could admit stress definitely was a factor, the only thing calming my mood being my pen pal and the eagerness of sending another letter growing in my heart. I picked up the packet, walking out in as much a calm manner as possible. I retreated to my room to place the packet on my desk before venturing out to a department store in order to pick up a suit for the benefit a few days later. After trying on a few suits and deciding on a charcoal gray suit with a tie that matched it, I chose to stop by a small jewelry store and purchased a birthday gift worthy for Keira. Unaware to me, Keira happened to be in the same area eating lunch; our paths wouldn't cross with each other on this day. I returned home to finish the small drawing of a dog playing with a ball of yarn and began constructing another letter for her.

Keira's POV

The golden retrievers and I returned from the walk tired and hungry; I also had sweat that accumulated on various parts of my body, deciding that I needed to take a final shower before meeting my friends. I set out bowls of dog food for Jamie and Sherlock before taking said shower, quickly going through the routine and drying off. I changed into a dark green, long sleeve blouse and black trousers remembering the restaurant we were going to was really nice. Not an overly expensive one you could see the elite dining in but one in which the prices were in a medium range. Pulling on a pair of heels that matched my blouse, I made sure my furry companions had water, giving them both a treat before heading out for lunch with my friends. Since the restaurant wasn't too far from my apartment, I decided to walk to it instead of taking a cab, the subway station out of the question being on the opposite side of where I needed to go. As usual, I ended up being 15 minutes early having to wait on the other three women to arrive. Thankfully, I always carried a book everywhere I went; the current read being about magic and wizards, the genre of fantasy drawing me into its fascinating world.

"Why is it whenever we meet up, you manage to have your nose in a book?" a voice interrupted my reading. The next to arrive was Charlotte Mathers with her red pixie cut, long legs, and green eyes. She enjoyed her job, which happened to be a general manager at a high end retail store. She got paid well, enough to live near Central Park in an amazing, huge, studio apartment, plus she had been born into a family that had a little more money than the average middle class. I smiled, trying not to be annoyed with her comment.

"Well Charlotte, I enjoy reading instead of having my face rooted to my phone," I answered her. Like she even heard me, her face locked onto her phone...this being a normal habit of hers.

"She never escapes from her fantastical world. How have you been Keira?" another voice stated. Oh good. Of course, Lena would be the next to get here, I thought. A woman with long blonde hair, a petite figure that mirrored mine and blue eyes was an accurate description of Lena Morrow. Lena had a job as a receptionist to a law firm. It was rare that she could out to lunch and we enjoyed her company whenever possible. She stayed busy exactly like Jana Elliot, who was the last to arrive. Jana was a nurse which is her schedule almost never matched Charlotte's and mine.

"I'm good Lena. I've got two dogs to watch this week which is pretty cool," I responded to the question, catching Jana's eyes as she walked in.

"Didn't you have one last week? What is it with you and babysitting dogs? It can't pay all that well," Jana greeted us.

"It pays pretty well actually. I keep getting requests from a lot of people who don't mind paying a lot. Plus, I charge 2000 for an entire week. Though for a few days it's only about 1500," I explained.

"Yeah, but you must not have enough to live anywhere nice," Lena commented.

"I live in Brooklyn. It's nice enough and save most of what I earn. Not to mention people give me tips after I watch their dogs. I even charge a little extra for training them if they need it. Sometimes I have the same dog or dogs for two weeks which gets me a lot of money," I stated.

"You're still earning money from doing book reviews right? What do they pay? 1300 per review?" Charlotte asked, looking up from her phone for the first time since she got here.

"Yes. It's more like 1500. Enough talk about my income. I'm hungry," I stated, feeling all the judgment from my friends. I loved them but there time I wondered why they bothered hanging out with me. Their comments seemed to get worse every time we met up, but I didn't want to seem like a hermit staying in my apartment, so I put up with it. They didn't bother me too much; occasionally someone would say something that rooted in me and stung a little but I never showed it until I got back to my apartment. We were seated and ordered spinach artichoke dip as an appetizer until we figured out what to have as a main course. Looking over the menu, I decided to go with a tuna poke, Lena, went with steak, Charlotte chose a salad and Jana went with a club sandwich.

"Did anyone see that advert in the bookstore downtown? An event for pen pals. Sounds ridiculous if you ask me," Charlotte said. My blood froze as Jana and Lena both nodded.

"Who would e-mail a complete stranger? What do they expect will happen? Someone falls in love with another person. Not likely," Lena replied.

"I heard it's supposed to be handwritten letters instead of e-mailing one another," I commented, nervously wringing my hands under the table.

"Oh good. Nothing like going back in time. I wonder if they had anyone sign up. Or maybe if they had any of the Avengers sign up," Lena continued, a scowl on her face.

"Maybe some might say it sounds kind of romantic. Having a connection with someone through letters of course. It doesn't have to be romance though. Some people could meet new friends," I stated. The three of them turned to glance at me; if I hadn't been judged before, then their expression certainly had judgment clearly etched out on their features.

"Did you sign up? You've always been a hopeless romantic. Sweetie, you should go out and meet someone real, not write to someone you can't even see," Jana suggested.

"No. I missed the deadline. As for meeting someone while I go out, it hasn't really worked for me," I snapped. Their eyebrows raised at the anger in my tone and decided to drop the subject. It was a quiet lunch, not much to say; I suppose my annoyance at them prevented anyone from speaking and for the first time I was happy to leave one of our outings.

Returning to my apartment, the retrievers greeted me by letting me scratch their heads, following me around while I prepared for our appointment at the dog pool. I changed into a black one piece, throwing on athletic shorts and a tank top with flip flops and leashed the dogs before exiting my home. This time, I loaded them in car and drove to midtown Manhattan, parking in the garage of the pool building, taking the elevator down to the pool. We would be the only ones there and I could eliminate the lunch from my mind as I swam around with Jamie and Sherlock. I had unleashed them and let them jump in while I pulled off my shorts and tank top, joining them immediately. We stayed there for two hours, swimming and playing, the tension I had melting away.

Packing up at the end of our session, I remembered to stop by the specialty shop that sold the Polaroid cameras for the purpose of keeping an old-fashioned theme to my letters. The shop in particular, accurately named Unique Peculiarities, allowed pets so I toted Jamie and Sherlock inside, browsing the various colors of the cameras, selecting a royal blue one and grabbing some film to prepare for my idea. I returned home and let the pups do their business before letting them loose in my apartment. I set to cleaning up and arranged my blankets in such a way to capture the coziness. I decided at the last minute to snap a picture of my bookshelves and added one of favorite books, Pride and Prejudice, for another picture. Once I got the pictures out the way, I sat down to construct another letter to Steve.

Four Days Later

Steve's POV

I spent most of the week preparing for the benefit and when it came, I still felt like something was missing, or rather someone. Maybe I was lonely and desired a companionship. Even now as I looked around at my friends, I wanted someone to hold, to kiss, to love. Most of my friends had someone; Natasha had Wanda - a surprise to all of us but we supported it - Tony had Pepper, Thor had Jane. The rest of us remained single but I couldn't help but to dream of having someone to care for. I didn't know if Keira would be the one for me. I hadn't even met the woman but still imagined what it'd be like with her.

"Can I get a beer please?" I asked the bartender, sitting down on the stools contemplating my decisions in life. I spent most days avenging the world and missed out on several opportunities to be fixed up on a date. Natasha had tried many times a few years ago but I rejected them all, set on working on missions. There was a brief relationship with Sharon Carter but it fell through pretty quickly and now I regretted not taking more chances with dating someone.

"Everything all right? You seem a bit down," Natasha's voice interrupted my thoughts as I sipped on my beer. I turned, managing a small grin.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking about some things,"

"Relationships you mean. What? I know you too well. Besides, I've been watching you tonight. You look at the couples and there's a hint of sadness in your eyes. Why don't you ask someone out?" she commented.

"I don't know. Sure, I'd like to date but the people I'm around are caught up in this world, avenging it and I don't want someone in the same line of work. I'd like to come home to some who can take my mind off this job. Other people see me as Captain America, not Steve Rogers. It's hard most days, seeing happiness of those around me when I can't provide it for myself,"

"Who knows? Maybe it'll happen to you one day. Don't give up hope,"

"Thanks Natasha," I told her. As the night died down, I wandered outside to get a breath of fresh air, hands in my pockets, the cool breeze of Autumn ruffling my hair. I reached the end of the drive and stopped by the mailbox. Mailbox. We haven't checked it in the last few days, I thought. Keira's name flashed across my mind as I opened the metal box and pulled out a stack of mail. I rifled through it on the way back to the compound. I was back inside the building when I saw it, the letter addressed to me. I set down the other mail on the coffee table and disappeared into my room, my fingers quickly opening the thick packaging of the envelope. I sat down on my bed, unfolding the letter, three Polaroid pictures facing me. One featured a bed with a multitude of colorful knitted blankets, the thickness of the material making me want to bury my body among them. The second picture had a view of three large bookshelves filled to the brim with all sorts of books ranging from fiction to nonfiction to young adult books. At the bottom of the Polaroid she had written - in Sharpie - 'Can you tell I'm a book collector?' followed by a winking face next to the question. A smile crept onto my lips as I picked up the final picture featuring Pride and Prejudice. The the end she had written 'My all time favorite.' Putting the pictures to the side, I began reading, kicking off my shoes and lying back on the sheets.

Steve,

As promised, I've sent you a picture of my cozy blankets. Don't they make you want to climb under them? They're ones for fall but there are more that I'm creating for winter. Definitely needing to stay warm, especially in this city. As a bonus, I've sent you a picture of bookshelves and one of my all time favorite book. I know, these are Polaroids but I thought it'd be kind of interesting to keep an nostalgic theme going here.

Pride and Prejudice is one story I've falling in love with ever since the eighth grade. I love the dynamic between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy and the love that happened to always be there. I read it every Christmas curled up in bed or on the couch, a cup of hot chocolate, or tea, in my hand. The blankets surrounding me of course. You'd think after a few years of living here, I'd be used to the cold, but I'm still a southern girl at heart and desire warmth.

In my last letter, I realized I forgot to tell you I'm originally from North Carolina. Greensboro to be exact. When I used to live there, we had crazy weather too, one day it'd be hot as blazes, the next cool and comfortable. During the winter, we'd freeze, not used to it. My parents still live there of course, but we don't get to visit each other much. I miss them and I'll be visiting the some time next month and for Christmas, so if you get a letter from North Carolina, that'll be why.

Currently, I'm watching two golden retrievers named Jamie and Sherlock. We went swimming earlier and as I'm write this, my hair is still a tangled, wet mess. I hope wherever you are, you're having a good day. I was until I met up with a couple friends of mine. I think I've mentioned I'm a total romantic. If not, then now you know.

Well that makes two of us, I thought. She already had me wanting to cozy up in that bed as well since I already viewed the picture. The only difference being I wanted to be under there with her. It's only the second letter. Am I starting to crush on her already?  Another thought popped up in my head as I continued reading.

Anyway, they saw the advertisement for this event and seemed to think it ridiculous. I rather think this is unique, a great opportunity to connect. Maybe all this could be is a friendship but maybe somewhere out there it could give someone to love. Is it silly? Maybe not ideal? Perhaps, but you never know. Things could miraculously happen.

No, it's not silly. I love the way your mind works,  I thought. I sat up to remove my jacket and tie picking up the letter again, settling back on the pillows.

If that wasn't bad enough, they sought out to judge me on my job. They don't think it pays well but you'd be surprised at the amount of people who request me to watch their dogs. Sometimes they also pay to have me train them. Not to mention a side job (which I forgot to mention last time) as a book reviewer. Apparently in this city, it pays well and it's a lot of fun.

The only things that calmed me today was the pool time with the pups and knowing I could come back write to you. I wish that we have met already; I desperately need a hug at the moment. For the time being, I'll just hold the goldens close and pet them. Maybe next week will be better. It'll be my birthday after all. Nothing can go wrong on your birthday.

Sorry for the complaining but I needed to get it off my chest and my mind. Writing and talking is the best way I know how to do just that and since I can't talk to anyone about this, writing to you seems to be my only option. It's the best option, trust me.

Looking forward to your letter,

Keira

I ran my fingers over her name, a longing in my heart starting to grow. I would've wrapped her in a hug so warm she'd never feel sad again. I sighed, getting up and placing the letter and the Polaroids in a box I set aside for this very purpose. I stripped out the rest of the suit, except for my boxers and turned off the lights in my room. I slipped into the warmth of my bed and fell into dreams of one day meeting Keira.

Keira's POV

My week with Jamie and Sherlock wasn't over yet. I spent more time sitting on the couch reading, taking them out on walks or just to their business when they needed it. We went swimming two more days and I collected the mail, letting it pile up, not checking it because I got busy training the pups a few times during the week. Today my phone rang while I sat on the couch, Sherlock in my lap, Jamie on the other end sleeping.

"Hello?" I answered, not checking the ID.

"Keira, it's Andrea. We need to stay another three days in Europe. We've been requested to head to London to check on the shop there. Are you okay to watch Jamie and Sherlock for a little longer?" Mrs. Peterson greeted me.

"Yeah, no problem. I don't have any other dogs coming until next Saturday," I told her her pushing my stack of mail over to get to my calendar. I marked down Jamie and Sherlock until the Wednesday coming up. The pile tipped over, spilling to the floor and I sighed, bending down to pick up the envelopes that fell; my hands paused when I saw the new letter from Steve.

"Great. We'll pay you when we get back. is an extra 3000 okay with you?" she commented.

"Uh huh. Sounds good. Have a safe trip," I said, ending the call and standing up. I hastily threw the other envelopes I picked up back on the kitchen counter, returning to the couch. I ripped open the envelope pulling out a sheet of notebook paper, unfolding it and started reading.

Keira,

I just finished up picking out a suit for a benefit I have to attend later this week. I forgot all about it until one of my friends told me about it during a meeting today. This meeting was dull and boring, not exciting like others. In the other letter you sent, you wanted to know a favorite memory of mine. I don't have many but I always remember the one when my best friend made me ride on a roller coaster at Coney Island which made me throw up. Gross, I know, but it's the one that comes to mind first. That and the engagement of another friend of mine. He had never been happier than in that moment. Another thing about me is something we both have in common. Reading is a favorite thing I love to do. Other than drawing. Speaking of, I sent you a drawing this time. I mentioned I doodle when I'm bored. So, this took place during the meeting.

I stopped briefly to pull out the piece of paper that got stuck in the envelope. I unfolded it and smiled at the pictured of a realistic looking dog pawing around a ball of yarn. He was definitely talented, the details standing out and catching the eye. I looked back to the letter and continued to read.

It's not much but it made me think of you. Your job sounds interesting and I'm pleased you're following your passion. Now, things I like to do for fun besides reading and drawing are going out with my friends to a bar. We tend to have a good time. I like running and going to the movies, even though I'm behind on a lot of them. I love the smell of coffee in the morning and the smell of rain whenever I go out in it. The rain is almost tranquil and I feel I can escape among those tiny droplets. You should see my mood during a thunderstorm. I'm very calm throughout it. I love watching the lightning in the dark with the curtains drawn.

Oh, we'd definitely get along then, I thought, touching my free fingers to my lips.

The description of your blankets makes me want a creation of yours. No pressure though. We're still strangers after all. Your description of yourself, however, makes me want to see that lovely face. You're beautiful, though I haven't seen you yet. If we ever get to the point where we'd want to see each other in person, I know I'd have my breath taken away. That's only my opinion though. I hope this benefit goes well. I'm not going with anyone but sometimes I get this lonely feeling. I want someone to hold and to love but I haven't found the right person yet and the people I'm around are in my line of work. I;d love to come home to someone who doesn't deal with the same things I do. I would love someone who could pull me from it, to distract me from it, if only for a few hours.

I don't mean to sound sad but I feel as though I can tell you anything and not get judged for it or at least not pushed into anything. This a good way to open up indeed. To tell someone about things you wouldn't normally share with even your closest friends. I want to hear more from you. Your favorite movie? Your ideal date? Your ideal day? Maybe your favorite memory? Anything. Everything. I hope the drawing brought you joy today.

Write to you soon,

Steve

My smile spread wider at the words on the paper. A thought popped in my mind that very instant. The thought being that I might start to like him only not in a friendship way. Though the friendship was off to a good start, other feelings began to dance around in my heart. Try not to fall in love with him yet. It's too early for that, I thought to myself. I folded up the letter and the drawing, sliding them into the envelope carefully and set it aside, continuing my book well into the late night, Steve on my mind. I made a mental note to get a frame for the drawing as I got up from the couch, allowing both dogs to join me in my bedroom. I changed into pajamas and slid under the coziness of my sheets, drifting off into dreamland.

[likethetailofacomet]

What Friends Are For

Author’s Note: I was going to skip over this chapter, but then as I was writing it, it gave me warm feels thinking about what an amazing thing a friend can be in your life. Claire has had a rough go of things, and I wanted to make sure that she had some people she could count on, so, here we are. This might be a personal piece, you might not find it necessary, but i promise more action and CERTAINLY more steam in the next chapter. 

No warnings, just pure friend love. :) 

tagging: @sleepwalkingelite @zaffrenotes @notoriouscs @gardeningourmet @natalievgoodehenry @nekkidmolerat @ooo-barff-ooo  if you would like to be added please let me know! 

After the hustle and bustle of her first few days in Cordonia, Claire was glad to have some time to herself this week in between events. The races had been Tuesday, and although they had started early in the afternoon, and the last race had concluded by 3pm, the tea party and festivities that followed went well into the evening. Claire hadn’t gotten back that night until nearly midnight, and had slept most of the next morning away; the jet lag, adrenaline and excitement finally wearing her down. It was Thursday afternoon now, and Claire was relaxing in her room curled up in the window seat with a notebook and pen, doodling and writing while music played from the phone in her lap and rain lightly tapped on the window panes. She smiled to herself, sinking a little more into the cushioned seat, as she thought about where she’d normally be right about now: in the bar cooler, mopping out all the spilled beer around the kegs and hauling six packs and crates from the stock room. Instead she was resting up and turning in early before the long trek to Lythikos in the morning.

The phone in her lap glowed and buzzed and she nearly fell out of the window seat as she threw her notebook aside to answer it. She'd been waiting for this chance since she got home from the races on Tuesday. She'd even blocked time off from Maxwell and Bertrand's rigorous etiquette training, which she'd agreed to as even though she wasn't trying to win Liam's heart, fuck, still have to have that chat with Max..., she didn't want to make a fool out of herself at every dinner and ball for the next three months. They'd protested at first, of course, but she'd furrowed her eyebrows at them and set them with the look that she used to give customers when they were getting out of line and, not unlike her patrons at the bar, it had worked.

“Hello? Daniel?” she answered the phone with a big, dumb grin.

“Hey! There's my world traveler! I have so, so, so many questions!”

Claire laughed, bringing her free hand up to her forehead. “You and me both, Dan. Are you on your 15 or did you just run out on a fake smoke break? How much time do you have?”

“I'm on my 15 so don't hold back,” he answered.

“Okay, well I'm going to start by making the long story short, and that's this: I am stupidly, definitely, and completely falling for this grumpy, impossible to read, Cordonian guy and I don't think there's anything I can do about it.” She let out a breath. “I mean, I got on a plane and crossed an ocean to come after this guy that I met one time, under the guise of freaking competing for a chance to marry the crown freaking prince. That's got to be the craziest thing anyone's ever done! I mean, right? I'm nuts, right? I am.”

Daniel laughed. “You know what, maybe. But, hey!” she was trying to cut him off. He laughed over her. “No! Hey! Let me finish!” he said and she obliged. “As I was saying before being so rudely interrupted, maybe it's not crazy.”

“Okay, you know what, you are supposed to be the voice of reason here, Dan.” she was feigning disappointment with his reaction.

“Well, maybe I'm tired of being the cynical sidekick. Maybe it's time my cold, black, coffee fueled heart learned to let love in. I'm trying baby steps here by being supportive of your insanity.” she could hear the sarcastic smirk in his voice, even though she knew he was being serious.

“Well alert the presses that the jaded Mr. Quinn has grown a soul, ladies and gents!” she teased. She was glad though, if this was truly how Daniel felt. He'd always been closed off about relationships, never really getting close to anyone, just like her. It was time for both of them to try for something solid, even if it felt a little crazy.

“Ha, ha, ha. If you were here right now I'd chuck an ice cube at you. So tell me about this fairy tale guy of yours.”

Claire rolled her eyes, hoping he could tell. “Well he's hardly a fairy tale, I mean, this is still me we're talking about here, so he's rough around the edges and snarky...but...” she trailed off and felt heat rush throughout her as she thought of the two kisses that they'd shared, the second with almost double the intensity of the first.

“But what? Don't leave me hanging here?”

“But he is the best fucking kisser in the world. Daniel, I swear to any and all gods it's true.”

Daniel burst out laughing. “Well hey there's a perk!”

“And there's something else too...it's like I feel drawn to him. Almost like I feel like I already know him...it's...intense. Kinda scary...” it was, if she was being honest with herself. As much as she was soaring from the way their lips had met and the way his body had felt so close to hers, she was terrified. The last time she'd thought she'd felt this way about someone was with Alex, and she'd never been more wrong about anything in her life.

Sensing what she was feeling as if there weren't 7 hours and thousands of miles between them. “Claire, scary how? Scary like Alex?” she heard the concern in his voice, and rightfully so. He'd dealt with Alex for as long as she had.

“No,” she said firmly, truly believing that Drake wasn't an abusive man. “I just mean...what if I'm wrong and my heart ends up broken, but it's broken because I flung it out the window of a private jet while we were cruising at altitude?”

“Claire.” he said her name with finality and it broke her out of her spiral. “Stop. Just...trust yourself okay? You are the bravest person I know. Trust in that.”

She leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the window. “Thanks, Daniel,” she whispered. He always knew what she needed to hear. Then, something he'd said went off in her head like a trigger. “Hey, by the way...you mentioned Alex...”

There was silence on the other end. Finally, Daniel's voice came back, resolute, “I know. Today was his probationary hearing. He's out.”

“Hey, just, be careful, okay? Just...if that psycho even comes near you just...” she had started shaking without noticing.

“I will.” he promised, and it wasn't enough to erase her fears, but she knew it was all she was getting. She was glad that

“Okay.”

“Okay. Enough about that scumbag. What's next for you over in wonderland?”

“It's Cordonia,”she said, knowing full well that she'd mentioned the country's name at least six times to him since she'd left New York, “and we're going to a place called Lythikos tomorrow, this super serious duchess named Olivia is hosting.”

“And is your dream man going?”

“I'm regretting telling you anything. Yes, Drake is going.” she felt her heart grow warm just saying that out loud.

“Well kid, have a great time. I have to get going. New girl's probably crashing and burning in there.” she could hear him smirking.

“Yeah, get back in there and save the day,” she played along. “But hey, thanks for calling. I miss you.”

“Don't mention it, Claire. You know I'm here for you no matter what.”

“I know. No matter what.”

They said good bye and Claire picked up the notebook and pen that she'd cast aside when Daniel's phone call had come in. Black ink flowers scrawled across the top of the page, her thoughts poured out below them. Stretching and yawning she moved to the foot of the bed where Maxwell had dropped off a packed bag for her trip to Lythikos; apparently it was in the far reaches of the North, in a mountain range that had year ‘round snow, so the bag included warm scarves, a coat and boots. She tucked the journal into the bag so that she’d have it with her; she always had it with her. She’d begun journaling after her mother passed away as a way to get her thoughts out of her head so they couldn’t fester in there. It helped a little, but as she suspected, some things, some thoughts, were more difficult to remove. She’d tried to write down every confusing, exciting and terrifying thought or feeling that she’d had about Drake, about coming to Cordonia…about Alex, but there were plenty still rolling around in there, even after her chat with Daniel.

A knock on her door made her jump; aside from Maxwell, and as of this morning his brother Bertrand, no one came knocking on her door. She slid her feet into her slippers and padded over to the door. Opening it, she was surprised to see the smiling face of Lady Hana.

“Hi, Lady Claire,” she beamed.

“Hi, Hana, please like I’ve been telling everyone, drop the ‘lady.’” She smiled warmly and saw her smile reflected back from Hana.

“You can do the same with me,” she responded. “Proper etiquette can certainly feel impersonal, can’t it?”

Claire nodded. “Yes. And in my case, also highly unnecessary. Would you like to come in?” She moved aside and allowed Hana into her room.

“Thank you,” she floated in, her pink dress flowing about her ankles. Claire looked down at her own dressed down appearance; grey sweat pants and an oversized t shirt that said “I <3 NY Bagels”. She internally noted for the 10,000th time how odd it was that she’d ended up here.  

“So, what brings you by, Hana?” Claire asked, shutting the door behind her as Hana took a seat on the bench at the foot of the bed.

“Oh! I really don’t want to bother you, I-“her eyes widened.

“It’s no bother, Hana, I wouldn’t have let you in if I didn’t want to.”

The look on Hana’s face made it clear that she had no idea what it was like to only do things that you wanted. Claire felt a pang of pity for Hana and all of the ladies at court in this regard. “Oh, well, in that case, thank you!” she squeaked. She hesitated, running the gauzy top layer of fabric from her dress through her fingers. Claire came and took a seat next to her. “So, I…I feel like I can trust you, Claire. I feel like you’re…different from the rest of them.”

“I am, and you can. I’m Irish; I can keep a secret and hold a grudge.” She winked. “And honestly, I feel the same way about you. Something just told me we’d be friends. I don’t have many friends…none, really, aside from my friend Dan back home, but he’s more like an annoying twin brother than a friend really… anyway, my point is,” she softened her voice and gave Hana a comforting look, “I’d like it if we could be friends. This whole thing, this place,” she gestured generally at her surroundings, “can be a lot on your own.” Wanting friends? What is this place doing to me? Claire mused.

Hana’s look of appreciation could not be more apparent. “It really can,” she sighed, “especially when…” her eyes went to the door as if double checking that it was indeed closed. “Especially when you have no interest in courting the prince, but your family has pinned all of their hopes to you doing just that.”

“Oh, Hana, you couldn’t have known but you came to the exact right person…Er, not about the parents thing… that’s a pressure that I’ll never know.” Claire felt a twinge of heartache thinking about her parents, but decided that Hana could learn about them another day. “But, if I’m being honest, I’m not here for Liam, either.” Claire went on to share with Hana her feelings for Drake and everything that had transpired between them since she’d gotten here. Hana confided in Claire about the pressures that her parents had heaped upon her, as well as the biggest secret that she’d ever kept from them; Hana was a lesbian.

“Listen, Hana, You are who you are, and you love who you love. Your parents can’t change that no matter how hard they try, so my advice is don’t change for them. I’m here for you, and I’m sure if you spoke honestly with Liam about it, he would understand- if you’re ready to, of course.”

Hana sighed. “Thanks, Claire. I’m not sure what I’m ready for. It took me two days to get the confidence to talk to you about it. I just…I know that you come from the real world and that you’d understand. Even if no one else does…I just needed one person to understand.” She looked down at her lap.

“Hey, you know what? Let’s have a girl’s night. It’s been a million years since I’ve had anyone that I wanted to have a girl’s night with, and I can’t think of a better time.”

Hana perked up. “That…sounds fun. What is a girl’s night?”

Claire got up and opened the large cabinet across from the bed to reveal a T.V. She took the big , fluffy blanket from the window seat and spread it out on the bed. Sitting on the bed, she patted the mattress next to her and Hana jumped up to sit with her. “This is a girl’s night,” she said, flicking the television on, changing the channels until she found a sappy romantic movie. “We are going to watch this movie and talk about embarrassing crap and about crushes and you’re going to braid my hair, and I’m going to paint your nails.”

Hana beamed and, without warning, threw her thin arms around Claire and hugged tightly. “Claire, you might very well be my first real girl friend.”

Claire considered her words for a moment. Suddenly overcome with emotion, she choked back a tear. “You are definitely mine,” she said, truthfully.

The night passed in giggles and tears, secrets shared and embarrassing moments revealed. After the third movie they’d both fallen asleep sprawled out on Claire’s bed. Tomorrow would be a day full of travel capped off with their arrival at the standoffish Duchess Olivia’s home and more structured courtly events and rules to follow, but tonight was a night of friendship; a night that Claire and Hana had been denied for far too long.

[housecity101]

*punches my entire house into bits*

FINALLY.

After nearly two to three weeks of sketching, coloring, and patience, I have finally completed my new Pokemon Kalos doodle project :D!

Apologies for the wait though, but I’m sure none of you guys even expected this to happen.

I actually started off since late September and wanted to finish it that time, but then I kept planning it out until all the way into Columbus Day weekend, where I wanted to post the entire thing on Columbus Day, but I almost forgot to finish. So I had to wait until my extra day off today to finish the last doodle! So no more waiting guys, this is the final project :D!

Okay, so thanks to my new love for Greninja and my nostalgic tastes for the franchise, it made me join the Pokemon fandom once again! I am hopefully planning on getting the recent soon! I hope to get X and Y first before Sun and Moon since apparently, Kalos is actually my favorite region next to Unova and Johto. And because of that, I was thinking about what it would be like if I had my own traveling companions, like Ash had in the anime. So, I thought about it and did some sketches to make my final result!

This is pretty much my own OCs, who are all friends and are traveling throughout Kalos together. Each of them have their own goals in order:

Angela: Based off of me! Only that my name isn’t really Angela, so XD. Simply wants to beat the Kalos League and maybe someday become Champion. Angela has just started on her journey and is pretty much a rookie so far. Though she’s not skilled just yet, she slowly learns how to train her Pokemon better and learns how to develop strategies.

Richard: To follow his father’s dreams in becoming a Pokemon Coordinator, but since Performers are available instead, he decides to become one. Unfortunately, it’s a girls-only contest, so he’ll think of something (more on him later)

Victoria: She doesn’t even know what she wants to be actually. She keeps thinking of what Trainer Class she should take, but has no clue at all. However, since she has been following all of the maps around Kalos and is an expert in the regional locations, she decides to learn how to become a Pokemon Geographer to put her geography skills to the test.

This is a complete AU from the anime entirely. Though there are a few things added in here, like the Pokemon Showcase and the Kalos League competition, but only a little different. I haven’t watched Pokemon in a long while, but since many people have said that the XY anime is really that good (and also because of the badass that is Greninja), I would have to watch more of it just to gain some ideas in developing my AU. But however, I’m mostly going to play the X and Y games more often, but I’ll see what I can do.

Now this article is getting long, so let me say a few pointers that were in development, but was scrapped instead:

Originally, the entire AU was going to take place in Johto. I was actually going with it at first, but soon i decided to change it to Kalos later on.

Additionally, I was at first going to make Angela, Richard, and Victoria all born in Johto from their childhood before moving to Kalos years later to meet up again. But that was scrapped. I then decided to do the same in Kalos, will all of them meeting in their childhood before seeing each other again years later. But again that was scrapped. And now, only Victoria is from Johto become traveling to Kalos.

Victoria was originally named Valeria, but that name’s already taken so I chose Victoria instead.

I wanted the sketches to be drawn more akin to the beloved Pokemon art style. I actually followed many tutorials online and the results were not that bad actually, but I decided to go with my well-known art style instead. It just makes things more easier.

Now it was difficult in making Fennekin Richard’s starter, since he is going to be a Performer, and I DO NOT want to make it a complete copy of Serena’s plot. And I even wanted Fennekin and Angela’s Froakie to develop a romance as well! So I had two options: 1. Make Fennekin Angela’s starter instead and make Chespin Richard’s starter. Victoria would have Froakie. 2. Have Angela keep both Froakie AND Fennekin together. But there’s no way in hell am I gonna let Angie have two starters on her team! Ash may have been able to accomplish this before on numerous occassions, but the rule is, you must only have one starter, well in my eyes! It was very difficult for me to choose so I decided to keep Fennekin to Richard instead.

Bonus stuff:

Angela’s Froakie is kinda different from the Froakie we know and love from the anime. He can be pretty silent and loyal, but most of the time, he can be very playful, and will always ask for sweets from Angela. Yeah, he REALLY loves sweets. Just like Pikachu, he rather stays outside of his Poke Ball, most of the time, he feels comfortable inside Angela’s backpack.

Each of the trio gets only ONE rival. I actually thought of giving Angela or Richard like maybe two or three, but then I get flashbacks from the Black and White anime, so yeah, only one, were going by my rules. Don’t worry, I will fix that soon.

The two will get three or four Pokemon similar to the chosen Pokes of the XY team of the anime. I’m not sure yet, but for now, Angela gets a Fletchling, Richard may get a Goodra, and Victoria will get a full grown Noibat evolving into a beast of a Noivern. Also Noivern kinda has a thing for Tori, like he crushes on her a little, but...eh 0_0???

And for the villain stuff, Team Flare will appear soon. And the new team Rocket of the AU will be....a evil Treecko who wants to rule the Kalos Region.....ooh boy, my AU ideas are so weird O_o.

And that’s pretty much it for now! I’m not sure if I want to keep going with this, but let me know if I should!

For now, I must go! I have a lot of great stuff to work on ;D!

[houseofvans]

ART SCHOOL | LAUREN ASTA  (Chicago, IL) | Vans US Open of Surfing 2017

We’re excited to spotlight the artists for this year’s 2017 Vans US Open of Surfing that is set to begin July 29th To August 6th in Huntington Beach, CA.   Our first artist spotlight starts with talented, hard working, and art touring muralist and public artist Lauren Asta!  Starting with a massive 3,000 sq ft mural at Faction Brewery in 2015, Asta has been non-stop mural and art touring, bringing her signature black and white, free flowing and spontaneous doodles to walls and buildings all over.  She’s not only extremely talented but also straight up fearless, as we find out in this Q&A with Lauren, where we talk about how she got started painting murals, her art background, and what event she’s looking forward to see at this year’s 2017 Vans US Open of Surfing. 

Photographs courtesy of the artist.

Introduce yourself  Hello, Lauren Asta here, first time caller, long time listener... I was born and raised in California's thriving Bay Area, but if you ask me I feel like I was truly born in NYC when I moved there after College in 2005. I returned back to California in 2012 where I hunkered down and produced and hustled until I was able to drop all other job training wheels to solely do Art/Murals/Public Art/Street Art 100% of my time and to also travel all year long with no brick and mortar to call my own. I am a citizen of the world dammit. I'd first and foremost like to think of myself as a Muralist/Public Artist but I think it's safe to just say I am an Artist. What’s your art background like? Self taught or art schooled? I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. First memory would be when I became aware of the fact that I would much rather doodle in sketchbooks over writing in all the Hello Kitty Diaries my girl friends had. I did go to school for Art at CSU Chico State. I got my BA in Photography and Studio Art. But that was when Photography was still pretty much taught only in the dark room. Digital Photography quickly became the trend right after I graduated college in 2004, so finding work (and making money) as a dark room photographer in NYC was extremely difficult. The next (and cheapest) artistic expression for me was to go back to pen and paper. I started drawing, drawing, drawing again. That crucial production time morphed and shaped what my style is today. So I guess you could say I am both self taught and schooled.

What’s the best thing you learned in art school or what’s the best thing you learned while teaching yourself? Best thing I learned in school: make art like everyone is watching. Best thing I learned while teaching myself: make art like no one is watching.

This is your first year participating as an artist painting inside the bowl at the Vans US Open of Surfing!  What are some of your top 5 things you're sure to bring along? SUNSCREEN, straw hat, game face, headphones, my Vans of course! (honorable mentionable items include: water bottle, lucky paint shorts, GoPro, party fun face).

Tell us about how you started out painting murals? What was the first mural you can remember doing? What was the last mural? Before I was a self employed full time Artist... I bartended... for years. Bartending in NYC led me to getting a job at a Distillery in Alameda CA. This Distillery (St. George Spirits) is located in an old 65,000 sq. ft. hangar. Right next to the Distillery a Brewery (Faction Brewing) was opening up while I was about 2 years into working for St. George. When the Brewery had just opened, a very large ugly unfinished wall went up right smack dab in the middle of the neighboring 65,000 sq. ft. hangar. Hundreds of people were flocking to this new Brewery on a weekly basis taking photos and enjoying life. The number one complaint was "they should really do something with that wall..." So I took it upon myself to approach the owners and give them my proposal. I proposed to prime the whole thing, paint the whole thing white and to do a mural for a small price and if they rented a scissor lift. They agreed, and before I knew it I was tackling a 3,000 sq. ft. mural with no prior large scale work and no sketch to work off of. I literally just went for it and hoped it would turn out alright. I finished it in 28 days and I felt like I was an overnight success. I completed that mural 3 years ago and people still flock to it as a destination point. I quit my day job shortly after that and have been going strong ever since. That mural changed my life and I am eternally grateful. The last mural I did was last month (June 2017) in Chicago! A sweet rooftop patio mural at Chop Shop in the Wicker Park neighborhood. I am booked with solid rad gigs until November!

What’s been the best part of Art Tour life?  Anything you’d change about it? The best part about the Art Tour Life? ALL OF IT. Damn it feels good to be a traveling Artist. I meet so many rad amazing people... I have friends all over the country now! I get to experience all sorts of tasty culture found in this Country and outside of it. The way I am able to connect people with art in multiple cities feels like I am planting little art seeds everywhere I go and watching how they grow after I leave is extremely satisfying. Travel is an absolute luxury in life and I am so lucky I get to incorporate it into my work. I love the feeling I get now when I fly into cities I have been before because I can't wait to see friends, revisit favorite joints and of course to get to work... but there's nothing like exploring a new city. I live for it. I am a big fan of walking everywhere, tasting everything and taking in as much as I can.

You’ve been known to freestyle in a way your murals, never using a sketch, projector or traced outline. What about this particular way / process do you enjoy the most?  What would you say is the most challenging part of free styling?  I find that if I don't have a sketch or drawing to work from, the end result will always look and feel more organic and it will fit the space/environment more appropriately. There's something really nice about working on a mural in a specific space for a few days and to have the people there, the weather, the noises, the food affect the outcome of the mural. It just seems to fit like a puzzle piece the space didn't even know it was missing. The most challenging part about free styling a mural would be if there was nothing around to inspire me or move me. If a space is really sterile, it takes a lot more energy and specific focus to get the job done where as I can usually just get into a zone and almost go into a "meditative autopilot groove."

What do you do with mistakes if you make any? I used to make sure that I always had some white paint on hand... just in case I made a mistake I could "erase" it. But that always took too much time and it never ended up looking as clean as I like it, so I just decided to not make any more mistakes. I mean... if I make a mark that I don't like or didn't mean to make, I just turn the old imagination station on and turn the "mistake" into something else. I have never run into a situation where this method didn't work... unless you count the time I fell in between two ladders and spilled black paint all over the mural I had been working on for three days... that one I had to fix with white paint and start over. But you live and learn! I'll never try to be an dangerous art acrobat again. Maybe...

Recently, you participated in the House of Vans Chicago Prime 8 event.  Can you tell us about that evening and what you were doing at the event?

Such a rad event with a rad cause! The 6th Annual Prime 8 Art League provided a free event showcasing the 2017 selected applicant's work (which I am super honored to be a part of). They also featured entertainment, food, refreshments and a charity raffle that included all sorts of prizes. The best part... all proceeds generated from the raffle and related activities were donated to Marwen, an organization dedicated to providing visual arts instruction to under-served youth throughout the Chicago area. Pretty rad right? I was stoked to participate by doing a live painting on a large canvas that was raffled off at the end of the night. Felt extremely good to be showcased at The House Of Vans Chicago and to contribute towards something positive.

Favorite Vans? And how would you describe your personal style? I haven't taken them off since I scored a new pair in Chicago! Right now I am rocking my black SK8-Hi Reissue kicks. I am obsessed. My personal style is pretty functional with some dressy stuff on reserve just in case. Pretty much everything I own has paint on it... even my expensive threads. When I travel, I have to be incredibly thoughtful and smart with what and how I pack. Give me a simple pair of ripped jeans or shorts and t-shirt and Vans any good old paint day, but if there's something fun cooking after a long paint day, I am always fashionably prepared. I guess you can just call it a "fun functionable no high heels but party paint girl with a whole lotta sass" kind of style... If you want to get specific.

Personal words to live by? SO MANY WORDS TO LIVE BY. But my favorite motto (and a very strange motto at that) came from the director of one of my first really big gigs. It was the first time I really felt overwhelmed and that I might not be able to finish the job. One day I was on the phone with him freaking out and he interrupted me by saying: "Lauren... How do you eat an Elephant?" I was kind of dumbfounded. I replied with "What the hell are you talking about??" He repeated with "How. Do. You. Eat. An. Elephant?" "I have no idea" I said. He calmly replied with "one bite at a time." One bite at a time... I repeat that to myself all the time. I even have it tattooed on my painting arm so I can see it when I work. It's a good reminder that you can absolutely finish something, big or small, if you just keep at it and you don't give up. I love it. I also love and repeat the words "I never want to regret a decision based on fear" constantly.

What event at this year’s Vans US Open of Surfing are you most looking forward to checking out? Damn. I am so excited to see some powerful ladies turn up the dial and rock some surfing out! I have an admiration for all of the players in all of the events in store at the Vans US Open of Surfing, but to see some ladies kill it at something so mentally and physically demanding, I have no doubt, will be extremely inspiring and will give me some pretty radical energy to get my job done!

For folks who wanna follow in your path, what advice would you give them? Produce produce produce. Work on your style like no one is watching until you are so proud of it and confident to show it off. Once you unlock that door, the rest is up to you to get yourself out there. If you have the skill, right attitude and a solid hustle/work ethic... the possibilities are endless and people will want to hire you. Failure is part of the journey. Embrace it and learn from it. Too many talented people give up way too early. This is a demanding job, so understanding that you'll need to give up certain luxuries that you might be used to, is a often "not so talked about" part of being successful in this specific career. The notion of having kids is one I gave up a long time ago, a serious long term relationship is near impossible, putting your keys in the same spot every day is unlikely, clean clothes 24/7 is laughable, not knowing where you're sleeping next week is common, saying goodbye to amazing friends and family all the time is consistent, missing Holidays and family events is indeed a reoccurring event in itself, your taxes will be A MESS, figuring out a Southwest Airlines Boarding strategy will become a new favorite past time... But damn it... your life be passionately exciting and leaving your mark by contributing something as necessary and positive as art in the world will be oh so sweet and tasty and satisfying.

What do you have planned for the rest of 2017? I cannot wait to boogie on down to Huntington Beach at the end of the month for the Vans Us Open of Surfing! This mural job is definitely going down in the record books. I can just taste it. After painting the bowl, I immediately head to Chicago where I will be working on murals all of August. Then it's a quick trip to Oakland for a mural job. Then back to Chicago to produce work for a Gallery show at the end of October 2017. Then a jump over to Memphis for a big mural event. Then back up to Chicago for more mural work and I will be finishing work for the Gallery Opening at Chicago Truborn October 21. One more mural job in Chicago after that then I am turning brain off in Mexico for a month on the Beach. Pretty stoked! Follow along! 

Follow Lauren Asta Instagram |  @Lauren-asta 

[volchonika]

I was tagged by @stitchcasual!  How exciting.

Always post these rules!

Answer the questions given by the person who tagged you

Write 11 questions of your own. Tag 11 people.

1. Who do you look up to most?

Oh boy.  Carrie Fisher was a big one I discovered only in recent years.  She was an incredible advocate for herself and others, a woman who lived without fear, a beautiful and glittery soul.

Maxine Waters is the hero Gotham deserves, and the one it needs right now.

Amy Tenbrink, who y’all probably don’t know, is one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring people I have ever personally known.  She’s a goddamn superhero.

2. What is your favorite passage of literature?

Virtually all of The Last Unicorn, but especially: “They went down all the roads long ago, and the Red Bull ran close behind them and covered their footprints.”  I’d like to have that tattooed on me, preferably in Peter S. Beagle’s handwriting.  Another favorite is Mommy Fortuna’s death at the claws of the harpy, capped by the unicorn’s rule for survival: “You must never run from anything immortal.  It attracts their attention.”  Also the ending passages.  And--and everything in that book.

I also really, really love the death of Wen Jian in Under Heaven, by Guy Gavriel Kay:

“I didn’t think of it that way.”

“I know you didn’t,” said Liu.  “If you can, have me buried beside father in the orchard.”  Another thin smile as he glanced back.  “You are skilled at quieting ghosts, are you not?”

And with that, he went down the steps to the sunlit yard, drawing a jewelled court blade from the sleeve of his robe.

Tai saw him approach Jian and bow to her. The dui commander was the only one near them, and now he withdrew, backing away a dozen steps, as if to, belatedly, distance himself from this.

Tai saw his brother say something to Jian, too softly for anyone to hear. But he saw her smile, as if surprised, and pleased, by what she heard. She murmured something to Liu, and he bowed again.

He spoke one more time, and after a motionless instant she nodded her head. She made a dancer’s spinning movement, a last one, the sort that ends a performance and releases the audience’s approval and applause.

She ended it with her back to Liu, to the posting station. She faced south (her people had come from the south), towards the cypress trees lining the road and the summer fields beyond them, bright in the morning light, and Tai’s brother placed his left hand around her waist, to steady the both of them, and he thrust his knife cleanly into her, between ribs, into the heart, from behind.

Liu held her, gently, carefully, as she died.  And then he held her a little longer, and then he laid her down on her back in the dust of the yard, because there was nothing else he could do.

He knelt beside her a moment, arranging her clothing. One of her hairpins had come loose. Tai watched his brother fix it in place again.  Then Liu set down his jewelled blade and stood up and he moved a distance away from her, toward the archers of the Second Army.  He stopped.

“Do it,” he said.  Making it his command.  And was standing very straight as they sent half a dozen arrows into him.

Tai had no way of knowing if his brother’s eyes were open or closed before he died. He did become aware, after a time, that Sima Zian was beside him, saying nothing, but present.

He looked out into the yard. At Liu, face down, and Jian on her back, the blue robe spread about her, and it seemed to him that sunlight was wrong for what the moment was, what it would always be now, even as it receded. This morning brightness, the birds rising and darting, their singing.

He said that, to the poet. “Should there be birdsong?”

Zian said, “No, and yes. We do what we do, and the world continues. Somewhere, a child is being born and the parents are tasting a joy they never imagined.”

“I know that,” said Tai. “But here? Should there be so much light here?”

“No,” said Sima Zian, after a moment. “Not here.”

3. Star Wars or Star Trek?

Oh my fucking god.  Both were a huge part of my upbringing (my parents are huge nerds and I started watching TNG around the same time they showed me the original trilogy).  If I had to choose TODAY, it would be Star Wars because of my evolving love of space opera, but--goddamn it, I need both.

4. What is your favorite thing that makes other people go “whaaat?”

Jousting.  I’d say about 60% of the people I tell think I’m joking, and another 25-30% have to check:  “You mean, like--in Game of Thrones?”

Which--no, not like in Game of Thrones.  Same sport, just... not done like that.  I’m training to compete in light-armor jousting, which is a sport of precision (you have to hit a target the size of a silver dollar with a lance the diameter of... well, a silver dollar.  While running at each other on horses).  No one gets unhorsed (provided everything goes right) or killed or even hurt, usually.  I used to do eventing, and jousting is a *much* safer equestrian sport.  Most injuries in jousting are rider error.

5. What do you bring to a potluck?

Gin and tonic.  I’m such a novelist.

6. What is your favorite food for a dark and stormy night?

Meat cooked over a fire.

7. What is your beverage of choice?

This speakeasy, Social, makes the most amazing cocktail I’ve ever had.  It’s called La Vie en Rose, and it’s mezcal vida, pamplemousse rose, maple-allspice, fresh lime, and rosewater.

That or a gin and tonic.  With a little squeeze of lime.  In a 10oz heavy-bottomed double old fashioned glass.

8. What’s your most ridiculous memory from childhood?

I have so many.  Ridiculous as in, it should be ridiculed?  One time my Sunday school teacher called me a murderer for pulling a leaf off a bush.

9. What Thing that you do/have done are you the most proud of?

I have two, which is sort of cheating.  First, I’m super proud of my writing, because it’s a constant labor of self-improvement and I am the only one who can take responsibility for it.

But I’ve had the chance to encourage some really amazing tiny warrior-girls performing as Gudrun the She-Bear.  I love doing that.  I want a generation of girls who are armed to the teeth by confidence and the childhood memory of a woman bellowing and then tackling a man twice her size to the ground and punching him in the mouth because he acted like a chauvinistic piece of pigfart.

10. What’s your favorite holiday?

Aviator Day.

Because the Sirens Conference is not a widely recognized holiday.

11. If you knew your expiration date was 3/1/2017, what would you do with the rest of your February?

First, I would distribute The Pale Queen.  The pre-publication life of an original fiction author is lonely as fuck.  I’m so excited about these characters, and I have no one to talk to about it.  I’m alone in this fandom.  I’m not deluded enough to think that enthusiasm would spring up in two and a half weeks, but maybe it would outlive me.

Then I would travel.  I’m not sure where.  Southeast Asia?  Russia?  Stick in-continent and do a ghost roadtrip across the American south?  Steal a horse and head for Panama?  I dunno.  But I would take my dog and my cat and the people I love most and go.

My 11 Questions for whosoever wants to answer them:

1. What animal creeps you out the most? 2. What terrible scene ruined a movie you might otherwise have loved? 3. Favorite single episode of a TV show? 4. What is the best thing you’ve ever made with your hands? 5. What’s your favorite way to get rid of something? 6. If you could spend ten minutes unattended with any object, what would it be? 7. What was the last thing you doodled? 8. What book is better if you only read the last 50 pages? 9. Tell me some of the words in your vernacular. 10. What do you lose the most frequently? 11.   What would you do if you woke up in a strange cottage, alone, with a clear set of instructions written for you in a language you couldn’t read?

[teddyaltman]

Do the odds 🐢

1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? i have cereal dry bc milk is gross but i do like cereal as a snack3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? mostly plane tickets or train tickets

5: are you self-conscious of your smile? yes altho i used to be worse7: do you name your plants? i only have one plant and no it has no name but now i feel bad, what should i name my plant???? 9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? Y E S always its a running joke at work that i’m always singing to myself 

11: what's an inner joke you have with your friends? my mind has gone blank idk 13: what's something that made you smile today? texting15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! “you are taller in space” - this is fuckin me up cos princess leia is sO TINY imagine how small she would be on earth im emotional17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? i actually rly like my hair the colour it is at the moment but i’d prob go darker to try it rather than super blonde again idk19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? no im not organised enough for a journal but i do doodle in my work diary when i finish a to do list21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that's been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. i love my backpack that i haggled for in venice it’s blue and white and super comfy and i love it23: what's your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? netflix (and cuddling~)25: what's the weirdest place you've ever broken into? i broke into my friends house once by crawling through the kitchen window bc she forgot her house key27: what's your favorite bubblegum flavor? bubblegum flavor? idk?29: what's something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? dan always squeezes my hand rly tight when he’s happy and i love it when he’s happy31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. i rly like socks, especially when they’re fun socks i hate just black or just white socks!! i like to wear them to bed too otherwise the monsters might get my feet but if its super hot i might not. i don’t always wear socks in the day but i’ll mostly put them on for bed

33: what's your fave pastry? uh idk but i had an amazing vegan donut in dublin it was delicious 35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? i like pens but just like basic bic pens i like to have lots and lots but uh i like looking at stationary in paperchase but i rarely use it37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? i like it clean but it is often messy because i am Terrible39: what color do you wear the most? burgundy! 41: what's the last book you remember really, really loving? i read an anthology (the last one) from the otherworld series when i was in aus and honestly it was great i loved it so much that series means so much to me and it ended so many characters stories in a beautiful way43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? i have no idea tbh45: do you trust your instincts a lot? close my eyes and leap? uh yeah i try to trust my gut!47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? pineapple49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? i don’t rly buy physical cds anymore and i don’t have my own record player so~ i bought ed sheeran’s new songs last night on itunes??51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? marygrace - mr brightside53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? yes, yes, no, yes - i love rocky horror and i wanna see it live, heathers is Great, and pulp fiction is p good!55: what's the most dramatic thing you've ever done to prove a point? lmao i am a dramatic person idk i’ve probably done a lot of dumb shit57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? i cba but i could sing it from memory and yes of course59: what's your favorite myth? uhh idk i don’t rly have a fav??? i do like mythology tho esp greek stuff and i read some p cool fantasy books based on myths and metahumans61: what's the stupidest gift you've ever given? the stupidest one you've ever received? lmao i don’t even know omg my sister got me condoms once??63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? okay so my DVDs are all alphabetical except disney classics which have their own section, and boxsets are also separate, my books are in cubes and they’re sorted by age, also author and in series when applicable. also there’s a star wars section. i can’t wait to have my own place so i can get proper bookshelves tho tbh65: is there anyone you haven't seen in a long time who you'd love to hang out with? my cousin adam! he lives in greece and i didn’t manage to go visit him over christmas when he was home which was sad 67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel? a lil gloomy but then i’ll take buddy for a walk and we’ll bounce along together and he always makes me feel better69: what are your favorite board games? trivial pursuit, bezzerwizzer, pointless, articulate, taboo, pictionary, citadels, life ... i love board games71: what's your favorite kind of tea? anything fruity73: what are some of your worst habits? biting my nails, speaking too loud, chewing ice75: tell us about your pets! MY BABIES okay i have two dogs; meg is a black lab and she’s an ol lady now but she’ll always be my angel girl and she got me thru some dark times in high school tbh, okay then my boy - Buddy Boo Rainbow Maurice is his official name (blame my sister) but my lil buddy he’s my saviour honestly, so he’s a beagle cross but we dunno what with and he’s HUGE like a beagle on steroids but with his lil beagle face and floppy ears like goddamn cutest ever tbh he’s such a bundle of joy i love him So muhc. then i have 3 chickens (we used to have 5 RIP) and they’re called Dragon, Jemima and Sue Ellen (yes, she’s mine, yes named after a Dallas char) they’re p chill i read to them sometimes last summer we read the book thief and hp philosophers stone77: pink or yellow lemonade? yellow79: what's one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? dan’s mum invited me to spend christmas with them when she found out my family were going away and she made me a special christmas eve present like i was just ~another kid in the family and i went again this year and honestly it’s just the sweetest thing i love them all so much and they’re all so welcoming and wonderful and i don’t deserve such goodness in my life (also shoutout to delani who drove all the way to may and kate’s to surprise me for new years!!!)81: describe one of your friend's eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of. like the sea when a storm is brewing, but with a hint of steel underneath and the sun is still just visible on the horizon83: what's some of your favorite album art? tswizzle speak now, ed sheeran + ??? idk i use spotify on my phone mostly i don’t look at album art hahah85: do you read comics? what are your faves? sometimes, i like anything about girls tbh87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? The Holiday, Star Wars, The Parent Trap, Rear Window, 17 Again, It’s a Wonderful Life89: are you close to your parents? yes they’re my heroes91: where do you plan on traveling this year? canada! hopefully disneyworld too, and i;d like to see more european cities; lisbon, krakow, berlin!!93: what's the hairstyle you wear the most? i either shove my hair in a bun, braid it or wear it down 95: what are your plans for this weekend? hang out with my friends!97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? INTJ, scorpio, gryffindor99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. little miss, ours, truth in your eyes, follow your arrow, sugar we’re going down, a thousand miles, she is the sunlight, cotton eye joe