#I mean trying to find gigs is a bit stressful but I feel more in control of things this way

[millerflintstone]

I just sent back my signed contract for the technical writer gig. It's for a paid test 10 hour project so we can both see if we're a fit for each other, which I like. I kinda thought that's what the next step would be in the first company's interview process but it wasn't.

I didn't really talk about how that interview went on here. Just realized that! It was only 30 minutes long. I met with the director of documentation and senior technical writer. It was structured so cleanly - 3 specific questions, about 10 -15 minutes of the director explaining what areas they work in, any questions I had and then any follow up questions they had.

There was none of the song and dance selling of yourself that was expected. They could see I have database experience and asked a couple of questions about that. They also asked about my writing experience. I explained that I had not produced any external/ customer facing documents but that they were all internal for fellow developers and QA folks. I also added that it wasn't documentation that was requested / assigned to me. I just created it because there was a need. They didn't even need to see a portfolio or writing samples.

In the follow up questions, the technical writer was SO SURPRISED that I created documentation on my own. It's honestly what I do for myself in a haphazard and understandable-to-me way anyway. I'm never able to remember all of the fine details of stuff so I create my own notes/ cheat sheets / likely over-document my own code. The things I created people told me were helpful. I am not a fan of information living in one person to where if something happened to that person, people were screwed.

So, we shall see. It will take up to 2 weeks for their side to sign things and get the project Statement of Work ready. And then from there we'll collaborate on a date that works for us both.

I'm glad I decided to take the plunge into freelancing for this. The way the job market is, I seriously doubt I'd find a job doing what I want to try out. This way, I can take my small steps and assess without the stress of having to be in a job that I hate until I can find a different one.

Friday my test scoring gig starts and that's a steady 9 -5:30 through the 24th. No weekends, so I can work on the other content writing thing over the weekend, too.

[ch1lde-mora]

thoma x stage manager! reader

hi!! i started this last year while i was in the middle of one of my most stressful gigs, and it was because of said job that i didn't finish it but it's out! under the cut - kisses from v

original note from the doc: Stressed stage manager reader (totally not based off personal experience 💪 stage manager solidarity dude this shit is hard) (totally didn’t write this while my cast gc was blowing up)

“...Hello? Yes, that’s me.. I know, we have a rehearsal tomorrow… What do you mean, ‘I can’t make it to this rehearsal’?! It’s almost like you haven’t been to any rehearsals! …… I understand you’re busy, but I’m also busy covering for you. I have more than just you to manage, so either you keep missing rehearsals - which is totally on you, and only reflects on you and your performance, by the way - or you find someone to replace you. My god..” 

Hanging up the phone, you covered your face with your hands and groaned. There was a moment of silence afterwards before you burst out laughing; out of stress and exhaustion more than anything.  

“No fucking way they’re missing another rehearsal… What, did they go and get another hangover like that last time? They’re fucking impossible.” You mumble, feeling absolutely beside yourself. 

Just then, you heard a knock on the door.

“Y/N? May I come in? Who were you talking to?” Ah, yes. The love of your life- you had nearly forgotten amidst all the mess. 

Speaking of mess, Thoma opened the door a smidge and slipped inside of your bedroom, taking it all in for a moment. To say it was a disaster would be a drastic understatement. There were scripts and paper scraps from reformatting your scripts all over the floor as well as spare glue sticks, pieces of tape and not two but three pairs of scissors for said paper. Not to mention, you looked absolutely miserable. There were bags under your eyes as you held up the pencil with a bit of an irregular shake to your hands, trying desperately to write more notes down. 

“Hey, Thoma.. Just another actor on the phone. They just can’t show up to rehearsal. Again. Just like the last time, and the time before. I’ll be out with you in a moment, I just have to finish this-” Before you could even finish talking, Thoma was already lifting you out of your chair and carrying you out of that cluttered room.

“You’re not finishing a thing until I see you alive and well. That means you need a nice meal, a bath and some rest. Trust me on this, please.” He spoke to you in a tone comparable to a teacher as he brought you to the dining room, sitting you down at your chair and then heading to the kitchen. 

You sighed, remembering a past experience similar to this. He wouldn’t relent no matter how much you begged him to go back to work, and eventually he laid with you and cuddled on the couch until you fell asleep soundly. Then, he was cleaning your office and making sure you had a comfortable space to work in.

You didn’t feel like you wanted to burden him more than you seemingly ‘already had’, so you gave in and let him cook your favourite food for you.

“Thoma, can I help you? Like, at all? It’s not fair for you to be cleaning and cooking everywhere and me just sitting here eating the food that you so graciously made for me- which, thank you, by the way- but still, it’s not fair!”

Looking over at you with a large smile on his face, he shook his head. “No can do, love. Besides, you know I like cooking especially if it’s for you. So shhh, let me handle this. I got it, I promise.”

And so you sat and you waited for him to make that meal that you didn’t realize you sorely missed; it had been a little while since he made it, but it took a little bit longer than just sticking an instant meal in the microwave and dealing with the shitty taste. Time you still felt like you were running out of.

Before long, a plate was deposited in front of you as well as your beautiful boyfriend. “All ready, just the way you like it!” He grinned from ear to ear and it was hard not to feel your heart jump out of your chest. “Thank you, again.. I do still have lots to do, but I suppose I can take tonight to relax.” 

“Attagirl. I’m going to start running your bath now, and then I can-” You cut him off quickly with a ‘shhh’, shaking your head. “Just the bath is enough, really. I know the office is a mess, but it’s an organized mess that I need to take care of myself. Besides, you’ve done so much for me today already!” He resigns, standing up from his chair and giving you a chaste kiss on the cheek. “If you say so, but once you’re done your bath you and I are going to bed.” You nod, accepting this deal.

After he leaves the room, you finish the meal quickly with a voracity you forgot you had. Really, his cooking is unmatched. Once complete, you made your way to the bathroom and admired his work.

Thoma had gone through the trouble of adding rose petals to the bath, laying out everything you might possibly need. He was just putting the finishing touches on the setup when he noticed you leaning against the doorframe with a smile.

“This is really sweet of you, Thoma. Thank you for taking care of me.” You blushed as he came up to you and kissed you softly before stepping to the side. “No need to thank me, really. I like doing this for you, Y/N.” He slipped past you out of the room and left you to your own privacy.

After taking about an hour to relax in the bath and wash up, you finally decided that the water was too cold and fingers too pruned for your taste. Stepping out and changing into the clean, fuzzy pajamas he laid out for you, you crept into the bedroom to find him at lamplight reading a book.

“Hello, love. How was your bath?” He asked, putting the book to the side and beckoning you into his arms. “It was really nice, thank you for it again. I know I’ve been a lot lately, and really it won’t end until show season is over, but I appreciate your patience.” You replied, settling against his chest with a soft smile.

“Always, honey. Whatever you need. Now, let’s get some rest shall we?” You closed your eyes and found sleep with him rather easily, letting you of your work - even just for one evening.

[reanbowful]

This is a request from a person who THRIVE on Gerard. So I shall give you. Gerard in caps.

*also I’m back yayy sorry for being absent ehehe

“accidents or fate?”

if you accidentally kiss / compromising position

*sliiiightly suggestive on Ben’s part

(gray, ben, GERARD, jake, wolf)

gray yeon / yeon sieun

The two of you sat side by side in an empty classroom reviewing for a quiz.

It’s been like at least an hour and you could feel your back aching already.

You rest your head on the table, looking at Gray who’s nose is buried in your notebook, correcting any mistakes that you make.

Which made you pout, because what the hell is that? How did you get so many wrongs, and you were confident about it too :(

Sighing, you turn your head towards the glass window.

The sun is setting now. A warm orange glow filled the classroom. It was .. beautiful.

You were about to tap Gray’s arm to show him the sight. But when you turn-

“Gray, look-“

Gray was also trying to get your attention, seemingly leaning in while you turn your head at the same time.

At the brush of his lips, you got startled and jumped back. Hands covering your lips.

When you see Gray frozen in his place, you chuckled speechlessly. Recovering quickly and promptly apologised.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to-“

“It’s fine. It was an accident.”

He could pretend to be stoic all he wants but the red across his cheeks says otherwise.

ben park / park humin

I feel like out of everyone, he would be the most like. Shocked. Flabbergasted.

Parties weren’t Ben’s thing, but this was a special occasion. Gerard had just begin to play music again. That’s something to celebrate about.

The owner of the venue held an after party. Well, not so much for Gerard, but for their 5 year anniversary.

But still. It’s quite a crowded place, so to say.

“I’m going to get some drinks!”

With the blasting music and people screaming at the top of their lungs at every corner, no one could really blame Ben for not noticing the disaster coming his way.

See, you were having a bit of a ‘disagreement’ with a group of girls from your old school. And well, it was quite a mess.

You just wanted to have a nice time away from all the stress and when you came in, your eyes were met with the embodiment of pettiness.

Damn. Which God did you piss off for them to do this?

Letting out an exasperated groan, you rolled your eyes and turn to leave.

“Ok, ok. You know what, enjoy the fucking party. I’ll leave you to it.”

Somehow, the girls seems to be even more annoyed when you left them just like that.

So, guess what they did?

Ben was just collecting his drinks that right when he turned around, he was met with a body shoved harshly onto him. Causing him to lose balance and toppled off right onto the floor.

“Ugh..”

He winced at the sudden weight dropping on top of him, cracking open his eyes only to find your face right in front of his.. yea.

Ben’s whole face burned. Mixed with the alcohol in his system, his brain literally stop working.

But yours clearly didn’t. Nor were you affected at all by the embarrassing situation.

Because that very second, Ben watch you push yourself back up. Angrily stomping towards the three girls.

The rest of it is a blur. He didn’t know how long he sat there on the floor, the blood rushing to his head making him feel a bit dizzy.

What the fuck just happened?

GERARD JIN / JIN GAYOOL

I imagine you guys to be the type of people who would go thrifting or go to these flea market type of events. (you’re not a couple yet)

So, basically Gerard was out on his monthly thrifting day at this particular event.

While searching for decent second hand guitars on the internet he stumbled upon this one shop.

Coincidentally, they were currently a tenant in a famous thrifting event. So, Gerard thought might as well go and see the product for itself.

Now, you play guitar in a band, not big or anything serious. But you guys would occasionally busk and accept gigs for extra cash.

Of course, being high school students, you don’t really have all the money in the world. So, things like clothes, and other trinkets, you try to curate them by thrifting.

Anyways, you were just looking around for the next hidden treasure when you saw it.

A black, vintage, X model guitar.

Oh you gotta have that.

Practically running to get it when you feel yourself pulled forward, stumbling on your feet towards a man with green hair.

“Oh! I’m so sorry!”

You stared at him, slightly in shock. Your faces are so close together. The man has a soft blush forming, while you gulped when you notice him releasing his hold on the guitar, moving them to your waist to steady you instead.

“I-I didn’t see you, but, it seems that you’re also going to purchase it.”

Also? Wait, but this dude is gorgeous now that you see it.

Gerard stood awkwardly, rubbing his neck.

“It’s a nice model, you have a good eye. Ah, well. I’ll just check out the other models, sorry.”

“NO! No, I mean, no, take this. I insist. Matter-of-fact, I’ll even pay for you.”

You handed over the guitar to Gerard (who looked confused out of his mind), handing in crumpled cash towards the tenant.

“Wha- Why?”

“Since I paid for your guitar, clear out your schedule on Saturday. Come watch me at X bar.”

Y/N investing, I see.

jake ji / ji hakho

This was the situation that got the two of you together in the first place.

When he first met you, Jake thought the two of you have quite similar personalities. You were cheerful, and bright, and live like you have not a single care in the world.

You guys matched with each other right away.

Jake likes you, Dean likes you, everybody likes you. You have an easygoing and friendly personality that people find it easy to find comfort in you.

For Jake, that comfort slowly blossomed into something more.

It started small, the urge to protect. The thought of anyone possibly harming you leaving a bad taste in his tongue.

But then, he started seeing you EVERYWHERE. It’s like you have a magnet on his eyes, even the slight figure or your voice could have him snapping his gaze.

“Excuse me, we are conducting a survey for our university. Would you mind to answer a few questions? It will just be for a bit.”

Jake stared at the bulletin board beside the man. ‘The Science of Love’

Pursing his lips, Jake sighed.

“Okay.”

“Okay! We’re also gonna be recording this, if you don’t mind?”

“Yeah, sure. Let’s just-“

“Hey, is that you, Jake?”

Jake turned his head, taken aback at how close your face already is across his shoulder. Causing your lips to briefly touch before the two of you pulled away in shock.

You let out a laugh, backing away from the recording camera. Jake felt something in his stomach turn when he saw how nonchalant you acted after accidentally kissing him.

“Oh God! AHAHA I’m so sorry! Please, carry on.”

As he collects himself, you were already strolling away from the scene. Mindlessly walking away like nothing had happened.

“I- sorry. I gotta go.”

“Eh? Wait!”

Catching up to you, Jake pulled you by the sleeve of your puffer jacket. To which, you responded with a neutral look on your face.

“I! Want to kiss you! Again. Properly.”

Face flushed, Jake clenched his fist. Heart pounding as he waited for your reaction.

“Huh? Why? You like me or something?”

“Wha- Y/N, I wouldn’t- Ok. You know what, yes. I do like you.”

Jake waited as your expression lay unchanging, bracing himself for a rejection. Only to feel a pair of lips meeting the corner of his mouth.

“Sure, then. I’ll kiss you until you get bored of it.”

Jake can feel his eyes watering as he lifted you up from the ground.

“I won’t ever get bored!”

wolf keum / keum seongje

I’m actually curious how Wolf would react in this scenario really.

There are 3 scenarios.

If you guys know each other closely / are romantically together, he would be completely smug about it.

But if you don’t, then he’ll simply brush over it.

An interesting thing will happen if YOU don’t know him, but HE has a crush on you.

Wolf was having quite an irritating day.

The leftover summer heat, the homeroom teacher’s lecturing him about his absence record, and all of the union bullshit just have to pile up one after the other on the exact same day.

So, this guy is in a pretty foul mood.

Wolf was smoking by the second floor corridor, watching from above as a baseball game commenced in the field.

For such an expensive school, Ganghak’s facilities are.. questionable.

Wolf watched as you walked out of the student council meeting room, your arms filled with a huge pile of books.

He contemplated on offering to carry them. But, no, that would be awkward. He was just about to turn back when he saw a flash of white through the corner of his eye.

Fucking fuck.

Rushing to your side, Wolf pulled you away from the glass window. The glass window which, not a second later, shattered with a hole and a flying baseball bouncing harshly off of the wall.

You panted in shock, not fully comprehending the situation. Due to the urgency, and the sheer force of Wolf’s pull, you lost your balance and ended up knocking the two of you down.

Thankfully, Wolf was able to break your fall by covering your head.

“Noona, are you ok-“

He frowned at the red cut on your left cheek. Brushing his thumb over the edge of the cut.

“Does it hurt?”

You reached your hand up to examine the cut, accidentally brushing your finger over Wolf’s.

“Uh.. no. It doesn’t.”

Wolf tries to calm his rapid heartbeat, reaching behind him for a bandaid and handing them to you.

When your friends started scurrying over, he moved away from you. Feigning ignorance, Wolf cleared his throat and took the baseball into his hand.

Those athletes are going to have a field day.

[1141520851813892291920]

I saw your post about wanting statements about strange phenomena. I thought it was a bunch of bollocks at first, the occult is usually a nice party trick, but nothing more than entertainment. I’d all but put it out of my mind and then this, uh… This happened the other night, actually.

I’d been called in to work the night shift at my job. I’d rather not be direct about where I find myself employed, but let’s just say I usually work with the public. Like an outdoor security gig, almost. I’d been having trouble sleeping the past few weeks, weird stress dreams that I’d attributed to some of the higher stress calls I’d received on the job, so it seemed like a no-brainer. Figured whoever had called out would appreciate a coworker having their back, so I’d get to help myself and someone else. Win-win, right?

I’d never worked the overnight shift before then, and upon arriving at the lookout tower I’d be occupying for the evening, everything seemed normal. A bit spooky in the dark, sure, but it seemed just like it would in the daytime. The high-powered UV lights around the base of the tower caused an artificial feeling of the midday sun anyways. I unpacked my gear, brought everything up to the small cabin area of the lookout, and settled in for my overnight watch.

I didn’t expect anything to happen since the nighttime is always quieter according to my coworkers, so I’d brought a couple things to occupy my time. A book I’d been meaning to catch up on, and my laptop in case I ended up wanting to binge anime in between. There was no way I was going to try and watch animated action fight scenes on the terminal located in the tower, and that was what I’d settled on ultimately. Makes me feel good to believe that I could be a hero like some of the characters, y’know? Something I could never be in real life.

It was between episodes when the call came in over the radio. A colleague had called in to inquire on whether or not I saw the red smoke coming from the northwest direction of my tower. I glanced out the large bay windows of the cabin and sure enough, even in the darkness of night, I was able to see it. My initial thought was that a guest on site had shot off a flare and was in need of assistance, and in my engrossment of the show, I’d failed to spot it when it was shot off into the darkened sky. I scrambled to confirm that I saw it and would be departing to investigate, grabbed my gear, and left before I could hear their reply. I’d worry about being reprimanded later if I had to, but someone was out there, and they needed help.

I had started off at a brisk pace, assuming it wouldn’t take me long to get to the area where the smoke seemed to be coming from. I remember feeling good despite the encroaching darkness, the sounds of the woods being something I’d grown used to, something I appreciated. You’re never really alone outdoors, y’know? So many nocturnal creatures that you could hear rustle through the brush if you listen closely enough. It’s easy to focus on the task at hand when your thoughts are too distracted by ambience to go anywhere else.

I’d just crossed the threshold of the area lit by the UV lamps when the woods seemed to grow deathly quiet. Usually that’s only something that happens when the critters get spooked, and I assumed that my tromping around startled them, so I thought nothing of it. I went to turn on my torch, and found that it was struggling to illuminate; I’d need to replace it later, but a good whack on the bottom usually kicked it into gear. It was when the light flickered to life and pierced the shadows that I swore I saw something dart behind a tree, something large, almost too large to seemingly fit behind the tree. I strode over to investigate and found nothing but the bark on the backside of the tree, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something I was missing. Something I wasn’t seeing, something past the point where the torch could cast its glow.

As much as I tried to shake the feeling from my mind, I couldn’t help but feel that I was being watched. That something was stalking me from just beyond my line of sight, something was waiting for the perfect opportunity to leap out and strike. That it was toying with me and whatever purpose it had was far more nefarious than simple curiosity or hunting instinct. I remember every rustle of bushes causing my hair to stand on end, every snap of a twig making me shine the torch in that direction just in case. At some point, I’d started to jog, and eventually sprint to the area the smoke was coming from. Anything to shake that feeling, anything to ensure I’d be back in the safety of the watchtower sooner rather than later.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally arrived to the site of the smoke, but what I found was… Not what I expected. It was not a flare that caused that strange red glow, it was fire. It was fire that I had to assume had been infused with those chemical packets, the ones the kids like that changes the color of the flames, but this didn’t seem like an area where kids had been. The fire was unattended but the campsite it had been built beside seemed to imply that this was an adult group of guests, likely involved in the local hunting scene with an ample amount of gear they had left out. I had started to snuff the flames out with some dirt I’d kicked up when something caught my eye; the reflection of the flames in a pair of eyes hidden within the tree line. The red glow made it seem sinister, and I quickly stomped out the rest of the flames, getting my bear spray at the ready as I pointed my torch in its general direction.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t a bear. The light seemed to end where the creature’s body began, the only indication it was there being the reflection of torchlight in its seemingly red eyes. I watched in a mixture of fascination and horror as the beast took a step forward, and another, and another, until I reflexively pointed the bear spray in its direction and released the trigger. While taken aback, the thing began to rear back on its haunches, and I knew I’d be a dead man if I didn’t move. I fled without a second thought, still feeling the roar of whatever it was echoing through my chest, and I began to pray to a god I didn’t believe in that I’d make it back to the lookout tower in one piece.

I ran for what felt like hours. It felt like I was running in circles at one point, and that thing was always just a few steps behind, always seemingly ready to nip at my heels. Once or twice I swore I’d felt its paw begin to rake across my back, but then the feeling would disappear, a sudden feeling of intense pain that vanished into the nether. I’d tripped at one point and swore that’d be the end, but in that moment the beast seemed to stop and begin to circle the area I was in, until it stood between me and the direction I knew the tower was in. It wasn’t going to let me go back, it wasn’t going to let me leave, and it was toying with me once more. My choices were to submit due to exhaustion, or be herded deeper into the forest; I chose the latter, and sprinted in the direction of the area I assumed could offer safety.

See, the area that I work in has access to some natural rivers and springs that guests can utilize, and the logic I had was that I’d be able to hide out in the warm waters until the thing lost interest in me. Either that, or I’d at least be able to out swim the thing, all those trips to the YMCA as a child finally paying off after all. You have to understand how desperate I was to ensure my survival. You have to understand how desperate I was for this chase to end. Without hesitation, upon reaching the area of the springs, I leapt into the water with one last deep breath and waited. I waited until my lungs burned and threatened to give out before I reemerged atop the surface.

What I saw confused me in the moment. The beast still stood at the edge of the tree line, leering out with those crimson eyes, but did not approach closer. Instead, with a loud snort, it faded back into the darkness; for whatever reason, it wouldn’t approach me while I was near the water. I didn’t understand it then and I don’t understand it now, but whatever caused it to back off is the reason I’m even able to provide this statement to you. I’m grateful for whatever it was, because I’m sure it wasn’t my swimming skills that saved my life.

I spent the rest of the night by the water, drying off and watching my reflection caused by the moonlight dancing across the water’s surface. I wanted to mention this in case it makes any difference, if it was more strange phenomena, maybe caused by whatever chased me through the forest that night. I want to assume it was my nerves after the adrenaline wore off but I swore the reflection that stared back at me wasn’t me at times. It looked like me, it sounded like me as I echoed my inner thoughts in the quiet night air, but it was not me. At one point I swore it looked like my father, and had a gaze that was as disappointed in me as I was in myself for getting caught up in this and not even verifying whether or not the camping party was okay. It’s a peculiar feeling when your own mirrored image tells you you’re not good enough despite doing all you could do in that moment.

I was able to make my way back to the tower when dawn began to brighten the night sky. I didn’t tell my colleague what had happened, I didn’t think anyone would believe me. I don’t even think you’ll believe me, the whole thing sounds like a story you’d tell kids to get them to stay in their tents. I lied to them and said I had it taken care of but I’d had to navigate back to the cabin another way due to an attack from some of the local wildlife. They could tell I was rattled, but didn’t press the issue, and offered me the rest of the week off. I think I’ll be taking them up on that offer.

I don’t think I’m going to work the overnight again.

Thank you for your submission, I do apologize for the tardiness of my response.

Something about this...it feels familiar, but in a more...urgent way. Not the memories of Before, but the flavor of something I've only recently begun to Know. Though...something about your voice...

Regardless, your statement contains several interesting points. Firstly, you have given me another instance of being hunted in the wild, a very primal fear that seems...multiuniversal. However, there are similarities between your account and that of Mischa, including the detail of a strange abandoned campsite and the focus on the pursuit, opposed to the kill.

Secondly, the sudden and inexplicable retreat from the predator chasing you...folklore tells us that many undead or supernatural creatures, such as werewolves and vampires, are opposed to running water. One may also think of a...sacred element to a hot spring, but I don't find that usually has any oppositional relevance.

I am glad you included the extra details regarding the strangeness of the reflection...while I do not have enough information to draw any conclusion or, truthfully, even a working theory, I do not believe I am terribly far off in supposing that this was an instance of competing, oppositional powers. If the forest, the dark wilderness, is the territory of this...hunter, the pursuer, then...the pools may very well be the territory of...something else. Whatever it was that was pretending to be your reflection, perhaps.

This has been very enlightening, and I thank you again. I would recommend following your own advice about avoiding the nightshift, and perhaps avoiding nature for the foreseeable future? And perhaps take a break from swimming.

Best of luck. Do let me know if there are any...developments.

[palettepainter]

Can we get some more funky facts about Lazer? I just think he's so adorable and cool!!!

(Give him a sec he's buffering-)

-It's easy to get him flustered if you know the right things to say. His fans often compliment him so he's fairly good at keeping his cool when he's on the clock, but he finds terms/petnames like cute/cutie/adorable/beautiful/handsome very intimate so he's more likely to stammer a little if you call him that (this is especially so if it's coming from someone he likes or looks up too)

-He and his sister Penny are the most aware of their problems. Lazer's faults are that he can be blinded by impulsiveness sometimes thanks to his ADHD, which can lead to him saying/doing stuff without properly thinking them through before hand. He also has a habit of running on energy drinks and highly caffeinated foods and drinks which then leads him to crash so many hours later. Lazer tries to combat this by switching his coffee/energy drinks out for tea to help relieve stress and anxiety and taking power naps when he can

-Him and Penny both have awful sleep schedules that they're trying to fix. Lazer plays more at DJ gigs late in the evening that can sometimes last until the early hours of the morning, and Penny often pulls all nighters thanks to her completion attitude with work. They're what you could call the night owls of the family

-Lazer's had his heart broken a lot thanks to past relationships. When his career was first taking off a lot of people got with him just for his reputation and money, most of her partners assumed he was dumb as he was still new in the big world that makes up the music industry. In general Lazer is also very trusting and easy going, so tended to overlook things that concerned him back in the day because he thought he was overthinking. Penny has had to deal with the teary aftermath of his breakups, which often means escorting a drunk Lazer away from a confused bartender and letting him sleep on her sofa for the night

-Him and Penny are actually super close despite them often having those typical sibling disputes

-Drinks his I Respect All Genders juice religiously

-Has some WILD drunk stories (Lazer: So I'm sitting there, barbaque sauce on my titties-

Rand: What the actual fuck-)

-While he stims through tapping his fingers, humming and rocking back and fourth (in general when he's sitting still he'll be moving in some way: like tapping his fingers, bouncing his leg or rocking) he has a habit to chew his fingers when he's especially upset or nervous. It was the worst when he hit puberty, Penny brought plasters for his fingers

-Cockatoo's are his favourite animal

-Him and Penny love Mama Mia they binge it together when they're both feeling burnt out and unmotivated

-He's sort of protective of all of his other girl cousins, it's a older cousin/big bro sort of protectiveness which sparked even since Penny asked to be referred to by female pronouns. Penny experienced some hate through her transitioning and that sparked Lazer's protectiveness over the other girls in his family

-Speaking of which he probably cried more than Penny did when she officially transitioned. He's such a worry wort and Penny had to remind him a lot that she was perfectly fine (and that maybe he should go take a shower he was starting to smell-)

-Penny is also very protective of her brother and is not shy of showing it. Penny knows Gavin is a sweetheart at best and a bit oblivious at worst, so if Gavin ever introduces her to his new boyfriend or girlfriend she is instantly suspicious - she's seen Lazer's heart be broken too many times and she swears she won't let it happen again

-He carries Zoot under his arm like a sack of potatoes

-He can work well in very noisy environments. Since he plays at gigs, which are always loud, he can witstand being in loud and crowded environments for a long time. He knows his limits though and will take a break when it gets too much for him

-Sometimes he ends up yelling without meaning too, again thanks to his job. Since gigs are always loud he often has to raise his voice in order for any of his team to hear him, and the habit carriers over to when he isn't working. He gets a bit embarrassed when this happens since he knows it can be annoying to other people, so just kindly ask him if he can lower his voice and he will

-He ugly cries when he's upset. He feels emotions hard so when he gets upset he really gets upset

[deshaunicus]

Just sharing two of my favorite photos from 2023, but I also really need to just vent a little. The past year was a trying one for me.

There were some positives, for sure, and I've already written about those elsewhere. Today, however, I want to unload some of the more stressful things. I don't plan on going into a ton of detail, but I think I need to say it somewhere because I haven't been in a good place.

Work

The biggest source of stress for me has been losing my job at the end of June. I made a big move and left my finance job of 15 years to work for a non-profit media company in early 2022, and I got laid off about 18 months later. Make no mistake here: I loved that job and all the people I worked with. It was kind of heartbreaking to leave a place that made me feel so welcome. In the time since then, I've applied to a ton of jobs, and I've had only one interview. The interview that I was able to get wasn't even through the traditional application method—I had a friendly rapport with a recruiter and managed to land an interview that went all the way to its final round. Unfortunately, I didn't get that job and it was crushing. The little bit of savings I had has been depleted, and my unemployment ends in a few weeks. Job searching is fundamentally broken and it doesn't appear to be improving.

I've always struggled to get paid photo gigs, and despite what I'd consider to be a solid catalog of work, it has been difficult to consistently get in front of people who can offer paid opportunities. To that point, I had 4 paid concert gigs last year, out of 26 gigs total. I did have a handful of photography gigs that were not live music related, and I'm incredibly grateful for those, because they've helped to keep my rent paid for a little longer. Still, these are only occasional drops of income that aren't sustainable. I don't know what to do, and I'm pretty exhausted.

Relationships

Last year was possibly one of the loneliest years I can remember. Thankfully, my best friendships are still intact and I don't see that changing. However, there were just a lot of transitions that were starting to settle in for me. Most of my friends are married and/or have children, and quite a few of them have moved away too. It doesn't mean the friendships have dissolved—they're just different now and can't be maintained in quite the same way. Unfortunately, I still find myself occasionally revisiting abandoned friendships from years ago and grieving in one way or another—usually by having a flash of anger and then disappointment.

Romantic relationships were nonexistent. In fact, I essentially swore off of dating early in the year after a particularly demoralizing experience. Losing my job, of course, cemented that hiatus for me.

Professional relationships have also struggled. My attempts to nurture new relationships with artists, editors, and creative staff for photo work were fruitless. I did have a couple of people who successfully recommended me for work, but my own personal outreach was unsuccessful.

Outlook

I have made an effort to take the time and look back on the good things that have happened. I don't have selective memory about the good and bad things, but the bad things have been a mess. I don't know how I'll pay rent next month. If I manage to pay that, then the month after that becomes the new major concern, and so on. This is worse than paycheck to paycheck—there are no paychecks.

When friends casually mention things like plans for kids and marriage to me, I no longer confidently believe either of those things are in my future. Instead, I feel unlovable.

My sleep schedule is completely upside down now, and I don't leave my apartment for days at a time. I'm tired, and I would like to have one bit of security back.

On the very, very slim chance that you've reached the end of this, I applaud you. Part of the reason this is here is because I don't think very many people will check.

I hope that whatever 2023 was for you, 2024 ends up being better.

[vannahmontannah]

"ROOF! ROOF!"

"Ugh! Milo! Shut up! Fuck is you even barking for, bruh?"

Yeah, yeah...another day. Ugh! He probably barking because he needs to go out to the relief area. Sometimes I wish he could do it himself and come back.

I get up outta bed—ya already know how that junk go. No need to explain even further than that.

Anyway, it's a big day at the dealership. We get a handful of new cars in today and me being the BEST salesman there is, you know how I handle things. I don't just wear no suit to work. I got it like that to wear I can wear a certain outfit and still look presentable, you know what I'm sayin'? But I do wear my identification.

I hop in the shower, eat a lil bit of food, feed my dog, and get ready for the day. I checked my notifications to see if my boys got some going on and then I dip out. Every time I go outside, I get stopped for some compliments here and there and I truly appreciate it. I love all the love I receive. But do I got a girl? Why you in my business?

**Bzz! Bzz!

"Yeah?" I answered.

"Good morning,"

"Wassup?"

"Do you think you can send me $300?"

"For what?!"

"Well, I need it to go shopping,"

"Naomi, why don't you get a job, girl?"

"You know I'm trying! But, really wanna go out this weekend. You know I never beg,"

"Never? I wanna see what your 'barely' looks like,"

"Please, Duke? I promise I'm looking,"

"Just request it and I'll accept it. You know I can help you find some,"

"I'm good. I believe my friend is helping me out with streaming,"

"It's gone take time and dedication,"

"I'm fully aware,"

"But I'm on my way to work. I'll send it when I get there,"

"Thank you. Have a good day!"

"You too,"

~~~~~~~~~~~

I arrive at the gig and there was like 27 new cars on the lot! I can spot them that easily. It was some more still coming in. We get some used cars a lot too, but it kind of takes away from the new cars we have and receive. I parked my car and hopped out. Everyone at my job is cool for the most part and I have no issues with them. At least I don't think so. If it ain't addressed, keep it on the playground. Simple.

"If it ain't the fashion God himself!" My manager greeted.

"Sup, Michael,"

"Hey! We gone have a busy day today. Be prepared for this one. 6 new SRT's, 7 Mustangs, 5 Mercedes Benz, 10 Kia's and a few others. Shop opens in an hour and I have to get all of this shit filed. Fuck!"

"You need some help?"

"Nah, I got it. Hey, I was looking through the appointment list and saw a well-known name pop up. Got any idea who Justin Barker is?"

"I think he's another streamer if I'm not mistaken. He also does music on the side, but I'm not too big on him. He coming in?"

"I guess so. I see him right here. Purchasing a brand new 2024 Kia EV9,"

"Whew! Hella money dropped on a car,"

"Yeah, but if you can keep up with the payments, you good. You go and get settled and imma finish getting things in order,"

"Bet,"

~~~~~~~~~~

It's another loud morning at Justin's house per usual. Sometimes he's up and working on some music, but he tends to forget there's other people in the house. He's drumming, playing the guitar, cursing because he can't get a certain tune right, and so forth. Zuri, his girlfriend, is irritated by the constant disruption and urges he takes a break!

"Goddamit! Fuck, man! I can't get this right!" Justin curses.

"Justin! Oh my gosh, babe! Calm down!"

"I'm sorry, I just...I just get so stressed, like, I know I can do better than this!"

"I believe in you, Justin, but we have to think about other people in the house when it comes to noise. I don't mind you playing the guitar, but the theatrics has to stop. Please!"

"I'll work on it,"

"And you better stick to it. What you working on anyway?"

"A new song I've been meaning to put out for some time now and I just get so stuck on the damn chorus and even some times the bridges. I feel lost..."

"Since when has my baby ever been lost?"

"This song is just...personal,"

"Well, you have to take your time and let the art come to you,"

"Tried that,"

"Maybe that's a sign for you to take a break then,"

"I can't do that!"

"Yes you can. Your audience will understand,"

"This is how I make my living! I'm at this every other if not every day,"

"Justin, if this means a lot to you then you have to feel your work. Take time off for you! And besides, don't you have a car to get today? Focus on that instead,"

"Yeah, you're right. Almost forgot about that fucking car. Let's not waste money and hurry and get it!"

"There's the happy and energetic Justin I know! Let's go get our new whip,"

"Our?"

"Well, yours...yours works too,"

"You have a car,"

"Okay, well damn! I can't be supportive?"

"You can. Let's just forget it and just get the car,"

"Whatever you say,"

~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is a 2020 Kia Sol—" I said.

"Ain't these the cars that be getting jacked a lot?" The customer said.

"They may be getting jacked, but they can get jacked with this heat pack, for sure!" The co-signer added.

"I don't know, son. These are high risk cars,"

"Anything is good for right now dad. I got this. Plus this is the newer model. Im good,"

"You sure you want this?"

"Yes,"

"Okay, man, we'll take it," the dad said.

"Alright, just step back inside and we can get you started from there," I said, leading back indoors.

"Dennis! Just the guy I was trying to see," Micheal said.

"Wassup?"

"Just got off the phone with Justin and he said he's pulling up. He's changing his mind about the EV9 and wants to look around to see if there's any other options. You think you can take him for me? I got a bigger situation right now,"

"I would, but I'm doing someone right now,"

"I'll have Garrett take over for you. I'll even add this to your check,"

"Fine with me. That's the car they getting right there,"

"Gotcha. Thanks again,"

"You good,"

I've watched a few of Justin's videos before. Guy has some talent, but he can do too much at times. He can even come off as arrogant and obnoxious. Heard he had a girl, but I rarely lay any attention to that. But if he does, how on Earth does she deal with him?

I got a text from sis and she sent me pictures of her shopping with my money. I don't appreciate this. She betta get a job before I sue for all money sent. Reporting to the FBI for scamming and trafficking if she ask for one more thing. Watch!

Some time goes by and I see a black Porsche drive into the lot. Windows are tinted, so I can't really see inside. He parked right in front of the glass doors too. Who does this guy really think he is?

He comes out the car and walks straight inside. But, there's another person in the car. The door opens and a woman comes out, shaking her head. He had a whole woman in the car and didn't open the door? WHAT?! They both come in and start looking around. Boy am I gonna have a field day.

"Hello! Welcome to the dealership! My name is Dennis and you must be Justin,"

"Yes, sir. Nice to meet you,"

"Vis versa. Heard you're looking for a new car?"

"Yeah, man. I just wanna see my options. I'm looking for something...exotic, but smooth. Something that's made for cruising, but still luxurious. You know?"

"I got just what you need. Follow me this way. Good morning, ma'am,"

"Good morning!" She smiled.

I smiled back. It was a reflex guys! Anyways, let's see what this dude want and hurry up and get him out the way. I take them to the side where most of the expensive cars are, but he can get a really good price on them if his credit is right.

"Ight! So out here are the 2023 Challenger SRT's. They run from around $55,000 to $87,000. The newer model Ranges are over here and they start at $100,000. Over here are the 2023 Phantom Rolls Royce's and these start at $500,000. SRT's are pretty loud, but the ladies love 'em. Range Rovers are pretty chill and comfortable, bringing that nice cool vibe. Royce's give you that luxury experience and have you feeling and looking good,"

"What about that Aston Martin over there?" Justin pointed.

"Oh, these! These are one of our best sellers as well. Starting off at $185,000 with a down payment of $4,000 a month if you don't wanna pay in full. This one has 542 to 697 horsepower, 9-speed automatic, all-wheel drive, and a 3 year warranty. The interior has black and blue leather seats, 7 over head lights, Bluetooth speakers, and it seats 5 people in total,"

"Hmm...I think I kinda like this one. You said up to 697 horsepower?"

"Yup,"

"Mmm...what you think, babe?"

"I love it! You seem to be interested in this one the most," she smiled.

"Yeah. I think imma go with this one,"

"Alright. Step on inside and we can get you started,"

"You need my ID and stuff?"

"Yeah,"

"Uh, Michael said I can just come and take it. Drive it off the lot,"

"Hold on. Let me check,"

I took out my phone to call Michael because what the hell is going on here. He ain't even pay yet!

"Yeah?" Michael answered.

"Hey, I got Justin here. He said that you said he can take the car and go?"

"No, he needs to get his background first, pay and then leave,"

"He said you need to pay and then leave," I said.

"Do ya not know who I am?"

Oh he one of those. I should have known.

"Regardless of that, you still have to follow the same procedures as everybody else, man,"

"Justin, just do what the man says, please?" Zuri asked, rolling her eyes.

"I'm just saying. I have a status. You know this, Zuri,"

"Justin, not today,"

After some time past, I was finally able to get this mother fucker off my hands. One of those privileged white kids I see. I can't believe she puts up with that. Another self-centered human being.

[enterthecuttlezone]

This post got ONE LIKE, you know what that means!

Welcome to Tati, son las tres.

Sometimes I feel like Tati. She’s easily excited by mundane things, smiles dumbly like a dog. She dresses plainly in “unfashionable” clothing until the occasion demands some movie magic (admission: I only do the first part). And for Tati, “English or Spanish?” is answered with “A little of neither.” When I was unemployed, I felt like Tati way too much. All of Los Espookys (season one was all we had back then) seemed to me to BE about jobs and trying to find jobs and not knowing what you really want to do with your life and that feeling of oh my god!!! You know? And to a certain extent, it is about that.

In the very first scene of the entire show, Tico tells Renaldo he should make doing spooky stuff into his business. “All I ever wanted to do was park cars, and now I do it full-time! This spooky stuff is your parking cars,” he says. Tico has loved to park cars ever since he was a kid. He’s a prodigy at it, and now he works as a valet and the valet world adores him. In terms of his career, he’s living the dream, doing what he loves and loving doing it. And this model seems to work for Renaldo too. He takes Tico’s advice, turns his friends’ spooktastic hobby into a business, and though he’s not exactly rolling in the dough (he still lives with his parents and doesn’t seem to have any other occupation), he enjoys the experience, taking exciting gigs, spending time with his friends, and making a little bit of money while he’s at it. And he’s happy.

The character of Úrsula doesn’t fare so well. She is virtually her family’s sole breadwinner, working 9 to 5 as a dental assistant for a dentist who does not respect her. Her freedom is limited by the demands of her job and the financial circumstances of her and her sister, Tati. Because of these things, she has less time to devote to Los Espookys, gets stressed out, and suffers the disrespect of Dr. Ricky, just trying to stay afloat. Eventually, Úrsula gets to the end of her tolerance for Dr. Ricky and quits her job. But her troubles don’t end there.

In the beginning of the series, Tati is working as a fan, manually spinning the blades of an electric fan and going “woosh” to keep her employer cool. Because this is a very inefficient way to do things, Tati gets fired. Throughout the series she works and gets dismissed from a number of different odd jobs, for example, breaking in other people’s shoes, or being a “human Fitbit” who counts her client’s steps. After having a falling out with her internet boyfriend, Tati decides to “focus on herself and her career” and gets involved in a multilevel marketing company called Hierbalite (wink wink). She believes in the prosperous future Hierbalite promises so much that she spends two thousand pesos on Hierbalite products to sell from her home. This gets her and Úrsula into a bit of a financial pickle.

Although Tati seems blissfully unaware of reality much of the time— she tells her new boyfriend (who is her ex-boyfriend catfishing her for the second time) about “how stressful this amazing opportunity with Hierbalite has gotten”— she has a few moments in which she expresses very eloquently the same emotions I felt when I was floundering about sin major, sin dream and sin job. While Tati and her friend Andrés are shopping for mirrors for a Los Espookys gig, suddenly and without prompting Tati says to him:

What am I doing with my life? Horror is your passion. You all know what you’re doing with your lives, but… What am I doing? Where am I going? I can’t break in shoes. I can’t count steps. I can’t help people lose, gain, or maintain weight. I can’t keep time. I fail at everything I try. I mean, where will I be in five years? What if it rains? I don’t have those kinds of shoes.

This scene, being TV, is neatly wrapped up with Andrés telling Tati that “there are those who enjoy the journey more than the destination,” and Tati, reassured, deciding that her dream is to “be Cirque du Soleil.” We never do see Tati achieve this dream. It’s entirely possible that she forgot about it the moment after she said it. At the end of the first season Tati marries the heir to a prosperous cookie company. Her happy ending: “Now I’m a married woman! No one can fire me from this!” (Season two spoilers: Tati gets another painful gig-economy job, her husband divorces her, and she ends up back in her sister’s apartment, gigging and gigging and gigging and gigging…) Not the most comforting story for floundering me. I guess this little Tati train is just gonna have to keep on chugging.

[dogsliampaynedoesntinstagram]

Why is Louis relationship to alcohol and drugs so blacklisted in this fandom? I find his public promotion of it questionable. I don't wanna assume too much either because I know we don't know him personally. But just considering what we get to see about him and his life during tour for example I feel like this whole topic is weirdly untouched and kind of ignored in our fandom. Just to make it clear what im referring to here: we know for a fact that he drinks on stage, before and after the show, broke his arm twice and implied it had to do with a drunk state of mind, we see him at a pub all the time. He says in interviews that he lives very unhealthy. In almost every picture of him he either drinks or smokes. And this is not me making things up in my head. Louis himself talks about how much he drinks and that he does it to calm his nerves before a gig. He doesn’t hide it at all. At jimmy Fallon he had a vodka bottle backstage, too. He has vodka Red Bull during his concerts, a fan once managed to get his half empty cup after the show from stage and confirmed it. We see his behavior and we see his appearance and how he’s changed in the past 5 to 6 years. The guy from the snuts said in an interview how impressed he was by Louis and his drinking habits and that he just wouldn’t stop taking shots in on tour. If you know just a little bit about the consequences of long term alcohol consumption it’s hard to oversee it at this point. Of course we lack information because we don’t know him but I do think it's reasonable to talk about it more and to be skeptical especially since his fans are really young and impressionable. I just wanna say, I think we should be more open and more skeptical toward things like that and question things more even if it goes against of what we think of Louis and what we love him for. I think that should be possible since we have no problem to endlessly discuss his sexuality and romantic relationships, either. I already kinda expect that you either gonna ignore this or just gonna tell me that nothing of this is reasonable to do as a fan. But I just wanna give my thoughts. I do think it’s a serious problem. I don’t worry as in I’m scared for him, I just find it weird that it gets either downplayed or entirely denied by his fans for the most part.

Oh anon - I don't really know where to start with this. Anyone who thinks Louis' fans don't discuss his alcohol use haven't been paying attention to my anons, who bring this up quite often.

I struggle to respond seriously to an anon that contains the idea'we see him at a pub all the time' as a reason for concern. Both because we don't. And because it shows a lack of curiosity of drinking cultures and the roles pub play in culture. Even if we saw in a pub multiple times every week I'd find your comment really, really odd.

But I'm going to try and answer. Even if I'm also, ultimately going to say exactly the things you expect me to say. But the question that I'm going to answer is - what would it mean for fans to have serious and realistic discussions of alcohol and drugs.

The first thing I'm going to say is thatimagining Louis' fans as young and vulnerable and therefore somehow at risk by the fact that he drinks alcohol is an entirely unserious framing. It needs to be dismissed out of hand. The idea that popstars or other celebrities need to either live a constrained life or hide part of their life to avoid being a bad influence is an incredibly reactionary one.

I think the starting point of any discussion has to be touring. The reason that there's a high level of drink and drugs among touring musicians - isn't because of some kind of intrinsic decadence of the industry. It's that touring has very specific stressors and a structure that allows people to maintain a functional life while dealing with those stressors with a lot of drugs and alcohol.

There are risks with dealing with the stress of tour drugs and alcohol, and people who use drugs and alcohol in all kinds of way can realise that what they are doing is making things worse. I think we can say with some confidence that Louis is dealing with the stress of tour with alcohol (and probably drugs). But being able to say that doesn't actually tell us what impact the alcohol and drugs are having on his life.

If you're in an industry where drugs and alcohol is a common way to deal with stress, then those who are at risk of addiction are much more likely to become addicted. But it's important to underline that addiction is a much bigger and harder thing than using alcohol and drugs to deal with stress. And one of the biggest predictors of addiction is trauma.

The new documentary on the BBC about Matt Willis from Busted really underlines that. He is an addict and he is very committed to staying sober. But as a band they all drank a lot - one of his bandmates tells a story about throwing up in Matt Willis's suitcase. That guy was like 'I didn't realise how dark things are were for you' and still has alcohol on his rider today. To an observer Matt Willis and his bandmate would have looked the same - but they weren't fucking their life up in the same way. You can't tell an addict from how much you see them drinking - the whole point of addiction is a combination of compulsion and shame.

What does understanding all this mean for how we think about drugs and alcohol and 1D members? The first thing we need to do is acknowledge how high risk they all are. Any study of boybands will show that it's a profession with a very high risk of addiction.

To take that risk seriously is to acknowledge that it's always a possibility. There's always a possibility that they're in active addiction. There's often a possibility that they're recovery - when people disappear they might be in rehab (and if that was true that's really great - because obviously when people go to rehab it's better than the alternative).

To take the risk seriously means not to talk about it in a 'ewwww gross drinking won't anyone think of the children'. But instead: 'Addiction is really hard to deal with, and trauma is a huge contributor. I hope that any 1D member dealing with addiction has what they need'.

To take the risk seriously is to acknowledge that to say something is a risk means to deal with uncertainty. We know that they're at risk. We may learn more (and I think we have at times), but in the meantime all we can do is sit with the knowledge of the risks of the industry for people like them.

[pangolinheart]

Does your OC have a Best Friend? If they do then how long have they known each other and how did they meet? If they don't then do they have a close group of friends they love equally? Or are they more of a loner?

Also asked by the ever-lovely @mornandil!

I wouldn't say that Rhiki necessarily has a single best friend. She has a handful of different friends that she's very close to, but her relationships to them are all very different.

She's very close to both Alphinaud and Alisaie. She and Alphinaud have been through a lot together and have had a lot of time to come to understand each other. Their relationship was a little rocky through ARR - Rhiki felt that he was maybe a little bit pompous, and that he probably wouldn't want to associate with her at all if she wasn't the Warrior of Light - but through Heavensward they had time to talk talk to each other and they both grew a little bit as people. Now they're great friends, even if there's only one braincell between them.

Rhiki feels a lot of kinship with Alisaie. They have a lot of similar struggles and doubts. They both prefer rushing into action to spending a long time planning and deliberating. Neither of them are very good in formal, diplomatic settings (Alisaie because she just doesn't have the patience for them and Rhiki because she's incapable of maintaining an air of dignity for longer than a few minutes). They both have struggled to find their place in the world, and both are terrified of being left alone. Rhiki feels like she really understands Alisaie, and wants to be there for her as much as she can. Besides that, she also finds Alisaie to be charming and funny, so they get along famously. Rhiki's very ride-or-die with both of the twins.

Tataru is another of Rhiki's closer friends. After all, who doesn't like Tataru? Rhiki likes that Tataru is so positive and cheerful, and she seems like she'd be a lot of fun to hang out with. They both are interested in fashion, so Rhiki's always excited to see the new outfit designs she comes up with for the Scions. Tataru also seems like she'd be down for more fun and frivolous activities than a lot of the Scions. Things like shopping, sightseeing, going out for coffee, going dancing, going to the beach. And she has her finger on the pulse of wherever they end up settling, so she's fun to gossip with. When they spend time together Rhiki feels a little more like a normal person and less like the single pillar propping up all of Eorzea.

All that being said, there are still parts of herself Rhiki hides from the twins and Tataru. She'll selectively reveal some of her struggles sometimes, if she feels like they're something her friends would understand or might also be grappling with, but she's hesitant to confide all of her troubles in them. With the twins it's partially because they're younger. She wants to be a good role model and doesn't think it would be right to burden them with her own troubles. With Tataru it's more that she doesn't want to stress her out. She knows that Tataru would be worried about her even if there was nothing she could do, and she doesn't want to be the source of that anxiety. For all three of them Rhiki wants to be the kind of person that they can rely upon and who they can turn to for support when they need it. And sometimes that means trying to hide when she's a total mess.

For this reason, though it would be a stretch to say they really "get along," Rhiki considers Sidurgu to be one of her closer friends. They tend to bicker and get on each other's nerves, intentionally or unintentionally, but Rhiki finds herself feeling very safe around Sid. She feels like he understands a lot of the emotions she struggles with, and like she doesn't have to maintain an image of undaunting heroism for him. It helps that he doesn't seem particularly interested one way or the other about her gig as the Warrior of Light. She doesn't feel like he judges her for being a total disaster, and he's really not in a position to. He's just as much of a mess as she is, after all. (There may also be a level of "Who cares what he thinks, anyway?" lol.) So when she's really been through it and feels the need to unburden herself she makes her way to Ishgard and, after Rielle goes to bed, gets drunk with Sid and lets herself process some of her emotions. It's... probably not that healthiest coping mechanism, but it does seem to help.

((OC Questions on the Seven Forms of Love by @mimble-sparklepudding))

[kiillerqueen]

❝ I strongly believe that women were put on this earth for the demise of men. ❞ Diego is sure that he sounds like a fool for saying such a thing , but he had watched many men be destroyed or even killed at the hands of a woman. Diego himself wasn't going to be one of those men , even if he was currently smitten by Catalina. His wife on the other hand was just a pawn in getting what he had wanted , and that had been to get his hands on the empire that her father had made. There is no doubt that his wife's family had went out of their way to give him everything that his own parents weren't able to. It had been his father in law that had become the father figure in Diego's life , one that he had always desired to have when he was a young boy. Now he was basically willing to throw it back in the face of that man without a second thought. ❝ I appreciate that , it definitely helps take the small bit of guilt in my stomach about how wrong it is for me to be betraying the man that single handily raised me. I guess when you're stuck in this gig for as long as I have been the power hungry gets to you. Do I feel guilty for what I've done to Mariana , sure but then I remind myself that I've earned this position and I wasn't going to just let her old man over look me for it. Plus I am sure if she had married someone else they'd be the exact same as I am with her. ❞ His last part of his statement is more than likely true , yet it doesn't mean they'd be as cruel as Diego has been with her. His wife desired one thing from him and he has no plans on giving her it , knowing that he isn't going to change his mind.

It was nice to be able to have a conversation with someone that understood his thinking on the whole not wanting to have children. He wasn't doing it because he intentionally wanted to be cruel to his wife in that manner , but Diego knows that Mariana is never going to see it that way. ❝ I swear she thinks that I am doing it to be an ass , but really in the beginning it was because of those factors. So yeah maybe a bit now has to do with it because I've grown so tired of her bitching and moaning about it. I already know that if I even popped one in her by mistake she'd be looking for more , so it is just best I don't. ❞ It felt nice to be able to have someone to talk about what he is going through with his wife and not have any type of judgement or worry about it getting back to the femme or her father. Jamie had become the only man that Diego really had trust in to be faithful to him. ❝ Oh it may seem like it has gone by fast to you , but it couldn't have gone any slower for me. I swear to God she knows how to suck the fun out of being newly weds. ❞ Diego groans just thinking about how stressful his marriage had become so quickly , but knew that he needed to keep up the act of being a faithful and dedicated husband for the sake of making sure that he hadn't just wasted almost a full year of his life trying to get what he wanted from the older male. ❝ Either way right now I am not concerned about Mariana or her husband finding about the affair. ❞ Diego knew that himself and Cat had agreed to keep it between the two , but he didn't worry that Jamie would be breathing a word of the affair to anyone else. ❝ You may possibly be right about everything that you're saying , but trust me she is one hundred percent worth it. ❞

Continued || @thewcllingtons

[fantasticcloudcreation]

Sep 23

Just got to the hotel! Blessed by the weather gods today, had the perfect amount of cloud cover and it wasn't hot at all until the sun came out for the last hour of the drive, hallelujah.

My roommate isn't here yet and I want to get high and lounge around but I have to go get groceries first, send me moral support 🙏 half tempted to just, not, but I know I'll regret that in the morning when I have no caffeine and no food...

-

Update: it's now 7:30pm, groceries were acquired, roommate is still not here, I'm gonna take a shower and drink a beer and eat an edible and hopefully relax.

(I'm rambling again so I'm putting the rest under a read more)

Have to be at work around 7am tmro, technically start time is 8 but it's the first day and I gotta figure out where to park and get all my gear together etc. Also didn't get cigs so I have to stop somewhere in the morning...

And I have to eat dinner tonight??? (Ugh you mean I have to eat the food I just bought?? Lol) The weed will probably help encourage that. Wish I had a cig right now I'm a lil bit stressing but it'll be fine, life is good, I will survive even though it's gonna be hot af tmro...

I finally got a new hairbrush (lost mine a couple weeks ago) and it actually feels so good to brush my hair again haha.

Wishing I had a cuddle buddy here tonight but it is what it is! D will be here for show days and hopefully I'll be off work that week in between so we can hang out, that'll be nice.

Right now: just trying to relax, get settled. Got all my stuff organized so whenever roomie shows up it at least looks like I have my shit together 😅 hoping she doesn't ask to carpool to work bc my van is a mess + no AC, but maybe I can just say that and she'll find another ride... Also thinking about like, it's always hot af trying to drive home after work in Austin traffic direct sunlight etc; maybe I'll just hang out at the park for a while after work, cool down in the shade, do some yoga read a book etc, and then drive home once the traffic subsides and the sun goes down? Idk just thinking. (Stop thinking so much just go take a shower and relax, whatever happens tomorrow will unfold on its own time.)

Also, my period is starting, I actually might die tomorrow - it'll be ok just take breaks and eat snacks and pour ice water on your body haha. Last year I went home early twice bc of the heat and I'm going to try so hard to keep it together this year. I haven't built a stage since April but you know what, it's really not that hard, find the easy tasks and start doing them before anyone else does them 😂

Unrelated but L just told me he quit his job and is starting another endeavor, very happy for him but also bummed bc maybe now I won't see him at the next 2 gigs and I was really looking forward to that......... But maybe I will, idk, I don't want to be clingy and weird but at the same time I want to spend more time with him? Like basically we met, hung out for 3 weeks straight, and haven't seen him since lol. I'm sure we'll cross paths again at some point but who knows when.

Anyway, the edible is kicking in already, that was fast but maybe it's bc I haven't eaten anything besides a small bag of chips at like, noon... Go shower and eat dinner and watch something silly on TV. Set an alarm and figure everything else out in the morning. It's all going to work out ❤️

[jcmarchi]

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector Preview - On The Run, Again - Game Informer

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/citizen-sleeper-2-starward-vector-preview-on-the-run-again-game-informer/

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector Preview - On The Run, Again - Game Informer

Citizen Sleeper took me by surprise in 2022, giving me a rare new video game experience, both mechanically and narratively, and my dice-centric role-playing adventure has stuck with me since. I still think about my Sleeper and what they’re up to now. In a year where Elden Ring didn’t release, it would have been my game of the year with a bullet – read my Citizen Sleeper review here to find out why. Now, a little more than two years later, I’ve played parts of the opening hour of Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector and find myself desperate to play more. It brings back its incredible sci-fi score, cyberpunk (yet distinct) visual style, and thought-provoking and stress-inducing writing. It infuses everything I love about the first Citizen Sleeper with new mechanics that fuel the game’s central decision-making processes. 

Like the first game, I assign my Sleeper one of three classes. I go with the Operator, which the game describes as physically fragile but great at working in interfaces and computer systems. Immediately, I notice the selected class plays a more significant role in how your experience will play out because the Operator lacks access to an entire skill. This means I’m automatically at a disadvantage with any action requiring said skill. However, I have access to the Reboot skill that allows me to reset my system, which mechanically means I gain a dice reroll. It’s a risky skill, as I could roll an even lower number, putting whatever action is at hand further into jeopardy. I could also roll a significantly better number, too, though. 

The story picks up after my Sleeper has been helped by their friend Serafin. I’ve recently rebooted my entire system, ending my dependence on the Stabilizer drug that plays a major role in Citizen Sleeper and the gang leader Laine, who supplies it to me. It’s these types of touchstones to the first game players will find in the sequel, which is its own standalone story. However, the reboot was just a partial success. Sure, I no longer need Stabilizer, but my artificial body is malfunctioning. Serafin and I flee on a ship called the Rig, which we steal from Laine and take to Hexport. 

Laine, unhappy with everything we’ve done, is after us by way of gang members, bounties, and more. He’s someone my Sleeper once saw as a protector, a savior even, but now, they know him as “a pursuer, a tormentor, a nightmare.” I can’t help but notice the setup for Citizen Sleeper 2 is nearly identical to the first game – a Sleeper whose body is fighting against them is on the run from someone bigger than them. Gareth Damian Martin, the sole developer at one-person studio Jump Over The Age (though Martin has some help in developing Citizen Sleeper 2), says that’s intentional. 

“I’m a big fan of noir storytelling,” Martin tells me. “I guess it’s a bit of old-fashioned storytelling, but I like the idea about an ordinary person who’s getting sucked into extraordinary circumstances trying to improvise their way through it.”

They say they wanted to change it up a bit for the sequel – instead of running from a corporate conglomerate, you’re running from a singular person and his gang of underlings. Martin says they feel the result is a story that’s a “bit more intimate and intimidating, and in a way, weirdly scarier because it feels a little more dangerous.” 

Laine

After selecting my Sleeper, I’m thrown right into the dice action that returns from the first game. Serafin is going to check on something, so they task me with going to the Hexport Docks to pick up some small gigs. I put a 5-dice (the higher the number, the more likely the action I assign the dice to ends up with a positive outcome versus a neutral or costly negative one) on a “Chat to Crews” function here to get some tips on potential crew recruits and contacts. However, despite the high positive chance with a 5-dice, I get a neutral outcome and only get material. From here, I explore the area more and eventually unveil a new location after completing enough actions at a different spot. It’s “The Bends,” and I can gamble some Cryo (currency) in the Star and Stoker game or buy some fries to restore my energy. 

You lose one segment from your energy bar for each cycle or day of action (largely determined by your running out of dice). If this bar is empty, you starve and gain one stress bar per cycle. It’s here I learn Martin has taken a recurring feeling from the first game – the stress one experiences while playing and its effect on your decision-making – and turned it into an actual in-game mechanic aptly named stress. This dictates how much damage your dice will take when rolled. Damage a dice three times, and it breaks until it’s fixed. 

Stress joins another new mechanic called Glitch, which I don’t experience in my hands-on demo but witness in a hands-off preview played by Martin. If you roll your dice while you have some Glitch, which, like Stress, is represented in the U.I., you can roll Glitch dice. These have an 80% chance for a negative outcome but a 20% chance for the best possible outcome, once more playing into the risk-and-reward feel permeating the game. You gain Glitch based on how you repair or heal your body – scrap parts might yield more Glitch, whereas more premium resources yield little to none. Together, these mechanics add an exciting but stressful new layer to each decision you make with dice. 

“When you look up there [at your U.I. bar], there’s this kind of game of plates spinning,”  Martin tells me. “The big part of those plates is actually you dealing with the facilities and capabilities of your body. Even when you heal one of your dice slots, you’re having to deal with the fact that you’re taking on Glitch, and therefore, you’ve got to think about, ‘Do I go on a job right now when I’ve got this level of Glitch or do I rest a bit?’ In general, this is connected to me adding a bit more mechanical heft to the game, especially when it comes to players who aren’t necessarily drawn to the role-playing without some kind of mechanical support for that.” 

Martin hopes these additional layers of mechanics provide new pathways for role-playing. With Citizen Sleeper, they noticed some players would lean into the role-playing aspect, making money and decisions based on how their Sleeper might. However, some players said, “I like to make money wherever I make the most money.” It was strictly mechanical for them. 

“I always felt like, ‘Oh, that’s a shame because I want you to engage with this character that you’re playing and the story they’re telling,’ so this time around, if I want players to think about how they have to deal with something, there’s a mechanical effect,” Martin says. 

As there’s no point in spoiling the narrative events that transpire in this preview build, given how narrative-focused the series is, I’m going to jump ahead to another new mechanic: Contracts. After picking one up at the Hexport contract board, I learn these high-risk, high-reward jobs greatly expand the scope of Citizen Sleeper 2. Unlike the first game, which primarily takes place on a singular space station called the Eye, Citizen Sleeper 2 gives players access to a large star map with various points of interest. 

Before embarking on this contract, the game warns me to ensure I have enough fuel to travel to the contract, supplies to keep my Sleeper and crew going, and that I take the opportunity to scout out new freelance crew members to join. Your crew plays a significant role both in the main narrative of Citizen Sleeper 2 and these contracts, which Martin describes as vignettes or episodes inspired by, for example, sub-arcs in series like Firefly, Cowboy Bebop, or other sci-fi greats. They say you might do two or three contracts and see the same character repeatedly, or there might be contracts where you meet a character for the first and last time. Regardless, it’s about the “little story” you get from these contracts. Some are high intensity, others are more laid back, Martin says. The one I do in my preview falls into the former. 

After traversing across space to a security drone with something inside I need, I learn that said drone is rigged to blow. Four mistakes and the contract could be over on account of an explosion. As such, I must disable parts of the drone in a semi-sequential order while maintaining a balancing act of dice, supplies (and energy), and more. Supplies, of which I can carry a maximum of five at this point and do before leaving for this contract, automatically replenish energy after each cycle during a contract. When you run out of supplies, your energy will deplete each cycle, and as your energy depletes, your dice get worse, jeopardizing the mission at hand. That’s why preparing ahead of time for a contract is essential. 

However, with a drone rigged to blow after four mistakes, I can’t risk using low-number dice with high chances of failure or my low-number crew dice, which, like mine, take into effect our skill proficiencies and can be used alongside my own Sleeper’s dice. Not wanting to risk the low-number dice, I end cycles prematurely, crossing my fingers that I roll some higher-number dice the next day. Fortunately, I do and complete the contract. Some intriguing story stuff happens when I return to Hexport that I won’t spoil here, and my demo is over. 

During the preview Martin plays, I see even more of the mechanical and narrative synergy (and stress) of Citizen Sleeper 2 at play. You can utilize Push to get dice bonuses, but doing so immediately adds to your Stress meter. The skill tree is more expansive and customizable, designed with freedom in mind rather than guiding players toward a specific build. Everything I see excites me. 

Martin says they’re halfway through developing the game and already at 120,000 words – Citizen Sleeper and its DLC totals 180,000 words, promising a rich storytelling experience in the sequel. There’s a larger push from Martin to lean into Citizen Sleeper’s tabletop inspirations and its cyberpunk themes. Citizen Sleeper 2 is, on paper, a classic example of more story, more systems, more to do. But critically, Martin isn’t just going bigger, instead carefully curating an experience that strikes sharply at the heart of what made the first game work so well: the oh-so-fine balance between success and failure and the stress that lives between the two. If the heart-pumping I felt during my hour with the game is any indication, Martin has rolled a strong set of dice in this first preview cycle for this sequel.

[vera-king-hrfl]

Hmmmmm wine in the dark time... @graysparrowao3 @orangekittyenergy feel free, and also feel free to ignore. Idk who's been tagged I can't be arsed.

When did you start writing?

Honestly I was about 8. I had to write a 2 page story for my literature class and I did 11 with illustrations and an appendix 😅. Already into fantasy, Tolkien, etc... That was 36 years ago and I still do it for stress relief and creative outlet. I have no idea how many notebooks I've burned because I thought my ideas were garbage.

Are there any specific themes or genres that you enjoy reading than what you write?

Not really. I am and have always been a fantasy person. I like hard sci-fi sometimes, and I love the 40s and 50s social commentary stuff but it was couched in terms of time travel, mind control, whatever. Fantasy, sci-fi, supernatural horror. I like to escape into things that can't actually happen.

Is there a writer that you want to emulate or get compared to often?

Yeah. Stephen King. (No relation, as if, that's a running joke and a total coincidence). He's not necessarily my favorite author, but his rate of production and creativity and ability to make me feel things. I could never, but that's what I aspire to.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

Well, for the moment I write almost entirely on my phone. Generally in my bedroom, or on my front porch in the dark, like now. I write at work sometimes when it's slow. Doesn't really matter; I am always in my own world.

What is your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Hm. I've never seemed to have a problem. I am pretty chaotic, so my problem is usually too many ideas and lack of focus rather than motivation. If I can find the focus, my production rivals the man himself, if possibly not the quality. I've been writing fanfiction, at least in my mind, since I can remember.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

I had to think about this one. Yeah, kinda? I mean I do heroes journey stuff, romance, high adventure. It used to be fairly grim, actually. Gramatically and structurally sound, yet more cold and formal. Pedantic. I've been trying to put some more levity and fun into some more recent works to break up the breast beating and rending of garments.

What is your reason for writing?

Oh, wow. Well. There are two wolves inside... lol well no but kind of. It's just something in there like a poison and I have to expel it. It's a compulsion. Always has been. I just didn't start sharing it until recently when a few trusted people assured me that I wouldn't get roasted off the face of the earth. In short, I write because I have to. I share it because it's nice to be seen by people who feel the same.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment that you find particularly motivating?

I think it's when someone notices something subtle that I've done. I put a few references and Easter eggs into my stuff, callbacks, little themes that run through but aren't important. Just fluff, really. Not necessary to the story. But it shows someone is paying attention. That's really cool.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

I don't really think about that much either. It's of importance to me that I share the best that I'm able to produce. If people like it ,then that's awesome! If not, well... Meh. I do it for me. Having someone share my ideas and understand my intentions is fantastic, but I'd do it anyway.

What do you think is your greatest strength as a writer?

Not the most valuable trait, but speed and technical proficiency. I write 3x faster than professional gigs require, with a full-time job and a chaotic family, and my stuff requires very little editing. Now, that doesn't make my stories good, but it's one less thing to worry about.

How do you feel about your own writing?

Good. Great, actually. This isn’t hubris or whatever. I like reading my own stories like I like eating my own cooking. It's made for me. It's my mind and thoughts and feelings put down for people to share, if they want to. I was nervous at first, but especially here on Tumblr with you guys I've received only affirmation and kind suggestions. Nobody hurts me here. Nobody tries to. Even if there's no engagement, that means there's no negative engagement. I think that's what we all need here. Some good old fashioned 'if you can't say something nice keep your trap shut' energy. ❤️

Writer Interview Game!

I was tagged by @savriea , sorry it took me so long to do this! I've been in a writing hole!

I will be tagging @dark-and-kawaii @vera-king-hrfl @lazyjellyfish300 @the-song-of-avernus and @dutifullylazybread. (sorry if you have already been tagged!)

When did you start writing?

I started writing for about one year now! Yay! My first fic I ever posted will have its anniversary September the 17th!

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

I haven't done any angst yet but I will read it! Maybe one day I will write it but I love a happy ending.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

Honestly no clue! if anyone has ideas I am all ears!

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

I write on my laptop and sometimes my Ipad, but I write in me and my boyfriends guest bedroom that has kind of turned into my office in a way.

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Daydreaming when I am meant to be working and listening to music! sometimes movies will inspire me but those are tricky because I don't want to copy anything too closely.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

I am unsure? If anyone has noticed anything let me know!

What is your reason for writing?

To get my daydreams out for others to enjoy and to do something creative to make me escape from the everyday. also to be horny about my fictional boyfriends.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

I love all comments! I really look forward to getting them and reading them! they help keep my creative flame going! what can I say I have a people pleasing praise kink.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

Hopefully they think I am trying my best and think I am nice, though maybe kinda goofy.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Uhhh... I am unsure? I want to say creative but you never know!

How do you feel about your own writing?

I write what I would want to read so I love to go back and reread my work though sometimes that leads to be reediting and changing some things.

[dunkelzahn]

People keep talking about goodberry and healing word.

Those are good, moral options. And that's why they're a problem.

(As an aside note, goodberry isn't a great choice, it only heals one hit point. You're not going to go into a hospital and save lives. Consider also the issues of some stranger coming up to you while you've been stabbed or in a wreck and going "If you eat this magic berry, you'll be fine!" Let alone if you're a nurse or a doctor in charge of someone like that!)

(Healing Word is legit good for that, though. Neither of them cures disease, but trauma victims will be good.)

So you pick Goodberry. Two casts a day, that's twenty people healed and fed, right? Or Healing Word, two casts a day, two lives saved. Great. Fantastic.

Now you wander into a packed emergency room or go to volunteer at a Doctors Sans Frontiers outpost or something in a war zone. Who do you help?

Who deserves your help more than the others?

With healing word you're charged with the potential to save two lives a day. There's three people who were caught in a house fire. And someone over there who got mauled by a piece of machinery.

How do you handle the pressure, the stress, of not being able to help enough? There's only so much to go around. What happens if your Healing Word does the minimum for one person, but brings the other back to perfect health?

You've set yourself up to be a hero by deciding to take lives into your hands, but that also means that you're accepting the burden of all the lives you can't save.

I'm not going to give myself cause to look at that third (or twenty-first) person and try to handle the fact that I chose not to help them.

Anyhow. There's some good options here. Not knowing what level we'd be casting them at stings a bit, but ultimately Comprehend Languages would let you set yourself up in a nice little gig as a translator. Set yourself a Patreon or find some official thing, drop 120 pages of translated text a day (or two hours of spoken word).

This isn't even a thing for translating modern media. Like, yes, churning out 120 pages of whatever popular thing is coming out of South Korea or Japan or China will win you a huge audience with potentially a big ol' payday, but consider also going up to ancient writings (Babylonian, Sabaic, Anglo-Saxon, etc.) and dropping translations of those for scholars to work with.

Of this list, and this edition, that'd be my choice. It'd set me up for money, and, if I wanted to help people in the way of goodberry or healing word, I could shunt chunks of that money over to various charities and hospitals and clinics so that they could put it where it's needed. Selfish? Maybe. But I'll take selfishness and being able to look at myself in the mirror without wondering if I made the right choice today.

(Off of this list, I'd probably take a hard look at the 2nd Edition Cantrip spell. I'm not a fan of it in 2E for various reasons I could write an essay on [but it boils down to it being a waste of a spell slot in most cases and having a 1st level spell like that destroys the feeling that cantrips are things wizards learn when they're apprentices.] and I prefer an alternate treatment of cantrips, but... That's a digression.

In 2E, Cantrip acted a lot like 5E's prestidigitation, except the effect lasted for a full hour per level of the caster. So, for that time period, you could manage any effect you pleased. Heating/cooling food, flavoring, cleaning, creating lights and sounds, etc.)

I’ve seen this question posed for cantrips, so let’s push a little further…

- Assume you have two spell slots that recharge after six hours of sleep, and that the target will fail on any necessary saving throws 75% of the time.

- All possible healing spells will assume that the average human has a total HP of five.

- Your spellcasting modifier is a +1 in cases where that would be necessary.

[soldmysoultootomeboys]

Obey Me Brothers Wedding HCS

Just some wedding headcanons for the boys bcuz i’m soft for them, Gn MC

Thinks about marrying Asmo => 😡💕💕

Lucifer

I can not stress how much this man would be a bridezilla

He’s probably the MOST high maintenance demon when it comes to this, even over Asmo

He gets so stressed over it too and when he's stressed he gets extremely snippy

It takes you knocking a little sense into him to get him back on track

He just wants your day to be perfect and with his brothers causing trouble it's hard to really focus on choosing a tablecloth

He won’t be any nicer to his brothers but he will try to avoid causing fights at this time simply because it's really important to him that ALL of his family is there. 

The night after proposing you find a beautiful envelope on white paper with gold trim in your room you realize it's a congratulation note from the celestial realm, presumably from the big man upstairs, it's still a heartstopping realization when you realize who your father in law technically is

Are you committing a sin marrying a fallen angel? Do you care?

It’s easier to ignore it than do anything else, although you do appreciate them registering for the coffee maker you had on your registry. You needed that. Mammon broke the last one.

Kindly begs asks you NOT to do anything crazy in the week leading up to it

Please MC his heart he's about to explode from stress please don't add to it, just for one week

Diavolo plans his bachelor party at the Fall with Barbatos. Invites you along and you have to explain how bachelor parties work

If it’s up to him the wedding will be all black with red accents eDgY mUcH?

At the altar he kisses you twice, first to show everyone that your his, the second time is just for you two, he hides you away from sight curling his black wings around you and holding you as close as he can bear

In the end it's a very happy celebration filled with good food, family, and friends

When you cut the cake feel free to smash a little bit in his face, this is your only chance, he'll be in too much of a good mood to retaliate...much

Mammon

Luxury luxury luxury

He wants solid gold altars, diamond encrusted bouquets, jewels imported from every corner of the world

He has so many plans (as well as a ridiculously long wedding registry)

But the moment you say you want anything he abandons them 

Whatever you want he wants, but if you wanted some diamonds too that would be great

He absolutely would be down for a wedding bouncy castle

He gets you the biggest diamond ring ever that he buys with his own money from a lot of shifts at Hell's kitchen and modelling gigs

He totally believes in the tradition of not seeing you until your wedding day but he also forgets so he walks in and as soon as he realizes you're getting ready he shuts his eyes and tries to run out. He'll only talk to you from behind the door. 

When he sees you walking down the aisle he falls in love all over again. And he feels like that a hundred different moments. It doesn't matter what you're doing, playing with your veil, wiping cake off the corner of your mouth, yawning, he loves you and loves that you’re his.

He could get married to you in a ditch and still be the happiest man in the world.

He's an absolute goofball and is smiling the entire time

The couple that during their wedding night end up jumping on the bed and having pillow fights while play wrestling

Levi

You really want to marry a gross otaku like him??? Why??

Not that he's complaining! He just doesn't get it. His brothers are so cool and Asmo is so much prettier than him and he doesn't have anything to offer.

It takes a lot of reassuring to convince that this is what you want to do

You two have this same conversation about a million times before the wedding. He just doesn't get why you actually like him. Once it finally sets in that this really is happening and it's not just some big joke he gets really into it and definitely puffs up around his brothers to show off

His first thought is a cosplay wedding and he'll beg for it to be Ruri-chan themed

Good luck getting Lucifer or any of his brothers to agree to dressing up, as funny as it may be

If you shoot that down it's pretty easy to convince him to do something else since mostly he's just excited to be with you

He still has a little Ruri pin on his suit collar and cufflinks

When you walk down the aisle he feels like he’s going to faint from nerves and when it’s time for vows he pulls out a huge list of all the reasons he loves you and why your his Henry, although about half of it compares things you’ve done to things in TSL

He only makes it through a quarter of the way before he gets embarrassed

When he lifts your veil he panics because your so pretty and he can’t handle it

You have to initiate the kiss and when you do he turns as red as a tomato

He tries to play it off but keep a strong arm around his waist unless he really does decide to pass out

He cools down once you guys are at the reception and gets especially excited the little custom made toppers of you two in cartoon form

Satan

He's a bridezilla but in the lightest sense of the word

He won't get upset over mix ups or even really wedding stuff like Asmo or Lucifer but his temper will be extremely fine during this time, especially when it comes to his brothers.

Throws an entire table through the window when Lucifer asks him if he knew where Mammon was

It’s a lot of stress to create the perfect wedding and he buries his nose in different books that can help him

He’s a bit of a perfectionist

The most classic and elegant wedding ever and he’d want to be involved in every step of the way

Very interested in your opinion and if it compares to human weddings

He flushes with pride whenever you compliment something he picked out

Includes casual literary references in his wedding but only so people who really know will realize

Wears a navy suit 

Asmo

Also a bridezilla and a petty one at that

There will be drama, there will be tears, there will be a part where he cries off his mascara because Andrealphus of the damned brought the white bouquets and he wanted the PINK ones. This is HIS day why is she trying to ruin it.

It’s a lot of work trying to keep the damage to a minimal

Part of the reason he gets so upset is because this is your day too and he wants it to be perfect. 

Prepare for a million dress rehearsals.

He wants to help pick out your outfit and makeup! But he also doesn't want to break human tradition...But he wants to help pick out your outfit and makeup so bad!!

If he manages to restrain himself he picks out the makeup artist and the stylizer because he knows what makeup you like and what looks best on your skin.

Most likely tho he'll want to see anyways and bugs you to let him in

You compromise by going shopping with him as he tries on a million dresses and suits

MC the suit on the right or the one on the left?

They both look exactly the same.

"...Left love." "That's exactly what I was thinking. I knew I could trust you to pick out the right answer!"

Even though he's very good at fashion your opinion matters a lot to him. Sure he could make himself look perfect but he wants to look perfect for YOU. He wants to be your version of perfect and if that means he picks the high cut dress instead of the low cut which flatters his waist better then he'll do it. For you.

He's the type to want to have all the spotlight on him so if you're walking down the aisle he's going to do it too! He does it first. HE says for the attention. In reality he wants to be able to see you the moment you step out the doors and down that hall.

Looks super perfect as he waits for you at the aisle but the moment you get married he starts ugly crying. He throws his veil back on so no one can see it but you just lift it up and kiss away his tears.

Even though it's a lot of work it's worth it to be with the demon you love...but if you shove cake in his face he'll seriously kill you, MC do you know how long this took?!!!!! :'(

Beel

He’s more than happy to do whatever you want

Whatever vision you have he's willing to make happen

He does his best but feels a little useless since keeps having to break for snacks

Wonders why you’d want to be with him when all he ever does it eat but he tries not to bring it up in case it would upset you

He honestly does have a lot of fun planning with you and his favorite part was when you got to taste test different cakes because he got to impress you by explaining all the little differences between each one

He ends up being in charge of everything food related and it helps him feel a bit better

Barbatos ends up cooking the dishes 

During the rehearsal he falls in love with you all over again and doesn’t want to let you go the entire time

He gets especially nervous during the month of the wedding

He starts stress eating, going through even more food than normal, but then he gets worried about fitting into his suit and starts working out even more than normal, which makes him hungry again. It’s a terrible cycle

Belphie manages to break him out of it by reminding Beel that you love him more than anyone else

Even though its his wedding he starts setting up just to get out some of his nervous tension until the others shoo him back inside

A huge 20 layer cake each tier a different flavor

He has his own personal cake that's even bigger than the other cake but he’s more than willing to share with you

You two do the cute bit where you smash cake in each others faces

Beel still eats it tho

As much as he loves his family he's so happy to be able to steal you away at the end

Belphie

Planning a wedding is sooo much work

He lets you choose whatever you want as long as you let him sleep

if it was up to him he'd want a small informal celebration with his family but if you want something bigger than he guesses it's fine. As long as he doesn't have to talk to anyone like Diavolo 

He uninvites Lucifer like three times, each time using extremely formal paper with beautiful cursive that must have taken hours. When Lucifer confronts him Belphie just says that it’s too late because he already gave away his seat. 

He only brings him back when you make him

He sleeps more than usual in the weeks leading up to the wedding. You think it’s because of the stress but in actuality he’s trying to save up his sleep so he’s more awake for the ceremony

As much as he may act like he doesn’t care, he really does want to marry you and it makes him happy to think that you’re going to be all his

Beel is obviously his best man and while Belphie waits for you to come down the aisle he leans against him to take a small nap. Or that's what he had planned. The moment the music starts he perks up and finds himself unable to even close his eyes, too fixated on the doors about to open. 

Feeds you the first bite of cake and then just...doesn't stop

He’s so in love with you all he can do is stare

Gives his slice of cake to Beel he'd much rather pay attention to you than eat

However he does smash a little in your face but it’s out of love <3