#I stepped on one with my favorite pair of crocs and I never wore them again/sea

[kaysdenofchaos]

Literally the only thing I could work out that the phobia anon was about is this post which is like. Huh. How is this mean.

😭HELP the bit wasn’t even abt Raphs phobia?

yea Raphs specific reaction adds a bit of a comedic element but my haha funny was Don showing up in a giant cockroach costume for hallowing unironically bc he’s a bug lover AND a book nerd

Which personally, phobia or not, is justified reason to kick someone in the face/lhj

[masterswrd]

Hannibal Fashion Meta Pt. 4

Now with sexy annotations.

In this installment we’re back to our favorite party vampire, my sweet Hannibal, who is a whole ass meal and always ready to please a crowd. So we’re going to be talking about his Event Looks.

Ya know, these are becoming less like metas and more like me sitting with you on your couch and pausing and pointing at the screen while I dump all this on you. But what matters most is my own happiness so here we are.

Let’s start in order with one of my favorite episodes, 1x07 Sorbet. Where we see Hannibal is a gorgeous double breasted midnight blue Brunello Cucinelli tux. It’s not bespoke, but honey if this is cashmere than this is probably $9000. If it’s wool than it’s closer to $5000 (which is what I estimate he pays for a lot of his bespoke suits).

Hannibal really isn’t the type of person to wear black, I’m pretty sure we never see him in a solid black suit. Black suits are very very formal and unless you’re at a black tie event or a funeral, a black suit is usually overkill. We know he likes to stand out. Blue is a very socially acceptable way to have some flair at a black tie event. It’s very main character of him. He’s also wearing french square cuffs on the shirt (the reason they look almost tear drop shaped around his wrists) which is why he’s wearing cuff links (you need french cuffs for cufflinks).

Hannibal doesn’t seem to wear cuff links very often. Only with tuxedos. On this evening, he pairs this with a $200 a blue silk Burberry bow tie.

Hugh Dancy used to model for Burberry and I lost an hour of work on this due to that little morsel of information.

The next even we see Hannibal at is his own dinner party later that episode. This shit is lux, baby.

This blazer is a dark dark green velvet Canali dinner jacket that I’m estimating to be around two to three thousand dollars. And hey listen. I tried so hard to edit these pics so you could see the green, but it’s the type of material in color where you’d really only see it in person. Canali is a luxury Italian brand that has a shop in Washington DC,which is probably the one Hannibal would go to in canon. There’s also a shop in Milano, Italy so Hannibal could’ve been a fan of this brand for a long time. Under the jacket we have a $600 Gucci button up. A paisley tie, not surprising with it being a staple to Hannibal’s taste, and a three-peak folded pocket square to finish off the look. King of pocket square folds. I love you.

With only one party happening in season two, Futamono is next. Now, I personally love this look but anytime people step up their formal wear with color, I go nuts.

This is a maroon velvet dinner jacket with silk lining and trim. The make is Etro, a very high end Italian fashion house that specializes in bold prints. It’s a gorgeous $1500 jacket, but I want to talk about the cravat. Cravats felt out of a fashion a long time ago (they were originally a military thing way back before aristocracy got a hold of it) and most people could NOT pull them off today. BUT that is only because people don’t modernize the look. People wear them too high on the neck and makes your whole outfit look outdated. But keeping it low to the open collar or using it to frame an open collar makes it look a million times better. This is just another example of Hannibal being a person who wears what looks good on him and not wearing things that follow certain rules. He can pull anything off it he puts his mind to it. If we wore crocs to the opera, everyone would be trying to do it the next day. He’s a trend setter and an icon.

Jumping to season 3, we have another black tie event. Everyone in the background wearing black and our man comes through with a gorgeous burgundy two-peice tuxedo. This is a unique bespoke peice by toronto based Italian master tailor, Nino Cioppa. Nino is the primary tailor for season 3 and he did a fabulous job, the talent JUMPED out. Molto bello.

The silk on the lapels are patterned and the same fabric is used to do an accent strip on the sides of the legs. Silk lapels are one trusty way you can tell between a suit and a tuxedo. Lovely lovely lovely. Not a plain tie either. It’s maroon silk with an embroidered square pattern. He’s also wearing french cuffs with mother of pearl Burberry cufflinks.

Another amazing suit in Antipasto is this baby, a beautiful chalkstripe emerald green three-piece suit. By FAR, one of my favorite outfits that he wears. Like the tux above, this is another bespoke original from Mr. Nino Cioppa.

The silk blue bowtie brings yet another pop of color. He does color matching and pattern matching very often and does it well. There’s a general rule of two that people follow where they will only wear two patterns at most having one be understated (the chalkstripe and stripes on the shirt in this case) and one being more attention drawing (the bowtie). Hannibal ignores this rule a lot and still looks amazing but this is a good example of the rule in action.

The biggest thing I want people to get out of these is that regular fancy people don’t dress like this. Hannibal Lecter is another plane of fashion. He’s avant-garde and ahead of his time. He is always wearing something fresh and showstopping. This person had to be THE TALK of the baltimore upper class. “What’s Dr. Lecter wearing?” “Who is your tailor?” “Oh my goodness, he’s stunning.” Nobody else is doing it like him and doing it so well. He dresses for the Met Gala everytime he pulls up to ANY function. Why should he be concerned out rules? Why should he be self-conscious or worried what other people think? Take his self confidence and apply it to your style. Wear that peice of clothing you bought but shoved back in your closet because you can’t bring yourself to wear it out. Hannibal will never hold back when he’s serving looks and neither should you.

In conclusion:

[alwaysmychoices]

“Brunch”

Synopsis: After her time with Dr. Ramsey, Charlie goes home to find her best friends, and the only thing sweeter than brunch is wholesome, supportive friendship.

Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x MC (Charlotte “Charlie” Greene)

Choices Story: Open Heart

Rating: General

Words: 3833

Part 5 of “A Weekend with Dr. Ramsey” 

part 1: drunk texts - part 2: a day with dr. ramsey - part 3: unspoken - part 4: in the morning light - part 5: brunch - part 6: the library -  part 7: the cure - part 8: the celebration - part 9: goodbye

Commenting, liking, and reblogging mean the world to writers, so thank you so much for engaging with my content

Charlotte Greene was wearing Ethan’s shirt. She smelled conspicuously like the warm, intoxicating cologne he wore every day. She was marred with his mark. She smiled the smile she reserved for only him. She was distinctly his.

And when she walked into her apartment, everyone knew it.

Charlie didn’t even close the front door behind her before her friends noticed the obvious change in her. She was a very different woman from the one they’d seen before her weekend with Dr. Ramsey. The woman they saw on Friday night was on the heels of devastation and in search of a distraction as her life seemingly fell apart, and they resisted the urge to shield their eyes as she sank lower and lower into despair.

When she disappeared on Friday night, they’d been terrified for her wellbeing and were only marginally comforted by her “I’m fine” text on Saturday morning – though much of that comfort dissipated when she refused to explain her absence over the course of the weekend. At one point, Jackie suggested they go on a manhunt through Boston and force her to face her problems, but Sienna and Elijah insisted on a gentler approach.

And now, she was home (perfectly safe and unharmed – Sienna was already visually examining her for any signs of injury or disease), and she had a lot of questions to answer.

Charlie jumped when she looked over to her dining room, finding all of her friends crowded around their dining room with an overwhelming amount of food and mimosas nearly falling off the limited space. And they were staring at her. Every. Single. One.

Swallowing, Charlie let out a weak wave and put her keys on the hook in an attempt to seem casual, “Oh, hey, guys.”

“Hey, guys?” Jackie was the first to pounce, hands already on her hips as she incredulously repeated the greeting, “Where the fuck have you been, Charlie?”

“With a friend,” Charlie shrugged as if the meaningless gesture could ever shake Jackie’s questions off. They’d been friends long enough for her to know better.

“You’re certainly dressed like you were with a ‘friend,’” Bryce snorted, his eyes lit up with mischief and amusement as he helped himself to the alcohol. He’d been on Jackie’s side during the discussion of a manhunt. In the last year, he’d adopted Charlie as a little sister, and the idea of something happening to her had stayed with him through most of the weekend. But now, there was something he hadn’t anticipated – that she would lie to him. He’d seen enough girls leave his apartment on a Sunday morning to know what to expect, and under the smile on his face, he was hurt she wouldn’t tell him.

“I had to borrow some clothes,” Charlie crossed her arms across the t-shirt, hiding the cartoon turkey she’d obsessed over a few hours earlier, “I don’t know what you’re implying, Bryce.”

Bryce cocked an eyebrow as if silently daring her to admit what he already knew. Despite his hurt and concern for his dear friend, there was a part of him that was enjoying himself. Firstly, it wasn’t often that he got to tease someone else for their sexual exploits, and now that he knew she was fine, he intended to enjoy putting her on the spot.

Jackie opened her mouth, ready to tell her friend just how worried they were and how irresponsible she’d been, but sensing a fight, Sienna stepped in.

“You weren’t answering your texts on Friday night, Charlie, and we were so worried,” Sienna’s voice was so soft that, for a moment, Charlie dropped her guard and suddenly felt guilty for having it up in the first place, “And then you were hardly answering us on Saturday and didn’t come home. We love you, Charlie, and we didn’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

Guilt began to fill Charlie’s limps, turning them to lead as her face flushed with shame. In all of her self-pity and risky behavior, she hadn’t really thought about how her friends would feel. She could see them now, face twisted with concern as she evaded their questions.

Add being a shit friend to the list of bad things I’ve done this year, Charlie thought to herself.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to make you worry,” Charlie admitted, “I just needed space after Landry-“

“You mean the lying piece of shit we no longer acknowledge,” Jackie corrected.

“No, the snake who shall not be named,” Elijah chimed in.

“Ah, the fucker we kill on sight,” Bryce added in for good measure.

“The one who looks like burnt ramen noodles?” Kyra was happy to chime in as she raised her mimosa in a toast to the tirade of insults.

Charlie nodded, trying to hide the laugh building in her throat through the motion, “That’s the one.”

“Charlie, we would have been there for you,” Sienna stepped towards her friend, squeezing a hand as she added, “I hate to think of you dealing with that on your own.”

The weekend flashed through Charlie’s mind – waking up in Ethan’s apartment, going to the river to see Naveen, fighting with Ethan, and waking up in his bed…

And without even a flash of hesitation, she said, “I wasn’t alone.”

“Does that mean she got laid?” Kyra’s whisper was aimed at Bryce but reached the whole room, earning Charlie’s glare as Bryce nodded his answer.

“100% got laid,” Bryce confirmed in the same stage whisper.

“Guys,” Charlie tried to stop them, but it was no use.

“Charlotte Greene, don’t be ashamed of sex. It’s perfectly natural, and an open conversation encourages a healthy dialogue that is the key to successful relationships,” Bryce leaned on his elbows, his wicked smirk reminding her of the last time he talked to her about her sex life.

“Yeah, we openly communicated when you had sex with Bryce!” Elijah pointed to Bryce, who shamelessly shrugged.

“We did?” Charlie asked, amazed by how extensively her friends had discussed her sex life. She was close to them, of course, and frequently filled them in on the details of her life – but she’d never really wondered how much they talked about it when she was away.

When she had sex with Bryce at their housewarming party, the group dynamic was still young and potentially fragile. Charlie still remembered when they all sat down to breakfast, nursing hangovers and awkwardly staring at Bryce with the silent question of “what the fuck is he doing here?” Terrified to keep secrets from her new friends but dreading any awkwardness, Charlie prepared precisely what she was going to say to her friends, but to her amazement, there was no need for an organized speech. If anything, the new drama to the group dynamic made them better friends.

A few weeks later, the steamy affair came to a natural end. Their strong friendship didn’t equate to a strong romance, and ultimately, the sex wasn’t worth risking their friendship over. Bryce loved Charlie, and she loved him, too – but a few weeks together taught them that platonic love can be just as powerful.

Maybe it could have worked if they’d tried. Maybe it was poised to be a grand love story, but there was always a blue-eyed ghost with a grip on Charlie’s heart that destroyed the relationship before it could start. Every time they got drunk and wallowed in their regrets, Bryce and Charlie didn’t think of each other.

It was arguably the least dramatic thing to happen during their intern year.

The night that they had their official “talk” to end things, they’d been huddled on his living room floor, sharing takeout and flipping through Netflix options. After they dissolved their relationship, they fought over the last eggroll and settled on Jurassic Park. It was as if their friendship had somehow come out unscathed.

And the group dynamic magically did the same. If anything, there was a new joke to throw around.

“You had sex with Bryce?” Kyra chimed in, “When the hell did that happen?”

“A few months ago, keep up,” Bryce shook his head as if disappointed that she hadn’t studied their drama before attending brunch.

“So, are we waging bets on who she had sex with? Because my money’s on Rafael,” Kyra suggested, to which Bryce scoffed.

“We all know it’s Dr. Ramsey.”

“My bet’s Aurora. They fight too much not to have some repressed sexual energy going on,” Jackie suggested.

“We’re not taking bets on who I had sex with!” Charlie stopped them before clumsily adding, “Not that I even had sex with anyone.”

“Charlie, you’d really lie to my face at brunch?” Bryce shook his head with an obvious distaste for the offense, pouring himself a mimosa, “Absolutely disgusting.”

Charlie lifted the glass from his grasp, bringing it to her lips as Bryce’s jaw dropped in pure shock. Several things were sacred to Bryce – himself (obviously), his crocs, and his brunch. And to be honest, Charlie felt a sense of victory as she drank his mimosa. It served him right for gossiping about her night.

“How about we have brunch without talking about sex?” Charlie suggested as she took a seat at the table with her friends, and Sienna raised her glass in concurrence as she sat next to Charlie.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Sienna echoed.

“Boooo,” Kyra pouted as she started to fill her plate with her favorite brunch foods, and still muttering about the new conversation rules, their friends followed suit.

After a few awkward moments of fumbling around for a new topic, the group found one. Elijah and Jackie were debating the merits of Sci-Fi movies – pro and anti, respectively – while Bryce took it upon himself to fill Kyra in with the juicy gossip she’d missed. Everyone was dancing around the elephant in the room – Charlie’s ethics trial. The closest that anyone got was when Bryce explained Landry’s betrayal to Kyra, but other than a few jabs thrown in from various friends, it passed by without too much debate.

Something about their silence felt wrong to Charlie. How could they not talk about it? How could Charlie walk into a career-shattering, life-altering hearing without even talking about it with her friends?

There were so many secrets and untouched topics within their group, and it all centered on Charlie. Their entire friendship with Landry was severed because he betrayed her, and once he declared his intention to move out, they were also left to shoulder the higher rent or take on the burden of finding a new roommate. Even if they weren’t on trial, they were implicated in a scandal that would likely destroy Charlie’s career because she’d been hellbent on giving her patient the options she deserved. And now she was lying to them about where she’d been and who she was with.

Facing the destruction of her life goals and years of hard work was hard enough that Charlie felt a knot in her stomach at the idea of minting the bubble they’d built around her. Several times, Charlie thought about bringing it up herself, and she almost brought the words to her lips. But every time, she fell short. As much as she wanted to live in the real world and openly face the truth with her friends, she couldn’t face it. She needed the cushion of an idyllic, safe brunch. The real world could come later…

“We’re really happy that you’re here,” Sienna looped her arm through Charlie’s as Charlie took a bite of Sienna’s famous cinnamon rolls, and Charlie leaned into her friend’s touch. As she did, Sienna was close enough to whisper, “I know the truth, by the way.”

The words were so soft that they almost faded into the chatter and clinking of glasses, but despite their impermanence, they were powerful enough to turn Charlie’s blood to ice. Swallowing, Charlie mirrored Sienna’s soft voice as she repeated, “The truth?”

“About your weekend,” Sienna was practically beaming as she spread jam across her toast, looking up to explain, “Dr. Ramsey found all the concerned messages I left on your phone on Friday night. He didn’t want me to worry about your safety, so he called to make sure that I knew that you were alright and spending the night at his apartment.”

“Ethan called you to let you know I was alright?” Charlie felt like a broken record as she repeated her friend’s words once more, but she craved the confirmation. Her sweet, wonderful Ethan…

“You call him Ethan now,” Sienna noted with a sly smile. She looked as if she’d stumbled upon an epic romance, her gaze full of hopeful excrement and adoring warmth, and it was infectious enough to touch all the hopes Charlie purposefully neglected. Her relationship with Ethan was still so fragile that Charlie feared weighing it down with expectations, but as her chest inflated with affection, she couldn’t help herself.

And right then, more than ever before, she wanted to tell the truth. She wanted to shed the lies she’d inherited at Edenbrook and share her swelling heart with the people she loved the most. But even when Ethan wasn’t Dr. Ramsey anymore, she sensed an unspoken barrier between the world they’d made in his bedroom and the one she now inhabited with her friends.

“He doesn’t work for Edenbrook anymore,’ Charlie’s pathetic deflection didn’t fool Sienna, and she knew it, “I don’t have to call him Dr. Ramsey.”

Sienna nodded her head to play along, but the joyous glint in her eyes gave her away as she imparted advice on her friend, “You know, I’ve always found titles overrated. What does it matter if you’re an intern and he’s an attending? It’s just a job, and times like this remind us that we’re all just people every day,” Sienna motioned towards the friends crowding their dining room in support of Charlie, “Look at us. A year ago, we didn’t even know each other. We were just residents who happened to be assigned to the same hospital, and now, I love you all like you’re my family.”

Sienna hadn’t realized that the room had grown silent to listen to the end of her speech. All other conversation fell to the side, and all eyes lingered on Sienna. It was only when she finished that she noted the warm smiles from her friends.

“That. Was. Beautiful.” Bryce looked like seeing such purity was a sucker punch to the gut, his eyes brimming with tears of affection, and he stood from his seat to pull her into a surprise hug.

“Oh!” Sienna gasped, patting him on his back as Bryce tightened his grip in his signature bear hug.

“Fuck it. We love you, too, Sienna,” Jackie dropped her croissant and joined Bryce in the hug.

“It’s a group hug!” Bryce’s voice was full of excitement as Jackie piled on to their hug.

“This is literally the purest thing I’ve ever seen,” Kyra snapped a photo with her phone before joining the hug.

Charlie watched as Bryce welcomed everyone into the fold, earning giggles and jokes as her best friends joined together. Charlie couldn’t stop the happy laughter that escaped her throat, not that she even wanted to. Her heart threatened to burst out of her chest at the sight of loving friendship, and she didn’t hesitate as she added, “I love you all so much.”

“Stop it, you guys, I’m gonna cry!” Sienna called out, now buried in her friend’s affection.

“What are you talking about? I’m already crying!” Elijah called out, earning laughter from the room.

Charlie was enveloped in her friend’s embrace, reserving no personal space to contain her thoughts, and she couldn’t escape the emotions she’d buried since Mrs. Martinez’s death. She’d spent so long trying to be strong that she’d neglected the network of people who loved her more than anything.

And abandoning her reserves and embracing their trust, Charlie began, “No matter what happens tomorrow, you guys have given me an incredible intern year, and I’ll always love all of you. And-“ Charlie choked back a sob, “I’m so sorry that I let you down and involved you in such a stupid, dangerous decision. I just wanted to give Mrs. Martinez the care she deserved, and I didn’t exercise enough caution-“

“Oh, fuck off with that nonsense,” Jackie interrupted her, pulling out of the hug just enough to put her hands on Charlie’s shoulders, “You never made us do anything. We were perfectly aware of the decision we were making, and I think I speak for everyone when I say we’d do it again.”

“Of course, I would, Charlie!” Sienna interjected.

“I would, too,” Bryce confirmed, his hand now on hers as he squeezed her hand with the same brotherly affection she could always count on him for.

“You did the right thing, Charlie. You always have,” Kyra reinforced, “You taught me to keep fighting, and you’re crazy if you think I’ll let you give up now.”

“We love you, Charlie. Sienna was right – we’re a family,” Elijah’s smile warmed Charlie’s heart, and as she looked around the room, she found it echoed in the faces of her best friends.

“I don’t deserve you guys,” Charlie shook her head as if still trying to process why this amazing group of people had decided to stand with her.

“Are you kidding?” Jackie shook her head as if disappointed with Charlie being so naïve, “You’re the glue that brought this ragtag family together in the first place. You’re the reason we’re here, and you deserve every bit of our support. Stop letting this ethics hearing make you doubt yourself. You’re a fucking badass, Charlie, and it’s time to start acting like one.”

“That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Charlie laughed through her tears as she unsuccessfully tried to wipe them away. The difference in her was immediately visible. Their support built her up a way nothing else could, and the sight weighed Jackie down as she thought about the strain between them for the last few months.

“I’m sorry that I haven’t always supported you. I should have. Friends first – competition second.”

“It’s okay,” Charlie squeezed her friend’s hand, “I’m sorry, too. You’re one of my best friends, and I don’t want to fight anymore.”

Jackie was amazed by how readily Charlie forgave her and was struck with how undeserving she felt, and as if sensing her thoughts, Sienna enveloped her in a hug.

“We love you, too, Jackie.”

“Even if you scare us,” Bryce conceded.

“Is anyone going to talk about how Jackie put competition second? That’s a breakthrough!” Elijah couldn’t contain his surprise to everyone’s amusement.

“Are all your brunches this supportive? Because, if so, I’m coming to every single one from now on,” Kyra wiped at her eyes, trying not to show that she was just about to cry with the rest of them.

“You’re always invited,” Charlie insisted, holding out her hand for Kyra, but to her surprise, she was enveloped in a bear hug instead.

Bryce took a step back, wiping at his eyes as he announced, “This shit’s too cute. I need champagne for this. This is the best brunch I’ve ever been to, and we all know I don’t say that lightly.”

“Come on, let’s go find you some champagne,” Sienna started to lead a blubbering Bryce to the kitchen to find the perfect – and only – bottle of sparkling wine left in their fridge to toast their brunch to.

And it was right then that Charlie suddenly knew she had to tell them.

“Guys,” Charlie called out before she could stop herself. Everyone had already started to move back to their seats, wiping at their eyes and murmuring about how sappy they felt, but they all stopped to look at her, unsure what else she could have to say.

You can do this, Charlie thought to herself.

Taking a deep breath, Charlie pulled off the Band-Aid, “I had sex with Dr. Ramsey.”

“WHAT?” Elijah choked on his coffee.

“I fucking knew it!” Bryce air pumped his fist in victory, looking as if he regretted not taking bets, “Charlotte Greene, I am so proud of you. Why the hell didn’t you tell me earlier? We would have celebrated!”

“Yeah, Charlie, why didn’t you tell us?” Sienna’s question was genuine, even if she’d known the answer all along.

“I don’t know,” Charlie admitted, shaking her head as she tried to work through the jumbled thoughts, “I was scared. I’m so scared, you guys,” her voice cracked, “I just don’t want to put too much pressure on it, and I didn’t want you to think that I’d been fucking my boss for a better ranking. I promise, it just happened. I drunk texted him on Friday, and he picked me up. And then he invited me to see Dr. Banjeri, and then I spent the night and we…” Charlie trailed off, surprised by the incoherent story flowing from her mouth.

“Charlie, we’d never think that about you,” Sienna stepped forward, pulling Charlie into another tight hug.

“Even I’m the first to admit that you worked your ass off,” Jackie admitted, “You should have told us. We would have made fun of you for hours!” Jackie’s smirk mad Charlie laugh despite herself.

“Can we go back to the fact you drunk texted him? Does he even know how to text?” Elijah asked, his eyebrow raised, “Wait, does this mean we’re friends with him? Holy shit, I should invite him to my movie marathons.”

“No, no, we’re… I don’t know what I’m with him, let alone you guys. We had sex once – well, twice, but –“

“Twice? That’s my girl,” Bryce interjected, earning a glare from Charlie.

“I could be Dr. Ramsey’s new best friends. Guys, what if he likes science fiction movies?” Elijah was now going off on his own tangent, and it was best to let him fall down the rabbit holes on his own.

“Okay, guys, pause on everything. We need champagne for this!” Bryce insisted, practically sprinting to the kitchen to retrieve the bottle.

The room had practically dissolved in chaos. Elijah was discussing movies and planning marathons and toying with the idea of Dr. Ramsey joining him. Kyra and Bryce were so overwhelmed with pride that they couldn’t focus on much else, disagreeing on how to best toast to their friend (“no, we should celebrate how brave and unapologetic her life is!” “no, we’re definitely toasting the sex, Kyra.”). Jackie was now overwhelmed with how many opportunities she now had to tease Charlie, and Sienna watched over all like a proud mother hen.

Even if it was overwhelming and even a bit frightening, Charlie loved it. She loved them.

And there was a thought in the back of her mind – just a whisper, really – that left a foreign thought to invade every corner. Maybe – just maybe – those three words belonged to Ethan all along.

 I have mixed feelings on this chapter if I’m being honest. I didn’t expect to write a whole chapter without Ethan in a series dedicated to Ethan x MC, but as I started writing, the brunch took on a life of its own. Once I finished writing, I felt like I was cheating their friendship to delete it, but it was not part of the plan of the series. I didn’t even think Charlie would tell her friends yet, but after such an emotional outpour, how could she not trust them? Plus, @fanficnewbie‘s adaption inspired me to focus more on their friendship here. I really hope you enjoyed it, and if you’re wondering where tf Ethan is, don’t worry. He’ll be back very soon...

Part 6 coming soon.

PS. @fanficnewbie published a series that is an adaption of this story. It diverges after “In the Morning Light,” so you should give it a read!

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[artangel3993]

this is pt 2 of this drabble and it wont rlly make sense w/o it!  time 4 violet. cw for i mean general fuckery that is conditionally present in the box boy universe, contracts n ownership discussed, also mention of drugs

the inspiration for the setting of the underground military bunker turned psychedelic warehouse is from a real case that was i think still the largest lsd bust in the 2000s which is neat. drug history! that link has pics of the actual bunker too and im p sure vice also did a documentary on it, its a really interesting case! anyways i just want to get to bunker time so i can introduce poppy bc i love her. 

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--

Safiya could not, for the life of her, figure out what the fuck was wrong with this algorithm. She kept running it through her IDE over and over, checked all the spellings of the variables, and it still wouldn’t run the way she needed it to, or be a functional block of code in any way, intended or not (she got that sometimes, when a program would run but it would do something completely fucking different than her intentions.) She dragged her hands down her eyes, and took another long sip of her energy drink. She hadn’t slept in two days and she was still behind on her end of the code for her company’s new game- which fucking sucked, but at the same time, Saf liked the challenge, the conflict. Having something to do. Vi left her with enough money that she’d never have to work a day in her life again and still be fine, but she was good at game development- well. Not right now, but in general. Right now, she was about to ring whoever invented C++ by the neck.

Safiya was set up at the table by the kitchen, hosting her computer, a jumble of folders and piles of unorganized papers, at least three finished Monster’s scattered in between it all, and herself: wrapped in a knitted blanket, the monitor’s blue light bathing her dark skin. Summer was a couple steps away on the couch, lying down on her stomach and watercoloring, her legs idly kicking this way and that in the air (when Saf was working, Summer liked to create with her, she’d put on one of Saf’s records and make all kinds of art in a concentrated, comfortable silence, but watercoloring was always her favorite. Sometimes she’d give Saf painted pictures of the characters in whatever game she was working on, which made Saf smile like an idiot every time and put them someplace safe.) There were still wildflowers and weeds weaved into Summer’s golden hair, mud caking her tennis shoes laid forgotten by the door, and a soft smile on her face; all clues that made Saf infer she’d probably been out in the garden this morning that Summer had recently started. Saf had a lot of land extending from the cottage she’d never explored and left wholly wild and uncared for, so Summer kind of took over. 

Now when Saf looked out one of the front windows, there were all kinds of flowers lining the house, fluffy bumblebees laying on their petals, the beginnings of an apple tree supported by two wooden poles on either side as big as the sapling was. Once, she got dressed in all of her protective clothing because Summer asked if she could bring her outside and show her the full tour, just to see her get excited talking about all the different seeds she’d planted, her plans to tie a swing to the big oak tree out front. Safiya, in those moments, felt like she knew Summer, really. Felt like she knew what she could do to keep her in that good place, and even if she still slipped into being far away, Saf could handle it.

(There were other kinds of days, too, when Summer felt like a completely different person and Safiya was out kicking in the fucking deep end with no understanding of what to do, if anything she could do would make a difference anyways. Sometimes Summer wouldn’t talk for days. Sometimes, she’d sit poised and elegant- on the couch or the rocking chair or her bed in what used to be the spare room- for hours and hours and hours with the only movement being her blinking every so often, her face otherwise looked like it was as trapped in a pose as the rest of her. Safiya would try sitting down with her, and talking as quiet and gentle as her voice would allow, ask her if she was alright, if she wanted to maybe stand up with her and they could take a little walk around the rooms of the cottage, maybe, or- or Saf could put on all of her gear and they could go outside together- take my hand, everything’s okay, you’re safe I promise- but Summer would be unresponsive at that point, staring straight ahead, and Safiya would realize just how fucking unqualified she was to try and help her at all.)

Safiya fell out of her thoughts as the record Summer put on got caught in a groove, and started repeating the same chord over and over. Summer’s head peeked up from the couch, and she walked over to the record player, delicately flipping the vinyl and motioning towards putting it back onto the player.

She never got the chance, though. The front door made a clicking sound, the hinges sighed, and Violet Lowe was standing in the doorframe. Summer dropped the vinyl and it shattered. 

“I thought I changed my locks.” Safiya didn’t move from where she spoke.

Violet shrugged. “You did.” There was quiet. She closed the door behind her to keep the light out.

Safiya stood up, her blanket dropping to the floor, and she felt stupid for being in her sweats and a pair of fucking crocs because it would be really great if she was anything close to intimidating right now. Still, she walked over to Vi, putting herself in between her and Summer. 

Safiya intended to say a lot of things to her, everything that had been boiling in her mind since the morning Vi left and didn’t come back, insults and how could yous and I deserve better than thats. Instead, this is what came out: “I missed you, Vi. So much.” If, Saf thought, she was just a little less emotionally stunted, there’d be tears in her eyes. She really thought Vi wasn’t going to come back this time.

Violet smiled, but it was unreadable behind her sunglasses. She was definitely selling again, it showed in the gold and silver coiling around her fingers in serpentine rings and  dripping down her neck, contrasted starkly against her black cocktail dress. She had new heeled boots that made her stand almost as tall as Summer was, their glossy cold-black finish the exact same shade as her perfectly maintained bob. “I know you missed me. It’s why I came back.”

“Where have you been selling?” Saf knew Vi had friends in the business with mansions up and down the west coast they’d hop around, going from city to city giving out all kinds of compounds and getting rich as fuck in the process, living like psychedelic royalty. But this felt different, she’d been gone for too long.

Vi shook her head. “Not selling. Manufacturing. That’s where the real money is. We don’t have to move around, either, we bought this underground military bunker-”

“A bunker. An underground military bunker.” How the fuck do you just buy an underground military bunker.

Vi mhm’d impatiently, as if she was puzzled as to Saf not being able to keep up. “It used to be for large weapons storage, but it got auctioned off. One of the smartest decisions me and Nic ever made.” Sometimes Saf didn’t recognize the names Vi would rattle off, but Nic, Nic she knew from the one time she’d been with Saf while she was away on her business trips. She swallowed the memories she, frankly, could not be less prepared to deal with, back down.

Violet took Safiya’s hands in hers, the cold metal of her rings making imprints against Saf’s fingers. “Saf, Elana’s making psychoactive compounds nobody’s even theorized about before, with the amount of privacy we have there. You understand? We’re about to change the drug underbelly of this entire nation. And I want you there with me.”

“I’d go with you?” Vi’d never offered to take her with, ever since everything happened that summer, with her Vi, Elana and Nic. Safiya looked back at Summer in her floral sundress (she only wore that one on days when she was feeling good, Saf knew it was her favorite,) who at that point had pressed herself against the wall, standing straight and dead silent, staring at the both of them, her face unreadably calm to most, but Saf knew she only disconnected like that when she was fucking terrified. The record was still in pieces on the ground. With both eyes on her, Summer peeled herself off of the wall and hurriedly started picking up the shattered bits. Safiya moved towards her, breaking Vi’s grip. “It’s alright, Summer, I’ve got this, don’t worry about it-”

“Summer?” Vi said behind her, and Safiya realized just how badly she does not want these two people in her life to interact ever. Fuck. “It suits her so well. How have you liked my birthday present for you so far?”

Safiya stomped back up to Violet, and in a whisper edging on a growl, “We are not doing this right now Vi.” Saf would make grave eye contact with her if it weren’t for the fact that Vi still had her fucking shades on. 

“Now, if you had such a problem with my generosity, she’d be gone by now, wouldn’t she?” And then, after a moment, she added: “Stop acting like a saint, Safiya. You’ve never been a good liar.”

The room buzzed with the echo of her words, and Safiya stood there, quiet, for a dragged out moment, trying to think of some way to spit back at her. It didn’t happen. With the most calm face she can put on right now, she turned back to Summer. “Summer, maybe you should... go outside, for a little bit. I’ll tell you when I’ve shown Violet out.” She makes those last words taste like venom, matter-of-fact, so Vi can hear her anger. 

“No, she can stay.”

Summer stopped dead in her tracks. Looking at the fear in her eyes, that sinking look that overpowered any kind of calm Summer usually had when Saf was there, Saf knew she was lost. Summer was listening to Vi, now, all Vi, the kind of gone Saf was all too familiar with people getting under Vi’s words.

“Anyways,” Vi said, a tad annoyed, as if all of that had just been a mere blip in the conversation, turning her head to address Saf, “yes, you’re coming with. You’d be safe in the bunker, I made sure of it. All of your special lights. I want…. I want you there. With me.”

If this had been in literally any other context, Safiya would’ve smiled at Vi’s effort to communicate her feelings, Saf had been with her for years and she knew how hard it was for her to even understand her own emotions, much less say them out loud. But she was pissed at her, and she was going to hold onto that feeling for as long as she could to make her feel worse. “Summer stays here.” There was no way in hell she was going to let Summer anywhere near Vi’s fucked up drug empire. 

Vi just fucking shrugged. “She’s coming.”

Saf charged at her again, pointing an accusing finger at her and getting close enough until it buried into the fabric of Vi’s dress. “You can act like I’m as fucked up as you are but I would never trust her with your or your f-”

Vi smiled, and batted Saf’s hand off of her as if she was a somewhat disinterested cat. “Let me rephrase that. My name is on her contract. She’s coming.”

[thelostandforgottenangel]

Happy Birthday Ashley

Sorry it’s a day late but my signal sucks where I’m at so @fyreball66 I love you Sis and hope you had a wonderful Birthday yesterday. Wish I could have gotten this posted for you last night but please enjoy!

@devilsnevercry1388 @tmntwhat-you-get-is-what-you-see

Donatello had gotten everything in place having planned every small detail to his surprise for his Fiancé special day.

Today she was royalty and they all made sure she felt it – she had been surprised that morning by waking up to him and their girls with breakfast in bed and roses for her, having some family time while the others were setting up the den for their own surprise for their newest sister and daughter

He had set up a special dinner for them getting his baby sister to help with cooking his mates favorite meal while he had made her a birthday cake getting Mikey to decorate it beautifully with a white icing and several light purple roses ‘Happy Birthday Ashley’ written across the top thanks to Raven fixing it, had gotten Raven and Angel as baby sitters for the girls even though he was sure he didn’t have to ask they loved getting time with the twins, after dinner he had chosen for them to enjoy themselves

He hadn’t told her anything past they were going to do something but had gotten her something special to wear; a beautiful flowy purple dress with a pair of black leggings and comfortable shoes since she looked great in his color although the beauty looked great in anything she wore he loved seeing her in purple

The rest of their family had wanted to give her their gifts so he had made sure they had two hours to hang out before taking her to see what had been keeping him so busy besides their wedding preparations that he had just finished a few days prior

He had just gotten finished getting ready wearing the new shirt Raven had fashioned him so he looked a bit dressy for her checking himself in the mirror when she came downstairs coming to meet her, Donnie had nearly dropped upon seeing her she looked gorgeous in the outfit he had bought her and with the light make up she never needed she looked just like the queen he always saw her as only right then everyone else was getting to see it too

His heart melted as she smiled and being the gentlemen and her King he bowed kissing her hand “God you are beautiful baby” He stepped back as everyone came to wish her the happiest birthday smiling as the women fawned over her and his brothers give her small hugs

Angel had gotten her a bath set with several bath bombs going to make sure her friend and sister was going to get a few spa days while the girl played with their cousins, Raven had made her a coupon book from the twins to mommy so she could get spoiled by everyone not only for her birthday but whenever she needed a down day and found the cutest turtle pendent at the thrift store not far from their home since she wasn’t allowed to go far without Leo following her, Leatherhead had made the special trip from his place coming over to see his favorite little turtle girls who he was quite attached too bringing over a few things to Master Splinter and an invention Donatello had been helping him with so she could play her pictures and videos in holographic form playing with Rose who immediately reached for the croc cooing excitedly for him, April and Casey had swung by on their way to work to give her their gifts, the young reporter and officer had gotten her a new purse and wallet set with some gift cards to a few stores and restaurants being a double gift they had put in their money together so she could have a day out of the lair with or without anyone

Leonardo went out of his way and made her some therapeutic scented candles for relaxation giving them to her along with Splinters gift of a few new books he had sent his youngest child for knowing the young woman loved to read just as much as him if not more, Michelangelo chose to paint her a picture on a large canvas of the view from the porch of the sunset upstate at the cabin knowing how much she had loved watching with Donnie every time they were there, And finally, Raphael had come back from the Ha’shi with a large bag, he had knitted her one of the softest blankets from his good yarn making sure it was big enough for Don’s bed knowing they would both be using it and recently having been in the good mood he had finished it after making one for each of his children

They had all been having so much fun they all were so disappointed when Donnie had told them they needed to go taking her hand and leading her to the elevator going up to ground level taking out a silky black blindfold tying it around her closed eyes “Can’t go off ruining the surprise for the Birthday girl” he checked making sure she couldn’t see before scooping her up into his arms with a grin kissing her softly “Hope you are ready for the night of your life” he never gave her time to say anything before heading for the roofs and out across the city

It only took him twenty minutes to get where he was going landing on the roof softly walking her to the center of the area before hurrying to light the candles coming up behind her pressing another kiss to her neck untying the cloth over her eyes “Happy Birthday my Queen”

Her soft gasp told him he had done good in surprising her of course this would have n he always loved ever been possible without his family and friends to help him

He had gotten Casey’s help in reserving a roof on one of the hotel buildings for a party and it looked better than he had expected; there were several flowers and fairy lights decorations around the area they were going to be in, a single table set up for two with a centerpiece he had made for her. A cute tiara his sister had bought that he had decorated in jewels and flowers.

Angel had come to drop off the food while everyone was busy and it looked like the kitchen had kept it in a warm place since it was still hot, the cake was on a side table with several little candles already placed in it. He grinned seeing the hotel had sent them a bottle of champagne/wine as a complimentary gift for his biggest surprise of all that would probably top off tonight

He pulled her gently with him sitting her down and scooting her chair in before taking his own pouring her a glass of the sweetened liquor eating their meal by candle light under the moon and stars talking about whatever came to mind and after a while he found he couldn’t look away from her, she was so beautiful in the soft warm glow, they had finished their meal and cut the cake after he had sang Happy Birthday to her making her closer her eyes and wish for something even though she told him repeatedly she had everything she wanted clapping when she blew out her candles grinning as they ate seeing the surprise that he had made her cake on his own. The love he felt right then for her as she hummed eating more telling him how good it was that slowly got up turning on some music from a radio he had dropped off earlier the night before after he was sure nobody was going to be there until later.

The song playing luckily was just the one he had scheduled on his playlist for the night going back to her side he bowed smirking at her as he offered his hand “Would you give me this dance your highness” he kissed her hand when she gave it to him putting on his normal charm only doubling it wanting her to know she was his heaven and earth in this world.

He would never tell her but he knew she loved this side of him and with her around it came so easily

Never had he thought he’d be standing on a roof at a nice hotel with a beautiful woman in his arms as they slowly danced to some of their favorite love songs, or that he would be loved so willingly but someone as wonderful as his Ashley.

“Hope you are enjoying yourself” he held her close to his chest after bringing her against him from spinning her around, he always loved dancing but until he had met her he had never tried but somehow the first time he had taken her hands she moved with him flawlessly and it was like they were one and the same

The music played softly around them as they danced and for the moment no matter what hell they had been through in the last few months everything was perfect right then and he got to see heaven in its purest form. With a soft kiss to her lips he grinned before sweeping her off the ground holding her against him, he hadn’t noticed yet but it was well past eleven meaning it was time to show off the final and most important of the night

“Come on -Time for the biggest surprise of all Birthday girl” there was no time for her to say anything as the turtle gathering a few things placing the radio in the bag he had picked up before slipping down from the roof just as the door opened as the employees came up to clean and put stuff away for pick-up which he had already gotten the okay from April who was bringing him stuff come morning “Close your eyes baby~” once he was sure she wasn’t peaking he slipped into the top floor suite

This had been a favor he had called in but tonight was special and as long as he didn’t break anything it wouldn’t cost him - but that was only if he played nice and didn’t do as he was planning

He gently sat her on the bed so she could see around the room candles burning slowly, the room smelled like roses, the bed was covered in the softest sheets he had ever felt, and on one table there was warm chocolate, whip cream, and strawberries “This is ours for a few days cause when I’m done you are going to need some recovery time Ash~”

The look in her eyes just set him on fire

Donatello was kissing her over and over his hands exploring down her body as he pulled her with him up the bed pinning her to the mattress as he ravished her with attention, those small hands pulling at his clothes gasping as he pulled away moving off the bed winking at her as he started to unbutton his shirt slowly, he was smiling at her yet his face was burning as he put on a bit of a show to tease her

The sweet scent of her arousal hit him hard and his body reacted instantly growing fully erect in seconds

The second she was begging for him to get back on the bed he was there kissing and holding her in his arms as he slowly stripped her body of all clothes worshiping her like a goddess, marking her pale flesh, whispering promises and sweet things in her ear while pushing his pants down all the way throwing them off once his legs were free. He kept worshiping her body pleasuring her into two mind numbing orgasms priding himself to see that beautiful body writhing around and hearing her breathless pleas for him to take her

He held himself back as long as he could before yanking her under him kissing her so needily lining up with her entrance. A loud deep churr vibrated his chest as he groaned rubbing over her wanting to fill her but the need to be patient so he could bring her all the love she deserved “You are so tight my queen~ I hope you are ready~” her fast nods were all he needed, thrusting forward he started stretching her fast with only half his length moving slow going deep before pulling back looking deep in his mates eyes as he took her until she screamed out in pleasure wanting more rocking her body with each move

His hips snapped forward finally giving her all of him grunting loudly moaning into her neck, their bodies pressed together as the turtle moved cradling the woman in his arms moaning her name, it was slow and torturous driving in deep feeling her nails digging into his shoulders begging him to fill her as she came again around his cock

If he hadn’t been close before then he was now

”Ash~ Oh god Ash!” her lips kissed over his neck drove him insane feeling her arms going around his neck as he pounded into her wildly his hand fisting the sheets as his arm went around her waist lifting them panting raggedly, she was so wet and hot, so tight and pulling him in deeper by the second until he caved reaching up grabbing the head board as she started voicing another orgasm their cries getting louder when he suddenly pushed in all the way buried deep in her womb just as he filled her completely “H-Happy Birthday my Queen~!”

His flexed muscles tightened churring and grunting as her body held him in place throbbing painfully as he moved within her coil cursing under his breath before he stiffened his vocalizations blending with hers becoming so loud he was sure they could be heard five floors down, his body jumped and pulsed until a relived groan filled the air as his load started shooting into her. His load filling her fast until he collapsed over her his arms barely keeping him up long enough for his love to move letting him drop at her side dragging the blankets over them

He hummed softly kissing her neck as he cuddled her close - she was a breathless heap still holding him inside her as they laid there panting smiling at one another “S~Soon as I catch my breath~” he kissed her so gently before burying his head into her neck with a chuckled lifting his head only enough to growl out a few words “I’m going to pound you into this bed over and over until we both can’t move”

Oh, it was a promise and he was going to keep it

Hope this was good but theres more Beautiful ...... SURPRISE!!!

[lovemesomesurveys]

[found at: joybucket]

When was the last time you did something for the first time? Hmm. My days are so routine and much of the same I don’t even remember.

Which do you prefer: Valentine's Day or Easter? Easter.

Do you wait until the last minute to decorate, or do you decorate early? I only decorate for Halloween and Christmas, though the past few years it’s just been Christmas. I like to start right after Thanksgiving.

What color bottoms are you wearing right now? I’m wearing black Adidas leggings with the 3 white stripes down each pant leg.

Do you love life?! No. I love my loved ones in my life and I am grateful for them and the things I do have, but I don’t have this lust or passion for life that I wish I did. I’m definitely not living it to the fullest, or really at all these past few years. I feel like I’ve wasted so much time. I don’t know what I want to do in life or what my passions are. My depression and other health stuff have taken over and hardened me it seems. :/ 

What's your favorite Starbucks drink? For a little over a month it’s been a peppermint white chocolate mocha. I’ve literally had one like 4-5 times a week. Prior to the holiday season I definitely wasn’t getting Starbucks that often, so I don’t know what sparked the sudden obsession but I’ve been obsessed. I’m hoping they have the smoked butterscotch latte this year, which should be coming out soon and will be next go-to. Other times in the year I typically get a caramel macchiato or white chocolate mocha. I often buy the Starbucks Doubleshot coffee energy drink from the store, too. The white chocolate one in particular. 

What were you wearing in the last good selfie you took? It wasn’t good, but the last selfie I took was on NYE and I was wearing a Baby Yoda/Grogu sweatshirt and leggings, but in the photo I had my rose gold throw blanket wrapped around me.

What's on your wish list right now? Christmas just passed and I certainly haven’t started one for this year yet. Or for my birthday, which is months away. I can’t think of anything right now.

What do you use to sweeten your tea? A packet or two of Sweet n’ Low.

Which dollar store do you like best? I don’t have a favorite one. I rarely go there.

Have you ever owned an expensive eyeshadow palette? No.

What's one challenge you want to complete for YouTube? None. I don’t make YouTube videos.

If you make YouTube videos, do you have a posting schedule? --

When was the last time you stepped outside of your comfort zone? Leaving the house during a pandemic, which thankfully and fortunately for me is only once a month. 

How would you rate your self-esteem? low, healthy, or high? I’m just a sucker with no self-esteem.

Do you own a tripod for your camera? No. I don’t have a camera, I just use my phone to take photos.

Would you rather go to London, Paris, or Tokyo? Either London or Paris.

Were you a bigger fan of Lindsay Lohan or Hilary Duff? Ha, the previous question made me think of that Hilary Duff song. Anyway, I’d say Hilary Duff.

Which Olsen twin was your favorite: Mary-Kate or Ashley, and why? I didn’t have a favorite one, I liked them both. I watched all their movies and TV shows growing up.

Do you make Halloween costumes out of clothes from your closet? I have a few times before.

Do you enjoy putting outfits together? I used to put effort and thought into that, but now I just throw something on lol.

Would you rather it rain or snow? I wish it snowed here.

What does your umbrella look like? I don’t have one.

What color are your nails painted? They’re not. I haven’t painted my nails in years.

Are your nails always painted? Well, no. 

What's one thing you've had a toxic reaction to? Tangerines.

Do you wear headbands? No.

Do you own a boho bandeau? No.

Which do you prefer: cropped tops or tunic tops? I don’t wear either of those.

What's a style or trend that you think is ridiculous? I don’t understand why Crocs became popular. I remember when everyone thought they were ugly and typically they were only worn by doctors because they’re apparently really comfortable. Then there was a shift in recent years and people love them now?? They even have different pins to decorate them with that you stick in the holes (kjfksldklsd that word).

Which YouTuber do you want to be more like? There’s not one particular one, but there’s a few whose personality traits I’d like to have.

Do you wear jeggings or leggings more? Leggings all day, everyday.

^Same questions, but jeggings or skinny jeans? I’ve only worn legging the past few years, but before that I would have said skinny jeans. Those are the only jeans I have and would wear.

Do you like stuffed animals? *looks around my room and sees the shit ton of giraffe stuffed animals all around, along with several other plushies* Yeah, you could say that. 

What was your favorite class in high school? English.

Have you ever gotten straight A's in a class? If so, which classes? Yeah, English for sure and some others.

Were there any subjects that you got a perfect SAT score in? If so, what? I didn’t take the SATs.

What's the best coffee shop in your town, in your opinion? I just go to Starbucks. Judge me all you want. 

Are you happy today? No.

If so, what made you happy today?

When was the last time you woke up to a beautiful sunrise? For the past year I’ve been up past the sunrise everyday.

Is your bed right by a window? It’s right across from it.

Do you spent more time in your bedroom or your living room? My room.

Which holiday is your favorite to decorate for? Christmas, for sure.

Do you decorate for holidays? Just Christmas the past few years, but I do have Halloween decorations. To be honest the past 2 years I kept my Christmas decorations up in my room. Not sure why I didn’t put up the Halloween decorations the other times. I want to put away my Christmas decorations and decorate for Halloween this year.

What craft project do you want to do next? I don’t do crafts.

Do you name stuffed animals still? A lot of my giraffes have names.

Do you still own your favorite Barbie? I still have my Barbies and their accessories stored away.

What was your favorite Barbie? I just loved Barbies.

Favorite Bratz doll? I didn’t have a favorite. I was a little old when those came out, though I did have a couple. I just wasn’t into them like I was Barbies.

Favorite American Girl doll? I didn’t have one.

Favorite Disney princess? Ariel.

Favorite cartoon character? The Rugrats crew.

Are you rebellious? No, I’m like the least rebellious human on the face of the Earth. <<< Count me in as well.

What's the most rebellious thing you've ever done? Smoking weed was a big thing for me. 

What's your favorite thing about yourself? I’m not a big fan of myself, particularly the person I’ve become the past few years.

Have you ever celebrated Valentine's Day when you were single? I’ve always been single on Valentine’s Day, so. It’s really just another day, but there were a few years I specifically got my favorite candy or sweets and watched a few rom-coms on that day. 

What's your dream date? I think a Disneyland date would be cute.

If you were dating a guy right now, where would you want him to take you? Nowhere, ha. Just get me takeout and a Starbucks and we can chill at home lol.

Is there a guy you regret letting slip away? Yes.

Are you a guy or a girl? I’m a female.

Are you more boho, girly, edgy, sporty, or hipster? My style is comfy casual. I live in leggings and oversized graphic tees.

Which stereotype do you fit the most? Uhh.

What titles did you win in the senior class polls? None.

Were you popular in school? Nope, not at all. 

If you won a car, what color would you like it to be? Red or blue.

Do you wear hats? Yeah. Do you ever put your hair up in the winter? I always have my hair up. I don’t have the energy or motivation to do anything with it so it’s easier to just throw it up.

Do you have bangs? No.

^If not, have you ever had bangs? Yeah, from when I was like 1 until I was like 20, which at that point I transitioned into side bangs. Now I have neither. I’ve actually been kinda wanting to get bangs again, but ehhh.

How many siblings do you have? I have two brothers.

Do you have any family members that you've never met? Yes. If you're from the US, what states have you lived in? Just California. 

Who was your best roommate? Haven’t had one.

Was your first roommate your best roommate? ^^^ What's the best family vacation you've ever been on? Disneyland vacays.

Do you have a Mac or a PC? Mac.

Do you use iMovie? No, but I did in the past before.

What's your dream job? I don’t have one.

What types of YouTube videos are your favorite to watch? ASMR, vlogs, lifestyle.

Which do you watch more: TV, YouTube, or movies? YouTube, followed by TV, then movies.

Do you prefer books or movies? I enjoy both, but I definitely read a lot more.

Have you ever wanted to be a model? No.

Are you cold right now? No, I’m kinda warm.

What do the last pair of pants you bought look like? It was a pair of leggings, surprise, surprise. They were Halloween leggings.

What store(s) do you do most of your shopping at? Boxlunch and Hot Topic.

What style of wedding dress is your favorite? I don’t have one.

What years did you attend prom? Just senior year.

What color is the last sweater you wore? Dark blue.

What do you want to be for Halloween? I don’t dress up or go anywhere anymore.

What is your name, and what are the different spelling variations of it? My name is Stephanie, I’ve seen people spell it Stefani and Stefanie.

Do you like your name how it's spelled? Yeah.

Would you change your name if given the chance? Nah.

Did you ever want to be famous? When I was a kid it seemed like it would be fun. Ha, I remember I used to practice my signature. I’d pretend I was giving out autographs lol.

Would you ever want to be famous now? Noooo.

Who are the cutest babies you see on Facebook? A few of my Facebook friends have babies.

What would your name had been if you were born the opposite gender? My mom said Jesse.

If you had a twin of the same gender, what would his/her name be? I have no idea.

What is your first and middle name? All ya need to know is Stephanie.

What year were you born? 1989.

How old does that make you? I’m 31.

[trendolbiz]

Italian sisters Anna and Margherita Brivo are here to solve your day-to-night dressing woes, mainly by telling you that you never need to change for after work drinks again. All thanks to their insanely comfortable shoe brand, Paris Texas, which was born out of their need for comfortable heeled shoes to pair with their go-to denim and sweater outfits.

Both Anna and Margherita Brivo studied economics in school, but as soon as they hung up their graduation caps they dove head-first into the fashion industry. Anna learned the ropes while buying for an Italian multibrand store, while Margherita joined Self Portrait in London. By the time Margherita graduated (she’s a few years younger than Anna), her sister had already moved on to open her own multibrand store, Norrgatan, which is where she decided to dabble in footwear. “We realized that we were missing great shoes with great prices,” Anna recounted. “So in 2012, we decided to create a few exclusive styles of shoes for the store. We started with suede booties in a variety of colors and they turned out to be a great success, [so] we decided to create a collection.” Now the likes of Emily Ratajkowski, Eva Chen, and Aimee Song can be seen wearing the bright, colorful, snake print leather boots and tartan mules on a regular basis.

  Their first fashion memories:

Anna Brivio: “My obsession with fashion started very early with my grandmother—she was incredibly stylish and had a love of shoes (which I have inherited!). I remember her pumps very clearly, which she would always wear. She was a lover of color, which I took on from an early age.”

Margherita Brivio: “I’ve definitely taken my fashion obsession from Anna. There are a few years between us, and I started to breath fashion [when] I was young thanks to her. Our family is very fashion-focused, so it was only natural we would both end up in the industry.”

The brand was created out of necessity:

AB: “We have a multi brand store called Norrgatan, which I launched with my life and business partner, Massimo. We realized that we were missing great shoes with great prices, so we decided to create a few exclusive styles of shoes for the store. They turned out to be a great success, [so] we decided to create a collection for our wholesale showroom, Baltimora Studio. From there the collection grew and became a business in itself.

“When I started the business with Massimo, Margherita was still at university, but after graduation she became a partner, which felt very natural. We have very similar tastes and share the same style so we are always working in the same direction.”

  Which allowed them to take their time with things:

AB: “We started the brand on a very small scale, which helped us in a way, and we grew step-by-step. We are lucky because after a lot of research, we found great suppliers who always supported us in terms of pricing and the high quality you would expect from [an Italian] product. Both are very important to us and it’s not easy to find the right balance between the two!”

They created shoes for their day-to-night lifestyle:

AB: “My signature look is a pair of jeans, a good sweater, and comfortable shoes that look cool. I don't have time to go home and change after work before meeting my friends for drinks, and I prefer not having to change outfits, so I had to create a shoe that worked in this context. For comfort, the chunky heel is very important.”

MB: “We are denim obsessed! Jeans are my favorite and I love to style them with unique and eye-catching shoes like ours. Comfortable shoes are a necessity, especially as we wear heels everyday. It was hard for us to find nice, cool shoes that were comfortable so that is why comfort was so important to us.”

  The name describes their designs:

MB: “Our brand is based on the concept of contrasts, proving that dressing from day-to-night and work to leisure doesn't require multiple shoes, just the right ones! Paris and Texas are two places that are very different; Paris is sophisticated and Texas is wild and edgy. We have represented these contrasts through simple and sophisticated shapes in bold colours and fabrics.”

The Paris Texas brand in three words:

AB: “Stylish, simple, fun.”

MB: “Cool, eye-catching, comfortable.”

A little bit about their design process:

AB: “I love a lot of colors, trends, and materials, so for me, it is always quite a challenge creating a consistent collection. My office is like a living moodboard, I keep so many photographs and clippings there. I find inspiration from something as small as [a] color or fabric, to a memory or place I have recently visited. We are lucky because within our collections we have the flexibility to create capsules with our factory. For example, SS19 includes an iridescent capsule—the styles remained the same but the color is an exclusive. This allows us to have fun with colors and trends without letting them dominate the collection too much.”

  The most surreal moments of the brands so far:

AB: “Whenever we see our shoes worn by celebrities, style influencers, and women we love, we get so excited. Emily Ratajkowski wearing our mock croc boots during Paris Fashion Week in September 2018 was a real high point for us and for the brand!”

MB: “When we started seeing the impact of the brand around the world with customers, press, influencers, and our followers. After PFW, when Emily wore our shoes, we received so, so many requests, it was quite unreal.”

Who they’d love to see wearing their designs:

AB: “Carine Roitfeld, my forever icon Kate Moss, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and of course, Kim Kardashian.”

MB: “I would die for Carine Roitfeld, too. I love her French, effortlessly chic style. Rihanna, Bella Hadid, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and Lena Perminova. And I would die also to see both Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber wearing Paris Texas.”

What they’re currently working on:

AB: “Designing our AW19 collection—my favorite season.”

MB: “Working on an amazing AW19 collection. Stay tuned!”

  Want more stories like this?

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What’s Inside A Full-Time Traveler’s Suitcase

Wandering Earl

It turns out that a full-time traveler doesn’t really need much stuff.

One pair of ripped socks. Boxer shorts with a tear in the back (oh my, these are old). A yellow t-shirt with all kinds of Vietnamese soup stains on the front. Two small tin boxes I bought for no reason at an antique shop in India earlier this year. And a blue belt that I hadn’t seen in about 14 months.

That’s a quick glimpse of some of the stuff I just found when I gutted my suitcase this morning in preparation for this post.

In fact, I think it’s the first time I’ve taken absolutely everything out in about two years.

Did I say suitcase? Yes I did.

After spending my first 16 years or so as a full-time traveler using my trusty Kelty Redwing 44 liter backpack, I’ve now spent a good portion of the past 2 years traveling around with my Eagle Creek Load Warrior 42 liter rolling suitcase.

Have I gone mad? Perhaps.

All I know is that this little sturdy suitcase, which is indeed smaller than my Kelty backpack, helps me keep things more organized, it’s super easy to pull along wherever I go and it’s still compact enough to take as a carry-on. And as I get older, that all seems slightly more appealing than carrying my stuff on my back.

I still love my backpack but for the travel I do now, a 42-liter rolling suitcase suits my needs.

What I Pack as a Full-Time Traveler

After 18 years of travel, one might think that my possessions have gone through a series of transformations based on my travel style or needs. Well, apart from some more advanced technology that I carry today, things really aren’t too different now than from 1999 or 2003 and so on.

I’m not sure if I should be happy, embarrassed or sad about that.

Anyway, here is the complete list…

The Main Bag

3 pairs of shorts (one gray, one blue, one orange as I spend significant amounts of time in hot weather)

1 swimsuit (if there’s a beach nearby, I’m going…I actually had 2 swimsuits but some coconut oil leaked through my daypack last month and caused the red material of the bag to stain the swimsuit, so that one had to go)

2 pairs of jeans (1 blue, 1 black…I’ve tried wearing actual pants but always prefer my jeans in the end)

9 t-shirts (might sound like more than I need, but this full-time traveler spills a lot of soup on his t-shirts so I always need backups)

1 button down short sleeve shirt (I love this shirt but only really wear it when I need to look a tad more dressed up, which isn’t too often actually)

1 button down long sleeve shirt (I’ve been carrying this one around for the past 1.5 years and haven’t worn it once)

1 sweater (a recent purchase from when I was in Sweden last month and it was quite cold outside…haven’t used it since)

1 navy zipper hoodie (I wear this ALL the time…in fact, I probably should wash it soon)

Travel towel (I don’t know…about twice per year I find myself dripping with water and without a proper towel around…that’s when this thin travel towel comes to the rescue)

7 pairs of socks (you can’t wear flip-flops in European cities during the summer, you’ve got to put on some socks and shoes!)

8 underwear (yup, I do wear underwear and only one has a hole in it, I think)

1 pair of sandals (after spending many years only wearing Crocs Modi Flips or Hurley Phantom Free flip-flops, I recently purchased a pair of Sole sandals…oops, big mistake and when I get back to the US in a couple of weeks, I’ll be going back to one of my favorites)

1 pair of New Balance shoes (I’m a New Balance person – they’re comfortable, durable and they have an “N” for “nomad” on the side)

Sarong (the one thing I know I’ve carried with me from day 1 as a full-time traveler…it plays so many roles – sheet, beach blanket, bag, sweat rag, clothing, etc)

Amazon basics laundry bag (super sturdy, rolls up into nothing and well, pretty much does what you’d expect)

Shoe brush (with only 1 pair of shoes, they can get dirty, so from time to time I give them a scrub down…unfortunately, it doesn’t help remove the car oil stains that I somehow got on my shoes)

Bar of soap (some guesthouses/hotels/hostels/apartments don’t provide soap and I’ve realized this way too many times after getting under the water in the shower…so, I carry my own just in case)

Ohuhu toiletry bag (the best one I’ve found by far…fits everything, remains compact and is super easy to clean…why I need to carry around 3 things of deodorant is a different story)

Philips electric toothbrush (last year I made the switch to an electric toothbrush and naturally, it was a great decision… here’s a tip for travelers though…I went with Philips because it can be charged anywhere overseas…the ones from Braun require a voltage converter)

Contact lenses and contact lens solution (kind of a necessity)

Bag of money (not as exciting as that sounds…just a pile of currency from countries I think I might visit again soon…or just a pile of money that is getting dirtier and smellier as time goes on)

Small medicine pack (ibuprofen, Claritin, paracetamol…actually, I can’t find this thing right now so I might have lost it)

2 tiny tin boxes (no idea what I’m going to do with these things, probably just carry them around for a few years)

The Small Bag

In terms of a small bag, a couple of years ago I made the switch to a Timbuk2 messenger bag. For me, it’s more comfortable and holds everything I need in a more organized manner. And it’s red, which apparently nobody wants, because it was on sale for about 50% off the regular price.

Here’s what’s inside:

MacBook Pro laptop (can’t travel/work without it, and after 5 years, it’s still going strong)

Kindle (lately I haven’t been reading as much as I wish but do you have any book recommendations?)

Samsung Galaxy S7 (it’s my phone and my camera these days)

Credit card holders (I don’t use a wallet…I stuff money and the cards I need each day into my pocket…what I don’t need, I keep in these two things…no idea why I don’t use a different system…any good travel wallet recommendations?)

Pouch for SIM cards (when I saw this felt pouch in a tiny store in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan a few years ago, I thought to myself, “That would be a perfect SIM card holder”…well, not quite like that but I liked the pouch and that’s what it has become)

Symphonized NRG 3.0 earbuds (My Symphonized earbuds are one of my best ever gear purchases…for $25, the sound quality is simply awesome and as a bonus, I actually just used them last night as ear plugs due to the barking dogs and naying horses outside the window – don’t ask)

Business cards (Ah yes…I’ve been carrying around a couple of hundred business cards since 2012 and have probably handed out a grand total of 9)

ButterFox electronic gear case (it all fits inside – chargers, wireless mouse, small HDMI cable, plug adapters, laptop screen cleaner and these colorful little rubber twisty tie things that I thought would be useful but which I’ve never used)

And finally, I also carry around…

Passport (completely worn out, partly torn and with three extra sets of pages inside, two of which are sewn in and one which is taped in…talk about suspicious)

Yellow Fever certificate (only needed to use this once but good to have)

Sunglasses (for the first 35 years of my life, I never wore sunglasses but the last 5 years, I’ve worn them almost every day)

Pen (high-quality little pen I bought at a random pen shop in Singapore about 4 years ago)

USB stick (no idea what’s on this thing)

That’s everything!

Total weight:

Suitcase – 11 kg / 24 lbs Daypack – 5 kg / 13 lbs

And while all of the above might sound like a significant amount of stuff, here’s what it all looks like when nicely packed up:

Final Notes on Packing Carry on or checked luggage?

My current setup, whether with the backpack or suitcase, can always be taken as a carry-on. I usually take it as a carry-on if I am flying direct. If I have a layover somewhere, I check my backpack or suitcase simply because I don’t like to lug it around the airport. But I’ve never had any issues with size or weight when taking it as a carry-on, including on many budget airlines in Europe, Asia and Africa.

The good and the bad of packing light

Pros: My life fits into one small bag. It’s pretty simple, everything I need as a full-time traveler is right there and I can pack up and go in minutes if I’m being chased by local authorities …um, or I just suddenly decide to head to a new destination. There is also a sense of freedom involved with having such few possessions and having that ability to move around the globe so easily without having to think of what to do with excess stuff.

Cons: On the other hand, sometimes I wouldn’t mind some extra stuff. Another shirt or another pair of shoes, for example. I don’t need them but when you’re on the road for this long, some added variety wouldn’t hurt. Also, whenever I see something that I’d like to purchase, something that would look great in my home, I have to remind myself that I’m a full-time traveler that lives out of my suitcase and that there is no room in there for cool Moroccan lamps or a hand-woven Pakistani carpet.

Packing cubes

A friend and I have been going back and forth recently about the benefits of packing cubes. He sees a ton of benefits. I see zero benefits. I know they’re a popular thing but when a bag is all packed up with packing cubes, to me it just looks like my suitcase when it is all packed up, except that there are these cubes that now need to be opened in order for me to reach my stuff. Why have that extra step?

Is the above really all I own?

Pretty much, yes. I do have one box in a closet at my mom’s place that is filled with some extra clothes and a few gifts I’ve purchased for myself while traveling but I haven’t looked at it in a long time. It’s probably full of bugs. Apart from that, all of my possessions are literally in my suitcase and messenger bag.

So, the question is, could you live out of a suitcase? How do you pack, or think you’d pack, for your travels?