#I swear that I how to spend my money wisely

[my-name-is-siduri]

I sigh deeply as I hand over my money to Neil and Chris once again. They take it and buy themselves yet another expensive suit and some wacky hats and sunglasses. They then go to some cafe no one's ever heard of to buy themselves one slice of cake to split between them

[gotchaocha]

Ughh stuck on writing a scene again 

On the bright side, I already got 3 chapter of the possible-novel written! 

I try not to think about the fact that I´m trying to write a nove because I feel like understanding the long ass path of trying to acomplish such a thing will stop me from trying in the first place. You know normal stuff

[coralinnii]

❋ Crushing on a game character ❋ ↳ bonus: he kinda reminds you of your bf feat ⎸Leona ⭑ Azul ⭑ Jack ⭑ Kalim genre ⎸fluff, humour note ⎸no pronouns used with reader, established relationships, reader is kinda oblivious and scatterbrained. 

part one

Ugghh, the disgusted looks this man would give. Stop, I can’t handle the judgemental stares! 

Jokes aside, Leona’s not really going to care too much. It’s your life so you can like whatever you want so long as it doesn’t bother him. 

He may look like he isn’t listening to you as you gush about your ult fav, but he’s listening enough to get the gist of this fictional character that seems to capture your attention. 

“He sounds like a real jerk. You got some weird taste” 

“He’s actually a good guy, I swear!” 

“Well, for a good guy he sure acts like an as-“ 

Am I getting too meta on this?

Despite his supposed indifference, he pays enough attention to notice some similarities appearance-wise between him and your favorite character and of course he had to point it out at any given chance. 

“Can’t get your mind off of me, can ya?”

He can sleep through your gaming and your giggling well enough, and at the end of the day he’s the one that gets to have you in his arms as you fall asleep after a long gaming session.

But soon, you started buying some merch. At first, it was just some photo cards and keychains so it’s nothing too crazy. He almost can’t believe that people would actually spend time and money collecting those kinds of things. But when he realized that he could quell your anger a lot better now by handing you merch he made Ruggie get, he can’t complain about an easy out. 

Then the bigger stuff started coming in, and Leona starts to notice that this fictional bastard is taking more than just space in your phone. He doesn’t like sharing what’s his, fictional or not.

“You can’t be serious” 

Your lips curled into a pout as you glanced back at your new purchase that somehow offended Leona for some reason. “What? It looks cool, doesn’t it?” 

Leona doesn’t agree as he stood face to face with the monstrosity sitting on your desk.

A giant figurine of a certain character he’s starting to think he’s seeing way too much of.

It was a detailed piece with decor and props surrounding the character, showing off more of its 3D splendor. The smug expression on the figure, regardless if simply painted on, made Leona growled under his breath as it rubbed him the wrong way.

Your beastman boyfriend was waiting for you in his bedroom when the school day was done, expecting some quality time with his mate. Instead, he was practically left forgotten when you heard that a package was dropped off for you and you were excited to unbox your long-awaited splurge. Leona finally got your attention when he unceremoniously burst through your bedroom doors to find you rearranging your desk to fit your new figure.

“The damn thing is takin’ up your whole desk,” Leona sneered down at the piece of clay as though it offended his honor. “And it’s ugly as hell” 

“How dare you! He’s a masterpiece!” Leona felt a vein tense on his forehead. Did you really have to call it a he? “Besides, I still have space on my desk and just looking at him while I study relaxes me” 

As if to prove your point, you bent down to gaze at your new figure and a fond smile immediately found its place on your face. You playfully tapped the top of your character’s head, giddy as you took in the well-crafted design of the model. 

Leona on the other hand, can only feel a headache forming as he has to watch his lover go gaga over a cheap piece of clay (cheap to him, maybe!). It’s one thing to have your attention away from him when you're gaming, but he’s not gonna fight with a freaking toy for your loving looks outside of that. He’s the boyfriend here. 

You felt yourself pulled back by your collar, making you fall backwards unceremoniously onto your bed. You wanted to get up but Leona immediately joined you, trapping you as he laid his body atop of you, wrapping both his arms and his tail to keep you in his hold. He didn’t say anything but you could see his flattened ears and a sour expression across his face. 

“Do you really not like it?” You asked him, carefully caressing his head in hopes to ease his tense ears. Leona tried to ignore your question but one glance at your worried look just wouldn’t let him. 

“It’s fine… now stop talkin’ and just sleep already.” Quickly snuffing the conversation, Leona pulled you close to rest his head on you, being lulled by your heartbeat. Leona isn’t gonna tell you to stop if you really like this stuff, but his time with you is not negotiable. 

His first thought was how obsessi- I mean passionate you must be. 

Though, having been around Idia and even Jade long enough, Azul wouldn’t be that surprised as he assumed that this sort of infatuation with such a trivial thing is not something uncommon. Not something he would do but not surprised if you have something you like to such an extent. 

Azul would be curious and have many questions about your fixation. What’s enticing you so? How is it addicting for you? How can he possibly market on this- 

Being a doting partner, Azul would let you play your game in his office while he works on some paperwork. But Azul would secretly listen to you as you gush about the game and your favorite character. 

And I mean, ACTUALLY listen. He remembers your expressions as you ramble about that character’s favorite food or how good he looks in his new “skin” as you call it. He’s very attentive and he does find your goofy smiling very cute. 

But if this goes on, Azul might start to get worried. Is this character perhaps your ideal type all along? This suave and admittedly well-designed game character better suits your fancy than anything or anyone else. 

Azul would start comparing himself to this fictional character and wondered…is that who you wanted? 

You were starting to worry about your boyfriend so you made your way to his office. He seemed to be a lot busier lately and you noticed there were more papers on his desk than the usual contracts and bills. However, whenever you near him Azul was quick to hide certain things on his desk from your sight which you tried to convince yourself that something like that should be expected considering the confidential documents he may have as an owner of an establishment. But the way he forces a tight-lipped smile when he does so…it leads your mind to upsetting thoughts.

Working to dispel those thoughts, you knocked on his door but there was no response. That was strange since Jade assured you that the Housewarden was in his office and Azul would always respond back from beyond the door. 

Your worries deepened, you carefully opened the door just slightly in case Azul was actually preoccupied with a client. Thankfully, you saw no one on the guest seats and when you pushed the door further, you noticed your fair-haired boyfriend slouched in his seat pouring over some papers, mumbling to himself. 

“Azul?” 

Your voice startled the merman as he flinched out from his trance, his hands accidentally scattering his papers off his desk and close to your feet. 

“Ah no, wait!” Azul yelled in panic but you already took a good look at what was printed on the sheets of paper. 

It was your current favorite from the game you’ve been playing, with facts taken from the game lore as well as from fan theories. There were also pictures of his CGs with special dialogues catered to the players. 

Upon closer inspection, you soon noticed written memos and certain sections highlighted on these fact sheets, all in Azul’s intricate handwriting. 

Light-colored attire… prince-like aesthetic 

Skilled with swords…athletic appeal? 

Potential date sites? Food-sharing ideas….Hand-holding opportunities…

Littered all over the papers were scribbles as such which made you initially assume that it was for research purposes only. However, between these notes were details about you which made you rethink that assumption. 

You saw your personal interests, your food preferences, whether you would enjoy such date scenarios. Notes pondering if you would enjoy such a thing or if you find this attractive on Azul. 

Your boyfriend must have gone through so many websites, forums, and postings to find this much information without playing the game. Heck, you recognized some of these CGs from mini events that weren’t promoted as much as others. All this detailed research…you smiled at how adorably Azul-like of him. 

Azul eventually built his courage to break the awkward silence. “I can explain, my dear” 

You raised your brow but nodded. “Ok”

“I became intrigued by your fixation of this game and decided on checking on myself the appeals of this game” Azul pushed his glasses to cover his nervous countenance. “I must say, I am quite impressed with the details this company puts into their characters. Perhaps I can find some way to implement these elements into Mostro Lounge as a limited time event” 

You couldn't help but chuckle seeing Azul trying to compose himself, but the flushing of his pale skin betrays him. “I see. Well needless to say, I agree with your thoughts from what I can see, especially the date scenarios”

Your tease successfully flustered your Azul even more, but you want to fluster your cute lover further “While I do like the aesthetic of the handsome, princely type…” 

Azul watched you approach him at his desk, wary of the cheeky look on your face. Smiling, you proceeded to surprise him with a kiss on his face, teasingly close to his beauty mark. 

“…I like the very cute and clever merman better” 

How skilled you are to turn an octopus boiling red without fire.

Very confused. He understands that people have their own preferences and interests but he’s just…so, so confused. 

He supports you and your passions but you will have to explain the concepts like “simping” and “biases” to him. Very much a normie, but a supportive one. 

He makes sure that you balance your gaming life with your personal life, which means no late night gaming, no 3AM game check-ins, and he paces your grinding sessions with breaks. 

We don’t deserve him 

He would notice that your favorite character seems to be a beastman like him, but doesn’t connect the reason why you would be so infatuated with this silent wolf-like character in particular. 

Such a coincidence they look similar to each other, huh… 

He would chastise you if you get too absorbed into the game but he does respect your dedication and your gaming knowledge. 

If you offer, he wouldn’t mind trying out the game you love so much just so he can understand your interest better. 

“Ughh, I lost” 

You laughed as you watched your tall boyfriend groan, ruffling his hair in frustration. Jack decided to finally try out your new obsession and after a quick crash-course explanation from you, Jack tried his hand at the battle portion of the game. It ended unfortunately in his defeat as all his players died and the screen on your phone darkened. 

“You were really good for your first time, though” you tried to cheer him up. “Sometimes it just comes down to luck” 

You could tell however that Jack was still bummed about his loss, his tail slowly flicking around and his ears flattening on his head. 

“This is actually pretty tough” Jack grumbled under his breath, not realizing how complicated the game mechanics were. “I always thought you were amazing with how good you were at this game but wow…” 

“This man, complimenting me like it’s nothing…” 

Trying to cover your flustered expression, you crawled over to your boyfriend who was currently sitting down. Gently, you pushed his arms in order to climb onto his lap, your back resting against his chest which flinched upon your touch. You took back your phone from Jack’s hands. 

“Here, I’ll show you some stuff to boost your chances” you looked to your boyfriend, who went suspiciously quiet…quieter than usual. “Jack?” 

You could feel how Jack immediately stiffened at his name before he slightly yelled out his response “Right, got it!” 

Stifling your laugh, you made yourself comfortable as you continued with your gaming. Although, you couldn’t stop yourself from smiling when you felt a pair of muscular arms wrapping around your waist, and a fluffy tail resting on your legs.   

Another clueless but supportive partner. 

Kalim’s really glad you have something you really love and is happy to hear you talk for hours about anything and everything related to the game and your favorite game character. 

“He can do that? Wow!” “What? That’s such a sad story, poor guy!” 

He understands why you would like this character, seeing how jovial and sweet-natured your ult fav seem to be. 

“What a real nice guy, you must really like these types of guys, huh?”

“Yea…guess I do” 

He’ll go to conventions with you, even wait in long lines with you, and listen to fan theories while not understanding a single thing, all because seeing you so happy is worth it.

You will have to be the one with self-control because the moment Kalim finds out there’s merch out there, he’s buying them without hesitation. 

Even the less…subtle merchandise out there 

“Kalim…where did you get this?” 

“Do you like it? I saw this while searching for stuff you might like” 

You questioned what Kalim thought of you if he assumed that this would be something you like, because you’re faced with a large body pillow of your bias character laying on your bed, with your boyfriend joyously showing it off. The picture printed on the cover showcased your favorite character in a cute pose, which you were honestly grateful for because you wouldn’t know the best reaction to have if Kalim bought a less than school-friendly image. 

“It’s…wow” despite the insanity of the situation, you started to smile in amusing absurdity “I mean…I never thought I would have the chance to hold a body pillow, let alone have a cute looking one” 

Kalim, oblivious as ever, grinned as he assumed you were happy with his purchase “Right?! I heard from some people at the convention that pillows like these were really popular!” 

Ah, so that’s where he learned about this side of the fandom. Kalim is such an easy guy to talk with so he would occasionally start conversations with other convention attendees despite being a “normie”, so to speak. 

“I managed to get one commissioned with the fluffiest pillow I could get.” Grabbing the pillow, Kalim proudly held it out in front of you. “Here, feel it!” 

You did what your boyfriend asked, and your eyes widened at luxurious sensations under your fingertips. “Holy crap, this is so soft! And the picture quality is super good too” 

Any experience or expectations you had about body pillows is now blown out of the park as you can’t imagine anything ever beating the softness and quality of this body pillow. Heck, your regular pillows can’t be compared to the feeling of heaven you’re feeling. 

Kalim grinned at you, satisfaction and joy clear on his cute face. Gently, the tanned man pulled you onto your bed, making you lay onto the mattress with your boyfriend and your new body pillow. Wrapping his arms around you, you were now sleeping between the Housewarden and your printed-out ult bias. 

“See, even if I can’t be here, you still have something with you when you’re tired” Kalim’s ruby eyes shined with affection. “Though I don’t ever want to leave your side, I wanna make sure you’re never alone even if I can’t be with you”    

Internally screaming, you swore to protect this cinnamon roll.

[hottpinkpenguin]

My request for the Peaky Blinders event: Tommy Shelby + A + B 🖤

A/n: yayyyyy my first Peaky Blinders request!!! thank you @astrangegirlsmind <3 hope it scratches the itch

Ask Me Stay - Tommy Shelby X Bodyguard Fem!Reader Word Count: 4331 Content warnings: non-canon, canon-typical violence, Arthur being Arthur, swearing, references to WWI, alcohol/drinking, implied smut, fade to black

There weren’t many females in your business. In fact, you were the only female bodyguard you’d ever met. Initially, it worked to your advantage: no one expected the full-figured beauty with the expensive silk gown and the pearl necklace to have two Brownings strapped to the inside of her thighs, or a switchblade sewn into the suede of her clutch. You looked much more the part of an expensive consort than a bodyguard, and it was a role you played well, leaning into the role of glib, can’t-hold-her-liquor arm candy. No one expected a woman to know how to slice a throat, throw a punch, or pick a lock. But after the element of surprise was lost in a market, that was it. No one was quick to forget you, and your business was only as good as your anonymity. So, once you’d worked a handful of lucrative jobs in any one area, you moved on. One town, one city, to the next. You’d crossed international lines, too: America to Ireland to England. Adjusting your accent had taken work, but it had been essential. The longer you could blend in as a local, the longer you could stay in any given place. 

Normally, a bodyguard’s dependability was a selling point, and their reputation was something they honed over years and years of diligent work in one area. You didn’t have that luxury. For all your gifts and guile, if you stayed too long anywhere, you ended up with a target on your back. You were too easy to pick out once people knew what to look for. At first, bouncing from one market to the next had proven near-disastrous for your business. Only able to take on a few jobs in a city, without a reputation and name recognition to trade on, you’d been forced to take meager, shit-paying gigs for washed up nobodies. The kind of men - because they were always men - who treated you like the escort you pretended to be. Even though you weren’t there to warm their cocks, you were there to save their hides. They didn’t seem to care much about that, especially after a few tall glasses of booze.

But then, you’d gotten wise. A few lucky hires later, your father had wised up to the importance of referrals. If your clients couldn’t re-hire you, you’d ask them to refer you somewhere. Usually to a contact in the business, based out of a different city. That suited you just fine, for reasons already discussed. Once this took off, the money started flowing in. You were able to buy better sidearms. Spend more on expensive gowns and jewelry to look the part. Your clientele started to ratchet up in status, in stakes, and in payoff.

It didn’t really all add up until one night in December, right before the Christmas holiday, when you’d been enjoying a rare evening off with your father. You’d been stretched out on the couch while he was pouring over the accounts, as usual, when he sat back from the open ledger with a shocked sigh. 

“I don’t fucking believe it,” he murmured under his breath. 

You’d swiveled your head around, recognizing the look of shock on his face as he rubbed his salt-and-pepper stubble (more salt than pepper these days, you realized) in distant thought.

“What is it?” you’d asked, bracing for bad news. Usually your father only commented on the accounts ledger when something was wrong. 

“You’ve got a perfect record, Little Doe.” He turned to you, using a childhood nickname he reserved for only when the two of you were alone, far from the eyes and ears of potential clients. “Perfect.”

You hadn’t really understood his point until the next client meeting, which happened to be the very one you were sitting in now. 

All the politicians, gangsters, and celebrities you’d been paid to protect: not a single injury among them. The countless expensive payloads you’d been paid to guard - diamonds, cash, drugs, you name it - not a single loss. Six years in the business without a single issue? Now that was priceless. 

You listened as your father made this point to the potential client, his eyebrows arching slightly as he contemplated a six year, no blemishes selling point. Thomas Shelby was a man of few words, preferring instead to sip dispassionately on a glass of Irish whiskey and let your father make the sale. You watched him carefully, smoothing your face into a mask of disinterest that matched his. Tommy’s reputation preceded him, as did yours, apparently. You and your father hadn’t been in Birmingham more than a month before the leader of the infamous Peaky Blinders had darkened your doorstep, cash in hand for a job he said needed the utmost discretion and impeachable talent.

“Your cost is steep,” he commented drily as he reviewed the bill your father had slid across the cherry wood poker table.

“I assure you, Mr. Shelby, our cost matches our service.” It was your father’s usual line, and, to his credit, he let it land with as much weight as ever. You’d noticed he was overselling Thomas Shelby - sounding a little too eager, maybe even bordering on desperate - which you knew was a reflection more of your father’s eagerness to secure the goodwill and the good referral of a well-connected gangster versus any real financial pressure to land the job. You were practically drowning in excess cash, a problem you’d been totally unacquainted with until quite recently. Thanks to your father’s astute management, savings were being made to ensure that the two of you wouldn’t have to clamor for gigs for quite a while. You doubted very much that, if it weren’t for Thomas Shelby’s name, your father wouldn’t have given him a sit down at all, preferring instead to celebrate the upcoming new year alone with you in relative peace and prosperity.

Thomas Shelby took another sip of his whisky as he scanned the receipt. His eyes lazed over the figures, then up to your father’s stoic expression, and then over to you. You were always present for client meetings, but didn’t speak until the contract was signed. Typically, you didn’t have to. All that was required of you to seal a deal was a coquettish smile, and maybe a timely demonstration of your skills (you’d left more than a few bullet holes in the walls of the flats you rented and in the Fedoras of your potential clients). 

“I assume this is your expensive daughter?” Tommy Shelby’s voice oozed with something halfway between derision and curiosity. You weren’t sure whether to be insulted or intrigued. Your father nodded, motioning for you. You rose from the chair in the corner of the room and stepped forward, giving Mr. Shelby a small nod of greeting.

“And I assume you typically play the role of what… a whore, when you’re working?” You fought down the rising heat that threatened to stain your cheeks. You heard your father clear his throat and fidget self-consciously. 

“I can dress for whatever part you would prefer, Mr. Shelby,” you replied coolly. “Most of my clientele are men of means, and a pretty woman dangling from their arm is a common sight. Makes it easy to blend in and do my job. If you’re unaccustomed to having beautiful women entertain you, then I’m sure we can reach a different arrangement.” 

Thomas Shelby’s expression gave away nothing as your sly insult hung in the air. You suspected he knew as well as you did that your words were rather empty, however clever your retort. You had to force your eyes not wander away from his, as alluring his sharp cheekbones and full lips may be. He held your gaze, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as if he could read your attraction to him. You lifted your chin, halfway between a challenge and an invitation. You wondered if you imagined a small quirk at the corners of his mouth, as if he were fighting against a smile. 

“What my daughter means is that she-”

“Done.” 

You hadn’t realized you’d been holding your breath until you felt your shoulders relax with your exhale at his words. Your father had been in such a rush to save what he’d felt certain was a meeting gone sideways that he fell short of words for a few moments, his mouth closing and opening without any sound. Thomas Shelby rose, all brusque and business-like, as he withdrew a hefty wad of cash from his overcoat and casually tossed a handful of bills on the table.

“Your advance,” he commented offhandedly as he finished his drink with a hearty gulp. 

“When’s the job?” you asked hurriedly as he made towards the door. He hesitated briefly, hand on the doorknob, and even though he didn’t look back at you you felt your skin crawl under his attention.

“I’ll find you when I need you.” 

The door opened, a brief blustering December breeze jostling its way inside before Thomas Shelby stepped out into the Birmingham night and closed the door behind him.

You exchanged a stunned glance with your father. He was sifting through the bills left on the table. 

“He’s paid the entire balance,” your father murmured in a mix of disbelief and suspicion. For your part, you weren’t surprised, although you barely registered your father’s words. You found yourself peaking out into the dark street, pulling back the curtains just slightly. Down the empty road, you could just barely make out a dark silhouette retreating into the late night blackness. Only the orange-gold end of his cigar betrayed Thomas Shelby’s location. You cracked a half-smile as you watched him vanish around a corner, his words echoing in your ears:

I’ll find you when I need you. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Four Months Later

“You’re fuckin’ jokin’.”

“Always such a way with words, Arthur.”

Tommy gave his older brother a withering glare as he motioned for you to step out of the darkened doorway. The glass-windowed door closed behind you with a heavy thud, bumping you deeper into what could only be described as a War Room. The Shelby brothers - Arthur, Tommy, and John - plus a stern looking dark-haired woman that the boys referred to as “Polly” were seated in plush, leather-backed chairs around a dark cherry-wood table. Surrounding the table on all four walls were maps, each of them marked up with pen marks, small red pins, and thread connecting points too small for you to read from this distance in a dizzying array of carefully laid out networks. The smoke in the room was so thick you wondered how your eyes weren’t watering. 

Aside from Tommy, the other three pairs of eyes sifted you over with suspicion, surprise, and no small amount of scorn. Tommy studiously avoided your gaze - and those of the others, you noted - and instead stood at the head of the table, bent over a large ledger. He’d barely exchanged a word with you since showing up unannounced at your doorstep two hours ago with the curt instruction to “pack for three days”. Aside from telling you that you were London-bound with his eldest brother, Arthur, you didn’t know anything about your assignment. 

“Introduce yourself, darlin’, we’re waitin’.” Polly’s voice was husky and dripping with hilarity, as if she couldn’t believe her eyes. You doubted she was used to seeing another woman in this room, let alone a non-Shelby woman. 

“The name’s y/l/n,” you replied, clearing your throat a bit before continuing. “Mr. Shelby engaged my services several months ago, on retainer.” 

The youngest brother, John, chuckled wickedly and lifted an eyebrow at Tommy, still glued to the ledger book.

“That so, eh Tommy? Hope you didn’t shell out too much from the coffers!” He turned towards you, raking his eyes up one side and down the other in an obvious appraisal. “You always had an eye for a bargain, Tommy.” Your eyes narrowed at his insult. He shook his head and scoffed at you. “Since when do we make decisions about protection without consulting the family?” he pressed on. 

From across the haze, Arthur roared up out of his seat, practically vibrating with rage. His complexion was mottled under his patchy mustache and his eyes were bleary with whiskey. “I’ll tell you when, Johnnny Boy! Since Thomas fuckin’ Shelby elected himself the fuckin’ king of the Blinders is when!” 

Tommy didn’t give any indication that he’d heard either of his brothers’ outbursts before he replied back in a bored drone, “since the family is what we need protection from, in the first place.”

A breath of quiet descended over the uproarious Shelby clan as Tommy’s words sunk in. You weren’t entirely sure what was so revelatory about his declaration, but you found yourself holding your breath as your eyes darted from Arthur’s precarious dance on the edge of apoplexy, to the cold glare of Polly, to John’s self-congratulatory smirk, and lastly settling on Tommy’s ever-confident, disinterested face. Much to your surprise, he shot you a subtle wink you were certain only you could see. You felt your shoulders relax a half inch. 

“What the fuck does that mean?” Arthur’s whisper shook with fury.

“You know what it means, Arthur, don’t be obtuse.” Tommy lit a cigar and gently brushed his dark hair out of his face. He leaned against the table, retucking the hem of his crisply ironed shirt (impeccably well-tailored, you noticed idly as your eyes traced the seam up the side of his body) into the waist of his pants. You squirmed at the sight, suddenly lost from the conversation swirling around you.

“What are you playing at, boy?!” 

Tommy inhaled deeply from his fresh cigar as he fixed Arthur with the expression of an exasperated parent. 

“I’m not playing at anything, Arthur. I’m trying to make sure that the investments you’ve insisted on handling are executed properly and without incident.” 

“Incident?! What kind of fucking incidents are you expecting?”

“The kind of incident that usually starts with you being drunk at 10 am, like today.”

“I ain’t fuckin’ dru-”

“Arthur, don’t bother denying it, we all know. It smells like a goddamn distillery in here.”

John and Polly watched the volley with interest and a hint of fear. For every fraction of composure that Arthur lost, it seemed Tommy only grew more confident and cutthroat, bearing down on his brother’s insecurity with a viciousness that made you realize why he’d earned himself such a reputation on the streets of Birmingham.

“I do not need a fucking wet nurse!” 

Shit. You barely missed the whizzing whiskey glass that Arthur launched at the side of your face. An impressively accurate throw for a man that both you and Tommy Shelby had written off as a messy, 10am drunk. 

The glass collided with the door you’d entered through, shattering itself and the pane of frosted glass on the door in a rain of shards. Instinctively, you covered your face, just in time to feel the stinging bites of a few fragments dig in the skin on the back of your hand. 

The room erupted in a brawl before you’d risen from your crouch. Your hand had reflexively found its way to the butt of your pistol, diving into what looked like a pocket on the outside of your skirt, but was actually a split seam that allowed you direct access to the holstered guns you kept on your thighs at all times. Tommy Shelby had been faster. Before you’d been able to draw your weapon and fire a warning shot towards the eldest Shelby, Tommy had dove across the table at him, his hands wringing the collar of his shirt as the two collided with the back wall. A few of the intricate maps fell from their perches. Arthur’s chair tipped over with a heavy thud. Polly shrieked, John was yelling and trying to insert himself between the two. You were surprised once again by the accuracy of Arthur’s arm as he landed a few well-made punches against Tommy’s face. Tommy, for his part, responded agilely, wrenching Arthur up from the floor and pinning him against the table, his free hand drawn back for a haymaker. Polly’s voice ratcheted up another octave as she attached herself to Tommy’s fist in a weak attempt to stop him. John had wrapped his thick arms around Tommy’s midsection and was trying - futilely - to wrestle brother off brother. Arthur was taunting Tommy, his meaning lost to fury-fueled growls and obscenities, his voice gargled underneath Tommy’s choking grip. A trickle of blood had made its way down Tommy’s face from his nose and was beginning to stain his shirt collar.

Your shot split the chaos clean in two. An eerie quiet descended over the scene as the four frozen Shelby’s looked up at you as if they’d forgotten you were there. The bullet hole you’d left in the cherry-wood table half an inch from Arthur’s left ear smoldered with a thin trail of smoke.

“It looks like Arthur isn’t the only one who needs minding around here,” you commented coolly as you spun your Browning around your finger in a flashy show. You’d never been able to resist a little showmanship when it came to your guns. 

Whether it was your chastising or the sudden realization of just how out-of-hand this family meeting had gotten, you couldn’t be sure. But you saw the moment that Tommy Shelby’s eyes shuttered up. He buttoned away his rage with a self-conscious clearing of his throat as he straightened his tie. He lay off Arthur, who sprang up like an animal released from a trap. He eyed you warily, but looked properly reprimanded. Without much fuss, he grabbed his brown newsboy cap from the floor, smacking off the dust on his knee, and exited hurriedly. There was a noticeable hush on the gambling floor outside, where the Shelbys’ main book-rigging operation was headquartered. You could tell that whoever was out there - about twenty men, from what you remembered upon entering - was trying mightily not to make more of a scene than what was already done. 

John and Polly both slunk back to their chairs, looking at each other and then at Tommy and finally at you as like scolded pupils waiting to be dismissed. Tommy nodded at them absently and they both left, daggers shooting from their eyes at you. You didn’t miss the note of begrudging respect in Polly’s exceptionally brief nod as she closed the door with its busted pane of glass behind her. Leaving you and Thomas Shelby alone. 

You waited for him to speak, although you weren’t entirely sure he would. He had begun busying himself with re-hanging the maps that had been dislodged by the brother-on-brother melee of a few moments before. Which meant his back was turned to you. You watched as he wiped at his bloody nose with a handkerchief, dabbing away the trail of blood that had stained his chin and neck, before shoving the soiled square of fabric into his pants pocket. 

“Please forgive our manners, Miss y/l/n.” Thomas Shelby’s voice was so quiet you had to strain to hear him. You sank softly into one of the leathered chairs, swiping away some stray hairs from your forehead. 

“It’s quite alright, Mr. Shelby,” you replied softly. “Families are complicated. Doing business with them, even more so. Trust me, I know.” Your mind flashed to a few memories of rafter-shaking shouting matches with your father from earlier days in your career, when the money flowed less freely and the gigs were fewer and farther between. 

“It’s not alright, actually. I’m rather thoroughly embarrassed by my decorum… lack thereof, I should say.” Tommy turned towards you, still unable to raise his gaze from the floor. “My brother, Arthur. He’s a… he hasn’t been the same. Since the war. No one really has…” Tommy’s voice trailed off into a fog of memories, his eyes clouding over like you’d seen in so many others who’d seen the trenches of Europe. You waited, patiently. He resurfaced with a shiver a few moments later, half-turning towards you.

“Arthur needs more minding than I can give him, at this present moment. Besides, no man wants his baby brother acting as his keeper. I thought… well, I thought a beautiful woman like you would make a more… fitting partner for my brother’s business meetings.”

You felt your neck and cheeks redden at the compliment, your gaze dropping to your lap where you were fidgeting with your hands. Stop that, your inner voice chided as you clasped your hands together. You’re acting like a damn schoolgirl. 

“I guess I didn’t… I didn’t properly anticipate Arthur’s reaction. I should have addressed the topic with him first. Privately. Not in front of family. Or guests.” Tommy looked at you, sipping what was left in John’s abandoned whiskey glass down with a small grimace.

“You seem to have a great deal on your mind, Mr. Shelby,” you offered in conciliation. “Mistakes happen. To the best of us.” 

A moment of quiet descended on the two of you. Tommy was fidgeting with his shirt again in what you realized was a nervous tic. 

“Besides, Mr. Shel-”

“Tommy. Please. Call me Tommy.” He cut you off with an insistence that was so candid it felt almost intimate. Your throat went dry for a moment, but you forced yourself to swallow and nod. 

“Besides, Tommy. I am a woman who can take care of herself.” You reached across the table to place a pointed finger on the bullethole you’d left on its surface. Tommy followed your motion, chuckling at your quip. 

“Yes, you do seem to be… rather skilled at handling yourself.”

“My talents lie primarily in handling others, actually.” Normally, you’d have the wherewithal to deliver a double entendre like that with confidence, but this time the words slipped out before you had a moment to appreciate their subtext. Your flush instantly deepened as Tommy let out a surprised chuckle, his face splitting into what you realized was the first smile you’d seen him wear since you’d met. If it weren’t for the horribly grounding nag of humiliation, you were quite certain the sight would have melted you on the spot.

“Well, skilled handler or not, I owe you an apology. I put you in harm’s way, needlessly, and thrust you into the middle of a dynamic you never should have had to see. It was careless. I make a point of not being careless, Miss y/l/n. I swear to you, it won’t happen again.” 

His voice turned raw  and dark with sincerity, his cheeks reddening with a faint flush. He ran a hand raggedly through his dark hair, a few pieces falling haphazardly loose from his usual coiffure to hang roguishly across his forehead. You had to force yourself not to sigh with a forceful want. 

Rising quickly from your seat, suddenly acutely aware of your own awkwardness and in a rush to leave, you bowed graciously in his direction as you began making your exit. “I am packed and ready to go, sir, at your order. I believe I’ll bring my things to the Garrison down the corner - that’s yours, isn’t it, sir? I’ll wait there for further instruction.” 

“Please, y/l/n, that isn’t necess-”

“I can see you need your priva-”

“I’d much rather you stayed clo-”

“I’m no more than a few hundred steps, Mr. Shelby, surely you don’t need me closer than th-”

“I’d much prefer if you sta-”

“Thank you, sir, for the job and the riveting morning, I’ll be waiting at the Garrison, as I sai-”

“Y/n.”

Tommy had tried to intercept you before getting to the door, but he’d had to settle for a gentle grasp on your forearm. The suddenness of the moment and the intimacy of the gesture caught both of you a bit by surprise. The way he spoke to you - as if some sort of internal need was pressing its way out of his body into the syllables of your name - caused your breath to tangle in your chest. 

“Don’t go.” His voice was so soft you wondered if you’d imagined it. Up this close to him, you could see the facets of blue in his eyes, like cold spring water or an early fall sky. You had the dizzying sensation that you might fall into him if you kept staring at his eyes, so you settled for dropping your eyes to where his hand was still snaked around your forearm, his grasp gentle but demanding. 

“I- Mr. Shelby, I really ought-”

“There’s much to discuss, with your assignment,” he murmured quickly, gently pulling you away from the door. “And it’s Tommy.” You allowed him to lead you back to your seat, part of your mind yelling about why you were trying to scamper away while the other half railed about the impropriety of the moment. Adhering to strict moral codes and boundaries with your clients had always been essential, no matter how heavy-handed your performance while on the job could be. The lines felt dangerously close to blurred at that very moment, but from the treacherous hammering of your heart against your ribs, you were quickly realizing that you were not very much bothered by that realization at all. 

“If you don’t want me to go, Tommy, just ask me to stay.” Another bold statement slipped out before you could grab the words back. This time, however, you found yourself plunging headfirst into the moment rather than balking at it. 

A wicked smile spread across his face as he leaned against the table across from you, crossing his arms across his chest and considering you as if seeing you for the first time. 

“Very well, y/n. Stay, won’t you?” That smoldering quiet voice again, practically making your toes curl then and there. 

“It’s my pleasure, Tommy.”

[pristinekanesays]

 🦋 Life Is Strange: Relationship Headcanons.

🦋 some short headcanons on what it's like in a relationship with my six favourites :)

🐺 GN!Reader, no specific pronouns are mentioned!

🦋 warnings: cheesy romantic stuff, swearing, jealousy, insecurities and toxic relationships (nathan)

🎧A/N: I send these out faster than my brain can handle, I have no idea why it hasn't turned to pure dust yet.

🦋Chloe Price:

🤍Wacky, trashy dates that don't cost a ton of money, she definitely cannot afford to go to super expensive places so the junkyard, train tracks and just simply walking about late at night is the best you're gonna get.

🤍On one date, she bought/possibly stole this tacky little lighthouse figure for you so you could put it nearby and when you see it, you'll automatically think of her.

🤍She was SO nervous asking you out even if you guys were super close, like shaking and fidgeting with her hands type of nervous.

🤍Offers to paint your nails sometimes but she literally only owns black nail polish, so you'll have to make do.

🤍She totally believes she's a badass 100%, I'd be lying if I said she hasn't climbed through your window at least once.

🤍Jealous? She's in the middle, she trusts you but is also scared some dickhead is gonna get the wrong idea.

🍂Kate Marsh:

🤍She seems like she'd enjoy those cute little picnic dates or movie nights, as long as it's not a horror movie. Kate can't cope when she's watching ANYTHING horror-wise, she's holding onto your arm the whole time.

🤍She'll buy you a small gift here and there but she also likes sketching you or painting your favourite place to go together, she's pretty artistic.

🤍If you couldn't tell already, she ADORES you, she could literally spend hours just looking at you.

🤍When she finally confesses to you, she cries happy tears and stares at you in pure disbelief as if she's just waiting for you to tell her it's a prank or somethin'.

🤍Kate trusts you entirely and knows you won't just leave her, not after all the things you guys have gone through together.

📷Max Caulfield:

🤍You have to be on pretty good terms with Chloe, she's literally Max's best friend. As long as you aren't a major asshole, you'll be fine.

🤍She takes photos of you, so many photos. Photos at the beach, photos at the diner, photos of you half asleep, photos of you in a banana costume that one halloween, photos of you brushing your teeth.

🤍It's like dating your best friend, even if you guys weren't that close when you first met, you are now motherfucker!

🤍Max can't cook, at all. Do not expect anything other than burnt grilled cheese or off-brand cereal if you were to ever get anything breakfast-wise.

🤍If you can cook then, oh boy! She will definitely refer to you as her beloved private chef with a huge grin on her face.

🤍Max thinks being jealous is for cheesy middle schoolers, she doesn't really care.

 🎭Rachel Amber:

🤍Oh my god, she fucking loves you. In her eyes, you're literally an angel with wings that she scored with pure luck, she 100% hangs out with you nearly all time and is a little paranoid that something could happen to you out of the blue.

🤍Expensive gifts, you're literally collecting them from her at this point. On your birthday, she read out a poem she wrote herself with dramatics and all.

🤍She has to be really close with you to fall genuinely head over heels so, well done!

🤍Unlike Max, Rachel can actually cook like she could serve up a whole 5 star, three course meal with rarely any effort.

🤍She has a box under her bed which is just full of photos and sketches of the both of you.

🤍It's in Rachel's blood to be..a little jealous, she'd be broken if you were to just lose interest in her completely.

 🎬Victoria Chase:

🤍Shocker but you HAVE to get along with Nathan, or somehow tolerate him but I can understand how that could be hard.

🤍Victoria is so damn wealthy and is nearly always buying you cute little necklaces or expensive ass things to put in your room, she loves going on dates with you but she'll freak out if anyone sees you together in public and you aren't nearly as popular as her.

🤍She also takes photos of you a lot, she has a weird nerdy side that only you and Nathan really know about.

🤍If she's open about your relationship, she definitely posts those cheesy middle-school posts about you and refers to you as `her light, her inspiration and the moon to her sun` she 100% sees herself as the sun because she's bright and fun and you're just you.

🤍Victoria gets jealous SO easily. She has to bite her tongue to stop her from saying something she shouldn't sometimes, she'll just look at you with an annoyed ass look on her face if you're doing something she doesn't like.

🎮 Warren Graham:

🤍Ever stayed up till 4:30AM playing shitty ass multiplayer games with snacks in your lap like you need junk food to survive? Well, now you'll be doing that all the time with him! He seriously won't give up and he's the first person to let you know when the new game you guys have been wanting to buy is on sale.

🤍He's a dork but he's a dork that helps you with studying when you need it, he's already outside your door before you can even pick up your phone to text him.

🤍You know those zodiac tiktoks kids make? Yeah, he'll have a fucking fit if they're not accurate and he seriously believes those but will pretend he doesn't.

🤍He'll maybe buy you a cheap ass video game here and there but other than that he'll probably just write you a little love letter and slide it under your door which is SO fucking cute.

🤍Warren can get jealous sometimes and I feel like he'd be kind of insecure about if he's a good boyfriend or not.

 🧨Nathan Prescott:

🤍If I'm being honest, it isn't the healthiest relationship exactly and he freaks the fuck out if you stop replying to his texts suddenly because he needs your attention constantly.

🤍He's terrified that you'll get fed up of his shitty behaviour and bail, so he's constantly trying to make it up to you. He'll buy you a new camera, expensive equipment or just blow up your phone if that doesn't work.

🤍He'd be open about your relationship depending on your popularity and if you're a guy or not, he's still probably going through some denial but he still loves you the same even if he's a complete asshole.

🤍Nathan suffers from really bad nightmares and without warning you'll just wake up to him shuffling around your room in the middle of the night and then ask if he can stay over but pretend he didn't the next day, even though it keeps happening nearly every night.

🤍So jealous, like really jealous, he wants you to only have eyes for him and is a sucker for your attention only.

[stellar-constellations]

hi !! just wanted to pop in here to request smth as well as tell you i love your writing sm !! i cant wait for part 11 of "the alliance" comes out !! there fr needs to be more yuri content in spy x family.

also, have you ever thought of crossposting your work on wattpad/ao3/quotev ? i only say since at workplaces and school tumblr is usually blocked, and when i have a bad day im always here rereading your writing.

ANYWAYS ONTO MY REQUEST ofc its gonna be yuri x reader !! it can be headcanons or an actual oneshot, whatever you want to do, but ive always wanted to see how yuri would react to birthdays, whether it be his one or y/n's.

anyways, thanks so much for reading this. even if you dont do my request, i hope you know how genuinely happy and giddy youre writing makes me and other.

        Yuri Briar x Fem! Reader

        This can be read with or without reading my Yuri Briar x Fem! Spy! Reader series: An Alliance (part 1).

        Beware! This fic DOES contain SPOILERS for the manga and for the Yuri Briar x Fem! Spy! Reader series: An Alliance (part 1)!

        Series information: Setting is AFTER the reader rejoined WISE (so Yuri and [Y/N] are married and [Y/N] becomes an official double-spy).

   Yuri doesn't exactly like celebrating his birthday, even when he was a kid he didn't care much. The only thing he really has to look forward to that day is Yor visiting him. Other than that, he sees the day as any other day. He wouldn't even celebrate if you and Yor didn't make him every year. 

        You and Yor would meet up the day before his birthday and bake a cake together. Afterwards, you'd both go shopping for birthday gifts. 

        Yuri swears he's in paradise on his birthday. You AND Yor both spending time with him, laughing and getting along with each other? That's enough of a birthday gift for him (until Loid and Anya walk through the front door).

        Other than that, Yuri would rather spend the day relaxing off work. He'd be up to going for a walk or a restaurant for dinner, but he's a little simple.

        "Yuri, it's your birthday, we're supposed to celebrate!" you explained. 

        "I know, I know. It's just... I've never really celebrated my birthday much growing up." Yuri admitted.

        When his parents died at a young age, he didn't really have the time to celebrate when he was busy studying for school. Yor would at least make him a cake (it wasn't very good... or edible) before heading out for work, leaving him to his own devices for his birthday. He didn't have birthday parties because of how poor they were and he didn't make friends either for anyone to attend them.

        "It is my responsibility as your wife to celebrate your birthday with you because according to this ring, I'll be with you for all your other birthdays." You spoke, showing him the silver ring with the ruby on top that he bought you.

        Your words made him tear up, his face turning red as tears and snot rolled down his face.

        "You're an angel!" he exclaimed, hugging you tight enough to suffocate you.

        "I know, now let go before you kill me and I won't be here next year!" you gasped, hugging him back despite your words of "let go"

        On your birthday, he's much more energetic and fun (he's a hypocrite).

        He'd buy you your favorite flowers and cook your favorite breakfast for in bed. After breakfast he'd bake a cake from scratch using a cooking book (no, you cannot help. Go watch TV or read a book). 

        He'd take you somewhere that you like to go or that's of interest to you: an aquarium, zoo, park, flower garden, beach, sports game, anywhere you'd like.

        He would blow his entire week's paycheck on gifts for you (he works for the state, he has the money). 

        "I have a reservation for that fancy restaurant that just opened up down the road." Yuri spoke, tying the tie on his suit.

        "How'd you get that done? There was a waiting list before that place even opened?" you questioned, brushing out your hair.

        "I have my ways." Yuri smiled. 

        "I hope none of those ways involved threats and bribery." You sighed, placing your hands on your hips as you looked at him.

        "No, no, I would never!" he said in a high voice, obviously lying. "...Maybe a little."

        "You'd go that far for me?" you questioned, holding your heart as a warm fondness stirred your chest, your heart beat raising. "You're such a sweetheart!" you cooed before kissing him on his cheek.

        "Psh! It was nothing! I just wanted to do something for you since you did something for me on my birthday." He spoke, acting as if it was nothing (the blush on his cheeks and the smile on his face said otherwise). 

        Thank you so much for requesting! I do apologize for the request being short, I personally don't have much experience on birthdays due to growing up in a family where we don't do much for birthdays.

        I'm also working on writing a request for a Christmas one shot for Yuri that will come out in the middle of December so stayed tuned for that!

At the moment, I'm also crossposting my work onto Ao3, Wattpad, and Quotev. I've finished uploading the Yuri Briar x Fem! reader: An Alliance series onto Wattpad and Ao3. My account name is "Stellar Constallation" for Wattpad and "StellarConstellations401" for Ao3.

        Want more Yuri content? Check out the Yuri Briar x reader masterlist!

        Have any other requests? Check my official masterlist to see the characters I write for: Masterlist

[getmylifetogetherwme]

What Are My Goals? (+ a little backstory)

Hi again!

I figured my next post should definitely center around introducing what goals I want to achieve.

Well, as I said in my last post (which you should read if you want a bit more background on me), I am in my senior year of undergrad, but that definitely doesn't mean I'm done with school. Nope. In fact, the goal is to go straight into a master's program. Then after that, even more academia (yay!), but that's getting too far ahead of ourselves. Let's stick with the near future for now.

I know to get into a good master's program, I have to keep my grades up. That's among my goals for this year: keep those grades UP.

This semester is quite the mess. Not only do I have ochem 2, a subject I am practically allergic to fully understanding, but I'm also taking another god forsaken subject: physics. If you are one of those gifted individuals who just "get it," know that I envy you tremendously. They are the bane of my undergraduate existence. The only thing standing between me and my degree, I fear.

My goal is to get all A's this semester. An ambitious goal (when I consider my history with these subjects, ochem 1 resulted in a B) but one I think I can seriously achieve if I dedicate myself the way I know I can. So there's one goal: Study, study, study. And when I think I'm through studying? More studying.

Another goal I have for myself is working out. I do workout, but I am insanely inconsistent as of late. I want to work out consistently. Not only is it good for me, but I also feel really good when I do it. It just feels good to feel strong, you know. I've been going for a few weeks, and I've seen some improvement already, but I've just been really inconsistent diet wise, so I'm not seeing many results. Let's segway into that: I want to eat better.

And when I say I want to "eat better," I don't mean I want to restrict myself or anything like that. I'm uninterested in becoming this ultra health person who can't live a little. The deal is: chemotherapy affects a lot of things. To be honest, I try not to think about it much, but I do have to wonder how much it'll affect my health later on in life. I know I did what I had to do, but I really wanna lessen the blow of it as much as I possibly can. I think I can do that through diet and exercise, even if it's a fairly small difference. When it comes to my diet, I want to prioritize fiber and lean protein. Protein, of course, because I really would like to gain muscle. So far, I'm very inconsistent with my protein intake. Not only that, but I spend way too much money on eating fast food. I don't want to be too strict with myself, so of course I can get some chicken nuggets every once in a while, but fast food is not as cheap as I think it is in those moments! I swear, every meal is literally like 10 dollars. Am I the only one who remembers when a meal was like 7?? It is genuinely a problem, especially since I should be saving for a car right now. Yikes. So those are some of my diet goals: more protein, more fiber; less eating out.

Another goal: save money. Well, folks, it's time. I absolutely have to save money. I've missed out on so many opportunities because of my lack of reliable transportation. It seriously holds me back from internships, shadowing, etc.. I have a license, but it's hard to always have to borrow my mom's car, especially considering my uni is quite a bit away. So one of my goals is to save up a good chunk of money to buy something used that'll get me from point A to point B. I'm not really the type of person who needs a "fancy" car. I just need something reliable. Something that'll go the distance. I've heard good things about Hondas and Toyotas, but even used, those are a bit expensive. The goal is something in that realm though, so saving money really has to be prioritized.

Finally, I just really want to take care of myself. I've been at odds with myself for a while, my entire adolescence basically. I've just now in recent years (the last two or so) become a bit more "at peace" with who I am + who I've become. Before, I kinda saw my body as this enemy, and now, I'm learning to love it - learning to love me. To do things for myself, because I want to - because I think I deserve to give those things to myself. I don't want to be too harsh on myself about anything, but I want to nudge myself towards the goals I so very badly want to achieve.

These are just a few of the things I am currently wanting to strive towards and accomplish.

My future posts will be about these topics and perhaps other goals. I plan on doing weekly goals, weekly recaps, updates about specific goals, what I'm doing to achieve those goals, etc. etc.. All in the name of accountability. For example, I think it would be really cool if I do posts about how my fitness journey is going, like what sort of progress I'm making PR wise (I'm lifting weights now!). Then, I'll do weekly uploads going through just about everything I studied, read, etc. etc..

If you're interested in reading about all of this sort of stuff, you should give my blog a follow! I'd also recommend you read my first post if you're a bit confused or curious about the purpose of this blog and or myself.

Thank you for reading,

-C

[adrianaramirez]

📱 - for adriana x nick

What was my muses 5 last sent texts yours?

[Adriana to Nick] You suck at pool by the way, I will spend your money wisely.

[Adriana to Nick] Where are you at?

[Adriana to Nick] How much would it cost to retain you for a restraining order? My father will not stop trying to guilt me into taking over his company.

[Adriana to Nick] I swear if I got to one more of these networking things solo I might set myself on fire.

[Adriana to Nick] Which bar am I meeting you at?

What was my muses 5 last unsent texts yours.?

[Adriana to Nick] What are you doi...

[Adriana to Nick] Are you up?

[Adriana to Nick] Do you remember when we kissed on your birthday last year?

[Adriana to Nick] I think you should come over.

[Adriana to Nick] Such a bad idea.

What was my muses last snapchat/photo to yours?

What my muse saved your number as?

Nick V

What contact photo my muse has set for yours?

What ringtone my muse has set for yours?

Personal phone is always on silent.

How many times my muse has called your this week?

0

How many calls has my muse missed from yours?

1

@notorious-nick

[robobirdie]

Some Fan Story Fun Protagonists interviews: Allies

While working when stuck with writers block I sometimes would take a break and have a little fun writing down what I felt the characters thoughts would be on certain things in the story. Some give some minor spoilers but nothing too serious about the main story or events in the story. They are fun humorous little tidbits some of which helped me with working out some concepts in my story namely character relations. This one is on what the knights and ninja think and are like with each other: 

Your new Allies:

Jay- I guess the knights aren’t so bad. Clay isn’t too bad but he is quite bossy and strict. He’s got schedules and all these rules like no joking around while training, we should remain professional while on duty, no putting your feet on the table, no making jokes about your superiors orders especially in public, your underwear should be in your drawer not on the table… not that it was my underwear on a table; no matter what he says it was Kais. Anyway doesn’t he know how to relax? Macy’s nice, her and Nya get along well. She’s kinda like Nya strong, smart, independent and don’t make her mad or you’ll regret it; not many have the strength to win in a wrestling match against Cole she’s one of the few I’ve seen do it. Even without his super strength he’s still pretty strong. Macy’s kind of like Clay too; she doesn’t like when you slack off on duties either. She also doesn’t like to be called a princess; Kai found that out. He was just playing around and called her that to be playful and she chastised him for like ten minutes how she wanted to be seen as a knight not a princess. It was funny seeing her make Kai all scared and nervous. Axls fun and good at video games in fact I think he could give Cole a run for his money there plus he’s a great cook; Cole could take some lessons from him. Lance reminds me of Kai; a way worse and more spoiled Kai. I swear the two could tie each other in how much time they spend with their hair or on social media. Also does he always have to brag about how rich he is? We get it we’re poor and he isn’t. You don’t see Macy doing that and she’s a princess he’s just some noble. Also why does he sometimes try to hit on Nya or show off around her? Doesn’t he know she’s not interested! She isn’t going to be fooled by some pretty rich boy besides she’s my betrothed. I’m getting off topic aren’t I; anyway Robin and Ava they are cool. They remind me of well me when I was young, always into inventing and experimenting with inventions. As for Merlok he’s pretty cool and wise though he can be a bit bossy like Clay; he is his uncle so it must be a family thing. Merlok reminds me of master Wu; he doesn’t like when I try to cut corners to make things easier like Wu does either nor likes when we slack off on our duties or learning. As for Jestro he’s fun and a good laugh; I think with some advice he could get better with his comedy. I could offer him some pointers if he wants. I’m good with making others laugh, I can always get the others to laugh even Zane which is a bit hard cause he has troubles understanding quite a few things and doesn’t grasp some aspects of comedy very well. Aaron… he’s unsettling. Something’s not right with him, how can someone be so fearless even in the face of danger! Despite what the others say I don’t think he’s human. I thought Zane was strange but that Aaron is stranger. You know he was once run over by a horse cart and lived and the other day while training I blasted him off his hover shield, by the way how is he not scared to ride that thing it has no safety measures! Anyway when I knocked him off he fell into a pile of scrap metal and got all bruised and scratched up pretty bad and he wasn’t that scared of it brushing his injuries off as nothing too bad saying ‘nothing serious bro their just cuts and bruises I can heal from those no problamo’. To make it stranger just a few hours later he was totally fine all injuries gone. When I asked him about it he just said ‘told yha I’d heal’; he must have done something! The others claim Clay healed him to practise his magic; Lloyd, Cole and Zane even claim to have seen him do it but I think they’re all messing with me. I don’t think he’s human. What is he? A droid or cyborg? An elf? Some humanoid beast race or maybe a were-wolf! Is that why his last name is Fox? Is it a reference to what he really is? I’m not sure what he is but I’m going to find out.

Cole- Straight foreword I like them. Sure Clay can be a bit serious at times but I get it. He’s the leader and has to keep everything under control and running smoothly along with making sure no one gets hurt or left behind. He has to be serious for the safety of his team. He can be fun you just have to catch him when he has spare time. Lance I find is too into himself like a way worse Kai and it’s rather annoying how he likes to brag about not being as he calls it a peasant like the rest of us but he’s not that bad. He at least still takes his duties relatively seriously and does care about his friends in his own way despite how full of himself he is and how much he hates to work and his over obsession with his looks. Personally I prefer Clay over Lance. He’s a lot better to get along with and doesn’t call me rustic like Lance does; I didn’t understand what he meant by that till Macy explained rustic is Lances code word for run down and dirty. Just because I’m the master of earth doesn’t mean I’m dirty I shower on a regular basis… uh anyway back to topic that Aarons pretty cool; he’s chill, likes to play video games and is pretty good at them, he’s got a good taste in music too. Don’t let his laidback personality and approach to things fool you; when times call for it he can be rather serious and responsible when it’s needed. In fact I think his rather chill personality help him keep a cool head when things get heated. I think he’s also got a high tolerance to pain cause minor injuries like cuts and bruises don’t seem to bother him like a normal person. Anyway Macys pretty cool too; I would have loved having a sibling like her growing up; someone willing to stand up to do what is right and not afraid to get roughed up and dirty to do it. She’s also pretty good at arm wrestling and be careful when sparring she’s got a pretty hefty swing with that mace… I’m pretty sure I got some bruising from our last training session when she accidently hit me. You know she’s also a princess. You’d never know it though by how she acts. Axl he’s great too; he might not seem it especially since he came from a small town and is muscular but he is rather smart; smarter than he looks. Just like me; just because we have brawns doesn’t mean we can’t have brains either despite what some (coughs and says under his breath Jay) think. Anyway he’s also very good at video games, music and cooking. I wonder if he could teach me some cooking tips. Maybe then the others won’t joke about my cooking so much. Robin and Ava are pretty cool and Merloks also pretty cool too; he’s wise and a good listener just like Wu. If you have a problem he’s defiantly someone you can turn to for advice and help despite having no body and being tied to the knights technology. You know I wonder if they ever thought of giving him a body like Zanes. I’m pretty sure with the right supplies and knowledge those kids Robin and Ava could make one. Their wizes when it comes to that tech stuff. As for Jestro I get he’s trying to be funny when he does his comedy act but I find it often cringy and I thought Jay had a lot of bad jokes… I don’t think he’s cut out to be a jester. I don’t know why he doesn’t try to be a knight. He gets along pretty well with most of them. From what I hear from some of them he’s apparently not good at it but maybe he just needs some aid to find his true potential.

Zane- I find them rather enjoyable to be with. They don’t mind that I’m not truly human and treat me just like any other person and not just some machine or a monster. I do get highly annoyed though that Lance sometimes mistakes me for one of their Squirebots these rather simple in design and functioning robotics that serve as aids, servants and workers in their realm; I find that rather offensive. Their Squirebots are nowhere near as complex and human like as I am. We may share similarities but we are not the same. I am not just some bot meant to serve him… I didn’t mean to snap at him as seriously as I did but I think he at least learned his lesson. He’s been careful about what he says and does around me now. Luckily the others never see me as just some mere bot. Also I do not understand his rather self centered and highly materialistic view of things. Doesn’t he know there is more to life than that? Clay and Macy are both nice and they treat me no different from any other person. They respect me, are not bothered to help me and don’t mind having me as part of the team even though I am different from them; they even value my opinion and are better listeners to me than some of my own family like Kai and Jay. Aaron is much the same and he is rather fun to be with. He’s good competition at video games; he is very calm and chill even though he enjoys a good thrill and he is surprisingly smart even though he doesn’t often show it. He has also been real helpful in helping me better disguise myself from the people of this place so they think I am truly human so they won’t be so mean to me. It’s working quite well and unlike some he doesn’t mind if I get carried away a bit with my role. Axl he is nice and friendly; he is also very caring and kind. He’s also a good cook; he likes to make for me special treats largely cookies, cakes and brownies to try and make me feel better about how the people here treat me. I appreciate the thought but he does not need to do that; I do not special treatment. What he makes are very good, better now that he isn’t adding whole insects to everything; apparently Kai was goofing around and convinced him that nindroids are powered by some special bug centered diet. I had to explain to him that I do not need to have bugs in everything and can have things just like people. He does not need to make things specially for me... I do not understand why Kai joked with him like that? Anyway Avas pretty nice too and it’s nice that while she is interested in my being she doesn’t get too invasive of my personal space unlike Robin. I get he is just very enthusiastic in his curiosity about me but his enthusiasm and how he sometimes forgets my personal space and privacy unnerve me. He likes to watch what I do even when I am taking care of personal maintenance, he’s very interested in the control panel in my arm and he keeps asking strange and rather uncomfortable questions… why would he think I have some buried urge to conquer and enslave humanity? I don’t think I have that… though there was what happened in the Never Realm and the others sometimes joke that things in the world would probably be better if robots were in charge. I’m not sure if they are joking about that or not; I’m also not sure how I feel about that. Sometimes I do… sorry I’m digressing. Where were we… Merlok I like him. He’s very wise and I kind of feel sorry for him; I can’t imagine what it would be like without a body but I know I wouldn’t like it. I wonder if he misses having a physical form? As for Jestro I find quite a bit of his comedy hard to understand; I don’t get some of his jokes and his acts are in best terms rather cringy.

Nya- I guess I like them. At first I wasn’t sure if I would like Macy but after spending some time with her I like her. She isn’t that stuck up spoiled princess type like I thought she’d be. She truly wishes to be a knight and help others in fact she prefers being a knight over a princess. I can appreciate that. She can also single handled beat the boys one on one just like me. She’s also one of the few people who can come close to beating Cole in an arm wrestle. Clays pretty good too. He’s caring, respectful and really knows how to be a good leader and keep his team together. He can get a little carried away though with his duties and training. You know he only sleeps a few hours a night. He spends most of the night studying, practising his magic and training; how does he keep going especially since he doesn’t drink energy drinks or coffee? He also made a list of who of us is best to pair with who. That aside maybe he should give Lloyd some pointers in leadership to help keep Kai and Jay in check when I’m not around that way he’s not always relying on me to do it. Speaking of my brother Lance kind of reminds me of him a much more spoiled version of him. The two could beat each other with how much time they spend on their looks or social media; they could also beat each other with the amount of hair products they have. I also have no clue why he sometimes tries to impress me. Doesn’t he know I’m not interested? Truly by how he acts I’m pretty sure he’s more into himself than anyone else and he’s just doing it to see Jay get worked up. A lot of people seem to like seeing Jay get worked up. Speaking of which Aarons cool and it’s nice how he’s helping Zane and I don’t have much of a problem with him I just wish Jay would stop it with his paranoia over him. He’s not some other being or under some spell or curse. Some people just enjoy extreme activities and don’t wet their pants at just thinking about dangerous stuff. What bothers me with him is Aaron isn’t helping with Jays paranoia by playing into them and messing with him. He’s also got some of the others largely Kai and Cole though he has gotten Zane into joining him with this too. Axl doesn’t help with that either by sometimes joining Aarons antics. Aside from that Axls pretty good. Strong, caring and he knows how to cook; Cole should take some lessons from him. Sure his cooking has gotten better than it used to be but Cole could still use to learn more; if he ever offers you his chilli don’t take it you’ll regret that decision. Anyway back to topic Robin and Ava are pretty cool as well and despite their young age very good with what they do. As for Merlok he’s wise and caring and it’s very interesting what happened to him and what he became. I wonder if he ever regrets it though; he has no physical body anymore and is tied to the knights technology. He’s very limited now in what he can do and where he can go and he probably often can’t help out the way he wants; that’s probably not very pleasant. Jestro, I get it’s what he trained to be but he’s not really good at being a jester. His acts can be rather cringy and not all of his jokes are funny. Maybe he should consider a new profession.  

Lloyd- The knights aren’t too bad. They’re friendly, nice and helpful. I like how they can work as a team with little hassle; well mostly with little hassle. I wish I could get my team to do that more often; I won’t say their names but there is two I’m always having problems with… they like to butt heads and goof around especially if left together. Maybe I should get some advice from Clay about team leadership. Can I tell you something in confidence? It’s kind of nice having someone else take charge for once; I don’t mind when Clay takes over as leader. It lets me relax a bit. I don’t mind letting him take over when we’re working together either. He’s smart and caring and will do anything to help others; he also knows how to get the others to work together with little hassle even the problematic ones. He’s one of the few who can get Jay to stop leaving his underwear everywhere and the others listen to him… a lot better than they listen to me. It’s kind of funny to see him punish some of the others. Kai, Jay and Lance were goofing around trying to upstage each other during some training and caused an accident that got me, Aaron, Macy, Cole and even Zane hurt… nothing bad just some cuts and bruises but to discourage the three from goofing off he made them clean the centers bathroom including the potties for pets they have in there with nothing but toothbrushes and tweezers. I know it’s rather wrong to have pleasure in the misery of others but I think this was an exception. They were really grossed out especially when they had to clean the hair and fur from drains and the pet potties; one of the cats left something really nasty smelling in there before they started cleaning. I think the three nearly barfed multiple times the whole time; they finally did barf when they pulled the hair out of the drains. Outside that Aarons chill; sometimes I think a little too chill and a bit strange. He also doesn’t seem to know what fear is. Jay dared him to put his hand in a tank with some really big spiders and not only did he do it but he picked one of them up and held it without being bothered. I think I’m with Jay on that being unsettling. He is fun to be around though and so is Axl. If you want to play videos those two are the best ones to play with. Axls also a great cook even though some of his families’ recipes are a bit strange like Porcupine Stew. Macy… it’s nice to meet a princess who isn’t well a princess and truly cares to help others and be in the action and not just pretend to. She’s pretty tough and strong too; I defiantly wouldn’t want to face her in real combat. Lance… he gets on my nerve quite a bit and reminds me of Kai with how much time he spends on social media and his looks, especially his hair; at least Kai’s nowhere near as self centered as Lance is. I don’t really care for his obsession with wealth or referring to the rest of us as peasants at times too. As for Robin and Ava they are cool and I get they are doing what they enjoy but they shouldn’t let their childhood pass them by. They should enjoy it while they can… like I never got too… did I say that out loud? I didn’t mean to say that out loud. Anyway Merloks nice and very wise; without Wu around I’ve found myself going to him when I need advice. He reminds me of my uncle and is just as wise even though he’s much older like way older. Jestro I get they’ve had problems with him in the in the past but I think if they look past that and offer him some aid and boost his confidence he could become a knight; I don’t think he’s really cut out to be a jester. At times he can be funny but overall he’s not very good at it and I thought some of Jays jokes were cringy…

Kai- They’re not too bad. Clay’s a bit bossy and very serious; does he ever relax or is he always ready for duty? Hasn’t he ever heard of down time? You know he doesn’t sleep much and when he does he’s still often in his gear or training gear so he’s always ready for duty. That can’t be comfortable or relaxing. If you want a good sparring partner though he’s the one to go to; he takes things serious and doesn’t play around. Macy’s nice and, don’t let my sister hear this but Macy kind of reminds me of her. Strong, independent, resourceful not to mention can whip your butt if you get in a fight with them… especially if you make them mad… trust me don’t make them mad. Axl’s pretty great. I think Cole should take some pointers from Axl about his cooking he’s real good at it. I’d say he’s better than Zane at it. Speaking of which Axls also a bit gullible; he was curious if he needed to make things special for Zane. I was just having some fun and told him nindroids have a special bug centered diet so they need bugs in everything they eat and he believed me. Zanes been confused about it but not fully bothered unlike Jay; he was so grossed out about it he nearly barfed when Zane first noted some of the chocolate chips in the special cookie Axl gave him were actually chocolate coated beetles. He did barf when Zane didn’t let it bother him and just ate the cookie anyway to not be rude. For several hours after all you had to say was bug cookie and Jay would nearly barf. He didn’t find it amusing but some of the rest of us did. Anyway Axl’s also really good at video games too, just as good as Cole; I’m not sure who’s better at them him or Cole. They like to beat each other’s and everyone else’s scores and they’re the only ones who can top each other’s scores. I tried but I couldn’t get close. Aarons not too bad either; he can be kind of strange at times, sometimes real strange like the other day I found him napping on top of one of these large shrooms in a planter in the Under-city. He wasn’t bothered by the birds and bugs that would crawl on him or hang near him. That had a lot of the people scared off him; they were keeping their distance from him like he was a wild animal. He’s not bad though and he’s cool to hang with plus I like how he puts Jay on edge. Even better he likes to join me in teasing Jay. Lance he wishes his hair was as good looking as mine. Sure he may be all famous and rich but he is no master of fi-ayh. He probably wishes to have such hot powers. Robin and Ava they’re pretty cool kids I think though they should take a bit more time for themselves. Sure they may enjoy their work but there is more to life than work. They shouldn’t waste their childhoods away and enjoy some time to be kids to play and have fun. Merloks good, a bit bossy obviously I can see where Clay gets it Merlok being his uncle and all; he can also be a little absent minded at times but I think that’s just cause he’s old like real old. According to the knights it’s over 500 years old! He reminds me quite a bit of Wu. Jestro, I don’t know whose humour is worse his or Jays. I don’t think he should take Jays advice in comedy, it would probably just make his worse.

Aaron- They’re pretty rad. Coles great to hang with and he’s good at video games just don’t accept all the cooking he makes. I get he tries but some of what he makes defiantly won’t agree with yha. He made his chilli the one night wanting to test out some ingredients and us plus some of the scholars here had some with the ninja and man that was unpleasant. We all got sick even their cyber-bro Zane; that’s got to be pretty bad to make a droid sick. Kai’s okay reminds me a bit of Lance but he’s not as obsessed with his hair, wealth or his image as Lance and doesn’t mind hard work, getting roughed up a bit or dirty. He doesn’t mind having scars and he’s proud of them though he likes to embellish where he gets them. He had a black eye the other day; he said he got it from defending some kids from a creature but the others tell me he got it from Zane while they were training. He was being cocky and goofing around and got in the way when Zane went to punch one of the sparring bots. He’s not as tough as he thinks he is. His sister though she is as tough as she thinks she is. She’s great though like Macy watch out when she’s mad; she scares me a bit when she’s like that. Her bro Jay is well weird. I don’t get why but he has this strange belief that I’m not human. As far as I know I’m just human. His weird belief can get a bit annoying but I do love to mess with him over it; or just mess with him in general. It’s hilarious to see his reactions when he gets all freaked out. Like the one day we we’re doing some training at night and he was being paranoid thinking I was a werewolf and would turn when the moon came out. It was super annoying and he wouldn’t stop so I bit him. He panicked so much we had to stop the training. Merlok even had to use a calming spell on him after that. He tricked him into thinking it was a cure to get him to stop freaking out. It was hilarious. For Zane how cool is their cyber-bro! Sure he can be strange at times and he sees the world a lot differently than we do both physically and metaphysically but I think that makes him so much cooler and if it wasn’t for his metal skin you would never know he wasn’t human. It’s sad the people here can’t look past what he is; they’re missing out how cool my cyber-bro is. He’s smart, kind, daring though also wisely cautious and he’s very good at getting into roles when he needs to. The others think he can get too into them but I don’t think so. I think he’s just expressing his thespian side; heck he’s a better actor than Lance even when he is not trying. My green bro Lloyds cool too though I think he needs to take some time to chill. He takes things a little too seriously and lets a lot get to him even things he has no control over. He does a pretty good job at keeping the ninja together though. He tries to hide it but he does struggle a bit with leadership. I don’t blame him; I’ve been there and get it. It’s hard especially when you’re trying to get two individuals who often butt heads to get to work together. I think Clay could really give him a hand with his leadership role; if he wants I could give him some pointers on how to chill.

Axl- I like them. They’re friendly and kind; not like the monsters everyone in this realm thought they would be even though some of them can be a bit scary at times mainly when they’re mad. Coles great; it’s nice to have someone who’s a real challenge at video games to play with though his cooking, I guess it’s not too bad but with a few pointers I think it could get better. I think his problem is that he gets measurements wrong and sometimes uses the wrong ingredients. Another thing about him is it is nice to have someone else around who can do heavy lifting so it’s not always up to me. The problem when you have muscle everyone wants you to do the heavy lifting. The metal man Zanes real nice; he’s friendly and kind. He could probably easily harm anyone or anything but he doesn’t at least not without a good reason so I don’t see why everyone thinks he’s a monster. I’ve dealt with real monsters and he’s far from a monster. You know he knows how to cook and he’s pretty good at it too. He can also eat unlike our Squirebots in fact he has to on a regular basis to stay healthy. I don’t understand entirely how it works I just largely got that it really helps his power source to give him energy and keep him alive. Robin better understands it. I think Zane’s really liked when I’ve made some things just for him. Considering how others in this town we’ve all found ourselves in treat him he deserves some special treatment; I did learn you have to be careful what you give him though. Something’s his body doesn’t handle very well like certain seasonings especially spicy things and too many citrus fruits. You know he also likes video games too though he’s no better than Aaron at them. Strange cause you’d think for someone with a computer brain he would be better at things run by a computer. He’s still very smart though; it’s sometimes hard to understand everything he talks about. Nyas great and tough; she doesn’t look it but she’s quite strong much like my mom. Her pal Jay is not so much. Overall he’s not too bad and can be fun to hang with. He’s very good with video games but is often very talkative and can sometimes talk a little too fast; sometimes real fast. He is very jumpy too but that’s kind of funny. How he reacts when he gets scared is rather humorous as long as you’re not getting shocked when he freaks out. That hurts quite a bit. Kai’s not too bad. He’s a bit like a really mild version of Lance; that makes him easier to hang out with than Lance. He’s not so obsessed with his looks and popularity. He’s pretty good with video games too. Nowhere near as good as me but still fun to play with. Lloyd he’s not too bad; a bit bossy like Clay when we’re working but when we’re just chilling he can be fun to be around and he’s easier to get to chill and play games than Clay. He also isn’t afraid to indulge in sweets like Clay is.

Clay- They’re good, honest and caring warriors who strive to do what’s right and I’m glad they are on our side. They might not have trained to be knights but I would consider them honorary knights; they live up to the knights code very well despite having never heard of it. That being said they don’t always follow orders very well and you have to be careful who works with who or you just end up with problems for example you can pair Cole and Zane with most of us and it works out rather well but never pair Aaron with Jay. That combination never works well nor do you pair Lance and Kai together, they just try to upstage each other all the time. Overall they are pretty good. Coles nice to hang with and I like how he recognises when to take things seriously and when you can goof off, at least most of the time unlike some of them; he also has the qualities of a good leader and I can guarantee if I give him a task he’ll get it done with little hassle. Nya’s pretty good too though she does sometimes take things a little too seriously even if we’re just relaxing and I would have to agree with Aaron she can be a bit scary when she’s mad. Other than that she’s not too bad. Her brother well he and Lance could hold competitions over who takes longer to get ready. At least he’s not overly obsessed with his image or popularity and is more down to earth and a team player though he tends to be a bit cocky. Also I have found Kai and Jay tend to butt heads quite a bit so they don’t work good as a combination. Speaking of Jay how did he ever become a ninja? I get he tries his best but he’s often rather high sprung and likes to try to cut corners if he can instead of following orders… and he talks, a lot even when we need to be quite. He also likes to joke quite a bit too and some of those Jokes… I thought some of Jestros routines were bad I think Jay could give him a run for his money there. He can do his job rather decently if you can get him to focus and keep control of his anxieties. When it comes to Zane he’s good. Smart, kind, responsible, like Cole he recognises when to take things seriously and when you can take a break and goof off; he does though have problems with emotions both understanding them, how to properly react to most of them and the right time to display certain ones. Best not to let him deal with tasks that require an emotional touch or understanding especially on his own. He also has troubles understanding sarcasm, idioms, some kinds of comedy and he can sometimes be a bit hard to understand likely because he’s not truly human but I don’t mind that. It doesn’t interfere much with his ability to work as a team member or to be a good friend. Honestly if it wasn’t for his skin, eyes and hair I wouldn’t know he wasn’t human. Truly if he was just human I’d see him much like Aaron, a special person. He’s defiantly very chill and down to earth like Aaron. As for Lloyd he’s good too and he does a pretty good job as their leader. He also makes a good friend and I have noticed he’s very protective and caring towards the others. I don’t blame him and understand. I didn’t have much of a family growing up either. I was an orphan for a good deal of my life too till my uncle found me. I have noticed this makes him take everything bad that happens to his friends personally and this can really affect his performance and mood. I think he needs to learn just because his team fails or someone gets hurt doesn’t mean it’s his fault. Sometimes things happen that you have no control over; he shouldn’t take it as his fault. Instead he should just accept he has no control and be there for those who need it when they need it.

Macy- They’re not too bad. Nyas great to hang with and it’s nice to meet a girl who’s not all into that girly stuff and would rather fight the monsters than need saving from them not to mention able to kick their butts. Her brother on the other hand he and Lance go good together though he’s more down to earth and nowhere near as annoying as Lance. He’s still very cocky and into himself though but it’s not too bad. He still at least values being a part of the team and will put his image aside to do what’s right. Lance should take some pointers from him about teamwork. Jay sure he’s sometimes rather funny but I don’t really get what Nya sees in him. He’s very jumpy, quick to panic, a bit moody and often chooses the wrong times to crack a joke; and I thought Jestros jokes were bad some of his can be worse. He at least tries his best to be a ninja and when he puts his mind to it can be rather competent with it so that’s at least something. Lloyds pretty good though he was a bit weird to me at first when he heard I was a princess; you know giving me weird looks, keeping his distance, didn’t talk much to me. He’s since warmed up to me and is no longer so stand offish. He’s apparently had some bad experiences with princesses in the past. I can forgive that and I can promise him I’m probably nothing like the princesses he’s used to. If anything Lance is like the typical princess on our team. That aside he’s very good at what he does though I think most of us have noticed he tends to be a little hard on himself especially if things go wrong or one of his friends gets hurt. Coles pretty cool too and a pretty good challenge at arm wrestling and video games. He may seem tough with a rough personality but deep down he’s really quite a softy and cares deeply even if he doesn’t show it much. Zane he’s so nice and kind how can the people of this town we’re staying in think he’s a monster? Sure he might look scary to some, some kids and even some adults are scared of his appearance, but he’s no monster. Also he could be dangerous in fact he is, I’d say probably the most dangerous of them all, but he’d never hurt anyone unless you truly deserve it like Lance. Anyway he’s very chill and respectful so if you make him mad then you’ve really done something wrong. Heck chickens are more of monsters than he is yet you don’t see the people considering them monsters so why single out Zane as a monster. He’d never attack you for looking at him wrong or walking by their feeding area… if anything the people are the monsters thinking someone so innocent is a monster and treating him so cruelly. Anyway you know I can understand why the ninja sometimes forget he truly isn’t human. Me and the other knights sometimes forget he isn’t exactly human either. All in all I’m glad to have him and the other ninja on our side.

Lance- I guess they’re not too bad even though they’re all commoners. None have as good as hair as mine that is for sure even though Kai tries; also can what that nindroid has for hair truly be called hair? It’s all a synthetic replica. Anyway Kai wishes he was as good looking and famous as me. For a commoner he’s not too bad and he’s good at video games. Jay I’m not sure who’s comedy is worse; his or Jestros. He is pretty funny though when you get him all freaked out and boy is it easy to get him startled or worked up. Just bring Aaron near him or pretend to hit on his girl. He gets all anxious and worked up then. You do have to be careful though. If you scare him too much you might get shocked and from what I hear that can hurt quite a lot. Speaking of his girl Nya she’s not too bad. She is a bit bossy though and rather scary, especially if you make her mad. She’s pretty strong too so be careful if you get in a fight… she gave me quite the rough time the one training session. So I called the earth one rustic and mistook the metal one as a squirebot for a while and I might of made a bit of fun of her boyfriend but that didn’t mean she had to be so rough on me. Also she’s not impressed by my looks; how can someone not like my looks? Cole he’s not too bad, I like that he doesn’t mind to get dirty and can do heavy lifting; means less of that kind of work for me. He is also very good at video games but he’s not so good with his cooking. It reminds me of Axl’s family cooking; weird and doesn’t always look or smell too appetizing. Nor does it always taste good and you’re not going to feel to good from some of it. No offense to him but Zane kinda creeps me out. So I mistook him for a squirebot for a couple hours, maybe a day or two, but you would think he’d be chill enough to let that go he seems the chill type even more chill than Aaron but no. I see now why Kai and Jay warned me not to make him mad. Got some nasty bruising and stuck in ice for like an hour; I hope that’s the worst he can be if not well I don’t want to find out about that. You know he may be the bot equivalent of warm blooded, his skins actually quite warm to the touch well except his hands sometimes, but when he gets mad the thermostat drops like crazy and he can freeze almost anything real quick which is bad when you were drinking from a metal soda can at the time he snaps! He’ll also show you that he’s not as gentle as he appears when he’s mad. Yha when he’s like that I can see how people might think he’s a monster. As for Lloyd, he’s kind of like a mini Clay. Rather bossy especially if you don’t follow orders or pull your weight and he doesn’t relax or chill much. He’s not too bad though. If you can get him when he’s not all in super ninja mode he’s pretty cool to hang with. I have also found it’s easy to get him off your back if you give him some candies or cookies. He’s willing to ease up on his bossiness then.

Jestro- They’re okay I guess. I don’t think many of them care for my comedy acts but they at least don’t make fun of me and are rather nice to me. They do kind of scare me though with those powers of theirs. I get they’re not going to hurt me unless I do something to anger them but it still makes me nervous. Out of all of them I find Jay the best to hang with. He doesn’t mind my comedy and honestly enjoys it. He’s also the friendliest to me and always willing to cheer me up. Nya’s not too bad but she can be scary especially if she’s angry but she’s at least friendly and has been nice to me even though she doesn’t get my comedy. Her brother doesn’t get my comedy either but he at least doesn’t make fun of it. He has been fairly nice to me and likes to play video games though he tends to get a little cocky and hot headed when he plays. He can’t spontaneously combust or make others combust when he’s mad can he or was Lance just messing with me? I don’t know what it is but something about the metal man scares me. He’s so human like but his eyes are weird and he kind of looks scary. He can also make it kinda cold if he’s mad and I hear if you make him real mad he can freeze you solid! Other than that he’s not too bad and is very nice but he is sometimes hard to understand; he’s a bit weird and sometimes uses a lot of big strange words. Also it’s real hard to get him to laugh; does he understand comedy or am I that bad at it? Coles nice and friendly even though he looks intimidating and he doesn’t make fun of my acts even though I can tell he really doesn’t get them much. Lloyds very nice and he likes to try and get me involved even if the others don’t want me to be which is real nice. He’s friendly and kind even if he doesn’t get my acts.

Clays notes on team pairings:

Ninja with the knights: 

My workings on how the two groups are with each other:

My assumption is the Knights are slightly older than the ninja with the exception of Robin, Ava and Merlok; only by a few years though not by much (only around one, two or three years no more).

The knights would at first be wary of the ninja due to their powers unsure how they work, what they can do with them and if the ninja are good or bad. After working together for a little while they would grow to trust them but are still made nervous when some of them are made mad worried the ninja might hurt them with their powers. While most of them try to hide it Robin and Ava tend not to hide that the ninja scare them. They are all particularly unnerved when Kai, Nya, Cole and especially Zane are made mad. They are also nervous around Jay when he’s nervous or panicking.

They’d get along fairly well once they come to trust each other however sometimes they can annoy each other at times. Jay tends to easily get on all the knights nerves particularly Clay, Macy and Aaron. Clay is easily annoyed by some of the ninja largely Kai and Jay; he doesn’t like when they disobey orders or joke about duties nor when they don’t follow their orders. Macy also doesn’t like when they don’t follow orders nor when they don’t take things seriously. Aarons fine tolerating much of their ways but doesn’t like if they goof around when they are supposed to be taking things serious like in combat or during a serious mission; he is also not fond of Jays paranoia to him but quickly finds he can have fun with it and others are willing to help him with it. Jay and Kai of course are not happy with how serious they tend to take things and how strict Clay can be. Lloyd, Cole and Nya are rather pleased to have others around that can keep Kai and Jay under control when they’re not around.

All the ninja are annoyed by Lance considering them peasants or commoners. They also don’t like when he tries to brush his tasks off onto them or flaunt his wealth and fame around them. They also don’t like when he refers to them, anything they do or have like the monastery or Bounty as rustic. They at first thought it a compliment and didn’t realise till Macy explained it to them that for Lance the term rustic is a code word for run down and dirty and not a compliment. He made the mistake of calling Cole rustic once and Cole taught him not to do that by scaring him by lifting up a large planter which included some plants including a large one in it above his head to show off his strength. Lance was cautious with what he said around Cole after that.

Nya doesn’t like when Aaron and Axl joke around with Jay especially when they get the others involved. Their joking and pranks combined with the stress of the realm they have found themselves in which is full of things that scare him can sometimes make Jay paranoid for a while which then he annoys everyone else with his panicking or paranoid thinking.

While working together Clay generally takes over as leader, he doesn’t do anything to become it he just sort of falls into the role and the others are overall fine with it just going with it. Clay is not fond that the ninja don’t always take things seriously even when on missions. While when they have to the ninja listen to him when things are not too serious Jay and Kai tend to joke around or slack off like Lance does to his authority which Clay is not fond of and he’ll tolerate it to a mild extent before intervening. Cole, Lloyd and Zane occasionally like seeing Clay reprimand the two for goofing or slacking off. Knowing it bothers them Clay often makes their punishments extra training or hard work particularly gross and unpleasant tasks like garbage duty, dishes and cleaning bathrooms (especially when he makes them use nothing but a tooth brush to do it) or animal pens. Lloyd, Cole and Zane are the only ones to respect his leadership at all times and follow his orders. Nya will listen but will also do her own thing if she feels things call for it. Clay tolerates it because he knows she’s still trying to work and takes things seriously for the task and is not shirking duties or goofing off. He’s also nervous of her when she gets mad, most of the boys are, so doesn’t want to risk angering her.

With Clay taking charge Lloyd is more relaxed and willing to show a less serious and more fun side. Lloyd does though tend to take over as second in command along with Cole particularly to keep the ninja in check. Most of the knights are fine with this but Lance doesn’t like it too much not liking being ordered around by others particularly those he considers peasants, basically anyone not as rich as him or of royalty. He quickly found though how to get Lloyd to lighten up on him, giving him candies or other sweats. Cole is not as easily persuaded or tricked and Lance learns quickly not to mess with him; he also is a bit nervous of Cole due to his super strength.

To get on their good side and get out of hard work with them Lance finds a way to bribe each of the ninja. He combines well chosen words with treats; He uses candies and cookies for Lloyd; cake, cookies, any baked goods really for Cole; oils, milkshakes and ice creams for Zane; candy or coin for Jay and hair gel and candies/junk food for Kai. He tries with Nya using cookies, coins and other items but she isn’t easily fooled or persuaded by it. Cole and Zane aren’t easily fooled by it either but depending on task and feelings will accept the bribe and do the task often to just get him off their backs and get the job done.

Lance made the mistake once of thinking Zane was like a squirebot and ordered him to do something’s. He kept it up for a few days without realising it. Not liking being ordered around like a servant and seen as a simple bot Zane eventually snapped and made sure to remind Lance he was not a Squirebot and not to be ordered around or taken advantage of. Roughed him up a bit with a Spinjitsu tornado and froze him in ice in the main hall for over an hour causing Lance to become a little scared by Zane and disliking being alone with or close to him. Kai left him in the ice for an hour to learn a lesson. Everyone else was fine with that. Kai and Jay warned Lance not to make Zane mad but he didn’t listen. He learned his lesson after that.

While no stranger to robots the knights are still rather surprised by Zane not used to one as complex and human like as him and some of his behaviours and mannerisms sometimes confuse them. Robin is so fascinated by Zane he is often making Zane uncomfortable with tons of questions often of an uncomfortable nature, following him around even when Zane wants personal time and frequently likes to observe him making Zane uncomfortable around Robin. Ava is also highly fascinated by him but respects his space and feelings more than Robin.

I could envision Aaron finding out a laser pointer reflects off some of Zanes metal skin and that he could get distracted by it like a cat. He spent some time messing with Zane who was confused where the light was coming from causing him to as Aaron sees it act like a cat as he looks for the lights source. He wasn’t trying to be mean just wanting to have some fun. He apologised for what he was doing afterwards.

Axl, Cole and Jay like to have eating contests. Cole takes cooking lessons from Axl. Kai, Aaron and Lance have a contest to see who can handle hot peppers the best; neither can beat Kai.

Lance likes to try and impress Nya even though she is not interested. She just ignores it. Jay on the other hand is not pleased by this. If some of the others particularly Lance or Aaron interact with her he gets nervous and sometimes defensive often trying to butt in or interfere in their interactions sometimes leading to embarrassing or awkward moments sometimes to the amusement of others. Ex; once they were in a lab looking at some dangerous insects for a lesson on potential hazards they could face. Aaron just happened to be near her and talks to her. Jay butt in leaning on a terrarium accidently bumping the lid off letting the beetles inside crawl under and up his sleeve; he isn’t aware of it till Aaron points it out (Uh aren’t the beetles in that tank you’ve opened dangerous?) making him freak out. Even worse the beetles defence is to leak an oil from under their shell that burns skin and his reaction to them causes them to release the liquid. He had burns and blisters on his arm for a few days and had to use creams on it to heal and soothe them.

Nya and Macy like to hang out for some girl time and love going over different fighting techniques with each other plus how they could each beat the boys in combat. They can also count on each other to tell the truth when one of the boys, mainly Lance and Kai, are bragging about something. (M- is it true Kai took on a bear once and beat it on his own with just his bare hands?/N- well he did face it with his bare hands but he was losing to it, would have really lost to it if Cole and Zane hadn’t acted quickly and bargained it away with a bigger fish. It was all Kais fault he ended up in a fight with it really. It was a group fishing trip and if he had just thrown the fish he’d caught at the same time as the bear to the bear like Zane told him too when it grabbed it from his lure he wouldn’t have ended up in a fight with it.)

They all like to compete in video games to see who is best at them often trying to beat each other’s high scores. Cole and Axl are tied as the top players.

Aaron likes to mess with Jay and play pranks on him finding amusement in his reactions to things that scare him. Cole, Axl, Lance, Kai and even sometimes Zane like to join him in this. They trick him into having candies with weird effects which cause him to panic as he thinks he’s been poisoned or cursed; they place insects and small critters on his bed or near him when he least expects it to startle him; they play into his paranoia’s around Aaron Zane even able to use his cloaking ability to help with this; etc.

Jay can’t understand how Aaron can be so relaxed, upbeat and fearless so often even in the face of danger. He comes up with some strange ideas to explain it such as he’s under a curse or has worms in his brain that are making him fearless or that he’s not really human. When he learns of some of Jays paranoia Aaron uses his ideas in his pranks on Jay. Sometimes the others especially Kai and Cole join Aaron in messing with Jay over his ideas on Aaron. E.g.; Aaron to Jay after he hears some of Jays paranoia just to play with him- Jay thinks his last name of Fox is a reference to his family having a were-wolf curse and he’s got the curse. Aaron teases him with “Hey bro you know why my last names Fox? Wait for nightfall and I’ll show you, hope you can run bro cause I have the urge to hunt and crave for the taste of human chickens.” He then mimics a wolf howl while Jay backs away from him unnerved.

Kai and Lance like to go over cosmetic routines and hair products. They also like to see who has more followers on social media.

Clay comes off as the older brother figure for everyone even for Zane and Cole. Lloyd especially tends to open up to Clay even when he doesn’t do anything to entice it. Some of them like Nya, Kai and even Lloyd tend to treat Macy like a big sister and she doesn’t have to do much to get them to open up on something.

Lloyd is at first wary and distrusting of Macy since she is a princess but quickly warms up to her as she doesn’t act like a princess nor wants to be treated like a princess and prefers being a knight.

Cole and Axl like to practice their music skills together. They tend to do it in private as Cole is not comfortable practising around the others afraid of being teased.

The ninja are impressed and amazed by the knights training deck. Lloyd and Nya love it the most; while generally enjoying it depending on the environment or threats chosen it can unnerve Jay. Kai is generally uncomfortable with it and takes a while to get used to it due to his distrust of technology. Cole and Zane don’t mind and find it rather impressive.

Robin loves to work with Jay and Nya when their creating things or working. He especially loves to work with them when they are working on Zane even though Zane is not comfortable with that. Ava likes to join them sometimes when they are working on Zane who is not comfortable with the attention.

Lloyd comes off as a big brother to Robin and Ava. Cole and Kai also come off as big brother figures to the two though Robin and Ava are nervous around Kai when he’s angry afraid he might burst into flames or burst one of them into flames.

Wu and Merlok would hang out having tea and talking about their students going over their skills, flaws, successes and fails and how they don’t listen to their advice as much as they should.

Pixal and Ava would get along quite well. Like Zane Pixal would probably be uncomfortable with Robins enthusiasm to their being.

Jay would teach Jestro jokes and how to be better at comedy.

Zane and Pixal are quite confused about the Squirebots who are much simpler, both in build and in mind, than they are.

When it comes to who is best with whom given personality and traits this is likely their relations: Zane would have the highest relations with Clay Aaron and Merlok; the lowest relations for him would be with Lance and Robin due to his enthusiasm to his being. Coles highest relations would be with Axl Aaron and Merlok and would likely not do the greatest with Lance. Lloyds highest relations would be with Clay, Merlok and Macy while his lowest relations would be with Lance; he might also have a good relation with Jestro understanding his desire to be accepted and have family. Nyas highest would be with Clay, Macy, Ava and Robin while she would have the least good relation with Lance. Jay would be best with Axl and Jestro while he’d be the worst with Aaron and Lance. Kai would be the highest with Lance and Clay while would have the lowest relation with Axl. Pixal would have highest relations with Ava, Merlok and Clay and lowest with Lance. Aaron would have the highest relations with Cole, Zane and Lloyd while being the worst with Jay. Axl would be best with Cole and Jay while he would be the lowest with Nya. Clay would have the best relations with Cole, Zane and Lloyd and would be lowest with Jay and Kai. Macy would be highest with Nya, Cole and Lloyd and lowest with Jay. Lances highest relations would be with Kai and lowest with Zane and Lloyd. Jestro would be highest with Jay and Lloyd while lowest with Zane simply because Zane would not understand his comedy very much often thinking too much into it.

To read the story this is related to you can find it here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/34894561/chapters/86888878 

You can also find images pertaining to the story here: https://www.deviantart.com/nerdy-hyena/gallery/72478681/story-project

[lcveaffairs]

(—) ★ spotted!!  NASRIN NAZARI on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 24 year old looks like YARA SHAHIDI, but i don’t really see it. while  the DANCE CHOREOGRAPHER / MODEL is known for being RESOURCEFUL my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be TWO-FACED i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song UNLOYAL BY SUMMER WALKER & ARI LENNOX  { she/her / cis female} - penned by IVY, 21, CISFEMALE, SHE / HER

guys i have bad impulse control i didn't even make it a WEEK before caving !!

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒 :

name : nasrin amira nazari age : twenty - four birthday : august 21 sign : leo birthplace : queens , nyc career : dance choreographer , model , & owner of nasessities ( more info below ) inspirations : ashley everett ( career - wise ) , dongeun from the glory ( revenge sub-plot ) , ginny & georgia ( her & her mom )

𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 :

tw: brief mentions of child abandonment , homelessness & stripping

nasrin amira nazari was born the only child to an iranian father & black mother in queens , nyc ! she comes from humble beginnings , w neither of her parents making much money. her dad was a lawyer , fresh on the scene , gaining more experience than he was money. her mom was a college student , still 20 by the time nasrin's born , and in school to be a pediatrician !

her parents split up only a year after nasrin's born though , after her father gets cold feet and takes off without a word. her mom , with a heightened responsibility over nasrin now , is forced to move in w her parents & drop out of school to work full-time in order to be able to properly care of nasrin.

but job hunting is hard , and despite months of searching there's no prospective options. until a friend of her mom tells her the local strip club is hiring for dancers , and they pay good money. while there was hesitation on her part initially , her mom was willing to do whatever it took to keep nasrin happy , so she takes the job.

in the mornings , her mom would get to spend time with nasrin & take her around the city , showing her all there was to see & teaching her everything she knew. but the nights she worked , nasrin would stay w her grandparents , fast asleep by the time her mom snuck out the bed and off to work.

yasrin always knew her mom was a " dancer " , as simple as that , and loved the attention it gave her. she always boasted about it , telling all her friends she wanted to be a star - whatever kind - just like she knew her mom was , and always loved dancing around the kitchen to 90's music until she couldn't anymore.

her grandparents , however , were made to believe she had finished school & gotten a night shift as a pediatrician. one night when she's 4 , nasrin naively told her grandparents her mom was a dancer , which caused a lot of confusion. this eventually blew up until revealing her mom's real profession , and got them kicked out the house. they offered to keep nasrin , but her mom refused , wanting them to be together above anything.

nasrin had been really insistent on wanting to be a star recently , and her mom saw how her eyes lit up everytime she puts on a show in the middle of the living room. by the day her mom was kicked out , her mom has lost nearly everything , but not nasrin. so from then on , she decides that she'll live to do whatever it takes to make sure her child doesn't have anything else taken from her.

the two float around - from hotels , to cheap monthly apartment rentals , to couchsurfing with friends. it's a lot , and it's difficulties slowly morph nasrin into a smart , quick-witted girl who's resourcefulness is her best friend. but she's never without the undying love of her mom. all this time , she's submitting dozens of auditions to different companies for nasrin , hoping soon she'll catch her big break.

eventually , she's offered a small guest role in a popular children's show at the time , but filming took place in la. instead of just flying there and back , her mom makes the drastic decision to just move , desperate to leave all the tension and drama of new york behind. so , she buys a discounted rv , transforms it into the best home they could , and sets off towards the city of angels.

by then , her mom had a lot saved up , so put her all into funding nasrin's dreams. ballet lessons , acting lessons , she has it all. and yet she feels ... different from the other girls , whose parents roll up in their bentleys and firmly-pressed collars. not only that , but she discovers very soon the reality of the entertainment industry , and how willing others are to let you fall if it meant they had a chance to climb down the ladder.

soon enough , some of la's most wealthy ( and unloyal ) husbands land themselves in strip clubs with wandering eyes , and it's not long before people find out what her mom does. she never doubted her mom was a dancer , and she was proud , but when her peers find out what kind she's quick to become a laughing stock , the target of ruthless bullying by those around her. " you're a different kind of rich , " she's told at 13 one day by her ballet teacher , who's firm fingernails hold her chin between them. " you're not old money , or new money . . . . you're dirty money. "

and that's the day that nasrin's heart starts growing cold. where all her differences become that much more apparent , and her end goal seems just a little further. but it doesn't discourage her , it fuels her.

once nasrin's old enough to understand , her mom explains everything to her , including where she really worked & how they came to live in cali. and while her mom was soooo nervous to tell her nasrin's literally like - you mean to tell me this is what people have been harrasing us for years over ?? she was just completely understanding and in fact found it weird everyone had made it such a big deal that her mom had a less conventional job.

that day , she puts all her acting & music dreams away to focus on dancing & dancing alone. it was her truest love , yes , but she also felt a burning to desire to become just like the thing everyone seemed to hate but she so deeply loved - her mother. so , she spends the rest of her childhood & teenage years on competition shows , dancing in musicals , performing backup for artists - whatever would get her face out there.

by the time she's out of high school , she's got a way more defined style , and is already making a name for herself in la. but after an appearance on a survival show , she's offered the chance of a lifetime at only 19 - join the tour of a famous musician as a backup dancer for the performance. she didn't know it then , but this skyrocketed her career , as she went viral for her solo , gaining major attention.

following that , things really kick off as she starts to become a familiar face within numerous entertainer's performances. she's even starting to get known for her unique choreography , which fuses the hard-hitting precision of hip hop styles with the grace and fluidity of ballet. in 2021 , she gets the honor of returning to tour with the artist , this time as the dance captain.

since , nasrin's been able to snag other appearances , such as dancing with the stars ( 2022 ) and as a guest judge on a competition show ! she's also modeled for several campaigns , most being either makeup or athletic brands. lastly , she's got a youtube channel , NASNAZ , where she occasionally posts covers , bts footage of tour life / dance performances , as well as other miscelanious vlogs !

but here's the reeeal tea. so a lot of those same girls she went to school with who so often bullied her are now stars in their own right , some smaller & some bigger. but nasrin never forgot what they did , and she doesn't intend on letting it slide , either. so , with a range of top - celeb contacts at her disposal now , she's made it her mission to use her career for the greater ... bad. she smiles in their face and says how good it is to catch up , but won't hesitate to send some gossip she overheard to celeb blogs , sabotage a performance to make them look bad , or whatever else it takes to bring them down to where they brought her.

now we thought karter's intro was bad THIS IS EVEN LONGER !!! i proomise to hush now

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀 :

when it comes to dancing , nasrin does not play around !! shes felt like people don't take her seriously - both due to her background and age - her entire life of dancing . so while those who first meet her think she's just a stuck-up dancer with no manners , it's not the truth . she's just gotten to the age where she's proved herself enough to earn a seat at the table , and she has no intention of making others feel like they can belittle her again.

on that note , she can be harsh , but it's because she's a perfectionist. she won't yell without good reason , and as captain she's also incredibly close to her dancers. will tell you without hesitation the last run you did was awful , but will also praise you when you've done your best , and says love you to all the dancers at the end of every night.

this year she debuted her brand , nasessities , a playon of her name that makes athleisure both affordable and stylish ( inspo : fabletics ) ! the huge part of the branding is inclusion , since it's something she hasn't always felt ! the band promotes body-inclusive models , wide ranges of sizing , as well as positive affirmation through branding !

huuuuge momma's girl. her mom really lost everything just to protect her & her dreams , so she quite literally thanks her everyday for it. in 2020 , she was able to buy a house for both her and her mom in la , where they both currently live. it's split in two sections , so they still feel like they live separate , but know they're only a staircase away from being with each other !

also when ashley started to become financially independent , she was able to go to school , now her mom's finally achieved her dream of becoming a pediatrician , by the way :')

definitely can get shrouded in her own work and forget to relax but is slowly trying to learn to balance work and play. oddly enough , she thinks she's too young to have fun , as she's scared it gives the public an excuse not to take her seriously , and that she could fall off after just one wrong move. so she can come off as a little tense in that regard , but once she let's go , she let's go.

speaking of , she can be very spontaneous when experiencing heightened emotions. i'd say usually she plays it safe , but when she feels intensely stressed , angry , excited , or sad , her body is on AUTOPILOT LMAOAOA. she simply will not care !! while in her career this can be great for when she has to make very last-minute creative choices. but in her personal life , it often lands her in a lot of messy situations.

also this probably doesn't come off as a shock but she is sooo competitive ! partially from birth , partially due to the pressure of being in the entertainment industry since she was young ! but she will literally even fight to the death playing rock paper scissor do not play w her HAHA !

i wouldn't say she hates celebrity culture but she ... hates celebrity culture LMAO ??? she's grown so cynical to the idea after being exposed to the uglier sides of it since an early age. she definitely knows there's still good celebs , and has numerous friends in the industry , in fact. but the cliche snobby , nepo baby , hot shit types ?? she cannot staaand them ! they really remind her of the type of people she encountered when she was younger.

but , like i said before , she's more of a calculated person , so she tends to be very kind to these people to their face. it's only to those who know her best that she complains about them , and for those who really wronged her she's sure to get revenge in her own time , without bringing suspicion to herself !

v much so the type to offend you but you don't realize until you walk away ?? she's v slick when she wants to be , but also knows she's at a disadvantage due to dancers being seen as "lesser" than to the main entertainers / actresses / etc. so , she's slick if she claps back s to not stir up too much drama & ruin her brand.

ex. she once danced backup for one of her old classmates who used to bully her as well , who's now a singer who's main selling point is all their performances are live. during a blackout in the performance , nasrin pushed the mic out their hand , so when the lights came back on and the track was still playing , they were exposed for lip singing , causing a huge stir online.

but for those who haven't wronged her ( LMAO ) , nasrin is a genuine friend who , although blunt at times , truly loves and puts energy to those she loves most. being an only child , she's a little spoiled affection-wise in her own right , too. but she was always raised not to let fame get to her head , so she's always putting in an effort to being kind to those who are fans of hers & staff.

romantically , she takes time to open up due to lack of trust & not quite believing in the concept of love yet ! she holds herself back , mainly though , because she knows how deeply she fall in loves. when she says she doesn't half-ass anything she means it !! puts her all into loving other's , but consequently , is very selective with who she loves out of fear of hurting herself.

she has a bengal cat named cleopatra , but shortened to cleo. she would literally DIE for her HAHA , i don't doubt that she spams her instagram story with pics of them together at least twice a day.

ok let's wrap it up damn !!

𝐖𝐂𝐒 :

artist who gave her her first big break !! this would've been anywhere between 2018 - 2019 , and they would be at least relatively big since this brought a lot of attention to her ! she would also now be their dance captain for tour performances. this could be someone who genuinely discovered her & really wanted to give a young dancer a chance to prove themselves ! or , they could've been pressured to do it for pr , and they actually don't get along at all off camera. it could literally go anywhere !

on that note , also other celebrities who she's worked with / performed with ! or even celebs who come to her to improve their dance skills in their private time. it could really be in any capacity , as long as it's around 2019 onward ! good , bad , wholesome , messy , i love all the dynamics !

also anyone on or who was on her dance team !! i don't know if there are currently any other dncers but if so i would loveee her to have dance friends if not this could be a great idea for a new muse 👀

any celebs she has drama with from back in the day !!! oooh this one is messy. as u saw tldr nasrin was often picked on for not being a " conventional " rich kid & now has a personal vendetta against her bullies who became famous ! either this person knowingly sabotaged nasrin for their own benefit , was one of the ones who picked on her , or their parents just picked on her & she completely misguided her anger and targeted the whole family ?? whatever font you want lmaoo !! anyways , nasrin never forgot , and now has something personally against this muse.

aside from the childhood revenge subplot siojoisios , casual enemies or even healthy competition would be so fun !! ofc also the messy exes plots too ! i'm sorry so many of these are messy LMAO she's just such a fiery spirit it's only natural

someone please thaw her heart out a little and give her somebody to have a little crush on HAHA !! she can be so in her head sometimes that i think it'd be cute for her to have a little romance !

also casual fwbs and all that !! tourin life is hard she gets lonely okay LMFAO !! anywho she could definitely also use some more casual connections that provide physical company without all the emotions tied in !

pr relationship !! especially maybe after a scandal one of them had ?? it could be current or ended , but i think it'd be equally funny if they absolutely hated each other the entire time or surprisingly actually started to like each other ??

childhood friends !! could be someone from nyc , but since she moved to cali relatively young they could be from there , too ! i'f they're from cali , it could be someone who either went to school w her ! i'd love her to have a friend who grew up w connections & whose family was well-established, and helped her adjust to the lifestyle ! esp since she can be so pessimistic about nepo babies sometimes it could be someone who gives them a better name & she gets really close too !!

and ofc the obvious ones - besties , party buddies , coworkers , all that !!

give me mess give me tea give me plots &lt;;33

[sl-newsie]

Chapter Two: Run-in with a Stranger (Spot Colon x Female Newsie)

(Warning: a bit of swearing)

Alright, time to get to work.

“Extra! Extra! Get ya papers here! Triplets born in Harlem! Drunken man plummets from Brooklyn Bridge! New racehorse said to be unbeatable! Extra! Extra! Get yer juicy news right here, folks!”

Some stop to buy papes, while oddas sneak odd looks at me- ‘cause I’s a goil. I don’t mind, but it’s still annoy’n.

“How’s the news today?” A kind old lady, Lucillia, wanders ova.

I beam. “A few good things, not so many bad things. And just ‘cause you’s my best customer, I’ll sell it to ya fer half price!”

Lucillia takes her pape and smiles caren’ly. “Oh no, dear. You need the money more than I do. Here’s a nickel, and spend it wisely.”

Before I can protest, she walks off. “Thank you, ma’am!”

I continue ta wander down tha street, not hav’n many more patrons, when I hear Jack call’n my name. He has tha two new boys with him- broddas by tha looks of it. Tha olda one’s cute, but I can tell tha younga one’s gonna sell a lodda papes!

“Becs! Come with me and show these new guys how it’s done!”

“Fine. This place is a bust anyways.” I look tha boys up and down. “Who are yous?”

Tha oldest gives me a questioning look. “Jack, who is-?”

“You’re a goil newsie?” Tha youngest asks outta tha blue.

“Les!” Tha olda one scolds. But I just smile at his blunt honesty.

“Yeah, I’s a goil newsie. Name’s Becs. I’m basically Jack’s little sista. Now I asks again: who are yous?” 

“I’m David, and this is my brother Les.”

Tha kid gives me a shy smile. Just like I thought: cute kid, good for sell’n papes.

“Becs here, she’s a natural at sell’n,” Jack compliments. “Ya learn from me, ya learn from tha best, as she’ll tell ya. Right, Becca?”

I grin. “You know it, Cowboy!”

Jack chuckles. “Yeah. But you learn from Becca- and you’s learn’n from a true performer! Becs can get a customer's attention from ten blocks away!”

“Well thank you Jack, for that wonderful encouragement! Alright, guys. Here’s how ya hook ‘em.” I begin to wave my paper again. “Extra! Extra! Get ya papers here! Drunken man plummets from Brooklyn Bridge! Mutilated corpse found in street!” I motion ta tha kid. “Les, can ya act?” I ask.

He nods.

“Good. Then imitate this:” I give a convinc’n cough. “Please, m’am! Buy me pape!”

He grabs a handful and takes off.

David looks at me in terror. “Those stories seem a bit far from true. What headline says that?” He begins to flip through tha pages.

“Page 8.”

He scoffs. “Dead cats? That’s lying!”

I shrug. “I ain’t ly’n, I’s just mak’n tha story sound more interest’n. Who’d eva wanna read ‘bout dead cats? If I don’t like a headline, I make one up! Right Jack?”

He nods. “That’s tha golden rule. Headlines don’t sell papes, newsies sell papes!”

Les comes back with a big smile on his face. I leave Jack ta deal with tha broddas while I continues ta sell papes. 

Howeva it ain’t been long when I see an old rival: Slick Benny. Him and his gang is always try’n ta steal my papes and take my customers, not ta mention soak me once in a while.

“Hello, Kelly,” Benny struts over, a good foot and a half taller than me, but I don’t budge. “Me thinks ya got some papes fer us,” he motions at his gang, who surround me. 

“Take a hike, little bo Ben, I ain’t giv’n you’s noth’n,” I growl.

“Aw, not even a kiss-?” He leans in, only ta get his foot stepped on by yours truly.

“Yow!”

I take my cue and split, duck’n unda Benny’s arm and tak’n off towards tha docks.

“Get that little bitch!”

I duck, dodge, twist’n turn- until I realize that I don’t know where I’s go’n! I can still hear Benny’s gang behind me, but I’s made some distance between us. I go ta turn a corner down an alley lead’n ta tha wadda when-

Smack!

I literally run into and fall down onto somebody. I look up and I’m suddenly staring inta pierc’n blue eyes. It’s a guy, anodda newsie. He’s wearing a checkered shirt, faded red suspenders, and a gray cap. Unfortunately, his shirt ain’t buttoned up all tha way, and my hand fell onta his bare chest. He looks both shocked and annoyed.

I blush. “Sorry.” I hurriedly get up and continue sprint’n down tha alley, with Benny’s boys still look’n fer me. Behind me I hear:

“Hey, you! Ya seen a goil newsie run by here?”

Oh God! Please don’t let them find me…

“Nah, can’t say I have,” comes a heavy-accented voice.

I frown. Was that the guy I ran over? Why would he vogue fer me? I owe him one, I put in tha back of my head.

Spot’s POV

I’s didn’t plan on com’n ta 'Hattan today, I just woke up and felt like go’n someplace different odda than Brooklyn, if I can believe it. I’s was just com’n from tha docks when-

Smack!

Someone stiff and small plows into me, send’n both of us onto tha ground. Tha foist thing I realise is: it’s a goil. And not just any goil, a newsie! She’s wear’n a faded blue shirt, black suspenders and vest, and a gray cap like mine. The next thing I notice is that her hand landed on my chest. But for whateva reason, I don’t get upset ‘bout it. Unsure what ta do or say, I just stare at her inta her big, brown eyes. 

She blushes, and it’s kinda cute. “Sorry,” she muddas. She quickly gets up and sprints down tha alley. As I get to my feet, I hear:

“Hey, you! Ya seen a goil newsie run by here?”

It’s Ben, Slick Benny and his gang. It ain’t no surprise ta me that he’d be try’n ta scam a goil. Well, I’s can’t just nark on her.

“Nah, can’t say I have,” I says smugly.

Benny frowns. “Careful who you’s ally with, Colon. That goil’s trouble- ya see her and ya report ta me, got it?”

I step forward intimidate’nly, gett’n in his face. “I don’t report ta nobody.” 

I then start walk’n back ta Brooklyn, certain that there’s noth’n more fer me here. Still, I can’t help wonder’n if the goil was ok. I’d seen plenty goils, but she seemed… different? Normally my spies woulda told me if there was a goil newsie in Manhattan. Who is she? 

Rebecca’s POV

Afta wait’n ‘bout ten minutes behind a barrel, I decide ta head back ta tha square. And yet, as soon as I get there Jack grabs my shoit and shoves me forward, and I’m run’n again.

“Beat it! It’s tha bulls!”

“All this for once sip of beer?” Les asks.

I don’t question it, I just run. We keep run’n ‘til we get ta tha lodg’n house. On tha way up, I see Skippy sleep’n on tha stairs.

“Keep runnin!” Jack yells

“There’s a guy sleep’n!” David shouts back.

“Jump!” I use tha railing ta hop ova poor Skippy, then grab David’s arm ta drag him along. I see Les fall behind, so I pull him onta my back. 

David looks at me in shock. “You’re a tough girl!”

“I’s gotta be when I’s tha only goil here!”

“He’s right behind us! He’s right behind us!”

Once we get onta tha roof and behind a wall, we hear:

“Sullivan, you wait ‘til I get you back to the Refuge!” 

We scurry ta tha fire escape and keep run’n ‘til we get ta tha Irving Theatre. I stop ta catch my breath, certain that we lost ‘em. 

“Snyder, eh?” 

Jack nods, breath’n heavily. Snyder knows just how ta ruin everyone’s day…

“I’m not running any further, I want answers!” David demands. “Who was that guy and why was he chasing us? And what is the Refuge?”

Jack catches his breath. “That guy is Snyder- he runs tha Refuge. It’s basically a slammer fer kids. He’s try’n ta get me back,” Jack explains.

“But he called you Sullivan.”

“The name’s Kelly- you think we’s ly’n? Jack and Becca Kelly,” I back up Jack.

“Well you do have a way of improving the truth,” David remarks harshly.

I give him a warn’n glare.

“How’d you escape?” Les asks.

“Some big shot gave me a ride in his carriage.”

David ain’t convinced. “I bet it was the mayor, right?”

“No, Teddy Roosevelt. Eva hoid of him?” Jack bites back.

Then I hear: “What’s going on here? Out! Out!” A beautiful lady in a purple dress comes down tha theatre stairs, shoo’n us away with a feather fan.

Jack grins. “Aw, you wouldn’t send me away without a kiss goodbye, wouldya Medda?” 

I smile widely. “Business been good, Medda?”

Tha energetic woman gives me a kind smile. “Becca! Jack Kelly! Where ya been, kids? I’ve missed seeing you up in the balcony.”

“And hang’n on your every word.” Jack kisses her hand.

I turn to David and Les. “This, friends, is Ms. Medda Larkson, tha Swedish Meadowlark and tha most talented singa in all of Manhattan.”

Medda curtsies, then notices Les.

“Oh, aren't you sweet!” She playfully tickles his nose with her fan. Les then does a fake cough.

“Buy me last pape, lady?” he begs.

Medda smiles wida. “Oh, you are good! Speaking from one professional to another, I’d say you got a great future! Just like Becca!” She gives me a wink. In return I give her a warn’n glance. Not now, Medda, not today! She gets tha hint.

“Do ya mind if we crash here for a while?” Jack asks, oblivious. “Just ‘til a little problem outside goes away.”

“Oh, yes! Stay as long as you like.” Medda leads us backstage. 

A voice announces: “And now gents, the moment you've all been waiting for. The sensational songbird. The Swedish Meadowlark, Miss Medda Larkson!”

Medda spreads her arms with a wide smile, then begins ta sing:

“My lovey dovey baby

I boo-hoo-hoo for you.

I used to be your tootsie-wootsie.

Then you said 'tooldle-dedoo'...”

Throughout her performance I can tell David’s transfixed, and Les is enjoy’n tha free candy. I have ta smile, see’n how people can be so happy. After a while we recon our troubles are gone.

“Bye, Medda!” I call as we head out.

“See you soon,” she answas, partially directed at me.

I frown. Too soon.

What Jack don’t know about me is that I’s got anodda job: sing’n in Medda’s show. About a month ago I realised that I weren’t do’n as good a job as the oddas at sell’n papes, be’n that I’s a goil and everyth’n. So Medda gave me an offer as a singa. She says I’m good, but I’s still ashamed. Because I’s a goil, I get wolf-whistled and catcalled almost every week. I make decent money, but I’s still ain’t proud of it.

“So ya like that?” Jacks asks David. “Oh yeah, I liked that.” No kidd’n!

“Hey Les, why don’t ya shine my shoes fer me?” Jack asks casually as he sits down.

I frown. Great, Jack. Make tha kid werk even more afta today!

“So how do you know her?” David questions.

“She was a friend of our fadda’s.” Jack says.

“Well, we better go. Our parents are probably getting worried. How ‘bout yours?”

“Nah. They’re out west look’n fer somewhere ta live.” He pulls out a pamplet. “See that’s Santa Fe, New Mexico. When they find tha right ranch they’ll send fer us.” Jack tells tha same story he tells everybody.

“And you’ll be a real cowboy!” Les exclaims. I have ta laugh at that!

“Yeah, he will be Les!” I give him a quick, tight hug. He gives a yawn and goes ta sit on a bench.

Just then, I hear a commotion go’n on down tha block. We turn tha corner and see a trolly engulfed in flames.

“It’s tha trolly strikers! These couple-a dumbasses must be-!”

The yell’n gets louda and drowns him out, but I try not to stray too far.

“Looks like we might get a good headline tomorrow!” Jack excitedly yells ova tha noise.

I look ova at Les and see that through all tha chaos he’s fallen asleep. I pick him up and walk ova ta David.

“I think he’s tired,” I state like it’s obvious.

“Yeah, we should get home. Come back to our place- you can meet our folks,” David offas.

I pass Les ta Jack. “Go ahead, Jack. I’s go’n back ta tha lodging house,” I call as I walk tha odda way. On tha way back, I see Race sitt’n on a barrel.

“Hey! How’d yer day at the track go?”

He gives me a stern glare. “Rememba that hot tip I told ya ‘bout?”

“Yeah?”

“Nobody told tha horse,” he scoffs.

“Sorry ta hear that. But, just shows that you’s shouldn’t be gambl’n your life away.” I shrug.

“Yeah, yeah, whateva preacher! Get ta bed!” Race waves me off.

“G’night!”

In tha log’n house, Mush, Crutchy, Skittery, Boots, Specs, and Blink are tha only ones still up.

“Hey guys. How was sell’n taday?”

“Even’n, Becs. It was ok, I guess.” Boots answas.

I nod. “Crutchy, how’s tha leg?”

He sighs. “Still no good.”

I sit down and put a arm on his shoulda. “Don’t worry, it’ll be bedda soon. Now, I knows Race ain’t com’n back for a while, so who’s in for a game-a cards?”

Mush looks up hopefully. “No bett’n?”

I grin. “No bett’n!”

“Good,” Blink sighs, relieved. “I can’t afford to lose anodda cent to that maniac!”

That night before I fall asleep, I can’t help remember’n the guy I ran into. Who is he? Someth’n ‘bout him just puzzles me- and will I ever see him again?

I’ll get chapter 3 ready as soon as I can! Thanks for reading! :)

[shakesboo]

Letter to The Doctor | A Doctor Who one-shot

This one is very special to me haha I wrote it truly from the bottom of my heart (back then when I was still a teenager obessesed with ''Doctor Who'' and obsessed about running away from home and never coming back. Enjoy!

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''A LETTER TO THE DOCTOR.

Dear Doctor,

You don't know me, you've never heard of me – and you probably never will – but I know you. Better than most people out there.

I'm not a Time Lady, I don't come from a planet called Gallifrey (much less from a constellation called Kasterborous), I don't have any regeneration cycles (in fact, the average lifespan of my only body is seventy to eighty years) and much less a time machine. Anyone who tried to compare us, Doctor, wouldn't find any similarities (at least not as long as you only regenerate into men), but for me, these similarities exist – and very well.

I don't consider myself a coward – as many might think after you fled your home planet ��� but I know that I don't belong where I was born and still am at the moment I write this letter to you. I feel with all my being that I must flee from here. The only problem is: Where? Where do I fit in? In another city? State? Take all the money I can find and go by bus as far as I can? Backpack to Europe and stay there? Buy a ticket and choose my destination carefully? Do I even belong on this planet?

So many questions and no one wise enough to answer them all. At least… At least no one like you, Doctor.

Doctor… I'm holding myself back from writing "The Doctor" (and still saying it out loud with my terrible British accent), but I find it so much sexier!!! The Doctor… The Doctor… The Doctor…

I know that asking you to show up in your TARDIS and take me far away from here is asking too much. I know how selective and strict you are in choosing your companions, and I would never hold a candle to any of them. But all I ask is a chance; I promise not to screw it up. I swear it. Just one chance, Doctor, just one time to be free from this prison I'm in. A chance to travel to extraordinary places, breathtaking landscapes, constellations and planets that NASA doesn't even dream could exist.

We could go back in time and have adventures with our idols from the past. Spend the day laughing and walking with Anne Boleyn, have an afternoon of love making with John F. Kennedy, compete for who has the tallest wig with Marie Antoinette, ask Shakespeare to recite his sonnets for me, become best friends with Marilyn Monroe and do crazy things with James Dean… Although they always say: "Never meet your idols." But I would take the risk.

I know I'm not the smartest girl, nor the one with the fittest body to run from one side to the other of monsters, and I'm not good at math at all. But I can be the best friend you've ever had in all your reincarnations. We could even be best friends. I would never be late when you needed me, and I would always be prepared with my best clothes. You would never regret it.

Please, Doctor, I beg you. One chance. One chance for the girl who will always wait for you.

Sincerely,

-----''

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I'm not crying...Are you??

I hope you enjoyed the reading!!

[hong-kong-art-man]

The Trend Of “Travel Light” These Days: What Is The Minimal Way Out Of The 9 That You Prefer?

Travel is a big gift that keeps us on receiving. We are exposed to great scenery, cultures and people. It rewards us with beautiful photographs and memories.

Crazy shopping while travelling can be a kind of “retail therapy”. But, if this is how you fill most of your time and then carry many heavy bags back home for things which you do not really need, such compulsive behaviour can imply that you are emotionally in trouble.

I used to misconceive travelling as an activity of vanity. I tried to impress my friends in other countries that I had taste, got money to spend and could be a well-dressed person. The moment that I stopped caring is when an awakening emerged from myself. The truth is that simplicity is the vainest form of sophistication.

The expressionist painter Hans Hofmann said, “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” The new trend of travelling is “travel light” which means to travel with a minimum load or luggage. People regard backpackers as those who travel light. There are ironically many backpacker shops in Hong Kong which try to induce the wants rather than needs of backpackers. Goods are too abundant.

Thumbs up to the wise people who can “travel light”. I used to carry 3 or more suitcases, backpacks and shopping bags abroad. I even brought towels, hair dryer, hangers, shoetrees and teddy bear with me. I have made a pinky swear that I will not do such a stupid thing again. The recent fad within the travelling culture, out of the blue, is to be minimal. We want a hotel room to look neat and tidy so that we do not have to elbow our way to the bed, especially in a tiny Japanese cubicle. When taking a trip, you should look inward for spiritual happiness and not look outward for shopping jubilation.

How to travel right?

The simple answer to take just a few lightweight, quick-drying and adaptable clothing items. Also, Iimit yourself to one pair of shoes.

A said, “Remember to limit yourself to a small suitcase or backpack, and a sensible packing list! Then, you will not take a lot of things to travel! ”

B said, “I bring old or unwanted clothes with me. After use, I leave them in the hotel room.”

C said, “Why don’t you guys ask the hotel to do laundry for you?” We laughed, “Hotels charge a lot!”

D said, “I choose the hotels which have public washing machines. This is why I usually take only 3 sets of clothes for travel.”

E smiled, “I am hardworking. I hand wash clothes in hotel bathroom sink.” I asked, “Will it take many days for clothes to dry?”

F said, “Come on! You can buy disposable briefs or knickers! Now, shops like MINISO or  Mannings sell disposable cotton underwear. They are comfortable and cheap.”

G said, “In many countries like Korea and Japan, you can rent clothes and such clothing rental companies will deliver clothes speedily to your hotel! Renting clothes is greener than buying them and this is a good habit when travelling overseas!”

H said, “Technology made it possible to have ‘quick dry’ clothes which can become dry within a few hours. I always pack clothes for 2 to 3 days and can repeat them!”

 Finally, Mr I said, “My way to travel light is simple. I wear a pair of jeans for the whole journey. If the weather is cold, I shall wear one to three windbreakers and they can be as warm as a coat. A windbreaker can also protect you from the wind and rain. Windbreakers can be dried within an hour after hand wash!”

The world is getting smaller but people are richer. Travelling is no longer a big deal. People travel more and more frequently for many reasons, including for vacations, to visit family and friends, for business ,and to be alone for a few days in order to escape the stresses of daily life. There is no need to create “a home away from home”. The hotel room should be like an unadorned room in a monastery!

A journey outside Hong Kong can be very simple, but people like to make it complicated. I heard friends indulgently taking 5 meals a day when travelling. I guess their stomach would be heavier than their luggage. Hunger is a bottomless pit. Life is simple and “travel light” is simply a simple truth.

Maurice Lee

Chinese Version 中文版: https://www.patreon.com/posts/lu-you-xin-wen-115581100?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

How to choose a good quality luggage https://youtu.be/OcWtfNjvldQ?si=MODSmUsPIaRnBSQG   Acknowledgement-RTHK

Luggage packing tips https://youtu.be/BBzLD5lDBvU?si=-hE3KQfiYUUO88k6   Acknowledgement-dontkjoanne

[lixzwithapen]

(I'll be here still)

Pick your sugar

Wisely

Take your salt

The same

Chemicals

Out of balance

Out of sync

Time to spend

I lend

Some money

Oh honey

You're not poor

Of time

This time

Spend it well

Can you tell?

Heaven or hell?

Neither

Wither

Wonder

How?

You can't be here

I swear

I swear

I hear

It

Again

So long my friend

Time to spend

Body in panic

Borderline satanic

Such a heretic

Hectic

Up there

Drown here

Where?

Show me

Show yourself

I dare

I prepare

Not now

Not soon

Later I plead

Sowing weeds

Kill that flower

With my inner power

I may be mad

Ain't it sad?

I've heard it before

I'm getting so sore

I swore

I swore

Just soar

What a bore

At the core

I need something more

Less

I need nothing less

Than to press

On and on

I won

I swear I did

Put back the lid

[tideswept]

Life updates under the cut! As it deals with uncomfortable topics, please do not read unless you a) truly want to know and b) feel that you can handle it.

if the answer is no to either of those, this is the casual tldr: I'm fine, just tired and busy. 💖 love you all, hope the holidays have been treating you well, fics coming soon!

HMM. Are you still here? Last chance to turn back. Think wisely.

Welcome concerned friends and busybodies alike. I'm not a sentimental person, so forgive the blunt rundown.

My mother killed herself in September as a final "fuck you" after I told her I wanted to move out. She had undiagnosed B(orderline)PD. If you know what BPD is and how it manifests in extreme cases, well, there you have my mother.

Unfortunately, I'd quit my job in order to essentially do her job for her, because I couldn't do two full time jobs and take care of her 24/7. I won't go into the thick of it, but for context's sake, let me just say that in the background of this whole sordid tale also skulks a) her HIV diagnosis and multiple months-long stays in hospitals where she became so infamous for her mental breakdowns that hospital staff to this day flinch when she's brought up, b) an abusive asshole stepfather who didn't let me leave the house for almost a decade, c) Scientology and d) 16 years of being illegal in the US.

Skip forward to now, and the only reason i survived this long was because of the kindness of you all, a few distant relatives, and my best friend--and pity from my landlord, who should evicted me weeks ago, but are seemingly waiting until Christmas is over.

There is no social help where I am. Perhaps there was pre-COVID, or pre the Republicans that have been destroying Florida, but it doesn't exist now. The help that there is (from churches and such programs) are exclusively for families. Pregnant women. The one shelter that's available I was warned to not go to no matter what by every volunteer and social worker I spoke with. They all told me the same thing; the informal name for that shelter is Rape City.

My last hope, as well as my last resort, was my mother's younger sister who lives a few cities away. Two days before Thanksgiving I laid my case out to her, the things I'd attempted (in trying to get a job, programs i'd applied to, etc.) and if I could please sleep in her garage for 4 months while I saved up money, because I truly did not think I would survive on the street.

Her responce was not kind. In the end, I accepted that she truly did not care and bid her goodbye. (It's very unfortunate that my mother named me after someone who hated both of us. I hope to be able to pay for a name change eventually, as we have the exact same first and last name.)

In the end, the landlords didn't kick me out when I kept bracing for the knock on the door that somehow still hasn't come. And my best friend has gone above and beyond to help me on a path out.

So, I'm okay. Currently been living without power for a few weeks, turning the house inside out to consolidate what I want to take with me. Heck, I even deleted my Animal Crossing save to start over. (Judy, I will get you back, I swear.)

Been applying for a new place to live, playing mental Tetris for what to take. I found homes for two of my cats, but three will be going with me. I leave so much behind and... it's fine. I'm taking what's important with me.

SO ANYWAY, that's the update, sorry for all the introspective nonsense 😅. I'm done packing and cleaning the house. I'll be moving either into a hotel or a new place in a few days. All is good. Been writing on my phone/tablet when I have the battery to spare, so sorry for some SERIOUSLY overdue updates and replies. I will be getting back on top of things this weekend. ❤️

Now, back to writing unrepentant smut.

Oh, and in case you might be wondering; yes, I'll be spending Christmas alone in less than ideal conditions, but holy fuck do I LOVE Christmas. And I intend to have the very best one I've had in many years. 🎄

Friends! Fellow countrymen!

My time online will be limited for a few days, I'll reply to things when I return. ❤️ Leave me reminders here if needed!

[holy-guacamoly]

Summary: Destiny works in mysterious ways, doesn't it? Never in your life, you would have imagined that losing your job and spending your last dollars on an overpriced black coffee, would drive you into your soulmate's arms. But here you are, slowly falling for the charming businessman Jean Kirschtein, while babysitting his daughter. A.N. I will try to upload every Sunday, but I can't promise to hold the schedule at all times. Warnings are for each chapter and do not apply to the whole story. A Masterlist for this series will follow asap. Dad!Jean Kirschtein x Fem! Reader Warnings: mentions of being fired, the usual holy-guacamoly swearing Wordcount: 1.6 k Prologue

Like a pile of misery, you huddled in the furthest corner of a way too polished cafè. 'Le Mirabelle' you believed was the name.

On any other occasion, you would have loved the french flair, but right now, your stomach twisted at the thought of spending six dollars on overpriced coffee. Money was tight since you lost your job. 

'Budget cutbacks,' your former boss had said while assuring that it had nothing to do with you. Bullshit.  You told yourself that you hated this hell-hole anyway - deserved better. But in the end, you knew that you were trying to avoid confrontation with your frustrations.  You loved everything about your former occupation as a journalist. Since you were a little girl, you desired to write. Creating fantastic, extraordinary stories that people would hold dear to their hearts. And working for 'The Paradis Times' as a columnist was exactly that. 

"Madame, you want another drink?" Your glazed eyes peeled off the laptop, which stood on the tiny table beforehand until they met a petite waitress.  Her voice sounded polite, but her slightly annoyed look indicated that you beleaguered this table for too long already.  Sheepishly you peeked at the scrunched-up ten-dollar bill in your half-opened purse. You had nothing much left. Maybe some cash you hid in your underwear drawer for times like these, but that seemed about it. 

Rent was due in two weeks and you knew that you should spend your finances wisely, but you needed the internet connection to apply for more jobs. This vicious cycle soaked you in like quicksand. 

"Another black coffee - small, please." With all strength left in your system, you forced a smile on your chapped lips.   "Of course, Madame," the waitress huffed, leaving instantly with hectic steps. It seemed to personally offend her that you ordered the cheapest option on the menu once more.  You mumbled an inaudible "What a gem" while you gifted your attention to the bright screen again. After applying to countless jobs, you weren't too picky anymore. But no matter how lousy the offer seemed, you never got a callback.  It was frustrating beyond limits and above all, it gnawed on your ego.

Your fleeting thought of selling feet pics entered the back of your mind, but before you could follow this thought, your attention got drawn somewhere else.

The bell of the entrance sang unpleasantly, indicating that someone was entering. A supposedly enraged figure practically stomped into the tiny establishment, erratically talking on the phone to someone. 

"This is the third babysitter that quit this year! I can't have that!"  It was a ridiculously tall man who spoke. His once well-combed hair was disheveled, and the suit - supposedly Prada - looked slightly crinkled. 

You couldn't hold back the spitefulness over someone bougie upper-class asshole's misery. At least you weren't suffering alone. "Oh no, the babysitter quit and now I have to take care of my own children," you whispered mockingly, biting back a grin. This guy must have never had an actual problem in his life. 

"I can't stay at home. I have a shitload of important meetings," the stranger yelled, jamming the newest model of an iPhone between his shoulder and head. Between enraged accusations, he mouthed "Capuccino" to the intimated barista at the bar as he rummaged in his suit jacket for some money. 

"Then find someone! Goddamit!" and with that, he hung up.

You chuckled under your breath as the male let out a choked sound that reminded you of a wounded dog. 

"Troubles at home, Mister Kirschtein?" the barista asked ruefully, trying to lighten the mood. So-called Mister Kirschtein must be a frequent customer here.  The ash-blonde just nodded, pointedly checking his Rolex to signal his hurry. 

And as fast as he entered, the weird stranger was gone.  He grabbed his overpriced Cappucino and already answered the next call, running onto the crowded streets of New Paradis City. 

"Kirschtein..." you thought. After rolling it off your tongue a few times it felt familiar. You must have heard that name before or maybe your sleep-deprived mind played tricks on you. Still, you opened another tab and typed the name in the search bar. 

Ca. 120.000 entries (0,52 seconds)

You clicked the first link on the list. 'Jean Kirschtein, taking over Kirschtein & Son's, vaulting the business into billions of net worth'

Now it all made sense. Of course, you recognized the name. This random dude was the inheritance of one of the biggest and most profitable companies worldwide.  His father patented some of the first intelligent technology and milked millions out of it. This family wasn't just wealthy. They were 'owning-a-whole-airport-of-private-jets'-wealthy.  The acidic feeling of jealousy bubbled up in your core. Why couldn't you be born into this world, without one single care? This wasn't fair! 

Absently you focused your e/c orbs on the floor, letting your mind wander for a bit. You tried to imagine yourself in a nice house, with some rich husband, but something caught your attention. Something flat and small lay on the floor. A photograph?

You stood up, walked over to the piece of paper and crouched down to get a better look. The bright, cheeky smile of a little girl met you. Someone tried to tame her ash-blonde locks with pigtails, but the chaotic curls already stood in every direction. Even though you weren't the biggest fan of children, you had to admit that she looked adorable.  Her father, which happened to be the man who left just a few minutes ago, held her close against his chest. His smile looked equally sunny and you couldn't believe this was the same Jean Kirschtein you just witnessed.  A small smile spread on your lips, as you mustered the cute scenery. Somehow this reminded you of your childhood.

"Hey," you called in the direction of the barista as you rose with the picture in your hand. "Does Mister Kirschtein work around here?"  The young woman gifted you a suspicious stare. Of course, it wasn't quite decent to eavesdrop on a stranger's conversation. You couldn't blame her for that reaction.  "I think he lost it. It's a picture of his daughter, I suppose." You waved the piece of paper in front of you apologetically, signaling her that you only meant well. 

As you wiggled it in front of your face, you noticed a note on the back. In a comedically wrong way and messy letters stood 'I love you, Daddy!" 

As the barista still refused to answer you sighed. "There is a note from Mister Kirschtein's child on the back. I am sure it has a high emotional value to him. I swear I am not a crazy stalker." You had to admit that you did look slightly off, with your dark under eyes and washed-out clothes. Normally you'd never leave the house without a perfect outfit, but since you lost your job you had to sell a lot of your designer clothes. 

Eventually, the poor woman gave in and mirrored your exhausted sigh. She finally replied, "Yeah. Kirschtein & Son's is one block away. I pass the building on my way to work." You nodded and voiced your appreciation before you packed your things. 

"Money's on the table!" 

And with that, you left. 

___

As soon as you entered the palatial foyer of the paned skyscraper, a wave of fear washed over you. What were you thinking? 

This man didn't seem like he would be emotionally attached to a stupid picture and you had more important things to focus on.  Clearly, it wasn't the right time to believe in collecting Karma Points, by doing good. You didn't even know why you wanted to go through with this in the first place. Maybe for a reward? Praise? Simulating a feeling of contentment?  It was the best option to just drop the picture at the reception and let the universe decide if it should find its way back to Jean. This wasn't some cheesy rom-com where a simple gesture leads a person into a better life.

"How can I help you, Miss?" a polite man with spotless skin asked you, as soon as you reached the counter.  "I have something for Jean Kirschtein. Can you give it to him?" You fiddled with the picture in your hands like a nervous school girl.  For the second time today, you received a narrowed look. "Do you have an appointment with Mister Kirschtein?" "Uhm..." you started. "No, but I found something that belongs to him. It's a picture of his daughter." 

You slipped the photography over the smooth surface so that your counterpart could witness the proof. But somehow, it even made the male more reserved.

"Where did you find this?" he asked, slowly growing rude. You huffed. "As I said, I found it on the floor! Mister Kirschtein was at 'Le Mirabelle' to grab a coffee and it fell out of his pocket. I just happened to be there as well!" Your annoyance started to show.  What kind of interrogation was this? Was it a crime to behave like a decent human being? 

"How much do you want for this?" the receptionist asked dryly.  "What?" "How much money do you want? You wouldn't just come here because you have a good heart, right?" This little menace of a person acted way too sassy for your liking. But his question was indeed valuable. A tiny, green voice inside your mind urged you to name some amount. You were in desperate need of cash after all. Still, it seemed so wrong to ask for something in return, for a basic act of kindness. 

Another sound of resentment fought its way out of your lungs before you spoke, "Just give it to Mister Kirschtein, okay? Have a nice day," you stated bluntly, squeezing the last ounce of politeness out of you.   As you left the polished building, you already braced yourself to discard today to the back of your head labeled as some weird memory. 

Little did you know that this was only the beginning. 

Chapter 1 -> Coming Up: Finally hitting rock bottom and without prospects, you wander on the streets of 'New Paradis City'. Lost in your thoughts you get involved in an accident that almost costs you your life, still some new opportunities open up. Taglist (open): @rosemirrors @galactict3a @luv-minju @chicha027 @yunxbby @forstein