#I wish we could just have him cooking for 10 hours instead of whatever season 4 was.

[nightviator]

Brisket Five!

[rqnvindr]

special delivery

pairing: delivery boy!albedo x gn!reader

genre: fluff, humor, pinch of suggestiveness

w.c: 1.5k

synopsis: it was getting harder and harder to resist the beautiful boy who always delivered your pizzas. especially when he notices the way you look at him, ever the observant one...

a/n: happy birthday chae !! @albehoe  i’m glad we met and i enjoy all of our talks in the server! welcome to being 19; hope you enjoy this little gift i put together for you hehe

--

the doorbell finally rings, snapping you out of mindlessly scrolling on your phone. you grab your wallet and hop off the couch, more than ready to receive your pizza order for dinner. 

you open the door and your brain immediately shuts down.

a young man, around the same age as you, stands before you and greets you with the most princely “good evening” ever. and if his voice wasn’t already enough to melt you, the red and black uniform looked like it was made just for him, complimenting his perfect skin and hair. that, along with his sparkling eyes was enough to convince you that he couldn’t possibly be real. you resist the urge to pinch yourself to check if you were dreaming.

“for (y/n), correct?” albedo, as you read on his name pin, snaps you out of your trance with his dreamy voice. it sounded even better when he said your name.

“yes.” you hand him the required amount of cash and take the box, brushing fingers ever so slightly. you offer the boy a smile, to which he nods in response.

albedo waves a gloved hand as he walks off of your porch. “have a good day.”

“thank you.” it sounded like the most appropriate choice of words at first, but you mentally curse yourself after he gets into the car and drives off.

you should’ve asked for his number, dammit. or at least told him to have a good day too.

what was supposed to be a perfect treat of an evening ended with you chastising yourself all throughout your meal. 

this was your chance. you were going to order another pizza at the end of this week and hope that albedo would be your delivery boy again. you would at least try to remember to make more conversation with him this time, before leading up to hinting that you wanted to get to know him better. 

you take a deep breath on the awaited day, when you answer the door. to your luck, it’s the exact same platinum-haired, blue-eyed mystery of a man who stole your heart within seconds.

“oh! good to see you again!” you sound a little too excited, and albedo appears perfectly unfazed. 

“good afternoon. that’ll be $10.” he holds up a packet when you hand him the fee, and you raise an eyebrow. “i also got you a free sample of our newest secret sauce. it’s not supposed to be out until next month, but i’m conducting some research for my university and wanted to get a head start on people’s opinions on the taste, the texture, if they could perhaps recognize any of the ingredients used to make it..” he clears his throat. “anyways, since you’re such a dedicated customer you’re the first on the list. let me know what you think next time.” 

“ah.” you lightly giggle at his rambling. he seemed very passionate about whatever field he was studying and determined to flesh out the best results for his research. you were the one who was nervous about keeping a conversation going when he seemed more than capable of doing so, as long as it was something he was acutely interested in. 

and most importantly: he planned on meeting you again. there would be a next time.

“may i ask what your major is?” 

“i’m a chemistry major. i was originally planning on doing biology, the study of life, but there is just as much essence of life in chemical reactions. taking two or more things to form a new substance...the embodiment of the life cycle itself.” 

you nod, feeling nearly as fascinated in his studies as he appears to be. you would love to hear more about it, perhaps sitting across from him at a cafe, dressed casually out of his work clothes...

“excuse me. i do not wish to take up too much of your time. enjoy your pizza.” 

“wait.” you call out, a fleeting sense of courage rising up, only for it to collapse once more when you catch yourself staring directly into albedo’s eyes. an endless ocean of curious orbs, their intensity making you feel seen right through, inside and out. 

“um, actually never mind. sorry, have a nice day!” albedo nods, scratching the back of his neck as he heads off. 

being unfathomably nervous and having a crush on someone farther than they appear was not a good mix.

--

you open the cabinet, ready to do some spring cleaning. your hand slips, accidentally knocking over an empty container. before you can pick it up, you notice a white packet that had been hidden underneath.

right. the sauce.

you hadn’t forgotten about it. you simply put it aside to try it out later with another food, just for a little adventure. but there was never any time to cook anything that would possibly go with an unknown condiment. 

or more like, no one to cook with.

you grab your phone and dial the number that you’ve pretty much memorized by now. you bite your lip while listening to the other line ring.

“hello, thank you for calling favonius pizza co. this is albedo, how may i help you?” 

“hi, albedo.” surely he’ll recognize your voice when he promised a next time, after all.

“oh, (y/n)? will it be the usual?” your stomach flutters from the way he perks up while saying your name. 

“no, but i’m so glad it’s you answering the phone. i actually wanted to talk to you regarding the sauce. um, do you mind maybe coming over when you get off from work and i can show you exactly what i wish to convey?”

this doesn’t feel right. asking someone you’ve only met twice over into your own house, just for the sake of your silly crush that led to silly little fantasies in your head-

“sounds good. it’s been really difficult gathering feedback from other customers, due to the lack of communication. and it also works out that i can see you in person so i don’t have to take up too much time during my shift. i’ll be there in an hour and a half or so.”

you stop gaping, realizing you have to confirm your meeting. “okay! take care and i’ll see you then!”

“bye.” with that, albedo hangs up.

you rush to set up the ingredients for your cooking, date, perhaps, with albedo. even if he didn’t think of you the same way that you did, you would always cherish him agreeing to spend time with you.

an hour passes by and he’s already promptly ringing the doorbell. you can’t help but feel your knees grow weak at the sight of him in his gray hoodie and light colored jeans, his hair uncovered without the cap. and his eyes glimmer differently, adding to the new feeling his casual attire grants the sight of albedo outside of work.

“hi! the kitchens right this way!” albedo takes off his shoes and follows you to the adjacent area, right to the counter.

“you seem to have gathered more than just the sauce. and you also didn’t order a pizza either.” he remarks placing a hand under his chin. 

“that’s because i wanted us to cook together and for you to see my reaction to it with other food. that’d add more variety to your results y’know?”

albedo continues to inspect the ingredients you had laid out for the chicken nuggets, picking up a jar of seasoning to smell it. “you’re definitely more invested in this than i expected you’d be.” he chuckles, the deep vibrations of his chest sending shivers down your spine.

“we shouldn’t have much of a problem if we’re doing this together, even though i’m not really the best at cooking. however there is one other thing i’ve realized...” albedo puts the jar down, turning to face you. he possesses the same observational look that he gave you the last time he delivered, and walks closer to you. the closing gap effectively cages you on the counter, your chests brushing against each other, making your breath hitch. 

“(y/n),” he hums. “were you really ordering pizza the last time? or were you ordering me, instead?” 

you want to reply, but any form of coherent speech dissipates in your throat. he’s so close, and normally you’d be embarrassed if someone was able to figure you out like this, yet you only found his curiosity and the way he pried into things even more attractive. especially if he had that kind of attitude towards you.

a sigh escapes your lips and you place a hand on his shoulder. “i like you albedo. and yes, i did only order pizza just because i wanted an excuse to see you. i’m sorry if i made you uncomfortable, and if you don’t feel the same way feel free to leave and never speak to me again. i mean that.”

albedo remains silent for a few seconds before blinking slowly and shyly taking your hand.

“i’m not going anywhere. people who care about my work...are important to me. and i do admire your directness.” he lightly strokes your skin. 

“perhaps i should give you what you asked for in your special delivery then, hm?” albedo chuckles. you giggle while playing with his fingers. 

feeling a little bit bold, you press your lips to his digits, causing him to short circuit on the inside at your touch. 

“i shall enjoy it then.” you whisper.

[stephspurs]

A Family Affair | Euro 2020 Football Fanfiction

Hi besties - here is part 6! We are officially halfway through this fic! Part 6 sees friendships blossom, situationships struggle, and cheeky intercontinental facetime chats! I hope you all are enjoying it as much as i am! I love hearing from you after you've read it! Love always, Steph xx

Part 6 | parte sesta

warnings; a couple of tugs on the heartstrings (in both the best and worst ways)

word count; 2301

writing tools; third person until dashed line, first person thereafter.

next update; Friday 06/08 5pm AEST. Updates are three times/week (Monday, Wednesday & Friday)!

Tags (as requested by users); @footballffbarbiex @obsesseds-world @abysshaven

link to fic masterlist here

Amelia had been back in Turin for a week or so, settling back into her city apartment had been more difficult than she anticipated as she was now alone for the first time in more than 2.5 months. It wasn’t very often, but sometimes she did miss the companionship of having a boyfriend. She missed someone to have breakfast with, to watch movies under the covers, to bring to official events. She still did all of these things, with a date, that was a friend, that sometimes maybe crept beyond the friendship zone and into the we shouldn’t be doing this but it feels so good zone.

Fede was someone that hung around Amelia like a fly to sugar. She enjoyed the attention most of the time. She appreciated his friendship, wisdom, talent and intellect. He could hold a conversation, talk to her about the arts, sell her the dream. She even didn’t mind it when they did cross that line a few times. Long afternoons and even longer nights spent wrapped up together in his bed sheets, her bathtub, his kitchen, her lounge room...you get the point. It was almost as though the two were in a committed relationship - committed being the operable word.

Fede wanted Amelia all to himself, and she was just that - available to him and for him whenever he wished, which was often. That’s what confused Amelia most, he didn’t want to label their situationship. He was happy to be ‘friends’ outside the four walls of their respective homes, but lovers when the curtains were drawn. She would maybe understand if he was elusive, always going out and on his phone but he wasn’t. He spent all of his time with her, there wouldn't have been enough hours left in the day if he separated those he spent with her from those he spent alone.

The Juventus players noticed this behaviour early on, seeing a noticeable difference in the way their number 33 paid attention to their tactical sessions. How he was turning up to the training centre early, with an extra piccolo for the english member of their coaching staff. Federico claimed he was helping Amelia brush up on her Italian, but having an Italian-born mother who insisted on sharing her culture with her kids, meant she was pretty much fluent in the language before arriving in Turin. His teammates weren’t stupid and neither was she.

This was the one area of her life where Amelia felt comfortable to go with the flow, she didn’t need to prepare or overthink anything to do with the charming Italian boy from Firenze. She let him take it at his own pace, she was in no need to rush. She let him take her home to meet his Nonna, she spent quality alone time with his dogs when he’s running late from training, and that’s a rare occasion being that it’s normally her there after him and he hangs back to drive them both home.

Everything was progressing at his pace, and the moment Amelia just asks for some clarification on the situation, he would get visibly stressed. He wanted to have his cake and eat it too. And for a long time he could, he had Amelia's attention and affection at Juve, he even had it during their european campaign. At the end of the tournament, when they all broke up for their summer breaks, Fede conveniently waited until their final round in the shower, if you know what i mean, before pulling her into bed and having a heart to heart with her.

Amelia thought that she was finally getting the clarification that she was after, which in a way she did. Fede spoke whimsical words about how she makes him feel wanted and understood, and in turn he told her about the affects he knew he had on her. It was a conversation that would turn Shakespeare to a pile of rose petals. In the end, he told her that he wanted to continue what they had just how they had been doing it. And so, that's exactly how they left it. No labels. Friends outside of the four walls of their apartments. That was all Amelia needed to be able to enjoy her family holiday in Mykonos, guilt free, not missing the man that became the equivalent of her shadow.

The constant company she had in Mykonos compared to what she was experiencing in Turin made her more eager to return to work than she had previously. Of course, there are group chats and facetimes and phone calls throughout the days that kept her occupied, but she was missing the boys and her brother. Her friendship with Kyle was back to its old ways, memes being shared across the european continent, long phone calls to talk about their problems. Kyle knew all about the Fede x Amelia situation, Amelia having given him the sparknotes version over a wine filled zoom session one evening that same week. Their pre-seasons hadn’t gone back yet so they were able to indulge in a bit of vino, guilt free.

She was surprised about the constant contact, or lack thereof, that some of the boys had maintained with her. Ben Chilwell hadn’t once messaged or instagrammed the girl, despite being active in their group chats and liking her holiday pictures on instagram. He even made the rookie error of liking a picture so far down on her instagram, there was no way to explain his need for being there. She messaged him a couple times, assuming he just got busy with whatever he was doing, but there was radio silence on the other end.

A friendship she was surprised had blossomed so well, considering their flirtatious start to life, was with that of Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings. There had been more facetimes than she could count between herself and the two villa boys. Whether it was Tyrone telling her about a book he had finished that he thought she would enjoy, or Jack asking her how to cook dinner, maybe even them both cooking dinner together - of course she had to have a later dinner to be able to do so, with the time difference and all...and there was no way Jack was going to be having dinner an hour early “athlete’s schedule an all tha ya’know” he would smirk down the camera, brummie accent on full display.

She met Tyrone through Jack, he facetimed the girl for outfit advice one night before going out with the tall defender and the pair hit it off. Both giving Jack the fashion advice he needed but didn’t want to hear (a Gucci two piece tracksuit set is never the answer). Tyrone immediately noticed a certain attention to detail being applied by his fellow number 10, to the tactics that were being put forward by the girl that was far too good at her job. His training was improving, his set pieces having a certain amount of flare. There was also a lack of attention being paid from Jack to other girls. Instead, much preferring to spend the evening at home watching the same netflix series as Amelia so that he could discuss it with her the next day, or better yet, at the same time.

As pre-season had commenced, Amelia had been applying the same tactics that she developed (and that obviously worked) throughout the European campaign to her Juventus club level. Having faith in the four men that were with her and the Azzurri to ensure that their other teammates were completing them accurately. It appears that her skill was widely recognised, having a few missed calls and voice messages left from English telephone numbers that she was yet to listen to. In all seriousness, she was nervous to listen to them. Worried that they would make her an offer she couldn’t refuse. A wise person once told her that you shouldn’t make any decisions whilst you're at the top of your happy, or the bottom of your sad. You should make important decisions when your life is at its constant. It's very easy to accept things that you wouldn’t normally when you're at the peak of your mood, just as easy as it is to forget the bigger picture when you're down. Who knew Kyle Walker was so wise.

“So, i’ve got a bit of a dilemma” She spoke down to her facetime camera one evening in early August.

“Hit me with it darlin’” Jack spoke back to her, getting his dinner utensils out so that they could cook together again. He didn’t like not being prepared for her tutorial, he got stressed if she added pepper and his pepper was still in his pantry. Each afternoon, when it was agreed upon what they would be cooking together that evening, she sent him a list of what he would need out on his bench to complete the meal.

“I’ve missed a few calls from English teleco numbers this last week or so”

“Ok? Do you think they’re scams? You’re beautiful Amelia but I don't think it's actually an Egyptian prince on the other end that wants to offer you 250k in exchange for your paypal info…”

“Ha ha very funny - that was one time ok and he wasn’t a Prince, he was claiming to be an investment banker and wanted to help me start up my portfolio-ANYWAY JACK I WAS 16! God just forget I even told you that story” Amelia barked down facetime, now pausing what she was doing to point at the British boy with her wooden spoon, the same way her mother would to her when she was being cheeky. All she was met with was boisterous laughter.

“Nah i’m only joking, continue with your story.”

“I began to listen to the start of one and it was a talent acquisition manager for one of the premier league clubs, offering me a job” Amelia said as she continued to stir her pasta. Tonight they were making penne arrabiata. She received no reply from the boy. Looking down to her camera to check the call was still active, she saw him looking at the camera with a serious expression.

“Are you going to tell me what the problem is before I start to get excited that you’re going to be living within driving distance from me? Oh god i’ve just realised - was it from Villa? You could be even closer than I imagined” Jack started to ramble, getting over excited with the prospect of being so close to the girl that he could physically hang out with her, instead of virtually.

“Jack calm down, I didn't listen long enough to find out what club he was from. I have 5 more just like it waiting in my inbox.”

“What's the problem then Mils?” Jack could see the girl had apprehension written all over her face.

“I’m just nervous that they're going to tell me everything I've always wanted to hear. That they’re going to make me an offer I can't refuse and I have to leave my life here.” Their pasta was ready to be dished up now, so the girl poured herself a glass of red wine and got herself comfy on her couch.

“Come on, play the messages and i’ll listen to them with you, be your voice of reason,” Jack offered the girl.

“I should probably call Tyrone, you’re just going to reject every club that isn’t Villa.” she laughed before switching facetime to her laptop, moving to the floor of her lounge room and resting her elbows on her coffee table. With the phone near the screen of her mac, she began to play the messages.

_____________________________________________________________

“Hi Amelia, Shaun here from Newcastle United-” “As if you’d waste your talents at Newcastle”

“Jack! That's horrible! At least i know i already look good in the black and white striped kit”

“No, not happening. Next”

“Amelia, Hope you don’t mind but I got your number off of one of my players who knows you. Long story short, we have a position here are Arsenal” “Bloody Bukayo, needs to keep his silky mitts off ya”

“Jack, give it a rest or i’m calling Tyrone”

“Amelia White, Greg here from Aston Villa Football Club” “Get in Greggles!! That's it, stop listening, you’re taking this one”

“I need to listen to them all Jack”

“So, you’ll consider Villa?”

“I’ll consider all of them”

“You’d really go to Arsenal? Aren’t you a Spurs supporter? Shocking stuff”

“Ok maybe not all of them”

“Ciao Amelia, Mario here from Chelsea Football Club - I’ve heard nothing but good things about you. We could really use you here at Chelsea next season. Give me a call when you get a spare moment to discuss the opportunity”

“What? Nothing to say to this one, Jack?”

“Nah, sounds ok. You deserve to showcase your skills at a big club like Chelsea. And besides, you’ll have Jorginho there to look after you. Come on, next one”

“It’s the last one actually”

“Amelia, we’ve got a fantastic opportunity here at Manchester City for someone with your skill set. It would be a massive advantage to have your tactical insight to the game coupled alongside the fantastic leadership we’ve already got at the club”. “Holy shit, Pep called you himself? Kyle Walker really knows how to pull strings when he wants something”

“I am overwhelmed”

“Hey, you don’t need to make any decisions right now. Sleep on it, talk it over with your family. Speak to Jorgi, I know you’re close with him. And just let me know when you decide to pick Villa so i can start house huntin’ for ya”

“Night Jack, speak soon”

“Sleep tight darlin’, speak to ya tomorrow”

Part 7. | settima parte

[xgoldxnhour]

Ship meme for El and Sam (any verse)

ULTIMATE SHIP MEME!

Send in two (or more) names and I’ll fill all this out about the ship!

General: Modern/TWD - I couldn't choose

Rate the Ship -   Awful | Ew | No pics pls | I’m not comfortable | Alright | I like it! | Got Pics? | Let’s do it! | Why is this not getting more attention?! | The OTP to rule all other OTPs

How long will they last? - Well, both until their death obviously, but modern is a few decades (THANK GOD) and TWD is roughly 18-19 years.

How quickly did/will they fall in love? - Modern - they've been smitten for awhile, if not the whole time, but we like to torture ourselves with that slow burn best friends to lovers 10K words fanfic. TWD - literally weeks and only knew by each other's voices. It literally breaks me.

How was their first kiss? - MAGICAL. 10/10. Desperation. Chef's Kiss.

Wedding:

Who proposed? - Sammy boy

Who is the best man/men? - Modern - hmmmm maybe one of his closest coworkers? His dad?

Who is the braid’s maid(s)? - I don't know if she'd have any. Her brother is definitely up there with her

Who did the most planning? - I think El did a lot of the organizing of things, but they did it all together

Who stressed the most? - El, but she just stresses in general. They stressed about different things maybe. I think she stressed most in the beginning and he did getting closer to the wedding.

How fancy was the ceremony? - Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big. - TWD - But I mean. It might've been tiny, but the church was BEAUTIFUL. Modern - Big, barn-like wedding or maybe at the cabin for that woodsy feel. AH. Beautiful.

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? - Uh....cannibals?

Sex:

Who is on top? - Both, but maybe more Sam xD

Who is the one to instigate things? - Both are guilty in all verses.

How healthy is their sex life? - Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now

How kinky are they? - Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head - I mean. RDR. That's all I gotta say.

How long do they normally last? - Depends on how much time they got haha. They're both sprinters and endurance runners hahahaha

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? - Yes, but I also don't think they're trying to think about it much.

How rough are they in bed? - Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it. - Basically no in between lmao

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? - No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory.

Children: Modern

How many children will they have naturally? - One - their own personal Aurora Borealis

How many children will they adopt? - Well, they technically adopt a lot of fur babies in Modern haha

Who gets stuck with the most diapers? - El, but she doesn't mind. Sam is so good about waking up at night though.

Who is the stricter parent? - I think they both have their moments, but maybe El?

Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? - Hm. HM. Depends on the stunt lol. But probably El. Sam is probably the instigator lol.

Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? - El writes her little notes and makes shapes out of her food. It's basically arts and crafts for lunch.

Who is the more loved parent? - Aurora is such a daddy's girl, but mommy gives the best cuddles.

Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings? I think during the day, it's maybe El since she works at the school or in the area. But, Sam will try if he can get the time off.

Who cried the most at graduation? - They both definitely wiped some tears, El probably wept on the car ride home though. Proud parents.

Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? - I mean. Her dad IS the law. So xD

Cooking:

Who does the most cooking? - Depends. Sam is an incredible cook, and they love cooking together. But, if he's working late, she comes and brings him his favorite or whatever she was experimenting that day.

Who is the most picky in their food choice? - I think they're actually both pretty adventurous in their palette. Plus, they literally can't be picky in TWD lol.

Who does the grocery shopping? - Mainly El if it's during the week, but they go together on the weekend or she'll text him to pick up something specific after work.

How often do they bake desserts? - Constantly. Once a week if not more.

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? - Both. Maybe Sam's more of a meat eater, but El is definitely an omnivore.

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? - Equally.

Who is more likely to suggest going out? - Hm. Depends. When do these two leave their house unless they need to haha. For milestone anniversaries and birthdays, they sometimes travel and road trip to the Redwoods or the beach.

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking? - El, but both can get slightly distracted sometimes when they're cooking.

Chores:

Who cleans the room? - El. Blast some music and she'll go at it for hours.

Who is really against chores? - No one is against cleaning per say, but maybe they both would rather stay in bed all day instead.

Who cleans up after the pets? - Sam

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? - Both have their moments.

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? - El. Everything has to be perfect or she'll go bezerk.

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? - I don't know why, I feel like Sam would just be that lucky. But, El would be so excited like she's won the lottery about it.

Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths? -El. Sam is the master of the quick shower, but not when El's around lol.

Who takes the dog out for a walk? - Sam did! But, when then they made it a habit to take Seamus on a walk together. Pumpkin obviously comes and goes on their own accord.

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? - Every. Single. One. El goes overboard for holiday decorations and projects like that. Every season. All the decor. Probably has a HomeGoods credit card for those coupons.

What are their goals for the relationship? - Perseverance. Intimacy. Never go to bed angry. Communication. To love without effort and love even more when it needs effort.

Who is most likely to sleep till noon? - EL aka the night owl since she's so used to working late nights. Definitely not a morning person. Sam is fluent in her groans in the morning.

Who plays the most pranks? - Both do definitely in Modern. Maybe even more so when they have Aurora who likes to tag team.

@mettleborn

[what-is-your-plan-today]

Stark Spangled Forever- Utter Nonsense Drabble... 40 Questions!

Yeah so don’t ask me where this came  from, but I saw these floating around and for some reason decided it would be funny if Steve and Katie answered  some of them instead of me...

I think the original post was from @odaatlover​  and I think I was taggeed by @sweater-daddiesdumbdork​. Anyway, I took my favourite ones and this was the result...enjoy!

1. What’s one animal you wish you could have as a pet but can’t?

Katie: I’d kinda like a tiger. They’re so graceful and  pretty but pack a mean bite and you wouldn’t mess with one would you?

Steve: Who does that remind you of?

2. Favorite thing to wear to sleep?

Steve: (grinning) Nothing.

Katie : I can confirm that is also my favourite thing he sleeps in...

3. What song really gets you going?

Katie: In what way? If it’s to dance and just act like a crazy fool to then its always going to be “Back in Black” because it reminds me a lot of Tony and happy times growing up. But if its one to spark memories then its our wedding song.

Steve: “The Only One In Color” by Trapt. I also kinda like the John Legend song  “You and I” because it reminds me of her, you know, the bit aout trying on every damned out fit she ownes before we can go out.

Katie: I don’t do that.

Steve looks at Katie, eyebrow raising.

Katie: Ok, maybe I can be a little incecisive....but tha wasn’t really the point of the...you know what, never mind. Next...

4. Where do you usually eat your meals?

Steve: It depends. If its breakfast or lunch dring the week then it’s usual eaten on the go whilst we’re getting the kids sorted or I’m in between classes...but dinner, well we always try and sit down. And at weekends we always eat at the table with the kids. 

5. Favorite meal: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Katie: Dinner. During the week Steve and I eat a little bit later than the kids so we have that time to ourselves just to decompress and talk about our day, have a bit of us time...and at weekend we’re al together so I love it.

Steve: I love it for all those reasons, and also because she’s the best damned cook on the planet.

6. Most embarrassing habit?

Katie: Erm...

Steve: It’s pretty embarassing when you throw a Brat tantrum about something.. Katie: I don’t do that in public.

Steve: Bullshit. I refer you to the whole car purchasing situation a few years ago.

Katie: Jamie was only a baby...I was hormonal.

Steve: Hormonal my ass, you were being a brat.

Katie:  Whatever.  Yours is definately the need to stand with your hands on your hips and give someone your Captain look, especially when it’s someone you have never met before but they just happen to be doing something to piss you off.

Steve:  I make no apologies for this.  People can be idiots.

7. Chocolate or fruity candy?

Both at same time: Chocolate.

Steve: Preferably British.  Cadbury’s to be specific. I got a taste for it when I was in London during the war.

Katie: He has a secret stash he hides from the kids...it’s great to blackmail him with.

8. Soft or hard tacos?

Steve: Soft

Katie: Hard

Steve: Although hard ones always remind me of when you went into labour with Jamie.  We were making them for lunch and you had a contraction and crushed one...

Katie: Oh yeah, maybe soft in that case...because that was painful.  And then I went throguh that another 3 times.Which is your fault.

Steve: I take full responsibility, yes. 

9. Worst way to break up a fight?

Katie: Walk into the middle of it and say “Prove it, put the hamer down...” Steve: sighs, That was one time.

Katie: And it levelled a forest.

Steve: Did it work?

Katie: Hmmm, suppose so.

Steve: There you go ...but if its a fight between us, the I can think of the best way to break it up...

Katie : grinning, yeah...that’ s pretty funny. Or the worst one is telling you you’re in the spare room.

Steve: Yeah...that sucks.

10. Best thing to say in an elevator of strangers?

Katie: Putting on deep voice “Before we get started, does anyone wanna get out?”

Steve: Sighing  I wish I had some smart reply to that bu I don’t...

Katie: No, you just threw us out the side of the damned thing from 14 storeys up

Steve: 19

Katie: That’s...that’s not better Steve.

11. Any hidden talents?

Steve: Not so much hidden really but I’m not a bad artist and Katie’s singing and piano playing is off the scale.

Katie: Steve’s really good at DIY. Like, brilliantly good.  And also pretty savvy with technology all things considered...

Steve: When you say all things considered you mean because I’m like 112

Katie: Actually, you’re like 127 if you count the 15 years you spent back in time after putting the stones back.

Steve: hesitates I thought you said they didn’t count because I didn’t spend them with you.

Katie: They don’t, but they still happened.

12. Socks or bare feet around the house?

Steve: Socks

Katie: Bare feet

Steve: Neither of those protect you from standing on lego, which for the record, I reckon has to be a pain worse than chilbirth.

Katie:  Seriously? You’re going there?

Steve: Ok, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration but it still hurts like hell.

13: Favorite board game?

Katie: Monopoly. Its funny to watch Emmy and Jamie getting really agitated and annoyed. The younger 3 don’t really get it, Rori just likes to help Steve by sorting all his money into piles and suggesting things he can spend it on.

Steve: Namely tutus and tap shoes...she still wants to be chorus girl.

14:Heat on or keep it cold with lots of layers?

Katie: Oh my God. Steve is a nightmare as he runs hotter than any of us, so whilst we want the fire or heat on he’s complaining he’s boiling hot all the time. Our bedroom is like an ice block.

Steve: Doll, I’ve been in an ice block. Trust me, our bedroom is like a furnace in comparison.

Katie: It si nice though, like sleeping with a big hot  water bottle.

15: At what age did you first have alcohol?

Katie: I’m sure Tony gave me beer when I was 15 or something but the first time I ever got drunk was aged 17. I went to a keg party at one of my friends and I was aboslutely shit faced. Tony held my hair back whilst i puked my guts upt for a good hour once I was home. I had the hangover to end all hangovers the next day and he cracked JARVIS up to maximum volume just to teach me a lesson.

Steve:  I think I was 18. Me and Buck drank a bottle of his dad’s home made hooch...yeah, it didn’t take me much to get me drunk back then and I was very, very illl. Ma thought I had a fever. Mr Barnes thought it was hilarious, but still gave us both a slap upside th head...

16. What’s the most amount of money you’ve spent on a single item of clothing?

Katie: I would say my wedding dress, but Tony bought that for me, so it would probably the the dress I wore to the  SIP Launch for The Color Of Revenge...that cost...well it was in the tens of thousands

Steve:  Blinking How much?

Katie: You don’t need to know.

17. What do you typically wear to formal events?

Steve: Whatever my gal tells me to.

Katie: And you always look great Soldier.

18. Favorite memory?

Steve: Oooh, other than when we adopted Emmy or the kids were born, I’d have to say when Katie agreed to be my wife. I’ll never forget that day as long as I live.

Katie: Me neither, not least becase I got my camero...

Steve: rolls eyes.

Katie:  Joking aside, yeah the engagement sticks in my mind but I think it was when you finally kissed me for the first time. I knew then that I was never gonna let you go.

Steve: yeah...that...ok you know what this is an impossible question after being together for so long.

19. Favorite shoes?

Katie: I have a pair of sparkly gold Jimmy Choo stilettoes that I’ve had for ages. They’re gorgeous, with ankle straps and pointed toes. I’ve had them for almost  17 years but they’re amazin.

Steve: grins. Yeah, they’re my favourite shoes too...

Katie: Pervert.

Steve: I’m not even gonna deny it. Those shoes ALWAYS stay on if I can help it.

20. Most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?

Both start to laugh hysterically.

Steve: Where do we start?

Katie: New York, Washington, Sokovia, Lagos, Leipzig, Siberia, Wakanda, Upstate and proablly a whole load of other places in between could be good places Stevie.

Steve: Yeah, this...I can’t answer this. 

21. Most embarrassing thing your parents have caught you doing?

Katie: I was 7 when my parents died but taking Tony as surrogate, I reckon him catching us in the kitchen when we were...you know, and he didn’t actually know about us has got to be up there.

Steve: Yeah, that was pretty bad... although my Ma once caught me and Bucky measuring our... looks down.

Katie: splutters What? You never told me this?

Steve: Well its not exactly somethign that crops up in conersation sweethheart? “Oh by the way, once when we were 16 me and Buck compared sizes...” Katie: Blinks. Boys are strange. So who had the biggest...

Steve: Next question...

22. Last time you had an orgasm?

Both grin.

Steve: Last night 

Katie: I can confrim this...there’s not many nights to be fair where we don’t...

23: Celebrity Crushes?

Katie: grins. Does Bucky Barnes count?

Steve: Fuck you.

24: Makeup or natural?

Katie: Normally I just wear a bit of tinted moisturiser and mascara, now I have the kids anyway. I don’t have time to really do my face in a morning. I’ll make the effort when we go out though...

Steve: You don’t need it honey.

Katie: Awww thanks baby.

Steve: Although that red lipstick you wear, the bright red..yeah...I like that... grins wickedly and winks It smears well...

Katie flushes: dirt bag

25. Favorite season?

Katie: Summer. Growing up in Malibu I like the sun and warmth.

Steve: Fall. It’s an artists dream...the colours and textures are amazing to work with

Katie: Fall is rubbish. Everything dies and it’s a bit shit.

Steve: But you make apple pie and get to snuggle in my sweaters.

Katie: literally the only 2 things good about it. 

26. Are you a competitive person?

Katie snorts and looks at Steve

Steve: I’m not even going to deny it. 

Katie: He even refuses to let the kids win a games sometimes.

Steve: Important life lessons, Doll. 

27. First pet you’ve ever owned?

Katie: My goldfish Flounder, the one that Tony replaced about 8 times. Other than that it was my Turkey Marv, he was ace.

Steve: I didn’t have any growing up so mine would be Lucky. He was a great dog. 

28. Favorite pasta dish?

Steve: Mac and Cheese, specifically Katie’s. It’s amazing.

Katie smiling: Yeah  I like Mac and Cheese, but I also enjoy carbonara.

29. Favorite kind of pizza?

Both: Pepperoni.

Steve: New York Style.

Katie: I like Deepdish every now and then.

Steve: It’s not the same...

Katie: well dur, that’s the point.

Steve: Yeah, not convinced. 

30. Lots of acquaintances or a handful of close friends?

Katie: Handful of close friends, without a doubt. They become an extension of your family, you know. All of us in the Avengers were close and when you have that bond, you’ll do anything for one another.

Steve: Agree completely. When you’re close like we all are then it makes everything that little bit easier, knowing that whatever you’re facing you’ve got each others 6.

31: Something that ruins your appetite?

Katie: Narrows eyes Whenver I see Ross on Tv. Makes me want to puke.

Steve: You really should let that go you know?

Katie: Never. I hold a grudge very well.

Steve: Don’t I know it.

32. Night out with a bunch of friends in public or night in with one friend having deep conversations?

Steve: I’ve never been one for big nights out. I enjoy the odd one now and then but, I’d much rather curl up on the sofa or round the firepit with Katie or Sam or Bucky with a beer and some decent talk.

Katie: Yeah, at one time I would have said night out hands down, but certianly since having the kids, or even since we started dating, it’s definately change my ideas a little. Some of the nicest nights we’ve had have been spent on the sofa.

Steve grins: yeah...

Katie: And not just because of that....

33. Have you ever told someone you loved them first?

Steve: I’ve only ever told one girl I loved them and she’s sat right here, and I said it first that night...

Katie: smiling Yeah, yeah you did. I wasn’t far behind though, like 3 seconds or something.

34. Have you ever had sex on the first date?

Katie: Does a one night stand count as a first date? Because if so then yes...

Steve: Same.

Katie: Lottie?

Steve: Storm?

Both look at one another,  teasingly.

Katie: Ok next question...

35. Heroes or villains?

Steve: Some people might say there’s a fine line between the two. Katie: Oh here he goes, getting all Captain Philosophical again...look, everyone knows we were suposedly the heroes Steve, and to be fair we saved the world a fair few times, we were even fighting in the shadows during the Nomad years.

Steve: I know, I know...

36. How many plates can you eat at a buffet?

Steve: You know I’ve never actually counted.

Katie: You did 20 at the last brunch we went to.

Steve: 20...that’s...impressive.

Katie: smirking Bucky did 22

Steve: sighs Of course he did...

37: Favorite dessert?

Steve: Apple pie, preferably Katie’s

Katie: Pecan pie. Hands down. 

38 Would you rather watch a TV show or a movie?

Steve: Ooh, that’s..i suppose it depends. I do like a good TV series, especially if we can curl up and binge watch once the kids are going to bed but I do have fond memories of us working through the films on my list...

Katie: smiling, yeah we had a lot of fun. Still

39. What’s your favorite compliment to give?

Steve: I love telling Katie how beautiful she is, and what a wonderful mother she is...all of which is true.

Katie: I like to remind Steve that he’s my Steve Rogers, not Captain America...because he is. And he’s the most amazing man on the planet, with or withouth that serum coursing through his veins. Which is what makes him the best dad the kids could wish for.

40. What’s the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to you?

Steve: smiling,  she’s sat right next to me.

Katie: smiling , back at ya soldier.

[flowerfan2]

Group Texts Are Ridiculous (Or, Five-0 Starts a Group Text)

McDanno, T, A03

Summary:  After Steve leaves Oahu to go find himself, Five-0 starts a group text to keep in touch while Steve’s away.  Picks up after the end of Season 10.

Notes:  This story is set in the present, following 10x22, but there’s no COVID in it.  I wanted it to be fun.  The story is complete and will be posted over the next few weeks.  Many thanks as always to my awesome beta, @perryavenue. And apologies in advance for any formatting errors on tumblr, I spent forever fixing it up for A03 and it probably won’t translate easily at this point!

Chapter 1

April 2, 2020

Group message:  Tani Rey, Junior Reigns, Lou Grover

TR:  You guys going over to Steve’s to say goodbye tomorrow?

 JR:  Yeah.  Still think we should have a party.

 LG:  The man’s had two parties and a lunch already – how many send offs does he need?

 JR:  I don’t know, he didn’t seem to like them very much.  Maybe he needs a better one.  With just us.

 TR:  He’ll be fine.  Plus, there’s not really any time left.

 JR:  What about tonight?  He’s not coming in today, right?

 TR:  He’s got plans, Junes.

 JR:  He does?  I thought he said he had work to do around the house?  We could bring pizza and beer, help him out.

 LG:  He’s got plans with Danny.

 JR:  Danny won’t mind the help – he’d be happier supervising, anyway.

 TR:  Lou, what are we going to do with him?

 LG:  No idea.  Nothing’s worked so far.

 JR:  Are you guys talking about me?  That’s not very cool.  At least fill me in.

 TR:  Sweet Junes, if you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m not sure we can help.

 LG:  But bring that beer over to my place tonight, and I’ll do my best.

 TR:  I’ll bring chips.

  April 3, 2020

 JR:  Okay now I feel really bummed out.  Why did Steve leave Danny down on the beach like that?  We should have had a party.

 TR:  Chill, Junes, he’ll be ok.  He’s just sad.

 JR:  Do you mean Danny or Steve?

 LG:  Yes.

 JR:  But Steve is the one who decided to leave, he shouldn’t be sad – I don’t get it.

 LG:  It’s not a straightforward situation.

 TR:  Good one, Lou.

 JR:  I feel like I’m still missing something.

 TR:  Wouldn’t be the first time.

 JR:  Hey, should we add Adam to the text?  Because he’s standing over there petting Eddie and it feels kind of awkward that we’re all texting.

 TR:  Sure, Adam is definitely sort of not really barely on Five 0 these days… why not add Jerry while you’re at it?

 JR:  Okay.

 LG:  I think Tani was joking.  But we should add Danny and Steve, it’ll give us an easy way to keep in touch while Steve’s away.

 TR:  You think it’ll work?

 LG:  Look at that sad boy down there on the beach.  It couldn’t hurt.

 TR:  Sounds good.

 JR: …so should I add Adam or not?

  April 5, 2020

 JR has changed the name of the group text to Keeping in Touch with Commander McGarrett

 JR:  How’s your trip so far, Commander?

 SM:  No need to be so formal, Junior.  And good, thanks.  Ran into an old friend.

 TR:  Wow, so we’re going to start with that, are we?  You know Danny’s in the chat, right?

 DW:  How do you think Chin knew Steve’s flight info?

 TR:  Wait, so the old friend was Chin?

 SM:  Yeah, Catherine was surprised, too.  She thought I was going to Tahoe with her.  Not sure where she got that idea.

 DW:  Careful what you say, there are kids present.

 SM:  I didn’t say anything bad.

 DW:  You were thinking it.

 LG:  Not to change the subject or anything, but how are Abby and Sara doing?

 SM:  They’re great.  Sara’s adorable.  Smart as a whip, too.  

 DW:  You gonna stay in San Fran a while?

 SM:  Yeah, a week or two.  See the sights.  I hear they have some great Italian restaurants.

 DW:  Now you’re just being mean.

 SM:  Nothing could rival your lasagna, Danny.

 DW:  Aw, you’re forgiven.

 SM:  Anyway, thanks for giving Chin the heads up that I was coming, Danny.

 DW:  No problem.  Had to make sure you weren’t going to immediately start free climbing rock faces or something.  Need to at least let the jet lag settle.

 LG:  Say hi to the Kelly clan for me, will you?

 SM:  Of course.  Gotta go, Abby and Sara want to take me to Alcatraz.

 DW:  By boat, right?

 SM:  Danno, people swim away from Alcatraz, not to it.

 DW:  Leave it to you to start a new trend.

  <b>April 24, 2020</b>

 <i>JR has changed the name of the group text to</i> <b>Keeping in Touch with Steve</b>

 SM:  Hey, just want to let you guys know that I’m going to be out of contact for a while.

 DW:  As opposed to the past few days, when you answered approximately 5% of my texts?

 LG:  You headed out into the woods?

 SM:  Desert, but yeah.  Gonna do some camping.

 DW:  Maybe you’ll see a bear.  Beat some sense into you.

 JR:  Are there bears in the desert?

 TR:  No, but there are snakes.  And spiders. Be careful, those things can be vicious.

 DW:  Yeah, careful is his middle name.

 JR:  What’s Danny so mad about?

 TR:  Not the time, Junes.

 DW:  I’m not mad, I just know how he is.  He’s probably hoping to see some snakes.  Maybe shoot a rattler, cook one over his campfire.

 SM:  I have no intention of shooting anything, I’m just going camping.

 DW:  Since when is going anywhere without shooting something fun for you?

 SM:  I’m not exactly here to have fun.

 TR:  Um, Steve, you okay?

 SM:  Signing off.  Talk to you guys later.  Give Eddie a hug for me, I miss that big guy.

  April 25, 2020

 TR:  Junes, you awake?

 JR:  Yes, are you?

 JR:  That was a joke, I know you’re awake, you texted me first.

 JR:  This is just a text between us, right?

 TR:  Yeah, it’s just us.  Lou and I are done with the stake-out, we handed it off to HPD.  Lou’s driving me home.

 JR:  Did you talk to him about Danny and Steve?  Danny seemed pissed in the group text.  What’s going on?  

 TR:  I tried, but if Lou knows what’s going on, he’s being unusually tight lipped.

 JR:  I wish Danny was back at work.  It’s weird with both him and McGarrett not there.

 TR:  He’s got at least another two weeks until his ribs heal enough to get cleared to return to active duty, at least that’s what he told me yesterday.

 JR:  Can’t he come back to headquarters, though?  I would have thought he’d want to come back, especially with him being in charge now.

 TR:  Temporarily in charge.

 JR:  Yeah, whatever.  Didn’t really sound like that when the governor stopped by, did it?

 TR:  I don’t know, Junior, I really don’t.  But Danny doesn’t really seem eager to get back to work.  Maybe he’s had it with us.

 JR:  With Five-0?  You think he’s gonna do the restaurant thing again?

 TR:  No, that was a disaster.

 JR:  Well, I hope Danny comes back to Five-0.  Otherwise Adam might think he’s got a permanent spot.

 TR:  You really don’t like Adam much, do you?

 JR:  I don’t know, he seems to have an explanation for everything.  But I don’t trust him.  Not like Steve and Danny.

 TR:  I miss them too.  But Danny’s around anytime you want to talk to him.  He whispered in my ear for two hours yesterday when I was questioning that record store owner who tried his hand at money laundering.

 JR:  But Steve’s been pretty out of touch.

 TR:  I think that was the idea of his trip.  It’s definitely going to be a long summer.

 JR:  You think Steve won’t be back until fall?

 TR:  That’s my bet.  September, refreshed and ready to go.  But I really don’t have a clue.  What do you think?

 JR:  Sooner than September, that’s ages, Tani.  Why does he need to be away so long?

 TR:  You’d have to ask him.

 JR:  Tani?

 TR:  Yeah?

 JR:  One more thing… I think we forgot to put Quinn in the text group.

 TR:  Shit.

 May 4, 2020

 LG:  Grace has got skills, Danny.  She’s beating Steve at his own game!

 TR:  Um, what are you talking about, Lou?

 LG:  Steve and Grace went surfing in L.A.  Big waves, too.  Didn’t you see the pics on Facebook?

 DW:  You’re showing your age, Lou.  Facebook is for old people.

 LG:  Grace posted on it, she’s not old.

 DW:  She only puts pics on there when she wants her parents and grandparents to see them.  They’re carefully curated.

 TR:  Why am I not Facebook friends with Grace?  I feel left out.

 JR:  Ditto.

 DW:  You should both feel free to friend her.  I’m sure she’d friend you back.

 TR:  I’ll look for her insta instead.  Probably get better stuff.

 LG:  Do you even know Grace?

 TR:  Rude.

 JR:  Ditto again.

 DW:  That’s the same thing.

 JR:  No, I’m actually saying ditto for the second time.

 LG:  This group text is more ridiculous than Grace’s sanitized Facebook page.  

 TR:  At least if Steve’s surfing we know he made it out of the desert.

 LG:  On a horse with no name.

 DW:  Now you really sound old.

 TR:  Dad joke alert.

 LG:  What’s wrong with dad jokes?  I am a dad, after all.  I’m quite proud of being a dad.  I deserve to make dad jokes.

 TR:  Try making better ones, at least.

 LG:  Danny, you’re a proud dad.  Back me up here.

 DW:  Proud, yes.  As uncool as you, no.  

 TR:  Settle down, you’re both old and uncool, no need to get worked up about it.

 DW:  Fine.  This old guy is staring at some very nice looking steaks, and was planning on lighting the grill soon.  Assuming you’re still willing to eat my food despite my advanced age.

 JR:  Tani and I are getting in the car now, we’ll stop for beer on the way. Jerry said he was coming, too, and bringing fruit salad with no pineapple, just for you.

 DW:  Yet another reason I like Jerry.  And did you guys talk to Quinn and apologize for not including her in the group text?

 TR:  I did, and she actually seemed relieved not to have to deal with us all outside of work.

 DW:  Seriously?

 TR:  No, of course not.  I already added her.  She’s on now.

 QL:  Hi guys.  Danny, thanks for inviting me.  I’m bringing margaritas and guac.

 DW:  See, already glad you’re in the chat.  Sorry Tani forgot you.

 TR:  I did not forget Quinn!  

 LG:  Tani has been suitably repentant, Danny, don’t worry.  And do put my name on two of those steaks - Renee made her special chocolate cake with mocha buttercream.  We’ll be there soon.

 DW:  Does your wife think I’m dying or something?  She only makes that cake when someone’s sick.

 TR has changed the name of the group text to Chocolate Cake For the Detective’s Soul

 TR:  Maybe she thinks it’ll make your ribs heal faster, so you can come back to work and make sure Lou doesn’t do anything stupid.

 DW:  Tani, not for nothing, but it’s not Lou I’m worried about.

 TR:  That building wasn’t that tall.  I landed in the pool, and apprehended the suspect on the way down.

 DW:  I rest my case.

[12raben]

Summer Rotation

I know, compared to the spring rotation, I rushed through this one. The reason is simple: I am at the moment not allowed to go to work. My boyfriend however is a male nurse and is at work non stop. I try to support him, but there’s only so much I can do. Cooking meals, he can eat at work, keeping our home clean, so he doesn’t have to do chores after a 12 hour shift, making him as comfortable as I can, while he’s home. My family doesn’t live in the same city as I and I really miss my sisters. I’m pretty much alone all of the time. Which sounds sad and terrible, but I call friends and family frequently, so I don’t feel really lonely. The rest of my time, which is much(!) I can invest however I want. It’s somewhat luxurious to have so much free time on my hands. :/ But enough doom and gloom, let’s talk about, what the title says:

(I digressed again! How unusual for my posts...! I hid the rest of the post, so I’m not blocking your dash with a wall of text.)

The summer rotation of Twinhills was eventful enough. And there are some things, I’ll adjust. First: The fees for Veerukka, the midwife. I came to the conclusion, that I have to get a system in there, because I was lost. I tried diffrent methods. First I summoned her via All-In-One-NPC and used the payment option of that object. The payment varies depending on how long the “NPC” stays on the lot. It’s around 285$, I think(?). This is too much for peasants, but not enough for nobles. Next try: I summond her via All-In-One-NPC and gave her money per tips, which didn’t work at all >:/ also the alternative of giving her goods (like crops) doesn’t work. Summoning her via All-In-One-NPC also has the downside, that she won’t be reacting to the birth and I have to be aware, that a sim is going to give birth soon. I’m a potatoe sometimes and I forget, that my sims are pregnant... Shame on me. I decided to go through this oldschool: Summoning her with a teleporter, make her selectable, make her work, pay her (eighter putting crops in her inventory or coins) after the birth, make her unselectable and say goodbye. These are the new fees (goods mean whatever the family produces/have in their inventory):

++Midwife Fees++ Outcasts: 10$ or 3 goods Peasants: 50 or 5 goods Yeomanry: 100 or 5 goods Merchants: 250 or 6 goods Gentry: 400 or 8 goods Nobility: 500 or 10 goods Royal: Voluntary "Donations"

Ulfur Henner elevated himself to Yeomanry! So he paid 15.000$ to the crown, which is a big chunk. Nice. Twinhills unlocked the Church of Praios.

Now there are 1.585$ left in the treasury. I tried to build the chantry of Denerim, but it doesn’t realy look like it. :/ At least it doesn’t look like a stereotypical christian church (which I wanted to avoid).

What comes next? The only community lot Twinhills has to unlock for the next level now, is the cemetery. It costs 16.868$, so maybe I can unlock it, if another family raises a social level. Which brings me to another problem: If all peasants get rich with their shops, I have no peasants. :p I should restrict myself using the money perks. Or make a tax for it. (On the other hand moving sims up brings so much tax money..!) NPC/Marriageable Sims/Townies or whatever you would like to call it, are desperately needed in Twinhills. I love my sims, but I would like to see some new faces. On that note: I will add one household per season at max. That will bring a little variety in the ages (so not all children grow up at the same point in time), I have a little time to figure out a playstyle for the NPC households and to getting to know the new inhabitants.

Speaking of getting to know sims: It makes me really sad, that Bjorn and Harry died. I had plans for them...! When Ulfur and Belsinde showed real interest in each other not just a fling, I thought Bjorn could move into the chicken farm and take over business (Ulfur is Bjorn’s uncle). And Harry could be heir of the Hlothran’s house and fish all day like he wanted to. (Maybe marry Kiara Mograld and have beautiful redhead children... *sigh*) And let’s not forget the lady of the realm. Una was content. She kept the home clean, when there was no maid, she took great pleasure in cooking and homeschooled her children. I wish, I had more time to get to know her, because I can’t tell you more about Una other than that she was relaxing to play with.

On the bright side: There have been sims born as well. The Buckholtz have a spare and a heir all in one: Viggu Buckholtz & Wullf Buckholtz

The Hlothrans have another daughter: Ylvie Hlothran.

The Brodheimer family was blessed with a son: Hannes Brodheimer.

I have already wrote about my idea, that heirs are selected according to the family’s religion. For now I’m handling it that way: If there is a son born, he’s the heir. No questions asked. If however, there is no son (because all of them died, the parents didn’t have a son, etc.) a daughter can be heir to the family business. E.g. the Sunflower Inn belongs to Zacharias, but since he has only daughters (and I doubt, that he will have any more children), Primrose will be heir. On the other hand we have the Hlothrans. I have more than one time expressed my determination to marry off Hesel and Madleine (this is going to happen. No. Matter. What. I have spent to too much energy on this to not make it happen.) So, eighter Galina, Molly or Ylvie could be heir. To be quite honest: I would love to make Ylvie the heir, because of her “splendiferous” character.

On the note of heirs: Other children of a household will have to move out, once a heir has taken over. With the no20khandout mod and my sims being as poor as dirt, they will be probably need apartments sooner or later. I use pescado’s apthack, which charges money for furniture, so my sims won’t get rich by simply moving from one apartment to another. I also used Nysha’s rent controller, so I can adjust the rent to my liking. But since all my community lots have to be paid by eighter a sim or the crown, I should also charge the crown for apartments, right? I decided not to do that, but have a “free” apartment per 2 unlocked community lots. E.g. In Twinhills are 6 unlocked communits lots, so I can use 3 diffrent apartments. My next thought circled around the rent, that just poofs into nothingness. If the sims pay rent it has to go to the crown or a sim, who owns the land. But how can I keep track of this? There is the lot income rights mod by simlogical. I could write down, how much each houshold pays or I could add a set amount for each occupied apartment. Phew, that seems a lot of work... I’ll instead make my live easier. The MCC suggests to use a dice for landowning families (roll (d9) x $5000) and I’ll do just that for apartments, but with lowered income. So I’ll roll (d4)x(highest rent) per season. (E.g. the rent of an apartment is 200$~500$, I’ll roll (d4)x500.) Regardless on how many units are actually occupied. Does it make sense? Not really. But I like the random aspect. So, if the apartment is “just” unlocked and occuppied, the crown (aka my tax-sim) gets the money, if another sim has bought the apartment, the sim will earn the money. How can a sim buy an apartment? They can’t. It’s play and pretend in my case. I have recolored Medieval Investment Certificates by Xia to represent apartments in my game, because I’m bad with keeping track. So, if a sim hangs one of these certificates on his wall, he gets the income of that apartment.

I realized just now, how long this post got. Sorry for digressing, but writing this down, explaining, what I’m doing, really helps me think this through.

And boy, I am very grateful, that so many people out there are following my blog. I really appreciate each and every comment and like. I’m just really bad at expressing my gratitude or making follower gifts. So sorry for that, but thanks. Man, I’m blushing, while writing this. I’m really bad at expressing my feelings. I should stop right now.

Happy SImming!

[thetvmoviefan]

Nabrina FanFics Part 7 (Friday 13th Update)

Sabrina Spellman & Nicholas Scratch (Nick Scratch) FanFics MASTERLIST

Updated: December 13, 2019 (12/13/2019) also Friday 13th

FINALLY!! We got the release date for Part 3 of CAOS and it’s going to come on January 24, 2020!! While Netflix still has yet to release a official trailer even though today (12/13) was good to release it, thought it would be a good day to release a newly updated list of Current and NEW Nabrina FanFictions for anyone waiting for our favorite Power Couple Sabrina Spellman and Nicholas Scrath to come back. So If you’re in need a Nabrina fix or a general CAOS fix here’s a lst of fics that are worth the reads and re-reads till Part 3 comes out.

As always have a Wicked or Hell-ish time with these fics and ENJOY!!!

Fics in Order by Last Update 12/13/2019

[Key: AU=Alternate Universe - AH=All Human - * = New Fic to List]

1. “Just a Little Obsessed”*

Author: eyerys

Summary: Nicholas has developed a tinie-tiny crush on Sabrina. Nothing like major or whatever. It's not like he thinks about her all the time or daydreams about what it would be like to be with her or how cool she is. No, not at all.Sabrina doesn't have a crush on Nick. No, not at all. Uh-uh. She has Harvey. Sweet and loving Harvey Kinkle. But for some reason, she can't help but find her mind wandering. Rated Teen - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 12/13/2019

2. “Lessons in the Unseen”

Author: bunivy

Summary: Academy Teachers AU. Sabrina Spellman lives as simple a life as a half-mortal half-witch can. Despite her dislike for the headmaster, she enjoys spending her time teaching Ritual Magic at the Academy of Unseen Arts, hoping to positively shape the minds of young witches and warlocks. However, with the sudden dreadful announcement of her aunt Zelda's engagement and the appearance of one mysterious - and strikingly handsome - Nicholas Scratch, Sabrina finds that her life is not so simple anymore. Or all that safe. AU - Rated Mature - Chapters 31/? - Last Update 12/12/2019

3. “Off The Record - One Shots”*

Author: sarahkwut

Summary: Missing scenes from my completed piece, 'Off The Record.'AU/AH - Not Rated - Chapters 3/? - Last Update 12/12/2019

4. “Ocean”*

Author: sarahkwut

Summary: AU, M-Rated. Nicholas Scratch has everything working in his favor. He's got a decent job as a history teacher, his roommate Melvin is always up for video games and getting high, and Sabrina Spellman lets him mess up her sheets frequently. Sabrina knows Nick isn't good for her, but she can't stay away, no matter how hard it is to pretend she's completely okay with their casual arrangement. But when life takes an unexpected curve, Nick is forced to face a new normal he doesn't know how to navigate. And Sabrina may or may not be there to help him through it. AU/AH - Rated Mature - Chapters 8/? - Last Update 12/09/2019

5. “I knew you were trouble”*

Author: Miss_Kath90

Summary: Sabrina didn’t know that being away from home for the first time could be so hard.Away from her aunts, friends and her-lifelong-boyfriend, Sabrina have to deal with the nostalgia but also with the new challenges College's life mean: get used to share a room with a not-so-nice roommate, put up with long hours of study and very few of sleep, learn to live from pre-cooked meals instead of her aunt Hilda’s homemade ones, find balance between her studies and her new social life… And resist the temptation a certain Nicholas Scratch mean for her. AU/AH - Rated Mature - Chapters 4/? - Last Update 12/07/2019

6. “As The Moon Rises”*

Author: venzaren

Summary: Sabrina Spellman is tired.Tired of living a double life. Tired of facing discrimination at the hands of her pack. Tired of dealing with her status as an Omega. And most of all, she's tired of people hounding her about finding her mate.Then Nick Scratch returns to Greendale. AU - Rated General - Chapters 1/? - Last Update 12/07/2019

7. “Thirteen Memories”

Author: tempestbreak

Summary: (Set at the end of Season 2) Sabrina and her friends go to Hell and rescue Nick -- but what happens when that's the easy part?It turns out, having the Dark Lord inside your mind for months can do some damage, and Nick comes back different. His memories of the events leading up to his sacrifice, including his relationship with Sabrina, are gone. How can Sabrina help him regain his memories of their time together when she's not even sure she trusts her own? Rated Mature - Chapters 6/? - Last Update 11/02/2019

8. “But The Greatest Is Love” 

Author: sarahkwut

Summary: The acheron captured Lucifer Morningstar, but their problems are far from over. The coven is decimated, the Church of Night is no more, Father Blackwood is on the run, and Nick and Sabrina's relationship is in ruins. How do they pick up the pieces and move on? There are more questions than answers and the consequences could be of biblical proportions. Rated Mature - Chapters 25/25 - COMPLETED 10/28/2019

9. ”Ground Beneath Her Feet”

Author: mindlesshappy

Summary: Sabrina is born out of a miracle - one that she wishes would repeat for her, but when she is destined for someone else, how much can she resist before her heart decides to give in. Alternatively, Nick is Sabrina's soulmate, but she really just wants Harvey to be it. Also, in the backseat are all the other possible ships, getting their own soulmate glories. Rated Teen - Chapters 15/? - Last Update 10/22/2019

10. “Back to You”

Author: nadiaselite

Summary: Sabrina brings Nick back from hell. Rated Teen - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 10/11/2019

11. “The Open Road”

Author: paradiamond

Summary: Nick wants her back, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes. In fact, he insists on it. Rated Teen - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 9/22/2019

12. “The words “I love you” aren’t enough”*

Author: Miss_Kath90

Summary: “Look at me, Nick” he was reluctant but when he finally looked up she took his face in her hands making him unable to look away “What you did that day… Nick, you sacrificed yourself for my sake, even when I mistreated you and told you all those horrible things. You did it for me, because you love me… Don’t you see? You’re incapable of being evil.”Or... Sabrina gets her boyfriend back but things don’t go as smoothly as she thinks they will. Rated Mature - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 9/22/2019

13. “Be True to Your School”

Author: rayo aka @its-nabrina-bitch​

Summary: Nicholas Scratch is the Golden Boy™ of Baxter High; star athlete, top of his class academically, and devastatingly handsome. Sabrina Spellman sees Sophomore year as an opportunity to expand her horizons; joining the cheerleading squad, running for student council, and making new friends along the way while working to maintain her relationships with her old friends. What Sabrina Spellman doesn't know: sophomore year is about to turn her world upside-down. AU - Rated General - Chapters 4/? - Last Update 9/12/2019

14. “Mission: Let’s get my boyfriend back”

Author: My_Evak_Heart

Summary: Sabrina and the Fright Club ventures on their first mission: getting Nick back from Hell Not Rated - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 9/7/2019

15. “Jealousy is a killer”

Author: Melissa1226

Summary: Will Sabrina and Nick Start something new? and who is watching them from the shadow full of jealousy? Rated Mature - Chapters 8/? - Last Update 8/28/2019

16. “The Institute for Divine Craft”

Author: rayo aka @its-nabrina-bitch​

Summary: After a humiliating spat with Father Blackwood pushes Sabrina away from her witching life and the Academy, Madam Satan crafts an alternative solution to move Sabrina Spellman further down the path of night. Ultimately leading her to the Institute for the Divine Craft. A handsome Headmaster with mysterious ties to her father, convinces Sabrina to abandon her mortal life, and cultivate her abilities as a child of the Church of Lucifer. AU - Rated Mature - Chapters 16/? - Last Update 8/21/2019

17. “The Jock”

Author: mikaila_ealum

Summary: An Alternate Universe where Nicholas Scratch is Baxter High’s quarterback along with one of the most popular boys at school. With few knowing the truth, Scratch is living a double life as a warlock at the Academy of Unseen Arts. Sabrina takes a hiatus from the Academy to get more in touch with her mortal side. When Sabrina gets back she becomes partners with Nicholas for a project in theatre class. AU - Chapters 8/? - Last Update 8/07/2019

18. “act 5, scene 2 (thou and i are too wise to woo peaceably)”

Author: ghostemo aka @wickedscratch​

Summary: When Sabrina Spellman rose to a challenge issued by Prudence Night, she never imagined she’d actually make the varsity cheer squad - or that doing so would upend life as she knew it. Now she has to navigate her new role within the social hierarchy of hell -er Baxter High as well as trying to get her boyfriend to actually communicate. It certainly doesn’t help that she’s been paired up with the annoyingly handsome Nicholas Scratch, captain of Greendale’s beloved football team, for a project in her theater class. It’s exactly as, if not more so, cliche as it sounds. AU/AH - Rated Teen - Chapters 3/? - 7/25/2019

19. “Off the Record”

Author: sarahkwut

Summary: AU. Detective Nicholas Scratch left New York for Greendale in desperate need of a change of scenery. The small town takes some getting used to, but local reporter Sabrina Spellman quickly grabs his attention. It's the fresh start he needed until Greendale's residents start turning up dead. With a murderer on the loose, no one is innocent - and anyone might be next. AU/AH - Rated Mature - Chapters 29/29 - COMPLETED 7/22/2019

20. “Bring You Close To Me”

Author: BridgetMcKennitt

Summary: Sabrina and her friends managed to bring Nicholas back from Hell. There was a lot the two of them needed to discuss, but tonight, they had this. Rated E Mature - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 7/13/2019

21. “A Brief Moment”

Author: bunivy

Summary: Ever since he's returned from Hell, Nicholas Scratch has been having nightmares. With help from Aunt Hilda, Sabrina unknowingly shows him a light and for a moment, Nicholas knows everything will be okay. Rated General - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 6/24/2019

22. “To Hell and Back”

Author: swtnerdgirl

Summary: A year has passed since Sabrina and her friends rescued Nick from Hell. No one came back the same. They all had their scars. Some emotionally. Some physically. In the days leading to Hilda's wedding, they all prepare for their lives to change and heal their wounds. Rated Mature - Chapters 16/? - Last Update 6/06/2019

23. “Dead Witch Walking”

Author: rayo aka @its-nabrina-bitch​

Summary: Faced with the possibility of being harrowed to death by her classmates, Sabrina finds an escape. Rated E Mature - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 5/26/2019

24. “Moonlight Beneath Rough Lips”

Author: ivylikeveins

Summary: After the encounter with the thirteen witches of Greendale, Sabrina enters the dining hall with moonlight locks bathed in soft blue hues, and Nick does not know what to do. He ends up with a soft and small Sabrina pressed into his chest, sleeping, and wrapped around his very much over-sized jacket with Nick's lips pressed into the soft, pearly strands he wants his soul to get entangled within. Rated Mature - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 5/19/2019

25. “The Hunt”

Author: OnlyInAutumn

Summary: Nick howled into the night, up at the stars to signify that he was ready on the eve of Lupercalia, the darkness of midnight around them. The first sound of the horn sent them into the forest. The hunt had begun. Rated E Mature - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 5/11/2019

26. “Secrets, Secrets are no Fun”

Author: filmharlot

Summary: Sabrina is the new kid for the first time in her life. Choosing to go to the Academy full-time seems to be a hard transition than she was expecting. With the Weird Sisters harassment at an all-time high, dealing with leaving her mortal friend's and condescending teachers, Sabrina is suffering. She's not even allowed to have Salem for comfort. It's not all bad though. She is finally free to do magic whenever she wants, and there's a charming warlock who is being particularly nice to her. Plus, someone is leaving kind gifts on her bed at the end of the night. She just wishes she knew who it was. Not Rated - Chapters 1/? - Last Update 5/06/2019

27. “My only love sprung from my only hate”

Author: filmharlot

Summary: High School AU where Nick is based on the version of him that Sabrina creates in her dream during the Batibat episode. Harvey and Sabrina have broken up and don't want to work together on the Romeo and Juliet assignment in Drama class, so she ends up being partners with Nick AU - Not Rated - Chapters 7/? - Last Update 5/04/2019

28. “Unsettled Nighttime Creatures”

Author: mindlesshappy

Summary: We all know Sabrina is going to save Nick. This is how Nick reacts to being saved - which, spoilers alert - is like a very stupid warlock. Rated Teen - Chapters 5/5 - Completed 4/25/2019

29. “Selfless”

Author: sarahwut

Summary: Sabrina Spellman dragged Nicholas Scratch back from Hell. But Hell might be better than a world in which they aren't together. Rated General - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Completed 4/23/2019

30. “Homecoming”

Author: cherrystems

Summary: After several months Sabrina is able to get Nick back from Hell with the help of her family and friends. However, Nick has to adjust to Earth again while dealing with PTSD and anxiety. This tells the story of the growth of Sabrina and Nick's relationship over the recovery time. Not Rated - Chapters 3/? - Last Update 4/20/2019

31. “Under Your Spell”

Author: londonmarie

Summary: Sabrina doesn't hesitate to have her Dark Baptism and things go differently. Rated Teen - Chapters 10/? - Last Update 4/18/2019

32. “Photographs”

Author: Greyowl9831

Summary: It's been at least 150 years since Sabrina signed her name in the Book of the Beast. One day she finds an old photo album. Will the memories it contains be a great walk down memory lane or will it be more than she can bare? Not Rated - Chapters 4/? - Last Update 4/14/2019

33. “An itch That Needed Scratching”

Author: umbrellacorp

Summary: What if Nick slayed his familiar and Sabrina and Nick got to experience the last night of the Lupercalia festival alone. Tonight, Sabrina would be transformed. Nick was going to show her power that she never knew she had, an innate carnal power. They were about to become the most powerful union of the Church of Night. Rated E Mature - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 4/13/2019

34. “and I keep waiting (but I won’t say I’m waiting)”

Author: lost_n_stereo @lost-n-stereo​

Summary: You would think that it would hurt less as the days go by, since it’s been nearly two years since Nick sacrificed himself for the greater good and Lilith took him to hell. Except, he didn’t sacrifice himself for the greater good, he sacrificed himself for her. And that makes it a hell of a lot tougher to let go. Rated General - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 4/10/2019

35. “The Four Pictures”

Author: Copper_16

Summary: It’s been 10 years. Nick and Sabrina are teachers at the Academy along with some familiar faces. It’s been a decade there can’t be that much chaos anymore, right? Wrong. Rated Teen - Chapters 3/? - Last Update 4/09/2019

36. “Fire”

Author: OnlyInAutumn

Summary: Their power—together—was overwhelming. It was something that she had not felt either, the consuming feeling of expanding power. It was entirely addicting. Rated Mature - Chapters 2/2 - Completed 3/24/2019

37. “something I can believe”

Author: Anry

Summary: Missing scene after Sabrina's baptism. I wouldn't say that it's really a relationship here, just conversation. Rated General - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 1/25/2019

AND THERE YOU GO AGAIN!!!

Everyone please make sure to leave love through the comments and giving kudos to all these amazing writers who have worked so hard on giving on Nabrina fics, because of course without them the wait for Part 3 would be so much harder. 

But honestly these writers work so hard on these stories they truly deserve the encouragement and love for the hard work in writing they do. Giving a simple “I love the chapter, can’t wait for more” will keep them going.

So make sure to say how much you love their writing or even what you liked about the story/chapter or just by passing their stories to other fellow Nabrina Shippers or just CAOS fans. 

If anyone has any other suggestions for the list feel free to message me anytime :).

Again! ENJOY

[quirks-of-a-fangirl]

Another Quick Blurb

Here’s some more of Piper and Harry time! Please give me all the feedback! What else would you want to see?

Word Count: 3221

As the finishing bars of The Christmas Song floated through the air, Piper closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She hates this time of year. The whole world won’t let her forget that this month was supposed to be filled with happiness and family and cheer and love. Piper’s December was not filled with any of that. It was a time filled with triggers and anxiety and fights and loneliness. 

She rarely went home to visit her family. All that ever happened was hurt. They hurt her. She’d sometimes hurt them back. No one was happy when she was home so she cut down the visits to once a year- at Christmas. 

Harry has tried to convince her to just spend Christmas with his family. He would do the cleaning. His mom would do the cooking. His sister would do the presents. Piper could just do the drinking. But Piper knew she would never hear the end of it from her mom and sister if she didn’t go home for a bit. 

So home she went. She drove the few hours to see her family and it was fine for about 24 hours. Piper was shocked at who broke the peace this time, though. Her younger sister was playing her Christmas music at full volume and the song was one that brought all of the shit of Christmases past right to the surface. Piper could feel the anxiety attack coming.

“Can we just turn down the music? Or turn it off?” Piper turned away from her sister. Piper reached toward the volume control on the stereo. 

“God, why did you even come home if you were going to be such a killjoy?”

Piper’s head snapped around to look at what she expected to be her mom, but no. It was her sister saying those things to her.

“Everything has to be just like you want it, doesn’t Piper? You’re just like mom.”

Piper couldn’t talk as her sister just turned the music up, making it heard throughout the house. The tears welled up in Piper’s eyes and she turned the knob down. Her sister pushed her and turned the knob back up. 

“God, just go home.”

So Piper did. She hadn’t wanted to come in the first place- she was guilted into it, just like every other year. She silently grabbed her bag and started walking out the door. 

“You can’t even spend Christmas with us? You hate us that much?” Her mom’s voice hit her ears. Piper didn’t even bother stopping. She was too upset to be effective like her therapist taught her. Whatever Piper said would be twisted and turned around. She was starting to wish she had taken Harry’s offer. 

She closed the door behind her and got in her car. She pulled away from the driveway before she let the tears fall. She refused to let them see her crying again because of their words. They didn’t need more ammunition. She cried the rest of the way back to her apartment. 

Persephone, her little tortoiseshell kitten, came bounding over to her, the little bell on her collar tinkling. She made little squeaks to show her confusion. Mom had set out food for a few days and took her bag, which usually meant a few days of ruling the house for the small cat.

“Hi, little miss. I know I’m home early but I just missed you too much to stay away, Sweet Girl,” Piper scratched the cat’s belly as she flopped over at her mom’s feet. 

Piper set her bag down and picked up the cat to really give her some love. When she started wriggling in Piper’s arms, she put her down and went to change.

 Harry had left his forest green pullover at her place before they both left to visit family. She picked it up. It still smelled like him. She took off the nice outfit she had put on for the Christmas Eve festivities and pulled the oversized sweatshirt over her head. Pulling the sleeves over her hands and putting them up to her face, she inhaled deeply. Even from miles away, Harry was bringing her some comfort on this awful night.

She grabbed her blanket off the bed and wrapped it around her as she walked back to the couch. Persephone cuddled up right next to her as she turned on the shitty reality tv show she had been watching on Netflix. Piper just wanted to forget what happened and drown her sorrows in drag queen drama.

About 20 minutes into the episode, her phone began buzzing. At first, she ignored it. It was most likely her mom wanting to chew her out for leaving. It finally stilled. Then the phone buzzed again. It was Harry trying to FaceTime her. She slid the grey circle to the right, not even bothering to unwrap her head from the blankets she burrowed into earlier.

“Lovey! I proper miss ya, don’t I? Been chatting me mum’s ear off about it so I figured I better call ya instead!” Harry kept going, “She and Gem are making cookies and I snuck away to call. I can’t wait for you to try- wait. Are you on your couch?”

Harry’s mom and sister had come over from the UK to visit Harry. They were staying at a hotel near his tiny one-bedroom apartment near campus. That’s why he had wanted her over so badly, to just stay home this year.

“Yeah.”

“But I thought- shit.”

“Harry watch your language while your mother is here!” Anne called from the next room.

Harry rolled his eyes. Piper just stayed quiet. Harry knew Piper didn’t get along with her family, knew that she only went home once a year for a reason. It didn’t take much for him to connect the dots. 

“I’m coming over.”

“Harry, no. Your family is there to see you. I’m fine. Just go help with the cookies.” There was no way she was letting him come over and ruin his family time.

“We don’t need him messing up our cookies. Please let him over, just for our sakes!” Gemma’s face appeared on the screen. Harry looked at his sister horrified, then back at Piper.

“Even though that was mean, it doesn’t change the fact that I am still coming over.” And with that, the call ended. 

Chuckling, Piper shook her head. Anne was not going to let Harry out of her sight on Christmas Eve. They had come in from across the ocean. No way.

So when the door starting opening 10 minutes later, she was confused. Her head popped up over the back of her couch to look at the door and Harry busted out laughing. She was all wrapped and bundled in her blankets, much like a burrito, and just her eyes and nose were visible over the couch. 

“Anne wasn’t supposed to let you leave.”

“You’re practically her second daughter. No way in hell she wasn’t going to let me come see you.” He smirked at her, “Plus I’m an adult so I can do whatever I want.”

“You trying to tell me or yourself?”

“Heeeeeyyy!” Harry whined as he walked over to her nest on the couch. He picked up her legs so he could sit down, putting them over his lap when he settled. 

“What did your mom do this time?”

“It was my sister, actually. Told me I was just like mom,” Piper said quietly, looking at her twisting fingers.

“What the fuck,” Harry sat up from his lounged position, “That’s literally what you’ve been working on in therapy for years. You are the furthest thing from being your mom. She’s the one being like your mom!” His voice started to rise. Piper started to shrink. Harry checked himself when he saw this. “Sorry, lovey. I just can’t believe she would say that to you. No matter what happened.”

Piper smiled the beginning of a smile, her right cheek lifting with the corner of her mouth. Harry was so protective of her therapy work, of her. 

“Harry, it’s ok. I’m ok. I left before it got worse.”

“Allison is gonna be so proud. I’m proud.”

Piper’s cheeks got warm. They were definitely reddening. She’d never get used to the pride that her therapist and her best friend offered her consistently. So Piper just snuggled into Harry’s side as Harry’s tattooed arm pulled her closer. 

“Have you seen the space challenge in this season yet? The challenge twist was insane!”

And with that, they watched the drag queens as they battled it out. After an episode and a half, Piper turned the television off. 

“Hey! The next episode is the best one in the season,” Harry whined.

“Harry, you need to go spend time with your family. So get your cute ass up and leave.”

Harry just frowned at her as she got up from the couch. The blankets fell in a pile around her feet. His eyes widened as he took in her pant-less state. Her, Harry’s, sweatshirt rode up her thighs as she stretched. Harry looked away. Piper pulled the sweatshirt back down. 

“Sorry,” she murmured. Harry stayed quiet, still not looking at her. She figured he was annoyed with her wearing his sweatshirt so she hurried to change. “I’ll get this off so you can take it with you when you leave.” 

Piper rushed to her room, spooking the sleepy kitten on her bed. She found some jeans and a comfy shirt to throw on as Persephone got up and stretched her little legs and then resettled. 

Piper went back out, pullover in hand. Harry was still sitting on her couch, head in his hands. He looked up when she stopped in the doorway. 

“You’re gonna freeze, love. Put the pullover back on so we can go,” Harry told her as he stood.

“Go?”

“Yeah. Go. Back to my place.”

“Harry I’m not intruding on Christmas with your family.”

“Not intruding, babe. Never intruding,” he said softly, wrapping his arms around her and looking down at her with those green eyes.  And that’s how somehow she ended up with the sweatshirt on and back at Harry’s apartment, his mom and sister twittering around her. 

“Oh, you’re even prettier than Harry said!”

“Your necklace is just the cutest!”

“We have been dying to meet ya!”

“Come get some cookies!”

“Did ya eat yet? Harry get her a plate.”

Piper didn’t even have time to be overwhelmed with the women. They gave her food and drinks and hugs. They asked her how her masters was going, all about her work in the schools, how her tiny cat was doing. It was like catching up with her oldest friends. 

Harry had planted himself right next to her and refused to move all night. He constantly had a hand on her: an arm around her shoulder, a hand on her leg, fingers twisted with her own. Piper was used to the affection- Harry was always so clingy. But tonight it was more than the usual. She figured he was just happy his family was here and tipsy on his red wine.

Around 11, Anne and Gemma started saying their goodnights and gave hugs all around. 

“I’m making a full English tomorrow for breakfast so you better be here hungry,” Anne squeezed Piper tightly. 

“Mum’s gonna proper spoil ya tomorrow,” Gemma giggled in Piper’s ear. 

Anne whispered in Harry’s ear and his cheeks turned a dark pink before he kissed her cheek and ushered the women out the door. 

“What’d she say?” Piper asked him.

“Nothing,” Harry shook his head and chuckled. “Let’s get ready for bed.”

“Ok, let me grab my phone and we can leave.”

“What? No. You’re staying over.” 

“I’m not staying over when you’re family is getting here early. Especially on Christmas Eve.”

“It being Christmas Eve is all the more reason to stay.” He replied quickly, the smirk he wore turning it into a game.

“Your couch is covered in presents from your mom.”

“You’re taking the bed so that’s not an issue.” He smirked, thinking he was winning

“What about you?” This was Piper’s winning move. There was not enough room in this apartment for both of them.

“Well, I was taking the bed, too, actually.”

Oh. 

The butterflies erupted in her belly. He wanted to share a bed. With her. They had spent the night at each other’s places before, but always on the couch or the floor in front of the Netflix marathon they were in the middle of watching. This was so different. They would be so close, bodies almost touching, all night. There was no way Piper would get any sleep if he were that close. She stood there, guppying her mouth open and closed. The glint in Harry’s eye told her that this was the reaction he was going for. 

“Only if you’re ok with it, that is.”

“Yeah. No. Why wouldn’t I be fine with it? I’m totally fine with it.” She was rambling now. It was just making her butterflies worse.

Harry nodded his head once and started to lock up the front door. Piper took a deep breath. It was too shaky to bring her any comfort as Harry called over to tell her he was going back to his room to change. This did nothing to steady the shaky breaths Piper pulled into her lungs. She took one final breath and started back to the bedroom. With a small knock, Piper checked to see if Harry was decent. 

“Come in, lovey,” she heard through the door. So she opened the door to find Harry ready for bed. Her eyes scanned from his slightly messy curls down the inked skin of his toned torso all the way to the grey joggers resting low on his hips. He was so beautiful that Piper almost let out a sigh. 

“Looks like you’re overdressed. I thought you might want this so I pulled it out for you.” Harry pointed to the worn Rolling Stones t-shirt that Piper stole every time she could her hands on it. She smiled to herself as she picked up the shirt and held it gently in her hands. 

“I’ll- um, well, I’ll let you change real quick.” He hesitated and then walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Piper quickly switched clothing. Looking in the mirror hanging on Harry’s closet door, she tugged the bottom of the t-shirt down just a little more. It skimmed her thighs and the bottom of her panties were just peeking out. There was a small knock on the door before Harry stuck his head in and stopped. His eyes widened as he took in the girl standing in front of his mirror. He cleared his throat and Piper turned around, still tugging at the bottom of the borrowed shirt. 

“It’s a little short,” she said quietly.

“Mmm,” was all he did to acknowledge her statement. He just looked at Piper. 

“Well I’m getting kind of tired, so…”

This seemed to shake him awake, “Yeah, of course. I’ll get the lights.” Piper climbed into the right side of the bed while Harry switched off the overhead lights and plugged in the strand of fairy lights above the bed. He climbed in beside Piper and didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her. At first touch, Piper stiffened. Her skin tingled. But she relaxed into Harry’s touch when he placed a gentle kiss to her hair.

And that’s how they slept the whole night. With Harry’s arms around Piper and her cuddled into his chest. 

Piper woke up to the sound of soft laughter and the smell of breakfast cooking. Piper quickly pulled on a pair of boxers she found in Harry’s drawers and walked out to the kitchen to Anne cooking at the stove, Gemma rummaging in the fridge, and Harry standing by the toaster. 

Anne was the first to notice her, “Oh! Piper! Harry told me you’re a vegetarian. Gem is, too, so there are tons of things for you two to eat.” Piper smiled as she said her thanks. Harry looked over at her, face lighting up. He walked over to her and wrapped her in a hug. His tall frame towered over her as he whispered, “Ya look so cute in my clothes, lovey.”

Piper’s cheeks burned as she pulled away. She asked Anne for something to help with. She was tasked with cutting the bread for the toast that Harry was buttering. After their full English, the four started the present opening. Piper took over the job of photographer for the crew, capturing the reactions to each present and each sweet moment between the family members. She was shocked when the last two presents had her name on them. Harry handed them to her. One had her name printed in beautiful handwriting and the other had her name scrawled on it in Harry’s messy handwriting. Piper looked at the three people surrounding her, mouth agape. 

“We hoped we would get to see you while we were out here so we got you a gift. I hope you don’t mind,” Anne told her gently. Piper opened the gift from the women with shaking hands. The paper opened up to a deep red leather-bound journal with her name pressed into the bottom right corner in a swirling script. A long satin ribbon was sticking out of the book, marking the first page. Piper spent way too much of her free time journaling, already filling up 3 journals this year. This was a perfect addition to her collection. She thanked the women with tears in her eyes.

“Of course, sweet girl! You’ve brought so much happiness to Harry’s life, it’s the least we could do. Harry told us you always have a journal with you and go through them so quickly.”

“My turn now,” Harry nudged the next gift toward her. 

“I don’t have yours here,” Piper replied as she picked up the gift. 

“Doesn’t matter, love.” Piper pulled the paper away and she was met with a box to open. She looked over to Harry with a confused look and he just nodded at her to keep going. She took the top off and gasped. Sitting inside were tickets. Tickets to her favorite artist. Tickets in the front row. The tickets she had tried so hard to get when they went on sale but sold out before she could get any. She had saved up for months to get these tickets. Piper looked up at Harry. He was just smiling, dimples popping. She couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

“Did I mess up, lovey? These are the ones you wanted, right? I got two so I could go with you, if that’s ok,” Harry worried. 

Piper just nodded, trying to calm down her breathing. She threw her arms around his neck. He returned her hug, pulling her close and kissing her hair again. She drew away, wiping at her eyes. 

“Thank you all so much.”

The rest of the afternoon was filled with giggles as they all cleaned up the aftermath of the gift exchange. Piper couldn’t remember a Christmas that she felt this loved and this cared for. 

[experimentaldata]

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go

A Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood fic. 2748 words. Rated T - Smoking and alcohol mentions, war mention, mild language. Set in Season 1 roughly, pre Maes-Hughes-you know what. 

6:00 PM = Ed

   It was raining again. He hated the rain.

Not as much as the Colonel, of course. It’s not like it rendered him totally useless. But losing his limbs had turned him into a human barometer. Each drop in the pressure meant that his stumps ached, and the the pain usually lasted until the weather changed. He’d woken up the night before from the pain, then slept uneasily until it was time to report for duty that morning, careful not to stir. He didn’t want Al to see how much it hurt him. Al had enough to worry about as it was. And he’d only blame himself. Ed could see the looks Al gave him when he thought he wasn’t looking. So he’d stayed still, and gotten up like he normally did, exuding only his typical amount of grumpiness. Thankfully, their day hadn’t involved a lot of moving around. They’d spent it in the East City library, reading and re-reading alchemy texts until Ed’s eyes ached almost as much as his arm and leg. Lieutenant Hawkeye had borrowed the Colonel’s car to drive them back to their hotel room, and left them with a picnic box for dinner, courtesy of the Hughes.

    Ed ate the entire crock of chicken soup and four whole wheat rolls despite himself. It had been a long day, and the warmth from the food sank into every crevice, warming him inside and out. He described the taste to Al, who added it to the “to eat after my body’s back” list. The pain receded to the background as he ate. In its absence, he felt hollowed out - the tension keeping him on alert had finally let loose. Then it hit him. The wall he had held up all day against fatigue was finally breached. That darned soup. He told Al not to wait up for him, he was just gonna finish some research in their room. And he tried, he really did. Sprawled out on the bed, his jacked and boots tossed over the chair in the corner, he willed his eyes to stay open. Just one more page. Maybe chaper 5 of Complete Biological Processes for Alchemists would have the answer. Maybe if he held his head up. Loosened his collar. Put his head on his arm. Rested his eyes just for a second.

8:00 = Al

    Al hadn’t heard from Ed in awhile. He wondered how long it would take him to fall asleep. Ed thought he could hide it, but Al knew it had been a bad pain day. He always knew. It must’ve been really bad for him to go to bed this early--usually he stayed up at least until he had eaten dessert. The double slice of cherry pie Mrs. Hughes had packed was still on the table though, next to the bottle of milk, both untouched. Al could only imagine how warm and fragrant that pie was. He scribbled a note about it in his food journal, then went to go check on his brother. As he suspected, Ed was sprawled out face-down on the bed, his head laying on his right arm. His shirt was hiked up a bit from tossing and turning, and one of his socks had fallen to the floor. Al shook his head. Sleeping with his tummy out again. And no blanket. He crossed the room softly and laid the blanket from his bed over his brother. Ed didn’t move. Out like a light, he thought.

    He sat down in the chair by Ed’s bedside. It would be nice to sleep himself. He’d almost forgotten what it felt like to fall asleep. He remembered so much about what it was like to have a body - he could imagine the taste of foods he’d tried before, the feeling of his favorite clothes and blankets, even smells he liked. Falling asleep, however, was a memory that eluded him - it was something you felt by not feeling anything, after all. But about a year into heir quest to get their bodies back, he had developed a work-around. He couldn’t sleep anymore, at least not like other people. But he could dream. It had started as small bursts of deja vu during the lonely nights he spent watching over Ed. Over time, he had figured out how to enter his memories at will each night, reliving them in a daze until he lost track of time. It wasn’t quite as good as sleeping, but it took him away from this body, and this strange place they were living, if only for a few hours. He leaned back in his chair and looked inward, calling up whatever memory his soul decided to play back for him tonight. And then Winry walked into the classroom, and those boys were teasing her, and he was telling Ed not to--

10:00 = Riza

    Riza felt like a frayed rope. The week had been meetings on top of PT exams on top of paperwork Roy forgot to file. She’d strangle that man, Colonel or not, one of these days. All he had to do was sign his name and save the both of them from a week of heartache and a note to his file. But that might get in the way of his sucking-up time. Stupid state dinners, that sort of thing, she thought with a laugh. She poured herself another ounce of bourbon and sighed. It was getting late. Black Hayate was curled up in her lap, twitching in his sleep every so often. Probably hunting rabbits in his sleep, she thought with a smile. At least one man in my life never lets me down.

    She took a long sip of her drink and sighed, letting her head sink into the back of the chair. No end in sight to all this chaos. Roy’s ambitions of becoming Fuhrer and current position as colonel meant he was forever in strategy meetings, personnel conferences, and diplomatic events. And he always wanted the hawk’s eye there to watch his back. She could read a room faster than he could blink, and their five-minute post-meeting conferences proved more useful than weeks of departmental consulting. Never mind that she had her own men to attend to, and that she was stuck cleaning up the mess after Roy was inevitably late with something, again. And he wonders why I drink, she thought. Well, that was one reason. There were other reasons why she needed help from a bottle to sleep at night. But she wasn’t going to dwell on that. No need to remember the past, in all its technicolor gore and misery. That was then. This was now. Now was a fireplace, and an armchair, and Black Hayate snoring, and her clock chiming - ten o’clock already? Better head to bed, then. Early morning PT drill tomorrow, and she had some new recruits to beat some sense into. Slowly, she peeled herself up from her chair, swaying slightly as Black Hayate jumped down off her lap. She laughed at his little sleepy whine and--was that a hiccough? Damn. She’d had more than she thought. Oh well. Her head was going to hurt tomorrow regardless. She slunk back to her bedroom, undressed down to her undershirt and threw herself into bed.

12:00 = Jean

    What a night. First the cafe, a delectable steak and an even more delectable date. Damn, he thought, flipping over onto his back and pulling the blanket up. She was so hot. His eyes danced across the void of the ceiling as he traced the memory. From the cafe to that dive bar, where she had impressed him with both the quality of her conversation and the quantity of shots she could take down. She could drink him under the table, he thought, if they were going for that. But this was a Thursday night, so they left the bar and went instead to...a dance hall. Jean wasn’t exactly sure how that had happened. But he was sure of how he felt watching her move through the crowd. She had waist-length hair that tumbled down in waves to her waist, swaying as she did in time to the music. He chuckled to himself, and kicked his feet out from under the blanket. Still feeling the warmth from that one, he thought. He hadn’t wanted that night to end. But by eleven, the weeknight crowd had started to thin out, and in the absence of its energy, their conversation had stalled. A few minutes later, he was waving sadly at the bus as she sped off to her apartment. He stumbled back to his, alone.

    He didn’t know what it was about him. Every date he had had for the past long while started out well enough. They would talk, offer a cigarette, maybe get a coffee. Something would spark. They’d go out. And at about the 6-hour-of-acquaintance mark, she’d mumble some excuse about an early morning shift, or an elderly aunt, or...he thought one girl had even made up a kid sister she needed to babysit. Regardless, they’d thank him for the lovely evening, and there he’d be. Sleeping alone, like he always did. He heard the clock in his neighbor’s apartment strike midnight. Tomorrow morning was gonna be rough, he thought. He had to report at--0400? 0430? Sometime. The lieutenant would have his head on a plate if he was late one more time. Sleep. Now. Gotta focus on not focusing, Jean. Don’t focus on falling asleep. Just let it happen. Just breathe. In and out. In. Out. in. out. in...out...

2:00 = Gracia

    Being a mom is hard work, Gracia’s mother had told her. She remembered it well. That day when they had finally made it to her family’s hometown, six months after they found out they were going to have Elysia. Her mom had thrown a big party at her childhood home, and invited all the surrounding friends and relations to stuff themselves on her home cooking and wish the newlyweds well. Gracia joked that she was trying to make everyone as fat-looking as she was to save face. Her mom had just laughed. And that’s when she told her, her eyes blinking back proud tears, how hard it was to be a mom, and how proud she was that Gracia was going to be one. It was one of her favorite memories of her mother. Her mother lived just long enough after that to see her granddaughter one time, on her first birthday. Three generations of her family were under the same roof, for the first and last time she could remember. It was heavenly. With her mother there, it seemed like nothing could go wrong.

    What she wouldn’t give for some of that magical mom power right now, she thought. She could see Elysia’s outline in the doorway, lit from behind by the hall nightlight. Somehow she had woken up right as her daughter crossed the threshold of their room, though she couldn’t hear anything over Maes’ snoring. Must be that special sixth sense moms get. Elysia had thrown up, it turned out. Her little face was stained with tears. She had tried to clean it up herself with her blanket, then stood in the doorway until mommy woke up. She knew she would. She was right. One set of fresh sheets, a warm washcloth, and a changed nightgown later, and her baby girl was tucked into bed again. She looked up at her mother and tugged at her sleeve. Would mommy sleep with her tonight? Gracia sighed. Between the kicking, the stuffed animal tossing, and the sleep talking (she inherited this from her father), sleeping with mommy meant mommy not sleeping much at all. But those brown eyes looked up at her, and Gracia melted the same as she did the first time she saw them. Yes, mommy will sleep here tonight. And now, installed in the toddler bed with her daughter’s feet planted in the small of her back, there was nowhere else she’s rather be.

4:00 = Pinako

    Old age changes a person. It used to be, Pinako thought, shifting to her left side, that she could just look at a bed and fall asleep. A lifetime of hard work will do that to you. She had proudly worked her way through four years of uni, two more of automail training, and another two of apprenticeship without ever missing a night. Early mornings were when she got her best thinking done, anyway. And that’s how it had been for the past forty years. But as she neared seventy, things were changing. She slept fitfully now. Every small noise might wake her up, even the ones she was used to. Tonight, it was the dog barking at heaven only know’s what. She muttered some choice words and eased herself off of the bed. Better go shut that dog up before he wakes up anyone else.

     She found the dog on the porch, holding the freshly-killed mouse he had caught in his mouth. More like a cat, that one was. Well, it was good for him to earn his keep. She patted him on the head and sat down in her rocking chair. She had left her pipe on the end table beside it. Hmph. Getting forgetful in her old age as well as sleepless, she thought. She tamped down the bowl and lighted her pipe, blowing a test smoke ring out into the starry night sky. Yep, still got it. She smiled contentedly and smoked for awhile, the dog curled at her feet. It was quiet out here. A light breeze whispered in the apple trees her and Yuriy had planted so long ago. The pipe got a little too warm, so she set it down and just rocked for a while. Maybe I should just stay out here tonight, she thought. Not like I was getting much sleeping done inside. It was going to be time to get up in a few hours, anyway. Just stay here, keep rocking. Let the wind blow. Stay quiet. Be still. Rock back. And forth. and back. and forth.

6:00 = Roy

    Ishval. All he ever thought about these days was Ishval. The rain wasn’t helping. He had been stuck inside going to meetings all week. Mind-numbing stuff. This is not why he’d signed up to be a state alchemist. All these meetings and paperwork were getting in the way of...what? Sometimes, if he was being honest, Roy didn’t really know. At first, the path had been clear. Take this job, accept this assignment, fill out these forms. Drag yourself through enough mud, they’d assured him, and your gilded cage was waiting for you at the end. So he had, in central command, then at Briggs, and then - Ishval. There were some things you just couldn’t unsee, things that played out again and again on the blank wall you were staring at, trying desperately to put out the fires in your mind so you could sleep.

    Tonight, it was the hospital camp they had taken, early on in the conflict. His superior officer assured him that the wounded were to be taken alive, as prisoners, unless absolutely necessary for the safety of their men. The position they held was valuable, and wounded Ishvalans didn’t pose much of a threat. But of course there’d been complications. It was an ambush. The rebel troops burst at them from all directions, and the order was given to light up the camp. Together, he and Kimblee had reduced the entire area to ash and rubble. They’d celebrated that victory that night, bits of wheelchairs and stretchers littering the ground around their bonfire. Another victory like that might have killed him.

    Roy rolled over to his other side and willed himself to close his eyes. He hadn’t slept a wink all night. Make that the past three nights. Damn, this rain had to stop. He could hear it pattering merrily on the windowsill outside, mocking him. He felt so useless in the rain. Lately, he’d felt useless anywhere. What was this all even for? What was he trying to do? Could a country like Amestris really be saved? Could it come back from the brink of destruction? Could it ever atone for Ishval?

    Just as his mind had given up trying to solve that conundrum, he jerked awake. His clock struck 0600. Time to get up.

[dcbarba-blog]

GOSPEL OF MY LIFE (2008)

GOSPEL OF MY LIFE

Life is like a book

Everyday has a new page,

With adventures to tell

Lessons to learn

And tales of good deeds to remember

My friends, as I am about to leave this Earth, may this gift I am leaving you behind serve as a memoir for you to remember and keep me within your hearts forever. May you treasure this gift and hope you will also learn from them as I have.

CHAPTER 1 These things I have Lived For…

“What’s my purpose in life?” This question has always been hunting me since I have come to think about my future. Why, indeed am I here?

Now I can only give you five of these things I have lived for.

First is God. My life is my offering to Him that is why I have lived it as purely as I could to be acceptable for him and be called His daughter.

Second, I have lived for my purpose, whatever it could be, I wanted to live for me to discover why I am really here in this earth and I probably did discover it. ;-)

Third, I wanted to live until I reach my shining star, until I reach my goal in life, until I could take hold of my ultimate dream.

Fourth, I have lived for my family and my loved ones for they are my foundation to whom I can always depend on.

Fifth, I have lived for my life. I have lived enjoying my life fully so I may be able to satisfy myself of the love of God for me as His child, as a member of his family. And perhaps I had.

CHAPTER 2 These Things I have Loved in Life…

There are lots of things I have loved in my in my whole life. I love life so much and all the things that goes with it whether good or bad. They are so many to mention but I will tell you some of my favorites.

I loved reading, watching TV, and sleeping. If you did not find me doing the other, I was certainly doing the other. But I am more seen propped with pillows, sitting beside the window, reading. I like Dr. Robin Cook’s science-fiction books. I love Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt adventures. I also enjoy reading inspirational books and leadership books by Max Lucado. Worth mentioning as well my number one book, my Bible. :) 

With regards to food, any was fine just as long as it will not cause me stomachache, allergies and asthma. The list is quite a lot but we can just settle on veggies and fruits.

I loved watching action movies as well as inspirational ones. I specially liked The Matrix Trilogy (Keanu Reeves), Avatar (Sam Worthington & Zoe Saldana), Titanic (Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet), Tears of the Sun (Bruce Willis), Artificial Intelligence: AI (Haley Joel Osmont), Pay it Forward (Haley Joel Osmont & Helen Hunt), Notting Hill (Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant), Fireproof (Kirk Cameron & Erin Bethea) and a lot more!

Sometimes, when I preferred something serene, I just watched the once-azure sky slowly turning into grey and darker as the evening sky approaches and perhaps listen to the small night sounds drifting from afar or simply listen to music.

I loved silence, too. Believe you me. Aside from the fact that I usually study when everyone had already dozed off to sleep, this is also the time when I had my quite times with God.

There are also times when I preferred to do nothing. Just sit and listen to the night sounds. I loved it when I hear the whooping sound o f the wind and the musical tone of the falling rain. Moreover, I sometimes wonder how life would be without them. So, so…boring. Don't you think so, too?

So there you have it, you now know some of my favorites but there is still one thing more. One should also treasure and love his/her life for it is the greatest gift one could ever give and also receive.

CHAPTER 3 These are My Life’s Achievements…

As young as I am, I wouldn’t probably say that I have achieved much in my life for there are still so many things I long to do. But for the 19 years, I could say that I have achieved more than I expected.

As a daughter, I hope I did all my best for my parents to be happy for I believed that being one of the sources of other people’s happiness is already a great achievement.

Being committed as a student, was also an achievement. Being able to bring glory to one’s school, division and even region is another one. Being a volunteer of Silliman Pathways Youth Group which supports fellow scholars, I can say, was one of my greatest achievement as of now and that being able to lend a helping hand is very satisfying.

Indeed, what an achievement it was to be a blessing to someone else’s life.

CHAPTER 4 These Experiences I have Cherished…

All of life’s experiences, for me, were really worth cherishing (whether they may be good or bad) for both are still essential to each and every being’s existence. I bet these pages will not suffice for the space needed to tell you the experiences I cherished. So please allow me to share only so few of them.

One of those was when I was in grade 6 and won, among all other elementary schools in Dumaguete City, the 5th place in Editorial Writing. The sad part though was I was not able to join the regional due to lack of funds. I felt quite sad about it but it was as if a whole bunch of me was happy to discover my writing skill. And so, I decided to develop it with the aim that, someday, I will reach the national level. It was quite an absurd idea though for a 6th grader.

When I was in high school, I joined  journalism workshops and eventually became a staff of our official school paper - THE HORN. And so it was during my 4th year when I became one of Region 7’s three Feature Writers to represent the region to the national level press conference. Truly, I really could not quite imagine how a young mind’s wish was realized. I knew then that if one really aims for something and focuses him/herself to it, and no matter what the obstacles were, are, and will be along the way, he/she will always be able to reach them with God’s abiding grace.

Another one of my experiences was when I was still in high school. I was then a Math Club member and we did an outreach program at one of the Municipality of Valencia’s (a neighboring town southwest of Dumaguete) orphanages. We brought food, clothing and other gifts for the kids.

Upon reaching the place manned by Nuns, the children were also their welcoming us with their innocent smiles. They were jumping, laughing and running around as if it was their first time to be visited. What I saw on my part though was the exact opposite. Hidden behind my smile was my sympathy for the children who were up to 10 years of age and there were also babies! My heart wholly went out for them. My heart was breaking.

There, we had a program and the children also presented their talents. We prayed, we ate, and then we chatted for hours. Upon hearing their stories, I felt a sudden rush of pain, fear and guilt. Pain because of what the children were going through. Fear of what they might become in the future. Guilt because instead of thinking that I am lucky, I sometimes am attacked with discontentment of what I had.

What I learned then was to be content with whatever I had while also working with what I do not have, be happy with it and thank God all the time.

CHAPTER 5 These Sufferings Have Seasoned Me…

Why me? Why do we have to suffer?  Why are we experiencing all these hurts and aches?  Haven’t you asked the same question yourself?  I had. Loads of times. But as I grew up, I came to realize that what I thought about and experienced as a “suffering” was no more than an inch to what others are struggling with.

Let me tell you one that had caused me and my family so much pain- a story from our past. 

Before, even when I was still young, I always ( I bet my siblings, too) notice this on-and-off strife of my parents against my father’s siblings.  I did not exactly know the reason, perhaps I was too young then. Then came the years of peacefulness.  But it was when my Grandma (father’s mother) died on the Christmas day of 2002.  I thought, with the loss of our beloved, we will become closer but it did not happen.  The next year, Eldest Uncle (Father’s eldest brother) passed away but instead of helping one another, this created a greater distance between his family and ours.  Then during the next year, next eldest uncle died.

Those three successive years was such a traumatizing one for our family.  Those three years took the biggest chunk of our ties as a family.  Those three years triggered our family ties with our father’s side to loosen up fully.  I was confused why, during that time of crisis, we happened to become like that—broken apart.

Now, our family has been living with ourselves alone. Though we had no one but each other, we go through each obstacle in life together.  Through these hurdles in life, we became stronger and prepared, ready for whatever might lay ahead of us.

So why do we have to suffer? I, with all my heart, believe that God wants us to have stronger faith, to become better and stronger individuals.  He wants us to know that He’s always there, that He’s waiting for us to call Him and that His strength is ours to lean on.  He wants us to realize that His compassion is ours to receive and even in times of our stability, He is always there. He is preparing our character to receive that gift we have long been waiting to have.

CHAPTER 5 These Lessons Have Taught Me…

In  my young and human  mind, I just could not quite comprehend why we, humans, were so vulnerable to mistakes and why we could not simply avoid and prevent ourselves from doing so. I will be sharing some of the lessons I have learned through the course of my 19 years of existence in this world.

Before, when I was still a child, I was really such a “kapayason” child meaning I was such a “crybaby” that whenever I was scolded, I cried. Whenever I had a problem that seemed to be out of control, I cried.  I sought out everything to crying.  But it was one day when my brother asked me what’s the use of my crying when everything’s already been done and could not be changed anymore. He opened my eyes then.  “ No use to crying over spilled milk.”  Why cry with such simple things?  Why cry when you could choose to pray instead?

Crying is neither bad nor is it wrong. Furthermore, I even read somewhere that crying is a gift from God. He gave it for us to have company whenever we are alone, it also cleanses the soul that full recovery and healing may do their part afterwards.

And I guess instead of relying only to crying, why not pray.  There, one will have every opportunity to communicate with God.

Another one of my very bad habit was what we call the “manana” habit. In Filipino, the “mamaya na” habit. I always did things at the brink of time.  And so it was in my 3rd year high school, we had a project making the basics of cross stitching.  Thinking that the deadline’s still hidden behind the pages of the calendar, I dillydallied.  Then all of a sudden, here comes the deadline! Cut the long story short, I made the project overnight and was not able to sleep just to finish the project and worse, my father would not allow me to go to school that morning because I had no sleep at all.

So that was it.  But God really is good because I was able to finish my project. I learned my lesson.  “Do what we have to do now before ‘now’ could be too late.”

Upon reminiscing, I remembered the day I was till about 5 when our Aunt scolded us for playing with her karaoke.  Feeling sad and ashamed about it as young as I was, I did not accompany her to church that Sunday as I used to.  My mother asked me why and she then told me that carrying a grudge within us is not good and that who’s affected is ourselves alone. I then apologized to my Aunt the next day. Truly what a great feeling knowing we have no hatred within us.  Always remember that sulking will cause no good but anxiety and paranoia. Looking back, I realized that though they may be simple, the above are very nice and foundational lessons for a youngster.

CHAPTER 6 These Ideas Have Liberated Me…

What I had noticed is the people’s misconception of the word “liberated”.  This word comes from the root word “liberate” which literally means “to set free”.  But people, especially teenagers usually associate this term with something we-know-what.

If we are going to take it figuratively, liberate means “to take us out from the dark cave of ignorance” for it’s through these ideas that we are able to see through the dark, see through our close-mindedness, see through our hard-headedness.

Let us take for example our “going to school”.  This is a means of liberating and preparing us to the world beyond.  The lessons in school are the ideas we need in order to be liberated, to be free from ignorance, innocence, and to, perhaps, help prevent us from sinning.

Our ideas from our values class about good and bad, our principles and formulas in Mathematics and Physics, our knowing about the what’s, why’s, how’s in Science and others are the ideas which sets us free from the grasp of naiveté. 

CHAPTER 7 These Convictions I have Lived by…

I had always believed that no matter how big the waves that pushes us back ashore, we should not stop rowing our boat.

One should not get discouraged when things go beyond his/her expectations.  But let us remember instead that the greatest glory is net life’s never falling but rising every time we fall.

A smile, too, does help.  Welcoming a new day with a smile on our face, love in our hearts and fine thoughts in our minds will surely usher a great day ahead of us.  Smile also means happiness but it isn’t found when we seek it ourselves.  However, when we give it to others, it will definitely find its way back to whoever gave it.

God never promised us an easy journey in life.  He sometimes delays His help to test our faith and energize our prayers.  He is always with us though.  All we have to do is to hold His hand tightly and He will lead us safely.

So why not focus our minds on things that are beautiful?  Life’s too short to waste on worries.  Let us think of solutions instead, and not of problems.

Lastly, let us forever engrave in our minds and in our hearts that “Life is a gift from God. What we do with our lives is our gift and offering to Him.”

CHAPTER 8 These Beliefs I have Outgrown…

My friends, why is it that we should not cut our nails or comb our hair at night? Why should we not sweep our house at night? Why should we wear polka dots on New Year’s Day? Why should we step on ashes before entering the house from attending a burial? I still have quite a list of questions in my mind but I might not have enough space. These are just few of the beliefs our folks have passed from one generation to another. I respect our elders. But, with all due respect, for me, they are all but superstitious beliefs with no scientific basis or explanations. Furthermore,  as I took a closer look to each one of the above questions I came to ask myself, “Why do we allow our lives to be run by such beliefs?” We should not, for though the future is unknown, we have a Known and an All-Knowing God.

CHAPTER 9 These Insights Have Arrived Through the Course of My Life…

Through the years, I came to realize the truth that God is the Best Lover of all time and of course, the also the Best Disciplinarian of all. He loves us so much that He gave us freewill to do whatever we want to do be it good or bad. He is the best disciplinarian because He allows us to reap the consequences of our actions whether they are good or bad.

Indeed, the world is God’s manifestation of that love. It is a place where He expresses His Love for us and as well as the place where we can do the same. Moreover, man’s nature of being vulnerable to sin should not be a license to doing mistakes. Why not prevent it from happening instead? That way, we would not be able to sin and blame ourselves in the end. Yes, there are circumstances where we are caught in sin’s spell-binding web making things out of control. I had been praying than we always ask God to lead us to the right path.

What is love, by the way? Love is described in so many different ways by so many authors but don’t you know that the shortest definition of love is just found in the Bible? God is Love (1 John 4:8). He is the Greatest Lover of all time.

Another insight I want to share is about prayer. Is it not that it is through prayer that we are able to communicate with God? It is the one and only channel by which we can talk to Him. Prayer, when done sincerely and wholeheartedly, can be so powerful for through prayers, He hears more than we say, He answers more than we ask and gives more than we desire. All He needs is our time.

Last but definitely not the least insight I learned is the truth that Jesus Christ is our only Salvation. He died in the cross and shed His blood so that our sins may be forgiven. The best Rabbi of all time,  He’s the bridge that connects us to the Heavenly Father.

CHAPTER 10 These Influences Have Shaped My Life…

My parents had always been the main factor of the development of my well-being. They were the ones who nourished, nurtured and protected me. They were my first teachers and I will never forget the lessons they taught me. That is also why I love them so much that I did everything for them to be happy.

Second in line are my siblings who were my supporters, fans and advisers. They are my collaborators, my mentors and of course, my tormentors. :) 

Next are my teachers who greatly added more to what I learned from home. They helped in broadening my knowledge and opening my eyes wide to see the real meaning of life and life beyond school and to live up to it.

In addition, all the people around me most especially my friends, also played a very huge role to my growth as a person and as to who I am now.

Being a wide-reader, books also influenced my life. I read different books with different genres. My number one book is my Bible for it is through it that my life slowly found its meaning. I also love my dictionary for it taught me lots of things I could not imagine. When I read, I always see to it that my dictionary is right beside me for whatever things that need clarifications especially words I hadn’t came across yet.

Truly, reading is a very wonderful habit and I suggest that you start doing it, too. The next time you do, you will be soaring to places you have never been, meeting people you have never met, and watching sceneries you have never seen. I can vouch for this!

CHAPTER 11 These Persons are Enshrined in My Life…

“No man is an island.” Exactly. Humans as we are, we are sociable beings always inclined to be in constant contact with other people. Well, who are these people from whom we learned about such? Yes, the people nearest us. As for me, they are my parents, siblings, friends, teachers and mentors.

But there is still someone who wants to have a relationship and fellowship with us. Jesus Christ. With Him as the center of our lives, everything will always be at bay. With our parents, we will be always assured with their love; with our family, we will always be secured with their protective embrace; with our friends, we will be assured that life is worth living with their caring smiles, with our teachers and mentors, we will always be lead to the right path.

Yes, believe me, get out of your shell and go out to the world that excitedly awaits you.

CHAPTER 12 The End…The Beginning…The Reality…

As a teenager, I still had plans to do, lots of things to accomplish, lots of things I wanted to have, etc. etc.

Yes, I did say that one should be content. Contentment is all about having Jesus Christ in our lives. His SHALOM in our loves. And Jesus also wants us to enjoy live and continue working and offer our everything to Him. 

Dream big. Dream for your family, for the orphans, for the street children, for yourself. I had lots of dreams. Yes, I knew, my dreams are still too far beyond for me to reach. I still felt like I am inside my small boat constantly rowing, not knowing where to go with this vast ocean of life. Though I may not know where this life’s current leads me, though I am unaware where this wind will toss me, thought the fog of insufficiency blurs my vision with uncertainty, I believed I did continue on rowing for I knew that God was (for me) and will (for your all) always be here, guiding.

These are just few of the marvelous things, which you can explore upon voyaging through this vast sea we call life. 

Bon voyage!

Adios, my friends,

Daylinda C. Barba

[cosmosogler]

hi guys. today eve woke me up when she came in my room and licked my hand.

i thought something was off but i didn’t worry about it right away. i asked eve if she wanted to go outside. she led me downstairs and then i remembered that she only has three legs and has never even tried to make it up the stairs since her surgery. then i realized she wasn’t wearing her cone. i found it unbuttoned on the floor in dad’s room. not sure how she managed to unbutton it and get it off without thumbs. sometimes the things eve is able to do don’t make sense.

i popped her cone back on and went back to bed for another 30 minutes. felt nice. my body wasn’t sore and angry and i didn’t feel as confusingly terrible. at least, like, i felt terrible, but i knew the reasons? so i guess i feel better than yesterday. i took a pretty nice shower for a while. last one i’ll be taking here for a while.

i got eve to try the stairs again but she’ll only do it if i take off her cone while she climbs. i think she’s afraid of catching on a step and losing her balance since the cone is kind of wide. she wandered around my room in circles since i had too many boxes on the floor. so i packed for a while, until gramma picked me up for lunch. 

she ran straight into the curb when she tried to park which made me feel a little better about lightly tapping the curb sometimes when parking unfamiliar cars. she asked me to drive home. we didn’t have any problems. she gave me my birthday card and told me if i ever need anything to call her and let her know. judging from the meaningful look i’m guessing she means emotional support. 

she did ask how dad and i were doing almost first thing. i told her we ain’t talkin. on the way home i told her about how my sister and her friend were doing. i wonder if gramma caught on that i feel very similar about my sister’s situation to how i feel about mine.

when i got home i took a break. i played with wiley and eve i think? and packed on and off. eve came back up to my room and took a nap next to my desk. and i watched some pokemon battles from the worldwide championships, and i watched some adventure time reviews. and then i got in that kind of mood so i watched a couple episodes of adventure time on top of that. then i loaded up some music to download, and then the power went out.

then the power stayed out. so i got a flashlight and dug around in the bathroom for the spare soap and mouthwash and stuff so i could finish packing. i got everything wrapped and put away, including some video games, and i have an entire box to spare. i haven’t even put anything in my backpack yet. feels good. i sent some snap chats to josie and she sent me a picture of the stray dog she found the other day. she’s calling him “heck”. i thought of hekapoo from star vs tfoe. 

i’m not gonna judge. i want a dog named snoop dogg.

i might name my cat snoop dogg.

... i might name the cat snoop dogg.

we’ll see if she is receptive to a name change.

then the power came back on so i put every episode of the adventure zone on my ipod. it only took about 10% of its total memory. i’m so proud of my ipod.

i made sure everything was good to go there. then i took eve out to the mailbox to get the mail. eve discovered our neighbors arriving at home after some kind of show (judging from their attire and the way the father hugged the daughter when she got out of the car) and did not want to continue being on the sidewalk so i had to take her home. i took wiley to get the mail again instead. i screwed around on the computer for a while, looking at youtube and some other music options i saved to look at again later. 

then i made tempeh tacos for dinner! it turned out REALLY WELL ACTUALLY. i will have to make it again. i stole mom’s seasoning. she said she only gets it special order and she’d get more when she returned home after our fun road trip.

i wish i kept more careful notes of the amount of time i cooked the tempeh and everything but really i was just doing what felt right and looked right as it happened. not sure where i picked up this instinct for cooking- i didn’t practice THAT much over the last few months. and never tempeh. probably beginner’s luck.

my room feels really empty. eve always figures out when i’m going to move out. she sees my suitcase and gets really grouchy and unresponsive until i leave. i wonder what she thinks of all the boxes. i cleared out the floor space in my room and put towels all over my bed so if she wants to sleep in here she can comfortably do that tonight. i’ll try to coax her over. my room is warmer than mom and dad’s anyway.

at 11 i got restless so i went downstairs and played with wiley. my brother came down and we played monkey in the middle for a while. i don’t want the dog to get discouraged so i let him catch the toy every now and then and we switch to tug-of-war. 

tomorrow i have a few small errands to run. i need to deposit gramma’s birthday money. i need to take my extra meds to the police station so mom doesn’t get any ideas. and i need to pick up my last round of refills from the pharmacy. probably around an hour’s worth of driving just because the police station is like 20 minutes away.

other than that i really just gotta pack my chargers and toothbrush and stuff. 

i feel sick. might be anxiety. might be hormones. might be because i was drinking tons of chocolate milk and i am a little lactose intolerant. so much chocolate milk. 

thinking about what mom said. well, thinking about what dad said too, but that was like a month ago and i’m focused on what mom said. i shouldn’t be doing ANYTHING BUT STUDYING for the next five years. grad school is SO BUSY. NO MORE POKEMON!!!!!!

but like... of course i’m not going to stop playing pokemon. it’s my hobby. i just need to make some lifestyle changes to make sure it stays a hobby. and i feel really trapped when i’m stuck in a room with no options for how i want to spend my time. so of course i’m going to take books.

i dunno. i want to make some changes. i want to give myself options even if i don’t take them. it helps me feel a little less suffocated. and i’m hoping with some changes in, like, time management and thought processes and stuff i might be able to start reading again or something. i dunno. i brought along video games but almost all of them are the kind where you can play for 20 minutes, finish a level, and then save and come back again later. or multiplayer, which i will probably just be playing on weekends with friends or whatever when we have scheduled time set aside anyway. 

that is my hope. i need someone to be confident in my choices. in my desire to change and my strategies for making that happen. i’m not going to get that confidence from mother. but it still drains me.

anyway i’m leaving tomorrow. probably around 5 or 5:30. i’m hoping if i start making dinner around 4:45 i will be able to eat something substantial before we leave. maybe i’ll try to write an entry on my phone if mom wants to pull an all-nighter for some ungodly reason. probably not though. if i’m not gonna write i’ll make an attempt to at least check in. i don’t think i remember my tumblr password any more though, ha ha. i don’t use it on any devices except my laptop.

ok, i am stalling now. i’m gonna try to sleep.

[daniellethamasa]

Hey all, Dani here.

We have already finished one whole week of the new year, which is impressive. I’d love to say that on a global scale that this was a wonderful week to start the new decade, but that would be a massive lie. Honestly between all the hate, violence, war, and natural disasters occurring all over, it makes me very nervous and scared for the future. All I can do for my part is to try not to be a part of spreading that hate and violence around, and to help clean up our world, while offering whatever support I can to people in areas that have been ravaged, like a lot of Australia with the massive fire that is currently destroying so many homes and lives.

Wow, sorry, I didn’t mean for my post to start out so heavy, but it would be silly (to me) if I didn’t at least address the current state of the world.

But today’s post is about my weekly wrap up, it’s all talk about what I’ve done, what I’ve tried, what I’ve played, what I’ve watched, and what I’ve read in the past week. I started this series almost two years ago, with a significant spruce up around this time last year, and it has certainly helped me with consistency on the blog.

Anyway, it was a pretty big week for trying new things. Damian got me to sit down and try to play Borderlands 3 with him. We’ve played a couple times–I’m playing Amara, the Siren–and being a FPS game, it’s not my favorite and doesn’t work well with my style of gameplay, but it isn’t horrible. I think I’m at like level 9 or 10, so we’re not very far into the game at all. Damian on the other hand has already played through the main storyline for Borderlands 3 and the Casino Heist DLC. Borderlands is one of those video game series that he really enjoys.

This week I also decided that I wanted to try cooking a whole turkey for the first time. We invited a few friends over to have a dinner and game night. While only one friend actually showed up, there were no complaints about the turkey. And then after we ate, Damian and I were introduced to the board game Terraforming Mars, which is pretty great. Yes, it is a longer game, because it took a few hours to play through, but there was a lot to do, and clearly a few different strategies for how to rack up the most victory points.

I guess the final big piece of news update from the past week is that as a last minute thing I decided to jump into Calendar Girls and help Flavia host it while Katie and Adrienne take a small well-deserved break. So I’m trying to be a help with keeping the group running, and I’ve never managed something like this before, so it is a fun and interesting learning curve. But I am happy to be able to be helpful and I look forward to seeing what themes get chosen in the upcoming months.

Okay, next up would be the “watches” wrap-up. We watched “Abominable,” because it is a cute movie and we wanted to see it again. We also went to see “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” in theaters, and that was nice. Oh, and of course we watched the entirety of season one of “The Witcher.” I’m currently very much in a Witcher mood, and will probably try the video game sometime in the near future. I also randomly decided to start a binge re-watch of “Reign,” so I’m almost finished with season one. Oh, and I started re-watching “Arrow” season four.

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Finally I guess it’s time to talk about books. My first “completed” read of 2020 was not the one I had planned to be my first, and that’s because I sadly started my year with a DNF before I could finish Ruthless Gods. I was working on prepping ahead a few Weekend Writer posts, and I just couldn’t keep going with The War of Art by Steven Pressfield; I’ve already got my post/review up for it if you want to check it out. After that the reads just kept coming. I did finish Ruthless Gods by Emily A Duncan, The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger, On Being Stuck by Laraine Herring, and The Never-Tilting World by Rin Chupeco.

As for my current reads, of course I’m in the middle of a couple of books: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, Reverie by Ryan La Sala, and Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith. I honestly had hoped to finish the new Bardugo book during my work’s winter shutdown, but I was actually pretty lazy and just watched more television instead. Then I’ve heard great things about La Sala’s debut, and it sounded interesting so I had to pick it up, and finally I’m on the blog tour for Smith’s newest book and I’m excited to have my post on January 30th, but I have to finish the book before I can write my review. So yeah, I’m hoping to keep my good read January going.

I’m actually pretty happy with my reading progress so far in 2020.

Finally there’s what I’m hoping to read in the next week. Thanks to not finishing my huge December TBR, and having a very long list of NetGalley reads, I have so many books that I’m hoping to read soon, but for the moment these ones are my plan. I need to pick up Ashlords by Scott Reintgen, Highfire by Eoin Colfer, The Unwilling by Kelly Braffet, and The Kobold Guide to Worldbuilding edited by Janna Silverstein.

So obviously based on my upcoming reads I’m hoping to tackle a few of my NetGalley ARCs, and then dive into the book I’m delving into for Weekend Writer after I write up the posts for On Being Stuck, which is the next Weekend Writer book. Look at that: I pretty much just spoiled the next two books for my series on writing. But I think they are both good ones to tackle. The worldbuilding one is a re-read for me and I found it to be immensely helpful, and writer’s block is something I have struggled with for quite some time, so finding books that talk about that issue are sort of a priority for me at the moment.

All right, well that’s all from me for today. What are you currently reading? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll be back soon with more bookish content.

Weekly Wrap-Up (46) Hey all, Dani here. We have already finished one whole week of the new year, which is impressive.

[airoasis]

"The Passion of Saint Tibulus" | Father Ted | Series 1 Episode 3 | Dead Parrot

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/the-passion-of-saint-tibulus-father-ted-series-1-episode-3-dead-parrot-13/

"The Passion of Saint Tibulus" | Father Ted | Series 1 Episode 3 | Dead Parrot

Appears like rain Ted come on Duggal it can be your go I have to say father Hernandez it can be been distinguished having you over however I assume you’re getting homesick for Cuba by way of now right here oh yes my nation is very lovely excellent okay what’s that it continued have a first-rate lifestyles right here on craggy i will raggy i’m going to instead we’ll have two just right neighbors padre doogal father doogal gotta run of path father Jack yes but I have got to say I missed the noise and the lights you know the entire buzz of the huge metropolis we stated it can be that unhealthy you have been in spot Wexford weren’t you I used to be sure what craggy Island has its charms the west a part of the island used to be stunning until it drifted off of path excellent buddy drifted off yes there used to be just a little of a storm and it just got here free huh now we should not have a west part it can be simply north south and east it was once lovely whilst I was there sorry mister do you know Ted your housekeeper is an extraordinarily attractive woman in many instances this celibacy is hard for a person you ought to assess her off of the smooth I think bishop brennan springs to intellect I see oh yes sure Bishop Lynn Renan he is our sort of boss it seems that he was once myself and the union was blessed so they are saying no no he no imply boy or girl son he lives in the us our soul goes to rumor anyway was it Colonel Mustard within the kitchen the candlestick what Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with the candlestick you have Colonel Mustard you confirmed him to me earlier how could it’s Colonel Mustard a view of Colonel Mustard o.K. Father Hernandez your go see yes well I suppose it used to be a never-ending dream the reverend cream Cuchillo and i finished in the drawing-room huh these Protestants up to no excellent as ordinary what’s father Jack looking at what’s that you are watching father Jack o.K. Is that a film you’re watching huh isn’t that Kiefer Sutherland why is that flat liner as you’re gazing what pink John is for the Jackman a bit hard of listening to spouse sure he gets a form of waxy buildup in his ears and then we have got to syringe them it’s not very best it’s exceptional though in a technique on the grounds that you recognize we’re on no account short of candles good that was in his head last week and there is a few extra over there however we have nearly adequate for a papal funeral he is a variety of one man candle factory aunt your father Jack huh be honest he can hear good ample when he desires to look at this father Jack would you love a pitcher of brandy yes oh you see he’s a horrible man okay brandy all proper all proper all correct now say when huh say when huh tell me fairly wanted to stop pouring oh all correct that is it you certain long past anymore hello craggy Island parochial residence father Ted truly speaking ha ha ha hey bishop Brendan how are you sure no all correct excellent yes all right of course sure goodbye bye so that is the boss he’s coming over he needs to speak to us about anything come on we higher finish this it can be need to be the longest game of Clue I’ve ever played how lengthy we have not be aware of 5 hours Ted will have to no longer be some cards in here or some thing on the other hand I have no phrases to say how thankful i’m do that’s somewhat ungrateful – do not you fear father Hernandez dangled a gallows nevertheless I do have some items from the humans of my village please don’t snigger of this simple illustration of Cuban handicraft it can be a video recorder see no no guys yes i’m sorry exam it is an awfully normal mannequin it is only a 3 week pre-file facility do not fear about that it is excellent thanks very a lot father nandus it can be uncommon feather cuenta a step 10 for you Ted then go i have anything improper muy it is very designated you quite would not have you particularly do not need symbol opal it’s a Cuban fertility image i am hoping it brings you as much good fortune as it introduced me yes all right muttering oh yeah good I alternatively come on now drew look the bishop might be right here any minute all right now you bear in mind what I instructed you huh it is very simple a brand new nation to mention what we had been talking about final night time all proper Jeff what have been we talking about final night time hello you understand the rumors in regards to the bishops little mistake all correct yeah what mistake used to be that no Ted his son his son in the united states oh yes he’s a son in the united states sure what’s odd it’s a race race huh that’s news to me Ted we had been talking about it final night Deauville to Father Hernandez who all correct the Cuban lad yeah he gave us a video sure for those who do not forget correct okay just put out of your mind all about it just disregard about it just don’t mention the son have you bought that i have Ted the lights are on however there is nobody home father Brendan is right here hells bells correct showman juga now do not forget no longer a word in regards to the solar hi there bishop how are you come on take a seat down sit down down there your costume beside her father to get mrs.Doyle some tea please how’s the son the son of God how is the son of God how’s everything on the earth faith the world of faith what the hell are you speaking about Crilley good Oh mrs. Darling sign that tea here i am I mentioned mister and i am quality thanks mrs. Doyle will you now not have a cup of tea visibly no no i’m not going to remain I need to get proper to the factor and get the hell out of right here certain you will not have a clog i’m distinct thank you oh one have a call no thanks oh no however each person else is having a cop would you not have one yourself I should not have the time you omitted you can be Bishop piggy within the middle i am best great you sure you won’t have a cop only a drop no Bishop eggy and me simply say yes or is it it is faster think me all correct then yes Mon Tiger lads good i hope you are now not doing torture harm here huh Jack are you behaving yourself thanks did you see your grace what brings you to these materials pondering of sending us back to our parishes a fact danger you’re here unless I let you know otherwise you consider either jack back into a normal parish after the wedding he did in earth lengthy huh surely i am no no no no you were right here unless all of that money is accounted for I didn’t be aware of what after that money I sufficient you went to Las Vegas once that negative little one was alleged to be in Lourdes and as for this cabbage the mere inspiration of letting him back into the actual world after the Black Rock incident yes that wasn’t the amount of persons’s lives a rep to be damaged there were only nuns nuns are humans too my god the strings I had to pull the discontinue the Vatican getting concerned I do not wish to talk about it I just need to get this feeling industry over and completed with film about what movie this blasphemous film The passion of st.Tibula s– now His Holiness has banned it however in view that of some loophole the bloody factor is displaying on this godforsaken dump oh yes that’s correct is it any good you realize if it’s any excellent or now not all i do know is that we have got to be noticeable to be making a stand towards it i have been brought again from my excursion in California to kind it out and that is where you went Larry and Moe are available what do you mean well i know that in general you wouldn’t be competent to arrange a nun shoot in a nunnery however despite that is as much as you to make the church’s function clear make some sort of a protest at the cinema even you will have to be equipped to manipulate that oh thanks very a lot listen that is very severe do not make a balls of it right i’m going to be in touch your grace however this this is not rather my discipline nothing is your subject Crilley you do not need an field and this is the type of a play subject with sand castles and buckets and spades now do what you’re advised right through now that is foolish there may be no one here for God see women and gents i am pleased to say we have a deal with in store in these days for all you lovers of French cinema is this subtitles different is it so titled or is it dubbed it can be some thing anybody stare on the protesting now or what sure I think so or probably we should just stay and spot a little bit little bit of the filling for us good let’s simply get it over with how possibly it’s not too unhealthy Ted it would be in other commitments it’s not relevant whether or not it can be excellent or dangerous Dubin it is the morality we do not agree with correct let’s go dude did your sin good day Michael how are you oh i’m grandpa how’s father Jack what we’ve not visible him when you consider that we the final shall install in season on this plan is bit worn out so we won’t be by myself today all correct however you are making a few circuit it’s an extended story we’ve got the bishop or you know Len Brennan or at gob sheet it is going lad seeing that in film I any taller down here and kick up a bit of a force all right yeah however there is just one dingo yeah you’re style of an simply whatever to show we’re not all correct Oh laughter sorry Michael oh no no no no hindrance in any respect though however in case you could preserve it down I mean we have to believe of different humans that you may count on us make it Michael Michael um i don’t feel you are likely to cook your self that is just a tv no hindrance huh do you need to head on now oh hush or no approach could as good keep and notice the film first so I throw you out after the villain grand grand battle i’m completed we’re still ok from the tub position EJ the fear mm oh you washe was all decibels you’re asking the wrong individual there Ted I might make head nor tails i know for a proven fact that sane tibula swore extra garments than that he was from Norway our summer time the frozen to demise and do you do not forget that bit when sin tipping us he tried to take that banana off the other lad I wasn’t a banana tilden anyway let’s get some sleep hmm give us a B please Bob mm-hmm Beethoven do C please Bob carnivorous air please Bob God no longer blockbusters once more Fettuccine 6:00 a.M.Great an additional 8 hour sleep you’re going to wake 10 oh this is tremendous isn’t it one more great lie in for the boys there is do you need to be horrible Ted wouldn’t be terrible if Bishop Brennan came in and he informed us to get out of the cinema and began protesting again that is ridiculous the position doesn’t open for one more 7 hours what about what they Bishop stated failed to he need us to vary ourselves the railings how we supposed to do that hilarious could have anything proper you go and get whatever i’m going to I just stay right here and preserve a detailed cinema wager they are gonna could want to watch a film that doesn’t begin for one more 7 hours Jack what the hell are you as much as why are not you at the film psycho what what did you say pay attention the dead you see my bag anywhere my traveling bag hmm good if you happen to do see it would you provide it back to me let’s go my bloody passport in it and uh everything right you gonna stand there all day a fats historic bitch on prime to be like there is a massive pile of scheisse yeah ignorant prick dude watch that mouth of yours i will watch nothing i’m going to stick this up your ass oh hello YouTube father how’s methods we’ve not noticeable you in a while we have been just going to have some tea in case you have a drop no thanks mrs.O’Leary no i am best hiya what will we do you for our Father good I used to be looking for a pair of handcuffs actually pair of handcuffs what you need them for oh nothing a lot stuff for me in Ted you and father Ted yeah we’re just trying some thing out Oh truly humorous sufficient I believe we do have a pair i am Sergeant pawns had left them here when he retired retired from what from the police the police used to be Sergeant damage on a policeman um he was sure why do you believe you are the uniform oh I suggestion he was once just having a laugh anyway younger here is the handcuffs k thanks fee great i know my father canine with this type of thing cautious now yeah with this kind of factor Oh father evidently hey Jim i like Italian I obvious your picture within the paper watch right here have a look so it is a blasphemous turn father what is my variety of factor is he mad stuff it’s very immoral Jim you would not adore it is it a kind of nudie factor you would not believe the quantity and oldest unit you see the Latia father – simply the highest section you see i’m looking this left an creativeness howdy well if i’m going to be off goodbye Jim their fathers ah howdy mr.Sheldon mrs. Lin the ardour of seeing time yours what’s that’s it a Western or a musical or some thing we invariably put in Tuesday’s it will get us out of the hustle we noticed a exceptional one a couple of weeks in the past The Crying recreation it was once extremely good k there used to be this first-rate bit ended you see there was once this woman and then you definitely discover it’s no longer a woman but a person oh he acquired his letters let me see it for a second however you get the message I was once it pressured it goodbye considering that I’ve seen one like you’re Billy’s tall Billy’s is rounder on the high maybe whatever then stepping into or her head it just goes to exhibit drew lady nobody takes a blind person or so what the church says anymore hello cut father clearly good day how’s your spouse I hear she hasn’t been good she’s dead father and she are simply a few hours of all rather yes wherever that’s just the way it’s what is the feeling like father what is it any excellent I used to be reading about it within the paper I informed you you must think about going to a movie if your wife is just die right here I could wander it I are not able to act about the funeral important points later fathers I need to say that is uncommon that is probably the most effective Villa with Hudson Joe Rossi Park is breaking all forms of documents due to all this publicity over your protest circle that’s manner oh my god would you appear who it is oh thank god just a little of support that’s fair 54 turn a nun father I get to a seat right Dougal I’ve had sufficient of this we’re leaving give me the keys keys what’s this than your costume why am I watching at a globe of the waters good um how am i able to give an explanation for first of all a resume of the final few days now I do not know when you keep in mind but I got here in here with the inspiration of you making a dignified protest about this village remember that sure yes good just to exhibit the Church’s opposition to the film bus and this is the section that I in finding most interesting you have definitely made this movie the most triumphant film ever proven here isn’t that high-quality I imply persons are coming from everywhere the nation to look the film they’re even coming from Gdansk to look the movie i do know however it’s not that appear there’s you there may be Forrest Gump there’s father Jack honestly looking at the villain now there is a flip-up for the books what right now I believe the satisfactory factor would be for ye three to proceed your careers as priests come fill and promoters external of my jurisdiction huh now Ted I concept that you would like to move to the usa hmm what section do you suppose well dumb Las Vegas i’m sorry i am sorry Ted i’m in South the united states undoubtedly there may be a beautiful little island off the coast of Suriname and they have got a couple of tribes there you’re going to like this and they have been knocking the shit out of each different we have certainly not been ready to find the right man to carry them collectively in the spirit of Christian concord however I suppose that you’re the person well thanks very much no have to thank me incidentally are you aware how to make arrows well to not fear to not worry it can come to you now go blue over to you is not it humorous how some of these places in the Philippines can keep on going and not using a appropriate sewerage approach hmm your honor now Jack the place will we ship you huh Jack wake up Bishop i wouldn’t do that you simply shut up Jack wake up I got you oh my god should you suppose this situation is dangerous wait till you see your new parish just wait until you see well that is it then I think I suppose all we will do now could be p.C. Ted i don’t need to go to the Philippines I imply I are not able to even spell the Philippines I comprehend it starts offevolved with an F i know i do know honey go someplace we would persuade the bishop to vary his intellect if most effective we had some thing we might bargain with I have no idea what’s that Jack did you get a film the final thing I wish to watch now is a movie well that used to be first-rate wasn’t it correct there Ted and will have to we cell him now or will we watch it again I suppose we watch it again you

[batterymonster2021]

"The Passion of Saint Tibulus" | Father Ted | Series 1 Episode 3 | Dead Parrot

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/the-passion-of-saint-tibulus-father-ted-series-1-episode-3-dead-parrot-13/

"The Passion of Saint Tibulus" | Father Ted | Series 1 Episode 3 | Dead Parrot

Appears like rain Ted come on Duggal it can be your go I have to say father Hernandez it can be been distinguished having you over however I assume you’re getting homesick for Cuba by way of now right here oh yes my nation is very lovely excellent okay what’s that it continued have a first-rate lifestyles right here on craggy i will raggy i’m going to instead we’ll have two just right neighbors padre doogal father doogal gotta run of path father Jack yes but I have got to say I missed the noise and the lights you know the entire buzz of the huge metropolis we stated it can be that unhealthy you have been in spot Wexford weren’t you I used to be sure what craggy Island has its charms the west a part of the island used to be stunning until it drifted off of path excellent buddy drifted off yes there used to be just a little of a storm and it just got here free huh now we should not have a west part it can be simply north south and east it was once lovely whilst I was there sorry mister do you know Ted your housekeeper is an extraordinarily attractive woman in many instances this celibacy is hard for a person you ought to assess her off of the smooth I think bishop brennan springs to intellect I see oh yes sure Bishop Lynn Renan he is our sort of boss it seems that he was once myself and the union was blessed so they are saying no no he no imply boy or girl son he lives in the us our soul goes to rumor anyway was it Colonel Mustard within the kitchen the candlestick what Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with the candlestick you have Colonel Mustard you confirmed him to me earlier how could it’s Colonel Mustard a view of Colonel Mustard o.K. Father Hernandez your go see yes well I suppose it used to be a never-ending dream the reverend cream Cuchillo and i finished in the drawing-room huh these Protestants up to no excellent as ordinary what’s father Jack looking at what’s that you are watching father Jack o.K. Is that a film you’re watching huh isn’t that Kiefer Sutherland why is that flat liner as you’re gazing what pink John is for the Jackman a bit hard of listening to spouse sure he gets a form of waxy buildup in his ears and then we have got to syringe them it’s not very best it’s exceptional though in a technique on the grounds that you recognize we’re on no account short of candles good that was in his head last week and there is a few extra over there however we have nearly adequate for a papal funeral he is a variety of one man candle factory aunt your father Jack huh be honest he can hear good ample when he desires to look at this father Jack would you love a pitcher of brandy yes oh you see he’s a horrible man okay brandy all proper all proper all correct now say when huh say when huh tell me fairly wanted to stop pouring oh all correct that is it you certain long past anymore hello craggy Island parochial residence father Ted truly speaking ha ha ha hey bishop Brendan how are you sure no all correct excellent yes all right of course sure goodbye bye so that is the boss he’s coming over he needs to speak to us about anything come on we higher finish this it can be need to be the longest game of Clue I’ve ever played how lengthy we have not be aware of 5 hours Ted will have to no longer be some cards in here or some thing on the other hand I have no phrases to say how thankful i’m do that’s somewhat ungrateful – do not you fear father Hernandez dangled a gallows nevertheless I do have some items from the humans of my village please don’t snigger of this simple illustration of Cuban handicraft it can be a video recorder see no no guys yes i’m sorry exam it is an awfully normal mannequin it is only a 3 week pre-file facility do not fear about that it is excellent thanks very a lot father nandus it can be uncommon feather cuenta a step 10 for you Ted then go i have anything improper muy it is very designated you quite would not have you particularly do not need symbol opal it’s a Cuban fertility image i am hoping it brings you as much good fortune as it introduced me yes all right muttering oh yeah good I alternatively come on now drew look the bishop might be right here any minute all right now you bear in mind what I instructed you huh it is very simple a brand new nation to mention what we had been talking about final night time all proper Jeff what have been we talking about final night time hello you understand the rumors in regards to the bishops little mistake all correct yeah what mistake used to be that no Ted his son his son in the united states oh yes he’s a son in the united states sure what’s odd it’s a race race huh that’s news to me Ted we had been talking about it final night Deauville to Father Hernandez who all correct the Cuban lad yeah he gave us a video sure for those who do not forget correct okay just put out of your mind all about it just disregard about it just don’t mention the son have you bought that i have Ted the lights are on however there is nobody home father Brendan is right here hells bells correct showman juga now do not forget no longer a word in regards to the solar hi there bishop how are you come on take a seat down sit down down there your costume beside her father to get mrs.Doyle some tea please how’s the son the son of God how is the son of God how’s everything on the earth faith the world of faith what the hell are you speaking about Crilley good Oh mrs. Darling sign that tea here i am I mentioned mister and i am quality thanks mrs. Doyle will you now not have a cup of tea visibly no no i’m not going to remain I need to get proper to the factor and get the hell out of right here certain you will not have a clog i’m distinct thank you oh one have a call no thanks oh no however each person else is having a cop would you not have one yourself I should not have the time you omitted you can be Bishop piggy within the middle i am best great you sure you won’t have a cop only a drop no Bishop eggy and me simply say yes or is it it is faster think me all correct then yes Mon Tiger lads good i hope you are now not doing torture harm here huh Jack are you behaving yourself thanks did you see your grace what brings you to these materials pondering of sending us back to our parishes a fact danger you’re here unless I let you know otherwise you consider either jack back into a normal parish after the wedding he did in earth lengthy huh surely i am no no no no you were right here unless all of that money is accounted for I didn’t be aware of what after that money I sufficient you went to Las Vegas once that negative little one was alleged to be in Lourdes and as for this cabbage the mere inspiration of letting him back into the actual world after the Black Rock incident yes that wasn’t the amount of persons’s lives a rep to be damaged there were only nuns nuns are humans too my god the strings I had to pull the discontinue the Vatican getting concerned I do not wish to talk about it I just need to get this feeling industry over and completed with film about what movie this blasphemous film The passion of st.Tibula s– now His Holiness has banned it however in view that of some loophole the bloody factor is displaying on this godforsaken dump oh yes that’s correct is it any good you realize if it’s any excellent or now not all i do know is that we have got to be noticeable to be making a stand towards it i have been brought again from my excursion in California to kind it out and that is where you went Larry and Moe are available what do you mean well i know that in general you wouldn’t be competent to arrange a nun shoot in a nunnery however despite that is as much as you to make the church’s function clear make some sort of a protest at the cinema even you will have to be equipped to manipulate that oh thanks very a lot listen that is very severe do not make a balls of it right i’m going to be in touch your grace however this this is not rather my discipline nothing is your subject Crilley you do not need an field and this is the type of a play subject with sand castles and buckets and spades now do what you’re advised right through now that is foolish there may be no one here for God see women and gents i am pleased to say we have a deal with in store in these days for all you lovers of French cinema is this subtitles different is it so titled or is it dubbed it can be some thing anybody stare on the protesting now or what sure I think so or probably we should just stay and spot a little bit little bit of the filling for us good let’s simply get it over with how possibly it’s not too unhealthy Ted it would be in other commitments it’s not relevant whether or not it can be excellent or dangerous Dubin it is the morality we do not agree with correct let’s go dude did your sin good day Michael how are you oh i’m grandpa how’s father Jack what we’ve not visible him when you consider that we the final shall install in season on this plan is bit worn out so we won’t be by myself today all correct however you are making a few circuit it’s an extended story we’ve got the bishop or you know Len Brennan or at gob sheet it is going lad seeing that in film I any taller down here and kick up a bit of a force all right yeah however there is just one dingo yeah you’re style of an simply whatever to show we’re not all correct Oh laughter sorry Michael oh no no no no hindrance in any respect though however in case you could preserve it down I mean we have to believe of different humans that you may count on us make it Michael Michael um i don’t feel you are likely to cook your self that is just a tv no hindrance huh do you need to head on now oh hush or no approach could as good keep and notice the film first so I throw you out after the villain grand grand battle i’m completed we’re still ok from the tub position EJ the fear mm oh you washe was all decibels you’re asking the wrong individual there Ted I might make head nor tails i know for a proven fact that sane tibula swore extra garments than that he was from Norway our summer time the frozen to demise and do you do not forget that bit when sin tipping us he tried to take that banana off the other lad I wasn’t a banana tilden anyway let’s get some sleep hmm give us a B please Bob mm-hmm Beethoven do C please Bob carnivorous air please Bob God no longer blockbusters once more Fettuccine 6:00 a.M.Great an additional 8 hour sleep you’re going to wake 10 oh this is tremendous isn’t it one more great lie in for the boys there is do you need to be horrible Ted wouldn’t be terrible if Bishop Brennan came in and he informed us to get out of the cinema and began protesting again that is ridiculous the position doesn’t open for one more 7 hours what about what they Bishop stated failed to he need us to vary ourselves the railings how we supposed to do that hilarious could have anything proper you go and get whatever i’m going to I just stay right here and preserve a detailed cinema wager they are gonna could want to watch a film that doesn’t begin for one more 7 hours Jack what the hell are you as much as why are not you at the film psycho what what did you say pay attention the dead you see my bag anywhere my traveling bag hmm good if you happen to do see it would you provide it back to me let’s go my bloody passport in it and uh everything right you gonna stand there all day a fats historic bitch on prime to be like there is a massive pile of scheisse yeah ignorant prick dude watch that mouth of yours i will watch nothing i’m going to stick this up your ass oh hello YouTube father how’s methods we’ve not noticeable you in a while we have been just going to have some tea in case you have a drop no thanks mrs.O’Leary no i am best hiya what will we do you for our Father good I used to be looking for a pair of handcuffs actually pair of handcuffs what you need them for oh nothing a lot stuff for me in Ted you and father Ted yeah we’re just trying some thing out Oh truly humorous sufficient I believe we do have a pair i am Sergeant pawns had left them here when he retired retired from what from the police the police used to be Sergeant damage on a policeman um he was sure why do you believe you are the uniform oh I suggestion he was once just having a laugh anyway younger here is the handcuffs k thanks fee great i know my father canine with this type of thing cautious now yeah with this kind of factor Oh father evidently hey Jim i like Italian I obvious your picture within the paper watch right here have a look so it is a blasphemous turn father what is my variety of factor is he mad stuff it’s very immoral Jim you would not adore it is it a kind of nudie factor you would not believe the quantity and oldest unit you see the Latia father – simply the highest section you see i’m looking this left an creativeness howdy well if i’m going to be off goodbye Jim their fathers ah howdy mr.Sheldon mrs. Lin the ardour of seeing time yours what’s that’s it a Western or a musical or some thing we invariably put in Tuesday’s it will get us out of the hustle we noticed a exceptional one a couple of weeks in the past The Crying recreation it was once extremely good k there used to be this first-rate bit ended you see there was once this woman and then you definitely discover it’s no longer a woman but a person oh he acquired his letters let me see it for a second however you get the message I was once it pressured it goodbye considering that I’ve seen one like you’re Billy’s tall Billy’s is rounder on the high maybe whatever then stepping into or her head it just goes to exhibit drew lady nobody takes a blind person or so what the church says anymore hello cut father clearly good day how’s your spouse I hear she hasn’t been good she’s dead father and she are simply a few hours of all rather yes wherever that’s just the way it’s what is the feeling like father what is it any excellent I used to be reading about it within the paper I informed you you must think about going to a movie if your wife is just die right here I could wander it I are not able to act about the funeral important points later fathers I need to say that is uncommon that is probably the most effective Villa with Hudson Joe Rossi Park is breaking all forms of documents due to all this publicity over your protest circle that’s manner oh my god would you appear who it is oh thank god just a little of support that’s fair 54 turn a nun father I get to a seat right Dougal I’ve had sufficient of this we’re leaving give me the keys keys what’s this than your costume why am I watching at a globe of the waters good um how am i able to give an explanation for first of all a resume of the final few days now I do not know when you keep in mind but I got here in here with the inspiration of you making a dignified protest about this village remember that sure yes good just to exhibit the Church’s opposition to the film bus and this is the section that I in finding most interesting you have definitely made this movie the most triumphant film ever proven here isn’t that high-quality I imply persons are coming from everywhere the nation to look the film they’re even coming from Gdansk to look the movie i do know however it’s not that appear there’s you there may be Forrest Gump there’s father Jack honestly looking at the villain now there is a flip-up for the books what right now I believe the satisfactory factor would be for ye three to proceed your careers as priests come fill and promoters external of my jurisdiction huh now Ted I concept that you would like to move to the usa hmm what section do you suppose well dumb Las Vegas i’m sorry i am sorry Ted i’m in South the united states undoubtedly there may be a beautiful little island off the coast of Suriname and they have got a couple of tribes there you’re going to like this and they have been knocking the shit out of each different we have certainly not been ready to find the right man to carry them collectively in the spirit of Christian concord however I suppose that you’re the person well thanks very much no have to thank me incidentally are you aware how to make arrows well to not fear to not worry it can come to you now go blue over to you is not it humorous how some of these places in the Philippines can keep on going and not using a appropriate sewerage approach hmm your honor now Jack the place will we ship you huh Jack wake up Bishop i wouldn’t do that you simply shut up Jack wake up I got you oh my god should you suppose this situation is dangerous wait till you see your new parish just wait until you see well that is it then I think I suppose all we will do now could be p.C. Ted i don’t need to go to the Philippines I imply I are not able to even spell the Philippines I comprehend it starts offevolved with an F i know i do know honey go someplace we would persuade the bishop to vary his intellect if most effective we had some thing we might bargain with I have no idea what’s that Jack did you get a film the final thing I wish to watch now is a movie well that used to be first-rate wasn’t it correct there Ted and will have to we cell him now or will we watch it again I suppose we watch it again you

[flowerfan2]

Group Texts Are Ridiculous (Or, Five-0 Starts a Group Text)

McDanno, T, A03, 6k so far

Summary:  After Steve leaves Oahu to go find himself, Five-0 starts a group text to keep in touch while Steve’s away.  Picks up after the end of Season 10.

Notes:  This story is set in the present, following 10x22, but there’s no COVID in it...  I wanted it to be fun.  The story is complete and will be posted over the next few weeks.  Many thanks as always to my awesome beta, @perryavenue.

Chapter 3

June 25, 2020

JR:  What’s the name of Steve’s vet, the one he sort of dated?

QL:  If you and Tani were considering a threesome you could have let me know.

TR:  News to me.  But I suppose we could talk…

JR:  Shut up.  Eddie’s hurt, do you know the vet’s name or not?

TR:  Oh no, what happened?

JR:  I’m not sure, we just got back from a run and he’s limping a little.

DW:  Don’t go anywhere.  Keep Eddie still, I’ll be there in ten.

JR:  Shouldn’t I take him to the vet?

DW:  Just called them.  Stay right where you are.

JR:  Danny, Eddie’s fine, I can just put him in the truck.  He probably just stepped on something sharp.

QL:  Is he bleeding?  You should elevate his leg.

JR:  No, he’s not bleeding, it’s not that serious.  

TR:  Can you tell which paw it is?

JR:  Of course I can tell, it’s the foot he’s holding up when he tries to walk.

DW:  Did you not understand the part about keeping him still?  Walking is not keeping him still.  Sit with him, don’t let him move.

 JR:  We’re sitting on the couch, don’t worry, Eddie is fine.  He’s licking my face.  Normal Eddie behavior.  I think he actually forgot about his foot.

 TR:  Doesn’t hurt to be careful.  Junes, where did you take Eddie anyway?  Just the beach?

 TR:  Junes?  You there?

 JR:  Sorry, had to let HPD in.

 TR:  Wait, why is HPD there?

 JR:  Apparently Danny sent them.  With flashers and sirens.

 TR:  Of course, that makes sense.

 JR:  Um, no it doesn’t.  Eddie is fine.  And Five-0 isn’t supposed to use HPD for personal stuff.

 TR:  Yeah, we never do that.  

 SM:  What the hell happened to my dog?

  July 5, 2020

 LG:  I hate all of you, but especially Tani.

 TR:  It was just lemonade, Grover.

 LG:  No, it was iced tequila with one lemon slice floating on top.

 TR:  Party lemonade.

 LG:  It’s not very patriotic to get your elders drunk.

 TR:  No one said you had to drink it.

 LG:  Pretty sure you said anyone who doesn’t taste my lemonade has to go home.

 TR:  I had already had some lemonade when I said that.  I can’t be held responsible for my actions.  Face it, you’re a lightweight.

 LG:  Clearly not true.

 TR:  Then why did Renee make you leave early?

 LG:  We had another party to go to, as I told you last night. Where is everyone, anyway?  I thought Junior and Quinn were on today.

 TR:  I’m sure they’ll turn up any minute.

 LG:  Junior is still asleep, isn’t he?

 TR:  The lump under the blankets just cursed at me when I thumped him, so no, not totally asleep.

 LG:  Tell him to get his ass in gear and get to work.

 TR:  He says his head is exploding and he wants to die.

 LG:  Requesting a sick day, then?

 TR:  I’ll come in instead.

 LG:  Seriously?

 TR:  It’ll be better than listening to Junior puke all morning.

 LG:   I didn’t need to know that. How come you’re all chipper?

 TR:  I drank a bunch of water before I went to bed.  Like you’re supposed to.

 LG:  Hey, did Danny ever show up last night?

 TR:  Nope.  

  July 11, 2020

 LG:  I’m at the dock, which way should I go?

 DW:  Towards the boats.  The big floating things.

 JR:  I can see you, keep going the way you’re facing, then head south when you get to the end of the

row.

 LG:  South?  Sorry, forgot my compass.  

 DW:  Just listen for the music.

 TR:  I can’t believe you know the words to Taylor Swift’s greatest hits. At least my music is relatively current.

 DW:  Grace was just the right age.  It got stuck in my head.  

 JR:  And now it’s stuck in ours.

 <i>TR has changed the name of the group text to</i> <b>Shake It Off Dance Party</b>

 QL:  Be there soon.  Just found Jerry wandering in the parking lot.

 JG:  I wasn’t wandering, I was organizing my gear.

 TR:  What kind of gear do you need for a boat ride?

 LG:  You do realize you are asking Jerry this.

 JG:  By the way, thanks for including me today.  I’ve missed you guys.

 DW:  We miss you too.  But if you could all hurry up, that would be great.  I’d like to leave the dock sometime before it gets dark.

 QL:  Do you guys do a Five-0 summer outing every year?

 TR:  Nope, first time.

 QL:  Really?

 TR:  Yeah, generally we get enough excitement at work.  And Danny has some issues with boats.

 DW:  I actually enjoy boats, when there isn’t any gunfire, or sharks, or poison. I only have issues with <i>Steve</i> and boats.  Steve isn’t here, so we’ll be fine.

 QL:  So much to unpack there.

 JR:  Didn’t Steve set this up?

 LG:  He surely did.  The boat belongs to a friend of his.  I think he thought we all needed some cheering up.

 TR:  You mean he thought Danny needed cheering up.

 DW:  If Steve wanted to cheer me up he wouldn’t have sent me on a boat trip with all of you.

 LG:  Ouch.

 JG:  We may have a slight delay.

 TR:  What did you do?

 JG:  I didn’t do anything.  But Quinn was texting and walking at the same time and tripped.

 DW:  Is she ok?

 JG:  She didn’t fall in the water.  But her phone did, and she’s kind of pissed.

 LG:  Well we’ve got beer, that might help.

 JG:  Now’s she in the water.  She’s trying to find the phone.

 JG:  Quinn can hold her breath for a really long time.  Kind of impressive.

 LG:  For pete’s sake, what’s the point?  She’s never going to find it, and it’ll be ruined anyway.

 JG:  I said the same thing, but she didn’t listen.  Now she’s going to talk to the harbormaster.

 TR:  To report a dropped phone?

 JG: I don’t know, she just told me to wait while she went to talk to the harbormaster.

 TR:  It’s not like we need our phones for fishing.  We probably don’t get service out there anyway.

 DW:  Hardly matters.  At this rate we’re never leaving the dock.

  July 17, 2020

 SM:  Send help to this address ASAP. My phone’s dying.

 DW:  WTF Steve?

 SM:  Tow truck kind of help.  Flat tire.

 DW:  It’s four in the morning here.

 SM:  Oh, sorry.  Got up early. Not that early.

 DW:  Way to give me a heart attack.

 SM:  Sorry, didn’t mean to.  You okay?

 DW:  Course I’m okay.  I’m in bed, asleep.  Or at least I was asleep.  Now Eddie’s awake too and thinks it’s time to get up and go for a walk.

 SM:  Wish I was there.

 DW:  What?

 SM:  In bed, I mean.  Instead of stuck on the side of the road.

 DW:  Where are you, anyway?  You haven’t mentioned lately.

 SM:  Near Yellowstone.  Been camping. Did some hiking into the backcountry.

 DW:  Sounds suitably outdoorsy.

 SM:  Yeah.

 DW:  Your phone doesn’t seem all that dead.  You could have called AAA yourself.  

 SM:  I wasn’t sure how long it would hold out.

 DW:  It’s okay.  I miss you too.

  July 18, 2020

 JR:  So we’re all ignoring that conversation, right?

 TR:  Yes, because we work for them, and we have better things to do today.

 TR has changed the name of the group text to Luau Luau Luau

 JR:  Good to know you’re excited.

 TR:  Just cross your fingers there aren’t any murders in the next six hours. I want to be there when the pig comes out of the pit.

 SM:  You guys are doing a real luau?

 TR:  Yup.  Kamekona dug the imu.  Or had someone else dig it, probably.  But that sucker’s been cooking for hours already.

 JR:  Hey Commander, how’s it going?

 SM:  It’s good, Junior.  Thanks. How’d you get Kame to cook you a pig?

 TR:  It’s to thank Danny for helping him with some kind of permitting problem for his new place in Kapolei.  Kame found out Danny had never done the whole pig in the ground thing, so he decided to show him how it’s done.

 SM:  You’re telling me Danny got up at dawn to put the pig in the imu?

 TR:  I can’t swear to it, I wasn’t there.  But that was the plan.  

 LG:  I was there.  And no, Kame didn’t do any actual digging, he got Nahele and his friends to do it.  We did have to carry some rocks.

 TR:  What do you think, Lou?  Pretty cool, right?

 LG:  I am in favor of anything that combines fire and meat, you know that about me.

 SM:  Danny must not have gotten any sleep at all.

 DW:  That’s why they invented coffee.

 SM:  How much did Kame charge you for it?

 DW:  Nahele brought us all coffee from Island Vintage.

 SM:  What, did he come into some money?

 DW:  I paid him back, you dunce.

 SM:  I can’t believe you guys are putting together your own luau.

 DW:  Makes you miss home, doesn’t it?

 SM:  Sure does.  Danny, you’ve really never been to a luau?

 DW:  Not really.  Seemed kind of touristy.

 TR:  That’s why you have to do it yourself.  I made chicken long rice last night, and Junior’s bringing the lomi lomi salmon.

 JR:  I wanted squid but Tani likes salmon better.

 SM:  Good luck getting Danny to eat squid unless they’re deep fried.

 DW:  I’ll have you know I haven’t had a fried fish in ages.  I’ve been grilling mahi almost every weekend.

 SM:  You have?  That’s awesome.

 JR:  He does a good job with it, too.  It’s never dry.

 DW:  Thanks, Junior.

 SM:  Clearly my healthy eating has finally made an impression on you, Danny. I’m so proud.

 JR:  I think it was his doctor that forced him into it, but whatever.

 SM:  What do you mean?  What’s wrong?

 DW:  Nothing’s wrong.

 SM:  High cholesterol?

 DW:  Shut up, I can eat whatever I want.  I’m just choosing to be more aware of what goes in my mouth, that’s all.

 LG:  Right, that’s why you banned malasadas from the office.

 TR:  Maybe he’s just trying to maintain his girlish figure.  

 JR:  Are you really trying to lose weight, Danny?  Because you’re as thin as I’ve ever seen you.

 LG:  I’m not sure they sell those slacks in extra-slim, you better be careful.

 DW:  Can we please stop talking about me?  

 SM:  Seriously, is everything all right, Danny?  

 DW:  You guys are ridiculous.  See you later at the beach.  You can ogle me there as I stuff my mouth with kalua pork.

  July 21, 2020

 JR:  Tani, you up?

 TR:  You know you can just come home and get into bed with me, you don’t need to say dumb stuff like that.

 JR:  Honestly I just wanted to know if you were awake.  It’s one o’clock in the morning.

 TR: LOL sorry.  Yeah, Quinn just left and I’m trying to clean up.  We tried to make fancy margaritas and it looks like Whole Foods’ fruit section exploded in my kitchen.

 JR:  What’s a fancy margarita?

 TR:  You know, you add in something that tastes good and something that tastes bad.

 JR:  That can’t really be the recipe.

 TR:  It seemed like it.  Grapefruit and rosemary – who wants rosemary in their margarita?

 JR:  Ok true.

 TR:  Strawberry and jalapeno was pretty good though.  But we put too many jalapenos in.

 JR:  Sounds dangerous.  How many have you had?

 TR: A good amount.  When are you coming home?

 JR:  Don’t know.  Adam and I are still parked down the road from the restaurant where the victim died yesterday.  Danny thinks whoever was responsible, the assistant chef probably, will break in tonight.

 TR:  Sounds fun.

 JR:  I’m bored out of my mind.  Ran out of things to talk about with Adam about two hours ago.

 TR:  Let’s play fuck, marry, kill.  

 JR:  Okay.  But let’s text just us, okay?

 TR:  Smart.  Okay, you go first.  Celebrities, fuck, marry or kill.

 JR:  Any celebrities?  That’s kind of broad.

 TR:  Ok, celebrities named Chris.

 JR:  You’re really making me go first.

 TR:  You’re the one who said you were bored.  I could just throw all this crap into the sink and go to bed.  But I’ll go first if you want.

 JR:  Okay.  

 TR:  And obviously no getting mad, right?

 JR:  Obviously.

 TR:  Fuck Chris Hemsworth, marry Chris Evans, kill Chris Pratt.

 JR:  That was fast.

 TR:  I may have thought about it before.  Now you go.

 JR:  Fuck Christina Aguilera, marry Chris Evans, kill Chris Noth.

 TR:  Very enlightened.

 JR:  Everyone wants to marry Chris Evans.

 TR:  Agreed.  Okay, next. Marvel characters.  

 JR:  That’s kind of an overlap, isn’t it?

 TR:  Only with a few of them.  We’ll say no repeats.  You go first this time.

 JR:  Fuck Wonder Woman, marry Black Widow, kill Loki.

 TR:  Sure you didn’t reverse Wonder Woman and Black Widow?

 JR:  Nah.  If I’m going to spend my life with somebody I want her to have some depth, you know?

 TR:  I’ll revisit that when I’m less drunk.  Okay, fuck T’Challa, marry Tony Stark, kill Fury.

 JR:  Fury?  He’s a good guy.

 TR:  I didn’t like the way he faked his death.

 JR:  You confuse me sometimes.

 TR:  I think that’s okay.  Any sign of the assistant chef?

 JR:  No.  And Adam seems entranced by some game on his phone.

 TR:  Animal crossing?

 JR:  I think it’s some kind of card game app.  Jerry mentioned it.

 TR:  Why play cards on an app instead of in person?

 JR:  Maybe because you’re stuck at work at one in the morning.

 TR:  Fair.

 JR:  Okay, let’s do another round.

 TR:  Fine.  Five-0. Present or former members.

 JR:  No way.

 TR:  Come on, you must have thought about it.  

 JR:  No getting mad?

 TR:  Obviously.  And we can’t say each other.

 JR:  Obviously.

 JR:  You go first.

 TR:  Fuck Steve, marry Danny, kill Catherine.

 JR:  Again, you do this really fast.

 TR:  These answers aren’t hard.

 JR:  Didn’t know you hated Catherine so much.

 TR:  She screwed over my imaginary fuck buddy and my imaginary husband, so, yeah.

 JR:  I feel like you know more about this situation than I do.

 TR:  As with all things.  Come on, your turn.

 JR:  This is hard.  And very unprofessional.

 TR:  You cannot leave me hanging.

 JR:  Fuck Quinn, marry Steve, kill Adam.

 TR:  He’s that boring?

 JR:  He’s that boring.

 TR:  You know Danny thinks I’m just like Steve.  In the good ways.

 JR:  I’m aware.

 TR:  You only said Quinn because you couldn’t think of any other women on Five-0, didn’t you?

 JR:  Ok fine.

 TR:  Be honest, who would you pick?  Really?

 JR:  There’s no way you’re getting me to put that in a text.

 TR:  It’s just us, come on.

 LG:  No it’s not.  

 TR:  Oh shit.

  July 22, 2020

 DW:  Ok, regarding last night’s text message fiasco, I’m incredibly disappointed and have no choice but to run this by HR.

 TR:  Wait, we have HR?

 DW:  No, actually.  But I talked about it with Steve and we laughed our asses off.  Try to rein in the sex talk just a bit, okay?  And maybe don’t mention actually killing people in our group text.

 JR:  Sorry, sir.

 TR:  Sorry, boss.

 DW:  And Junior’s right.  Everyone wants to marry Chris Evans.