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vagrantblvrd · 5 years

Text

Catspaw (1/1)

Summary: Michael grew up knowing about shifters.

Notes: Another entry in the Werecat AUs series. Because reasons.

(Read on AO3)

Michael grew up knowing about shifters.

Relatives and neighborhood kids. Family friends and all that bullshit, so it’s just like anything else to him.

Learned early on that were some who never seemed to notice when the moon waxed or waned, and some whose lives were tied to the phases of the moon.

Ones born with a touch of magic to them, comfortable in their own skin no matter what form they were in. Ones who’d gotten a rude awakening, worlds turned upside down and scrambling to find their footing in the aftermath thanks to a chance encounter or bad decision.

Ones who took what life had given them and used it to the fullest, for better or worse. Ones who fought who they were tooth and nail (fang and claw), all their lives because they didn’t know any other way. (Put their trust in the wrong people and paid for it.)

“All kinds,” his grandmother used to tell him, this look on her face that always seemed sad to him. “And every single one of them a goddamned idiot.”

Which, yeah.

Goes a hell of a long way to explain Gavin, because he’s just too much of an idiot to be normal.

========

“Something wrong?”

Michael looks up from his phone to see Jeremy giving him an odd look.

Tonight was supposed to be all fun and games and celebrating another successful heist, and odds are good it’ll get real interesting before long.

Geoff’s goading Jack into another round of darts because he claims the first Jack’s win the first one was a fluke, “c’mon, asshole, you gotta” and Jack’s exasperation as he gives in. The Twins and Fiona are pulling some kind of hustle with some rough looking bikers, and God only know what Matt and Lindsay are up to.

Colluding, and God help them all when they put whatever plan they have in action.

Michael and Jeremy are working through a couple beers while they wait to see how things unfold, fair bit of money riding on things. (Should have known that Gavin would be the winner even though he’s not even here.)

“Gavin’s Cat got got,” he says, and tosses money on the table to cover as he gets up to cover the next round of drinks he promised Jeremy. “I need to spring the idiot from animal jail before the shelter closes.”

Jeremy gets up too because he’s the good kind of idiot. Would go along with Michael to watch his back just in case, but it’s unneccessary.

Kind of for the best if he doesn’t come along.

“I’ve got it. You stay here and make sure those assholes don’t get in too much trouble.”

Jeremy snorts, mouth twitching up little grin because they both know that’s asking for the impossible.

========

Michael’s been to this shelter before in the past, so the woman behind the counter is a familiar face.

“Hey, Sally.”

It’s a bad sign that he’s on a first-name basis with half the staff here, but Gavin’s Cat is a dumbass and they love him. He brings them all kinds of trouble in the form of strays and half-starved kittens too skittish to let the volunteers working here close enough to help.

Sally eyes Michael, the scrapes and bruises he picked up during the heist earlier, but chooses not to comment on them. (Los Santos is a rough city, and there are all kinds of reasons for Michael to look like shit.)

“We might have to charge rent, the amount of times he ends up here,” she says with a tired smile.

Michael doesn’t sigh, no, but she must see it on his face because she laughs as she gestures for him to follow her to the back. She stops in front of a cage and casts him an odd look.

“He picked up a friend,” Sally says, just as a low, angry growl comes from said cage.

Hits that pitch that has the hairs on the back of Michael’s neck lifting, ends a chill down his spine.

Low and angry. Furious.

Michael moves closer and sees a big black-furred bastard that looks like it hasn't had the easiest life pressing Gavin’s Cat against the back of the cage in a protective gesture. Looks like it would just love to go for Michael’s throat the moment he gives it a chance despite the cast on one of its forelegs.

“The fuck.”

Sally clears her throat and Michael looks at her. Sees this flicker of anger in her eyes before she tucks it away again all nice and neat. (Special place in hell for people who hurt animals and all, and it looks like someone’s had a go at the black cat in the cage, so there’s that.)

“The two of them showed up a few hours ago,” she says. “His friend wasn’t chipped, but under the circumstances we felt it was safer to leave them together.”

Yeah, Michael can see that.

Usually the strays Gavin’s Cat brings to the shelter aren’t quite so protective. Tend to look to him for protection. Let the volunteers get a better look at them while he reassures them everything’s going to be just fine.

This, though.

New.

Interesting as hell too.

The black-furred tomcat is a mean looking bastard, and the noises it’s making backs that up. Ready to throw down to protect Gavin’s Cat and eyeing them like it’s trying to decide who the bigger threat is. (The kind of intelligence in its eyes that speak to other, because of fucking course.)

Michael looks back at the little bastards. Sees Gavin’s Cat poke its head over the black tomcat’s shoulder to look at him and give a soft little meow.

Plaintive as fuck like he’s had a long night and just wants to go the hell home already. The sound of it startles the black tomcat into silence, has it twisting around to look at Gavin’s Cat with its head tilted.

Another soft little meow, a quiet trill, and the black cat’s ear flick back and forth for a moment before it stands up. Makes this worried little noise even as it lets the smaller cat move to the front of the cage to look out at Michael and Sally.

All big eyes and sad little face, this poor, pitiful me act Michael’s see a million times by now.

Knows without looking Sally’s falling for it hook, line, and sinker even though the woman deals with cuter cats than this miserable fuzzball far too often.

“How much for the bodyguard?” Michael asks, and Sally flashes him a grin because she knows Michael’s his own brand of stupid.

“For you, honey, a discount,” she says, and goes to get a cat carrier. “And I’ll loan you a carrier since it looks like you forgot yours.”

========

Michael shells out the money for the black-furred bastard's medical costs. Tacks on a bit of a bonus over that because the shelter runs on donations and they do good work. They make an appointment to bring the black tomcat back in a few weeks to get the cast off and then they’re ready to leave.

Sally offers to get help getting the bastard in the carrier, but he tells her it won’t be necessary. Both of them watching as Gavin’s Cat gently bullies his new bodyguard into the carrier. Careful nips and shoulder nudges, encouraging little chirps and trills.

It’s a bit of a production, the black cat eyeing Michael and Sally the whole while.

The drive back to the apartment is an absolute delight, what with two pairs of beady little eyes on him the whole time. A low, steady growl that starts up half a block away from the shelter and doesn’t let up until Michael pulls into the parking garage of their building.

It’s late enough by then their neighbors are all asleep, so they don’t run into anyone on the way up to the apartment.

Michael sets the carrier down in Gavin’s “office” which is more of a lair for the little troll he is and leaves the cats alone to sort themselves out as he goes to take a shower and changed for bed.

By the time he walks into the living room feeling a little more human, Gavin’s Cat is sitting on the back of the couch, tail wrapped primly around his feet as he watches Michael.

There’s this patch of darkness in the corner of the room, just a touch darker than the shadows it’s hiding in. (Unsettling)

“You better know what you’re doing, asshole,” Michael says as he takes a seat on the couch, watches Gavin’s Cat stroll over to him all casual-like, as if this doesn’t have the potential to blow up in their faces.

He gets a chiding little chirrup, the damn thing stopping to bump his head against Michael’s jaw before deciding his lap is the most comfortable spot in the whole damn apartment. Slight pinprick of claws as the stupid bastard makes himself comfortable, low purr counterpoint to the news story Michael’s watching on the television.

========

Michael wakes up in the middle of the night to fingers on his face, brushing over the scrapes and bruises from the day before, and this soft worry he can feel.

“Fuck off,” he mutters, lips turning up at the soft laughter it earns him.

Opens his eyes to see Gavin watching him, frowning down at him so much Michael can see it without his glasses.

“Michael,” Gavin says, pout to it as he tips his head to the side. “You look awful, Michael.”

Michael snorts, because pot meet kettle much? Like, goddamn, just get a look at that dumb face in a mirror sometime.

“Nice,” Michael says, because really. Nice. “Where’s your new buddy?”

No point in asking what the fuck Gavin got up to out there on his own. Asshole will just give him the runaround, find something to get him riled up about and derail the whole conversation with a shit-eating grin on his face.

He’s extra squirrely about shit when the full moon rolls around, insists it doesn’t have hold on him the way it does with shifters who don't have a drop of magic in them. (Not like Gavin has anyway. Preternatural luck and a knack for knowing things that’s stood the crew in good stead since Geoff brought him on board.)

Which, you know.

Bullshit.

Idiot gets antsy around the full moon. Begs off crew get-togethers with the flimsiest excuses that have Michael certain he’s waiting on the others to figure shit out when it comes to him. Michael doesn’t play along so much as marvel at how fucking oblivious the others are.

Gavin shrugs, this fluid little movement as he – super subtly – angles for room next to Michael. Lays down on the narrow space beside him and pushes and nudges, makes dissatisfied noises until Michael sighs and moves over to give him room.

“No idea,” he says, when he’s done fussing. “He’s shy.”

Shy.

The same demon cat that looked like he would have loved to gut Michael if he so much as breathed wrong in his or Gavin’s direction.

He's fucking shy.

Still, there’s something in the line of Gavin’s shoulders, this note to his voice that is too goddamned defensive for a simple enough question.

So.

“Alright,” Michael says. “But if he kills me in my sleep, I’m haunting your ass.”

Gavin laughs at him like ghosts aren’t a real thing in their world. Like Michael won’t do it.

“Go to sleep, asshole,” he mutters, and wonder of wonders, Gavin does.

Leans in to give Michael a quick little kiss on the cheek, eyes glinting with amusement before he reaches for the blankets and curls up against him.

========

Michael wakes up first the next morning, no real surprise there.

Gavin’s reverted to his four-footed form, which is a sign that whatever he got up last night took it out of him. He heals faster when he’s small and furry, doesn’t have to expend as much energy keeping his dumb human body chugging along.

So.

Michael goes to the kitchen, knocks about making breakfast for them both. He catches sight of Gavin’s buddy eyeing him from the top of the fridge and puts together a plate for him too.

“Hey,” Michael says, watching him carefully. “You want any eggs?”

He should feel stupid, talking to a cat like it can understand him. There’s always the chance it’s just a run of the mill cat, some stray that took a liking too, but with the way it’s watching him – yeah.

He’s almost certain it’s someone’s Cat. Shifted form that comes with new instincts and behaviors that according to Gavin can be hard to reconcile with their human ones sometimes. Makes things harder than they need to be no matter what form they’re in.

“Alright,” Michael says, when the damn thing doesn’t give a sign either way. “Hope you like scrambled.”

No response from the peanut gallery, so Michael gets out a small bowl to keep the eggs separate from the rest of the food in case the asshole’s allergic and sets it out for him.

Michael leaves Gavin’s food in the microwave and takes his own over to the table and sits down to check his messages while he eats.

There are some texts from the others, normal crew business. Reminders about planning meeting for their next heist, smaller jobs Geoff wants him on. Annoying shit Trevor wants him to look into – go with Gavin to smooth over some small misunderstanding with one of their allies. Partner up with Jeremy to remind some assholes who they’re working for, that kind of thing.

Jeremy’s also sent him some pictures he took from the previous night and the shit the others got up to. His personal favorite, though, has to be of the selfie Jeremy took after what looks like one hell of a fight.

Barroom brawl, more like.

Just a big, stupid grin on his face and this fucking black eye, guys twice his size face down on the floor behind him.

“Fucking moron,” Michael mutters, because of course Jeremy would take a selfie like that.

There’s a ruckus behind him, this clatterscrabblethump, and Michael doesn’t dare turn to see what caused it because he doesn’t want to spook the dumb cat. (Cat? Fuck if Michael knows.)

He keeps an ear out for sounds of distress, but when all he hears are the sound of the cat (Cat?) eating, he answers his messages.

========

Jeremy drops by a few hours later to pick Michael for a crew-sanctioned play date with some idiots.

He also has a package for Gavin from Matt. Hacker shit, or some tech he wants the idiot to look over for him, something like that anyway.

“Uh,” Jeremy says, sounding mildly concerned. “Did you know - “

Michael follows Jeremy’s gaze to where Gavin’s new bodyguard is eyeing them from his perch on top of a bookshelf. (Michael’s impressed he can climb up to those spots with a cast on one his legs.)

“Yeah,” he says, shooting the cream tabby that sprawled all over Jeremy the moment he sat down a look. “Gavin’s dumb Cat picked up a bodyguard last night.”

The fact that he didn’t try to claw Jeremy’s face off when Gavin’s Cat cozied up to Jeremy all friendly-like is a little surprising.

“Michael,” Jeremy says, disapproving tone in his voice as he scritches the tabby's chin. “Gavin said you were getting along better with his cat.”

And, see.

The annoying thing about Gavin’s Cat is that everyone else in the crew is so damn oblivious.

They’re just.

Real fucking dumb.

They know as well as Michael does that shit like magic and whatever else exist.

That there are werewolves roaming the streets of Los Santos aching for the full moon, vampires loitering behind skeevy clubs and back alleys looking for an easy target.

Assholes like Gavin and more out there, and still somehow haven’t realized there’s anything more to Gavin’s incredible luck than the ordinary despite all the proof to the contrary. That it’s just a finely tuned sense of intuition – human intuition – that allows him to just know the things he does.

(Who can be trusted, who can’t. Other things that can’t quit be put into words but aren’t normal the way most people define things.)

Think Michael let Gavin talk him into getting a cat when they found out about Gavin’s Cat because they all know he can’t say no to Gavin and have it stick. Don’t stop to wonder why the damn thing and Gavin are never in the room at the same time because Gavin insists his Cat’s shy, which is the biggest crock of shit Michael's ever heard, but whatever.

(Makes Michael wonder if there’s some low-level glamour involved in it, something Gavin isn’t even conscious of to explain it.)

Point is, Jeremy loves cats almost as much as Gavin and Lindsay, and he adores Gavin’s Cat. Doesn’t understand why Michael never uses the name Gavin came up with for it way back when. Something unbelievably British and dumb and so very Gavin. Thinks Michael still doesn’t like the damn thing given the times he’s voiced his dislike for cats.

“I mean,” Michael says, Gavin’s Cat watching him through slitted eyes so goddamned smug about Jeremy defending his honor. “I’m fine with tolerating the little fucker.”

Gavin’s Cat makes a pitiful little noise and paws at Jeremy’s leg. All sadness and sorrow on the inside or whatever, and Jeremy falls for the act the way everyone else does.

“Aww, it’s okay, buddy,” Jeremy says, slipping into the baby-talk voice he uses with anything cute and adorable. “Gavin loves you and so do I. Michael's just a grump.”

Michael rolls his eyes as Gavin’s Cat shamelessly snuggles the hell out of Jeremy, and shares a look with the black tomcat, because wow, yeah.

Bit much.

“Fun as this is,” Michael says, because hey. “Didn’t Geoff want us to deal with those idiots in Cypress Flats?”

Jeremy blinks, flush creeping along his cheeks as he looks up at Michael, still snuggling Gavin’s Cat like a moron.

“Uh, yeah,” he says, coughing to clear his throat. “That. We should go?”

Michael snorts.

“Probably a good idea, yeah.”

========

Michael likes Jeremy.

Thinks he’s a good fit for the crew, brought life to it they were missing in the wake or Ray’s departure and then some. (Kicked their asses into gear, showed them just how complacent they’d gotten over the years.)

He’s good for the crew, yeah, but goddamn is he trouble sometimes.

The assholes Trevor wanted them to deal with aren’t the intellectually gifted sort. No creative thinkers there, and Jeremy -

“You kiss your mother with that mouth, asshole?”

Michael sighs as he yanks Jeremy back behind cover and hands him a spare magazine.

“Could you maybe not?” Michael asks, because antagonizing the assholes into trying to kill them harder isn’t a great idea. “Just this once. Don’t?”

And Jeremy, because he’s just that kind of stupid, looks at Michael like he doesn’t understand what he’s talking about.

“What?”

========

Somehow, they don’t die horribly.

Luck or whatever you want to call it and an abundance of ammunition see the two of them through the goddamned shootout Jeremy got them into with only minor injuries.

“Didn’t even need that many stitches,” Michael says, watching the way Gavin’s Cat is sniffing at the fresh bandages he’s sporting. “But you know how Jack gets.”

Petty.

Vindictive.

Enjoys the suffering of others while making it sound like a valid concern or some bullshit.

The wound on Michael’s arm would have been fine with a few butterfly bandages, not the bulky, awkward thing Jack insisted on, but it’s not like Michael was going to be the one to point that out to him.

No.

He left that to Jeremy who came out of things with a busted lip and bruised ribs. This gash on his leg and looking like a fucking mummy by the time Jack was through with him.

So.

“I’m fine,” Michael says, gently flicking the damn tabby on the nose to get him to stop fussing. Glances to where the black tomcat is watching from the top of the bookshelf. “Seriously, everything’s great.”

He hurts like fuck and Geoff kicked him and Jeremy out of the penthouse. Banned them for at least a week, and now Michael’s got a pair of idiot Cats to deal with.

Gavin’s Cat trills, and Michael feels himself smile as the damn thing snuggles up next to him as some crappy movie plays on the television, sound of its purring chasing any lingering tension away.

========

The next week isn’t very exciting, what with Michael healing up from the shitshow of a job.

Gavin sticks to his furry form for most of it, flitting between annoying Michael and his new BFF.

The tomcat prefers to stay out of sight when he can, or on a perch as high as he can get with his bum leg. Keeps his distance from Michael, but as the days go by and he realizes Michael's more bark than bite that gets shorter and shorter.

Has Gavin smug as fuck when the tomcat curls up on the end of the couch one night while some terrible action movie plays on the television.

“Shut your mouth,” Michael says, and tweaks the tabby’s tail when Gavin’s Cat gives him this look.

The tomcat flicks an ear in their direction, but doesn’t seem to care about what either of them are doing.

Halfway through the movie he moves to the end of the couch under the safety of darkness and starts purring when Gavin sidles over to him.

It’s a nice thing to hear, this deep rumbling purr that has Michael drifting off before he knows it.

========

Geoff needs Gavin for a job, quick little meet and greet with potential allies and he’s sending him out with the Twins.

“Oh, Jesus Christ,” Michael says when Gavin tells him all about that. “Just when the city was recovering too.”

Latest heist behind them and rebuilding efforts just about finished, and now this.

Gavin’s rushing around getting ready before the Trevor and Alfred pick him up, but he still has time to stick his head into the living room and scowl at Michael.

“Michael,” he whines, accent mangling Michael's name in the most atrocious way. “That’s not fair, Michael.”

Gavin drums his spindly little fingers on the door frame, eyes doing this shifty back and forth as he avoids meeting Michael's gaze.

Michael, for his part, just waits. Knows Gavin can’t stand the pressure of it, and true to form he breaks a little while later.

“...Jeremy dared me,” he says quietly, like that’s any kind of excuse because Jeremy is a disaster of a human being masquerading as a responsible adult.

Trevor and Alfredo are much the same, even though they hide it better. (On their own, those two aren’t too bad. Pair them up, and you’re looking at an Incident. Toss Gavin into the mix and it’s a catastrophe.)

The black tomcat sneezes, drawing a pout out of Gavin that Michael is hard-pressed not to laugh at.

“You weren’t even there,” Gavin says, acting all indignant even though Michael can see the laughter in his eyes when he glances at Michael, mouth twitching. “You don’t get to judge.”

The tomcat yawns, showing off an impressive array of teeth and heavy judgment that sends Gavin back out of the room and down the hall in a huff.

Michael looks at the tomcat, slitted eyes and twitching tail. Seems all calm and unbothered, but Michael’s sure he isn’t.

“Don’t worry,” he says. “The city’s survived worse.”

Not...not all that reassuring, but if Los Santos is still standing after everything that’s been thrown at it over the years it can survive those idiots.

========

Los Santos at large survives Gavin and the Twins.

(A certain area in La Mesa, however, does not.)

========

Gavin’s out of town when the appointment to get the tomcat’s cast off rolls around.

The tomcat is restless, antsy and Michael is not looking forward to carting him back to the shelter.

“Okay, look,” Michael says as he sets the carrier they use for Gavin’s Cat on the kitchen table.

It makes Michael feel a little weird sometimes, but the two of them have used it on jobs before. People not realizing the sweet-faced tabby is a horrible little bastard they don’t want anywhere near their sensitive information.

“You get two choices here, buddy.” The tomcat is watching him from his favorite perch on top of the refrigerator. Not so much wary of Michael anymore as it seems to be habit. When it doubt go for height or some shit, Michael doesn’t know. “Hop in here, or if you’re going to be reasonable about things, you can have the passenger seat.”

The tomcat’s been good about things when they go the penthouse or anywhere else, but people get weird when you show up to a place like the shelter without carting your animal around in a carrier.

Weird, and super judgmental, which is annoying as fuck and Michael and Gavin don’t have the patience to deal with it anymore.

The tomcat climbs down from his perch and makes his way across the counter and the short jump to the table. Michael watches as he sniffs at the carrier, and then meows.

This affronted little thing as the tomcat looks at Michael, pointedly turning his back on the carrier.

“Yeah, okay,” Michael says. “Figured that’s what you’d pick.”

========

On the way back home, Michael glances over at the tomcat when they’re at a red light.

The tomcat’s got his front feet braced on the dash as he looks out through the windshield, watching the city around them and anxious to get back out there.

No wonder, because the poor bastard’s been stuck with Gavin and Michael while he heals up and it’s sure to driving him crazy by now. (Couple of assholes like them? Oh hell yeah.)

“Hey,” Michael says. “I know you’ve had enough of us assholes and want to get back to your life, but if you could wait until Gavin gets back to run off that would be awesome.”

Michael knows Gavin could track the fucker down again if he wanted to, but it’d save everyone’s time if he didn’t have to. (That, and Gavin’s pretty attached to the bastard.)

“I mean, hey,” Michael says, taking his foot off the brake when the light turns green. “Not like I personally give a shit, but Gavin would be annoying as fuck if you didn’t at least say goodbye.”

The tomcat flicks an ear and turns his head to look at Michael. Drops back down into the passenger seat when Michael sets his foot on the gas.

Watches Michael with those pale blue eyes and this sense of amusement Michael doesn’t appreciate one goddamned bit.

“...Fuck off, asshole.”

========

The tomcat doesn’t make a run for it the moment he can, no.

He just goes around investigating Michael and Gavin’s apartment like he hasn’t been living with them for weeks now, have the layout memorized by now. Explores every nook and cranny and gets a little daring when it comes to being in the same room with Michael.

Settles in now that he has use of all his limbs again like he’s not planning on going anywhere just yet.

“Whoa,” Michael says, when he finds it sitting just a seat cushion away from him on the couch. “How forward of you.”

The tomcat spares him a look, mild annoyance that is miles from the baleful look Michael would have gotten at the beginning of this little mess.

It’s clear the tomcat is more comfortable with Gavin, allowing the little shit to snuggle up to him in either form, but still keeps his distance with Michael.

Which, fair.

Michael chuckles and puts on another shitty movie for them to heckle the fuck out of.

========

If Gavin’s surprised the tomcat's still there when he gets back to Los Santos, he doesn’t show it.

No.

The little fucker just smiles, all soft and quietly pleased and Michael has a hard time giving him shit for it, so he keeps his trap shut.

Watches out of the corner of his eye as the tomcat goes up to him to welcome him home, deep rumbling purr filling the air and this tightness in Michael's chest.

========

When the next full moon rolls around the tomcat gets restless, antsy. Growls at Michael when he makes the mistake of getting too close. Thought the progress they’ve made towards one another would hold in the face of the way the full moon is affecting him and miscalculated.

The tomcat growls, takes a swipe at Michael with his claws out and ears flat against his head as he struggles against base instincts.

Michael apologizes as he moves back, but Gavin’s had enough.

Shifts into his Cat form and pounces on the tomcat, wrestles him down.

For a moment Michael's worried he’s being a reckless idiot again. Thinks the tomcat isn’t struggling with his instincts going a little haywire on him with the full moon affecting him the way it is – but in that weird, infuriating way of his, Gavin is right again.

The tomcat snarls and growls, lets out these noises that get at Michael's hind brain, but he doesn’t hurt Gavin’s Cat.

Bigger and stronger, more muscle to him against the tabby’s agility and nimbleness, and yet Gavin’s Cat wins. Pins the tomcat under him and this smugness to him as he looks over at Michael, purring away like an idiot.

“Fucking Christ, Gav,” Michael mutters, because he’s an idiot.

Throws himself headfirst into the worst situations and somehow comes out on top.

And sure, Michael knows the tomcat wouldn’t hurt Gavin or his Cat, but the full moon plays merry hell with shifters of all kinds. Pure animal instinct against puny human brains and everything they fuck themselves up over the years to fit in with non-shifters.

Gavin’s Cat chirrups, and gets to his feet. Backs up a little and peers down at the sullen looking tomcat. Cocks his head and – like the idiot he is – bats at the tomcat’s face before hopping backwards.

Light, playful. Silent dare in it as he back up a little more, tail up and ears forward.

The tomcat watches him for a long moment, gaze flicking to Michael and back. Unsure of what the right response is after the little scuffle, and full of restless energy he needs to work off somehow.

So.

Gavin trills, and bounces forward to bat the tomcat’s face again, and that’s what does it. Has the tomcat up on his feet and chasing Gavin around the room until they both zip through the window they always leave open just enough for a Cat to slip through and out into the city.

Michael sighs, and sets to cleaning up the mess they made of things during their brief game of tag. Shit knocked over everywhere and a goddamned disaster, but that’s nothing new with Gavin, so there’s that.

========

Michael’s chasing after another perfect game when the two idiots get back. Morning not too far away and Gavin is very much a smug asshole.

Chirps at Michael as he walks across the couch to him, head held high along with his tail and looking far too pleased with himself. The tomcat is a bit more reluctant, seems to be dragging his feet as he jumps up to the couch. Keeps more distance from Michael than he has been, like he’s concerned about Michael’s reaction to him.

Looks at him, pale blue eyes and this thing that reeks of guilt.

Nervous, almost, and then Gavin’s there.

Little noises and shoulder nudges, pushing the tomcat closer to Michael just the tiniest bit and settles himself between them, a living breathing barrier that starts purring when the tomcat butts his head against the tabby’s.

Michael watches the two of them from the corner of his eye and bites back a sigh because these assholes, okay. These fucking assholes.

========

To no one’s surprise, the tomcat disappears a few days later.

Just up and vanishes on them, not so much as a goodbye.

“Rude, innit,” Gavin says, but he doesn’t sound too broken-hearted over it, has that look to him that says he knows a secret Michael doesn’t, so Michael doesn’t worry.

========

“And then,” Geoff says, voice carrying over the muffled groans from the others, “and then Jack comes in with the Cargobob and we fly away into the sunset like assholes.”

Michael glances at Gavin, sees the smile pulling at his mouth he isn’t letting free quite yet, and knows the fucker had something to do with their latest heist. (Always does, somehow. Pieces of him all over the fucking place, and more he left behind with the Roosters.)

“Just had to stop for Starbucks, didn’t you?” Michael mutters, because they missed the best part of the briefing, didn’t get to see the new hired muscle’s reactions to it when Geoff unveiled the miniatures Geoff had mocked up for these things.

Gavin shrugs and takes a noisy sip of his drink – something stupid complicated because he knows the assholes in line behind him will equate it to Sophistication and be impressed with him or some shit.

Michael watches him as he shoves his gaudy as hell sunglasses into his hair, glint of amusement in his eye and the living embodiment of trouble.

“It’s been a long week, Michael,” he says, going hard on his accent to mangle Michael’s name. “Needed the caffeine.”

Michael shakes his head and – because manners – knocks on the conference door before shoving it open.

Takes a quick glance around to see the rest of the crew in their usual seats and Geoff standing by the whiteboard at the head of the table, pointer in hand.

The hired muscle is leaning up against the far wall, little patch of shadows cast by the fuckoff huge potted palm in the corner.

Big guy.

Distinctive leather jacket, but it’s the dumb mask that draws the eye.

Some Halloween store bullshit, edgelord supreme with the black skull and way over the top, so naturally Los Santos loves the drama of it all. People coming up with all kinds of stories about the asshole to terrify the newbies with, idiots new to town who don’t know anything about the shitshow they walked into.

The Vagabond looks over at them, gaze moving past Michael’s shoulder to land on Gavin for a moment before it settles on Michael.

Anyone else, and it would be a challenge. This fucker though?

It feels like a question.

Michael rolls his eyes and looks at the miniatures set up on the conference table, all customized and shit for each of them. (Even the Vagabond has one.)

What look like generic little toy cars for the heist vehicles, except of course for Jack’s Cargobob, because they’re all idiots.

By the looks of things the briefing has already broken down into confusion and chaos, the others poking holes into his “brilliant plan” while it’s still in the early stages. Ripe for mocking and more than ready for things like common sense and all that boring shit to be brought into the picture.

“You figure out what we’re going to do with the tank?” Michael asks, because last he heard that was a complication, ugly little snag in the heist plans no one had figured out yet and it would nice to know before they finalize anything.

Geoff clears his throat and someone has a coughing fit.

“I’ve always wanted one for myself,” the Vagabond pipes up, like that’s not a crazy thing to say. “If I take it out of the equation, do I get to keep it?”

That should really be a no, or even a hell no, based on the more reliable stories about the guy, but since this is them?

“Sure,” Geoff says, and throws his hands in the air in defeat. “Why the fuck not. Surely nothing could go wrong there.”

========

The next few weeks are taken up with heist planning. Fine-tuning Geoff’s initial plans until they’re less likely to result in the crew’s demise (fiery or otherwise) in horrible ways.

“Nice,” Michael says, when he hears their estimated odds of survival, hovering somewhere just above fifty-fifty. “I’m filled with confidence.”

Gavin rolls his eyes because he’s a rude fucker, but the Vagabond over in the corner sharpening his knives snorts.

Gavin shoots him a betrayed look the guy ignores, and Michael -

Well.

He knows why Geoff wants him around when everyone else is out doing their bit for the sake of the heist. Knows he has enough trust in the Vagabond being a professional to bring him in on the heist, and just enough paranoia that he doesn’t want to leave him alone with Gavin. (God knows Gavin could drive anyone to murder without even trying.)

Still.

The Vagabond’s a weird asshole to be sure.

Quiet and watchful and all that shit. Keeps to himself and doesn’t talk much, but he’s not what the stories make him out to be from what Michael’s seen.

Doesn’t try to intimidate any of them. Even the thing where he likes to sharpen his knives or clean his weapons isn’t...whatever the hell they should be. Feels more like a comfort thing to him, something familiar to take the edge off being in a new place surrounded by people he doesn’t know.

(The fact he seems more at ease around Gavin and Michael isn’t lost on him, though.)

“Michael, you’re such a pessimist, Michael,” Gavin mutters, like Michael should be thrilled at the fact they all stand a chance of maybe dying horribly in Geoff’s dumb heist. “Things will be fine.”

========

“Okay, look,” Michael says, only bleeding a little bit. “So you go get the car, I’ll hold them off.”

He gets a look from the Vagabond, disbelief and incredulousness and this very clear sense of no and are you crazy? and Jesus fucking Christ and the asshole hasn’t even said anything.

Michael sighs, because there are sirens in the distance getting closer and a few dead bodies scattered around them in the alley.

Also, one of the reasons he’s bleeding is gnawing on his shoelaces.

A tiny, adorable ball full of fluff of sharp little claws and teeth. Fierce protector of its siblings and ailing mother and no, those are not his heartstrings being tugged. Indigestion, maybe, because fast food plus a shootout in a gross alley don’t go well together.

“Look asshole,” Michael says, unamused by this whole...situation. “You’re the one who started fussing with the damn strays, you go get the fucking car.”

Michael will stay behind to make sure they don’t follow the idiot and (hopefully) they all get out of this before the cops show up because it would just destroy the image the Fakes have built up for themselves as badass mofos. (Like anyone ever believed that, but he knows the kinds of headlines this would get for them with fucking Risinger out there.)

The Vagabond gives Michael another look, and then sighs in much the same way Geoff does when he realized the horrible mistake he made recruiting them for his crew.

“...Fine,” the big baby huffs, and trots off to bring the car around.

Michael has to hold a kitten back when it tries to follow him. Sets the foot not being viciously attacked in front of it and gently push it back into the pile of kittens huddled around their mother who’s watching Michael.

Too sick to get up and defend her little brood, but the little calico shredding the fuck out of Michael’s shoelace is doing a damn fine job of things herself.

“Fucking hell,” Michael mutters, because this is his life now, isn’t it.

Strays all over the place and all of them a pain in his neck and Jesus Christ, if he’d known this would happen when Geoff first approached him about a job he’d have said no. (Would have been smarter, to begin with. Save himself a whole hell of a lot of heartache with the trouble the assholes in his life get into all the damn time.)

========

Sally totally doesn’t laugh at Michael when he brings mama cat and her balls of fluff in to get checked over, goodness no.

Doesn’t even bat an eye at the Vagabond standing behind Michael with his dumb mask or the lame excuse that he’s just a friend who’s going to auditions for a show later and is one of those pretentious method actor types. (Would the real Vagabond give a shit about a cardboard box of strays? Fuck no. It’s just a loser theater nerd with a soft heart.)

“Either of you get scratched or bitten?” she asks, handing the box over to a volunteer who coos at the kittens even though the calico is trying to tear through the box powered by her own righteous fury and indignation.

Michael holds up his hand to show off the scratches the calico gifted him with, and sighs as Sally continues to totally not laugh at him.

“Well,” she says, like a consummate professional. “At least you’re up to date on your rabies shots.”

That -

Yeah.

Silver lining and all that shit.

“Put it on Gavin’s tab,” Michael says, waving his uninjured hand to where the volunteer took the box of strays. “Idiot owes me after last time.”

Sally nods, likely expecting that, and leaves Michael and the Vagabond in the shelter’s waiting area until they’re done with the strays.

They could leave, sure. Trust Sally and the others here to handle the damn things, but Michael’s certain he’d have a fight on his hands if he tried that. The Vagabond’s turning out to be a stubborn bastard and after dealing with Gavin and the others as long as he has, Michael’s learned to pick his fights.

The Vagabond stays silent while they wait. Seems tense and uncomfortable here, and Michael has the feeling it’s not just due to the stares he gets.

“Hey,” Michael says, and snaps a picture of the asshole when he looks because Geoff has been texting him like crazy since Michael told him their part of this prep phase didn't go well and is concerned they’re dead in a ditch somewhere. “Geoff wants proof of life.”

The Vagabond has this – okay, Michael can’t see his face with the dumb mask in the way, so it’s more like body posture and shit – but he’s wondering why the hell he agreed to whatever job offer Geoff gave him.

Which, you know. Too damn late for that now.

========

Gavin and Jeremy make the most ungodly noises Michael’s ever heard when he and the Vagabond go back to the penthouse with a box of strays.

Mama cat’s on antibiotics for the next few weeks and her and her kittens have been cleared to go, although they’ll need to be get their shots soon.

The kittens burst out of the box the moment Michael sets it in his and Gavin’s room to give mama cat somewhere quiet to recover and a safe spot for the kittens to retreat to.

Or would, but the little brats tumble head over paw after Michael when he heads to the living room. Most of them make a beeline for the Vagabond, but a few of the stragglers go over to investigate the mystery that is Jeremy’s fashion sense and Gavin is going to run out of room on his phone with all the filming he’s doing.

Michael rolls his eyes at the idiots as he goes to tell Geoff about the bizarre day he and the Vagabond had.

“Think she’s trustworthy?” Geoff asks him, once the door shuts behind him, hint of a smile on his face.

Michael glances down to where the calico is exploring the conference room, all fluffed up like she’s expecting an enemy to pop up out of nowhere.

“Better than those assholes out there,” Michael says, because God knows they’d sell each other out for shits and giggles. Or maybe just a bag of chips.

Geoff gives Michael a look because he knows, okay, he fucking well knows.

========

They can’t have a bunch of cats at the penthouse, too much dangerous shit around and Geoff’s peace of mind at stake, but.

By the end of the first week the kittens are all claimed. Little collars on them with the name of whoever is bringing them home with them when they’re old enough written on them. (Jeremy, the absolute madman is taking three of them, because he’s trying to out crazy-cat person Lindsay.)

Gavin keeps laughing at Michael because the calico won’t fucking leave him alone, and the Vagabond?

He’s got this soft spot for mama cat, and Michael doesn’t blame him.

She was too sick at the time to scare them off from her kittens, but stubborn enough to put herself between them and the stupid humans who stumbled over them. Watched them from her hiding spot like she’d like nothing better than to tear into them if they made a wrong move, and watchful the whole time Michael and the Vagabond toted the lot of them around.

Pretty little tuxedo cat, bright green eyes and this soft meow, sweet as anything.

“My building doesn’t take pets,” the Vagabond says late one night.

Everyone’s gone home and Geoff and Jack are out schmoozing with allies, and it’s just the three of them. (Five, if you count the calico and mama cat.)

Gavin’s passed out after one too many all-nighters working on the heist, and drooling like fuck all over Michael’s shoulder. There’s a shitty made for television movie about the dangers of something or other on and the Vagabond’s brooding.

Michael glances over, sees sad panda Vagabond with mama cat on his lap, and sighs.

The Vagabond’s one of theirs now, in too deep with the crew to back out and all that shit. Made the mistake of getting attached and now he’s trapped here same as Michael, poor bastard.

The calico’s asleep next to him, sharp little claws digging into his leg every so often as she dreams or whatever it is cats do when they sleep.

“Don’t look at me,” he says, because he knows where this is headed. “I can’t stand cats.”

========

The next full moon is a little hectic, what with a heist in the works and Gavin being the general sort of lunatic he always is.

And, you know, a pair of normal cats thrown into the mix because Michael's a soft touch and the worst kind of sucker there is.

The calico’s not so quick to want a fight these days, but she’s not thrilled when the tomcat shows up out of nowhere.

Hisses and snarls and flashes her claws at him when he slips through the open window because hey, no, this is her little kingdom asshole, get the fuck out -

And then she must catch her scent because she freezes. Goes stock still for a long moment before he breaks and dashes over to where Gavin’s Cat is lounging on the back of the couch next to mama cat.

Confused as hell and seeking comfort and Michael -

“Hey, asshole,” Michael says, watching the tomcat as he ventures over. “Been a while.”

Michael gets one of those looks, and he cracks a grin as the tomcat touches noses with mama cat before greeting Gavin’s Cat.

All nice and polite and Gavin’s Cat chirps, delighted to see the tomcat show up here again after staying away for so long.

There’s this little pause, and then Gavin’s Cat reaches out to bat the tomcat on the nose, head cocked just so.

It’s been a long week for all of them, but the full moon’s got Gavin’s Cat itching to get out in the city to run amok for hours now. Restless and antsy waiting to see if the tomcat would show up for another round of wacky antics and other shenanigans.

The tomcat glances to Michael for a moment, like he’s asking permission as if that’s ever meant a damn thing when it comes to Gavin or his Cat.

Nice of him, though. Polite, unlike others Michael could name.

He looks at the tomcat, and can’t help but smile at the way the fucker holds his gaze, doesn’t look away.

Trust or something like it, and it’s worth everything in the world.

Gavin’s cat makes an impatient noise and rises to his feet, giving the tomcat a little nudge with his shoulder to get him moving towards the window.

The tomcat’s bigger and stronger than Gavin’s Cat. All these scars and marks of honor from past fights and scuffles, and he still lets the little bastard push him around, all amused about it.

Michael snorts because they make quite the pair, and shares a look with mama cat and the calico. They might just be normal cats, but they know idiots when they see them.

“Just try not to set anything on fire,” Michael calls after them, and listens to the pitter-patter of little feet out to wreak havoc in the city as they make their way up the fire escape.

========

Michael wakes up to the smell of cooking bacon, and is instantly suspicious.

Gavin knows the basics off cooking, can (mostly) boil water without burning it, but generally speaking he’s not an early riser. Sure as fuck wouldn’t bother cooking breakfast when he can grab some at the place down the street or cajole (annoy) Michael into cooking for him.

And, like he knew he would, he passes Gavin sacked out on the living room couch with mama cat curled up against his side and the calico on his chest.

Curiosity piqued, Michael pokes his head into the kitchen to see some asshole standing over their stove frowning at the pan of bacon he’s cooking.

Michael should be concerned about some stranger breaking into their place to...cook bacon, but whatever.

It's too early for the dramatics and the guy has a decent enough face.

Nothing to write home about, but it’s not horrendous or anything.

The guy doesn’t seem to have noticed Michael’s presence, so it gives him a chance to take in the finer details or some bullshit like that.

Decent face, and the guy’s hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail. He’s clutching a can of diet soda in one hand like it’s a lifeline.

“Hey,” Michael says, because the only reason they have that shit on hand is for when the Vagabond comes over to visit mama cat. “You look like hell.”

The guy blinks, and frowns harder at the bacon sizzling away like he thinks it’s talking to him, and then he seems to realize what an absurd thing that would be and looks over at Michael.

Has this moment where it’s obvious there’s nothing going on upstairs, and then -

“Well that’s just rude,” the guy says, familiar voice and the lightest dash of sarcasm ever. “Good morning to you too.”

Michael hmms, and decides someone needs to start the coffee since this idiot doesn’t touch the stuff unless it’s a last resort.

“You idiots have fun last night?” he asks as he measures out the grounds and fills the coffee maker reservoir, something comforting to the routine of it all. “Or should I just watch the news?”

The guy mumbles something too low for Michael to make out, and going by the blush that hits his cheeks, Michael’s betting he doesn’t want to turn the news on just yet. Might want to wait on that, or until one of the others calls to see if he knows anything about whatever happened.

So.

“You have a name?”

Oh, Michael knows who the asshole is, but seeing as he’s not wearing the stupid mask right now it feels wrong to call him the Vagabond.

Michael gets an exasperated sigh, but hey, not his fault the asshole keeps coming back for more, now is it?

“...Ryan,” he says after a long moment, another show of trust Michael hasn’t done a damn thing to earn. “It’s Ryan.”

Not the kind of name you’d expect for someone with a reputation like the Vagabond, but this sleepy looking asshole? Yeah, Michael can see it.

“Bacon’s starting to burn,” Michael says, because Ryan’s got this wary look to him now. Expecting God knows what now that he’s given up another piece of himself like this.

Ryan swears under his breath as he takes the pan off the burner and salvages what he can.

Michael pulls up a chair to enjoy his coffee and listen to Ryan muttering to himself as he finishes making breakfast. He’s got a few missed calls and messages to go over, and it’s a rare moment of quiet before the others come looking for food, so he’ll make the most of it while he can.

========

“For a guy who hates cats as much as you do, you’ve got quite the collection,” Jeremy says, teasing the calico with a piece of string.

Michael grunts, because the tomcat is heavy as fuck and kneading the hell out of Michael’s legs as he settles in for the long haul.

Gavin’s Cat is sprawled over Jeremy’s legs and mama cat is curled up in the bed someone got her a while back. The calico is being what can only be described as rambunctious because Jeremy loves to rile her up when he comes over for shitty movie night.

“Yeah, well,” Michael shrugs because Jeremy and the others are still idiots who have no damn clue about anything and Michael’s just as dumb in his own way because this isn’t completely terrible. “Life’s a bitch like that.”

#mavin #mavinwood #(they're getting there)#ragehappy #touch not the cat #vagrant fic #omg i'm finally done with this #idek what it is anymore? but yes #i know you've done it before #\o/#werecat aus

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blueboxesandtrafficcones · 7 years

Text

Presents

Sometimes, the best gift you can give is yourself.

Day 25 of 31 Days of Ficmas - Presents. @doctorroseprompts

13xRose, TenTooxRose

This is based on a prompt from a nonny, and got a bit wordy (juuuuuust shy of 3k). SPOILERS FOR TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS. You have been warned. The prompt was: 13 x Rose - Presents - Clean - 13 visits Rose in Pete's World

@timepetalsprompts - Bingo - Piper, Mum!Billie, sapphic characters; characters, 13′s suspenders, Capaldi’s eyebrows (mentioned), every Doctor loving Rose.

Ficmas Masterlist 2017, Day 25

AO3

“Sarah!” Rose called desperately, dashing around the playground. Two seconds she’d taken her eyes off her daughter to answer her mother’s text, and the little girl had gone and disappeared.

“Sarah!” She spun desperately, panic clawing in her throat as she searched.

“Mummy!” She heard her daughter exclaim happily, and she turned to see her walking towards her, eating chips and holding a woman’s hand.

“Sarah!” Rose almost collapsed in relief, scooping up her daughter and clutching her tight. “Don’t you know rule number one?”

The little girl merely shrugged in her arms, and Rose could already hear the Doctor complaining about them being two peas in a wandering-off pod.

“She’s alright, hadn’t gotten far,” the woman who’d found her spoke up, and Rose got her first proper look at her.

She startled slightly, surprised at how much the woman looked like, well, her. Average height and lean but not a stick, with peroxide blonde hair and kind hazel eyes. Rose could certainly understand if Sarah had confused the two – except for the woman’s outfit.

“Thank you,” Rose said gratefully, tearing her eyes away from the… unique combination to look her in the eyes.

“Of course,” she said reassuringly, and there was something about her that tickled Rose’s instincts.

“Hang on!” Rose blurted, looking down at her daughter who was happily munching the last of her chips. “Where’d the chips come from?”

“Ah, that was me. I had already purchased them, but she gave me the look, you know?” The woman said sheepishly as she grimaced slightly.

“Well, thank you,” Rose settled for, resolved to remind her daughter again about not accepting things from strangers.

“You’re welcome.”

The woman’s stare should have unnerved her, but there was something about her that Rose couldn’t quite put her finger on.

“Thank you!” Sarah chirped, licking the last of the vinegar from her fingers.

“You’re very welcome, Miss Tyler,” she stooped to be at eye level with the little girl. “Now, hasn’t Daddy told you a thousand times ‘don’t wander off’?”

The combination of the words and that northern accent sent a spark zipping through Rose’s blood as she suddenly understood.

Her gasp must have clued in the woman, who straightened up to smile at Rose.

“Rose Tyler,” they said, and Rose’s breath hitched.

“Doctor,” she whispered in reply, and the Time Lord in front of her smiled wider.

“Not gonna make me prove it?”

Rose slowly shook her head, trying to take it in. “What…”

“Mummy, Tony and Nana are here, can I go play?” Sarah interrupted, and Rose set the girl on the ground without looking away from the Doctor.

Once they were alone, Rose gave a disbelieving laugh. “I thought the walls were closed.”

“They are,” the Doctor shrugged. “Except they’re not. It’s complicated. A lot’s happened.”

“How long-”

“Fifteen hundred years. Give or take. I honestly don’t know anymore,” they shrugged again, stuffing their hands in their pockets.

“Right.”

“Wait, how’d you know it was me?” The Doctor asked, blinking when Rose laughed.

“Well, the outfit, and ‘don’t wander off’, and the way you said my name, and… it’s you and me. How could I not?”

“Are you happy?” They asked abruptly.

“Course. I’ve got you,” Rose replied simply.

“I mean in general,” the Doctor rolled their eyes at her.

“Yeah. I’ve got you,” she repeated. “Are you?”

Their lips twisted into a bitter smile. “I haven’t got you. Or anyone, really.”

“You’re on your own?” Rose’s disappointment cut through them like a hot knife.

“Yeah. I was settled, if you can believe it, though restless. Obviously. I had a friend travelling with me – Bill. But she’s… gone. Everyone’s gone. Again.”

“Oh, Doctor,” Rose sighed, stepping forward to wrap her arms around them. The Doctor clung to her, desperately fighting the urge to take her hand and run back to the TARDIS and take her away again.

“I’m so tired,” they whispered, burying their face in her shoulder; it was the first time they were at the right height standing up to do so.

“Can you stay?” Rose asked, and they tensed. “Never mind, forget I asked. Though you can, if you like.”

Rose merely held them tight, rubbing soothing circles into their back. Finally she asked, “How many?”

“Companions or regenerations?”

“Both,” she shrugged. “Either.”

“This is the, uh, third body I think. Brand new. As for companions – a couple. No one full-time, though. Not really.”

Rose nodded, before what she’d said earlier sank in. “Did you say Bill?”

The Doctor blinked at her. “Yeah?”

“Like from that time I met the you with the impressive eyebrows in that bar in Bristol?”

The Time Lords eyes lit up, and a slow smile grew on their face. “You remember that?”

“Mmhmm,” she batted her eyelashes. “Pretty fit, that body was.”

The Doctor laughed. “Glad you thought so. That was the previous me. There was a fellow between – very young, not that different from sandshoes. Floppy brown hair, awful fashion sense.”

“Which doesn’t apply to this you,” Rose said seriously, and they frowned.

“This is a spectacular outfit!”

“Course it is, the suspenders really make it, love,” Rose soothed, and they both paused at the endearment.

“Doctor?”

“Mhmm?”

“Why are you here?”

The Doctor sighed heavily, finally pulling back from their hug. “Can we sit?” Once settled, they sighed again, taking Rose’s hand. “I struggled with this regeneration,” they shared hesitantly. “It took meeting myself – my original self – to get me sorted. That was a bit of a thing – but something that came up was the question of what makes one, them? Is it memories? If, say, some artificial being has all your memories – are they you? Or are they just something with your memories? And that made me think of the metacrisis, and you, and I just… I needed to know you were happy.”

“I am,” Rose promised softly. “So happy. Even when the toaster settings change the telly station and the light switch starts the kettle and kicking the front door turns the oven on.”

“That coral I gave you…”

“Took a couple years,” Rose confirmed. “But Donna’s advice was solid, and she’s been up and running for about three years now.”

“Good,” they relaxed marginally. “I want you to be happy.”

“What about you?” Rose challenged. “You don’t sound happy.”

“I’m so tired of losing,” they confessed on a whisper. “Every time, I promise myself I won’t let them down, but ultimately I do. Then I promise not to let anyone that close again, and I always do. You’d think I’d learn.”

She hummed in sympathy. “I’m not gonna give you any awful platitudes, or try to spin that. It sucks. But you’re strong, and I can guarantee that most if not all of your companions would, given the choice, pick you over the safe life any day.”

“Really?” The Doctor asked skeptically.

Rose shrugged. “I would. Mickey would’ve. Sarah Jane, I think. Jack.”

“Yeah, but none of you died,” they said bitterly. “Bill, she got converted to a cyberman by the Master. And Clara, she became too much like me, and died for it as well. The Ponds, well, let’s not go there. You think any of them would say that?”

“Maybe,” Rose dismissed, “maybe not. No way to know. But they all – we all – chose to travel with you. We all accepted this life. Especially if they weren’t full time. Could say no at any point.”

The Doctor nodded slowly. “I suppose.”

“How long are you here for?” Rose asked abruptly.

“Twelve hours before I have to go back. Why?”

“Come on,” she stood, extending her hand. “Care to explore with me?”

“Rose…” they hedged, even as Kazran’s words echoed faintly in the back of their mind. “All right.”

She beamed back, that wide, tongue-touched grin that set their hearts pounding like always. “Allons-y!”

They got about five steps towards the park exit before Rose stopped in her tracks. “Wait!” She spun, seeking Jackie only to find her mum already staring at her with a perplexed look on her face. “I’ll be right back.”

Before the Doctor could respond, Rose dropped their hand and jogged over Jackie, talking quickly before calling a goodbye to her daughter and coming back to them.

“All good,” she said cheerfully as she pulled them out of the park and into the city. “Where do you want to start?”

“-and I said, ‘I am younger!’” the Doctor shared, smiling as Rose almost fell over in laughter. They were cuddled together on the Eye, ignoring the view of London in favor of each other. They’d made an effort to keep it lighthearted, and spent their hours together telling stories; Rose had been able to greatly appreciate the Ponds’ suffering during the year of the Cubes, and had not provided the sympathy the Doctor’s obviously been hoping for in relating the tale.

“And what did you, the first you, say?”

“Nothing, we got distracted – shocker, I know. But still!”

Rose just giggled, smiling fondly at them. It had been as though no time had passed for either of them, though the Doctor did have to keep reminding themself that Rose was living with that them day in and day out.

“You know I’ve come to love my life, our life, but there are days when I miss that,” she murmured. “Being able to take off, no responsibilities or obligations. I wouldn’t trade my kids, but to be able to throw myself headlong into the fun without worrying about coming home to them? Those days were pretty great.”

“But you travel, you said,” the Doctor pointed out.

“Well, yeah, and we still go off and save planets and lead rebellions and do all the usual things, but those are carefully scheduled around meetings and conferences and Sarah’s bedtime and dance classes. We’ve got roots. And sometimes they’re wonderful things keeping us grounded, and other times, well, we haven’t changed that much.”

The Doctor sighed. “I always knew there’d come a time when you’d rather settle down, lead a normal life. Everyone does.”

Rose shook her head. “No. Not like that, at least. I still love the travelling, I’d do it more if we could. But I like our life, and the roots. Usually. But a trip is as likely to be going to take Sarah for a history lesson as it is to find trouble. It’s not the mortgage and carpets and doors that terrified you on Krop Tor, but it’s not spending all our time on the TARDIS in the vortex either. It’s a balance.”

They nodded, just pulling her tighter to them. “Still miss you.”

“Me too,” Rose promised, before jerking up. “Hang on, how long ago was that for you?”

The Doctor made a face, encouraging Rose’s head back to their shoulder. “Six months?”

“Blimey,” she breathed. “That was almost a decade ago.”

They shrugged. “Time machine. In the, what, ten seconds between when you said no and I came back it was about, oh, three months or so for me?”

“Really?”

“Mmhmm. Couldn’t stop thinking about you, though.”

“Didn’t know that,” Rose murmured.

The Doctor let that pass, just enjoying the long-forgotten feel of Rose pressed against them.

“So, did you say something earlier about making friends with a Dalek?”

The Doctor couldn’t help it; they burst into laughter.

“Right, so, Clara was travelling with me at the time…”

“Thank you,” the Doctor said abruptly as they neared the TARDIS.

“For what?”

“Spending today with me. Being you.” They shrugged, making Rose smile.

“I always like spending the day with you – any you.” She bit her lip, glancing around before whispering, “Shame we couldn’t spend the night.”

The Doctor laughed, loudly, pulling her close. “Probably not a good idea.”

“Cause we’re both known for doing the smart thing,” she scoffed, letting her arms wrap around their neck as theirs came around her waist.

“Rose Tyler,” they said fondly, and she gave them that smile.

“My Doctor.”

They brushed a strand of hair from her face, fingers lingering on her cheek. “I still love you.”

“I still love you. I promised you, remember? Every you, no matter what you looked like, so long as you looked at me the same, still said my name that way you do. Yes, I love the Doctor who’s here with me, of course I do. And I still love you too. You’re all the same man – er, person? – to me. You’re all the Doctor.”

“So, you’re saying if we switched places you wouldn’t be bothered at all?”

“Well…” she drew out the word in consideration. “I do have him rather well-trained to bring me tea in the morning, and put the seat down. But I’m not saying you can’t, you know, audition,” she teased.

They rolled their eyes, not bothering to hide a smile. “If you insist.”

Cradling Rose’s face gently they brought their face to hers, pausing a moment for Rose to push back if she so chose. When she didn’t, only puckering up, the Doctor pressed their mouth to hers.

A bomb could have gone off, and Rose would have never noticed. She’d never kissed a woman before, but she had kissed the Doctor and it was still the same. Different, softer lips, but the pressure and taste were the same as they’d always been, and she let out a slight moan as their tongues brushed.

A throat clearing behind them yanked them out of the moment, and Rose looked over their shoulder to see her husband leaning against the TARDIS, arms folded.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said dryly, “but the Cloister Bell’s been ringing for a solid minute now.” The unspoken so you should go was loud and clear, and the Doctor huffed.

“Fine, be selfish,” they complained. “Not like you get her forever, or anything. I can’t have five minutes?”

“Sorry,” he shrugged. “I don’t make the rules.”

The Doctor sighed, taking Rose’s hand and leading her to the ship. “I spent the day not a week ago arguing with another previous self; I can’t put up with you as well.”

The Metacrisis Doctor raised his eyebrows at that revelation. “You’ve been busy, then.”

They shrugged, inserting the key into the lock. “Rose’ll tell you how I’ve been trying to keep out of trouble.”

“Ha!” she snorted. “Is that what you call it?”

“Hey! Trouble’s really been just the bits in between,” they insisted. “At least lately. Guess I’m back to the drawing board, again. Ugh,” they grimaced at the thought. “Scratch that. Chalk board has got to go. Time for a renovation, I suppose.”

“Can I see?” Rose blurted, stepping forward.

“Uh…” they grimaced again, peeking inside. “It’s pretty torn up. It was a nasty regeneration. I put it off too long. Again.”

“Again?”

“For obvious reasons it was hard to let go of stupidhair over there. I put it off, ran some errands. Had to redo the whole console room. I think it’s the same this time.”

“Still, please?” Rose asked, ignoring her husband’s spluttering at the insult to his hair.

“Fine, but not inside. She misses you too, and I can’t promise she won’t try to kidnap you. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

They stepped inside the door, holding it open for Rose to peek her head in. Her Doctor, still muttering under his breath, leaned in over her head to see as well.

“I don’t like it,” he announced as he made a face.

“I don’t either,” Rose said seriously, and the Doctor’s face fell. “I love it!” She beamed, and they lit up as well.

The Cloister Bell tolled once again, and they sighed sadly.

“That’s my cue, I think. No point in getting stuck here – the whole point of regenerating was to be around to save that universe.”

“Goodbye, love,” Rose stepped forward, pressing another kiss to their lips. “Don’t be afraid to accept the happiness you find, and don’t regret it no matter how it ends.”

“Yes, dear,” they sighed, burning the image of her into their mind. “Doctor.”

“Doctor,” he replied, sticking out his hand.

“Take care of her. Treasure her.” They shook hands.

“Course,” he replied easily. “We take care of each other.”

“Whenever you think you hate this life, just remember – it’s been fifteen hundred years for me since we said goodbye.”

The reminder sobered him, and he wrapped his arm around Rose’s shoulders, pulling her close. “I’ve never hated it, and I’ve never forgotten.”

The sound of the engines firing up broke the Doctor’s trance as they tried to absorb the last view of Rose. “Have a brilliant life, yeah? For me?”

“You too,” Rose ordered, smiling brightly. “Do it for me. And Bill, and Clara, and the Ponds. And go visit your friends. I bet Sarah’d like to see you.”

“Maybe I will,” they agreed, gaze darting back nervously towards the console, eyes widening at the way the rotor was beginning to churn. “Goodbye, Rose.”

“Goodbye, Doctor,” she said, smiling as the doors slammed shut and the ship began to materialize. She was still smiling until the sound of the engines faded, at which point she burst into tears and buried her face in her husband’s shoulder.

“Shh, it’s all right,” he soothed, wrapping her in a hug.

“I love you,” she mumbled against his shoulder.

“I love you too. With everything that I am,” he promised in return. He was slightly surprised to realize that he didn’t feel any regret or envy for the now-gone timeship. He had a feeling that when Rose shared what stories she’d been told, he’d be more grateful than usual for the life he lived.

The other Doctor might have all the perks of being a Time Lord, but he had Rose and in the end, which was the better fate?

The look on that Doctor’s face as they left confirmed what he already knew.

There was no better fate than spending forever with Rose Tyler.

#bbatcfic #timepetalscollective #doctorroseprompts #31 days of ficmas #ficandchips #spoilers #twice upon a time #tuat #dw spoilers #13xrose #TenTooxRose #kid!fic #this got really long #presents #31 Days of Ficmas 2017

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ladywhaiyvern · 4 years

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Musings of An Otaku #6- Worldly Potato Chips

This won’t be a typical musing from a form of entertainment. Not a video game, not an anime, not a manga, etc. Nope. Deals with food! My favorite type of snack food! Potato chips or crisps. Doesn’t matter what you call them- they can be delicious.

Now here in the States (especially the midwest and the actual mitten-shaped state) we seem to have the same consensus on what a potato chip is. Thin, deep fried potato usually seasoned with salt or some sort of other flavoring. BBQ flavors- sure! Ranch flavor- why not! Salt and vinegar- yum! Cheddar and sour cream- oh yeah! Sour Cream and Onion- Yuppers! Even bizarre flavors have popped up- dill pickle, chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy. Not my cup of tea for chip flavors but to each his own. Some are wavy, others are not. Some have ruffles….which is just a fancy way of saying wavy. All of which are typically pretty darn grease-laden and leave your hands with the slippy feeling, glossy sheen of whatever oil they fried them in, topped with a layer of powdered flavoring.

This is the one thing that I absolutely hate about American potato chips. Why so greasy? I shouldn’t set down a single chip on a napkin or paper towel- walk away for less than a minute, come back and see said napkin or towel with a large greasy spot forming under the chip. Shit, I’m pretty sure if I set up a time lapse video- one could prolly watch it slowly extend its way outward. This would be like watching paint dry or grass grow. Pointless and a time-waster.

Sure, we have the different cooked styles like the baked chips and the kettle cooked chips that do not leave your hands feeling this disgusting after consuming and come in some of the same said flavors as regular chips. But a damn baked chip tastes more like a baked corn chip then a potato chip. Yeah, they are healthier but it sometimes feels like I’m biting into a small piece of cardboard enhanced with flavoring. I don’t think the kettle chips are healthier by any means but what do I know. I’m no potato chip scientist. Just an enthusiast. They are on the more crunchier side and tend to have a shit ton more “fold-over” chips in the midst. IMHO, those are the best chips! Still a little on the oily side but definitely NOT as grease-laden as regular potato chips.

It all depends on the brand as well. Big name brands like Lay’s are notorious for being greasy as all get out. Store brands like Kroger, Meijer, etc. are just as bad. Better Made and other local Michigan chip makers (as there are quite a few of them now) vary in between being mildly oil covered to not even having a single drop on them. How do they make that even possible and why can't big name chip makers go that route?

For the past 6 months, I have been receiving the snack-food subscription box from Universal Yums. OMFG! Both the best and worst decision ever! Monthly subscription box sent to your door filled with snack goodies from different countries from around the world. Now you damn well know the Cultural Anthropologist in me is jumping up and down like a giddy child on Christmas morning. It’s like playing “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?”, only instead of following Carmen around the world to catch her, you're following a trail of snack foods to the country they are from. “Where in the World is Universal Yum?” Hmm…...I’ve got connections to Rockapella….maybe they can give a new jingle! LOL!

Also, during these same said months I have also been part of another snack-food subscription box. Japan Crate. This one- only hailing from Japan…...obviously. This one is typically filled with Japanese snack goodies ranging from salty to sweet. Usually more of the sweeter items then salty. Which disappoints me to no end because I absolutely love salty snacks more than I do sweet. And being an otaku since the late-90’s, I have already tasted and tried a good majority of these sweets. Thank you, local Asain markets and the long gone Anime store here in Michigan- Wizzywigs. Shit now you can walk into brick and mortar stores and pick up a box of Pocky and bottle of ramune. Now….do not even get me started on this American ramune that you can purchase from Meijer or even GameStop. It’s obviously bottled and manufactured here and not imported. It sure as hell does not taste the same and have that same satisfying fizz and flavor as ones I have drank years upon years ago. BUT! This is about potato chips and not Japanese sweets and drinks. These boxes will sometimes feature a bag of flavored chips. One said box contained a bag of sour cream and onion chips.

In all seriousness- well about as serious as a musing on a snack food can get; almost every single month I have gotten said potato crisps/chips from said different countries. England, Scotland, Egypt, Russia, Columbia, Italy, Taiwan. And each one, no matter what country or what flavor- all have the same consistency. They sure as hell are not thin ass pieces of paper like what you get here. It’s got some bulk to it! It’s crunchy. It’s crispy. IT”S NOT FULL OF GREASE!! It gives you that satisfying crunch when you bite into it. Like how a chip is supposed to taste and feel as you bite into it.

Your lips lightly graze the surface of the chip and do not become painted in oily dissatisfaction. Your lips thank you as you start to taste the seasoning mixed with an actual hint of potato. Your fingers are surprisingly dry after you eat the rest of the chip. Yes, you still notice flavoring powder left over on said fingertips but you sure as hell don’t feel guilty licking that off. As you reach your hand into the bag to grab another handful, you can actually grasp chips and hold onto them. You're not fishing your hand around inside the bag trying to pick up a handful of what feels like wet moving chips. Another thing that is worth mentioning, is that you do not feel an oily, greasy feeling on the tops of your fingers or hand after it scrapes across the sides of the bag when entering and exiting.

How are all these chip/crisp manufacturing places around the world able to accomplish this task? And yet, here in the good ol’ United States- we are still stuck on selling this crap. This super greasy, super oil laden thin ass fake tasting snack food. Why do we have to pay more for said snack food to not be this way? Why the hell do we have to import them from other countries to have them taste better (in most cases) then what is purchased here? Yes, I have tried some not too flavorful crisps. Haggis and Black Pepper?! Black Truffle Flavor? Not my cup of tea at all. But you know what it did have regardless. That thick ass crisp with a satisfying crunch.

I honestly think after trying crisps from all over the world, I have become a bonafide chip snob. The more chips that I encounter from different regions of the world, the more and more I am disliking the chips here in America. But this is AMERICA!! They have to be good! Whatever- as someone who was born and raised here and grew up eating the chips sold here I can honestly say that America- your chips suck ass! Sorry, not sorry at all!

#musings #snacks #world of yum #World of nom #world snacks #yums #potato chips #potato crisps #rants #cultural anthropology #random thoughts #random musing

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trywithpopchips-blog · 6 years

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Try With PopChips

Are you avoiding your favorite snacks because of its unhealthy? Do you have cravings for chips but you are on diet and not being able to eat the family pack of your favorite snacks? We all know that packed and frozen foods are not good for our health. Some of us planned to start avoiding crackers but its not quite easy because everyone loves to eat crunchy and spicy snacks. Packed food is usually made with deep frying and has low-quality ingredients. Especially when we talk about most favorite snacks of people from every age the first thought comes in our mind is chips. Chips are the most demanded snack all over the world but some brands In fact mostly brands make our favorite snacks with low-quality materials. These products having nothing but junks and unhealthy stuff to disturb our metabolism. But still, we have some high-quality crackers to treat our self on snacks time.PopChips is also famous and most demanded snack which has many unique flavors. This product is famous for its healthy composition. PopChips are usually said as its a snack for those who can afford it. But its total roamer this product is pocket-friendly but the stock may be limited because it is special.

What is PopChips?

PopChips is a brand of chips basically made with potato and corns. These are not simple or local chips it's a high-quality brand which has made this with certified methods of packed food processing.

Who has invited this magical formula?

Mainly the idea of this matchless snacks comes in Keith Belling ’s mind and he teamed up with Patrick Turpin to act upon this delicious plan.

History of PopChips:

In 2007 Keith Belling who is also a co-founder of PopChips teamed up with Patrick Turpin and they created this amazing and yummy product and name this product PopChips.

What is the science behind the name of this product?

Keith thought that this invention should be named with a classical and matchless combination of words. He named it PopChips on this scenario that cravings to eat this snack will pop up instantly if someone tastes at once. And the second and basic reason for this name is that pop chips are made with popping method.

What is popping?

Popping is a process to cook food without using oil. In this method, the manufacturer uses high-quality equipment to maintain certain pressure and provide the required temperature to allow the food to cook or bake nicely.

What is the main method of making these amazing chips?

From day one PopChips are prepared in high quality and certified methods of cooking light snacks. These PopChips made by slicing and crashing the potato and corn and press it with high pressure and then cooked at high temperature with high-quality equipment. This method of cooking is known as popping.

Claims:

PopChips are a crunchy and delicious snack. The manufacturer says that everyone who eats this snack once will fall in love with the product. They also claim that: It is totally oil free It contains no saturated fats It is 100% chemical free

Is it true that pop chips are a blessing for the people on diet??

Yes!! You heard right PopChips is a blessing for the people on diet and struggling to get rid of from extra fat. Usually, we match the packed food with oil and fat but when it comes to PopChips it is totally safe for dieting. The reason is first it is made with healthy and tested ingredients, secondly, because its oil free and fat-free it will reduce your food craving as you eat this and it makes you feel full so the intake of others junks will automatically decrease. PopChips are scientifically lower in calories and saturated fat so its safe for your diet.

What is the secret of this crunchy snack?

PopChips also consider as a most daring brand because they have mentioned all of the information about the ingredients on the back of its packing. This delicious snack has: Dried potatoes Rice flour Sunflower oil Seasoning( sugar, brown sugar, salt, yeast, smoke flavor, paprika, torula, citric acid, spices, tomato powder, garlic powder, onion powder) Cornstarch Potato starch PopChips also declared the percentage of the calories and other essential components of the product such as: Calories 120 Fat 4g Sodium 190 mg Carbohydrates 19g Protein 1g Saturated fat 0 Fibber 1 g

Award list:

PopChips have a long list of awards the company wins many awards in regards to using the right and healthy way to prepare it. The manufacturer said that they work day and night to polish our brand. It's true because everyone can clearly see the success of the award list of PopChips. The product won many awards since 2007 such as: Best crispy snack for kids- Best chips- Real simple Best chips under 100 calories- Not this, Not that(magazine) Outstanding snack- Sofi awards Best snack- Shape(magazine) Best potato chips- Men’s health(magazine) Best low calories snacks Good housekeeping(magazine) #1 potato chips kiwi(magazine) Best chips- Health(magazine) One of the most 8 addicting snacks- Foods-Yahoo&shine Best crunchy snack- slash food

Flavors:

PopChips offers a variety of flavors such as:

Potato:

Sour cream& onion Cheddar cheese Barbeque Sea salt and vinegar Parmesan and garlic Jalapenos Ketchup Thai sweet chili Sweet potato Cheddar and sour cream Chile lime Crazy hot Salt and pepper Tortilla: Chilli lemon Ranch Salsa Nacho cheese Corn: Katy’s kettle corn

So how long PopChips stay fresh?

PopChips can stay fresh in a seal pack bag for up to 12 months. And in case if you have self-resistance on its peak and you can store it in your cupboard then you can store it for 1 month in an open pack but we suggest you clip the seal to store it longer.

Where is the headquarter of PopChips and when it was formed for official use?

The headquarter of PopChips is in Southern California and it was formed in November 2007 for official use right after two months of the first successful the production of PopChips.

How many chips the does company retail in a year?

In the first 5 years when the brand was not so known the company retails about 5 million chips. In the year of 2012, the demand of PopChips increase gradually and overall sale become 15 million chips which were a great achievement for the company and then the sale increase from 15 million to 30 in between 2012 to 16 and for now the overall sale of the year is about 242 million chips.

Is it available in the market?

For now, PopChips are available locally in a few places such as: United States Canada United Kingdom

Pros of eating PopChips:

You don’t have to worry about fat It has 15+ flavors Diet friendly Tested and chemical free Have no filler or chemical in it You can customize your order

Cons:

You can not found it easily because its only available in 20 countries No money back guarantee It's not pocket-friendly

Conclusion:

PopChips is high-quality chips brand. This snack is safe for the people of every age. This crunchy formula has been invented by Keith Belling with the help of Patrick Turpin. The product is made with popping. This delicious brand is not available easily its majorly an online product.

Is there any reaction or side effects?

Apparently, PopChips are like simple and delicious snacks with a spicy crunch. But if you are allergic from seasoning and sunflower oils then you may experience: Red and dry spots on your body High blood pressure

Precautions:

Read the manufacturing and expiry date before eating Do not eat and return if the expiry date is near Avoid eating if you are allergic to paprika and another seasoning You can eat only a 3ounce pack in a day otherwise you may suffer from high blood pressure due to carbs Return and complain if found the security seal open or broken Do not trust any duplicate brand Use a clip to close the seal of the pack to preserve it for future You can store an open bag of PopChips for a month Give proper information before order Keep it at a cool and dry place

How to get this crunchy snack?

PopChips are available online and you can order your package from the there official website PopChips.com. You can get your bag in some easy steps: Simply go to the official website any retailing &online marketing store. Search for the required product Customize your order like how much packs you want to order or which flavor you want to have Read the terms and conditions for order Place your order Give required information about yourself and give a valid phone number so they can contact you if required Wait for the shipment Receive your order and enjoy it with your favorite movie. Read the full article

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outlawbarbiex · 7 years

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I used to do these fuckin’ things constantly. Let’s kill some time while my laundry is drying. :P

What’s your favourite cereal? I’m not a huge cereal person, but my favorite would probably be frosted shredded wheat.

Is there a bus stop near your house? Yeah, I’m sure.

Do you prefer red wine or white wine? Red.

What’s the last airport you were at? Why were you there? Probably Nashville’s airport. I think I was there when I went to visit Tiffany in Orlando a few years ago.

Who do you live with? I recently moved in with my boyfriend and his mom.

Do you read reddit? If so, how often and what subreddits do you like? Yeah, sometimes. A good friend of mine got me on it a year or so ago. My favorite sub is probably Let’s Not Meet.

Have you recently broken up with a significant other or even just a friend? Yes, actually. I ended a seven-year relationship about a month ago.

What’s the weather like today? Is it nice enough to go outside? It’s cloudy and sprinkling, but still feels rather nice.

Do you know anyone who’s had a baby recently? Not that I can think of.

Have you used a pen or pencil today? What did you write down? No.

What does your last text message say and who is it from? Tiffany said, “Ironically looked at his twitter yesterday and he had in his bio ‘don’t cry at my funeral’ or some Shit. I was like uhh 0.0 I’m hurting for her :/ I kno she loved him.”

Can you count how many times you’ve seen your favourite film? No, I can’t. I’m not even sure I could pick just one favorite.

When was the last time you ate marshmallows? It’s been a long time. I’m not a fan.

Do you listen to any podcasts? How do you listen to them? No.

How old will you be in the year 2030? 38. Ew.

How often does the kettle in your house get used? I’ve never seen them use a kettle.

Does your skin bruise easily? Do you have any bruises right now? What from? Hahaha. I have some bruises and hickeys. 😉

What was the last thing you spent $150 or more on? Fuckin’ bills and groceries. Other than that, probably makeup.

Do you prefer yes or no questions or more open-ended questions? I like both.

What brand of toilet paper do you usually buy? Quilted Northern.

If I knocked on your door right now, would you be acceptable dressed? For sitting at home, yeah. I’m in a tank top and pajama shorts, as always

Why did you leave your last job? I moved back to Nashville.

What colour were the last socks you wore? Black.

Have you ever eaten at a restaurant and left without paying? Once, but I went back and paid the following day.

What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud? Darrell trying to act like he was pissy with me.

What’s your favourite scent of air freshener? Um, I’m not sure if I really have a favorite.

How many weddings have you ever been to? Five or so.

Do you know anyone named Nora? No.

Are your hands and feet in good condition or could you do with a mani-pedi? I could use a mani-pedi. The polish is chipping off pretty badly, especially on my fingernails. I’m awful at painting them.

When was the last time you played a board game? What did you play? I’m not sure, which means it’s been far too long. I love board games.

How old were you when you first became sexually active? 15.

Have you ever been to a festival for beer or other type of alcohol? I think so.

Do you own a record player and/or vinyls? No. I had a few vinyls, but I left them with my ex.

When was the last time you went out for drinks? A couple of weeks ago, I think. I typically drink at home.

Have you ever been to a strip club? No.

What’s your favourite kind of smoothie? Blueberry or mango.

Have you taken out the trash today? Not today.

How often do you wear make-up? I’ve gotten so into makeup over the past six months or so, but I’ve been slacking lately with everything else that’s been going on. I wore a bit yesterday, though.

What’s your opinion on The Simpsons? I’ve never watched a full episode.

Do you prefer horizontal or vertical stripes? Vertical.

What’s your favourite brand of deodorant/antiperspirant? Secret.

Do you know anyone who has been through a divorce? Yes.

If you had the money, would you take taxis everywhere instead of driving? No, I have my own car.

Have you ever done a juice cleanse? No.

Do you have any friends who you can’t decide if they’re attractive or not? No.

Is the inside of your fridge clean right now or does it need a clean out? It’s pretty clean.

When was the last time you washed the dishes? A few days ago.

Are there any magazines that you read on a regular basis? No.

Do you have to pay for parking in most places in the town/city you live in? Yes.

What’s the first thing you tend to do when you have a headache? Take Ibuprofen and drink caffeine.

Can you hear lots of traffic from your house? Does it bother you? No. Our apartment faces the back of the complex away from the road.

Have you ever had proper Canadian poutine with the squeaky cheese? No.

Do your parents know how to operate smartphones and/or computers? Yes, my mom more than my dad.

When was the last time you wore a uniform of any kind? What colour was it? Thursday when I went to work. It’s all black, at least until I get my blue shirts instead.

Have you ever lost enough weight to drop a dress size? Yes.

Do you own Monopoly? Is it the original or a special version? Yes, I have Fallout Monopoly.

What was the last thing you said out loud? “Okay, have fun.”

You have to choose one: cats or dogs? Cats.

Would someone being either a cat or dog person effect you dating them? No.

How do you travel to and from work? I drive or carpool with my boyfriend.

Do you primarily use cash or card for your purchases? Why? Card. I hardly ever have cash.

Have you ever been to a stadium concert? Yes.

What’s your favourite flavour of soda, pop or whatever else you call it? Mello Yello.

What level of brightness do you usually keep your phone at? I typically keep it as low as it will go, but it automatically adjusts to the lighting.

Have you ever attended a religious or private school? No.

Do you have any pets and are they cuddly? I left my cat with my ex.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? Fucking Captain D’s. I took the first job I could find when I was taking care of my mom after her surgery. It was the most miserable four months of my life.

How many cars does your household own? All three of us have our own cars.

Do you know anyone named Edward or any nickname of that? Yeah, my brother-in-law.

What time do you usually have dinner? I think we typically end up eating between 6-7 PM, but it varies.

Are there any cracks or scuffs on your phone? Probably. My case is busted.

What’s your favourite meat? Steak.

Do you need glasses to read or drive or need them all the time? I don’t wear glasses, though lately I’ve been thinking I could use them while driving at night.

How did you celebrate your last New Years Eve? Man, I don’t even remember at this point. I don’t think I did much of anything.

Is the internet fast where you live? Yes.

What is your favourite meal of the day and why? I love breakfast foods, though lately I haven’t been eating breakfast most days.

Do you like long surveys or short surveys better? Either are fine. I used to do these things constantly.

Xbox, PlayStation or neither? PlayStation.

Have you ever been to a cocktail bar? Yes.

Do you consider yourself a fast typer? Yes.

What’s the best amusement park you’ve ever visited? I’ve only ever been to Beech Bend.

Do you keep the cabinets in your kitchen and bathroom organized? Yes.

Have you ever had a romantic fling? Yes.

Are you a very forgetful person? Sometimes, though it’s not as bad as it used to be since I’ve stopped smoking pot.

What was the last movie you saw in the cinema? Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

What colour is your shampoo? It’s like… silvery gray.

Are you doing anything tomorrow? Yes. I need to go to the old apartment and get the last load of my things, take my ex a couple of things, grocery shop, etc.

Do you know anyone who’s gotten pregnant over the age of 40? Not that I know of.

Who does most of the grocery shopping in your home? My boyfriend’s mom, though I went with her last week and probably will this week, too.

Are you listening to music right now? Yes. Wish U the Best by Blackbear.

What was the last thing you had to eat? An oreo cheesecake blizzard from Dairy Queen.Bottom of Form

What would you say is the worst part of high school, period? Probably the cliques.

What is your favorite color of apple? Red, green or yellow? Red.

How old will you be on your mother’s 68th birthday? Is that ‘old’ to you? 36. I suppose that’s not too old.

Ever thought you were dying of something you weren’t even close to having? Probably.

Ever want to be a doctor? Is it because of all the hospital shows? Yes.

What do you think of all these reality shows that try to alter personality? I don’t know or care. I’m not a fan of “reality” television.

Where are your favorite pair of shoes in the whole world right now? They’re at my old apartment.

Do you live anywhere near a mall? Which one exactly? I think the closest one is probably Rivergate.

Do you like drawing smiley faces or do you think they’re overrated? Uh, they’re fine.

If you were dying who would you say goodbye to first out of everyone? My nephews, I guess.

Are you someone who actually likes to babysit children? I typically don’t mind.

Do you ever have those ‘ah ha!’ moments? Do those annoy you? Yes, but they don’t annoy me.

Do you hardly ever remember where you put things at? No.

When is the next time you’ll eat a cupcake, if you know when? I don’t know.

Does your family go on a lot of vacations? Are they more boring or exciting? Unfortunately, no. I was actually talking to Betty about this a couple nights ago.

Where did you last buy socks from? What do those socks look like? I bought some plain black crew socks from Walmart a few weeks ago.

Do you ever lay in the grass and look up at the sky, just because? It’s been a while.

When do you normally go to sleep on the weekends? I’ve been going to bed about midnight every night for past few weeks.

Have you ever met someone with the same ‘biggest fear’ as you? Probably.

Do you ever have movie nights with your significant other? Yes, though it’s been a couple of weeks. I got him to watch Orange is the New Black with me before the next season so we’ve been grinding those out.

Would you rather write with a pen or a pencil? Why is this? Pen. It’s smoother and lasts longer.

Do you like candy bars? Are you trying to slack off of them? They’re okay. I don’t eat a lot of candy.

Who was the last person to call you fat, if anyone at all? I don’t know or care.

What color skin does the last person you danced with have? White.

What is your favorite number? Is it significant with your life? My favorite number has always been three, though I’m not entirely sure why.

Does anyone ever constantly act like a pervert around you? Hahahahaha, something like that.

Are you afraid of being kidnapped if you go outside at night time? No.

Has your mother ever called your school because of your grades? Yes.

What is the worst name a friend has ever called you? Do you remember? I don’t remember, but they’re probably not that great of a friend if they’re seriously calling me names.

The best field trip you’ve ever been on; where was it to anyway? Umm, probably a farm I went to as a kid, I guess.

In the next twenty minutes, what will you be doing and where will you be? I’m going to finish this, smoke a cigarette, get my clothes out of the dryer, put them away, and take a shower.

Do you like showers or baths better? Why did you choose your choice? I prefer showers. They make me feel more clean than baths do and hot water is a must.

Do you have a religion? Is it the same as your best friend’s? I’m not religious, no. I’m more spiritual, as is my best friend.

Are you a controversial person? Do your views oppose other’s? I have some views that differ from people I know, yes.

Have you ever thrown a surprise party for someone? Who for? Not that I recall.

Do you work? If so, have you ever been fired, then rehired from the place? I work. I’ve never been fired.

Can you tell when people are lying or telling the truth? Sometimes.

What would you say your average word per minute time is on the keyboard? I have no clue. I can type pretty quickly, though. I’ve been using computers for as long as I can remember.

What is your least favorite class in school? Why is this? I always dreaded math classes because it didn’t come naturally to me like English did.

Do you bite your fingernails or tap them on desks? I tap them.

Have you ever wanted to be in a band? What position exactly? When I was younger, I wanted to be a singer or a drummer in a band.

Who is your role model or hero in life if you have one? I don’t know if I really have one.

Do you ever call your cousins just to talk to them randomly? I don’t think so. I’m not very close with my extended family.

When did you last spend the night at someone’s house? A few nights ago before I actually moved in.

Do you find any of your friends’ parents creepy or really mean? No.

Do you ever have to wash your clothes at someone else’s house? No.

When is the next time you’ll go to the library? Why is this? I have no idea.

Do you like fiction or non-fiction books more? What’s your favorite? I tend to prefer non-fiction. The Harry Potter series will always be my favorite.

Do you constantly have to be told to shut up? By who? No.

Ever have a drug overdose? What did you OD on exactly? No, but I’ve probably had alcohol poisoning before.

Have you ever wanted to change your skin color because you’re not satisfied? No.

Do you know how to play pool? Are you any good at it? Yes. I used to be pretty damn good when I played all the time, but I’m sure I’m rusty now.

Do you treat others as you’d like to be treated? Have you always? I try to.

Were you a really mean kid or a sweet and quiet kid? Both at different points of my life.

Have you ever been beaten up by someone before? No.

Are you someone who likes to get in arguments or fights a lot? No.

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likeawildthing · 8 years

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75 fluffy jily fics for a happy new year

Anon: Hello! I'm a college freshman and it's my first exams week and I'm physically ill and also homesick and so could you pretty pretty please direst me to some wholesome jily fluffiness to make things better?

Sorry for the late reply! To make up for it, please have way too many fluffy jily fics to make you feel better. <3 I 100% gave some of these drabbles arbitrary titles because ‘untitled’ is boring when repeated thirty times.

hogwarts

and i wait for shore <> jiilys frequently I find myself agreeing to things I shouldn’t just so I can be next to you

arse over tea kettle <> october31st1981

her voice drifts down the corridor, and half of him wants to think something poetic about the way the sound of it envelops him, and the other half of him thinks he is a complete prat for even having such thoughts

ask me <> bcdaily “So, Hogsmeade,” she says, sitting before the fire in the common room next to him, going through some disciplinary paperwork McGonagall had passed off to them that morning–the downside of being Head Boy and Girl. “Have any plans?”

can i tell you a secret? <> october31st1981 “Can I tell you a secret?” he murmurs into her neck. “You’re part troll,” she guesses. She pats him clumsily on the back, unwilling to move from their position sprawled out on the grass. “It’s alright, I’ve accepted you for who you are.”

charms class and jealous hands <> realslytherinchick Sorry? Stop what? That thing you’re doing. Stop it. You’ll have to be a little more clear than that, Evans, I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.

eleven <> october31st1981 James Potter is very different from when he was eleven years old, you think as he kisses you.

first time holding hands <> suchasart He was tall. Tall, and looking down at her, and the embers in his brown-gold eyes warmed a blush across her face.

good, decent <> bcdaily She watched as he wriggled the bits of parchment he’d unceremoniously sprawled himself upon out from underneath him. Instead of tossing them atop one of the piles she already had stacked on the nearby coffee table, he began to skim through them, one by one. “What are you doing?” she asked. His gaze flickered to her briefly. “Helping.”

how will i find you <> jiilys James, you say with your chin on my chest, let’s go live in the moon.

jily drinking together <> october31st1981 “I am a gift,” says James seriously. Lily swings her body around, kicking him in the head in the process. She ignores his yelp, telling him, “That’s a funny way to pronounce ‘git.’”

lily stalks james <> bcdaily “I’m sort of starting to get the feeling that you’re enjoying stalking me.” “I am trying to keep you from blowing up the school,” Lily says, dipping her quill in her inkpot and gently tapping it against the chipped lip. “There’s pleasure in that, certainly.” “You’re sure that’s all it is?”

of sickles and snogging <> jamesstruttingpotter she didn’t even throw it, she just slowly pushed it into his face. it was the most sexually charged pie throwing i’ve ever seen.

new year <> scared-of-clouds Lily Evans is planning on seeing the New Year in alone, then just getting through the rest of the year with as few problems as possible. Unfortunately for Lily Evans, very little in her life is that simple. Still, what difference can a year make?

nice <> newtscmandr In which Lily is hung over and has a nice conversation with James, about a certain part of his anatomy.

this could happen <> jamesstruttingpotter Future planning + Jily flirting.

the one with the forgotten two of diamonds <> iolanthepotter/apalapucian James and Lily brew Amortentia together—and nothing happens. Lily thinks she’s officially gone forever numb, James thinks the dungeons smell like a swamp, and everyone concludes they’re both idiots. Everybody’s daft in love.

quidditch shirt <> iolanthepotter/apalapucian Marlene peered at her and grinned. “He smells that nice, eh?”Lily whipped around to glare at her. “It’s very… comfortable. That’s all.”

study date <> october31st1981 “You’re an awful influence, Evans,” says James, glancing up from his Potions textbook. “I’ve never known you to complain about where I put my hands before,” she says, still grinning widely.

testing (gift for an angel) <> bcdaily If he thought about this critically, James reckons he’s spent the better part of three years planning this date. (It really was a damn shame that Sirius seemed determined to cock it all up.)

that elusive aha moment <> suchasart/wilhelmina willoughby The Aha Moment: a point in time when something finally clicks. Everyone realizes that there’s something more between James and Lily, though it takes some people longer than others. James has always been a slow learner.

the early morning toast brigade <> ghostofbambi In which Lily Evans makes the best of insomnia, with the help of her womanly wiles.

the juggernaut factor <> fabiansgoldwatch There’s something you have to realise about a boy who buys you sweets that taste like torture, fights a branch duel for your honour, or lets you dribble on his jumper: a boy like that should never be ignored.

the long haul <> bigquidditchhero “Don’t try and change the subject,” she said sternly, waggling her finger at him. “You’ve got loads of secrets, I know you have.” He shook his head as he turned his attention back to the crossword. “Evans, I don’t know what to tell you. I’m an open book.”

the story of a lady and a gentleman <> hiddenpolkadots Lily scoffed. “Look who’s talking about rude,” she sniffed. “I’m standing here and you’re sitting there. Didn’t your mother ever teach you that’s it’s gentlemanly to give up your seat for a lady?” “She did,” he allowed. “But I don’t think that rule applies to cheeky bints like you.”

there’s a reason for all those love songs <> gxldentrio If you asked James Potter at what point he figured out that he was absolutely in love with Lily Evans, he wouldn’t be able to give you a straight answer.

married/engaged

a cold war coming <> thequibblah “Here’s an idea,” Lily said suddenly. “I’m all ears.” She grinned widely, her whole face lighting up. “Marry me.”

a compromise <> october31st1981 “And what woman do you expect to carry seven of your offspring into the world?” He takes a moment to consider this. “You, probably.”

a lavish affair <> bigquidditchhero “- I’ll still be thinking Merlin, that Evans, what a killjoy. But then I’ll think, thank goodness I get to do unspeakable things with her as well. The fun’s not completely lost that way, you see.”

adorable drunken babes <> sunshinedaisieswindmills He really would like to kiss her, he decided, so he closed his eyes and tilted his head and moved in, only to find that Lily was no longer standing in front of him. Instead, she sat on the floor giggling. “I fell,” she said, laughing. “There was a puddle and I fell and now my bum’s wet.”

lace <> theodoornott “You look really beautiful,” he suddenly whispers in her ear, and she turns to her husband and just laughs because he looks so lustful and mischievous and positively boyish. She grabs the hand that is currently tickling her side, and kisses its palm. “You too,” she tells him, and she means it.

till kingdom come <> iolanthepotter/apalapucian “I love him so much, you know?” And it’s ridiculous, but Remus’s heart swells, and just then he can feel the tears stinging the corners of his eyes. “Bloody prat’s been in love with you since forever.”

say when <> ravnclaws “James?” she asks and he hums against her ear in response. “Really?” “Just say when.”

starlight <> iolanthepotter/apalapucian “I didn’t let you fall,” he answers. He smirks, draws you closer to labor the point of his pathetic excuse for a catch. Except he did, you think. And you’ve fallen. Oh, how hard have you fallen, Lily Evans, how hard are you still falling, a million times in the million little leaps of faith you’ve made with and for this boy, long before your feet touched the ground.

domestic/family

are you flirting with me <> october31st1981 She takes the hand that is not in hers and places it on her waist, while hers drifts to his collar. “You know, Lily, this feels a lot like flirting,” says James conversationally, his fingers pressing warmly on her rib cage.

morning <> apalapucian/iolanthepotter He was very, very warm. He stood there, still and quiet in all his messy-haired, bespectacled glory, just looking down at you with a raised eyebrow and a quarter of that trademark smirk. “Are you going to take it off or should I?”

ready, set, go <> bigquidditchhero James, Lily, and baby Harry are in hiding in Godric’s Hollow and they entertain themselves by playing with the cat

familiarity (kills the romance) <> ravnclaws When they go to bed that night, she watches as he brushes his teeth and as he changes into his pyjamas and as he kisses her goodnight, and she thinks about how James is not a mystery, he’s just a normal guy after all.

golden days <> suchasart/wilhelmina willoughby James and Lily like to appreciate the little things in life.

golden retrieval <> preciselypotter Lily held up the black-and-purple briefs she’d just found on their bedroom floor. “Are these yours?” “What?” James stuck his head into the room. “What do you mean, are those mine? Have you been having a bloke over while I’m out?”

hands <> theodoornott Call it cabin fever but it has reached the point where she cannot resist looking on as takes the broken and downtrodden into his hands and brings them back to life, whistling tunelessly as he works and clicking his tongue whenever he’s in deep thought.

a cauldron full of strong, hot love <> bigquidditchhero Lily’s got a summer job, and James is suddenly a keen potioneer. No war AU.

blue shell <> jamesstruttingpotter Did you actually just blue shell me on our date?

brand new neighbors au <> iolanthepotter/apalapucian What he’s trying to say is that, well, three knocks is too unceremonious a warning, and that he’s pretty sure this is his soulmate standing before him right now.

in another world <> itwasprongs/padfootdidit They meet accidentally, strings entangling together beneath the ink of Paris’ night. In the lamplight she is a ghost, hair on fire. James goes to her and the stars turn his backpack into dusty wings.

intercepted communication <> ravnclaws I use morse code to talk to my friend during class but it turns out you know morse code too and now you know that i think you have a cute butt AU.

key limes <> fetchalgernon/cgner In which Academy Award winner Lily Evans discovers the periphery of internet fandom and the existence of Prince James’s gold star system.

laugh to fall apart <> realslytherinchick Lily is fond of laser tag, but when the Marauders find out she has no one to play with, they invite themselves along to a game.

lessons in lesson planning <> fetchalgernon/cgner Lily and James are unwittingly set up on a blind date and execute the perfect revenge.

my spellbound heart <> hiddenpolkadots “What kind of person could they be if our shared mark is a pair of antlers on my arse?” asks Lily, craning her neck to stare at the ink, stark against her pale skin. No matter how hard she glares at it, it remains there.

pretty <> realslytherinchick “First you criticize the brilliance of my last-minute costume, then you nearly break my heart. Who are you, Lily, that you have such power over me?” “Either your worst nightmare or your wildest dream come true, but possibly both at once.”

rule #27 /’ the group with the pies’ <> poppypomfrey ‘Lily, take off the moustache, you’ve been wearing it for 20 minutes.’ ‘This is serious business,’ she says, tugging it from her upper lip, ‘and besides, it’s ten times better than your moustache.’ He can’t stop looking at her lips.

seven things <> iolanthepotter/apalapucian James leans in. Lily hears the script crumple in his hands, but she doesn’t look to check. His lips touch the corner of hers, a hand coming up to cup her face. He is moving. So. Maddeningly. Slow… She curses in her head, makes up about a hundred thousand excuses for the next second—and then grabs him down by the back of his neck and kisses him fully, desperately, fervidly.

shades of red <> fetchalgernon/cgner “I’d heard that the potion gave you Veela powers, but I didn’t know that also came with conceitedness.” “Is it conceit if my hair is that good? Because I think that’s just regular pride. Would you rather I lied and said I hated my hair?”

sheep riding and freefalling <> fetchaglernon/cgner He’s leaning forward in his seat to study an air vent, his face only a few inches away from the dashboard, his brow furrowed in concentration.“Fascinating,” he breathes. “Put your seatbelt on or I will pull this car over,” Lily says.

so tender and mild <> hiddenpolkadots If they lived fluffy domestic oneshot.

staff relations <> bigquidditchhero Professor James Potter is happy in his job as Transfiguration teacher - until the new Potions professor tries to ruin his life.

swipe right (into my arms) <> a_lrightevans Her thumb hovers over the unmatch button for a second, but then she switches back to his profile, and he really does have nice arms, so she just types out ‘you’re a massive prat and terminator is a shite movie, anyway’ and hits send instead.

textbooks, time scarves, and tea <> fetchalgernon/cgner Lily visits the coffee shop because Sev works there, even though he’s got a completely obnoxious coworker with admittedly fantastic hair.

the rom coms got it wrong <> hiddenpolkadots Fake dating AU

what a beautiful wedding <> a_lrightevans ‘Sneaking away… from your sister’s wedding… for a snog…’ said James breathlessly between kisses. ‘Classy, Evans—’ She shut him up by kissing him harder, knocking his glasses askew and tangling her hands in his hair. ‘Psh …’ she muttered as his lips moved to her neck. ‘This is what weddings were invented for.’

undercover <> a_lrightevans Lily scoffs. ‘We have sex like, once- maybe four times, and suddenly I’m your girlfriend?’ James shrugs.

mine

a list is just a list - The Marauders think the parchment James just dropped is a list of the places they’ve pulled pranks, but Lily knows better.

feels like love - Lily & James use each other’s wands for the first time.

hello, mister - me and my housemate just spent twenty minutes trying to take the lid off of a blender and had to resort to taking it to our next door neighbor, who we have never met or spoken to before.

pep(per) up, peppermint - Sixth year Lily is home, sick, at Christmas. Can a visit from her friends cheer her up?

shining stars - The ’78 Hogwarts class—Gryffindors, mostly—gather at a pub to catch up when someone brings up who, exactly, was to blame for Breda Padgett’s broken ankle, sixth year.

subtle arrangements - Person A owns a flower shop and Person B comes storming in one day, slaps a 20 on the counter and says, “How do I passive-aggressively say fuck you in flowers?”

the one that i want - James and Lily end up at the same costume party dressed up as two members of a famous fictional couple. Everyone makes them take pictures together and quote lines from the movie. It starts out really awkward but then Sirius, dressed as a pirate, finds them making out in the bathroom.

three quarts of milk - James and Lily have been in hiding for two months. James is stir crazy and trying not to show it. Lily jumps into action.

your other pillock boyfriend - James writes to Lily to explain a few things.

#jily #jily*#rec #lindsays

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michaelfallcon · 5 years

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The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Sacramento

Sacramento, California is known by many names, both beloved and hated. It’s the state capital, the city of trees/allergies, Sacto, home of Lady Bird and—if you really want to get underneath a Sacramento local’s skin—call it a cowtown. Though, good luck finding any actual cows here. Just under 100 miles northeast of San Francisco, Sacramento is an easy jaunt for those wishing to explore the capital and soak in some history. One thing locals agree on these days is that Sacramento is a great town for coffee. There’s something for everyone. Here are a few must-stop-shops to get you caffeinated while you take in the sights of the capital.

Photo courtesy of Temple Coffee.

Temple Coffee

Opened in 2005, Temple Coffee is a pioneer of the local coffee scene. Owned and operated by Sean Kohmescher, Temple Coffee found its niche quickly among locals and visitors alike. While you’re almost guaranteed to wait in line at one of their five locations (and counting) around Sacramento and Davis—don’t let this deter you—efficient baristas greet you almost instantly behind shiny La Marzoccos. Next to the register, you’ll be tempted by a dazzling pastry case and a wall of enticing teas.

Whether you prefer one of their single-origin espresso shots or a pour-over, the K St location is a must-visit to check out their famous penny floors, and for their popular Dessert Program, which features specialty desserts such as cakes, tarts, and cheesecakes, all from local bakeries. For vegan and gluten-free fans, this menu will not disappoint.

Temple Coffee is nothing if not laser-focused on education, quality control, and maintaining its approachable, friendly-neighborhood-shop atmosphere, including free weekly public coffee tastings.

Temple Coffee Roasters has multiple locations around Sacramento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Chocolate Fish.

Chocolate Fish

Andy and Edie Baker opened Chocolate Fish downtown in 2008, inspired by the espresso culture in their native New Zealand. After moving to Sacramento, they knew they wanted to have a shop that celebrated their Kiwi culture—and even named their shop after a fish-shaped treat indigenous to New Zealand that is given out as a “thank you” for a good deed (you may also “catch” your own at the shop). The couple now operate three shops, each a a haven for those that appreciate their coffee with a nice, dog-friendly patio. Unlike most cafes in the grid, you’ll rarely see a gaggle of computer-tapping students here. In fact, there is no free WiFi, to encourage conversation rather than work.

The East Sac location on Folsom and 48th is where Chocolate Fish roasts coffee, with a meticulously-designed floorplan that allows patrons to watch roasting in action. Besides a full menu of award-winning coffees, the must-try item here is their nitro flash brew, which they pioneered and perfected in 2014. Many shops have tried to match the quality of this rich brew, but the nitro at Chocolate Fish remains the supreme summer drink for locals.

Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters has multiple locations around Sacremento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Mill

Since opening The Mill on I St in 2014, Nicholas & Ilah Rose Cookston-Minton have created one of the most unique shops in town—and I’ll say it began the minute they cranked up the waffle iron with a homemade liège-style yeasted batter so sweet you can smell it down the block. Their flagship cafe is conveniently located within walking distance of the lavender district on J St, which is a weekend destination for hitting the Saturday farmers market and street festivals.

The Mill roasts its own beans under the brand Bouquet, which are worth purchasing if only to have the beautifully-designed bag grace your countertop (the coffee is consistently stellar, as well). Like their bag designs, The Mill’s interior is stunning and graceful, with hand-designed arrangements so lovely you’d think that animated Disney woodland critters decorated it when no one was looking. Likewise, their new East Sac location off Elvas Avenue promises much of the same cozy atmosphere.

The Mill’s playful seasonal menus keep everyone curious and begging for one more dose of a seasonal drink or jam before gearing up for what’s next. During the summer, look for the Wildwood flower latte or the Root Beer Espresso Float, or one of their signature beverages that highlight the delicious magic of herbs and roots in each house-made syrup—truly bringing the bouquet to the cafe.

The Mill has multiple locations around Sacremento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Camellia.

Camellia Coffee Roasters

When business partners Robert Watson and Ryan Harden opened the doors of Camellia in 2018 in the WAL Public Market on bustling R Street, they were on a mission—to serve great cups of coffee and specialty pastries to the close-knit community of the newly hip R St corridor. Their coffee is stellar, but the food (all made in-house) is unlike any other coffee shop in town: it’s all about the pie.

Snag a hand pie filled with sweet or savory fillings, like apple, soyrizo with queso and hashbrowns, or broccoli with ham and cheddar. Or opt for a breakfast sandwich, which are super-stacked egg sandwiches with cheese, green onions, and veggies, bacon or sausage on a brioche bun with Cholula mayo (or a secret house-made hot sauce.)

Aside from their breakfast options, Camellia is a great stop if you want to see the growth of Sacramento in action: the open-market floorplan is full of local boutiques that will keep you busy for hours after the caffeine hits. During summer months, there are often street fairs and the hustle-bustle of locals that are happy to celebrate the end of the rainy season.

[BOX]Camellia Coffee Roasters is located at 1104 R St Ste 150, Sacramento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.[/box]

Photo courtesy of Old Soul.

Old Soul

Since 2006, Old Soul has been a tried-and-true favorite of locals before “coffee snob” was a badge worn with honor. Owners Jason Griest and Tim Jordan were just a couple of guys roasting coffee in an alley (now a hugely popular area known as the Handle District), and little did they know what was in store for their humble shop.

Griest and Jordan set out to create a business where they would “make it ourselves and if we don’t, we’ll know who does,” Griest says. A deram actualized, Old Soul produces all its food (you’ll find a very generous breakfast and lunch/dinner menu) in-house and partners with various farmers around Sacramento Valley to ensure all products are fresh. Each of the three locations are very cozy, inviting, and serve as locals go-to spots for small meetings or dates.

Be sure to check out their seasonal menu with gems such as the Lavender Lemonade, and in the fall you will “fall” for the Mandarin Masaya, made with homemade cascara simple syrup and the local favorite, Ginger Elizabeth Chocolate.

Old Soul Co. has multiple locations around Sacramento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Identity Coffee.

Identity Coffee

Located just on the edge of midtown on 28th& O St, Identity immediately welcomes you with a sandwich-board sign stating “Hella Open Right Now,” which leads your eyes to the friendly exterior tucked away behind palm trees.

Inside, the spacious open-concept floorplan is a rare find in the grid—with custom tables and a bar designed and handcrafted by one of the owners, Lucky Rodrigues, who (along with his business partner, Ryan Rake), wanted the space to have a minimalist vibe by utilizing local, fell trees. Step on up and order a medium-roast pour-over, and delight in drinking your beverage in a vintage mug (barista’s choice). Compliment your coffee with a locally-sourced pastry, bagel, or quiche. Head over to the Westside location (near the I St bridge) for heartier breakfast burritos, vegan waffles, and sandwiches with kettle chip nachos.

Identity Coffee has multiple locations around Sacramento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Oblivion Comics and Coffee

Inspired by the pocket universe inside DC Comics called the Oblivion Bar (a neutral zone where heroes and villains alike peacefully coexist), Oblivion Comics and Coffee has created its own peaceful world a stone’s throw from the Capitol building, right off K Street and 11th. The goal of Oblivion is to provide a safe, diverse, and welcoming place for everyone, and promotes acceptance, imagination, and creativity—all over an amazing cup of coffee.

Since opening shop in 2017, owners Laura Benson and Neil Estaris have indeed created the dream scenario for self-appointed comic and coffee geeks in the Sacramento area; utilizing Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters coffee and local bakeries for their pastry and quirky toast options, Oblivion knows as much about how to maneuver their way around an espresso machine as they could help you find your next favorite comic, which can be found right around the corner after picking up your Latte of Truth. They’ll even dust a comic-related stencil on top of your drink.

Oblivion has a jam-packed events calendar and regularly hosts open mic nights, trivia nights (sometimes Jeopardy-style), and educational Cosplay Crash Courses. After you’ve had your Thunderer’s Brew and Edible Hulk toast, the spoils of the vibrant downtown/K Street adventures await you.

Oblivion Comics and Coffee is located at 1020 11th St, Sacramento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Mollie Hawkins (@molliebat) is a freelance journalist based in Sacramento, California, writing for Marie Claire, Salon, AOL, HelloGiggles and others. Read more Mollie Hawkins for Sprudge.

All photos by the author unless otherwise noted.

The post The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Sacramento appeared first on Sprudge.

The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Sacramento published first on https://medium.com/@LinLinCoffee

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shebreathesslowly · 5 years

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The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Sacramento

Photo courtesy of Temple Coffee.

Temple Coffee

Temple Coffee is nothing if not laser-focused on education, quality control, and maintaining its approachable, friendly-neighborhood-shop atmosphere, including free weekly public coffee tastings.

Temple Coffee Roasters has multiple locations around Sacramento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Chocolate Fish.

Chocolate Fish

Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters has multiple locations around Sacremento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Mill

The Mill has multiple locations around Sacremento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Camellia.

Camellia Coffee Roasters

[BOX]Camellia Coffee Roasters is located at 1104 R St Ste 150, Sacramento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.[/box]

Photo courtesy of Old Soul.

Old Soul

Old Soul Co. has multiple locations around Sacramento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Identity Coffee.

Identity Coffee

Identity Coffee has multiple locations around Sacramento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Oblivion Comics and Coffee

Oblivion Comics and Coffee is located at 1020 11th St, Sacramento. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Mollie Hawkins (@molliebat) is a freelance journalist based in Sacramento, California, writing for Marie Claire, Salon, AOL, HelloGiggles and others. Read more Mollie Hawkins for Sprudge.

All photos by the author unless otherwise noted.

The post The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Sacramento appeared first on Sprudge.

from Sprudge https://ift.tt/359HlJ3

#Sprudge

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makeuptips10-blog · 6 years

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18 Gift Ideas for Friends at Every Price Point

New Post has been published on https://www.claritymakeupartistry.com/18-gift-ideas-for-friends-at-every-price-point/

18 Gift Ideas for Friends at Every Price Point

Weddings, baby showers — these are relatively easy gifting occasions because, miraculously, your friends just tell you what they want. Much harder are those more random gifting occasions. Like what do you give to the friend who just got a promotion? Or how about a birthday present for the friend who’s about to turn 30 (and doesn’t seem thrilled about it TBH)? Or the true-blue friend you just want to thank for seeing you through, well, pretty much every bit of drama and joy you’ve experienced since college?

Since wish lists for literally every gifting situation are sadly not a thing, we’re helping you come up with 18 sweet ideas for pretty much everyone you know. From the boss babe to the Netflix queen to the Crossfit-obsessed buddy to the one who lingers with you over brunch for hours, their perfect gift awaits.

$1,000+: An off-the-beaten-path tour of Colombia

Woman-owned travel company El Camino’s motto is “Be a traveler, not a tourist.” And thanks to the owners’ inside knowledge of the destinations (one is Colombian), you’ll get a cool, intimate glimpse at the best restaurants, beaches and cultural attractions in a country that’s quickly becoming a must-hit spot.

Small Group Colombia Trips, starting at $1000 at El Camino Travel.

Photo: El Camino

Under $900: The chicest, coziest chair for your new roomie

So, you signed the lease (yay!) and now you need some furniture. This overstuffed chair covered in cozy boucle is so cute — you won’t know whether you want to sit in it, or sit on the couch so you can look at it. Which is perfect, because your girl’s probably going to steal it for her Sunday novel-reading marathons anyway.

Gwyneth Boucle Chair, $899 at CB2

Under $650: The ultimate understated-fancy tote

The older art-school friend you always thought was a little too cool for school? Okay, so maybe she isn’t the warmest person ever, but she just gave you a major recommendation that landed you a cherry job. Feels like you owe her better than a beer, right? This structured leather tote by woman-owned brand Building Block will delight her with its understated whimsy.

Wave Tote, $650 at Building Block

Photo: Building Block

Under $350: A wear-everyday, lab-grown diamond for your ride-or-die

She helped you celebrate every promotion, shake off every heartbreak and helped you move three times. She’s there for you every day, kind of like how this gift will be. Lightbox’s rose-gold pendant necklace holds a lab-grown diamond and is special enough to become the anchor of her wardrobe. That should definitely make up for the time you made her totally redo your Hinge profile.

Solitaire Pendant in Pink, $300 at Lightbox.

Photo: Lightbox

Under $350: A portable iPhone printer for your official photographer

You can always rely on her to snap a group pic when you all get together — and yet, like all of us, she has not actually printed a photo since 2007. Luckily, this ingenious little gadget makes it easy. It attaches directly to your iPhone and prints photos or even video stills, and lets you add cute designs and stickers, too.

Prynt Pocket iPhone Printer Set, $249 at MoMA Design Store

Photo: MoMA

Under $200: Truly stylish maternity jeans

She doesn’t have to give up her cool cred when she’s expecting. Madewell’s ingeniously designed skinny jeans are cut low in front for comfort, high in the back for coverage, and they have stretchy panels at the sides to grow with her expanding belly. But technical stuff aside, when she pulls them on, they just feel like a rad pair of jeans.

Maternity Skinny Jeans in Annabelle Wash, $138 at Madewell.

Photo: Madewell

Under $100: Next-level loungewear for the binge-watcher

Yes, she probably already owns a robe. But does she own one that’s super-soft, cozy and comes in an extremely aesthetic palm-on-pink print? Probably not. Treat her to this, and she won’t even have to change before venturing out to restock on snacks.

The Kimono, $65 at Lively.

Photo: Lively

Under $100: A indestructible French press for the writer

Hemingway said, “Write drunk, edit sober.” But forget booze — what writers actually run on is copious amounts of coffee. And if, like this writer, you’ve ever smashed through your third glass carafe and thought “there must be a better way,” there is. This isn’t cheap, but it is tough-as-nails and double-walled to keep your coffee hot.

Frieling 36-ounce French Press, $79.95 at Frieling.

Photo: Frieling

Under $100 A playful shag bathmat

Do you need an aesthetic bathmat that costs $60 and features abstract, organic shapes? Nah, but it’s definitely a fun addition to any bathroom (or even an entryway) that beats anything on offer at big-box home stores. Way cuter than something so useful has a right to be

Cold Picnic Islands Bath Mat, $60 at Coming Soon.

Photo: Coming Soon

Under $100: An at-home wine-tasting

Your buddy deserves better than Budweiser. To help prove it to her, gift her a Winc gift card. She goes online, fills out a quiz, and a wine expert chooses a couple bottles to send her by mail. It’s like a wine-tasting, but better, because it’s on your couch.

Wine Tasting, starting at $60 at Winc.

Photo: Winc

Under $50: A real food-based protein supplement

Sure, you got a little sick of hearing how amazing she felt on Whole 30, but you have to admit, those kettle-bell swings look badass. Help your newly obsessed buddy maintain that hard-won muscle with this collagen protein supplement made from five different types of collagen — all from food sources you’ll actually recognize on the label.

Multi-Collagen Protein, $44 at Ancient Nutrition.

Photo: Dr. Axe

Under $50: The world’s best dry shampoo

We know what you’re thinking: Dry shampoo as a gift? But trust us, this one’s different. It doesn’t just do the ho-hum job of sopping up oil, it actually makes your hair voluminous and sexy — dare we say Bardot-esque? A gym-bag essential that’ll help you get to Bellinis faster.

Hairstory Powder Dry Shampoo, $36 at Hairstory.

Photo: Hairstory

Under $30: A planner to plot world domination

Whether she’s a budding girlboss looking to launch her own biz or she’s determined to get that promotion this year, she doesn’t have to wait until 2019 to get down to business. Ban.do’s planner runs from August 2018 through August 2019 — perfect for students or grownups looking to recapture that “back-to-school” energy. It’s the perfect mix of practical and fun, with monthly and weekly calendars, plenty of pages for notes, cool artwork and most importantly, stickers!

Classic 13-Month Planner, $20 at Ban.do.

Photo: Bando

Under $30: A luxe, day-to-night skincare kit

Cult skincare brand Sunday Riley’s products do more than just look good in a #shelfie (although they do that, too). They’re made with clinically proven ingredients that actually work. Under $30 buys your buddy a brightening Vitamin C serum for day and a soothing, retinol-infused night oil to even out skin tone and stave off fine lines, not to mention complaints about her vanishing 20s.

Sunday Riley Multivitamins Set, $28 at Sephora.

Photo: Sephora

Under $30: A hardy plant, delivered

It can be tough to live your plant-mom dreams in the big city, where you can only haul so many pots at a time. Help your bud catch up fast with plants that come delivered to her door. A snake plant like this is great to start with, because it’s trendy and barely needs any light or water (hey, being a good plant mom takes time).

Costa Farms Sansevieria Laurentii Plant, $29 at Home Depot.

Photo: Home Depot

Under $20: A metallic peel-off mask

Skincare junkie alert! If her Insta feed is already full of her in sheet masks, charcoal masks and that pink clay mask too, here’s an even more unexpected one she’s sure to love. Ohii’s vegan peel-off mask brightens and refreshes your skin, and it looks cool doing it.

Ohii The Big Reveal Peel-Off Mask, $16 at Urban Outfitters.

Photo: Urban Outfitters

Under $20: A high-design iPhone case

She might have gone to art school, or she might just subscribe to Kinfolk. Either way, she will definitely appreciate the whimsical cool of this iPhone case, designed to look like terrazzo, the “chipped” effect flooring whose revival took over the design world a year or two back and shows no sign of stopping. Beats an Otterbox for sure.

Terrazzo iPhone Case, $15 at The Wing.

Photo: The Wing

Under $10: The prettiest pink carafe for the hostess

Look, it’s not *your* fault you let your girl throw every party this summer and never returned the favor — that’s what she gets for having a backyard! Still, it’s a lot of work playing hostess all the time. So next time you stop by, bring this pale-pink carafe along with your go-to bottle of rosé. It’s the most charming way to serve wine or spa water (that’s water with herbs), and chic glassware is almost never this cheap. (Psst: The matching glasses are super cute, too — and only $2!)

Intagande Carafe in Light Pink, $8 at Ikea.

Photo: Ikea

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traviswsoul · 7 years

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Day 26 Otis to Portland 63 miles

5:28 time, 2,153 calories, 2,257′ climbed, 11.5 avg mph

Waking up under the bridge was peaceful, I stretched and put a pot of water on as the rock cliff around the bend was slowly coming to life with the light chasing off the shadow. My little campsite was even more beautiful and appreciated in the morning. The tank of fuel I had went out on me, luckily it gave just enough heat to make a luke warm bowl of oatmeal and a barely hot cup of joe, exactly all I needed. It wasn’t that cold so the morning moved along quickly and was lugging my bike back up the hill to the road at 7:30, only to realize my front left tire was low again and needed air. I figured it was time to change the tube since this recurring situation was getting worse. I did in record time and was peddling inland 15 minutes later. I was off the Pacific Coast Bike trail, no longer had my trusty maps for direction and was on my way to portland. It ended up being less than the 100 miles I thought it would be and was much more in the ballpark of a single days ride rather than two. The girl at the fruit stand gave me my first hint. She was another character that I’ll always remember, she was beautiful, blonde with a great big smile and a heart of gold. She worked the family fruit stand out front of their homestead by the barn along side the stables. I jokingly told her I was there for my $6 pony ride like I could read on the sign, it was a little too early for them though she responded with a laugh. She complimented me on my snap on pocket knife and told me about this old fork lift company that made the ‘84 camper sitting in the drive way, it was especially cool for an RV but not as amazing as her knowing the heritage of this farm brand that made a camper for a few years. I hung out for a while just continuing to cut up and eat fruit and make small talk with the worlds cutest, most quintessential country girl, it had been a long time since I had fresh fruit or chats with pretty girls so I was in no rush. Especially, not since the close call I just had that inspired me to stop at the fruit stand in the first place, I must have been no more than a foot away from a giant RV and then pick up truck that passed. Someone had dumped a truck load of gravel in the shoulder and I had to go around it, there was no one in the lane when I did and they certainly didn’t adapt as I was clearly just inside the white line, either they’re completely oblivious or complete assholes, either way they should have their license taken away for being terrible people. I’ve decided there are two types of people in the world, those who go out of their way to accommodate the cyclists they share the road with and the ones who don’t. There is no middle ground and if you don’t slow down and provide a few feet of space than you are a shitty person. Anyone who can't make room for their fellow man when the consequence is death is a piece of shit, yet you’d be surprised how many people express anger or shitty attitudes about having to share the road, which in their mind is only made for cars, and there’s a special place in hell for them, The Asshole Hell Hotel.

My oatmeal and my fruit stop didn’t sustain me that long but I knew I was pedaling until Mckennyville 40 miles in. normally I stop around 20 for my first meal but I knew If I was making it to Portland today I needed to be stretching things out. Outside town I saw the usual blue signs that alert you to the services provided at the following exits, there were the usual garbage junk food signs and a cute blue logo for the Good Harvest Bakery. I knew that would be my stop, I needed something hearty and healthy and good harvest had the right ring to it. I was not disappointed, right as you walk in and get in line someone offers you a slice of bread, one of several choices, I picked cinnamon raisin and applied a nice big smear of the real butter they had sitting out on my side of the counter. Every bakery should be giving away sample slices, I can’t believe I haven’t seen this before. I ordered a roast beef sandwich with blue cheese spread on fresh sourdough and had kettle cooked cheddar and horseradish chips with a sparkling blackberry drink. I was happy, I was half way there and the rule about afternoon winds no longer was a thing being off the coast line. I started texting with my Uncle Rich asking for the address of their place, my first destination in Portland. It was looking like it would be an 80 mile day. As I finished my sandwich one of the bakers approached me with a brown bag, we had chatted earlier about my trip, I arrived before the lunch rush so we were able to talk for a while and make friends. He was dropping off a load for me to take and said, Here this is hearty you’ll be glad you have it later! It was a full load of wheat bread chock full of nuts. The thing probably weighed over two pounds, which I wasn’t excited to carry since I was just getting happy with myself for pairing down my load weight, but I was thrilled that he was taking care of me and offering this gift that I would have to show up with to my families house as they were taking me in. Uncle Rich suggested that I meet them at a spot down the road a little way so I didn’t have to hit the freeway at rush hour, that shaved off about ten miles so I didn’t mind. I peddled on and things started to actually look much more country before you could tell you were close to the city. When I did hit my turn off I managed to make it to the right road I was supposed to meet him on and then my phone died right as I realized my stomach was pulling at me to fill it again. I noticed a little pub that would surely be able to handle my end of day Hamburger and IPA diet so I pulled in, ordered just that and waited for my phone to charge up. They met me there and we loaded my gear in the van and went for one of only a couple car rides I’ve been on this month. It is so nice being with my Aunt and Uncle, I have been thinking about them a lot lately. At one point about twenty years ago they fell in love with Portland and finally just did what it took to move out here, a long way away from their families and lives. I told them I really get that now, the pacific northwest is magic, and I understand that decision now, I certainly didn’t then, but now even wish my self I could make my way this way.

Aunt Shelly made a whole roasted chicken for dinner with salad and green beans, we sat at the diner table with their son Zack who is back from his first semester at college, I enjoyed it so much. There’s nothing like eating dehydrated bags of food alone under a bridge in the sand to make you appreciate family, a home, a dining table and a hot meal! Aunt Shelly even did my laundry, wow, so grateful!

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louisewahlander · 8 years

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Journal 1998

OCTOBER 5 1998 – Farnham England Everyone has moved in to the house now. Ground floor: Charlotte, Rob, and Henry. First floor: Me, Abi, Pauliina, Ella and Emma…and Second floor is the kitchen. My room is awful, white painted brick walls, and it has the shape of…well, i dunno, it has no shape and yet it has a million and one shapes, i think i have 7 corners and none is in a 90 degree angle. Atleast i got the biggest room in the house, but then again, i have to pay most rent. I love the address though, Castle Field. We are right behind Farnham Castle and we can see it from our kitchen tower-window. Pauliina is nice, she’s finish so i guess we have more in common than i have with the rest in the house. They are actually a bunch of snobs! So obnoxious and loud and GIRLY…they are! I cannot believe how they can behave like this just because of a jumper or a pair of shoes: "They’re sooooo gooorgeous!!" And they giggle and jump up and down. OCTOBER 17 1998 – Farnham England Welcome to the house of fun… Aaah, how i love my house mates, they’re so…so, loud, and they never pick up their junk after themselves, and they never go to bed, they throw parties til 5am and don’t care about the ones who want to sleep, they yell and shout, and scream and uuuuuuugh! How can anyone be like them? All they care about is their hair and make up, clothes and shoes… And have any of them been into college yet? I doubt it cuz they are always shopping or just hanging in the kitchen with Henrys one and a million friends! Everytime you go out of your room there’s a new face in the hallway or kitchen, and they say Hi! I’m a friend of Henry’s…Oh yeah, kinda guessed you were! Oh and Char is sooo skinny i’ve never seen anything skinnier and yet she complains she’s so fat and all she eats is Kellogs Branflakes, and at the most a slice of toast with nothing on it… OCTOBER 18 1998 – Farnham England I hate Sundays in Farnham! They’re so ghost like. Everything is so quiet… And today Pauliina is in London. It’s only me and Gabrielle left. We went for the longest walk, it wasn’t meant to be that long… First we walked around town for an hour taking pictures for this stupid module i don’t understand, and neither does Gabi. She even asked Robin what the hell it’s about and he looked at her with those evil eyes saying You don’t know? Read the module book… She said I have, and then he looked totally annoyed and started to explain it. The thing is, the module book says one thing, Robin another, and John says another thing, and i refuse to ask Martin for he’ll probably say something totally different from everyone else… From what i understand we’re supposed to represent Farnham, while challangeing the rural myth and…yuck! Anyway, we were out taking pictures of Farnham, but both me and Gabrielle ended up taking pictures of trash near the shut down theatre. Then we went on to the cemetery, and there Gabrielle suggested that we should go up to the fields behind the art colege. Sure! We started walking and she said Let’s go up here, i know this is the way, this must be the right way… Ha ha ha, right… Eventually she found the right way and we walked out into the open fields… Beautiful, until Gabi started talking about her phobias with open fields. Saying: What if an axe murderer comes along or a wierdo who starts to follow you, where do one hide??? And she says i’m having wierd thoughts sometimes! I think we were out walking for 3 hours. OCTOBER 23 1998 – Farnham England Just came back from the union. It’s Emma’s birthday and she invited everyone in the house to come down to the SU for drinks. Sure she asked me to come along, and she asked Pauliina too…but when we came to the union they totally ignored us and said nothing to us except for: You allright? Like fifty times in a row. They took pictures and excluded me and Pauliina from everyone of them. Me and Pauliina had the advantage to slag them right infront of them…in swedish! Ha ha! Emma had on this skirt that was so short you didn’t need to look up it to see her knickers and Abi had on this top which showed most of her boobs, they were nearly falling out. There’s nothing wrong to show off your boobs if you have a nice pair but, you don’t have to think they’re the biggest and best looking pair in the world, and you don’t have to look down on them every five minutes to admire them, and you don’t shake them and then giggle because they move… They’re a bunch of tarts! Ella and Char are snobby too, but they are a lot better than Abi and Emma… Anyway, i left the union after a while, and by then Rob had left too, cuz they ignored him aswell, but they always do. They say he's’wierd and what not. But he's’a sweet guy, he's’only 17 and so what if he likes to keep to himself? OCTOBER 24 1998 – Farnham England Ha ha ha… Last night Charlotte lost her keys at the union, so she couldn’t get in. Henry did let her in to the house, but then she couldn’t get into her room, so she had to sleep on the kitchen floor. How hilarious! The thing is, she lost her keys, never asked anyone if they’d seen them, called the porters lodge and had them come and change the lock (the front door one, so we all got new keys, and the door to her room) and she had to pay £86 for it! Then ofcourse as soon as the locksmith was gone some guy showed up and said he had Char’s keys… She had given them to him at the union! So she payed £86 for nothing really!! Ha ha ha! I’m not an evil person, but i think she got what she deserved, for if you drink yourself stupid each night like she (and the other girls in this house) does… They all need to realise that they can’t go on like this, they dress like tarts and they are pissed stupid every night, they can hardly walk. Maybe i feel like this cuz i’m older than all of them, i dunno. But it’s not like i don’t drink, for i do, but i don’t drink so much that i pass out from it. And they should be careful, there’s been 3 rapes in Farnham the past month, and they’ve all been done with the help of the "rape drug"… OCTOBER 25 1998 – Farnham England There was a big fire in the house next to ours, joint with ours tonight! Me and Pauliina were down in the laundry when the alarm went off. First we didn’t care, thought it’s just another one of them false alarms. I mean, there’s been atleast 2-3 alarms each week since we got here, and they’ve all been false, the fire trucks has been here and all, but there’s been no fires! But in the end we did walk out of the laundry room and some girl came yelling at us to go to the fire assembly point, so we started walking up Castle Field when we saw smoke coming out of our house! Both of us panicked, and both said at the same time: My cameras!! Then we saw that it wasn’t our house but the one next door, so that felt abit better! But still, that house is joint with ours… The fire trucks came and they had smoke divers and everything! Scary! Apparantly a chip pan got over heated and exploded. And now they have no kitchen…it’s all burnt up…and our back yard is full of junk…the cooker, a melted kettle, a toaster, pots and pans… I can’t wait for tomorrow to take pictures of it all. One thing is for sure, i am never gonna ignore a fire alarm from now on. NOVEMBER 6 1998 – Farnham England I got the tickets to fly to Belfast today! £79 it cost for a return ticket, plus i need to get to Heathrow and back too…taxi? It’s £35 to go to Heathrow by taxi…expensive! I leave on the 12 th and stays until the 15 th. I’m really looking forward to this trip, i need a break! I did go to London 2 days ago, and it was fun. Me and Patricia went to photo galleries and the V&A. Had a delicious lunch at Govindas in SoHo. Then we did some shopping, but i didn’t buy much as i am going to Belfast!!! We had revies three days ago, and they went well, i got a good mark, and they loved my workbook! OH! And i finally got my tuition award. I was down at the registry asking if they’d heard anything from the Surrey County Council and they said no, and then this guy phoned them up and fixed it all and now i got a £1000 tuition grant which will cover my whole tuition for this year!! Yay! I called Emma and asked if i could stay there for the weekend i’m in Belfast and she said yes. They’re all looking forward to seeing me. When i called one of Emma’s daughters picked up the phone and i almost didn’t finish the Hi when she screamed Ooooh! Is it Louise? How you doing? Bla bla bla… It was great, then she asked, When are you coming over to see us, we haven’t seen you in a while, we missed you the last time you were over… And i told her i was coming over in a few days… And she said she’d have to tell Emma-Jane and Vicky… It was great, i’m so glad that they concider me a part of their family. Emma said she might not be home when i arrive but she said You got the key, let yourself in and make yourself at home, your room is there and you know where to find everything! NOVEMBER 13 1998 – Anditown Belfast I’m so happy i am here again! I love this place. The flight over went well and i sat next to some guys and one called me, what was it, not lady…madame or something and i nearly died, hey i’m only 22, and the guy couldn’t be younger than 20… i took the bus from the airport into the city centre and then i walked to Belfast Exposed and Sean gave me coffee in Gerrys mug that said "Horny little devil" ha ha, which i needed for it rained and rained! And they have made Belfast Exposed so beautiful now, they now have the place where the chippie used to be on King Street, and that’s where you enter the place, and it’s so nice, and there’s stairs up to the old premises. And everything was cleaned out and organised for once, and they have a brand new darkroom which i’m in love with! It’s great. And they let me print some pictures for free, those negatives from 96, when Sean took pictures of us at Kellys the night before me and Liz moved back to Sweden. They turned out great. Mark had sent me some of them, but there were so many other pictures i had not seen. It’s sad though cuz Kathy is no longer with the Belfast Exposed, there’s some new girl there instead. After that i went to Anditown and met Emma and one of her daughters, i can never remember her name, she’s got too many kids and grandkids… I do know Moira for she’s in Dublin and she’s the one who gave us a lift down there once…but the others i have no idea who they are, i just know them by faces… Then some lady i swear i have never seen came up to me hugged me and kissed me and said How wonderful to see you again, how are you dear? I don’t know who she was! (i still don’t, and it’s now March 11 99) And Emma’s friend the evil lady was there too, but she has altzheimers now so all she did was sit on a chair and sleep. She always used to stare at me and Liz and mumble words we couldn’t make out what they were… I have been to two exhibitions, Yoko Ono "have you seen the horizon lately" which was crap, she takes credit for alot of things that John Lennon made when he was alive, and that’s not right! Then i saw David Byrne’s "Strange ritual and Sleepless nights" which was amazing! I loved that one! I could’ve stayed looking at that forever. There was a Byrne book in the gallery shop but it was £40 so i couldn’t buy it for i had spent so much money shopping allready! Oh, i wanna see more of Byrne’s photography!! Ofcourse i missed the Clive Barker book signing! I was going to go there, but i was in my room and looked at the time, and realized that it had started 10 minutes ago, so i didn’t bother to try to get there… Oh i don’t wanna leave… NOVEMBER 20 1998 – Farnham England Me Charlotte and Emma cleaned our kitchen today…scrubbed it with bleach! It was so yucky! Emma cleaned out the fridge and gave out a loud scream of horror as she tossed a bag of chips on the floor… Me and Char had a look in it, and i swear, another day and those green furry chips would’ve walked away on their own. Why keep chips in the fridge, for weeks! It’s Henry’s chips and when he gets back he’s gonna hear about it! Atleast now the whole kitchen is clean. But for how long? Char came up with the idea of writing huge notes: Do your fucking dishes, NOW! Stuff like that, and we did put some up. The people in this house needs to take responsibility. It’s always me or Emma or Char who cleans up after everyone else! And when you have to use bleach all over it’s really bad! The kitchen is clean, but it has a yucky smell of Sainsburys white bleach instead!

#izan #louise wahlander #journal #1998 #farnham #rip #see about page

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