#Like live super bowl stuff exists right

[afamiliarsword]

(WARNING, NOTHING BURGER POST:) Was very surprised today to realise that scripted "sports" shows that primarily focus on the sport is very rarely seen outside of anime and it feels like I have to be missing something

[feverishfics]

Could you write a snz fic for Changbin? It could be to do with his long list of allergies or a sickness, anything is fine but I love reading ot7 caretaking and interactions 💕

I loved your first fic btw :)

Hey, thank you for the request! I'm glad you liked the first fic. I'm sorry this took so long, work and preparing my law school entrance stuff has been crazy. I know that this is not one of Changbin's allergies (at least not known), but I haven't been able to get this idea out of my head since the Walkin' On Water music video came out. I hope you enjoy it!

Horsing Around

Fandom: Stray Kids

Sickie: Changbin

Caretaker: OT7 (mainly 2000's line)

Word Count: 2.8k

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Stray Kids were very busy, with a world tour going on as well as preparations for their new album underway. It had been a crazy week and there was still more to do with the filming for the “Walkin On Water” music video scheduled for the next two days. Although filming for music videos was still work, it was a fairly fun process and the members of Stray Kids were especially looking forward to this filming. The reasoning for this is that there would be live horses there for the filming and there would be opportunities to interact with and even ride the horses.

To say that the members were excited would be an understatement. Some of the members had experience interacting with horses, but for the other members this would be their first time. Changbin, Jeongin, and Hyunjin, who had never interacted with horses before, had of course seen horses, but had never had an opportunity to get up close. Changbin was especially excited because, due to his allergies, there were not many animals that he could safely interact with, so any opportunity he got to be up close with an animal was an opportunity that he cherished. Even though Changbin had never gotten super close to horses before, he had gotten what he considered to be a close enough distance from them to elicit a reaction if he was allergic. Because he had not had a reaction at that time, Changbin was fairly certain that he was not allergic to horses.

The morning of the first day of filming had arrived. Eager to get to the set, Changbin and Hyunjin both woke up early and sat in the kitchen to eat a simple breakfast of cereal and toast together. “Hyung, slow down. You know that eating faster won’t make us actually get to the set faster, right?” Hyunjin laughed as he saw Changbin shovelling the cereal into his mouth as if his life depended on it. The rapper put down his spoon and looked up at Hyunjin. “I know, but I can’t help it! I’m just so excited to be able to pet and ride the horses. I’ve never gotten to do that before!” The dancer looked at his hyung skeptically and said, “Yeah, speaking of horses, do you think you should take some allergy medicine with you and maybe take some before we leave?” “No, I’m not allergic to horses,” Changbin replied. His dongsaeng sighed and said, “I know you say that, but you’re allergic to like, every other animal in existence. Don’t you think you should be cautious?” Slurping up the remaining milk from his cereal, Changbin locked eyes with Hyunjin. “Don’t worry Hyunjinnie. I’m twenty-five years old, I’m pretty sure I would know if I was allergic to horses or not.” “Okay, whatever you say hyung.” With that, Changbin got up from the table and rinsed his bowl out in the sink. “I’m gonna go get dressed, then I’ll come back and wash the dishes while you’re getting dressed, okay? Hurry up, I don’t want us to be late!” Changbin quickly walked out of the kitchen and down the hall toward his bedroom. “Okay hyung!” Hyunjin called after him. Although he didn’t want to overstep his boundaries and insist Changbin take some allergy medicine, Hyunjin also didn’t quite trust his hyung’s judgement. Because of this, as he was getting ready, the dancer made sure to slip some allergy medication into his bag.

After Hyunjin finished getting ready, he slipped his bag onto his shoulder and headed toward the kitchen to help Changbin with putting the dishes away. After everything was in its rightful spot, Changbin also grabbed his bag and the two men quickly slipped on their shoes before heading to the van that was waiting for them downstairs. Climbing into the van, the two were greeted by Chan and Jeongin. “Good morning Bin-ah, Hyunjinnie!” “Good morning, hyung,” the two responded. Hyunjin sat down behind Jeongin and immediately began bothering him by ruffling his hair. “Good morning Iyen-ah!” “Ahhhh hyuunnggg, leave me alone,” the maknae complained, leaning away from the dancer’s hands. Changbin and Chan laughed, knowing how much Jeongin secretly loved being irritated by Hyunjin. Chan turned to his fellow producer and said, “Yah, Changbin-ah, I was working on a new track last night, but it seems like it’s missing something. I was hoping I could get you and Hannie to listen to it during our lunch break?” “Hyung, how many times do I have to tell you to stop staying up late working on tracks! And I’d love to listen to it, just not during our lunch break. I’m planning to spend the lunch break trying to ride the horses. But I can listen to it during a different break time.” “Hey, I didn’t stay up that late! I was in bed by 12:00,” Chan retorted. Changbin raised an eyebrow. “Did you happen to be in bed with your laptop open and your headphones on?” the younger questioned. “Technicalities, technicalities. What matters is that I was in bed. Also, are you sure it’s such a good idea for you to be trying to ride the horses? You know you have some pretty bad allergies,” the leader looked at his dongsaeng in concern. “Don’t worry hyung, I’m not allergic to horses, I’ll be fine. Unless they try to sneak a surprise cat into the music video, but I highly doubt that would happen,” Changbin smirked at the thought. Chan laughed and replied, “Yeah that would be pretty interesting. But just make sure you’re being careful okay? I don’t want you to have any problems.” “Aw, is hyungie worried about me? Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” With that, Chan rolled his eyes and looked at his phone for the rest of the ride.

As they arrived at the set, those in the van saw that the other members were already there. Changbin, Hyunjin, Chan, and Jeongin quickly got out of the van and began walking around to explore the set. It was a really cool old looking building and it kind of reminded Changbin of the set for their “Thunderous” music video. Catching up to the other members, Changbin looked around one more time and said, “Where are the horses? I was looking forward to petting them.” “Oh, on the way here the manager mentioned that they won’t arrive until a little later. But it should be before lunchtime,” Minho replied. “Aw man, I wanted to see them now,” Felix said, to which Changbin agreed emphatically. “I don’t really care that much about the big horses, but I definitely wanna see the ponies,” Seungmin said. Jisung laughed at this, saying “Well, maybe you’ll get to shoot a scene with a pony.” The members went into the building and began shooting their first scenes.

After a few hours of shooting, Changbin was sitting on a couch with Jisung when he suddenly heard neighing and hooves clopping on the ground. “They’re here!” Changbin jumped up immediately and Jisung ran behind him. “Hyung, slow down. We don’t want to scare them.” Changbin listened and slowed his pace. He was just so excited to be able to interact with a new animal. The other members who were not shooting at that moment, Chan, Minho, Seungmin, and Jeongin, also came over to greet the horses.

As the members approached, the horse trainers came forward and introduced themselves and the horses. They told the members how excited they were to be there and explained the rules for interacting with the horses. They told them to approach slowly and speak quietly, as loud sounds might startle the horses. Heeding the advice of the trainers, the members approached the horses and began to pet them gently, speaking in calm low voices to the horses and to each other. “Hyungs, I think this one likes me,” Jeongin chuckled as the horse he was petting began to gently nuzzle into his neck. The other members giggled at the sight of their maknae getting along with the horse. As he was petting one of the other horses, Changbin began to feel a tickle forming deep in his sinuses. ‘This doesn’t mean I’m allergic, it’s just because we’re outside and there’s a lot of pollen,’ the rapper thought as he tried to convince himself that this was not the beginning of a reaction to the horses. Although he was able to keep his nose under check for a while, there wasn’t much Changbin could do as his eyes began to water. Seungmin, noticing his hyung’s predicament, asked him, “Changbin-hyung, are you okay? Your eyes look really red and you look like you’re crying. I thought you said you weren’t allergic to horses?” Changbin took a step back from the horse and rubbed his eyes. “I’m not allergic. I guess I just got a little emotional because I’m so excited. Sorry to worry you, Seungmin-ah. I”ll go to the bathroom to collect myself and I’ll be right back.” Changbin turned and began quickly making his way to the bathroom. Seungmin locked eyes with Minho, who had been on the other side of Changbin, and raised his eyebrows in question. Minho shrugged and continued petting the horses while Seungmin decided to give his hyung a few minutes to himself before going after him.

Once Changbin was in the bathroom, he immediately went over to the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. ‘Oh shit, my eyes look really bad,’ Changbin thought as he saw his teary reflection. He splashed water on his face in an attempt to lessen the itching in his eyes before going into a stall to blow his nose, which had begun to run. Before he could even lift the tissue to his face, the itch in Changbin’s sinuses intensified and he snapped forward with some itchy sneezes. “Wa-etch! Etch! Huh, Etchuh! Etch!” The rapper sniffled and then blew his nose, stopping when he heard the bathroom door open. He froze, quickly throwing the used tissue paper into the toilet. Changbin didn’t know who had just walked into the bathroom, but to him it didn’t really matter. He had always been kind of shy about his allergies and about sneezing in general so he would prefer that no one heard him. He thought that he was safe since the person seemed to be washing their hands at the sink, but the itch in his nose suddenly came back with a vengeance and before he knew what was happening, Changbin was thrown into a rather spectacular sneezing fit. “Etch! Etchuh! Etchuh! Huh! Huh! Wa-etch! Etch! Huh-etch! Etch!” Changbin froze, not even daring to sniffle as footsteps from the other person started to come toward his stall. He heard a knock on the door before Hyunjin’s voice called out, “Changbin-hyung, is that you? Are you okay?” “Yeah, I’m fine Hyunjinnie, don’t worry about me. I’ll be out in a huh, Etch! Sorry, a few minutes.” “Hyung,” the dancer responded in an exasperated voice, “open the door.” Knowing that there was no way out of this, Changbin slowly opened the door and locked eyes with his dongsaeng. Hyunjin’s eyes widened and he gasped as he saw the state that Changbin was in. “Hyung! You look terrible! What happened?” Changbin sheepishly rubbed that back of his head and looked at the ground before admitting, “I think I might be slightly allergic to horses.” “Yeah, no shit hyung.” The two startled and looked at Seungmin, who they had not even noticed entering the bathroom. Changbin scowled at the vocalist but the effect was ruined as he was taken over by yet another sneezing fit. “Wa-etch! Etch! Huh! Huhetch! Etchuh! Etch! Huh! Huh! Etch!” Hyunjin sighed before turning to look at Seungmin. “Seungmin-ah, can you stay with hyung while I go get some allergy medicine? I stuffed some into my bag this morning before we left.” “Of course I will. Honestly, you should probably hurry, I think his eyes are starting to swell,” the younger responded.

As much as Changbin didn’t want to admit it, he was pretty sure that Seungmin was right about his eyes. “Come here, hyung.” Seungmin grabbed the older’s arm and led him toward the sink. Changbin watched blearily as he held a paper towel under the water. “What are you doing, Seugnminnie?” “You’ll see, hyung. Close your eyes.” Changbin followed the vocalist’s directions and soon after his eyes were closed, he felt Seungmin pressing a nice warm paper towel to his itchy eyes. “Does that feel better?” Seungmin questioned. Sighing in relief, Changbin replied, “Yes, it feels great. I could stay like this forever.” Unfortunately for Changbin, his nose had other plans. “Seungminnie, I have to, huh, have to,” Changbin trailed off as the itch overtook his ability to get words out. Seungmin, understanding his hyung’s predicament, quickly took the towel off of the rappers eyes just in time for him to have another sneezing fit. “Huh! Etch! Wa-etch! Etch! Huh! Huh! Huh! Etch! Huh! Huh! Huh!” Changbin’s breath kept hitching in preparation for a sneeze that evidently did not want to come out. Seungmin looked at the older in sympathy and said, “Aw, hyungie, is it stuck?” Changbin flushed a little in embarrassment and managed to nod before the sneeze finally came out. “Etch! Wa-etch! Ughhh. I’m tired of this. This is so embarrassing.” “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about hyung, you can’t control it.” “I know, but I was so excited about seeing the horses and now it turns out I’m allergic to them! I really should have expected this but I was holding out hope. And now I’m an uncontrollable mess and I doubt I’ll even be able to finish filming and everything’s gonna get behind schedule and-” Seungmin grabbed Changbin’s arms in an attempt to calm him down. “Woah, calm down. Everything is fine hyung, no one is worried about all of that stuff. They’re only worried about you and your wellbeing. And I know you were looking forward to the horses, I’m so sorry. But you can still enjoy them from a distance! Just maybe don’t ride any of them.” Changbin nodded in agreement as the bathroom door opened again and Hyunjin entered with the allergy medication and a bottle of water. “Here hyung, this should help. I also found a horse free area that you can rest in while we wait for the medicine to start working, okay?” “Okay, sounds good, as long as I don’t, huh, Wa-etch! Etch! Etch! Ugh, as long as I don’t hold up filming.”

Changbin allowed himself to be led out of the bathroom and toward the so-called “horse free” area. Walking in, the rapper saw Jisung and Felix sitting on the couch talking. At the sound of footsteps, the two looked up. “Oh, hyungie, come here and lie down. We’ll take good care of you, right Jisung?” Felix looked at his “twin” in expectation. “Of course we will. We haven’t been around the horses at all so this is a safe area,” Jisung responded, patting the spot next to him on the couch, indicating that he wanted Changbin to sit down. As Changbin sat down, Seungmin tapped Hyunjin on the shoulder and said, “Hyunjin-ah, I just got a text that the two of us are needed for filming now.” The two left, telling Changbin that they hoped he would feel better soon and that they would be back to check on him after they finished filming. As the two of them left, Felix and Jisung got Changbin to lie down on the couch. Felix went to get a cloth to put over his hyung’s eyes, as Seungmin had told him earlier that doing that had seemed to help. When Felix got back with the cloth, Changbin was lying with his head in Jisung’s lap. The younger rapper was running his hands through his hyung’s hair and telling him that it was going to be okay once the medicine kicked in. Approaching with the cloth, Felix said, “Here Han, I got this to put over his eyes.” “Thanks Yongbok,” Changbin said as Jisung grabbed the cloth and placed it over his eyes. “Of course hyung, just close your eyes and try to get some sleep. Once you wake up, I’m sure you’ll feel all better,” Felix responded. “That’s right Changbin-hyung. Once the medicine starts to work you’ll probably even get to go see the horses again!” Jisung’s enthusiasm made Changbin smile as he closed his eyes. He chose to believe his dongsaengs’ words about feeling better when he woke up and was able to fall asleep with a smile as he knew that he was well taken care of by his members.

[goron-king-darunia]

Eggtober Recap and Masterpost 2023

Untitled Egg Poem Egg Yolk Splattered in a chipped bowl, Limitless potential Broken like the dawn.

Scared of wasted sunrise, Scared of loving white lies, Yearning, Wanting to breathe free.

Prison within a prison, Living without living, I am spinning, toiling, burning, Breaking, sifting, praying, learning, Nothing blooming Nothing growing Tears.

Crackling insanity, A song that boils within me A rhythm Setting me in stone.

And I'll claw in Like dandelions, Vines, like yeast and mold I'll make a mark one day, you'll see.

Rooted, I'll grow my thorns, It's not my fault for being born, Sorry if My laughter is too loud.

I'll make a reverie of mechanical monotony No more apologies Just me. Insects and wriggling larvae, Eggshell like lead paint chips, Star dust doesn't choose its shape.

Pigment from wilted roses, blood spilled by mistake, I refuse to ever break.

Not again.

Eggtober is over. We did it~ The poem doesn't really speak to a current state of mind. Just a pattern of maladaptive thinking I grew up having, being the weird kid. People like the rough edges a lot more when you grow up, I've found. Makes you interesting. Or maybe it's just easier to find your people when you're unapologetically strange online. And I like that Eggtober sort of embraces that. It's not a super serious Inktober challenge. Just a bunch of weird people drawing weird eggs. And I mean that in the best way. People expect there to be a "why" a lot. "Why eggs?" And sometimes there is a why. Sometimes I draw eggs to express something or to symbolize something. But sometimes there is no why. Sometimes it's just because an egg is easy or fun or comfortable. Sometimes an egg just feels right. Sometimes it's just to make something. Doesn't have to be poetic or meaningful. Sometimes you just draw an egg, and that's all it is. And I think a lot of discomfort around art is that everyone expects there to be a why, and if you don't have a why, then your art doesn't deserve to be seen. "Why do you like gorey stuff, kinky stuff, weird stuff? If you can't explain, I'm choosing to believe you're a freak and should be disallowed from creating." And I'm lucky, I think, to not be that popular. I don't get asked these sorts of things. But I see it happen to other people. And sometimes I get it. An answer to the why pacifies. I get uneasy with horror the same as everyone and I pacify it by reading the wiki and learning the secrets and understanding the why. But I think we need to get more comfy making up our own why, or get comfy with the knowledge that sometimes there isn't a why. Sometimes the little brain goblin decides there is no why. They just like the weird little eggs. And that's okay. And I think the reason we make up for other peoples' "why" should maybe stop being "because they're a weird little freak that likes degenerate things." Because yeah, maybe they are. But it's not a bad thing. And the world is a lot more interesting when we accept that we don't always know the why. And the why isn't always as simple as that.

I dunno. I'm rambling a bit. But I'm grateful to everyone that showed up and participated and shared and liked and just... enjoyed existing where the thing happening was lots of eggs and the "why" was just "why not?"

Hoping every one of you has a nice glass of your preferred warm beverage and stays nice and toasty for the rest of the year. (Shout out to the southern hemisphere folks if there are any. May you guys have an iced beverage of your choice and stay nice and cool for the rest of the year.)

Lots of thoughts about Eggtober 2023 and no good way to articulate them, but suffice it to say that having a loose amount of structure like this is very good on my garbage ADHD brain. If anything in the collage catches your fancy, here's the posts in order from the top left to the bottom right. May the rest of 2023 be sweet. I can't wait to see everyone again next year! And don't eat too much Halloween Candy at once, even if it is those yummy gummy fried egg candies.

Eggtober 2023 Posts in Order: (Unfortunately I didn't learn about the speedpaint feature until day 6 😢)

Eggtober 1st: Fried Egg on Green Eggtober 2nd: Lemon Fried Egg (Both Versions) Eggtober 3rd: Fried Egg Cake

Eggtober 4th: Poached Eggs and Asparagus Hollandaise Eggtober 5th: Sheet Pan Fried Eggs Eggtober 6th: Raw Egg (Both Versions)

Eggtober 7th: Painted Egg Eggtober 8th: Rice Crispy Eggs Eggtober 9th: Chocolate Souffle Eggtober 10th: Hot and Sour Soup

Eggtober 11th: Flan Eggtober 12th: Fried Eggs and Bacon Eggtober 13th: Ramen Eggs Eggtober 14th: Tiger Skin Egg

Eggtober 15th: Fried Egg with Berries Eggtober 16th: Cheesy Baked Cream Eggs Eggtober 17th: Mushroom Quiche Eggtober 18th: Cipriani Cake

Eggtober 19th: Pavlova with Strawberry Jam Eggtober 20th: Deviled Egg Eggtober 21st: Hard-boiled Egg and Mayo Eggtober 22nd: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese

Eggtober 23rd: Omurice Eggtober 24th: Shrimp Fried Rice Eggtober 25th: Uovo in Raviolo Eggtober 26th: Image of Fried Egg on Jack-o-lantern.

Eggtober 27th: Tea Egg Eggtober Eggtober 28th: Monster Eggs Eggtober 29th: Korean Egg Bread Eggtober 30th: Fried Egg on Magenta in the Stlye of @quezify

Eggtober 31st: Fried Egg on Burger Eggtober 31st Bonus: Egg Creature from SNOBBISM

Special thanks to my bae, @actualaster for the love and support, @hannikka for the encouraging words, @lady-quen for the ongoing collab, and @quezify for being the best host. Love you all! I am putting the King Sized Reese's and KitKat candy bars in your metaphorical Halloween bags.

[cryptidsurveys]

Friday, May 2nd, 2025.

Is it gloomy right now where you live? It's not. There's not a cloud in the sky outside my bedroom window.

Are you wearing a pink shirt? It's black with extremely faded white and red text.

If you had a baby, would you want to have it at home or in a hospital?

Did you eat crackers today? I haven't. It's still early, so all I've had so far is a bowl of oatmeal and some coffee with a splash of a chocolate peanut butter protein drink.

Are you waiting on something right now? I'm waiting to see if my left pinky toe feels better. I stubbed it pretty badly in the early morning hours because there was a cat fight in our garage and I was in a rush to get downstairs to see wtf was going on. I can't even remember what I stubbed it on. But I went back to bed thinking it would be fine when I woke up, and…it wasn't. I can't even walk without a limp. So yeah - I'm hoping I'll be okay to go to the animal shelter tomorrow. I probably won't be able to participate in the colony deep clean, but I can still hobble around and clean the kennels.

What was the last thing you ordered online? Most likely a book for Kindle.

Have you ever had a bad experience with anti-depressants? If so, what? Yeah.

Are you allergic to any plants? My allergies were pretty bad a few weeks ago - that is, assuming it wasn't a cold. I don't know what plant set them off. I'm pretty sure I know which one triggers my late summer / fall allergies, though, and it's this fvcker right here. ;D

Are you an outdoors person? I'm less outdoorsy than I was in the past, but I still like to get out for picnics and hikes when I can.

What makes your room unique? There's nothing about it that's super unique. Just the fact that it's full of my stuff. Other people may have similar items, but obviously not all of the same exact things. Oh, and it does have this raised alcove area that sits about 1.5-2ft above the rest of the floor space. Not really sure about its intended function. I guess you could put a small bed up there, but it would be kind of hard to get into and out of with the added heigh of the mattress, etc. It currently houses some storage drawers acting as a low table, a bean bag mainly used by my cats, a giant purple stuffed gorilla, a tiny desk that you can use in bed, and some random / decorative whatnot.

Does your past bother you? Yeah. Mainly my own regrets and mistakes. Sure, there were aspects of my upbringing that were dysfunctional, but those details don't bother me nearly as much as my own shortcomings.

Do you take risks or play it safe? I probably play it too safe, especially when you consider risky things for me include making friends, applying to work at the shelter, taking unfamiliar driving routes, etc.

What forms of art do you like the best? To consume? Probably music, paintings, and photography. To produce? Photography and digital art.

What forms of art do you want to try? I would love to try making my own pottery.

What's your favorite planet? I don't really have a favorite.

Has a medication ever made you itch? No.

What's your favorite rainy-day activity? I don't think I have one. It's more like all of my usual activities feel even better and cozier.

Do you put creamer in your tea? I have, but I normally use some kind of milk.

What do you think are some good names for twins?

Would you rather have a girl or a boy for your first child?

What are three things that fascinate you? Thinking about reality as a whole; the very "fabric" or "reason" behind why anything exists at all. Japan. Ancient megalithic structures.

Do you take time to enjoy life and live in the moment? Probably not enough time.

Would you say you live more in the past, present, or future? I would say the past overshadows how I experience the present, even when I'm not necessarily immediately dwelling on it. I do spend some time thinking about the future, but the distant future especially feels like an overwhelming unknown.

Does your life bother you? Lol, I feel like that volunteer appreciation dinner recharged my health bar. I no longer feel so burned out or like I'm just dragging myself through the days. Even this toe fiasco isn't getting me down.

Are you a victim?

Have you ever been a victim of a crime? Idk?

Does injustice make you angry? Sometimes. And other times I just feel apathetic.

Do you have the bad habit of procrastinating? With some things.

Are you afraid of running into a certain person in public? I wouldn't want to run into certain people, but I also don't really think about it.

Do you have anyone you avoid? Not completely, but sorta.

Have you ever had low self-esteem? Yeah.

Do you have the same dreams now that you did as a kid? Life dreams - like ambitions and hopes for my future? I guess they're pretty similar.

Are you a dreamer? Not really.

Are you a free spirit? Also not really.

Who's your crush? I don't have one.

Do you trust the government? No.

Do you live in the USA? Yeah.

Which time period in history sounds the most appealing to you? There are periods I enjoy learning about more than others, but if you mean "appealing" in the sense of actually living through it…I can't think of one.

Do you relate more to your American zodiac sign or Chinese zodiac sign? There's a lot of overlap between Pisces and Snake traits, but I guess I relate more to being a Pisces because it's more familiar to me.

Do you believe in the supernatural? I find it to be a fascinating subject, but I don't know if I believe in it myself. I'm open-mindedly skeptical, I guess you could say.

Have you ever had a supernatural experience? Not sure.

Would you ever name your kids after someone else? Like someone I know, a character, or a celebrity? Probably not. Not intentionally with that association in mind, anyway.

Who do you want to meet in Heaven? I don't believe in an afterlife, but hypothetically, cats that have passed away.

Which celebrity do you feel you could be friends with? None.

Is it raining? No.

Are you tired right now? I'm alright.

Is your life stressful and exhausting? It was but then the volunteer dinner happened and I'm basically fine again??? Cool.

[victorluvsalice]

-->Once all the gnomes were back in position, it was time to get everyone started on all the various chores that needed to be done! I had Alice get up, clean more spoiled food out of the fridge (while I remembered “Smiler’s cheese!” and quickly put that IN the fridge – fortunately it still had like a day to go before it went off), then go kick a creepy doll in the greenhouse before harvesting the prairie grass in Moory’s pen (just found one turquoise crystal hiding in there today). Victor, meanwhile, finished clearing up the gnome mess in the greenhouse and opening all the remaining seed packets I could find around the lot (looked like a haul of mainly lemons and spinach), and got to his tending – vacuuming weeds, spraying bugs, etc, etc. Smiler, for their part, finished up Marm’s enhancements before being sent to clean the chicken coop, recycle everyone's accumulated trash piles, and to rake up all the leaves around the yard (since, well, there were a lot of them!). And Marm, now that he was feeling a little more durable (with his latest enhancement, durability in fact decays about 10% slower now, which is nice), hovered over to the living room to put out the fireplace (which somebody had lit yesterday, or possibly the day before, in-game) and get to know Shadow. The two got along quite well, so I had Marm go and take Shadow on a short walk –

And went “you know what, we haven’t done any fun animal treat stuff in a bit” and had Alice take the Fishy Protein Treat and the Pumpkin Treat from Victor’s inventory to feed one of the brown hens and Moory the cow respectively! Alice unfortunately didn’t do a great job of giving the Fishy Protein Treat to the chickens, pouring it OUTSIDE their pen – I moved the treat pile into the pecking area in the hopes that SOMEBODY would eat it. Happily, after a short break to brush Surprise, she did much better in giving Moory her Pumpkin Treat, and – after a quick pet to keep the cow happy – got herself a nice bottle of pumpkin spice milk along with the regular milk. :) She also grabbed the eggs, since she was in the neighborhood – two regular, one hatchable. Not too shabby!

-->And with THAT all done, it was time to make some treats for the upcoming food sale! I already knew I wanted the gang to take the batch of blueberry bagels Victor had made earlier from the fridge – however, when I checked out the plate of banana split waffles in there, I found that they were very close to going off. I thus set them on the counter so Alice could quickly clean them up after they spoiled, and had Alice instead get a batch of pumpkin spice waffles and some more batches of dough started. Annoyingly, the stand mixer broke right after it was finished mixing up the dough – and after Alice repaired it, she suddenly got an inexplicable fear of death, despite the fact that, as far as I could see, she didn’t get shocked by the damn thing at all. O.o Well, all right, being afraid of death is just a natural part of existence. I’ll figure out how to help her work through her fear later! (Too bad The Sims 4 doesn’t offer the “go on a mental trip through Wonderland to confront your worries” option. :p)

While that was going on, Victor finished his tending and super-sold the greenhouse – I tried then to have him go in and make an apple pie for the sale, but he couldn’t do so until Alice finished fixing the mixer so he could get the dough out of it (an apple pie needs two batches, and we only had one available). I thus had him eat some forbidden candy instead to keep his energy up for the trip – can’t have him falling asleep in the middle of the sale! I also got a notice that Shadow (still on her walk with Marm) was getting pretty hungry, so I had the pair come back to the house and stop under the tree in the front yard so I could get Marm to call her to eat at one of the pet food bowls –

-->Except that Marm wouldn’t do it. The action just lingered uselessly just outside their queue. Puzzled, I had Alice try to call the dog over instead – but Shadow wouldn’t come, instead wandering over to the obstacle course. Frustrated, I sent Alice out there (after taking a moment to start the laundry washing again, since the game was telling me the clothes inside were still in a “Used” state) to give the dog a treat while I tried to have Marm read a book for his aspiration –

And still no go. This robot WOULD NOT move. I could not figure out why – he wasn’t FROZEN frozen, as he kept doing various idle animations and his charge continued to decay, but he just wouldn’t do anything I told him to do. *shakehead* Save file is not doing good, man...

-->Anyway – once Victor retrieved his dough and successfully baked his apple pie, I checked over everyone’s inventory, then gave Smiler the blueberry bagels from the fridge, the apple pie, Alice’s pumpkin spice waffles, and the pumpkin spice milk she’d gotten before from Moory. This was a pretty good spread, all told, but I wanted to have one more thing available for potential customers to eat, so I had Victor make a loaf of cheesy bread with some of the remaining dough while Smiler and Alice bantered and chatted under the front yard tree and Marm continued to idle uselessly. Thanks to the power of prepped ingredients, the loaf didn’t take long to bake at all, and once it was done, I moved it to Smiler’s inventory, then had Smiler make the call to have all the humanoid Sims hit up Copperdale’s Lakeview Library (hoping that it would force Marm to move...) –

[jbt7493]

the isekai thing where,

Hey this post is too long and i'm not fuckin editing down my stream of consciousness tumblr post because it's dumb anyway.

, because of weird inscrutable genre stuff, the protagonist often can't just be The Strongest Person In The World or like recruit all the strongest people into their party or learn magic or something, or use modern medicine to save lives or whatever, they need to also like. Be a business owner. and they can't just like- like, they always Invent Soap (Note: Soap existed already) or whatever, and to be fair, inventing the bessemer process is often a pretty good one.

but no they also need to be like, importing japanese cultural products (sometimes korean! when it's a korean one. duh.) to the fantasy world, which are universally beloved because obviously japanese cultural products are great and applicable everywhere. like, every medieval noble wants to wear a yukata. and like, they can never just have one business either, they have to do like 20 things and each member of their cast has their own subsidiary business (which lets you get rid of some of the cast members because theyre successfully doing their own thing, i guess). but like okay yknow. one of the ones they *always* want to do, because food is such a big thing for culture, is open a restaurant. and it's like, guys, the economics on this are insane.

(First off, this was prompted by the summer 'when a book is set in year A and written in year B and the author refers to X dollars, do they mean X dollars in year A or are they automatically translating to the equivalent year B monetary value' which presumably is talking about real life stuff)

but like dude, when these fuckin isekai protagonists open a fast food restaurant and they bill it as 'the genius idea is that we'll sell to the lower class and get a bigger market' like. first off, they had restaurants or similar equivalents back then. like, thats part of what the tavern was for. and the wealthy people could afford to just have chefs on retainer. but secondly, those peasants are not paying extra for your insanely expensive spices on your Japanese Ramen or Korean Fried Chicken In Medieval Europe. like the protagonist always has to find how some rare plant or monster part tastes exactly like the right ingredient they were missing and they're like, oh FINALLY i can eat some of the cuisine i've been missing. and then they open a restaurant.

and it's like no go back a second this shit was rare as hell you can't sell that to poor people. like dude that medieval milk soup (btw. Whats up with that. Max Miller made a video on one that was like, essentially the milk from your bowl of cereal where it was full of cinnamon and sugar. but he mentioned that there were actually savory milk soups with meat and vegetables in it, and he just isnt doing one of those. And that's like, obviously the more interesting one, and is the one you see in some of those isekai that makes you go What The Fuck Is That? Like for real what was in that. Whats up with the milk soup) was cheap as fuck. like the cows just make the milk. and like bread is bread. like the food isnt gonna be total dog shit, it's still fresh food, they have some herbs and spices just not *all* of the ones we have, the maillaird reaction still works the same. you got eggs, mushrooms, butter or animal fat. missing some veggies because you havent made contact with south america (although. i mean it's fantasy you can make it up. but they never make the thing they use to make the pseudo-japanese/korean food a super common ingredient because then it would already be in use and the protagonist wouldnt be like craving for a taste of home and then inventing a new cuisine and being super smart and innovative)

Anyway thats that but the other thing is it's insane when a story forgets to do the copper-silver-gold thing and peasants are spending like 20 gold pieces on some Fantasy Meat Skewers or w/e. like you find a treasure chest full of golden ingots and you're like holy shit we're rich but each ingot is only like a hundred sandwiches. (although admittedly i feel like copper still had to be like. pretty expensive back then right? like silver for sure, it seems insane for 10 copper coins to be worth a silver coin, but it also feels insane that you would buy a beer for multiple pieces of like metal that was taken out of the earth and refined from ore and melted into a coin. I guess they didnt have wiring so the value was probably lower)

the main thing though is why the hell are all the isekai protagonists opening like 7 small businesses. thats weird man. they should just be stabbing dragons or whatever why are they like opening a massage parlor. anyone can do that. the comparative advantage is horrible

[keep-it-krispy]

Hey, just discovered your account and was wondering if you could tell me something about your lmk au's :)

Or is there a hashtag or master post I could use ?

I read something about your au, where the lmk characters are musicians and I thought it looked great!

Howdy and hello there! I'm happy to tell you about my AU.

“Ride or Die” is an alternate universe that takes place in modern times. I'm still deciding on whether or not to make everybody human, buuuut (until a certain point, somewhere around the 2nd or 3rd season) magic isn't super prominent (it still exists, it's just not powerful or noticeable enough for anyone to do crazy stuff with it like in cannon yet)

[Look at this post for a synopsis of the general vibes]

As noted in the aforementioned post, It starts off pretty normally. MK is a college student that lives with his adoptive father, Paul (Pigsy is his nickname), and his husband Tang (Tang is more of an uncle to him, he came along when MK was a lot older). He works part-time at his noodle shop and attends college with his longtime best friend Mei.

Sun Wukong is a world class dancer actor and singer that's about to retire, but wants to keep his legacy going. He hosts a big contest inviting anyone and everyone under the age of 25 to compete against one another in a tournament style talent show using any kind of performance art you can bring to the table.

MK is jazzed about the event, he wants to compete but doesn't actually think he'd win. He invites Mei to compete with him and she, being his ride or die bestie (roll credits), is all for it. She insists on starting a band, as she's been wanting to do so FOREVER, and Mk agrees. They don't really know how to start a band though. Mk remembers that Pigsy used to be crazy into the performance scene, so they ask him about it.

Pigsy explains that a performance can be anything, as long as people can watch it, and you put your soul into it [”Music is life, Life is music. Living is everything you make of it, and music is the same. It can be a guitar solo; but it's also the laugh of a friend when you tell them a joke you wrote, the satisfied sigh after you finish a painting, or the smile on a customer's face after a good bowl of soup.”

“Like that!” Mk shouts, slamming his fists on the counter as the light of an epiphany glimmers in his eyes “Lyrics! We need lyrics like that!”

Mei gasps, sliding up beside her friend with stars in her eyes “Pigsy! Can you write us lyrics!?”

Pigsy sighs, their antics pulling a small smile onto face “No,” their instant disappointment makes him chuckle, he heads over to the landline and starts dialing “But I do know someone who can.”

An hour later, the four of them are down at the harbour. Pigsy leads them down the dock and to a boat house, where he knocks on the door. From it emerges Sandy, a poet beyond his years.]

From there, Tang offers to organize everything, leaving Mk Mei and Sandy to come up with some performances. I picture them going through a lot of ideas, they put together a song, a play, an art show, and even consider doing an improv thing; but none of it really feels right to MK.

Red makes a menace of himself around this time. He meets MK at a music bar (picture a hipster coffee shop/club place with a bunch of different instruments laying around that people could play if they wanted) and finds out he's participating in the contest too, then starts picking on him. MK isn't really paying attention to his jabs, strumming along a guitar left near their booth.

[Mk’s curious strumming continues to draw a litany of sour notes from the instrument, curling Red’s lips into a harsher sneer.

“I mean- how can you expect to win the contest if you can't even play that guitar!?” the redhead is out of his seat now, looking half ready to rip it out of Mk's hands.

Mk smiles, not even pretending to listen as his brow creases with determination. He continues to fiddle with the instrument “Wait…” a couple strums, hey- wait.. that one sounded.. good?? “I think…” a few more. Was he.. ”I got it!” and testament to his words, the notes emitting from the strings finally smooth into something palatable. A warbling riff slides from his fingers, transforming into a silky bass line as he continued.

Red looked at him, jaw dropping to the floor. Twisted from sour notes and amature finger work, a new song was spun into existence before his very eyes. And it was good.]

Red is instantly intimidated by Mk's apparent musical prowess, and challenges him to an Art Fight to “crush his peasant spirit”. Mk struggles at first, trying to emulate other art fights he's seen and sing/dance his way to victory, but he thinks back to pigsy's words:

[The laugh of a friend when you tell them a joke you wrote, the satisfied sigh after you finish a painting, or the smile on a customer's face after a good bowl of soup]

He catches sight of his art bag, rushes for it, and starts throwing paint around. It's a whirlwind of EDM, dancing, and flying neon paint, but Mk manages to win. His inner music(magic) leaving behind a newly (and tastefully) repainted music bar.

Mk leaves a so so butt hurt Red behind to deal with the aftermath, brimming with a new inspiration.

MK gets back to the gang. Tells them that he loves music, but illustration is his real passion. He wants to enter, but he also wants to “be true to his art form”, and he doesn't know how to incorporate it into a stage performance. Mei proposes they do something experimental. I'm thinking something using holograms, motion capture technology, sick ass music, and a TON of paint. like a bunch of AMVs that link up to one another, but happening in real life. MK gets to do his illustration thing, Sandy gets to crush millions with his heartbreaking sonatas, and Mei gets to obliterate the dance floor and sing her heart out.

They win, and Wukong takes them in as his apprentices.

After “A Hero is Born” everything pretty much lines up with Cannon for the main squad and the smaller antagonists; but instead of fighting and monkey magic shenanigans, it's concerts and dance battles and E-Tuber shenanigans.

Things get really different around The Bone Zone (I love writing).

This worlds Lady Bone Demon, Laura Demona, went missing without a trace 9 years ago. Her child, Laudia Demona, going by Malin Meister in the present day, has been investigating her disappearance ever since they were old enough to leave the house unsupervised.

With the help of their platonic life partner and basically minion, Milton, they build an E-Tuber empire big enough to fund their quest. Some strong leads they gained, some time before “A Hero is Born”, trace back to Sun Wukong; who was not only present on the set their mother disappeared from, but famously one of her Bitter Rivals.

The two competed for a lot of shows and positions in their early days, settling into badmouthing each other on screen later on, and only mellowing out a handful of years before The Incident.

Sun Wukong's competition was Malin's chance to get close to him, but “The Monkie Kidz” were simply too good to beat. Malin wouldn't let this deter them, descending into a mad spiral of plotting and scheming. Their progress would only be interrupted by an unusually familiar looking eldritch stranger (The Mayor) dropping in, chasing them and Milton around the city, bullying his way into their homes and lives, and changing the course of their destiny for years to come.

The groups don't really converge until “Revenge of the Spider Queen”, or the “lunar New Year music deathmatch tournament” as we call it here.

Over the course of the first season Malin hatches a plan around the tournament, setting up a series of Rube Goldberg like events that will result in them meeting with Sun Wukong.

In the post I linked above, I confirmed that this would have ended in the downfall of Malin. These events would have pushed them firmly into villainy, and villains are always fated to loose.

The Mayor did not know this. When he told Malin what happened in his world, compared it to the events that have been occuring in theirs, and left them to connect the downfall of his lady to their future, he expected them to turn to him for help.

He made sure to demonstrate his magical and strategic prowess to them at every opportunity, to establish his presence as a sturdy and dangerous weapon to lean on. He felt echos of his Lady's power grow within them each day, to awaken it would be his pleasure. Crushing these mortal versions of their enemies would make a good warmup for his Meister, they would need much training before he dragged them back to his world. A concrete goal would do them nicely.

What he didn't expect was for them to call everything off and lock themselves in their plan closet for a solid week.

Malin, high on a rush of panic and inspiration, decided to spit into the eyes of fate. If this was happening in other universes, if other versions of their mother and products of her legacy were fighting and dying to these same people, if this was a pattern? They would do everything in their power to break it.

A week later they step out of their closet, coming upon the faces of a worried Milton and a confused Mayor, and stating their new approach with a will of iron and a voice of steel:

“We're going to make some new friends.”

And this marks the start of the “How to become a protagonist in 10 easy steps.” Arc

I kind of want to focus on the “Malin tries their best to be normal around new people” aspect of the story right now, so most of the work you see on this blog will probably be from season 2 and onwards.

I've got big plans for the magic in the future. Everything's going to be pretty modern and magic free up to a point, then the meteor will hit and plunge the world into a new age of magic and demons and tasty tasty chaos. I kind of want to link Laura's “death” to the meteor too. line it up with some multiverse shenanigans I wrote out.

I'm thinking about it in four slices.

The first slice is the “Canon compliant Zone”, that's the bit I just described.

The second slice will be “how to become a protagonist in 10 easy steps”, which is what I'm working on right now.

The third slice will be “The meteor fucks everything up, nobody is happy about this.”, which will be easier to write once I establish the first two slices.

And the fourth is “Multiverse bullshit”, which is when the real fun will begin.

[garciaasfluffypen]

new roommates

prompt: jennifer jareau has a roommate. so why is there someone else in her room who's not kate? wc: 1.1k ship: jennifer jareau x elle greenaway

a/n: i've had this written for my cm oneshot book over on w*ttpad for the longest time and i love it dearly so i figured i'd post it over here!! this three parter is pretty much the kindatv show carmilla, which i highly suggest you watch if you like lesbian vampires ;)

part 2 • part 3

it all started with the mysterious letter that she found on the side of her shared dorm room that belonged to her roommate kate callahan. jj absolutely no idea what had happened the night before, since all they were doing was going to a party. she had asked around, but nobody seemed to remember seeing kate at the party the night previous- which was weird, considering kate was the one who dragged her out in the first place. how could kate have taken her to a party and then just dumped her off there? that wasn’t like kate at all. and the silas university help line was being no help whatsoever either, so she was stuck on her own. she was going to find her herself, whatever it took.

suddenly the door opened, and jj swung around in her chair. a gothic looking girl walked in, sporting a giant bag of stuff on her back.

“hey.”

“um, excuse me but, who the hell are you?”

“elle greenaway. i’m your new roommate, sweetheart.”

“my what?” jj was genuinely confused- she had a roommate. kate was her roommate. “i have a roommate.”

elle purred. “well, don’t you catch on fast?”

“no i meant- i have a pre existing roommate. a prior roommate. her name is kate.”

“oh yeah?” elle raised an eyebrow. “where’s she?”

“she’s… missing right now.”

“i see. so you can’t produce this kate or anything, but you’d like me to leave?” elle started going through kate’s stuff, unbeknownst to jj.

“well, i wouldn’t put it exactly like- what are you doing?”

“well, you see, i may not have a missing roommate, but what i do have is a letter from the dean of students that says i live here now.”

“oh my god. this is not happening. you are not my new roommate! i’m gonna find kate, and you’re going to be out of here so fast there’s going to be… scorch marks on those leather pants of yours!”

jj huffed, turning back to her computer and starting to type furiously. she needed to find kate.

---

time had past since elle’s sudden move in, and jj was going absolutely bananas. there were many things not going her way, and she wasn’t having fun anymore. elle had started wearing kate’s clothes, never cleaned anything, and constantly inviting people over to have “study dates” when all they did was make out on her bed or make fun of stuff that she did. it was driving jj absolutely insane, and she realized that if elle wanted to play that game, she’d have to up her anty and play it as well. which is how she found herself holding elle’s super special soy milk, the one she couldn’t touch because “that’s just the way the world works, cutie.” with a dramatic roll of her eyes, she started to pour the milk out into the bowl. but it wasn’t milk that was inside the carton.

it was blood.

a scream erupted from jj’s mouth as she realized what was happening, doing her best not to drop the carton that was currently sitting on her desk. the one that definitely did not have soy milk in it. not even ten minutes later, alex blake and tara lewis, the two she knew as her floor don and the sidekick to the floor don were sitting in her room, staring at the sight on her desk.

“see? blood. in the milk carton. in my creepy roommate’s milk carton. she’s got to go, right?”

alex tilted her head to the side. “well there’s no denying that it’s a little… odd.”

“odd?” tara questioned, staring at alex. “that’s where you’re going with this? how many people you know take type o with their choka crunch?”

“it’s not that i don’t understand, but you don’t think you oughta talk to her first? a lot of problems can be solved through good communication.”

“so if you two won’t help me, shall i go to the dean?”

tara and alex stared at jj with a scared look on their faces. “that’s really not a good idea.”

“yeah, better just handle this yourself. they could stick you with someone much worse. besides, your old roommate will probably be back soon and then elle will have to move out. it’s what happened with all the other girls who disappeared.”

alex froze as she realized what she just said, knowing that she couldn’t get out of it. she done messed up.

after jj questioned her about it, she was able to talk to the girls who went missing and get their side of the story- it was pretty much the same thing that had happened to kate. she started doing some searching and next thing she knew, a siren was going off around campus, and everyone was being ushered to the center of campus for a “town hall”. apparently, looking up or talking about “inflammatory” topics such as girls going missing on the silas ethernet calls for a spooky siren and town hall. she had finally made it back to her dorm, and there was quiet for just a moment before her door opened.

“hey babygirl.”

“um hi, who are you?”

the one on the left spoke up. “i’m derek, your designated zeta omega mu safety companion. this is matt. we’re kinda like an escort. but only a dude, a dudescort.” he chuckled, looking at jj. “how awesome is that?”

she let out a huff. “it is very, very nice of you large, large gentlemen to offer to keep me safe, but as you can see, i’m in my room. snug as a bug in a rug.” she stared them down. “so you can go.”

before anything else could happen, elle walked into the room. “what the frilly hell is this?”

“whoa, we’re your dudescorts, sexy lady.”

“here to keep you safe from things that go bump in the night.”

elle glared at him. “get the hell out of here before i feed you each other’s spleens.” she turned to jj. “why’d you let these lackwits in?”

“let? what part of this looks like let?”

“isn’t this exactly what you wanted when you plastered your little plea for help on the schools topic board?”

“no! and you haven’t even seen it so what the hell do you know?”

“oh no kate’s missing! oh no elle’s mean!” elle mocked her, staring her down. “am i close?”

“spot on. except the girl playing you is kind of a raging… bad person.”

“agree to disagree, creampuff.” elle flopped down onto her bed. “now get them out of here before i do something we’ll both regret.”

jj huffed. this was not going well.

[bugjizmsquawk]

I don't understand this world nor do I understand the beings that populate it and insist on calling it home. It has never been home to me or my kind if they exist which they might not. Of course it makes sense in a cosmic sort of way or should I say a cosmic joke that I am not in on and have never been. I don't get on with people as a general rule although I do like to look at them when they are running amok or posing for some god-awful reason or other. We should let the beautiful ones stand there forever and never give them respite or a reason to sit down or even an opportunity to do so. They are our statues and we deserve the chance to make them as uncomfortable as possible. Taylor Swift on the red carpet just as we expect and insist; the personification of The Moment, a true Girl in Amber who we are finally allowing to grow up and have perhaps her first Adult relationship. Did she thank her man either time she won because I didn't hear it. I heard her plugging her new album which I thought was entirely too cheap and beneath her. I never thought I would see something like this but such is the time we live in. I so much more prefer Billie Eilish's seeming inability to accept the fact that we love her and we all want her to win every award every single time she's nominated. I have recently tried to start listening to Taylor Swift because I imagine it's important to have an idea what she's on about. We will see how ubiquitous a human celebrity can be next weekend during the super bowl when she will be everywhere after being everywhere this weekend as well. So many people are sick of the whole thing but I am glad because romance is something that needs to be celebrated on a grand scale. I can only hope that they're little connection is strong enough to withstand the intense glare of 100 million eyes just waiting for an excuse to utterly despise them. So we can get back to normal where everything is just slightly out of reach and our back hurts and all we want to do is sleep with somebody who's not going to give us a disease and maybe, just maybe, not complain about the dumb things we do that pile up over time and become utterly impossible for them to look past

So, there were a lot of women dancing on stage at the Grammys and it was quite refreshing from my perspective. In fact I think the entire Grammys was so female-centric that it should have been sponsored by a tampon company. What a time to be a woman either born that way or made in a savvy laboratory by men and women of science. It does not matter how you got that way, darling. It only matters that you own it once you've got it and we all know what that is. It's the one thing men don't have but desperately crave and in fact live their entire lives hoping to find as cheaply as possible. But so many fail to find what they really, truly desire. So they go out roaming and do not return until they've satisfied that particular longing. These men are adventurous and willing to put themselves at risk. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. But, very few of our artists risk anything anymore. Everything is prosaic, pedestrian, predetermined. Except for all the new stuff that we have not been able to process yet. It's right there for us and all we have to do is let our subs be open to it by playing it when we're not paying attention. That is the only way new music reaches us. We have to be caught off guard and it is my humble opinion that a tremendous wealth of important music is out there ready to be absorbed and ready to change our lives considerably if only we give it a chance to haunt us, to become part of our soundtrack, the leg up that pushes us through the day into some kind of relaxed state.

[disease-danger-darkness-silence]

Tldr is that we NEED to get out of the place we're in. It's toxic, both literally (it was built badly and has mold, thankfully not in our room or bathroom but the kitchen is full of the stuff) and figuratively (our roommate doesn't want us there). I've set us a goal to be out by the end of January.

I cannot find a job. I'm applying left and right to all sorts of places. No calls, no emails. It's annoying.

Raven makes 2 grand a month in VA disability. That seems like a lot but it super isn't. Most one bedroom apartments in this area are 1200 a month. I'm working on getting them reassesed, because their knees, back, and neck are getting worse, as is the PTSD (povery does that), but at the moment our best bet is HUD-VASH, a voucher program for housing specifically for veterans.

We're probably going to move to Reno, because the beauty school I want to go to is up there. But we get a higher preference for the voucher if we're homeless. Otherwise the wait could be a year. Which is better than the current non-veteran wait for a housing voucher, but jeez.

So we're getting a storage unit, slimming down on things (a lot of it is clothes we don't fit into anymore, paperwork, and sentimental things that we have multiples of). I'm gonna try and find a friend or two to take the cats for a month or two while we... Be homeless for a month or two. We'll have my camping stuff. Raven gets tons of discounted camping because they're a veteran, and SoCal would allow us to camp near the ocean (which they love for some reason) and see some friends and family of both of ours.

For the record, Raven does not like this plan. I don't blame them. Homelessness, planned or not, is not a fun time. But I'm trying to make it as fun as possible.

So I need to do a lot of work on the car in preparation for this, and I need to pack things, and I need specific camping gear that I don't already have. I'm gonna try and save to get it, but I'm putting together a gift registry for what I'm calling our poor people's midlife crisis.

If you live near Carson or Reno and could take a cat or two (we have three - one bonded pair and one reactive lil bitch that I love) in for just February and March, let me know! We'd provide litter boxes, litter, food, toys, bowls, and treats. In Kono's case, I'd try to claw cap her for you because she's reactive as hell, but once she trusts you she's uber-loving.

I'm also gonna do a little tiny gofundme. I've been given a free makerspace license for solidworks, so I'll be fuckin' around with that and setting up a Patreon and a Ko-Fi store. Up until we move out, I can resin 3D print things for people that I design, or sell the STLs. I'm also super willing to 3D print existing files.

Raven is gonna work on sketching a lil, bc that can 1. Make them money in-person in touristy places, and 2. Make them money online. I had the idea that if you wanted a custom Magic: The Gathering card, or Disney Lorcana, or Pokémon, etc. You could commission us to work together. I also love the Pets As Eldritch Monstrosities concept. Those would also be on the Ko-Fi store.

We're basically trying to raise funds to live on for a lil bit while we're homeless. 2 grand is still not a lot to live on a month when you don't have a home. The bills aren't that much different, and you can't go grocery shopping.

So if you have any tips, any info, any old camping gear that works that you don't want or need, hit me up! Otherwise, stay tuned.

I'm about to start the process of posting about all of the Big Shit that's gonna happen beginning of next year, including a period of.... Recreational? Homelessness? Maybe? Idk.

It's exhausting just thinking about it.

[autocrats-in-love]

hi hi you’re asking for requests so could you do a hero x villian where they’re roomates and like pretty comfortable w eachother and one of them just casually mentions that they’re touch starved one day and they end up making out,,?

There were advantages to living with the hero, believe it or not. They always did the laundry. They didn't get upset when the villain left dishes in the sink. They liked the same shows as the villain. Overall, it was a peaceful existence since the villain had given up being a criminal.

It started off as a pretty normal Saturday afternoon. The hero and the villain were on the couch, watching Netflix with popcorn and chips. The hero's legs were in the villain's lap, which had a blanket thrown over it. The villain found themselves enjoy the warmth of the hero, if wary of being in contact with them. As often happened when they were watching a show with the hero, they were looking at their former enemy. The hero got very invested in the things they watched. Their eyes were trained on what was happening on the screen. They weren't paying attention to the popcorn they were putting in their mouth, so kernels fell out of their hand as it travelled from the bowl to their mouth. It was adorable.

"You better get your feet away from me. I'm pretty touch-starved." The villain said.

The hero snapped out of their trance. They straightened their back, which was resting against the couch's arm.

"You're touch-starved?"

The villain shrugged. "Have I ever touched you when not necessary?"

It was true. Ignoring all the punching and kicking from past fights, the villain only touched the hero when passing them something or to stop them from tripping. Two very common occurrences.

"Hmm. I guess that's true."

The hero's attention was on the villain now. They used that super focus of theirs to judge the villain's facial expressions and body movements. They then patted the couch right in front of them.

"Well, come here. I don't want to leave you deprived."

"Really?"

The hero took the villain's arm and pulled them close. Now their knees were on the villain's legs. The villain's heart fluttered. The hero smiled at the villain's flustered face.

"Aw, look at you. All blushy."

The villain cleared their throat. "Can we just watch show?"

The hero shrugged and turned back to what was happening on the screen.

The villain tried to pay attention. They really did. It's not that the show wasn't interesting. The villain loved murder mystery as much as the next reformed criminal mastermind, but the hero moving or exclaiming with the show was too distracting. The way their eyes crinkled in surprise or how way they froze during a suspenseful scene was unbearable.

The villain had wanted to say or do something about these feelings for months. If they could try to take over the world, this would be a piece of cake.

"Did you know you're pretty cute?"

Once again, the hero was pulled away from the fictional world on the television. They gave crooked smile and blushed as they looked at the villain.

"I did know, actually."

"Oh, yes, of course." The villain said.

"I'm stopped in the street all the time when people want to tell me how attractive I am."

"Oh, right. How could I forget about that?"

Neither one of them registered how close their face were getting as they spoke. Not until the hero grabbed the villain's face and kissed them.

In the background, on the television show, the main detective and a mafia boss were having a shoot-out in a parking garage. It wasn't a very romantic scene to be kissing to, but the villain and the hero have never been ones for sappy stuff like love songs or rose petals.

The hero pulled away, hands still on the villain's cheeks, when they heard someone on the TV scream.

"Oh crap." They whispered. "The agent's down."

That was it for the moment. But it was enough for the villain.

[coffeeandjournaling]

Picks from the 12-word RPG Jam

The 12-word RPG Jam has ended and I rifled through all the beautiful submissions I missed during the last few busy weeks. Here’s a few of my personal favourites, but please do explore the list yourself if you have the time!

A word or two before we start: Micro RPGs are pretty diverse; some might work similarly to the games you are used to, others are more abstract and yet again others exist purely for the artistry of it. Try and give them a fair chance, even if they seem odd or cryptic at first. Personally, I like to see them as sort of interactive poetry (not that poetry in itself isn’t interactive, but maybe not specifically created to be interacted with in the same manner) or a recipe to aid your playful instinct. It might also be good to know that most of these are free or pay what you want, so the risk on your side is very low. 😉

Blorbo the Goblin by RatGrrrl Games

This adorable little guy is perfect for the tumblr crowd – WHAT about Blorbo the Goblin? I love that the inclusion of Blorbo in this specific meme environment immediately makes them relatable, as this format is usually reserved for slightly awkward situations or achievements that seem unimpressive to most people. Maybe Blorbo is really good at raising butterfly larvae or they can make the perfect scone – either way you feel empathetic right away and imagining a little story for them can fill a few minutes in your day. Adopt a new (but different) Blorbo today!

God Said Let Civilizations Grow by S. L.

To be super honest, I feel like I’m playing this game every week in my fridge…albeit not on purpose. Which is why this intrigues me so: break up some crackers in a bowl, pour water over and wait until something starts growing – either mould or, depending on your choice of cracker, the odd little sprout, if there’s seeds in there. Purposefully creating what most of us would just throw in the trash gives you another perspective on life, I feel like. A very meditative game that I haven’t tried yet, but will soon (yes, I’m dead serious).

Afungus by W. H. Arthur

While we are on the topic of fungi, have another one. Picking up on the Among Us mechanics (which aren’t original, either, but certainly gained inspiration from what the teens and kids once called “Mafia” and is now more widely known as “Werewolf”) and the current trend in putting mushrooms in everything, this is a fun twist on the formula and super easy to understand when you’re familiar with the concept. Best of all, this one is playable as a group! A great filler in between other games when you’re already seated at the table or perhaps something to do while you wait for your pizza to come out of the oven. I’m a sucker for puns, space settings and humour, so this is right up my alley.

Story in a Jar by Eliot Silvarian

Small items often go unnoticed after a while – your last holiday souvenir is probably collecting dust on a shelf somewhere as we speak! One man’s trash is another man’s treasure: slip into the role of a tiny person living in your own home and re-imagine the use of some of the trinkets, baubles and bric-a-brac you have lying around. That guitar pick you never use might make a durable tabletop, a pair of dried-up acorns could be holed out and repurposed as baskets and the hands on your broken wristwatch might still serve as chopsticks for someone so small. All you need is stuff from around your house and a way to record the little story you make up for your character. I have a soft spot for these low-prep, spontaneous creative exercises, plus they’re great when you have children around and need a distraction!

The Lazy Cartographer’s Guide by froggikit

I find that coming up with maps and locations can be harder than making up characters and while there’s a bunch of map-making software out there, they’re not always so easy to learn and/or accessible to everyone. This is a simple and fast way to generate a quick analogue map if you need one and might even be cool to use alongside another game (my first thought was it’s perfect for A Quiet Year). Just throw some dice, draw a wiggly line around them and interpret the numbers rolled for your trees, settlements and wondrous places. Another one that would be great in a group!

Some quick honourable mentions:

Uplifting! by Beth and Angel Make Games – a collection of 12-word RPGs meant to lift your spirit in your everyday life

Gesta orbital by La esquina del rol – a space survival game that’s pretty punishing and scary

Ominous Blessing by Junk Food Games – a collection of three mysterious and occult games for a spooky night alone or with friends

Endless Walk by From These Rolls – a reflective game about noticing your surroundings while you take a walk – or a character of your choosing

As you can see, the range is incredible: some are tools, some are ways to spark your imagination, others full-fledged games. I highly encourage you again to take some time and explore. Have fun!

[inkmemes]

futurama  (  1999  -  2013  )  sentence  starters  ↪  taken  from  the  animated  science  fiction  show.  alter  as  you  see  fit  ♡

“let's get the hell out of here already! screw history!”

“when you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.”

“you have to use a light touch, like a safecracker or a pickpocket.”

 "stop! the spirit is willing, but the flesh is spongy and bruised."

"she's stuck in an infinite loop and he's an idiot. that's love for you."

"all i know is my gut says maybe."

“i've never seen a super nova blow up. but if it's anything like my old chevy nova, it'll light up the night sky!”

"every christmas my mom would get a fresh goose, for goose-burgers, and my dad would whip up special eggnog out of bourbon and ice cubes."

"what do i look like, a guy who's not lazy?"

“is heaven missing an angel, cuz you've got nice cans!”

“help! a guinea pig tricked me!"

"[name], if i said you said you had a beautiful body, would you take your pants off and dance around a little."

"drugs are for weirdos and hypnosis is for weirdos with big eyebrows." 

"[name], it would never work between us. you're a man, and i'm a woman. we're just too different."

“screw you, ill have my own contest. with black jack ... and hookers. forget the contest.”

“ah, she's built like a steakhouse but she handles like a bistro.”

"spare me your space age techno babble, [name].”

"it's sort of a two person pyramid scheme."

"i don't want to live on this planet anymore."

"you were doing well, until everyone died."

“if we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. checkmate.”

“i am the man with no name. [muse name], at your service.”

“in the game of chess, you can never let your adversary see your pieces.”

"this is the worst kind of discrimination, the kind against me."

"you watched it... you can't unwatch it."

“valentine’s day is coming? aw crap! i forgot to get a girlfriend again!”

 "hold on to your dookie, it’s about to get spooky!"

"i'm tired of this room and everyone in it."

"i'm so embarrassed. i wish everyone else was dead."

"you can't just have your characters announce how they feel! that makes me feel angry!"

"i don't have emotions, and sometimes that makes me very sad."

"if, for any reason you're not satisfied, i hate you."

"that young man fills me with hope. plus some other emotions which are weird and deeply confusing." 

"i've dreamed about you a lot since you disappeared. what did you want to tell me?" 

"what do you think the meaning of life was anyway?"

“you're a pimple on society's ass and you'll never amount to anything!”

“life and death are a seamless continuum.”

“if anyone wants me, i'll be in the angry dome.”

“and the worst part is, i had to have the breakup sex by myself!”

“they said i was dumb, but i proved them.”

“what's the point of living if i can't say ass?”

“i'll be stuffing coal so far down your stocking you'll be coughing up diamonds!”

“we're all pawns in his diabolical game of checkers.”

"wait, i'm having one of those things, a headache, with pictures!"

“sorry, i didn't realize i was already here.”

"guess what you're an accessory to!"

"why does ross, the largest friend, not simply eat the other friends?"

“there's no scientific consensus that life is important.”

"we cooked our shoes in the dryer and ate them! now we're bored!"

“i'm just as important as him. it's just that, the kind of importance i have ... it doesn't matter if i don't do it.”

“oh what a foolish squid i’ve been.”

“my instinct is to hide in this barrel, like the wily fish.”

"that was bad, and you should feel bad!"

"technically correct - the best kind of correct!"

"and here is where i keep my assorted lengths of wire!"

"oh wait, you are serious! let me laugh even harder!"

"i gotta practice my stabbing!"

"that's the saltiest thing i've ever tasted! and i once ate a big, heaping bowl of salt!"

“i apologize for nothing!”

 "die young and leave a beautiful corpse! that's what i always say."

"here's to another lousy millennium."

“but i am already in my pajamas.”

“windmills do not work that way. goodnight.”

"you win again gravity."

"when push comes to shove, you got to do what you love, even if it's not a good idea.”

“but existing's basically all i do!”

“when will the killing end?"

"i'll be whatever i want to do."

"the use of words expressing something other than their literal intention. now that. is. irony."

"could you ask a little more sexfully?"

"hooray! i'm useful!"

"awesome. awesome to the max."

"some breaking occurred, the dolly was involved, that's about all we know."

“you want me to do two things?”

i love stealin', i love takin' things!

“i believe that qualifies as ill. at least from a technical standpoint.”

"that was the old me. he's dead now."

"jail ain't so bad; you can make sangria in the toilet. ‘course, it's shank or be shanked."

"one word. thundercougarfalconbird."

"of all my friends, you're the first."

“girls like swarms of lizards, right?”

“i lost it. in a volcano.”

"i'm gonna get you so many lizards!"

"who needs courage when you have a gun?"

“let's go! i've got jelly in my underpants!”

"interesting if true."

“i did do the nasty in the pasty!”

"something tells me i could easily beat those trained professionals."

"the two of you are good friends? but i thought we would be good friends!"

"it's like a party in my mouth, except everyone's throwing up."

“i'm shocked. shocked! well, not that shocked.”

“it's me! no one else look in this mirror!"

“you ever think you only like girls cause you're supposed to?”

"we don't gotta put up with this! we got poli sci degrees."

“sorry, i suffer from a very sexy learning disorder.”

“did somebody say something about a free hot meal?”

“you gotta do what you gotta do.”

"too many bones? not enough cash?"

“hey sexy mama, wanna kill all humans?”

"i don't know how you did that."

"the butter in my pocket is melting!"

"well ... first i got up and had a piece of toast ..."

“i can't wait til i'm old enough to feel ways about stuff.”

“interesting! no ... wait ... the other thing. tedious.”

"i knew you come crawling back, like a bird on its belly!"

“we both know you won't make it halfway before the craving sets in! then you'll come crawling back for another taste of sweet sweet candy. bam!"

“indeed so, most indeededly.”

"and by metaphorically, i mean get your coat."

“[vehicle]'s ready except for this cup holder, and i should have that done in 12 hours."

"stop. stop! i will destroy you." [ bonus if the receiver is doing something mundane to sender ]

“just make a simple cake. and this time, if someone's going to jump out of it, make sure to put them in after you cook it.”

“lies, lies and slander!”

“you raised my hopes and dashed them quite expertly, sir!”

“but going through a divorce together, you can't pretend that didn't bring us closer together.”

“when you say the human body is the most efficient thing to use as a battery, wouldn't anything make a better battery? like a potato? or a battery?”

“i'll have you know that i bejazzle my own underpants!”

“i'm sorry you had to see that, [name], usually i let my sadness fester quietly inside as a mental illness.”

“i'm not drunk, i'm mentally ill! but i agree with what, what you said.”

“this is a cool way to die!”

[spacedikut]

“i want to love someone and be loved” ; spencer reid - part 1

pairing: spencer reid (criminal minds) x reader

summary: spencer makes a confession as you’re doing dishes together. this is from a prompt list but i can’t find it :( 1633 words. part 2 

a/n: this was originally a poe dameron thing but i started thinking about it with spencer and then there were tears streaming down my face then i wrote it

Your favourite memories with the team are always those where you really feel like a family. Most days these are only fleeting moments, less than five minute conversations filled with banter and affectionate insults, but there are times, like now, where you’re all sat around Rossi’s dinner table with too much wine and too much pasta (although there is no such thing), and you feel like you might cry from happiness.

You’re a family.

The downside to being a family is you get treated like a family member, meaning when you and Spencer are assigned to clean dishes, dry them and put them away, you sulk to the kitchen just like you did when you were eleven and your younger sibling got out of helping by claiming he has too tired.

At least you can stare at Spencer as you do it.

In the kitchen, you’re working in perfect harmony – you, elbow deep in somehow tolerable hot water, scrubbing away at the bowls and plates stained with pasta sauce, and Spencer who methodically dries said bowls and plates with a worrying amount of scrutiny.

Right before you open your mouth to ask him if he’s okay, Spencer speaks.

“What do you think of love?”

Huh. Didn’t expect that.

“Love is… is good, I guess.”

You’re not sure what to say, or what he wants you to say. There’s obviously an answer he’s looking for, but you’re not sure you can provide it.

“Have you ever been in love?”

Your brows furrow. The question catches you off guard and your hand freezes mid-wipe. Why is he asking you this? It’s not that you’re not close with Spencer, cause you are, but you feel ill-equipped for this conversation. You wish you could somehow swap positions with Hotch, or Rossi, maybe Derek. Or Emily! Anyone, except you.

“I don’t think so, no, Spence.”

He grimaces.

“Why?”

“Well, because-cause…” He pauses and grits his teeth, as if the words are painful to force out, “I want to love someone and be loved.”

The confusion shines brightly in your eyes, “You are loved, Spence. Everyone in our unit would do anything for you, you know that. I’d go so far as to say you’re the favourite, probably the most loved person in the BAU.”

“No. No.” He shakes his head, “I want someone to love me. Romantically. Not Dr Spencer Reid of the BAU, notorious rambler and know-it-all who’s exceptionally good at pissing people off. I want them to love me – Spencer – the guy who is a technophobe, a pretty bad shot, and secretly wants to be a cowboy. The guy who has a recurring dream that Morgan forces me into a room where I’m plunged into darkness and Doctor Who is playing but it’s in a language I don’t understand. I don’t.. I don’t want someone that’ll make me feel like a baby, like the team sometimes does, you know? I think I’d be a great partner and I just… I just want someone to share something with. Something good, something pure, in this job where we face evil and demise every day.”

You’re in stunned silence when he makes eye contact, hands stilled mid-air as you gape at him.

“Sorry. Totally unloaded a lot of emotional stuff on you there – my bad. Uhh..” He clears his throat.

The air becomes awkward as you figure out how to reply. You flounder. You don’t know what to follow that speech with. It almost feels like the right time to admit your feelings for him, but a second later you realise this conversation sounds a lot like one you’d have with someone you definitely do not have feelings for. You’re just a consultation, you’re not the end goal. Suddenly, you wish you had been assigned to clearing the table rather than washing up.

Swallowing what feels like pure acid, you begin, “That’s sweet, Spence. Genuinely. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting that.” You want to reach out and touch him, but your hands are now submerged in water, and touching him might break you. “So what’s stopping you?”

“Huh?”

“What’s stopping you from getting that?” You ask. “I’ve seen you. When you put your mind to it, you can be preeeetty smooth with the ladies. Remember the magic trick you did for that one girl?” Spencer gives a small, shy smile, “Exactly! So what’s stopping you?”

Spencer looks like a deer in headlights. What is stopping him? He’s proud to say his confidence has exponentially grown since joining the BAU. When he started, his self-esteem was non-existent, but times passed and he’s grown to accept himself the way he is. It helps that you’ve been there, cheering him on and showering him in compliments whenever he starts to doubt himself. Initially, Spencer thought you were doing it just to get on his good side, maybe build some good karma, but somewhere along the line he started to somewhat agree with you. The compliments never ceased.

“Well,” He starts, “I’m picky.”

You scoff, “Yeah, if I was you, I’d be picky.”

You turn and squirt some dish soap into the sink, smiling when Spencer laughs, “What does that mean?!”

“You know what it means! I always say you could be a ladies man if you truly put your mind to it, and I stand by that. You’re a ten out of ten on a bad day so, yeah, you should be picky. I’m tempted to say no one is worthy, but I’ve already inflated your ego too much.”

He grins at your teasing and licks his lips, “There is one person.”

“Oh?” You ask, interest piqued. You ignore the pang in your heart.

“Yeah. She’s really cool. It’s kind of terrifying.”

You giggle at that. There’s a warmth to Spencer’s words, and you realise whoever this girl is is super fucking lucky. He’s completely and utterly smitten and she doesn’t even know it. You kind of hate her.

“So are you gonna tell her?” You ask.

He shrugs, “I guess so. Should I?”

Finally done with the washing up, you move to put the dried plates into their cupboards. With a quizzical look, you say, “You’re really asking me that? Yes, you should tell her.”

“Would you tell her?”

“God, no.”

“What?!”

“I’m shy when it comes to that stuff! I’d rather ferment my feelings and then tell myself to get over it and never think of it again.”

“Sounds healthy.”

You grin, turning to lean against the counter next to Spencer, “I would tell her if I was you, though. You’re sweet, attractive, and you have more than just your looks going for you. If I was you and got rejected I’d be like… okay, cool. I’ll just go bang every one of your friends, then.”

Spencer guffaws, “You’d what?!”

“I’m kidding!” You laugh, a hearty laugh at his expression. The pure shock and borderline disgust makes you oddly proud. It’s a rare reaction from Spencer.

He rolls his eyes but still smiles. His eyes lock on your face and you can’t pinpoint what emotion is pouring out of them, but it’s so strong that it shoots panic through you. You quickly turn and pick up as many glasses as you can, manoeuvring to the opposite side of the kitchen.

You can’t be thinking about him like that if he’s about to admit his feelings for someone else.

“So, you gonna tell her?” You try to sound nonchalant, but you can’t deny you’re unbelievably curious.

Spencer hums, but still sounds unsure, “I think I will.”  

“If she’s as great as you think she is, no matter her response she’ll handle it well. Otherwise, she wasn’t worth your time anyway.”

Behind your back, Spencer barely contains a gentle smile and thinks, yeah, you are pretty great.

“What did you say?” You swing around to face him.

Spencer straightens up and furiously dries the last bowl, “What?”

“You mumbled something.”

“Oh, I don’t know.”

You’re visibly bemused but don’t say anything. Spencer opens his mouth to speak, maybe tell you what he should’ve a while ago, when Emily comes sliding in.

“Garcia has had too much wine and I’m one glass away from joining her. Y/N, are you ready to head home?”

You roll your eyes and nod. In hindsight, you’re glad that you refused the big glass of wine Rossi initially offered you because you knew this would happen and you’d be taking drunk girls home. “Yeah, all good. Spence, is it okay if I leave you to put the last few dishes away?”

Spencer nods eagerly and glances at Emily when she sways, “No problem. Drive safe.”

You mumble a thanks and move to the living room to collect your bag. Garcia is splayed across the biggest couch and you can’t help but aww at her sleeping form. Just an hour ago she was giving a sermon on why Hotch is the best dad and how that translates to the bedroom (why did no one stop her), and now she looks at peace with the world in the fluffiest pillows you’ve ever seen. Then she chokes, snorts, and springs upright with a loud “Derek!” and you jump back at her volume. When she sees you, she looks like she’s found the cutest kitten and makes grabby hands, asking for a hug.

Yeah, it’s time to go home.

Just before you leave Rossi’s house, you turn to Spencer and shout across, “Good luck, Spence!”

Morgan turns to Spencer and silently asks what? And Spencer barely acknowledges him, “I’ve got big plans for tomorrow.”

“Big plans, huh?” Morgan teases.

“Yeah. Big plans, big payoff, and all that.”

Looking over your shoulder, you give one final wave after tying Garcia to her seat.

Spencer wonders if you realise you’re his big plan.

[lumosinlove]

Cw: mentions of drugs and mentions of past abuse

Previously On Relic Keel

Remus has started to associate sailing with Sirius Black ever since Sirius told him he watches his boat every morning. He thinks about how tired he is of knowing everything there is to know and wishes to leave the island.

Remus also starts his new job at the Hogwarts History Museum where he meets up with his friend Layla, whose family runs the museum, and whose brother, Lyall, Remus races sailboats against. On his way there, he reflects on the divide between Salazars and Godrics. He remembers Sirius at school, and how he was either celebrated or shunned with seemingly no pattern.

After their first shift at the museum, Layla takes Remus to The Lion for lunch, chastising Remus’ prejudices, and introduces him to Leo. Remus sees Leo’s rainbow bracelet and thinks about how badly he wants a boyfriend. We also learn that Luke is also gay, but that he and Remus have always been just friends.

Logan arrives at The Lion, too, is introduced, and listens in on Remus finding out a new exhibit on madness at the museum—the Lupins are known for going insane, but Remus’ mother mentioned nothing to Remus about this exhibit.

Leo learns that Logan is looking for someone (Finn). Logan reflects on a sleepy feeling that seemed to go away with his escape from the orphanage. Leo offers Logan a job, if he wants, and also tells him about The Voldemort.

The Voldemort is a boat from the eighteenth century that is said to have sank in The Cradle, a U shaped arrangement of islands just off of Hogwarts Southern Coast. Leo’s dad was close to finding it. Leo feels like he should want to find it, too, for his lost father.

Saint and Sirius arrive. Saint and Logan see each other for the first time in almost ten years, since Saint escaped when he was seven. Logan tells him that Finn got him out and Saint finds out that Logan sells Crucio.

Pascal, who owns the Lion with his wife Celeste, is introduced. He’s very close with Saint and Sirius, and he apparently knew Leo’s father before he went missing at sea. Saint learns that Logan is staying with Leo.

James and Remus arrive, looking for Dorcas who Thomas said might be selling Crucio to Luke. They’d like her to stop and are willing to pay. Logan takes advantage of this and, although he doesn’t sell to Luke, cons James out of 200 bucks.

Saint learns that Logan has gotten tangled up with The Carrows, the more dangerous of the two Crucio dealers, the other, safer one being Kasey Winter, in the hopes that they will help him get Finn out. Instead, he’s in their debt for using their Crucio himself.

Logan slips and calls Saint Bash. Saint refuses to help Logan get Finn out.

A/N: I super don’t speak Latin. And neither do my trees.

part v

Dorcas watched as Saint took his book from the floor of the back seat and flipped his sunglasses down.

“How long?” he asked. “And how do I keep getting stuck with this job?”

“Because Sirius is a better surfer than you are,” Dorcas replied. “And you know what, you can take off. Her parents are out of town for the weekend so her dad won’t be coming home or anything.”

Saint paused and raised an eyebrow. “And so I just drove you because…”

“I didn’t feel like walking?”

“Clever gal.”

Dorcas smiled. “I know.”

“Whatever, I need the car anyway.”

“What are you up to? I thought you were working at the Potters.”

“Just Sirius today,” Saint threw his book back into the rear seats. “I’ve got some detective work ahead of me.”

“Does this have anything to do with that little friend of yours that Sirius told me about?”

Saint rolled his eyes. “Of course he told you.”

“You know you two can’t keep secrets from me.”

“Don’t I.”

“See you later, babe,” Dorcas opened her door.

Saint gave her a salut as she headed around towards the dug-out fence.

Marlene had her paints out and her hair up in a bun when she pushed the window up and open for Dorcas.

“Luke’s here,” she said, and rolled her eyes as she turned away.

Dorcas froze in the window frame to see Luke with his feet crossed, laying on Marlene’s bed.

“Okay,” Dorcas said. “Can he leave?”

“Hey,” Luke said. “Cousin privileges.”

“Girlfriend privileges,” Dorcas said, shutting the window behind her. “Plus, can’t you go, like, toss a ball at a net with a stick or something?”

Luke rolled his eyes—not unlike his cousin. “I’m on a rest day. Plus, I’m off the team.”

“And whose fault is that?” Dorcas raised an eyebrow.

“He’s just getting out of the house for a bit,” Marlene said with a pointed look that Dorcas understood as he’s getting away from his mother. 

“Plus,” Marlene continued. “He’s a good cover story.”

“I thought your dad wasn’t here.”

Marlene shook her head. “Came home early. Guess his newest gal pal didn’t like golf. He’s over at the club now.”

“What’s his deal, anyway?” Luke asked. He had reached over to the bedside table and put a bowl of what looked like mango slices onto his stomach. “With you two, I mean.”

“I am his little princess,” Marlene said dryly. “Not to be dated.”

“And a Salazar girl who lives in The Hollow?” Dorcas shook her head. “No deal.”

“Right,” Luke said. “Like that’s never happened before.”

Dorcas snorted and sat on the bed, too, stealing a few pieces of fruit. “Like you’re any better than the rest of them, Deveaux.”

“I am,” Luke said. “I don’t hate Salazars.”

“But you hate Hollows.”

Luke grinned. “I don’t hate them, either. They hate me, and what am I gonna do about their jealousy? That’s their issue.”

“God, you’re an asshole,” Dorcas sighed.

“He’s really not though,” Marlene stepped back as she regarded the painting she was working on. Luke’s face looked back out at them from the canvas. “He just likes to make-believe.”

“Could have fooled me and my friends.”

“He’s a great actor,” Marlene agreed, then stuck her tongue out at Luke. “I just happen to have known him before he learned how.”

“All right, fuck you both,” Luke grumbled, and ate another piece of mango.

“Believe me,” Dorcas said. “We’re not jealous of you.”

Luke raised an eyebrow. “You can’t tell me you wish you didn’t have to sell Felix to make a little more money?”

Dorcas narrowed her eyes. “Like you and your money live such a great life.”

Luke looked away, jaw tight.

“Yeah,” Dorcas said. “I’d take Crucio and the friends I have over that any day.” After a moment of hesitation, she looked down and mumbled. “And by the looks of your little habit, so would you.”

“Fuck you, Meadowes,” Luke snarled. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“All right, all right,” Marlene said, tilting her head as she added color to Luke’s cheeks in her painting. “Cool it, kids. Take a chill pill. Knock it down a notch. Luke, why don’t you go get us some pizza or something? Or maybe pick up from Thomas’. I crave his nachos, holy cow. Also, tell him to come hang out later tonight, if he can.”

Luke held Dorcas’ eyes for a moment, then pushed himself up from the bed. “Pepperoni, you?”

“Pineapple and ham, thanks,” Marlene said, and smiled at Dorcas as she patted his back out the door.

“Hi,” Marlene laughed once the door closed behind him. She walked into Dorcas’ arms. She took Dorcas’ face between her hands and peppered kisses to her mouth. “How are you?”

“Worried about basically all of our friends,” Dorcas laughed. “And that one, I guess, too.”

“Tell me about it,” Marlene sighed, laying down on the bed and eating a slice of mango. Dorcas mirrored her position. “No, seriously, if you want to talk about it, I’m all ears. I mean, I’ve got Luke who, one, needs to get out of his house, and two, needs someone to love, like, God, I wish he had a boyfriend. I just want him to get off this island, go to college, and meet the sweetest human in the world, you know?” Marlene sighed again, eyes far away. “He doesn’t act like he deserves that, but…it’s really his family he didn’t deserve. He’s all torn up about his dad, but his dad’s…a schemer. You know? And his mom, don’t even get me started.”

“Maybe he can still meet someone here,” Dorcas replied, and reached out to brush Marlene’s hair away from her face with a smile. “You never know. We didn’t. How long did we spend on this island without knowing each other existed?”

Marlene’s smile faltered in a way that Dorcas was beginning to recognize. It worried her.

“What?” Dorcas asked softly.

Marlene tilted her head. “Hm?”

“You keep doing that,” Dorcas said, tracing a thumb over one corner of Marlene’s mouth. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Marlene said. “I was just thinking about Luke. I mean, my parents sucks but at least they’re…”

Dorcas raised an eyebrow. “Not in jail?”

“Yeah, I don’t know where I was going with that,” Marlene laughed. She scooted closer, letting Dorcas hitch her thigh over her hip, Dorcas’ thumb rubbing idly over her soft skin. “Now what are you worrying about, lover?”

“Sirius,” Dorcas began. “I don’t know he just…he’s never seemed…happy? Saint. He’s trying so hard to be happy that I know he’s not. And now there’s Logan which I think stirred up a lot of Saint Clair stuff for him. I mean, Jesus, how do we not know what’s up with that place?”

“Gods are good at not paying attention,” Marlene said solemnly.

“Saint never takes that damn cross off,” Dorcas said. “I mean, wouldn’t you want to let it go?”

“Sorry, who’s Logan? He got out? As in escaped? Like Saint did?”

Dorcas nodded. “I haven’t talked to Saint about it yet. Me and Sirius are gonna tag-team later, make him let it out.”

Marlene looked suspicious. “Good luck.”

“We have our ways,” Dorcas laughed. “And Logan…He deals. I know him a little. Not really.”

Marlene nodded, going quiet at the mention of Crucio as she always did.

“I like what it gives me,” Dorcas said gently. “Freedom, Marls. More than any other job here could. At least any job that I could get. And its from Kasey, who makes it safely. Unlike the Carrows. So—”

“You don’t have to explain,” Marlene said, and pushed herself closer. “I know. Really, I know. I’m proud of you. I just wish there wasn’t as much risk.”

“Like the police do anything about it,” Dorcas sighed, running a hand through Marlene’s hair. “They probably like the revenue it brings for the island.”

“Yeah,” Marlene sighed.

“Well,” Dorcas said. “We probably have at least twenty minutes before Deveaux returns with the pizza…”

Marlene smiled and pushed Dorcas’ hat off, leaning over her on the bed. “Oh? Twenty minutes you say?”

~

Saint parked the Jeep between two trees in an overgrow section of a Salazar road.  He knew where The Carrows lived. It was difficult to miss their house. Saint could practically smell the gold and diamonds. He felt like he smell the Crucio, too, the rubber bands and the plastic bags, and the sickly sweet powder.

There was no one outside. The whole grandiosity looked strangely deserted.

Saint reached into the rear again for the latest book he had borrowed from James. Frankenstein. Not one he hadn’t read before, but a good one none the less.

“Don’t know why you want that one,” James had said when he handed it over. They had both been hot from working in the sun—Saint on the lawn, James on his backhand. “I had to write a book report on that in, like, what, ninth grade? Oof.”

“Beluis amicitiam,” Saint had replied.

“How the fuck do you know Latin?” James had said. “You aren’t even at our school.”

“You gave me a book on Latin.”

James nodded. “Right.”

“Well?” Saint had asked. “You’re at school. What’d I say?”

James squinted one eye shut. “Beast…friends?”

Saint had laughed. “Literally, sure.”

Saint opened the book now, rolling the window down in the stuffy car. The AC was broken.

“Monsters like company,” he said aloud into the small space and settled down to wait.

~

Lily didn’t expect to find herself painting an old boat with James Potter on a Saturday afternoon, but painting she was. She dipped the fat brush into the blue paint, trying to wipe her hair out of her face without getting blue in it.

“Still doing okay over there, Lils?”

Lily looked up to see James’ head pop out over the upside-down bow.

“All good,” Lily nodded. “You?”

James smiled. “Yeah. Thanks for helping me out.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Lily said. “Just working on my tan.”

James’ head appeared again, only this time his expression was incredulous. “We both know we both burn.”

Lily laughed. “I guess so.”

The Potter’s had their own, small beach in front of their property, and Lily dug her feet down into the sand, looking at the inviting ocean.

She felt all too awkward after their talk a few nights ago. She had been brash, and almost cruel at some points. James was—good. But she didn’t want to end up like her mother. She didn’t want to stay for someone, like her mother had for her father, and regret it, like she could tell her mother did sometimes.

And if she had wanted someone to come out into the world with her, she couldn’t have picked a worse candidate. James was a Potter, and the Potters were Hogwarts Island’s beating heart. Their money was in every part of this island. Every grain of sand, every brick. Hogwarts Academy, whose headmaster was James’ father.

If Lily loved James, she’d never escape.

And the problem was, she did love James.

“So, I was thinking about doing a movie night or something,” James said from the other side of the boat. “Put a sheet up and a projector. We could lay it all out on the lawn, or by the pool. Get some candy and popcorn and shit, invite everyone.”

Lily cleared her throat. “Yeah, that sounds cool.”

James was at the front now, painting the boat’s nose. “Any suggestions or requests?”

Lily smiled. “Is it too cheesy to do Pirates of The Caribbean?”

James laughed. “Hell no. There’s no better place!”

Lily shrugged. “Then definitely that. Oh, Will Turner.”

James snorted. “Yeah, can’t say no to that.”

Lily smiled at him, and shifted closer to the other side of the bow.

“So, how’s your common-app going?” James asked. “These essays are sort of killing me. I mean, you’re staring out a window. What do you see? What the fuck kind of prompt is that? That’s what’s going to get me into college?”

Lily laughed. “Not to mention asking me why I want to go somewhere. They’re basically forcing me to make something dramatic up.”

“Right. If I’m being, you know, honest, I feel simple, and if I’m embellishing, I feel fake.”

Lily looked up at him. “Exactly. No, that’s—exactly.”

They smiled at each other, paintbrushes poised.

“I don’t know,” James sighed finally. “I’m—I’m sort of worried, Lils.”

“What about Lacrosse?” Lily asked.

James nodded. “That’s what my dad says. And, yeah, I love it, but…sometimes I wonder if it’s more that I love who I’m playing with. Luke, Remus, Thomas.”

Lily nodded, eyes flitting over his face which had gone serious and tense. “Right. No, that makes sense. But J, you’re so smart. And kind.”

James’ smile was small, but his eyes, when he looked at her, were fond. “Not as smart as you. And I can’t get a degree in kindness.”

Lily hummed, thinking. College was a sensitive topic for everyone it seemed. What was supposed to be one of the best parts of their lives was all uncertainty and vagueness. She thought of Marlene, and how she hadn’t told Dorcas about her early-decision acceptance yet. This seemed to be all goodbyes and leave-behinds.

“Sorry,” James cleared his throat. “That was a downer thing to say.”

Lily shook her head. “I’m starting to think college is just a downer thing.”

James smiled, and, even though it was something that had only been gone for a moment, Lily found that she had missed it. James was so bright. “Yeah.”

Lily knew that she was going to say goodbye to James in a year. But for the first time, she wondered how she knew, and when she had decided.

“You’re going to be amazing, Lils,” James said softly. She could tell that they were both thinking of their conversation. He looked down at her with his hazel eyes. “Really, you are.”

Lily meant to say thank you.

Instead, she leaned forward and kissed him. James’ body tensed, and then relaxed. His mouth opened beneath hers and she cupped his cheek, her other palm splayed on his chest. He was warm from the sunlight. He made a soft sound and tilted his head to kiss her again, hand between her shoulders. Then, he pulled back, their foreheads together. There was paint on his chest from Lily’s paintbrush. Blue, right over his heart.

“Lils,” James gasped. He wrapped a gentle hand around her wrist. “Lils, mixed messages, mixed messages…”

He was out of breath. Lily had made him that way. Her own heart was beating out of her chest.

“You’re right,” Lily breathed, and stepped away, drawing a fallen strap of her tank top up her shoulder. “You’re right, God, sorry.”

“No, it’s,” James began. “I mean, that was nice. Really nice.”

Lily sent him a wavering smile over her shoulder. “Yeah. Sorry about—” the paint. Everything.

She watched James out of the corner of her eye as he passed his hand through his hair a few times. This time, he came to stand beside her as they worked quietly.

It only took Lily a few moments to not be able to stand it any more. The feeling of him so close, of wanting him the way she did. He was gentle. He kissed in a way that made her want to melt. He had made her laugh, that night that they spent together, in between those kisses and gentle touches.

“Why did you ask me to do this with you, James?” Lily said. “I mean—aren’t you mad at me?”

James didn’t respond for a moment, but finally turned.

“What, we can’t be friends?” he asked.

“I wasn’t very nice to you the other night,” Lily said, and then groaned. “And—I mean, I feel awful about it but…you understand, don’t you?"

“I’m not here to tie you down, Lily,” James said, eyes firm behind his glasses. “If that’s what you think friends do…I don’t know what to tell you.”

“You’re not my friend,” Lily burst out, and then covered her eyes. “I mean—you are. But you’re…”

“It’s fine, Lils,” James said. When Lily looked up, he was shaking his head and stooping to dip his brush again. “Really, let’s just…let’s paint and tan. I’ll get us some sunscreen.”

“James—”

“You kissed me and then you said we weren’t friends. Forgive me if I’d rather stay where we are than go farther or backwards into those two territories that you seem to not want.”

Lily blinked.

James glanced at her, then away. “I should probably be asking you to leave. But I don’t want to lose you. Not yet. Not now, not if you really think that’s so inevitable.”

Lily stared at him. He was looking resolutely at his work, jaw tight. He looked beautiful, even when he was sad and overwhelmed. Lily was so angry at herself.

She didn’t want to lose him, either.

She timed her paint strokes to his, and they worked beside each other quietly.

~

Saint didn’t find what he expected to find.

Instead of Logan coming up the path, Luke Deveaux passed right by his car and open window.

Luke looked down in passing, probably expecting to see an empty vehicle, and then did a double take when, instead, he found Saint sitting there, Frankenstein in one hand, balanced on the steering wheel, and the other elbow resting out the window.

“Hello, tweedle,” Saint said.

Luke stopped walking. He had a gray t-shirt on with a large, navy Nike swoop on it, and black running shorts. Earbuds dangled around his neck, tangled in the two fine gold chains that hung there and trailing all the way into his pocket, where Saint could see the weight of his phone. He was sweaty, as though he had run here from Godric.

“What?” Luke said.

“Bad move,” Saint replied. “Taking your hit from The Shining twins.”

Luke just stared at him. He pushed his sweaty hair out of his eyes. Saint smiled. He liked Deveaux when he was caught off guard. This had never happened before.

“Well—” Luke began. “You’re here, too.”

“Not like that.”

Luke narrowed his eyes. “You said you didn’t deal.”

“I don’t.”

“So,” Luke’s eyes flit around the Jeep’s exterior. “You just sit in junk cars and read—” Luke looked forward. “Shelley?”

Saint frowned in approval and squinted back towards the house. “You say that almost as if you’ve read it.”

“I have.”

“What, in your ninth grade book report?”

“No, with my—” Luke turned his head away, mouth clamping shut.

“I see,” Saint said after a moment. “A bit of a strange parental bonding choice, but all right.”

“Fuck off,” Luke said. “And what the fuck did you call me?”

That was when Saint spotted Logan. He sat up and unlocked the Jeep doors with a click.

“Get in,” Saint said.

Luke scoffed. “Fuck off.”

“That’s the second time you’ve said that in five seconds. Get in, tweedle, or I’ll tell your mother about your candy addiction.”

To Saint’s slight surprise—he was used to people being drawn to him—that seemed to work and Luke complied, but he walked slowly, distrustfully, around the bonnet before sliding into the passenger seat.

Logan was coming up a different path, one stemming from the back of the house to what looked like a side door.

“She wouldn’t care,” Luke said as he slammed the door.

“You in my passenger seat says differently,” Saint said, and glanced at Luke’s wrist. “Nice watch.”

It was gold and glittery. It looked like it had probably been his father’s, and by no means looked like it should be worn on a run.

“Your car smells like wet dog.”

“I don’t have a dog,” Saint replied, eyes on Logan. He had knocked and was waiting now.

“I was talking about Black.”

Saint glanced at him. “You’re funny, Galileo.”

Luke just shook his head, bringing his t-shirt up to wipe his forehead. “Stop calling me tweedle—you think I’m dumb?”

Saint laughed. “No.”

“All right,” Luke put a hand on the door. “I’m getting out.”

“No,” Saint said, and grabbed Luke’s arm, fingers wrapping around his wrist. “Stay here or you’ll blow this for both of us.”

Luke shook him off and Saint pushed his door open. He began his stride up towards the house without looking back. He wondered if Luke was a snoop. The thought made him smile.

Logan saw him when he was half-way to the door, and rolled his eyes, shoving his hands out in an effort to silently say go back.

“Hello, number ten,” Saint said, leaning beside the door. “Now, who are you waiting for?”

“Saint, don’t.”

“Look, I’m hoping it was me, and if so, your ride’s here.” Saint narrowed his eyes. “Let’s go.”

“What do you care if I’m here?”

Saint looked at Logan’s backpack, the one that was always filled with Crucio. Even at the sight of it he imagined that he could feel the sweet, sleepiness that occupied his nights at the orphanage.

The door opened.

“Oh, look,” Amycus said, resting a hand on the door. “Haven’t seen you in a while. What is it you’re calling yourself these days? Saint.”

“Hello, Amy,” Saint smiled. “Nice to see you, we’re going now.”

“You can’t,” Amycus snarled. “He owes us.”

“I’m sure you haven’t lost that much,” Saint said back evenly.

“Oh yeah?” Amycus laughed. “Why don’t we take a look at green-eyes here’s subconscious. You want something bad enough, you like something enough, something feels good enough, then there comes a point where you don’t even know how far you’ve gone to get it. How much Felix have you taken, do you think, Tremblay?”

Logan just looked down.

“See?” Amycus cocked his head. “He doesn’t know. Which means I make make up whatever number I like.”

Saint nodded, thoughtful. “Interesting. What number is that?”

Amycus just grinned. “Your friend here will know when I tell him.”

“Bullshit,” Logan snapped, and Saint held up a hand.

“We’re going now, and you know what?” Saint leaned in. “You don’t know shit about what he wants.”

“Come back without your handler, Tremblay,” Amycus called after them.

Back at the car, Saint could see Luke reading Frankenstein through the windshield.

“Who’s that?”

“Who you got your two hundred bucks for,” Saint murmured.

“What about the two hundred more you just cost me?”

“You’re welcome,” Saint said, and motioned to Luke to get out.

“And what exactly was I supposed to get out of this?” Luke said, crossing his arms.

“A chit-chat with yours truly,” Saint replied. “Logan, get in the car.”

Logan glared, but took Luke’s place in the passenger seat.

Saint slid back into the driver’s side, took Logan’s backpack from him, and slung it into the back seat.

“Oh,” Saint leaned out his window. “And I’m sure you can go right up now.”

“I’m sure I can,” Luke tossed Saint the book. “Don’t forget Potter’s book. Did you steal it, or what?”

If only he knew, Saint thought. 

“Bye, Luke,” Saint called as he turned out of the grove and down the street. He looked in his review mirror and smiled at the sight of Luke standing, framed in it. Then, he put his arm lazily on the steering wheel and let Luke’s golden watch flash in the sunlight on his wrist.

“You didn’t have to fucking—fetch me,” Logan grumbled.

“Yes, I fucking did.”

Logan turned towards him in his seat, and for a moment Saint thought he was going for his backpack, but Logan just looked at him.

“Look,” Logan said.

“I’m driving.”

Logan ignored him.

“There’s a treasure,” Logan said instead. “Leo told me about it. He thinks his dad knows where it is—The Cradle? Look, I—If we can get it—”

“Oh, good,” Saint sighed. “He sells Crucio and he’s a Voldemort tourist.”

Logan blinked. “You know about it?”

Saint scoffed. “Of course I know about it. Everyone knows about it, Logan.”

“Fine, but—if we can get it, then I can pay off—”

“I’m sorry, excuse me, excuse me,” Saint held up a hand, one on the wheel. The houses went from the tall mansions of Salazar to the workshop rows of Helga, to the low houses of The Hollow. “Did you or did you not just place all of your hopes of freedom on a long lost, legendary treasure.”

“Bash—Saint.”

“Answer the question.”

“It’s not my hope, it’s just an option.”

Saint just shook his head. “I don’t know what to tell you.”

“Come on,” Logan urged as Saint stopped the car in front of The Lion. “Isn’t there something you want? Something that much gold could get you?”

“Come to think of it, there isn’t that much I want, no.”

Logan paused, and then said, “Then, is there something you hate?”

When Saint didn’t reply for enough time, Logan took his backpack and got out of the car.

~

Sirius had dreamed about his little brother last night. Only, he had been on Wolfsbane, and Regulus had been on shore. There had been someone else in the boat, too, someone expertly pulling the ropes and taking Sirius farther out to sea. The wind had been warm.

Sirius had woken up thinking about Remus Lupin.

His entire day was thrown off.

Sirius looked over at Saint. “Are we going to talk about it?”

Saint had his head in Dorcas’ lap and his eyes closed. “Pardon?”

Dorcas and Sirius glanced at each other. “Logan.”

“We were at Saint Clair together. What else is there to say?”

“Maybe how he got out.”

“And why,” Dorcas added, running a hand through Saint’s hair. “It might help if you talked about that place more.”

“I’m good, thanks.”

Sirius groaned. “Saint. Come on, that kid looked freaked talking to you and then he bolted. What’s up?”

Saint sighed, his face opening up into a rare moment of softer eyes, and he sat up, nearly facing away from the both of them.

Sirius listened to the crickets outside. Before, he had just wanted to know about the orphanage. Now, he wanted Saint to not have to keep it all inside.

“When I arrived when I was five, Logan and Finn were already there,” Saint said finally. “And its not like its this horrible place. We have beds and food and we go to school together. We have friends. But we’re also locked away. The nuns are strict. The punishments are old-fashioned. A slap. A few days in solitude. The problem is…”

Sirius got up from his perch on the window and sat beside Saint on the ratty old couch they had dragged in. Saint didn’t look at him, but let him and Dorcas lay gentle hands on him, Dorcas’ on his back, Sirius’ one of his crossed ankles.

“I watched kids turn eighteen,” Saint said, voice steely. “And they’d be packing their bags and then—unpacking them.”

“They,” Dorcas began. “You mean they decided to stay?”

Saint just shook his head slowly. “I still haven't completely figured it out. I think—maybe Crucio has something to do with it. It’s the only thing I can think of that would make them stay. I keep having this—this memory of being so tired at night. And these dreams.”

“The plant Crucio is made out of has Melatonin in it,” Dorcas said, brow creased. “It influences the dreaming. The hallucinations.”

“So, what?” Sirius asked. “They stay for Crucio, you think?”

“They work some,” Saint said. “Around the island. But, yeah. They stay.”

“You think they’re bringing money back?” Dorcas asked gently. “To the orphanage?”

Saint shrugged. “I told you. I haven’t completely figured it out. But I’d rather figure it out from the outside. Even when I was seven, I knew something was wrong. But I was older when I arrived. Finn and Logan had been there since they were too young to recognize something like that. They didn’t know anything else.”

“And…you do?” Sirius asked faintly. Saint had never brought up remembering anything about his prior life, his family.

Saint laughed faintly and got up. “Who knows. That’s the thing about memories, right? We tend to make them worse, or make them better.” Sirius watched him go to the sink and turn it on and off. He opened the refrigerator and then closed it. Finally, he stilled.

“But I hate them,” Saint said, almost to himself. “I hate them for making anything feel real.”

Sirius opened his mouth to respond when Dorcas’ phone lit up with a loud ping.

She picked it up. “From Marlene. Apparently we’re invited to a movie night at Potter’s house.”

“Of course we are,” Sirius sighed, and got up and wrapped his arms around Saint from behind. “What do you feel like?”

Saint looked at him over his shoulder. “Well, how could I ever pass that up?”

~

When Logan didn’t find Leo at The Lion, he went to the Knut’s workshop instead. He’d been in there a handful of times now. It was a crowded room, walls-to-ceiling tools and cupboards that organized different found objects. Sea-glass and shards of blue china. There was large glass jars of things like compasses or pieces of weather vanes hanging by woven rope plant holders from the ceiling. There was a forge that was cool now, and there was a long work bench.

He found Leo on the work bench with the garage door open to the street, shirtless and welding something together.

“Oh,” Logan said instead of announcing himself.

Leo looked up, then back down, sparks flying around him. “Hey, what’s up?”

Logan walked a few steps inside and set his backpack—which was still empty—down.

“I want to help you,” he said.

The sparks stopped and Leo pushed his welding mask up. He was sweaty, his cheeks flushed from the heat. “What? With this?”

Logan rolled his eyes and walked in to straddle the other end of the work bench. “The treasure. We need to find the treasure. Think how rich we’d be.”

Leo stared at him for a long moment, then took his mask off and set his equipment down. For a moment, his face looked thunderous. Logan thought he was about to tell him to get out, but the storm dissipated.

“This isn’t a joke to me,” Leo said evenly after another pause. “And it’s not some greedy game, either. That’s not why my dad looked for things like this. He loved history.”

Logan blinked. “You—you don’t want the money?”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Of course I do. What do you think the finder gets?”

“Then what are you saying?”

“I’m saying don’t make me regret telling you. I’m saying my dad was never one to just pawn things off. He wanted things like that on display, for people to learn from.”

“How very, very noble and grand,” came another voice, and they both looked up to see Saint standing there. He had changed since the last time Logan had seen him. He was wearing a t-shirt that said New Orleans Saints.

“Saint?” Leo said.

“Hi there,” Saint gave a little salute. “I have a movie night to go to, apparently, a nice little godly sleepover, but I thought I’d stop by.”

“What are you doing…” Logan began warily.

“Well, come to think of it, there is something I hate.”

Leo tilted his head. “What is he talking about?”

“Not to mention,” Saint continued, and touched the bottom of the hanging compasses. He studied one, then looked at them and grinned.

“I do like gold,” Saint said.

[introvertguide]

Depression Era Travel on Route 66

I still tutor professionally while trying to get a degree as an education specialist (working on the math portion of it right now), and one of the things that I have been doing is working with students over the summer to prepare for SAT/ACT and to keep their minds fresh. This is kind of difficult because nobody in the standard American school system wants to think about school subjects over their break. I try to make it as fun as I can, which is one of the reasons I have been incorporating this AFI research into my sessions. I don't know if my students love it, but all of the parents that I work with definitely do.

One thing that we do often is take a deep dive on the interwebs to find out what it is like to live in American history, as depicted in the different films that we are watching. Many of the students I have are going into the dreaded AP US History (APUSH), so we go through some major events like the Civil War and the Great Depression that show up in that class. In the current film under review, The Grapes of Wrath (1940), there is a full family road trip from Oklahoma to the border of California. I got comments that "moving sucks" and "long road trips are the worst" from my students, but I don't think we realized how bad it had to have been. Three different students and I went over the journey, and we found some pretty interesting things.

SPOILER ALERT!! I WON'T GIVE AWAY THE ENDING, BUT THERE ARE SOME REVEALS ABOUT SMALL CHARACTERS FOR BOTH THE BOOK AND THE FILM!!

The timing is not 100% clear in the film, but it is set during the time of the peach harvest of the early 1930s at the beginning of the Great Depression. The trip starts in Sallisaw, Oklahoma and the trip ends in Needles, California. There is more driving that is done upon arrival in California, but that initial drive is from these two points. Spoiler: there are 10 people that pile into an old truck that is filled with other possessions and the trip actually kills the two grandparents. Is it such a difficult trip that people could actually die? The film does not focus much on the trip, but analyzing it taught my students and I that it would have been pretty brutal.

There was a flyer the family had that advertised work picking peaches in California, which is considered to be from late June to September (it's a summer harvest). Home refrigerators had been invented in the 1880s and popularized with freon in the 1910s. The cold process had been simplified and there was widespread use of the technology by the 1920s. This meant that produce was likely in higher demand because it could be kept longer. It makes sense that there would be high demand for pickers in the fields. There had been an amazing drought in the plains of the United States, giving it the unfortunate nickname of the "Dust Bowl." This meant that many farms were not producing and thus foreclosed on, forcing the former owners to leave their family homes and go where the work was. The influx of farm workers from the South that were desperate for money meant farm owners in California could advertise and then attract thousands of families that would work for cheap. It was a terrible situation that forced many families like the Joads to make the trip along Route 66 to California.

So, we have some motivation: desperation for any work. But how bad was the trip? Well, the actual road doesn't exist in total that I can see, but it ran parallel to the I-40. That major thoroughfare is still there and can be mapped directly from the start to end. According to Google Maps, the distance is 1,230 miles taking about 17 hours according to the posted speed limits. The Joad family, however, purchased a 1926 Hudson Super Six to fit 10 people and it was filled with a household full of stuff. This was actually a very fast car with a max speed of almost 80 mph at the time (according to Wikipedia), but the massive amount of weight and that it was almost consistently overheating meant that it would have taken at least 3 or 4 days to make the journey. Even if the car managed to get to 40 miles an hour on average (this is being generous with the weight, condition of the vehicle, and the terrible roads), then it would have taken 31 hours if there were absolutely no stops. My students and I combined all the factors and decided that desperation would push them forward, so the movie parameters would allow for about 3 days of travel to get between the two locations.

Now, a three day trip would suck, but would it actually be bad enough to kill somebody? I wanted to further explore the conditions of this trip with an analysis of some of the variables. The two people who died were both already the eldest and not in the best shape. They were also quite upset about the move. Both were conditions that would make them lose the will to live, but probably not enough to kill them both in a matter of days. Their mental faculty was not likely what would have killed them, but it definitely didn't help.

Another major thing was the heat. The threat of heat stroke was a major problem. Both of the elders were in the back and covered from the sun, but they were also blocked from any air movement and packed in with a bunch of others. The summer heat along this road is horrific, and I know this from personal experience. I currently reside pretty near Pheonix, and it can get into the temperature range of about 110-120 degrees Fahrenheit (40s Celsius) during the summer. In fact, according to the US Climate Database, summers in Needles, California can be the hottest in the world reaching as high as 126 degrees and holding the global record for a couple of days of the year. This can be deadly hot alone, but then driving in a car that is constantly overheating with no air conditioning and surrounded by body heat would make this a hazard especially over 3 days. What can be most stifling about the desert heat is that it never cools down completely. There have been 24-hour periods in my experience that never drop below 85 degrees. It is like this throughout the American Southwest and most of the trip would have been in this kind of sweltering heat.

I think the proverbial and somewhat literal "nail in the coffin" was that the car was not working properly and most likely filling that back cab up with exhaust. It was closed off in a way so that no air would have been passing through despite being right next to the exhaust. My students and I agree that this jalopy is a death trap and driving it for three days in the desert heat could most certainly kill off an older person who was already sick.

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This was a fun exercise, but it also was depressing to think how many people likely died on the way to California. It was during the depression and so many people were already starving and in poor health, I can imagine that there are a lot of little unmarked graves along old Route 66. More like Route 666. Interesting. I wonder if anybody has ever done a project on the ghosts of Route 66. Could be something worth looking into...