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romanrhodes · 2 years ago

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relationships | wanted connections | wanted & ongoing plots | aesthetic | home - rhodes farm

hey, look! It’s [ ROMAN RHODES ] at [ THE DIRFTWOOD DINER ]. did you know they work there as [ OWNER & CHEF ]? i guess they’re from [ KISMET HARBOR, OREGON ] and have been in town for [ PREVIOUSLY TWENTY YEARS, NOW TWO YEARS ], living in [ HAWTHORE HIDEAWAY ]. i also heard they’re a little [ STUBBORN & IMPULSIVE ] but also very [ PASSIONATE & FEARLESS ], which makes sense. [ LEE PACE | 44 | CIS MALE | HE/HIM ]

BASICS.

full name: roman david rhodes nickname(s)/goes by: ro, chef, chef rhodes, tomato-head, the moose pronouns & gender: he/him & cis-male sexuality: bisexual age: 44 birth date: march 25th, 1980 birthplace: kismet harbor, oregon time in kismet harbr: 2 years (previously 20 years from birth) housing: rhodes farm, hawthorne hideaway occupation: owner & head chef workplace: driftwood diner, driftwood haven family: eric rhodes - father (71), pamela rhodes - mother (43, deceased), ryan rhodes - older brother (46), josie rhodes - younger sister (39) relationship status: single

PHYSICAL.

eye colour: hazel with blue and green hair: warm brunette, wavy, growing longer facial hair: between stubble and a short beard height: 6'5 | 196cm body type: tall, lean, athletic

PERSONALITY.

positive traits: strong, bold, fearless, confident, energetic, passionate, driven, creative, artistic, romantic, observant, loyal negative traits: stubborn, selfish, reckless, impulsive, sensitive, idealistic, emotional, sarcastic, distant, hyper-independent

astrology: aries sun | pisces moon | capricorn rising

hobbies & interests: baseball, wild swimming, fishing, sailing, hiking, camping, cooking, baking, vegetable gardening, orchardry, foraging, cider brewing, gin distillery, raising chickens, road trips.

AESTHETICS.

character inspirations:

carmen berzatto, the bear (2022-2024)

carl casper, chef (2014)

julian slowik, the menu (2022) but with a lot less murder and insanity.

pinterest board: https://pin.it/5ArUK31

BIOGRAPHY.

trigger warnings: mentions of cancer, death, homophobia

roman david rhodes was born on march 25th, 1980, the second child and son of eric and pamela rhodes. his childhood was a happy one - he grew up at rhodes farm, in a gorgeous farmhouse and lots of land, and spent a huge amount of time at driftwood diner. owned and run by his grandparents, roman bounced between the farm, the diner and school. he was the yin to his elder brother ryan’s yang - while his brother was the extroverted, popular kid who went on to become the captain of the baseball team and prom king, roman was the introvert who preferred growing vegetables and herbs with his mother, searching the land and nearby woods for mushrooms and wild garlic, and baking with his grandmother. being young, he didn’t understand he ‘wasn’t supposed’ to like doing those things, because he was a boy and boys liked sports, fighting with sticks and causing trouble. his father tried to encourage him to try sports, and practice throwing and batting baseballs with his brother - and roman enjoyed it because, despite their differences, he looked up to his brother and enjoyed getting his attention. he knew from when he was young that ryan was the golden child, that his father favoured him and overlooked roman’s accomplishments for ryan’s… he didn’t care, as long as his brother was good to him.

while his father overlooked him and struggled to connect to him, his mother was close to him. she encouraged his un-boyish side - the cooking, the baking, the vegetable growing, the mushroom harvesting. she spoke to his father, and made him see it as an asset - roman could grow to be interested in the farm and the diner, and work with his brother when ryan inherited. roman was given a job at the diner when he turned fourteen, as soon as he could. He was just a saturday busboy, clearing tables and wrapping cutlery - but it meant he could learn about the diner, and how it was run. he could watch the cooks, and his grandmother encouraged his knowledge of her recipes and processes. as he got older, he progressed to a server, and finally, a cook. to some, a job flipping burgers was an insult, but to roman, it was great. he understood that cooking a great meal could be fulfilling and that people appreciated the work. by this time, he’d hit his growth spurt and being 6’3 at fifteen meant that the guys at school stopped bothering him, but it did cause a weird tension with his now shorter older brother.

roman’s simple life suddenly got a lot more complicated when his mother was diagnosed with cancer, very late stage, and very terminal. she was old enough to see roman graduate high school, but a year later, she was gone, and it hit the family hard. roman put off going to college to be able to stay with her as long as he could, and after she died, he was lost, adrift. his dreams and ambitions had outgrown kismet harbor and the diner - he wanted to go to culinary school, to travel to europe and learn and work there. his father was against it initially - his son leaving so soon after his wife - but roman’s grandparents talked him around… and roman had the money to fund himself, as he’d been saving since the first day at the diner.

so, he left. he went to culinary school, and he went to europe to train and work. over the years, he would come home for holidays and as many birthdays as he could afford. and every time, his dad asked when he was coming home to become the head chef at the diner, and roman asked if he would own it. this surprised his dad - ryan was the oldest son, so he would get everything. that wasn’t enough for roman… if he got the diner, he wanted to make changes. he wanted to keep the heart and soul of the place, and take care of it because people loved it… but he wanted to make it his own, to leave his own mark, to serve his food. his grandparents didn’t want anything to change, and after their deaths, his father wouldn’t allow it either. roman knew that if ryan owned the diner, he would keep things exactly the same…

over time, roman started to learn more and more and worked at various restaurants across europe - italy, france, spain, portugal - until he returned to america, to work in new york. he worked from place to place, until he found himself at michelin-star restaurants. his work had transformed from traditional home cooking to high-concept, avant-garde menus reserved for the rich and affluent. he was an award-winning chef, primed to become the head chef of a michelin-star restaurant, and he thought he’d finally done enough for his father to be proud of him. but every time he went home, his family felt further and further away. his mother was gone, his grandparents had died, and no one understood his work or his passion. they poked fun at him becoming too big for his boots, high and mighty, wondering who he thought he was… and he realised unless he contorted himself to fit into the small box his father had always had in mind for him, he would never be accepted - and he would never be praised and thought of like his brother was. they had a huge fight - roman, his father, and his brother. painful and hurtful things were said, and roman left, going no contact. he honestly thought he might never go back to kismet harbor.

of course, there were things he was hiding from his family. he’d known from a young age that he was attracted to more than just girls. his first love had been a boy in kismet harbor, but he’d been raised catholic. his family had always talked about him getting married to a woman and having children, and even though that was a possibility… roman hated suppressing another part of himself, so he could never tell them.

after five years of not speaking to his family, roman reached the end of his rope. his career had reached incredible heights, but the mental and emotional burnout was taking its toll on roman, his relationships and his work. after a disastrous review from a revered, infamous food critic, roman was given a verbal strip down by the owner of the restaurant, and he was fired. untethered and unemployed, roman didn’t know what to do… when he got a call from his father’s lawyer. his father was too ill to continue living at the farm and running the diner, and his brother had left kismet harbor two years previously, leaving only a letter behind. roman inherited everything. It was a shock to the system… everything he’d always wanted, and now he had it… he wasn’t sure he wanted it anymore. but he had to leave new york, and so he went. it at least gave him something to do. so, in January 2023, he moved back to kismet harbor, to restart an old life.

SINCE HIS RETURN.

since his return to kismet harbor, roman has turned his life around and settled into rhodes farm as his home. he's slowly worked, thanks to the help of his neighbours and friends, at fixing up rhodes farm - he's redecorated the farmhouse, repaired the barn, put in new fences, and built a chicken and duck coop. he now has chickens, a herb and vegetable garden, and he's growing new saplings for the pear orchard. he has ducks for the pond, a butchering shed and two pigs for his orchard. currently, he's having cabins built on the land, to take on farm staff when they're finished.

at driftwood diner, roman has successfully integrated a new menu, pulling inspiration from his grandparent's original menu and his own tested recipes. he's opened up the old food truck, taking it out to town events, and set it up for full-time residence at the village. the diner was closed for renovations in january-february 2024. he's built a great team at driftwood, some of whom he would consider his good friends.

roman has rekindled old friendships and built new ones with various people. the most significant relationship he's developed is with andrew jackson, a man in his mid-thirties who appeared one day at his rundown farm and offered to help, free of charge. roman gratefully accepted his help, fed him, and had the biggest crush on him. out of his own fear, he never told andrew or approached the subject of same-sex attraction due to his own religious, family and teenage trauma, but his feelings grew into something more. around easter 2023, roman followed andrew into a chapel after witnessing an argument between andrew and andrew's father, where andrew told him he liked men. roman confessed and they kissed, but roman was trying to deal with the issues from his past that living in kismet harbour had brought back. on his 43rd birthday, the grief of losing his mother came rushing back, and he knew he needed professional help.

roman and andrew started dating a month later, and their relationship developed quickly. roman injured himself to protect andrew from a firework at the kismet harbor 4th July (2023) disaster, and to aid his recovery, he asked andrew to move in with him. after his recovery period, roman realised he didn't want andrew to leave, and asked him to officially move to rhodes farm at the wagner wedding. andrew left him in early march 2024, telling roman he wasn't happy living at the farm, and that he couldn't make him happy because he didn't want to have children. roman has not dated anyone since.

around mother's day 2023, roman decided to reach out to his father, eric, through a letter. the older man reacted with a telephone call, asking roman to visit him. the two have slowly rebuilt their relationship, acknowledging the damage and hurt done on both sides. they are both in a good place, spending holidays together and reconnecting with his son has even bettered his father's health.

roman reconnected with his younger sister, josie, in october 2023. their relationship was strained and painful, but roman was determined to rebuild his connection with her. they have since become close, and roman is a steady, trusted figure in the lives of his two nieces, hazel (10) and elsie (7).

recently, roman has been working to develop a cidery, using the famous rhodes pears grown in his orchard. this is a long-term goal, with the intention of brewing small, local batches of pear cider, exclusive to kismet harbor, as part of a historical project. the rhodes pear is considered a local heritage pear.

roman has also been working with local benefactors and organisers to develop the 'growing strong' programme - aimed at getting homeless people off the streets and back into work. the programme is still in the early stages of development.

#easthavenintro #muse: roman rhodes #about: roman rhodes #kismetharborintro

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kanisema-blog · 8 months ago

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Paul's laugh echoed across the crowded college quad, bouncing off the red brick buildings like a melody from a bygone era. Back then, laughter was the soundtrack of our friendship. We were Carmilla Kruspe, resident firecracker with a penchant for wild graphic design concepts, and Paul Graves, the star athlete with a surprising artistic soul. We were inseparable.

Our bond transcended the usual college camaraderie. We spent hours hunched over my messy desk, Paul meticulously sketching characters for my game design project while I critiqued his form with the ruthless honesty only a best friend could muster. He, in turn, was my biggest cheerleader, the first to plaster a goofy grin on his face at my most outlandish ideas.

But somewhere between stolen glances across the library table and late-night pizza runs, the lines blurred. One rainy afternoon, huddled beneath the library's awning, our laughter died down, replaced by a charged silence. My gaze locked with his, and in that moment, a million unspoken desires hung in the air. "Carmilla," he started, his voice a husky whisper, "I think..."

The sentence remained unfinished. A panicked student barreled through the doorway, separating us, and the moment evaporated like a wisp of smoke. The unspoken truth lingered, a silent storm brewing beneath the surface of our friendship. Our interactions became strained, punctuated by awkward silences and forced smiles. The laughter, the easy camaraderie – all gone, replaced by a suffocating tension.

Years blurred into a collage of missed opportunities and unspoken apologies. I threw myself into my work, the world of pixels and vector graphics becoming a refuge from the real world, from the gaping hole Paul's absence had left. His career skyrocketed, his face plastered across financial news channels, the CEO wunderkind. All the while, a part of me remained frozen in that rainy afternoon, forever yearning for what could have been.

Then, one scorching summer afternoon, fate intervened. I was presenting my latest design project to a potential client - a tech giant. As I walked into the conference room, my breath hitched. There, at the head of the table, sat Paul, his eyes widening in surprise that mirrored my own.

The presentation became a blur. All I could see was Paul, his familiar features etched with a mixture of emotions I couldn't decipher. Afterwards, in the sterile confines of the conference room hallway, we finally spoke. The years of unspoken words tumbled out, a torrent of regret and longing. "Carmilla," he said, his voice thick with emotion, "I messed up. I was scared."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Me too," I choked out. In that moment, the years melted away. We weren't the naive teenagers anymore, but the pain of the past remained, a raw nerve exposed.

The path to reconciliation was long and arduous. We navigated the minefield of past hurts, learning to forgive and move forward. There were stumbles, of course, but this time, we faced them head-on, the foundation of our friendship, reforged with the tempered steel of experience, holding strong.

Our love story wasn't a fairy tale with a grand declaration. It was a slow burn, a rekindled ember that blossomed into a love story far more profound than the one we almost had. Today, as I stand beside Paul, gazing at the twinkling city lights from our rooftop garden, his hand warm in mine, I know our journey together, with all its twists and turns, has brought us to a place more beautiful than we ever imagined. We are no longer just best friends or lovers; we are partners, confidantes, two souls forever intertwined by a love story written not in grand gestures, but in the quiet moments of understanding, forgiveness, and the enduring flame of a friendship rekindled.

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josiahhuddington · 1 year ago

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IMPORTANT DETAILS

Full Name: Josiah Scott Huddington Age: 36 Occupation: Park Ranger Time in town: Just Arrived (May of 2023) Neighborhood: Downtown in an apartment with Orion Blakely Street Address: coming soon. Face Claim: Scott Eastwood

BASIC DETAILS

Nickname: Jos, Siah, Si, Scotty Ethnicity: of German Decent Gender: Cis-Male Pronouns: He/Him Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual Date of birth: March 15th Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts; lived in New York for the last several years Education: College Degree - Criminal Justice at Duke University Zodiac Sign: Pisces Prominent Traits: untrusting, compassionate, athletic, genuine, helpful

FAMILY DETAILS

Family Members: Mother & Father - Heather & Ian Huddington, Siblings - One younger sister Birth Order: Oldest Child Pets: An Australian Shepherd named Xena, soon to be adopting a bunny he rescued in the wild. Marital Status: Single

PHYSICAL DETAILS

Height: 6'1" Body Type: Very athletic, muscular to represent that Eye Color: Blue Hair Color: Blonde Scars/Marks: Freckles on his shoulders, a scar on the bridge of his nose from an injury during college, a scar on his ankle from a reconstructive surgery from a baseball injury Facial Hair: He can be seen sporting a beard sometimes; more of a goatee than anything and he keeps it really trimmed and short. Tattoos: coming soon Piercings: None

PERSONALITY DETAILS

Phobias: Losing his family Allergies: None Signature Scent: Sandalwood is a scent that’s usually associated with Josiah. He’s not one that uses a ton of scented products in his normal routine, but, he does use sandalwood scented stuff a lot. House Decor Style: minimalistic, the man could really use some help in the decor department Vehicle Type: Jeep Wrangler TJ Model, Orange in color; he has the soft top version Favorite Foods: Pasta dishes - chicken alfredo, chicken parmesan, lasanga, barbeque pork ribs, salad with french dressing, cookies and cream ice cream Favorite Color: Forrest Green, Gray, Blue Favorite Movie: Die Hard Favorite Music Genre: He prefers more upbeat music, but as far as genre, he doesn’t have a preference. He listens to a lot of older rock with the top of his jeep down. Favorite Song: coming soon Hobbies: hiking, going to the gym, volunteering at shelters, working out, running, cooking, relaxing in hammocks in the trees Town Activites: Baseball Outdoor Club Camp Volunteer Clean Up Crew Reenactment Club Support Group (ADHD) Beer Brewing Likes: silk sheets, black coffee, breakfast for dinner, belting music while he cleans his apartment, family dinners, helping those in needs Dislikes: lack of communication

#josiahstatistics

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jdpink · 1 year ago

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There’s reportedly a popular beer and shot combo in Florida called “The Wild Buffalo”—a shot of bourbon, chased with an Athletic Run Wild IPA. At the Pencil Factory, a bar in Brooklyn, they have an unofficial joke special called “The Hypocrite.”

How did it build a loyal customer base, 80% of which drinks alcohol but still chooses to pay almost $15 for a six-pack for the nonalcoholic stuff?

Before founding Athletic in 2017, Shufelt had been employed at a hedge fund, a gig that comes with a built-in work-hard, play-hard ethos. He was also big into endurance races, and decided to take a break from alcohol to feel and perform better.

“It turns out over 30% of people [in America] don't drink at all, and almost 60 percent of people barely drink. That’s a ton of money left on the table, so the economic opportunity was obvious to me,” Shufelt says. “Everyone always thought the occasion base for nonalcoholic beer was one percent of one percent of the time. It's pretty much totally the opposite—most people are not drinking most of the time.”

Today, Athletic is the number two nonalcoholic beer in the country, but is on track to surpass Heineken 0.0. And while beer sales in general are plummeting, the nonalcohol category is growing. At the time when Athletic launched, nonalcoholic beer made up 0.3% of beer sales; now it’s closer to 2%.

#athletic beer #athletic #na beer #nonalcoholic

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rhinokck · 2 years ago

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Run Wild, a non alcoholic IPA from Athletic Brewing Co out of San Diego, CA. Has a decent flavor for a NA, hoppy & a citrus background.

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raeynbowboi · 4 years ago

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Disney Villains in DnD

With the Disney Princesses and Princes, I put them into parties, but for the villains, I’m going to start by listing the ones powerful enough to be a Warlock Patron in descending order of power (by their base form). The rest are ordered by the release date of their film. I’m not going to cover all of the Disney villains in this one post, as there’s just too many, and not all of them map easily onto DnD.

CHERNABOG THE DARK MASTER

AS BIG BAD: Archfield Patron Warlock (Asmodeus)

As Playable Character:

Race: Asmodeus Tiefling Background: Courtier Class: Divine Soul Sorcerer (Evil) Skills: Insight, Deception, Intimidation, Persuasion

The Devil on Bald Mountain, Chernabog stands as Satan and Lucifer incarnate, the Disney-Canon equivalent to the Prince of Darkness, and the ruler of Hell. Like with Maleficent and Hades, Chernabog lacks a stat block, being a Greater Deity, and King of the Archfiends, Ruler of the Nine Hells. As a playable character, Chernabog doesn’t lend out his hellish powers or get them from an outside source. Instead he is a Tiefling with the infernal bloodline of Asmodeus (Lawful Evil) running through his veins. When he was an angel, Lucifer would have been a courtier, standing in the shining Court of Heaven before he was banished to Hell. His skills make him adept at lying to and manipulating people, as Insight lets him learn a person’s desires, and then use lies and honeyed words to lead them astray in his service. Consider this a free “how to play as satan” build.

MALEFICENT THE WICKED FAIRY

As Big Bad: The Raven Queen

As Playable Character:

Race: Hexblood Background: Noble (History, Persuasion Intimidation) Class: Wildfire Druid Skills: Arcana, History, Intimidation, Perception

Lore-wise, Maleficent uses “All the Powers of Hell”, but in terms of Dungeons and Dragons, the Wildfire Druid gives Maleficent the best parallels to her powers, as she’s able to grow a wall of thorns, call a bolt of lightning, Polymorph into a fire-breathing dragon, and spread fire. It also works lore-wise as the Wildfire Druid destroys the very forest they swore to protect. As a Hexblood, Maleficent becomes a fey hag, able to curse princesses and disguise herself as a racial ability. As the Big Bad, Maleficent maps perfectly onto the Raven Queen, ruling over the shadowfell, summoning the Heartless to do her biding, and loaning Diablo to those who worship or swear fealty to the Raven Queen.

HADES GOD OF THE UNDERWORLD

As Big Bad: Hades/Death God

As Playable Character:

Race: Mephistopheles Tiefling/Reborn Background: Charlatan Class: Death Cleric Skills: Deception, Insight, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand

For Hades, the God of the Dead, making him into a Cleric was a no-brainer. But Clerics have very limited options for fire magic. Sacred flame and Flame Strike both deal radiant damage, and their only other fire spell is Searing Smite which they got in the spell list expansion. But as a Mephistopheles Tiefling, Hades can also gain temporary access to Burning Hands and Flame Blade, along with Mage Hand. Mephistopheles is also the demon best known for making a deal with Faust, a trait shared by the deal-making Hades. If you’re not feeling the fire theme, or your DM doesn’t like the tiefling subraces, Hades can also work as a Reborn.

THE HORNED KING MASTER OF THE CAULDRON BORN

As Big Bad: Undead/Undying Warlock Patron (Lich)

As Playable Character:

Race: Reborn Background: Noble (History, Persuasion Intimidation) Class: Necromancy Wizard Skills: Arcana, History, Intimidation, Investigation

Ironically, there is a new magic item that maps perfectly onto the Black Cauldron, the Cauldron of Rebirth. But oddly, it can only be attuned by a Druid or Warlock, and the Necromancy Wizard creates the strongest undead thralls, as he adds his Proficiency Bonus to their attack and damage rolls. But if you’d rather have the Horned King be able to use the Cauldron of Rebirth, then make him a Spores Druid. If you absolutely must go warlock, make him an Undead Warlock. As a Warlock Patron, he would be a Lich. In the Chronicles of Prydain books, he served Arawn, God of Death. But the Horned King serves no such master in the Disney film.

JAFAR THE GRAND VIZIER

As Big Bad: Genie Warlock Patron (Efreeti)

Race: Human/Fire Genasi Background: Courtier (Insight, Persuasion) Class: Genie Warlock (Djinni)/Wild Magic Sorcerer Skills: Arcana, Deception, Insight, Persuasion

Jafar is the only one of the patron villains who themselves is a warlock to another patron. In his human form, Jafar has little to no powers. Everything Jafar is able to do is through either his magic snake staff or Genie’s magic. It’s only once he becomes a genie himself that Jafar has his own powers. So, Jafar here is split between two builds. As a human, he’s a warlock relying on a djinni. As a genie himself, he’s a wild magic sorcerer. Technically, he could be both. Play Jafar however you want. As a big bad, Jafar is stuck as one of the most subserviant types of warlock patron, which isn’t so surprising why he’s this low on the patron scale. Only Ursula is technically weaker than him, but that’s only true when she’s in her base form. Once she wields the trident, Ursula is even more powerful than The Horned King.

URSULA THE SEA WITCH

As Big Bad: Fathomless Warlock Patron (Sea Hag/Kraken)

As Playable Character:

Race: Triton Background: Courtier (Insight, Persuasion) Class: Glamour Bard Skills: Arcana, Deception, Insight, Performance, Persuasion Items: Circlet of Human Perfection (reskin as seashell necklace)

I built Ariel as a Fathomless Warlock because in order for her to be on land, she had to make a deal with Ursula. So, with Ursula on land, she can masquerade as Vanessa, using Ariel’s voice to charm and manipulate people. We even see Ursula do this when she charms Eric, so we know that as Vanessa, Ursula could easily run a successful criminal empire using Ariel’s voice to hypnotize and manipulate people into obeying her orders. The Circlet of Human Perfection allows Ursula to maintain a perfect beautiful human disguise without having to eat up spell slots. As a Fathomless Patron, Ursula in her base form is a simple Sea Hag, being much weaker. But once she gets a hold of Dekella, the Bident of Thassa from King Triton, she can grow in both size and power to rival the might of a Kraken. And with Thassa’s divine bident, Ursula can command the tides and all the beasts and monstrosities within it, puting her nearly on par with the powers of a goddess of the sea. But unlike Hades, Maleficent, and Chernabog, even at her near godlike power, Ursula still has a stat block, her bident can still be taken from her, and she can still be slain and defeated.

QUEEN GRIMHILDE THE EVIL QUEEN

Race: Human Background: Noble (History, Persuasion Intimidation) Class: Alchemist Artificer Skills: Arcana, History, Intimidation, Investigation

I really did consider the Transmutation Wizard for Grimhilde, as it has the power to cast polymorph for all of your Frog Prince needs, and a master transmuter can even Restore Youth. But then, the alchemist can brew a potion of transformation, and the chemistry set is clearly how we see Grimhilde using magic. The only magic she performs without the chemistry set is when she creates a gust of wind in front of her magic mirror. She doesn’t even create the lightning bolt for her transformation spell, it just happens to be storming outside, so she’s not controlling the weather either. Plus, the most powerful spell she has is the poisoned apple and she has to summon a bolt of lightning to cast Alter Self, a 2nd level spell. By DnD standards, Grimhilde’s not really that powerful. She doesn’t even fight the player herself in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep. If you want Grimhilde to be more magical, then go with Transmutation Wizard, but if you want to be more accurate, the Alchemist is how Grimhilde does her magic. Yzma from The Emperor’s New Groove shares a nearly identical build.

CAPTAIN HOOK THE GENTLEMAN THIEF

Race: Human Background: Pirate (Athletics, Perception) Class: Swashbuckler Rogue Skills: Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Persuasion

While Hook’s still a putrid coward, he holds himself quite well, and is the epitome of Lawful Evil, maintaining a strict personal moral code to clash with Peter’s frankly Chaotic Neutral “heroism”. Hook’s not really good at the normal rogue skills like hiding or thieving, but he shines as a manipulative double-talking liar. Long John Silver from Treasure Planet has a similar build.

GASTON LEGUME THE HANSOME HUNTER

Race: Human Background: Folk Hero (Animal Handling Persuasion, Survival) Class: Monster Slayer Ranger Skills: Athletics, Perception, Persuasion Stealth, Survival

As the strapping hero of Belle’s Village, Gaston has the favor of his entire community, keeping them safe from any and all beasties that lurk beyond the city. Too bad he’s as rotten as they come. Likely one of the weakest villains in terms of pure power scale as little more than a local hero, he’s still an iconic enough villain I couldn’t resist adding him. Clayton from Tarzan shares a similar build.

SCAR THE USURPER OF PRIDE ROCK

Race: Leonin Background: Noble (History, Persuasion) Class: Oath of Treachery Paladin Fighting Style: Unarmed Skills: History, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion

Simba was a druid because he was a wise king who could call upon his people to stand beside him. Scar is a paladin because he has devoted himself to a single goal: his own personal power. Scar shows little wisdom, but has a strong character and savvy charms about him that make him better suited as a CHA caster.

JUDGE CLAUDE FROLLO THE JUDGE OF PARIS

Race: Human Background: Investigator Class: Light Cleric Skills: Insight, Investigation, Persuasion, Religion

This was an easy villain to build. As a religious man worshipping God (who would def fall under Life, Light, and maybe Knowledge) Frollo would go for the one that lets him keep witches warm. His background was chosen as an investigator because he’s responsible for keeping the peace in Paris, and there wasn’t a background option for lawmaker. Noble or Courtier might have worked, but didn’t seem quite like the right fit as they deal more with aristocratic authority and royal court politics.

RIKU THE HEARTLESS KEYBLADE MASTER

Race: Human Background: Soldier (Athletics, Intimidation) Class: Raven Queen Warlock/Hexblade Warlock, Shadow Sorcerer Pact Boon: Blade Skills: Arcana, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation

In the first Kingdom Hearts game, Riku spends most of the game being manipulated by Maleficent. His DnD counterpart would surely be a warlock to her. But Maleficent oddly has not one but three possible warlock patron options. As the Raven Queen, she obviously has the Raven Queen Warlock, but the Raven Queen also created the Hexblade, which come from the Shadowfell, which she rules over. The third is unique to Maleficent, as she is a fairy, and a powerful one at that. Making her a valid choice for an Archfey Warlock. Archfey doesn’t quite fit Riku, but the other two do, and as a Sorcerer, Riku draws power from the Shadowfell which his patron rules over.

DR. FACILIER THE SHADOW MAN

Race: Human Background: Charlatan (Deception, Sleight of Hand) Class: Fiend Warlock Skills: Arcana, Deception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand

It’s kind of hard to deny that Dr. Facilier is obviously a warlock, though his patron options don’t really come close to a neat fit. Among his choices though, fiend comes the closest to selling his soul to the Other Siders or Shadow Folk. It’s possible he could have sold his soul to the Raven Queen and his shadowy friends are the emissaries of the shadowfell, but as he has no raven or crow familiar, that’s a somewhat weak comparison.

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knuffled · 4 years ago

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Just Practice - Chapter 14

here’s the latest chapter! hope you all enjoy it! if you could leave a comment, it would mean the world to me! not that many people commented last chapter sadly.

ao3 link for people on mobile

Out of all of Annabeth’s friends, Piper undoubtedly had the largest house. It was a beautiful three story house with a modern minimalist aesthetic, but it somehow also managed to retain a homely atmosphere. As an aspiring architect, Annabeth thought that it was a feast for the eyes, but Piper had never liked it, mainly because her father was hardly ever home. That was ideal for someone like Annabeth, but Piper was a huge extrovert so she found it unbearable having such a huge house to herself. Piper did her best to circumvent that by having friends over whenever possible, a role that usually fell on Jason’s shoulders, but Annabeth had dropped by after school instead to work on a partner project that they had been assigned for their history class.

Piper greeted her at the front door, practically half-asleep. She was wearing pajamas that had smiling cartoon cupcakes printed on them, her choppy hair was thoroughly disheveled, and her eyes were dazed and unfocused. Annabeth was particularly amused by the impression left on her face from sleeping with her cheek pressed against the seams of two sofa cushions.

“You look positively glamorous, darling.”

Piper half-heartedly rolled her eyes and led her to the living room. “Shut up, I was doing hot girl shit.”

“I didn’t know napping qualified as ‘hot girl shit’,” Annabeth said, making air quotes.

“There’s a reason they call it beauty sleep, babe,” Piper said.

They stopped at the living room, and the sight there only made Annabeth’s smirk widen. It was a complete mess, strewn about with empty bags of cheetos, bottles of kombucha, and half-empty oreo trays. Annabeth crossed her arms over her chest and gave Piper a significant look, wondering what sort of excuse she would come up with, but Piper just flipped her off and dove belly first onto the sofa.

“Before you ask, I was too busy to clean,” Piper said, voice muffled by a sofa cushion.

“Busy doing hot girl shit?” Annabeth prompted innocently.

Piper turned her head to glower at her. “You’re such a bitch sometimes.”

Annabeth bit back a smile and lifted a half-empty bottle of kombucha from the coffee table. She gave it a ginger sniff and gagged at the fermented smell.

“I don’t know how you can drink this stuff.”

“It’s good for your digestive system,” Piper said, sighing.

“I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think it’ll be enough to offset the fact that your diet consists solely of flaming hot cheetos and oreos.”

“I’m seriously like ten seconds away from kicking you out of my house,” Piper warned.

Annabeth laughed and said, “Alright, alright, I assume that means you’re ready to start working on the project then?”

Piper groaned into the sofa and forced herself to sit upright. “You’re an absolute menace.”

Annabeth rummaged through her backpack for her laptop and the project rubric instead of looking at her. “I love you, too.”

Piper sighed melodramatically and cleared the coffee table of its aforementioned debris so that they had a place to work. They spent nearly two hours researching content for their project, and Annabeth was happy with the amount of work they were able to get done. For all their bickering, she and Piper had always made an excellent team, and this project was no exception. That being said, by the end of the two hour mark, Piper was beginning to burn on fumes.

“God, why on fucking earth did I ever think taking AP Euro my senior year was a good idea,” Piper groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Spring break can’t come soon enough.”

“It’s still over a month away,” Annabeth laughed. “We could take a break if you’d like.”

Piper looked up at her abruptly with wide eyes. “Who are you and what have you done with Annabeth?”

Annabeth rolled her eyes and said, “We got a lot of work done, so it’s fine if we chill a bit.”

Piper pressed a kiss to Annabeth’s cheek before she could react and beamed at her. “Want something to eat? I’m getting hungry.”

Annabeth scowled and rubbed her cheek. “Uh, do you still have Oreos?”

“Of course, I do,” Piper grinned. “I’m not a heathen.”

“Milk?”

Piper pretended to wipe a tear from her eye. “Oh, Annabeth, I am so proud of you.”

“Oh my god, shut up,” Annabeth laughed, shoving her.

Piper danced to the kitchen and came back a short while later with a fresh box of oreos and two glasses of milk. Annabeth’s step-mother was a health nut, so they never had junk food at home. She also had to adhere to a strict-ish diet because she was an athlete, so this was the first time in literal years that Annabeth had had the chance to eat an oreo.

“These are a lot better than I remember,” Annabeth said.

“You’re goddamn right. Oreos are gods gift to humanity,” Piper said.

Annabeth smiled. “Now, I wouldn’t go that far.”

“So ungrateful,” Piper sniffed. “You can get sent to hell for that sort of thing you know?”

“For not being obsessed with oreos?” Annabeth laughed.

“For having bad taste,” Piper said, giving her a significant look.

“Guilty as charged,” Annabeth sighed. “I mean, I’m friends with you after all.”

Piper groaned and shoved her. “Bitch.”

“You started it,” Annabeth laughed. “I was just enjoying my oreos in peace.”

“I have been nothing but a gracious host, and yet you come into my house and insult me and my all time favorite snack for good measure,” Piper said, shaking her head. “This is why whites don’t deserve rights.”

Annabeth raised her glass of milk. “I’ll drink to that.”

“Sometimes, I honestly wonder how Percy puts up with you.”

“Easy, he’s a lot nicer than you, so I don’t feel the need to sass him,” Annabeth said, shrugging.

“Sounds fake, but okay.”

“You’re just in denial,” Annabeth teased.

Piper rolled her eyes and said, “How is he doing by the way? I haven’t talked to him lately, but I know State is around the corner.”

“He’s doing okay, I think,” Annabeth said. “I haven’t really asked him about it.”

“No Valentine’s Day plans, I’m assuming?” Piper asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Nah, I don’t want to break his concentration,” Annabeth said, shaking her head. “How about you and Jason? Got a hot date lined up or something?”

“We were just thinking of getting dinner some place nice,” Piper said, shrugging.

“So that means Taco Bell is a no, then?” Annabeth asked, grinning.

“Very funny,” Piper said, narrowing her eyes. “I think we’re going to some Japanese place downtown or something.”

“Hmm, sushi sounds nice.”

Piper shook her head and said, “It’s honestly impressive how you somehow always forget that I’m vegetarian, even after all these years.”

Annabeth’s face turned pink. “Oh, right, sorry.”

Piper knocked elbows with her instead of saying anything and reached for another cookie. Annabeth watched her dunk the cookie in her glass of milk a little too vigorously, causing some of it to spill onto her pajama bottoms, and couldn’t help imagining how Jason would have chided her for it if he had been here. It was still endlessly bemusing to her how two people so diametrically unlike one another had so much romantic chemistry together.

“You ever think about how wild it is that you and Jason have been together for four years now?” Annabeth asked.

Piper laughed and said, “Definitely have a lot more since graduation is coming up soon. It’s pretty insane to me too.”

“What’s your secret, oh wise one,” Annabeth asked teasingly.

Piper rolled her eyes and said, “We just communicate really well, ever since day one. Neither of us hide anything from each other. If we are bothered by something, we talk about it. Sometimes that means we get into fights, but it’s still better than bottling everything up.”

Annabeth’s heart squeezed a little in her chest. In contrast, she and Percy hardly ever spoke openly anymore. The weight of all the things they had both left unsaid had snowballed and taken on a line of its own. She didn’t think it had brewed into bitterness, but it felt like ice on the surface of a pond. Shallow and liable to break at any moment.

“We also just genuinely like each other too,” Piper said. “There’s no way we would have lasted if we hated each other’s guts or got bored of each other. Kind of the opposite honestly. The more I got to know him, the harder I fell for him.”

“How could you tell?” Annabeth asked. “Was there a specific moment you realized or something?”

Piper hummed under her breath and stared up at the ceiling. “Hard to say. It wasn’t anything big or dramatic, just little things piling on top of each other, until one day, I just knew. Kind of like getting taller or falling asleep. You don’t notice it when it happens only when you look back.”

When Annabeth was silent, Piper continued and said, “I will say that the first time I can remember consciously thinking it was after a meet sophomore year. Don’t remember how it went, but I can still picture how he looked after the race. He was all gross and sweaty and caked with mud, but his cheeks were pink from all the running and it just made him glow. And at that moment, I just remember thinking ‘Wow, I’m actually in love with this guy.’”

There was something about the way Piper spoke that even Annabeth could hear how much she loved him just by her tone, that it made a lump form in Annabeth’s throat.

“I’m so happy for you two,” Annabeth said softly. “You are both two of the most amazing people I have ever met, so I’m glad you are together.”

Piper laughed and said, “It’s weird to hear you pay me a compliment, but thanks.”

“After that shameless display of ungratefulness, I would suggest you don’t get used to it,” Annabeth said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Piper rolled her eyes and sank back into the sofa. “Is there something going on with you?”

Annabeth furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

“You tend to ask lots of questions when you’re upset about something,” Piper said, shrugging.

Annabeth blinked. She had no idea that she did that.

“Nothing in particular,” Annabeth said carefully. “Just wanted to hear from someone that’s been in a relationship for four years. I’m still new to it, and I don’t want to fuck everything up.”

“Learn anything useful then?” Piper asked, raising an eyebrow.

Annabeth was quiet for a while and tried to choose her words carefully. “The part about communicating was helpful.”

Piper gave her a knowing smile. “Really? Well, I’m glad to hear that.”

“I feel like it was easier when we were only friends,” Annabeth said.

“Hmm, Percy was just doing a lot of work behind the scenes for you to make you feel that way. Now that you’re in a relationship, it’s harder for him to do that, so it’s only exposing issues that were already there,” Piper said.

Annabeth frowned. “What do you mean?”

Piper shrugged and said, “Well, part of it is that Percy is stupidly empathetic, so he would anticipate your emotional needs and provide for them with you having to do much. The bigger problem is that you don’t really understand the way he thinks, so you are incapable of doing the same for him.”

A spark of anger lit in Annabeth’s chest. “Well, why don’t you spell it out for me since I’m apparently so ignorant?”

“Annabeth, chill. I’m not saying you’re a bad friend or that I know more about him than you do,” Piper said, holding her hands up in surrender.

“Then what are you saying?” Annabeth hissed.

Piper sighed again and said, “Look, I love you and everything, but you don’t fully understand that other people don’t think or see the world in the same way you do. I’ll give you an example. What do you usually do when you’re really upset about something?”

After a moment, Annabeth said, “I give myself some space until I am ready to talk about it.”

“Exactly,” Piper said, nodding. “Percy is not like that. When he’s upset, he wants someone to press him about it, like really press him. There are a lot of reasons for it, but one huge reason is that he doesn’t feel like his problems are worth anyone else’s attention, so you have to convince him otherwise.”

Annabeth was stunned. That had legitimately never occurred to her. She had always assumed that Percy would come to her if he needed to because that’s what she did whenever she was upset. She whenever she had given him space in the past, thinking it would help, it had looked like callous silence to him instead, a sign that she didn’t care enough to hear what was going on.

Her mind raced. How many times in the past had she fucked up monumentally because this had never occurred to her?

“Do you get what I mean now?” Piper prompted.

Annabeth nodded slowly and said, “I- I had no idea. I just sort of assumed he was like me.”

“That’s a perfectly normal thing to do,” Piper said. “Like I said earlier, I’m not telling you this because I think you’re a shitty human being or whatever. I’m telling you because the way that you and Percy communicate has some really deep, fundamental issues, and that it has been that way for years now.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Annabeth asked, trying not to let anger creep in her voice. “I could have done so much more to avoid hurting him.”

“Because you wouldn’t have listened to me,” Piper said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Your relationship with Percy is something sacred to you. You take pride in being close to him and knowing him really well. If I had said something contrary to that, you would have gone ballistic. You getting mad earlier was more than enough proof of that. I can only tell you now because you’re finally starting to notice issues for yourself.”

Annabeth grit her teeth and stared down at her lap. Piper was right. She was right, but it was so crippling to hear that Annabeth had been such a god-awful friend. Annabeth did take great pride in how well she thought she knew Percy, but ever since they had started fake-dating, she had started realizing she had deluded herself the entire time. It was incredibly jarring for her to realize that her vision of him compared to reality was so off, especially when she prided herself in the keenness of her judgment and intellect.

Piper squeezed her shoulder and said, “Look, I know this must have been a lot for you to hear, but you’re not alone. Almost everyone has trouble seeing people distinctly, as they are. People like Percy who do it naturally are the rare ones.”

“Then what should I do?” Annabeth asked tersely. “I feel so stuck.”

“Don’t assume so much. If you’re upset, tell him. If you want him to open up, ask him to. The only way to know what’s on his mind is to ask him. You don’t have to try so hard to read his mind for him,” Piper explained.

Annabeth nodded curtly and said, “I’m just so mad at myself.”

“I get it, but it’s not all on you. Percy also shoulders some responsibility, but it’s hard to blame him. Lord knows how much he has done for us,” Piper mused. “Besides, he has his own issues that he needs to deal with.”

“I-I’ll do what I can,” Annabeth said.

“If it’s you, I think you can do it,” Piper said, smiling softly.

As nice as it was to hear that, Annabeth had no self-confidence in her ability to be a good friend, not anymore. Still, Piper was right. Percy had done so much for her. If this could help him somehow, then she was determined to do her best.

After a few more minutes of silence, Piper said, “We should probably get back to the project.”

Annabeth smiled despite herself and feigned wiping a tear from her eye. “I never thought I’d live to hear the day you’d say that.”

:::

In keeping with tradition, Annabeth still somehow managed to find a way to be late to the State Swimming Championship. It was held at a neighboring high school not far from Westwood, but she had stayed up all night the day before painting a sign for Percy, which led to her sleeping through her alarm. She had brushed her teeth and taken as quick a shower as she possibly could before dashing out of her house, sign tucked beneath her arm.

By the time she made it inside, the first heat was already over. Annabeth scanned the bleachers and found all her friends sitting next to Sally. She took the steps three at a time and took a moment to catch her breath before she took a seat between Sally and Piper.

“Where’s Estelle?” Annabeth asked.

“Paul took her to go back some snacks at the concession stand. How have you been, dear?” Sally asked.

“I’m good. School is getting busy, but I’m getting by,” Annabeth said. “How’s Percy doing?”

“He seemed ready. Cautious, but focused,” Sally said.

“That’s good to hear,” Annabeth said.

Estelle and Paul returned with bags of snacks for everyone. They passed them around to all of Percy’s friends and squeezed past to sit next to Sally. Estelle was thrilled to see Annabeth and threw her arms around her neck.

“Annabeth!” Estelle squealed.

Annabeth laughed and hugged her back. “How have you been, Stella?”

“Good! I just lost a tooth last night. See?” Estelle said, giving Annabeth a toothy smile.

“Wow, did you get a visit from the tooth fairy?” Annabeth asked.

Estelle nodded vigorously. “I got five whole dollars!”

“What are you going to spend it on?”

“She used her money to buy snacks for everyone,” Paul interjected.

“Daddy!” Estelle huffed.

Paul held his palms up in surrender. “Oh, sorry, she told me not to tell anyone about that.”

“Thanks, Stella!” Annabeth said, smiling. “She’s a good kid.”

“She is,” Paul said proudly. “It’s the Jackson genes, I’m telling you.”

“Oh, hush,” Sally said, though she looked pleased anyways.

Paul grinned at her and turned to Annabeth. “It’s been a while since we have had time to catch up, Annabeth. I heard you got into Berkeley! That’s amazing!”

“Yeah, thank you,” Annabeth said, hiding a smile.

“It’s a wonderful school. I’m sure you’ll love it,” Paul said.

Annabeth was about to thank him, but they were interrupted by an announcement that the next heat was to begin for men’s free style. The State tournament was different compared to other tournaments held during the regular season. There would be a preliminary round of ten heats of six swimmers each, and then the top six swimmers would be selected based off their times to participate in a final round. The winner of the final would win the entire competition. It was therefore possible to have the best time in the prelims and still lose if someone placed higher than you in the last round. Annabeth had never been a fan of the way the tournament was run, but there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Percy was going to be in the penultimate heat, so there was still time before he participated. In fact, he wasn’t even out of the locker room yet. Annabeth knew that he was staying inside to maintain his focus until the start of his heat. She recognized one of his teammates that was in the next heat, so she paid attention to him even though it was hard to feel interested.

After the heat began, Annabeth was once again reminded of how much fiercer the competition was at State compared to the other meets. Percy hadn’t competed against many of the swimmers here because they lived on the other side of the state. It might have been a function of the fact that it was her first time seeing some of them, but the competition looked stronger this year than it had in previous ones. They were so skilled that Annabeth wasn’t sure Percy was a shoe-in for first like she had initially thought.

There was one swimmer in particular from the sixth heat, Castellan, that was particularly scary. The effortless, graceful way he swam reminded her a lot of Percy’s form, and he managed to win his heat by a wide margin. She had never seen him before in any of the other meets or from previous years either. He must have moved to the State sometime this season. Nevertheless, it sowed a seed of worry in her mind that continued to take deeper root even after his heat ended.

Eventually, Percy finally made his way out when his heat was announced. Annabeth was relieved to see the familiar cold intensity on his face that she was accustomed to. After the last meet, she had been afraid that his focus would still be shaky when State finally rolled around, but instead Percy looked more focussed now than she had ever seen him before. Everything about him gave off the impression that he was going to win.

When his heat finally began, Percy dove into the water clinically and quickly pulled ahead of the competition. Annabeth and the rest of their friends cheered loudly for him as he touched off the other side of the pool, almost a full body’s length ahead of the person in second. The rest of the race only solidified Percy’s lead as he pulled further and further ahead.

Once he touched the opposite wall, Percy burst out of the water and took a moment to catch his breath, but then he looked over to the opposite end of the pool and pressed his lips in a thin line. Annabeth was confused at first because his time was fantastic, and he had done so well in his heat, but then she realized his time had been slower than that swimmer from the sixth heat. Although it wasn’t an indication of how the finals would go, it was still damaging to realize that someone had done better than you in the prelims.

Annabeth worried her lip and turned to Piper when she felt her hand on her shoulder. “Why does he look so annoyed?” Piper whispered.

“That guy from the sixth heat, Castellan, had a better time than he did,” Annabeth muttered.

Piper blinked and looked back down at Percy. “Wait, really?”

Annabeth nodded. “Yeah. It’s not the end of the world or anything, but it’s gonna pile some extra pressure onto his shoulders.”

“He’ll be fine,” Jason ventured, from beside Piper. “If he keeps his cool, he can put up a good fight. Besides, I don’t think their times were off by a lot.”

“True,” Annabeth agreed. “It would have been a lot worse if it was a blowout.”

“There’s a break before the finals start right?” Hazel asked, speaking across from Jason.

Piper looked at the meet schedule and nodded. “Yeah, there’s a half hour to give the competitors from the later heats time to rest before the finals.”

“Should we go see him or something?” Hazel asked.

Jason shook his head and said, “No, there’s a chance that we just make him lose focus. Besides, there nothing we can really say to help him.”

“Well, that fucking sucks,” Rachel huffed.

Hazel nudged Rachel with her elbow and whispered, “Don’t swear! Estelle is here.”

Rachel winced and said to Sally, “Sorry, Mrs. Jackson.”

Sally gave her a mischievous smile and said, “You should be, dear.”

That got a laugh out of all of them, much to Estelle’s confusion. They talked amongst themselves during the break before Annabeth realized she needed to run to the bathroom. Annabeth wasn’t gone long, but on her way back, she ran into someone walking the other way.

“Ouch.”

Annabeth stumbled back and rubbed her shoulder. “Sorry, are you okay?”

“Oh, hey, look who it is,” Percy said, smiling down at her.

“Oh, hey,” Annabeth said, blinking. “I was just coming back from the bathroom.”

Percy laughed and said, “Yeah, I kind of figured.”

There was an awkward pause where Annabeth debated if she should continue talking to him or if that would break his focus. His body language was relaxed, but Annabeth could tell that there was some tension in his shoulders. The way he lingered there gave her the impression that he wanted to talk to her, so she figured it was alright to say something.

“How are you doing?”

Percy coughed and looked away surreptitiously. “Fine.”

Annabeth crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t look fine to me.”

Percy blinked like he was surprised she had called him out. In the past, Annabeth would have ignored the signs under the assumption that he didn’t want to talk about it, but after her conversation with Piper, she didn’t want to keep making those mistakes anymore.

Eventually, Percy sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Did you get a chance to see that Castellan guy from the sixth heat?”

Annabeth nodded and said, “Yeah, he seemed pretty good.”

“His time was pretty insane,” Percy said slowly. “Better than my PR.”

“It wasn’t that far off though,” Annabeth said, leaning against the wall.

Percy rubbed his chin. “That’s true.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I would say you don’t think you can beat him,” Annabeth said softly.

Percy looked up at her abruptly with wide eyes. “Uh...”

“Guilty as charged, huh?”

There was a pause before Percy laughed humorlessly and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know. Usually, I never think about that sort of thing at meets. I’m only focused on doing my best. But now, I can’t help wondering if my best would even be enough.”

“I wish I could be super peppy and say that it definitely is, but I’ve had those thoughts too many times to say that to you. It would feel fake and you’d know it,” Annabeth started.

“That’s not exactly making me feel better,” Percy joked half-heartedly.

“Shut up, I was getting to it,” Annabeth said, knocking elbows with him.

Percy made a show of rubbing his elbows, which made her roll her eyes before she continued.

“Remember how you told me after the invitational that I had to believe that I hadn’t hit my limit yet, that I could still do better? I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately, and I’m realizing that you were right. I’m killing any chance of improving if I believe it can’t be done. At the end of the day, I still want to keep competing, so I might as well believe in myself and keep trying.”

Percy was silent at this, so Annabeth continued. “My point is, you’ve gotta have faith in yourself. If that guy is better than you, make him prove it. Don’t do that work for him. You’re an insanely good swimmer. I know you can beat him. That’s not me saying that as a friend, but as another athlete. I know you have what it takes. Only question is: do you?”

“It’s not that I don’t think I’m good,” Percy said. “If it was just me, I wouldn’t be so worried, but so many people have put so much effort and faith in me that I can’t let them down. Like, I’ve always disappointed people, all my life, and there’s a voice in my head that tells me this time won’t be any different.”

“Fuck everyone else,” Annabeth said vehemently. “The people that care about you just want you to try your best.”

When Percy remained silent, Annabeth framed his face with her hands and forced him to meet her eyes. “Listen to me: all you have to do is go out there and swim. Nothing else matters. Okay?”

Percy was quiet for a while before he nodded slowly. “Okay.”

“You got this,” Annabeth said, squeezing his shoulders. “Give ‘em hell, Perce.”

“I will. Thanks, Annabeth,” Percy said, smiling. “I’ll see you after the finals are over?”

“I thought that went without saying,” Annabeth grinned. “There’s a chocolate milkshake from Martha’s with your name on it, after all.”

“Finally, something worth fighting for,” Percy sighed melodramatically.

Annabeth laughed and pushed him towards the locker room. “Alright, get going, champ. I’ll see you on the other side.”

Percy took a deep breath to steel himself and gave her one final nod before he made for the locker rooms. Annabeth waited for him to leave before she headed back to the bleachers. Piper gave her a questioning look as she sat down, as if to ask what took her so long, but Annabeth shrugged and remained silent.

The participants of the final heat left the locker room shortly after and stood in front of the pool. Percy’s lane was in the middle, right next to Castellan, from the sixth heat, but he looked composed and concentrated.

The swimmers stepped onto the diving boards and took their starting positions, bodies taut with anticipation. At the official’s whistle, they all dove into the water in unison. Percy and the other boy both quickly pulled ahead of the other four swimmers, but Percy lagged behind him ever so slightly. Annabeth leaned forward, forgetting to cheer, and worried her lower lip. She could tell Percy was trying to surge ahead of Castellan, but no matter what he did, the distance continued to remain unclosed for the first hundred meters.

Before they both touched off the wall for the final fifty meters, Percy seemed to lag further behind than he had all race. Annabeth’s heart sank, but somehow Percy surged forward on the last twenty meters and managed to pull alongside Castellan. At the end of the race, it was too close to tell who had won because they both appeared to finish at the same time.

Annabeth whipped towards the board on the far end of the pool and waited for the times to show, heart thundering in her chest. The subsequent seconds stretched like an eternity, but then numbers suddenly flickered on the board. It took Annabeth a second to process the results, but once she did, her heart soared in her chest.

Percy had won, but it had been unbelievably close.

Immediately, she looked back down for Percy and noticed the incredulous look on his face. It took his teammates tackling him for him to realize that he had won, a dumbfounded smile blossoming across his face. Annabeth clasped her hands in front of her mouth and tried to ignore the way her face hurt from smiling so hard. She could hear Piper and the rest of her friends going crazy beside her, but the noise felt distant like sound traveling through water.

They all made their way down to him, and Estelle and Paul were the first to speak to him before Sally pulled him into a fierce hug with misty eyes. After that, Piper jumped on his back and cheered while Jason congratulated him. Rachel and Hazel went next, followed by Frank and Leo, and through it all, Annabeth watched off to the side and tried not to tear up.

She felt so incredibly proud of him. All those years of grueling practice, nights spent staying late to get in extra laps at the pool, managing the pressure of his captaincy - all of it had paid off in the end, and she was so happy it had. He deserved all of it.

Finally, Percy locked eyes with her and slipped out of the arms of their other friends and wordlessly opened his arms. Annabeth didn’t even realize she was moving until she tackled him in a hug. He was still sopping wet from the race, so her shirt got wet but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Annabeth buried her face in the crook of his neck and squeezed Percy as tightly as she could.

It was hard to say how long they stayed like that, but eventually, she pulled away from his arms and looked up at him with a stupid grin on her face. “You did it! I’m so happy for you!”

Percy offered her an incredulous smile. “Somehow.”

“Shut up, you deserved to win. One hundred percent,” Annabeth said, poking his chest.

Percy’s ears turned red, and he tried to look away from her. “It was all thanks to a certain someone’s pep talk.”

“You’re giving me too much credit,” Annabeth said, but her heart felt ten times larger in her chest anyways.

“Seriously, I was really freaking out,” Percy said earnestly. “So thank you. Seriously.”

Annabeth bit back a smile. “You’re welcome. Seriously.”

“You never make things easy for me, do you,” Percy said, sighing melodramatically.

“Of course not,” Annabeth said. “I thought you would have figured that out after all these years.”

Percy shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a slow learner.”

“At least you’re not a slow swimmer,” Annabeth teased.

Percy rolled his eyes and said, “So what next? Martha’s?”

“You sure you want to celebrate with me and not your family?” Annabeth asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh don’t worry about that,” Percy laughed. “I know they’ll monopolize me later today. But first, I want that chocolate milkshake you promised me.”

Annabeth bit the inside of her cheek and tried not to get carried away by what he was saying. Still, she couldn’t help the feeling of exhilaration washing over her.

“Alright, Martha’s it is,” Annabeth said. “Go finish your shower and get dressed. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Percy nodded and left to tell his family their plans and to say goodbye to the rest of their friends, who were getting ready to leave. Piper gave her a knowing look on her way out, but Annabeth made a show of pointedly ignoring her.

A short while later, Percy met her at the entrance to the parking lot, his hair still wet from the shower. They drove to Martha’s in silence, only accompanied by the feeble radio in her dad’s car. The sun was just beginning to set, diffusing pink and blue across the spread of the horizon. At that proximity, Percy smelled distractingly of body wash, making Annabeth’s face prickle.

“I meant what I said earlier, you know?” Percy said, breaking the silence.

Annabeth glanced at him. “Hmm?”

“What you told me really helped,” Percy said.

“You’re being too nice,” Annabeth said.

“No, seriously, I was pretty sure I was gonna lose. Like on the last hundred meters, I kept thinking that it was only natural that I would let everyone down again, but then I heard your voice in my head, saying ‘All you have to do is go out there and swim’. I don’t know how or why, but that got me out of my own head and helped me win,” Percy explained.

Annabeth’s throat was dry. “I’m, uh, glad it helped.”

She caught his soft smile in the mirror. “Yeah, me too.”

“It’ll be your turn in April,” he said. “You’ll win State too, and then I’ll have to be the one buying milkshakes next time around.”

“Damn straight,” Annabeth said. “I can’t rest until I kick Reyna’s ass.”

“I can’t tell if you hate her or adore her,” Percy said, smirking.

“A little of both,” Annabeth admitted. “People that have never lost once in their lives piss me off, but Reyna’s a good person and fun to be around.”

“I did beat her at the batting cages,” Percy pointed out.

“Doesn’t count unless I’m the one doing it,” Annabeth said, shaking her head.

Percy’s grin grew wider before he turned away from her, making Annabeth scowl. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, I just thought that was a very ‘Annabeth’ thing to say,” Percy said, shrugging.

“Is that a good or a bad thing?”

“Hmm, I wonder,” Percy said, still grinning.

“Asshole,” Annabeth huffed.

There was a lull in the conversation while Annabeth began to turn something over in her mind. At first, it had seemed like a stupid idea, but the more that she thought about it, the more she wanted to go for it.

“H-Hey, I know you said you’d get me a milkshake if I won and all, but is it cool if I ask for something else instead?” Annabeth asked, fingers curling tighter around the steering wheel.

“Your wish is my command, your majesty.”

“Shut up, I’m being serious,” Annabeth laughed.

“Sure, I don’t see why not,” Percy said, shrugging. “What did you want instead?”

Annabeth swallowed and said, “I’ll let it be a surprise for now. Just promise not to chicken out when the time comes.”

“You’re not gonna ask me to like run around school naked or something right?” Percy asked, raising an eyebrow.

Annabeth barked a laugh. “Tempting, but no.”

Percy hummed to himself for a while before he sighed and said, “Well, I suppose I’ll just have to trust you not to make me do something embarrassing.”

“Don’t worry so much. I promise it’s not that bad. Just wanted to ask you something. Besides, there’s no guarantee that I’ll even win, after all,” Annabeth said.

Percy yawned and curled up in his seat and closed his eyes. “I don’t know, I’m pretty certain you’ll win.”

Annabeth glanced at him. “Yeah? What makes you say that?”

“Dunno, I just believe in you,” Percy said simply.

Annabeth bit the inside of her cheek and resisted the urge to tell him that he was making a mistake. Honestly, she didn’t think she had a snowball’s chance in hell of beating Reyna at State, but she would still try her best to repay Percy’s faith in her. As a fellow athlete, he wouldn’t say something like that just to be nice. If he thought she had a shot, then maybe he was seeing something in her that she couldn’t.

The sky continued to darken, and Annabeth found herself thinking that even if she couldn’t believe in herself, maybe she could believe in how much Percy believed in her instead.

#just practice #percabeth fake dating au #percabeth #percabeth fic #percy jackson #annabeth chase #i'm really happy with this chapter #hopefully people think the character work is as nuanced as it feels to me #i will give u my first born if you comment and reblog

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the-infinite-expectation-of-dawn · 4 years ago

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THE FIRST RECORDED MARRIAGE BETWEEN A CROATIAN AND MāORI.

Andrija and Erina Kleskovic/Anderson in 1893

127 years ago, Croatian Andrija Kleskovic married the Maori Princess Erina Kaaka, at St Saviour’s in Kaitaia, in the far north of New Zealand. The couple had 13 children over an 18 year period.

Andrija Kleskovic was the son of a storekeeper, Andrija Kleskovic and Ana, nee Tonkovic of Mlini, a small village near Dubrovnik. Following the death of his mother, his father married Franica Turcinovic. Unfortunately, Andrija and his stepmother did not get along. Andrija’s cousin, a priest visiting from the United States, persuaded his young cousin to come with him when he returned to America and join the priesthood.

He accompanied his cousin to America, and became a member of the choir and served as an altar boy. However, after three years, a rift developed, and Andrija left. Feeling much bitterness, he did not return to his Catholic upbringing until many years later, a few months before his death.

Andrija went to San Francisco, where he worked as a cook at the Golden Gate Bridge construction project. Around 1884, he came to New Zealand. He joined the tide of young men who traveled from Dalmatia, to dig for kauri gum in the Far North. His three years in California had given him a good grounding in the English language and as a result, was able to assist his countrymen to buy provisions and sell their gum. He was at ease with Maori, he enjoyed sharing jokes and shared a mutual respect for them. He made many friends. In addition to his native Croatian, he was fluent in English and Maori. He assisted his Maori friends with trading their gum for provisions.

In 1892 while he was gum digging at Houhora, he made his commitment to a new life complete when he married his Maori Princess, Erina Kaaka from Te Kao, of the Ngai Takoto tribe. She was the daughter of Chief Hohepa Kaaka and Aneta Marupo. Erina’s mother had significant land at Takahue. The couple were married by the Reverend Joseph Matthews three years before he died, at St Saviour’s, Kaitaia. It was the first recorded marriage between a Croatian and Maori. They settled down together at Spring Camp, Waihopo and worked together digging gum. In some reports Erina’s surname is spelt Kaka, the marriage certificate was signed “Ellen Kaka” and her father, Hohepa Kaka, likewise.

Andrija and Erina had 13 children over an 18 year period; Lizzie, Annie, Sonny, Joe, Leo, Tat, Mary, Lily, twins Ellen and Hazel, Patrick, Frank and Theo. The family moved from gumfield to gumfield, living in rustic shanties. Erina made their home comfortable by weaving flax mats to cover the dirt floors and gathering tataramoe (grows wild on ti tree) to fill their mattresses. They were at Tangoake Landing at Te Kao for a time before finally settling at J’s Point, Pukenui, where Andrija built a house for his family.

Andrija and Erina spoke Maori in the home, with a little pidgin English mixed in. The children didn’t learn English until they went to school. In the classroom, Maori was not allowed to be spoken; in fact, they were given the strap if the teacher overheard any students speaking Maori.

Being fluent in Maori, Andrija was asked on many occasions to act as a Maori Land Court interpreter. A judge had difficulty pronouncing Andrija’s name and so he was known as “Mr Anderson”. Andrija changed his name to Andrew Anderson for ease of pronunciation for both Maori and English speakers. He was naturalised in 1901 under the name “Anderson”. I will refer to him as ‘Andrew Anderson’ for the rest of the story.

1930 – Andrija shelling toheroas at Ninety Mile Beach. Northland Canneries had license to dig from June to September using flat potato forks. Workers received 10 shillings for a four-gallon tin of toheroas (tongues only).

Erina’s parents taught their grandchildren how to plait whips of flax and make pois from raupo. The grandchildren also learnt how to make and apply some of the old Maori healing remedies. The children were brought up with strong principles, they loved their grandparents dearly and were very respectful towards them.

When she was a baby, Hazel was given to her Uncle Raipo Kaka and his wife, Meremere Wi Tamehana, as they couldn’t have children. They provided her with a good start in life and Hazel loved them dearly.

Tane Marupo, son of Matamori and Hoera, came to live with the family at J. Point. He was raised as an older brother and grew into a strong athletic man. Family legend recounts he was involved in the rescue of survivors from the Elingamite ship disaster in 1902.

About 1914 The Anderson family enjoying a hangi* at Awanui. *Traditional Maori cooked meal of meat and vegetables cooked in the ground over hot coals.

From J’s Point, the family moved to a farm at Kumi Road. Andrew relocated their home by barge down from Pukenui, into the Awanui River, then overland with bullocks onto the Kumi farm.

Sonny and Hepa (Joe) went off to fight in the Great War. Private Joe Anderson was amongst the wounded on 11 May 1917. It was about this time that Erina became ill. Lizzie was called home to run the household and care for the younger children.

Tragically, Erina died on 18 January 1918. Lizzie took on her mother’s role in caring for the family. In July of the same year Lizzie married Ted Jones, a Welsh steam engineer. They had 17 children, all born at home and brought into the world, by a Maori midwife. In 1924 they moved in with Lizzie’s father at Kumi Road. There was no running water, no electricity and by this time, six children.

Andrew stayed on in Awanui for several years, before moving to Dargaville, Henderson and then Thornton in the early 1930s. In 1939 he went to Taneatua, a small town in the Bay of Plenty near Whakatane. For the next 17 years he lived with his son Peter, his wife, Sarah, and their family. He enjoyed netting whitebait and fishing for eels; also farming pigs, fowl, calves and lambs.

Andrew also established a small orchard growing fruit trees. He even attempted making wine from the fruit using an old fibre separator, until there was a loud bang from the direction of the shed. It must have been a potent brew as it blew out the shed walls! Andrew never attempted winemaking again. He developed a large garden and he and Sarah sold vegetables at the roadside to supplement the household income. He loved eeling and he boiled up the small eels in a kerosene tin to use as manure for the garden. During the whitebait season, Andrew and Sarah caught whitebait.

Lily married Anton Posa in 1925 but once she was pregnant she became seriously ill with septicaemia. She died in 1926 of the dreaded disease, at the age of only 22.

Andrew died in 1952, a man with a big heart who earned the respect of all he encountered. Andrew and Erina are buried in St Joseph’s Maori Cemetery, in Awanui.

Sept 1952 at Andrew Kleskovic’s/Anderson funeral – Jones Grandchildren of Andrew & Erina: L – R from the Back: Tunny, Danny, Darby, Bertha, Mary, Trevor (Aki) Alfred, David. Front: Peter, Joan, Ellen, Moira, Netta, Annie-May, Elizabeth, Rolly. Insert: Stan Jones.

It is noted in the Kleskovich Reunion booklet. “We acknowledge that we are descendants of two cultures, our Croatian heritage through Andrija and our Maori heritage through Erina, without which we would not be here.”

Children of Andrija and Erina Kleskovich about 1965 Back Row: Leo Jones, Frank Jones, Peter Jones, Joe Jones, Theo Jones and Sonny Jones. Front Row: Mabel Jurisich, Lizzie Jones, Annie Berghan and Hazel Paul.

#maori #croatia #new zealand #history #hrvatska #hrvatski #AUSTRALIA #dalmazia #dalmacja #infinite expectation of dawn

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himbowelsh · 5 years ago

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What would early mornings / late nights with the guys of BoB consist of? 💫

Richard Winters: He doesn’t make a habit out of staying up late, and doesn’t do it for fun... but it happens more than he’s proud of. Sometimes, he’s got so much work to do that he just sets down to do it, and gets lost in the monotony. Next thing he knows, it’s past midnight, and he has to wander to bed in an overworked daze, already regretting how he’ll feel the next morning. Dick’s ideal bedtime is around 10pm, and he likes to be up by 7am. He’s very good at waking up early --- he doesn’t even need an alarm, he just wakes up early on his own. Dick is the sort of morning person who’s dressed, had breakfast, and already started his daily routine before the rest of the house is even awake.

Lewis Nixon: His late nights are early mornings. Nix is such a night owl that it’s frankly obscene; his bedtime is somewhere around 2am if he’s lucky. It’s not like he wants to be up that late, but it’s extra hours in the day; he’s at his most productive from 6pm - midnight, and anything after that’s just bonus time. No, liquor doesn’t need to be involved, though some of his parties have been known to stretch until dawn. He’s just... awake. As for mornings, well --- most people know better than to need anything from him before noon. His usual wake-up time is around 10am o’clock, which suits him just fine, but apparently the rest of the world likes to start before that. Nix isn’t a fan. Early morning hours are offensive, and he strongly believes people shouldn’t exist before 8am. Good luck getting him out of bed.

Carwood Lipton: He really enjoys waking up early. Something about the tranquility of early mornings, when the world is just waking up, appeals to him. Lip will always try to be out of bed around dawn, or a little while afterwards. He likes to have his cup of coffee while sitting by the window, watching nature slowly stir awake. (He also kind of enjoys being up before anyone else in the house; as a teen, he and his mother both used to be early risers, and this was a Quiet Time ritual they shared.) As a result, he tends not to stay up late. Lip can rarely be found awake past... hmm, eleven, and if he is it’s usually because his friends coaxed him out and now he has to keep them out of trouble. He’d much rather be in bed.

Ron Speirs: Ron’s a bit of an insomniac, and an early riser by habit. He’s got some... weird primal survival instinct that doesn’t let him sleep for long. It wakes him up between each sleep cycle, every hour or two. While he’s careful not to disturb anyone else, sometimes he can’t get back to sleep. He might start his day at 4am, not by choice, but because his brain is just too active. He has the same problem getting to sleep --- sometimes he lies awake for hours, just trying to pass out but not able to. Some nights, he goes without sleep altogether, and is able to function fine the next day with the help of some strict caffeine... but when he finally allows himself to crash, away from prying eyes, he’ll feel worn out and exhausted. Those long stretches without sleep are the only times he’s able to get a full 9-10 hours, uninterrupted, because he’s just so worn out.

Harry Welsh: He... has a sleep schedule. Like a functioning human being. When he’s not out with the boys, Harry goes to bed at a perfectly reasonable time --- sure, he prefers to stay up a little, but he’s out like a light by 11pm. When he’s got a reason to stay up, though --- dear god, he’s the energizer bunny. Harry can stay awake for frighteningly long periods of time, fueled by nothing but booze and his own stubbornness. His record is 38 hours, after which he passed out for a full day. He’s wild on a night out. Late nights with Harry tend to end in minor injuries and/or felonies. Getting up in the morning is another story. He is not a “rise with the sun” sort of person --- the sun can bug off, he isn’t getting out of bed. Requires at least three alarms and two cups of coffee before he's fit for polite company in the mornings.

Buck Compton: He doesn’t do late nights --- even when out with the boys, Buck is one of the first to head home, after a healthy few hours of partying. The latest he’ll stay up to is midnight, and he’ll go on a whole rant about why staying up later is unhealthy... but it also can’t be healthy to wake up at the butt-crack of dawn, but guess who’s always out there? 5am, and he’s got the blender on, a health-smoothie in his goofy athletic thermos, and he’s going for a run. It’s Saturday, Buck; it’s raining, Buck; you’ve got a broken arm, Buck; nope, he’s gotta go. (This is both his way of staying healthy and an excuse to wake up in the morning without coffee, because Buck and caffeine have a torrid, obsessive relationship.)

Eugene Roe: There’s really no way to tell how much sleep Gene actually gets. No one knows. His coworkers don’t know, friends don’t know, roommates don’t know... the only real clue are the dark circles under his eyes, but honestly he might just have those naturally. Gene’s not likely to stay out late partying with the boys, but he will stay up ‘til all hours pouring through medical textbooks; when he finally passes out, facedown on the book, he’s in for six hours of uninterrupted rest. He needs at least six hours, though he can function fine on four; on three, he might maul someone, and on two, he’s a danger to himself and others. This has all been learned through experience. Early Morning Gene is not pleased to be awake, not sure exactly why he’s awake, but is going through the motions anyways. He’s performed tourniquets half-asleep before. He’s driven places with no memory of how he got there. Bottom line, he needs more sleep than he gets.

Bill Guarnere: Bill’s the sort of person who can be up at 6am without a complaint, dragging himself through his morning routine in the fifteen-or-so minutes it takes for him to wake up. He showers, he has his coffee, he grabs something to eat on the way out the door --- he’s fine. Little does anyone know, he was out partying until 2am last night, and passed out as soon as he got home. Bill’s got the constitution of a terminator. Yeah, he enjoys sleep, but does he really need it? When not with his buddies, he’ll go to bed at a very reasonable hour, and wake up early by choice; but Bill Guarnere never likes to do anything the boring way.

Babe Heffron: Babe has the bad habit of staying up late, just... wasting his time. He’s not even out partying or anything, but he gets caught up reading something super interesting, playing video games, or falling down wikipedia rabbit holes. Next thing he knows, it’s 3am, he’s got to be at work at 9, and he’s regretting.... hmm, just about every life choice up to this point. He’s not actually bad at waking up early, just very stubborn about it. He doesn’t want to leave bed. He’ll roll out and just stumble around like a zombie for a few minutes, hair a mess of bedhead, mindlessly going through his morning routine. (He’s walked into walls before; he tumbled down the stairs once, and just lay there at the bottom because he didn’t have the energy to get up. Bill genuinely thought he was dead.) Until someone puts a cup of coffee or three in front of him, he can’t seriously be called “awake”.

Joe Toye: He’s awake, but he ain’t happy about it. Joe is neither a morning person nor a night person. He exists in some weird grey area where he can function reasonably well at either time, but midday is really his peak of productivity. It’s all downhill once you pass 10pm. Unless he’s got energetic buddies to keep him awake (Luz has a talent for never letting him get any sleep), all Joe really wants to do it go to bed. Sometimes he’ll stay up late on his own, just drinking and thinking --- those are not fun late nights --- but most of the time, big boy needs his beauty sleep. He’s very strict about his own wake-up time, because he personally hates sleeping in. He’s an early riser by choice. Give him a cup of coffee, let him get his morning workout in, and he’s fine.

George Luz: One of those people who gets weird anytime after 2am. Like, fun, but weird --- he gets really wired and giddy, like he’s tapped into some emergency store of energy and is now just buzzing with it. Luz will do anything in the middle of the night. Let’s go to the McDonalds drive thru! Let’s wander around the 24-hour grocery store! Let’s see if we can find bigfoot in the woods! He never stays up late unless he’s with other guys, and other guys fuel him. If George is up too late, trouble is guaranteed to follow. By contrast, he’s very much not a morning person --- he’ll be dragged out of bed bitching and groaning, shaking himself awake every few minutes while reminding himself why the hell he’s up at this hour anyways. Again, he’s better at waking up when there’s another person around. Left to his own devices, he might just pass out at the kitchen table, cup of coffee cooling in front of him.

Joseph Liebgott: Honestly, he doesn’t need that much sleep. Lieb can operate on a solid four hours a night without faltering --- he tends to stay up late and wake up early, which really isn’t healthy, but works for him. On late nights, sometimes his mind is too active, and he just has to get out. He used to have a habit of nighttime walks; when that nearly got him mugged one time too many, he started driving around instead. If he’s not home at 2am, chances are he’s out driving with no particular destination in mind. Early mornings, he usually needs to be at work, because he’s a busy man --- but he always finds time to prepare a quick breakfast and brew some really good coffee before leaving.

David Webster: Sleep schedule is shot to hell and back. Does he have one? Who even knows? He’s not a morning person, that’s for sure --- when the sun filtering through his window wakes him up, he’ll curse like it can hear him, and stay in bed as long as his conscience allows. If he wants to be on his boat, however, Web will be out of the house before dawn... or, if he’s got something he’s really itching to write, he can occasionally be found at 6am, wired on four cups of coffee, typing away. Hopefully he woke up that early. There have been nights where he hasn’t slept at all, off on midnight writing benders that stretch until dawn. When Web’s writing, he loses track of time. He can often be found at 4am, slumped over his desk, face smushed against his arm and drool running onto his papers, an exhausted mess who needs to be pulled away from work and led to bed.

Donald Malarkey: He’s all about the late nights. Don has no problem staying out with his friends ‘til all hours; he’s convinced he’s a better gambler after midnight (no, he’s not) and everything just seems so much more fun in the early morning hours! He tends to get really giddy and trigger-happy past 2am, and will do any dumb stunt anybody suggests to him. Once he woke up on his neighbor’s roof, just because a friend bet he couldn’t climb up there; he could, but passed out before he could figure out a way down. As for early mornings... he doesn’t trust them. He dislikes them strongly. Whether he was up late the night before or not, his body does not want to wake up before 9am. He’ll hug his pillow and burrow in the covers like a groundhog, giving anybody who tries to wake him a hell of a time.

Skip Muck: He tries to stay up late, but honestly, Skip’s just not made for it. Anything after 1am, and he’s crashing hard. He’ll fall asleep sitting up, cheek smushed against his hand; when someone pokes him, he’ll startle back awake and get a second wind, but leave him alone for a minute and he’s crashing again. The only thing that keeps him up is moving. When Skip finally gets to bed on a late night, he’ll crash. 100% guaranteed to sleep in the next morning, straight through any alarms. He’s a lot better at early mornings, only because all his extracurriculars in high school trained him to get up early. If he can help it, he’d rather not, but if he has to... it’s the same tactic. Just keep moving, and he won’t fall asleep.

#headcanons #band of brothers

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hms-chill · 5 years ago

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RWRB Chapter 15

Hi y’all! I’m going through Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue and defining/explaining references! Feel free to follow along, or block the tag #rwrbStudyGuide if you’re not interested!

Kensington gardens* (386): The park behind Kensington palace.

Hampton Court Palace (386): A London palace that is made up of both domestic Tutor and foreign Baroque styles.

Hyde Park (386): A large park in London.

Harrods (387): A fancy department store in London.

Long Water (388): A recreational lake in Kensington gardens.

Cullen skink (388): A thick Scottish soup made of smoked haddock, potatoes, and onions.

Maiden voyage (389): A ship’s maiden voyage is its first time out of port; as a term a maiden voyage is the start of something big.

Wellington boots (391): Any type of rubber boots.

Poison oak (392): A weed that grows in the woods and can cause a rash.

Swan song (393): A last effort or performance given before retirement

Punt so hard (393): Punt is a football term, but in this case, it means to play it safe rather than taking a risk for a potentially much larger payoff.

Rebecca Traister (396): An American writer known for her feminist, political work.

Roxane Gay (396): An American writer and professor whose work deals with race, feminism, and sexuality.

Captain America-esque (396): A superhero who, even before becoming a superhero, picked street fights with “bullies” and pretty much anyone he sees taking advantage of someone else.

Hello! US (398): A celebrity/royal news magazine.

Linoleum floor (399): Linoleum is an inexpensive, hardy flooring option common in community centers, schools, and other high-traffic areas that are generally unconcerned with looking nice.

Blue (400): the color associated with the Democratic (liberal) party.

Zilker Park (400): The most popular park in Austin, the hub for many recreational activities and the start of popular hiking and biking trails.

VRA in ‘65 (401): The Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting.

Palmer Event Center (401): A large event center in central Austin.

Girl-next-door (401): A term for a girl who is idolized as sweet; one you grew up near and maybe had a crush on.

Dallas to Austin (402): While it takes ~30 minutes to fly from Dallas to Austin, it takes ~2 hours and 30 minutes to drive.

Protestant God (403): The Republican party is often associated with steadfast Christianity, despite actively doing things that the Bible condemns.

Super Bowl (404): The biggest football game of the year.

Obama v. McCain (404): The 2008 presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain, when Democrat Barack Obama became the first African American president of the US.

Letterman jacket (405): A letterman jacket is awarded to a high school athlete who has made varsity or been on a team for a certain amount of time.

APUSH (405): Advanced placement US history, a US history course taken for college credit while in high school.

Anderson Cooper (406): Openly gay journalist and TV anchor for CNN.

CNN (406): The Cable News Network, a liberal leaning news station.

1976 Jimmy Carter (406): Jimmy Carter was the American president from 1977-1981. He pardoned Vietnam War draft dodgers on his second day in office, and he is the only US president to have lived in subsidized housing before taking office. His lower class farming background meant that many saw him as a man of the people.

Gerald Ford (406): Following Nixon’s Watergate scandal and resignation (to prevent impeachment), Gerald Ford was sworn in as president. He was president from 1974-1977 and is the only person to serve as both president and vice president without being voted in.

Yellow rose of Texas (407): “The Yellow Rose of Texas” is a song from 1850 singing the praises of a beautiful biracial woman. (listen here)

Wolf Biltzer (408): An American journalist who has been an anchor for CNN since 1990 and is their lead political reporter.

West Side Bastardos (408): Los Angeles Westside is (generally speaking) a younger, well-educated neighborhood (more stats here). “Bastardos” is Spanish for “bastards”.

Gloria Estefan (408): A Cuban-American singer/songwriter who has work in both Spanish and English. (listen here and here)

Whiskey-warm drawl (409): When you drink whiskey, it’s a warm sensation that starts in the back of your throat, then goes down to warm you up from the inside. Whiskey is also commonly associated with Texas/the Wild West.

Canvassed (410): Canvassing is when you go door-to-door encouraging people to vote for a certain candidate.

Hunger Games cannon (410): In The Hunger Games, a canon goes off and an announcement appears in the sky when an contestant has been killed.

Backyard shooting range (411): American gun law is... deeply broken, and Florida in particular is known for being a bit wild.

Mijo (411): A Spanish term of endearment that literally translates to “My son”.

Mafioso (413): A member of the mafia.

Brownstone (414): A type of townhouse common in New York City that can cost up to four million dollars.

Concession call (414): A call from a political candidate admitting that they’ve lost a race.

Oil paintings (415): Every American president has an official portrait of them, traditionally an oil painting.

Library of Congress (415): The research library that officially serves congress and is the de facto national library of the US.

Dried flowers from a homecoming corsage (416): When a girl is asked to her high school homecoming, the asker will typically buy her a corsage, a small bouquet worn around the wrist.

Cordless phone (416): Probably a home phone (did other people grow up with those? Pre-cell phones), which would be used by everyone in the house.

Rec center tutoring (416): Tutoring younger kids is a common volunteer project for high schoolers, and the fact that it’s at a community recreation center means that it is probably offered for free.

Barton Creek Greenbelt (416): A long, thin park that runs through southwest Austin.

Cold-brews (416): A type of iced coffee that has become especially popular in the past few years.

Lavaca (417): A street in central Austin that runs past the Texas State Capital Building.

“Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” (417): A song about how a couple is going to make it through anything together and nothing is going to stop them from achieving their goals. (listen here)

Everything’s bigger, after all (417): A reference to the saying that everything’s bigger in texas.

Old West Austin (417): A very well-off, historic district in Austin, TX.

Westover (417): A road in Old West Austin, presumably the one Alex’s family used to live on.

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*Fun fact, J.M. Barrie wrote Peter Pan here! Another fun fact, Barrie was asexual!

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And that’s a wrap! We did it! If there’s anything I missed or that you’d like more on, please let me know! And if you’d like to/are able, please consider buying me a ko-fi? I know not everyone can, and that’s fine, but these things take a lot of time/work and I’d really appreciate it!

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Chapter 1 // Chapter 14

#rwrb study guide #rwrb analysis #rwrb #red white and royal blue #red white and royal blue analysis #henry fox mountchristen windsor x alex claremont diaz #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #bea fox mountchristen windsor #nora holleran #june claremont diaz #pez okonjo #firstprince #super six #the white house trio

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r6shippingdelivery · 6 years ago

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I saw the hc asks and your hc page (like! Like! Like!) And was wondering what your hcs are for hobbies. For some OPs it's clear (Glaz does his art thing, what a surprise) but for others, like montagne or rook...? (I also see that Doc doesn't have any time for himself /for a hobby)

Hobbies for all ops and CTUs so far, you say? Sure! Buckle up, this might be long:

FBI

- Ash: According to her savta, shooting things is not a hobby, but Ash disagrees.

- Thermite: He grew up in a ranch and loves riding. He’s also good at chemistry and melting metal, so I propose: Thermites dabbles in forging/smithing stuff when he has enough free time.

- Pulse: He likes doing crossword puzzles and god forbid you try to help him! He’s capable to do it on his own and doesn’t like interferences.

- Castle: He’s a language nerd, studying/reading/practicing new languages is his hobby for sure.

SAS

- Thatcher: Aside from repairing his boat, he also enjoys fishing. Used to do that with his dad & brothers, tries to take the rest of the SAS fishing as a bonding experience. It doesn’t go very well

- Sledge: He knits AND crochets. It’s good for when he needs to de-stress and he’s made scarves for everyone in the base.

- Smoke: Boxing, it helps him focus all his chaotic energy.

- Mute: Flying drones, coming up with new and wild engineering ideas just for fun.

GIGN

- Montagne: He hasn’t had the opportunity to do so since he got in Rainbow, but Montagne loves fish-keeping and working on the perfect balance for his aquarium. It requires dedication and hard work and also patience, and he absolutely would name all the fishes.

- Twitch: Engineering IS her hobby and her life. It’s also part of her work. Twitch is a workaholic.

- Doc: He surely had some hobby, but he can’t remember it, or the last time he had free time for it. Doc is also a workaholic, although one that loves to complain about it.

- Rook: He knits and refuses to let anyone make him feel bad about his hobby. Has some sort of knitting club going with Sledge.

Spetsnaz

- Tachanka: He collects and repairs old weapons. Mostly soviet, but he has some interesting pieces from other countries too. And he dances surprisingly well.

- Kapkan: Hunting, of course, but he also carves wood figures. And gardening too, it’s like spending time in the great outdoors but at a smaller scale.

- Glaz: Quite obviously, painting. He’s an artist, and quite a good one.

- Fuze: He builds new weapon prototypes for fun. And tests them, if he can convince Six of it.

GSG9

- Jäger: Planes. Model planes, repairing old WWI & II planes, you name it. Piloting too, ofc.

- Bandit: If asked he’d say something vague and mildly vulgar, like drinking and fucking. Truth is he has some hobbies from his biker days, but those are playing pool and his beloved bike.

- Blitz: He was and still is an athlete at heart, and Blitz loves running.

- IQ: She likes engineering stuff, but she’s more self-aware and knows she needs to disconnect from time to time. So she turns to books, specially romance novels. If anyone ever makes fun of her for it, she’d break their nose. She and Bandit share and laugh over the occasional bad sex scene, or comment about the good ones.

JTF2

- Buck: He brews his own beer and cider. He ends up convincing Sledge to give it a try too.

- Frost: Sled racing, with dogs. She loves the snow, the survival aspect, and the doggies ofc!

SEAL

- Valkyrie: Swimming and diving, of course! She wanted to be a professional swimmer, but now it’s just a hobby. She still loves water and some people call her a mermaid.

- Blackbeard: He likes driving and going on roadtrips, and if he has to go on his own, then be it. He’ll take his car, whoever else wants to hop along, and drive until he’s sick of it, then stop at the nearest village or city. He loves discovering new places like this.

BOPE

- Capitao: He tried to write his memoirs and instead started planning a different novel, slightly based on some real life events from when he was young.

- Caveira: She loves her facepaints, and in fact is rather good with makeup too. She follows vlogs from body makeup artists and tries some of the concepts when she can.

SAT

- Hibana: Archery, and she’s incredibly good at it! She has won several competitions and proudly displays her trophies.

- Echo: I always imagined he’d be into e-sports and competitive gaming.

GEO

- Jackal: He plays the acoustic guitar/spanish guitar, and sings too. Thanks grain-crain-drain for the idea!

- Mira: Fixing cars is second nature to her. She also enjoys ballroom dancing.

SDU

- Ying: She kinda wants to get into racing, but not until she’s sure she won’t have her PTSD triggered during a race.

- Lesion: He has many interests and prefers doing stuff along with other people rather than alone. He goes fishing with Thatcher and whoever else wants to come along, plays chess with Kaid, and does origami with Vigil. And when he wants something more exciting, he knows he can count on Smoke to go wtih him bungee jumping. Thank you catfacedcryptid for helping with the ideas in this one! 💕

GROM

- Zofia: She has a recipe and cooking blog, which somehow turned into a half-personal journal as well, and she never expected it would get so popular. Yes, she includes anecdotes in between the recipes 😂

- Ela: She’s also an artist, although unlike Glaz she prefers digital art over traditional.

707SMB

- Vigil: When he’s stressed he makes origami figures. He has a shelf full of them.

- Dokkaebi: Hacking is her hobby, of course. She also has several social media profiles and is an active member in a couple of hacking forums.

CBRN

- Lion: His rebel years left him with an appreciation for rock music and a dream to be in a group. Lion plays the electric guitar 😄

- Finka: Pushed by her parents from a young age to try different sports, just like her siblings, she eventually discovered a strong love for fencing and ice-skating.

GIS

- Maestro: Cooking, and boxing with Smoke. But mostly cooking.

- Alibi: She’s also a marksman, engages Ash in friendly shooting competitions.

GSUTR

- Clash: She took pottery classes some time ago, and she keeps honing her skills and trying new things.

- Maverick: Photography, mostly nature or candid shots of his fellow operators. I also think he likes horses and riding.

GIGR

- Kaid: Playing chess, he’s a good strategist and it shows. And while dozing off with a cat on his lap is not a hobby, he also loves that 😂

- Nomad: Traveling and keeping her travel journal, which includes some drawing and scrapbook making.

SASR

- Mozzie: Dirt biking, of course. The more dangerous the jumps and stunts are, the more he likes it. He knows his limits and works to surpass them.

- Gridlock: Robotics. She still wants to compete again in robot championships, just like she and Mozzie did so many years ago. She would consider that fixing cars and vehicles has become more part of her job than a hobby, but still loves it too.

#rainbow 6 siege #r6s #rainbow six siege #r6siege #headcanons #Anonymous

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othersworldly · 5 years ago

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hello, hello, its the double pisces you litcherally never asked for. i went into the tags, found this serotonin gyllenhaal and then accidentally named him after the new, popular character he plays on turkish tv after googling male names for 1 hour straight. if that doesn’t just explain who i am as a person i don’t know what else will. i’m twenty-three and legally cannot do math or i will explode. thank you for dealing with me and sorry in advanced but i can’t and won’t be tamed.

ÇAĞLAR ERTUĞRUL, MALE, HE/HIM, HELLHOUND / deep in the pacific northwest lives KEREM HAZAR. i heard they’ve been living there for a year and last saw them hanging around mount peak cemetery, i think they might’ve been tending to the forgotten grave markers. at three hundred and eleven years old, rem doesn’t look a day over thirty. everyone around here always associates them with the phantom warmth of a flickering flame, the rich timbre of an old engine roaring to life, and the icy smell of spearmint. hope they enjoy their stay ! ( naomi, pst, she/her, 23 )

B A S I C I N F O R M A T I O N

LEGAL NAME: Kerem ‘Rem’ Hazar DATE OF BIRTH: December 12th / sagittarius GENDER | SPECIES | Male / Hellhound

LIKE[S]: Winning, the smell of leather, fruit punch DISLIKE[S]: Losing, Lack of effort, Intolerance, Cheating

FEAR[S]: no fears . *taxes* .. one fear.

PERSONALITY TRAITS: + CONFIDENT, STRONG-WILLED, SELF-DISCIPLINED – RECKLESS, OVERLY COMPETITIVE.

P H Y S I C A L I N F O R M A T I O N

HAIR COLOR: Brown EYE COLOR: Blue HEIGHT: 6′2″ BUILD: Athletic, Fit,

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: he always looks well-rested. very sus

STYLE: grey henleys, grey jeans, worn docs, he’s a casual guy with casual style

TATTOOS/PIERCINGS: brand of the hunt on his left peck.

R E L A T I O N S H I P I N F O R M A T I O N

SEXUAL PREFERENCE: bisexual RELATIONSHIP STAT: legally allowed to leave if no one addresses him directly within 5 minutes of entering a room

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