#being a badass librarian

[annepi-blog]

Save Dead Boy Detectives

Hey friends,

I’m hoping you can spare a minute to help out. Please take a second to sign the petition at the end of this post to help save Dead Boy Detectives!

Now, you might be thinking, “Why should I care? I didn’t even watch it.”

Well, this isn't just about one show. Dead Boy Detectives is far from the first series Netflix has canceled, and we’re especially frustrated because this is part of a growing trend. LGBTQ+ inclusive series like this one are often axed after just one or two seasons, leaving fans heartbroken and hesitant to start new shows in the future. It’s become a sort of “throwaway culture” where unique, diverse stories just… disappear. And that’s honestly so disheartening for those of us who connect with these characters.

Fans are especially angry because Dead Boy Detectives is highly praised by both audiences and critics. The viewership numbers were solid and comparable to first seasons of shows like Emily in Paris or Heartstopper, which are now going into their third or fourth seasons. So it’s hard to understand why this show is being cut when it clearly resonated with people and had the potential to go the distance.

That’s why it would mean so much if you showed a little solidarity and stood against this trend with us.

And of course, it would be amazing if you gave the show a chance. Even though a second season may not happen, the storylines in season one are mostly wrapped up, so you can still enjoy the ride without feeling like you’re left hanging.

One of the best parts of Dead Boy Detectives is how diverse the cast is. For once, 3 of the 4 main characters aren’t white, and this level of representation has meant the world to many fans. There is also a high proportion of badass women in the series.

Plus, the story is packed with important themes like abuse, bullying, grief, finding and accepting yourself, and of course, the beauty of found family and friendship. Wrapped up in horror, detective stories, and genuine comedy-drama, Dead Boy Detectives strikes a balance that makes it both fun and heartfelt.

And the LGBTQIA+ representation! We've got a canonical gay Edwardian ghost, a gay human-crow familiar, a lesbian butcher, a sapphic librarian, and even a pansexual shape-shifting cat king.

So please, sign the petition, and maybe check out the show. It would mean the world to all of us in the fandom.

[inbabylontheywept]

So I found one of your (nonfiction) stories and read the one about the refrigerators, and it made the librarian part of me very curious (and a bit horrified) and I have so many questions!! (Feel free to entirely ignore this, and I really don’t intend to ask anything classified) Are there still refrigerators being used for document storage? Did the refrigerators keep reasonably consistent temperature/humidity? (Because those are both things you want in anything resembling archival storage) How long were documents stored in refrigerators? Do you have any actual document storage/retention guidelines?!

Thank you so much for sharing all your stories, they are hilarious!!!

Naw, it's surprisingly difficult to even ask questions about classified material. We're encouraged but not technically required to be vague about the tests and their purposes, but the fridges are fair game.

Anyway, from the top:

Are there fridges still being used for document storage? At the time that I wrote the fridge piece, we were down to four (4) file storage fridges. At present, we are down to a single (1) file storage fridge, and parts to repair it are on backlog. Then we're going to have to build another filing cabinet. Not looking forward to that.

Did the refigerators keep things reasonant consistent for temperature/humidity? Yes. The temperature in the building does not fluctuate very much (they have relic computer systems that are absolutely, terrifyingly irreplacable) and keeping them happy is a major concern. The fact that it preserves paper is just a convenient side benefit. Humidity is likewise kept low in the basement (like, single digit percent low), for the benefit of some machines that dislike it strongly. We do occasionally raise the humidity in certain location while handling ESD sensitive materials, but those tend to be far from the fridges.

How long were the documents stored in refigerators? We have some facility documents that date back to 1972. We do occasionally have to reference those documents to answer such thrilling questions as "Why does overloading the machine hydraulics downstairs sometimes cause the microwave clock to reset upstairs?" (The answer is that, for reasons no one can explain, they ran 125 feet of wire off the test cell's breaker specifically upstairs, to the one outlet that powers the microwave.) (Seriously.) (And then they recorded this, as if their confession could expunge this kind of sin.) (Engineering does not follow Catholic God's rules- we do not have to forgive someone just because they fessed up.)

Do we have any actual document storage/retention guidelines? Sorta. The guidelines for disposal of documents refers to both positions and specific people that have been gone for years. In theory, someone could take it upon themselves to champion a new disposal process, but that would be boring bureaucratic work whose reward would be doing more boring bureaucratic work, and the machines that we work on here are the coolest shit in the world. Everybody loves working on the machines. Nobody likes sorting through papers. So we just kind of keep punting that one down the road. We'll probably do that until we get someone in who actually prefers doing paperwork to badass science (basically impossible), we get someone from outside the group who arrives to assure document compliance (theoretically possible, ridiculously arare) or until we run out of space (actually impossible, we add space more quickly than we can fill it with papers). We do have guidelines on storage safety. I do not know a lot about what they are. I'd be surprised if the fridges weren't kosher though. The official cabinets have some parts flimsy enough to put through with a can opener. Those fridges could be dropped from an airplane and not get a dent. They're beautiful devices.

[alexsoenomel]

About Love(Dean Winchester x Reader drabble)

Summary: You and Dean have a conversation about life before falling asleep.

Warnings: None

Note: I saw this kind of dialogue in Neil Gaiman's American Gods and since I'm trying to get back to writing I decided to write just that, no descriptors, just dialogue.

"Dean, what was your dream before becoming a hunter?"

"I've never really thought of that, why?"

"I've been thinking about my dead dream and started wondering about yours."

"And what was it?"

"I was young and lost, so I had a couple of things in mind and that would also change from time to time. From a psychologist to librarian, but one thing always stayed and that was I wanted to write books."

"You never told me you like to write."

"Used to. And you never told me about your dream."

"I never had time to think about that. My old man gave me a riffle before I even realized I could have a dream."

"That's impossible everyone has a dream."

"Dreaming wasn't a thing in our household, I guess."

"What about love? Family? Something you wanted to do when you were a kid."

"I was too busy taking care of Sam to think about my own needs and wants. But I wanted a family at one point when I got older that's for sure."

"Like kids?"

"Yeah, I told you about Lisa and Ben. I've experienced what it would be like to have a normal life and I really liked it, but the job never leaves you."

"I know. When I was a teenager I used to write stories every single day after school and I was convinced I would grow up to be a writer slash something because doing one job for the rest of my life sounded so boring and yet here we are."

"What kind of stories did you write?"

"Romance, lots and lots of romance."

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah, I was a lonely teenager obsessed with love and being in love. My parents used to tell me that I loved too much and guys I dated never appreciated that."

"That makes sense."

"How so? You appreciate the way I love and put the same amount of effort in this relationship."

"Yeah but it took time. I didn't really know what I was doing when we first got together. I knew your heart was made not to be broken, but I was still struggling not to hurt you. I knew underneath that badassery was someone gentle and kind."

"Hey, sue me but I still try."

"And I knew you needed time, especially since you're not really famous for communicating your feelings properly."

"Yeah, you do. You're the first person to NOT hurt me just because..."

"That's the last thing I wanna do and you know that."

"I do. You're also the first person that made me think about having kids with..."

"I know."

"I never told you I wanted kids."

"Last year when you thought you were pregnant I saw it on your face. You were so disappointed when you saw only one line."

"To be honest I was scared, but at the same time..."

"Yeah, me too."

"Do you still want it?"

"Yeah, I think about it all the time but hunting is not something you can just quit."

"I know. Maybe in another life we will find each other again, have boring jobs and a family."

"How many?"

"A boy and a girl."

"I don't think I'd be good at being a girl dad."

"Oh you'd be perfect. A little bit overprotective but she'd have you wrapped around her finger."

"Like her mom."

"And our son would admire you and would think his dad is a badass."

"I like the sound of that."

"Like I said, maybe in another life..."

"Also great music taste would run in the family if you don't count Sam."

"That's for sure."

[livingfandomly]

25 years ago I was born but, more importantly, 25 years ago The Mummy was released. Had a lil rewatch and the smile has not left my face.

First things first, thank you to the cast for awakening my bisexuality. Secondly, Evie is my hero and one of the first female characters I saw growing up that was not only doing a job I daydreamed about but was a badass as well as a librarian. Thirdly, Brendan Fraser…. No one is hotter than you or will ever be. You’re everyone’s type. You’re THE type. Each individual lock of hair on your head deserves its own room in a 5 star hotel. The clothes on your skin as Rick make me want to burn down the entire fashion industry for never being good enough, for never matching the standards you set. Fourthly, Jonathan……. You’re a cash-hungry kook and I will always appreciate you for it. Fifthly, Ardeth Bay… Ardeth Bay…….. Ardeth Bay…………… baby girl……………… you’re gay. You saw a white man trudge through the desert after being in a forbidden city and instead of killing him, as you would do with anyone else, you let him go. The second you saw him the next time your first words were “he’s strong”. When you first came face to face with him and his gun, you walked away AFTER you disarmed him. Then, you ran into mummy zombies to give your boyfriend time to save his girlfriend. Then you came back to say goodbye. You’re gay, son. And you made Rick gay for you too. Sixthly, Imhotep I hate you but in the kinkiest way possible. It’s giving screaming-“fuck you”-just-to-get-you-to-fuck-me vibes and I wouldn’t expect anything less unhinged from myself. Seventhly… Anck-Su-Namun, I too would raise hell and bring every plague to earth if it meant getting to spend time with you. Never seen a hotter human being in my entire liFE. Lastly…. Given that The Mummy has had two perfect movies, I’m still waiting for the final part of this incomplete trilogy. I am a patient child. I will wait forever.

K.

That’s all.

[gabessquishytum]

Mr. Gadling has a secret admirer and his home room, AP English & Drama Club students totally ship it, so they're helping school librarian Mr. Endless woo him over Valentine's week at their high school.

The students are discreetly dropping off the notes from the "secret admirer" to Mr. G and they helped get Mr. G get a bouquet of carnations from the holiday themed fundraiser. (Mr. Gadling beat out the head cheerleader for the most carnations.... Becky was pissed ~ she wasn't having fun like all the drama kids playing cupid).

The plan is that Mr. Endless was going to reveal himself as the secret admirer at the Valentine's Day dance that Mr. Gadling was chaperoning.

So cuuuute. I love Dream as a school librarian tbh. Maybe with adorable wire rimmed glasses combined with a bunch of facial piercings, so he looks like the most badass nerd ever. All the kids who hang out with him in the library during lunch and free periods just know that he's down bad for Mr Gadling. Every time Hob comes in to borrow books for his classes or to search for a student, Dream’s eyes go all gooey and his cheeks turn pink. He's so in looooooove. And Mr Gadling is almost as bad. When he gets buried under a sea of flowers during every single one of his classes on Valentines week, he thinks he's being pranked at first. But then he spots Dream peeping around the doorway of the drama studio, and he starts feeling hopeful...

At the school dance Hob looks great in his dark maroon suit. He's keeping an eye on the punch bowl so he doesn't see Dream until the librarian comes up to him with a carnation in his hand. The whole school gym falls quiet, waiting on baited breath to see if Hob will say "yes" to being Dream’s date!!!!!

Which he does, of course. In fact he pulls a black fabric rose from the inner pocket of his jacket and hands it to Dream, before asking him to dance. They both sway to the strains of cheesy 00's hits, flowers tucked behind their ears, while groups of kids high-five each other. No one even bothers to spike the punch bowl.

On Monday, Dream wears a very nice black scarf around his neck... for reasons that are definitely NOT child friendly. Looks like Mr G finally got that D!!!!

[badass-queer-couples-battle]

Quarterfinals, bracket A, poll 1

Propaganda for Beauyasha: "They’re literally so cool, they could both snap someone’s neck in a second, but then they’d settle down for some nice tea {:"

"their first date involved fighting ninja dogs <;3"

"They spent 500 hours of irl time and uncountable hours in game time pining, and then more being simultaneously cottagecore wives, badass rich-jerk-beating librarians, revenge against all who wronged them, world savers, bar owners, cult starters, cult enders, talking down an eldritch horror, Being eldritch horrors. Then have a canonical "who's touched more tits." argument Yasha flies beau in her wings and catches her, her rage sustaining her love. They're both incredibly silly and got matching tattoos from both their friend/former crush, AND a turtle pirate navigator. Yasha is 6'8" and flys & Beau is 5'4". Yasha surfed on a fucking greatsword into a pit of mad science monsters. Beau has so many moments of badass I genuinely cant pick which one is most awesome to post here for propaganda. Beau is simultaneously one of the head investigators of a group elite librarian ninjas, and also a complete dumbass. She is so cool, and so Not cool at the same time. Yasha is edgy and goth, and plays a Bone Harp! and also collects flowers for her dead wife and is too awkward to look beau in the eyes and once tried to compose a love poem that started "Oh beau beau beau, eyes so blue and hair so shorn on the sides." Their friend set up a "three people, but only 2 beds for them, and then they each, Individually decided they were more comfortable on the floor so as not to share a bed. So they did. Next to eachother. On the floor. Next to an Empty bed."

Propaganda for Harlivy: "Vote Harlivy for one of the oldest wlw ships! Harley Quinn hits things with a baseball bat and Poison Ivy is an ecoterrorist who uses plants to kill oil executives. They've been subtext for a very long time, but recently (last decade or so) they've been canon, and the Harley Quinn animated show focuses on their relationship a lot."

[godihatethiswebsite]

Desert Oasis

✽ Johnny "Soap" Mactavish x f!reader (The Mummy AU)

Main Masterlist ✽ Ao3

✽ Original Concept

This series started off as a few small drabble ideas in my head that I eventually fleshed out into being a more 'proper' story. I'm leaving their original formatting as is along with the authors notes at the beginning.

The first few parts are small, but I promise it grows into something that has multiple thousands of words each chapter. Thank you to all who give it a try! :) ♡

OK I don't actually post shit like this, but hear me out because ya'll have given me thoughts. CoD Mummy AU where:

Soap is our Rick O'Connell

Price is the badass head librarian

Gaz is our cousin

Ghost is the delicious Medjai

Nikolai is the crazy pilot

Graves is either the weird jailor dude who comes along or he's Beni

Makarov is Imhotep

>> ✿ Next ✿ >>

[Edited 5/8/24: changed tags]

[faustinio27]

OC Questionnaire! ft. Faustine Daemon

Thank you for the tag @boxdstars!! It's always a good time to ramble about my ocs 😙✨

1. How has your OC changed over time? Are there any major differences that have happened since their inception?

Honestly? Even after creating her over a year ago, she didn't really changed :'D I think it's mostly due to her personality being tied to my HL gameplay. If things have changed, it's because my memory is failing me and I'm forgetting elements of the game, and she's reacting in ways that don't match my choices x) I'm sometimes tempted to take her in a different direction from what I've established (make her more like a cold-blooded, for example), but I want to keep her as she is, aka a heroine with good intentions but questionable actions. I love villains and anti-hero, so it's hard for me to keep a character being "good" (with still flaws).

2. Where does your OC see themself in ten years. Now, what actually happens to your oc in ten years time?

At 15yo, a few months earlier before having magic, she had seen herself as having no future, but suddenly during her 5th at Hogwarts, she was learning all sorts of different jobs in the magical world. Although she's curious about many things (working with beasts, with books, helping people, discovering the world, etc), she thinks she has a duty to protect the weak with her ability to wield ancient magic, and thinks becoming Auror. Especially after losing Professor Fig, Logdock, and so many people who relied on her during her 5th and she failed to save. At 25yo, she's indeed an Auror and is renowned for her efficiency and ruthlessness, especially for her age, and earning her the nickname Blue-Eyed Demon. She has a house in London but hardly ever lives there, as she's always on mission in England or on the other side of the world. But at this time, she's close to burnout and is in a transition period where she's thinking of quitting, or at least taking on fewer missions, to do her dream job: becoming a librarian. She has always wanted to work surrounded by books, but has stopped herself from seeing this as a possibility with her responsabilities. Her friends, and especially Natsai for being an Auror like her, encourage her to change her path and do what she really wanted.

3. What‘s something unexpected about your OC that most people wouldn’t assume just from looking at them!

Something I've noticed when people talk to me or draw me Faustine is that they often see her as cold and inexpressive (also my fault because I love drawing her badass and cold hearted, but she's just an introvert lol). But even if she's calm and serious in her every day life, she's so much expressive when surrounded by friends, or when she feels comfortable! She can laugh at open heart to a joke, grumble and complain loudly when she's hungry, hopping around when excited, etc.

My questions!

1- If there was any advice your OC could give to their younger self, what would it be?

2- What's the thing they love about themselves? Hate about themselves?

3- What’s something your OC is often conflicted about? A choice they made, their place or purpose in the world, a relationship they have with someone, etc? How does this conflict manifest, and how do they deal with it, if at all?

Tagging: @limonnitsa @lamieboo @dwightschrute11 @siboom777 @syaolaurant @traceyc-uk @the-ozzie @boxdstars (for Amara)

[deconstructthesoup]

Y'know what, screw the "voice designs get unlocked when you unlock the voices," I love all these ladies and I'm gonna talk about them.

So!

Apprentice is basically dressed like a cute wizard girl you'd see in an anime or video game---big hat, comfy cloak, frilly skirt, thigh-high boots, and an equally frilly button-up. It's her first day at wizard school, she's starry-eyed and ready to learn, but she's still incredibly naive. She's also got a wand, because how else are you going to learn how to cast spells?

By contrast, Curious is more of a "cozy librarian" type girl---big comfy sweater, big comfy skirt, glasses on a chain. She doesn't have multiple heads or arms or anything like the Stranger does, even though she's a Stranger equivalent, but her features are... floating is the best term I can use to describe it. She's confused, she wants to know more, she's gained through moments where questioning things leads to mixed results---our girl's a bit scattered, and that's okay.

Charming is styled more like your typical Halloween witch---big black hat, black dress, belt stocked with potions, and a badass magic staff. She's still got catlike features, because she wouldn't be herself without them, and... yeah, no, Charming's design is pretty standard, all things considered. She's a devious little magical catgirl.

Warrior is a full-on lady knight. She's fully dressed like your typical paladin---gorgeously designed armor, a billowing cape, and an enormous fuck-you sword. And while she definitely has a bit of an ego, this woman is very much your classic knight devoted to a cause. All of the Voices secretly have a thing for her. Especially Researcher.

Restless is styled in a Victorian fashion---fancy updo, corset, heavy skirts, puffy sleeves---and she looks every bit as ghostly as her canon counterpart. She's someone who can't handle stagnation, and just wants the freedom to be impulsive and crazy... hence, why she looks like the tortured heroine of a gothic novel.

Doll also has a Victorian aesthetic, but it's more akin to, well, a spooky doll---frilly black dress, pigtails, the whole nine yards. I also imagine her, weirdly enough, holding a doll, just so she can have something to squeeze when things get really freaky. She's got Jane Doe vibes.

Humbled is bound in chains like Prisoner is in canon, but she's dressed in rags instead of a princess dress. Her whole thing is that she's been beaten down and made to believe that she's lesser, and her design kind of reflects what it feels like to be at rock bottom and being kicked when you're down---even though she is much smarter than she believes herself to be. (And yes, I am drawing from insecurities based on having been a neurodivergent kid with strict and exacting teachers, what of it?)

Hateful is still a large devil girl, but she's visibly unwell (bags under her eyes, sunken features, regularly coughs up blood), she's dressed in a hospital gown, and there's still IVs in her arms that aren't attached to anything but are nigh-on impossible to remove. I've considered renaming her Voice of the Patient, except she's... well, the opposite of patient. She's essentially meant to be someone who is sick and is getting worse by the minute, but keeps on fighting anyway because she doesn't know how to do anything else.

Prepared still has a lot of animalistic features in her design, though she looks less like a prowling beast and more like someone who's well on their way to becoming one---basically, werewolf vibes. She's kind of meant to be a contrast to the Inventor's more industrial style, representing a natural force that's apprehensive towards all the metal and gears and is hell-bent on proving that he doesn't have an advantage. She has the instincts of an animal, and she can guide us through... hopefully.

And last but not least, Rebel is the most modern out of everyone else---baggy pants, combat boots, chain wallets, leather jacket, the whole shebang. If the Substitute is the teacher who has no idea what he's doing, then Rebel is the student who's slacking off, cutting class, and has no other motivation other than to be a thorn in authority's side. In my opinion, the Razor is the only one who really breaks away from all the fantasy vibes of all the other vessels, and I think that should carry over into her voice equivalent.

[joelalorian]

Tides of Desire - Chapter Five: Red Sky in Morning

Pairing: Yacht Captain!Joel Miller x f!reader

Series Summary: TLOU no outbreak AU. Joel Miller is a luxury yacht captain running charters in the Caribbean. You join the crew as a deckhand and unexpectedly complicate Joel's peaceful existence. Basically the TLOU bunch on a Below Deck yacht.

Series warnings: 18+ MDNI, adventure, alcohol, injuries, fluff, angst, smut (eventual), slowish burn. Reader is a badass. Smallish age gap (reader is 32 or so, Joel is 40). Additional warnings will be posted with each chapter as needed. No use of y/n.

AN: Any knowledge I have about yachts comes solely from watching Below Deck. I have zero sea legs and could not possibly work on a yacht. Same goes for medical treatment. Take it all with a grain of salt ;) Feedback is always appreciated, but never demanded. Hope you enjoy!

Series masterlist

Chapter Five: Red Sky in Morning

Hunched over the weather radar on the bridge, Joel pinched the bridge of his nose beneath his dark rimmed glasses. A line of storms would be moving through the area later and it was already choppy in the marina. It wasn’t looking good for getting out on the open water for the first day of charter and that always made it harder on the interior crew – they would be responsible for keeping the guests entertained without being able to use the water toys.

With a heavy sigh, Joel turned away from the radar. There was nothing he could do about the weather. He was beginning to feel equally hopeless about the status of whatever this was with you. Things did not go how he hoped the other night and you stuck to your word in keeping a distance from him. That wasn’t what he wanted, at all, but he didn’t know how to get you to understand.

Romantic feelings were confusing and made him feel incredibly vulnerable, which he hated. That’s why he tended to avoid them.

“Hey, Dad,” Sarah chirped as she entered the bridge, peering at the weather radar. “It’s not looking good for today, huh?”

“No, baby girl, it doesn’t,” Joel replied, eyes softening at the sight of his daughter. She always brightened his day, and he loved working with her. “It’ll be up to your crew to keep them entertained until at least tomorrow. Hopefully the weather will clear up by then.”

Sarah nodded confidently, her left hand pulling a small spiral notepad from her pocket. “About that, I’ve come up with a couple ideas of what we could do with the guests today. The primary’s a renowned food critic, right? I was thinking Tess could host a cooking class with Talia as her sous chef since she has some culinary talent. The guests could pair up and create a Caribbean-style dish for their dinner. In the meantime, we could do a blind tasting where the guests have to guess exotic flavors and whatnot. What do you think?”

Feeling his chest swell with pride, Joel’s lips twitched into a broad smile. “That sounds great, honey. You think Tess will be into it?”

Beaming back at him, Sarah snapped her notepad shut. “Already checked, Tess is onboard. Said she’d love the challenge of doing something different for once.”

He laughed, no doubt she would. “Good. Thank you for taking the initiative here. I’m really proud of you, Sar. I think the guests will love it.” Joel pulled her in for a tight hug, the warmth of the embrace relieving some of the stress he’d been feeling. “The guests should be arriving soon. Go finish getting ready.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The primary guest was a quirky woman in her fifties named Donna, with short, dark hair going naturally gray and laugh lines ringing her bright green eyes. She wore chunky purple glasses with a chain attached like an old librarian. She was boisterous and friendly with a deep laugh, the kind of woman who made friends everywhere she went. Donna was accompanied by her husband of thirty years, a mild-mannered man named Doug who appeared to be her exact opposite in all ways, and two other couples who had been long-time friends of theirs.

From the moment they stepped onto the yacht, the guests were unbothered by the weather and took it in stride when Joel informed them the yacht would remain in the marina until the next day.

“The crew has some fun activities planned to keep you entertained, though,” he finished, hand stretched out to direct their attention toward Sarah.

“If you’ll follow me, I’ll give you a tour and show you to your rooms.” Sarah led them from the aft deck, explaining the layout of the yacht as she went.

Joel held Tommy back for a moment as you, Connor, and Ellie brought the luggage onboard once the guests were out of sight.

“Make sure your team is ready to assist interior with whatever they need, ok?”

“Of course, brother. We have their backs. Whoever isn’t tasked with helping inside will work on equipment maintenance in the lazarette,” Tommy explained. It was the perfect time to check the oil in the jet skis and tender along with any other fluid top-offs or changes on the equipment.

Joel patted his brother’s back with a solemn nod, his eyes tracking you as he turned to head for the bridge. You were looking down with a large piece of luggage in your arms and didn’t notice him. Jaw tensed, he ascended to the bridge deck with you occupying too much space in his mind.

“That’s the last of the luggage on, Tommy,” you called before heading for the guest cabins. Once the luggage was placed in the correct rooms, you headed toward the stern. Tommy reviewed his plan with you before the guests arrived, so you made your way to the lazarette beneath the aft deck.

“Hey Brit!” Tommy greeted you like he hadn’t seen you in a while when you stopped at his side in front of one of the jet skis. He’d recently taken to calling you Brit, instead of England, and it seemed to be catching on with the rest of the crew. “It’s short for British, get it?” he said the first time he used it. You heard that new nickname more than your real name now and it amused you.

“Hello Tommy,” you chuckled. “Where do you want to start?”

“Let’s check the oil first and see if anything needs to be topped off. We shouldn’t need to change it yet, but we will if we must,” Tommy explained. “It’s just going to be me and you. Ellie and Connor will be assisting the interior with anything they need.”

Perfectly content with that arrangement, you picked up the necessary tools to open one of the jet skis. You enjoyed the maintenance work even with the inherent messiness. You always wound up with oil under your fingernails no matter how careful you were, but you’d become a pro at washing it off after all the years spent helping your grandfather.

Pulling out his phone, Tommy played music while you set about your tasks. The pair of you worked well together, talking and teasing, singing off key to 90s rock the whole time. It was effortless, being yourself with Tommy, and you wondered why you couldn’t be falling for him instead of his brother. Tommy didn’t seem to have the same strict rules for himself that Joel did, and it would have been so much easier to be with him.

Unfortunately, the heart wanted what the heart wanted, and yours wanted a grumpy pain in the ass who made things more difficult than they needed to be.

Shaking yourself, you pushed away thoughts of Joel. You wasted enough time thinking about him, it was time to focus on something, anything else for a while. Steering clear of him physically was easier than you thought the past day and a half, but the emotional and mental distancing was proving far more difficult. The dreams that plagued you at night didn’t help, your subconscious incessantly teasing you with images of a life that you can’t have with Joel.

Picking up on your mood, Tommy did his best to distract you from your thoughts. You had no doubt that he already knew what happened and why you were down, knowing that Sarah or Tess, maybe even Joel himself, spoke to Tommy about it.

“’Kay, Brit. Let’s play a game,” he said while you were gathering the drip pan and some rags. The oil in one of the jet skis needed to be changed after all. It was time to get messy. “Chocolate or vanilla?”

“What kind of game is this?” you asked, perplexed.

“Just pick the one you prefer. It’s not that difficult.” Tommy laughed.

“Er, ok. Chocolate.”

Satisfied, Tommy continued with his unusual little game. “Coffee or tea?”

“Tea, obviously.” Your eyes rolled so hard it made you dizzy.

“Dogs or cats?”

“I like both.”

“You can only pick one, Brit. Them’s the rules.”

“Fine. Dogs.”

The game continued for some time, Tommy’s broad grin growing the more you got into it. It was a great distraction, and you were eternally grateful to him for it. The afternoon passed as the pair of you continued to work and chat until Sarah’s call came over the radio asking for additional help setting up for the cooking class.

“The primary requested that some of the crew participate too. They want to make it a contest to see who makes the best dish,” Sarah explained when the two of you joined her after washing up. “I’ve already assigned pairs.”

Sarah’s expression was a perfect mix of determination and guilt as she looked down at the clipboard in her hands. She was up to something, and you would bet this week’s tip on what it was.

“Tommy, I paired you with Ellie,” she began, turning to you with a thin, hopeful smile and upturned brows. “Brit, you’ll be with my Dad.”

“Sarah,” Tommy warned on your behalf before you could respond. He spent hours working hard to lighten your mood and didn’t want the effort to go to waste. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea right now, for obvious reasons.”

“It was the captain’s request, Uncle Tommy. Not much I could do,” Sarah explained with a shrug. Turning to you, she grabbed your hand in a soft grip. “I’m sorry. I think he’s trying to make things right between you two. Give him this chance?”

Just when you finally stop overthinking about him, he manages to reel you back in. Resigned to your fate, you nodded with a grimace. There wasn’t much you could do about it anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Due to the rain, a series of small cooking stations with a larger table at the front, where Tess and Talia would do the demonstrating, were setup in the main salon. Fairy lights were strung along the walls and ceiling, bringing a starry night effect inside the boat to make up for the weather outside. The yacht was slightly bobbing in the water due to the wind.

“Welcome to Cooking with Tess and Talia!” Tess greeted as the guests, Emmy, Connor, Ellie, Joel, and Tommy settled in their stations. You were the last to arrive, leaving Joel concerned that you really didn’t want to work with him. Despite it only being a couple of days, he was desperate to make things right, to have you speaking to him again. He couldn’t let himself be with you yet, but he didn’t want to be without you either.

Yes, he was keenly aware of the emotional roller coaster he created and how affected you were by it, but he could do nothing to stop it.

“Thanks for agreeing to be my partner,” Joel murmured once you were at his side, lips quirking up in a lopsided smile. He let all his feelings and things he could not say shine through his eyes, hoping you could see it when he gazed at you.

“I couldn’t very well deny a request from the captain, could I?” you returned, tone dull to hide your nerves and the lingering hurt feelings.

Joel sighed wearily. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe he needed to just leave you be. The pair of you did your best to focus on the instructions Tess gave, though the distraction of being so close physically yet so distant emotionally was difficult to manage.

“We are going to make pernil, a classic Puerto Rican dish using roast pork shoulder. We will start with the marinade for the pork shoulder. While the pork is marinading and roasting in the oven, we will make the rice and desert. In all, this will take a few hours, then we will have a tasting to judge whose turned out best. Ready?”

Tess spoke through the steps, laying out the ingredients for the marinade as Talia demonstrated the process. Within the first few steps, Ellie and Tommy were already laughing and knocking things off their table as they jostled for who would get to add the ingredients first. Cooking was clearly not their strength, but at least they were having fun. Donna, the primary, and her husband concentrated with intense focus on their preparations, talking each other through the steps as they measured out the spices for the marinade. It was clear that they spent a lot of time working together in the kitchen. The other guests appeared to be having fun, chatting quietly, and laughing when they messed something up.

Joel spoke to you in soft murmurs as the pair of you worked together. Cooking was not your jam he could tell, but Joel was well versed, influenced by so many years of friendship with Tess and being a single parent wanting to do right by Sarah. He handled the ingredients and utensils with quiet confidence. You took direction well, passing him the items as requested, holding the bowl steady as he mixed the marinade, and finally brushing the liquid over the pork shoulder.

As the only ones not participating, Sammy and Sarah gathered the pork shoulders to bring to the galley to continue marinading before going in the oven in an hour. They returned with fresh adult beverages for the guests and waters for the crew as Tess segued into the next steps of preparing the dish, instructing everyone in chopping onions and peppers to go into the yellow rice. Each station was equipped with a rice cooker rented from the provisions company.

“This is actually kind of fun,” you admitted out of nowhere as Joel guided you in how to properly chop the vegetables, his large, warm hand covering your own on the knife. His heart swelled at that admission. Maybe there was hope after all.

“It’s a great activity to do together,” Joel replied, voice rough with repressed feelings. Oh how he wanted you to know that he would love to do this with you in his kitchen back in Austin someday, but it was not the time to share those types of thoughts.

Over the next hour, Tommy and Ellie spilled all of their rice on the floor, knocking them completely out of the little competition. Their hysterical laughter left the rest of the competitors with little doubt that they were sad about that fact. Joel’s deep brown eyes watched you smile broadly at their hijinks, his own lips quirking up at the sight.

“I hope you two know you’re on cleaning duty after this!” Joel called to them, a hint of teasing in his tone.

You loosened up after that, chatting a little more with Joel about the food you were both preparing and anything else that came to mind. You both studiously avoided the topic of your feelings for each other. Joel was just happy that you were having fun and speaking to him. He hoped it lasted beyond this activity.

“Have you ever had flan before?” Joel asked as the dessert preparations began.

“No, I’m not a huge dessert person. I’ve heard it’s good though,” you replied.

“It really is. I’ve made it before at home.”

“So, you are a big dessert guy then? Making homemade desserts in the off-season?”

Joel smiled with a nod. “Guilty. I enjoy cooking, have ever since Sarah came along and gave me a reason to learn how to do it well.” He loved sharing this with you, both the cooking and the details about each other.

By the time the pernil was ready to eat, everyone was giddy with hunger. Conversation and teasing were boisterous as everyone moved between the stations to taste the dishes, noting the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) differences between them all. A vote was taken, and Tess announced the winner once everyone had eaten their fill.

“It was really close, but it looks like Donna and Doug are the winners! Joel and Brit were a close second, but that just means they were the first losers,” Tess teased while the guests cheered.

As the guests moved to the seating area in the main salon, the crew dispersed to start cleanup duties.

“Nice work, Cap,” you said, flashing Joel a small smile as you scurried away, headed to the galley with a pile of dirty dishes in your arms. After spending the past few hours so close to Joel, the yearning for him was overwhelming and you needed some time away from him, and everyone else. Dish duty in the galley would be perfect for that.

“Hey, wait! I, uh, was hoping we could…” And, once again, you were gone before he could finish a sentence. It was a habit of yours that he was beginning to seriously dislike.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was early, possibly pre-sunrise though it was hard to tell down on the crew deck, when Sarah ducked into your cabin and plopped her overly perky self on your bunk. “Morning sunshine!”

“Too loud. Take your noise and be gone, you witch!” you grumbled, burying your head beneath the covers.

The bunk above you creaked and Tess’ head peered over the edge, her long locks hanging down in waves. “Aww, come on, Brit. Let the girl have her fun.”

“I know what she’s trying to do, Tess and I want no part of it.” Your voice was muffled by the blanket, taking the edge off your tone.

“Oh, don’t be like that!” Sarah whined. “My dad seemed so happy last night. He loves to cook and it’s clear he enjoyed showing off his skills for you.”

“He’s obviously very good at it,” you admitted reluctantly, fingertips edging the blanket down a bit.

“Don’t I know it.” Sarah’s dark eyes, the ones that reminded you so much of her father’s, narrowed mischievously. “You know, you two were the actual winners last night.”

Brows furrowed; you pulled the blanket down to fully expose your face and stared at Sarah. “What are you talking about? Donna and Doug were the winners.”

“She’s right, Brit. Joel told me before the event to skew the results to make sure one of the guests won,” Tess admitted. “The primaries were actually second place.”

Hmmm, that certainly sounded like Joel. He was too humble.

“See, I told you he was worth the effort. You need to give him a chance.” Sarah’s voice was pleading, smile hopeful.

Sighing, you sat up and placed a hand on hers where it rested on your bed. “Sar, there’s no point when he won’t give me a chance. I’m not the problem here.”

“He’ll come around; I promise,” Sarah insisted. Tess nodded in agreement and the two women stared at you with insane smiles.

“Your eternal optimism is disturbing.” Falling back against your pillow, you pulled the blanket back over your head. “Don’t you two have work to do? I’m on late shift today, so I need a few more hours of sleep.”

Slipping in your earbuds, you tried your best to ignore thoughts of Joel as you drifted off to sleep once again. The weather had calmed overnight, and the yacht was already anchored at sea when you awoke a few hours later. After a quick breakfast, you arrived on deck to start your shift. The rest of the deck crew was already busy unloading the water toys and you jumped in to assist.

“Mornin’, sleeping beauty,” Tommy greeted you with a charming smile. “Can you help us put the jet skis in the water? Ellie’s on the davit controls today.”

“Hey Tommy,” you bumped his shoulder as you passed, smiling brightly in return. “Of course.”               

Connor was already by the davit, connecting the lines to ready the first jet ski. You checked the connections and patted him on the back. Pulling one of the support lines tight, Tommy gave a thumbs up and both you and Connor grabbed the remaining lines, pulling them taut.

“Ok, El! Take it away, slow!” Tommy called.

Ellie’s brow pinched in concentration, fingers working the controls to first lift the jet ski off the deck, then extend it over the rail and lower it towards the water. She had been practicing lately, working on controlling the davit with finesse rather than jerky movements and too much speed. The last thing Ellie wanted was to be responsible for damaging the yacht or any of its equipment, so she wanted to be proficient at using the davit.

Eyes darting between the jet ski and Ellie, strong grip keeping your line tight, you were impressed with the smoothness of movement from Ellie’s handling of the davit. The only jostling was from the wind rather than the davit itself. The first jet ski went down without issue and Connor jumped into the water to drive the jet ski to the swim platform and tie it off.

“Connor man, stay down there. The next one is coming in a minute,” Tommy called out. “No sense coming back up here with how smooth that one went.”

The three of you repeated the process with the second jet ski while Connor waited on the swim platform. It was a little less steady this time, but the jet ski landed smoothly on the water, bobbing along with the ripples. Once again, Connor jumped into the water to disconnect the davit lines. Before he could release the rear line, the wake of a passing boat jostled the jet ski. Connor didn’t see it coming and it threw off his balance, his right arm extending instinctively to steady himself against the yacht’s hull.

His wet hand gave way against the slick surface as another wave lifted the jet ski and Connor toppled off the machine. It happened so fast, you and Tommy watching from the deck, when the waves hit. You were already jumping over the rail, plummeting into the water when Connor’s head bounced off the hull.

The tender was already in the water, having been the first thing the deck team offloaded before you joined them on deck, and Tommy sprinted down to the swim platform to jump into the small boat as Ellie frantically called for help over the radio. When you surfaced, you were grateful you landed nearby and Connor was wearing a lifejacket as he bobbed face down in the turquoise water, the slamming of his head against the yacht having knocked him out cold. You reached him in seconds, turning him over so his face was no longer submerged. He wasn’t breathing.

The tender appeared at your side, Tommy reaching over to pull you both aboard. He shouted up to Ellie to get in the water and secure the jet ski while you started CPR, and he steered the tender back to the swim platform where Joel was waiting. By your estimate, Connor was face down in the water for no more than 30 seconds, if that, and his breathing resumed after a dozen chest compressions. However, he remained unconscious, and you checked Connor over, noting a gash on his forehead and a broken left forearm. Flattening your palm over the gash, you attempted to stem the flow of blood.

Sarah appeared on the swim platform and assisted her dad in tying off the tender while Tommy helped you delicately bring Connor onto the yacht. “Help is on the way, should be here in a few minutes,” Joel declared. “Is he breathing?”

You nodded, breathless from the adrenaline rush, and placed the clean rag Sammy rushed to hand you to Connor’s forehead. “He’s still unconscious and has a broken arm,” Tommy spoke for you, his comforting hand clutching your shoulder.

“Shit,” Joel swore, his voice immediately drowned by the sound of a siren as a rescue boat approached.

You stumbled back, sliding down to sit on the platform as the rescue team took over. You were soaked, hands covered in Connor’s blood, a chill wracking your body as the last dregs of adrenaline dispersed. You watched, wide-eyed, as Connor was transported to the rescue vessel. Once the vessel departed, Joel rushed over to you, bending down to meet your gaze.

“Are you okay?” He spoke your name softly, his hands running over your head, shoulders, and arms, checking for any injuries. Joel’s touch left a trail of searing heat on your skin. The shivering was uncontrollable, and you stuttered out a positive response indicating you were ok. “Thank fuck,” he breathed, pulling you into an uncharacteristic hug, his body warm and strong against yours. You clutched to him like a lifeline as he led you inside and down to the crew deck. Once in your cabin, he turned the shower on and let the water heat up.

“Can you manage by yourself? Or do you want me to get Sarah or Tess?”

“I-I can manage, just need to warm up.” Slipping into the bathroom, the door closing with a soft click, you shed your wet clothes and climbed into the shower, steam rising around you. The immediate relief from the warmth of the water left you groaning.

“I’m going to send Sarah down to keep an eye on you. She’ll call me if you need anything. I have to get back to the guests,” Joel called through the door, hesitation in his voice like he didn’t want to leave you.

“Ok. Thank you, Joel,” you called back, grateful for him in that moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Joel was certain that you were going to be alright, his heart rate finally settled. Checking in with the guests to let them know what happened was easier than he anticipated – they were understandably concerned about the crew, specifically Connor’s condition, having witnessed at least part of the incident. Donna insisted that they were content to lounge on the sundeck and relax in the hot tub for the day to let the crew settle their nerves after the traumatic events.

On his way to the bridge, Joel also checked in with Tommy and the rest of the crew to make sure they were ok. Emmy was the most concerned, having grown close to the young man over the past few weeks. Talia comforted her as Joel reiterated the importance of safety awareness and let them all have an extended break while the guests relaxed.

“Join me on the bridge?” he looked to Tommy as he turned to exit the main salon. The brothers walked in silence until they were on the bridge where they were quickly joined by Frank. “So, we’re down a man on the deck crew. Early report on Connor is that he won’t be returning with that broken arm. I’ll reach out to the staffing agency to get a new deckhand.”

Tommy nodded. “In the meantime, we’ll work with a three-person crew.” It wouldn’t be the first time, nor the last. He always made it work.

“I’m happy to lend a hand where needed, Tommy,” Frank added. “It’d be good to get my hands dirty again.”

“Well, that’s settled then. I need to make a couple calls. Keep an eye on the crew?” Frank and Tommy assured Joel they had everything under control and left the bridge as Joel called the agency.

“Hi Marcia, it’s Captain Joel on Radiance. Listen, I need a deckhand asap.” Pausing to listen to her response, he added, “Any experience level is fine at this point.” Marcia assured him she’d be back in touch within an hour and ended the call.

Feeling like things were back under his control again, Joel settled into the captain’s chair with a heavy sigh. What a fucking day. Between yesterday’s bad weather and the events of today, this charter seemed doomed from the start, but at least the guests were laid back. The vibration of his phone drew Joel from his maudlin thoughts to find a text from Sarah.

Brit is all set. She’s resting for a bit and will be back on deck in an hour. She’s such a bad ass!

The grin that spread across his lips was involuntary at the mere mention of you and how highly his daughter thought of you.

Thanks baby girl. You doing okay?

I’m fine, Dad. You okay?

It’s been a day already, but I’m good.

Love you.

Love you too baby girl.

The phone was still in his hand when it rang moments later. “Marcia, what’s the good word?” Joel stood from the chair, nervous energy making him need to move around. “That was quick work! He can start tomorrow, great! That’s one less thing to worry about.”

After discussing a few more details, Joel thanked Marcia for her help. They’d have a new deckhand onboard tomorrow morning. Perfect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were holed up on the bridge on overnight anchor watch, gaze hovering over the weather radar to keep an eye on the wind speed. The wind picked up again as the evening went on and Joel was concerned the anchor would drag, so you were dedicated to anchor watch as you were already scheduled for the late shift.

After the day’s events, you were content to sit on the quiet bridge while everyone else slept. Normally, you would bring a book or your earbuds and listen to some music to keep yourself entertained during the quiet hours, but tonight the silence was soothing. The night sky was clear, the sparkle of a thousand stars shining down around a half-moon making you feel like you could be anywhere in the world.

Only one thought attempted to distract you – Joel’s presence in the captain’s quarters right behind the bridge. He was in there, deep asleep, dreaming God knows what and all you could think about was what it would be like being in there with him.

The way he cared for you earlier, held you after Connor’s rescue, made you forget about your plan to steer clear of him for a while. It was a losing battle when he was right there.

Perhaps you should just resign yourself to pining over the man and leave it at that. No other potential solutions were working anyway.

At four o’clock in the morning, you heard the creak of a door followed by the heavy padding of bare feet on the floor. Turning your head to the side, Joel emerged from around the corner and your heart melted to a puddle at the sight of his bedhead. Despite being forty years old, he looked like a grumpy little boy with the sleepy frown marring his face, hair askew, pouty lips drawn in a wide yawn.

You couldn’t stop yourself beaming at him, now knowing what he looked like when first waking up. It was endearing as all hell.

Squinted eyes met yours in the darkness and the bridge brightened just from the smile in his gaze. Joel was just as happy to see you as you were to see him. This mutual pining thing was no joke.

“G’morning,” he mumbled, sliding in beside you at the small table along the wall behind the captain’s chair. “Everythin’ going good?”

“Mmhmm,” you hummed, basking in the press of his sleepy warmth against your right side. “Just peachy.”

“Hmm, good.” Joel tilted his head back against the wall, still half asleep and you wondered why he was even up.

“What are you doing up so early?”

His head lolled toward you, dark eyes shining in the low light emanating from the helm. “I could hear you thinking out here and just wanted to be near you… make sure you were ok.”

Your breath hitched as you stared at him, searching his eyes for confirmation of what you just heard. It was another crest on this never-ending roller coaster with Joel Miller. “I’m ok. Just lots to think about, you know?”

“I do,” his head bobbed. “I figured we could think about it together.”

TBC

[stuckinapril]

Things I’m grateful for today:

My mother for taking me to libraries ever since I was old enough to walk

My sister for facing this big scary world w me

My body for giving me the luxury to walk around the city for hours all on my own <3

My close friends for showing me how it’s like to stick to your values!! I love getting inspired by my wonderful friends

My high school librarian for talking for hours about random books with me

My professors for always being a source of inspiration and wisdom

October for being the month of nostalgia and new beginnings

My uncle for being there for me always (and saying he would take me to Paris once I fly to Europe to see him <3)

Both my grandmas for their delicious food

My grandma for being the absolute badass matriarch she is

People who are kind to me despite the fact that I make mistakes.

The childhood I had

The integrity I possess

My drive. So grateful for my drive and ambition and aversion to choosing the path of least resistance

[gay-disabled-characters-showdown]

LGBTQ+ Disabled Characters Showdown Round 2, Wave 3, Poll 11

A character being totally canon LGBTQ+ and disabled was not required to be in this competition. Please check qualifications and propaganda before asking why a character is included.

Check out the other polls in this wave and prior here.

Ayda Aguefort-Dimension 20

Qualifications:

Autistic queer women/phoenix💜���

She is Sapphic and canonically on the autism spectrum.

Propaganda:

She's an awesome autistic head-librarian who also happens to be the girlfriend of one Fig Faeth (pc of Emily Axford). She's cute, super-powerful, and her dynamic with Fig is one of the best romantic storylines I know💜💜

Ayda Aguefort (pronounced EYE-da) a half-phoenix divination wizard and head librarian of the Compass Points Library in Leviathan, a vast pirate city in the Celestine Sea, made up of thousands of shipwrecks all connected together to create a floating island. She is described as a resplendent and beautiful young woman, with a striking resemblance to her deadbeat father/legendary wizard Arthur Aguefort. From the knees down she has large, almost metallic golden talons, with digitigrade ankles. Her wings are deep red, turning orange, and as they reach yellow at the ends, flicker with little flames. She is noticeably not a harpy as she has has arms as well as wings. Her arms are tattooed with many orange runes on her dark human skin. Her eyes are pupils set into roiling balls of flame. She has a short shock of fiery red hair at the top of her head. She wears white linen pants with a pirate sash, a vest, and a bandolier which holds two scrolls. She also has two small books strapped under each arm where one might have guns. Ayda has experienced multiple reincarnations due to her abilities as a half-phoenix. She has lived in Leviathan for around 150 years, but is over 300 years old. In one of Ayda's previous reincarnations, she adopted Garthy O'Brien as her child. Her current reincarnation is seventeen, with Garthy now as her guardian. Her past reincarnations have left notes for her future selves to follow, as once she's reborn, she has no memories of her past lives. She previously believed herself to be only 175 years old, and has no idea what she did for the first 125 years of her life, as one of her incarnations destroyed all her notes in an attempt to start fresh. She regretted this decades later and began writing notes again. Ayda is autistic and can be very hard to read as she often behaves in a very transactional way and uses blunt language. Her eyes being balls of fire doesn't help. She's a very intelligent and accomplished wizard, and takes pride in her work at the library, although gets lonely sometimes and is desperate for a friend. She is always looking to expand the library with new knowledge, and asks a lot of questions. Before meeting the Bad Kids, she was very lonely, and is now very excited to have so many transitive best friends, as well as a super awesome/badass punk-rock tiefling bard girlfriend.

Kim Kitsuragi-Disco Elysium

Qualifications:

Visually impaired

Propaganda:

I dunno man. He's Kim Kitsuragi. There's nothing I can say about him that hasn't already been said. He's quiet and reserved and uncomfortable with emotions. He's a self-proclaimed Torque Dork who loves his car like a child. He listens to heavy metal music. He's a centrist. He's a homosexual. He's consistently given shit by everyone around him for his race, his sexuality, and his disability, and he's taught himself to respond to it with cold professionalism. He dresses in historical communist pilot cosplay. I love him with my entire heart.

[ihni]

Things I love to read in Billy and/or Harringrove fanfiction:

(Inspired by @grey-sides and in the hopes of spreading some love)

Billy and Max overcoming their problems to form a united front and start working together, and become better siblings to each other.

Realizations. The "oh" moments. The "oh shit" moments, the "oh fuck" moments, the "oh no no no..." moments. ALL the realizations! (So, like ... the boys finding out they're into each other, anyone finding out about Billy's home life, Billy finding out about monsters, both of them finally seeing another - more vulnerable - side of each other, etc etc etc)

This whole post

Billy getting to fight monsters too, especially if he can use it as an outlet for all that aggression and be badass and save people's asses and then be all blasé about it like "what? it's not like it's hard" *hair flip* (also Billy and an axe will NEVER be over-played!)

Physical whump (bruises, blood, hiding injuries, fighting, being pushed up against surfaces, threats, hands grabbing faces and throats and hair, being made to kneel, incapacitation, fighting through exhaustion/illness, manhandling, etc etc. I'm a whumper at heart, I want to inject all these things into my veins).

Emotional whump (being left out of things/ostracization, feeling lonely, overhearing something hurtful, keeping a straight face even though you're hurting inside, not expecting someone to come and save you when you're hurt/captive etc etc - ie my bread and butter).

Billy patching himself up (BOTH phisical and emotional whump, so, like a double-whammy!)

Billy in the upside down, as a very capable survivor. Give me Cast Away, only with Billy, and the Upside Down instead of an island ... ALL THE VERSIONS of that. I like my boy capable, and fighting for survival (I'm normal, I swear)

This post

Billy being touch-starved. I eat that up with a SPOON, all versions of it but especially the ones where he gets touch (angsty version; it's not a good kind of touch but he seeks it out anyway, fluffy version; he gets all the pets and hugs!)

The boys coming back from the upside down and having gotten used to being close, so they get anxious when they don't have eyes on each other (yes I've written it. yes I've read it. yes I love it)

Having to share a room/doing a project togehter because their last names both start with H. Like forced proximity, school version. Mmmm, delicious.

When Billy is ridiculously weak for Steve and would do anything for him (especially if Steve has no idea about he power he wields). Basically Steve as the Billy-whisperer.

Billy getting good parents. I don't even care who at this point, I'll read all of them: Joyce, Hopper, Claudia, Mr Clarke (Mr CLARKE <3), Bob, Flo, that grumpy librarian ... Just give him good parental figures (and let him STRUGGLE with accepting that he's finally safe!)

Scars. All the fics about scars. Angsty scars, proud scars, mental scars, scars on the skin, first time someone is allowed to touch someone else's scars. Just, <3

Badass, BADASS moments, by both Billy and Steve. Smashing demodogs to pieces, rescuing themSELVES from bad situations, etc.

Guilt. <3 That usually comes after the realization moments, but mmmmm, a side of guilt to that? Fucking delicious, I will live off that for weeks. Like, having someone realize what Neil is doing and then feeling GUILTY about it (maybe they caused Billy to be hurt, or maybe they made it worse, or maybe a beating could have been avoided if they'd acted differently), that's my JAM.

That moment when Billy/Steve start calling the other by their first name instead of their last name ...

Self-sacrifice (filed under whump, but can be both physical, mental or simply implied). There doesn't even have to be a real threat of getting hurt, the self-sacrificing idiot (I prefer Billy) just have to THINK there is.

Basic needs not being met ... until they are. (So, say ... Billy being hungry, thirsty, tired, thrown out of the house ... and then finally getting to eat, drink, sleep, get inside)

[forlix]

MOOT GAME: " make up a trope for your moots and their biases. doesn’t need to be romantic. can be crackfic/funny/anything you want ^ㅇ(๑>◡<๑)ㅇ^ "

omg how fun, thank u for sending this in nonnie !!! let me see...

@astraystayyh and hyunjin would have to be some 800k ao3 slow burn about forbidden love between royal families ... the grandest and most poetic of period drama romances that persists through backstabbing and betrayal and trial after tribulation. nothing less for my artistic soulmates

the first tropes to come to mind for @rachalixie and minho are literally just. not even really tropes. established relationship. domestic fluff. slice of life. they're That Couple. nobody remembers when they weren't together. they invite me over for dinner when i've had a bad day. mom and dad

@like-a-diamondinthesky and seungmin are the EPITOME of (fake) enemies to lovers. they're the sweetest, silliest, most sinister people and i just know their dynamic would be a dream come true for each other and a nightmare for everyone else

sue is just her "eighteen" mc in my head so @soobnny and seungmin scream best friends to lovers + college au to me. seung being the best cheerleader for her while she's crazy busy :') also she flusters v easily and i think he'd get a kick out of that (ik i do)

@luvtak and felix are giving childhood friends to lovers! the sort of relationship where they know each other better than they've ever known anything; really just the safest, warmest, and kindest of affections for the safest, warmest, and kindest of people

i'm gonna cheat again and hc @sunboki and chan as a trope from august's mafia au "korea's most wanted"; augs is so creative and badass and SEXY and so is the main couple's dynamic in that fic. chan's a lucky man. DITCH HIM FOR ME 🗣️

@txtxlz and jeongin would be a multipart messy love triangle ft. jealousy and pining and so much chaos bc haz has more biases than i have fingers or toes and i love love the idea of her favorite idols going to war over her. it's what my baby deserves fr

for @2baabbies and felix, i imagine perhaps a barista au or a librarian au (hehehehe) where he finds stupid excuses to come back and pick bae's brain every day because he's utterly enraptured by her. she has that effect on people and lix would NOT be immune

@starsandrqindrops and seungmin are so fwb-coded. think suffocating chemistry every time they interact. could cut the tension with a dull machete. then inevitably complications like Feelings come into play and they dance around each other for ages before finally giving in ... mm yes all that good stuff

last but not least, @hyunnie04 and hyunjin would be so perfect for an art school!au. mira is an incredible artist so i'm picturing these two sketching each other instead of paying attention in class ,,, gallery/museum dates ,,,, maybe a sprinkle of healthy competition who knows ,,,,

[azure-firecracker]

the x files of course!! AND a fandom you want to do and/or think I would enjoy 🫶🏽

Aah thank you💚💚💚

TXF

Favorite female character: Scully the absolute love of my life! An icon. She will murder you with wit and science and a glare. She’s also the most protective person you’ll ever meet. She’s loyal to a fault and rational to an even greater fault, but also both of these save her (and Mulder) over and over. She’s nuanced. She’s sassy. She’s hilarious. She’s a badass. She breaks my heart. Character of all time.

Favorite male character: Mulder the absolute puppy of a man that he is. He has trauma. His self preservation skills are nonexistent. He would die for the truth but he will live for Scully. No one carries more love in their heart than this man. He almost dies every episode. He’s a genius. And an idiot. And a lover. And a fighter. But really mostly a lover if he didn’t have *trauma* I adore him!

Favorite Season: Season 5 could theoretically take this but for now still Season 2! In all its raw soap opera love story type glory. This is the season of desperate hand holding, of racing through the dark after one another and screaming into the night, of pulling each other back from Hell and undying loyalty in the face of unspeakable horrors. It’s desperate embraces and collapsing into each others arms and gloom and new love and every emotion is at level 100. Season 2 you will always be special to me.

Favorite Episode: I have two! One is Irresistible (which I have talked about extensively on here), and the other is Demons (which I will talk about extensively on here). You can see my love for angst and hurt/comfort and rescues lol (and you can find my thoughts on both episodes in my masterpost!) In many ways I think these episodes mirror each other, and they sort of form an episode quartet along with Unruhe and Anasazi. But that’s a topic for another post.

Favorite Cast Member: Gillian Anderson!

My favorite ship: “Mulder, I wouldn’t put myself on the line for anybody but you” “Scully, you are the only one I trust” MSR my beloved.

A Character I’d Die Defending: Fun fact Dana Scully has done nothing wrong ever actually all of her skepticism is valid and she’s a perfect human being.

A Character I Just Can’t Sympathize With: I don’t care if he’s a failed writer or whatever CSM is just an asshole and (hot take) not that entertaining to watch.

A Character I Grew to Love: Skinner! He started out lowkey boring, but I quickly was like “ooh he’s cool I like him” and then he got really interesting and nuanced (much more so than I anticipated).

My Anti OTP: I once saw a Scully/Krycek fic. That man had a hand in her abduction. No.

I think you’d probably like Buffy the Vampire Slayer if you haven’t seen it already (I’ve only seen 4 seasons but it’s always a fun rewatch for me)

Favorite female character: I have two! First is Faith who follows my trend of evil girls who are really just misunderstood and have never been loved. She was also my first real character crush! Second is Willow, who I just relate to a lot as a witchy lesbian nerd, and I want to give her a hug whenever she’s on screen and she’s so lovable and so layered and I love her very much.

Favorite male character: Probably Giles. I have a soft spot for parental figures and his relationship with Buffy is so sweet and layered and complex. Also he’s just an awkward British librarian who’s way too attached to a group of teenagers and I love that about him.

Favorite Season: Season 3! As dark as Season 2 but less melodramatic, plus Faith is there being hot and gay and evil! It’s not a perfect season but over half of these episodes are excellent.

Favorite Episode: Oh I’m not sure since it’s been a hot sec since I watched the show. I LOVED This Year’s Girl/Who Are You from Season 4, even though the season isn’t that great. I also love Five by Five from the spin-off Angel, if only for the ending scene.

Favorite Cast Member: Charisma Carpenter! I won’t get too into it here and I don’t know everything but she did some very brave things by speaking out against the show’s creators and I admire that.

Favorite Ship: Willow and Tara have my heart, but Faith and Buffy are SO fun! It’s a tie.

A Character I’d Die Defending: I won’t say Faith since I’ve already talked about her a lot. Instead I’ll go with Cordelia, who went through a lot of growth (especially if you watch her on Angel), and her growth was often unacknowledged by the show itself. Justice for my girl!

A Character I Just Can’t Sympathize With: This is ONLY about Buffy and not Angel, but I got SO sick of Angel by the time season 3 ended. He just sat there and was emo. I ran out of patience for him. He was great on Angel though (they let him do things besides mope and brood).

A Character I Grew to Love: Buffy! At first I thought she was sort of just a generic protagonist with some teen girl fun sprinkled in, but she’s got so many layers to her character and her fun is sprinkled with a real gravity that’s sort of a heartbreaking back and forth when you realize how young she is. I’ve also come to relate to her a lot more as I’ve gotten older, and the more I do, the more I like her.

My Anti OTP: Remember that time they tried to make Xander and Willow a thing? No? Me neither.

Ty for the ask:)

[aardvaark]

the librarians "and the graves of time" watch through:

ominous title for an episode

oh nicole again! i've been wondering about her

i think nicole went to the sophie devereaux school of dramatic disguises

nicole & baird fighting over who's better at knocking people out lmao. but also why does it seem like they're about to make out? maybe ive seen too many memes about their gay tension but seriously lol

jacob & flynn both giving ezekiel a "well done" shoulder pat for sifting through baird's laptop, and then acting like they're annoyed with him when cassandra tells him off lol

cassandra lowkey wants to have jenkins' job so bad lol. can’t blame her.

using your own graves (plural!) as safes is incredibly badass. obviously it also speaks to nicole's alienation from society and the emotional impact of her many losses over the years. but also its incredibly badass

baird managing to get on that plane and sit besides nicole is hilarious but i also have so many questions

once again i love that they (the writers/show runners/etc) didn't make baird super jealous about nicole. right now they're both mocking flynn instead of fighting over him. good for them!!

ig the joke is that flynn's explanation of how he figures stuff out is long-winded and boring, but i sincerely did want to hear how he figured that out and what the riddle meant

yk i think there may have been some other factors that led to the romanovs being killed but sure we can focus on that one guy

nicole :(((((( ???

OMG jenkins!! i mean hes not gonna just die immediately though, right? he's just a regular guy now. the same life we all have, plus the many extra centuries he's already lived. it’s… a big thing though.

flynn's just... gone? what? i get he's taking in what nicole said but. what about baird. what about his friends (who he was just saying were so incredibly important)??