#but a buddy bailed us out temporarily

[anti-workshop]

Hey y’all! The ADHD and AUTISM shirts are BAAACK! We almost got evicted from the shop, but we are clinging onto life support here and we need money to pay down our debts!

These beauties sport our brand new fancy glitter gold ink to really show off your neurodivergence!

Get them here and help us stay afloat!

[matan4il]

So literally yesterday I was thinking why I love 911 is ita a story about flawed beautifully complicated people getting there second chances. Literally everyone of them is in like book 2 of their stories. And I was like that how I know Buddie will be canon because they are the only 2 who haven't had their second chances. And now seeing the promo I am so excited. I mean I can be wrong or whatever but seeing Eddie in dispatch reminds me so much of Buck S1 with Abby. Both my boys deserve their 2nd chance and I can't wait to see it play out.

Plus it was a helpful reminder in the baby/hospital episode that yes dispatch and fire fighters do check back in with each other. And Taylor still has her issues with Buck in danger the way Ally did. So hopefully she sees him hanging off a building like the roller coaster call and bails. Though I would prefer he leaves her first but I'm not picky. There is just way to many call backs in that promo.

No clue how this will play out but I feel like its gonna be amazing to see!!

Hi Nonnie!

Oh, I def agree with this. 911 very much kicks off as a story about people getting second chances, if you think about Bobby rebuilding his life after what happened to his family, about Hen cheating on Karen and getting to make it right, about Chim who the rebar almost killed but then he got a second chance at life, and about Athena whose marriage fell apart, but then she got another shot at love...

So yes, it would be amazing if the show seals this theme with Buck and Eddie getting to be each other's second chance after the biggest heartbreaks of their lives (Abby for Buck IMO and Shannon for Eddie). And how apt is it if this really does come full circle for Buck and the man he'll figure out is the love of his life and the one to truly heal his heart will temporarily work at the same job as the woman who broke that heart to begin with? Poetic.

As for Taylor, I would like her and Buck to both realize why they're not the right person for each other romantically, but I do feel like Buck needs to have at least one relationship where he was the one who got to say, "You know what? This isn't working out." Which would also rightly parallel Eddie, who was abandoned by Shannon (twice, second time with the divorce) and finally got to that moment of realizing that sometimes being alone is better than being with the wrong person, as he broke up with Ana. So IDK that this is what the show will do with B/T, but it's what I think it should do. Does that make sense?

Thank you so much for sending this and guuuuh, I'm so happy to be gushing with you about what a masterpiece that promo is in showing us Eddie working dispatch... Hope you're as excited as I am for season 5b! xoxox

And if you or anyone else is looking for my other ask replies, you can find them using my ask tag. xoxox

[in-tua-deep]

Ok I totally want to hear more about this survivors au/Delores is real! How do the siblings handle having this different version of Five? Five may be better adjusted but he still has to heard his family around like a bunch of stray cats. What happens when Hazel and Cha Cha show up? How do they find out that Vanya causes the apocalypse and how does Five handle that revelation?!

here is the thing, i think the survivors au has the potential to be HILARIOUS

no one knows how to handle a well-adjusted five, and this absolutely includes the commission

So you mentioned Hazel and Cha-Cha?? Five in this au was not nearly as absolutely feral as he is in the show bc he knows how to interact with people - he was raised by a competent adult and a weird best friend and they occasionally saw other survivors as well

please picture old Five hanging around the water cooler and chatting with Hazel

the other funny thing is that Five is competent passing - he is well adjusted emotionally but functionally?? Hazel is out there complaining about dental being cut and office parties and budgets and Five is there sipping his drink having never filed taxes in his life. Five doesn't know what the fuck a dental plan is, he was a child soldier and then lived in an apocalypse.

So please picture for me Hazel being like "okay I know corporate wants us to keep what we're being paid to ourselves but fuck that, workers unite, what do you get paid as a legend old timer?"

and five is like "you're getting paid? i get to not get tossed back into the apocalypse, I think"

"but what about expense forms? what about medical care?"

"I'm like 80% sure i'm being experimented on, actually." Five says nonchalantly, "Don't get me wrong, my idea of medical care is fucked by being a child soldier but I'm pretty sure regular people don't have electrodes attached to their heads every time they get a checkup. Could be wrong though! My ex-dad used to monitor my brainwaves while I slept so like, my idea of appropriate shit is fucked, you know?"

This is a Five who was raised by Rick, he is polite to his coworkers. If Dot asked him if he wanted to grab lunch, Five would have gone and grabbed lunch with her or politely said that he couldn't.

Cha Cha only ever talks to Five when she wants to talk shop, so they've had a couple of conversations about weapons but not much else tbh, Hazel just tends to be more personable

So when they're sent after Five, Hazel is much more hesitant to kill who he perceives as a "work friend" and also is definitely thinking about all the times Five casually revealed a way the commission was being highkey shady about him, such as the potential experimentation, no pay, working under duress etc. He's much more easily turned against the commission because he's even more primed to say "fuck the commission" than he is in canon

Hazel out here like "how did Five break his contract when Five wasn't even being paid? I kind of want to read it."

Hazel out here like "I would unionize if I didn't think the commission was anti-union enough to send literal assassins after me if I suggested it :/"

meanwhile with the siblings

Five just. talks over them a lot and makes so much sense that it's actually really hard to argue with him, and he's weirdly considerate of his family's obligations

Like Diego is like "i have to go see Patch" then Five is like "that's great I'm proud of you buddy, it would actually be really handy to have some law enforcement read into the situation if you think she's up to the task. that goes for everyone by the way! If y'all have people you trust, more bodies would be super helpful I think"

the entire family, collectively, who have like zero trusted social links: uhhhhhhhh

Diego, with this weird permission, probably?? Does? Awkwardly attempt to read Patch into the situation? Patch is, obviously, like "what the fuck, Diego" but probably goes with him to the mansion (????????) because she's concerned and then meets his fucking whacko family with their superpowers and suddenly everything is 100% more realistic

Five is just like "yes hello I'm aware I look like a child, i'm actually in my late 50s or early 60s (apocalypse time amiright) because of time travel stuff. Yes I am Five Hargreeves who went missing in like 2002 or whatever. anyway it's lovely to meet you, i'm so glad diego has someone he trusts, and considering my sibling's shifty looks when i told them to invite anyone they trusted this genuinely makes me concerned that Diego is the most socially well-adjusted of them."

"That cannot be possible." Patch says, like someone who has met Diego Hargreeves.

"You haven't met the rest." Five says sympathetically, "In our defense we were raised in isolation as child soldiers."

"That... explains so much." Is all Patch can say to that, "But you seem..."

"I'm adopted." Five waves away.

"We're ALL adopted." Diego grits out, very aggrieved by this and also not sure if he likes the fact that Patch seems friendly with Five, or at least is listening to him?

"I'm double adopted."

However! With the recruitment of Patch, herding Diego becomes like 90% easier.

Honestly the worst to herd are probably Luther and Allison? Luther because he's Number One and resents Five taking charge and also resents Five's casual dismissal of Reginald and also suspects that Five (or at least the commission) has something to do with Reginald's death?

Allison because she is torn between following Luther and helping him and helping Five but also calling Patrick and Claire at every possible moment while ALSO trying to repair her relationship with Vanya. She's flighty - she'd bail on a Five-apocalypse-assignment if Vanya mentioned being hungry or if Luther called or anything like that

Vanya likes to be included and, if asked, would probably drop as many current obligations as she can. Like she would probably cancel her teaching if Five genuinely and sincerely asked her for her help, which he does because he's 100% sure Dolores would manifest in front of him and smack him if he dared even imply someone without powers wouldn't be helpful

Vanya is like "I'm not sure if i'll be helpful - I don't have powers ):" and Patch is like "wtf are you talking about - my superpowers are Gun, Backup, and Reading Comprehension and i am like the most useful member of this team right now"

Vanya gets a confidence boost just from hanging out with Patch honestly, I think they should be friends

Klaus is thrilled to be included are you kidding?? He says he does it for money but he's just happy to be there and also as one of the most emotionally intelligent siblings he is mildly concerned about the fact that Five looks like he's about to cry and also emotes

Five also gives Klaus positive reinforcement, hugs, and Five absolutely weaponizes the I'm not mad, but I believe that you can do better and I'm going to give you more chances because I love you and fully believe that next time you'll be amazing way that Rick used on him.

I feel like Five ends up saying something along the lines of "I understand that x is really important, and we're definitely going to look into it. Is it something that needs to be addressed right now, or is it something that can wait until after April 1st? If it can wait, I can write it down here on this list so we don't forget. If it can't wait then we can figure out a time to address it and help you" a lot

Like Grace malfunctioning and potentially killing Reginald?

"We don't have to make this decision right now." Five says patiently, "Because Grace is a robot, we have some options. Living with a robot who is potentially malfunctioning and homicidal is dangerous, but Luther saying that means admitting that Reginald might have made a mistake or error with Grace's programming or upkeep. I haven't been here for a long time, but I remember Reginald being very precise. Regardless, this isn't a choice between permanently shutting her off or not. We can shut her down temporarily until we can fully address the issue. We can ask and see if there is a 'system reboot' option or some sort of system check that Grace can undergo. We can try find and hire an expert to take a look at her programming to find the issue."

Five gives this speech while like, organizing the weaponry in the house on a table very nonchalantly

Five out here making buzzer noises at his siblings arguments like "yeah no that's a false dichotomy and a strawman's argument, want to try again?"

(Look apocalypse nights were long and they had games that were literally about arguing pointless shit like ranking types of chairs or the best way to break out of a prison without powers and things could get heated)

"Who died and made you boss?" Luther demands.

"Uh, the world? Were you not listening?" Five asks, looking very purposefully confused.

It gets even MORE delightful when Five reads Rick into the situation because a) he promised and b) his siblings really have like, no connections jeeze

Rick fully believes that this is his son from the future, like Five introduced himself, but Five skipped out on a few key details. Such as being adopted.

So Rick spends a solid chunk of time just staring at Five, who looks basically nothing like him, trying to think like, who is his mother ???? if we save the world will Five stop existing? why would I name my child 'Five'? Does everyone have powers in the future? was there like... a radioactive apocalypse? would radiation give future humans superpowers? when did my life turn into a comic book? am i even allowed to ask these questions? will knowledge of the future fuck things up?

and then when Five comes back and is like "what is up everyone this is my dad Rick who will be joining us, he doesn't have any memories of me thanks to time travel but if anyone is mean to him i WILL kneecap them"

"Your DAD?"

Five does kidney punch Klaus for saying that Rick is a DILF but otherwise everyone just is like, warily looking at this Normal Dad Man in confusion because?? This is the dude who raised Five, who they watched take out like an entire commission team by himself yesterday? He looks so. Normal.

Rick is very confused and like, wonders if he's supposed to be the team mascot? But Five keeps involving him and asking his opinion and in return Rick enforces snack breaks and makes everyone sandwiches and has gentle talks with everyone

Every time Five notices someone about to blow he just lovingly makes sure that that person is alone in a room with Rick

Luther ends up crying on the sofa with Rick gently patting his back as Rick calmly states that Luther seems like he's put a lot of time and effort into his family and making his father proud and that since Reginald isn't here to say it, Rick will have to be the one to say that he's proud and that they've been dropped into a difficult and stressful situation - so soon after Reginald's death when they're still grieving! - and he's doing so well

Luther, experiencing unconditional positive paternal regard for the first time in his life: i don't know why i'm crying so much

honestly this is just a comedy of juggling the gang, having impromptu therapy sessions and discussions, investigating the apocalypse and the eye, leonard trying to meet vanya continuously and failing because she's constantly surrounding by family or rick/patch, the commission trying their best to bust up the dream team/isolate Vanya/kill or remove Five, while Hazel lives out his romcom dreams with Agnes and also says "fuck the commission"

[satashiiwrites]

morning writing

Working a bit on FFO this morning.  I am really enjoying the Deacon and Eddie friendship bits.  I’m hoping that i’ll have this chapter yeeted either next week or the week after but it’s getting long. 

Title: Family, Familia, ‘Ohana, Ch 7: You Can’t Believe Everything You See and Hear, Eddie POV

Fandom: 911, H50, SWAT

Pairings: eventual Buddie and McDanno, platonic Deacon/Hondo

Warnings/tags: first draft.  NavySeal!Buck. Eddie in therapy is angst city. Cut for length. 

Having managed to stave off Bobby cornering him for a chat, Eddie practically ran away from work the moment the clock hit 0800.  Before he could text Deacon as he got to his truck he realized the man was already there. 

“Hey—you got your workout clothes with you?”  Deacon asked, leaning against his truck studying Eddie carefully.

“Yeah?”  Eddie did have his kit in his bag.  He’d already done a bit of light lifting since they hadn’t had a call out since 0300. LA for once being relatively quiet was a small mercy. 

“Put them on.  We’re going for a run.”

“I thought we were doing breakfast?”

“Run first.  You look like you need it.”

Eddie didn’t argue. 

Later after he’d been run into the ground by Deacon, he felt steadier as the man plied him with eggs, bacon and hashbrowns with a side of orange juice. The physical exertion had helped and this was the most appetite he’d had in days. 

“You always run when you’re stressed?”

“I figure it’s a healthier reaction,” Deacon allowed as he drank his coffee.  Eddie was sticking with the orange juice in hopes of getting a nap in before having to pick up Christopher from school this afternoon. He hadn’t slept much last night as his brain had wanted to just think and rethink what Deacon had told him while thinking over every joke and reference he’d heard about Buck 1.0.  “And it’s good for the body.”

Eddie figured that made sense. 

“You can ask—I’m not sure how much I can answer but you can ask,” Deacon offered. 

He thought for a moment before answering. “I’m not sure I want to know but on the other hand it’s pretty obvious isn’t it?  I know Buck had sex with a therapist—there’s been enough jokes made that I’ve heard about it… and Buck never wants to talk about it which means he’s either embarrassed by it or…” Eddie took a deep breath, “or ashamed.  I’m not sure which one is better.”

“Does it change your relationship with Buck?”  Deacon asked calmly. 

“No.  He’s my best friend Deacon—I’ve never had anyone else like him. No one comes close.  It… I… don’t ever tell me her name.”  The urge to find out so he could go… he didn’t know… scream at her? Shake her?  How could she do that to Buck?

“Are you worried you’d hurt her?”

“No.” The answer was immediate.  “I just don’t… I don’t hit people who aren’t…”

“Didn’t you get bailed out after a punch in the parking lot?”

Eddie swallowed against the rock that made a sudden appearance in his throat. “Those charges were dropped.”

“Yeah—lucky for you the guy had a habit of picking fights on purpose and they were dropped. How are you sure you won’t hit someone else?  Like this therapist?”

“Because I am never going to do that again.”  He wasn’t.  While the temptation was there he wasn’t going to be that kind of man who used his fists.  The shame of having given in even temporarily to the release of the fight club still threatened to overwhelm him at times but it was getting slightly better with talking to Frank but mostly it was talking again with Buck.  “If I don’t know their name then I don’t have even the temptation.”

“Smart.” Deacon drained his coffee cup and held it out for the waitress to refill. He waited until she had left their table to ask his next question. “So what are you going to do now that you know?”

“Nothing.  I’m going to let you do your cop thing.”

“And Buck?”

“What about him?”

“Does this change anything about your relationship with him?”

“No.  If Buck ever wants to talk about it then I’ll listen. “

Deacon hummed as he took another drink.  The way he was looking at Eddie over the rim of his coffee cup made him want to squirm but he held still. “If you ever need to talk know that I’m available.”

“Frank’s going to think you’re gunning for his job,” Eddie tried to joke. 

Deacon shrugged. “Sometimes you need a friend instead of a therapist.”

“A friend who’s a cop? My pseudo parole officer?”

Another shrug. “If nothing else I’ll remind you to keep things legal.”

“Yeah right,” Eddie grumbled which made Deacon laugh. “Let’s talk about something else.  How’s the kids?”

Deacon allowed the change of topic and they fell into a normal conversation. It was nice having someone who wasn’t in the 118 to talk to who was neutral about things in the firehouse. Deacon was nonjudgmental and had his own crazy stories as a SWAT officer.  Eddie couldn’t help but notice how many of his stories included Hondo and his team that seemed a found family just like the 118 did for Eddie.  There were a lot of similarities between them as well as differences. 

The conversation ebbed and flowed naturally.  Before he knew it, Eddie was agreeing to doing it again after his next shift.   A run followed by breakfast.   He briefly felt guilty for not running home to see Christopher for two minutes and when he mentioned it Deacon amended their plans to allow him to do so like it was no big deal. 

The parted afterwards—Deacon to work and Eddie home.  He had a therapy appointment this afternoon before picking up Christopher. 

[patchdotexe]

Explorers of Arvus: uhhhh / 3.23.21

today's notes are different from usual bc. well. you'll see

LAST TIME ON EXPLORERS OF ARVUS i broke my sleep schedule and am barely existing so this is fine. we went back to camp vengeance an uhhhhhhhhhhhh we are now going to fuck off into the forest to die or prove a very important point

oh god we forgot to level up

[mgd voice] BOOSTING NYX TO MAXIMUM LEVEL

im so fuckin tired. what on earth am i doing. how do i level again

k is not here this time but instead we've got mae+nii bonking their heads together to simulate 2 braincells and so far it is not working. i might just have to like fuckin, drop out n zzz partway thru or somethin. would be fun to see how chaotic michael makes charlie in my absensce

oh wait i can do d&dbeyond i think. how do i work this again. will i ever remember i have shield

what level am i. level 6? pog. oh shit i think i have a new thing

. new spell

. 3 total 3rd level spell slots

. bend luck! i can now screw people over on purpose (and will probably use my sorcery points FINALLY)

michael is leveling charlie up bc my brain is apple sos

ASDXFKLJFH I FEEL CALLED OUT zec rb'd my most recent art of MaX with "all i know about xem is that leo likes xem a lot that's the extent of my knowledge" THANK U FOR SUPPORTIN ME ANYWAY

there will be less blaseball distractions than last time bc blaseball is now on siesta. however i will still have MaX brainrot in the background bc i was drawing xem

wyatt mason my beloved

OKAY I GOTTA MUTE THE TACO STAND FOR THE ENTIRETY OF D&D i cannot and will not get distracted. we can do this. we

nintendo wii

we havent even started yet and im already incoherent

ok i have made a decision and that decision is that i do not have the brainpower to play. however i do have the brianpower to take notes hopefully! so ill just like. vibe. this will be a first

oh man im gonan pick up Blink. charlie is gonna be a fucking menace to herself and others

oh my god its not concentration so charlie may continue teleporting while unconscious. thorne is going to hate this

[charlie gets her soul eaten by a ring] [charlie singing dragonston din tei at halvkWAIT JORB HAS A PRIZE

jorb got a thing! an evil genius thing! figure man. fugrine. figuring. help

GREEN HAS DIAGNOSED ME AS TIGREX MONSTERHUNTER i love this

my notes are a disaster. this is so sucks

serotonin is stored in the wiggly zoomy jorb camera

jorb: his pinky is the size of the rest of his fingers

leo: he has a disease

jorb: he has a disease.

jorb: that disease is male pattern baldness

leo: [reduced to tearful giggling for mysterious reasons]

LAST TIME, ON EXPLORERS OF ARVUS: we've returned to camp vengeance! taure is still unconscious, which is not very great. camp vengeance is doin better tho!

michael, as part of the recap: ingrid is getting railed by her new girlfriend,

first dice roll of the day is michael rolled a 1. good start

OH THORNE IS AN ARTIFICER NOW thorne took a level in artificer!

"...it's like figuring out the right mathematical equation to summon a gun."

group is gonna go check out the statue that we passed by now that we're not WHAT DO YOU MEAN PONK AND GEORGE CANONICALLY HAVE IBS thats it im not looking at 772 anymore

im doing a bad job of paying attention but at least im Present

SIERON LEARNED FLY AND USED IT ON CHARLIE

michael: what do you want to do with your new flying powers?

leo: how many problems can i cause in 10 minutes

guard 1: ...why is the halfling flying?

guard 2: [rolls a 3 on intelligence] i think they can just do that

groundhogs, the real scourge of the campaign

silje and sieron are gonna hunt a big elk. they got distracted and sieron is putting grass on silje's head. i think

WAIT WE'RE ON WATCH NOW FUCK

we have discovered kali's tragic backstory whoops

update i am. too sleepy for this. good nigh everyone

[ and then leo went and somewhat took a nap! solar, normally playing thorne, started playing charlie in my stead. @jorbs-palace, local hero, started taking shitpost notes in my stead. ]

jorb's ghostwritten notes for leo:

help solar is immediately doing a cursed voice for charlie. charlie can do so many crimes

congratulations, charlie is now temporarily immortal!

dwarves can hit things with their beard

kali wants to know if she's legally allowed to bail

she'd feel really bad if she had to loot our corpses for payment if we died.

we have entered the Tree Zone

one of the corpses is now a flamingo (has one leg)

silje has decided to stab the ground. take that, dirt

kali was large size for a second there but then she remembered to not be a giant

"you accidentally deleted my cat?!"

silje has learned naruto cloning jutsu

be gone, thot

oh boy, making an int check to look at a statue! 11! silje is dumb apparently.

hmm. the statue has divination magic. it's also affecting silje.

SILJE LEARNED A 6TH LEVEL SPELL? its only single use but still

you solved my statue riddllllleeeee

thorne forgot to have eyes

its a shame mac and cheese doesnt exist in the d&d universe

wizards are just math criminals (the criminal part is setting people on fire)

sieron crit fails a check but it was still a 9 because of having +8

thorne is looking for what's weird!

uh oh music got scary, never a good sign

hmm. those leaves over there weren't dead a moment ago.

UNDEAD TROLL TIME! rolling initiative

"it's ok, im a wizard, it's my duty to be correct." "wow! waow!"

woooah here he comes

IT JUST DID HALF SIERON'S HEALTH AS A PASSIVE END OF TURN EFFECT?

thorne backed up and cast eldri- oh, ray of enfeeblement. character development continues

charlie is going to just blink out of existence for a minute.

big chungus has grabbed silje and sieron. BIG CHUNGUS HAS THROWN SILJE AND SIERON.

sieron is using hit and run tactics! isn't good at his extra attack yet though

silje is activating bid bid blood blood blood

thorne uses beam of skipping your leg day. troll's legs are now skipped.

michael is trying to determine what a 'clavicle' is

"does that mean the star trek kind, or the bdsm kind?"

charlie wants to cast magic missile.

charlie has vanished back into the ethereal plane mid-taunt

silje has decided to not get bitten today

silje may or may not have stats.

oh, right, trolls are weak to fire! and also we forgot to upgrade sieron's firebolt. so it actually hurts now!

silje is full of knives and blades and does 31 damage in one turn!

charlie shouts words of encouragement from the ethereal plane. a nearby ghost vibes with this.

🎉 eldritch blast 🎉

kali remembered she hates the sun

silje is enthuasiatic about charlie saying "get him cat boy!"

charlie contemplating using fireball to nuke the troll and also the entire stonehenge

charlie has decided to use magic missile instead, probably for the best

the troll bit at charlie SO POORLY it broke some of its teeth on the ground

charlie is too small to hit

accidentally rolled advantage on a firebolt, so got to learn it WOULD have done 29 damage with a crit but instead it missed because it was not actually with advantage

silje has just sliced open its entire back and made a spray of frozen blood! radical. big boy is down!

we have burned the body because we are not stupid. well, we ARE stupid, but not stupid in the way of leaving a body full of necrotic magic around

[dr coomer voice] i think it's good that he died!

we're also doing a funeral pyre for the other corpses that were around. just to be sure.

our loot is: the satisfaction of a job well done

thorne is cosplaying as charlie

charlie has located the direction troll came from! she found the 'the way to sweet loot' sign

thorne is apparently better at survival checks than our hired guide? wack

we found a viking house! it has: mead, a shield, gravestones,

found a gold coin in the mead! maybe it was thirsty

oh theres a LOT Of coins in there actually. 60 gold and 120 silver!

have successfully pointed out a hole in the DM's logic :)

there was a raven! it cawed and left. ok bye buddy

and that's where we leave it! heading back to camp vengeance next time.

someone rated this session a 7.2 out of 10, which is very specific

good night mr coconut

[himarifuruya]

Diamond Light [ Eye Contact ]

Preface: Diamond Light is a non-linear series of stories based around my OC Himari Furuya and her relationship with Tamaki Amajiki or Suneater.

TW: Chapters may contain Rated M [18+] content, such as graphic sexual content, canon typical violence and gore, body horror and explicit language.

Chapter Summary: After earning her hero's provisional license, Himari Furuya got accepted to join Fat Gum's Agency where she began working alongside a shy chimera.

The first week was always the most stressful she had heard others say when they began their work programs. Himari had to admit there was a shred of truth in that as there was a part of her that was nervous when she joined Fat Gum’s agency. Perhaps, it was because she didn’t feel qualified enough to handle patrols like this and stood out like a sore thumb.

Yet, that night, she put on her gear with no intention of backing out. Despite his initial uncertainty, Fat Gum had thrown her a bone curious to see what she was capable of and she was not about to take that act of kindness for granted. She earned her provisional license for a reason after all.

Now she was perched on top of the sky railing getting an aerial view of the city. A cool breeze pushed at her as she leapt, her cape lifted allowing her to temporarily glide with the wind’s current, till she teleported to the condominium across the highway.

Her feet landed smoothly against the cement barely skidding against the surface. One thing that she liked about her quirk was that it allowed her to be light on her feet, soundless to the average listener.

A bit of static entered her ears from her wireless headset. “How’s it looking up there, Wraith?” She heard Fat inquire on the other line.

“Not much to report aside from a few jaywalkers.” She answered, peering down below. Her team was on the ground carrying out their patrol on the streets. It was only her, Fat Gum, and Suneater – a dark-haired boy she had come to recognize passing through the halls of UA. He had a countenance that screamed to intimidate, but once she was in close quarters with him, it was easy to say that looks were deceiving.

Not much different than herself.

“Sounds good, keep me posted if you see anything ─ OH and don’t go too far ahead!” He added at the end. “Can barely see you up there as it is.”

She laughed softly. “No worries, I’ll stay close.”

At that, she sprang forward, making her way to the next rooftop. As she soared through the air, she quietly admired the city lights under her while maintaining a watchful eye; even through the dark shield of her visor, their brightness was still extraordinary.

Feeling the tug of gravity begin to pull her down, she prepared to teleport again when something cut through the air. She swung her body around sharply, warping to the closest platform. She settled on the ledge of an apartment balcony and quickly moved behind the nearest pillar where the slugs made impact with concrete while more came whizzing by.

Quickly, she spoke into her headset. “Fat, there’s gunshots coming from the parking garage. I just had a couple stray bullets fly by me.” She peeked out, looking across the road. “─I think it’s coming from the sixth floor. I’m going to check it out.”

It didn’t take long before her mentor spoke up. “Tch, should have known the quiet wouldn’t last long. I’m sending Suneater your way right now ─I’ll be following close behind.”

“Be careful, they’re using a silencer.”

“Roger that.”

Silent as a mouse, she backtracked to the condominium over to the top of the attached parking garage.

As she was about to teleport to the next floor, an explosive thunder shook the ground beneath Himari, making her almost lose her footing. When the floor began to cave beneath her, she immediately took off. Clouds of smoke began rolling into the air as she descended to the lower level.

So much for the silencer…

The second she arrived on the scene, another bomb had been detonated. The shocks sent her skating back across the pavement in the direction she came. Smoke clouded her view, making it difficult to determine the situation, but if she had to guess, it was a turf war.

Based on the increasing debris, Himari decided that the best course of action would be to distract them to prevent further damage. She had to contemplate a way to intervene without throwing herself into a sea of bullets or worse, an explosion.

As the smoke began to lift, she saw her opportunity when a man of a hulking stature picked up a compact car. His bulging muscles flexed as he clenched down on the metal, making the material cave in like an aluminum can. He twisted his torso, yelling as he prepared to fling the vehicle at the rival group.

As he released it into the air, his grisly expression slowly morphed into one of confusion when the vehicle suddenly vanished. A loud crash caught his attention, whirling around to see the car now skidding to the other side of the room. His comrades seemed just as puzzled as he was by the strange phenomenon.

When she made her advance, the muscular man’s brows knitted together in annoyance. “Great, fucking heroes showed up.”

Predicting that more heroes would arrive, the two groups began to scatter. Before they could all escape, Himari teleported after them, blocking their exit to the stairwell with one of the cars that had been thrown in the explosion. The muscular man turned to her gritting his teeth in agitation.

“Got some telekinesis quirk or somethin’ kid?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

He scoffed.

“Kids like you should really mind your own damn business!” Following that statement, he raised one of his enormous arms and made a swing at her. The young hero dodged his fist, teleporting above his eye level and gave him a swift side kick to the jaw.

His comrades tried to gang up on her, attempting to seize her from the air. One of them projected his arms with his long fingers wrapping around her waist like grappling hooks. There was a twisted smile on his pointed face as he clamped down on her abdomen.

She managed to vanish before he could yank her down only to appear behind the muscular man. When he was about to turn, she grabbed ahold of the back of his shirt and teleported them both into the air. As they stood suspended in midair, she landed another solid kick to his lower back.

The impact made him drop to the ground like a ton of bricks, barreling across the floor into his accomplices. They slammed into a nearby wall, groaning in pain. The muscular man gritted his teeth as he struggled to his feet, looking straight at her with fire in his eyes.

“Some hero you are! Did they teach you to attack first before asking questions?”

“In case you forgot, you attacked me first buddy.”

“Man, I really don’t wanna kill a little girl, but if you keep getting in our way…” The man with bladed arms cracked his knuckles making the jagged knives extend further with more protruding from his back, making him look like a puffer fish.

“Aim for the helmet.” The muscular one barked. “I saw something flash when she jumped me.”

“Gotcha.”

Without further warning, he rolled his neck and shoulders making his bones snap, sending waves of razorblades at her. The razors were coming at all directions small, thin, and difficult for her to see. It made it near impossible for her to evade them all. She could feel them nick and tear at her flesh even when she teleported to take cover.

“Don’t think you’ll get away this time girly!” The bladed assailant shouted. “There’s plenty more where that came from!”

As more razors rained down, she decided to change her strategy and concentrate on the oncoming attack. Don’t flinch, don’t flinch… Sweat beaded on her forehead trying to maintain her focus without recoiling. To her luck, they disappeared from above.

With the blades under her control, she directed them to the wall where they wedged into the cement.

“Ah shit!” One of the men yelled.

When Himari rose from behind the vehicle, she saw Suneater had made his entrance. He had three men captured in his tentacle grasp, including the man with the bladed arms. He was struggling against his hold, eyes practically bulging from his head. His quirk must have been drained unable to cut free from the restraints.

“Bastard!” The muscular man roared puffing out his chest. His veins were twitching through his skin as he wrenched his massive body around trying to break free.

“You got some fighting spirit I’ll give you that.” Suneater replied lowly. “Too bad you don’t put that strength to better use.”

Before she joined him, she surveyed the area, making sure there weren’t more gang members in hiding. From what she could tell, it appeared that they were the only ones that hadn’t managed to escape. She hoped Fat made it in time to catch the others before they completely bailed the scene.

“Are you alright Wraith?” Suneater called out.

“Yeah, just a few scratches.” She teleported up to him. “─I appreciate the help.”

The dark-haired boy grimaced, mumbling under his breath. “I…didn’t really do much though.”

“What are you—” Himari didn’t have time to refute his claim as the weaselly man had somehow slithered an arm from beneath Suneater’s grasp. His fingers elongated camming at them like a group of whips.

Suneater blocked the assault with his clamed fist, still maintaining control over the group with his tentacles. They thrashed against him wildly desperate to turn the situation around.

“Give up! You’re not going to get away!” Suneater snapped.

“I’m not getting locked up again!” The weaselly man screeched back.

In that time Himari had teleported back into the air. When Suneater went in for a punch to subdue the men, she noticed the weaselly man had something in his other hand. Over the noise, she almost didn’t hear the distinctive click.

The device slipped from his hand as he fell unconscious.

There was no time to delay, Himari swooped down her eyes focused in on the group as the area went ablaze. Tears built up in her eyes as her quirk was reaching its limits. She was thankful when the room disappeared before her.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t bless them with a gentle landing. They tumbled gracelessly onto the roof of the nearby apartment building with a painful thud.

Slowly, the two heroes gathered their bearings with minimal groans. When Himari got to her feet, she looked across the street and winced at the sight of the caved in parking garage.

“So much for damage control…”

“As long as no one else got hurt, it should be okay.” Suneater assured, rubbing the back of his neck. “The cops have arrived so ─Ah, your helmet, it’s um…”

She hadn’t noticed during the fight, but large cracks formed on her visor with chunks of plastic missing from the bottom. Himari sighed as she pulled the headgear off certain there were bits of metal lodged in it as well. As she did, the boy uttered a startled noise.

It didn’t take her long to realize why.

“Oh, I guess you don’t know, but when I use my quirk, the blood vessels in my eyes burst and they glow, like this.” She turned to him with a wry smile. “It’s not very cute, huh?”

“W-What? No! Th-that’s not─ It just seems like it would hurt ─or something I’m not trying to offend you or─” His voice cut out as he struggled to find the right words. He lowered his head, averting his gaze.

She chuckled lightly. “It’s fine, I get what you’re trying to say.”

Suneater was quiet for a moment, before deciding to change the subject. “Um…we should bring those guys down to the police before they wake up.” He turned away to the gangsters lying on the ground still bound up.

“Right.”

With her quirk still activated, Himari tried to use her energy to transport the group onto the ground. Fixing her gaze on them, she was suddenly overcome with lightheadedness. She was forced to disrupt her focus to close her eyes, feeling exhaustion settle in.

Noticing this, Suneater put a hand on her shoulder stabilizing her. “Leave this to me.” He offered quietly. She heard him take something out of his pouches and eat it. Before she knew it, she was being swept off her feet. “Hang on tight.”

Opening her eyes, she nearly dropped her helmet when she felt a gust of air hit her face. Peering up at him, she saw he manifested a pair of massive white wings. Though she could have probably teleported herself with no issues, she decided to cling to him. When he took off, her stomach did a flip as they were pulled into the wind’s current. He glided down the city streets smoothly, easing up when they neared the pavement.

Once on the ground, he gently lowered her onto the road’s surface. Her gaze followed his to the cluster of law enforcement vehicles surrounding the vicinity. The two heroes brought the criminals over to a group of policemen where they were immediately apprehended. As they spoke with the police, Himari noticed that they had even obtained the ones that had managed to slip away. It made her wonder what happened to Fat after the whole escapade.

Her question was soon answered when she spotted a yellow figure walking in the distance. When he spotted them, relief set in his large eyes.

“Suneater! Wraith!” Fat Gum called, making his way through the crowd over to the two. When he finally reached them, he scooped the heroes up and pulled them into a tight bear hug. “Thank goodness! When I saw the building collapse, I was so afraid that you guys were still in there!”

Seeing their comrade safe and sound brought a grin to Himari’s face. “Nice to see you too big guy.”

Suneater ducked his head down. “P-People are staring…”

[all-i-need-is-food-and-fanfics]

What do you want?(3)

length: 2900 words

trigger/warnings:  mention of death, graphic violence, blood(nothing too graphic or explicit yet), curses(because it’s Bakugo)

summary: Buddy Cop AU

a/n:  Deeply based on @soyunpochoclin idea, and headcanons for this honestly awesome AU

Honestly, you could skip this part, it’s not that plot-relevant besides the first part of it, but I had this idea and had to write it. So I hope it’s enjoyable anyway, it was fun to wirte so I hope it’s fun to read! <3

<–2nd part - 4rd part–>

***

Bakugo didn’t look up, he didn’t have he almost could feel Kirishima’s beaming happiness from his desk. Neither took Kirishima to sit on his desk.

“Morning Blasty!” Throwing a small pile of files over Bakugo’s own papers.

Maybe it was the fact another partner in the office had heard Kirishima call him that stupid name or that his butt was on top of Katsuki’s hand but anger boiled with ferocity in his eyes. He pulled his hand with forces and stare back up to Kirishima, who jumped at the action.

Once he looked up, “Sorry man, I didn’t notice.” Kirishima was smiling apologetic, almost ear to ear, eyes slightly squinted his scar standing out.

The anger reached boiling point, where it was no longer about to explode instead it evaporated only leaving smoke left to cough.

Maybe it was too early to deal with this shit.

“Just sit in a fucking chair, Shitty hair.” Bakugo finally said in between his teeth, pulling back the chair next to him that Ejirou willing ignore at first.

Kirishima bounced on the chair when he first sat down(practically jumped), “Oh come on dude! I used your nickname!” He was dangerously close to Bakugo’s face, he could basically hear Kirishima’s voice making eco inside his scalp.

Katsuki thought about blowing Kirishima’s face out of his personal face, he settled for pushing it away instead, “And I fucking told you not to.” Finally, he looked down at the files, “What the fuck are these?” He opened them, Kirishima helpfully pointed out the recognizable face.

She looked younger, definitely less crazy, a little crazy behind monotone tone that usually comes in school pictures. But similar to know it was her, “Himiko Toga” Katsuki clicked his tongue, laid back on his chair.

Ejirou opened the rest, not as familiar faces but it was hard the guys that almost killed him.

“Most of their of their information it’s here, except this guy’s name…” He pointed a blurry picture, although it was undeniable the blue matchstick, “…for his scars it’s easy to see he’s up to these days but not who he used to be…” Kirishima slowly explained.

“And the hell it’s all this information for?”

“Well, honestly…it’s not for much…” Ejirou lets the files fall into the desk again, and sits back too, avoiding the face Bakugo it’s probably making. “Most of this information it’s old, well..all but one.”

“Blue torch.” Kirishima laughed because it just amazed Bakugo’s creativity for coming up with nicknames.

“Yeah,” He nodded, Bakugo turn to him, “Again he is easy to spot. We have information from a place he seems to frequent a lot in the past weeks.”

“Then what the hell are we waiting?” Bakugo clicked his tongue, annoyed.

Ejirou’s face fell in indecision, “Well…it doesn’t really open during the day, neither it’s a cop-friendly place per say…”

Katsuki growled in response, and dig himself in his seat. He knew what that meant.

Someone had to infiltrate whatever nightclub and scrape for information.

Now, Katsuki was very good at his job. He was competent, determinate, observant and a perfectionist, which made him a very good cop and detective. But people were never his strong suit, he avoided infiltration jobs like a plague; though it seemed there wasn’t a way around this one. When he turned to Kirishima he founded a solution he wasn’t happy about either, he had to leave it in someone else’s hands. Which in his head was almost as bad.

Once everything was arranged, Ejirou was pleased with their plan. They would be connected through a microphone, Bakugo would wait in the car just in case of any unexpected situation and he would go in with a fake story and to ask around for information.

He could see Bakugo’s frustration though, “It’s fine dude, I won’t let you down.”

Katsuki looked at Kirishima’s face, he dug for insecurity or a lie, he didn’t find any. He rolled his eyes, “Don’t get so full of yourself hair for brains.”

I know, he thought but something in his stomached twisted.

“There’s a littl too much irony in that sentence Blasty.” He laughed over Bakugo’s complain, instead he took his phone out. Ejirou jumped at the sight of the hour, “I’m late!” He stood up and picked his things up fast.

“Oi…” Katsuki tried to call, but it didn’t seem to go through that thick skull, he just kept running around, “Spiky!” He grabbed Kirishima’s arm as he went to pick up the batch on the table, “What the fuck do you think you are going?”

Ejirou slowed down for a second, “Oh yeah…I forgot to tell you…I’m sorry” He gave Bakugo an apologetic smile, “I asked for the free afternoon, my little brother has an activity today at school and he needs someone to go so…I’m going!” He laughed nervously, already reaching for his neck, “But don’t worry! I’ll be back tonight, I’m not bailing.”

“Tsk.” Bakugo rolled his eyes, finally letting Ejirou go. He stood up and took the keys of the car of his pocket, Ejirou just stared blankly. Once Bakugo reached the door, he turned around, “You coming or are you prefer being late?” Kirishima smiled at him, beaming again. Katsuki had to turn around, but he felt Kirishima running behind him.

They shouldn’t use the car for personal activities, but Ejirou didn’t say anything(he doubted anyone would).

***

Katsuki knew Kirishima lived somewhat far away from the station. Mostly because it wasn’t where he worked in the first place. Katsuki didn’t pay much attention to his co-workers, but with someone as obnoxious as Kirishima he doubted he wouldn’t have noticed him at the very least. Kirishima was temporarily transferred because the case seemed to evolve both territories, also because he had been late 2 out of 3 three days they’ve been working together.

He was right, in car, it was maybe a 40 minutes drive, it was around an hour on train. When they finally reached the apartment building, it was like any other, grey and inline with others. Katsuki half expected Kirishima to leave in one of those neighborhoods that exceeded in color and noise, unlike the rest of Tokyo. That only left its own color scheme at nighttime, where it was showered with life. Not even inside his apartment, it was like that though.

It was small, filled with warm browns and deep reds all round, slightly disorganized; someone had given up on cleaning leaving toys scattered around. A couple of pieces of simple art on the walls, but mostly old familiar photos decorated the living room. But the presence of an infant was the strongest, with the toys on the floor and unfinished art projects. If the Disney song that filled the apartment wasn’t enough of a clue.

Though Katsuki only realized all of this after he had taken his attention of said infant in front of the T.V. singing with all the power of lungs, kicking, punching and twirling a broom in exaggerated movements. He had no shirt on, and his hair was bright red too, shorter but it was definitely standing in the same over-gelled style.

Bakugo was about to roll his eyes, just when he heard Kirishima singing on his right, catching up to the song.

“…Swift as the coursing river…” he started at first softly, still, the kid turned around and smiled big.

“Be a man!” He yelled as he started running towards Kirishima.

“With all the force of a great typhoon!” Kirshima received him with open arms, before picking him up and twirling him on the air.

“Be a man!” The kid was laughing, holding on to Kirishima strongly.

“With all the strength of a raging fire! Mysterious as the dark side of the moon!” They ended together in a long messy note until the music fade away in dialog.

Katsuki rolled his eyes. Once he settled them back on Kirishima, the kid was on his shoulder. They finished laughing, and stare back at Katsuki.

“Blasty, this is Haruto, my little brother” Immediately the kid’s face lit up. Beaming. Katsuki’s face twisted, they look too much alike for his taste. “Haru, this is my partner Blasty.”

The kid first opened his mouth but stops and instead, whispered it on Kirishima’s ear. Whatever it was, it makes Kirishima smile wider(it beats Katsuki, how that’s possible) and it couldn’t been good, that much he knew.

“Yeah! That one!” He nodded and his brother’s face just opens in happiness, he glares quickly at Bakugo’s eyes and goes back to whispering something to Kirishima. He simply nods this time before turning to Bakugo, “He asks if you could show him your quirk.”

Katsuki hesitates for a moment, not for the request but for the weird interaction and the overall softness in Kirishima’s voice, “Whatever,” He ended up saying. Taking his hand of his pocket, lifting his hand to let small explosions flyover.

This time the kid not only stared at Bakugo, almost starstruck but also exclaim out loud. Before he pushed his weight forward, Ejirou quickly understood and walked up to Bakugo. Who looked tense and almost ashamed, which honestly made this whole experience better for Ejirou. He leaned until Haru could touch Bakugo’s hand. He stared at it at first, for a moment then lined the creases of his hand, Ejirou smiled at the amused face of his brother and the slight pink color in Bakugo’s cheek.

Katsuki had to look away, it was uncomfortable. But sadly, and he had to learn quickly, he couldn’t blow kids off; much less Kirishima’s. He seemed like the guy to kill for his family by the stupid look on his face.

“My brother didn’t lie…your quirk it’s so manly!” He finally talked, to Bakugo, holding his hand with a little more strength than before with both of his little hands. When he turned to face the kid…yeah they looked too much alike. Just less scared, less damaged Katsuki supposes but certainly too similar.

“Yeah, I know brat.” He pulled his hand back, and turn away again, “Weren’t you supposed to be somewhere or we are just wasting time?”

Both Kirishimas straighten their backs in realization. Haru almost slides down with little of Ejirou’s help and runs off to a hall in the back of the room.

“He really wanted to meet you, when I told him I had a new partner.” Ejirou smiled tendered, then laughed looking down as if remembering, “At first he was mad, he is used to Mina…but then he got all excited when I told him your quirk and the persecution…” He looked back to the room in time to find his brother with a shirt on, running towards them. To side hug Ejirou. “Ready little man?”

“So what do you got little brat?” Katsuki knew it was the wrong thing to ask, a shadow fell into both of the boys face.

“I…I…don’t have any…” Haru barely muttered, his gaze lock in his fidgeting hands.

Katsuki’s face twisted at the sudden memories and bits of the pass the filled his head.

To his credit though, Kirishima recovered quickly, smiling again, picking back his brother up, “Who needs a quirk, when you have a brave and manly heart!” He smiled again brightly.

“Yeah!” His brother matched.

“We know it’s not common anymore but…it happens every once in a while, from what the doctor told us.”

“Tsk.” Bakugo complained, and Ejirou stared at his face. He seemed conflicted in a way, looked away to the wall, “I know someone like you,” he muttered in between his teeth, “I am sure if a nerd like Deku can stand in the same place as me, I am sure so can you.” Katsuki made sure his tone was annoyed because he was, but Kirishimas seemed to be immune to it.

Since it just went over their heads, now decorated back again with wide sharp smile, “He is a cop? Like you? Can I meet him?” Bakugo clenched his teeth.

At that moment, he looked back at his mind; his younger self, yelling about how he had fallen to talk well about Deku. He sighed as he walked to the door, the kid walking around him beaming happiness and hope. Mirror memories of shattering hope and desperate cries, but that was a long time ago. He had learned that there wasn’t any pleasure in being the best by putting down others. So instead he patted the kids head and answered his questions.

Once Ejirou left Haru on the back, he sat next to Bakugo at the front. He turned to catch Bakugo staring, just before Bakugo could turn away, he s mouthed a thank you. Which Bakugo barely took, only grumbling in response.

***

“Okay then,” Ejirou caught up to his brother, walking towards the entrance. He was surprised to find a disappointed face, “What’s up -or down- little man?”

“It’s Bakugo not coming?” He kneeled down and patted lightly his head, around the spikes.

“I’m afraid not little man,” He smiled apologetically.

Not looking forward to stay in a room with rowdy kids. He had explained when Ejirou leaned into his window.

Haru pouted and crossed his arms. Before glancing back at Ejirou’s eyes and running to the car. Ejirou tried ti call him but he didn’t stop until he was standing on his toes, next to Bakugo’s window. Bakugo looked down, tired at the kid. At first he rolled his eyes, but then he frowned down. Then he looked angry and opened the door, the taking Haru from the waist and lifting him from the side with no care at all.

He was fuming by the time he walked in front of Ejirou. “I’ll fucking show you who’s the best.” It was the only clue Ejirou got to whatever conversation they had, enough to get him out of the car, that and the pleased face of his brother.

Ejirou didn’t complain, simply followed inside. Haru gave Bakugo directions until they reached his classroom.

It was small and filled with handmade decorations, probably by some underpaid teacher. At the moment, filled with more people that usually handled; with parents sitting on little chairs or standing around an excited child, some even playing with their quirks.

At the moment, it struck him, “Kirishima, what are we doing here?”

It was a family activity, parents shared about their jobs, “But my mother couldn’t leave job, so that’s why…” He looked both ashame and proud and Katsuki wondered what the hell was he doing there?

It only took a couple of presentations sitting on a stupid red chair for Bakugo rethinking the question and regret every decision he had taken today. It only deepened when it was the Kirishimas turn. He had already left the idea of showing off, it was worth it, truly. But the kid took both of their hands and drag them to the front.

“This is my brother and his partner, Blasty…” He was going to fucking kill Kirishima, once he was out of public eyes, “…They protect us like heroes used to, fighting and punching the bad guys.” Haru punched and kicked the air with little to no technic.

“And words!” Kirishima interrupted, holding his brother by the shoulder.

“But mostly fighting and punching.” Bakugo shrugged his shoulders.

“Kirishima turned his head, in surprise, “Bakugo!”

“Oh come on Spiky, don’t tell me those muscles are for hugging.” Kirishima opened his mouth to respond, but Bakugo was smirking and Haru was laughing.

He won.

***

“Thank you again, for today,” Kirishima  was fixing his hair again, in an improvised mirror over the dashed of the car with the front camera of his phone.

Bakugo growled, and turn away. He couldn’t handle how ridiculous Kirishima looked. He was wearing a flowered shirt with no sleeves and the holes so big that its left too little for anyone’s imagination about how he might look without a shirt and a pair of black ripped jeans. Mind you, things that he already fucking owned. Obviously his hair as tall as the damn building.

“Don’t mention it. Seriously.” As always though Kirishima didn’t listen or seemed to understand Katsuki’s tone.

“When he learned was busy with work…he wasn’t very happy…he doesn’t really understand how it works…” He picked at his phone and blocked it, “How much we depend of that job…I try to help but dad…he, well, he…” The words stuck with on his throat. Katsuki watched amused, he had never seen Kirishima struggle with words before, “…he left nothing but his mistakes behind.” Debts.

“You are obligated to be fucking better than him then.” Ejirou turned quickly, Bakugo was still looking away.

“Yeah…you are right,” He shook his head. “But what I wanted to say, it’s thank you…Haru was so charmed by you…” He laughed genuinely.

“Yeah yeah…are you going to do your job or what?” He couldn’t stop laughing at Bakugo’s grumpy childish face, with a slight thirst for blood.

Kirishima let the laugh die slowly, before nodding, “I won’t let you down!” He barely opened the door when he felt a tug in his arm.

“Don’t do anything stupid.” And Katsuki hoped this time he would listen, as the twirl in his stomach grew bigger watching Kirishima walk away until he disappeared in blacks and neon lights.

[elenajohansenauthor]

VACATION (re)WRITING

Tomorrow, we go home. I’m going to try to write some in the morning, but after we get back, it’s going to be unpacking, scrounging up dinner, and lots of missed TV shows.

But today! Today I did all of Chapter 4, which sits at 3,932 words. Almost everything I needed was already there, I just had to clean up some timeline issues based on the new first chapter, flesh out some emotional bits, cut some things that no longer made sense. I even weeded out a few adverbs already, though real line editing is a later stage.

Now, LET’S MEET OUR HERO.

Robin “Rob” Sullivan has been around the block a few times, drumming for a string of second-rate bands that never quite hit the big time before breaking up. He’s finally managed to score himself a spot in the band Relentless, replacing their first drummer after he... [well, I haven’t figured out that part, but it’s minor. Ahem. Anyway.]

Rob’s been a Punch Drunk Love fan since their first album, so when Relentless gets the opening spot on the second leg of their epic cross-country tour, he feels like he might finally have found a band to go the distance with, a group of people to be his home away home, because touring’s hard, man.

When disaster strikes and the tour gets canceled, it’s the beginning of the end for Relentless, but not, as it turns out, for Rob’s career. He and fellow Relentless member Avery jump ship to join none other than Punch Drunk Love themselves, who need a new drummer and lead guitarist.

It would be the spot of Rob’s dreams, if only Amber were still there with them. That one long night they’d spent on the roof of the bus, drinking and talking like they were already old friends, was one of his best memories of the tour, and a solid foundation for a friendship he wished he could have.

When Avery has to bail on them just a week before PDL’s comeback tour, the band asks Amber to fill in for him, because who else even could? But Rob’s worried. He knows something’s wrong, but he doesn’t know what, because he hasn’t heard from Amber in three years. He’d promised her he was a phone call away if she needed support, but that phone never rang.

He wants to see her, but he’s got his doubts about her coming back. Will his support be enough to help her through the rough times, being on tour again with the band she gave up?

FIND OUT SOMETIME, EVENTUALLY, WHEN I WHIP THIS PROJECT INTO SHAPE AND THROW IT OUT ON THE MERCY OF THE READING WORLD!

And, finally, my favorite line excerpt of the day:

But Rob was laughing, a warm, resonant sound she didn’t remember hearing the night before. “You’re fine, Amber, I’m not offended. You were under some strained circumstances when you got to know me. If you want to forget me entirely, I get it. I won’t be mad.”

“That’s…” She heaved out a sigh. “That doesn’t really seem fair.”

“Life’s not known for playing fair. Listen, you want to be friends, you’ve got my number, and you’re always free to use it. You don’t, like I said, I understand. It’s up to you.”

[My #rockstarnovel buddies: @irisdoesthings]

[Do you want to join the tag list to get updates about the project currently (and temporarily) titled MY BIG QUEER ROCK BAND ROMANCE? Let me know and I’ll add you so you don’t miss an update! You won’t get spammed, twice a day tops, most days once, some days I may even forget...]

[branblessed-blog]

     YOUR CHARACTER IN FIVE QUOTES

( repost, do not reblog. )

tell us your favorite quotes from your character. give us an idea of who they are & five more than five because everything dave says is a masterpiece things they’ve said.

TG: whoops ok in the future ill try not to pitch any sort of dramatics while brooding over the cadavers of slaughtered loved ones

TG: im sorry you are so flustered by the mere mention of glittering mythical cryptodick it honestly makes me think youre not ready for the truth

TG: im not a hero TG: my bro was TG: john is TG: im not

TG: if i see one more soft bulbous bottom being like TG: kind of jutting out and impudent or whatever TG: im gonna fly off the handle TG: im gonna do some sort of acrobatic fucking PIROUETTE off the handle and win like a medal or some shit

TG: ive got a lot of shit on my plate TG: i am sort of a big deal ok

DAVE: our purposes DAVE: what the fuck are our purposes

DAVE: all cause i thought it would be cool to be marty mcfuckin fly DAVE: but instead of shredding johnny b goode on guitar to get my parents to bang DAVE: my crowning performance was doing a funny dance while getting pumped full of lead

TG: but they are all me TG: i mean they will all become me and ill become them one way or another TG: thats how stable time loops work shit takes a lot of planning and precise choreography

DAVE: i be representing some god damn STANDARDS about your media do you feel me DAVE: im depressing myself here DAVE: all im saying is it would be cool to have some fresh shit to work with DAVE: like just to know DAVE: to know what the world would be like in the year it would be for us now

TG: god damn it im not leaving TG: farewell is not even a thing i would ever say jesus what am i a victorian poet TG: can you show me a little respect and assume any time i say something stupid it just means im temporarily being inexplicably retarded TG: thats what a real friend would do

DAVE: look i got treats! DAVE: i have snausages DAVE: ok i dont have snausages DAVE: i can get snausages!

TG: fuck who cares TG: like i even give a shit about being a hero whatever that even means TG: im not seeing the problem here future me is awesome he can bail me out if he wants

DAVE: BAD!!! DAVE: you dont think im serious? DAVE: im serious as a drive to the fuckin vet DAVE: im not joking you dumb mutts i mean business here DAVE: see ive got a sword too! DAVE: its sharp DAVE: and its awesome DAVE: and… DAVE: its fucking welsh!!!!!

DAVE: (sounds good to me) DAVE: (mayor what do you think) DAVE: (you hear that rose) DAVE: (the mayor thinks its an awesome idea) DAVE: (me too buddy me too)

TG: so im thinking obviously i have to break the sword TG: because thats all i fucking do is break swords

TG: i know TG: it was so much more relaxing and enjoyable TG: it was about me dying repeatedly

DAVE: fine well you can be on bro duty then DAVE: ill be the ambassador to your mom DAVE: and no that wasnt actually meant as the sick burn it sounded like

DAVE: eurgh DAVE: the ironic selfies DAVE: oh god DAVE: now this DAVE: this is some irredeemably mortifying shit here DAVE: what was i thinking DAVE: i dont know man DAVE: i just dont knw DAVE: this is what we seasoned veterans call “bad irony” DAVE: look at this guy DAVE: what a fucking novice

DAVE: reluctant hero shit is when the guys like aw shucks i dunno if i wanna but deep down we all know he really does DAVE: but i really dont DAVE: why should i DAVE: i dont give a damn about lord english or his nebulous atrocities out in nowherespace

DAVE: its been real man DAVE: you were always there for me DAVE: you shared my darkest hours DAVE: my deepest secrets DAVE: and ill never fucking forget it DAVE: goodbye mayor

DAVE: why are we so fucking awesome

[nightlybodies]

Thomas: 1

So there I was sitting at the bar with one of my best girl friends, Marie, after my 3 month hiatus. I had a terrible NYE experience so I temporarily gave up drinking and partying. Thomas and James had been cut out of my life, only Vincent was allowed in. The bar was packed, we grabbed the last two seats available at the bar and immediately downed 3 green tea shots each. I scanned the room and immediately saw James diagonal from me at the bar, just staring like he does. I looked down then at Marie, and she just knew that one of my hook-ups had to be there. I glanced over and she followed my gaze, immediately rolling her eyes. He was her least favorite of the three. I planned on ignoring him, just like he usually did to me. I was taking a sip of my Miller Lite as someone put their hands on my shoulders from behind. I turned around surprised to see Thomas and not James. It was in that moment that I regretted driving Marie out to the bar.

“Long time no see.”

“Yeah I know, how are you?”

“Good good, yourself?”

“Good” Was all I could say, my face was saying it all for me as I looked down at his lips.

“Where have you been?”

“Had knee surgery, stopped drinking for a little, haven’t heard from you.”

“Two way street.”

“Exactly, you could have reached out.” I smirked.

“ I did on New Years and you bailed. Ever since you’ve been on a hiatus.”

“That wasn’t a good night for me, I’m really sorry, that’s why I took a break.”

Marie had walked away so Thomas sat in her seat and the conversation continued.

“I get it, all’s forgiven. You see, I’m not allowed to feel real feelings so that makes this a little difficult.”

“No feelings huh? Well then why are you talking to me now?”

“You know why, you keep looking at my mouth when that’s not where my eyes are, we both want the same thing.”

“How do you know I want the same thing?”

“I can tell by the look you’re giving me. I never disappoint you, do I?”

“No, never have.” I blushed. And as I blushed I felt someone grab my ass, I turned around and it was James smirking at me. I turned back to Thomas.

“I miss your body, I want to put you on this bar right now, or we can go out to your car like last time.” The look he was giving me literally made me want to rip his clothes off. He knew what he was doing all too well.

“You’re teasing me.” I told him.

“Let me tease you more.” He said as he reached down and grabbed in between my legs. My face said it all, I was so beyond turned on and wanted to take him outside right then and there, but instead I gave him the chill out look.

“Come on, remember last time we were here and we were on the other side of the bar, we went so far right here inside”

Ugh, yes I did remember that night and it was amazing, we made out so hard and he was grabbing me all over and I was doing the same to him. Forever one of my favorite nights with him.

“I know, but I was alone that night.” I reminded him that we were back in the company of Marie. He moved so she could sit back down, I was expecting him to walk away but instead he stayed and stood right behind me. I looked beyond him and saw James just staring at the two of us. Just like that this girl who was talking to Thomas earlier in the night came up to me and was dancing while purposely bumping into me, I raised my eyebrows and just looked at Thomas like what the hell was going on. He looked at her and asked her what she was doing, she didn’t say anything and just walked away. I turned away from him and he grabbed my shoulder and I looked back at him in disgust.

“I honestly don’t know what that was about.”

“I’m sure you don’t.” My tone was beyond sarcastic.

“I’m trying to get with you.”

“Yeah I know and if you want me you can wait till next weekend to get me”.

“Next weekend?” His face was compiled of complete shock and disappointment.

“I’ll be here next weekend, you can get it then.”

He didn’t say anything other than agreeing to what I said. And as I went to turn around James was once again grabbing my ass. Just like that it was already 3am and the bar was closing. Thomas was still trying to get me to change my mind while James and his buddies were getting ready to leave, he walked behind Thomas and when we did he looked at me and mouthed “come over”, I just smiled and nodded back to him. I had no intentions of going to see James afterwards, or Thomas, I only had plans of taking Marie home and then going to sleep in my nice warm bed alone.

We got our shit together and we left, James and his brother were outside waiting for their Uber as usual, I walked right by pretending not to notice him. We had just gotten onto the highway when James’ name came up on my phone. I looked at Marie and we both just laughed as I answered the call.

“Hey can you turn around and take me and my brother home? Our Uber didn’t have enough seats for everyone.”

“Yeah sure. I’m turning around now.” I said reluctantly.

Marie looked at me and asked me if I was serious. I told her yes as I made a u-turn. I was wondering what asinine things were going to come out of his mouth on the drive to his house. We got back to the bar and I got out of my car to let him and his brother into the back seat. Marie and I talked basically the whole 20 minute ride which didn’t allow any time for him to make sly remarks. We got his house and I let them both out, they both said thank you and I said no problem as I quickly got back in before he could ask me to come over. I was pulling away as he texted me asking me to. I told him no because I had to drive all the way home to drop Marie off.

“Come on, I’ll wait up for you.’

“It’s so far to go and it’s already 4am.”

“We can sleep in, come over.”

“You didn’t even talk to me all night, why now?”

“That dude was up your ass all night”

“You could have interrupted.”

“And get into a fight with him or argument?”

“That wouldn’t have happened unless you were jealous.”

“I was which is why I kept grabbing your ass for your attention.”

“Should have said something, I’m going to bed.”

This conversation then continued on Snapchat by him sending dick pics trying to convince me. He almost had me but the thought of the 45 minute drive killed any enthusiasm I had worked up. So he got a nice snap in return of my “perfect boobs” as he calls them and I stopped replying to him. Just as I laid down in bed my phone received a Snapchat from Thomas.

“Are you sure I can’t change your mind about tonight?”

“This weekend.”

“How about now?” He asked attached to a lovely bulge pic.

“Sorry, you gotta wait.” I said attaching a lovely photo of my nips.

“Just need to touch your body, don’t wanna wait.”

“Good things take time ;)”

And with that I fell asleep.

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

4 days in January: How 2018 went completely off the rails

You may have thought 2016 was as horrific and just plain bizarre as years could get. You may have considered 2017 to be the Upside Down, or perhaps the ultimate proof of the increasingly credible scientific theory that we're all living inside a holographic simulation instead of a real universe. 

If so, 2018 has three words for you: Hold my beer. 

Mere days into January, the news is providing a queasy sense of unreality like never before. If your head is hurting trying to process every baffling thing in a four-day year that appears to have lost the plot far faster than its predecessors, rest assured you're not alone. 

SEE ALSO: The 14 most mind-blowing items from Michael Wolff's tell-all Trump book excerpt

Let's recap. 

On Tuesday, the president of the United States made what appeared to be a penis measurement comparison wrapped up in what appeared to be a threat of nuclear attack directed at an unstable dictator with dozens of atomic warheads at his disposal and a variety of means to deliver them, ICBMs not required.

This statement, possibly the most reckless in the whole terrible history of nuclear weapons, was all about a button on the president's desk that doesn't actually exist, but he assured us it works. 

A man who could rain radioactive death on the entire world a thousand times over literally just told us he has a loose relationship with the reality of nuclear war, seeing buttons that don't exist. 

And this whole thing turned out to be a response to something this 71-year-old saw on his favorite cable news channel. 

This is the way the world ends: Not with a bang, with a Fox News segment. 

SEE ALSO: Is 2018 over yet?

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey stayed quiet about this insane threat delivered on his platform. But with ridiculously perfect irony, he did start 2018 by telling us how great his silent meditation retreat was. 

Just finished a 10 day silent meditation. Wow, what a reset! Fortunate & grateful I was able to take the time. Happy New Year! 😌 #Vipassana

— jack (@jack) January 1, 2018

And what of the Fourth Estate? Did the sober and sensible media sound the alarm? Call for Mike Pence and the Cabinet to activate the 25th Amendment now and remove this clear and present danger from office, at least temporarily while his mental health is assessed by qualified professionals? Speak with one voice in a bid to prevent a supremely stupid apocalypse over a dick joke? 

Nope. Over on journalism Twitter that evening, many folks were distracted by Trump's next-most unhinged tweet of the night, announcing that he would present "THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR."

It is of course the president himself, who is currently averaging between five and six verified lies every single day of his administration, who should sweep any such awards. But you'd be surprised how little that was raised: the president's lies have become the new normal, no matter how much we tell ourselves not to normalize them. 

More often, reporters — not just late-night comedians — would air a variation on a narcissistic sentiment worthy of Trump: I hope he picks me, that means I'm doing something right. 

And thus did Trump control another news cycle without really trying, lobbing ever crazier crazy bombs left and right, infecting millions with his madness. 

And yes, effectively distracting us — this time from a damning article in the New York Times which effectively accused the president of being a serial money launderer for Russian criminals. 

The kind of article that, in times of old, would have created a three-week news cycle in itself. 

“We told Congress: from Manhattan to Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., from Toronto to Panama, we found widespread evidence that Trump & his org worked with a wide array of dubious Russians in arrangements that often raised questions about money laundering.” This is the whole ballgame.

— Chris Taylor (@FutureBoy) January 3, 2018

What was weirder: the next morning, we'd almost entirely forgotten about the president's insane nuke threat. Because a whole new soap opera quickly came along to take its place. 

That would be Fire and Fury, the new tell-all book on Trump from New York media columnist Michael Wolff, who claimed to have spent months on a couch in the West Wing at Trump's behest. It portrays a campaign that didn't expect or even want to win, and an accidental administration coming apart at the seams from day one. 

And apparently Steve Bannon — then Trump's chief consigliere — had told him Donald Jr.'s infamous Trump Tower meeting with Russian officials was straight-up "treasonous."

SEE ALSO: Bannon called that Trump Jr. meeting 'treasonous' and the internet is losing it

It was another twist that would get the whole story of 2018 nixed at a Hollywood pitch meeting: the prince of darkness suddenly sees the light and, out of nowhere, starts agreeing with the Resistance? Get outta here with that Disney Channel nonsense. 

"I know it was you, Bam Bam."

Image: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

To enhance the unreality of the situation, this detail emerged not from a pre-planned (and hastily rescheduled) book extract. It came from a Guardian reporter walking into an unassuming bookstore somewhere in New England, one that happened to be carrying Fire and Fury early, just sitting there on a shelf like unexploded ordinance.   

Instead of decrying the book as fake news (which he could easily have done, given the fact that it claimed he didn't know who his golf buddy John Boehner was), Trump focused entirely on Bannon's betrayal. His statement, like 2018 in general, sounded bizarrely fictional. 

"When Steve Bannon was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind" reads, in all fairness, like a very solid opening sentence to a short story

— Mark O'Connell (@mrkocnnll) January 3, 2018

There followed a flurry of improbable legal papers. Trump, via his long-suffering lawyers, sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bannon and to the publishers in a desperate, flailing attempt to gag them. It was like he'd never heard of the First Amendment. (To be fair, even Fire and Fury said he had: apparently the president's remedial education on the Constitution had reached all the way to the Fourth Amendment before his eyes glazed over.) 

Even that wasn't the end of the story — because Trump's underlings, past and present, were not to be outdone on the crazy catfight front. 

First came Paul Manafort. Trump's former campaign manager, currently under indictment from Robert Mueller's investigation, responded to evidence that he'd broken terms of bail by filing a lawsuit denying the Justice Department's ability to indict him in the first place. 

Then Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whose job is barely secure from his boss, decided to make it harder by pissing off all those pro-marijuana Republican libertarians — a substantial portion of Trump's remaining base. Colorado's GOP senator promised to grind DOJ business in the Senate to a halt in response. 

Talk about unforced errors. 

How insane is 2018's Washington drama? So much so that news of a security problem affecting pretty much every computer in the world — requiring entirely new chips to fix — hardly registered. 

Oh, and something called a bomb cyclone buried the entire East Coast, so there's that.

A longer lasting bomb cyclone raged in the brains of anyone trying to comprehend or keep up with the new speed of news. 

Buckle up, because 2018 is only just getting started.

WATCH: These robotic arms are actually bartenders

[thesunflowerfarm]

Haywire

If anyone from Texas ever tells you that something went “haywire” it usually means that a mechanical or electrical device has stopped working properly, or altogether. Broken machinery now leaving you a lot less comfortable than you were just a minute ago when it was only “making a funny noise." Once in awhile haywire also refers to a troubled, perhaps “misunderstood” neighbor having a really bad day, but we try not to rehash the “Padgett Prom Princess Pummels Presbyterians” headlines from a couple years ago. Automobiles, household appliances, children’s toys... they all go haywire at some point, which means you either get a new one, get the old one fixed, fix it yourself, or do without. We do a lot of “fix it yourself” around my off-grid house in the country. Sounds noble, I know, but really it’s because I’m a cheapskate. Money is meant to be used for purchasing only things you enjoy, such as more chickens, more fertile chicken eggs, a new incubator, more housing for chickens, and a few more pullets should do it. I couldn’t fix the incubator. Cheap Chinese crap. Oddly enough, “haywire” likewise refers to a universal replacement part you’ll need to fix the confounded machine hellbent on making your life suck. To fix the busted machinery, gather up some duct tape, a screw gun and a handful of metal roofing screws, and plenty of haywire (hay baling wire). These four items will allow you to mend just about anything you can manage to break or let wear out, if your Mechanical Creativity Quotient (MCQ) is up to snuff. The McGyver character MCQ was genius level. (Play along, please, it’s a thing I’m trying to start.) Hay bailing wire, made from a metal alloy and extruded into lengths of hundreds of feet, is wrapped and tied tightly around large bales of hay in many shapes and sizes. A bale can hold together for years. Baling wire can also be used to temporarily piece broken machinery parts back together in almost every application, especially situations where you’re stranded 65 miles from town, or your means of cooling off the house in the middle of a scorching Texas summer grinds to a loud, screeching halt. If Necessity is the Mother of Invention, hay baling wire is her apron strings, tied tightly to all things in need of fixin’. Here’s a recent example of how my philosophy of “fix it yourself” kept me out of hot water, at least temporarily. "The swamp cooler went haywire last night so I had to fix it in the dark. Better give it a look-see before we take off," I remembered as Joe Don and I were headed for town early one Monday morning. I hate it when that happens,” quipped my running buddy Joe Don, a man of few words but my longtime friend nonetheless. “The bottom pan finally rusted out and that bracket holding the pulley broke loose.” “Did it wake y’all up?” “I’ll say. Man, it sound like a alley cat three-way at first, making a high-pitched, squealingest racket you ever heard. Couple minutes later the belt jumped off and shut her down.” “Hot last night.” “Hotter’n two rats fucking in a wool sock. Weren’t no two ways about it, I had to get up and fix the damn thing.” “That new girlfriend of yours looking at you funny?” “Didn’t take long, did it? Anyway, I found one of those tin foil turkey roasting pans leftover from the chili cook-off up in the pantry, kinda flattened it out and covered up the rusted out part on the bottom of the swamp cooler. Sealed her up with some duct tape, silicone, and a few roofing screws, then I tied the bracket and pulley back in place with that haywire, put the belt back on, and voila, cool breezes.” “Reckon she’ll hold up?” “Don’t see why not. If it was gonna give up the ghost for good, you’d think it would’a happened in the first 100 years.” “Don’t make ‘em like they use to.” “Good thing we’re still making hay.” “Otherwise wouldn’t be no haywire.” “And I’d be hot as a road lizard.” “And looking for a new girlfriend.”

Fix it yourself. A good policy to keep if you’re living on the farm, off-grid, way out in the country, or downtown New York City for that matter. Everything goes haywire at some point.

[ds4design]

A Solo Traveler’s Guide on How to Meet People While Traveling

Photo by Oskar Krawczyk via Unsplash.

Traveling alone has its perks: You get to do what you want, when you want, discover new and honest things about the world and yourself, and enjoy an uplifting, mindful traveling experience without someone else’s influences. But after a while, talking to yourself and eating another meal without being able to share funny thoughts and observations about the day with an another human get... awfully lonesome.

This post originally appeared on FY!S.

In late 2015, I embarked on a solo trip to Asia that lasted nine months. At first, the idea of going at it alone filled me with excitement and trepidation. No one could deny me from catching Pokémon at parks, seeing how many plates of kaiten sushi I can put away by myself, and going on day excursions on a whim. On the flip side, solo travel has its limitations. I couldn’t exactly eat what I wanted because the portions were too big, or I was too self-conscious about wandering into a family restaurant by myself. Or, I couldn’t go to certain places because I didn’t feel safe. It didn’t take long before I realized that many of my experiences while traveling, while fun solo, could be way more gratifying when they could be shared with a companion or two.

To combat the loneliness of solo travel, I simply started putting myself in (safe) situations that let me meet people while traveling. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with many, many friends–old and new–all over the world by using a variety of resources. Some I knew beforehand, but many more I met while I was on the road. I still talk to a lot of them on the reg. Here’s what I know.

To Meet People, You Need to Get Over Talking to Strangers

Before we get to the actual tactics of how to meet people while traveling, I recognize that your comfort level with talking to complete strangers is probably different from mine. Many of the things I’m about to discuss wouldn’t fly so easily if you’re shy, and that’s fine. Shyness is not a bad thing, but wanting to meet people while traveling is actually the perfect opportunity for you to build the courage to speak to more and more strangers.

My friends and I at Mt. Baldy in Southern California.

It’s scary, but take solace in the fact that if you go out on a limb and fall flat on your face, no one knew or cared about you to begin with, so what do you really have to lose?

If anything, you’d gain a little spunk. It’s easy to imagine all the ways that you’ll get burned, but if you reach out as a traveler, most people—locals or fellow travelers—reach right back as long as you’re genuine and transparent. And if they don’t, it’s not you who sucks anyway. Still, talking to strangers is one thing, but be okay with the fact that not every person you meet is going to be your Best Facebook Friend Forever.

You will be forced to talk to a lot of strangers. But the worst that can happen is you get ignored or encounter some rudeness, but that’s everyone, anywhere, and honestly, the person isn’t going to remember you in a couple of hours.

Five Ways to Make Conversations Easier

When it comes down to it, starting any conversation that doesn’t begin and die with “Wow, some weather today, huh?” is a skill. You wouldn’t know it when you meet me, but I am a pretty big introvert. I’ve bumbled through awkward encounters. I’ve often struggled to initiate or restart conversations. But I got better at it. I also made it a rule to have conversations that didn’t center around, “So what do you do?” as an extra challenge and also because I despised the question. In the end, I came up with a few things that you could do to let conversations flow more easily.

1. Actually Be a Tourist

There’s no shame in being a tourist. Embrace your rose-colored lenses and sense of uncertainty and wide-eyed wonder (but skip the douchey behavior, obviously)! Along the same vein, Nomadic Matt points out that you should try joining local tours and groups. “For example, take a small group tour from a local. While on the tour, ask all of the questions you want about local life and what it’s like to grow up in that region (without being annoying).”

People treat tourists differently, in a good way but also sometimes in a bad way. I’ve found that people are usually willing to answer questions if you seem lost and appear non-threatening. Henrik Jeppesen, one of few amazing travelers who’s visited every country in the world, told me that he’d go up to strangers with: “‘Hi, can you recommend anything to see or do here?’ Not only have I met great people this way, but have also been offered a place to stay on nights where I had nowhere to go.”

On the flip side, be wary of people who approach you aggressively and seem too Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood friendly. You never know, they really could be that nice, but I’d probably bail to be on the safer side.

There’s no use pretending you’re not a tourist or newbie. Be curious and ask questions as a way to spur easy conversation.

2. Offer to Take a Picture

If you want to meet other travelers, you can park your butt at a popular tourist spot. You can rest easy knowing that 75 percent of the people there are fellow travelers, 20 percent are locals trying to sell or peddle something, and 5 percent might be thieves or people that are up to no good. That wasn’t a very scientific breakdown, but you get the gist.

Oftentimes you’ll spot a solo traveler like yourself trying to take a selfie. If you’re up for it, offer to help the person take a picture. From there, you can ask if they’re also traveling alone and if they’d be okay with you buddying up for a couple hours or a day. This has worked really well for me.

3. Make Your Interests Known

On my travel backpack sit a PaRappa the Rapper, a Gudetama keychain, and anime stuff that I swap out every so often. They’re easy to spot and broadcast my interest in cute, geeky things. I did this intentionally for people who recognized these characters. I mean, anyone who’s played PaRappa or adores the silliness of Gudetama can’t be all bad. There were a surprising number of occasions, in fact, where people weren’t shy about coming up to me to point out my good tastes. More importantly, they did the hard part of approaching me, so at this point, we had something to talk about.

It doesn’t have to be keychains. Maybe it’s a book you’re reading, a notebook you like to scribble or doodle in, or a sticker on a water bottle. Some of your belongings can be so bizarre that they will spark someone’s interest, so having these things visible often make a great ice breaker.

On the other hand, you can be the one to point out what you like. People like compliments if you make it about them. Don’t just say, “I like your shoes.” You can say something like, “Your shoes look great on you. Where did you buy them?” And that opens up the opportunity to say something about how you’re not from around the area and could use some advice and yadda yadda.

As a traveler, you more than likely have things that can be great conversation starters. Keep them visible when you want to attract attention, but of course, be smart about where you do this.

4. Make a “Wrong” Assumption

Not too long ago, I sat at a coffee shop in London and noticed this dude next to me typing away on his new Macbook with TouchBar. I said jokingly, “You must have a ton of dongles in your bag.” (Hey, it was a reach.) He immediately pointed out that he didn’t, but opined that it was a frustrating design flaw and warned me to wait for the next iteration. This led us to talking about Apple, technology, and the best fish ‘n’ chips in London (it’s Bailey’s).

Okay, so I went out on a limb and I had to have been somewhat observant and updated on technology, but the point is, people normally don’t like to tell you squat if it feels like you’re interrogating them. They do, however, love to correct you when you’re wrong (don’t we all?). I learned this from speaking coach Sharí Alexander.

So if you want to talk to someone or continue a conversation but you’re not sure what to say, try making a simple, innocent assumption, as long as it’s not deeply personal. Don’t worry if you’re wrong because if you are, they’ll gladly correct you and reveal more information about them, which leads to more things to talk about.

Next time try making an innocent assumption (e.g., “This place is the hands-down the best ramen in the city.”). If you’re wrong, you still start a good conversation.

5. Have Little “Gifts” to Give

Wherever you go, you’ll find cheap trinkets and doodads at souvenir shops. I always make sure to pick up a couple of interesting ones that aren’t lame magnets, keychains, or anything heavy. For example, in Japan, I picked up a handful of shrine charms. If there’s nothing interesting like that, I’d settle for a bag of M&Ms or something sweet that can be shared.

These come in handy for when I meet cool people and want to help make someone’s day more awesome. As Peter Shank (whom I learned the M&M tip from via Sol Orwell) points out, M&Ms are cheap and a great way to bring a smile to someone’s face, which can make you smile. Smiles all around, folks, so everybody wins.

Small tokens and gifts tend to make interactions more pleasant.

I don’t always use these “tricks.” It’s important to let conversations unravel organically and avoid overthinking things too much. If your interaction has to fizzle out and neither of you feels like talking about the weather again, then for crying out loud, don’t force it.

Hostels Are an Easy Way to Meet Travelers, But They’re Not for Everyone

Staying at hostels is an obvious way to save on travel funds and meet other travelers. They’re fine for solo travelers…at least temporarily. I actually chose to avoid hostels myself, only choosing to stop at one or two in the last year or so. I avoid hostels for the following reasons:

People tend to be too young: I’m not a crotchety “get off my lawn” sort of person, but in my experience, the hostel crowd gets too wild for me. I’m not interested in partying it up anymore. It’s fine occasionally, but I’d much rather spend my days not hungover and useless.

Lack of privacy gets old fast: If the party crowd is your thing, there’s still the issue of privacy, of which you really have none. So take that into account.

You can’t get much work done: This is probably the biggest disadvantage for me. As a freelancing nomad, I get emails or work done at odd hours of the day sometimes, so if I had to work when coffee shops were closed it’d be really inconvenient to find a suitable place for focused work.

Hostels are fine for up to a week-long stay, but eventually, you might get tired of the lack of privacy and hanging out with other travelers. Other travelers are cool people to meet, but the real travel experiences come from meeting and befriending locals. And that’s why I much prefer to stay at Airbnbs.

Hostels are great for meeting travelers, but would be difficult if you’re a remote worker, not in the party mood, or want privacy.

Your Airbnb Host Is Your “In” to More Locals

I’ve written a huge guide on to how to use Airbnb and ensure you pick a suitable Airbnb for long-term stays anywhere in the world. It’s convenient for long-term travelers like myself, but I also make it a point to stay with a host who also lives on-site and is a local.

Most hosts are friendly toward travelers, some go above and beyond, and others still might charge you if you want them to show you around. You should note these in the description and check out the host’s personality and reviews before you book an Airbnb.

Usually, I try to bring a small gift for my host upon meeting him or her as a “thanks for having me” sort of gift (yes, even though I’m paying). I’ve found this to be extremely helpful with warming them up to me a bit more. I seem less like a weirdo traveler, and there’s a greater chance that they invite me to do things with them. I also ask plenty of questions about what they like to do and eat, so after a couple of days of knowing them, it’s easier to throw out an invitation to do or eat something they like. Eventually, this leads to meeting their friends, too. Plus, a lot of the time I get to meet the other Airbnb guests (if the host rents out multiple rooms).

I will note that not all my Airbnb host friendships have panned out the way I mentioned, but if the chemistry is right they are definitely a fantastic way to see, eat, and do local things, as well as meet other locals. Similar services like Couchsurfing and BeWelcome can also connect you with other local hosts.

I usually stay with Airbnb hosts who are locals and love to make friends with them to learn more about the city. Oftentimes, this leads to me meeting their friends and more locals.

Your Social Network Is Very Powerful, So Use It

I’m active on social media, so I usually let the Interwebs know where I am or traveling to. Before I go anywhere, I might tell Facebook where I’m headed and add, “Who’s a cool friend of yours that you think I should know?!” This results in a fair number of connections with friends of friends, who are often open to hanging out and sometimes becoming my own good friends.

Kanpai with my good friend, Justin!

Then there’s Twitter and Instagram. I’ve been lucky to have a healthy following that isn’t afraid to tweet back at me or message me on Facebook or Instagram to let me know what they think I should do or see. I appreciate these tips. There have even been instances where people reach out and ask to meet up. I’ve obliged with almost every request.

Of course, I’m always concerned the person is actually a psycho, so I make it a point to meet in public places during the daytime. So far they’ve all been wonderful people, but still gotta be smart and safe.

If you don’t have a following, that’s okay. You can use social media to follow your favorite people or search certain hashtags and reach out to other travelers. For example, on Instagram, any hashtag with the city’s name and something like #travel spits out tons of people also traveling. Comment or message them! This takes effort obviously, but remember, nothing good happens from taking no action.

Jodi Ettenberg, from food and travel site Legal Nomads, touches base with experts in her chosen field. “I find that meeting over your passion project or interest is the best way to do so,” she says. “For me, that’s food. I’ve taken to contacting fellow food-obsessed people who are locals or expats in the place I’m visiting. I ask them if they have meetups or events they can suggest for me to meet others with similar interests. While it’s also fun to meet people serendipitously, striking up a conversation at a restaurant or market, this way I get to not only make some new friends, but do so in an industry I’m passionate about.”

Use your social media to see if you can connect with friends of friends, or heck, even followers and people you admire.

Camp Out at Lounges, Bars, or Coffee Shops with Wi-Fi

All travelers have one thing in common: the need for Wi-Fi. If you head to a Starbucks, McDonald’s, a bar, or lounge that offers Wi-Fi, you’re almost certain to bump into other travelers there.

Seek Out Local Facebook Groups

I used to play a lot of ultimate Frisbee. On a whim in Tokyo one day, I decided to check on Google if there were any local Frisbee groups. There were, and they led me to a Facebook group that was active and had practice every Tuesdays and Sundays. They were about to have a pick-up game in two days. Here was my opportunity to enjoy something I loved doing anyway—in another country no less—and meet new people. I only had to make the trek to show up. I was hesitant at first because not knowing a single person was terrifying, but I’m glad I made the effort. They were very welcoming; I met new people and friends that I still talk to today.

Since this discovery, I’ve made it a point to figure out what I wanted to do at a certain destination and Google it. Be it “sumo wrestling tickets in Japan“, “learn archery lessons”, or “make panda rice balls in bento lunch boxes”, I made sure to search and then check Facebook groups for those interests within the city. More often than not, these groups have a combination of expats, fellow travelers, and English-speaking locals that you can message and meet.

Facebook groups are an awesome way to meet English-speaking locals and transplants.

Find People on a Number of “Meetup” Websites and Apps

Everyone immediately thinks of Tinder and Meetup.com, but there are actually a ton of websites that help connect you to other travelers and people who want to meet. Some are specific to countries, such as LEVART in Japan, but here are a handful that you can use anywhere:

Hacker Paradise: Hacker Paradise is a traveling community of digital nomads and other location-independent professionals. They go on multi-month trips, but you can tag along for as little as two weeks if you want to develop more professional relationships.

TravBuddy: TravBuddy combines the usefulness of TripAdvisor and Yelp, but is also a platform that lets you meet other travelers.

ePenPal: This app connects you with locals from all over the world and the best part is that it translates your messages for you (via Google Translate so it’s not perfect).

BonAppetour: This is like Airbnb but for dinner.

Badoo: Badoo seems to be a cross between Facebook for non-friends and a dating service. You get to meet with locals, even if you’re on a time crunch, but keep in mind that a lot of people use this to hook up. Depending on what you’re looking for, Badoo may or may not be for you.

You can also find local events on Facebook and Yelp to go to. The 21st century is amazing like that.

Above All, Keep Yourself Safe

Of course, you need to balance all of these things with safety. In particular, when you meet a stranger via any of these channels or even get into an Uber or Lyft, send a picture and profile of the person with someone you trust. If anything at all seems off about a situation or person, move on. Don’t feel bad about bailing.

As a solo female traveler, I try not to let my FOMO get the best of me if I feel really uncomfortable about a situation. Whenever I travel between places or go off on a new hike somewhere in the mountains, I tell my friends back home, my host, and whomever where I am and when I expect to be back.

It’s important to designate someone to take action after a certain number of days of not hearing from you, or you run the risk of that person “waiting and seeing.” Usually, I say something dire like, “If you don’t hear from me by this day, please call Liam Neeson and start looking for me.” I remember to check in so they don’t worry or call Liam for no reason. I wouldn’t want that happening.

It should be clear by now that you have so many tools at your disposal to meet people that the only things you really need are a desire and a moderate amount of effort. And even then, there are no guarantees, but it doesn’t hurt to try. Bottom-line, making friends and meeting different people are just like back home: you need to be proactive, keep an open mind, and emphasize safety!

The Solo Traveler’s Guide on How to Meet People While Traveling | FY!S

[financevisionary]

Bailing Out Mom and Dad: A How-To

You read that headline right.

Sometimes parents ask their adult children for money, as they deal with the economic anxiety of financial debt, a work loss or the increasing expense of retirement living. A 2015 survey by TD Ameritrade located that one in five Millennials and also Gen X'ers are supporting their parents.

And for those with elderly parents, 76% of adult kids claim they are offering them with financial aid, inning accordance with Pew Research.

Even if we're battling with our very own finances, it can feel impossible to refuse. Our moms and dads likely given up as well as offered us in many means, so, normally, we could feel required to return the favor.

That claimed, as grown-up children, the overarching standards to adhere to below typically aren't dissimilar to when you could approach your moms and dads for loan. It is necessary to reveal regard, ask inquiries and stated clear expectations, especially if you feel this might develop into a sticky - or repeat - situation.

And if loan is tight for you, don't wait to be honest about your monetary restrictions and also suggest alternatives to offering cash.

Here's a better look at ways to aid a having a hard time parent in economic need.

Offer Advocacy

More compared to money, what moms and dads sometimes require is a person to assist them locate more budget friendly options as well as maybe also act on their behalf in managing creditors and their various financial accounts.

With quick advances in monetary technology therefore much info (and also misinformation) to consume it could be rough to grasp your funds alone - whether you're attempting to find a reduced home insurance premium, re-finance your mortgage or bargain medical expenses.

If it's more loan that they absolutely require, can you ...

Help them scale down and also throw a big old yard sale or sell prized possessions they no much longer need online?

Walk them via internet sites supplying easy earnings streams via the "sharing economic situation" (e.g. leasing their devices or an additional bedroom) or aid them discover local side gigs like running tasks for neighbors?

Update their resume and resource details working with supervisors online that they can directly engage with, instead compared to thoughtlessly adding their resume

If you consider on your own a smart consumer (and I know you do) some methods to assist them lower expenditures to shore up cash money consist of:

Calling loan providers on their part to negotiate and refinance their debt.

Helping them shop about for better insurance coverage rates online.

Reviewing their monthly costs and also identifying different cash leaks they can plug. (Do they truly require cable television?)

Serving as an advocate for them - which sets you back absolutely nothing even more than time as well as thought and also benefiting from modern-day devices - might be life-altering for your parents.

Suggest Third-Party Help

If your moms and dads' financial resources are too intricate, take into consideration touching expert aid. As their advocate, suggest credit rating as well as debt therapy resources like the National Structure for Credit score Therapy or Cash Administration International if they lag on paying bills and grappling financial obligation (with just what looks like no end in view.) The first conference is free.

For help understanding clinical bills as well as challenging healthcare expenses, go to the Medical Billing Advocates of America.

Lastly, the government supplies aids and programs for those needing monetary support. At Benefits.gov, you and your moms and dads could locate and also apply for a listing of support programs connected to real estate, insurance, living aid and more.

Loop in Your Sibling(s)

If you have brother or sisters, also if they're not solvent, it is necessary to involve them in the discussion and allow them recognize that mother and father need monetary help. While siblings might not be able to offer loan, they might know of options as well as offer other significant resources such as their time. For example, they could have the ability to relocate with your moms and dads and also replacement as a home wellness aide for a time framework to remove the included expense.

If you can, as a family members unity, pool with each other money in order to help your parents, all the better and also much less difficult for you. However a severe conversation must be had, one that does not create misunderstandings between you and also your sibling or sister down the roadway. Does each brother or sister comprehend that the cash is a present (not a financing)? Is each sibling penalty with just how their parents will use their money?

Discuss With your S.O.

If married or in a serious connection, review the effects that sustaining your moms and dads may carry your finances as a couple.

How might this test your cost savings objectives now as well as in the future? Suppose your better half's moms and dads will need financial help down the roadway, too? Will there suffice money to walk around? It may be helpful to start a savings account just for the opportunity that you'll should assist a moms and dad (on either side) once more down the road.

For Repeat Requesters, Go over Permanent Solutions

If this isn't really the very first time your parents have transformed to your economic help - as well as you feel this could come to be a practice - have a conversation regarding expectations (yours and also theirs) and also instead than simply give money the next time, talk about means to finish the cycle as soon as well as for all.

Can you locate means to substantially pare down their expenses? Should they think about offering their residence as well as stay in a much more cost effective place? Would it be feasible to have them cope with you temporarily duration? If their debt is really alarming and also credit counseling hasn't quite worked, perhaps it's time to talk with a personal bankruptcy attorney.

You might additionally intend to can recognize a necessary expense that you can cost effectively take control of indefinitely for them-- like utilities or food costs-- in order to help lighten their financial lots. A buddy of mine helped her mommy pay her rent for a year until she had the ability to discover a less expensive area to cope with a roommate. In a case such as this, I recommend paying for these expenditures directly, instead of simply handing over money or a check, to make certain that requirement is definitely fulfilled. And also make certain to inspect in with your parents once a week to evaluate their capital and also make certain they're devoted to saving, too.

 Have an inquiry for Farnoosh? You could send your concerns via Twitter @Farnoosh, Facebook or email at Farnoosh@farnoosh.tv (please note 'Mint Blog site' in the subject line).