#but if she came back in September then she would have had a birthday since she came back

[theamazingannie]

If I ever meet Rick Riordan I want to ask him to make a timeline of his pjo/hoo series because I don’t think this guy know his own timeline

[gguk-n]

Chapter 1- Anonymous Conversations

Unravelling Max's Mystery (Max Verstappen x Online Friend!Reader)

Series Masterlist

Summary- Y/N formed an unexpected bond with a boy behind the screen. He doesn't have many interest it seems, except for reading her stupid poems.

{Reader's POV}

12/07/2012

Dear Diary, Stella is leaving for Canada tomorrow forever. Today was the last day of school before the summer break so I went to Stella's house after school. It's so shitty, how can she leave me like this and before the start of high school. I don't have any friends other than her, what am I supposed to do??? This isn't fair, first Faye moved back to her home country a couple years back and now Stella. It's like they don't even care about me. I made a google plus account so we can stay in touch. Actually everyone's on google plus, I'm just late to the party. I'm sure we'll still be close.

02/01/2013

OMG!! I think I'm in love. There's this new boy band, One Direction. Ava told me about them last year but I brushed her off saying they weren't my cup of tea, but OMG!!! They are fucking perfect and I love Niall so much. He's so cute and has the dreamiest eyes and his accent, I'm gonna faint. I bought the Take Me Home album yesterday!! I even put up their poster above my bed, hehe!! Sooooo, I may or may not be writing now. I think I'm gonna be an author. The stuff isn't great like Shakespeare but I'm sure I'll improve. I've written a couple poems and Aria read them and she thinks they are great. I'm gonna start uploading them on google plus. I made a separate page for it, under a pseudonym. If I really improve, maybe I can publish my work.

I was sat at my laptop, typing the latest story I came up with during lunch so I could upload it. There were a lot of people who were reading my work and even encouraged me. There is improvement, but then again, we can do better, I'm sure. My parents aren't very happy with how I'm wasting my time writing instead of focusing on my education since I'm in high school now. I finished typing the story and clicked the upload button, I got a comment on the post. It was from this guy, named Max, just Max. He always read all of my work and writes the nicest comments under them. I haven't spoken to him personally ever since my mother kept warning me about stranger danger and that it could be some 50 year old dude. But his comments are encouraging and make me want to write more. I hope he knows the kind of effect he's having on me.

My birthday is in a couple of days, I don't know what I'll do since I don't really have a lot of friends. Even Aria is away during that time, so I don't really have anyone to go out with. My parents are busy as always.

So, out of desperation or sadness, I don't know which one, I posted on google plus saying that it was my birthday. The first person who replied was Max as always. I really wanna know when this guy sleeps or how he gets any work done if he is online so much. He messaged me personally too, to wish me again and even asked what I did. I couldn't lie because my heart was heavy, so I told him. I literally just unloaded about not having any friends and spending the day alone because work was more important for my parents. He was so nice about it. He spent the next hour talking to me and cheering me up. He's apparently 15, from Netherlands. He loves cats and lives with his dad and sister. He sounds like a fun guy.

After that, both of us ended up chatting on google plus regularly. I would message him immediately after school and spend the next couple of hours talking to him. Some times, he'd be gone a couple weekends but it was no biggy. I'm sure he had other commitments instead of entertaining a dumb teenager.

Max's birthday is on 30 September. I wanted to be the first one, so I stayed up late to match the dutch timings and wished him. He replied a little while later. He wasn't very excited about it. I get it, maybe his friends aren't there or couldn't make it to his birthday. I was gonna cheer him like he cheered me up. I wish I could send him a present. He really was a light in dark time. When I had no friends in school I could rely on, he came like the knight in shining armour. I just want to be a good and reliable friend to him like he is to me. He is such a sweetheart. We've never spoken on call yet. I guess I'm still a little scared and we've only known each other for a few months. I'm gonna hold on that but Max is a genuinely nice person in my eyes. But his dad doesn't sound like the nicest person from what he says, but I can't tell him that his dad is shitty so I just read his texts.

18/12/2013

Dear Diary, Maxie is the cutest. I haven't seen or heard him yet but I feel like he is. Otherwise, why would he encourage me to follow my dreams? He was so understanding and gave great advice. You might wonder why I needed the advice, diary. I told my parents I wanna pursue a degree in literature and we had a huge fight since apparently I'm throwing my life away and I should try to get a proper degree that might get me a job. Apparently, I'm not thinking straight. I've been thinking about becoming an author for some time now, it's my one passion, I've realised. And if it means struggling, I would rather struggle and be happy than be in a dead end job. Just because they are some big shot business people doesn't mean I wanna do that do. ugh!!! I hate them. Maxie calmed me down honestly, he heard me out and told me it was okay to follow my dreams. I think he is such a good friend. I won't tell him that, he has a big ego as is. LOL!!

I've been gaining a lot of traction on my posts on google plus. I have a couple thousand followers but Max is the most active of them all. Max is so effortlessly funny. He did ask one time if we could talk on call, I told him that my microphone was broken. I'm still a little skeptical. I know, even though I'm literally sharing everything with him, I've never spoken on call or video with him. Maybe some day.

04/03/2014

Dear Diary, I got a new phone and a new number. The previous one was one of my parents multiple numbers but this one is my own. I feel like an adult, hehe!! I made a whatsapp, maybe I'll share my number with Maxie and we might start chatting on there. Google plus had become a bit of hassle and I'm not uploading on it like I used to. I usually only open it to talk to Max. I think it would be better to shift it to another service. He's been a little busy this year compared to the last, didn't tell me much but I think it has to do with him being in his final year of high school. Can't relate, but I hope I'm done with high school soon. It fucking sucks. But on the bright side, I've gotten close to Nia and Aria and I could call Aria my best friend but she considers Nia her best friend. I don't mind being her friend. I have Max anyways.

Max has been quite busy lately, but I don't blame him. I would be busy in my final year of high school too. Even with all that, he has taken time out to talk to me. I did share my number with him, so now instead of google plus, which is a barren wasteland, we text on whatsapp. I've suggested talking on call some time when he's free, which hasn't happened yet.

We had set up a time to talk, it was really early here but I didn't mind, I was up anyways. I couldn't wait to hear his voice. I was anxious as well, what if he's some pedophile; all these thoughts raced through my head when my phone rang. Max- Hi, Y/N! Y/N- Hey, Max!! How are you? Max- I'm good, what about you? Y/N- Yeah, I'm good too. haha!! This is so weird talking to you. Max- yeah, you sound pretty. Fuck was he flirting, is this flirting? A million thoughts ran through my head, no one's ever flirted with me before. I felt my cheeks heat up. Y/N- You sound nice too. I mean....you have a nice voice. Max- haha, thanks, this is the first time some one has said that. Y/N- soooo, what have you been up too?? You've been so busy lately. There was a pause on the other end. I heard shuffling. Max- yeah, I've been busy with stuff. I'll be done soon for a while now. Y/N- That's great I need my best friend back! The conversation flowed smoothly. It didn't feel like we were talking on call for the first time. I had a lot of fun talking to Max. He sounds like a teenager, much to my relief. He's just as funny on call as he is on text.

After that, we ended up calling each other regularly. Max would answer my calls whenever but sometimes I felt bad about calling him at the crack ass of dawn in Netherland so I would avoid calling him whenever. He is so kind and listens well but damn does he talk. Every one who knows me calls me talkative, if they heard Max their ears would bleed. But I like hearing him talk, he has the most random and vast knowledge, he's helped me write too many of my papers because I didn't have to research, I could just ask him; he's like a walking encyclopedia.

17/05/2015

Dear Diary, I think I'm in love. It's not some celebrity this time but I think it's Max. I don't even know that dude's last name but I'm in love. He not like the guys in school, he's so mature and funny and sweet and understanding and he supports me so much. I didn't know when or how but I think I love him. Obviously I won't tell him. It's prolly a crush since I have't dated anyone ever. I'll get over it, can't ruin my friendship over this. As is, he has gotten so busy. I think he is going to college. He didn't say it explicitly but why else would he be so busy right now if not applying for colleges. I don't know the dutch education system but I'm sure he busy pursuing higher education. He said he liked cars, I think he'll do something with cars. I didn't really ask in more details. I'm sure he'll tell me when he wants to. We have a chill friendship, we share when and what we want to. Alas, I hope this crush doesn't ruin my friendship.

09/08/2015

This is bad, my crush on Max has only gone on to increase. He's so kind to me, what am I supposed to do? Also he's the only one who can calm me down after a fight with my parents regarding my future. Sadly, he gotten so busy. He's gone for a while every few weeks. But lately he's been free. We've been talking a lot. He sounds a lot more rested lately too. I'm sure college is tough. But he's strong and I know he'll do it.

[Little did Y/N know, Max was busy racing across the world in Redbull's junior team. He was in his first year as a formula one driver, hence he was so busy. Max had no intentions of telling her, he liked being just Max, a guy from Netherlands who could talk to her. He enjoyed the disconnect he got with her]

[justagalwhowrites]

Gurll, lavender is my go-to reread everytime. Ig u are taking requests (😂🫶🏻), I would really like to see how Joel found out Doc was pregnant of Sylvie and those sweet pregnancy exchanges - like him being worried (‘cause in the original we skip the whole pregnancy). 😎

OMG Hi Bestie!!!

So you'll see some of this in Girl Dad, a canon one shot I did for Doc's birthday back in October. You see some of Doc panicking about Sylvie on her birthday because she's never made it further in a pregnancy and her birthday has just such an awful personal history for her and Joel loves her through it. We also see Joel being just a precious father to his newest baby girl.

BUT... here's some more of the pregnancy for you ❤️

Expecting

20 years after your first pregnancy, you find yourself expecting again. Things are a bit different this time. A Lavender Drabble.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader from Lavender

Warnings: Pregnancy. Smut adjacent. No use of y/n. 18+ only Minors DNI

Length: 2k

September 2, 2024

The first time you threw up, Joel was on patrol.

It's not like you'd gotten your period since the two of you had started trying but you didn't put much stock in that. You'd never been regular and you were nearing menopause now. Missing a period or two was hardly monumental.

But the nausea the morning you woke up alone was.

You rocketed to the bathroom, doubling over the toilet, everything left in you from the night before coming up.

"Shit," you whispered, wiping your mouth on the back of your hand as your stomach still churned.

You knew this feeling. It had been a long time but you knew it.

And you knew you should be happy about it. It wasn't like last time. You and Joel were together now. Not just together, you were married. Things were secure - as secure as they could be in the apocalypse, anyway - and you were trying for this.

But it was still the apocalypse.

It was no small part of you that thought this wasn't going to happen. That you were going to try and try and then menopause would kick in and you'd never have a child you made with Joel. You'd resigned yourself to that a long time ago, that you'd never be a mother to someone that grew inside of you, never raise someone that you'd brought into being through love. You had Ellie who was your child in every way that mattered and that was more than enough.

But you were pregnant. You were sure of it. And you should have been happy about that - thrilled, in fact. Part of you was. The rest of you was terrified.

What had you been thinking? Bringing a child into this destroyed world? Would Joel even still want this now that it was real and not some imagined, idealized thing on the distant horizon? How were you supposed to protect a baby from the horrors of this reality? Even here in Jackson there was fear and risk and you'd gone and done this on purpose.

You didn't tell anyone, though the nurses at the clinic could tell you were off all day. You assured them that you were fine while trying not to panic. What if Joel changed his mind? What if, when faced with the reality of it, he didn't want to bring a baby into this world?

You threw up again that afternoon, the sickening feeling hanging around after everything came back up and you tried not to cry.

Joel got home after Ellie was already in bed that night, his patrol keeping him out late. You were pacing the kitchen when you heard the front door open and close quietly, the squeak of the floorboards under his heavy boots.

"Baby?" He frowned poking his head into the kitchen. "What're you still doin' up, it's late..."

"I know," you smiled a little, looking him up and down and taking stock to make sure he was still in one piece. "I'm glad you're back."

He smiled back, coming all the way into the kitchen to take you in his arms and kiss you, gentle and deep.

"You and me both," he said. "Gettin' too old to be sleeping rough like that, feel like I did my time with that shit getting out here..."

You laughed a little and nuzzled into him, breathing in the sweaty, woodsy scent of him.

"What's wrong, baby," he whispered, his arms enveloping you totally, holding you against him. "Can tell you got somethin' on that big brain of yours."

You pulled back from him just enough to see his face, his arms still holding you loosely. His face was smeared with dirt, the grime of the trail and sweat on his skin and his eyes were soft and warm and like home.

"I'm pregnant," you said softly. Those eyes got wider. "I know we've been trying but... It's real now and..."

"You're pregnant?" He breathed, stepping back from you, his hands going to your shoulders. You nodded, tears stinging the corners of your eyes. "Oh Baby..."

He took your face in his hands and kissed you again, so hard you could taste the passion on his tongue.

"Really?" He asked, his eyes searching yours as he pulled back from you and taking your shoulders again. You just nodded again, your heart pounding. "Fuck, that's... that's amazing, we're gonna... Baby, you're pregnant!"

"Yeah," you laughed a little. "Yeah, I am... You're happy?"

"Happy?" He laughed back. "Baby, I'm... I'm so far beyond fuckin' happy that word don't even begin to cover it."

He got to his knees in front of you, his hands on your hips, sliding around to cradle the small of your back as he looked lovingly at your stomach.

"You're pregnant," he said, awed, almost to himself. He pressed a kiss to you, over your womb, before one of his hands came to hold you reverently there. "Our baby is in you, right now."

"Yeah," you smiled, voice wet. "Yeah, they are."

"That's amazing," he whispered before looking up at you. "You're amazing, you're the most amazing thing I've ever seen..."

You ran your fingers through his curls before cupping his cheek.

"Thank you," you said, your whole being feeling lighter now, knowing that he was really in this with you.

"For what?" He asked, getting to his feet and pulling you against him again. "You're the one doin' all the work."

You smiled a little.

"For wanting this with me," you said quietly. "I was afraid... I'm still afraid. But we can do this."

"We can do this," he echoed you, kissing your temple. "You, me, Ellie, this baby. We're a family. We can do this."

You put a palm over your womb again, cradling where the child you'd made with Joel was growing inside you.

He was right. You could do this.

But things were different after that.

Joel hovered. It reminded you a bit of when he first came to the QZ, back when he thought his fear was something he could push past if he just got close enough. You’d be working at the clinic, turn around to pick something up and then Joel would be there. You’d be relaxing on the couch and decide you needed a cup of water and, the second you started to move, he was up instead asking what you needed.

“I’m perfectly capable of getting my own drink, you know,” you said a two months after you’d told him you were pregnant and Joel had damn near held you down instead of letting you go to the kitchen. “Also capable of walking to the mess hall on my own, making my own lunches…”

“All the work you’re doin’ growing my baby, I should do something,” he replied, bringing you a glass of water. “Seems like this is the least of it.”

You might have believed him if it wasn’t for the other things, too.

You’d become insatiable during pregnancy, all but demanding sex at least once if not twice a day. You couldn’t get enough of Joel but he seemed to be able to get enough of you.

It was close to Christmas when you finally brought it up, Joel’s hands more gently roaming over your skin rather than with any desire or need.

“We don’t have to do this if you’re not interested, you know,” you said, hoping you didn’t sound too desperate.

Joel frowned, looking over your face for a moment.

“What?” He sounded completely puzzled. “Why would I not be interested?”

“I know I look different now,” you ran a hand over your growing bump and took a deep breath. “It’s OK if you’re not as attracted to me at the moment…”

“In what fuckin’ universe am I not attracted to you?” He asked, his eyebrows knitting together. “Baby, if I could spend the rest of my damn life inside you, I’d be a happy man.”

Your confusion must have shown because he brushed your hair back before adjusting your face to look at him.

“What’s goin’ on,” he asked gently. “Why are you saying this stuff.”

“You don’t touch me like you used to,” you said quietly, hoping you didn’t sound too wounded by it. “And it’s OK if you don’t want me like that right now, I don’t want you to do anything you don’t really want and…”

“Baby,” he cut you off. “I’m gonna stop you right there. I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted you more than I do right now. Not when I first met you and you were some hot young thing, not when you first got off the plane to come visit, not when I first saw you again in the QZ. Seeing you grow our baby is the most beautiful, most sexy thing in the damn world, don’t go thinking otherwise.”

“Oh,” you frowned. “Then… I don’t understand. What’s going on?”

“I just…” he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before looking at you again, a pained look on his face. “I’m scared, baby. I’m scared in a way I ain’t been since we came to Jackson.”

“Joel,” you whispered, running your fingers through his hair. “We’re OK here, we’re safe here…”

“I know,” he said. “You’re safe from infected and you’re safe from raiders but… baby, what if you get hurt? You’re the doctor here, what if something happens to you or the baby? What if there isn’t someone who knows how to save you? What if I do somethin’ to you on accident, what if I’m too rough because I’m caught up in touching you the way I want? I can’t risk that, baby, I can’t.”

“Oh Joel,” you breathed, pressing yourself closer. “You’re not going to hurt us. I promise, you’ve never been too rough with me. If something doesn’t feel right I’ll tell you but it’s OK. We’re safe. You’re safe.” You guided his hand to your breast, his large palm curving around the soft flesh. “And I want you to touch me, really touch me. Please.”

He was cautious at first, hesitant. Now that you knew he was afraid, it was easier to see it on his face and feel it in his touch. But you guided him through it, holding his hand, reassuring him, until he was lost in you and things felt right for the first time in months.

You learned how to head things off after that. When he would appear in the clinic, you would give him a kiss and tell him how you were feeling. If the baby was moving, you’d guide his hand to your stomach to let him feel them alive inside you. When you needed something at home and could see that he was restless and distracted by worry, you’d ask him for help. You started meeting him at the gates after patrol so he could see you and touch you as soon as he was back, feeling how he relaxed when his hands were on you.

When you went into labor, though, you were worried. You knew he was afraid but then, so were you. You were afraid not just of what could happen, of how it would hurt under the best of circumstances, but of how to help Joel through it, too.

But he sensed what you were doing right away, so in tune with you now. He climbed into the bed behind you, pulling you back so your head was resting on his chest.

“Don’t you dare worry about me,” he said, kissing the crown of your head. “I’ve got you, baby. Got both of you.”

You smiled a little as the contraction eased and he held you a little tighter.

“I know you do,” you relaxed into the firm, strong body of your husband. “I know.”

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

miss raven sharing her bday w leona will never not be funny to me 😭😭😭😭 and due to recent developments (???), it's even more hilarious...

[Referencing this post!]

I REALLY PLAYED MYSELF, DIDN’T I🧍‍♂️

If you can believe it, there’s actually (both irl and in-universe) reasoning behind Miss Raven and Leona sharing a birthday. The first ever Miss Raven introduction/lore drop I made on this blog was posted on July 27th back in 2020, so I personally consider that date her birthday. At the time, we didn’t have birthday cards yet (the first was Jamil’s Birthday Boy in September 2020) so I was not paying attention to the date and whether or not it was a character’s birthday. I would only learn afterwards that July 27th is… Leona’s… birthday… OTL

But!! I looked on the bright side. I reasoned to myself that even if I didn’t like his character back then that this actually worked out for Miss Raven’s lore. There are 22 characters in the main cast, meaning most months of the year have 2 birthdays. The only exceptions are Sebek (March) and Leona (July). Since Twst JP launched in March 2020, the month had already passed (and it took me some time to develop my OC). Plus, March has another huge holiday: the founding of NRC (Twst launch day). That leaves only Leona with a month where there’s technically “one” relevant holiday and fit into the time frame.

cbjsvsjwjwown Anyway, the in-universe reason I came up with for why Miss Raven shares a birthday with Leona is because…! In the very beginning, she’s not confident and thinks of herself as just a side character in the story, there only to prop up and support the main characters (ie the NRC cast), which includes Leona. In coincidentally sharing the same birthday as him, she feels as though she’s less important and has to step down to allow Leona the spotlight. Later on, when she has a better grasp on her sense of self, Miss Raven is able to celebrate without remorse or guilt. It’s part of her character arc ^^

… You can’t see it, but I’m laughing and crying at the same time over this coincidence 💀 IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE (dare I say it) FATE…

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Aita for not getting my roommate a birthday gift and insulting them when they got mad about it?

I don’t really think I’m the asshole (or at least the only asshole) but it’s become such a Situation I need some outside input.

So I and my roommate Ollie (both 18, gender irrelevant) have been living together in a college dorm for a couple months now. We aren’t friends, but we’re friendly. We talk a little in passing but nothing more. We get along for the most part, but my main issue is that Ollie has so much stuff.

I’ve lived with it for months but it’s always a mild annoyance. There’s stuff on our bathroom counter, the kitchen counter, always dishes in the sink and their desk is always a mess. We have separate sides of the room and separate spaces for our food and dishes in the sink and for our shower stuff and bathroom stuff but it still drives me crazy because there’s always clutter around. I haven’t talked to them about it because I don’t want them to get mad at me for trying to micromanage them—I don’t know if they would’ve but now they definitely would.

Also, I think we have a pretty big gap in how much money we have. We both have a meal plan so we can eat at the cafeteria on campus but their part of the fridge is always overflowing. They have a ton of expensive and what look like kinda redundant products, like five bottles of perfume on their desk, and I even saw cotton candy grapes in the fridge?? I haven’t been to the store in a while but I don’t think those are cheap. There’s also a ton of Starbucks and takeout food in the trash too. I on the other hand have to save the money I have (a couple hundred) to put towards a summer class. Even if I wanted to get them a birthday gift, I think it would come down to that or, like, gas money to go home for a weekend

Ollie’s birthday was a little over a week ago. They spent the day out with their friends from what I could tell off social media and when they came back they had a few grocery bags and an Amazon box or two, and once they set them down they asked me what I’d gotten for them.

I asked what they were talking about, and they said for their birthday. I told them I didn’t get them anything and then they started mumbling about fake friends and how they were nothing but nice to me and I couldn’t even give them anything in return. I’m not great on social cues so they might have been joking or sarcastic here but I told them they were crazy if they thought I was gonna add to any of their piles of useless stuff around here and called them a hoarder (that may be too harsh but I mean, I saw a Wendy’s receipt from October on their desk last week. It’s February.) They got really pissed and started swearing at me and I forget most of what was said after that but it escalated, we ended up screaming, they left for the night, it was bad.

Since then their friend from high school, we’ll call her Ruby (21F I think) has been blowing up my phone. Telling me I have no right to talk to Ollie like that, that I’m a shitty friend and she ought to just block me (we aren’t friends so idk where this one came from), and told me that apparently Ollie’s mom was some kind of a reclusive hoarder and Ollie has been crying and worrying about becoming like her. I honestly don’t believe this last one because I met their mom when we moved in last September and she seemed like a completely nice person.

Ollie hasn’t been back here. I think they got their essentials while I was in class and is staying with Ruby now, she lives in a building just off campus. I reached out to make sure they were okay and, you know, alive, and they just said “don’t fucking text me I’m fine don’t worry about it.” I have pretty bad anxiety, it’s been six days and it’s still almost all I can think about. I feel like I should apologize but I’m honestly not sure if I’m in the wrong or not. So, aita?

What are these acronyms?

[suraemoon]

I don't know if your taking request but your fics are amazing, and i just wanna cry reading each one -> there so beautiful. I was wondering if I could request a john egan x reader, where the reader is upset one day, and john finds her crying, and the whole thing is just fluffy and adorable. Thank youu!!!!🩷🩷🩷🩷

Baby Blues

John Egan x Reader

💙: It is John Egan’s birthday but that doesn’t stop him from dedicating the time to help his wife love herself again. For she’s the greatest gift he’ll ever have.

🌌 Warnings: Postpartum Depression, Body Dysmorphic Behavior, Self-Criticism, Body Insecurity, Talks about not eating, Anxiety

————————————————————————

You didn’t even bother to open the curtains this morning but pesky light still managed to slip through soft fabric and fill the cold bedroom despite all of your best efforts. A sun filled-life felt like an overcast of dark clouds that a wind of self consciousness called your way.

On a typical day, it was customary for a housewife to open the windows and air out the room after a long night. You learned that from the “The Housewife Guide” book your Aunt Nellie gifted you at your bridal shower. That same book is now well loved, repeatedly red, and sat on the shelf above your dresser. The aproned and pin curled housewife is taking dinner out of the oven with one hand while holding a baby in the other.

Maybe she was Rosie the Riveter’s long lost cousin.

The mother of domesticity.

Here to remind young women that war was indeed over and the role of a strong woman was no longer needed once the boys were home.

The factories might’ve laid them off but the marital bed will always welcome them back home with open doors and soft, feathery pillows.

The to-do book had a step by step morning routine and airing out the rooms of the house was written first on the list of tasks. While you’re at it, maybe wave at your next door neighbor who was doing the same exact thing. Some days you two had matching colored aprons and sleepy babies clutching to the fabric of your dresses prompting a sweet laugh that only a woman would understand.

But today, the less people who saw you, the better. The idea of fresh air did not sound the least bit freeing but suffocating instead. It will remind you of the tightness in your lungs as you suck in your stomach. New air is right there, but no you cannot have it. You won’t allow yourself to let it in.

September 8th.

It is none other than your husband’s birthday.

Reflecting on this year of his life, there was one extra special thing that this trip around the sun entailed for the pair of you. This was also the year that you and Bucky became parents. He had been by your side through it all; showering you and your newborn baby girl with everlasting love, ample care, and unfading attention that never lost it’s sense of vitality. These heartfelt behaviors came so easily to Bucky for his soul was a complex haven holding unfaltering flame. All of these factors only added to the heavy pressure of making today perfect for a man who has made your life better in countless ways.

Ever since you gave birth to your daughter, there had been an underlying sadness, an incomprehensible emotion that served a constant source of guilt and confusion for you. Your little girl was the best thing that ever happened to you, how could you feel raindrops when the sun was shining brighter than it ever had before?

Spontaneously feeling the urge to sob during her nap time

Crippling anxiety when the pressures of being a new mom in the midst of baby boom starts to catch up and suffocate you

Total neglect of your personal needs in fear of feeling vain

Every family member gravitating towards your baby without even having the decency of offering you a simple hello.

You simply were not yourself.

Earlier in the week, you had planned a birthday lunch for Bucky at the local diner. Your mama was coming over to take care of the baby, you and your husband would be alone all day, everything was supposed to be perfect. But standing in front of the mirror in your bedroom, wearing the new dress that was supposed to make you resemble an absolute dream was shaping up to be your absolute nightmare. It seems that your eyes have a lens of self-criticism that made everything worse.

It is a blue wrap around dress with a white floral design, a style that had grown very popular in the war due to the convenience of not requiring a lot of material to make. You had gotten this dress over a year ago and it simply did not look the same on your body as when you first tried it on.

Tears start to run down your cheeks upon looking at yourself in the mirror and taking in the reflection that you’re met with. The shape of your body simply isn’t what it used to be pre-pregnancy. This is something that you have noticed before and have tried to suppress, but it being Bucky’s birthday brought out every fear and insecurity about your body.

The pouch in your lower stomach area made you want to give up eating for a week. Sucking it in worked for a little while but was an impossible to uphold.

Is this cut shorter than the other dresses? Since when were your thighs so plushy? The sensation of your thighs touching gave you some sort of horrible reaction like you were allergic to your own skin.

Immediately, you start taking it off. The only thing that kept you from ripping the dress into pieces was the material perceiving instincts that you had developed during the war. When the dress drops to the floor, the lens of insecurity do not leave with it.

You’re met with the unforgiving reflection of your lingerie. A satin white one piece set, the same one you wore for your wedding night. You chose it for today to bring back sexy, sentimental memories from the first moon you and Bucky spent as husband and wife. When it was slipped on earlier it did not evoke any strong negative emotions, you actually loved the way it differed from the nearly tired Aprons and pastel peter pan colored dresses you usually wore. But now, staring and picking apart every little detail of your body, you can’t help but hate the way it looks. When you slipped it on last year on the morning of your nuptials, you were in the best shape you’d ever been in. Your bridesmaids recommended a pre-wedding diet that went beautifully and you had received a home workout book from your mother. But fast forward to today: it was too tight in some places, milk filled breasts spilled out of the cups, your arms have more fat on them than they did before.

Believe it or not, it was the lingerie that broke you. A piece of delicate fabric made to repsrent femininity and confidence, wearing you down until you were a ball of tears on your bedroom floor. You precede to slide your body backwards until your back could feel the wall and the coldness of the hardwood began to irritate the back of your thighs. The nearest shoe becomes a weapon as you hurl it at the unforgiving glass, flinching at the loud bang it made on impact, like the mirror was your body and your heaving figure was the destructive mindset trying to abuse it.

Suddenly, there is a knock on the door and immediately you knew who it is. It is a warm knock. One full of certainty. Followed by a sing-song whistle.

“Honey?”

Oh no. He had left you in here to change and time had flown by quicker than you realized. He can’t see you crying, it’ll ruin the happy mood. He also can’t see you in the lingerie, your figure has never looked worse.

Your head drops on top of your knees as you wrap your arms around your legs. As if wanting to hide. As if scared of a man who has never once put an ounce of fear into your mind.

“Yes?” Your voices comes out more fragile and broken then you intend, making your whole body shiver in cringe.

“Are you okay in there? You said you wanted to get going by noon. Just making sure you’re still alive.” His knuckles make smaller knocks on the door, as if imitating a song.

“Um…” Your eyes begin to dart to the clothes hanging out of the wardrobe, the shoe sitting ashamedly next to the mirror, your dress still sitting in apollo of itself on the floor. “I need a few more minutes.”

“Alright, baby. Take your time. There’s no rush.” You can hear the pressure of his 6’2 body leaning against the door.

A few minutes pass by like a strike of lightning and you can’t stop the tears from rushing down your face.

Go fix your drawers and find another dress.

It’s not a big deal.

But you can’t. Your body is too weak to stand up.

Reality crashes down when the doorknob is heard twisting, the door is open but only open a centimeter. “Honey…I’m coming in.” He says that but he still waits.

“Bucky, two more minutes.. please.”

“I hear you crying in there. You don’t have to be alone. Let me help you.”

“Bucky-”

“Please. There's nothing else I wanna do but be there for you. Hearing you cry behind the door is torture. I can’t stand here and listen anymore.”

“Alright…”

The tall, commanding figure that is your husband enters the room gently and lightly as if everything is made of porcelain and he’s scared of his footsteps being too harsh or accidentally bumping into something that’d make everything go south.

In the center of the room, he sees the most fragile thing he’s ever laid his eyes on. It’s you, hands around your knees on the floor, sobbing in a set of lingerie. It was the oddest oxymoron.

“Baby…What happened? Is something wrong?”

There is a desperate but futile attempt to catch a tear threatening to run down your cheek. “I’m sorry, Bucky. I’m ruining your birthday. Making it all about me.”

“No you aren’t. Don’t say that. I just wanna make sure you’re alright is all.” Bucky makes sure that his steps are light as he walks across the room, he can sense obstacles but cannot see them. His biggest fear is making things even worse. Bucky’s heart yearned to be useful and he knew that. You both knew that.

His blue eyes would have took in the mess of a bedroom, one that resembled a retail store during the holidays, but instead fixated on only you.

His wife. The one who was always full of life, exuding kindness. The one made sure the whole house did not go to ruin with her careful routines. The one who ran her fingers through his hair when the nightmares became too much. She was a puddle of emotion on the floor and he was desperate to help her.

He sits down next to you. Your bodies are close but in fear of overwhelming you–in fear of breaking you–the only physical contact is his firm hand rubbing your back in a circular motion.

“Nothin’ looks good on me. I’m ugly, Bucky. I gave birth and nothing’s been the same. My midsection still looks pregnant. My skin breaks out. I ain’t got no waist. My arms are fat. It’s.,.it’s a disaster. A shitty disaster. It’s shitty. It’s…fuck!” Something about cursing felt so liberating in that moment. It’s a common habit you usually did not allow yourself to partake in. It was something that was a cause of many timeouts in your household growing up. But life did not want to cooperate to its own rules, so why should you?

He reprimands you, not for using the word shitty, not even for using the word fuck, but for using the word ugly. “I don’t want to hear that U-word coming out of your mouth again when talking about yourself. You ain’t ugly. There’s nothing ugly about you.”

There’s a whine of desperation to get a glimmer of understanding in his brain, “I don’t look like the girl you married. I feel like a total wreck.”

Bucky proceeds to take your left hand in his, running his fingers soothingly over your knuckles. When met with a wedding ring, disrupting the procession of soft skin, he stares at the gold fondly while processing your words. “And what did the girl I married look like? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure I’m looking at her right now. I see her every day, I make love to her at night, I can’t help but smile like an idiot when I see her wearing the ring I gave her…It’s you, baby.”

“You know what I mean! I don’t even recognize myself. I was never insecure, Bucky. This isn’t me. I look in the mirror and I don’t even recognize my own reflection. I’ve never felt so awful.”

Bucky sighs and then licks his plush lips before meeting your eyes again. “I wish you could see what I see. It’s the opposite of what you’re saying. You aren’t ugly or a wreck or whatever mean word you wanna say about yourself. God, you’re gorgeous. You’re stunning even when you’re crying your little eyes out.”

He is met with only a sigh and then one of the deepest hugs he’s ever experienced. It’s as if you were holding on to him for dear life. As if the world was a vast ocean and you were so afraid of losing yourself that you clung onto the only buoy that could bring you back to shore. Then there is a few minutes of silence, taking the time to hold one another. The only sounds are your little sniffles and Bucky’s warm breathing.

After the hug shifts from intensity to pure comfort, Bucky kisses the top of your head as you lean your head on his shoulder, your wet cheek dampening his shirt.

Your small voices breaks the silence as you whisper to him defeatedly, “I got a new dress..was sposed’ to wear it for your birthday.”

He raises an eyebrow not only from your words coming unexpectedly but also his natural sense of curiosity, “And what’s stopping ya?”

“It don’t look good.”

“Bullshit.”

“It doesn’t, Bucky! I think I’d know.”

“Go put it on and let’s see. I’ll be the judge and you be the model. Sounds like a good arrangement.” He gestures around the room to random articles of clothes misplaced everywhere, assuming that the dress in question is among the crowd.

“No, I gotta pick something else. I was trying to but everything I own is maternity clothes. I could probably pass for pregnant.” You laugh dryly but can immediately recognize that Bucky did not find it the least bit funny.

He sighs and you sit there for a while, when he speaks up it's in a low grumble, “Are you done being mean to yourself?”

“What?”

He sighs at your failure to comprehend his point but tries again, “I said, are you done being mean to yourself? Then we can get started on finding a solution, honey. There’s always a solution.”

“I already tried a diet.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He sits through for a moment in deep thought, you think about smoothing the crease between his eyebrows but you know your hand would be too shaky. He gets up from his spot next to you and starts to walk towards the mirror.

“Where are you going?”

He does a quick pose in the mirror in attempt to make you laugh and then waves you over with a chuckle, “C'mere baby. Wanna show you something. The mirror ain’t gonna bite.”

You scoot towards the front of the mirror and upon the realization that you would not be getting up onto your feet, Bucky sits down next to you.

Seeing your reflection in the mirror brings you back to reality for a moment. All of that sobbing without the realization of what the man comforting you might be seeing. A blush tinted your tear stained cheeks as you try to wipe away ruined mascara.

When you manage to get a considerable amount of black makeup from beneath your under eye, you look right at Bucky. His facial expression is nothing short of gorgeous as he stares into the mirror wistfully, lost in thought and admiration. But he isn’t looking at himself, when you follow his line of sight, he is looking right at you. “Can I tell you what I see for a second?”

“If you want to.”

He takes a deep breath, “God I’m bad at words but I’ll try. First of all, you’ve got the most stunning pair of eyes that I’ve ever looked into. Truthfully. Your eye contact could make a man swoon. I know from experience that it does. I remember when I first met you, I couldn’t tell my left from my right. I even forgot my own goddamn name for Christ’s sake. They’ve got so much warmth and sparkle. The way they light up when you're excited. Or the way you squint when I make ya laugh.”

Your cheeks turn a deeper shade of pink and you cannot help but smile at this sudden confession, immediately getting the urge to show your gratitude. “Bucky, I-”

“You’ve got the softest hair too. How do you get it so soft? They’ve gotta give you your own hair products or somethin’ so your pretty face can be on the covers of those magazines.”

“Bucky, it’s your birthday. I should be the one saying nice things about you, not the other way around.”

“Shhh.. I’m on a roll and you’re gonna mess me up. If I start stuttering, it’s your fault. You get me flustered. One flutter of those lashes and my train of thought falls off a cliff.”

“I’m the one that’s flustered. You’re so sweet and your words are so kind but…you really don’t have to compliment me just because I was crying.”

He kisses your cheek and whispers his words against your soft skin. “I’m not saying these things because you are crying, I’m saying them because I love you. I absolutely adore you and everything about you. There’s not a conceited bone in your body but, Jesus Christ, you deserve to feel good about yourself.”

“I don’t know what to say except that I’ll let you continue. I’m not gonna cut you off.”

“You don’t gotta say anything. Just listen, baby. Now let’s see…” Bucky’s hand starts to trial down your thigh, his lightly calloused palm being the perfect contrast from your smooth skin. “Your legs give every starlet on Sunset Boulevard a run for their money. So perfect and smooth. If I could spend every second of the day kissin’ em, I would. Hopefully, that’s in the cards for tonight. That’d make today an even better birthday in my humble opinion.”

You couldn’t help but comment despite your prior statement. “But my thighs-”

“-are absolutely incredible. You think I’m mad because you’ve got a little more thigh? The more, the merrier. Your thighs are absolutely delicious.”

His eyes trail down to your chest, taking it all in. “Is it too crude to talk about breasts in a motivational speech?”

You giggle in response to the question, “It might be.”

He shrugs nonchalantly, his eyes thoroughly entranced with the shape of your body as if mentally undressing you. “Oh well, I don’t care You’ve got the most perfect set of knockers to ever grace the earth. I know it’s impolite to stare but you’re my wife now, so I can admit that I proudly stare. I stare like an idiot to be exact.”

“You’re the only one I want staring at ‘em so that’s good. They’re all yours.” You can’t help but chuckle since your chest has always been something that keeps Bucky enthralled. He most definitely stared proudly and unapologetically even before the wedding ring got placed on your finger.

“If you thought breasts were too dirty for conversation, I’ll refrain from talking about pussy. Fits me like a fuckin’ glove. You’ve got the tightest, most satiny and gorgeous-You know what? We can save that for later on before I get distracted.”

“You’re too much.”

Bucky smiles not only at that response but also at the sound of your gentle laughter, “Wanna know what my favorite part of you is?”

“What?”

“Your heart, baby. I married the sweetest woman. I married the strongest woman. I married a girl that I want to spend the rest of my life with because she makes me feel like the luckiest man in the world. I’m walkin’ on clouds whenever you’re around. You bring the best out of me. You always know what to say. I’ll admit that sometimes I can be hard headed but you are always there. And I’d happily scream to the heavens that you’re mine. You ain’t anyone else’s but mine. Forever.”

You smile widely and take a deep breath. The reassurance and certainty of his words were exactly what you needed. Maybe you weren’t completely happy with yourself but the fact that you will have Bucky by your side through all of the tribulation, made a feeling of warmth and security spread throughout your body. It made you feel strong and fortified. “And I married the kindest, sweetest, most lovable man. Thank you, Bucky..for all of this. You really didn’t have to take time away from your birthday to lift me up like this , but you did it anyway. Now let’s spend the rest of the day celebrating you because that is what you deserve.”

“Then let’s go put that dress on, baby.” His voice is pure cuteness and it makes you swoon.

“Let’s put it on.” You smile and for the first time this morning, there’s a sense of hope and confidence in your delicate voice. Both of you stand up at the same time and Bucky runs a hand down the side of your satin lingerie, feeling the shape of your body. “Bucky, you aren’t even supposed to see this lingerie yet. I’m ruining the surprise.”

“This is what I have to look forward to later? All of this for me? Seeing it a little early doesn’t ruin anything for me.”

You reply, “But does not seeing me cry in it make it less sexy?”

“Not at all. Because when I take it off of you later, there’s gonna be nothing sad about it.” He shrugs with a smirk on his face, very confident in his statement. The two of you exchange a shared look of anticipation. Your mind wanders to the scene in question: coming home after the sun comes down after a day of festivities and having your husband on his knees, desperate to undress you. Eager to unwrap you like a birthday present and indulge in what’s his.

You’re taken out of these fantasies abruptly by a subconscious shake to the head: a habit of yours developed to help get back on task whenever you get whisked away by daydreams. You gesture at the blue dress still in its abandoned spot on the wood floor, “This is it.”

“Oh, it was right here the whole time? Let me help you, baby.”

Once you step into the dress, Bucky pulls it up your body as if dressing a doll. After putting your arms through the correct holes, you know that this is the final moment before it would be zipped up, becoming a showcase of your true figure. Unaware of your hesitation, Bucky takes the zipper and gently pulls it up, careful to not nip any of your skin. He then takes a step back to admire you and take in the beauty of the woman standing in front of him.

“You look absolutely stunning. God, you’re unreal. Do a spin for me?”

You do a quick spin and end with your arms wrapped around Bucky’s neck, pulling him in for a deep kiss. His lips are as soft as clouds but his desire for you is absolutely ravenous. You two move in a perfect rhythm with each other, going in for more and more as time goes on.

After a few minutes of kissing he pulls away and whispers in a raspy voice, “You had nothing to be worried about. I’m already thinking about taking it off of you but I’ll try to control myself.”

You smile at him, wiping some pink lipstick off of his lips with your finger. “C'mon we’ve still got a whole birthday to celebrate.”

“As long as I get to spend it with you, I’m the happiest birthday boy.”

————————————————————————

I hope you enjoyed. This was my first time doing a full length MOTA fic and it’s been a while since I’ve written something so it definitely took me out of my comfort zone. 💙

[aleksa-sims]

Simself Story

After my birthday I finished my apartment with my sister. When we came back home from Italy in September, N. and I bought all the furniture we needed within 3 days. 🤯 That was pure stress! We wanted to do it fast, because N. only had 2 weeks, before he had to go back to Italy to play soccer.

Our bedroom my Grandparents paid for us. Nico’s Mom bought the nursery. That was her wish. She wanted to choose a nice Baby-room for Lucas. Tbh, I had other plans for the nursery, but I didn’t want to upset her, so I didn’t say anything.... All in all, I was satisfied with everything we bought for our apartment...

But 2 weeks ago, Nico and I had a big fight about... all THIS & the money we spent. I don’t care about that fucking money. I was mad at him, because I felt like he doesn’t care about our life and future. He didn’t care about anything, as long as he doesn’t have to spend his money. It was important to me, that we ALL feel comfortable here. But Nico was just pissed, bad-tempered and annoyed by me. No matter what I asked him, like his opinion about the furniture, or asked him for help with something in our apartment, he just ignored me or rolled his eyes. So I got really pissed too and told him to fuck off, if he doesn’t want to be here with me. He mistook my words. He thought I really wanted to kick him out or so. He accused me of having taken advantage of him, his money, etc... Our quarrel got really bad, worse than ever before!! I said something totally mean to him. I thought he was leaving me, otherwise I would never have said such a shit to him! I just wanted to hurt him atm. I told him, I wish I was with Philip. 🙊 But I swear, that was just a stupid lie! I didn’t want Philip, honestly, I just wanted to hurt Nico. N. got so mad, that he pushed me against the wall. He was just leaving our apartment. I stood in his way and continued to talk about Philip and.... also Daniel.🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ He told me to shut up and let him pass, or he’ll hurt me. His threat was ridiculous to me. He never attacked me physically during a fight. But that night it happened somehow. I don’t think he REALLY, intended to hurt me that badly. He grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me violently to the side. I’ve injured my right shoulder. I didn’t expect him to push me so hard to the side. I literally slammed into the wall next to me.

When he realized that I had hurt myself, he immediately apologized. It was so painful, that I could not hold back my tears. My shoulder throbbed with pain. He wanted to take me to the ER, but I was against it, instead I took a strong painkiller. We didn’t have a bed in our apartment at the time, we just slept on the mattress and Lucas was at my parents. I fell asleep relatively quickly after the pain medication started to work. N. was lying next to me. I thought he was going to leave? That’s why our fight got so heated. But I was glad he was here. Some hours later, I woke up. I was feeling better aaand .............well, we ended up having sex.🤷‍♀️After we were done, he got up and got ready for his flight back to Italy. Before he left he came to me. He asked if I was all right, he told me that he loved me and went to the airport. Since then I haven’t seen N. I mean, we have of course talked on the phone, but never about what happened the night before his departure. I thought I’d wait until he comes home to talk about everything in peace. Well, that was 2 weeks ago.

Back to now, the day I finished my apartment. As I said, I was satisfied, everything looked good, but something was missing? The feeling of being at home was just not there. I couldn’t feel it. I sat on the floor and looked around, wondering what was missing? During the last 2 weeks, I was here mostly alone or with Ana, and in the evening, I went to my parents where Lucas was. I have never really stayed here in my apartment without Lucas or Nico. Maybe I need the two with me, so I feel comfortable here? I generally felt really off that day. As if I was only dreaming all this and I was constantly dizzy. I felt my body change. But I thought I was tired and stressed about moving. I need to sleep and stop worrying about everything.

The next day N.’s Mom called me.

She was worried about N. and me. She asked me what happened? Nico came home last night. He went to his Mom’s house. I thought he’d be back tomorrow? N.'s Mom also wondered why he came to her and didn’t go straight home, to me? Nico told her, the constant travelling was getting too stressful for him. He had to rest for a few hours in his mother’s house, because he can not at home, at our place. He was afraid we would fight again. He asked his Mom to leave him alone.

After talking to his Mom I thought N. wants to break up with me. 😟I was almost sure. Maybe something happened in Italy between him and that stupid bitch Sabrina? I was thinking about calling him? I texted him. I promised him that I don’t want to argue with him anymore and that he should come home. Not even 5 minutes after I sent my text, N. was there. So he was already on his way to me before I texted him. Hopefully everything is fine.

Also, I’m going to get a strange call from a woman. It was about Daniel and our divorce. I gave it up slowly to divorce him, it seemed impossible. 😩 What was Daniel up to? Why did he do that to me? I was sick of playing that damn hide-and-seek game with him.

Previous/Next

[genesis-otto]

If there is one thing that I'm sure of, it's that the losers club always bake cakes for their birthdays. But as we all know, they are iDiOtS. And their cakes are just...bad. I don't mean the taste, the cake always tastes good cause there are some responsible people in this group who somehow manage to do this part right. It's the visual that is horrible. Like do you imagine them trying to decorate the cake without fucked it up on purpose (or not) ? Yeah me neither. So here is what I imagine all the cake that the losers have done one year :

This one is for Bill, it was the first time that they actually made a real cake so he is ugly as fuck. Bill is born in january which makes him the oldest of the losers and I would imagine the losers always making fun of Bill for being old. And since he is the first to celebrate his birthday, the others will totally tease him all the time with the fact that he has now like 15 while all of them are still at 14. This nightmare will last until Beverly finally celebrates her own birthday in february. One entire month of torture for Bill Denbrough.

Bev is the only girl of the group and I'm sure that sometimes she's just so done with the bullshit of the other losers. She always reminds them that "boys are trash, but no offense guys." So it was obvious for them to make her a cake ridiculously girly with that beautiful sentence on it. (The cake is way better than Bill's cause they eventually did practice for it to be perfect. 'Bev deserves a perfect cake' they all said. It took them at least three tries before to manage to make it look good).

This one is obviously Richie's. They did it the year when Richie officially came out to them. They wanted to make a trash cake at first (Eddies and Bills idea) but Stan thought that making a gay joke was funnier. Mike agreed saying that it would show that they truthfully support their gay favorite trashmouth <3. (Eddie still used colors that didn't match together cause he wouldn't let go the trash idea).

(I don't know who are the people on the pictures, but let's just pretend that there are the guys of the new kids on the block). So this one is Ben's. It's Bev that came up with the idea and all of the others followed her cause they like to make fun of Ben for his, as Richie says, bad tastes in music. Ben still was happy when he saw his cake (and he ignored the comments of his friends) cause he thought that his cake was matching with Bev's.

This is Stan's cake. Who is surprised ? Not me. It was a collective message of all the group and Stanley flipped them off when he read what they had written (even if he found it funny, which he will never tell out loud). He also tried to say that he didn't need to go to therapy that bad but they're all traumatized, Stan fooled no one. (Bill promised him that they'll make him a bird's one for the next year so Stan was happy).

Mike is a sweetheart and they all know that. So they HAD to make him a cool cake. They know that Mike LOVES the animals at his farm so they wanted to make him a cute cow. They eventually manage to not completely fucked it up and Mike, very happy with his cake, give it a name. So when Bev tried to cut the cake for eating it, Mike took it away from her because "YOU CAN'T EAT JOHNNY, HE'S MY CHILD."

Eddie is the youngest, born in september. And oh god you don't know how long it seemed for Richie who was waiting for this moment all the year. Since the first time making a cake for Bill, he already knew what he wanted to do for Eddie's when it'll be his turn. The losers all made the cake and it was pretty nice. They left it one moment without supervision and it took only one minute to Rich to fuck it up. He was very proud when the others came back with Eddie and saw the note. Richie died this day.

[fountainpenguin]

Riddle watches New Wish - Post #23

Hazel Wells and the Multiverse of Jenkins

PFFT-EH?-EHHH? It's confirmed daylight savings time? Then take down the posters that've been up for 30 episodes implying it was November, you goofs.

I'm thinking Hazel showed up around September or October (i.e. before the November Sneezy Hawkins dance and we know she was in school for a few weeks before the exam at the end of "Teacher's Pal," because she told us), then Antony came home for winter break, and now it's March. That gives us a good estimate of things like founder's day and Dev's birthday. In fact, we know exactly what the length of time between those two dates is because Dev told us his birthday was 9 years, 7 months, and 14 days ago. I guess that checks out since Antony probably came home in December. If it's March for daylight savings, that would be another 3 months. This also implies Dimmadelphia is farther south than Dimmsdale, which occasionally saw snow (though it's possible godkids were wishing for it). Dimmadelphia doesn't seem to get snow.

Or he could just say "set your clocks BACK" as soon as I unpause and I'll just... sit here with my little notes. it's fine.

We're confirmed for fall, then. Possibly Hazel's been here a year if the posters are to be believed, but also at this point, those posters stay up all year round, so they're not to be trusted even for Episode 1. Unclear what the summer situation is, but I'll make a proper timeline another time.

I would say this is the key episode to build a timeline around. Then roughly place Dev's birthday and then Founder's Day the appropriate time apart and fill in the blanks.

Looks like "Operation: Birthday Takeback" aired July 31st, which might be a good place to start if I want to canonize Dev's birthday date for fanfic purposes.

Founder's Day was around school because Dale was prepping during "A New Dev-elopment," when we know school was in session, so I'll do math and consider my options when I'm done with Season 1.

So... Dev just told Hazel someone has a crush on her, but I find that hard to believe because they're at odds and I can't imagine he has good reasons for chatting like this.

He called her a nickname, which he only does when they're not friendly. And no Peri to give her any clues...

I would not trust this man, but I respect the hustle.

Are we going to be manipulating time and space; is that why it's daylight savings?

They have a class pet:

Aw, I like how Winn became a Prime Meridian fan after the book club episode, apparently.

Huh. Was it Winn who had Shakespeare for Mimes early on? It's clearly in their locker. I could've sworn it was Jasmine, which is why I was confused she was afraid of clowns. Maybe she finished and gave it to them. I'm gonna check.

I say as I look up and see the clown toy sitting in her locker. Good for her for conquering her fears.

No, it was Jasmine (end of "Teacher's Pal")

Yes, those dance posters are still up. They're getting the boot from my canon.

Hazel's "next class" is Room 104, so that could theoretically be used to scout her classroom number. Which confuses me because we know she's on the 2nd floor, but okay.

I love Father Time; he's such a silly guy.

I like how Hazel is just... so stressed out about Jenkins having a crush on her.

I particularly enjoy like how after he said she was so confident in a flirty voice, Hazel's body literally shatters and then she rushes to the cereal, throws back her head, and gobbles it in bulk. She wants this so little, she's not willing to return his affection whatsoever. sldfkj.

Hazel in "Prime Meridian Love": I don't want a relationship; I'm only 10. Hazel now, even after I was starting to believe she might be growing a crush on Dev: I don't want a relationship; I'm only 10.

That's so funny...

Timmy: I have a crush on someone even though she's not interested in me, but I hope she'll change her mind. Hazel: you guys are having crushes??

I really like how Hazel's specific reason for not wanting Jenkins to like her is "I'm too self-conscious and can't remember how to act normal." She's a very anxious character...

It's not that she's into someone else, and it's not that she has anything against Jenkins specifically. She just is way too anxious and doesn't want to deal with it.

Hazel, scrambling for a way out without hurting Jenkins' feelings: I can't go around with you. I have a crush on someone else. Uh... Trev. Trev, who was behind her and she didn't notice: Did I just hear you have a crush on me, Hazel?? Hazel: /absorbs entire box of cereal in .2 seconds

She doesn't want ANYONE to like her!! she is 10 and squirmy!

I'm once again sad Dev cited Trev as "his bud" in Episode 1, but we haven't seen them interact. I feel like Trev existing on the periphery of her interactions with Dev would've made this even funnier, lmao.

That said, it's funny that Dev's description of Trev was "He's my bud, so he probably won't give YOU time of day" and Trev is out here like "I am totally down to give Hazel the time of day." He's just chillin' and smiling. I like him.

Hazel at the top of her lungs when the entire hallway flirts with her: I don't CARE who like-likes me! I don't like any of you BACK!!

Chloe and Hazel (to me):

Holy cow, Hazel. I don't have much to say, but I enjoy watching her screw people's memories up by manipulating time. And that's a heavy sentence to drop out of context, but...

Yeah, she just did 568 timeloops speedrun and now everyone has a crush on her.

Including Dev, apparently.

Should we be worried that Dev specifically cited the thing he finds attractive about Hazel to be "how ruthless she is," because buddy... You're on track to continue the Dimmadome abuse cycle!

Hey Dev, it's kind of weird to know her middle name. What've you been doing; who've you been talking to?

Wow, it took absolutely 0 thought for Dev to yell loudly about how in love he is with Hazel [in this time loop] for the whole hall to hear.

I am once again fascinated by how he's never cared for "maintaining a reputation" at this school in any way and he's willing to dropkick whatever "cool, tough, and closed-off" persona he's formed at the first sign of what he thinks is a better future.

Local rich kid desperate for affection once again willing to jump 12 feet if you ask him to jump 6. She asked him to jump 0. She asked him to sit down and not even think about jumping.

Dev "I would commit B&E for you a second time; please let me commit B&E for you a second time" Dimmadome.

I like how Dimmadomes are known for putting the Dimm name on everything, but we keep seeing Dev's first name used (such as in the episode title "A New Dev-elopment" or Peri's quote "I'm going to take you from Dev to Dev-ine!")

It gives me the vibe that yes, he's a Dimmadome, but he's a little disconnected. Wow, it's a pun AND sadness!

I can't stop thinking about how annoyed he sounded when the time came to finally tell Vicky his last name. All the other Dimmadomes repeatedly introduce themselves by their full name... but he holds back.

Also, I like how the O-pairs are always down for anything. Dev is their special boy <3

I really really like them for some reason and I'm sorry because I can already tell any Dev 'fic I write is going to lean into them. My curse of getting attached to weird background characters unfortunately continues and these might be the worst ones I've ever fallen for. I don't look forward to trying to search up cute 'fics or fanart of them. haha; I'm in danger...

I just looked up how to spell O-pair because I was tired of not knowing and I found this Wikipedia page:

au pair /ˌō ˈper/ - An au pair (/oʊˈpɛər/; pl.: au pairs) is a person working for, and living as part of, a host family. Typically, au pairs take on a share of the family's responsibility for child care as well as some housework, and receive a monetary allowance or stipend for personal use.

oh. okay.

IMBD's "Operation: Birthday Takeback" page lists them as O-Pair #1 and O-Pair #2, which just hurts.

Dev: My dad gives me the coolest gadgets. They have fancy futuristic names. They're my friends and I love them :) Dale, who knew exactly what he was doing:

Wow, it's TWO puns and sadness!!

Hazel's theme song, but it's rewritten for Dev and the "pair quite strange" who changed his life are the O-Pairs.

I like how in "Operation: Birthday Takeback," Peri's instinctual disguise was an O-Pair, which is incredibly fitting now that I see this description.

I wish we saw signs of Peri hanging around Dev, like a pin on his shirt or the headphones again. Or maybe I'm afraid.

This is nuts. How many hours did Hazel just live through? She needs a nap... Aw, I like the moral lesson for this episode (Letting go and not obsessing over things you can't change). Mr. Guzman is a lovely character; he's so friendly.

Also:

Jenkins: Um... I don't have a crush on you, Hazel. Dev: PSYCH! I made it up~!

She's SO mad. sdfjk

"DEV DIMMADOME!"

I've never seen her this mad. That's great.

Local anxious girl just put herself through some of the worst experiences she's faced, and for WHAT??

He's just a quirky little guy! You wouldn't hurt a quirky little guy!! He's just goofin' with you~

- This feels extremely in-character for Dev considering he outfoxed the never-before-beaten negotiator aliens in "Peace of Pizza" by memeing on them. He's just a silly wittle boy... I'm fascinated by the way his mind works. - I'm not sure Dev even knows how his mind works.

That was great! I liked that. I don't often see a character trying to work through feelings about crushes like this and I enjoyed it.

[warrioreowynofrohan]

LOTR Newsletter – September 17

Today’s entry covers everything from the end of Bilbo’s 111th birthday party (after he leaves), which is also Frodo’s 33rd birthday party, to many years later, when Frodo is 49 years old, in April.

So, what’s been going on (outside the Shire, in particular)?

First: Bilbo’s behaviour before leaving makes Gandalf strongly suspects that his Ring is the One Ring (before that, he had been sometims worried, but unsure). In “The Shadow of the Past,” Gandalf says to Frodo, “He [Bilbo] said and did things then that filled me with a feat that no words of Saruman could allay. I knew at last that something dark and deadly was at work.” At the Council of Elrond, Gandalf says, “Time passed with many cares, until my doubts were awakened again to sudden fear…That was seventeen years ago. Soon I became aware that spies of many sorts, even birds and beasts, were gathered round the Shire, and my fear grew. I called for the help of the Dúnedain, and their watch was doubled; and I opened my heart to Aragorn, the heir of Isildur.”

I find it quite sweet that, while Gandalf acknowledges to Frodo that Bilbo’s behaviour around the Ring on the night of the Party was startling, at the Council of Elrond he obscures the reason (‘my doubts were awakened again’) to avoid alluding to things that could be embarassing to Bilbo in front of a large group of prominent people.

Appendix B confirms that Gandalf’s conversation with Aragorn, and the doubling of the Rangers’ guard on the Shire, happened in the same year as the Party.

Bilbo travels to the Lonely Mountain for a visit, and then settles in Rivendell, as he later tells Frodo: “I got here without much adventure, and after a rest I went on with the Dwarves to Dale: my last journey. I shan’t travel again. Old Balin has gone away. Then I came back here, and here I have been.”

Gandalf and Aragorn look for Gollum over many years without succeess, and Gandalf checks in on Frodo itermittently:

For three years after the Party he [Gandalf] had been away. Then he paid Frodo a brief visit, and after taking a good look at him he went off again. During the next year or two he had turned up fairly often, coming unexpectedly after dusk, and going off without warning before sunrise. He would not discuss his own business and journeys, and seemed chiefly interested in small news about Frodo’s health and doings. Then suddenly his visits had ceased. It was [at the end of today’s reading] over nine years since Frodo had seen or heard of him.

From Gandalf only entering or leaving Bag End after dark, he evidently still fears the Shire is being watched, and does not wat to draw attention to Frodo.

About six years after the Party (about a year before the nine-year-break in Gandalf’s visits to Frodo), Aragorn’s mother Gilraen dies. She has been living among the Dúnedain in Eriador (she left Rivendell a few years after Aragorn fell for Arwen and Elrond told him that she could not marry him until/unless he becomes King of both Gondor and Arnor – in effect, until there was peace and Aragorn had played a substantial role in bringing it about; this suggests to me that things may have been at least a bit uncomfortable between Gilraen and Elrond after that). By the time of Gilraen’s death Aragorn and Arwen’s first meeting is 56 years ago, and they have already been engaged for 27 years

She [Gilraen] seldom saw her son again, for he spent many years in far countries. But on a time, when Aragorn had returned to the North, he came to her, and she said to him before he went:

“This is our last parting, Estel, my son. I am aged by care, even as one of lesser Men; and now that it draws near I cannot face the darkness of our time that gathers upon Middle-earth. I shall leave it soon.”

Aragorn tried to comfort her, saying: “Yet there may be a loght beyond the darkness; and if so, I would have you see it, and be glad.”

But she answered only with this linnod: ‘Onen i-Estel Edain, û-chebin estel anim [I gave Hope to the Dúnediain, I have kept no hope for myself]’

and Aragorn went away heavy of heart. Gilraen died before the next spring.

Over the nine years that Gandalf does not visit Frodo, he and Aragorn continue interrmeittently to search for Gollum. For many years they do not find him, and at some time in these years Gollum enters Mordor and is captured by Sauron. These years are also when even hobbits in The Shire begin to heard dark rmours of outside events.

At some point in the year 3017 (the year before the main events of The Lord of the Rings begin), Gollum is released from Mordor. “The Hunt for the Ring” in Unfinished Tales gives us some dates for the events that follow.

At some point in late 3017 or early 3018, Gandalf departs from his and Aragon’s search for Gollum on the borders of Mordor, and goes to Minas Tirth. As he tells at the Council of Elrond:

“There [on the edges of Mordor] we had rumour of him [Gollum], and we guess that he dwelt there long in the dark hills; but we never found him, and at last I despaired. And in my despair I thought of a test that might make the finding of Gollum unneeded. The ring itself might tell if it were the One.”

He remember’s some if Saurman’s lore about hidden markings on the Ring, and goes to Minas Turith and finds Isildur’s scroll about it, and about the fire-letters.

Not long after Gandalf leaves for Minas Tirith, on February 1st, 3018, Aragorn captures Gollum in the Dead Marshes. Aragorn has an unpleasant journey to Mirkwood with Gollum as captive, lasting fifty days (and covering nearly 900 miles; that’s 18 miles/day, with a hostile captive), and reaches Thranduil on March 21st. Fron Unfinished Tales:

Hoping to escape detection by any of Sauron’s spies he drove Gollum through the north end of the Emyn Muil, and crossed Anduin just above Sarn Gebir. Drifwood was often cast up there on the shoals by the east shore, and binding Gollum to a log he swam across with him, and continued his journey north by tracks as westerly as he could find, through the skirts of Fangorn, and so over Limlight, then over Nimrodel and Silverlode through the eaves of Lórien, and then on. avoiding Moria and Dimrill Dale, over Gladden until he came near the Carrock.

As Gandalf rides north, messengers from Lothlórien tell him that Aragorn has captured Gollum and is bringing him to Thranduil. Gandalf arrives in Mirkwood on March 23rd, and questions him for several days, then leaves in the morning of March 29th, travelling to the Shire as fast as he can. He reaches the Shire the evening of April 12th, right after Sam’s argument with Ted Sandyman at The Green Dragon.

(One other thing I wanted to mention that amused me: apparently in medieval writings the village miller is almost always disliked and antagonistic. Medieval farmers were reliant on the miller to grind their grain to flour, and this left the miller with ample opportunities for overcharging, or for skimming off some of the flour. The Canterbury Tales is one example of a disliked miller character. I found it entertaining that Tolkien carried over this trope in first the Gaffer Gamgee arguing with the elder Sandyman, and then Sam arguing with his son.)

[prettyboysinmyheart]

Introducing Ella Hughes | Maveric Lamoureux x Hughes sister AU

A/n: All credits to go 🐧anon. Thank you so much lovey for helping me come up with ideas for this Au. Couldn’t have done without you. I appreciate you so much<3 ( feel free to correct me if anyone is wrong. Don’t much about tennis but did my best)

❁ born September 9th, 2003 (Luke’s older by 5 minutes)

❁ height 5’5

❁ favorite music artist are Taylor Swift, Luke combs, Harry Styles and Gracie Abrams.

❁ loves to read books

❁ always brings them out on the boat to help her relax

❁ her family nickname is daisy because ever since she was little she had became obsessed with collecting anything that has daisies on them

❁ every year for her birthday the theme is always daisies

❁ doesn’t like hockey but still supports her brothers

❁ Quinn is her favorite

❁ out of all her brother’s friends she’s very close to Cole

❁ she’s introverted, a sunny person. always happy and carefree, very soft in general

❁ she loves the spring/ summer, because that's when everyone's together and her brothers are at the lake house to enjoy the summer with her.

❁ instead of going to the University of Michigan, she signed with the Sun Devil Women’s Tennis team.

❁ Luke cried the night she told him. He would not leave her side and made sure to spend all summer with her before she left. Jack cried happy tears and told her he was very proud of her.

❁ Quinn wanted to hold his little sister in his arms forever. He couldn’t believe how grown up she was. It didn’t feel real to him until the last box was in your dorm room.

❁ He kept a smile on for her but on the plane back to Vancouver, he couldn’t hold it in anymore

❁ all three brother promised to call her at least 3 times a week

❁ when she is on the court she’s a different person. Shows no mercy, is very competitive and likes to trash talk.

❁ Ranked as high as #18 in the women’s world rankings

❁ also ranked as #1113 WTA singles ranking and #850 WTA Double ranking

❁ started playing at the age of 5

❁ also played soccer for a few months before she was kicked of the team for scoring on the wrong side

❁ is very into scrapbooking

❁ in high school she took photography classes and fell in love with it

❁ had a tiny crush on Tyler Duke in high school

❁ dated for about 5 months until she lost feelings

❁ met Maveric at a coffee shop when he came to train in Arizona for development camp.

❁ talked for about 6 months before he asked her out on a date

❁ January 3rd, 2023 he asked her to be his girlfriend by setting up a picnic, having a heart shaped daisy with a sign in the middle that said “can I be your boyfriend?”

[a-french-coconut]

Luke Castellan (Part 1)

She's late.

It's not like her to be late.

Thalia is, in every aspect, a wild spirit but as the lightning striking the earth, she is always on time.

Especially since she took Annabeth with her, and gods know how much she loves the kid.

Luke does too, as much as a fourteen years old boy can love a little girl he sees like his sister.

He loves Thalia too, but it's more... complicated.

Nevertheless, they make Luke happier that he has ever been in his short, and frankly miserable, life.

He can't remember ever feeling truly happy in his childhood.

Not when he had to plaster a false smile for the worried teacher, reassuring her that his mother didn't forget about him, that she would come pick him up any minute now. Every day, without fault, he would quietly wait for her to get distracted and disappear in the city with no one to hold his hand and ask him about his day.

Sometimes, his mother would be sane, clear eyed. She would hug him, laugh with him, tickle him. She even made a birthday cake for him once ! The frosting was messy, too sugary but Luke had absolutely loved it . That is until he blew out his candles and she started screaming about how horrible, terrifying, atrocious the fate awaiting him was.

He never believed her, not even when Hermes didn't deny her claims the night he came back because Thalia needed to heal and it was the only option. He refuses to prove his mother right and nor will Halcyon Green's visions come true.

He'll prove them all wrong.

He is not going to betray anyone, he will not die some terrible way, eaten by a monster or something.

As long as he has Annabeth and Thalia, he'll be happy and the three of them can get through anything.

You'll see, I'm going to make it.

-----------------------------------

"Hey loser."

"You're late, very late even."

"Yeah, well." Thalia shrugs, Annabeth jumping from her shoulders, "we made an impromptu stop."

She nudges Annabeth, the little girl nervously hiding her hands behind her.

"Come on Annie, show him."

"Wait, you got me something ?" He asks them, "what's the occasion ?"

"Your birthday !" Annabeth states, "We got you a gift."

"Hum, sorry to disappoint kiddo but today isn't my birthday."

"Don't care, it will be now." She refutes, stomping her foot to close the argument.

He looks at Thalia, rather amused but also confused, only for her to shrug, like she couldn't care less.

"Well, I suppose that September 4th is not a bad birthday date."

Annabeth squeals and hands him what she's been hiding.

It's a ring, a plastic one she probably found in a shady looking store, with best big brother engraved on it.

"We don't have a birthday cake though," Thalia pipes up from where she's standing, looking at them with a fond look, "too hard to steal."

"S'okay, don't need one." He answers, still looking at the cheap ring.

It's the most precious thing he has on him now.

"Thank you Annie," he opens his arms to hug her, laughing when she throw herself in them, "you're the best little sister I will ever have."

They eat what Thalia stole while Annabeth got the ring, some sandwiches and cereal bars, and Luke makes a show about blowing out invisible candles, Annabeth urging him to make a wish.

I wish that we always stay together.

As long as we're together, nothing bad will happen to us.

Thalia with her braveness and strong will, with the lightning bolts dancing in her eyes whenever she's angry and with Aegis.

Annabeth, so young and yet smarter than them, always planning or devising some plan.

And him, keeping them alive by stealing food and drinks, using his powers to find them a house, his golf club doing the job when he needs to.

He watches Thalia shamelessly attacks Annabeth, tickling the little girl and they are both on the ground laughing.

They make him happy, his little sister and Thalia.

Happier than he's ever been.

He'll do anything to keep them by his side.

No matter the costs.

----------------------------------

They're running, have been for far too long.

His legs ache, feeling like giving out at every step.

"Come on, we're almost there !" Grover screams at them, urgently gesturing them to go faster.

Luke can see it, the hill in front of them.

Haven, salvation.

A chance to live, to do more than surviving.

Camp Half-Blood.

A place for all demigods like them to train, to learn of to defend themselves against the monsters trying to kill them.

It's almost there, it's within reach.

His feet slip on the wet ground but Thalia catches him before he can fall and he's running again.

"We aren't going to make it." She whispers and his ear, careful so that Annabeth doesn't hear it.

"We are, Thals, we are. We just need to-"

"GET DOWN !"

Annabeth's scream save the both of them, the tree trunk grazing their head before crashing in the dark forest.

"Get Annabeth, and run."

"And what are you-"

"I'll hold them off until you are up the hill."

"No, Thalia, I won't-"

"Do it for Annabeth, she can't get there by herself." Thalia's voice is firm but Luke can see her hands shaking.

She's afraid, afraid to die.

"Thalia-"

"They're getting closer, we need to go !" Grover yells, taking Luke's arm and tugging him.

"Thalia-" He tries again.

"Go. Take Annabeth and-" She wavers, her voice breaks.

For one second, she isn't the brave daughter of Zeus, ordering him like it is her birthright to do so.

She is Thalia, the girl Luke can't figure out his feelings for but know he can't lose her.

(When he looks back on that moment, he wonders if he could have persuaded her to run with them. But the second passes and he doesn't say anything.)

"Don't look back, don't look back until you are safe."

She grips Aegis, blue electrical eyes flashing in the night before she turns to face the monsters.

"I can't-"

"GO ! NOW !"

He runs, runs despite Annabeth trashing in his arms, begging him to stop, to come back to Thalia.

He runs until he's on the hill, looking at a valley straight out of Ancient Greece.

He runs until his body gives up, until he's throwing up and on the ground.

Thalia needs you, get up

He can see her, holding off the countless creatures attacking her, slowly retreating.

Help her, come on.

He shakily stands, Annabeth still crying next to him but Grover is now the one holding her.

Thalia is almost there, she's on the top of the hill.

A little more and she'll make it.

Below in the valley, demigods are running toward them, their weapons gleaming in the night, a centaur galloping full speed leading them.

Come on Thals, get closer and I can help-

When the cyclops' club hit her leg, sending her on the ground, leaving her at the mercy of all the others monsters, Luke screams.

His yells are entirely drowned in the sound of lighting shaking the sky, a bright flash blinding him for a moment.

When white becomes dark, there's a pine tree projecting a blue barrier all around Camp, preventing the angry herd of monsters from entering.

---------------------------------------------

He often goes sit besides the tree.

"Hey Thalia, it's been one month since we got here. I miss you."

"Hey Thals, I made some friends, a guy from Apollo named Lee and a girl from Aphrodite, Silena. They're nice but they're not you."

"One year, I can't believe you've gone that long. Annabeth is happy here, she's grown fond of Camp. I did too, I'm Counsellor now. Old one left and didn't come back."

"I'm tired Thalia, so tired. Hermes Cabin is crowded, the gods don't claim their kids. I'm angry, at my dad, at yours, at all of them. What good do they bring ?"

"Got a quest from dear old dad, can you believe it ? First time he contacted me since we arrived two years ago. And it's sucks, the quest has already been done by Heracles and... hum, I'm not sure to come back. It's a hard one, a very hard one. Annie is upset that I didn't chose her but I can't risk to lose her too. You were enough. Anyways, I have to go. I hope I'll see you again."

---------------------------------------

The quest in itself is simple.

Get an apple, come back alive.

Only the apple is a golden one from the Hesperides' Garden, guarded by Ladon.

But he comes back, alive.

He comes back with a open bleeding gash on his face, he comes back with ghosts on his shoulders, he comes back with a new hatred against the gods.

But he had no apple to present his father and the quest is deemed failed.

-----------------------------------------

"Hi again, do you ever get tired of me ?"

She doesn't respond, never does.

"I made it back, with no apple or the demigods I chose to come with me."

He leans against the trunk, trying desperately to feel her.

Luke is sixteen and he knows now that Thalia is more than a sister.

Nothing more than the rough bark meets his head.

"I prayed to him, begged him to save them. Nothing, not one single sign that he was listening."

"We were right to hate them, they don't care about us. We're pawns, their means of amusement when they get bored."

"I'm tired of it."

"Are you too ?"

The tree's branches sway with the wind.

"I'll find a way, don't worry."

As long as they were together, Luke was happy.

As long as he sees her tree, all he can feel is bitterness and fury against the gods who made her like this.

-----------------------------------------

It begins with whispers.

Incoherent buzzing in his mind while he sleeps, a voice rasping in his ear, murmuring about vengeance and justice.

Who are you ?

He's standing on broken glass, surround by a never ending red horizon.

Oh, little hero, my name is not to be pronounced by your kind.

Show yourself.

I will tolerate your insolence just this once little hero. Do not ever presume to order me again.

How can I respect you if I don't know who you are ?

So cunning, the voice laughs around him, echoing in his dream, just like his father.

I'm nothing like my father !

Oh ? the voice vibrates with amusement, do you wish to take revenge upon him ? Upon the gods who wronged you ?

I want them to respect demigods.

They never will, it is not in their nature.

Then, what ? I let them do whatever they want with us ?

No, little hero, you act.

How ?

Destroy them. Destroy Olympus.

Luke doesn't respond.

I sense doubt, weakness in you. Despite the countless times they prove their incompetence, you still believe in them.

I don't hold any love for the gods. I want to make them pay !

You cannot hide the truth from me, little liar. You are weak willed, tamed. You allows the gods to continue their reign of chaos and utter, unbridled depravity. But I sense your rightful anger, your desire to make a change.

Luke burns in shame and in anger at the voice's disgust for him.

You are wrong. I'll do whatever it takes to topple Olympus.

Then our interests align. Pledge yourself at my service and I shall help you bring justice to your beloved demigods.

Will they follow him ?

Renounce the gods.

Lee ? Silena ? Chris ? Connor and Travis ?

Let them face their mistakes, the consequences of their arrogance.

Do they share his point of view ?

Surely they do. They're like him, abandoned by their godly parent.

Serve me and I will help you in your quest of vengeance.

Annabeth.

Annabeth with her desire to make her mother proud.

Annabeth, his smart little sister, who looks at Chiron and sees a paternal figure.

But she saw Thalia die.

She saw how Hermes abandoned him.

She'll follow him.

And as long as they're together, they'll be fine.

I pledge myself to your service.

In front of him, a small golden piece appear, floating in the air.

Not quite, little hero.

Before his eyes appear a giant tomb, all grey except for the golden flake.

His breath hitches when he sees the gravures illustrating the rock.

A man eating a child, a scythe is his hand.

You're-

Kronos, King of the Titans, and father to the Olympians. Wrongfully killed by my sons, I have been prophesied to come back and raze Olympus.

The voice gets closer, now right in his ear.

And you, little hero, are the key to my awakening.

-------------------------------------

Times flies, Luke turns nineteen on September 4th.

He has long stopped celebrating his true birthday.

Annabeth grows anxious to see the mortal world, to get a quest, to prover herself worthy of her mother.

As for Luke, he spends his days recruiting, talking to demigods, trying to decipher their emotion toward the gods.

Lee is happy with Apollo.

Clarisse hates Ares but still fights for his name.

Silena is bitter against Aphrodite, for a reason she won't tell Luke. It's fine, he doesn't need to know as long as she joins him.

Chris, with his elvish features and uncanny knowledge of geography, is a son of Hermes. Yet, he remains unclaimed in his own cabin.

Those are the easier to persuade to join the cause, the unclaimed and the children of minor gods.

Ethan and Alabaster don't have cabins to house them.

Chris and Lila have given up trying to impress their parents a long time ago.

When he comes to them, they all say yes with absolute conviction.

----------------------------

The Winter Solstice, the only night demigods are invited to Olympus to see their parents and wander through the immortal city.

The only night Luke will accept his heritage as a son of Hermes and steal the Lighting Bolt of Zeus.

The King of the Gods is too busy drinking and flirting with nymphs to notice his weapon's absence.

For the first part of the night at least.

When thunder rumbles but not lighting strikes, Luke just got of Olympus, flying toward California.

He should already have arrived to Mount Tamalpais but he couldn't resist staying a little while, talking to other gods knowing he just robbed their King.

For his hubris, Ares catches him, the god of war almost killing him before Kronos took the matter in his own hands.

When he comes back to Camp that night, he suffers the most terrible nightmares he had since he was a child.

He sees Thalia dying over and over as he stands next to her while she begs him to help, to save her.

Stop this !

Your pride almost doomed us all and you ask no punishment ?

Please, I'll never do that mistake again.

He can't see her die again.

Please Master.

Stop your incessant whining, fool ! Despite your fault, Zeus still thinks Poseidon is the culprit.

But gods can't steal from each other, he'll find someone to blame, a mortal.

Wait and see, it has been set in motion.

What has been, my Lord ?

The Great Prophecy is upon us and she brings with her the downfall on the Olympians.

-------------------------------------

Are you sure of your choice, Master ?

Yes, the little hero is most fitting.

Percy Jackson has nothing of a hero.

He's a scrawny 12 years old boy, who just lost his mother and looks utterly out of place.

Until he douses Clarisse with water.

Until he beats him at sword fighting, when he is said the best sword-man in the last 300 years.

Until he single won against three Ares campers when they were for blood.

Until the hellhound Luke invoked attacks him and-

"All hail Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, the Earthshaker !"

A forbidden child.

A demigod fated to die only because of his father's name.

Percy is standing in front of him, looking at awe at the holographic trident above his head.

He is the chosen one, is he not ?

He will bring Olympus on its knees for me to crush it.

-------------------------

As expected, Percy is accused of being the lightning's thief and sent on a quest to retrieve it.

Annabeth volunteers but Luke is serene, there's no way Percy accept her as a quester, not with their parents' rivalry.

And yet, he finds himself wishing them goodbye on the top of the hill, at the both of them.

This quest is destined to fail, to start a war within Olympus.

"Good luck guys, come back safe and sound !"

Percy will fall into Tartarus, for Kronos to do what he plans with him but Annabeth and Grover will be back.

-------------------------

The deadline comes and the skies stay clear.

He failed, somehow he failed.

Percy, Annabeth and Grover come back, all glowing with pride for stopping in the war.

What do we do now ?

He hugs Annabeth, telling her how proud he is of her.

It's time for you to leave and assume full command of our forces.

He high-fives Grover and feign utter shock and regret and he tells him that the shoes almost dragged him into Tartarus.

We need Percy on our side and I'm sure he'll come.

Beware the little hero, he is as unpredictable as the sea in his veins.

He ruffles Percy's hair, jokingly asking him to teach him how he beat Ares.

What do I do if he refuses ?

Kill him.

He fights for a better world for demigods.

A world where demigods like Percy could live free from the gods' requests and whims.

Sacrifices are necessary, Castellan. You cannot make change without true acts.

Percy who looks at him with full trust.

Percy who is merely twelve years old.

Should I ask Alabaster to kill the child ?

No, I'll do it myself.

And Percy will join, Luke's sure of it.

If he doesn't, then he is part of the problem.

-------------------------

Percy refuses and Luke leaves him alone in the woods, only waiting for death to come.

Three hours later, Silena's report comes in and informs him that Percy Jackson is alive and that every body he is the lightning thief.

"Everybody on deck, now." He orders on the megaphone, waiting for all the demigods to assemble on Princess Andromeda's deck.

"There is a change of plans, Olympus is now aware of our rebellion but" he stops the hushes with his hand, "the King of the Gods is too stubborn too consider us a threat. He will ignore us as long as he can and since we all know he is a tyrant, nobody on Olympus will dare question him."

"Alabaster, you and Ethan are in charge of the army. Train them, make sure they master their powers and at least one weapon."

"Chris, you will scout for demigods, it is essential we find them before the satyrs do."

"Lila, you are in charge to communicate with our spy in Camp and then coordinate with me to know what kind of infos we need to know."

"As for the rest of you, try to reach your siblings, convince them to join us, to join the right side of this war."

He dismisses them, mindlessly twisting the ring on his leather necklace.

It's cheap ring, probably stolen in a shady store.

It was the most precious thing he had then and it is the most precious thing he has today.

I'm doing this for us Annie.

No matter how much it will hurt you, it is for you good.

When you understand and join me, we'll be together and everything will be fine.

[rusted-fairy-wings]

IT'S FINISHED GUYS

Alrighty, guys, here's my day-late Lloyd birthday one shot I whipped up as quick as I could. It's set mid season 2 because I wanted it to be lol. hope y'all enjoy it because I enjoyed writing it! (~2.5k words).

Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon had never particularly cared for birthdays. He hadn’t had one horrible one that had changed it all, he hadn’t had one spectacular one that made it all worth it, he simply hadn’t had much of a birthday at all. Darkley’s didn’t celebrate such things; birthdays had been largely ignored since they didn’t contribute to the ultimate goal of villainy. Besides, it wasn’t like Lloyd had any friends there to celebrate with anyways. Acts of kindness were seen as acts of weakness and therefore few and far between. He knew his father would have tried to celebrate if he could, but being trapped in the Underworld and turning more evil each day made any sort of quality time difficult. And of course, Lloyd didn’t even remember his mother and had only started to get to know her recently. So, needless to say, Lloyd’s birthdays over the years had never mattered much; he spent them alone because it was the only way he ever had.

Unsurprisingly then, he didn’t bring up the meaning of September 22nd to the other ninja when the day came. Besides, Lloyd wasn’t even sure exactly how old he was turning. It would’ve been his tenth birthday, but now… he wasn’t exactly sure what age he was. So no point in celebrating anyways. Only his mother and maybe his Uncle Wu knew the meaning of today, and so far Lloyd hadn’t seen either of them. 

Lloyd had been sitting at the table in the Bounty as he was contemplating all this, staring off into space. He flinched slightly when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Hey, Kid, I’m going into the city to run an errand. Wanna come?”

Lloyd glanced up at Kai and said, “Thanks, Kai, but maybe I should stay in today.”

Kai’s dimples showed when a slight frown tugged at his lips. Lloyd shrugged at the fire ninja who had become an older brother to him. 

“Aw, come on. It’ll be fun. Let’s go. You don’t have a choice, we’re going.”

“Hey, why’d you even bother asking if you’re gonna make me go?” Lloyd protested. “Besides, I don’t have to listen to you.”

“Pretty sure you do actually. I’m older and cooler. C’mon, you’ll have fun.”

And looking at Kai’s earnest, prideful grin, Lloyd couldn’t help but agree to follow his older brother. As they left, Kai told Cole they were leaving, and next thing Lloyd knew, they’d left the Bounty behind.

---------------

“Finally,” Jay groaned after Cole had spread the news of Lloyd and Kai’s departure. “That took forever with Lloyd sleeping in so late today.”

Zane and Cole stood side by side in the kitchen, largely ignoring Jay in favor of pouring over a recipe book. 

Nya replied, glancing up from the box of decorations she’d set on the table, “What matters is Kai got him out of here. Cole, Zane, how's it going?”

“Just trying to determine the cake flavor Lloyd would most prefer.”

“I’m telling ya, chocolate!”

“Cole, that’s the flavor you would most prefer,” Zane answered icily.

Nya interjected, “Well, what’s the sweetest one?”

Cole argued, “It’s cake, they're all sweet.”

“We could ask Misako what he’d like,” Zane offered.

Nya protested, “Like she’d know! We’ve practically known Lloyd longer than she has!”

The two ninja and samurai continued to bicker on like this for a while as Jay sat unusually quiet.

“Oh I know!” Jay interrupted suddenly, standing up from the table he and Nya were seated at and walking to Cole and Zane. “Bake him the one with all those colorful sprinkles in the middle! Oh and we can put pieces of candy on top!”

Zane, Cole, and Nya all shared a look. 

Cole muttered, “Can’t believe Jay had the best idea.”

“Hey!” Jay whined. “ I have great ideas!”

Nya, moving to stand next to Jay, said, “Aw, lay off him. We need to get started, we only have a few hours before they’ll be back.”

Zane and Cole kicked Nya and Jay back out of the kitchen since neither of them were trustworthy when it came to making anything more than toast. Instead, as Cole and Zane got started, Jay and Nya began to sort through and put up the meager decorations they had.

---------------

Wu and Misako sat quietly in the Bounty. Misako’s hands were steady, her movements precise as she wrapped the gifts from the ninja, Wu, and her. The steadiness of her hands masked the trembling within.

But Wu knew her well enough to see right through this.

“You are worried, aren’t you?” He said after a while.

Misako sighed and answered, “Of course I am. I haven’t spent a birthday with him since the first couple. I haven’t been the best mother as the ninja have made abundantly clear, especially Kai.”

“They are… protective. Do not take it to heart if some of them are still warming up to you. You telling them what today was is a step in the right direction. And your son has forgiven you.”

“I know… but all those years apart. I wonder if he and I will ever be close.”

“Only time will tell, Misako,” Wu reassured her, his gift wrapping as precise as his sister-in-law’s. “For now, know that things are better than before.”

Misako nodded, and they both fell silent once again. 

---------------

Kai and Lloyd wandered the streets of Ninjago City, and Kai couldn’t help but grin. It had been a while since just the two of them had spent quality time together with all the life-threatening adventures eating up their time. 

“So, what do you need to pick up from town?” The younger of the two asked.

“Hair gel,” Kai answered quickly, just as he had practiced… also it was true. 

Lloyd laughed, rolling his eyes as Kai rebutted, “Hey, hair this great takes effort you know!”

“Yeah, we’ve all seen how many hours you spend on it in the bathroom,” Lloyd teased. 

“What can I say? I’ve got priorities. Someone on this team has gotta have great hair.”

The two walked to the general store, grabbing from the shelf the biggest container of Kai’s usual hair gel brand they could find. 

“Hey, you know while we’re here, Kid,” Kai offered. “You should look around! Need anything?”

Lloyd shrugged and said, “I don’t need much, I mean—”

Kai had not so subtly been leading them to the candy aisle after grabbing the gel and asked, “Nothing at all? You sure? My treat.”

Now growing suspicious but unable to resist, Lloyd grabbed a bag of suckers and a bag of gummy candy. Smiling smugly at the delight on his younger brother’s face, Kai paid for the hair gel and the treats.

“So, back to the Bounty?” Lloyd asked, popping a gummy into his mouth and then offering the bag to Kai. 

“Well, we’re already here. Might as well stay and enjoy the city while it’s not being attacked, right? How about we go to the arcade?” Kai said as he took a piece of candy for himself.

“You suck at video games though.”

“Hey! Sorry I don’t spend the hours Jay does on gaming to get good at ‘em. I can still enjoy it!”

With a mischievous grin that reminded Kai of his brother’s youth, Lloyd teased, “Oh, that’s right, you spend those hours on your hair!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Kai answered, ruffling Lloyd’s hair affectionately. “Let’s go, alright?”

Unsurprisingly, Lloyd was better than Kai at pretty much everything they played, the younger of the two gloating the whole time. As Kai looked at his younger brother, beaming with pride, moving from game to game with childlike wonder, laughing at Kai’s many mishaps, Kai couldn’t help but be happy too. He knew Lloyd’s life hadn’t been easy. He’d been the one to comfort Lloyd when he awoke him in the middle of the night due to nightmares. He’d hugged him while he cried. He’d looked after him when Lloyd didn’t have anywhere else to turn to. Kai knew better than anyone how hard it was for Lloyd to maintain his hope and sense of optimism. But he’d be there to fan the flames and to keep that hope alive. 

In moments like these, the fire ninja practically glowed with pride. Because something about seeing his little brother this happy fulfilled him like few things ever had or maybe ever would.

---------------

Grinning ear to ear, Lloyd walked side by side with Kai to where the Bounty was anchored. 

As they came upon it, Kai said smugly, “See, told you we’d have fun. Aren’t you glad you ran errands with me?”

“Yeah… I am. Thanks, Kai. I probably would’ve stayed inside the whole day if you hadn’t forced me out. Sometimes… even though it doesn’t always bother me, today’s hard. It usually is fine, but I guess it was affecting me more than I realized.”

Kai slowed his climb into the Bounty, asking slowly, “Today’s hard, huh?”

“I mean, it’s a little lonely usually. But I’m really glad you spent the day with me, Kai, even if I didn’t tell you that today mattered.”

Kai and Lloyd now stood outside the door to the kitchen and dining area of the Bounty, the ship unusually quiet.

“Lloyd, I know what day it is. And I assumed with everything you told me about how you grew up before we took you in that it hasn’t been the best. But I—we—were hoping to make this one a good one.”

“Wait—you knew? And what do you mean ‘we?’”

Kai opened the door, and Lloyd’s eyes widened at the table laden with gifts Misako and Wu had wrapped, the horribly crooked decorations Jay and Nya had put up, and the lopsided cake Cole and Zane had baked and decorated. His breath caught when he saw them all there: Zane, Jay, Cole, Nya, Misako and his Uncle Wu—his family.

In a way that was clearly rehearsed but still horribly out of sync, everyone gave a slightly mis-timed, “Happy birthday!”

Cole stepped forward, showing Lloyd the cake he and Zane had worked so hard on. Lloyd didn’t miss the flour still on Zane’s shirt or the smear of frosting on Cole’s jeans.

“My apologies that the letters are smushed,” Zane said as Lloyd took in the sight of the barely frosted cake with its crooked “happy birthday Lloyd!” that he could barely make out. “I made the mistake of letting Cole do it.”

“I think it looks great, and hello, all cakes look good!”

Lloyd looked at Kai, who set his hand on the younger ninja’s shoulder as his green eyes welled with tears.

“You did… all of this? For me? I didn’t even tell you it was today!”

“Misako told us,” Nya answered as Lloyd looked at the mother he barely knew.

Misako nodded and said, “You deserve to have at least one be special, and I knew your friends would want to make that happen.”

Nya added, “Hope you don’t mind all the sneaking around we did to surprise you.”

His arm now around Lloyd’s shoulder as tears began to trickle down the green ninja’s face, Kai reassured, “We love you, Kid.”

Lloyd hugged Kai tightly and then looked at his family.

“Thank you all… this is the nicest thing I think anyone’s ever done for me.”

“That’s because for once, Kai’s right,” Jay said with a grin. “We love ya! Now are you gonna open your gifts or what? We spent good money on those!”

Lloyd laughed, wiping his eyes as Kai led him to sit at the table. He opened comics and candy and clothes and knick-knacks. Each one was so thoughtful—the comics were all ones he’d mentioned liking, the candy his favorite flavors, the clothes just his size and style, the knick-knacks similar to what he’d described wanting to decorate his space in the Bounty with ages ago. His favorite gift by far though was one his mother presented, a framed picture of everyone present at the celebration. When Lloyd opened the frame, he saw the back of the photo had been signed by everyone and was covered with kind words. 

Kai lit candles on a cake that tasted much better than it looked. Admittedly, when Lloyd blew out the candles, he did make a wish—he wished his father were there too. It would’ve been the only thing that made the day perfect. But he was surrounded by such love and warmth, his father’s absence only truly bothered him at that moment. 

He celebrated and laughed with the others for many hours, but at the end of the night, Wu presented one last gift: a letter that Lloyd quickly tore open.

My dear son,

I know that destiny has torn us apart. I know that I am not with you. I know that one day—someday soon even—we will fight. This is all undeniable. 

But that day is not today. I’m sorry I cannot be by your side. The evil inside me grows stronger every day, and I don’t want you hurt if things were to get violent between me and the others. Instead, I offer you this letter.

I love you, Son. Happy birthday. Know that September 22nd ten years ago was the greatest day of my life. 

-Your father

“How did you get this?” Lloyd whispered, clutching it tightly. 

Wu answered, “Worry not about that. What matters is that my brother is still there despite the venom. And that is the man who wanted you to see that.”

Lloyd nodded, at a loss for words as he held the letter close to his chest. 

Kai ruffled Lloyd’s blonde hair, saying, “We all love you, Kid. Things aren’t perfect, but hey, as long as they’re better than before, right?”

Lloyd couldn’t help but smile as he took in the sight of his loved ones and said, “Way better than before. Nobody’s ever done anything like this for me.”

Nya smiled and said, “Well, you’re family now. That’s what we do for each other.”

The celebration ran a little longer, but soon people began to head to bed, to rest. 

And as he went to bed himself, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon thought that maybe he did care for birthdays. He hadn’t had one horrible one, but he had one spectacular one that made it all worth it. He had friends—a family—to celebrate with, who made it all worth it. Acts of kindness were no longer a sign of weakness in his life. His birthday did matter, and he knew he would never spend another alone. Even as their destined battle drew nearer, his father had tried to celebrate in the way he could. His mother had returned and shared the day with the others to make this all possible. So, needless to say, Lloyd’s birthday did matter, and he wouldn’t spend another alone.

[elliespuns]

I wanted to ask you this since you definitely understand the tlou characters down to a T 👌🏻How do you think sarah was conceived LMAO. Like, do you think joel and sarah’s mom were already in a relationship for a while, or were they a pretty new couple n all of a sudden she got pregnant. I’m assuming it was an accident and they were using protection, I don’t think joel would be dumb enough to not use protection.

Since joel’s birthday is in September and sarah’s mom got pregnant when he was 18, he must’ve gotten her pregnant after graduating. School in the US ends around May/June, so he would’ve been 17 during graduation. I wonder if he was supposed to go to college but had to leave bc sarah’s mom got pregnant.

I have the feeling he wasn’t planning on going anyways, otherwise he would told ellie at the university that he was supposed to go to college but didn’t bc of sarah. Not to mention, by the time his birthday came when he turned 18, if he was planning on going to college he would’ve already committed to a school since decisions would’ve come out when he was 17 and still a senior in hs. anyways that was more math than i was planning on doing lol but what are you thoughts?

First of all, I love all of this. Such a perfect, thought-through analysis (what do you even need me for, hun?).

I think everything you say makes perfect sense. The only thing I see differently is the "protection" part. I do, on the other hand, think Joel was dumb enough not to use the protection. I don't know why, but something has always told me he's one of the fathers who get their first girlfriend pregnant accidentally as a result of carefree sex and then end up dedicating their whole life to the baby, be it together with her or alone, because this baby is someone now, someone he's created, and what kind of person he would've been if he didn't want it.

Protection or not, both work, I guess. Both meant he got her pregnant by accident. People had limited options and choices back then when it came to unwanted pregnancies, so I think his initial thought was anything but "We need to keep it." despite the panic he felt.

He probably didn't even want a baby, but then he slept on it and realized there was no way back, so he manned up and married his girlfriend in the hope of raising this child together. Which didn't happen because his wife probably couldn't bear all this pressure of being a young mother and left him and Sarah on their own. That's when I think he manned up to the highest of levels because there was literally no one else who would take care of his baby.

What I think is that his wife just left him in the cold. Simple as that. Some people think she died, but that wouldn't make sense with what Joe told Ellie at the university. If his wife died, he'd probably just tell her, like in a good memory of her or something. He was already sharing his feelings about Sarah with Ellie, so he would do the same with his wife. Instead, he seemed like he didn't want to talk about his wife. I've always felt like it had nothing to do with being hard for him, but rather because this topic was not something he wanted to share with a kid.

Which makes me think his wife either left him and Sarah without saying a thing or they had a fight (she could be problematic, maybe not handling motherhood that well), and he told her to leave, knowing that he'd be a better dad to Sarah alone. 

I think Joel's wife was his girlfriend back when he got her pregnant. Maybe even his first serious girlfriend. That's probably why they decided to get married. Maybe they were even forced into marriage by their parents, because you know what it was like back then. You had to be married to have a kid, because if you had a kid without a marriage, you'd be looked down on.

I will forever wonder what Joel's wife's name was, though. I just hope it wasn't Sarah.

[dyns33]

I need some advice: More than a year ago, a "friend" asked several people to lend her money for her move. My sister, several people and I gave her cash, and she promised to start repaying the month of the following year, 4 months later. When she arrived in her new apartment, she discovered that the job she thought she had gotten was ultimately given to someone else, and on top of that she made the decision to change accommodation, moving from a shared apartment to an apartment on her own. Under these conditions, she told us she could not repay before March, because she had to find a new job, which we all understood. Then she adopted a cat. She went to the restaurant several times a week, posting everything on Instagram, in stories. She was going to bars. She bought an electric bike. She took a trip to Italy. Lots of useless things, like DVDs, PS4 games, figurines, mangas… Time passed, March arrived, and nothing. She didn't mention the money again and no one said anything. I didn't need the money, but it was my money, and I couldn't understand why she didn't prioritize repayments when she was buying all these things. I first asked her kindly when she thought she would get the money back, and she told me in the summer. I waited until September and sent her a long message, which I really turned out to be polite and understanding. I told her that I saw her purchases, and that it hurt me. That she had promised to repay and that she could start little by little, and not even with me, because some people who had given her money needed it. She didn't have to stop buying anything for herself, but she had to make a budget. Her response came a few minutes later, saying I wasn't a real friend or I never would have sent her that. That the things she paid for were not with her money, but with the money of people who agreed to lend to her. The same people to whom she already owed and who continued to lend to her. She then told me that she was going to save money and that she would pay me back first, then it would be over. I said goodbye to her and blocked her. Since then, nothing. I haven't received any money, even though she knows where I live. She always goes to restaurants, travels and buys lots of things. My sister hasn't seen her money again, and today the 'friend' just got blocked for not wishing her on her birthday. She had already blocked two of her exes, deciding they didn't deserve to be paid back. I have her mother's number. We have known each other for years, we were "sisters". I know she is not a good person, she is selfish, manipulative, she will never change. But I can't stop thinking about it. Not only did I have the right to claim my money back after a year, but it was also a question of respect, of principle. I can't accept that she doesn't get punished. Except I don't know what to do. Unblock her by reminding her that she still owes us money ? Tell her parents, who don't know she has debts ? Move on ?

Update : I'm a moron who can't think for two minutes, I unbloked her, told her to send me my money since she can fucking go to Italy and have my adress, told her that I hoped she would be more respectful with the people who are still waiting, anf bloked her again. Happy birthday, bitch.

Not sure she will send anything, but I needed her to know that I was not forgetting, nor forgiving.

[foxes-that-run]

What are your thoughts on haylor meeting up in late 2016? Do you think there was a slight chance of them getting back together, and do you think they would've made it if they did get back together? I know Taylor chose the safest option, but Harrry and her didn't even seem to talk things out, so why even meet in the first place? Didn't Taylor tell him she loves someone else, too? It's so confusing...

I think they did, there are enough crumbs to give it plausible and they both spent November and December in LA and London respectively. But this is in the same time the Joe stuff was starting so who knows.

This got long, sorry. The TLDNR is:

the canon is Taylor met Joe at the Met, dated Tom, broke up and in October 2016 went to Joe's premiere and started dating him. Although Joe was not in the same country as Taylor for most of that time. In May 2017 they went public and were seen 20 times before Reputation came out in November, it was super public.

An alternate timeline is that after Hendall and Hiddleswift both ended within a month and before Joe/Taylor and Harry/Tess Ward went public within a week the haylor sightings, being in the same city, songs, gifts, blind items, edited videos and friend comments were because they were secretly dating again.

because....

24 August - Hiddleswift over

22 September - Hendall break up again.

28 September - Taylor with Cara, Harry MIA, released Another Man covers/mixtape, Joe London.

October - Harry was in Jamaica recording HS1. Joe in London on 3rd. On 13th Joe and Taylor at Bowery enter separately. Joe is in NY for the Billy Lynn Long Halftime Walk promo tour so unlikely to have ample days ahead in NY given the films budget.

11 October - Taylor went to Joe's movie screening and the Rep book has a 19 November polaroid captioned "how would you feel about having a song written about you?"

3 November - Both are in LA for November with HS1 recorded.

25 November - Harry was seen in LA then disappeared for a week. Taylor posted a lot of photos of friendsgiving in RI. Joe not there. Taylor posted photos so would only show who was public.

28 November - is the first clue things may have been back on in a few months (apart from having both been in LA). Gemma (Harry's sister), Lou Teasdale (Harry's close friend & 1D stylist), Sam Campbell (Lou's sister and friend of Harry, married to one of Harry's friends too) go to Karaoke and post lyrics to WANGBT and Sam captions it "talk to my friends". 👀

Haylor Secrets posts that they are together, which.. that account may be totally fake, or making it up, but had been right about stuff

December - Both in London, IDWLF released, Taylor has a birthday party at her London House the Rep magazine photos are in, Harry MIA but in London. On 28 December there was an unconfirmed sighting of them together and Taylor gave Austin a record signed by friends of Harry's. He thanked them and the band commented that it was signed for 'a friends little brother' who turned out to be Taylor Swift.' Harry knew them for years and Sam Campbell commented 'LOL'

31 December - in 2020 7 photos of Taylor & Joe getting ready in her London house leaked with this date given. Why only 7? The date of the New Years Eve jumping into an icy pool story Taylor Nation edited out. If the story was about Joe why would it be edited out?

3 January 2017 - Lover journal that Taylor has been with someone for 3 months, no one has found out and she is living in London. It had been 3.1 months since the Hendall break up and 2.5 months since Joe got to NY. .....

7 January - Harry records Lately where he sings 'I don't believe what you're saying to me, "that I love him"'

13 January - Taylor records DWOHT and the IDWLF music video.

1 February - Harry's birthday, the rose ring appears. Taylor is in NY/Nashville, Harry NY/London and Joe in London.

April - Harry's Rolling Stone interview where he leaves the table when Taylor is brought up and says he wants to tip is hat to her about 1989, and give his whole cap to the muse of HS1, now over.

7 May - Harry seen with Tess Ward, the first time he has been seen with anyone since having dinner with Kendall in September.

16 May - a week later The Sun reports Joe and Taylor dating 'for months'. First time Taylor seen with anyone romantically since August

Even longer versions are in the 2016 and 2017 timelines.