#but yeah no to ig definitively answer the question: the sane

[phoebehalliwell]

are piper's and tamora's combustion powers also slightly different?

really only in the sense that piper has more control over them (ie she can control how strong her blasts are) and (following the comics) has molecular acceleration. tam basically only has one setting (murder setting!) but she does have a very good aim. she’s kind of the opposite of kat in that she can do the minutia like she can. well she can’t blow up a fly but she could blow up maybe like a lime if it were flying around. but you know how like w coles energy balls he can control the voltage and fire warning shots? and piper can just injure with a light surface burn and no limbs removed (she did it to christy!!) tam can’t do that. she can probably blow off just a hand or arm bc again she has good aim but she has to demolish something. there’s really no smaller stage for her

[the-bjd-community-confess]

More Divaz confos

Mod: Round two of these, previously: link. There’s some interesting customer reviews in this batch (5 and 8) which may be useful to readers.

1.Vic3mage "the secret bjdivaz vip group is just pictures of boxes coming in and going out". Yeah, between the bitching about d0llshe, asking people to post on doa for them, dunking on ex-customers, posting pics of random doll parts that they can't identify which doll they're supposed to go with, whining about how little money they make, whining when ppl e-mail them, whining. Yeah, other than that it's just boxes, and alpacas u can buy off amazon anyway lol.

~Anonymous

2.The butthurt users crying and guilttripping under every Divaz confession who have never been seen before elsewhere on this blog are extremely unsuspicious and unproblematic and definitely unconnected to Divaz and unbiased in every possible way

/s

~Anonymous

3.idk shit abt bjd1vas but v1cemage i can absolutely tell you the shit about ch0o is 100% accurate, fucker's got a long, long history of being an awful little man that stretches well beyond his involvement in the doll community. between the two i'd still trust bjd1vas over ch00 ch00 the fool any day!

~Anonymous

4.The Z3st and Div4s thing is really silly and both entities were being shady but did they really have to take the DZ waiting room down with them? :( He had even made a separate thread about it......

~Anonymous 

5. RE: BJD Divaz

I’ve been a customer of BJD Divaz since they first started, when it was only run by Chart3rline. I even contacted other BJD companies trying to persuade them to work with Divaz as their US representative. Most declined because they didnt like D's commission fee, but I was able to persuade a few of them.

I asked them to purchase a doll off DOA because I couldnt afford the asking price, and while they did, I found out later that instead of agreeing to purchase the seller's price, they negotiated the price to be lower. This significantly cheaper price was not passed down to me. I paid the full price +the commission fee based on that full price. I am disappointed I was not told this. This is when I stopped viewing them as a "friend" and instead, as a business. I dont hold this against them, it’s context to what Im going to say later.

I’ve stopped purchasing from D after my recent order from them. This company usually takes 3 or less months to make a doll. I’ve ordered the doll from D and it took 11 months. They let me know it arrived to them in March and that it will be shipped soon, except it only shipped on July, and only after I sent them several "reminder" emails. Before people in the comments try to put the blame on me for not sending a reminder soon, please keep in mind that I acknowledged the email in March and confirmed everything and they keep stressing to not send them emails because they are busy, I’ve emailed once every month since. I’ve since switched to ACBJD and Ive been happy with communication and the dolls ordered. I imagine ACBJD gets the same amount of emails, but they dont berate their customers if they email more than once.

I regret when people wanted a D0llshe, but not deal with him, I always recommended D. I would warn people of ordering directly and instead go through D. They assured buyers they would be handling communication and all the efforts so they wouldnt worry, except they didn’t. A person that I’ve recommended D to, who surpassed 2 years, keeps messaging me for help because D wouldnt reply to their emails. She is respectful, sweet and a timid person, not a Karen. This person, emailed D without a reply so would email a week later, only to be told that their email would be pushed down to the bottom if emailed again. No response, so she goes to FB and IG, who both tell her to email because they arent the person running orders. Finally got a response that they would get their refund, after D0llshe sends D's payment, but minus the PP fees. 3 months later and theres no refund, only a promise of them getting it later. Why is the customer missing out on fees when they have no doll? Customer emails d0llshe and he says he cant offer refund, because they didn’t order through them, which is understandable, but when all options are out for a customer, do you blame them for chargebacks?

If anyone files a chargeback, D will be blacklisting them from every company they rep, as in blacklisting you from buying direct from those companies. I urge everyone who has negative experiences with D to email the companies they rep instead of venting on confession blogs, and writing your experiences on social media. Make it count and send letters to the companies they represent, and please provide proof because they will try to make you out to be a liar.

Speaking of, they made vague posts on cl0ver singing for charging paypal fees, and that they offer guarantees as an official dealer, except when offering refunds, to non delivered products I might add, they are keeping the fees, and offered no help with d0llshe, even before they ended their dealership with them. Someone on DOA was told to not email them unless the wait time surpassed 1.5 years. They are even so petty that they post screenshots with the full name and address (dox) of the customer on purpose and then delete it out a day later as if they just realized their "mistake".

Before you try to make excuses for them about the fires, keep in mind, I am dealing with a business. The lower price negotiation with the DOA sale, I am in no way obligated to give them a pass or treat them as a friend when they made it clear that our relationship is strictly business. Their issues, are not my issues. D0lk got dragged for not shipping in time, others, including artisans, got dragged for being so late with communication and sending back refunds for cancelled orders. Why does D get to be exempt?

The supporters are the worst part of this, because of instead of being honest so D can improve, they support them for being "real". For example, look how micemage words it, to make it seem like this criticism is from one person, when there are people on addicts who didn’t have good experience. Check the bjd dealers tag here, you will see the supporters in the comments going off on any and all criticism of D. Some have sane comments, but the majority are cult like and try to identify the person venting as if it’s one person. Addicts deletes threads with criticism asking people to instead direct it to their feedback group; which lets be honest, no one is going to do because its "not that bad", and most dont want to join a new group, which is mostly dead.

This is my first and last confession on D, I’ve emailed each company they rep and told them my experience as well as contacting the 3 month wait company, with screenshots of my order, how they handled it, and the excuse they used to put blame on the company for being so late (package arrived march to D, 4 months to be shipped is on D, not the company). I’m not using company or order details because I know they are petty enough to try to identify me and publicly shame me like they have to others. This and the threat of suing is why not many people like to go public with their experience. They just keep feedback neutral, move on and never deal with again.

~Anonymous

6. Listen, I can't take you seriously in regards to BJD!vas because you're posting on a confession blog. If you were serious, you would have posted in buyer beware groups, DoA reviews or the board to get things resolved, or you would have made a complaint to the BBB. And your language makes you come off more as someone with an agenda rather than someone who is trying to warn people. If shipping is the issue, stop buying with standard shipping and pay the extra price for express shipping. I saw one of you complain that it sat with them for 20 days; that's probably because you're not the only one and they more than likely have a queue to check and then ship out. Do mistakes happen? Yes, because we're human. I've been in this hobby for a few years now and it seems like most people know you're going to have to wait, sometimes even outside the expected wait time. And shipping something as big as a doll is a timely endeavor. I shouldn't have to say that.

My point is simply to stop complaining on an confession board and either take it to the places previously mentioned. Posting here behind the anonymous mask makes you sound like a petulant child who didn't get their way right away.

~Anonymous

7.My only issue with BJD Divaz is how I never get any updates. Every email, they tell me to join their facebook page for status updates. I dont have a FB and I dont want to create one. I bought my doll through their website, updates should be posted on their website, or they could send me an email. That isnt asking much.

~Anonymous

8. Since there seems to be a lot of either "completely negative everything sucks" or "everything was sunshine and rainbows" confessions about bjd!vaz I thought I'd chime in with a neutral review.

PROS

-They were always polite and professional in their emails, and gave me very detailed answers to my questions.

-I got exactly what I ordered, so no mix ups or missing parts or anything like that.

-I think them being forthcoming about personal issues (only one person on staff, illness, the flooding isue etc.) on social media is good, since it keeps customers updated as to why there might be delays.

-If you live in the US their shipping is very reasonable.

CONS

-Reply times were varied. Sometimes it could take over a week, sometimes a couple hours.

-My order took about 10mo which, when comparing to other people who ordered through the same company around the same time, was about 3x as long as if I bought it direct and 2x as long if I had gone through a different dealer. I get some of the waiting time is out of their control, but it was kind of ridiculous.

-They dont necessarily ship the same day they send you a tracking number. I wish they said something like, "Here's your tracking number, our pickup is Xday so it should start moving after that" just so I could be aware.

All in all no major complaints. I got my doll and all that. Their lone employee is clearly overwhelmed. I hope they hire another person, if only to give the one a break.

Truthfully, I most likely won't buy through them again. I'd rather pay the international shipping and go direct, than deal with the extensive wait time. I'd still recommend them to someone looking for a very long layaway, though. I paid in full, but if I had a 12mo layaway I would've never known they weren't ready to ship my doll until month 10.

~Anonymous

[zuholymama]

In The Same Boat

Pair: Zuho x reader (female)

Warnings: Profanities, mentions of alcohol

Here I am again. Chugging down my sadness away with my favorite poison. It's been a fucking month, why can't I get a grip yet? Why is it so hard to forget the things he had done?

"Damn you, Taeyang..." I cursed under my shaky breath. I bet the bartender is looking at me with sorry eyes. Yeah, that's right, hate to admit it but I do need some sympathy right now. Where my girl friends you ask? I came alone today. Nobody's accompanying me.

And honestly, I'm hoping someone would take me home tonight. Help me forget about the bitter things.

But being here with my sadness, honestly I don't feel that awful. The music that's been blasting off behind me actually sounds dope. I don't hate it. Before I realized, I find my head bopping along with the beat. I leave my table with the cash, walking to the dance floor to mingle with the other strangers. I let myself go, enjoying the vibe that platinum haired DJ's offering us. Ah, it's him again. If I remember correctly, his name's Zuho. Right?

As I dance my heart out with his music, I couldn't care less about my troubles. I couldn't care less about my friends. I'm here, just here to sooth myself out of my bad mood. The night is young and Zuho's music is my company.

Before I know it, 30 minutes already passed by.

"What? No way..." I whined. During this month I've only came thrice. Every time I visit, Zuho would be the DJ for the night. I guess Saturday is his schedule. I've never paid attention to him before but how could I not now that I've listened and danced to his performance three times? And with that slicked back platinum hair? His visual always catches my eyes.

"Thanks, guys. Have a good night!" That Zuho shouted before he left the stage. I screamed in return, hyping his departure. Maybe it's the alcohol's that running in my system but I feel really hyped, my chest's still beating rapidly from all the fun before.

But I'm still sane enough to go back to my seat. My whole body is sweating. In a small attempt to cool myself down, I pull my collar repeatedly to fan myself. It helps a little, I guess. But I bet it's better if I just go home and then take this dress off.

"You need a drink?"

A sudden deep voice came uninvited from beside of me, almost making me jump from my stool.

Holy. Fuck. That's the hot DJ from before. What is he doing in front of me, holding a full bottle of water...?

"Uhm... Y-yeah, thank you." I managed to reply albeit sheepish. My hand takes the water from him, opening it and immediately gulps it down. Okay, this cold water helps calming me down in this sudden turn of events.

The DJ grins. He leans back by the bar with his elbows on top of it, looking at the people passing by as he waits for me to finish drinking. I can see his side profile from here, and I gotta say... His nose is so sharp and cute. It's like his defining feature. And that square jaw and small lips... Some beads of sweat forming on his visible forehead. Okay, wow, he's this handsome up close? Fuck. He's making me nervous.

"Is it fun staring at me?"

I spitted out my drink. God damn it.

"I-I'm not staring at you." I muttered, definitely not selling it.

"Whatever you say." He smirked. Dammit. His hand then takes the bottle I was holding. He doesn't hesitate to bring it to his lips, drinking the rest of the water to quench his thirst. His bopping adam apple manages to keep my focus on it, staring at him like an idiot. Again.

After he's done drinking it empty, Zuho crushes the plastic bottle and then puts it on the table behind him, letting the bartender does the job to pick it up. His attention goes back to me, looking down on me with his slanted eyes for the longest time tonight, holding me captive on my stool.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Zuho." He introduced himself whilst offering a handshake. "And you are?"

"I'm y/n. Nice to meet you too, mister DJ." I excitedly answered as I firmly shake that hand back. "You were amazing. I really like your songs." I added my compliments. He deserves it, I've always wanted to say that to him.

"Thanks, y/n. I already know you do, though. You always gave your all on the dance floor everytime I performed." He pointed out. His eyes seemingly glint in amusement.

Has he always paid that much attention on me? Amongst many people on there? Oh God this is embarrassing. Why do I feel so self-conscious!?

"Am I that obvious?" I laughed nervously, "I'm just one among many other drunktards who danced to your songs, why approach me?"

"Hm... I wonder?" He raised an eyebrow, teasing me with a vague answer, "Take a guess." He smiled as he looked down at me again, his head resting on his palm.

I'm starting to believe that it's definitely the alcohol's acting up in my veins. I somehow find the courage to act bold against his teasing.

"Am I cute?" I smirked. "My colored hair hooked your interest?" I twirled my hair around my fingers.

"Hahaha," The tall guy laughed, cute. What's up with his deep voice and cute laugh? You can't do this to me. "I can't deny that. You are pretty cute, and that color suits you." After shamelessly admitting that in front of me, he then shakes his head off to tell me that I'm wrong, "But that's not why, y/n."

"Then I have no idea." I quickly gave up. My curiosity gets the best of me.

Smiling for a while, he shifted his body to face me properly. I can see his face's feature even better, such as the hint of sympathy within his eyes. "I know your ex."

My eyes immediately widened in disbelieve. Did I hear that right?

"No way? Yoo Taeyang?"

"The girl he kept while he was dating you? She was my girlfriend."

"...What the fuck?"

"I know. Pretty fucked up, huh?" He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "She didn't stay that long in my life, only 5 months. But still, getting cheated on sucks."

I'm speechless. I have that kind of connection with him? His girlfriend, I mean, EX-girlfriend, was the one who snatched Taeyang away from me? Or it's the other way around I don't fucking know. Doesn't fucking matter anymore. How could she leave this man behind? I mean, look at this guy. Zuho, a DJ, I bet he makes lotsa money. I've seen his name in many night club brochures. I bet his IG followers are at least 100k.

Me? Taeyang left me would make sense. I'm no one. A klutz. Doesn't have a stable job. Busy eating chips under my blanket, binge-watching shounen animes that have 100+ episodes. A year with me should've shown him plenty enough that I'm not the best woman out there.

"...How do you know me?" I questioned him. My throat feels dry from the tension despite of the water I just chugged down.

"I have my connections. Saw your IG since weeks ago," Zuho replies nonchalantly, "in your story I saw you hanging out here. I realized you're a usual patron of this club. It's a good coincidence to have because I'll lit this place up on weekends until next month."

"...So you've paid attention to me for some time now, huh?" I scoffed, amused with all the coincidence happening. At the same time, I'm happy to know someone who shares the same fate as me. "Well, should I order some drinks for both of us? To celebrate our failed love life?" I grinned, somehow finding a fraction of saving grace from his company here. Tonight might be different.

"Hm... I've had enough of my fair share in griefing. I'm more interested in something else."

"What's that?"

Suddenly, Zuho walks to my front, leaning down closely to my ear as his arm cages me by the bar. His face is so close on me that I could feel the heat that's radiating off his skin. I don't understand why he's doing this, but why can't I find the strength to fight him away?

"I know you've tried to drown your sadness away here. Either with the alcohol or dancing to my musics." He whispers lowly, giving me shudders down my spine. "How about I help you instead? As a fellow victim of those two."

Oh my God. Is this what I think it is...?

"What do you mean...?" I breathed out.

"You know what I mean, y/n." Even though I can't see his face, I know he's smirking again, "Your place or mine. Up to you."

Fuck me. I'm definitely sober to hear that clearly.

Also sober enough to make a choice.

"...Mine."

Fin.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #302

“heaven ain’t close in a place like this”

What color are your eyes? Grayish blue. What's your favorite type of milk? If we're talking the basics, ig 1% is fine. What would you change about your appearance if you could? Oh, hunny, you got time for an essay? What would you change about your bedroom if you could? I need to fucking finish decorating it... It's not finished by no fault but my own laziness. Are you rich or poor? We're definitely pretty poor. Are you double jointed? I don't think so. What's the most physically painful thing you've ever experienced? I once had a large infected cyst that had to be drained by applying pressure to it, and I swear to Christ I don't know how I didn't faint. They gave me morphine and multiple numbing shots, but none of that did SHIT. I'm not even embarrassed by the fact I was shrieking and sobbing and swearing because I'm pretty fucking sure any sane person would've cried out many times. I'm convinced they either didn't numb me enough for someone of my size back then, or I should've just gone under for it. I have no words for how painful it really was. Do you like shots? Uh, given that nobody LIKES getting a shot with a needle, I'm going to assume you mean like, taking shots of alcohol, in which case I've never tried, but I can almost absolutely guarantee you I'd hate them. I hate the taste of alcohol (hence why I only drink sweet and weak stuff), sooooo, I've got my doubts I'd enjoy something so potent. Are you afraid of spiders? Yes and no? Small ones don't tend to get to me, and I LOVE tarantulas. Big spiders are absolutely fascinating and I love *watching* them, but if I was surprised by a sudden spider, I'm going to probably cry out and jump/scramble away. But on a real note, respect your spiders, whether they scare you or not. They are so important to the ecosystem. See one in the house, take it outside if you can. Have you ever had an allergic reaction to something? To some earrings, yes. I have to wear ones that don't have silver in them. Do you like to read? Yeah, but not nearly as much as I did as a kid. I'm even slacking on WoF lately... Do you know what your purpose in life is? *SLAMS FISTS ON TABLE* BITCH I WISH I KNEW What's something you would like to improve at? Not being a socially anxious catastrophe. Do you believe you have great potential? Everybody does. You just have to use it. What is the most beautiful scenery you have ever beheld? Probably the mountains when driving to Tennessee. Or New York? I really can't recall either so clearly as to have a favorite. Are you flexible? Noooot anymore. Back in my WiiFit days, I was a gotdamn snake. List a song lyric that you like. Oh Jesus, don't make me think. Uhhhhh there's so many. Flipping through artists in my head with lyrics I tend to love, there's Otep with: "hey, hey, NRA, how many kids did you kill today?". Simple, but spine-chilling to me. Huh, time to listen to it actually, lol. That song murders me with the goosebumps. Do you meditate? No; I can't. You can't tell me to "free my mind," man. It's way too hectic at all times up there. What's one place you've been to that you want to visit again? I'd love to go back to Chicago one night when I actually learn how to do nighttime urban photography. What's one place you want to go that you've never visited before? I always answer "South Africa" to questions like this, so for variety's sake, I'll say the Bahamas. But a conspiratory bitch is afraid of the Bermuda Triangle, so... lmao. What's your favorite type of tree? I like big, impressive weeping willows. How many times have you seriously injured yourself? Only two occasions I can think of immediately. Maybe there's more, but idk. Did you attend Sunday School as a child? Yeah, even though I hated it. What is the longest your hair has ever been? Maybe a little passed the small of my back? What about the shortest? (not including being a toddler or baby): How it is now and has been for a couple years: shaved short on the left side, and it transitions to a length near my chin as you go to the right. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? No. Are/were you in the school band, and if so, what instrument did you play? I did, and I played the flute. I'd choose the saxophone if I could go back. Who does the grocery shopping in your household? Well, it's just Mom and me, so her. If you were to donate to charity today, what would you donate to? One that focuses on ovarian cancer for Mom. What is your favorite card game and when was the last time you played it? Even though I was never great at it or knew every single rule, "Magic: The Gathering" is honestly really fun, and I loved looking at the card art. I haven't played it since I was with Jason, so at least five-six years. Would you consider yourself to be good at spelling and grammar? Yeah, but I've somehow gotten worse with time???? I question the spelling and tenses of words I write a lot. What is your favourite seasonal candy? (only available at certain times): Probably like, chocolate rabbits. NOT hollow. Way to break my heart. Or gingerbread cookies. What was the last chocolate bar you ate? I think a Hershey's? It was a while ago. Who was the last person you talked to on Skype/video chat? I was in a Zoom session with multiple people for my partial hospitalization program. Have you ever dreamt about sleeping with someone other than your partner? If so, did that make you feel embarrassed? I've never had a dream like this while in a relationship. The last time you had butterflies in your stomach, what was the reason? I have no idea. Has anyone told you that they miss you recently? No. Has anyone ever asked you out or told you that they liked you, and you rejected them? Can you explain why you didn’t like, or didn’t feel attracted to that person? There was this one guy in the 4th grade who asked me if I would go out with him so much it almost became like a joke. I just... didn't like him like that. Then there's Juan; I'd just been warned that he had a bad rep by a very reliable adult, and the idea of dating him was kinda... intimidating anyway. Plus he was a smoker, which was and still is a no-no for me. What part in a movie would you love to play? The clinically insane villain or something because I feel with my history, I could channel that very well IF I actually wanted to act in the first place. What piece of furniture have you replaced the most? The couch. What’s the best part of your favorite movie? When Simba walks up Pride Rock in the rain and roars and all the lionesses join in. Chilling. What do you think is the most over-rated candy ever? Candy corn is repulsive. What was the highlight of your day? My mom was raving to one of my therapists in the PHP about my art and how badly she wants me to just get everything out there. I was smiling really big but looking down with how shy but also flattered it made me. Do you know anyone who is anorexic? I don't think so. Who has hurt you the most this year? Ha, myself. What's the last insult someone said to you? Hm. How much did your car cost? N/A What is the last picture you received on your phone of? Uhhh Mom mighta sent me a meme or Sara showed me a drawing someone made of Suriza, I think. Have you ever let someone go because you thought they deserved better? No, though I've felt that way before. Is there anybody you're really disappointed in right now? I'm still not over the fact Dad was a druggie before me and my sisters, apparently. It's almost like... hurtful in some weird way? Idk exactly why, it's just something I know I feel. What do you hear right now? I have Motionless In White's cover of "Somebody Told Me" playing in another tab. Do you do anything to help the environment? I do what I can as someone who isn't financially independent and reliant on another person for transportation. I won't litter for anything (and this includes shit like letting balloons go in the air, fucking stop), I'm trying to use my metal straw always in place of plastic, and to use less plastic bags, I try to spread out the times I clean Roman's litterbox to a few days; not to the point it's disgusting or uncomfortable for him, of course, though. Three days without is pretty much max. When's the last time you did something you knew was wrong? Ha, a little while ago... I was trying to avoid eating the two last biscuits Mom made for dinner 'cuz I really gotta lay off the carbs, but Mom "joked" that "it's your birthday, you get to do whatever you want," so I kinda just said fuck it lmao. Do you think that you have a pretty smile? No, because my eyes squint badly, and I also hate my teeth. When's the last time you cried over a guy? A few days ago a little bit, actually. I was reminiscing too much and recalling some of the warmest memories. Are you scared to lose the person you fell the hardest for? I already did. Oh well. Is there someone you wouldn't mind kissing right now? Yep. Do you have any friends that actually model? No. Do you care about the last person you kissed? A fucking lot. Do they care about you? Yes. Is there someone you wish you were with right now? Yes, just because of past birthday memories. I keep hoping a "happy birthday Britt" pops up in my FB messenger, and I hate myself for it. Have you ever imagined how it would feel kissing a certain someone? I legitimately just huffed in humor, guess, lmao. What are the bad things you've heard people say about you? That I'm a martyr, going nowhere, lazy, not trying hard enough, y'know, all that good stuff. Do you flirt a lot? Definitely not. What phrase or saying do you use the most? Probably "oof" lol. What mood are you in right now? I'm doing pretty all right. Kinda dreading Miss Tobey coming over, mean as it is, but I just... don't wanna deal with her and her judgments on my birthday. But I'm looking forward to seeing my sisters, and therapy went very well. Have you ever kissed someone that was high? No. Do you have a good relationship with your mother? Yep. How many exes do you have? I only consider two exes "serious," as I've only been in two deep and long-term relationships, but if we're counting everyone who's had the label of "boyfriend" or "girlfriend," there's six. Do you want to be single or with someone? Ugh, I don't know. It's probably better I don't 'til I figure my shit out, but I really do miss the companionship a lot. Why did you kiss the last person you kissed? Because I love her and I was leaving her at the airport. Does your mom think you’re a virgin? She doesn't know for the same reason I don't, really. I think she leans towards I am, but idk. Is there someone that wants you to give them a second chance? I don't know. What size bra do you wear? Uhhh I genuinely don't buy bras enough to know this exactly. C-something. Does the person you last kissed still like you? I don't know if she still like-likes me. Are your parents still together? Noooo. Was your first time good or bad? I dated an Italian, if u kno what I mean. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Which friend-turned-enemy do you miss the most? Colleen, sometimes. Have you ever used an epi pen, and it worked? I have not. What is on your top priority list for today? Make this fuckin' day for me. I'm trying to not let the depression sink in and make me feel worthless on today of all days. So I'm trying to stay in a positive headspace. Do you own any sand art in a jar? Omg, those are so cool! But no. Does the sun come in your window in the morning or at night? Not really; there's houses in the way. What was the last piece of art you created? A drawing of a meerkat with its mouth open angrily, done with colored pencils, against a black background. It's on my second dA. What time of day do you take medications? I have prescription meds for when I wake up and at bedtime. What's your newest hobby you've started? A new hobby? Huh... What are some things you wanted to do that your parents didn't let you do? They wouldn't let us stay home alone until a certain age, we had a timer on the TV at bedtime to shut off after a while, we weren't exposed to certain music or shows, no cursing... stuff like that. What YouTube channels do you recommend? This is a BAD question to ask me, 'cuz I could just about recommend channels for just about any niche. I watch soooooo many. What is your favorite day of the week? Tuesday, because it's reset day in WoW, haha. Meaning, I get to do my stupid mount farming raids again for the week. Blackhand, gimme your FUCKING clefthoof already. Ballet or cheerleading? Ballet is beautiful. What are your favorite sports to watch? Only dancing, really. Were you ever in the marching band? No. Which holiday has the best decorations, in your opinion? My contrasting aesthetics make this hard, haha. I love Christmas with all the beautiful light displays people can make, but let's not sleep on Halloween, y'all. I loooove Halloween decor, like c'mon, that's where I get shit for my room year-round, lmao. What do you want to be known for? It'd actually be kinda cool if I built up some sort of rep in the vulture culture community with my photography of roadkill. For how few shots I actually have on there and minimal interaction, my Instagram for it is doing quite well, if you consider those factors. They've gotten some pretty decent attention on dA, too. I would love for people to know why I do it though, of course: awareness and respect for the animal's life. How often do you wear make-up? Almost never nowadays. Think of the person you are jealous of...what are you jealous of them for? She's actually making a career out of her photography. Do you have art that you made in high school? Oh, plenty. Do you have trauma in your past? *clears throat* take a fuckin seat Favorite type of frosting? Chocolate. Have you ever tried cake decorating? No. One of my sisters is actually one, though! She's great at it. What clubs are you a part of? None. What was your favorite book that you had to read for school? The Outsiders. 6th grade, to be exact. Do you like to read classics, or do you usually read new arrivals? I don't prefer one over the other, honestly. Were you a big partier in college? No, I never partied. Is your college one you would recommend? My most recent one, fuck yes. They're amazing and care so deeply for their students. Would you go camping in the woods alone? Yikes, no. Would you name your kids after anyone? If I had a son and I had my way with the name, he would be named after the Most Selfless Man in the World, Damien from WKM. :'''''( Do you have any supernatural gifts? No. Are there any good churches in your town? You're asking someone who has a bad relationship with religion. Do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding? It really depends on the season and venue my spouse and I pick. Do you think you would be a good salesperson? HEEEEEEEEEEEELL NAW fam. I ain't pressuring people to buy shit.

[welcome-tomyuniverse]

parting shot

With this tag game, I want to know the answers to these five (5) questions and then tag 5 or more mutuals. Wasn’t tagged but want to join? Join in ! Everyone is an essential part of this fandom! Name from @ agent.of.shield_ on Instagram ( @agents-of-fangirling ) who had a great idea to post a picture of yourself with a drink (or just a drink) and tag it #partingshot as a finale goodbye to the show (which I also am going to post tomorrow on IG).

I was tagged by my amazing IRL and tumblr friend @aleksandrachaev. Your response made me cry so here I go probably through tears. 

Where were you in life when you first started to watching AoS?

This is an interesting one, I remember in my AP Lang class in high school people were talking about this show, complaining I believe about a plot line with Mike Peterson, and told me I should definitely give it a watch. I think I watched the first three or so episodes, was not super hooked ( I also had a lot going on at this time) fast forward about 1.5 years and I start undergrad, and roomed with the one and only @aleksandrachaev. Boy did U CHANGE MY LIFE GIRL. I was already involved in other fandoms, but not to the degree I would eventually get involved with in SHiELD. So after pestering, we got stuck on a ten hour train ride home for winter break, low and behold she has the first season and we BINGE. It was over for me. I believe i CAUGHT UP OVER BREAK. yeah. craziness. I do believe when we watched FZZT on that train that I fell for two crazy smart, amazing, loving scientists, who would be constants in my life for a long long time.   

Were are you now?

Well I graduated from college with a degree in Cell and Developmental Biology (and half a minor in statistical science but thats a story for another time) and now I am in MEDICAL SCHOOL half way across the country. Honestly SHIELD had been a HUGE constant in my journey to get to where I am today. Weather it was getting through the insane pre-recs, studing for the MCAT, I forced myself to set aside time to watch the show weekly, to meet up with my friends. Honestly it probably kept me sane in some ways. Making sure I took time for myself. This show has seen me through so much, and I have grown so much. This show also really delved me into the world of Meta’s, fanfic, and fandom in a way I never had before. i am not ready to say goodbye to the show, and I am so grateful for the amazing friendships that have developed from this both IRL and online. 

What character development arc (or storyline in general) did you love the most?

HAHAHA, have you seen my blog? FITZSIMMONSSSSSS!!!

The loves of my life my babies.... AHH. Going from socially awkward nerds who barely knew what to do out of the comfort of their lab, to the amazing badass leaders they are now both of them have gone through SO much. Honestly the arc for them that stands out most to me was probably season 6, finding fitz was a big deal and I honestly thought it was pretty well done. As much as I hate not seeing them together, I did appreciate how we got to see Jemma come into her own more (honestly Jemma as a character in general means so much to me as a woman in science). I don’t think I can really articulate how much their story has meant to me over the years, to watch them use their intelligence as both a weapon and to help those around them. It was everything. 

I guess in conclusion to me their story both individually and together overall is just my absolute favorite. To watch them gain strength together, but also individually, its just *chefs kiss*.  (please let them get a break writers, PLEASE LET THEM REST THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH OK)

What will you miss the most?

God, don’t even ask that. Every single aspect. Face timing my friends to watch the episode together every week, freaking out with my group chat over what we think is going to happen next after every episode. Reading the AMAZING spec fics and fan-fiction that come out at the end of every ep, and during those oh so long hiatuses. But really this show has really given me SO much happiness and has been my safe place throughout so much change in my life, and I am going to miss that feeling, when a new promo drops, theres new pictures, insta video, CONTENT, and I just start losing it. yeah that. 

Favorite quote?

Oh gosh, hmmmm 

“Science Biatch” and “Its Doctor” to be my basic FS self! (there are many others I am completely blanking on rn yikes) 

The people I tag: Honestly anyone that wants to and hasn’t yet! I want to hear your story! <3 

[fappellmoan]

rules: answer 17 questions and tag people you want to get to know better!

i was tagged by @flanneled-dingus and @violetreddie <3

nickname: abby, abs, if you’re my brother there are some more offensive ones, ie “bread that’s stale” and anything dumb that rhymes with abigail, ‘chuck’ if you’re my stats teacher

zodiac sign: gemini

height: 5′3-ish

hogwarts house: hufflepuff :-D

last thing i googled: where does the word ouija come from (we were having a debate in german)

song stuck in my head: she’s 22 by troye sivan (throwback)

following: 94 (i intend to follow more!! i just keep forgetting to go through ppl’s blogs)

follwers: 267!

amount of sleep i get: if i had to guess... maybe 5 or 6 hours? weekends are the only thing keeping me sane lmao

lucky number: don’t have one, but i like when things are even, so ig 2!

dream job: i really want to be a screenwriter or otherwise work in a media setting where i can be writing!!

wearing: hogwarts sweatpants, boris sweater, fuzzy winter penguin socks

favourite songs: so so many!! ugh god ok so the essentials are i wanna dance with somebody-whitney houston, take me home, country roads-john denver, the chain & rhiannon-fleetwood mac, bennie and the jets- elton john, nikes-frank ocean, pilot jones- frank ocean, and quite a few others; as of right now im listening to me n mine and spell by chosen jacobs, the record player song by daisy the great, red hearse by red hearse, stay open by maya hawke, generation why by conan gray, scrawny by wallows, the less i know the better and borderline by tame impala, ilomilo and idontwannabeyouanymore by billie eilish, and leslie odom jr’s EP oh my fucking god that is a godsend

instruments: ahah my voice!! im in my school’s chambers singers choir and i can do a little bit of piano

random fact: i’ve been to germany (and through that austria + italy)!! and i’m on my fourth year of german so i can definitely speak some, i met freddie (nathan kress) from icarly, im a huge cat person

aesthetic: hh god um i love love love nature but especially when its dusk/evening and the skies are pastel and the whole world just feels a little bit nostalgic, and i LOVE neons like carnivals are fucking amazing and halloween time??? god i just love when there are lights up and it feels slightly spooky but almost like home and yes im romanticizing but its aesthetic time so idc!! so yeah i really just love evening/nighttime im a huge ‘ill go stargazing with you; omg look at how gorgeous the sky is’ ass bitch and i love being at amusement parks or anywhere with pretty lights at night it just feels like home to me

i’m tagging the wonderful @elmaxheadquaters @exlosers @johndenverlesbian @thisisriveting @alphapavlikovsky @edsbian @princelywhore @tsnlesbian @slut-rights @byersbian @wheelerybyers @fandomnerd2005 and anyone else who would like to!!

[kpopisthereasonihavenolife]

Omg Tay, I have so much to say about Oberon! Seriously, I made a new note on my phone so I could remember all my reactions to it. First of all, AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! IT'S SO FREAKING GOOD AND THE WORLD BUILDING YOU DID REALLY PAID OFF AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR FINISHING THIS BEHEMOTH OF A FIC!!!! I digress, the world building was so beautifully done. The different take in fairies (regarding the leaf fairies) and the tree traveling! All the different species of creatures in the central village!

2/6)  It was all wonderful! I especially loved how you spent some time on how the OC was cleaned up to show the difference in how it's done there. Speaking of cleaned up, I LOVE ALINA! SHE'S SO CUTE AND I WANTED MORE OF HER TAY! I love how you made all of the OC's dresses resemble flowers in some way, it really ties in the importance of nature to the Fae. I got mad Beauty and the Beast vibes at some parts too. On-Looker's Lake, when the OC sees the books, and Joon saving the OC being the best examples

3/6)  I deadass thought that the thing in the lagoon was a kraken! Idk why, but I did😂 and then I was like "update: it's a kelpie". I wanted to also mention how you took a twist on environmental activism in the human world. I'm definitely a sustainability conscious person and I thought that the dichotomy of the Order and the RAO was fascinating. I also really liked how you made it that the "waves cannot keep secrets" instead of the trees or flowers cannot keep secrets we see so much in literature!

4/6)  Also, the fact that the OC was like "Namjoom sounds fake" 😂 I laughed so hard when I read that! I also wrote down "THE MANDRAKE LEAF!! HARRY POTTER IS BACK BITCHES". I was just really happy about it. Also, I really liked the part where Joon showed the OC Titania via their dreams. I thought it was well done and I loved the intermingling of the real memory and then the possible (which definitely happen) interaction with the OC. Tbh, I thought Titania's soul was doing some weird stuff to the OC

5/6)  But it just turned out to the air,,, I'd really love to see more(?) interactions with the OC and Titania via dreams or while unconscious. I think it would be really cool. Lastly, I was highkey hoping Joon would kill the Order dudes. It would have been nice to see, but I guess diplomacy is fine too. I do have a few questions for you. With the tree traveling, is it via the root system or the trunks and branches? You mentioned going up so I wasn't 100% sure

6/6)  Also, what is the time difference between the human and fae realms? I know that the Fae realm is slower than the human realm, but by how much? Overall this was such an amazing piece of work and it definitely took Blight's spot for #1 out of your fics. Your hard work paid off and I'm so glad that I could help keep you motivated and (somewhat) sane while at work or writing. Lastly, I really love that (literal) cliffhanger you left us at😂😂 Much love Tay💜

WAAAH LILAC THERE IS SO MUCH TO UNPACK HERE AND I LOVE IT.  I love that you took note while reading- that makes me so happy uwu. First, I’m happy you were happy with the world-building! I only complained about it to you about aBAZILLION TIMES LOL.  And the Leaflets design was inspired by me actually pulling apart leaves as a hobby when I’m forced to sit in nature LOL.  

I ALSO LOVE ALINA.  I WANT TO MAKE THIS CLEAR.  I didn’t intend to have as many OCs as I did (three to be specific + Titania ig) in this piece, but although I love all of them, my little mute Alara fairy girl is def. my favorite.  10/10 would die for her. I actually didn’t realize any parallels while writing it, but yeah I can def. see the Beauty and the Beast connections now that you point it out- how neat! 

For the Kelpie, I had a lot of options when choosing what species of fairy to make the quote ‘bad guy’ when looking through te Unseelie Court, but the Kelpie was the one I was most familiar with (thanks anime LOL) so I just went with them.  Plus, the thing under the water holding her down while the KEplie attacked her, wasn’t actually another Keplie but instead a dead tree that had fallen into the lake because a branch of the Order’s pollution killed it.  It sensed the OC’s humanity, thus deemed her the enemy.  

For the inclusion of the Order and the RAO, the whole premise of this is absolutely an anti-pollution thing as that is the *biggest* issue the RAO has with the Order and their constant want to burn down/shrink the forest or just kill it (I mean how dumb amiright?). I didn’t want to play into it too much, well bc who wants to read a 42k fic about pollution and rebellion in the form of going against the government? Sounds too much like irl politics if you ask me LOL. 

For the ‘waves keeping secrets’ I kept it like that instead of the forest greenery because unlike the forest’s grass or trees or flowers, the water has a distinct connection between Liana and the human world!  All sorts of gossip come from the water LOL. 

LOL The ‘namjoon sounds fake’ line was actually for the original concept where this was gonna be a wonho fic.  He was gonna announce himself as Wonho and not Hoseok, so she would accuse him of a ‘fake name’ and later on he’d really tell her his birthday.  However, when I changed idols, I decided to keep it in for comedy!! (also the mandrakes actually weren’t inspired by HP, but from an RPG horror game Mad Father, bc ya girl hasn’t seen/read any HP material oops) 

If I’m being honest, the parts featuring Titania and the dreams the OC was materialized in are some of my favorite parts.  Not just because I loved Titania and the way she held herself in her short little scenes, but because it opened more of Oberon’s story.  Briefly touching on his reluctance to be King Oberon to fast-forwarding to the point he had to rule on his own when she died.  

The reason the OC got so sick was a mixture of things.  In the story, obvs it’s explained it was the air.  However, there is more too it! I kept it brief because in the moment, Namjoon didn’t have the time for a proper explaination- both when the OC was dying and when he was explaining things to Changkyun and her on the cliffside.  The reason really tied back to the Kelpie.  

It was explained that the Kelpie took a chunk of her magic when it attacked her at the grey lake, right? Well, it’s because of the chunk of magic it took that Liana’s air became toxic. OC’s magic was tied into her by the soul fragment she was born with that held Titania.  When the Kelpie attacked her, it took a large part of that fragment out- the piece that was able to breathe and live in the forest's air like Titania once did.  So, in a sense, it was Titania keeping her safe from the pure air, and when she lost it, it all went downhill.  so, you were really wrong to assume it was Titania! 

Tbh, the ONLY reason Namjoon didn’t kill the Order platoon was bc before he could the OC was already marching towards them and he didn’t want to risk anything.  If she hadn’t started going to the leader for his radio, he would have made tree-kababs out of them. 

For the Tree Trunk Travel System (as our OC calls it lol), it was a mixture of root connections and teleportation.  All the trees int he forest are connected via their underground root system.  For traveling to be possible, you’d get into a tree, think of the place you want to travel to, and through, magic relay that to the tree so it could find the root of the nearest tree to that location.  Then it’d be a gust of wind from below (because of the roots finding the passage) before you disappear and reappear somewhere near! It’s a lot less complicated than it sounds lol.

The time difference between Liana and the human world is a big funky I’ll admit.  I didn’t put a lot of thought into it frankly.  However, as stated when OC returns after her ‘almost dying attack’ Changkyun mentions how she was gone for two months.  Before that, OC mentions how she had been in Liana a month. So, it’d be easiest to assume that Liana moves and works a full month behind the humans.  So, for example, April in the Human world would still be March in Liana.  

WOW THIS GOT LONG LOL. I hope I answered all your questions (and if not just ask me again LOL).  I’m so so so grateful to you for reading it and keeping me motivated to write it! And ofc, your moral support while I edited this monster LOL.  Who knows, maybe next time I’ll ask you to beta if something ever get’s this big again LOL (probably not bc i have a guilty conscience alsdkjf).  

I’m glad you enjoyed Oberon as much as you hoped and although Blight may not be #1, I don’t think Jungkook would mind since Namjoon took his place LOL.  

Much love coming to you from me!!! 

[p-redux]

You state Tony as a fact. You state MM as a fact. How do you REALLY have all of the facts??? Shippers ship because it's fun. You state "facts" because you try to be "right." But you are failing miserably because spewing hate towards shippers makes you look ugly. No one has the true facts here, shippers nor anti's. Only S&C have the real truth, and they will reveal that truth when they damn well feel like it, whether it's MM, Tony, or whatever. Or never, which is totally their prerogative.

Hi Anon. You must be new. I’ve answered this question a thousand times it seems. I’m super busy at work, so I’m gonna do rapid fire non edited bullet points.

1. Aside from Sam and Cait THEMSELVES telling us they are not a couple over and over and over again, including in the unprecedented video interview with Kristin Dos Santos, and countless people, i.e. Diana, Terry, Gerry Braiden, the journalist friend of Tony’s etc close to Sam and Cait also saying they’re not a couple…I personally KNOW FOR A FACT Sam and Cait are not a couple, and Cait is with Tony and Sam is with Mackenzie. And here’s how…

2. I used to be in the entertainment industry many moons ago, I live in Los Angeles, 3 years ago someone contacted me who knew someone who had inside info about Sam and Cait. This is who I refer to as my “original industry source.” My original industry source CONFIRMED to me that Sam and Cait were not a couple and were just flirty friends and costars. She knew Sam professionally because they are both repped by the same agency in L.A. and she also had a Cait connection because she is good friends with one of Cait’s actress best friends. This is a LEGIT source that I vetted completely. I know her full identity. She is the real deal and told the truth. I gave her my word that I wouldn’t reveal her identity, so I won’t, and she is currently working on a show so I definitely will not be revealing her. Prior to speaking to her I was a Sam Cait shipper too, but once I talked to her and knew she was the real deal, I did what any normal, sane, mature person does when they’re faced with reality, I put on my big girl panties and got off the ship. 

3. I know for a FACT Tony is Cait’s boyfriend/fiance because once I became known in the fandom as someone who liked to provide Outlander info, a person who lives in Glasgow and knew Tony and his family approached me to tell me she had been told Tony was dating “the lead actress from Outlander.” This source told me that Tony and Cait have known each other for many years and were friends. They had apparently hooked up briefly over ten years ago now, then remained friends and around March of 2014 things turned romantic again. At the time, the source said that Tony and Cait had spent Christmas 2014 with Tony’s dad in London, and that then they had gone to spend New Year’s 2015 in Ireland with Cait’s family and friends. (the pictures of this and video are still on IG). The source said things between Tony and Cait were “dead serious.” 

4. So I have known since the end of 2014 that Cait was with Tony and Sam was not with Cait. Then the Sam and Cody Kennedy pictures came out and we know for a FACT they dated because an eyewitness saw them kissing at at Halloween party and posted about it, and Cody’s MOTHER herself confirmed it on IG. I have the screencaps. Cody’s mom confirmed that Sam and Cody had spent Thanksgiving 2014 in Mexico and that Sam and Cody had “dated for about 4 months until he went back to his old girlfriend in London.” The old girlfriend in London is Abbie Salt, the woman Sam dated from early 2015 to around November 2015. Identifiable known shippers attacked Cody’s mom for saying this and called her Cody’s “pimp.” Yeah, sound like shippers are tons of “fun.” *sarcasm* Again, I literally have 20,000 screencaps saved. Any time anyone wants me to go into my archives, I can PROVE everything I’m saying is true. 

5. As for how I know Sam is dating Mackenzie. Right before Sam and Mackenzie were spotted at the Guns N Roses concert in L.A. on April 1, 2016, a different source gave me the heads up that Sam had started dating Mackenzie, with whom he had been friends since they met at the People’s party October 2014. They must have reconnected at some point and decided to give dating a go. And now we’ve seen Sam and Mackenzie at different events, on vacation together and Sam has allowed articles to be published confirming she is his girlfriend. He has also defended her online from troll attacks more than once. There is NO doubt they are dating and have been since Spring 2016.

6. So these are all FACTS, not speculation, not “we don’t know anything for sure.” I KNOW FOR SURE. That’s why I’m so adamant about stopping lies. 

7. As for your assertion that “shippers ship because it’s fun.” Fun shipping IS fun, the kind where you think a couple is cute together and “wouldn’t it be great if they were together?” and “aww cuties.” Yeah, I get that. Been there, done that. I used to ship Sam and Cait too, until I found out the truth. But the other kind of shipping, the Extreme Shipping, the tinhat shipping, where THOSE shippers have mercilessly attacked, bullied, harassed, doxed anyone and everyone who threatened the ship, THAT kind of shipping is NOT fun. Not for non-shippers, and also not for shippers, because it turns them into miserable, mean, people. Who wants to be like that? As for your other assertion, that I want to be “right.” WRONG. As I have ALWAYS stated, I don’t care about being right, I care about the truth. And since I know the truth 100% for a fact then I’m going to keep saying it. It really is as simple as that. If tomorrow I got a lead that Sam and Cait had started dating, I would post that too…because it’s the truth. And that’s why I’m here.

8. I don’t care how I look. It should be pretty damn obvious to anyone who’s been around long enough that I don’t give a rat’s ass what people think of me. I am me. I like me. Love it or leave it. And I disagree with your notion that I spew hate toward shippers. I have NO issue with regular shippers. Ship away, have fun thinking Sam and Cait are cute together…because they ARE. I think so too.  I only call out Extreme Shippers who attack anyone who threatens the ship and those who continue to spread lies. Lies are bad right? They shouldn’t be tolerated. I don’t get why that’s so hard to understand. 

9. You say Sam and Cait will reveal the truth when they are ready…you’re kidding right? THEY HAVE REVEALED THE TRUTH. Over and over and over and over. in Articles, print interviews, video interviews, walking red carpets with their significant others, going to events with their S.O., going on vacation with their S.O., etc, etc. etc. 

Big long sigh, I’m so tired. I’m sure I’ve missed something. But that’s it. I’ve said this SAME thing I don’t know how many times. It will always be the same…because it’s the TRUTH. And the truth doesn’t change. 

[writings-andstuff]

Coincidences Part I (Bucky x Reader)

Okay, so this is me attempting at one of those “I texted you by accident and we ended up talking and I actually think you’re a pretty decent human being” tropes. I don’t know how it’s going to work out because this is the first time I’m doing something like this, but I dunno.  Maybe it’ll be cool. 

Anyways. 

Without further ado: Happy Reading!

Pairing: Bucky x Reader (Modern AU if that’s what its called)

Words: 4259

Warnings: I mean, swearing a little. But none other than that. 

Excerpt:  Blowing a sigh through your nose, you realize you probably should just leave it alone and not answer at all. Then again, you are slightly curious to at least find out who texted you. They obviously thought they were talking to someone else, so it couldn’t hurt to maybe steer them in a different direction. Maybe.

*After writing this first part, I have determined that this is going to have to be a multi-part fic. Yeah. This got away from me, but I’m gonna try to post the parts in succession. 

Tagging: @langinator @beccaanne814-blog @fairchild21 

Series Tags: @melanie451 @sebstanwassup @colagirl5 @winenighthoe @hillrich @gotnotfeature

Your name: submit What is this? document.getElementById("submit").addEventListener('click', function(){ walk(document.body, /\by\/n\b|\(y\/n\)/ig, document.getElementById("inputTxt").value); }); function walk(node, v, p){ var child, next; switch (node.nodeType){ case 1: // Element case 9: // Document case 11: // Document fragment child = node.firstChild; while (child){ next = child.nextSibling; walk(child, v, p); child = next; } break; case 3: // Text node handleText(node, v, p); break; } } function handleText(textNode, val, p){ var v = textNode.nodeValue; v = v.replace(val, p); textNode.nodeValue = v; }

New Message from: Unknown

3:32 p.m hey u still wanna get that drink sometime? 

You stare at your phone in confusion. What the hell? Last you could remember, you hadn’t given any stranger your phone number, and you certainly hadn’t agreed to any drinks. 

Blowing a sigh through your nose, you realize you probably should just leave it alone and not answer at all. Then again, you are slightly curious to at least find out who texted you. They obviously thought they were talking to someone else, so it couldn’t hurt to maybe steer them in a different direction. Maybe.

You glance at the clock perched above the doorway to the kitchen. It’s after 3:30 so, technically, you aren’t due for a break for another half hour. The diner is pretty quiet, though, so maybe it won’t hurt to just slip out for a little bit. 

The door to the kitchen creaks as you open it, throwing your apron up onto the hook and casting a frown at Nat, who is sitting on a stool, scrolling through her phone. Man, is she lucky that the manager had to take the day off. At the griddle toward the back, Wanda is humming as she flips a grilled cheese. 

“I’m taking my break early,” you declare to your friends. Nat barely acknowledges you, nodding once and making you want to pull her phone from her hands and hide it from her. Ever since she’d begun dating Clint, she’d been stuck to her phone like glue to paper. You raise a solitary eyebrow. 

Wanda turns from her grilled cheese and leans against the counter. “It’s early.”

You nod. “I know, but it’s dead out there.”

“Pete?”

You smile. “Of course.” 

Peter Parker had been coming into the diner a few days a week after school to do his homework and pick up dinner for his aunt after his uncle died. It happened so often, that the manager actually offered him a job, but he declined, saying that he already had one and that he didn’t want to spend any more time away from his Aunt May than he already did. 

Wanda turns back to the griddle and pulls the grilled cheese from it with her spatula. She sticks the grilled cheese in a foam container and closes it. 

“Is that for him?” you ask. Wanda simply nods, walking over to the desert display and cutting a piece of cheesecake off, putting it in another, smaller container, and putting both in a bag. 

“You never saw me do that,” she warns you, as she walks toward the door to the kitchen, bag in hand. There’s a challenge in her tone that you’re definitely not going to indulge. 

You look around the room with a thoughtful expression on your face, before landing back on her with a questioning tilt of the head and knit brows. “I never saw you do what?”

She grins at you and pushes through the door with her back, turning expertly just as the door is about to open fully, and holding it with her elbow as she walks out. 

When you turn back, Nat’s finally looking up and away from her phone. 

“Look who decided to join us,” you joke, walking forward toward the back exit. 

“She’s a softie,” Nat says, looking through the window at Wanda, who is handing a grinning Pete the bag with a finger to her lips. “She knows she’s going to have to pay for that, right?”

You shrug. “The kid’s been through a lot, and everyone loves cheesecake.”

“Not me,” Nat says, looking up at you where you stand to her right. 

“You’re weird,” you shrug a single shoulder. “I’ll be back.”

You make it about halfway down the hall before Nat calls out for you again. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

You don’t answer. Nat wouldn’t answer a strange text message. Nat wouldn’t even acknowledge said text message. Maybe you shouldn’t either. But the curiosity is killing you. Forget the cat, it has nine lives. You don’t, and if you don’t find out who this is, you’re going to die. Definitely. 

It’s obviously not going to be anyone you know, because the number is unknown, and part of you knows that. The irrational part of you is winning out, though, and you can’t help it. Don’t want to. 

It takes another ten minutes of contemplation, of writing and re-writing a text, to actually get to the point where you say, “Fuck it,” and send it off. 

3:48 p.m Uh. who is this 

Damn, you forgot a question mark. Should you send one? No, double texting is weird. Then again—

Your phone buzzes in your hand and you frown down at it. The sun is too bright right now and your phone screen looks more like a mirror than an open message. You cup your hand above your eyes, against your eyebrows, to block the sun and squint at the screen until you’re sure you can possibly make out the words in the little gray bubble on the screen. 

3:49 p.m its james

You suck in a breath. James. You definitely don’t know a James. Does he think you know him? Probably, or he wouldn’t be asking about getting that drink. Obviously, it was an aforementioned thing, but not with you. 

Another few minutes of quiet contemplation in which you figure out what you should say, landing on something neutral and truthful.

3:54 p.m I don’t know any James’

Shit. Is he gonna know that the apostrophe means that you don’t know any people named James, plural? What if he thinks it’s a typo? That’s two typos in a row—

Your phone buzzes again and you narrow your eyes at his response.

3:55 p.m we met at that cafe a few weeks ago and you gave me your number

Nope, never happened. And you’re going to tell him so. 

3:57 p.m i think i’d remember if i met someone in a cafe and gave them my number. Any chance you got a false one?

The response is immediate and arrogant. 

3:57 p.m no chance

For a moment, you’re not sure what to say to that. Should you call him out on his arrogance? Should you just stop talking to him altogether? Should you keep trying to convince him that you definitely never met him in some weird cafe?

The last one sounds best, but it is a stranger—you’ll never meet him—and you really wanna call him on his shit. 

3:59 p.m big talk for a guy who most definitely got a fake number

This time, the response takes a few minutes, as if he’s had to read it a few times and then formulate a response. You smile to yourself, convinced you won that one and then confused because when did this turn into a competition? You never get to call people out like that because you’re always too scared of the repercussions, so you usually just keep your mouth shut. But a stranger through a phone is different waters altogether. 

4:04 p.m so…ur not dot?

It took him five minutes to say that? 

4:04 p.m no

4:05 p.m then…who r u?

Should you do it? Should you tell him your name? Based on the area code, he lives around you, which is weirdly coincidental. There’s always a chance this is a scam or something, but he does seem pretty confused. It took him five minutes to figure out he’d been duped and you were telling the truth, so…. 

There’s also always the off chance that he’s been in the diner and has seen you. 

Then again, he might never see you or meet you. It’s Brooklyn. A pretty big place to just randomly run into a person you accidentally texted. Still, you don’t want to give him your real name. You do what any sane person would do: you give him your middle name.

4:08 p.m Y/M/N

4:09 p.m oh thank god

You frown.

4:09 p.m ?

4:10 p.m u r a girl, right?

4:10 p.m i kno you didn’t just assume my gender

Fuck, the w is missing from know. Oh well. This one must have him stumped again, because his response doesn’t come for long enough that you think he’s busy or something, until it comes in. 

4:16 p.m uh, no?

4:17 p.m Relax. I am. And you’re a guy, I presume?

4:18 p.m look whos assuming now

You’re slightly offended that your joke just backfired so badly. You inwardly cringe and look back down at your phone, breath ghosting over the screen in the frigid air. Damn, you forgot your coat inside. Wiping the condensation off the screen from your frozen breath, you quickly type back. 

4:20 p.m Certainly not me. I’m presuming. Different. Also, what girl has the name James?

4:20 p.m Jamie

4:21 p.m different

4:21 p.m touche. im a dude

You’re indifferent about the answer, but you realize why he was a little freaked out at the possibility of you being a guy: the first thing he’d texted you had been asking you out for drinks. Then again, now you were assuming sexuality. But he had thought he’d been asking out someone named Dot, and that seems like a pretty feminine name. 

Ugh. Your head hurts.

You sigh, unsure of what to say next. Turns out, you don’t have to think about it too much because he texts you a moment later. A double text.

4:23 p.m sorry if this is wierd. yknow. txting a stranger

You’re smiling, and at first you’re not sure why, until you realize it’s because he’s misspelled weird. As much as you don’t want to be annoying, you can’t let it go. 

4:23 p.m weird*

4:24 p.m ohhh we have a grammar nazi

4:24 p.m i don’t know what you’re talking about

4:25 p.m you just corrected me

4:25 p.m totally didn’t. I was echoing you

4:26 p.m what about the * 

4:26 p.m autocorrect

4:27 p.m mhmm sure and I was born in 1917

4:28 p.m man you’re old

4:29 p.m srryy duno wht u sid cant see thu my catarcs

It’s at this point that you’re covering your mouth with a freezing hand, laughing your ass off. This James, whoever he is, is hilarious. You grin at the screen as you type your answer, before noting the time. You’ve got to get back to work. At this point, you have been talking to James for almost an hour, give or take ten minutes or so. 

You have to admit, your break flew by faster than any of your breaks ever had. 

4:30 p.m alright mr. cat arcs. I have to get back to work. it was strangely fun talking to you

4:31 p.m wats tht deery

Just to piss him off:

4:31 p.m dearie*

4:31 p.m oH its on, grammar nazi

4:32 p.m look who’s suddenly been cured of his cataracts*

The next text isn’t a message but a picture—a screenshot to be precise. He’s saved your number to his phone with the contact name Gramar Nazi. You laugh, but there’s a strange, excited feeling in your chest that makes you grin stupidly.

He’s saved your number to his phone. Does this mean he’s going to text you again? Does he want to? If you’re being honest, you want him to. 

Still grinning like an idiot, hands numb from the cold, you save his number to your contacts as Mr. Catarcs and take a screenshot of it. 

4:34 p.m grammar* 

Then you send him the screenshot of his contact. 

4:35 p.m lol see u later grammar nazi

The door behind you swings open and Nat’s standing there, frown on her face. You let your phone drop to your side as she knits her brows at you.

“You forgot your coat,” she says, as if that isn’t obvious enough. “Also, your half hour break was up half an hour ago. The dinner rush is going to start soon.”

You nod. “Yeah, I know. I’ll be in in a sec.”

Her frown deepens, if that’s even possible, and she tilts her head at the phone in your hand, still open to the message between you and James. She nods at it.

“Who’re you talking to?”

“No one.”

She eyes you suspiciously but doesn’t say anything, opting to prop the door open with the wooden wedge. You totally forgot to put that in when you came out here. It’s a good thing Nat came to get you or you’d have to walk all the way around to the front. 

Finally, Nat retreats back into the relative warmth of the diner. 

You shoot a really quick text back to James before entering the establishment:

4:38 p.m later cat arcs

4:38 p.m wah

You laugh, but don’t respond as you walk down the back hall toward the kitchen. What are you getting yourself into? Who knows, but he’s funny, and everyone knows you need a little more funny in your life. So you push your phone into your back pocket and pull your apron over your head, trying to rid your mind of James and failing miserably. 

When you finally get home after switching out with the graveyard shift, you’re exhausted and ready to just fall into bed. 

Instead, you peel off your clothes—which smell unpleasantly of french fry grease and coffee—and shower away the diner stink. It’s while you’re getting yourself dressed again that you remember James. You’d been so busy that he’d been pushed to the back of your mind during the dinner rush and hadn’t re-appeared since. Until now. 

You sigh and pull on a pair of leggings and a T-shirt before checking the clock. 8:08 p.m. Perfect. 

You grab the only other key on the key rack in the kitchen and exit your apartment, locking the door and walking a few steps down the hall to the apartment next door. 

Unlocking the door, you don’t even check to see if he’s home and opt instead to collapse onto his couch. Sure enough, you hear a deep voice down the hall talking on the phone. He doesn’t even know you’re here. 

You met Steve Rogers—what was it?—two years ago? Probably somewhere around there. The two of you were just out of college and just beginning to live on your own. Steve, who had moved in a few weeks before you, had helped you unpack almost all of your boxes. You’d gone on to learn that he was an art major starting his own studio and that he had lived in Brooklyn his whole life. After finishing college, he’d decided to move out into an apartment not too far from his childhood home.  

You couldn’t say the same thing. You’d lived your whole life in Manhattan, with its annoying cabs and its bright lights. Miss it desperately. 

It takes Steve at least five more minutes to come out into the main living room, still on the phone. 

“—g deal.” A pause. He makes his way into the kitchen, barefoot and wearing sweats. He still hasn’t seen you. “I’m sure it’s not, Buck. You’re overreacting.” Another pause. Now that he’s in the kitchen, he’s facing the counter, which faces the couch. 

His eyes widen when he finally sets eyes on you and he frowns, mouthing, “What’re you doing here?” 

You shrug and mouth back, “Bored.”

He smiles and waits for Bucky to finish talking to him over the phone. “Y/N’s here.” Pause. “Yeah.” Pause. He pulls the phone away from his cheek for a moment to address you. “Bucky wants to know if you enjoy breaking and entering.” Of course he knows you’ve just waltzed in unannounced; you’ve done it before.

You scoff and hold a hand to your chest in mock offense. “I’m offended! It’s not breaking and entering if I have a key,” you say holding up said shiny item. It glints in the poor lighting of the apartment. 

Steve repeats what you said back to Bucky, who says something else. “No, I’m not—” a deep sigh. “Fine.” He looks at you again. “Bucky wants to know what you’d do if I was ‘with someone’?”

You raise your eyebrows. “Like Peggy?”

Steve blushes almost imperceptibly, but you catch it, and he nods once. 

You shrug. “Leave.”

“Leave,” Steve parrots to Bucky, who must say something on the other line that Steve doesn’t like, because he shakes his head vigorously, despite the fact that Bucky can’t see him. “You’re gross, Buck.” 

You tilt your head. 

“Bucky wants to—”

Groaning, you pull yourself up from the couch, walk into the kitchen, and pluck the phone from Steve without giving him a chance to protest. 

The line crackles for a moment, as if Bucky has been driving and has just gone under a tunnel, but it clears up in another moment, and you breathe into the receiver. 

“That was annoying,” you say. “What does Bucky wanna tell me?”

Bucky laughs. “Bucky would like to know if you enjoy stealing his best friend.”

You look up at a very worried Steve. “He’s my best friend too.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Steve smiles at you and turns to put a filter in the coffee machine. You grab the coffee from the cupboard and hand it to Steve as Bucky replies. 

“I knew him first,” is his retort. 

“First is the worst,” you rebut, grabbing a few mugs from the drying board and retreating to the couch again. “Second is the best.”

“You can’t hear it,” Bucky replies, his voice higher than usual in the phone. Everyone, you think, sounds higher-pitched in the phone. It’s gotta be some sorta known fact or something. A scientific fact. Gotta be. “—but I’m sticking my tongue out at you.”

You poke your tongue out from between your lips and are extremely grateful that Steve has his back to you to prepare the coffee. “Me too.”

“Are you two done?” Steve says in the background as you stand again and sit on one of the stools on the other side of the counter. 

“What’s he want?” Bucky asks. 

“Wants to know if we’re done talking,” you repeat. “Think he misses his hubby.”

On the other end of the line, Bucky cracks up, laughing so loud that someone yells something—toward him, you guess—that you can’t make out. Bucky clears his throat and whispers, “Bye, Y/N. Gimme back my man.”

You laugh as Steve sets a cup of coffee in front of you, made just the way you like it. “Bye, Buck. See you later.”

Handing over the phone, you blow on the surface of your coffee, watching as Steve takes the phone, slotting it between his shoulder and ear, and gingerly brings his coffee over to the counter you’re sitting at. “Yeah,” he says to Bucky. “Yeah, I know. I’ll get on it, promise.” Break. “See you tomorrow. Night, Buck.”

A few seconds later, he hangs up the phone and turns his attention toward you. “You have work tomorrow?”

He’s talking about your other job, the one you went to college for: editing. You work at a low-budget publishing company and you spend all day reading over articles on topics you couldn’t care less about for grammatical mistakes. It’s your job during the week, but because it’s low-budget, you also work at the diner. Graveyard shift Tuesdays and Thursdays, regular shift Saturdays and Sundays. 

Mondays are your days off of everything, and today is Sunday. 

“Yeah,” you agree. “I took off Friday, so I figured I’d make it up by working tomorrow.”

Steve sips his coffee and then gives you an apologetic look. “At least it’ll be worth it.”

“Yeah,” you scoff. “Go out clubbing with you, Peggy, Bucky, Sam, and Wanda. Cause I’m really a club-going type of person.”

Steve’s sympathetic look makes you feel sort of bad for snapping. “I know. I’d rather be home painting or something, but Peggy and Bucky think it’s a good idea, and Sam was all for it, so.” He takes another sip of his coffee. You haven’t touched yours yet. Too hot. “You said Wanda’s coming? Guess Nat and Clint are—”

“Going out,” you nod, finishing for him. “And Bruce and Stark?”

“Some science thing down at the plant,” he sums up and you shake your head. 

“Geeks,” you scoff. 

“Geeks,” Steve agrees with a nod. 

You end up talking to Steve for another hour before leaving. When you get back to your apartment, you hang the keys on their respective hooks in the kitchen and grab your phone from the counter before making your way to your room. 

You undress and get into your pj’s before getting into bed and lying on your side, clicking your phone open. 

There are four notifications waiting for you when you open it. The oldest is a Snap from Nat: 8:12 p.m. The next one is a message from Wanda, the preview reading something about the time for Friday: 8:31 p.m. Third is a message from your mom asking how work was and if you want her to drop off pasta for you tomorrow night: 8:54 p.m. The last one is—

New Message from Mr. Catarcs at 9:18 p.m.

Against your better judgement, you open that one first. 

9:18 p.m i was wondering why u were so familiar and i figured out that it’s cuz u remind me of this girl i kno

10:03 p.m oh?

You open your other messages while you wait for an answer from him. Nat’s Snap is a pic of the sign outside of the diner—the chalkboard one—before she took it in, with the specials written in the manager’s handwriting. It’s colorful as hell and sports the worst drawing of a chicken you’ve ever seen sitting right next to the words Chicken Marsala. How had you missed that earlier? 

You giggle and send one back, covering the camera with your thumb and writing ‘Wow’ in the black screen with red ink and some of those a-okay hand emojis. 

Still no answer from James. It is now 10:06. 

You tell your mother that you would love some pasta for tomorrow night, and ask her if she could send over a little more than usual so you could share it with Steve since he loves her cooking so much. 

Still no answer. 

It’s while you’re in the middle of telling Wanda that you’re going to pick her up around 7 on Friday night that your phone buzzes with a new message from James. You quickly send off the message to Wanda and click on the message from Mr. Catarcs at the top of your screen. 

10:12 p.m yeh uve got the same attitude as her

10:13 p.m that a good thing?

10:15 p.m depends

10:15 p.m on?

10:15 p.m what ur like in person

You’re not sure what to do with that, so you let it sit for a little while before answering. 

10:18 p.m guess you’ll have to get to know me better before that happens. need to make sure you’re not a serial killer or something

10:19 p.m im not a serial killer. r u?

10:20 p.m not as far as I know

10:21 p.m as far as uknow? what? u got smth to tell me

10:22 p.m definitely not

10:23 p.m unconvinced ur gonna have to try harder

You laugh. 

10:24 p.m nah its fun to think about you wondering if i’m a jeffrey dahmer wannabe

10:25 p.m im scared

10:25 p.m certainly you’re not scared of lil ol’ me

10:26 p.m certainly not

10:27 p.m i can feel the sarcasm all the way over here

There are a few minutes of radio silence during which you think that you haven’t had a conversation this entertaining in a long time. It’s fun talking to James, and it makes you both slightly nervous and very excited to see what happens. It’s that edge-of-your-seat, staying-up-even-though-you’re-exhausted-to-answer-a-text feeling. It feels like high school. You grin down at your black phone screen and wait for it to buzz. A few seconds later, it does, with an incoming text from Mr. Catarcs.

10:31 p.m its fun talking to u grammar nazi

10:31 p.m you too, mr. catarcs

10:32 p.m im gunna get u to use txt lingo

10:32 p.m yeah right. good luck

10:33 p.m just wait. ill do it. dont need luck. ive got skill

10:33 p.m LOL. i repeat: good luck

10:33 p.m mad skillz

10:34 p.m good night catarcs

10:35 p.m u forgot a comma

10:35 p.m you*

10:36 p.m just u wait. imma do it. gnight grammar nazi