#fletcher looks at birds

[moonbittern]

had a really good birding day today - in addition to One Million Coots, mallards, canada geese, great egrets, a bald eagle, great blue herons, and a few killdeer, i saw my lifer green-winged teal and mmmmmaybe my lifer golden eagle (i'm not really counting that last one as a lifer bc i'm not 100% sure it was a golden eagle, but i am like 90% sure. i talked to another birder there who saw it and they were in the same boat lol.)

[chomfoolery]

who even is this guy 🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂

alt version belowww :3

[lovelizards]

"Hm. Not terrible, for a dwarf. But I never purchase used goods."

Opal sat uncomfortable against the wooden pole that tethered her chains to the ground. The drugs that had been forced down her throat made her head heavy, and made the room list at odd angles as she tried to blink her vision back to normal.

There was something going on just outside the pen she was being held in. Some kind of fight. Angry, frightened shouts echoed and set her ears ringing.

With more effort than she had ever needed to summon, she focused on the voices and the scene in front of her.

"M - Madam! Madam, please, I beg you to reconsider - ah - this is how I make my living, and -!"

It was Artur, the blond one, and he was holding his face as blood seeped through his fingers and down his neck.

Across from him, out-classing him in height by at least a head and a half, was a mature woman in a dark crimson dress and a veil that shaded her eyes.

Her long claw-like nails were dripping with blood as she held them out to a servant to be wiped clean.

"I don't even bother tasting an unclean mongrel like you, Gerwald," the woman said in a low, bored voice, "what does it matter to me how you make a living? Go and starve on the streets, then. And take your lackey with you."

She gestured dismissively to the dark-haired man.

"Madam!" Artur cried as he was forcibly removed from the trading hall of the slave market, "Madam, please -! Madam!"

"So noisy," the woman sighed, and then finally, her eyes fell on Opal.

"This was the only merchandise he brought tonight, Madam Delphine," a guard said, looking at Opal like she might as well be a dog, "What should we do with it?"

The woman's heels clicked, and the velvet skirt of her dress brushed along the floor as she approached. Opal tried to move away, but her limbs were clumsy.

She could do nothing but focus on keeping her balance as she was yanked onto her feet. Tears welled and then rolled down her dirty cheeks as she was offered out to the tall woman.

"Hm." The woman put a strong hand on her face, sharp nails tracing but never breaking skin. "Not terrible for a dwarf. Dirty. But I never purchase used goods."

She held up Opal's scarred arm, where the wounds from the crossbow bolts had mostly healed.

The guards exchanged a glance. The one who seemed to be in charge cleared his throat.

"May we offer it to you as a token, Madam? Of our sincere regrets for causing a disturbance to your evening."

The woman's dark eyes, obscured by her veil, flicked back to Opal's. She looked, for a moment, like some large bird of prey ready to feast.

"Fine. Since you're so eager to get rid of it."

Opal felt her strong grip disappear, and stumbled, nearly toppling over. She was saved at the last moment by the two guards, who grabbed at her without care, and held onto her too tightly.

"We'll prepare your goods for transport, please, enjoy the rest of your evening."

The woman, who had already started walking away, waved a hand over her shoulder as a response, and then filtered back into the crowd.

Just like that?

Opal's head lolled, and her feet couldn't quite keep up with the pace, as she was pulled and dragged into the back area where monsters were screeching, masters were haggling, and stacks of cages for transport were waiting.

She had been sold...not even sold, given away...just like that?

Tears poured from her eyes, and she could barely catch her breath. The groan she let out - as a thin collar was affixed around her neck - was weak and wet.

A week ago...she had been planting new sprouts in her garden no more than a week ago. She had been chatting with the local fletcher at the fountain in center of the market place. She had visited Rosalind's grave, and left flowers she'd grown herself...

"Is it really okay to just give products away like this?" She heard one of the guards say, as she was unceremoniously thrown into a cage. She hit the metal hard on her hands and knees, grimacing against the pain, and sinking pitifully onto her side.

At least laying down, her head didn't feel so heavy.

"Does it matter? Gerwald's out, and that bitch is a vampire. This one wont last more than a week, I'd say."

The cage door slammed.

Opal curled up, hiding her face with her arms.

A week, she thought. A week. A week.

Until eventually, exhaustion overcame her, and she slipped into a fitful, nightmare-plagued sleep.

『 Previous / Next 』

[detective-inspector-her]

Valkyrie headcanons

She has ADHD

She has these random moments of intense motivation to clean things but if she doesn't get up immediately she suddenly doesn't want to do it anymore.

She cut her hair short while she was in America and had it as a pixie cut for a while so American sorcerers had trouble recognising her.

She normally has a least one person lurking in her mansion instead of their home. Auger stayed there to recover from being Obsidian for a few months. Tanith was a regular before she was possessed. Fletcher was allowed to stay there while she was away until he got a place in Roarhaven properly organised.

Sometimes she has random feelings that are linked to Darquesse. When she first left it was random bursts of fascination and wonder. It disappeared for a while after Darquesse stopped feeling anything. During SOW she'd get the feelings again. She'd also get irrationally irritated during Darquesses pregnancy thing. After Darquesse 'died' she started getting feelings of the universe itself occasionally. The feelings are so overwhelming that she tends to stay in bed when it happens.

She holds slight resentment towards Skulduggery and it creeps up every once and a while.

She has traits from those who've possessed her. Cadaver, Darquesse and the Faceless Ones. She'll get sudden moments where she says out of character things. She doesn't know what it is.

Everyone makes fun of her for her relationship with the Darkly Twins and everytime news of them getting injured goes around she gets teased and asked if she's grounding them. Fletcher shares this pain with Never. They both do get very proud when they achieve something though.

Her soul is stuck at twelve in form due to that being when her mind saw her True Name. If she were to ever die and become a ghost she'd look twelve.

If she dies and doesn't become a ghost, she'll join Darquesse and her soul will become complete again.

She and Nefarian have a conspiracy board and they hide it in her mansion.

She, Tanith, Dexter and Nefarian are the possessed club

Valkyrie throws newspaper roles at Dusk's head as revenge for keeping the Faceless Ones secret for years.

She bites her nails when she's stressed. Militsa paints them to stop her.

She regularly talks aloud about random things that she's learnt to China so she can spread her hyper fixation knowledge. China has always listened diligently, even when Valkyrie ranted about the extinction of Dodos for hours on end.

Valkyrie regularly collapses on her parents couch when she's feeling slightly sad. She gets headpats.

She talks to Malice through the soul catcher about her day once a month.

She and Nefarian have movie nights and she forces Skulduggery to join in. They watch cartoons and live action. Skulduggery critics everything until he's attacked by pillows.

She loves angry birds and collected the McDonald toys after the movie came out. She hated the movie though.

She once considered teaching before shuddering and telling Militsa how much she loves and appreciates her. She affectionately messed up Fletcher's hair.

She had a broom specifically to whack Fletcher with.

She has woken up to see Winter in her house for no apparent reason. She likes it that way. They chat while cooking some recipe Winter has found.

Valkyrie is unaware of the resentment but she's always wondering if Winter hates her and it plagues her mind sometimes.

[taeraenini]

tagged by alex 🩵 @yoohyeon and bex 🩷 @kimkaitual thank you, beloveds!

last song: boa - neko love

favorite colour: yellow 💛

last book: i'm currently reading jovana reisinger's spitzenreiterinnen and i really like it so far (idk if it has an eng title, it's czempionki in polish)

last movie: black christmas 1974

last tv show: murder, she wrote. i'm re-watching s5

sweet / savoury / spicy: sweet! but i like all

relationship status: single but willing to date seulgi

last thing i search: the original title of the book i'm reading

current obsession: zb1. a shocking revelation, i know 😔

looking forward to: spring... i want spring... i want to sit on a park bench and watch birds and dogs and bugs... i want sun and flowers...

favorite drink: green tea

song playing 24/7: zb1 - now or never / iz*one - buenos aires / chloe qisha - sexy goodbye / xlov - i'mma be 88 techno remix

current favorite character: jessica fletcher of course 😌

fun activity i’d like to get into: decoupage on wood but unfortunately it costs money. also reading webcomics... i'm so behind with everything i used to read on tapas and webtoon...

last video game: genshin impact

last comic: golden kamuy last week at work lol. i've been reading a lot of books lately so i haven't had time for comics

tagging: @hoforwonho @isabelleadjani @sayonaramidnight @y-eontan @hwanwooyoung @isachaes @egoistshye @doyeons @honeydewtual @boynextdoors @miyakuli @l-in-the-light @jaebeomtual @96z @xlovz @hy2ka @pink-vacancy only if you want to of course! ☺️

[broadwaydivastournament]

BROADWAY DIVAS SUPERLATIVES: Bosom Buddies - Icons Only

Yes, yes, there are so many iconic friendships on and around Broadway (Bernadette and Mary Tyler Moore, especially), but this time there's no "other" option.

Video Clips & Stories Beneath the Cut: More Polls

Angela Lansbury & Beatrice "Bea" Arthur: Angela and Bea first met in 1965 during rehearsals for the production of Mame, in which Angela played the titular Mame, and Bea her "bosom buddy" Vera. Both women would earn Tony Awards for their iconic, never-to-be-bested portrayals. They remained lifelong friends for the next five decades until Bea's death in 2009, where Angela hosted her memorial service at the Majestic Theatre. As the story goes, Angela's legendary Jessica B. Fletcher is named "B" for Bea.

"She was a class act and a real joy to work with. When I first met her I thought I was meeting this patrician, classically trained actor, but she has a mouth like a longshoreman. No kidding. She loved telling dirty limericks." - Bea Arthur on Angela Lansbury, 2003.

Ann Reinking and Bebe Neuwirth: Forever linked by dance and the great Bob Fosse, Ann and Bebe met in passing during the special 3,389th performance of A Chorus Line, but would not come to know each other closer until Sweet Charity, where Annie took over Charity for Debbie Allen during the run, and Bebe played Nickie (Tony Award). They remained dear friends until Annie's death in 2020, working together in Fosse, and of course, the 1995 revival of Chicago that persists to this day.

“I fell in love with her, I continued to fall in love with her. I am in love with her forever. There was a trust between us, there was a connection between us that was beyond anything that had any logical explanation. I felt sometimes--this may sound strange, but it’s the truth--I felt sometimes I looked in her eyes and I time travelled.” - Bebe Neuwirth on Ann Reinking, 2021

Carol Burnett & Julie Andrews: Though they may have never starred in an official Broadway show together, Carol and Julie are too iconic to pass up here. They met in 1961 and are both still alive, kicking, and enduring friends. They did a series of television and stage specials together, including Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall (1963, Emmy Award), Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center (1971) and Julie & Carol: Together Again (1989). They also both starred in Putting it Together as the part, one after the other. And as a story goes, Carol and Julie were "caught" kissing as a prank on their friend Mike Nichols, but were instead discovered by Lady Bird Johnson.

"As we sat in the darkened hotel hallway on the sofa in front of a bank of three elevators waiting for him, we started to feel rather foolish, and we thought 'Let’s do something to make him laugh.' We decided to pretend we were making out," she said at the time. "He’d called our room and said he was coming right down, so we thought, well, the first person off the elevator would be Mike. But it wasn’t." - Julie Andrews recounts the story to Oprah magazine.

Chita Rivera & Gwen Verdon: Before there was Annie and Bebe, there was Chita and Gwen. The original Velma and Roxie duo in the 1975 Chicago, Chita and Gwen remained friends until Gwen's death in 2000. As Chita recounts, Gwen Verdon was the first person to tell her she had her own talent and didn't need to be her understudy. Years later, they were starring together in Chicago. Chita and Gwen shared the role of Charity (alongside many others) in the benefit concert production of Sweet Charity in 1998. It would be Gwen's final stage appearance. Though Fosse brought his own drama, Chita and Gwen never fell out.

"Our relationship was what it was from the day I stood beside her in “Chicago.” She was a strong woman. She was private. She used to, which is really kind of cute because I would call her on it, sometimes dramatize a story and would say, “Isn’t that right, Chita? Don’t you remember that?” And I wasn’t even there. I would find myself saying, “Yeah, absolutely.” She was so terribly funny, really, really funny." - Chita Rivera on Gwen Verdon, 2019

Donna Murphy & Marin Mazzie: Donna and Marin met while doing the Passion workshop in 1993, and their friendship endures to this day, despite Marin's death in 2018. After all, "and should you die tomorrow, another thing I see: your love will live in me." Marin sang at Donna's daughter's christening. Donna sang at Marin's remembrance concert. She still writes her memorial posts to Marin each year on the anniversary of her passing. Donna played Mother in the earliest workshop of Ragtime, before Marin took over and made that role what it will always be.

"She would always be the first person to say "how are you doing?" That kind of kindness and selflessness in a way--it's not that I didn't appreciate it then--I really did. So I don't need to smack myself in the head and say "why didn't you realize how rare and beautiful it was?" I did. What I couldn't calculate was how much I miss it." - Donna Murphy on Marin Mazzie, 2018.

Kelli O'Hara & Victoria Clark: Our first and only mother-daughter duo, though who is mother and who is daughter is up for debate. Kelli and Vicki met playing mother and daughter in the 2005 The Light in the Piazza as Clara and Margaret Johnson. They remain dear friends to this day and the only pair alive, well, and not dangerously close to death... Kelli and Vicki, trained opera singers, also reunited for Dido and Aeneas in 2016. Their friendship has survived a few awkward situations, such as being up against each other (alongside fellow Piazza star Celia Keenan-Bolger, and that's a story in and of itself) for the role of Nellie Forbush in South Pacific.

"I just started calling her Mother, because I felt like I could be who I was without covering up. Why she called me Mother back is pretty obvious, but she was, for me, always the rock. I felt like, Okay, she loves me, warts and all. Hopefully." - Victoria Clark on Kelli O'Hara, 2016.

[zxmbievxmit]

Okay so because I’m bored and because I just want to talk about my favorite character, here are some Will Solace Headcanons. Some I will elaborate on some I just made up.

- Has the curliest hair (other than Leo)

- Has freckles EVERYWHERE

- Has scars mostly from Tartarus and training

- Sucks at archery (most training scars are from archery)

- Almost always wears flip flops, but on occasion wears sneakers

- The sneakers he does wear are absolutely destroyed / covered in doodles

- Loves dogs especially Golden Retrievers and Australian Shepherds

- Also loves fish and guinea pigs

- Never ever takes off the chain w/ Nico’s ring

- Pretty good at guitar, amazing singing voice

- Has bad ADHD, copes with it by constantly being busy

- Overworks himself a lot

- Gets reenergized from the sun (so do all Apollo kids), sometimes he just sits out in the sun

- Sometimes helps w/ camp plays / musicals

- Listens to Taylor Swift, Conan Gray, Olivia Rodrigo, Mitski?, Laufey, and musicals (not limited to these)

- Terrified of pigeons, but loves other birds. Especially crows, thinks they’re pretty (like Nico)

- Special interests are Star Wars and true crime

- Wear a lot of jewelry, especially earrings. He has a lot of piercings

- Can draw pretty well, especially autonomy but doesn’t draw a lot

- Cries every time he watches Frozen (sibling angst)

- Loves Tangled, loves when people compare him to Rapunzel

- Not picky, will eat anything

- Does kill bugs but Nico refuses to. Saves them every time

- Loves horror movies (especially slasher ones), analyzes the gore and how realistic it is

- Good friends with Leo, Percy, Clarisse, Cecil, Lou Ellen, and Nyssa

- Watches nature documentaries (gets sad when the animals die)

- Was really close to Lee Fletcher and Michael Yew, Michael taught him how to be a medic

- Looks like a surfer boy but sucks at surfing

- Had really blue eyes (blue eyed stare)

- Hair looks golden when the sun hits it

- Has bad nightmares

- All Apollo kids wake up with the sun

- Annotates every book. Has annotated a lot of Nico’s books (Nico loves it)

- Has dyslexia (like most demigods) but loves reading

- Has pretty bad anxiety, but his hands are pretty steady

- Stays calm under pressure most of the time

- Songs that make me think of him: Mirrorball, Summer Child, All American Bitch, Working for the Knife, and From the Start

- Hates hot pink (idk)

- Nico sometimes does his makeup and paints his nails

I have more for other characters (and some more of Will) but that’s all I’m doing rn

[all-about-kyu]

Summary: Jongho has to be the best papa bear and husband out there. Pairing: Jongho x fem!reader Tropes: parent au Genre: fluff, slice of life Rating: G Warnings: mentions of childbirth, mentions of lactation/breastfeeding Word Count: 555 Note: Enjoy the brainrot… there’s likely more coming…

Listen to: say you won’t let go by James Arthur || lifetime by Justin Bieber || imagine by Ben Platt || butterflies (ft. Fletcher) by MAX

Special tags: @hwasrie @yoongurt @thelargefrye

“She won’t break, you know.” You chuckle.

“She’s so… tiny.” Jongho replies, not taking his eyes off your newborn daughter.

She’s hardly a week old, and Jongho has kept his eyes on her nearly the entire time. When he asked you to marry him, he committed to never falling in love with another girl. The moment he laid eyes on your daughter, that promise was broken. He looks at her like she is the most precious thing in this universe. You can’t blame him for that. She absolutely is.

Jongho looks away for just a moment to look up at you from his place on the couch. His eyes are sparkling, and the way he smiles makes your heart melt and soar simultaneously. The look he gives you makes you feel like the most special person on the planet.

“What’re you looking at me like that for?” You chuckle, sitting down beside him.

“Thank you.”

“What did I do?”

“You gave me her. You exist in my life. I’m yours, and I couldn’t ask to be anything more than that.”

You go to reply, but your daughter starts to shift slightly in your husband’s arms. She makes a slight noise that’s hardly there. Jongho returns his attention to her. He sits back against the couch entirely and shifts her tiny body to rest against his chest, head resting against his shoulder. He shuts his eyes, hoping to get a few minutes of sleep while she rests.

You smile at the small interaction. Jongho looks exhausted, you probably do too, but he looks absolutely gorgeous right now in your eyes. He fits his role as a father so well, and you wouldn’t want to experience this with anyone else in the world, even if you could. He pats her back lightly, lulling her back to sleep.  He can feel your eyes on him, though, and peeks one open to look at you. It takes mere moments for him to fully open his eyes again and turn his face toward you.

“What?” You ask again.

“You look beautiful.” He states simply.

You feel butterflies erupt in your stomach, but try to cover your reaction with a humorless chuckle, “Sure, Jongho, I’m sure. I haven’t been able to shower in a few days, my hair looks like a bird’s nest, I have stains on my shirt from feeding and just lactating and-“

“You’re always beautiful.”

You blush slightly at his comment, “S-shut up, give me her. I’ll need to feed her soon.”

“Ten more minutes?” He asks with a slight pout.

“I’ll burst if I go ten more minutes. You get five.” You smile.

Jongho makes a face that you immediately know how to read. You lean over, and just as you’re about to kiss his cheek, he turns and gently pecks your lips. He giggled at your slightly shocked face.

“You go rest a little. You deserve to relax. I’ll bring her to you in five minutes, as promised.”

You nod with a quiet thank you. You start making your way to the nursery. You might as well be in your rocking chair just in case you fall asleep.

“Babe.” Jongho calls; you turn to face him, “I love you so much. Thank you.”

You smile sweetly, “I love you too. You’re already an amazing papa bear.”

COPYRIGHT STARLITMARK 2023© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED — reposting/modifying any fic or piece of original writing posted on this blog is not allowed. Translations are not permitted. 

Networks: @cultofdionysusnet @kwritersworld​ @k-vanity​

Tag List strikethrough = unable to tag: @jaehunnyy​  @brattybunfornct​ @roseforseonghwa @spiderrenjunfics @umbralhelwolf​ @ericssmile​ @honeyhuii​ @tarutarumilk

[geralt-of-baevia]

Call It What You Want: Chapter One

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine

pairing: nobreakout!joel x f!ofc (Violet Fletcher)

rating: explicit, MDNI 18+

word count: 2.1k

summary: Seeking solace from a painful breakup, Violet relocates to a tranquil town, purchasing a neglected house to renovate. In her new neighborhood, she befriends Harlow, who introduces her to Joel, a gruff and seasoned contractor with a heart of gold. Despite Joel's initial grumpiness, Violet finds herself drawn to his expertise and hidden kindness.

As Violet immerses herself in home renovations alongside Joel, their dynamic begins to shift, with Joel unexpectedly opening himself up to the possibility of love. Their budding relationship faces challenges as shadows from their pasts emerge, testing their newfound connection.

warnings/tags: nothing for now! just lots of light and airy fluff and a meet-cute! but don't worry, it's gonna get dirty 😈! oh, I guess age gap? yeah, that one.

a/n: alright, i've had MAJOR writer's block for a couple years now. I tried to write a Ted Lasso fic last year, but quickly lost steam. But somehow Pedge worked his magic on me and I'm already nine chapters in on this story and 25k words and I'm just now posting it! I hope y'all enjoy. This story means the world to me rn. <3

My keys jingled in the door, and I couldn’t help but let out an aggravated sigh. This was at least the third time this week that the front door was sticking. I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed again, knowing my fate: I would have to crawl through the kitchen window. 

Again. 

As I walked around the back to go in through the kitchen window, I heard a voice calling my name. I looked across the street and saw my neighbor Harlow. She was standing on the last step of her front porch. One of her hands was held up to her brow as a temporary visor, blocking her eyes from the sun. She was shaking her head at me with a big, stupid grin. 

“Girl, is that front door stuck again?” she asked, humor dripping from her faint southern drawl. 

I sighed, crossing my arms in defeat and shifting my weight to one hip. 

“Is there any use in lying to you at this point?” I called back in response. 

She let out a loud laugh. “At least this time I caught you before you god forbid get stuck in that damn kitchen window again, ass up and legs flailing.” 

I laughed at her comment and placed a hand awkwardly over my face in embarrassment. Two days prior I had gotten stuck climbing through the kitchen window when the front door had been jammed again, Harlow coming to my rescue. 

“And I thought you had “finally fixed” anyway?” she asked, doing air quotes with her hands.

“I did!” 

“And how is that working out for you?”

I shook my head with a laugh and flipped her the bird.

“Well, why don’t you come over and I’ll make us some breakfast?” she said, motioning me to come over to her, “and then you are going to let me call my friend who will come and fix your door. And I’m not letting you tell me no this time.”

I knew there was no saying no to her.

----

“Wait, so you’re telling me you just sautee mushrooms and onions, and then put it between puff pastry and a slab of beef?” 

I nodded with a giggle. “Mmhmm. And then you brush the meat with mustard as well.” 

Harlow’s mouth dropped open. 

“I’ll make it for you sometime!” I told her excitedly, “I haven’t made it since culinary school, but I loved it.” 

The doorbell rang and interrupted us. Harlow shot up from her seat excitedly.  

“He’s here!” she said as she made her way towards the front door. She paused for a minute and turned to face me.

“Okay, just a warning real quick. Don’t be put off by the fact that he might be a bit of a curmudgeon,” she giggled. 

“A curmudgeon? That’s such a specific brand of grump,” I said with a chuckle. She shrugged her shoulders before turning back around to get the door. 

The doorbell rang a second time and I heard Harlow shout, “I’m coming! Be patient, Jesus…” 

I giggled to myself and took a long drink of my coffee. Before I was able to set my mug down on the table, I looked up to see Harlow walk back into the kitchen, a tall man following behind her. 

“Do you want some coffee Joel?” she asked him. I watched as he crossed his arms and leaned against the frame of the doorway. 

“Yes, please,” he replied, emphasizing the please. 

I started to stand up to introduce myself, but he caught my eye and put a hand up to stop me.

“Oh, no need to get up on my behalf,” he said, stopping me. I sat back down as he walked the few steps between us and held his hand out to me. 

I took his hand in mine and he gave me a firm handshake. I almost missed him introducing himself to me. I was too focused on how the pads of his hand and fingers were callused, and how it felt against my smooth skin. 

“I’m Joel.”

“Hi, I’m Violet,” I replied, thankful that at least the autopilot in my head was paying attention. A big smile spread on his face, causing his eyes to squint and get crinkly in the corners. 

“As in the Violet that lives across the street in the 1940s fixer-upper?” He had the same faded southern accent that Harlow did. They had known each other for a long time. 

“I feel bad that you seem to know more about me than I know about you,” I said, trying to not come across awkwardly. Joel took a seat and let out an airy chuckle. 

“Oh don’t worry, there’s not much to know about me,” he said sincerely. 

“We both know that’s not true,” Harlow interjected. She sat down at the end of the table between Joel and me, handing him his coffee. 

“Thank you,” he said almost in relief. 

I tried my hardest not to stare at Joel, but I caught myself looking him up and down more than once as we sat at the table and talked. 

“Wait, so what’s goin’ on?” he asked, setting his now empty coffee mug down on the table. I sighed before tucking my hair behind my ear. 

“Okay, so the original door knob kept catching and jamming. Something having to do with the original door knob not lining up correctly when it's closed. I thought putting a new door knob and re-aligning it would work. But then I tried to open my door when I got open, and it was stuck again,” I explained, “so I think it’s past me just YouTubing answers.” 

“Well it’s a good thing that Joel here is a carpenter,” Harlow said, patting him on the shoulder. He smiled another crinkled smile at her. 

“Retired carpenter, but yes,” he said, giving her a friendly wink, “but I can fix that. I bet you anything your doorway is slackin’ and need a new door. Either way, I’m sure I can fix it.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother-”

“If it was going to be a bother to me, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place,” he said with a knowing smirk. I tried my hardest to keep my blushing to a minimum, but my cheeks still grew warm. 

Joel stood up and clapped his hands, rubbing them together excitedly. “Alright ladies, let's get up and go look at this door.” We all got up and exited the house, making our way across the street to mine. 

I smiled up at the house as we made our way to the front door. Sometimes I still couldn’t believe it was mine. The house had been barely used for almost a decade. Each one of the five bedrooms needed to be redone. And the two bathrooms. And the sitting rooms. It was a lot of work, but worth it. Not to mention a dilapidated house was cheaper to buy than a ready-to-move-in one. I saw it as a way that I get to make the house exactly how I wanted it. 

Once we were at the door, Joel held his hand out to me. 

“Key please,” he said, locking eyes with me as he did. I fumbled into my pocket, pulled the key out, and placed it in his hand. “Thanks.” 

He put the key in the keyhole and tried to turn it, but it wouldn’t budge. He tried turning it the other way, but it still didn’t move. I sighed. 

“How badly did I fuck it up?” I asked. He let out a chuckle. 

“You didn’t fuck it up, the house did,” he said, giving me a reassuring look. I watched as he pointed out areas around the frame on the wall, “I guarantee you it’s like I said, slacking in these places and putting the door off balance.”

“So what's the fix?” I asked, “Is it going to be intense?”

“Not at all. It’s a project I could do and get done by this afternoon. I just need to go get some things for it,” he said, still looking at the wall and assessing. “But I need to look at it from the inside before I can tell. Is there a way to get in?”

Harlow giggled. “Through the kitchen window. I had to help rescue her the other day, though.” 

"I’ll give you a boost this time then,” he said with a smirk. 

The three of us made our way around the back of the house, and I shimmied open the window just enough for me to fit through. Joel squatted down, laced his fingers together, and looked up at me. 

“Ready?” he asked. I nodded in response. I took a deep breath, placed my hands on Joel’s shoulders, and then my foot in his hands. 

“Three, two, one, up.” On ‘up’ I jumped with my foot on the ground as he simultaneously lifted me. I was taken aback a little by how effortlessly he did so, and how I could feel muscles through his shirt. 

I grabbed onto the bottom of the windowsill and pulled myself up as Joel continued to push. He led the foot that was in his hands to his shoulder, where I was able to give myself a final boost and get through the window. I grabbed onto the edge of the counter inside and pulled myself the rest of the way in, accidentally landing in a thud on the black and white kitchen floor. 

“You okay?” Joel and Harlow shouted in unison. 

“I’m fine!” I called back as I got myself to my feet. I peeked out of the window to look at them. “I’m going to go find an easier window for you two to climb through and get it ready.”

I ran towards the front of the house, looking for a window that was lower and easier to get through. I decided on one of the windows that lined the porch. I haphazardly ripped the screen from the window and unlocked it. After opened it I stuck my head out and shouted, “Over here, you two!”

Once Harlow and Joel crawled into the house, Joel immediately headed for the front door. 

“Have you decided on a paint color for this room yet?” Harlow asked me, looking around the room we were in. I shook my head. 

“I’ve decided to keep the wallpaper. I’m just going to clean it and touch up the trim,” I told her with a big smile. She looked around the room at the wallpaper in question, wincing a little at the bold gold pattern on the walls. 

“So, I was right,” Joel said, peeking his head around into the room. He nudged his head for me to come see. I swallowed the butterflies down into my stomach and went into the foyer. He nudged his head again before crouching down by the door knob. I closed the space between us and followed suit, crouching down so that I was at eye level with Joel and the doorknob.

Joel pointed his finger at where the door and the frame joined. “See how it’s not lining up, it's just a little too low.”

I watched as he stood up and grabbed onto the knob with both hands. With a grunt, he lifted the door and turned it at the same time. To my happy surprise, the door opened with no problem. Joe took a step back and placed his hands on his hips, looking at the door with a sense of accomplishment. 

“So, a new doorframe?” I asked as I got to my feet. He replied with a “mmhmm.” 

“Yep. I just need to take some measurements of the door and the frame. I know I have enough spare wood at my place, but I’ll need a new door. Did you say you have the original hardware?”

I nodded. “How much is a new door going to cost? I can get you the money for it.”

He shook his head. “Nah, don’t worry. I know a guy where I can get a good door for cheap. Consider it a housewarming gift.”

Harlow and I sat on my front porch as we watched Joel drive off in the direction of the woodshop. 

“So, I thought you said he was a curmudgeon?” I said, keeping my gaze ahead. 

“He is. Usually.”

She nudged my shoulder with hers, causing me to sway to the side. I straightened up and finally looked over at her just in time to nudge her back, biting at my bottom lip. 

Usually. We’ll have to see what that means. 

[muppet-facts]

Muppet Fact #800

Fletcher Bird only ever had one line in his entire time on The Muppet Show. He said "Uh, excuse me, I'm looking for..."

Source:

The Muppet Show. Episode 309: Liberace. October 16, 1978.

[moonbittern]

we have a juvenile red-tailed hawk feuding with both our local murder and a family of four deer that's been coming around

[lordkingsmith]

my sister has agreed to voice Marty the pink ranger (just speaking, I am gonna have to find a singing voice) and when I told her my plans for Marty’s posters and t-shirts-that the movies she says they come from follow the plot of the episode at hand-she had a further idea. When it’s not focused on the ranger side of things and she’s just doing stuff, she defaults to a t-shirt that has a movie that references the themes of the overarching season. And one shirt that references a story that is the series as a whole. Just as a little meta thing because Marty’s big personality trait is “huge movie nerd” who loves the movies from her home dimension.

it doesn’t have to be that deep but I love the idea so I’m going for it with the fairy tales and things. This is the heroine of Fletcher’s Bird and will be on one of Marty’s default shirts. I taught myself how to do 80’s anime style for this lol. It’s a little detail but it’s gonna look good

[queenofthursday6599-blog]

I'm thinking of a Phineas and Ferb pony/mlp au, and while I've managed to settle on what I want some characters to be, for others I'm either split between two opinions or have no idea.

It's not really set in mlp:fim's world building, it leans more towards normal Phineas and Ferb but all the characters are mlp creatures and magic is a thing that exists.

I've also come up with some befitting pony-names for some characters, but am still stuck on others

I want all the Flynns to be unicorns, the Fletchers to be hippogriffs/sea ponies (which is the same thing, they just have two forms), the Doorensmirtzes to be griffons, and the Johnsons to be earth ponies and pegasi.

(Jeremy and their dad are pegasi, while Suzie and their mom are earth ponies, the Australian cousin is also a pegasus.)

I can't decide if I want Baljeet to be Abyssinian and have Buford be a Diamond Dog, because of the mlp:fim canonical tensions between those two species.

Or if I want Buford to be a Dragon and Baljeet a Kirin. Or have Buford be a Yak while Baljeet is a Deer (based on the mlp:fim comics).

I like the dragon and kirin option the least of the three, because something about one being bipedal while the other is a quadruped gives me a weird vibe.

I only even came up with it because it's really easy to picture Buford as a dragon, but if I give Buford power over fire I feel like I have to give Baljeet fire too.

I'm leaning the most towards having them be the cat and dog, and I don't know if that makes be boring because what else would they be, or if having them be so distinctly not ponies in the pony AU makes it an unusual choice.

Isabella (and her family) are earth ponies, and I've decided that all of the Fireside Girls are similarly earthbound and magicless, though not all of them are specifically earth ponies. Like Holly is a zebra, for example.

Irving and his brother are Changelings, Django and his dad are Unicorns, Jenny is an earth pony, Johnny (Vanessa's first love interest) is a bat pony.

I'm thinking of making the Hiranos Orinthians (anthro bird people). Which might look like I'm breaking the no magic or flying baseline I made for the Fireside Girls, but Orinthians can't actually fly and only glide at most, because their wings are too arm and hand shaped to be used for actively flying.

Now names I'm not changing depend on two things. First is if the creature they are, use more human-ish names vs more object/idea pony-ish names. Second is whether or not their original name is applicable to the second thing, again Holly comes to mind.

Like Diamond Dogs, Abyssinians and Orinthians all use more human style names, so I don't think I'll change the names of the characters I made into one of these. Griffons also use human names, though typically only those that start with G but I'm just going to quietly disregard that.

I already have some pony names I like for various characters, Adorabella for Isabella, Cadence for Candace (Cadance is a nickname for the alicorn princess Mi Amore Cadenza, not her actual name), Linda's pony-name is Lindyhop (with stage name LindiPop in her popstar days).

I'm really struggling with a name for Lawrence, like he's an antiquer/historian, but I don't really know how to make a cutesy pony names out of either of those concepts.

Ferb remains Ferb because what else is his name supposed to be. I'm leaning towards Phenomaly (phenomenal and anomaly portmanteau) or something similar for Phineas, I want to still have it to have a ph start.

[ofmaddogs]

-- THE AGE OF MEGAFAUNA. The ice cracked and groaned in the Late Pleistocene. There, an ambitious sprig of mistletoe infested a variant of a yew tree. It ate, and ate, and ate, until the yew tree was nearly rotted from malnutrition. The yew's branches twisted and stretched to make a new home for the mistletoe.

The curse began. Kin eating kin: ground sloths finding a taste for meat, moose antlers and hooves and teeth all twisting and warping to better kill other moose and feast upon their brothers.

The curse almost died out. The trees-- the mistletoe infested yew, a rarity in nature already, nearly wiped out as THE LAST GLACIATION began to drip and melt and crack.

A single stand of T. masonii trees somehow survived a few global extinction events. Mostly undisturbed atop a freezing mountain in the heart of what is now known as Canada. Local tribes or migratory bands would strip a few of the trees, but the balance was almost always restored.

Then the mines came. They dug deep into the earth, the eons old snow-melt dripping into their steel canteens. The yew trees were chopped down in mass by great machines.

The men drank the water, and the mistletoe took a greater foothold on the mountain.

The cave-in, the first hunt... The prey stabbed through the heart with a yew branch set alight.

A generation passed. The Mad Dogs had pups scattered about the mountain alongside the wolf-brothers. The discovery was made by Fletcher as he looked through the remnants of the first battle: the yew, the mistletoe. Two sides of the same curse.

The yew is the spirit of the mountain. The mistletoe both is a vessel for and wards off the creatures.

An invasive parasite hates another invasive parasite. But, mistletoe is only invasive if humans come tip the balance of the ecosystem. It's something of an indicator species: humans messed something up here so now there's too much mistletoe, but mistletoe itself can be a vital winter food source or habitat if kept in check by birds or deer.

The curse is about balance and greed and destruction and rebirth.

THE INITIATION RITE was created: after your first hunt, you drink absinthe from a mug carved out of a knot of yew. The glowing green drink sloshed around in the wooden mug, drawing out the sacred poison. It might kill you, but it might make you stronger, if you had the mountain's favor. If the yew chose you. Because the mountain's favor was so important to the rite it was often only performed after the First Kill.

The drink put you in a deep slumber for a few days. The fire burned through you, transforming your very being. With each generation, new abilities would shift around. The locals could always tell who was a Mad Dog based on the glowing orange embers in their pupils.

Alongside the initiation rite was the THE HEALING RITUAL. The Mad Dogs had the favor of the mountain: If Man had set this curse ablaze, other Men had to help clean things up.

A sprig of yew and sprig of mistletoe were placed in the mouth. If the victim could chew, they would chew it on their own while humming the blessing-song. If they were unable to chew on their own, another Mad Dog would work the jaw muscles while humming.

The wound would burn from within, the blood turning orange-hot and mostly-properly fitting veins and nerves back together. Even a mortal wound would could be healed so long as someone was there to help administer the ritual. But, with the scar tissue and stubbornness of the mountain's magic still not understood... Sometimes the rituals failed.

Sometimes, a Mad Dog was returned to ash upon a pyre of cedar logs, the ashes used in tattoos as a memory. From flame you're born, to flame you return.

Jack has a row of flame tattoos on his bicep, five for each of the dead Dogs he's burned.

The Mad Dogs aren't inhuman exactly, but they're certainly a few degrees starboard of humanity now. Stronger, faster, able to see in the dark. Their eyes flash orange in a flashlight's beam and there's a soft orange pinprick even visible in daylight.

[detective-inspector-her]

Valkyrie, Omen & Skulduggery- Crows

Intelligent Problem-Solvers: Crows are highly intelligent and known for their problem-solving abilities and tool use. The two of them are the Sanctuary's best detectives for a reason. Valkyrie isn't looked down on as much because not only is she trained by The Skulduggery Pleasant (who's slightly more feared in this AU), but she's instinctually good at her job which garners her respect.

Social Birds: They are often seen in pairs or small groups and communicate using a wide range of vocalizations. This one is straightforward as well. Skulduggery had the Dead Men and before that, he had his siblings, most of whom were also Hooded Crows. Valkyrie has Tanith, China, Ghastly, Fletcher and Skulduggery.

Crows are known for their intelligence and problem-solving abilities. Social interactions stimulate cognitive development, allowing them to learn from peers.

This is where Omen comes up short. Being largely unpopular and on top of that being left behind by his family a lot, he's not as smart as he's expected to be and has some trouble with teamwork because he's used to 'flying solo' if you will.

Social isolation can lead to increased stress levels in crows, manifesting as aggressive behavior towards other birds or humans.

This has happened to all three of them.

Skulduggery was isolated and tortured and when he was Vile he was alone a lot. Then Val left and he isolated himself again.

Valkyrie isolated herself for five years.

Omen, as mentioned, grew up on his own most of the time.

The three of them start off phase 2 being mildly aggressive with each other and others due to their separate isolation incidents. They slowly get better at it.

Crows, like many intelligent animals, can experience depression when deprived of social interaction. This can result in lethargy and reduced interest in normal activities like foraging and grooming.

Grooming is something those with bird wings have to do and Valkyrie neglects her wings during her isolation, something that she improves throughout phase 2. Omen is very unenthused about everything, something he overcomes as he grows. Skulduggery does less detective work, enough to seem normal to those who don't know him, but he starts to grow bored of the work.

Vocalizations: They use a variety of calls for communication, including caws, clicks, and rattles.

Valkyrie and Skulduggery have their own language that they communicate with when alone, it comes naturally.

Crows have been observed to adopt orphaned fledglings, and this behavior is a testament to their social nature and intelligence.

Yeah, Valkyrie basically decides that Omen is joining them (under strict supervision). Yes. Yes, I'm making the Omen and Valkyrie bonding time in this AU, you can't stop me.

Vocal and Visual Cues: Crows use complex vocalizations and visual cues to recognize their own family members. However, they are also capable of accepting outsiders, especially if the fledgling exhibits behavior that indicates a need for care.

It fits!

Social isolation can lead to a decrease in vocal activity or changes in vocalization patterns. Isolated crows may lose out on learning new calls and signals used in social interactions.

Eventually, the duo grow used to Omen dropping in and Valkyrie starts teaching him their language after he confesses that he was never taught.

[shimmering-starsun]

Fletcher/Neiman christmas time…

They go vinyl shopping together, wear big sweaters…. Fletcher has a ribbed black turtleneck and Andrew has a nice coffee-colored fuzzy sweater. They go see those minature trains that run a short track in a little snowy toy town. They both say it’s stupid but they both love to watch it run it’s course. They go around showing up at jazz clubs in their coats and scarfs. They sit in silence together in their apartment watching their fireplace crackle while drinking wine. They ramble about instruments, look through sales on magazines and talk about getting Andrew a new kick drum. Fletcher improvises on his piano after Andrew slips off into a soft sleep. He plays until 2 in the morning because he is just. So Happy. He’s got his Bird, and he’s sleeping in the soft woven chair next to him. They see so many mistletoes when out on the town, but they wait to kiss till’ they get home.

fuck!