#forgot i had this in my drafts whoopsie

[maggotmoment]

kian stone is the prettiest woman i know

[welcometogrouchland]

[ID in alt text, transcripts for comics also found there!]

🎉🎇HAPPY NEW YEAR!🎇🎉

Sure was a year...This is just me taking the end of year opportunity to post the various DC comics doodles that have been gathering dust in my files! Disclaimer that I'm a heathen who mostly reads batfam comics (and also a lot of. Sidekick-y stuff? Like YJ98) and these are all for fun! (Image #3 is a direct adaptation of this text post I made)

[halethleia]

So Hold My Hand, Consign Me Not To Darkness

A collaboration for this year's @tolkienrsb!!

Writer: @annoyinglandmagazine Artist: @halethleia (full artwork HERE )

In this universe it is not the first but the third son of Feanor that falls foul of Morgoth and many things change but some crucial facts remain the same in every universe. Nolofinwean determination to defy common sense and all advice seems to be one of them. - No one deserved that and it made it a great deal harder to be angry at him though she knew she still had a right to it. It truly was tremendously unfair. So she’d go there, bring him back and then he’d owe her for the rest of his life and she imagined that knowledge would be torture enough for him. Bastard.

Rating: T Characters: Aredhel, Celegorm, Huan, Maedhros, Fingolfin, Turgon Relationships: Aredhel & Celegorm, Aredhel & Huan, Celegorm & Huan Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Wordcount: 5k

[queenofepic]

(Tagged by @pastachip)

Rules: put 6 of your favorite characters in a poll, and people vote their favorite out of them. And then tag 5 people to do the same!

I'm too shy to tag other people so if you feel like doing this just go for it lol

[chatterbox-juice]

reblogging myself to talk more

i honestly prefer the beta version of Peck. i'm pretty neutral on both versions of Liza, but this version of Peck actually fits with my au's timeline. from the Creation Era to Palladium, animals in Jamaa were more rudimentary. Peck looking much more like a bunny than...

a modern-day non-furry-furry (i don't have an issue w furries) fits. i do like the idea of Peck standing on her two legs though, because not only is it iconic, but facultative bipedalism is neat. Peck could scamper around mostly on two legs. and besides, bunnies can stand up anyway

and bunnies actually have long ass legs. they just look short when they're resting

so Peck can still do stuff like this and have less of a terrifyingly massive head. her beta design makes her head look more sleek and less like a trapezoid with a creative liberty

i really don't have an issue w Peck's design, this is just for my au lol, and since I can, i'm going to adapt more of her beta design instead. if you look at official art, it just looks wrong?

her head is massive and flat, no matter how much shading they put on it. her beta design at least IMPLIES she has a neck with the angle, whilst her current one doesn't have a neck at all. it's just a head connecting to a body and it's weird to look at. that curve on her body is also odd? her beta design curls inward instead of outward, and that makes it look more natural to me. but I totally get how her beta design would've been hard to translate to 3d if they kept it in the long run. for example, how the hell would they give her a mouth without it looking weird? yes they could just... not give her one and use her eyes and ears to convey expression, but STILL and I KNOW irl bunnies look like they don't have necks, but that's from a front-facing view. i've seen my cousin's rabbit (which was fucking terrifying btw his eyes were literally a black hole) and from a side view, there is clearly a neck, especially if they're slimmer (not underweight, lean)

front view vs side view and again, i totally get why they didn't go with her beta in the long run. it's more edgier, and despite my rewrite not being for kids, animal jam is ultimately a kids game lmfao. the beta has more muted colors whilst Jamaa is very vibrant. even more muted areas like the lost temple of Zios are still colorful, whilst beta Peck is just gray.

and i do have my issues with the beta as well, but they're mostly minor. i personally would've gave her a black nose to fit the pallet better, but pink noses are considered cuter i feel, so thrice once more, totally understand why they didn't do it. most of this just comes from my preference for more punkier styles. i'm going to get rid of that haircut in my rewrite though. absolutely not. she'll grow out her fur to mimic hair.

something like this, maybe. i'll keep her color palette though, maybe tone it down a bit to fit my AU

why do Peck and Liza stand on two legs but other bunnies and pandas don't

[hydrxnessa]

OCs -- [ Hydra, Trojan, Intoxicate ]

actually completely forgot i had this in my drafts and coulda posted this when i was gone-- whoopsie

anyways just lil doodles of 10yo baby hydra ;3

(she was captured at the age of 9, then began to age quickly due to the experiments done on her - she aged to about 23yo before no longer aging, so it's unknown how old she is currently .)

[madegeeky]

Whoops, sorry for the horror spam. I wrote those and at the beginning of the month and then queued them so they'd be easier to keep track of than putting them in drafts. And then I promptly fell into a really obnoxiously long depression (getting better finally, thank fuck) and stopped working on them and forgot about the ones I had queued. Whoopsie doodles.

I have a few more, though, that I'm gonna go ahead and clean up a bit (until I cleaned it up, you might have noticed that my post about foreign films literally had "All My Friends Are Dead: finish rewatch" as an entry. >.<). I'll also queue them so they're not one right after the other.

I'm really sad that I wasn't able to do a full account of these this year because I had so many ideas written down.

[beeleoblue]

Intro and Blogmap

Aka post i drafted the day i made this acc and promply forgot about. Lmao

Hi! I'm blue, or pie, or whatever else people want to call me. 20-something. Any pronouns except she/her please and thank you.

I run on a queue, not everything i post is something i still agree with and could be in reference to something completely irrelevant by the time it leaves the queue, i try to catch and delete or edit anything that i wouldnt post now but that doesnt always happen.

[I had a tagging system but i gave up on it whoopsies]

My ao3 is leoaveryblue (pretty sparse because I've only just started using it, my older fics are elsewhere)

No dni you can do whatever you want forever just don't be mean

(username changed from blue-leo-pie to beeleoblue)

@welsknightenjoyer - mcyt

@ashipcalledrelation - mcytshipping

@sunflowerpie - side-main. Idk what goes on here its just whatever

@beeleotwo - multifandom

@injuryfactory - whump

@localkakashienjoyer - anime (jjk, naruto)

@micrafy - minecraft

@beelangblr - langblr

ive got a few other sideblogs but most of them are private so eh

Also i have a neocities!

[nejackdaw]

Coming right back at ya for the ask game 👀

How about 🪐(name 3 good things going on rn), 📚 (last thing in your notes app), and 🍦(three good things about a character you hate - I love asking this one whoopsies)

💞💞💞🌹🌹🌹 ty!!!! This got long so I'm adding a cut lol

Hmmm, three good things. Well, I'm almost done with The Color of Revenge, which is a recently (in English) released followup to the Inkheart trilogy!!!! My parents gave me the set back when I was, like, SEVEN (it was written for an older audience, but I was at a high school reading level so most of my books were) and Inkspell and Inkdeath were INCREDIBLY formative to me. I'm 23 and it's still my favorite book series. I reread it last Nov/Dec and I have been WAITING for TCOR to be translated to English. I'm almost done with it! I've never read it before but it still feels like coming home :) I've also started watching Vox Machina (the show, not the campaign version) and ouagh. Forgot Taliesin never misses with the characters. Idr the last time I wanted to binge a show but I watched all of S1 in like three days. AND as a third thing I've made a ton of progress on the baton display!!! For someone who wasn't a crafts guy beforehand I've been loving the whole ordeal

Last thing in my notes app 🤔 it's either some half incomprehensible reminder or like. A wip idea lemme go check hang on. APSNOANSOANS OKAY SO ACTUALLY IT WAS A THOUGHT I HAD THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH MY ROOMIE BUT THEY SAID THEY WANNA WATCH VM TOO SO I CAN'T SPOIL PERCY'S BACKSTORY TO MAKE THE OBSERVATION. IT'S KINDA KILLING ME CAUSE IT'S A GOOD ONE. (Head in my hands) They gotta watch VM bro I gotta tell them

Three good things about a character I hate 🤔 okay NEVERMIND I had an ENTIRE response drafted about "idk if I even hate any characters" but

YOU

Okay so obviously I lost the plot a little editing the meme I kinda forgot what I was making it for it's FINE. I haven't played Doom in forever man. Fucking. Hayden. Don't even ask me about his lore from Doom Eternal the only thing I remember from watching Jack play it is that I fucking Pavloved myself and now whenever I eat pizza rolls I wanna watch Doom. Three good things about Hayden, who I barely remember aside from the fact he's a little bastard 🤔 mad scientist is one of my favorite genres of guy, so like. He's got me there. There's so much wrong with him I want to study him. I want to shrink him and shake him violently in a jar. Iirc him and his research are the ENTIRE reason the game happened. Like I think it's touched on more in the sequel but I watched Jacksepticeye play it in I think the Covid year so like. Idr. Like what the hell, man. Kinda obsessed with the way he stands by his work and his research. He's surrounded by blood and corpses and humanity itself is at risk of being wiped out and he's like "okay, but hear me out--"

A second thing would have to be the like. Man idek how to describe the weird fucking relationship he has with the Doom Guy in 2016. Basically you're a rat in his maze and he's doing simultaneously beneficial to you + iirc bad for you beneficial to him experiments (argent energy suit upgrades) but ALSO you have to do what he fucking wants for the most part, and your interests are BARELY aligned. Like you guys want the same person dead is about where it starts and ends. I just. I'm fucking chewing on it. I spent the entire office visit cutscene thing judging his office decor and trying to shoot him (I could not fire the gun.)

The third thing would have to be the actual fact that I dislike him so bad. Usually I might not like a character, but like. The fucking "YOU" reaction I immediately had when I remembered he exists isn't something I get for any other ones. Like I took his little self serving bastardism PERSONALLY. ESPECIALLY at the end of the game. I literally watched Jack play Eternal because I wanted to know if we got to kill Hayden. Like. Points for getting me to feel so strongly negative about him. I wish he was still flesh and blood so I could wrap my hands around his neck and squeeze ya know. Fucking Griffin style

[sarcastich]

tagged by @peterrparrkerr 🥺💞 sjsjsj ly

Self-Promote 1 work of yours (fic, moodbords, edit, ext) that you’re really proud of so we can show it some love: i dont have a lot of content, so Crown Made Of Barbwire, chapter 2’s coming soon!

Promote another person’s work that you love: one of my absolute fkn favorites, by @babybatscreationsv2, the Angel series.

Tag 5 people you adore: @starkerscoop @momothequeen134 @bluestarker @mustbe-adevilbetweenus @spidey-sins

Tag 5 people you haven’t spoken to much but want to become closer to: literally everyone here 🥺 @jordansspot @tonystarkisaslut @im-a-goner--foryou @kater1n @longlivestarker

[griba]

for the art trademark thing, I'd say your art is like. fluffy? that's not Exactly the word but the way you draw things is so soft and very very nice style of cartoony. also colors,, very good :D

!! tysm karma my mantics <3<3

art response because im doing that now apparently:

[ID: a black and white doodle of the artist's persona, a light skinned person with dark hair and dog ears, looking at the viewer with a jokingly flirty expression and holding a flower. /End ID]

(this was supposed to be mimicking a specific Bad Clipart Emoji but i cant find it lmao)

[tcpdog]

8 Bit Maker

[madiesunny]

Das pretty neat

[thebiscuiteternal]

Ahahaha, after telling Nonnie I was gonna post this, I completely forgot to actually post this and just left it sitting in drafts. Whoopsie. So! More little snippets and such from my twitter.

- Everybody mocks the sect descended from butchers until a boar demon the size of a city grain warehouse goes down and nobody else can deal with the carcass because it’s just too fucking big. By the time the thing has been taken apart and properly dispersed, the entire jianghu has had an Awakening to the fact that Some People (even the small cute one) are at their hottest when mostly covered in demon blood.

- Bitty!Huaisang tags along with his brother on some sect business to Yueyang and while he and his minder are eating lunch in the markets, he notices a street kid staring at the food like a starving wolf. Without thinking, he puts a plate of duck buns in easy reach and watches it and the kid vanish. By the end of the day, he’s practically forgotten about the whole thing, distracted by other stuff. But even more bitty!Xue Yang has just found himself a mark.

- Thinking about Nie Bros and how Huaisang decided early on that annoyance and exasperation were better than condescending pity and started playing up his lazy behavior to cover for his body’s failure to keep up and how Mingjue knows this, but has to make himself believe that Huaisang could do better if he actually tried, because otherwise he would constantly be swamped with guilt over the fact that he will inevitably be leaving his sickly brother to handle the sect.

- AND ON THAT NOTE, thinking about the fact that for all Huaisang is considered a pathetic cultivator, literally none of the adaptations have him “showing his age” more than cultivators who are supposed to be leagues more powerful than him, and even the novel just describes him as being pretty. Therefore, thinking of the possibility that all his desperate efforts to find Da-ge’s missing body pieces and/or soul wound up strengthening his golden core considerably (and he was Not Happy when he realized this) but no one noticed because he was that effective at keeping up the hapless idiot act.

- Rule 63!Huaisang where literally none of the Nie family dynamics have changed and everyone else is very ????? about it. Some Rando: “Shouldn’t your brother be getting you married instead of throwing a saber at you?” Huaisang: “Have you met my sect?”

- Nie-er-furen and Lan-furen were both yao, but Mama Nie was a cat and Mama Lan was a rabbit. Therefore, when the older brothers tried to introduce Nie Huaisang and Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan’s new instincts went “Predator!” and that is why Nie Huaisang has bite scars.

- Mo Xuanyu escaping Koi Tower and going to live with the (extremely grudgingly acknowledged) Yiling Wei sect, featuring Wei Wuxian being an absolute gremlin about his disciple’s crush on Nie Huaisang while still oblivious/in denial to Lan Wangji’s crush on him. WWX: “Follow your dreams and get your man!” MXY: “...Okay. So when are you gonna take your own advice and let Hanguang-jun court you?” WWX: “Haha, what? That’d never happen, Lan Zhan likes girls.” MXY (to NHS later): “So my sect leader might actually be an idiot.”

- Wei Wuxian in a Number Five situation. Fucks up an experimental talisman and winds up chucked  into an apocalyptic future (maybe even one demonic cultivation caused?) and is trapped there for decades before being slung back into his "just started raising corpses" age. Bonus points if it is a zombie apocalypse, but he doesn’t realize it because what evidence he was able to find pointed to the Sunshot Campaign having lost, so when he gets back to his present time, he starts working even harder at building up enough of an army to fight the Wens...

- So my personal headacanon is already that all of Jin Guangshan’s kids look more like their mothers than him because he doesn’t deserve anything good. But. Imagine the emotional/social fuckery if every single one of his bastards had at least some of his features, while Jin Zixuan is a male carbon copy of Jin-furen.

- The assumption that the original soul would be obliterated during the body sacrifice ritual was just that: an assumption. Wei Wuxian doesn't realize this until the first sect conference after Guanyin Temple when he sees his own reflection glare at him and then wrap the exhausted-looking reflection of Nie Huaisang into a reassuring embrace as the man discusses something or other with a minor sect leader.

aaaand everything else I was thinking about pulling over would be long enough for their own “Things I will probably never write” posts, so that’s all for this go round!

[lizardkingeliot]

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I’m here with another teeny snippet from the first chapter of part 3 of the time cast a spell on you series. I’m about 11.5k into the rough draft right now and I think I’ll be wrapping it up in another 2k or so??? Honestly this first chapter was going to be much longer but I decided to cut a scene off of the end and push it into chapter two for pacing reasons lol.

If you’re not already reading my fic series you definitely should give it a shot because this is going to be a very fun (and very very horny lmao) third installment. And also probably much longer than originally planned, but... listen. When have these boys ever once cooperated or had any consideration for my word count?

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this little teaser! This will probably be the last WIP Wednesday post from me until I have this chapter edited and posted (hopefully) sometime next month. 💖

—

Hours later, in the kitchen, Quentin wrapped his arms around Eliot from behind and snuggled close. Burying his face right between those firm, familiar shoulders, mumbling—“Is there really a giant tent for fucking at this festival you’re taking me to?”

Eliot’s knife ceased its chopping at once, and he let it fall down onto the cutting board with the softest thud. “You’ve, um—” Slowly, he turned himself inside the fold of Quentin’s arms. “You’ve been researching.”

Quentin smiled, shook his head, his arms around Eliot’s middle going tighter. “Talking to Julia, actually.”

Eliot sighed, touching Quentin on the slope of his neck. “Right,” he said. “I probably should have mentioned I knew they were going too, hm?”

“It’s okay,” Quentin said with a laugh and a shake of his head. “Julia told me weeks ago, I guess I just… forgot.”

Eliot grinned, pinching the swell of his bottom lip between his teeth. “Whoopsie,” he teased, and leaned down, kissing Quentin right in the center of his brow. “Well, Julia is right. There is indeed a giant tent for fucking at Encanto, my love.”

Quentin ran his palms along the dip of Eliot’s back through his shirt. “And would I be right to assume this giant fuck tent is a bigger on the inside situation, or…”

[fbfh]

dear baby; strawberry milkshakes - leo x reader parents au

words: 1.8k

summary: You and Leo are getting used to adulting together, when Chiron asks for your help. Next thing you know, there’s a little demigod for you two to take care of - and you’re not going to let her down.

warnings: almost boning but getting interrupted, shit is said twice, one use of fucking I think, mentions of orphanages and the foster care system, mentions of CPS, being at a CPS building, adopting a child, leo has trauma, leo and reader take in a child when you’re both 19, technically teen parents but not really, the kid has some trauma too, everyone has trauma but literally what’s new

au: sort of college + parents au

song recs: raining in new york mix - the bootleg boy (tw for some sort of sad dialogue samples), falling in love with love - bernadette peters in cinderella (1997)

a/n:  I saw a kids book called Sophia Valdez Future Prez and I know nothing about it but immediately knew I had to do a parents au where you and Leo have a daughter named sophia???????? also I accidentally gave myself baby fever whoopsie

also I was barely able to proof read this and had no brain while writing half of it so if the beginning feels rushed at all that’s why teehee

Straddling his lap, you start to take off Leo’s shirt. He tilts his head to the side as you nip at the skin gently. He moans softly, then tenses. 

"Shit!" He hisses, sitting up and pulling your shorts back up. You look at him bewildered, and he nods his head to the side, and you see a shimmery cloud that says that you have an incoming iris message from Chiron.  

"Oh shit," you echo, moving to a reasonable distance away from him, a thick throw blanket tossed gracefully across your legs and pulled up to cover your chest, and you're grateful your shirt hadn't been thrown across the room already. 

He pulls his shirt down and you toss him a throw pillow to cover his very obvious excitement. You give each other a ready as we'll ever be look and accept the call. 

"Hey Chiron… what's up?" Leo asks nonchalantly. 

"You must pardon my intrusion, dear children, I hope I'm not - er - interrupting anything.” “No, no, not at all,” you answer, hoping what you had been doing wasn’t too obvious in spite of how both of you are looking particularly flushed and deschevled, “we were just watching a movie.” 

Leo nods in agreement, and you list two different movies at the exact same time, the dark knight rises and moonstruck.

A beat passes, and you continue, “Double feature. Just finished Batman and we’re about to start Moonstruck.” 

Leo agrees. You can’t tell if Chiron is buying it, but he seems to move on relatively quickly. 

“Right. I’m afraid I must ask for your help with a rather time sensitive situation.” your brows furrow in unicen as he continues. 

He tells you about a young demigod a satyr found, not even four years old yet, but they haven’t been able to get her to camp. Apparently there were some complications, and CPS was called, now they’re looking for her parents to see if she’s going to a foster home or orphanage. If they can’t get to her before the CPS finishes processing her, she’ll be lost in the system. He’s asking older demigods and demigod families in New York, since processing time will go the fastest if the family or guardians are in-state. 

“I know it’s a lot to ask, but please consider taking her in, at least temporarily.” You and Leo share a look, hearts already hurting that life has gotten to this kid so soon. 

“I’ll give you some time to discuss this, please call me back as soon as you have an answer.” 

You agree, and the shimmery image of Chiron dissipates.

“... Oh my god,” you breathe. 

You turn to each other again, the same thing mirrored in each other's eyes. An immediate, unspoken conformation that there’s no way you can’t help this kid out passes between you. You know Leo, especially, will do whatever needs to be done to keep another orphaned demigod out of the foster system. The scope of the impact you could have on this kid’s life starts to dawn on you, and you lock eyes with Leo again, his face set in determination. 

“Estrella,” he starts, and you know what he’s going to say. 

“I know,” you confirm in agreement.

His leg is bouncing, and you lean over, grabbing a notepad and pen from the coffee table. Your mind is already racing, and you begin scribbling down a list of everything you’d need to do; get her a bed and clothes, research where she is in her developmental stages, put together a meal plan or at least some foods she’ll like - what do toddlers even eat? He starts pacing around the coffee table. 

“We gotta help this kid, we-” he cuts himself off, overwhelmed with determination. 

“We will.” you confirm, equally determined. You grab your laptop and start copying your list digitally so you can get everything organized. You stare at your reflection in the black screen while you wait for your computer to boot up. Once again, the reality of your situation hits you.

“We’re 19…” you state, in disbelief. Your mind is racing with doubts. What if you somehow make everything worse, what if you can’t handle it? He crouches next to you, placing his hand on your cheek.

“And we have a lot of love to give.” The smile in your eyes tells him that you know he’s right. You transcribe your writing, surprised that you’re okay with how fast this is all moving, and you let out another breathy laugh of disbelief. 

You go through your hastily made checklist, switching between tabs about child psychology, parenting advice, and kid’s furniture and clothes websites, strategizing with Leo on how you can pull this off, and a plan gradually comes together.

“I mean, this is a two bedroom,” he says as you look through pages of bed frames and mattresses, “we can clear out our studio and turn it into her room.” 

“And…” you add, checking yet another tab, “there’s a building nearby that rents out studio spaces and workshop areas. Ooh, and free parking.” you read on the website. It’s already late, but you send them an email anyway. Hopefully they’ll get back to you tomorrow. But for now… 

“We can get a bed tonight, but we’d have to hurry. We can probably get some pjs and maybe a stuffed animal while we’re there- toothbrush!” You exclaim, adding it to your list, “I knew I was forgetting something…”

 Leo stops pacing, and looks at you. “So… we’re doing this?” You can’t fight the smile on your face, and he already has his answer. 

“We’d better call Chiron back,” you say, excitedly bubbling out. You both enter the bathroom, and iris message chiron with mist from the shower. He answers almost immediately.

“We thought it over and…” you trail off, letting him finish.

“We want to help.” 

After changing into some presentable clothes and swinging by the store for a car seat and some other essentials (you almost forgot tooth paste this time), you’re driving with Leo to meet Chiron at the CPS office where they had Sophia - the girl Chiron told you about. You call the Ikea store not too far from your apartment, thankful you’re able to reach them before they close. You arrange to have them deliver a toddler bed to the spare bedroom in your apartment, your neighbor agreeing to let them in. Luckily, you had the presence of mind to get most of your and Leo’s stuff out of there, the corner of the living room now holding your desk and his drafting table. 

You’re still a little blurry on the details of how you’re going to get custody of this kid when you’re barely legal and have no ties to her or her family, but Chiron said he could work everything out. You assume the Mist will come in very handy. You and Leo discuss this on the way over. 

You can tell he’s worried. Knowing the horrors he went through in the foster system would be bad enough without all the demigod bullshit on top of everything. You take another deep breath. 

“This is what’s best for her,” he says matter of factly, “she needs to be with people who understand her.” You agree, and he continues, very fired up.

“She needs to be in an environment where she’s not going to be ignored and ostracized; she needs to be part of a family, not a fucking meal ticket.” 

You squeeze his leg supportively, and he takes another breath. 

“You’re right. And she’s going to get all of that.” He scoffs in agreement.

“There’s not a better place for someone like her than-”

“With someone like her.” you finish. He pulls into the parking lot and you enter, meeting Chiron in the building. Your hand holds Leo’s tightly, unsure of who’s shaking more. Chiron explains that he already had a discussion (wink wink) with the social worker, and knows that he has the perfect couple to take little Sophia in, and all you have to do is meet with her and sign some papers. 

So that brings you here, waiting outside the office door, holding each other’s trembling hands before finally entering. She doesn’t look up at you at first, until the social worker introduces you. Leo squeezes your hand, and she finally looks up, her eyes speaking a language you and Leo know. You know there is absolutely no going back from here, and you both sit down across from her. 

“Hi, you’re Sophia, right?” She looks away, clearly and understandably overwhelmed. 

“Don’t be rude, Sophia-” the social worker starts, but you cut her off. 

 “It’s okay, she didn’t do anything wrong.” you turn back to her, “You know, me and Leo have an extra bedroom at our apartment, and a kitten that I think would really like you. Do you want to come stay with us?” 

She doesn’t look back up right away, but she turns her head towards you. 

“Is it a boy or a girl?” she asks softly. How is she so precious already?

“A girl,” you reply, “named Jackhammer, because she purrs so loud.” 

She giggles, and you and Leo squeeze each other’s hands in unison.

“Really?” she asks. 

“Oh yeah,” you reply, “I’m sure she’d love to play catch the mouse with you.” She considers for a moment, then looks over at the social worker, who gives her an encouraging nod. After a moment of consideration, she replies quietly, “...Okay.” 

She hops down from her chair, and you both follow suit. The social worker hands you some papers, and you both sign. You guide her to the lobby, let Chiron know it went well and promise to update him soon, and bring her to the car. You pull out of the parking lot. 

Not long after leaving, you see a fast food place. 

“Are you guys hungry?” you ask, nudging Leo gently. 

“Yeah, I could definitely go for some fries. How bout you Sophia?” 

She nods, then asks quietly, “Can I get a milkshake?” 

Her expression is hesitant, and you get the sense she’s expecting a no. 

“Of course kiddo,” you say.

“What flavor do you want?” Leo finishes, turning to look at her. Her eyes are bright with hesitant excitement. 

“Strawberry, please.” 

After leaving the drive through, you have Leo search through your phone for any kid friendly music, and discover the only thing you have saved that’s appropriate for present company is the soundtrack to the Cinderella musical from 1997.

That’s how your little family started; driving late at night, singing along to Bernadette Peters, and drinking strawberry milkshakes.