#getting groceries and chatting with friends

[bringbackmaes14]

My favorite moments from the Epic: The Musical Ithaca Saga Premiere Livestream (in no particular order):

Armando and Jay doing the macarena during Luck Runs Out

Also during Luck Runs Out when Odysseus says "let me pull you aside then I need to talk to you in private" and Jay pulled Armando to the side of the room in a very silly flirty manner and then immediately pretended to smack the shit out of him

Talya and Jay swapping lip sync roles during There Are Other Ways

Troy standing on the table and twerking during Dangerous

Everyone pretending to row during Full Speed Ahead

Luke acting like the cyclops during the cyclops saga, and reprising the role during Circe and Odysseus' fight in Done For

Mason and Jay ballroom dancing during No Longer You

Jay and his mom swaying together during Anticlea's part of The Underworld

Jay's dad messing up lip syncing Hephaestus' part of God Games and laughing about it

During Legendary, Mico is clearly on screen lip syncing as Telemachus but Jay keeps typing in chat "Where's Mico?" And "Mico it sucks we couldn't get you here"

Jay trying to hold Mico in his lap during Just A Man

Steven Rodriguez' cast message between the showing of the Vengeance Saga and the Ithaca Saga

Jay wearing ten billion pairs of glasses during Just a Man and then later in chat saying that whenever he wears glasses that means he's being serious (so obviously we can interpret that Just a Man was super serious)

During Get In the Water Mason kept trying to hand Jay a tiny fork clearly trying to mime Poseidon's trident but then it also seemed like he hadn't actually watched the Six Hundred Strike animatic before because he never ended up handing the fork to Jay and his jaw dropped when Odysseus started stabbing Poseidon, at which point Jay picked up Mason's tiny fork off the table and mimed stabbing Poseidon, much to Mason's amusement

KJ jumping around on and crawling over the couch attacking random people with pillows during Scylla

So many viewers spamming the chat with pancake emojis during Survive

Mason pretending to turn into a pig during Puppeteer

Luke pretending to be the magical boar during Warrior of the Mind

JP pretending to be the cow during Mutiny

The grocery bag that they filled with air and tied up and threw around as "the wind bag" during Keep Your Friends Close and Dangerous

Jay and Luke actually pretending to game as Telemachus and Antinous during Little Wolf with what seemed to be switch controllers

The cast using one of said switch controllers as a stand in for the baby in The Horse and The Infant

Everyone applauding at the end of Charybdis when Odysseus is singing "Penelope" but then going "wait wait" and freaking out when Odysseus starts going backwards. Then Get in the Water started and Poseidon said "There you are. Coward." and Jay yelled "IT'S STEVEN!!!!!" and everyone cheered

Jay just absolutely tackling Mico in a hug at the climax of I Can't Help But Wonder

The entire cast trying to be excited and hyped at the end of the stream while saying goodbye/thank you but all of them had been crying/sobbing through the last two beautiful songs so they all just were wiping their eyes and noses and some of them just could not pull it together enough to look at the camera (looking at Luke Holt and Earle Gresham Jr. affectionately) so it was a very emotional excited goodbye

[annawayne]

Hi Anna!! I hope this ask will make you smile! I wanted to know what you think the Ambassadors would get each other if they organized a Secret Santa gift giving for Christmas. Who would get who a present, and what?👀

Hi Stella! ❄️🎄

And oh, thank you a lot for asking, and I had so much fun with this, so I got carried away, and wrote... A bit too much...

So, without further ado, here it is!

Jean to Reiner: a knitting set

It all started one shopping day at the beginning of December when all of the Ambassadors went to buy some groceries. All of them had all the "to-buy" lists, so all of them, in pairs, went in different directions in the marketplace. It was packed with various things and so lively that Jean didn't even notice at first that Reiner disappeared: just after a few steps with no reply from him, Jean stopped and looked around, only to find the torrents of people chatting, running across the counters, between the clicks of boots against the cobblestone, covered with the first snow of the year, and no Reiner. After searching for him for a while, Jean noticed his blond friend staring at something behind the glass in the shop front. The grunt slipped past his lips, meshing with the warm breath, and Jean was ready to burst into Reiner for getting lost that easily, but when he reached the shop, he realized that Reiner was staring in all these hand-made goods: embroidery, knitting, crocheting, all of it. The same moment Reiner noticed Jean, he immediately jumped back and pretended he wasn't staring just a second ago with his mesmerizing gaze. Reiner never brought it up, but the next shopping day, it happened again. So when Jean pulled Reiner's name for Secret Santa, he knew what he would get him.

When Reiner opened his gift, he couldn't believe his eyes to see the shiny new knitting set, the smooth and pleasant threads against his calloused fingers that only knew how to pull a trigger. How could he even think about something like this when all he knew was destruction?

But Jean didn't judge him and just gave it to him.

The first thing Reiner did was the gloves for Jean. Then, all the Ambassador family start wearing the things Reiner knitted: Armin - a hat ("You have not to freeze your brain, you're our leader!"), Pieck - socks ("Your feet are always cold! Don't sleep without socks, you will get sick!"), Connie - a whole blanket because he often falls asleep on the couch, and all the blankets are too short for him, and Annie - a cardigan. As time passes, he starts taking an interest in making knitted toys, so he starts making a bunch and giving them to the orphanages, which becomes even more frequent after the Rumbling.

Pieck to Armin: a jigsaw puzzle

It was a great surprise for Pieck that Armin had never heard about the jigsaw puzzles when, one evening, they both were playing chess and just chatting in between.

"How come?" Pieck asked.

"We didn't have anything like this on Paradis," Armin shrugged, taking his next move on the board. "And even if we had, I doubt I would have it. I bet it costs a lot, and not like orphans can afford a lot".

Armin smiled, his lips tightly pressed and eyes focused on the chess board. Still, Pieck realized that despite the wrinkles on his forehead that started appearing a few months ago as their Ambassador duties took more and more time and energy and the bags under his eyes, despite the first few gray hairs amidst his golden locks, Armin doesn't lose this sheer desire to experience new things. Even back then, in this half-smile that he kept not too wide on purpose not to spill his enjoyment all over his face and not let it reach his heart, knowing too well that he wouldn't buy anything like this for himself because there was always "more important things," Pieck saw his pure interest, shining feebly inside his irises.

She made a great effort to find the biggest jigsaw puzzles she had ever seen. It was a hassle: to find the puzzle with the scenery she wanted was a true challenge, but Pieck is a woman who knows how to do things right. And she knows - it's always worth it. So when a few tears from Armin's eyes slipped down to the ocean scenery illustrated on the puzzle box in his hands after unpacking his gift, she had another proof that it was worth it.

Annie to Pieck: Set of candles, bath bombs, relax set

It's not a secret for Annie that despite Pieck's smiles and easy-going persona, she also "professionally" hides her tiredness and exhaustion. Her always sleepy eyes, slightly mischievous grin, and a bit disheveled gorgeous black hair could, maybe, make an impression that she looks like that, but Annie knows that, partially, it's true. Meanwhile, she also knows about Pieck's sleepless nights, nightmares, and always stiffened muscles that couldn't relax even for a second. "Pieck always knows everything, right?" Annie remembers how Zeke and all these Marleyan generals were saying it to the little girl with the black ponytail every day and how, despite everything, Pieck remained the one who never lost her head—always composed, rational. Always having the other's backs. But never caring too much about herself.

It's a strange concept for Annie, too - but with the difference that she never cared too much about others. At least, this is what she was forced to believe in. It's still a weird concept for Annie - "caring about others." Weird, both because it makes her all fuzzy and warm inside, and also so vulnerable and so on display, but as time goes on and she sees the happy smiles on the faces of the people she - Annie can admit - loves, the thought that, maybe, being vulnerable isn't that a bad thing, after all.

And yet, when Pieck tugs the red ribbons from her box, Annie feels nervous. What if she messed up? Is it so banal? What if-

"Oh, Annie..." She hears Pieck's voice and then feels her friend's arms circling her back, bringing her closer. "Thank you for caring about me", Pieck whispers.

Maybe the set of the aroma candles and the bath bombs looked silly to her, but when the next day Pieck didn't come to breakfast, and all of them found her happily asleep - for the first time in months - Annie thinks that, after all, caring about others is much more pleasant thing.

Connie to Annie: a book for sweets recipe and metronome

Everyone knows Annie loves sweets. The baker's owners greet her like she's their niece, and her slight smile when she speaks to the sales lady is no longer a surprise to anyone. Everyone knows Annie loves to eat sweets. But when Annie opens her gift and sees the "Baking Bible, the guide to the bakery around the world," her gaze finds Connie, her brow arched in silent question.

"What?" Connie laughs.

"I love eating sweets," Annie says, turning pages and observing the colorful illustrations of the pastries and desserts, "not baking them."

"You never tried," Connie grins, ignoring Annie's straightforwardness.

"There's a reason why I never tried."

"Well, now, you have a reason to try again."

"I... don't," Annie shakes her head, her voice losing a few confident tunes as her gaze finds the layered meringue cakes with hazelnuts coated with buttercream. She has never seen this one before, but it looks criminally delicious.

Connie grins wider, seeing Annie's interested stare, and he crosses his arms around his chest.

"But you didn't finish unpacking your gift."

With some tremendous effort, Annie doesn't want to admit that she tore her eyes from the meringue cake and focused on Connie.

"And you say you're not interested in baking," he snorts and then nods in the box direction.

Annie's gaze falls on her lap, where she sees another box decorated with a ribbon. With the tiny irritation of being caught like that, she tugged the ends of the blue ribbon, and when she opened her gift, she felt her breath caught in her throat.

"That's-"

"Yep, the metronome!" Connie declares, his hands on his hips, voice coated with the proud tune.

"That one is really expensive," Annie gulps, remembering seeing the prices.

"Ambassador job is also not easy," Connie smirked, and his grinning mouth smoothed into a caring smile. "Your piano playing is worth it, though."

Armin finds Annie sitting near her piano with a metronome this evening in their room. Her skin was fresh and slightly rosy from the bath, and her hair was still wet. Still, he couldn't bring himself to invade this serenity around her figure as her fingers hovered over the piano keys and gently pressed into the white and black rectangles, the soft music flowing into the room with the soothing hum, that bounced with the sound of the metronome. His shoulder finds the support in the door frame, and the gentle music that caresses his ears with the softest tune makes his eyelids heavy, threatening to close, but Armin keeps his eyes wide open because he knows that he's witnessing the miracle and the beauty of being alive. With her by his side, with her, learning to love and enjoy this life.

Armin to Jean: fancy pocket watch with chain and engraving

Of course, among all Ambassadors, Jean is the Ambassador: always classy, elegant, the tallest among the group, and the fanciest amongst the groups. He often talks to journalists and drags Armin to the professional photoshoots, helping him relax and being more at ease. "Chill, dude, you look nice," he would say to Armin and smile at another camera. "A lot of people find you attractive, so don't be afraid to show it with some confidence and pride."

Armin was always grateful to Jean because, otherwise, if he was alone during these endless hours of photoshoots, he would certainly go insane, not to mention that he would just spend all the night lying on Annie's lap. With Jean's help and support, Annie's cuddles and kisses are enough to calm his anxiety.

But Armin knows: Jean looks excellent, and he knows how to look great, so when he pulled Jean's name for Secret Santa, Armin immediately decided on the present - the pocket watch on the chain with JK initials. Armin isn't really well-versed in fashion, but thanks to his friend, he knows all the latest fashion tendencies (and he remembers well how Jean was talking eagerly about this accessory with Connie, on what Connie said, "You just want to impress Pieck, but you know, she's already dating you"). Armin took this mission seriously: thanks to his Ambassadors connections (and a bit of charm he devotedly learned from Jean Kirstein, "the charismatic young spirit in politics," like he was usually called in all the newspaper titles), he found the master who did the pocket watches with the personalized designs.

So when the time comes to open the present, and Jean's gaze is met with the silver pocket watch, with the engraving of his home back on Paradis and his initials, Jean does his best to hide his tears, but eventually, he gives up.

Starting that evening, he tells everyone what time it is, especially around Pieck, reminding her that "it was already 10 minutes without kisses".

Reiner to Connie: flower press kit and the kit for the picture-making

Buying presents for the funniest ones is always the most challenging thing. Especially when you're depressed like Reiner. What could he even buy for Connie, always joyful, with silly (but funny, alright, he can admit) jokes? But then, Reiner recalls that, despite his goofy side, Connie is a very careful and thoughtful person. He remembers how once he opened the book Connie borrowed him and found there the pressed autumn leaves, and when he returned them to Connie and asked what was it about, he said, "It's the first autumn in our new lives. I want to remember it. And plants remember all of the life around, too". So when he thinks about it, a lot of books Connie gave him have these pressed plants and flowers. So, his choice fell on the plant/flower press kit and the special picture-making kit. It still requires some glass frame and everything, but it's already something. Something to show that he also appreciates this idea.

Not so long after Christmas, their Ambassadors home starts to have new pictures on the walls - pressed plants and flowers, from the city they live, from the places they visit, from the places that won't ever be lived again. With time, it turned into collages, and every time Reiner passes by these pictures, he thinks that, maybe, even such fragile things like plants and flowers could leave much longer, and so he should, too.

--

Thank you everyone who read till the end this mammoth of the post, and thank you, Stella, once again for this wonderful ask, I enjoyed it a lot! 🩷

Happy holidays! ~🎄

[pianokantzart]

[dimsilver]

☀️

[heavenknowsffs]

Some people really don't understand stuff not matter how many times you explain it to them until you're mean about it

[todayisafridaynight]

no cuz fr the most unexplainable thing would be how they didn’t reunite sooner like,,, Mine could have been staying away because he wansnt good enough for daigo (in his mind) but still i don’t think he’d stay THAT far away 💀 at most bro is down the street at any given time 😭

reviews are in for Mine Isn't Dead Actually But He Is Emo So

[cyazurai]

I wish TS4 would give us some games that kids can play just by interacting with each other, like in 2 and 3.

Imagine the kids bonding by playing tag, or hide and seek, or an actual game of pretend instead of standing around talking, or rock paper scissors, or literally anything...

[uzu-hime]

So like legit how does one make friends when they are

-too adhd for normal people

-too depressed for adhd people

-poor (no money to do things or go places)

-25 on the outside, single mom for 10+ years on the inside

-so so lonely but so so afraid of adding anyone else to the "only want to hang out with me when you need free therapy" group that includes everyone I know

[elegyofthemoon]

🧍🏻‍♂️i am too used to living on my own this was weird.

[permanentreverie]

just a quick lil rant before i head to bed

[lordsardine]

😩

[catfishofoldin99colours]

looking at my finances and upcoming bills and shit to pay for and realising I'm basically gonna be spending the first month of the year broke as shit if not worse 🫠🫠🫠

[readwritealldayallnight]

Simon’s never given much thought to babies before.

When he was younger, enough time was spent scorning his father and the childhood he was depriving him of, that any thoughts of becoming a dad himself one day were nonexistent. As far as he was concerned, he was essentially already a stand in parent to his younger brother.

As he grew older and enlisted, his life becoming one that consisted of nothing more than violence and destruction and terror, he thought the odds of him surviving into his 30’s were so slim that he need never bother worrying about having a ‘next of kin’.

That was until, he met you, of course.

Because now that Simon Riley has you in his life, he’s not quite so pessimistic about his existence the way he once was, doesn’t picture a foreboding dark cloud when he considers what his future could be. What a future with you could be.

Still, as much time as the two of you spend actually engaging in the baby making process, Simon really only considers babies as being something that other people have, not him.

Not with his line of work, not with the risks that come alongside the territory, not when he already can barely stand to leave you for deployment, let alone leave you behind with a child on top of everything.

No, Simon is perfectly content with his life where babies are just another anomale.

But then, your best friend announces she’s pregnant. And the sight of you holding a positive pregnancy test in your hands, changes something within him.

Suddenly, Simon is noticing chubby, drooling little infants everywhere he goes.

Fat babies shoved into the uncomfortable looking seats of grocery carts pass by him in the shops, crying babies strapped to their mums on the tube, sleeping babies being pushed around in their prams without a care in the world. Even on base, he notices more people talking about their children, showing off picture of their offspring.

He’s looking at you a little different as well. His gaze on you will darken as you and your friend chat about baby names, casually mentioning the ones that you like for yourself. His grip will tighten around the shopping cart when you wave to passing babies, making them giggle. He’s surprised at the way his cock twitches when you pretend to hold a breast pump up to your own chest, wrapping the baby shower gift you’d gotten her.

It only takes so long for you to notice the change in him as well.

You’ll be strolling through the park on a chilly morning when a young family goes by, Simon muttering something about how the little bald headed infant ‘should have a hat on for fuck’s sake, cold out ‘ere’. You’ll be in the shops, when suddenly Simon returns holding a pair of teeny tiny baby shoes in his hand, appearing comically small in his large calloused palms, wondering if maybe your friend would like them. You’re sitting outside a cafe while a pair of chubby cheeked babies are sat in their strollers staring at Simon as if their lives depended on it. You’re giggling to yourself, watching your boyfriend stare right back at these little girls, when the 6’4” tank of a man slowly lifts a gloved hand and waves at them, earning a pair of gummy smiles in return.

The most evident change in Simon however, is in bed.

Almost overnight, he goes from never having considered children, to suddenly dedicating every effort to getting you pregnant by the end of the year, month, week.

[jeremiahthefroge]

Words can't describe how difficult it is to hold back from oretending to get all shy and ask "what are we" to my straight cis male friend who is now my manager at work while his gf is literally working at the register next to me. Like every single time he comes and gives me change for my drawer and he hands me the envelope I wanna be like "bro Matt what are we 😳🫣"

[noochiarts]