#gif chat: savannah

[luriddaze]

@blindspct // continued from here.

"i'm glad. i was really huge with them, so it was hard to do anything. any good man can notice that, and you're the best man." savannah stated with a smile, relaxing against the couch as she checked on the status of their food, and it indicated they were on the way. "i think if we've seen each other as teenagers, then we can get through anything. looking back, we were pretty damn cute either way." she giggled softly. it was a relief that the babies were so calm and snuggly, and they could spend some time talking about life without having to calm down a screaming baby. "i'm a little crazy sometimes, though. i get my feelings hurt by dumb stuff, but i think i've calmed down a lot now that we are married. i can't see us getting in an argument for more than five minutes before we start kissing and apologizing."

[mcnstercus]

closed starter - kai & savannah ( @shadowveileds )

Savannah was drinking half her water on her exit from the gym, having a lot day and work out. She just wanted to get home and crash into her bed. That didn't work out very well, because she was faced with a familiar face, the one who died in hers and PJ's arms, and her bottle rolled from her hands, onto the ground. "Kai?" she asked. Almost nervous that if she spoke it into reality, he would disappear.

[faerietothe-otherside]

At first, Rangi worried she'd done or said something wrong, despite the reassuring squeeze of her hand moments before. She blinked in confusion for a few moments before letting out a relieved chuckle. "No, s'pose not," she said back, falling in line next to Savannah as the other woman hooked their arms together. But as they walked, Rangi was very aware of how close they were and very aware of the fact that she hadn't been this close to someone physically since Mason's passing. She couldn't even remember the last time she held someone's hand, let alone walked with them. She couldn't remember the last time she'd let someone hug her. She'd pushed everyone away, both physically and socially, leaving behind a hole she hadn't noticed until just this moment.

"I think the only pie I've had is pumpkin pie, for a Thanksgiving dinner at my boss's house, once," Rangi admitted. "It's just never really been uh, a part of my diet, I guess? Pie wasn't really a big thing back home." She shrugged. "Can't say I do, but who knows, maybe I'll figure that out today, huh?"

A look of concern momentarily fluttered across her bright blue gaze as she glanced back the other's way. Sav knew when someone else seemed lost in thought, but rather than acknowledge the elephant in the room, she simply gave Rangi's hand another reassuring squeeze, before a gasp broke from her lips. "What in sweet heavens!" Her feet slammed to a halt as she spun back around. "You mean to tell me you’ve truly never tasted a peach pie before?" Her practically lighting up as she declared, "Well, what're we waitin' for? That cornpit’s just gonna have to wait—this here’s somethin’ that needs tendin’ to."

"You don’t mind takin’ a little detour over to Peggy’s, do ya? They baked up some peach pies earlier today, and I reckon we could fix you a slice," She reasoned. Slipping her hand out of Rangi's, she moved to loop her arm through the other's so that they could walk side by side. Huh? No, no, I wouldn’t say that’s my favorite. If I had to pick, I’d go with maybe a key lime or banana cream. But, then again, a good chocolate pecan’s hard to beat, and you sure can’t go wrong with a classic apple or pumpkin. Truth be told, I think I’m just a fan of pie, plain and simple. But what about you, Sugar? Got a favorite slice I oughta know about?" She asked, giving Rangi a light bump of her hip as she did.

[hunterthecharmer]

Unexpected - Part 3

Hope you all enjoy this next part. I am already writing part 4 and am happy to report that from here on out these will consist of much more Glen content. I just wanted to set up the story context first, so I appreciate your patience :)

“Well good morning, Mr. O’Brien!” You cheerfully greet him as he comes jogging down the stairs of his cabin. Dylan waves to you, reaching into his back pocket to retrieve his sunglasses, putting them on in one swift motion as he makes his way over to you to hop onto the golf cart. 

“Morning! I’m looking forward to today, this breakfast lecture should be good.”

You hand him his coffee from the cup holder, pleased with yourself for getting up in time to grab it for him. “Oh, you’re the best! I need this today. I’ve got a packed schedule!”

The two of you go over the day briefly before you arrive at the designated trailer he will be in for the next couple of hours. You spot Savannah and Glen across the lot, and shoot them a quick wave before reversing your golf cart and heading for the coffee stand on the other end of the venue. You didn’t want to risk getting two coffees this morning at the risk of being late to get Dylan. You check your phone for the time, and decide to ride over to the bigger trailer to get some breakfast. You text Savannah to meet you there.

 ----

“Do we have any overlaps today?” Savannah asks before shoving a muffin into her mouth. You scan your schedules. “Looks like Dylan and Glen have a workshop around 4, we could walk the trail while they’re there.” The two of you eat breakfast and chat amongst the other handlers, hearing some crazy stories about some of the talent already, making the two of you extra grateful to have been assigned to some of the chillest ones there.

The rest of the afternoon goes off without a hitch, and you are excited to stretch your legs and chat with Savannah. “Last event of the day before the ice cream mixer. Let’s do this!” Dylan gives you a high five before leaping off the golf cart and making his way down the hill to the trailer. Savannah and Glen pull up a few minutes after you, and you feel yourself blush as their cart comes to a stop next to yours. Glen shoots you a warm smile, “Hey! Havin’ fun?” You nod, waving him on to go inside as Savannah was getting him there a bit late. A playful smile creeps onto his face before he turns from you, running toward the door.

“Savannah! You can’t be late for these things. You’ll get him in trouble and even yourself.” You quietly scold her, playfully tapping her arm. She giggles, hiding her face as you both fall into step. The wind gently shakes the trees overhead, the two of you are the only ones on the trail. “How’s Dylan enjoying everything? Glen has been filling his journal with notes already! I think he’s really enjoying it.” You smile to yourself. “That’s good, I’m happy to hear that! Dylan seems to be having a good time too, I think he’s ready to let loose a little bit though.” 

Savannah nods as she listens to you. “Are you going to the mixer tonight? I’m kind of tired, I might just drop Glen off and go back to my cabin.” You turn to face her, confused. “Why won’t you go? I don’t want to go by myself!” You pout. Savannah giggles. “I think I’m just run down from traveling and the change in weather here versus LA. But I’ll go, don’t worry.”

The two of you do a few more laps to kill time before getting back on your carts to pick up the boys. You drive them both to the ice cream event, feeling a little surprised at the lack of people there. “Hm, I guess everyone’s turned in early tonight.” You state, watching as Dylan and Glen walk off toward the ice cream bar together. Savannah sighs loudly as she turns her body to lay down in the front of the cart. “Or the celebrities don’t eat ice cream at all. You know how they are with their diets.” She tries to force a laugh, but when she barely stifled a groan you turn to look over at her. “Are you alright?” 

“I’ll be fine..just need a minute. Can you make sure Glen has his room key on him?” she squeezes her eyes shut, placing a hand over her forehead. Your eyebrows raise in confusion. “Why wouldn’t he have it? Don’t you have a spare just in case?” Savannah rolls her eyes. “Can you just please go and ask him? I’m trying to be triple sure that he can get into his room tonight because I need to go lie down. I can’t promise I won’t get up by the time he’s ready to leave.” You rush around the golf cart to her, bending down to her level.

“Sav, I can always take him back to his cabin. It’s really no problem. Let me just let him know what’s going on and I’ll be right back.” You give her sympathetic smile before jogging towards Glen, who to your surprise is still talking with Dylan. “Hey guys! Sorry to interrupt but, Savannah isn’t feeling great so she’s going to go lay down. Glen, I’ll be here the whole time so whenever you’re ready to go I can drop you off. Dylan, same thing just let me know when you’re ready to leave and I’ll take you back. Is that okay?” Your eyes move between Glen and Dylan, waiting for their response. Dylan immediately nods, rubbing the back of his neck before taking another lick of his ice cream cone. “Of course, all good here!” 

Glen frowns, his eyes drifting to Savannah who is still lying sideways on the golf cart, her arms draped over her eyes. “Aw, I hate that she's not feeling well. Whatever we need to do, I’m good. I appreciate you letting me know.” Glen smiles at you, placing a hand on your shoulder and squeezing it before he moves past you to order some ice cream. Relieved, you run back to Savannah and let her know all is well. She thanks you quietly before riding off toward her cabin. 

You look out at the talent chatting amongst each other, sprinkles and crumbs of oreo cookies all over the grass. You shake your head - you would hate to be the clean up crew after an event like this one. 

30 minutes pass, and still no text from Savannah. You’re starting to get a little sleepy, it’s already 8pm and you’ve had a busy day. Everyone is still chatting on the lawn, the strung up lights now lit and glowing above everyone. You eye the ice cream stand, not seeing anyone in line. “It’s now or never.” You mumble to yourself with a shrug as you hop out of the cart and head towards the stand. As you wait for your ice cream, you feel someone stroll up behind you.

“Finally taking advantage of the perks, huh?” You turn over your shoulder to see Glen smiling at you, hands in his pockets. You uncross your arms and step closer to him, fully aware of the huge grin that appears on your face upon seeing him. “I mean, I’ve never been able to say no to ice cream..” Your voice trails off as you allow yourself to get lost in his eyes. They’re a beautiful bluish green, and they’re sparkling at you beneath the lights. “We have that in common. You want to take a walk with me?” You feel your heart skip a beat as you grab your ice cream and start following his lead, nodding silently while walking next to him. You remain quiet as you dig your spoon into your dessert, waiting for him to continue the conversation. When he doesn’t say anything, you raise an eyebrow at him. “Is everything alright? Do you need me to-” Glen holds up a hand to you, shaking his head with a smile. “No, no. Everything’s great. Relax a little.” He leads you to join him on a nearby bench. You sit on the edge of it, turning to face him in confusion. “Sorry..” You look at the ground.

“I just want to talk to you. Where are you from?” He questions, leaning toward you. You fill him in on where you’re from, your apartment back home and a little about your family. You learn about Glen’s upbringing too, and he tells you about his family and gushes about his niece and nephew. It takes your best acting skills to remain unphased through the whole conversation, pretending like you had no idea he was from Austin, Texas, and that you didn’t know he looked to be an amazing uncle from his sister’s instagram page. The more information he shared, the more you begin to feel uneasy. You didn’t want to be unprofessional, and you dang sure couldn’t let on that you were a fan of his. So, you continued to listen, asking questions you already knew some of the answers to while devouring your cup of ice cream. 

“Are you going to be able to see your family anytime soon?” You finally ask after tossing your empty bowl into the nearby trash can. Glen begins to tell you how he and his entire family are going to spend Thanksgiving at his parents home in Texas with everyone, but he pauses when you turn back around to face him, his thumb reaching over to wipe a sprinkle off the corner of your mouth. You feel your breath hitch, body freezing under his touch. You both search each other’s face for a moment, the silence hanging in the cool night air.

“Thank you.” You whisper, wiping at the area with the back of your hand. Glen nods, catching the tip of his tongue between his teeth. “You know, you have the prettiest eyes.” You admit, immediately regretting it once the words leave your lips. Your eyes widen, cheeks flushed as Glen’s chest rumbles with a low chuckle. “Why thank you, I’m flattered. You know, you’re the prettiest one here tonight.” He shoots you a sincere smile, and you immediately stand to your feet. “Oh, um..thank you. That’s really..” You stutter, unable to meet his gaze. You take a breath and fiddle with your lanyard. “I should let you get back to the party. Just let me know when you’re ready to head in for the night!” You awkwardly wave to him as you turn on your heel in the grass, a confused Glen Powell still sitting on the bench. You make a beeline for your golf cart, exhaling deeply once you’re there. Did he just compliment you and say you were the prettiest one here? What?! You try to even out your breathing as you watch Glen float back into the middle of the crowd, and you’re relieved to have some distance between you. If only he knew the things you wish you could say. But this was not for him to know- you were working, you had to remain professional. You immediately try to call Savannah, but when she doesn’t pick up, you shoot her a voice memo telling her what happened. Not long after, you watch as Dylan approaches you through the darkness, a smirk playing on his face. “Are you ready to go?” You turn the key on the golf cart, and Dylan slides in next to you. “Yes please. Hey, I saw you chattin’ with Powell. What’s up with that? Is Savannah feeling any better?” You sigh, the breeze causing your hair to cascade behind you as you drive down the path to his cabin. “He was just chatting with me about his family, my family, that sort of thing.” You nonchalantly reply, watching Dylan nod, lips pursed in your peripheral. “As for Savannah, I haven’t heard from her so she must be sleeping.” 

You both make small talk before reaching his cabin, and Dylan fist bumps you before heading inside. 

You quickly drive back to the party, your stomach doing flips as you pull into a parking spot to see Glen waiting for you. “Glen! I hope you weren’t waiting too long. Hop in.” You pat the seat next to you, and Glen happily hops on. “I just walked up, you’re good. Seriously, you don’t have to be so…professional. It’s after hours, deal?”

You scoff at his words, shaking your head. “Believe it or not, I’m on the clock. The only after hours I have are when I’m in bed for the night. It’s my job to be professional. Deal?” You turn to face him, shooting him a playful wink. He reaches across you, placing a hand on the steering wheel and extending his left foot to hit the brakes. You both jolt forward, your body momentarily colliding with his. He’s warm, and you can smell his cologne. “Let me drive.” He grins like a little kid before scooting you out of your seat and motioning to the right of him with his head. You laugh as you run to the other side, welcoming the break from being ‘on’. He puts the cart in reverse and heads backwards toward the event trailers. “Glen?” You question him before he pats his free hand on your knee. “Shh, shh. I just want to ride around a little bit. It’s such a nice night out.” You wet your lips, hands twisting into your lap. You knew you could get in trouble for letting the talent drive this cart, but you honestly didn’t care. He was a grown man, he could drive a golf cart. Heck, he’s a pilot for crying out loud! You press your lips together to stifle a laugh at your inner thoughts. Glen hadn’t shared this fact yet, but as if he could read your mind he breaks the silence. “Don’t worry, I know we aren’t technically supposed to drive these things, but I promise if we get caught I will take full responsibility.” He looks over at you, eyes glancing from your eyes to your lips. You can’t believe this is happening right now. Your eyes drift from his face to your surroundings, your nerves relaxing to see that no one else is around. Your eyes land back on his, and you watch as the corners of his mouth turn up into a grin, his body scooting closer to yours. “Tell me something no one else knows about you.” You ask in a whisper, surprised at your bravery. He cocks his head to the side, his sandy blonde hair blowing in the breeze as he thinks on his answer. “I’d like to think I’m a pretty open book, but I can understand how people might find me a little mysterious.” He pauses, glancing back at you. “Would you agree with that statement?” He questions you, and you feel heat rise in your cheeks. “I’d say so. I really don’t know much about you, other than what you’ve shared tonight. I’ve seen you in a couple Netflix films, but..” you can feel your speech quicken, trying to hide your lies. You’ve never been a good liar, and you were grateful for the darkness hiding your expression. Glen listens, continuing, “I guess I’d say not a lot of people know how nervous I am, in nature. I probably come off confident but, I really can get in my own head. I step on set or any project for that matter, full of nerves. I have a whole routine for the night before big jobs that helps me refocus.” You study his face as he looks out over the pond in front of you. “That’s actually really endearing. Thank you for sharing that with me. Everybody gets nervous. It just means you care.” You feel his hand ghost overtop yours on the seat before it rests in his lap. His eyes find yours again, his voice low. “Thank you. I’ve really enjoyed talking with you tonight. It gets a little tiring talking with the same kinds of people all day.” You practically melt at his words, peering at him through your lashes. Every bone in your body wants to touch his face, to kiss his cheek. He was so handsome in this light, it was unfair. But instead, you fight the temptation by switching the cart back into reverse, the loud beeping breaking the moment. “It’s getting late, I don’t want you to be tired tomorrow.” You smile softly at him, and Glen nods in agreement as he whips the cart back toward the cabins. “Which one are you?”

He parks directly in front of your cabin, turning to hug you before sliding off the seat. “Glen, let me drop you off!” You call out to him. “No way, I told you I can walk back.” You huff at him, swinging your lanyard in front of his face. “I will literally lose my job if anything happens between now and then.” Glen laughs as he concedes, jumping onto the back of the cart. “Fine, take me back, driver. Celebrities, am I right? Such divas.” You giggle the entire short trip to his cabin. “I appreciate the sentiment, but thank you for letting me do my job.” You wink to him, watching as he bounds up the stairs to his front door. “Goodnight, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He waves sleepily to you before disappearing into his room.

[yunarim]

Can I please request Leona and Malleus finding out that the fem!reader is a princess back in her world and she never told them?

★﹒﹒TELL ME PRINCESS now when did you last let your heart decide

「 ☆ synopsis 」 — leona and malleus finding out that reader is a princess back in her world 「 ☆ tags 」 — female reader (she/her), book 2 spoilers, mentions of book 5 (very slight mention of VDC), implied strict education that reader received in her world

— ✧ LEONA KINGSCHOLAR

He suspected it from the start, right from the day you ended up transmigrating into Twisted Wonderland. Your posture and the look your eyes possess told him you’re not just as unremarkable as someone could say. 

Leona doesn’t have time to observe you but when you two cross your paths, he notices something in the way you tilt your head in a greeting way. 

The more he talks to you, the more he notices how different you are compared to other students whose roots have nothing to do with royal blood. He figured it out himself while you two were having a chat regarding the political system in Afterglow Savannah and he noticed how knowledgeable you were. 

He wondered if you received proper education at first since the way you talked about how women are treated in your world wasn’t familiar to him. What do you mean princesses in your world are usually used as a political instrument and get married against their will? That is also the first time he wonders how you would perform if you would become part of the Kingscholar family and you teasingly ask him what made him grin so proudly.

Final round of realizing and making a conclusion came when you mentioned VDC and told him you’re assisting Vil with teaching first years how to dance. Leona just smirked and said that it’s obvious you’re the one who helps him. You asked him what he meant by that and he said it’s quite obvious by now that you belong to a royal family. 

You became more open about what concerns you in the princess training system, education, correcting your attitude all the time… Leona let you speak out, accepting all your struggles. You can be free around him, he doesn’t mind you being you. 

He doesn’t want to put any pressure on you but one day just mentions you would be a perfect match with how he comes from a family where women are respected and you possess royal status, coming from another dimension. 

You being a princess doesn’t change his opinion about you or doesn’t correct his behavior around you, actually there’s nothing that could stop him from sleeping on your lap. And you finally can catch a break and be yourself, not caring about your status.

— ✧ MALLEUS DRACONIA

It takes a while for Malleus to realize. He doesn’t communicate with human royalty, let alone humans in general. Your first encounter seems normal to him and he thinks of you as someone extremely polite. 

You can tell he belongs to royalty the very first second you see him outside of Ramshackle, but decide to fool around just a little, guessing how long it would take for him to realize. 

Malleus asks you if all the humans in your world are this polite and knowledgeable or is it just you. You grin mysteriously, letting him decide, enjoying the tea you brew. Malleus often mentions how frightened you would be if you find out who he is, but you don’t really seem to care about his status, which is surprising to him. Child of man, you seem to possess no fear. 

During late night strolls you often take with Malleus, he talks about gargoyles and you seem to eagerly ask him more questions about them. One day he asked how royal families work in your world, and he was puzzled at first. Humans are strange creatures, indeed… 

The first time he questioned your lineage was when he asked what children of man do in their free time. A quick bewildered glance you throw at him was enough to say you’re just as confused as he is. You chuckled softly, answering with something vague and common. 

It’s Lilia who tells him that you most definitely belong to royalty in your world. Malleus's eyes widens and he’s eager to know why he came to such a conclusion and Lilia casually drops that people don’t usually salute each other with a curtsy or at least a bow. 

Next day Malleus asks you if you’re not opposed to the idea of dancing with him since the weather is quite nice, and the starry sky is absolutely magnificent. You accept without any objections, and he notices how naturally you waltz. 

By the time the waltz ends, he doesn’t want to let you go and asks you if you belong to a royal family, meeting with your soft giggle. “Took you long to realize” you say, nodding to him politely. 

It’s not like he’s being friends with many humans, so there’s no actual difference between how you communicated before he realized and now. The only thing that changed is that now he invites you to Briar Valley with more confidence than before. Don’t get him wrong, he’s absolutely in love with you (even if he hasn’t realized it yet), but he wonders if you would be okay with encountering Briar Valley’s customs and, of course, his grandmother. 

He’s not pressuring (it’s more likely Lilia who wants to see you two finally ending up dating), but he finds himself thinking about what a great queen you would become, ruling Briar Valley with him before he falls asleep, awaiting your next meeting.

© yunarim 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭, 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲, 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐲, 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧.

[mcnstercus]

closed starter - savannah & everett ( @immcrtalsx )

Savannah raised her eyebrows when she realized where he chose to go on their date. "Have you been doing some research, or did you just coincidentally know this is my favorite place?" Sav asked, slightly teasing, with a raise of her eyebrows.

[mcnstercus]

"I say you did pretty good, because yes, I'll go on a date with you," Savannah replied with a smile.

"Sounds like me with Clary," Everett admitted with a soft smile. He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck and lowering his gaze for a moment, "I guess I am," he said, raising his gaze once more to look at her, "I'm a bit out of practice. How did I do?" he joked.

[thiziri]

Sir Tim chatting with his granddaughter Savannah Phillips after attending the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church, on 25 December 2022 💕

[the-foolish-scholar]

The World

In the traditional tarot deck, The World card shows a naked individual wrapped in a purple cloth, dancing inside a large laurel wreath. They look behind to the past, while their body moves forward to the future. In their hands are two wands or batons, similar to the one The Magician holds. It is a symbol that what was manifested with The Magician has now come to completion with The World. The wreath is circular, symbolizing a continual cycle of successful completion and new beginnings because, as the individual steps through the wreath, they are completing one phase but beginning another one simultaneously. Around the wreath are four figures (a lion, bull, cherub and eagle), very much like those in the Wheel of Fortune card. Both The World and the Wheel of Fortune speak to the cyclical nature of our lives and our progression through our cycles. The four figures represent the four fixed signs of the Zodiac—Leo, Taurus, Aquarius, and Scorpio. They are symbolic of the four elements, the four suits of Tarot, four compass points, four seasons, and the four corners of the Universe. All of these aspects that these symbols represent are here to guide us from one phase to the next, bringing balance and harmony to our journeys.

-

Hi everyone, long time, no type. If you’re sitting here reading this, or at least skimming it, thanks for devoting your precious time to hear me blabber.

Life is lots of things, but right now I feel a sense of peace and contentment. Yesterday I flew back to El Salvador after spending about two months back in the states.

Being home in the US was strange. I don’t know how to describe it; It was like I had bought one of those rearview mirror extenders for my car...? So much of my life had been lived without paying full attention to my peripherals, and I’d only see what was in my peripherals when I’d intentionally check my blind spot. But now, with a simple glance upward, I can see everything that was once hidden from first sight.

That’s led to a lot of critical self and societal analysis, which honestly, makes me feel like this:

I miss the days when my brain was underdeveloped and I never felt like that, as I imagine we all do. Siri, play Ribs by Lorde.

ANYWAY,

I took advantage of everything life had to offer me while I was home. What luck I’ve encountered in this life to live with such privileges…

When I first got home, Nolan and I had a fancy dinner. We split a beet salad, calamari, caesar salad, walleye, steak, asparagus, potatoes, and a chocolate torte. It was all so decadent.

We also celebrated the lovely Savannah’s 2nd birthday! After her party was over, we met up with Mackenzie and Roman and went out in Detroit. I didn’t think I had it in me to go out but the vibes were good. We got munchies from the food truck outside the place we were at and I tried orange pepper wings and macaroni and cheese inside of an egg roll. 

Thanksgiving eve was quite eventful. It was the first time I got to go out with Casey, Bailey, Sam, and Clayton together since I’d left. We ran into so many people at the bars and it was nice to chit chat with everyone. As usual, my choice of shoes bit me in the ass.

Celebrating Thanksgiving, violently hungover, was the perfect penance for the festivities from the night before. Feasting in honor of genocide is always awkward and morally conflicting, but damn was the food good. Especially Aunt Megan’s broccoli salad.

Mom and I went antiquing on Black Friday and there were so many interesting things. I ended up buying a children's book that resonated with me. Here's a Youtube video of someone reading it. Yes, I am cringe and childish, but I am free.

After we finished shopping, we stopped at Monger's/The Rind and had a cider. It was nice to support small business. They even had Paw Paw ice cream! At night I went out to 24 with friends and we played darts and had a grand time.

Casey and I also went to go see the new Hunger Games movie at Emagine. It was so nice to eat movie theater popcorn with all the chemicals and artificial flavoring that makes it taste good enough to eat.

Lily and I made plans and then the universe did not agree with our plans but we ended up having a great time together. We caught up at Pinky’s after the first three places we tried to go to were not viable options. They have good fries there. We also went to Gusoline together after which was a lot of fun!

Sam and I grabbed dinner at The Oak Parker. They had these really good sweet potatoes, and they said they were covered in a vegan cream sauce, but it was literally just parve ranch. After dinner we went to some self-serve bar in Royal Oak and played a heated game of Jenga.

Mom and I went to Bagger Daves for burgers and then Blarney’s for beers. At Blarney, we sat in one of the booths… Those who know, know. She took some spirited pictures of me and posted them on Facebook; because she’s friends with the bar, they shared a wonderful picture of me toasting with my beer on their page… Apparently, I’m just the demographic of people they need to advertise their bar! As an influencer, I feel that I deserve my cut of the profits.

I went on the Royal Oak Santa Bar Crawl with Sam, Clayton, and co. We only went to three bars, and one of them was not participating in the crawl. A lot more relaxed than the ADPI senior bar crawl. I met some interesting characters and had some fascinating conversations with said characters. Again, IFYKYK.

The next day, I treated myself to a little spa day and escaped out to the lake. It was very needed for the soul. I wrote the first draft of this grant proposal and I even dabbled in some poetry. I got chocolate almond ice cream from The Parlor and a cheese pizza with butter crust from Hungry Howies. I binge watched a lot of La Fea Mas Bella while I was out there too.

After being away, it was nice to come back home. My parents and I watched Oppenheimer. We also got some Kam’s for dinner.

I trecked out to Chicago with Roman to celebrate Nolan’s 25th birthday. Our car ride went by quickly and the conversation was nice. We arrived to chi town pretty late so Casey and I just had a lazy night after Roman dropped me off. The highlight of that day was finally meeting Annie, Casey's cat!

Nolan and I put in a reservation at Armitage Ale House and then we got some shopping done for our secret santa. There was this one place we walked by which just had bottle of lotion for people to take and it smelled good. Armitage Ale House lived up to the hype Nolan has given it. We split their trout caesar, burger, and sticky date cake. It was divine.

We went to Happy Camper for dinner and drinks afterword. I had a forever chemical kale and beet salad and nibbled on some barbecue chicken pizza. I forgot how good barbecue chicken pizza is. We went back to Nolan’s for secret santa and it was cute and fun. Brooke got me a film camera and I’m so excited to use it to take pictures when I’m back out in the field!

The next night was Nolan’s actual birthday and we had a blast singing, dancing, and drinking on the trolley we got to take us around. It was lovely to meet and chat with old and new friends. The second bar had a photo booth and it was really nice to take pictures in it with Nolan and Hannah. I love getting to use the pictures we took as bookmarks.

The next day, Roman, Bailey, Alan, and I headed back home. We made a stop in some small town in Indiana to fill up on gas and get some food. The Jimmy John’s tasted like heaven in my mouth. There truly is nothing better than a big and crunchy pickle. I also tried their peppermint chocolate cookie, it was good. It was nice to debrief about the weekend together too.

Later that week Bailey, Sam, Clayton, Alan, and I went out to Como’s for pizza. Bailey and I split their antipasto salad and it was actually the best antipasto salad that I’ve had in my entire life. I also got barbecue chicken pizza. To. Die. For. At the end of the dinner, I accidentally dropped a cup of ranch and it miraculously landed in a glass of ice water, which only Sam and I saw but it was funny.

On that Saturday, Roman, Mackenzie, Casey and I went out to the Black Salt bar. I was really happy that we were able to go as I’d been wanting to go since I first heard about it opening months ago. I got the presence cocktail, which contained absinthe and involved some ritual to evoke spiritual guidance from those beyond. The drink had a fascinating flavor but it felt odd to be so spiritual in front of others in a bar. I chowed on some Smartfood Popcorn which reminded me of the Fund Run at Rogers. We all split this exquisite chocolate truffle too, it was decadent dark chocolate but it had this floral quality to it. We rented a deck of tarot cards and I gave everyone readings. Roman read my tarot cards for me and it was so lovely to sit on the other side of a reading for once. We got a second round and I had this delicious espresso martini with a hazelnut flavoring. On our way out, we purchased spells and tarot card readings from the vending machine (I don’t know what you’d call them, they’re the things you put quarters in near the entrance of diners, that usually have candy or stickers in them?) and then headed to pick up drinks from the party store and pizza from Roman’s Amici’s. We got a gigantic barbecue chicken pizza and ate it as we watched Saltburn at Roman’s apartment. The pizza was fantastic and the movie was for sure interesting.

When Christmas Eve rolled around I stayed in with my parents and we decorated Christmas cookies. We also watched The Family Stone and Elf. The Family Stone was really touching and Elf, such a Christmas classic.

On Christmas day we headed out to Aunt Megan and Uncle Mike’s to celebrate. Uncle Mike smoked a turkey and it turned out very well. We drank Jingle Juice and had a jolly time playing Left, Right, Center. It was really nice to spend time together. After we finished family Christmas, I headed over to Bailey’s to celebrate. It felt really good to end Christmas together with friends and catch up with people I rarely get the chance to speak with.

Nolan came home and him and I went to Hellenic for Greek salad and we also got some Saganaki. We played with Savannah for a bit and went to the gym too. Later that night we got together with Casey and Bailey for dinner and drinks at Maddy’s Amici’s. After Amici’s we went to Blarney’s for one last beer and we were engaged in some delightful conversation about the state of online dating with the strangers at the bar. We took our chances at winning a prize from the claw machine and won nothing but the joy of playing the game.

The next day I drove Nolan to the bus stop and then grabbed coffee with Casey. In the evening, Roman picked me up and we headed to Maddy’s Amici’s to celebrate Maddy and Casey’s birthdays. At our end of the table, we had a lively conversation about the impact nipple piercings may or may not have on a breastfed child’s speech development, among many other things. The tiramisu was divine too. It was really nice to spend time with everyone that was there. Especially the surprise visit from Autumn, Lauren, and Amelia!

The next morning Casey and I headed out to Chicago. The drive was good. When we finally made it, we quickly got ready to go out for Casey’s birthday dinner. I had a forever chemical Santa Fe kale salad with steak and it was so good. After dinner we went to Ebony and Rachel’s to pregame the bar. It was a lot fun. The bar we went to had a very interesting bathroom but I liked the vibe of the place a lot.

On New Year’s Eve, Casey and I were pretty lazy and we lounged around at her apartment. We got middle eastern food which hit so hard. Around 7, we headed over to Nolan and Cassie’s for a cocktail party. We watched Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper and I was glad that CNN was letting them drink again. Cassie put out a wonderful spread of snacks and Hannah made some really good bruschetta. I made the first cocktail of the night, carajillos, which we all agreed as a good first drink of the night per the caffeine. The drinks that everyone else made were all so great, it was so fun to get to try so many new things. I also read tarot cards for people, with the help of Trixie when I read Hannah's! After the ball dropped, we officially celebrated Casey’s birthday with Trader Joe’s sheet cake and oh my God… The TikTokers were not lying about that cake!

On New Year’s Day I slept in pretty late and then I headed home. The drive home by myself was good for the soul. I listened to lots of music and contemplated my life. I was happy to sleep in my own bed by the time I got home.

The next week kind of went by in a blur. I just focused on getting things done that I needed to do before leaving the country. I went on a really nice walk around Cranbrook. I got really close to a deer, it was a very spiritual moment.

On my last night, Evan came home and we all had dinner together. Caesar salad, steak, asparagus, and baked potatoes. All very delicious and a treat for the senses. After dinner, I retired to my room and reflected on my time at home and the direction of my life. I fell asleep only to wake up in the middle of the night to head to the airport. My flights were smooth and my ride home from the airport went by quickly. Walking into my apartment gave me a sense of personal stability that I hadn’t felt since I’d left. It was nice to be alone and in my own space again.

I can’t believe that I’m going to move from this apartment in a week. So many memories reside within this room. If walls could talk… You best believe that I’ll be soaking up every last second that I have here. While to the eye this apartment is merely a place with my things, to me, this apartment symbolizes my ability to achieve a life for myself independently, which is extremely gratifying and freeing. I can’t say I’ll miss the moldy water or the lack of running water, but I will miss everything else this apartment gave to me.

So if you’ve made it this far, you should congratulate yourself, because you don’t have iPad baby brain rot. Thanks for caring enough to read my ramblings. It kind of turned into Sylvia Plath’s food diary… What can I say, my inner fat girl lives on!

Z

[luriddaze]

"i suppose i could try. i could probably use some time to breathe and not overthink literally everything in my life," she admitted with a gentle shrug, offering a wide dimpled smile as she felt his gentle kiss against her temple. savannah had a couple partners since her high school days, but none of them were nearly as gentle and kind with her. she knew she could be herself with him. "absolutely. i do love the girl time i get with her. just like i love the cutesy time i get with you. thank you for making time for me tonight. i was having actual withdrawals," she admitted with a giggle, her gaze loving on him.

"I do know and I love that you are dedicated but sometimes you need to give yourself some grace, my love," Aiden smiled fondly before kissing the side of her temple. She was perhaps the greatest partner he had in his life at any point, she didn't push too hard and knew when he was having a bad day, what more could a person ask for? "I think she'll love anything, regardless of what you might have to come up with. I think it'll be fun for the two of you too, some girl time."

[orquidaeas]

—  just outside the mall, 15th of july 2044, with matty alston. @mattyalston

if just a month ago, someone were to call him reckless, he’d wholeheartedly agree. in a way, it goes against all of his training, all that has defined him for decades - the system is corrupt or not, he’s loyal or not, none of it matters because people simply must find a way to navigate the system. gilbert’s devotion to the man in charge has died many years ago, and disdain has grown in its place, but anger makes him reckless and a reckless soldier is a buried soldier. hasn’t he always been reckless, however? prone to the whims of his heart? perhaps that was alexei volkov’s first sign that the attack dog was not fit for anything more than the leash. after the wall with suri, the murder of ray, the encounter with anso, or the carelessness of the storm night, gilbert was ready to move like a fast truck on course to crash into a wall. let alexei hang him outside the hotel, for all he cared. gilbert, for once, denounced survival as his ultimate driving force, even if it was what brought him through sleet and snow back home in january. the frozen man would be appalled if he encountered the one from the spring. 

it’s not reckless anymore, he thinks. it’s purposeful. discipline forces to the grave all thoughts of simply jumping onto alexei with a sharp knife in hand, or exploding the enforcer floor, all collateral and himself be damned. oddly enough, it feels similar to the purpose he found in the form of alexei and his rebellion, many years ago. but it has to be different. he can’t keep making the same damn mistakes, right? “i know. that’s the conundrum, right? but you’re just too young to remember this. there was hope in the early days, y’know? more food, the end of war, no more entire families getting whipped out in the middle of the night.” patrol shift has ended about ten minutes ago, but gilbert still leans by the window of the truck, chatting with a young soldier who should have gone and parked it the moment they returned. “it was all a lie. i mean, you’ve got eyes to prove it. it’s like i told you yesterday… just because this is all you’ve ever known, doesn’t mean it can’t change. realistically, fedra rule was pretty much all i knew. where the hell is fedra now anyway? do they even have a single zone up, still?” gilbert isn’t whispering. he eyes the surroundings every now and then, ignoring the one in the back, unbothered. savannah looks around constantly, with wide eyes, but isn’t running away from the conversation at all. it is certainly not the first time gilbert introduces the topic. 

she whispers something to him, far more careful than the older one. “i mean, we’ve all got families to think about. i don’t think volkov thinks about them, though. the enemy is just as much internal as it is external, right? you try to keep them alive and happy, you pick up a gun and go on patrol, and then what? he gets angry one day and executes them in the middle of the mall?” he eyes the soldier that is, theoretically, far enough for comfort for savannah, inside a truck and whispering. not so much for gilbert. it’s a dare, like it was inside the middle school during the storm. and yet, it is also a lesson, much alike the middle school too. gilbert hasn’t been hung for treason yet, so it’s fair to assume matty did not rattle him out. he wonders how far he can stretch his luck.

[willowestate]

congratulations savannah grady ( kristine froseth ) ! you have officially been accepted into willowestate ! your apartment is waiting for you and we're so lucky that you choose us as your next home. you have twenty-four hours to join the discord sign your lease and pick up your keys at the front desk . don't worry about reapplying once you join ! just let us know it's you in the general chat and we'll give you full permissions . can't wait to meet ya !

PART I.

( kristine froseth, cis woman, she/her, 27 ) $$$ — i’m pretty sure i just saw SAVANNAH GRADY headed out of the estate. it’s weird though … i didn’t see them with their LIPGLOSS, PACK OF CIGARETTES, VANILLA PERFUME,SUNGLASSES.i didn’t know they left the house without it. i feel like i can never catch them ; they’re always so busy … guess that makes sense since they’re a REALITY TV STAR / INFLUENCER / ASPIRING CHEF. have you met them yet?they live in JUNIPER APARTMENTS, so you might’ve missed them. i think you’d like them a lot, actually. i swear their aura is ORANGE, and that seems like your vibe. maybe you’ll get lucky and run into them sometime. i can always tell when they’re coming up the hill ‘cause they’re constantly blasting GYPSY by FLEETWOOD MAC… it’s pretty much their anthem at this point, so if you hear it, you’ll know they’re around. y'know, the other day, i saw a tabloid with them on the front page that said “SPOTTED: EVERYONE’S FAVORITE GEORGIA PEACH REALITY STAR SPOTTED OUT TO DINNER WITH SOMEONE WHO LOOKS TWICE HER AGE” … do you think that’s true? guess we’ll see what the neighborhood watch thinks! ( sarah, 28, she/her, est ). + if your muse lives in the juniper apartments, please let us know if you’d like for them to live in the ‘influencer’ apartment.

PART II.

bring your muse to life! this is where you have fullcreative control. just give us a little something that shows you’ve put some care into developing your muse. we’d like to get to know them!

- OKAY so she grew up in a pretty rural and poor part of Georgia. I’m talking like living that southern, trailer park life. Oldest of a few kids to a single,cigarette mom type. she didn’t have the most lavish childhood but she was pretty happy!!!

had a period in her early childhood/teen years where she did beauty pageants. she actually was miss teen Georgia one year! her mom wanted her to participate in Miss America but she couldn’t qualify because videos/pictures of her mug shot/her smoking the devils lettuce leaked online and she was considered “a bad influence” to other teens

she tried college but didn’t ever actually finish, academics were never really her thing.

her early 20’s have been spent doing some reality tv! she has been in “America’s Next Top Model”, coming in 3rd place. She didn’t make it to the finals due to her “harsh southern accent” and the judges thinking she was a little “too rough around the edges”. She also did a season of “Love Island”, coming in 6th place

She is now staying relevant by doing sporadic brand deals and posting on Tiktok. She has been going a bit viral with her cooking and baking videos, a hobby of hers that she has been fine tuning over the years.

As a way to make extra income, Savannah does escort a few times a month. This mostly consists of going on business trips, parties, or dates with very wealthy men, some encounters do end up turning spicy though. This is something she’s trying to hide from the tabloids.

[hunterthecharmer]

Unexpected - Part 5

Summary: You work for an events company and end up being assigned as a talent handler for a 2 week long convention. Your co-worker ends up assigned to Glen Powell, but you catch his eye. Can you remain professional and keep him from knowing you're actually a pretty big fan of his?

To catch up, here is my MASTERLIST

Days have passed with the convention, with all the handlers speeding to and from all of the trailers on property to get the talent to all their events. You and Savannah had barely been able to catch up with each other and before you know it, you’re waking up on the last week of the con. It had been a great weekend, Dylan dividing his time through almost all the events offered each day. You were going to miss the banter with him and his easy going attitude.

The feedback from all the attendees was also starting to pour in, your email inbox full of them each day from Anne. It was getting you excited for the next event, which got you wondering if you’d be able to be a part of it again. You tuck it into the back of your mind, wanting to bring it up to your boss once you are back at the office.

You slip into the shower to get ready for the day, throwing on some jeans, a white flowy blouse and some sneakers before jumping on your golf cart to meet the other handlers before an event that day- everyone needed to grab and set up the materials needed for a sip and paint going on that day, that all of the talent were invited to. “Savannah! Hey, wait up!” You call after her, and you watch as she stops in her tracks, face lighting up at the sight of you.

“There you are, stranger! Get over here,” she pulls you in for a hug. “I don’t care what our guys need, you and I are not going to leave each other’s sides today!” You giggle at her playful seriousness, tugging on her elbow to grab the boxes inside the warehouse. 

“I actually have a lot to tell you.” You say discreetly to her, once no one else is within earshot. Everyone is scattered around the lawn building the easels for today’s activity, setting out all the brushes and paint colors nearby. Savannah bites her lip in excitement, “Spill!”

You tell her all about your rainy night at Glen’s cabin, and how you haven’t spoken to him much since last week. Savannah is quiet for a moment, processing all you’ve said. “Look, the friend in me wants to scream to everyone here that you kissed your celebrity crush but, the coworker in me wants to smack you back to reality. What were you-” You cut her off, “I get it, I get it! I know it was risky, okay? But it isn’t like I came onto him. You know I would never do something like that. I tried to leave, but he was a gentleman to let me wait out the storm..” Your voice trails off, your mood suddenly deflating. Savannah frowns. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. Glen’s one of the nicest guys I have ever met, but we don’t know if he’s a player or not. Same goes for Dylan, and everyone else here! I hope you get where I’m coming from.” She searches your face for a response, but when you remain silent, continuing to busy yourself with setting up, she offers a wink and a nudge. “But enough with the pessimism. Was he a good kisser or what?” 

You meet her eyes again, smiling wide. “The best!”

--- Savannah’s POV---

Savannah drives up to Glen’s cabin, debating whether or not her idea was a good one or not. She really cared about you, and celebrity or not, you deserved to know if he thought of you as a one nighter or actually had some type of real feelings. Once he’s on the cart, he instantly begins chatting her up, just like usual, but Savannah is quiet. “Earth to Savannah. Are you even on this planet right now?” Glen’s chuckle breaks her out of her daze, causing her to swerve the cart into the grass, pushing the break to bring them to a stop. “Glen, I’m gonna level with you here, but I need you to be honest,alright? Off the record.” She questions, eyes narrowing at him.

Glen nods, “Yeah, sure off the record. What’s going on?” he asks, clearly confused.

Savannah takes a deep breath, “When I was sick, my coworker took over your schedule and everything, right?” 

Glen nods, “Right.” 

She continues, “And the night your dad got sent to the hospital, you were communicated with about that in a timely manner, right?”

Glen’s eyebrows stitch together, unsure where she’s headed with this. “Yeah…”

“So, you didn’t read it online or anything, right? I just need to be sure, because I have a thread of texts regarding that night and I just don’t want it to seem like I didn’t do my job. Yes I was sick, but..if this were to be an issue I could lose my job!” Savannah fakes her reasoning for the question, trying to see if Glen will expand on how he found out, or even give more details.

Instead, he just shrugs. “No, you don’t have anything to worry about. Your coworker let me know immediately, hell she even drove through the storm to come and tell me since I didn’t hear my mom or sister’s phone calls. Trust me, you’re good.” He smiles at her, and Savannah feels her heart sink a little bit. “Okay, good. So she came to tell you the news, and that was it? She showed you all the communication from your assistant and stuff,right?” She presses a final time, hoping he’ll crack.

“Yep, she told me everything. She waited for the storm to ease up a bit and then went back to her cabin.” He replies cooly, before reaching into his back pocket for his phone to turn off his ringer, mindlessly reading his new notifications. Savannah concedes, putting the cart back into drive and returning to the path toward the event.

 “Wait, did someone say something about her leaving my cabin so late? I wouldn’t want her to get in trouble for relaying the message to me. I know it wouldn’t look good for her job either.” Glen speaks up, and is looking at Savannah now, a hint of alarm in his voice. “Oh! No, no, I don’t think anybody saw her. At least, I haven’t heard anything.” She quickly replies, still mythed that he didn’t mention the kiss. Guess she had her answer.

-------

“Here’s your paint colors, and if you need a refill on your drink  just give me a wave or something.” You pat Dylan on the back, and he grins. “Thank you, bartender. This should be a good time! I promise you this is going to look like a toddler’s masterpiece when I’m through with it.” You both laugh, your eyes landing on a certain someone as they stride across the grass, drink in hand and Savannah hot on his heels. You turn your attention back to Dylan just as the instructor turns on their microphone. “If I could get everyone’s attention, please! Helloooooo Tennessee!”

You wave goodbye to Dylan as you both giggle, the loud noise of the mic startling just about everyone on the lawn. Savannah weaves through the crowd to grab your hand, pulling you over to the chairs for the handlers. You brush past Glen, his eyes briefly meeting yours with a small smile on his lips. You return one to him before Savannah tugs you into a chair. 

“I will be your art instructor for today, just want to go over a few housekeeping items.. Your materials have been all laid out for you by the lovely Ignite Team, so let’s give a round of applause for all their hard work; they’ve been out here since 7am this morning to make this space ready for you all.” Everyone applauds your team, and everyone waves to the talent on the lawn, everyone grinning from ear to ear. 

“Now, the special brushes with the finer tips will be up at the front, as well as texturing tools, glitter…” the instructor continues on before switching the music on and letting everyone get started. 

You turn to Savannah, “Who do you think will paint the best mountaintop?”

She smiles weakly at you, “Oh, I don’t know. Probably one of the girls…hey, want to run to the bathroom with me? Cassandra, can you keep an eye on our boys for us while we run to the restroom real quick?”

Cassandra agrees, the two of you quietly sneaking away to the restrooms down the hill.

“What’s up, everything okay?’ You question her as soon as you close the door.

Savannah swallows before placing a hand on both sides of your shoulders. “Don’t freak out on me, but I kinda sorta asked Glen about the night you guys kissed, and don’t worry I didn’t bring that up, I just acted like I was scared of losing my job over being sick to see if he’d mention anything about you.”

Your jaw drops open, heart rate quickening as you realize that whatever she is about to tell you is going to dictate your mood for the rest of the day. “And?” you ask slowly.

“He didn’t bring it up. He was concerned someone had maybe asked around or mentioned the fact that you left his cabin at such a strange hour, but…that was it. He didn’t blush or stutter or anything. It’s like nothing happened between the two of you at all.”

She shrugs before disappearing into a stall. “I actually did need to go, sorry!”

You slump against the wall, unsure of how to feel. Maybe he was just protecting the interaction? Or, it meant absolutely nothing to him and you just so happened to be at the right place at the right time. His observation rings in your ears, “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.”

Except this time, it doesn’t make your heart swell, it kind of gives you an icky feeling. What if he didn’t mean it in a sincere way, but an assuming, cocky sort of way? What if he was just fishing to boost his ego? After all, you’d like to think you had been discreet and professional this entire time when it came to interacting with him, longing glances from afar or not.

Suddenly feeling nauseous, you step out from the bathrooms to get some air, the sun shining through the gazebo overtop the building. Savannah soon appears next to you, slinging her arm over your shoulders as you both head back up the hill. “I promise I was just trying to look out for you, alright? We don’t need a replay of last year with Jeremy-” “Fair enough!” You let a laugh escape you, shaking your head. “Jeremy and Glen are not even close to being on the same level, Savannah. But I get what you’re trying to say and I love you for it.” She rolls her eyes. “The feeling of disappointment would be the same.” She states, squeezing your shoulder as you take your seats. 

Everyone is watching the talent paint- some struggling, some just chit chatting while barely getting anything accomplished on their canvas, and others seemed to be thoroughly concentrated on following the instructor.

A sudden wave atop the heads in the crowd catches your eye, and you grin to see it’s Dylan trying to get your attention. You bounce over to him, taking in his progress. “Wow, not too shabby! Are you having fun?” He smiles at you from behind his black Ray Bans. “Hell yeah! Thanks for the support, I really need it for the next section. Would you mind getting me another drink please?” You take his empty cup away from him, “Sure thing! Be right back.” 

You carefully maneuver through the easels, being sure not to knock over anyone’s stuff. Handing the cup to the bartender, you wait for them to make Dylan a new drink. You look out into the crowd to try and find Glen, and when your eyes land on him your cheeks heat immediately. He’s chatting up another guest, her dark hair thrown back in a fit of laughter at whatever he’s saying. They’re both leaning over their easels to talk, and you are suddenly reminded that you are very much not a gorgeous, rich celebrity model at this convention, but simply a girl from LA who is here to work. You make your way across the grass to Dylan, breezing past Glen and the mystery girl who has his attention to try and hear what they’re talking about. All you can catch is her mentioning New York City and Glen’s response is muffled by all the chatter happening around them. You drop off his drink and return to your table, Savannah shooting you a knowing look. “Want me to go over there? He probably needs a refill too.” You sigh, hands in your lap fidgeting with the fray on your jeans. “It’s fine, I’m fine. Really.”

In a huff only noticeable to you, she stands and makes a beeline for Glen. Her appearance stops their conversation, Glen putting his hands up in a gesture that he’s all set on needing another drink. Savannah completely ignores the girl as she walks back to your table. You raise an eyebrow at her. “I’m getting friend vibes. Seriously, she’s wearing a studded leather jacket with heeled boots while Glen’s wearing jeans and a hoodie.” You roll your eyes with a laugh. “So? He probably likes her style. Can we just drop it, please?”

Savannah nods and changes the subject. 

Another half hour passes by, and the event is almost over. Everyone’s moving to the final details of their project, the lawn mostly quiet as everyone locks in. You decide to stretch your legs and find some interesting tools for Dylan to use, making your way over to him when a hand grabs your elbow. “Hey, could I borrow one of those?” you are jolted out of focus, head snapping behind you to see a grinning Glen Powell. “Sorry, no can do. These are for Dylan, but I think I saw Savannah at the table, just flag her down so she can grab one for you.” You smile curtly at him before wiggling out of his grasp and fast walking over to Dylan without ever looking back.

The event finally comes to an end, all of the staff swarming onto the lawn to clean up the mess. The guests disperse to the event hall to eat dinner, some milling about the property to chat. 

You toss a heap of paint brushes into your trash bag, a familiar voice reappearing behind you. “Need a hand with that?” You spin around to see Glen bent over to grab some paint covered sponges, and you gasp. “No! Glen, you’re not supposed to be cleaning anything up. You go enjoy the live music in the hall!” You open the trash bag wider for Glen to successfully dunk them in, a hand running through his fluffy hair. You liked seeing it without any styling creme in it.

“Back to being professional, huh?” He squints at you as the sun shines on his face. You sigh, head leaning to the side. “I work here, remember?” You offer a small, playful smile to him as you shake the lanyard hanging around your neck, and his expression softens. “I just thought that, well..you know..” He steps closer to you, voice lowering to a whisper. It takes everything in you to step backwards from him, his cologne wafting over you. He looked and smelled so good. “You thought what? Honestly, never mind. It was late, we were both exhausted--” Glen interrupts you softly, “I was there.” 

He places his hands on his hips as he stares at you, and you glance around at the other staff members cleaning up, a few of them taking notice of the two of you conversing.

“Anyway, it won’t happen again. How’s your dad doing? Is he home yet?” You ask, before continuing to collect the trash from the ground. Glen sighs before shrugging it off. “Uh, yeah..yeah he’s home. He’s gonna be just fine, thanks for asking.” He pauses for a moment as he watches you continue to clean. “What did you mean by --” 

“Glen! Hey, Glen! Time to head out, you have a conference call in ten minutes!”

Savannah’s voice rings out from across the lawn, and you are grateful. You look up at Glen, a sad smile on your lips. “I’m really happy to hear that about your dad. Really. Now, go! Don’t be late for that call. Good luck!” You shoo him off, and he nods in agreement, a look of uncertainty crossing his features before he turns away to jog over toward the golf cart. 

That evening is the first of many campfires that week, s’mores and hot chocolate the only two items on the menu. You change into leggings and a sweater before jumping back onto your golf cart to pick up Dylan one last time for the day. 

You wait out front for him for five minutes before calling his phone, and when he doesn’t pick up you start to worry. 

“Dylan? Are you ready?” You knock loudly on his cabin door, trying to peer in through the tiny window of the door. Suddenly it swings open, a very pale Dylan O’Brien standing before you, his body weight leaning on the doorframe. “Please stop yelling.” He groans, shoving his palm into his right eyelid.

You stifle a giggle, taking in his sweatpants and hoodie that cling to his body, hair a mess. “You don’t look so good buddy.” You rub his arm.

Dylan grimaces as he nods, “I think I had a few too many drinks at the event. Needless to say I need to sit the campfire out, hope that’s okay.”

“Of course, rest up! Do you need anything?”

You offer, but Dylan shakes his head. “Just go have fun, I’m going to go to bed early tonight.” He shoots you the weakest little wave before closing the door.

The debate with yourself on whether or not you should go to the fire tonight lasted about 10 seconds, the desire to see Glen winning you over. As soon as you park, you spot Savannah and join her group that’s huddled amongst one of the many firepits.

“You made it! No Dylan? Here, have a s’more!”

Savannah welcomes you, motioning toward the empty chair next to her. You greet everyone else and happily accept the dessert, savoring the gooey marshmallow and chocolate combo after the long day you’d had.

“He turned in early for the night. Isn’t it gorgeous out here?” Admiring the stars above you, the others agree. 

You slowly direct your gaze from the fire in front of you to the other pits, eyes quickly finding Glen’s chair. He’s amongst a mix of men and women, but he’s so far away that you aren’t able to make out if any of them are the one from earlier or not. 

A few hours pass before some of the talent begin approaching the staff to turn in for the night, Glen being one of them. You recognize his voice approaching in the distance, stomach knotting as you brace yourself to see who he’s walking with.

The tension in your shoulders dissipates when he stands next to Savannah’s chair, a male figure departing in the other direction. “Ready to roll?” He grins down at her, his green eyes landing on you for a few seconds. You want to get out of your chair and kiss him again, the flames illuminating his features. His charcoal crew neck and joggers make him look so cuddly and warm. You wonder what it’d be like to snuggle up with him.

Savannah’s voice snaps you out of your daze. “You bet! I actually need to fill the cart up with gas though, and there’s a pretty long line. Would you mind taking Glen back tonight?” She looks between the two of you, and you nod quickly as you stand, “No problem at all.”

He gestures toward the carts allowing you to lead the way, “After you.”

 You shoot your friend a look from over your shoulder, mouthing ‘thank you’ to her as you fall into step with Glen. 

The cicadas and crackling fires fill the air, a cool breeze sending a shiver down your spine as you drive down the dirt path. 

“How was your day?” You ask him, desperate to have a non-awkward golf cart ride.

“It was awesome, I really enjoyed that painting class. Even though it’s not worthy of hanging in my house, I don’t think I did too bad of a job.” He laughs to himself as he picks at some fuzz on his sweatpants. You force a small hum in response, eyes fixed on the path ahead. 

“Are we cool?” Glen speaks again, this time his entire body turning to face you in his seat, one arm extended up to hang onto the top of the cart.

As you peer over at him, the moonlight illuminates the small smile tugging at his lips. If it weren’t so dark out, you might have thought you detected some concern in his expression. 

You nudge him softly, “Of course, why wouldn’t we be?”

“Well we kissed a few nights ago and ever since then I feel like we haven’t gotten to talk at all.”

You feel chill bumps rise on your arms at his statement. Did you really expect the kiss to never come up again? Maybe, but ever since you saw him getting cozy with the mystery girl from earlier your opinion had changed.

“Are you blaming me for that?” You feel him tense at the bite in your tone, his head cocking to the side. His eyes still fixated on you, he reaches over you and presses a foot to the brake abruptly, your bodies lurching forward as he turns the key to switch the cart off. 

“Woah,hey! I’m not blaming you for anything.”

You scoff at his words, eyes rolling at his stopping of the cart. He seems to forget that you’re still on the clock, and very much not alone out here. A few carts pass by, the both of you offering polite waves to them. A moment passes and you remain silent, fearful of eavesdroppers.

Turning the key quickly you press down hard on the gas pedal toward Glen’s cabin.

Once there, you cross your arms over your chest. “Goodnight Glen.”

Running a hand through his hair he slides off the golf cart, the only noise between you the gravel beneath his feet as he rounds the front of the cart to crouch at the steering wheel. He places a hand on your knee, shaking it playfully. “Look at me.”

His tone is earnest and you allow your eyes to lose themselves in his. 

“It was leather jacket girl, wasn't it?” he chuckles in the dark, eyebrow cocked in amusement.

“So you did notice?” You mumble, face on fire. He stands and outstretches both hands to you, and you oblige without another thought.

Glen places a hand on the small of your back to lead you up the stairs first, your mind swimming in wonder of what’s about to happen. 

“Yo, Powell! Turning in so soon?”

The two of you freeze, Glen’s grip tightening on the bannister. Out of instinct, you drop on all fours. He mouths for you to go inside, slipping his key card into your palm. You nod quietly, crawling across the porch toward his front door.

Glen turns around, backing up the staircase to try and hide your body. 

“Yeah man! I have an early call time in the morning. Why, what am I going to miss out on?”

The man laughs, “Your loss! We’re about to start an intense game of charades in my cabin. All good though, see you tomorrow!”

You eavesdrop from the window, giggling as Glen appears through the front door. “That was close!”

He nods as he locks the door behind him, closing the curtains. “Don’t worry, he didn’t see a thing.”

And just like that,you’re standing inches away from him in his living room again - alone.

“Fun fact for ya, I actually think leather jackets are tacky. Especially ones with studs all over them. They’re spikey and they hurt.” Glen feigns a serious face, his tone humorous.

“You’re ridiculous.” You grin wide at him as you throw both arms around his neck, tugging him even closer to you. Your confidence surprises you once again, but in this moment you’d do anything to feel his lips on yours again. He was undeniably attractive 24/7 but even more so right now as he makes you laugh. He had seen you. He knew you were jealous and yet he tried to talk to you at the event. You felt even worse for being rude to him earlier.

His arms wind around your waist as he presses his forehead to yours. 

“While you were jumping to conclusions, I was admiring you look out for Dylan and everyone else around you. Watching you do your job and keep the place organized.”

Eyes shining at him as you learn that he’d been observing you, he leans in to kiss you. You relax into his grip, fisting your hands into the soft material of his crewneck.

“We’re cool now.” you say before kissing the tip of his nose. He hums in response as he kisses you one more time. 

You talk with him for a good while about his schedule the next few days as well as other projects he’s slated to begin next year for work. He asks about your job back in California and you talk a bit about how you and Savannah got so close. 

When the two of you start to yawn, you stand to your feet from his sofa and he groans. 

“Don’t leave me!” He teases, tugging on your arm. You back away slowly, palms raised as you bite your lip. “It’s time.”

He kisses you, whispering a ‘no’ against your lips. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

You blush under his gaze and wave your phone at him. “Text me! We’ll figure it out.”

Accepting your answer, he unlocks the door and swings it open for you. 

“Goodnight pretty girl.” 

His compliment causes you to turn back to face him from the porch, his body leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets. He looks so handsome it feels like a dream.

You blow him a kiss before quietly sliding onto the golf cart to drive back to your room.

[bcrgamvts]

there  are  a  handful  of  ways  charlie  can  think  of  spending  his  afternoon  that  certainly  didn’t  involve  groveling  at  the  feet  of  blue  harbor’s  radio  station  for  ad  slots  on  behalf  of  the  firm  he  worked  at  in  chicago.  the  hawthorne  name  got  him  a  meeting  but  also  became  the  sword  in  his  side.  listen  …  charlie  gets  it.  his  dad  and  the  family  real  estate  development  business  brings  a  lot  of  money  to  blue  harbor  and  promoting  another  firm  would  rattle  a  bees  nest  that  they’d  rather  not  deal  with.  he  gets  it  but  it  doesn’t  make  it  any  less  annoying  to  walk  out  with  his  tail  between  his  legs  and  a  undercurrent  of  irritation  that  his  boss  back  in  chicago  asked  him  to.  “yeah,  man,  i  get  that  but  they  said  —”  charlie’s  attention  span  is  diverted  away  from  his  current  conversation  with  his  boss  by  the  random  blonde  woman  suddenly  talking  to  him.  “i’m  sorry,  some  woman  just  approached  me.  let  me  call  you  back  and  i’ll  go  more  into  detail  about  the  meeting,”  charlie  says  offhand  to  his  boss,  tone  low  before  he  hangs  up  the  call  and  heterochromatic  hues  flicker  over  to  his  new  company.  “nice  to  meet  you  too.”  his  tone  is  more  amused  than  irritated  considering  she  got  him  off  the  phone  with  his  boss.  nevertheless,  he  holds  out  his  phone  for  her  to  take.  “you  seem  to  have  a  lot  more  going  on  than  i  do,  so  you  can  keep  the  cash.  as  long  as  you  don’t  steal  it  then  we’re  good.  i  played  soccer  so  my  endurance  to  run  is  pretty  high.”  the  fact  that  he  chooses  to  omit  his  knee  injury  that  keeps  his  running  limited  is  neither  here  nor  there.

Where: Outside 104.5 Harbor FM studios Who: anyone (0/5)

Call it a past time at this point or just pure luck - whatever it was Sav since as long as she could remember had won a stupid amount of prizes from the local radio station— waterbottles, CD's, local gift certificates, more rarely but even so, concert tickets and a trip once to Vegas when she turned 21—

Today she felt in her bones was no exception— except when her phone flashed a near-death warning. "Shit, of fucking course..." bemoaning the obvious, her attention flicked to the nearest passerby, "Hey! Can I use your phone, ten minutes tops. I've got cash, well...sort of. It's really kind of an emergency. Swear I'm not gonna run off with it or anything, scouts honor and you know, cash is yours. Soon...ish."

[savingspoons]

Getting Inked with Chelsea B

So, my sleeve is complete and I fucking love it. Take a look!

Since I was old enough to know what tattoos were, I wanted them.  After a few hours in the shop, I leave knowing myself a little more than when I went in. My body now more of my own design, something I can smile at in the mirror.

It may sound odd to some, having a pain inducing disorder and choosing to have pain inducing hobby. I have to save up so many extra spoons for tattoo days and for the days that follow. I even time my days off at work around appointments so I can get extra rest. But looking at my ink, well I think it gives me back some spoons.

Fibromyalgia makes me feel very out of control. It makes my body rebel against itself with pain.

But a tattoo that’s something I chose, I chose the way it looks, where it’s placed, and I make the choice to take the pain. Getting to take control of my body is empowering and vital to my sanity.

  My disease might be invisible, but I am not.  My tattoo’s help me to feel seen. Even if I’m holding onto the wall or a stairwell railing for support, now I look cool doing it. Right?

  This is Riverside Tattoo parlor in Savannah, Georgia. Where I spent 5 sessions with Chelsea Beckworth getting inked.

 This place has the coolest vibes. Riverside is Savannah’s very first fully queer-owned and operated tattoo studio.

There I am, hanging out before one of my appointments because I am super early for everything But I've always got a book with me so that's never a problem. Speaking of....

If you haven't read The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart, run to your nearest bookstore and get yourself a copy. This thriller by the co-host true crime podcast Morbid is a MUST read and I am seriously on edge waiting for the sequel to release this fall.

Literally Could not have picked a better artist, or person. I mean look at this doll!

Chelsea was more than understanding about my medical condition and made sure to let me know that this was at my pace- not to apologize for needing breaks or anything else.  During our sessions she was super chill when I needed to adjust how I was positioned – because we all know how great fibro is not being able to be in one spot for more than 20 minutes without pain.

Going in for that first session I was excited and scared. My last tattoo was in my twenties and that’s been more than a decade ago.

Ugh. Did I really just type that?

With some minor hick-ups, like after my third appointment getting the tattoo flu because I didn’t take care of myself after - with plenty of rest, hydration and proper nutrition.

 Yeah, that sucked.  Or how I had to reschedule the 4th appointment because my HRT shot went awry sending me to the emergency room… A little over a year and a half later we were finished, and I now have this beautiful black and gray sleeve forever.

Now I want to tell you about Chelsae Beckworth as I totally believe she deserves recognition and just ugh everything. Honestly-This chick is the best. We met for coffee at the absolute cutest little café not 3 minutes’ walk from the shop, the morning before my last appointment.

Sitting across from me relaxed and chatting with the barista’s of Superbloom I find Chelsae Beckworth drinking her iced latte-extra shot- please and thank you ma’am.  She looks just as at home here as she is two streets away at Riverside Tattoo Parlor where she has worked for the last 3-4 years. This self-described earthy girlie who loves lizardling in the sunshine is a Taurus whose playlist includes everything from Celine Dion to Shania Twain and podcast like Two Hot Takes and Trixie and Katya.

Aren’t we all listening to Trixie and Katya though?  If not, you should be.

When asked how she would describe her personal artistic style without missing a beat Chelsea said, ‘Cutesy but with some darkness to it’.

Immediately this came to mind, because this is totally the vibes Beckworth gives off.

Having a background in makeup then finding herself in the world of tattooing and becoming an apprentice from her mom’s friend from church makes the above gif even more spot on. She tells me that one of the hardest parts of her job is the imposter syndrome the comes along with it and having people see her separate from her job. She’s not just a tattoo artist she’s also someone who loves to cook and go rollerblading, a cat mom of two, and someone who hates getting tattooed.

Just look at these cuties- Beans and Brussels Sprouts

When deciding which artist to work with it’s always a good idea to pick someone who enjoys doing the type of work you’re looking for. (Realism, traditional, watercolor, neo traditional, trash polka, new school, fine line) It generally makes for a better piece of art in the end. Some favorite of Chelseas are pin ups, heavy line work, small and quick projects and she also is looking forward to working on traditional pieces in the future. My sleeve was a much larger undertaking and I totally played tattoo pizza with her at times (can we add this here, what about another bee over here? Sorry Chelsea!) but she smashed it and I think I can safely say we both had some fun getting this done.

I asked Chelsea to send me what her favorite tattoo’s she’s done, and these are a few that she sent- I mean lets be serious everything the woman does is fabulous people.

If you find yourself in the low country and need some ink. Go visit my girl Chelsea and in her own words - " Come get cool tat and lets chat".

[mcnstercus]

Savannah dropped off some food at one of the tables she was waitressing at the Crimson Shadow Diner when she caught someone staring. She gave a death glare back. “Hey, take a picture it’ll last longer,” she barked.