#happy birthday phe

[just-a-blue-nerd]

I painted everyone's favorite Vulcan for my friend's birthday! Not sure how good it turned out 😅 Here's the reference I used

Edit: I didn't realize that there was a paint by number of this until after I painted it. I made this painting from scratch, but now I kinda wish I knew that the paint by number existed because I'm a lazy human and it would've saved me so much time 😭

[hanzajesthanza]

Happy birthday!! Just wanna say while I'm here that you are truly the no.1 Witcher scholar and I love your work, and also I actually find it very moving that even though you are not Polish and don't speak Polish, you treat the books with such respect and deep understanding of the culture and language!! I wish everyone engaged with the works that they love in this way. I'm Polish but I'd since moved away and have a lot of bitterness towards the social environments I grew up in, but the Witcher is the one thing from Poland I truly love and makes me feel connected to my heritage and idk I just love your work sorry for the long message!

oh thank you!! i am so flattered by your words 😅 all i can say is, i try my best, of course! and a short essay response incoming...

the witcher is not only a translated work, but a multilingual and multicultural/national community, fanbase, and the american fanbase from which i'm coming is a relatively new development in the broader fanbase, especially as it relates to the books. it's more complex than how i'll phrase it here, but, essentially when you're in the fandom of the witcher books, you're in a predominantly polish other slavic language speaking space, even if you only speak english, because the books were created in polish and the whole thing has had over 30 years to gain traction and fans in poland and other slavic language speaking countries.

(i think there tends to be a certain level of entitlement from people, alright, americans whose primary language is english, where it is expected that everything be in english - you hear it all the time, stories of tourists going to a different country and demand english be spoken for everything for them. while english is indeed commonly spoken in poland, i think it would be a bit ridiculous, bringing it back to the witcher fandom, to expect every online interaction and material you come across to be in english, and expect to never use polish sources or look at the original text in polish. it may not be something you're skilled in or know about, but it's an opportunity for you to learn and ask questions. just embrace that, strive for understanding, even if you don't have any which you're beginning with. being prepared to be wrong and mistaken, being willing and open to being corrected. so, treating with respect and striving to better understand cultures which one doesn't belong to should be step one, i hope, at least in this community!)

i don't believe that there is such a thing as an english side of the fanbase which stands on its own separate from the original polish (and czech and russian, the first two languages witcher was translated into) fanbase(s), because the english fanbase was seeded and encouraged by these fans, a good portion of whom were bilingual and helped the fanbase grow by posting in english, gaining visibility and encouraging others to join and read the books. so you can't really have the english fandom without the polish fandom, it's like a branch off of a tree. and, with the majority of lifelong, or in other capacity dedicated and passionate, fans, coming from poland, and some of these fans also engaging in english-speaking places online, we're going to share ideas and end up admiring each other and becoming friends! and there's, again as always, a lot you can learn from your friends.

addressing the witcher as a work specifically, its identity is inseparable from its written language. with translations to other slavic languages, there's not an exceptional amount lost, but when it comes to english... well... though the story is there (except for a few glaring errors), there's not only lot of language-specific word choice, wordplay, and jokes that are lost in the english language and especially in the the official translation (which was crafted, i think to be as much of an "easy read" for an english reader as possible, and not to preserve sapkowski's style, character, and vocabulary), but also because a lot of the cultural phenomenon, celebration, element, described in the books, simply doesn't exist for the english reader and is untranslatable without an explanation of the context and history. sapkowski, who speaks italian, has mentioned the saying "traduttore, traditore," (translator, traitor) in interviews.

for just a few examples, torque at the end of the short story "edge of the world" saying "goodnight" being the perfect end to the story, because of the saying where the devil says goodnight. or the saovine tradition of burning straw falka dolls resembling the burning (or drowning) of marzanna effigies. and, also related to saovine, the offerings of honey, groats, and vodka for spirits being a mirror image of dziady. all of this is something that's not common knowledge for the english reader, it's stuff i learned about by looking it up, or having a conversation about, or reading a forum page online, or learned however, but learning about it made my enjoyment of the story a lot richer because i could (in part) go back and appreciate the depth of realism and familiarity woven into the world. and the act of seeking that out, or having that conversation, the act of learning itself was rewarding, to satisfy curiosity and engage my mind and social brain.

also just, a lot of the time, i'm trying to figure out where sapkowski's mind was at when he wrote some of this stuff, or who are these characters and what are these characters feeling, and all we have of them, to understand them, is their words. and the official translation isn't able to translate word for word. so looking at the polish edition and working through the sentence to translate (and looking into the nuances in definitions of words and phrases), i've found, can really help my reading comprehension and interpretation of the scene or character.

of course, sapkowski was taking "paneuropean" inspiration from multiple different cultures, not all of them slavic, a lot of them western european, weaving all these different fantasy and folktale sources together to create something diversely culturally rich. but as an english reader, i was motivated to seek out, "how does that line originally go in polish?" or "what's the original folktale sapkowski is referencing here?" because it just makes it that much more fun! it's part of the fun! of course an english reader could just pick up the books, breeze through them, and get a lot of enjoyment out of that, but without investigating any of the language or culture, it remains surface-level enjoyment. it's so rewarding to be able to exist in a community and friend circles that are positive towards learning and teaching in a casual way, it has made the witcher a lot more than just books for me. and all i'm doing personally is just having fun and learning as i go!

[dominimoonbeam]

Happy Friday!

Okay. I am at home not at a cafe. I have my first official day at the new job this afternoon. As you can see on my very optimistic sticky note, I have been unfocused this week. But not completely unproductive! I've got about 4k in that Milo/Darlin fic I'll share soon, posted that mini fic about Porter&Vincent, and I'm sitting on EJ's birthday Dasher fic!

Drinking ca phe sua da and trying to decide what to work on until my shift starts...

On the own work front, a steamy update for Don't Run is coming out later today and then we're back into Bite to Bruise for next month!

Hope you're doing well and have a lovely weekend! <3 <3

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Mom worked today. Choate boys went to Baker Park in Cammack Village this morning for Wren's birthday party -- she was in the other PHE kindergarten class. Gus liked exploring the park with Marguerite -- they found a dead frog and a robin's egg. Magnus liked playing basketball on a toddler goal and sitting in a tricycle. Afterward, we had lunch and I put Magnus down for a nap just as Nene dropped by for a visit. She and Gus went for a walk and played outside. She's been working on Gus's birthday cake for his party next week and brought a prototype Charizard (Pokémon) for Gus and she made a duck for Magnus, which he was happy to eat. Gus went to Rhett's to trade Pokémon cards for a while, then they came back to our house to play Nintendo. A good day.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 6.17.2023 - 4.01pm.

[scnderisms]

⸻  DIANA SILVERS. SHE/THEY / have you ever heard of SINCERITY IS SCARY by the 1975, well, it describes OPHIR ‘PHE’ SPIEGEL to a tee! the twenty seven five years old, and GAS STATION CLERK was spotted browsing through the stalls at portobello road market last sunday, do you know them? would you say THEY are/is more apathetic or more PATIENT instead? anyway, they remind me of bare feet in the grass, the truth before you're ready to hear it, a nightmare dressed as a daydream, maybe you’ll bump into them soon!

the middle child of the family with an attitude to boot . phe is the second youngest of a relatively well - off family . she watched her oldest sibling , her brother levi , opt out of his parent’s wealth . he worked for everything he wanted . sometimes that seemed like the high road , other times it seemed silly not to take the only leg up you have in the world .

with parents not being around much, due to work, the spiegel siblings bared their grievances in the ways they deemed fit . you can guess how phe took it based on the fact that she resents having to share a birthday week with her older sister (no matter how much she loves her ) . zibby is the life of the party . no matter whose it is , if zibby's there it feel like zibby’s party . phe learned a long time ago to get over birthdays . phe treats it as any other day now , barely remembering to even wish a happy one to their siblings until it pops up on the calendar . 

phe got by — good grades without trying . things came naturally to them in a way that made up for the laziness they had otherwise acquired . it is probably the characteristic she gets the most grief from her family about . 

both intelligence and temper run in the family so it makes sense that phe is easily irritable . similarly to her brother , she doesn’t make friends easily . she’s pretty much stopped trying altogether . unlike levi , she wasn’t too busy . the effort simply did not match the outcome . 

she smokes because it’s comforting . she smokes because everyone smoked at the restaurant she worked at one summer . it was a good way to make acquaintances and almost - friends in school . they had met them in the smoker’s section . it was an introverts dream come true , a social faux pas to rely on for human connection . phe became as addicted to it as the isolation .

anxiety does not hinder this spiegel , but then again phe does worry about having to live up to expectations . it always felt like their parents left a very small margin for error , a line phe was left treading her whole life . they made a point to get away with as much line - crossing as they could while their parents stayed distracted by their siblings accomplishments and lack thereof . this taught them to tread lines with others , remembering that small margins for error make it hard to trust attaching yourself to anyone , especially when error feels preferable at this point of monotony . 

both levi and zibby followed clear cut paths . maggie's path was still being carved out , the youngest spiegel making ophir a part of a sandwich . it was the first time ophir remembers wondering if siblings should have to be consented upon by the siblings that came first . oh well . it was likely maggie would follow the path of levi and zibby and find a passion to pursue . ophir could never relate to that . with levi being practically a doctor and zibby being a marine biologist , how could phe even compete? zibby may have punched out a few kids on ophir’s behalf , but she still came out the other side with a degree . that made any and all previous mistakes forgiveable .

middle child syndrome

their first language is sarcasm

honest to a fault

commitment issues

bisexual, but has not come out to their family

family first, even when phe hates them

teachers will say ' would thrive with a little more effort and a little less attitude '

film professor changed phe's narrative when they wrote mind of her own

first love is film photography

second love made phe regret it

can always be found somewhere out on the grounds taking pictures

turned their bathroom into a dark room

does not share their photography (despite wishing to make a living out of it)

[averyxmontgomery]

Something Like This || Avery & Ophelia

Avery

Like most days these days, Avery waited for Ophelia outside the dance studio, just in time to pick her up so that they could spend the evening together. Unlike most days, however, today was Ophelia's birthday so Avery had to make it extra special. She leaned against her car, lavender bouquet in hand as she watched other members of Ophelia's company exiting the building. A few of them giggled and teased Ophelia, most of them knowing by now that she had a very dedicated not-girlfriend always waiting for her. None of that phased Avery, however, her only focus being on the woman in question. 

When she approached, Avery kissed her on the cheek and handed her the bouquet. "Happy birthday," she greeted, as if she hadn't already said the same thing last night at midnight. She opened the car door for Ophelia. "I hope you packed your bikini," she reminded. "Or you're going to have to skinny dip. No choice on that one." With a little wink, she closed the car door and got in the car herself. Ophelia 

Emerging from the studio to see Avery waiting for her had become something she looked forward to every day. A small blush rose on her cheeks when she heard her peers say things like 'ooh la la' and 'your girlfriend is here', but all she did in return was wave them goodbye with her warm smile, knowing they were teasing from a place of love. 

"Hey," She greeted, returning the quick kiss before her gaze landed on the bouquet. Her heart skipped a beat as she took the flowers from Avery, little butterflies fluttered their way through her stomach. She didn't know if she would ever get used to this, having someone so amazing dote on her. "Avery- they're beautiful. Thank you so much." She lifted the flowers to her nose as she slid into the passenger seat, the calming floral scent filling her senses. 

She couldn't help but laugh. "Packed a few options, sorry to disappoint," She teased, setting her dance bag on the floor by her feet. Ophelia buckled herself in as she waited for her to get in the car, continuing when the other door had closed behind her, "Though, I'm sure it wouldn't take much to convince me." Avery

"I am very disappointed," Avery replied, giving Ophelia a playful pout. When she got in the car, she chuckled. "You're so easy, Phe. You need higher standards," she joked, actually very glad that she was down for so many things. Being with Ophelia was making Avery super adventurous, which was exactly what she needed to crack out of her shell. Again, there was no denying the comfort she felt around her; Avery felt like she could do anything. 

With that, she drove them to her own place. She led Ophelia to the back deck where she had already laid out a table cloth and a bottle of wine. "Make yourself comfortable while I go grab the food," she ordered, hurrying back inside to do exactly that. She had ordered them some Italian food prior and returned within minutes carefully juggling the plates and utensils before setting them down on the table. "I figured we can eat, spend some time in the hot tub, and the rest of the night is yours to do whatever you want with me... or for me to do whatever you want me to do with you." She gave Ophelia a wink. Ophelia 

"Did you just call me easy, I thought you were a gentleman." She tutted, holding back a giggle as she got comfortable in the passenger seat, her hand resting on Avery's knee as she drove them to her place. To be frank, how open and adventurous she had been with Avery surprised her. She might have given the drunken odd kiss to a friend, but the only time she slept with someone else, they touched her like they were afraid of her, or that she'd break. Not with Avery, though. Sometimes it still amazed her how easy this all felt, how comfortable. 

"Oh my god-" She smiled brightly at the sight, her heart warming up in her chest as she stepped closer to it. "Okay, yes ma'am." She giggled lightly, taking a moment to admire the way the sun's golden rays bounced off the waves before settling in her seat. 

When Avery seemed to be struggling with the amount of things she was holding, she held out her hands towards her, ready to catch anything that might fall, only to give an impressed nod when nothing did. "That sounds perfect." She leaned over the table to press a sweet kiss to Avery's cheek. "Thank you, really." 

She sat down in her seat, "So, what'd we get?" Avery 

“You’re welcome.” It was really no trouble at all and Avery had a lot of fun planning the night for them. She wanted to do things for Ophelia and was glad she appreciated the effort. At her question, Avery grinned. “Italian. Can’t go wrong with pasta, right?” 

With that, they dug in, talking about their day as they ate. Even though they had been spending nearly every evening together, there was still always so much to say—so much to learn about one another—and Avery did her best to memorize every detail because she cared. She wanted to know everything there was to know about Ophelia. 

The sun was beginning to set by the time they finished eating and Avery got up and took care of the plates. “Stay right here.” The disappeared back into the house so that she could return a few minutes later with a small cake with two lighted sprinklers on it. “Happy birthday,” she wished again, placing the cake in front of Ophelia. It wasn’t big enough for words but she was able to get them to to draw a little set of pointe shoes on top. Ophelia 

Ophelia felt like she could talk to Avery forever with how easy the conversation came. Every time she sat down to talk with the girl, it seemed like hours became minutes, and she absorbed as much as she could from each minute that flew by. Avery fascinated her, from her goofy puns to her passionate rambles, how sweetly she treated her- right from the beginning- and how much fun they have together. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed as much as she had since meeting Avery. 

"You sure you don't want hel- she's gone." Ophelia laughed lightly to herself, watching Avery as she disappeared into the house. Her eyes lit up in surprise as she emerged with the little cake, her relaxed smile brightening with excitement. "Wait- really?" She couldn't help how quiet the words came out as her eyes darted from Avery to the cake. 

She hadn't expected anything like this, the last few birthdays she had were spent at the company, where everyone was a bit too busy to spend time celebrating. To have someone so kindly prepare all of this- for her- all of the heartfelt happiness showed on her face, clear as day. 

"It's perfect! Thank you," She took Avery's hand into her own, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. Ophelia gently tugged on her hand to pull her closer as she looked at the cake, cheeks warm from the small blush that creeped up her cheeks and the warmth from the sprinklers. "The tiny pointe shoes are the sweetest thing. Alright- wish time. Let's see..." 

Her thumb ran across the back of Avery's hand gently as she thought. If she could wish for anything, she'd wish for this. This happiness, the comfort, the affection, the giggle fits that would last seemingly forever, the awful text puns at random times- she wanted this. 

So she shut her eyes tight, took a deep breath, and blew out the candles. Avery 

Avery watched, a soft smile on her face as Ophelia made her wish. She was a bit curious as to what it was but asking would ruin the magic. Instead, she made her own wish that this could last forever: the warmth, the laughter, the confidence... Everything about Ophelia was so damn perfect and Avery never wanted it to end. This was perfect. 

(And it occurred to her that if she wanted her wish to come true, she had to make it happen herself.)

After the candles were blown out, Avery put the cake down, taking a seat next to Ophelia and taking her hands in her own. “And now for your birthday gift.” She turned around and grabbed her previously discarded jacket and pulled out a velvet box the size of her hand. She opened it to reveal a white gold necklace, with the pendant in the shape of a violin, little lavender amethysts sprinkled along the design. 

A small blush coated her cheeks as she looked into Ophelia’s eyes. “Ophelia Chu, will you be my girlfriend?” It was cheesy, over the top, and unnecessarily formal, but it was exactly who Avery was. Avery had been her true self with Ophelia from the start and that hadn’t turned Ophelia off from her thus far. If Ophelia experienced all of this but still wanted to be with her, she knew it was special.

Ophelia 

Ophelia turned to Avery, curious as to what surprise Avery had in store for her next. She would've been more than happy with everything she'd done for her so far- she didn't expect a gift at all. Although she shouldn't have been too surprised, from what she'd learned about her in their time together. 

Words failed her when Avery showed her the beautiful necklace, and when the question she had wished to hear only moments prior only a few moments ago hit her ears, she was even more speechless. 

For a moment, all she could do was nod. Her mouth opened to say something- any confirmation- but all she could do was smile brightly and nod vigorously. After a second, when she could make words leave her lips, she immediately said, "Yes! Yesyesyes!" 

She got up from her seat, almost tackling Avery in an embrace as she made her way onto her lap. She held her cheek tenderly, capturing Avery's lips with her own.

Avery 

Avery waited with bated breath for Ophelia's answer and while she was nodding, it took quite some time for the words to come out. Still, the words were well worth it and an eruption of excitement and giddiness sprouted from her chest. Before Avery could utter a "really?" in disbelief, Ophelia had already tackled her in a hug, her lips meeting her own in a deep kiss. 

Naturally, Avery melted into the kiss, completely forgetting everything else (like the necklace in her hand) and dropped everything to return the kiss, her hands immediately securing themselves around Ophelia and keeping her right in place. When they pulled away for air, Avery's face was completely red with excitement, the largest grin on her face. "I have a girlfriend," she uttered in disbelief, kissing Ophelia quickly again. She couldn't remember the last time she was so happy and while nervous and excited Avery usually meant a rambling one, there were no words coming to her right now. All she could do was live in the happiness and joy. There were no words to describe any of this. 

After a few moments of basking in the joy, their foreheads pressed together, Avery remembered her gift. "Let me put the necklace--" She blinked. Well, now that she thought about it, she realized she wasn't holding it anymore. Her eyes darted to the ground and thankfully, it was still securely in its box and hadn't fallen into the death infested depths of the deck. She quickly leaned down to pick it up before presenting it to Ophelia. "Turn around." Ophelia I have a girlfriend- Ophelia found the same phrase repeating in her mind over and over as the reality of it slowly sunk in. Slowly that phrase shifted to This is my girlfriend and Avery is my girlfriend- this beautiful, kind, funny, wonderful human being was her person. 

She giggled- "You do, yes. You have me," before returning the kiss, melting into Avery's embrace. 

Ophelia turned when instructed and pulled her hair up off her neck, her lip pulled between her teeth as an impossibly big smile tugged on her lips. She looked over at the cake, sparklers still perched on the top as she felt the cool metal of the necklace hit her skin. "The candles worked quickly," She joked, "I've never had a birthday wish come true so fast."

Avery 

Avery was gentle as she put on the necklace, her fingers softly grazing the back of Ophelia's neck. She leaned forward and placed a small kiss, smiling as Ophelia described her words. She continued to kiss along Ophelia's neck until she reached her ear. "I wished for the same thing too," she whispered. Her arms wrapped around Ophelia's stomach and pulled her close, continuing to kiss along her neck. 

As tempted as she was to go further, they had a cake to eat and the rest of the night to relax and bask in each other's company. When she thought back on this night, she wanted to remember spending time learning about Ophelia and just enjoying the fact that they were girlfriends. She didn't need every memory to be sexual. She eventually stopped kissing her and pulled her face away. "Lets have some cake," she suggested, already pulling it closer along with two forks. One arm remained wrapped around Ophelia as she used her other hand to eat.

Ophelia 

Ophelia leaned against Avery's chest, her head tilting just enough to let her lips graze gently over her neck. Her beaming smile softened as she relaxed into the touch, just taking a moment to be happy she was there, being held by her girlfriend. She held onto the arms that wrapped around her, wanting to return as much of the affection as she could, which was mildly difficult in her current position. 

She pressed a soft kiss to Avery's cheek as she took a fork from her, relaxing against her as she ate. It had been a few years since she'd been able to enjoy cake with someone on her birthday, so she soaked every moment up, wanting to remember this day forever. 

When the cake was done, she made herself comfortable, tucking her head under Avery's chin and wrapping her arms around her as the sun went down. When only a few beams peeked over the horizon, she looked up at the girl, a relaxed smile on her face. "Hot tub time?"

Avery 

Avery continued to hold Ophelia, content with the only sound being their forks against the plate. She had seen the same sunset a hundred times before but she had never really enjoyed it quite like this. It was much warmer and more beautiful when holding someone she cared about and Avery would be happy to live in this moment for as long as she could. 

Nevertheless, the sun departed eventually and it was getting a little more chilly outside. At Ophelia’s suggestion, she nodded. “Hot tub time. You go get changed.” Avery was already wearing her bikini underneath so she was fine to get everything ready for Ophelia. She poured them each a glass of wine, keeping the bottle nearby. When she was done, she stripped off her clothes and stepped in, making sure everything was just right, and waited for Ophelia to join her, her arms wide open for Ophelia to slip right into. Ophelia 

Ophelia forgot that in order to go get ready for the previously mentioned hot tub time, she would need to move out of her extremely comfortable spot on Avery's lap. But, she got herself to do it, with the comfort of the knowledge that she could probably crawl onto her lap at any time. 

She changed into her light blue bikini and emerged from the house, adjusting the little bows at her hips to make sure they wouldn't slip down. Once her eyes landed on Avery, her bright smile crossed her face. "Oh, wow," She breathed, still not able to process just how perfect this night was going. The way that Avery had set everything up, the effort she made for her, she was more grateful than she would ever be able to express. 

A gentle breeze pushed by her, carrying the slightly chilly pacific air, which only propelled her to the warmth and comfort a little more. As soon as she was in the water, she made her way over to Avery's open arms, standing between her legs as she pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. In one more attempt to express her gratitude, she said gently, pushing Avery's hair from her face. "I haven't had a birthday this amazing in so long. Thank you."

Avery

Avery immediately wrapped her arms around Ophelia and returned her kiss. “You’re welcome.” Avery would do it over and over again to see Ophelia this happy. It was all she wanted and well worth the effort. She pulled her onto her lap and held her there, her chin resting on Ophelia’s shoulder as they sat in the heated tub, watching the ocean waves hit the sand before rescinding again. 

Everything was perfect. 

“I’m really happy,” she suddenly whispered, pressing kisses along Ophelia’s neck again. “I don’t remember the last time I was this happy. I don’t even remember the last time I felt this alive or connected to anyone.” She spent so much of her life alone and travelling that she didn’t even really stop to enjoy it. It had become a full and never ending cycle until she moved here—until she met Ophelia. She pressed a kiss to Ophelia’s cheek. “You make me happy.”

Ophelia 

Ophelia got comfortable in her spot once more, overwhelmed with the contentment and ease that washed over her. She rest her head against Avery's cheek, her fingertips drawing idle lines on her arms, following the speed of the tides they watched. 

When Avery spoke, Ophelia was brought pack to the present and listened intently. Each word she said resonated deep, deep within her. She got along with people fine, she had friends, but she's always felt isolated, like she was on a tiny island with no way off. 

She turned to look at Avery, smiling tenderly as she felt her lips touch her cheek. "Same," She said gently, her eyes connecting with Avery's. Though it was only one word, it carried everything she felt with ease. "You make me," She began, pressing a kiss to Avery's cheek, "So happy." She pressed another to Avery's lips, and smiled gently up at her, "Not a jellyfish anymore."

Avery

Avery smiled as Ophelia peppered her with kisses, barely able to believe that this was all real. Yet she was holding her warm and soft body, able to touch as much as she wished. “Definitely not a jellyfish anymore,” Avery agreed with a soft smile before she leaned forward and captured Ophelia’s lips with her own. Her hands moved on their own, pulling her impossibly closer—so close that Avery wondered if Ophelia could feel her heartbeat pounding against her chest. In the moment, it beat loudly and proudly for her… And if she was lucky, it would continue like this forever.

[amberjazmyn]

you stayed ("whenever you're ready baby girl" alt ending)

𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓮 - you stayed ("whenever you're ready baby girl" alt ending)

𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 - happy ending, girl dad x misha, terminal illness, crying, flashbacks

𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓻𝓲𝓹𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 - whilst misha and elouisa collins' eldest little girl always seemed to draw the short straw in her life, what if she actually survived and beat her cancer? what if she actually never died after the new york supernatural convention? what if she made it to her tenth birthday and every other birthday after that? what if her short straws began to grow back healthy again in the same way she had? what if she got to see her dad's final season five years later?

𝓪𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓻'𝓼 𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓮 - the original version of this was for kian egan from westlife and because i have also done it for misha i need to also come out with the part two alternate ending. i know she's nine in the first part and five years after that would make her like fourteen but, i'm gonna lowkey bump her age up to eighteen due to the conventions they had after coronavirus cleared up. so even though the original timeline is season ten which would line up with her being fourteen when the show came to its end, i wanna make her newly turn eighteen so sorry for being confusing but that's why she's older by more than five or so years. no song will be used in this but flashbacks from the original one-shot will be in italics, present in normal font and like the original, it'll be written in lowercase.

masterlist read part one here!

- - -

willow collins was eight-years-old when she was diagnosed with cancer. she already wasn't considered a "normal kid" because of who were parents, misha collins and elouisa collins are. however, the moment the young girl and her parents heard the news of the heartbreaking diagnosis, they knew exactly how the press and other kids willow's age would react. to the other kids and everyone else, not only did willow's parents and their fame make the girl weird but her new cancer diagnosis made her even weirder and as though she was an exhibit in a museum.

when willow was nine-years-old when her dad and his supernatural cast were starting their season ten convention circuit before going on hiatus before the next season, there was a moment. during the first of five conventions in new york, chicago, hawaii, houston and dallas that everyone, including willow herself, thought she wasn't going to make it through the entire day and wake up the next morning. but, she did wake up the next morning. she opened her eyes the next morning and cried out for her daddy who was in new york. in a rage of emotions, danneel ackles, who is the wife of misha's castmate jensen ackles, rang misha in a frenzy of her own emotions.

thinking the worst, misha was mere seconds away from dropping everything at new york's auditorium. that was until he heard the very voice he had thought, imagined, he would never hear again. he then stopped for a moment and took that as his chance to just breathe. his little girl was alive and she was okay.

willow's pov | flashback to cancer diagnosis

i could tell my parents felt like the walls in the doctor's office was closing in on them. they, like me, never imagined to be getting this news. after all, it was just supposed to be just another regular hospital trip for me, eight-year-old willow collins.

whilst i wasn't in the office with my parents, whilst my doctor, dr phelps, told them, i could still hear them. especially when it's realised that the hospital is never as soundproof as one thinks, "...mr collins? misha, did you hear what i just told you?" dr phelps questioned my dad, who until now had never really called him by his first name as dad responded after blinking a couple of times

"no, sorry, what did you say? could you please repeat that?" it was obvious that dad was still so far away from dr phelps' office mentally, doing his best to not tune out a second time since it was important news that dr phelps was telling my parents

"i was saying that, with willow's recent diagnosis of terminal cancer, she can still try chemotherapy and maybe a little bit of radiotherapy but we are not certain that it'll work in the way it usually would if we had seen it earlier..."

ahh, yes, i could see the wheels in my dad's head start to turn as he realised what the conversation was about. his eldest daughter, me, had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and were having a conversation about the roads of treatment for me. and just how successful they could be for a small eight-year-old who had many ailments before this new one. as i watched from the waiting room, i could tell that dad could feel a cry building in his throat, mom also feeling it as well, holding his hand tightly as i knew they both wished they were anywhere but in dr phelps' office at this moment.

i watched as dad continued the conversation, "...ah, umm, so, theoretically speaking, if our daughter...willow, was to undergo a round or couple of chemotherapy and maybe radiotherapy, how long would you say we'd have her with us, realistically?" dad gulped as i watched the way he fiddled with the scrunched up tissue in his palm as he squeezed mom's hand with his other hand

dr phelps paused before he continued, "now, mr collins, i really couldn't tell you because this is so new and so late in finding the cancer in willow's system that we truly have no idea how long it could potentially prolong her life but, once the chemo and radiotherapy do start, then we can start estimating things like that..." dr phelps responded as i could tell that dad felt his heart shatter

mom feeling like she was holding all of his heart and hers together. dad's face almost crumbling as he then turned away from the dr when he caught a glimpse of me. which i quickly turned my head to make it seem as though i was in conversation with my uncles jared and jensen, who had lovingly put their hands up to take care of me whilst uncle rob and uncle rich put their hand up to take care of my baby siblings, west and maison.

hesitating to turn his head back around, he quickly did so before continuing on, making me turn to look back at my parents and dr phelps, "...she doesn't deserve this..." hearing my dad so heartbroken and his voice so croaky from his tears was not something i'd ever heard before as he brought his tissue up to cover his face, mom comforting him whilst dr phelps sighed solemnly

"...no, she doesn't misha, no one her age does. she's so young but, unfortunately, these things happen and it's absolutely cruel but i promise, we'll do everything we can to make sure your little girl has the best chance of surviving and beating her cancer since she was so strong during all of her other surgeries and ailments," dr phelps was confident in the idea that once again, i was going to survive another diagnosis

but heartbreakingly, i could tell mom and dad thought otherwise and it seemed as though, in my eyes, i too thought the same thing as my parents.

as mom, dad and dr phelps continued to chat, i silently slipped my hands into both of uncle jared and uncle jensen's hands since i was sat in the middle of them. i was absolutely terrified and it didn't take a genius for uncle jared and uncle jensen to figure it out either and the looks we shared with each other weren't as helpful as we hoped they'd be.

present time

as i remebered the day i was diagnosed, i remembered that i didn't cry like i had imagined myself i would have. because if you know my family well, most especially my dad as well as my uncle jared, we're literally the definition of crybabies. like, to the point where it's been mentioned in interviews before that my dad is so emotional and fragile that he cries at the opening of a hat and that uncle jared is very similar that is also a crier. so the fact i didn't cry after my cancer diagnosis is something i'm just realising years later at nearly nineteen years old and that's insane to me. completely insane because at eighteen, nearly nineteen, i'm still the crybaby that i was until my cancer diagnosis.

right now, i was hanging out with my younger sister maison. she was only three, an actual toddler, when i was going through the cancer and it's something that she genuinely does not remember well whereas our brother, west, who was four, has some lingers of memories here and there. i have been told though that there are times that she does have vague memories and it makes her really upset and panicky. but what makes her upset and panicky is because she can't remember everything about it, only small little pieces of it. since then, mom and dad did try for another baby but, unfortunately they weren't able to and they miscarried so it's still just me, westy and maison but that's okay. but, going back to hanging out with maison, we were literally just getting ready to head out for a surf since i could drive and had my own car now. and, because of that, i could drive us down since both mom and dad were at work, nan (dad's mum) taking care of west for the day. everything was completely fine and happy as maison and i got ready separately (not so obviously as we usually do except for when we're getting ready for the beach) but, as i was taking a bit longer, maison had knocked on my door to check in on me. i was no longer fine and happy. as i slipped on my bikini and reached up to grab my wetsuit, i had caught a glimpse of all my scars and my porthole where i would get my chemo put in. it was really the first time i had seen it since i had been named in remission and by every technicality, cancer-free. and i hadn't realised how traumatising and ugly the scars and porthole actually was until this moment. the moment which i actually took a moment to stop and look at it after actively avoiding my glance from it for so many years.

and i cried.

i cried my eyes out nearly nine whole years after my initial diagnosis.

i hadn't cried this much or this hard i don't think since i had told aunty danneel, uncle jensen's wife, that i thought i was going to die during the first convention in new york of supernatural's season ten convention circuit. and obviously, hearing maison knock on my door meant that she had heard me break down into tears. and usually, similar to dad and mom, but especialy dad, i'd usually try to hide it in front of my brother and sister, especially maison. but, this time, i just couldn't. not because i couldn't control my tears but because i needed to stop hiding my emotions from my younger siblings.

after her knock, i heard her voice and it made me smile, "...you okay willow?" she asked as i tearfully giggled, wiping my hand underneath my nose

"you can come in if that's what you're asking maison, my door's unlocked," i tearfully chuckled as i turned away slightly from the door and looked back at myself in my full-length mirror

i then heard my door slightly creek open as maison walked in. she then noticed me in the mirror and her face fell as she saw my tear-stained face. immediately, she rushed over and pulled me in for a hug as she quickly noticed what it was that i was staring at in my reflection. my porthole and other scars being the first thing that started maison's memories of me having cancer whilst she was a toddler.

and then, the next thing she said was the utmost sweetest thing in the world and made me cry even more, "don't let those scars upset you anymore, willow. because they're the reason why i can hug my older sister every day! you may think it's ugly but, i don't. i see them as the reason why you're still alive and got to watch me and westy grow up ! if it's making you so upset to look at it in your bikini, which i think you great in by the way willow, we don't have to go surfing today if it's making you feel a bit icky to do so. we could just instead go for a walk along the beach and go surfing over the weekend with mom, dad and west?" maison sincerely asked as she didn't let me go out of her hug as i smiled, shocked at how this little kid, my little sister was so emotionally intelligent

pulling back out of the hug, tears still streaming down my cheeks but for happier reasons this time, i nodded my head, "that sounds perfect maison, thank you, baby girl! you are such a sweetheart and i love you so much, sweetheart. of course, we can go for a walk on the beach and then go surfing with the family over the weekend. i'll just throw some clothes over the top of my bikini and then we can hit the road, that sound okay maison?" i asked after thanking my sister as she nodded her head, swiftly leaving my room without another question as i then threw on a pair of linen pants and a halter crochet top before grabbing my phone

meeting maison downstairs as she handed me a pair of flip flops, my car keys and handbag, we said farewell to our nan and west. we then got into my car and we drove down to secret beach.

flashback | willow's pov

it was the first of five conventions in different states for supernatural's season ten convention circuit and they were in new york when i thought i'd not wake up the next day. it was during the day that aunty danneel was looking after me when i genuinely thought my life support machine and my body was going to go awol and that i wasn't going to wake up the next morning. i was aboslutely terrified to close my eyes, worried that if i did, i wouldn't wake up tomorrow. suddenly remembering all the other times i was tired and knowing that i'd wake up the next morning. however, more recently, falling asleep and just closing my eyes has been scary for me.

shaking with worry, i reached over to grab aunty danneel's hand which she immediately grabbed, "what's wrong, love?" she asked without hesitation as i tried to calm down as best as i could

"i...i'm so scared to fall asleep, dee. what...what if i don't wake up tomorrow morning?" i whispered fearfully as aunty danneel softened as she held my hand, squeezing it tightly

"oh, darling. don't be scared, i'll stay here, awake with you all night and make sure nothing bad happens to you throughout the night. you are safe sweetpea, aunty danneel's got you!" she whispered as i nodded my head but still didn't want to close my eyes

however, with some more encouragement from aunty danneel and her singing my favourite radio company album, we managed to get me to close my eyes and fall asleep. just hoping, praying, that i was going to be able to open my eyes the next morning.

and i did. i opened my eyes the next morning.

and i cried out for my dad, enough though i knew he wasn't here in austin.

and in a flurry of her own emotions, aunty danneel rushed to grab her phone and ring him.

and i just knew he was ready to drop everything, thinking the worst. ready to leave new york's auditorium when he heard the one voice i think he also thought, imagined, he wouldn't hear again.

i was still alive.

present time | 2022

finally, after what felt like forever, and the hell that was the coronavirus pandemic and constant lockdowns, supernatural was finally able to finish filming and it had aired and conventions were finally safe enough again to do at full capacity. so, here the entire supernatural family were at the dallas auditorium in dallas, texas and it was an emotional moment, that's for sure. and it wasn't just because we were finally able to have conventions again. but because i was eighteen, an age that no one thought i'd be able to reach because of the cancer that i was now in complete remission from. and, it was also actually the anniversary of my first diagnosis back when i was eight years old and i was now eighteen. so, i just knew that at some point in the convention, most likely before or during his panel with uncles jared and jensen that dad was going to talk about it. and then get very emotional over it which would then get me emotional over it all over again.

and, who would've though, i was correct? however, i did not think it would have my dad inviting me up on stage before his panel with uncle jared and jensen but, in all honesty, i didn't care. i grew up with the supernatural fans so i wasn't uncomfortable on the stage so, i went along with it.

smiling, i walked on stage and over to my dad, sitting in the middle of him and uncle jared. getting smooshed into a j2m sandwich has honestly always been my favourite thing about having my dad as part of the cast. even at the age of eighteen, i still enjoyed all the hugs the same way i did when i was a little kid.

dad then grabbed my hand, grabbing the attention of the entire audience. still giving me a shock at how easily he and my supernatural uncles could control the audience. he then introduced his speech before the next question.

"...hey dallas, we still have y'alls attention?!" dad queries, making me giggle as the audience cheer at his question

giving me a smile, he then continues  as the fans waiting for the q&a and to ask them wait patiently, "so, as everyone possibly already knows, this is my eldest daughter, willow, who is eighteen years old..." he trails off as shock ripples through the crowd which makes us all laugh

and that included me too. because, i truly also sometimes forget that i am eighteen.

"...i know, it's crazy to say i have an eighteen-year-old too so, don't worry, it's just as shocking for me as it is for you guys! but umm, that's not the reason why i invited her on stage. the reason why i invited willow on the stage with us for our panel is that, on this very day when she was eight years old, we were told that willow had cancer..." he trailed off as i smiled softly and squeezed his hand tighter as he smiled back, uncle jensen, uncle jared and uncle rob moving closer by as well

taking a deep breath, dad continued, "...and for a while, we didn't think willow would make it through the very beginning, the first convention of our five conventions throughout new york, chicago, hawaii, houston and right here in dallas during our season ten convention circuit back in 2014 after she had turned nine. because, during this time, it seemed as though willow's chemo was not effective anymore. it was during this first convention in new york 2014/15 that she thought she wasn't going to wake up the next morning. i remember because like i already mentioned, we were doing the first of five conventions starting in new york for the celebration of season ten and i got a phone call from danneel, jensen's wife. and immediately, i thought she'd be on the other line in absolute hysterics telling me that willow had died but, she hadn't. she had rung me up because willow had woken up and had cried out for me. hearing my daughter's voice that day, just as i was ready to drop everything and leave new york for my daughter. to then hear that she was okay and that she was still alive was all i needed to know that she was getting better. and that maybe, just maybe, she'd recover and be okay again..." dad once again trailed off as it started to get way too emotional as i smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed as the crowd stayed in utter silence

which is probably why i felt a little bit uncomfortable at the same time. since, they are usually never, the supernatural fans, this quiet when my dad and uncles are on stage.

"...so, for the rest of this panel, willow will remain on stage and if you have any questions for her, feel free to ask them," dad finished explaining and he only had a couple tears streaming down his cheeks as we had a group hug before the questions and panel formally started

like dad already mentioned, i stayed on stage for the rest of the panel and got to get asked and answer some  fan questions which was super cool. and it felt magical and so surreal to be on this side of the stage since i was almost always in the audience when mom and i were at conventions. having the privilege to even be alive and be in complete remission from my cancer. 

then, after i answered a fans question, dad raised his microphone to his mouth and spoke up again. revealing some news that we had only just found out this very morning to the point that, i don't even think he had told uncle jensen, uncle jared and uncle rob or the rest of the attending cast. 

dad smiled brightly as he got everyone's attention as he announced the news, "...this morning, we found out the best news in regards to willow and her cancer. we got told this morning that she is finally in complete remission and has been said to be cancer-free!" he smiled tearfully as i turned around in my chair to see how uncle jensen, uncle jared and uncle rob reacted and it made me teary-eyed

giving me the answer that this was the first time they had been told as well. uncle jared, uncle jensen and uncle rob then hopped off their seats and pulled us in for a group hug in which i started to cry. in pure joy that i was healthy again, my cancer is finally gone and i didn't have to be constantly in the hospital anymore.

the panel then finished and rob and the rest of louden swain began singing the exit song, singing it directly towards me. we then all rushed off so the next actors could come up and do their panel. 

 °∘❉∘°

the convention had finally finished for the day and as we relaxed and enjoyed each other's company, i got a notification saying that dad had posted to his instagram. and i just knew instantly what it was he had posted about. he had been saying all day that he had wanted to also make an instagram post, announcing that i was officially in complete remission and cancer-free. so, he did. 

liked by willowcollins, elouisacollins,  jaredpadalecki jensenackles, ruthie_connell, alexandercalvert and 777k others

misha when willow was eight-years-old, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, the uncertainty of her survival. however, all these years later and i have an eighteen-year-old, nearly nineteen, who i got to see reach all of her special milestones. like her tenth birthday, her high school graduation, her eighteenth and soon her nineteenth. she also got to see her brother west and sister maison birthdays, all of their births and will be healthy enough to watch them grow up even more and watch them reach their special milestones. my daughter stayed and it is the biggest joy to say that willow is now in complete remission and cancer-free! i love you so much, willow storm collins. and if i had to watch you go through cancer all over again, i would do it. because it reminded me of truly how special and irreplaceable you are. you were me and mommy's first baby and our first daughter. you know we would do everything and anything to make sure you were your happiest, your healthiest and your best. and i truly do believe that this next season in your life, with you cancer-free and no longer in hospitals constantly, you'll be truly successful in every single thing you wish to do with your life! you are such a strong girl and even though you always say it was me, mom, west and maison as the reasons why you stayed, i truly believe that it was you that made yourself stay. and that it was you that gave you the strength to push through. dad loves you willow, thank you for staying 🤍

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willowcollins i love you so much, daddy! i am truly so grateful to be cancer-free! and don't thank me for staying, of course i'd stay 🤍

misha willowcollins i love you more baby girl and i know you're grateful and so am i 🤍

elouisacollins these photos of our little girl! i cannot believe she's nearly nineteen 🤍

misha elouisacollins i know right? it makes me feel so old, like, we nearly have a nineteen-year-old!

jaredpadalecki i swear to god, we need to stop telling each other things for the first time during conventions! but, in all seriousness, it brings me so much happiness that willow is cancer-free!

misha jaredpadalecki lol, we really do! and it brings me so much happiness as well, getting that phone call from dr phelps was like a dream come true!

jensenackles still in shock that willow's cancer free! 

misha jensenackles i'm still in shock too 

ruthie_connell best news ever, misha! hearing that willow's cancer-free was truly the highlight of the entire evening!

misha ruthie_connell i agree! i had moments where i just wanted to scream it out way earlier in the panel but i knew i couldn't!

alexandercalvert this is great news misha and elouisa! i'm so glad that willow is finally cancer-free! it seems as though that time from eight years old to eighteen/nineteen has been a whirlwind for you all but also somewhat of a fever dream!

misha alexandercalvert i know! so am i, it's been a long, windy road but, i'm glad we've finally reached the end of it! 

liked by misha, elouisacollins, danneelackles ,genpadalecki, robenedict, dicksp8jrand 777k others

willowcollins life since being cancer-free 🤍

~

being a survivor of childhood cancer, amongst other things throughout my life, i knew i wanted to stay and stay alive the moment i was told i had the "big c". since entering complete remission and getting labelled cancer-free, i've graduated high school, i've travelled back and forth between the states and canada. i've turned eighteen, i've gone on nights out with my parents and supernatural uncles and aunties (only to drink mocktails, please, i'm not twenty-one yet). i've gone to concerts and conventions with my cousins and i've surfed. i've been able to live my life in ways that i hadn't been able to do in years and i didn't have to worry about the scars, i didn't have to worry about being tired, i didn't have to worry about the fear of simply closing my eyes and if they'd open the next morning. i've been able to take care of and hang out with my brother and sister west and maison, i've seen them grow up, from when west was four and when maison was three  when i was first diagnosed to when cousins of mine came along later on when i was recovering, to their handsome and gorgeous selves now. when i was battling cancer, i couldn't do the things i can do now. i couldn't surf, i couldn't drink (i mean, that was because i was underage the majority of the time and still am), i couldn't go into physical school and had to do it all online when i wasn't violently ill, i couldn't travel back and forth between the states and canada. i couldn't have an extravagant ninth or tenth for that matter, and i couldn't go to conventions with my supernatural cousins. when i had cancer, i was constantly riddled with the fear and anxiety of not being able to live another day because of how tired, sore and exhausted i was. having to see but also hear your parents, most especially your dad, cry and not being able to help them other than offer a hand or a soft smile for comfort was agonising. the number of times i watched my dad cry as he sat in the same hospital chair over and over again just to make sure i was still breathing through the night is no longer countable since he had done it so many times. the number of times i had to watch my uncles and aunties cry as they also sat and watched to make sure i was still alive throughout the day is immeasurable. thankfully, i didn't have to see my brother and sister or cousins cry a lot, especially because west and maison three and four at the beginning and the other cousins weren't around then. but, at the same token, it makes me feel sick to think about the times when the other cousins were around that they did cry during my cancer battle and i wasn't there to tell them that everything was going to be okay. but now, whenever they do cry or they are upset, i can be there for them straight away. and it was all because i stayed alive and i didn't let myself have my family go through the agony of having to live without me. because i couldn't do that to them, no way.

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misha i love you, more than words can describe willow! you strong, brave girl!

willowcollins misha i love you most daddy! and i'm only strong because of you and mom

elouisacollins crying my eyes out reading this!

willowcollins elouisacollins i cried writing this, believe it or not!

danneelackles512 hearing your dad announce during the panel that you're finally cancer-free after completing complete remission is the best news to hear!

willowcollins danneelackles512 i genuinely had no idea that he hadn't told you guys yet! so seeing how everyone all reacted made me cry!

genpadalecki i'm still screaming over the news that you're finally cancer-free!

willowcollins genpadalecki so am i aunty gen! it's the best feeling ever!

robenedict i am so beyond relieved that you are cancer-free, sweet willow! i remember when i first met you when you were just a little baby and now you're a glowing eighteen-year-old

willowcollins robenedict aw, thank you stormy! i am relieved too and thank you again!

dicksp8jr i'm so glad you're cancer-free willow!

willowcollins dicksp8jr so am i! i cannot believe it sometimes!

- - -

this was so much fun to write and i am so glad i got to give it a happy ending when the original was so depressing and yes, i know i fucked up the timeline when i originally wrote it on wattpad but, i don't care cause what if this is the one i'm calling canon and the original is the alternate ending? nah jokes, i didn't realise i fucked up the timeline until about halfway through and decided to stick with the changed timeline until i fixed it over here on tumblr!

ok ily bye xx

wc; 5551

[straightouttatheashes]

Illusion

DWC 2022 (November) DAY 2 - ORBIT/ILLUSION

---

( Set within Year Two of the timeskip ) The Brightfall Estate was full of life that afternoon. Numerous guests, servants and family friends ( which Phe wasn’t ever sure existed ) roamed the halls, chatting with Cirel and enjoying the small banquet they were hosting. She’d never seen it that busy before...so many people coming and going, genuinely seeming to enjoy each other’s company. Cirel was all smiles and hearty laughter, despite his very weakened state.  It was a breath of fresh air.... And a reality that she knew had never come to pass. “Dispel it.” Pheonix whispered to her brother, and he side-glanced her - golden eyes now slightly dim.  “Are you sure?” She sighed and her gaze shifted to him for just a moment, the strain apparent in his expression as he kept up the illusion in front of them that swept over the entire estate, including out to the beautiful gardens and walkways where guests continued to roam. “...Yeah. Before your head pops or something.” A soft chuckle was added, trying to lighten the mood as her brother scoffed, though didn’t protest. He hadn’t been performing strong illusions like this one for long....he was quite out of practice.  Slowly, Pheonix watched as everything around them disappeared, beyond the quiet and empty walls of their former estate. She watched as Cirel’s conversation dimmed down, and the man he had been talking to faded out of sight...along with their father. Servants soon just became faint traces of magic, lingering in the air, before they too disappeared completely. Both siblings stood in silence, unsure of what to say.  “....It’s exactly how I thought it would have been.” Pheonix mumbled softly. “Felt like...I was really there, y’know?” Leaning against a pillar, she glanced back inside from where they’d been standing out on the patio - the gardens in front of them the only remainder of the reality Aeriden had been controlling moments ago. “Oh, I don’t know. I probably shouldn’t have added a few certain guests...” Her brother smirked, a hint to one of the Lord’s that the two clearly thought was a bit pompous for his own good - but was once a good friend of their father’s.  “Hey...it was all pretend right? Least we didn’t actually have to deal with his ass.” Phe laughed...and then that laughter died out. Pretend.  They had to pretend... “I really thought dad was gonna be around for his birthday this year...” She couldn’t help but let a crack in her voice escape - trying her best to force any emotions away. Aeriden didn’t need to see her cry.  “I know.” His hand moved to her shoulder, and he pulled his sister in for a gentle hug. “Do you remember how happy he looked at your wedding though? I know you weren’t there when I took him to Dalaran with me...but he was estatic knowing that I’d be studying there. I think all he wanted, was to see us happy in our own lives.” Pheonix was quiet for a moment, before she pressed herself into her brother, hugging him tightly. “It sucks. It feels...weird that we’re not gonna come back to this. Nothing’s gonna be like it was and we’d just...I dunno? Fixed it..”

Aeriden’s gaze slowly lifted out towards the gardens. Memories of their childhood, of his teenage and adult years flooded his mind. “I know.” He repeated again. They’d already emptied the estate of any valuables, sharing them between each other. Pheonix and Barry had made preparations, and had already found their own place - it’s location unknown to him. Like his new place in Dalaran was unknown to them, for now at least. His business had been sold, and the estate put up for sale.  They’d only taken a small amount of time that day, to come back and relive a celebration that unfortunately would never happen. Perhaps they needed that, though. A last moment of closure and rememberance for what could have been. As Pheonix had said, her brother had made the illusion so close to a time where things would have been normal. For a short time, at least.  “We’re gonna see you next week...right?” After a moment, Pheonix spoke again, breaking Aeriden from his thoughts. “Course. Same time in Dalaran. Is Barry coming?” He looked down at his sister with a small smile. “Should be. You know he won’t miss out on a chance to get on your nerves.” She grinned back at him, stepping away now and quickly wiping her eyes free of any tears that happened to escape. Pull it together.

“Oh, I bet.” Aeriden rolled his eyes. “Have a safe trip home. I’ll message you tomorrow.”

Phe nodded, giving him a pat on the arm before turning to head back inside - one last walk through the estate before she left it behind for good. “Oh!” She paused briefly in the doorway, glancing back to address her brother once more. “Thanks...Aeri.”

“...You’re welcome, Phe.”

@daily-writing-challenge​

[robbiemd]

Ez-chan's Name Day

So, today's Ez-chan's birthday so I decided to put a little surprise to show her my appreciation.

The day started with the Vietnamese ca phe and Choc-nut puncakes that I prepared for us to enjoy while watching Yowamushi Pedal. We waited for a few while until my phone rang signifying the arrival of the sunflower bouquet that I pre-ordered for today.

"Thank you! Magkano 'to?"

Whenever I give her presents, she always responds with these. First, for appreciation. Second, to know how much I spent for the gifts because she doesn't want me to be spending a lot for her.

"Mura lang 'yan." I told her.

She then started to browse for the flowers online. Ultimately, she knew how much it really was. I really can't hide anything from her hehe.

Come afternoon, we ordered pizza and pasta from Gino's. She also booked a whole a** sans rival to complete the celebration. I also gave her a new mechanical keyboard to reciprocate the gift that she gave me for our anniversary.

Happy birthday, Ez-chan! You're well-loved and I'm really proud of you.

3 November 2022 19:22 Quezon City, PH

[hoshinoemiko]

..not weakness

Happy Birthday Ada!!!・:ﾟ*:・・・:ﾟ*・・

[everandevermcre]

⌠ diana silvers. 25, sexually fluid, cis-female, she/her. ⌡ wait a minute, is ophir ' phe ' spiegel still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (developing film, excessive amounts of plaid, and eyes rolled)! last i heard they were working as a(n) funeral home receptionist nearby. when it’s the (scorpio)’s birthday on 11/11 i forget that they’re mean and celebrate that they’re quirky. i hear hot girl bummer by blackbear every time i think of them. ⌿ // @liminalintro​

the baby of the family with an attitude to boot . she is the youngest of a relatively well - off family . she watched her oldest sibling , her brother levi , opt out of his parent’s wealth . he worked for everything he wanted . sometimes that seemed like the high road , others it seemed silly not to take up the only leg up you get in life . she would antagonize him nonetheless . 

their parents weren’t around much due to work . she and her siblings each had to bare that grievance in whatever way they could see fit . you can guess how phe took it based on the fact that she resents having to share a birthday week with her older sister no matter how much she loves her . zibby is the life of the party . it always makes it feel like zibby’s party . phe learned a long time ago to get over birthdays . it’s just another day to her now , barely remembering to even wish a happy one to her siblings until it pops up on the calendar . 

the spiegels lived in centralia because it was the dirt cheapest place in proximity to philadelphia . that was reason enough despite centralia’s quirks and less - than - ideal living conditions . 

while her brother studied , phe got by with good grades without trying . things came naturally to her in a way that made up for the laziness she had otherwise acquired . it is probably the quality she gets the most grief from her family about . 

both intelligence and temper run in the family so it makes sense that phe is easily irritable . similarly to her brother , she doesn’t make friends easily . she’s pretty much stopped trying altogether . unlike levi , she wasn’t too busy . the effort simply did not match the outcome . 

she smokes because it’s comforting . she smokes because everyone smoked at the restaurant she worked at one summer . it was a good way to make acquaintances and almost - friends in school because she’d met them in the smoker’s section . it was an introverts dream come true , a social faux pas she could rely on to connect with people here and there to avoid isolation . 

anxiety does not hinder this spiegel , but then again she does worry about having to live up to expectations . it always felt like her parents left a very small margin for error , a line phe was left treading her whole life . she made a point to get away with as much line - crossing as she could while her parents stayed distracted by her siblings accomplishments and lack thereof . this taught her to tread lines with others , remembering that small margins for error make it hard to trust attaching yourself to anyone , especially when error feels preferable at this point of monotony . 

both levi and zibby followed clear cut paths . both of them found something they had passion in pursuing . ophir could never relate to that . they were a doctor and a marine biologist , respectively . how could she even compete? zibby may have punched out a few kids on ophir’s behalf , but she still came out the other side with a degree . that made any and all previous mistakes forgiveable . the only thing ophir had going for her was being the baby , which meant regardless of her lack of financial stability , social status , or social success , she is supported . 

will tell you what she’s thinking regardless of if you like it or not

is very sarcastic

has an attitude regardless of who you are or whether you deserve it

stays jaded

has not come out to her family

her brother and sister are the most important people in her life 

has fallen in love once and it was with a film camera

takes pictures around the grounds of centralia often

turned her bathroom into a dark room for developing film

does not share her photography despite wishing to make a living out of it

[shcwclf-archive]

mila — phe

mila: hey! happy birthday! Sorry I didn't end up making it. I totally told bowie I would but uh, it's been a bit of a crazy day.

mila: hope you have a wonderful night though! freya has a little something for you, she'll bring it in next week.

[danksimstho]

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Johnny invited Ophelia, Ripp, Chloe, Lola, Pascal, Lazlo, Vidcund, and River Smith, but only Ophelia, Ripp, and River showed up. It was a small party, but his Mom and Dad we’re there. Jill was loving the party, not letting herself think about Johnny’s approaching departure.

After spending time cavorting with his family Johnny went out to the porch and found his guests. He chatted with Ripp and Ophelia on the porch while River went on in and danced with Jill.

Eventually Johnny had to vent all his nervous energy so he asked Ripp to dance. He was paying particular attention to Ripp since he was planning on moving in with Ophelia in college, so he knew this time with Ripp was important.

They played video games and Johnny was awesome with them as always. Ripp never complained about not knowing the game, he just smiled along and enjoyed playing with his friend.

Ophelia had just gotten a big style change, thanks to moving on campus. She had a bit of her aunt’s money to rent out student housing and she already used some of it on hair extensions and getting someone to braid them. Johnny and Ripp thought she looked so hot they were almost intimidated. She had also reached a growth spurt and was tall and fierce. She looked so confident you couldn’t tell she had bad anxiety and was worried about why her boyfriend was seemingly distancing from her.

“Are you gonna miss your sister?”

“Yeah, I might miss her most of all. Who’s gonna pick on her if I’m not around? Who’s gonna stick up for her? Who’s gonna teach her all the stuff a big brother does? I hope they invite me over often.”

“You’re gonna miss her more than me?” Ripp asked. “You bet your sorry ass I am! She’s my sister! I love her to bits!”

“I’m sure its gonna be hard on her without you. I know its gonna be harder on me and Buck now that Tank’s off to college.”

“Tank went to college? Where to?”

“La Fiesta Tech.”

“Damn, that’s the same one me and Phe are going to. I’ll probably see him around, then.”

“Well at least you’re in student housing, so he won’t be at your dorm.”

“True.”

The party ended and the guests went home, so Johnny hugged his father goodbye and Jenny waved him off as Ophelia joined him in the taxi.

“I’m so happy you’re here.” Said Ophelia. “I was really nervous living on my own. I’m not used to the quiet. It’s so much warmer in this house, I haven’t shivered in my sleep. There’s not much in the house but I’d still like to show you where everything is.”

“Sure babe. I think I’m gonna love living here. I mean, you’re here, right? What could be better?”

“Just check out the rug under the bed! I know how you love sports cars…”

She lead Johnny to the bedroom and showed him where she put everything, then she brought him to the bathroom and showed him his toothbrush.

“Dear Diary” He began. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? It’s been so long that I aged up and moved out to college. I’m in my first semester at La Fiesta Tech and I’m living with my highschool girlfriend, Ophelia. You remember her. After Ophelia stepped up her look I decided to wear something less baggy. “This sounds silly but I didn’t want people to think I was her loser boyfriend. There’s another alien here, I caught sight of her on campus. She had short black hair and long winged eyeliner. Even more strange, she had alien eyes. But it’s Strangetown, or well, near it anyway. The campus on a whole seems pretty Liberal, comprised of a fair amount of counter-cultural students. I think I’ll fit in great here, although I might need to set up a better space for outdoor parties.

“Whenever we get the chance I think I’d like to go clubbing. There’s a lot of community lots around here for the students to gather and I love meeting new people. Plus, there’s dancing, and I’m wild about that. “I heard there was a breakdancing club somewhere on campus? Maybe I can get into that at home. These student loans are kind of crushing us, though. I’d love to get a job but there’s not really time for one. Maybe I can write home for some more money.

“I found out mom quit her job on my birthday. How are they gonna take care of Jill with two stay at home parents? At least Dad gets retirement checks. Maybe it’ll be alright.”

Ophelia had loved reading ever since she was a kid, escaping into worlds unknown, then coming out with knowledge she could share with others. She thought Literature would be her perfect Major. She navigated to her school’s home page and registered her major.

“Hey honey I just got done registering my major, have you decided on your yet?”

“Nah but I don’t want biology, that’s for sure.”

“Why not?”

“You know, the students might wanna poke n prod at me.”

“What about literature? That way we can have all the same classes.”

“Mmm… Maybe. It was one of my top picks but I’m just not sure yet.”

“That’s cool, you have time to figure it out. Well, as long as you don’t switch mid-way or later.”

“I’ll try to remember that.”

“So… It’s our first night together in our new house.”

“So it is.”

After they talked some more Johnny invited his mother over to see their new place while Ophelia made dinner. She was so proud of him and happy to see him.

“You’re all grown up now!”

“I know, mom.”

“It seems like yesterday you were my baby boy. You looked like a little green squid, your father and I were so worried, but now you’re all grown and healthy and strong.”

He flexed “Yep, super strong! I can beat up any burglar that comes here!”

“Oh I don’t want to think of any burglars! You both barely have anything to steal.”

“That’s kinda rude mom, we’re trying our best.”

“I know, dear, but you should have at least taken your desk from home.”

“Jill uses it more than I do. I thought you could make use of it. I definitely don’t need another bed, me and Ophelia are sleeping together.”

“Oh I suppose you would. But what about Ripp?”

“Huh?”

“I thought he might move in with you after he goes to college.”

“Well, between you and me mom, he’s kind of failing highschool.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. He’s such a talented boy. It must be all those fights he gets in.”

“Err… Well… He’s not exactly picking the fights. He’s being bullied.”

“Have I heard of this bully?”

“I’d rather not say, mom.”

“Alright, alright, don’t tell your mother anything, see what that get’s ya.”

Johnny rolled his eyes.

“You’re so silly mom.”

“I am. Hey, are you too old for a… tickle monster?!”

Soon enough it got late and Johnny and Ophelia retired to bed. The next morning they were both rested but stayed in eachother’s arms to enjoy the morning.

“This is my ‘Phe’s making me Breakfast’ Dance”

“Sweet moves.”

“Thanks. Whatcha cookin’?”

“Toaster pastries. There’s not much in the cabinets unfortunately.”

“Ah. So It’s Pasta and Pancakes, eh?”

“We’d be lucky to get pancakes.”

“I’m used to my dad’s cooking. He was always really good.”

“I bet he had a lot of time at home to work on those skills.”

“You might be surprised. Alien kids can be a real handful.”

“I hope not. I’d like to have some own of mine someday.”

“You would?”

“Yes, I love children, and I love you.”

“Well, I love children too, but… We should give it time.”

“Ideally we’d finish college first.” She said.

“What about Ripp?”

“Are you asking if I want human babies?”

“No! I mean, if Ripp does move in with us, how will that work with kids?”

“I can’t imagine it would be all that different. Could be better than a two parent household. Three heads are better than one.”

“I don’t know if he want’s any. He’s always struck me as the type who can’t be tied down.”

“He loves kids, Johnny. He’s been looking for a proper family ever since his mom left.”

“You too, huh? I mean, when your family died….”

“I don’t want to talk about that.” She frowned. “Food’s ready.”

“I’m sorry, that was insensitive of me. I shouldn’t bring stuff like that up without a warning.”

“Well I talk about it in therapy. I’m excited to get to see my therapist more, now that I’m paying for it.”

“It’s still your aunt’s money.”

“What she doesn’t know won’t kill her.”

“Thanks for the breakfast, by the way.”

“You’re welcome. Do you wanna cook next time?”

“Sure, I’ll cook supper. I need to get better at cooking for class anyway.”

“I don’t need cooking skill for my classes but it might be good for motherhood.”

“Always thinking ahead, my girlfriend.”

“That’s not true. You keep me in the moment.”

They shared a peck.

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[anakin-skywalker]

happy birthday hayley, I hope you have a lovely day!! 🥳💜

Thanks Phe! 💙💙💙

[hayleykaratan]

Where: Los Globos, Phe’s 30th Birthday Who: @joeljones​

Hayley was so happy she had decided to drag Nic along to this party. It really was all the fun that Bowie had promised in his text messages. She felt awkward that she didn’t exactly know the birthday girl before the night, but Bowie had made it clear that everyone was invited. And it seemed that everyone had in fact turned out. Leaning against the bar, she waited for her two shots to be poured and semi danced to the music blaring over the speakers. It was all throwbacks all night long, but no one could deny dancing for long - especially with some liquid courage. “Alright, you better now wimp out and take these with me!” She called over the music and took the shots in hand, turning around to who she thought was Nic behind her. Instead she smacked into someone else’s chest and spilled a few drops but avoided any real travesty of a spill. “Sorry!” She shouted over the music and looked up at her victim only to find Joel. 

[wed-rings]

“Happy birthday to the cutest little phoenix bird the world will ever see, Phe!”