#i guess I just don't use the menu at the top very often

[tenojan-in-tevinter]

How am I only JUST NOW realizing that there's a change party button at the top of the screen in the year of our lord 2024????? Like how have I missed that this whole time?? You don't have to go back to camp every single time you want to swap party members???

[fridge-reviews]

The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibba

Developer: MorbidWare Publisher: Headup Publishing Rrp: £11.99 (Gog.com, Humblebundle, Steam and Epic) Released: 14th February 2019 Available on: Gog.com, Humblebundle, Steam and Epic Played Using: A keyboard Approximate game length: 8 hours

It's not often I play a typing game, in fact I think the last one was The Typing of The Dead from House of the Dead Overkill. There is a reason for that though, and its not just because there aren't that many out there compared to the many other genres, it's because I'm dyslexic and trying to type while under pressure only makes me mess up even more. And yet I find myself drawn to them, every time I see a game that features typing I always want to give it a go.

This game has you take on the role or Ray Bibba an exorcist who has separated from the Holy Church to become independent. Ray isn't some kindly old priest, if anything he's more akin to a hard grizzled detective from a film noire.

The game gives you an idea of how much typing you'll be doing from the very start, and by very start I mean the starting menu, you have to type the word start correctly before you can even play. The same goes for entering the settings too, while I love the dedication to the theme, I do have to point out that forcing the player to type settings does pose an potential impediment when it comes to accessibility.

You may have noticed that this game is played using only a keyboard (I'm assuming that you've read the details I put at the top of these reviews) which makes sense when you consider it's a game about typing. However, this isn't a game that you can use to improve your typing skills simply because you have to control your character as well, meaning that one hand will almost always be on the arrow keys. Yeah, that's the thing I didn't mention, this game is a boss rush, bullet-hell. Sure, there are brief moments between the bosses where you have to do a small amount research and interact with the story but the meat of the game is the combat with the bosses.

We finally arrive at the combat. As I mentioned earlier this game is a bullet-hell, as such you have to control Ray and try to avoid the various projectiles that will be slung your way. If you do get hit you'll drop your bible (this is will be explained in a moment) and if you get hit again before you pick the bible up you'll lose a point of health. You attack by typing out the verses from you bible, or rather you created a hollet (a holy bullet) with each successfully typed word, once you complete the full verse all your hollets will fire at your enemy and all the projectiles in the area will vanish. As I mentioned earlier, if you get hit you drop your bible, without it you can't type out the words so you absolutely need it. Dropping your bible pose one, rather major, issue... when you drop your bible there's a timer, if you can get to it before the timer runs out you can pick up from where you left off, if you don't though you have to start the entire verse from the very beginning. When typing you have to be careful not to make a mistake, any mistyped letter in a word places you back a letter within that word. For example; if in the word 'Amen' you pressed the wrong letter instead of [N] you'd be set back to [E] and have to retype that. Some of the enemies attacks are designed not to cause injury to Ray but instead make it more difficult for you to type. One of the early enemies in the game vomits in an attempt to cover the words in your bible forcing you to either have to wait for the vomit to clear or guess/remember what you have to type.

Speaking of difficulty, did I mention that some of the verses are in Latin? And not to sound like Columbo but there is one more thing, you have to be within a certain radius of the enemy to be able to perform the exorcism. So not only are you typing with one hand while trying to dodge attacks with the other, you sometimes have to type in Latin which may or may not be obscured or even upside down, you also have to be within a certain (not very large) radius of the enemy in order to be able to type at all.

I enjoyed this game, even if it did drive me a bit batty at times. Let's just say its not dyslexia friendly.

If this appeals to you perhaps try;

Typing of the Dead Overkill Epistory – Typing Chronicles Crypt of the Necrodancer

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If you’d like to support me I have a Ko-fi, the reviews will continue to be posted donation or not.

[guvato]

Tamalog Day 6

We started the day at 7AM, i went to bed and before sleeping i fed everyone, Picochutchi wasn't very hungry but she was bored, so we went to the Arcade and played quite a lot, i played until her Happy bar was full, fed her a Cactus Steak and called the Sitter to look after her while i slept. On the Pix, Haretchi evolved to Himetchi, i was quite surprised cuz i spent all day yesterday waiting for her to evolve, but she only evolved this morning, but hey, no biggie. As soon as Himetchi woke up, we went to the restaurant and she had Pancakes for breakfest, then, we went to the Arcade and since today's theme is nature, we picked some fruits and she flew on the Rocket, i then called the Sitter and went on to wake up Milktchi. Milktchi was quite hungry early in the morning and only had one Cheese Dog left, so we went shopping and bought pretty much everything in the shop, she had 1 Curry and 1 Quiche, then i gave her some pets until she was Maxed out and went to sleep.

Waking up at 1PM, knowing two Tamas were safe with the Sitter, i went straight to the Smart to check on Milktchi, she was Sick, i became extremely worried since i thought i had miscalculated something and y'know, care mistakes are a bad sign, so i went to look and apparently it was due to poop, though her fondness meter was pretty low, enough for her to be sad at the top right corner, her food meter was as 3/6, so i believe her sickness was really due to her pooping while i slept and i took too long to clean it, gotta watch out for that. The rest of the afternoon was pretty chill, i gave them food whenever they were hungry, played a bit with each of them and did my daily prize draw which Himetchi got 1st place and won 200G, we also explored on the Pix and Tama Searched on the Uni, making really good progress on both of em, i also cooked a Hotdog on the Pix using my leg and the arm of a chair, i am trying to take my time with the Pix's features, cooking one food a day and trying to explore once at different locations to also take some photos of many places with different Tamas, it's been really fun. Picochutchi said 2 days jn a row that the Antenna is working fine which is great, i wonder what would happen if it didn't work, she sang a song for me at 5PM which is just too cute and i love it, we also went to the garden where Rinsetchi was hanging around, she played with it a bit and them went on with her day. Milktchi went to TamaWork and did some dancing since we blew all her Gotchi Points with food, and having the money to restock when she goes out of food is a strategy i often employ, just making sure i don't have her eating Onirigi all day cuz i was too lazy to play at the arcade that day, i also discovered today (about 4 months of running the Smart every day mind you) that there IS a Sitter option on the Smart, it's the second option in the Care menu, 'Rusuban' which means roughly 'House-sitting', and oh boy, do i feel bad i didn't know about that sooner.

Come night time, Picochutchi went into the tamaverse, displayed her new outfit and played the first match of the Wave Riding event playing for the Macarón team, which first impressions are really good, probably my favorite TamaVerse game since Dragon Jump, and we placed 1st baby oh yeah, after that we gave our Tama Friends some hearts i left her to do whatever cuz she was doing good already. Himetchi was okay so i let her just chill a bit, just gave her a bath and she cleaned the house, when i least expected it, she went to sleep. Apparently the Pix works from 7AM to 8PM, which aye, fair enough, it has too many things to do so i don't mind them going to sleep pretty early, better too cuz less battery usage i guess? idk. Milktchi had more Curry and some Nikujoga, used the Cleaning Robot to tidy up the house and took a bath, after that she asked me for help to fall asleep and went to sleep. Before going to sleep i fed Picochutchi some ham sandwiches and just like the others, gave her a bath and cleaned the house, she then just went to sleep peacefully probably feeling like the MVP of the day, as she was the number 1 Wave Rider for this Tama Day.

[purplesurveys]

1895

How are you doing today? I think I'm doing okay. I felt terrible heading into the weekend and still feel it lingering to an extent, so I'm trying to recalibrate as much as I can because it's Monday again and I don't want to bring in my personal emotions to my work.

In any case, I'm still up (it's 12:40 AM) because Jin is going to be a torchbearer at the Olympics and he's slated to come on at ~2:30 AM hehe, so I'm using the waiting time as motivation to do some work early. I've already finished one Powerpoint I didn't need to do until Thursday, so I feel great about that!

What is the last song you listened to in a car? A Milli by Lil Wayne. It was on the radio and that particular station has a hip-hop and R&B lineup every Sunday, and they're usually able to kill it with the throwbacks.

Do you like prefer apple cider warm or cold? I've never tried that.

When did you last feel misunderstood? Friday.

Have you ever visited The Louvre or would you like to? I haven't, and I would like to.

Have you ever accidentally locked yourself out of your place of residence? Just once, and I was around 10. I had a roaming security guard help me back in.

Do you remember your favorite songs as a kid? I was obsessed with Avril Lavigne's Girlfriend because it had profanity in it and 9 year old me used to get a crazy adrenaline rush from saying "motherfucking" whenever no one was there to hear.

Do you currently feel calm? Yes, and it's such a wonderful feeling to have. I wish I can feel calm all the time, haha.

When did you last lace up a pair of shoes? Today.

What’s your go to comfort meal? Spicy tuna salad.

Do you enjoy cloud watching? When I'm in the mood for it, which admittedly doesn't come up often. It's calming when I do it, though.

Do you currently have any candles lit? Nopes.

If applicable, what’s your favorite sports team?

How many cardigans do you own? I have one, which funnily enough has gone missing. I haven't seen it for a few weeks now, come to think of it...

How much is too much for clothes? Idk, it's subjective for me. I don't typically bat an eye at how much luxury clothes can cost because...idk like it's always been that way I guess. But, and this is just one of very many specific examples, if a brand is going for a tattered, grubby aesthetic and sells a worn-out looking shirt for thousands of dollars, that's when I start to kind of make fun of it and the people who buy it.

How soon do you normally decorate for holidays? We only ever decorate for Christmas, and in our case and because my family is Filipino, we usually have our tree up by early October.

Are there any important things happening this week? We're dropping my dad off at the airport on Friday and it fucking sucks but we gotta do it. 

Do you know anyone who is terrified of dogs? One of my uncles.

What scent was the last soap you used? Just normal soapy soap smell. No added scents to it.

How old were you when you made your first big purchase? I was 24 when I bought my phone. Important disclaimer: I did use my dad's credit card to do the initial payment but only because I don't have my own cc lol; but I paid back the amount the same day and paid for the subsequent installments.

What last made you angry? Being talked down to.

What’s a color you think is underrated? Olive green.

What are you usually doing when midnight comes around and you can’t sleep? I just put a video on and put my phone on low brightness and I can be knocked out in like 5-10 minutes.

What is your favorite way to eat rice? (white, steamed, fried, brown, sweetened…) Steamed, white. In every meal. Eating in Vietnam was such a struggle because it was so hard to find rice anywhere lol. We ended up getting Jollibee on Grabfood and even that was a challenge + culture shock because they also barely had rice in their menu.

What color is the top you’re wearing? Dark green.

When did you last laugh so hard you cried? This afternoon when I was playing card games with my relatives.

What’s your favorite horror movie? The Shining.

What’s your favorite and least favorite fast food restaurant? Favorite is KFC for making the best fried chicken ever. Least favorite, Chowking – I just find their food so blah. Super oily, and their branches are also notoriously gross and poorly maintained. I have yet to see a clean Chowking.

How many pictures can you see in the room you’re in? One – my photobooth photo with my sister when we were in Saigon.

When did you last sign your signature? Around a month ago for my driver's license renewal.

What cover do you think is better than the original song? This is saying it loosely, but I do tend to listen to BTS' cover of Yoongi's So Far Away more than the original. I just feel like it was made more special when the whole vocal line covered it. That said, I love that Jimin and Tae got to do the song for the live performances since their takes didn't make the cut for the studio version.

Are you currently listening to music? Well, yeah, the last question made me want to look for the vocal line's version of the song haha.

What is something you’ve been working on? Being the best leader I can be for my team.

What’s something that excites you about the future? Earning more money and traveling the world.

How often do you drink smoothies? Never.

What’s a TV show you have gotten into recently? Continued from Sunday. None. tbh. It's very rare for me to get into shows.

Have you ever had to have a tooth cut out? Nope.

When did you last rush for something? Last Friday when I left 10 minutes later than I should've.

How many blankets do you own? I think it's around 5.

Have you drank enough water today? Lots and lots of it.

Do you prefer apple pie or pecan pie? I've never had pecan, but I'd go with that as I don't like apples.

What color takes up most of your wardrobe? Blacks and whites.

What makes you feel alive? Crying.

Who is your last missed call from? Just my mom.

Do you have any unusual pet peeves? When people only message "hi" and will type their actual request only after you acknowledge. It's one of the most annoying things Ever and I'm having none of it, so I don't reply whenever that happens and just wait for them to either spit it out or never message again.

What is a food you think is nasty that most people enjoy? Fruits.

Would you rather never be sick again or be rich? I'd take the money.

Do you have a specialty dish that you’re really good at making? Haha, nope.

What video games did you play when you were growing up? Sims 2 is definitely high up on my list. I also played GTA III and San Andreas – did none of the missions; I just really liked the open world concept and spent the whole time driving and following traffic rules, lol. Mario Kart Wii, Super Smash Bros Brawl, and Warioware, too.

Are you good at making big decisions alone or do you tend to seek approval from others? I seek inputs, not approval – just for other perspectives. Otherwise the choice I make is usually what I want to go for or what I think would be best for me.

Does your town or city have good public transport, or is it easier to drive? Neither of those work out for us tbh. The public transport definitely sucks and will suck the soul out of you, but it's no better having your own car because so do 400,000 fucking people. It just sucks having to go anywhere here which is why I'm so grateful to still be WFH.

What was the last cocktail you drank? Ooh I can't remember the name or what was in it, but it was this quirky drink that was topped with some kind of matcha latte or something and it tasted really good!

Are you good at keeping running counts and tallies in your head? Usually yes, but just to be safe I like to keep my phone nearby so I can track there too.

Does your country have its own edition of Big Brother? It does.

How often do you take a nap during the day? Almost never these days.

What social media platforms do you use? Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

Are there any foods you hate the smell of but like the taste, or vice versa? Longganisa smells really good but like 97% of time tastes like shit. I can't think of any example for the other way around.

Do you have a dishwasher? Not a thing here.

Who do you live with? Parents, siblings, two dogs and a cat.

Are you listening to anything right now? No.

What is one of your favourite sitcoms? Friends :)

Do you make to-do lists? I do.

If you could magically become fluent in any language, what would it be? Korean.

Have you ever tried vegan ice cream? I don't think so.

What pet names do you use for your friends/loved ones? Sis, siz, sizt, sissymae, mars, sissymars, mare, mum, ate, mima, mumsh, mumshie, mother, motherhood, sissycakes, marecakes...in the Philippines, you can make any word a pet name lmao. You can also make up words and make them a pet name hahaha.

What pet names do you like to be called? Any of the above is fine, hah.

What was the best concert you’ve ever seen? Paramore during their After Laughter tour, or Agust D!

Do you have any hobbies? Sure.

What is your favourite pasta shape? Fettuccine.

Have you ever developed your own film? I have not.

When was the last time you stayed in a hotel/motel and where was that? Tagaytay, around a month ago.

What breed was the last dog you saw? Beagle and Yorkie.

Do you watch the Super Bowl? Nope.

What’s your favourite Disney movie? Toy Story and Tangled.

What’s the most stressful job you’ve ever had? I've had just one so it wins by default.

What was the last text message you received? I don't know and please don't let me check, it's 100% related to work.

Should you be asleep right now? If so, go to bed! Little bit, yeah. Hahaha it's fine, I think I'll hold out for an hour or two more.

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo

I did see mentions of this on social media and the art style caught my eye, but upon checking the genre tags on Steam as well as other descriptions, I was disappointed to find out that it's a horror game because I'm horrible at handling it. Despite that I've been hearing good things about it as time passed, and I do tend to use this blog as a way to write about games I play and how I feel about them, I thought it would be good to face my fears for once and just try it out.

So unfortunately, there are a lot of jumpscares in the game. Even with regular dialogue moments where characters just pop out of nowhere with no sense of transition. So I often get startled because of that, and found it a bit annoying. I'm not sure if it was done on purpose or not to spook the player. However, the jumpscares in this game are not the worst things I've seen, so I've been able to sleep easy.

But aside from that, the presentation is pretty top notch. There's a blend of using realistic backgrounds with watercolour like effects, grain, and chromatic abberation really sell it as a horror TV spectacle, which I think is what the game is going for. Gen Kobayashi is one of my favourite artists thanks to The World Ends With You and I love how the characters look distinct from one another. It's kind of making other, usual anime designs look same-y in comparison.

Another nice feature of the game is its gameplay. Because it's so unique and not so unique at the same time, that is to say... there are no gimmicks or novel puzzles of the sort like you'd see in other popular adventure games like DanganRonpa or Zero Escape. It's just your mouse (or controller) and your brain. There aren't many ''gameplay'' aspects in this, and I don't really want to explain without spoiling but when it does, it does them in an immersive manner due to its presentation. Some very surprising parts involved using the menu in order to progress. But if you typically like games that have more puzzle elements, then this won't be the game, as apart from these it's mostly choice-based.

I don't have any real drawbacks to mention due to my lack of experience in horror games. Personally, even for a visual novel/adventure game, I find it to be a bit too wordy when it comes to having to check lots of files to ensure you're choosing the right answer. It felt quite overwhelming especially as more information gets added on over time. This could also be because I'm not really into occult and paranormal stuff. A few tiny tidbits that were mentioned about art piqued my interest, but that's about it. I even managed to guess some twists due to experience from other games, so the story to me is not so unique.

Overall, this was an interesting game to try out, even though the premise is not my cup of tea. Still, I would be more interested in seeing future works from the writer (Takanari Ishiyama) if he chooses to do non-horror settings.

[watchyourbluesturngolden]

the shrooms cafe

part 1- watermelon tea with strawberry boba

hello everyone 🥺 this is the first series i've ever done so i'm a little nervous but i'm so excited because I really like this story!!!

this is the first part, and I have literally no idea how long it will be because I don't have a solid plan/outline yet! so feel free to send little concepts or things you would like to see included 🥺 i can't guarantee they will be added but i'll definitely try my best :)

shrooms cafe masterlist

my masterlist

warnings: none

word count: 2k

"Stella, we have to leave in 10 minutes!" You called up the stairs. "Come down so you can eat breakfast!" "Yeah Stella, hurry up!" Seraphina yelled from her spot at the dining table. She was finishing up her fruit loops with a grin on her face. "You're going to make us late!" As the youngest, she often liked to bother her sisters. She was only five, just starting kindergarten, but she was already a master at getting under their skin.

"Sera, don't antagonize your sister, please," you reminded her. "She's not going to make us late." Sophie rolled her eyes. "Seraphina, you're so immature." Despite only being 11, Sophie was clearly the mother hen. You sometimes joked that the girls didn't even need you; Sophie would take on the role of their mother with no problem. "Besides, you were the one who made us late yesterday." "It's not my fault I couldn't find my purple socks. What was I supposed to do?" "Maybe wear different socks?" Sophie suggested smugly. "You know I need my purple socks, otherwise I can't write my words!" Sophie rolled her eyes again. "You don't need a certain color socks to write." "Yes I do!" You smiled to yourself, turning back to the fridge as the two bickered. You pulled out the ingredients you would need to make their lunches, then reached up on your tiptoes to get their lunch bags from the top of fridge. "Okay girls, what kind of sandwiches do you want today?" "Peanut butter and jelly!" Seraphina said excitedly. "Why did I even ask?" You smiled. "And Sophie?" "Turkey please, but I can make it myself," She said, sliding off her chair and bringing the breakfast dishes to the sink. "Thank you, love," you said, leaning over to kiss the top of her head. "You are such a big help in the mornings, I don't know what I would do without you." "You would have a real handful dealing with those two," She said matter-of-factly. "That I would," you laughed, handing her a butter knife. "Stella!" you called again. The 8 year old came running down the stairs, carrying her backpack and another bag. "Did you forget I have dance today?" "I did not forget," you reassured her. She liked to plan things, and got worried quickly if she wasn't kept in the loop. "I'll pick you up at the door by the playground, does that work?" "Actually, I was wondering if I could walk today? A bunch of my friends do, and I feel kind of weird having my mom drop me off." "That should be fine," You nodded. "But stay with the group, don't go off by yourself." "I won't," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "You're so overprotective." "Oh yes, I'm so sorry for trying to keep you safe," you laughed. "Now what do you want for lunch?" Once everything was ready, the four of you made your way out to the car. Stella climbed into the back, and Sophie helped Seraphina get buckled. Even though the three of them bickered a lot (as sisters often do) it wasn't hard to see how much they loved each other. "Everybody buckled?" You asked, looking behind you. When you heard a chorus of confirmation, you started your playlist and smiled when the opening notes of Adore You filtered through the speakers. It was easily one of your favorite songs, and the girls liked it just as much as you did. It wasn't a long drive to the cafe; it took about 15 minutes if traffic was good. The girls' school bus stopped about a block away, so they walked there together every morning. Then after school, they would come back to the shop and read books or finish homework until it was time to close up and go home. You parked in the lot behind the shop, helping the girls out of the car and making sure they had all their things. Seraphina held out her hand, and Stella grabbed it to help her jump over a puddle on the sidewalk. Sophie gasped excitedly. "I think that was the biggest jump you've ever done!" The girls promptly launched into a discussion about who could jump farther as you unlocked the door. As soon as it was open, they made their way over to the mushrooms to find some books for the day. Their voices filled the shop as they chatted about school and the cute boy Stella liked and the kitten they had seen outside their house the other day. You went about your morning duties, flipping on the lights and starting up the coffee machine. You also turned on the oven, preparing to bake the muffins. (They were frozen- who has the time to bake them fresh? Certainly not a mother of 3.) Once the kitchen was ready, you went over to the radio and tuned it to a familiar station, the soft

music adding some pleasant background noise. "Okay girls, it's time to get to the bus stop," you said, leaning over the counter to speak to them. "Don't forget, I'm walking to dance," Stella said, pointing at you as she walked to the door. "I won't forget," you said, pointing back at her. "Have a good day!" "Bye mom," Seraphina waved her small hand at you. "Bye honey, bye Sophia," You smiled, blowing a kiss to the three of them. "See you later!" Once the three of them were gone, you went around to the shelves and straightened up, getting ready for your first customers.

-----

After the lunch rush had dwindled down and the shop was nearly empty again, you were getting ready to go on your lunch break. You had just leaned down to grab a sandwich from the deli case when the bell above the door jingled, alerting you that a new customer had come in. You straightened up, your eyes going wide when you realized who it was, but you quickly fixed your face and smiled. "Welcome to the Shrooms Cafe!" "Hello," the man smiled back, speaking in a deep British accent. "I saw your sign for boba tea, and I've been looking everywhere to find some. You're the third shop I've been to today, so I'm really hoping you're not sold out like everywhere else," he grinned, coming closer to the counter. "No, we're not out! What kind did you want?" You asked. "Um... probably should have thought about that before I came in," he laughed nervously, looking at the menu above your head. "Oh, don't worry about it, we're not busy right now," you said reassuringly. “Take all the time you need.” He smiled gratefully, stepping off to the side while he read the menu. Meanwhile, you fidgeted with towels and wiped off the work surfaces and tried to pretend you weren’t staring at him. Who could blame you, really? Harry Styles had just walked into your coffee shop. Who wouldn’t stare? “I think…” he spoke again, breaking you out of your trance. “I’ll do the watermelon tea, with strawberry boba, please.” You nodded, laughing lightly. He quirked one eyebrow, smiling along with you. “What’s funny?” “Oh, no, it’s just… of course you would order the one with watermelon.” “Oh,” he smiled, and you thought you detected a hint of a blush on his cheeks. “I guess I do have a bit of a reputation with fruit, don’t I?” “Just a little,” you grinned. “One watermelon tea with strawberry boba, coming right up.” After ringing up the order, you quickly got to work. Instead of his real name, you wrote “watermelon man” on the sticker on the cup. Hopefully he would appreciate your little joke. “Here you are,” you smiled. “I hope it’s good, seeing as you worked so hard to find some.” “I’m sure it’ll be amazing,” he laughed, grabbing a straw from beside the cash register. You also noticed he had dropped a generous tip into the jar, probably while you had been busy making the drink. “Have a nice day,” you smiled. “You as well,” he said with a small wave before he made his way out the door, sipping his drink as he went. You sighed, shaking your head with a small grin as you grabbed the sandwich from earlier and went to a table for your lunch break.

-----

“Hi mom!” Sophie yelled, holding open the door for Seraphina. “Hi girls!” You called from the back corner of the shop. “I’m by the mushrooms!” The girls quickly found you, Seraphia hugging you and Sophie situating herself on one of the short stools. “How was your day?” You asked. “Good! I gave my report on monarch butterflies and guess what Mrs. Wilson said?” Sophie asked, leaning forward. “What did she say?” “She said it was the best report she had heard all day. She waited until the other kids left so they wouldn’t feel bad, but still,” she said proudly. “Oh wow! I’m so proud of you,” you said, moving over to hug her. “What did I tell you? You can do anything you put your mind to,” you smiled. “Including writing the best report in the whole class, hmm?” She nodded happily before turning away from you to pull a book off the shelf closest to her. “Which one are you starting now?” You asked, leaning over her shoulder to see the book she had. “Anne of Green Gables,” she said. “Oh, I loved those books when I was your age,” you smiled. “I think you’ll really like them.”

She nodded, already immersed in the book. You turned back to Seraphina, who was pulling her folder out of her backpack. “And how was your day, miss Seraphina?” “It was so good, look!” She handed you a paper with two gold stars at the top. “My teacher gave me two gold stars. She said my writing was very good!"

"All that practicing we did must have worked, then!" you said, beaming as you looked at her letters. They were still wobbly, but a huge improvement over how they had been at the beginning of the school year.

She nodded. "And then I colored this picture for you!” She handed you another page. This one had a drawing of you holding hands with her, Sophie, and Stella. The three of you had big smiles and lots of adorable little details. Stella had her hair in a bun and was wearing ballet shoes. Sophie was holding a book in her free hand. Seraphina had drawn herself wearing a shirt with a cat (her favorite animal) on it, and she was wearing her purple socks. Lastly, there was you, holding a cup of coffee and wearing a shirt with a big red heart on it. “Since you like coffee so much,” she explained. “It's beautiful,” you smiled, hugging her. “We’ll hang it on the fridge when we get home, okay?” “Okay,” she agreed. “Why don’t you find a book and read with Sophie for a little bit? We have just over an hour, then we have to go get Stella from dance.” She nodded, handing you the papers and her backpack before running over to the shelves. She grabbed a picture book, settling into the red cushion in the tree and beginning to flip through the pages.

----- “Alright girls, it’s time to pick up Stella,” you said as you wiped off the counter one last time. You had already turned off all the machines and packed up everything else for the day. You flipped the lights off on the way out, smiling a bit when you saw the hand painted sign for boba tea in the window. Harry came into your mind again, with his easy smile, his kind words, and his blushing laugh. You really hoped you would see him again, even though you knew you probably wouldn't. Your shop wasn't very big or well known. How likely was it for him to come to the same little shop in the middle of London again? Still, it didn’t hurt to hope. Maybe he would decide to try the other flavors and stop in again. Your smile spread even further when you started your playlist and Lights Up was the first song to come on. Apparently, it was going to be hard to forget about him.

[haikyuu-drabble]

Hey, hope you have a great day! May o request, number 1 & 9 with atsumu please •́ ‿ ,•̀ also, don't overwork yourself babe❤

why did i have so much fun writing for atsumu.... ANYWAYS this is gonna be the last one of the night after the last request i just got in my box i’m not gonna be writing anymore!!

--------------------------------

atsumu x reader | annoying

9. “don’t ask me that.”

word count: 1658

When you finally reached the restaurant, you saw you friend checking his reflection in the window of the building. You chuckled to yourself and called out to him, “Atsumu!”

Once you got closer to him, you joked, “I’m surprised you’re actually here early. If I knew that you’d be on time, I would’ve come earlier!”

Atsumu scowled, “I can be on time when I want to be.”

“Whatever!” You laughed, “Let’s just go in!”

When you went up to the hostess, you requested a table for two, and she told you that it would be around a thirty minute wait. You were about to ask Atsumu if the wait was okay with him, but before you could ask, he looked at the hostess, “Actually, we have a reservation under Miya.”

“Oh! Then right this way.” the hostess smiled.

You looked back at Atsumu with shocked eyes. “I don’t like to wait.” He responded while following after the hostess.

“Right.” you warily laughed.

It had been awhile since you last saw Atsumu, so for you this was a little out of character for him. You’d always seen him as the type to be late or to make others wait for him. Maybe he matured since the last time you saw him. Once you were seated, you asked, “So, how has volleyball been since the last time I’ve seen you? I feel bad that ever since I started working, we haven’t been able to see each other as often.”

“It’s the same old, same old.” he scanned over the menu, “How have you been?”

You tilted your head and smiled, “Ohp, that’s a first.”

Atsumu looked up from the menu, “What’s a first?”

You answered. “Usually you have tons and tons of stories about yourself. Have things really been that uneventful?”

Atsumu furrowed his brows and mumbled, “I don’t talk about myself that much.”

“Well, still. I was surprised to see a text from you asking me if I was free to hang out.” you replied.

Atsumu only furrowed his brows and redirected his attention back to the menu, “Just tell me how you’ve been.”

You raised a brow and chuckled, “Right. So, at my job, my boss is crazy…”

The fact that you were friends with Atsumu was probably was of the very few things you expected happening in your life. You met both of the Miya twins through friends, and at first, you got along much better with Osamu. Atsumu, on the other hand, you didn’t really think much of. You imagined you had the same first impression of him as most people did. You thought he was arrogant and cocky, and that impression was not really wrong at all. He was annoying, and sometimes brought out the worst in you. But like most people, you were attracted to his confidence. He was so sure of himself, and he knew what he wanted. Being around someone so motivated, although very self-centered, was something kind of amazing. The more you got to know him, the more interesting of a person he was to you. You knew he probably wasn’t the most perfect person in the world, but you appreciated how honest he was with himself. He was never afraid to be himself. And that’s why you loved him. 

When you realized your feelings for him, you were sad. It had nothing to do with him personally, but you just felt like it was pointless. Atsumu was constantly getting hit on by the most beautiful people. Whether you were with friends or just with each other, he would attract attention. You were much too self aware to think you were comparable to any of them. But over time, you’d gotten used to your feelings. You realized you were content with just being his friend. That was enough for you.

When the bill came for dinner, you were ready to put down your card, “I’ll pay today! It’s a celebration of me getting a real job.”

Before you could put your card down, Atsumu took the bill and deadpanned, “Don’t even try to put your card down. As if I’d ever let you pay.”

You laughed, “Okay, but please let me pay next time we eat together!”

After dinner, the two of you decided to go around and shop. While you were looking at some tops, someone called out to Atsumu who was across the store. You turned around to find the source, and you saw an absolutely gorgeous woman walking towards him. Atsumu greeted her, and she asked what he was doing alone. Atsumu answered, “I’m not alone. I came with someone.”

You popped your head from around the corner, and you introduced yourself. Before the girl introduced herself, she looked you up and down. You plastered a smile onto your face. It’d been awhile since you got looked at like that.

The girl asked, “So, why couldn’t you join us for dinner tonight, Atsumu? We had this dinner planned for months because of our busy schedules!”

You looked at Atsumu, and through his grin, he put his arm around your shoulder, “I actually made dinner plans with this one awhile ago, and I guess I just didn’t realize I overscheduled.”

She looked at you once more and smiled at him, “Well, we’ll plan again for next time!”

The conversation between the two ended, and when she was out of hearing distance, you laughed, “Why’d you lie to her? We only planned to have dinner together two nights ago.”

Atsumu shrugged, “I’d rather have dinner with you.”

“Why? She’s way prettier than me. Isn’t she?” you replied.

That comment had slipped out. It seemed like being judged by strangers was something you weren’t as used to as you’d thought. Typically, you’d never let a comment like that come out. 

You tried to laugh it off as a joke, but Atsumu angrily replied, “Don’t ask me that.”

When you looked at his face, he was just as angry as he sounded. 

You had to admit you were a little taken aback. Atsumu walked out of the store, and you followed after him. You hoped that he would say something, but he kept walking straight. You tried to talk to him, but Atsumu continued to ignore you. At some point, you were getting very annoyed and stopped in your tracks. He didn’t notice that you stopped walking until you yelled, “Miya Atsumu!”

He turned around to face you, and he looked at you with shocked wide eyes and open mouth. You continued yelling, “What has been with you all night? You keep on acting out of character, and now you’re ignoring me?!”

Atsumu yelled back at you, “What about you? I haven’t heard from you in almost four months, and then I see that you’re hanging out with ‘Samu? I’ve been waiting for you to text me for months, and then the update I get about you is from ‘Samu through a picture of you two that he sent me?! Of all people?! ‘Samu?! Really?!”

You tried to think back to the day that you last saw Osamu. Suddenly remembering the day, you yelled, “Osamu’s onigiri shop is like a five minute walking distance from my work! Why wouldn’t I visit him?”

“Whatever! I just wanted to hear from you after waiting so long, and when I finally get to see you, you even dare to ask me about my opinion of some other girl who I clearly don’t care about!” 

“How am I supposed to know how you feel about other people?!”

“Because you’re the most perceptive when it comes to me! You’re supposed to know how I feel! You’re the only person besides ‘Samu who can call me out on my habitual bluffs!”

“If you know you lie all the time why do you still do it?!”

You suddenly caught yourself started laughing. Atsumu got angrier, “Why are you laughing?!”

“Because!” you walked over to a bench and faced him with a grin, “This argument is stupid.”

Atsumu thought for a moment and calmed down a little but he was still annoyed. He sat next to you, “Still, for you to ask my if I think a girl is prettier than you after I finally get to see you...”

You laughed, “What do you mean, ‘finally get to see you’?”

“You’re dumb.” he replied, “You know that, right?”

“Excuse me!”

“Do you know any other person I’ll come early for? Make a reservation for?”

“I just thought… you matured a little, since I last saw you.”

“It’s been awhile, but not that long.” He softly tapped your forehead, “Is there really nothing in there?”

You put your hand over the area that he hit, “Okay. Rude.”

“I have to spell it out for you. Don’t I?” he groaned, “Look. I like you. I don’t know why I have to be the one to confess their feelings first. So, what? Do you like me back or not?”

You tilted your head back and looked at the sky, “You have such a bad personality. How can I find someone’s confession for me so annoying?”

You looked at him, and he was just looking at you with slight annoyance and expectancy. You smiled, “What if I made you wait for my answer?”

He stood up from the bench and with a fake smile said, “Alright. I’m going home. Have a good night!”

You grabbed his arm and laughed, “Fine. Fine. I like you. You arrogant, cocky, full of it jerk. I like you, Miya Atsumu.”

“Strange. How can I find someone insulting me so pleasing?” he smirked.

“Goodbye.” you sideyed and walked away.

“Wait just a second!” He grabbed you by the waist and turned you around to face him, “I wasn’t kidding when I said I’ve been waiting for you to contact me for months.”

You rolled your eyes but wrapped your arms around him, “Phones work two ways, you know, jerk.”

[bobasheebaby]

Kuebiko- Monsters chapter 2

Pairing: Liam x Olivia; Emma (MC) x OC

Word count: 1,895 Warnings: abuse, Evil Liam, Evil Olivia, Dark fic, manipulation Summary: Liam and Olivia meet Emma. A/N: More evil Liam. This one is severely twisted. This is a collaboration with @sirbeepsalot, so hang onto your seats.

Series warnings: Evil Liam, Evil Olivia, child abuse, character death, abuse, knife violence, blood, unhealthy sexual situations, NSFW content to come. By asking to be tagged you acknowledge you are at least 18 years of age.

Let one of us know if you want on or off the taglist.

Disclaimer: We only own our OC’s, the rest we are just borrowing from PB.

Kuebiko: A feeling of physical and mental exhaustion that happens after acts of violence takes place.

“I thought we talked about this Emma! You can’t go around flirting with every fucking guy you meet or they’ll get the idea that they can fuck you.” His fingernails dug crescents into her freckled skin. “But they can’t, can they?!”

Emma glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one from work was witnessing her talk with her boyfriend. “Please, Trey, we can’t talk here. I’ll lose my job if my boss finds us again.” She tried to pull her arm from his vice-like grip but instead cried out in pain as his nails dug deeper into her skin.

“I can do whatever I want whenever I want,” Trey growled as he yanked her arm. Her small body flew into his chest; to anyone watching, they appeared to be holding each other in a loving embrace. “You are mine and only mine.”

Emma let out a pained whimper. "Only yours, Trey, I belong to only you." Her breath caught as she noticed a flicker of light flash behind him. She exhaled when she realized that it was the redhead she had been servicing for the last two hours smoking a cigarette and not a coworker. Their eyes met briefly before Trey jostled her to get her attention. She lifted her head to meet his gaze.

“Now go back to that table and tell them that you are taken, understood?” He shoved her backward and released her, her petite body stumbling as she tried to steady herself.

“Yes,” Emma nodded, her eyes trained to the ground. She knew better than to try to make eye contact when he was this upset.

“Good. Don't you ever behave that way again.”

--

Olivia nodded towards Emma as she slid back into the booth after finishing her cigarette. "She has a Constantine," she murmured as she picked up her gin and soda. Liam nodded, his face even. If he had his way, all abusers would feel a blade twist in their chest.

"How are we doing over here?" Emma asked as her hands nervously tucked a strand of her short strawberry blond hair behind her ear. Liam noticed her voice was friendly but she averted her gaze when speaking with them.

"Everything okay?" He asked before taking a sip of his scotch, "You seem different since we last saw you."

Emma's green eyes darted to Olivia. Her heart started pounding in her chest as Olivia lifted her brow, her eyes confirming that she knew all about her confrontation with Trey. "Oh, everything's fine,” she quickly responded as she prayed they’d drop it. “Now, can I interest you in our dessert menu? Our pastry chef makes a chocolate lava cake to die for."

"There are very few things in life worth dying for," Olivia cooly stated before watching Emma's face whiten.

Liam shot Olivia a quick glance. "Do you have vanilla ice cream?" He smiled at Emma before taking Olivia's hand, his fingernails digging into the flesh of her palm.

"Vanilla bean and Madagascar vanilla. Made in house. Can I interest you in a scoop?"

"One of each. Everyone thinks of vanilla as plain, but I find it quite exquisite. I like to think I appreciate the small things that others overlook. Isn't that right, Olivia?"

Olivia took a slow sip of her drink as she formulated her thoughts. She held her glass up to shield the grimace spreading along her lips. "Emma, tell me, does your Trey often visit you at work and accuse you of trying to fuck your patrons?"

Her throat grew tight. Please don’t make this a big deal. If Trey finds out it will only make things worse. "I should go get your dessert—"

"Emma," Olivia's voice was tender with a commanding bite.

Emma paused and turned back to the table and pasted a smile on her face. "I'm sorry, did you want to order dessert too?"

"Oh, God no," she laughed. "I just want to know if you're happy."

Emma subconsciously shook her head and left to fetch Liam's ice cream. People like me don’t get happy.

"Olivia..."

"What Liam?” She spat. “I’m sorry, I saw her with her partner—she’s in a shit situation. It’s worth a shot. After all, didn't we come to the states to find someone? She seems like the type who is easily manipulated."

"I know," he murmured as he gently massaged the abused flesh of her palm. “I'm just sour that things didn't work out with Juliet. She was such a tender thing."

"I never expected things to work out on the first try."

Their words were cut short when Emma returned with Liam's ice cream. Two different vanillas garnished with a tiny strawberry.

--

Emma’s eyes flickered from her last table to the clock on the wall. Leave, please leave. She needed to finish cleaning before she closed up and, at this rate, she would be stuck well past when Trey wanted her home.

Come on, come on. You’re making this worse.

Tears pricked at her eyes as she envisioned Trey waiting for her drunk in the dark. He was always drunk when she got home late. He would accuse her of cheating, again; since he had already warned her that night the beating she faced would be even worse. She would be thankful if she blacked out after the first few blows. If you actually cared about yourself you’d leave.

The couple had been nice enough and made her laugh--that had been her mistake. Now, they were going to be the reason for his violence tonight without realizing it. I have to get them out of here, she thought as she threw the damp rag onto the bar top and smoothed her shaking hands over her apron. She hated tossing patrons who stayed past closing because she hated confrontation and making others angry, but she knew she would contend with far worse at home. She smiled as she approached their table, trying her best to make it believable when inside she was thinking about how each additional minute she was late would increase Trey’s anger even more.

“I’m sorry,” Emma said, trying to keep her voice even, “We’re closing up for the night.” She glanced at the clock as Liam slowly took his credit card from his wallet.

“I’m sorry we kept you late. We were having a wonderful evening and lost track of the time.”

Emma took the card, nodding quickly as she spun on her heel to process his payment.

Olivia’s gaze shot to Liam, her brow raised in silent question. It was clear she was terrified, others might miss the subtle changes, but they could read them. They used to live that fear.

Liam nodded imperceptibly. Olivia was right—they couldn’t let her return to that scumbag. Even if she wasn’t the one they were looking for they couldn’t allow her boyfriend to continue to abuse her.

Emma returned shortly and handed Liam his card and receipt to sign. He smiled as he took it, giving Olivia a nod as he started filling out the receipt.

“Emma,” Olivia said, her voice far softer and kinder than it had been all evening. She reached out her hand, gently touching Emma’s. “We can help you.”

Emma pulled back her hand at her touch. It was warm and inviting but she couldn’t think about that; she needed them to leave. “You can help by leaving.” Her voice shook. “I’m sure you understand that it is late and my boyfriend worries when I’m late.”

--

Olivia stood in front of the restaurant with a cigarette while Liam watched the back. They needed to get her alone in order to talk to her. They knew what she would face when she got home and they needed to prevent it from happening. She noticed the lights inside flick off as Emma walked to the front door. She sent a quick text to Liam and watched as she locked the door before approaching her.

“Emma,” Olivia said as she slowly approached. “I know you might be wondering why we are persistent to talk with you. We want to help you. I used to be in your situation, having someone who thought they owned me, who felt they could do whatever they wanted to me whenever they pleased.” She tapped another cigarette from her pack. “Cigarette?” She kept her tone even and devoid of emotion. Inside, she tensed and felt rage at what she used to endure, what others still did.

“I don’t smoke. But really, I know you think you understand, but it’s different. He—”

“What, Emma? He loves you? He cares for you? That’s not love.” Olivia took a long drag before slowly blowing it out. “Love isn’t fear. Love isn’t living until the day he delivers the deadly blow.”

Emma stood quiet. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, alerting her to someone behind her. She turned her head quickly and relaxed once she saw it was not Trey. She blew out a breath of relief. Had it been him she may not have survived; being seen with the objects of his anger again, after closing, would have made him angrier than ever.

“You thought I was him?” Liam said softly as he stepped next to Olivia.

Emma blinked back tears as she nodded. For the last hour, all she wanted was to get home. Now, she felt like her time had expired. She knew she was fucked.

“We’ve helped people before—ourselves, others in your situation—removed certain stressors from their lives.”

“I don’t have anyone else,” she whispered, “Trey is the only one I have.”

“And you won’t have him for long because he will kill you. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday.”

“We have done this before. We’re good. Let’s pay Trey a visit and then we’ll help you get back on your feet. We are actually visiting from our home in Europe,” Liam said. “If you couldn't guess from our accent we are Cordonian.”

“You could come back with us. We have a private jet and no one would know. You just--poof--vanish.”

“How is that possible? How can you do … things … and get away with it?” Emma's mind swirled at the possibilities being offered.

Liam and Olivia exchanged smiles. “Should we show her Liam?”

“I think we should.”

Emma’s brow furrowed as she watched Olivia open her bag and pull out two passports. Two diplomatic passports. “We are both rather important people in Cordonia. We are also very skilled at what we do.”

Emma’s heart pounded in her chest at the possibility of being free. On one hand, she went home and took what was coming, continued going down the path that would someday end in her death. On the other, she took action, took their offer, and reclaimed her life.

Tic toc

Time moved slowly as she examined her options from every angle. She wanted to be certain before she made a choice. Either way, there would be no going back, no do-over. She would have to accept the fate she chose.

“Okay,” she slowly nodded. She couldn’t live in fear anymore. She needed to be in control of her destiny no matter what tomorrow would bring.

Olivia softly hooked her arm with Emma’s. “Let’s make a plan.”

Feedback fuels us, please like, comment or reblog to let us know how much you like it. We can handle the screams, so scream away.

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[jpat82]

101 Ways To Kill Bucky Barnes

The Client

    The lights in the restaurant were set low, happy couples sat at tables with candles lit. The whole building exuded warmth and money, from the dimly lit chandeliers to the crystal wine glasses. Not that it mattered to you, as you walked across the open floor, your heels making a steady click as you walked. Heads turned when you passed, the snug form fitting deep burgundy dress hugged you perfectly. It's low neck line giving the perfect amount of cleavage to be shown, accented by the opal stone that hung a rose gold chain.

You exuded sexiness and confidence, how could you not? It was part of the job, dressing to kill, meeting clients in high profile and often case, much like this one, expensive upscale restaurants like this one. Long gone were the days of meeting them on the streets, smoke filled bars or back alleyways. You had come along way since then and you wouldn't have it any other way.

    Your hair was pulled up off your shoulders as it always was, whether working or not. You like being able to see over you shoulders, being able to tell if someone was coming up from behind. You approached the table where a singular man sat in what looked like a very high priced suit. He stood slightly as you settle down in the chair opposite of him.

    "So.. you're her?" He asked a little shell shocked.

    "Were you expecting someone else?" You asked, giving him a coy smile as the waiter poured you a glass of red wine.

     "I don't know, just guessed the darkness wouldn't look so... beautiful." He replied, blinking hard a couple of times.

    "Try not to think about it, you called me because you have a situation?" You asked, nonchalantly while flipping through the menu. You hated small talk, you would rather get the meeting done and over with.

    "No, yeah kinda." He responded as you slowly looked up from your menu, you took a deep breath.

    "Look, you are the one that called me, if you are going to be wishy washy from the get go I'm leaving." You tried to keep your voice even and keep the irritation from seeping into your words.

    "Sorry, I get a little tongue tied around stunning women." He made eye contact for the first time since you sat down. They were a dull grey and a busted blood vessel ran through the left, to much time spent in front of a screen.

    You sat back and stared hard at him, the suit was definitely from an experienced tailor, it molded to his lythe frame. The tailor tried to make the man who sat in front of you look less gangly, but there is only so much you can do when someone has no muscle tone. His watch screamed of wealth as well, but you could see the knob to set the time was well worn and dirt was caked in the grooves. He spent a lot of time fiddling with it, anxious habit most likely.

     The man was pale, so it didn't look like he ever left his office or home. Definitely someone who was not capable of getting his perfectly manicured hands dirty. You bit your bottom lip as you studied him, slowly you reached out and gently lifted your wine glass from the table.

    "Flirting with me will not get you anywhere but the bottom of the Hudson." You stated before taking a sip. You decided that he would be easily frightened, so intimidating him would be the fastest way to get this over with.

    "Hmm, hard woman, love it." He flirted a bit more giving you a creepy grin before he shifted a bit. "There is a man that used to go by the name of the Winter Soldier. I trust you know of him."

    You took a deep breath, who hadn't heard of him. The man was a legend, the worlds best assassin some would say. You heard word that he dropped the life and went to other side. Working with people that were good, but still.. this man had to be off his rocker if he thought that he could be taken out.

    "From the look on your face I'll take that as a yes. The organization I work for wants him eliminated, he is a loose cannon and for our reasons, needs him dispatched." He told you as you took another sip of your wine.

    "You do realize that he was trained by Hydra and isn't just a normal person, right?" You asked, leaning back slightly in your chair, crossing your arms.

"Does that scare you?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Not, but that means I'm raising the price." You stated, staring across the table. He raised his eyebrow at you. "I'm doubling what I asked for, you know the stories of the Winter Soldier just as well as I do. I'm not stupid, there is a higher risk of me dying or worse, being caught."

"We'll pay it." He replied calmly, you nodded as he stuck his hand out.

——

You shut the door on your expensive apartment and pulled the wig off you had been wearing, tossing it to a chair. Your fingers find the hair tie and pulled it out, allowing your natural hair to fall free. Slowly you walked up to the darkened window pane, looking out over the twinkling lights of the city.

Kill the Winter Soldier, by any means necessary. They wanted you to kill a legend, the worlds best assassin and you had agreed to it. You knew it wasn't going to be easy, in fact this would be your hardest hit you had taken on, that didn't mean you weren't going to do it. And with the money they were paying you you would be able to retire and leave the life of the worlds second best assassin known only as the Darkness.

It was a moniker given to you while you operated in Slovakia. Most of your hits were done in the dark, or at night and as you moved countries, it followed you. Most people thought the assassin Darkness was a man cause of the difficulties of your crimes but then again being a woman made it easier sometimes. No one expected you to be the hired murderer.

You walked away from the window, stopping by the fridge to grab a bottle of wine and a wine glass before heading to your room. You kicked your heels off and turned your lap top on. Time to learn as much as you could about the one known as the Winter Soldier, time to distinguish fact and reality.

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[asidian]

If you don't mind, Noctis, Gladio and Ignis are finally meeting Prompto's parents.

Author’s Notes: Thank you for this prompt! I really hope you don’t mind, but I made it a sequel to this drabble. I’ve been meaning to get around to a  part two, and this was the perfect chance. I hope you enjoy. :)

===

An Evening Out

===

The restaurant isn’t to Ignis’ usual standards, but given the circumstances, it can’t be helped.

He has all of two hours to make a reservation, and the selection of quality dining establishments for a semi-formal meal isn’t terribly large to begin with.

But by seven pm sharp, all six of them are standing in the Blossom of Lestallum, and a distinguished older gentlewoman bows at the waist and says, “Sirs and madam? If you’ll follow me this way.”

On the way to their table, Prompto’s parents walk arm in arm, Prompto hovering beside them like a hummingbird after a long winter, overjoyed to see that the flowers are back in bloom.

He hasn’t stopped chattering the whole way here, seemingly immune to the fact that the replies he receives are stilted and far between. “Aw, man,” he says now. “Would you look at this place? They’ve got a chandelier!”

It’s a touch too loud; embarrassment clouds the face of Prompto’s father, and he flickers a quick glance out toward the patrons who are already seated.

Ignis presses his lips into a thin line, and he doesn’t say anything at all.

The table they come to is circular, polished black marble, small enough to be intimate. Prompto seats himself to his mother’s left, sliding into the chair with a warm smile that’s almost shy. Ignis suspects that, had his parents thought to leave a spot between them, he’d have availed himself of that, instead.

“So,” says Noct, when the orders have been placed and the menus cleared away. “Lestallum, huh? How long have you guys been here?”

Noct’s face is open and curious, the line of his shoulders relaxed. No matter how often Ignis has attempted to school him in diplomacy, he’s never quite lost his tells. It’s for the best, perhaps, that he does not suspect.

Prompto’s mother and father exchange glances. “Not terribly long,” says Prompto’s mother. “There’s been so much going on.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” says Gladio. “You guys must have been twisted all up in knots, trying to get ahold of Prom.”

There’s a stutter of hesitation, a moment too long. “We knew he was in good hands,” says Prompto’s father, after the awkward half-beat of silence.

“And he wasn’t in the city when it fell, thank gods,” says Prompto’s mother. “Still, we’ve been worried. Traveling with the prince? You?”

Prompto gives a self-conscious little laugh and rubs at the back of his neck. “Right? That’s what I said.”

Ignis feels something rise up in him, then – something hot and sudden, fiercely protective. Sparing a glance for Gladio’s face, he thinks he sees the hints of it buried there, as well.

“Honestly, Prompto,” says Prompto’s mother, and reaches out to him for the first time since their reunion in Lestallum’s marketplace. For a moment, Ignis thinks that she’ll take his hand and give it a squeeze, but instead she rests her palm over his wrist, on top of the leather band he always wears. “It’s dangerous for you out there, sweetheart. Especially now.”

Prompto goes very still. The flush of joy that’s lit his cheeks these past few hours fades away, and he steals a furtive glance around the table. “I’m okay, mom,” says Prompto. “I’m – I’m being careful.”

“Good,” says Prompto’s mother. She takes her hand back, and beside her, Prompto stares down at the top of the table, toying with the corner of his elaborately folded napkin.

===

The whole affair is painful to watch.

By the end of dinner, even Noct’s caught wise, all but bristling as they exit the restaurant. 

When Prompto throws his arms around his parents’ shoulders to hug them farewell, one after the next, Ignis watches Noct’s face: sees the muscles tight in his jaw and the slightly furrowed brow.

He catches Noct’s eye, and he gives his head a small shake, and Noct huffs out a frustrated breath and looks aside.

“It’s been a pleasure getting to meet you, finally,” says Ignis, smooth as ice, when it’s his turn to bid them farewell.

“Yeah,” says Gladio, and the way he shows his teeth when he smiles is decidedly unfriendly. “It was really something.”

Noct says nothing at all, until Ignis fixes him with a stare and tips his head to one side, just slightly. “Thanks for having dinner with us,” he forces out, at last.

“I guess that’s everything,” says Prompto. “I mean, you guys’ve got my phone number now, right? For when you get a new phone?”

“Of course, sweetheart,” says Prompto’s mother. 

“We’ll be in touch,” says Prompto’s father.

And Prompto beams, and scrubs at his eyes with the back of his hand. He says, “Take care, you guys. Okay? Stay safe.”

“We will,” says Prompto’s mother.

“You bet,” says Prompto’s father.

Ignis waits for some sort of reciprocation. He waits for the fond words of farewell.  

Instead, Prompto’s mother says, “Well, it’s pretty late.”

And Prompto says, “Oh, yeah. Yeah, sure. See you guys!”

And he waves as the pair of them turn to walk away.

[whimsically-ominously-auspice]

Whoever dresses has to be on the potty training schedule or pay the boys to hold them on the toilet. Then I'll go clean them up.

Note jazzy sleeps late.

And they need bathtimes. Which is sometimes tubs on the slings with the boys in panties or swim trunks to help bathe them while an adult attends.

Or in the kitchen sink on a flower pillow thing designed for sink bathing. And an adult must always be there to watch and help.

No one ever picks up a naked wet baby without a towel even if the towel is wet because they're too slippery.

And if an adult bathes/showers with them they always wear a towel cause they're too dam slippery

Then they always get a spray of Chanel in their hair for beauty

And we requested some hair growth and stuff made with onion seeds to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. Cause all us babies have our hair fall out as soon as we're born and mommy assures me that stuff will work and the babies will have super long locks faster than we would think.

Otherwise they would be nearly bald a whole year like me and Annabelle and mommy!

So they got a whole ritual and then they will need Chanel No 5 lotion cause great gramma been making Chanel No 5 for 68 years in slavery. So.

Its combing in the hair growth then one spray of Chanel No 5 on their crown usually there's a swirl of hair growth or a small bald circle less than a dime size on the top back of their head it won't get in their eyes and about 5 inches from the scalp should cover from behind the ears and the top and back to the nape of the neck. So just one spray for our little beauties.

The adults are about 5 or more

Then there's the Chanel No 5 body gel that's all about glitter so we will decide how much and wear. Legs while in dresses with bare legs for sure. Naked toes, too.

"We don't want them to look like mutants!" But sometimes a tiny bit smoothed on their faces, with extreme caution on their eyelids. Always add a tiny bit at a time. "5 tiny bits added carefully can build up to quite a hit!" Says great gramma.

And they could get on their lips if its a while for feeding time and they get air blown in their faces to have it dry quickly.

I often use lotion on my lips when I can't find my chapstick and my lips are drying out due to the weather.

Although it may be too perfumey -- many chapstick has fragrance like watermelon or cherry or mint. But they're also flavored

With lotion after it dries it doesn't taste like much and I would imagine Chanel No 5 body gel with real gold flecks won't taste like much. But will leave that nose feeling happy.

Im just so happy they're finally free and safe. To know they all now own Chanel No 5 and receive the profits is even better. And that is great for them and is satisfying.

And so y'all buying Chanel -- all their factories have been caught and the profits have been transferred to the victims they had being kept in by police and so buying direct from Chanel.com will give them a higher profit! So purses and sunglasses and more.

My gramma designed the gold flecked body gel as well as the cream and other versions of the Chanel No 5 perfume. And she had it approved by the people running Chanel and keeping her a slave.

So she's very proud of that and im very glad she was allowed that privilege of some freedom of feeling good in her skills at work.

So I'm super happy to make my babies Chanel No 5 babies. Of course my entire RV will smell nothing but of Chanel No 5 and "Erica's Roadside Bungalow Feeding Meals on Wheels" being reheated.

When she was little i would tell her "take a bite out of this" and so on and I would notice her thinking and say she was "munching" on some information..

So when it came to food she was all "you mean real food like a meal? That comes on a menu like in a restaurant? Or the weird things you do?"

So she actually had dreams to feed people and she made that name when she was only one and a half years old.

Feeding meals.

So much more than just food. Its love, too..

And we lived in a small house that was rehabilitated into a home and she would ask "is this a house?" And i would say "its more a bungalow style home"

"And we live on the roadside. Can we go to the beach because you always tell Steven that bungalows are on the beach usually but he always wanted you to call it a bungalow now you do. And that makes me happy so much. So does food. And both ways of us eating life up, with love." She would say. "And if I live in an RV then it would be on wheels and that would be so cool!"

We went to the library on weekends, and we would buy throw away books and we came in with a huge haul and i let them read them and pick out some for home before we went and took them to school and there was a book for kids on types of houses and it became Steven's most favorite book of all and he memorized it and he would read it to us from memory while we held it and looked at the pictures.

He had stories all made up for families and styles of life for each house in the book.

And so he got Erica into it because that was all he wanted to do was play that book.

So they would pick a house and then Barbie would act out whatever Steven said they had to do to stereo typically live in each house.

Erica would of course have one Barbie to argue and act different and so she would say "well!... What are we to do! I guess we must move! What kind of house must we move into!?! We must ask the Realtor. Steeeeeeven! Well look what am i to where? I picked this and so what kind of home do i move into? Please refer to the book"

Both of them just 18 months old. But Erica looked twice as old although she was not. Kidnapped twins. Seperated at birth.

[decadent-treasures]

HOW I SAVE $18K A YEAR AND HOW YOU CAN DO IT, TOO!

I know you scoffed and raised an eyebrow when you read the title, but you clicked anyway just to have a laugh and maybe leave a sarcastic comment. I have my own reasons to laugh, about 18 thousand of them! 

Follow these tips and with some discipline you can save up for that down payment on your first home or that trip around the world or whatever big thing you want to do in your life!

Weekdays:

DON'T get coffee to go, that's $3 a day, Monday through Friday. DO wake up 5 minutes early and make your own at home, you'll save $780 a year.

DON'T order lunch- that lunch special is delicious and convenient, but it's $10 a day, Monday through Friday. DO pack up lunch the night before or the morning of, you'll save $2600.

DON'T use vending machines. I know you're thirsty, but $1.75 for a small bottle of water when you can buy the 2 liter bottle at the market for the same price? Just use the water fountain! And that $2 candy bar? You can get the King size for less than that at the dollar store! DO invest in a travel mug so you can bring your coffee to work, then wash it and refill it with water throughout the day. There are some cold-brew teabags on the market if water is too plain for you. Also, get cheap candy in bulk or from the dollar store and carry some in your bag at all times instead of wasting cash at the vending machines. This bring your own water and candy trick will save you $975 yearly if you can stay away from the vending machines for 5 days a week.

DON'T get take out for dinner and don't order in : you're too tired to start cooking and you're too hungry to wait, but that $15 dinner adds up. DO eat a snack as soon as you get home and start cooking right away. You can prep your meals on your days off so you have them ready to warm up after work. So forget about ordering in 3 nights a week, that's $2340 a year you could be saving instead! Not to mention what you cook at home is very likely healthier than what you order in.

DON'T get a personal trainer! I won't say DON'T get a gym membership, even though you could technically work out at home, find a place to jog or go as a free guest with a friend or family member who has a gym membership...But if you can afford a gym, by all means invest in your health, just don't get a personal trainer if you live on a budget.Yes, they'll show you a few exercises that target the areas you want to work on, but in the end, it's you who has to hop on that treadmill or elliptical and lift those weights, not the trainer. The trainer is there to get his or her $60/ hr. One training session a week will cost you $3120 at the end of the year. DO get your information watching trainers on YouTube and do your research on fitness blogs when you are looking for specifics.

DON'T buy groceries in the spur of the moment, especially when you're hungry. So you're on your way home and you decide to stop by the market, assuming that once you're there you'll magically have an idea what to make for dinner. Chances are you're going to rush through the aisles because you just want to get home already and cook the damn dinner. A few items are going to catch your eye: the unhealthy frozen pizza and TV dinners, the expensive salad in a plastic box, the pastry section because what's wrong with having only cake for dinner? I can't tell how much you'll spend but take my word for it, shopping when you're hungry and in a rush is not likely to save you money.

DO plan your meals and make a list of the ingredients you need. Stick to your list. Buy in bulk when possible. Use coupons. Choose quality over quantity. In the long run, healthy eating will prevent you from spending thousands of dollars years later to treat affections caused by bad eating habits or poor quality food.

Weekends: DON'T go out for drinks. Yes, it's been a long week and you deserve that cold beer or that Mojito, but having 2 drinks every Friday or Saturday night for a whole year will set you back $1560, tips not included. DO call your friends over. You'll get the beer, they get the wine, you can even split a bottle of liquor between all of you. Plus, you're already home, so you won't have to call a taxi or have someone give you a ride home. I'm not saying it won't cost you a bit, but you'll be getting a lot more than 2 drinks per night for this money.

DON'T dine at restaurants. No, not even Sunday brunch! Sure, home-cooked meals can get boring, especially if the fanciest dish you can make is lasagna. But a meal out at a restaurant- and we're talking popular chains, not fine dining- will cost you somewhere in the $50 range ( $10 cocktail, $10 appetizer, $15 entree $10 dessert, plus tax and tips). So don't go out to eat every weekend and at the end of the year you'll have saved $2600.

DO dine at restaurants on special occasions. Dining out only on special occasions really makes going out to eat an event you look forward to. It's what marks the occasion as special! But if you really want to save, browse through the online menus of fancy restaurants and then find the recipe online and make it at home. Serve it in your fine china, add a mini candle in a jar or two, or go all out and put flowers as the centerpiece.

DON'T go to the Mall because...what else is there to do? Going to the mall means impulse buying because yes, this world is full of beautiful things and guess what, they're on sale this weekend only! This one's especially hard for the ladies. Having something new to wear, whether it's a pair of jeans, a pair or earrings or that divine new body lotion- these are the things that make us feel like we can take on the world like the fabulous superwomen we all are. But life will soon feel anything but fabulous when you realize every trip to the mall costs you $20 at the very least (even if you found a great top at 75% off for only $10, you'll most likely spend another $10 on snacks and drinks because all that sale hunting got you hungry. So skip the weekly impulse buying and sale hunting and save $1040 yearly at the very least.

DO research fashion blogs. I know, we all have a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear...Waste a little time on fashion blogs and you'll learn about contrasting or coordinating fabrics, patterns, colors and accessories. So instead of always wearing the white cotton shirt with the navy suit pants, try those stretch marigold skinny jeans you regret buying because they don't really go with anything. A little research and creativity can get you a new outfit with a $0.00 price tag.

DON'T go to the movies! So you're paying $200 a month for your Cable bundle and you can't find anything to watch on TV? I guess paying $12 for a movie ticket and another $10 for popcorn and soda in addition to your cable bill will satisfy your desire to be entertained. But if your financial needs hold priority over your entertainment whims, skip the monthly trip to the movie theater and in a year you'll save $1144.

DO check out what's new on your favorite cable channels, use Netflix and other cheap subscriptions. Now, if you are really frugal, cancel your cable subscription, get a library pass at your local library- it's free- and check out their DVD/ Blu ray section and ask for the new releases! Why, of course they have the last season of Game of Thrones, glad you asked!

DON'T get a manicure, pedicure or haircut too often. I know, every time I pass by a window that says "Manicure+Pedicure = $ 50 ONLY!" my mind goes "Treat Yo Self". But $50 on nails every two weeks plus a monthly trip to the hair salon will cost me $1900 a year.

DO get high quality gel nail polish and LITERALLY treat yo self. Also, avoid going to the hair salon too often by having healthy hair. If your hair is fully hydrated and shiny it usually sits well and not many will notice that it's not styled. But good hair means buying high quality hair products. Sure, it will cost you a pretty penny but it won't cost you $1900, guaranteed.

So there you have it, a lot of DON'Ts will get you to save $18,059 in a year. But it's all very doable, notice how for every don't there's also a DO! So what will it be for you? A year of Don'ts or a year of Do's?