#i live in the tampa area

[zetterbabe]

I have never wanted the local bally sports sun feed more than I do right now

[withwritersblock]

Room For Two

~ROOM FOR 2 by Benson Boone~

Author's Note: requested, also I love Ross Colton Summary: Ross tells his girlfriend where he gets traded to Warnings: none Word Count: 1,130 Ross Colton x fm!reader

He was told a couple weeks prior to the playoffs that there was a low chance that he would be given a contract with the Lightning. He still held out hope that he would get to stay with the team he won a Stanley Cup with. He loved living in Tampa, he met his girlfriend here. 

He wanted nothing more than to stay with the Lightning but the management had other plans. They decided that he would not get a contract and that he would be traded. He wasn’t going into free agency like he thought. It was something he had discussed with his girlfriend a lot. They had been together for two years and he hated the idea of long distance. 

Except that was the plan in her mind. She grew up in Tampa and had no plans on leaving. Ross felt his heart shatter when she said she wouldn’t want to go with him. 

Now, here he was staring at the call from the general manager of the Lightning. He took a deep breath as he brought his phone towards his ear. He leaned forward, destined his one arm on his knee. 

“Hello?” he let out barely above a whisper.

“Hi Ross, we’ve come to the decision and you’ve been traded to Colorado,” he let out.

Ross nearly laughed. Is that a joke? It was a team that he swore Tampa would never make a trade with. 

“Okay, thank you for everything,” he let out, his voice cracking as he spoke. 

They shared some more pleasantries before Ross hung up the phone. He slowly leaned back against the couch. He felt like he was just thrown away. Like three years meant nothing. 

It wasn’t so bad, a team wanted him. A really good team. A team that beat him in the Stanley Cup finals. The sadness coursing through his veins slowly dissipated as the thought of going to another good time. A great team. 

After a few seconds, his phone started to ring again. It was an unfamiliar number and a Denver area code. He took a deep breath as he answered the call. It was the general manager of Colorado.

“Hi Ross, this is Chris MacFarland the general manager of Colorado. How’s it going?” he asked. Ross smiled.

“I’m feeling great,” he let out, a chuckle leaving his throat. He meant it. Hearing the general manager’s voice be excited to talk to him, meant it was a good plan. 

“That’s great. We are really excited to have you come to Colorado, we want to get a contract set as soon as possible,” he expressed. 

They spoke on the phone for another hour about the aspects of what he would like in a contract and what would be best for both parties. Chris was ecstatic that Ross wanted a longer contract. Ross was happy that he was going to a place that wanted him. 

After the hour was complete, Chris offered him a four-year-deal. “I’m going to talk to some of my family but I don’t see how this can’t work. Thank you for this,” Ross expressed.

“Take your time, can’t wait to see you in Colorado,” Chris let out before he hung up the phone. 

Ross slowly pulled the phone from his ear, a grin wide on his features. They wanted him. It felt so right and so good to go play for a team that was good and had the chance to lift the cup. 

He watched the Avs lift the cup, he wanted to wear the A and lift the cup with them. 

A knock rang throughout the apartment, he smiled. “It’s unlocked!” he shouted as he stood up from the couch. Y/N stepped inside, a soft smile on her lips. Ross excitedly walked towards her. He hugged her tightly.

“Good news then?” she let out against his chest. 

His smile faltered slightly as he pulled away. He clenched his jaw while he waved his hand back and forth. “Sorta?” he said as he held his hand towards her. She gladly took a hold of it as he guided her towards his couch. 

“Oh no,” she mumbled as he rested his hands onto her hips, turning her towards him. She scanned his features, admiring the small smile on his lips. 

He was happy. She had to accept that he was content with what was going on. “Where are you heading, my love?” she mumbled as she avoided his gaze. He scanned her features, watching the tears fill her eyes. 

He took a deep breath, “Colorado,” he mumbled. Her eyes widened as she let out a dry chuckle. He bit his bottom lip. “That was my reaction too,” he said fighting off a grin. She shook her head as she clenched her jaw. 

“They want to sign me for four years, that’s amazing right?” he said as his voice cracked. 

She remained silent as she met his light eyes. There was not a hint of sadness in his gaze, it felt like a stab in the chest. How could she let him go alone? She’s never seen snow, maybe now is her chance. Her lips began to quiver as her heart began to beat fast. She blinked as a tear fell onto her cheek. 

“I guess we are apartment hunting then?” she mumbled out. His eyes widened as his lips curled upward slowly. 

“We?” he asked, hopeful. 

She nodded as she continued looking deeply into his light eyes, “I’ve always wanted to see snow,” she mumbled. He smiled so wide as he quickly wrapped his arms around her. She giggled as she pressed her face against his chest, surrounding herself with his cologne. A smell she was afraid she would lose forever. 

“You’re coming with me?” he let out as his voice cracked. He was shocked. He had spent several weeks trying to convince her. 

“I thought-” she mumbled as she pulled away from his chest. She rested her hands on the base of his neck. He scanned her features. “I thought I would be okay with you going and me staying but-” she paused as she looked into his eyes for a few beats, “I can’t imagine spending years apart,” she let out. He nodded as he leaned towards her, kissing her urgently. 

“Are you sure? I-I mean you’ve wanted long distance-” he rambled but Y/N cut him off by kissing him again. She ran her fingers through his hair. 

“I want to be with you,” she mumbled against his lips, “Even if it means I have to root for the Avs,” she whispered. He chuckled as he pulled her against his chest. 

“You’ll get used to it,” he let out teasingly as he pressed his lips against the side of her head.

[rjzimmerman]

When I was an active docent and volunteer in the desert, and hiked all over the place, whenever I spotted the remains of a mylar balloon, I went for it, shoved it in my backpack and brought it back to properly dispose of it. Those things are vicious killers of wildlife.

Excerpt from this story from the New York Times:

Balloons released in the sky don’t go to heaven. They often end up in oceans and waterways, where they’re 32 times more likely to kill seabirds than other types of plastic debris. Despite this, humans like to release them en masse, be it to celebrate a loved one’s life or a wedding, or to reveal the gender of a baby.

The practice is on the verge of becoming illegal in Florida, where the legislature has joined a growing number of states to ban the intentional release of balloons outdoors. The Florida ban is expected to be signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and would take effect July 1.

Florida is at the forefront of a dizzying and contentious array of statewide bans, outlawing lab grown meat, certain books from school libraries and classrooms, and most abortions after six weeks. But the balloon ban is rare for garnering widespread bipartisan support. It was championed by environmentalists and sponsored by two Republican lawmakers from the Tampa Bay area, Linda Chaney, a state representative and Nick DiCeglie, a state senator.

“Balloons contribute to the increase in microplastic pollution which is harmful to every living thing including humans, polluting our air and drinking water,” Ms. Chaney wrote in an email.

“My hope is that this bill changes the culture, making people more aware of litter in general, including balloons,” she said.

Ms. Chaney said she first heard about the perils of balloon debris in 2020. Aquatic animals often mistake balloons for jellyfish and feel full after eating them, essentially starving from the inside out. Ribbons affixed to balloons entangle turtles and manatees. Balloons also pose a threat to land animals. In her research, Ms. Chaney learned about a pregnant cow that died after ingesting a balloon while grazing. The unborn calf died too.

The bill closes a loophole in an existing Florida law that allowed for the outdoor release of up to nine balloons per person in any 24-hour period, a provision that critics say didn’t achieve the goal of reducing marine trash.

The new legislation makes it clear that balloons can pose an environmental hazard, supporters say. It equates intentionally releasing a balloon filled with a gas lighter than air with littering, a noncriminal offense that carries a fine of $150. The ban also applies to outdoor releases of any balloons described by manufacturers as biodegradable.

The ban does not restrict the sale of balloons by party suppliers or manufacturers; they could still be used indoors or as decorations outdoors if properly secured.

[sincosma]

Regarding Hurricane Helene and those who didn't evacuate

I don't often make huge posts like this, but as someone who has been involved in the emergency response to Hurricane Helene, I have some things to get off my chest.

I am in total shock at the damage Helene did to my area (the Tampa Bay area). Over 8 feet of storm surge, never before seen here, has completely destroyed iconic and vital parts of my community. The storm stayed 100 miles offshore from us but managed this level of devastation. Then, seeing the catastrophic levels of damage for the folks in Taylor County and the Big Bend area, as well as everyone in the South... it's hard to comprehend.

I work in government, so I've been on call the past few days for storm updates. I'm so tired and overwhelmed by the pictures and videos I'm seeing. Last night, I saw posts of people in my area begging for rescue with several feet of water or more in their homes. There are still people awaiting rescue right now. We have 5 confirmed fatalities in my county as of now, all due to storm surge.

With all that said, I'm making this post for a specific reason. I'm seeing a lot of people say, "They were in a mandatory evacuation zone, so it's their own fault for staying and risking their lives," or, worst of all, "emergency services shouldn't help people who were dumb enough to stay."

Quite literally, from the bottom of my heart, go fuck yourself.

You do not understand the immense challenges many people face when mandatory evacuations are called. People with disabilities, the elderly, unhoused individuals, people experiencing poverty, non-English speaking communities, and many other vulnerable populations cannot simply get up and go. Were there people who could've evacuated but didn't because they were being stubborn or flippant? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean these people suddenly lose their human rights because they made a mistake or froze up in fear or could not evacuate for a million different reasons. They still deserve help and understanding.

If you don't live in hurricane-prone areas, you will never fully understand the scope of these impacts, the complacency some people get from repeated storms, the limitations of evacuation resources, and the thousands of obstacles people face when they need to evacuate. Sure, YOU think it would be EASY to pack up and go, but that's often not a reality for many people who are living with disabilities, poverty, abusive situations, etc. The list goes on and on.

I'm honestly horrified by the levels of superiority and callousness with which some people are reacting to pictures and videos of the storm impacts. I usually see some of it every time a major storm occurs, but it seems especially prevalent this time around.

Keep your opinions about evacuations, and your judgment towards those who chose to stay, to yourself.

Hope everyone else affected is hanging in there. <3

[something-tofightfor]

Liminality: Part 1

Pairing: Frankie Morales x Female Reader

Word Count: 6,739

Rating: M - language, mature content, (talk of death and supernatural things, deception, Tom being his usually smarmy self)

Summary: After your arrival in Florida, you've got some things to take care of. First, you need to find a place to live ... then comes the rest.

Author’s note:

I'm so excited to start posting this story. I'm so excited to share more of these two with You. I have no idea how long it'll end up being, but I do have the whole thing outlined, it's just a matter of writing it.

This one is dedicated to @the-blind-assassin-12 - who dropped the idea in my inbox (not sharing that yet because it gives away something important)... and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.

This *is* going to be a spooky story overall - but chapters will be marked clearly with necessary warnings.

This is a set up chapter... but it's necessary. I promise.

Masterlist (for the journal entries and all of the other 'extras')

The phone rang three times before it went to voicemail.

The recording was an artificially cheerful man’s voice telling you that he was sorry he’d missed you, but if you left a short message with your name, a good contact number, and the reason for your call, he’d get back to you as soon as possible. Standard operating procedure. Alright.

Taking a deep breath, you stared toward the window. Maybe he’s showing a house. “Hi, Tom. I’m just calling because I saw one of your commercials last night, and I’m looking for a place to rent.” You paused and stood, pacing as you spoke. “I just need a one bedroom or an efficiency. I’ll be in the Tampa area for at least a couple months for work, so something month to month would be great.” You took another breath and then nodded, deciding that was enough for the voicemail. “If you could give me a call back, I’d appreciate it, even if it’s just to tell me you can’t help me out. Thanks.” 

You ended the message with your name and phone number, and once you’d hung up, you tossed your phone back onto the unmade bed, crossing your arms. 

Florida was the last place you wanted to be, but after a series of leads hadn’t panned out in a neighboring state, it seemed like your only option. And now I have a few weeks to look into things before … I have to worry. 

Your eyes flicked over to the small duffel bag that contained all of your notes and research, along with your laptop. But instead of unzipping it, you reached for your shoulder bag and then your phone - dropping the device into it after turning the ringer on. “I’ll deal with it later.” 

Speaking to the empty room, you slipped your feet into shoes and then headed for the door. The area you were staying in was typical for a suburb on the outskirts of Tampa, but you wanted to explore, even if that just meant driving around aimlessly for the rest of the morning. 

A few minutes later and based on the results of a quick Reddit search, you were behind the wheel and heading toward somewhere called Carrolwood. As you drove, you thought about the failure in Louisiana, the phone tag you’d been playing with your cousin Alec, and the fact that even after years of searching, you still felt no closer to your goal. 

“But at least I have the books.” Groaning as you stopped a a red light, you drummed your fingers against the wheel, shaking your head. “And the website.” 

That made you roll your eyes - as it did often - but by the time you’d parked and walked into Foxtail Coffee Co., you were focused again. Even though you left your main research in the hotel, you always carried a notebook and pen with you… and you planned on making the most of the time in the coffee shop. 

Once you had your drink - and a breakfast sandwich - you settled in at a table and put your headphones in, reaching into your bag for the notebook and a pen once you’d chosen a playlist. Make a plan. Make another list. Start small. Do what you always do.

Flipping past the previous few days of entries, you stared down at a blank page, chewing on your lower lip. 

There wasn’t much you could do until you’d established a home base, and you had no intention of that being a Holiday Inn. You’d be able to take care of the small shopping list you’d jotted down, but there was no point in moving everything into your hotel room and then back out a few days later when you found a place. If I find one.

Leaving Louisiana wasn’t something you’d planned on, and if you were being honest, the sudden change had thrown you off more than any previous pivot in your search had. You’d settle in - and your stress level would drop - over the following few days, but until then, you just had to push through it. Nothing else I can do.

Deciding that you’d start with making a list of potential places you wanted to visit, you unlocked your phone and picked up the pen, tapping it on the page, 

Before you could make a search, a call from an unfamiliar number popped up on the screen. It interrupted your song, and after a few seconds, you recognized it as Tom’s. That was fast. 

“Hello?” There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then you heard him clear his throat before he spoke. 

“Hi, this is Tom Davis. I’m returning a call you made about finding an apartment?” There was some shuffling, and then he continued. “If you give me some more information about yourself and what you’re looking for, I can make a list of properties to show you.” 

“Hi. Yeah, that was me.” Taking a sip of your coffee, you watched as a young couple made an order, the man’s arm around a woman’s shoulders. “Thanks for calling back so fast, I figured it would take a while.”

“Nope. I had a client cancel this morning, so I’m free right now.” Lucky me. “Go ahead. Hit me. Tell me what you need, and I’ll see if I can make it happen for you.” Wrinkling your nose at the false excitement in his voice, you closed your eyes. You need a place to stay, and this is a good lead. Just deal with it. 

“Like I said, I really only need something for one person. I’m in Tampa doing some research for a book and my website, and my focus is on local tourism. I need somewhere kind of close to a highway, and centrally located based on bigger areas of interest - parks, waterways, museums, things like that. Restaurants and bars are good too, but I’ll have to drive around and find those myself, so … that’s not as important.” You paused, thinking. “My budget’s flexible, and this is going to be really short term… no longer than six months on the long end, honestly, is what I’m thinking. I’ll need a parking space and would prefer air conditioning, but aside from that, it doesn’t matter if it’s an apartment or a loft.” 

“Would you be open to renting a room?” He cleared his throat. “There’s a lot of older people around here, and a couple listings I have are for rooms in people’s houses with shared common space.” 

“I’ve never done that before. And my hours aren’t exactly set, so it might not be a good idea.” He agreed, humming. “A guest house might work, though. Or an in-law suite on a property? I don’t know if people down here have those or -” 

“You know what?” He laughed, the sound the most genuine thing that you’d heard from him. “People do. There’s no way in hell I’d ever want my mother in law livin’ that close to me, but it’s more common than you think.” You heard keys clicking, and a few seconds later, Tom spoke again. “I’ve got a couple listings that might work for you, if you want to set up a time to meet.” 

“That fast?” Jaw dropping, you checked the time on your phone. It’s not even eleven yet. “When can you fit me in?” 

“Where are you at right now?” He paused and then laughed again. “That sounded weird. Sorry. I work out of Riverbend, not that that will mean anything to you, but depending on how far away you are, I -”

“I’m in Carrolwood at the moment.” You interrupted him, pushing the notebook away. Could it be this easy? “I have no idea where that is in relation to you.” 

“You’re only about fifteen minutes away.” He cleared his throat. “I can give you the address of a coffee shop close by and we can meet there and I can show you your options before you decide whether or not you wanna see any of them?” 

It made sense. Rather than driving around aimlessly, he was making things easier on you - which you appreciated. “Sure, Tom. Just send me the address and I’ll head there now.”   

— 

Twenty minutes later, you were parked in the lot in front of a Dunkin’, slowly finishing the remainder of your coffee from earlier. 

You were debating over ordering a second - and a donut - when an older model pickup pulled into the lot and turned into the space next to you. Moments later, the same man from the commercial rounded the back of the vehicle, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the end of the bed. 

“Here we go.” You got out then, the man’s attention turning toward you and the relaxed expression turning into a wide, lopsided smile as he extended one hand and introduced himself. “Nice to meet you, Tom.”

“Yeah, you too.” His grin widened when you shook hands with him, and then he used his other one to gesture to he restaurant. “Want to go inside? I’ve got my laptop.” 

You agreed and when the two of you were seated at a table - fresh drinks for both of you - he opened the device and turned the screen so that you could see it. 

Over the next few minutes, he clicked through a short list of available options, and you did your best to pay attention to what he was saying. But I can’t focus. There was something off about him - the falsity of his cheeriness and the speed that he’d been able to accommodate the meeting were somewhat concerning. But maybe I’m just rattled by this whole thing because it’s unexpected. Maybe it’s just a me thing. 

“Honestly, I’d probably go for one of these three,” he said, interrupting your thoughts as he pointed to the screen. “MacFarlane, South Tampa and Tampa Heights put you close to 275 and downtown. A couple of my buddies live nearby, and they haven’t complained, either.” He grinned again. “The apartment’s vacant, so we could go see it right now, and the other two have lockboxes with codes, so I don’t need to make an appointment or anything.” He paused and then frowned, holding up a hand. “I don’t want to sound forward, because I’m not trying to be.” Wiggling his fingers, your attention was drawn to the ring on one of them. “But it’ll be faster if we go in one car, and since I know my way around the city…” 

“I’d rather drive myself, actually.” You took a drink and then set your cup down, shrugging. “Nothing against you, but if I’m going to be here for a while, I need to get used to traffic and start learning my way around.” He nodded once, the man’s eyes on your face. “Besides, if we drive separate, you don’t have to worry about dropping me off before you get back to whatever else you’ve got going on this afternoon.”

“Makes sense. Just thought I’d offer.” He drained his cup and then returned to the laptop, finally looking away. “I’ll send you the addresses so you have them, but if you want to follow me, that’ll be good, too.” That was fine with you, and once your phone pinged with the list, the two of you stood and headed back outside. “We’ll start with South Tampa first and then work our way back up. Sound good?” 

“Yep.” Glancing up at the sky, you took a moment to appreciate the warmth of the sun, and then met Tom’s gaze again. “Sounds perfect.” Maybe in a couple hours, I’ll know where I’m staying for the next few months. 

— 

The South Tampa apartment was nice, but it didn’t feel right to you - and you told him as much. 

“I’m not surprised. This was my least favorite of the three.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. “I personally don’t like that it’s ground level. And a lot of my clients - single women, parents with small kids - don’t either.” 

“I just don’t like the size of it.” You pointed down the hallway. “The kitchen’s a closet. And I know I can’t really expect a lot from what I’m looking to rent, but…” That took him by surprise, but then he nodded again, pushing upright. 

“Fair enough. Come on. We’ll go to MacFarlane next.” The man locked the door behind you, and when you were in the parking lot again, he spoke up. “You said you were looking for bars and restaurants for work, right?” Confirming, you waited to see what he’d say next. “Couple of my old military buddies own a bar down here called Ironhead’s. You should check it out, maybe you’ll like it.” 

“Thank you, Tom.” You pulled your phone out, making a note for later. “Are they the ones that live here?” 

“One of ‘em, yeah. Benny lives closer to downtown, but Will and his wife have a place about ten minutes south of here.” He gestured to his truck, unlocking the door. “See you at the next place?” 

The drive was short, but it still gave you time to think, the caffeine from both coffees surging through you. 

If the apartment that you’d just seen was the worst of the three options, you were in good shape. And if he told me to go see his friends’ bar, that means I have an in with someone that lives in the area. And they might be able to tell me more. 

That was all you had time for, your GPS alerting you to the fact that you’d arrived, pulling up just behind Tom in the driveway. 

“This one’s new on the market and it’s a studio, but it’s on someone’s property. They travel a lot for work, so you probably wouldn’t see or hear ‘em much.” He typed in the code and then stepped to the side, letting you head in first. “The layout’s not complicated, and I really like all the windows.” 

You did, too - sunlight streaming in, soft carpet in the main living space, the bed tucked behind a low wall to give you a semblance of privacy. Not that anyone would visit. “The kitchen’s nice.” You stepped through it and into the bathroom, flipping the switch. “And the shower is, too.” He moved to stand behind you, though he kept some distance. 

“This one includes Internet, and it says the TV’s one of the smart models, so you can watch whatever with your own accounts.” That would be helpful, and you told him so, turning back to face the man. “There’s a small covered porch around back, just so if you sit outside and the owners are home, you aren’t in view of the house.” 

That got your attention - you liked sitting outside and going over notes, liked looking up at the moon and stars while you worked. And if no one’s staring, that’s even better. “Well this is at the top of my list.” You smiled, taking a seat on the couch and looking around. “What’s the catch?”

“Football traffic.” He sighed. “Noise from the airport.” Oh. Shit. “Season’s about to start soon, so the highways might get a little backed up on game days. And the planes … well that’s self explanatory.” 

“Damn.” Frowning, you closed your eyes. “Alright. Well, I’ll keep that in mind.” 

You left soon after, you and the man pausing in the driveway while he locked the door, and then Tom turned to you. “The third place is also a guest house, but it’s a little bigger than this one.” He crossed his arms over his chest, eyes on you. “It’s also a little more expensive, but that’s because of the neighborhood.” 

“What about it?” Price wasn’t something you were worried about, because you’d purposely given him a lower number than you could afford. “Tom?” 

“It’s one of the oldest neighborhoods in Tampa, so it’s got a lot of … shit in it.” He winced. “Sorry. Sometimes I just …” You waved him off and he continued. “More bars. Restaurants. A ton of parks. The river’s right there, but the place you’re looking at is further north than a lot of it.” He scrolled through his phone and then nodded. “You’re closer to Seminole than I thought, which is real close to another of my buddies - Frankie.” 

“Another military friend?” He nodded in agreement. “Did you help them all find houses, too?”

“No. Well, Benny, yes. But Will and his wife found their place on their own. Frankie bought kind of on a whim, and went straight through the seller. Pope … is splitting his time between here and where his girl lives, so he’s still living in his parents’ place.” Tom ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll be honest. I’ve only been doing this for a couple years, and I kind of suck at it. I just needed something to keep myself busy after I retired, so I’m still learning.” 

You appreciated the honesty, and for the first time, you felt yourself truly warming up to the man. Took long enough. “Well then, Tom, let’s go see this last place. Sounds like it’s got a lot going for it.” 

— 

You wanted the Tampa Heights rental, and it took everything in you to remain calm about it. 

It was almost a studio, but he hadn’t been lying when he said it was larger. 

“They converted a poolhouse, I think.” The two of you were in the living room, Tom leaning against a wall while you looked around. “When they filled in the pool, there was no need for it to exist.” 

“So they redid this. Smart.” You peeked into the kitchen area, smiling at the sight of the larger refrigerator. “I like that the bedroom’s got a door. This room is bright, and that would make it kind of hard to sleep.” He agreed with you, the man staying put as you stepped into the bedroom, eyeing the setup. 

It wasn’t ornately furnished, but the bed looked comfortable. You had a small closet and dresser, and there was a second TV mounted to the wall. I want this place. “Internet’s included here, too.” He called to you from the other room, the man’s voice carrying. “The back of this place has some trees between it and the road, but it shouldn’t be too loud because it’s a neighborhood street. And then you’ve got the private entrance and driveway, and a couple more trees that keep the house mostly hidden.” 

“It feels comfortable.” You reentered the room where Tom was, one hand on your hip. “I could see myself staying here.” Wetting your lips, you looked around again. “I think this is it, Tom.” 

“Yeah?” His eyes widened. “You sure?”

“I don’t want to stay in the hotel for any longer than necessary, and this place meets my requirements, so yeah. As long as the owners are alright with a short term renter, I think … I’d like to apply for it.” 

For the next few minutes, the two of you talked over the process - submitting a background check with your application, getting in touch with the owners, the timeline you hoped to move in during … and then Tom cleared his throat, saying your name. “It’s all contingent on everything coming back good, but a lot of owners like seeing money upfront. So, say you wanted to approach them with three months guaranteed and then month to month afterward for a certain period of time, paying upfront for the first -”

“I can pay upfront.” You held out both hands, raising and lowering your shoulders. “My last book did pretty well, and the website’s thriving, so… Three months plus a deposit is doable, Tom.” He looked surprised at that but made a note of it, the tip of his tongue sticking out between his lips as he wrote. 

“Another thing is that Fis… Frankie’s always telling me that when he jumps on the highway to go to and from work, it’s not terrible, and he’s going toward downtown.”

“Yeah? He works downtown?” It was an innocent question, but Tom’s answer floored you. 

“No. He’s a pilot, and he works out of an airport south of the city, on Davis Islands?” A pilot? Did I hit the lottery coming here? 

“He must not be home much, then.” You took a seat on the couch, looking around again. “Flying out of -”

“He can fly just about anything, but no. He does helo tours so he’s home every day.” Your jaw dropped, head snapping toward the man. “What? Why that look?”

“Tom, one of the notes in my outline for Tampa is to find a company that does tours so I can get a bird’s eye view of different parts of the city.” You laughed. “Unbelievable, right? But I like to include different things when I write about places, and I figured that since there’s so much to see here, that would be perfect.” And I need to see these waterways, so… 

“It would.” He eyed you for a few seconds and then nodded slowly. “I have one of his flyers in my truck. I’ll give it to you and then you can get in touch with him and see if he can help you. I don’t know if there’s a referral discount or anything like that, but…” Tom shrugged. “It’ll get you in the air and you don’t need to spend time lookin’ for a different company.” 

Dumbfounded, all you could do was stare at him, both hands on your knees. An apartment and a pilot in the same day? What are the odds? “I… yeah. That would be… Thank you.” 

He winked at you and then pushed off of the wall, pointing at the door. “If you’re sure about wanting this place, we don’t need to stick around. The sooner I get back to my office, the sooner I can send over the papers for you to fill out and we can get going. It’s Sunday, so we probably won’t hear anything back until Tuesday at the earliest. Then we’d have to wait for the results of your background check, so…” 

“Sounds good.” You were excited - more excited than you’d been in weeks, and the urge to get back to the hotel room and start planning was almost overwhelming. “I honestly didn’t expect to find anything so fast, so… this is great.” 

“I’m glad to hear it.” He locked the door and then led you to the driveway, walking to the passenger side of his truck.”I’ll just need you to text me your email address, and we can get started.” You did that immediately, fingers flying over the keys while he opened the door and reached into his glovebox. “This has the email and the office number on there, but I’m gonna…” He grunted, leaning further into the truck. “I’m going to write his cell number down, too.” 

Tom stood back up and faced you, holding out a single piece of paper. You took it, eyes dropping to read what it said - and when you saw the main image, you froze, inhaling sharply. Well there’s something else I wasn’t expecting. 

It was a standard flyer - brightly colored and designed to grab a person’s attention. 

But the most standout part of it was Frankie himself. Or whoever that is, anyway. Even on paper, the man was attractive, his dark hair and eyes striking. Fly with Fish? Wonder what that’s about. “Lots of options for flights,” you murmured, chewing on one corner of your lip. “He looks … focused.” Glancing back up at Tom, you saw that he was watching you intently, eyes narrowed. Weird, but alright. “Thank you.” 

“Let me get a pen, and I’ll give you his personal number. Then you don’t have to go through the -”

“No. This is fine.” Waving the paper, you shook your head. “I appreciate it, but I don’t want to just call someone out of the blue and start asking them work questions on a personal line.” And having his number would be … tempting.

“Your call. Just thought I’d offer.” Tom slipped a hand into his pocket, watching you. “Check your email when you get back to the hotel. You’ll gave paperwork waiting. If you fill it out today, just shoot me a text and let me know and I’ll move it along.” 

You agreed, folding up Frankie’s ad and sticking it in your bag. For later. “I will. And thank you, Tom. For helping me out. I’ll be sure to mention you on the site and in the book.” 

He laughed at that, reaching out to shake your hand again. “Don’t thank me yet. We’ve still got to make sure you’re approved.” True. You were about to open your mouth again when his phone rang, the man reaching for it without hesitation. “This is Tom.” Holding up a hand and waving as you mouthed the words thank you, you backed up and headed for your car. 

You had high hopes for the apartment - you knew your background check would come back without issue and you had the money to cover the down payment. So maybe only a few more days in the hotel. That would be… amazing. 

And as you backed out of the driveway, the GPS guiding you back to where you were staying, you couldn’t help thinking about everything Tom had told you about his friends - especially Frankie. He’d specifically mentioned his and Will’s wives, and Pope’s girlfriend. But nothing for Benny and Frankie. That didn’t mean that the pilot was single, but it increased the chances immensely. Not that it matters, though. 

You’d had your fair share of short term relationships, hooking up with men while you were staying in a city and searching, but they’d always been with strangers. Not someone that I might need to work with.  Eyeing the traffic around you, you rolled your eyes. And he might not even be interested anyway. 

Once back in the hotel, you checked your email to see if there was anything from Tom. 

There wasn’t - and so you decided to start doing some actual research. You pulled out your laptop and got situated at the small workstation near the window, notes scattered around you as you scrolled. 

It didn’t take long for you to get lost in the thing that had consumed your life for as long as you could remember - the search for the line of wolves that had attacked and turned your family upside down nearly 150 years prior. 

It wasn’t that none of the wolves had ever been found. Your family had had success - they’d killed the one that turned your great-great-great grandmother almost immediately… but the damage had been done. 

As the years passed, and your family learned more and more about the supernatural world that existed only in the worst nightmares of most people, it became clear that just like with regular people, certain creatures made it a point to make the lives of others miserable. 

They also often relied on their underlings to carry out their orders, as was the case of your family’s unfortunate involvement. 

After being bitten, your 3rd-great grandmother had hidden it from her husband, attempting to deal with it herself. That hadn’t worked, and since she’d been alone and scared for every transformation before anyone had figured it out, she’d done a lot of damage in her town and the surrounding areas to both people and livestock. 

That resulted in the need for your entire family line to flee to a new place - uprooting their lives in more ways than one all at once. 

Your family had been as accepting as possible of the change in the status quo, but secrecy regarding her condition had resulted in strained relationships long term, even after making attempts to eliminate the wolves responsible. But we could only do so much. 

You flipped through your notes again, one finger running down the page margin and lingering on the list of things you were looking for - bites in certain areas, broken bones in the feet and ankles, unusually gruesome remains - and then checked it against the meager information you’d been able to compile from the recent cases in Florida. 

When you’d been clued in on the family mission, you’d been skeptical - not that werewolves and other things like them could exist, but that it was possible that one line of wolves was the only one responsible for those types of kills. Because it seems like they’d all do things like this. 

Letting out a sigh, you flipped one notebook closed and pulled out a leatherbound one from years earlier - the property of your great, great grandfather - and scanned the small, neat script that filled the pages. Not all of them are bloodthirsty monsters, though. 

It had taken some time - your first bitten relative long dead by then - but someone in your family had made contact with other wolves, convincing them to meet and have a conversation before anyone acted rashly. 

That conversation was the basis for everything that you were still practicing a century later. 

It turned out that multiple packs existed - each of them descended from a unique line that could be traced back to the beginning. Except for one. The woman that had met with your 2nd-great grandfather had been clear about many things, and laying the blame for the bad reputation most wolves had solely on what wolves in the community called the Chaos line was only one of them. 

She’d expressed disappointment that your family was seeking out wolves with the intent to end them, but understood the sentiment - because they were looking, too … and had had no better luck overall. 

That meeting - and a tenuous working relationship - between your family and that contact’s line had sustained the search for years. But as times changed, the wolves became less willing to work with humans looking to harm their kind. They’d assured your relatives that they would handle it, that they could be counted on, and that they wouldn’t interfere with your search for no reason … but that the sharing of information would stop. 

That hadn’t gone over well, but luckily cooler heads on both sides had prevailed. Though you no longer had assistance from your former allies, they kept their distance - and you were careful to ensure that when (and if) you acted on information, you weren’t seeking out the wrong wolves. 

In almost 75 years, there hadn’t been a misstep, and you were determined not to be the one that broke that record. “But I also need to find the source of that line.” Covering your face with both hands, you took a deep breath. “And it’s hard.” 

You had a sneaking suspicion that Alec was still somehow meeting with one of the wolves and getting information from them, even if it wasn’t consistent. It would have explained how he always seemed to have a new, somewhat established lead, and why the two of you never seemed to be in the same place at the same time. But everyone searches a little differently, so maybe not. 

Glancing over at the window, you were surprised to see that the sunlight had shifted, more time than you’d thought passing while you reviewed notes. “Shit.” Swearing again, you checked your email, finding that Tom had sent over paperwork nearly an hour earlier. 

It was straightforward, and only took you a few minutes to fill out and send back, along with a text - just liked he’d asked. That done, you decided to stop for the day. Except … You reached for your bag and pulled the folded paper out, climbing into bed and leaning against the headboard while you stared at it. 

In all the locations you’d been on your search, things hadn’t ever fallen into place as easily as they had in only one day in Florida. Part of you wondered if it was sign that things were about to go off the rails, but another part of you believed that things were happening because they were supposed to - because you’d finally pieced something together correctly, and were on the right track. 

Frankie’s flyer included a website address, and after typing it into your phone’s browser, you spent a few minutes reading through it. It was more detailed - cost breakdowns, sample routes, gift package options and client testimonials were all listed in an easy to navigate format - and you appreciated the effort that had gone into the creation of the site. But even if it was a mess, the fact that he looks like that would make a lot of people overlook it. 

His safety record and qualifications were extensive, and even though the majority of the photos on the site had been taken from the air and were of landscapes, there were a few more of him, too. One of them was of the man leaning against the side of a helicopter, a button down shirt open over an undershirt, both arms crossed over his chest. 

He was smiling in that one, a genuine expression that made the corners of his eyes crinkle and exposed a dimple on one cheek, and at the sight of it, you acted. Within mere seconds of clicking on the “email for more information” link, you were typing furiously, lips pressed together in concentration. 

Hi, Frankie. I was referred to you by your friend Tom this afternoon while he was showing me some apartments. I’m looking to book some flight time with you, but what would work best for me is one of the custom flight plans, I think. I can explain more over the phone, so please give me a call whenever you can. Thanks! 

You sent it - along with your full name and phone number - before you could second guess yourself. That done, you exhaled, rubbing your fingers against your forehead. It hadn’t been a wasted day by any means, but you still felt uneasy being idle - even though there was nothing else for you to do. 

With a quick glance at the clock, you got up and took the few steps back to your laptop, unplugging it and then carrying it into the bed. I can start making a list of bars and restaurants. I’ll need that. 

Starting the same playlist you’d had on that morning, you opened up a spreadsheet and Google, getting ready to settle in, start your list - and figure out something for dinner that night. 

But you’d barely added anything to it before your phone rang, the device vibrating on the mattress next to one knee. The number was unfamiliar, even though the area code was the same as Tom’s, so you picked it up, clearing your throat as you answered. “Hello?” 

“Hey, this is…” He cleared his throat, too, and then hummed. “This is Frankie Morales, I’m calling you back about the email you just sent me?” You wanted to answer - wanted to let him know that he had the right number and that yes, you were the one that had emailed … but nothing came out when you opened your mouth. His voice. It’s so… it’s so deep and he … he sounds like… “Hey, you there? Hello?” 

You’d only seen images of him, but the man’s face paired with the sound of his voice through the speaker of your phone was enough to bring him almost fully to life in your mind. Get it the fuck together. “Yeah, I am, I just …” Closing your eyes and shaking your head, you gripped the device more tightly. “I wasn’t expecting you to call so fast, it’s only been like half an hour.” 

He chuckled then, the sound short and quiet, but it made your eyes widen and your lips part in surprise at the same time. I like the sound of that. “Yeah, I’m just getting ready to head out for the day. Finished my last flight and got my girl - the helicopter - ready for tomorrow, so I thought I’d check my email before I left.” Frankie paused, and then spoke again. “And your email was waiting.” 

“Thank you for calling back.” Sliding the laptop off of your lap, you leaned back, resting your head against the headboard. “I figured it would be easier to explain what I’m looking for instead of typing, and -”

“A customized tour, right?” You agreed, nodding even though he couldn’t see it. “What area? And when? If you’re looking for a place to rent here, it sounds like you’re going to be sticking around.” 

“Probably more than one, to be honest.” You frowned then, thinking. “I’m not even really sure what I want to see, I just know a few different places will be better than…” Trailing off, you closed your eyes. I hate being unprepared. “Is there a time I could come by your office or something? I could explain what I’m looking for and you might be able to suggest things since you live here.” 

Frankie didn’t respond right away, and when he did, you heard apprehension in his voice, though it was quickly replaced with confidence the longer he spoke. “I do have an office, but I’m pretty booked out for the next few weeks, and I don’t have much downtime between flights because it’s a lot of prep work. It’s just me right now, aside from my mechanic.” Oh. OK. That makes sense. “But - and you can say no - I’m free tonight if you wanted to meet up and maybe grab a beer or a coffee if you don’t drink? That way I’ll know what you’re looking for and whether or not I can help.” 

It made sense - and you’d just offered to do basically the same thing by going to his office. But … “I don’t want to take up your night, Frankie. Thank you though. I’ll just email you details about what I’m looking for and you can call if you have questions.” 

“If that’s what you’d rather do, that’s fine.” He paused, but when he spoke again, he sounded determined. “But you wouldn’t be taking up my time. I’m meeting my buddies for a couple drinks, but they’re not off until later… so really, you’d be keeping me busy until it’s time for my my plans.” Buddies? Drinks … could it be… 

“Are you talking about the bar your friends own?” Thinking hard, you tried to remember the names Tom had given you. “Benny and … Will?” He let out a breath, the sound registering as startled to you, but he replied right away.

“Yeah. I’m headed to the bar they own after I go home and change and all that. Standing Sunday night thing with everyone.” Glancing at your suitcase and then at the mirror across the room, you contemplated his invitation. “If you met with Redfly today, you must be sorta close.” He said your name, the sound filled with warmth as it reached your ear. “I’ll text you the address. If you decide to come, great. If not, just email me and we’ll figure something out. I can have you drop by during one of my breaks or something.” 

He’s not being pushy, he’s just being direct. OK. You agreed, and a few seconds later, you got his message - pulling your phone away from your ear to look at the screen. “Got it. I don’t know how far away it is, though.” 

“Like I said, no big deal if you decide not to come, just thought I’d suggest it. He cleared his throat again. “Either way, I’ll get you up in the air somehow. I’m gonna let you go so I can get out of here. Maybe I’ll see you later?” 

“Maybe.” He laughed again, and then said goodbye, the phone going dead in your ear moments later. It won’t hurt to see how far away this place is. Opening the address in Maps, you were shocked to find out that you were only 15 minutes from the bar. And he has to go home so that means I’d have time to jump in the shower. 

You only gave yourself a minute or two to think about it - and then you were on your feet, digging through your suitcase for a new outfit. Fuck it. I’m gonna do what I came here to do… and if that means meeting Frankie like this, than … that’s how it’s going to be. 

—

tag list coming soon!

[butch-reidentified]

What's living in Florida like as a lesbian? Most (liberal) people I talk to balk when I say I'm considering moving there because they all think it's populated exclusively by bigoted swamp creatures, but I don't want to listen to stereotapes from people who've never lived there. I know what the politics are like there, but what about day-to-day living/homophobia?

I tell people this CONSTANTLY but nobody seems to grasp it: while Florida has very red areas (every state does), especially rurally and in the panhandle (which shouldn't even be part of FL imho), all of the actual cities (like Tampa, St. Pete, Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale) are very much blue and pretty fun to live in. they also all have LGBT+ (ofc the + is everywhere now) events and communities and parts of town etc. I love it here and have had practically zero issues being an extremely gnc lesbian here, except when I lived in Sarasota (red town with a lot of money - sucks ass) and got legally fired for being gay back in early 2020. that could've happened in a red town almost anywhere before it was illegal.

I've even had really fun, awesome experiences chatting (about what it's like to be a lesbian) with conservative white dudes in their gun store - more than once! actually if I'm being completely honest, I've had fewer sexist and homophobic experiences with conservative men in the past few years than with liberals. and yes, pretty much all the negative experiences with liberals were an obvious product of gender identity ideology. it's just so incredibly disappointing that I can reasonably expect a random conservative male I run into in the wild to be more normal about female homosexuality (including butchness!) than a liberal of either sex I run into in the wild. how the FUCK did that happen? I hate it here lmao

[lovelytsunoda]

gimme! gimme! gimme! ( a man after midnight ) // marcus armstrong

summary: after graduating college and moving back home to sebring, florida to live with her parents, y/n becomes infatuated with the young man from new zealand who just moved in across the street

pairing: marcus armstrong x female! reader

warnings: money troubles, moving back in with the parents and losing the independence that comes with being a college student living on your own, parental expectations, difficult sibling relationship, implied smut,

author's note: why did it take me this long to write for marcus my beloved? i also kind of hate the ending but i wasn't sure where to end it soooooo

the sebring sun beat down against the road, heat waves visibly radiating off the pavement as y/n turned down on to the street where she grew up.

a street she swore she'd never come back to, until she realized that she couldn't afford to live anywhere else.

her manicured fingers tapped against the steering wheel in rapid succession as the bass guitar thrumming from the asking alexandria album she was listening to completely shook the chassis of her pickup truck.

well, her dad's old pickup truck.

a new car wasn't an expense that she could afford while she was away at school. but she loved that old truck like her life depended on it, right down to the squishy silicone alien bobblehead that sat on the dashboard, the stack of cd's that rested in the center console, the truck itself too old for bluetooth.

she turned on to her interlock driveway, defeatedly parking the truck behind her mother's five year old mercedes. she had just bought that car when y/n went off to school.

the y/l/n's weren't poor by any means: they still had money for family vacations, renovations on the house, to send their daughter to university. but they lived within their means, which meant budgeting out what was necessary and important and what was not.

and sometimes that meant making sacrifices. like moving back with your parents and younger sister after finishing your higher education pathway.

now she had a diploma, but no job, no house, no boyfriend and no prospects.

she cut the engine, deciding that it was better just to rip the band aid off now as she leaped from the cab of the truck, grabbed her backpack from the back seat and began the walk of shame to the front door.

"hey, mom." she said with a small, sad smile as her mother opened the front door, engulfing her in a warm, motherly embrace that made the smile on y/n's face grow a little happier.

"welcome home, sweetheart. let me go find your father and we'll help you bring your things inside."

ten minutes later, the y/l/n family, with the exception of y/n's sister shiloh, who was nowhere to be found, stood on the driveway with a foldable wagon cart from costco, unloading cardboard boxes and massive plastic tupperware containers from the flatbed of the old ford truck.

as nice as it was to be home, she felt like she was losing her independence.

she stacked a cardboard box in the cart before pressing up on her tip toes and leaning back to stretch her arms and her back, limbs still stiff from the drive in from tampa.

she paused to take a look around the neighborhood, taking in how much it had all changed. house prices had skyrocketed in the last ten years, and now the houses in the area were almost triple the price that her father had paid in the early nineties when he first bought the house.

but what really stuck out to her was the bright red high end mercedes amg sports car that sat in the driveway of the house across the street. the house that once belonged to the nice old woman that babysat y/n and shiloh when they were kids.

"who bought the noonan house?"

her father stopped moving boxes to look over at the house across the street. "oh, his name is marcus. great young man, he's about your age."

"he's my age and he can afford a house, while i have to move back in with you lot? that's absolutely fucking great." y/n groaned, looking back at the house. "and that car is at least three times the cost of mom's, and that's without the upgrade package."

her dad shrugged. "If you had taken my advice and gone into trades, that could have been you, kiddo."

"oh, fuck off."

"hey, watch your language." her mom warned, taking a tupperware container up to the front door. "he's a sweet, hardworking young man."

"what does he do for work?"

"he works in the automotive industry."

"and that's why you like him so much." she sighed, grabbing the handle of the wagon and following her mother back up to the house.

her father had always had big expectations for her. cars were the family legacy: her father's father had been the groundskeeper at sebring international speedway. her father had worked the assembly line at chevrolet before retiring and opening his own garage where he restored custom cars as a side hustle. she had been expected to also go into the automotive trade, as the son her father never had.

but that hadn't been what she wanted, as much as she loved cars. she'd been watching endurance races at sebring since before she could walk, and she learned how to use a monkey wrench before she learned what a curling iron did. her real calling was business. the four years of human resources training, and the diploma that had been mailed to her house had proven that.

she wasn't sure if her father had even hung it up anywhere.

she walked down the hallway, gingerly opening the pristine white door to her childhood bedroom. the walls were still painted the same pale purple, cluttered with canvasses that she had painted years ago, a twin bed in the middle of the room with a white down comforter and a pile of build a bears resting against the pillows.

"welcome home, y/n." she sighed to herself.

--------

three days later, the only peace that she could get was outside with the cicadas and the mosquitos. given sebring's proximity to the everglades, there was no small number of pests hovering in the muggy summer air as y/n pulled her hair back and popped open the hood of the pickup truck. there was a ratchet in her back pocket and a cropped, grease-stained white tank top.

any color darker than that and she feared she would get heat stroke.

she leaned over the engine, radio playing in the background as she began to fight with the engine's glow plugs, which she had been meaning to replace for almost a week.

"stupid fucking glow plugs. they're the easiest thing to replace, he said. it's easier to do it yourself, he said. well, why don't you fucking do it yourself, father dearest." she muttered, losing grip on the ratchet again and trying not to kick at the tyres. "motherfucker."

her head was still under the hood when the guest came strolling up her driveway.

"do you need help with that?"

"no, i don't need help, especially not from a man." she snapped, turning to look at the man standing across from her. "i can change a glow plug myself, thank you very much."

the man smirked. "well, i don't even know what a glow plug is, so you already know more than me."

withdrawing from the engine block, she twirled the ratchet in her hands as she turned to look at the man. "where's that accent from?"

"new zealand. i'm marcus, i live across the street."

she narrowed her eyes. this kiwi beanpole was the man that her father was so entranced with? this beanpole who didn't even know what a glow plug was worked in the automotive industry?

"y/n. my father speaks highly of you." she nodded in the direction of marcus' house. "you bought the noonan house? mrs. noonan was my babysitter, you know. from when i was five until i was fifteen. i loved that old woman."

"your dad did all the interior work for me. he's a craftsman, that's for sure." marcus nodded along. "back from uni for a few weeks?"

she'd deny it if you asked, but that statement cut deep. what hurt even more was that she would have to admit to him that she was moving back in with her parents. that she couldn't afford to maintain her independence, stand on her own two feet.

"actually, i just moved back home for good. i can't afford to move out." she sighed, moving to sit on the front steps of the house. "i forgot how hard my family was to live with. i've only been home for three days and i swear i've come this close to strangling shiloh. have you met shiloh yet?"

marcus laughed. "she's a firecracker. i don't think she likes me very much."

y/n grinned, inviting marcus to sit next to her. "she's sixteen. i don't think she likes anybody. ever since she dyed her hair black and got her nose pierced, she's been a different person. a person that i don't know how to relate to any more."

"i'm sure she'll come around. my sister is like, the complete opposite of me. paris thinks i'm full of shit half the time, but we love each other still. i know paris will always be there for me, and i'll always be there for paris."

y/n gestured at the car in marcus' driveway. "so how does a guy like you afford an amg and a three bedroom family home? because you sure as hell don't work in the automotive industry."

marcus raised an eyebrow, a small gesture that made her stomach do somersaults for reasons she couldn't explain. "what makes you so sure?"

"you didn't even know what a glow plug is. all diesel engines need them to run. i learned that when i was twelve years old, you would have learned in high school auto shop. so what do you really do? stripping? black market drugs?"

the kiwi laughed, throwing his head back. "i'm a podcaster, and i work in racing. telling your dad i worked in the auto industry seemed like the best way to get on his good side. he's a good contractor."

racing. something that once brought her so much joy but now left a bad taste in her stomach. she hadn't been to the speedway since she moved out.

"racing is in my blood. i was raised at the track because my grandfather was the groundskeeper. i remember watching the indycar race on his shoulders when i was seven years old, a chip ganassi hat that was three sizes too big resting on my head. i couldn't see a thing." she smiled at the memory. "my dad worked the assembly line at chevy, with some contracting on the side once he learned my mom was expecting me. after he retired he started restoring custom cars part-time, and i think he always hoped that i'd take on the family business with him."

"and you didn't?" marcus seemed surprised. obviously he expected that the girl in the skimpy top and cutoff shorts and the astrology tattoo on the inside of her wrist who cursed like a sailor when things didn't go her way would feel right at home in a garage, ratchet in her hand and wrench in her back pocket.

"i went into human resources. i couldn't stay in a garage all day, breathing in grease and lead paint day in and day out, wondering if things could have been different."

"do you regret it?"

she sighed, biting her bottom lip in a motion that sent a rush of energy through marcus' body. "i don't know yet."

as the silence became awkward, y/n got to her feet again, reaching out a hand to help marcus up. "come on, you're going to learn about glow plugs today."

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

"shiloh, can you keep it down?" y/n shouted, staring numbly at the resume on her computer screen. nobody told her that she'd be graduating without a single prospective job offer, and now she was scrambling to find a proper hr job, otherwise she'd end up working the counter at white castle.

she was in the basement, at the table she used to use to finish assignments in high school. the floor, once shining hardwood, was now adorned with rice mats for her sister, who was currently cycling through her second workout video, the basement filled with the younger girl's grunts and the sounds of weights knocking against the padded floor.

"i'm trying to do my workout." shiloh answered coolly. "i have a tournament in three weeks."

"i don't give a fuck, shiloh, i'm trying to find a job so that i don't have to live with mom and dad until im thirty years old."

shiloh rolled her eyes, turning back to her kettle bell weights. "they're always hiring at sonic burger."

"i'm not working in fast food for the rest of my life, jackass! i spent thousands of dollars trying to get this goddamn degree and now i can't even use it for anything!"

"should have listened to dad and gone into the trades. maybe you aren't trying hard enough."

"shut the fuck up, shiloh!"

"girls!" mrs. y/l/n called. "what is going on down here?"

shiloh pause her youtube video, getting to her feet. despite the four years between them, shiloh towered over her older sister, and was often confused for the older one. "y/n keeps interrupting my workout."

y/n gawked. "i was here first! and i'm trying to get a job, at the only damn desk in this house, and shiloh can't even give me ten minutes of peace because it's 'her routine' and i'm 'being disruptive'."

"well, your sister's workout is important. she's a high performance athlete."

"i don't give a shit, mom!"

"language, y/n! go upstairs and work at the dining room table, stop fighting with your sister. you've only been back home for a week!"

"yeah, ande it's like you don't have space for me here anymore!" y/n shouted, slamming her laptop shut and running up the basement stairs, trying not to cry.

this is the last way she expected her life after college to go: hunting for jobs in her moms basement, her sister telling her that she wasn't trying hard enough to get hired anywhere other than a fast food restaurant who would hire anybody off the streets during the busy months.

she couldn't even stand to be in that house, walking right out the front door and striding across the street to the noonan house without even looking to see if there were any cars on the road.

she walked past the mercedes, hand curled into a fist as she knocked on the front door, hoping and praying that a certain podcaster was home.

"y/n?" marcus' voice was soft and concerned after he opened the front door. "what are you doing here?"

"can i get some work done here? i'm trying to fix my resume so that i don't end up working at white castle for the rest of my life and i can't get anything done with shiloh around."

“of course,” marcus laughed “I’ll open a bottle of aperol spritz?”

"god, yes!" she breathed out, stepping into marcus' front hall and slipping out of her flip flops before she followed him into a large open concept main room, a kitchen island running down the middle. the back wall had been all replaced with sets of french doors that were more window than door, letting light into the bright, modern space.

"you're house is incredible. i don't think mrs. noonan updated this place since the sixties."

marcus chuckled, grabbing a glass wine bottle from the counter. "don't i know it. the master bathroom still had a green toilet. a green bloody toilet."

"oh god." y/n laughed, sitting at the island and opening her laptop. "can i trouble you for the wifi password?"

once marcus got her hooked up to the internet, she pulled up her cv, looking at the sad, small list of qualifications she had. she'd been lucky enough that she hardly ever had to work over the summer or in high school. everything on her resume were the community service hours she was required to get to graduate secondary school and the one paid position she did for the town of sebring three years ago.

"i'm never going to get a fucking job, am i?" she groaned quietly as marcus passed her a wine glass filled halfway with aperol spritz. "i'm going to be working a fast food counter at an all night mcdonalds."

"you could always work for me." marucs shrugged. "not to brag, but i just signed a major indycar deal with chip ganassi and i'm trying to expand my team, both with podcasting and racing."

"hang on, podcasting and racing?" y/n blinked, looking up from the screen, blue light still glowing onto her floral patterned shirt. "you're a racing driver? you could have mentioned that!"

marcus laughed as y/n reached over the counter to swat at his arm. "what? i assumed you would have googled me!"

"i have better things to do than google my neighbours!"

"i'm being serious, look me up right now."

y/n rolled her eyes before typing marcus' name into the search bar (after bothering him for his last name, which she realized she didn't already know).

"well shit. i'm staring at the newest driver of the ridgeline lube chip ganassi number 11 indycar."

"i told you." marcus grinned goofily, taking a sip of his drink. "seriously, you said you went into hr? we'll need someone like you to be on the podcast team for screaming meals."

y/n smiled softly at the boy across from her. the boy who had already lived more life than she could ever have dreamed of. "yeah, okay. maybe i'll take you up on that."

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

it was the first time she had been alone in the house all week, and she was ready to take advantage of that fact.

all week she had been back and forth between the childhood bedroom she was trying to redecorate and marcus armstrong's living room. many a night had been spent sleeping on his couch after a night of shitty comedy movies and cheap supermarket wine.

no, her parents and shiloh had left before six in the morning to take her to a cross country meet in daytona, and they wouldn't be back until well after ten p.m.

the silence was nice, she thought to herself as she paced the house in her soft cotton robe, the hem barely covering her ass, a warm, almost empty mug of hot chocolate in her hands as she drained the last dregs of laura secord and placed the mug on the kitchen counter.

she shut the bathroom door behind her, the heating tubes underneath the tiles warming her cold feet as she connected her bluetooth speaker, 'just like a pill' by p!nk echoing around the room as she leaned into the shower, trying to run the water warm.

the shower sputtered, weakly spitting out three drops of lukewarm water.

"oh for the love of god!" she groaned, pressing her head against the glass shower door. "the one fucking day i have the house to myself."

she sighed, lying down on the floor and opening the doors to the cabinet under the sink. there was a problem with the pipes, the one thing that she couldn't fix (and also didn't want to risk making worse, with things between her and shiloh being particularly tense). cursing under her breath, she reached for her phone.

"hey, marcus. can you come over? there's something up with the pipes in the bathroom and my shower won't start. you wouldn't happen to know how to fix that, would you?"

on the other end of the line, marcus laughed. "funnily enough, that's probably the one thing your dad taught me that he didn't also teach you. let me go and commence the wild goose chase required to find a tool box in this house, and i'll be there in ten minutes."

"you're a lifesaver, armstrong."

true to his word, ten minutes later, marcus armstrong was lying on her bathroom floor, shirt riding up to showcase his perfectly toned abs, muscles rippling under his skin as he tinkered with the pipes. it was taking every bit of self-restraint that y/n had not to cast aside her bathrobe and ride marcus on the heated floor.

she swallowed the thought, closing her eyes as she mentally chastised herself for thinking about her neighbor, and only friend within in a ten mile radius, like that. feeling her nipples hardening under her robe, she crosssd her arms over her chest (and her legs over each other, to try and deal with other issues) in an attempt to hide her arousal from the kiwi.

"i think i've got it!" marcus shouted. "try the shower now!"

grateful for the distraction, she padded over to the massive shower, reaching inside and turning the dial to warm. she let out a sigh of relief as the shower started up, warm water cascading down the rainhead and swirling down the drain.

"marcus armstrong, i could kiss you right now." she beamed, turning back to the man, who was now leaning against the doorframe. "thank you so much. there has to be something i can do in return."

marcus swallowed, realizing now how small the bathroom truly was, despite the size of the rather large shower. and with that realization, he also realized how close to y/n he was standing.

and he could also see the outlines of her nipples poking through the cotton robe, a sight that made him draw in a breath.

he wasn't supposed to think about her like this. not with the season coming up, and her about to start working for him in the screaming meals production department.

it wasn't proper.

but why did it feel so right?

neither of them said a word, marcus' hand coming up to caress the side of her face. refusing to spend any more time overthinking it, he kissed her first, cradling her bottom lip in between both of his.

what started out as a sweet, gentle kiss, quickly became hot and heavy, hands wandering under shirts and robes falling to the floor, shower still running behind them as marcus palmed y/n's ass, a small, sugar-sweet moan leaving her lips.

"you have no idea how long i've wanted to do this." marcus breathed, voice husky as he fumbled with the belt on his jeans. "every time we've watched a movie on my couch, i've wanted to pull the blankets over both of us and take you right there. they day you came running over to my house after shiloh was giving you shit, i wanted to kiss you and tell you everything would work itself out."

"well, now's your chance, armstrong. the shower is big enough for two."

__________

"marcus, can i ask you something?"

two rounds later, they were lying in y/n's bed, the plush white duvet pulled around their bodies. it was a tight squeeze, getting them both to fit on the twin sized mattress. her build a bears had been unceremoniously shoved onto the laminate floor.

"whats on your mind, pretty girl?" marcus asked softly.

"how are we going to make this work? i live with my parents and my teenage sister, for god's sakes. i'm back under their curfew, sleeping in a twin bed in a room that hasn't been redecorated since i was seventeen."

marcus kissed her on the forehead softly, moving to lace his fingers with hers, his hair still damp and ruffled form the shower. "we try, as simple as that. we'll find you a job, and you can stay over at mine however often you want. i can't promise your parents that you'll be back by the time curfew hits, but i can promise them that you're safe with me. and who knows, if this goes really well, maybe you could even move in with me."

y/n laughed softly. "hold your horses, racer boy."

"i'll hold the horses back as long as it takes for you to realize that i'm hopelessly in love with you."

[nerdygaymormon]

Can i ask where you are in florida, and what your church structure is like to be comfortable to live as a gay mormon ? I am an exmo in Utah.

I live in the Tampa area on the west coast of Florida.

It's not always comfortable to be a gay Mormon. What has helped is I was well-known due to a stake calling before a blog post of mine went viral outing me to everyone. Because they knew me, people were willing to give me a chance, and it was especially helpful that I continue to serve in stake callings which shows the leadership has my back.

My current stake president has queer people in his family, and he talks about that and the journey he went on and how it's made him more empathetic and willing to consider other points of view, and he feels this has made him better as a stake president.

I try to use this visibility to make it safer to be queer at church. We now have a group of queer people and their family, friends, and allies who get together every so often. It helps to have a little bit of a support group at church who get what it's really like.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a paradise. Things still get said. I have to be careful and know where the line is that would require me get released. But I was recently speaking with a friend who said if I one day have a relationship, even if it resulted in me getting released, a lot of the local members know and like me and would want to continue to welcome me at church. As Brené Brown said, "People are hard to hate close up."

[marisatomay]

I was talking about this with my dad but it’s interesting that the digital age has created a sports landscape where longer can a team move to a new market just because that market technically has millions of people living in it because the millions of people who live there already have teams they support and follow.

Like, in ye olden times it was near-impossible to follow a team if you did not live in its home market so if you moved somewhere new and forever you would inevitably become a fan of that team. That’s why my parents are huge Eagles fans despite being from Chicago and Pittsburgh. They moved to the Philly area in their teens and eventually even *their* parents became Philly sports fans by necessity because there was no other option. There were ten channels and none of them were going to broadcast a game that was out of market.

Nowadays though, you can get radio broadcasts, TV broadcasts, commentary, etc. no matter where you live. You don’t have to change allegiances just because you left home. Which is why the Tampa Rays played two MLB playoff games to a half-full stadium and at least half of the crowd at So-Fi in LA today were either Eagles fans or celebrities just looking to watch A Game: transplants don’t have to change allegiances anymore. 13 million people live in the LA area but many are transplants who just support their home teams and many of the natives support their parents home teams. You cannot foist a team on a city anymore. The people don’t need it.

[hockybish]

Hello, was wondering if you could do a story about arber xhekaj you can do whatever you want with it. Thank you

okay friend, this is just a little thing. I hope you're okay that I did an oc, I gave her a Norwegian name (for some reason I picture her as someone who was either born in Norway and then made their way to Canada as a kid so they grew up there or her parents immigrated there) (if not let me know I will fix it!) im sure this idea has been done before, but I hope you enjoy.

also slight warning I know nothing really of hospital policies regarding breaks and people bringing in food for love ones or really the Canadian hospital systems, so this is most likely wildly inaccurate. apologies.

The Fighter

l Arber Xhekaj l arber x nurse l masterlist l

Arber loved visiting his girlfriend at her job after a game. He didn't always do it. But if it seemed like it was a slower night he would go in and bring her food.

Like tonight the Habs won their game and he wanted to celebrate a little with his girl, so he stopped by her favorite place and grabbed them both some take out and snagged a couple of boxes for her co workers to enjoy.

When he got to the hospital, he was able to head on into their little break area and she was in shortly after.

"You've been fighting again, haven't you?" she pursed her lips, she didn't even have to look at him to know he had black and blue marks surrounding his eye.

She couldn't watch the game, but there was this pep in his step that he only got when he dropped the gloves in a game and she noticed it when he stopped by the hospital after the match up to join her on her break.

"Silly it was nothing. I was just doing my job." He pulled away after giving her a kiss on the cheek, tired of having this argument with his girlfriend.

He knew she didn't like all the hitting and fighting he did during games, but that was his thing. He was the sheriff, someone you didn't want to mess with, a force to be reckoned with. He defended and stood up for his teammates.

"I know but Arber, you don't always have to be the one to do it. There are others." She lectured the hard hitter, her voice grew softer with each passing word. "I just worry about you, okay? There's all this research with concussions and lasting effects and not to mention other the other-"

"Stop. I'm done having this conversation. Can we just enjoy the food I brought before you get called away again, please?" The hockey play pleaded.

"Did you guys win tonight?" Silje changed the tone of the conversation, he was right. It was useless trying to convince someone of something they were never going to change.

"Did you score?" She asked already knowing the answer was going to be no, but she was mildly surprised when he shook his head yes. He's a defenceman, scoring wasn't the biggest part of his job, but when he did it was nice touch.

Getting up she move to sit in his lap, she lifted his chin so she could give him a kiss. She was still so proud of him doing what he loved to and living out his dreams.

Silje immediately threw herself into bed when she got home. She was exhausted from running around all night. And to top it off after he had left there was a big accident in which one of her patients didn't make it.

She was ready for sleep, but Arber was still up and he had something he wanted to say. He had thought about what she said at the hospital.

"I'm sorry babe. I know you don't like the fighting, it's apart of my identity as a player. But I try and do better. I can't promise I'll stop but I'll do better." He made the broken promise.

"That's all I ask." Silly smiled her goofy smile.

Silje had a few minutes left on her break and she was watching what was left of the Habs home game against the Tampa Bay Lighting, Cole just accepted a big hit into side boards and second later she noticed Arber heading toward the offender. She sighed and turned off her phone not really wanting to watch any more. Plus she really needed to go back.

"Silly, it's your turn, there's an ambulance coming in hot with a live one." the desk informed her.

Silje groaned getting up from her spot, following the others out to the main ambulance entrance waiting for the arrival of their next patient.

"Any info?" She got goosebumps while waiting outside, she rubbed her hand over her arms in an attempt to keep warm.

"It's a hockey player coming from the bell centre." She nodded along paying more attention to getting stuff ready for the incoming patient than to what was being said, but she happened to catch the place they were coming from.

"What did you say?" She couldn't breathe. This wasn't happening. Her worst nightmare couldn't be coming true. He promised he would be careful. No.

Silje began to cry when the emergency vehicle arrive and they brought out the injured player. She screamed when she saw his face and dark hair.

Let me know what you think

[ladylooch]

I know Lexi is American, do we know where her family are located?

Maybe when the devils are on a long road trip Lexi suprises him when they visit her hometown. All three of their girls are ready by the glass for warm-ups and Nico's heart stops seeing them all there.

Thats night is also a treat as her parents look after the girls so nasty Nico can visit 🔥😂💕

NASTY NICO CAN VISIT!!!!! NONNIE!!!! HAHAHAHA! We fucking love that. literally. 

Lexi is from the Midwest- Northern Missouri is specifically coming to mind for me. Her hometown is a few hours from where David's family farm is in Iowa. However, Lexi's parents divorced when she was younger and have since moved on to different places. Her dad lives in Tampa, Florida and her mom lives in San Diego, California. They needed an entire country separating them once Lexi turned 18 ( she is an only child). 

Lexi and her mom have a very up and down relationship. So, she is hesitant about bringing the girls to California without Nico as a buffer. She does bring them to Tampa to see her dad though!

All week, Lexi has been giddy, imaging this moment every time she closed her eyes to go to sleep. It is practically impossible to surprise Nico Hischier, but as the Devils come rushing out at Amalie Arena, she is confident she pulled it off.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Lucie screams as he does his first pass. His eyes are focused on a puck, so he doesn't see them. Lexi watches him work that gum, tongue blowing it out into a tiny bubble. She shivers. The Devils have an off day tomorrow and are sticking around the Tampa area before traveling to Sunrise. Nico is getting a green light and although he doesn't know yet, she knows exactly how he is gonna spend that time.

"He didn't see!" Mack whines, tugging at Lexi's jacket sleeve. 

"Pat the glass this time." Lexi suggests. 

They do, but that still doesn't work. Uncle Timo comes trolling around the rink, then grins when he sees the Hischier girls. He taps his stick against the glass on their little faces, chuckling as Mack startles. 

“Hey!” Mack growls, baring her teeth. Timo does the same back to her and they have a little stand off that finally captures Nico’s attention. From across the ice, Lexi watches the recognition and beaming smile flood his face. He gets up from his one knee stretch and glides across the fresh ice, twirling his stick as he does.

“Daddy!!” The girls all squeal together. Lexi laughs, appreciating the utter joy on Nico’s face as he takes in all his favorite people right in front of him.

“Surprise.” Lexi mouths. He sighs hugely, then gives her an appreciative pout. 

Three pucks go over the glass for each one of the girls between Uncle T and Daddy. Nico signals to Lucie to walk down to the camera hole a few feet away and gives her fist bumps.

“Just like home, huh?” He asks her. Lucie laughs and waves as he takes off to join his team drills.

The Devils win, barely squeaking through to avoid extra time. The post-game hugs with the girls are massive. Nico wraps all of them up right, squeezing until they squeal and giggle and give him the 13 kisses he demands as payment. Then, he stands, working his way around three little girls to get to his gorgeous wife. 

“Thank you. This was a great surprise, babe.” He places his lips against hers, running his tongue along her bottom lip. Lexi leans into his chest. Nico’s hand on her lower back presses her in closer. Her fingers weave into his long locks as the whole world disappears except for them. 

“Tell me your dad is taking our kids.” He mumbles quietly against her mouth.

“Mhm.”

“The things I’m gonna do to you….” He trails off then pulls away like he didn’t just soak her panties straight through. He keeps his hand on her lower back as he shakes her dad’s hand. 

Lexi’s eyes widen, intrigued by his confident, easy demeanor.

This conversation wouldn’t be so friendly if her dad knew what Nasty Nico is going to do to her later.

[a-brunette-floridians-world]

I rarely post here, but this is too important not to discuss. My home state is now on the verge of losing its state parks. Florida loses around 120 acres of natural land to development every day, 44,000 annually. Now they want to go after our state parks.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced that it will allow construction and urbanization, an unfortunately hideous and common sight in Florida these days, within nine of our state parks. These nine state parks are:

- Hillsborough River State Park, Tampa

- Honeymoon Island State Park, Clearwater

- Oleta River State Park, Biscayne Bay

- Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Stuart

- Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, Fort Lauderdale

- Anastasia State Park, St. Augustine

- Camp Helen State Park, Panama City Beach

- Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and Grayton Beach State Park, Santa Rosa Beach

The department wants to add golf courses, glamping areas, pickleball courts, etc. This proposed plan would destroy delicate ecosystems and strip plants and animals of their habitats, as if there isn't enough strain on our natural ecosystems already. It'll be disguised as "increasing accessibility," it's not.

Now is the time to stand up and say no. On August 27th from 3 to 4, there will be meetings taking place to discuss this proposition. If you live in those areas and want to go, the addresses are available on the Tampa Bay news article linked below. If you live outside of the area, call the Governor's office at (850) 717-9337 and let them know that Floridians are going to oppose the destruction of our state parks.

My family has been here for nine generations. I'm a descendant of the first settlers to Florida, and I'm tired of my home's natural wildlife being destroyed in the name of greed and corporate interests. Enough is enough. I will be attending the Hillsborough River State Park meeting if anyone wants to join me. On top of that, I will be calling the Governor's office. Every Floridian needs to oppose this and save the real Florida for future generations.

Tampa Bay Article:

Credits:

Fight for Those Without a Voice: https://www.instagram.com/v.steiner?igsh=Y3M3YWU1OHh4dzhy

Speak for the Parks: https://www.instagram.com/tannicroots?igsh=aWtkcmx2NzE4Mmly

Spinster Abbott: https://www.instagram.com/spinster_abbotts_st_aug?igsh=MXRxZGp0ZndmaDl2Mg==

Save Our Scrub: https://www.instagram.com/thickpaint?igsh=MTI0MHd2N3pkczBpYw==

F*ck Your Golf Course: https://www.instagram.com/oldfloridavibes?igsh=c3psN2h6dDhiNmk=

Keep Florida State Parks Wild: https://www.instagram.com/oona.seas?igsh=Z3B6ZnNvMmh4cTZt

Don't Tread on State Parks: https://www.instagram.com/offthegridjohn?igsh=N3ZwNXI5Y3JxMnF

[shadowsteed15]

Romania 🥰

This year my summer is a bit Dracula themed and last month I went on a little trip to Romania by myself. Romania is a beautiful country, it's tourism still growing and not everything is perfect, but there are plenty of wonderful places to see that are more than worth the visit, so here you have some tips for some Dracula tourism in his home country. 😊

Brasov - Whether you're going to Romania to follow Dracula or not, Brasov is an excellent place to start. Situated in the centre of Transylvania, it is a lovely, historical city and a tourist centre from which you can travel to different places of interest in the surrounding area. In the 15th century, Brasov was one of the most important cities belonging to the Transylvanian Saxon merchants, who didn't have a very good relationship with Vlad Tepes and according to legend, Vlad once came to the city and impaled 40 of the merchants on the nearby Tampa mountain. You can visit the mountain yourself either by climbing one of the tracks or using a cable car that travels from the foot of the mountain. Once you come back down, you can visit the beautiful Council Square with the famous Black Church and then you can go have lunch to the Dracula restaurant that features some lovely Dracula-themed decorations. 🙂

Bran Castle - From Brasov, you can then travel by bus or book a day tour to the Bran Castle, nestled in the mountains not far from the city. Bran is famously called Dracula's Castle, even though it has little to do with either the vampire or the prince, beside the fact the the castle is said to have been the inspiration for the actual castle in the book. But here at Bran they love their connection to the vampire that brings crowds of tourists to the area and the castle features a small exhibition dedicated not only to Vlad Tepes and Dracula, but also to other stories from Romanian folklore. In addition to that, the castle is a museum featuring exhibits from the life of the royal family, who used to live in this castle during the last century. 😊

Sighisoara - If you want to truly immerse yourself in the story of Vlad Tepes, you can travel to the beautiful town of Sighisoara, where he was originally born in 1431 and you can find signs of his presence everywhere. Sighisoara is a lovely city with a small, medieval fortress situated on a hill in its centre. This UNESCO heritage site will make you feel like you've been transported back in time with its colourful, old buildings and unigue, medieval atmosphere. The most famous building is a large clock tower that you can see from everywhere in the city, but a few steps from the tower you can find the house where young Vlad Tepes lived with his family for the first few years of his life. Today the building houses a restaurant and a souvenir shop.

Continuing with our exploration of the city, not far from the house, between a church and the city's town hall, you will find a stone bust of Vlad Tepes, commemorating the city's connection to the ruler. Walking back to the square and turning to another street, you can then visit the Mystical Transylvania museum that offers two small, but very well made exhibits, one talking about some famous stories from the city's history and the other one focusing on the story of Vlad Tepes himself, narrating his life with the use of projections, light and shadow and other special effect and an entertaining voice acting.

Though the journey had some challenges, I had a lot of fun and definitely will visit Romania again to see some other cool places, not only those connected to Dracula, and there's still a lot of these, but also from the large collection of other places that I haven't seen yet. 🥰

[thewisemankey]

Completing the Path to the Yellow Dragon: A Report on RTX Austin 2023

What's got the voice cast of Team RWBY acting up in a tizzy? Find out the answer and more under the cut!

Preface:

So anyone who knows me, knows that I'm heavily into RWBY by Rooster Teeth. And as such I have an emotional attachment to the show and its' characters, especially Yang Xiao Long. So much so that Volume 3 definitely affected my emotional and mental health when Yang lost her arm to the bull bastard. If you can recall how I tried to cope with that.

But with that particular chapter long behind us all, there came a point where I made it a personal goal to meet the main cast of RWBY, whether individually or one at a time. An opportunity arose when Tampa Bay Comic-Con announced Barbara Dunkelman was going to be in town that year for it. All things considered, she's the one I wanted to meet the most. UNFORTUNATELY that year happened to be 2020. And you know when happened then. So it didn't happen for all the obvious reasons.

The following year, I made another attempt to meet all four of them when Florida Supercon announced them as guests in Miami. Which worked out on certain fronts since both my dad and my uncle live there. But once I had already purchased my ticket, they all ended up pulling out. And there was no refunds. So I basically wasted money and begrudgingly attended the con, knowing all I could do was basically just bumblescrewing around. Especially considering they didn't announce any GOOD replacements for them. At this rate, all I could settle for were video chats with Barb, (And at one point Barb AND Arryn) so that they would at least know my name and my face.

Another year passed to 2022, and to my utter disappointment, neither TBCC nor Florida Supercon ever bothered to make good and attempt to bring any of them back. So with my trust gone from local cons, it was then that I decided what needed to be done. After taking care of other business with Wrestlecon in Dallas, I would instead go directly to them at RTX the next year knowing they're consummate guests who can't pull out from there since they all practically LIVE and work there with Rooster Teeth. Because it became more important to me than ever to meet them all, especially Barbara, to make myself feel spiritually whole.

And so began my Path to the Yellow Dragon.

Day 1: Discounts at Diner Bar and The Grey Market? HAHA, BET.

Waking up to the sound of "Dangerous Dreams" by LeBrock, I made the early morning flight to Austin with more baggage than I had ever packed before and a new backpack to carry lots of necessities with me.

Arriving at the Fairmont hotel, I unpacked and settled in as quickly as possible. I was surprised to find I had my own bathrobe! So I decided to get my Damien Sandow on:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gregory Prytyka Jr. (@wisemankey68)

After taking time to relax, I made my way to the Austin Convention Center for what was dubbed "First Night." Which was essentially their "Welcome to RTX" panel, which included the RTX 2023 theme song! (Said song ended up being "Higher" by Creed except with more Rooster Teeth centered lyrics, lol.)

After that, it was the various talent of Rooster Teeth, including Geoff Ramsey and Gus Sorola giving us the lowdown on the weekend events, not to mention making announcements for stuff like new episodes of Camp Camp and A Simple Walk 2. We were also treated to Face Jam recommending several local eateries for those of us not familiar with the area, as well as constantly reminding us of getting discounts from Diner Bar and The Grey Market with our RTX badges. While I didn't partake in those place, I DID scope out Via 313 pizza as a means of securing a dinner for the weekend, so good on them for telling us about THAT place.

Not much else after that, so I packed it in, grabbed some room service for dinner, played a bit of Tears of the Kingdom before calling it a night.

Day 2: A Perfect 10 out of 9

With the OFFICIAL first day upon me, I made it a personal mission to make sure my attire was repping Team RWBY throughout the weekend. So combined with my camos, it came out something like this:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gregory Prytyka Jr. (@wisemankey68)

There was definitely more of certain colors than the others, but let's be honest, with how many people were out there wearing similar colors after Volume 9, would it matter? XD

Regardless, since I had a Platinum badge, I was allowed one-hour early access to their main hall! And they had PLENTY to do inside of it! Including...

Achievement Hunter Golf and other games of skill!

The F*ck Face Exhibit!

The Face Jam Rat & Grackle Pub! (My finger slipped in the shot there, whoops.)

And then there was the 20 Years of Rooster Teeth Museum!

T'was full of different props and signed stuff. Some that were off limits, and others you could interact with. Like sitting on the Always Open Couch, or even pose with a replica of the Crescent Rose! Since that was the case:

I took the opportunity to practice Kozuki Oden Two-Sword style! Although Crescent Rose is definitely a LOT heavier than it looks.

Then there was the All Good No Worries Park!

Just a simple place to sit back, relax, play a few yard games, and even scribble messages on the completely free spaced walls that was in the center. Having THAT kinda freedom, I decided to Gol D. Roger it up:

Suffice to say, there was PLENTY of fun to be had. But aside from awaiting for the Shop to open up, (which I couldn't immediately get because access wasn't allowed until Noon for those who didn't have the Ultra Badge) there was a VERY unique activity to do at the RT Animation Fan Zone...

The chance to speak with Ruby Rose herself! In VTuber form, Ruby appeared before us all for a "fireside chat" following her latest adventures. These happened in short sessions throughout the day, so I managed to attend two of them during the weekend. Here's some tidbits that happened while I was there.

-Despite how she acted towards them in Volume 9, Ruby IS very happy that Blake and Yang got together and very excitedly approves of their new relationship. She noted that it was very unlike Yang to dance around her feelings, so she was glad it all paid off in the end for them both. Good thing I asked THAT question!

-When asked what kind of Pokémon trainer she would be, she stated she'd have a mix of Grass and Flying-type Pokemon. And throw in a Pikachu.

-SOMEONE had the gall to ask if she had any loves in her life, (which got quite the reaction from the crowd, including myself who pointed my bat at that person and said "YOU WATCH YOUR BOUNDARIES, MISTER!") and her answer was she has only ONE love: Crescent Rose. XD

-On the subject of favorite food besides cookies, she said that she's always wanted to try pizza. Apparently it DOESN'T exist in Remnant which is a damn crying shame. Hopefully someone gets around to inventing it once Salem's permanently out of the picture...

-If she could swap her semblance with anyone else, she would switch with Yang, due to her being a little clumsy and running into things. So she would like to get a little stronger when THAT happens.

-While she's more familiar with DC Superheroes, someone asked who she likes from the Marvel side of things. To the delight of many of us, she said she'd like to meet Miles Morales since he wears red and black like her.

-Another person asked about if Zwei has any family, and she said he did come from a large litter. When things settle down for Remnant at large, she would like to find his family. (They'd probably have to go to space to find his big brother, lol.)

-Since I'm such a huge One Piece dork, I asked what kind of Devil Fruit she would like to eat. Apparently there's a similar story in Remnant called "Single Bit," and she ultimately chose the Gum-Gum Fruit. (Wonder if she knows about the truth behind THAT one...)

And in what was a surprise to us all, Neath Oum himself made an appearance! He asked a simple question how she felt coming back to Remnant. I took the opportunity to shake his hand, just as a sign of goodwill to him and his family.

Soon after that, it was time for the official RWBY panel!

We basically got news about merch, the V9 Soundtrack and home video release dates, thoughts and reactions about the recent season, and even got treated to a sneak peek at Volume 10! (Won't spoil it here, but someone did record and paste to YouTube, so have it that if you really wanna see it.)

Nicest part about this panel was all the free stuff they literally tossed out to the crowd before it started! I managed to snag some new swag in the process:

Having done all that, I packed it all in to eat, sleep, and get ready for the most important day of my life so far...

Day 3: The Good, The Elite, and The Bumbleby

After grabbing breakfast at a nearby iHop, I ventured once more to the convention center. After more random things, I first showed up for the life RWBY Grimm Campaign session, with Lindsay Jones guest playing as "Taco Cat!"

The mission was to find a hitman known as "The Bengal" in a nightclub. In true to life fashion, there were great rolls, and more then several mistakes and jokes being made. XD I clearly missed out on a lot with their previous experiences.

After that came the Death Battle panel!

This had it's share of crazy AI-generated Death Battle mad libs, a big Q&A session, and a preview of the oncoming fight between Darth Vader and Obito Uchiha. I took the opportunity to give a shout-out for having my friend @akumath on their team, and AGAIN reassuring them that they were right about Yang vs. Tifa, before asking if they'd do a Death Battle based off their DBX episodes. Since some of the results of those left me a little more than disappointed. But because I got chosen to ask a question, I was given a free Death Battle shirt!

Having done all that, the time finally came to achieve my ultimate goal for the weekend and personally meet the cast of RWBY. Definitely took a bit of patience on my part, as the line was understandably long, not to mention we were allowed only ONE item to have signed because they had to stick to a schedule. But eventually the time came for my turn to step before Lindsay, Kara, Arryn, and Barb. So I first gave them a proper greeting:

With whatever time I had to speak to all of them at once, I made sure to tell them all how much the show and their characters have meant to me over the years and are still special to me today. It wasn't easy, I got a little emotional doing so, making sure not to completely lose my composure in the process.

Having said as much as I could while they signed my poster, I made sure to inform them all about some gifts I had for them. Unfortunately I couldn't pass them off personally, but I made sure they all knew they were getting art prints of RWBY pics I commissioned previously. However, I had something SPECIAL in mind for Arryn specifically...

YOU CAN STOP SCROLLING NOW IF YOU SKIPPED EVERYTHING ELSE. XD

To explain, as someone who had been crushing on Yang ever since the day the Yellow trailer debuted, I wanted to symbolically and spiritually concede defeat in that Blake was always meant for Yang and not me. (Or my RWBY OC, rather.) And while technically I could hire people to write fics and draw pics of me getting down and dirty with them both, realistically I had to do the right thing for myself so I could wake up with a clear conscience going forward so that they know I fully support Bumbleby being canon.

That being said, I gifted Arryn with a special item that I dubbed "The Beekeper." And clearly it made quite an impression from the looks on their faces there. XD

What exactly IS "The Beekeeper," you ask? Well, I'm going to keep it as a surprise. Want to make it a "you had to be there" thing between me, them, and whatever witnesses happened to catch my special gift. I will however, reveal "The Beekeeper" if Arryn herself happens to show it off on her socials. Maybe it will help if the same pic gets more likes on IG? Until then...IT IS A MYSTERY.

After that, I got my prize shot!

Having done all that, I made sure before departing to have some personal words with Barbara. And left with my complete reward:

Having cleared another dream in my life, I retired for the night before flying back home.

Epilogue:

So here we are. Me having achieved another personal dream of mine, despite how many times I had to deal with the brick walls that were put up in front of me. And thanks to the shirt I ordered from the RT Store ahead of time combined with some purchases I made at the con, I even have a nice little Bumbleby collection going on:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gregory Prytyka Jr. (@wisemankey68)

I don't want to sound TOO stereotypical for how I want to put a bow on this whole thing...but I might as well wing it as best I can:

If you want something bad, as 3 Live Kru once said: Do the damn thang. No matter how long it takes and what you gotta spend to get it, the payoff will ALWAYS be worth it in the end. And once you've done that, move onto the next goal with all the time you have in the world. You never know when it'll be your last.

This is Gregory Prytyka Jr. saying: Goodnight from the sunshine state.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Cute little converted church built in 1945 in Homosassa, Florida was listed for $225K and sold for $315K.  It has 3bd. 2ba., and is kind of unique. 

The entrance foyer looks basically untouched with a pew and shelving. The entire interior is covered in knotty pine wood paneling.

It’s an open concept layout.

The family room is on raised platform.

The main living room is on the main floor and has a cozy tropical vibe.

Up here, next to the dining area, they have the cute little TV area.

Family or guests can easily converse with whoever is either in the kitchen or sitting at the table.

There’s also a choice of casual seating at the counter.

Knotty pine cabinetry matches the walls. I like the suspended overhead cabinets.

Bath #1 has a little built-in vanity table.

The roomy main bedroom is on the ground floor and features glass doors to the yard.

Main en-suite.

These 2 bds. are both a good size. 

The home also features a large sun or Florida room.

Plus, there’s also a screened in porch with a sink and a BBQ right outside.

The back of the home is very nice. You can see the sunroom, porch, and doors to the main bd. The main bd. is in a private part of the home with access to the the outside as well as the sunroom.

https://www.cltampa.com/tampa/this-tiny-florida-church-was-converted-into-a-house-and-now-its-for-sale

[tomsf18]

Tom’s in my local area right now, and I swear whenever he’s not in the news, he’s here in FL with me 🤣 (I live in Tampa and he’s about 20 minutes from me) 🤣😩