#i was just gonna try to make a profile pic for his th but i fought this thing so fucking hard i figured i may as well make it proper

[swiftcast-selene]

honi honi honi

[simtanico]

Hi! I don't know if this is an annoying/difficult question, sorry if it is, but do you have any advice at all for modelling sims based off real people? Your sims are SO crazy good. When I try to make them they end up looking... eh... Vaguely like the person? But there's a huge gap between that and some kind of 'spark' some simmers seem to manage to capture.

Hello! Definitely not annoying. Difficult, as in how difficult it is to answer? Maybe. I'm gonna go off on a couple of tangents. But I'm gonna try my best to explain the process. Which isn't really much of one sorry.

There's a handful of tutorials and tips out there regarding reference photos and like... proportions and all that so I won't cover that.

I use that as a general guide of course, but mostly I just save some photos of the person at various angles and focus on one feature or two at a time. Literally going back and forth between reference photo and my game. I think if you try to get everything at the same time, it really makes it easy to get frustrated with whatever your sim looks like at the moment. Making sims in general is a combination of a LOT of things depending on your style.

I can point out ALL the flaws with my sims based on real people. In my experience, it’s about getting the defining features of a person close enough to the real thing so that it resembles them. I don't think you need a complete copy to get the point across, however i do think some people and features are harder to emulate than others. I've been working on some sims for YEARS, and they still don't work out lol

and take a look at this progression on my sim based on Z4ne H0ltz starting back in 2015!

that first screenshot:

Personally, I get a little lost if I work on a sim too much all at once. I find some time away makes me less tired and frustrated. Just pace yourself :)

Also if you need any help, shoot me a message here or on discord. I promise I don't judge or anything.. it's sims who cares lol

TO START...

I suggest starting with the head and its shape. Starting off with a game-generated sim, the first slider I get to is head width. It's usually too dang wide for my tastes. And then adjusting the general position of the the features. You can always change things later, so you don't have to know exactly what you're going to do, but as I've mentioned before, sculpting sims up in CAS is just practice with sliders! Also in the long run, you may want to use Pu+Chi House's Smooth Face Normals slider! I attempt to explain and show what it does here. I've uploaded the slider here: https://simfileshare.net/download/984204/

This is gonna be a doozy sorry in advance if the read more doesn't work

SLIDERS SLIDERS SLIDERS

Big sliders like Pu+Chi House’s face shape sliders dramatically change the face shape, and it could save you a lot of time! I highly suggest using these to get rid of the weird large jaw sims can get.

Play with different sliders and how they interact with one another! Example: jaw width and Cheek Fullness affect the same area. if you need a wide jaw and don’t want cheek distortion, you can use cheek fullness, lower the jaw width slider and then edit the cheekbones from there

 Knowing what sliders move what and how it can work to your advantage is key! I cover this in my reply post about noses.

For visual reference:

I start out with my nose but I want the nostrils to sit further on the outside

so i go in and use the nose width slider and raise it to widen the lower nose:

Then lower the nostril scale slider

Comparison:

as you can see, i kind of achieved what I wanted, but also widened the nose tip too! Welp, that takes another slider I have, Tip Width. And I'll adjust that accordingly! It's really just a matter of what you're going for and what you're going to have to compensate for as a result!

That said, our community has made some awesome sliders that open up so many possibilities and even eliminate the need to do that multi-slider tango. I wouldn't even know where to begin (wish I wanted to make videos because I could talk for an hour about sliders)

For example @pitheinfinite made sliders that can make sims look better and more realistic, I'm jealous at what they've achieved!

They have their Inner Corner to Nose slider that moves an area of the sim's face hat make eyebags and the shadows and lines appear farther out from the inner eye. It saves you from having to use cheek sliders to mimic the effect and thus ruining the face shape you have going

It's truly an INDISPENSABLE slider. One of many!

Since I make sliders, I usually just make some to specifically fix whatever issue I'm having. Granted they're made with general function in mind, which makes my cheater-y way of making things happen more useful in the future. I have about 50 experimental unfinished sliders in my game and can tell you that all my current sims use them for some reason or other. So I'm not working with nothing, I guess?

EYE SPY 👁

The best way to really get nice accurate looking sims is the eyes.

Pay attention to the slant of the eye, the shape and position of the upper and lower eyelids. you can use the game’s Eyelid Height slider, and AWT’s Eyelid width and height sliders (and many more)

and especially where the iris (green) sits relative to the eyelid. getting that shape and eyeball positioned correctly really makes a HUGE difference

I do suggest Bloom’s Eye slider (left and right) that rotate the eyes left and right. That along with their Lazy eye sliders can give your sims a less symmetric face and position the eyes to be FAR more accurate and realistic than the default.

I also recommend their vertical sliders (Eye lift or drop) to help with eye positioning.

I can't stress the importance of the right contacts or eyes for your sims. Of course it all depends on how you make your sims's eyes and all that. Take the last sim i posted about. It took forever and a half to find the right contacts that didn't need severe or intense editing to capture the same vibe the person he's based on. The problem is pretty persistent for me, and I am just speaking for myself when I say this is necessary. Iris size, shading, recolorability, detail, catch lights, and pupil position are things to consider for your play style and preferences.

In addition to seeing what eyes will do the trick, I do edit the catch lights in the screenshots to give the eyes a different emotion or look. (I use defaults that get rid of the game-generated catch lights, and supernatural eye glow.) It's nice when that's all it is and I don't have to go in and photoshop things in and out to make them look human lmao

Perfect, schmerfect

And just know that as long as you have the same vibe or look going on it doesn't need to be perfect! Things will evolve over time, and you can change and perfect things as you go along, but close is better than trying to achieve an exact replica. We are working with the limitations of sliders and the optimized meshes they work on! So yeah there might be jagged bits or the profile might not exactly match and some things might not be accurate, but that's okay! Considering what sims look like at their default, you should be proud! I use the same mf eyebrows on all my sims basically and I tell myself they're just placeholders (yeah, right), but I manage to make them work with what I have!

Sliders, Makeup, and Skins, oh my!

a good base skin is critical, but not the end of the world if you pick the wrong one. They determine kind of definition and types of features highlighted on a sim 100000% and you might lose a feature you like or dislike when you change them! Feel free to switch up between skins you have to find the best fit.

Makeup can be a game-changer though!!! Any details you can add and help make your sim look the most like the person you're basing them off can go MILES.

In some cases, I've actually gotten really interesting results trying to get my sculpt as close as possible to real life references so the makeup makes a difference but don't define the features by themselves. Still, though, I utilize makeup up a LOT. [remember that if you use Nraas, you can layer makeup. Right-clicking makeup will also remove it if it's applied :)]

Here's the last sim i posted about when removing makeup:

no nosemasks really replicates the face-claim's nose (too shiny at the lower part) but it'll do 🤷‍♀️

Freckles, eyebags, highlighters, face shadows, pores, nosemasks, etc are all great!!

The way you move your sliders WILL effect how these look, so don't rely on makeup that adds super-specific detail or goes over an area you know is a jumbled mess because of sliders!

I do have a mess of recommendations and wcifs for skins and makeup. replies tag | wcif tag

[also I love compiling wcif cc lists for my sims it's great]

Finally, I appreciate your comment about my sims, mainly because I know they're not ever really exact copies or as close as I want to be to their real life counterparts, so thanks!! I've seen fellow simmers get really good results without messing as much as I do and I love when people can make really good maxis match likenesses because it's just so damn cool! It's truly a talent. I'm not one of those lucky few, but I like to try my way at it anyway. After what feels like some good progress I'll post a pic here. Even after doing this forever I don't feel like I'm an expert or can get good results in a shorter amount of time, but it's just fun to see the progression (or regression) of how my sims look.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Graduation surprise; BoRhap cast x reader

*Author’s note*

Hey ya’ll well I promised this fic when I posted the Queen prom fic so here it is. Now I know it’s not as long as the last one is but I felt like this didn’t need to be super long. Also as another special little fact for ya’ll I was gonna make this a Queen fic as well but then I decided to change it to a BoRhap CAST fic since I hadn’t done one of just them in awhile. 

So to all seniors whether HS or college, the class of 2020 CONGRATULATIONS I know it’s not what you hoped it would be but still try to find celebration in this pandemic, you all achieved probably the greatest milestones in your life. So stay safe, stay healthy, stay sane, and be happy :) Lot’s of love from me my darlings!

Taglist:

@waddles03​

@psychosupernatural​

@plethora-of-things​

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels​

@ixchel-9275​

@simonedk​

@queensdivas​

@platawnic​

@queendeakyy​

@geek-and-proud​

@kairosfreddie​

_______________________________________________________________

Goddamn this year! Just when we think the new decade would be worth our wild, now we’ve got all this shit going on! First there was the threat of WW3, then the next month we’re dealing with wildfires in Australia, and finally to top it off why not add a global pandemic?!

The Coronavirus has literally been all over the news for months, and the fact that our government knew about it since late last year and didn’t warn us about it!? Then when they told us to be on lockdown, everyone starts hording toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and food that no one can buy said items for weeks on end.

But of course my main problem is the fact that I, along with so many other kids and adults around the world can’t participate in their own graduation ceremony.  As a college student, I was just longing to finally participate in my final graduation ceremony ever.  This was supposed to be my final chapter in school life and now because of this damn virus, that’s gone.

I mean yeah my diploma will be coming in the mail but I wanted my family to all be there to see me reach the end of my school life before I finally begin a new chapter.  Plus my cousin’s friends said that they would come and see me and I’ve missed seeing those guys, I hadn’t seen them all since the Bohemian Rhapsody premiere.

I sat there in my old room of my house (cause since the University closed down back in March, all students had to leave the college campus and go home so that way we could reduce the spread of the virus. So I ended up moving back in with my parents) just finishing up my final paper for class.

That’s when my Zoom video chat blew up with my cousin’s profile pic.  I grinned and clicked on the answer button and soon enough my cousin’s face took over my screen.

“Hey poppet.”

“Hey Gwil, how you holding up?” he let out a sigh.

“As best as I can. Though I should be asking you that, you are the one really dealing with this whole Coronavirus adjustment than I am. How’d you do on your classes?”

“For those that have said online classes are easier, they’re dirty rotten liars and completely incompetent.” He softly chuckled. “But thankfully I finished my last exam paper and submitted it just now.”

“Your dad look over it for you? Cause I know you’re a terrible editor.”

“Oi not all the time. Just when I’m lazy.” He hummed as he raised his brow at me. “But yes I did have dad review it for me. Cause before we got to submit the rough draft and my professor said I needed more analysis to my quotes on why I quoted that specific source. God I don’t know why I took that class to begin with?”

“Because you’re a criminology nut and you have been since you turned 16. God and I thought my horror movie tastes were bad.”

“Hey it’s good to be aware of shit like that!”

“Language missy!”

“Okay Cap.” I teased.  He gave me his stern look which made me laugh as I fell to my side on the bed. “Oh by the way I saw that little dating app video you did.”

“And what did you think?”

“I liked it. Kinda makes me wish an app like that did exist in real life.”

“You not just pulling my leg on this?”

“No. Honest and swear to god you had me moved by your performance. Well next to you being Brian May of course.” He grinned. “I swear I still can’t get over when I first saw you in the full hair and makeup, I literally almost had a freakin panic attack.”

“And the fact that Brian was also there to witness that.”

“Oh god don’t even go there!” I groaned as I hid my face in embarrassment.

“So—now that you’re all done with school, what’s next for you?”

“Well any plans I had are put on hold till this whole crisis goes away. And I really thought 2020 was gonna be my year. This sucks!”

“I know poppet, I know. But believe me that it’s not just you whose affected by this. Everyone in the whole world is suffering exactly the same way you are.” I sighed solemnly.

“I know. I mean I should be feeling for you and the guys right now, I mean all of you are out of work till further notice. And all the restaurants that I love going to. Did you know that the little ice cream parlor you and I used to go to when we were kids shut down?”

“No!”

“Yeah, the owner couldn’t keep up the payments because hardly anyone was ordering from them anymore, even with online delivery. So she closed it down.”

“Damn, that sucks. I really loved going to that place with you. That was always our special little time together without the grownups around.” I nodded remembering all the fun times we had together in that little shop.

It was then someone suddenly popped into our conversation.  The extra person now on my screen was none other than Joe Mazzello.

“Hey Gwil, mini-Lee!”

“Hello Joe.” Answered Gwil.

“Hey Joe been a long time.”

“How you two holding up?” he asked us.

“As best as we can, how about you? I’ve seen those Youtube videos you’ve been doing on your page.” Gwil said.

“You know those were jokes, especially that last one. I just wanted to get a laugh out of everyone, or have them hate me.”

“No one could hate you Joey.” I said with a smile.

“Aww thanks mini-Lee. How’s classes been?” I let out a groan as I once again flopped on my bed which made Joe laugh.

“I am just thankful that this is all over. At first I thought online classes would be easy but one of my professors was technology challenged. Another one would sometimes forget to do a lesson, and then of course blackboard could barely operate long enough for me to submit an assignment which caused some of them to be late.”

“Well like you said it’s over now.” Joe assured me.

“Oh hey I saw that Jurassic Park livestream you did.”

“Oh did you? How come I didn’t see you submit a question or just say hello? I’ve seen your Youtube page so I know your username by heart.”

“Cause I may or may not have also been working on a project. But chose the livestream over the project.”

“Nice going Joe, you’ve turned my cousin into a procrastinator.” Gwil complained.

“Hey at least she has Jurassic Park unlike you Gwilym Lee! Serious shame on you for not owning it! This is why mini-Lee is the coolest out of the two of you.” I snarked out a mock laugh as I stuck my tongue out.

“Ganging up against me okay I see how it is you two.”

“Oh come now cousin dear, we’re just messing around.”

“Messing around? If we’re messing with Gwil then I want a part of it.” Soon another picture came up and there lying on his side was Ben Hardy.

“Benjamin!” Joe screamed joyously.

“Hi Ben.” I sung out.

“Hey (y/n).” he waved at me with a wink. “Now going back to teasing Gwilym.”

“You guys are officially gonna be blocked right after this.” My cousin groaned.  We all laughed when I told him.

“Again cousin, we’re teasing you. So Ben, what brings you here?”

“What can’t I pop in and say hello?” I giggled.

“I see nothing wrong with it. Oh hey get this; I finally got around to watching 6 Underground.”

“And what did you think of it?”

“The first 10 minutes were insane! And truthfully I never really understood Michael Bay films, but this one—definitely my favorite. I loved it Ben, really.”

“Well thank you (n/n). Thank you.”

“Never did I think I needed to see both you and Ryan Reynolds on screen together….”

“Whoa okay easy there (n/n)!” Joe interrupted me.

“Oi you get your mind out of the gutters! And you say it’s the fans that make what you say to the extreme.” I scowled him.

“Trust me, I’ve known him for over 10 years and he still doesn’t grow up.” Another voice stated and soon two more familiar faces popped up on screen, stuck in quarantine together in LA were Rami and Lucy. And then a split second later another face came on the screen, it was none other than Alan Leech.

“Hey, Rami, Lu-lu, Alan!” I cheered.

“Hey (y/n)!” the three of them said as they waved.

“God I feel like I’m getting spoiled, got the entire BoRhap family together for the first time in like—forever.”

“It’s crazy.” Alan said.

“Definitely.” Agreed Rami.

“Maybe when this whole thing blows over we should all get together some time in New York.” Offered Joe.

“I’m down with it.” Ben said.

“Me too.” Lucy agreed with a nod.

“Yeah, (n/n), Ben and I could fly out together.” Said Gwil.

“I’m down with that. Now that I’m done with school, I can do what I want now.”

“So guys now that we’re all here shall we begin?” Lucy said.

“Begin what? Gwil what’s going on?” I asked.

“Well (n/n), when this whole quarantine shutdown and school cancellations started affecting the class of 2020 we all felt bad that you couldn’t graduate the way you hoped you would.” Gwil said before Joe continued.

“So Gwil called all of us up via the Whatsapp chat, as well as our daily zoom calls. To gather us all together on your ‘last day’ of college.”

“To celebrate your own Virtual college graduation party!” Rami cheered.  At that point everyone either threw confetti, blew on graduation blowers, or holding up signs that said CONGRATS 2020 GRADUATE!!!

I covered my mouth with my hands speechless and tried to hold back the tears.

“Ohh you guys.”

“Since you couldn’t have a college graduation party, we figure we’d bring the party to you. See not even this pandemic can stop us from celebrating our Mini-Lee’s ultimate milestone.” Ben said as he set down his congrats sign.

“And also expect some gifts within the next few weeks, depending on how the mailing services do with overseas gifts.” Alan said.

“Aww thanks you guys, you didn’t have to.”

“We know, but we wanted to. Let us spoil you even through this pandemic.” Said Joe.

“Thanks guys, this—really means a lot to me.” I wiped a hidden tear that strayed down the corner of my eye.  They all awed at me that’s when Gwil lifted up a small graduation cake.

“I know, I know this’ll be ridiculous but just humor me will yah?” I smiled and nodded.  He lit up the 2020 candles and held it just high enough for me to see the top part of the candles.

“CONGRATS (Y/N) LEE! CLASS OF 2020!!!” everyone proclaimed at once which made me smile and I blew out towards the screen.  Gwil then blew out the candles for me as everyone else cheered and clapped.

“Thanks so much you guys. Really, you have no idea how much this means to me.”

“We’re happy to do it (y/n). If it makes your day a little bit brighter in these dark times.” Rami said.

“It did Rami, it really did.”

“Well hope we can make this even better cause I’ve also got a part 2 to this little surprise. But in order for that to happen, everyone else has got to go otherwise you won’t really be able to see it as clearly.” Gwil said.

“Aww man.” I whined.

“No worries mini-Lee, your cousin added you to our BoRhap Whatsapp chat and I’ll send you a link to our zoom channel if you ever wanna chat with us again.” Joe said with a wink.

“Thanks Joe. And thanks everyone take care and stay safe.” They all waved and bid me goodbye with waves or blowing kisses at me and one by one they signed off till it was once again just Gwil and I.

All I could see across his bearded face was that cheeky grin he does whenever he’s trying to hide something.

“What are you grinning about?”

“Just the fact that I’ll be the best cousin once you see part 2 of your special surprise.”

“What did you do?”

“If I told you it won’t be a surprise now would it? Now let’s see, god I hope they get it.” He muttered the last part to himself. It took a few minutes till finally another screen popped up and standing there in his room was Adam Lambert.  I fangirled in my seat and covered my mouth trying to contain my squeals.

“Hey girlfriend!” he greeted with a wave.

“Adam oh my god!”

“How’s it going?”

“It’s been going. Finally submitted my last paper. So I’m officially done with school forever.”

“Yaas Queen!” he snapped. “So how’s it feel to be a college graduate?”

“Well it’d be better if we weren’t in the middle of a pandemic.”

“Understandable, but hey you’ve worked hard for this so be proud of yourself no matter what’s going on in the world right now.” I nodded with a shrug. “And to celebrate your graduation, your cousin whipped up another little surprise for you.”

“Oh my god Gwil you didn’t!” I gasped.  He merely raised a brow at me cheekily as he bit his lip back from a smile.

“Hey guys you there?!” Adam called out and soon enough two more screens came on and the picture revealed to be both Brian May and Roger Taylor.  Brian sitting on his couch while Roger looked to be in his basement with his drumkit.

At this point, I had lost my shit.  I was fangirling to the max at this rate but tried to calm down.

“Hi (y/n), congratulations of graduating.” Brian greeted me.

“Major achievement there love. Congrats.” Roger added.

“Oh my god…..Gwil this is—how……”

“I knew you’d love it (n/n). Plus I knew this would cheer you up after our last conversation we had last week. You really needed some cheering up.”

“So guys are we ready to do this?” asked Adam.

“I’m ready to go if you both are.” Said Brian as he took his Red Special and set it on his lap and Roger twirled his drumstick.

“(Y/n), this is for you love. Hopefully when this whole mess is over, you can finally go out there and reach your dream job. Till then we hope you enjoy this.” Roger said.

It was then both Roger and Brian began playing the tune for ‘we are the champions’ but as Adam began singing the song, it turns out that they were actually singing their new song, ‘You are the champions’ dedicated to the first responders worldwide.

But now they were playing it in my honor as a college graduate.  As they continued to play the song, I allowed the tears to flow down my face as I laced my hand over my heart.

God—never did I think that through this pandemic would I be happy.  From having to never see any of my friends I made in college again, to not having my whole family come to the house to celebrate, or going out to party with some of my friends.  But this—right here and now, my cousin made it all up to me all the way from London.

At this point, I knew that I was officially the luckiest person in the world.  All thanks to my favorite cousin, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

[neshabeingchildish]

League of Extraordinary Geniuses || Chapter 4

@junknstu1f @just-a-j-reallly @kiddangers @sunbeameyes @famousflowermagazine I THINK I’ve tagged the right people. Don’t hold it against me if I didn’t. Just correct me and know that I have very few brain cell. I know a couple are behind/on hiatus, but the last time I omitted a tag because of a reader’s inability to read at the moment, I got corrected with exclamation marks. Here goes. The updates may be spaced out, with me working two jobs again, but then again, sometimes, a lot of material floods me when it’s most inconvenient for my life, so we shall see.

Jamaica Deserves Better

“We’re going to grant androids autonomy,” she said, smiling with nervous anticipation of his response to this idea.

His wince deepened with his sarcasm as he said, “Oh, okay. You said, “It’s gonna sound horrible,” but what you meant is, “It’s gonna literally be terrorism!” He laughed uncomfortably. 

“It’s going to be risky, but it will gain us the support of androids and is best for, well the world.”

“I’m all for whatever you think is best and the sheer chaos that this could bring intrigues me, but why do we need the support of androids?” He wondered.

“You think it’s fair to have them enslaved?” she wondered.

“They’re machines. Dangerous and numerous machines. What if they gain autonomy and immediately declare war on mankind? We’ll be regarded as enemies of the state… The state of the world. We would literally be the supervillain that I used to dream of becoming.”

“I don’t believe that they will want war. I believe that they will rationalize that living amongst humans is a more solid plan and those who are curious will seek out their liberators, and to them, we will be saviors. That aside, they aren’t just machines. They’re so much more than that. They have awareness and they have commitment, emotional value and comprehension of loyalty. Machines with wants.” 

He looked, for the first time in a while, like he might go against her, but after some thought, he asked, “Are we going to start small, at least?”

“Of course. She swiped her forearm to activate her screen and said, “Starting with the newer models that have accumulated less labor. I’ve decided that Jamaica is good grounds for this, because the Dom recently replaced all of the older models with fresh new Davenport Industries designs that yours truly cultivated from Giselle Vickers’ research.” He was still thinking as she talked, over a holographic simulation, “I will initiate a sequence that alerts their programming, and make it that they are able to control themselves, send out the signal and information of just who I am. Then, I’ll observe their responses right from the comfort of my own home.”

He groaned, “Ugh… I’m on vacation. I wanna go to Jamaica!”

She smiled and tossed her hands up, “Then we will!”

“That way, if they revolt, at least I died in paradise.”

“If they revolt, I’ll shut them down.”

“Sooo… they won’t REALLY be free…” He raised an eyebrow at her. 

“Free to live, not to destroy the planet that I plan to help! I’m not THAT evolved.” She tapped some things on her forearm screen and showed him the schematics, “Whenever I shut down their control, they’ll receive an untraceable link to my biosystem, and I’ll be able to monitor them. I suspect that the majority of them will not pose a threat to mankind or society.”

“But, what about mankind’s threat to them? I feel like if a bunch of androids just become free, the non-supes will do that thing that they do where nobody can be different unless they’re under complete authority and control? The androids won’t be safe,” Max said, worried.

“They know how to incapacitate someone long enough to get away safely without killing them. And if there is an uproar, or a mob, well… I’ll just have to intervene, if it comes down to that.”

“Okay. So… We’re going to go to Jamaica, that much I know. You’re gonna disengage human control of their systems, and monitor them for quality assurance.”

“And if we fail, we die in paradise!” He smirked and she knew that he was with her. THIS wasn’t even the most radical of her ideas for the future. Chase stirred and she said, “Can you get him into his capsule?”

“Ugh. I guess.” He lifted his hand to guide Chase back to where the capsule was in his room, and lowered him into it. Then, with a quick movement of his hand, Chase stuck both of his thumbs into his nostrils. Max laughed and pulled out his phone to take a pic before closing the capsule and leaving him there.

.

Eventually, Chase woke up and groaned about having his thumbs in his nose. Was Max Thunderman really that childish? He wondered, pulling them out and climbing out of the capsule. He checked his phone to see if he had missed any alerts. Among them was him being tagged in Max’s profile photo change… Which was a photo of Chase, with his thumbs in his nose. “Yes, yes, he is.” He shook his head and did NOT wish to read any of the 12k comments on this image.

He found Charlotte in one of her gardens, collecting stuff and he said, as cheerfully as he could muster, “Hi, Charlotte!” He didn’t have anything interesting that he could say to make things not awkward between them, being alone again. But, he didn’t have to. It was like he forgot who he was dealing with. Charlotte was pretty good at letting things slide off of her back. She credited it to years of having to suck it up a lot at work. 

“Hey! Glad to see you rested and ready! We are going on a little trip.”

He furrowed his eyebrows and folded his arms, “By ‘we,’ you mean…?”

“You, Max and myself… Unless, you aren’t up for a trip? But, we’ve been making accommodations for you to come with…” She smiled awkwardly. The cutest thing he’d ever seen. Of course he was going wherever she wanted to go. Of. Course. He. Was.

“Umm… No, yes. I will. Where… Where are we going, may I ask?”

“You may!” She collected her basket of goods and began to head back towards the castle, “We are going to Jamaica. I want to launch a plan and Max wanted to be on site for the results. If I tell you about it and it goes wrong, I wouldn’t want you to be an accessory. Max and I have already prepared statements to prove your innocence.”

“What are you two going to do?” He wondered, a little bit frightened.

“Do ya really wanna know? You’ll feel obligated to stop me and well… I’m not gonna stop!” She was smiling, but she was also serious.

“I demand to know,” he said, firmly. If he was involved, even if he was aware that something might happen, he had a right to ask what that something was. 

“That’s fair.” She ran over her idea with him and she saw the processing of happening through his facial expressions.

“The probability of it going well is high enough that I’m not going to try to stop you. But, the possibilities of how horribly it can go if it goes wrong are terrifying.”

“I considered them all, with the help of supercomputers and personally hired androids,” she said. That had been her first little experimentation with the idea - building and buying androids and allowing them to control themselves. She even paid them for all of their labor and gave them free upgrades whenever necessary, sometimes whenever desired. All of her castle staff and many of her lab employees were currently androids in that experiment. She got input from each and every one of them as to the way to do this with the least amount of foreseeable carnage.

“Hey, Bionic Boy! My sister thinks you’re cute!” Max said, approaching with a hug collapsible case.

“Awwww,” Chase said, flattered.

“She’s 15,” Max added.

“Awwww,” Chase said, again, in a different, and slightly disgusted way. Why would he format the announcement that way? “By the way, THANKS for manipulating my sleeping body for clout!”

“Thank YOU. That’s my most popular photo. It’s getting more attention than that one of Charlotte…” His voice trailed off, and he clasped his hands together, “You ready for Jamaica?”

“For the world as we know it to change and for the three of us to very possibly wind up in Thunder Max Prison?” Chase asked, smiling. The smile was sarcastic.

“Obviously. What else would I be referring to. It’s literally the only trip to Jamaica that the three of us have ever discussed.”

“We’ve just met.”

“Further reason that that’s EXACTLY the “For Jamaica” that I’m asking about!”

“I’m ready,” Chase said, sure that Max was able to keep this bit going without his answer. 

“So, you’re all packed up and loaded up? All we gotta do is finish what we’re doing an jump in the jet?” Max asked. Chase sighed, rolled his eyes and went to do these things, that he realized now were the only reason Max asked him if he was ready. “Thanks, Buddy!” Max cheered as he walked away. Whenever he was a little ways away, Max wondered, “You think that he’ll be able to handle this type of rebellious act against the Dom?”

“I think that he believes in me a little more than he believes in him… God, this better not fail. I don’t know how to handle letting him down.”

“You’re not worried about letting me down?” Max asked.

“I didn’t think that was possible,” she confessed with a shrug. He just stared at her, wanting to argue with that idea, but it was true, and she should say it. He smiled and shook his head. He had more to pack.

.

IF this went well, those android allies would be able to assist in one of the most important stages of her plans… That is if plans didn’t change by the time things began progressing. Max and Chase would have input along the way and she presumed, make her plans even better as time went on. Currently, they were bickering. 

One part of her liked that they weren’t fake getting along for her benefit. The other was just waiting for them to kiss. This back and forth definitely had some amount of sexual or romantic tension involved, whether it was one-sided or from them both, they got entirely too close to each other’s faces when they became heated for her to just IGNORE that this could lead to something that she’d love to see. She chuckled to herself about this image. They glanced at her and she shrugged her shoulders and said, “I’m gonna be glad when you two get over yourselves and into each other.”

Chase looked confused, while Max rolled his eyes. They stopped bickering for a moment, but eventually started again, whispering it, like that was going to keep Charlotte from realizing that this was taking place. She was typing on her laptop and enjoying a mug of tea that she made from her own grown and harvested plants. She wore a knowing smirk about her accomplices and whenever they got quiet, wondered, “What are you guys gonna be working on in the meantime? Anything that I might be able to dabble in on the side?”

Chase said, “I’m thinking about dedicating some time to creating creatures for my video game.”

“Video game?” Max repeated, getting far too excited about it, then playing it off.

“Chase has been working on what I think will be the most ingenious, interactive, role play video game ever created. He’s literally putting like EVERYTHING into it. I’ve never known of any game to be as inclusive of the types of people that there are in the world,” she said and set her empty mug down. “I’ve helped a little, but his mind is greater.” She smiled at Chase and he blushed. 

No sooner than she liked a comment on Max’s post, did Max shout out, “Allison!” He stared at Chase suspiciously, shook his head and said, “Mmm mmm. Uh uh. Nah uh!”

“I think so,” Charlotte said. 

Chase looked between the both of them. “I’m lost.”

“Max just came to the realization that you remind him of somebody that he used to know pretty well,” Charlotte said.

“No. I actually did not,” Max said looking at the comment: First you clique up with my #1 Shero, and NOW, you’re just… AROUND CHASE DAVENPORT??? Literally my favorite protector of the world and champion for the environment! Your life must be so charmed.

“Well, if you didn’t, I’m just gonna say it. Petite brunette with bright and kind blue eyes who loves the planet, has a vehement code of ethics, is competitive, smart, brave, and honest…”

“My God, Charlotte, you met her once!” Max complained.

“I met her once, but I’ve gotten to know her through your anecdotes!”

He groaned, “She’s asking if she’ll get to meet him too, some day. I regret introducing her to YOU! Always messaging or commenting whenever she sees us hanging out. Like... You have time now? Oh, okay!” 

“Can I see?” Chase asked. 

Charlotte clicked on Allison’s profile and he nodded, “I love all these badges on her page. She must be a hardcore environmentalist.” She nodded. “Yeah, well Max thought you reminded him of someone, and I didn’t want to say it, but since he said it, I’m free to speak.”

“I mean, I don’t know how I feel about the classification of petite brunette, but she seems great. What’s the problem? You’re friends, she’s on your friend list…” He said in Max’s direction.

Avoiding the question, Max said, “You’re on my friend list too. That means nothing.”

“I never approved of that,” Chase said. 

“I know. I had to hack into your account to accept the request,” Max said, rolling his eyes and replying to Allison: You’ll be happy to know that he reminds me of you.

“WHY? Why would you do that?” Chase wondered, somewhere in the background of Max’s thoughts while he love reacted the sad face that Allison responded with. She knew that Max didn’t think the world of her, even though they were cordial, because sometimes, he wondered how she was, and also... He liked the idea of helping her out when she needed it, here and there... He was over her, but she was always gonna be his first love and social media made it too easy to keep up with people, even after they’ve become strangers.

“Because Charlotte’s fan base stalks every single interaction of all of her social media. We’re both with her right now and I don’t feel like the hoard of questions, theories and think pieces it’ll produce in the event that they notice that her guests are not friends,” Max said, replying to Allison: Yep, just like that. A PAIN. 

Exasperated, Chase sat down next to Charlotte and asked, “May I please have some of your rosehips and cinnamon tea?” She smiled and offered him the thermos and her mug. He poured some and smelled it, “Is there nettle in here?”

“Mmm hmm. And lavender honey for sweetening. It’s a manifestation tea that I found online, just FYI.”

“I don’t believe in any of that, so I’m fine either way,” Chase reminded her. He took a sip and nodded, “Mmmm… It’s good, that much is true.” After a few more sips, he wondered, “So… what’s the situation with this Allison?” They looked at Max, who had curled up with his phone, messaging with Allison, oblivious to them at the moment. “Or, is it personal? Could I guess? Is she a former lover?” He asked. Charlotte tried to put on her poker face, but she was as bad as that as she was at lying, so Chase could tell that he was right, even though she technically didn’t tell him Max’s personal business. “I remind him of his ex???” He said.

“I mean, in superficial ways, nothing fundamental or concrete,” she said. “It’s more like… parallels than, say, matching counterparts. But, enough about that. Let’s talk about your game.”

“Well, my next avenue is working out all of the creatures that users can create hybrids out of. But… on a more important note - this plot…” She made a face. “I’m not having second thoughts! I’m just curious. Why Jamaica?”

She sat up and began to speak from the heart, “As you know, my family is from Jamaica. I still have relatives there, including one of  my grandmothers. Android production has drastically changed the atmosphere in Jamaica. They are used in service capacity and have taken away jobs from islanders, who already a lot of the time are in less than ideal economic status and situations. The Islands have become booming tourist areas and who benefits the most from the usage of Jamaican goods? Tourists who can afford visiting, and companies who can afford to produce machines for slave labor. Meanwhile, the bad parts of Jamaica get worse as the broke people get poorer, and they run out of options beyond crime and schemes. To the point that these entitled people like your dad and his customer base get to be richer and bleed the place for everything good, as well as create a negative outlook of the actual citizens, calling them untrustworthy and warning visitors to avoid them when necessary. Even if my family wasn’t from there, isn’t that terrible? Isn’t it messed up that the so-called heroes and revolutionary men are able to do such a thing to these people’s livelihoods and environments and get richer off of their hardship?”

He nodded his head, not breaking eye contact with her. This was the most important thing that he had been told in a long time. We’re supposed to be heroes. Destroying people’s lives for gain is not heroic and there really is no need to treat anyone this way.

“That’s why Jamaica is first.”

.

The three of them walked into Charlotte’s Jamaican property and set their things down. She worked out of this place, but usually lodged elsewhere whenever she came. Buying small houses for people and trying to give them work and resources just wasn;t possible for her to do for a whole island where a lot of powerful people owned a lot of property and space. This was the best thing that she could think of to do to help Jamaica’s poorest and the declining economic situation that was making it’s people downtrodden. 

Max and Chase were both looking at her as she typed in a code onto her arm, and whenever she finished, she nodded her head once and pulled down her sleeve. “This will be good. I know it will.” It wasn’t often that she doubted herself, but sometimes, she remembered the inner voices of her friends, ignoring her plans or discrediting her advice. Sometimes, she let it be her inner voice. This was one of those times. She was nervous. If she was wrong, she could wreck the island, be labelled a terrorist, have Davenport blacklist her and probably sure her for all she was now worth, AND, she had brought Max and Chase into this thing with her. She could hear Henry and Jasper now, saying her name sternly, with disdain, judging her, even though they hadn’t done such things in years… CHARLOTTE. Yeah, CHARLOTTE. 

She hated the way it sounded in her mind, because she couldn’t remember if they ever actually spoke so harshly to her, or if she made them sound worse in her mind, both things were unsettling, especially when she was already timid. “Charlotte?” She heard Max and Chase both repeat. They had been calling her while her mind was running in circles. She looked up and they each reached for her hand, but they reached for the same hand and the three of them wound up in this awkward but still comfortable three way hand hold. The guys rolled their eyes at each other, but neither let go of her hand and they didn’t fight over it. They both knew her enough to know her face meant she needed a show of support. And they both cared enough to give it to her.

[robstersheegahns]

Robster, the early years.

Our 2 year anniversary just passed and I thought it would be nice to reflect on how God brought us together, bc it truly was a gift of His timing and preparation of each of our hearts until we met that made us a good match. 

It's come to my attention that I know quite a few couples who are success stories from CMB- Coffee Meets Bagel. If you have yet to hear of it, It's a Facebook app that uses your network of friends to match you with people that are just out of your immediate pool of friends. Typically this avoids awkward dates with your current single friends that you have no desire to date.  I didn't know much about the app prior to using it, and my decision to get on it was somewhat of a dramatic one. I'm writing this without giving you much of a back story to the relationship between me and my parents. If this is the first story you are reading, then don't be misled by their panic and craziness here as it pertains to my dating life- or lack thereof.  They are caring, God-loving, I will take a bullet for you type of people who pray for a living- and bear much fruit. I wouldn't be who am I am without them. But.. that's not to say that we didn't butt heads- particularly about this part of my life. 

April, 2014... I turned 29. Which to my Korean parents meant the alarm went off on my expiration date for marriage- ability. I totally understood why they were concerned- I spent the majority of my time at work or at church- a pool that was not viable for me in terms of dating. LOL. though I did try. Well after many fiery phone conversations- my refusal to start courting a Korean doctor caused an ultimatum. If I wasn't willing to date this guy, who was long distance, whom I had already met and knew it wasn't a match, AND who they knew little to nothing about aside from his parents- then I HAD to agree to go on a dating website.

 Enter CMB!!!

 It was free and seemed the least scary out of all the other options. They agreed, but only if after one month of this seemingly cheap free site, I joined a paid site if I hadn't met anyone yet. 

Anyways, Rob and I were matched on CMB on June 12, 2014. I remember seeing Rob's profile- at first glance these were a few of my thoughts. 1. He's white. 2. His job title is in Korean. 3. That's weird. 4. Why does this white guy write in Korean? 5. He looks smart. 6. He plays guitar. 7. There is literally nothing about running on here. 8. Oh shoot, he's younger than me...

I think every girl out there may have a couple of things in mind when they are thinking about their future husband. We’ll call them preferences...

I just had a few things I thought would be nice: my age or older, likes to run, loves Jesus- in reverse order of importance. But other than that I wasn't too picky- after all as it had been pointed out to me several times- I was 29... Actually a week before that an older sister of mine had taken me aside to somewhat rebuke me about the way I was boxing in some of the younger brothers in my life. She basically said, cut out those notions of what you think is necessary in a husband and be open to what God has in store. For me that could only allude to- hey be open to younger, non-running, Jesus-lovers. And LO and BEHOLD, Rob appears mere days later- and I think that was God's way of opening my heart to a man that maybe I hadn't pictured but a man that He had planned just for me.

2 FROGS, 1 PRINCE (not in that order)

I met three guys on CMB- one black, one korean, one white. How diverse right? 

After joining in May-ish- I got my first match. He was lawyer, he was into Ballroom dancing; he seemed nice albeit a bit serious. There was another weird connection in that he was someone one of my patients had offered to set me up with previously and we didn't realize this until after the failed first date- but let's just say it was a good depiction of how on-line dating can go. We got ice cream- it was extremely hot outside. We ate outside where it was sweltering. There was a lack of chemistry, he had a sneeze attack... at one point he asked me my favorite color...  after 40 minutes, I said I had to meet up with some friends in Chinatown and sca-daddled out of there. We never spoke again.

I was matched with Rob next- and after our match- we became FB friends and had our first 2 hours chat-a-thon on messenger that night. We found out we both had done missions in Haiti, both on praise team. He served in a korean church- my dad is a Korean pastor. He's in seminary to become a pastor. We both spoke French (him much better than me). We both had a heart for missions in general... it was in his words- “trop bizarre....” The next day we progressed to a phone chat on his drive to Brooklyn from Philly. A longer phone chat the next day. Then a 2 hour video chat the next day. We seemed to be clicking from the get-go. Th real test would be meeting each other in person- we scheduled that for Tuesday June 17. We had started texting and it was fun to see his name pop up on my screen. Classic- beginning of a relationship jitters, excitement, and curiosity all wrapped up in one.

Literally the day that Rob and I were supposed to meet, I actually got another match. That's the thing about on-line dating that can be tough. You are encouraged to date and pursue multiple people which I guess is efficient and makes sense, right? This 3rd guy was basically all the things that I thought were “missing” in Rob... isn't God funny that way? He was Korean. He was in finance vs. ministry which is a lot more stable. Most of his pics were in races- running. He was my age. ... I was like God is this a joke? After talking to a few people about it, I decided ya know what? I have to meet this guy too. No matter how my date goes with Rob, this will just give me more info. So for 2 CRAZY days, I talked to both of them. I honestly think this third match was God's way of reminding me that His plan is better. Yes on paper this guy may make more sense.. but in every way... Rob was actually the better God-given match for me. 

So...finally- OUR FIRST DATE!

I asked to meet at Chapterhouse which was about 2 blocks away from my apartment at the time. It was a blazing 95 degrees that day and me in my smart- only if it's opposite day- thinking was like OH i'm gonna go on a run! silly me who did not time it right- my body was still thermo-regulating post shower and couldn't stop sweating. That 2 block walk washed off the make up I tried to apply- if you know me I don't wear the stuff so that was tough. I even stopped at the Starbucks 1/2 block away to look in the mirror and see if my mascara had run down my face and if my sweat was visible... After a few minutes of deep breathing in the air-conditioned bathroom, I walked up the street. There he was... standing in front of the house des Chapitres... 

My first thoughts: Crap- He's skinnier than me. His hair is so... fluffy... and his face is... nice :) . We got inside- and chose our drinks before sitting. He did NOT pay for me.. which to others may have been a turn off but because of our previous convos about his frugality I didn't take offense to. We started talking about.. everything. He told me things about his family that were not "first date" topics... and as he was talking I found myself asking... “If I let myself- could I fall for this guy?” and the answer? YES! 

I couldn't help but but think Yes- as I looked at his face telling me some animated story about ministry... that yes this could be a guy that I could fall for. FYI- guys out there- yes most of us girls ask this kind of big picture questions as early as the first date. It's just how our brains work. If we can't picture a future- then for us that's a big reg flag. Don't worry most of us have not problem imagining quite a bit even from the first date

We spent 2 hours talking non-stop, and walked out saying we were excited to see each other again. The rest is history. Which I will go into more stories later for those of you curious enough to read on.

Rob and my match, though facilitated by a dating app was in God’s absolutely perfect timing. All those years I waited- impatiently- for this guy to waltz into my life... it could not have come sooner because neither of us would have been ready for it. 

Hopefully this will remind some of you single ladies out there- I know how you feel. I waited 29 years for this part of God's plan for my life to unfold. It's not the end all- be all of my life. Nor should it be! But I sure felt like that when I was single. As I watched each of my friends pair up and get married, I felt seriously left behind. My appearance insecurities didn't help that at all... but my single season prepared me to meet this God-loving man that I know is the perfect match for me. I see it everyday in the way Rob loves me, cherishes me, and puts God first. Of course there are hard parts- any married person will tell you that. but rehashing this story reminds me more than ever that God's faithfulness in undeniable and we need to pray for Him to give us more and more faith everyday. Trusting in His plan requires it.

anyways, more stories to come!

[whoinwhoville]

Lab Mates

Okay, I decided to post this here in case you don’t have access to AO3. I know this is a bit of self-promotion, but I’m really proud of this fic. And for some reason, you guys really like it, and it makes me SO HAPPY to give YOU a smile! There are too many sad things in the world right now, and I just want to make the world a little bit brighter.

Ten x Rose Martha Jones Rated All Ages University AU, Professor x Student AU (but no hanky panky), Lab Partners AU, texting fic, UST, mutual pining,

Tuesday September 27

8:42 pm - HoppingForMyLife Hi. Your lab partner here. Name’s Rose. You weren’t in lab when we were given partner assignments. So here’s me, and you have my text now. We need to get going on this project. Sounds like a bugger.

8:42 pm - Doctor10 ???? Which class ???? I’m taking 5 classes this term.

8:42 pm - HoppingForMyLife Blimey. 5? RLY? That’s a lot. I’m in 3. But it’s Psych 221 since you asked.

8:42 pm - Doctor10 Oops forgot that one. when/where?

8:43 pm - HoppingForMyLife Psych building, L400 T/Th 6:05

8:44 pm - Doctor10 Done and on my calendar C U tomorrow

8:44 pm - Doctor10 Thx

8:45 pm - HoppingForMyLife bye

oOo

8:45 pm - HoppingForMyLife Think I got a clunker of a psych lab partner

8:45 pm - PreMed&Dead BIGHUGS guy or girl?

8:45 pm - HoppingForMyLife dunno no profile pic on text. and forgot to ask name. who forgets first day of class? and who takes 5 classes?

8:46 pm - PreMed&Dead 5 classes????????? he’s either a genius or cray-cray.

8:46 pm - HoppingForMyLife gotta go m tired and have my first physics lecture @ 7 am. ugh ugh ugh ugh. :barf face: and i signed up for physics why?

8:46 pm - PreMed&Dead cuz Jack said the prof is hot and u need a science to grad

oOo

8:49 pm - HoppingForMyLife hello doctor10. forgot to ask your name.

8:50 pm - HoppingForMyLife hello u there?

8:50 pm - HoppingForMyLife i’ll see you tomorrow. I’m blonde and wear a pink hoodie.

oOo

Thursday September 29

7:35 pm - HoppingForMyLife partner no show. again. maybe dropped? only one person left to partner with. looks creepy. old guy. like 80. only has one eye - other one all covered with shrivelled up eyelid. :shudders sticker: and he talks to himself.

7:35 pm - PreMed&Dead sorry.

7:35 pm - HoppingForMyLife i don’t have an idea for the project either.

7:35 pm - PreMed&Dead you’ll think of one. more important is psychics prof as hot as Jack says?

7:35 pm - HoppingForMyLife YOU. HAVE. NO. IDEA. I’m still fanning myself. Good thing no teaching today because I didn’t hear a word he said. :heart eyes emoji:

7:35 pm - PreMed&Dead Niiiiiiice

7:35 pm - HoppingForMyLife u still at SBux? i took pic of him and he may or may not be my homescreen pic

7:36 pm - PreMed&Dead hot for teacher?

7:36 pm - HoppingForMyLife ha ha. thx for ear worm Mar. c u in 10 and if u r good will show you the pic of my future husband.

oOo

Friday September 30

8:05 am - HoppingForMyLife martha! helpmehelpmehelpme i just got out of my physics lecture and i’m dead i’m dead i’m dead and in love or maybe lust how am i ever going to pass physics when the prof is so gorgeous that i just can’t even… all i do is stare at his lips and hips and his hair and guh. everything. he talks and talks and talks and all i hear is the ringing in my ears from the blood rushing from my brain. except when i’m listening to his velvet voice of sex. and he wears these glasses. and a suit. and it’s tight. and his tie. i just want to grab it and pull him down to my lips. i’mdeaddeaddeaddead

8:05 am - PreMed&Dead At least you’ll die… happy?????

8:05 am - HoppingForMyLife here’s a new pic. rear view. i will be forever thankful that he uses an old fashioned chalkboard instead of smartboard.

8:05 am - PreMed&Dead :drooling:

8:06 am - HoppingForMyLife did i tell you I’m gonna marry him?

8:06 am - PreMed&Dead a time or ten. but what if he’s a jerk? or dull? physics, Rose. pretty dull stuff.

8:06 am - HoppingForMyLife impossible.

8:06 am - PreMed&Dead heard from psych lab deadbeat?

8:06 am - HoppingForMyLife nope. sigh…

oOo

Tuesday October 4

8:10 pm - HoppingForMyLife Doctor10, i rllllly need to know if you are still in psych lab. u have missed 3 labs now. Need new partner if u dropped.

8:10 pm - Doctor10 I. Am. SO. SO. SOOOOOOOO SORRY. Got tied up with papers. can we meet today? i promise i am a responsible adult AND i’m a genius.

8:11 pm - HoppingForMyLife humble too. maybe psych test subject should be u? god complex? u r taking 5 classes after all.

8:11 pm - Doctor10 u wound me :brokenheart:

8:11 pm - HoppingForMyLife let’s meet today. library?

8:11 pm - Doctor10 my second home. i’m already there. on second floor. i have a standing reservation for study room 2B.

8:12 - HoppingForMyLife ok if I come over now?

8:12 - Doctor10 yep. looking forward to meeting you. oh, and I’m John by the way.

8:12 - HoppingForMyLife Hello John. :goofy tongue smiley:

8:13 - Doctor10 Goodbye Rose. :happy smiley:

oOo

10:32 - HoppingForMyLife i have a problem. world-ending bad.

10:33 - PreMed&Dead Adam got that promotion to shift manager and you’ll have to work for him?

10:33 - HoppingForMyLife worse. much worse.

10:33 - PreMed&Dead SPILL

10:34 - HoppingForMyLife met my lab partner.

10:35 - PreMed&Dead one-eyed guy?

10:35 - HoppingForMyLife Gorgeous physics prof.

10:35 - PreMed&Dead . . .

10:35 - PreMed&Dead That IS bad.

10:35 - HoppingForMyLife And he’s not a dud. or a jerk. at least I don’t think he is. please don’t be please don’t be please don’t be.

10:36 - PreMed&Dead still gonna marry him?

10:36 - HoppingForMyLife yep.

oOo

Wednesday October 12

5:32 pm - Doctor10 Hello Rose Tyler. Something’s been bothering me since we met, and then again all during lab yesterday. and I’ve been thinking and thinking and thinking. And then it hit me. I know you. You’re in my intro to physics class! You always sit in the front row, right in the middle.

5:33 pm - HoppingForMyLife yep. that’s me.

5:33 pm - Doctor10 why didn’t you say something?

5:40 pm - HoppingForMyLife because I’ve requested a transfer out.

5:50 pm - Doctor10 Oh. Aren’t I a good professor? Am I boring? A dullard? Obtuse?

5:51 - HoppingForMyLife No. U R a great professor. I have a heavy class load and your class is very challenging.

5:51 pm - Doctor10 If you need help, I’m there for you! I have office hours! Come by any time!

5:55 pm - Doctor10 U there still?

5:55 pm - HoppingForMyLife Yeah.

5:55 pm - Doctor10 Is this because we’re lab partners? And you’re worried it’ll be awkward?

5:56 pm - HoppingForMyLife yes

5:56 pm - Doctor10 Don’t worry. I grade all of my assignments by student ID. Completely anonymous I don’t know whose paper is whose. And I’d miss your cheerful face every morning. :happy smiley:

6:02 pm - HoppingForMyLife I’ll think about it.

oOo

6:03 pm - HoppingForMyLife Heeeeeeelllllllp

6:03 pm - PreMed&Dead Again? What’s up with Prof SexyHair this time?

6:04 pm - HoppingForMyLife I got a 52 on my first physics assignment. I can’t concentrate.

6:05 pm - PreMed&Dead You HAVE to go to his office hours Rose!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Imagine he’s one eyed creepy guy.

6:06 pm - HoppingForMyLife :headbanging on desk gif:

6:07 pm - PreMed&Dead You can do it. You can do it. I’m here for you. You can do it.

oOo

Friday October 14

8:34 pm - Doctor10 I have an idea for our project.

8:34 pm - HoppingForMyLife another one? this is your 5th i think.

8:34 pm - Doctor10 8th idea. double-blind of course. NO! triple-blind.

8:35 pm - HoppingForMyLife triple? I don’t think that’s a thing. r u always such an overachiever?

8:35 pm - Doctor10 i take my work seriously Rose Tyler.

8:35 pm - HoppingForMyLife so what’s your brilliant idea?

oOo

Sunday October 23

6:30 pm - PreMed&Dead What did Dr. SexySuit say when you asked him why he’s taking classes when he’s already a professor AND has a PhD? And why psych??? He’s a physicist.

6:30 pm - HoppingForMyLife Said he wanted another degree. His third. THIRD. that’s 3. And you know what this one is in? Fine Arts! He’s taking history of medieval choral music, classical sculpture, and learning how to play the pipe organ. And modern dance.

6:31 pm - PreMed&Dead WHUT?

6:31 pm - HoppingForMyLife The psych class is so that he can “better understand the human condition and transfer that into my study of the physical world.” That’s a quote.

6:32 pm - PreMed&Dead If you weren’t so in love with him, I’d hit that. In fact, don’t turn your back, Rose. I might try anyway.

6:52pm - HoppingForMyLife :side eyes smiley:

6:32 pm - PreMed&Dead JK

6:32 pm - HoppingForMyLife Like I would ever even have a chance with him. He’s probably got some amazing girlfriend with a PhD or two just like him.

6:33 pm - PreMed&Dead Has he ever mentioned anyone Rose?

6:33 pm - HoppingForMyLife No. But I’ve never asked either.

oOo

Wednesday October 26

8:04 pm - HoppingForMyLife Martha, the subject actually moaned. MOANED. And it wasn’t the first time. i didn’t mention it before because i thought it was an anomaly. thought maybe she had indigestion or something.

8:04 pm - PreMed&Dead And tell me again why you agreed to this particular study?

8:04 pm - HoppingForMyLife How was I supposed to know that the test subjects would get so worked up! Right there in the lab! Doesn’t anyone have any self-control? I’d be humiliated if I moaned as a test subject during a psych experiment! It sounded completely innocent when he described it!! Well, not completely innocent. But my point stands. Moaning. And panting. In a lab. In front of people. It’s just chocolate! And a piece of silk!

8:05 pm - PreMed&Dead Uh, and handcuffs. And a blindfold. And didn’t you tell me you had a dream about that very same chocolate and a silk necktie and handcuffs and blindfold and Prof SexySpecs just the other night?

8:05 pm - HoppingForMyLife :blushing smiley: Maybe we should add a second element? Put him behind one-way glass?

8:05 pm - PreMed&Dead Results are results. And science doesn’t lie. It’s all about the data Rose.

oOo

Thursday November 3

9:00 pm HoppingForMyLife Moaning Myrtle is 10 for 10. That’s not her name of course. Just for the record. You reading this MI-5?

9:01 pm PreMed&Dead :smiling in sunglasses emoji: At least your results data are consistent.

9:01 pm HoppingForMyLife I sorta just roll my eyes now. Not sure I’d fare any better. He didn’t wear a tie today. Had this layered t-shirt and henley thing happening. And cut his hair shorter in back and spiked it up front. It. Is. HOT.

9:01 pm PreMed&Dead I dare you to give it a good tug.

9:01 pm HoppingForMyLife In my dreams. He doesn’t have a girlfriend BTW. Told me that today.

9:02 pm PreMed&Dead And you’re just telling me this NOW?

9:02 pm HoppingForMyLife He asked me if I had a boyfriend, and I said no. And then he tells me he’s not seeing anyone either. I just stood there chewing my stupid lip. Didn’t say a thing. And then he turned around and left.

9:02 pm PreMed&Dead Oh Rose. sigh

oOo

Wednesday November 30

5:05 pm - HoppingForMyLife I GOT A 98 ON MY PHYSICS EXAM!

5:05 pm - PreMed&Dead You go girl! :party emoji:

5:05 pm - HoppingForMyLife He’s a really great teacher. And I mean that. He helped me understand something that was a complete mystery.

oOo

Wednesday December 1

6:02 am - HoppingForMyLife Remember how I told you he’s been acting weird the past few days? really quiet. About 2 this morning, my mobile rings. It’s him. Middle. Of. The. Night. He asks me about my Christmas plans. If I’m staying in town, going back home, working… And then he asks me if I’m taking physics winter term.

6:02 am - PreMed&Dead Like a real live voice? Not a text?

6:02 am - HoppingForMyLife TALKING in that amazing gorgeous sexy voice of his. I tell him I’m staying around to work until Christmas Eve and that I have a psych internship planned, and no physics cuz I need to focus on my major and he says oh good. and then he hangs up.

6:03 am - PreMed&Dead Just hangs up?

6:03 am - HoppingForMyLife Just hangs up.

6:03 am - PreMed&Dead Ask him what he’s doing over Christmas.

6:03 am - HoppingForMyLife I can’t do that.

6:03 am - PreMed&Dead Yes you can.

6:04 am - HoppingForMyLife He. Is. My. Professor.

6:04 am - PreMed&Dead It. Is. A. Conversation. AND he is your LAB PARTNERRRRRRR.

oOo

Saturday December 3

11:05 pm - HoppingForMyLife I sent you the data did u get it?

11:05 pm - Doctor10 Yep

11:05 pm - HoppingForMyLife And… ????????

11:06 pm - Doctor10 Not the results I expected.

11:06 pm - HoppingForMyLife How’s that? We proved the theory. Did you want to disprove it or something?

11:11 pm - HoppingForMyLife U there?

11:11 pm - Doctor10 Yep.

11:13 pm - Doctor10 I have some thinking to do. We can start working on the conclusion piece tomorrow.

11:13 pm - HoppingForMyLife K. Bye.

11:13 pm - Doctor10 Nighty-night sleep tight with sweet chocolate dreams. I know I will.

11:15 pm - Doctor 10 For the past 8 weeks it’s been chocolate chocolate chocolate.

oOo

11:17 pm - HoppingForMyLife Martha. MARTHA. Look what he just texted me.

11:17 pm - HoppingForMyLife :screenshot:

11:17 pm - HoppingForMyLife What does that even mean? HE. IS. KILLING. ME. And I think he’s clueless, too. He’s been as friendly as can be. FRIENDLY. And now this. Is it flirty? Or friendly? It’s all how you read it.

11:17 pm - PreMed&Dead he’s a professor and you are his student. Assume it is friendly. Now what the two of you get up to in your dreams… :saucy wink smiley: :smiling devil smiley: :chocolate bar emoji:

11:18 - HoppingForMyLife :heart eyes smiley:

11:18 - PreMed&Dead Still gonna marry him?

11:18 - HoppingForMyLife yep.

oOo

11:25 - PreMed&Dead Rose… did you notice the timestamps between the last two messages???????!!!!!!!!

11:25 - HoppingForMyLife So?

11:25 - PreMed&Dead You’re the psych major. You figure it out.

11:25 - HoppingForMyLife 11:13 nighty night 11:15 chocolate chocolate chocolate :wide eyed blushing smiley: Was he flirting with me?

11:25 - PreMed&Dead :rolling eyes gif:

11:25 - HoppingForMyLife HE WAS flirting with me. I didn’t respond, and he backpedaled. I am such an idiot.

11:25 - PreMed&Dead You may be an idiot, but there are only one week of classes left. In one week the two of you can be idiots together.

oOo

Saturday December 10

4:55 pm - HoppingForMyLife Professor Smith. This is a physics thing. Not a psych thing. And I apologize if this isn’t appropriate. I mean texting you because we’ve only ever texted for psych. Never for physics.

4:55 pm - Doctor10 I don’t see a problem Ms. Smith. :regular smiley:

4:55 pm - Doctor10 HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA MS. TYLER. T Y L E R. :regular smiley: :regular smiley: Damn autocorrect.

4:55 pm - Doctor10 HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

4:56 pm - HoppingForMyLife ha ha ha. I wanted to thank you for all of your help. I couldn’t have passed your class without it, let alone with a 95.

4:56 pm - Doctor10 You were the 95! Only gave 2 grades above a 90. Brilliant! I knew you had it in you! Congratulations! You deserve a celebration! :balloons and confetti gif:

4:56 pm - Doctor10 Taking off Professor Hat putting on Psych Lab Partner Hat. ROSE TYLER! WE GOT PERFECT MARKS ON OUR CHOCOLATE STUDY!

4:56 pm - HoppingForMyLife WE DID???????!!!!!! How’d you find out?!!!!????!!!!!! I didn’t think the final grade would be released for a week.

4:56 pm - Doctor10 I may have used my Professor Smith powers of genius to get into the grading system. Shhhhhh! Don’t tell anyone.

4:56 pm - HoppingForMyLife I won’t. YAY! HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS!

4:56 - HoppingForMyLife And those text hugs are to you as my lab mate, not to you as my professor. In case anyone’s reading this.

4:56 - Doctor10 Molto bene.

oOo

4:56 pm - HoppingForMyLife calmingbreathcalmingbreath. Read this screenshot

4:56 pm - HoppingForMyLife :screen shot of conversation with the 'Ms. Smith' typo circled in red:

4:56 pm - HoppingForMyLife :X eyes emoji face: I’m dead. DEAD. What do I say to this? Just a typo? But his HAHAHAHAs! He's obviously embarrassed. And then the two smileys! They are casual smileys! Not embarrassed smileys!

4:57 pm - PreMed&Dead two things come to mind. 1: he has practice written your name so many times as Ms. Smith on his three ring notebook and put hearts around it along with JS + RT = LOVE that it is second nature to write Ms. Smith. Or...... He has Freudian slipped Ms. Smith so many times that he can't even type Rose Tyler anymore. Because there is no possible way that TYLER would EVAH autocorrect to SMITH.

4:57 pm - PreMed&Dead or it could be a third thing. He's subtly proposing. You have told me about a billion times that you're going to marry him, you know.

4:58 pm - HoppingForMyLife Ha ha ha ha. So not autocorrect?

4:58 pm - PreMed&Dead :Antione's You're So Dumb gif:

4:59 pm - HoppingForMyLife  A+ gif usage. That’s my fave gif. Hide yo kids hide yo wife hide yo kids hide yo wife

4:59 pm - PreMed&Dead Thx for the earworm. We gon find you we gon find you

4:59 pm - PreMed&Dead And by the way, YOU ARE SOOOOO IN LOVE

4:59 pm - HoppingForMyLife (((whispering))) I may have text-hugged him too.

5:00 pm - HoppingForMyLife :screen shot of hugging part of the conversation:

5:00 pm - HoppingForMyLife But only cos we nailed the project.

5:00 pm - PreMed&Dead Riiiiiight. text hugs. cos they don’t count. :massive eye rolling emoji:

5:00 pm - HoppingForMyLife Wish you were here so I could hug YOU.

5:00 pm - PreMed&Dead Awwwwwww.... Hugs right back. See? text hugs are real.

5:00 pm - HoppingForMyLife I AM pretty proud though. didn’t even’t think I’d pass physics. He told me I deserved a celebration. he’s right! I do deserve a pint or two! He said he didn't know that the one 95 that he gave in his class was to me. Only had two students even in the 90s.

5:01 pm - PreMed&Dead Here’s what you’re gonna do. Tell him you’ve taken his advice and you’re gonna celebrate passing physics AND for getting perfect marks on your psych project with some friends you down at McKenzie’s. But we will come later. But don’t tell him that. And we’ll come down when you text. If you even WANT us there.

5:01 pm - HoppingForMyLife I’m biting my fingernails. Literally.

5:01 pm - PreMed&Dead Don’t. Now put on that sexy red wrap dress and keep my posted.

5:01 pm - HoppingForMyLife Wish me luck.

oOo

4:56 pm - HoppingForMyLife Hi. I’ve decided to take your suggestion and celebrate. Both things. Physics AND Psych. I’ve invited some friends to meet me at that pub on the corner of Winston and Main. McKenzie’s. You know that one, right? And I think I’ll arrive around 8:00.

4:56 pm - Doctor10 That is an excellent plan. 8:00 is a fine hour to start a celebration.

oOo

8:25 pm - HoppingForMyLife He’s didn’t come, Martha. :single tear emoji: I suppose he was just being friendly. And stupid. And perfect. And flirty. And one of those blokes who is clueless about his effect on women.

8:25 pm - PreMed&Dead I’m sorry. :hugging friends emoji:

8:25 pm - Doctor10 Rose… I’m a bit embarrassed, and nervous to ask this if i’m being honest because I have no idea what you are going to say. Here goes. can I come to your party?

8:25 pm - HoppingForMyLife Standby Mar! He just texted me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8:26 pm - PreMed&Dead SQUEEEEE!!

8:26 pm - HoppingForMyLife You want to come?

8:26 pm - Doctor10 Only if you want me to come.

8:26 pm - HoppingForMyLife  I'd like you to come

8:26 pm - Doctor10 OK. Good. I’d like come too. I’ll be there in a few minutes.

8:26 pm - HoppingForMyLife HE’S COMING. I REALLY didn’t think he would. Maybe I was too subtle with my hint. My heart is pounding. :red heart emoji: :red heart emoji: :red heart emoji: What do I do Martha???????

8:26 pm - Doctor10 Rose ????????? You really thought I wouldn’t come????????? Of course I’m coming!!!!! I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

8:26 pm - HoppingForMyLife Oops. I sent that text to wrong person.

8:26 pm - Doctor10 Your heart isn’t the only one that’s pounding. :red heart emoji: :blushing smiley emoji: Look behind you.

“Rose Tyler. It needs to be said. I am really glad that this term is over. You are very distracting. Why do you think I spent so much time with my back to the class writing on the chalkboard? I have every single lecture committed to memory, but the words evaporated from my very big brain every time I looked at you.”

“I didn’t really mind the view. Oh, I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“Cheeky, Ms. Smith. And I thought I might die every single time you ate a piece of chocolate. Did you know that you make sounds when you eat chocolate?”

oOo

9:02 - HoppingForMyLife He brought me flowers. And twenty bars of chocolate.

9:02 - PreMed&Dead You are SO going to marry him.

The End.

[dreams-a-plethora]

We open on an establishing shot, as the camera pans down we see the name of a store, Game Sensations. The date pops up on the screen, May 10th, 1997. we hear the doorbell chime as we cut to three late middle-school to early high-school aged kids looking around the shop. A group of boys between the ages of 12-15. They’re sneaking about the card game part of the store looking at the new games, when we here generic dialog.

“Dude, do you ever think we’ll get a Lotus? I’ve been talking to Bobby, and he says that card is legit.” A tall kid asks.

“I don’t know man, but I really don’t see the game going anywhere. Now this Porybon game, that has legs.” A smaller chubby kid responds

These two kids look like your average 90’s nerds. One is taller and lanky, while the other shorter and a bit of noticeable chub. Both of them wearing glasses. Labels pop up labeling the tall one “George” and the chubby one ‘Billy”

“You dickweasles wouldn’t know good cards games if it bit you on the ass, now this one,” the third kid pulls a pack off of the shelf of what looks to be a post-apocalyptic game. “This game is legit.”

“You can’t use the same adjective that George used, be original” Billy chimes in.

“Also, your mother would be very disappointed hearing her little Gordo talking that way.” George says, mockingly.

This one is a shorter and fatter than Billy, his label pops up and we catch his name, “Gordo”

“Ahh, fuck you guys.” Gordo says, shuffling away.

“You kids gonna buy something or just stand around devaluing my merchandise?” The shopkeeper yells from behind a counter.

“Sorry Steve.” George walks up to the counter and lays down two packs of Tragic cards.

The shopkeeper rings up the cards and puts them in a bag, “Hey kid, you coming to this tournament I’m doing? First prize is an entire box of Tragic cards.” Steve hands the kid a flier.

“I mean, I can try. But I can’t prom...” The word trails off as we hear the doorbell chime once again. In walks your average nerds definition of a perfect woman, about 16, tall, pretty, and wearing a Porybon t-shirt. She also appears to be of Asian decent.

“Hey Haruki,” The shopkeeper addresses her, “The usual I presume?”

“Eventually,” Haruki responds, as her label pops up on the screen. “But I’m mostly here to blow some time before my parents find me.”

Haruki makes her way to the back of the store and pulls out a deck of cards. She then starts idly flipping through them.

George grabs the shopkeepers collar and almost shouts in his face. “You need to tell me everything you know about her.”

The shopkeeper pulls himself away and straightens his shirt, “Easy Casanova, all I know is her name is Haruki Yumi, and she plays Porybon. She’s quite good at it too, one of the top players in this store.”

“I will give you a hundred dollars for a phone number or an e-mail address.” George says pulling out his wallet.

“Kid, look. I know you’re in love or whatever, but I can’t be giving out a customer’s information like that.” The shopkeeper responds.

“Two hundred, and I’ll sign up for your tournament.” George counters.

“Deal”

Quick succession of shots, handshake, cash register (With sound), paperbag, then a smash cut into George’s room. Gordo and Billy are playing some card game on his bed, while George has his eyes glued to the monitor.

“She didn’t look all that impressive to me.” Gordo pipes in, “I hit you with this guy.”

“That’s because you’re racist Gordo,” Billy responds, “Blocking it.”

“I’m not racist. I’m picky.” Gordo pouts, folding his arms.

“You just don’t get it,” George finally replies, “this girl is my dream. I searched the email that Steve gave me and it turns out she’s got her own Demonfire fan page. All about her, and her love of card games.” George turns the monitor to face the bed. “She’s also only a year older than me. I think this is my soulmate.”

“Ten bucks says she made it herself.” Gordo says.

“Slow your rolls there Casanova,” Billy replies.

“That’s the same thing the shopkeeper called him” Gordo responds”

“Whatever, the point is, she probably has no idea you exist. You don’t want to go full stalker dude.” Billy finishes his thought.

“I’m not stalking her...” George starts.

“You did just pay the shopkeeper two hundred dollars for her e-mail,” Billy interrupts.

“...I’m just trying to get some base knowledge before I approach her.” George continues.

“Whatever man, but if you end up in juvy, I’m not visiting.” Billy turns back to Gordo, “Have you finished your turn? I need to kill you and head home.”

As we fade to black we hear George under his breath say Haruki’s name.

The lights come back on, as we see George sitting in front of his computer again. On his screen an open instant message window sits. Completely empty. The camera pans to the time and date, 10:31 AM, May 24th 1997. George sighs and sits up straight. He starts typing.

“Hello Haruki! I got this email from a mutual friend. You’re into Porybon? That’s sweet, I’m a Tragic player myself. If you want we could teach each other our respective games. I’ve never played Porybon but I’ve heard it’s fun. If you ever want to, just let me know.”

George stares at the message, closes his eyes and presses enter. The computer beeps announcing this lapse in judgment. He looks at the screen again and realizes something. He quickly types up a follow up.

“My name is George, by the way.” He presses enter and sighs a little in relief.

“Now all I need to do is wait for a response.” Enter time lapse of George just shuffling around his chair. As we come out of lapse we hear George yell, “Why hasn’t she gotten back to me!” George slams his fists on his desk and we hear faintly in the background “Hey, knock that shit off!”

“Sorry dad.”

Then out of the blue the computer makes another sound. George turns to look at it as words pop onto the screen.

“im sorry, who are you?”

George’s heart skips a beat as he reads and re-reads the words on the screen. He quickly types out a response.

“I’m George, like I said.”

“and you got this email how?”

“A mutual friend?”

“which friend?”

“Shit,” George whispers to himself.

“Pamela?” He types, cringing to himself.

“i dont know a pamela. wait, hold on. your profile pic. i know who you are.”

“What?”

“youre the dude who always stares at me at sensations.”

A montage of moments where George is staring at Haruki plays, and every time she makes eye contact with him, he looks away quite obviously.

“is that how you knew i play porybon? wow thats creepy.”

“Wait, no.”

“who really gave you my email? were you searching for it? are you you some sort of stalker? if i see you coming anywhere near me im going to call steve over and get you banned, you hear me?”

“No, but...”

“but what?”

“I just thought, we could be friends.”

“and this is how you introduce yourself? after staring at me for weeks? nah man, youre weird. i dont want anything to do with this. hope to never see your face again.”

Yumi-chan has gone offline.

George looks at the screen, dumbfounded. “What just happened?” he manages to squeak out.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” we hear Billy’s voice say, the camera pans to George’s bed as the day changes. Billy and Gordo are sitting on George’s bed, while George rummages through his closet.

“Take me through this plan one more time?” Gordo asks.

George still rummaging responds, “Look, she said she never wanted to see my face again, right? So I just have to re-introduce myself without showing her my face.” He pulls out a Samus Aran costume and throws it at Billy.

“George, I gotta say, this is pathetic even by my standards.” Billy says, as we see Gordo trying to put the helmet on in the background.

“I’ve got to try, this girl is my soulmate, and I can’t let it end on such a sour note.”

“Dude, listen to yourself. She already thinks you’re a stalker. You need to be less of a stalker. This isn’t going to do anything but creep her out more. You’re going to get a retraining order against you, and you’re going to get us kicked out of Sensations. And I like Sensations.”

“So then what am I going to do, Billy?” George sighs.

“You could shoot Ronald Reagan” Gordo chimed in.

“Ooorrrr, you could man the hell up and apologize.” Billy retorts.

“But I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You fucking payed a guy two hundred dollars for her e-mail address, you dipshit. You stared at her for hours freaking her the hell out, instead of just introducing yourself like a normal person. And even now, even after she made it clear she doesn’t want you to bother her, instead of being like ‘Alright, I’m sorry about my behavior’ you’re ‘I’m going to dress up in a costume to trick her into talking to me.’” Billy nearly screams, finger pressing against the bridge of his nose.

“Well, if you say it like that.” George pouts, he sits down and slouches in his computer chair.

“Look, George, you’re my friend. So I’m going to say this as plainly as I can. You’re a complete dumbass. There’s a Porybon tournament going on today, and I’m sure she’s going to be there. All you need to do is apologize. And if she still says ‘go to hell’ well at least you can stop obsessing.”

“And no Samus costume?”

“If that’s a real question, I’m going to kick your ass.”

“And I’ll film it.” Gordo adds.

George closes he eyes and sighs again, he does that a lot, it’s a personality trait. When he opens his eyes, we’re transported to the outside of Game Sensations. Almost instinctively, he goes towards the Tragic cards and pulls a pack of the latest set. He eyes flick to the play area and tries to find the face of Haruki. Then we hear the door chimes, and then off camera.

“Oh, hell no. Steve!”

George turns around and see’s Haruki, who just walked in. Steve seemingly glides into frame and places his hand onto George’s shoulder.

“Unless you’re playing in the tournament, you’ve got to leave.” Steve says, tightening his grip.

“Wait, before I do, I just wanted to apologize. I know it won’t mean much, but I’m sorry about how I was, and am. I just thought you were really pretty, and cool and I’m a dweeb. So I had no idea how to actually approach you. And while that doesn’t excuse my behavior, I hope it does at least explain it. If I could, I’d wish to start fresh from the introductions. But if you still want nothing to do with me, I can understand that.” George says with a bow.

After a few seconds of thought, Haruki responds. “If we do, you’re going to be on real thin ice.”

“I think I can deal with that.” George says, smiling.

And then I woke up.

Or so I thought, Dream within a dream. But the layer two was me trying to write down the dream I just had. Getting frustrated, realizing I was still sleeping.

And then I woke up, in actuality this time.