#i've made patterns for the others but only really had time to make two today

[the-headless-horsedude]

i've decided, since i don't have enough things going on, to make the scavengers out of perler beads! up first was krok and spinister!

[folkwhoredoll]

library affections - rafe cameron x fem!reader

pairing: rafe cameron x fem!reader

synopsis: there are two things that you love in this world; rafe and books

word count: 0.9k

warnings/tags: none, just fluff with sweet boyfriend!rafe

a/n: hi everyone! i don't think i can ever thank you all enough for your support in all of my works :< tbh i did not expect to gain so much interaction because this blog is still relatively new but here you all are and i appreciate each and every one of you <3 this fic is another fluff boyfriend!rafe fic (is it obvious that i like fluff so much lmao) and i've written this a while ago. i hope you'll like this one! if you have a request or prompt in mind, feel free to send me a message. happy reading!

masterlist

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Being a regular visitor at the Camerons' estate has familiarized you with every corner of the house. Now, you have memorized every room and decoration, immediately spotting whatever is newly added. The Camerons didn't mind your presence, with your family being a close friend of theirs. Thus, it was no surprise that you ended up dating the one and only son of Ward Cameron.

With his father and stepmother often occupied and his sisters frequently out with friends, you and Rafe usually find yourselves with the house to yourselves, save for the occasional presence of the household staff. Yet, you've never minded.

Today follows a similar pattern. Ward left for a morning meeting, Wheezie went to school, and Sarah departed at noon to join John B's group. Surprisingly, even Rafe isn't home, having agreed to a golf outing with Topper and Kelce. Although he initially invited you to join, you declined, preferring to avoid the "boy talk" and the scorching sun. Thus, you find yourself waiting for Rafe in the living room, idly scrolling through your phone.

It's been around two in the afternoon when you got bored, sighing and deciding to stand up to walk around the house. Your feet already know where you're going when you face the familiar entrance to the Camerons' Library.

This room is your most loved spot in the whole estate, apart from Rafe's room. The vast shelves of bright book covers from different times always amaze you. If you could, you'd live in this room. Rafe has found you exploring this library countless times; even his sisters know it's the first place to check when you're not around the house.

Quickly scanning the shelves for a book, you settled upon a fantasy fiction novel, clutching the book as you made your way to a couch by the window. The first few chapters had you hooked immediately, eyes rapidly passing through every word as you moved chapter by chapter. The book was so good that it blanked your other senses, making you jump when you suddenly heard Rafe's voice.

"I knew you'd be here." He smirked, still in his golfing outfit, as he stood over you.

"Hi, Rafe." You smiled up at him, putting the book down on your lap. "How's golfing?"

Rafe plopped beside you, stretching his legs and putting an arm around your shoulder. "It was good. I got bored with Top's whining about his break-up with Sarah, so I left."

You chuckled when you saw his eyes roll, a dramatic sigh escaping his lips. "They were together for a long time. You can't blame him."

"I guess." He shrugged before flashing you a flirty grin. "But I also want to spend time with my girl."

You snorted. "Yeah, okay."

"What? I do! I feel guilty about leaving you here alone." He defended.

"I don't mind, Rafe." You spoke.

"Hm. I bet you don't. But still."

You raised your brows, silently urging him to explain what he meant.

"I just mean that you were too distracted by that book, baby. I could've been an intruder, but you wouldn't even know. What is that about anyway?"

Your eyes lit up at his question; you've always loved speaking about the books you've read. And Rafe loved hearing you talk, even if he's mostly confused.

"I just started reading it, so I don't really know what it's about yet, but there's this girl, and she has electricity powers!" You started excitedly.

Rafe listened intently. He couldn't help but feel affection for you, marveling at how your eyes sparkled with passion for the story. Despite the chaotic world outside, at this moment, it was just the two of you, surrounded by the tranquility of the library.

As you continued to talk, Rafe's mind wandered, reflecting on how much you meant to him. You were the one person who could effortlessly penetrate his tough exterior, revealing the softer, more vulnerable side of him that he often kept hidden from the world. He felt at ease with you, free to be himself without fear of judgment or ridicule.

Lost in his thoughts, Rafe reached out, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. You paused mid-sentence, startled by the sudden touch, before leaning into his hand, relishing the warmth of his touch.

"Hey, what's wrong?" you asked, concern lacing your voice as you noticed the distant look in his eyes.

Rafe shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "Nothing, I'm just... happy. Happy to be here with you."

A soft blush colored your cheeks as you met his gaze, feeling the warmth spread through your chest. At that moment, surrounded by the scent of old books and the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the window, you couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

Leaning in, Rafe pressed a tender kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before pulling away. "I love you," he whispered, his voice barely above a whisper but filled with sincerity.

"I love you too," you replied, your heart swelling with emotion as you returned his affectionate gaze.

With a contented sigh, Rafe settled back against the couch, pulling you closer until you were nestled against his side. Together, you sat in comfortable silence, basking in the simple pleasure of each other's company.

At that moment, surrounded by the familiar comforts of the library, you knew that no matter what the future held, as long as you had each other, everything would be okay.

[lea-russo333]

Anything you want

Mary Earps x reader

warnings: 18+ (not smut but suggestive), fluff

summary: Mary made a promise to reader if she scored

not proof read

short

I don't really like this, but I've decided to post it anyway.

pls send in feedback if you have any :)

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Her eyes were glued to you, she couldn't pull them away. You swayed your hips in time with the music, dragging your hands along your body. The little red dress you decided to wear hugging your soft curves perfectly. You were absolutely captivating to her. Your eyes locked in that moment, and she felt a smirk tugging at her lips as she watched your eyes drag along her body, shamelessly checking her out. You made your way over to the booth she was sitting in alone, the rest of your teammates either on that dance floor or at the bar. Watching as her eyes travelled along your body. 

“Come dance with me” you said, grabbing her hands and trying to pull the tall girl up to her feet. The loud music of the club thumping in your head.  

“why don't you come over here and sit with me?” she tugged you down forcefully onto her lap, hands gripping your hips to keep you in place.  

“Mary” you whined trying to pull yourself off her “people are going to see” a giggle left your lips as she once again pulled you back down.  

“Let them, I'm getting tired of hiding you” you could feel her warm breath tickle the side of your ears as she spoke, sending a shiver down your spine. “Want them to know that you're mine”. She started kiss along your neck, trailing along your shoulder blade to the bottom of your ear, a pleasant hum leaving your mouth as she sucked particularly hard on your sweet spot. 

You had known Mary for only a short amount of time, having only joined the team a few months ago. but you became close friends quickly, the both of you feeling the strong connection between you too. The friendship quickly turned into something more when a drunken kiss was shared between you. she was much older than you  

“Is this you talking or the alcohol?” you questioned with a slight giggle as she continued to press teasing kisses to your neck. 

“Drunk words are just sober thoughts, love” she turned you face back towards her, your noses almost touching. You watched her eyes slowly trail down towards your lips and back to your eyes, a small smirk appearing on her lips as she closed the small gap between you. You kissed her back, her soft lips slotting between yours perfectly. Kissing Mary had to be one of your favorite things to do, Youd spend all day kissing her if you could. Your lips moved against hers rhythmically as your fingers founding their way into her hair and tugging softly at the roots, you were rewarded with a soft moan for the other women, taking the opportunity to push your tong past her lips. 

You pulled away from the girl, her lips chasing after yours with a pout. You placed your hands on her shoulders pushing her back into the seat.  

“They’re watching” you whispered, playing with the ends of her hair. Her face was flushed and smiled graced her lips. She looked up to your eyes and then back to your lips, moving closer towards them again until you stopped her with another gentle push. You looked over her shoulder, making eye contact with Ella, her jaw nearly on the floor with what she had just witnessed. You smiled sheepishly at her and gave her a quick wink before turning you attention back to the girl Infront of you. 

“they're too drunk to remember anyway” she pressed her nose to your neck, kissing your collarbone and breathing in the subtle smell of your familiar perfume; the one she had brought you for your birthday. 

A comfortable silence settled between the two of you. Both of you observe the many people that filled the club, occasionally pointing out when one of you saw one of your teammates do something stupid or funny.  

“You played well today love” her fingers traced soft patterns of your hips as she spoke, your heart fluttering at the action. 

“So did you” you breathed out, turning to look at her with a grin. Man-united had a match earlier that day against Liverpool and had won 3-0; with 2 of those goals being yours. Your team had decided that it was a win worth celebrating and had all made your way to a club nearby. That was hours ago though, the time now well into the early morning. 

“Do you remember what I said before they game?” the older girl questioned. You turned towards her, her eyes were dark with an all too familiar look in them, lust. You thought for a moment, thinking back to the previous morning. 

Mary had you on top of the kitchen counter, tongue in your mouth and hands clutching your waist under your shirt. You had one hand on her chest and the other on the back of her neck, pulling her closer to you. Your hips started to buck into the goalkeeper, desperate for more friction. You whined when she pulled away and her hands held your hips down. 

“We don't have time baby” she whispered. 

“I'll be quick” you replied with a pout “I promise” she let out a small chuckle at your words. 

“As much as I would love to see how fast I can make you cum, we have to be at the training grounds in 5 minutes” she said while looking at the watch on her hand “and it takes 10 minutes to get there, so were already running as late as it is”. She ran her thumb over the angry wrinkles between your furrowed brows, whispering a quick apology. 

“How about this then” she spoke while helping you off the counter and collecting both of your bags “if you score today, we can do anything you want when we get home”. 

“Anything?” you raised your eyebrow. 

“anything” she held out her pinky towards you. 

“Okay then” you smiled and gave her a quick kiss while locking your pinky's and walking out the door. 

“You still with me love” her soft voice brought you out of your thoughts and you looked at her with a wide grin. 

“I do remember” you leaned in closer and pressed your lips to hers once again, your lips moving together with ease. Her fingers brushed against you face as the two of you made out, not caring anymore about the people around you. She reluctantly pulled away, grabbing both of your jackets and bags and pulling her up with. 

“Well...how about we go home, and I'll give you what I promised”. 

[sapphichotmess]

All I Do Is Dream of You

Ellie Williams x plus size!f!reader (not really specified, but that’s what I write)

Name inspired by Dodie’s song All I Do Is Dream of You

Even though this is not 18+, I am an 18+ blog, mdni

continuation of this

Warnings/Tags: horrendous writing with very little dialogue (bc idk how to human), fluff, reader wears makeup, reader is able-bodied, reader is right-handed

PLS COMMENT & RB FOR ME PLS

thanks for reading this for me babe @les4elliewilliams u deserve to be fucked so good <3

It has been several days since you were literally knocked off of your feet by one Ellie Williams. And every day since then has been better than the last. You two have been texting non-stop, giddily giggling into your phones with warm cheeks at all hours of the day. 

All it took was one meeting, and you were utterly captivated by the adorably dog-like auburn-haired woman, her presence—even if only by phone—filling your heart with a warmth you couldn't explain. 

You can’t get the woman out of your head, always seeing her pale green eyes piercing into you when you close yours. And don’t get you started on her adorable smile, her lips quirking up and parting, showcasing a slight bit of white teeth. You groan, staring into the mirror on your desk, right hand holding eyeliner up though doing nothing to put any on. All you can think of is the way her cheeks flushed adorably, highlighting the smattering of freckles on her face. You want to trace them—learn the pattern to a T. Learn everything about her, really. 

Your daydreaming is disrupted by the buzzing of your phone which is sat face-down on your bedspread, music blaring from it’s tiny-but-mighty speakers. You drop the eyeliner you were using to make the wing on your eye, drawing a black line down your cheek in your haste. Socked feet making gentle thudding on the hardwood floor, you reach your bed in record time. With your heart racing, you swiftly pick up your phone and flip it over to see the notification. It's another message from Ellie; the sight of her name sends a wave of excitement through you, your heart dropping from your chest out of your ass and a warm flush tickling your cheeks. With trembling fingers, you open the message, eager to see what she has to say. 

Ellie's message pops up on your screen, and you can't help but grin as you read her words:

heyyy you! just wanted to say hi and see how your day is going. i've been thinking about you bunches today. craving one of those bomb cupcakes you whip up... you know, those red ones with the fucking insane frosting? the one i had the other day?

Not bothering to wait more than a few seconds, you quickly type out a response, unable to hide your own excitement:

hi ellie! literally made my day hearing from you fr ❤️ 

you send one text, instantly starting on another:

oh, the red velvet ones? i won’t be making those in the shop for a bit… BUT i can totally open the bakery on an off day and make a batch for you?

Happy with your words, you go to sit down your phone again, butterflies swooping around aggressively in your stomach, but before you do, it’s vibrating in your hand. 

It was Ellie reacting to your first message with a heart. She must have been waiting for your reply—or you were being a horrible loser and texting back too fast. Shaking your head at that thought, you watch as the texting bubble appears, heart racing as you wait for her reply. 

You can't help but feel a surge of excitement at the thought of Ellie's response. Was she as eager to continue the conversation as you were? Or perhaps she had something else in mind? With bated breath, you wait for her message to come through, the seconds feeling like an eternity as your mind races with all the possibilities of what she might say. The anticipation only adds to the butterflies swirling in your stomach, but you wouldn't have it any other way. Finally, Ellie's response comes through, and you eagerly read her message:

DUDE, no way! opening the bakery just for us? that's fucking awesome! i'm so down to hang out with you, especially if it means i get to devour those bomb-ass cupcakes. hit me up whenever you're free!

A grin spreads across your face as you read her words, your heart soaring with happiness. It seems Ellie is just as excited about the idea as you are, and the thought of spending time together fills you with warmth. It would be the first time you guys would meet face-to-face since your first encounter. 

Fuck you couldn't wait to bask in the magnificence of her; her being in your space, filling her lungs with the very same air you breathe. 

You are in trouble if these thoughts are an indication of anything. 

Quickly typing out your reply, you suggest a few possible dates and times for your cupcake date, hoping that one of them will work for both of you. Positively beaming, eyes glimmering with youthful mirth, you finally set down your phone and turn on your sock-clad heels to head back toward your vanity. You make it halfway before you remember what day it is.

The bakery is closed. 

You could see Ellie today. 

Then, you’re slipping against the hardwood, trying to get back to the bed as quick as possible. You finally get your footing after sliding around and almost ending up on your ass, practically flying toward your bed and divebombing onto the soft mattress. Your phone bounces with the impact as you scramble to get to your knees and grab it from mid-air. Somehow, you end up on your back with your phone smashed onto your nose. 

Ouch. That's definitely going to leave a mark.

You grab your phone, scrubbing a hand at your sore nose. After the shock of the hit has left, you regain your urgentness, unlocking your phone, bringing up the messages app, and clicking on your and Ellie’s chat. 

Your fingers move at what seems like the speed of light as you type out a new message: 

so, um, funny thing... i was thinking, and why wait for your cupcakes when you could have them today? how about you swing by the bakery this afternoon?

Thinking for a second, you quickly send a second text:

we can even bake them together! how does that sound?

Nausea creeps up on you as you wait, heart racing and dry eyes staring at your messages to Ellie for several minutes without a text bubble. 

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, a bubble appears on the screen, only to disappear just as quickly. This pattern repeats a few times, leaving you on edge.

But then, finally, Ellie's response lights up your screen:

i'm so down for a baking session at the bakery. what time should i be there? 

A wave of relief washes over you as you read Ellie's enthusiastic reply—though you are confused as to why it took her so long to come up with this response. With a wide grin, you quickly type back the details, feeling excitement building in the pit of your stomach. 

Finally having that done, you put your phone back on the bed—hopefully for the last time for a while. Then, you finally sit back down at your vanity, ready to finish your makeup for the day. When you look in the mirror, your smile falters and your mouth hangs open in disbelief. 

There is a long, thick black line running across your cheek. 

“Fuck.” 

***

You’re just setting up everything you need for red velvet cupcakes when you hear the front doorbell ring. Your head snaps up so fast you’re surprised you don’t break your neck. However, any pain is worth seeing Ellie walk into your bakery looking so damn fine. 

The olive-skinned girl is wearing a pair of blue jeans that fit her ass nicely, a grey t-shirt, and a burnt-red flannel that looks well-loved with tearing seams and fading colors. Her shoulder-length auburn hair is pulled into a half-up, half-down look, with some stray hairs framing her face. Your hands itch to push them behind her ears, even standing at the distance you are. 

Shaking yourself out of your reverie, you set the pan you had in your hands onto the counter with a clatter, causing Ellie to start. Making your way towards the front of the store where Ellie stands with hands in her pockets, you call out her name.  

"Ellie!" You greet her with a wide grin, unable to contain your excitement at seeing her—even if it was planned just short of an hour ago. 

“Ah, uh… Hey!” the freckled girl stutters out. “I… it’s good to see you?” 

“Was that a question?” you ask, hiding your smile behind your hand. 

“Uh, no?” Ellie says before realizing that she phrased her response as a question, too. “I mean, no. No, it wasn’t a question. I, um, I am excited to see you.” 

You can't help but find Ellie's nervousness adorable as she stumbles over her words. Suppressing a giggle, you offer her a reassuring smile, eyes crinkling on the edges. "Well, I'm excited to see you too," you reply warmly, noting the faint blush creeping up on her cheeks.

As Ellie's gaze drifts somewhere behind you and she nervously swipes her hand over her nose, you realize just how nervous she must be feeling. Wanting to ease her discomfort, you gently reach out and place a hand on her arm—holy shit, you didn’t realize she was strong, but you can feel her muscles under her flannel. "Hey, it's okay. No need to be nervous," you say softly, trying to ignore your thoughts about what she could do with that strength. "We're just here to have fun and bake some delicious cupcakes together."

Ellie’s green eyes finally meet yours again, though a crease forms between her eyebrows as she does. “I just, ah… you’re, like, stupidly pretty. And, you know, it’s really distracting.” Ellie's cheeks flush a deeper shade of red as she confesses, her final words coming out in a rush.

Your heart skips a beat at Ellie's unexpected compliment, and a warm flush of pleasure spreads through you. "Wow, thank you," you reply. "You're not so bad yourself, you know."

Ellie’s eyes widen in surprise at your compliment, her right hand coming back up to shuffle across her nose. “Ah, thank you?” 

Giggling at her utter lack of words or charm, you grab her hand as it falls from in front of her face. “C’mon! We have so much to do. I’m so excited to teach you how to bake!” you say in a high-pitched voice, obviously excited. 

Pulling her by the—fucking giant—hand to the back of the bakery where you do all the… well, baking, you continue, “I’m almost done setting up everything for us. There are a few ingredients I have to pull out since I wasn’t gonna be using them, but it shouldn’t be too long until we can start.” 

“I—oh,” Ellie lets out a strangled breath as she is suddenly dragged by you into the back room. “That’s okay. I’m just, uh, really excited for the cupcakes.” 

As you lead Ellie towards the back of the bakery, you can't help but chuckle at her adorable awkwardness. "Don't worry, I promise it'll be fun," you reassure her, looking behind you with a warm smile. "And don't worry about being nervous. Baking is all about having a good time and enjoying the process."

Ellie nods once, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. "Yeah, I'm sure it'll be great," she says, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Reaching the back room, you release Ellie's hand and gesture towards the kitchen area. "Here we are," you say, motioning for her to take a seat on one of the chairs you pulled back here from the dining room. "Make yourself comfortable while I grab the rest of the ingredients."

As you rummage through the cabinets and pull out the remaining ingredients needed for the cupcakes, you can't help but feel a surge of excitement at the thought of teaching Ellie how to bake. Getting to spend any time with the adorably awkward, puppy-like freckle-faced girl was a blessing, but getting to do your favorite thing with her? It’s a dream come true. 

Returning to the counter with an armful of ingredients, you grin at Ellie. "Alright, let's get started," you say eagerly. “First up, we have to… turn on the oven,” you stumble in the middle of your sentence as you get lost looking at Ellie’s tanned face, trying to memorize the placement of her paint-splattered freckles so that you could imagine her going do—that isn’t what today is about.

Ellie nods once, standing to her feet. “Sounds easy enough.” 

As Ellie stands up, hands on her knees to help her get up, you can't help but admire the way her eyes sparkle with a mixture of excitement and nervousness as she looks at you. Holy shit, she’s looking at you. "Great!" you exclaim, shaking off your momentary distraction—for the hundredth time—and focusing on the task at hand. "Let's get this show on the road."

Together, you and the freckle-faced girl move towards the oven, your hands brushing against each other as you reach for the knob. Heat crawling up your neck and over the apples of your cheeks, you quickly move your hand and turn the knob to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, the soft hum of the oven heating up filling the air.

Still hot in the face, you turn toward Ellie, "Okay, next step, cupcake pans," you say, gesturing toward the neatly lined trays on the counter. With Ellie by your side, arms brushing, you grab the pans and place them on the counter, ready to put the liners in. 

As you work, you steal glances at Ellie, admiring her focused expression as she carefully places each cupcake liner in its designated spot like it’s some kind of science experiment that could go wrong. Her tongue slightly sticking out of her plump lips in concentration is definitely cuter than it should be. 

What you weren’t ready for was to have the auburn-haired girl turn her head and look at you as you distractedly stared at her, unable to shake the image of her soft, freckled cheeks, long, slender fingers, and strong arms from your mind. 

Caught off guard by Ellie's piercing green gaze, you feel your heart skip a beat as you quickly avert your eyes. Clearing your throat, you focus on the task at hand, determined to maintain composure.

"Um, so, uh, yeah," you stammer, trying to regain your train of thought. "Looks like we're all set with the cupcake pans." You can practically feel the heat radiating from your cheeks as you turn back to the task, hoping to distract yourself from the intensity of Ellie's gaze.

With a shaky hand, you reach for the extra cupcake liners, trying to steady your nerves as you carefully place them back in a stack, ready for you to put away later. 

When you're done—and your hands aren’t shaking anymore—you finally drag your gaze back to Ellie. Your breath catches in your throat as you realize she is still looking at you. Her green gaze—what you can only describe as a moss-covered forest bathed in warm, sparkling sunlight—feels like taking a knife to the heart, her head tilt—so dog-like—a sucker punch to the gut. You want her eyes on you forever—to bask in the warmth of her eyes and bathe in the depths of her soul—you realize as your heart tries to beat out of your chest. 

Somehow, you find it within yourself to tear your eyes away from Ellie’s; it’s one of the hardest things you’ve ever done, and you run a bakery by yourself. Clearing your throat and staring at the prepped pans, you say, “Ah, um, we can start making the batter now, I guess.” 

Ellie doesn’t hold in her laugh at your obvious discomfort, her melodic laughter filling the room with a warmth that soothes your frayed nerves. Despite the embarrassment of being caught in a moment of vulnerability, you can't help but feel a sense of relief wash over you at the sound of her laughter.

"Yeah, let's get started on that batter," Ellie says, her voice laced with amusement as she reaches for the ingredients on the counter. “What do we start with, pretty girl?”

“I–uh, holy shit…”

The freckled girl laughs even harder at your stunned expression, mouth hanging open and eyebrows raised. “Close your mouth, or you’ll catch flies,” she says, lips quirked up as she nudges your chin with her hand. 

Her hand on you gets your mind racing in all different directions before you remember where you are. Snapping your gaping mouth shut, teeth clacking together, you gather yourself. “Uh yeah… we have to, ah… start with the dry ingredients.” 

Ellie hums a “Mhmm” out, mouth still curved in a cocky smile as she tilts her head again—her stupidly pretty auburn hair catching the midday light filtering in from the window—leaning her hip against the counter. 

“We have to shift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda together into… this large bowl.” you point at every ingredient when you name them, picking up the stainless steel bowl when you find it.

“Sounds easy enough.” 

This time, it’s you who hums an answer as you put the bowl down and grab the ingredients to start measuring. “If I measure, would you shift, Ellie?” 

“Yes, ma’am.” she gives you a little salute. 

So, as you hand over every measured dry ingredient, Ellie shifts it into the bowl. Her tongue makes another appearance as she focuses on getting every ingredient into the bowl with no spillage, causing you to overfill the ¼ teaspoon of baking soda. You quickly get the right amount into the teaspoon and clean up your mess, wiping your hands on your apron. 

“Okay, now that’s done, we have to add the salt and whisk everything together.” 

Ellie reaches for the salt, adding it to the bowl as you grab the whisk. She slides the bowl over to you, watching intently as you whisk. It’s one of the most mundane, boring parts of the baking process, yet she looks so entranced by the whisk circling the bowl, mixing the ingredients together. 

Once everything is thoroughly mixed, you tap the whisk on the bowl and set it aside, putting your hands on your hips and turning towards the girl leaning casually on your counter. “Can I trust you with a knife?” 

“Wh–I–Yes!” She splutters, eyebrows raised. 

Giggling quietly to yourself, hand over your mouth, you shake your head. Dropping your hand, you say, “Sorry, I just had to ask. I need you to cut the butter if you could, please.”

“How could I say no to those puppy dog eyes, hmm?” 

This time, it’s you who splutters, caught off guard. Instead of deigning the tease with a response, you turn your back to Ellie, hiding your burning face and grabbing the stand mixer you equipped with a paddle attachment. When that’s set up, and you can feel the burning embarrassment leave your face, you turn to Ellie, who is wielding a knife, cutting the room-temperature butter into uneven pieces. 

“Babe, it’s gotta be more uniform than that.”

Ellie’s head snaps up, eyebrows furrowed, pupils blown wide, and knife almost cutting into her fingers. “Wh–what did you just call me?”

Caught in a moment of panic, you freeze, your heart pounding in your chest as you try to come up with a plausible explanation. The air feels thick with tension, every second stretching out into an eternity as you search for the right words to say. You hadn’t even realized you said it; it came so naturally, calling the auburn-haired girl babe. “I… nothing, nothing at all,” you spit out quickly, eyes going wide. 

“Nah-uh, you called me ‘babe.’” A loud clattering sound makes you startle, your eyes moving from Ellie’s piercing greens to the knife that just hit the countertop. 

"I… I didn't mean to," you stammer, your voice barely above a whisper. "It just… slipped out."

Ellie's gaze remains fixed on you, you can feel it like a weight on your skin, pinning you in place as you struggle to regain your composure.

“Look at me,” she demands. You follow her directions immediately, your gaze taking in her expression. She looked almost dazed with a quizzical brow as she scratched her head.

"I'm sorry," you continue, your words tumbling out in a rush. "It was just a slip of the tongue. I didn't mean anything by it, I swear."

For a moment, the silence hangs heavy between you, broken only by the sound of your own rapid breathing. And then, without warning, Ellie's features soften, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"It's okay," she says softly, her voice like a soothing balm to your frayed nerves. 

As Ellie's soft smile spreads across her face, her pearly whites making an appearance, a sense of relief washes over you like a warm embrace. Your shoulders drop from where they had taken a place beside your ears, and tension leaks out of you like butter in a baking croissant. The weight that had been pressing down on you lifted away like a heavy fog dispersing in the morning sun.

"Thanks," you murmur, gratitude lacing your words as you meet Ellie's gaze once more. Her eyes hold a warmth that makes your heart flutter, a silent reassurance that everything is okay between you.

With a playful glint in her eye, Ellie leans closer, her voice a soft whisper falling from her plump lips that sends shivers down your spine. "You know," she says, her tone teasing, "I don't mind being called babe."

Your heart skips a beat at her words.

A soft chuckle escapes your lips as you lean in, unable to resist the magnetic pull of Ellie's presence. "Good to know," you reply, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "I'll try to remember that for next time."

As the last of the tension melts away like butter as it’s baked into the delicious treats you make, you and Ellie dive into the joyful task of baking red velvet cupcakes together. With each step of the recipe, you find yourselves falling into a comfortable rhythm, working seamlessly together as if you've been doing this for years.

The scent of cocoa and vanilla fills the air as you and Ellie chat and laugh, exchanging stories and getting to know each other on a deeper level. From childhood memories to dreams for the future, you two open your hearts and minds to each other. 

As the cupcakes bake in the oven, you steal glances at Ellie, admiring the way her eyes light up when she talks about her passions and the infectious laughter that bubbles up from within her. 

And when the cupcakes are finally cooled and ready, their red tops gleaming with perfection, you and Ellie decorate the cupcakes with swirls of cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of red velvet crumbs together, playfully bumping shoulders and laughing at Ellie’s attempts at decorating. 

As you sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labor, savoring each bite of the moist, decadent cupcakes, you realize that this is just the beginning of a beautiful friendship—and perhaps something more. 

[cumtastiics]

Hi, can I get a yandere boss x indifferent female reader? Like the reader wouldn't feel anything for the CEO's advances and the CEO gets really frustrated and goes complete batshit yandere mode. Thank you ❤️

yan!ceo x indifferent!fem!reader

tw: yandere, implied dr/gging

a/n: this really isnt what was requested by that yan does not really go complete batshit yandere mode but I hope u still like it

this can be read as a g/n reader honestly no clue how to make it mainly fem reader mb

he was so fucking sick and tired of it.

you were really just slow, weren't you?

he got you drinks nearly every morning, whether coffee or tea. he complimented what you wore every morning, only getting a small "thanks" in response.

you never spoke to him unless he spoke first.

he was annoyed. he was obviously desperate for your attention, so why would you not give it to him?

the lack of reciprocation, it all wore him down to his breaking point. as he stood in line at the coffee shop, waiting for your usual order, he felt a surge of frustration rising within him.

when it was finally his turn, he ordered two black coffees and a pastry, just like every other morning. but this time, he made a subtle change. as he handed over the second coffee cup and pastry, he looked into your eyes with an intensity you had never seen before. for a brief moment, you caught a glimpse of the raw emotions brewing beneath his usually calm exterior.

"here," he said firmly, his voice unwavering. "i thought you might want to join me for once. maybe we can actually have a conversation today."

you were taken aback by his sudden shift in demeanor. his intense gaze unsettled you, sending a shiver down your spine. with a hesitant smile, you accepted the coffee cup and pastry from him, not wanting to provoke any further frustration. as you took a sip of the rich, black coffee, you could taste a hint of something different, something unfamiliar.

curiosity piqued, you glanced at him over the rim of the cup. he was watching you intently, as if waiting for your reaction. the lid of his own coffee cup remained untouched, steam swirling lazily from its surface. there was an air of anticipation about him, almost as if he had been yearning for this moment.

with a surge of determination, you decided to break the usual pattern and engage in conversation. "so," you began cautiously, "what made you think i'd want to join you today?"

a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, barely noticeable yet brimming with a sense of triumph. "i've noticed how you take your coffee," he replied, his voice low and velvety. "and today, i thought i'd surprise you with a little change. a subtle gesture, if you will."

you couldn't help but feel a mixture of intrigue and unease. the depths of his obsession became more apparent with every passing moment. yet, there was an undeniable allure to his unwavering determination to win your attention.

as the two of you sat at a small table near the window, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloped the air. the atmosphere crackled with an unspoken tension, like a taut wire ready to snap at any given moment.

"tell me," he began, his eyes fixated on your every movement. "what goes on in that beautiful mind of yours? what thoughts keep you awake at night?"

you wouldn't lied if you felt nauseous. "i…" you hesitated speaking.

"do you feel sick?"

"a bit," you held your stomach, desperately trying to make it not noticeable.

"oh, i know."

want more? request

[ilys00ga]

hellooo, ur blog is such a comfort for me <3 ! can i request yoongi meeting reader who’s quite literally the same person as him. he could’ve met the reader through one of the members trying to hook them up. “you two are so alike it’s scary, i think you’d be a match made in heaven”. so yoongi agrees..eventually. but when he meets the reader, it’s horrible! their similar personalities clash in the worst way possible. it’s pretty funny to everyone, because they totally thought they were in matchmaker mode?? the two constantly talk about how they couldn’t stand each other, so it surprised everyone when yoongi just admitted that he’d and the reader had been dating for a few months after their first meeting. loll

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN.

pairing: yoongi x reader.

genre: fluff, i tried to make it funny loool, best friends to lovers, non idol au (?), non idol!yoongi, non idol!jimin, non idol!namjoon, jimin is the dramatic bestie and namjoon is just the very supportive friend that's happy to be there.

warnings: this is pure fiction and English is not my first language.

A/N: okay so, there was also this one ask I got from @parkjennykim that says: "Hiiii ❤️ hope this finds you well. Could you write a fluffy bsf to lovers with yoongi? Theres hardly any of those out there 😭 i need some fluff ive been too deprived and depressed".

I thought these two were similar so I decided to merge them, I hope that's ok for both of u :). thank u sm for sending these reqs, I really appreciate it and I hope u enjoy this read. do not hesitate to send more if u want to !

ᵎᵎ 𖦹彡⋆｡˚・ ─ ・ ⋯ ・ ─ ⊹ ♡₊˚๑

“I'm sorry, WHAT?!” Jimin, who’d been slouched on the couch with his head leaning against its rolled arm, sat up straight and goggle-eyed as soon as he heard what Yoongi had said.

The latter only rolled his eyes, not surprised one bit at his friend’s dramatic reaction. In fact, he expected it to be so much worse, but he guessed the younger one was just too tired that day for all of that. “don’t be loud.” he hissed and crossed his arms.

“hyung, are you serious?” Namjoon asked from where he was sitting with his chopsticks hanging in the air near his mouth as he too was stunned by the eldest’s statement.

“why the hell would i lie and say that me and __ have been dating for almost two months now?” Yoongi muttered through narrowed his eyes. "TWO MONTHS- woah, this is crazy. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” The youngest of the three covered his face with his hands and heaved a big, disappointed sigh.

“Seriously, why is he so annoying today?”

Namjoon chuckled as the older continued side eyeing their dongsaeng, “hyung, he’s just really happy for you. I too am.”

“I’m very happy, yes, but, hyung, how could you hide such a thing from me? I literally helped you grow the balls to ask her out.” Jimin whined and slouched back down on the couch with a growing pout, “I've been waiting for you two to get together for months.”

It's true, Jimin was a man on a mission ever since he’d noticed the insanely similar character traits when you and your (now) boyfriend met for the very first time. two individual human beings but the exact same patterns and edges. on a large scale, talking to you always felt like talking to Yoongi and vice versa.

It was like a game to him. It made him buzz with excitement, reminding himself every now and then to keep a close eye and count all the similarities you two shared. not that it was hard to notice to begin with: having almso the exact same taste (especially in music), always sitting silently when being around other people and speaking little amounts of words when necessary, getting flustered and smiling shyly when being complimented, being chill and too soft to scold or yell at anyone (most of the time), having that same slow tone in your voices whenever you talk, having random bursts of energy or playful teasing despite the cold facade both of you display, getting so talkative when it comes to topics and things you’re so passionate about, being very honest but never too rude or offensive about it, being the most hardworking people jimin has probably ever met in his entire life—something that nevers fails to admire about the two of you.

You and Yoongi were so similar, even your bad habits and red flags matched. When setting your mind on finishing a task—say a project for example—you’d wear your bodies out for the sake of completing it, even if it meant you’d stay up several hours late during the night. and when mad or during intense clashes and arguments, you would put thick walls between you and the other person, ignoring and shutting them out until you're human enough to confront them. sometimes it’s too hard to even apologize, instead, you’d slowly start approaching them as if nothing had happened at all.

“No wonder you two ended up together, you’re basically a match made in heaven.” Namjoon nodded his head as he munched on his food, as if approving of his own statement.

“i know! and the way you wasted your time pinning on each other was killing me.” being the biggest shipper of your pair, Jimin huffed as he spoke with a very serious tone.

“how did you guys even make it?” namjoon asked.

“We hit it off right after the first date.” Yoongi answered with a shrug, acting as nonchalant as ever.

“you mean the date i had set for you?” it was jimin who asked this time, and when Yoongi nodded in confirmation, the younger groaned and buried his face into the couch, “hyung, you are seriously the worst.”

“hyung, you both are coffee addicts, take her to a new café this time!” Jimin suggested with a huge grin on his face. after finding out that you two secretly liked each other, he spent weeks pressuring Yoongi to confess his feelings for you. He couldn’t believe that his hyung finally obliged after many “no”s and “I don’t like __ that way.”s and “we’re just friends.”s. it was getting really annoying.

YG: “Can we hang out tomorrow? as two people wanting to know each other.”

ME: “Are you asking me on a date?”

YG: “yeah?”

ME: “okay :)”

that was the conversation you had with him the day before he took you on a cute café date. The place was impressively good, but the date was the complete opposite of that. Nothing bad happened, yet sitting down with someone you’ve known for a good period of time and have shared good amounts of vulnerability with in that intimate context was too unpleasant. Both of you struggled to find comfort and normality in the heavy awkward silence that fell on the table. and everytime he would try to play it off and throw some joke or normal piece of conversation that he found appropriate for a date, you two ended up laughing int your sweaty palms because of how ridiculous the whole situation was.

“stop laughing!” Yoongi exclaimed while his shoulders shook, giggling.

“I'm sorry, I'm trying!” you wiped at the corners of your eyes.

"Just act like this is a normal hangout.." he had said after a short moment.

"We're literally on a date." you reminded him.

“right..”

The “date” didn’t last long, and the two of you ended up at his house. eating popcorn on his couch and watching your favorite series of movies together.

Later that night, he asked, “so, what are we?”

“whatever you want us to be.” you answered with flushed cheeks.

“I like you..” he whispered, eyes never leaving the TV screen acroos the couch, "more than friends should like one another."

“Great, ‘cause I'd be sad if you didn’t like me back.” you whispered back, never daring to glance his way even for a split of a second.

“Wait, does that mean I won the bet?” Namjoon suddenly spoke, making Jimin kick him lightly on the shoulder from where he was still lying with a sour frown, and toss a few dollars he had grabbed from his wallet at the smiling man's extended palm.

“Did you two seriously make a bet on my relationship?” came a sharp question from Yoongi.

[mirai-e-jump]

Beautiful Catalog Vol.3 ft. Kamen Rider Ryuki Cast Members Takashi Hagino x Ryohei Interviews & Photoshoot (translations below)

Publication: September 30, 2003

Takashi Hagino (Takeshi Asakura/Kamen Rider Ouja)

-I no longer make impulse purchases, like when it comes to snake print clothing (laughs)-

With a bright smile on his face, Hagino-san entered the studio. His pure white, rough style was perfectly balanced with the grass zori (sandals) on his feet, which was a unique choice! At first glance, it looks loose, with only the innerwear fitting to his body, but, it gives off a masculine feel. Against the natural materials, his silver accessories stand out.

Hagino: Fashion…..I'm not too picky about it~

He mutters to himself. His style is modest, contrary to his seemingly carefully coordinated choices.

"First off is the staff's favorite, here he is wearing a fluffy knit sweater."

Hagino: Uwah, who's that, me? My hair's all curly (laughs).

"We were most interested about this one. The growing reactions from those around you saying, "Cute~!," caused you to look nervous, which in turn made you look even cuter."

Hagino: During the time of that shoot, I was asked, "Please hold this plushie." Do I have to? It seems that stuff like that is becoming pretty common these days (laughs).

"What's your favorite fashion to wear?"

Hagino: Last year, all I wore was black. Black tanktops and such. Right now, I really want to wear whites. It's nice isn't it~? White! The other day, I saw Beckham wearing white on the cover of some magazine. He was also wearing pants like the ones I wore today. I thought, "Let's do this! I have the same fashion sense as Beckham" (laughs). From now on, I want you to call me Beckham (laughs).

"B-Beckham?? You want us to…..? Next, a jacket with fur that gives off an affectionate big brother feel. It's a very refreshing look!"

Hagino: I feel like I've never worn something like this either. It has a natural feel, like when you go out to walk your dog. By the way, the other day, for two days straight, I went to this pet store and was obsessed with this half chihuahua and papillon breed. When I looked at them, they hid in embarrassment. It was so cute! I was really hesitating whether to buy them or not, but the price for such a small and cute dog was 380,000 yen ($2,500)! The store is open until late in the morning, so I spend alot of time there. The shiba inu's and all the other dogs are just so cute to look at.

"Do you ever make impulse purchases?"

Hagino: Not anymore. Due to the "advice" of some store employees, I no longer buy snake print clothing (laughs). At the time, clothing with snake patterns were hard to come by, so when they saw me looking they said, "That'll look good on you~." They said, "We'll lower the price (alot)~." I thought, "Alright then~," and bought it. If you go shopping with friends, you'll have someone to stop you, but if you don't and go alone, you'll end up getting stuff that you can't afford. It's dangerous (laughs). I had to learn that recently.

"I'm not very particular when it comes to brands, but, the ones I like are Jil Sander and Dolce & Gabbana."

Hagino: I can't afford to buy all that because it's expensive, but, I do think it's really cool. Lately, I've been thinking that it would be nice to dress in a more formal way for such occasions. Wouldn't you want to try it? A dinner party on the roof of a building with a swimming pool. I'd even prepare business cards with a alot of lies on them (laughs).

"With fashion, Hagino-san says, "It's fun, it's like playing a game." What do you wear when you go to bed or to just relax?"

Hagino: It's either denim shorts or cargo shorts. I'll wear a T-shirt or tank top on top, which I'll take off when it's hot. The rest of the time I wear tracksuits (laughs). When I go to work, I'll wear either a T-shirt and jeans or tracksuit. I like to be able to change into my costume quickly and then take it easy.

"Finally, this last outfit is a multi striped suit with a strong sense of personality. With his hair up, he's transformed into abit of a bad boy. The manager said he looks like, "A respected elder brother." Hikawa Kiyoshi-kun from our office wore a similar suit for his "Zundoko Bushi" MV, but the vibe is totally different."

Hagino: It's so cool, the look reminds me of Lenny Kravitz! He's fashionable and looks good in fur, T-shirts, and all kinds of strange stuff. Compared to when I was first wearing the knit sweater, I feel like I've relaxed abit. It feels like I'm back (laughs).

"By the way, I hear you're very particular with your eyebrows."

Hagino: If I forget to draw my eyebrows before going out, I feel very uncomfortable (laughs). When I draw it myself, it's like a straight line. I'm not improving at all. I don't check my whole appearance in the mirror before going out, but I always pay attention to my eyebrows (laughs).

-I'll be a prince! But before that, I'd like to play a dirty role-

"He started doing karate about 3 years ago because he was attracted to the civility of the sport after playing many detective roles in the past. He takes time out of his busy schedule to attend karate, which he says helps him maintain his health and improve his voice for stage plays."

Hagino: I'm currently a yellow belt (6 kyu). I hope to be green this year, and brown within the next two years. Even before shooting for the photobook, I ran a marathon, went to karate, and did push ups when I'd wake up in the morning……that all I keep doing (laughs). Surprisingly, I don't mind doing these things.

His photobook, "Actor, Takashi Hagino," is filled with emotional and sensitive words that resonate with the heart.

"You say so many wonderful words."

Hagino: I wondered, "What can I do with this photobook?" I thought maybe I could include some words or afew sentences. But, it felt like, "As soon as you add color to a painting, it's ruined." I thought it'd be more interesting to write down what I was currently thinking, like a time capsule, so that later on I can say, "This is who I was!" I personally really like the poem "Confirmation."

"What's your favorite outfit in the photobook?"

Hagino: I liked the denim jacket~. That guy near the swingset, he may have been more offended by the unlikely setting of swings, rather than the fashion I was wearing (laughs).

"How was the stage play, "Yokosuka Dobuita Story," in which you played the leading role?"

Hagino: I really enjoy the stage experience. I also like the live feel of it. Since the foundation of a play is the stage…..I fully felt the determination of everyone around me, and while it was fun, I also fully enjoyed the live conflict that only a stage play can bring. I thought that as the rehearsals continued, I could feel so much of the warmth, cheerfulness, and sadness coming out of them.

"What do you think of Joji, the role you played?"

Hagino: In the beginning, he wasn't a nice guy…..but, he was a good guy. I think I was able to show him having fun and being sincere, so I'd like to add more variety if I ever play a role like that again.

"What scene was most memorable?"

Hagino: In the proposal scene with Kaori, played by Junko Mihara-san, she changed the way she spoke each time we performed it, and did so with different tricks, such as sulking or teasing. Gradually, our rhythm and breathing become the same, and my lines came out without being conscious of it. The scenes with Mihara-san were alot of fun to do.

"It's been announced that you'll play the role of the prince in the Cinderella musical. A bad prince…what's that about?"

Hagino: Quiet! (laughs). I don't think that's it, I think it's just a regular prince, but the script hasn't come in yet, so I don't know all the details. I am looking forward to the dancing in the musical. Although, I'm worried about singing. You know how the dialogue suddenly flows into a ballad like song with, "Why~"? I become nervous the moment, "Why~," comes up (laughs). But. I'll keep practicing and show you the fairy tale prince in all his glory.

"Will the prince's costume be……white tights?"

Hagino: My manager told me that if I wore white tights, right here (his crotch), would look really cool (laughs). No, rather, it's a wonderful fairy tale like costume. The show will be held in more than 20 locations across the country, so please look forward to it!

"What kind of roles do you want to play in the future?"

Hagino: Since I've already decided to play a prince, I'd like to play a serious and grim role before that. Something like a dirty role.

In his photobook, Hagino-san affirms that he loves humans, as he wrote, "Are you a human being? If you're a human, then you must be a wonderful one." This love for people is what makes his acting so refined, as he focuses on the essence of humans. We're really looking forward to seeing him as a fairy tale prince and in serious roles.

Ryohei (Shuichi Kitaoka/Kamen Rider Zolda)

-Is this too subtle? When it comes to this coordination, I think I should do my best.-

In a quiet studio located in a certain part of Tokyo, the sound of a camera shutter clicking resonates. The sounds are followed by rhythmical changes in facial expressions, poses, and overall atmosphere, creating the rich and colorful, "Ryohei World," almost like a perfectly beautiful picture were being painted.

Within the light, he strikes perfectly balanced poses that'll take your breath away, while occasionally trying to make us laugh by crossing his eyes and saying, "This is what real coordination looks like!"

While casually flapping his white coat, he says:

Ryohei: About 2-3 years ago, I used to wear clothes like these all the time during the Fall and Winter, but now, I don't wear them anymore. It's exhausting to wear them all day, don't you think? These days, I think it's better to dress comfortably. I wonder, have my shoulders become more relaxed as I've gotten older? Well, it's nice doing something like this once in awhile! It makes me feel motivated to strike the perfect poses.

"You picked out that coat."

Ryohei: The length is perfect! This half coat actually is a half coat. For some reason, usually, a half coat is a short coat, and a long coat is a half coat (laughs).

"Were there any problems with the size?"

Ryohei: No matter how big the clothes are, when I wear them, I always think, "These are way too small!" I do adore more loose fitting clothes. I can't pull off the look though (laughs).

"While not being particular about brands, Ryohei-san says, "I don't think something being expensive makes it better." He enjoys buying secondhand clothes, with sneakers making up half of his collection. He also claims to have about 50 pairs of unopened shoes. Today, he's wearing stylish leather sneakers."

Ryohei: I love sneakers. I sometimes think, "Even if they last a lifetime, I wonder, do I have enough?" I'll also put them in their box and stack them, it's really cool to look at (laughs). I don't really do it anymore, but there was a time when I used to pick out clothes that matched my shoes.

"Do you check your whole appearance in the mirror before going out?"

Ryohei: That's essential. Sometimes I'll dress in a way that makes me think, "Is this too subtle?," Although, I'm usually pretty ok with it. Fashion is like an extension of my hobby, so I think I should be doing my best at it. During the times I go on a date with a girlfriend, I think I should only make decisions when I really have too.

"Do you make snap decisions for a date??"

Ryohei: It depends on how long we've been together, but in the early stages of a relationship, a man wants to make a big impression (laughs). Well, if you've been together for 3-4 years, I think, "Alright, who cares~."

"That's terrible?!" (said by the entire female staff)

Ryohei: I don't think you have to be so cool in front of your partner all the time……I think it's okay to just look natural. So, it's not terrible, it's really not (laughs).

"What if after 3-4 years, she's wearing something she doesn't really care for?"

Ryohei: Well, that's exactly who I am. That's why I think we'd be compatible (laughs). You do your best at first, and once you're familiar with them, it doesn't matter what you look like.

"Do you care about your hairstyle?"

Ryohei: For me, I'm not particular with hair, so everyday my hairstyle is slightly different. When I go for a straight perm, my hair loses all its volume and flattens, regardless of how thick my hair is. A tip I can give, is to only use your hair dryer on areas that are particularly annoying and have strong frizz. It's easier to set up the look that way.

"Your eyebrows have a nice shape to them."

Ryohei: I don't do anything with my eyebrows. I don't want them being thin. It makes me lose the "impact" of my face and causes my appearance to change (laughs).

During the chair sitting shoot, the chair was too low compared to Ryohei's height, so he brought out a stepladder by himself, making it a very interesting shoot. Wearing a knit hat, Ryohei's beautiful face looked even more attractive, and he looked like a European college boy with an unfamiliar expression on his face.

"What is key to dressing well?"

Ryohei: I don't have any particular stances…..but, I don't want to be outdone by clothes. I want to make an effort to wear them, and even if I think they don't look good on me, I'll try and find a way to make them look good.

"You seem to be very good at posing."

Ryohei: During my time staying at motels, I studied my poses by looking in the mirror, so I wouldn't have to do them on set and feel embarrassed. It's like it's already been ingrained in my head. If I don't do them properly, the photographer won't be able to take any photos.

"While at Hagino-san's house, the two of them once practiced posing together while looking in the mirror. During the shoot, Hagino-san laughed and said, "Posing by Ryohei!," and he did the same pose Ryohei did, showing that they seem to get along really well. What advice do you have for for making your appearance look more beautiful?"

Ryohei: Pose standing slightly diagonal…doing so will make you look thinner. Always think of ways to make your appearance more slim (laughs).

"When did you first discover your style?"

Ryohei:…..I still haven't found it (laughs).

"Normally, wouldn't you discover fashion in the same way a girl would?"

Ryohei: Hmmm……It think it's alittle different from that (laughs). Rather than about clothes, I was thinking more about how to make people laugh and how to entertain them. When it comes to the clothes I'm wearing now, I don't think I can say whether they're good or bad. I might say later, "Why did I think this was cool to wear?" Fashion is an indifferent thing for me, but it's like a time capsule that reflects that moment in time……It's something that reminds me of who I was at one point.

-The action was difficult. Since my reach is different, it's difficult to get the timing right.-

"How was it working with veteran actors (Natori Yuko, etc) on "The Woman Prosecutor of Kyoto"?"

Ryohei: There was alot to learn just by listening and watching. The way they said their lines, it was so natural, me on the other hand, I'm still trying to perform well. In my head, I can see it all very well. But, it's hard to actually do it. On set, we called her "Professor Natori," since we had alot to learn from her.

"You made your first attempt as a voice actor in "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED," correct?"

Ryohei: Actors can make facial expressions while speaking, right? It's easy to tell when someone's "angry" because they speaks in an angry tone and has an angry expression on their face. I looked at the voice actors and thought that they're skilled at manipulating their voices. They do whatever they want. The way they react, the way they breath…..as an actor, I've learned alot from them.

"I heard that the shooting for the upcoming film, "Bird's Eye," in which you play the lead role, was difficult due to wire acting."

Ryohei: It was quite difficult. But, it was something of a challenge for myself.

"Please tell us some highlights of the film."

Ryohei: It's an action film. But, I only had 3 days to practice. I couldn't even meet the person I was going to be working with until the day of filming. Being so tall, I had a different reach from my partner, so it was very difficult to find the correct timing. When you punch, you take a step forward, right? But when I step forward, I get too close, so I end up performing a limp punch (laughs). I'm sure there must have been a better way to do it, but unfortunately, I didn't have time to do any research.

"The way you beat them up was impressive though."

Ryohei: I was mostly on the receiving end (laughs). RIKIYA-kun (Kawaguchi Rikiya), who played Tsuyoshi, used to box, so as expected, his punches were excellent.

After the photo shoot, Ryohei-san went to the waiting room. Among the outfits there, he found a pair of yellow pants with purple square patterns on it, and his eyes started to sparkle.

Ryohei: This, it's amazing! I want to wear it right now! Can I try this on?

Just as Ryohei enjoys fashion with a carefree attitude, and takes on challenges with an open mind, while also exploring new areas as an actor one after another, absorbing them naturally and without hesitation. His sincere attitude to cherish every moment and his mischievous spirit of challenge expands "Ryohei's World" endlessly, by giving off a refreshing charm. We won't take our eyes off his future challenges.

[skeedelvee]

Carry On Countdown Day 27 - Intertwined

For this year's COC I've decided to put together daily fic rec lists! Let me know if you find any new favorite reads from these <3

For todays prompt I've gone with fics that involve cuddling, hugging, or waking up intertwined

mon cœur qui bat by @facewithoutheart

Rated T, 3,848 words

All Simon wants is a safe place to sleep. His magic has other ideas. The fic where Simon’s made of fluff but Baz is the real softie.

Sixty Seconds by @artsyunderstudy

Rated T, 2,807 words

Penny told Simon that if you hug someone for sixty seconds it'll make them happier. When Simon finds Baz crying in the Mage's office he can't help but offer.

Bergamot by @basic-banshee

Rated G, 1,008 words

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he says, reaching a hand out to brush through my curls absentmindedly before resuming his typing. “When did you get here?” I mutter, shifting myself so I can press a kiss to the cool thigh next to my head. I don’t think he brought pyjamas, because he’s just in his pants and a jumper, which is not even close to his usual sleepwear.

Bunk Beds by Cynosure_phases

Rated T, 2,959 words

Over the past week and a half, I’ve witnessed three splinters impale Snow, had my head hit sitting up more than five times, and noticed Snow’s pissing pattern in correlation to what he has with dinner. Tonight, though, I decided to slip out early to feed. And maybe I shouldn’t, because now I’m facing a dilemma. Snow. In my bed. - Simon messed up and spelled the beds together into a bunk bed, and now they’re stuck in a childlike loop of these beds. That is, until Simon passes out on bottom bunk accidentally and doesn’t want to move for Baz.

Erasing the Line (a Crossing the Line remix fic) by Tbazzsnow

Rated T, 12,032 words

One bed. Two boys. Three nights. An errant spell removes Baz's bed from their shared room. SImon and Baz must figure out how to deal with the situation and with each other. A remix of Crossing the Line by f-ing-ruthless-baz.

Room for The Two of Us by Cynosure_phases

Rated M, 13,882 words

And Snow, brilliant supernova Snow, just leans to me as he smiles. “See,” he whispers even quieter. He prods his finger into my cheek and sends me spiraling. I’m smiling. Smiling. “This Baz doesn’t kill me for sayin’ jack shit.” “’M not gonna kill you, Snow,” I mumble, my hands finding themselves on his knees. Thighs. They slid down to his thighs, and now he’s pinker in the cheeks than before, but laughing. He’s laughing so much. I want to implode. - The bathtub of their shared bathroom is quite large; it’s deep enough to comfortably fit two people, and if you shift just right around the spout, you can sit face to face with relative comfort. The boys find something special in there, making it seemingly the only place where they can stand each other.

Night After Night by Sobriquette

Rated T, 21,823 words

It's not something I ever thought I'd be doing, crawling into bed with Baz in the wake of my nightmares. They're not just nightmares anymore though, are they? Because the Humdrum can summon me. It could summon me at any moment. That’s why this makes sense. Baz is a brilliant magician and just brilliant in general. If we ended up whisked away in the middle of the night Baz would get us out of there (or himself at least). And if not? Well, if The Humdrum killed Baz that would solve some of my problems. So, I suppose it has to be Baz. It has to be Baz because it doesn’t really matter if he dies.

✨Gratuitous self rec✨

A Life in Naps and Cuddles by me! @skeedelvee

Rated M, 1,947 words

Moments of Simon and Baz cuddling or napping together, told through a collection of vignettes

If you have any recs that fit the prompt that I've missed, feel free to leave them in the comments! There's plenty of gaps in my reading so there's a good chance I may not have read it

Also I've had a hard time finding if some people are here on Tumblr, so if you know someone who hasn't been tagged, feel free to leave that in the comments as well <3

@carryon-countdown

[tyuninthemirror]

— waste the night: c.sb

— pairing: idol!soobin x idol fem!reader — genre: fluff — word count: 2697 — disclaimers: fwb situation, mentions of sex. very slightly suggestive. reader is a member of gidle. — synopsis: the five times soobin wasted your night trying to confess to you and the one time he finally did. — series masterlist

— author's note: does soobin belong in (g)i-dle? yes.

The first time Choi Soobin ever tried to confess to you was when he found out Hwang Hyunjin was interested in you.

You and Soobin had an understanding. As fellow idols, you knew the struggles of fame and the need to keep your personal lives private. So when the two of you started hooking up, it was only natural that it stayed between you both: no strings attached, no emotions, just plain old sex. Or so you thought.

Soobin always found you attractive. From the moment you debuted with (G)I-DLE, you were the one that stuck out to him the most. Even more so, because you were the same age, you got introduced to each other by mutual friends and eventually set up an arrangement.

To say you were his ideal type was an understatement. You were his dream girl. You and Soobin might not know each other very deeply, but every time you and Soobin met up, he fell more and more in love with you. Everything was supposed to be strictly physical, but the little things like always having a fresh towel prepared every time he came over or making sure he texted you once he safely got back to his dorms after your time together made him feel butterflies.

"Choi Soobin," Yeonjun called out just as Soobin stepped one foot out the door. "Where are you going?"

Soobin sheepishly smiled as he turned to face the older boy. "To see Y/N."

"Have fun," Yeonjun smirked, crossing his arms and leaning casually against the wall in the dimly lit hallway.

"By the way, do you plan on confessing to her any time soon?"

"W-Why would you ask that?" Soobin asked, his ears red at mentioning his secret feelings for you. He tried to play it cool, but he knew his closest friends could see right through him.

"Changbin told me that Hyunjin was considering asking Y/N out. Just thought I'd give you a heads up."

"Hey, pretty boy, is something on your mind?" you asked as you straddled his waist. The moonlight streamed through the window of your dorm room, casting a warm glow over the disheveled sheets and tangled limbs. Soobin's usually carefree expression was replaced with a look of deep contemplation as he gazed up at you.

"Oh, nothing," he replied, his hand lightly tracing patterns on your bare thighs.

"Alright," you chuckle, leaning in to kiss him softly, but you couldn't help but notice the slight tension in his body. Getting out of bed, you grabbed some clothes from your closet and motioned for Soobin to follow you to the shower in your room.

"Are you going somewhere?" Soobin asked, curiosity lacing his words as he eyed the clothes on the bed before joining you in the shower.

"Yeah, I've got a date to get to," you answered him, confusion evident in your voice as you turned the shower on. His question surprised you. You never really asked each other details about your schedules before.

Soobin stood by the shower, stunned at your words. Were you meeting up with Hyunjin?

With a panicked expression, he grabbed your wrist and pulled you to a stop. Your breath caught as you turned to face him, your mind racing with questions.

"Y/N," he pleaded, his eyes searching yours desperately. "Please, don't go tonight."

His grip on your wrist tightened, conveying the urgency in his plea. You could see the fear and concern etched on his face, and it tugged at your heartstrings.

"Soobin…?"

"Please…" he began, trying to say the words stuck in his throat. "Stay with me."

You softened at his words. "Soobin, did you have a bad day? I'm sorry, I really have to do that recording with Soyeon today, so we can't cuddle."

Soobin's eyes widened at your response. "Recording…? B-But you said date…"

"Oops," you chuckled at his confusion. "Sorry, the members call recording schedules dates because we get lots of alone time with Soyeon. We even eat dinner one on one and all. It's like a date."

Soobin bursts out laughing at your explanation; not sure if it was because he was relieved or trying to hide how embarrassed he was.

"I promise I'll make it up to you next time."

He didn't confess that night, but he managed to walk you to the studio, exchange a few words with Soyeon, and you even kiss each other goodbye.

That was the first time Soyeon ever saw you with Soobin outside of your apartment.

"What's going on with you and Soobin?" Soyeon asked as you went over the lyrics for today's recording.

"You know we're hooking up," you answer her, your ears turning red in embarrassment at having to say it aloud.

"Sure," Soyeon snickers before ushering you into the recording studio. "Whatever you say."

The second time Soobin tried to confess to you was when you texted him to make up for leaving that night.

You two decided to meet at your place. Before Soobin could even attempt to say anything after stepping into your apartment, your lips were on his, and the rest was history. How could he resist you?

Your night ended under your comfy covers, with you laying on Soobin's bare chest while he lightly stroked your hair.

"Have you ever dated anyone before?" he suddenly asked mid-stroke. Your eyebrows furrowed at his question, wondering what brought the question up.

"Hmm…" you hummed, thinking for a moment. Soobin mentally slapped himself. Why would he ask you that, knowing he'd be jealous if you said yes?

"I dated this boy named Nam Giseok before," you answered after pondering for a while. "But we broke up after he moved away in 5th grade."

"Your first and last boyfriend was in 5th grade?" Soobin chuckled.

"Don't make fun of me," you pouted, pulling yourself away from Soobin's warm embrace to sit up a little to see his face better. "I started training at 12, so I didn't get to meet a lot of people. Besides, there isn't anyone I want to date."

"No one at all?" Soobin asked, trying to hide the obvious sound of disappointment in his voice.

"Not really," you shrugged. "No one is as nice or as funny as you, Soobin. Why should I settle for any less?"

Soobin's heart started beating faster, wondering if you were hinting at something.

Before he could ask you to explain what you meant, his phone started ringing. You leaned over to look at who was calling.

"It's Taehyun, you should pick up," you told him, passing him his phone. He didn't confess that night either. Soobin had to rush back to the dorms after hearing from Taehyun that the fire department was there because Beomgyu almost burned the house down trying to torch marshmallows.

The third time Soobin tried to confess, he was at your doorstep at 2 am in the morning. You could smell the alcohol on his breath, but you were more worried than annoyed because he was definitely drunk.

"Y/N, I-I missed you," was the first thing that came out of his mouth as he engulfed you in a big hug, his taller frame eating you up.

"Choi Soobin, how much did you drink?" you asked, pulling away to check how intoxicated he was. His eyelids drooping and swaying confirmed he probably had a bit too much.

"Does Yeonjun or your manager know you're here?" you asked, slowly leading him to your bedroom.

"Y/N, you're really pretty."

"Thank you, Soobin," you chuckled. "Are you trying to change the topic?"

"N-No, Y/N. Like you're so pretty, I could die," he exclaimed, plopping himself on your bed.

"You're going to regret drinking so much in the morning," you shook your head as Soobin sheepishly smiled at you.

As you bent down to take Soobin's coat off, he leaned forward and kissed you. It was different from your usual kisses. It was so light and so tender. It was like he wanted to stay in that moment forever.

You gently pushed him away, asking him if he was okay, and he nodded, giving you a small smile. You found yourself staring into his eyes, and for a split second, it felt like something more.

After successfully removing some of his clothes to make him more comfortable, Soobin lay half awake on your bed. You could see his eyes getting heavier and heavier, and you knew he was falling asleep.

Laying next to him, you reach over to turn the night lamp you had on off, only to hear him mumble, "I'm in love with her."

You felt a little sting in your chest. Was Soobin in love with someone? Did he think you were someone else when he kissed you like that?

You shook your head, trying to avert your thoughts. Why would it matter if Soobin was in love with someone else, it's not like you were dating.

Soobin didn't get to confess that night, either. He had a drink with Yeonjun to gain more confidence to confess, but it totally backfired on both of them. Yeonjun either fell asleep in the restaurant or managed to crawl home.

That night, Soobin spent the night at your place for the first time, but he woke up in the morning to an empty space next to him and some Advil on the side of your bed.

The fourth time Soobin tried to confess to you, he wondered why you weren't replying as much to his messages. He knew your comeback was coming, so he waived it off as you being busy, but it was unsettling.

He contemplated whether he should try confessing through text because, one, his last three attempts failed miserably, and two, whenever he tried to meet up, you told him you were busy.

to: y/n Y/N, it's not my intention to distract you, but I just wanted you to know I have feelings for you. I know it kinda ruins what we have now, but I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me? Maybe it could work out? I hope this doesn't make things weird.

The text message was left unread for two days.

When you finally reply on the third day, you tell him your phone broke during a schedule, and you just got a new one. You never received his message because you didn't back up your recent chats.

After hearing what happened, Soobin chickened out and pretended you didn't miss his message.

Soobin didn't get to confess successfully this time around, either.

The truth was, you weren't at a schedule that day. You had shared your confused feelings with Shuhua, and she said it was time for catharsis. That time was spent with you and Shuhua going water skiing and your phone plunging into the water, never receiving Soobin's message.

The fifth time Soobin tried to confess to you, you bumped into each other backstage of Music Bank a month after the phone incident.

You had been busy with the album release of I LOVE, so you and Soobin could only really text, not that you texted a lot to begin with.

He had seen your MV and comeback photos for NXDE, but seeing you up close and personal with your blonde hair was a different story.

"Hey," he whispered in your ear as you got your hair done. You shot up from your seat in shock but slapped Soobin's arm when you realized it was just him messing with you.

"I haven't seen you in a while," he said with a sad smile. "I missed you."

Your breath hitched, and you could feel the tingling in your chest. "I missed you too."

"Are you free after the show? I wanted to tell you something."

"Okay," you answered in a small voice. Worried he'd ruin your make-up, Soobin gives the back of your hand a small peck and walks away.

You thought back to the night he got drunk. Did he want to stop your arrangement? Was he finally going to tell you about that girl he was in love with?

That night, Soobin couldn't confess either. You agreed to meet in the corridor after the show, but you never showed up. Soobin was confused as to why you didn't but then heard from Beomgyu that Hyunjin finally gave you his number after the show that night.

The whole meeting really just flaked out. Soobin never asked you about it, worried you'd accepted Hyunjin's confession, and since he never asked where you were, you pretended it never happened, worried he would end things. You weren't ready for it to end.

The last time Soobin attempted to try confessing, he felt you slipping away.

You had booty called him after your goodbye stage for this comeback. It took you weeks to muster up the courage to have potential goodbye sex.

You realized there was no point getting hurt over the fact that the person you had feelings for was in love with someone else, and the least you could take was the good memories of your time together.

As the two of you lay in bed, basking in the afterglow of your intimate moment, you feel Soobin's arms wrap around you, pulling you closer. It was strange, you thought, to cuddle after sex, especially since both of you had made it clear from the start that it was just casual. You both only recently started cuddling after sex, but something was comforting in his hold, something that made you feel safe and wanted, and you would miss this feeling.

"Y/N," Soobin says, his voice soft and gentle. "Can I tell you something?"

Your heart dropped. You knew this was it.

"Of course," you reply, stroking his arm with your fingers, not daring to look at him.

"I know we agreed that this was just sex, no emotions attached," he starts, his voice laced with hesitation. "But I can't help how I feel. I think I'm in love with you, Y/N."

Your breath hitches in your throat, surprised by his confession. Did you hear it wrong?

"Soobin, I-" you start, but he cuts you off.

"I know you might not feel the same way, or you might like Hyunjin after his confession, and that's okay," he says quickly, his eyes filled with worry. "I just wanted you to know how I felt and to apologize if it makes things weird between us."

"Wait, Soobin. Hyunjin approached me to collab. He didn't confess," you corrected him, still trying to process everything he had said. "Also, aren't you in love with someone else?"

A warm, breathy chuckle escaped Soobin's lips as he gazed at you with adoration.

"I just said I'm in love with you, and you're asking if I love someone else?" he chuckled again, the sound like music to your ears. "I've been in love with you since we met."

Your cheeks flush with embarrassment as you remember all the doubts and fears that had consumed you. You couldn't believe how silly you had been for assuming anything but complete devotion from him.

Feeling emboldened by his confession, you place a hand on his cheek, your fingers tracing the soft curve of his jawline.

"Soobin, I'm falling in love with you too," you whisper, feeling the weight of your words settle between you.

Relief and joy wash over Soobin's face as he leans in to kiss you, his lips gentle yet passionate, reminding you of the kiss that drunken night. You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him closer, savoring the feeling of his mouth on yours.

As you break the kiss, you look into his eyes and smile, realizing this casual fling has become much more.

Soobin finally got to confess, and you never left his arms that night.

"Do you think they got together by now?" Yeonjun asked, nudging Beomgyu with his foot as they sat in the living room watching He's Just Not That Into You.

"He better. It's getting harder to use Hyunjin as the scapegoat," Beomgyu sighed. "He's starting to wonder why Soobin keeps glaring at him."

[demonslayedher]

Nezuko's Favorite: Konpeitou

It's time for Kimetsu Kitchen, and over-analyzing a tiny lore detail! And by tiny, I mean 1.5cm or smaller.

As already stated in the first fanbook, Tanjiro reminds us the Yuukaku Arc Taisho Secrets that Nezuko's favorite food is humans konpeitou, colorful tiny candies that are made almost entirely out of sugar. They are best known for their signature shape, with a bunch of bumps called "tsuno," that is... horns.

Aha, I see what you did there, Gotouge. So in that light, I'm not going to hold back wherever I see connections to Nezuko. First off, like Nezuko, konpeitou also comes in many fun sizes. Because of how the horns are formed with the candies bumping into each other and dripping onto the biggest protrusions, the candies have fewer and fewer horns as they get bigger.

We'll get into how they are made is a second, but first a brief history. Konpeitou, like castella and tempura, were introduced to Japan in the Sengoku period by the Portuguese missionaries. Warlord Oda Nobunaga was even presented with some earlier versions of this "confeit" that had anise at its core for a refreshing finish. However, after the missionaries were kicked out, they disappeared for a time, until Edo-period townspeople in Nagasaki (with access to trading with the Dutch) developed a pan-fried version, which they named 金平糖 (gold-even-sugar). Konpeitou were a rare treat accessible only the rich and powerful, such has the emperor using it for special occasions, until a new and easier method with rotating frying pans was patented in 1903. This was already 36 years into the Meiji period, and Nezuko would had been a toddler.

The first konpeitou factory opened in 1907 in Osaka, which is when they really took off as a wide-spread treat, including being sent abroad in soldiers' rations. The first ones were not flavored, they were purely made of granular sugar and sugar syrup (a mix of sugar and water, so yay, more sugar!), and they came in four different sizes. However, the first variations came when they made a mix of four basic colors to reflect the seasons: pink for cherry blossoms in spring, green for summer greenery, yellow for the autumn leaves, and white for winter snow.

(The closest example I saw to the colors Nezuko might had had available, don't mind those orange ones.)

Throughout the Taisho period they gradually gave way to more popular sweets like ice cream and chocolates, but when Nezuko was a 12-year-old likely around 1912~1913, these would had been widely available and popular.

So how are they made today? Still mostly in Osaka, there's only about 10 factories in Japan that produce them. But only about 5 in Portugal that do, so no wonder people assume they are a Japanese invention! Although you can still find them as purely sugar-flavored and some cafes likes to use them instead of sugar or sugar cubes, you can find them in a very wide variety of colors and flavors now. Basically, if it can be dissolved into syrup, you can color or flavor konpeitou with it.

Konpeitou starts with granular sugar, turned twice a minute in tilted frying pans that are 180cm across at 75 degress C. Every few minutes it gets coated with a scrap of syrup, which gradually makes the candy grow bigger and bigger. It sounds like a simple process, but it takes a lot of patience and practice to get the precise humidity, temperature, timing, and movement to attain a translucent appearance and smooth texture with a pleasing array of horns.

If there is one character in KnY who is extremely patient and can pour that sort of effort into developing something, it's Nezuko. Konpeitou grow only 1mm per day (so it takes two weeks to make a batch of large konpeitou), but that ongoing, dedicated growth is very auspicious, like... hmm. Like what the asanoha pattern on Nezuko's kimono symbolizes. I've always assumed the vines in Nezuko's demon crest symbolized the same thing.

Alright, now to turn this into a Kimetsu Kitchen blog. If you are in Osaka prefecture, you too can join a very brief konpeitou making class to add the finishing touches to a little batch of mostly-finished konpeitou! You get to choose the flavors and colors, and for extra money, you can even add edible gold flakes or get cute jars to put them in. I got to make two batches, one based on the color and flavor already in the first batch. I was concerned out pink and green might mix, so I went with pink followed by yellow for a nice nod to Zenitsu's efforts in Kimetsu Academy to give her the perfect konpeitou. However, I wound up with a nice shade of peachy orange like her hair, and I'm sure Zenitsu doesn't mind.

I call the flavor "drink bar" because I thought a non-pick flavor like melon would be ironic and I wound up with a mix of melon and cola. It's pretty good.

The base konpeitou was purely sugar flavored and white, but with tiny ladles of syrup with food coloring and flavor added and stirred about ten seconds at a time, the shape also gradually changed as the horns got more pronounced. It really is up to taste how little or how much you want to add, they're very versatile once the basics are formed.

[fbwzoo]

I can't share the 30-some pictures I did with my FB post, going from last December to this December. So I'll just use this one - which I just took after a quick harness training session in which she bounced across half the couch to meet me & wagged for the first 15 seconds, and before she made me put my phone down for a bout of snuggle scritches. 😭🥰

This is such a long post, I'm going to put it under a cut. But today is the 1 year anniversary of Emma coming home to us, and I am FULL of emotions over this little dog. So if you want to read my rambling & think with me how far my baby has come in a year.... read on!

One year of my Emma. 💙💜 I didn't really expect to love this dog so much, velcro dog and all. She is definitively My Dog, and I never had a choice in the matter. I think that was just gonna happen, ever since I first saw her adoption post 1 year & 9 months ago. Every time I saw her posted again, I wanted her. It was meant to be! 🥰

And now I look back on the year & think about it all. We changed a bunch of things in our household for this little dog, and all year, we kept adjusting & improving where it was needed for her & the other animals. I love my family so much, and I'm so grateful to have found these other people who love animals & are so willing to adapt as needed for their happiness too. Everyone in the house agreed to take on a project dog, and everyone stepped up to help her settle in.

It's weird too, bc it often doesn't feel like we've DONE that much. But when I tell someone new about her, or spell it out for myself, I'm reminded that we've done the work, even if it mostly didn't seem like work. And we gave her what we knew we absolutely could, what she needed most - time and space. We went at her pace, let her lead us, and it's been truly amazing to watch her over this year.

Emma has gone from being very worried to terrified about any & all human movements, unable to be pet or touched, quick to be on guard at any small change in position. Terrified of loud noises and too much activity. Barking at Joel to try and make him go away. Pottying in the house on pee pads because outside is scary. Only laying in a lap if the lap was covered with a blanket.

All of that.... to a dog that spends 98% of her time relaxed, happy, and ready to be involved. She greets us with alert barks instead of guarding barks, tail wags, bouncing, and licks (okay, mostly me for some of that but still). Everyone in the house has been able to pet her. She actively loves to be pet by Jack in bed & me anywhere when she wants snuggles. She plays with her dog siblings and with me. She discovered the joys of yard zoomies early on & never looked back - she potty trained faster and better than Spring!

She knows and likes our household routines. She LOVES food, and it's the quickest way to her heart! 😂 But she's learned some manners too, like not snatching food with any opportunity! She's gotten more comfortable being on the floor. She still likes to chew more than our other two, and has gotten really great at managing big emotions by redirecting to a Benebone!

We're not the best at active training, but even so, she makes us & me look good! She's interested now, when the treats come out, and wants to see what to do to get some. She interacts with new objects, she is doing great with harness training.

She has opinions now!!! And she will tell you!!! Especially if they involve dinner time! 😂 I still can't believe she demand barks now, and it's been too cute for us to bother stopping for the most part.

I've thought about goals for her over the next year, and I definitely have some big ones. Continue harness training until I can put it fully on her & take it off. Leash skills & comfort with them. All of that slowly, so slowly leading up to trips out of the house - to do vet happy visits, check out some SniffSpots, and go visit her sister at foster mom's house. I also want to introduce some pattern games to help with all of that.

And we plan to start having people over to the house again! Not sure how often or how many, and we may have to alter pace based on how she does. But she's so often surprised us with her resilience, so I think we'll do okay! (And obviously all visitors will be required to follow rules around my pup, or face the mama bear wrath 😂)

But mostly....I just can't wait for another year with this extremely sweet, loving, exuberant little dog that is working so hard to find her confidence. We're all so very proud of Emma, and love her so much. 💜💙

I also included a thank you to both rescues & Emma's foster mom, for all of their time, work, and hoops to ensure that Emma would be safe. They genuinely gave us all the information we needed to make sure we were prepared, and I am even more grateful for that after seeing how rare our experience is in my fearful dogs group.

[dark-is-d3ad]

Moving AU, part 3, anyone? Haven't got a tv and a ps5 like Ghost, but I do have some lights now (gosh my own headcanon made me want them so bad, why do I do this to myself).

Part 1, part 2, part 2.5 - context.

• A few days later it really starts getting on Ghost's nerves. Even with help from Gaz and Roach, a lot of their stuff isn't sorted yet, and they're both tired of it already. He's used to order, his home was always organised, and this is nowhere near it, and it won't be for foreseeable future. So, he does the only sane thing every adult person should do in this situation: holes up on the sofa and goes on a gaming binge.

• Ghost's sofa is black (of course), huge, and it's just a sofa. No plead, no pillows. A comfy one, yes, but to Soap it looks kinda empty. Well, given that its owner only has one chair to his name, Johnny knows better than to expect something else. Yet, he kind of wants to sneak in a couple of pillows, and is very surprised when Ghost protects his space with ferocity of a wild cat. No funny colours on his sofa of doom, not even a smidge. Johnny's slightly upset, but he's not giving up on the plan.

• He starts by fucking around. Then sits down to play Diablo with Ghost in the evening. Brings a plead and a nice mustard-coloured pillow in a little while, just to make himself comfy for the time being, OK? It's fucking cold. And then he conveniently forgets them there. Several days of shenanigans after, Ghost concedes.

"Pillow allowance," he says, so seriously it cracks Soap up. "No more than two, no patterns." No patterns it is. Johnny still counts it as a win.

• Soap's go-to sorting method is "make em piles". He's got a clean laundry pile, a dirty laundry pile, a kitchen pile, a random stuff pile, and he keeps throwing things around when he goes through the rest of the stuff they have to sort. With all due respect, that annoys Ghost to an extreme degree, because there's piles everywhere, but it doesn't look like they're getting smaller. If anything, they started to consume the little space they had.

• The "dirty dishes" pile is one of them, and Ghost finally takes care of it. They both dislike washing dishes, but someone's gotta do it. And it apparently annoys him more than Johhny, so Ghost gets to get rid of it. He feels so much better when it's all done, dried, and put away.

• They've split the wardrobe, and Soap's side is still partly in the pile state. It's also how Ghost learns that Soap doesn't really iron his clothes unless it's like a shirt he's going to wear on a wedding today, and he has to. At this point he's really starting to question his own sanity. Why does it bother him what Soap does (or doesn't) with his clothes? He really needs to chill out, he decides.

• Johnny's really doing just fine, because none of what Ghost does really bothers him, and he's in his lane, somehow managing to hop around his newly made piles while still on crutches, and he does it so effortlessly. It's Ghost who keeps stumbling on them and cursing all the time.

• Somehow there's not much space for Ghost's gun collection. Ok, he's got a place to work on them, but he doesn't want to store them away. After a while, they decide that one of the bedroom walls can be sacrificed so he can hang them up nicely.

"Are we sleeping in the armoury now?" Soap asks.

"You've got your toys,I've got mine."

Fair.

• Johnny's art room is one of the spaces that actually came together from the get go. All of his things had fit, and it's got a nice space to it, enough to put an easel out, and maybe set up a composition. And the light is good. There's a shelf in there almost bursting from the art supplies he had accumulated over the years. The best way to describe it would be "organised chaos." Somehow, while in other spaces the chaos really gets to Ghost, he enjoys it in the art room. He's been spending more and more time in there.

• Johnny has a little really soft futon with loads of pillows in the corner, just next to his desk (it's not for naps, OK? It's for a performance series where the artist explores their understanding of comfort, and if they happen to start to snore, it's a part of it). So, Ghost is now also an artist of sorts. He's been doing these performance pieces quite alright, working on it tirelessly almost every afternoon, and Johnny really doesn't mind it for two big reasons. First: he gets to draw relaxed Ghost, sometimes even maskless. Second: it's nice to join him there, too. It's a perfect cuddling space.

• What Ghost loves about the futon corner is that it is freaking ultimate safety. Even his sofa wasn't ever as good as this. He can actually sleep there without nightmares. The fact that Johnny's around doing his thing, the quiet rustling of pencil on paper, music low on the background - it knocks him out better than any sleeping aids he had ever tried. He usually comes there with a book, but never goes through more than 10 pages at most.

• After their kitchen finally got sorted, they found a quick understanding. If one cooks, the other does the dishes. Soap basically takes over dinners, Ghost does breakfasts, and they usually have a snack in the midday rather than a proper lunch. Also, Johnny shows him a couple of tricks to level up his cooking game, so now breakfasts are getting fancier. Ghost's secretly very proud of himself. And Soap doesn't miss a chance to praise him when it turns out good which honestly helps way more than he's ready to admit.

• Ghost basically stole a couple of finished paintings and hung them up in the living room. Soap tries to argue that they aren't his best ones, and they aren't good enough, and he could probably find a multitude of reasons why they should take them down.

"But I like them," Ghost says simply. And it's hard to argue with that. Besides, after a couple of days, Johnny gets used to it, and deems them "not too bad". It's a tie now, and a bloody good comeback for the pillow intrusion.

• He lets Johnny help him take care of the guns. It's a nice chill evening, they work on them together, Soap's humming a little silly tune under his breath. Ghost says they really have to take them out on a shooting range when his shoulder is better, shoot some plates or something. Johnny's thrilled about it.

• A few days later, Ghost finally declares war on the rest of the piles, and goes through them in one go, not stopping until they're gone for good. There's very little random stuff left after that, and they just put it all in a box and make a very responsible adult decision to put it away and go through it sometime later. Both know that it will probably never happen, but do they care? Not really.

~~~

"You know what's weird, Johnny?"

"What?"

"You know how if you're left with extra parts in a Lego set that means you've messed up a step somewhere?"

"Yeah, and?"

"We've got some screws, and that one is definitely from that chair. It's supposed to go in first."

"Oh, hell no, Si, we're not doing it again."

~~~

• They are even hosting a little housewarming party. Ghost never had one, so he's way too anxious, although it's just the close circle - their team + Laswell and her wife.

P.S. there will probably be one more part with the party, some neighbour action, a little more of outside stuff, but that's where I'm wrapping it up. After all, the move is done, piles are almost gone, and I'm close to being a functional human being again.

[shopwitchvamp]

Ok, so who all wants to see some ancient designs?? Thought this might be fun since there's so many new people around lately, and even the not-so-new people may not know about these! Here's the first 3 skaters I ever made, back when I was still Syppah's Cute Creations mainly doing amigurumi crochet:

Creepy Eyes is a true OG that's been around since about July 2015! It isn't very popular on skaters or joggers since I stopped doing cons, but it's still going strong as midis and maxis. I've also used the pattern on eyeglass cloths, face masks, scrunchies, tights, zipper bags, and more. I don't think I'll ever fully retire it, haha. The other two up there are Rainbow Narwhals and Cute Eyes (original light pink version below, got the hot pink version above as a misprint afterwards).

The next ones I got that no longer exist were Rainbow Candy, Double Rainbow Candy, and Happy Bees:

tiny prehistoric pics because i can only find them in my old old etsy's sales history, haha As you can see, besides Creepy Eyes the vibes were incredibly different. I wanted to make clothing that could go alongside my ˜”*°•.★·.·´¯`·.·★𝓀𝒶𝓌𝒶𝒾𝒾 𝒶𝓂𝒾𝑔𝓊𝓇𝓊𝓂𝒾 𝓅𝓁𝓊𝓈𝒽𝒾𝑒𝓈★·.·´¯`·.·★.•°*”˜ even though my personal style and fashion interests were/are much more goth. That leaked through again with the Guro Guts skirt next.

The first ever Guro Guts skirt was made just in time for Halloween 2015 In 2016, plushies were still my main focus and for a number of health reasons I was essentially dead that whole year. I don't think I added any new skirts at all..

The next big addition to my skirts was in April 2017 with this set:

Demon Summoning and Vampire Night have survived until this day. Good Medicine on the top left was only made in this colorway for a short time before I switched to a purple & pink version that I also kawaii'd up. Vaporwave and Angel Summoning are both pretty much defunct as of 2021.

2017 Blue/Red Good Medicine, 2018(2019?) Purple/Pink Good Medicine. Both are discontinued

In late 2017, I separated out my clothing shop from my crochet shop and started going all-in on a more goth leaning aesthetic. Witch Vamp (originally "Witch Vampire") was truly born. A lot of designs from that time are ones you'll still recognize today

The only other one that's pretty much gone these days is Rainbow Galaxy. I used to have it in skaters and joggers, but it's another one that wasn't as popular online as it was at cons. They're also like A Lot especially for my generally goth-ish shop

Rainbow Galaxy Skater (designed in 2017), Rainbow Galaxy Joggers (2018 or 2019.. unsure, haha) I last ran preorders with Rainbow Galaxy in 2021, but I don't think I got many orders. I've just let them fizzle out since then. But the skirt semi-lives on in the glorious mistake that is the Bomb Pop Skater

Originally I had 3 of these because a few Rainbow Galaxy Skaters got printed without any yellow. But like, what a good mistake! Since then I've ordered them this way on purpose. EDIT: Another discontinued skirt was the Black Widow's Web. Idk even when I made it first. 2018? But it died in 2021.

Next casualties, between 2020-2022 I discontinued a few more joggers due to slow sales:

Astrology Joggers, Creepy Eyes Joggers, Dark Galaxy Joggers (actually the 2nd version. V1 was a bit too.... phallic with the goo drips lmao) So after that, I think the main casualties have been *item types* rather than designs. I've dropped a lot of things (lanyards, zipper bags, wallets, all-over-print tshirts, tights, pvc charm keychains, and soon enamel pins) because they were great for cons, but don't really sell online. Or because they became obsolete (skirts w/out pockets).

It's been a long journey! And if you go all the way back to my crocheting days, I've been at this whole "self-employed" thing since the day I turned 18 in 2008 and was able to open up an Etsy shop (had other jobs too back then tho, like I was a pharmacy tech for 2 1/2 years). Hope you all enjoy seeing these designs from the old days and learning more Witch Vamp lore!!!

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 10/04/2024

The World Ends With PSY

Season 1 Featured on: GilvaSunner's Highest Quality Video Game Rips: Volume 7: Part mm2wood

Ripped by Metalik

Hey, it's the 10th of April - 10/4, like the 104 building! I couldn't resist!

Here's a fun fact for you: Long before I was running this blog, I was making a certain other SiIvaGunner project, and through working on it decided to reach out to the SiIvaGunner channel head, MtH of Bigger at Night (Chung Yard) fame, for the first time ever. So what was one of the first-ever things I directly told someone from the SiIvaGunner team? "Make more The World Ends With You rips". Yes, I was young(er) and stupid(er), awkward and strange, and I of course now know that good rips come to those who make them, but the sentiment holds true even today. The World Ends With You's soundtrack still means EVERYTHING to me. And, well, though we don't have many rips to go around for the game, I will continue to cherish the ones we do have: because as far back as Season 1, there have been absolute bangers within out small selection.

Now, if you've followed SiIvaGunner for any amount of time, you know about the joke of The World Ends With PSY already. It's PSY, the K-Pop legend, the man behind Gangnam Style, Gentleman and so many more hits, and perhaps more importantly, a YTPMV celebrity. He's had annual days of celebration on SiIvaGunner, one of which I covered back with One Winged PSYcho - V​.​S. Sepsyrop, and rippers have continued to find all kinds of creative ways to utilize the man's distinct sound, including the sentence-mixing marvel of Korean Idiot. Those two rips are still the only PSY-specific I've covered on here, but they lay a pretty concise groundwork, particularly the former: Most PSY rips made for SiIva utilize PSY's "eyys" and "ops" for truly next-level YTPMV-tier postings, the kind that you'll also hear in big meme medley rips like ULTRA S+G. Yet, that kind of makes The World Ends With PSY a neat novelty, in a way: in the days of Season 1 before PSY's presence on the channel was so clearly decided, one Metalik made a PSY rip that goes against the pattern all three prior mentioned rips follow.

Rather than usurping Calling's instrumentation with leads made up purely of PSY's immaculate soundscape, The World Ends With PSY is a no-nonsense mashup, between PSY's Daddy and the aforementioned game track. Calling as a song is defined by the contrast between its noisy electronic backing and its beautiful vocals, like a light trying to shine through the darkness - The World Ends With PSY, then, is as if more noise is added to that blend, with pieces of Daddy's instrumental persisting throughout the track as PSY's own vocals alternate in and out with the original vocalist. It's a really interesting mashup - PSY's always prominent within it, yet the original beauty of Calling's vocals never feel as if they're drowned out, just framed within such a different kind of noisiness. To cut a long yap short - it bangs!! It isn't the kind of vocal/instrumental mashup that wholly changes the track's tone a la My Dr. Eggman Can't Be This Evil!, but it undoubtedly IS different, yet different in a way that highlights the strengths of both tracks used.

And yes, this is a Season 1 rip nonetheless, I can certainly hear some slight cracks in the facade at points - but The World Ends With PSY remains my favorite rip the game has gotten in all of these years. Compared to some other efforts made earlier in the season, such as Three Minutes Clapping literally just being what the track name says, or Deja Vu just switching to the titular Eurobeat song at the chorus' end - funny gags for sure, but none quite feeling like a loveletter to The World Ends With You in the way I've long wanted. We've gotten a sprinkling of rips of the game since, but it was The World Ends With PSY that I first connected with all those years ago - the rip that reassured me that the game's soundtrack is still remembered and cherished by others aboard the team.

[thelastspeecher]

I've been meaning to write Ford reuniting with Fiddleford in my Foster Ford AU (aka my AU where Ford gets turned into a smol child, picked up by CPS, then taken in by Stan who thinks that this kid is his twin's son) for a little while. And what better time to do that than the national holiday known as Fiddleford Friday? Happy Fiddleford Friday everyone! Enjoy some smol Ford meeting Fiddleford.

———————————————————————————————————–

              Ford sat up, stretched, and threw his legs over the side of the bed.  One of the unexpected benefits of being a child was that he tended to sleep better.  When he didn’t have nightmares, at least.  And on the weekend, he could sleep in.  Angie would wake him by ten, but he was usually up by then anyways.  It was a Saturday morning, the clock on his wall informed him it was nine, and he could already smell whatever Angie was making for breakfast.

              Yum.  Ford slid off the bed and exited his room, making a beeline for the kitchen.  Stan was a surprisingly good cook, but Angie was definitely the better of the two.  Ford had yet to dislike anything she’d made.  As he approached the kitchen, he could hear voices conversing.  Three of them.  Shit.  Is someone visiting?

              “Go get Ford up,” Angie’s voice said.

              “What?  C’mon, Ang,” Stan’s voice said.  “You make him get up at ten.  It’s only nine!”

              “We also have a visitor.  Someone who is very excited to meet him.  Brought a gift and everythin’!”

              “Ugh.  Fine.”  There was a scraping sound from a chair being pushed back.  After a few seconds, Stan exited the kitchen.  He grinned at Ford, who had paused upon hearing that they had a guest.  “Hey there, sport!” Stan said jovially.

              “Good morning,” Ford said politely.

              “Angie’s brother is here today and he’s really excited to see you.  Why don’t you say hi before you get ready?” Stan suggested.

              I really don’t want to…  Nevertheless, Ford walked into the kitchen with Stan.  When he saw the man sitting at the kitchen table, his heart leapt into his throat.  No.  It can’t be.  His hair was shorter, his shirt lacked any sort of fringe on it, and his characteristic bellbottoms had been replaced with a slightly more subtle bootcut.  But Ford would know him anywhere.  F?

              “I’m right pleased to fin’ly meet ya,” chirped Ford’s college roommate, Fiddleford McGucket.  “And I’m awful honored to be the first one in the fam’ly.”

              “Other than me,” Angie corrected from her post by the stove.

              “That goes without sayin’,” Fiddleford said.  Stan, who was now behind Ford, nudged him forward.  Fiddleford got off his chair and crouched down to Ford’s eye-height.  “Yer a ding-darn cutie, Ford.”

              “Uh, thanks,” Ford mumbled.  He could feel his cheeks starting to heat up.  It was always embarrassing to come face-to-face with someone who had known him before, even though they weren’t aware of who he truly was.  Something about Fiddleford’s smiling face turned the humiliation up to eleven.

              Though that could be the pajamas.  If I’d known I was going to reunite with F, I would have changed!  Normally, Ford’s current outfit, a footie pajama set patterned with cartoonish dinosaurs, was one of his favorites.  But right now, he’d give anything to be wearing something else.

              “Give him some space,” Stan instructed Fiddleford, misinterpreting Ford’s red face.  “He gets a bit nervous around new people.”

              “Don’t you worry, puddin’,” Fiddleford said.  He sat down on his chair again.  “The robots I make wouldn’t harm a hair on yer lil head.  They only get after grownups.”

              “Fidds…” Angie sighed.

              “What?”

              “We haven’t exactly had a chance to mention yer fondness fer buildin’ robots.  Now ya went and said somethin’ what might scare him!” Angie scolded.  She pointed the spatula she was using to flip pancakes at Fiddleford.  “Shut yer yap and let us lead the conversation.”  Stan chuckled.  He walked over to his wife and kissed her on the cheek.

              “I taught you that phrase,” he said.  “I like hearing you say it.”  Angie smiled at him.  Ford grimaced.

              I’m happy Stan wound up in such a loving relationship.  But they can be so…gross!  Fiddleford snickered softly.

              “Oh, I agree wholeheartedly with that sour look, Ford.  I don’t like seein’ ‘em bein’ all lovey-dovey, neither.”

              “Did you use the bathroom yet?” Stan asked Ford.  Ford scowled.

              “I’m not that young,” he snapped.  Fiddleford chortled.

              “Uh-huh.  Then how come you forget to go before we head out somewhere?” Stan asked.  Ford’s cheeks reddened again.

              “That was one time!” he managed.  He would never forget how degrading it felt to ask Stan to pull over at a gas station less than five minutes after they left the house.

              “Three times,” Angie corrected.  She flipped a pancake over.  “But it’s dif’rent than just usin’ the bathroom in the mornin’.”  She looked at Ford.  “You ain’t answered the question, though.”

              “I got a bit distracted by…”  Ford gestured vaguely.  “Everything.”

              “Fair.”  Angie smiled at Ford.  “Go get dressed ‘n whatnot.  Call if ya need some help.”

              “I don’t need help,” Ford muttered.  He turned around and walked out of the kitchen.  As he got ready for the day, his mind was reeling.

              How did I not realize Stan’s wife was my college roommate’s sister?  He’d noticed many times that Angie seemed to have many similarities with Fiddleford, but dismissed it because of her name.  I thought a McGucket would never have a name as mundane as “Angie”.  Clearly, I was wrong.  Ford paused in the middle of putting on his T-shirt.  Unless “Angie” is short for something as ridiculous as “Fiddleford”.  He racked his brains, trying to remember Fiddleford mentioning a sister who was a biologist.  This would be easier if I were able to keep his many siblings straight.  I swear, every time he mentioned a brother or sister, it was a new one.  He shook his head and finished getting ready.

              When Ford approached the kitchen this time, he paused purposefully, just far enough away that he could hear the conversation going on between the adults.

              “Have ya discussed adoptin’ him?” Fiddleford asked.  Stan let out a heavy, weary sigh.

              “It’s definitely on the table.  But I’m gonna hold out hope that they’ll track my twin down in Siberia or something, and Ford can go back to his dad.”

              “If they can’t?” Fiddleford prompted.

              “Then we adopt him,” Angie said softly.  “It’d be better fer him to stay with close fam’ly.  Can’t get much closer ‘n yer dad’s twin brother.  And he’s happy here.”  A strange emotion was beginning to ripple through Ford’s chest.  Guilt?  Comfort?  Some sort of mix of the two?  Something else entirely?  He wasn’t sure, and he didn’t know if he liked how it felt.  Ford finished walking into the kitchen.  The adults all promptly plastered smiles on their faces.  Ford hid a scowl.

              I wish they wouldn’t put on a show like that.  Then again, I’m putting on a show, too.  As Shakespeare said, all the world’s a stage.  He walked up to Fiddleford and cocked his head.

              “Why is your name so different from Aunt Angie’s?” he asked.  Stan roared with laughter.  Angie chuckled softly.  Fiddleford merely blinked at him for a moment before smiling.  He ruffled Ford’s hair.

              One of the other benefits of being this young is that people find my bluntness endearing, rather than off-putting.  Thank Moses for that.

              “Our names are only dif’rent when ya compare my full name to her nickname.  Angie’s proper name is Banjolina McGucket.”

              There we go.  That’s the kind of name I was looking for.

              “Banjolina McGucket-Pines,” Stan corrected.  While Ford was getting ready, Stan had taken a seat at the kitchen table and poured himself a cup of coffee.  He took a sip from his mug, which Ford had made in art class.  “Or did you forget she married me?”

              “Kind of hard to forget somethin’ like that,” Fiddleford said, rolling his eyes.  Ford climbed onto his chair, complete with booster seat.  He wasn’t quite sure, but he felt like he was shorter than he had been when he was five the first time.  Fiddleford’s warm smile at Ford was wiped away when he saw Ford’s twelve fingers.  “…Yer a polydactyl.”

              “You know the word?” Stan asked

              “Learned it ‘cause my roommate was one,” Fiddleford said softly.  He frowned.  “The same way this here kidlet is, no less.  And- honey, what’s yer name short fer?”

              “Stanford,” Ford supplied.  Fiddleford shook his head.

              “My roommate was named Stanford, too.”

              “Was his last name Pines?” Stan asked.

              “Why, yes, it-”  Fiddleford went pale.  “Wait.”  Stan leaned in, frowning.

              “Was your college roommate my twin brother?” he asked.  Fiddleford leaned back.

              “Did yer twin go to Backupsmore?”

              “I’ll have to check with Shermie, but that sounds right.”  Stan looked over at Angie.  “Ang, you hearing this?”

              “Mm-hmm,” Angie hummed.  She slid a fresh chocolate chip pancake onto a plate, then carried the plate over to the table and set it in front of Ford.  “What do ya want to drink, sweetie?”

              “Milk, please,” Ford said.  Angie kissed him on the top of his head, then went to get his drink.

              “Banjey, ya don’t seem as astounded as I’d expect from this revelation,” Fiddleford said.  Angie placed a cup of milk in front of Ford.  She turned to face her brother, propping her hand on her hip.

              “‘Cause I figured it out ages ago,” she said, sounding bored.  Fiddleford and Stan’s jaws dropped.  “First time I saw lil Ford here.  I mean, I did meet yer roommate.”

              Oh.  Right.  I did meet her.  Ford remembered Banjolina McGucket as a hyperactive teenager with a ponytail and obsession with horses.  A far cry from “Aunt” Angie, who wore her caramel-colored hair in a bob and was working at a zoo while pursuing her doctorate degree.  Ford took a sip from his glass of milk.  She’s far sharper than she first appears, that’s for certain.  Angie placed a plate of pancakes in front of her brother.

              “Honestly, Fidds, ya need to spend less time with robots and more time with people.  You’ll forget how to tell us apart!” she teased, poking his long, narrow nose. 

              “Why didn’t ya say anything?” Fiddleford asked.  Angie grinned cheekily.

              “I wanted to see how long it would take ya to catch on.”  She looked over at Stan.  “How many pancakes do ya want?”

              “As many as you’ll give me,” Stan replied.  He smirked at Fiddleford, who still seemed shocked that Angie had connected the dots long ago.  “Don’t worry, Fiddlesticks, you get used to Angie outsmarting you eventually.”

              “Ugh, how many times do I have to tell ya, don’t call me-”

              “No fightin’,” Angie said firmly as she returned with Stan’s plate, setting it in front of her husband.  She rested her hand on Ford’s head.  “Or did ya forget the cute lil kidlet with T-R-A-U-M-A sittin’ right here?”

              “I can spell,” Ford said grumpily.  He looked down at his pancake.  The chocolate chips had been arranged in a smiley face.  He felt a sudden surge of happiness at the simple, but still sweet gesture.  “But, um, yes, no fighting.  Please.”

              “You heard him,” Angie said.  She ran her fingers through Ford’s hair.  Or tried to.  Her fingers quickly got snarled in Ford’s thick curls.  “After breakfast, I’ll comb yer hair, honey.”

              Fantastic.

              “It’s pointless,” Stan said.  “I had hair like that and Mom could never get rid of all the knots.”

              “Don’t mean I won’t try,” Angie replied.  She smiled at Ford.  “How ‘bout ya tell Fidds ‘bout where ya got that shirt yer wearin’?” she prompted.

              “It’s the coolest shirt I ever seen,” Fiddleford said to Ford.  Ford pulled his shirt in front of him to show off the design.  It truly was something he enjoyed.  Angie had taken him to the San Diego Zoo, where she worked in the Reptile House, and at the end of the trip, bought him the T-shirt he was wearing.  It had a picture of a crocodile and the name of the zoo on it, stylized to look like the crocodile was eating the zoo’s logo.

              “Aunt Angie got it for me.”

              “Do you like alligators?” Fiddleford asked.

              “It’s a crocodile.”

              “Crocodile.  Sorry.”  Fiddleford shook his head, hiding a smile.  “Yer pedantic just like yer father, ain’t ya?”  Ford shrugged.  “I was goin’ to suggest ya call me Uncle Fidds, but if yer tied up with semantics like yer dad, ya might not be willin’ to call me that.”

              “Aunt Angie is one of my legal guardians,” Ford said.  “As her brother, it makes sense for me to refer to you as an uncle.”

              Even if it feels incredibly weird.  Fiddleford chuckled softly.

              “Ya talk like yer father, too.  I ain’t ever met a kid like you ‘fore, Ford.”  He grinned.  “But I reckon that’s a good thing.”

[thefairyquill]

I've been having a hell of a time with death lately.

I think my hyper awareness to it increased right around June- my grandmother had been sick for a long time, which wasn't something at the front of my mind often when I could help it, but it was there. It was a mild day. I was cooking something. I drizzled olive oil onto the pan, and went to get something while I waited for it to heat up- and came back to see that the oil formed the shape of a birds skull, specifically that of a corvid.

I don't really believe in omens, or signs, or anything of the sort. I do believe in the human brain finding patterns and meaning in it's surroundings, and sometimes even adding signs where there are none- I believe in people seeing things more often when they're thinking about them, even if it's below the surface. I believe that anything can be a sign if you want it to be.

Regardless though, the next day I found out my grandmother had two weeks left to live, and after that I started seeing death everywhere.

On the way to her funeral, there had been a motorbike accident, and the body was lying on the road, covered in a transparent blue plastic tarp, flowing in the wind made by passing cars, showing off a dark, reflective helmet visor, still fully intact. Dead insects littered the hot pavements. After my return, I went out with my friends- one got hit by a car, thrown almost 3 metres out onto the road, and her limp body sent me into an inconsolable panic, but she lived, somehow totally unharmed. Another found a dead rabbit in a park, its insides being swarmed by flies. Yesterday I saw two rats, playing with each other in the car park bushes, and today I stumbled upon one dead, tiny body swarmed and eyes bloody.

These things are all normal. I am only drawing the connection because of grief and fear. My brain is creating the pattern, drawing additional lines to try and make sense of it. But there is nothing to make sense of. Sometimes, living things just die.