#i. gotta go do chores now. teehee

[chesters-ocs]

augh. yeah. we're so back baby

wc: 1.2k

On a rainy autumn day, Sylvester clocked out earlier than he should have. Hours earlier.

At lunchtime, barely halfway trough his shift, he was out the door, to the befuddlement to his soulmate, who was keen on keeping up the little routine of giving Sylvester food on the daily.

"Where are you going?" Stone asked, stopping him halfway down the hallway, an ever-so subtle hint of confusion clouding his face, the little lunchbox gripped tight in one hand, as the other took hold of Sylvester's coat covered forearm.

Right... Over the months, the larger man had decided his soulmate deserved a proper every day, in a proper lunchbox at that. Sylvester isn't sure when the change of heart happened, but he didn't comment on it. Free food on the daily was, unfortunately, very appreciated. And greatly improved his opinions on the man.

"Ah? Oh! Sorry-! I gotta go!" Sylvester answered quickly, seemingly in a rush. Stone noticed he slightly bounced in place out of nervousness.

He repeats his question: "Where are you going? It's pouring outside."

"No reason! Look, I'll be back tomorrow, okay?" Sylvester tried to reason, steadily withdrawing from the hold Stone had on him.

"Are the kids okay?" he pressed further, growing concerned, adjusting his hand and hold.

"Yes, yes, they're fine. Look, he's waiting for me, I said I'll go when he called"

The grip tightened.

"He?"

"My boyfriend," Sylvester said without thinking, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

In his shock at the news, Stone dropped his hand, and Syl took his chance to leave then.

"Alright, bye!" he waved cheerfully, entering the elevator, zipping up his coat in the process.

Stone was frozen in place.

Deep breath in, deep breath out.

Okay. He's okay now. At least that's what he's trying to tell himself.

Feeling defeated, he returned to his own station. The lovingly made lunch going cold and abandoned, as he wandered over to a window.

Only to just barely see who, he presumed to be, Sylvester's boyfriend holding the lean man in the midst of all the rainfall.

Idiots, he thought bitterly, they'll both get sick. Stone knew for a damn fact the thin overcoat adorning his soulmate was not suitable for rain, given the amount of times Sylvester complained about being soaked to the bone.

He finally looked away when the two kissed, feeling a sense of loss.

He bit back his grief. Of course the one person he actually had grown interested in ends up being taken. Of course it's his one and only soulmate who is dating a different man entirely. A man who looks like he's straight out of some greaser fantasy with that hideously worn down leather jacket and slicked back hair. If he focused hard enough, he's sure to smell the stench of cigarettes seeped into every square centimeter of his body.

Disgusting. Did his soulmate really settle for that?

Instead of stewing in his emotions, he gets back to work. He'll find a way to busy himself for the rest of the day. Maybe for the rest of forever, if it meant not thinking about the implications surrounding his soulmate.

When Sylvester doesn't show up the day after, Stone just sighs. He had a hunch. That sort of rainfall doesn't spare anyone. And he supposes the food he had prepared can be saved for another day. It won't go bad overnight. Worst case scenario, he'll eat it himself. Alone.

It takes Sylvester a week to get back to work. Even then, he's a little stuffy-nosed and his cheeks are ever-so-slightly tinted pink.

Stone is not proud of the fact that he basically runs upstairs to the office at the first sight of the car in the parking lot.

Neither is he proud of the inspection he orchestrates, having a deeply instinctual need to make sure if everything's fine.

Everything was not fine.

"You should have stayed home! I don't have any damn cough syrup to give you!" he cursed, guiding him to sit down. He did not need the older man collapsing on him from exhaustion.

Once the checkup forced upon him is over, Sylvester ignores him, despite being well aware of how right the only medical professional in the room is. His hands mess with a disassembled a walkie-talkie, but his eyes are still slightly glazed. At least he can tell he's listening by the way his ears twitch.

"... Where's your phone?" he demands, causing Sylvester to finally look at him by his own volition.

"What?" his voice crackles, his throat clearly needing rest.

"I need you to call that boyfriend of yours," he doesn't mean to spit the word out like that, but he does.

"Can't," Sylvester says, trying to keep talking to a minimum for the sake of his vocal chords.

"And why not?" Stone challenges, crossing his arms, "He needs to get over here and take you home or so God help me, I'll do it myself."

"He left," Sylvester grumbles. For a second, a brilliant second, hope sparks within the medic.

"He left you?" The hopeful tone is barely hidden, causing the ill man to glare his way and shake his head.

"Left the country," he wheezes out, followed by a dry, prolonged coughing fit.

"Okay, okay, but you really should go home. You're in no shape to work still!" he leaves out how it killed him to be witness to the sad shape his soulmate was in. How he would have swapped sides with him in an instant, were he given the chance.

After a bit of back-and-forth, Stone convinces his soulmate to at least take it easy and sit in Stone's office alongside him. Better to at least keep an eye on him there than to let the man sit behind the wheel in this state.

The temptation to drive him home was there though. He didn't live far, as evidenced by the information he gathered while snooping around for something, anything, when it came to Sylvester.

Though, conveniently, he shielded his eyes at all the minor laws he's broken. Got a job in the military in the end, so, it can't have been that bad, right? At least it's what he tells himself when going to bed in the evenings.

Eventually, Sylvester did doze off. Unsurprising, considering the mild fever wracking his system.

It's a shame he had to wake the man up when his usual shift time reached it's end.

Gently (by his standards) Stone shook him awake, drawing a whine.

"Come on. It's five. You need to go home."

"Mhm..."

"Feel better, at least?"

"Yeah... A little. Thanks," though he made no move to get up from the stiff sofa he had fallen asleep on, stretching.

So trusting, Stone noted to himself.

The next time he clocks in, Sylvester is back to his normal self. Looking a bit more healthy and with that little spark in his eyes that he found himself missing.

At lunchtime, he found himself in the small office once more, and in-between eating, he prodded at information he was quickly growing restless to obtain.

"So why did he leave?"

"Hm?"

"Your boyfriend. Why did he leave the country?"

"Uh, work, I guess."

"You guess?"

"He doesn't like talking about it," Sylvester says, shrugging.

"I wouldn't."

Sylvester glances at him with a hint of confusion: "Wouldn't what?"

"Wouldn't leave you."

Right...

With a roll of his eyes, he commented.

"I appreciate the thought, but look where you are, sweetheart. It's practically your job description."

"Then I'd quit," he says with the same exact nonchalance he would when speaking of the weather.

"Aren't you just a dear?" Sylvester mused, chuckling.

"For you? I try to be."

[pidgecv]

i have to get up on time tomorrow and i’m exhausted and can hardly think thoughts in properly. anyways i know it’s not my job to think about but i’m thinking abt how jo would have a particularly rough time with V going on his fucking journey of enlightenment.

aka unfinished bullshit where the second V leaves, everything is a lot less functional and Cleo immediately sustains a head injury.

i’ll be surpised if this makes any sense tomorrow morning and even more surprised if it’s any good.

knowing me i speedran mischaracterization

feeling cute might delete later idk teehee :p

Naturally, things were going to be a lot less efficient without V around. Cleo had admittedly always been a bit of a follower, and if it weren’t for the fact that she had plenty to do between the glorified chore list V left them to split and her own intensifying search for Ellie, she’d probably be a lot more lost than she was now.

Jo had been particularly despondent the last couple days. Ever since V had pitched the idea of him going out on his own for a while, Jo had become mopey and generally unpleasant. Cleo would be lying if she said she wasn’t worried about him herself, but this was ridiculous. The day V actually left, Jo spent 3 hours glaring at the door. At the same time, Cleo could hardly find a second alone now. Jo was acting very clingy, which when paired with the upset bitchiness was bound to end poorly. This ended up coming to a head when Cleo was about to go check out a lead on her sister’s location.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Jo spat with all the confidence of a righteous mother scolding her child. Cleo was not having it.

“Out. Just because V’s out there fucking soul-searching or whatever doesn’t mean I’ve gotta stop what I’ve been doing.” She met Jo’s glare with an annoyed look of her own.

“Like hell you’re going without me. We’ve gotta stick together now even more than before. Besides, we were just out scavenging, and we’ve got more than enough to do in the base right now.”

“I’ve done my packing for the day. I’m not grounded or anything and I’m an adult, I can leave the damn base.”

“This is different and you know it. There’s actual danger out there. I know you saw the infected as well, and with V gone we’ve lost our resident medic.”

“We haven’t ‘lost’ anyone. Besides, I’m not going to get hurt. I leave the base on my own all the time. Why’ve you got a problem with it now? What the hell has gotten into you?”

“What are you even talking about?!”

“You’ve been acting strangely ever since V decided to leave.”

“Did you forget about the BOMB THREAT?!”

“I know DAMN well that THIS isn’t about the bomb threat. You’re upset that V left and now you’re taking it out on ME.”

“Well, MAYBE you should’ve helped me convince him to stay.”

“I tried, jackass! He wouldn’t hear it and you know that.”

“It’s dangerous to be alone out there and we should be sticking together right now!”

“You think I don’t KNOW that?! I’m not LEAVING I’m going OUT for a little.”

“Like hell you are!”

“Oh my fucking god Jo, you’re not my mom.”

“I’m not letting you leave me too!”

“I’m not GOING ANYWHERE!”

“DAMN RIGHT!!”

“I’M GOING OUT WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. MANIFEST YOUR DAMN ISSUES SOMEWHERE ELSE!!” Cleo shouted, shouldering Jo out of the way in an effort to leave the base. Jo grabbed her arm and in a desperate, frustrated panic yanked her backwards hard enough for Cleo to go crashing to the ground. The side of her head hit the wall behind them with a loud crack and Jo froze, unsure of what to do.

Jo had not meant to do that. Frankly, she wasn’t sure what she’d meant to do or why she was so worried about Cleo leaving in the first place. Maybe she didn’t want to deal with an injury since it would mean more work for her. Maybe she didn’t like the tone Cleo had taken on while talking to her. Maybe it was the thought of being alone again, sitting in a house that’s empty save for the silence filling every corner of every room. Maybe she had been scared.

Meanwhile, Cleo somehow remained conscious but deeply confused. Her glasses had been knocked off from the impact which only fueled her disorientation. She wasn’t sure if her vision had been messed up by the fall or if she just needed to find her glasses. A blurry figure loomed over her, before kneeling at her side (why was Cleo laying down?) and handing her her glasses. The lights were very bright and her head hurt (did she hit her head?). She put her glasses on but her vision remained blurry and strange (she would ask her mom to schedule an eye doctor appointment when she came home from work).

“Cleo?” Cas asked her, as she started propping herself up on her elbows. The slight motion made her head throb and the edges of her watery vision darken and blur.

“Cas, can you call for Hannah? I think I’m sick.”

“What? Cleo, you hit your head. I’m just going to go get some ice.” Cas declared, sounding uncharacteristically lost.

“We don’t have any ice kiddo, it’s the apocalypse. Remember?” Cleo laughed humorlessly, managing to sit up against a wall. Ellie said nothing in return as Cleo felt her eyes slip shut. But she couldn’t nod off, she was in a lecture. Something warm trickled down the side of her head and onto her shoulder. Cleo raised her hand.

“Put your hand down Cleo, and hold this to the side of your hea- oh fuck.”

“Professor, can I go to the nurse?”

“You know what? Sure. Cmon man, up you go.” thin arms looped around Cleo’s torso and pulled her up. The fuzzy world pitched around her and she could barely put one foot in front of the other. The ice pack fell from her loose grip almost immediately, hitting the floor with a clatter that pierced her brain like a hot knife.

“Whysm head ‘urt?” Cleo asked, words starting to slur as she navigated the fuzzy world.

“Uh, you hit your head.”

“Oh.” Cleo returned her focus to moving her legs. Her vision started to fade out at the edges.”

“Cas, i thinkm gonna fall—“ The last thing Cleo heard before her vision went dark was a panicked voice she couldn’t place saying something in response.

She’s fine btw

unused line: “Jo had no idea what to do. Not just with Cleo, but herself.”

they both agree to never tell V about this. whether he finds out regardless is up to interpretation.

i know nothing about head injuries and i don’t care to do research. i am well aware that this type of thing would take a long ass time to heal but i’m ignoring that bc i think it’s funnier if they do not tell V.

[maegan-internship-journalingling]

A Day in the life of an SSO Librarian ✨

Score Prep Version

My role as an Orchestra Librarian is essentially the backbone of the Orchestra. Score preparation is what we do mainly, for upcoming concerts in either Victoria Concert Hall or Esplanade Concert Hall. We prepare full scores for Conductors and score parts for respective musicians.

Let's see how it's like! 🫣

〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Taping Scores 〗

Taping scores sounds like a chore, doesn't it? But for me, it feels therapeutic 😌

We use a special tape, ordered from Japan, to tape pages into a score part. It should somehow look like and be able to flip pages like a book, instead of taping in a way such that the score opens out into a long "snake". This seems extremely easy right? NO! It's not!! There is technique involved and should not take too long to finish taping a set of score parts.

How to be fast and presentable? Here are the tips!

Have weights on both pages

Avoid touching the pages, minimal movement

Have steady hands!

Always tape a small part of the top section before taping the lower section!

Following these tips, I've gotten used to taping scores quickly in the span of 2 days! I was slower than a tortoise before, and now, I am as fast as playing scales at 200 bpm!! (Ok, over exaggerating much haha!) Gotta steal this technique to use on my own works and scores teehee 😋

〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Markings and Bowings 〗

See those up bows and down bow markings? These are what I needed to transfer for the string section! 😱

Usually, we would hand the first desks score parts to the respective Principals of each string section for them to mark their bowings. Then, the responsibility would be passed to us librarians to transfer their markings to the remaining desks.

Sometimes, we would prepare music that had been performed before, which means we just have to double check for any changes in the previous bow markings.

The transferring process trained my workplace agility - to be efficient and precise. It tires my eyes very quickly though! It's the back and forth movement that I need to get used to. Although, I'm proud to say that I've learnt to manage my time well!

This is how I do it!

〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Proofreading 〗

Perfection is key! This is a composition done by Kelly Tang, and I'm proofreading it so that there are no mistakes in the final score before printing it out professionally. (The score in A4 size is my reference, the one behind is for proofreading!)

This is an essential skill to have as a composer. It got me to be observant and accurate, especially since final scores should be as perfect as possible for sight reading and practice.

Previously, my take on score preparation was just a done-and-go thing. My original scores probably had a handful of mistakes / unclear engravings etc. Now, I've learnt the importance of proofreading even though it is a tiring process.

It is not a one or two hour long job. Rather, it takes patience and probably a day or two for a 50 page score to finish proofreading.

As such, there should be a period of at least a week before a deadline to proofread and check every single detail of a composition to ensure accuracy and proper score preparation.

〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Cues & Page turns 〗

Cues - a melodic line held by an instrument that is not played by the instrument of the score part, usually placed in the middle of a sea of rests, and in front of a new phrase by a bar or two after long rests (E.g, Oboe, Clarinet, Flute, Piccolo cues for the Timpanist to know when to come in at mm. 102)

Page turns - on even pages (usually on the flipped side) to have multiple bars of rest to facilitate better page turns, letting musicians know that they have enough time to turn a page and prepare for the upcoming lines they need to play.

These knowledge were particularly new to me, I wasn't aware of its existence. Though, I have tried making good page turns, but I did not understand what it was exactly. I thought that having good page turns means to have a neat page 😂 Never have I thought about including cues in a score part! I thought that the musicians would have to count on their own to their best ability 😅

Nonetheless, I have added these knowledge into my composer's toolbox! Teehee~

[pin3-vin3]

I've been called on! !

I write a few poly packs myself actually but none of them fit this exact configuration but now you've got me thinking... (Also these are chock full of my dynamic headcanons 🤭)

A big king size bed not being enough for them, so they turn their living room space or den space into one big nesting space they can all comfortably sprawl and nest in together

At first the beta tries to take more of a back seat in the relationship—playing more of a supporting role than a supported one— because that's just the societal expectation for their role in axbxo relationships. They make most of the preparations for their outings and assure to the other that they'd be fine if they ever want to go off and do something fun without them. If the beta character wouldn't act on these thoughts maybe they'd just keep them in mind, frequently feeling uneasy or uncomfortable that they're taking up too much attention or time.

It's not long before the other 3 pick up on this though, and they're quick to reassure the beta of their solid place in the relationship.

The beta having a collection of recipes under their belt they've learned over the years, turning them into head chef at meal time. The beta and one or both of the alphas crowded into the kitchen while the beta instructs on their best strategies. All four of them slowly sharing their favorite meals and recipes they had growing up, creating a melting pot of tasty meals everyone enjoys in good time.

Group scenting is a dearly cherished weekly activity, a good winding down from daily responsibilities. Everyone piling together and scenting each other so they'll all smell connected in the coming days.

Every time someone leaves the house, anyone else who's around sees them off and lightly scents their and clothes. Affectionate calming gestures that also tell possible onlookers they're very much taken.

I hc that betas have more sensitive noses, so they're all more light when scenting them and their clothes.

The two alphas constantly competing but in harmless ways. Who can bring home a snack everyone likes first. Who's quickest to tackle the house chores. Who sets up a better nest. The "loser" has to smother the winner in affection. It started out as an unspoken game they tried keeping subtle, but it didn't take long for the other two to figure them out. It's hopelessly endearing to them and soon everyone's in on it and it's like an official game. The beta and omega even sometimes step in as very subjective judges.

As far as mating cycles are concerned, when one of the alphas or the omega are experiencing them they'd rarely all spend it together taking different supportive roles, but for the most part only one or two of the others will step in while whoever's left takes care of other responsibilities. Bills gotta get paid!!

Teehee these were fun I hope they shall suffice until further notice 🫶🏾

Any hc’s about an polyamorous pack? (2 alphas 1 beta 1 omega)

I'll tag some of my favs to answer this instead. I don't wanna keep you waiting because I know I'm not good with poly headcanons. Lol

@pack-the-pack @beta-adjacent @midnight-omega

[g0ttal0ve101]

Ocs background in a few seconds go! 🤸‍♀️

Evelyn

Evelyn: *born*

Callum: *born*

Their parents: yay

*time skip 🥶*

Their mom: ew you have disorders like me die

Their dad: we can just kill them

Their mom: yes

Evelyn: this is not bussing

Callum: fr anyway 👊

Evelyn: ow

Callum: stop cleaning my stuff lmao anyway our parents want us to get poisoned at dinner so I switched up the drinks because I’m big brain

Evelyn: wow you’re still an asshole though

Callum: bitch

*time skip 😨*

Their parents: *dead af*

Callum: lmao I was born 0.01 seconds sooner so I’m in charge btw 👊

Evelyn: ow wtf

Callum: ok now I’m gonna kill you

Evelyn: I’m a bad bitch you can’t kill me 🔪🔪

Callum: ow damn *dies*

Evelyn: anyway I’m running away bye 🏃‍♀️

Thomas

Thomas: *born*

His mom: I hate you

His dad: I hate you too let’s have another kid

His mom: bet

*time skip 😦*

His mom: ok I had the baby now bye

His dad: wait now I’m left with an infant and an one year old *drops Lindsey on her mfing head*

Lindsey: *brain damage*

His dad: oops anyway lemme just give them whatever they want

*time skip 😳*

Lindsey: I’m drunk

Thomas: wow I couldn’t tell you always act stupid as fuck

Lindsey: ok let’s make out

Thomas: bitch we’re mfing siblings I’m out 🚶‍♂️

*time skip 😫*

Al: *exists*

Thomas: 😏 hey daddy

Sam

Sam: *born*

His mom: *sick*

His dad: bye I gotta work overseas aka🥛🥛🥛

*time skip 🤩*

His mom: ok your dad wants you to do ballet

Sam: ok

His instructor: 😏

Sam: not ok

His mom: oof that’s bad but anyway *dies*

Sam: oh my god I hate myself for letting this happen

His instructor: ayo since your mom just died I can make you feel better 😏

Sam: ok thank you *kills him*

His instructor: *bamboozled 100000000*

Police: Damn what happened 🗿

Sam: no idea 😨😨😨😨😨😨😨

Police: ok it’s not you lmao you can leave

*time skip 😌*

Sam: I’m a stalker and a boy now because people treat me like shit either way oh and no one ever suspects me teehee

Lucian

Lulu: *born*

Michelle: ayo I don’t want this one

Felix: MICHELLE‼️‼️ 🤬🤬🤬

*time skip 😓*

Lulu: omg sir prince sparkle queen princess glitter I love you

Cat: *scratches him*

Lulu: I changed my mind 👊

Cat: 🍔

Lulu: mmm

Felix: LUCIAN‼️‼️

*time skip 🥺*

Felix and Adora: *die*

Michelle: damn I kinda hate you more you’re never allowed to leave the house, you have to do all the chores, and you have to make me money

Lulu: ok

Michelle: not ok I hate you 👊👊👊👊👊👊

Lulu: ok

Michelle: bitch I will kill you

Lulu: ok 🪓

Michelle: what the fu-