#if you can guess which ones i sent you get a gold star

[miksterrr]

the ninja as things me and my friends have texted each other

Zane

"it was between sex, lobotomies, or death- I figured death was the safest option."

Jay

"Pirate hat one day, student loans the next"

-

"The cloak looks like a dick."

"Sorry"

-

"Thoughts are hard to grab and they come by fast"

-

"My med doctor increased my meds again, idk why"

-

"My dad got me another bag of edibles lol so now technically i have 23"

-

"I almost forgot our swords Cole"

"I KNEW I SHOULD"VE REMINDED YOU"

Kai

"Is it bad that it took me toget drunk to be convinced that i have adhd ??"

-

"I AM NOT PUTTING THAT CORSET BACK ON"

-

"Lloyd talk to your fucking deities/spirits istfg."

-

"So I haven't skipped any of my class this week, but this is also the week where ive gotten the least amount of hw done"

Nya

"What's life w/o a little mind fuckery"

-

"I think I might have a caffeine problem"

"oh NOW you realize what we've been saying"

-

"I've only hit one thing so far"

"did you just call kai a thing?"

Lloyd

"Don't you have a stable income rn?"

"lmao no"

-

"Bucket list: go to the mothman festival"

-

"When the tarot cards tell you to go to therapy"

-

"Worse case I get hit by a car"

"I don't think being hit by a car would be very fun"

"but then I wouldn't have to deal with my family"

Cole

"The poem we read in class today was abt tentacle porn :/"

-

"I had a dream last night where yall gave me a mullet"

"Let's do it"

"Let's not!"

-

"How the fuck did I bruise my shoulder"

-

"Being an adult is a fucking scam"

Bonus:

"I got a fifty on my midterm!"

"Out of??"

"110!"

"Yikess"

"I thought i was gonna get a thirty!"

"I mean congrats then?"

"good job"

[thankyouforthememoriesworld]

Updated Version 2.

They were both overlapped in Minnesota for the North Tartan Summer Jam-June 2016. They had a lot of basketball overlap in June/July 2016 but again, separate age groups, with Azzi playing in a higher age group than Paige.

USA U16 Trials in May 2017 when they met.

Won Gold together with U16 on June 11, 2017.

Flew to Minnesota together where Azzi probably spent the summer doing her camping and State Fair in August 2017. Before this though: they participated in the North Tartan Summer Jam-June 2017 but different groups. I think that first birthday post from Azzi is probably from this tournament. Also, they may have also had an EYBL tournament in Indianapolis in July 2017. This is also when those crush snapchats were most likely sent because the song itself was released July 7, 2017.

Generally, they always have a lot of overlap in the summer because of AAU

Their visit to Maryland, Notre Dame and UConn in Fall 2017. Offered scholarships by UConn at that time.

Azzi and Paige were together at the beginning of Feb, training. Azzi's high school is WCAC Champs at the end of Feb 2018 and Azzi was also player of the year as a Freshman.

Late March 2018, both participated in the 2018 USA Basketball 3x3 U18 National Championship. Paige’s team got first, and Azzi’s got second. Paige’s team went on to rep in the youth Olympics.

April 2, 2018 Paige and her Hopkins teammates watched the UConn Notre Dame 2018 Championship game. Paige apparently watched this match up twice by April 2019 and Azzi watched the 12/3/17 game against ND in Hartford. Maybe overlap?

Paige and Azzi played in the Nike Boo Williams Invitational for their separate AAU teams in Virginia on April 20-22, 2018. Azzi's team (Fairfax Stars 17s EYBL) won platinum undefeated in their division where she stood out as one of the best players at 15 years old. Paige's team (North Tartan 15s EYBL) won platinum undefeated in her division. Geno was apparently at this tournament from what I read.

Paige was in DC to play in the Capitol Classic on April 28, 2018. You can watch the entire game if you want.

Reunited in Colorado May 2018 for USA trials.

The 11th annual North Tartan Summer Jam in Hopkins Minnesota was held June 15-17, 2018, where both Paige and Azzi's AAU teams played against each other. Paige’s team beat Azzi’s team 79-63 but both ended with a 3-1 record with Paige's team getting second place. Azzi watched Paige's final game.

Basically, together all of July because training was July 4-20, with a pre-tournament invitational in Latvia. Afterwards, won Gold with U17 on July 29, 2018.

Azzi attends her first Curry Camp in August 6-7 2018. She blows up after the three point contest. At this point I also assume Minnesota cabin trip and state fair was spent together. Azzi was recognized while on a cruise with Bueckers family after the contest (Date unknown but assuming summer). Azzi also helped with Paige's charity clinic at the end of August in Montana.

Azzi and her family were also in Minnesota for a family wedding in September 2018.

11/2/18 Visit to UConn together. Azzi’s sweet 16 on 11/11/18. We know Paige was there.

March 2019 Azzi is presented Gatorade National Player of the Year for Basketball. Azzi's team is 2nd in the nation.

Paige wins state championship on March 16, 2019. Azzi is there supporting (she's in that day after vlog episode of Paige's teammate wearing her St. Patty's day necklace and referred to as National POY which she just got beforehand).

Both of them flew to Montana and I'm guessing that's when the Yellowstone trip happened. Probably Spring Break.

Buckets with Bueckers camp in Montana - March 25, 2019. Azzi was there.

April 1, 2019, Paige commits to UConn (signs letter of intent in November 2019). I think this is also the day Azzi got her puppy Stewie.

April 4-6, 2019 Azzi’s high school team makes the Geico Nationals final but loses. Not sure if Paige was there.

April 13, 2019 Azzi tears hear ACL/MCL at USA 3x3 championship. Surgery on May 29, 2019 in Indianapolis. Paige was with her before surgery (video proof from Azzi herself).  

April 26-28, 2019 AAU together (Azzi not playing).

June 2019 – Paige participates in Summer Jam 2019 with Metro Stars.

July/August 2019 – After Azzi attends the ESPYS and SC30 Select Camp for both of them, Minnesota tradition (they have tiktoks from that time at the cabin and started their joint account that summer). I also think this is when that one Overtime video was filmed with the competition.

10/10-16/19 – Paige is in Doha Qatar for USA Basketball 3x3 tournament. Then she went to First Night at UConn and I think visited Azzi before she went to LA for ESPNW. Azzi visited UConn the week before First Night supposedly.

Dec 16, 2019: First HUDL recruiting video. End of December 2019, Azzi was presumably training with Mamba family in NYC.

Reunited in January 2020 in DMV. Azzi’s first games back from ACL were around this time and Paige was there (they filmed tiktoks together and there are videos of her in the stands). During her visit, Paige's second HUDL recruiting video for Azzi was published.

Azzi’s high school team wins state championships in early March 2020. Azzi travels to Minnesota in mid-March 2020 for Paige’s final but Covid shutdown occurs.

Paige stays with the Fudds from the end of April until June 2020 where she goes back for her graduation in early June and I think possibly packing up her stuff because I know her family was relocating to DMV at this time. She rejoins the Fudds in late June and stays with them and travels with them for Azzi’s GTS team up until end of July. Paige also gets her Gatorade award presented to her at the Fudd’s house on July 24, 2020.

Azzi is in Minnesota with her GTS in August of 2020 and Paige starts UConn.

Azzi visits Paige on her birthday and I believe tells her she’s committing to UConn in October 2020.

Azzi's Togethxr video of her day in the life with the facetime call was filmed November 5, 2020 (pop quiz had a date).

Azzi commits to UConn in November 11, 2020 and turns 18.

Paige's UConn season starts with her first games being cancelled because everyone is in a 14 day quarantine when one person tests positive. This was the reality of that time - they had to contact tracing and couldn't risk getting Covid during the season. They didn't have anymore cancelled games after the end of January but it certainly was an issue early on. UConn had nearly 75% of their courses online or hybrid for entire Fall 2020. Out of state students enrolled in online courses didn't live on campus. This was the reality of Paige's first year. Most likely not as social as people think and really just FTing Azzi at 1 AM apparently.

Azzi attends UConn-Tennessee game on January 21, 2021 to cheer on Paige.

Azzi attends UConn Final Four on April 2, 2021 and also attends the final (while being on FT with Paige).  

Paige has ankle surgery afterwards and hanging out a lot with the Fudds as she rehabs during April and May 2021.

Azzi has USA U19 Trials in May 2021. Then graduation and prom for high school at the end of May (Paige was present during this time). Then summer session at UConn. Paige has her ESPY award speech in July 2021.

Azzi wins gold with team USA before landing back in Mn in mid August 2021 and reunited with Paige and heading to UConn.

My God, you did it 👑. Here's Pazzi's updated timeline for the people.

[1didofest]

1D I Do Fest - Masterpost 2024

Thank you to everyone who supported the fest and to all the authors who gifted us with these wonderful stories.

Twist of Fate by @freakingmeout28 / freakingmeout

Some marriages don't start with love… When his parents tell Harry that they expect him to marry Louis Tomlinson he's more than just against it, he hates them for thinking it would magically solve all his problems and make him their dream son. Louis on the other side isn't keen to marry someone like Harry either, but since it's his only way to save his family's name, he goes for it. Against their own will they get married and are sent on a honeymoon together where they don't have a chance to avoid each other. Their marriage doesn't start with love, but while Louis helps Harry fighting his alcohol addiction they find something in the other that they both needed. Through trials and tribulations, their bond strengthens, transcending the confines of tradition to blossom into a profound love story of resilience and redemption. A story for the 1D I Do fest, a very free interpretation of the following prompt: Arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, preferably larry, forced proximity. Sent on a honeymoon but it’s at the room in the Maldives thats in the middle of the ocean only accessed by boat. Featuring sharing of beds, secret pining, awkward morning wood, arguments but you cannot escape the other.

Guess What by @elmeiko88 / Elmeiko88

Harry should have done a better job of checking out the restaurant where he had decided to get down on one knee.

We Should Be Shooting For Them Stars Of Gold by @babyhoneyheslt / babyhoneyhslt

To make his dream of becoming a tour photographer come true, Harry reluctantly agrees to marry his annoying ex. Louis Tomlinson might be a big name in the music industry, but his reputation needs some polish. Neither of them expects this to end well, but maybe a two week honeymoon in the Maldives can change everything.

Who would have guessed? by SweetieR

“So why don’t we just shag?” “Like what? Like an enemies with benefits kinda shit?” blue eyes lit up in amusement, “Is that even a thing?” Harry shrugged. “It could be.” “But they always end up married when that happened in movies.” Louis made a face, clearly disgusted at the idea. “Don’t worry Louis,” Harry said, shaking his head in amusement. “I’m never ever gonna marry you.” “Trust me, the feeling is very mutual, Styles.” and then, “You’re only like an advanced sex toy.” Harry laughed at that, a genuine laugh. “Look at that.” he elbowed him, “We’re already agreeing on something.” Or - Prompt 2 / “It’s funny how I said I’d never marry you but here we are.”

he bought a ring (and he found the one) by @thefootnotes / whateverthecalamity

All Harry has ever wanted was the big white wedding with someone he loves; and he thinks he’s finally landed on it. That is, until a certain pair of bright blue eyes are looking up from the back of the chapel. Or the one where Harry Styles is looking for marriage, Louis Tomlinson is looking for closure, and both find something unexpected.

If I could Fly by @super--noah / SuperNoah

Just around the one year anniversary of their fake getting back together date, and what most people believe is their three year anniversary Louis has planned to pop the big question for real. It's his first evening off in several weeks and him and Harry had a date night planned. Plans change when Louis returns home to see Harry looking stressed about going out. Even if the evening has a few more non-happy tears than planned, the question is asked and answered. Which is how Harry and Louis ends up spending the summer holidays arguing over colours and food choices. Disagreements, hardship and tears eventually leads to I Do's and more, but very welcome, tears.

[jupitersmoon167]

hey… about that cod x marvel crossover…….

— 🎨

🎨 anon, this was my genuine reaction seeing this:

Oh boy, where do I even begin?

Okay, so I have a few ideas plot wise, both of which have to involve extreme detailing, cause in my mind I (unfortunately) can’t just smush these two fandoms together just for the hell of it. It’s gotta make sense.

And as much as I’m into incorporating the CoD:MW timeline into the MCU timeline, that’s just not as fun. So, what better way of introducing these two fandoms than thru ✨multiverse✨shenanigans?

Fair warning, I’m also incorporating aspects from the comics (in regards to Marvel) and weaving some of that into a MCU AU/canon divergence of sorts. But overall, incursions play a big role in both of my ideas. It just depends on when it occurs.

Regardless of the plot, it’ll be set Pre MWII CoD wise and Post Endgame MCU wise (we’ll just ignore the obvious yearly difference)

Regarding the MCU, there’ll be a bit of canon divergence:

- Tony doesn’t die at the end of Endgame (but he’s retired)

- Steve doesn’t fuck off to the past and stays in the present (he’s also retired and works more behind the scenes when necessary, so Sam is still Captain America)

- The ending from Far From Home doesn’t happen (I also may just scrap the events from that film entirely for reasons I can explain later)

- Secret Invasion doesn’t happen (cause let’s face it that show was an absolute dumpster fire, and I think the Taskforce would already have enough to deal with besides a terror organization consisting of shapeshifting aliens).

And depending on whether I add a certain OC (one that I’ve already introduced in the past), the story would start off Post The Marvels due to one component that was introduced in that film (a gold star to anyone who can guess what that component is).

ENOUGH EXPOSOTION

Let’s get into the plots!

My first idea was this:

So do you remember in the Hawkeye show that stuff from the Avengers Compound was stolen after it was bombed and being sold on the black market? Well after that fiasco, Clint would make Sam, Bucky and the others aware of this so they can keep an eye out for anything shady. Fast forward, and the team (thru some sort of means) finds out that some of that stuff, whether it be Stark tech, confiscated tech from the Battle of New York/Thanos’ Attack on Earth, magical artifacts, whatever it may be, has been sent to another universe. And so, to risk the event of an incursion, they travel to that universe to get all of it back.

My second idea would be a sort of Secret Wars/Battleworld type scenario where the CoD:MW and MCU universes sort of just, merge out of the blue. One moment they’re their own universes, next thing you know, an incursion like event occurs, but rather than one or both universes being destroyed, they just merge together. People from the CoD universe suddenly wake up to find that superheroes exists, gods and aliens are real, half the population was dead for a few years before coming back, and there’s apparently the corpse of a giant celestial being who emerged from the Earth’s crust now just sitting in the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, everyone from the MCU timeline is like “fuck it, this might as well happen”.

Regardless, the Avengers cross paths with TF141 (whether it be accidentally or deliberately) and shenanigans occur.

I’ve got a lot more I can share, but this is already long enough 😅

I also might reveal details on how I think the Avengers would interact with the TF141 and the dynamics between the canon characters and my OC’s (both of which I’ll make character profiles on eventually when I’m not so busy with college classes).

Speaking of college, it’s nearly 6am as I’m writing this and I have class in a few hours 💀 so imma head to bed

[the-eclipse-is-in-me]

My Essay and Fic

I finished my my essay, EEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKK

It's like 3 am where I am, but I could sleep so instead I did my essay and now it is finished. YAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!!!1

A great weight has been lifted off my shoulders, I can go back to writing fanfiction now, hooray. After taking the weekend for a break cause words are starting to hurt my eyes (jk)

In celebration, I'm putting another already-written chapter here on Tumblr.

Chapter 3: Opportunity (Cresent's POV)

Summary:

Here's Cresent's POV of Chapter 2, also all chapters from here are set in the past until I say otherwise, so don't get all mixed up.

Notes:

I had no ideas for this chapter, so I wrote this. the songs for this chapter are Opportunity and Youngblood

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

I was out for my walk (just kidding I was going for a snack at the dining pavilion) when I suddenly heard a LOT of screaming coming from Half-blood Hill. So being the very sensible person I was. I went to check it out.

As I walked, a boy with curly red hair reached the top of the hill. He noticed Peleus, the dragon that guards the Golden Fleece and Thalia’s tree. The idiot didn’t notice a rock behind him as he backed away and came tumbling down the hill (it was hilarious and very hard not to laugh at).

At that point, I had reached the base of the hill, and he landed right in front of me, face first. When he looked up the first thing I noticed were his solid gold eyes. They had a confident shine in them, which was weird for a boy who just come rolling down a hill. His red hair fell on his face in a dorky, cute way, which I may or may not have smiled at. He had a few piercings on his ears and was wearing a black hoody with a star on the front.

It was very obvious that this guy was new, which was amazing cause I was new too, and was having trouble making friends (don’t tell Will though, I don’t want to bother him) I arrived a few weeks ago, and got claimed a while after that, a daughter of hades I was apparently. I had a whole cabin to myself, with not a single sign of anyone else.

I was also introverted and autistic, so human (or is it demigod) interactions didn’t come that easily to me. I wanted someone to hang out with and talk to, but getting out there was always so hard, especially after what happened last time. Anyways, the new guy started to get up but instantly fell back down. His ankle seemed to be broken, and we weren’t necessarily close to the infirmary.

So I decided that as my one good deed of the day, I used the nearest shadow to send him to the infirmary, causing me to be fatigued. I knew that Will would be in the infirmary and knew it was probably me who sent the new guy there, so I wasn’t that worried, also new guy would probably pass out, so no worrying about him panicking. I went back to my snack quest before heading to my cabin for a well-earned rest.

When I woke up from my quick nap, I found a kit Kat waiting for me on the nightstand, because Will knew me too well, and a glass of water. I took the food and headed out, wanting to check on my buddy in the infirmary.

I reached the infirmary and heard voices inside. “He’s awake, yes. Ok Cresent, you only have one shot of this. DON’T. MESS. UP”  While I was giving my little motivation speech in my head, Will came over and opened the door, because only Will could have such bad timing. I tried to act like I was about to open the door on my own and walked through. “Ok, fingers crossed”

“Hey, I just wanted to check in on the new guy” I said trying to stay calm and collected.

“Hi, I’m over here, and I have a name, by the way.” So he thinks he’s funny. No problem, I can fix that.

“Ya, well I can’t exactly ask if the person is passed out, now can I.”

“Ok, I guess you’re right, I’m Quinn, Quinn Mechai, and you?” Shocked Will didn’t mention me already but fine. “Also they have a cool name”

“Cresent Solace, what does your name mean?" Can you blame me for asking, it's a nice name and I would like to know what it means.

"Victory or victorious in Thai." He's foreign too, today keeps getting better.

"Cool, nice to meet you, Victory. Now, if you’re feeling better, would you like a tour of camp?” “Smooth Cres, smooth”

“I’d love that, thanks” “Yesssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Quinn got out of his cot and followed me out of the infirmary. I couldn’t think of any place I’d rather be.

I think this is one of my fav chapters, now here is my essay for any idiots who would want to read it

From Crisis to Clarity: How access to clean water improves lives. 

Clean water is important for many things. It is a must for our survival, as it used in multiple aspects of our lives. We use it for keeping ourselves clean and healthy. While this is the case, a large population of people do not have access to clean water. A lot of people could be healthier and lead better lives with our help, and here is how.

How does clean water improve our lives?

Clean water has multiple benefits. It keeps us healthy and hydrated. Clean water keeps us clean as well. We use it to cook, clean ourselves and drinking. If we only had contaminated water, We would all be sick and obviously less capable to do different tasks.

Everyday, we use clean water to hydrate ourselves, making sure we can still commit to all our daily tasks with ease. We use it to cook food, to give us nutrition and energy for our bodies to use. We use it to wash ourselves, making sure we look and smell our best. Clean water is important for many reason, this just listing a few.

What about the rest?

Not everyone has access to clean water. Even though there is a large population that does have access, many people don’t and are at risk of getting diseases that could easily be avoided if they had clean water. Contaminated water collected form unsupervised wells, springs, lakes, ponds, etc., can cause great illness if not cleansed properly, which in most cases, is not. 

In some cases, clean water is available, but not necessarily accessible. People have to travel far distances to collect the water, and then come back to their homes. This isn’t a sustainable way to live, going back and forth for such a basic necessity. According to the WHO, this happens “not only between rural and urban areas but also in towns and cities where people living in low-income, informal or illegal settlements usually have less access to improved sources of drinking-water than other residents.” leading to people searching for anything in the would suffice, even if it is unsanitary.

Some of these people don’t have as much of a choice as the rest of us. These people aren’t able to simple go to their kitchen and instantly get a cup of water, clean water. As many things are, it is more complicated than that. It is up to us to come up with ways to help there people attain the healthier live that the rest of us can already.

How can we help?

Water is a truly sacred thing. It should also be available and accessible to everyone. Some ways we can help other communities access clean water is donating into creating better water-cleaning facilities and educating these people on the better ways they can clean their water, so we can all be lovely and healthy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, clean water is a very important asset in our lives and it is upon us, the more fortunate people to share it with as many as we can. Water is crucial for our survival, and with our contributions and teachings, far more people will be able to access it. Everyone should be clean, it’s possible and with our help it will happen.

This is my longest post for sure, if you made it this far, here is a cookie 🍪🥠🏺

Tags for no reason: @permetutotheworld @fukurouonthesea

@massiveladycat @biggestqiblifan (i'm only sorry for this one cause you have exams, sorry babe)

[the-cat-chat]

July 13, 2024

Gladiator (2000)

A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.

Warning: Review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

JayBell: This movie should be renamed whiny-manchild-throws-a-tantrum-cause-he-doesn't-get-his-way. And man does Joaquin Phoenix play that role so well here. Cause, yeah, Russell Crowe does a great job as the tragic protagonist, but Joaquin Phoenix really stands out in this role.

He's so slimy and weird and creepy (hello incest much???) which is why it's so scary that he has so much power. He's just very childish and immature too. A very easy character to root against throughout. His downfall is so satisfying.

I have to admit, I have a soft spot for this movie. It's one of my dad's favorites (I'd say it's the #1 dad movie for dads everywhere), so I associate it with him more than anything. But that makes sense because it's a great movie. It's got emotional moments, a bit of romance, bonds of brotherhood, underdog-esque plot, betrayal, politics, some fight scenes.

It is long, but honestly, it's got good pacing and feels necessary for the ultimate, bittersweet ending to have the impact it deserves. I can't wait to see how the long-awaited sequel fares.

Rating: 8/10 cats 🐈

Anzie: So let’s start honestly. I never ever ever saw this movie or really thought to watch this movie. And I’m ashamed to say it’s bc I thought it was a “dude” movie maybe? Subconsciously? Even though I could quote it- had no idea about the plot. And I’m very happy to say I was entertained. 😈 …. Tooo I’ve only maybe seen 4 or 5 Russell Crowe movie, so let’s just call it and say I’m inept.

First can we start with baby Russell Crowe? Nough said. Second can we talk about baby Joaquin Phoenix? What a litttttle freeeeaaakkk. And I’m actually hurt by how young he is in this and someone pls get him some eye cream or iron supplements. But yeah I can’t believe how much he played the role of creep- like he was in it. 5 evil gold stars.

I will say it is verrrrry long and I guess you need it all?? Just bc you need the tragic plot of the first half and his super secret flying under the radar gladiator moment and then bammmm big reveal.

It was fun.

The ending is nuts and I am sooooo mad that little freak stabbed Maximus before the fight but it’s expected. Shoutout to how everyone flocks only to Maximus when he dies too. That’s cold.

I have to say I’m really stoked about the new sequel now even though it’s a different storyline from this one.

^ I do have to mention his family being killed was horrrrendous and the tiger and other gladiators- just ooof.

Rating: 7/10 Tigers 🐅

[feuqueerfire]

Wandee Goodday Ep 8 Live Blogging

Watching it on Sunday because I was too preoccupied with The Worst of Evil and Infernal Affairs (2002) on Saturday, means I got spoiled for stuff.

Ep 8 (June 23)

8-1

necklace already

is this real or is this still a fake relationship, can we be clear. you're not specifying so i'm meant to take it as a return to before times but like... what

SO WE STILL CAN'T KISS??? WHAT WAS THE POINT OF ANYTHING!!!

oh, Yak wanted to become the champion

do not embarrass me anymore, why are you doing 'pound' innuendos in front of Yak's brother and the gym members

Enough what do you mean how many rounds T.T i cannot handle such embarrassment

i know from spoilers that Taem seems to like Yak now or something and that AJ's character may not be good?

and the thigh massage or whatever in front of everybody

"my boyfriend is so good at making up stories" lmfao Cher get him

8-2

Dee literally left Japan ASAP, why are you now again asking him to join you at this ball?

does Dr. Kwan have no tact or is she purposefully getting Ter to herself quickly because she guessed that Ter was asking Dee?

I truly don't understand what the point of this conflict and fake breakup was if their thoughts and relationship haven't changed at all; still we're pretending it's fake, no kisses, deadline in 2 months like huh

8-3

money problemos

Yei and Cher are cute. is the engagement thing I've seen gonna happen here?

so is this not an ad? They didn't even state or show the name of the product

so this was recorded and edited before the Marriage Equality bill passed right, that was only a few days ago. or maybe this was recorded around the time the previous step that got passed around late March.

awwww T.T

i thought Taem liked Ohm and that Ohm was gonna be a good guy, so what's going on

Help D:

Vivi in a saree and gold jewelry

Ter is so fucking rude man not only is he asking Dee again but he literally has Kwan as a dance partner? If he chooses to dance with Dee, what will happen to Kwan? asshole, you can't just abandon your date

8-4

I'm so confused about Taem and Ohm's storyline. I'm also not a big fan of female friend gets abused/cornered/assaulted to create angst between our main bl ship trope, though the way they're handling this one isn't Too Bad (stuff like Star In My Mind pisses me off more) but Yak def should've told Dee what Taem sent so that they're on the same page agh

Dee calling Ter too vanilla

Kwon should actually kill Ter. Dee and Kwon team um and just eliminate this man because not only has he kept staring at Dee but now he's WALKING AWAY FROM KWON TO DEE?!?!?!

and ofc perfect timing to run in

Ter is confused by where Kwon is? does he expect her to just stand there waiting for him?

the dance scene isn't doing anything for me, I think My School President and Never Let Me Go did better in that way, though I guess the dancing was more of a throughline in those shows than it is here

ahhh Yak confessed. straight to I think I love you

I think I'm gonna have to pretend the ep7/8 conflict doesn't exist because it started weirdly and ended too fast without proper resolution and the kiss was anti-climactic and nothing in their relationship changed after the fight... They could've skipped over the whole thing because apparently they're still fake boyfriends who don't kiss... I liked this ep more than last ep so hopefully we can patch things up and get on track again. Cher and Yai's proposal scene was very cute, very endearing.

The Taem-Ohm storyline direction threw me off and also, are we meant to assume that after that whole fiasco Taem's just like alright Yak, off you go to your prom with your fake-bf I'll be fine byeee. I did say this one wasn't doing as badly in the "female friend is assaulted to build tension between our male love interests" trope as some other shows but that doesn't mean it's not off-putting.

Next ep seems like it's Yak planning on win over Dee, which is funny because that man also is in love.

[mnstcrbnll]

"THE FIRST ROUND IS OVER, STARDUSTS!"

"Plenty of you tried your luck, not many of you managed to get it right! In such a sad twist of fate, some of you even guessed correctly the first time, and then changed your answer in a wrong one! Sad, sad, so sad.

Now, as we usually do before explaining the rules for the second round, I'd like to first of all give a round of applause to everyone who tried their luck so far! Winners or not, I loved to see you guys at work! Secondly, I'd love to remind everyone who got their secrets revealed already, losing a special extra point, and then give you the tier list of every star so far! But first... let us see to who belonged the Secret Secret of the season: " I can't stand the Dragon-Type Gym Leader of my Region. It's not like he's bad, or mean, or evil. He's just very annoying. " And it was...

Why, our Sadie, of course! And she wasn't slick at all, most people who tried their luck with the Secret Secret got that right!"

"It's not like I can't stand him, it's just--"

"--NOW, let us see. First of all, the secrets that have been revealed!"

" I can cook just a few things, but those I can cook extremely well. I try new recipies everytime I can. ", the secret our Hau discovered, was in fact John's! We'd love to test those tasty experiments someday!

" I was adopted by a brood of dragon pokemon when I was a teenager. ", guessed by our ghastly partecipants Gold, was Rika's! Guess that little hint really helped him change his mind!

A very simple yet impactful " I am Dialga. ", sent to Viola and discovered by both her and Ree, was Akira's! And here we thought Red and May were our guest stars, this season!

Speaking of which, " Stole most of the street signs in my town. They never got replaced. ", unfortunately not guessed by our Ree but by Rika's, was in fact Red's! So scandalous!

Another big one,  "Uhm, to put it bluntly... I have superpowers. I can't go into more detail than that right now, but I wanted to get it off my chest. I'm tired of hiding and being scared. So, uh, yeah, heh... ", given to Wes, was Hau's! Alola must be full of surprises!

" One Pokemon of mine evolved prematurely to protect me from an ex when I was a teen. ", the quite sad secret Giovanni recieved, was Shay's! We wish her nothing but the best!

And last but not least, " He used to collect the original pokemon cards, and at one point had the original 149 (no mew or mewtwo) ", guessed by our May, was Giovanni's! I'd argue that there are plenty of more juicy secrets from this man, but who are we to judge, eh?

And now, for the points.

With an unfortunate amount of ZERO STARS, on the very bottom of the list we find Akira ( @timeless-timepieces), John ( @soultoken ) and Shay ( @murmursdraconic ). But don't despair, you'll still have plenty of time to gain way more very soon! Our audience believes in you!

At ONE STAR, mostly gained by having a very secret secret, we find Alistair ( @orreasshole ), Colza ( @grassius ), Kane ( @haerith ), Rika ( @monterraverde ) and Yellow ( @yellowsforest )! I expect a lot from you guys, don't disappoint me!!

Let's move up to TWO STARS, where we can find Clair ( @draconscious ), Gold ( @gildead ), Grusha ( @beiowzero ), Hau ( @tapuhauko ) and Red ( @redlegend ). Not too bad, if I say so myself!

Oh here comes the good ones! Sharing the spot at THREE STARS, we've got May ( @badbirchenergy ), Ree ( @skullkxd ), Viola ( @variiavi ) and Wes ( @snagorre )! This is getting intense!

And while we don't get anyone at five stars, Giovanni ( @earth-master ) alone reached FOUR STARS! And we promise we weren't bribed or anything!!

Our second round will begin in a few minutes. For now, let's have some moment to relax with a little ad break!"

[sixpossumsinatrenchcoat]

punch drunk

Two years after the true end, the gang falls under the influence. 6k words of sunkel silliness with a side of photobomb! CW for underage drinking. Or just drinking, depending on where you live.

At 8:42 PM on the last Friday before Basil leaves for college, Aubrey texts the group chat.

[Code Green. The hideout. 30 mins.]

Hm. A Code Green is a tier three summons. Nothing life-threatening—that would be a Code Black—but urgent, and time-sensitive. Luckily, Sunny’s staying with Kel through the end of the summer. Which means that, for once, he can actually answer a Code Green. 

Sunny looks up. On the other side of that dorky basketball bedspread, Kel is frowning at his own phone. 

“She’s fine,” Sunny reminds him. If Aubrey was hurt, she would’ve sent a Code Blue, at least. And if this really was a call-to-arms, she wouldn’t have sent it to one golden retriever, one trembling chihuahua, and a housecat who would hold up perfectly fine in a fight, if he still had any depth perception.

Kel startles. “Huh? Oh. Y-Yeah, for sure! But, I mean… We should probably go check?”

“We still have—” Sunny checks the timestamp. “28 minutes.” And 32 seconds. 31. 30.

“Sure, sure. But, I mean. Code Green.”

Sunny heaves a sigh. “I’ll get dressed.”

###

Halfway to the park, Kel looks at him and snickers. “Dude. I don’t think she’s gonna make us rob a bank or anything.”

Sunny looks down. As usual, he’s all in black—a new trick he picked up when he started going outside again. Apparently, teenagers aren’t supposed to wear the same outfit every day. Unless it’s all black. Then people just think you’re goth.

He looks up at Kel. “Bet?”

“Pff. Okay, fair. But you’re not even gonna make it to the heist if you get hit by a car before we get there!!”

Sunny shakes his head. “They’ll see you from a mile off.”

In classic fashion, Kel is dressed like an Orange Joe commercial threw up on a box of highlighters. Even the scrunchie in his hair looks like he swiped it from his baby sister. It's glittery pink, studded with tiny gold stars. He’s practically a traffic hazard. 

Kel flings an arm around his shoulders, grinning. “Guess you gotta stick with me, then!”

Sunny nods. Yes. That was the plan.

###

When they get to the lake, Basil’s already waiting. He’s standing just beyond the treeline, wringing his hands like a war widow braced for the worst. Or like a traumatized 18-year-old with an anxiety disorder. 

Basil must have rolled straight out of bed. His hair is mussed flat on one side and his light green shorteralls look rumpled, like he fished them out of the hamper. Underneath, Sunny recognizes Basil's favorite sleep shirt: worn beige cotton whose printed purple flowers have faded to palest lilac. 

He still took the time to pick out a hairpin, though. It’s a new one, a California Poppy in glossy white enamel. When he hears them coming, he straightens up a little. “A-Aubrey??” 

��Nope!” Kel says, waving cheerfully. 

“O-Oh. Um. Hi, guys.” 

Basil manages a smile, but he doesn’t stop fidgeting with the bracelet in his hands. It looks to be braided from from real flowers. Buttercups and milkweed, mostly. None of the petals have started to wilt, so he must have just made it. 

Sunny stares at it. “How long have you been here?”

Basil flushes and drops it. “Oh,” he mumbles, while Kel stoops to pick it up. “Um. N-Not very long… Only maybe 20 minutes.”

Sunny squints at him. Basil’s place is twice as far as Kel’s. Did he sprint the whole way here?

“A-Are you—Or.” Basil clears his throat. “Do you… think she’s okay?”

Sunny rolls his eyes. He’s surrounded by alarmists. Though, after everything they’ve been through, he can sort of see why. “It’s only Green.”

“I-I know!! But even if she’s not hurt, she could be, I don’t know… in trouble with, with the law, or…”

Sunny shakes his head. “She would have texted the Treehouse.” The Treehouse includes all the same people as the group chat, plus Hero. (Technically, Hero’s also in the group chat. But he muted the thread eight months ago. Something about distractions and pre-med course loads and phones that never stop buzzing.)

“W-Well!! I brought some money, just in case!! And antacids, and trail mix… there’s some gauze and alcohol wipes… iodine tablets… that bear spray I got when we went camping… Oh! And I, um, printed out the Miranda rights. Just to be safe.” 

Sunny looks unimpressed. “You keep all that stuff in your backpack anyway.”

“Well. Yes. I suppose so.” 

A familiar snicker echoes through the trees. It’s closely followed by Aubrey, who is clearly in no danger and also no particular hurry. She's dressed like she just lost a fight with a wood chipper—shredded cutoffs over an even-more-shredded band tee that she must have cropped with a pair of Crayola safety scissors—but Aubrey always looks like that. Sunny recognizes one of Basil’s pieces dangling from her right ear. A pearly Lily of the Valley, carefully dried and encased in resin.

“Aw, you gu~uys,” she drawls. “Did you seriously come straight here?” 

“No,” Sunny says defensively.

“Yup!” Kel says honestly. 

“I got dropped off,” Basil admits. 

“Hah! You guys are such dweebs. Nothing’s on fire, you nerds. It’s just a Code Green.”

Sunny gives the others a pointed stare. 

“R-Right,” Basil says, sagging with relief. “Of course. Um. S-So… What is the emergency?”

###

The “emergency” is this: Aubrey lifted a handle of vodka off the back of a pickup. 

“A-Alcohol??” Basil squeaks. “But—we’re underage!!!”

“Only in America,” Aubrey scoffs. “And Indonesia, apparently. And, like, Mongolia. Anyway, I won’t call the cops if you don’t.”

“I would never!!!”

She jabs him with one elbow, grinning. “Then I think we’re in the clear.”

“You wanna get us drunk?” Kel asks indignantly. Aubrey rolls her eyes.

“Oh, my god, this is soooo~ not about you. Basil starts college in like, four days! You really want his first time drinking to be at some nasty frat?”

Basil flinches. “O-Oh, um… I don’t know… I-It’s not as though I get invited to a lot of parties…”

“But you’re about to start college!” she argues. “New life, new you! I’ve seen movies, man. Everyone parties in college.” 

Sunny nods sagely. He has also seen movies. 

“I’m not saying it’s a good thing,” Aubrey adds. “It’s not like you gotta turn into some crazy party animal.” (Basil looks slightly queasy at the thought.) “But you’re definitely gonna run into it at some point. Wouldn’t you rather try it with your best friends in the whole world, instead of a bunch of total randos?”

In the peanut gallery, Kel nudges Sunny. “Is this peer pressure?” 

Oh. “Yes.” More or less by definition. It might as well have been clipped from one of those D.A.R.E videos they had to watch in sixth grade.

“You guys are no fun,” Aubrey grumbles. “Fiiiine. No one has to drink, okay? But I’m gonna.”

“Me too,” Sunny agrees. 

Kel whips around to stare. “What!!” 

Sunny lifts one shoulder. 

“Really???”

“Sure.” Why not?

Kel goggles at him. Sunny’s so steady and sure all the time, it’s easy to forget how totally reckless he can be. But behind all the stony stares, he’s got a streak of mischief that rivals Mari’s. And he really hates to lose. 

“Hell yeah!” Aubrey whacks Sunny on the shoulder hard enough to make him stumble. “You and me, dude!”

“Me too!!” Kel butts in. “I’m in if Sunny is!”

“Oh,” Basil says slowly. “Hm. Um. Well… I guess I’d rather find out what it’s like with you guys. In a, um—a safe space, with people I t-trust. Like Aubrey said.”

“Hah!!” Aubrey crows. “We got Basil!!” She hooks one arm over his shoulders and messes up his hair with the other. “Now it’s a party.”

###

Aubrey swiped a few mixers, too. From the basket of her bike, she proudly unloads a six-pack of Diet Sprite, a dusty glass bottle of something red and viscous, and a dented Orange Joe that she obviously brought for Kel, even though she insists that she just grabbed ‘whatever was closest.’

Sunny looks around. He doesn’t see anything to drink out of. “Cups?”

“Shit! Aw, mannnn, I knew I was forgetting something.” She turns out her pockets, but only winds up with a fistful of lint. “...Yeah, no. I got nothing.”

Basil brightens. “Oh! I have my water bottle in my pack! A-And—um. Four disposable water bottles.” 

“Dude,” Aubrey snickers. “How much does that thing weigh?”

“It isn’t very heavy,” he assures her. Sunny, who’s had to pass Basil his knapsack more often than he’d like, would beg to differ. “A-And—!! It’s important to be prepared!!”

“Sure, sure. Hey, I got no complaints.” 

“I do,” Sunny puts in. 

Kel looks over with interest. “Oh, yeah?” 

Sunny nods. “It’s too heavy.”

Basil shakes his head, sighing. “You just need to go outside more. You really ought to take better care of yourself, Sunny. I know you don’t like to exercise, but walking just t-twenty minutes a day would really help your cardiovascular health! And your circadian rhythm, a-a-and just your general, um, quality of life.”

Sunny shrugs. Life isn’t always easy, but he’s pretty sure it’s not a question of quality control.

###

Basil insists that they leave at least two of the disposable water bottles untouched, because ‘alcohol is a diuretic.’ 

Kel chokes on a laugh. “Pfffff—pffahaha!!! It makes you poop??” 

“A di-ur-etic,” Basil says patiently. “Not a di-arrh-etic. It just means it’s, um, dehydrating.”

Kel’s face scrunches. “So why’d they name it after diarrhea?” 

“W-Well!! If you’re really interested, it was probably the other way around. Or, at the very least, I expect they’re derived from the same root: the Greek dia, meaning ‘through,’ and—” 

“Oh my god,” Aubrey wheezes. “Did you nerds wanna party or not?”

The drink is… surprisingly drinkable. Sunny wasn’t expecting that. It burns a little going down—not exactly hot, but hot-adjacent; more wasabi than tabasco. But mostly it just tastes like taking a sip of Sprite while standing too close to a can of wet paint. 

Basil clearly doesn’t agree. He takes one sip and sticks his tongue out. “Blehh.”

“Are you kidding?” Aubrey scoffs. “It’s practically a Shirley Temple!”

Basil turns his nose up at her. “Maybe if there were cherries.”

“Pff. Whatever, man. Anyway, this is way better than what you’ll find in college. What do college kids drink these days? Everclear and Kool-Aid? Friggin… Natty Lite?” 

“Haha,” Basil mumbles. “W-Well. If I get invited to any parties, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

Sunny’s mouth tugs down. It’s… unsettling, thinking about it. Basil, going to college. Growing up and moving away. Meeting a whole new crew of best friends, whose mere existence isn’t a constant reminder of the worst mistake he ever made. While in the meantime, Sunny has to sit through another year of online classes before he can collect his diploma. 

It’s… annoying. Or embarrassing, maybe. But what did he expect? He lost four whole years. Four years of study sessions and walking home after school and eating lunch in the courtyard when the weather is nice. Four years that his friends spent talking to people and learning things and growing. (With the exception of Basil, maybe. But now Basil’s leaving before anyone.)

Basil isn’t the only one getting ahead. Everyone is charging toward the future. Kel is planning to coach Little League while collecting a technical degree in something practical. Aubrey’s resolved to drop off the grid for a while, just to prove that she can do it.

And Sunny’s still in high school.

The thought turns his stomach cold and turgid. Sunny was always the youngest, but only by a few months. And time is supposed to be linear. He never expected to wind up four years younger than everyone he loves. 

A plastic water bottle clatters into his, splashing Smirnoff-and-Sprite across the grass. 

“Kanpai!!” Aubrey shouts in his face. “C’monnn, it’s a party! Don’t you wanna send Basil off right?”

Sunny sighs. He does want to send Basil off right. 

“Heh heh,” she says gleefully. “Then let’s do it right.”

Read the rest here: ao3.org/works/45531958/chapters/126367402

[mithliya]

A girl I dated at years ago, in a fit of rage, nearly choked me to death because she convinced herself I was sleeping with a male. All because I didn’t want to have sex with her, which is something she knew from the start and was okay with waiting. It was not the first time she had put her hands on me either, but it took her almost ending my life for me to take a hint and stop making excuses for her. At the end of the day, I had no business being with her type or trying to convince myself that I was fit to live in a Set It Off reality (lmao too adventurous and trying to be captain save-a-hoe) She had a history of thug activities, so I take full responsibility for what I got myself into and how I allowed myself to be a victim. This is a gold star lesbian btw and she’s since been to jail several times for beating on females and a multitude of other petty crimes/demonic activities. Last year, she apologized to me (7 years late girl) and admitted that she purposely gets herself sent to jail because she enjoys all of the female attention she gets there as a masculine female. Truly Pathetic and I regret not listening to my mother when she’d literally told me “that girl is a demon and you need to stay away from her.”

that sounds horrible 😭 i’m so sorry u went thru that. especially the fact that she did that to u for not being ready to have sex.. just horrible and gross. i’m glad u stood ur ground and dumped her in the end at least.

i have a similar story with my ex (she’s bi tho) & she was violent for no reason. just seriously mentally unwell basically and the red flags were pretty obvious but i overlooked them bc i guess i just did not see my self-worth. she also choked me and it was literally just. random. she’d wake up and immediately get on top of me and choke me. one time i think she did it as some kind of “joke” and i ended up throwing up bc of it … also she had a few weeks in our relationship where she was basically storing cocaine for dealers at her place & she was stealing cocaine from them and going on cocaine binges which u can imagine how she’d act in those moments if she was trying to kill me when she’s sober! she was on ketamine once and literally bit my friend. just insane stuff. and ppl like that are never worth it nor can u somehow “save” them bc when they’re that bad, they usually don’t care to make themselves better. in my case she even tried to convince me that IM the one who’s worse off.. bc i “cry too much”. also she stole my wallet and when the police said they saw who stole it and described her to a T, she convinced me that she knows who it is and will find this woman and get my wallet and money back. would give me these stories about it too.

also the woman u dated sounds .. desperate tbh! from my experience at least, masculine lesbians don’t need jail to find interested women. they tend to get plenty of attention in general. at least that was the case for basically every masculine lesbian i had a thing with. she must rly have low self-worth and have problems to be putting herself in and out of jail just to get more female attention. i hope she gets better bc i assume she must be miserable if she’s still living like that. i’m glad ur out of that situation and kept urself safe,, it’s rly not worth it to date women like that n to tell urself that you can somehow “save” them,, i learned that the hard way 😭 u deserve better than that. no point in regretting it tho— we can’t undo our pasts, but we can at least use these negative experiences as ways to improve ourselves and teach ourselves somehow. at least that’s what i tell myself to cope with what i’ve been thru lmao,, and at least i can say in terms of my ex, it did teach me to look out for red flags more and not disrespect myself so badly that i’m willing to be abused and exploited and manipulated in the hope of gaining a woman’s love

[wiihtigo]

if the time booster sent everyone to hell wasnt even in his top ten fuckups. then. what actually were, would you say, his top ten fuckups

ok ok not in any numbered order (maybe vaguely)

his origin story, betting on his own matches and ruining his football career, not only did this ruin his life in terms of losing his awesome football star lifestyle it also caused his mom and sister michelle to push him away being ashamed of him for gambling, the very thing that their dad left them for

speaking of michelle, not accepting the titans offer to help on his rescue mission to save michelle on the day she died. WHOOPS! if he had more help from the start he wouldnt have been put in the position where hed have to choose between michelles life and hundreds of peoples. and maybe he couldve turned the tables

speaking of dead loved ones, the LETS SAVE TED KORD compilation (9 hrs, very funny), despite being told over and over again attempting to save teds life would fuck up a million things timewise, he just wouldnt listen (can you blame him?) and ended up in a lot of trouble with the time cops for that. he went to jail even! a tragic fuckup but so are most of these

almost killed a guy in front of his young daughter

was very misinformed and overconfident in the overmaster arc bcuz of what he thought he remembered of the past which led to him almost dying (DID die actually. but got better)

was doing recruitment for his new superteam the conglomerate during scotts funeral (which is probably the angriest ted has ever been at him leading to their very fun first breakup arc)

almost started a war during the flintstones crossover special i think

he (and ted) drove that vampire to commit suicide that one time. also club JLI which im tacking onto this one bcuz those are very BLUE AND GOLD fuckups but im trying to focus on booster solos

like everything in 52, namely hiring people to pretend to be villains he could beat up for fame and in turn getting yelled at on live tv by ralph dibny for it. and then he faked his death and everyone was like WHAT A FUCKING LOSER. he also broke the multiverse or soemthng idk

(sigh) you can include The Gift as well. I guess. brought the worlds worst wedding gift to batman and selina. im adding a bonus one though bcuz i was forced to acknowledge TK

was mean to tora that one time she asked him and ted if they wanted to go on a roadtrip together

[invisibleraven]

Oooohhhh 26 double date, couples of your choice

Julie had to admit, one of the perks of being a rock star was the free stuff. Sure, a lot of brands sent her and the guys stuff hoping they'll promote them, or get caught wearing them, and sometimes Julies does-as long as Flynn thoroughly vets the company first. Swag from places that have values she doesn't agree with go to the trash or donated unopened.

It also made going places a little easier-well, in a way. Sure all she had to do was drop her name and she'd get a reservation right away, but it was always a guessing game if the restaurant would call the paps or help ushered them out the back.

But for this place? Julie was willing to take the chance.

The Silver Spoon was the hottest place in town, booked up for months, and the reviews were raves. And Julie wanted to go.

"Ooh, see if we can come too would ya?" Willie asks, somewhat jokingly. "We can double date!"

"Leave my aroace ass out of it!" Luke yelled. "That place requires sleeves and probably serves tiny portions at exorbitant prices. I'll enjoy a large pizza in peace!"

Reggie looked tempted at the thought of pizza, but smiled at Julie. "A chance to dress up fancy with my best girl and have a night on the town with two of my best buds? Count me in."

Flynn worked her magic, and somehow got them a fourtop in a week's time. "They will probably call the paps," she warned. "But like, the nicer ones, or even the entertainment rags. Might be good publicity."

"Thanks Flynnie," Julie replied with an air kiss. "Surprised that you didn't try to work in a table with you and Carrie."

"Eh, not really my scene, and Carrie is gone vegan this month, so she'd starve there."

Date night came and the four of them dressed smart, in nice suits, and Julie in a slinky gold coloured dress, her hair in a twisted updo, and flushed when Reggie gave a low whistle, spinning her around.

"Looking good darlin', as always."

Julie came and straightened his lapels, pressing a tender kiss to his mouth, then swiping away her lip stain. "You clean up pretty nice yourself."

"Yeah yeah, we all look hot, let's go," Alex grumbled, but he was smiling, so none of them were offended. Luke told them all to have fun, but he was still staying home with his pizza, his murder mystery movies, and his notebooks.

Julie was fairly certain he'd be happier that way, but she was excited to go out to eat.

Thankfully there was no cameras waiting outside the restaurant, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. Even more so when the hostess treated them like regular people, professional, but not simpering.

The free bread was delicious, the water sparkling almost as much as the crystal it was served in, and Reggie looked almost afraid to touch anything. "It's like I'm gonna get charged for smudging the silverware," he whispered.

"It is really fancy," Willie admitted. "But super nice. So let's just eat and enjoy ourselves right?"

"Just start the the outside fork and work inwards," Alex said. The other three looked at him and he shrugged. "My parents made me take etiquette lessons."

"That tracks," Julie admitted.

They looked over the menu, which worryingly did not include prices, but they all found something that sounded appetizing. Willie went with a seafood salad, giggling with delight at the tiny octopi in it, even if he said the texture was a bit weird. Alex stuck with a simple ravioli dish, but admitted the truffles were buttery and delicious.

Julie opted for a dish of sole, in a spicy sauce and some glazed vegetables on the side, all of which almost melted in her mouth. She held a forkful up to Reggie who stifled a moan as he ate it, agreeing that she had made an excellent choice.

"How's your filet?" she asked.

"Deadly," he replied, cutting her off a slice and Julie was surprised by the smoky flavour and the softness of the meat.

"Oh wow, that is delicious," she said. "I see why everyone is raving about this place."

"Thanks for bringing us," Willie said, toasting his glass of rosé. "To good food and friends."

They all clicked glasses, devouring the rest of their food, chatting about their latest album, Willie's latest art piece, a few fellow celebrities they spied also eating there, and debating dessert.

"I'm stuffed," Alex said to Willie. "But if you get something, I'll share it."

"You mean eat half?" Willie joked. "Sounds good. I'm getting the tiramisu."

"There's a separate stomach for dessert, don't you know that Lexie?' Reggie joked. "I think I want the bread pudding."

"Can I have some if I get the cheesecake and share?" Julie asked.

"Of course darlin'," Reggie assured her. "My dessert is yours." He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "As is my heart."

"You two are cornballs," Alex said.

"We're not much better," Willie admitted, pulling Alex in with a loud smooch to his cheek. "Right hot dog?"

Alex blushed and grumbled, but he looked so pleased and goofy that they all knew how he felt.

If dinner was good, the desserts were to die for, and Julie almost didn't want to share her cheesecake after the first bite, but grudgingly did, and was pleased by the sweet flavour of Reggie's pudding.

Finally it was time to settle the bill, and Julie was sure her eyes went wide at the price, even for just her and Reggie's portion, but they all admitted, the food was pretty darn good, but this wouldn't be a place they frequented, even with the amount of money they all had. Growing up valuing money had made them a bit more thrifty, despite their fame.

Alex and Willie went off in their own direction as they parted, saying something about a moonlight stroll, and Julie wished them a good night. She and Reggie headed back to the house, where Luke was waiting.

"Hey, good night?" he asked.

"The best," Reggie said. "Yours?"

"Not bad. There's pizza left if you want."

"Maybe for breakfast," Reggie replied, grinning as Julie lead him by his tie towards their room. "Night's not over yet."

"Gross." Luke stuck his tongue out at them and dutifully put on his noise cancelling headphones.

Reggie just laughed, and then scooped Julie up, giggling all the way to bed. They were a bit busy when Alex and Willie got in, but the next morning, over cold pizza and hot coffee, all agreed to many more double dates in the future.

[sanddusted-wisteria]

A Builder, a Researcher, and a Rooftop, Ch. 13: Nebula

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The builder climbed the stairs to the roof a little quicker than usual, excited to show Qi their latest find. “Hey, Qi!”

“Hello. You sound more energetic than usual tonight.” The builder plopped down next to him.

“Yeah, I am! I gotta show you this…” They took the large satchel off their back and opened the flap. They reached in and out came a helmet, its visor a shiny, opaque gold. They pressed it into Qi’s hands. His eyes widened.

“Is this…?!” The builder laughed, reaching back into the bag and pulling out a large, wrinkly garment. The thick plastic crinkled as they unfolded it out.

“A real-life, bonafide spacesuit, straight from the ruins. The second I found it, I just knew I had to give it to you.”

Qi’s head snapped up. “You’re giving this to me?! You…you’re sure?”

“Well yeah,” the builder snorted. “What else can I do with it?”

Qi turned back to the suit, inspecting it from all angles. “It’s in immaculate condition…even better than the one I already have…” He met the builder’s eyes. “Thank you. So much.”

“You’re welcome, bud. What’s up with the other one?”

“Well, the one I already have is mostly intact…except for the sizable gash in the back midsection. The materials for these suits are too complex for anyone to produce nowadays, making it impossible to repair. That bars me from conducting studies on the suit’s life support systems, which is frustrating. But no longer!”

“Can finally toss the old one, huh? You really gotta clean out your lab,” the builder muttered, recalling the avalanche of relics waiting to be unleashed from Qi’s cabinets.

“What? Nonsense. None of the relics in the research center are in poor enough condition to discard, including the old suit. Besides, that one houses…personal significance, so it will never be discarded, regardless of wear and tear.”

“Personal significance?”

“Yes. It was a gift from my grandfather. And perhaps the sole reason I am here in Sandrock.”

“Lemme guess, that one was found in Sandrock, too.”

“Indeed. It was found during the old relic rush and sent to Vega 5. Specifically, my grandfather’s lab.”

Qi went silent. He stared at the blank visor of the helmet, thumb idly running along its edge. “I…owe a lot to my grandpa,” he murmured.

The builder said nothing, their gaze urging him to go on.

“Do you know how I started my work in astronomy?” They shook their head. “It was on my fourth birthday.

“My parents let me stay up late for the first time, an exuberant occasion for any small child. Apparently my grandpa had one last present for me, but he couldn’t give it until very late at night. I pestered him all day to tell me what it was, but he refused to say anything.

“When the time came, close to midnight, he told me that we were going somewhere. It was a very long walk away. We climbed so many stairs and crossed so many streets that I lost track of where we were. I started to complain when my feet grew tired of walking so much. But my grandpa urged me on, still keeping our destination a secret.

“Eventually, we emerged at the highest point in Vega 5. The hull of the old starship had long been ripped away, so it’s practically the only part of the city that gets any natural light. I was still annoyed at walking so far that I was staring at my shoes, dragging my feet. …Then my grandpa told me to look up.” Qi let out a deep breath and turned his eyes to the stars.

“Can you imagine?” he whispered. “How mystified my child self was to see the great cosmos for the first time?”

I don’t think I need to imagine, the builder thought. The softest of smiles played on his lips. Moonlight and starlight danced across his glasses and the darkness of his eyes, looking almost like another night sky. They felt a swell of warmth, despite the chilly air.

“My grandpa took one look at my face and must’ve realized my life’s calling at the same time I did. He told me about what Vega 5 used to be, how the Old World’s spacefaring ventures flourished before the Day of Calamity, how to properly observe the night sky… All of it enthralled me.

“After that, my grandpa and I would return every so often, and he would tell me about what was in the sky that season. And then when I met Mint, we would sneak out at night sometimes to stargaze. That was one of the first catalysts for my pursuit of science.”

The builder could only continue to stare at the utterly foreign serenity on Qi’s face. Even if they had anything to say, that sight alone would have wiped it all away.

“You know…” He turned to them, and suddenly they were staring straight into the infinite depths of that second sky. They felt a stutter in their chest. “I never really knew why I let you stargaze with me that first time. Or why I let you keep coming. Usually I prefer solitude in everything I do, work or otherwise.” He closed his eyes. “I think it’s because…subconsciously…I missed those nights. Sharing the stars with good company. First with my grandpa, then with Mint, and now with you.”

Good company.

The builder’s heart was pounding. “Well…I’m glad you let me share that joy with you,” they murmured, trying to keep their voice steady. “It’s always nice. Even if I’ve had the worst week ever, I can always come here. It’s so…grounding.”

Qi’s face brightened again. “I can say the same. I don’t think I’ve ever looked forward to a social engagement like this in a long time.”

The builder found themself completely enraptured by the sight, the ever-stoic Qi gazing right at them with the stars in his eyes and such a gentle smile on his face. A smile that they brought to his face. Something warm and wonderful simmered deep within their core as their expression mirrored his.

A moment passed as neither of them said anything more. The builder finally tore their eyes away from Qi’s, when it became too much to keep looking. “Well,” they whispered. “It’s late. I should head back. Thanks for telling me…about everything.”

“Of course,” murmured Qi, just as quietly. “And thank you again for the relic suit. It’s most invaluable.”

The builder was barely cognizant of anything in the real world after that. Their feet simply took them down the stairs and towards home without needing to think. Their hands simply opened their door and worked their toothbrush and pulled the covers over their body, all without a single input from them.

All the while, thoughts of dark eyes and soft smiles and starlight clouded their mind, trailing them from the shadows of the town to the shadows of their room.

Not even the oblivion of sleep could banish them.

Not that they would ever want to banish them.

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

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[wow-cool-robot]

Episode 39: The Newtype - Challia Bull

guess we'll be getting more newtype stuff?

do you really have time for recaps? there's 5 episodes left

the guy on saxophone in the military band is having a great time

solomon's getting fucked up! is this lalah?

i like the vocals here

do we get to see elmeth now

oh, so mirai is also a newtype, reaction speed just isn't as relevant to her

brights little talk with sayla was very nice. i imagine sayla's been worried about what people would think (i know i was), and it's nice to see it confirmed that was unnecessary

sayla also newtype??? is everyone here a newtype now?

amuro can tell what's up, but lalah's more experienced as a newtype

this is all very 2001. or i assume that would be the most obvious reference point, there might be something else i'm unfamiliar with

char remains the only person in this show with any sense of self preservation, at least on the zeon side of things

oh, the episode is named after a new guy. i assume he's a newtype, but i also assume he will be gone in 15 minutes

this guy was on a mission to jupiter for helium. you need that for minovsky stuff, right?

i guess kycillia is next, which makes sense since gihren is obviously the final boss

wait, the braw brow? wasn't expecting that to come back tbh

so char's genuinely super worried for lalah. i mean, within the confines of him bringing her to fight in a war. this can only end well

challia bull: 'this girl, she's very powerful' char: 'what about me' challia bull: 'hmm. you should try to be more open minded'

is amuro trying to improve the gundam? i'm a little surprised it hasn't gotten an actual upgrade, i was under the impression that was standard in the genre

well rip challia bull. he's been sent off to fight our heroes

man, sayla should be the main character. i want to read the fanfic that's just this series from her perspective, worrying about char and the white base and having to decide which she will side with

are you sure you want to share the gold? you could setup a pretty good thriller in a few years time if you just dropped it and let the rumors spread. i'd watch that. obviously the climax is a 3 way mobile suit duel

i really like this talk. we can all only hope to have a boss as understanding as bright

the newtypes are adding a lot to the fights here at the end. glad to have them

kai immediately got taken out. guess only the one who's spent the most time as a newtype can fight against this. maybe in another 20 episodes sayla and mirai will be at his current level of psychic ability. (i think that's right, iirc the black tri-stars were the first point he for sure showed any signs)

rip challia bull. cool mobile armor, not much beyond that

good fight. amuro really needs that upgrade

glad the show is aware that char is the best because he's willing to hit da bricks

the whole white base crew deserves to be more decorated than zhukov

[risu5waffles]

Follow-up

i did, finally, get my letter notarized. It took three tries, but i managed it.

The first place i scheduled an appointment wiv (kinda), wasn't open when i got there, and no one answered the buzzer, or my phone call. i hadn't gotten a confirmation answer to my email or call the day before (the appointment was an automated thing through his website). i was pretty peeved as you might guess. i did, finally, hours after my appointment get an email explaining they only did notary services on Fridays (which was sort of mentioned on the website, but it was implied you could get them on off-days too. Plus the appointment-dealie did let me pick Wednesday, so... i guess i'm still kinda peevy).

The letterbox at their building also listed them as doing pizza delivery, which i wouldn't normally mention, but it seems like an odd side-hustle for a place that bills itself as an IP law firm.

So i shucked my buns over to the Embassy of the Philippines, which Google assured me could do notary services. The security guy confirmed that yes they could do that, but i would need an appointment through their website. Which, the next available date was mid-December, and i want all this shite tied up as soon as, so that was a no-go.

The guy was super nice, tho', so that was pleasant.

Finally i ran over to an actual notary firm (all these places were relatively close, 15 minutes walk each way or so, if i had to guess), who neatly cut the Gordian Knot of mismatching names by just, not caring? But also putting my name-on-passport down on their little notary form, and not, like name-as-name, as it appeared in the letter. Which, kinda feels like what was the fucking point? Like, "oh, [deadname] totally signed this, no we don't care she signed different?"

Also they charged me 6k yen more than i was expecting to pay, so... that sucked.

i walked into Shinjuku after i got things all sorted and email sent and whatwhat, which, if you're familiar wiv Tokyo, Azabujuban to Shinjuku is a not-insubstantial hike. You may be asking yourself if i did that to save 200yen or so on subway fare, and gold star for knowing me, but this was just a side benefit. The weather was perfect for walking (which is lowkey terrifying given i was just wearing a dress and a thermal undershirt), and walking is always a nice way to decompress for me.

So, yeah. Step two complete. Da's going to pick up the paperwork after Thanksgiving, because he has no sense of time or importance i guess. Wiv luck i'll have it by December 12th or so, and i can start the real fun of wrangling wiv Shinagawa for my residence card, and then the real-real fun of getting in touch wiv every fucking place that has my deadname on file and getting them to change it.

If i can get all this sorted by New Year, i'll be a very happy squirrel. It'll be nice to start 2025 completely fresh-slate. It's gonna be a hard enough row to hoe as it is.

i need a signature notarized on a letter i need to get the documents i need to get identification proving my signature is actually mine. i feel like if there’s anywhere the world wants to throw a spanner in my works, this is as likely a place as any.

[melanielocke]

Queer book recommendations/new books

Although it is sad Chain of Thorns was initially supposed to come out this week but didn't, there are plenty new books to read that I think many of you would enjoy to pass the time. Two of which actually came out November 1st, the same day ChoT was originally supposed to release.

Here they are!

I'll start with a Taste of Gold and Iron, which came out this August. It's an adult m/m fantasy romance featuring prince Kadou and his body guard Evemer. After an incident with a powerful ambassador, Kadou has to prove his loyalty to his sister, the queen, and investigate a conspiracy involving counterfeit coins in a world where certain people have the ability to touch-taste precious metals with their finger. It's a slow burn type of romance between a prince and his body guard. I really liked how Kadou's chronic anxiety was depicted. Evemer, on the other hand, is very stoic and duty driven. He tends to be quiet. He can go entire days only saying "yes, my prince" and "no, my prince". The book has both their POVs and includes discussions about ethics and a very intimate (not necessarily sexual) bathhouse scene which may have inspired a similar scene in my Trojan war AU from Alastember.

Next up is a Marvellous Light and a Restless Truth. These are the first two books in a historic fantasy romance trilogy set in the Edwardian era. Book 2 came out this tuesday and I just finished it. The first focuses on Robin Blyth, a young non magical man who is accidently given a government post to do with magic, which leads to him finding out magic is real. The magic society would just erase his memory and replace him with someone who knows magic, except that he gets cursed by the same people who killed his predecessor, and now he and his grumpy magical coworker Edwin Courcey have to get to the bottom of the conspiracy and also undo the curse. The second book continues the investigation in the same conspiracy, but instead stars Robin's sister Maud, who accompanies an old lady on a journey from New York to England on a ship. Except the old lady dies on the first day and now Maud has to investigate who killed her with the help of a scandalous magician called Violet. These books are a lot of fun, especially book 2 had me laughing a lot. Be warned there's a lot of sexual content in this series, more so than the other books. Book 2 has a lot of emphasis on sexual self discovery and involves Maud buying a suitcase of what is essentially the Edwardian era version of very explicit fic.

I cannot tell you a lot about Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell because it just arrived and I haven't read it yet. Like a Restless Truth, it came out November 1st. But it's very pretty and I wanted to show it anyway. I don't know if it's good yet. I did read Everina Maxwell's first book, which is Winter's Orbit, the book the Stars Collide draws a lot of inspiration from. As far as I know Ocean's Echo is not connected to Winter's Orbit, but is set in a completely different part of the same universe, where some people have developed mind control abilities. I'll tell you more about this book once I've read it, but as of right now I'd definitely recommend Winter's Orbit and have high hopes for this one.

Finally, I have Prince of the Sorrows and Lord of Silver Ashes by Kellen Graves. I put them on top of each other on the picture because the cover of the first book won't fall flat and otherwise it'd look stupid. The first book came out in March, while the second just came out last week. It's an indie published m/m fantasy romance series. Right now there are two books out, the second one came out just last week and arrived today. There's going to be more of them, but it's currently not set how many, though I did read the author might make it an eight book series. I guess that depends on if people buy it? I haven't read book 2 yet, since it just arrived, but I did read book 1 and really liked it. Saffron is a human changeling living in a fae world, and he will be sent back to the human world once he gets too old, unless he can get an academic endorsement to keep studying there. He accidently learns the true name of prince Cylvan, a brooding fae prince, and makes a deal with him to help him remove the power from his true name in exchange for an edorsement. At the same time, other human servants are getting killed and Saffron has to find out what's going on before he's next. I'll probably have to reread book 1 before starting book 2 because I don't remember enough, but I'm excited where this is going.

I hope this helps and let me know if you want more book recommendations in the future or if there is anything specific you're looking for!

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