#ill be back tomorrow again eek

[novelconcepts]

There is just something about finding yourself at capacity with stress when you know that stress isn’t going to alleviate for, at best, a couple of months yet. Like my brain has been sitting at 99% CPU usage for weeks now, and it impacts...everything. How I sleep (or don’t). What kinds of dreams I have. My ability to remember any kind of conversational detail. The energy I possess for reading. The energy I possess for creation. My head is brimming over with this new stress, and I know it’s ultimately going to be productive--we’ve been wanting to do these things since at least 2019, and I’m proud of us for finally doing them--but there’s just something about it. Waking up at 6 am to work, staring at the docs open on my screen, knowing what happens next, and just being too maxed out to write a word. I know this is the time to be kindest to myself, but...every message I don’t answer, every chore I can’t make myself accomplish, every typo I make in a chat, every nap I take that feels like time burnt just. Man, does it pile up fast.

[waveswordswhispers]

Duet Music

Shin Soukoku Week Day Two: Aqua Blue/High School

PLEASE NOTE THAT I KNOW NOTHING OF PLAYING ANY INSTRUMENT EXCEPT ON OCCASION, CLARINET, BASS CLARINET AND PIANO, FEEL FREE TO POINT OUT ANY MISTAKES I HAVE MADE.

"Ah," Chuuya sounded apologetic, "I'm really sorry Atsushi-kun, but I've already partnered up with the shitty bastard." Atsushi shook his head, laughing.

"No, no!" he replied lightly. "It's fine!"

Dazai ambled over, slinging an arm over Atsushi's shoulder, quirking an eyebrow.

"Atsushi-kun, are you flirting with my boyfriend?" he gasped, sounding scandalized. Even though Atsushi knew Dazai was teasing, he couldn't help but flush and shake his head frantically, stuttering as he denied it.

"Hey," Chuuya scolded Dazai, poking Dazai with his bow. "Stop it, we need to practice."

Dazai snickered, swatting away the bow before letting Atsushi go, grabbing his own bow and sitting down, picking up his cello from its resting place.

Atsushi swallowed, remembering his problem.

He still didn't have a partner.

Wonderful.

"If you're looking for a partner," Dazai spoke up as he tuned his cello. "I hear Akutugawa-kun is still free."

Atsushi opened his mouth to object.

It wasn't like he didn't like Akutugawa, he just thought that he wouldn't be able to handle the foul mouthed, short tempered but undeniably talented violinist.

Atsushi already messed up regularly when he played the piano, he was certain if he partnered up with Akutugawa, his nerves would be an even bigger mess and he'd be stumbling over notes left and right.

"HEY AKUTUGAWA!" Dazai bellowed, waving the aforementioned person over. "DO YOU HAVE A PARTNER YET?"

Akutugawa stormed over, the crush of music students trying to work out their duets before the deadline parting for him.

"No."

"Great!" Dazai exclaimed. "You know Atsushi-kun right?" Atsushi looked around, locking eyes with Chuuya who was shaking his head slowly.

"No," Akutugawa replied, eyeing Atsushi with distaste. "I don't." Dazai froze, smile becoming stretched as Akutugawa and Atsushi stared at each other, Atsushi nervously fiddling with his fingers, Akutugawa's jaw working.

There was a moment of awkward silence before Chuuya dragged his bow across the strings of his violin, making a terrible screeching noise that immediately jerked Dazai out of his shock.

"That's fine!" Dazai continued, his voice light and cheery. "You both don't have partners and you might as well get to know each other!" Atsushi attempted to speak but it came out as an illegible, strangled noise.

"Fine," Akutugawa finally said as the bell rang, signalling their next class. "Pick a piece," he snapped before leaving, not bothering to address Atsushi directly.

Atsushi's mouth hung open and he turned to Chuuya who was looking a little sorry.

"Well," Chuuya sighed. "At least you have a partner now."

Atsushi buried his head in his hands and Dazai cackled.

Atsushi had chosen, with the help of Kunikida, Elizabeth from Shining Silver Skies by Ashram.

He's already started practicing non stop, knowing he'd need to in order to get even get the piece into decent shape.

Akutugawa had scoffed when Atsushi handed him the music sheets but he hadn't said anything else, so Atsushi hoped it was okay.

Chuuya and Dazai were already syncing their Johann Halvorsen's "Duo for Violin and Cello, after Handel," no doubt way ahead of anyone else.

Atsushi winced as he stumbled over the arpeggios again but kept on going, promising himself that he'd at least reach the end of the piece this time. Akutugawa was still learning the notes, lips pressed into a frown as he went over the more difficult parts slowly, but it was already sounding better than Atsushi's part.

They largely ignored each other, Atsushi practicing relentlessly, trying to pretend he wasn't in a room full of people who could hear every mistake he made.

When Akutugawa tapped his shoulder gently, Atsushi's hand came slamming down on the keyboard as he jumped, nearly screaming.

He had been so into practicing he hadn't noticed class was almost over.

"Have you learned it?" Akutugawa asked impatiently and Atsushi nodded.

He had, but playing it flawlessly was another thing.

Akutugawa asked if he wanted to try to sync it and even though Atsushi nodded, his fingers were stiffening.

"One, two, three," Akutugawa counted them in slowly and Atsushi took off racing, his hands shaking as he rushed ahead of Akutugawa.

Akutugawa stopped, tutting and shaking his head. Atsushi stopped as well, clasping his hands together, staring down at his lap.

"HEY!" Dazai shouted. "YOU CAN ALWAYS TRY AGAIN TOMORROW!"

Akutugawa shrugged and left as soon as the bell rang, leaving Atsushi to pack up.

They tried it again the next day.

And the next.

And the next.

By the end of the week, it was clear Akutugawa was reaching the end of his patience, nearly throwing down his violin as Atsushi sped up again.

"I'm sorry!" Atsushi apologized and Akutugawa glared, losing count of how many times he'd heard the apology in the day alone.

"I'm leaving early," he snapped, packing up his violin and storming out. Dazai and Chuuya halted in the middle of their piece, Chuuya shooting Dazai a deadly look and Dazai laughing sheepishly.

Atsushi hung his head and went back to practicing.

Atsushi unlocked the music room after school , grateful his music teacher was willing to let him use the piano for extra practice after hours.

He took in a deep breath and started.

Atsushi lost track of how long he practiced but when the fact that he was hungry finally registered, his fingers were aching.

He took down the sheets, closed the piano and checked the time, wincing when he realized that he would have to walk home, too late for the buses.

As he stood up, a familiar voice rung out through the air.

"You are good," Akutugawa called as he opened the door, strolling in. "You actually barely make mistakes."

Atsushi screamed, actually let it out this time and clutched his bag to his chest, pointing his phone at Akutugawa like it would help him fend off an attacker.

Akutugawa raised an eyebrow, holding up his hands in surrender and Atsushi saw a violin case in one hand and... Take out food in the other.

"Maybe you should eat first," Akutugawa continued. "And then we can talk."

"Talk about what?" Atsushi squeaked.

"Why I'm scaring you and what I can do to make you feel more comfortable," Akutugawa answered with a sigh, rolling his eyes.

"O-Oh," Atsushi relaxed slightly, reaching for the offered meal. "Thank you?"

"I see no reason why you're afraid of me," Akutugawa huffed, sitting down crossed legged while pulling a container of rice out of his bag.

"HAVE YOU SEEN YOUR FACE AKUTUGAWA-KUN? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WANT TO MURDER SOMEONE HALF THE TIME!" Dazai yelled cheerfully, sliding past the room, Chuuya barrelling after him with an indignant 'Dazai you fucking idiot!'

Akutugawa's face twitched.

"Moving on," he gritted out, nearly snapping his chopsticks in half. "First things first, why exactly, are you afraid of me?"

Atsushi laughed nervously.

"Well," he started. "You'rereallygoodandI'mafraidImightscrewthisduetassignmentupforyouandI'mnotreallytalentedatall."

Word vomit at its finest.

Akutugawa snorted.

"Not talented?" Atsushi blinked, surprised Akutugawa had even managed to pick out anything from the mess of words. "Says who?

"Um," Atsushi picked at a fraying thread in his shirt. "Compared to Chuuya-san and Dazai-san and even you, I'm not naturally talented-"

"And that is where the bullshit stops," Akutugawa cut him off. "Dazai-san never shuts up about you. Trust me," he muttered darkly, glaring at the doorway where Dazai was making another pass down the hallway. "He's an idiot but he has a good sense for talent. That is the only thing I'll trust him with."

"But, but-"

"Go to the piano," Akutugawa commanded, putting away his food. "We're going to try one more time."

Atsushi froze, eyes widening. Akutugawa shook his head, gently punching Atsushi's shoulder.

"I won't be mad if you mess up, I just want to sync it and get through the piece," Akutugawa continued, taking out his violin and tuning it. "Pretend I'm not here. Relax."

Atsushi inhaled deeply, positioning his hands on the keyboard.

"One," Aktugawa started. "Two. Three."

They went at a slow pace, far from an ideal tempo but Atsushi was relaxed, not really under any strain and they managed to sound decent for once, Akutugawa perhaps a little too loud at times and Atsushi too slow but they got through it.

"Well," Akutugawa spoke up after a long moment of silence, Atsushi sprawled out across the piano in relief. "Not the worse I've heard."

"IT WAS TERRIBLE!" Dazai yelled.

Akutugawa's eyebrow twitched and he gripped his violin case tightly.

"But," he went on after what seemed like an internal debate on whether to brain Dazai with his violin case or not. "We can definitely improve. Extra practice for one, lots of it."

Atsushi leaned back, stretching out his fingers with a contented smile.

"Playing in front of others as well."

Atsushi lost his balance and promptly fell off the chair.

"What? Why?"

"I'm not sure if you've noticed or not, you should have, but you have terrible, terrible stage fright."

Atsushi proceeded to make a second undignified noise in front of Akutugawa.

They practiced often, Akutugawa always more than willing to stay after school.

Chuuya would drive them home when he could and Kouyou, their art teacher was more than happy to stay behind to listen to them while providing them with meals whenever they needed it.

Akutugawa would call Atsushi at the most inopportune times, go to a bar (thanks Dazai) and get Atsushi to play in front of a crowd.

It didn't turn out amazingly the first few times, Atsushi readily butchered any piece he tried but he progressively got better as he went again and again.

During class, Akutugawa was usually harsh and blunt with Atsushi, rarely giving him a compliment or saying that he was satisfied but slowly, slowly, their piece came together.

They hung out at lunch, discussing how they should move on, Akutugawa even assisting Atsushi with mathematics and Atsushi shared his largely unknown skill in English.

When they got into the zone, when they played, it was peaceful but intense, together but still individual, quiet but deafening loud.

They became aware of each other, what each was doing, if Akutugawa stumbled, Atsushi would quietly cover it up and if Atsushi sped up, Akutugawa would match him and slowly bring him back.

Atsushi dared say they had become friends.

When they finally had to play for assessment, Akutugawa turned to Atsushi who seemed to be a little nervous.

Chuuya and Dazai had predictably played a flawless duet right before and the teacher motioned for them to take their places.

Akutugawa shot Atsushi a reassuring look, or as close to reassuring as he could get, the normally angry lines in his forehead smoothing out and softening, posture proud but not rigid.

One, Akutugawa mouthed. Two. Three.

And they played.

"Ah," Dazai yawned, listening to the music float through the crack of the door. "What a nice result."

Chuuya rolled his eyes.

[churchkey]

Ok but like, what about something about Harry and Kitty from the cycling AU?!? Like an anniversary date, but it’s the anniversary of something ridiculously mundane 😂

Fresh hot Harry/Kitty anniversary date for my lovely @anthrobrat! Thanks for the ask, darling. Featuring some background Winnix (obvs) and a surprise cameo that not even I saw coming.

Title: Something Dark

Words: 1300 (so not the 500 I promised, eek)

Rating: Teen? There's some sex talk but it's not racy or anything.

When Kitty got to the restaurant, Harry was already there, sitting alone at a corner table with his head bowed over the menu. He didn’t look up when the door opened, so she got a chance to study him unaware for a moment. His unruly curls and reading glasses gave him a sort of bookish, eccentric look, making him seem right at home among the university professors and neighborhood professionals who comprised the main clientele. Then he looked at her and his face broke into that scrappy, working class grin of his and the illusion disappeared.

“Did you get the meeting moved?”

“No,” she said. “I just didn’t go.”

Harry’s eyebrows shot up his forehead in steep arches, surprised by impressed.

She picked up the drinks menu. “George with the girls?”

“No, he’s still at the store. I called Dick.”

She made a face. “Again?”

“What?”

“Oh nothing.” She turned the menu over. “I just feel like we call them too often.”

Harry looked at her with his face scrunched in skepticism. “Come on, they love it.”

“Lew does,” she said. “Lew would adopt them tomorrow if we asked. But Dick…”

Harry stared silently at her, challenging her to speak ill of his best friend. “Dick what?”

“Dick is a very warm, devoted, generous uncle,” she began, speaking slowly and calmly.

Harry held out both hands, palms up, as though she were only proving his point. But she wasn’t finished.

“Who showers them with love and attention, after which he is perfectly content to go home to his clean, quiet house without any children.”

Harry blinked a few times, his mouth hanging open as he tried to formulate a response.

“Yeah,” he muttered after a moment. “I mean… so?”

“So I’m just saying, maybe we should try not to wear out our welcome with those two. Not before we’ve nailed them down for France.”

He tipped his head to the side, conceding the point. They’d been talking about it for years, bicycling through the Loire valley, drinking wine, eating in charming little cafes, sleeping in castles, the honeymoon they’d never had but were finally going to take, nearly ten years after the fact. As long as they could find someone to watch their kids.

“Well he was happy to help us out tonight,” he said with an air of satisfaction. “And sends his most sincere congratulations.”

Kitty reached her hand across the table to take his. “Happy anniversary, darling,” she said in an affected, theatrical voice reminiscent of 1930s melodrama. “What are we celebrating tonight?”

“Oh shit,” Harry said, mimicking her tone so that it came out sounding a little like Cary Grant. “I hadn’t thought that far.”

“First date?”

He shook his head. “Too boring. And it’s the wrong season.”

“Okay.” She sat back in her chair and looked around at the other diners, thinking. A woman at a nearby table made eye contact with her and Kitty held her gaze for just a moment, a coy but inviting smile on her lips. The woman smiled back and looked down at her plate.

“First time we did a threesome?”

“We did that one last time.”

“Fine,” she said, huffing impatiently. She thought a moment longer, then her eyes lit up. “How about the first time you ever gave me -”

But she was cut off mid-sentence by the sudden approach of their server, who strolled up to their table like he’d been admiring them from a distance for a while and had finally decided to make his move.

“Good evening friends, how are we doing tonight?”

Kitty knew that this was the way he greeted all of his tables and that there was nothing special about them, but there was something in his voice, a sort of lazy, sensual hitch, like he was dragging the sound over a bed of warm sand. It sent a little charge through her body, like rolling her thumb over the sparkwheel on a Bic lighter.

Harry must have felt it too because his eyes went wide in delight for a few seconds before she responded.

“We’re great,” she said.

“Great,” Harry echoed, flashing him a flirty grin. “More importantly, how are you?”

The server took a step closer to Harry and put his hand on the back of his chair, leaning down to address him in a low, conspiratorial voice that made him seem even more charming.

“I’m not gonna lie to you folks, it’s been a long day.”

“Yeah?” Harry dropped his voice to a silky murmur. He sat back in his chair and spread his knees wide, patting his thigh. “You want to take a little break? Sit down for a minute?”

The server dropped his head back and laughed. “Thank you,” he said, placing his hand over his heart as though it were the kindest thing he’d heard all day. “You don’t know how close I am to taking you up on that.”

He introduced himself as Al and told them it would be his pleasure to serve them this evening, and as he began describing the specials, Kitty took a good look at his profile. He had little flecks of gray at his temples and in his stubble and she wondered how old he was. She guessed mid-thirties, there was an aura of arrested development hanging about him that belied his mature appearance, which didn’t surprise her. Restaurant people were often like that, in her experience. That was what made them so fun.

“Friends, what questions do you have for me at this point?”

Harry picked up the drinks menu again and pretended to study it, which Kitty thought was kind of silly, as he was most certainly going to order a tallboy of something cheap and familiar.

“Al,” he began thoughtfully. “Is that short for Allen?”

“Alton, actually.”

“Alton.” Harry rolled the word around on his tongue like he was trying to guess its shape. He looked up from the menu, glancing briefly at Kitty before turning his attention back to their server. “What have you got on tap?”

Al blew a gust of breath through his lips and shook his head as though he wasn’t sure where to start. “Whatever you’re in the mood for. What do you like?”

“Something dark. Malty.” She could see a naughy smile fluttering over Harry’s lips. “Brown eyes. Kind of rugged.”

As the implication of Harry’s words sunk in, Al’s expression changed. A look of intense calm settled over his face and all of his features went still, all except for the tiny smirk tugging at one corner of his mouth. He met Harry’s eyes, his gaze unwavering.

“I’ve got something special that I think you’ll enjoy.”

“Sounds perfect,” Harry said.

Al turned to look at Kitty. “For the lady?”

She lifted her chin defiantly and stared into his dark eyes for a moment. Harry was right. He was handsome and smooth and urbane, but there was something rugged about him too, almost anachronistic. Like he belonged on a ranch somewhere, squinting into the sun. How she longed to feel those salt and pepper whiskers brush against her breasts, the insides of her thighs, all her soft places.

“I’ll have the same.”

Al nodded. “I’ll get that in right away.”

He left and Harry and Kitty looked at each other with the same expression of cautious delight. Neither spoke for a moment, and then Kitty broke the silence.

“First time we went home with the waiter?”

“You think he’s into it?”

Kitty shrugged. “Seems that way to me.”

“Wonder what time -” He stopped suddenly and sat up straighter in his chair as Al set their glasses in front of them on the table.

“Thank you,” Kitty said warmly.

Al winked at her. “Enjoy.” Just before he left them again, he turned back. “Ten,” he said.

Harry looked back at Kitty and raised his glass to her. He sighed happily. “Happy anniversary, babe.”

Kitty smiled back at him. “Happy anniversary.”

[raspberryjellybrains]

Blessings of Frey

In nature, life and death are not mutually exclusive.

characters: magnus chase, alex fierro

pairings: alex/magnus

tags: post-canon, chronic illness, hurt and a little comfort in the fluid nature of mortality, both she/her and he/him pronouns are used for alex, perspective fuckery

warnings: illness disease (its a metaphor for chronic illness y'all), major character death, minor homophobia mention

------------------------more------------------------

there is something crawling out from under Magnus' skin. he can feel it it day and night, never more than a wriggle and speck of green disquiet. it's been growing, intertwining itself with the light that shines when he uses his powers. he doesn't know how to feel about it.

most of the time it's inobtrusive, but lately he's been feeling it... clog. his joints are stiff, small spots of his body numb, and he's getting scared. in the night, it's started to whisper, and when he wakes in a cold sweat, he wakes in his atrium, grasses and flowers twining his feet. they've been climbing, too, pulling him down with every step as if make him one with the earth and they're powerful, more powerful than he is, sometimes. it was nice at first to have plants in his hair, they seemed to beckon his friends to braid it all back in elaborate styles, but it's out of control. the follicles are full of vines, barely any room for hair to grow, but grow it does down down down.

Alex is scared for him as well, in his angry and quiet way. he almost breaks up with him when she finds him laying on the floor of his garden space, limbs spread out and curled tightly in the grass, his eyes reflected the sky above.

magnus had been there for three days.

this becomes a bi-weekly occurrence. by the fifth month, he's tired of the looks others keep sending him that feel like they should be sympathetic, but end up feeling reprimanding when he walks the hallways with his pipestem boyfriend. they say "this is what you get for chosing someone so strange and weak. this is what you get for being loki's son." and he wants to rip out their eyes. Magnus walks beside her and feels every look, wishing to every god that he could be better if just to make them stop.

it's easy to forget it all in their rooms, gentle hands and soft lips, easy to romanticize the flowers he coughs up when they're roses. they can lay on the massive couch and watch shitty movies, hoping that tomorrow won't be the day magnus walks into his atrium and doesn't get up again.

in the sixth month, an episode lasts a week before Alex checks on him, knocking on the door before kicking it in and finding magnus the way she always does, spread across the floor, half covered in grass. she picks him up, mourning the loose warm weight in her arms until the roots retracted enough from his brain to let him walk.

the effort makes him want to throw up, so he does, and clumps of moss and brackish water come out, soaking into the grass, growing it by an inch where it lands. they both stand there for a moment in confusion and wonderment tinged with no small amount of disgust before moving the rest of the way to the bathroom, Alex once again carrying magnus and wishing her einharji strength would go away so that his weight would feel more human than a bundle of weeds.

finally in the bathroom, she beings the graceless work of stripping someone who is only now gaining a sliver of mental presence, hating herself for loving him and the feel of his skin, hot breath and piercing eyes the whole time. when magnus' shirt finally comes off, the reason for his isolation becomes apparent. leaves and moss spill out of a torso so emaciated, it must be half decomposed, with a riot of daisies resting between his hips and english ivy climbing an exposed rib. he winces like the removal of his shirt hurts and he looks up at her with empty grey eyes that still seem to apologize.

alex finishes stripping him, not even able to eek out a joke about how the first time she sees him naked, it's because he's turning into plants. the bathtub fills too slowly, and both are so used to the immediacy of Valhalla that it chafes unbearably, sitting under their skin and reminding them how slow time really passes. Once it's full of steaming water, magnus gathers himself enough stand and offer Alex one last look before stepping into the water, dropping flora in a way that almost feels endearing, like that time he smiled at her with food between his teeth and she felt like the sun itself had chosen her to love, or when he bumped a pot she didn't even like and felt so bad about it he made a new pot that looked more like rock than a mug, or any of the other times she's fallen in love with a dead boy so abundantly full of life.

his foot sinks, then the other foot and his leg and his torso and his head and he barely has a moment for the water rushing into and out of him before he dissolves into botanical array of tear-jerking proportions. vines crawl the walls, with water lilies and lotuses and duckweed covering the top of the bathtub, spilling onto a floor that has turned into the softest grass and brightest flowers. the bathroom becomes alive and it is everything Alex can do not to destroy it all, scared this is all she has left of the love of her afterlife, angry it's all she gets, and indescribably sad she fell in love in the first place. all she can do is hope magnus shows up to breakfast.

(he doesn't.)

[selfcareparker]

hi bae <3 reading that last ask i’m realizing i have no grammar? lmao

glad university is funnnn, when you said linguistics i was like 🤨 but then i googled it and it does sound interesting lmao

the too much free time part though... :( its like you expected to be thrown in and like WOO BUSY and WOO purpose (purpose may be going too far lol) but i totally get what you’re saying. ESPECIALLY when you expect to be busier and you’re not it’s like :/ ok. (& girlllll it’s fine to complain, it’s how ur feeling)

and bc of covid you have eVEN LESS STUFF TO DO, which sucks. the social part may help? even just a little bit, but maybe having some socialization.. it could be somewhat uplifting? idk gsjshsj

where i live the vaccine is for 16 and up right now but for the younger kids (12-15) it hasn’t been ✨FDA approved✨ yet so my brother is still waiting for his 🤠

okay really quick, how does drivers license work there? here you learn to drive at 16 and you can like actually drive (sometimes even alone in the car) by 17... (also burneks?)

YAYYYY GIRLLL i remember you telling me about how you haven’t seen your family in England in such a long time 🥺🥺🥺 i really hope you get to see them soon!!!! and that covid eases up so you can see them frequently again 🥺🥺🤍

i’m gonna tattoo that to my forehead “not being friends with your parents is unhealthy” EXACTLY!! the people saying that stuff are usually not close to their parents so 👀

i’ve been really busy (unfortunately imo lol) with my dance recital coming up and this singing group (which i don’t like at all) and my final tests bc of school i’m EEK but it’s a good eek i think? maybe? idk lolll, i can’t wait for everything to be over though so i can CHILL. after school however i have a missions trip in north carolina? don’t quote me on that, but yeah 🥰 i’m really excited about it bc i’ll be without my family (like on my own :)) and it’s this whole thing and i’ll get to know people and i’m gonna buy a new bathing suit that makes me look gooooood cuz i’m tryna cop a boyfriend while i’m there HAHAHAH but besides that... more acting and singing camps probably? most likely a summer job.. i don’t have any plans reallyyy set in stone but ya know (ACTUAL i do have a few things planned. but those are things i don’t want to do. so i will be ignoring them <3)

that was a long ass paragraph- but PLEASE UR RESPONSE WAS FINEEE & i love you 💓💓💖💞💘💓💞💕 literally watch me buy a ticket to germany rn

- lovely anon (or catherine? i feel that lovely anon is iconic now tho so. kinda like how i call you aria in my head not your real name lol ALSO I PROMISE IM GONNA RESPOND TO THAT REALLY SOON, it’s just really busy rn) <3

what’s wrong with tumblr i just saw this a minute ago 🥲🥲🥲🥲 they don’t want to see us together ✋🏼 but fuck them 💘

Whaksk wait wdym by you have no grammar? 😭😭hejsjs

Honestly I’m so surprised that I’m enjoying linguistics but i think since i speak english and german i’ve just always been interested in language and esp english since it’s just my second language so i was forced to learn more about the language than just words and grammar, because it’s such a big part of me and also i didn’t always have a british accent so i kind of had to... develop a british accent, and it was natural but also kind of wasn’t??? Anyway why was this one sentence like 17 lines i’m sorry

YES OMG EXACTLY and obviously i’m missing out on the whole uni experience i mean I’m introverted anyway but i don’t mind going to a party every now and then? but i haven’t talked to a single person from my uni (except in class when we had to analyse a poem or something— okay technically some of my friends go to the same uni as me but they’re all studying other stuff)

But yeah I’ll definitely try to meet my friends more often 🥺 but we all have really different schedules rn so it’s really hard to find days where we both/all are free and not too tired and yeahssjsksj but i mean.... i can pay 50% of your ticket to germany? and then we can hang out? 🥰

I think everyone over 18 can get their vaccine from Monday on so I’ll try to call (okay, my mum will call sisjsh) and see if i can get an appointment. but i think everything will be super full because previously only people over... 50?or 60? or people with like illnesses could get it and now everyone over 18 can get it??? Like that’s a lot of people who can suddenly get the vaccine sksjjs but at the same time they’re getting quicker with it (i think today over 1 million people got the vaccine???? Like i know the US probably gets wayyy more people done so idk if that sounds like nothing to you but obviously Germany is much smaller so to me that sounds like a lot???) and also one of my father’s friend’s wife (djdkdj) works at a hospital or something? And she said she’ll ask if I can get it done there so yeah 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Isksmsjjs it took me so long to figure out what burneks was, i googled it (very weird results?) and then i realised i made a typo.... yeah no idea what i was trying to say lol

So in Germany (as far as I’m aware) you can start at 17 and you can’t have your test before you’re 17 years and 6 months old (idk why) and then you’re not allowed to drive alone until you’re 18 and then you still have two years on probation(is that what it’s called?) and you’re not allowed to drink a single sip of alcohol before you’re 21 (and drive) (cause in germany you’re allowed to drink when you’re 14 (if your parents are with you and allow it), then when you’re 16 you can buy beer and wine, and when you’re 18 you can buy everything. But you’re not allowed to drink and drive (even if it’s just 0.01 promille) until you’re 21)

(Okay I just googled and I don’t think you say pro mille/per mille in english sksjsjs but like the percent (or something...) of alcohol you have in your blood (idk biology sorry) (not that you asked about drinking and driving anyway? 😭 but there you go lmaoo)

Also idk if that’s just a UK thing or you also have it in the US? But all of my relatives from England keep asking me how often I’m driving with my parents (for practice)... and in Germany that’s.... not allowed? Like in england you can get these L (Learner) plates that you can stick on the back of your car and then you can drive anytime with your parents, but in germany you can only drive with your driving instructor during a paid for and legally organised driving lesson so. Kksskaj

Yess, the good thing now is that i can go to england anytime? Because Uni is all online anyway so it’s not like i have to wait until the holidays to see my family, i really hope i’ll see them soon🥺 it was my nana’s bday today and my grandad’s a few weeks ago so i’m painting two pictures for them tomorrow and sending them as a (late) gift next week 😌 (i’ll do like an impressionist ✨field of flowers✨ (that sounds awful sksjsjsj for reference i’ll look something like this: (it’s not mine i just found it on the internet while i was looking for some inspiration

for my nana, and something with a waterfall for my grandad) (looking at it now i don’t even think that’s impressionism? Idfk i had art as my subject for my a levels (like one of my final exams) and i actually got an A 👀 but it was mainly architecture and i don’t even remember that so

Ahhh I hope it’s a good eek!! Sksjj hopefully you’ll be done with everything soon and i already know you’re gonna do really good in all of your tests😌 but still: good luck ❤️❤️❤️

Idk if it’s actually cool? But North Carolina sounds so cool to me (but honestly you could have said any state and i’d think it’s cool sksksskm) And girl I still think it’s so amazing that you just sing and dance and act and omg ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

(I’m imagining us in a montage (?) like they always have in films while we’re shopping to get you a hot bathing suit😌😌 and then they always come home with like 6 shopping bags in the movies—)

This is gonna sound so dumb because who tf wants to work? But I’ve always wanted a summer job 🥲 like nothing too exhausting obviously but i’ve never earned any money by myself? I haven’t had a single job in my life (not that I’m that old and like only one of my friends has worked in her life like we’re young sksjsj) and yeah i think it would be really cool to have a summer job and earn some money 😌 but during the summer holidays (they’re only 6 weeks in germany) we’d always go to england for at least two weeks and then we’d drive to bosnia to see my dad’s family for a few days and then to croatia and then to Bosnia again sksksksms so i never had time for a summer job (obviously i’m aware that it’s a fucking privilege that i’ve never had to work and that i get to go to multiple countries during the holidays but yeah)

WHY DO I TALK SO MUCH AUSSKKSSM

Like I said I’ll pay 50% of your ticket 😌 i’ll be here stuck at home anyway, just let me know when you’re coming so i can come pick you up😌 (this emoji djskksks— but i mean it fits so i’ll use it as often as i can 😌)

Lovely anon IS iconic 😌✨ but Catherine is more than okay too🥰 so just say whatever you prefer ❤️

(And omg you never have to apologise for responding to my long ass, full-of-mistakes responses late sksjs take your time (i mean i wouldn’t be mad if you just didn’t respond to some of them i talk too much anyway <3333)

[haikyuulovercompany]

Eek! I’m so excited for request to be open!! Can make a request for Iwaizumi? In which, the reader and Iwaizumi have a kid together, but they’re not together anymore. And so, they don’t get along very well. But in secrecy, the reader actually still harbors feelings for Iwaizumi, and their child snitches on her to their dad. When the topic comes up at the dinner table, the reader is forced to admit the truth. Iwaizumi’s kinda shocked and weirded out, but also kinda wants to date her again.

This took me longer than expected to write, but I hope you enjoy it!! I kind of changed the idea of the narrative BUT here it is (: ENJOYY !!! 

PAIRING: IWAIZUMI HAJIME X FEM! READER. 

---

One of the biggest reasons people avoided to dive into marriage, was the possibility of divorce. However, the vast majority of society bet it wouldn’t be their case. Iwaizumi had been one of those foolish enough to believe his relationship would never suffer such demise. He loved _____ so intensely it sometimes seemed to be endless. He could stare at the horizon their relationship was, as it extended as the sea did. He couldn’t tell where it stopped. But he was young and lacked experienced. Love would be enough, he had thought back then, and he had been very wrong. Love was the first stone for a solid marriage. The rest was a convoluted series of virtues and vices both had to work out and simultaneously make the decision to pull through.

They had failed at the task. They had fallen into the jaws of the routine until their relationship grew up stagnant. It hadn’t been an easy decision. After almost a decade together—from college where they met all the way to their early thirties—and a five-year-old boy they both loved beyond their physicality. Iwaizumi would sometimes spend hours staring at his son. He wondered what he could be dreaming about, he wondered about his own abilities as a father, especially when his marriage had failed.

It had been for the better. They were becoming strangers who could only snap at the other if they weren’t ignoring each other. How could the perfect relationship that had drove him into ecstasy so easily had become deadweight on his shoulders?

At first, he didn’t know. He was both relieved and saddened when he arrived at his flat. It was only him. No kiss from his wife or shouts of hoy from his son. He treated his divorce with the same fashion he would treat a regular break up. That’s how little he actually knew. You couldn’t simply get over the mother of your child, over the woman you surely swore was your companion for your short eternity on earth. That was his first lesson.

The second was the loss of communication with ______. He had thought the feelings they had felt for each other had died through their day to day life, and there wasn’t anything left to do. The reality was that love didn’t simply die. They had neglected each other. They had forgotten to talk, to have small and big details to help the other get through their issues—work it together. The had become two independent beings instead of working like a team. He had many regrets—many things he would do different.

It didn’t matter much anyway. It was too late. He was entering his second year as a divorced man and his five-year-old was now seven and the three of them had fallen into their new dynamic. They had adapted. Iwaizumi got out of his car and walked to the entrance of the building. He rang two times. “Hi, who’s there?” a very childish voice spoke. Iwaizumi smiled.

“A monster.”

Tiny giggled were heard. “Hi, dad! I’ll let you in!”

The buzzer went off and Iwaizumi entered the building. _____ had moved after their divorce. She had rented a different apartment not too far from their original home, or at least what have been their first home as a family. He had stayed a little longer in their old flat. He had due to their contract and it had been a slow torture. Two months later he was free and he rented his own flat. He had liked somewhere closer his son but that year wasn’t his year by any means.

He knocked on the now familiar door 401.

The door was thrown open abruptly, making a big slamming noise against the wall. “Eiichi!” ______ screamed, her quick steps coming fast from down the hall. She came to a halt and the air left her mouth when she was met with Iwaizumi laid back postured with his eyes planted in her. She seemed to stunned Iwaizumi couldn’t help arching an eyebrow. “Are you okay, _____?” He was always careful when saying her name, as if it was forbidden to him to say it. This was another heartbreaking sign of how radically everything could change between two persons.

“I am. Sorry. I forgot today was your day,” she admitted. “Let me go get Eiichi’s bag ready. Come in, if you want.”

She was gone before Iwaizumi could say anything else. He nodded to himself and closed the door. Eiichi was soon all over him, telling him about his latest adventure. He was barely five years old. He was discovering the world. Everything was whimsical and mysterious to him, and as a father, it was an endearing process to watch. He wished he could be there on a daily basis to see every step of the way. He would be surprised of the strong nostalgia he was undergoing, but with the second anniversary of his divorce so closed, he was bound to feel like that.

______ came back with a red backpack and handed it to Iwaizumi, offering a fleeting smile. “There’s everything he will need for tonight.”

“Okay. I’ll bring him back tomorrow afternoon.”

“Sure.” Silence invaded the room and Iwaizumi knew it was his queue to leave. He got up with the red backpack hanging from his shoulder and gave ______ one last glance before walking out the apartment together with Eiichi, who continued rambling with his clumsy words and ill-formed sentences.

Iwaizumi carried his son and securing him into the backseat and after checking it twice, he went to the front seat and left. The nostalgia eventually dissipated. His son took over his attention and he had no time to travel down memory lane about the life he used to have. The days he spent with Eiichi were the ones he cherished the most, but they were also the most exhausting. He had been warned about the shot of energy children got around the age Eiichi was, and they had not been wrong. After a whole day at the park, running and climbing around, he had finally given Eiichi a bath, put on his pajamas and settled him in the small dinner table adjacent to his living room. The television was playing from across the room. The cartoon was hypnotizing the little boy, who sometimes forgot to chew and left his mouth hung open watching it. Iwaizumi had to give small nudges to Eiichi for him to continue eating.

A divorce could be vicious and Iwaizumi had heard horror stories about it. Not to say his had gone smoothly, but it had been more about the grudges he and _____held against each other, the issues they had kept unspoken and had led to the failure of their marriage. There hadn’t been cheating or someone new in the picture. It was just them and poor communication. They had put those differences aside and concurred to share custody because at least both agreed Eiichi didn’t have to pay for mistakes that weren’t his. Therefore, Iwaizumi had rented a flat with an extra room for Eiichi. It wasn’t a simple guest room, it was decorated accordingly to his age. It was for him and no one else.

Iwaizumi pulled out the bedsheet and signaled Eiichi with his head. “Come on. Get in.”

He did as told and climbed the bed until he was sitting down, his legs hanging from the edge. Iwaizumi knelt, taking off the pair of slippers ______ had included for Eiichi to use. “Are you and mom getting back together?” he suddenly asked, taking his father aback.

“Why do you ask?”

“I checked mom’s drawer and she has a picture of the two of you.”Iwaizumi’s curiosity sparked up. “What drawer?”

“In her room. She sometimes takes it out but then it’s inside the drawer again. That’s why I checked. She doesn’t know I checked.”

He smiled apologetically to him. “Well, there’s no plan for that happening. I’m sorry, bud.”

Eiichi looked down, swinging his legs a couple times before getting inside the covers. “It’s okay.”

Iwaizumi kissed his forehead. The hint of sadness in Eiichi’s face broke him to the core. The more he grew, the more he discovered and rationalized the circumstances around him, and life didn’t go easy on anybody and it pained Iwaizumi to know there were going to be many situations where he wouldn’t be able to protect Eiichi. He tugged the covers a little bit higher and turned the lights off. He left the door slightly ajar and stood still on the spot. He had never seen a picture of _____ and him in her apartment. He had been there a lot, he would’ve noticed his face. He pondered on the piece of information Eiichi had thrown out of pure curiosity. Could it be that ______ wasn’t entirely over them? Could she still think about him? Perhaps and she wondered as much as him what could’ve happened if they had tried a little bit more, a little bit harder.

Iwaizumi tried to go to sleep, too, but it was around two in the morning, after endless runarounds in his head he was able to fall asleep. The last thing in his mind was his wife, and even after, she appeared in his dreams.

….

He woke up to his son opening the door and climbing into his bed. Eiichi poked him on the cheek a couple times. “Dad, I’m hungry.”

Iwaizumi groaned and then yawned. “I’m coming.” Eiichi jumped two times and then off of the bed. “Careful,” he oredered, his voice still raspy, but Eiichi was already running down the hallway.

Thankfully, he had remembered to get frozen waffles. He warmed up a pair in the toaster for Eiichi and another pair for him. He cut a slice of butter for each waffle and took both plates to the living room. Breakfast was quiet with Eiichi again hypnotized by some cartoon. This gave time Iwaizumi to spend more time with his thoughts. He couldn’t stop going over as of why ______ still had a picture of them in her nightstand, and why was she hiding it? She didn’t have it for Eiichi, if that was the case she would let him have it. She wasn’t even showing the picture to him.

Maybe… just Maybe…

He decided to take Eiichi earlier back to his mother. He wouldn’t be able to shake off his doubts and he had never been a man to shy away. If their relationship had spiraled down, they could pick it back up. They had been fantastic together once, and if he was honest with himself, he missed his life with them. He missed seeing Eiichi daily, not missing a bit of his life. And he missed ______. He missed her as his wife, as his partner.

He pulled on her street half past six—a couple hours before he had to. Eiichi didn’t question. He had no idea at what time he was supposed to arrive, either way. However, ______ was surprised to see him there so early. Eiichi ran past her and disappeared inside the flat. “You’re early. Is something wrong?” she asked bewildered.

“No, I just wanted to see if we can chat.”

“Uhm, okay.” She stepped aside, letting him come inside and walking to the living room. Iwaizumi sat on a different couch than _____. He wasn’t going to push his luck. He went over his question. It was easy and straightforward. However, he couldn’t help feeling like he was twenty again, walking across the room and making some small talk to her and see if he had a chance. He was nervous and unsure if it was the right thing to do.

“So, what is it?” she asked when faced with his silence.

Iwaizumi liked his upper lip as his fingers intertwined on his lip. “Why do you have a picture of us in your drawer?” She sat straight, blinking fast. Her mouth opened and closed, hesitating on emitting any sound. He had taken her aback entirely. “Eiichi told me about,” he clarified, making it impossible for her to lie or avoid the answer.

She looked around huffing. “Well, we were married, Hajime. We were together for too long. Not all of us get over things that easily,” she explained, avoiding looking directly at him.  

Iwaizumi felt it like a direct shot at him. “Who said I got over it easy? I think about my life here with you and Eiichi all the time. I missed my life in here.”

“Hajime…”

“I’m being honest. Sometimes I just wish I could still be here.”

“If you want to see Eiichi more, you know you can.”

“I’m not only talking about him. I miss us. I think we could have fixed it if we had really tried.”

“We were tired of each other,” she said in a whisper, which told Iwaizumi she wasn’t rock solid on that position. It was the reason why their relationship had ended. That had been the catch phrase of their divorce.

“Maybe we could have used a break but I think divorcing was too extreme.”

“What are you trying to get to?”

“If you aren’t over us, I would actually like to try it again. We could make it work.”

“We can’t just jump right where we left things.”

“No, of course not. We’ll take it slow. I think it’s worth it.”

She held his gaze with hers. She wasn’t agreeing with him, but she wasn’t rejecting him either. He didn’t dare to blink. He wanted to seem confident with his proposal so she could give in.

“What if it doesn’t work again?” she asked.

“Then we go back to… this,” he declared rather calmly. He couldn’t ignore that option existed. Still, he wanted to believe the time they spent apart and the maturity they had gained in those two years was enough to make it right.

She nodded and stood up. “Are you staying for dinner, then?”

Iwaizumi smiled wide, standing up as well. “If there isn’t a problem, I am.”

She grinned shyly and turned away before he could see her. “Let me set another place on the table.”

“I’ll help you,” he offered, and then followed her into the kitchen Needless to say, he was thrilled. The door for a second chance had been opened to him.

[bellero]

Lol, hi, no surprise again but I’m in hospital eek!!

My gallbladder is being a little shit again, the doctor is hoping to remove it tomorrow but it’s not definite as they may have emergency surgeries to do!

I’m extremely dehydrated and my vains have kind of given up on me so I have about an hour and a half to drink as much as I can before I have an iv with fluids👀

I’m on a ward with some very lovely people and the sweetest nurses and doctors, I feel like my whole life rn is me being ill and making up excuses to not write which suuuucks🙃 but I promise as soon as I’m well I’m gonna jump back into writing the next part of Parker twins, I’m so so excited for the ending, I’ve planned it all it’s gonna be siiiiiick👌👌

Hope yall are healthy and safe during this pandemic♡

[unearthingandrebuilding]

Tryna get back up from a smol mental breakdown again after being #triggered :))

I slept in today, a lot, again, despite having work. But tryna look forward and stay calm - do what I can.

I'm realising how important it is to do as much as I can (for my mental health) when I am in a capable place. As that should hopefully make the lows less... low.

So today I have showered (big deal srsly), washed lots of dishes, cleaned + tidied, done some work from home (eek. Better than nothing:// I've been so bad at work recently), took my vitamins + meds, hydrated, and tried to stay chill + calm.

I'm in a bit of a scary place cause I know I've been kind of out of order with work. But nobody has said anything to me yet about my absences, etc. I've just not been showing up all the time, been missing meetings sometimes, that kind of thing. They know I'm having a hard time with mental illness just now. And I don't know how much people are noticing / thinking about my behaviours. But I'm just kinda anxious about the whole thing. Trying to stay calm and just do the best I can - as anxiety only makes me worse. It's counter intuitive.

Getting triggered is really annoying. It makes everything fall apart. But tryna focus on what I can change and do the best I can to be as well as I can be just now.

I hope and pray that I do make it into work, on time, tomorrow. And hopefully I can be more consistently better. I don't wanna ruin this - I have a pretty good job and it goes pretty well when I'm doing alright.

[survivormontenegro]

Episode 11: “Recalibrate How I’m Playing This Game” - Caeleb

okay I'm writing a long confessional then going to bed.

Jules was robbed. I was really gonna idol them when Jones/Caeleb told me Jules was getting votes, but Jules was only getting 5, and I naively thought both that Jason wasn't going to flip and Tom wouldn't self vote AGAIN ASKDLJFAF.

I'm frustrated because I love Jules. Jules was robbed and deserved better than having to deal with Alex who like will tell Jules they made a mistake and ugh. I'm frustrated that I didn't idol Jules, even though it wouldn't have been smart and would've put me in a tough game spot, its just all super tricky sigh.

in other news, Jones/Mo/Mitch need to go. I'm super proud of Mo for doing something (like genuinely) and not playing passively, I defo underestimated him, but him and Jones have way too much sway on this tribe, tied to Mitch who is clearly able to work people.

I think a good end-group for me would be Me/Benj/Tom/Julia. I really really like Caeleb but he actually is playing super smart, so I really don't think I can have him sticking around much longer.

I think a good new bootlist is: Jones > Mitch > Mo > Jason > Caeleb

I'm just frustrated because Jules was robbed and really did not deserve that, Mo/Jones are too powerful, and now so is Mitch. I'm gonna idol one of them out, and I'm going to love doing it.

Holy fuck what the fuck that worked. Ok so here’s what just went down, Jules said to Jason that she’d be fine voting out either me or Mitch. People were leaning towards Mitch. We had like 20 minutes left and we started discussing and I threw out to Jones, what if we get Jules out, but she kinda ignored it and carried on with the Mitch plan. Because Jules has a lot of connections I can understand why Jones would be hesitant. So then I throw the pitch rob Caeleb and Mitch throws the pitch to Jason and they’re both on board. But that would of only been five people. Meaning it most likely would of tied so we were like ok I guess we’ll just vote Mitch. BUT THEN BENJ GETS ONLINE and he’s like “Yeah I’ll vote Jules.” SO I SCRAMBLE BACK TO CAELEB LIKE WAIT VOTE JULES WE HAVE THE NUMBERS. SAME WITH JONES AND JASON. WE GET JULES OUT. Which of course is sad because she’s literally a sweetheart and she’s super funny, but she had so many people in her corner and her and Ali combined was a scary combo. BUT I MEAN I HAVE A COOL GAME MOVE IN MY POCKET NOW THAT I DID (with Mitch) BUT WOW ME.

Whew chile!!! I must admit that vote was VERY scary and VERY hectic. I thought for a moment my game was ending. Thankfully my social relationships with people allowed me to stay and send the person who was targeting me home (Jules). Now this is GREAT for me because i trusted Jules the least on the merge tribe. The communication thing never worked out between the two of us but i still find her to be a very nice person :). In regards to the vote, Mo/Caeleb, Benj, Jason, and Jones all voted to save me. To me, I feel like this means im in a really good position because everyone likes me enough to SAVE me. Up until 5 minutes before the deadline, I thought i was done for. I gotta be careful with who I work with in the future because my threat level is rising. People in touchy subjects saw me as the one who thinks they are running the game but are not, but man is this far from the truth. I'd like to say that although I didn't know what was going on COMPLETELY, I still pretty much helped/forced the target onto the person who went home. Ian- Told Alex about how I suspected Jason and Ian of being a duo (correct assumption according to ali) and everyone ended up splitting between the two (I did not care who went). Alex- I pushed very hard for alex to go because he was so dang controlling and i found that very threatening. Jules- targeted me first but I never trusted her because of how little we spoke. When she decided to target me it was the icing on the cake. Hopefully these next few rounds are smooth sailing because we NEED easy votes for at least a little bit.

okay so i am trying SO hard for immunity, like its not even funny. i think i have 100+ points right now, with more videos uploading and with more planned photos tomorrow. immunity would be SO sweet, because that'd guarantee me a spot in the F8, and with my idol F7.

in other news. if i haven't said it enough, it must be said again. BENJ IS SUCH A KING. like today he told me he wants to go to F4 with Julia and Tom. I truly, truly could have shed and wept real tears. That is exactly the F4 I want, like EXACTLY ,and Benj agrees, and we are going to make it HAPPEN.

He also wants to separate Mo/Jones this round... and like honestly, I'm so down. Like I think he wants to vote off Mo versus Jones which I think is a bad idea, since Jones is a better talker and more of a threat, but his argument about Jones being a shield makes some sense.

my ideal bootlist moving forwards for the season, although it requires like julia/tom to stick with me and benj pretty tightly, is:

Mo/Jones > Mitch > Jason > Mo/Jones > Caeleb > F4: Me/Tom/Benj/Julia

and also since i love doing this for no reason, this would be my ranking of those left if i was to go to jury this round:

Mitch > Jason > Jones > Benj > Caeleb > Julia > Mo > Tom

Mitch is SO savvy, and so likable, and I could see as a definite winner, having survived so much. I can't decide if Jones is a threat because she is just so likable, or if she is actually palying super well, but I have both her and Jason very high in my opinion. Benj is so smart, I feel like he probably isn't considered as such by the other threats, but I hear him talk game - he is super woke. Caeleb is actually playing a very smart game too, flipping back and forth. I definitely underestimated him in early merge, his MIND. Julia I think is super game-savvy, just her style gets in her own way sometimes. Mo I feel like definitely did stuff last vote, but I see him as Jones' shadow/goat right now so would need to see much more. Tom I'm stuck because him self-voting twice I think almost definitely excludes him from winning so its hard to tell how I'd feel about him in an FTC. the main thing is that... we shall see.

BUT I AM WINNING IMMUNITYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Sending this now bc I forgot. Jason beat me in reward OOPS but I can still possibly win immunity,,,,,? Maybe?

Eek me at jules being voted out, honestly i didnt really know what was going to happen at that tribal for the sole fact that everything started moving whilst i was asleep but im kinda shocked that it ended up being jules.... Like i personally wouldnt have made that move right now maybe in like 2 more rounds. Its quite scary the fact that mitch got so many people to turn on jules when i thought she was quite the loved player. So I've gotta keep an eye out for him he's probably playing the best game atm but i think ill try to take him out sooner rather than later

I think I might have to recalibrate how I’m playing this game. I honestly didn't think I was all that close to Jules so her cursing me kinda surprised me. SO, that means I think a lot of people are gonna be cursing me in the upcoming rounds. Not that I am planning a lot of blindsides, I just feel a lot closer to the people actually left. Julia might be the only one that wouldn't curse me at this point, but also she might because she doesn't like me all that much. And being cursed a bunch might put a really large target on my back too.

y'all i just found another idol im SCREECHING. and its a boujee one too, a sapphire idol. I'm so AHHHHHHHHHHHHH, i know where 2/3 idols are for sure, I'm truly screaming.

This was me an Mitch on call when we realized we had the numbers to vote out Jules

heres the thing, i prefer the selfie scavenger hunt when im on a team because that way im motivated to get stuff done out of fear of letting everyone down. where as by myself, i let myself down all the time. ali is scary good at comps and im lazy.

ALI FOUND THE MERGE IDOL AND ITS A SAPPHIRE IDOL AHHH!!!

IM SO HAPPY FOR HIM/US BUT ALSO LOWKEY PISSED BECAUSE I GET ALL THE BRIDGE STEPS AND THEN HE GETS LUCKY AT THE VERY END LMAO. AGAIN.

BUT OH WELL ATLEAST ITS NOT SOMEONE ELSE!!

And if I had any doubts (I never had) about him betraying me before I have 0 now.. u like have to really trust someone to tell them u have 2 idols LOL I could literally expose so much right now

BUT IM NOT GONNA WOO!!! BEST DUO IVE EVER HAD! Like I know it will be hard to beat him at the end but idc I want that duo story for us

Literally an idol magnet king I knew I chose the best ally on day 1

sapphire idols sound kinda annoying tho cuz u cant choose who its played on . like what if ur plan actually works and u idol the person u wanted gone LOL

lowkey would rather a normal idol ?? anyways ali went off in immunity and its final 9 idk who will go but I kinda want like mo gone (king) but we have no strategic bond so.. plus he will slip by to the end otherwise

I doubt that plan is gonna work tho cuz idk how to lead votes!! im flop sheep!

Update on idol hunt - I'm killing johnny

Update apparently I’m running a vote KSKSKKFMFMFFK take back EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT NOT NEEDING POWER LMAOOOO

ok so Storytime

I’m talking to Tom at like 5:00-6:00 ish, and he says he hasn’t heard anything but he’d be down to vote Julia if other people were voting Julia (at this point this is the only name and it was said by Tom and that’s it)

At this point I tell Mo what Tom said (Bc tom and I were talking about Mo) and he said he wasn’t surprised Julia’s name was brought up

Talk to Mitch at like 7:00 ish and he’s apparenrly being targeted by Ali and for whatever reason I have this hero complex and I wanna save him all of a sudden?? I also feel like he’ll be a big shield down the road that everyone else would want out over me so it makes much more sense to keep him? SO I tell him about Julia.

I Run to Mo, tell him about Julia plan he’s on board. MOs talking to Caeleb, and Jason wouldn’t go behind Mitch’s back. So that’s already 5 people I think voting Julia, 6 if we include Tom and 7 if Benj also knows. Which I’ll probs tell him.

So ya??? Turned an idea into a plan!! I’m doing that y’all. Idk?? I’m proud. I don’t need need this much power after this round or else my ego will be the size of my dick but!!! Idk guys I’m proud of myself.

(Literally only 35 minutes later)

Literally having a stroke tonight laid ease

Uhm apparently Tom/Jason/Ali had an alliance and were trying to get me out and tried throwing me under the bus to Julia and tried saying shit I didn’t say,, so ya,,, :)

Tom tried twisting it like I was the one who threw Julia’s name out bc apparently she’s inactive? Which is cute,, I said jack shit about that. So ya.

Um I’m voting Tom tonight now. I’m an indecisive bitch tho so it might change but. Fuck Tom. We gotta break up this alliance apparently. Julia’s the only person that’s said shit to me this whole day about what’s happening so I’m more likely to believe her than anyone else sooo ya. Fuck Tom. Fuck these men.

[everywherebut]

New Guardian [Jacob Stone x reader]

Jacob Stone x reader A/n: I AM TAKING REQUESTS!!!! This is my first one shot, and I also wrote it on my phone… sooo yeah

After the boxing competition, you come to your apartment and relax on your bed. The match was very hard today, the girl you were fighting wouldn’t give up, but you won anyways. When you thought you could finally get some sleep, you hear a knock at the door. You trudge over to the entrance to your apartment, and find no one there, but a letter? You pick it up and open it as you go back into your apartment. It’s an invitation to work as a guardian for a library? Ha! No. Why would a library need a guardian? You scoff as your throw it into the trash. You walk into your room, thinking just about food. And when you get to your room, the letter, to work as a guardian is there. You are incredibly puzzled. Didn’t you just throw this away. Whatever. You take the letter and go to throw it away once again. But instead of going back to your room, you decide to take a nap on the couch. When you get you the couch, you sit down and relax, only to find yourself sitting on something. When you stand back up, there is the invitation again. “fine, FINE!! I’LL GO!! Alright? ILL GO TO THIS ADDRESS?” 

Then you realize your talking to yourself. But then you decide to you in the morning, cuz it’s about 11 at night. The first thing you do in the morning is get ready, you take a shower, do your hair, and decide to wear a dress with long sleeves. Then think to myself ‘psh no’, then you go and change again. You go to the address, and see an alley, with a door on the side? Were you at the right place? You double check, and this indeed is the address. Then, you open the handle and walk right in. What would you be shocked by? 

 Flynn’s Pov

 I was talking with Jenkins, while Eve was training with Cassandra, Ezekiel, and Stone. The transporting doors opened, and in walks a girl? I look at her with wide eyes, and snap my head toward Jenkins, who has the same expression as I do. I was about to get up, Jenkins pushes me down, signaling that he should talk instead. As Jenkins is walking over to her, the women asks,“Excuse me, is this the library?” 

 “No,” Jenkins replied,“well, this is part of the library, this is the annex. Can I help you?” 

 “Actually someone sent me this invitation.” She starts to take the invitation out, but I rush up to her and grab it before Jenkins can get it. I didn’t send out an invitation? Did I? No I don’t believe I did. Why would he library send her an invitation, we already have 3 librarians in training?!? Please have this not be another one of them!

 I skim through the invitation… ITS FOR A GUARDIAN POSITION? Jenkins says,“ I’m going to check the door, I swear I turned them off..” as he walks away.

 I turn to her and say quickly,“How did you get here?” She laughs before saying,“through the doors?” I attempt to punch her, to quickly knock her out. But she catches it before it it’s her face. “Dude come on. Seriously?” I put my fist down and give her a scowl, which she returns. I turn to walk away, but then attempt to kick her hardly in the stomach. Key word: attempt. She grabs it with one hand, before saying,“I didn’t want to do this.” Do what? Then she flips me over and my face goes straight into the floor. 

 Your pov (again) 

After you flip him, you start to walk around. A women with a blonde ponytail walks in asking,“what’s happening, I hear a lot happening.” When she sees me her eyes turn wide and she points and me and asks,“who is she?” 

 “I’m (y/n) (y/l/n). I’m here to be a guardian?” The women goes to hastily pull the man off of the ground, before taking him out of the room. Three people walk into the room after the other two walks out. 

“Umm. Hello there? What are you doing here?” a guy asked.

“OO! Are you a  new librarian?” asked a women with red hair.

“My name is (y/n). I got an invitation for a position of a guardian.”

“I CALL HER!” one of the guys yell.

“NO WAY!” the other guy shouts. 

They continue to fight while the the red haired girl introduced herself.”My name is Casandra.” The boys stop fighting tp introduce themselves as well.

“I’m Jacob Stone.”

“I’m Ezekiel Jones.” After they introduce themselves, the man who tried to punch me and the blond haired women came back.

“I’m sorry about him earlier.”The blonde said,”My name is Eve, I’m also a guradian, why don’t i show you around.” You nod, as you follow Eve. She brings you through a hallway into a really bog library.”This is the library. We collect magical articles and put them here, so they don’t fall into the wrong hands. The three people you’ve meet, Ezekial,Stone, and Casandra, are librarians in training. You and me would have the responsibilty of training them, so they can become better. The man who tried to punch you, Flynn, is the head librarian.” 

“Where do you guys sleep?”

“There are multiple sleeping chambers in the hallways from the annex.”

“Sounds good. Do you mind if I watch you train the librarians in training? So i can get the feel of what’s going to be going on.”

“oh, of course. We can start right now. I’ll call them into the gym.” When everyone gets outside, you sit on the side, while Eve stands in front of the librarains in trainng. Jacob looks at you and smiles a little bit, before Eve calls his attention again. They start to train as a group, just doing the regular stuff, a while later, they call it over for the day. 

After they finish training, everyone goes into the annex. you head into the upstairs area and look for an interesting book. You pick up a pretty old, but intresting book on greek mythology. You head back downstairs, sit down, and start to read. 

“Hey.” a voice says. You look uo and see Jacob sitting next to you.

“Hello.” you respond.

“So. Greek mythology?”

“Yeah. I find it pretty intresting.”

“Me two! So what did you do before you came here?” He asked.

“I was a professional fighter.”

“Who likes greek mythology?”

“Yeah spunds weird huh? But lately I’ve been trying to learn a lot more about art and culture.”

“How about this? You teach me more about fighting and all that stuff, and I’ll show you more about art.”

“hahaha. alright, deal.” 

——-Time skip to a two months later——-

The four of you,Casandra, Ezekial, Jacob, and you,were at a local place to eat in Texas. You guys just finished a mission, and you all have been there for a while, and you were getting pretty tired.

“I think I’m gonna go to the library.” You said standing up.

“AWw come on (y/n). Stay for a little while longer.” Ezekial says.

“Please?” Casandra pleaded.

“No, I’m pretty tired. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

“I’ll walk you back to your room.” says Jacob standing up.

“You really don’t have to. Its not that far anyways.”

“No no no. I insist.” Jacob smiles at you, and you smile back. It was quiet for a little while walking back. “ I hope you know that You look really beautiful today.” Jacob says looking ahead.

You blush loudly while saying,”Thank you, you look handsome everyday.” You don’t see his face. When you guys get to your room, he hugs you before saying goodnight, and starts to head back.

Third person pov

When Jacob got back to Ezekial and Casandra, he slids into the seat next to Ezekial. Ezekial nodges him while smirking.

“Dude, what?” Jacob asked looking at Ezekial and Casandra, before they started to laugh.”seriously though, what?”

“Oh come on mate!” Ezekial starts,”You know whats up.”

“What are you talking about?” Jacob asked looking at Ezekial and Casandra.’

“He means about (Y/n).” Casandra says.

“What about (Y/n)?” Jacob asked. Ezekial and Casandra busts out laughing again.

“You two are practically dating! You two are so close!” Ezekial says as Casandrea nodds.

“no way! I’m just as close to her as you are.”

“yeah Suuurreee Stone.” Ezekial says rolling his eyes.

——–Time Skip by an additional 2 months——–

“Your being too tense Jacob.” You show him the stance again, him, still not getting it completely right.”If you want to have a stronger impact, you need to be less tense. Wait stay there.” 

You right infront of Jacob, he felt your cold cheek against his warm one and it gave him chills. He asked,”Wha-” He swallowed hard,”What are y-you doing?” You put your hands on his on his back and pressed them in certain parts. 

You felt him start to put his hands down,”No put your hands back up. You still need to be in a fighting position. I’m just trying to relieve some muscles.”

“R-right.” Jacob says as he puts his hands back into a fighting position. You move closer so your body is right against him. You can feel his muscles tightening even more.

“That’s it. Get on the mat.” You said taking a step back away from him.

“What?” Jacob asked putting his hands down.

“Get on the mat, I’m gonna give you a back massage. I feel like its the only way to relieve the stress. Maybe then, you can get the stance right.”

“R-right. The stance.” Jacob mumbled as he got onto the mat. You stradled him on his back and started to massage him. Jacob tried to hold in a moan. After a while, you felt the immense pressure leave his back. You were about to get up when he grabbed your foot and flipped you over. Before you can say anything, he started to kiss you, you were shocked at first, but closed your eyes and kissed him back. You felt as though your lips fit perfectly into his. All of a sudden, he pushed away and sat up.

“I’m sorry.”Jacob starts,”I really shouldn’t have done that. I-” You interupt him by smashing your lips into his once more. You can feel his tongue asking for entrance, he puts you down onto the mat once more and continue to kiss him. 

All of a sudden you hear a high pitched “EEk!” is heard. You both pull back to see Casandra, looking really nervous. “I’ll just… go.” She leaves very quickly.

“You wanna continue?” Jacob asked grinning widely.

“we shall.”

[lookingtobefound]

Did I really think ??

Yeah - so Sidharth !!  Well lets have some fun I say - imagine my life with him.  Because thats what this is about - not to hook up, but to find someone to live my life with. 

So can he be the one - well, my hearts not beating that fast - thats a good sign. Because everytime it has it has’nt ended well. We can be those cute couples who work 10-5 jobs and are climbing up the ladder while living a everyday life...I can be supportive of him...make sure he gets to where he wants to go. While having a friendly vibe at home,...you know be those guys who go to cute cafes over weekends, get movies together or stay in and cook maybe !

That could work - you know life can be normal, no grand affairs and exotic travel - just very very normal and the conversation can be fun. We can read books, talk all day, listen to music - yeah i see it can work. 

Ping - “whats the plan for tonight !” well well, can anyone resist me. Nothing much I say - “meet” think - you wanna meet him again today ? hmmm why not. This is the new millenial this is how its done. yeah sure ...I say.  8ish ? he asks. how about 9ish ? Ok then he says how about drinks at 9 at wine rack. Where the hell are all these places....

Around the evening am having cold feet...yeh, no not today. So well lets let him know - have some guests over at home. Can we do later in the week. 

He says sure, but I was looking so forward to seeing you and sad faces ! 

How adorable, can I break his heart ? he really wants to see me ...should i should I not, well and there it goes in my head and I think I should - i like him don’t I ? And am I not here so I can be ready to be found ? Ok lets write to him...Hey listen I moved my schedule to be with you - see you at 9 ?

Hey I just made plans with some other friends, and they just said Yes - should we do tomorrow ?

Whaaaaaat - really ! thats how it goes is it.. Nothing special about me, anyone to fill the evening ...Hmmmm. Maybe its just a friend of his - so tomm then.

Well tom is monday I have meetings - here’s what I’ll do, I’ll keep my last one close by, come in home early, get a blow dry - dress up for the evening. Go someplace nice - yeah this can be fun. So am back home at 7...not too tired. No message. Lets check with him - hey hows your day looking  ? 

Still at work. Meet ? at 9? yeah I say - winereack ?? No response....maybe he got into a meeting. But comeon how much does it take to confirm. Well its 8 / 830....no ping. No sweat I think i’m staying in...send the driver home. get into my tee and just seethe. How ridiculous is this, whats going on with the guys around here - is chivalry dead, is romance dead ??

9:06 : Ping  Damn getting out now :((( Where are you. There he calls.....im not picking it - let him go to hell already. Is it too late to meet now. Im like yes - sent my driver back. 

Dare I suggest tomorrow evening for us to meet ?? he says. hmmmm...he has gumption, and a sense of humour is always a positive. Are you sure I say - you’re now playing with fire...Sure..Ill be there, waiting for you.

Well next morning pat comes a message - cafe Zoe 8:30, i’ve booked a table and will be waiting. Ok ? Hmmmm....well with a little training they learn. Yeah sure look forward. Cafe Zoe 10 mts from home...eeks got a call, not yet dressed, getting late. Oops - he needs to be told - there in 10. Ok he says, my turn to be angry then. Ill need a specific apology he says...hmmm the boy has potential. Im serious he says, I apologised profusely, you owe me too. Well its your fault I say - you changed the venue. Ah - well lets go there and you can stand and wait for a table like common folks princess. Im a simple guy - 

Hmmm well not good he thinks Im high maintainance already - well Im there and there he is, perched on a stool sees me and lights up. Jumps down and gives me a tight hug - and then the banter starts..

Lovely evening, some food, some bubbly - tells me im reserved and should open up...and not make it tougher for guys to get close. Its tough enough as is and who has the time to really pursue --- well well. 

Says he does’nt take long to know and he likes me, and we should be a thing. Makes a joke about boyfriend girlfriend...What really ?? Go slow man - or maybe just the effect I have... talks about his time in newyork and the the dating scene. In NYC he says if you met the girl for the second date you sleep together ....Really, this is not NYC I say - its Mumbai, hold your horses sir. 

I drive him to his office where his car is parked. He is a tad shorter than me in my heels for sure....good things small packages ?? But I like heels, im never going to give those up. Will he be Ok with someone who looks taller.

So there is his workplace, and he says bye and gives me a hug...oops. You did’nt even give me a tight hug he says....hmm, and before i know it im pulled into one. And I hear him sigh and say i smell nice. No 5 always sir. but whats with all the touching..

Well close my eyes on the drive home, yeah it was nice. ping : lovely spending time with you !

Hmmm yes it is nice to be back. Nice to know there are nice guys there, maybe Ill be found - I think I will....there is hope still..

[itdisneymatter]

Day 10 - Magic Kingdom (II)

TLDR: Breakfast at hotel for a second shot, then pool for a bit. Headed to Disney Springs and picked up some artwork and not much else. Then finally on to Magic Kingdom to hit a few of the rides we missed the first day including Pirates, Buzz Light-year and Space Mountain. Ate monstrous turkey legs. Got lots of memory maker photos. Stayed until the 4th July (but not really the 4th of July fireworks). Spectacular!

We woke up a little later than normal and hit breakfast at the hotel and then an hour at the pool before heading out to our first stop, Disney Springs. First stop was an art shop that stocked some prints from an artist I like - Jasmine Beckett-Griffith. I picked up a 10x8 print and a set of Oracle cards, really for the artwork (though if you want a reading, hit me up :P). Kudos to Ann for letting me indulge in the weird things I like (no, not like that ;) For the past 11 days its been cards, art-y stuff and my unnatural obsession for Harley Quinn... thus far. Next a standard Starbucks stop (though they looked at me funny when I wanted no cream and sugar in my cold brew), then to browse the t-shirts in the Harley Davidson (we were here for more than just me, honest). Popped into another few shops including Marvel, before getting back on the road to head to Magic Kingdom. The 4th of July is one of the busiest days in Disney due to the holidays but a little known secret is that they do a trial run of the Independence days fireworks on the 3rd, so that's what our plan was for the rest of the day.

Before we continue, I'd like to present you with Patricks Fun Fact Of The Day, two in fact to make up for yesterday (and the first is a shark related one so quite fitting too).

Fun Fact 1: More people are killed by bees and lightning every year than are killed by sharks.

Fun Fact 2: Sporange is the only word that rhymes with orange - it means part of a fern or something (though technically it has the word orange in it so its a wee bit cheating).

Now we had to visit Lost & Found prior to heading into Magic Kingdom as Ann lost her special edition Magic Band on Saturday at Animal Kingdom. It was actually found and returned to the Lost & Found office which was at Magic Kingdoms car park - so that worked out really well. We got to the park as soon as the parade had started which was great timing (even though we seen it before), this was in main street so the kids had a much better field of view. They even got to interact and high five with a few of the Disney characters as they passed. I was too busy photographing the Disney characters to get their reactions but if we happen to do it again, when were next at Magic Kingdom, Ill definitely turn the camera the other way. I’m pretty sure Merida recognized our Celtic strips amidst the crowd and blew me a kiss, ohhhh and Elsa winked at me too, obviously I’m not looking into that meaning anything whatsoever (even though it does :P)

And then it started to rain, and wouldn't you know it, due to the fact there was only a 20% chance of rain we didn't take the bag with the rain-jackets in. Oh well, the rain wasnt actually that bad at all and we per served with it. We had Splash Mountain Fast Passed but they shut it down due to poor weather (as they do with all outdoor type rides). They do offer some alternatives so we headed to Haunted Mansion instead.

Next was a ride we hadn't seen since 2013, Pirates of The Caribbean. We'd watched all the movies prior to coming over (well except the new one out in the cinema), so we were all pretty much clued up and excited. Nice wee boat ride through various sets all based around Pirates. They had a nice waterfall at the start which had different characters like Davy Jones and Blackbeard projected on it, which was a cool effect.

Left Pirates and a guys in a Cubs fan shouted 'Mon The Hoops as he walked by (as we were all wearing our Celtic kits). In fact we got a few 'Mon The Hoops and Hail Hails over the course of the day, even from peeps not from the UK which was nice.

We were hungy by that point and there was really only one thing most of us wanted - Turkey Legs! These were like mutant turkey legs though and even wee Robert the fussy one said he wouldnt mind getting one for himself. So we made out way over to the opposite end of the park in Tomorrow Land where we knew we could get them. The trouble was, the weather also means all of the smaller stalls were closed down too - DOH! So we asked a cast member if there was anywhere else that sold them. Yes she said, Tortuga Tavern she said. And where is Tortuga Tavern I hear you ask? Why its directed opposite from Pirates - where we just came from! Trekked back over to the other side of the park and finally managed to get some, plus a cookie as Grace wasnt that hungry. These things are massive and it makes me wonder what the actual size of the turkeys where to have produced such huge legs! Im sure there's an answer (Patrick if you're reading this, can you go find out? THX ; ).

The rain had stopped by that point which meant that the Fireworks would definitely be on, there were even people settling down at a good spot at that time which was 2hrs before the show was due to start. Eek, what people would do for a photo, eh? Haha ;) Then we made our way back over to Tomorrow Land (yeah, I know, right?), after stopping to get a quick pic with a park photographer. In fact, we got quite a few photographs taken tonight using our memory maker, so here they are...

So first up in Tomorrow Land was Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. Our third shooting game since we got here. Shoot the aliens and stop Zurg, getting points along the way. If you've been following along, you'll know how this is likely to end, but here are the scores on the doors...

Gerry:  134900

Robert: 32500 

Patrick: 29700

Ann: 29600

Gracie:  6600

Carousel Of Progress after that and although Gracie had done this before she couldn't remember it so she was asking lots of questions, which is normally a good thing but probably not when the animatronic puppets are they only other others speaking to the rest of the people on the ride! Although this is a new shiny ride, its still a really good one and gives a glimpse of how life has developed throughout the ages and to the future, which as Patrick pointed out, is mostly a reality now! Im not sure if this ride is adapted to current technological trends or if Walt Disney was spot on with forecasting the future!

And now the one Robert had been waiting for, Space mountain, the last of the big 3 mountains we had to ride this time around. It was me, Patrick and Robert on this one. This was one of Patrick’s favourites but Robert was so keen on it last time - I have a feeling he might feel a little different now. A roller coaster in the dark, and although doesn’t have any major drops, has lots of sharp (and unexpected) turns - really fun ride. I asked Robert once we finished what he thought and he said - It was easy! Haha, how times have changed.

Speedway next and the boys were tall enough to go on their own, but though it best to go in front of both in case they got over excited with the accelerator. After a few more memory maker photos which I posted above already, we got a spot to watch the trial 4th of July fireworks. It was pretty majestic and patriotic (well for Americans that is, but you cant help youself get caught up). Probably one of the best fireworks shows Ive seen even if we didnt have the best viewpoint (which was behind the castle).

We had Fast Passed Seven Dwarves but the the FP queue was LOOONG and the kids were getting really tired at that point. Headed out of the park just as another show was starting but we reaffirmed our decision to call it a day.

Now we ordered Gracie a Furbacca (Star Wars Chewbacca Furby) and we received a notification it had been delivered to the hotel (that 30 day Amazon.com Prime trial came in handy). One small problem though, the office which handles deliveries was closed until tomorrow morning, so that will be something we'll have to do first thing, which will keep Grace happy as she wont stop talking about it. Shopping day tomorrow and anticipating BIG sales and deals due to the holidays. Goodbye bank balance! :P

[itdisneymatter]

Day 01 - Magic Kingdom

Instead of a summary this time around, I'll try to sum up the day in a few words and sentences with a TLDR (too long; didnt read). Mostly to save me from repeating myself too much but also means you can skip on me droming on about nothing.

So the TLDR for today: Magic Kingdom. Custom t-shirts. Magic Bands. Really worth it. Got a good few rides in and hit 2 out of 3 of the mountains. Went for lunch at Belle's castle. Hot, hot, hot. Seen the 3pm parade. Missed out on a few rides but we'll get them in on a return. Everyone really enjoyed it and kicked the holiday off really well. Didnt hit dinner till late. Caught in a thunderstorm on the way home. Soaked.

And now...

First things first, or is that now second. Anyway,  I may have missed one or two details in my less than awake state which had an impact on todays events. We had planned, all going well, that we would head to Disney Springs (previously Downtown Disney) to get some Magic Bands - a watch-y thing that replaces your park ticket making it easier for Fast Passes and the like. With all the delays and the tiredness of yesterday it just wasnt a thing we were able to do. Ah well, best laid plans and all that. It meant however that we now had to try and pick them up when we hit the park today, pushing out our plans slightly. 

Some of us got personalised t-shirts made up (with our name and a specially selected Disney character), so today was a perfect opportunity to wear them.  We skipped on breakfast, and didnt have any bottled water to make a coffee (normally eek but ok for this morning, strangely). Not too hungry anyway so headed to my mum and dad's hotel to pick them up. They are in the same hotel as my sister, so its really convenient as a meet up point as my brother was picking them up in his car and its between both of our hotels. We were pretty spot on time for it being the first day so off we set for Magic Kingdom.

Parked up and within five minutes we stumbled upon a wee gift shop that sold Magic Bands - woohoo!  They have different colours and design so Ann picked up a nice wee 45th Anniversary Limited edition number. Patrick went for Sorcerers Apprentice (to match his tshirt.) Robert went for Up (to match his tshirt AAAND favourite Disney movie). Grace went for Orange Bird, who is a wee orange bird (funnily enough) who used to appear is old, Disney animations. We picked up a cup one time on the first visit to Disney (in 2013) and that cup had Orange Bird on it, and Grace has had an affinity with the character ever since. I went for Aladdin. Mum and Dad picked some funky coloured bands and we headed off to the park entrance. Spotted some of the other party (the ones in the second car) in their custom t-shirts so sped up to meet them just in time to board the ferry to the Magic Kingdom entrance. Tshirts already coming in handy with finding peeps, so colour matching tees in the way to go for future outings I think! Ferry was lovely and all of the kids were getting really excited.

So me trying to Facebook Live the Magic Kingdom entry was a complete and utter failure. I didnt even know how to start the thing - I should be as ashamed, calling myself a techie. Though I did get slightly reprimanded taking my phone out as they had a no selfie policy at security, prior to going in. He had a gun, so I pretty much did what he said and put my phone away. I fell back on my trusty Go-Pro (that I havent used since last time, but how hard can it be, right?). Video to follow as my laptop is ancient and I can barely run wordpad nevermind a full 1080p video clip. 

Full of smiles we headed in and once we stocked up on some water, a first visit badge for Emily and the others picked up their magic bands, we had 20 minutes to get to to our first fast pass - Splash Mountain in Frontier Land (good job I knew the way :P). Bypassed some rides as well as an opportunity to get Dole Whip (marked down on our initial plans), but we made the ride with 5 minutes to spare - phew!

Magic Kingdom Mountains 1 & 2... check!

Splash mountain. All of the family (save for my Mum, Alessio and Isabella) hit up the ride and it was AWESOME! Grace was quite panicky so was a little clingy (even though she'd been on it before) but Emily and Corrie both first timers absolutely loved it. And for our efforts, our first family ride photo! :D

Then we headed to Big Thunder straight after - ended up riding on my jack jones which was arite though as I go pro-ed the whole thing (our party's reactions, not the ride itself). We did also get a video for our memory maker which we have never had before but its a really fantasticly amazing this to have (even if the photographers does make you hold invisible fairies and set you up in a variety of cheesy poses).

On a role, we then hit Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World (GG's personal fave), Mickey's Philharmagic AND Peter Pan all before lunch. Not bad, for running an hour or so later off plan.

Be. Our. Guest!

Due to availability and a LOT of pre-planning, our wee family were the only ones booked in to Be Our Guest today. We said our goodbyes to the rest of the party and after arranging a meet up point and time we set off for a now, very much needed, lunch. We decided on some really nice menu choices, including a monster Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Barbequed Pulled Pork. The guys also got the infamous "Grey Stuff" for dessert, which seemed to be the kids favourite course of the day. However the star of the show for me was the French Onion Soup which was sublimely awesome (I'd eat this every day and I'm really really not a soup guy!).

We caught back up with the rest of the party after lunch just in time for the 3pm parade, which was only listed as a might-do due to time so really impressed we managed it. Time to get the zoom lens out! :D A side note on cameras - last time we were here I opted to take a reasonably good performing compact camera instead of my main SLR, for accessiblity purposes. While it was good, I always missed the feel and added control of my main camera, so this year its the exact opposite - Im gonna be a packhorse. Quality over comfort! The parade was really colourful and with the smaller kiddos were put up on shoulders so they had a perfect view (however I must add, its quite difficult to take quality photos through a 70-200mm lens mounted on a 5D with a flashgun, I'll have you know).

After cycling through most of the main Disney Princess movies in the Parade (except Frozen, which was kinda dissapointing, mainly as *I* wanted to see Elsa), Mickey and Mickey signed off the show to resounding cheers and waves and applause.

ROARRRRRRR!!!

A little time to go before our last listed Fast Pass of the Day - Seven Dwarves Mine Train, so we queued up for Enchanted Tales With Belle beforehand. The main premise is that kids (and some adults), volunteer to get chosen to reeact a little scene with Belle. For one of the main roles, The Beast, kids must roar their loudest and Grace got chosen! (though I shouldnt really be surposed by that). She was all chuffed and kept saying her and Robert had switched roles from last time with Robert now playing the part of the mighty steed Snaggleforp, or whatever the horses name is (its late and and I'm not going to google Belle's hor..., right fine... its Phillipe). Patrick, Robert, Corrie and Emily were also picked to be part of the show. Even Kevin was picked as a Knight in shining armor - which he played brilliantly (mostly it was about standing still, but still, brilliantly). They all got presented with a little bookmark as a small token, at the end for taking part.

By now, everyone was feeling a little drained so decided after Seven Dwarves that we would head for home and grab a bite to eat. We are going to be back at Magic Kingdom at least one other time when we can prioritize Tomorrowland, so everyone was on board. Seven Dwarves, I ended up on my own again after having lost my little sidekick Gracie (who opted out of the ride). I didn't mind though as I had my Gopro already to go again. I was slotted in on the first seat with a lady, who immediately asked my name and introduced herself (as Martha?... maybe, it was loud and after two attempts of saying 'what' you just need to go along with it). She just started chatting away all through the ride. In fact, just today loads of people just started up full blown convo's with me out of the blue - I mustve been rocking a approachable/chatterbox vibe in my backward facing hat and camera loadout. Those of you who know me, know me as anything but (listen I try, but I'm the first to admit I'm pretty terrible with words and interesting conversation at times). That being said, it was great to chat with so many different people around the world and just goes to show how friendly and amazing this place really is.

A wee cheeky ride on the Speedway for a few folk, a quick tee shirt pic in front of the castle and we headed home.

An absolutely amazing day with Splash mountain being the clear favourite for most of the kids. And although we missed out on a section or two, we still got loads of rides in and everyone was content with general flow how the day. With everyone on the same wavelength I think its gonna make this holiday a really magical one (sorry for the being soppy, Im getting tired, but we're nearly there).

Thunder and Lightning, very very frightening.

Michael & Sarah-Jane decided to grab some dinner and get an early night so we said our goodbyes for the day. We headed out to the shop after getting back to the hotel to grab so Beers and water (in order of priority obvs), as well as a few other bits and pieces. We then met up with my Mum, Dad, Kev, Pauline and Emily to go for a bite to eat (I just realised I havent formall introduced everyone in the party, Ill get around to that tomorrow, promise). With it being a Saturday most places were pretty packed and after checking out a few places (unsuccessfully), we ended up in Johnny Rockets (which Robert pointed out was where we went the second night the last time after failing to find a place - kids memorys are scary at times). We got seated but the service was SLOOOOOW! I can fault our waitress too much though, she brought me over a freee refill pretty much as soon as I finished my first drink. It instantly reminded me of Steve Buchemi's in that infamous Diner scene at the beginning of  Reservoir Dogs...

Mr. Pink: Look, I ordered coffee, alright? And we been here a long *bleeping* time and she's only filled my cup three times. When I order coffee I want it filled six times.

Ok, so it wasnt six times, it was one time, and it wasnt coffee (mmm coffee, I really shoulda went with coffee now that I think about it), but it was the single good thing about the service and one that warranted the tip even if it didnt meet Mr. Pink's stringent tipping criteria.

I actually haven't had an appetite since those prissy little sammiches on the plane. Even at Belle's castle and I wasnt particulary hungry even when we sat down at Johnny Rockets. But hey, do they mak a mean burger! Opted for a Smokehouse, which included some Bacon-y goodness and crispy onion rings - good stuff and nearly worth the wait, nearly... but then again it was a long wait. So the whole experience was fairly ok but then it took a big huge nose dive to round off the night...

When we left the restaurant,  its was bucketing it down. I know coming from Scotland we should be used to a little rain, but this was torrential, and we got huge flashes & bangs of thunder and lightening thrown in, in good measure. Big Rain as Grace so eloquently put it (shes just brilliant with words). Our hotel was right across the road, which was handy, but we had to leave the other guys to struggle to their hotel which was pretty much a mile away :( 

Ok, I'm delivering this really late and have no time to edit so apologies, I must try harder during the day in future. The images are also taking an age to download, so might not have all the ones I want in by the time this goes up, though Ill try to add more later in maybe a weekly slideshow or something. See you tomorrow for Day 02 - Epcot which will which will likely being unofficially subtitled - Battling The Storm!