#ivy and freckle being cute

[unscrupulousartist]

hellerby fic, part 3/10

10 March 1929

Like most days since returning to the Lackadaisy, Mordecai woke in his modest one bedroom apartment between soft cotton sheets. Unlike most days, he was woken by a hyperactive Ivy Pepper.

"Good morning!" She cheered, bounding across his little room to pull open his curtains. Leafy plants sat on the white windowsill. It's already mid morning, but the North facing windows denied the worst of the sunlight from his personal sanctuary. "I need you to drive me to St Charles!"

Groaning, Mordecai pulled a pillow over his head. "Ask Viktor."

"Viktor's tired from the Kehoe run."

"I'm tired from the Kehoe run. Or have you forgotten, it was twilight when we returned."

Little hands took hold of the edge of his blankets and yanked, exposing him. "Viktor never betrayed my trust to work with the enemy," she huffed and grabbed his pillow.

He hissed. "You can't keep using that excuse to—to—bully me into doing what you want!"

"I can," she propped her hands on her hips. "And I will. Now get dressed." Sticking her tongue out at him, she spun around to stomp out into the main room. He took notice of her dress; a more conservative cut, reminiscent of something his mother might have worn to church, had his mother paid any attention to fashion.

Rolling onto his back, he allowed himself a moment to stare at the ceiling and rub the sleep from his eyes. At length he sat up, running his claws through his fur to attempt at taming the inevitable bedhead. Partially dressing, he ventured after Ivy to make his way to the tiny bathroom.

Over the years, Mordecai had collected a number of items to decorate his home. The initial design had, of course, been plotted under Mitzi's careful eye. It showed most in the cozy sitting area, with curved plush chairs clustered around a little fireplace, mostly ignored in favour of the desk set up adjacent to the kitchenette. At the time, Mitzi insisted it was for her own comfort, and indeed she had spent many afternoons sprawled across his otherwise unused chaise to complain about Zib, or Atlas, or Church, or whichever poor soul had evoked her trivial anger that day. Now, it's where Ivy sat.

"Aren't you ready yet?" She kicked up her feet, frowning at him.

"If you expected expediency, you should've called ahead," he left the bathroom door open as he fished for his brush. "What are you dressed up for? Where are we going?"

"Nevermind what!" She pointed a finger at him, then proceeded to outline a series of complex directions—no doubt pulled from the depths of her memory.

He rolled his eyes, but let her rant as he brushed his teeth and wandered around the apartment watering plants. Her voice followed him back into his room as he finished up his routine, purposefully going slow to rile her up. Taking a cue from her tasteful earrings and necklaces, he donned his favourite cufflinks and picked out his nicest shoes.

"Finally!" She jumped up while he pulled on his jacket. "Why do you take so long!?"

"I could go back to bed," he reminded.

"No, no, no!" Scooping a long box under an arm, she moved to push him towards the door. "Let's go!"

"How did you get in, anyway?" He asked, pausing to lock up. "Do I need to dispose of my doorman?"

"What you need are better windows," she snickered.

"The fire escape, of course," he sighed.

Offering his arm, they took the stairs at a moderate pace. They bid the doorman a good day, then walked the three blocks to the Lackadaisy Cafe to borrow one of the company cars. It was only Horatio behind the counter, and Ivy chatted with him for a few minutes while Mordecai continued to the garage. He drove around to pick her up out front, and they were on their way.

It wasn't until they were out of St Louis proper that Ivy looked at their surroundings. "Take that left!" She pointed at an oncoming intersection.

"This would be easier if you just told me where we were going."

"I told you, we're going to St Charles!"

Hackles rising, an old memory came to him. The details were fuzzy, the context unclear. 

"I'm drivin'—" Rocky hiccupped, laughed, and wrestled his way past Mordecai to the driver's seat.

Swaying on his feet, Mordecai tried to follow, only to stand awkwardly in the open door. He blinked. "Where are we going?"

"Someplace special," Rocky grinned. Then he took hold of the front of Mordecai's vest and started hauling him into the car—and, consequently, into his lap.

Feeling loose and amenable, Mordecai let the musician maneuver him up and over into the bench seat. He rolled with the motion, ending upside-down with his feet against the passenger door. Which was when he noticed: "Where'd my shoe go?"

This time, he recognized the bridge.

"There's a little road, a couple miles along," she gestured to the other bank of the Missouri River. Beyond her side of the vehicle, a streetcar rumbled past in the opposite direction taking people toward St Louis. "I remember, there was a funny rock with a tree growing up on top of it."

"Fascinating," he scanned the road periodically as they ambled alongside traffic, wedged between an empty farm truck and a couple other leisure cars. "Perhaps it would be helpful to consult a map."

"There weren't many signs," she admitted.

He sighed. "I'm beginning to think you don't actually know where we are going."

"I do know," she insisted, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes. "It's just, been awhile since the last time I was there."

"Of course," he raised his chin to put on an air of arrogance. "Do I at least get to know the name of the person you're courting?"

Her nose wrinkled. "You're not allowed to judge him."

"Judge?" He raised a brow at her. "Who do you take me for?"

"Shush you," she swatted his shoulder, pouting. "You think you’re so clever."

Humming, he caught a glimpse of the little turn off that disappeared beneath the bridge.

The car bumped over the uneven path. Boneless, Mordecai noticed the reflection of headlights in the Missouri from where he was plastered against the passenger door window. The truss bridge passed out of and into focus, and he shifted to rub his dry eyes and look at Rocky. "Where are we?"

"He wakes!" Rocky sang. Changing gears, the car jolted to a stop and the engine went quiet; though the lights stayed on. 

"So it seems," Mordecai hummed. 

"Are you sure that we are awake?" Rocky asked. Only, his voice dipped theatrically and he turned to face Mordecai. One hand braced on the bench seat, beside Mordecai's knee, and he leaned close. "It seems to me that yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think—" reaching into his jacket, Rocky pulled out his flask. "—the duke was here, and bid us follow him?"

Mouth dry, Mordecai pressed himself back against the door. "What?"

Rocky sighed, and uncapped the flask. "My own fault, for forgetting."

They lost their entourage one by one to the major intersections before Ivy pointed out the funny boulder wearing a tree. It was nearly another half hour of zig zagging through the outskirts of St Charles, then they pulled onto a semi affluent road. The houses there were modestly spaced between privacy bushes, offering an allusion of wealth.

"There!" Ivy leaned over the dashboard to point at a specific house. It was differentiated by plant boxes in the window and meticulously tended flowers. "Pull over, pull over!"

"Calm down," Mordecai took his time parallel parking, eyeing an angle that he might be able to see from the front window. "Does your father know you're making housecalls?"

"No," she glared at him as she pushed open her door. "And if you tell him, I'll sneak mayonnaise into your office."

His tongue curled in disgust, but she had already jumped out of the car. Following, he caught up to her on the cobblestone path to the front door. "And what if I tell Viktor?"

"Viktor is the one who told me to come here," she boasted. Juggling the long box she'd carted the whole way, she took hold of the door knocker and struck the hammer three times.

"Then why not take Viktor?" Mordecai crossed his arms. "And don’t give me that excuse about the Kehoe run."

"You know how Viktor is," she raised her brows.

Then the door opened, and an older lady frowned at them. She was dressed in something borrowed from the previous century, with narrow glasses and curls piled beneath a bonnet. "I've already found the word of God," she clipped. "And I'm not interested in buying."

"Goodday!" Ivy demured, performing a perfunctory curtsy. "Mrs McMurray?"

The name registered, and Mordecai's ear twitched.

"Yes," said Mrs McMurray. "I don't fancy on repeating myself."

"We’re not trying to sell anything. I was hoping to visit with Calvin?" Ivy asked, tone sweet and eyes innocent. "My name is Ivy. Ivy Pepper? I brought Calvin a present, for his birthday."

"Oh," Mrs McMurray seemed to relax, her expression turning to curiosity. "He never mentioned you."

"He does seem awful shy," Ivy agreed, nodding. "I've asked Rocky about a million times to bring me over, but—" Ivy hissed and bit her cheek when Mordecai stepped on her toe.

Mid headshake, Mrs McMurray didn't seem to notice. "Say no more. That nephew o’ mine is half handful, half dalliance, and not a speck of common sense. Come in, come in—" she stepped back, opening the door wide for them to enter. "The boys are working in the yard, we'll have to call them in for tea."

"Splendid," Ivy grinned, nearly vibrating as she tried to control her excitement. She bustled in, wiping her shoes and moving far enough along for Mordecai to follow.

"Thank you for your hospitality," he managed not to grit his teeth around the words.

"Of course," said Mrs McMurray. She shut them in, then gave him a considering look. "You must be Miss Pepper's chaperone. Mr..?"

Behind Mrs McMurray's back, Ivy pretended to gag.

"Mordecai Heller," he introduced. "I used to work with Miss Pepper's father—I've known her for quite a few years now."

"How quaint," Mrs McMurray intoned, eyes flat. "And what is it you do, Mr Heller?"

Ivy blanched, panic causing her fur to rise.

"Accounting," answered Mordecai. "Your roses are growing nicely. Do you tend to them yourself?"

"Yes," Mrs McMurray preened, her shoulders squaring. "A gentleman who knows his flora?"

"Plants are easier to understand than people," he explained.

"Well, then we should take tea in the garden. It's a good day for it." She hustled ahead of them at a good pace, spry for an elderly.

Ivy waited for him to walk beside her, and leaned close to whisper. "A gentleman who knows his flora?"

"Ivy-Ivy?" He mocked.

"Shut up."

"I hope Calvin doesn’t mind seeing his supervisor on his birthday."

"You're not anybody's supervisor, Mordecai."

"The paperwork says otherwise."

"Here we are!" Mrs McMurray announced as she threw open the back door. She charged ahead, maneuvering down the steps and toward a grassy patio surrounded by fruit trees and shrubbery. "Calvin! Roark! We've guests!"

Ivy elbowed ahead to pause on the stair; her ears perked and angled forward. Her grip on the gift tightened as Mordecai loomed on the step above her. Following her line of sight, he quickly determined the cause of her symptoms.

"Guests?" Freckle asked. He stood in about the middle of the lawn, a hatchet in hand for splitting wood, dressed down to his undershirt and suspenders. He blinked in the sunlight, lean muscles on display. A pile of logs beside him explained his state. 

Next to him, in a similar sort of undress, Rocky dropped the two splinters of wood he had been carrying to a wheelbarrow. 

"You have me at a disadvantage—" Rocky wagged his brows as he shrugged out of his vest. The whole while, Rocky managed to keep a hand on Mordecai's chest, pushing him lightly against—

"Miss Pepper!" Rocky shouted, taking immediate notice of them both. "What are you doing here?"

Ivy raised a hand, fingers waving as she held the gift with her elbows.

"She's come along to visit your cousin, Roark," Mrs McMurray tutted. "I thought, I surely misheard when Miss Pepper said you refused to bring her along for introductions. Have you no consideration for your family, Roark?"

Freckle coughed, and Rocky scooped the dropped wood to toss into the wheelbarrow. "I considered us to be living in progressive times, dear Aunt. If the boy wanted to introduce her to his mother, he would've invited her along ages ago."

Ivy chewed on her lip as Freckle panicked and looked at her. Mordecai prodded her along.

"Yes, I did wonder at that," Mrs McMurray narrowed her eyes at Freckle.

All of Freckle's fur stood on end, his tail raising straight as his shoulders hunched. "We work together—" he glanced at his mother, back at Ivy, then turned to the ground. "We never—um—"

"You know how he is," Rocky placed a hand on each of Freckle's shoulders, pushing as he spoke to Mrs McMurray. "Our Funny Freckle can barely speak to you, Dear Aunt. How did you imagine him approaching an intimidating figure like Miss Pepper?"

Snickering, Ivy smiled as Mrs McMurray looked back at her. "It's lovely to be here," she deflected.

Sighing, Mordecai edged past them all to choose a seat. He tuned out the idle chatter as he studied the round table set in the rectangular space. There were only four seats, each angled so one's back faced a corner. Seeing few opportunities for true symmetry, he clenched his fists and picked the spot with the best view of the ingress.

Ivy bounded over as Mrs McMurray followed Rocky and Freckle inside, and dropped into the seat next to him. A pleased smile decorated her face, and her eyes seemed wistful. "Did you see how surprised he was?"

"No more surprised than me," Mordecai removed his glasses to inspect the lenses, then pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. "I somehow doubt that Viktor advised you to ambush Mr McMurray in his home."

"Not in so many words," Ivy shrugged, focusing on carefully placing the gift in the center of the table. 

"Just the other day he called McMurray a weak jawed milk drinker, unfit for our lifestyle."

Gasping, Ivy punched his shoulder. "He did not!"

"Not in so many words," Mordecai shrugged, brows quirking at her as he cleaned his glasses.

"You'll be nice today, Mordecai," she hissed. "I really like him."

"Ah, yes, the one quality I am known for," he replaced his glasses. "My niceness."

They had a couple more minutes to quietly bicker before Mrs McMurray returned with a tea-laden tray. Five sets, Mordecai noted, plus a little jug of syrup. "Make a bit of space please, Miss Pepper," she directed, not-unkindly. Ivy scrambled to pick up the gift again, holding it in her lap. "Thank you—Roark says you work together. What instrument do you play?"

"Not in the band," Ivy managed an awkward laugh, nodding in thanks as Mrs McMurray placed a teacup and saucer in front of her. "I—um—sometimes I wait tables at the Lackadaisy."

"Neither of them take their jobs very seriously," Mordecai added. "But the customers like them, so Mrs—" he hesitated a moment, and settled on a borrowed euphemism, "—M keeps them around." 

Ivy's lips pinched as she glared at him.

"Roark takes very few things seriously," Mrs McMurray sighed. "And Calvin?"

"We're lucky to have him," Mordecai managed. Ivy relaxed into a small smile. "He's good at… fixing things."

"He's always had a mendful spirit," Mrs McMurray nodded.

The door opened again, and Freckle stumbled out, as if pushed. Freezing, he glanced up at the table with wide eyes and pinpricked pupils; but he was well dressed, with a jacket overtop of a pinstriped vest.

Rocky waltzed out a moment later, violin and bow in hand. He wore his usual duds, sans jacket, with his sleeves rolled up. "Hark! Have you started without us?"

"Heaven forbid anything should start without you, Roark," Mrs McMurray tutted. "Calvin, come sit at the table. Roark, something soothing, if you'd be so inclined."

"Of course, Dear Aunt," he fell into a deep bow, then kicked Freckle into motion. As Freckle joined them at the table, sparing Ivy a shy smile, Rocky put his instrument to his shoulder to tune.

Though Mordecai had never made a habit of watching Rocky play—the opposite, in fact, had been his general goal—he'd had, over the years, plenty of opportunities. Enough to realize that, regardless of piece or company, each performance always brought the same image to mind.

Bow flying across strings, Rocky seemed preoccupied in some other plane of awareness. He stood on the car's roof, the headlights catching the underside of his chin and arms as he plucked a pizzicato. The fireflies were out and dancing about his head, an ethereal chaos that incited the musician to laugh and spin, tail wavering.

Mordecai's grip tightened on the flask, holding the borrowed drink between both hands as he leaned heavier on the car's hood. "What song is that?"

Rocky slowed, the rhythm cutting in half as he peered down at Mordecai. "Hm?"

"Well, Calvin," Mrs McMurray settled in the spot between her son and Mordecai. "Now is as good a time as any to say how you met Miss Pepper."

"Ah—?" Freckle grimaced and looked at Ivy. 

"Rocky brought him along to work," she jumped in. "And at the end of the day I asked him to come dancing."

"How forward," said Mrs McMurray.

Beyond the table, Rocky hopped onto the splitting log. He cocked a toe and pulled a long note from his instrument, then pitched into sing-song. "Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend more than cool reason ever comprehends. The lunatic, the lover, and the poet are, of imagination, all compact."

“No quoting, please, Roark,” Mrs McMurray sighed. But she readied the fifth cup for him, placing it on the arch of the table closest to Rocky. “Or, if you can’t contain yourself, something less frivolous than Midsummer’s Night.”

“Do you have requests, Dear Aunt?” he asked, pivoting into a spin. “Perhaps from the happy tale of Hamlet?”

Freckle snickered and Ivy grinned. 

“That’s Shakespeare?” Mordecai guessed.

Rolling her eyes, Ivy elbowed him. “A little literature wouldn’t hurt you.”

“A big enough tome could cause significant blunt force trauma,” Mordecai challenged.

Ivy’s eyes widened as Freckle winced; she tilted her head significantly at Mrs McMurray.

Sighing, he shifted in his chair to address the matriarch directly. “That was a joke. I prefer to restrain my small talk to shrubberies,” he reached as if to feel the closest leaves, but they remained too far away. “Is this a Japanese Cypress?”

It proved a decent tactic. “You’ve a keen eye, Mr Heller,” Mrs McMurray appraised. She slipped into an easy lecture, and Mordecai made sure to hum and nod and ask questions at appropriate intervals. Rocky played an Irish aire, and Ivy leaned close to whisper with Freckle. Quietly, she passed him the gift box; he peeked inside, grinned, and looked up at her shyly.

A hasty equilibrium held for half an hour, before the performer descended from his pedestal and approached the table. “I’ve heard not a word of dancing,” said Rocky. Juggling bow and instrument in the same hand, he tipped a generous portion of syrup into his teacup.

“Then you need to clean the cotton from your ears,” Mrs McMurray drawled. “For it was the first thing Miss Pepper mentioned.”

“And you dropped the subject,” Rocky nodded. “No doubt thinking of our dear Freckle’s two left feet.”

Ivy giggled, and Rocky winked at her.

“Rocky,” Freckle hissed.

“Is there supposed to be a story there?” Mrs McMurray asked, looking over her glasses at Rocky. “Or are you determined to embarrass your cousin at every turn?”

“I entreat you to imagine a scenario where both could be true,” Rocky grinned at his aunt. “For Miss Pepper has spent many an evening teaching our dear Freckle to dance.” He cradled his fiddle like a ukulele, and plucked a quick tune. “Perhaps your eyes would believe faster than your imagination.”

Squealing, Ivy jumped from her seat and pulled Freckle with her. “Come on!”

Laughing, Rocky managed a quick sip of his tea before readying again his instrument. Propping a foot on Ivy’s abandoned chair, his eyes swept over Mordecai. But it was only for a moment, then the musician started a fast paced jazz improvisation. It was somewhat lacking without accompaniment, but it was more than enough for Ivy to guide a smiling Freckle through the Lindy Hop. 

“How lively,” Mrs McMurray failed to keep some fondness from her voice, and she managed a small smile. She raised her voice to address the merrymakers. “And where did you learn to dance, Miss Pepper?”

“Mostly my godmother,” she admitted with a laugh, spinning with Freckle. Her coordination survived the extra task of talking. “But all her friends took turns teaching. Even Mordecai!”

“Ol’ Serious Face?” Rocky snickered.

“Don’t be rude, Roark.”

“It’s simple fact, Dear Aunt,” Rocky soothed. “Though my memory might fail me, I am certain I have never seen this cat dance.”

Mordecai rolled his eyes and sipped his tea. “Many things have failed you, Roark.”

Gasping, Rocky struck a discordant note, then pointed his bow at Mordecai. “Take that back.”

“Calm down, Rocky,” Ivy giggled. She slowed to a stand, arms still around Freckle.

“Nope, no, only Aunt Nina calls me Roark,” Rocky shuddered.

Ivy sighed. “Are you done being dramatic? I was having fun.”

“The dramatics are never truly over,” said Rocky. He took the opportunity to slurp more tea. 

“It was nice of you to come visit,” said Freckle. He looked almost at Ivy, smiling. 

“I’ve been meaning to, for a while,” said Ivy. “But someone seemed to think I shouldn’t come over.”

“Let me play the lion too,” Rocky performed another gasp, then raised his voice. “I will roar that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me! I will roar that I will make the Duke say—”

“No more quotes, Roark!” Mrs McMurray yelled over him.

A prickle wound down Mordecai’s spine. He couldn’t help asking: “Who is this Duke?”

Rocky turned to him with a wide smile.

“Nevermind Shakespeare,” Ivy groaned. “Be quiet, Mordecai, or I’ll make you dance with me.”

“That would be a sight to see,” said Rocky.

Mordecai made a show of pulling his watch from his pocket. “If you’re finished dancing with Mr McMurray, perhaps it is time we go.”

Ivy opened her mouth to complain, but Rocky interjected. “A serendipitous notion. You’re no doubt going my way, you can give me a lift.” He turned to Freckle and Ivy and waved his instrument at them both. “Chop, chop, lovebirds. Say your saluts so we can be on our way.”

“Rocky!” Ivy stomped a foot.

But Mrs McMurray was unaffected. Standing, she picked up her teacup to take with her. “I suppose it’s prudent to take opportunities when you see them, Roark. But perhaps next time, you could do your cousin a favour?”

“We’ll make a meal of it,” Rocky placed a hand on his chest. “Next Sunday dinner, I’ll bring Miss Pepper around for a proper interrogation.”

She shook her head, then looked at Freckle. “Calvin, see your friends to the door while I gather your cousin’s things.”

“Yes, mother.”

The four of them watched Mrs McMurray retreat inside; then Rocky’s smile dropped and he pulled a familiar flask from his jacket. “Blast you, Miss Pepper.”

Freckle flinched.

“Don’t be such a spoil sport, Rocky,” Ivy huffed.

“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times,” he complained as he tipped a measure of liquid into his teacup. As an afterthought, he offered the flask to Mordecai.

“No, thank you,” Mordecai drawled.

“We should go inside,” said Freckle. His shoulders were raised, but he still held Ivy’s hand.

“Not you, too,” Ivy groaned.

“You groan because you don’t understand,” Rocky flailed his arms, then drained his syrupy drink. “It’s bad enough we dragged Freckle into our sordid mess of a life—and yes, Miss Pepper, you still get to share in that blame, I don’t care how you rationalize it—but what do you think will happen if you, Little Miss Princess of St Louis, were to be followed? Am I to one day return here—” he gestured at the house, then pointed at Freckle. “—to our childhood home, to find Dear Aunt Nina dead or worse?”

“Worse than dead, Rocky?” Ivy crossed her arms.

Mordecai sighed. “There were four vehicles that crossed the bridge with us,” he said, standing. “None of them followed us off the main road.”

Arms dropping, Rocky blinked at him. “You’re certain?”

Mordecai hesitated, heat flushing beneath his fur.

“You’re certain?” Rocky asked, breath ghosting across Mordecai’s lips. “Absolutely? Because the others seemed to insinuate that—”

Mordecai kissed him. 

“Most of my job relies upon attention to detail,” Mordecai rationalized.

“But are you certain?” Rocky pressed.

He recognized some semblance of desperation in the other cat’s eye. Clearing his throat, Mordecai looked up at the well maintained home. “I’d risk my mother’s life on it.”

The musician relaxed, a comfortable grin coming back to him. “No you wouldn’t,” he challenged.

“I wouldn’t,” Mordecai agreed. “But, by definition, it wouldn’t be a risk because no one followed us.”

Mrs McMurray poked her head out the door. “Are you coming, or have we changed our minds?”

“Coming!” Freckle and Rocky chorused together.

The ensemble was hustled inside, and Rocky disappeared to sort his violin and do whatever else he still needed to do in the home. Freckle and Ivy loitered, talking in whispered giggles. It left Mordecai to entertain Mrs McMurray again; this time he focused on the photos on the walls. "You've a lovely home," he gestured.

"Thank you, Mr Heller," she nodded, following his movement. "It hasn't always been a peaceful place, but we make do."

Reluctantly, he took a look at whatever frame he had inadvertently drawn attention to. It appeared to be a family portrait, with a young Rocky and Freckle both front and center. Freckle's head was ducked and he looked up at the camera awkwardly; whereas Rocky had his normal huge smile, a tiny violin cradled in his arms. Behind them was a host of adults, Nina McMurray near the edge. More than half were close enough in appearance to suggest siblinghood, and one—who rested a hand on Rocky's shoulder—held a full sized version of the child's instrument.

"I'd imagine any house with Mr Rickaby to have been chaotic," Mordecai mused.

“That’s putting it mildly,” Mrs McMurray huffed.

Then Rocky came barrelling down the stairs, a case in hand and fully dressed. “Pick up your feet, players! Time to make our exit.”

“You could stand to foster a little more serenity, Roark,” said Mrs McMurray. She handed him a parcel of clothes. “Your laundry; pray, please get less blood in them next time.”

“I shall try, Dearest Aunt,” he leaned to kiss her cheek as he took the items. “But you know how clumsy I am.”

“Mhm,” she glowered.

“And we’re off!” He danced out the front door, then froze on the step. Shoulders dropping, he sighed. “Of course, he parked out front.”

“Where else would I have parked?” Mordecai asked. He glanced back to check on Ivy, who gave Freckle a quick peck on the lips. 

“Nevermind,” Rocky waved back at him, already on the move again. “I’ll drive.”

[wickmitz]

How do you think about Frepper? I'm neutral about this ship, but the fans Frepper attitude towards confuses me, Ivy and Freckle have only been dating for a week and know each other superficially, but everyone already thinks that by the end of the comic they will get married, I think differently, I think that in the end they will break up with each other because they are too different personalities, I literally can't imagine that both of them will be happy with each other in marriage, Ivy is assertive and active, on the other hand Freckle is passive and just agrees with Ivy, this is not a guarantee of a healthy relationship where a partner completely dominates the other, plus to all that, I will not forget how their relationship started, Ivy just decided that they were dating, and without asking Freckle's permission, she just KISSED him, again without his permission, Frepper fans think that it's cute, but when I saw it, I thought "what the hell did I just see?", in general, it's strange for me that Frepper fans are okay with such things, of course later Freckle shows attraction to Ivy, showing that he likes her in some way too, but I still won't forget how their relationship started and how Freckle used to try to escape from Ivy when she squeezed his hand tightly and forced him to her …

I'm not against Frepper, but I don't understand his fans who don't see these issues and who treat other points of view on their relationship (like mine) as … um, as nonconformity? Fans from reddit are just obsessed with Frepper, I don't know about other networks but that's how it is on reddit, I think there are people who have my opinion but are afraid to say it because of fans, of course, I met Frepper fans there who normally accept such an opinion, but still there is a feeling that such a opinion cannot be told

Simply put, Ivy and Freckle are a couple that will eventually break up with each other unless there's an event between them in the comic that changes my opinion of this couple, but that's how I feel about Freckle for now. I didn't plan to express my opinion, but it happened that way, I hope you don't mind it

first and foremost, i don’t mind seeing someone express their opinion in my inbox! you and anyone else are free to do so, even if i may disagree. this blog’s entire existence was made for me to share my opinions ( and love! ) for lackadaisy, as well as engaging with other fans, because what else is the point of a fandom blog? and as far as i’m aware, this is unpopular opinion central! most of my thoughts aren’t exactly the ones with the most voice behind them i’ve found, so i welcome all manner of different views. every fan is entitled to their own perspectives and opinions, and should be allowed to share them as they please! but with that disclaimer out of the way, i’m more than willing to discuss frepper in its entirety.

for me, there’s little confusion i carry where it concerns this ship’s popularity amongst the fandom. freckle and ivy, if we are to strip them down to their bare essentials, are a rather stereotypically ‘cute’ relationship : people enjoy opposites ( see zibwick or vikdecai for example ) and there’s an endearing quality found in puppy love dynamics. seeing ivy wear the pants and drag a shy freckle around by his ankle makes for quality content in a way! think the ‘excuse me, but he asked for no pickles!’ meme … ivy and freckle very much fit that sort of mold, and it helps that most fans are too scared to ship them with other characters in the cast too, due to what they perceive to be a lack of options. thus, frepper is an extremely ‘safe’ ship! you cannot get in trouble for enjoying something that is not only canon, but is relatively adorable ; and so i don’t believe a lot of the fans are actually thinking too deeply about the likely endgame of it all. most don’t! it’s fun to ship, and that’s all they really need i think. it’s also very easy to dismiss ivy’s forwardness as a quirk of being a young girl who’s of her temperament, recklessly boycrazy although still carrying sweet intent. this behavior is easier to hand wave when neither ivy or freckle are experienced at the dating scene as well … freckle due to his extremely religious upbringing and hermit nature, and ivy because of viktor’s constant meddling, which would hold her back more than you’d think. with that said, i don’t think any of this is excessively complicated. some shippers are rather simple minded and do not care for details and characterization all too deeply. enjoying dynamics is, at its core, supposed to be fun -- which makes simple ships like frepper prime targets for a very vocal and tight knit fanbase. there are other things i could speculate about why these two may hit so pleasantly for others, like how there’s an underlying queer theme to it ( what with ivy being the pursuer and freckle the shy, blushing flower ) or that it’s tropey enough to hit the right spots for others … though it all boils back to mere speculation. perhaps they still have time to escape this gangster lifestyle and live happily ever after? and that appeals to the lackadaisy fans who still want some sort of happy ending? it’s all a combination of frepper being easy, i think, and containing two young cats who still haven’t done anything particularly ‘unforgivable’ yet action wise. this is a ship you can root for without an ounce of worry in your heart, and so on and so forth.

but although i understand why others are so vocal about them, i don’t exactly agree with fanon’s views either! while i heavily enjoy frepper, i enjoy them as they are, and that includes their looming flaws and inevitable tragedy. they are bound to break each other’s hearts a lot on their current path ; even if they were entirely perfect for one another, this lifestyle isn’t kind to anyone, meaning if they don’t separate, they could always be forced apart via bullets and such anyway. they are young and woefully inexperienced in a manner of things, the last thing they need is the stress of a rumrunner life driving their every action, you know? i know people see them getting out together, and that is likely on the table! i do see that in many ways, but i’m also of the opinion that ivy and freckle will diverge onto different paths at some point and temporarily call it quits. from where the comic currently stands and given my view on ivy’s arc, i see her growing disillusioned with where she is and the honor and fun she saw within it as a royal spectator will fade ; she will become wary, fearful, and her resilience will die … meanwhile freckle will embrace it, similar to his cousin, fully understanding what it is and what he’s getting into ( like rocky, again ) but being unable to leave his refuge. i know lots of people think freckle will leave the lackadaisy first, but given his old concepts and former title as one of mitzi’s ‘trouble boys’, i think he will become lost in the sauce for a myriad of reasons. frankly i enjoy that twist on their relationship! since i believe ivy’s character development will revolve around maturing, changing as time stretches forward, because her character is ever growing, what with her entire schtick being the fact she’s everything a 1920s girl was during those times. she embodies that unladylike youth and manipulative sweetness, so i’d imagine a lot of her path is falling from such naive thrill seeking and stumbling upon a harsh reality. she will mature, and the very thing that should make their relationship stronger will be what divides them indefinitely. everything they have is founded on this bloody, varnished soaked ground after all … they are young adults who are experiencing what closeness feels like outside of family or platonic friends for the first time, so naturally they will overindulge in their own amateur games ; find respite in the boogie and kiss like couples do on the silver screen, laugh about it, talk about everything and nothing at all … relish in each other’s warmth and stupidly loyal protection. i’m sure frepper will grow closer before any falling out, because as it stands, it’s one of the few things they have in such a scary situation that feels comforting and kind. they will impact each other in the fundamental ways first relationships do and, to move towards your biggest gripe, do things they’ll regret or allow things to happen to them that they’re not entirely okay with.

ivy is very forceful with freckle initially, albeit in her typical saturated way ; and i can see why that would be hard to parse! especially when freckle spends a majority of their first scenes together squirming away and hiding, trying to duck her affections and bolt for it. there is a lot of boundary crossing between them! but not in a necessarily malicious way … like most things with frepper, this circles back to their mutual inexperience and how, in a lot of ways, this is their first ‘serious’ romantic relationship ever. and it’s rather common for such firsts to involve gray areas, since neither party is entirely sure of what their own boundaries are just yet! while freckle did appear frightened by ivy at first, it’s important to note that tracy’s mentioned him having a flight response whenever girls flirt with him … he is prone to run away instinctively, which if you consider his extremely religious upbringing, isn’t exactly a surprise. nina would no doubt look down upon freckle engaging with girls his age due to what most girls his age are currently doing in the roaring 20s they’re living in. sneaking out and engaging in illegal activities, dancing in a way that would disgust most of the more traditional and older generation, casually engaging in any manner of sexual activity before marriage, etc etc. and this isn’t even listing freckle’s cagey nature due to an incident we know was bad enough to send rocky packing for years, and fundamentally changed freckle himself at such a young and impressionable age. he is … very troubled! and rather scared of himself and the world around him … at this stage in life, freckle is perpetually unable to make any progress towards anything he may want, and so i have little problem myself with ivy mostly taking the lead. when left to his own devices and allowed to choose outside of influence, freckle did in fact sneak out of his mother’s house to go to the lackadaisy, surely well aware that ivy’s intention had been romantically inclined. so, to me, he has always liked her ; perhaps found her cute, in a shallow way, saw her eccentric behavior as endearing and frightening in equal measure, and while he’s still wading into this whirlwind pool unsteady and shaken, he -- wouldn’t mind it if ivy pushed a little more, or moved him around to her ( and what she perceives to be, their ) liking. perhaps this dynamic is familiar enough to him that it becomes comforting, since rocky was very much the same way in their adolescence. tugging freckle around and pulling his tail for whatever rocky wanted them to do, with little care for whatever his baby cousin desired at the time, ignoring his protests and chasing him ; nobody’s at fault here either, kids are extremely self absorbed and this is a flaw they’ll usually mature past, and while ivy and freckle are adults during the comic, i don’t think ivy’s outgrown this linear view on things just yet. she is extremely entitled! she is used to being the apple of everyone’s eye at the speakeasy due to her jazz baby status as atlas may’s goddaughter, and this gangster connection excites and awes the ladies she attends classes with at her university too. ivy pepper is used to getting her way and this has only fueled her determined attitude, her ‘pull it up by the bootstraps’ mindset, and in many ways, this is something of a flaw for her. it’s not bad to be confident and headstrong, although when you add that into a dangerous mix of rumrunning and gunslinging, it may become a problem rather quickly. but i digress! point is, ivy and freckle are hardly at fault for the awkward way they handled the start of their relationship, when it’s so new and fresh to them both.

neither of them have boundaries at this moment, as they either have no clue what those are or simply haven’t realized they should set them. so, in turn, there are things that the other may do that could cause their partner discomfort … and it’s mostly done out of obliviousness and good intentions and your classic dose of intense affection. doesn’t mean it isn’t messed up to a degree, but i think it’s rather realistic, and is a hard truth that comes with many first relationships of that sort. sometimes you don’t know how to say ‘no,’ or you agree and regret agreeing later, or perhaps you simply don’t understand there’s certain things you aren’t ready for or genuinely just don’t like. again, it’s a very muddied area, and the two of them are vaguely navigating what is mostly foreign to them. they’re bound to mess up! so i ivy some slack here, and applaud tracy on the realistic writing more than anything usually. young love also happens to be a great device to use for inexperienced characters finding themselves, through the good and bad of their relationship, and frepper is all about that. maybe freckle will inevitably bring up how he feels like he would’ve preferred it had ivy asked him out properly, or gave him time to court her in a traditional fashion … and she will be surprised ( and a little wounded ) by this, since she had never considered it before … too used to her way of things to realize there’s another path they could take. i think this aspect of the relationship is important, and i can understand wishing that more frepper shippers would view it as such, or comment on it's morally gray nature without just calling it ‘cute’ and leaving it at that.

tldr : they will most certainly break up at some point, maybe even multiple times! tracy has said before that they both have some serious maturing to do if their relationship is to be long lasting, and i doubt that maturing will happen to them both at once … since they have different things to work on emotionally. but they will probably strongarm some major personal development within each other, as well as love one another with a fierceless abandon that most kids do. i could see them getting married, i could see them not, but i agree that if they were to be wed happily, they’d have significant hurdles to overcome. but personally, frepper is something i adore mostly due to the impact they’re bound to cause each other, and even if they are to separate and find someone new and more fitting, they’ll always remember one another -- perhaps fondly, and sadly, and with some anger. a time they’d like to forget, but a person they’d like to remember … which is my cup of tea overall! they much more interest me as they presently are anyway, where i can fiddle around with their budding romance and friendship bonding. and as lackadaisy grows in popularity, i do hope there’s more frepper fans who see their complexity and flaws and explore them with all of it in mind.

anyway! i hope this was coherent, and that it was obvious that i agreed with you for the most part. i haven’t really talked about frepper before with anyone so many of these thoughts sort of burst out of me! and i feel like i have more to elaborate upon, but for the sake of simplicity i kept this short. oh well! surely this is enjoyable and informative regardless.

[koko-heads]

just watched the lackadaisy pilot

[epicbuddieficrecs]

Weekly Recap | March 18th-24th 2024

It's a long one today folks! I hope you enjoy! :) If you know anyone who's not tagged, don't hesitate to let me know!

idk 'bout you but I can't wait for the final part of the premiere on Thursday!!! 😃

Complete

anything that is beautiful, people want to break. by dylaesthetics (Post-Coma, Trans Buck | 3K | Teen): Buck has never meant to keep it a secret from the one-eighteen. Hell, he trusts them with much more gritty, uncomfortable stuff than that. It’s more like… It hasn’t come up. There’s been no reason for it to come up. But then he gets struck by lightning and the mix-up with his medical records happens. A nurse he hasn’t seen yet barges into Buck’s hospital room, with his entire family in it, blood and found alike, and stares at him for one dumbfounded moment before blurting out a name he hasn’t been addressed by in well over eight years. 

not flesh and blood but the heart by Jinko / @jinkohhh (Post-S6, Getting Together | 10K | Explicit): Five times people assumed Chris was Buck's son + one time Eddie confirmed it.

🔥 don’t wanna let you love somebody else but me by fleetinghearts/ @shitouttabuck (S7 Spec, Bachelor Party, Pretend Relationship | 14K | Teen): or, chris wants dating advice and it turns out taking your best friend on a pretend date to practice being as romantic as possible is not a good idea in theory or in practice, considering the pesky being-in-unrequited-love of it all

A Little Bit of the Bubbly by Jinko/ @jinkohhh (Post-S6, PWP, Getting Together | 7K | Explicit): Since turning 30, Buck's relationship with champagne has changed. It also manages to change his relationship with Eddie.

washed away (but not) by Jinko / @jinkohhh (S7 Spec | 3K | Teen): “Well, this is awkward.” Every part of Buck wanted to tell Chim to go fuck himself, but he couldn’t, so he didn’t. Nothing made a situation more awkward than pointing out the awkwardness of it. “So which one of you two made the deathbed love confession?” Ravi laughed, and frankly, Ravi could go fuck himself, too. The both of them could go fuck themselves because both Chimney and Ravi were correct.

i like the way you scratch my itch by oklahoma/ @sunshinediaz (BTHB: Hives | 3K | Teen): Buck’s big blue eyes sparkle. “You’re so cute, did you know that?” he asks, leaning close enough Eddie can count the small red-brown-orange freckles all across his nose. “Even when you’re red from poison ivy.” Red. Red from the poison ivy. Yeah, yep, that’s exactly what he’s so red for. Absolutely.

meet you in the middle. by dylaesthetics (Getting Together | 2K | Teen): OR buck and eddie get their shit together during a regular friday movie night at the diaz house.

🔥 Even in Winter There is Eranthis by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels / @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (Hades/Persephone AU | 45K | Explicit): Buck is supposedly a god. Supposedly. But he's got no idea what his domain is or what role he plays in Olympus. When he meets Christopher, a young boy lost and trying to find his father, he helps Chris get home - and ends up accidentally binding himself to the Underworld. Now bound to Eddie, the god of the dead, Buck must spend half the year with him in the Underworld while winter reigns above. But even as something grows between them, there are still trials to endure. Just because the gods are not mortal... does not mean they cannot die.

🔥 My Blood on Your Skin (My Rose on Your Snow) by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels/ @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (Mythological AU, BDSM | 80K | Explicit): When Eddie needs cash and fast to take care of Christopher, his LAFD Academy buddy suggests a job as a bouncer at Elysium - an exclusive sex club in downtown Los Angeles. Eddie doesn't care what goes on there, so long as he's paid, but he finds he cares a lot bout the club's enigmatic owner, Evan Buckley, and it's not long before the two of them are violating every boss-employee rule in the book. But there's something different about Buck and the club, something not quite... human. If Eddie wants to keep Buck, he's going to have to delve into the world of immortals, and all the risks that implies.

and check out the amazing podfic!! 🔥 My Blood on Your Skin (My Rose on Your Snow) by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels [Podfic] by Rhea314 (Rhea)/ @rhea314

hold tight, you’re slowly coming back to life by bucksclipboard/ @excuseme-greentea (S7E01 Coda, Getting Together | 3K | Teen): Eddie runs into Natalia at the grocery store. He learns something about her and Buck’s breakup that gives him the final push to take care of his own complicated love life.

🔥 miracles under your sighs and moans by napricot (Sex Pollen, PWP | 21K | Explicit): When Eddie gets exposed to an experimental aphrodisiac on a call, he realizes there’s only one person he trusts to help him get through it: Buck.

Touch Me and I'll Scream by rogerzsteven/ @rogerzsteven (BTHB: Unhealthy Coping Mecanisms, Established Buddie | 5K | Mature): At his low, Buck uses rough sex as a way of self harm.

in another life by bellabrady (Coma AU | 2K | Not Rated): Or: Buck's in a coma and dreams of a life where Daniel never died and he never became a firefighter.

Locations by rogerzsteven/ @rogerzsteven (BTHB: Vomiting, Drowning | 4K | General): In which Buck drowns.

I was born to take care of you by Beulaugh/ @if-music-be-the-food-of-love (Getting Together | 3K | Mature): Buck has a revelation at work and then promptly falls on his face. Eddie Diaz's ass: 1, Evan Buckley: 0

hold the silence. by dylaesthetics (Post-S6 | 3K | Teen): OR while looking for clothes to donate, Buck stumbles upon the shirt he was wearing when Eddie got shot.

Tomorrow we can drive around this town by lamardeuse/ @lamardeuse (S7 Spec, Drunk Eddie | 4K | Mature): If Eddie had been sober, he would have realized it wasn't something to be happy about. But drunk as he was, it had the blood singing in his veins, because Buck was going home with him, not Tommy. Tommy could go fuck himself – or you know, anyone else who was willing, but not Evan Buckley. Because Eddie was a pathetic, sloppy drunk and his best friend had a responsibility to make sure he didn't choke on his own vomit or drown himself in the bathroom sink.

sang to the sea for feelings deep blue by Tizniz/ @tizniz (S7 Spec, Cruise Ship Emergency | 14K | General): God, he hopes Buck got out. That he isn’t trying to get to Eddie. That he gets to go home. And not just because Christopher needs him, although he does since Eddie is fairly certain he’s not making it home this time. He doesn’t let himself dwell too long on that thought. No, Eddie wants Buck to go home because he deserves it. Because Buck deserves to live. Because Eddie needs him to live.

you've got game by browney3dgirl6/ @hoodie-buck (S7E01 Coda, Established Buddie | 1K | General): a silly little late night conversation about chris being a 'ladies man'

take this life and make it yours (take this heart and let it love again) by Maira/ @carrierofthepaperclips (Canon Divergent, Post-Coma | 31K | Mature): Before he could second guess it, he’d dialled Eddie’s number and listened to it ring in his ear. As soon as he heard the click of the connection, he said, “Eddie, what the hell, man?” “I meant what I said. I don’t know who you think you are, but call this number again and I will contact the police.” . . . or, the one where Buck finally figures out he's in love with Eddie, only for things to not go as planned. At first.

if i bleed, you'll be the last to know by heartbeatdiaz/ @loserdiaz (S7, Hurt Buck | 6K | Teen): buck gets stabbed while out on a run and then... doesn't tell anyone about it. eddie loses his shit when he finds out, they have a moment in the kitchen and they kiss.... not necessarily in that order.

Baby, take me by 42hrb / @exhuastedpigeon (S7E01 Coda, Getting Together | 4K | Explicit): “Same thing,” Eddie nuzzled him, stubble scratching even more as he moved his face. When he stopped nuzzling, he pulled back far enough that he could see Buck’s face. “I said stop thinking.” “Kinda hard to turn my brain off.” “Pretty sure I turned it off just fine last night,” Eddie said with a smirk that went straight to Buck’s cock, already half hard just from the way Eddie’s stubble is dragging across his skin. “Is that how I get you to stop thinking?”

when you call me yours by browney3dgirl6/ @hoodie-buck (Established Buddie, Proposal | 5K | General): Buck starts calling Eddie his husband. Only problem...they're not engaged. aka the 5 times Buck refers to Eddie as his husband and the 1 time Eddie makes it true.

just lay back in my arms for one more night by diazbegins/ @evanbegins (Established Buddie, Fluff | 2K | Teen): Buck loves Eddie as he naps.

Brat Burrito by Tizniz/ @tizniz (Established Buddie | 1K | General): Just a cute Buddie moment about breakfast burritos.

it's a sliding into home kind of day by devirnis/ @devirnis (PWP | 3K | Explicit): Eddie’s eyes still don’t leave the television. Frowning to himself, Buck cranes his neck to get a look at what could possibly be more important than him coming home after covering a tragically Eddie-less shift. A baseball game evidently is the answer.

your love is a secret I'm hoping, dreaming, dying to keep by BekkaChaos/ @bekkachaos (New Years Eve, Getting Together | 8K | Teen): aka, Eddie's in love with Buck and he doesn't know how to tell him, until there's a miscommunication and fate (well, Hen) intervenes.

Loose Threads by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Secret Relationship | 3K | Explicit): New to dating and keeping it quiet, Buck and Eddie get a little carried away on a slower shift at the firehouse. But when the alarm eventually sounds, a spur of the moment mistake leaves them a little mixed up.

Married Life by buddiefication (pumpkincreamcoldbrew)/ @911onabc (S5, Getting Together | 2K | General): Taylor films Buck for a TikTok challenge, and Buck finds out he would much rather be his best friend’s husband than his girlfriend’s.

A Seal By Any Other Name (Would Still Be My Best Friend) by bigfootsmom (Seal!Buck, Post-Tsunami | 5K | General): Evan "Buck" Buckley is a collection of oddities. But they're just what makes Buck Buck and Eddie loves him for them. Eddie had thought that after their years of friendship (and maybe something more) that nothing Buck could do would surprise him anymore. But there is one oddity that Eddie never saw coming. “How about you start with why there was a seal in my bathtub and now there’s just you in my bathtub.” (Part 1 of Seal!Buck as in the aquatic mammal)

Just Add Water by bigfootsmom (Seal!Buck, Tsunami | 3K | General): There may be more to Buck than meets the eye. But he's still only human(ish) and getting stuck in a natural disaster with his best friend's son is still all sorts of terrifying. A small hysterical part of his brain thinks about how ironic it would be if this was how he died. Him, a mythical aquatic creature, drowning. The universe would surely laugh and the long line of Buckley ancestors would turn in their graves. (Part 2 of Seal!Buck as in the aquatic mammal)

you can be my daddy (come on, you know you like) by bigfootsmom (Getting Together, Daddy Kink | 4K | Mature): Buck has a teeny tiny problem. One, he's in love with his best friend. Two, he wants to call said best friend Daddy.

It's the softness that breaks you by bigfootsmom (BDSM, Hurt/Comfort | 6K | Explicit): Or the one where Buck has more issues with intimacy than he had originally thought.

lay your love on me by bigfootsmom (PWP, Getting Together | 3K Explicit): Buck never thought the words he said to Eddie in the kitchen would ever come back to haunt him like this. Honestly, he’s not complaining.

you made me feel (i've got nothing to hide) by bigfootsmom (Virgin!Buck, Established Buddie, PWP | 8K | Explicit): Buck has a secret: Contrary to popular belief, Evan "Buck" Buckley is actually a virgin.

WIP

🔥 Right Where You Left Me by hyacinthusbloom/ @thebloomingheather (Canon Divergent, Post-S4, Angst | 22/? | 162K | Explicit | ❗️Warning: Rape/Non-con): "Therapy?" Eddie suggests. Buck almost laughs, but instead says, "I'll go if you go." Because he had fully expected him to be chicken shit, to disagree, and instead Eddie, the bastard, replies, "Deal." Or Buck never tells anyone that he slept with his therapist and deals with the butterfly effect years later.

🔥 Any Other Way by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Canon Divergent, S2 | 6/18 | 37K | Mature): In a switcheroo alternate universe, Buck spends young adulthood in the military, while Eddie, who has no idea Christopher exists, spends his twenties messing around, finally enjoying freedom away from his family’s expectations. When they both end up in Los Angeles, at the 118, some things are different, and others will be the same in any universe.

🔥 Things We're All Too Young to Know by Daisies_and_Briar / @cal-daisies-and-briars (Canon S1-S6, S7 Spec | 122/? | 374K | Mature): This is a love story. Even if it doesn’t always look like it. Even if it doesn’t always feel like it. A look back on Eddie and Buck's lives up to now, and what led them to each other, interpreted from the current 9-1-1 canon.

[a-libra-writes]

Ello! may I please request some of the Lackadaisy characters reacting to a ridiculously tall male reader joining their crew?- like hit their head on every doorframe tall?/jk- but in all seriousness, maybe like 8ft or something?

okay im going for like 7ft or so because that SLIGHTLY more reasonable but not by much; idgaf tho this is funny. Also if you will please imagine this as a lanky ass oriental cat a la Pangur of pangur-and-grim fame. also featuring lots of bi cats, because I say so.

Lots under the cut!

♣️Rocky - Oh!! That's a big one! He makes endless "how's the weather up there" jokes (some are so weird) and has lots of ... stories ("St. Louis' very own creature from the river bottoms, only arising when the fog is heaviest!"); it really brings him back to his circus barker days. The first time you picked him up he was momentarily stunned, also he may or may not have climbed up you like a kitten when something startled him. It only happened once, okay? He's also fond of swatting at your absurdly long tail, as in it distracts him mid-sentence and he just has to take a swipe. Look, this probably won't awaken anything in him.

♣️Freckle - First thought? Terrifying, even when you bonked your head pretty bad on the doorframe. Okay, well, you were a little less scary after the third time. He's used to being smaller than most men, but something about you just towering is nothing short of creepy, especially if you have a more tough or intense personality. If you're a kinder soul, Freckle relaxes much faster. When you both have to pile into the back of the car, he feels really awkward about how you have to contort and twist yourself. Jeez, that doesn't look comfortable ... and somehow it makes him feel a lot smaller, which he doesn't appreciate.

♣️Ivy - Omiiigossshhh, the girls at school are not gonna believe this. She beelines to you right away, delighted with the novelty she's discovered. Naturally she wants to dance, and she'd be so shocked and delighted if you were elegant in spite of your lankiness - that'll get her a crush right away. Don't worry, if you're more clumsy, you're still cute! She thinks everything you do is "cute", even if you have the face of a thug and the body of a furry noodle. Having to scoot into cars, towering over the bar when you sit on a stool, your shirt sleeves nearly going to your elbows? Cute! She'd love to buy you something real fancy that fit, she just knows you'd look sharp.

♣️Mitzi - Oh. Oh my. Not her usual taste, but with the right clothes and some pomade, well, you'd be a proper gentleman. Mitzi is already plotting to get you a nice suit made, and good naturedly notes you ought to eat more or the wind will knock you right over. She already feels small next to Atlus and Viktor, but that's doubled with you. Sometimes it makes her a little uncomfortable, but she knows you don't mean to cause the discomfort. If she got you a real nice suit and a gun, you'd be an excellent guard for when she's out and about ...

♣️Viktor - He tries to recall the last time he was this much shorter than someone ... When he was twelve, perhaps? He feels zero intimidation from you, though. Viktor's confident he could snap you in half if need be. Hm, if they got some muscle on you, you might be able to handle some serious firepower... He thinks on it. Oh, and now he isn't the only one having to dodge doorframes. If you're a less violent-inclined person, many times he's growled at you to stop being so slack-jawed and try to look scary, especially when you both are supposed to be guarding.

♣️Zib - Wow yeah okay this is awakening something in him for sure. The musician gets a little hot under the collar when you stand really close and he has to look up, or god forbid, you bend down to his eye level. He has no idea why he's feeling both aroused and terrified, and what that's supposed to mean. Once you said "good boy" as a joke and he nearly tripped and fell off the stage. He's this hopeless even when you're a dork; if you're actually a smooth operator, he's doomed.

♣️Atlas - Yeah, it's not hard to figure out how you stood out to him. You were offered a job, and though you're much lankier than a triggerman out to be, Atlas has plans. Just some fattening up, some practice with a gun and a well-made suit (your Christmas present, in fact), and you cut quite a shadowy figure. The suit is probably the finest one you own, and the only clothing that's fit in years. Mitzi helped choose the color.

🏵️Serafine - She's intrigued right away, which is no surprise. Most people notice you right away, and it's even better if you work for the Marigold gang and she gets to have plenty of time to flirt and bother and amuse you. Serafine is doubly entertained if you're a more clumsy or nervous sort. She loves calling you "le fantôme" or "le boogeyman", and very much admires when you use your height to frighten someone they're having a "talk" with. She has absolutely grabbed your long-ass tail to get your attention.

🏵️Nico - Listen. He's been with men before - not as much as women, mind you, and he's always preferred those who are smaller than him, which is most. But look. You're a tree, he's a squirrel. No shame, you're cute and he'll say it. He can probably pick you up just fine (which he's very proud of) and laughs if it embarrasses you. He's very interested in how you might fight, and has given you several tips on how to use your unusual size to your advantage when going hand-to-hand with someone.

🏵️Mordecai - Yes this is definitely awakening something and he doesnt want to think hard about it also why is EVERY damn person around him a tree -- You drive him up a wall for many reasons. You slouch all the time, your clothes never fit right, you don't carry a gun that would work best for your long fingers. The Savoys joke about you being Mordecai's "project" because he keeps fussing over you. Though they must say, it's a lot easier to get information out of their targets when they have Mordecai's signature glare and a terrifying cryptid looming over him.

⛰️Wick - Oops! All those feelings he's repressed since boarding school are coming out. Note you could be awkwardly trying to get through a doorway or climb out of a car, with clothes that don't fit quite right or trying to finesse a gun that's too small and he is just, totally enamored. If you have more of a scary demeanor - or you put on that act when you're working as Mitzi's bodyguard - then he's still enamored, just with a dash of fear. So. That's confusing.

[showtoonzfan]

Recognized Edward Bosco’s voice as Ruby Pepper immediately, glad he’s on the team! The short was very cute, (specifically Viktor and Ivy) wonder what happened to Ruby later in the story. Atlas is also a mysterious character I hope we learn more of, and now we know why Mordecai didn’t shoot Ivy in the pilot. I’d honestly like more of these small shorts, what I want to see is things like Rocky growing up with Freckle and Ivy growing up around Mitzi, Lackadaisy being character driven would be great.

[pomegranate-pen]

hi there :D!

Ok so... this is my first time requesting in Tumblr and i Saw The announcememt You gave so My mind told me 'why not?' and thougt about a request

(it's about lackadaisy btw)

So this one is about general dating hc's(or oneshot, watever You feel comfortable doing) with Rocky and freckles

The Reader can be female (if You want ofc)

Thanks you for reading My simple request (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

(sorry if there was something wrong)

A/N: heya!!! so here's the Freckle headcanons I mentioned in the last post!!! I decided to also make this with gn!reader, so I hope you don't mind that anon!!! there are also a few people who've requested a cute date with Freckle, so I'll try to do that someday as well! anyway, here ya go everyone!! hope you all enjoy!! BY THE WAY!! I had to take these headcanons out of the bullet format unfortunately, due to tumblr not letting me post it unless that was done, so I hope you guys don't mind that!

Freckle McMurray x gn! reader general dating headcanons!

-If anyone wants to date Freckle Mcmurray, they’d have to be the one to confess and show feelings first. Because Freckle isn’t the most comfortable expressing his feelings or opinions to others, which is often because he’s known as the ‘good kid’ amongst the public and he works with some dangerous people in his true job at the Lackadaisy.

-Though, just like Rocky, how you’ve met him could cause different scenarios, which, unlike his cousin, make you see two completely different sides of him that are not as connected as his cousin's is.

-Met Freckle at the little daisy café? Well, for the longest time, you’ll only see his ‘good kid’ side, the one who stays out of trouble and is keen on keeping quiet, the cat who mumbles most times around you when you ask questions about his life and hides behind a notebook when he’s shy. Though, in time, when conversations do finally get exchanged and he doesn’t hide behind a few pieces of paper anymore to speak to you, you do learn much more about him, just not the part where he’s a talented shooter who enjoys the thrill of shootouts and gets obsessed with it sometimes. or the part where he’s a bootlegger in a close to failing speakeasy and not actually just an errand boy for Mitzi May.

-The reveal of the truth, even the faintest thought of it, shakes Freckle to his core. He never wants you to see it, afraid that it would tarnish the strong friendship you two have and have you become freaked out or afraid of him. So when the truth does slip out, which is most likely during a chase, he’s more stressed out than usual and his tongue has seemed to become twisted, for he doesn’t speak nor say a single word to your or the crew and focuses on the fight instead.

-If you don’t approach him yourself after it, he’d avoid you for weeks and run away when you were in the room, feeling immense guilt for what he’s done and thinking that you must’ve despised him by now. Rocky or Ivy must be the ones who coax him out of the kitchen and convince him to at least, exchange a few pleasantries with you in the day.  

-You’d have to choose your words a bit carefully, and try your best to reassure him that you don’t hate him, but do feel a bit offended that he hasn’t told you the truth. He’d apologize profusely, and the normal conversations would be started over again, but now, with a bit more comfortable Freckle than before, since the cat’s out of the bag, he doesn’t feel the need to be cautious around you when speaking about his life.

-Though yes, you are the one who gets feelings first, he’s the one who falls harder. It takes him a few more months, but when it does kick he’s suddenly reverted a bit back to his past behavior- avoiding you at all costs, yet still saying a ‘hello’ and ‘how are you’ at least before running off.

-This, is the best moment to strike and confess. Though Freckle is not known to be expressive when it comes to showing much joy in the day, nor known for being much of a romantic, the smile and blush he has on when you confess is enough proof that he’s head over heels for you as well.

-There’s not much of a difference from friendship to a relationship with him. you still talk about the same things, though if asked, Freckle would talk about a few extra interests and topics he has such as baseball trivia or a few memories of his childhood with Rocky and his mother.

-Although a few memories are spoken about, not much detail is said on what exactly has happened, or how exactly it all has ended, and unfortunately, no matter how curious or concerned you are, Freckle will not speak about it much more than that.

-His love language is mainly spending time with you, and being comfortable enough to speak to you. He only has conversations with people he considers his friends or cares about, so as his lover, you tend to have the most conversations with him, especially when you’re both alone. The love language he likes to receive most would be the same thing. He values all the moments he can spend with you, so when you go out of your way to make time for him it means a lot, and he feels a bit flustered and guilty about it.

-“you didn’t have to make time for me, I know you were busy with that project this whole week.”

-“it's fine,” you shrugged. “and it’s not a bother at all anyway. I like spending time with you.”

-A beat red Freckle is what you’ll be seeing the whole day after that.

-Freckle isn't the best at romance, so usually, if he does want to use another love language such as gift-giving or words of affirmation, etc, he’s a bit awkward and shy about it. he tends to feel out of his element and a bit stressed when doing so. A few compliments and words of comfort from you are much appreciated.

-You will most likely never meet Nina Mcmurray of Freckle’s own accord, since he for one, never wants you two to meet in fear of her disapproving of your relationship. Though, if the meeting ever does happen, he’d be freaking out the entire time through it. he’d be quiet, yet his eyes were panic-stricken and his tail is wagging everywhere. it’d take him a few cups of tea to start calming down. Nina isn’t the most easiest person to please, so if she does like you, then great! Expect her to invite you for some tea or dinner with Freckle at times, but if not, then though you are probably unwelcome in the house, Freckle reassures you that it won’t affect your relationship with him in anyway, and that you’ll only have to avoid coming to his house, which isn't much of a problem since you both usually spend time elsewhere.

-not at all a PDA person, he feels like it’s a bit disrespectful to kiss or hold hands and flirt while everyone else is in the room. though, he does do very small things such as put his hand on top of yours and caress your fingers under the table, or put a reassuring hand on your shoulder, things that you could only notice and feel to make you feel calm during frustrating times. And if you do them back he’ll melt, and you’d have successfully calmed him down.

-Whether you like it or not, the teasing comments of his dear cousin Rocky will be a part of it all, though mostly targeted at Freckle himself, he does sometimes jab some at you as well, mostly speaking about how you’ve got Freckle wrapped around your finger.

-There are often times when Freckle is questioning his entire morality and life, where he regrets most of the things he’s doing right now, since he’s been taught in a Christian household about how people who do such actions are foul and must be punished. Which, on rare nights, leads to rethinking his entire life and feeling the utmost self-hatred and unworthiness of love. Those are times when you’re needed most, to reassure and comfort in however you can. and despite not believing you when you tell him he’s a good person, if the self-hatred is strong enough, he will, while looking away embarrassed, ask if he can hold your hand or hug you. since those actions bring lots of comfort and warmth to him.

-He’s also quite insecure about his laugh, what he sees as a complete failure in his personality and the thing that makes unfortunate things happen to him. so If you ever compliment him or say you like it, he’d first gawk at you as if you said unicorns were real, then he’d thank you with a stutter and think about your compliment for an entire week, always getting flustered each time the memory comes across his mind.

-If you have any hobbies of your own, he’d happily try them out for you. whether it’s painting, dancing, or anything you’re quite passionate about, he’d like to give it a try at least once, if not for the quality time, then for it to be an excuse to see you smile and rambling on excitedly.

-There will be times when you’re stuck in an extremely dangerous situation alongside Freckle, such as shootouts and gang fights, if you weren’t involved in such fiascos in the first place and were just a normal citizen before meeting him, he does feel guilty for dragging you into it all and does try to minimize the number of times he sees you before finishing up a task. He also tries to usually meet up with you when it's broad daylight and cops are out, which would decrease the number of fights that could happen.

-All in all, he’s a calm and peaceful lover, and although he isn't much verbal about it, he appreciates you much more than you know it.

[flimflamfandom]

The New Apartment

Calvin hung the last of the pictures in his home - Despite how upset he was with Nina, he had to admit, he still loved her, and having the picture there was nice.

He looked over his new apartment - one of Bapka's - a nice enough place, if small, with a modern kitchen, the convenience of being ground level, and-

and a knock on the door.

"So!" Ivy, in that new day dress she'd bought, and an almost (but not quite) garish display of pearls, leaned in. "This is the new place, huh?"

"Aye." Calvin smiled, and held her hand. "Come in."

Ivy looked around. The kitchen was...clearly where the attention had gone. Some pictures were hung in bizarre places, no doubt to hide stains - the wallpapers were fine, but old, and the floor was hardwood but scratched and scraped in spots. Calvin hadn't had trouble with the furniture, and he even had a cute little space for his typewriter next to a window looking out on the street. It was gorgeous!

It was perplexing.

"LOVELY spot you got here, Freck!" She looked around. "Why, if it wasn't so scandalous I'd just about move in here with you! Kiss that lousy housing fee goodbye and all that." She winked, sitting at his typewriter. "How's the novel coming along?"

"...it's...coming along."

"I see..." Ivy said, knowingly. She stood. "Calvin, dearie, this place is nice, but...why'd you go and start renting?"

"Well, I...I had a lot of money burning a hole in my pocket and I figured I'd-"

"You didn't think to sp[end it on little ol' me?" Ivy teased, and batted her eyes, "why, I'm insulted!"

"Who says this isn't for you?" Calvin winked, and moved some hair from her face.

Ivy laughed. "Freckle, as much as I love you I know for a fact you wouldn't go to all THIS trouble for me without saying anything." She sat on his couch. "Come now, what is it?"

"Well...ehm..."

Ivy's expression softened, and her smile turned sour. "What's the matter at home, Calvin? You never wanted to move out before now...what changed?"

"Nina and I had a...a fight."

"A fight? How bad?"

"...she called you a-..." He hesitated. "A not very good word in Irish."

"Really, now?" Ivy crossed her arms. "And what might that be?"

"A Fraochún."

Ivy tried to remember what little of the language she knew - she was awful at learning knew languages. She furrowed a brow. "...a wildberry?"

"A whore. She called you a whore." Calvin said, sounding like he was still angry about the whole affair. He leaned on the wall, not looking Ivy in the eye as he spoke.

"A what?" Ivy stood. "She called me a wh-"

"It wasn't just that." Calvin said. "I started it, I...she's mad about work and the novel and..." He crossed his arms, and hesitated.

"She said she wished she'd never let me come back from Cork after school."

"...Oh, Calvin." Ivy walked over to him, and held him, tight. "I'm so sorry...that can be hard to hear from your own mother." She said. She rubbed his side, and looked up. "I wish she'd never said that."

"I do, too." He said. He looked over at a picture on the wall - the last one he'd hung up, over the mantle. "See her? On the left?"

"Yeah."

"That's her. That's Nina." He said.

"I should've guessed with that mean scowl." Ivy said. "If you're so mad at her why do you have a picture of her hanging up?"

"...she used to sing me to sleep." Calvin said. "She made cake for my birthday." He looked down, and then at Ivy. "I shouldn't like her. And I don't, not after that. But...I can't just leave her out of things. She shaped me, for...better or worse." Calvin walked towards the kitchen. "If you'd rather I take it down, I-"

"It's your apartment, Calvin." She said, walking up and hugging him from behind, "and she's your mother. So don't go changing anything just for little ol' me, okay?"

"...okay."

"Now, how do you say that one thing again? My heart is in you? It's, eh...taw muh...tawmuhkree..."

"Tá mo chro�� istigh ionat?"

"Likewise." She nestled in. "I love you..."

"I love you too..."

[ladybugkisses]

Is Rocky your favorite Lackadaisy character overall? Or is he just your top pick for the self ship?

Personally, I freaking love him. I think a lot of fans don't understand just how cute he is! Like, people think he's funny and wacky, and he is, but OMG he's so cute! A few people actually *dislike* him if you can believe that. It reminds me of that one side comic, "Jughands" I think it was, where someone asked "Is it weird that I'm attracted to Rocky?" And Zib answers by staring at the audience judgingly while Rocky is being an absolute goof. 😂 And I'm thinking to myself, "Yeah, Zib, that's exactly what we like about him." lol (oh wow I can add images to asks?)

Yeah Rocky's my favorite, but for a while it was a toss up between him and Freckle. What really settled it though was that scene in the comic where Ivy is driving Rocky home after he gets injured. You can see he's not his usual goofy self and it made me feel so bad for him! I may have been on the fence before but I'm rooting for him now. I want Rocky to win in the end so badly! I can't wait to see what happens when the comic finally continues!

P.S. I love your art. All this cuddly stuff is super cute. It makes my heart melt!

P.P.S. (or is it P.S.S?) I think you got a like from Tracy's official account so congrats on that one! 🎉 Maybe one day I'll make something cool that my artist heroes will enjoy.

P.S.P.S.P.S. Sorry for talking your ear off, I guess I just needed to gush about Rocky for a minute and I figured you'd understand. Hope you're having a good day!

usually, my F/Os are also my favorite characters of whichever thing i'm selfinserting into, so yeah- characters like rocky (smiley weirdos with issues) always win me over lmao, i knew he'd be my fav before i even read the comic

i love a lot of the other characters though of course, and i kinda-sorta have wick, lacy and serafine as secondary F/Os don't tell rocky about that 1st one

ANYWAY, Rocky's a crazy lil jerk, and he's also adorable. he's got the range. to me at least

these panels from the ♣️ mornings ♣️ mini-comic live in my head rent free 😔

glad ya like my art btw, thank you so much!! ! 💕 don't worry about the gushing, it's always nice to see someone else enjoying the same character as you haha

[egalitarian-tomboy]

Rocky the Demented Matchmaker (A Lackadaisy Theory)

Before we get into the post I want to clarify that this post has spoilers for the Lackadaisy webcomic & overarching world that has been canonized so far. If you would like to avoid spoilers for the comic, please bookmark this post and go read up to the latest chapter currently available on the Lackadaisy official website. You have been warned. 

After Rocky, in a moment of delirious honesty, admitted to Ivy that he took the blame for a family tragedy that he might’ve had nothing to do with in order to keep Freckle in school undisturbed by the consequences of what happened. It’s clear how much he loves his cousin. I’d even go as far as to say that he considers him more of a brother than a cousin. Since he’s a whole 5 years older than him, there’s a considerable age gap between the two in regards to life experience and knowledge about the world. Even if he isn’t book smart, Rocky’s got more street smarts that it’s all second nature to him. So when he gets his cousin into the business of liquor running for Lackadaisy as a hired gunman partner, he wants to offer him something in exchange for putting his life on the line - A Girlfriend / Possible Wife. 

Keep in mind this series takes place in 1927. 2 years before the Great Depression and creeping toward the looming collapse of the prohibition era in 1933. During this time men were typically married by 24 while women were married by 21. Although there are cases that show that some men and women got married as young as 17 (with parental consent). Rocky is 23 years old, a Bachelor who has never been married or has been in a serious romantic relationship (that we know of). From his current line of work and his mental state of mind right now, finding a wife is the least of his concerns. But that isn’t the case for Freckle. While his mother is still pretty young, 48 years old to be exact, that doesn’t mean that Freckle wouldn’t have some prodding from her regarding settling down and having kids of his own.

So what do you do when your cousin is a fellow bachelor that’s down on his luck? You introduce him to someone that might want to be something more than friends. 

In comes Ivy Pepper. Goddaughter of Mitzi’s deceased Husband and recently single jazz baby of the Lackadaisy. She’s not single for what she’s done on her part per say, it’s because Viktor intimidates all of her ex boyfriends physically to the point of being put in a wheel chair for going near her since he sees her as a daughter to him. So how far in the relationships she actually got are up in the air. But the moment she meets Freckle, she’s head over heels for him. Immediately noting how cute he is and inviting him on a date while Rocky gets something to clean up the mess she made on purpose to distract him. 

Now you can say that Rocky had no intentions on playing matchmaker, since they just got done extracting revenge on the pig farmers, I’d argue that Rocky knew exactly what he was doing when he introduced him to Ivy. Especially since his reaction to her calling Freckle her boyfriend and proclaiming to Viktor they’re dating wasn’t one of confusion, it was gleeful teasing. Even before that, when they were at Ivy’s college he teased Freckle about how Ivy must’ve fallen head over heels for him already in a wink-wink nudge-nudge kind of way. Trying to get across the idea of maybe seeing Ivy as a girlfriend or possible wife in the future. Even his teasing / overreacting of her asking if Freckle was introducing her to his mother was more panicked in the way that it was far too early for Freckle to introduce her as his girlfriend. They hadn’t even had a proper date or first kiss. a REAL first kiss. Not what she did before as a quick peck on the lips after they got done meeting with Viktor. No that real proper first kiss would come later. 

SPEAKING OF WHICH. The other reason why I believe Rocky is the maniacal mastermind behind this ship, the crazed captain if you will, is because of the way he talks to Freckle after he had his first real kiss with Ivy in the truck. Asking him if they still weren’t on a first name basis after kissing / possibly making out in that truck. To which Freckle officially starts calling her Ivy instead of Miss Pepper. Even though he didn’t deny being her boyfriend in front of Viktor after she declared them a couple, he didn’t necessarily agree that he was her boyfriend either. It wasn’t until she kissed him quickly on the lips in the car that he possibly started to truly fall in love with her. She smooched him once and he was ready to ask her for another kiss before he went off on his big night with Rocky. But this time, a proper one where they had more privacy and Rocky wasn’t there to make any sort of remarks.

And all my mans had to say after they were in the truck together was “Are you seriously not on a first name basis after kissing like THAT?”

Nah. 

You can’t tell me that Rocky hasn’t been playing matchmaker this entire time trying to get his cousin a girlfriend. Nope. Nuh uh. 

[silver-heller]

"I make murderous men cute, that's just my thing."

Note: For personal reasons, I like writing soft villains. I don't like the implication that makes my version of them "fake", lesser, or completely devoid from the canon I take large inspiration from. I'm not going to argue over preferences/interpretations, just don't be a dick about it. Ranking certain depictions as more "true" than others will get you blocked.

Greetings! I'm Nightmares or Silver. I'm an asexual, 22 year old transman (he/him) and this is my blog for most of my self shipping antics. I have a type and it's either evil or slightly crazed with glasses lol. I mostly write (too much) fanfiction and make random posts for my ships. I love hearing about other's F/Os and seeing all your guys' lovely creations! I am plural. If you don't know what this means or how to avoid spreading negative plural stereotypes, do not follow me.

I am okay with sharing all F/Os (except the OCs).

My main f/o is Mordecai Heller from Lackadaisy, who I've paired with my S/I Silver (he/him). I've written a lot of lore about them at this point, so if you ask about them expect to get your ear talked off.

Ao3 / F/Os / Lacka FOs / NSFW / Lacka College AU

DNI

*Certain canon x canon ships make me uncomfortable, particularly Rocky x Mordecai, Rocky x Serafine, and Rocky x Mordecai x Serafine. I also am not comfortable with Mordecai being shipped with Atlas or Mitzi, and/or Ivy or Freckle being shipped with Mordecai, Viktor, or Mitzi and Atlas as well. Freckle x the Savoys would also make me uncomfortable.

Please tag these ships properly or let me know a tag you use for them so I can block it. This does not include poly selfships with them, except where Atlas and Mitzi x Mordecai or Ivy x Mordecai are concerned. Viktor x Ivy or Freckle too, and Ivy or Freckle with Atlas or Mitzi. For those I will just outright block you. Sorry, but they squeak me out.

Not plural safe (if you make jokes about or reblog jokes that go along the lines of "I have an alter ego/other personality so I'm crazy" you're not plural safe). Minor x adult, incest, or bestiality shippers (aka characters that are just animals). Pro ship. Anti self diagnosis. Bigots of any kind. Exclusionists. Unnecessarily dictate how characters should be written (especially asexual characters). If you have F/Os from creepypastas I probably won't be comfy interacting with you. Drama/discourse blogs. Please tag things pertaining to the deaths of my F/Os, including theories. Thank you!

I have villain F/Os and enjoy following others with villain F/Os. If that bothers you this is not the place for you. That being said, characters that canonically commit acts of CSA, SA, or child abuse/murder make me extremely uncomfortable and I may block you if you self ship with villains of that descriptor. I am not comfortable with Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde F/Os, please don't follow me if you have them.

I hate vague posting with a passion and will block you if I see you do it.

About Discord Servers

I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but, I don't join Discord servers. Why? Simply put, I block people for the sake of my own mental health. Some of these people are within the communities I reside most often in. However, Discord servers often mean I have to bend my block list to get along in and have a comfortable time in said server. 9 times out of 10 the instincts that made me block someone were correct. Therefore I prefer my blog because I can have an easier time curating my interactions with the community.

That being said I am totally down to chat with you on discord if you want to add me! Chatting one on one gives me more power to block people that make me uncomfortable and avoid people on my blocklist.

[americangirlstar]

I remember seeing someone on here do this a while back with the blonde ag dolls– if someone finds the post lmk and i’ll link it! but this is my opinion of our blondies so far

basic thoughts are:

Lanie’s design is absolutely perfect; she’d be cute as a brunette too but at the time her being an excitedly outdoorsy scientist was breaking the blonde stereotype atm so she was really good.

It may be my nostalgia but most of the blondes in the “good design” tier are like. Yeah they could’ve had other hair colors but I think it works with their design, they’re quite cute. Julie is on the edge of the line tho bc I really do think that Ivy should have been the main doll, but for what she is Julie looks very much like a 70s white girl would.

Elizabeth is brunette in the books and blonde after the movie’s release in order to differentiate her from Felicity more, and Nellie and Maryellen are a strawberry-blonde. My opinion on them tbh is I do like Elizabeth’s hair though I prefer her dirty blonde in that one kids’ book, Nellie ofc looks very good, and Maryellen like. Yeah she looks very 50s

I really do like Evette and her design but after the “Daisy” concept art where she was brunette I’m like. they’re both good i guess? definitely opens up a discourse

There is no reason Courtney had to be white, Isabelle lives in a very diverse part of Washington DC and yet is white blonde, Kira is bland as hell and Alexis had a cooler design, and we all know the discourse around Tenney. Isabel managed to get the Courtney, Tenney AND Kira problems all at once I HATE her design.

To be fair though, I have warmed up a lot to Courtney and Tenney’s designs. They are blonde but they’re definitely very distinctive dolls. I don’t think Courtney’s design is necessarily indicative of her personality, which is more shy and reserved than the out-there colors and hair, but it is certainly cute as hell, and while Tenney is definitely a Taylor Swift knockoff, her curls and freckles are very well-done.

[samantha-and-her-chaotic-desires]

List of the types of cats Lackadaisy characters would be if they were actual cats because I'm bored:

Rocky: Rocky is the kinda cat you first meet and you think he's just the sweetest, most innocent little thing ever, and he stares up at you with those big, adorable eyes, and then 24 hours after adopting him you realize how much of an absolute MENACE he is. He's broken everything in your home, scratched everything, and clawed the shit out of your leg for fun, but you can't bring yourself to get rid of him because 1) if you dont put up with him, who will? And 2) LOOK HOW CUTE HE IS CURLED UP ON THE WINDOW SILL!!!

Freckle: Freckle is the kinda cat that's always super shy and kinda skittish around everything. He jumps at any sudden sound, and if you make the mistake of moving furniture around, he will act like hes walked into an entirely different house. It takes forever for him to warm up to you, but when he finally does, hes the sweetest little kitty ever. But then, you get him that one toy and he goes batshit insane. I'm talking jumping of the walls, skittering across the floor, nearly crashing into things, etc. To the point you wonder if he's even the same cat.

Ivy: Ivy is the kind of cat that's always weaving in and out of your legs and follows you everywhere. You sit at the computer, shes ontop of it. You go to the bathroom, she's at the door wanting to sit in your underwear. You leave the house, you have to make sure she doesn't follow you. She doesn't want anything, she just wants to hang out. She's the kind that would take to a cat harness like a duck to water, and would be so happy to go out with you and explore.

Mitzi: You know those videos of that one cat that does fashion runway shows and gets dressed up, but genuinely doenst seem to mind/actually really likes it cause she's the center of everyone's attention? That's Mitzi. She would love being pampered and treated like a queen, and would expect no less. She doenst just tolerate being put in fancy little dresses or being brushed and groomed, she'd LIVE for it. She loves attention of any kind and will absolutely gat attached to anyone who gives it to her.

Wick: Wick is one of those cats that's just an absolute angel all of the time. He's always there to say hello when you come home. He just lays in your lap while you work. He lays on the pillow next to you in bed, just an absolute sweetheart. He'd borderline be emotional support animal material, always at your side when you need him. He's never doing anything he shouldn't (at least, not that you know of), and he never minds being pet or cuddled, even if it wasn't his idea. You also notice him seeming oddly fascinated with a certain lanky stray tom cat that keeps coming by your window.

Zib: Zibs the kind of cat that was a stray that just showed up outside your house, and you felt bad for him, so you start leaving food out for him, and he gets a bit more comfortable with you being around, but still doesnt seem all that interested in you, and then one day, he just walks into the house and flops down on the couch like he owns the place. He still likes to be outside to wander, usually to the neighbors to hang out with their fluffy brown cat, but he always comes back at night and curles up on your lap while you watch TV. He's the kind of cat that you don't adopt. He adopts you.

Viktor: Viktor is one of those cats who takes a long time to warm up to people. He just kinda stares at you from across the room, almost with a look of mistrust, and he wants nothing to do with being pet or cuddled. If you try to force it, all you do is push him away. But if you respect that and give him his space, you're eventually gonna start waking up with him laying next to you in bed, or he'll come up to you on the couch and lay on the opposite side. He doesn't want to be pet, he just wants to be next to you. That's how he shows affection.

Mordecai: Mordecai is similar to Viktor, but he just straight up does not warm up to you. He's less your pet cat and more a roommate who has slight disdain for you and doesn't pay rent. You just exist in the same place. He does his own thing, and you better not interrupt him, cause you will get hissed and/or clawed at. He doenst like toys, or Catnip or anything. The only thing he seems to like is staring out your perfectly symmetrical windows. He occasionally brings you birds, but you can't tell if it's a gift or a threat.

Nico and Serafine: These two are the cats at the shelter that can't be separated because they're a bonded pair. They're the kind you bring home, and they immediately run to the tallest part of the house and just stare at you. Every time you enter the same room as them, they just stare at you from above and don't move. You know they can get down due to the food being gone every day and the couch getting progressively more scratched up, but you never see it. And then, one day, you wake up with Niko sleeping on your face, Serafine over your neck, and the corpse of the biggest rat you've ever seen at the end of the bed. You've done it. You gained their approval... expect a lot more dead things.

ASDFGHJKJHGFDSA FAM I AM C A C K L I N G 😭😭😭 BUT IT'S LITERALLY SO TRUE THOUGH!!!

I feel threatened by Mordecai. And the Savoys...but touched, too!

Wick is literally like my one cat, but he's a mix of Wick and also Zib. God I love this!!!

[starreeaa]

♤Lackadaisy♤

Rocky x afab!mexican!reader

Chapter 1: Did you hear?

Summary: Your a lovely cat who lives near her family because your still accustomed to your mom’s cooking, and your father help, like killing a spider, your at the age of 22, you work as many things; Repairer, Mechanic, Babysitter, Cleaner, but getting a job that is meant for a man, even if he’s you’re a woman is a little hard, especially in 1927, it has been a little hard finding a job, since a group of gangsters started crawling more in town causing mischief, and mayhem in town. Little did you know a gang was exactly what you needed to get a job! And maybe even finding a lover too~.

Characters: You, Ivy, Freckle, Mitzi, Viktor, Your Brother; Ray

Authors Note: I apologize for any misspelling mistakes. I also tried my best with Viktor speaking in Russian but if it’s no good then corrections are always welcome! ♡

Warning: None!

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”Come on! You owe me a dance!” Ivy said excitedly, already grabbing the ginger’s paw, trying to flirt her way in with the ginger cat and Freckle’s response is “I do?” Freckle said confused to Ivy’s action as she tugs him in for a dance “Yes I’ve decided, you know the Charleston?” “No” “The Lindyhop?” “No.” “The Roudabout? The Jingle Jangle?” “The Hoopty Noodle?” the cute pair went off to dance, and Mitzi watched them, with a heartwarming smile, remembering what it’s like to be young and in love, that heartwarming feeling inside

While Viktor gives them both death glare, until Mitzi pats the top of his paw, letting him know that they’re okay. Meanwhile Mr. Sable just being in the background drinking the alcoholic beverage, with disgust in his face.

Mitzi sighs as she looks down with a worried and tired look on her face, “What’s wrong? Is it new recruits? because I will gladly kick them out” Victor says to Mitzi, since he knows how Mitzi have been struggling ever since with her husband death, business went down and payments are increasing, so he does what he can for her

“No it’s not them I’m worried about” this confused Viktor so he asked Mitzi “Then why do you look so uhh what do you call it ‘blue’?” Victor said unsure of how to say the phrase correctly “Oh Viktor, what am i going to do? The business isn’t making any money, we have more damages and worries coming, and now the car is damaged, I just wish there was a way to fix the damages without having to pay too much money for it” “Hmm, maybe I can help” Viktor said not too sure if he should bring up the idea “What do you mean by that Viktor? Do you know someone? ” Mitzi asked, confused to why did Viktor sounded a little unsure, I mean this is Viktor we are taking about! He doesn’t even blink when a ferocious animal attacks him

“Yeah his name is Inez” Mitzi felt relief, maybe there’s hope after all! “He won’t do the job but he haves a oldest son, and he knows about mechanic as well, I can try to talk to him and convince him to help us” “Wait wha- convince? Why do you have to convince him? Isn’t that his job?” “He knows about mechanic, but he doesn’t work as one” “Well I still appreciate it Viktor, thank you so much dear” “No thank you’s yet, I still have to talk to him, I just hope they still have the same number as before” “If you don’t mind me askin love but how come you guys haven’t talk?” “We stopped talking, after he found out I worked for lackadaisy” “Oh, is that…so?” Mitzi said feeling confused and unsure what to say next

*Ring* *Ring*

“Hello? Who is this” “It’s Viktor” “Oh Viktor, I wasn’t expecting you for you to call, how’s it been?” “I’ve been fine but uhh I have a problem” “A problem?” “Yes well… uhh … a business problem” “ Umm…Viktor I’m not sure I’m even supposed to be even talking to you” “I know, but I really need this favor y/n” Viktor says the last word like a whisper, so weak and so crumbly “*sigh* All right fine” “Thank you, meet me at Little Daisy Cafe in the afternoon” “All right, I’ll be there, see you then” “Yes and

y/n?” “Um yes?” “thank you” “…” “Goodbye. Viktor, see you then”

“Hey! Who are you talking to?” your brother asked curiously

You and your brother decided to keep up the family business, which means you guys work the same job but your brothers have more clients than you do, you guys decided to take a day off

Until you both heard the phone ringing and you brother gladly took it

“An old friend, a very old friend” You explained in little detail

Not sure if you should tell your brother, besides what can happen?

[ben-the-hyena]

So I watched the Lackadaisy pilot. I want to precise, except the trailer, a few drawings, gifs and animation tests I knew nothing about the story, I never read the comics or knew the names of the characters

I must say... mixed feelings. But overall hopeful

I really liked the Cafe Daisy bit, it looked beautiful and had a nice cinematography (the fact Mitzi misses her husband is established a very natural and casual way that doesn't feel forced), nice colors, the music in the end was so catchy, its funny bits WERE funny and had me laugh or at least giggle (THIS is how you make an adult animation, not by forcing in profanities), Mitzi seems to be a very interesting, complex character with an elegant design and a sweet and melancholic tet powerful personality (I think she's my favorite character for now), Wick and Zib were cool for different reasons one being elegant and a bit posh yet awkward and the other a depressed yet cool drunk musician, Viktor was threatening and very cool in his own way I love big angry guys doing a "nice" job they look too scary for...

This bit really saved it and had me like the pilot and look forwards for more because (and I know I will be shit on for thinking so) the first 16 minutes really bored me and I kept wondering why, except the animation which indeed is smooth and beautiful (unsure if it was intentional but I do love how they left tge sketchlines, it reminds me of the bronze era of Disney), people were praising it. It took waaay too long to truly start to get in action, the 2 trigger happy gangsters (are they a couple) sure looked and sounded cool they seemed to be too much bidimensional (but eh it IS a pilot so I'll let it pass), the action was... not hyping me at all (I was like "😐" during the whole chase and a good part of the sneaking mission, it didn't make me feel anything), and BY GOD do I feel like I'm gonna hate Rocky. He REEKS character made to be "the likable and funny fan favorite for the sole reason he is so random lolz and LOOK he dresses up nicely and plays violin even when it's not needed or helping at all that's SO quirky, Tumblr sexyman material ain't I rite ???", he was exasperating, a jackass meant to be charming which I found failed completely, and his random obsession about explosions and the way he was being insane about it which is meant to be funny only had me be tempted to turn off the video for how annoying it was. And he's gonna be a main character... I REALLY HOPE this is just because it's the pilot but so far I think I will love him as much as I loved DT17 Dewey siiiiiigh...

However even in that first part I found Freckle cute and his crush for Ivy (who is cute too !) adorable, and I did get happily surptised and laughed at him being SO trigger happy and turning into a whole different person with guns, THAT was the only part of the first part I found funny enough to laugh for lol (and I did find funny when Rocky gives him the dynamite like it is nothing or when Rocky threw the dynamite at the villains before ricochetting back to him, but not to the point of making noises). I also did get a change of opinion about that mysterious Mordecai. Ibitially he looked and seemed as bidimensional/boring as Serafine and Nicodeme, then when he stepped out and proved out to be good with a gun too became a little more introguing, then whenever the sneaking scene was focused on him and Freckle it actually did have tension since both are as good as each other and how unlike Freckle who was (understandably so) panicking he was instead as calm and collected as ever and I love cold and pragmatic villains, I grew to love the little gimick about hearing a clock whenever he aims to showcase how slowly it takes him to aim yet how 100% efficient precise it turns out to be just like a Swiss clock, that was clever, and then when in the end he COULD have shot Ivy but I feel like by seeing it is her chooses not to, it got me hooked. Why ? How ? Does he know her ? Does he care ? Who is she to him ? NOW that is the one moment from the first part that had me want to know more

In short, not the best and it took too long to catch my interest, but at least it does catch up later on. Except Rocky. Only part of the srcond part I didn't like. Whenever he opened it. Fuck Rocky

[candikin]

Info Dump (The "Popular" Girls/Toppats)

Earrings

[BASIC PERSONALITY]: Selfish, Phone-Addict, Confident

[INFO]: Nobody really likes her in all honestly, they just deal with her because they like the rest of the group. She's the leader of the girl group, because she has the perfect leader personality... she's just really into herself

[STATUS ON TIMELINES]: Unaware

[VOICE CLAIM] Candy Store from Heathers: The Musical

[VOICE ACCURARY]: 4/5

Morena Elone [OC]

[BASIC PERSONALITY]: Flirty, Smart, Chatty

[INFO]: Despite her age, she has probably... "messed" with half the toppats in the rocket divison. Everybody forgets her exes other then Sven and Burt, as they are the most vocal about it... but even then, not really. She's the only one in the group where her personality is actually different on the inside. She's secretly soft spoken, quiet, and not very into romance. She's only acting like this to get money for college. It's not very successful however (In fact, she's losing money) so she's stuck in this loop for eternity

[STATUS ON TIMELINES]: Somewhat Aware

[VOICE CLAIM]: Poison Tree by Grouper

[VOICE ACCURARY]: 3.5/5

Carol Cross

[BASIC PERSONALITY]: Cold, Quiet, Sarcastic

[INFO]: The most mysterious out of the girls. She doesn't say much other then "Back off" and constantly is trying to get guys to pay her back money they owe. Only the other girls in the group really know how she is, but they love to keep secrets

[STATUS ON TIMELINES]: Somewhat Unaware

[VOICE CLAIM] Michelle by Sir Chloe

[VOICE ACCURARY]: 3/5

The Witch

[BASIC PERSONALITY]: Loud, Hyper, Cheerful, Hopeful

[INFO]: Many are skeptical about her being a real witch, but the girls make it clear she isn't... even if there's evidence saying she is. Some even say they saw her fly on a broom! She doesn't actually really have a attachment to anything she owns, expect for her cat Pumpkin. She also gets the creepiest fans... but let's not get into that

[STATUS ON TIMELINES]: Aware

[VOICE CLAIM]: Corpse Dance by Kikuo

[VOICE ACCURARY]: 4/5

Miss DeMeanor

[BASIC PERSONALITY]: Innocent, Curious, Cheerful

[INFO]: Like her name, she only does misdemeanors. She follows the other girls like she's a lost puppy. Partially because she's new to the group, and the other half is because she is half blind. She got on the airship divison because she didn't know the whole girl group had to go to the rocket divison, luckily they didn't kick her out. She's also actually Reginald's cousin, but they don't really talk to eachother for... reasons. She has fake freckles because they look cute on her

[STATUS ON TIMELINES]: Unaware

[VOICE CLAIM]: Kerosene by Crystal Castles

[VOICE ACCURARY]: 3.5/5

Matilda Ivy

[BASIC PERSONALITY]: Snippy, Tough, Confident

[BASIC INFO]: She hates being in the girl group, and she wants to leave the whole clan because of it. She likes doing things sole but she is willing to do teamwork, just not with the girl group. She lied to the girl group saying the reason she's in the train divison is because no more rocket spots were open. In reality, she actually joined the train because she didn't want to talk to them. She's cousins with Ellie Rose, but unlike Miss DeMeanor, she actually has a good relationship with Ellie

[STATUS ON TIMELINES]: Somewhat Unaware

[VOICE CLAIM] Test & Recognize by Seekae [FLUME-REWORK]

[VOICE ACCURARY]: 4/5