#katrina stack

[ihonestlycanttellyou]

I just realized something about how I write the DOLverse.

Under cut because I doubt many want to read a small fuckton about a couple DOL OCs lol. Ramble incoming:

So first and foremost, I write all my PCs as existing at the same time in one "save" and that leads to this revelation.

Mari's life fuckin' sucks in the friend group because they're practically surrounded by their abusers, AKA their friends' partners/conquests.

Onyx isn't romantically involved with Leighton but is still HEAVILY INVOLVED with him, I mean, they already can't avoid the bastard at school but now they constantly have to hear about how Onyx dominated and absolutely babygirled that man because there's no way in Hell the incubus wouldn't brag about it. This coupled with the photoshoots and detentions is definitely not good for that poor fox's mental state. Yikes.

Katrina is Avery's new sugarbabe after Mari "dismissed" him AKA Avery just fucks off and finds some other trophy (y'all already know how I feel about that event), so Mari just sees Katrina get into that expensive car every morning and just panics. Katrina seems fine so Avery's probably treating her much better than he treated them but still, seeing their friend sneaking out in formal wear every Saturday does still make them feel ill.

Oh ho ho, but I saved the definite worst for last.

I accidentally created a goldmine of angst and probably the greatest potential fallout between OCs ever in my years of character creation.

Jackson and motherfuckin' Whitney, the bully who not only torments Mari at every turn but also MADE THEM FALL. The worst thing to ever happen to Mari was having their purity ripped from them and subsequently falling because of it. Jackson knows Whit is a total weasel bastard pos of a person, it'd be hard not to know, but MAN. The fact that Whitney can just, like, hang out the orphanage and the alleyways next to them is probably nightmare-inducing to poor Mari. They probably rush past the park on rainy days because seeing one of their friend cuddled up with that monster would be hard to stomach.

[futfemfantasies]

Unexpected meetings - Katrina Gorry x Morgan!reader

Prompt #20 - Alex Morgan little sister (5 years younger) - dating ___. Alex finds you two making out after a national team friendly - USA vs ___. Alex ‘threatens’ ___.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2018

The smaller body in your arms started to turn, which causes you to slowly wake from your peaceful sleep. You look into Katrina's brown eyes and melt instantly. Wordlessly, you both lean forward and envelope each others lips in a soft kiss. Katrina's small hands wandered up your sleep shirt, tracing the outline of your abs as you both continued to kiss. A loud siren like alarm blasts through the room, causing you two to jump apart before laughing.

"I told you to change that babe"

Katrina laughs as she sits up and stretches, showing off her muscular back that makes you drool.

Just as you open your mouth to speak, you hear a loud banging on the door.

"Y/N/N get your ass up! You're late to breakfast"

Your lovely older sister yells through the door.

"Okay I'll be down in 10"

"Make it 5 or I'll bench today"

You roll your eyes at the lame threat, knowing she can't actually do that.

A text is quickly sent out to the group chat of the entire team excluding your sister saying you need them to distract Alex to sneak a girl out. Thankfully, no comments were made apart from the usual Sonnett and Kelley but you choose to ignore them most of the time.

You got ready in your training gear while Katrina quickly found her Matildas clothes around the room. You walk up to Katrina and wrap your arms around her waist tightly, so she can't leave. You lightly kiss her jaw and trail down her neck. She moans slightly but realises you both need to go.

"C'mon babe, we need to go"

Katrina says trying to get out of your grip.

"Just let me hold you longer"

You mumble into her.

Your cuddle session by your phone ringing to say you have a text.

Kelley: We have Al distracted, get the girl out now!

"Right let's go baby"

You put on your slides and grab the keycard, as well as your phone before racing out the door.

In the elevator, you once again hold Katrina in your arms and sigh into her hair. Katrina turns around and kisses you quickly before the doors open. As they open, you see the meeting slash breakfast room door shut and you know this is your chance. You both walk hand in hand across the foyer and out the front entrance, letting out a breath of relief. You bid Katrina a goodbye and that you'll see her later. You watched her walk back to the hotel, which was only next door, so you know she's safe.

Short stack 💘: stop watching me you creeper...

y/n/n 🦋: just wanted to make sure you are safe baby 🥺

short stack 💘: aww, well you are forgiven. i love you 😘

y/n/n🦋: i love you more, see you later sunshine xx 🥰

Walking back into the hotel, a part of you felt gone but at least she was only next door. You look up from your phone to see your sister standing there with her arms crossed and eyebrows tightly knitted together. Kelley along with a few other of your friends were behind Alex mouthing 'im sorry' as they couldn't keep her in the room. You just hoped she didn't see who you were with.

“What were you doing that made everyone attempt to keep me in the room?”

“Nothing Al, don’t worry”

Attempting to push past her, Al grabs your wrist causing you to turn around.

“We don’t need any distractions y/n/n”

“Trust me Al, she’s far from a distraction”

You say pulling your arm away and walking into the meal room.

After breakfast you all have a few hours before leaving for the game so you decide to have a shower and attempt to relax until the game. You hear a bang on your door and you know you have to go. With your kit bag in hand, you put your headphones on and grab your phone before walking out to the bus.

The bus ride to the stadium was quiet. No one dared to come near you are they knew when you had either earphones or headphones on not to bother you. You arrived at the stadium and noticed the Australian bus just arrived as well. You look behind you slightly and locked eyes with Katrina before giving her a wink. Alex pushes you forward slightly as a silent way of telling you to hurry up and you give her a glare no one wants to receive.

After the national anthems have been sung and the coin tossed, the game was ready to begin. You stand in position, alongside your sister up front, and put your game face on. Sam Kerr kicks the ball off and now it’s game time, until the 22nd minute when your own girlfriend scores a rocket from outside the box. You hung your head in shame and walked back to position. The whole game is a cat and mouse situation with no one really getting close enough to shoot. You spot Lindsey with the ball and you weave past Emily and Alanna into an open gap and call for the ball. You move around the players and look up to see a perfect distance between you and the goal. The next thing you know the fans are cheering, drums being hit and your teammates jumping on your and smacking your head. After the next few minutes of extra time, the whistle is blown and the game ends in a one all draw.

You shake the hands of your friends in the Australian team until you get to one in particular, who you were saving for last. You wrap Katrina up in your arms and stay like that for a few minutes taking in the time you have together, even though you play for the same club team.

“You played so well out there bubs. I’m proud of you. That goal was amazing”

“I’m proud of you too speedy. Can we swap jerseys?”

You nod and start to take off your jersey.

Katrina’s jersey just fits in your tall build, while yours looks like a dress on her. You get called over by Christen and you bid your goodbyes to Katrina. You get back to the locker room and you know you’re not going to see her for a few weeks so you just need to see her one last time.

y/n/n 🦋: meet me in the hallway xx 😉

short stack 💘: 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

You throw your tee on and slides before walking out of the dressing room to meet your ever so sexy girlfriend leaning up against the wall. Grabbing her hand and checking no one from either team followed, you both move to a more secluded area around the corner. You two wasted no time and smashed your lips on each others. Your hands going just under Katrina's jersey, resting on her hips, while hers are playing with the baby hairs on the back of your head. Just as you go to move you knee between Katrina's legs, you hear someone clear their throat. The two of you pull apart to see your sister standing there, arms crossed and a face not impressed.

"So this is who you were sneaking out this morning"

"Al listen I-"

You started but got cut off immediately.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me. I thought we told each other everything y/n/n"

"Trust me Al I wanted to tell you bu-"

"I can't be here right now. And you"

Alex directs her attention to Katrina.

"If you even think about hurting a single hair on her body, you better watch out"

Alex walks away and you want to break down in tears. Katrina pulls you in a tight hug and you start apologising for your sisters behaviour, since she's never done it to any of your exes before.

"Hey you have nothing to apologise for. You've done nothing wrong. You're okay"

You physically relax in Katrina's arms and you pull your head out of her shoulder and see Christen and Tobin walking towards you.

"Hey Kat, I'm guessing it went well with Alex then?"

Christen asks and you give her a look that Tobin laughs at.

"Well we're leaving in about 15 minutes so if you want a shower, I'd go now"

You nod and the pair walk off and you feel Katrina tug on your hand to face her.

"Everything's going to be okay. Just let her calm down and talk to her back at the hotel. I'm literally just next door okay?"

Katrina leans up to kiss your cheek ever so lightly, making you blush slightly

"I love you so much"

"I love you too but more when you're less smelly now go shower"

You both walk to your respective locker rooms when you look back and blow Katrina a kiss. Meanwhile in the locker room, you walk in and Alex comes over, hugging your side.

"I'm sorry y/n/n, I just don't wanna see you hurt"

"She's not going to hurt me, I promise. You can calm down with the protective older sister vibe too. I honestly think I'm going to marry her one day"

Alex smiles for the first time since the full time whistle was blown and pulls you into her famous bear hugs.

“I’m just happy you’re happy bug”

2023

liked by samanthakerr20, alexmorgan, stephcatley, mackenziearnold, katrinagorry10 and 84,963 others

itsyn25: 26.05.23 ~ i asked my best friend to marry me and she said yes. i can't wait to spend forever with you my love 🥰🥺

view all 10,485 comments...

alexmorgan: OMG YAY! I just told Charlie and she hasn't stopped jumping and screaming... love and miss you all 💘

itsyn25: maybe that means you both need to visit...

kyracooneyx: yay mums are getting married 😊

christenpress: i'm so happy for you bestie xx 🥺😊

katrinagorry10: i can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you ❤️

[ofmdrecaps]

08/28/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Rhys Darby; Taika Waititi; Con O'Neill; Samba Schutte; Guz Khan; Leslie Jones; Nathan Foad; Bronson Pinchot; Connor Barrett & Brian Gattas; Fan Spotlight: OFMD Colouring Pages; Never Left Podcast Raffle;

== Rhys Darby ==

New line up information for 'Rhys Darby's Saying Funny Things Society' on Oct 1st in Largo LA!

Source: Rhys Darby's Substack (free version)

If you're not already subscribed to Rhys' Sub Stack, please do, there's some fun content there, including Bill Napier videos and daily drawings by Rhys! This weeks Bill Napier Weather Report

Source: Rhys Darby's Substack

Rhys and Rosie's son Finn's band "Great Big Cow" has a new music video out on youtube! Wanna support the Darby family? Check it out!

Source: Great Big Cow Youtube

== Taika Waititi ==

Looks like Taika's gonna be at Eden Park on 09/29/24 for the Haka Record event!

Source: Taika's Instagram

== Kristian Nairn ==

New Article about Kristian Nairn's book -- as well as a mention of OFMD! Thanks @adoptourcrew for the share!

Source: Adopt Our Crew's Twitter

== Con O'Neill ==

Con recently performed "An Invocation" by Ben Tufnell! Thanks @ringasunn for sending the info my way!

Source: Ben Tufnell's Instagram

== Samba Schutte ==

Samba out with his beautiful baby <3

Source: Samba's Instagram

Next up in Samba land-- the absolute sweetheart Katrina aka kmostran over on twitter was kind enough to share her birthday gift with the rest of the us! Samba did a quick cameo for her, and talked about all our clowning <3 Happy belated birthday Katrina, and thanks for spreading the love!

Source: Katrina aka kmostran on twitter!

== Guz Khan ==

BTS of Man Like Mobeen!

Source: Guz Khan's Instagram

== Nathan Foad ==

Nathan keeping us all on our toes with laughs and love!

Source: Nathan Foad's Instagram Stories

One of Nathan's Projects-- 'Dope Fiend' is heading to Denmark for the Mix Copenhagen (LGBTQ+) Film Festival from Oct 25-Nov 3rd!

Source: SungazerProduction Instagram

== Leslie Jones ==

Leslie rocking a SERIOUSLY slick white suit for The Daily Show!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Leslie Jones (@lesdogggg)

Source: Leslie's Instagram

== Bronson Pinchot ==

Bronson's back with more Ned Low shorts! Not sure why but it wont let me share it properly-- so you'll have to visit on instagram here.

Source: Bronson Pinchot's Instagram

== Conner Barrett & Brian Gattas ==

Our darling Hornberry, and Siegfried celebrated 18 years together on September 27th!

Source: Connor's Instagram

== Fan Spotlight ==

= OFMD Colouring Pages =

Our friend @patchworkpiratebear is back with more OFMD themed Colouring Pages!

Source: Patchwork Pirate Bear's Tumblr

= Never Left Podcast Raffle =

Are you a patron of Never Left Podcast? Would you like to be? Well nows the time to support your favorite podcast by joining their patreon! They're giving away one of Ed's Emerald rings!

Source: Never Left Podcast Instagram

== Love Notes ==

Since I am fading fast tonight lovelies, I'm going to go ahead and replace tonight's Love Notes with goofy Moo Deng memes, hopefully they make you smile like they did for me <3 Sending so much love your way, hope you are making it through the weekend safely (especially you folks getting hit by the hurricane). Please reach out to the crew if you need some help loves <3

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Danielle Peterson (@hollabackcards)

Source: Tulip Season on Tumblr

[gingerteaonthetardis]

ThreeRose and cozy maybe? 😳

hm... perhaps writing about rose tyler and liz shaw in the same room during my most favorite bisexual classic who era has fixed me? this is a bit of a long one. please enjoy.

[read on AO3] [prompt me!]

The Doctor chose to blame the Brigadier, of course, given that very little was allowed to be his fault. Only in matters of supreme cosmic importance—Rose had often noticed and remarked upon this—did he enthusiastically drag the responsibility square onto his own shoulders and insist on keeping it there.

It was a trait almost as endearing as it was infuriating.

But when it came to practicalities, such as, “Did you actually ask about rooms while Liz and I were out chasing the escaped Cryptons, or did you just interrogate the poor bartender?” the answer was almost always something like, “Well, what do we even bother with UNIT for if they don't take care of room and board, Rose? Tell me that!”

The result was the same, however, regardless of who took the blame: the four of them had been left out in the cold—figuratively speaking—for the night. No rooms to let, and nowhere else in the postage stamp-sized town to ride out what was sure to be a long, rainy night. Only through Rose’s efforts and the barman's good grace were they being allowed to pass the hours, however sleeplessly, in the shelter of the pub which made up the bottom floor of the Wolf & Badger.

Fortunately, they had managed to secure—and retain—a comfortable corner booth and a steady supply of drinks. Or rather, Rose had done. By buttering up said barman, who had been quite friendly to her even before she slipped a stack of bills across the bartop.

Her UNIT salary was good for something, at least.

Viewed from any angle, the booth was the best seat in the house: just the right distance from the hearth to keep everyone warm without overheating, but secluded enough that they could talk in relative privacy. Not too far from the bartender either—named Lewis, Rose reported back, Lewis Badger, as in Wolf & Badger; he had two daughters, a Cocker Spaniel named Katrina, and a passion for model trains. She was thrilled to report he poured quite generously.

On top of the comfort factor, the window just behind Liz's head allowed them a clear view of the street, in case any more Cryptons came toddling through the square before the rest of the UNIT convoy could arrive. Their ETA, according to the Brigadier, was sometime around dawn.

Which meant they just had to hang on—Rose reached over and checked the Brigadier’s watch—about five more hours.

She'd never particularly looked forward to sleeping in the back of a UNIT service Jeep, but she'd done it before, and by god, she planned to do it again.

“Miss Tyler,” drawled the Brigadier, withdrawing his wrist from her grasp, “I'm afraid your constant examinations of my timepiece will lead you to the same conclusion all sane people inevitably reach: time does not speed up simply because you wish it.”

He frowned as he spoke—he was always frowning at her, always furrowing his brow and calling her “Miss Tyler” while Liz got the “my dear” treatment.

She was never sure whether she ought to be insulted or flattered by his presumed deference. It seemed to stem largely from her existence as the Doctor’s “plus one,” a factor placing her firmly outside the normal UNIT hierarchy. But the Brigadier carried on calling her “Miss Tyler,” as if the formality alone could make her in some capacity “official,” and therefore less of a thorn in his stiff, well-starched side.

To his credit, it had sort of worked. Eventually. She was a consultant now, like Liz.

Next to her, the Doctor sat up a little straighter, and she stifled a smile. She’d been lost in her thoughts, but she still ought to have known he couldn’t let such a generalised assertion from his old friend stand.

Now you've done it, Alistair.

“Actually, Brigadier, I think you're wrong about that,” the Doctor pronounced with typical paternalistic glee. “There are certain corners of reality where wishes have immense power—power enough to shape the entire universe, bending time and space to the rules of that wish. They're called Spero Quadrants. Highly rare.”

The name sounded distantly familiar, and she squinted through the haze of her memory. “Hang on, we’ve been to one of those. Couple… hundred years ago?”

The Brigadier’s eyebrows arched expressively. “Hundred years?”

“She's older than she looks,” the Doctor replied, patting her arm with affection before visibly noticing her empty pint glass.

He hadn't so much as touched his own drink, but that was hardly surprising. Her alien often claimed he didn’t understand the human preoccupation with intoxication, though she did recall certain… rather lushy moments in their jumbled up future-past. She was nonetheless charmed by how swiftly he switched his full glass for hers, tossing her a smile and a wink along the way.

“Now, as for Spero Quadrants,” he went on, “they are a relatively new phenomenon—on the scale of the universe, I mean. Been around maybe a few hundred million years or so. Typically, they are religious in origin, but they've evolved mostly away from—”

“Hang on,” Liz piped up, finally taking an interest in the conversation. “That's nonsense.”

Though her voice was slightly slurred, it was not by drink. Of all of them, Liz was the least night-owlish; she’d once confessed to Rose that her preferred routine, when the Doctor wasn't mucking it up, often had her in bed by half past nine and rising again about five in the morning. Given the lateness of the hour and the longness of the day, Liz was just starting to become charmingly sleepy. Rose grinned.

Meanwhile, the Doctor was making a show of being affronted. “What's nonsense?”

He took great care to foster their endearingly adversarial relationship, Rose always noticed with a smile. It was important to him. Liz was something like the retro Scully to his extraterrestrial Mulder—that is, if Mulder and Scully had played with lab equipment and were more prone to fits of schoolgirlish laughter.

“All of it! It's patently ridiculous. If such places existed and were as powerful as you say,” Liz said, getting into it a little, sloe-eyed stare refilling with its usual keen light, “surely one poorly thought out wish would have undone the entire fabric of reality by now!”

“My dear girl,” replied the Doctor—really, had he and the Brigadier gotten some sort of pet name memo or something? “I did mention that they are rare. And you'll recall I also said ‘change,’ not ‘destroy’! Spero Quadrants are by no means lawless, anarchic places. In fact—”

“Oi, this is our table!”

The entire party looked up at the interruption, which came in the form of a wiry, totally inoffensive but also truly drunk man in a tweed waistcoat. He was scowling fit to set his face that way, and had thumped his hands down on their table as he spoke, violently rattling their glasses.

The Brigadier, who was closest to the man, reacted first. “I beg your pardon?” His moustache twitched.

The drunk man didn’t recognise what Rose knew to be a clear warning shot.

“You heard me,” the stranger hurled back. His weight leaned heavily on his arms, as if he needed the table’s support to keep him upright. “S’our table. Best seat in the house—”

“Hear, hear!” Liz agreed, lifting up a pint glass that was very much not hers. Probably one of the Brigadier’s. Rose snickered.

But he wasn’t done. “You nicked it hours back and we’ve waited our turn, but it’s our regular table, we sit here every Wednesday, you know! We’re good, regular cust’mers,” he said, stretching the word regular to epic proportions, chewing on it like it ought to contain more syllables in its gristle. “Not like you lot. So, now—now—th-the fellows and I figure you’d best be going!” The man punctuated his point with an accusing finger and an intense wobble. “‘Cause it’s ours!”

“Yes, you’ve mentioned that several times,” the Doctor drily replied. “My good man, I really think you ought to sit down now.”

The man merely blinked.

“I think that’s what he’s trying to do,” Rose pointed out. “And there’s no reason he shouldn’t—actually, shift,” and she wiggled closer to Liz, tugging the Doctor’s sleeve, “there’s plenty of room for one more. Maybe two, if we squeeze in. It’ll be a bit snug—”

“Miss Tyler,” cut in the Brigadier, “I hardly think that’s—”

“Don’t be rude, Brigadier! The man just wants a minute with his special table. It is nice, with the fire and everything. Very intimate. Here,” and she smirked to see Liz already snuggling up beside the Brigadier, uncomplaining, her drowsy head tipping toward his shoulder. “There you go. Nice and comfortable. Doctor?”

But she didn’t need to say a word. The Doctor, too, had wedged himself in closer beside her, right where the booth began to curve. His eyes twinkled with repressed amusement as he draped an arm around her shoulders under the guise of squeezing in. Velvet tickled the back of her neck.

But no such joy from the Brigadier. “Doctor!” His moustache was really going now, his brows hanging like blades about to come down on some unlucky bloke’s head. “Would you please—”

“Now, now, dear Brigadier. Rose is right. We needn’t be stingy with our good fortune. Come,” and the Doctor patted the seat beside him, looking back at the drunk man, “rest your weary bones a minute, sir, you look as if you’re about to tip over.”

The confusion in the man’s eyes was a sight to behold. He couldn’t seem to settle on where to look—at the sanguine expression Rose wore while she curled up to the Doctor, or at the glowering Brigadier, or at Liz, nestled comfortably between the former and the latter, looking for all the world as drunk as he. “Is this some sort of a joke?” he said, with a note of accusation. “I said we want it to our-selves, not to share with a load of—”

“Steady on, mate,” Rose interrupted briskly. “I’ve smacked men for less.”

The Doctor nodded. “She really has.” He couldn’t seem to help sounding admiring, which further widened her smile.

“Remember King Markitron? God, he was just begging for it, with all that robot overlord stuff.”

“I do remember that, quite clearly,” the Doctor replied with a smirk. “Still, it was a lovely visit. Not exactly right for a romantic outing, but I’ve always found a sun-soaked sapient revolution quite stimulating—”

“Good Lord,” the Brigadier sighed, head falling into his hands. Rose hid her laugh in the lapel of the Doctor’s coat.

“Look, are you going to sit down or not?” the Doctor asked, returning his attention once more to their drunken interruptor. “We haven’t got all night—or, rather, we do have all night, but I have a few questions for you, if you don’t mind, and you’ll answer them better when you look a little less green.”

“He does look ill,” Liz observed, yawning in a rather loud, squeaking way that plainly embarrassed her. “Sorry.”

“It’s perfectly all right, my dear.” The Doctor said warmly, while Rose reached over, giving Liz’s hand a comforting squeeze. “It is rather late, and you’ve had a dreadfully long day. Most upright citizens would be in bed by now! Luckily for us, this man appears quite the fellow degenerate. Now, where was I? Yes,” he nodded, “my first question is: if there was one thing you could wish for—one thing in all the world, with no limitations—I’m trying to prove a point—what would it be, sir? What would be your greatest desire?”

And that seemed to be the final straw for the man. His glassy eyes grew wide in his flushed face, and he shook his head rapidly before pushing off the table with a stagger. “You’re all sick,” he croaked, looking between them all again, at their various states of interconnectedness. “And quite possibly mad!”

“Quite possibly,” the Brigadier glumly agreed.

“Perhaps you’d better save yourself,” Rose suggested.

And just like that, the stranger was stumbling off, back to his already dispersing group of friends. He kept shooting them furtive glances while slipping on his rain coat and mumbling what she assumed were virulent oaths to his friends, but it went no further than that. The other men barely seemed to have noticed his absence, let alone the loss of their “regular table.”

However, even once he was gone, neither Rose, Liz, or the Doctor made any effort to move. Except in the shoulder region: both Rose and the Doctor’s began to shake with laughter that couldn’t completely be held back.

“The poor man,” Rose giggled. “I think we really frightened him.”

“Oh, yes, quite. There is nothing as terrifying as a warm welcome!”

“Was that your plan?” the Brigadier accused Rose. “Repelling flies with honey?”

“Don’t think that’s how the saying goes,” she shrugged, “but a little friendliness goes a long way.”

“Well said! It is a lesson you could stand to learn, Brigadier,” the Doctor needled, though his smile was only growing wider. He so loved to disconcert the man.

“I am perfectly capable of achieving my aims in a given social situation.” The Brigadier all but turned up his nose at them, as if they would be fools for thinking otherwise. “Though my methods are less… uncouth than Miss Tyler’s, they are equally effective.”

“So, you agree!” Rose teased with another laugh. “I am effective.”

His eyes glinted. “And brash. And impulsive.”

“Well, I have to take my compliments where I can get them, don’t I, Alistair?” She preened a little when his lips quirked—there was the twinge of humour he was rumoured to possess—and leaned back even further into the Doctor’s embrace.

Between his body and the fire, she was nice and settled now. She hardly minded the ache beginning in her back from sitting so long after all the running she’d done earlier. And the company was good, even if diminishing by the moment.

She watched Liz’s head give a final slump toward the Brigadier, who seemed resigned—in fact, not entirely upset—to be playing her pillow. His eyes kept darting down to the amber crown of her head and then away again, lips pressing and uncompressing. Something warmed in her chest.

“He didn’t allow me to prove my point,” the Doctor said absently.

Rose peered up at him, reaching to comb her fingers through his hair. “And what was your point, my darling, big-brained alien?” Across the table, Alistair cleared his throat, but she just tossed him a grin. She really must have been more tired than she felt; her mind and muscles were all sort of lax, and she was feeling terribly endeared to everybody. “That if wishes were fishes, we’d all swim in riches?”

The Doctor looked quite amused. “No, my love.” Ah, sod the memo. She was really doing just fine, wasn’t she? “We’ll try it again with Miss Shaw. Liz, my dear girl, are you awake?”

“Yes, Doctor,” came the muddled reply.

“I pose the same question to you that I posed earlier: what would you wish for, right now, if you could wish for anything?���

Liz’s eyes opened, and though they held weariness, they were still impressively thoughtful. “Well, seeing how I’ve no wish to unravel the very fabric of the universe,” she emphasised, “I think I’d wish… to be in my own bed, with my own soft sheets…” She turned her head into Alistair’s shoulder and sighed happily. “And pillows. Fluffy pillows.”

Rose’s eyes met the Brigadier’s, and she shook her head, smiling.

“And you, Brigadier?”

“I don’t see what the use—”

“Come now,” the Doctor said, rather softly. “If you could wish for anything.”

There was a brief pause in which she thought Alistair might try to argue again. But then his gaze again turned to Liz, and to his pint glass, which was nearly empty now. Then to the fire, just off to the side. It crackled merrily, casting its warm light over the whole of the table. She realised he was giving the question serious consideration.

“The same sort of thing, I suppose,” he answered gruffly, after a few moments. “Maybe health and happiness for my family. I know the decent thing is to wish for peace in our time, the end of all wars and all that…” For about half a second, he actually looked quite sheepish. “But mostly I wish to end my career in good standing, reputation intact, without some new alien menace blowing up decades of work.”

The three with eyes still open exchanged small, knowing smiles. It was a rather unlikely proposition, put that way—certainly worthy of a massive, cosmic wish.

“What of you, Rose? Do you remember what you wished for?”

“Galoshes,” she replied.

The Brigadier sputtered, but the Doctor looked delighted. “Really?”

“Yeah, galoshes and a rain kit. I’d just ruined mine on Elsignon. That whole big Sontaran invasion, you remember? Their lasers tore my jacket to ribbons. And we were a good million billion miles from the nearest M&S, so I just wished for galoshes and a new coat.” She turned to pat the glossy red rain coat hanging over the edge of the booth behind her. “I already had everything else I wanted.”

“You do talk such nonsense, Miss Tyler,” the Brigadier said, but she swore he sounded almost fond that time.

She nodded her head at him politely. “Why, thank you, Brigadier. What did you wish for, Doctor?”

“A little more than galoshes,” he answered with a laugh, nudging his thigh against hers. “We hadn’t been travelling together long, if you’ll remember.”

And she did; Rose remembered very clearly what an irritant she’d been to him back then. In what she came to find out was his first body, he had hardly any patience for her at all. But they’d still forged a kind of connection, however unlikely, she thought with a rush of fondness. Sometimes she even missed the old codger—always going on about samples and non-interference and where has Susan got to?

“At the time,” the Doctor went on, “I found your presence most… how can I say it? Vexing.”

Alistair cleared his throat again. “A wholly unique experience, I’m sure.” She kicked him underneath the table—not hard, barely more than a nudge—but of course, he was far too mature to respond in kind. Still, his lips twitched again. Victory.

“I was so ‘vexing’ you tried to wish me away?”

“Not exactly. I wished—and I remember this precisely—I wished that you would ‘find the place you were looking for, the place you truly belonged, so you could bloody well leave off and stop bothering me’!” His impression of himself was spot-on, almost eerily so, though she couldn’t imagine that past body using such language.

She must have been a much greater annoyance than even she’d guessed.

“Oh, lovely,” she mock-sulked. “Ta, Doctor, that’s really nice.”

“Good luck that the wish came true. Albeit… not in the way I expected.” Turning his head, he brushed an uncharacteristically subdued kiss across her hairline. She leaned into it, enjoying its gentle pressure, and for once, there was no throat-clearing from the Brigadier. Then the Doctor said, “That’s the point, isn’t it? Most people don’t really make reality-destroying wishes. It’s all home and comfort, maybe a bit of a better life. The removal of some inconvenience in their way. And let us remember that it is already the nature of all things to change, even—as our sluggish friend puts it—the very fabric of reality. Most wishes are for things which might have come true anyway. They are a selection of one potential option on a massive, cosmic buffet of possibility.

“Of course, there are exceptions… many exceptions,” he added solemnly, “and consequences, and those have to be dealt with when they come. But for the most part, those who stumble upon a Spero Quadrant—for they cannot be sought, that's a very important thing to remember, they can only be found—most of those people come up against a similar problem to the Brigadier, or to you, Rose. They cannot think of a meaningful wish which does not carry with it an implicit risk or danger. Or they cannot think on a grand enough scale, for every species is in some way myopic. Limited, no matter how advanced. Sometimes, they simply fear the prospect of getting what they want.” The hand draped over her shoulder flicked up to tweak her ear. “So even though they could have anything in the universe, they wish for galoshes.”

At that, the table fell into thoughtful silence, with only the background bustle of the closing pub for accompaniment. The sound of dishes being washed, of glasses being put on shelves. Most of the regular customers had gone away; Lewis was only really keeping the lights and the taps on for their sakes, and with that knowledge came a certain sense of shared isolation. Almost like sneaking into a school after dark. The rain outside continued pouring down, and here they were, inside their little pocket of warmth and light and friendship.

Rose wasn’t at all sure of the Doctor's logic. But she couldn't help thinking about the nature of his wish, too—even at his most frustrated, he'd wanted her to find true belonging. That she might find it with him, on the TARDIS and off, alongside all his many varied and wonderful companions, had never occurred to him; it hadn't been a possibility he'd known to anticipate.

So perhaps he was right. About wishes. About the fundamental desires of most beings. Were they really for small things? For warmth and comfort and a bit of peace?

Those things probably weren’t, on the whole, very extravagant or dangerous.

A little longer and she realised she'd been staring at the Brigadier’s hands where they rested on the table. He didn't fidget, just kept his palm calmly on his glass. When she glanced up at his face, he was holding eyes with the Doctor, midway through some kind of silent communication.

At any other time, she might have wondered what was being conveyed—but she found herself too sated and comfortable to give it much thought. Their mysterious exchanges could continue for another day without her interrogation.

“This isn’t so bad, is it, really?” the Doctor finally said, jostling her somehow impossibly closer. She could hear one of his heartbeats, feel it under her cheek. “It’s quite cosy.”

“Very. Don’t think I’d wish for anything.” She hummed sleepily. “You, Alistair?”

“No, Rose,” came the answer, rippling faint surprise over her body. Her eyes grew wider, and she watched him try and fail to repress his amusement at her reaction. A smile living mostly in the eyes. “Not a thing.” The Doctor’s hand found hers and squeezed.

Just a beat too late, Liz mumbled out a fuzzy, “Hear, hear!”

And for a while after that, the only sounds were their muffled laughter and shushing, the rearranging of limbs toward mutual comfort, and the snapping logs in the fireplace, while the rain outside drummed steadily towards the morning.

[nox140497]

Sam's Birthday

Prompt: No

Request: No

Authors note: Hi, this is my first story on here, so please be kind.... If you like it, feel free to make requests or give me ideas or even tips if you want it would be much appreciated.

Summary: Y/N being Sam's loving girlfriend of a few months teams up with Colby to plan a surprise party for his birthday.

Pairing: Sam Golbach x Female Reader.

Masterlist

Prompt List

---‐----------------------------------------------

Y/N and Sam had been friends for almost 19 years, growing up together and sharing countless memories. Their bond had always been strong, but something changed three months ago when they took a leap of faith and started dating. Their relationship flourished despite Y/N fears of it being too soon after Katrina for him, deepening the connection they had always shared as friends.

As November approached, Y/N began brainstorming ways to make Sam's 27th birthday on the 27th truly unforgettable. With their history, she knew it had to be something extraordinary, also she had to remember that they were running a marathon rhe day before...

And so, an idea sparked in her mind - a surprise birthday party.

Knowing that Sam's closest and best friend Colby was like a brother to him, Y/N reached out to him for assistance in planning the surprise. Colby was thrilled at the idea and immediately jumped on board, eager to help make Sam's birthday celebration truly special.

Together, they embarked on a journey to organize the ultimate surprise party. Y/N began by reaching out to all of Sam's friends and family, gathering them together behind Sam's back. Each person she contacted shared their fondest memories of Sam, which Y/N compiled into a memory jar. The jar overflowed with sentiments and stories, ready to be shared at the party.

Colby took charge of finding the perfect venue for the surprise. He had to find an interesting pace to explore for their next video anyway. He scoured the city, looking for a place that would capture the essence of Sam's adventurous spirit. Finally, he came across a hidden gem - an abandoned warehouse that could be transformed into a stunning party venue with a touch of creativity and a lot of effort, and as an added bonus he could take Sam there on the day by telling him they were going to film a video, and you know actually film a video exploring on another day...

As the date grew near, Y/N and Colby worked tirelessly to decorate the warehouse. They enlisted the help of their closest friends, channeling their high levels of creativity to bring their vision to life. The space was filled with twinkling fairy lights, vibrant balloons, and personalized banners to celebrate Sam's journey through life.

On the day of the party, Y/N's anticipation and excitement reached new heights. She eagerly awaited Sam's arrival, hiding behind a towering stack of gift-wrapped presents. After all, the man had recently run a marathon and was probably still tired and sore. As Sam walked through the door with Colby, the room erupted in a chorus of surprised cheers, and Y/N emerged from behind the presents, grinning from ear to ear.

Sam stood there, stunned and overwhelmed, taking in the sight before him. The juxtaposition of the abandoned warehouse and the beautifully transformed space left him speechless. As the party went on, friends and family surrounded Sam, sharing heartfelt stories from the memory jar and dancing the night away.

Y/N knew that her surprise had been a success, but the real gift was the genuine happiness radiating from Sam's face. Seeing him so joyous filled her heart with warmth and contentment.

The night soon turned into dawn, and as the last guest bid their farewells, Y/N and Sam found themselves alone in the now quiet warehouse. In that moment, the love and gratitude they had for each other felt almost tangible.

As Y/N and Sam reflected on the past 19 years of their friendship and the last three months of their romantic journey, they realized how profoundly they had impacted each other's lives. Y/N's love and dedication, along with Colby's unwavering support, had brought them all together on this memorable night.

From that birthday party onward, Y/N, Sam, and Colby would have a new set of shared memories to cherish. Bonds of friendship and love were strengthened, ensuring that their journey would continue to be filled with adventure, surprises, and the magic of friendship that transcended time.

[devinabechtel]

EXIT WOUNDS.

For the past few days, Devina had been the star of her own little play. The first act was to hide the obvious, and tricking Katrina & Alecto into believing a viscous cold had taken her voice had been surprisingly easy. A little cough here, a pathetic sniff there — it was enough to keep at least Alecto at bay, given her already fragile immune system. Katrina had been more insistent, expressing her concerns in a way that only a mother can do. But her injuries were nothing a turtle-neck and some well-applied make-up couldn’t hide and so the truth behind her mysterious ‘cold’ remained a masterly hidden secret.

There were only a handful of house-elves who were privy to the truth behind that night. A few house-elves and a certain Amycus Carrow — which is where Act II came in. You see, the real challenging part of this facade wasn’t the feigning and the well-timed coughs, it was pretending the aftermath of what happened down in the dungeons simply hadn’t happened at all. It was easier that way, Devina told herself. Easier to make herself believe that she hadn’t found comfort in his protection (and in his bed) that night.

But from this morning on, there was no need to keep up with this little performance anymore. The formerly violently purple bruises had faded into nothing and her voice rang as clear as ever thanks to the new concoction Devina had come up with. And so, the young witch was on a mission to fit herself back into the daily life at Carrow House.

The libary would be her first stop, to return the copious amount of novels that had been keeping her company during her ‘illness’. And then on to the breakfast room, to surprise Alecto with her presence. On Devina’s face rested a happy smile, a certain spring in her step as she made her way through the winding hallway that led into the foyer. The rare, autumn, morning sun was streaming in through the large windows, marking the start of a brand new day.

Starting now, Devina thought, it was back to normal. Not that this arrangement between herself and the Carrow family had been resembling anything close to ordinary, but at least from this morning on it was back to regularly scheduled programming, or whatever.

Or — it should have been.

It should have been. But something was off, something was severely, horrifyingly off. Devina noticed it as soon as she set foot in the atrium, like a deer stepping into a compromised clearing. Somehow, some way, Devina Bechtel knew it was bad before she even lifted her eyes from the stack of books she was carrying. Before she saw a man at the other end of the room, before she heard that awful and familiar voice from that night in Diagon Alley.

Fuck.

“Are you lost, little bird?”

The little Order slut reacted in the exact way Evan Rosier had hoped she would. It was like heaven to him — the fear registering in her eyes, the gasp rolling off her perfectly fuck-able lips, the books hopelessly toppling out of her hands. Fucking hell, he could almost feel his pants tightening around his member. Carrow had let her out of her fucking cage. 

Devina had dropped to her knees out of instinct, which was perhaps the worst mistake a prey such as herself could have made in this specific situation. She should have turned on her heels and ran, she should have screamed. Should’ve, Should’ve, Should’ve. Instead, she had followed after the books like a pathetic child, eyes trained on the covers splayed open on the marble floor, hands scrambling to collect them closer to her person. It was no use, her hands were shaking so badly that they wouldn’t stay in her grasp.

Fuck.

“How curious,” Rosier crooned, obviously relishing in this moment. His black boots appeared into view, causing Devinato withdraw her hands in an instant. 

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“How very fucking curious.”

Devina tilted her head, nails dug into the skin of her knees beneath the sheer layer of black tights. Her heartbeat thundered away behind her ribcage as she struggled to control her haphazard breaths. Cue Act III. — She forced herself to look up at him, with big, hazel eyes. And you better play your part very, very well — or this will be the last act.

[nikkicafeina]

3, 18, 25! 📚

3. What were your top five books of the year?

In no particular order:

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro--this one just hit perfectly for me. It's got a level of Arthuriana that adds but never detracts and I'm too Hispanic not to love magical realism.

Legends and Lattes Travis Baldtree--I smiled the whole way through, and I kept putting off reading it because I didn't want it to end. Very cozy, very sweet.

The Best Bad Things by Katrina Carrasco-- I'm fascinated by every single bit of this series and it's had a big impact on my own writing. I read quite a bit of historical fiction with queer characters, this book and the sequel are scratching the Sarah Waters itch while really not being derivative of that at all.

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik-- this is standing in place of the whole series, which I devoured and enjoyed every second of. El my beloved! Orion my baby! I have next year's TBR list stacked with Novik.

A Guest in the House by E.M. Carroll--I didn't read as many graphic novels as I usually do this year, but this one was very good! Body horror, haunting, and excellent colors, I was always gonna love it.

18. How many books did you buy?

I don't usually buy many, I'm a library girlie. They're all on my TBR except for The Buried Giant: An Artist of the Floating World, also by Ishiguro, a box set of the Spiderwick Chronicles because those were very foundational for baby Nikki, volume 1 of Nana because my secondhand bookstore had it. Several that I would say were more bought by my partner but I was there and also I want to read them.

25. What reading goals do you have for next year?

To read through the books I OWN but have never read :/ I'm real bad about that! I'm also going to work my way through The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned. I love-hated Interview with the Vampire, I'm compelled to read at least those two but I'm extremely against the idea of reading all her vampire books. Too many. I don't do long series anymore. I also feel like I should read more nonfiction, I've probably been out of grad school long enough to enjoy it again. We'll see!

Thank you for the questions, you're the best influence ♡♡♡

[silurisanguine]

Adam Jensen's timeline (so far)

I've worked out dates and his respective age. Though some month dates are fuzzy I've assumed, unless specified, that an event happened at the beginning of the determined year and carried through the year. All the known dates are confirmed on the Wiki.

(conjecture is in blue, unknown specific dates suggested in green)

Might be useful for anyone writing! (just please credit me if you use this)

(Also note, if i find anything new i'll edit this list, so always check back occasionally to see if its been updated.)

1993 March 9th: Adam is born.

1998 5yrs old: Possible birth parents die in arson of lab

1998 - adopted by Jensen couple

2007? 14yrs old : high school captain of debate team.

2012 19yrs old : Possibly gains Associates degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Phoenix, Detroit at this time or within the next few years.

2014 21yrs old: joined the Detroit Police Department. Possible Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Phoenix University and Ferris College at this time or within next few years through remote study or part-time.

2017 23yrs Old: Meets Megan Reed for first time.

2018, 24yrs old : joined the Department's SWAT unit, ends up leading second unit, thanks to his skills.

2019 25yrs old : starts relationship with Megan Reed.

2023 30yrs old : breaks up with Megan but stays friend and co-owns their dog Kubrick.

2025 32yrd Old - Megan starts taking genetic samples from Adam. (How does she do this? Most likely scenario is she gets hair off a hairbrush of his. I doubt from the way they interact that they are 'friends with benefits'.)

2026 33yrs old : After 13 years, quits DPD and SWAT after Mexicotown massacre. It's painted as if he is fired.

2026 (6 months after quitting DPD) : Joins Sarif industries on behest of Megan, who, unknown to Adam, needs access to his DNA to continue her research.

2027 34yrs old (May) : Attack on Sarif headquarters the day Megan was to go to Washington to present her research on rejection free augmentation. Adam is nearly killed and saved with augmentations thanks to Sarif and a contract stating he could do this to Adam in such event.

2027 6 months later (October): Adam returns to work, 6 months early yet fully adapted to his augments already. (normally takes longer for that many.)

2027 (Just before flying to Hengsha he is diverted to another mission) : romantic fling with Lady Katrina Sutherland, who is almost as augmented as Adam is, after a horse riding accident. She dies saving his life.

2027: Events of Missing link, where he discovers the organisation The Juggernaut Collective and a figure known as Janus.

2027 (near end of year?): He finds Megan and her team after investigations lead him all over the world.

2027 (end of year, little ice in Arctic due to global warming, not summer time) : the Aug incident happens. He stops Darrow and destroys Panchaea, seemingly drowning in the aftermath.

2027 : A week after the Incident and collapse of Panchaea, the rescue effort is changed to recovery and two days later a secret military team combs over the wreckage, finding Jensen.

2028 - 35yrs old: Adam wakes from coma in facility 451 in Alaska. 'Told his Sentinel kept him alive'. Gaps in his memory plague him, and he escapes with the help of Francis and Stacks, another patient. Jenna Thorne is an illuminati agent posing as a gov agent.

2028/ 2029 35/36yrs old- (December into Jan possibly description) : Detroit - Adam works with Francis to help stop old Sarif tech being stolen by thieves working for the Illuminati. Involves TF29 and Juggernaut involvement. Stacks dies after having a flashback to the Incident.

2029 36yrs old - (January maybe) : Because of events, Adam agrees to join TF29 US branch. Also joins Juggernaut Collective secretly.

2029 -End of Febuary - Criminal Past mission reportedly happens in Arizona, where Jensen goes undercover in a top max prison to find Hector.

2029 March/April? - Jensen moves to Czechia - Prague (Praha), transfers to Prague branch of TF29 under Miller.

2029 April?- First mission for Prague TF29 in Dresden, prevents an augmented terrorist using children as soldiers.

2029 Late October? : - Jensen does the Dubai mission and then events happen in Prague.

2029 November? : (takes 2 days from Prague to the safe harbour convention in London) London apex centre, foils plot. Returns to Prague a week later.

[tumbleclub]

Some elaboration on options under cut. Feel free to add more in the comments if you want to propagandize (encouraged, I'm not necessarily the best person to promote other people's submissions lol)

Artificial Condition: seems reasonable to continue the series. also if you read the first one you know if you want to continue and if you didn't uh. idk go back and read the first one and then vote lol

Black Sails: considered by at least a few people following this blog to be one of the best TV series of all time, starts off seeming like a gritty pirate show but quickly dives into themes of social alienation, storytelling, and identity among other things

Ancillary Justice: kind of like Murderbot's cousin series, not similar in tone or scope but similarly follows an AI/human construct sort of character trying to figure out what it means to be herself after being separated from the majority of her other parts (? this is hard to explain lol). Much broader space-opera-ish scifi with some great worldbuilding re: different cultures in space.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet: kind of a cozy-ish queer space story, has a lose overarching plot but is more an episodic look at a very diverse crew of a small spaceship going on a long journey and learning more about each other. also has some very interesting Space Cultures and worldbuilding.

The Bedlam Stacks: @loyalhorror you do this one

Twilight: Twilight.

The Amulet of Samarkand: young adult fantasy book about a kid (Nathaniel) summoning a 5,000 year old djinni (Bartimaeus) to take revenge on a magician who humiliated him. Bartimaeus is a very fun, snarky character who has a lot of the 'ugh i don't care about humans (except for a few maybe)' character trope going on, and Nathaniel is pretty well written as a precocious kid who is nonetheless still a kid. Also has a lot to do with underlying themes of corruption in government

The Echo Wife: near-future sci-fi. the main character is an accomplished scientist in the field of cloning whose husband cheats on her with.......her own clone. but it's not about that, the husband dies and she has to cooperate with her clone to deal with the whole mess. The book goes very deeply into themes about identity and trauma.

How to Do Nothing: a non-fiction book/memoir-ish about slowing down in a busy world and connecting with the life around you. not really a self-help book, really more a loose and gentle philosophical exploration about how to exist in our world.

A Paradise Built in Hell: a non-fiction book going in depth about a handful of real-life disasters (1906 earthquake in San Francisco; 1917 explosion in Halifax, Nova Scotia; 1985 Mexico City earthquake; 9/11; Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans) and how the surrounding community reacted to them. Basically explores how the general public comes together to build extraordinary communities in terrible situations.

The Golden Compass: a fantasy novel about the young Lyra traveling across continents to help rescue her friend Roger from being kidnapped. Famous for the daemon aspect, where every character has an animal-form companion who is another manifestation of their soul (more or less?). A little bit of a straight-forward fantasy book at first but is the lead-up to a philosophically complex dimensional-jumping trilogy.

[rockislandadultreads]

NoveList August Reading Challenge: Read a book that stars an unreliable or unnamed narrator

Did you know NoveList is a database you can access with your library card to find reading recommendations? Find your next favorite read with this fantastic readers tool! Check it out on our website here.

A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt

In Northern Alberta, a queer Indigenous doctoral student steps away from his dissertation to write a novel. He is adrift, caught between his childhood on the reservation and this new life of the urban intelligentsia. Billy-Ray Belcourt’s unnamed narrator chronicles a series of encounters: a heart-to-heart with fellow doctoral student River over the mounting pressure placed on marginalized scholars; a meeting with Michael, a closeted adult from his hometown whose vulnerability and loneliness punctuate the realities of queer life on the fringe. Amid these conversations, the narrator is haunted by memories of Jack, a cousin caught in the cycle of police violence, drugs, and survival. Jack’s life parallels the narrator’s own; the possibilities of escape and imprisonment are left to chance with colonialism stacking the odds. 

A Minor Chorus introduces the dazzling literary voice of a Lambda Literary Award winner and Canadian #1 national best-selling poet to the United States, shining much-needed light on the realities of Indigenous survival.

Checkout 19 by Claire-Louise Bennett

In a working-class town in a county west of London, a schoolgirl scribbles stories in the back pages of her exercise book, intoxicated by the first sparks of her imagination. As she grows, everything and everyone she encounters become fuel for a burning talent. The large Russian man in the ancient maroon car who careens around the grocery store where she works as a checkout clerk, and slips her a copy of Beyond Good and Evil. The growing heaps of other books in which she loses-and finds-herself. Even the derailing of a friendship, in a devastating violation. The thrill of learning to conjure characters and scenarios in her head is matched by the exhilaration of forging her own way in the world, the two kinds of ingenuity kindling to a brilliant conflagration.

Liar, Dreamer, Thief by Maria Dong

Katrina Kim may be broke, the black sheep of her family, and slightly unhinged, but she isn’t a stalker. Her obsession with her co-worker, Kurt, is just one of many coping mechanisms—like her constant shape and number rituals, or the way scenes from her favorite children’s book bleed into her vision whenever she feels anxious or stressed.

But when Katrina finds a cryptic message from Kurt that implies he’s aware of her surveillance, her tenuous hold on a normal life crumbles. Driven by compulsion, she enacts the most powerful ritual she has to reclaim control—a midnight visit to the Cayatoga Bridge—and arrives just in time to witness Kurt’s suicide. Before he jumps, he slams her with a devastating accusation: his death is all her fault.

Horrified, Katrina combs through the clues she’s collected about Kurt over the last three years, but each revelation uncovers a menacing truth: for every moment she was watching him, he was watching her. And the past she thought she’d left behind? It’s been following her more closely than she ever could have imagined.

The Kingdom of Sand by Andrew Holleran

The Kingdom of Sand is a poignant tale of desire and dread—Andrew Holleran’s first new book in sixteen years. The nameless narrator is a gay man who moved to Florida to look after his aging parents—during the height of the AIDS epidemic—and has found himself unable to leave after their deaths. With gallows humor, he chronicles the indignities of growing old in a small town.

At the heart of the novel is the story of his friendship with Earl, whom he met cruising at the local boat ramp. For the last twenty years, he has been visiting Earl to watch classic films together and critique the neighbors. Earl is the only person in town with whom he can truly be himself. Now Earl’s health is failing, and our increasingly misanthropic narrator must contend with the fact that once Earl dies, he will be completely alone. He distracts himself with sexual encounters at the video porn store and visits to Walgreens. All the while, he shares reflections on illness and death that are at once funny and heartbreaking.

[historyandarthijinks]

Apocalypse Mirrors Real Life

Pompeii - August 24 - 79 CE - Italy

"I might boast that, during all this scene of horror, not a sigh, or expression of fear, escaped me, had not my support been grounded in that miserable, though mighty, consolation, that all of mankind were involved in the same calamity, and that I was perishing with the world itself." - Pliny the Younger

"We scarcely sat down to rest when darkness fell, not the dark of a moonless or cloudy night, but as if the lamp had been put out in a closed room." - Pliny the Younger, Continued

"You could hear the shrieks of women, the wailing of infants, and the shouting of men; some were calling to their parents, others their children or their wives, trying to recognize them by their voices. People bewailed their own fate or that of their relatives, and there were some who prayed for death in their terror of dying." - Pliny the Younger, Continued

Hurricane Katrina - August 23 - 2005 - United States

"We got on top of the roof. One baby after the other, my mother, cousin, me and my brother. We think think we are safe. Next thing you know, the home was lifted off its foundation. Water is rushing all around us. And as the house is going, we see all these oak trees. And we see all these other homes lifting off their foundations and cracking up." - Robert Green

"The water was running by my house just below the balcony railings, and I could see this black, oily surface going all around the block, filling streets and yards. People was yelling, banging on the roofs of houses from the inside. They'd climbed up to get away from the water and got themselves stuck in their attics with no way to break out." - Andre and Alisha, accounted by Jim Gabour

"Of all the nightmares during Hurricane Katrina, this must be one of the worst. Prisoners were abandoned in their cells without food or water for days as floodwaters rose toward the ceiling." - Human Rights Watch researcher, Corinne Carey

Fire Bombing of Tokyo - April 18-March 10 - 1942-1945 - Japan

"There was a strong wind that night and as I came out of the shelter, all I could see around us was fire. Burning clothing, tatami mats, and debris were blowing down the road and it looked like a flowing river of fire." - Haruyo Nihei

"Open the door! Let us in! The terrified people on the other side of the door were now shouting. But their voices gradually faded, and then there was silence. The survivors found charred bodies piled in front of the door the following morning." - Shizuko Nishio

Hayao Miyazaki, Ghibli's founding father witnessed the fire bombing first hand at a young age. He says, "From that day forward, I viewed the world, the Japanese people, my family, and myself as only one step away from cowardice and barbarism."

1991 Bangladesh Cyclone - April 29 - 1991 - Bangladesh

"We found corpses left scattered even after a week of the cyclone in the area." - Badiul Alam

"I remember we were told to hang onto hay stacks to save our lives and not drown. I had no idea what to do. And I remember so many people died because they were not prepared." - Abola Sarker

The 1991 Bangladesh Cyclone happened a little over twenty years since the infamous Bhola Cyclone. Due to neighboring nation tensions surrounding Bangladesh, they were still unable to prepare to the 1991 cyclone, leading to over hundred-thousands of deaths. If you want to learn about how a natural disaster turned into a genocide I implore you look into the Bhola Cyclone.

2019-2020 Australian Bushfire Season

"Up to 19 million hectares was burnt, with 12.6 million hectares primarily forests and woodlands. Nearly 3 billion animals were impacted by the blazes." - WWF Australia

"We spent Saturday preparing, as we were told to get ready to jump into the ocean. There were a hundred people on the beach who used tractors to dig trenches to jump into if the fires arrived." - Elizabeth Walton

"The fire brought whipping winds, bursts of thunder, lightning strikes and, very briefly, rain. There was an eerie quiet, punctuated only by the anxiety-provoking but reassuring sound of sirens. There were gas blasts, houses toppling and trees crashing or exploding. The fire produced deafening, apocalyptic roars that wills stay with me forever." - Mary Frost

[luxetings]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: {Sole Society} Katrina Suede Heels.

[gatasvips]

Shes More Stacked Then Stepmom Hazel Moore, Victor Ray, Katrina Colt

[domesticfashionista]

I used to feel guilty about idle moments. Time spent splayed out in the lawn chair, staring at the sky, was time "wasted". A walk in the woods with a friend and her dog meant that I wouldn't get my aerobic workout for the day. When Henry, at three, wanted to hear the same story every day for a month and have the same conversation about it every time, I could not help thinking about the stack of unread library books that was gathering dust in the meantime.

But I have come to believe that all of these activities are essential. They are what is meant by "nurturing".

Our children do not need any more possessions to be happy; they need only to feel sure that they possess our hearts, our attention, our acceptance of who they are."

Katrina Kenison

Mitten strings for God

[katrinaxbeauford]

👫 + laurel

headcanons featuring @laureljreyes

-Laurel is notorious for not dressing warmly enough when they go out. They would get partway through the outing and Katrina would notice that Laurel would be trying to get as deep into her coat as possible. Despite Katrina constantly reminding her before they'd go out, Laurel would brush off or ignore the warning. So Kat started adding an extra layer to her own outfit with the knowledge that she'd be giving it to the other brunette later on.

-Katrina's favorite thing in the world is being the little spoon when cuddling with Laurel. Sure, she lets Laurel have her turn as the little spoon too, but Kat never slept as well as when she had the other woman's arms wrapped around her, and cuddled into her back. One of the hardest parts of the breakup, apart from the emotional aspects, was trying to sleep alone again.

-Kat loves reading. She has so many shelves and stacks of books all over the place. She often reads a lot when her endometriosis is playing up, because she can do it laying down and it distracts from the pain. One of the ways Laurel would treat Kat was by bringing home a new book for her. Kat was always ecstatic, and would usually start it right away, even if she was already reading something. It wasn't odd for Kat to being reading two or three books at the same time, different genres for different moods. But the ones from Laurel were always interesting and right up her alley, even if she wouldn't have picked them up for herself. She has no idea how Laurel would be so on the mark, and suspects it's some kind of secret superpower.

-While Kat found it super inefficient, she did enjoy showing with Laurel. It took twice the time, twice the water, and someone usually ended up with shampoo in their eyes, but it was always worth it. Wet kisses and slippery hugs as they moved around each other.

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