#lots of cool pictures and nick nacks and all sorts

[potatoeofwisdom]

I recently bought myself two amazing blankets that were hand crocheted and I’m losing my mind they’re so cool

[a-s-levynn]

JOOO you used to sell swords?? That's so cool!!! If you feel like reminiscing and using this as an opportunity to tell everyone about that very awsome sounding job, I would love to hear about it :D if not just take this as me being a tumblr mutual who wants to be your friend now even more 😂 swords are so cooool

I sure did! Oooh my god. You have no ide what sort of pandora's box you've opened. I love talking weaponry. I also spent an unreasonably long time trying to dig up old pics.

So i snatched this unreal job by a total accident. During uni, a friend of a friend of mine were preparing to go to study abroad for a few months and needed a temporary replacement. And when we met for the first time, half jokingly asked if i liked swords. Yes, yes i do find all kinds of blades incredibly sexy thank you very much. And not a lot of time later i was sitting behind the counter. And stayed there for roughly three years.

It was a sword and decorational weaponry shop. I mean it still is. But i may talk about it past tense because i'm not there anymore. 😭 We had like functional swords and daggers for HEMA and other traditional stuff. Lots and lots of katanas and a few wakizashis and tantos for martial arts or just for decour. We even had like the long ones.. what are they called.. odachi and nodachi! And that sort of spear like a guandao, naginata. There were khukri knives as well. Modern knives.. A lot of stuff. And then decorational stuff from movies, anime or video games for just to put on a wall or elevate a cosplay.

Even decorational fire arms up until modern stuff. Altho fire arms where strictly decorational items, manufactures in ways that they were safe and unchangable into usable stuff. And a fewfigures, jewellery and some tarot cards and some other nick-nacks that fit the theme.

I don't have access to my drives at the moment but i found some old pictures.

Okay so this was the second showroom, i can't find picture of the old one, i liked that one better but there was a location change and this one is smaller, less packed. But still the important parts are there. These pictures are about 3 years old as well at this point.

Please note the little knight with the megaphone in the corner on the monitor. I designed that one. Precious friend shaped little dude.

This picture is Ezio's dagger from Assassin's Creed. It's not dirty just freshly out of the shipping box, swimming in grease to protect it from rusting. This one was a functional piece. The handle seems wide but it's not disproportionate, only my hands are small.

But we had like.. i dunno sabers of many kinds..and chinese swords with rigid blades to those weird but really fun floppy ones as well.

That green wall belonged to the old showroom my beloved 😭

Also there were pieces of armour and all. Not just full but chainmails and roman style, shields. Bows and Crossbows. Basically everything.

And like besides the selling and online customer service stuff, i did a lot of polishing, i probably enjoyed that the most. Of course the heavier damage or problems were handled by proper craftsmen but a simple polishing job? Gimme! -insert grubby hands- I'm gonna spend half a day on it but you gonna see yourself in it. Like this below. The left side is still unpolished, all foggy, but see the right? You can see the red shirt guy pretty good already. This helmet was so pretty after i was finished with it. I was so proud. 😭

And then there were some modern stuff. With these i also did the smaller mechanical epairs like a jammed spring or a loose trigger and the like.

This beretta was the first i took apart but i conquered it like a champ 😂 I was asking my boss if i could give it a try and he said as long as i don't break any additional parts go a head. Needless to say the second little guy landed in my lap without any question.

And there were so many other little highlights. I loved so many of the customers. I loved talking about their stuff or just listening to their stories. Uhh i miss it so much i can't even begin.

[sally-mun]

OKAY BITCHES ON TO PART 2!

Also don’t forget to check out Part 1 if you haven’t yet!

British

Okay so maybe it’s in poor taste to start the British section with dolls I’m not actually sure are British, but fuck it. The one on the left is a doll I’m reasonably sure I got from a British seller, and the one on the right seems to just be a scaled-up version of it, SO. That’s what I’m going with.

No joke, the left doll is my favorite Sonic plushie EVER. It’s so incredibly fluffy and the proportions are just right and it’s really well-made and AUUGHH I LOVE HIM. Interestingly the doll on the right is made of the same uber-fuzzy material, but it doesn’t have as much of a fluffy effect because of the larger scale. Also the shoe stripes are ribbons for some reason, which makes them stand out from all the other dolls.

So this is from a line of dolls that, as far as I’ve ever seen, are simply known as “Europe prize” plushies. I don’t know if they were actual prizes for some sort of game or claw machine or whatnot, but that’s how I tend to see them listed. These dolls are REALLY nicely made and incredibly cute, like way more than usual. I also have the Knuckles from this set, but he doesn’t live in this net so he’s not pictured here.

I know this line also included Sonic (obviously), Amy, and Shadow, but I’m not sure who else. I’d REALLY like to get the others someday, but I don’t have much hope for that, since they’re long since out of production and prices just keep going up as everyone cashes in on nerd collector culture.

This doll is fine enough on its own (if a bit fearful in the eyes), but what’s really odd about it is that it’s like literally twice as tall as the other dolls in its line, for some reason. I have the Sonic and Tails from this set, and their sizes both match each other, but for some reason Knuckles is a tall boi?? Oh well.

I believe this set also includes an Eggman doll, but I’ve never seen it before.

I wish I’d thought to showcase it better in this photo, but the tag on the bottom of Sonic’s right foot here is the real spotlight of this doll. I don’t know much about the background of this doll, but i know that tag on his foot is what distinguishes him from other Sonic dolls, and collectors go NUTS for this guy. I remember missing out on one years ago because the shipping was too costly (it’s always been rough importing from Britain, but it used to be a lot harder), and for a while I thought I’d never get one. Oddly this one that I did eventually nab is the only one I’ve ever seen with suction cups. I’d like to hope that one day I could get the one that doesn’t have them, but I’m not holding my breath.

Following the last doll, I’m sure a lot of you are immediately noticing that this Tails also has the tag on his foot, albeit a very faded one. This doll is also super odd, because EVERY other time I’ve ever seen this doll before, it has NOT had the foot tag! This one is the only one I’ve encountered with the tag, and I didn’t even know it had it until it arrived in the mail. This doll is also about 50% bigger than the Sonic doll with the foot tag, maybe he goes with the non-suction cup’d Sonic plushie? I don’t know off the top of my head how big that Sonic is supposed to be, so it’s possible! Or maybe these dolls have nothing to do with each other, and I bought some weird anomaly. Definitely one of the weirder Tails plushies in my collection.

Australian

EASILY the ugliest doll I will ever own, short of maybe obtaining the Tails that matches this set. (Trust me, the Tails is REALLY FUCKING UGLY.) I have such mixed feelings on this lil guy because, as many of you already know, this is one of the elusive Sega World Sydney dolls, which means it’s EXTREMELY rare and thus meant to be treasured... and yet holy shit guys how did you fail so hard on this doll. I mean FOR FUCK’S SAKE HE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE SOCKS! OR FINGERS!! There were plenty of Sonic plushies in the world by the time this doll was created, and they all socks and fingers, let alone better designed faces. I dunno man, I don’t know how to reconcile how ugly this doll is.

And then there were two.

Those of you that’ve been following me for years have probably already seen these before, but fuck it, here they are again. The Sega World Sydney plushies are the ONLY official Sally plushies to exist, and like the Sonic one, it’s really difficult to reconcile how incredibly ugly they are. I mean I can at least cut them some slack with the faces I guess, because the one on the left isn’t terrible I suppose. I think the fact that she doesn’t have hands is really stupid, but I mean, if Sonic didn’t get fingers I guess I’m not surprised Sally didn’t either. No, the thing that really gets me about these Sally dolls is the hair. It’s hard to tell from this angle but it’s.... bad. Oh my god it’s so fucking bad. It looks like she had a bad incident with a weedwacker. WHO THE FUCK DID THEY HIRE TO DESIGN THESE PLUSHIES?!

Whatever, I don’t turn away official Sally merch. Vests exist for these dolls, but as you can see I don’t own them for either of these two. I do have a third, smaller Sally that DOES have her vest, but she doesn’t live in this net. Maybe another time!

More bad Sally hair, this time without legs because she’s a hand puppet. She probably has the worst hair of all of the Sally dolls I personally own, it’s very clumpy and matted. The others’ hair is at least still fluffy.

I’ll let the fact that she doesn’t have hands slide here, being a puppet at all, but even then it’s only because I’m feeling generous. There’s no reason she shouldn’t have had them.

SOOOO not technically a plushie, but it was in the net and I’m doing Sally items right now anyway, so fuck it. This is a mini-backpack, but the fabric is so furry that it’s pretty much impossible to get a clear picture. I left the strap there sticking out just to help give some idea of what shape you’re even looking at.

I can’t remember what I paid for this, and honestly I don’t care, because it’s so unique and I’ve never seen another one since.

Bootlegs

A friend of mine sent me this as a surprise a few years ago because he thought it was cute, and I definitely have to say it’s one of the more fascinating items in my collection. Most of the time bootleg merch is trying to imitate something official to confuse the buyer, but so far as I know this is completely original! I love it because it’s what I imagine Sonic would look like if he were an Animal Crossing character. The most bizarre detail of all, though, is that the tush tag has the logo for Detective Conan instead of Sonic the Hedgehog. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY.

This is a fake version of the Fang/Nack doll from Sonic the Fighters, but honestly, I don’t mind at all that it’s a bootleg because holy shit this doll is higher quality than some of my official ones! (I’M LOOKING AT YOU, SEGA WORLD.) According to the pictures I’ve seen, I think he’s actually even better quality than the original he’s copying!

It’s hard to describe just how nice this doll is, because the picture seriously does not do him justice. The stitching is perfectly clean, the proportions are absolutely perfect, the fabric is soft and high-quality, and oh my god the HAT!! The hat is AMAZING, it’s actually solid and holds its shape VERY well! The same goes for his tail too, on that note. Plushies with long tails tend to have trouble maintaining their shape, but this doll’s tail is really well done. He also has a much longer muzzle than most dolls of this time were willing to use, which again helps his proportion and overall accuracy. I don’t give one single shit that this doll isn’t official, I love him so fucking much! <3 <3 <3

Other Dolls

What can I say, I fucking LOVE Nick Wilde from Zootopia, and this is one of the best dolls of him I’ve ever seen. It’s actually really nicely made (they put a LOT of work into his shirt), and he’s very soft and huggable. Also, bless that smarmy expression, they got it just right.

Jumbo Tom Nook! This is the only jumbo plushie of him I’ve ever seen, so I’m glad I was able to nab it. The fabric is oddly shiny though, and I have no idea why?? I have several Tom Nook plushies from different doll lines, and I’ve never seen another one that’s shiny like this.

Decided to picture these guys together because why the fuck not. I apologize for the lack of clarity, but I’ve never been willing to open their bags. I want them pristine~

One thing I think is cool about the Undertale dolls is that there’s so much uniqueness put into each one. They all have differently shaped tags to reflect their individual personalities, and the plastic bags they come in have different patterns as well. The fabric patterns all completely unique to each one as well, so they’re not all clones of each other (especially with Papyrus).

You can actually still buy all of these guys right now on the Fangamer website! They’re pricey, but you get a quality that makes the price worth it, and you get a discount if you buy them together!

Vault Boy from Fallout, and for some reason I’m just now realizing that I don’t know what vault number is on his back. I feel like a terrible fan, FORGIVE ME. He has also never come out of his bag, so sorry for viewing difficulties here as well.

Companion cube ‘fuzzy dice’ for the car. This is one instance in which I have actually not used the car-related plushie in my car, as at the time I got this it was VERY difficult to get companion cube merch of any kind (these dice were actually a compromise with myself because I still couldn’t afford a regular cube), and after the work I put in to find these I definitely wasn’t going to risk them in my car! Just as well anyway, because they’re awfully big and would’ve been pretty cumbersome to look past.

...I did, however, put these in my car for a while. These are fuzzy D20 dice, because come on, if you’re going to hang dice in your car and have the option to use these, how can you not?? It definitely got a lot of compliments, even from people that simply saw them through the window. I didn’t even play tabletop games yet at the time, I just really liked them~

AAAAND THAT’S IT~ At least, that’s it for this net! Maybe I’ll do this again with the other nets sometime, if you guys would like to see more. I do have another one that also very much needs a dusting, so we’ll see!

Thanks for tuning in!!

[somekindoftuber]

vld youtuber AU (klance, part 6)

Note: The city where Shiro and Keith live is called Springdale. I’d pictured both of these towns being in the Carolinas. Again, there are tense changes everywhere (sorry) but I plan to fix them later.

Thank you for all the great feedback!!

part one | part two | part three | part four | part five

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Lance woke up surprisingly early on Saturday. Today they were headed to the fair. He brewed coffee and made a tentative battle plan for the day: walk around, see stalls, a few rides, some games, lunch, maybe renting a scooter to drive up to lookout hill to watch the sunset. It was the perfect opportunity for Lance to stop dancing around the issue and just tell Keith he’s in to him already.

Pidge pokes fun at him through breakfast as Lance makes a group text thread with everyone. They agree to meet up at the south entrance of the fairgrounds at 10:30.

Lance ends up making them late by spending too much time picking out his clothes. Keith and Shiro are both sporting a little pink on their noses and cheekbones from the sun on the beach the day before, but they’re all smiles as they pay for their wrist bands and head into the fair. It’s a typical American county fair ordeal, with rickety rented rides, badly rigged carnival games, and endless booths of cheap nick-nacks and fried foods. But there was always something about the Harborville fair that set it apart. There was an energy here, like the last bang of summer before cool autumn weather swept down the coast.

They buy tokens and move as a group at first, taking a lap around the fair before splitting up. Pidge and Hunk stick together as always, Allura drags Shiro off at a rather brisk pace, and that left Lance and Keith.

“Anything you wanna do?” Lance asks him.

Keith shrugs and smiles. “Anything’s good.”

They walk around for a while, stopping at booths here and there. They run into other members of their group from time to time, and Lance uses his phone to film bits of a vlog for later editing, catching Shiro and Keith in a few bits (“I’m here with my good friends Shiro and Keith! Say hi guys!”). Lance buys an inaugural funnel cake to split with Keith before hitting the prize games. Keith rolls his eyes as Lance goes for the ring toss, a game he swears up and down he’s mastered despite it being horribly rigged.

“Just you watch,” Lance tells Keith as he lines up a ring. “I’m gonna win you the biggest stuffed animal they have, and then you’ll understand my prowess.”

He swears Keith’s cheeks go red as he smiles. “Well, have fun. I’m gonna grab a soda.”

Lance is half disappointed and half relieved that Keith is no longer watching. So of course, when the guy he’s trying to impress leaves, Lance lands all three rings on a pole. He’s carefully eyeing the selection of stuffed prizes when Shiro appears at his left, seemingly out of thin air.

“You know,” he leans in a speaks close to Lance’s ear. “Hippos are Keith’s favorite animal.”

Lance turns to look up at him, confused, before Shiro gives him a knowing smile and walks away. Hippos? Okay, weird, but also kind of cute. When Lance re-examines the prizes, he spots a large pastel blue hippo near the back, with big button eyes, exaggerated stitching, and a white bow around its neck.

“That one,” he tells the game attendant, pointing.

Keith comes trotting back with a soda in each hand a few minutes later. He stops short when Lance comes up to him with the prize hippo in his arms, easily the size of a dog. Keith’s eyes go wide.

“Told you I’d win,” Lance beams, then holds out the stuffed animal. “Here you go.”

There’s an awkward shuffle as Lance takes the sodas so Keith can take the hippo, and Lance absolutely notices how Keith hugs it to his chest.

“Thanks,” Keith tells him, and his cheeks are pink in a way that has nothing to do with his sunburn.

Keith keeps holding the stuffed animal as they walk around, earning him a few stares. Lance has to admit he looks adorable - all sharp and intense, holding a giant fluffy toy like it’s precious treasure. They find the Racho Alegre food truck and Lance buys enough food for five people, setting the trays of empanadas, pork tamales, fried yucca fruit, papas rellenas and fried green plantains. He films a little, too, Keith protesting with a “don’t film me eating!” Lance passes Keith a mate soda and instructs him on how to properly enjoy Cuban food, and is pleased when Keith seems to enjoy all of it.

He might like the guy, a lot, but if Keith had ended up hating the food he grew up with? It might have been a deal breaker.

They chat at the picnic table for a good half hour as they digested, then walk around some more, Lance filming on his phone here and there. He spots the scooter rental place nearby, and eagerly points at it. But when they get closer, he frowns.

“Aw man,” Lance bemoans. “I was thinking it’d be cool to drive up to the hill to watch the air show, but all the scooters are rented out.”

Keith raises an eyebrow. “They’re not? There’s a whole bunch lined up.”

Lance shrugs. “Yeah, but those are the 50cc engine ones. You need a motorcycle license for those.”

“Yeah?” Keith looks unruffled. “I have one.”

Lance hears a record scratch in his brain. “You do?”

With a chuckle, Keith motions him towards the rental desk. “Who do you think test drives the bikes when Shiro’s done with them?”

Lance held the hippo, which he’d dubbed Blue, while Keith filled out paperwork, showing his motorcycle ID and insurance card. Lance caught a glimpse of it, and cooed.

“Aww, short hair!” He smiled at the photo of a younger Keith, scowling at the camera, and noticed two things: first, Keith didn’t have a middle name, and second, there were little tufts of what might be considered a mullet sticking out from behind his neck.

Keith shoved his ID back into his wallet. “Is your photo any better?”

“Actually,” Lance pulled his wallet from his back pocket and produced his driver’s license. “It is.”

Lance was proud of that picture - he was one of the only people he knew that actually took good ID photos. It was like a superpower. Keith was staring at his ID, his eyebrows raised.

“Leandro Sebastian McClain?” He asked.

“Uh.” Lance’s face flushed hot. “Old family name. Lance is kind of a nickname.”

Keith’s smile as he handed the ID back was magical. “Cool.”

Helmets secured, Lance climbed on the back of the dinged-up rental bike behind Keith as he started up the engine, giving him quick directions to the hill that overlooked the bay. Then, with Blue shoved between them, Lance wrapped his arms around Keith’s middle. They took off, and Lance felt a surge of adrenaline as they rode. He could count on one hand the number of times he’d been on a real motorcycle, and it was as scary as it was exhilarating. It was also cold, even the warmth of the sun unable compete with the wind that whipped past them. Lance hugged Keith tighter, wishing there wasn’t a stuffed animal between them.

It took a good ten minutes to drive up to the hill, and by the time they arrived, the wind had all but chilled Lance to the bone. The weather was beautiful that day, but it was a different story when you were going 45 miles an hour. His t-shirt and loose button up had done nothing to protect him, and as they reached the hill and stepped off the bike and took off their helmets, Lance set Blue on the bike seat and rubbed at his frozen, goosebump covered arms.

“You okay?” Keith asked.

“Yeah,” Lance laughed a little. “Just kinda cold. Wind’s kinda brutal at that speed.”

Keith blinked at him. “Oh.” Then, like they were in a movie, he removed his leather jacket and deftly swung it around Lance’s shoulders, patting it against his arms. “There, that better?”

Lance willed himself not to melt, because holy shit. That was the most suave thing he’d ever seen. Keith was one seriously smooth bastard. He caught of whiff of the scent coming off the warm leather and blushed hard. It smelled so good.

“Y-yeah,” he stuttered, letting his fingers grip the edge of the jacket and pull it close.

They sat on a patch of grass nearby just as the air show was beginning. Keith watched with rapt attention as the jets performed aerial acrobatics, leaving bright trails of colored smoke that twisted through the sky. When it was over, Keith sighed beside him.

“I wanted to be a pilot,” he said, his gaze fixed on the sky where the sun was beginning to dip towards the horizon.

Lance bumped his shoulder. “You still can be,” he said. “A pilot’s license can’t be that hard to get.”

Keith looked at the ground, shaking his head with a wry smile. “No, I mean… I wanted to be a fighter pilot. In the navy, or the air force.” He picked at a blade of grass. “But I wasn’t exactly cut out for it.”

“What do you mean?” Lance asked carefully.

Keith shrugged and leaned back on his hands. “I’m a high school dropout with a juvenile record,” he explained. “I’ve gotten my shit straightened out since then, but… that stuff sticks.”

Lance frowned. He was starting to realize just how little he knew about Keith - they talked a lot, but it was all superficial information. He didn’t know anything about Keith’s past, or his ambitions.

“It’s fine,” Keith said, interrupting Lance’s train of thought. “I can’t really complain about my life. I’ve got Shiro, I like working on bikes, and I enjoy my job. I’ve got it pretty good.”

Lance was glad to hear that, but it made him frown for a different reason. “Sounds like you’ve got it figured out. I have no idea what I’m gonna do.”

Keith hummed in questioning, and Lance let go of where he was clutching the jacket to wave his hand. “I’ve just been sort of… coasting for the last two years. I have no idea what I’m doing.” he chewed his lip. “YouTube is fun and all, but my dad keeps asking me what my career plans are, and I have no clue. I can’t just work cafe jobs forever, and Pidge is probably leaving after she graduates in a few months. I don’t even know where I’m gonna end up living.” He rubbed at his eyes.

Keith was quiet for a long time. “What about music?” he offered. Lance shrugged.

“Dunno if I want to go down that road,” he answered. “Being a musician is really unpredictable, unreliable. I doubt I could swing it.”

If Lance wasn’t spiraling into a pity-party, he would have appreciated how adorable Keith’s little pout was. “Well,” Keith offered. “What about teaching music?”

Lance blinked owlishly at him. “Say what?”

“I mean,” Keith started fidgeting. “You’ve said before that you like working with kids, and you play like four instruments, and you can read music…” He looked at Lance. “Why not combine them?”

Lance heard a record scratch for the second time that day. Holy crap. Holy crap. He’d never even considered it, but a career as a music teacher? That sounded… okay. That sounded good.

“I’d--” he swallowed, feeling his pulse quicken with excitement. “I’d probably need to get a degree in music education. But it’s doable.”

Keith beamed at him. “Yeah! Plus…” His face went pink as he looked to the side. “I was thinking, um. Since Pidge will be leaving and all, and there’s a good school in Springdale, you could..” Keith bit at his lower lip. “You could move there. With m-- with us.”

Lance inhaled softly as he looked at Keith. The sun had turned golden, lighting his face and making him glow, and it took Lance’s breath away.

“Also,” Keith put his hand over Lance’s where it rested on the grass. His fingers were shaking. “I, uh.” His voice dropped, so quiet Lance could barely hear. “I really like you.”

Lance gasped. Keith’s confession was so sincere and scared and it made his heart thump against his ribs, a wide smile cracking his face. Oh god, it was happening. He’d fantasized about this moment more times than he could count and it was happening, up on the hill overlooking the bay, with the beautiful sunset and Keith’s jacket around his shoulders. He had to be dreaming.

“I really like you,” Lance told him, turning his hand to thread their fingers together. “A lot.”

Keith huffed a little laugh and oh, he was so gorgeous, his hold on Lance’s hand tightening. Lance wants so badly to kiss him.

“Go out with me?” Lance asked.

Keith’s face fell, shock replacing the gentle smile he’d been wearing. “Oh. Um.”

It was like a bucket of cold water was dumped on Lance’s head as Keith pulled his hand away. Had he misread everything anyway? Was that too forward?

“I was thinking,” Keith began, his voice shaking a little. “That we could just… get to know each other more first?” He began clasping and unclasping his hands. “I’ve never really been in a relationship, plus we live five hours apart, and…” He pouted. “I mean, I didn’t even know your name wasn’t Lance until twenty minutes ago.”

“Oh.” Oh. Keith… had a point. Lance didn’t even know he had a motorcycle license until today. It was probably a good idea to get to know Keith better before attempting to dive headfirst into romance. Lance felt the relief like a physical weight. “You... wanna take it slow?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

Lance could barely believe this was real. He leaned forward until his forehead rested against Keith’s and laughed softly.

“Sounds good to me.”

He thought this would be a good time to kiss, but they didn’t, eventually pulling apart to drive the bike back to the rental shop by the fairgrounds. Lance kept Keith’s jacket, slipping his arms through the sleeves and pressing his chest as close to Keith’s back as he could for the ride.

.

They made a trip to Lance’s car to stash Blue in the trunk for safe keeping, and as the sun was setting, grabbed a couple of beers and headed to the meeting point they’d arranged with everyone to watch the fireworks. Allura and Shiro had already spread a blanket out on the grass and were chatting. Keith and Lance took a seat near them, sitting close together.

Allura laughed, then Lance remembered his promise to Romelle. He whipped out his phone.

(+328) hey ‘melle you wanna come watch the fireworks at the fair??

(+396) Lance I just finished a 10 hour shift, that’s a hell no

He frowned, then discreetly aimed his camera at Allura and snapped a photo just as she was laughing, then sent it.

(+328) but cute girl looks lonely

There’s a long pause.

(+396) BE THERE IN 15

Pidge and Hunk eventually joined them, just as the grassy field was becoming crammed with people wanting the best seat for the fireworks. Beside Lance, Shiro looked a little odd, swaying slightly, his eyes dilated.

“Shiro?” Lance asked, keeping his voice down. “Are… are you high?”

Then Shiro laughed loud, threw his head back and really laughed. “Nah, no. Well, okay, yeah. Kinda.” He shrugs. “Fireworks kinda freak me out, after - y’know. So I took a xanax. They make me loopy as fuck, but I didn’t want to miss this.”

Lance blinked. He didn’t think he’d ever heard Shiro cuss before.

Romelle arrived twenty minutes later, just before the fireworks were scheduled to start. Lance did introductions and was pleased to see Romelle take a seat next to Allura, the two of them immediately striking up a conversation about coffee. Mission accomplished.

When the fireworks started, Lance leaned into Keith, feeling Keith return the motion. It was nice to not have to hide his affection anymore, or stay on guard. And if Lance watched the fireworks from the reflection in Keith’s eyes? Well, that was no one’s business but his.

After the fair, they retreat to Lance’s apartment to hang out and chat. Shiro is coming off his xanax and is having trouble staying awake, perking up only when Keith hands him a glass of water. Romelle and Allura trade social media handles and Lance feels a little smug about getting to play matchmaker for them. But mostly, he’s happy about Keith, who sits so close to him, who let Lance keep wearing his jacket.

It’s late and Allura decides they need to go, so everyone piles out of Lance’s apartment at once. Keith is the last one out, and Lance shyly lets the jacket slip off his shoulders and hands it back.

“Thanks,” He says. Keith grins.

“Anytime. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”

Once the door closes, Lance leans his head against it, grinning wide. He gets about sixty seconds of peace before Pidge and Hunk lay into him.

“Please,” Pidge groans, “Please tell me you two are dating now.”

“Nope,” Lance grins wolfishly at her as Pidge flings her body backwards onto the sofa with a howl of frustration. Hunk just smiles knowingly at him.

“But you’re going to. Right?”

Lance toes off his shoes and goes for his room. “Eventually.” From the couch, Pidge yells that she hates him.

.

The next morning they have an early brunch at Lance’s favorite diner on the marina, trading stories of their adventures at the fair. Pidge and Hunk show videos on their phones of the rides and games they played. Lance films again, and takes a group photo of all of them with their mimosas and fancy biscuits.

When Lance sees them off for their drive back to Springdale, Keith pulls him into hug. It’s soft and nice and Keith is so warm, Lance taking a deep breath and inhaling his smell. When they pull apart, Keith’s eyes are glittering.

Lance waves at the car as his three friends drive off, feeling happy and light.

.

Continued in part seven!

[hymn2000]

Father’s Day Pride - MCU AU mini-fic

Part of my Frostiron and Spiderson AU. 

Father’s Day is coming up, and Peter is stuck on what to get Tony and Loki. 

Warnings/themes: family, family stuff, father’s day, LGBT+ themes, over-protective Tony, (Loki is mentioned but isn’t actually in this)

Word count: 4101

You can also find me on AO3

-

Peter was exhausted. He’d been trawling around for hours, looking in shop after shop, venturing into parts of town he’d never been before, feeling lost and tired. Father’s day was coming up, and he was stuck. His friends hadn’t been much help at all. They all came from nuclear families, and their suggestions were; ‘anything with Number One Dad written on it’, and ‘just get them something they like’. Malaki had been especially unhelpful, because he said he never got his father anything for father’s day, and he said Peter shouldn’t bother, because what exactly did he suppose he could get for a billionaire who had everything they could possibly want already, to which Peter had poured a cup of water over his head and stalked off. 

Peter stopped outside a shop. It was a bookshop, but not one he remembered seeing before. It had rainbow flags flying outside, and he could tell by the displays in the window that he was exactly the target market. It looked old, and dusty, but it looked like it was open. He paused, and then pushed the door open. The bell above the door rang as he did so. He let the door close behind him. It felt empty, like he was the only person there. The shop smelt of old books and coffee. It was a funny place, with books in higgledy-piggledy piles on tables beside shelves, and old gay posters blu-tacked to the walls. There wasn’t just books: there was gifts and nick-nacks and bits and bobs all over the place. He could hear the whirring of an industrial coffee machine coming from above him. 

“Hey kid, you ok there?”

Peter jumped violently. He hadn’t noticed the older man behind the desk, watching him.

“Oh, um...”

“You look thirsty, and tired” the man said. “Stairs to the coffee shop are over there, just past the blue shelf”

“Oh, thank you”

Peter found the stairs and went up to the coffee shop, mostly because it was less awkward than trying to explain he wasn’t there for coffee, or just leaving. The upstairs coffee shop was much more modern looking and sleek, although quite interestingly decorated. There were a handful of people up there, and a couple of people behind the counter. One was an incredibly fierce looking drag queen, who waved her manicured nails at him when he appeared.

“Hey baby, you lost, sweetie?” 

“No, um, I just- uh..”

She laughed at him. “What can I get you, honey?”

“Um...” Peter approached the counter, too nervous of the drag queen to focus properly on the menu. “C-can I get a cappuccino please?”

“Sure thing, honey” She nodded at her colleague, and leant against the counter while they were making the drink. “You’re tiny, aren’t you? How old are you, baby?”

“I- uh, I’m fifteen. How old are you?”

The drag queen laughed. “A lady never tells. $2.50, please”

“Oh yeah, sorry” Peter handed over the money.

“Take a seat, baby; we’ll bring it over”

Peter was grateful for the excuse to leave the counter. He took an empty table over by the window, so he could people-watch. The drag queen soon brought his drink over, and he was surprised when she sat down opposite him. 

“What brings you here, baby? You’re looking tired. Fall out with the parents?”

“What?”

“Have they only just found out, is that it?”

“No! No, it’s nothing like that!” Peter said defensively. “I just kinda stumbled across this place. I’ve been out - out in town, I mean - for a while. And out in the other way as well, kinda, but, well. I- Uh. I didn’t know this place was here until just now. I’ve been looking in loads of shops today”

“Retail therapy?”

“Not really. I’m trying to find something for father’s day, but... Well, I’m a bit stuck. I can’t really do the whole generic Number One Dad mug thing, because I’ve got two dads”

“Aww baby. Tell me about them: maybe I can help”

Peter pressed his lips together.

“What’s up? Stranger danger?” she smiled a big lipsticky smile. Peter wasn’t sure if she was teasing him or not. “Most people call me Auntie. I’ve been a barista right out of high school, I work here during the day three days a week, and I work at some local bars as a performer two or three nights a week, depending on how in demand I am. I’ve been doing drag for about fifteen years now. There, now you know me, so you don’t have to be scared. So what’s your name, baby?”

“Peter”

“Peter what?”

“Peter... Parker. Parker-Stark”

Auntie’s eyes widened for a moment. “Ah, I thought you looked familiar! So you’re Tony Stark’s kid?”

Peter nodded. 

“So, daddies a mechanic, and other daddy is a nurse. Shame you’re not one of them; I’d be better able to help that way”

Peter wrinkled his nose at her suggestive comment. She laughed.

“Aw baby, you can’t expect people not to have inappropriate thoughts about an ex-playboy and someone as pretty as Loki Stark”

“Ok, but you don’t have to make it known” Peter said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Auntie grinned. “Sorry, baby. So, Father’s day. What were you thinking?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been real basic in the past, just cards, and chocolate for daddy Loki, and coffee for other daddy”

“Oh, so it’s ‘Daddy’ is it?”

Peter felt the blood rush to his face. “What? I’m adorable! Leave me alone”

Auntie laughed, pushing his coffee closer towards him. “Have your milk, baby”

Peter scowled, but he picked up his mug and took a mouthful anyway. He looked at Auntie over the rim of his mug. She was incredibly well made up, with perfectly teased strawberry blonde hair (definitely a wig, Peter thought), bright red lipstick, and gold eye shadow. She had fierce eyeliner wings, and her tight dress showed an awful lot of fake cleavage.

“My eyes are up here, honey” Auntie said, seeing him looking at her chest.

“Sorry. How do you make it look so real?”

“They’re flesh tone silicone, and you just use make up to get it to blend in. Add in a good bra, and you’re set to go” she leant closer to him. “Thinking of getting involved?”

Peter shook his head. “It’s not my sort of thing. I- uh, I don’t think I’d be any good at it”

“I don’t know, I think you could make a cute girly drag queen. I can imagine you with a bow in your hair, winged eyeliner, bit of blusher, pink lipstick, cute little dungaree dress - worn off the shoulder, of course”

Peter giggled. “I’m not sure about that”

“Hey, dungarees are cute! I bet you could rock them even without the slap. Doesn’t have to be a dress; you could get ordinary ones. Long trousers, maybe black denim? Or light blue”

“I’ll think about it” 

Auntie smiled. “So, what do we get for the Stark daddies for father’s day?”

Peter shrugged. “I’ve got no idea. I asked some friends, but they were useless. I looked at a load of Buzzfeed posts, but they’re all things for stereotypical dad’s. I don’t think mine would appreciate beer making kits and beard grooming sets”

“Really?”

“Well, daddy kinda has a very specific brand he uses, and a specific supplier, and I’ve never even seen other daddy with so much as stubble” 

“Hmm. How about just being a bit basic and giving them something with a personal touch?”

“Personal how?”

“Well, there’s lots of things. Hmm. Ah, have you got your phone with you?”

Peter unlocked it and handed it over. Auntie took it, flicking to the next screen. She paused.

“Wait, before I click on your camera roll, there’s no nudes on here, is there?”

Peter blushed furiously. “No, of course not!”

“Hey, I just want to be safe” Auntie shrugged, clicking on his camera roll and flicking through some of the photos. “You’ve got some pretty cute pictures on here. I’m guessing your friends took some of these?”

Peter nodded. “Flo likes taking photos of me. She’s good at candid shots”

“How about getting one of these framed or printed onto a canvas for them?”

“I don’t know. I wanted to get them something special”

“That is special. Your parents love you, right?”

“Well, yeah, but-”

“But what? Baby, they love you, and they’d love this, believe me”

Peter still wasn’t sure. “But what if they’re expecting something really cool and they open it and it’s just a picture of me?”

“I’d be happy with a framed photo from my kids for father’s day”

“You’ve got kids?!”

“Don’t sound so shocked!” Auntie laughed. “I’ve got three!”

“Wow. But aren’t you gay?”

“Aren’t you?” she shot back.

“I’m... I like both”

“So do I. But men are better” Auntie smiled at him. “I’ve got a daughter who’s a couple of years older than you, and I’ve got the twins. They’re seven”

“Oh right. Are they adopted?”

“No. My daughter is from a previous relationship, and me and the husband had the twins through IVF with a surrogate”

“Oh! So, are you dad to them, or are you mum?”

“I’m dad. The drag is just an act, baby. I’m not always this gorgeous” she winked. “I’m Auntie at work, and I’m plain old Arthur at home”

“Huh” Peter blinked. “So...”

“You’ve got some cute pictures on here. Choose one, get it printed, get it framed, put it in a nice little box or wrap it up nicely. Your parents will love it” she handed Peter his phone back. “Drink your coffee, baby. I’ll find out where the nearest place that does instant print photo’s is”

“Auntie?” Peter said when she stood up. “Thank you”

Auntie reached out and ruffled the boys hair. “No problem, honey”

-

Auntie gave Peter a little hug and sent him on his way the an address scribbled on a post-it note.

“Drop by again some time” she told him. Peter rather thought he would.

-

Peter tried to think of what kind of photo he should print as he walked to the shop Auntie had recommended. He knew he had a lot of photos on his phone, but a lot of the ones of himself were selfies. Well, Flo stole his phone a lot to take pictures of him, and they were usually pretty good. Maybe those would be better.

Once he reached the shop, he unlocked his phone, and saw that Auntie had left a photo up on the screen. Peter remembered the day it was taken. It wasn’t something that he really wanted his parents to know about. 

Armed with special new waterproof cases for their phones, Flo and Peter had snuck into the swimming pool at home fully clothed. It hadn’t gone exactly according to plan. They’d thought that, because there were so many ledges and walkways with either very shallow or no water at all, they’d be able to get through to the fairy cove without getting too wet. They were wrong. They both ended up in water up to their knees very quickly. Fortunately Peter was wearing shorts, and Flo could hold her dress up and keep her clothes mostly dry. However, after they’d been in the fairy cove for a good half an hour, they’d both slipped and ended up falling into the pool and getting soaked through. Still, at least they’d managed to take some decent photos before that happened, which had been their original goal. 

That was where the photo Auntie had left on the screen was from. Peter couldn’t help worrying that he’d get into trouble if his parents found out he’d gone into the pool fully-clothed, but he supposed they hadn’t actually done any harm by doing so. Besides, it was a good photo. Part of the pool could be seen in the photo, with its soft glowing lights adding a nice touch. The funny glowing lights from the little cubby holes in the fairy cove gave the photo a funny hue, mostly pink, but with a more green hue on one side. Peter could almost hear the rush of the water and the sounds of the harp-and-xylophone music as he looked at the photo. He was dressed simply, just in black denim shorts and a white tank top. He was leaning against the rocky wall, looking off over to the other side of the pool, sat with one leg straight and the other bent up, his hands wrapped round his knee. The lights were shining in his eyes, and he looked calm, and happy. Peter had been happy with this photo at the time. It had looked almost ethereal, like he was in a different world entirely. 

Peter plugged his phone into the photo machine, and brought that photo up on the screen, having a proper look at it. It still looked good on a decent sized screen. He wasn’t sure what size to get, and he hadn’t decided if he was going to get a canvas or just a print to frame, but he was glad of the self serve photo machine, as it meant he could take his time - and he didn’t have to try to talk to anyone. Eventually he chose the 8x12 print, deciding it was better to get something that would be ready almost instantly, rather than have to hang about waiting for a canvas. He slipped the print into the paper wallet provided, unplugged his phone, and stepped aside. 

Mercifully, the shop also sold frames. After a lot of looking around and thinking, Peter purchased a thick black glittery frame, deciding it would offset the picture well. He wasn’t sure where he’d find a box to fit it, but he was sure he’d passed a card shop before getting here, and they’d certainly have some appropriate wrapping paper. He just had to do that, maybe revert to type and also buy chocolates for Loki and artisan coffee for Tony, and then that would be father’s day sorted.

-

Peter’s phone rang. Peter slipped his shopping bag onto his wrist, and took his phone out of his pocket to answer it.

“Hello?”

“What are you doing in the dodgy end of town, young man?”

“Dad? Um-”

“I’m coming to pick you up right now. Go down to the Starbucks on the corner and stay there until I arrive” Tony said.

“Wait, are you tracking my location?!”

“Yes. Well, technically, FRIDAY is. Now do as you’re told. I’ll be there in three minutes”

Tony hung up. Peter sighed, and walked the few steps to the Starbucks, leaning against the wall. Tony’s car soon came into view, the window winding down as it stopped at the side of the road.

“Get in”

Peter did as he was told. He put his bag in the foot-well, careful not to reveal its contents. Tony drove off again as soon as Peter had put his belt on.

“Do you not pay attention to the news? Three kids around your age were stabbed here just two weeks ago, and that girl was kidnapped. You had no business coming anywhere near here. What on Earth did you think you were doing?”

“Dad, I wasn’t in any danger! And anyway, even if I was, it’s not like I’m just any other kid. I’m Spiderman!”

“Yes, but before that, you’re Peter Parker-Stark: my son. And I don’t want you anywhere where you can get into trouble, especially unprepared. You might be a good little neighbourhood Spiderboy, but how do you think you’d fare if the same thing happened to you as happened to that poor girl? You know they stuck her in the neck with a needle to knock her out before they took her? You know, you might whine about me keeping tabs on you, but if that girl hadn’t had that tracking app on her phone and Fitbit, they might not have found her”

“Dad, please, for Gods sake! You sound like Doctor Shefska on daddy’s ward, spouting scare stories like that”

“Hey, don’t you dare get cheeky with me!” Tony snapped, slapping the boys leg sharply. “I’ve told you time and time again not to go any further than the big library by the arch when you’re alone, and you disobeyed me anyway. This isn’t the first time you’ve done it, either. You’re on your final warning, young man. Go any further than the library again, and you’ll be grounded for a month - and that includes patrols”

“What?! Dad! Don’t you think you’re overreacting a bit?”

“Uh, you and that attitude are going to earn you a spanking, Mister” Tony said. “Stop being cheeky and trying to downplay this. You know I worry about you, and you know I give you boundaries for you own good; for your own safety. When FRIDAY alerted me to where you were, the first thing that went through my head was; ‘oh god what if he’s hurt?’, and considering recent events, it was a very real possibility. You’re not indestructible”

Peter sighed. “I know”

“What were you doing around there anyway?”

Peter shrugged. “Just walking, I guess”

“That’s not a good enough excuse” Tony shook his head, sighing. “Like I said; you’re on your last warning. We’ll just leave it at that for now... Did you talk to any strangers?”

“Dad, I’ve got selective mutism, remember?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t always apply with customer service staff, and we both know that strange little quirk”

Peter just raised an eyebrow at him and stayed quiet.

“What’s in your bag?”

“None of your business”

“Peter! How many times do I have to tell you not to be so cheeky?!” 

“Sorry...”

“What is it, then? Is it something naughty? Is it drugs?”

“What?! No! Of course it’s not drugs! What do you take me for?!”

“Your defensiveness isn’t exactly reassuring”

“Look, I’m not an idiot: I wouldn’t take anything illegal or harmful. I was against it all even before Macy showed me Trainspotting and scarred me for life”

“Hm, I’m still not happy about that” Tony grumbled. “That girl’s a right little madam. How did she manage to get hold of it, anyway? It’s an 18!”

“She’s said her cousin sent it to her” 

“I see. Must run in the family, then. You never should’ve watched it, even if you weren’t poorly”

Peter scowled at him. “Is that why you treat me like a baby all the time?”

“I’ve treated you like a baby for way longer than you’ve been ill for” Tony said. “I treat you like a baby because you are a baby, as much as you like to think otherwise”

Peter rolled his eyes, and looked out of the window.

Tony sighed again. “Let’s just get you home. Your father is gonna get home before us at this rate”

“He was at the hospital today?”

“Yeah, last minute meeting of some sort. Whatever”

“Are you gonna tell him about today?”

Tony went quiet for a moment. “Not this time. Let’s keep it between us. Just this once”

-

As per Tony’s prediction, Loki got home first. He wasn’t in a good mood. Ordinarily, Peter would have minded, but today it meant he could escape and sort the father’s day presents uninterrupted while his parents were talking. He was as careful and neat as possible while he wrapped up the coffee and chocolates. He put the print of himself in the frame, making sure it was lined up properly, and took extra care wrapping it, fixing a ribbon diagonally over the bottom right corner. He still wasn’t entirely sure about gifting a photo of himself, but he supposed he’d just have to wait and see if Auntie’s judgement had been trustworthy or not. He hoped it would pay off. 

-

A few days after Father’s day, Peter broke the rules again and ventured back into the bad area of town. He found the gay bookshop again, and pushed the door open. He knew there would be someone behind the counter this time, so he didn’t jump when they spoke.

“Hey kid”

“Hey...” Peter swallowed hard, and approached the counter. “Is- is Auntie working today?”

“Yeah, head on up: she should be on the counter”

Peter nodded his thanks, passed by the blue bookshelf, and went upstairs. He found he was pleased to see Auntie. She looked different today. She had the same hair, but she had black lipstick and smokey eye shadow, and she was wearing a tight low-cut jumper and leather skirt. She was serving a table when he walked in, so Peter could see her killer stiletto boots too.

“Hey, it’s baby Stark!” she said when she spotted him, and gave him a hug.

Peter was surprised, but hugged her back. She smelt good; of powder and expensive perfume. She held him at arms length.

“Have you come back just to see old Auntie, baby?”

Peter nodded. “Kind of. I can’t stay long though; I’ll get into awful trouble if dad finds out I’m here”

“Oh, is that so?” she said, putting her hands on her hips.

“It’s not what you think! He just worries about me being in this part of town”

“Well, I can’t blame him” she said, and sat down at a nearby table. “Come here, honey”

Peter sat down beside her, and Auntie pulled his chair closer. 

“How did father’s day go?”

“Oh! You remembered!”

Auntie smiled. “Of course. I asked you to come back, remember?”

Peter nodded. “Yep! And I nodded, didn’t I?”

“I was hoping to see you tarted up. Have you tried out dungarees yet?”

Peter giggled. “Not yet. No, I dropped by, just to say thank you again. You were right; they loved the photo. I used the one you left up on my phone”

“Show me again?”

Peter got out his phone and showed her the photo. She nodded.

“Good, I chose well! I knew they’d like it. I’m never wrong, you know”

“I know now” Peter smiled. “I got a nice frame for it, all black glitter. They moved some stuff around and put it in the centre of the mantelpiece in the main living room. I’m was kinda nervous giving it to them, so it’s good it’s appreciated, y’know?”

“I told you it’d go down well, honey. It’s a cool photo” Auntie said. “Can I get you a coffee?”

“Well... I’d really better not. I’ll try to come back for longer some other time, but I can’t really today”

“Aw honey, you’re a bit of a daddy’s boy, aren’t you? Don’t try to deny it; even the tabloid photos are proof enough” she took his hand and kissed it. “Look up the shop on Instagram when you get home. You can find my page through it, and maybe I’ll end up doing a gig near you some time, and you can come along”

“Ok, but I’m too young for clubs”

“But you’re not too young for cafe-bars. Get your parents to go along. Maybe Mr Playboy will let you hang about the bookshop if he knows old Auntie is here to keep an eye on you”

Peter smiled nervously. “I don’t know about that. I’ll give it a go anyway. I- well, aside from obviously being in a big gay household, I don’t really get to talk to many other people like me, and it’s kinda nice doing that”

“Honey, you enter a whole other world when you find more people like you. You’re young, and most people have to wait until they can go to gay clubs. You’re lucky to have places like this about. You’ll meet people if you go to them. You know it’s healthy to do so”

Peter nodded. “I know. Maybe I’ll guilt trip daddy that way”

Auntie laughed. “You’re a caution, baby”

Peter’s phone started ringing before he could reply.

“Is that daddy-Playboy?”

Peter looked at his phone, and nodded. He answered the call.

“I know where you are!” Tony said. “Don’t you dare leave that shop; I’ll be there to get you in five minutes. You are so totally grounded!”

Peter grimaced, glancing at Auntie. “I’ll stay put”

“You’d better! We’re gonna have a falling out one of these days, young man! See you in a minute”

“See you in a minute”

Peter ended the call, and sighed heavily. Auntie squeezed his shoulder.

“Don’t go looking so worried, baby” she said. “I’ll talk him round the moment he arrives”

Peter couldn’t help but grin. Maybe this fierce drag queen could mellow out his over-protective father. He certainly hoped so.

*