#maggie from ms match

[aces-and-angels]

it ain't a mediocre choices book w/o the signature side character who spends 80% of their time pushing mc to wear a premium outfit to impress that "special someone"

[cobragardens]

Aziraphale's Ring Is a Queer Symbol

In a previous post I hold forth about the symbolism of the lion rampant on the escutcheon of Aziraphale's signet ring. The upshot is that the golden lion is used by Heaven as a symbol of its threat and its merciless, murderous corporate culture, and I argue that in S3 Aziraphale must subvert this stamp of Heavenly ownership and symbolically redefine the golden lion by summoning the courage to be soft.

Now I've learned some new stuff about how signet rings are worn. Come, sistren, and get nerdy with me.

Aziraphale's ring is one of several we see angels wearing in Good Omens. Here in an indispensably useful post, @indigovigilance lists the known rings of Show Omens angels and those rings' qualities and placement. Note how of the angels who have rings, everyone except Saraqael and Aziraphale wear their rings on their LEFT pinky fingers. There's a reason for this.

Since the medieval period in Britain and Germany, and from there in the U.S., signet rings have been bestowed by professional associations as a sign of membership, particularly at the upper end of society: trade guilds, colleges, hospitals, the Church(es), noble families, and societies like the Freemasons all issue(d) signet rings to some of their members. The traditional placement for signet rings of show professional affiliation is the left pinky finger.

In fact, as it was not socially acceptable in or past the Victorian era for men to wear rings on more than one finger, men who wore signet rings and wedding rings both would have their wedding rings sized to fit the pinky finger below the signet. If a ring had to be moved to preserve masculinity, it wasn't the pinky ring that was going anywhere. Family signets can be worn on any of a number of fingers, but since the Victorian period the men of the British Royal Family (who are from Germany) have been especial sticklers about wearing their signets on their left pinky fingers as well.

So. If you're British and you have a signet ring that's meant to indicate professional affiliation, you wear it on your left pinky.

But Aziraphale wears his signet ring on his RIGHT hand.

Before I offer my opinion on what that means, here's some more fun background on the history and significance of pinky rings in Anglo-American culture:

The Victorian period was when pinky rings started to become associated with queerness.

As fellow members of the Hundred Guineas Club, Oscar Wilde and Aziraphale would likely have been acquaintances.

According to Wikipedia (ibid.):

"During the Victorian era, both single men and women uninterested in pursuing marriage could wear a ring on the little finger of their left hand."

This quickly expanded to a pinky ring on either hand. Here's Wikipedia's picture of farmer and philanthropist Caroline Rose Foster in 1917, the Edwardian era, wearing a pinky ring on her right hand:

Do you smell a euphemism in "uninterested in pursuing marriage"? I do!

By midcentury--so only 30 years after Ms Foster up there--American and British queers, both men and women, were using signet pinky rings specifically to signal queerness to each other.

"For gay men in the 1950’s and 60’s, a way of signaling to others was through the wearing of a signet ring on the pinkie finger."

"During the 1950’s and 60’s signet rings were worn to signify membership of the gay community; both lesbians and homosexual men wore such rings."

The pinky rings @indigovigilance points out Maggie wears may mean she's an angel; they also match her midcentury lesbian style. Devious of the costumers to give her pinky rings on both hands rather than commit to one or the other.

Screenshot by @indigovigilance

To review, there are three reasons a person in Anglo-American culture might wear a pinky ring:

They just feel like it--This can be any kind of ring and can be worn on either hand or both

Professional affiliation--This is a signet ring worn on the left pinky finger

To signal queerness--This is a signet ring and can be worn on either pinky finger

Aziraphale has worn a signet ring on his RIGHT pinky finger at least since he repaired the Eastern "Gate" in the Wall of Eden, so I'm not suggesting that he adopted the 20th-century pinky signet trend to signal his queerness (although as a clockably 'gay' 'man,' Soho fixture, and member of the Hundred Guineas Club, he may well have started it). What I am suggesting is that Aziraphale has been given a ring by Heaven that Heaven intends him to use to show his professional affiliation, but as with the flaming sword he gives away, Aziraphale doesn't use the ring for its intended purpose. By wearing the ring on his right hand, Aziraphale removes the option of interpreting it as a symbol of his professional affiliation with Heaven and renders it strictly a personal ornament. He subverts a symbol of Heavenly menace into an object of beauty and queerness.

I mean queerness in both senses. If a human takes any symbolic notice of his ring, they'll note the signet is on his right hand and conclude Aziraphale is gay. If another angel takes any notice of it, they'll conclude Aziraphale is a bit odd--that he doesn't pay attention to the finer points of how to fit in with the archangels, doesn't do things like other angels do.

In conclusion, pinky signet rings as a queer signal are just the fucking coolest and I vote we bring them back immediately.

[heartofhubris]

nah i'm in a bitchy mood

i literally risked being grounded - that is, wake up at 730, walk to school with no breakfast, get lunch if we were deemed good enough to get lunch money, get home, and get a portion of dinner and get sent to bed by 8 pm - to enjoy harry potter. I risked getting in severe trouble, physical abuse, to enjoy Harry potter. And you, random fandom blogger who thinks Snape's hot, do not get to tell me that you're just attached to it. It directly is related to why I even started getting into writing. Ms Nazi over there is why I got interested in creating my own fictional world, why I got attached to so many different characters who simply would whisk me away into a world where my issues could be solved by a flick of a wand and I could enjoy having friends with the same inherent interests s i have. I understand the power and the allure of Harry Potter.

And then I grew up.

And I realized this woman who I had looked up to for getting out of the poverty house and taking care of her children, who i saw as a role model and a fantastic woman, named a black character Kingsley Shacklebolt. I realized that this amazing woman had named an asian woman Cho Chang. The fourth book, where she barely changed the letters of two indian twin girls names from their last names, are you kidding me?

I understand the allure and the escapism. The first movie I ever, and actually the only movie premiere I have ever seen, was Harry Potter 8. It remains so to this day.

She might've won the cases against plagerism, but that makes it even worse that she made such a white hetrocentric story where anyone outside of the norm was treated worse than nothing. Even on a bare basic line, the names itself were boring and contrived.

But what's worse is that the older you get and the more critical thinking you can develop, the more clear it gets what your priorities are outside of whatever values you may claim to espouse. If you dare to have HP and BLM in your bio, the idiocy level matches the movie from 2006 with a plot line that most likely rhymes with your life.

You can enjoy whatever the fuck you want to. I don't care. That is your human right, to do what you want when you want But if you come up to me with Alan Rickman's best role defaulted to Wizard Nazi, you are weak. You are ridiculous, and I'd put down money you're actually a full adult and that's worse. If you dare to say that You ~loved~ Gary Oldman's best role of Sirius Black, you better be able to back your shit up with prison abolitionism and prisoner reform, and you better have fucking contacted whoever is your minister, rep, senator, whatever the name may be in your country (and yes, UK citizens, you are not exempt from prison reform. No, you are not exempt European citizens, from prison reform and rehabilitation) to do better for those incarcerated.

And god rest her recently departed soul, if you dare to tell me Maggie Smith's best role was McGonagal, you are an embarrassment. I swear to god I have met children who could insult you and you'd get mad or embarrassed, because your maturity level is on that same level as that child.

Enjoy what you want. But if a child who risked abuse can get over their escapism, maybe it's a little embarrassing for you to still be here.

[theriverspath]

Ineffable May 2024, Day 23: Shopkeepers

I'm back at it with the handpainted needlepoint canvases again today. Here's a little 4 inch (10 cm) design featuring all of the named Whickber Street shopkeepers.

From the top left we have: Justine, Maggie, Mrs. Sandwich, Mutt, Aziraphale, Ms. Cheng, Mr. Arnold, Nina, and Mr. Brown.

I really struggled with finding the right mix of colors for skin tones, but hopefully I'll find threads that will be a better match.

I'm going to have so much to stitch once June rolls around! Expect reblogs as pieces are finished.

-------

prompt list

[chicaotaku-fanfics]

There's Three of You?! Pt. 7

Finally! Part 7 and, *drumroll please...* Enter Connor Rhodes, Sarah Reese, and the rest of the Med gang!! I'm so excited!

Let us begin!

Warnings: foul language, might be some medical inconsistencies.

CHAPTER 7

After some months, the new Emergency Department was finally gonna be inaugurated.

While the ED was been remodeled, many new people joined the team, such as our new head nurse Maggie Lockwood, and other doctors, like Dr. Ethan Choi, who specializes in infectious diseases, Dr. Natalie Manning, a pediatrician… she is a good doctor but I personally don’t like her, and many others. And there was also a student doctor, Sarah Reesee, who is just so cute! She seems a bit insecure, but I hope we can get her out of her shell. Meanwhile, some people stayed… and by some people I mean my personal headache: Dr. Zanetti.

And also, we were all sent on a leave while the ED was made… which was good, we had some time off and Will and I were able to catch up after all the time he was away.

Ms. Goodwin asked us all to be on time, wearing our coats and standing outside the doors for the grand reopening. Wearing mine, which had the hospital’s logo and name on the left side, my name stitched on the right with the words “Emergency Medicine” just below it made me proud. My burgundy scrubs matching my brother’s, as well as all of the other doctors.

The media and press where here, as well as the mayor, it was big.

“Thank you. We owe a great debt of gratitude to one man in particular. He championed us, supported us, and happily, along the way, befriended us. Without his help, this incredible new emergency department would never have become a reality. Our Mayor, Rahm Emanuel.” She said, we all cheered for him, he gave us something we were only gonna be able to repay him by giving our patients the best care possible.

“Thank you. On behalf of all the people of the City of Chicago, all the families, all the parents who will be bringing their kids and their family members here in dire need of care, I want to thank you ahead of schedule for what you do every day to making sure that everybody counts in the City of Chicago. Thank you.” said the mayor.

We all again cheered for him. Then with the help of Ms Goodwin they cutted the ribbon, Will and I cheered the loudest, and just as it fell, Will’s pager went off, then mine too, then it was as if a symphony of pagers had started. I looked at Will, he looked at me, then Natalie looked at us, and as we were trying to understand what was happening, the mayor was ushered away and the ED doors opened, Maggie came out calling what could only be my worst nightmare for the first/second-first day at the same hospital.

“CFD Plan 2, mass cas. Multiple trauma patients minutes away. Let's go!” she said.

As one, we all started entering the ED. Will, Ethan and I being some of the first people inside, I had already taken off my coat, looked at them both and they understood, passing me their coats. I opened the door to the doctors lounge, threw the coats on the sofa and went back out. I grabbed a pair of gloves and snapped them on as I was waiting for the patients to arrive.

Some flashbacks from the bomber incident filled my mind for a second. I shook my head to get back to reality, and just in time, because the first patient was rolled in, followed by the rest.

Maggie waved at the sensor at the door for it to open faster.

“What do we have?” she asked the paramedic.

“45-year-old male, left leg amputation.” he answered, I walked up to him, then looked at Maggie.

“Treatment two!” she said, we walked there, got the patient into a bed, but I could still hear the commotion outside.

“Train motorman. GCS 3. BP of 90 by palp.” another paramedic said.

“Maggie, where’re we going?” asked my brother.

“Go to trauma 4.” she answered. After that, I focused on my patient.

I asked for a chest x-ray to make sure my decision to put in a chest tube was right after my initial assessment with my stethoscope, -surprise, it was, had to cut into him to control a big left pressure hemopneumothorax with some shift-, I then secured his airway, -to no one's surprise, he started crashing, his pressure dropped as well as his O2 levels, I had to intubate him, which only took me about 15 seconds, he had a loose jaw which worried me a bit-, then treated the blood loss and sent him up into the OR to try and fix the stump this guy was gonna get after losing his leg.

I took off the gloves I was wearing and grabbed a new pair on my way to the ambulance bay, just then, another patient rolled in… with a guy on top of him performing CPR.

“28-year-old male, crush injuries, severed artery, massive blood loss.” I heard the guy say, I started walking towards him to help.

“Trauma three just opened.” said Maggie.

“Got a tourniquet on his right leg. Tried to intubate but couldn't get his jaw open. He lost his pulse on the ride.” he added. Well that’s not good, not good at all.

“Put him on our monitor and rapid transfuser. Grab 4 units of O-neg, and start with a round of epi.” said my brother.

“Already hit him with the epi times two. Still no pulse. He's in fib.” said the guy again.

“Let's get him in the bay. I got it from here, man.” said my brother, but the guy refused to give up.

“Nope, he's mine.” he said

“Okay, who the hell is this guy?” asked my brother, irritated, I wanted to smack him, but it wouldn’t look professional.

“Says he's a doc.” said one of the paramedics.

“Get off the gurney, Doc. I'm senior resident in this ER.” said my brother, throwing his status around.

“Yeah? Well, I'm your new trauma fellow.” said the raven haired man. Damn! Outranked by the new guy.

“And I’m a junior resident but you don’t see me bragging about it Will. Focus on the patients.” I said, walking into the the trauma bay to assist the guy.

“Dr. Halstead!” I heard Maggie call and I lifted my head, at the same time that Will turned his. This called the attention of the new guy, Maggie pointed to my brother to indicate it was him who she was calling.

Then came in the student doctor, Sarah Reese… she’s kinda cute.

“Hold compressions.” ordered the guy, then cutted a line in the patient’s trachea to be able to stick the tube to ventilate. Then he turned to us. “You are?”

“Sarah Reese, fourth year med student.” said the girl beside me.

“Dr. Lillian Halstead. Junior resident.” I answered

“Can you do a cordis in the groin?” he asked Reesee.

“Mm-hmm.” she answered.

“Get a left femoral in there.”  he told her.

“Yes, sir.” she answered, she went and got the kit, started doing the procedure in the slowest pase possible. Even I was getting desperate, I took the disinfectant and squirted a good amount on the area.

“There, you're sterilized.” I said first, I never saw the new doctor was looking at us. “Now stick it.” the new guy and I said at the same time, that surprised me, but I hid it well.

She tried to get the line started, but she couldn’t, she was visibly struggling to get it. Doris, one of the nurses commented on it.

“He's a patient, not a pin cushion.” she said coldly.

“I can't find a vein.” said Reesee, I took over and got the line on my first try, drawing a bit of blood.

“Done.” I said.

“All right. Shock to 120.” he instructed, as the machine was appropriately charged, he gave another instruction. “Clear.” We all stepped back and the patient was shocked.

“No pulse.” Said Doris.

“Again. 200. Clear.” he said again, changing the voltage this time.

We all stay where we are and this second shock manages to restart the patients heart.

“I have a pulse. Sinus tach at 112.” said Doris again, I let out a relieved breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“And...he's back. Get a BP and keep giving him blood. Send a rainbow of tubes and a type and cross. Get his blood gas and get him to the OR.” he instructed, I helped with the handrail on the gurney and the nurses rolled it out of the room, heading straight for the elevators.

I snap my gloves off and out of the corner of my eye see Ms. Goodwin stepping away from the room. I turn to the girl who seemed upset, I place my hand on her shoulder.

“Please don’t take it personally. When you’re in the ED, you gotta be quick. Ok?” I asked her, she just nodded, still a bit down in the dumps, I tried to cheer her up. “Between you and me, I was treated as an errand girl on my first day, getting scolded by a doctor? Seems like nothing in comparison.” she smiled a small smile and stepped out. I smiled too, and then stepped out of the room myself.

I was about to go see if I had another patient, but to my surprise I found Dr. Hotshot on an empty room, without a shirt on, stitching his arm. I grabbed my third pair of gloves of the day and made my presence known to him.

“Dr. Mystery, I thought you could use these.” I said, he only turned his head momentarily to look over his shoulder. Sweet Jesus, if I wasn’t tired of men, he would be THE top of my dating list.

“Thank you.” he said, I smiled at him and then looked down at the needle and thread he was using.

“How'd that happen?” I asked, he kept his attention on what he was doing.

“Must have snagged it on the wreckage.” he said, as if it was an everyday occurrence, again not looking at me.

“You know, we do have a couple of doctors around here.” at that he did turn to look at me and gave me a small smile. “I could hook you up.” I said, teasing smile on my face, pointing to my name stitched into my scrub so he could see the «Dr.» before my name.

“I don't need one, but I could use some help though. Come be my other hand.” he said with a small smile on his face, my smile remained but it changed to a sincere one. I took a step closer to him and was finally able to notice the technique in his stitching so far.

“Oh, nice. You closed that like a plastic surgeon. Where'd you pick that up?” I asked, curious he looked at me quickly and gave another small smile, before focusing on his arm again.

“Riyadh. Spent a year there after my residency. Saudis paid me well not to leave unsightly scars.” he explained, giving me another quick glance, I was honestly impressed. Then his tone changed into a questiouning one, “Could you pinch those two sides together?” I did, but he kept his attention on what he was doing.

“What about a tetanus shot?” I recomended, taking in consideration that we didn’t know what he nicked himself with.

“No, I am current, Dr. Lillian… Lillian Halstead.” he said, after reading my name, I figured that when I introduced myself earlier his mind wasn’t on my name, but on the patient he was treating, I smiled at him again.

He looked at me with those, oh so, blue eyes of his, and I wanted to melt. Sweet Mother of God! This man is HANDSOME.

“English? Irish?” he asked, curiosity clear in his eyes.

“Irish ascendance actually, my great-times-something grandparents were Irish immigrants who came here with the, now famous, «American Dream», but I was born and raised here in Chicago, Canaryville to be exact, you?”

“Chicago too. Born and bred as well. Been away for a while.” he said, I became curious, haven’t heard his name yet and still I’m learning a lot about this guy. 

“Welcome home then.” I said, the smile still on my face. His smile was enough answer for me.

I left the room and went into the doctors lounge, grabbed my coat from the couch and hanged it in the space under my locker, which was right beside my brother’s. Just then I noticed my brother, sitting at one of the computers, a coffee mug near him, looking lost as Hell.

“Well, there's something I don't often see: Will Halstead looking stumped.” I said to tease him. He sighed.

“Why is it that brain injuries are never like you read in the textbooks?” he asked while getting up, grabbing the mug and serving himself another cup of coffee, I shrugged and nodded him to go on.

“My pregnant TBI patient, bilateral contusions. She was a GCS 3. And now, all of a sudden, she's exhibiting movement, and she's improved to a 6.” he said.

“Well, color me impressed. That’s the first time I hear something like that, but that’s good, right?” I asked him, he shrugged.

“Yeah. The baby's parents will be happy.” he said, a bit irritated, I looked at him questioningly.  “Oh, she's a-- she's a surrogate.” he added.

“Oh. Wow.” I said, knowing what that meant, and knowing my brother knew I had understood his position.

“Yeah.” he said, I sat on the sofa and he was on the table. As soon as my butt hit the cushions I let out a tired groan.

“You meet the new guy yet?” I asked Will, then facepalmed myself because, yes he has, I nearly bit this idiot’s head off for snapping at him in the ED.

“You could say that… you were there! Likes to throw his weight around. I don't know, strikes me as a little arrogant.” he said, I gave him my signature «are you kidding me» look at that statement.

“Takes one to know one” I whispered to myself, but being the only ones in the lounge, it was perfectly clear for my brother, he looked at me with a confused and surprised smile.

“What’s that supposed to mean young lady? I’m not arrogant” he said, I couldn’t hold it in and I started laughing, he looked at me and chuckled.

“Hey, I am not arrogant.” he repeated, I snorted again.

“No, no, no, no, no, of course you’re not, you just happen to know more than anybody else.” I said, then stood up and left, but had to hold the door open for little Ms. Natalie Manning.

“Dr. Manning.” I said as a greeting, she looked at me and gave the fakest sweetest smile I have ever seen.

“Hey Lilly.” she said with that awfully sweet tone, as soon as she was inside the lounge, my brother’s attitude changed entirely, I wanted to gag. So I just let the door fall close and went on my merry way around the ED to see who else I could help.

I witnessed April calling Dr. Mystery away to meet with the relative of the patient he treated, Jorge Melendez, -as I had learned his name-, and was yet again surprised by this new doctor who spoke Spanish fluently. I walked over to Maggie and April with a shocked look on my face.

“He speaks Spanish?” asked Maggie in a whisper, I let out a little chuckle, -the one Will swears makes me look/sound exactly like Jay, but won’t admit he makes it too-, then bit my lower lip. That made both nurses look at me.

“If I wasn’t swinging for women right now, I would definitely date him.” I said as if it was nothing, that made both Maggie and April look at me with even more shock on their faces.

“Wait, you’re…” but April’s question was cutted short with the arrival of a very familiar person’s voice.

“But to me, you're as fair as you were, Maggie. When you and I were young.” Hermann sang as he placed a container on top of the desk.

“Hey, Herrmann.” the three of us answered, one after the other, he smiled at us.

“You boys hanging in there?” asked Maggie, being the total mother hen I’ve learned she is.

“Well, you know, it's a train wreck.” he said, I wanted to laugh but knew it wasn’t the time.

“Hm.” was Maggie’s answer.

“You?” he asked, being the sweetheart that he is.

“Same.” Maggie again answered.

“Is that from the crash site?” I asked, pointing slightly towards the container.

“Yeah, it's the first load.” he said, looking at me, then looking back at the container. “Cell phones, shoes, wallets, purses.”

“Thank you.” I said, smiling a sincere smile at him.

“You're welcome.” he smiled back, he started leaving until he called me again. “Hey kiddo.” I turned to look at him. “Good to see you.” he said, I smiled at him again.

I let Maggie open the container and took the first bag that came out to inspect it, trying to find something to identify the owner. We looked at each other in slight shock when we discovered she had pulled Jorge’s bag. I gave Maggie the honor of delivering the bag and its contents to Marina, -the woman who I had learned was Jorge’s girlfriend-, and then went into the doctors lounge again, this time to update some charts on my amputee patient.

Then came in Will, for another cup of coffee. I was about to make a comment about it and how a lot of coffee wasn’t really good for his health, but the new guy entered the room, dressed in his scrubs, looking hot as hell, but with a tired/irritated expression on his face.

I was then witness to the stupidest argument ever.

“Your comatose guy… seems like you'd want to put him on the hypothermic protocol and protect his brain.” said Will, then he placed the rim of his cup to his lips and took sip from it, I thought it would be a good idea, but I had seen the medical history of the guy, it wouldn’t work, poor Jamie had been through Hell and back.

“Well, I just gave him 20 units of blood. His pH is only 7.2, and he's too cold to make a clot, so I didn't see how the hypothermic protocol would help him.” the new doctor said while putting on his coat, I noticed the name on it and became genuinely surprised.

“Hey, you're the fellow. I'm just a resident.” said my brother, and I honestly wanted to strangle Will.

The new guy went to the little coffee bar, grabbed a mug and served himself some coffee, I considered getting my own second dose of caffeine for the day, but just then, my brother decided to open his mouth again.

Will… watch what comes out of your mouth next, if not, I’ll be the one having to resuscitate you after I kill you.

“Heard you're local. Me, too. Where'd you grow up?” he asked, the new doc, Dr. Rhodes, looked like he was gonna strangle my brother before me if he didn’t shut up.

“Lake Shore Drive.” I was impressed, getting those details made me realize who exactly was Dr. Rhodes, but decided to keep my mouth shut, if he hadn’t said anything yet, it was for a reason.

Will let out an impressed whistle before answering “Nice. Well, I doubt we have any friends in common.” Dr. Rhodes looked at my brother with a «try me» kind of expression. “Canaryville.” my brother added next.

“Oh.” said Dr. Rhodes, just then he noticed me, but I made the universal sign for silence and pleaded with my eyes for him not to say anything.

“Where'd you go to med school? Johns Hopkins? Stanford?” Will asked, and AGAIN I wanted to strangle him.

“No. I went to UAG.” Rhodes said, I was impressed. Like I said before, I was learning more about him by the minute.

“Where's that?” asked Will. That’s when I decided to make my presence known.

“Guadalajara.” both Rhodes and I said, Will, honest to God, jumped when he heard me.

“Didn't see that coming.” he said. “Nor saw you in here.” he said to me, like it was an afterthought. Just then his phone got a notification, he pulled it out, looked at it and excused himself, grabbing his coat on his way out. “Got to go.”

I let out a long breath, covering my face with my hands, I heard Dr. Rhodes move, and I assumed he turned to look at me. I dragged my hands down my face, not caring about my make up, I was gonna end up redoing it by the end of the day anyway.

 “Please ignore my brother. I’m pretty sure he knocked his head somewhere along the line when he was a kid.” I said, finally looking at my new colleague, he let out a small snort.

“So… the red knucklehead is your brother, Dr. Halstead?” he asked with a bit of a teasing tone, a very huge difference compared to his earlier mood.

“Lilly, enough with hearing 'Dr. Halstead' outside and having to ask if it’s me or Will Maggie’s calling for.” I said, he smiled at me, seeing as I wasn’t judging him on the first try.

“Connor. Pleasure to meet you Lilly. Thanks for your help earlier, and also, I’m sorry. I realized that I never introduced myself, properly, to you, so… Connor Rhodes, trauma surgeon.” he said, offering me his hand to shake, I took it and gave it a firm squeeze and shake.

“Pleasure. Again, I’m sorry about my idiot of a brother, he dismisses his brain-mouth filter sometimes.” I said. Connor chuckled at that, then kept a small smile on his face.

“Well, as long as you don’t dismiss that filter, we’ll be fine.” I smiled at him.

“Oh believe me, my personality is more Jay than Will… but I do have my moments.” he seemed confused for a second, then I remember that I mentioned Jay. “Jay’s my older brother.” I said, he looked surprised.

“So there’s three of you? Wow, you must be Chicago’s worst nightmare.” he said, a teasing glint to his eyes, I let out my patented Halstead Chuckle®.

“Only for bad guys and diseases.” I said, he again looked confused. “ Will and I are doctors, Jay’s a detective with the CPD’s Intelligence Unit.” I explained, now Connor was the one who let out an impressed whistle.

“Didn’t see that one coming.” he said, I smiled at him and offered my fist to him. He understood and bumped it. “Thanks Lilly, I really needed that.” he added. I again smiled and went on to check on my amputee patient in the ICU.

Finally!! Up to speed with AO3, which, by the way, if you want to go and leave some kudos there, feel free to do so, I'll post the link later.

Thanks again for giving this story a go and putting up with my craziness and shenanigans.

Love you all a lot, see you soon!

[choices-binglebonkus]

Ranking of "obligatory best friend for the MC" characters (like Bree from HFTH, Jenny from TNA, Malorie from Surrender, Faith from KOD, and any others I missed. From best (or least terrible) to worst. Go.

Sorry this took so long, I finally got around to making the list (which is actually going to be worst to best sorry anon).

So before we actually get into the list, there are a couple of (loose) criteria I had for determining who would be included in the list. One, no love interest best friends are allowed, so no Zoey, Jaime, Lily, etc. Two, it had to be CLEAR that the character in question was the MC's best friend. For instance, the OPH MC doesn't have a clearly defined best friend, so I avoided including any of the roommates on the list, same with Zeph from TE because it's not totally clear who the MC's best friend is.

22. Jenny (The Nanny Affair). I hate Jenny. I hate her I hate her I hate her. She is my enemy. She's boring, uncool, unfunny, and serves no real purpose in the story. She's useless. And worse, the MC enables Jenny and Aditya's affair. Boo. Boooooooooo.

21. Malorie (Surrender). Malorie isn't as awful as Jenny, but my god, she has no filter. And that's coming from an autistic person. Malorie spews the creepiest, grossest, out of pocket shit, AT HER WORKPLACE NONETHELESS. The writers try to play it off as funny but it's not. It's really creepy. If I were her coworker I would feel incredibly uncomfortable around her every day.

20. Bree (Home For the Holidays). Undoubtedly the most forgettable "best friend" on this list. I'm going to bet no one remembers her because she did nothing and was a Nothing Character.

19. Mandy (Untameable). Boring, bland, does nothing of note in the story except fall for our misogynistic brother. Blech.

18. Eddie (Rising Tides). Another Nothing Character, but helps the MC in a small way. He's a reused asset.

17. Nigel (A Very Scandalous Proposal). Another Nothing Character, but helps the MC in a slightly bigger way. He's also a reused asset.

16. Nadia (Perfect Match). Definitely my most controversial ranking on this list. Nadia always got on my nerves and I never cared about her as a character. She just...consistently annoyed me.

15. Chazz (Red Carpet Diaries). Chazz also annoyed the hell out of me, but slightly less than Nadia. I found nothing about him compelling.

14. Layla (Wolf Bride). She didn't serve a purpose in the story, and wasn't terribly interesting. She is the very definition of the Obligatory Best Friend because there was no one else in the pack who would've befriended the MC. Also, I'm severely tokophobic and every time she appeared in the story I got really lightheaded and sometimes had to put the app down for a few minutes.

13. Riya (Ride or Die: A Bad Boy Romance). Riya didn't do much in the story either, and the most interesting part of her character was her relationship troubles with Darius, which really wasn't interesting at all.

12. Faith (Kiss of Death). I am tentatively ranking Faith at number 12 because I haven't played much of KOD (non-VIP) but she's not terrible from what I've seen so far.

11. Faye (The Princess Swap). A lot of people strongly disliked Faye, but I honestly didn't mind her. She's kind of ditzy and absent-minded, but she's not actively harmful, nor is she bland on the same level as most of the others on the list. However, she's far from perfect.

10. Amy (With Every Heartbeat). Amy isn't a terrible character. She helps the MC and Dakota and wishes them the best even though Dakota is her ex. She's not super present in the story, though, but I liked her well enough.

9. Aveline (The Princess Swap). Aveline is honestly so goated for keeping the MC and her sister's secret throughout the story. She's kind and very loyal and is someone I'd love as a real friend. Unfortunately, she isn't really her own person and doesn't have a lot background-wise.

8. Maggie (Ms. Match). Props to Maggie for being one of three characters in Ms. Match I actually liked. She was a competent assistant and was really sweet without falling all over the MC.

7. Poppy (Hero). Poppy Patel is the only valid Poppy in Choices. She's got a killer sense of style, is funny, sweet, and is immensely loyal to your character. I hated the unnecessary drama between her and Dax, but I really liked seeing them actually get together because they just work.

6. Vivian (The Phantom Agent). Vivian and Rowan were the only two characters in TPA I could actually stomach. Vivian is smart as hell, brave as hell (she helps GAIA even though she was initially terrified), and let's be honest. She was the REAL hero. Vivian probably has back problems now because she CARRIED that team.

5. Briar (Desire & Decorum). Briar is kind of chaotic and I love that. Her best friend moves away to a noble estate and she's immediately like "sounds fly as hell, I'm down" and becomes her lady's maid. Honestly though, that's also kind of my biggest complaint about her. Her life is so MC-centric. I mean, she even names her baby after the MC. Nonetheless, she's otherwise really likable to have around and serves as the MC's closest confidant throughout the series.

4. Dionne (Foreign Affairs). Dionne is really sweet, kind of goofy at times, smart, and generous. IIRC it's stated that she volunteers at an animal orphanage. It's too bad FA was such a flop because I really liked Dionne (AND MURPHY!!!)

3. Alma (Mother of the Year). Alma is really kind but also flips a switch and becomes kind of a hard ass in like an instant. It's hilarious and I love it, and I love her. Alma truly was the backbone of MOTY and she helped the MC so many times.

2. Zack (The Freshman). Zack is the only one of the MC's friends who deserved the title of best friend, which is a title he thankfully actually got otherwise he wouldn't be on this list. He was always there for her even when the others were absorbed in their own drama and though he wasn't perfect, he was definitely the least problematic of the bunch.

1. Diego (Endless Summer). Who else could I put at number 1 other than Diego? No one, that's who. Diego was so gentle and kind and even though he'd had a rough time making friends, had a homophobic family, and later on in the series gets stuck with the Vaanti for six months, he never let his bad experiences make him a bitter person. He was friendly to absolutely everyone in the group and there was no drama to be spoken of with him. Diego was such a loyal best friend to not just the MC, but to everyone around him. And his catalyst idol reflects that: he was Canis, and the Endless even refers to him as "my loyal Diego" as they're remembering all their friends just moments away from death. Diego truly is one best friend to rule them all.

[joshscrookednipple]

Cupid Screwed Up: chapter 1

Summary: What happens when two rivals who chants even be in the same room together get paired up as soul mates for the rest of their lives..one thing they do know is that cupid screwed up.

Pairing: Josh Kiszka/female OC

word count: 2,300

Warnings: Language, Angst, Blood, kinda cringy writing.

this is the first chapter and the longest fic i’ve ever written!! edits will probably be made soon!!

there are three things you need to know before you read this.

1- C.U.P.I.D is a world renowned matchmaking company, and to actually matter in society you have to be paired with your match…sound familiar?

2- i was not the one who named my cat Clawdia, she named herself. don’t ask questions about it.

and probably the last and most important thing you must know..

3- i. hate. Joshua. Kiszka.

why do i hate him you may ask?

how much time do you have?

Josh Kiszka has been determined to make my life a living hell since the eighth grade, we are rivals in every sense of the word. i got a 100% on a test. he got a 101% (how is that possible..i have no clue. i’m convinced Ms. Harrison had a twisted up crush on him)

i get a date to prom he gets 2

i get sick with the flu, he gets pneumonia and gets hospitalized

the nerve of that motherfucker.

the point is he always has to one up me, and now he’s touring the world with his band great value fleet (greta van fleet but i think my name fits it better) with his two brothers who aren’t much better than him and his youngest brothers best friend, Danny Wagner, who is objectively the best and only tolerable person on that band.

Josh loves to rub his band in my face like the time he-

“TARAAAA OH MY GOD TARA”

i’m snapped out of my thoughts by the shrieking voice that belongs to no other than my roommate maggie. me and maggie have a weird dynamic. by that i mean she annoys the living shit out of me and i hide anywhere i can to avoid speaking to her.

Maggie bounds into my room and jumps on my bed which coincidentally knocks off my colored pencils i was using to color in a sketch i was working on, which i quickly slip into my folder to avoid any teasing from my worse and more obnoxious half.

“Tara i got my match!”

“Let’s hope it’s perscription sedatives” i mumble hardly loud enough that you had to be really listening to hear what i said.

“what?”

“nothing, who is it?”

that question clearly makes her excited because she sits up and slaps her hands on her knees in a child like sense.

“so you know the band greta van fleet?”

i roll my eyes.

“unfortunately”

“well i got paired with Sam Kiszka!!” she practically screams as she shoves her phone into my face with a screen that reads.

Pairing: Sam Kiszka.

great. this is absolutely fabulous. if it wasn’t bad enough having to see their band every time i open any fucking social media app, now i’ll be FORCED to interact with them. why couldn’t she be paired with Danny. he’s nice and calm. sam on the other hand is the equivalent to a drugged up hamster who was just fed three monster drinks.

“that’s so..great” i give her a forced smile and flip my phone over hoping that maybe a notification from C.U.P.I.D was blessing my phones presence.

instead all i got was a message from team snapchat.

I’m 23 years old and probably the only one 23 year old to not have been matched yet, and trust me i’m reminded of it.

at family gatherings “oh you’ll get your match eventually, you’ve always been a late bloomer”

at parties “sorry you can’t come in, only people who’ve gotten matches can”

at the grocery store when people see that i don’t have the gold plated ring on my finger. they refused me my discount for my goldfish. i was really looking forward to eating those.

maggie falls back on my bed and smiles to herself and rests her feet in my lap to which i notice she’s wearing my wool socks, and my grey sweatpants, at least she’s wearing her sweater. wait. nope that’s the sweater she got me for christmas last year. i really need a padlock on my closet. I stand up with my notebook and place it on my cluttered bedside triable before bending down to pick up my colored pencils.

“i invited him and his brothers over tonight” she hums staring up at the ceiling.

i freeze and drop the colored pencils.

“you. what?”

“i invited them over” she repeats as she sits up crossing her legs over one another “really you should thank me, im really the only person you interact with”

“that’s because i’m forced to interact with you mags.” i state before recollecting the colored pencils and placing them in a glass jar by my notebook and turn back to look at her “plus i also have to study for my midterms, you know this.”

“come on you can’t hide from them forever!! i know you left Frakenmuth because of them, but it’s time to make amends”

i huff and shake my head “i didn’t leave because of them, they’re just the reason i never wanted to come back.”

“and look where you are, back at Frankenmuth! see everything happens for a reason”

it’s true i left to pursue a career in digital art, but after that ship sank i had no choice to move back. i moved back when i got offered a internship with an amazing cartoon artist who happened to be only two years older than me. his name is Dylan and for a quarter of my life i had a huge crush on him, and he coincidentally doesn’t have a match either.

i choose to ignore her as my cat, clawdia comes strutting in and rubs her head against my feet. i smile and pick her up cradling her like she was my new born baby, which in a way she was. not the new born part though.

Maggie rolls her eyes and sits up “well they’re coming in two hours so put on something presentable, and try not to embarrass me”

“anything for you, your majesty” i give a dramatic bow as she leaves and closes my door. i look down at Clawdia with my hands on my hips.

“what should i wear, clawdia?”

she however is not much help because all she does is meow before propping her self onto my pillow before drifting off into one of her many naps of the day.

i sit on my bed and stare at my closet, i usually wear the same four articles of clothing everyday, it’s either my mom jeans that make my ass look spectacular or my black leggings, and a long sleeved form fitting V-neck and a state of michigan crew-neck. i’m assuming neither of those things will live up to maggie’s standards but i honestly don’t care. i pull on my faded mom jeans with my crew neck before pulling on warm toned wool socks and my Boston birkenstocks. good enough.

i turn and look at myself in the mirror before shifting my eyes to the messy knot that’s tied up on the top of my head. my hair is what you would describe as in between wavy and curly, never quite one or the other. i grab my brown translucent claw lip before skillfully (or so i like to think) putting it in my hair and pulling a few stray strands out. i settle for some mascara and chapstick before i hear the door open and the sound of four pairs of feet walk into our apartment.

i hear a murmur of greetings as i walk out and my breath catches in my throat when i see him. Josh definitely grew into his unruly hair, with it being once again shaved off at the sides. he always grew some facial hair, which usually is a turn off for me but for him..he definitely makes it work. but all of that doesn’t change the burning hatred i have towards him.

Tara interrupts my train of thought by dragging me over to the boys.

“This is my roommate Tara, Tara this is josh, sam, ja-“

she’s cut off by the cocky voice that sounds exactly identical to his twin brothers. jake motherfucking kiszka. “we’ve met”

jake is a cocky son of a bitch, not as much as his other half, but very very close. he had teamed up with josh in highschool to get me voted out of being prom queen. just because i accidentally broke his pencil.

i give him a tight lipped smile before i turn and see danny’s warm eyes and my face lights up.

“hey bunny” he speaks before giving me a hug

i had gotten that nickname when i refused to dissect a bunny in my freshman year biology class and made Danny do it for me.

i loop my arms around his tires and smile into his chest before mumbling just loud enough so only he could hear “why couldn’t you and sam just have came, why did you have to bring dumb and dumber”

he lets out a quiet laugh before letting go and i turn to look for maggie only to see she was clinging to sams side throwing her head back in laughter to something he said. gross. i pad my way to the couch and much to my distaste josh follows me and sits on the other side of the couch.

“so, tara have you gotten a match yet?”

“Have you”

“That’s not my question”

i roll my eyes and cross my arms. josh has also never been matched, which leaves millions of fan girls to believe they’re his possible match.

before i could respond jake and sam and danny join us

“so tara” sam starts “how’s the- what do you do- coloring?”

“i work as a intern at a illustrators office”

“so coloring” josh smiles smugly and tilts his head

i’m not even going to argue with him. nope. not happening.

instead i slam my cup down on the coffee table and go to my room before slamming the door

sam looks at maggie in confusion “what was that about”

tara sighs and shakes her head “she’s been acting different lately”

josh, being the genius he is pushes himself off the couch “i’ll go check on her”

and he did exactly that. he goes to my room right when i’m pulling down my pants and i’m left in light yellow cotton underwear with the word “wednesday” in light pink writing across the back and my crew neck

“actually it’s saturday bunny”

i scream and quickly pull on cotton shorts to try to preserve as much modesty as i possibly can and turn around as i see him roaming around my room, searching and touching everything like he’s fucking inspector gadget.

“get the hell out of my room Joshua” i say pushing on his chest in an attempt to get him out of the room. this back fires when he pushes me back into a wall and smirks down at me.

“bunny this is why you don’t have a match”

i clench my fists as i look up at him “neither do you dumbass”

he rolls his eyes at that and pinches my chin with his thumb and forefinger and tilts my head up so i can get a perfect view of his eyes.

“but unlike you bunny” he starts “people would pay their lives to fuck me and you..well you probably have to pay a guy to even get close to you”

i don’t remember what happened next, all i remember is my hand colliding across his cheek and my silver ring on my index finger cutting his cheek causing a trickle of blood flowing down his cheek.

i freeze and i’ll never forget that look in his eyes..but i’m not going to get him win. so did something completely stupid and i run my thumb along the trickle of blood and put it between his parted lips and to my surprise he actually starts sucking it, god his lips are so soft.

my cheeks are flushed pink as he pulls away and he smirks “do i make you nervous bunny”

“get. out.”

he throws me a shit eating grin before leaving and slamming the door and that’s when the tears are about to start falling when i hear another knock and i throw the door open

“Josh i said get the-“

but it’s not josh behind the door. it’s Jake. what the hell?

“i uhm-“ he starts “i heard what josh said- and i just wanted to apologize”

i roll my eyes and start closing the door but he puts his hand flat on the door to stop me. “just listen to me Tara- in highschool i was just trying to be cool- i shouldn’t have said those things. you’re not worthless or-“

“jake” i interrupt him “i’m appreciate it but please go, we can talk later okay?”

he sighs and nods before leaving and i turn out my light after closing my door and i plug my phone in when i hear a notification. THE notification. i quickly open my phone and see the notification from cupid

C.U.P.I.D

Hello! you have been successfully paired with your perfect match, you will meet up with your significant other at 7:30 pm december 1st at Honey B’s Eatery. down below is your perfect match.

Maybe it’s a NFL player.

Or a professional chef.

Or maybe-

Oh.

Oh god no.

Pairing: Joshua Kiszka

little did i know that on the other side of Frankenmuth josh was in his bathroom after a particularly messy one night stand, leaning against the wall, looking at his phone with the same exact notification but with her name on it.

and for the first time in history they were thinking the same exact thought.

Cupid.

Screwed.

Up.

[ratwhor]

Captivated

Chapter 1

Maggie

The halls of Ilvermorny were empty, students were home for summer break but in the next couple months they would be back in classes. The floors remained freshly polished, courtesy of the many Pukwudgies that worked and lived in the school. Maggie missed it, it had been a few years since she had attended the magical school. Now she was a young woman and a brilliant witch. She rounded a corner and up a flight of stairs.

She came to the next floor and quickly strides toward a familiar door. Turning the ivory handle she was greeted by a beautiful room. Shelves lined the walls filled with books with all kinds of secrets and magic. A big bay window on the far side was open, gold curtains fluttering in the summer breeze. On the other side was a massive oak desk, and there sat an older woman.

She wore red dress robes, a matching witch's hat laying on the desk. Her graying brown hair was piled into a neat bun on top of her hair. She looked up and greeted Maggie with a kind smile, her grey eyes sparkling. Her name was Melva Colibiri and she was the Headmistress of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizadry, the North American school of magic.

"Ms. Beaumont, it's lovely to see you again." She spoke softly. Her hand gestures towards the front of the desk. "Please come have a seat." A comfortable looking chair slides out of nowhere in front of the desk.

Maggie did so, settling comfortably into the chair. "Thank you ma'am." Her southern twang drawled. "I came here to see if you had heard from anyone yet?"

For the last couple of months Maggie had been searching for a job abroad. She had spent so long in America and Canada exploring the different kinds of No-Mag communities. No-Mags humans who weren't able to do magic, nor did many know about it, except for those who married into wizard families. Now she was ready to go overseas and work anywhere in the world that she could. She had been in touch with Melva, her former Headmistress in hopes she would have connections in other countries that could promise her opportunities.

Melva smiled reaching into a desk drawer and pulled out small envelope with a red seal stamped on it. "I had reached out to a few people I know, and I got a reply from one in particular I think would be just right for you."

She handed it over to Maggie who accepted it graciously. The seal was a very well known one, a crest with the letter H in the middle and surrounding it was a lion, a snake, a badger and a raven. Maggie's eyes widened, if couldn't be, one of the best schools of magic, Hogwarts. She tore it open pulling out the letter, excitement and nervousness raced through her. Her heart beating wildly as she read it.

Dear Ms. Beaumont,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I must admit that it is with great pleasure and anticipation that I sit down to write this missive to you, extending an invitation that I believe will be of immense interest to you.

I have heard tremendous acclaim about your extraordinary knowledge and deep understanding of the Muggle world from your former Headmistress. It is rare to find individuals who possess such a interest in the workings of the Muggle society, and I find myself humbled by your expertise in this fascinating subject.

As you may be aware, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has long been renowned for its commitment to providing an education that both enriches and broadens the minds of young witches and wizards. One vital area of magical instruction that we hold dear is Muggle Studies - the exploration of the Muggle way of life, their customs, beliefs, and remarkable inventions.

It is with utmost delight that I extend an invitation to you to join our esteemed faculty as the Professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts. Your unique perspective and knowledge will undoubtedly enrich the education we provide to our students, fostering an understanding and respect for the Muggle world that goes far beyond what is typically taught.

The position comes with a generous remuneration package, access to our extensive resources, and the support of a dedicated staff who will ensure your smooth transition into this role. You will be joining a team of esteemed professors whose passion for teaching and nurturing minds is unparalleled.

I sincerely hope that you will accept this invitation, recognizing the immense value your expertise will bring to our school. You are undeniably one of the foremost authorities in the field of Muggle Studies, and we would be honored to have you as a member of our faculty.

Please inform us of your decision at your earliest convenience. Should you choose to accept, we will make the necessary arrangements to welcome you to Hogwarts and assist you with any queries or concerns you may have.

Thank you for considering this invitation, and I eagerly await your response. May your decision be guided by wisdom, and may the future present you with endless possibilities.

Yours sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Maggie beamed at the letter as she finished reading. She could hardly believe her eyes, the Albus Dumbledore was asking her to be a Professor. It was beyond anything she could hope for. Especially to teach a subject she was enamored with, No-Mags or as Dumbledore called, Muggles, were fascinating in how they lived and functioned without magic, why she couldn't imagine a life without it. Now she could teach young Witches and Wizards about everything she had learned and at such an amazing school such as Hogwarts.

"I feel so honored Headmistress. Little me teaching at Hogwarts as a professor!" Maggie's eyes brimmed with tears of happiness. "Goodness gracious I need to respond quickly."

Melva was already pulling out a quill and paper. "Well hop to it dear, Headmaster Dumbledore is waiting for your response."

"Thank you Headmistress, thank you. This means the absolute world to me."

She quickly wrote her response.

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

I wanted to express my deepest gratitude for your kind invitation to join the esteemed faculty at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is with great joy and excitement that I accept your offer.

Please accept my heartfelt thanks for believing in me and my abilities. I am eager to begin this new journey as a Professor at Hogwarts and dedicate myself to the education and well-being of the students.

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Beaumont

As she finished her letter and began to seal it, a large tawny owl flew in from the bay window and landed on a perch next to the desk. She handed the letter to the owl. "Please take this to Albus Dumbledore."

Clutching the letter in its beak the owl swooped out of the office.

Maggie turned back to Melva who nodded approvingly. "I wish you the best of luck on your journey, Professor Beaumont."

[ao3feed-ineffablehusbandz]

Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered

Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered

by grntair3

"Isn't this the one about the fish?" came Crowley’s voice.

Aziraphale turned, eyes meeting Crowley's through his lenses before moving on to take in the rest of him. He was wearing a suit he'd never seen before–crisp, black on black pinstripe trousers with a matching jacket that was left undone, accompanied by a buttoned mesh black shirt underneath. Through it Aziraphale could see the smooth skin of his slim frame, from just above his navel to his Adam’s apple. Around his neck lay a thin, rope-like black tie, which only brought more attention to his visible clavicle. Aziraphale felt a rush run over him.

"Sorry... what was that?"

(aka, my version of The Ball!)

Words: 2467, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Good Omens (TV)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M, Other

Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens)

Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)

Additional Tags: background Nina and Maggie (Good Omens), First Kiss, they have so many big feelings, i watched pride and prejudice like neil told me to and i ended up with this, so sorry ms austen, No season 2 spoilers, other than that there's an episode called The Ball

From https://ift.tt/zNugkOJ https://archiveofourown.org/works/48789802

[152glasslippers]

7, 18, 27, 32, 46, 54, 69, 72, 83, 91 for spotify wrapped (and because I love you and care about you and your wrapped and want to listen to the songs you listen to 💖🌙🎵)

7. Want Want – Maggie Rogers if you got a moment I want on it and if you got another hour I want all of it btw. if you even care.

18. Wildflower – Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers no matter how many times I listen to this song ‘you can’t sleep on the floor cause you’re scared of heights’ hits like a slap in the face every. fucking. time.

27. Feels Like – Gracie Abrams ‘our clothes matched enough to throw me off a bit’ Ms. Abrams lifted this lyric from my diary is2g

32. Seen It Coming – Bob Moses [lady gaga amazing/showstopping/spectacular voice] haunting moody foreboding sexy; ‘look into my eyes and tell me can you see your reflection’ FUCKS so severely

46. Dancing in the Dark – Madeline no offense to Mr. Springsteen but this is the version that made me fall in love with this song

54. No One Dies From Love – Tove Lo NO ONE DIES FROM LOVE!!!!!!!!!! GUESS I’LL BE THE FIRST!!!!!!!!!! Tove continues to be the queen of club tracks that come for your throat

69. Holding Back – Banks her vocals on this track are INSANE; I really think you’ll love the bridge on this one bestie

72. The Promise – Samia, Jelani Aryeh such a simple, sweet cover; probably popped up on my discover weekly after all my 80s eddissy listening which is perfect because this song is literally them 💗

83. I Keep – BROODS, Tove Lo I LOVE WHEN MY FAVES COLLABORATE WITH MY FAVES feels good feel organic (feels electric)

91. Meteorite – Banks a whore anthem and a masterclass in lyricism!!!!!! half the lyrics in my ‘serpentina + favorite lyrics’ edits came from this song and I am ~this close~ to listing them all again; seriously, everyone go listen to it right now

[dreiser7]

Part Duex proof for Chapter 10:

I figure I'll just keep doing this until I finish the fic. lol. I'm unreliable with updates obviously as so many have pointed out the years in between chapters to the point they wondered if I was okay.

----

“No,” Maria insisted strongly, shaking her head and clasping Lena’s hands. “It’s something, Ms. Luthor. Don’t let anyone ever convince you that what you do hasn’t made a difference because it has. Especially to my family.” At that she looked to Maggie and bopped her lightly on the head. “Margarita?”

“Lena,” Maggie started then she seemed to notice the attention from everyone in their small group. Releasing a noise of irritation, she grabbed Lena’s hand and dragged her away. Maria chuckled upon seeing this.

“She doesn’t apologize well,” observed Maria, arching an eyebrow at Alex. “Are you okay dealing with that? I doubt Margarita will change. She’s been stubborn since she was a child.”

“Alex matches that energy,” informed Kara, all to amused at Alex’s scowl. “What?” Kara shrugged innocently, the very example of a bratty younger sibling. “You totally do. Peas in a pod, you two. Matching black leather and all.”

“They do match, don’t they?” Maria mused as if taking in Alex and Maggie’s outfits for the first time. “Alexandra what exactly is the wedding attire? Not two black suits, I would hope? One should be in white.”

Alex flushed at this and she started to sputter a reply when Maggie and Lena returned. “Don’t torment my future wife, Tia,” Maggie groaned. “Not when I’ve solidified my sister-in-law alliance.”

“What alliance,” said Alex suspiciously, allowing Maggie to pull her forward by the loopholes of her jeans. “I don’t like the sound of that. You’re sneaky enough without Lena’s genius aiding you in your schemes.”

Proof I'm working on The Science Guild

“I remember,” Lena chuckled, settling next to Kara, fingering the soft red matieral of the cardigan. “Just as I like you in this. You always look so very handsome and wholesome in your sweaters, darling.”

“Winn says it’s nerd chic,” informed Kara. “Maggie says I’m creating a weird new butch aesthetic that she’s not sure she appreciates getting popular. Alex punched her for saying that.”

“I wager she deserved it,” said Lena, narrowing her eyes and contemplating giving Maggie a punch of her own. “I don’t think leather jackets and all black is a much better aesthetic so she doesn’t have much to comment on. Besides you should wear what you’re comfortable with and like I said, you do look so very handsome.”

Kara shrugged, pulling the white tank top over her head and as she did, Lena took the opportunity to straddle Kara’s lap. Releasing a slight noise of surprise, Kara gripped Lena’s hips as the other woman sank down onto her lap and wrapped her arms around Kara’s shoulders.

“I mean it, darling,” Lena said, her tone low and seductive. Her fingers playing with the hairs at the nape of Kara’s neck, causing the other woman to shiver at the sensation. “You’re impossibly attractive.”

“Impossibly, huh?” Kara chuckled, rubbing the skin of Lena’s hip.

“Alien in quality almost,” teased Lena, moving in for a kiss, slow and thorough in its examination. Using her weight and Kara’s willingness to press the other woman back onto their bed. Sliding her hand underneath Kara’s tanktop, Lena lowered her kisses to the curve of Kara’s neck. “I do wish you would believe me when I compliment you.”

[faydingrain]

Lottie Appletree

Ginger lifted the candle to blow it out.

Beside her, Honey leaned onto one leg. “Damn. Just rub it in my face that you even had birthdays and shit. Ms. Privilege.”

“Urk, s-sorry. I didn’t mean it like that…”

She scoffed playfully. “Whatever.”

“I thought you didn’t like clowns?” Maggie asked.

“I don’t. I have no idea what my obsession with that thing was…” Ginger replied.

Kenny cocked his head. “Did the other girl see what you did, or…?

“No idea.” A pause. “...Y’know, now that I think about it, she went missing shortly after that.” Her gaze trailed off as she murmured, “In hindsight, maybe that was a bad idea…”

“That’s one way to take care of your enemies,” Honey chuckled.

“I guess.” After another moment in thought, she turned to her left. “Well, that’s mine.”

“Ufufufu, my turn?”

“Yup.”

“Okay~”

***

It was late afternoon, the sky alight in burning oranges. To the North, it was empty. To the South, it was empty. Through the trees all around…it was empty.

“Ufufufu…uh oh.”

Lottie stretched her arms, the rusted chains on her wrists clanking with the movement. She had been chillin’ on a bare tree stump for at least an hour, if not probably longer, waiting for the group to return for their “prisoner”.

However, she was getting tired, and it was getting late. She really didn’t want to be sitting there throughout the night, especially since they were probably just goofing off elsewhere if that scream was any indication.

Building her resolve to begin the trek home, she sighed and twisted her wrists a bit. Her hands easily popped out of the painted plastic and she slung the strand over her shoulder, nearly knocking off some of her accessories with the motion, then made way for the closest street to follow it home.

Down the lonely road she walked—she didn’t know where it went exactly, but she found herself at peace as she walked alone. A light breeze ruffled the crystal-clear fairy wings on her back, jostling them into a fluttering effect. Her curled hair twisted around the pointed ears mounted at the sides of her head.

Whirring sounded from the distance before whizzing past her. A blue pickup with the cover on. It was then her eyes found the clouds approaching from the distance; she was thankful she donned a warm costume, but she may need to find shelter before she’d make it home all the way.

It was long, this road. There were still nothing but trees and cement in view, and reddening oranges and scuttling clouds overhead. She was hoping to have some sign of her friends by now—be it a sound or even something they dropped—but no. Not yet.

Whirring sounded from the distance before whizzing past her. A blue pickup with the cover on. Hm, that truck seemed awfully familiar.

Eh, whatever.

She was beginning to realize just how far they had gone into the forest, and just how foolish that may have been. She still had quite the trek to go, and the darker clouds were growing ever closer.

Whirring sounded from the distance before whizzing past her. A blue pick—hey, wait a minute.

Lottie carefully read the license plate: HUN712.

The sky was really getting dark now. But Lottie was specifically keeping an eye out for that pickup again. As it had done 3 times already, it passed again at the same speed. HUN712.

She wasn’t sure what to do with this information really, but at least she knew it was the same truck, and that was very strange.

It was basically night now. Was the road always this long? She felt as though she’d made no progress, and she was getting tired of this charade.

HUN712 came whirring up again. If she didn’t know any better, she might’ve asked for a ride, but who in their right mind would ask the strange stalker truck for a ride without expecting to die, or worse?

Thus, she merely allowed it to whiz by as it had been. However, curiosity did cause her to squint at the mirrors and see if she could catch a glimpse of this shady person.

From what she could tell, it was a man in a black hat and matching suit. Very fancy for a repetitive drive through a dense forest. She sees you, Mr. Fancy Man.

And she saw her. Despite the lack of light, she could feel his gaze on her through his rearview mirrors, and she could distinctly make out the white glare of teeth as his lips spread into a wide grin.

Just kidding—she’s not seeing you, Mr. Fancy Man. She’s going to go back into the forest where you aren’t.

Man, who turned off the lights in here? The forest blocked off a lot of the light from the moon and stars, leaving Lottie hiking almost blindly through it. Even worse, it had started sprinkling a bit, but at least it was only a bit.

She managed to avoid most of the roots and stray branches strewn on the grass, but she nearly planted on her face when her foot hit something hard.

Stumbling forward, she caught herself on a trusty tree trunk. What was that clinking sound?

Inspecting the perpetrator, she discovered that a long, rusted chain was slithered across the dirt. She kicked it; it was heavy. She then leaned down a poked it with a finger; it was cold, and certainly more steel than the prop on her shoulder.

Against what may have been better judgement, she chose to sate her curiosity and follow the line to where it either began or ended.

Upon nearing it, she covered her nose with her free hand.

Surrounded in drying blood was a large, metal bear trap. It was too dark to make out anything that may have been in close proximity, but the ferocious metal jaws were pried apart.

Scaretober 2023

Brisk Wind on a Dark Trail

Midnight Moon

Gargoyle's Watch

Cold Stones in the Fog

Spirits Rising

Haunted House

Witching Hour

Bubbling Cauldron

Candy

Eyes

Spider Silk

Feathers

Tail

Scales

Fangs or Talons

An Offering of Blood

Dark Ritual

Spook Scary Skeletons

Carnivàle Morte

Still-Beating Heart

Sharpened Blade

Mask

Looming Shadows

The Devil's Hand

Monster

Reflection in the Mirror

Rusted Chains

Stitches

Precious Jewels

Incantation

Halloween

Epilogue

[walkerismychoice]

Who is the best Maggie from Choices?

Ooh good question. They’re all pretty great (must be a Maggie thing, lol), but I'd have to say at this point, Maggie from Ms. Match is my favorite. She was a fun side character/assistant/friend. I'll have to reserve final judgment though for after Kindred is over, and I get to know the newest one better.

[saintfourr]

Maggie from Ms. Match as a Love Interest — You meet Maggie after the Ms. Match MC sets you up on a date with Maggie. Request from @wolvira.

[yourqueenb]

Alma from MoTY, Effie from TUH, Aurora from OH, and Maggie from Ms. Match

choices fandom reply/rb with your favorite canon female character (no goc characters or MCs) and why you like them i wanna hear about your favorite girlies

[choices-binglebonkus]

Top Ten Books/Series I forgot existed

So this has been sitting in my drafts for like a month or two and I just got an ask that made me want to actually post it. I think I made this simply because I was bored, couldn’t sleep, and enjoy making lists, so I decided to make a top ten list featuring books/series that I totally forgot about because…they’re just forgettable, no two ways about it. Because let’s be real here: there are great Choices books, there are terrible Choices books, and there are Choices books that are like…hey…hi…I’m just kinda here.

10. Shipwrecked. PLEASE do not quote me on this, but I *think* it released sometime this past year. Honestly most of the reason this book suffered was due to the lack of interesting characters, or characters in general because off the top of my head all I can remember are the MC, the LI, Dr. Hale, and the LI’s old business partner but I can’t even remember their name at this point. Hell, I can’t even remember much of the plot, and even after playing a chapter I remember forgetting almost everything about it pretty much immediately.

9. Wishful Thinking. I actually quite liked this book. It was lighthearted and pretty fun during a time where we needed some lightheartedness to balance out the more intense/angsty book releases. But unfortunately, the plot itself was kinda meh, and since it was a standalone, there was no real reason to remember it. Even worse, this book began the unfortunate trend of reusing background characters as MC’s “close friends”.

8. Foreign Affairs. Remember when FA was announced and, the dumbasses that we were, we were all convinced it would save the fandom from the book drought? Yeah…it feels like such a distant memory now. The book seemed really, really promising. And it could have been. But holy hell, it was executed so poorly and the premise of the plot was so flimsy. What I once thought would be a great book is now one of the ones I just squint at when I remember it even exists.

7. A Very Scandalous Proposal. I’ve talked about this one a little bit before. The main appeal of AVSP was Simon/Ava. If you didn’t like them? Tough shit, buddy. The main goal of the book was to uncover the secrets of the Montjoy family. Unfortunately, PB didn’t give us a reason to care about or find interest in said Montjoy family, which is probably why the book faded from my memory so quick.

6. Passport to Romance. This is kind of a weird one for me. I forget it exists most of the time, but then when I do remember it, I remember how truly terrible it was, while most of the other books on this list aren’t very fresh in my memory. It was so unimpressive, bland, and the characters were tolerable at best and obnoxious at worst (ELLIOT LANGDON).

5. Rising Tides. The book was okay…but it pushed a generic “save the earth” message while forcing us to pay to clean the town. The MC was a sidekick in her own story which would’ve been fine, but Charlie was such an annoying character that it wasn’t even enjoyable. Also, the Big Bads conceded waaaaay too easily at the end. I’m not even exaggerating when I say that I forgot about this book in less than a week after the final chapter aired.

4. Witness: A Bodyguard Romance. Believe it or not, despite how awful this book was, I forgot about it pretty quickly. It could’ve been a really cool story, but it focused too heavily on romance when the MC and Cassian’s lives were on the line quite literally at every second. Other than that…I truthfully do not remember much about this book other than the Irish mob.

3. Ms. Match. This book was decent enough and it didn’t stop releasing until that long ago. However, the plot was one of those “fight to reach the top and win the competition” plots which quite frankly have been overdone in Choices for a few years now. Not to mention, there weren’t a lot of interesting characters except for Maggie and maaaaaybe the MC’s dad but that’s pushing it a little. The reason it’s so high on this list is because it didn’t end that long ago, yet I can’t seem to remember a damn thing about the book, other than that I HATED the love interest.

2. Home for the Holidays. Many moons ago, this was considered one of the worst, if not, THE worst, book in Choices. And many moons ago, I agreed. But the horrific mediocrity of this holiday flurry of fuck was outshined by some truly awful stories and simply faded into obscurity.

1. Sunkissed. As I made this list, I scrolled through the series on the app, and while most books on this list elicited an “oh yeah, I kinda remember this” from me, when I saw this one, I was like “holy shit, I completely forgot this book was even a thing”. While Home For the Holidays and Sunkissed are both sort of (for lack of a better word) Hallmark-y, Sunkissed was longer and, in my opinion, a little sloppier. The book just wasn’t sure what it wanted to be. A lighthearted summer beach romance? A tale of a family’s struggles with grief and interpersonal conflict in the wake of a father and husband’s untimely death? Fuck it, we’ll uncomfortably cram BOTH into the main plot, execution be damned!