#maybe a plant nursery would be nice as well

[lord-prey]

The men

[ghoulsister1]

●▪︎We Were Going To Be A Family▪︎●

Dante Sparda x Female Reader. Angst. Hurt/Comfort. TW: Miscarriage. This doesn't start off well. Heartbreak. Dealing with loss. Grief. Dante comforts Reader because Dante is the best and most sweetest half-Devil husband. There is hope. There is a happy ending I promise.

⚠️Warning: This story contains and features the topic of miscarriage. Miscarriage is a very sensitive subject to some people, so if you are uncomfortable with this subject in any way, please do not read. Please note this is my first time writing such a topic, I do not want to come off as offensive or insensitive in anyway so please understand. Thank you.⚠️

Requested by @xx-scene-queen-of-vampires-xx

●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•

The day you were told you were pregnant was you and Dante's most exciting moment. You and Dante prepped and got everything ready in anticipation for the baby. Until one day, you awoke to the worst case scenario every expecting mother fears. Now you are unsure how to proceed in the aftermath. But your loving husband Dante isn't going to let you go through this alone.

You remember the day you told Dante to take you to the hospital after you woke up to throw up last night's take-out and realising your monthly was late.

You remember sitting nervously in the waiting room with Dante, anxiously biting your nails and Dante tapping his foot nervously as you both awaited results. Then the doctor called you both in.

You remember feeling nervous until the doctor told you the words.

"You are pregnant"

You remember looking at Dante, nervously. Then you felt joy at seeing Dante give you the biggest, most happiest grin ever and you both shared a joyful laughter as he picked you up and spun you around, holding gently on to you as you giggled.

Dante leaned forward and planted a big kiss on your head.

"I'm gonna be a Dad" Spoke Dante excitingly and softly.

"I'm gonna be a Mom" You Gasped, feeling the excitement bubbling.

"A badass Mom!" Remarked Dante winking at you as you giggled.

"And you, a badass Dad" You Replied back and kissed Dante with happy tears in your eyes.

Everything went great. Dante told Vergil and Nero about it, you told the girls Kyrie, Trish, Nico and Lady. Patty and Morrison stopped by to give their congratulations and you couldn't be happier.

The weeks flew by. You and Dante were building the nursery, Nico and Nero helping Dante build the crib. You didn't know what colour to paint the nursery.

"Pink!" Cried Patty excitedly.

"What if the baby's a boy?" You Asked Patty sweetly.

"Blue then!" Patty Replied.

"Yeah but we don't know if the baby's a girl or boy" Dante Remarked. You nodded as the baby's gender was still unknown.

"How about a different colour than the traditional colours? Maybe a nice bright yellow?" You Suggested.

"Or a flaming hot red?" Suggested Dante.

"How about green?" Patty Asked.

"Green? That actually sounds nice. Green is a lovely colour" You Replied smiling softly as Patty danced around excitingly. For an 18 year old, Patty was still full of beans as ever.

Kyrie took you shopping, picked out cute baby clothes and maternity clothes. Looking at the purchased baby shoes, your heart raced excitedly as you thought of the baby, waddling around in these shoes.

You and Dante attended appointments with the doctors and made sure to take your prenatals. Everything was going great. You and Dante were looking forward to the day you'd meet your child.

It was all going well......until it wasn't. One morning, you woke up to blood staining the bedsheets and pain shooting through you. Panic immediately set in. It was too early, far too early for the baby.

You were rushed to hospital and down the hospital's hallways as Dante held your hand throughout. You turned to the doctor, begging for answers.

"Doctor, it's too early for the baby! It's too early! Is something wrong?!" You Cried, panicking.

"Everything's all right, we're gonna help you" The Doctor would say but you didn't feel reassured. The doctors wheeled you into the room and Dante was made to wait outside the room.

After a hour or so, the doctor came out and told Dante the most heart crushing news no expecting father to be has to hear.

"Your wife has suffered a miscarriage. I'm very sorry Mr. Sparda. This is a very difficult situation and I understand if you need a moment or two" Explained the doctor.

Dante's heart sank. The child you and Dante made together, the child you both were eager to meet, was gone. Not even beginning to live and already their life was snuffed out.

And Y/N? Oh god was she okay?

"My wife! How's is she? Please tell me she's alright" Asked Dante tearfully.

"Your wife's condition is stable. She'll be alright. Though this unfortunate news will not be easy to take in. Let her rest first, in the morning you can go in to her. She'll need you when we tell her the unfortunate news" Explained the doctor.

And Dante was there, holding your hand as you screamed and cried upon hearing the news. Dante held you close as you sobbed into his chest, your heart utterly broken. Dante's eyes welled up with tears and he too quietly sobbed with you. But there was one thing you wanted to know.

"Was it a girl? Or a boy?" You Asked tearfully.

The doctor looked at his notes and looked at you with sympathy.

"It was a girl" Answered the doctor and a wave of hot tears came over you and Dante as you both held on to each other and cried.

When you were cleared to go home, you felt like a zombie. You'd walk past the nursery and see the crib, empty and cold. The green paint and design of the room mocked you, the toys you received from friends and family, taunting you. Worst was holding the shoes you picked out for the baby, it's small size making your heart shatter all over again as fresh tears welled in your eyes as you clutched the baby shoes close to your chest and sobbed.

"This wasn't supposed to happen! We were supposed to be a family! Why did this happen to us? Why?" You Sobbed loudly.

Dante came upstairs and took you into his arms as you both sat on the floor of the nursery.

"I'm sorry Dante" You Whimpered.

"Hey, don't say that. Don't ever apologise for something that we couldn't control. You did everything right, you ate good and took your prenatals. We went to the appointments, we did everything we could" Explained Dante as he held you in his arms.

"But why? We were gonna be a family. We were gonna have a little girl" You Sniffled.

"I don't know why babe. I wish I knew, some people would say it wasn't meant to be but I honestly don't know what to say to make this better. Maybe there's nothing to say to make this all better. But i know one thing. I love you Y/N and I know this feeling won't heal overnight but I promise I'll be here by your side. You don't have to go through this alone. We'll do this together, I promise you Y/N" Declared Dante.

You both looked into each other's teary eyes.

"We'll get through this" Dante Assured you.

"Together?" You Asked, feeling so much love for your husband in that moment and even though the pain will not go away overnight, you knew you didn't have to go through this alone.

"Always" Replied Dante and together you both shared a comforting embrace, tears falling from both each other's eyes.

That was 3 years ago and looking back on that terrible moment, you were thankful for your husband. Friends and family came together for you two and with their support, your recovery from this traumatic chapter in your lives began. It was a slow recovery, there were times where things got hard but you and Dante had each other and slowly you both pulled through.

To help with copying with the loss, You and Dante kept the pregnancy scan photos, along with a pink hair ribbon, a pair of baby shoes and a small teddy in a decorative box on the mantlepiece, a sort of memorial to the little girl you and Dante were hoping to meet. You both named her "Danielle".

3 years on and you both pulled through, stronger and closer than ever. You looked over to the mantlepiece and smiled softly.

You then turned to the window and smiled when you felt Dante's arms wrap around you.

"Hey babe" Purred Dante happily as he nuzzled your neck lovingly.

"Hey honey" You Replied and turned to kiss your husband's scruffy cheek. You both chuckled and continued looking out the window, deep in thought.

"Something on your mind?" Asked Dante softly.

"Nothing much. Just....." You Began but stopped yourself. Dante frowned, confused.

"What's wrong babe?" Asked Dante turning you around to face him. You felt unsure how to tell him what you were thinking.

"It's just......" You Began.

"Go on" Spoke Dante softly.

"I wanna try again" You Answered.

Dante looked shocked, then surprised.

"You mean, try for a baby?" Dante Asked nervously. You nodded.

"I think I'm ready. But if you're not, we can always wait Dante" You Assured him, smiling softly.

"Only if you are sure you're ready babe" Said Dante.

"I am" You Confirmed, confident.

"Alright then. Shall we take this upstairs?" Asked Dante, smirking. You giggled softly and let Dante carry you upstairs.

"Yes, my darling husband" You Remarked and you two proceeded upstairs.

A few weeks later, you were confirmed to be pregnant. Naturally you and Dante were nervous, given what happened 3 years ago. But soon it was apparent, this time was going to be different.

9 months later, you gave birth to a beautiful boy. You and Dante named him Julian. And you both promised little Julian that when he grows up, you will tell him about his sister who went on to become an angel and watch over you, Dante and baby Julian.

●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•

❤️‍🩹Okay, so that was a lot of angst. And I due to the subject of the story, I decided to put in a happy ending for reader and Dante. It would feel wrong of me to leave it here without giving it at least a happy ending❤️‍🩹

Thanks again for the request👍❤️

[m3r1m4r5u333]

I've seen some speculation about either Eddie or Chris maybe getting hurt, and Buck and Eddie having financial trouble. I'm combining these to create a wilder theory!

Buck would have financial trouble because living prices have gone up (it was on the news he was watching while he looked at some papers, possibly bills), and like Tommy hinted, his condo is impressive for his salary, and also now he's trashed a very nice hotel room SUITE with the help of Eddie, and some randos - who have since fucked off and are unlikely to be found again...!!!!

Like holy shit, did you guys see the end result, there was even some shit on the CEILING? Hotels fee for damage like this mercilessly because they cannot room people in that space while they clean and renovate. So it's not just about replacing damaged property, and sending the bill for the new stuff they had to buy!!

Nope, they lose money not only from the new furnishings and materials needed, labour needed to do the repairs...

-- but also for the hotel days needed to fix the mess, from needing to cancel someone else's stay and losing the money for each day of their stay, and also possibly compensating them for whatever costs (travels, the price of another room etc.) this unexpected last minute room cancelation triggered!!

I looked up the bill of a real "hangover party" like this, it was on the news. The bill, the money that hotel charged for this fine party of pigs was nearly 100K!! The pigs were SUED!

So looks like Buck is fucked, that bill will be insane.

And Eddie? He's basically a single dad of a child with health issues, also living on a firefighter's salary - in a fairly big, nice house! (He just kicked Marisol out, they would not share a wallet.)

He's also into BUYING VERY STUPID CARS for his income,

and took part in the demolition of that very expensive hotel suite, too, he will certainly be held responsible!

So they're both fucked, both running into financial trouble!

And the theory about either Eddie or Chris getting hurt, and the titles of the upcoming episodes; Ashes, ashes and All fall down: the theme being nursery rhymes - those two lines are from a famously creepy one...

What if the DIAZ house burns down? That could be BAD btw, Chris doesn't move very fast.

And when they survive (shut up, they will), they'll need a place to live!!

Well, Buck would open his home to them, wouldn't he, he loves them, he has that condo, he's partly responsible for their financial ruin, and could also benefit from sharing the living costs!!!

But Chris can't really use the stairs can he? And that's where the sleeping space is, upstairs.

So tadaaaaah, Chris sleeps downstairs, and Eddie and Buck will share the bed 😁 Because obvs they're the best platonic buds eva and Eddie totally doesn't panic about sleeping in the same bed with his best, bisexual male friend...

Yeah. The greatest fucking pine forest of all time has been planted 😇

Oh and Tommy...? How would he not be jealous, his boyfriend now lives like he has a damn husband, and a child. Even if Buck and Eddie don't share a bed, it would still be Eddie, Buck and Chris sharing a home, living in a tight space, like a family.

Btw this probably won't happen but please do write us this fic if you got inspired...

But nobody can say there hasn't been foreshadowing if this does happen!!

Buckley parents, the couch, the talk of stairs in 6x11.

https://youtu.be/KghkBnwidAk?feature=shared

Eddie dropping Chris at Buck's after the tsunami, directing him to the couch...?

[averageanonymous]

Summary: Aziraphale and Crowley have agreed that they won't buy each other gifts for frivolous human holidays. That certainly isn't going to stop them, though.

i.e. Brief Valentine's Day Fluff 🖤🤍

☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

Aziraphale could feel it. This was the one. Settled in a corner, surrounded by arrangements that were full of pink hearts and red balloons, it alone was unadorned. It didn't need any embellishment. The plant was gorgeous. A large, well-established Monstera deliciosa, also known by the name “Thai Constellation” Monstera. They were popular, but this particular variation was quite rare. Its enormous fenestrated leaves, spackled with white and yellow variegation, were full of life, lush, and verdant. Aziraphale had only the most basic experience in caring for houseplants, but he could recognize a beautiful specimen when he saw one. And this one was nothing less than perfect. 

He eagerly made his purchase, and then, upon exiting the nursery with it on a cart (to "take to his car," naturally) he surreptitiously miracled it straight to the bookshop, returned the cart, and began the walk back home. 

His mind wandered as he walked. He thought he had some black and silver ribbon in the back of the shop. He might tie a nice bow around the Monstera’s pot. Or perhaps that would be too much. Maybe somewhat too obvious a gesture. Best to keep it simple. A nice surprise (Oh, my dear, I just happened to wander by a nursery, I spied it through the window, it was nothing, really, didn't even have to go out of my way…) to complement a lovely glass of wine at the bookshop (one of his finer vintages, the ones he kept in the cabinet up in his room) after they went out for a splendid dinner (at the Ritz, of course) and had a quiet stroll through the park (nothing like a casual moonlit stroll to settle a full stomach). 

Aziraphale smiled to himself. He felt almost giddy. There was a fluttering in his middle, what he thought humans referred to cleverly as butterflies in the stomach. He wouldn't think that after literally thousands of years that going out for an evening with Crowley could affect him in such a way. Yet here he was. 

He reached the bookshop. A quick change into his evening attire, a check on the certainly-not-a-Valentine’s-gift Monstera, and he'd be off to the Ritz to meet up with Crowley. He took the steps with a skip, opening the door with a joyful flourish. And froze.

The Monstera had made it to the bookshop just fine. It sat, lovely green shining in the late afternoon sunbeams that filtered through the windows. And standing there, staring at it wide-eyed, was Crowley. 

“Crowley!” Aziraphale cried in alarm, “You were- I thought- Well, you- Ahm,” he trailed off, wringing his hands slightly, and finished weakly, “Weren't we supposed to meet at the restaurant?” 

Crowley gaped at him. Gaped at the plant. Looked between them several times. Then crossed the room in three determined strides and pulled Aziraphale into a crushing embrace. 

“No gifts, angel,” Crowley growled into Aziraphale’s shoulder, arms squeezing him until his lungs began to protest. “That's what we agreed. No. Bloody. Gifts.” 

“Oh, this isn't a gift,” Aziraphale wheezed, “I just…happened…by…” 

Crowley released Aziraphale just enough to let him breathe properly. Aziraphale looked up at him, feeling his face warm under Crowley's bright gaze. “Do you…like it?” Aziraphale asked hesitantly. 

“She's gorgeous,” Crowley said with a shake of his head. He set a hand on Aziraphale’s cheek, and Aziraphale leaned into it, turning just enough to press a kiss to the Demon's palm.

“Incorrigible angel,” Crowley muttered softly, “you just can't help yourself, can you?” 

Aziraphale chuckled, “Old habits, I suppose.” 

Crowley rolled his eyes, pulled Aziraphale back into his arms, and pressed a kiss to his lips that promised more later. 

“Come on, then,” Crowley finally said when they drew apart, both a little flushed and out of breath, “The Ritz won't wait forever.” Then he took the angel's hand in his and dragged him out of the bookshop to the Bentley. 

He opened the door for Aziraphale and Aziraphale was about to thank him when he noticed a black box on the seat. It was a few inches deep and around six inches long. He leaned in and took it, raising an eyebrow at Crowley as he straightened. 

“No gifts, hm?” Aziraphale said coyly. He lifted the lid. The smell of chocolate wafted out.

“It barely counts,” Crowley huffed as Aziraphale lifted the small stack of artisan chocolate bars from the box. Each was wrapped in thick, beautifully designed paper with detailed descriptions of the origin of the ingredients, the flavors that could be detected in each bar, the journey those ingredients took to become the precious ounces of chocolate in his hands. Crowley would have had to search for these chocolate bars. They were practically art themselves. 

“Crowley,” Aziraphale sighed, “You're far too good to me.” 

“Oh, shut up,” Crowley huffed, a smile tugging at his lips. “Will you please get in so we can go, angel.” 

So Aziraphale did, gently placing the chocolate back in its box, and laying it in the back seat so he was free to reach across and take Crowley's hand in his, lacing their fingers together. The butterflies fluttered pleasantly in his stomach. His heart beat a joyful rhythm in his chest. Aziraphale sighed contentedly. It was going to be a wonderful night. 

-----

Thanks for reading! Happy Valentine's Day!

[like-the-rest-of-la]

WIP Wednesday

I've been tagged by @mellaithwen @capseycartwright and @rewritetheending - thank you sooo much ❤️❤️❤️😘 - as always, have another little piece of the plant nursery fic 🪴 (we're finally getting closer to the ending 😭🙌)

"Oh," the brunette woman says and points a finger at him, "you're Eddie,” and to Buck, “That's Eddie?"

Eddie's gaze flickers between them. 

“Uhh, yeah that's me,” he stammers at the same time that Buck hisses, “Maddie!” 

The woman – Maddie apparently – ignores Buck and rounds the counter. She grabs a purse and her phone along the way and stops in front of them. 

Her smile is big, bright, welcoming, a little bit cheeky, and it kind of reminds him of–

“Eddie, meet my sister, Maddie. Maddie, this is Eddie,” Buck helpfully supplies, along with a sigh that only true sibling-exasperation can conjure. 

And, yeah, that explains a lot. Eddie smiles tentatively at her and her grin grows.

"Nice to meet you, my brother's been praising yo-"

"Maddie," Buck repeats, his cheeks suddenly bright pink.

Eddie's eyes widen and he hopes, once again, that maybe he isn't the only one in here with an undeniable crush.

"-your plant-progress," Maddie finishes, holding up her hands, while Buck mumbles an "Oh my God," to the ceiling.

"Erm, thank you?" Eddie says.

"Anyways, would you look at the time-" Maddie makes a big deal out of looking at a non-existent watch on her wrist and if Eddie wasn't so jittery, he would've laughed out loud- "I need to leave. My shift starts in – wow, three whole hours – and LA traffic, well, you know how it is."

She squeezes Buck's arm, leans in and presses a small kiss on his cheek, before she walks towards the door. 

I'm gonna tag @nymika-arts @renecdote @princessfbi @buckactuallys @spotsandsocks and @andavs if you want to and haven't already 🌻💛

[jjdogasaur]

Prismatic War Chapter 2 - Periled Plants

Guess what, I'm back, now it is time for suffering again

Ashlyn walked down the untouched road outside the Safe Sound Shelter, admiring the lovely sights. She admired the butterflies, the beautiful flowers, and not a single Prismatic in sight! However, she still held onto the teleportation ray Dr. Grooph handed her just in case any Prismatic happened to attack her, but that idea was just an afterthought in her mind. Suddenly, she had stopped upon a small home inside a hill. She found it strange, as while the windows were boarded up, and the door seemed to not budge, the adjacent garden had shown attempts of growing crops, but appeared to have been stomped, devoured, and poisoned. Was someone inside? She approached and knocked on the door, calling for the resident.

“Hello? Is anyone here? You don’t need to worry, I’m a nice monster, I won’t hurt you!” A deep, but soft and weakened voice replied shakily. “S-S-Spiky, darling, H-Have you returned?! Wait… Are you one of those Prismatics playing a trick on me…? DON’T COME IN!! YOU’VE TORN MY FAMILY APART ALREADY!!! Please…”

Ashlyn was confused. She knew she would have to go in through somewhere else, but where? But then, an idea sprang into her mind.

“I know, I’ll enter through the chimney!” Ashlyn chirped up.

She made her ascent up the hill towards where the chimney was set, moved the guard preventing possible intruders… and down she went into the home. Ashlyn explored the quaint, but almost abandoned looking house. Every place that could be used to store food was nearly empty, and everything was covered in dust and cobwebs. Ashlyn entered a bedroom, and there, she had discovered the origin of the voice. A Flowah, who appeared to be on his knees, was keeled over and gripping his stomach in hunger. Three baby Barrbs, who appeared to still be in a larval stage surrounded the poor monster, attempting to comfort him. Ashlyn attempted to question the Flowah..

“Excuse me��”

“N-N-No… NO! Please, only take me, *sniff* don’t hurt my children, they’ve been through enough already…”

“Hey, I’m not going to take you! And who’s Spiky?” “My partner. They said that they would be going into the forest to gather more food, but it’s been weeks, and we’re almost out. I would go out for myself, but I’m so scared… What will happen to my children? I’m so hungry, I might not make it back in time, what if a Prismatic finds me?”

Ashlyn replied, “What about the monsters running the Safe Sound Shelter? They would have given you something to keep your family fed, wouldn’t they?” Flowah sighed deeply as he fell to the floor.

“I tried convincing them all I could, but General Entman and Sir Conberg told me that there ‘wasn’t any room in the nursery’, and that my scent could attract my partner, who they believed had become a Prismatic at this point. Boskdrool! They have so many monsterlings in that thing, they could afford to hold 3 more, and if the SSS is so safe, then why should those buffoons be so concerned about one prismatic being lured in by my scent?!”

Ashlyn exclaimed, “But, that couldn’t be true! Maybe there was a misunderstanding, General Entman wouldn’t abandon a fellow monster, would he?”

“I can tell you have too much faith in Entman to make everything right, all that monster is going to do is abandon those who need him most, that will have severe consequences one day,” Flowah said, as Ashlyn looked on, pondering on his words. Could Entman really be that bad? No! He couldn’t, maybe it was just a misunderstanding. But she still felt a resounding pity for Flowah.

“Well, maybe I can help! I can get you and your kids food and find Spiky, does that sound warming?” Ashlyn piped up happily. Flowah looked up with concern and hope.

“Oh, that would warm my heart and my stomach indeed… but don’t you seem a little young to-” He was immediately cut off by Ashlyn, who was somewhat appalled by the insinuation that she was too young to help. 

“Where did Spiky last go? I’ll keep my eyes sharper than a wide-awake Glowl!” 

Flowah looked down at the ground, feeling as if he was at fault for Spiky’s disappearance.

“They said that they were going to collect fruit in the Razzli Forest, and haven't returned since. I had originally thought they were just lost, but now, I think it might be worse…” 

“Don’t worry, Mr. Flowah!” Ashlyn said confidently. “I think Spiky will be okay, the worst that could happen is maybe they just got stuck inside some bushes, or fell asleep inside a Sweetstreamz tree!” She was doing her best to calm down Flowah, but as she began to leave for the Razzli Forest, she could hear Flowah break out in tears, sobbing louder than a Yelmut could yell. And off she went, to the Razzli Forest…

[samael-your-guardian-angel]

((Information about Samael!))

Name: Samael

Nicknames/Aliases: Planter of the Tree of Knowledge, Guardian Angel, Sam, Sammy J Gardener

Age/Date of Birth/Place of Birth: Older than time/Before time began/Heaven

Species: Angel

Gender/Pronouns: Technically agender, fine with corporation being seen as “male”, he/him

Sexuality: Technically asexual, sex-positive (in a demisexual sort of way) (Momo only!)

Appearance: Samael looks much like Crowley does; tall, lean, with red hair. He’s had just as many weird (meaning period-accurate) hairstyles as Crowley, but he prefers it long. In modern times, he often wears it up in a bun. Has normal, brown eyes, but enjoys novelty sunglasses that would make Crowley cringe. Loves wearing graphic tees with puns on them (example: a cartoon haloed avocado with the caption “Holy guacamole!”). Usually in street fashion in angelic colours of whites, creams, and tans. Just as concerned with coming off as “cool” as Crowley, but has a wildly different aesthetic.

Personality/History: A fast-living angel. A ray of sunshine, usually cheerful. Loves to people-watch. Great with kids. Easily distracted. Occasionally plagued with frustration (“why can’t people just be nice to each other?!”) Collects plants to the point where his flat is overrun with flowers, herbs and houseplants in pots, and he barely has room to sit down. (Refuses to sit in a chair properly anyway.) Has a bleeding heart for plants that need extra care, and is well known at all the local plant nurseries. All his ceilings are covered with stick-on stars, model solar systems, sky charts, and the like; some of which are hand-made. Drives a white Rolls Royce that refuses to play anything but ABBA, of its own free will. His timeline diverged from Crowley’s (EEAAO-style) because he did not suggest making a suggestion box, and thus did not end up at the Bad Kids table with Lucifer and the guys, and thus did not Fall.

His first assignment on Earth was helping put together the Garden of Eden (not as fun as making nebulae). There was supposed to be a DO NOT TOUCH sign on the tree, but he forgot about it. Got written up for that one. Hung around to watch the humans, was very dismayed to hear about the humans getting kicked out and felt a bit guilty for that. The Serpent, Asmodeus (wait, was he that one angel? THAT GUY FELL???), assured Samael that it wasn’t his fault and he was sure Samael was only doing his best. To hear such compassionate words from a demon (and he’s a demon- how- why- what-?) was fascinating to Samael, and he kind of, sort of, maybe, developed a bit of a crush- okay, he fell in love instantly whatever it’s not a big deal-

Got bored early on Earth, did some weird edgy LARPing to entertain himself, now has an Unfortunate Reputation in religious texts. Asmodeus teases him about it so much, which he finds so embarrassing (“Why does everyone think I’m literally Satan, I’m not, I’m not evil, I don’t go around seducing humans, stop laughing at me it’s not funny-”)

Kept showing up around Asmodeus like a very determined, lost puppy, until Asmodeus admitted that, alright, they were friends, maybe, don’t go spreading it around.

~

[canipetthatdeaddove]

I wish I could understand why it's been so difficult for me to update either blog. Probably just because there's so much going on.

I'm in my 5th week of my first semester of courses - accelerated semesters. At 3 credit hours, I'm considered full-time, and jeezy creezy, it feels like it. Comms and Eco Literacy are the classes, and I feel like I've learned so much in such a short amount of time. The most intimidating thing is learning how to engage research material in an ethical and effective way. Imposter syndrome is going to be very difficult to manage, as is maintaining a high level of personal and academic integrity. I already know I have a tendency to confirm biases, so I need to be prepared to check that regularly. I cheated several times through a college-level course in high school and one of my last-semester course finals in my first go-around in college. Since then, I've learned about how to prevent myself from being in a situation where I might be tempted to cheat in the first place, etc. But I worry about myself. I always will, probably. Probably because I judge myself on a core level about being someone capable of that. That's a whole 'nother discussion.

Aside from the most intimidating thing, the most CHALLENGING thing is maintaining my schedule. Wait, back up, it's actually creating a functional schedule in the first place. A couple of weeks ago, I was 3 days late turning in an assignment because I didn't fully comprehend the timeline or number of submissions an assignment required. 50% deduction. I have precious little room for bullshit mistakes like that on accelerated courses. I'm anxious about this because I was declined funding from the Choctaw nation because in my very last semester at KU (the semester I was spiraling, and, ya know, cheating on exams) I fell below 2.0 gpa (big surprising yeah?). I know I'll manage well above that by the end of this term, but... WORRIES. ALL THE WORRIES.

Aside from school, I'm running my own SMART Recovery meeting finally, still helping out with Wellbriety (that situation has changed SO much and it's very... sobriety testing), volunteering for the PTO, volunteering my time with a native plant nursery, doing the part-time job, making and selling jewelry, still grooming and dog sitting, still gardening and landscaping...

It's so much. It's too much.

I have ended my participation in a leadership program where my "mentor" ghosted my for nearly a month. I just left the voicemail today, so I'll likely be dealing with the fallout of that tomorrow. Maybe I'll blog about it lol.

Today was also my final session with my rehab therapist, and I didn't realize it. So two mentors down in one day. And I'm kind of crushed. The one that ghosted me promised me all this help with getting my finances together, and it was, like, possibly the most valuable carrot you could have dangled in front of me. In a Long List of Things, it's The One Thing that must be tackled before I can start making my dreams come true. It's also the one problem I can't find a single source of help for. Today I went to the library to check out the library databases and just spend time in between appointments NOT BUYING BEADS AT MICHAELS CRAFT STORE and perused the finances section. Not a single book on basic budgeting. It was all how-to-get-rich stuff.

And while yeah I'm definitely taking note for, like, the FIFTH non-profit I need to create to address this educational shortcoming for adults in recovery, I would like to not have to do something entirely from the ground up. A mentor would be so, SO nice. It seems demanding or needy, but I need someone to sit with me once a week, twice a month maybe, and help me create and go over my books with me until I've gained the skill and accountability to do it myself. The credit counselor said, "You need to start with a budget."

Sir. SIR. There is a big ol' gap between where I'm at and competently creating and following a budget. There's like... many steps. And maybe most people learned those steps from a parent, or in some way had access to that education in a way that impacted their behavior patterns, but many many people did not. And from what I can tell, those folks and myself are utterly left behind by almost every program. State aid, DCF, EBT, TANF, Bridges Over Poverty, none of these government or non-profit private sector agencies provides financial literacy/competency training. I asked my regular therapist where I could start from a behavioral stand point, and while we did come to a solution-based answer by the end of the session, there were crickets for several minutes while I challenged my therapist to tell me something other than "start with a budget". I'm seeking and trying and still not gaining any ground on this. It's depressing because it's interconnected to so many other things, but just living in poverty in general. It inhibits my ability to do so much.

Anyway, there's been a lot of isolation despite being busy. I'm lonely to the max, and trying to stand up for myself lately has been draining. I'm not good at it, I never know if the timing is correct or if its justified, if I'm doing it the right way or did I just ruin a connection/friendship, etc. I can't tell if I'm being negative laying out my challenges or just being real.

I do know that I'm in full relapse-mode, and I've been mindful of the substance cravings. I have 7 days to go before I reach 1 year sobriety.

There have been good and wonderful things lately, too - took my daughter to a Bee Fest, all the lovely time spent out at Lake Cheney working with native plants, my beadwork, a glorious morning walk the other day, fall and my garden, and all the growth I've experienced.

I miss being here, though. It's such a regular part of my processing and emotional health to have my blogs, and it's largely absent right now and I feel it pretty hard. In all of this "becoming", it's hard to spend any time just "being".

The olive oil store (part time job) got robbed while I was in it. (A widow's mite. It's a xtian owned shop so of course there were widow's mites.) I'm really tired of xtian music but could dedicate a whole blog post to it XD The robbing thing was weird. Ren fest this coming weekend. Hope I get to go!

I miss you folks. I appreciate knowing that anyone is still keeping an eye out for me at all. The holidays are on the horizon and like all good bi-polars, it's time to get crazy. But I gotta try and not this year and stay stable and sober, and I should try and learn on this space for some grounding. Okay I gotta stick to that sleep schedule - sometimes its the only thing between me and oblivion lol.

[guessimate]

I don't know what it is, but the Asian part of my town is just cursed with broken households. And I could have seen this coming for the Siews, since the last round Yutaka was not controllable... Well, now he becomes completely uncontrollable, because he's abandoning his family... But before that I had to give them just one more baby, so that the two single moms in town are not too similar, and because I need more kids.

Unfortunately, because he leaves, Saku will need to inevitably quit her job, but not this round - I'll let her take all the maternity pay she can as a 'retirement' payment (that's the only free money my sims get, and I know that's not accurate, but I allow it).

Both the baby and mother survive. And yes, finally we have the first baby girl! I called her Yune. She has black hair and brown eyes.

Her older brother, Yong, turned out to be a Capricorn. He's as Neat, Outgoing and Nice as his mom (6). He's also 1 Lazy (like his dad), and max Playful (his dad has 8 playful points). Although he aged up 'bald', I just had to give the todd some hair, because I'm pretty sure he got the tall forehead of his mother's... I use this mirror toddlers can play with and change apperance with.

Saku only managed to help potty train Yong before she gave birth, so she only taught him to walk after the baby was born. She managed to teach him to talk too (thank God it was autumn). I don't think he'll be able to pick up the Nursery Rhyme before he ages up though, as it'll be his last day as a toddler next round. Yong got quite a lot of body points on the toy at least (probably too many for a toddler).

~*~

Saku was going to work when she and her husband were trying to conceive. l booted Yutaka out as soon as she got pregnant for the final time. The couple had to try for baby twice, because the first baby was not meant to be.

From time to time Shime Yu comes over to visit her friend Saku Siew. They are both single moms now. If I really wanted to, I could probably open a nursery... or have Shime watch over the kids. I'm sure they would be willing to help each other out, but they will both have home businesses, which they should attend to in their own homes.

~*~

She earned 1875$, as it was a full season's round (5 paychecks). I'm going to say she's a retired dancer who is getting a golden handshake... She will have to open the store next round at least once. I think the sims might really need some fresh produce and maybe tea in the winter season.

750$ - tax

500$ - rent

188$ - tithe

She needs to pay 1400$... 3800$ total with the last round's earnings. She had some money left, but I decided to at least buy the necessary shelving etc. to set up her store, so that she wouldn't waste it all at a neighbours' stalls. She already had 3 flower bouquets and 7 fish in her inventory from all the shopping.

Saku Siew will be the only person in town selling tea canisters and harvestables. Everyone is allowed to grow these, but only she will sell them. My sims are not actually getting that many harvestable plants now, as I use the seed mod + mod your dig, so they can only plant what they find, and I use the seasonal Sun&Moon plants, which don't give that many crops.

Funny side note: it was really funny to me because of all the maternity payments Saku got the memory of earning 5000$... while sitting on the chamber pot. I failed to take a screenshot, because she had a wrong outfit on (she had just got another baby bump).

[trainerspiral]

When I wake a few hours later, the sun is setting. I sit up, feeling completely refreshed. Pecha juice straight from the Shuckle, while disturbing, really does the trick. I'm not even groggy.

The first thing I do is reach for Coba's Pokeball, wanting to check if he's injured, but both his ball and the V4ST's are nowhere to be found. Heart rate rising, I bolt for the door and barrel straight into a person. When the shock of the impact clears, I find myself looking down at a stringy young man sitting on the ground in exasperation. A wooden tray, a bowl of rice and veggies and a cup of water are scattered around him.

"Oh...oh man. Sorry." I reach out to help him up. "Really sorry."

He pushes a mop of green hair out of his face and takes my hand with a grimace. "Guess you're feeling better," he grunts as I pull him back to his feet.

I kneel down to help him gather the fallen items. "I uh...my Pokemon?" I manage through the haze of embarrassment.

"All healed up and playing in the garden." He gives me a lopsided smile, then a curious frown. "Have you been here before? You look familiar."

I sigh. "I'm former Kalos Champion Spiral."

"Oh! Yeah...maybe that's..." He squints. "You were knocked out by a Silcoon?"

"Long story," I mutter. My face is on fire.

He gives me a curious look and shrugs. "Well, I'm Forrest. Nice to meet you." We shake hands, and he continues, "I'll take you to your Pokemon."

I follow him out into beautiful evening air. The sweet smell of berries floats over the rich musk of well-tended earth. To my right, rows of berry trees, aglow in the rosy light, peer over the top of a gated stone wall. Around me, a charming pathway of smooth stones leads through a modestly sized but abundant garden - more like a nursery, really, so full of lush potted trees and flowers that I can't see from one end to the other. Forrest leads me along toward an ivy-laden wooden awning peering over the greenery.

Just when I'm feeling my blood pressure drop, I hear a familiar squeal, an angry snarl, and a series of beeps. I bolt past Forrest toward the sound, soon coming upon a vegetable garden neatly laid out with worn wooden beams dividing the plots. The plots are all green with vegetables except one, which has been reduced to a big conical hole surrounded by torn-up plants and humps of earth. A Lombre stands over the hole, squawking and waving its arms and jumping up and down. The V4ST spins overhead, giving a running commentary in beeps.

I hear Forrest let out a dismayed exclamation behind me as I slap myself in the forehead. "Coba!" I call sharply.

The end of a blue snout pokes out from the hole, and the Lombre stumbles back with a startled yelp as Coba charges out of the hole and puts his muddy front paws on my shin, squealing with joy.

Forrest is staring blankly at the damage, his hands at his sides. "I didn't think Trapinch would burrow in wet soil."

I sigh, gathering Coba into my arms in spite of the mud. "Yeah, he's a weird one. I'm so sorry. Please let me h--"

I jump a foot in the air as the V4ST, suddenly inches from my head, whistles. I glare at it, but Coba squeaks with excitement and strains forward in my arms. The V4ST dips in the air, stretching its beak toward him.

"Hey!" I snap. "Get away from him!"

The V4ST pulls back, giving me a blank look and a low, flatulent beep. Forrest's eyebrows lift at my tone, and I feel myself heating up with embarrassment again.

"Sorry," I mumble. "Let me...show me where their Pokeballs are, and then please let me help you clean this up. Maybe we can fix it before--"

"Your Pokeballs are right here, youngster," a gravelly voice behind me says. I yelp and spin around to find the old man holding out my Pokeballs. "And don't trouble yourself about the garden. My great-grandson here can right his own mistakes."

"But sir--"

"I'll fix it tomorrow, Gramps," Forrest says, holding a hand up to me.

"Tomorrow is for tomorrow's chores, youngster. Won't take you more than an hour."

"I'm patrolling the orchard tonight, Gramps, remember? The radio said there was a chance of an outbreak."

"Outbreak?" I frown, tucking Coba and the V4ST back into my pocket.

"Glenda will take care of all that," the old man says.

"Glenda's not here. She went down to Verdanturf for a contest. It's just me," Forrest says with well-practiced patience.

"Ah? That so?" The old man tugs his beard thoughtfully, staring off for a long moment.

"Maybe I could fix the garden while you patrol?" I ask Forrest in a tentative voice. "I'm not a professional, but I did have my own garden before--"

"Ah! Of course." I whip around to find the old man's hooded eyes fixed on me. "This youngster here can help."

"Absolutely. Just show me where the shovels are and I'll--"

"No, no, you won't need any shovel for patrolling. Just your Pokemon."

"Patrol?" I squawk. "Hold on...I don't think I can...my Trapinch doesn't know how to fight, and the Porygon2 is--"

"Pish! All Pokemon know how to fight, youngster. It's you that doesn't know how to fight. And the only way to learn is by doing."

"Wh...hey! I do too know how to--"

"Pokemon might have trouble understanding your words, youngster," he continues, raising a finger, "but they understand your heart just fine. With a strong heart, there's nothing you and your Pokemon can't do."

"My heart? Seriously, it's not--"

"Be dark in not a moment. Forrest, show this youngster what needs doing. I've got to go tend the Shuckles." He gives me a nod. "You'll do fine, youngster. Trust in your Pokemon, and in yourself. Do a good job and there's a rare berry in it for you!" He winks.

"Now hold on! You might think I'm some youngster, but I'll have you know I'm the former Champion of--he's not listening." The old man is walking away toward the house, humming to himself.

Forrest shrugs, half apologetic and half amused. "Yeah, sorry. There's no winning an argument with a hundred-and-three-year-old."

"A hundred and--" I stop, gears turning. The carefully tended garden and berry orchard. The promise of a rare berry. I turn and take in the lovely old red-roofed house for the first time, and find it distantly familiar.

"The Berry Master," I say in disbelief. "Your great-grandfather is the Berry Master."

Forrest grins. "The one and only. I'm guessing you have been here before, after all?"

"Yeah...a long time ago." I shake my head. "I can't believe he's still...I mean...he's not retired?"

"Well, he can't do everything like he used to, obviously," Forrest says, "especially since my great-grandma passed. But he won't give it up, so my sister and my parents and I help out when we can, and sometimes young trainers will do things for him in exchange for berries."

"Which includes me, I guess," I grumble.

Forrest laughs. There's not a trace of meanness in it, and his good nature helps me shrug off some of my ingrained tension and shame. But I'm still worried.

"My Trapinch really doesn't know how to fight," I say. "Until a few days ago, I had given up on Pokemon entirely."

"Your Porygon2 seems pretty strong."

I shake my head, shivering. "I don't think I can rely on it."

"It saved you from the Silcoon," he says gently. "Maybe you're being too hard on it."

I frown, but he's right. The V4ST's only real job is to monitor Coba, but it seems it's also willing to fight for us when we're in trouble.

"Besides," Forrest says, "there's a good chance you won't have to fight. We put up a pretty solid wall around the orchard last month, and we spray Repel along the perimeter. Not much gets in anymore."

I look at his kind face, and I know I can't refuse. These people saved my life, and if it's likely paying them back will cost nothing more than a sleepless night, I don't have any excuse to turn them down save cowardice.

"Okay," I say. "What do I need to do?"

@novelistash

[bonefall]

This is more my headcanons from my extensive list and research of background cats

Sorreltail

Adored the hell out of her dad Whitestorm.

Likes knowing all sorts of plants, especially poisons, she wants to make sure what happen to her never happens again.

She also has a bug obsession that she can’t explain.

She has after effects of being poisoned that hit her hard especially since she was so young when it happened. She has some stunted growth compared to her brothers, tremors, insomnia, stomach problems, shortness of breath, and trouble with coordination which was how she got hit by the monster in the first place.

She curses herself sometimes for leaving camp but usually has her brothers to relax her.

She and Cinderpelt worked together with methods to help her live a decent life, taught Leafpool the methods as well, they grew close and as they prepare Cinderpelt’s body. Sorreltail sees no better name for her dark-furred daughter, Cinderpelt’s niece.

Ferncloud

She’s pretty calm like her suffix suggests. She seems like the cat others would go to talk with since she has such as calming presence.

She loves her life in the nursery. Always staying strong that cats who live in the nursery do just as much as the ones who hunt and patrol. “Without us, the clan would be rootless as in upturned tree”

What cats don’t realize is that she can benchpress you. She isn’t helpless and cats shouldn’t try to believe she is (slight complex from training under Darkstripe).

She’s had nightmares of the nursery being under attack and can be pretty hardheaded when it comes with who enters the nursery (foreshadowing the great battle).

She’s also pretty snarky when you get to know her better. Her and Ashfur can be pretty catty.

Together

I’d think these two would bond over how Darkstripe affect (whether how small or little)

Also have sparing sessions or simply relaxing together when they were in the nursery together.

Coming in CLUTCH with the excellent analysis of backstory + application to canon events, this is excellent, thank you.

With this, based on the suggestions that @toasted-spiders and @chocolatecoatedtitties added too, I think I know where to go with them now.

Sorreltail

She's definitely an active sort of person, on the restless side. ThunderClan is full of more level heads (Daisy, Ferncloud, her mate Brackenfur) so I think having her as a curious and outgoing person will be helpful.

She'll have a lot to contribute in the Ash Era (post-TPB to settlement at the Lake), especially as a Squilf Enabler. As a mentor and a mom, Sandstorm probably bemoans that StarClan saddled her with TWO troublemakers.

That idea of her having lingering injury from that poisoning is genius. I know what I'll do for her-- Sorreltail will have Epilepsy. Specifically, she is prone to absence/"daydream" seizures and sensitive to bright lights; the headlights of the car plus the stress caused her to have one. That was how she got hit and had her training delayed.

This might be a fun way to work in some scenes with BloodClan. I was looking for a way to incorporate some fun ideas I had for them-- namely that they steal medicine from the Cutter, Secret of Nimh style. Cinderpelt and Littlecloud having a sort of 'side novella' where they invent treatments for epilepsy sounds like it'd be fun to plot out!

I also know I definitely want Brackenfur to introduce her to Speckletail as his datemate before Speckletail eventually dies taking out that bulldozer with Thornclaw. A nice little bookend to Speckletail as a character- she gets to see Lionheart's children having families of their own.

I like that bug hobby. I'm less fond of the poison/herb one since I see that as more of Brightheart's thing, but I'll totally do something with Sorreltail enjoying insects. Maybe she can have a pendant of a little butterfly chrysalis, which acts like a "pill" container for an extra dose of valerian root?

Also if I was giving characters favorite foods, hers would be grasshoppers.

Ferncloud

It seems like there's no getting around Ferncloud being nurturing and motherly as a main character trait. That's not a bad thing; I just want to avoid too much overlap when possible, and I was thinking of having the "Nursery Organizer" role to go Daisy

Especially since Daisy is going to be a bigger political player in my rewrite, as an ally of Squirrelflight... maybe I can approach Ferncloud as more of the nursery's 'teacher'? Someone who tends to engage the children in activities where Daisy's more of a person who maintains the physical needs of the people in the nursery

I will definitely be making Ferncloud pretty ripped. I imagine Brindleface was also a thick molly; if Ashfur is built like a cheetah, Ferncloud can be more of a leopard.

I'll definitely be taking the snark and anxiety. I really like the idea that she was Ashfur's best friend for a long time, and it would catch you off guard how catty they could both be... but, eventually, their harmless trashing becomes malicious, and that's when Ferncloud realizes her brother is becoming a different person too late.

Just because I'm thinking about it now, her favorite food would be vole

Story Stuff

-The idea of linking a common trauma through Darkstripe is juicy, I need to pick up on that.

-Bonefall Brokenstar, famously, has left the Dark Forest to help re-create SkyClan, so he isn't there to kill Ferncloud.

-Additionally, Brackenfur has been dead for well over a year when the Dark Forest attacks, so both halves of the Bracken/Sorrel couple would be dead if she dies here.

-This also poses an issue for Lilyheart & Seedpaw. Their father is dead by the time they would have been conceived, so their parents will have to change.

-Soo... I'm thinking of killing Dustpelt here, making Lily and Seed Dust/Fern kittens, and letting the girls get out alive together.

-They could end up in the Elder's Den together, but I'm considering killing one off where Dustpelt would have died.

[butcherlarry]

Exercise Fic Rec 10

This is my tenth week doing this!  And still going strong!  I though as a special treat, I would rec some of my favorite fics from the first fandom I got into, Hannibal.  But first, exercise fic recs!  I finished up my reread of “the cost of being a good dad” but then a *new* Superbat fic by Mawiiish was dropped.  I was Very Excited.  In the new fic, both Bruce and Clark are so dumb about their feelings.  So, so dumb.  It was great!  The third fic “end of the line” was written in the point of view of a drunk person who tried to get in a fight with Clark Kent.  Bruce is there to try to sooth things out.  Shenanigans ensue.  The next two fics are still in progress, but the updates were fun to read as I was exercising!

the cost of being a good dad by Mawiiish

Sure Thing by Mawiiish

end of the line by TheResurrectionist

Patroclus by LilyFlowerBat

Just A Little Bit... by HaleHathNoFury

Like I mentioned above, Hannibal was the first fandom I got into and started reading fan fics.  I remember reading the books as a teen and enjoyed them (I was a weird kid, don’t judge me), so when I heard there was a TV show, I was intrigued.  I think I watched the first couple episodes then stopped, but I kept on seeing gif sets, fan art, and memes on Tumblr, so I started watching again.  Then I started reading all the fan fic people were recommending on Tumblr.  It soon went all downhill from there for me, lol.

As someone with a meat science background, I always found the Hannibal books and TV show so interesting.  I remember when Hannibal and Will were discussing meat tasting “frightened”, and my meat sci brain perked up.  Short-term stress in hogs can cause a meat quality issue called PSE (pale, soft, and exudative (watery)).  Long-term stress can cause another meat quality issue in hogs and cattle called DFD (dark, firm, and dry).  I feel like if Hannibal was going to run into meat quality issues with his uhhh, preferred protein, it would probably be PSE, since what he’s hunting is undergoing short term stress.  Well, unless he decides to play with his food for a few days, then maybe he would get DFD meat.  If I remember correctly, he does reference a “metallic taste”, and that’s more prevalent in DFD meat.  PSE meat would be so dry and tough to eat, and not have a nice reddish-pink color.  He would probably have to grind and mix it with other proteins to make something tasty.  

All of these fics are Hannigram, except for “He Who Pours Out Vengeance”, but you can read that one as Hannigram (I think the second story in the series is slash, but it’s uncompleted).  Not going to lie, after going through my old bookmarks to find these, I’m really tempted to reread a few (and by few, I mean all, haha).

Anyway, here are some of my favorite Hannibal Fics!

Ladders series by emungere

What Dreams series by emungere

Blackbird by emungere

Page Six by ThisBeautifulDrowning

Pattern Break by ThisBeautifulDrowning

He Who Pours Out Vengeance by Underground

Shark Tank by xzombiexkittenx

Overcoming by purefoysgirl (I may or may not have this one in book form when the author published it. (I totally do.  They hold a special place on my book shelf))

There are plenty more favorites that I have, but these are just a few.  My AO3 page has all of my fan fic bookmarks, just sort for Hannibal if you want to check them out 😄

My obligatory coffee and pastry photo:

Spring is showing up at the arboretum! 

I just really like this tree that was along the river:

The moss along the path was kinda neat:

This is my favorite spot along the path and I always take pictures here:

A nice picture of a white-breasted nuthatch:

I also stopped by the local plant nursery and got some more flowers to feed my plant addiction.  I almost got a citrus tree, but I was strong and resisted (No I wasn’t, the only reason why I didn’t buy one because they were 60 dollars 😔)

[silentanomaly]

Long post.

Today is a good day, and I want to take a moment to express appreciation on here. I don't often talk about more positive things when I do type out posts.

First off, I received The Amulet of Kings. I donned it. It did not fall off. This is an incredible feeling. Mighty big thanks to my bestie, @buttchugger. Happy early birthday to me! I feel very special! I could rant and rave about what this means to me. But, I type a lot as is, when I do.

Second, I got my wheels realigned, and that was far less expensive than I anticipated. I owe my mother dearly. I will always owe her regardless of her assistance with the car. I cannot afford much of late, and I am working on correcting that. It was nice visiting her today while the car was in the shop. She gave me food to bring home. I love my mom!

Third, my homeboy (friend from kindergarten/roommate) shared the news that he has quit smoking tobacco and casual drinking. Only smoking weed now. He also shared that a former friend of mine has quit drinking as well as smoking anything. I was shocked. No more tobacco smoke in the house dirtying everything outside my room, going through the vents, and no more alcoholic empties!!! This will not only be good for him, but, a massive relief on me and my efforts to keep things clean and organized. I hope the consumption of less toxic substances helps him to clear his head and gain better perspectives. Says that he and my former friend are both already feeling a wee bit better. So, good for the both of them, and even those around them!

Fourth, a friend of mine told me I look like Legolas (not from seeing this picture though). I love that. I absolutely aspire to be like an elf, and I relate to sentiments often held by them - more peaceful ones, like in Tolkien's literature. I'm going to hold on to that compliment and remember it fondly. I forget if I ever expressed that to her, my fondness of elves or Tolkien's literature and the LOTR movie trilogy. If I did, I'm glad she remembered and knew just what to say - of which I don't anticipate from people ever (that kind of compliment, that is, people have known what to say to me in the past, credit is due). I would tag her. But, I'm unsure if she is comfortable with that. I refrain, respectfully.

I love today. I'm glad I was awake for all of this. Sidenote: have been consistently working towards bettering my mental health and establishing a better financial situation in the meantime while I make steps towards getting back to work. I really hope I find a means of employment based around horticulture/agriculture, or just generally working with plants. Could be gardening. Could be at a plant nursery. I don't know. I need that though. I've always been one for wanting to grow alongside others who matter to me, and this whole time plants have meant a great deal to me and I've not been helping them grow as much as I'd like to. I am very hopeful for golden opportunities to do so some day! The more I can contribute to the growth of nature, the more I can counter the pollution from the nearby chemical plants and just in general. That has always been my goal when it comes to pursuing a career. I don't want my work to be just for money. I have to do something that benefits the world, even if it is small.

Maybe I'll plant a garden in the front yard this year, if my homeboy doesn't mind. Something I can do in the meantime while I heal. I will take advice from anyone who feels compelled in leaving some for me, in regards to gardening. I know not to plant lilies because I want my garden to be safe for cats. I must have border plants...ferns...and a smattering of colourful flowers. That is the current vague vision. May post updates on that, if I ever get around to it. I have something to look forward to this Spring!

[quiveringdeer]

alright now that's out the way, tending to my unfortunately scale afflicted monstera deliciosa had me thinking back to that first camera roll challenge I posted with Reiner.

The idea of him getting a little plant after a suggestion from his therapist. Something to livin up his apartment a bit and also that will require him to take care of but isn't as demanding in care as an animal. Which he just couldn't fathom being a caretaker for in his current mental state.

And so he gets that first little plant. Probably a pothos cause they're pretty forgiving no matter if you overwater, underwater, and have minimal sunlight.

And the plant is doin pretty good after he follows googled instructions on the proper size pot to start it off in considering how big the nursery pot was.

A couple weeks have gone by and he comes home to see two of the lower leaves turned yellow! Did this happen while he was gone? Has he not been paying enough attention? What does yellow leaves mean? Has he killed it already? He's spiraling and immediately texting Bert and Pieck in their group chat. The one without Porco and Annie cause sometimes you just need to surround yourself with nice, generally positive folks ok.

Pieck is reassuring him that she's sure his plant will be ok. As soon as Bert gets the texts he's googling the meaning of yellowing leaves. Something Reiner would've done if he wasn't currently spiraling in worry and fret after not even being able to keep one little plant alive more than a month. Is he really so awful? Why do these bad things keep happening to him? Obviously he probably deserves it but now he's feeling guilty that this innocent plant got caught in the crossfire of his shitty life!

Bert:

Bert: Looks like too much water, maybe. Is the soil soggy?

Reiner goes to check and well, soggy would be a strong word to use...but yeah it's soggy.

Rei: I killed my plant with water. I thought that was impossible? Aren't they supposed to be immune? 😣

Bert: I think that's just in Pok��mon. And not necessarily immune, more like, resistant.

Rei: 😞😞😞😞

Rei: can't even keep track of what's real or fake anymore

Pieck: what is really "real" anyway?

Rei: 🙁😟😓

Bert: If the soil is extremely saturated, it says best course of action is to repot it.

Pieck: i can bring you a new pot and some soil reiner!

Rei: I'd appreciate that Pieck. But what if I just keep fucking up? Maybe you should just take the plant back to your place.

Pieck: you've got this reiner! lots of new plant parents tend to overlove their new plants with watering its all about balance

Pieck: pock's gonna bring me over soon!

Pieck: he won't be staying but he says hi!

To which Reiner is grateful cause that's the last thing he needed right now. And he doubted Porco actually told Pieck to tell him hi. But before he could figure out how to respond to that Bert responds.

Bert: I can come over after work too.

Rei: Thanks. Both of you. 💙

--------

Alright that turned into not what I had planned but anywho,

Eventually Rei ends up finding that balance of nurturing and letting it be, focusing on other things instead, like his own personal health. And once he gets the hang of that, he adds a few more plants to his home and becomes an active member on one of those fb plant groups (Pieck invites him to some) and finds a really supportive group of friends in that community!

[devilbrakers]

10, 18, 26, 33, 39 for gray & dante and 11, 13, 36, 42 for el & akira 👀

tysm rena <3 they are all my silly rabbits from this ship ask

gray & dante:

10. Who drives? Cooks? Does the handiwork? Cleans? Pays the bills? Handles the public?

They both drive but Dante does more often. Cooking is often a joint effort so they don't burn down the kitchen <3 they rarely make anything edible but they usually eat it anyway. Gray cleans more often. Gray helps Dante with his bills since they're in the shop so often (they don't officially live there) so ig both of them? Dante's a little better with people than Gray is so he handles the public.

18. What are their dates like? How long do/did they date? Do they ever feel the need to take a break from each other?

Dates are often low-budget and intimate. Earlier in their relationship when they were still getting to know each other, a lot of it involved sharing little things about each other like just playing records for each other or chatting while taking a walk somewhere. They like to go to Fredi's or some other restaurants/bars on the cheaper side and eat there. I also like the idea of them having a lil picnic in gray's apartment 😭. I imagine they also like to drag him to plant nurseries jdfsklf. They dated for a few months before they were official since they knew each other for a while before that. Idk if this counts as taking a break from each other but they're apart fairly often when one of them has to go out on a job, it's a nice opportunity for some alone time ig. There's also Dante leaving at the end of dmc5 but that was not done with the intention of taking a break jdflfsdf

26. How do their friends feel about their relationship? Their families?

Gray's family is incredibly deceased but Miko and Blake would have really liked Dante </3. I haven't fleshed out their bio parents and siblings much yet. As for Dante's, in canon, Gray isn't particularly close with Nero or Vergil. They like Nero a lot but they just don't really interact much. I don't see Nero having a strong opinion on them tbh? I could be wrong idk. They're not the biggest fan of Vergil but they're civil. I think Vergil has mixed feelings but is happy that Dante has someone who makes him happy.

As for friends fjkdsl there's so many (5 at most). Eden spends by far the most amount of time with them and is really happy for them <3. Dmitri doesn't care much about Dante but is happy for Gray (after he got over his initial jealousy anyway fdjslf). Patty was probably the most suspicious of Gray but ended up really liking them! I think Lady and Trish are probably happy for them (mainly Dante) as well.

33. What kind of presents do they get each other? Do they only do it on special occasions?

I struggle a little with what Dante would get them but it'd probably be little things that remind him of them (usually botany/plant related) but maybe just like. a cool rock he found or something too FJKDSL idk. Gray's not too much of a gift-giver but sometimes they'll come home with some beer/whiskey and also a cool rock they found. They also give him a little strawberry bush that he keeps on his desk and they keep it alive year round with their powers :^).

39. Who initiated the relationship? Who kissed who first? When did they realize they were in love?

So they started out as more of a friends with benefits situation which was I'm thinking initiated by Dante and he kissed them first. Gray was the one to initiate an actual relationship after a while and a lot of mutual pining and hesitation on both ends. But I don't think it really took either of them that long to realize their feelings, acting on them was the problem fjdsklf.

el & akira:

11. Do they celebrate holidays? Anniversaries?

Yeah, they do! They don't celebrate holidays for religious reasons since they're both agnostic so it's mostly just for fun but they celebrate most of the major holidays (halloween, christmas, etc). I think anniversaries probably mean more to them though. They mainly like to recreate their first date (going to the carnival and then getting dinner and watching the sunset) and they get each other gifts as well.

13. What do they do for fun? Do they have a favorite activity or do they like to switch things up?

They're both pretty adventurous and prefer to switch things up. Akira does like to take her on motorcycle rides a lot though. El tattooing him counts as a date in their minds, they like to go to festivals/concerts (nina's performances specifically 👀), exploring new spots in the city, etc etc. They also enjoy just staying in as well from time to time.

36. What’s their greatest strength as a couple? Their weakness?

They balance each other out in a lot of aspects but clash in almost just as many. But they're ultimately very committed to building a life with each other and trust each other, and are (for the most part) honest and open with each other. As for weaknesses, Akira has a bit of a jealousy/possessiveness issue though it was mainly an issue at the beginning of their relationship. He's working on it !! he has not had many constants in his life. He is also very passive and non-confrontational when it comes to close relationships. El often has a hard time empathizing with him and seeing things from his perspective, and also has a hard time admitting when she's wrong. They also clash in the financial aspect mainly on how and how much they're spending their money.

42. Do they let each other get away with things that would normally bother them?

Akira does, El does not fjdsklf. As said above, Akira is pretty passive and willing to overlook (or ignore rather) a lot of things when it comes to her and El has no issue gently calling him out on something that bothers her.

[flowerliker]

Daffodil and Taro for the ask game

@kits-blossoming-days

daffodil ⇢ do you have siblings? if yes, in what ways do you think you’re similar to or different from them?

i have an older sister! her name is juniper but she always just went by june except to me, i always called her junie. i have mentioned this before but we have not talked in a long time though...

in any case though i think we have always been very different people. when we were little i really really admired her for being so brave. junie always said exactly what she thought and would stand up for what she believed and she used to get herself into all sorts of trouble on my behalf standing up for me when i was too afraid to do anything myself. she was always such a strong person in ways that i do not think i ever could be. she always liked battling too in a way that i never did, and she was always more focused when it came to really just about everything, i was a really flighty and fickle kid hehe but junie always knew exactly what she wanted and she stuck right to it!!!

the thing we really had in common though was that junie just had so much love in her to share and i would like to think maybe that is true of me too. junie had a harder time with it i think, and i think maybe other people did not always realize because junie was so brash, but everything she ever did she did because she loved somebody. she did so much to take care of me when we were kids.

it is hard to keep thinking of ways we are similar... like i said junie and i were always very different people. i think we were both really really lucky to be able to love each other so much despite that though.

taro ⇢ if someone called you right now to catch up, what’re the things you’d tell them about?

oh my gosh i feel like if i was asked this question even a month ago i would not really have a good answer because i do not do much with myself hehe, but i have all kinds of nice stories now!!!! i would want to talk them about amy and tom's visit, and how amy and i celebrated tu bishvat by which i mean amy thought they had to buy a tree for me for some reason hehe, and i would talk about how i have invited tom to join me at the upcoming festival for purim and how we are getting our costumes ready. i would want to show them the planter alexander made me, and i am getting started on my spring planting so i would maybe want to talk about my plans depending on who called and if they were interested. and i could tell them about all the pokémon i am taking care of now too!!! of course there is bouton and there are the foster cacnea, but there is buckwheat too, who is so far outside my usual specialties and might even become a permanent pokémon here if everything goes well, which is so exciting and strange because soleil has been my only pokémon for such a long time!!! i would want to talk about vanilla extract who is doing such a good job of keeping the plant nursery nice and cozy warm and how bouton keeps trying to befriend him even though he is in the heater hehe. and even though of course beetroot belongs to amy and i am only babysitting her for a little while hehe she is still in my care for now and i would want to talk about her!!!!

i think if someone did call me to catch up i would worry about talking too much hehe... it is different to have so much going on but it is exciting!!!