#mum the steamer

[wonderful-magician]

mum... She likes to boogie.

[one-time-i-dreamt]

My mum found a bong and thought it was a Vicks VapoRub steamer thing.

[shadowtriovibes]

the train ain't even left the station

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!MC

Rating: G

Word Count: 2K

Summary: request: "If you're up for it I'd love to see a small lil fic of Sebastian sending his child off to Hogwarts for the very first time! Like maybe Sebastian is telling them about his adventures with Ominis and MC to make the child less nervous or just letting them know how exciting things will be for them :)"

in the same 'verse as "it's a sign of the times" [AO3]

Sebastian sets her down and rests a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Not too good, alright? It’s worth breaking a few rules every now and then to make a friend, or do what’s right.” “Like how you met Uncle Ominis and he showed you the Undercroft?” she says eagerly. A few feet away, you look up sharply from where you’re hugging Simon goodbye. “Did she just say ‘Undercroft?’” “No,” Sebastian and Anne-Marie say in unison.

September 1, 1910

Suspended overhead in the bustling terminal of King’s Cross Station is a massive clock. Every morning, hundreds of thousands of Londoners – both Muggles and wizards alike, though more often the former – pass underneath the clock as they hurry to catch their trains. Many will casually glance up to ensure they’re still on time as they make their way to work, school, or even the lucky few off on holiday.

As it happens, the first day of September brings countless students to the station on their way to boarding schools all over the U.K., meaning the station stays especially crowded well into the late morning. Worried mums and impatient dads all turn their eyes toward that clock, hoping their sprogs won’t be left on the platform on their very first day of school.

Just as the minute hand slides into place at the very bottom of the clock, a handsome young family emerges from a tiny waiting room positioned at the far end of the terminal.

Hundreds of Muggle men in their funny, black suits and odd little bowler hats have already walked right past the waiting room without sparing it a second glance. In fact, had any of them paused to do so, they would have read a small sign affixed to the door that simply read, “Out of Order.”

But inside that waiting room is a grand fireplace. Not just any fireplace, mind you – one that roared brilliantly twenty-four hours a day, never needs stoking, and, perhaps most importantly, spews out bright green flames.

Sebastian Sallow first exits the waiting room with a precarious cart loaded up with trunks, birdcages, and even some broomsticks of all things. If the Muggles passing by thought anything of the man’s rather odd collection of travel items, no one said a word.

He glances up at the clock and grins.

“Ten thirty,” he says confidently over his shoulder. “See? I told you we wouldn’t be late.”

Beside him is his young wife. Their smallest child, a boy just a few months shy of his fifth birthday, is dozing in her arms. Behind them are their oldest children, a pair of twins, chatting excitedly as they follow their parents toward the barricade between platforms nine and ten.

“Doesn’t it seem a bit redundant to Floo all the way down to London just to put the children on a train back to Scotland?” Sebastian mumbles as your family weaves its way through the flowing crowds.

“Perhaps, but all the children love riding the train,” you remind him fondly. “It’s a Hogwarts tradition, especially for the little ones.”

Having never had the chance to take the Hogwarts Express yourself, you find yourself mildly envious of your eldest children, both of whom will soon be taking their very first journey on the school’s scarlet red steamer train.

“Besides,” you add teasingly. “If I recall, you and Anne met Ominis on your first train ride to Hogwarts, correct?”

“Fine, I suppose you’ve got me there,” Sebastian relents with a soft smile. “I rather think this whole journey will have been worth it if the twins happen to make lifelong friends who save their lives several times over.”

“Do we have to?” your son Simon pipes up, sounding wary. “Because I packed a book I wanted to read.”

Sebastian raises an eyebrow at you and gives you a look that reads, He is your son through and through.

“Trying to prove you’re a Ravenclaw already, are you?” Sebastian teases him. “Just like your mum, you are.”

“I’m going to be a Slytherin like you, Daddy!” your daughter Anne-Marie chimes in proudly. “Even Auntie Anne said so!”

You and Sebastian exchange a fond, albeit exasperated look. Ever since Anne (and eventually Sebastian) had accepted the life-limiting curse placed upon her by Rookwood, she’d instead focused on honing types of magic that don’t drain her of her energy or cause her any more pain. She’d found comfort in Divination and has grown into a very powerful Seer, though she often uses her gift to rile up your children with premonitions of being spoiled rotten on their birthday or soundly beating the other village children in their broomstick races.

However, predicting that your mischievous little girl will end up in Slytherin is a fairly safe bet, you imagine.

“I won’t be the least bit surprised if that’s true,” Sebastian says warmly. “But just know your mother and I will love you all the same no matter which house you end up in.”

“Even Hufflepuff?” Simon asks nervously. “Ernest from the village says Hufflepuffs are boring.”

“Don’t forget your Auntie Poppy is a Hufflepuff,” you tease him. “She’s anything but boring!”

That seems to cheer Simon up a bit, but your sweet, slightly shy boy falls back beside you as you get closer to the platform barricade.

“Alright, my love?” you ask him softly.

He reaches for your free hand and squirms up tightly against your side. “It’s really big…”

You size up the high brick archway before you. To the naked eye, it appears as solid as rock, and despite Sebastian’s reassurances that it’s perfectly safe to run straight at it, you imagine you’d be intimidated as well if you were only eleven years old.

“Don’t worry, darling,” you reassure him. “Your father and I will come with you to the platform, you won’t have to go through alone.”

He nods wordlessly and you squeeze his hand. Ever her father’s girl, Anne-Marie takes Sebastian’s arm and the two of them push the wobbly luggage cart straight at the archway, and in the blink of an eye, they’ve vanished.

“See?” you murmur to Simon. “Not so scary, is it?”

With your youngest still propped against your hip, you and Simon walk toward the barricade at a slower pace. You glance around to make sure no Muggles are watching as you slip through the magical brick facade, and then in the blink of an eye you’re on a pack platform surrounded by wizarding families and children in bright, colorful robes.

“Over here!” Sebastian calls out, and you see that he’s pulled the cart right up to the train.

“Help each other with your trunks, just like that,” Sebastian says as Simon and Anne-Marie first carry the trunk marked with an “S.S.” aboard the carriage and then return for the other marked with an “A.M.S.”

Then they carry in their owls – both young tawny birds raised from hatchlings, a gift from their Aunt Poppy. Finally, they return for their brooms, which Sebastian knows for a fact they ought not to have as first years, but he hopes he can talk Headmaster Weasley into looking the other way once they arrive with the intent of trying out for their house Quidditch teams.

(Raising your children in a wizarding village had been quite an eye-opening experience for you. Your twins have been on broomsticks since they could walk, and over the years their godfather Ominis has insisted on making sure they always have the latest model – one for each, so they won’t squabble over sharing.)

You pull Anne-Marie in for a tight hug once the children finish unloading their cart.

“You’ve got everything you need?” you ask her, pretending your voice hasn’t gone thick with tears. “I’ve packed you both some sweets for the ride, remember to share with your new friends, and write to us as soon as you get back to your dormitories please–”

“Yes, Mum,” she says, somewhat impatiently. “We promise we will.”

Anne-Marie kisses her littlest brother goodbye on his chubby cheek, fondly brushing back some of those messy brown curls your husband had given him.

“Why don’t you let your father give you a hug goodbye, sweetheart?” you gently prompt her.

You expect you’re the only one who’s noticed that Sebastian’s eyes have gotten a bit wet as he’d watched his children load up their belongings on the train. Even though he’d likely try to deny it if you prodded him, he sincerely looks like he could use a hug.

As soon as Anne-Marie approaches him with her arms out, Sebastian scoops her up against his chest like he’d often done when she was much smaller – only now her legs nearly touch the floor, and soon he’ll only be able to sway her like this with her feet firmly planted on the ground.

“Have a great term, sweetheart,” he tells her softly. “I can’t wait to hear all about it – even the parts that’ll exasperate your mother.”

“I promise I’ll be good,” she says ruefully.

Sebastian sets her down and rests a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Not too good, alright? It’s worth breaking a few rules every now and then to make a friend, or do what’s right.”

“Like how you met Uncle Ominis and he showed you the Undercroft?” she says eagerly.

A few feet away, you look up sharply from where you’re hugging Simon goodbye. “Did she just say ‘Undercroft?’”

“No,” Sebastian and Anne-Marie say in unison.

You narrow your eyes suspiciously and decide to leave it be for now, but as soon as you turn away, Sebastian leans down and whispers, “Write to Uncle Ominis and ask him where to find it. It’s a Sallow’s rite of passage.”

“I will,” she says excitedly. “And I’ll bring Simon.”

“Good girl,” he says proudly.

Anne-Marie manages to free Simon from your weepy grasp so that Sebastian can also pull him in for one last hug, reassuring his son he’ll be proud of him no matter which house he eventually calls home. Then the two link arms as they make their way toward the train, climbing up the stairs behind a gaggle of redheaded children (whose surname you could likely guess on the first try).

They settle into a compartment halfway down the carriage. Anne-Marie eagerly presses her face against the glass and makes a silly face at Sebastian, which he delightedly returns. Simon waves goodbye as well and holds up the book he’d packed, showing it off as if to say, “See Mum? We’ll be just fine.”

With your groggy son in your arms and Sebastian’s arm around your shoulders, you watch as the train slowly starts to rumble down the tracks and into the brilliant September sunshine. It’s carrying your children ever closer to your home, and yet further away from you than they’ve ever been.

You hide a few tears against the lapel of Sebastian’s robes; he kindly wipes away the rest with a handkerchief and kisses the redness on your cheeks and nose until you’re smiling once more.

“They’re going to have an incredible year,” he whispers to you. “It’s Hogwarts.”

You simply nod, not trusting yourself to answer without a stray sob slipping out.

Dozens of parents begin to Apparate away from the tracks as soon as the train rounds the corner, but with your youngest, you’ll need to make your way back to the station’s Floo flames to get home safely. This time pushing an empty cart, the three of you slip back through the brick barricade.

“It sure will feel quiet when we get home,” Sebastian says a little sadly.

“We’ve still got the littlest one,” you say softly, cradling your sleeping boy’s cheek as he clings to you through his nap. “He’ll keep us on our toes enough as he gets older.”

“I suppose,” Sebastian sighs, still sounding morose even as he reaches over and gently strokes the back of his fingers down your singleton’s back.

Then he perks up and raises an eyebrow at you. “Or perhaps we could try for a fourth?”

You shoot him a withering glare. “Not on your life, Sebastian Sallow. We’ve just sent the twins off to school, I think that means we should actually get to enjoy some peace and quiet for once.”

(Though when your twins come home for the winter holidays with countless tales of their adventures with new friends and their pockets stuffed full of Zonko’s products, Sebastian gets to be the one to tell them they’ll have a new baby sister the following summer.)

[such-justice-wow]

Helped clear out my grandparents house today as they're now both in care homes and I now possess the world's largest atlas as well as a tiny potentially 150 year old merchants conversions guide and all the alcohol they had left after the rest of the family descended on it

I also rescued several of my nan's artworks from the skip and took every photo album I could so my mum wouldn't throw them away

And also a fish steamer because I became enamoured with its graceful singular existence

[itsnotamatterofif]

Cast Recording thoughts that no one asked for!

It’s getting a solid 7/10 for me, and I don’t think it’s any of the actor’s faults. There’s just some strange editing choices that make absolutely no sense to me (freight into act 2 hydrogen with no coda being one of them), and the whole thing just sounds very… earnest? They sure are hitting every note perfectly, there’s just no riffs unless you’re greaseball or Momma, and I am thinking that it’s either a directing choice or just a general lack of confidence from brand new debuting cast. I wasn’t sure at first if this is just due to the improving quality of audio recording since 2009, but like, all the T’s are accentuated and half of the riffs sound like they were pre-agreed, there’s no room for the actors to show off if that makes sense.

There were a few songs that I didn’t like, (I’ll be honest Freight pales in comparison to previous freights, which is sad as a Hydra stan - he doesn’t even get his introduction!!!!) and there were some that smashed it out of the park, and I genuinely think all of the problems are just very strange creative decisions by a team who wanted to make something ‘new’ and ‘modern’ without quite understanding what that is outside of ditching a traditional pit orchestra. I’m a bit sad they don’t have any incidentals, but also that’s rare to find in cast recordings these days.

Outside of that, however, I think the actual singing is great and the cast do their damned best. I’ve never actually heard Jeevan as Rusty (I saw Scott when I saw it) so it was really nice to hear - he has such a good voice. Tom Pigram also comes across better on the recording - some of the megamixes have been DODGY on those top notes, but the recording was super good and I like the editing in AC/DC. The ethereal twink vibes are unreal, they’re giving those rich dudes on instagram who always brag about having £40 cups of tea or whatever.

I’m gonna do an under the cut with a thought on every song (I need to give the music student in me something to do every now and then)

Okay track list run down!

Overture/entry of trains: nothingburger song but otherwise a nice into, could have done with a bit of a break between the mum telling control off and then going into the song but whatever. Slightly strange no trains have nationalities but Greaseball is still the Union Pacific, however big up They/Them Orange Flash.

Rolling Stock: classic, love it, 10/10. We already knew this was a banger.

Crazy: we already knew this was a banger too. Jeevan’s Rusty is so sweet and determined. I don’t know if I prefer it over the doo-wap version from 2009 but it’s still good.

I Am Me: I still don’t actually know whether I like this song, but I also didn’t know whether I liked it in Bochum. It’s a bit generic and it think it’s a bit weird that they’re all like ‘yeah those engines can’t push us around!’ before being pushed around by the engines. I think I just miss A Whole Lotta Locomotion but I can understand why they cut it.

Whistle At Me: this is so sweet but so weird. Why is Rusty not allowed to whistle? Is it because of noise pollution laws? Cat calling allegory? Are steamers second class citizens and have to keep all proof they’re a steamer quiet? What’s the deal here. They’ll remove incidental speech that is essential to the story but keep in Pearl friendzoning him.

Freight is Great: UGH. Tassita is the highlight here honestly. It’s just so EMPTY, I guess that’s a constraint of just how few cast members can be on that stage without there being a health and safety shut down. I hate the chop into Hydrogen, it’s so horrible and janky and that’s not even where Hydrogen is in the show.

Hydrogen: breaks my heart to say it, but I never really liked Hydrogen. I don’t like environmentalist activism in shows since it’s never the audience who needs to hear it, and I find it funny that ALW wants to preach this now when he’s more than happy to take a private jet to a country he doesn’t live in to support a political party who doesn’t really care (ALW is Tory scum for those not in the UK). Jayden Vijn is a powerhouse both vocally and on stage though, and there’s more character in this song than there is in half the first act sooooo

AC/DC: actually a banger? I like the different approach to Electra, and I think the editing covers up for the fact that Pigram isn’t a belter. They did forget to introduce a component though which is just a hilarious oversight.

Pumping Iron: IMPECCABLE 10/10. No notes. Al Knott is amazing.

Make up My Heart: very sweet, very earnest. Montecillo’s Pearl seems to be very innocent, which is different. Can’t really go wrong with this one.

Momma’s Blues: mmmm Jade Marvin has such a nice voice, it takes her a line or two to get into it but once she’s into it it’s very nice and smooth. Classic song, really like it, Lumber’s interrupts however make absolutely no sense without the visuals.

Starlight Express: it’s the song!! Why did they change the melody oh my GOD- Jeevan sings it so nicely but I would give my right arm to hear him sing the traditional one.

UNCOUPLED: Eve Humphries is so so so good. The loss of the accent is worth mourning, but I’d rather she did it like this than put on a shit southern accent for the bit.

Wide Smile: not even gonna lie this is a JAM. Emily Martinez is such an underdog and she fucking went for it. Ending is a bit weird but I guess we can’t have everything.

The Races: I’m gonna include them as one since they’re functionally identical. It’s nice to have them in, I wish we could have had all four since I think the first one is actually race 1, 2, and 3 jammed together. I REALLY LIKE the chorus in the final race singing to get Rusty over the finish line, that’s such a sweet touch.

I am the Starlight: impeccable. This is one of those songs you have to get right and I think they both aced it. I think there’s room for both of them to be a bit more vocally adventurous, but it’s a solid performance, and it’s fantastic live which adds to my theory that they were all being held back by vocal direction.

One Rock N Roll Too Many: amazing, funny as fuck. Greasy’s and Electra’s ‘NO’ is amazing. 10/10.

I do: I feel a bit bad saying this is a bit generic, it’s a fantastic vocal performance, I just think next time you fall in love is much more theatrically interesting and gives some character depth. Pearl spends most of the musical not really giving a shit about Rusty so it’s suddenly a bit weird that she’s absolutely head over heads for him, and at least in Next Time she admits she liked him all along and just didn’t know it.

Light at the end of the Tunnel: classic and good, and I actually like the environmental changes here. Marvin shows again how strong of a singer she is and a good time is had all round.

Megamix: ELECTRA HIT THE NOTES YES LAD GET ON!!!!!! I have been listening to this on repeat for months on YouTube so it’s nice to have an official recording finally. Just an absolute tune.

Yeah anyway rant over feel free to disagree with me on most of this

[pompadourpink]

hello do you have any advice to be more productive with adhd? i can't do anything and i'm so frustrated i know exactly what i have to do and how to do it i have everything i need to do it but i still can't get up and just do it pls help

Hello,

Two things: feed the monkeys and save your spoons.

The monkeys (those loud cymbal-banging toys that live inside Homer Simpson's head) make up a small portion of your brain activity. In itself, not much, but if the rest is silent, that's all you will hear. You feed the monkeys by giving them a task: one can have music, another a spinning ring, the third textured slippers, etc. until they are all busy. Then, you'll be able to make a to-do list and get to work. If an activity requires you to use both hands, find something else for Monkey #2 (watching someone paint or build Lego on Youtube for example, anything that allows you to keep your music). My recommendations: one, start with the frog (the worst one, while you are still motivated) and two, remove obstacles - wear your hair up, put on tight clothes so you will not wet your sleeves, get gloves so you are not afraid of ruining your manicure, etc.

The spoon metaphor is not mine (shout out to some TikTok guy) but it is the idea that you wake up every morning with a certain number of spoons (variable depending on your mood/energy) that you will use as currency during the day to do your tasks. Anything hard or annoying will be costly: if you run out at 6pm, essential things like hygiene or nutrition will be left behind, not to mention the chores you have been neglecting. So, one: embrace chaos and honour your feelings. If you're done for the day, you're done, you gave it all you had and we will start again tomorrow - no need to fight the windmill like Don Quixote, you are just torturing yourself. And two: make your daily activities as cheap as you can. It can mean listening to pop while you're changing the sheets, meal prepping on Sunday so you don't have to cook for the rest of the week, changing your toothpaste because mint is gross, buying a garment steamer so you never have to iron again, decluttering so it doesn't take 45 minutes to vacuum, i.e. work hard now so you can be lazy later.

Love,

Mum

(extra ADHD tips 1 2 3 4)

Fanmail - masterlist (2016-) - archives - hire me - reviews (2020-) - Drive

[eggtrolls]

21 for the ask game

21. What’s something new about your place of residence (room, home, or general location) now vs the start of the year?

EXCELLENT choice.

my mum came to visit me in April to help me paint my kitchen and other general fixes and was like hey I know what you need (need!) in your one-bedroom apartment! A Civil War-era steamer trunk!

so that's where I keep all my surplus books and linens and also my scrabble board. it weighs 15 kg and can fit a baby elephant in there. strongly recommend having a mother whose retirement hobby is refurbishing Civil War-era steamer trunks.

[violetrose-art]

Creation magic gone wrong can go VERY wrong. For example, let's say you want to make wings for your mother so she doesn't fall and die. But you're also hungry. When is the last time you ate? Wouldn't a hot steamer of bao taste good? And now you're thinking about wings and your mother and bao, delicious bao. And you use the knife, poof! Your mum's wings flap around and so does her giant bao head!

Riley Greene

[rubenovichoff]

one time we were walking with her on the shore, and in the distance for the first time she saw a steamer. 'mum, mum, locomotive's swimming!' she fervently yelled.

[keaalu]

Living Machines?

So I'm meant to be getting ready for a holiday and instead I'm stuck being weird about anthropomorphic steam engines. (I haven't been here since I was about six, and I'm now the wrong side of forty. Go figure.)

Someone I recently started to follow on tumblr posted a really cute picture on Sunday that piqued my interest, and I ended up in th "TTTE" tag, and-

And for THE ENTIRE WEEK I haven't been able to get it out of my head. Argh.

To be fair I have always liked the concept of living machines. Of course there was Terrahawks, but I grew up on Thomas and Friends (my Mum had a book from the printers that had been stuck into the covers wrong way up, and I can still hear Ringo Starr narrating), as well as things like Knight Rider, and Herbie, and so on.

(It probably doesn't help that I'm going for another trip on Waverley soon, who is a glorious old paddle steamer, and who is really hard not to think of as a living creature when you're down in the publically-accessible engine room, watching her pistons and gears and listening to her BREATHE.)

Is it bad that this is spawning moooore writing ideas. *le grand sigh*

Other nonsense under the cut.

So first a disclaimer: I'm not a huge fan of "characters re-envisioned entirely as humans" stories (or "characters can become human at a whim with no complications or even any visible shapeshifting"). It's not that I don't enjoy them, because I've read some and enjoyed them, but it's not what I'd go out of my way to choose to read. (And done badly, it's just cheating.)

Give me sappy old hundred-ton sentient machines figuring things out and having totally different ways of emoting and being affectionate because they're machines, right?

So with that disclaimer out of the way...

This is precisely what my unconscious brain has said yes, go write that!

Whyyy, brain.

If a character has to become human, for me, it has to be for plot, like… one half of the pair (because we like snuggly romance as well, come on) becomes human by mystical woo because plot happens, and then when the shock of oh holy hell what the fuck is all this has faded, they have to somehow cope with their new anatomy and fragility and everything. But, only ONE HALF of the pair change. That would be fun I think. Ultimately, one has to be the other's driver/fireman/whichever-they-will-enjoy-the-absolute-least because PLOT HAPPENS.

"I've never seen this before from this angle."

Gets weird about touching the other's controls because it feels strange (and a little bit publically intimate?). Eventually they're out in the middle of nowhere because that annoying plot happens again when one of the actually-human-born-humans collapses because medical issue like an injury or a heart attack (don't worry they have plot armour, they'll be fine, it's just an NSTEMI) and the shapeshifted engine eventually gets yelled at for being ridiculous about not helping crew their friend because they're IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE and they have to get the injured man to hospital BEFORE THEY DIE so stop being an idiot and drive (or at least fucking shovel, man)!

Side benefit of still trying to be romantic and snuggly even though only one of them is still a hundred-plus-tonne sentient steam locomotive, any more.

(Sidenote: I do think it's funny there's apparently an engine called "Hiro" in later series of TTTE)

~~~

keep it up, keep it up, keep it up! the rhythm of the pistons seemed to sing. you're doing amazing, now keep it up! keep it up! keep it up!

And even though he was filthy and dizzy and overheating and his arms ached from the unfamiliar effort, the hypnotic rhythm kept him going, kept his focus, urged him onwards - push harder, push faster, keep going, you can do it.

Unfamiliar adrenaline surged through his veins. In spite of breath ragged from exertion and hot as steam in his lungs, and a heart pounding in time with the clackety-clack as they thundered over the expansion gaps in the rails, it felt like they were one enormous single organism with multiple hearts all beating together, perfectly synchronised for that one singular purpose - save the dying human in the cab.

[worldsfromhoney]

To Fall and Fall to Rise Pt.2

Prev | Masterlist | Next

tw: emotional manipulation, child abuse

It’s already dark by the time he drives into his old neighbourhood and nothing’s changed. He sees the only school in the area, memories of never attending and wondering why why why flitting through his head like an old grudge. There are the shops right across it he always passes, never going in unless Amala has an errand for him.

He wonders again, so many years later, if he would’ve made friends then.

Val drives past the school and the shops. He goes along the streets he still knows like the back of his hand, all the joys and horrors remembered. There is only a spattering of people out, all in their flimsy attire and stupid sandals, where they can wiggle their toes with a sigh in the snow.

Snow is something else. Kea and the others who look at him with a curious eye always try to dare him to touch it, but he always refuses. He’s already ice cold, they reason. What’s the harm in getting colder?

Val just smiles at remarks like that until they feel uneasy enough to shift the conversation. But it makes sense, their arguments. A little more cold wouldn’t hurt, right?

That’s easy to say for people who’ve never felt cold in their lives. It’s easy for anyone who’s never almost been part of the wintry landscape if Amala hadn’t rushed out to find him. The feeling of being surrounded by the very cold he emanates is not like death. Not exactly.

It’s like sleeping and what was scarier than that?

Val comes upon the local playground and slows down. There’s a familiar face. Rolling the window and coming to a stop, he shoots the figure his first genuine smile of the day.

“Hey, old man,” Val says in greeting. The vendor shuffles to a stop. The old man frowns before shuffling closer. It takes only a moment for recognition to finally spark in those dark eyes.

“Von Brandt!” He says, laughing. Val returns the laugh, his smile getting wider by the minute. “That your ugly mug, you brat?”

“Says the idiot old man who’s walking the streets all red-faced,” Val said, sniping back good-heartedly. He threw a coin the man swiftly caught. “What, you cooking those sweet potatoes on your face, Lailo?”

“Brat,” Lailo says with a grumble, but still dutifully opens his steamer. With deft hands unafraid of the concentrated heat, he plucks out a sweet potato wrapped in tinfoil and tosses it over.

As always, Val pretends to fumble with it, hissing hot hot hot if only because it makes the old man chuckle. Three years later, and it still does. He unwraps the tinfoil and sighs as a puff of heat went at his face.

He missed this. The best steamed sweet potato always came from Lailo’s cart.

“So,” The old man starts after Val had taken some bites. “You came for ol’ Amala, huh?”

Val’s hands around the sweet potato twitch, but he nods, staying silent. He keeps eating. Lailo gets enough of an answer from that. The old man always seems to have an affinity for reading him too easily. He seems to know well enough he should let the matter go because he dusts off the snow on his cart.

Val looks at the old man he’s formed a friendship with and wonders. He looks at the gloves, hat, scarf, and all the other layers Val himself had adorned hours before. All he knows of Lailo was the old man was just like him.

Val wonders how much Lailo Croaker knows about him and his mum.

“She’s about to burn out,” Val says and he watches, closer than he’s ever had, how the old man he’d treated like a brother reacts to the news.

Lailo keeps on cleaning his cart.

“That so,” Lailo says, their dark eyes knowing and the sweet potato turns to ice in Val’s throat. “You better head on over soon then, brat.”

And with a heave, he pushes his cart and was on his way again along the streets.

Val … should’ve known. He really should’ve because of course, Lailo must’ve known everything that goes on in this town. Of course, he knows everything. Val had helped with that.

He understands and knows he doesn’t have to, as he throws the sweet potato out into the snow where it belongs.

The snow’s falling heavily outside, but Val gets out of the car, anyway. The few bites of steamed sweet potato make him ‘warm’ enough to only need a coat compared to earlier.

Earlier. What a curious thing to think about those hours of listening to professors as ‘earlier.’

He thinks it’s a lifetime ago. It feels like it. It’s as if the long road from his university to here crossed the boundaries of time and opportunity. Being here at the playground he always went to worsens the feeling settling over him. He feels like the swing’s a pendulum, reversing the hours and days he’s been away. Being here worsens the feeling of wanting to forget. It makes him only want to remember the good things and none of the bad, which made him leave.

Hard not to drown in these thoughts and feelings when everything’s the same—the sandbox, swings, and the playhouse with its slides. The little paradise for the little Von Brandt.

“Val?”

Val blinks. Someone’s calling. No one should be. It’s late at night and his neighbourhood’s never had much of a nightlife. The most obvious reason is no one knows him well enough, save for Amala, Lailo, and—

Someone’s walking towards him. They’re wearing the same flimsy attire as everyone else—all thin fabrics and floppy sandals. Their steps are hurried, steam rising from the snow-covered path that Val himself has taken just moments before getting to the swings.

Then the figure comes into the light and Val wishes he stayed in the car.

“Val?” Mrs Sorge says, breathless and with awe in her delicate voice. It’s the same voice he remembers. “Oh, gods, it’s really you.”

Val offers a polite smile.

“Mrs Sorge,” He says and stops before he gives more than he should and wants. The woman who had gracefully aged seems to catch on and she shuffles closer. Her hurried steps from earlier are now hesitant, as if she doesn’t know if the welcome is still there.

Mrs Sorge looks into Val’s face and the welcome’s there. It’s always been from when she first found him hiding near her house. She sees the welcome from when she promised she wouldn’t say and mind telling me what’s the problem, love?

It’s there. Of course it’s still there and Mrs Sorge sobs and cradles his face. Her kind eyes look at him like he’s still the boy who shared whispers with her and that he didn’t—

“Oh, my boy,” She says with a sob, love and regret burning off of her so like the day she left, leaving him promises never met. “Oh, my boy, why are you back?”

Val let something of the truth show on his face. He reckons it’s like a sheet of ice falling off, crashing into dagger shards at their feet. It might hurt her. It might not. Might, might, and all the possibilities. This, he shows her when he lets himself lean into her touch before pulling away.

Val smiles for real this time. Something cracks like the chipping of ice. He wonders what else will break today. Will she? For him? Mrs Sorge’s hot tears are still flowing down her cheeks and he wipes them away.

“She called,” Val says, and that’s a truth he doesn’t need to explain. Not to the only person who tried to get him out and away and free.

Her tears, he thinks, are as warm as he remembers.

Taglist

@wildthingsandmagic @starbuds-and-rosedust @alexsidereus @adorable-bookworm @th3-scr3ens-ar3-watching

[joshuasearing]

Tuesdays 12th December 2023

Hey journal so today work was very stressful although it was not that busy today until right at the end a lot of things made me pissed of. So the first thing was at one point I was waiting for this breakfast roll ketchup for this delivery order and basically I called it twice, and I looked and what I needed was still not there. Then I asked someone else to make it and after this the person that did not make it said that I said bacon roll ketchup when I didn’t. The thing that pissed me off is she said it in such a way that came of across so rude and not needed. Left me so pissed of and angry. But the thing that annoys me the most is I know what I said. Anyways she had accidentally made two bacon roll ketchups. Also the thing that annoyed me was I was so polite with her yet she was so rude and this was a manager to make it worse. Another thing that I did at work today was used a steamer which basically sprays steam and I used it to get on the nitty gritty shit of the stairs and i did this for a good half an hour, I also helped clean some wheels, walls and doors.

Another thing that pissed me of today was when a customer came up to me outside when I was running parks and said they had been waiting 20 minutes for there food and yet again were really rude at me again. Then I went all the way back inside to see if I could find he’s order so he could get he’s food. I then went all the way back outside to he’s car and gave him he’s food I was really sincere and apologised really nice and said sorry for the wait. He basically said back to me “well sorry is not good enough I’ve been waiting 20 minutes”. This type of shit makes you never want to be nice and respectful to customers ever again. Also to make matters worse he rolled he’s eyes at me which pissed me off. Anyways when my shift came to an end I asked if I could go but it literally fucking started getting busy. My mums was in the restaurant as she was getting food for my brother. Then my manager offered my family food if I can stay for an extra 15 minutes. So I stayed and worked until 4pm. After this I got charge went a toilet, then got the food. So my mum didn’t want anything but my brother wanted a Oreo flurry so I got him one. Then I got myself a caramel galaxy flurry and a chocolate pie. Anyways after all of this I went upstairs and sat with them. Long story short my brother ended up not eating half he’s food and I ate it I also ate all he’s Oreo flurry so all that food just went to my belly instead.

After this my mum dropped me off to the gym. Today was a pull session however at the end of my session I also did a bit of chest. Today was really good session as I was really motivated and wanted to let some anger out. It was one of my hardest working sessions ever. After my pull session. I walked home got my cookie dough ice cream. Then once walking home for the last ten minutes of my walk I spoke to my mum on the horn about all the things that were on my mind. Then once I got home I watched some YouTube and had dinner and my ice cream. Since then I have also had a shower, done my documenting my mental health video now I’m writing in here before I go to bed.

P.s I forgot to mention one more thing that pissed me off today. So today it was practically raining my whole shift and It kept on chucking it down and there was so many times where I was running these parks out in this weather, then there was this guy from a different store working with us today and he was not touching the parks stxhtis point. I was literally the only one running them and it was pissing me of. Then after a while he got told to do them. Then after a few hours we both were doing them. At first it pissed me of when it was only me doing it. Then I thought maybe I was designated park runner as I had the coat on. Maybe he thought he was not expected to do it. Anyways I will speak to you later journal, bye journal!

[mydyspraxiablog]

Having Dyspraxia can be difficult at time because people don't understand Dyspraxia it very hard get disabled railway card and blue badge I have got Disabled Bus Stop but can't find CEA Cirma pass mum said she give me and said havn't guest if can't find it have paid another £5 for lost it that 3 gone missing this year in Cimera pass that be £15 spead on lost Cimera pass be other £5 if can't find it very frustrating when mum said give you and can't rambert have it so frustrating.

If can't find Cimera card can't watch film stayed home using steamer serrive.

Now going have early night got few surprises coming after family birthday come up Soon.

I need do things new but what? I want be member of Dyspraxia foundation because I got dyspraxia I member off Coelic 🇬🇧, I also member Stafford 3Ua and Trefoil guilds but I got secret 😜 yes got secret after Sydnee and Annabel die missing the pets badly do miss them lay on me.

I secret is I want going cat cafe in Esscellshaw and sponder some cats 🐈 but do want some animals but also want going crusie.This week have few embarrassed movment embarrassed when hearing aids fall out.

Say goodnight now.

[saintmeghanmarkle]

A little observation with images on wearing Shorts. and Please get a steamer its like 30 dollars on amazon for a cheap one. It literally takes no more than 5 mins. by u/AnotherHovercraft

A little observation with images on wearing Shorts. and Please get a steamer, its like 30 dollars on amazon for a cheap one. It literally takes no more than 5 mins. I say this as someone with skinny legs (My mum calls them toothpick but that's for me) Baggy shorts are not for us, fitted with a smidge of room sure but baggy. I know she can look good in shorts because she has before case in point:mm in shortshttps://preview.redd.it/cbx872hvm0ob1.jpg?width=194&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ae4271d04f8f75d88c6e0501a6b558fca8ab31adespite the length of the 2nd one she looked good, the focus wasn't on the skinny-ness of the shorts but the length of her legs.case in point: https://ift.tt/PfxnDBg for fucksake Iron your fucking clothes the night before... Get a portable steamer from Amazon they cost 30 dollars. Todays outfits wasn't even sports chic... It was more brunch with friends, heading to the farmers market, or something. This is how you do sports https://preview.redd.it/r4dq23cdo0ob1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f3ef8d858e58b79d713445dda0b78dda8799a12ehttps://preview.redd.it/wxjm703io0ob1.jpg?width=183&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9eaee2c8f633023618278992eac0b4def4835d72https://preview.redd.it/beoup7geo0ob1.jpg?width=164&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=61d4a65ac6be5848fbbb1fd068f1586a44003fa2​ post link: https://ift.tt/La7w1mV author: AnotherHovercraft submitted: September 13, 2023 at 02:33PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[constantviewings]

A (Not So) Weekly Wrap-Up

Oops it’s been a month...anyways!

Knock at the Cabin

While vacationing at a remote cabin, a young girl and her two fathers are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand that the family make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. With limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost.

Get inside honey, it’s WWE champion Dave Bautistia! This is not what I thought it would be... I went into this ITCHING for a classic M Night twist and that just didn’t happen. Everything was played so straight and seriously that I was left really underwhelmed; like at least make it that the world wasn’t actually ending and it was all for nothing. Also, the crashed plane just saying ‘Australia’ instead of an actual airline is hilarious to me.

Rating: -2

The Super Mario Bros Movie

While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers—and brothers—Mario and Luigi are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.

This is just a really fun movie, the story is simple and the whole movie looks beautiful. I really have two issues: I wish Anya Taylor Joy was doing at least a little bit of a voice and the soundtrack is not great. The choice of liscensed songs is really random and makes it pretty easy to get distracted.

Rating: 3

Death on the Nile

Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot's Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple's idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short.

I’ll be honest, this movie isn’t anything special. It’s a nice little mystery to kill time but nohting to write home about. The most bonkers part for me is that all of this drama is over who gets to marry Armie Hammer who I think is pretty standard looking... Unfortunately my prediction of ‘never trust a boy mum’ was wrong but oh well.

Rating: 3

[magdasabs]

What is your christmas wish?

I don't really want anything 😅 but my mum got me a clothes steamer like magda's, actually very happy with that gift