#my grandma has a very nice retirement home and honestly I wanna move in

[curly-cottage-girl]

the twentysomethings are yearning for the retirement home

[blxetsi]

Hi! Can I please request modern au hcs for Armin?

tysm for requesting !!

modern armin arlert dating headcanons

lowercase intended !

college!armin arlert x gn!reader

- okay so

- i think in a college setting you and armin hit it off really well

- i think you guys wouldve just accidentally kept bumping into each other, whether it be around campus, at some coffee shop, in the library

- it gets so frequent you dont even know if its a coincidence at this point, yet you cant help but hope that you seem him whenever you go out

- after ALWAYS bumping into each other and apologizing before making small talk, armin makes the first move

- mf just says "are you following me ?" to which you reply "are YOU following me ?"

- that night ends in you two exchanging numbers 🤩

- you find out that hes a humanities major, and wants to be a psychologist some day

- you also find out he has a paid internship at a research facility near the university you attend

- hes super sweet but also super humble, so he tries not to keep the subject on himself for very long, just wanting to know more about you

- as you two get closer he gets more touchy (not in a weird way)

- he starts greeting you with hugs now, and likes to have a light grip on your wrist when hes leading you through crowded hallways of the school

- he introduced you to his bestfriends and roommates, mikasa and eren, and they were really accepting !! (they already could tell armin liked you even if he didnt know himself)

- you start developing feelings for him about two months after you exchanged numbers, and you honestly felt really weird

- because this beautiful boy whos so sweet and kind and intelligent is like,, wayyyy out of your league

- armin thinks the exact same thing

- he thinks youre so cool and fun to be around, you always have the best stories to tell and are so welcoming,, its HARD not to fall for someone like you !!

- finally he gets up the courage to ask if you can come to his apartment

- and there he confesses 😳💥‼️

- you sit there shocked for a couple seconds too long because now hes freaking out like "im so sorry i didnt wanna seem creepy i just wanted to tell you how i felt you can leave or i can walk you home- wait you probably wouldnt want that but-"

- you just kind of grab his shoulders and start shaking him. before you tell him you like him too.

- the apples of his cheeks turn pink before he smiles and gives you such a tight hug !!

- hes immediately planning a date with you for when youre both free

- takes you to the local aquarium 🤩 and kisses you in front of the moon jellies (u know those big tanks with the jellyfish that are like glow in the dark ?? and the whole hallway is pitch black except for the lights from the tank ?? yeah ❤️ he kissed you THERE and it was beautiful)

- has chapped lips 😐 sorry i dont make the rules

- has a habit of picking them when hes working or lost in thought

- doesnt mean you stop kissing him tho

- is the kind of guy that will genuinely get worried if you send an "sos" type message. gets out of his own class just to speedwalk (he isnt gonna break the rules and run in the halls 🙄) and come to your class just to see if youre okay

- looks at you like 😐 when you explain you just need him to get you an iced coffee from that shitty coffee place in the cafeteria

- does it anyway even though hes annoyed 😌✨

- will grumble about paying him back for the five dollars he just spent on you while you kiss him over and over again in thanks

- doesnt let you pay him back though smh 🙄

- loves to give back hugs

- will do it while youre working, or while youre doing the dishes

- if youre shorter than him he'll rest his head on your and just smell your hair

- if youre taller than him hes shoving his face inbetween your shoulder blades

- is such a lightweight drunk its not even funny

- none of his friends are tbh 🙄

- the first time you saw him drunk was when eren dragged you guys out to a party their friend was hosting (literally interrupted your cuddle time in armins bed to THROW OFF THE BLANKETS and say "you guys are coming with me 😁👍" and when you two said no he TURNED ON THE LIGHTS and ruined the vibe 😐 fucking asshole)

- anyways you two had to change back into your clothes at 9pm just to go to a shitty party that was gonna get busted by the cops anyways 😔💔

- you couldnt find him through the sea of people, and u got really worried until armin called you

- it was not armin on the other line 😁👍

- he said his name was reiner ?? and he said he was with armin bc he puked while playing beer pong

- the guy tells you where they are and you go to find them. theyre sitting on this couch in a backroom and theres only like,, five people in total there ??

- armin is SOBBING while reiner is trying to get him to drink water

- "reiner you dont get it,,, theyre so beautiful. i cant compete. i dont even think theyd wanna be with me. and you have to see them talk about their major. theyre so smart you dont understand." "okay buddy lets just finish this water okay ?"

- armin is leaning his shoulder on this GIANT of a man just going on about how much he loves you and how amazing he finds you. until you tap his shoulder. and then he realizes youve been listening this entire time. and then he starts crying because he doesnt want you to find him weird. and then you have to explain to him that you two are dating. where he doesnt believe you still.

- eren ends up giving you the keys to his car and saying "ill just call you when i need a ride back" and reiner CARRIES armin to the car 😭😭😭

- hes a real gentleman 😁👍

- that morning armin remembers EVERYTHING and is MORTIFIED

- calls reiner immediately like "did people see me puke ? oh god am i gonna be talked about ?"

- has very vivid dreams and remembers all of them ?? will literally tell you about a dream he had when he was five and WILL NOT forget a detail. its weird

- his family actually doesnt seem like they like you 😳 not because they dont theyre just very,, quiet people...... except for his grandfather

- doesnt even care who you are to armin, will pull you down on the couch with him to tell you about all his research and findings as an archeologist (before he retired)

- if youre ever feeling sad about anything, whether that be stress, family problems, or body image issues, armins taking you to his place 😁👍

- he'll cuddle you and whisper how much he loves you while you two are watching something on his laptop

- has acne scars on his shoulders. dont make fun of him for it pls

- loves getting back scratches though, the tingles make him feel really calm

- if you have like,, makeup brushes and stuff he likes it when you brush his face with them, no product or anything but the tingles he gets from it 🤤

- over time his parents warm up to you quiet a bit, and when his mom shows you baby photos and from him as a kid youre SHOCKED.

- he had this little bob cut from when he was ten to his teens 🥺🥺🥺🥺

- when you two are walking back home or wherever you cant help but go on about how cute he was and how healthy and pretty his hair looked (not that its not healthy or pretty now) and he just giggles before pulling you into his side and kissing your cheek while saying "okay baby, ill grow it out just for you then"

- also loves the petnames baby, angel, and love

- will gladly let you steal his sweaters. has a really nice knit one that his grandma made him before she died. that ones off limits.

- doesnt like to fight, but when he feels like hes in the right he wont hesitate to yell back when youre yelling at him

- just dont yell at him pls, it makes him sad

- it takes him a while (and by a while i mean like 30 minutes at most) before his texting you asking if you guys can talk about it

- its really easy for you two to make up, and immediately hes hugging you and just asking if you wanna do something with him

- also, cuts his own hair ?? and would cut yours if you asked. mikasa vouches for him "yeah he trims my hair all the time. why ?"

- every year on your anniversary hes taking you to the aquarium. and he always kisses you as softly as he did the very first time, in the dark hallway of the moon jellyfish tank ✨

a/n

THATS ITTT !!! thanks again for requesting !! i hope you all enjoyed. remember asks are open !! u dont have to request headcanons either !!! go crazy friends !!

[thelastspeecher]

Superhero/villain AU - Playdate

I was looking through my AU Word docs for Inspiration for Stanuary, and stumbled across this scene that I never finished.  So I decided to finish this scene.  It stars Emmett McGucket, who sort of inadvertently became the star of the Superhero/villain AU lmao.

Enjoy.

———————————————————————————————————–

              Emmett opened the door to his house.

              “C’mon in,” he said nervously.  Carter punched his arm.

              “You don’t need to be anxious around me, man.  Hell, I’m the one who should be nervous.  I might get to meet a famous supervillain.”

              “…Probably not,” Emmett said, stepping aside so that Carter could come in. “Ma’s at her day job and Uncle Lute got called in to help his crew.”

              “That’s unfortunate,” Carter remarked.  He entered the house.  “Oh, well. At least I get to meet your dad and your sisters.”  He grinned at Emmett.  “I’m a bit curious about whether they’re actually as wild as you say.  I mean, compared to you, just about anyone’s wild.” Emmett flushed.  “I’m just teasing, relax.”

              “Yeah, I, uh, I knew that,” Emmett said weakly.  He closed the door.  “I’m glad your mom said you could finally come over.  You didn’t get lost on the way, did ya?”

              “Nah.”

              “And did you walk or-”

              “I biked.”  Carter eyed Emmett.  “Do you really wanna talk about how I got here, or show off your house a bit?” Emmett smiled.

              “Good point.  My room’s upstairs.”

              “Awesome.  Oh, before you show me your room, my mom told me to bring something over.  Apparently that’s the nice thing to do or whatever. So…”  Carter removed his backpack and dug around in it.  “Ah ha!  Here!” He handed Emmett a large candle. “You can give that to your dad.”

              “When he gets home, I will.”  Emmett brought the candle into the kitchen and set it on the counter.  When he returned, Carter raised an eyebrow.

              “He’s not home?”

              “Nope.”

              “But…he’s a stay-at-home dad.  Where is he?”

              “He, uh, he had to go run some errands,” Emmett fibbed.

              “He’ll be back before I leave, though, right?”  Carter grinned at him.  “I’m starting to wonder if he doesn’t exist or something.  You’re so secretive about him.”

              “Nah, he exists.  He’s just a bit uncomfortable with the whole villain thing,” Emmett said with a shrug. Carter shook his head.

              “That’s so weird.”

              “Hey, Emmett!” a voice shouted from the second floor.  Footsteps thundered down the stairs.  Daisy stuck her head around the corner to stare at Emmett and Carter.  Her eyes widened.  “Ooh, you have a friend over?”

              “Yes,” Emmett said.  “Ma and Dad said it was okay.”

              “Hmm.”  Daisy approached the two boys.  She crossed her arms.  “You’re short,” she said flatly to Carter.  Carter grinned.

              “I’ve seen you guys’ mom before.  I’m not nearly as short as her.  Or as Tsunami.”

              “True.”  Daisy continued to look Carter up and down.

              “Did you want somethin’?” Emmett asked.  Daisy shrugged.

              “Yeah, but since you’ve got a guest, I’ll just harass Emily about it.” She burst into flames and flew away. Carter’s jaw dropped.  He turned to stare at Emmett.  Emmett smiled weakly.

              “I told you my sisters were all elementals.”

              “Yeah, but-”  Carter chortled.  “Man, I wish my family had cooler powers.  When we show off, it’s not nearly as fun.”  Emmett’s smile strengthened.  “Anyways, do you have any fun video games?”

              “I don’t really play many video games, but my dad and Danny like to play Need for Speed.”

              “Hell yeah!  Lead the way.”

-----

              The video game session was interrupted a few times by Emmett’s sisters, who were incredibly curious about his friend and not bothering to be polite about it.  Eventually, Emily settled down in Stan’s favorite armchair in the living room, silently reading a book on pyrotechnics and occasionally glancing over at Emmett and Carter, playing video games from the floor.

              “So, Emily, do you think you’ll be the next Sirocco?” Carter asked after winning yet another round.  Emily shrugged.

              “Maybe.  Depends on when Ma decides to retire.  I don’t wanna steal her codename while she’s still usin’ it.���  Emily turned a page in her book.  “Dunno if I’ll go the full villain route, though.”  Carter whipped his head around to stare at her.

              “What?  You’re thinking about being a non-villainous Sirocco?  That’s insane.”  Carter shook his head.  “See, this is why it was stupid that your parents didn’t send you all to Sycamore Grove. Now not all of you will be villains!”

              “Well, Dad’ll be happy about that, at least,” Emily muttered.  Carter set down his controller and leaned back against the couch.

              “This mysterious ‘dad’ again,” he drawled.  He looked at Emmett.  “Seriously, where is he?  He’s not doing a very good job of being a stay-at-home dad if he’s not home.”

              “He’s got other things to do,” Emily said.  “And we’re old enough to watch ourselves anyways.”

              “Fine, I’ll drop it,” Carter muttered.  He turned his attention back to the game.  “So, Emmett, you said all your sisters were elementals.  Emily’s an aerokinetic, what about the others?”

              “Danny’s a cryo, she gets that from our Ma’s grandma,” Emmett said.  “And Daisy’s a pyro, she gets that from Dad.”

              “Your dad’s a pyro?”

              “Yeah.”

              “Honestly, I didn’t even realize he was a super,” Carter commented.  “Why isn’t he a villain?  He married one and he’s got the right power for it.”

              “Not all supers are masks,” Emmett said.  “I mean, I don’t think I’ll wind up being a mask.”

              “But to marry a mask and not be one-” Carter started.  Emmett paused the game.  He looked at Carter.  “You guys are pretty touchy about this.”

              “Well, yeah,” Emily piped up.  “You think we haven’t heard this same line of questionin’ from Ma’s coworkers?”  After a moment, Carter nodded.

              “Fair point.  So-” Whatever else Carter was about to say was interrupted by a loud crash in the backyard.  “What the hell was that?” Carter asked, getting up.  Voices carried from outside.

              “You almost crushed me there, Pines.”  Emmett and Emily exchanged a look.

              That sounds like Uncle Lute.

              “Excuse me for not having a perfect landing while I’m bleeding out, Gucket,” Stan snapped.  Footsteps sounded on the back porch, which led directly into the living room via a sliding glass door.  The door opened.  “Who put the curtains down?”

              “Prob’ly one of-” Lute started, pulling back the curtain.  He paused, catching sight of Emily, Emmett, and Carter, who were all staring at him.  “Um.” Before anyone could say anything, Lute suddenly tumbled out of sight with a yelp.  “Son of a- Emily, get yer father off me ‘fore he flattens me.” Emily jumped to her feet.  As she went to help, Emmett grabbed Carter’s hand.

              “We should prob’ly go upstairs.”

              “What?  Why?” Carter asked.

              “This seems like something that we shouldn’t-” Emmett started.  Danny and Daisy raced down the stairs.

              “We saw Dad crash in the yard,” Danny said breathlessly.  “Is Ma-”

              “Yes, yer mother’s on her way, but right now, we need to move yer father to the couch,” Lute said, pulling the curtain open.  The action revealed Stan, unconscious and pale, being partially lifted by Emily.  And, to Emmett’s dread, his father was in his superhero outfit.

              “Come on, Carter, we need to get out of the way,” Emmett said, pulling Carter up from the couch and dragging him upstairs.  His power dampener beeped.  Once they reached the landing of the second floor, Carter pulled his hand free.

              “Did you try to control me?” Carter asked quietly.

              “What?  No!”

              “Your power dampener just lit up.”

              “I- sometimes when I get worked up- I still wear the dampener for a reason,” Emmett stammered.  Carter looked back down to the first floor.  “No!”  Emmett’s dampener beeped again, making him grimace.

              “What the hell is going on?” Carter demanded, still looking into the living room from above.  “Is that- is that your mom’s archnemesis?  That looks like Flamethrower.”  Emmett broke into a nervous sweat.  “Why did your uncle bring an unconscious superhero to your house?  And why-”  Carter’s eyes widened.  “Your uncle called him your dad.  So did your sister.  And you said your dad was a pyro, which Flamethrower is.”  Carter swore softly.  “Your dad…is Flamethrower?”

              “Can- can we talk about this in my room?”

              “Yeah.  Sure.”

-----

              Once Emmett had closed the door to his room, Carter looked at him expectantly.

              “Care to explain why your dad is a superhero?”

              “I…I don’t know, to be honest.”  Emmett crossed over to his bed and sat down.  Carter sat next to him.  “I told you the first day we met that I didn’t know how my parents met.  Which isn’t completely true – I know how they met. But I don’t know why they became a couple.  From what I understand, they didn’t get along for years, then, out of nowhere, they became a couple and had Danny and Daisy.”

              “What’s the exact timeframe here?” Carter asked thoughtfully.

              “Pardon?”

              “How long between your parents getting together and your older sisters being born?”

              “I…”  Emmett stared at his friend.  “Are you suggesting that my parents got together because my dad got my ma pregnant?”

              “It’s a possibility.”

              “But how would my sisters have gotten conceived if they were still enemies?”

              “Oh, like you haven’t noticed how steamy some fights get,” Carter scoffed. “You pin your enemy against a wall, their eyes stare directly into yours…”

              “Ugh!  Okay, I get it, just-”  Emmett grimaced.  “Stop makin’ me imagine that happening with my parents.”  Carter snickered.  “At the end of the day, though, the timeline isn’t important, and neither is the way my parents got together.  What’s important is that they’re married and love each other now.”

              “Yeah.”  Carter shook his head.  “That’s weird as fuck, man.  No wonder you’re always so cagey about your dad.”

              “If anyone found out…”  Emmett’s throat abruptly became choked up with fear.  “My uncle told me that, back when Danny and Daisy were still really little, one of Dad’s coworkers found out he married a supervillain.  The coworker went rogue and kidnapped Dad.  My ma rescued him, but it was a big mess.”  Emmett met Carter’s eyes.  “You can’t tell anyone.”

              “What would happen if I did?” Carter asked.  Emmett’s heart broke.  His expression must have shown this, because Carter quickly backpedaled.  “I won’t!  Sorry, I didn’t- I’m just so used to playing devil’s advocate that I said that without thinking.”

              “I don’t know what would happen.  But I would definitely never be able to see you again.”

              “Well, you don’t need to worry, ‘cause I won’t tell a soul,” Carter said firmly. Emmett smiled.

              “Thank you.”  There was a knock.  “Yes?” Danny opened the door.

              “Dad wants to talk to you and yer friend,” she said, looking directly at Carter with a cold gaze.  “Come on.” Emmett and Carter exchanged a look, then stood up and followed Danny downstairs.  Stan was on the couch, still wearing the bottoms to his heroing outfit, with a large bandage over much of his bared torso.  Thankfully, he was now awake and drinking a can of Pitt Cola.

              “Glad yer okay, Dad,” Emmett said quietly.  Stan grinned at him.

              “Takes a lot more than what happened today to put your old man out of commission.”  He looked at Carter.  “Sorry about ruining your playdate with Emmett.”

              “Dad!” Emmett yelped.  Stan chuckled.

              “I’m just teasing, sport.  Seriously though, Carter, this isn’t how I planned on meeting you.”

              “Shit happens,” Carter said with a shrug.  Stan nodded.

              “I like that attitude.”  His easygoing demeanor abruptly vanished.  Emmett swallowed, recognizing the stony expression on his father’s face.  Stan was shifting into what Emily called “take no shit mode”.  “Look, kid, you can’t tell anyone what you saw or think you saw today.”

              “Don’t worry, I already told Emmett I’d keep it a secret,” Carter said. Stan looked at him doubtfully.  “I don’t want to mess up my best friendship. Or anger one of the most powerful families in villainy.”  Stan nodded.

              “Smart.  Even if Angie and I have to go into hiding with the kids, the rest of her family won’t have to.  And you know exactly how dangerous the McGuckets are.”

              “Yes, sir.”

              “You’re giving me your word that you’ll keep my secret identity to yourself,” Stan said.  Carter nodded.  “I need you to say it, son.”  Emmett noted with some amusement that the way Stan said his last sentence reminded him of someone.  He glanced at Danny, who, judging by her expression, had also picked up on it.

              He sounded just like Grampie Gucket.  Carter, somehow not quailing under the force of Stan’s stare, nodded again.

              “I give you my word that I won’t tell anyone your secret identity, Emmett’s dad.”  Immediately, Stan left “take no shit mode” and chortled.

              “You can call me Mr. Pines, kid.  That’s what Emmett’s sister’s friends call me.”

              “Ah.  Okay. Mr. Pines.  Your secret is safe with me.”

              “Good.”  Stan got up from the couch, poorly stifling a groan of pain.  Danny crossed her arms, scowling.  “Princess, don’t give me that look.”

              “You shouldn’t be getting up, Dad.  If you need something, I can get it.”

              “Nope.  No dice.” Stan clapped Danny on the shoulder. “I’m gonna go call your ma to let her know I’m not unconscious anymore.”

              “Are my services as a human ice pack no longer needed, then?”

              “Yes, sweetie, you’re free to go.”

              “Great.”  Danny went back upstairs and ducked into her room.

              “Dad, I think Danny’s right,” Emmett said.  “You should be laying down.”

              “Nope!  You and your little friend can get back to playing.  Whattaya think for dinner?  Spaghetti? I gotta get started soon if it’s gonna be ready at a reasonable time.”

              “You’re making dinner?” Carter asked.  Stan raised an eyebrow.

              “I’m a stay-at-home dad when I’m not getting stabbed by villains.  Feeding my kids is my job.”

              “But you just got hurt.”

              “Eh.  I’ve had worse.”  Stan grinned. “My wife’s given me worse.”

              “Dad!” Emmett whined.  Stan chuckled.  He walked into the kitchen.

              “Why’s there some candle in here?”

              “My mom told me to bring a gift over,” Carter called.

              “Nice,” Stan said.  “Very classy.”  Carter looked at Emmett, amused.  Emmett shrugged.

              “He’s right.  Bringin’ that was pretty classy.”  Carter laughed and punched Emmett’s shoulder.

              “You’re funny, ‘Met.  C’mon, let’s get back to me kicking your ass at video games.”

[purplesurveys]

876

Do you own an oversized sweater? Yeah. It belongs to Gabie, but I think it’s also two sizes larger than her so it’s just a really big sweater in general. Do you like to wear sweaters with leggings? I haven’t gone out with that look since high school. Describe your favorite mug. I only have one mug and I’ve described it so many times on these surveys, so suffice it to say the mug changes colors when the drink inside is hot haha. What is your favorite fall drink? We don’t have fall but because Filipinos wanna be Americans so bad and hop on their trends, a lot of coffee shops here also sell pumpkin spice drinks and other fall-esque flavors during October or November. Have you ever worn your hair in a fishtail braid? Yes, it’s how I wore my hair during my high school graduation. My paternal grandma also styles my hair in it whenever I come to visit my dad’s side in the province.

What is your favorite season? Wet season. I enjoy the rain and class suspensions were always something to look forward to at least while I was still in school. Do you ever imagine that you are living in the Victorian era? Not really, because I think it’s mostly unsanitary lol. I just imagine how life was for other people back then, as I do with other historical periods. What color is your favorite sweater? Grey. Do you live in a small, cozy apartment? Change it to small cozy house and you’ve got it right. Does your house have a fireplace? There is no chance any house in this entire country (and probably continent) will need a fireplace. It’s honestly a very foreign concept to me and I know I’d be excited as fuck if I got to see a real working fireplace hahaha. I only ever see them in movies D: Does your dream house have a fireplace? If I end up migrating somewhere where fireplaces are common, I’d love to have one. Whether I end up using it or not I wouldn’t know, because I’m scared of fire and don’t even know how to start one. What color are your nails painted? They’re never painted. Do you like curly or straight hair better? On me? Wavy’s always been my pick. Curly doesn’t look natural on me and straight hair just makes quite a bad clash with the shape of my face. What color is your favorite scarf? I don’t need scarves here either so I don’t own any. I do have a couple of shawls; they’re the closest cousin to scarves that I have. Does your room reflect your personality? It has stuff I like in it, obviously because it’s my room; but I’d change so much of it if I was only allowed to. I’d give the walls color, move my bed to the wall, change my lights to something more sophisticating-looking, etc. My mom’s always kept a tight leash as to how my room is supposed to look like for the last 12 years, so I’m just waiting till I’m able to afford my own place for me to finally go crazy with my own space. Are you living your dreams? Some aspects of it. I’m not living my entire ideal life, though.

If not, are you pursuing your dreams? Yes.

Do you own a shirt that says "Never give up"? Noooooooo hahaha.

What are you known for? That’s a very bold and broad question haha, I’m not quite sure. I suppose people know me in different ways – as the foodie, the writer, the proofreader, the girl who likes Paramore, my coursemates would tell you that while I’m taking up journalism, I’ve hated it since freshman year, other friends would tell you I have a low tolerance for alcohol...it depends on what side/s they’ve seen of me. I’m never just the one kind of person to everyone.

What do you want to be known for? Overall I just wanna be known as a nice person? Like someone who’s been able to help someone in one way or another, whether it’s simply giving them a ride home or pulling them out of a bad place altogether.

Do you get hyper from sitting still for too long? No, my back just gets sore lol.

What makes you focus? Being in a coffee shop, having a laptop in front of me, and seeing a complete set of highlighters are a few of them.

Do you have any friends in real life, or are all your friends online? Most of my friends are from real life. It used to be the complete opposite when I was in high school when I had my own circle of online friends, but we eventually grew apart after we started having different interests and our favorite wrestlers started retiring one by one, until there was nothing to look forward to anymore. Plus it was difficult to keep up with the timezones – I was the only one from Asia so I was the one who had to do all the adjusting. It’s a lot easier to keep in touch with Filipino online friends and most of them are still on my socials today.

Do you have anyone who respects you in real life? I feel like this is a question for other people to answer.

What's the biggest mistake you've ever made? Letting my depression eat me alive in my first year of college. It’s not a mistake per se, but I still hate that it happened.

Do you live in the moment? Yes. I have my grudges from the past but I don’t let them consume me; and as for the future, I do mull over it but I make it a point not to stress about it.

Do you want to have kids? For sure. I want to address everything my mom did wrong and make sure I get them right, and end up having a great relationship with my kid/s.

Do you known anyone trustworthy in real life? Of course I do lol.

Which cartoon character looks the most like you? Right now, probably Daria.

Who is your favorite fictional character? From my favorite shows: Monica Geller, Amy Santiago, Mr. Peanutbutter, Gus Fring.

Do you like to read novels? As a kid.

What is your favorite thing about November? It starts to get a lot colder.

Is your life characterized by taking risks? I’ve taken some risks but my life’s not all about doing just that. I still like being careful.

Is today a warm and cozy day? No, it’s been a cloudy and humid day. All day the sky had looked like it was going to pour down so much rain but it never happened.

Do you like where you live? It’s okay. It’s quiet, peaceful, and secure and that’s never something to complain about. But at the same time I can’t wait to live in the hectic, noisy city. It’s about time I get a change of scenery.

Are people good to you there? I suppose when it comes down to it, yeah. I’ve never had to talk to them but considering we’re a little community here, there’s a quiet expectation that we’d look out for one another when the need arises.

Would you ever paint an acorn? Idk if we have acorns here, and the activity doesn’t really interest me.

What was the last book you read that you didn't want to put down? AJ Lee’s memoir.

Is Anne of Green Gables one of your favorite books? I’ve never read it.

Do you think red hair is beautiful? Sure.

What would you name your son? Something Spanish/Italian in origin. Think Miguel, Matteo, Lucca, Iñigo, etc.

What would you name your daughter? Olivia.

Do you own a Vera Bradley purse? I don’t think so.

Would you describe your style as eclectic? It’s the furthest from eclectic.

[smartgirlsaremean]

Expanded universe ask game for fanfic writers!: Avonlea Books + 5?

OOPS MY HAND SLIPPED

Previously on Avonlea Books, Belle and Gold attended a launch party for her first children’s book. They were engaged to be married.

TEN YEARS LATER

Warmth and savory smells washed over Henry as he let himself into the Park Avenue brownstone. He’d barely had time to take off his coat before there was a thundering of footsteps in the hall, and three small bodies launched themselves at him. Grunting, he stumbled slightly on impact, but tried his best to hug all three kids back at the same time.

“Mama! Papa! Henry’s here!” yelled the youngest of them, her big brown eyes shining.

Henry reached out and ruffled her dark hair. “Hey, Aunt Miranda. You ready for some turkey?”

She nodded and grinned. “Papa bought two! He said with this many people and your hollow legs, we’d need enough food for an army. Do you really have hollow legs, Henry?”

“That’s just an expression, Randy, it means I eat a lot.” Henry put an arm around the boy nearest him and squeezed. “How ya doin’, Jake? Ready to get your butt kicked at Mario Kart?”

“Yeah, right,” his kid brother snorted. “I’m the best. I beat everybody.”

“That’s not true,” piped up eight-year-old Gideon. “Mama beat you last night.”

Jake frowned at the other boy. “I let her win.”

“You did not!”

“I did too!”

“You can’t argue with me, I’m your uncle!”

“Nuh-uh! You’re younger than I am, and uncles are older. Right, Henry?”

“Uh…well, Gid is Dad’s brother, Jake. So…I mean, yeah, he is our uncle.” Gideon stuck his tongue out at his nephew, and Jake scowled. “But that doesn’t mean…”

“Gideon, be nice to Jake.” Henry looked up to see that Belle had appeared, her face stern. “We’ve talked about this - just because you’re his uncle doesn’t mean you can boss him around.” Jake made a face at Gideon and Henry sighed. He loved them both, but they were so…competitive. Adolescence was gonna be a nightmare. “I wondered where my helpers had gone,” Belle continued. “Who wants to peel potatoes.”

“I do!” Jake said quickly. “Can I use a real knife instead of the peeler?”

“Not til you’re older, sweetheart. Come on, I’ll get you started. Gideon, will you help Miranda change her dress again?” Belle eyed her daughter’s outfit, which was covered in flour and butter and God knew what else. “Actually, Randy, darling, don’t worry about a dress. Put on some of your play clothes and you can change right before dinner. Honestly,” Belle confided to Henry as Gideon led his sister upstairs, “I don’t know why I thought the dress was a good idea. She’s the least dressy person I’ve ever met.”

Henry smiled and put his arms around her when she hugged him. “Your dad and grandpa are in the study,” she said. “Jefferson and Grace should be here any minute.”

Henry swallowed around a suddenly dry throat, smiled, and headed down the hall. He’d known Grace for years - her dad worked for his, and had once worked for Belle - and they’d been friends since middle school. They’d even shared a high school graduation party. She was cool, if a little weird, but that wasn’t surprising considering that her dad wore top hats and smiled like a Cheshire cat. He’d gone to school in Boston while she’d stayed in New York, and for one reason or another they had dropped out of touch, never quite managing to be at home at the same time, even during the summer. And then he’d run into her in Atlantic City on Spring Break, and…well, he hadn’t remembered her being quite so pretty. Or so funny. Or so…everything.

He took a breath and reminded himself that the last thing he needed was his grandfather figuring out he had a thing for Grace. Roderick Gold might be ruthless as a businessman, but he was an equally devoted family man, and the merest whiff of a possibility of a granddaughter-in-law would have him on high alert. Not that Henry’d even had the nerve to send Grace more than a couple of friendly emails, but that wouldn’t stop his grandfather from speculating.

“That’s a pretty good location, but when you retire aren’t you supposed to stop working?” his dad’s voice sounded fondly exasperated, and Henry walked in to find his grandfather and father hunched over some papers at the desk.

“I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in eight years,” Grandpa said dryly. “I’m quite looking forward to spending a few hours a day in a dark shop surrounded by inanimate objects.”

“Hey,” Henry said, drawing their attention.

“Hey, Henry,” Grandpa smiled.

Dad stood and walked over to pull him into a hug. “The roads weren’t bad, were they?”

“Nah, just a little wet. Did you guys finally pick a place for Grandpa’s store?”

“Yeah, it’s a few blocks away from the Greenwich Village store, so I can still bug him if I need to.”

“You’ve just done fine without me,” Grandpa pointed out. “You could probably have done even better if you’d taken the CEO position, though.”

“Nah, I like the VP spot better, you know that. Smith’s doing fine.”

“Is anyone from Belle’s side coming this year?” Henry asked. He didn’t know his step-grandmother’s family very well, but Joan was a hoot and Maurice was nice.

“No, they’re spending the holidays with Joan’s family.”

The doorbell rang and Dad waggled his eyebrows at Grandpa before heading to the door. Henry grinned when he heard his other grandparents’ voices. Grandma and Grandpa Nolan were very nice, and he loved them, but they always treated his Grandpa Gold like he was a tamed beast ready to snap its tether at any moment. Gold rolled his eyes and limped out into the hallway to welcome his guests properly.

Henry took a deep breath and looked around the study. Belle’s books had a place of honor just behind the desk - the two best-selling kids’ books that had made her name and the four others that hadn’t done quite as well. There was also a chess table set up to one side, the pieces in the middle of a game. As he looked over the game, trying to determine who was closest to checkmate, he heard the doorbell ring again.

He hoped there would be enough room for everyone, and that Ruby and her grandmother got here soon. Ruby had taken over the diner when her granny retired, and she always brought pie. Really, really good pie.

“Hi, Henry.”

His hand jerked and he knocked over one of the pawns on the board. He reached for it, trying to right it, but he missed and sent a few more pieces flying. “Shit,” he muttered. Panicking, he tried to duck down to pick up the dropped pieces, and his head hit the board, sending everything scattering across the floor.

“Are you okay?”

He turned to look at Grace, who looked like she wanted to laugh. “Yeah, I just…wow, Grandpa’s gonna be pissed.”

She pressed her lips together and fought a smile, her blue eyes sparkling, and Henry flushed. “It’s good to see you.”

He smiled mutely and gathered the pawns to set them back on the board. Of course he had to act like a complete idiot around a cute girl. His dad and grandpa had been the same way. Why couldn’t he have inherited his Grandpa Nolan’s smooth charm?

Grace seemed determined to talk to him, though, so that was good. “Are you still majoring in creative writing?” she asked.

“Double majoring. Creative writing and business management.” Henry gathered the pawns and set them back on the board. “How’s biology going?” Grace was going to be a veterinarian, which made sense because she was crazier about animals than anyone he knew, except maybe Ruby.

“Not bad. A lot of labs and late-night cramming sessions.” She bit her lip and looked behind her. “Look, you didn’t…you didn’t tell anyone that we met in Atlantic City, did you?”

“Uh…no. I mean, it’s not like I was supposed to be there either,” he pointed out. Neither of them were twenty-one yet, and it was sheer luck that they hadn’t been caught. Spring Break was supposed to be for good times and minor rule-breaking, but he knew neither of their parents would see it that way.

“Okay, good. It was nice to see you and everything, but if Dad knew…”

“Yeah. It’ll be our secret.”

Grace smiled. “I like that. Our secret.”

“Yeah.”

She leaned past him and looked at the board. “Who was winning?”

“No idea.” She was too close, and Henry leaned away. “Probably Grandpa, though. He’s the chess master, after all.”

“Yeah, but I bet Belle has ways of distracting him.”

“Don’t go there,” Henry warned. “Just don’t.”

“They have two kids, Henry. It’s not like you don’t know…”

“I can pretend they hatched out of eggs, can’t I? I mean it’s bad enough with my parents, but…”

“I think it’s sweet. They’re obviously still crazy about each other.” She shook her head. “I’ve always hoped I’d find someone I loved as much as Belle loves Mr. Gold.”

A soft smile worked its way onto Henry’s face. “Yeah, me too. Or my parents. They’re still pretty distressingly into each other. Of course, they did meet stealing a car, so I don’t think I wanna copy them too closely.”

“And I’d rather not fall for my future husband while he’s putting me out of business.” Grace looked thoughtful. “I guess what I like most about your parents and grandparents is that they’re friends, y’know? I mean they love each other, but they also really like each other. That’s important in a relationship, don’t you think?”

“Uh…yeah, that’s…that’s important.” Henry realized he was holding his breath and released it. “I was, uh…I was wondering if you…”

“Hey, kid, Grandma Nolan’s looking for you.” His mom poked her head in the door. “Hey, Grace.”

“Hi, Mrs. Gold.”

“God, call me Emma, please. Henry, come out here before she drives your grandpa crazy,” Mom said, and Henry couldn’t quite keep the slight grimace from his face. “Or…is this bad timing?” Her eyes turned speculative and she glanced between them with a sly grin.

“It’s fine,” Henry said hastily.

“‘Cause I can make your excuses, tell everyone you’re in here entertaining a pretty young lady all by…”

“Oh my God,” Henry groaned. He moved to the door, but Grace stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“Yeah,” she said.

“Yeah?”

“We should get coffee tomorrow. Catch up.” Her eyes searched his. “That’s what you were going to ask me, right?”

“Yeah. Um. Cool. I gotta…” At her nod and smile, he walked to his mother, who was smiling widely.

“Don’t,” he muttered.

“Your grandpas are gonna be thrilled,” she teased.

“Why do I come back here?” Henry asked the ceiling. “Why do I torture myself like this?”

“Because you love us,” his mom pointed out, taking his arm.

He tried to scowl, but he couldn’t, because she was right. They were weird and mixed-up and complicated, but they were his family, and during the holidays there was nowhere else he’d rather be.

[dwtspd]

Dancing with the Stars Season 24 PREMIERE!!!! recap

Yay! It’s mid march and that always means DWTS IS BACK and once again, I come home after work or classes to look at a lot of glitter, regardless of the Mark Ballas-shaped hole in my heart.

This was supposed to be their 400th episode? You wouldn’t guess it, since it just seemed like any other premiere episode. The opening concept wasn’t their best, but it was something new, and that I Wanna Dance With Somebody/Someone Who Can Dance mashup was hot. Because I read spoilers before I watched the show, I’ll say that if you rewatch, you’ll notice each celeb’s little opening portion clued us in to how good they would be.

Normani Kordei and Val - Quickstep Normani is from the girl group Fifth Harmony that recently became more accurately described as Fourth Harmony. She has a cute speaking voice! And used to watch DWTS with her grandma. I liked the jazzy moves she was doing at the start but yes it took a while to start. Also her footwork was weird at times (but good at other times) and she was leaning forward when they were in hold. She has potential though. 7-6-7-7 T27 Val said something about “lowering his average” and I think he meant it in jest, referring to Grandma’s Log Book of Everybody’s Scores, but dude that sounds wrong, it should be Normani’s average that counts.

Nancy Kerrigan and Artem - Viennese Waltz Nancy is a former Olympic figure skater who got injured at one point, but still pulled through to get a medal. Her abilities include minimal freaking out when confronted by a shirtless zamboni rider. Like Normani her footwork was kinda hit and miss, but she has BEAUTIFUL lines, which Artem made sure to highlight. Also she and Artem look great in royal blue. 7-7-7-7 T28

Chris Kattan and Witney - Cha cha Chris is an actor and comedian most well known for his roles on Saturday Night Live - which Witney does not watch (and neither do I, unless it’s Kylo Ren on undercover boss). Also he broke his NECK (!!!!!!) before, which gives him some coordination issues. He gave us a GREAT show. I love how WItney added the quirky head thing to the dance. Actual dancing though...... Poor guy, he looked kinda sad with his scores. Nice to see the cast being supportive though. 5-4-4-4 T17 but he gets a twenty for making everyone ache with laughter

Bonner Bolton and Sharna - Cha cha Bonner is a professional bullrider who about a year ago had a horrible accident leaving him paralyzed for some time. Is Sharna the go-to pro for Good Looking Survivors Of Fatal Injuries™️? That said, Bonner is no James Hinchcliffe (RETURN ME MY CUTE CHARISMATIC CANADIAN PLEASE) and he seemed to be unsure of his moves. I can see him becoming a late frontrunner. Also, showmance warning. 6-5-5-6 T22

Charo and Keo - Salsa I’m not sure I understand half of what Charo says, but she is hilarious! Also I had no idea who this “pop culture icon” is - way to make me feel young and immature. The dance style fit her perfectly. She seems to know the steps, but needs to really get the technique and styling. Also she screams a lot. No wonder Keo had a season off - he had to prepare for this. 6-5-5-5 T21

Nick Viall and Peta - Cha cha So, I’m not the biggest fan of Bachelors or Bachelorettes being on the show. I think The Bachelor itself is a stupid show. Also this season didn’t seem to end well for fans. But Nick seems like a nice guy. Also welcome back Peta!!! Hope you get your abs back and also don’t burn yourself out as a NEW MUM. Nick was actually not bad! His limbs were a bit messy but he knew his choreography and kept on time. 6-6-6-6 T24

Heather Morris and Maks - Viennese Waltz Heather was Brittany Pierce (and a dance coach) on Glee, and former Beyonce backup dancer, so we all knew this would be good. Yes it was good, very smooth, very nice. Heather also looks really nice in yellow. I don’t really get CAI’s comment about personality. Hello Maks “I’m a father now” Chmerkovskiy, hope you don’t stress yourself out too. 7-7-7-7 T28

Also we had this amazing conversation that I have abridged for you:

Maks: I know my kid is cute but he is my kid too can I share half the votes for the kids

Erin: yeah because you carried it and gave birth right?

Maks:...

Erin: Hello I love my job of making fun of my ex-partner

David Ross and Lindsay - Quickstep David is a newly retired MLB player who recently won the world series with the Chicago Cubs so naturally, he is paired with our go-to field sports athlete pro Lindsay. Another one with an enjoyable personality, David put on a decent performance. He stayed level throughout - totally worth skipping spring training. The song wasn’t the best for the style though. 7-7-7-7 T28

Erika Jayne and Gleb- Salsa Erika is a singer and Real Housewife of Beverley Hills, and she comes across as very conceited but she’s also quite quotable - “Who doesn’t wake up wanting to win in life?” She has a point. And she brought a UNICORN on stage. I don’t think it was too raunchy - maybe it would have been if she had better hip movement and she was a better dancer. There wasn’t too much salsa content but Erika was another good performer. And ABC, Gleb isn’t your resident sexpot. He is MARRIED for god’s sake. 6-6-6-6 T24 I don’t think that was as good as Nick, honestly. In response, Erika simply fires a fake bill gun. Uno Attack must be dying to get its hands on that.

Rashad Jennings and Emma - Cha cha Rashad is a football player who is poised to join our list of Surprisingly Good Football Players. Holyy crap, he can move! Although I didn’t see his hip action from rehearsal translate entirely into the dance, but it was definitely the best dance at this point. And Emma! Good to see you again. 8-7-8-8 T31

Mr T and Kym - Cha cha Mr T is a film star from Rocky III and The A Team, amongst others. Also the first person who danced with live vocal effects. He seems very dedicated and determined to do well. You can tell he is trying is very hard. Nice hearing him talk about working with kids. Tough Guy With Heart always goes well with the audience. As an aside, Kym Herjavec, formerly Kym Johnson, one of many reasons why DWTS is a better is a better match making show than The Bachelor. 5-5-5-5 T20

Simone Biles and Sasha - Tango can I just say - DREAM TEAM!!!!! Thank you of fulfilling my dream of seeing Sasha tumbling alongside a gymnast. We all know Simone - artistic gymnasts, Olympian, lots of medals, even more cute giggles. This was another Electro Tango With Lasers. At least their costumes weren’t black to make it Dark Edgy Electro Tango With Lasers, which we usually see. There wasn’t as much attack as I expected, but it was a good dance nonetheless. Great technique was expected and Simone delivered. 8-8-8-8 T32