#my guess is that it did happen and it was the spring of 68

[its-been-rose]

George and Marie met before he joined the football team, but after he was on the basketball team. They met on the court. But George’s name is also on the flyer for the school play. To me this implies that they knew each other when they did the play or else they would’ve met in drama club.

So now in my head I’m just imagining George being a kinda sporty guy Y’Know and then his girlfriend is a complete theater geek who is the president of the drama club and when auditions come around she’s like you HAVE to audition and he does and he absolutely loves theater and then they just become a pair of little theater geeks. But he still really likes sports so he tries out for football too lol. But like the idea of Marie pushing him to try theater and him doing it because she’s his girlfriend and he loves her and wants to engage in her hobbies is so FREAKING cute.

[donnabroadway]

Six feet deep

"Let me see your boo-boo mama," she says, as she opens a band aid out of the first aid kit. "Let me help you since Daddy isn't being good." she says as she opens the band aid and puts it on her mother's fresh hand wound.

It all started over the air conditioning. It was mid-April in Maryland, which means it was either third winter, false summer, or true spring. I guess it fluctuated between all three as the week before it was nearly 90 degrees and this day it was barely 65 degrees. It was too cold for the air but here it was a toasty 68 degrees inside the house. She went to turn the air off. Her father told her mother not to touch it. It started with her father plucking her mother, to him calling her mother a bitch, a black bitch at that, him cornering her in the kitchen with her two year old sister standing between her parents, and her mother bleeding.

"How did Daddy hurt you, Mama," she asks.

"He twisted my hand. Doesn't matter. Do your homework." Her mother hands her a pair of small pink scissors and a glue stick. She was in kindergarten and the homework was a reading assignment.

The fighting wasn't new. It wasn't consistent but it wasn't new. It fluctuated. It started with a push on her mother's first official Mother's Day. It continued with another push just six days after her baby sister was born.

"Why do you and Daddy fight in front of me?" she asked. Her mother didn't have an answer.

Was it considered domestic violence if it only happened occasionally? Don't know but all it took was one final push for her mother not to get up. One push for her parents to become the latest murder-suicide to grace national news. How did this rising star seen smiling in family, college, and sorority photos and the ex correctional officer who barely finished high school end up entangled in this mess? She didn't know as she sat a single white rose on her mother's coffin and escorted her sister to the waiting van.

Six feet under is now where she would visit her mother.

They always knew. His family would say. "She stressed him out and raised his blood pressure." No one was blaming her mother, who was the victim after all but she wasn't the perfect victim. No matter how many smiling photos they took, she wanted things and a life he didn't want and she didn't know how to take no for an answer. She didn't care about him, she wanted what she wanted. She didn't like his family and they were very important to him. At least she was cordial with his grandmother but why would he marry someone who didn't have a good relationship with her family when he was so close to his. She was insecure and he was the good guy. She was broke when he met him, unstable despite having two degrees. He had a good job making good money with good benefits. He was fine without her. He was stable without her, in all ways. She came in and destabilized him. He never had as much as a fight and then there she was. In spite of all the smiling pictures and stories of her as a mother, she was the villain and he was the jilted anti-hero who couldn't take it anymore. She had no respect for anyone, certainly not him and while they weren't saying it was right, they could understand why he snapped.

There was her mother, reduced to a headline, speculation and smiling pictures. That was all that was left once the dust settled and there were no more headlines to be made. There wouldn't be a trial, only that of public opinion because the perpetrator was also dead and try as you might, you couldn't prosecute a dead man.

So there was her mother. A headstone and a hole six foot deep. Here lies beloved daughter and mother.

[equestrianwritingsstuff]

In recognition of 200 followers.....

I composed a list of 200 hero x villain dialogue prompts for you guys to ask me or reblog it and ask your own followers or if you take inspiration.

Thank you so much! It means a whole lot!

1. "I wish I had longer to love you."

2. "Sometimes being the greatest is being the worse."

3. "I will kill you if you die on me."

4. "Bury me... under a willow tree... with tulips and lilies to blossom in the spring and a small stream to keep me company."

5. "Villains aren't capable of love; yet, here I am crying over your grave."

6. "The kitten's name is Max."

7. "I'm going to get a beer."

8. "There is only one way to kill me, but you could never muster the strength to pull through."

9. "I'm dizzy with love for you."

10. "Hero, you are drunk not a toddler."

11. "I pledge to serve you willingly, butthead."

12. "Ride the waves with me." "You are a mermaid, no thanks."

13. "Stay awake for me; it's only a little farther."

14. "I can't carry you!"

15. "He isn't much, but we'll make do."

16. "I WANT TO SEE HER! LET ME SEE HER PLEASE. Please..."

17. "George Washington never told a fib, and I am greater than him, so trust me, Hero, when I say I am telling the truth."

18. "Eggs and butter make dough, knives and guns make death."

19. "You are insane."

20. "The bomb is going off in twenty seconds, Hero. Run now. I-I'm going to stop it."

21. "What is love?"

22. "I don't get the function of hugs."

23. "Mentally I'm good, but physically..."

24. "I only wished for happiness from that genie. I guess it was evil."

25. "Break him, shatter him, destroy him."

26. "Sing with me."

27. "Villain you are touch starved, not dying."

28. "What the heck did you do to your hair." "What? You don't like it?" "It looks like my cat's litterbox."

29. "Don't give me hope."

30. "I am not a disease or a parasite. I am a human. I am one of those millions you swore to protect."

31. "Kiss, marry, kill?" "Kill, kill, kill."

32. "You created me."

33. "Villain don't you dare pass out."

34. "I like the look of blood on you, compliments your eyes."

35. "I kinda dropped Hero through space."

36. "Power exhaustion sucks."

37. "Time to save the world. Yay!" *says in sarcasm*

38. "Let me feed you Hero."

39. "You do not have AC?!"

40. "Villain you have a fever."

41. "Am I drunk?"

42. "Movies. Nine o'clock. Don't be late."

43. "Lemme grab a beer and we are good to go."

44. "Don't. Look. At. Me."

45. "He just had his wisdom teeth out sooo." "How bad can it be? Villain has been shot with twenty tranq darts at one and didn't pass out... immediately anyway, took a good twenty minutes." "Well, you see-" "THE KITTEN IS TRYING TO KILL ME!!!!!"

46. "She needs surgery."

47. "It's a panic attack..." "KISS HIM!"

48. "Blood, gore, madness... this was made for me."

49. "Quit drooling on me and sit up."

50. "There's only one bed."

51. "He looks so cute when he sleeps."

52. "Of all the places to live, you had to choose a heavily fortified medieval castle two thousand years in the past?"

53. "You are a peacock Hero."

54. "Let's see who will drown first. You or me. One, two, three... let's go!"

55. "I wasn't always like this."

56. "Madness is for geniuses, not for me."

57. "It's just a sedative that's going to make you nice and docile."

58. "He's out." "Good, let him rest, villainy is hardwork."

59. "I love her, but she doesn't love me."

60. "If I had a choice to save you or me, I'd pick me."

61. "Gag her."

62. "They aren't made for this, give them mercy."

63. "Talk now or she dies."

64. "Broken ribs, broken jaw, broken arm... are you sure you want me to continue." "No." "Then tell me your name."

65. "Get me some thread and a needle. Just don't touch me."

66. "The police are coming."

67. "Tell me where she is. TELL ME WHERE IS SHE OR I WILL SLASH YOUR THROAT AND TOSS YOU IN THE SEWER!!!!!"

68. "I love you." "I don't."

69. "Hug me just one last time."

70. "Villain hey hey hey. Calm down. You've been in a pretty bad accident."

71. "They won't be able to walk again."

72. "Tell me... just tell if they made it."

73. "Can't you just poof me another arm?"

74. "If you saved all of them, you can save me."

75. "I'm really tired..."

76. "Sleep. I will stay with you."

77. "She is sixteen years old." "All musicians start young." "This isn't a concert, this is life. Stop ruining it."

78. "He"s been in an accident." "Where?" "Five minutes away from your place."

79. "I wish he wasn't unconscious, so I could talk to him. So I could thank him."

80. "It's been four months now. I have came everyday and, uh, I dunno what to say. Hero, I need you to wake up. I can't function knowing you are right here."

81. "I have a date." "Hmm with who?" "Supervillain." "When and where honey?"

82. "Shhhhhhh. Be quiet. We are still being hunted."

83. "Desert?" "What are you trying to do? Kill me?"

84. "I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you." "I know, I know dear and I so sorry, but I need you to help me. I need you to help them."

85. "Villain just sleep. Allow the drugs to take you under. Don't fight it, don't resist... just sleep. In the morning, we will be safe."

86. "Being lost in the woods isn't ideal."

87. "An injection of valium will do it."

88. "There's no anesthesia."

89. "Wouldn't it be great if we never met each other?"

90. "Bless you." "I didn't sneeze." "Yeah right. Now go sit down, you're sick."

91. "It's called insomnia you dim-wit."

92. "Join me and we can be great."

93. "You didn't bring me here for the cake." "No, dear, but you are so gullible. I brought you here for a sacrifice." "My life?" "Why yes."

94. "I don't know. I never had someone collapse on my doorstep before."

95. "I have nothing to lose. No family, no friends, just my meaningless life."

96. "That's my daughter, not the villain's... so give me her back before I rip your eyes out."

97. "How long was I out for?!" "Ten minutes, but you were drifting. I don't think you had that good of rest." "Oh, I thought I was asleep for hours."

98. "I know, I know you are going to hate me after this, but trust me when I say it's for the best."

99. "I know everything about you."

100. "I think narcissism is contagious because after watching you for a couple hours, I think I may have developed a little crush on the mirror..."

101. "What did you give me?"

102. "Is she screams, I'm going to scream, and then we are going to die."

103. "No fighting today, my cat just died."

104. "How hard did you punch me?"

105. "Not gonna lie, being delirious was epic."

106. "I am cooking for you. You aren't my servant, so stop thinking it."

107. "My old masters made me into a weapon and called me Villain, but if you desire a lapdog I am going to need to be refurnished to fit your needs."

108. "What is his deal?" "I think he's just crazy."

109. "Love is not what I had in mind when I agreed to go on a date with you."

110. "Hugs are overrated."

111. "Are you too hot or too cold?" "Both."

112. "I wish we could turn back time."

113. "I lost the game." "What do you mean? Hero is dead." "Precisely."

114. "Make a wish." "That you live."

115. "Villain has been acting exceptional! Today we granted them a break from the machine. Go ahead Hero and take him for some ice cream."

116. (Sleepy murmurs) "Don't go. I neeeed you." "Yeah yeah I know Villain."

117. "Villain was the one who hurt me, not Hero."

118. "Supervillain is in danger!"

119. "If everyone is scared of me, I might as well be alone."

120. "My head is killing me."

121. "Don't call an ambulance. Just... hold me."

122. "You don't have to do this. It's going to hurt you more than me." "Anything for you dearest, anything at all."

123. "Hero, go wash your hands before dinner."

124. "You have PTSD?" "I don't know?"

125. "I have soap in my eyes!' "Rinse it out." "Mm no I'm permanently mortally blinded." "Uh huh."

126. "We need to cuddle to keep warm."

127. "Take care of them for me, will you?"

128. "When I'm gone, promise to tell my mother, please."

129. "Drug him and then bring him to me."

130. "Superheroes are for children. In all honesty, we are all villains."

131. "Oh my gosh, Hero, what happened?" "Poisoned."

132. "Wouldn't it be nice?" "I don't fancy prosthetics."

133. "Just shut up and listen!"

134. "There is a memorial parade for Hero tomorrow. They asked you to lead it."

135. "She turned it around... at the end."

136. "I wish that he understood how much I care for him."

137. "Civilian! He fell asleep in my lap last night, like totally zooted. It was so cute, but also very tempting. I stuck a french fry up his nose." "Wow. Did he wake up then?" "Yeah, I am sorta kidnapped right now..."

138. "The book, the sword... all pieces of the puzzle huh." "No, darling, all pieces of my game."

139. "Their death is my fault! Not your's, but mine, so quit trying to make me feel better."

140. "Once upon a time-" "Oh please, not another fairytale."

141. "If only it was that easy."

142. "We are stuck in a maze, how can you be so joyful?"

143. "Celebrate Hero, eat your cake, party into the night... but just know, I will be back."

144. "Call 911!" "Why?" "I stubbed my toe."

145. "Your jawline looks like it was gauzed over in lard." "It looks better than your hay for hair."

146. "You're my best friend." "Villain? Are you on drugs?"

147. "Lay him there and leave him. Let the rats dine on him."

148. "The point of the cow suit?" "Oh, uh, I was at a Halloween parade. You know, for children."

149. "I-i never wanted to hurt you." "I know, I wanted you to, so I allowed it."

150. "Favorite movie?" "Your death." "Ooo never heard of it, let's watch it." "*groans* Oh my gosh, you are stupid."

151. "Being a flutist is my only superpower. And being modest apparently."

152. "Your head will join my collection if yoi don't watch out."

153. "Hey, hey! Wake up, buddy. It's just a nightmare."

154. "Meh head hurts." "Yeah, you hit it pretty hard."

155. "Let's go for a ride." "On that yellow miniature school bus?" "It's a ranger you idiot."

156. "No painkillers, no bandages, perfect environment for infection to settle... I'm just gonna leave you here Villain."

157. "I save you and this is how you repay me? A prison?"

158. "What are you doing?" "Climbing a tree? No Hero, I am breaking into your house to kidnap you."

159. "I formally apologize."

160. "Of all places, Hero, you had to teleport us to a desert. A DESERT."

161. "Supervillain won't stop unless we team up." "I don't think our alliance will stop them, I think it'll just make them angrier."

162. "Stop singing or I will blow this place until even the last atom is broken into itty-bitty molecules!" "That... that is scientifically impossible."

163. "I'm a genius! Yippee!"

164. "Life isn't perfect and nor is your morals."

165. "Control yourself before you kill everyone around you."

166. "Say your goodbyes."

167. "Of all the ways I've died, drowning was by far the nicest."

168. "Love the collar. Is it for fashion purposes?" "Uh, um, uh, er, no?"

169. "You look lonely. Want some hot coco?"

170. "It is negative million out there and you expect me to come in toasty warm after fixing your power?"

171. "Are you sick?" "Yeh." "Come on in then."

172. "Civilian, don't even bother trying to save him."

173. "We have a breach!"

174. "What makes a villain's life less important than your's?"

175. "Enjoy your soup." "You poisoned it." "And you're delusional, eat up."

176. "I hate 99% of the population." "According to a meme I found, you are therefore a cat."

177. "Don't overuse your powers."

178. "This is just an unfortunate event."

179. "You look so cute when you are sleepy and barely conscious."

180. "His fever is rising."

181. "Save her, leave me. I'll-i'll get out of this somehow."

182. "Sometimes self-sacrifice isn't noble, it's selfish."

183. "You are so funny that I need my inhaler to kill you with." "That sentence was so discombobulated that I am leaving."

184. "Just for your information, I hate oranges but love grapes."

185. "Walking down the stairs shouldn't be a momental effort." "You broke both your legs."

186. "You just destroyed my life's work, don't expect me to give you a huge bear hug."

187. "Is it true that you have telekinesis?" "Yes, why?" "Go steal me a donut."

188. "You are so incredibly touch starved, Villain." "Mmm." "Tired? Go ahead and sleep, I'm here."

189. "This is for your own good, I promise."

190. "I'm cold."

191. "I don't want to move and you can't make me."

192. "I AM RETIRED! YOU DON'T NEED TO CONTINUE TO SEND ME PAMPHLETS OF THE HOTTEST HERO OF THE YEAR!"

193. "He's unconscious." "That tired, huh." "No, he passed out from blood loss."

194. "I want a kitten."

195. "I'm no scared of you, so stop acting like I am."

196. "He isn't dangerous, just scared."

197. "They won't be going anywhere for a long, long time."

198. "Hero? Hero? Oh my goodness, please wake up."

199. "Life is too short for pleasures."

200. "I hope you are happy, in the end."

[litwitlady]

to make the desert bloom

The first time Michael pawns off a few feet of stolen copper wire he makes $68. He’s been totally swindled - the wire easily worth more than double that. But it’s enough to pay the remainder on his cell phone bill so he’s thrilled with the transaction.

A few months later Michael risks stealing a small spool of wire. He’s wised up about the wire’s worth, but still accepts a criminally low cash offer. But alongside the cash, he’s also negotiated a broken power drill. He has it fixed within the hour and that’s how his tool collection starts. 

Word gets around about the kid who practically gives away copper for nothing more than a few crumpled bills and some rusty old tools. Michael happily accepts broken wrenches, bent screwdrivers, and even a table saw with the cord cut off. He makes enough money to put gas in his truck and keep food on his table. And collects enough tools to supplement his income with various side-gigs.

By his twenty-first birthday, he’s even got $400 saved in his new bank account. His crime completely victimless, as far as he’s concerned. Old Man Sanders never once showing any interest in the piles of copper in the makeshift garage shed. What Sanders doesn’t miss can’t hurt him. And what Sanders doesn’t miss has saved Michael’s life on more than one occasion.

No one but his customers are aware of his scheme. A conman playing easily into the hands of lesser grifters. Until the day he overspends on one of Isobel’s birthday gifts.

She opens the newspaper wrapped box and immediately shoves the gift back into Michael’s chest. ‘You’re stealing now?’

He frowns down at the handwoven scarf. Realizes his mistake. And sighs. Because yes, he’s stealing now.

‘It’s not a big deal, Iz. Just some copper wire no one’s going to miss.’ He tries to give the scarf back to her, but she folds her arms across her chest and levels him with her deadliest glare.

‘Return the scarf, Michael. Give the money back to whoever you stole the wire from.’ Her face softens and she reaches out for his knee. ‘If you need money, I have more than I know what to do with. And we’re family.’

He kisses her cheek, shrugging off her offer. ‘I’ll be okay.’ 

She settles against him, interlocking their elbows and leaning her head on his shoulder. ‘You know I love you, right?’

‘I know. Me too.’ And it’s the truth. But he’ll never take her money.

That’s the last time he steals anything from Sanders for a long time. Until Alex Manes comes barrelling back into his life after his longest absence yet. 

They crash back together like always. Shacking up in his trailer for hours at a time, rediscovering each other’s bodies. And Michael allows himself to believe that they will finally make it happen this time. But then Isobel arrives with a bag of bagels and wakes him from his dream.

Once he’s able to shoo her away, he watches Alex practically fall out of the airstream in his haste to get away. Michael holds up the bag of bagels, but Alex shrugs him off and climbs into his Explorer. The engine whines - needing a new timing belt - as he flees from the junkyard.

Michael eats all six bagels and then steals the largest spool of copper he can find. It’s almost like he wants Alex to catch him. You’re wasting your life, Guerin on a constant loop inside his head.

And maybe he is. Wasting his life. On a boy he’ll never be good enough for.

That night at the drive-in he plays out the final act of their charade. Stupid alien movie and grease-soaked food, hands brushing accidentally as they both grab for a new beer with the anticipation of sex heavy between them.

A dance with Jesse Manes. 

A trade with Renly Thomas.

He makes the most he’s ever made that night. Almost twice what the copper is worth. But he ends the evening in red regardless.

Eventually, he confesses the whole scheme to Sanders. Promising to pay him back. Sanders turns down the offer, but Michael starts saving the money anyway. It’s what he imagines his mother would expect of him. 

He starts taking classes at Roswell Tech. He stops drinking. 

One night, a recently single Alex sits on the stool next to him at the Pony. Leans his elbow on the bartop and turns to Michael. ‘I need a favor.’

Michael drops his hat onto the bartop and snorts. Raises his glass of water to his lips but doesn’t drink. ‘A favor?’

Alex scratches at a divot in the chipped wood bar. Avoiding Michael’s gaze. ‘I need a few feet of copper wire.’

He’s convinced he’s heard him wrong. ‘What?’

‘Three feet. Three feet of copper wire. Heard you were the guy to talk to.’ His lips quirk up at the corner. And Michael suspects he’s being played.

‘Fuck off, Alex.’ There’s no bite in his words, just a sad sort of ruefulness. He slides off his seat and drops his hat back on his head. ‘You can afford to buy your own copper.’

He stalks out of the bar, too sober to stay and argue with an ex who will always be more than an ex. 

The sky is dark and near moonless. Broken glass splinters beneath his boots. A couple arguing loudly distracts him as he walks out to his truck parked near the highway. Unaware that he’s being followed.

When he finally looks up, he stops dead in his tracks. A large dark object sits in the bed of his truck. And it definitely wasn’t there when he’d last climbed out of the Chevy. 

He squints, trying to make out what the object could be without getting any closer. But it’s no use. A voice from behind startles him.

‘Won’t work without the wire.’ 

Alex.

Michael sighs and turns to him. ‘What won’t work?’

‘The sign I made.’ He motions to the back of Michael’s truck. ‘Electrical connections aren’t complete yet. Guess you’ll have to take it home and fix that.’ He hands Michael a brand new reel of copper wire. ‘Let me know how it goes.’

Michael gives him the dirtiest side-eye. But Alex only laughs and turns away. Michael ignores whatever the sign is and slides behind the steering wheel. Riding back to the junkyard in silence.

He sits inside his trailer for a long time. Doing his best to ignore what’s still in his truck. It only works for an hour before he’s back outside and threading the wire through the back of the oak sign. Completing all the electrical connections and yawning through several dramatic sighs.

Once the wiring is finished, he plugs the cord into his power pack and watches as a soft neon glow lights up the night. He stays behind the sign. Protecting himself from whatever it says.

At some point, Isobel arrives. Walks slowly towards him, purples and blues lighting up her face - brow deeply furrowed. ‘Um, Michael? Is there something you want to tell me?’ She motions to the sign and his fear increases tenfold.

He shakes his head, hops up onto the worktable behind him, and carelessly swings his legs back and forth. Trying for nonchalance. ���Nope. Just fixing Alex’s sign.’

Her mouth falls agape and her eyes go wide. ‘Alex made this?’

Michael nods. 

‘How the fuck are you this calm?’ She’s frantically waving her arms in a decidedly un-Isobel like fashion.

‘Don’t care what it says.’ He’s nervous though. Slips off the table and grabs the leftover copper. It’s probably more than what he stole in the first place. Tosses it onto Sanders’ stack. Suddenly very suspicious about Alex’s intentions.

‘Michael. Come here, right now.’ Her arms are crossed. Death glare back in place. But then she dissolves into high-pitched giggles and he’s never felt a fear so great in all his life.

He bites the bullet and goes to stand beside her. The first thing he notices is how pretty the lights are - pastel neons with a haunting glow. Very reminiscent of the alien tech on his console. 

The words take a minute to form in his mind. He struggles with them. Blinks rapidly several times. Shakes his head and tries again. But each time he lands on the same phrase.

MARRY ME.

‘It’s a joke right? Gotta be.’ Michael swallows hard and stares at the words until they grow fuzzy, losing all meaning. ‘We’re not even dating, Iz.’

Isobel wraps her arm around him and hugs him close. ‘I think you’ve been dating since you were seventeen. Maybe not in the conventional sense - but dating all the same.’ She sighs at the romance of it all. ‘And now he wants more than that.’ She pinches his ribs. 

‘Ow! What was that for?’

‘I can already hear you trying to find some reason to reject him. I will not let you ruin this for me, Michael. Do you understand me? I have a wedding to plan.’ She pulls out her phone and starts flipping through her calendar. ‘Spring or fall?’

Michael rolls his eyes and turns at the sound of tires on gravel. Isobel squeals when she recognizes Alex’s Explorer. Michael’s heart starts to race.

Alex climbs out slowly. Eyeing the sign over Michael’s shoulder. ‘I couldn’t sleep.’ As if that’s all the explanation required. ‘Phone was too quiet.’

Isobel flies into Alex’s arms, nearly knocking him over. But his eyes never leave Michael’s.

‘Give him some space, Isobel.’ She pulls away and looks back and forth between the two of them. Smiling so wide it’s contagious. ‘I’ll call you in the morning.’ She kisses both of them on the cheek and leaves them to their fate.

She stays up all night preparing mood boards.

Back at the junkyard, Alex shoves his hands into his pockets. Feeling naked under Michael’s intense gaze. He waits anxiously for Michael to say something - to say anything.

‘I guess I just don’t understand. Where did this suddenly come from?’ Michael leans against an old junker, watching Alex fidget.

‘Honestly?’ He looks up at the stars and then back down to Michael. ‘I’ve been sort of miserable lately. And one day I looked at my reflection in the mirror and asked myself why.’ He shrugs his shoulders and laughs softly. ‘Got dressed and went to the hardware store.’ 

Michael studies the perfectly formed tube lights. ‘Quite the talent you got there. And completely new to me.’

Alex grins, his anxiety easing a bit. ‘I had help.’

‘And this isn’t a joke?’ 

‘Not a joke. Not remotely a joke.’ He takes several steps towards Michael. Stopping an arm’s length away. ‘I don’t mean tomorrow. Or next month. Hell, maybe not even next year. But one day. When we’re both ready. That’s what I want.’

Michael nods and pushes off the junker. Now only half an arm’s length away. He looks back at the sign. ‘I’m ready whenever you are.’ Drags his eyes slowly back to Alex.

They smile at each other, still able to blush after all these years. And regardless of who moves first, they both land in one another’s arms. Haloed by the sign’s luminescent proposal.

[89xhshb]

All the horrible questions (from the one dude who forgot his tumblr password fml)

Not sure if this is Taeman or Jae or maybe some other dude that’s in the same boat as those two but here we go--- Hope you remember your password man

01: Do you have a good relationship with your parents? Yes.  02: Who did you last say “I love you” to? Probably Lu or @blueskybaek 03: Do you regret anything? A few things but at the end of the day I am glad for all the things good and bad that I had encountered so far because they brought me and shaped me into who I am today. 04: Are you insecure? I am quite confident in general but we all have our moments 05: What is your relationship status? Spoiling @frczenpcetry rotten 24/7 06: How do you want to die? Okay I have been told I am weird for this one because I got asked this before and my answer is always the same (and apparently strange) but here it is: Drowning.  07: What did you last eat? A milkshake?? 08: Played any sports? Bowling, swimming, dancing??, basketball back in high school 09: Do you bite your nails? Nope 10: When was your last physical fight? A month or so ago? 11: Do you like someone? I do. 12: Have you ever stayed up 48 hours? Lol yes 13: Do you hate anyone at the moment? Yes 14: Do you miss someone? Yes 15: Have any pets? Yep. 3 cats and counting 16: How exactly are you feeling at the moment? Worn-out and ready to sleep 17: Ever made out in the bathroom? Yep 18: Are you scared of spiders? Nope 19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? Yes. Not to change anything but to spend more time with my dad. 20: Where was the last place you snogged someone? In bed I think? Snogged tho-- 21: What are your plans for this weekend? Hopefully relax 22: Do you want to have kids? How many? I am collecting them already-- Honestly tho I do love kids and despite not thinking of myself as decent parent material I would definitely try my best. Let’s try out one and take it from there--- 23: Do you have piercings? How many? Oh man... 3 in my left ear 2 in my right ear, I use to have a tongue one too but haven’t wore it in so long it needs probably redone.. 24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)? Music, Physics, PE lol 25: Do you miss anyone from your past? Duh 26: What are you craving right now? Sleep possibly a holiday 27: Have you ever broken someone’s heart? Not intentionately.  28: Have you ever been cheated on? No 29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry? Yes 30: What’s irritating you right now? Myself lol 31: Does somebody love you? Yes 32: What is your favourite color? Red 33: Do you have trust issues? Yep 34: Who/what was your last dream about? Drowning 35: Who was the last person you cried in front of? Luhan orz  36: Do you give out second chances too easily? Not really. Depends on the situation I guess..Seeing how I have anger issues I tend to need a long time to calm down and analyse things with a cool mind and maybe even longer to consider second chances... 37: Is it easier to forgive or forget? To forgive 38: Is this year the best year of your life? Even just being better than last year would be perfect to me. I guess we will see. So far it’s looking promising. 39: How old were you when you had your first kiss? I was in kindergarten oh my god I also came home and thought that meant that we are married now. My mom laughed so hard 40: Have you ever walked outside completely naked? Not outside per se but I once ended up locked on a balcony while completely naked lol 51: Favourite food? Ice cream & my mom’s cooking 52: Do you believe everything happens for a reason? Sometimes. I also believe we make our own luck. 53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night? Had a meaningful conversation 54: Is cheating ever okay? Cheating is so unnecessary I cannot even stress enough. You are attracted to someone else to the point that you would endanger the relationship you have then just break up with the person and do what you want. Going behind someone who cares for you’s back is a cowardly and shitty thing to do.  55: Are you mean? I can be. 56: How many people have you fist fought? Lately not so many... 57: Do you believe in true love? Hm 58: Favourite weather? Sunny spring days 59: Do you like the snow? Yep 60: Do you wanna get married? No thanks 61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby? I am a fan of babe more but yeah  62: What makes you happy? Ice cream, my family, my friends, my cats, a certain shortcake, sleep, Bro nights with @quixoticstxrs 63: Would you change your name? No??? 64: Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed? Not at all seeing that he sleeps right next to me 65: Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? Reject her because I wouldn’t want to ruin our friendship.  66: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around?  YES @l0vedheart 67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to? Siyeon 68: Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? Luhan 69: Do you believe in soulmates? I believe in two people who complement each other and work well as a team.  70: Is there anyone you would die for? My fam.

[birdlord]

Everything I Watched in 2020

We’ll start with movies. The number in parentheses is the year of release, asterisks denote a re-watch, and titles in bold are my favourite watches of the year. Here’s 2019’s list. 

01 Little Women (19)

02 The Post (17) 

03 Molly’s Game (17)

04 * Doctor No (62)

05 Groundhog Day (93)

06 *Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home (86)

07 Knives Out (19) My last theatre experience (sob)

08 Professor Marston and his Wonder Women (17)

09 Les Miserables (98)

10 Midsommar (19) I’m not sure how *good* it is, but it does stick in the ol’ brain

11 *Manhattan Murder Mystery (93)

12 Marriage Story (19)

13 Kramer vs Kramer (79)

14 Jojo Rabbit (19)

15 J’ai perdu mon corps (19) a cute animated film about a hand detached from its body!

16 1917 (19)

17 Married to the Mob (88)

18 Klaus (19)

19 Portrait of a Lady on Fire (19) If Little Women made me want to wear a scarf criss-crossed around my torso, this one made me want to wear a cloak

20 The Last Black Man in San Francisco (19)

21 *Lawrence of Arabia (62)

22 Gone With the Wind (39)

23 Kiss Me Deadly (55)

24 Dredd (12)

25 Heartburn (86) heard a bunch about this one in the Blank Check series on Nora Ephron, sadly after I’d watched it

26 The Long Shot (19)

27 Out of Africa (85)

28 King Kong (46)

29 *Johnny Mnemonic (95)

30 Knocked Up (07)

31 Collateral (04)

32 Bird on a Wire (90)

33 The Black Dahlia (05)

34 Long Time Running (17)

35 *Magic Mike (12)

36 Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (07)

37 Cold War (18)

38 *Kramer Vs Kramer (79) yes I watched this a few months before! This was a pandemic friend group co-watch.

39 *Burn After Reading (08)

40 Last Holiday (50)

41 Fly Away Home (96)

42 *Moneyball (11) I’m sure I watch this every two years, at most??

43 Last Holiday (06) the Queen Latifah version of the 1950 movie above, lacking, of course, the brutal “poor people don’t deserve anything good” ending

44 *Safe (95)

45 Gimme Shelter (70)

46 The Daytrippers (96)

47 Experiment in Terror (62)

48 Tucker: The Man and His Dream (88)

49 My Brilliant Career (79) one of the salvations of 2020 was watching movies “with” friends. Our usual method was to video chat before the movie, sync our streaming services, and text-chat while the movie was on. 

50 Divorce Italian Style (61)

51 *Gosford Park (01) another classic comfort watch, fuck I love a G. Park

52 Hopscotch (80)

53 Brief Encounter (45)

54 Hud (63)

55 Ocean’s 8 (18)

56 *Beverly Hills Cop (84)

57 Blow the Man Down (19)

58 Constantine (05)

59 The Report (19) maddening!! How are people so consistently terrible to one another!

60 Everyday People (04)

61 Anatomy of a Murder (58)

62 Spiderman: Homecoming (17)

63 *To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (95) Of the 90s drag road movies, Priscilla is more visually striking, but this has its moments.

64 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (92)

65 *The Truman Show (98)

66 Mona Lisa (86)

67 The Blob (58)

68 The Guard (11)

69 *Waiting for Guffman (96) RIP Fred Willard

70 Rocketman (19)

71 Outside In (18)

72 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (08) how strange to see a movie that you have known the premise for, but no details of, for over a decade

73 *Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (91)

74 The Reader (08)

75 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (19) This was fine until it VERY MUCH WAS NOT FINE

76 The End of the Affair (99) you try to watch a fun little romp about infidelity during the Blitz, and Graham Greene can’t help but shoehorn in a friggin crisis of religious faith

77 Must Love Dogs (05) barely any dog content, where are the dogs at

78 The Rainmaker (97)

79 *Batman & Robin (97)

80 National Lampoon’s Vacation (83) Never seen any of the non-xmas Vacations, didn’t realize the children are totally different, not just actors but ages! Also, this one is blatantly racist!

81 *Mystic Pizza (88)

82 Funny Girl (68)

83 The Sons of Katie Elder (65)

84 *Knives Out (19) another re-watch within the same year!! How does this keep happening??

85 *Scott Pilgrim Vs The World (10) a real I-just-moved-away-from-Toronto nostalgia watch

86 Canadian Bacon (92) vividly recall this VHS at the video store, but I never saw it til 2020

87 *Blood Simple (85)

88 Brittany Runs a Marathon (19)

89 The Accidental Tourist (88)

90 August Osage County (13) MELO-DRAMA!!

91 Appaloosa (08)

92 The Firm (93) Feeling good about how many iconic 80s/90s video store stalwarts I watched in 2020

93 *Almost Famous (00)

94 Whisper of the Heart (95)

95 Da 5 Bloods (20)

96 Rain Man (88)

97 True Stories (86)

98 *Risky Business (83) It’s not about what you think it’s about! It never was!

99 *The Big Chill (83)

100 The Way We Were (73)

101 Safety Last (23) It’s getting so that I might have to add the first two digits to my dates...not that I watch THAT many movies from the 1920s...

102 Phantasm (79)

103 The Burrowers (08)

104 New Jack City (91)

105 The Vanishing (88)

106 Sisters (72)

107 Puberty Blues (81) Little Aussie cinema theme, here

108 Elevator to the Gallows (58)

109 Les Diaboliques (55)

110 House (77) haha WHAT no really W H A T

111 Death Line (72)

112 Cranes are Flying (57)

113 Holes (03)

114 *Lady Vengeance (05)

115 Long Weekend (78)

116 Body Double (84)

117 The Crazies (73) I love that Romero shows the utter confusion that would no doubt reign in the case of any kind of disaster. Things fall apart.

118 Waterlilies (07)

119 *You’re Next (11)

120 Event Horizon (97)

121 Venom (18) I liked it, guys, way more than most superhero fare. Has a real sense of place and the place ISN’T New York!

122 Under the Silver Lake (18) RIP Night Call

123 *Blade Runner (82)

124 *The Birds (62) interesting to see now that I’ve read the story it came from

125 *28 Days Later (02) hits REAL FUCKIN’ DIFFERENT in a pandemic

126 Life is Sweet (90)

127 *So I Married an Axe Murderer (93) find me a more 90s movie, I dare you (it’s not possible)

128 Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (67)

129 The Pelican Brief (93) 90s thrillers continue!

130 Dick Johnston is Dead (20)

131 The Bridges of Madison County (95)

132 Earth Girls are Easy (88) Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum are so hot in this movie, no wonder they got married 

133 Better Watch Out (16)

134 Drowning Mona (00) trying for something like the Coen bros and not getting there

135 Au Revoir Les Enfants (87)

136 *Chasing Amy (97) Affleck is the least alluring movie lead...ever? I also think I gave Joey Lauren Adams’ character short shrift in my memory of the movie. It’s not good, but she’s more complicated than I recalled. 

137 Blackkklansman (18)

138 Being Frank (19)

139 Kiki’s Delivery Service (89)

140 Uncle Frank (20) why so many FRANKS

141 *National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (89) watching with pals (virtually) made it so much more fun than the usual yearly watch!

142 Half Baked (98) another, more secret Toronto nostalgia pic - RC Harris water filtration plant as a prison!

143 We’re the Millers (13)

144 All is Bright (13)

145 Defending Your Life (91)

146 Christmas Chronicles (18) I maintain that most new xmas movies are terrible, particularly now that Netflix churns them out like eggnog every year. 

147 Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse (18)

148 Reindeer Games (00) what did I say about Affleck??!? WHAT DID I SAY

149 Palm Springs (20)

150 Happiest Season (20)

151 *Metropolitan (90) it’s definitely a Christmas movie

152 Black Christmas (74)

THEATRE:HOME - 2:150 (thanks pandemic)

I usually separate out docs and fiction, but I watched almost no documentaries this year (with the exception of Dick Johnston). Reality is real enough. 

TV Series

01 - BoJack Horseman (final season) - Pretty damned poignant finish to the show, replete with actual consequences for our reformed bad boy protagonist (which is more than you can say for most antiheroes of Peak TV).

02 - *Hello Ladies - I enjoy the pure awkwardness of seeing Stephen Merchant try to perform being a Regular Person, but ultimately this show tips him too far towards a nasty, Ricky Gervais-lite sort of persona. Perhaps he was always best as a cameo appearance, or lip synching with wild eyes while Chrissy Teigen giggles?

03 - Olive Kittredge - a rough watch by times. I read the book as well, later in the year. Frances Mcdormand was the best, possibly the only, casting option for the flinty lead. One episode tips into thriller territory, which is a shock. 

04 - *The Wire S3, S4, S5 - lockdown culture! It was interesting to rewatch this, then a few months later go through an enormous, culture-level reappraisal of cop-centred narratives. 

05 - Forever - a Maya Rudolph/Fred Armisen joint that coasts on the charm of its leads. The premise is OK, but I wasn’t left wanting any more at the end. 

06 - *Catastrophe - a rewatch when my partner decided he wanted to see it, too!

07 - Red Oak - resolutely “OK” steaming dramedy, relied heavily on some pretty obvious cues to get across its 1980s setting. 

08 - Little Fires Everywhere - gulped this one down while in 14-day isolation, delicious! Every 90s suburban mom had that SUV, but not all of them had the requisite **secrets**

09 - The Great - fun historical comedy/drama! Costumes: lush. Actors: amusing. Race-blind casting: refreshing!

10 - The Crown S4 - this is the season everyone lost their everloving shit for, since it’s finally recent enough history that a fair chunk of the viewing audience is liable to recall it happening. 

11 - Ted Lasso - we resisted this one for a while (thought I did enjoy the ad campaign for NBC sports (!!) that it was based on). My view is that its best point was the comfort that the men on the show have (or develop, throughout the season) with the acknowledgement and sharing of their own feelings. Masculinity redux. 

12 - Moonbase 8 - Goodnatured in a way that makes you certain they will be crushed. 

13 - The Good Lord Bird - Ethan Hawke is really aging into the character actor we always hoped he would be! 

14 - Hollywood - frothy wish-fulfillment alternate history. I think the show would have been improved immeasurably by skipping the final episode.

[doctordiscord123]

1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 20, 23, 26, 17, 28, 31, 32, 35, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67,, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 85, 86, 87, 88, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98

I'm very sorry, I don't why I keep doing this

 ....Well, here we go XD

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

Considering I’m mostly looking at cans rn on my desk, gotta go with that XD

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

Cotton candy!

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

Quiet but smart

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

Cans

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

Boho looks really nice....

8. movies or tv shows?

TV shows

9. favorite smell in the summer?

Thunderstorms.....

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

I wasn’t good at anything in P.E. sfkdjgnsdf

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

I don’t

12. name of your favorite playlist?

V i b e s, spaces and all XD

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

Whatever the things are called, the caramel circles with the powdery cream stuff in the middle? Those

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

....A pair of bright lime green crocs XD

18. ideal weather?

If I don’t have to go anywhere? Thunderstorm. If I gotta leave the house? Sunny

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

Notebook

23. strange habits?

I don’t think I have any strange habits??? 

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

I will go outside and lay in the driveway like a sunning snake skdjfgsnd

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

Nothing, I don’t go outside when it’s cold, I don’t like the cold ksjdfgd

28. five songs to describe you?

Oh God, uh -- off the top of my head, just looking through Spotify, we got

‘Dance Monkey’ by Tones and I

‘girls’ by girl in red

‘Don’t Mess With Me’ by temposhark

‘Je T’aime’ by Kelly Sweet

‘Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked’ by Cage the Elephant

Really though these are just some of my favs XD

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

Bro I wear t-shirts and sweatpants 24/7

32. top five favorite vines?

Ngl, I never payed attention to Vine when it was alive and I don’t care enough now XD

35. average time you fall asleep?

Somewhere between 12:00am-1:30am

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

Suitcase

38. lemonade or tea?

Lemonade

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

Someone stole a sink and someone else stole a toilet within days of each other

41. last person you texted?

My brother

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

Both

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

Hoodie

44. favorite scent for soap?

Anything fruity really skjfdgnskjd

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

Fantasy

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

Just a nightgown, or a t-shirt

47. favorite type of cheese?

Mozzarella 

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

Pomegranate

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

I don’t really live by it, but it’s a favorite quote of mine

‘In the end, we’re all the same; all we take to the grave is our name.’

idk who said it

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

....What does it say about my current mental state that I can’t remember the last time I laughed?

51. current stresses?

My programming class

52. favorite font?

I’m boring, but Times New Roman

53. what is the current state of your hands?

I’m cold and pale ksjdgk so there’s like purple splotches all over my hands, also a bunch of scars and my nails are kinda fucked a little rn

54. what did you learn from your first job?

People suck

55. favorite fairy tale?

I dunno! Aladdin and The Little Mermaid were always my favorite Disney movies as a kid skjdfgs

56. favorite tradition?

We don’t really have traditions that are like -- out of the ordinary? idk

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

Middle school, high school, 2020, and physics XD

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

I can sing, write, I think I’m a decent actor, idk about a fourth

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

Among my friends, my catchphrase has become ‘I hate you’ since I say it so much so sdkfngksd

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

Bro I don’t watch anime

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

This ask game is pushing my memory

62. seven characters you relate to?

Luna, Hiccup, the Host, Dark, Bim, Amethyst, Adora

63. five songs that would play in your club?

Club? If I had a club I would just play electro swing skdfgnsd

64. favorite website from your childhood?

Poptropica

65. any permanent scars?

Oh plenty

66. favorite flower(s)?

Rose

67. good luck charms?

Don’t got any

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

I don’t like grape, so --

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

I don’t know man! My brain is a void

70. left or right handed?

Right!

71. least favorite pattern?

Stripes skdjfn

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

I am a very picky eater, I don’t think anything I like is weird???

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

I am weak, like a 3 or something skdjfn

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

Bro I don’t remember sjknfdkgj I think I was 5?

85. fairy tales or mythology?

Mythology

86. cookies or cupcakes?

Cupcakes

87. your greatest fear?

Abandonment

88. your greatest wish?

I dunno?

90. luckiest mistake?

Bro I don’t know 

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

Fairy lights

93. nicknames?

Unless you count Doc/Disc, I don’t have any

94. favorite season?

Spring

95. favorite app on your phone?

Currently my phone says it’s Klondike ksdjfgsd

96. desktop background?

I have a slideshow of like 100 different things

98. favorite historical era?

The ‘20s I guess??

[purkinje-effect]

The Anatomy of Melancholy, 68: House of Memories

Table of Contents. Second Instar, Chapter 35. Go to previous. Go to next. See the past, experience the present, and somehow, along the way, end up in the future.

______________________

‘Choly sank down on the padding they’d made atop of Angel, from a golf sack and his bed roll, to ease his jockey posture while they rode. He was grateful Angel could carry him again, and this way he could mostly rest his weight rather than rely on his balance so much. He could barely keep his eyes open. Though Sticks had drifted off easily once ‘Choly had ended up in the floor with him, Sticks’s reply had haunted him for what felt like hours.

Bogey handled the bulkiest of their cargo including the flamer fuel and last three full canisters of Mr. Handy fuel, while Sticks handled many of the heaviest, like the pots and pans. ‘Choly couldn’t not guilt himself for not pulling his own weight in their entourage. He barely even felt as though he carried himself.

The chemist barely noticed how close they’d drawn, except for the sounds of tools ringing out of the Red Rocket Truck Stop. His head picked up and he watched while they continued past. He’d see Sturges later. He waved to Jun and Marcy fishing on the Minutemen Bridge, with a smile.

“You let me know if you catch something with the correct number of body parts,” he joked through a cupped hand.

Marcy rolled her eyes at him.

“You sure are home quick,” she shot back once they’d got close enough, “after running off without saying a word.”

Jun jerked at the sight of Sticks, and Marcy reflexively put an arm around him. Marcy eyed him up and down with a frown.

“You’re not feral, are you?”

Sticks shrugged with cool detachment.

“Supposing anybody could be feral. Name’s Sticks.”

“I’m Jun. Forgive Marcy. I get startled by my own shadow lately.”

“If we’re quick to introductions, you can call me Bogey,” it chimed in helpfully. “Hopefully you’re keen to having me around your little ‘Sanctuary,’ ha-ha!”

“Wait, you’re moving in here?” Marcy’s eyes widened.

“That I am, madam! If that’s all right with you, that is. It’s simply so exciting. I can’t wait to pitch in however I can!”

“Well, we can always use another pair of hands. ...Or whatever it is you’ve got. You can stay.”

“Brilliant!!”

“I’ll show you around once we get our things set down,” Angel offered. “Then you’ll have a lay of the place, and have met everyone. Ah! Speaking of! Here’s Mister Garvey!”

Preston waved to them as he strolled up, relaxing his grip on his musket laser. ‘Choly dismounted Angel to turn it and Bogey loose. He went by foot the rest of the way, in pursuit of someplace he could sit outside.

“Preston Garvey, of the Minutemen,” he greeted with a tap of his hat brim.

“Sticks,” he supposed, disinterested and distracted.

“So, ah, Melancholy. Your friend here’s a ghoul. ...That’s cool. A friend of yours is a friend of mine.”

“Time will tell,” the ghoul quipped dryly. He only stayed at Miss Rosa’s garage long enough for him and the two robots to unload their freight. From there, he walked back toward 103 Old North Lane, leaving the two men alone.

"Is everything all right? You came back so quick.”

“Things are resolved,” ‘Choly swore, as he took to the wooden kitchen chair on the broken driveway. “And I did accomplish what I needed to in Lowell. And then some, clearly. Sticks there is responsible for a lot of the heavy lifting, literally, at times. Hes... done a lot more than he thinks he has.” He trailed off, aware he may have come off as cryptic and petty. He shifted to purposefully metering his descriptions, knowing they didn’t need a secondhand account of the effects of X-Cell-Root. “There was a raider outfit up there in Lowell. The Rust Devils were organized, and skilled enough to destroy robots to rebuild them from the parts as they liked. We caught them poised to overrun a military base that’s still technically in use. It’s the base where I was stationed, before the war, so it felt more than a bit personal to stand between the raiders and Deenwood. The locals rallied against them. It was a huge mess of a conflict, but the base is stabilized and in control again. I wouldn’t call it safe, but it’s certainly defused. The raiders are out of the picture.”

‘Choly noticed Sticks had recognized Little Boy Blue and begun circling the vehicle, still on its side. The more Preston had to say, however, the more his deferential awe seized ‘Choly’s attention.

“Wow, you dismantled another raider outfit? That’s two in less than a month! And these were robot specialists? I’m impressed. That’s 2-for-0. I’d say your prewar experience at that base definitely gave you an edge. Golly, you’ve changed so much in just a week’s time. Say, you’re a military officer. Like, a real one, part of the actual United States military. A captain, didn’t you say?” Preston fluttered a bit. “Thanks again for everything you’ve done for us. I am glad you’re here. I hope you don’t mind me pressing you for another favor, so soon after you’ve got back. It wouldn’t just be a personal favor to me. It’s also a favor for a bunch of folks. Hear me out?”

‘Choly watched him expectantly, but couldn’t not wear his exhaustion on his face. He anticipated hearing next what these people could possibly need, that Preston was so convinced ‘Choly could provide.

“We reached out to the nearest group of settlers while you were out. They told us there’s another settlement in the area asking around for help. They’re still hoping there are Minutemen out there somewhere. The only chance to start rebuilding the Minutemen is to let people know we’re still here, and that they can still count on us. Trouble is, I’ve got my hands full here. Do you think you could go help them out? It’s only about an hour away. I think the Minutemen could really start to spring back, with you as our General--”

“--I am not, and will never be, a general,” ‘Choly blurted out, faster than he could snuff his panicked vitriol. His breath jabbered before he could steady his mind, hand to his mouth. “I, I’m sorry. I’m in no position to-- Lowell did a number on me. We only came down here to relocate the Mister Handy someplace it can be around people again. It managed to dodge destruction by the Devils, but there wasn’t much of anything left besides Bogey. And I figure the benefit is mutual, for it to join you. I don’t know that we’re staying long. Sticks accompanied me to help me travel, to get medical care.”

“You need space. I get it. We all handle things differently. You don’t have to justify your no, or tell me everything you went through. Your reaction tells me all I need to know. Just know that if you’re ever in a place to, we can still discuss things later on. There’s always going to be ways we can make a difference.”

They both jumped at the sound of Sticks kicking a tire. Angel broke away from its tour to check on the ghoul. Bogey flinched to extinguish its pilot light and shrink down on its tendrils in the street, to watch from where it sat.

“Is your friend all right?” the Minuteman asked.

‘Choly remained silent for a time. They watched the robot attempt to console the ghoul, though they couldn’t overhear their words. After how Jun had winced at Sticks’s ghoulishness, he hoped Jun and Marcy were far enough down the street not to notice. Sticks flung a few curses and snarling, in alternations between Angel and the Chryslus Coupe, only to break down into sobbing. Angel rubbed at his shoulder with a pincer, since it couldn’t hug him.

“...His house isn’t in order, and his first car is straight up turned on its side.” ‘Choly didn’t even know where to begin, and chewed at his lip, still watching Sticks. “Did Sturges happen to mention anything about me after I left?”

“About you? No. We did ask him if he knew why you left so quick. All he said was, it was urgent. Why?” Preston paused to wipe his brow. “Wait, did you mean his house? His car? Wouldn’t that make him...”

“Yeah. I don’t think he’s been back this whole time. I didn’t think he’d get this snagged up about it.”

“Well, you sure got upset. ...It’s not my place to guess what it’s like, to be in his position, but it’s probably unreasonable to expect him to handle things gracefully.”

“I should go check on him.”

“All right.”

Sticks resumed circling the car as ‘Choly approached, and Angel resumed its tour. The ghoul’s demeanor had shifted from despair to determination, but carried no less transparent a hurt.

“Anything I can do?”

“I’m not sure yet,” the ghoul said softly.

“I... Oh.” He frowned. “Guess I’ll be inside, then.”

Emotionally drained, ‘Choly opted to take a nap on the couch.

The sound of power armor in use stirred him, but he didn’t fully wake until the crash of steel on concrete rang out. His eyes shot open as he lay there, half begging that he’d dreamt it. But then a slow dragging scrape started, accompanied with heavy, pneumatic steps. Leaning in the doorway, he stood on the stoop to watch. With Sturges spotting him, Sticks had borrowed the power armor to right Little Boy Blue and push it in neutral down to the Red Rocket.

Maybe Sticks intended to stay in Concord a little longer than he’d let on. Or maybe he just needed to pause and breathe after such a concentrated succession of chaos.

‘Choly gave Sturges and Sticks space. He occupied himself with a walk around the area, letting the Hubflower bushes cheer him up. When he returned inside, he had Angel bring him lunch. Staring at the broken television in the corner of the living room while he sipped on his meal, he wondered when Jacob would return home from work. Inertia glued him to the couch, and he spaced out filling the television screen with fragmented memories of movie transmissions it never again would receive.

When Sticks didn’t return home after dark, he walked down to the recoolant station around ten to make sure he hadn’t flaked on him. Sticks worked all alone under the flourished canopy. When he returned to the cul-de-sac, he saw Bogey enter Mama Murphy’s house, and took it as a sign to stop procrastinating.

He waited for Bogey to exit before knocking at her doorway. The Mister Handy had brought her a serving from the group’s dinner.

“They made mutfruit noodles tonight, Melancholy.” She smiled and held up the plate. “If you’re hungry, there’s enough we can split it. I don’t mind.”

“Oh, no. No thank you. I’ve already eaten. You eat. How are you?”

“I’m holding up just fine. It’s good to see you in one piece. Come in. At least come and sit with an old girl. I take it things went well?”

As ‘Choly accepted her invitation, they sat tongue-tied by lantern. She ate while he tried to sort his head.

“I don’t know if things are ok.” He finally apologized, “I’m not sure if I met the man who lived here, or his descendant.”

“I’m sorry for how difficult your task must have been. But you saw it through! I’m proud of you.”

He couldn’t parse his grief, and it instead manifested in gnarled chuckling.

“What was I supposed to take away from that encounter? His hatred of me seems generational. Still blames me for what happened. Everything I did, and didn’t, do.” He looked to her. “I don’t feel like anyone but the raiders saw any gain from the whole ordeal.”

“If you’re expecting the Sight to fill in the details you’re holding back, you’ll remember I made a promise to somebody about all that. But I can feel a few things, dragging on you like seaweed, dear. You saved that sweet robot, gave it a new home with us. Just like you did for us. And you reunited with your ghoul friend. But what you want is for me to tell you, you did the right thing. Doing the right thing is a choice, every time. Often, there’s no on right choice--it’s just a bunch of good ones, and you just have to go with one of them and hope for the best. And you decided to be a shining knight once again.”

She set down the ceramic plate on the coffee table, and leaned to put a hand on his knee. He nodded, but let her continue.

“Without your friend meddling there anymore, things can only improve. But you have to understand. He doesn’t belong here, either. The energies in this place are eroding him rapidly. Rendering him volatile. And that’s no read of Sanctuary. He was pacing for some time earlier. He saw me watching from the window, and he came in to sit and talk. I don’t know what I said, but he ran out to fetch Sturges. I imagine they’ve been at that car ever since. Bogey mentioned that Sturges had got his serving, and that it was about to take some to Sticks. We ought to task the Handies to get along after him. Bogey would be best. To make sure the ghoul doesn’t get so caught up in his project that he forgets to eat.”

“I shouldn’t go check on him, then?”

“I’d give him some space. At least for a few days. Let him stay out at the Red Rocket, if that’s where he’s least uncomfortable. He doesn’t have to stay in Sanctuary to be welcome here. He’s got a lot in common with Sturges, keeping his hands busy to keep his mind away. In the mean time, you can give us some much needed company.” She picked her plate back up with a calm grin. “You wouldn’t feel like filling in all those details I mentioned, would you, Melancholy? Tell me everything. This gal’s dying to know what happened by the waters of the Merrimack.”

Go to Next »»»

[yeaahishowedupatyourparty]

Zara’s Truth Booth.♥️ You can read this as OOC or an IC interview, I really don’t mind!

GENERAL QUESTIONS 1. Please state your full name: “Zara Belle Calloway.”
2. Does your name(s) have any kind of meaning? If so, what is it?: “I’ve literally never asked and I doubt there’s much thought behind it. By the fourth child, you probably just pick a page in the baby name book and go with it.” 
3. Do you have any nicknames?: “No - I refuse to accept Zar or Z.” 
4. Where were you born? And in which country?: “I was born in South Kensington, London…England.”
5. What is your date of birth?: “13th of December 2001.” 
6. Of course, the following question; what is your Zodiac sign? “Sagittarius.” 
7. Do you believe in Zodiac signs? “I think so? I relate more to my moon sigh, though - a Cancer.”
8. Where do you live? “Lilac Heights…Violet Springs. In the most beautiful house. I love it.”
9. What is your home situation like? (ex. do you live with your family? Your partner etc.?) “I live in my own house, most of the time. Sometimes with Danny, sometimes without - hopefully more with in the future. I do go back to the hotel sometimes too, in London. Not as much.” 
10. Do you have any siblings? “Three older sisters…Yeah.” 
11. Do you have any kind of allergies? “Fish, which is just as well. I don’t like it.” 
12. Do you own any pets? If so, what kind of pets are they? “I have two dogs; Pumpkin and Tank.”
13. Why did you apply to St Jude’s? “To build up my career, I guess.”
14. Did you had to go through a lot audition rounds? “Not really. I already had three sisters here and also a lot of work I’d done myself by the time I got to eighteen. I did one round of auditions which I’m proud of.” 
15. What is the current course you’re following? “Acting and Directing.” 
16. If you can switch courses, which one would you switch to and why? “I wouldn’t, I’m fully dedicated to this career I have now.” 
17. What is your proudest project you’ve done? “Euphoria, easily. I wrote it, I directed every episode, I casted it, I bought it all to life and helped develop the characters. It will always be my baby and I’m so happy with how it was received.” 
18. What is the proudest project that someone’s else has done? “Singular Act I. That’s my baby…Or Little Women, that’s my other baby.”
19. Do you like FanCons? “I love FanCons.”
20. What do you like about FanCons? “Meeting the fans! It never gets old and they’re always so enthusiastic and kind. It reminds me how lucky I am, for sure. There’re some I know by name now and I’m more excited to see them than them me.” 
21. What don’t you like about FanCons? “The competition? Does that make sense. It shouldn’t matter who loves who more…I feel like on the fans part it can get quite aggressive when really they’re all there for the same reason.” 
22. A fan memory that always stuck with you? Can be positive or negative. “I feel like I’ve been put on the spot! I don’t know…” 
23. Your favorite event so far? “I loved the Summer FanCon Tour. That was so amazing.” 
24. What kind of event would you like to see in the future? “More events where we get to be silly - fundraisers and challenges. Sometimes it gets too competitive or serious with the award based ones, or talent based ones.” 
25. Would you recommend St Jude’s to friends, family. etc? “For sure.” PERSONALITY QUESTIONS 26. What are your positive traits? “I hate this question, don’t make me answer that.”
27. What are you negative traits? “I’m probably a little too hot-headed and emotional.”
28. What would other people describe you as? “…I don’t know.”
29. What are your pet peeves? “Being spoken to like an idiot, or like I don’t understand things. I’m not silly or incapable at all.” 
30. What makes you happy? “My friends.”
31. What makes you upset? “Oh, anything! But mainly seeing people down on themselves.”
32. What is something you love? “When somebody is so comfortable with you, that they open up and talk about all of their passions. I love when people are talking about what they love in general.”
33. What is something you dislike? “People who behave like they’ve never made a mistake and don’t let others move on from theirs.”
34. What are you strengths? “Again, I hate answering questions like this…Maybe that I’m good at - eventually - admitting when I’m wrong? Or, a good listener?” 
35. What are you weaknesses? “Anything with chocolate on or in it. I’m a simple person.”
36. A misconception people often think of you? “I know a lot of people think that I’m maybe like, how do I put it nicely? A home-wrecker…or, promiscuous, I guess? I’m not. I’ve had maybe 3 boyfriends in my whole life and I’m 20.” 
37. Do you have any fears? “I’m really scared of being alone - like literally and on a deeper level.”
38. What scares you the most? “Deep open water. Yikes.” 
39. What do you do to entertain yourself? “I don’t - I seek out the closest person to annoy until they entertain me.”
40. What is your MBTI? “I’m an INFJ. Most people are shocked at the I part.” 
41. How do you deal with stress? “Cry. Or eat. Or both.” 
42. Are you a determined person? Are you a stubborn person? “To an extent, I’d say so.”
43. Do you consider yourself selfish? “No…”
44. Would you like to be different? “I guess so…Sometimes I wish I was more likeable because I get the sense people aren’t that fond of me.” 
45. Are you more introverted (focused on your inner world) or more extraverted (focused on other people and the outer world)? “Introverted.” ROMANCE QUESTIONS 46. What is your sexual orientation? “I’m bisexual.”
47. Current relationship status? “Taken…Happily.”
48. When was your first kiss? “It was for a random television series and I was like 14. My first real kiss though was only a year and a bit ago.”
49. Do you remember your first date? If so, with who was it? What did you do? “I don’t remember it. Oops.” 
50. Have you ever experienced heart-break? “Yes. Not necessarily through a break-up.” 
51. Have you ever been in love? (If yes, skip to question 53) “Yes.” 
52. If no, how so? 
53. How do you know when you’re in love? “For me, everything becomes about that person. Even songs that I listened to long before I knew someone, or films I watched way before I knew they existed, I manage to tie everything back to one specific person. And, I’m definitely not a subtle person either - I think if I’m in love with someone, they’ll know before I do if they’re observant.”
54. What would be your ideal date? “I always feel like it’s more a question of who; I’d rather do something really simple like staying at home, cooking and watching a movie with someone I’m really comfortable with and like…Instead of going somewhere really extravagant with somebody I know who’ll make me uncomfortable.” 
55. What is your perspective on marriage? “It’s not the ultimate declaration of love. There are plenty of married people who aren’t in love anymore…And if you look into the roots of it, it’s kind of…messed up? I don’t know. It’s nice but not necessary.” 
56. (only for non-virgins) Are you a sub, dom or switch? “…I feel like I can switch it up. It depends on whatever the person I’m with prefers?”
57. What do you think of relationships? “I’m conflicted because there is so much more to life, but I’m not anti-relationship, obviously. I feel like they’d be better and more enjoyable if there wasn’t such a pressure on people to have been in a relationship before a certain age. If you’ve not found the one at 55, why is that so bad?” 
58. What do you think of one-night stands? “I’ve had them. They’re not for everyone, though.”
59. Are you still a virgin? “No.” 
60. Most attractive trait in a different person? “Patience. Especially if I’m talking about specifically attractive to me - I tend to jump to conclusions and get sad or mad or annoyed really quickly. So, people who bear with me, that’s attractive.”
61. What matters most to you when it comes to a relationship? “Genuine chemistry. As soon as that goes, nothing else really matters. Like, if there’s no chemistry for one person but loyalty is there - it almost feels like a job.” 
62. Are you comfortable with PDA? Or would you be comfortable with PDA? “Yeah.” 
63. Are you more of a type to be asked out or the type to ask the other out? “A bit of both. I think I’m probably bold enough to ask people out but it is nice to be asked.”
64. How do you express love to the other? “Pay attention to what they say, make sure they’re happy, tell them everything…Kiss them, cling on to them…Become painfully annoying until they can’t stand it. It’s a cycle.” 
65. Who is your celebrity crush? “Danny. My boyfriend. I don’t even care that it’s the cliche answer, haha.” GETTING DEEP QUESTIONS 66. Do you regret anything? “…Yes.”
67. Is there something you woule like to re-do? So, start all over again? “Yes.”
68. What is something you would never share with anyone? “For sure…I’m uncomfortable!” 
69. When was the last time you cried? Why did you cry? “…I’m trying to think, maybe a week ago or so? I just felt down and missed somebody.”
70. Most memorable event that happened in your time in St Judes? This could be anything: “That’s really tricky! I’m not sure, to be honest. I wasn’t here when all of the crazy stuff went down, like the cruise ship? I’m really unsure.”
71. One thing you wish you could do all over? “My childhood…but with my 20 year old mind.”
72. Someone you miss? “I’d rather not.” 
73. Something you wish you could forget? “I don’t like these questions.” 
74. Who has the biggest impact on you? “Probably my family - not necessarily in a good way.”
75. What is your perspective on love? Is it beautiful? Does it scare you? “It’s beautiful and being loved is the best feeling in the world, I’d be lying if I said I don’t crave it.” 
76. What has hurt you in the past that you don’t want others to go through? “Losing somebody that is like, your other half. Or actually, losing somebody you really love without much explanation at all. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
77. What is something you have gained, something you have lost and something you let go of during the past year? “I’ve gained…more self-esteem, I’ve lost a lot of time I’m not going to get back - I think and I’ve let go of some trust issues, I think.”
78. Have you ever lost a friend? do you wish you would still be friends? “I have. I lost a friend because she dated my ex after claiming they were just friends - I don’t because it hurt and all she had to do was be honest.”
79. Do you have any triggers? What is the history behind these triggers and are they related to any disorders or mental illnesses? “I don’t think that’s appropriate.” 
80. If you could meet your 16 year old self, what would tell them? “That things do pass..They don’t necessarily get better or easier, but they pass and you learn to deal with things in a more productive way. I’d also hug her - tight.” RANDOM QUESTION ROUND 81. Summer or Winter? “Summer’s weather but winter’s overall vibe and celebrations.”
82. Cats or dogs? “Dogs, sorry.” 
83. Beach or mountains? “The beach.” 
84. Phone calls or texting? “Facetime. I’m that friend.” 
85. Have you ever skipped class? “Yes.”

[goodbye-space-ass]

Buster bored

(Brief ment of self harm in #84)

(1) Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed?

I dont have closet doors but theyd be closed i got cats

(2) Do You Have Freckles?

No

(3) Can You Whistle?

Yes and im g at it

(4) Last Song You Listened To.

Other People by LP

(5) What Is Your Favourite Colour?

Red

(6) Relationship Status.

Single and unwilling to trust anyone enough to change that

(7) What Is The Temperature Right Now?

0° c

(8) Did You Wake Up Cranky?

Not today

(9) How Many Followers?

Like 530 something

(10) Zodiac Sign.

Virgo sun gemini moon

(11) What Is Your Eye Colour?

Hazel

(12) Take A Vitamin Daily?

No i do not love myself

(13) Do You Sing In The Shower?

Sometimes

(14) What Books Are You Reading?

Nothing atm but i might read the silm again

(15) Grab The Book Nearest To You, Turn To Page 64, Give Me Line 14

Bluh

(16) Favourite Anime?

Pmmm

(17) Last Person You Cried In Front Of?

My friend dave

(18) Do You Collect Anything?

Random small things

(19) What Did You Have For Lunch?

Arbys

(20) Do You Dance In The Car?

Yea

(21) Favourite Animal?

Snekk

(22) Do You Watch The Olympics?

Only hockey

(23) What Time Do You Usually Go To Bed?

12-2 am

(24) Are You Wearing Makeup Right Now?

No ive been crying all day

(25) Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean?

Im landlocked, never seen the ocean

(26) Favourite Tumblr Blog?

Comalard is sick af.

(27) Bottled Water Or Tap Water?

Tap

(28) What Makes You Happy?

Memes

(29) Post A Gif Of What You’re Currently Feeling Right Now.

(30) Do You Study Better With Or Without Music?

With

(31) Dogs Or Cats?

Dont :c

(32) If You Were A Crayon What Colour Would You Be?

Green

(33) PlayStation Or Xbox.

Ps

(34) Would You Swim In The Lake Or Ocean?

Sure

(35) Do You Believe In Magic?

Depends.

(36) What Colour Shirt Are You Wearing?

White

(37) Can You Curl Your Tongue?

Yes?

(38) Do You Save Money Or Spend It?

Save unless i need weed or darts

(39) Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You?

A stuffy that an ex got me.

(40) Do You Have Any Obsessions Right Now?

The silmarillion and tolkien universe in general

(41) Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly?

Actually i dont think so.

(42) Are You Easily Influenced By Other People?

Kind of. Im an empath, y'know?

(43) Do You Have Strange Dreams?

My dreams are batshit.

(44) Do You Like Going On Airplanes?

The airplane flies high, turns left looks right

(45) Name One Movie That Made You Cry.

Kung fu panda 2

(46) Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds?

Sunflower seeds

(47) If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be?

A perfect circle or slipknot

(48) Are You A Picky Eater?

Not anymore

(49) Are You A Heavy Sleeper?

No

(50) Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning?

Noo

(51) Do You Like To Read / Write?

Yea

(52) Do You Like Your Music Loud?

Yes

(53) Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents?

Wrap presents. Im shit at carving pumpkins

(54) Put Your Music On Shuffle, What Is The First Song That Came Up?

Dont stop me now by queen

(55) What Season Are You In Right Now? (Weather)

Winter is ending, spring will begin.

(56)What Are You Craving Right Now?

Nothing i guess.

(57) Post A Screenshot Of Your Tumblr Feed.

No

(58) What Is Your Gender?

Im nonbinary, femme representing and i use they/them

(59) Coffee Or Tea?

Coffee...

(60) Do You Have Any Homework Right Now? If So, What Is It About?

I need to get a proserve and get a job to be worth something.

(61) What Is Your Sexuality?

Im pansexual

(62) Do You Make Your Bed In The Morning?

No

(63) Favourite Pokemon?

Fucking... the scared mouse looking one. Big eyes

(64) Favourite Social Media?

This shit unfortunately

(65) What’s Your Opinion On Instagram Stories?

Ive never had instant gram

(66) Do You Get Homesick?

HATE that i read that as homestuck :( only for the stars

(67) Are You A Virgin?

I may be a virgo, but

(68) What Shampoo And Conditioner Are You Using Right Now?

Coconut curls

(69) If You Were Far From Home And Needed To Sleep For The Night, Would You Choose To Rent A Crappy Motel Room For $60 Or Sleep In Your Car For Free?

Depends on if i have enough money but probbly hotel

(70) Are Both Of Your Blood Parents Still In Your Life?

Yes

(71)  Whats The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters?

Idk

(72) Do You Miss Your Ex?

Only one

(73) What Is Your Favourite Quote Right Now?

I dun know

(74)  What Eye Colour Do You Find Sexiest?

Brown i think.

(75) Did You Like Swinging As A Child? Do You Still Get Excited When You See A Swing Set?

I did, and no

(76) What Was The Last Thing You Ate?

Arbys

(77) What Games Do You Have On Your Phone?

None

(78) Would You Give A Homeless Person CPR If They Were Dying? Why Or Why Not?

Uhhh i dont know how

(79) Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight?

In my life yes

(80) Stalked Someone On A Social Network?

Yes.

(81) Do You Like Meeting New People?

Yes

(82) Do You Wear Rings? If You Do, Take A Picture Of Them.

No thx sir

(83) Do You Sleep With Your Bedroom Door Open Or Closed?

Open. I have cats.

(84) What Are Three Things You Did Today?

Went to a friend's, hurt myself, smoked.

(85) What Do You Wear To Bed?

Pajamas or the clothes i wore that day if they comfy

(86) List All Of Your Different Beauty Products You Have Right Now.

I have like makeup n hairspray

(87) Are You A Day Or Night Person?

Night

(88) List All Of Your Video Games On Your Phone, Console Etc.

Reaper tale of a pale swordsman. Thats literally it

(89) Tell Me About A Dream That You Had And When It Happened.

I was beating the shit out of a friend. Woke up on the floor punching the ground. Happened a few months ago

(90) Favourite Soda Drink?

Root beer

(91) What Sounds Are Your Favourite?

Whatever tf tool got going on

(92) Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More?

Sweats

(93) How Do You Look Right Now?

Like a damn mess.

(94) Name Something That Relaxes You.

I dont really relax.

(95) What Tattoo Do You Want?

A tool one

(96) Favourite YouTuber?

Fuckin.. chillz

[goldenpctals]

TRUTH BOOTH, elodie edition

GENERAL QUESTIONS

1. Please state your full name: My name is Elodie Yoon-ah Gwan 2. Does your name(s) have any kind of meaning? If so, what is it? Not completely sure? I know Elodie is some kind of flower and Yoon-ah means ‘light of god’ 3. Do you have any nicknames? Sometimes people call be El or Ellie  4. Where were you born? And in which country? I was born in Seoul, South-Korea 5. What is your date of birth? January 4 in year 1996  6. Of course, the following question; what is your Zodiac sign? I’m a Capricorn 7. Do you believe in Zodiac signs? Sometimes? I like to think so?  8. Where do you live? I live in Violet Springs, in Violet Heights to be exact 9. What is your home situation like? (ex. do you live with your family? Your partner etc.?) I live with my two dads, Edwin and Jonah and with my sister, Ruby 10. Do you have any siblings? Yes, I have two sisters. Ruby and Issy Rosini 11. Do you have any kind of allergies? Not that I know of 12. Do you own any pets? If so, what kind of pets are they? Ruby has the most dogs in the house. However, I have a white cocker spaniel. His name is Baloo and he’s the cutest 13. Why did you apply to St Jude’s? Because I love performing, singing and music 14. Did you had to go through a lot audition rounds? A few. My English wasn’t really that good at the time. I still struggle with it every now and then  15. What is the current course you’re following? I study to course Music 16. If you can switch courses, which one would you switch to and why? If I had to switch, I’d probably pick dancing. It’s one of my greatest loves 17. What is your proudest project you’ve done? So far? My song named Solo. I heard it reached millions of views which is crazy 18. What is the proudest project that someone’s else has done? There are a couple. If I keep going I’ll be talking for a couple of days 19. Do you like FanCons? Yes. I love them!  20. What do you like about FanCons? Getting to meet my fans. I didn’t know I had so many people who care about me and my music. It’s a nice feeling 21. What don’t you like about FanCons? It can be overwhelming at times 22. A fan memory that always stuck with you? Can be positive or negative. A fan gave me a painting and it still hanging above my bed. I just love the vibe of it 23. Your favorite event so far? Hm.. Any kind of charity event 24. What kind of event would you like to see in the future? I think this is done before, but St Judes vs. other universities  25. Would you recommend St Jude’s to friends, family. etc? I would. I think this is the perfect place to chase your dreams 

PERSONALITY QUESTIONS

26. What are your positive traits? I’d like to say that I’m realistic, patient and hard-working 27. What are you negative traits? Probably that I tend to look shy, I’m very cautious and I don’t trust people so easily 28. What would other people describe you as? A shy and awkwar bean 29. What are your pet peeves? Slow walking... 30. What makes you happy? Music makes me happy. Being with friends and family. Just be around good energy  31. What makes you upset? Seeing anyone I care about upset 32. What is something you love? The universe. I’m obsessed with the moon and the stars  33. What is something you dislike? Anger. I don’t really know why people get so angry or caught up over something 34. What are you strengths? My patience 35. What are you weaknesses? I have quite a few, so I’ll PASS this one 36. A misconception people often think of you? I don’t think I’m here long enough? But if I had to say something, probably that .. I have no idea 37. Do you have any fears? Yes  38. What scares you the most? Losing myself again 39. What do you do to entertain yourself? I make songs and go to the studio  40. What is your MBTI? I think it was ISFP 41. How do you deal with stress? This is something I struggle a lot with. I usually sit on a rooftop and I write down how I feel in lyrics.. I just tend to look at the moon a lot too 42. Are you a determined person? Are you a stubborn person? Determind 43. Do you consider yourself selfish? No, I think I put people’s feelings over mine 44. Would you like to be different? I wish I was stronger, mentally  45. Are you more introverted (focused on your inner world) or more extraverted (focused on other people and the outer world)? Introvert

ROMANCE QUESTIONS

46. What is your sexual orientation? I consider myself heterosexual 47. Current relationship status? Single 48. When was your first kiss? It was a couple of months ago 49. Do you remember your first date? If so, with who was it? What did you do? I don’t think I’ve ever been asked out on a proper date so..  50. Have you ever experienced heart-break? Unfortunately, yes. But no because of romance 51. Have you ever been in love? (If yes, skip to question 53) No 52. If no, how so? There’s.. this.. like, wall that’s up pretty high? I’ve been through a lot and I refuse to get hurt again. I think I’m just really scared to fall in love with someone. I have experienced crushes.. Now I have a small one on someone I know I can never be with 53. How do you know when you’re in love? n/a 54. What would be your ideal date? My ideal date would be somewhere nice and quiet, maybe like at a lake or beach and a picnic to get to know each other 55. What is your perspective on marriage? When the right person comes, I’ll be open to it. But for now? I’m way too young to get married 56. (only for non-virgins) Are you a sub, dom or switch? n/a 57. What do you think of relationships? I think it’s beautiful how you can share your love with one another  58. What do you think of one-night stands? I’m not someone to do this. I’d rather get to know someone first before I do anything else. Plus, I want to be super comfortable first and even then, I’d only be intimate when I would be in a relationship 59. Are you still a virgin? Yes, I am 60. Most attractive trait in a different person? Loyalty and caring  61. What matters most to you when it comes to a relationship? Being truthful with one another. And also, be patient with one another  62. Are you comfortable with PDA? Or would you be comfortable with PDA? I’m not completely sure. I don’t really like when someone is extreme. I think I’d prefer just holding hands or a hug?  63. Are you more of a type to be asked out or the type to ask the other out? The type to be asked out, I guess?  64. How do you express love to the other? I think I express my love to others by making sure they’re okay? I don’t really know how to answer this  65. Who is your celebrity crush? Ji Chang-Wook.... He’s so so so dreamy

GETTING DEEP QUESTIONS

66. Do you regret anything? Yes 67. Is there something you woule like to re-do? So, start all over again? I’m so grateful for where I am now. However, my past is really hurtful but even though, life goes the way it’s supposed to go.. right?  68. What is something you would never share with anyone? There are so many things that people don’t know about me or my past. Ruby knows a lot.. but she doesn’t know everything yet and I don’t think I can ever share my memories with someone 69. When was the last time you cried? Why did you cry? Just a couple of days ago. I suddenly felt overwhelmed after Felix’s birthday party. Probably a lot of, held back emotions at once 70. Most memorable event that happened in your time in St Judes? This could be anything: Solo being accepted by so many people. It’s still a miracle to me 71. One thing you wish you could do all over? Nothing 72. Someone you miss? There isn’t anyone that I currently miss 73. Something you wish you could forget? My past 74. Who has the biggest impact on you? Ruby 75. What is your perspective on love? Is it beautiful? Does it scare you? I think it can be beautiful in ways but it’s so scary, though? Love can be so hurtful. I’m not totally against it, I love to love, but --- it’s pretty unpredictable  76. What has hurt you in the past that you don’t want others to go through? Anything that I went through the age of 17 until I was adopted by Edwin and Jonah 77. What is something you have gained, something you have lost and something you let go of during the past year? Something I gained? A family. Something you’ve lost? Myself. But I’m doing very well in finding myself again. Something I let go of? Not much. My mind is still full of things that I wish I could forget  78. Have you ever lost a friend? do you wish you would still be friends? Not really?  79. Do you have any triggers? What is the history behind these triggers and are they related to any disorders or mental illnesses? I have panick attacks at certain events or scenarious? (OOC: She has PTSD and has 2 triggers, however, this hasn’t been diagnosed yet) 80. If you could meet your 16 year old self, what would tell them? You’re happy and you’re doing well. However, in a bout a year or so, someone is going to take you away from your family and you’re going through the worst pain in your life. Someone will introduce themselves as some kind of angel to you, but they will turn out to be your worst nightmare. You will go through a lot. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. This may seem to go on for forever, but you are so strong that you are going to get through this. I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you....

RANDOM QUESTION ROUND

81. Summer or Winter? Summer 82. Cats or dogs? Dogs  83. Beach or mountains? Beaches 84. Phone calls or texting? Phone calls 85. Have you ever skipped class? Only when I was dealing with mental health or sickness

[cassandras-blogg]

2 7 8 9 18 22 24 25 26 32 36 40 51 57 58 61 68 70 ;)

2. The last person I said ”I love you” to was my mom 💕

7. I just had a bunch of blackberries, yum.

8. No I never played sports but I did dance in theater when I was in high school😂 and in middle school there was an option to do dance or sports and... you can guess what I picked.

9. I try not to bite my nails but sometimes it happens, my nails grow super fast I have to cut them every week.

18. No I'm not scared of spiders because there are so many in the mountains here I live 🌲🕷🕸

22. I don’t want to give birth to a kid, I will adopt if I am with a guy OR if I have a girlfriend at the time then she may give birth to the kid if it is her wish ❤️ I want to teach a kid stuff but I don’t want to physically give birth to the baby.

24. My best subjects were English and History, and it is still that way to this day I just love those subjects.

25. I do miss someone, wish I could talk to them, or hug them, but they have their own life and they appear to be in a good place. That makes me happy 🖤

26. I am for sure craving human interaction, I'm fairly introverted for the most part, BUT the quarantine is finally starting to get to me...

32. Dark blue, deep red, and forest green 🌹

36. Yeah I love to give second chances... It happen easily. It's probably a bad thing but oh well.

40. No not exactly, like almost naked, but I'm down to be fully naked outside. It sounds like a day to remember 🌞

51.My favorite food is pasta 🍝

57. Yes I do ❤️❤️❤️I'm an hopeless romantic. It will hurt me in the end. But I am ready to be absolutely destroyed by love, I accept it. 🤍 it will happen sooner or later, and I will welcome the pain of it all.

58. I enjoy sunny weather along with some clouds in the sky🌌 ⛅️ I love spring and summer.

61. Um. YEAH it’s fucking cute as hell I will melt everytime. If you call me baby I will surrender all to you.

68. One of my close friends, mainly talking about our anxiety, which can get deep at times when you think about it.

70. I would die for my mom even though she would hate me for dying for her ✌🏼

Thank you for asking 🥰⬇️⬇️⬇️

[revisitingstoneybrook]

#68 Jessi and the Bad Babysitter: Chapter 14

Now it’s time for some fireworks! It’s always fun to see someone snap and call the BSC out. Godspeed, Wendy.

It's the next BSC meeting on Wednesday and Jessi has her eyes glued to the door, praying that Wendy arrives on time. She's afraid another Kristy-Wendy showdown will take place, and I think she's also worried that because she's the one that brought her into the BSC, it'll be her ass too.

Much to Jessi's relief, Wendy shows up at 5:29 and she's not a happy camper. “Her mouth was set in a thin line and her big brown eyes were narrowed and angry.” *gasp* How could anyone not be in a good mood to be at a BSC meeting? Wendy says she had to leave a Super Mario tournament just to be at the meeting on time. And to top it off, she was winning too! Guilt-trip all you want, Wendy. The BSC is immune to all excuses. And Super Mario...Ann must have been tearing her hair out when she read all these modern pop culture references.

Jessi tells her she did the right thing and thinks to herself the BSC is more important than video games. The BSC supercedes all! And imagine if Wendy showed up 25 minutes late again...she'd wake up in the morning with “YOU'RE GOING DOWN!” spelled out on her windowsill in baby blocks. Jessi tells Wendy it's important she's here, but Wendy doesn't look too convinced.

At 5:30, Kristy calls the meeting to order and says she has two pieces of business. First, Shannon's coming! But she's going to be late. So anyone else showing up a minute late = LOOK. Shannon showing up late = that's ok! You know what, fine. Shannon gets like no love, let them bend the rules for her.

The second piece of news...Wendy was late to the job at the Pikes! Dun dun dunnnnnn. Wendy, completely blindsided, looks at Jessi accusingly. Oh no, Wendy. Jessi didn't say anything. It was Kristy's little Yes-Girl.

Mary Anne tattled on Wendy to Kristy. She says she didn't do it to be mean (yeah right) but said it was something that Kristy had to know. Wendy tries defending herself by saying she was maybe 15-20 minutes late and Jessi was already there. Kristy snippily counteracts with this:

“The big deal is that when parents call here they know they can count on us in every way.” (Good times, bad times, in between...) “That means they can be confident that they can get out the door when they need to. This business works because we run it in a professional manner.”

Uh, no, you run it in a dictatorial manner, Miss Napoleon Complex. And geez, if Mary Anne had kept her mouth shut, nothing would have happened. I mean, Mrs. Pike came home and both girls were there and the house and kids were all in one piece. I feel for Wendy because she's being ganged up on when all she's guilty of is assuming wrong. And they all keep forgetting that SHE WAS AT A BABYSITTING JOB. It wasn't like she was out shopping or was on a date (Stacey) or something. Oh wait. That's against BSC rules too. Girl's between a rock and a hard place here.

Wendy opens her mouth to say something, then shuts it. Too bad this a G-rated book because Wendy telling Kristy to fuck off would have been great. After thinking her words over, Wendy says things aren't working out. Stacey, who's said like six lines in this whole book, wants to know why, mainly to ease the tension and keep Kristy from unleashing her claws. She's also mentally taking notes for future reference when she quits this bitch in 15 books.

Wendy says there's too many rules and doesn't like the fact that she has to surrender all her personal jobs over to the BSC. She also doesn't like having to be at meetings three days a week because it takes up too much time. Kristy, your rebuttal? “You knew the rules when you joined.”

NO SHE DIDN'T!!!!!! NO SHE DIDN'T, NO SHE DIDN'T, NO SHE DIDN'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good lord! No one gave her an explanation of the rules when she first joined. Kristy was too busy acting all high and mighty, demonstrating how the club assigns jobs and yelling at Mallory for being sick. Holy shit, Kristy is such a bitch. Wendy, in a more composed manner, tells her what I just said. How the first meeting she attended was so frantic and no one ever told her what any of the rules were. Through all of this, Kristy stays silent. 

Wendy admits that the club is great (so the brainwashing did get to her a bit) but it's great for all of them - not for her. Mary Anne suggests that it's just an adjustment period and she'll be fine soon. It falls on deaf ears, because Wendy stands up and gives the BSC a verbal smackdown:

“No, I don't think so. I have parents. I have teachers. I don't need a club telling me what to do, too. That's just one too many people bossing me around.” Oooooh, want some ice for that BURN, Kristy? “Sorry it didn't work out. 'Bye.”

With that, Wendy walks out of the room and into BSC obscurity.  Or there's always my theory that she was driven out of Stoneybrook for defying the BSC and was sent to live in RI in exile, like Anne Hutchinson.

Since this is a G-rated book and there can't be any lines of “Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!”, Kristy spits out a goodbye and adds on, “No offense, Jessi. But I can't believe you and she are friends.” Ouch x 100. Geez, someone is a bad match for the BSC = shitty friend. Jessi tries to defend Wendy and calls her “pretty independent.” Yes, free spirits have no place in the BSC! Hear that, Dawn? Change your hippie ways, or you're next!

Stacey jokes that Kristy's met her match. Kristy glares at her (which makes her perm go stick-straight) and gives us this. “Wendy? Not likely. I don't think there's much value in being completely undisciplined and unable to follow a few simple rules.”

A few SIMPLE rules?! The BSC runs around like a bunch of maniacs to make sure they don't break them and cower in fear at receiving one of Kristy’s Looks. The fact that the BSC is literally terrified of pissing off their president is scary and shows that their rules are not that simple.

Jessi remarks that Kristy and Wendy are actually quite alike and that's why they clashed. The only difference is, Kristy's a leader...and Wendy's a loner. Yes, let's just keep shitting all over her.

Jessi apologizes for bringing Wendy in and Kristy says it's alright, she's relieved she's gone. Because if she kept showing up late, they'd have to can her and “that would have been pretty unpleasant.” Oh yeah. With the trial for high treason and the beheading in the town park? Very unpleasant.

Mary Anne says she was afraid they'd fire her and actually had a nightmare over this the night before. “I dreamed we all had to stand in a circle and tell Wendy why she had to leave. In the dream, I couldn't do anything but cry because I felt so bad for her.” Like we need any more evidence that the BSC is a cult. I'm picturing them all in black robes, holding candles with Wendy in the middle, waiting for Logan to lead her off to her tower.

And WTF Mary Anne. If it hadn't been for you blabbing all this to Kristy in the first place, Wendy wouldn’t have up and quit. Shut up.

Before they can trash talk Wendy anymore, Shannon shows up and everything gets sunny again! And, guess what...her Honor Society dinner committee meetings are over! So she isn't as busy now! Claudia gives her the news about the newly-departed Wendy and Shannon says Kristy told her “she wasn't working out too well, anyway.” I'm sure Kristy used much more colorful language than that. 

Shannon tells them she has a cunning plan...a plan so cunning, you could brush your teeth with it. Since they've been calling her like a million times a week to offer her jobs...why doesn't she just come to meetings and take over Dawn's position as alternate officer? Then when Dawn comes back, go back to being associate?

Sounds great...JUST LIKE IT DID WHEN I SUGGESTED IT LIKE 10 FRICKIN CHAPTERS AGO!!!!!!! God, it took them THIS long to come up with that?

Kristy is overjoyed, Shannon says she has no issues with stepping down, as it'll be spring by then and she'll be swamped with school stuff and she'll be going away for the summer. Kristy freaks out and demands Shannon not go away for the summer because they'll need her. Shut up, Kristy.

Stacey tells Kristy to chill out and Kristy lets it drop. For now. So the phone starts ringing as the neglectful parents of Stoneybrook call in, Shannon takes lots of jobs, problem solved.

As Jessi goes home, she wonders about whether she should still be friends with Wendy, considering she kind-of told off Kristy and is unreliable. Because having a friend who is late to stuff is BAD. If I dumped any friends who were not punctual, I'd have to get rid of a lot of friends. Jessi finally gets a hold of herself and realizes that not everyone is used to Kristy's iron fist of power, it isn't the end of the world if her friend isn't punctual and decides to talk to Wendy.

Jessi calls up Wendy, Wendy seems to have been fretting over the same stuff because she thinks Jessi hates her for quitting the BSC. The two clarify their feelings, Wendy says she just didn't fit in with the BSC, admits she doesn't like Kristy (but doesn't hate her...no please, tell us your true feelings about her) and they decide to stay friends. Well, at least as much as the BSC will let Jessi, since all non-BSC friends kind of fall to the wayside eventually. She even says Wendy would fit in great with the We <3 Kids Club. I don’t get why Wendy could have stayed on as an associate. She wouldn’t be required to be at every meeting and it would take some of the pressure off Logan and Shannon.

[worldcakecakecake]

Feliciano and the King of Hearts

Chosen by the gods as the Queen of Hearts from the moment of birth, we follow Feliciano’s story as he grows into royal life, learns to rule, go against age old customs, and his relationship with his husband to be, the King of Hearts.

Chapter 1 I  Chapter 2 I Chapter 3 I Chapter 4 I Chapter 5 I Chapter 6I Chapter 7 I Chapter 8 IChapter 9I Chapter 10I Chapter 11I Chapter 12 I Chapter 13 I Chapter 14 I Chapter 15 I Chapter 16 I Chapter 17 I Chapter 18 I Chapter 19I Chapter 20 I Chapter 21 I Chapter 22 I Chapter 23 I Chapter 24 I Chapter 25 I Chapter 26 I Chapter 27 I Chapter 28I Chapter 29 I Chapter 30 I Chapter 31 I Chapter 32 I Chapter 33 I Chapter 34 I Chapter 35 I Chapter 36 I Chapter 37I chapter 38 I Chapter 39 I Chapter 40 I Chapter 41 I Chapter 42 I Chapter 43 I Chapter 44 I Chapter 45 I Chapter 46I Chapter 47 I Chapter 48 I Chapter 49 I Chapter 50 I Chapter 51 I Chapter 52 I Chapter 53 I Chapter 54 I Chapter 55 I Chapter 56 I Chapter 57 I Chapter 58 I Chapter 59 I Chapter 60I Chapter 61 I Chapter 62 I Chapter 63 I Chapter 64  I Chapter 65 I Chapter 66 I Chapter 67 I Chapter 68  I Chapter 69 I Chapter 70 I Chapter 71 I Chapter 72

                                                    Chapter 73

“I am incredibly uncertain about this,” Arthur said, yet joining the others in their decreed way.

 The castle seemed more active than it had ever been during this entire war, a rush passing by them or following behind.

 “It’s only obvious I should go,” Feliciano lead this huddle of many worried, trembling or even ready to begin the process. “I was the one who missed the alignment, I’m the one whose prophesied to finish all this and I have the magic necessary that can help me more than any of you in the interludes.”

 “Feliciano, you only but just recently left the birthing room. I don’t think you are yet mentally stable for this,” Kandake tried to walk at his pace, wanting that he would look at her, not just forward, to the room decided would bring their faith.

 “You are bearing!” Louis joined, of the many at the front wanting to keep his speed.

 “All the Queens should be here to take action,” Aldrich said.

 “I am fine,” he tried to make it sound stable, yet it was forced, there was anger, clearly part of the denial. “I am sure the children will be fine.” He gave the jewels a short caress, the only moment he had gotten his eyes elsewhere. “All the Queens will take action. I am only doing my part.” He began to take off the red cape and the jacket he had been wearing, meaning to throw it to the floor carelessly, instead, his mother caught it, part of her refusal, holding and offering for if he still changed his minds in the mere minutes left.

 “Amore, there are so many who could go in your name.”

 “I don’t need anyone to go for me. If I can do it, I will.”

 “But if we loose you, we loose the biggest piece we have in this war,” Herakles said.

 Feliciano took a deep breath, swallowing once again the weight and terror of all this, “I won’t fail.”

 “And if you do…what then?” Vincenzo posed the dreaded question, the one to turn Feliciano’s step into hesitance.

 It was small. Another breath and he continued as he had.

 “Then all hope is gone. Nothing else will be left.”

 Many servants and maids stood beside the room that was decided. They trembled in their eyes, it spread to their clothes, a panic that worsened at the groups’ coming.

 “But I won’t let you down. I know what this means, and I can’t let myself betray the kingdoms.” He raised his hand, with a queenly decree to open.

 Elizabeta held it before it was uttered. “Once you pass those doors, we will understand then that there’s nothing we can do to change your mind. We will start and you will be brought into the Interludes. One last time…are you sure you want to do this?”

 All, even the servants and maids, stared hoping still for other words that could spare him from this, that anybody else still had the chance to offer themselves. With the elongated silence, they wanted to believe it was to happen, coming ever closer for the acceptance.

 Feliciano released himself from Elizabeta’s grasp and used the hand to push open the door, making his way inside. The rest looked between themselves hoping for any new words that could help to get him out of there before it truly began, but now they had nothing. It was as Elizabeta had said, by this point, there was nothing they could do to change his mind. All they could do now was to fulfill their part, heading behind him to begin.

 The room they chose was the one that held the recreational pool. The specific servants who worked there could well count the times it had been used. Feliciano and Ludwig themselves had only been there two times…one of those being in their heated Roseann spring frenzy. All Feliciano could see were the spots they had made love, where they told sweet words, smiled and touched in what they had thought a forever. To Feliciano it was a new shot of pain, biting his lips, peeling himself harshly away from those scenes of memory, a new shade of tears to add to his eyes. No…he couldn’t show this now…especially now.

 “This place is actually gorgeous,” Lovino had to admit.

 And indeed it was a majesty.

 The room was dark, in the solid of the rock that had formed it. The only light was but those of specific jewels. There were three large ones that emitted a pinkish light, at three high points, right above the formations that cascaded new water into the pool below. The rest of these jewels were in the waters, showcasing the depths…perfect enough for one to lay in its infinite…no safe reach to the surface. Some shivered at its emptiness for now.

 Planted fauna, along with small statues decorated it heavenly, a beauty that made many wonder why they didn’t use it more often…and why did it have to come to them using it for a purposed drowning. Distracted they were to not notice how Feliciano already sat at an edge, rolling his pants and taking off his boots, to the side uncaring…he wouldn’t need them dead. He could have swung himself that instant, but he was held by a hand on his shoulder, looking up to meet with his cousin. Herakles turned his head, asking for patience.

 “All right, so, we need someone to stay always at the door, controlling who comes in and even defending if it comes to it,” Lovino loudly told.

 “I will offer myself then,” Louis said, already taking a seating, brandishing a polished and beautiful spear…out of its case for the first time in decades.

 “Us Queens will take the ever watch on Feliciano, as well as necessary mourning,” Arthur said, Elizabeta and Lili joining on his side, creating a sort of shield on Feliciano, to stand strong from that moment.

 “Yet, we are in need of more watchers and mourners for if we are needed elsewhere,” Elizabeta reminded.

 “Then the rest of us will stay here, to act quick if that is to be the case,” Kiku said.

 “Messengers are rallied, and we are prepared to work here,” Aldrich said, in his place along with the rest. He was determined to be a part of this, to be close. All the tables, plans, books, even charms and talismans were there with them, a good space apart from the pool so neither could be disturbed, each in their own mission.

 As they all made their final chats and placings, Lovino headed over to his brother, kneeling beside him, worried glances exchanged…but loving, yet dreading, both beginning to take a synchronized row of breaths.

 “Lovino, I’m already here. You can’t change my mind any-”

 “I know…I…just want to tell you to be safe…I don’t want anything to happen to you…”

 Feliciano smiled, yet a dry hand coming to take one of Lovino’s, the grasp tight and assuring.

 Lovino sighed, “you know what you have to do.”

 “Ever since I decided. I’ve read the chapters like twenty times. I know enough, I know what I need.” He gazed to the water, like a new door before him. “I’ll…do my best…and then I’ll be back before you guys know it,” he confided with such a large smile, the one of their youth, his and now Lovino knew ever shinning.

 “Any idea on where the power will be though?”

 “I’ll look, I’ll do whatever it takes, I know I’ll find it.”

 “Fine and…Feli…” and there was the chest, the musical one, placed right beside him on the ground.

 “I wish I could take it,” Feliciano admitted.

 “I’ll play the melody…perhaps you’ll be able to hear it…perhaps it can help.” He wanted to hope…he wanted to do more.

 “It might… I’ll try to hear it.”

 Lovino smiled…lowering down for an embrace, Feliciano knowing his last physical warmth before he left. It was then Vicenzo and Renata who came down, sharing in it as well.

 “What about…what about the children?” Vincenzo pointed to the jewels.

 “I’ve said it enough times, papa. They’ll be fine.”

 “The body will be well kept, and while Feliciano is surviving in the Interludes with a hold spell, the children will be able to grow as per usual from the magic here,” Renata deemed.

 “I hope so…” Feliciano let his hands caress them, not knowing if they will be in the interludes as his light and belief.

 “We still don’t truly know though,” Louis had to remind.

 “I don’t think someone has ever purposely gone to the interludes while bearing,” Lili added.

 “Well…I’ll come back and be the first one to write about it, I guess,” Feliciano breathed, his feet now entering the water, the cold giving a strong shiver that almost froze his entire body that instant.

 “The time is upon us…who will create and hold the suspension spell,” Vincenzo alarmed.

 “I-” Herakles was to offer, but he was interrupted by the crashing entrance of a messenger. It had been so sudden that Louis had bared her spear at him. The messenger was too frantic to care about the weapon pointed at him.

 “Destro! He has entered Austria!” He shouted, just the alarm that brought them all to hesitance once again. They shared panicked glances, their worry heightened, and a new dread of planning was to come…just as Feliciano was set to leave.

 Herakles looked to Feliciano, and he nodded, the Queen giving the command for what had been a planned leave.

 “And where is Khaos?” Lovino asked.

 “The defenses of the Amazon are crumbling…they expect soon entrance into Spades as well.” The messenger was still breathing heavily, every word more a weight on him.

 Many fretted, halted in confusion on what to do.

 “I’ll head to Greece immediately and begin our protection at the border,” Herakles stood proud, making his way, but not before coming to Kiku, a tight caring hold of his arms before they embraced and kissed.

 “We continue as we have. We create new tactics, new attacks, send orders,” Aldrich tried to calm.

 “There are casters in Italy of old age that wrote to me that they will act on such a case. I’ll message them this instant, perhaps they can join you, Herakles,” Vincenzo stood.

 “There are also casters of equal state and strengths in Japan as well. I’ll tell them to join along,” Kiku said…anything to help his intended.

 “See if there is anybody still in Germany that can go and fight,” Renata joined. She feared how they were in their last resort…sending seniors to war.

 “Arthur, I recommend you start sending reinforcements to the Oralee. It is an easy door for Diamonds that Khaos can misuse,” Elizabeta suggested, and the Spadian Queen began his orders.

 “Amore,” Renata kneeled back to her son’s sitting, who was now held, wanting to also fulfill duties in this fighting, but nothing came from his mouth, the water surrounding his feet reminded of what he was meant to do instead. “I’ll hold the suspension spell.” There were no disagreements and so it was decided. Feliciano held her hands tightly in gratitude.

 Orders and plans began to get shouted, the room now a mess. Lili began organizing a map, putting accord new plans, paths, and locations. “Opa, look,” she pointed and so all noticed the route Destro was taking, new terrors reigning.

 “He’s trying to get to Hearts,” Louis said aloud.

 “More specifically…he wants to come to Berlin,” Lili noticed.

 Some teared, some paced trying to rid of their shake.

 “His plans have long been obvious. What difference does it make that it’s more sure?” Vincenzo said.

 “It shows that there’s a specific purpose,” Lili glances to Feliciano and all knew for certain the main important plot for Destro.

 “He’s heading right to us,” Aldrich said.

 “Then we defend the castle. We make evacuation plans. We can’t let that freak get to Feliciano, especially while he’s in the Interludes,” Lovino appointed.

 “Our time has been shortened though,” Aldrich reminds.

 “Well, fratellino, you better hurry the fuck up then,” Lovino turned to him.  

 “I’ll try my best.”

 “We have to start now!” Kiku deemed it.

 “Hurry, we don’t have any more time to lose,” Herakles said, his last words before he was out of the room, to battle like many.

 “Feliciano, it’s time for you to start getting in,” Aldrich said.

 And so Feliciano nodded, taking his last deep breath before he followed the command of the last king and began a slow submersion into the water.

 No one else could work, no one else could go on with their mission, Feliciano felt all their eyes on him. If it wasn’t for the chill of the pool, for the coming dread of death, it would have bothered him, but it didn’t matter, not now when he was especially close. He could depend on the steps, taking them one by one, submerging only slightly each time. When the water was by his torso, he extended his leg and found no more rock to hold, it was then the vastness he had to take. He turned one last time to all, now so far.

 “Please…be safe,” the last words he heard were those of his father, taking his wife’s side as comfort for what he was seeing, pain like the ones scarred on his body.

 Feliciano nodded, hoping they could see all the love in his bright open eyes, before he faced the water, breathe and he jumped forward without any more delays.

 He was now completely submerged, falling and letting the water take care of his descend however it wanted. He didn’t fight, he didn’t reach, he was not meant to escape from this. Relax…he let it all take him in. Don’t be fearful…sleep.

 There was the constriction, of the water filling his lungs. It would have been painful if he had begun to fight it, but he was going in ease, continuing his fall, now reaching a mid where he could float in an infinite. Slowly did the darkness took him, easing everything until all movements ceased, and he couldn’t control anymore how even his arms and legs fell. He was gone with an accepting seal of his eyes.

 They all watched the rumbling, the bubbles, all to the very last one that surfaced.

 “Renata, now,” Kandake commanded, seeing the opportune moment.

 Renata breathed in, rubbing her hands together, her breath releasing in a pinkish glow in the palm of her hands. Like a blown kiss, it floated and coated the pool, a beautiful pink mist to arise and drape before it fell and reached for the body it was to work on. It took it like a large blanket, draping him all until only a glow on his silhouette was left. Renata’s palm was in the same glow.

 “The hold depends on you. Make sure to always keep it,” Kiku said.

 “With my life if it comes to it,” she held it dear to herself, as if it was her little son.

 Feliciano shone like another jewel of the ones below the pool, but it was still disconcerting…how he was dead… even if  he was meant to come back and was holding to some sort of life  line with Renata’s spell. Their entire future laid on him like this. They were fearful of all the wrong that could occur, of this castle crumbling under Destro’s wrath, of Feliciano never returning from this, of a future enslaved or killed by this menace.

 Arthur hated how defeated they looked…when they haven’t finished anything and Feliciano was just floating uselessly in the pool. “We don’t accomplish anything just standing around here. Feliciano won’t be coming back anytime soon. Come, let’s get to work.” He turned and continued his orders to get the Oralee mobilized, as well as see if there was anymore that could be done to defend the Spadian border that was soon to be breached. And one by one they followed the Spadian Queen’s suggestion, heading to their place. The only who remained in their stare were Vincenzo, Renata, Kandake and Pookie. They didn’t dare leave. They wanted to keep ever watch, as if they could help defend him even if he was in another world…as if they could still reach him.

  Eternal…always in these waters, floating, vast, in a surrounding of nothing. It extended like this, his body in answer to its void. No response, no way to-…wait. It was then that Feliciano realized he was aware, that he knew his body or…soul and spirit, were present in these new waters. He could move his arms apart, paddle his legs, if even slight moves, slow. He tested his eyes, welcoming, adjusting them to what they could see and meet.

 Vast darkness, more so than what he knew the pool had been. The pink jewels were gone, instead, he saw a far blue light, like a moon shinning far off, into a surface. He could see ripples, small, like small stones falling upon it. There was something out there, new and…he could turn his body, energy was coming to him again, he had impulse and he used it to swim upward, now far, a grand effort that for Feliciano was like swimming the length of a full ocean. As he did, he realized that he hadn’t used his breaths…and that he didn’t need them. They didn’t exist here anymore. The closer he got to the top, the more there was this invisible pull, rushing him forward until finally he was released. No splash, no disturbance in this surface. He landed as if he was on solid ground, easy and balanced…even with an infinite depth of water below him. His steps caused only but a small ripple that easily disappeared, and once it was gone, Feliciano came to the realization that he was just as alone, in yet another blanket of darkness above him. No sun, no moon, no stars…no jewels even from the Aces to decorate such dread. That blue light he saw was somehow emanated from the very line that divided the water and this…place.

 Could he…move, walk? He could raise his hands, legs, turn his head. He tested a foot forward. Solid, another gentile ripple. Yes, this was ground he could trust for now to venture.

 As he completely settled straight, he noticed that the jewels of bearing weren’t present…only a haze red that looked more like a simple bruise. Yet, they were in their form and place, still a reminder that they were there. Actually, now that he saw, he had his normal arms, legs, stomach, head. He rummaged his fingers through his hair, still with its curls, feeling the same texture and skin. Even his clothes were the very ones he had taken his dive with. The only difference was all his bruises, cuts and scars were gone, with a small red glow surrounding him, as another light to guide. The realization made him smile, even extend himself upward ready to jump and shout in celebration.

 This had worked! He was in the Interludes! This was surely the first realm.

 He gazed about him, still the same infinite darkness, nothing of the descriptions he had read.

 Where was he to go? What direction could he take? Who could he even speak to?

 He was ready to dash for whatever he could find, to turn and shout if he had to. A sudden blast of white, lightning and shock as he stumbled upon it. Feliciano startled and screamed back at the sudden appearance of a body, floating and resting right before him, all is if he was in the depths of water the person was not actually in. He was from the White Kingdom, deep dark skin, his silvers, pearls and rich white silks from his soldier uniform, swaying along with him in quite a majesty. The body would disappear into a haze, but then he would shimmer again in this sudden crackling of light. Every time it extended below him, a single zigzagged line reaching down, disappearing into vastness.  That glow made him notice another body, deep below in the waters, flying and extending with not a wetness noticeable. This one a woman from Diamonds…the Israeli province he knew, she had the symbols along with her yellows. She also wore her soldier uniform, the same flashes of sparks, only in yellow…deep in rest as the other figure.

 Feliciano waved, tried to do any kind of big movement that could get them to wake up…yet they remained as they were. He dared to reach his hand to touch, but the shocks instantly got him, painful and burning. Feliciano couldn’t believe he could feel such a physical attack…when he was supposed to be dead. He moved back, he felt another shock and burn, another sudden body. It pained to know it was a Heartian, red, from Greece…surely of those sent to aid the fight at the front with Destro.

 As the blazing continued, extending, Feliciano could spot another Whitean, a Spadian, Clubian…several more, making the space glow in quite a beautiful array of colors. They were now everywhere…but not a single one standing as he did, pointing or providing a way. He spun, he fretted, anxious breathing that he didn’t think would follow him here.

 Okay, think, steady your breathing as if you were still alive…what did the book say? What did we talk about with everybody else? He brought his hands to massage his head as he ordered everything in his mind.

 “The deceased enters. The first realm is a mirror lake,” he remembered Elizabeta’s word, clear now once he stared to the endless bottom of this water. It wasn’t mirror-like…he didn’t spot his own reflection…only the other bodies.

 “All resided magic must be released.” Those sparks…how it had no specification…it was just to…release.

 That very moment, the body of a near Heartian boomed loudly, the glow coating Feliciano all in red. The body continued its rest…into haze, then more small sparks, but yet he didn’t awake.

 Feliciano now couldn’t control his breathing as he realized that all these bodies…so many…so many… wearing soldier uniforms…were the dead of the war currently being fought. So many looked so young…so many with badges and seals that showed their hard efforts…a life dedicated…finished in this. Feliciano shivered, tears brimming, close to kneeling him in the loss and misery.

 “This takes a period of four days in our time. A week in the time of the realm.”

 Enough, enough, enough, he repeated to himself in deep anguish, understanding that there was a mission that needed to be fulfilled…and it had a time limit. Even if he managed a passing to the Interludes with the chance of survival, for those once past lives that hauntingly floated around him…there was nothing he could do. He wallowed in the pain and blame…wondering if part could have been avoided if he would have acted earlier, if there was something before everything that could have been key to an easy victory…not to this reach where he had to visit the afterlife.

 Breathe…he had a week in this realm to find whatever answer he could. Even if nothing seemed present that instant…he had to explore, venture and hope that he could find a clue…or even someone.

 He stood, just as a Spadian body flew along him, as he gazed upward and noticed a larger array than before, all from Diamonds. Feliciano swallowed, not wanting to know what it meant.

 Okay, he had to go on. One foot forward, the next following, a pace as if he was strolling through the castle. He tried to keep that singular line, only his gaze turning to the bodies he saw, careful of the lights that shot down.

 Into the depths he went, yet still the only red light that walked singularly in that eternal extend.

[augustwash1]

Latest iPhone Phones Continue Getting Significantly Better

Users more than likely are in agreement with me personally that iPhone X design was among the very best, and that is exactly why Apple decided to keep the identical look for their next set of exclusive cell phones. Introduced a year ago, it's the very first Apple cellphone to take out the main button. In the other, I held its own brand-new successor, the Iphone Xs. My eyes squeezed shut, I passed them back and forth between my hands, rolling each phone above, feeling the curves, glass springs, dual lens camera bumps, and radar vents. I realized that I couldn't tell the difference between the two phones. This is not a criticism. It is just a simple fact of S version years, in which Apple locks at the iPhone design and concentrates, rather, on upgrading key internal parts. Therefore, the biggest changes to the 5.8-inches Iphone Xs and its big brother, the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max, each of which I analyzed, can be seen in functionality (thanks to this new A12 Bionic CPU), photographs and movies, (new digital cameras and a new ISP endorsed by the A12), along with functionality (iOS12, the last version of which came pre-applied in my test units). The outcome is a pair of fantastic, tasteful, and high-performing devices that will please iPhone enthusiasts and receive over a few glances out of Android smartphones. It still has the exact rigid surgical steel frame wrapped into a brand new glass material which Apple stated was devised to be scratch resistant and heavy duty. I gave the phones a couple half-hearted drops on a thin-pile rug but wasn't prepared to let them slide away . So far I have discovered just one very nice scrape on your iPhone Xs Max. So let us consider them scratch-resistant, however still not scratch-proof. The bigger iPhone Xs Max shares all the iPhone X's substance and layout attributes, but does this in a 6.2-inch x 3.05-inch x 0.30-inch human anatomy. In 208 grams, it is substantially thicker than the Iphone Xs. The Xs Max is really a hair shorter (0.04 inches) and thinner (0.02 inches), however, it's also a couple of grams bulkier when compared to the Iphone 8 Plus, the big-screen telephone that from a space the Iphone Xs Max most looks like. Button positioning power/sleep, quantity controllers, ring/silent switch -- will be exactly the same. However, there is one minor chassis difference. At the bottom edge of the telephones sits the lightning connector. It's book-ended by means of a pair of drilled holes that accommodate one half of their stereo speaker program and among the telephone's microphones. There was six openings on either side. Now the ideal side includes six slotsbut the left, that just houses a microphone, has just three. This small change was done, in part, to adapt the new inner antenna configuration which includes 4x4 MIMO and License Assisted accessibility, which utilizes unlicensed 5 GHz range to provide 1 Gbps chip over LTE. Apple updated the water and also dust-resistance rating to IP 68, which translates to the handsets residing in 2 meters of water for up to half an hour. I did not get to go swimming with all the iPhone Xs or Xs Max, but didn't run the latter phone below normal water, juice and milk. Afterward, as advocated, I rinsed and dried off the smart phone. I was careful not to plug it back into a lighting cable (that is a no-no after a dowsing) but didn't put it on a wireless charging foundation at which it had no problem accepting a fee. Apple, incidentally, said it put some effort in making the wireless charging platform (basically the hidden coils within the phone) more forgiving. This is great news, since I have, on more than 1 occasion, woken up to find that my iPhone X did not charge because I placed it a modest off-axis about the charging base. I have never ran into that issue with the iPhone Xs or Xs Max. The Iphone Xs and iPhone Xs Max body frames are somewhat rigid and solid-feeling, but torqueable, particularly the bigger telephone, which actually creates a tiny clicking sound once I attempt to twist it. Apparently, I've just had those iPhones for a week, but based on a calendar year's experience with the original iPhone X (granted, mostly in a thin instance ), I consider this design framework tough and ready for the long run. Even now as Samsung follows Apple to the dense black cutout at the peak of this iPhone Xs and Xs Max, Apple shows no traces of going backwards in the multi-option technology, which neither grew nor slipped in the most recent iPhones. Just like the original TrueDepth Module, that one is still packed with all the exact components (none of that, as much as I can tell, have been updated). There is a 7 MP camera, dot projector for depth sensing, infrared camera (depth sensing), flooding illuminator (yes, too for depth-sensing), proximity detector, ambient light detector, the second half of the stereo speaker program, plus a mic. On the backs of the iPhone Xs and Xs Max, there is more of the custom glass, the Apple Logo, the word Iphone (but no"X" or"s"), along with the 12 MP dual camera system. This vertically-oriented, pill-shaped camera module appears exactly the same as it did to the last iPhone X. It is still a prominent bulge, but it didn't get any bigger. Within the module is new hardware backed by new image technologies, but more on that later. I've always considered that the 5.8-inch Iphone X an fantastic tradeoff involving a big-screen phone and hand-friendly ergonomics. The screen is large and immersive, however, the body is comfortable to hold and pocket. The iPhone Xs Max in comparison can, particularly if you're used to holding a more compact phone, feel big. It is not embarrassing to hold, however people with smaller hands will probably fight with one-handed use and will likely want to turn Reachability, which with a swipe down on the flat bar moves all halfway down the screen, which makes it longer accessible. Still, the trade-off might be worth it. I forgot just how much I like the larger iPhone display, and about the iPhone Xs Max, you get much more screen without contending with a bigger phone (there is just that 0.04-inch height difference between the Iphone 8 Plus and the iPhone Xs Max). Apple's full-stack management of the iPhone layout, development, and production process pays dividends throughout the handset. However, it's most clearly from the silicon, which can be designed and developed in conjunction with the software and hardware components that will rely on it. Last year, Apple revealed the A11 Bionic, a powerful cellular CPU with built in Artificial Intelligence Power. The newest A12 Bionic assembles on that short legacy with a more powerful Neural Engine and much more impressive graphics performance. When I discuss a brand new Iphone, I begin using Geekbench 4 to check out the raw CPU operation. To ensure that there are minimum background processes going, I usually run the exam before I've set up a single app. I ran the Geekbench CPU benchmark and (together with understanding that Apple stuffed an additional gig of memory within the brand new Xs course iPhones) found that the single core scores had improved marginally between the A11 Bionic along with A12 Bionic. However, that the multi-core score was inexplicably lower. Not by a good deal, but I hadn't ever seen that happen. The amounts were still much higher than what I obtained from Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845, however a lower result on the new Iphone didn't make sense. However, once I reran the Geekbench CPU evaluation per day or so after, the A12 multi-core numbers beat those of the A11. My guess is that, though I set up the iPhone Xs and Xs Max as fresh iPhones, there may nevertheless have been some background setup process going on that dragged down the CPU amounts. The bigger leap in functionality is in the Geekbench Compute Metal Score, which jumped from 15,145 on the Iphone X into 22,245 about the Iphone Xs and Xs Max. Apple's done a great deal of work to beef up graphics performance, particularly for the raft of ARKit two (and Surface 2) software heading into the stage, some of which can support multiplayer gaming. While there aren't a lot of ARKit 2 programs in the program store, I did get a hands-on time using an Iphone Xs operating Galaga ARthe identical demonstration Apple showed off during the iPhone Xs unveiling. To play with, me and a couple of other writers stood on a desk and pointed out our telephones at the Galaga video arcade game console. Soon, alien attackers began streaming first from the video game display and from all round us. I swung the phone from side-to-side up and up and down to watch and then shoot the incoming assault. It had been fast-paced and a lot of fun. In the same way, I've seen how, together with ARKit two, the telephone can set, say, a very realistic digital pressure stove or sneaker to a real table or at my toes, the illusion broken only when I slid my hands to the framework and, about the iPhone Xs screen, it looked just like my notes had been stuck beneath the pot. You can't encourage these kinds of real-virtual combinations without ample graphics horsepower, thickness mapping, and the AI required to identify how surfaces, shadows, and even reflections will work on virtual shapes in a real open space. This processing ability also helped amp more ordinary operations such as Face ID. While the procedure for registering my head was unchanged from the original iPhone X, opening either phone with my face, in addition to utilizing Face ID to access password-protected apps and services, is significantly faster than it had been about the iPhone X. Overall, in actual programs, both Iphone Xs and Xs Max run reliably. Apple place massive work into enhancing the photo and movie experience on the Iphone Xs and Xs Max. Along with brand new lenses and a bigger sensor, both the cameras (rear and selfie) are all backed by a fresh picture signal cpu. The technical specs on the double cameras are untouched by the iPhone X (and would be the same on either the iPhone Xs and Xs Max). There is the 1.8 wide angle lens along with the f 2.4 2X telephoto. Both of those comprise optical image stabilization and will shoot around 4K video at 60 fps. They still take slow-motion video in up to 240 frames per second. If you'd like insane 960 fps super-slo-mo, then you are going to have to look to Samsung. In the pure-play photography race, though, Apple requires the head. The Smart HDR uses detector, ISP, and neural engine enhancements to catch a number of the finest high-dynamic range photographs I've ever seen. The gap between what has been possible on the first iPhone X and the Xs and Xs Max is stunning. Apple produced a system suitable of shooting 2 frames each thirtieth of a second, and immediately analyzing and combining them into a single image that preserves not only foreground and background detail, but that can freeze actions without presenting tremendous grain. In multiple images, I saw that the iPhone Xs and Xs Max find colour and detail in dark spaces without wasting out the lighter areas. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is also an excellent low light shooter, however I think the Xs line is a little better. I'm particularly impressed with how Apple's built upon its own position position in Portrait Mode digital photography. Apple created Portrait Mode in 2016 using the iPhone 7 Plus (the applications lagged from the hardware). Since that time, Apple's elegant the technology, adding items such as Studio Light, Contour Light, Stage Light, and Stage Light Mono. All these attributes remain, and are somewhat enhanced. That which I love and, as an amateur photographer who regularly performs with f-stops to get just the perfect depth of field effect, is that the newest Depth Control. Depth Control lets you choose a Portrait Mode photo and correct the Bokeh, or depth of field attention, after you shoot the photographs. This works with both front and rear cameras, which means that the image chip is using two different types of depth details. On the rear, it's the benefit of two lenses to find stereoscopic info. The front camera relies on the depth-sensing hardware. I understand, Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 gives the capability to correct background attention as you're shooting the image, as well as after. But, there is an essential difference here that is evident in the iPhone Xs and Xs Max Depth picture editor. It's a slider that lets you adjust smoothly from an electronic f 1.4 aperture to a virtual f16. At a real camera with a mechanical aperture, higher numbers interpret to sharper focus from the background along with reduced numbers imply the focus thickness is significantly shallower. About the Galaxy Note 9, Live Focus basically sees the pictures as two planes: the foreground and background. The slider blurs the background plane. The Iphone Xs's depth slider is based on all of the depth advice to reduce or enhance background focus through all of the planes between the very front of their subject and the background. Together with the enhanced Portrait Mode stitching (handling how the subject and a blurred background fit together), the subtlety of this effect through the selection of virtual f-stops is remarkable and, Apple's explained, is modeled on how actual lenses together with hardware apertures would influence each image. For most people the smartphone is their only camera. This places a pro-level command from the hands of millions of individuals, who are about to begin taking some really awesome portrait photographs. Just after capturing normal pics, movie, and even 4K, I continue to be stunned with the standard of photos and videos coming out of their iPhone Xs and Xs Max. Sure, it is strange that the larger Xs Max doesn't, as might be tradition, have any enhanced picture capturing features, however I doubt anyone is going to be dismayed with the photo quality delivered by either new mobile phone. There are a couple of other hardware-related enhancements, such as the guaranteed dual-sim technology which allows for multiple telephone numbers (believe work and individual numbers of one phone) via the support of eSIM technology. Unlike ordinary SIMs, you don't require a carrier card just for the provider to confirm it and allow it on your phone. It's a wonderful characteristic which, for obvious reasons, I could not test. For sound aficionados, there's also the new stereo recording and wider-stereo playback. This can be relatively hard to check, and I occasionally worry my ears aren't good enough to notice what could be a more nuanced difference. However, I'd find a method. I recordedin landscape mode, a few cars driving by. They begin on the left of this screen and push to the right. In video I recorded together with all the iPhone Xs, the noise travels from one side of the telephone to the other. Playback about the iPhone X is loud but lacks the identical degree of separation noise. Clearly, films with a great deal of sound engineering aren't just great displays for the amazing displays, but highlight the new, wider stereo playback abilities too. As hardware/software relationships go, you can not do better than the Apple iPhone Xs and iOS 12. I have been running betas of their new mobile OS for months on my iPhone X and found it incredibly smooth and stable. About the iPhone Xs and Xs Max, it becomes even better spouses. In addition to butter-smooth and lighting fast operation (in matches, video, and internet browsing), the augmented reality abilities first released into iOS 11, ARKit, along with the iPhone X tend to be far more refined and easy to customize from iOS 12 and the Iphone Xs. The smart assistant is a much better listener than ever, and getting smarter. Her address is much more conversational and she is requesting follow-up queries. Siri can also be more proactive, putting connections between benign items such as locations and schedules and offering them beforehand. There are also a number of third party programs tapping into Siri, allowing you to use only your voice to access program features and data without even launching the app. You can set up iOS 12 on your older Iphone (down into this iPhone 5s), however not all of attributes, particularly those involving AR, will operate on the older devices. Still, I clearly advise the upgrade with anyone operating an Iphone 7 and up. It is simply a much better, more polished, educated, and smart user experience also, to be fair, I have hardly scratched the surface of all of the updates and feature improvements you'll find. Apple claims 30 minutes more battery life involving the iPhone X and Xs and 90 minutes more with the Iphone Xs Max. In my experience, either new phone might get you through the majority of the afternoon on a single charge. I spent one day using only the iPhone Xs Max. I retained the brightness high and ran all types of programs and procedures. It lasted a strong 10 hours. Perhaps a tiny bit less than I expected, but still enough for me through the majority of the working day. In all honesty, with less than a week under my belt, it is difficult to give a full assessment of battery performance. There are so many variables and, obviously, battery life will be good on new mobile phones. Talk to me in 6 months or one year, and we're going to see if I am still satisfied with battery life. It is not strange that Apple did not bring down the cost for the brand new $999 iPhone Xs (or hold onto the original model and market it at a lower price). I'm not even shocked that we finally have a nearly $1,100 version or that we're able to cover a whopping $1,449 for the 512 GB iPhone Xs Max (which happens to be the version that I tested). Apple's already proven that individuals will pay almost anything to get their hands on the latest iPhone. Is $1,000 or more to cover a mobile phone? Perhaps, however many people think about the entire cost instead of monthly payments? I am, however, a little annoyed that Apple stopped the lightning -to-3.5 mm adapter. It's as if, in the last 12 months, we've gotten rid of our audio and Bose headsets, such as it is a solved issue. Memo to Apple: It is not. What I will say is that these are the iPhones you desire. The iPhone Xs does not mess with that which I consider a traditional layout, and also the Xs Max simply takes all that's amazing about the iPhone X and expands it. As a set, they are just as beautiful as the original home-button-free Iphone X. The plan looks especially elegant in a gold finish. Photographers will love the new camera, and gamers and content consumers will want the big-screen iPhone Xs Max. Even if you own the iPhone X, I still wouldn't upgrade unless you absolutely need more realistic augmented reality and full depth control on your portraits. For iPhone 6s, 7, 8, as well as 8 Plus owners, the iPhone Xs and Xs Max is going to feel as a massive leap to the foreseeable future.

[powerfultulips]

weird asks?

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

coffee mugs

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

chocolate bars!

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

both?

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

probably something along the lines of “weird, but brilliant. also really small and tiny”

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

plastic cups

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

ideally, grunge

7. earbuds or headphones?

headphones all the way babey

8. movies or tv shows?

not really a big fan of either

9. favorite smell in the summer?

um, like campfires and stuff

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

didn’t really have p.e. in school, but i always liked kickball and dodgeball

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

just a spoonful of peanut butter, along with my meds

12. name of your favorite playlist?

either “h” or “oliver!”

13. lanyard or key ring?

key ring i guess

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

smarties?

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

hamlet, probably. if you’re looking for a novel, a prayer for owen meany.

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

the comfy one

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

i have these shitty dad shoes (air monarchs) that i wear a lot. mostly because i keep them tied, and i often don’t feel like tying another pair of shoes when i go out. so they’re basically slip-ons

18. ideal weather?

70 degrees, mostly cloudy, maybe a light rain, or a soft breeze

19. sleeping position?

i usually sleep on my right side, but sometimes i roll over to my left

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

depends what i’m writing, but i like notebooks and my laptop

21. obsession from childhood?

quite a few. gas stations, legos, baseball, phineas and ferb

22. role model?

not sure i have one, i look up to all of my friends in different ways

23. strange habits?

i chew on my knuckles a lot, it’s a nervous stim i’ve had since i was young. dunno if i have any others

24. favorite crystal?

um.... the pretty ones

25. first song you remember hearing?

i have no fuckin idea my guy. maybe 99 luftballons

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

exist in an air-conditioned room

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

put a hoodie on and go for a walk

28. five songs to describe you?

“your heart is a muscle the size of your fist” by ramshackle glory; “after you” by good morning; “dip you in honey” by the wombats; “i’m against the government” by defiance, ohio; “new loved ones” by toro y moi

29. best way to bond with you?

probably helping me out when i’m in a bad situation

30. places that you find sacred?

dunno that there are any, really

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

karkat t-shirt, black jeans (that unfortunately don’t fit me anymore), probably some cute socks

32. top five favorite vines?

hang on i have a list. mychael with a B, this bitch empty YEET, the AA-AAA-AAAA battery one, bbq sauce on my titties, and “is that allowed?”

33. most used phrase in your phone?

i. what does that mean

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

none, fuck capitalism

35. average time you fall asleep?

probably like 2am

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

i. have no idea

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

suited case

38. lemonade or tea?

tea

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

pieeee

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

one time a teacher set a dollar bill on fire, i think. i wasn’t there. also a bat got into the bathroom once or twice

41. last person you texted?

my sweet, precious baby boy @literally-an-envelope

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

p a n t

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

hoodie!!!!

44. favorite scent for soap?

vaniwwa

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

sci-fi perhaps?

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

i usually sleep in a tshirt and pj pants

47. favorite type of cheese?

pepperjack probably. i had a dream about gouda last night, though

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

a blackberry. idk

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

“All people are good for something. The important thing is finding what.” (Tom, MLB Power Pros 2008)

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

fuck if i know dude

51. current stresses?

is “everything” an answer

52. favorite font?

helvetica

53. what is the current state of your hands?

slightly sweaty

54. what did you learn from your first job?

sprite with grenadine.... tasty

55. favorite fairy tale?

idk bro

56. favorite tradition?

my family usually goes to chuck e cheese on new years eve. its fun

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

bold of you to assume i’ve overcome anything

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

writing, singing, pitching (baseball), and punting (football)

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

y’know, like nya?

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

slice-of-life, or a sports anime

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

shrugs

62. seven characters you relate to?

are these all gonna be homestuck characters? probably. karkat, tavros, kanaya, dave, john/june, jade, and kankri. ok those are just my favourites but fuck you

63. five songs that would play in your club?

i’d probably have a really chill “club” that just played like, indie music from bands i like

64. favorite website from your childhood?

poptropica

65. any permanent scars?

yeah i have a few, although they’re fading and healing, idk if they will be on my skin forever.

66. favorite flower(s)?

i like tulips

67. good luck charms?

stuffed animals

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

black liquorice

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

fun fact! why do they call it oven when you of in the cold food of out hot eat the food

70. left or right handed?

right, but i swing left

71. least favorite pattern?

idk

72. worst subject?

like in school? physics

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

shrugs aggressively

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

like 5

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

i have no clue

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

probably fries

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

shrug

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

neither?

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

school id, i think

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

jewel tones

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

ain’t those the same thing

82. pc or console?

i guess i prefer console, but most of my games are on my laptop

83. writing or drawing?

writing

84. podcasts or talk radio?

podcasts, i guess?

84. barbie or polly pocket?

shrugs

85. fairy tales or mythology?

mythology?

86. cookies or cupcakes?

cookies !

87. your greatest fear?

losing my loved ones

88. your greatest wish?

am i allowed to say “to be dead”

89. who would you put before everyone else?

my fiancé, for sure

90. luckiest mistake?

i.... don’t know

91. boxes or bags?

🅱️oxen

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

sunlight!!

93. nicknames?

yeah

94. favorite season?

spring

95. favorite app on your phone?

tumblr, or discord

96. desktop background?

something from homestuck. it’s terezi

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

four (mine, dad, mom, fiancé)

98. favorite historical era?

i don’t know that i have one