#no but my mom sister and I we all have green as our favorite color

[vydumaj]

it’s been like a year and a half I still find it funny that the dark forest green color that’s become my trademark on clothes and accessories is now the official Hightower green…I have no choice but to share it with them; at least Alicent looks good in it

[heyjudeb]

Lake Secrets - Jude Bellingham

Chapter 1: Green is my Favorite Color

Summary: Grace Alexander Arnold, an architecture student, looks forward to a quiet summer at her brother Trent's lake villa. Her plans change when Trent's best friend, Jude Bellingham, arrives with his family. As Grace and Jude spend more time together, a secret romance begins to grow. Amidst the peaceful lake and family gatherings, will their hidden feelings last, or will they fade away with the summer? Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings: fluff, slowburn,

Note: This story will start of slow, emotional and angst parts will come in the next chapters, let me know if you like it

“Mom, this room is perfect,” I remarked, turning to see her unpacking her suitcase on the bed. “The view of the lake is incredible.”

She smiled, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. “I’m glad you like it, Jude. We’ll be spending quite some time here.”

I nodded, shifting my gaze to the peaceful lake outside my bedroom window. It seemed like I had lucked out with the best room in the villa.

When Trent suggested we spend a few summer days here with our families together, I hesitated. We’d never planned trips like this before. But I could use a break, and Mom seemed to like the idea.

“Honey, they’re waiting for us outside for the barbecue. They’ve already started,” Mom interrupted my thoughts. “I better go help Diane with the setting.”

“Okay, Mom. I’ll be down in a bit. Just need to get changed.” She placed the last bag on my bed and left the room.

The fresh air and the natural surroundings were already having their effect on me. I truly needed this break. After quickly changing my clothes, I headed out of the room. The corridor stretched long and narrow, each step echoing with a soft creak. The villa must be huge, with everyone having their own room. Trent, Jobe, my parents, and Trent’s sister all shared this floor with our bedrooms. Family photos adorned the walls on both sides, with many capturing Trent as a baby. I found myself pausing at Grace’s photos too. In every one, she wore a wide smile.

Among Trent’s family, she was the one I knew least. I’d seen her a few times at the stadium, cheering for her brother, but that was about it. Perhaps it was best to keep it that way, I thought, feeling strangely drawn to her. Those green eyes in the photos didn’t help shake the impression of her beauty. But she was Trent’s sister—nothing more.

I stepped out into the villa's backyard, facing the calm lake where everyone was chatting or busy with something. Our dads were at the barbecue, grilling meat.

"There you are, mate. What took you so long?" Trent handed me a beer and gestured to the spot next to him on the couch.

"Had to change quickly," I replied, sitting down beside him.

Across from us, Grace and her mom were deeply focused on a sketchbook she held proudly. Flipping through its pages, she eagerly showed her something, and she smiled, patting her shoulder after each page. “These are amazing, sweetheart. You’re doing a great job.” “Come on, Grace. She’s our mom, of course she’s going to say good stuff. Let me be the judge of that,” Trent teased his sister, who shot him an annoyed look before handing him the sketchbook.

As Trent scrutinized the pages with all the seriousness he could muster, Grace turned her gaze towards me. A light smile crossed her face as she waved. “Hey, Jude. How are you doing?”

Gosh, she’s beautiful. She seemed a bit nervous as she looked at me. I recalled Trent mentioning that his sister was shy and preferred her comfort zone with people she knew well, rather than joining large gatherings like this one. She hardly knew any of my family members that well. “Hey, Grace.” I smiled at her, noticing her shoulders relax slightly in response. “I'm doing well. By the way, I love this place. You guys must have so many memories here. I could tell from the photos in the hallway.”

“Yeah, this house has been around since I was 5, so I've spent part of every summer here for over a decade,” she replied softly, her voice kind. Her green eyes and blonde hair added to her angelic presence.

“Hmm, I think I’ve seen this building before. Are you sure these are your original ideas, sis?” Trent teased, stroking his chin playfully and raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, they are!” She retorted quickly, snatching the sketchbook back from him. Trent burst out laughing and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I’m kidding. These look amazing, sweetheart.” .....

Everyone seemed too full to move after the feast we devoured. Trent’s family was clearly excited to host us, ensuring every dish was served to perfection. My family looked like they were having a blast; Jobe and Trent were constantly cracking up together, seated next to each other at the table, leaving me next to Grace.

I kept telling myself it was just her stunning looks that drew me in. After all, I barely knew her. Was that a problem? If things were to develop between us, it could jeopardize my friendship with Trent. I decided to use this time to relax, enjoy myself with the Arnolds, and leave it at that.

“Let’s play a game, guys,” Trent announced, rising with his wine glass in hand. “I’ll get the cards. Who’s in?”

Jobe immediately agreed, and I nodded in his direction. Grace hesitantly said yes.

“You boys and Grace can play at the other table over there,” Diane suggested, getting up to clear the plates. “I’ll handle this and bring some fruit.” My mom joined her, refusing to let her do all the chores just because we were guests.

“Have you played Uno before, Jude?” Grace asked as we made our way to the table.

“Yeah! I always keep a pack of cards with me when I travel with the team.”

“So, you’re good at it?!” She sounded defeated already, causing me to chuckle softly. “I can never seem to win.”

“We’ll see how bad you are,” I teased, winking at her. She responded with a playful eye roll. “I’ll give you some tricks on how to win.”

As the cards were dealt, Grace kept echoing my advice on how to improve her game. It was endearing to see her across from me, legs crossed in oversized pajamas and a black t-shirt. We played a couple of rounds, and she consistently came close to winning, but Jobe and I managed to steal every victory. Trent, being the sore loser he was, demanded another game after each loss.

“Come on, Trent. They’re too good at this. Just accept defeat, bro,” Grace urged, looking frustrated at the impending loss.

“Fine, this will be the last one, I promise. I can't have this guy remind me of this moment at every chance he gets” Trent relented, pointing at me. I laughed at his outburst and shrugged my shoulders.

I signaled to Jobe to let one of them win this time. Grace seemed intensely focused, her stack of cards dwindling as she neared victory.

“And… UNO!” She exclaimed, clutching her last card to her chest and wiggling her toes with excitement. I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. 

Knowing she had a red card, I strategically didn’t change the color when my turn came, I wanted to let her win.

“I won! I won!” Grace jumped from her seat and threw her arms around my shoulders. “Thank you for the tips, Jude.”

“Alright, alright! Let’s call it a night. I’m beat,” Trent grumbled, tossing his cards on the table and standing up. Such a sore loser.

Grace released me as she realized what she’d done. “Sorry, I got carried away.” ....

I jumped into bed, feeling tired from the day's activities. The bed was soft, and the sheets smelled of lavender. All the lights were out, the only illumination coming from the backyard porch light and the moon over the lake, casting a serene glow. The view was like something out of a painting.

My eyelids grew heavy, and I was ready to give in to sleep. Trent and I had planned a morning run by the lakeside to stay active during the vacation.

A soft, almost inaudible knock disturbed my drowsiness. Thinking it might be my mom, I quickly got up and opened the door with half-closed eyes.

There stood Grace.

"Hey," she said, already regretting her decision to knock. "I'm so sorry, I thought maybe you were still awake."

I placed a hand on her forearm to reassure her. "Hey, don't worry. I was awake anyway. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," she smiled, her voice quiet. "The thing is, I use one of the drawers for storage in this room." She looked at me, making sure I was okay with her entering. "I need to get something from there. Is that okay?"

"Of course! Anything you need." I quickly stepped aside, motioning for her to come in.

Grace walked in quietly, moving toward the drawer. The soft moonlight highlighted her features, making her look almost ethereal. I expected her to take something essential, like clothes or skincare products. Instead, she took a vintage looking book and handled it with care.

"Got it," she whispered, turning to me with a grateful smile, holind it behind her back quickly. "Thank you, Jude."

"No problem," I replied, trying to ignore how my heart seemed to beat a little faster in her presence. "What book is that?" I really wanted to strike out a conversation with her. She seems like the type of person who would read a lot.

"Well, it's a poem book" she said softly, holding it close to her chest. "It's Bukowski's 'Love is a Dog From Hell' book".

"That's nice," I said, approaching her slowly. She looked even more beautiful under the illuminating light. Being shorter, she had to look up at me, and I could see her eyes even more clearly. "Do you enjoy reading?"

"Yeah," she replied, feeling comfortable to continue after my question. "Especially when I can't sleep. I basically memorized this book a long time ago, but I still like it."

A part of me wanted to tell her how captivating her eyes were, but another part urged me to stay silent. After a brief pause, she seemed to decide it was time to leave.

"I'll just go now," she said, walking slowly toward the door. She turned to face me before leaving. "Thank you again. Have a good night, Jude."

"Good night, Grace," I replied, watching her as she left, feeling a mix of emotions I couldn't quite place. After she left, I crashed onto the bed, determined to fall asleep this time. Our brief interaction brought me a sense of comfort and excitement, the thought of getting to know her more easing my mind. I slowly drifted off to sleep, her captivating eyes lingering in my thoughts.

Gosh, her eyes are beautiful. Suddenly, green became my favorite color. .......... Coming up next: Chapter 2: You Can Trust Me Warnings: fluff, slowburn, emotional moment, anxiety I would appreciate a comment letting me know if you like it or not. It will motivate me to continue writing. Thank you :)

[getvalentined]

Character ask game: #3, #48, #49 Vincent Valentine, of course!

What first drew you to this character?

What drew me to Vincent in the first place is a bit convoluted and very silly, but also I was like 12 when the OG came out so bear with me here.

So my mom has ADHD and only discovered this in the past couple years, meaning she spent her entire life trying to accommodate a condition she didn't realize she had, and this led to some "weird" choices—one of the most notable of which was literally color-coding her children.

I have five siblings, and we were all assigned a color to make it easier to tell what belonged to who. Older sister: green. Older brother: navy blue. Younger sister: purple, which was also her first word. Younger brother: sky blue. Baby sister: turquoise, because our folks tried pink but she rejected it from like 6 months old.

My color, if you hadn't guessed, was red.

What’s your favorite physical/design feature for this character?

This is hard to answer because Vincent's design, while being very distinct, is also really...transient, I wanna say? Most of his iconic physical features are temporary, they're clothing or accessories, we don't get to see a lot of him.

I really love Vincent's hair, but I always have the most fun drawing his eyes, so we'll go with that.

What’s your favorite personality trait in this character?

I actually really love Vincent's sense of responsibility. It's gotten him into trouble (that is literally how he wound up in his current condition in the first place) but it's also the only thing that drives him forward at any point in his entire storyline. He has trouble keeping it from bleeding out into guilt, sure, but without that sense of responsibility he never would have gotten out of his coffin in the first place.

I know he gets a lot of shit for being callow and weak-willed and dramatic, people call him obsessive for what happened with Lucrecia and stupid for just kinda staying in a coffin for decades while the world burned down around him, but I think that's doing him a disservice.

Vincent put himself to rest out of the same sense of responsibility as what got him killed in the first place. His presence, as far as he's concerned, is what caused everything to go wrong. He believed that he drove Lucrecia into a relationship with Hojo by coming on too strong, he believed that Sephiroth was his child and therefore he was to blame for giving Project S its lead subject, he believed that his inability to stop them from creating a monster is why he didn't pass on after Hojo shot him—he genuinely believed that the Lifestream rejected him, that what he'd done was so horrible that even Gaia couldn't forgive him.

So when he was locked away, he stayed. If no one ever found him, he couldn't hurt anyone else. He couldn't do any more damage to the world that he's been damned to haunt for the rest of time. In hiding, Vincent was removing himself as a mitigating factor in the continued hardship of the world at large, because he already felt responsible for causing so much harm. He thought he was doing the right thing, he thought he was protecting everyone else, he thought he was keeping the few loved ones he might have left safe.

He was wrong—but if he weren't, there's no denying that it would have been the right decision.

(From the honest favorite character ask game.)

[1waywardbirdlane]

Unsolicited Lore Dump

tagged by @ancuninfiles , a beloved mutual

Do you make your bed? Occasionally when i’m tidying up and want everything to look nice & neat, but it’s not something I do habitually. 

Favourite number? 19. Not sure why

What's your job? I tell people I’m a homemaker. 

If you could go back to school would you? If I could go to a trade school, like for carpentry or welding or something, I would in order to build my skills and my art portfolio into larger scale and more intricate projects. I would maybe go to university. I would definitely love to learn more. I love being able to deep dive into a subject, to really learn the nuance & history of it. There’s definitely lots of subjects I’d be interested in, but if I were to actually devote that kind of time to school, I’d also want to have a goal in mind- a Masters or PHD or whatever.

Can you parallel park? Yep

Do you think aliens are real? I think it’s the height of arrogance to assume that there are no other sapient life forms in our whole universe. As much knowledge as we humans have accumulated, there are most definitely still things we cannot even perceive, let alone understand. Most media depicts “alien life forms” as largely humanoid, but that is so limiting and it drives me crazy. Of the films & TV I’ve seen, the film Arrival is the most unique and exciting depiction of alien encounters on earth. The creatures themselves were more imaginative, but also their concepts of language and time were presented in ways that felt fresh and caused a lot of introspection, both for characters on screen and for me personally.

Can you drive a manual car? No

What's your guilty pleasure? This is probably a terrible thing to say here, but fanfic? I still feel like I’m going to be teased if someone asks why I’m crying over my phone and I tell them the new chapter of my favorite fic came out and my ship had a huge fight. (Looking at you @Aevallare jk ilysm) Or if someone asks what I’m reading these days and the only answer I have is “so many Astarion/bg3 fanfics that I literally can’t keep the Tavs straight anymore.” I know I shouldn't feel embarrassed, and if anyone said all these things to me I’d tell them to be proud and just enjoy what they enjoy, fuck everybody else. But…I’ve realized I actually got teased a LOT about things I loved as a kid. My family would pick on me about what I realize now were hyperfixations, like a movie or certain activities that I seemed obsessed with. When I watched fellowship of the ring everyday one summer my brother would mockingly quote lines at me and tell me I needed to get over it. 

Tattoos? I have 2! A henna/paisley -like flower design on the inside of my left forearm and 3 sparrows flying from my right shoulder blade up to my neck. & plans for MANY more

Favorite color? Green. All of its shades and hues. Purple as a close second, especially lilac purple.

Favourite types of music? I think I have a very eclectic taste. I can appreciate most kinds of music, but… folk, indie rock/pop, grunge are probably the most accurate categories? I like female singer/songwriters- Ingrid Michaelson & Maggie Rogers. We’ve seen the Decemberists like 5 or 6 times, but probably my most favoritest band is Incubus. I’m convinced Hozier is some kind of magic Fae creature who fucks off to another realm or dimension between albums. I’ll fight anyone who tries to take a shot at Eddie Vedder. Bowie always puts me in a good mood and reminds me of college and Wes Anderson movies. Radiohead and the White Stripes were some of the first bands my sister introduced me to. The Flaming Lips’ Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and Lauryn Hill’s Miseducation of Lauryn Hill are still some of my favorite albums of all time. 

Do you like puzzles? Yes! It kind of runs in our family on my mom’s side. If you went to visit Grandma and Grandpa and they were having a quiet night, they'd be doing a puzzle and listening to music or watching a movie. My aunts and uncles do it, and so do a few cousins, and my sister & her family love them too. I can get lost for hours with a good podcast and a puzzle. 

Any phobias? I originally went on an ADHD tangent about bear bells and tip toeing to cliff edges, but then I realized the only phobia I probably have is deep water. I LOVE being in the water, water creatures and ecosystems, but if I think too much about what is possibly swimming around just below me I can get a little freaked out. Truthfully this might stem from a “game” my brother and sister played with me when we were little and our house had a pool. They were 11 and 10. Both of them had taken swim lessons, could swim underwater and jump in without holding their noses. I was 3 and had a bathing suit with a built in innertube. They would take turns diving under the water with their hands on their heads imitating fins and grab my ankles and yank me down. Obviously it scared me and they did it so much that I stopped going in the pool with them.

Favourite childhood sport? Soccer

Do you talk to yourself? Oh yeah. Sometimes I pass it off as if I’m talking to my cat, or one of my plants, but yes very much a lot.

What movies do you adore? The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is #1 for of all time. Nacho Libre is another all time favorite. What We Do in the Shadows, the John Wick movies, Fast & Furious movies, Mad Max Fury Road…

Coffee or tea? I love both but if I have to choose then COFFEEFirst thing you wanted to be growing up? Somewhere in my parents’ house there is an old video of me saying that when I grew up I wanted to be a princess or a mermaid.

Gunna tag all 10 of my followers lol. If you've already shared yours just ignore me lol.

@astarionancuntnin @midnight-musings-of-nyx @adoenamedjane @originalin @giganticrodent @shewhowas39 @halsinwhore @swancensus

I really love doing these!!

[starlightswitch]

Lost: Heirloom Ring

@flashfictionfridayofficial I did this sort of story years ago for Writer's Month and to my surprise it got more interest than normal for me; I wonder what will happen this time?

10:27PM You didn’t tell me you got home so I’m hoping that means you forgot and not that you were in an accident or something.

I got home

Okay

10:38PM I don’t even want to tell you this.

What?

10:50PM I lost the ring – It could literally be anywhere – What am I going to tell Grandma?

Okay don’t – Sorry I didn’t mean to hit send there. I mean this in the nicest way possible but don’t be dramatic. It couldn’t literally be anywhere.

I mean basically – I made the most stops possible on the way home – I got gas twice because the first place was expensive and I got a coffee so I needed an extra bathroom stop – It could be any of those places – I should have left it on my finger. Then I would at least know when it went missing

Or it could have fallen off your finger and rolled down a storm drain. Breathe, okay?

Grandma is going to kill me

Grandma is not going to kill you

She might disown me

Uh, no

She might hate me for the rest of her life and then come back and haunt me

Oh my god. Get back to me when you’re calm enough to remember what Grandma is like.

Ha ha ha ha – Can you at least kind of sympathize? I LOST THE RING

Yes I got that. I have an idea. Where were all those places you stopped?

The usual. The Wawa halfway, that Little River Coffee Co, the usual rest stop, and that last Sheetz before home. Don’t tell me to go back to all of them and look

Of course not

Grandma would call that a fool’s errand

That much driving? It would be a fool’s *quest*. Nope, I’m going to post about it and tag them all

Oh – How are you going to tag a rest stop?

I’m going to tag the Department of Transportation

Jess Kalin Monday, 8:15AM Yesterday, at brunch with my little sister Ella at the amazing Back Door, my grandma gave each of us a piece of jewelry that belonged to our mother (who you may know passed away a few years ago). To me, the pearl necklace she wore for her senior picture and graduation. To Ella, a gold ring studded with tiny emeralds– green being Mom’s and Ella’s shared favorite color. The ring was a tiny bit big for Ella, so she tucked it in her pocket.

After her seven-hour drive home, Ella found the ring was gone.

We are hoping against hope it can be found where she stopped along the way. I’ll drop the exact locations in the comments. @Wawa, @Sheetz, @LittleRiverCoffeeCompany, @VirginiaDepartmentOfTransportation can anyone help us?

Virginia Department of Transportation Not Responding to Comments About Missing Ring Monday, 3:51PM The Virginia Department of Transportation has turned off comments on a post on their Facebook page asking if they will help in the search for a missing ring.

Yesterday afternoon, the Department was tagged in a post by Facebook user Jess Kalin. Kalin’s sister, Ella, apparently lost a ring, a family heirloom that had just been passed down to her, on an interstate drive. The now-viral post led Facebook user Lisa Kowalski to post on the Department of Transportation’s page requesting they help with the search for the ring. The post garnered dozens of comments in a few hours…

7:16PM Hey, isn’t the Back Door the restaurant you really like with the pierogis on the brunch menu?

Yeah, why?

There’s this article about this whole thing with a missing ring and the DOT. I just thought it was interesting the ring apparently got given to the person in the first place at the Back Door (link)

Oh my god

Back Door Restaurant Monday, 8:27AM FOUND: Ring. By the table one back from the window on the wall by the parking lot. (Pic is of the table we mean.) Describe to claim. Please spread the news if you know someone who was here yesterday, it’s a beautiful ring and we’re sure the owner wants it back!

Missing Ring Safe and Sound, “Most People Want to Help” Tuesday, 12:01PM A ring thought to have been dropped somewhere on the long drive from eastern Virginia to western North Carolina has been found.

The ring was given to Ella Kalin by her grandmother, Betty Sorochman, at popular brunch restaurant the Back Door on Sunday. When Kalin arrived home that evening, she discovered the ring was missing and assumed she must have lost it on the drive, prompting her sister Jess to take to Facebook.

Jess Kalin’s plea for help went viral. The manager of the Wawa where Ella stopped contacted Jessica, promising to alert her if the ring was found there. The Virginia Department of Transportation’s Facebook page received an influx of comments asking them to search for the ring at the rest stop where Ella Kalin stopped; the Department did not respond.

However, the ring had never left the restaurant. Employees at the Back Door found the ring Sunday and made a Facebook post Monday morning asking their followers to spread the news to help find the ring’s owner. Marya Logan is the follower who recognized the possible connection to the viral post about the missing ring. She contacted Jess Kalin and sent her the Back Door’s post. Jess confirmed the ring must be her sister’s.

Betty Sorochman went to the restaurant to reclaim the ring, which she will return to Ella. The ring originally belonged to Sorochman’s daughter Kimberly, Jess and Ella’s mother. Kimberly (Sorochman) Kalin passed away in 2019. Sorochman says she would love the story of the lost and found ring. “Kimmie loved a good story, so it’s only fitting now there’s one about her ring,” Sorochman says. “And she always said most people want to help, so if she found out how many people stepped in to help find her ring, she’d say, ‘See, I knew it’.”

[suckitsurveys]

2014/2024

1. First thing you touched this morning? Boyfriend./ Husband.

2. Last thing you yelled at? I’ve been saying things loudly all day I’m so hyper right now. And that sentence makes it sound like I am a 15 year old oops. / Someone who wouldn’t get out of my way on the expressway lol. 3. Is your car a piece of crap? Ahhh my favorite 14 year old piece of crap. / My car is actually in really good shape aside from the fact that it fucking leaks gas and they can’t find a replacement fuel tank so now I have to probably buy a new car.

4. What’s something you’re looking forward to in the next 7 days? Being with babe and getting hella paid next Friday. / Celebrating my niece’s 11th birthday and getting sushi twice in the same week when I go out with my friends for my birthday lol.

5. What’s annoying you right now? I feel weird but not weird. / Honestly how this survey formatted when I pasted it in here and now I have to fix every answer.

6. When is the last time you looked in the mirror? Earlier when I went to the bathroom. / This morning.

7. Would you have a long distance relationship with the person you are with now? We kind of have one now but not really? I mean he lives an hour away from me but we see each other pretty often. Like most of the week. / I mean we are married now so a long distance relationship would suck, especially after living together for almost 8 years now.

8. Who was the last person to make you really mad? My sister. / Actually, my sister, haha.

9. Where is the last place you had sex? In Mark’s new bed! Well. In my old bed, which is now his bed. / In our bed.

10. Who is the last person you had sex with? Mark! / Mark!

11. Do you enjoy watching porn? I do. / Sometimes.

12. What’s your favorite drinking game? Circle of Death! / I still like Circle of Death but I never play drinking games anymore.

13. Do you cry often? Ehh.  / Yes.I have been an emotional nightmare the past year hahahahahaahahaaaaaaaaaaaa.

14. Do you think someone is thinking of you right now? “Hey babe are you thinking of me right now?” “Always and forever.” / He’s still asleep so not yet.

15. Choose one to have (beer, cigs, or weed)? WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED. / Weed.

16. Do you wish on stars? Naw. / Not really.

17. Are you a big flirt? Nah. / Nope.

18. What is the most disgusting prank you’ve ever done? – / I don’t do pranks.

19. What would you do if you became pregnant? Get an abortion. / Get an abortion.

20. When did you last make out with someone? Was it good? Yesterday, and yes. / A couple of days ago, and yes.

21. Do you like your body? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. / Right now no.

22. Are you a likeable person? Fuck yeah I am amazing. / I don’t know, ask the people who claim to like me.

24. Who did you dream of last night? I don’t remember. / I had a dream Longfellow quit SNL but it was because he got the lead role in a movie franchise hahaha.

25. Whose body do you wish you had? My own but 30lbs lighter. / My own but 50lbs lighter.

26. What is the first thing you are going to do when you get home? Probably shower and get ready for my Grandma’s 89th birthday. I’m going home Sunday morning for that. / Put all my shit away and change into comfy clothes.

27. When is the last time you saw your mom? Alive? July 18, 2013. / July 18, 2013.

28. Have you ever been so in love, you wanted to get married? Like right now, yeah. / Yup, and I did.

29. Did you get lucky on prom night? I went with my best friend from Boston. So yeah that was pretty lucky. / In the sexual sense, no.

30. Is there a song that makes you cry? Oh god yes. / Yes, several.

31. Are you normally a horny person? Yeah. / Yeah.

32. Where is your self-esteem from 1 (low) to 10 (high)? Like an 8 right now. / 2.

33. What color are your eyes? Greeeeeen. / Green.

34. Plans for tonight? About to go swimming with babe. Then we might get pizza and wine and chill tonight. / Going to my sister’s so I can take my niece’s birthday pictures and maybe tell her she’s going to see Billie Eilish in November. Then I’m gunna go home and eat dinner with Mark.

35. Plans for the weekend? Well tomorrow I’ll still be here and Sunday is my grandma’s birthday. So that. / Tomorrow is my niece’s birthday and we’re having a family party for her. Then Sunday I’m planning on taking her to lunch and the mall to pick out a few things.

[fairy-writes]

get to know me tag:

i was tagged by the ever so lovely @kedsandtubesocks !! thanks for the tag erika!!

1. were you named after anyone?

technically a russian ice skater (i think) but people think i’m named after a cartoon because it came out three years before i was born lol

2. when was the last time you cried?

idk like last week?

3. do you have kids?

i got a fur baby does that count?

4. what sports do you play/have played?

i’ve dabbled in volleyball but gave up after almost breaking my nose! i also tried out for the basketball team in high school but didn’t make it (probably cuz i suck at sports lmao)

5. do you use sarcasm?

i like to think so, but usually only with my little sister

6. what’s the first thing you notice about people?

their clothes! i actually really like fashion despite no fashion sense

7. what’s your eye color?

blue! or green! depends on the light

8. scary movies or happy endings?

happy endings, scary movies make me incredibly anxious. i like the quiet place tho!

9. any talents?

i was a former cellist of about 5-6 years! nowadays i pour all my time into writing

10. where were you born?

utah baby!!

11. what are your hobbies?

writing, book collecting, uuuhhhh anime watching and that’s about it 😅

12. do you have any pets?

i have six dogs that live with my mom and my sister has a snake in our apartment. we also might be getting a cat if our landlord says yes!

13. how tall are you?

5’6”!!

14. favorite subject in school?

creative writing or art :) and orchestra in high school! but rn it’s probably my intro to writing poetry!

15. dream job?

an author! or maybe a poetry professor at a university!

no pressure tags!: @acerathia | @itoshisoup | @straykidsnerd255 | and YOU 🫵

[ravendruid]

Be In My Eyes - Chapter 1

This is a Vaxleth-centric College AU fic, where our group of chucklefucks share an apartment. You can also find this fic available on AO3. The title was inspired by the song Flowers in Your Hair by The Lumineers.

In the town of Byroden stood a large oak tree, behind which a small girl tried to hide from her brother, her dark hair in a messy braid and her hazel-brown eyes searching the direction from which she had seen him last. She was holding a stick almost as big as her with a piece of string tied to each end in what looked like a makeshift bow.

“Come on, Vex! It’s getting late, and I’m hungry!” A boy’s voice sounded in the distance. The girl, Vex, took a deep breath before she started to round the tree, as slowly and quietly as she could, looking for the source of the voice.

Vex wasn’t as great at hiding as he was, so he spotted her with ease, crouching by the roots of the large tree with her back to him. His equally dark hair fell at the sides of his face, a face so similar to the girl’s, but for the slight change of his features. The boy was able to approach his sister from behind without her noticing, his feet so silent against the dry ground that one could guess he was levitating. 

“Caught you!”

The girl jumped in place, raised a hand to her chest, and screamed as she turned to face him. “Vax! You scared me!”

Vax laughed at his sister’s reaction. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “I’m sorry stubby. We really should get going." He pulled her along with him. “It’s getting dark."

The girl finally nodded in agreement and they walked together, his arm still draped around her, until they reached the small wooden house, where a woman with thick dark hair stood in front of a stove, stirring a pot of stew.

***

The mountain town of Zephrah was located on a hill of the Summit Peaks, surrounded by trees and nature, among which stood a small, modest house, made of logs and stone. The gravel path leading to the wooden door was laden with beautiful flowers of various colors, and the planters in front of the windows sported a few bulbs of flowers ready to bloom. 

There was chatter coming and the nice smell of food cooking from inside the house as a tall, white-haired man stirred a pot on the stove while a small red-haired girl sat at the table, drawing flowers on a piece of paper.

“We learned about flowers today." The girl said as she drew a daisy. “We learned about cherry blossoms, snowdrops, and wildflowers… there are so many flowers with so many colors, and they’re all so pretty!” She finished tracing the daisy, only to start drawing a second one right next to it.

"Yes, flowers are one of the most beautiful things nature has to offer." The man said, looking over his shoulder. “They don't necessarily need to be merely decorative. They can have many uses, as you know." The girl nodded with her gaze still focused on the drawing, seemingly happy with the answer. “Keyleth dear, will you please set the table? Dinner is almost ready."

Keyleth nodded in response before her father turned his gaze back to the pot and started to collect her things by placing her coloring pencils inside a cute green pencil case. “Dad, what was mom’s favorite flower?”

Keyleth’s mother had died almost five years ago, when she was only five, and she didn’t have many memories of her, so she often asked her father questions about her. Keyleth knew that sometimes it hurt him to talk about her mom, but he knew it was important for her to know about her, so he would always answer her questions, especially the ones about what her mom loved and all her favorite things.

“She loved chamomiles." Her father answered with a smile. “They are beautiful, smell good, and they make great tea!” Like every time he spoke about his wife, Keyleth could see the threat of tears at the corners of his eyes.

“I love chamomiles too. I remember when mom used to make me tea when I was sick." Keyleth’s voice was soft and nostalgic. “I miss her so much."

Her father stepped away from the stove, making sure to turn it off beforehand, and approached her, crouching to her height and pulling her into a hug. “I know dear. I miss her too."

[my-moony-and-padfoot]

Get to know me :) In a very detailed manner and all of this totally unnecessary and unneeded

(I found these random questions/"get to know me" thingies from Pinterest and left out a few things) I just wanted to do this because I'm hella bored and definitely shouldn't be studying

Definitely not

First name: Guess 📚

Middle name: Maria

Nickname: My friends call me Grandma, Gran and gran-gran.

Age: young and sweet, only seventeen

Height: 165.5 cm

Birthday: 31st of July

Zodiac sign: I'm a Leo ♌

Sexuality: Pan 🍳

Fave color: light pink, light purple and dark green

Fave animal/s: dogs and cats, foxes. Red pandas are cool too and reindeers. Oh oh and turtles

Pets: three dogs and four cats (in two different places tho)

Shoe size: 38-39 EU

Hair color: orange ish

How long is your hair: down to my shoulders

Eye color: blue green brown ish something I really don't know, they're weird. They like often change colors weirdly idk what's up with them. So, I usually stick with saying they're green

Do you have glasses: I do 🤓

Any siblings: half big sister and half big brother, so technically one right?

Where are you from: That there is a mystery 🌎, unless you're fucking Sherlock, or another fictional detective, or a stalker

Last dream: A nightmare of my grandma trying to kill our whole family

Fave book/s: One of the harry potters and heart stoppers. Also I love this Norse mythology book I have

Last book you bought: Poison, and before the coffee gets cold

Favorite hobby/hobbies: writing and crochet 🧶. Also I really like DND 🎲

Favorite game: Sims 4, Minecraft

Fave song/s: We made it - Louis Tomlinson, lowlife - YUNGBLUD, Mars - YUNGBLUD Call your mom - Noah Kahan and arsonist - Alec Benjamin, Body - Mother Mother, Miserable man - David Kusher, Holding on to heartache - Louis Tomlinson, Golden - Harry Styles (I'm sorry I couldn't pick just one) Theres so many more tho

Favorite artist/s: Louis Tomlinson (he's mainly on my play list) and I also like Harry styles. YUNGBLUD, Noah Kahan, David Kusher, Jordan Suaste, cavetown, Conan Gray... I like too many artists, okay?

Last song you listened to: Polygraph eyes - YUNGBLUD

Fave movie: Harry Potter Goblet of fire, I don't really watch movies 🎥 Sweeney Todd is good too

Religion: I'm a Christian, like I belong in the church but I don't really believe into anything, but I respect everyone who does <3

Have you been to the hospital: A lot when I was a child, last time was because of my knees

Ever gotten in trouble with the law: Nope

Met any celebrities: I've met a few YouTubers, does that count?

Baths or showers: Showers. Definitely showers 🚿

What color socks are you wearing: white with light purple stripes at the top

Would you like to be famous: not really no

How many pillows do you sleep with: Two, well one the other one just is kinda there but it's never under my head, it's to prop the other one up

Do you own stuffed animals: I do 🧸

If you do, how many: Six, can't sleep without one of them (it's a bunny). I lied there's seven

What position do you sleep in: The Superman position, y'know? 🦸‍♂️

What do you eat for breakfast: I don't eat breakfast, sometimes coffee though, coffee with oat milk is the best

Ever tried archery: I actually have, was my hobby for a year or something, spoiler alert; wasn't very good at it 🏹

Ever fired a gun: Nope and won't

Favorite clean word: fluffy, it's nice to say

Favorite curse word: Fuck, I say that way too much someone help me

Longest you've been without sleep: 23 hours

Have any scars: I do, a surgery scar on my knee, one on my upper lip from my teeth going through it, small one in the corner of my eyes, a lot on my knees from falling down as a kid so much, and then some others

Are you a good liar: I think I am

Can you do any accents (besides your own): Not really and I don't have that much of an accent, I think. Though my friends tell me I have a bit of a British accent, which is bizarre, and I don't really hear it myself.

What is your personality type: from the 16 personalities INFJ-T 🌛

Can you curl your tongue: I can, I can also do the flower thingy

Left or right handed: right handed

Are you scared of spiders: Sort of, I don't mind them as long as they're not near me

Favorite food: lasagna and tortillas

Are you a clean or a messy person: Messy but in an organized way 📦

Most used phrase: "No shit Sherlock" "no wayyy" "just...why?"

Most used word: Probably some curse word... Or "what" "why"

Do you suck or bite lollipops: Bite 😬

Do you talk to yourself: all the freaking time

Do you sing to yourself: I do, everytime I listen to music alone 😶‍🌫️

Are you a good singer: I'd like to say that I am, but I don't actually know

Biggest fear: someone murdering me (during the night with a knife), dislocating my knee, or any other part that can be dislocated (it hurts so fucking much, cannot recommend)

Can you name all the states: Maybe probably, haven't tried

Favorite school subject: Psychology or English 📖

Least favorite school subject: MATH, and chemistry, physics is sorta alright but I don't like the math part

Extrovert or introvert: as introverted as they come lol

Have you been scuba diving: Nope, probably never will go 🤿 deep waters scare me

What makes you nervous: Literally everything, it's called anxiety ✨

Are you scared of the dark: not anymore, unless it's outside, sometimes it's scary inside too, but not too often

Do you correct people if they make mistakes: Sometimes but not to be mean to them, but not like minor mistakes, unless I wanna annoy someone

Are you ticklish: Not really 🪶

Have you been in a position of authority: I've been a scout leader for the past three years, can't do it anymore tho, does that count?

Have you ever drank underage: Once because my sister forced me to, A glass of champagne how rebellious of me

Ever done drugs: Nope

Ever smoked anything: Nope x2

How many piercings do you have: I have earrings and snake bites 🐍 I really want an industrial but idk if I have the correct anatomy

How fast can you type: Somewhat fast, I'm faster on my phone than on a computer

Are you a fast learner: Depends on the subject, but usually yes

Can you roll your R's: No I cannot 🐐

Do you keep a journal: Every now and then, I'm not very consistent. But I do do bullet journaling in the back of my calendar

Do you like your age: ✨Sweet sixteen✨ It's fine, I don't really care I'd honestly rather be older ⚰️

Do you like your name: I think it's very pretty, I used to hate it tho when I was young (still kinda do, most of the time). It's fine but I just don't like using it with people

How did you get your name: From my mom and dad lol. No it "tells a story" and it suits well for English which my mom wanted, it's somewhat rare here where I live. With the spelling I have

Dream job: I have zero clue 🔎

What was your first job: A week at a daycare. But my first actual job (something I got paid for) was in a coffee shop for a summer

What places have you worked in: In a daycare and a preschool and two summers in that cafe, never going back there it was horrible

Last show you watched: Chicago med 🩺

Last show you finished: baby reindeer

Favorite show ever: Big bang theory, Chicago med, what we do in the shadows and 911. Oh, heartstopper :)

What is your earliest memory: Sitting on a dresser and my dad telling me to wait for a bit, or being on my mum's shoulders while she was doing something outside (I'm not sure which one is first)

Happiest memory: Moving away, getting into the school I wanted with good grades

When did you start this blog: May-June 2022

When did you start writing fanfic: January 2022 (The next few ones a writing related because they were in this one list of questions I found)

What was your first fic: Fred Weasley/reader definitely not with a self insert *cough cough.

How do you come up with ideas for writing: They just come up when I try to sleep, or am doing something random, or something happens so I just write it out. I hate brain storming with all my heart because nothing good comes up when I try

What character/s do you enjoy writing the most: Sirius and Remus <3, but lately I've fallen in love with Percy and Oliver and starchaser is always fun to write. Also lily and Pandora are lovely to write, I just never really do it

What character do you not enjoy writing: Any authoritative figure because it's hard and when there's multiple characters because it's hard to keep track

Is there a fic you regret writing: Not really, I mean I'm embarrassed of some of my writings, but it just shows that I've learned and I can write better now :)

Favorite thing you've written: "When I..." A long fic about a suicide attempt and it was very comforting to write, but then I think I've written a few good hurt/comfort fics. There's like very small bits of the stories that I absolutely love, and loved to write

What do you like to write: Hurt/comfort and just sad things, I feel like I'm good at it. I like descriptive writing too and I've been trying to work on it lately

What don't you like writing: Smut, I feel a little cringe when I write it, and like longer fics, I feel I can't come up with a good enough idea for a one 🤔 Also, I don't have the patience for that

Favorite characters: Sheldon Cooper from the big bang theory. Sirius and Remus obviously, Regulus, and then I like the Weasley twins... There's honestly too many that I like. But to mention a few more: Nick, Charlie, Elle, Tara and Darcy <3 and the art teacher I can't remember the name of from heartstopper. Loki <3. Will Halsted and Sharon Goodwin are the best characters in Chicago med, fight me. Laszlo from what we do in the shadows.

Do you keep a journal: I have a few pages in the back of my calendar for bullet journaling

One bad habit: self deprecation, I apparently do that too much. Source: my friends

What did you want to be as a child: I really wanted to be a chef or a baker

Who's the last person you held hands with: My friend when dancing, if that doesn't count, then with the same friend at a school Christmas party cause I almost lost them in the hallway 'cause there were a lot of people. Before that, no clue

Are you outgoing or shy: Shy with new people. I'm shyly outgoing lol

Who are you looking forward to seeing: My bestie haven't seen her in over a year

What does your most recent text say: "Alright :)" Another one cause it was around the same time but to a different person. "It's just a little guy"

Do you have trust issues. Oh yeah

Favorite part of your daily routine: Everything cause it always goes the same way. We love structure over here. But if I have to pick one, cracking my back every morning cause it's so satisfying

What do you do when you wake up: Turn off my alarm if it's on, then I go through the notifications on my phone and just lay there doing random things before I gotta get up. Usually reading actually if I have enough time and oh, always listen to a podcast/music

Morning routine: What I just mentioned, but when I get up, I drink water and take my meds, go to the bathroom, brush my teeth. If I'm going somewhere I pack my stuff, and then dress up. If I'm not going anywhere, I usually start watching something and drink coffee in peace and then change clothes

Evening routine: I shower, wash my face, sometimes eat something and change into pyjamas. Mark stuff in my calendar, do my journaling and then I get into bed. I usually read before sleeping, a book or fanfic.

Do you like your neighbors: I don't really know our neighbors 👀 except the ones I dog sit for. Oh at least one of our neighbors thinks I'm creepy. (Literally steered their kids away from me while I was coming from school.)

Is your hair long enough for a ponytail: it is, I just often don't keep it in one. Unless it's dirty or I'm alone and need it to get it out of the way

How many languages can you speak: Two (actually three but I'm really bad at the third one) I picked french for next year tho :)

Can you cook: Yep, I'm quite good at it. I can bake too

Last time you cried: A few days ago because I was feeling like an absolutely horrible human being

How long does it take you to get ready: Like 10 minutes lol ⏱️

Favorite number: 5. Five is the Ultimate number, and everything either ends in five or is divisible by five. I've always liked the number five :3

Alright 😮‍💨

That was quite long, Sorry about that, I just like questions :)

If there is something you wanna know for some reason, feel free to ask. Like I said I like questions.

I might write more things here, if I think of something or find something fun

Feel free to use these if you want, I just want to note that most of these I did not make up myself and I don't know who did.

Enjoy this I guess I just got inspired and stopped studying for this, anyone I can blame on my English grade after this 👀

Also there's almost hundred of you following me, that's so weird....

<3

[iguessitsjustme]

Rules: tag 10 (or however many you want to) people you want to get to know better!

I was tagged by the wonderful @pose4photoml

Relationship status: single

Favorite color: green. any shade of green.

Song stuck in my head: very, very rarely does this happen but there's currently no song stuck in my head. Earlier at work though I did have The Limbo Rock stuck in my head

Last song I listened to: Whatever I was listening to while walking home which was...Wish You Back by Stray Kids. Or well, really Han. I LOVE this song a lot.

Three favorite foods: Hmmmm. I know my most favorite food is mashed potatoes. The other two I'm not sure about so I'm gonna go with tamales and pupusas because I want those right now.

Last thing I googled: This was while I was at work and because of a conversation with my desk mate but I looked up how to do the griddy. Mostly because I just wanted to know what it is.

Dream trip: Dream trip? Like ultimate complete and total dream trip? If money and time were no issue, I would do visit all of my friends and friends. I'd start in Colorado to see my best friend. Then I'd go to Tennessee to see one of my oldest friends. Then I'd go to Oklahoma to see my other best friend and college friends. Then I would come back to Illinois, visit my parents and younger brother, pick them up and go visit my younger sister and her boyfriend in North Dakota, then they would join our crew and we would go visit our friends and family on the east coast. Me and my sister would go visit her best friend in Pennsylvania while my parents and younger brother visited their friends in Maryland. We would rejoin, grab my older brother, and my whole family would travel to a bunch of different countries: Italy for my mom, Germany, Spain, England, Austria, Thailand, and South Korea. Then we'd all go back to a respective homes and relax and recover before carrying on with our lives. (It did say dream trip so this is the dream even though it's completely unrealistic and I'd be happy to go to any of those places with any of those people.

Anything I want: Money. Dinner. A personal chef. A massage. To fix my posture cause I just caught myself slouching so bad.

Tagging: Anyone who wants to do this, consider yourself tagged :)

[marvel-at-the-night-sky]

Fathers and Daughters

My parents separated when I was six years old. My mother finally moved out of our old house in Cavite after years of cheating and emotional abuse from my father who had a daughter with his mistress. When my Mom left my Dad and took us with her, it was hard on me because I was a Daddy’s girl. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and seeing my mother cry. I remember asking her why these things happened to us and she just told me people separate all the time, just like Sharon and Gabby. When we finally met our half sister, that’s when I knew I was no longer a Daddy's girl. I was born on September 25, 1994. My half-sister was born on September 5, 1994. She was born twenty days earlier. They moved to our home no less than 2 weeks after we left. I asked her where she sleeps, she told me my Dad just redecorated the pink room, my room, and painted it green- her favorite color.

Father’s day has always been hard for me. My brothers don’t seem to mind but for me, it stings a little. I never get envious of other people’s accomplishments and things. It may sound hypocritical but it’s true. I am happy for others. Except on Father’s day. As I see posts from daughters telling the world that their first love is their dad, or that they have the best father in the world, I can’t help but feel jealous. I know my grandfather and uncles made sure we felt we have someone but we were just basically mooching off of other people’s dads. If they had to choose, I’m pretty sure they’d choose their own kids over us.

I can’t say my father didn’t try. He was kinda there growing up. But the keyword is kinda. Because we were not his priority. When I think of him, all I remember is the empty chair during my 4th year recognition day. My professors and friends feeling sorry for me because no one attended. Smiling and telling them I didn’t really invite someone because another award isn’t a big deal for me. But crying deep inside because I have an empty chair. I asked him why he couldn’t come. He said he had to go to fetch my sister from school.

And I think that hurts me the most. Seeing he could be a father if he wanted to. He just couldn’t be there for us. He just didn’t choose us.

I don’t know how to finish this without breaking down. But I hate father’s day. It’s a constant reminder that ours is a shitty one. And the one person that actually was there for us, is dead.

[pandawriterstuff]

Get To Know You Tag Meme

Thanks for the tag, @thegreatobsesso!

Relationship Status: *crickets* None, I am very single and happy that way. I'm aro/ace, and that's lucky, really, because the amount of effort that seems to go into even a semi-successful relationship...I don't wanna.

Favorite Color: There are very few colors I don't like. Color combinations maybe, but actual colors are hard to narrow down. Purple, blue and red are maybe tied for first place? But green and yellow are so nice...

Favorite Food: That's even harder than colors! My favorite fruit right now is mango? They tend to cycle, I eat a lot of something until I'm sick of it and then I don't touch it for awhile.

Song Stuck in My Head: That rarely happens to me, maybe because if I'm not actively listening to something or busy doing something that requires silence, I have something instrumental playing in the background, generally just something off youtube.

Last Thing You Googled: "Would a Nurse Practitioner want a Pre-Med degree?" Writing research for the F&F fanfiction that is going to be my nanowrimo. There were a lot of different opinions on that, btw.

Time: 10:05 AM

Dream Trip: I really don't know, maybe somewhere picturesque in Europe? If I didn't get seasick I'd say a cruise that stopped in a variety of places, but I do, and also you hear about cruise ships not being very clean a lot.

Last Book You Enjoyed Reading: Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong. It was so good. If you like poetry at all, you should check it out.

Favorite Thing to Cook/Bake: I've been using my grill a lot since our weather is weirdly good (in the 80's in the middle of October in Oregon is...odd), so right now I've been doing a lot of grilled peppers and onions with sausages or steak. There is something satisfying about cooking on a grill compared to a stove.

Favorite Craft to do in Free Time: My hands don't work quite right, some problems with small motor control and hand eye coordination that video games and having to learn how to light a lighter when I was a horrible stoner teenager helped a lot with (it took me like a year to learn how to light a lighter, and it was difficult for longer, my fingers just did not want to move like that), but crafting isn't really something I do because I get frustrated.

Most Niche Dislike: I really, really hate the smell of Campbell's tomato soup, the condensed kind. It was my sister's favorite food in the entire world when we were kids and the smell would fill up the house and make me wanna gag. It smells like they coated the tomatoes in metal. I like tomato bisque soup and really any kind of tomato soup that isn't that just fine.

Opinions On Circuses: If it were possible for the animals in a circus to truly be well cared for and have a good quality of life, that'd be great, but it's pretty impossible. The one time I went to a circus as a kid, it was okay, but then my mom took us over to ride the elephants...there was something very depressing about it, and we left without riding anything.

Do You Have Any Sense Of Direction: God, no. It's gotten slightly better over the years, but that just means that the trick of 'I think I should go right, 99% chance then that it's actually left' that I used as a kid no longer works.

I'm going to tag @writingpotato07, @blind-the-winds @charlottewritings @tinyblips and anyone else who might want to join in!

[servin-up-surveys]

survey #207

Would you ever become a fan of a team you hate to please your spouse? I have absolutely zero interest in sports and also lying about my interests to please my partner.

Can you handle scary movies? Yes, I enjoy horror movies.

Once a cheater, always a cheater? No. People grow and change.

What word describes your last relationship? Prior to the one I'm in now? Hm. It sounds bad, but... delusional. I thought then I was in love with her, I really did, but after truly experiencing that with Girt again, I know I wasn't. The sensations I've had for Jason and Girt were very different from what I felt with Sara. There was a lot of lying to myself about her shitty political beliefs, too.

Do you have a fake I.D.? I never have.

Would you date someone 5 years older than you? Yeah.

Have you ever been to California? Did you like it? No.

Does it matter to you if your boyfriend/girlfriend drinks? Yes. I absolutely fucking refuse to date anyone who drinks more than rarely, and I would NEVER date an angry drunk. If they knew they got angry drinking, they better never fucking touch it if they want me around.

Do you like deviled eggs? Hell fucking no.

What is your favorite horror movie? The Blair Witch Project.

Has a little kid ever fallen asleep on your lap before? Yes.

What is the last thing you googled? Why anoles here change colors from brown to green. My mom asked me.

Have you ever jumped off a high dive into a pool? No. As a child I think I got all the way up once but backed down.

What foods can you absolutely not eat? Beans are one of many, many options.

Do you like hot, cold, or lukewarm showers? Between lukewarm and hot. Probably more towards hot.

Have you ever taken part in a threesome? No, not into the idea for me.

Where did your mother and father meet for the first time? Work.

What is your oldest sibling’s middle name? Kathryn.

Have you ever been to Disneyland or Disney World? Disney World, as a child. I'd love to revisit as an adult.

Do you feel bored with your life? My biggest depression symptom is anhedonia, severe anhedonia, take a guess.

Who's someone you miss that you haven't talked to in years? Alex.

What's the most physically painful thing you've ever experienced? Having an infected pilonidal cyst drained. I was given morphine and numbing shots and yet I was still in so much pain that I was screaming and cursing on the top of my lungs. I don't know how scientific this is, but I theorized that they gave me an inadequate dose of the numbing agent, I'm guessing because I'm obese. I wonder if my size just outweighed the effects of the shots. To this day I don't know how I didn't faint, the pain was unfuckingdescribable. It was a bad infection; I delayed going to the ER because initially I didn't even understand what I had going on.

What's the worst level of emotional pain you've ever experienced? A traumatic breakup and its year+-long severe effects.

What was the last thing that made you angry? News about my sister's shitty MIL being a disrespectful and irresponsible twat.

Have you ever been the victim of a crime? Yeah technically, we had a basketball hoop stolen off our property once, when I was a kid. We also had an attempted break-in while my sister was home with only her friend, but I thank whatever powers they may be that their attempt failed. All we know is it the was Bloods gang because they left a flag outside our door.

What is the most beautiful landscape you have ever seen? The mountains driving from NC to Tennessee.

What colour are your brother’s eyes? Blue.

Have you ever played a drinking game? Which ones? No.

How many friends do you have on Facebook? 113. I'm picky with who I add.

Do you regularly check anyone’s profile online? Nope.

Are you any good at drawing? I mean, there are people worse than me. But there are also people leeeaaagues better than I am.

Is there anything unusual about your house? Um, I don't think so. Nothing truly "unusual."

Have you ever met anyone with Multiple Personality Disorder? No, not to my recollection.

What is your favourite type of cookie? Just a nice gooey chocolate chip one is grand.

Have you ever taken care of a newborn baby? No, I do NOT have the confidence for that.

How old were you when you got your ears pierced? I really don't remember.

Do you snore when you sleep? Apparently I do, and I'm very self-conscious of it.

What is your favorite breakfast food? Waffles, probably. With butter and not very crispy. Lots of syrup. Or just nice buttery biscuits that are nice and pillowy.

Who do you (romantically) love? Girt.

Where was the last place you kissed someone? My bed.

Do you work any holidays? I don't work.

What would you say if your parents said you were moving away? I literally cannot envision this with my mother, she would never, in a million years, move away from my sisters and I and Ashley's kids. She's bored it into our heads to never leave each other, so SHE never would. If my dad moved away, I mean honestly it wouldn't affect me much, I barely see him. I'd still be sad though, of course.

Do you wish you could go back and change anything about your childhood? I wish my dad was a better dad. I wish I lived in a safer neighborhood.

Have you ever been overseas? I have not, tragically. I praaaay that changes one day, I want to experience more of the world. I know so little of it.

What would your mom do if you told her you were pregnant? Probably fuckin faint.

Do you think you have nice feet? No; first things first I hate feet, but my feet are also obscenely calloused from when I used to walk all the time, and I've never managed to keep the callouses from growing back, even when I loss fucking muscle mass from NOT moving. My big toe on each foot is the absolute worst.

Where did you get your name? My mom just liked Brittany. "Marie" as a middle name runs in my maternal family.

What are you currently worried about? My colonoscopy prep day. I'm not concerned about the procedure, it's just the damn prep.

What was the last new and exciting experience you’ve had? Uhhhh let's see. New AND exciting? That disqualifies an ambulance ride, I was certainly not excited haha. I suppose my last visit to Girt's could count; he hasn't like me in his room only because he's self-conscious of "the mess" (that he's cleaned up a lot), but this time we chilled in his bed and played a game on his big TV. I got so into it that I didn't realize it was like 9 PM 'til I looked out the window and it's pitch black lmao. Point is, I was happier he seemed more at peace, me being in there and just hangin' out.

What's the most unique or exotic food you've tried? Uh, I suppose some genuine Chinese or Japanese cuisine my entire class tried in the 4th grade. I liked literally nothing but the rice haha, very on brand for picky me.

What change or new experience would you like to have in your life in the next year? A stable job.

When was the last time you were part of a large gathering? Easter. My mom and I joined Girt's family for dinner; Girt made steaks and I'm so proud of him, he wants to learn how to make them like his dad did and he did amazing for a second try. They were too salty, that was everyone's opinion, but they were perfectly edible and to me pretty good, and I'm very picky with steak.

What makes social gathering enjoyable for you? Everyone being welcoming, conversations being friendly and interesting, people including each other, sharing humor, that kinda stuff.

Is there anything/anyone/any place you now actively avoid in order to keep your inner peace? Any of Sara's online accounts. I don't care how curious I may be on how she is, I'm not looking, because I've absolutely learned it in no way benefits me, a person who's trying to learn to love and be kind to herself.

Did the last guy/girl you kissed have any piercings? No.

What is your favorite type of cat? Oriental shorthair.

Are you part Native American? I am not.

Who was your first online friend? I only knew her as Kat.

What’s a condition you have that you haven’t been officially diagnosed with? I am 100% convinced I'm a high-functioning autistic. I did get a legit evaluation, and the conclusion was I very likely am, but apparently a proper diagnosis requires a longer period of examination.

What band has the power to make you cry by splitting up? Rammstein haha, I'll cry when they simply retire.

Would you feel funny if you kissed somebody of the same sex? No, I'm pan and have done it before, so it's not something I'd feel funny about.

Can grills be sexy on a guy? In my own personal opinion, they can't be sexy on anyone.

What’s your favorite comic book/graphic novel? I don't have one.

Who is the lead singer of your favorite band? Till Lindemann. Ozzy is obviously the vocalist of his own band.

Do you expect to be married in the next 2 years? I suppose it's possible, but I doubt it.

Who IMed you on Facebook last? My friend Baylee.

What kind of natural disaster is most common where you live? Hurricanes.

If you’re not straight, who was the first person you came out to? Sara.

Did you enjoy high school? I enjoyed certain parts of it.

Who was your favourite musical artist when you were 15? Do you still listen to them? Ozzy Osbourne. Duh lol

When was the last time you ate at a food court and what did you get? Oh wow that's a really good question, I have no idea.

Were you mean to anyone in high school? No, I was a good kid. I minded my own business.

Who is your favourite coworker? You can tell me about one from your past if you don’t have one right now. I don't work now, and I've never worked long enough previously to have a favorite at past jobs.

Do you know anyone who’s adopted a child? Yes; my sister's husband legally adopted Aubree (her eldest daughter) when she was still very young, because her biological father has absolutely nothing to do with her and he's a worthless bag of shit. Nick IS "Dad" to Aubree; she has no idea that's not her biological dad. Ashley plans on telling her one day, but Nick really doesn't want her to, but I pray Ash doesn't listen to him. Every child deserves to know this stuff.

What was the last video game or board game you purchased? Uhhhh I wanna say it was Amnesia: Rebirth because Girt gifted me a Steam giftcard.

Are any of your siblings taller than you? My brother certainly is, Ashley is, and I think Katie is slightly.

Is there any part of your sexual/romantic history that you have not told your current significant other about or that you will not tell future partners about? No. I think it is very, very important to be very open about your sexual history with your partners.

How many relationships have you been in that actually got sexual? Three-ish.

Who’s the most romantic person you ever went out with? Jason.

Do any of your family members have an upcoming birthday? My dad, towards the end of this month. Also my brother, on Earth Day.

Have you ever changed in front of the last person you kissed? No. I don't care what he's already seen of me, I hate more than the default amount of my body being shown to literally anyone.

How many siblings does your significant other have? One older sister.

What was the last zoo you visited? Aloha Safari Park.

[luminousvision]

Everland

The line into Everland spun several loops and twirls through the parking lot, like a ride of its own. Many faced forward in line, bowing slightly, looking at their phones. The kids around us squirmed but we were now old enough to know that life takes its time. I stood in line with my sister, Wendy.

“Kind of uncreative, don’t you think?” I asked.

“If you’re going to complain about a free trip to Everland, you can leave,” Wendy replied. “I’m officially an adult now.”

She strode up to the ticket stand once it was our turn. “Two adult passes,” she said, standing up very straight. Wendy looked quite tall. She handed her ID to the bored clerk who raised an eyebrow.

“Exactly fifteen,” Wendy said. 

The clerk mumbled something and handed us two red bracelets. Wendy put one around her wrist and then put one on mine.

A giant golden fountain greeted us at the entryway into the park. It looked exactly as I remembered from childhood. Little kids wearing green bracelets ran around the edge of the fountain, screaming and cheering. The parents watching looked tired already.

“Where do you want to go?” I asked, opening up the Everland brochure. Colorful drawings dotted the oval-shaped amusement park.

“Let’s try everything! Oh, we have to go through the Alice in Wonderland tunnel. That’s my favorite.”

“Really? Do you enjoy the Queen of Hearts jumping out at you screaming ‘off with your head’? She gave me months of nightmares.”

Wendy laughed. “But it’s so funny! You take things too seriously.”

We had just passed the fountain of kids when a girl waved at us. “Wendy?” she called.

“Juliet! What are you doing here?” Wendy exclaimed. She ran to hug Juliet, who was holding hands with the boy beside her.

“Well,” Juliet began, drawing out her words, “we thought it would be fun to spend the day together.” 

They smiled and looked into each other’s eyes. They wore green bracelets.

“Any rides you have in mind? Eternal Vortex looks wild,” I said.

“Not really, since we can’t do much with these,” she said, holding up her arm. “We’d just rather disappear together out back anyway,” Juliet said, winking at Wendy. “Wouldn’t you two?”

We looked at her. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t introduce you to my brother Peter,” Wendy said. We shook hands all around.

“We’re going to the clock tower. That’s probably the best place. Do you want to join us?” Juliet asked.

“Is that a ride?” Wendy asked.

“No, it’s just the clock tower.”

“You two go have fun—let’s meet up for lunch,” I said. We agreed this was a good idea.

“Wonder what’s so interesting about the clock tower,” Wendy said after we parted ways.

“Really?”

“Huh?”

“Never mind,” I said. I put my hands in my pockets. “Want to go on that?” I pointed to a red and pink rollercoaster on a hill in front of us.

“Sure.”

We climbed several flights of stairs and queued behind a lively family. 

“I’m going to take your phone if you keep texting.”

“We’re sitting in line. There’s nothing else to do.”

“Ariel, listen to your mother.”

“Besides, I talk to lots of people over the phone, mom. I’m social. It’s good to build social skills. It’s an important life skill.”

“You’re stupid.”

“Be nice to your sister.”

“Shut up, Andrew. People like talking to me. Lizzy said I was the best call girl at school.”

“What!”

Wendy stifled a laugh.

“Most kids prefer texting, but they don’t know how to have a real conversation.”

Thankfully the line moved fast. Wendy beamed when they checked her bracelet and let us in. We were lucky to be the first of our batch, giving us the front seats on the rollercoaster train. It was one of the inverted ones, one that drops you off the platform right from the beginning without the suspense of getting pulled up into the sky. It sent us through a bunch of loops and corkscrews plus a gut-wrenching second dive before the train swirled through a few turns and clicked onto the final chain.

“Anti-climactic, don’t you think?” Wendy shouted as we climbed up into the station.

“Aren’t they all? The drop can’t come last.”

“I guess. Want to go again?”

We couldn’t even see the end of the line anymore, so we went back down the stairs. We got ourselves dizzy on the teacups and played games at the arcade. I kept thinking about how Wendy was much taller than either Juliet or that girl on her phone. 

About two hours later, we ran into Juliet and her date again at the Alice in Wonderland tunnel. They now wore red bracelets. Juliet said she snuck them from a friend who worked at the clock tower. The crew put the four of us in the same boat with me and Wendy in the back. With a light and a beep, we began to move. The tunnel was dark except for the various light acrobatics and the strange characters from my childhood memories. Kids somehow enjoy a book or tunnel with a giant talking mushroom, a flock of birds reading books and a cat with only a creepy smile and no body. Wendy giggled when the Queen of Hearts jumped out at us at the end, threatening to behead us all. Juliet and the boy spent more time looking at each other than anything else but I supposed they had fun all the same. Afterwards, we grabbed greasy burgers for a late lunch.

“Alice in Wonderland brings back so many memories,” Wendy said, sighing.

“I didn’t remember much from the books. It’s been a while,” Juliet said.

“Yeah, I remember it being weirder, scarier, and funnier,” I added.

Wendy turned to Juliet. “What else did you two do? Which ride did you enjoy the most?”

The couple looked at each other and giggled. “We had fun at the clock tower,” Juliet said.

“What’s so special about this clock tower? It’s not even a ride.” She sounded irritated.

They giggled again. “You should go check it out. It’s a really nice clock tower, especially if you go all the way to the end.”

“They have a call girl there,” I said.

They all looked at me. “What’s a call girl?” Juliet asked. 

“You didn’t see her at the clock tower? She can dial for any one of many phones around the park. When they ring, you’re supposed to pick it up. It’s a surprise who you talk to.”

“I didn’t see any of these phones,” the boy said.

“You have to look for them. I’ll point it out the next time we pass one.”

“I didn’t see anything like that at the clock tower either. Besides, who wants to talk to a random stranger?” Juliet asked.

“The call girl doesn’t seem to mind. She does it a lot.”

“It seems rather rude to call someone and then make up a conversation, don’t you think?” Wendy asked, making a face at me.

“I don’t see the harm in a funny call every now and then,” I said.

Juliet and her boy were busy looking at each other again.

“Anything else you found fun or would recommend? You had your red bracelets.” Wendy turned to Juliet.

“Not really. There wasn’t much to do. And certainly can’t recommend this burger,” her date said.

“Can’t expect much,” I said, eating two fries at a time.

Wendy turned to me. “Oh yeah? Well, I expected better,” she said.

“I can’t finish it,” Juliet said, stretching. “It’s been a long day. Let’s go. What do you think?”

We said our goodbyes. I stood at the entrance of the food court and watched them hold hands in the distance, standing tall with their red bracelets.

“You’re a jerk,” Wendy said.

“I hoped they’d shut up about the clock tower.”

“Do you know Juliet?”

“No, why?”

“Do you know what her friends say? You can’t be serious.”

“I really have no clue what you’re talking about.”

“Ugh, you’re such an older brother.” Wendy shoved me. “Be nice to her. What’s at the stupid clock tower anyway?”

I laughed. “Do you want to see it for yourself?”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, let’s go.”

It was on the other side of the park so we had to walk for at least ten minutes. We passed by a lot of fun-looking rides, but Wendy wasn’t interested.

The clock tower was a four-story-tall concrete structure. We and a few others climbed up to look out from the top. The clock itself was translucent, so anyone down on the ground looking at the clock could look at us too.

“Where’s the call girl?” Wendy asked.

“What?”

“The girl working the phones,” she mocked.

“She already left,” I said.

We found a shady path behind the clock tower that led to these slabs of concrete that seemed to serve as benches or something for kids to run around on. The dense trees overhead filtered out a lot of the sunlight and dampened the din of the park. We passed through four blocks of these concrete structures. There was one family just talking amongst themselves in the first block. They seemed happy and loving. A couple whispered to each other in a corner of the the second. The third and fourth were empty. These two blocks were much darker and we couldn’t see much. The path eventually brought us back into the Everland open.

“I wonder what was so exciting. There was nothing to the clock tower,” Wendy said.

“I don’t know.”

Wendy kicked an empty bottle on the ground. “Peter, what dating like?”

“Don’t ask me. What does that even mean? And why are you asking your brother anyway?”

“Oh, never mind. I know it sounds weird, but that’s probably not what most people think when they look at us.”

“Who cares?”

“Feels strange, no?”

I shrugged.

She looked into the sky for a second before she pointed at a purple building up ahead. “Let’s try that,” she said. We walked into a house of mirrors.

The mirrors distorted my arms, legs, hips, and head. The kids behind us thought it was funny and shrieked with laughter. Wendy, who had already wandered elsewhere, was not likely to find it nearly as funny. The next room flipped me upside down and sideways and then into another where it disfigured my face almost beyond recognition.

Someone screamed. It sounded like Wendy. I darted forward, left, then around a corner. I halted once before running into yet another mirror. Thinking the sound could have reverberated from behind me, I turned around only to see Wendy’s face smash into mine. I put my hand to my lips and found hot blood. Wendy did the same. She stared at her hand. Blood ran from her lips and dripped onto her skirt.

A mother of two small boys rushed over. Yeah, we were okay. Wendy silently nodded a few times, letting another drop of blood fall onto her skirt. I asked her if she was okay. Wendy replied this time—she was fine. I grabbed her hand to help her up. We navigated the labyrinth of mirrors, doubling back out of several dead ends in frustration before we found the exit.

The late afternoon sun threw our shadows far across the concrete. A tall couple leaned against a fortune teller’s booth, glued together at the hips and mouth. They stopped kissing to look our way. “Looks like you two had fun,” the girl said. Wendy blinked several times before her cheeks reddened.

We found a few napkins from a hot dog stand and dabbed our lips, which had stopped bleeding.

“Is this really happening on my birthday?”

“Sorry about that. I looked for you. Was that you screaming?”

“Yeah. I thought I saw something,” Wendy said. She looked up into the sky away from me. “I figured out what Juliet did at the clock tower.”

“What? Tell me.”

“I’d rather not. I don’t want to think about it.”

We sat down at one of the tables. She stared at a ketchup stain.

“You want something to eat?” I asked. “It’ll help you feel better.”

“Hot dogs? No thanks. I don’t think I could eat one anyhow, not with these lips.”

A pack of teenage boys passed us, laughing.

“Want to go home?”

Wendy tore at her hair with her hands. “With a day like this?”

I held her forearm. She put her other hand over mine. The dry, warm, afternoon wind brushed through the fuzz on my arm. Wendy closed her eyes. Straight black hair waved across her face. Her shoulders relaxed.

“Nobody’s watching us. Are they?” she said, her voice even and controlled.

A group of girls had looked our way several times from their table. And certainly many passing groups and couples had at least glanced over.

“Well, I don’t think—“

“Not today they’re not,” she interrupted, gritting her teeth. Then she smiled. I had never seen her so happy. “Let’s get ice cream. That’ll be good for our lips.”

We stood in line together at the ice cream shop selling giant cones, the biggest I had ever seen. She held my arm. We marveled at the size of the ice creams. We sat down with an enormous vanilla ice cream cone, big enough for both of us to eat it at the same time. They were out of spoons this late in the day, so we got ice cream all over our faces. But nobody was watching, Wendy said.

We visited the souvenir shop. I picked up a hardback copy of Alice in Wonderland, but Wendy shook her head. We bought a snow globe each instead, ones that had little white objects floating around in it, not just glitter. We shook them violently to no avail, even though it looked cheap enough to explode. Nobody was watching, except a store clerk who gave us a look and asked if we were happy with our purchase. 

In the parking lot, Wendy tore off her red bracelet and crumpled it. She tried to throw it into a nearby trash can, but missed. Wendy picked it up and dropped it in. 

“What about yours, Peter?” she asked.

[cottoncandy-cult]

OC #001

Name: Sayuri Sano

Nickname: Sayu

Age: 7

Height: 3'5"

Weight: 45lbs

Gender: Female

Identifiable Marks/Scars: she has one long scar that moves along the upper portion of her cheek bones and across the bridge of her nose, she has some light scarring along her legs and knees from tripping and falling

Birthday: 12/03

Favorite Colors: pink, grey, mint green, lavender purple

Favorite Foods: anything sweet or salty

Likes: flowers, animals and reading

Dislikes: sour food, loud yelling, sharp objects

Hobbies: drawing and baking

Fears: the dark, storms, being yelled at

Family:

Mother: Karen Kurokawa

Father: Kenzo Hasegawa (Deceased)

Older brothers:

Shinchiro Sano (Adoptive)

Manjiro Sano (Adoptive)

Izana Kurokawa (Half)

Older Sister: Emma Sano (Half)

Grandparents: Mansaku Sano (Adoptive)

So to help me get my flow back I plan to use Sayuri for a bit, it will all be sfw so no need to worry. I have Shinchiro and Manjiro listed as adopted brothers cause I'm not sure what they'd actually be to her. She is basically Izana and Emma's half sister (they share a mother) So I'm not sure what the actual term is and I don't know how to google it in a way that the question makes sense? Also in this time line Mikey would be around 16 when she first enters the picture, in this timeline all of the gangs would have already been joined (Mostly because my heart still hurts from all the stuff they put us through before we got our happy ending, plus I don't plan to do too much angst with her so I thought it would be fun to see her interactions with the various characters) Also in this timeline both Mikey's parents would have still passed, all the Sano's (and by extension Izana as in this timeline he would have managed to track Emma down and Mansaku would have opened his home to him since he is Emma's brother) live in the same home so be prepared for the family chaos. I do plan to write a few chapters as far as like introducing her, from there my post involving her will be split in style as I do plan to do scenarios involving her interacting with characters as well as a few written like normal chapters. So yeah, this is where I'll start my little adventure! Also I made her intentionally small for her age, Karen wasn't exactly the best mom so I don't see her really taking care of the girl and her father is basically an Oc of sorts though for all intents and purposes he is deceased when all this starts and I do plan to explain later. I know my desire to have this in a more...lighthearted timeline might be a bit annoying since it isn't really cannonverse but for the sake of my emotional health I want to keep most of this happy. She's a hurt little girl recovering from her own past traumas clinging to the family that loves her. Her past may be painful but I want her future to be happy. (I may still do a few slightly angsty scenarios ie. her being bullied, dealing with a nightmare/trauma response, someone making her cry,etc. These are part of every day life and I plan to end them on a fluff note.)

[andswarwrites]

Day 3

Growing up my parents moved every few years.  The first time we moved I was seven, and I was so upset about it that I told my Mom that I was going back to live in "my house".  Mom reminded me that strangers were living there now, and that wasn't as much of a deterrent to me as the fact that I would have to walk, and it was very far.  That first house I ever lived in was where I was born.  My mother gave birth to me in her bedroom.  I shared a room with my sister.  Dad took a picture of my mom and siblings all sitting on the floor of the living room with me, playing with a colorful activity toy they had just got for me.

I remember looking up at the book case looming over me, and fearing that it would fall over and topple on me.  I have no idea how old I was, but already a little bit of anxiety was creeping in.  I'd get up early enough to go and watch my father shave.  It was a quiet moment, everyone else was asleep, so I had him all to myself.  There was a window in the kitchen, so my mother could keep an eye on me while I played in our back yard.  I would pick fresh peas from the little garden, and open the pods to eat them.  I would also pick sorrel growing in the grass, and I'd play in the cedar hedge.  Not along the hedge, in the hedge.

When we moved we left a little development in a small town, where there were streets packed with neighbors and a nearby park, to a long country road with a long driveway to this stone house with dormers.  The property was lined with trees and the backyard had a pool.  My father had taught me to swim young; our whole family would get a membership to the public pool every year; you had to sew a little pass onto your bathing suit.  Anyway, what I'm getting at is having a pool made up for the fact that we had left my cherished home, and house number two became home too.

My dad built me a swing.  Since I was homeschooled, the education part of my day only took a few hours, and then I got to play outside until dinnertime, unless it was raining; then I could read indoors, or draw.  And every day I was allowed educational TV from PBS.  My favorites were Bill Nye and Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego.  My daughter and husband and I were just discussing our favorite childhood shows.  I was telling them that Cyranose from Sesame Street stressed me out.  When my daughter was very little she would watch Pocoyo and Puffin Rock and Yo Gabba Gabba.

Alright, moving on.  I was between eleven and twelve when we moved to the north shore of Quebec.  For my parents, it was a bit like coming home, because they had met in Forestville and had lived in Sept Iles and Port Cartier in their early marriage.  We lived in Baie Comeau.  Again, the transition was hard for me.  We went from a huge back yard with a driveway long enough for me to ride my bike around on, to a semi detached with a big patio but a little patch of grass.  My mom softened the blow by letting me help her pick out paint colors and wallpaper to decorate not only the living space and her bedroom, but my room as well.

I chose a design of galloping horses on a border of wallpaper, and the color green.  There was another color but it was nondescript.  I really loved that green.  And I loved my dog.  We'd had several dogs.  We'd had a black dog named Belle, and a beagle named Wendy, and also a puppy Labrador named Skip.  My best friend called him Skippy Peanut Butter.  But I never connected with those dogs (I know, heresy!).  It was Rascal, our rottweiler, who stirred deep affection in me.  I'd play with him in the pokey back yard.  In fact one time, he was excitedly circling me and I lost track of where he was, so I turned and tripped over him.

Pain shot through my elbow and I rose, and danced around, clutching my arm.  Rascal danced around with me.  I went into the house and told my mom I had hurt myself.  Now, I had gotten distracted from the task my Mom had assigned me, which was to sweep the patio, so she told me to go back out there and finish the job.  I tried to do it with both hands, but my arm was pulsing, so I swept the whole space with one hand.  In a few hours my arm was aching, I was writhing, and my mom decided to take me to the hospital.  She thought it was going to be a waste of time, but turns out my elbow was broken.  Poor Mom, she felt pretty bad.

So we lived in Baie Comeau for two years.  We moved to the region of Quebec City, and lived in Lac Beauport.  That was a brief sojourn.  My parents bought a house that was more in the Montreal area, and we would commute; stay in Lac Beauport during the week, so I could attend school and Dad could work, and then go to the house on the weekend.  I don't think that lasted more than a few months, and then my Dad retired and we moved permanently.  Well, not permanently, after a few years they divided their property into two, sold the place we'd lived in, and they built a house, a beautiful open concept home, which Dad finished in pine on floors, walls and ceiling.

That was the final house I lived in with my mom and dad.  By the time they built the house, I was eighteen, and a good friend and I were figuring out that we really liked each other.  That is another story for another time.  I moved out at nineteen, and Mom and Dad lived happily for a while in the house they had built, but Mom's health had deteriorated since living in a polluted environment for two years, and she and Dad wanted to find a place where she would feel better.  I was pregnant when they decided to move to Newfoundland.  I was due in July but N- decided to join us in May (I'll be telling that story too), on the very day my parents were scheduled to leave the province.  They literally took their stuff to Newfoundland, turned around and returned to the hospital to be with me, S- and N-.

When N- got out of the hospital, we brought her to the house Mom and Dad had built.  That was her first home.  We only lived there for a few years.  Mom and Dad lived in Newfoundland for less than a year, and then they found a home in New Brunswick.  We visit them every summer, and this past year, we visited in the winter too.  I remember setting foot in their house and looking around, and realizing this was the first house I'd ever seen my parents have that I have never lived in.  It was pretty neat to see all the touches my mom made; the curtains she chose, the paintings I'd watched her collect all my life, hanging on the walls, how she had arranged the furniture.  My parents have always, my whole life, made houses into homes.