#now we're planning to just go a few hours away to visit family

[sailoreuterpe]

So, in the last 24 hours:

our bathroom light started flickering our dog started limping and spasming our freezer started over-freezing our refrigerator died we found out that the muffler on our single vehicle is shot

I hate it here.

[spidybaby]

Omg can I please have some fluff like Kylian and reader visit his parents house for the weekend and it makes Ethan really happy to see reader because she’s his bestie, when they get there Ethan takes her away from Kylian and he gets jealous they spend over 3 hours together and then reader comes back to Kylian in his childhood bedroom where they watch movies and have cuddles💕

"Can you say it again?"

"Blueberry."

You laugh, making him repeat words in english. You love the way his accent sounds, loving the way he pronounces the words.

"I love it." You laugh, squishing his hand. "Don't forget to call your dad."

You were driving to his mother's house. He planned this weekend exclusively for his family and you two to be together.

Since the beginning of the season, he has had so much stress, making him crave some family time.

His mother and brother lived remotely close to his house. Sometimes, even spend nights with him.

But this season, everything changed, Ethan was practicing with the first team, but he was traveling with the second team a lot, and his mom was busy with his foundation. Making the time very much tighter for them.

Fayza went to Bondy. She wanted to get some paperwork and some things ready to sell the house. The thing that made Kylian sad.

His mother's house was the first thing he ever bought with his hard earned money. He wanted his parents to have their own home. So he gifted them the house.

His mom kept the house during the divorce, so it was hers now. Kylian didn't have a say because, as he says, it was theirs and not his.

Before the divorce of his parents, they all used to live there. Even their older brother and Melissa.

But when he moved from Monaco to Paris, Jires went to Turkey and Wilfried to another place closer to Paris. The house felt different.

Melissa and the kids stayed there with Ethan and Fayza. But to him, it was still weird not having his father with them.

"Oui, mon amour."

He was in charge of the music, being the passenger princess he was, refusing to only sit and relax. So he took the dj job.

The call was quick, Wilfried and him exchanged some words and then hang up.

"I want some waffles with whipped cream." He says, stomach roaring.

"Well, you could have had it, but you refused to eat."

"I wasn't hungry. You knew that."

"Maybe because you chose to wake up like ten minutes before leaving."

He pouts, not answering, but his facial expression was enough of an answer.

"We are almost there, bébé." You say pointing at the GPS. "And knowing your brother, he's probably waiting for us."

"Correction, he's waiting for you."

Ethan and you have an amazing relationship. He sees you as an older sister he can trust. Always stealing you and making you two do all sorts of things while visiting.

"He is." You sigh, turning your head to him quickly. "It's not my fault your family loves me more than you."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. He knows you're joking. He actually loves how close you're with his family.

He never met someone who was so perfect with his parents, brothers, and even extended family.

The drive continues for another twenty minutes. Thankfully, the roads were pretty empty, making the drive a fast one.

"Look, we're here." You smile, squishing his arm. "Ready to have an amazing weekend?"

He nods, smiling like a kid on Christmas day. "Oui, I'm so happy."

He helped you with the bags, asking you to go onside and announce yourself, but two little laughs beat you at that.

"Y/n" Lana yells, she throw herself at you.

"Bonjour, mon petit fille." You spin her around. Kissing her cheeks.

You look for her brother, noticing he is in Kylian arms. He's welcoming his uncle. "Bonjour, Isayah."

You got closer to them, kissing his cheek just like you did with Lana. Making him laugh.

Fayza was standing at the front door. The scene was adorable to her. She can easily picture you and kylian in a few years with your own children.

Living in a house with a big garden, she thought about it maybe a little too much. But she can't be blamed. After all, Kylian was the one who described how he pictures your life together.

"Bonjour, my babies." She says, catching your attention. "Come here, let me help you."

She hugs you tightly, repeating the actions with her son. She took Isayah from Kylian arms, following you to the living room of the house.

"Melissa, hello." You say happily, she has become a close friend for you. Always counting on her for everything.

"We literally saw each other like three days ago." She laughs, hugging you.

"She's obsessed with you, that's why."

"You're just jealous, kyky."

He rolled his eyes for the second time, going upstairs to leave the bags and to wake Ethan up.

"How was your exams?" Fayza asks, curious about your life.

"It was good, I think I did a good job."

"You did, don't doubt about yourself." She says, kissing your cheek.

She was like a mom to you, always caring and loving you since you met her. She was extra special to you, knowing you were there to stay since the beginning.

You can hear kylian laughing from the second floor, probably doing something to Ethan or laughing at some joke.

"Boys." Fayza shakes her head. "Come help me, sweet. I can guess Kylian didn't eat breakfast."

"You know your son." You laugh, walking with her to the kitchen where she was cutting some fruits and making waffles.

You chat with her and Melissa, who joined you. Kylian and Ethan were in the living room chatting with their dad.

Wilfried and Kylian were messing with Ethan. He recently changed his style, so he felt a little more confident than usual, which Ky loved.

"Let's eat everybody." You call.

Wilfried shared some stories about his most recent trip, Melissa worked with Kylian, so her stories weren't new for the family.

Ky told them about the next matches, feeling like his stories were kind of repetitive, but you enjoyed them.

The way he was very into creating new ways and opportunities for him and the team to score and win.

"But the news here is, this mademoisell right here." He pats your knee. "Is going to be a valedictorian again."

They all got so excited at the news, Fayza and Wilfried telling you how proud they're of their "daughter."

As the day continues, you spend the rest of the morning helping Ky and Wilfried to prepare the meat and veggies for the barbecue.

It was Ethan the one with the idea of making a big family barbecue and everybody agreed with him.

"After this, you and I are going to play some fifa. This time, you're not beating me." Ethan lightly pushed you, making you laugh.

"Yes, and I want to know about that girl you texted me about." You whisper in his ear, making him blush at the thought of his crush.

"Deal, but first a fifa game."

After lunch, Lana and Isayah wanted you to join them on the pool. Wanting to play with you and their uncle like always.

"Oh, mon bébés." You say sadly, you wanted to swim with them but also you promised Ethan days before to have a chat with him. "As soon as I finish with Uncle Ethan, I'll be here, okay?"

Kylian pouts more than they do. You send him a kiss while you walk inside the house.

Ethan and you have an amazing relationship. He trusted you with his life. Sometimes, when Kylian was away and couldn't get a hold of him, you were there for him. Ready to help.

When it comes to girls, you're his go-to person. Maybe because he knows how much Kylian is a master with the football but not that much in the dating area.

"Okay, pause pause pause." You laugh at him, pushing you in order to make you lose the goal. "You, young man, own me a story."

"I own you anything, woman." He laughs, imitating your tone.

"C'mon, tell me, did she like the roses?"

"She did." He smiles. "Thank you so much for helping me. I don't know what I would do without you here."

"Probably be the best at fifa." You say, making both laugh at that. "But don't worry, E. I'm here for anything you need."

The fifa game took hours, hours Kylian didn't got to spend with you. Hours he was pouting like a child.

He's sitting on the couch hearing the laughs and screams you and Ethan are making. Feeling left out.

He knows feeling like this is dumb, but he's been so busy lately that even spending time with you was a bit difficult.

He helped his parents with picking up the plates, washing them and even helped Melissa with the kids.

And still not you.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Mbappe." You say in this funny accent. He was in his old childhood bed, a single one. He looked so big for the bed.

He turns to the wall, feeling left out and being jealous. "Go play fifa."

"Yeah, it was fun, I had to pick your player." You tease. "But maybe I should have picked Olivier. He's faster."

He turns back to you, eyes narrowed and pout. "Did you just call me slow?"

"You're such a baby, come here, mon amour." You throw yourself on top of him. He hugged you like a koala bear. "God, you're crushing me."

"Good, so you don't go."

"What if we moved and watch something?"

He thinks about it for a few seconds, making you squeak. "Can we watch that scary movie I like?"

"If I say yes, would you let me breathe?"

He laughs, softening the hug, making you sigh and breathe deeply. "Can you get some popcorn?"

You nod, getting up from the bed. But first, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek. "Some soda too?"

"You're making me break my diet." He laughs. Kissing your lips.

"Good, once in a while." You return the kiss.

Going down to the kitchen, you notice that Fayza is there, sitting at the kitchen island with a book in her hands.

"Hi, I thought you were asleep by now."

"No, Ky wants to see a movie, and he's kinda grumpy from all the attention everyone is getting from me. Everyone but him."

"Well, he's a man. They always want more but never know how to ask." She laughs, winking at you.

You laugh with her, making a little chat while the popcorn is getting ready at the microwave.

"I'm gonna miss this house. I feel like it was yesterday when Kylian brought me here to meet you."

"Oui, so many memories. But I think it is time for us to move on."

You nod, thinking about the amazing memories you shared with Kylian and his family there.

You place the popcorn in a bowl, grabbing two sodas and leaving Fayza and her book alone.

The movie was good, it has a scary factor. But your mind was still roaming through the memories.

You scratch lightly Kylian arms, something you do when you're cuddling while watching a move or a show.

He's focused on the movie and the popcorn. Not noticing how you're so lost into nothing.

"I wish we could stay longer. I know this is not my family home, but this place has something that I love."

"I get it, I feel like a part of me hurts from thinking about letting this go."

You stayed quiet for a while, trying to focus on a little bit of what's left from the movie. Kylian, on the other hand, got lost into his thoughts, he loved this place.

He wanted to make this a vacation home, to bring his kids to the place where he grew up, where the people supported him.

He wanted to save his childhood house. He wanted his, well, your kids to be able to hear the stories you created there, to be able to feel the magic you two feel there.

He takes the remote, turning the TV off, making you protest. "I have an idea."

"We're not pranking anyone, Ky."

"No, that's not it." He gets up. "Well, that's a good idea, you can't deny."

"No." You laugh.

His hands found yours, intertwining them and looking at you in the eyes. "Let's buy the house."

"What?" You say, taken aback by the sudden proposition.

"Oui, we can use the house for weekend getaways, we can use it for vacations. For special occasions."

"But I thought."

"I know what I said." He interrupts you. "But I can't deny that there's a special something, and in the near future, I want to create more memories with you here. I can't wait for our kids to enjoy this place like we did."

"Oh, bébé." You let his hands go to press your palms to his cheeks, kissing him slowly. Feeling all the emotions. "We have to talk to your mom about it."

"Can you believe that? If she says yes, this will be our first house together."

"This will be your house, Kyky." You laugh, even tho he always told you that what was his was yours, this was different from a t-shirt, this is a whole house.

"No, bébé. This will be ours."

[kanpaeki]

acai bowl - dominic fike x reader

gif belongs to @catrawrites, i believe! thank you. this was requested. 846 words, we're slowly gettin' up there. this was not proofread, my bad. just wanna get this out. love y'all <3333

warnings: slightly nsfw.

x

being with dominic from the beginning wasn't easy. there was always someone in your ear telling you that he was always going to end up back in jail and that he was no good; that moving on was the best option for you. but you were stubborn, you couldn't find it in yourself to give up on him. on your relationship. he'd done too much for you with what little he had at the time. visits as often as you could, putting money on the phone when you could, you stuck it out with him. for him. you couldn't imagine leaving him when he needed you most.

and those 'friends' that tried to tell you to leave him, boy were they embarrassed now. not that you bragged about it, but when he got you those prada shoes you'd been eyeing, you couldn't help but wear them any opportunity that people would see them. you couldn't help it. you were proud. he worked so hard. he was handed so many bad cards but he was determined to get a full house and he was successful. he promised you this, promised his family this, promised himself this. he deserved every good thing headed his way.

waking up with him was so sweet. the way the sun peeked through the shades, just enough to have sunbeams hitting his tan skin that you fawned over. tattooed beautifully with things that meant the most to him. his lanky self tangled with you, limbs absolutely everywhere. he took up all the space in the bed damn near, but you didn't care.

you'd spent the last night on a flight to florence, italy to be with him. things weren't good when he left and he spent most of his travelling trying to make things right, texting and calling whenever he had signal or wifi. it wasn't a big issue but you know he felt bad and was just trying to make sure you were okay. so when he offered to fly you out, you took the next few days off of work using your pto to go spend time with him. as soon as you touched down, he was there to hug you and take you all in as if he hadn't seen you in days. you'd worn his favorite sundress on you. it was comfortable enough for the plane so you figured why not.

"i packed two of your favorite wines. did you make any plans?" you had grinned up at the boy, who just nodded his head. his eyes were shimmering with happiness and he buried himself in you, wrapping his long arms around you. in your skin, he muttered a soft 'yeah,' to which you responded, "look at you thinking ahead."

just eight hours ago, he whisked you away to the rental car and drove through the streets of florence, holding your hand every moment he could. eventually, he decided to park and walked you through the stores and gift shops he wanted you to see, treating you to everything you didn't have the heart to ask for. but he knew you well, watching for your eyes to widen at a bag or a pair of shoes. you got matching italian charm bracelets and dined at the best pizzeria you think you've ever been to before you made it back to the villa he was staying in, your feet so sore.

you were tired last night but you knew the last bit of energy would be spent in the bed with dominic. he undressed quickly but he took his time with you, kissing the skin as he gently pulled you free from your sundress and undergarments. he treated you first, going down on you with very clear intentions. he apologized again and again as he made you writhe underneath him, making you forget you had ever fought with him before the trip. ending the night with him inside you was the best part of it all, no matter what he had bought you hours before. looking into those brown eyes while you both used each other, bodies as close as possible. even once you had both reached your highs, he stayed inside you and you fell asleep that way.

hair a mess on the pillow, you brushed your face free of the strands, blinking your eyes and looking over at dom, gently patting his arm to wake him up. he blinked and buried himself in you further, making you chuckle and manuever yourself so you were facing him. kissing his shoulder down to his collarbone, nipping at the tender skin with your teeth, he groaned at your touch.

"thank you," was all you muttered, hands running down his side, across his waist and resting on his back. he kissed into your neck, humming softly before his breath slowly evened out and you knew he was asleep again. he made sure you were taken care of, even when you didn't ask for it and you made sure he knew you appreciated it. he was yours, no which way about it.

[hexpea]

Ch. 2 - Expected

"It was arranged," Seiko's jaw nearly fell to the floor as you finished explaining the circumstances of your first marriage. 

You nodded in confirmation. "Unfortunately," you sighed. "I certainly didn't ask for it. But at this point, it seems like I'm going to need to head back to Tokyo to get Gojo to sign the damn thing...again."

Your partner sat back in their seat in thought, waves of understanding flooding their mind. They felt bad for causing such a fuss about it earlier though it was entirely warranted.

"Y/N?" Their voice was soft, their hand reaching forward to touch yours that you had resting on your knee. "What if we made it a thing? We're due for a vacation. I'll come with and we'll enjoy the sights of Tokyo. The whole divorce thing can be just a small part of the trip, no need to over-worry ourselves. We'll get it taken care of." 

You thought about it for a moment, searching your mind for any downsides. A few began to populate in your mind, but Seiko was quick to interrupt. "We're getting married this time. Let's take some time to celebrate ourselves, eh?"

"You just want to go to Tokyo, don't you?" You looked at him slyly, a crooked smile on your face. Seiko had be raving about it for the past few months; you had originally (and hesitantly) been planning to have your honeymoon there.

"I do," they admitted, their smile matching yours but their gaze looking away as if they had been 'caught.' They had rarely left the small town you lived in. Seeing Tokyo in real life sounded like a dream to them.

You took a deep breath and let out a sigh. "Alright," you agreed, "let's make it a thing."

The next thing you knew, you found yourself boarding a bullet train. It was a four and half hour ride to Tokyo from Hokkaido. Unfortunately for you, this meant you had plenty of time to ruminate on your past -- the whole reason for this visit. 

The train itself had faded, patterned seats, well worn from years of use. The car was quiet as passengers filed on in order and silently began putting away their luggage. The air itself smelled stale, like any other form of public transport. It was the last place you thought you'd be at that moment.

"Here are our seats," Seiko smiled at you eagerly, tugging along a suitcase. 

They stuffed their suitcase in the overhead bin and helped you in getting yours up there as well. With a wordless smile, they offered you the window seat to which you obliged. 

"Besides settling into our hotel, what's the first thing you want to do when we get there?" Seiko asked as the two of you now sat in the faded, plush seats of the shinkansen. 

You gave them a funny look. Seiko was never one to be overly eager about going anywhere let alone planning activities. "I don't know," you answered as if each word was its own sentence, a funny yet suspicious tone in your voice. "Do you have anything in mind?"

"Nothing in particular," they shrugged, causing you to furrow your brow even further. Why bring it up then?! 

You shook your head and ignored your surroundings, opting to put some headphones in and stare out the window as Seiko began scrolling through their phone. Just as expected, with divorce on the brain, your mind went to that place and your heart already...ached. 

The divorce was amicable. It was honestly something that had been a long time coming, almost expected, as Gojo found himself alone in his clan. He didn't seem remarkably upset about being the last of his name, his parents now both passed on -- mother preceding father. The lack of emotion had concerned you but you let it go. 

Saying that your marriage didn't have love...that would be a lie and you knew it. The two of you had been childhood friends, closer than anyone could get without being family or, well, being in love. Admitting it was a different story.

Things between you two had begun to distance when Geto entered the picture as soon as you reached high school age. That, and Gojo had started taking on missions with Geto as well -- tough missions that you couldn't be a part of. You found yourself linking up with Shoko Ieiri who also mostly stayed behind, being helpful with her reversed cursed technique. 

At the time, you were honestly happy about his absence. With adolescence, his personality had developed beyond repair of arrogant confidence to which he didn't hesitate to irritate you with to no end. He honestly irritated everybody one way or another, and took pleasure in it.

But there was unspoken love that grew during your time as husband and wife. The conflict had once pulled on the strings of your heart, telling you everything you needed to know of your feelings toward the Limitless sorcerer even as he asked for the divorce. But those feelings were a distant memory.

It was August, a warm, summer evening five years into your facade of a marriage. You found yourself enjoying the nightly air, the distant sound of fireworks from the summer festival humming through your ears. 

You were dressed comfortably, getting ready for bed and having a cup of tea to relax. The stars were remarkably bright that night, twinkling in nearly every direction. It was in that moment you were thankful that the Gojo estate was just outside of Tokyo, no bright buildings to prevent such a beautiful sight. 

Satoru had just returned from a mission, still dressed in his jujutsu uniform and dark blindfold covering his eyes. You heard him approach from the opening of the shoji screen behind you. You could hear his footsteps approach behind you as you looked up into the cosmos. 

"Hey there," he purred, his voice dripping with a teasing tone as it always had as he joined you on the porch. He couldn't resist making light of the situation, even when his emotions were in a flood of conflict. You knew him well enough to expect his cocky demeanor.

You sat cross-legged while he let his legs dangle off the side, using his hands to prop himself up. He looked up with you as he greeted.

"Hi," you answered, your voice quiet after taking a sip from your tea. "How was the mission?" You asked while trying to maintain your composure in the face of his playful attitude. 

"Mission? Oh, piece of cake," he said with a smug grin, leaning in closer to you. "But, you know, I'd much rather be dealing with you, Y/N. You're the real challenge." He winked, emphasizing the double meaning of his words. 

There was a moment of awkward silence as he lingered longer than he usually would. He took a deep breath in preparation for his next words. 

"Y/N..." you looked over at him, your wide, interested gaze causing him to rethink his decision for a split second. He tried to hide the smile that was growing from seeing your doe-eyed face. He decided he needed to hold firm; he had promised himself he'd stop postponing and tell you. "I think that we should...file for divorce."

There it was, the words you were, honestly, waiting to hear. The conflict brewing in your head made your chest hurt. The marriage was a sham. It was to produce an heir, something the two of you never did, for the Gojo clan who was now a team of one. You had to and did accept the fact that this marriage was holding both of you back.

Your silence was irking Satoru as you continued to sip from your tea. He fidgeted eagerly for your response. It was then that you realized he was waiting for something out of you.

"Okay," you responded calmly, holding back the emotions that were threatening to bust forth. "It's not like we love each other." 

Satoru, though cocky and confident on the surface, felt a pang of turmoil deep within. He knew what he felt for you, even if he was hesitant to admit it to himself.  The two of you were completely ignorant to one another and beyond saving. This time it was his silence that got you going. You could clearly see he was trying to read your plain expression.

"What? It doesn't have to be that sad," you added, trying to maintain some levity despite the heavy situation.

"What will you do?" Satoru asked you, his future path already decided and very clear.

You thought to yourself for a moment, ignoring the knot that had begun to form in your throat. "Hmm..." you hummed, tilting your head up and away from him to hide your dampened eyes. It was just now settling in that the arrangement was coming to a close. "I wonder what the beach looks like in the snow."

Satoru smiled at you, a mixture of relief and turmoil in his eyes, knowing that he had to let you go. "Ah, Hokkaido," he nodded. "Yeah, it's beautiful."

The two of you sat in continued silence for a few more moments. The booming of the fireworks had long stopped since his arrival. The complete silence a bit jarring from your conversation.

After a while, Satoru leaned over and pressed a lingering kiss to your cheek -- the only 'affection' the two of you allowed yourselves besides in public when necessary. The only time you had ever been intimate with him outside of the occasional kiss was your wedding night, never once doing it again.

Talk about mixed signals, you thought to yourself. 

He came to a stand and you looked up at him with a gentle smile before he departed. "I'll be there, any time you need me. You know that, right?"

"Yeah," you nodded once, voice breaking slightly, causing your cheeks to turn red in the dark. 

As Satoru left you alone on the porch, your emotions swirled like a turbulent sea. The tears that had begun as a mixture of sorrow and relief now took on a new dimension. There was a sense of betrayal that began to seep into your heart, though you couldn't quite pinpoint its source. You stared out into the night sky, the stars still shining brightly above. The sound of cicadas filled the air, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of nearby trees. The beauty of the night was a stark contrast to the turmoil inside you.

The divorce had been inevitable, and you had known that a long time. Yet, hearing those words from Satoru still stung. It was a reminder of just how far the two of you had drifted apart over the years. As you continued to sit there, sipping your tea and gazing at the stars, you couldn't help but wonder what the future held for you. The prospect of being alone was both daunting and liberating. You had spent so long in a marriage of convenience and now you had the opportunity to rediscover yourself. 

Your train pulled into Tokyo station in what felt like the blink of an eye. You were so lost in your thoughts that Seiko had to squeeze your hand to snap you out of your trance. 

The bustling station presented a crowd of noise, announcements over the intercom for arrivals and departures, and the feeling of people rushing around you served as a reminder that you were back in the heart of the city where you had grown up. 

"Wow," Seiko admired the large station as the two of you guided yourselves off of the train. "Are you ready for this?"

You nodded, your resolve firming up as the two of you began your walk out of the station. The memories of your past with Gojo had left a bitter taste in your mouth, but you were determined to close that chapter of your life for good. The strange sense of betrayal you had felt after that fateful conversation with Gojo had lingered, but it was time to move forward.

As you navigated your way through the station, you couldn't shake the anticipation of seeing your parents again. It had been far too long since you had been home and you knew that your reunion would be emotional. But duty called, and you had brought the divorce papers with you, determined to get Gojo's signature. 

The Tokyo streets outside the station were familiar yet different, a testament to the passage of time. Seiko walked beside you, 'oooing' and 'ahhing' at all of the sights. Their presence provided you a bit of stability that grounded you in the present moment. As you hailed a taxi to take you to your hotel, you couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions -- fear, anticipation, and a newfound determination to finally put an end to the chapter of your life that had been marked by a love that had never fully bloomed.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for not wanting my partner to spend the holidays with his family?

So trigger warning for death/grief. I'm not sure if this is extremely straightforward in who is in the wrong here, it at least doesn't feel obvious to me.

My (24NB) mother (55F) passed away last week. She had struggled previously with cancer and liver failure but was seemingly doing well until a blood infection caused her to be hospitalized. She was expected to recover, but passed rather suddenly after a week in hospital.

She and I were incredibly close. We talked on the phone most days. The passing has been very difficult for me. Especially with it being so close to Christmas, I'm dreading the holidays. My mom was always the one who made Christmas special for my family.

Now, my partner (23M) loves Christmas and comes from a big family that is very close-knit. We've been together for a little over a year, and currently live together. Neither of us drive, but most of his family live 45 minutes from us. This makes visiting with them difficult as we're dependent on who can drive us and that usually means we have to stay much longer than we would with my family. As a result, he spent Thanksgiving with my family (Canadian Thanksgiving happening prior to my mom passing). This caused a total meltdown from his family, who saw this as me asking him to disrespect them. He ended up having to lie about being sick and missing both Thanksgivings.

Now that Christmas is approaching, I had already asked that we spend Christmas morning with my family if his family planned on being out of town just for ease. He agreed that would be easier, and the following year we could go with his family. This of course changed when my mom passed. Instead, my family planned on having a quiet Christmas together. I expected that he would still attend, especially since I'm expecting it to be hard on me.

His cousin (30sF) phoned the other day. They first talked about the hospital my mom passed in and how they had lost some of my moms belongings (the cousin works at the hospital and wanted to help us). I listened in to provide additional info for him to relay. At the end of that conversation, she brought up Christmas and said the plan was for herself and a few others to spend the entirety of Christmas Eve out of town with his family, and then leave Christmas morning following presents. He didn't argue, just gave a vague response along the lines of 'we'll see' which led to his cousin telling him it would be 'very unfair' of me to prevent him from spending Christmas with his family because I see him all the time and "it's only 24 hours". At the end, she added a quick "Your mom would really appreciate it!" Which hurt my feelings to hear, but I knew it wasn't intended that way.

The whole talk made me really upset, and I had to excuse myself to cry. After talking it through with a close friend, they suggested I bring it up to my partner just so he could understand that its difficult for me to think about Christmas for the time being. I did exactly that, and my partner got very upset with me. He told me that his cousin didn't intend it that way. He also told me that it was unfair that I already expected him to spend Christmas with my family, and that I was 'forcing' him to be a part of my family and taking him from his own.

It was never my intention to make him feel as though he couldn't spend time with his family, and I don't think I've ever said anything like that but I don't know how my words and actions have come across. I want him around for support during this first year without my mom, but I don't want him to feel that I'm forcing him into missing his own holidays. AITA?

What are these acronyms?

[shadowkat678]

EMERGENCY POST!

Hey guys. I’ve been trying to keep people informed with what’s going on. Instead of doing it over with each group I'm going to make an announcement. Full saga. All the information.

The 2002 Honda Civic Absolute Disaster.

Yesterday, my car decided to overheat and shit itself. In the middle of my 700 mile move to Detroit with my gf and an hour away from our planned hotel stop. I don't know much about cars! Apparently I should have stopped when I saw the engine meter staying over the H line on the thermostat.

I did not, because I didn't want to break down on the side of the road. Instead we broke down very conveniently in the lot of an AutoZone type car shop. What might have been a small issue to fix, however, is now fucking huge.

My car won't start. My engine is likely totaled. There's probably an issue with the thermostat or water pump or radiator one, then the head gasket got cracked so water is leaking into the car's surrounding pipes, to the best of what I could gather. I am not a car person.

We've called around, no one nearby has any openings for repairs for at least a week. The closest place is 60 miles away. AAA won't cover towing that far, and would charge me $7+tax for every mile. We managed to find someone else who'd take it for $250, luckily.

He thought he might be able to fix the car by Saturday, but all together the cost would be $2.8k ish. Including the tow.

That's not including the money I already had to pay for the last few mechanic visits that we thought fixed everything over the past few months. Which was already way too much. So now that's all down the drain too.

There's now another devolvement about that as seen in the texts. Basically, the type of engine was different than believed. Making it a lot more expensive and time extensive to fix. We have neither money or time for that. So, stuck in the middle of Kentucky countryside, we're having to get rid of our car.

After conversation with family and friends and advice we're going to focus on getting to Detroit and trying to get a car there. I still have to make another trip back in a few months to get the rest of my stuff and the overheating has done so much damage we probably will have to pay even more than just what's already been discussed wrong with it anyway. Luckily we'll be able to sell it to the mechanic for about....$300.

To put this into perspective on how bad that is for me, I currently only make about $1,200 a month.

We have a way out and up to Detroit, thankfully. But even without the car costs of fixing it we're going to be out a three nights in the hotel plus the towing, which is about $600 all totalled and we still need to get transportation once in Detroit. Not to mention rent and groceries and other moving things. We also still have like. Zero furniture at the apartment.

I'll keep everyone updated as things continue. It was suggested I make a donation post with all the information. So here's my Google pay, PayPal, Cash app, and Venmo.

We've gotten some help so far from my family and some friends but anything would be amazing to put towards a car and necessities fund. I'm going to have absolutely no transportation at a time where getting places is going to be super important. So I'm putting it out there.

[baby-girl-e]

War Is Over

Characters - Iceman x Maverick

Summary - Ice and Maverick spend their first Christmas with the Kazansky’s since DADT was repealed. It’s been 25 years since Tom has spent a Christmas at home and now he gets to do it with his husband.

Word Count - 1.9k

Warnings - none, good old fashioned holiday fluff

A/N - Happy Holidays y’all! This is based on the Christmas song Happy Xmas (war is over) and I really hope you catch my drift as to why! There are so many versions of this song but my favorite one and the one I listened to while writing this was the one by Miley Cyrus!

Ice and Maverick have been together for about twenty-five years by the time DADT is repealed. They’ve had twenty-five christmases spent in the privacy of Ice’s house, unable to invite over family to spend it with them. Ice’s parents had thought he was too busy to take off christmas, or when Ice would tell them he worked christmas so that people with children could spend it with them, they thought him a saint. For Maverick however he got to tell Carole about who he was spending Christmas with, and she even came a few times when Goose's family relented for a year. It seemed that being lovingly overbearing was a Bradshaw trait. 

In the year of 2011 however, things changed. DADT was repealed in September, and the couple had come out to their colleagues. It was a big decision that Pete had deferred mostly to Tom on, given that his career was the one that’d be most affected. Pete was a Captain and liked staying there, and now legally they couldn’t clip his wings for it. But Tom was still up for promotion and had been in the running for COMPACFLT, and him coming out as gay and having a long time partner could severely hinder that. Tom had insisted regardless stating that he loved Pete more than his rank and that they’ve hidden for long enough. 

They had simply filed the proper paperwork that anyone in what was technically an inner-office relationship would file and that was that. They didn’t go out of their way to tell people but also stopped hiding it. Pete changed his address to Ice’s house and stopped paying rent on his shitty one bedroom he rarely visited. A few things that did change was when Ice made his way to the place on base where Pete was currently working, he got a kiss hello. Ice even put the picture’s they have together up on his desk for anyone to see. They’d see one of them laughing that Slider had taken, one of them back when Bradley was still small, and one of Pete in a nice suit in the summer of ‘91 when they had unofficially gotten married. 

Finally Christmas rolled around and they had both saved up more than enough leave and decided it was fitting to visit Ice’s family for Christmas. They had come out to Ice’s family first, even before they came out professionally. Ice had apologized to his mother, stating he just couldn’t risk anything, which she said she understood but told him he was in for the ear flick of his life for not inviting them to his wedding. Pete was grateful for his family’s pleasant reaction, he wasn’t sure how it would go down if it hadn’t. 

Luckily Ice’s, and now Pete’s, family didn’t live too far away from their house in Fightertown so it wasn’t more than a few hours drive. They had planned to come up on the 23rd and leave the 26th staying at the Kazansky house under threat of death by both Mr and Mrs. Kazansky. 

“Babe you packed a coat right?” Tom was loading the car and Pete just stared at him from their doorway. 

“Tom, I don't even own a coat, do you know where we live?”

“Yes but we’re going further north than you’re used to and it might get chilly.” Tom was like an overbearing mother sometimes. In the best way. 

“Tom, we're going to Santabarbra, not the Rockies.” he approached his tight ass of a husband and put his hands on his shoulders. “And besides, if I get cold you’ll be there to cuddle me after you tell me I told you so.” 

Tom laughs at his husband's antics and gives him a quick kiss. 

They’re on the road to Santabarbra within the hour and to Ice’s parents within three. They pull up to the house and see Ice’s mom waving frantically from the door as his dad tries to reign in his wife, failing and proving that the Kazansky men’s inability to control their spouses is passed down genetically.

“I think they’re excited to see you Tom.” Pete was all smiles, giddy for a real family Christmas for the first time since the last one he had with the bradshaws.

“Baby, you and I both know they’re more excited to see you.” And it was true, even as he was introduced as Ice’s friend and wingman, he was accepted into the family quickly. 

It seemed that Mrs. Kasansky had grown impatient and was currently barrelling towards her son and son-in-law. When she reached the door she pulled Pete out and into the tightest hug he thinks he’s ever had.

“Oh Pete I’m so glad you’re here! I always knew one day Tommy would bring home someone nice, but I never would've been able to  pick someone better than you.” Pete was actively trying not to cry as Tom pulled their bags out of the trunk. 

“Ma, try not to strangle my husband will you? I kinda like him.” That earned Tom a quick glare and suddenly Pete was released from his bear hug.  

“Oh that’s right, thank you for reminding me why I’m still mad at you.” She could really hold a grudge according to Tom. 

“Mom, I already told you that when we can make it official you’ll be the first to know. Now, do I get a hug too or is Pete your new son?” she softened and embraced her oldest boy. 

“Well he’s my son now too so you’ll have to share that title.” Tom didn’t mind, he wanted to share everything with Pete, including but not limited to his last name. 

They had decided early on that if it were ever possible Pete would take Tom’s last name. They knew they didn’t have to share a last name, but it was just another thing that they wanted to do if they ever had the chance. Tom had said he’d change his last name to Mitchell or even hyphenate but Pete had just laughed and demanded he get to change his last name to Kasansky. When Tom enquired as to why he was so keen on getting rid of his last name he just said, “Baby, I’ve been trying to distance myself from this last name for my entire life. And now I have the opportunity to be a Kazansky? You bet your ass I’m taking it.” 

They eventually made their way into the house and Tom could feel all of his childhood memories rushing back. He was suddenly glad that his mother hadn’t changed her Christmas decor in all of this time, it felt like time had stood still, like it had waited for him to bring Pete home. He suddenly regretted not coming home for Christmas in so long. 

“I know what you’re thinking son, and I want you to know that we don’t blame you.” Ice’s father had stood beside him and put an arm around him. His parents weren’t getting any younger and it showed, but it still felt like it always had. “You did what you had to do for your safety, and I’m so sorry you had to. But you’re here now, and so is Pete. Let’s have a good Christmas huh?” 

Ice smiled and nodded at his father. It wasn’t that he didn’t think he could trust his parents with this secret, he just didn’t want to trust them with it. His parents were the best people he knew and he didn’t want them to have to lie to their friends or other family members about him. 

“Thanks Dad. It means the world to us that we can be here with you all this year. It’s about time I give Pete the Christmas he deserves.” In his mind Pete deserved the world. 

“Oh I’m sure you’ve given him plenty of remarkable Christmases. I have no doubt you’re a good husband to that man. I look forward to seeing it for myself.” His dad gave him one last pat and left him in the entryway to go tend to something in the kitchen. Pete moved to take his place. 

“Something on your mind baby?” Pete had his arm around Tom’s waist their bags long gone with Mrs. Kazansky as she insisted she take them to one of the guest rooms. 

“Just wishing we could’ve had this sooner is all.” He gave his husband a sad smile, but he hoped it was a reassuring one. 

“We’re here now, love. Let’s enjoy it okay?” Tom nods to his husband and gives him a small peck. Still used to keeping things under wraps. But he hears a whistle from the top of the stairs and he looks up to see his younger (But still in his thirties) brother shaking his head at them. 

“You call that a kiss? You’re under the mistletoe idiot, you’re supposed to give him a real kiss!” Tom rolls his eyes at Mark's antics and looks down to see his husband a nice shade of maroon. He considers his next move carefully, deciding between running up to chase down his brother and Kissing Pete within an inch of his life. He ultimately decides that it’s Christmas and he could have it all. 

He pulls Pete up into a kiss and Pete forgets where he is for a moment and just sinks into it. They fall into it like they’re at home and it isn’t until Tom hears his brother’s exasperation that he snaps out of it. 

“God you two are like newlyweds.” Mark is descending the stairs and approaches the couple. 

“I’ll have you know we’ve been married since 1991 so we’re more like an old married couple.” Mark raises his hands in defense.

“My bad, but I’ll have you know I totally called this.” He gestures between the two pilots grinning ear to ear. 

“Wow congratulations you called a relationship I’ve been in since 1986. You should be a detective.” Tom was smiling despite his sarcastic words, he was just glad to be able to talk like this with his brother. 

The three of them join the parents in the living room. Ice’s mom informs them that Sarah and her girls’ ETA is about an hour and Josh and his family are set to arrive in the morning, flying in from the east coast. 

They have dinner and chat, enjoying their time together, and Pete is happy to see Sarah and his Nieces. Words can’t even describe how he feels about being able to call them his nieces. The next day rolls around sooner or later and Josh’s grown-ish children swarm their uncle Pete. They’ve always called him that, just now it means more. 

The house is finally full on Christmas Eve and they all sit in the living room watching some of the younger kids look out the window for santa. The fireplace is on and everyone is chatting silently. Pete is sitting next to (Or on him depending on who you ask) Tom and he’s got an arm around Pete’s shoulders, holding him tight. 

Tom looks around at his family smiling and enjoying themselves, then down at his husband in his arms. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he’d ever get this moment. Christmas lights twinkling around him, his family laughing and chatting, and his husband in his arms enjoying the scene with him. They had fought for this moment for so long and now that it’s here? He couldn’t be more grateful. He and Pete fought in wars for a living and it felt like they never stopped because nobody ever won. But here and now, in his parent’s living room, Pete in his arms, it felt like the war was over. They had won. 

(The Photo I reference as one of their wedding photos)

[bropunzeling]

marriage bets mattdrai number 9?

a kiss in public

Matthew is a grown-up. He has a mortgage. Eighty-two nights a year, he gets onto the ice ready to get his shit wrecked by someone his size or bigger. Not much scares him.

Spending a week and a half with his in-laws -- technically; they don't even know they're his in-laws -- for the first time does.

"You're doing fine," Leon says. They've just finished dinner -- early in deference to Leon's niece, eighteen months old and only interested in running around the table, tugging Bowie's ears, and clearing her plate one single pea at a time -- and are taking bedtime as an opportunity for a break from the familial togetherness. "They like you."

"You say that," Matthew grouses. Leon wasn't the one getting a shovel talk from Kim half an hour ago. Glaring while holding a babbling toddler should not be all that intimidating, and yet.

"Trust me," Leon says. As they walk, their steps start to sync up, their arms swinging in rhythm. Leon's hand taps Matthew's, then grabs it. "They do."

Matthew chews on his lip. Maybe if things had gone to plan last year, this wouldn't feel so -- he doesn't know. They were supposed to go to Germany mid-summer, finally meet Peter and Sandra and Kim not through the medium of FaceTime. Then he and Leon were supposed to peel off to somewhere warm and sunny for a few days. Spain, reprised.

It's amazing how a broken sternum can fuck up one's plans.

So they put off the visit for another twelve months. Matthew's still only talked to his in-laws -- technically -- over the phone. He doesn't know them well enough to know what they make of it, this. Him and Leon. He can't tell how he measures up, if they even like him, if this is how they would treat anyone Leon wanted them to meet. When he's asked, all Leon's said is he hasn't had many opportunities to bring anyone home.

"I just," Matthew says as they continue on their way to the river. The Rhine in the evening is dark and glittering, the reflections of street lights and windows refracting on the surface. "It would really suck if they didn't like me."

Leon squeezes his hand. His shoulder bumps Matthew's. "Well, they do like you," he says, pulling them to a stop by the riverbank. "Just because my family isn't as obnoxious as yours -- "

"We're not obnoxious," Matthew cuts in. "Enthusiastic."

"Uh-huh," Leon says pointedly. "My point is, they're just quieter about things."

Matthew knows that. But -- "They're not just being polite?"

Leon shakes his head, letting go of Matthew's hand to slide his arm around Matthew's waist and tug him in. Matthew's own arm falls naturally to find Leon's back, linking them together. An easy gesture they have so few opportunities to practice.

"They like you," Leon repeats again, quietly. "You're easy to like."

If they were at home -- in Matthew's house, horsing around in the pool; at Leon's, watching Bowie run around the yard; on the ice, chatting before it was time to split up for the faceoff -- Matthew might make a joke about that. How there was a time there when Leon didn't. How it took getting married for Leon to admit that Matthew might not be the worst.

Not here, though. Not now. Now, Matthew leans in, until they're pressed together all along their sides. Relishing the anonymity of Leon's hometown, of being somewhere no one can recognize them. Where they could be any other couple out for an evening stroll, spending time in each other's company.

"Hey," Matthew says, getting Leon's attention. When Leon turns his head, he ducks in, kissing Leon once, fast. When he pulls away, Leon chases his mouth. Once, slow.

They break apart again. Matthew digs his chin into Leon's shoulder. "I'm glad I'm here."

Leon pulls him in closer. No separation. "I'm glad you're here, too."

[thestupidhelmet]

If the original writers had stuck around for the eighth season and we'd gotten a Jackie/Hyde endgame possibly ending with their wedding, do you think the writers of the reboot would have destroyed that in favor of pairing Jackie with Kelso the way they broke up Jackie and Fez? Or do you think there's a chance their endgame would have been preserved? For some reason, I feel like J/H shippers would have been screwed no matter what due to real life stuff.

Many of the original writers stayed, and some of them wrote great J/H episodes before season 8. The show runners changed from the J/H-loving Filgos to the J/H hating duo who took the job afterward.

If season 7 hadn't been decided to be last season and originally written as the end of the show, the Filgos likely would've stuck around to finish out the series (if it was just one more season). As far as everyone on T7S was concerned, S7 was it, and people started looking for new gigs, including the Filgos.

The writers take story direction from he showrunners. If the Filgos had stayed for S8, they would've had to deal with Eric's absence and Kelso's mostly absence. I'd like to believe they would've made sure both characters were still part of the show even if offscreen.

Jackie and Hyde would've been engaged (as in the originally-written S7/series finale). A lot of humor could've been derived from that. Red/Kitty and Jackie/Hyde likely would've had a lot of stories together, comparing and contrasting a long-married couple to a newly-engaged one (which isn't the direction taken during E/D's engagement arc).

W.B. would've been utilized more, hopefully with his character (and relationship with Hyde) fleshed out instead of just punchlines.

Fez would grieve over Kelso, a storyline of its own. He and Donna could bond over their mutual losses. At some point, Fez might misinterpret his new friendship-closeness as romantic, and Donna would have to shut him down. She's still in love with Eric, and she's waiting for him. Ez would think about this a moment and say, "And I will wait for Kelso, too."

Donna: But Kelso's not coming back. He's living with Brooke and their baby in Chicago.

Fez: Then I will go to him.

Donna: And do what?

Fez (emotional): Tell him I love him!

Donna: Okay, when you say *love* ...

Fez: Love, woman! Can't one man love another man in this country without everyone else being weird about it?!

Donna: I suppose father and sons, brothers --

Fez: And best friends. Now good day.

Donna: Fez, we're in my house.

Fez: I said good day!

Out of this we get an episode where Fez visits Kelso in Chicago. Unfortunately the actress who played Brooke didn't love being on the show, but maybe she'd do one guest spot like she did in S7.

What I would love is if Fez runs into Rhonda in Chicago, and the second half of season 8 for Fez is about them reconciling.

Jackie and Donna s storylines have a lot of potential, too. Jackie might say she understands what Donna's going through with having a long-distance relationship.

Donna: Oh? Do tell.

Jackie: Steven has to go to Milwaukee every few weeks for work. That's, like, an hour away, and sometimes he's there the whole weekend to spend time with family.

Donna: Jackie, Eric is across the ocean on another continent. I get letters from him twice a week. I haven't heard his voice in months. Hyde going to Milwaukee for a weekend doesn't compare -- and you go with him for a lot of the overnights.

Jackie: Well, fine. If you don't want my sympathy, you don't have to have it.

Donna and Jackie reconcile sooner than later, though, and Jackie helps Donna come up with the best care package for Eric ever, which Kitty gets nosy about. She tries to slip in a few items her own, and Red catches her. This leads to their story in that episode.

We also have Bob, whom might not have planned to move to Florida but started to date another woman, played by a famous actress (as T7S is wont to do). Maybe someone totally inappropriate for him or insane, which gives him a story arc with all the main characters who have to deal with this new presence and her weird effect on Bob. Not a Caroline/Fez rehash, though.

All in all, I hope the Filgos would feel free to let humor and plot rise organically from characterization. No more alcoholism for Kitty and no put-upon cliche TV husband for Red. R/K would get their due with their characters, evolving as the circumstances around them have changed (e.g., no Eric, J/H engaged, an ever-present Fez and Donna, etc.)

[igot-sarang-ggg]

Il bambino (La Squadra x Child reader)

Masterlist

Small Summary: On a mission Prosciutto and Pesci find the child of an ex-mafioso

Small mentions: SPOILERS, gn!reader, a bit fluff, death, spell check is out the window..

"Prosciutto are you sure about this?" I walked over to Pesci trying to calm him down, he acted like a mama's boy it's disgusting, "We have orders to kill an ex-mafioso. The boss sent us here and we need to complete his orders... got it." Pesci nodded. We proceeded in entering the apartment. 

Risotto mentioned that the ex-mafioso was married and had a child but the child lives with their mother so it should just be himself in the house. I manifested my stand Grateful Dead and wait for it to kill the Bastardo. "Pesci use Beach Boy to search the room." He used beach boy, "Big Bro I'm getting two heartbeats?!" I thought he was by himself. "One heartbeat is weaker than the other. Do you want me to make a move and kill them?"

"No. Here take this." I handed him a bag of ice and we headed inside. I signed Pesci to keep scanning the area using beach boy, "It's coming from the master bedroom." He whispered. I slowly opened the door and was met with a knife, I quickly stepped back before the person could stab me. The door was now fully opened revealing a child who seemed to be about nine or eleven years of age they were holding a knife in their hands.

"Who are you, people? Why did you hurt my dad?" There were tears drops rolling down the kids' eyes. "Please tell me why did you kill him!?" They raised their voice. Out of instinct I quickly grabbed the kid and covered their mouth preventing them from shouting anymore, "Prosciutto no!" Pesci grabbed the kid from my arms and knocked them out, I didn't realize I was about to break the kids neck. The kid was now unconscious in Pesci's arms. "We need to bring them to Risotto." Pesci carried the kid to the car and sat in the back sit with them. Shit, what do we do now?

I was the first to walk in, "How was the mission?" Ghiaccio asked. Everyone, looked at me, I adjusted my suit and opened the door wider, Pesci was holding the kid and walked into the room. He placed the kid down on the couch. "Prosciutto you care to explain what a child is doing with you?" Risotto asked. "This is the kid of the ex-mafioso we killed. It seems that they were visiting their father. We were careless."

The room was tense, Risotto would look at me and then back at the child, "And you thought to bring it here was a good idea?" Illuso asked. I didn't know what else to do then bring them here and see what Risotto's plan would be. "Let's keep them."

"What?!" Everyone shouted in surprise and Ghiaccio started ranting as usual, "Boss are you sure about this? Wouldn't having a kid with us be dangerous?" Formaggio asked while taking a closer look at the kid. "They're just a child and I can't imagine what's going through their head at the moment. And they did get a look at your faces and can easily report you to the police." Risotto stated, "If they do report you two then that could ruin our image. We'll just have to keep the kid until further notice."

After a few hours the kid woke up, Risotto told me to bring them to my room and wait until they woke up. I was sitting on my bed with their head on top of my lap. "Where am I? Where is my dad?! Who are you?!" I quickly shushed them stopping them from getting any louder. "Your father died. My name is Prosciutto you'll be put under my care alongside my companions, we will take care of you." They removed my hand from their lips, "So you killed my father?"

"Unfortunately, yes. We were paid to kill him since he betrayed the boss." The kid looked at me, "My mother told him countless times to stop being a mafioso but he never listened... What about my mom is she, okay?"

"No harm was placed on your mother our main target was your father." A few tears slid down their eyes, I wiped them away. "We're not gonna hurt you so don't worry. I think you'll like this new family, trust me." At first, they were shy and didn't want to talk to anyone of us not even Pesci, which is a gentler person. So of course, it took some time for them to adjust to us.

"Y/n, how was school?" Risotto asked as Y/n walked through the door. Each one of us were busy looking for information on our next target but was still listening to them, "It was okay..." I took a quick glance at Y/n. We are trained assassins and know when somethings bothering y/n just by body language, Y/n sighed, "Some kid threw mud on my cloth. Luckily I had a spare. But they ruined my favorite shirt." We all looked at Y/n, they were holding the shirt in their hands; the shirt was ripped and had mud stains on it. "That's the shirt we gave you for your birthday isn't it?" Melone asked. "Yeah," Y/n lowered their head balling their fist into a ball, "They said it was stupid and ugly, and were ripping it off of me." Y/n started crying.

I got up quickly from my sit, wrapping my arms around them, and holding them close to me, "Y/n it's okay. We can always get you a new shirt." The others came to them and join in the hug, "We'll get you something even better than that shirt!"

"Thanks. You guys are the best." Y/n hugged us back. I never thought having a kid with us would be fun.

I might make a second part to this

One-Shot Requests are Open!!

Stories Coming soon... Series Masterlist

[omarandjohnny]

hi! I hope this is ok to ask and please of course feel free to not answer if it's too personal. I look up to your perpetual halloween lifestyle, and i'm also immunocompromised now because of covid. I was wondering if you had any tips or plans for how to celebrate spooky season safely at home, since.. well... it just doesn't seem like going out to a halloween show or something is worth dying, you know? :\ I thought if anyone would know how to halloween party it up at home it would be you.

First off, ALL THE HUGS <33333333333333333333333333

The Plaguetimes have certainly thrown a wrench in the spoopy season for us, that's for sure.

2020 was obviously the most difficult, but my brother and I celebrated by resurrecting an old favorite October activity: Every Saturday is Halloween! We dressed up in themed costumes every Saturday of the month, got together (safely), took pics, and then watched that week's film.

2021 we only dressed up on the day, but still kept the celebration here at home- made a big dinner so it felt like A Real Holiday, and then watched a movie.

2022 we ventured out on a day trip on the 30th, but kept it safe by visiting outdoor locations (we hit up Delavan, WI to take some pics with circus themed statues, we walked through a quiet park to get some autumnal vibes, we did our usual slow drive through a graveyard, and then ate dinner in the car outside a building that looks like a castle)

2023 is going to be more of the same- if it's not raining on the 31st, we're going to get our costumes on and go take some pics outside our local courthouse (they've got decorated pumpkins on the front lawn from a recent fall festival) and then we're gonna try to hit up an location about an hour away to take a few more outdoor shots. If there's too many folks around we'll stay in the car, but if there's little to no foot traffic then I'm gonna try to get my pic taken next to one of these fellas:

As for celebrations entirely at home, having a themed movie night really does make it feel like An Event- we dressed up as aliens for Spaced Invaders night, as Adam and Delia for Beetlejuice night, as Tangina and Kane for Poltergeist night, Fester and Pugsley for Addams Family night.

Even when I've celebrated solo (back when Joelie was younger and more out and about) I've done a themed night. Costume, snacks, some cheap decorations that all fit with the movie- it's simple but it really does bring out the Forever Halloween Kid in me 🎃🖤

If you do end up having a Themed Halloween, I wanna hear all about it! <333333333333

[secretsideblogshhhh]

I know I'm probably going to end up visiting family for Thanksgiving, and I'm debating so much.

I want to wear a pin or two with my pronouns on them

I want to bring my partner with me

But I don't want to start arguements

I want to be able to call my parents out or confront them but I don't at the same time

I'm scared of being hurt, or accused of things, or disowned

I want to be myself, but my family has been such an unsafe environment for that my whole life

What I can and can't do always changes, especially around extended family

I want to cut them off and forget about them

I always have

But now that I'm nearing the point where I can do that.. I'm scared

I've always been alone, but making it so official is so terrifying

Giving them a reason to cut me off first is terrifying.

Rolling over and just pretending for a few hours is terrifying, I finally got away from having to do that and now I have to debate doing it again?

I just... I wish I could've had a family that was accepting. Things would be easier then. But instead I have to debate if I want to bring the person I plan to marry to thanksgiving dinner, because I'm worried it could end in genuine violence

It's not fair. And I know that sounds so whiney, but my younger sister, who's barely 16, can bring the boy she started dating a week ago to thanksgiving dinner, and I'm still not sure if I'm even allowed to bring the person I've been dating for 3 years just because we're a queer relationship

Even if I go alone, I'm subjecting myself to hours of being miserable. Or I wear a pin, declaring that I'm transgender, and setting myself up for "it's just a phase" "don't shove it down our throats" "back in MY day.."

Despite that I've known I was trans since I was 12. Despite the fact that I just want to be treated with basic respect.

I have to worry, that being myself, around the people who are supposed to care for me unconditionally and love me ways the rest of the world can't, that I could end up as a statistic, or be cut off or belittled to the point of dehumanization.

And it's just not fair. I'm so tired of it. I wish this was easier

[nexusrasp]

long vent post incoming: i have to postpone a trip i had planned to visit my boyfriend because my mom and sister had a panic attack about it, triggered by a flat fucking tire of all things, and i had no say in the matter.

it was a wholly irrational and nebulous "this year has already had so many bad things happen" non-explanation. "the flat tire just freaked us out too much on top of everything else we're worried something will go wrong on yr trip." no emotional regulation, no attempts to think through anything rationally, just a big "our unmanaged mental illness is your problem now."

at the start of the conversation i asked for a few minutes so i could calm myself down, but that wasn't acceptable. instead, my sister blew up at me because apparently she "holds everything in" and "never says anything" but it's "always about what i want all the time." to say nothing about how she leverages her mental illness to get what she wants while perpetually refusing to seek treatment.

i tried emphasizing that i need this trip for my own emotional wellbeing after being completely socially isolated for the better part of five years and they said "well we understand that and we want you to go but you can wait a few more months right"

and then i just wasn't allowed a choice in the matter, mom was saying she's feeling rushed and panicked too and my sister just berated me and i was barely allowed to say anything. apparently they've been feeling this way since the plan was changed but didn't say anything because they're afraid to say anything to me, as if my sister hasn't threatened suicide because i wanted to go for a drive around the corner and she didn't.

(they're afraid to say anything to me because i'm intimidating, as in: masculine, is willing to get shit done, and the only one who isn't already afraid to express how i feel about how poorly things in this family are going.)

if i was able i'd say fuck it and go anyway, but the airport is two hours away and i have nobody else anywhere near me to help with transportation, i can't afford an uber the whole way there, and my mom has the money for the airfare in her bank account even though it's my money, because i don't have my own account at the moment.

i will be getting my own bank account again soon, and my driver's license ASAP. but jesus christ.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Would I be the Asshole for not going to my sibling's house?

I have a sibling who I don't see very often because they live halfway across the country.

The rest of our shared family is planning on visiting them for the holidays and me, my partner, and our kid are definitely going. But here's the thing: We're all sharing an airbnb so that we can host the big holiday dinner instead of doing it at Sibling's house. Why? Because, supposedly, Sibling's house is near hoarder-levels of mess.

First let me be clear: I understand that this is a side-effect of mental illness, I have some of those tendencies myself that I actively work against. I'm not judging Sibling or their partner for it. It honestly wouldn't even be a question, except that my partner and I have a toddler. We've been lucky to have avoided anything more serious than some bad diaper rash and seasonal allergies. But being in an environment like that can be a vector for illness, and Toddler's at that age where they will happily grab anything in grabbing distance and stick it in their mouth. So that's my concern.

Now let me address that "supposedly". I haven't been to their house since well before covid. It was, at that point, what I would call pretty messy, but in a way that could be explained as just exhausted new parents who haven't had the free time to tidy up in a while and the mess had gotten away from them. However, our parent and other sibling has been there a couple of times since and the last we talked about it, they told me that it's gotten a lot worse. Bordering on hoarder-worse.

On the one hand, Parent has a tendency to catastrophize. They can see something they think is wrong and exaggerate it into its worst possible explanation, turning even a legitimate issue into something much more severe or dramatic than it actually is. And they've been doing this a lot with Sibling because of how little they actually get to see and talk to them. On the other hand, when Parent was describing the state the house was in, Other Sibling, who is more than willing to call Parent out for exaggerating, backed them up about how bad it was.

On the other other hand, Sibling has since mentioned they've been doing a lot of cleaning. How much? I don't know. Is the house in a significantly better state? I have no idea.

But we're going to be there for a few days, and it's highly likely they'll invite all of us over at some point. Not only that we were all solidifying plans recently and when the possibility was mentioned that we might arrive before the person who made the airbnb reservation, Sibling mentioned that we could just go over to their house to hang out while we wait. And while I had some hope that Parent would understand and back me up and not actively put me in a position where I would have to be the one to say no, when Sibling said that, Parent agreed!

So now I'm worried about pissing everyone off/hurting their feelings during a huge, logistic-heavy family trip over a major holiday.

Would I be justified in putting my foot down and not bringing Toddler over to a potentially hoarder-messy house? Would I just be the asshole for not sucking it up for what would probably end up only being a few hours?

What are these acronyms?

[random2908]

Today is my brother's first birthday since his death. I don't want it to go unremarked. We are working toward some approximation of justice for him, as best we can, but we don't know how much we're going to get.

I know I haven't been around on tumblr much. I already wasn't around much leading up to it--because a month before he died, I had my big African safari trip (the last time I saw him!); and right before that a friend was visiting from out of town for over a week; and the month before that I was moving into a new house; and the two months before that I was selling my old apartment and buying my new house; and the two months before that I was settling into a new job; and the month before that I was moving cross-country out of the apartment I'd lived in for 17 years; and the two months before that I was doing job interviews and traveling to visit my brother and my parents; and the month before that I was quitting my awful job; and the month before that I was... idk, kinda in an emotional limbo of planning to quit but not having done it yet; and the month before that I was on my walking trip in England; and the month before that I was being driven to quit my awful job, including being forced to work for 22 hours straight on a weekend, and a screaming match with my boss in the hallway. So that was a huge 13 months with very little down-time.

While I was at my awful job I certainly did spend a lot of time on tumblr--as well as immediately prior to that, 8-10 years ago, when I was unemployed. (I've had this tumblr for, I guess, 10 1/2 years now, since way back when I was originally giving up on working and sliding into unemployment due to a mix of burn-out and immune diseases.)

But my brother's death shifted a lot of things for me, just in terms of where I was spending my leisure time, and maybe those shifts are permanent. Or maybe they'd already been coming for a year before that.

And I've been so, so busy at work, since then. Mostly because of good things! I'm the second senior-most scientist on a very successful project, and the senior-most scientist on my project can't do any work travel during the school year due to his family situation (he has a small kid, and his wife is a professor). So for 9 months out of the year, I'm the one being sent to do customer installations, and to lead off-site field testing. And I'm being fairly good about not working long hours... But even working 40 hours a week is exhausting when some of those hours are overnight tests, and sometimes I'm away from home on field-testing trips for up to two weeks at a time. The company springs for decent mid-range hotels--not luxurious by any means, but I'm not camped out in a scary motel or anything (except maybe at one point while road-tripping my equipment to a test site). But even so, just being away from home so much is hard.

Out of the past 3 months I've spent 4 weeks away from home for a total of 3 business trips, plus nearly a week on a couple short family trips (eclipse and Passover). It's just... a lot. So yeah, my leisure time and activities are just that much more constrained, just because my attention, even more than my time, is so constrained.

Anyway. I'm still here, occasionally. I still enjoy the time I spend here, but I'm spending 15-30 minutes here twice a week now. So I'm not seeing most of the stuff, and I have close to no interest in any of the more serious posts because my life is so serious. Maybe in the next few months things will calm down and I'll be back more. Maybe things will calm down and I'll pick up a new hobby instead. Maybe things won't calm down, idk.

But I just wanted to say, my life is a soap opera right now, almost entirely in ways I can't talk about here, but not everything is bad. And the reasons I'm not around are most immediately because of good things in my life, even if the whole evolving situation with my brother's death is weighing on me in the background. And I'm still around tumblr occasionally, I'm still seeing like 5% of the jokes on my dash, and I appreciate that they're there when I'm in the mood for them.

[bad0mens]

So there's things going on in my life and I feel like I cannot catch a break.

My father is currently undergoing radiation for three brain tumors discovered back in March/April (I am unsure exactly when because everything happened so fast and it hasn't stopped). Last night, I drove three hours from home, across the state, to stay overnight with my sister and see him today. He was too unwell for us to go out to lunch like we planned, so we picked him up something and took it to where he's staying. I have scheduled this trip for two weeks.

I am three hours from home when my closer at work calls out. Again. It's not just this particular employee, there's another who calls out pretty often too. They all know where I am and why. It's not a secret. I told them. I told them specifically that I will be visiting my father who is ill.

The thing about the constant call outs, they almost exclusively fall on a day where I have important plans (like this!) or am out of town and I have to scramble to rearrange plans for coverage. This happens every time. I cannot have a weekend off or make plans without something happening that results in me going to work.

At this point, I'm livid. I'm sitting with my father who may only have a few months left to live at this point, and I cannot spend a single uninterrupted afternoon with him without something going wrong at work. I understand things happen, but the employee in question had a headache. I am dealing with my potentially dying father!

I am tethered to that job for now. Other prospects have been nil. I cannot quit because I need the money even though it is very clearly scraping away my sanity and peace at every turn.

Hell, I cannot make the three hours drive home without a call about some stupid shit that I've trained them on needing to be repeated. These are adults. I have trained them. Do I not deserve the time off? A moments peace? Should I not be able to see my dying father and spend a single uninterrupted afternoon with him? Why the fuck is that so difficult?

And this is where things are going to get rambly.

I'm taking my father being this ill hard. I've always been sensitive. I've long ago come to terms with the fact that he's not really the man I loved as a kid and never was, and we have wildly different opinions and he's never been a very good father, but that's okay. I've given up on all that. but it still hurts. It hurts that I won't have time to try and find some real common ground with him. He wasnt good, but he tried. It's fucked me and my siblings op but we've all learned to cope. I won't got into details because they're really not pretty, but it wasn't particularly extreme or anything. But the shadows of it still linger over all of us.

And I cannot have even a moments peace to do this. I am already mourning the relationship we'll never get to have. I love him but it's complicated. I love what he could have been, what he tried and failed to be. We're all flawed.

I cried the whole three hour drive home between texts and calls from work and family when all I wanted was a little bit of quiet and calm to reflect.

But I can't have that. I can't have anything.