#of course their son is named Maes

[shoujothoughts]

"Nothing's perfect, the world's not perfect, but it's there for us, trying the best it can."

Roy, Riza, Maes, and Elizabeth, circa 1931

[visualtaehyun]

Hi! If you don't mind me asking since you've been referred to in terms or maybe being able to explain Jane referring to himself as "phi" in the latest episode of the trainee could you maybe clarify in a detailed way what it meant? I've read different takes and I'm honestly so confused. Someone explained it as him basically speaking casually to Ryan and I thought that Ryan asking him to keep talking to him that way meant he was telling Jane he wanted to be closer to him without crossing the line too much. But then someone else said it was as if Ryan was telling him to speak to him as a lover would and I'm so confused and asking for a friend 😭

Hiya anon ✨️

Sorry for taking a bit to answer, I first needed to actually watch the show djshdhsjs but I'm here now and ready to explain!

Quick disclaimer, as per usual: I'm not a native Thai speaker, just a big nerd who's still learning!

Let's do some groundwork first and then zoom out on the show for a bigger picture!

Thai has a shit ton of pronouns and ways to refer to oneself and others and every choice communicates something about the speaker, the addressee and the relationship between them, and conveys different levels of formality, politeness, familiarity, respect etc. If you or anyone else is interested, here's a good detailed breakdown in English of common pronouns:

Now! As for The Trainee, all the interns call themselves ผม /pom/ and หนู /nuu/ (= polite respectful 1st pers. pronouns used by men and women, respectively, when talking to elders/seniors/superiors/etc.) and their mentors พี่ /phi/ (= 'older sibling', used as a 2nd pers. pronoun, informal but polite) except for Uncle Moo lol

Jane is the only one among the mentors and other staff at Good Pick who speaks formally with the interns and I love that choice because it is so in line with his character! But let's look at the others first for comparison:

Pah and Tae's mentors use กู /guu/ and มึง /meung/ (= impolite familiar 1st and 2nd pers. pronouns, respectively). These are really casual, vulgar even, and used between age mates or by someone older for someone younger, used with strangers or elders these are super rude.

Judy calls herself พี่ /phi/ (= 'older sibling', used as a 1st pers. pronoun, informal) with Bamhee from the get-go and mostly either omits a 2nd pers. pronoun or calls Bamhee by her name (= familiar). It sounds friendly and polite but not too distant or rude.

Jane uses ผม /pom/ (= polite respectful formal male 1st pers. pronoun) and refers to the interns as คุณ /khun/ (= polite formal 2nd pers. pronoun) or omits pronouns where possible. It both makes him sound formal and a bit distant - or at least a lot less familiar than the other mentors - but also elevates the interns in a way!

How to explain? It's like he's respecting the interns in their professional capacity by using these formal pronouns instead of looking at them as kids. In contrast, I've noted down other staff members calling the interns ลูก /luuk/ (= 'son/daughter/child'), น้อง /nong/ (= 'younger sibling', used as a 2nd pers. pronoun, informal) and เด็ก /dek/ (= 'kid'), for example.

All of these are meant to be friendly, of course, and create a casual familiar atmosphere. But with Jane being so dedicated, fair, serious about work, and making sure to include and respect the interns, the choice to have him use polite formal pronouns with them is really quite lovely to me. :)

It's like when he argued with the obnoxious extra in ep. 3:

ก็เด็กมันพูดรู้เรื่องที่ไหนอ่ะ เพิ่งหัดทำงาน ให้มาสั่งพี่ที่เป็นรุ่นแม่ /gaaw dek man phuut ruu reuuang thee nai a? pheerng hat tham ngaan, hai maa sang phi thee bpen roon mae/ อย่างน้อยเด็กมันก็���ำหน้าที่ในสิ่งที่ตัวเองได้รับมอบหมายมา /yaang naawy, 'dek man' gaaw tham naa-thee nai sing thee dtuua ehng dai rap maawp maai maa/

Or when he said he'll always apologize if he's at fault, regardless of age or hierarchy:

ถ้าวันนึงผมทำผิดกับคุณ ผมก็ต้องขอโทษคุณเหมื่อนกัน /thaa wan neung, pom tham phit gap khun, pom dtaawng khaaw thoht khun meuuan gan/ ไม่เกี่ยวว่าจะเป็นเด็กหรือผู้ใหญ่หรอก /mai giiao waa ja bpen dek reuu phuu-yai raawk/ = 'Kid' or 'grownup', that doesn't matter.

Sidenote for my fellow nerds: Jane has also called Ryan เรา /rao/ (= 2nd pers. pronoun, used by someone older for someone younger) at least once, when he was gently scolding him at the end of ep. 2. Jane emphasized that he's an intern (เราเป็นเด็กฝึกงานนะ /rao bpen dek feuk ngaan na/) and thus can't know everything, he needs to communicate with his mentor.

Moving on! Remember how both Pie and Baimon have commented on how it's starting to look like Ryan is Jane's favorite junior now? And that's just from what they've seen! We know more still-- like Jane personally taping down Ryan's shoelaces and also removing it again, inviting him to his place for food because he's hangry, giving Ryan his clothes, etc. etc. Most recently inviting him to dinner because he's hangry (again lol) on top of being mad! And that's another factor in this scene:

งอน /ngaawn/ = sulky, pouting, huffy, mad and ง้อ /ngaaw/ = try to make up, reconcile

You'll likely find this situation in most Thai romance media, be it series, lakorns, novels, songs, ... งอน-ง้อ /ngaawn-ngaaw/ is not limited to romantic relationships but it's definitely a trope in romance! For anyone who's like Huh???, I'll link this article in English:

So! Ryan is sulking (งอน /ngaawn/), jealous, and clearly wants Jane to care about him while Jane can tell that he's mad at him for some reason (and also hangry) and he wants to reconcile (ง้อ /ngaaw/). Note that Jane's tone is soft, he smiles a lot because he can tell that Ryan isn't seriously pissed, and he coaxes Ryan with a meal, gentle questioning, and then comes in with the steel chair as I saw someone put it lmao (🫵 if you're that someone, dear reader, I love you mwah):

ตกลงโกรธอะไรพี่ /dtohk lohng groht a rai phi/ = So why are you mad at me?

If you've read this far, you can hopefully tell by now that Jane changing to พี่ /phi/, 1) makes him sound more familiar, relaxed, closer, and 2) is a sweet way to coax (ง้อ /ngaaw/) Ryan by showing him he does care about his feelings and wants to be closer to him. And the fact he so easily agrees when Ryan poutily insists and then nicely asks if Jane can keep calling himself พี่ /phi/ with him? 🥺 Who wouldn't indulge this baby boy!!

We're halfway through the show so a shift in their dynamic was overdue anyway! But to have it happen via a change in pronouns is very much my jam hehe Thank you @babyangelsky for the shoutout btw ☺️ It's gonna be interesting if Jane's gonna call himself พี่ /phi/ only outside of work/when it's just the two of them or really all the time, in which case I cannot wait for everyone's reactions to that shift 👀

Anyway! Hope this lengthy explanation and analysis helped, anon, but absolutely do feel free to ask more questions. I'm always up for yapping about Thai lol

[primeofprimes115]

Overwhelming Burden - Supergirl x Male Reader

Note: Fluff 🥰 and Angst 🥺

I've just read the Zero Hour 30th Anniversary comic #1 not long ago and... Honestly, it's such a good comic, biggest highlight for me is seeing Supergirl wearing a black suit with the silver S on the suit and cape, the silver belt, bracelets and black gloves (In the comic, there's instances where she's wearing black gloves or not which is a little weird but in this imagine, she'll be wearing black gloves, another image will be shown in the imagine later of her wearing black gloves) are a nice addition as well... And pants! Best suit I've seen in a while.

This is a world where Superman is dead, dead after his fight with Doomsday and where Batman never came back because he's broken, so pretty much retired and Batgirl is Gotham's Knight now while Supergirl is Metropolis's protector. Diana Prince is no where to be found so Donna Troy is the new Wonder Woman also. They what would be the New Trinity in those words.

Supergirl in this comic however is supposed to be Matrix aka Mae Kent, but DC for some reason wanted Kara Zor-El/ the original Supergirl to be mentioned in this rather than Matrix Supergirl which is a little odd but I'm not complaining. Spoiler for those but Donna named dropped Supergirl as "Kara" in the comic, so... I suppose it's Kara Zor-El, again it's a little odd, ain't complaining, I honestly don't mind.

So in other words... This imagine is inspired from this. Hope you enjoy!

Credit also goes to @bisupergirl for the pics!

Metropolis, once a city that was defended by a man who revolutionized the way Aliens were welcomed on Earth, a man that changed the world with more superheroes making their debut, along with the added threat of supervillains and those that had an agenda against him. He was a man who only found out he was in fact an Alien once he found out where he really came from.

His parents, Ma and Pa Kent, aka Martha and Jonathan, once told him he came from the stars one day, crashing down onto Earth in a small pod not far from where they lived in their farmhouse, and finding a newborn wrapped in a red cloth that would be used as his cape when he grew older to become...

Superman.

He inspired many, became Earth's Champion, defended Earth and Humanity from many threats, though he couldn't always do it alone, he eventually had allies that formed the Justice League that vowed to protect Earth from any known threat known to Humankind.

Clark Kent of the Daily Planet and from a little town called Smallville, Kal-El of Krypton, Superman, the Man of Steel, Man of Tomorrow, once an icon, a hero, a loving Husband and son to all that loved him.

He was once the fabled "Last Son of Krypton" until one day, that changed... When another pod came crashing down onto Earth, holding a young blonde haired girl, who was petrified, confused, unaware of how long it has been after being in hypersleep for many years, sent from her planet of Krypton alongside her cousin, before her pod was knocked off-course.

Kal didn't know at the time, but the arrival of this girl changed his life forever and for the better, this girl was his cousin, Kara Zor-El, who would later become Supergirl and wear the same colors and family crest, one that Clark learned more about from Kara, all about the House of El, their family, his and her parents... Some he already knew from the Fortress of Solitude that was created by the Kryptonian crystal that he put into the ice in the North Pole.

Things were going very well with Kara's introduction to Earth, adopted by the loving Danvers family, she took the name "Linda Lee Danvers" to blend in and hide her powers, though at times she wasn't great at controlling them, she was taught how to.

From going to Earth school, to meeting the one guy that she befriended, the boy named Y/N, which the two eventually began to fall for one another during high school, becoming somewhat high school sweethearts. Clark supported the fact Kara found someone she liked, someone to keep her on her toes when unexpected, she eventually introduced Clark to Y/N, letting him know of the other secret they hadn't told him yet. Their Kryptonian heritage which was a big surprise to the young boy at the time, she even took him on a flight to convince him further.

Around this time, Kara being 16 years old, she debuted as Supergirl, cousin of Superman. Embracing the whole Girl of Steel part of herself to defend her new home from enemies alike. Sporting a blue top with a red skirt and gold V-shaped belt, a short red cape with a golden S on the back as opposed to wearing the same S on her top with a red background just like her cousin, showcasing the House of El sigil proudly.

At first, the world wasn't sure how to accept Supergirl, but eventually not long after, they did with Superman's help. Kara was more happier than to be both Linda Lee Danvers and Supergirl.

But... Not everything is forever...

With some years going by and now with Kara have been Supergirl for three and a half years...

A Doomsday descended upon Earth... Many heroes answered the threat and couldn't stop it without cutting losses.

It was Superman who saved the day... But at a heavy cost...

His own life, succumbing to his wounds and the world fell silent once the news broke out.

Earth's Champion... Superman... Had been confirmed dead, giving out his life to fight Doomsday, the fight was nothing more than brutal and destructive, Metropolis was wrecked and battered by the events.

His death hit many heavily, Kara especially. There was supposed to be a surprise for Kara, before Doomsday came to be, but Y/N called the surprise off, in exchange to grieve, knowing it wouldn't be the right time to propose to the girl he has always loved.

In honor to grieve her cousin's death, Kara made the decision to change up her suit and colors, now sporting a black top, long cape and pants, with a silver V-shaped belt, bracelets and the S and shield, colored silver, even on the back of her new black cape had the S colored in silver, also supporting black gloves over her hands. The bracelets both have a diamond shaped sigil on the front, even the belt too, unlike her previous suit.

No longer blue, red and gold. Just a black and silver look, the world took notice of this change, seeing a black and blonde blur zoom past on multiple occasions throughout the world, it didn't take long for people to know it was Supergirl, now having a wardrobe change since the last time she appeared on camera months ago.

Some asked why? The obvious answer was simple... Coming from her.

"To honor my cousin" she said nothing more after. She refused to take anymore questions about anything else, it was nothing but a bother to her.

She became Metropolis's new protector, Earth's New Champion and part of the new Justice League that was put into place, post Doomsday and Superman's Death within a year later.

Kara was well known to he amongst the newer Wonder Woman and the Batgirl that has taken over Batman's duties after he mysteriously "vanished" when more forces played behind the scenes in that regard.

Meanwhile, still being Supergirl, her lover, Y/N, now loving Husband, having gotten married a few months ago, remained behind as the ever-loving House Husband, in their now shared apartment building, every day and night when Kara came back from her duties as Supergirl, he'd be the one greeting her when she came back.

But as of recently... Kara's been barely getting home than usual, skipping lunch dates, dinners, her usual work before she quit and the two had a fairshare of arguments then and there about the issue, as mostly every married couple eventually argues over something.

This morning was no different, it was the same as usual, Y/N always said that her being Supergirl didn't had to always be a thing, he wanted her to be Linda Danvers for a day or two, but she kept refusing the idea, Supergirl was needed day and night, it was her duty, her vow to fill in Kal's shoes.

Y/N made the argument that Superman wasn't always needed and this only infuriated Kara further, where their argument turned a little more heated. Y/N hated arguing with her about this, this was the first ever heated argument with her and he felt bad bringing it up. Kara was still hurting about Kal's death. There was one thing he did say that was true...

He felt neglected by her now, he hadn't been hugged by her in the last few weeks... Or even kissed by that matter and he missed having her lips on his

Kara was nothing but frustrated and moody mostly in the last few months, the last time he ever saw her smile much was during their wedding day and the entire week. It was like something switched off in her that caused her to be like this.

Could it be that something has happened? Something so bad, it's keeping her awake at night and not as the forgiving girl she was before?

She wasn't a Girl-Scout, but there was times she was, and it rarely shows today.

Y/N spent all day to himself once more, still thinking back on the argument he had with Kara this morning before she left, getting groceries, doing the laundry, keeping an eye on their cat, Streaky, before he eventually began to relax for the day. Not having to do any online work since Kara quit her Human job.

He sat on the couch, his Playstation controller in hand, playing a story-driven game before he paused it to go grab a drink.

His mind was still on the argument they had this morning, his eyes caught onto the plate of food, covered by tin-foil, dinner that was made for Kara for when she would come back at the usual time but again... She hadn't come back yet.

Y/N knew not to worry much, but it became increasingly hard for him, he loved her so much, despite the arguments they've had since getting married.

But he was worried, he was worried that she was beating herself up over everything that's happened, and it showed in her face, her body language.

The pair haven't kissed or hugged in the last two weeks and he missed being held, being kissed, being flown by her, he misses the old Kara, the old Supergirl...

The old Linda Danvers he fell in love with...

Just as he poured some fresh OJ, Y/N heard a pair of boots land on the wooden flooring by the window. He briefly looked to see Supergirl, his wife, who had seemed to look like she had been tossed around and thrown into the surface of the sun yet again, nothing more than usual.

His heart swelled to see her, but it hurt knowing she was probably still mad at him. He knew he wasn't wrong, but he just wanted to patch things up, like a normal married couple would.

"You're back" he stated the obvious with a lowered tone, but a tone she could pick up with her super hearing. "I... I was beginning to worry, but... I'm glad you're okay" he gave a little smile at the corner of his lips but it soon vanished after taking a sip of his drink.

Supergirl hadn't said anything back to him, she only looked at the TV to see what he had been doing in her absence, before noticing Streaky as she shakes her long, black cape, wiping off dust particles.

'Ugh, gonna have to get that cleaned up' he mentally noted before taking another sip from his drink. "I made dinner again, it's cold now but I ca-" a whooshing sound interrupted him and he was met by Kara who had zoomed up close to him after looking him in the eyes, completely surprising him. He almost dropped his glass of fresh OJ once she zoomed up at him in a nano-second.

"K-Kara?".

There was nothing but pain and hurt in her eyes before grabbing the sides of her cape and lunged her arms around him, wrapping her cape around him also as her body began to quiver and tremble.

She dug her face into the crook of his neck and her breaths became shaky, Y/N could only stand there with a surprised look on his face as Kara... The Girl of Steel, his wife, Supergirl, had began to break down emotionally from what it sounded like.

Then he could hear her sobbing into him, little sobs of sadness washing over her as she clung onto him hardly but gently, not wanting to let go just like any other time he'd tried to hug her.

"Y/N" she mumbled with a shaky breath into his neck, her messy blonde hair tickling the side of his face. "I-I-I" she couldn't speak her words, sadness overwhelming her as tears flushed down from her closed eyes that began to soak the T-shirt's fabric on his shoulder, crying even harder by the minute.

Y/N wrapped his arms around her figure quickly, who was clinging onto him like she was holding on for dear life, he accepted the hug he longed to get from her, it broke his heart hearing her sob and cry, feeling his shoulder getting wetter by the minute from all the tears she was shedding. Her words coming out trembling and mumbling nonsense

"Oh, Kara" Y/N cooed to her, rocking a little left to right while feeling the warmth of Kara's long cape wrapped around him and her, her arms holding him into place while a hug carried out.

"I-I... I'm so s-s-sorry!" she cried harder into him, her sobbing getting more prominent as Y/N tightened his arms around her, even his breaths began to get shaky at this moment, he felt her words hitting him in the heart. "I-I".

"Sshhh, i-it's okay" he cooed to her softly.

"N-N-No! I-It's not o-okay!" she denied that fact, struggling with her words still, but Y/N understood what she meant.

Yes... It wasn't okay, he could clearly see and hear it, with a crying Supergirl in his arms, also embracing him with her cape wrapped around him to cling onto him as she cries and sobs, overwhelmed by drowning dread and grief.

He always had a feeling eventually Linda/Kara L/N would be overwhelmed with this, mostly overwhelmed with the burden of being Earth's Champion twenty-four-seven, since Superman's death, she's been nothing but mostly Supergirl the entire time, the only acception she wouldn't be her superhero self was at the wedding and the week following that with the honeymoon.

"Let it all out, it's okay, my Sunshine" he cooed further though he stumbled on his wordings, calling her by a nickname he had for her, one she hadn't heard in a while which made her sob harder. "Let it all out" he told her once again, letting the broken Girl of Steel cry on his shoulder, just like he once told her that if she needed a shoulder to cry on, she's got him.

He could remember the days when they were in high school, remember when they were fifteen years old, he'd stop by the Danvers's place to hang out with Linda and her two other friends that she made in class, he remembered getting to know them better since he had different classes from them, and only a few classes where he and Kara would be seated near each other, often not sitting next to one another.

The days where he first began to crush on Linda, he found her the most adorable and smartest girl in the world, to him? She was everything he wanted. He didn't have much friends, most were into edgy stuff, which didn't match his tastes.

But Linda? She was into anything, she was cool to him, smart, had a sense of humor, was fun to be around and was pretty defensive for him against his bullies, once publicly embarrassing one of them by flipping him over her shoulder, on the verge of breaking the bully's arm, potentially ruining his placement for the basketball game coming up that time.

Once everything had calmed down, along with Kara's sobbing, and apologies were made about all the arguments they've been having, the two pulled back from the hug and kissed, lips-to-lips for the first time in two weeks, a kiss both surely had been missing, a long kiss between them with their lips slowly smacking off each other in a slow dancing way.

His hands caressed her cheek with his thumbs swiping away at any stray tears that fell down from her eyes which they did once they began to kiss, Kara's cape still wrapped around him and herself, not even thinking of letting go any time soon.

"Y/N" Kara broke the silence after the long kiss they had, the kiss she could clearly see that Y/N had been dreading for, a kiss of closure in other words. "I... I thought about what you said this morning, and... You're right, I have been... Neglecting you as of recently" she painfully admitted, her voice croaking as she spoke.

"No, no. I was wrong to say that" Y/N backed down from what he said, taking back the hurtful thing he said this morning. "I shouldn't have said that in the first-".

"No" she interrupted. "It's the truth. All I've thought since..." a pain arose in her chest as she felt it flare up from what she was about to say, struggling to speak a little.

"I don't think you need to say" he told her, knowing what she was going to say, as it was clear as day...

She took the burden of being the next Symbol of Hope, the carry on the shoes and burden that Superman alone carried with him through his actions and heroism, Supergirl was a role model to most, if not, all people as expressed through her actions and words alone. She didn't want to be like her cousin, she wanted to be her own person.

She once admitted to him the fact she was scared she'd end up losing herself because of the fact that there could be one day he might die and she'd have to pick up where he left off being Earth's Champion, but Clark gave her sound advice. Like him...

She had family and friends to help her carry the burden if she struggled, to carry on without him if he were to die, which happened.

"I visit that statue every day" she sniffled, looking into Y/N's eyes still. "Wishing he'd be here today still, wondering what it would be like to have him around again" she closed her eyes and sighed with a sadness that could be seen in her face. "I miss him... So, so much" she croaked.

"I know, I miss him too" he laid a finger under her chin and raised her head so he could look into her eyes, tears forming her eyes once more before one fell down onto Y/N's thumb. "But you're not alone, Kara. Being Supergirl twenty-four-seven hasn't done you good, you look stressed and tired, which is concerning considering Kryptonians don't get tired from what you've shown" he made a valid point across to her, but she seemed to have heard it before.

"You sound like Babs".

"Do I know?" he chuckled. "Well... If I was Barbara, I think she'd also be correct".

This prompted to make the Girl of Steel smile just a little, which was enough for him to point out with a little smile back at her.

"There she is, there's the smile".

"Don't ruin it" she groaned.

"I'd never" he smiled, giving out a little laugh that was a little contagious for Kara, a soft laugh escaped her before it died down, with her sighing next.

Y/N pushed a strand of Kara's hair behind her ear, seeing the other half of her face that was hidden by her golden hair. "I think... You should take off the suit and Supergirl" with his eyes he traced out the House of El glyph on Kara's chest. "...could use a good break for a little bit, you can have someone else fill in for you, clear your mind a little with me" Y/N suggested to her, though he knew she wouldn't like it, now that things had been settled between them, he wouldn't lose his chances.

And Kara knew it...

"I can heat up your dinner, or you can probably use your heat vision since it's quicker than the oven" he snorted, getting a faint laugh out from Kara while she smiled, his face brightened up again noticing it. "And we can also... Cuddle on the couch, put on a movie of your choice, not my pick because you know I'm picky" he suggested further.

"Or..." Kara unwrapped her arms off him for a moment before wrapping them back around, only around the crook of his neck this time around with her cape billowing slightly behind her due to the window being open still on a cool windy night. "I can take you on a flight?".

"Ohh" Y/N caught himself between two hard choices. "Hmm... Maybe tomorrow you can take me on a flight, how about that, Sunshine?" he answered.

"Deal" she nodded before smiling a little more, finally answering after a minute. Deep down he was right from earlier when she thought about it, her being Supergirl twenty-four-seven has done her no good, it put some strain on the relationships she's got with her loved ones, her adopted family especially and Y/N, who love her all the same, she had a prior visit to them before coming back, wanting to reconcile which was as emotional as it was already.

"It's your favorite, by the way, from your adopted mother's recipe" he smiled as Kara x-rayed the plate with the tin-foil over it, spotting a Lasagna and coming from him, it was Edna Danvers recipe of her Lasagna.

"I thought I smelled something familiar" she noted while looking at the plate.

"Go on" he gestured his head toward the plate.

"You want some? There's plenty left for us to share" she offered, unwrapping her arms off him and began to walk up to the plate.

"Nah, I'm good" he declined politely.

"You sure? In case you end up eying it up anyway" she smirked, taking off the tin-foil gently though unnecessary to do it gently.

"I had like... Maybe two plates earlier, cooked a bit too much, I'm full still" he gestured. I'll wait on the couch for you, gonna turn this game off and that".

"Okay, Love" she nodded and smiled before she looked at the food, her eyes soon lit up red before she quickly heated up the food with her heat vision, heating it up to the right temperature, just for her.

Taking the plate, she saw her Husband save his progress and switch off the game, she had a little fond memory of him kicking her ass at a fighting game when they were younger, back when things were simpler when Clark was still alive.

"Y/N" Kara broke the silence yet again.

"Yes, my Sunshine?" he answered.

"I love you, I really love you, you dork. Always remember that" she smiled once again, stabbing her Lasagna with a fork that was left on the table next to the plate earlier before taking it to her mouth to savor the taste of the food.

"I love you too, Linda L/N" he smiled back at her, her face noticeably brightened as she strolled over with her plate of food in hand... 

______________________________________________________________

Fin...

Word Count: 4078

[missezramay]

ted lasso, post-finale thoughts.

I went into the finale thinking yeah, if the writing serves, I can accept any outcome even if it's not exactly what I want. Instead, I was hit with a plethora of mixed emotions I didn't expect to have. Confusion, anger, hurt, annoyance, small bursts of joy in between, and just deep sadness. Almost 20 hours later and I'm still incredibly dissatisfied and processing. For the most part, finales should provide a feeling of celebration and relief. I... don't feel any of that.

I'm just really trying to pinpoint why I'm so sad.

Of course everything inevitably has to come to an end. Of course Ted was always going to reunite with his kid. Of course it's not about winning or losing. Of course Tedbecca can remain platonic if that was always the plan. Of course that's the way life goes, but...

For a show (and this season particularly) that constantly encouraged us to 'believe' and 'hope' in the idea that 'everything will work out', all those 75 minutes did was take me on an unsettling, emotional journey for no concrete reason other than to mess with the audience (the opening scene was just adding salt in the Tedbecca wound I've had since S2). Because everything in a macro sense, "worked out". But the WAY it "worked out" does not sit well with me?? And it's supposed to? For a lot of people (on Reddit/Facebook, lol), it was enough?? Richmond not technically winning and Ted leaving like that without so much as a tear? What am I missing??

When I tell you I'm trying to embrace the good parts, I'm really trying. Yes to KBPR & the women's team, Yes to Colin kissing his fella, Yes to Rebecca & Mae & the guys owning the club, Yes to Roy becoming Manager.

So... why am I still so upset? Hmm, let's see.

The boys' musical number? The cutest. Ted didn't think so.

Nate's apology? Heartbreaking. Ted didn't bat an eyelash.

Rebecca begging twice for Ted to stay? Ted, absolute silence.

Beard staying/getting married in London to his toxic gf? Comic relief, haha, fine. Except Ted wasn't there as Best Man.

Don't even get me started on the huge disservice to the Roy/Keeley/Jamie triangle.

Now listen, I get that he misses Henry & Henry misses his dad. I'm not that cold. A father/son's love is important. It was always the catalyst for this show; for him to work on himself so he can be a better father unlike the one he grew up with. That's fine.

But on this particular week. His last week with his Richmond family. There was NO sense of him being sad to leave them. He can be sad about missing Henry but he can ALSO be sad about leaving. No, he just completely checked out. He let everyone pour out their hearts (Hannah's getting her third Emmy, mark my words) to him, and he just stone-faced the entire time.

THIS DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME.

The argument is that he was internally processing, he was overwhelmed, he was trying to distance himself so it would hurt less. Fair points, okay. But this is a television show, moreover, A FINALE. TV characters, while relatable, are heightened versions of ourselves, there so we can better process our emotions and learn to handle things better in our real lives. Ted deserved MORE dialogue and displaying MORE emotion than whatever this was.

We're never going to see him again. We're over here crying along with Rebecca, Nate & Beard, but he didn't sob once. Even though he spent three years building a family with them. I even thought, hey at least he left his legacy with Trent's book but newsflash, he wanted his name taken off that too! Complete erasure.

I just feel so robbed of better moments. Like there were nice moments here and there. But they could've been BETTER. Honestly, Nate & Rebecca's breakdowns were close to perfection, so much love there. But the lack of dialogue and Ted not reciprocating? Broke ME.

I just cannot. understand. this. choice.

Massive sigh. I'm just truly baffled by the way everything wrapped up and not getting the satisfied feeling that one half of the viewership got. Maybe I'm in the minority, but that means something. It carries weight. Also, for a "three-season arc" that was planned well in advance, why all the rewrites and parallels and fakeouts... it's just cruel. But as the theme says (and maybe this was a warning all along), yeah, I guess this might well be it.

This show has given us so much and the last season flailed for the most part. I don't want to disrespect the show by being negative and cynical (looks like I failed!!) or cast blame on anyone in particular. The cast/crew are amazing people and I'll be grateful for being a part of the journey but I'm just so sad and this feeling sucks and I will never get over it.

Going to miss them. x

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

Watching the Show Fanfic FMAB

@anastasian-dreamer suggested writing a big rambling post about the FMAB watches the future Au to get it off my chest and for me to offer people to send asks. You want a scene/me to explain how i’d handle something? Send it it!

 So how would this go?

First the background: 

First: Edward is a trans man. He's known from childhood. We dont have transphobia in Amestris or in this world. Envy is genderfluid and Father is literal shadows in a human form. Gender makes zero sense to them and they don't allow bigotry they'd be affected by.

 We’re going to give them testosterone but Ed isn't on it because 1) he doesn't want to take it while Al is in the armour (and that is a frequent discussion) and 2) he's not sure if he wants to. He's a fairly androgynous person and he is small chested. He’s one of the lucky assholes who have very light periods (Winry hates him for it) and its alright. He doesn't want to take it also because a part of him wants kids and he’s nervous it will lower his chances. He also knows adoption is still there so he is a bit torn. I honestly just want to explore this concept.

Second: this is also a soulmate AU. I'm thinking there are multiple types of soulmates: paternal/child, platonic, romantic and enemies. 

 Now, you're born with the paternal ones (and the parent gets their when the child is born) but the others happen later. You are five when you get your platonic and romantic; then you’re ten when you get the enemy one.

 Ed and Al are both born with a red salamander on their shoulders and the flamel Izumi has on her chest. I've read a few ‘your own mark is on your chest’ so we’re going with that. These marks tend to be something that can define you. Edward has the alchemy sign for human on his chest and Al has the helmet of his armour. 

 Hohenheim tries not to let it play on his mind. 

When they turn five, Edward gets a sword and the ouroboros on his arm, while Al gets a kunai. 

 The boys both get a silver gear which is Winry for platonic to. (how can they tell? Vibes. Literal vibes)

 When they're ten, Ed is so confused why they get more ouroboros marks. But he's busy with the transmutation. So big deal. We all know how that ends.

 But Ed also is surprised when he gets a mark when he’s eleven.

( “It kind of looks like the head of a long-haired dog?” 

 “It does. Weird.”)

Ling gets the sign for human and the ouroboros. As well he gains a silver blade for a friend (Lan Fan), the child mark of a long haired dog, and the enemy tattoos of ouroboros along with some family. (he also gains the panda friend mark of the heiress to the Chang family) 

 Greed has a sword and the sign for human, along with markings for all his Chimera buddies and the long haired dog for a child. 

Three: Roy starts off being very nervous about the kids. He sees Al and knows its his soul son. He would keep it quiet if he didn't know that his soulmate Maes would spill the beans. He tells the boys. Edward is so angry that of course it's his fuck up that defines his brother. 

 Roy and Ed keep the antagonism but it’s just their thing. They're like that. Al gets to have a cat that stays with Roy. 

 Also: three way bonds like Roy, Hughes and Gracia aren't uncommon. However due to the need for alchemists in the East Roy is based there. He has a house and makes trips bi weekly to see his soulmates. They also make trips bi weekly so they basically see each other each week.

Four: Various countries have different views on Soulmateds. Amestris believes that while there is a bond its a choice in the end. You don’t need to marry/befriend/whatever your bond is. While about 90% of the time it does happen, there's then 10% everyone knows. 

 Xing fully believes in them and soulmarks are a great honour. There's been a few times clans will join together as an heir will find their partner in another, making an iron clad bond. Soul children are precious and enemies are the utmost awfulness. 

Five: I’m tossing in a few OCs. One is named Amelia Cross. My original story for her is she is the brother’s elder sister from Hohenheim having a one night stand years ago. Theres a whole plot. But for here she's simply the Alchemist that helped make the soldiers into human chimeras before she quit the military. (and was let go because she did human transmutation)

 The other is Amelia’s soul daughter Elaine who is a chimera herself and Ishvalan. Its a whole thing. 

Lets go to the start.

 Now: I think this story would start right after Tucker makes Nina into a Chimera but before the boys see her. 

 And I kinda want to keep to my theme of ‘ah yes everyone sees it’ cause I can. How does this happen? Alchemy. A bunch of stones (some dropped by Hohenheim, some in the ground from Father) bonded together. An alchemist in the region was doing human transmutation to bring back their wife, the stones hijacked it (the alchemist lost their heart) and Truth went: you know why not. (does it make sense? No but I'm keeping it)

 So everyone in the world is watching now. And we don't start with the brothers.

 We start with Slave 23, speaking to the dwarf in the flask. We follow him as he walks to Xing, as he walks the world. We follow him to Trisha and the boys. We see him put pieces together and realize what happened to Xerxes will happen again. Of course we don't actually know YET. As far as anyone can tell he found signs of the Dwarf and went hunting.

 There's also the drama of Ling seeing the marks on Ed and Mei also seeing hers on Al. And like every other reaction to. (the Homunculi are fucking baffled that this kid somehow got a mark for one of them. Hohenheim is freaking out)

 We watch as he leaves. Then we cut to the boys fighting the Freezing Alchemist. 

Now 2003 FMA is really good at the build up so i'll probably borrow from them but I like the freezer beginning. So that's going on. And of course we learn Roy is the parental soulmate, and its all cute…

 And then we learn of the Taboo.

 I 100% think Bradley makes a bullshit claim he knew and decided since a CHILD was willing to join the military and all their trauma he let it slide. Its on the radio.

 Its all ‘aww poor little meow meows’ kind of stuff. Ed and Al hate it, go to Tucker and FUCK NINA?

 Course since Ed’s child mark is shown he claims its destiny. Ed kicks his ass, and then Nina gets to go to grandpa Roy’s place while Amelia gets contacted by one of the soldiers who is a chimera. 

 Which side note: when that happens on screen Ling is busy discussing how to murder Tucker with Lan Fan and Fu (and his clan cause that is their heir’s daughter) while Greed and the others are heading to kick some ass. 

But after the freezing alchemist we get more flashbacks to the boys in the first few years of military, and then so on.

Themes of the story: 

 -A theme there is the discussion of family. I really want the idea of family to play a huge part in this because Al and Ed’s story revolves around their relationship. So a lot of focus is on this. But also I would explore rejecting family. 

 Greed rejects his ‘siblings’. The boys reject Hohenheim because he isn't a bad person but he sure is a bad father (and yes he is. I saw one post defending it but lets be real, abandoning your family is abandoning them no matter what.) Ling rejects some of his siblings. 

 Family is important but it’s family of choice that matters. You can choose your family and many choose their blood family but they also reject it.

 -Romance is the next theme, and exploring what its like to have romantic soulmates. Like I really want some drama since Edward has been raised knowing he doesn't need to be with his romantics mixed with Greed ‘its all mine’ and Ling ‘destiny bound us’. Like they choose to be together of course but its a thing. 

 We have the themes of FMA though included.

Other notes:

 -I do know Ed keeps alchemy and both his automail parts. Not sure how but he does.

 -Mei throws herself into finding out how to free her soulmate. 

 -Mei and Xao Mei both arrive with Ling due to the alliance and that they are platonics.

 -I want to keep Ling being possessed but also I think Father actually is weirdly interested in the soul bond? I think his attempts at being perfect isn't just about like being a god but also being better then humans. And here is a being he's made having a soulmate. Two in fact. And a soul child! He's very invested. So he somehow has it that they can share the bond like they do in canon? I dunno. I'd need to work on it. 

 -Amelia is killed by Scar and it sparks a large subplot because her romantic is actually Kimblee. She visits him every year on his birthday and he's allowed out to her funeral where Elaine is. Amelia and Elaine had a falling out after some stuff but Elaine is pretty messed up. Elaine is also Kimblee’s soul child. Also Elaine is Winry’s romantic soulmate. Its a mess. 

 -I kinda think Ling having Ed as his soulmate puts him right at the top for heirs because ‘ah son of the Sage’ kind of thing mixed in with ‘the other soulmate is immortal’

 -Mrs. Bradley is actually in the know because Pride has her mark as a friend and Wrath couldn't lie to her. They never told Father until after the reveal of Greed’s soulmates but yeah she got told early on. She is subtly talking them away from the plans but it's slow going. (I kinda would want to set up Wrath in Greed’s place as a sacrifice)

[chrisevansonly]

𝐃𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 - 𝐈𝐧 🐣

ʚheadcannon

ʚ chris evans x momma evans x arlie mae

ʚ no warnings

ʚ well i’ve listened and heard what you’ve been missing, so here’s a little check in with our little duck…i’m working on getting some more motivation to write for this au so all i ask is for a bit of patience but i see you all missing it ;)

Arlie Mae is now 6 years old and absolutely LOVING kindergarten, she’s making so many friends, helping her teachers and starting to gain some more independence!

Wesley is a year old now, he’s walking, running and of course saying a few words here and there, though he hasn’t started talking as much as they were hoping for his age so it’s something Momma and Chris are keeping an eye on!

Momma E is working from home part time as a lawyer still, she’s taking on cases every so often and working from home has made it a lot easier to manage the kids and now that Chris is home full time they have lots of time to spend together!

They now run a full time animal rescue and sanctuary at their home! They have a small group of staff who work at the barn and have some who stay in the apartment they have above the barn for overnight watch! Though they themselves are very hands on as well!

They have another dog now too, Dodger is still as energetic as ever, and now they have a cocker spaniel named Lucy, who Arlie absolutely adores!

Arlie horseback rides now during the week, she is OBSESSED with horses and loves her riding lessons coming home and saying “momma it was so fun!” “i jumped!” “we should get a pony!” and she’s been begging for her own pony, which is something you and Chris have been talking about recently.

Wesley goes to daycare, the same as Arlie three times a week to get some exposure to being around other kids and to get used to what it will be like eventually be like to go to school! Though he isn’t talking a bunch yet he is super expressive and adores painting just like his sister!

Wesley also loves anything with his dad, Chris takes him out for little father and son dates and he just loves it. He would rather spend all day everyday with his father than doing anything else!

All in all the family has been doing super well and loving the settled down life, there have been talks of maybe expanding their family but for now they’re enjoying the quietness of the country, and themselves.

🤍🐣

[nerdieforpedro]

Dinner with Plans for the Leftovers

Chapter 4 of "This is the Neighborhood Din"

Din Djarin (modern AU) x Sierra Harris (plus size ofc)

Word Count: about 2.5k

Warnings: Grogu is adorable,

Summary: Little G (Grogu is the cutest and also tells everyone's business. The four (Din, Sierra, Johnnie Mae and Grogu) all have dinner. Many things are discussed.

Notes: I'm making dividers and such now. 😆 I figured it out after four months. Johnnie Mae has likely been a menace her entire adult life.

Main Masterlist/ Din - The Mandalorian Masterlist/ This is the Neighborhood Din Series

The day passes by quickly. On Din’s side of things, he’s finished the day with his work crew. Poe brought Finn back late of course, but he normally did. Poe stayed for  a good bit of fun and laughs then after he left they were able to focus. Rey didn’t ask anymore about Sierra thankfully and they continued testing the alloy at different temperatures recording the data. Once they finished up notes, Din left to head home, Ms. Harris picked up Grogu after school, so he stopped by to check in. She hugged Din and then Grogu ran up to see his father. He was an hour early for dinner - it was supposed to be at six.

“Daddy! Did you have a good day at work? We’re reading this book by Oobi Wa Kenunbi. I think he might be like the man across the street. He visited Ms. Harris and was leaving when the bus dropped me off. He had something red in his hand.” Grogu informed his father as Din hugged him tight and thought about what his son was saying.

“Wait…man across the street? Who is that?” The only man across from Ms. Harris he knew of was that man with the crazy looking beard and that chartreuse looking liquid he drinks. Din knows it’s alcohol. His yard is a mess and so is that trailer. Maybe she was giving him a meal like she’d done with Din.

“His name is Mr. Skywalker. Isn’t that a funny name, Dad? Who walks on the sky? He sounds like he swallowed pebbles but is nice. He gave me this.” Grogu pulled out a small white plane, it looked like it had been painted over a few times and fixed in a few places. Din wondered why Luke would give his son something, especially something that appeared to have been used quite a bit.

“Did you tell him thank you Grogu?” Din asked, patting his son’s head before touching their foreheads together. He stood and picked Grogu up as he nodded and wrapped his arms around Din’s neck. “Ms. Harris is this-” Johnnie Mae threw up a hand and then waved Din into the house.

“We can talk about all that when you come into this house. You’re letting all my good air out Djarin.” She made a stern face, but immediately broke out into a wide grin as the clan of two made their way inside of the house. Removing their shoes, they plopped down on the couch and Grogu set about playing with his toy. Din caught the aroma of meat cooking, smelled like beef, though, not quite familiar with the seasonings used. Johnnie Mae didn’t say anything as she saw him sniffing and snickered. “Smells good I take it? Someone might be still working on dinner.”

Grogu made plane noises as he flew it around the living room in his small hands. He spied Sierra in the kitchen as Ms. Harris and Din started chatting about different meats and seasonings. “Ms. Sierra, can I have two cups of water? I want one and I need one for my daddy.” Sierra was icing the cake she baked earlier and hadn’t started on the vegetables or rice yet. She was sure she told him the right time. But Grogu wouldn’t joke about his father being here. Why is he an hour early?

“Sure Little G. Are you sure you can carry both while holding your plane? Maybe you should land it somewhere first.” Sierra suggested, smoothing out the last of the icing out on her chocolate cake. She was going to do double chocolate, but at the last minute, decided on cream cheese icing. She poured one big glass for Din and one smaller glass for Grogu. She carefully handed him one at a time. He looked up at her with a smile, thanked her and took small, measured steps toward his father and Johnnie Mae. With her eyes following him, she saw the back of Din’s head. A messy tuff brown curls followed by a loud laugh at whatever her aunt has just said. “This sounded like a good idea this morning…I’m not ready and I haven’t even changed. At least I took a shower when I got home.” She was muttering to herself as she moved the cake to a side counter out of the way and covered it so it wouldn’t dry out. In Sierra’s plan, she was going to change into a casual button-down dark olive t-shirt dress that she could dress up with a necklace or earrings. Right now, she still had on her white t-shirt with the yellow triforce logo with bright yellow bike shorts that she’d thrown on when she got home to clean, plan and run to the store. 

Three hours ago, when Sierra got home:

“You know it’s just dinner, right? The man’s seen you in your shorts and t-shirt and you had a whole lotta leg showing. Whatever you wear is fine.” Johnnie Mae watched as Sierra was looking through her closet at different outfits, it was either too church lady, too casual, too business or that one outfit she wore to the club one time too many years ago - everything hung out of that one.

To which Sierra responded, “Just let me make an outfit and dress properly. I just want to feel prepared when I see him tonight. It should be a do over from the other evening.”

“Honey, from what I heard, he seemed fine with everything.” Shrugging her shoulders, Johnnie Mae leaned on the frame of the doorway and Sierra stopped moving.

“Wait, I thought you were asleep with Grogu on the couch? How much did you hear?” Her eyes were wide, her stomach was already in knots, now it felt like it was squeezing.

“I woke up when he was holding you. I told you to stay put while Din brought your stuff in. You don’t remember that?”

“I…No. Just him being kind and you too Auntie. Some of that day was a blur, like my drive over here, except the CVS and the McDonalds.”

“That’s why I keep telling you not to worry. Din’s privy to what you’d have to work up the courage to tell any other guy down the road in a relationship. So, it’s only up from here? Now the important question is, do you want me to take Grogu over to Din’s house?” Johnnie Mae made two finger guns and shimmied her shoulders and hips making Sierra roll her eyes and laugh. She danced her way over to her niece and poked her cheeks with one finger each. “Better yet, eat dinner here, then ‘help’ Din take the leftovers over to his house. Tell me what you see in there. It’s supposed to be a mirror of this house, but I know a decade ago, when the Fetts moved out, they’d done a lot of remodeling. I wanna know if it’s any good. Boba never let me in his house, even with my good wig.” 

Sierra doubled over with laughter. “That’s not why Boba didn’t let you in his house. You can’t just invite yourself over and not be wearing anything under your coat. You’re lucky he didn’t call the police!”

“Oh hush! So how does my plan sound? You used that poor man for comfort and then left him out to dry.” Hands on her hips, her aunt clicked her tongue which made her niece sigh.

“It sounds so bad when you say it, but you’re not wrong. Everything just sounds illicit when you say it Auntie. The plan is good, and I wanted to talk to him alone so this works.” Shooting up an eyebrow, Johnnie Mae leaned closer. Sierra shook her head. “Not that. Geez…”

“When are you going to the store? You’re going to need all your ingredients.” Having a feeling she knew why she was asking; Sierra massaged her temple.

“You know he’s going to need to be gone before Grogu needs to get picked up from the bus stop right?” Johnnie Mae smirked.

“That’s no problem. He can be forceful when he needs to be.” Sierra sighed again as she settled on her dress for tonight. The less she knew about her aunt and the man across the street the better. He was actually nicer than he let on, he just liked messing with Greef. It had been a few years since she had last seen Luke and he looked about the same. His beard was a bit longer and she hadn’t seen him outside in the yard yet swing his lightsaber (keeping up his exercises from the Jedi/Sith War according to him). That’s an image she never needed to recall. 

“A simple yes would have been fine, Aunt Mae. Thanks.” 

Twenty minutes to dinner:

When Grogu brought over the two glasses of water, he thanked his son, but wondered how he got them. He turned to look over the back of the couch and saw Sierra’s back. Her hair had come out of the bun that had been on top of her head. A few coils waved near her poppy scrunchie. She had on a white t-shirt and yellow shorts which he had to look up from when Grogu brought her the glasses back. She looked up and smiled at Din, he returned it, squeezing his right knee he didn’t realize he was holding. He was nervous, he knew he didn’t really need to be, but felt optimistic as well. Ms. Harris and he continued talking while he watched Sierra disappear into the back of the house and come back out in a dark green dress. She looked beautiful in it; her hair was fully out of her bun and more in a high ponytail. There were silver teardrop earrings that framed her face. She began on the rice and vegetables as it was going to be dinner soon. Din found that he was booped on the nose by his son disrupting his thoughts.

“Daddy, whatcha lookin’ at? Don’t you see my plane? You like planes, don’t you?” Grogu asked as he hopped up on his father’s knee, Din patted his don’t curly hair and chuckled.

“Yes, I do. I’ll have to thank Mr. Skywalker in person when I get a chance. Now you know the plane has to stay over here and can’t come to the table, right?” Din pinched Grogu’s nose, and the boy giggled, Johnnie Mae had hopped up and was helping Sierra with the rest of the food. Crap. I was going to help her with the rest of dinner so I could talk to her more.Making whooshing noises with his son, they played with the plane until dinner.

Dinner was mostly uneventful. It was mainly Grogu and Johnnie Mae talking about planes, colors and how good the food was. Little G brings up that he saw Mr. Skywalker leave with something red in his hand and asks if that made him a thief. He wondered if his plane was stolen too. Din coughed on his vegetables and Sierra snorted, she knew what the red was, and Din had a sneaking suspicion. Johnnie Mae only told Grogu that, “Some things stay between adults Little G, but don’t you worry. Your plane isn’t stolen and whatever red you saw was freely given by Ms. Harris. That’s all you and anyone else needs to know.” Sierra tried to stifle her laughter but still held a smile on her face as she looked over at Din who had a grin on his face too. 

Maybe Luke Skywalker has some large retirement savings she’s into. That might be where all his money is, it’s not going into his house. Din chuckled to himself remembering what Johnnie Mae had told him when he first came to her home, though given what Grogu said, it clearly wasn’t just that.

Grogu also said that being a good guest means helping to clean up. After dinner, Johnnie Mae ‘volunteered’ herself and Little G to clean up this kitchen. The adorable child tells Ms. Harris that he wants to be helpful like his dad is. 

“I swear, he just wants to stay up late and play more with that plane he got.” Din laughed as he handed Ms. Harris the plates, followed by Sierra was gathering the silverware and some of the glasses. Johnnie Mae set to making some take home containers for Din and his son. The food hadn't quite cooled which Sierra pointed out.

“Don’t you dare chicken out now. You said you were going to talk to him. Don’t tell me you put that dress on for no reason girl. Help him over there with this food and stop playin’.” Pinched on her hip by her aunt, Sierra suggested to Din that she could help him take the food over to his house. He appeared confused for a moment until she tilted her head at his son and understood that he would be staying here helping Ms. Harris to clean up. Ah, so we can talk. I get it. Din nodded and opened the door for Sierra as they stepped outside into the cooling evening air.

“Um, Din? I didn’t explicitly ask but is it okay to go to your house to talk? It’s a little nippy out here.” Sierra looked up from the Tupperware at Din who was holding in a laugh. “What?” Her look of confusion had him cough to cover up the snicker. 

��We're definitely going over to my house. That seems to be part of your plan and it’s too damn cold out here for what I assume you want to discuss?” Sierra closed her eyes. God it was that transparent!? Why do I listen to my aunt on these things? She’s kickin’ it with Luke, the same guy who waves his lightsaber around and screams about the Sith Lords coming back. She exhaled and opened her eyes.

Din gathered his Tupperware he held under his one arm and offered his hand to Sierra after he went down a few of the steps.  Looking up at her, the yellow light of the house behind her made it appear like there was a shimmering aura around her. I told myself it’s horrible timing for the both of us, but I can’t help but wonder…no I can prevent myself from wondering. Sierra’s not coming over to talk about any of that. Manners, just like you taught your son Djarin. 

“Yes, my very present and clear plan it seems.” Shaking her head, she took Din’s hand and walked over to his home with him. Eager to sit down with Din, Sierra found that her anxiety didn’t plague her. Din clasped his fingers around her hand, he found it small, soft, and warm. He only let it go, to unlock the front door and welcome her into her home. Instead of recapturing it, Djarin decided to place his palm on the small of her back, guiding her inside to which Sierra met his gaze and smiled. 

There was a spark between them, both wordlessly acknowledging it.

Chapter Three. Chapter Five

Peeps who want to hear the tea from Little G 🍵: @readingiskeepingmegoing @604to647 @syd-djarin @yorksgirl @harriedandharassed @survivingandenduring @drawingdroid @katw474 @trulybetty @bitchwitch1981 @soft-girl-musings @tinytinymenace @djarinmuse @littlemisspascal @pedroshotwifey @megamindsecretlair

[whumpbug]

Hi Bug, same anon who asked the horse questions --- first of all, thank you so much for the answers and I'm so glad I was able to inspire you!! I don't think you've talked about this yet but I was curious: What was Gene's mom like? I know she was killed by criminals and that event led to him becoming such an intensely strict deputy, so either she meant a whole lot to him or her death was just that traumatic. --- QUESTIONS - Well, first of all, what's her name? - What lasting affect did she have on Gene when she was alive? Did she teach him anything fundamental about life or morality that he still believes? Did she introduce him to anything that he's still passionate about? - Is there anything specific that Gene does in her memory and if so, when? On the anniversary of her death? Whenever it's her favorite weather? Every other day? Every morning? - Who, specifically, killed her (if you know)? - How old was Gene when she was killed and did he witness it himself? If so, does he remember it?

HI ANON IM SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU IN MY ASK BOX AGAIN!!!!! and once again you come with such amazing questions i am being so spoiled right now.

the short answer is that she meant a whole lot to him AND her death was that traumatic. but who's here for the short answer anyways

long post incoming. as always. I HOPE U ENJOY!

✮⋆˙

what's her name?

gene's mother's maiden name was Sylvia Mae LeBlanc.

she was a small, feisty woman from the deep south (louisiana) and you could tell right away from her accent. she was blonde, blue-eyed, and gorgeous. a real southern belle.

she met gene's father (who's name is clint) when she was just 17, and the two hit it off. they got married, and of course, she became sylvia delaney, and soon baby gene was born. the trouble was that sylvia's father did not like clint. clint was a rancher, and her father thought lowly of the profession. he refused to support them finacially. she ran away with clint and they struggled for quite a while, but they were determined. clint truly did love sylvia, but i don't think he was ever going to be ready to be a father. sylvia loved being a mother, but fatherhood scared clint. he never had a great relationship with gene to start, and it only got worse when sylvia died.

looks wise, gene got his bone structure from his father, but everything else is from his mama. he has her eyes, her hair, her mouth, even her nose. he was VERY blonde as a child.

✮⋆˙

what lasting affect did she have on gene when she was alive?

oh this is a loaded question and i LOVE it.

when he was little, he spent most of his time with his mom. being a rancher was a busy job, and clint didn't particularly care enough to make an effort to spend time with his kid, so gene and sylvia were very very close.

she taught him a lot about how to conduct himself. she was a southern girl, manners were VERY important to her. she'd be damned if gene didn't address everyone he met as sir or ma'am. she also was a big reader, and taught gene to read and write from just age 3. she read anything under the sun to him, and its part of the reason why he's generally considered very articulate. he still loves reading and it's one of his favorite pastimes.

she was also extremely progressive for her time. she taught him so much about how to respect people as a whole, no matter their race or gender or social class or anything. she just taught him empathy. it was a big help that gene was naturally just a sweet kid.

unfortunately for little gene, clint Did Not like this. he was obsessed with what it meant to "Be A Man" and didn't take kindly to seeing his son do things like carrying the paralyzed lamb to and from the water tin or crying after accidentally stepping on a butterfly. he saw gene as too soft from the get-go, and he made his disdain for it known.

it was a recurring argument for sylvia and clint.

still, sylvia wouldn't back down. when gene would sob after getting yelled at by clint or, worse, after being forced to go hunting at the age of 7, sylvia would hold him and rock with him and sing to him until he calmed down and tell him that its okay to cry. being gentle takes strength. the world needs more kindness like yours.

gene thinks about it very often.

✮⋆˙

is there anything specific that gene does in her memory and if so, when?

so, for starters, he visits her grave every year on the anniversary of her death. she was buried in louisiana-- she loved her home town and state. so every year, gene takes a train (haha. sorry gene.) down to visit his grandparents and aunts and cousins, but ultimately he leaves the family house to go to the cemetery and spends the day sitting by her grave and just. he just talks to her.

he talks to her like she's right there. he tells her about work, about the town shenanigans, more recently about cassidy (he talks a lot about cassidy. sylvia is looking down at him with an Eyebrow Raise.), really anything that comes to his mind. he sometimes falls asleep, head resting against her headstone, and wakes up to the sun settling below the horizon.

in terms of little practices he does, he makes his coffee a very specific way because of how she used to make it. he wears one of her rings on a chain around his neck. he has her accent, sometimes, when he's not thinking about it. he still has all his southern manners, he is respectful and kind, just like she wanted him to be, but sometimes it's drowned out by his father.

he also kept a bottle of her perfume. it smells of peach and vanilla and orange blossom. he sprays it on his pillow sometimes, when he really really misses her. those nights are always hard on him.

✮⋆˙

who, specifically, killed her (if you know)?

see this is where i have entertained different ideas. as of now, its just a random outlaw. just a random train robber that had no personal connection to gene.

however.

i have thought it could be interesting if the man was montana or someone associated with him. the timelines would (maybe) make sense, but i feel like it might also just complicate things too much. IDK. its just a little idea but for now, i'll say it was just an unspecific outlaw.

✮⋆˙

how old was gene when she was killed and did he witness it himself? if so, does he remember it?

oh boy.

cw: blood mention. slightly graphic description of death.

gene wishes he didn't remember. he really does.

she was killed on their way to visit louisiana. clint never went with them when they traveled because, again, being a rancher is a demanding profession and sylvia's family didn't take too kindly to him visiting anyways.

gene was 11 at the time. he was sitting in the train car with his mother, head resting on her shoulder, when he heard commotion coming from a few cars down.

then, the group of robbers breached their own car.

gene was petrified. he clung to his mama like a little boy, visibly shaking when they started making their way down the aisle. she whispered reassurances to him, that they would be okay, that they weren't going to give the bad men anything, that the sherriff would be there any minute.

when one of the men approached sylvia and gene, sylvia physically put herself between the man and her son. she was fesity. she wasn't going down without a fight, and she sure as hell wasn't going to give this man anything.

when she refused the first time, the man didn't shoot her. he simply murmured something to his the other outlaw beside him and turned back to sylvia, giving her a chance to reconsider. she didn't.

and then the gunshot rang out.

she got her right in the chest. it was a miracle that gene wasn't somehow hit too, as close as he was.

that was the moment the outlaws heard the shout of the lawmen, and turned tail on the job. but the damage had been done.

gene held his mama as she took her last breath. she didn't stand a chance. the bullet fired point blank into her left lung. she hardly lasted a few minutes. still, gene screamed. there was blood everywhere. on his face, on his clothes, on his hands.

he cried, he begged, he pleaded for someone, anyone to help him. to save his mama. but she didn't stand a chance.

i'd like to say that she had last words, some profound thing to say that gene could hold dear to him for the rest of his life, but she didn't she just gasped for air until she couldn't anymore.

gene remembers that day in vicious detail. he remembers what he was wearing, what she was wearing, what the man's eye color was. his memory goes fuzzy from the moment she died, though. he vaguely remembers being taken to a sherriffs office and being cleaned up with a handkerchief and being wrapped in a scratchy blanket. he remembers his father arriving, and it might have been the only time his father hugged him. it was certainly the only time he ever saw him cry.

his memory of the entire year after she died is choppy at best, nonexistent at worst. he began helping his father more at the farm, not because he wanted to spend more time with him, but because it gave him something to do. if he didn't have anything to do, he might've gone crazy.

unfortunately, and much to sylvia's dismay i'm sure, the experience hardened him. especially since he was around his father so much, he didn't allow himself to be seen as soft or gentle anymore. he got tougher, meaner, and more like his father.

its, in part, because he wonders if he had been just a little stronger on that day in the train, if he could have saved his mama. maybe if he had been quicker or more intimidating, he could have protected her like a "Real Man" should. but he'll never know. and that thought kills him.

✮⋆˙

GOD that got sad really fast. im sorry for the trauma gene. and i'm sorry for giving you another reason to hate trains cough cough @sethlost cough cough

JOKES ASIDE thank you so much for this question anon. i think by writing this all out, i have a much better grasp of gene as a person and the actual impact his mother had on him. this was such an important question and also SO fun to answer so thank you so much!!!!!

[kavalyera]

Howdy! Really intrigued by Manila by Night! Can i have the whole down of the Kindred Politics- like the Primogen council, the Anarchs, etc?

Also I saw that a Baron had his father ghouled by the Prince- how'd that happen?

I really like reading about your game! I love hearing about other people's Chronicles!

HAIIII HELLOOOWWWW thank you so much for asking about Manila by Night which means I have a reason to infodump about it <3 I was shaking when I got this BELIEVE ME !!!

Okay, so Manila in this chronicle is highly Camarilla dominated due to manipulation and propagandra imprinted by the prince and her primogen which consists of:

- Louisa Grace I. Mallari (she/her) of Clan Toreador

- Professor R. Aquino (he/him) of Clan Tremere

- Trisha Marie Gonzalez (she/they) of Clan Malkavian

- Samuel Fernandez (they/them) of Clan Nosferatu

- and very recently added to the roster—Serena Liwanag (she/her) of Clan Lasombra.

and then we have the bitch herself, the head of Manila’s ivory tower (well it’s more of a concrete tower knowing Manila is insanely brutalist) — Prince Alejandra Miriam Salvador de Silva (she/her) (uh huh yes that’s her full name. It’s the average filipino name my irl name is MUCH longer😭) is your average Ventrue prince except she is fueled by astronomical levels of hatred towards those that oppose her rule because in her mind, her and her primogen have done nothing but good for the city (well…).

There is a LOT I want to say about her, considering her tight grip on Manila is honestly a result of her traumas and fears.

There are two major anarchs right now, that being a brujah baron, David Ramos (Domingo) and his childhood best friend, Mae Fernando (Her actual name is Marianne Santos shh) who is a Gangrel!

Currently! Mae is the stand in Baron of Tondo for David alongside others who he added into the mix just in case the Prince wanted to target Tondo next. Which is funny because both he and Mae are technically neonates.

And yea so, David is the Baron of Tondo which is the most impoverished district in Manila hence why I made it an anarch state +it was where a revolutionary hero in Philippine history was born and raised in back then. So basically, David was never from Tondo in fact he’s from Makati City but his father, Francisco Domingo was very distant towards him as he was busy being a cop😭 Anyways! David was a really rebellious kid as he hung out what his dad would call “batang kalye” (street kids) or even worse; “walang kwenta sa mundo na bata” (kids with no purpose on this earth).

Of course, David valued relationships a whole lot, and he was always with kids and adults that taught him not to be a bootlicking cunt. Eventually, during a fire in Manila, David was embraced by a Brujah most likely someone he hung out with a lot and his father thought he was dead.

During the time David was learning the ropes of the Camarilla and the Anarchs in Tondo, away from Makati—Francisco became chief of police of the Manila Police Department where Prince de Silva sought him out during her ever growing grip on the city so she could have more control on the mortals that inhabited her city. She doesn’t know that David is Francisco’s son…yet since David is in hiding for slowly becoming infamous. And also because the Nosferatu Primogen is the Prince’s right hand man.

As of now, Alejandra has Francisco arrest (and brutally beat) kindred that stand in her way of her vision of a perfect city. She put kindred and ghouls in the police force to better aid her pursuit of power.

As a bonus, here are some fun facts!

- David and Mae’s relationship is based off of the corny ass relationship I see on Filipino television but I made it kalye rebel core

- Alejandra is based off of several Filipino politicians, mostly corrupt because she is. I drew inspiration mostly from the current government seat holders from 2010-2024 however I won’t be naming any or else I might get redtagged /j

- The entire chronicle only has Filipino characters so far!

- Serena’s last name, Liwanag, means light in Tagalog. Funny because she’s a Lasombra.

- David’s name is a reference to “David and the Goliath” story

- Like every Prince, Alejandra’s tower is the Ramon Magsaysay Building, probably one of my favorite brutalist buildings ever in Manila and I chose it because my cousins in Manila fucking hate it lmao so she gets it

- Bonifacio Global City or BGC Manila is THE Camarilla infested area. Skyscrapers, vibrant night life, exclusivity of supplies—this is where the Lasombra, Serene is; managing a night club for kindred (aka Elysium)

- The youngest primogen is Serena, embraced in the 1900’s rather than in the 1700’s-1800’s like the others.

- Louisa and Samuel are distantly related, which is quite silly because Louisa is a Toreador and Samuel is a Nosferatu. Louisa is a very distant cousin of Samuel, they never met properly when they were alive but yeah

- Prof. Aquino is a hematology professor at the University of Santo Thomas!

- Explaining this here now because none of yall are Filipino but kalye means street or alleyway, but colloquially it means someone who has this rebellious spirit or is a really loud, outspoken person. Hence the prince and the primogen call the Anarchs “batang pangkalye” (kids only good for the streets)

anyways enough yapping from me—THANK YEWWW SO MUCHHHHH FOR LETTING ME YAP ABOUT MANILA BY NIGHT‼️ my special interest is filipino culture and history so yeah audhhsshs

[thestressedsimmer]

June 14th, 1315: The Willow Creek Royal Residence

After a painful labor in which Her Majesty's mind kept straying to her last son, she could feel when it was time to push. This time, she had already done this and recognized the signs.

Meekly, she asked her midwives to help her change. She would not want to get blood on the dress she was wearing, better to get blood on a sleep-dress. Her last birth had been a horror show; even though the memories of the pain and blood were fuzzy compared to the memory of John's little face.

Her midwife, an elderly woman named Mae, let her hold onto her hand as she pushed and pushed. It felt as if this stage took forever and her exhaustion was starting to get the best of her.

She closed her eyes and laid back in the bed, feeling the urge to give up take hold. . .

Mae saw this, of course, and could not let it happen. "Your Majesty? You're almost there. Once you see the baby's face, this will all be worth it."

Joan felt tears in her eyes as she leaned into the woman's hand. She wished her mother were there. But she understood why she couldn't be; her baby sister had a near death experience and needed her mother more than Joan did.

"One more big push. You can do it."

Of course, the midwife was right. She could do it.

Gripping onto Mae's hand tightly, she screamed so loudly that she was sure the entire kingdom could hear it, not just the castle. She pushed and pushed until she heard a cry.

As she was handed her baby, she could barely see through the tears still stuck in her eyes...

"It's a boy, Your Majesty. Willow Creek has an heir."

[demona-andariel]

A Simple Act of Kindness - 1 / ??

Fandom: Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

Pairing: Thomas Hewitt (Leatherface) x OFC

Summary: Elizabeth wakes up in a stranger's home. Her fate to become another victim of the Hewitt family is all but sealed till a simple act of kindness changes her life forever.

Warning: (Encompassing the whole story in no particular order) dead dove, rape/Noncon, violence, forced marriage, kidnapping, cannibalism, explicit sexual content, loss of virginity, angst

Author Note: Minors DNI!

Word Count: 3,298

Chapter 1 - The Hewitts

Her body was in pain. Elizabeth weakly opened her eyes, moaning as she did so. What had happened? She tried to sit up, only for her body to scream at her. Last she remembered… 

“Well hello, dear,” an older woman said. Her voice attempted to sound cheery and soothing. 

For some reason, Elizabeth felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. “Where… where am I?” she asked weakly as she tried to sit up again.

“Now, don’t try to get yourself all worked up,” the woman said as she sat down on the couch that Elizabeth lay on. “I’m afraid you were in an accident.”

“I was?” Elizabeth asked, frowning as she ignored the woman’s advice and sat up. Her head throbbed at her movement. The woman set down a cup of tea in front of her. She frowned as she tried to recall.

“Yes, my son, Thomas, found you, brought you back here. Your boyfriend was taken to our local clinic. Unfortunately, we have one doctor and the nearest hospital is too far away to transport you both easily. The doctor said you would be fine,” the woman said, nudging the cup of tea closer to Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth nodded her head, then frowned. “Boyfriend?” 

“The young man traveling with you of course,” the woman said, sweetly.

“Oh, he’s not my boyfriend,” she replied weakly. For some reason, the woman’s words both made and didn’t make sense.  Why would they bring her to their home and not a hospital if she were in an accident? “If it’s not too much trouble. I would appreciate it if you could take me to our car.”

The front door was pulled open then slammed shut, causing Elizabeth to jump. Heavy footsteps stomped through the hallway. 

“Thomas, honey!” the woman shouted. 

A tall figure appeared in the doorway. Elizabeth couldn’t help but let out a surprised gasp and look away from the man. There was something very off about his face. He was the biggest man she’d ever seen. She felt entirely intimidated and couldn’t look at him. As if sensing her discomfort, he turned and left.

“I’m sorry, dear,” the woman said. Her voice was hostile. Elizabeth couldn’t blame her.

“No, I’m sorry,” Elizabeth said. “I think I’m still trying to make sense of things. I’m sorry, I’m so rude. My name is Elizabeth.”

“You can call me Luda Mae,” the woman said. “It’s about dinner time. How about you stay for dinner and after Thomas can take you to your car.”

Elizabeth smiled. “Okay,” she said, not wanting to be more of a problem. Although every fiber of her being wanted to leave the house. Wanted to get back on the road. But, the car didn’t belong to her. Hopefully, Jason wasn’t as badly injured as Luda Mae claimed. “Can I help you set up the table? It’s the least I can do.”

Luda Mae let out a hollow smile. “Are you sure? You’re-”

“Being an absolute bother,” Elizabeth interrupted as she got up. “The least I can do for you taking me in after the accident.”

Luda Mae led her to the kitchen, giving her the plates and silverware. Elizabeth was careful as she set up the table. There was something wrong with the situation she was in. But she couldn’t quite figure it out. Luda Mae claimed she was in an accident, and the soreness in her body seemed to confirm it. 

Still, her senses were telling her to leave. The sound of a car pulling up caught her attention. She looked out the window and saw a cop car. Relief filled her. Having an officer of the law in the house that was giving her creeps just made her relax.

“I’m starving!” the man shouted as he walked through the house. He stepped into the dining room and stopped the moment he spotted her. “Well, well. And who are you?”

“A guest of ours,” Luda Mae interrupted as she brought out a pot seemingly full of stew. Elizabeth rushed over to Luda Mae to take the pot from her. 

“Really,” the officer let out a lecherous smile, sending chills down Elizabeth’s spine. She no longer felt safe. “I’m Sheriff Winston Hoyt.” 

“Elizabeth,” she said. “Umm. It seems like we were in an accident. Do you know where our car could be?”

Hoyt’s eyes rose. “Ah yes. The car accident,” he said with a nod. “I do believe your boyfriend is hanging around somewhere.”

“Not my boyfriend,” Elizabeth corrected, unsure why she was so annoyed by the assumption. “But, he’s not badly injured is he?”

Hoyt shrugged. “I think we can arrange for you to see him,” he said.

“After dinner!” Luda Mae stated as she walked back into the room with more plates of food. Elizabeth helped her by taking some of the plates again. “Thomas! Dinner! Sit there, dear.”

Elizabeth followed what Luda Mae told her to do. Hoyt kept leering at her, while he sat down opposite of her. She gulped and looked away. Why did she feel like a trap was set around her? A shadow out of the corner of her eye surprised her. She turned to the door and watched Thomas, taking him in. He wore an ugly mask, it looked almost human, but it couldn’t be. Considering where they were, she could imagine him finding some animal and skinning it to try and make a mask. Maybe his face was disfigured.

He paused as their eyes met. Fear? There was fear in his eyes. 

“Thomas, why don’t you sit next to our guest?” Luda Mae said. Although it was made to be a question, she was commanding him. 

Thomas hesitated a moment before he walked to the seat next to her. He paused for another moment then sat down. Hoyt brought in an older man and sat him by the table.

“Good, now, let’s say grace,” Luda Mae said. “Hoyt?”

Elizabeth didn’t hear the prayer as she thought. She had no right to judge them. Sure, they made her uncomfortable, but that was just her own prejudice. 

“Amen,” Luda Mae said, interrupting Elizabeth’s musing. The family began to dig into the meal, passing the plates of food around as Luda Mae poured out the stew into a bowl. 

“Is this meat?” Elizabeth asked curiously, as she poked at the stew.

“Well, of course, dear,” Luda Mae said with a wide smile. 

“Oh, sorry. I can’t eat meat.”

The family stopped and stared at her. She gulped and hunched trying to look as small as possible. “It doesn’t sit well with me,” she said softly. “I’m sorry. I’m allergic to it.” It was a lie, but they didn’t need to know that. She just wasn’t a meat-eater. She never could stomach the taste of it. She hated the idea that something had to die.

“Probably not this meat,” Luda Mae said, that same smile, but there was something else in her eyes. Something evil.

Elizabeth shook her head. “I’d rather not. Last time, I almost died.” Another lie, but some people were allergic to meat.

The family looked at each other as if silently communicating. 

“It’s alright, dear,” Luda Mae said as she took the bowl away, leaving her with only a little bit of salad.  

They ate in silence. Elizabeth carefully picked at her food, not wanting to offend anyone, but she wasn’t entirely hungry either. She slowly eyed everyone. Taking in their appearances. It was hard not to judge them. It was hard not to think they were barely educated if at all. Hard not for the back of her mind to think they were depraved in some way. 

Hoyt continued to give her a lecherous smile. She looked away, suddenly grateful that Thomas would be the one to take her to the crashed car.

Her eyes fell on Thomas, who sat to her right. He was so big he was almost touching her. He seemed to feel her gaze as he slowly hunched almost as if he were trying to make himself smaller. As if he were afraid of her. 

“I need to apologize,” Elizabeth said softly to Thomas. The large man slowly turned his head, meeting her eyes for a moment before looking away. There was a softness in his eyes, but also fear. “No,” Elizabeth said, shaking her head and placing her hand on Thomas’ arm. He looked at her sharply, making her pull her hand away. She gulped, her eyes starting to water. What he must have gone through to fear the touch of a stranger.

“Is everything alright?” Luda Mae asked, her voice pretending to be sweet but there was some hostility. 

Elizabeth nodded as she wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. It’s me. I just-” she paused, unsure of how to put her words together to not insult them. “I’m sorry I looked away earlier so quickly. I wasn’t trying to be rude. I was just, umm… unprepared. I’m sure it hasn’t been easy and that a lot of people look away.”

The whole family paused and watched her. 

Luda Mae’s face slightly softened. “Why do you say that?”

Elizabeth fidgeted. “I-” she tried to find the right words. She had a feeling that the large man next to her had suffered greatly to be wearing that hideous mask. He seemed like a lonely soul, who had to deal with the cruel world on his own. Even with his family, there was only so much they could do. She knew. She understood. “Because people are cruel to those who are different.” She paused as the family continued to stare at her. Oh, she didn’t want to do this. But it seemed like she had to keep going. She looked back at Thomas, pretending that he wasn’t wearing a mask as she let out a sad smile. 

“I know to some extent what you had to go through. Kids are cruel. We had a house fire when I was a teen. My little brother wasn’t so fortunate to get out as quickly as the rest of us did.” She coughed to cover up the crack in her voice. Tears came to her eyes and she looked down at her food, hoping that nobody would notice. “He was horribly burned and it disfigured him. I hated the way people looked at him, whenever we were out in public.” She shook her head. “He had such a kind and gentle soul, but people only saw him as a monster because he looked different.” She snorted at a memory and looked at Thomas, who met her with curious, confused eyes. “I used to get in a lot of trouble as a teen, always picking fights with anyone who tried to wound him with words.” 

She sat up, feeling a little bit giddy. “So, here’s the thing. I realized that some of us may look pretty on the outside, but ugly on the inside and vice versa. But, there are those of us who might look pretty on the outside and still have some flaws.” She pulled up her right long sleeve, revealing a decent scar from the burn she’d received on her forearm. He reached toward her arm, touching her scar. 

She let out a cry of pain, causing him to quickly pull his hand back. “I’m sorry,” she quickly apologized, through a light chuckle. “I’m so sorry. People always get super curious and touch my scars without asking. I’ve just learned to frighten them by pretending it hurts me. It doesn’t. At all. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done it.” She laughed, shaking her head. Thomas’ eyes lightened and he let out a little laugh, then looked over at Luda Mae. 

“I’m so sorry, dear,” Luda Mae said softly, this time there was a sweetness to her voice. “Your brother?”

Elizabeth paused, feeling her tears return. She still hadn’t completely dealt with her feelings. “Sorry,” she said as she took a napkin and wiped her eyes then nose. “He died a couple of weeks ago. That’s why I went on this road trip. I needed to clear my head. Figure out what to do with my life. I am on my way to visit my aunt.”

“And your parents? Boyfriend?” Luda Mae asked. 

Elizabeth barked out a laugh, shaking her head. “My parents might as well be dead. They kicked me out of the house at eighteen and tried to send my brother to who knows where. I was able to get custody of him and I took care of him these last three years.” She paused. It was an unfortunate relief that her brother had gotten sick and died. She loved and cared so very deeply for him. But he was in so much pain and it was hard being unable to do anything to help. Glancing up at the family, she let out a bitter smile. Those feelings had to stay hidden. “But, as for a boyfriend, psh,” she shrugged. “It’s hard to find a guy that was willing to help with care. My brother required a lot of time and attention and care. And considering my age,” she shrugged again. “Most guys aren’t ready for that responsibility, just wanting sex. So I stopped trying. But the rest of my family are alright. They didn’t condone what my parents did and helped support me and my brother financially.”

Finally, looking back at them, she caught Luda Mae’s thoughtful gaze. She turned to look at Thomas who was watching her. “So, umm... I just needed to apologize for earlier. And sorry for being such a downer. Oh my god,” Elizabeth switched her tone to sound lighter and happier even though she didn’t feel it. “Maybe, you can tell me a little bit about this place?” she asked as she took a sip of the tea in front of her.

Luda Mae’s heart beat wildly, but she kept her composer. What kind of luck did they have? When Thomas had brought the unconscious barely injured young woman into the house she was angry. The woman wasn’t a bad catch and would feed them for a short while. She was angry about the beauty. Perfect long straight dark brown hair. Tanned, smoothed, soft skin on every part of her that was revealed. She probably never worked a day in her life, having mommy and daddy supply for her. Her breasts were practically the perfect size, making the shirt she wore hugged her form. She wasn’t fat and looked physically fit. This woman probably had a really easy life due to her looks. She could probably charm anyone. Interestingly, she wore a long sleeve shirt and jeans, clearly, she must have come from the north.

And, looking at Thomas, Luda Mae could see he was already enchanted. Silly, stupid boy. When would he learn that these kinds of women would never see him as anything other than a monster? As much as she hated to do it, she decided to teach him a lesson. That their family were the only ones who could love and care for him. That beauty on the outside only meant ugliness on the inside.

She’s ordered her family to be on their best behavior. Slightly wary of Hoyt’s behavior, but not enough to reprimand him completely.  They were going to have dinner with this girl. Before dinner, she’d done the thing that Luda Mae had expected. She’d seen Thomas and then looked away. He noticed it and Luda Mae had seen his shoulders slump. She almost called it off, but Thomas had to learn. She purposefully sat the two next to each other. There was little doubt in her mind the girl would show her contempt.

And then that damn bitch surprised her.

Although timid and shy initially, the girl apologized to Thomas, touching him without fear and with such tenderness. It caught them all off guard. Revealing her life story only helped her out more. She had compassion. She knew what it was like because of her family. Thomas had looked at Luda Mae, giving her eyes of concern and worry. He didn’t want them to kill this one. She couldn’t have agreed more. 

But there was still a little bit of worry. A girl as beautiful as she was had to have people looking for her eventually. To Luda Mae’s surprise, amazement and happiness, the girl wasn’t going to be missed. She had no real family. The young man that was also taken had only been an acquaintance. Not a boyfriend or husband or anything. 

Luda Mae looked at her son. He was watching Elizabeth. He had that look in his eyes of lust. But of course, he did. He was after all a man with needs. Unfortunately, no woman would give him a chance. And her son was no rapist. Elizabeth seemed oblivious to the looks Thomas was giving her. Luda Mae’s heart beat faster. Her boy was going to be a father. She couldn’t wait. 

Yes, Elizabeth had unknowingly saved her own life. She’d given them all a good reason why they should keep her alive.

Luda Mae had looked at her son, eyes filled with pride and joy and happiness for the reward he was about to receive. After all he’d done for his family, he deserved this. 

Elizabeth swayed. “Are you feeling alright, dearie?” she asked.

Elizabeth nodded. “I just got a little light-headed.”

Thomas looked at Luda Mae in concern. 

“Well you have had quite the day,” Luda Mae said tenderly.

“I-” Elizabeth fell forward, but Thomas caught her before she could hit the table.

“Thomas, why don’t you take her upstairs to the guest bedroom,” Luda Mae commanded. He let out a sigh, lowering his eyes. He picked up her unconscious body and started to head towards the door. “Actually,” Luda Mae said, “why not take her to your room. It’ll be nicer, cozier for her there.”

Thomas looked at her in surprise. He glanced down at the basement for a moment. “No dear,” Luda Mae said with a shake of her head. “I think she’d be far happier in one of the rooms upstairs. Besides, you’ll no longer be a bachelor. Can’t have you living in the basement.”

Thomas’s eyes widened. He looked down at the unconscious woman in his arms then back at Luda Mae. She gave him an encouraging smile and nod. 

His eyes sparkled as he lifted her up higher to carry her closer.

“What are you doing?” Hoyt asked the moment Thomas was out of earshot. “That bitch-”

“You heard the girl, didn’t you?” Luda Mae snapped at him. “Didn’t you see the way she looked at him? How she touched him without fear. Stay away from her, Hoyt. She belongs to Thomas.”

“But she doesn’t even eat meat,” Hoyt snarled. She gave him a side-eyed glance. 

“I know what you want. If and only if Thomas lets you. You will have to ask him. That is my demand and you will follow my orders.”

Hoyt opened his mouth to protest then shut it again. “You’re setting the boy up for heartbreak,” he stated, eyes filled with anger and annoyance.

She shook her head. “I’m setting him up to become a father. Now, be sure to get the rest of their items out of the car. I want her stuff here with us.”

Hoyt let out an exasperated sigh but nodded his head. “Alright, I’ll do it. Best bring Thomas with me.”

Luda Mae nodded. “Don’t keep him out too late and don’t overwork him. The sooner he claims her, the better for all of us. She needs a family. One who will care for her. She’ll soon realize that is us.”

Hoyt rolled his eyes but walked out of the dining room. “Thomas!” he shouted. “Come with me!”

Luda Mae watched the two men leave, heart beating with anticipation. She was going to make sure Elizabeth was ready and beautiful for her boy. She couldn’t wait to hear the sound of little feet running through the house again.

Chapter 2 - Mine

[pharawee]

Remember when Harikarn promised us a special episode of Chains of Heart? Only that fell through and then they started posting the special episode script? Only they never finished posting the script so we'll never get that happy ending we so desperately deserve... (unless the movie cut will add a scene or two).

But fear not! I have finally finished reading the novel because someone on wattpad was kind enough to translate it (I'd love to add a link here but I don't want to give wattpad any reason to delete the translation. But feel free to send me a message or ask and I'll happily share the link).

Turns out, Harikarn have actually been playing 3D chess with us all this time. Remember Knot?

He was one of Phayu's many men in black who could also conveniently predict the future. Well, the novel reveals his whole vision: If Din were to kill Chief Ingpha, Ken's and his fate would never again intertwine. Only, in the novel Din/Lue doesn't kill Ingpha, and so they change fate and get their happy ending.

But in the series Din/Lue kills Ingpha, so Ken and he essentially get the worst possible ending. Ouch. It's like playing a video game, making all of the wrong choices and getting a bad ending cutscene. Thanks so much, Harikarn.

Other highlights from the novel include:

Remember DeeDee and Don?

They're a couple.* We were robbed.

(Readers of the novel were robbed too because they never have any scenes together. Deedee just mentions that because he worked undercover for Phayu and Don worked undercover for the police their passes crossed and now they're together. Apparently Don is a rather fierce lover. Also, maybe they have their own novel - every other couple in this universe does.)

*Every dude in this universe is gay and paired up. At this point I'm very suspicious about Din's and Ken's dads. They must never be allowed to meet under any circumstance.

Oh, and Lue's mysterious son? His name is Fuu and Lue uses him to trick Ken into marrying him. Fuu calls Ken Mae/mum (with Lue/Din being Por/dad of course). The novel ends with them buying/opening a hotel and a cooking school in Uttaradit.

As to how Din survived getting shot by Chief Ingpha right at the beginning of it all? Turns out the stone he wore around his neck that the monk gave him? It caught the bullet.

I'm sure there's more but daylight saving time is messing with me and that's all I can think of right now. I still love Chains of Heart very very much and I need all of these 735253432 couples to get their own series ASAP.

[lyledebeast]

Since I answered the ask about Anne Howard and had to think about her relationship with Gabriel, I also spent some time thinking about the other heterosexual couple in The Patriot. And something about the way Benjamin and Charlotte weirdly flirt reminded me of another couple, but I could not put my finger on which one until today.

Even though Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955) is my second favorite play by my second favorite American playwright, I haven't thought about it in years: a tragedy for which I am compensating now! It's set in the mid 20th C South, so prepare yourselves for some unhinged names. The story focuses on three unhappily married couples: Brick and Maggie, Goober and Mae, and Big Daddy and Big Mama, the parents of Brick and Goober (because what else could people who chose those names for their sons possibly be called?) The two young couples, and the numerous children Goober and Mae have together, have gathered at the family plantation on the Mississippi Delta to help break the news to Big Mama that her husband is dying of cancer (along with less noble motives we'll discuss later).

Inheritance of land and birth as a source of rejuvenation in the face of death are important themes in Cat as in The Patriot, but the comparison of the two highlights a third theme that is likely unintentional on Rodat/Emmerich's end: heterosexuality as industry.

Brick is the younger and favorite son, but he and Maggie have no children. It transpires over the course of the play's three acts that Goober has married Mae, a former beauty queen, and had all these children in an attempt to charm his father's affection away from Brick and inherit the estate. This plan is foiled at the end when Maggie triumphantly announces that she is carrying a child "sired by Brick out of Maggie the Cat." This line in which she compares her husband to a stud and herself to a broodmare was recalled to my mind by the "They come from good stock on their mother's/father's side" exchange between Benjamin and Charlotte. The baby in Charlotte's arms at the end of the film demonstrates that at least one of Benjamin's hopes and prayers for the new nation has come to fruition. There is new stock, even if the bloodlines are, uh . . . not so new. The baby Maggie promises carries the same hope for the future with one notable difference. It's based on a lie, and it's hardly the first one to appear in the play.

Brick is, in addition to being a former football star and an alcoholic, a deeply repressed gay man, one of the few to actually appear on stage in a Williams play. Usually, his gay characters are dead before the plays begin and yet among the most important characters in them, and this play has one of those, too! Brick's relationship with deceased fellow football player Skipper is the most important of his life and a source of deep resentment and jealousy in Maggie. When she confronted Skipper about his feelings for Brick, he attempted to prove her wrong by having sex with her, but failed. He also tried to get Brick to run away with him, but failed in that as well, and then he committed suicide: a typical cheery 1950's representation of gay life. Brick fares little better; the play ends with Maggie locking up his liquor supply to coerce him into sex so they can "make the lie true."

Cat is a scathing critique of the role lies play in heterosexual family life. Goober and Big Daddy do not love their wives any more than Brick does, instead seeing them only as a means to an end. Mae seems well-aware of this, but by God she has committed to winning away Maggie's fortune by out-breeding her, and she is going to see it through! Big Mama has performed her roles as the dutiful wife for so long she seems incapable of anything else. Big Daddy, at the end of his life, has decided to part way with "lies and mendacity," which in part means confessing to Brick how he came by his land, an inheritance not from his father but from another couple that could not have children . . . because they were both men. Perhaps he, like Brick, only married because he had something to prove.

Benjamin is already proven as a sire of seven children; why does he need to marry again? This is a question I ask each and every time I revisit, and the film fails to answer it in a way that has anything to do with Charlotte herself. When she reminds Ben that "I am not my sister," she is voicing everyone in the audience's thoughts out loud, and Ben's "I know" is not very reassuring. She seems to be in love with him from their very first scene: pinching her cheeks in the mirror when his arrival is announced, giggling like a schoolgirl when Ben's children jostle them into each other. He, on the other hand, only seems to think of her as a convenience. The only time he speaks her name are when he tells his children to go to her in the event of his death and when he delivers a voice over recap of the war's end framed as a letter addressed to her (and the children, of course). When she is not a destination for his children she is a womb provided to supply him with more!

It is hard to resist making a connection between these two stories about straight marriages brought to life by gay men, but Williams and the wives in Cat deserve better. After all, the tragedy is not simply that these men are trapped in loveless marriages but that the women are trapped with them. Maggie in particular is vastly richer and more nuanced character than Charlotte. But, if we consider who always manages to catch Benjamin's eye, who never fails to get a rise out of him, whose death brings about the end of Ben's engagement with the main plot of the story and his settling down with the mute props his wife and children have become . . . maybe Ben has something to prove after all.

[runawaymarbles]

Hi I am here Asking About Your Parents' Bunnies as requested

🐇💕💕

(For those who didn't see it: i reblogged a poll that asked people whether they got their pets from breeders, pet stores, shelters or somewhere else.)

The Story Of My Parents' Bunnies goes thusly:

🐇when he was a grad student, after he met my mom but before they were dating, my father got a baby bunny he named Roxanne. I don't know where from; my guess is a pet store. He then proceeded to call my mom and say that he had a baby bunny, did she want to come meet her?

🐇🐇 my mom did in fact want to meet my dad's baby bunny. Fast forward several years and they are married and going to an annual Christmas party. The host's son-- since moved out-- had a bunny named Roger, who lived on his parents' deck. My mom, who is not fond of crowds, would spend the party out on the deck talking to the bunny. One year the hosts just sent Roger home with her.

🐇🐇eventually Roxanne died. Roger was very mopey about it, and my parents thought he was depressed. So they got another bunny from a shelter of some kind (I believe) and named him Zoloft. I did not get this joke for another ten years.

🐇🐇🐇at the time there was an amazing rabbit vet nearby, who was also the vet for the buns at the Rabbit Rescue. "They have this cute bunny named Timmy," the vet told my mom. "You should really meet Timmy." My mother, of course, went to visit Timmy, and held him for a while. She was relaying this to my dad who said something like "wait, you were HOLDING Timmy???" as he realized that no matter what she claimed, Timmy was definitely coming to live with us. Timmy came to live with us. He is best remembered for walking (not hopping) on linoleum and eating animal crackers.

🐇🐇Zoloft died somewhere in here, idr exactly when

🐇🐇🐇There was a also a little grey bunny at the Rabbit Rescue that ended up coming home around that time; my mom named her Elizabeth Cady Stanton because she "lived in a male-dominated hutch." Cady was very sweet until she was spayed and after that she was kind of a jerk tbh. But we loved her.

🐇🐇🐇🐇 my mom is something similar to a social worker, and when I was in first grade, the mom on one of her cases was arrested. She went over there to help figure out where all the kids could stay, and discovered they had a bunny in a little cage, with no food. (The family had themselves rescued this bunny from the upstairs neighbor, who kept him in a hamster ball.) So when my mom got all the kids sorted she also got the bunny sorted. By taking it with her.

Ben was referred to as "the dependent bunny" by the office for the rest of forever. The office was Not Thrilled. But the kids weren't able/that interested in taking care of him: I don't know what happened, exactly, but my mom stayed on the case and Ben lived with us until he died ten years later.

That bunny was a genius and a chaos gremlin. He knew exactly where he wasn't supposed to be and dedicated his time to getting into them. One of his greatest hits was pushing an empty cardboard box up against the baby gate, using it as a step, clearing the baby gate and eating my homework.

^This is Ben towards the end of his life when he started to need baths.

🐇🐇🐇Roger and Timmy died (Roger was 12!! Timmy was only 5. Sob.) so it was just Ben and Cady at home when my mom met yet another bunny at the Rabbit Rescue when she went in to collect her usual 40 pound bag of litter. She had one stand-up ear and one floppy ear and head butted my mom when she stopped petting her and you all know where this is going but could you say no to this face??

Neither could my mom. This was Daisy Mae. We didn't meet a bunny Ben couldn't get along with until her. My dad had to build a new bunny condo with a divider down the middle. After Cady died we spent years trying to get Ben and Daisy to live together; it worked for a little while, but they had a tumultuous and bloody divorce that in separate incidents sent each of them to the vet and my mother to the ER.

🐇🐇🐇 A year or so after The Divorce, my friend called me up to say that her sister had adopted a bunny for 4H, but also wanted to show him at ARBA, and he didn't qualify for both so she was going to adopt this one out and get a different bunny....... and did we want to come meet this one? "We are not bringing him home," my mother said. "We are definitely not bringing him home." "That's okay," said my friend's mom. "We can just take him to the humane society." ...anyway, my mom named the bunny Lionel Messi because he was a) a lionhead b) fast as fuck and c) a slob.

(^ Lio circa 2015)

🐇🐇🐇🐇PJ Funny Bunny and Smokey the Hare came from the animal shelter my mom started buying litter from after she had a falling out with the woman who owned the Rabbit Rescue. In a truly smooth move by the owner, when we came by to say hi to the two bunnies that had come in, the owner said "oh I thought you were taking them with you" when we tried to leave empty-handed. My mom kind of bluescreened for a minute and...the rabbits ended up in the car. PJ Funny Bunny was so named because he didn't like carrots, and Smokey was grey and we thought we were funny. Neither of them lived more than a couple years after that but we aren't going into the sad parts of this story thankyouverymuch. PJ had a pedigree, which we always thought was hilarious. We pretended he was a snob about it.

🐇🐇🐇 Frankie came from that same shelter a couple years later. He'd had a bladder infection, which my mom had noticed and brought to the attention of the owner: You Won't Believe What Happened Next. We named him Frankie because he had blue eyes. This bunny was an absolute delight. This was the spring before my freshman year of college, and I seriously contemplated bringing him with me since my parents were not sold on an additional bunny at the time. I didn't, which was good, because he pretty much keeled over right at the beginning of my freshman year. (We stopped going to that shelter after that, given the track record.)

(^Frankie)

🐇Daisy died around that same time, so then my parents just had Lio, and they were thinking, maybe Lio will be the last bunny. Frankie's death was pretty devastating, and I wasn't living at home anymore and they wanted to travel, and it's easier to get a pet sitter for a dog than a bunny, and the bunny hutch takes up a big chunk of the kitchen they maybe they wanted to use for other things.

🐇🐇They lived under this illusion for several years, until one of their friends said that their neighbors had found a baby dutch bunny under a car on the street. Due to the timing we think he was an Easter bunny that got dumped a couple months later. "We will only keep it if it's a girl," my parents said, because that would make it more likely that the bunny would get along with Lio. The bunny was not a girl. "We will only keep him if he gets along with Lio," they said. The bunny did not get along with Lio. They kept him anyway. His name is Tricksy Belted, a play on Trixie Beldon, because he's a belted dutch bunny. He is the sweetest bunny in the word and that is a scientific fact.

🐇🐇A few weeks after Lio died (at age, like, 11) my parents thought that maybe Tricksy should have a friend. So in 2020 just before lockdown they went and got a bunny On Purpose for the first time since they adopted Zoloft in 1998. Her name is Tosh, and she came from a rabbit rescue that got shut down in 2023 for being crazy overcrowded.

And that's where we are currently.

[wutbju]

Bob Jones Academy was formed in 1927 because Bob Jones, Jr. had just graduated from middle school, and Bob Sr. worried he would embarrass him.

But let’s go with BJU’s story.

Born simultaneously in 1927 with Bob Jones University, Bob Jones Academy also is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year. This fully standardized secondary school offers grades 7 through 12; annually enrolls more than 400 students from every section of the nation and several foreign countries, making it one of the larger private Christian high schools in America.

Since the first graduating class of five, more than 2,000 young people have completed work at the Academy. Each year a large percentage of the Academy graduates enter Bob Jones University; this past year over 70 per cent enrolled in the university. Many of the others entered fields of study not available at BJU such as engineering, medicine, law, nursing, etc.

For some reason, BJU refuses to ever acknowledge Eunice Hutto Morecraft’s legal name. Bob Jones, Sr. married her and her husband, and Fannie Mae sang “O Promise Me” at the ceremony.

The late Eunice Hutto was the first principal. In 1937 Mrs. Paul Brown became the principal of the Academy and served in this capacity for 28 years. She became a member of the staff while still a student in Bob Jones College during the early days of the school in Florida.

Morecraft died suddenly in 1947 in St. Louis when she was visiting there for medical care.

The death certificate gives more explanation:

Her son was eight months old.

After teaching in the science department and serving as assistant to the dean of women. Mrs. Brown assumed the responsibility of the administration of the Academy. It was through her leadership that the Academy was able to maintain the cultural, academic, and spiritual emphasis needed to meet the needs of the ever-increasing student body. Because of ill health, she was forced to retire in May of 1964. She died September 12, 1964.

Upon Mrs. Brown's retirement, Gene Fisher, a member of the Academy history faculty, was named principal. Under his leadership the Academy has continued its task of training young people to live in the problem world of today.

The Academy has a college preparatory curriculum designed to fully qualify a student to enter college. Every student is required to take Bible each semester he is enrolled. Seven levels of Bible are offered, and the students may take the course in which they are best qualified.

Aside from the books and studies, students have many opportunities to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities with youngsters of their own age and interests.

They conduct their own literary societies, the Inter-Society Council, student-body activities, intramural athletic programs, and debate organizations. Other organizations offer the students opportunities to gain a broader knowledge of the activities in which professional people are involved.

Expenses for the Academy are the same as those for the university. Music, speech, and art are available without additional cost above regular academic fees.

[richincolor]

[Images are the covers for Gloria Buenrostro is Not My Girlfriend, Permanent Record, and When You Wish Upon a Lantern]

On the Job

This week I visited a bookstore and there were young people skipping through the store making lively instagram posts while they were working. It struck me that they would be awesome characters in a young adult novel and I would totally read that. Here are a dozen titles that feature young people hard at work. Of course the list begins with a story that takes place in a bookstore.

This is All Your Fault by Aminah Mae Safi Feiwel & Friends

Rinn Olivera is finally going to tell her longtime crush AJ that she’s in love with him.

Daniella Korres writes poetry for her own account, but nobody knows it’s her.

Imogen Azar is just trying to make it through the day.

When Rinn, Daniella, and Imogen clock into work at Wild Nights Bookstore on the first day of summer, they’re expecting the hours to drift by the way they always do. Instead, they have to deal with the news that the bookstore is closing. Before the day is out, there’ll be shaved heads, a diva author, and a very large shipment of Air Jordans to contend with.

And it will take all three of them working together if they have any chance to save Wild Nights Bookstore.

The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds Atheneum Books for Young Readers [K. Imani's Review]

Just when seventeen-year-old Matt thinks he can’t handle one more piece of terrible news, he meets a girl who’s dealt with a lot more—and who just might be able to clue him in on how to rise up when life keeps knocking him down—in this wry, gritty novel from the author of When I Was the Greatest.

Matt wears a black suit every day. No, not because his mom died—although she did, and it sucks. But he wears the suit for his gig at the local funeral home, which pays way better than the Cluck Bucket, and he needs the income since his dad can’t handle the bills (or anything, really) on his own. So while Dad’s snagging bottles of whiskey, Matt’s snagging fifteen bucks an hour. Not bad. But everything else? Not good. Then Matt meets Lovey. She’s got a crazy name, and she’s been through more crazy than he can imagine. Yet Lovey never cries. She’s tough. Really tough. Tough in the way Matt wishes he could be. Which is maybe why he’s drawn to her, and definitely why he can’t seem to shake her. Because there’s nothing more hopeful than finding a person who understands your loneliness—and who can maybe even help take it away.

When You Wish Upon a Lantern by Gloria Chao Viking

Liya and Kai had been best friends since they were little kids, but all that changed when a humiliating incident sparked The Biggest Misunderstanding Of All Time—and they haven’t spoken since.

Then Liya discovers her family’s wishing lantern store is struggling, and she decides to resume a tradition she had with her beloved late grandmother: secretly fulfilling the wishes people write on the lanterns they send into the sky. It may boost sales and save the store, but she can’t do it alone . . . and Kai is the only one who cares enough to help.

While working on their covert missions, Liya and Kai rekindle their friendship—and maybe more. But when their feuding families and their changing futures threaten to tear them apart again, can they find a way to make their own wishes come true?

Café Con Lychee by Emery Lee Quill Tree Books [Audrey's Review]

Sometimes bitter rivalries can brew something sweet

Theo Mori wants to escape. Leaving Vermont for college means getting away from working at his parents’ Asian American café and dealing with their archrivals’ hopeless son Gabi who’s lost the soccer team more games than Theo can count.

Gabi Moreno is miserably stuck in the closet. Forced to play soccer to hide his love for dance and iced out by Theo, the only openly gay guy at school, Gabi’s only reprieve is his parents’ Puerto Rican bakery and his plans to take over after graduation.

But the town’s new fusion café changes everything. Between the Mori’s struggling shop and the Moreno’s plan to sell their bakery in the face of the competition, both boys find their dreams in jeopardy. Then Theo has an idea—sell photo-worthy food covertly at school to offset their losses. When he sprains his wrist and Gabi gets roped in to help, they realize they need to work together to save their parents’ shops but will the new feelings rising between them be enough to send their future plans up in smoke?

Darius the Great Deserves Better (Darius The Great #2) by Adib Khorram Dial Books for Young Readers

In this companion to the award-winning Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Darius suddenly has it all: a boyfriend, an internship, a spot on the soccer team. It’s everything he’s ever wanted–but what if he deserves better?

Darius Kellner is having a bit of a year. Since his trip to Iran this past spring, a lot has changed. He’s getting along with his dad, and his best friend Sohrab is only a Skype call away. Between his first boyfriend, Landon, his varsity soccer practices, and his internship at his favorite tea shop, Darius is feeling pretty okay. Like he finally knows what it means to be Darius Kellner.

Then, of course, everything changes. Darius’s grandmothers are in town for a long visit while his dad is gone on business, and Darius isn’t sure whether they even like him. The internship isn’t what Darius thought it would be, and now he doesn’t know about turning tea into his career. He was sure he liked Landon, but when he starts hanging out with Chip–soccer teammate and best friend of Trent Bolger, epic bully–well, he’s just not so sure about Landon anymore, either.

Darius thought he knew exactly who he was and what he wanted, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe he deserves better.

K-pop Confidential by Stephan Lee Point [Crystal's Review]

Candace Park knows a lot about playing a role. For most of her life, she's been playing the role of the quiet Korean girl who takes all AP classes and plays a classical instrument, keeping her dreams of stardom-and her obsession with SLK, K-pop's top boyband-to herself. She doesn't see how a regular girl like her could possibly become one of those K-pop goddesses she sees on YouTube. Even though she can sing. Like, really sing.

So when Candace secretly enters a global audition held by SLK's music label, the last thing she expects is to actually get a coveted spot in their trainee program. And convincing her strict parents to let her to go is all but impossible ... although it's nothing compared to what comes next.

Under the strict supervision of her instructors at the label's headquarters in Seoul, Candace must perfect her performance skills to within an inch of her life, learn to speak Korean fluently, and navigate the complex hierarchies of her fellow trainees, all while following the strict rules of the industry. Rule number one? NO DATING, which becomes impossible to follow when she meets a dreamy boy trainee. And in the all-out battle to debut, Candace is in danger of planting herself in the middle of a scandal lighting up the K-pop fandom around the world.

If she doesn't have what it takes to become a perfect, hair-flipping K-pop idol, what will that mean for her family, who have sacrificed everything to give her the chance? And is a spot in the most hyped K-pop girl group of all time really worth risking her friendships, her future, and everything she believes in?

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le Simon Pulse

If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.

If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and spark and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.

For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring phở restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.

But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao together despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember.

Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?

Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers [Crystal's Review]

After a year of college, Pablo is working at his local twenty-four-hour deli, selling overpriced snacks to brownstone yuppies. He’s dodging calls from the student loan office and he has no idea what his next move is.

Leanna Smart’s life so far has been nothing but success. Age eight: Disney Mouseketeer; Age fifteen: first #1 single on the US pop chart; Age seventeen, *tenth* #1 single; and now, at Age nineteen…life is a queasy blur of private planes, weird hotel rooms, and strangers asking for selfies on the street.

When Leanna and Pab randomly meet at 4:00 a.m. in the middle of a snowstorm in Brooklyn, they both know they can’t be together forever. So, they keep things on the down-low and off Instagram for as long as they can. But it takes about three seconds before the world finds out…

The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo Farrar, Straus and Giroux [Jessica's Review]

Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn’t so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind?

Symptoms of a Heartbreak by Sona Charaipotra Imprint [K. Iman's Review]

The youngest doctor in America, an Indian-American teen makes her rounds―and falls head over heels―in the contemporary romantic comedy Symptoms of a Heartbreak.

Fresh from med school, sixteen-year-old medical prodigy Saira arrives for her first day at her new job: treating children with cancer. She’s always had to balance family and friendships with her celebrity as the Girl Genius―but she’s never had to prove herself to skeptical adult co-workers while adjusting to real life-and-death stakes. And working in the same hospital as her mother certainly isn’t making things any easier.

But life gets complicated when Saira finds herself falling in love with a patient: a cute teen boy who’s been diagnosed with cancer. And when she risks her brand new career to try to improve his chances, it could cost her everything.

It turns out “heartbreak” is the one thing she still doesn’t know how to treat.

In her solo debut, Sona Charaipotra brings us a compelling #ownvoices protagonist who’s not afraid to chase what she wants. Symptoms of a Heartbreak goes from romantic comedy highs to tearjerker lows and is the ultimate cure-all for young adult readers needing an infusion of something heartfelt.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee G.P. Putnam’s Sons [Crystal's Review]

Atlanta, 1890: By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady’s maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, “Dear Miss Sweetie.” When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society’s ills, but she’s not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender.

While her opponents clamor to uncover the secret identity of Miss Sweetie, a mysterious letter sets Jo off on a search for her own past and the parents who abandoned her as a baby. But when her efforts put her in the crosshairs of Atlanta’s most notorious criminal, Jo must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light. With prose that is witty, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, Stacey Lee masterfully crafts an extraordinary social drama set in the New South.