#queueing for my 21st <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[candiedstrwb]

just to let everyone know i'm on a small lil hiatus from 2 / 6 / 24 to 2 / 20 / 2024 <3

[wrinkly-fucking-qtip]

How could they be celebrating a fake coming out when he was grieving the absence of bravery? The bravery it takes someone to come out

Another day another one shot, and today I wanted to give special thanks to that friend who listens to my endless rambling @anthruser

Ian was lying on his bed sideways. His face was swollen, and he wanted to scratch where the cuts were bleeding.

But being rejected by the one you love hurts more than a couple of punches. He knew that the love he felt was reciprocated (he wasn't stupid) but he hated that he was willing to risk his life for this relationship and Mick wasn't willing to do the same.

Lately he'd been dreaming about their future. A future without Terry, and a big house with a garden. When Mickey punched him today, he felt all of those happy scenarios in his head breaking into a million tiny pieces. With the first punch, the house collapsed and with the last, Terry laughed in victory.

He sat on his bed with the window open, while everyone celebrated Frank being a gay icon. Irony at its finest, life probably planned this to fuck with him one last time. How could they be celebrating a fake coming out when he was grieving the absence of bravery? The bravery it takes someone to come out

One drag and the scent that filled his nostrils smelled too much like him. His tattooed knuckles wrapped in smoke...Ian could play the scene in his head.

Thinking of a strategy to get him back was straight out of a teen movie, though getting married to the woman you were forced to fuck didn't sound like the plot of any teen movie he'd watched.

If he shuts his eyes just for a little too long, he can see Mickey's face while he was punching him and surprisingly it doesn't look angry. He was devastated, as if he was getting stabbed with every hit, every kick.

Other people wouldn't have noticed but Ian did. He tore him apart before the wedding could do that job, it was almost poetic.

Another drag, another thought. What will everyone say when Ian explains that he stole the groom? The thought of that declaration coming out of his mouth almost made him giggle, but it wasn't far from what was going to happen. He could imagine himself walking down the aisle, taking Mickey's hand, and running away to a faraway place where no one could hurt them again.

He needed to rest, he was starting to go mad. Life isn't a fairytale but sometimes you have to act like Prince Charming or his South Side equivalent.

[forgot-how-catflap-works]

Hot take: Sisyphys got a sweet deal

We must imagine Sisyphus happy, according to existentialist philosopher Albert Camus. It’s one of his hottest and most widely known takes. The idea that when confronted with the meaninglessness of his existence, condemned for all eternity to push a boulder up a mountain only for it to roll back down, dear old Sisyphus may find contentment. What other choice does he have after all? 

(Showing my age here with the rage face meme and will not apologise #MillenialPride)

The assertion is that we mortals are faced with a similar conundrum. Life is unpredictable, chaotic, and frequently terrifying. With nothing but the infinite void to look forward to, how are we to spend our days? Either we embrace religion and pray for eternal salvation, skip the queue to the void by killing ourselves because it doesn’t make any difference in the end, or laugh at the absurdity of it all and find joy in the simple act of being here. It is up to us to create our own meaning. 

On my good days this notion provides me a lot of comfort, and links in nicely with the zen buddhist idea that this moment is the only thing we truly have. So the take home is to embrace it, and live fully for the moment. It’s all very Dead Poets Society or, if you’re like me and have never seen that film, the B plot in Season 1, Episode 3 of Community.  In the immortal words of Professor Whitman, “Seize the day Jeff, for real. Go running naked in a hailstorm, kiss a girl in the middle of the day, fly a kite but do it for yourself! Or you wot just fail my class, you’ll fail life.” 

On my bad days however, I’m just salty about it. Suddenly the pressure to create my own meaning in the limited time I have becomes crippling to the point of paralysis. Every moment not spent living my best life is a moment wasted. I move steadily towards the grave, the years ahead steadily becoming fewer than those behind. What have I achieved with these dwindling hours, these precious days in which I am burdened to create my own meaning? I’ll tell you what I’ve done; play RuneScape and be depressed.

The problem with transferring this thinking from Sisyphus to a human living under late stage capitalism in the 21st century, is that Sisyphys didn’t have to go to a fucking job everyday. All he had to do was push a boulder! All day! Piece of piss mate. 

What I wouldn’t give to just push a boulder all day. No laundry, no dishes, no reletenlessly targeted advertising and no more fucking work emails or meetings. I bet Sisyphys never once had a melon-related panic attack in the fruit aisle of Aldi. On top of that, pushing a massive boulder to the top of a mountain is an incredible workout. Right now I have to drive nearly 30 minutes to go and sweat in a leisure centre while strangers grunt in my periphery. Give me the boulder any day. I want that head empty, no thoughts, brain scampled egg life baby. Release me from the curse of my own self-awareness. 

Okay, I get it that Albert Camu grew up in poverty, survived tuberculosis, and lived through the Second World War. I readily admit that my “melon crisis” doesn’t stack up in comparison.  All I’m saying is, it’s pretty easy to imagine someone happy when they are free from the mountains of bullshit that besiege us every single day. I am completely overwhelmed by the mere act of existing under capitalism. The sheer number of decisions I have to make every single day just to get from one end to the next breaks my autistic brain. I can’t handle it, didn’t ask for it, and I certainly don’t want it. But surely we could do literally anything else? 

I know it’s sort of laughable to say, “Let’s all go back to a simple, agrarian existence where we live off the land and chill by a waterfall smoking phat blunts.” Like, obviously that sounds a thousand times better than what we’re doing now, but short of a catastrophic societal collapse and then thousands of years of recovery, that’s not going to happen. Did you know it (sort of) takes six months and over $1,500 dollars to make a single chicken sandwich from scratch? Sustaining a single human life requires an incredible amount of work. 

There are so many of us, and we’re so connected and interdependent on each other as a species. No organism on the planet comes close to what we have built for ourselves and it is an amazing feat by every conceivable metric. But what is it all for? Have we ever once as a civilisation stopped and asked ourselves why we’re doing any of this? 

For whatever reason, we are apparently limited in our conception of all that remains possible. A civilisation disjointed and misaligned, adrift on this rock hurtling through space at mind boggling speeds, confronted with the meaninglessness of it all and refusing to collectively acknowledge it for even a moment. 

It’s like we’re still locked in that primordial stage of evolution, where we must accrue resources to survive the harsh winter and outlive our rivals. When we predominantly existed as smaller bands or tribes, that made a lot of sense. But now we are a single connected superorganism, our sense of competition is squarely in opposition to our sense of collaboration. 

We broadly recognise the need to collaborate in tackling existential threats like climate change, yet our primal competitiveness sees us knee jerking our way back towards fascism. It’s like we’ve gone to the doctor about a backache and they prescribed a dozen hungry tigers to be administered immediately. We’re still acting as though there is not enough to go around, when there is in fact plenty; it has just been misallocated. I am left always wondering why? What do we have to gain from eating ourselves alive?

I cannot help but think it comes from a petulant refusal to collectively acknowledge the void. We struggle desperately for meaning, to leave a legacy, but forget that it is impossible. Even those who live on in infamy after their death will one day perish from the collective consciousness. Our sun will die, all heat will fade from the universe until it is nothing but a barren, lifeless waste. No tower you build or lineage you foster will outlast that. Yet we sit watching helplessly as oligarchs and plutocrats rail against their own mortality to catastrophic and destructive consequences for the rest of us. I suppose in the long run, that doesn’t really matter though does it? 

We have made a home for ourselves in the belly of a vast, insatiable beast. A beast so hungry for our blood and labour that it stifles anything that cannot be effectively comodified. How are we to find happiness and peace under such conditions? It is simply not a priority. 

To quote folk punk band AJJ: 

This is no exaggeration, we're living in a death machine

And no, it's not just your imagination

You've been living in a death machine

Some of us are passengers, and some of us are driving

Almost everybody's getting bled to death to keep the motor running

Sisyhus at least is free from its roiling guts, and in that freedom it is not difficult to imagine him happy. For the rest of us, it takes a little more effort and a lot more work. 

[yespleasetommyshelby]

I need you now - Modern!Tommy Shelby Imagine

Part 3 of Before he cheats - Based off of I Need You Now by Lady Antebellum

Requested - kinda - @jadesjam sent this as an idea for part 2 but I flipped and made it the third and final part of before he cheats! It hasn't been proofread so beware!

Enjoy! 🥰

------------

"No." I sighed for the upteenth time.

"Oh come on y/n, it's been weeks since all that shit with Tommy, it's about time you come and find yourself a rebound!" My longest friend Leah practically begged down the phone, her birthday was coming up and she'd been trying for the last hour to get me to go out for her pre-birthday bash.

"Le, you know I love you but I'm really not in the mood tonight, we'll do something in a couple days, okay?" I sighed, trying to find some middle ground so the conversation could end.

"Okay fine, but I'll hold you to that! Love you girl!" She cheered happily through the phone, my answer enough to stop the pestering, for now.

"Have fun babe, love you too!" I smiled before hanging up, the smile dropping from my face as soon as the beep sounds. "Guess it's just you and me." I whispered as I looked down at the shoebox in my lap.

Checking the time I couldn't help but laugh slightly at how the time had managed to get away from me, with the clock reading 1:04am I couldn't help but laugh slightly as I looked over the piles of photographs that were covering the floor. "Picture perfect memories, scattered all around the floor, reaching for the phone cause I can't fight it anymore." I sighed, picking one up and focusing on the smiling faces beaming back at me, it was from my 21st birthday around ten minutes after Tommy had officially asked me to be his. We were so happy, everyone was so happy that night, laughing and singing being the only thing to be heard throughout Small Heath that night as everybody celebrated their king finding his queen.

Putting the picture down I reached up to wipe the line tear that has slid down my cheek, sniffing quietly before I picked up another, this one of me and all of the Shelby siblings, Ada and John on one side with Tommy and Arthur the other, even at 16 years old and apparently seeing Greta, Tommy still has his arm round my shoulders, my head resting on his arm. Throwing the picture to the side I huffed as I rubbed my hands over my face, the thought of Greta leading me down a rabbit hole.

"I wonder if I ever cross your mind, for me it happens all the time." I spoke to myself, "Probably not, you've probably had a whole queue of women waiting for this to happen." My voice cracked as I said what I'd been thinking out loud for the first time. "Maybe I should just send a quick text..." I whispered, picking up my phone, opening Tommys contact I paused before starting to type.

It's 1am, I'm all alone and I need you now, I said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now.

Shaking my head I quickly deleted the message and locked my phone, throwing it onto the floor besides me. "Don't give him the satisfaction." I reminded myself with a sigh.

The loud shrill of phone made me shriek, my hand flying to my chest to try and soothe my racing heart. "Motherfuck." I breathed out, reaching over and seeing it's Leah calling.

"Hey Le, what's up?" I asked worried, knowing that she never called when she was out, unless there was a problem.

"Baaaaabe! You'll never guess where we are!" Her cheery voice burst through the phone making me wince slightly. "The garrison!" She squealed without waiting for an answer.

"That's great Leah, but I'm still not coming out tonight." I sighed, not understanding where she was going with this.

"Yeah, yeah, -- all depressed, I know, but I also know that lover -- is just as bad as -- are, if -- worse." She laughed through the phone, the music and voices in the background muffling half of her sentence.

"I can't hear you properly Le." I smiled slightly, her giggles infectious. "Le?" The beep of the phone indicated that she'd hung up. "What the hell was that about?" I muttered, my question answered two seconds later as my phone buzzed again.

I said that lover boy is even worse than you!

A message from Leah with an image of Tommy attached, say at the corner of the bar in the Garrison alone, his head in his hand as his other holds onto a glass of whisky - probably. Just from the zoomed out picture I could see his hair had been left to grow out and his shirt had been left untucked, something that had never happened before, in public anyway.

"Oh baby." I couldn't help but sigh, my heart breaking all over again at the picture.

---

Keeping my eyes down I swigged the last dribble of amber liquid from the glass raising it high before rapping it in the bar a couple times, a sign for the bartender to refill. Feeling the glass being moved from my fingertips I looked up, giving the bartender a nod of thanks as he slid the bow full glass back to me.

Another shot of whisky, can't stop staring at the door, wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before. Rubbing my hand over my face I clenched my eyes as I thought of her, the reason I'd been sat here for the past few weeks doing nothing but drinking whisky after whisky and chain smoking till my chest hurt. Looking over at her door I couldn't help but think back to y/n's 21st birthday, the day we became official, she had come barreling into the garrison with her windswept hair and rosy cheeks absolutely fuming because she thought that everyone had forgot her birthday before the shout of surprise had her forgetting she was ever mad. Shaking my head I couldn't help but wonder if I ever cross her mind, for me it happens all the time, every little thing reminding me of her.

"Fuck sake." I growled to myself, pulling out my phone to check the time. "Quarter past fucking one and I'm sat drinking by myself, again, Thomas Shelby the king of fucking Small Heath aye." I chuckled ironically. Not like I hadn't had plenty of offers during my evenings rotting away at my own bar, but none of them were her, none of them were my y/n.

My heart started to race slightly as I noticed the missed call notification only to drop again as Arthur's name came into view. She said she didn't want to hear from me but surely one text won't hurt, right?

It's 1:15 I'm a little drunk and I need you now, I said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now, and I don't know how I can do without - I just need you now

I'll be at the Garrison - T x

"Fucking pathetic Tom." I shook my head before locking the phone, not realising my thumb had already hit send.

----

1:17, it had taken all of 3 minutes to reach the Garrison, shoving my hands into my pocket so said as I stared up at the gold sign above the door, a door that I'd walked through so may times before but never feeling like this. I jumped slightly as my phone buzzed at the same time as a group of girls can tumbling out the door, laughing and stumbling down the road as they held onto each other for support, I couldn't help but laugh slightly before pushing open the doors.

Stepping through the doorways Leah and the girls immediately caught my eye, giving me a quick wave she grinned before pointing over to the bar my eyes immediately landing on the mop top of black hair and slumped shoulders in the corner. Sending her a quick smile I slowly made my way over to Tommy, hesitantly taking a seat on the stool next to him.

"Not interested." He muttered making me jump slightly.

"Meh, I like your brother more anyway." I shrugged, giggling slightly as his head shot up, eyes wide as he stared at me.

"Y/n.." He breathed out, reaching his hand out he placed his palm on my cheek almost as though he was checking I was really there. "Y/n, I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry." He muttered, pulling me forwards slightly and resting his forehead against mine.

"Tommy I-" I took a breath, struggling to think clearly being this close to him after so much time, the longest we'd been apart since we'd met some ten years ago now. "I'm sorry too, I should've let you explain, should've listened to you." My voice wobbled slightly, pulling away I used my sleeve to wipe away the tears that had started to fall before resting my hand on his.

"I figured it would be easier to just finish things, after hearing about you and Gracie I just couldn't think of anything else... And I just lost it.. I dunno Tom. I guess I just, I guess I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all." I whispered, knowing that over the past few weeks that's exactly how I'd felt, nothing.

"Hey, don't you dare apologise, these past few weeks have been nothing but my fault, and I promise you y/n with everything I have and will ever have, I will spend every day of our future making it up to you. If you'll let me, just one last chance, please." He trailed off, his eyes on mine the whole time.

"One chance Tommy, that's all we have left." I whispered, my grip tightening around his wrist slightly.

"That's all I need." He smirked standing up and pulling me along with him, his arms wrapping around my waist and mine came up around his neck, playing with the longer hair at the nape of his neck. Pulling me in he placed his lips on mine, moving in sync I couldn't help but smile, the Tommy shaped hole in my heart slowly shrinking.

"I missed you so much." He mumbled after we pulled away, resting his chin on the the top of my head as he pulled me into a hug, completely ignoring the looks he was getting from the punters who had never even seen him smile before.

"I missed you too Tommy." I sighed happily, resting my head on his chest, sending a quick wink to Leah as she caught my eye, making her erupt into screams, much to the confusion of everyone else.

"So that's how you found me aye?" Tommy chuckled, the sound echoing through his chest.

"She helped yeah, but there was also the text you sent." I giggled slightly, as I head the faint 'shit' leave his lips. "It's okay Tommy, I love it when you're cheesy." I grinned, patting his chest as I looked up at him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He chuckled as he shook his head. "I love you." He whispered, eyes locked onto mine.

"I love you too." I smiled, placing a quick peck to his lips before resting my head back against his chest. "Oh and Tom?" I muttered without looking up, only the slight hum letting me know he heard.

"I'm sorry about your car."

----

And there we have it! I know it's slightly shorter and I personally don't feel like this part is even nearly as good as the previous two, but hey, we move on!

Thank you for reading and I do hope you've enjoyed! 🥰❤️

[jokeroutsubs]

[ENG translation] Joker Out, the kings of charisma, conquer Europe: "What's happening is incredible!"

Interview with Bojan and Jure. The original article was written by Alma Rahne for Metropolitan, it was published on 29.12.2023. English translation by @varianestoroff, proof read by a member of JokerOutSubs.

Photo: Dean Grainger

Travel to the other side of the world, learn Slovene and queue for the concert from 7 am. The fans are willing to do all this for them. If 2023 was a year of overachievement for Joker Out, get ready for the new wave coming in 2024.

It's been a very successful year for the boys, if not the best year yet. With their Eurovision performance, watched by around 200 million people worldwide, their musical fairytale has begun.

Although they ended up in 21st place, undeserved according to many, they put their joker* to good use. But they have left their mark on Europe, as Eurovision fans voted them kings of charisma just a few days ago.

*The Joker is a playing card found in most modern French-suited card decks, as an addition to the standard four suits. It often acts as a wild card (a card that may be used to represent another card or cards). Here, the journalist creates a pun based on the value of the card and the name of the band.

In life, as with cards, sometimes you have to take risks to win. And Joker Out are definitely the winners, having achieved more out of their 3-minute Eurovision performance than they might have dared to dream of in the first place.

A few days ago, the boys successfully ended their first European tour, where their fans sang out loud in Slovene and started learning the language because of them. It sounds unbelievable, but that's what they achieved this year. Every time we meet - whether for interviews, backstage at gigs or on the street - I notice that despite all their achievements over the last year, they are down to Earth and true to themselves and really enjoy what they do.

Photo: Instagram/Joker Out/Mark Pirc/Vita Orehek

I would dare to say that they are currently the only band in Slovenia that proves that they can break boundaries and impress abroad with their authenticity, perseverance and singing in Slovene. With his consent, I'm going to borrow the words of the fellow journalist Gašper Završnik, a correspondent of Delo in Madrid, who was also at their December concert. He described his impressions and their performance by saying, "Joker Out are to Slovene what the Cervantes Institute* is to Spanish." He later told me that he could not remember such euphoria about a foreign band in Spain.

*The Cervantes Institute is a public cultural institution created with the aim of promoting and teaching the Spanish language and disseminating Spanish and Hispanic culture.

With New Year just around the corner, it's only right to look back and see first-hand how Bojan Cvjetićanin and Jure Maček, members of Joker Out, spent 2023. Before they and the other members Kris Guštin, Jan Peteh and Nace Jordan perform in front of the Slovenian audience for the last time this year on Saturday the 30th of December at Kongresni trg, in this interview they revealed their plans for 2024, talked about life on tour and gave details of their new upcoming single.

How would you describe the year behind you?

Jure: We collected a lot of miles by buying so many plane tickets. We had lots of flights, Bojan would say it was very turbulent. But for me it was quite a hard year.

Bojan: I would say a perfect year. We really seized it to the fullest. I think we have milked 2023 dry. We have done everything, we have really put everything we have in us. We have given every last inch of ourselves, but we have also taken everything we could.

Photo: Vita Orehek

Since you devoted yourselves especially to music and your career, was there any field in which you weren't the best?

Bojan: My garden bed fell apart.

Jure: I don't have a girlfriend.

Bojan: Neither do I. (laughs) We don't have a girlfriend, we don't have money...

Jure: We see our family more rarely.

Bojan: See, a great year. (laughs)

Jure Maček, photo by Mediaspeed/Sandi Fišer

Bojan, you mentioned that your biggest goal was to perform at the Sziget festival, which you will do next year. What's next, will you set a new goal?

I told myself that I didn't want new goals to determine success. Let's say, we always had in the back of our minds that this is something that happens and means success. We always saw Sziget as, "You really succeed when you perform on the main stage at Sziget." For us (Jokers) it's the most legendary festival in Europe. And once we conquer that, as far as I'm concerned, there are no more goals that determine success. For me, it's all a plus after that and I want us to make new music, have a good time and enjoy it. Like we are now, with the new single. Every time we record a new song we're going to be happy, listen to it, play it a thousand times and call each other to say how good it is. That's all I want.

Have you ever been to Sziget?

Jure: No, never.

Bojan: Unfortunately not, I had everything ready to go twice. Once I got sick, and the other time we had a concert the day before.

Jan Peteh, photo by Mediaspeed/Borut Cvetko

What do you do when a Joker Out concert coincides with something else you've been wanting to visit or see for a while? Career probably has priority... Is there a bitter aftertaste that night at the concert?

Bojan: Let's not lie to ourselves. It depends on the gig. If it's something that you would love to miss, but you have to do it because it's the whole band's business, not your own, then you might go on stage with a bitter aftertaste.

Jure: We just had a concert in Celje and at the same time my former band Čedahuči had a concert in Kino Šiška. I really wanted to go, but it didn't work out.

Bojan: It really hurts then, but what can you do, that's just the way it is. But it was a great concert in Celje. I got sick, I was on stage with a fever. I would have liked to lie at home, but in the end the concert healed me. I sweated there, I excercised a little and I changed my mindset. I woke up the next day 200 times better.

You've just finished recording a new single. What can you reveal?

Jure: We can say that it is a ballad.I think I can feel it the most out of the all songs so far.

Bojan: I would say it's the most different so far. Maybe as a songwriter I put myself out there most directly, it's quite a therapeutic song.

Where did the inspiration come from?

Bojan: At the end of July, things started happening and inspired me to write this song. The lyrics didn't take long to develop. I wrote the main part when we were in the studio recording the English single 'Sunny Side of London'. That's when this 'jam' happened, which we took as the basis for the song. I had already written the lyrics for the verses and the chorus... I can reveal that the song will be in English (smiles).

Bojan Cvjetićanin, photo by Profimedia

How do you approach songwriting? With the aim of making it a hit?

Jure: No, we all just have to feel the song. That's the most important thing.

Bojan: I think the release of the upcoming single is very brave for a band in our position. Because it's quite possible that it won't be a hit at all. The song is really different... but if people feel the song the way we did, it could be our biggest hit. We really didn't play the 'certainty card'.

Have you ever thought about writing a song using ChatGPT*?

Bojan: No, but we have tested how it works.

*ChatGPT is a chatbot based on artificial intelligence and machine learning, developed by OpenAI and specialised in conversation with a human user.

Fans bring different banners to your concerts, which they make themselves. Is there a sign that you remember the most?

Jure: I'm the furthest away from the audience and I see the least of them (laughs). I don't remember any in particular at the moment. But I have to say that they are really original.

Bojan: They're really sick, because they're so indecent (laughs). I often times couldn't stop myself from laughing in the middle of singing, thinking, 'who thought of that?' But it's really sick, because they hold it up for an hour and wait for me to read it.

Jure: And the people behind them are shouting at them and asking them to move it, because it's blocking their view of the stage (laughs).

Bojan: I think the one that got my attention the most was in Rijeka: "Bojan, why did you invite so many people to our date?" They can be really creative.

Nace Jordan, photo by Profimedia

A fellow journalist from Delo attended your concert in Madrid at the beginning of December and wrote on social media: Joker Out is to Slovene what the Cervantes Institute is to Spanish. Those of us who are involved, connected with Spanish, know that this is a great compliment. Any comment?

Bojan: I saw what he wrote, and as I am also a bit involved with Spanish (smiles), I was very honoured that it came out of his mouth. The concert in Madrid was really excellent. It was an explosion of energy that can only happen by accident, and I am glad that he was at that concert. In fact, what is happening is incredible. We go around Europe and people sing in Slovene for an hour and a half. That is probably something that has never happened before. They are learning phrases in Slovene so that they can say them to us. They bring us textbooks and dictionaries to sign.

Do you feel that you have such a big influence on your fans? Did you ever imagine that your fans would learn Slovene because of you?

Jure: That's so weird. It's like being in a bubble all the time.

Bojan: We are not personifying these people. On stage, we are ourselves, but still an acquaintance. There I am Bojan Cvjetićanin for them, but for myself I am Bojč. I am Bojč when none of the band members take me seriously. Or when they flip me off if I say something stupid. (smiles) When I get home, though, I'm the same Bojč that I was when I was 10 years old. I don't think you can understand that, which is fine. Thank God... I'm still myself on stage, just in a different role.

What is the hardest part of touring?

Jure: Just the journey, the means of transportation - planes.

Bojan: Getting sick.

What is a typical day like for you when you are on tour?

Jure: After the concert we go straight to the hotel, shower and sleep as soon as possible. Around 2am we fall asleep, and between 4am and 5am we're awake because we have a flight to catch. We have to be at the airport at 7, we have a flight at 8 and we are in the next city, the next country, by 11. Then we go to the concert venue, we get there between 1 and 2 pm. From 2 to 4 we are free, then we go to the hotel to rest a little. Our technicians have it worse, because they start preparing the stage, the sound system. Between 4 and 5 there is the sound check, dinner at 6 and the concert at 8. And the next day we repeat it again. (Smiles)

What about on the tour bus?

Jure: You have your own home on the bus. The day looks similar, except that we shower after the concert backstage and get on the bus when we want, fall asleep and wake up when we want. That is the main difference. Because you're driving overnight and you usually get to the next town at 10 o'clock, wake up, look out the window and you're somewhere else.

Bojan: Usually the tour bus is parked outside the concert venue.

Are your most passionate fans waiting for you outside the bus?

Bojan: That too. Last time I woke up at seven to go to the toilet and look out the window. We had just come from Wroclaw to Poznan and there were 50 people outside and I was still dizzy (laughs).

Jure: It's much easier to travel by bus. When I came back from Poland after a 10-day tour in a tour bus, I joked that I came back so fresh that I could come home at 10 o'clock and say, "Mother, what can I do today?"(Smiles).

Kris Guštin, photo by Profimedia

In your experience, what contributes more to success: talent or hard work?

Bojan: Neither. But many people have gone very far with hard work, even if they didn't have much talent. I would say that hard work is important and surrounding yourself with people who have talent and want the best for you. If you don't have talent yourself.

With the New Year, you are going abroad. What is the main purpose, what will you be doing?

Jure: We're moving to London for two months at the beginning of January. We've rented a house and a garage there, where we'll work and rehearse the new songs. Then in March we go on a European tour for a month. We'll be home for the holidays and then we're going back to England. In mid-April we're going to Germany for a month in the studio and we hope to record the album by mid-May. And then the festival season, the album release and everything that follows.

Bojan: Then soon Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (laughs).

Photo by Vita Orehek

[mingos]

*crawls out of the ground like a mole, coughing up copious amounts of dirt*

so, hello.

    i try to keep things as vague & light as possible when referencing my homelife because, honestly, the last time i brought up anything tangentially related i was essentially told “you being upset is making other people upset and ruining the fun” so being anything other than ✨chaotic positivity gremlin wilder ✨ here makes me paranoid, hence why i’ll just disappear for weeks sometimes. 

but. 

i’ve clearly been gone for a bit, will probably be gone for a bit longer, and since i’ve been getting messages from folks wanting to check in on me i wanna give a more detailed update than usual. i feel guilty for not responding directly, but for reasons i can’t get detailed on other than “the idea of having a conversation with 99.9% of people right now is terrifying” (is this what being nonverbal is, chat?) with even the .1% being a super recent development, a queue post into the void is my solution.

i won’t get that detailed, but if light references to domestic abuse, addiction, or just family issues in general are hard subjects for you - nothing past this paragraph is too pertinent anyway, so don’t worry about having to stop. all you gotta know is that some Bad Stuff with family happened, but i’m safe & i’ll be back in maybe another week or something. 

anyways. i was living out of hotels for about 3 weeks. 

more like 16-17 days if you want to get technical because 4 of those days i had an actual scheduled hotel for my twin’s wedding at the end of august - but i’ve basically been bouncing around since august 21st. the night of the 20th, i had a horrific fight with my family member and, for the first time ever, i left. don’t know if would call it brave on my part - since we were leaving for a trip anyway, this is just the first time my suitcase was already packed.

right now, i’ve been at another relative’s house since the 11th. i tried to go back on the 1st because, even after years of this, i’m apparently way too easy to convince everything is going to be fine…  but by the 2nd i was out of there again. 

currently mulling over my next move here because, as much as the common sense answer is to stay away, anybody who’s unfortunate enough to deal with this knows how complicated it is. i’m scared for this person’s safety as much as i am for my own. no one else really checks on them, and i’ve already had to deal with several medical emergencies they’ve had like bad falls & breathing problems. i don’t like leaving them alone for long because the guilt at the thought of something bad happening to them and no one knowing for possibly days or weeks eats me up.

i logically know i’ll have to get past that eventually because i can’t let my life be dictated by this incredibly toxic cycle forever or i’ll never be happy, but now isn’t the time. they also have a dog who would similarly be put at risk if something happened to them, so it’s a lot for me to worry about.

but, having said all that, we’re currently in the apology stage or i guess the negotiation stage because, after the shit that happened this time, i’m making it perfectly clear i’m not stepping foot in that house until they do something. detox, treatment, rehab, disulfiram, soberlink, therapy – something. we’re kind of running out of things for them to try at this point, but at least they used to try. they haven’t really been doing that this past year and I’m the one suffering the most because of it.

so yeah, that’s where things are at the moment. i’m mentally not doing so hot - but I’ve got my dog, and being able to sleep in a bed i’m familiar with for a change and not a hotel (I spent so much money on hotels, guys i’m cooked) is nice relief while I wait out whatever the hell is happening. talking to them over the phone again pretty much drains any of the energy I’ve got back, but it sounds like they’re starting to "get it' so hopefully they’ll start to take this seriously again because I can really only take one more year of this (if even) until I just need to accept these things aren’t my responsibility and move on.

honestly, having a close-knit group of friends/support system for the first time in years has really reminded me of that and given me the confidence to take a lot of steps to live for myself for a change, and to think about prioritizing my own happiness for once, which wasn’t the place i was in at this time last year, or the year before that, or the year before that - so I just want to say thank you again to anyone whose ever helped talk me through something or really just been nice to me at all. this is why i always remember to be kind because it can genuinely do a lot for someone going through something, because i know it has for me.

anyway uhhhhh i hope you are all doing well, and with any luck i’ll be chilling on here by the start of october. can’t miss spooky month and this insufferable pink bird’s birthday, after all.

much love.

[victoria-rue]

victoria-rue's Recommendation Masterlist

I was tired of play hide 'n seek with old stories in my likes. So I'm just going to leave them here so I can find them better and so other people can find them easier too ♥︎

Recommendation Masterlist part 1, part 2, part 3, & part 4

Stranger Things

Eddie Munson

Beth by @farfromharry

Eddie’s trying to navigate adulthood after a baby is dropped on him from a prior hookup. He tries his best for the baby girl and does well, things are made even easier with the help of his friends around him. When he meets you his life flips again, and although it takes a while to admit your feelings, he eventually ends up with a family he never expected he would have.

june baby by @luveline

you're a single mom living three trailers down. eddie thinks you're the prettiest girl he's ever seen. queue smiley face oatmeal, grossly misused power tools, desserts on the living room floor, a haircut, and an abundance of nerd metaphors

the pain of letting you go by @strangermarvelss

you've separated from your husband, eddie, but aren't looking to rebound anytime soon. but he is

Penny 'Verse by @queenimmadolla

having found a family in your friends, Hawkins is no longer a sinkhole to you, so when you and Eddie discover you’re expecting, letting all your other plans go in favor of starting a family isn’t all that difficult.

Billy Hargrove

18 by @perpetuelledaydreaming

Billy Hargrove needs a Queen and you need someone to help you get out of the hellhole that you are currently in as you move to Hawkins. It should be an easy and obvious solution, right?

the hurt is good by @bookshelf-dust

Steddie

Good Neighbors (Steddie X Reader) (Book One) by @justmeinadaze

You move into a new apartment complex with you six year old son while going through a divorce. You meet your sexy neighbors Steve and Eddie who are adorable with your kiddo and both care a lot about you.

We're A Family (Book Two) by @justmeinadaze

Steve, Eddie, reader, and her son are now all under one roof taking things one day at a time with their taboo little family.

Marvel

Steve Rogers

the send-off by @earth616variant

Being his best friend and assistant, Howard Stark asked you to be the first one to be tested on his time machine project. After some unexpected errors, you ended up stuck in the modern times of the 21st century. Where you meet the man you thought died years ago: Steve Rogers.

Peter Parker

Infinitely You by @spider-stark

In every universe you are the one person Peter Parker will always love more than anything; unfortunately, he always realizes it too late. Now that they've been granted a second chance none of them are willing to miss out on finally making things right.

Barbie

Ken

Kenough for you by @frost-queen

This Isn't Barbie Land by @guppydoll

You are working away as a waitress at a night club when the oddest man came up to you after your shift and accidentally swept you off your feet. Yet you don't know if you are ready for another relationship after the disaster that was your last one. You just hope everything goes nice and easy. Ken is your doll and he wants you to teach him how to be human and help you through the pain you've been feeling. 

Harry Potter

Draco Malfoy

Pure-Blood Potter by @fanfics4all

Are You With Me? by @sourstilinski

Y/N is a Slytherin muggle born. She’s used to her house ostracizing her due to her blood status and her friendship with the Golden Trio, especially Draco Malfoy. But during their fifth year, they discover they might need each other more than they think

Bill Weasley

long hair & tattoos by @wisteria-blooms

You, (Y/N) Malfoy, despise your family’s views on blood purity. Unlike your little brother Draco, you won’t be roped into marrying for status. However, when your father, Lucius, puts down an ultimatum, you’re forced to find a lover for next week’s dinner. With his long hair, tattoos, piercings, and your father’s worst nightmare reincarnated in a man, who better to bring than a much older Bill Weasley? What should’ve been one night of deceit turns to a battle of charades and wits. Just who will crumble first: your family, Bill, or you?

James Potter

𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 by @astonishment

James plans on proposing to Lily. Trying to calm his nerves, he goes for a walk in the woods, then somehow finds himself in the land of the dead, engaged to Y/N, the corpse bride. With his friends and girlfriend looking for him, can James make it back to the land of the living? Does he even want to?

Regulus Black

Manipulating Death: Season One by @morganalatina21

When Harry discovers he has a twin sister that was hiding for years, he wants to know all about her, specially about her ability to bring people back to life.

Second Son by @cherryslyce

Forbidden from contacting Harry over the summer, you opt to explore the eerie halls of Grimmauld Place where you stumble upon a lonely portrait of the House's second son.

Tom Riddle

Challenging fate by @lovebeinaprincessworld

There were a lot of unexpected things happening the day of the Battle of Hogwarts. Being send back into the past to change the course of history was definitely one of them.

Young Sheldon / The Big Bang Theory

Georgie Cooper

Texas Romance by @countrymusiclover

Y/n is Missy's high school friend, even though the Cooper girl is only in elementary school. She spends a lot of time at the Cooper house and learns what living with Sheldon was like. Through her years of high school, she realized that she's crushing on the eldest football playing brother Georgie. He's reckless and does things his mom doesn't approve of so Y/n questions herself of how she is falling for him. The two have to figure out if they can actually be a couple or not and deal with Missy's teasing.

The Texas Tire Family by @countrymusiclover

10 years after George Sr passed away Georgie and Y/n have to adjust to being the adults of the family. But when Sheldon reunites with the pair he needs them to come to his wedding, except Georgie tells him no. Dealing with two ten year olds and a secret they never expected to hear Sheldon was getting married.

Avatar

Jake Sully

Si fpom by @fluloa

You're dead to me by @chaethewriter

In which Jake Sully leaves his life on earth to settle down with the Omatikaya people as Toruk Makto. Having a family that consists of four kids with Neytiri, everything seems to work out just fine, but what if the past comes back for him? And his babygirl is right there in front of him?

folklore masterlist ✩ jake sully by @theseuscmander

widowed jake sully tries his hardest to heal from the loss of neytiri and you’re there to pick up the pieces and mend him back together, even if neither of you wanted to or realized.

Hoodie by @midnightsapphire

you thought jake was the one, now you’re grasping straws at what was.. and what could have been

I See You by @heirtothekingdom (now only on Ao3)

You observe the mighty warrior, the famed Toruk Makto, struggling to adjust to his new life in the Metkayina clan. The gentle whisperings of Eywa push you past your comfort to reach out a helping hand, to ease Jake Sully in the only way you can.

Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyo'itan

i want to see mama too by @dreamingofpandora

seven years ago, you had died alongside grace while trying to protect pandora. a few months after your death it was discovered that you were pregnant; leaving tsu'tey to raise your son vu'ran without you. but, things start to get strange when vu'ran is certain he saw you move.

Miles Quaritch

Ma Miles by @mechformers

When your son is taken, left behind by your Toruk Makto, you desperately go on the hunt for your boy. Knowing who took him, knowing that nothing good awaits him, you search high and low through the battlefield of Pandora, praying that Eywa will guide your way.

What Do I Tell My Friends Family by @plzfeedmebread

No More Than a Memory by @chaoticlicense

Miles isn't the same man as his human counterpart. The mistakes of the past are not his own. Neither are the feelings he has for a woman he's never met but remembers as though he has. In another life, you were everything to him. His light, his life, the one who brought a little joy to his dreary world. But you made your choice just as he made his. You both know that neither of you can change the past but maybe, just maybe, you can forge a new future…

Avatar: The New Mission by @milknhonies

After failing his mission to hunt down Jake Sully, Miles Quaritch is given a new mission. Let’s just say you’re not the most co-operative na’vi native and Quaritch loves to put you in your place.

Neteyam te Suli Tsyeyk'itan

ONE OF US by @forever--darling

neteyam sully was the next olo'eyktan and for years had been focused on his training and his responsibilities only. he had never accounted for you to become one of them. when you got your avatar body and ended up in the forest alone, being brought to the village and offered to be taught the ways of the people wasn't what you expected. let alone it being neteyam, future olo'eyktan becoming your teacher.

“you make me feel brave//you make me feel safe” by @thesparkisnearlygone

alyara was only six weeks old when she was left behind as the sky people were forced to leave pandora 19 years ago. she was raised by Norm and Max, and she grew up running through the forest of pandora with the sully’s. her love for neteyam had blossomed over the years, but she knew nothing could come of her feelings for him, even after she is surprised with her own avatar. still, she can’t seem to picture herself with anyone else, and she will soon find that her feelings are not unrequited.

Charming Killer by @writing-makes-me-human

You get chased into the wilds of Pandora with a broken communication collar and a bullet wound, but Neteyam finds you. He goes to kill you but an omen from Eywa stops him, and as he approaches you he realizes you are his destined mate.

His Secret Admirer by @teyums

All Of My Love by @kurogxrix

IN WHICH Neteyam’s mother and clan disapproves of your relationship, because you’re a dreamwalker. When you both advance in your relationship, the clan cannot help but attempt to ruin things for the both of you.

Ao’nung

Weakened by Eywa by @shkudss

Ao’nung finally realizes that his actions have consequences

Jake & Neytiri

My Heart Never Knows by @star-girl69

In the safety of the Reef, you know no war. You only know your family, the feel of the ocean on your skin, the feel of the wind blowing through your hair. You know only simple things, the barely there shine of the sun, a reprieve from where you are covered by your sister. You are the moon and she is the sun, and you are destined to live like this. You had long since given up any hopes of a mate until the Forest People arrive, on their colorful flying ikrans. Ronal does not like them. Tonowari respects them. Tsireya is entranced, Ao’nung sees them as new market to tease. With your family divided, you do not know how to feel about them. Until you See them, the parents of this family, Jake Sully and Neytiri, and the sun suddenly feels so much brighter. But your heart never know the future. It is in the hands of Eywa, but you cannot give your heart to these strangers knowing it could hurt. But, it seems this strange man and woman have other plans.

Keep Me Ablaze (Book One) by @star-girl69

The only mother you have ever known is the forest. Yes, you have Grace, other women at the base. But they are not quite your mother. It’s hard for your Aunt to talk about her- but how can you blame her? Alone and drifting through the world, a fire burning inside of you that threatens to snuff out, Grace teaches you alongside the Omaticaya at her school. They call her sa’nok, and sometimes you wish you could call her that too. But you feel like you would be betraying your mother. Neytiri is your spark, even while you’re young, shy when Grace pushes you to play with her and even shyer when the two of you form a tentative friendship. But it grows, and she grows into the woman you know now. Life without her is miserable, but at least you have something new to explore in the form of your Avatar. You run through the forests and help Grace, and soon you are 20 years old and looking out onto your life like it is a prison. You could leave. Go to Earth. But you couldn’t leave the forest, your Aunt, the memories of your mother and father. Then, Jake Sully comes, a warrior with no legs, who holds the same spark as Neytiri does. But with the weight of impending war looming on each of you, death everywhere, you don’t know if they can keep you ablaze.

Ember in Your Hands (Book Two) by @star-girl69

Although a part of you had died, you found that you were still full of life. With children running around and healed scars, life is what you dreamed about during those dark nights so long ago. You don’t know betrayal anymore, you don’t know loss or suffering. When you’re forced out of the only home you’ve ever known, you find yourself becoming hateful and bitter. You blame your mates, who have only ever burned for you, for all that has happened. You’ve changed and they’ve changed, and you’re not sure if they can keep you ablaze- not this time. You’re just an ember in your hands.

Yawnetu by @sunandsstars

One other mate was enough, but two? Unneeded. _ was the outcast, the unwanted woman. Jake and Neytiri wouldn’t ever see her..right?

Tonowari & Ronal

Yawnetu by @sunandsstars

With her arrival in Awa’atlu, reader seeks to find a sanctuary for her family, one that she may find in two particular individuals

Neteyam & Ao’nung

He's Not So Bad by @biolumilunareclipse

your parents as well as the his had decided that you would be ao’nungs mate and the tsahìk of the metkayina clan. you were to be mated after you had both reached a certain point in your training. naturally, they suggested you help ao’nung and tsireya help teach the forest people your ways in your free time. this allows you to develope a close bond with the eldest son, neteyam, with whom you have plenty in common. as time passes and ao’nung becomes more accepting of them, he realizes they have plenty in common as well.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Willy Wonka

Chocolate Princess by @the-girl-wh0-cries-w0lf

Y/n Ficklegruber can't help but become enamoured with the spectacularly peculiar man stood in the middle of the galleria.

The Candy Man by @kteezy997

Enola Holmes/Bridgerton

Sherlock Holmes

Upon a nightly walk by @frost-queen

Having snuck out of the house to explore the town at night, you stumble upon a drunken Sherlock. His drunken behavior very silly and adorable to you, you take it upon yourself to escort him home. Once there, you find it hard to leave him alone so you decide to stay. Which comes to a surprise for a waking Sherlock who tends with care for his sweet savior. 

Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether

Love at first encounter by @frost-queen

The moment I knew by @frost-queen

You are very bubbly, sweet and wise. Every since you were a little girl you dreamed of becoming a princess. One day you meet Tewkesbury, completely smitten by him and he by you. You are very certain about your future with him after meeting him once. Later during family diner, you tell your siblings you are to marry him. Leaving them with different reactions to your sudden news.

Benedict Bridgerton

love letters and seconds sons by @jimblejamblewritings

The princess is finally ready to debut in society. But before she does, she decides to disguise herself and see the true faces of the ton.

The Bear

Carmen Berzatto

Six Months by @aestheticaltcow

parenthood angst

[nerdieforpedro]

Weekend Update 05/12/2024

I’m back! Two weeks in a row!

Very good Nerdie. We appreciate this. We’ve been keeping tabs and you’ve been busy this week.

I did dabble in a few things this week.

A new discord server started by myself and my friend fhatbhabie for Latinx/Black/POC Pedro stans. It’s one of those things where I shouldn't have been as surprised by the overwhelming support for it as I was. It’s actually been pretty awesome and I’ve had very thoughtful DMs. The name of the server is Unhinged Clubhouse.

I wrote my first mostly smut fic in a while with Dave York. Trule wasn’t expecting him of all Pedro characters but, the smut fairy does what she wants, when she wants and I just gotta roll with it. It was another entry for Jett’s Flora & Fauna Challenge. 

Going through my inbox - mostly caught up but still a few outstanding replied to be made. Sorry about that.

Lastly, working on WIPs and deciding in addition to working more on Weddings 101 with Dieter, which other series I’ve been working on did I want to pop out there? Frankie and Ezra’s series are finished and I think I might wrap up the on Din series in the next part or two. The other Din series I have to workshop a bit. I have ideas of who I want to pop up next from Star Wars, I just need to work it in. 

Also Weddings Dieter: Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow and cheese? How do we feel about this? I also could use some help in deciding between the following for my next series: Marcus Pike vs. hot dogs + therapy, me finally writing nice things for Javi P, Dieter + brick house + you and a baby, and Pero Tovar + Dragon for revenge? 

Lastly, does anyone have some prompts for nipples? It sounds weird, but consider, this is me. Also with @mysterious-moonstruck-musings influence, I have a weird bullet point list and made a horrible drawing. I just need to write something so it will leave my mind. I hope. 

Side note: Nerdie now has reblogs queued up to July 21st. The queue shall know no rest! 😎

Nerdie, like are you sure there’s no recreational use of anything? Like really sure?

Nah, these ideas are all from a sober mind. And I shudder to think what I would be like if I did, so I don’t partake. Mainly because I’m a scaredy cat and also my alcohol tolerance is low. Plus I like mixed drinks. 🤭

Now it’s time for everyone’s favorite part:

Fic recommendations! I read a lot this week!

1. Worth A Thousand Words by @intoanotherworld23 (Joel Miller x f reader)

2. Chapter 1 - Howdy Neighbor! by @inept-the-magnificent (Frankie Morales x Plus sized OFC)

3. A Rugged Kindness by @pedropascalsx (Pero Tovar x F reader)

4. Just the Lilac by @djarinmuse (Dieter Bravo x F reader/OC)

5. Torment Part 2 - Terror by @djarinmuse (Din Djarin x Fem OFC)

6. Torment Part 3 - Horror by @djarinmuse (Din Djarin x Fem OFC)

7. Torment Part 4 - Wounded by @djarinmuse (Din Djarin x Fem OFC)

8. Torment Part 5 - Victims by @djarinmuse (Din Djarin x Fem OFC)

9. Torment Part 6 - Trauma by @djarinmuse (Din Djarin x Fem OFC)

10. Torment Part 7 - Healing by @djarinmuse (Din Djarin x Fem OFC)

11. Fall Into You by @megamindsecretlair (Kevin Atwater x black fem/plus size reader)

12. For lifetimes of missing each other - chapter 1: Meat Cute by @tinytinymenace (Demon Pero Tovar x OFC)

13. For lifetimes of missing each other - chapter 2: One Bed by @tinytinymenace (Demon Pero Tovar x OFC)

14. For lifetimes of missing each other - chapter 3: Happily Ever After by @tinytinymenace (Demon Pero Tovar x OFC)

15. So Much Goddamn Talkin’ by @stargirlfics (Joel Miller x Black fem reader)

16. To the Flame chapter fourteen by @pedroshotwifey (Dark Javier Peña x fem reader) DDDE

17. Scattered Promises chapter 1 by @soft-persephone (Din Djarin x AFAB OFC)

18. Waffles and Cigarettes by @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin (Javier Peña x fem reader)

This week I hope to have a new series up, maybe chapter six of Weddings 101 and my entry for the Dieter Bravo Brainrot Serve club challenge (it’s slightly over the word count - I’m going to see if it will still make sense on another edit). I dunno if all of those will happen, but at least one of them should. 

Stay safe and hydrated everyone!

Love Nerdie! 🥰 💜💜💜

[highoctanegem]

2 for 1 Slay special || Eve & Jade

TIMING: Recent. LOCATION: The 3 Daggers PARTIES: @technowarden & @highoctanegem SUMMARY: Eve and Jade share a drink and catch up. CONTENT WARNING: None.

So like, full disclosure? Her relationship with The Three Daggers was flimsier than… nope, she wasn’t gonna dignify her parents by making them the center of her humor anymore, actually. Jade was like, a big grown gal now. And sure, maybe, hypothetically, she was riding the high of being thirty, flirty and thriving and pretending her frontal lobe reached peak performance when the clock struck midnight on October 14th (and she was gonna keep believing that for the next few months, what about it?) but— Hold up, where was she going? Oh, how she felt about The Tree Daggers. Right, yup. It was… a mixed bag. The bar had been a place of solace during the height of her villain era, (all two months of it), so she did have a soft spot for the ugly little barn and all the ears that were forced to listen to her yap about her problems. But on the flip side, there was the whole… Daiyu turning into a rotisserie chicken cause of some silly vendetta, right outside their supposed safe haven. It was so sick and twisted that as a result, she just decided not to vibe with the bar for a while in solidarity. 

Except, she couldn’t stay away forever just for precaution, right? She wasn’t even sure Daiyu was doing that! For better or for worse, Jade relied on The Three Daggers, it was like a little piece of home away from home. Where else was she gonna find emotionally stunted folks who drone on the importance of their calling? Who else would pat her back and reassure her she was doing the right thing by taking out (killing. Killing) undead? The bar was the only real substitute for her siblings in town. Plus, her contribution to making the place way cooler with her presence couldn’t be understated. Someone had to queue the Rihannas and Carly Raes to counteract the Chers (She wasn’t coming for her crown, alright? Never. She just wanted others to share the spotlight too). Someone had to keep hunters in touch with the real world, and the memes and the goss. She was the hero they didn’t need, but the hero they deserved.

It was a mix of friendly smiles and fond eye rolls (right?) when Jade sauntered inside the place. A little short of the round of applause she expected, but she’d take it. (Cause turning 30 made her humble, you know?). She waved at all the familiar faces, making a little list of everyone she planned on talking to, but first? Drinks. She strutted to the counter and hopped on the empty stool, flashing a megawatt smile to ask Mark for the usual. (A Mai tai).  “You’d think they would’ve brought out the confetti machines and blasted ‘Cut to the feeling’ for my triumphant return,” she quipped to whoever would hear her. By her side, a beautiful, familiar face caught her attention. One of the girlies, of course. Eve, who was obviously carrying her laptop with her. If anyone could carry the mantle of keeping hunters in the 21st century, it would be her. “Tell me I’ve missed some juicy gossip, did they get Flappin’ Flann at last? Hit me with it,” she could use some positive hunting news.

—

There were never many Wardens at the Three Daggers in autumn. The few that were there looked wiped, half asleep as other hunters passed them occasional beers. Eve, on the other hand, practically felt bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in comparison, which admittedly wasn’t saying much. Sometimes, she got a bit of shit for it, and more now than any other time of year, but for the most part, it didn’t go past gentle ribbing. Eve usually let the comments roll right off her back, and her work spoke for itself. Over the past couple years, the three daggers had become a home away from home. Somewhere she didn’t need to think about twisting every conversation in her favour, where she could speak without watching her tongue. Her hacking made for a particularly lonely hunt; it was good to have friendly faces to see in the evenings. 

Even if she had brought her work with her. She was expecting a data dump to come through at some point this evening, but she didn’t yet know the timing. Every twenty minutes or so, she flicked open her laptop, checked her alerts, and closed it again, far more interested right now in the beer in front of her. For a few hours, the town could stand to wait. 

Just as she was closing her screen again, a familiar voice approached the bar. “Hey beautiful!” Eve waved Jade over with a grin. “Hey Mark, could you put her drinks on my tab tonight, please? I hear it was your birthday recently. Big three zero, right? You’re a senior hunter now,” Eve teased, clinking her half-finished beer to Jade’s Mai Tai. 

Eve looked around to check which ears nearby were listening before leaning in. “No one’s caught Flapping Flan, but Davide over in the corner claimed he got a shot in before losing track of it. But you know what his relationship is like with the truth.” She rolled her eyes pointedly. Then she cocked her head over to a slayer looking especially pissed off in the corner. “But Jaws has finally been killed—you know, the Sand Shark everyone’s been talking about this summer? Exceeeept, both Lucy and Valentino claimed credit for the hunt, and they are not on speaking terms right now. There’s even a betting pool going round on who actually did it and how long it’ll take before they’re in bed together again. Of course, you didn’t hear that from me.” Eve said with a wink. These were the fun stories—the ones worth sharing. Not the new nightmares that everyone came to this place to avoid, nor the dead ranger Eve had spent this morning clearing up. Plenty came here to drown their sorrows; few came here wanting to hear more. “But what about you? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in here.”

—

Jade’s face lit up (well, it continued to shine) when she realized she was getting free drinks. What a way to commemorate her return to The Three Daggers. And sure, it wasn’t like getting free drinks was something she struggled with. Charisma didn’t simply vanish just cause she had eyes for one woman and one woman only. The bat of her eyelashes never lost its juice. But this was nice, this was like, a nice little reminder of why The Three Daggers had carved a little place in her heart despite their 2.2 rating on Yelp! (Which was like, totally unfair anyway, cause hunters barely knew how to use their phones) (It wasn’t them leaving those unfair reviews). But whatever, Eve was paying for her drinks, which was what mattered in the first place. “You’re the bestest,” she said softly, only for Mark to huff at them when he returned. “Nope, you too!” She blew a kiss at him when he came back with her cocktail. So efficient, that man. Resting her head on her hand, she played with the little garnish on her glass, before fully turning to Eve, ready to get their yapping session on the road. “It so was. Best birthday ever,” so much so, that she literally felt no need to post about it on Instagram until like, a day after (cause gift hauls were still important obviously) (everybody had to know how spoiled she was). And actually, maybe it was true, that happy people led private lives. That always just sounded like a buncha crap depressed folks told themselves just to feel better. 

She cackled at Eve’s words, ignoring the dirty look the guy on the corner threw at her in response. “You’re so right about that, does that mean I get to like, boss you around? You gotta respect your elders, you know?” she fired back, friendly grin still in place. It was super weird to be referred to as a senior. First in like, a good way. She’d made it! Mostly unscathed! A milestone! But also… Her legacy wasn’t all that great, was it? Her solo career left a lot to be desired. Kinda like a wunderkind who was all the talk in college but never reached the peak after that first draft (See! She did pay attention when Jasper forced her to watch football) (Just don’t ask her how what of the movements were called, okay?).  In a lot of ways, hunters were like elite-level athletes too. Trained from infancy to capitalize on their youth and stamina and natural talent, only to retire with injuries that made life a struggle. All that before even reaching forty. For her, the highs and lows were a lot more like… the lows and lowers. Really, the montage of career highs would probably be condensed into a 10 second TikTok. But it was so chill, so fine. She still had time. She could still end up becoming an MVP eventually. Right? Yup. She had this. And she had a perfectly delicious Mai Tai in front of her that she could use to distract herself from her eternal underachieving.

“Yum!” Taking her first sip, Jade forced her smile to stay in place, happy that Eve was providing gossip she could cling to instead of… all those weird football analogies. Wasn’t it way better to chat about other people’s failures, anyway? Totes. She leaned forward mimicking Eve’s secretive gesture before she was caught up to date with all the happenings of this silly little bar. It was almost like watching her favorite storytimes on TikTok, except there weren't a bajillion separate parts to scroll through. “Oh, he’s claimed that like, five times before,” Jade waved her hand when Eve mentioned Davide. Actually, probably more times when she wasn’t around. Still, she was totally rooting for him to get the W. The man was Obsessed with capital O. More juicy than that, was the newest chapter of Lucy and Valentino’s Will They Won’t They story. (She should’ve gotten some popcorn). “Oh, I’m so getting on that betting pool” she tapped the counter excitedly. Cause first of all, was there anything more fun than a betting pool between hunters? And second of all, she definitely trusted her sixth sense on this. Lucy caught it, and… they weren’t gonna last a day before banging out their differences. She dragged her index and thumb across her lips, promising secrecy when Eve winked at her. “I didn’t hear what?” she shimmied playfully, taking another sip of her drink. 

She grinned smugly when Eve pointed out her recent absence, feeling totally flattered. “Right? I know you missed me so badly, but,” she licked her lips, playing with the Claddagh ring on her left hand, “just living my best life, you know? My girlfriend and I are moving into a new place. Sorta enjoying the domestic bliss of all that,” going down the list of ideal surfaces where to get frisky on, also. And… Did she consistently refer to Regan as ‘the girlfriend’ in front of a known warden? Maybe so. (Eve was retired and all, but… nothing and no one was worth risking Regan’s safety) (If Eve put two and two together with that beautiful brain of hers, then that was just…not her problem). But, not to linger too long on the elephant in the room, Jade opted for being a bit of a Debbie Downer. “Also like… did you hear about Rafael?” It wasn’t like hunters weren’t used to death, but right outside their turf? “Yup, I wasn’t sure the vibes were gonna be too great after that”.  

—

 “You can certainly try to boss me around. See how that works out for you,” Eve replied, tongue in cheek. Like every other hunter in town, she shared a complete lack of trust in authority. Even if Jade was one of the people who might be trusted with that kind of thing, Eve would immediately reject it. And Jade was... maybe not the first person Eve would trust with that sort of responsibility. A delight? Absolutely. A capable slayer? Definitely. The kind of person who wouldn’t use power like that to make everyone wear weird outfits and sing camp songs? No chance. 

Missing Jade’s darker thoughts entirely, Eve just chuckled at her reply. “Right? At this point, I think Flapping Flan is a rumour sustained entirely by Davide’s need to have the weirdest hunt in any conversation. Oh, and the betting pool is run by Mark, obviously! I think twenty hunters have made a bet so far.”  

“Oh Jade, I’m thrilled to hear that!” Eve clapped her hands together. She barely knew anything about Jade’s girlfriend, but it wasn’t hers to pry, not really. Eve so rarely shared anything about her life—even with the hunters she liked—that she couldn’t expect every detail in return.  Although it hadn’t felt like Jade and her girlfriend had been together that long, and she hadn’t realised it would be that serious. “Congratulations! That’s a huge step. Are you at the physically moving step, or at the fun part with the decorating?”

“I heard what happened vaguely, but I don’t know the specifics,” Eve admitted, signalling Mark to make Jade another drink. “Things were a little quieter for a bit, but you know what hunters are like.” Spending time in the Three Daggers was the least self destructive option open to them. It wasn’t like most of them would live long enough to experience liver problems. Eve ran her fingers over the counter of the table, where dozens of initials were carved into the wood. For too many hunters in town, these letters were their only legacy, the only way they’d be remembered after a decade or two. The butterfly ripples of the lives they’d saved would spread on for decades, but few would ever know. 

—

“Oooooh, I love a fun challenge,” her nose scrunched up in delight, exchanging a mischievous look with Mark, who rolled his eyes at Jade. (So rude, actually) (But she was still his fave, she was convinced. The tough act never fooled her). And like, wasn’t it so nice when hunters just… knew how to banter? That’s why she’d missed Eve so much. The world would be a way sexier place if no hunter offered to stab anyone after a few jokes. Wasn’t that so novel? But anywhoosies, back to what mattered: Ladies being superior. “You’ll find that I’m a total expert at that,” one simply didn’t get to level 15.000 in Candy Crush without being like, super tenacious. “In a totally platonic way, obviously. I’m a committed woman, as we know” and actually… “Wait, I mean, I bet someone’s snatched you already too,” she wiggled her eyebrows at Eve, curious. (Nosy).

Jade took another sip of her Mai Tai, nodding enthusiastically at everything Eve was revealing. Yup. “I love that for him, actually. Gaslighting an entire town just to stay relevant,” she shrugged. Why hadn’t she tried that? Well, she was sorta doing that. By convincing a good chunk of folks that she was some fearsome slayer. (And, wasn’t that exactly what she wanted?). Her jaw dropped dramatically, pointing an accusatory finger at Mark when he was unmasked as the mastermind behind the bet. “Of course you are, you love to pretend all the gossip is beneath ya, but you need to sustain yourself. I see you. I get you. We’re like, kindred spirits. Remind me to place my bet after. It’s gonna be Lucy, obviously, and a day before they make up,” she gave a convincing nod, tapping the counter excitedly. 

Fun gossip aside, whenever the convo switched to her favorite person Jade just couldn’t help but to beam. Nothing would ever stop it. “Right? It’s just, the best,” she swooned, getting distracted for a beat (or two), daydreaming about Regan. What was she up to, was she writing in her journal? Or maybe going over the different kinds of grey to paint their bedroom. Or maybe she’d found a dead bird in the front yard! Aw, she could just picture her excitement…Oh! Right, Eve. “We’re at the decorating stage. We have like put up all our pictures on the walls, including the ulcers” she explained, matter-of-factly. And the nudes, obviously. That went without saying. Those were literally the first things they ever hung. (As they should). “And also! We plan on having a little garden…” They were gonna have so much fun with that, she just knew it. Even if Jade’s green thumb was like, not great at all. “So, we were living in a cabin in the woods so there wasn’t much to move anyway. Plus the rest of my stuff was back at my apartment anyway, so…it was a pretty quick process,” that was the best part, definitely. To finally be free of roomies who never ever appreciated her. And getting full custody of her babies back. Lullaby and Melody were so happy discovering their new home. She wanted to keep gushing about Regan and her happy domestic life, but Jade held her tongue (a feat nearly impossible to achieve, so please clap) before she did something stupid like inviting Eve to the housewarming or something. 

Another sip of her delicious drink later, Jade hummed, putting on her more serious face, just out of respect for everybody involved. “I think only Raf and Cass knew the specifics, but neither of them is here anymore for the tell-all. Cause even Daiyu was like, she jumped in to stop it… so I don’t think she knew what was going on before,” she explained, glancing down at the counter just like Eve. It totally tracked that the hunters went into sulking mode after that, which… all the more reason to avoid the place. She had her own little mental breakdown she kept hitting snooze on, she didn’t need to get inspo from anywhere else! While she looked at the surface, Jade noticed the laptop Eve had covered with her arm. “Why did you bring homework to the bar, by the by. What’s that about?” 

—

“Oh, are you? I’d like to see that. Platonically.” Eve chuckled, shaking her head as she finished her beer. “I’m the youngest of eight, disobeying my elders is my real expertise. And you are definitely an elder now.” She said, although it wasn’t entirely true. If her siblings called to tell her to jump, Eve wouldn’t even ask how high. Luckily, they didn’t call often.  Jade’s question caught her off guard. “No, happily single, still. I mean, if I find someone to go home with tonight, that’d be a bonus, but hunters are notoriously bad at commitment. Present company excluded, of course.” Happily single was a stretch, but Jade didn’t need to know that. She couldn’t help it, Eve giggled at Jade’s persistence, that startled even Mark. “My money is already on Valentino, and four full days. Valentino holds a real beef.” She confirmed.

 Wow, Jade was really lighting up as she spoke about her girlfriend. Eve’s stomach turned slightly, a rot of envy. Which lasted right until- “Wait, ulcers? I think I misheard you.” She leant back against the bar, crossing her arms. “I didn’t have you for the gardening type. I bet that will be lots of fun come spring.” 

“Was Cass another hunter? I heard it was a fae attack, but that they escaped,” Eve shivered. Fae that knew this place was here was another reason things had gone quieter for a while. But no other attack had ever happened. If one were to happen from the fae, fall would be the time to do it. Fae were naturally impulsive, if clever. They wouldn’t sit on this information indefinitely. 

Eve looked back at her laptop with a sheepish smile. There was an answer about a possible data leak happening, that she’d need to damage control as soon as it dropped. There was another, more truthful answer, that Eve was terrible at untangling her work from the rest of her life. She wasn’t the only one here - anywhere you looked around the room, you could see hunters comparing tracking routes, planning weapons for a shared hunt, or comparing strange injuries. Most people here sometimes let their work leak into the bar. As long as it wasn’t the violent part of the work, no harm no foul. 

The third, most truthful answer was the one she was least likely to share at any moment. That so many hunters here didn’t see her as a real one, that she felt the need to compensate. Her hunt was done tucked away in a corner at her home, far from where it was visible even from the other hunters. How could they take her seriously, unless she was also doing it here.

“I just need to see the good memes with as high resolution as possible, as soon as possible, obviously!”  Eve replied eventually. “Anyway, you’d be amazed at how often another hunter comes up to me to ask me to fix their phone or GPS while I’m here. It saves me so much time just to have a computer here to figure out whether whatever they’re brought me is worth saving.”

—

“Eight!?” Jade paused, well and truly flabbergasted by new Eve lore dropping so suddenly. Her eyes sparkled in amusement. “How?” She held her hand up to stop Eve before she could interject. “Stop it, I know the how…” She saw the joke coming from outer space, and even if it would’ve been amazingly delivered, no doubt, she just needed her thirst for knowledge sated. “Did your parents not know they had like, other stuff to do besides boning? Like, hunting and stuff?” On the other hand, there was the very real possibility that maybe Eve’s parents actually loved their children and didn’t stop having them just cause they despised the last one to come out. (Hypothetically) (It might have been what happened with the Bloodworths, it was hard to tell). But even if Eve’s parents loved love (sure… let’s go with love), it didn’t look like that translated to their youngest. There was no rush though, love came knocking when you least expected it. “I’m totally rooting for you to take a hottie home tonight,” she twirled in her stool scouting the options, ready to be the best wingwoman if needed. 

In the spirit of good fun, Jade wasn’t gonna tell Eve she was totally wrong about her predictions, but like… she did exchange a quick look with Mark, giving him the faintest of headshakes. Nope, four days was way too long for a hot-blooded (read horny) duo to get it on. Jade had this in the bag. But it would be fine, she’d buy everybody a round with the money she made. 

Weirdly, Eve seemed to think she’d misheard Jade, which was so weird cause what else could she have said that sounded remotely like ulcers? Or was it the ulcers bit that was confusing? The corners of her eyes wrinkled, finding joy anytime she had to explain her and Regan’s little quirks. The best way to do it was always with a straight face. “Ulcers! You know like… ulcers. My partner’s like, obsessed with them, we have some framed, so she can admire their beautiful colors,” and she was definitely downplaying Regan’s expertise as an obsession, obviously, in case that gave too much away. Cause while her beautiful lady was a total pro at conversational intercourse these days, she did have like two or three subjects she always brought up and made her too recognizable. (Or in her totally unbiased opinion, iconic). “And you’re totally reading me right, cause I’ve never done very well at gardening. But hey! I love to learn new tricks, I always say, it’s never too late to realize you can do whatever you set your mind to,” right? Yup. That was definitely something she said all the time. Especially to herself. Definitely.    

Jade didn’t realize that thinking about Cass would still make her feel a little uncomfy and a lot conflicted, until Eve asked directly about her. She dragged her index finger along the rim of her glass, a friendly smile still plastered on her face while she took half a beat to think of her answer. It wasn’t fair to bring up Cass, or whatever her villain era had been… mostly out of love for Van, who suffered the most with her death. But also possibly, a little out of guilt (small, barely there guilt, don’t get it twisted) over what she did to Cass’s bestie. There, she said it. It was weird that even after all this time, Cass continued to haunt the narrative. Maybe she would’ve liked that actually, knowing she enjoyed comic books and all. “I dunno what Cass was, actually,” she deflected with a nonchalant tone. Playing dumb was still one of those roles she excelled at, anyway. She wasn’t gonna air out Cass's dirty laundry. Even if Jade was kind of a bad friend to her in the end, she could at least offer this, out of respect. 

Her grin widened when Eve brought up the memes, bouncing cheerfully as she reached for her second drink. Nothing about the explanation seemed sus or anything, even if Jade obviously knew hunters kept a few cards close to their chests. Maybe Eve wasn’t just here for the memes, or maybe she was, but either way, that was totally chill and fine in her eyes. Everybody had to cope however they could. “Ugh, not all superheroes wear capes, sometimes they carry laptops,” she hyped up her friend, lifting her glass to Eve’s beer. “You have to be careful though, you’re gonna end up having to set up their Netflix accounts. Oh! Or, maybe even helping with their Tinder profiles!” she cackled just picturing the scenario.   

—

Eve laughed at Jade’s horror, holding in the obvious, painful jokes that had been her birthright her whole life. “Somehow, they found space for the hunting. I think my mum literally brought her warbow to the delivery room.” She did not explain the idiosyncrasies of her parents belief systems that resulted in this many children, or that some of her siblings had taken up the same mantel, leaving Eve with more niblings than she could handle. “It’s definitely happening. But for now, I’m chatting with this total babe, and I can save the flings for later.”

Although… if Jade’s idea of a good partner was someone who was in to ulcers, maybe Eve didn’t need Jade wingwomaning. (Although, considering one of Eve’s recent dates had come into being because of wet cake throwing…… maybe she had no place to judge.) “Oh! How quirky! I’ve never thought of ulcers like that before.” Nor would she ever again. Look, Eve, like many hunters, could appreciate the aesthetics of a combat related injury or scar. Ulcers were…. Not that. She was eager to move on to other topics, post haste. Gardening was a perfect distraction. “You know, I agree. I think a lot of us become trapped in the idea of only being good hunters, and not setting our minds to anything else. Good for you!”

“Okay,” Eve replied. Jade seemed nonplussed by the mention of Cass, and Eve had little reason to doubt her other than the self expressed discomfort that she felt about coming back to this place. If Jade said she was fine, Eve had no reason to question it. For all the enthusiasm and bubbly joy between them, that fueled many absurd conversations, they didn’t go much deeper than that, they didn’t need to. It was all Eve needed; someone else who had also chosen smiles and laughter as their coping strategy. Hunters died all the time, there was no need to get too close. As the jokes turned to her laptop and tinder, Eve gasped. “That would actually be a horror. Worse than the demon, even! You know how human men have their fishing photos? It would be the only thing on a hunters profile.” She shuddered, clutching her drink.

—

“That’s nuts! But wait, kinda iconic of her too, actually. I’m so stealing that,” not that… well, someday, after six seasons and a movie Jade kinda hoped there would be an even littler Jade running around, (or even better, an even littler Regan), but who knew if that was ever gonna be a thing. And the more she thought about Eve’s parents (not like that, ew), the more she realized that maybe hunters just had better time management skills than regular humans did. Cause she had time for two delivery jobs, plus slaying most nights, plus giving her bone partner all the attention she deserved (24/7/365). Feeling incredibly proud for doing all of these things, all while maintaining her hair routine, Jade was over the moon when Eve proceeded to compliment her some more. “You’re so right, you pretty much peaked in terms of company already, but ya know…” she shrugged, eyes still dancing from the stools, to the booths, to the tables, selecting a few decent alternatives for Eve to get her hands on. 

A vibrant laugh bubbled in her chest watching Eve react to her very deadpan explanation of the ulcer thingy. “Me neither, she totally opened my eyes that way,” which was so true, even if she wasn’t technically speaking about the ulcers just now. Nope. The kind of awakening Regan stirred in Jade wasn’t all about their beautiful and colorful love, but about a buncha uncomfy things too. Like duty, and life, and choices (the ones that, hypothetically, were taken for her before she had any say). Also… dead animals. She itched to tell the story of how the two first met, except… She’d be giving away stuff like Regan being a hot doc, and making glass explode without touching it, and keeping a dead squirrel on the table to impress her. All of which gave big strong banshee vibes. So… Eve would have to miss out on learning about their meet cute, unfortunately for her. Jade knew she was smiling like an idiot as she reminisced that first night, but Eve brought back her attention to her gardening skills, so she followed along. “Right? Those hunters… whoever they are, need to like… lighten up a bit” she waved her hand, circling around the room. “Imagine reducing your entire worth to whether you can stab the thingy or not, couldn’t be me,” except. Except. 

Eve was fine with her (allegedly) not having too many deets on Cass, and whether she could tell Jade didn’t wanna spill more tea than needed or not, at least she was super graceful in letting her off the hook. This was totally why Eve was one of her girlies, they had a pretty similar way of interacting with the world. A way that wasn’t that easy to find elsewhere. Yup, she’d missed The 3 Daggers for that same reason. And ugh, fine. Jade had gloated about not being like ‘all the other hunters’ so many times before, but alright, okay! Maybe, possibly, she shared like, fifty percent of the traits with them. (The other fifty was all down to her incredible personality). She clicked her glass against Eve’s beer and took a quick sip, laughing about the horrors of hunter Tinder, pushing the thoughts of Cass and Van, and her own actions very, very far away, for another episode. “Ew, you’re actually so right. Just instead of the fish it’d be like… the head of a hellhound or whatever,” Jade scrunched up her nose. She’d never been a dating apps girly (on the account of you know, being a charisma monster), but she was so freaking glad to be off the market and not have to endure that even in a fake scenario.    

Finishing her second Mai Tai, Jade placed her empty glass on the counter, holding off from asking for another. “But come on, let’s take a real screen break,” she batted her eyelashes in a pleading way, tugging at Eve’s wrist. “Why don’t we go shoot darts? I haven’t in a while. I have to get back into the leaderboard. Plus, I know your skills will catch someone’s attention,” she wiggled her eyebrows and slid off the stool before Eve got a say. And sure, she’d probably end up taking her laptop with her, but Jade was totally dragging the girl to have some fun. Be it via darts or with the cute brunette in the corner who hadn’t stopped looking at Eve since Jade first spotted them. Either worked in her book.

[felix-lupin]

Decided I should finally write a pinned post so have this.

Call me Felix! anu soweli Lupen ★ They/them, but he/him is ok too. ill use it for myself sometimes.

Partnering Aro ★ Asexual ★ Transmasc🏳️‍⚧️ ★ Masc + Neutral Nouns

My Ao3 is FelixLupin. I write when I feel like it and have time.

Art (& writing ig?) requests n stuff are open but I reserve the right to Take Forever or just Not.

If triggers are tagged they will be tagged with just the trigger and/or trigger tw when I remember (this is not very reliable though). So, e.g., #flashing or #flashing tw. mentions/discussions of things, if tagged, will just be tagged as the thing (so, "sex" rather than "sex mention")

Other stuff under the read more. Tags, fandoms, my banner id, other stuff

Status: 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️

(Status last edited: June 1st, 2024, 1:45 PM)

Last Edited (besides 'status'): October 21st, 2024 (fandoms + tags)

[banner ID: six drawings of Susie from Deltarune. (From left to right and top to bottom). The first is a full body drawing of her in her Darkworld form holding an axe over her shoulder. The second is a drawing of her head in her Lightworld form, with wide eyes and angrily proclaiming in all caps "I don't have a tail!!! Stop asking!". An arrow points towards her that says in all caps "Lying." The third is a head drawing of her in her Darkworld form, looking at the camera with a grin and a neutral pleased/knowing expression on her face. The fourth is a head drawing of her in her Darkworld form, face shaded and only one glowing eye showing while she angrily grins, appearing to snarl. The fifth is a full body drawing of her in her Darkworld form, doing the defense battle pose where she crosses two arms over her chest in an X shape. The sixth is a full body drawing of her in her Lightworld form, hands in her pockets and smiling neutrally. End ID.]

My Tags:

#animal arsenal = Animals!!! I will also usually tag it with whatever animal it is (the plural of the animal; so if it is a picture of a dog i will tag it #animal arsenal #dogs, and if it is a video of a crow I will tag it #animal arsenal #birds #crows) as well as the toki pona classification (soweli, waso, kijetesantakalu, akesi, etc.)

#art arsenal = Other peoples' (usually, but not always, specifically non-fandom) art. This includes writing. I will usually try to tag it with whatever kind of art it is as well (drawing, painting, writing, poetry).

#ask game! :3 = ask games

#ccccposting = my cccc posts tag bc i dont want to maintag it all the time

#classics = Pretty self-explanatory. Things I consider to be "tumblr classics"

#cotlposting = my cult of the lamb posts tag bc i dont want to maintag it all the time

#do queue think even the worst person can change…? = queue tag. i do not tag this reliably because i only really use it when xkit autotags it for me<2

#skyrimposting = my Skyrim tag

#felix artwolf = My art/drawing tag

#felixlupin.txt = Original posts

#tumblr games <2 = Answers for ask games, tag games, picrews, etc

#hello people in my phone = My ask tag

#tmagposting = my the magnus archives tag

#🌫️the one alone🌫️ = my tag for The Lonely (Magnus Archives fear)

#mi awen e ni = Toki Pona for "I am saving this." Saved stuff / stuff that i am saving for later

#mi moku e ni = Toki Pona for "I'm eating this." Stuff that's very good and I like it a lot. Started saying this in reference to that "[watching/reading/listening to] x isn't good enough i need to eat it" meme. So, stuff that reading/seeing it isn't good enough i need to eat it.

#ni li ante e toki mi = Toki Pona for "this changed my speech." Posts that changed my vocabulary. Posts that I reference in my daily life in my speech and think about often.

#soweli Lupen li toki = toki pona post tag. like if im using toki pona, or if I'm talking about toki pona.

#writing lupin = My writing tag

#writing wares = Others' posts relating to writing, such as writing advice, memes, etc. Forgot I had this tag tbh I'm gonna try to start using it again

Fandom Stuff

I am in a lot of different fandoms tbh. what im mostly focusing on will be different based on my mood. RN it's mostly Chonny Jash.

Fandoms I'm in:

The Magnus Archives <- my hyperfixation rn <2 I go insane over Tim, I miss Sasha, I am Staring at Jon and Martin is literally me fr /silly.

Chonny Jash/CCCC (Chonny's Charming Chaos Compendium). <- I have a lot of Mind thoughts. I have thoughts about all of them tbh, but Mind thoughts specifically.

Camp Here & There <- SYDNEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY<2222222. thats all i have to say. ALSO ROWAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN<2222222

Undertale & Deltarune. <- Always at least a little mentally ill about both of them, esp Undertale. I would kill and die for Chara, Flowey, and Susie btw

Helluva Boss <- Most active for a day or two whenever a new episode/thing comes out.

Hazbin Hotel <- A reblog here and there. It was okay

Good Omens <- I like Crowley a lot. Put that guy (gender neutral) in Situations

Avatar: The Last Airbender <- Love all of the characters from ATLA tbh. Great show 10/10 no notes

Five Night's at Freddy's <- This was my first fandom! So it has a lot of nostalgia for me. I liked the movie, it was fun. Favorite animatronics are Foxy and Mangle bc I'm basic like that.

Gravity Falls <- Haven't re-watched it in a while but I still hold a lot of fondness and love for it. sitelen tawa ni li pona mute tawa mi (this show is very good from my perspective)

Cult of the Lamb <- I like this game a lot! I think it is very fun and I like the fanart that people make for it. I replay it alot bc ona li musi tawa mi (it is fun to me). #1 Shamura lover btw I would kill and die for them. if I was a character in the game I would be one of Shamura's disciples, just so we're clear

The Owl House <- When the Owl House was coming out Hunter got a chokehold on me and forced me into a hyperfixation on the show face-first.

Other Stuff

I am physically incapable of shutting up sorry (i am not sorry). Unless I get locked in gay tumblr baby jail (hit the post limit), then i shut up.

As you could probably tell from the other sections, I know a little Toki Pona. My Toki Pona is not very good so please forgive me if I say something incorrectly. I may sometimes throw some of it in tags n such to practice.

I reserve the right to call things kijetesantakalu that are not technically kijetesantakalu based solely on vibes. foxes and seals are kijetesantakalu tawa mi

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[coughdontfeelwellcough]

Sicktember - The only place we're going to is the pharmacy

Fandom: my own ocs Sophie and Casper.

Words: 1225

Author's note: Let me introduce you to my latest ocs, Sophie and Casper. This will be the first part of a trilogy with these two as they get to know each other and suffer (just a little bit.)

Part two will be posted on Sep 14th and part three on Sep 21st.

Hope you enjoy!

Part 2 Part 3

The Wildcraft Bakery sat in a quiet corner of Notting Hill where it had been run by three generations of the Morales family, Sophie Morales was the youngest and current owner at just 27 years old, having inherited the business from her Abuela. Sophie’s mother had shown about as much interest in baking as she had in raising her daughter so Sophie had  been left to continue the family legacy alone. 

The sun had barely risen when Sophie arrived at the bakery and It didn’t take long for the smell of freshly baked bread and cake to fill the premises, a small queue of people forming outside ready for their fresh loafs, warm from the oven. It always made Sophie feel like what she did mattered, that people would willingly queue outside in the cold for a chance at her baked goods. 

“Morning,” she greeted as the first customers filled into the warmth of the shop. 

“Morning Sophie, got you any sourdough loaves today?” asked Mr Donald, a man in his seventies who came in every day and always asked for the same thing. 

“Yes, I’ve just cooked up a batch this morning. How many would you like?” 

“Two please, and throw in some of those delicious churros of yours,” 

“Of course, coming right up.” 

The early morning rush never lasted long then there was a lull before the real morning rush began. Casper who worked in the bookshop next door was usually one of the first ones in but it seemed he was running late. Sophie tried to ignore the niggling feeling in her gut when he didn’t appear. She’d grown so used to seeing him, they’d actually become quite close in the two years he’d been coming in. He was easy to talk to and seemed to genuinely care to hear about her day, unlike most customers who only cared about catching their next train. 

Sophie was brewing a fresh pot of coffee when she heard the door squeak open, she looked up to see Casper walk in. He was almost an hour later than normal, he was also bundled up in more layers than was necessary for the October weather, wrapped in a thick coat, hat and scarf. 

“Good afternoon,” she teased. 

“I don’t know what’s good about it.” 

His voice sounded like his swallowed gravel, raw and painful. 

“Oh no, have you got a cold?”

Casper shook his head, swallowing painfully. “Just a sore throat, I’ll live.” 

He sounded like someone had taken a lawn mower to his throat and judging at how pale and clammy he looked it properly felt like it too. 

“Do you want your usual?” Sophie asked. 

“Could I have tea instead? Think I might need it..” he said, breaking off into a few hoarse coughs. 

“Of course, I’ve got some honey in the kitchen, would you like some in your tea?” 

Casper nodded, not trusting his voice. 

Sophie quickly went about making his drink, adding a few good helpings of honey. She hoped he would take it straight back to his flat and get some rest, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard someone sound so unwell. 

“There you go, and I didn’t forget your croissant,” she said. 

“Thank you,” he croaked, his voice getting weaker by the minute. “I guess I should go and open the shop.” 

“You’re planning on working? If I were you I’d be going straight back to bed,” Sophie said. 

Casper shrugged, coughing dryly into his fist. “It’s just a sore throat.” 

Sophie doubted that, she could see his swollen glands from across the counter and it was a mystery he’s breathing at all judging by how scratched up and swallowed his throat sounded. Not to mention the way he’s clinging to his tea like it's the only thing keeping him warm. 

“Are you cold?” Sophie asked, it was as hot as it ever was inside the bakery but still Capser stood trying to suppress a shiver. He opened his mouth to speak but only a croak escapsed, he tried to clear his throat but it just made him cough. Each one sounded like they were tearing at his throat. 

Sophie didn't understand how he was still standing. If she was in his place it would take a nuclear explosion to get her out of bed, and maybe not even then. 

“Should probably get to work,” Casper wheezed, there was an audible crackle to his breathing that Sophie didn’t like one bit.

“No, the only place we’re going is to the pharmacy,” 

“We?” 

“Yes, you obviously can’t be trusted on your own and I don’t want you infecting all my customers.” 

Casper looked like he wanted to protest but was overtaken by another coughing fit, leaving him weak and dizzy. 

“I.. I don’t feel great,” he admitted. 

“I can tell, at a guess I’d say you’ve got strep in which case you need some drugs so let’s go.” 

Sophie placed the ‘back in ten minutes’ sign in the bakery window and together they started down the street. 

Luckily the pharmacist was only a few streets away as Sophie didn’t want to leave the bakery for long plus Casper was looking dead on his feet as he slowly shuffled along beside her. She couldn’t fathom what had possessed him to get out of bed, he clearly felt miserable and was no doubt running a fever. Was he trying to infect half of London? 

They arrived at the pharmacist, Casper coughing into his sleeve as they entered the building. 

“Now, what do you need?” Sophie asked. 

Casper shrugged. “Medicine, I guess? I haven’t taken anything.” 

Sophie had to resist rolling her eyes, how could someone be this useless at taking care of themselves? 

“Okay, let’s get you some help.”

After a quick visit to the pharmacist on duty and a rapid test it turned out Casper did not in fact have strep throat but he did have laryngitis. As well as having a fever of 102.4, his vocal chords were so inflamed she was amazed he could still talk. 

“Well this sucks,” Casper rasped, clinging on to his bag of antibiotics. 

“You’re lucky it isn’t strep, I’d have killed you if you’d gotten me sick.” 

Casper tried to glare at her but he looked too pathetic to pull it off and Sophie laughed at him. 

“At least you’ll feel better in a few days,” she said. 

“Sophie.. Thank you. I wouldn’t have gone if it weren’t for you and then I’d be even more miserable.” 

Sophie felt her heart swell, a tiny crack in her armour. “You’re welcome.” 

They walked back toward the baker until Casper stopped outside a Chinese restaurant, pulling a set of keys out of his pocket. 

“This is you?” 

Casper nodded. “My flat is above, nice place if you don’t mind the smell of noodles.” 

Sophie laughed, it was the first mildly funny thing he’d said all morning. A little bit of the normal Casper peaking through. 

“Get some rest, I don’t want to see you until you no longer sound like a member of the undead.” 

Casper chuckled, coughing lightly. “Okay, thank you again.” 

“My pleasure.” And it had been, the chance to spend a few extra minutes with her favourite customer was always a joy. She just wished it could last a little bit longer.

[llyfrenfys]

Love living in 21st Century Britain, having a health problem and ringing the GP practice at 9am, being in a phone queue for 30 minutes only to be told there's no appointments (in person or over the phone) for the next 3 weeks.

Look how they (the government) massacred my boy (the NHS)!

[jadeile-writes]

Fanfic Progress Update 157

It's Saturday, so you get updated on the fic writing. Happy Holidays, btw; over here we celebrate it tomorrow rather than on 25th, so I'm almost free from this hassle. Stay tuned for a sneak-peek for A Sign that you're important at the bottom of this post!

Current WIPs:

A Sign that you're important (previously named I'm Signing in the Drain)

Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog, movieverse

Summary: One month upon his assigment as Doctor Robotnik's assitant, Agent Stone is told to learn sign language. He doesn't know why, and isn't suicidal enough to ask, so he simply rolls with it. Turns out, it's not just a whimsy of the eccentric doctor, even though that doesn't stop the doctor from utilizing it like one.

Progress: The first chapter was posted on 21st of December. The second chapter will be posted on 28th of December aka next Thursday. Chapter 3 is finished. Chapter 4 has been started. This fic will most likely have five chapters, maybe six if I get epilogue-happy or smth.

Let's hope I can get an adequate amount of writing for this one done despite the Christmas hassle, cause I really don't want to panic-write the last two chapters on the week of posting them. ...I say, like I don't have three weeks to write chapter 4 at this point. But listen, I'm also making eyes at a next idea I have in a little list of ideas, like juggling two fics isn't enough. Tho in my defense, Lab Life is quietly writing itself in the background and doesn't count, especially if I can manage to queue up another fic after this one (I'd really prefer if Lab Life was fully written before I post any of it, because then I'd have lots of time to get started on the sequel while it keeps the readers fed). I'm gonna be so fucked when Hazbin Hotel airs and I might end up double-fandoming :D

-----

Life at the laboratory (previously known as SBLF, which, btw, was actually just short of StoBotnik LongFic, lol)

Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog, movieverse

Summary (temporary):

Wanted: a yesman who is capable of operating an espresso machine, has at least a higher IQ than your average amoeba, and is willing to put work before having a personal life, or indeed a life, period. The extra in your pathetic paycheck is good, but the strain in your psyche will make up for the positives. Forfeit your basic human rights and apply today if this sounds like you. 

Maybe it said something about Agent Stone - and probably not good things - that the poster in the cafeteria's pin board piqued his interest more than any of his official assignments had for a good long while. 

Dr. Robotnik, huh?

Progress: This one will be part one of a two-parter longfic, the first part probably... 10-ish chapters? It's a bit hard to estimate at this point, so the number is subject to change - will probably end up increased tbh. My weekly writing hour (as in, a specific hour when I sit down and write, no excuses [other than not being home]) is devoted to this fic.

I have the first four chapters completely written now. Chapter 5 is halfway done. I also have two halfway written chapters that don't yet know their exact placement within the fic (they're scenes that will be slotted in to wherever they feel natural, once we get Stone settled in.)

-----  

Other WIPs I’m not currently working on but intend to get back to Someday™:

PoE Drabbles (Pillars of Eternity)

DC Drabbles (Justice League)

Diaphanous Relations (Forgotten Realms, R.A. Salvatore’s books)

Rolling with it (Zelda: BotW)

Hah, our afterlife is the most hilarious bushwa, dearest! (Hazbin Hotel)

-----

That’s it for the WIPs! Here’s the promised sneak-peek into A Sign that you're important (Note: the text may end up slightly different in the fic itself due to more editing happening before publishing). Enjoy!

As far as meetings went, Stone was usually patient and attentive. This time, however, he was certainly in agreement with the doctor that this particular meeting was honestly boring and pointless, and it wasn’t just Robotnik’s “hating meetings” -thing. The only reason the two of them had to be attending at all was because Robotnik had a presentation of his own to add to the collection that was happening right then, which meant that nothing the other people said was actually relevant to their jobs or worth listening to – they were just waiting for their turn. There was nothing interesting going on, and it was made worse by the people presenting their points doing it in the least interesting way they could and droning on and on and on about their projects.

Stone was, quite frankly, contemplating the merits of pretending to get a phone call and leaving the room to take it and then simply not coming back after. The only reason he didn’t was because the doctor would murder him for leaving him to suffer alone. The torture that came first would make this bore of a gathering seem like a cakewalk in comparison, and then end with his mother grieving for her dead son. It was probably better for his career prospects to stay. Or he could take the window instead, this was the seventh floor, it’d be a swift end and he’d avoid the torture part…

His morbid ways of self-amusement were interrupted when the doctor – sitting on his right – suddenly moved. More precisely, his hands un-steepled themselves from the table and started forming words.

-----

That’s it this time. See you next Saturday!

Links:

My AO3   My FFnet   My Ko-fi    Radiohusk Discord Server

[raccoon-the-third]

If you're seeing this I forgot about it I wrote this at 9:51pm on june 30th 2023

I'll update every time I remember

10:44pm june 30th 2023 is this too soon maybe

10:18pm july 1st 2023

6:59pm july 2nd 2023

8:37am july 4th 2023 i saw the word thought

4:25pm july 4th 2023 thinking about tumblr today i guess

7:00pm july 4th 2023 what is up with me today

11:31am july 5th 2023 something in my queue

11:11pm july 5th 2023

11:49am july 7th 2023

9:05am july 8th 2023

10:12pm july 8th 2023

7:42am july 9th 2023 tried to remember something

3:10pm july 9th 2023

12:19am july 10th 2023 thought about tumblr

2:75pm july 11th 2023

12:01am july 12th 2023

10:39am july 14th 2023

2:29pm july 14th 2023 saw my queue

12:47pm july 20th 2023

9:48pm july 21st 2023 checked the date

10:01pm july 24th 2023 i think I'm slowly forgetting

10:33am july 28th 2023 thought about drafts

8:19pm july 29th 2023

1:54pm august 1st 2023

10:40am august 11th 2023

3:07pm august 13th 2023

12:48am august 15th 2023

11:37pm august 23rd 2023

10:25pm august 28th 2023 tomorrow is a year since I got my first wheelchair

10:47am september 5th 2023 i wrote the date down

8:19am september 11th 2023

11:47pm september 16th 2023

11:15pm september 19th 2023

10:49am september 23rd 2023

1:23pm september 29th 2023

[substituted-shinigami]

We… We have a lotta fun here xD

Channel Update!!!

Hello Everyone!!! Despite the, uh…rather silly presentation, I really have been working super hard on some fanworks in the background, and now I’m proud to finally present to you the “We Can’t All Be Winners” Fall Season Schedule! Plus I've got some previews for you to boot!!!

Let’s take a look!

"We Can’t All Be Winners" Fall Season Schedule plus FAQ and Previews!!!

(this post is already kinda long, (and is about to get a lot longer) so I put the rest underneath a tag xD)

October

Oct. 7th - Tiger Robe (fanfiction, renruki & Ichigo, hurt/comfort)

Oct. 14th - Three Times I Dreamed of You (fanfiction, renruki, some angsty longing but also fluff)

Oct. 21st - Who is Ichigo? (Karakura Gang Comic!)

Oct. 28th - Night Scare, Morning Care (fanfiction, renruki, hurt/comfort)

November

Nov. 4th - Double Feature! Bleach Book Club - Letters From The Other Side (light novel overview) + Roommates Assemble (Rukia & Ichigo + Karakura Gang drabble + fanart)

Nov. 11th - Bubble Tea (fanfiction, renruki + Yoruichi, slice of life, fluff)

Nov. 18th - Peaceful Day, Peaceful Night (fanfiction, renruki, fluff)

Nov. 25th - Commercial Break - Pocket Renji (Comic/fake ad)

December

Dec. 2nd - Bloodlines - Learning to Breathe (L2B) Prologue & Ch. 1 (multi-chapter fic, renruki, hurt/comfort, some angst, some humor)

Dec. 9th - L2B Ch. 2

Dec. 16th - L2B Ch. 3

Dec. 23 - L2B Ch. 4

Dec. 30 - L2B Ch. 5 & Epilogue

And that’s it! Yeah, Ichigo wasn’t kidding, it really is mostly just RenRuki fanfiction, haha!😅 Now I'm sure you all have some questions like: Wait…What is this?! Why is this?! How is this?! When is this?! And Where is this?! And I'll do my best to answer them in the FAQ below!

FAQ

Wait…What is this?!?

“We Can’t All Be Winners” or “WCABW” started out as an anthology series of RenRuki one-shots I started back in January. It contains a handful of stories featuring Renji, Rukia and occasionally others, and puts them in different scenarios, some of them canon-compliant and some of them in alternate universes. Originally, I planned to write and post one story a month, but I quickly fell behind. So I took a break and reassessed and decided to try posting in “seasons” instead. So now it’s a season of weekly uploaded fanworks to be posted from October to December, and will feature a variety of Bleach related content such as fanfiction, fanart, fan comics, bleach light novel overview, and, when I’m able to write one, a multi-chapter fic. All the fanfiction will be available on both Tumblr and AO3, but the rest will only be available on Tumblr (sorry!). Once this season is completed, I will mark the AO3 work as “completed”, and if I can do this again next year, I will start a new one!

Why is this?

Like most people, I originally planned to create and post fanworks whenever I finished them. However, I eventually found keeping up with a social media account stressful. Something about it makes you feel like you need to post all the time, even when no one else is pushing you. So I thought, hey, why not have a season! That way I have a predetermined end goal AND I don't feel like I gotta post outside of it! Plus if I feel like I need to just step away for a break (which I will most likely be doing once the queue starts running), it won't affect it since everything is already queued! So yeah, that's the idea behind it.

How do you plan to post this on AO3? It doesn’t have a queue system!

Yeah, that is a problem. My current plan is to have a tab open for each story/chapter I need to post, and then will just press the button to post it on the day it’s due to come out (or within 24 hrs). This will probably mean that the Tumblr post will link back to the table of contents of WCABW on AO3 rather than the chapter itself, so I would like to apologize for that in advance. I’ll try to fix it whenever I am able, or at the latest, when I become socially active on Tumblr again.

When is this?

Every Saturday from October 7 to December 30th at 11 am EST here on Tumblr, and within 24 hrs (either before or after) on AO3 (I'll try to make it before, but life happens sometimes). Now obviously this is no real substitute for the Bleach anime, not even close! But Saturdays were already a convenient day to post, so I thought, "Hey, why not?!" And just pushed the joke all the way!!!

Where is this?

Right here on Tumblr and on AO3 (links provided). On AO3, the one-shots will be posted under the We Can’t All Be Winners anthology series of one-shots that's already on there (if you haven't seen it yet, why not check it out? It already has some of my other one-shots on there!) The multi-chapter fic will have its own posting.

I have some questions/comments/concerns!

No problem! My ask box is always open! Now to be honest, I will be on break starting in early October, but I'll answer any I don’t see before then when I am able/get back! Also, if you are a part of the RenRuki discord, I may be checking in there from time to time even while on break.

And that’s it! Thank you all so much for reading this needlessly long and very silly announcement for Bleach fanworks of all things! To thank you for making it to the end, I added some previews for some of the upcoming works!! I hope you all enjoy!!! xD

PREVIEWS!!!

(Note: works are subject to minor changes)

Three Times I Dreamed of You

Chapter Summary:  Nightmares are always terrible. But they are made even worse when you aren’t even able to talk to the person that they are about. (RenRuki, some angsty longing but also fluff)

"Rukia!"

Renji awoke with a start, sweat dripping down his brow. He whipped his head around wildly, as he mopped off his forehead with his sleeve. He was alone, utterly alone. Quickly he reached out with his spiritual pressure to feel hers, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. Finally, he found her, a tiny cold gust on a frigid winter night. It felt so impossibly far away, but… it was enough. Renji left the Eleventh Division barrack's dorm and climbed on top of the roof to feel it better.

******************************************

Tiger Robe

Chapter Summary: While shopping with Ichigo in the World of the Living, Rukia finds a tiger print robe that reminds her of someone from her past. (renruki & Ichigo, hurt/comfort, Starts out in the Soul Society Arc, but then jumps around a couple of times)

“Okay, we're here,” Kurosaki Ichigo began as they entered the clothing store, “The women’s section is in the back.  If you need clothes, I don’t mind buying you a set or two, so can you just please stop stealing Yuzu’s?!? She’s starting to get suspicious…” But Rukia wasn't listening to him. Instead, she was looking around the store, completely enthralled.

“Woah! This is incredible!” Rukia replied with wonder, as her wide eyes flitted from one brightly colored clothing display to the next, “And you can afford such garments on your allowance alone?” Ichigo raised an eyebrow at her in response.

“Yeah…? It’s just a cheap department store, Rukia.”

“Incredible…” she muttered to herself again as she continued to look around the huge, lively store with a mixture of awe and nervousness. Several people passed them by, chatting as they filed in or out of the entrance, and loud music played on the speakers overhead. 

This is nothing like the open markets that sold only rags in Inuzuri, she thought, And once I got adopted by the Kuchiki Clan, the tailors came to me. I don’t think I’ve been to anything even resembling a regular clothing store since the Academy. There is too much choice! What should I…?

Rukia could feel Ichigo’s concerned eyes on the back of her neck. Quickly, she stood up straighter, and turned towards him.

“You said, I could get whatever I wanted, right?!” she asked with a devilish grin. Ichigo sighed heavily as if he was immediately regretting both this decision and his entire existence. He scratched the back of his head.

“Within reason! I’m not rich, you know," he scowled, "You can get one everyday outfit and one sleepwear, that’s it!” With that, he set off across the store.

“Ah! You're so stingy, Ichigo!” Rukia teased as she followed after him.

“Keep talking smack, and I’ll make you shop in the children’s section!”

“I might anyway,” Rukia mused, as they passed by a pair of child’s pajamas with bunnies on them, “children’s clothes have nicer prints.”

“Whatever,” Ichigo replied, “Wear what you want when you sleep, but when you are out and about, try to wear typical 'teen clothes'. Otherwise people might get the wrong idea when we are walking together.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rukia dismissed with a wave of her hand. As they continued walking along on their way to the back of the store, passing from the children's section into the men's, Rukia’s eyes were caught by a brightly colored robe. Turning towards it, she felt taken aback when she beheld the largest, tackiest tiger print bathrobe she had ever seen. Suddenly, she felt like she was thrown back over forty years…

******************************************

Bubble Tea

Chapter Summary: Relaxing is difficult when you are so used to fighting. Now that the Winter War is over, Rukia and Renji shoot the breeze and talk about the future. (renruki + Yoruichi, slice of life, fluff, During the Fullbringer Arc timeskip)

“Hmmm… Getting to know you without the fangs of death constantly nipping at our heels feels…weird,” Rukia commented suddenly, and a little too casually, one day as she sipped her bubble tea. Renji coughed in surprise. That or he got another tapioca pearl stuck in his throat, Rukia wasn't too sure.

“H-Huh?!" he spluttered, after he had finally begun to recover. 

"Well, think about it," Rukia continued, as she settled her cup down beside her upon the park bench. She began to list things off on her fingers, “First it was surviving in Rukongai, then Aizen's betrayal, and then the Winter War. Whenever we were together it felt like our lives were in constant mortal danger. That it was us against the world. But now…now there’s no real threat.”

"Oh yeah…" Renji agreed, looking up to the sky in thought, "I guess, you're right…huh." 

“Yeah," Rukia went on as she picked up her cup again, "The only other time it was seemingly this peaceful was when we were separated."

At that, Renji was silent for a moment, before asking quietly, "Kind of makes you wonder whether or not we're cursed, huh?" Rukia turned to look up at him, but Renji continued to stare up at the sky. 

"If we are cursed," she began slowly, "then whoever made it, absolutely sucks at making curses,"  Renji quirked an eyebrow at her as she turned back towards her tea, "Curses are meant to make you the most miserable, but despite the dangers, I'm always more miserable when we're apart." Renji stared at her wide-eyed as she went back to sipping her tea. 

******************************************

Learning to Breathe

Story Summary: Turns out purple eyes and short stature aren’t the only things that run in Hisana’s family, illness does as well. As Rukia and Renji try to help each other navigate through this new storm in their lives, will they remember to take time to breathe? (multi-chapter fic, renruki, hurt/comfort, some angst, some humor, Post TYBW, Rukia gets the same disease that killed Hisana. (Bloodlines AU))

Here’s a scene from chapter 1:

I faced an execution. I faced an espada's blade. I even faced a man who could literally murder me with fear. And yet, tiny medical needles are too much for me? You are utterly ridiculous, Kuchiki Rukia…  Rukia thought glumly to herself, as she laid in bed one chilly morning before yet another doctor’s appointment. She began chuckling wryly, I've heard the pen is mightier than the sword, but I think the medical needle might be mightier still. 

Rukia stared up at her bedroom ceiling, the sound of the room's clock ticking loudly in her ears. She'd been laying there for hours as sleep frustratingly eluded her. Sighing, she tried rolling over and closing her eyes again, but she couldn't shut out the anxious thoughts that plagued her mind.

I really hope today’s tests don’t have them. If I can’t get through these appointments without stressing out everytime I see one, then I’ll never convince him that he can rest, because I’ll be okay. That it will all be okay in the end. Hopefully…

Suddenly, Rukia’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the alarm on her soul pager going off. Again. Rukia’s hand shot out, flipped the infernal device open, and managed to press the snooze button for the third time that morning without even looking at it. She went back to staring up at the ceiling.  

Guess I better get up now, huh? Can't keep putting it off, after all… My friends, my brother, and…Renji… they’re all so worried about me, so I can’t… I can’t be weak… I must be strong for them.

Rukia sighed, her stomach already all up in knots. Taking a deep breath to center herself, she forced herself to sit up. As she looked out her bedroom window towards the sky, she saw that it was pitch-black, that even the stars were blocked out by clouds. 

Hmmm… Looks like a storm is rolling in too… Figures…

Rukia slowly pushed off her blankets and got up to search for her clothes. She thought about just wearing her black shinigami uniform, but she already knew neither her third seat nor her escort were going to let her go back to work this afternoon. Speaking of her escort…

Rukia left her room, a neatly folded dark blue kimono tucked underneath her arm, and approached the door of the guest room next to hers. She lifted her hand to knock, but paused.

I could just leave without waking him… she thought briefly, Let him sleep in. Gods know he needs it. That way, when I make it through the appointment on my own, he’ll see he has nothing to worry about! But she quickly shook herself. No! No, I don’t do that anymore! I don’t just run away... I talk about it. We talk about it. And even if we can’t figure it out, we still do even that together. Rukia took a deep breath, glared resolutely at the door, and knocked.

“Oi, Renji, you awake in there?” She heard what sounded like a groan to the affirmative. “Okay, just so you know, we’ve got to leave in an hour.”

“Mhmm… Yup. I got you,” he responded groggily. This was soon followed by the sound of very fast shuffling, a very loud bang, an almost as loud curse, and then more shuffling. Rukia raised an amused eyebrow at that.

“You good in there? All your limbs still present and accounted for?”

“Ha ha. Very funny. And yes, I’m fine. Thanks so much for your concern.”

“Of course!” Rukia smirked. However, the heavy feeling inside her soon dragged the corners of her lips back down. She took another deep breath. Here we go… "Oi, Renji…" she began quietly, "If you are too tired, it's okay, y'know? It's like I said before, it’s basically just a long doctor's appointment. I'll…I’ll be okay going by myself." 

At that, Rukia heard the stomping sound of footsteps coming rapidly towards her, followed by the shoji door immediately sliding open with a sharp bang. Renji looked rather frazzled, with his sleeping robe half hanging off of his shoulder and his hair loosely pulled into a messy braid. He also looked rather cute…at least until he started shouting.

“WHAT? NO! OF COURSE I'M COMING WITH YOU, IDIOT!”

“QUIET, RENJI! ARE YOU TRYING TO WAKE UP THE ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD WITH YOUR RACKET?!?”

"You are way louder than me!" Renji replied in his terrible attempt at a whisper, "In any case, don't try to change the subject like that. You are downplaying it again, I know it. They are running medical tests today too, and I know those tend to make you nervous.” He managed to actually say that last part quietly. Then he smiled at her, “We're in this together, ya?" His lips might have been smiling, but Rukia saw his eyes. He was exhausted. She felt her heart lurch into her throat.

"Ya, well…don't go overdoing it, okay?" Rukia told him firmly as she fixed his robe for him, but her fingers lingered on his shoulder. Renji placed his hand over hers.

"Hmph… As if I could ever do too much for you… I'm fine, Rukia, really. Go get changed."

"Okay…" she murmured quietly, looking down. However, her face must have betrayed her troubled thoughts, because when she tried to remove her hand from his shoulder, Renji held it firm. She looked back up at him and he tilted his head down closer to hers.

"I love you~" he whispered to her in a cheeky sing-song voice with that toothy grin of his. He was clearly trying to lighten the mood, to make her smile or push him off and call him a dork, but instead Rukia felt her heart, already firmly lodged in her throat, leap even higher into her mouth.

“I know…” she barely got out, “I know Renji, but…”

“Uh uh. No ‘buts’, Ru. Go ahead and take your bath. I’ll see you in an hour, alright?” He winked and let go of her hand as he cheerfully went back into the guest room, closing the door behind him. 

Rukia, on the other hand, just stood there, staring at the floor.

************************************************************************

And that's it for the previews! If you somehow made it all the way to the end, thanks so much for reading! The "We Can't All Be Winners" Fall Season starts next week! Hope to see you there!

[avatarskywalker78]

❄🌈

❄️Share a snippet from a WIP of your choosing.

Angel looked at her expectantly, and she frowned.

“What?”

“You’re still here.”

“And? My company isn’t that terrible, is it?”

He didn’t look amused.

“You know who I am. I’m surprised you haven’t gone running to the Scoobies.”

“You’re the vampire with a soul, brooded for a hundred years until Whistler found you, lost your soul due to a clause neither your nor Buffy knew about, and got re-ensouled too late to prevent being sent to hell.” Caitlin shrugged. “I know who you are, and what you did. I doubt the others would be pleased to see you, and I’m not going to see you staked.”

This is from my Buffy wip which I’ve had for years and only written bits and pieces of - Cailtin is my OC, Cailtin Sherwood, a Scottish witch (and quarter-fae) who becomes friends with Angel.

🌈 Share something soft/fluffy from your WIP.

He vanished into his bedroom for a minute and came out with a wrapped item – not dusty at all, so he’d clearly been maintaining it, and he handed it to Malcolm. He unwrapped it – and burst out laughing in delight.

It was a Luke Skywalker print signed by Mark Hamill – signed to Malcolm.

“Holy shit, Eddie, how did you get this? This is amazing.”

“I went to one of those conventions.” He admitted.

“You went to a comic con?” Malcolm tried to imagine that, because...Eddie didn’t like crowds (neither did Malcolm, as he’d found after going to his first and only comic con with Barry) and while he was a fan of several things he didn’t really collect stuff (Malcolm did, but had held off on covering the place with his Star Wars merchandise), so him not only going there, but queueing up and getting this for Malcolm, when he had no idea if he’d ever see him again…

It meant a lot – it meant even more that Eddie had remembered that Malcolm had once told him he’d love a signed photo one day.

This from Part 2/3 of Cobalt Blue and The Flash (depending on what happens), focusing on the brothers Thawne as they continue to rebuild their relationship. The print was something Eddie got for his brother’s 21st, but didn’t get to give to him at the time.

wip ask game