#rather than updating what they have to provide for the people around them better

[thanakite]

I wish I had the money to get into 3D printing :/

[lotus-tower]

The Swiss Cheese Model of Covid Prevention

An edited version of the swiss cheese model tailored towards the measures that you as an individual can take to minimize your risk of infection. Public health is ultimately what its name implies, public, but that doesn't mean you're powerless.

Covid prevention is not all-or-nothing. Think of it as risk reduction, rather than a binary.

Let's go through these step by step.

VACCINES

The current vaccines are meant primarily to reduce chances of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. They will reduce your chance of infection a bit--but not nearly as much as you might think. You should still get your boosters regularly, because avoiding severe illness is of course worth doing.

If you haven't gotten the updated monovalent vaccine yet, go get it. It is not a booster. Think of it as a new vaccine. It's targeted towards the XBB lineages, which are now the most common variants. Your last boosters were likely of the bivalent type, aimed at both the original Covid strain from 2020 and Omicron. The new vaccine is monovalent, meaning it targets one family in particular.

Some studies suggest that the Novavax vaccine, which is a more traditional protein-based vaccine, is more effective and safer than mRNA vaccines, and offers better protection against future variants. Of course, the data we have so far isn't 100% conclusive (the last paper I linked is a preprint). Make of these findings what you will, just something to keep in mind. The new Novavax vaccine's availability is still limited, especially outside of the US.

MASKS

Masking is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself. While it is true that masking and reducing Covid transmission protects those around you, the idea that masks can't protect the wearer is outdated information from the early days of the pandemic when medical authorities refused to acknowledge that Covid is airborne.

The key to protecting yourself is to wear a well-fitting respirator. You want to minimize any gaps where air might leak out. If your glasses get fogged up, that's a sign that air is leaking.

Headbands will always have a tighter fit than earloop masks (and therefore provide better protection). However, you can use earloop extenders to improve the fit of earloop masks. You can find these online. Your comfort in wearing a mask is important, but there are options for compromise.

The above graphic doesn't include elastomeric respirators. While some (like the Flo Mask) are expensive, they can be much more affordable than buying disposables--look for P100 respirators at your local hardware store, but make sure it fits your face well.

For more general information, see this FAQ. For mask recommendations (NA-centric, sorry!), see my list here or Mask Nerd's YouTube channel.

For situations where you need to hydrate but don't want to take your mask off, consider the SIP valve.

Not even N95s are foolproof (N95 means it filters at least 95% of particles--with the other 5% potentially reaching you). Most people will likely not have a perfect fit. There will be situations where you'll have to take your mask off. The key is risk reduction, and that's why the Swiss cheese model is crucial.

If you can't afford high-quality masks, look for a local mask bloc or other organization that gives out free masks. Project N95 has unfortunately shut down. In Canada, there's donatemask.ca.

AVOID CROWDED INDOOR SPACES

This is rather self-explanatory. Indoor transmission is much, much, much more likely than outdoor transmission. If it's possible to move an activity outdoors instead, consider doing so.

If possible, try going to places like stores or the post office during less busy hours.

Viral particles can stay in the air for a considerable amount of time even after the person who expelled them has left. Do not take off your mask just because no one is currently present, if you know that it was previously crowded.

A CO2 monitor is a decent proxy for how many viral particles may have accumulated in the air around you. The gold standard is the Aranet4, but it's expensive, so here are some more affordable alternatives.

VENTILATION AND AIR FILTERS

Ventilation is effective for the same reason that outdoors is safer than indoors. If it's warm enough, keep windows open whenever possible. If it's cold, even cracking them open occasionally is better than nothing. Try to open windows or doors on different sides of a room to maximize airflow.

HEPA air filters can significantly reduce viral transmission indoors. Make sure to find one suitable for the room size, and replace the filters regularly. You want to look for devices with HEPA-13 filters.

You can use websites like these to calculate how long it takes for a device to change all the air in a room. Remember what I said about viral particles being able to hang around even after people have left? If an air purifier provides 2 air changes per hour, that means that after 30 minutes, any potential viral particles should be gone.

If you can't afford a commercial air filter, here's a useful DIY filter you can make with relatively simple materials. The filtration capacity is great--but due to being built with duct tape, replacing filters will be a challenge.

If you have to hold meetings or meet with people at work, having a smaller filter on the desk between you will also reduce chances of infection.

As a bonus, HEPA filters will also filter out other things like dust and allergens!

REDUCE LENGTH OF EXPOSURE IF EXPOSURE IS UNAVOIDABLE

Viral load refers to the amount of virus in a person's blood. If you've been exposed to someone with Covid, how much you've been exposed matters.

You might escape infection if the viral load you've been exposed to is very small. Or, even if you get infected, there will be less virus in you overall, leading to milder illness--and crucially, a lower chance of the virus penetrating deep into your body, creating reservoirs in your organs and wreaking long-term havoc.

A low viral load is also less contagious.

This is the same reason that wearing your mask most of the time, but having to take it off for eating, is still much better than not wearing your mask at all.

RECHARGEABLE PORTABLE AIR FILTERS

You might attract some odd looks. But if you're at high risk or just want to be as protected as possible, small portable air filters can help. Try to find models small enough to take with you on public transportation, to school, or while traveling.

These devices will be far too small to clean the air in the whole room. The goal is to have it filter air in your immediate vicinity. Be sure to angle the device so that the air is blowing in your face.

Unfortunately, rechargeable devices are much rarer and harder to find than normal air filters, and many are also expensive.

The best option at the moment, apart from DIY (which is possible, but you need to know what you're doing), seems to be the SmartAir QT3. The size and shape are a bit clunky, but it fits in a backpack. Its battery life isn't long, but it can be supplemented with a power bank.

NASAL SPRAYS

There's some research that suggests that some nasal sprays may be effective in reducing risk of infection by interfering with viruses' ability to bind to your cells.

These sprays are generally affordable, easy to find, and safe. The key ingredient is carrageenan, which is extracted from seaweed. So there are no potential risks or side effects.

Be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging carefully. Here's a video on how to properly use nasal sprays if you've never used them before.

Covixyl is another type of nasal spray that uses a different key ingredient, ethyl lauroyl arginate HCI. It also aims to disrupt viruses' ability to bind to cell walls. Unfortunately, I think it's difficult to obtain outside of the US.

CONCLUSION

None of the methods listed here are foolproof on their own. But by layering them, you can drastically reduce your chances of infection.

The most important layers, by far, are masking and air quality. But you should also stay conscientious when engaging with those layers. Don't let yourself become complacent with rules of thumb, and allow yourself to assess risk and make thought out decisions when situations arise where you might have to take off your mask or enter a high-risk indoor area, such as a hospital.

Remember that the goal is risk reduction. It's impossible to live risk-free, because we live among countless other people. But you can use knowledge and tools to keep yourself as safe as possible.

[kryptznnn]

♛- PLAY-HARD IV

1st part / 2nd part/ 3rd part / 4th part

Series Masterlist ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆

➸ INTERESTS; - olo'eyktan!jake x fem! omatikayan reader

➸ BACKGROUND; - working alongside Moat has helped you and your family in various ways, as a way to repay her for your free working she pairs you along side Toruk Makto to aid him in small departments he needs assistance in, but more importantly to find a Tsahik suitable for the Olo'eyktan, but he isn't always cooperative. Thankfully things have turned out for the better, Jake and you being close, but what does that mean for the future of the omatikayan people?

➸ WARNINGS; - wc. 3.4k, slight age gap (25 & 21), takes place after the great war, slow burn, arguing, angst, fighting, confessions, crying/tears, mentions of abandonment, screaming, fluff, jake being crazy kinda and y/n being a dick a little, make-up, bruises, injuries⭐️, romantic tension, small kisses.

➸a.i; - had enough fluff and smut i’m an angst kinda lover so i’m gonna hurt all of u guys with this 🙇🏾‍♂️ do not hate me for this i’ll make it up in the next chapter😭 (NOT PROOF READ, i’m literally dead rn i’ll edit more tmrw if anything’s wrong, currently working on chapter 5 and a neteyam drabble so i’ll be updating way more this week).

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*na’vi translation will be provided*

“Someone seems cheery” Mo’at spoke, upon your arrival to her tent where multiple other women were, either helping injured warriors or practicing their own form of medicine from herbs you originally would use alongside Mo’at. You smiled and greeted her softly, asking her what she meant by her statement.

“Nga tíran nemfa syura txantan na aylahe tsawke” [You walk in, energy brighter than the sun] She rolled her tongue, to which your tail swished slightly, grinning even larger. Understanding what she meant, you practically seemed in a good mood, and more than usual, as if you’ve been spending all morning helping the children in the village, which you’d usually do to start off your day before visiting her (if ewya let you from the late hours you’d wake up).

She just chuckled to herself and saved a seat beside her for you to begin helping her with other warriors and younger women learning the ways and traditions of the tsahik.

Soon after everyone left you stayed afterwards, as always. Already eating another meal and having chats with Mo’at, catching up with one another.

“Have you found someone for the olo’ektyan?” She asked, standing up slowly to begin cleaning the small messes left behind from the previous na’vi inside. You hesitated before answering, not knowing exactly to say. “He’s very difficult, but no I haven’t-“

“No? From the way you’re glowing and the left over evidence of what you two have done are you SURE you haven’t found someone for him?” She laughed, quickly getting a reaction out of you, quickly placing your hands on the side of your neck and collarbone, to which he had left love-bites on.

“We haven’t done anything. He hasn’t done anything, we both remain unmated” You stated, turning your head the other way, not really wanting to get into this type of conversation. “If you do end up mating it must be soon, the clan is in need of a Tsahik, I won’t always be here forever.” She stated sharply, turning to look at you and grabbing a nearby broom, cleaning slowly. “You know better than anyone I’m not prepared to be Tsahik, there are thousands of other na’vi women that could take my place-“

“I’ve raised you for nearly 13 years of your life and taught you all I know, if you aren’t ready now when will you ever be ready?” She asked, quickly cutting you off, you sighed and quickly tied your hair back, beginning to collect the bowls and left over remedies around, knowing she was right. It wasn’t your fault you were scared, you were young and had over 100 years until you’d die from old age and part of you didn’t believe you’d be able to. Maybe you’d let down your clan rather than helping them from the goodness of your heart, you weren’t as strong-hearted and wise as Mo’at, nor as smart and powerful as Jake. Sure you were a skilled shooter, whether with archery or with the earth weapons, Jake himself made sure of that, but fear consumed you. “Maybe it is not the placement of Tsahik you fear, maybe it’s the placement that comes with it..” She pondered, pausing and turning to you, to which you slowly glanced up at her, sighing softly.

“I can serve my people.” You stated, she nodded as if she was waiting for you to repeat those words. “But can you serve your olo’ektyan?” She asked quickly, watching you pause and sit there, your ears lowering slowly as you stood up in front of her, a small pout on your lips. Without a doubt even if you couldn’t always please your people you’d be able to support and help to your best ability, especially in the healing specifics, but things between you and Jake would change, which is something you COULDN’T risk. She finished sweeping and took you into a soft hug, as if she understood the situation you were in and how your mind was. For some reason it’s so much easier to fixate and plan out someone’s life for him on the sidelines, but on the front lines things seemed horrible, especially stress, that was something your simply couldn’t handle.

“You love your people, and you’ve done nothing but love what i’ve taught you and new people that have come into your life, do not be afraid of failure and don’t be afraid of change, be open to i-“

“Is the Tsahik still here? Oe tìkin srung si” [I need help] You heard a hoarse voice ask, quickly de-attaching from Mo’at to turn towards the back and collect a bowl with the herbs and bandages from before, ready to help whoever it was that was injured at the door. “Wha-“ You stopped dead in your tracks, dropping the bandages in your hand and nearly dropping the bowl as well out of shock.

It was, “Za’yukto, you seem as if you were attacked by a Palulukan” Mo’at joked, not realizing the shock that overtook your body. You weren’t sure what shocked you most, the fact that Za’yukto was here or the fact he was here injured so badly after seeing the bandage around his head, the injury you inflicted. You slowly picked up the bandage and tightened your grip on the bowl filled with herbs, making your way over to Mo’at quickly and setting them to her side, where she made Za’yukto sit. “Y/n can you please help with the bruises inflicted on his back?” She asked, it barely even being a question, quickly pushing you to his backside to which you tensed up. Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, swallowing your feelings and putting your work first, soon finishing quickly, as Mo’at soon finished afterwards.

You payed close attention to the injuries he had gotten, knowing well he was obviously attacked, but not by any animal, by a person obviously. Thankfully for you both there weren’t any open wounds, just bruises, which you took note on. The entire time he did nothing but place his head down, in a sense of shame you would’ve guessed, making you more curious, when Mo’at had finished with him however and moved away he began apologizing to you numerous amount of times for what he did and what had happened and asked how your injuries were, you only nodded and showed him your injuries, in the process of healing and if anything doing better than his now, not really wanting to spark conversation with him, thankfully he was smart enough to realize that and spent the rest of the moment in silence.

Soon after you finished and Za’yukto departed, Mo’at sent you on your way,, but not without making sure you took her advice to heart.

Most of it did most of it didn’t, knowing she could tell you as much as she wanted but it wouldn’t really truly leave you, you’d have to deal with your own problems alone, whether present or future, and honestly you prayed that time wouldn’t ever come.

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You soon arrived back to Jake’s hut, greeting him and smiling. He soon asked how your meeting with Mo’at was, you ignored the question not wanting to get into the previous conversation you had just had with your god-mother, asking him how he was and what had happened after you left, to which he didn’t want to respond to your question as well, leaving you puzzled.

“C’mere” He said, motioning towards his lap, to which you smiled and obliged, sitting promptly. Soon you guys continued your conversation, sharing short laughs and flirts back and forth, until Jake went up to hold your hand to which you saw his hands bruised and his knuckles busted and dry with blood. “What’s this? What happened to you?” You asked, now turned fully to him, searching in his eyes for an answer, which quickly darted away as he licked his bottom lip. “T‘s nothin, I just had an accident” He lied, his eyes still looking away, scanning the room. You frowned, taking his other hand to see the exact same marks and discoloration of his skin, “Why didn’t you ask me to help you! Let me get some-“

“No, it’s fine i’m okay” He said, gesturing he was fine, flexing his hands, balling them into fists, and wiggling his fingers around to show he was okay, which you didn’t believe. “You were fine this morning when I….” You paused.

He was fine when you left, and so was Za’yukto, you completely forgot you both crossed paths before leaving this morning. All of a sudden you come home and he refuses to talk about what happened when you left, and was lying to your face right now. What didn’t help his case was the fact that bruises were found all over Za’yukto and yet Jake remained untouched, the only bruises being on his hands, the same hands that he must’ve used to inflict the wounds on Za’yu. You weren’t wrong with your hypothetical thinking earlier, whatever had harmed Za’yukto was obviously someone, just not who you expected.

You quickly let go of Jake’s hand, standing up slowly and dusting yourself off, “Za’yukto came by to Mo’at’s hut this morning, asking for assistance.” You stated sharply, looking dead at Jake to which he looked up at you then down to his feet, his tail flicking quickly while his ears lowered softly. “He had so many injuries inflicted into his skin I was scared it would’ve battered his soul. Oeng Tsahik keng hangvur fyape hoan te’ekon ni a palulukan” [Our Tsahik even joked how he was attacked by a palulukan] You clicked quickly, watching Jake’s lips shift, pursing slowly. “Did it feel good? Beating on him like th-“

“Don’t do that.” He cut you off, stating harshly and he hunched over a little, his elbows resting on the plump of his thighs, as he looked up at you, now clearly upset. “Don’t do what Jake? Don’t tell you what you did was wrong? Because it was, and I didn’t ask you to do it, you did it on your own account to make you feel better about yourself.” You spat, pointing at him, he stood up abruptly hands on his hips as he huffed. “I’m suprised he was even able to walk into the ten-“

“I did it for you!” He shouted, throwing his hands in a fuss to which you quickly scoffed at. “You missed the part where I told you I didn’t ask you to-“

“Oh for fuck’s sake y/n, you came into my home sobbing and hardly even speaking to me out of fear, you know better than anyone else that I wouldn’t have just let him get away with i-“

“Oh yeah? Well I had it handled, if you were paying close attention he already had a bandage on his head, from my inflicting, as I told you!” You shouted back, slowly taking a step back when hearing his tone. “I’m not some damsel in distress I can protect myself and deal with my own issues, I’ve been doing it long enough.” You said, placing a hand on your hip to see Jake’s irritated expression. You heard him mumble something under his breath, and to which you quickly asked what he said, and for him to say it loud with his chest, thinking it was some sort of insult.

“I did it because I love you, I’m in love with you y/n, I don’t want to see you hurt, you don’t understand how much it hurts me to see you hurt, trust me kid if I knew this would’ve hurt you I never would’ve called him here in the first place.” He confessed, slowly stepping up to you with his hands out, attempting to take his hand into yours, to which you kept back, refusing.

“Was that supposed to get me to jump back into your arms and act like all is normal?” You asked him, upset at his confession, he furrowed his brows at you taken aback. “What’s that supposed to mean? That my love for you is fake? You got some damn nerve talking about how I feel when I don’t even know how you feel, I could be standing hear arguing with you for no goddamn reason, you probably don’t even love me, hell even like me!” He shouted pointing at you, hissing momentarily and baring his fangs, you bit down on your bottom lip softly, staying silent.

You did love Jake, that you were sure of, even Mo’at was sure of it, and you were sure that you’d expressed it in every way possible to him. He wasn’t wrong however, you never really told him, everything just happened so quickly you didn’t know what to do or say, you couldn’t say anything. Your mouth quite literally stayed agape until you kissed him, which you had hoped closed things up, but it obviously didn’t. Being apart of Jake’s everyday life in the future didn’t scare you, you already had played the role well as his assistant and honestly you enjoyed it, but playing the role as the Tsahik? His wife? Completely different, you couldn’t see yourself fitting into the shoes of your adopted mother and especially not the man you loved, you were mortified. All you could do was look at your feet, a huge lump in your throat and tears prickling the corners of your eyes, you tried to open your mouth, only slightly gasping for air, afraid your words would only do more harm, cursing yourself internally.

“Nga yawne lu oer.” You said softly, but loud enough for Jake to hear, pausing before watching as he came closer to you, now standing directly in front of you. “Doesn’t sound like you mean it.” He deadpanned, searching for some sort of anger to trigger, which he did.

“I have had eyes for you since the first day you landed with Toruk into our sanctuary and pleaded your oath to my mother and to Tsu’tey. My heart has yearned for you ever since I laughed at your complaints to her in the healers tent, since the first day I’ve worked for you, since the first time you ever hugged me or caressed me. I love you Tsyeyk Te Suli.” You said harshly, whipping your head up at him and jabbing him in his chest, clearly taken a back by your confession slowly raising his hand to place over yours, the tears now burning your eyes before falling, heating your cheeks up.

“I would give up so much for you, I owe you so much y/n, I am of your creation, patience, time, care, and love. I wouldn’t be the man I am today, I wouldn’t be the ruler I am today if it wasn’t for you, but I cannot do this alone, I need every piece of y-

“I cannot be by your side, I am not fit to be.” You quickly stated, cutting him off briefly, still not looking up to him, to which changed shortly after he placed his hand under your chin, guiding your head up slightly so you could look at him. He had tears in his eyes. “I cannot be the wife you need me to be and I cannot be the Tsahik our people need, those places are meant to be filled, but they cannot be filled by me.” You cried, now watching as Jake’s ears down-poured, and a tear rolled down his cheek, which he didn’t bother wiping away. “You say you cannot be the wife I need when the wife I need is you, you’re all I need y/n. You aren’t alone and you don’t ever have to be, whatever it is that you’re scared of don’t be, I’ve seen how you’ve interacted with the children and elderly here, how much they adorn you and constantly ask for your assistance, you’d make a wonderful Tsahik, you’re mother has preached it millions of times and has honored you as if you’re gold, calls you ewya’s daughter. I will always be here waiting for you, I will not have another woman, I will not settle for anyone else who is not you. I will not rest until I do have you, you are all I want, all I need, all I have, please.” He begged softly, cupping your face to which you cried more, slowly resting your head on his chest, staining his skin with your tears.

“I’m sorry” You mumbled into his chest, to which he smiled softly, your mumbles tickling him slightly, he kissed your now dry hair and massaged your back slowly, nodding and apologizing as well. “It’s a large responsibility you know? I get why you’re scared, but you can’t possibly do a worse job than me.” Jake joked, earning a faint laugh from you which made him chuckle, thankfully lightening the mood.

Soon after you two made up with one another you remained in physical contact, wiping each others tears and holding hands or hugging constantly, blabbering small nonsense to one another about your relationship and your young undying love, what the future held for you and how you would announce everything afterwards towards the clan and Mo’at, not wanting to let the other go. You helped Jake with his knuckles and to which he thanked you, brushing his hands against yours softly, just to interlock them.

“I wanna take you somewhere, it’ll help you get outta all this.” He said, tapping the side of your head lightly, tightening his grasp, you blinked several times before smiling, asking him where. To your surprise he remained discrete, saying it was a secret and he wanted to make up for the argument that erupted earlier, you just obliged. “As long as I don’t die” You kidded, earning a soft hum in response from him as he grinned at you, kissing your forehead, encouraging it would be the complete opposite of that.

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Jake soon after had you trailing behind him, his hand interlocked with yours as he guided you through the forest, giving you heads up of whether to jump or duck or turn since he had blindfolded you. Being raised within the forests your whole life didn’t help, unfamiliar of the path he was taking you on all you could do was giggle in response, until coming to an abrupt stop.

“We’re here pretty” He said, indicating you to remove your blindfold, which you did eagerly before looking up, the pink and purple luminescent lights quickly indicating where you were, “Vitraya Ramunong” [The Tree Of Souls] You muttered in disbelief, quickly placing your hand up to your lips to hide your large smile.

It had been so long since you’ve been here, you missed it entirely, the feeling, the melodies, the connections and joy it brought you. You quickly thanked Jake, jumping into his arms giddily, to which he wrapped his arms around you, laughing in response.

“Most of the time when I would go to Mo’at for assistance with Olo’ektyan duties she would send me here, to connect with the past one’s or even the past Toruk Makto’s to create a connection with them and ask for advice, t’s helped me a lot.” He said, quickly dragging his fingers between the tendrils and branches of the tree that hung to the blue mossy floors. You smiled at him intently, doing the same and frolicking around, to which he followed you like a small child. You soon decided to follow his advice, making your way to gently grab one of the tendrils while reaching behind you, gently taking your kuru and bringing it up towards the branch and watching as the tendrils of your kuru make the bond with the tree, gasping softly.

Jake just stood there, watching you in awe, the way your skin glowed underneath the lights, and the small smile on your face. The way in particular of how you held your queue, and how your tendrils practically danced towards the branches, creating an effortless bond, smiling softly and standing beside you, repeating your actions and then exhaling softly.

Mo’at was right, the arguments and obstacles that have been placed between you and Jake were meant to make you stronger, inseparable maybe.

This night would prove that for sure.

⭐️🕷️Taglist 🕷️⭐️

@igotmajordaddyissues @dani111 @call-me-doll-face @shadowmoonlight0604 @bigbootahjudy @innercreationflower @taleiak @bunniparadise @ellabellabus07 @anangelwhodidntfall

✴🕷 please do not copy, plagiarize, edit, or translate any works submitted by me. all works are originated and all other pictures used within those works are online images. thank you!! @kryptznnn

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Brief history of this request! 🤡 I originally wrote this as a response to it; the original interaction went up a little while before the book 7 part 3 update was released… and that update happened to give us a lot more information about the Shroud family dynamics. It was unfortunately bad timing!

This post is a rewrite which incorporates the new Shroud family canon from the update.

***Contains major plot spoilers for book 6 of the main story!***

Family means Nobody is Left Behind or Forgotten.

The students of Night Raven College had become accustomed to rather odd sightings—so when young Ortho Shroud sailed by them with two floating tablets in tow, no one batted an eye at it. That shut-in brother of his, the rumor was, maybe he multiplied. In a sense, there was truth to that theory.

“It’s so nice to have the whole family together!” gushed a woman’s squeaky voice from one device. “Isn’t it, Papa? Everyone’s so busy, we hardly get to do these kinds of things anymore.”

Beside her, her husband cleared his throat. He replied with a blunt, somewhat stiff, “Mmm, quite. It is… certainly a different environment than the laboratory.”

Idia didn’t know which was worse—his mother’s smothering cuteness, or his father’s calculating aloofness. The love and the logic. In anime and manga, they were amusing enough archetypes. But in reality? Cringe with a capital C, especially when they were acting as a unit in public.

He could feel the heat of his peers’ gazes directed at him as they passed like phantoms trailing over a graveyard. The curiosity, the whispers, the stares. The only thing that was keeping Idia sane was the safety offered by his tablet’s screen.

Hunkered down in his Ignihyde bedroom, he was safe from direct judgment—but not free of the embarrassment his parents provided. No, that was always eternal.

“Wh-Why did you guys even bothering showing up on the NRC Family Day banner…” Idia grumbled under his breath. Man, the one time I didn’t want to pull the SSRs… and they came home anyway!

There was an appalled gasp from the end of the line. “Of course Mama and Papa came! It’s Family Day. It’s a time us parents to see what mischief our genius little boys have gotten up to while they’re away!”

Idia couldn’t see his mother’s image on her screen, but he could only imagine she was winking in a conspiring manner to Mr. Shroud. He would give an awkward smile beneath his helmet and probably say something in agreement with her.

“Ideally, we’ve have liked to come in person,” his mother continued.

Mr. Shroud cleared his voice and neatly cut in. “However, with the recent incident… well, let’s just say we’ve had to lay low and wait for the dust to settle. My staff are working overtime moderating the metrics of this situation.”

“Quite right, dear! We can’t exactly waltz into Night Raven College! It would put us at risk of being scrutinized, especially with all the viral internet rumors swirling around.”

“Shadowy secret organization puppeteers Twisted Wonderland,” Mr. Shroud recited, shaking his head in disapproval, “Lizard people real, global warming is a hoax, tap water turning the frogs gay… Where do the youths come up with such preposterous claims?”

They’re covering their bases, Idia told himself. After that incident… We never wiped the subjects’ memories with the River Lethe. It exposes a chink in our armor—they could talk, spread what they know.

Then… Th-There’s no way people wouldn’t be curious. Internet sleuths with nothing better to do will dig up dirt from the most obscure corners of the web and tout it as truth!! That’s why even STYX has been having such a hard time containing it.

“What are you gonna do? Haters gonna hate.” Idia shrugged. “… I get it. You don’t have to go explaining yourselves to us. It’s a waste of breath.”

Cynicism slipped in at the last second. A habit, hard to squash.

Ortho chimed in, clearing the air with his cheer. “Nii-san’s right! What’s important is that we get to spend time together, bonding like any other family does.”

He extended his arms to them, as if reaching for hands to hold. Bur though there was nothing for the android to grasp, there was no hiding his effervescent smile. “I’m really happy that we can do this!”

Idia’s heart, so familiar with the ice that encased the Phantoms and the chill of Tartarus, melted. “Ortho…”

An ear-splitting squeal came from one of the tablets. “Kyaaaah! You’re so cute, Or-kun!! Mama wishes she was right there on Sage’s Island to squish your little face!! You too, Idia-kun! Don’t think you can escape from your mother!”

Mr. Shroud’s voice dragged into a patient sigh. “We discussed keeping a low profile.”

“Aww, but papa!” (Idia could practically hear the pout in her tone.) “It’s a parent’s instinct to want to hug and shower her children with love~”

“Y-You’re going to attract unwanted attention though…” Idia nervously pointed out—one thing he could see eye-to-eye with his father on. They were split down the middle.

Through his camera, he could already spot passerbys slowing and staring. Sweat collected on his palms, on his forehead.

“What’s going on over there…?”

“There’s a boy with blue flames for hair.”

“Is he a Shroud?”

“He has weird things floating around him.”

Unperturbed, Ortho waved at the curious gawkers. “Hello!! I’m spending time with my family today!” he announced with his full chest out.

“Aw, what an adorable kid.”

“Are they phoning in? Gosh, they must be busy—but they still care enough to attend. That’s great!”

“Have fun with your family, champ!!”

Eh? Ehhhhh?! What’s what this after-school special I’m seeing play out?! Everyone’s so upbeat and sparkling… a-almost like one of Cater-shi’s impossible Magicam filters was just applied to the whole campus!!

Something in Idia wanted to scoff at the sight, to dismiss it outright. For as long as he could remember, the Shrouds had been shunned by the sunlight. A bloodline cursed by the gods. Never to be heroes, never normal.

But if Ortho is happy, then… this was all worth it, wasn’t it?

Yet something else, too, called out. Some small, almost forgotten, fragmented part of him. A small flower growing in the darkest pits of the Underworld.

Hope.

A zero that had suddenly turned into 0.001%. Connected again, heart to heart—even if only for a single fleeting moment.

“… Dad, mom, Ortho,” Idia said slowly, “we can’t stand around like NPCs waiting to be talked to. We’ll miss out on the limited time event. Let’s go, the whole party.”

“Nii-san…!!”

Ortho’s whole face lit up, his joy turning absolutely electric. He nearly tackled Idia’s device as he seized it and spun in a giddy circle. There was laughter from the younger Shroud, and confused sputtering from the elder one.

“Would you look at that, Papa?” Mrs. Shroud giggled softly to herself. “It looks like our boys have become such good friends.”

“… That’s good,” her husband replied. “I was concerned that Idia was still beside himself with grief—but thankfully, he’s made tremendous progress.”

“Ehehehe. It’s all thanks to Or-kun coming into our lives. He ended up being the password to unlocking Idia’s almost impenetrable fire walls.”

“Indeed. Our children have come a long way.” The corners of Mr. Shroud’s lips threatened to pull up and back. “No longer boys, but young men.”

[deceptive-daydreams]

California Dreamin’

Chapter Two - Milkshakes & Sunburns (18+ ONLY)

Ch. 1 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4

Modern!Eddie AU - In which Eddie travels to California searching for something more out of life. And then he meets you.

Warnings: mentions of drug use and alcohol, reader being insecure, mentions of a deceased parent, eventual smut in future chapters, let me know if I missed any :)

8.8K words

Eddie x Reader, Friends to lovers, Slow burn

<;- Prev | Next ->

Note: So I got carried away and just kept writing. Also got a bit discouraged but that’s ok cause I kept writing anyway 😅 I’d love to know what you guys think about it. I’m trying to better myself as a writer and I figure the only way to do it is to write what I want and post it even if I’m scared. Also it’s like a fanfic so who tf cares it’s just fun.

Masterlist

The mornings in summer were cool and a blessing before the hot California sun seized the rest of the day.  Birds chattered in the distance and lawn mowers hummed, giving off the scent of fresh cut grass.  The smell of bacon and the clatter of pots and pans snaps Eddie out of his slumber.  

Wiping drool from his mouth, he sits up throwing the sheets off of himself, his unruly curls sticking up in every direction, bangs smashed to each side of his temples.  

Stretching with a deep groan, he swipes up his shirt off the floor and tosses it on.  In the last few days he fell into routine with the household.  Breakfasts at the table rather than in a rush on his way out the door,  assigned chores, and of course a phone call to Wayne every other day, providing him updates on how he’s been doing so far.  

—

Wayne had been worried about Eddie prior to him leaving Hawkins.  His nephew wasn’t doing so well or at least that’s what it looked like in between all the drinking, smoking, and restless nights, hearing Eddie in his room every evening, doing anything but sleeping only for him to emerge in the morning with purple eye bags and bloodshot eyes.

It got to a point that Wayne didn’t know what to do anymore and god forbid, he wasn’t going to let his nephew, practically his son, drink himself to death.  Smoke himself out of reality.  Disappear right before him.  

Wayne was never one to bring up emotions or ask for help but he sure as hell wasn’t going let this continue.  Cringing at the thought of asking for any type of help or advice, he forced himself to call up the one person who might understand and be able to offer a smidge of hope to him.  Maybe tell him that his nephew isn’t too far gone and that he can get out of this rut.    Anything.

That’s when he called up Marlene, one of his oldest friends.  “Mar, I just don’t know what I’m sposed’ to do.  He’s walkin’ around damn near lookin’ like a corpse.”  He explains through his flip phone.  She suggests getting him professional help, therapy, something.  Wayne sighs, shaking his head.  “Y’know we don’t got the money for that.”  She then offers something that Wayne sees a glimmer of optimism in.  

She brings up an idea to have Eddie come stay with her, as long as he needs.  “He should get out of there, it won’t help if he has to be faced with harassment every day.  I think all the drinking and drugs provide him an escape.  If we get him out of there it could help.  He could find something out here, figure himself out.” She says.  Wayne is hesitant not because he doesn’t trust Marlene but he doesn’t trust people.

People have always made Eddie feel like the freak, the outcast, the murderer’s son.  Everywhere he went he was met with unforgiving stares, individuals whispering about him as he walked by, men of the town would even start fights with him.  Just to assert their dominance over him as if to say “know your place”.  Although they wouldn’t always win, Eddie was lean but he was strong.  Growing up in the trailer park had its perks and being able to pummel someone to the ground when he needed to was one of them.  

Wayne knew Eddie could hold his own physically but mentally he knew it destroyed him.  Being held to a standard that his father set when he was only seven stuck with him, Wayne knew even if Eddie never talked about it.  Refused to talk about it.  

So when Marlene awaits an answer on the other end of the phone, all Wayne can think about is how wrong it could go should someone out in California figure out Eddie’s past and treat him how he’s always been treated.  But then he envisions how right it could go too.  Eddie could start fresh, he’d have Marlene and Jocelyn and wouldn’t be completely alone, experiencing something other than Hawkins all by himself.  All he knew his whole life was Hawkins AKA Bigot Central.

He agrees and from there, he has to prepare to bring up the concept to Eddie.  It would only work if he was on board.  The idea of conveying his worry to Eddie in words was terrifying.  Munson men didn’t talk about feelings.

That evening when Eddie stepped into the trailer after work, kicking his heavy oil covered boots off, Wayne sat up from the couch.  “Ed, I need to talk to you.” He demands, gesturing to the spot next to him.  Eddie gives him a suspicious stare, pulling his hair out of the low bun he sported.  He slowly makes his way next to Wayne, plopping on the couch, the springs squeaking in protest.  

“Now, m’ not gonna get mushy with you but here’s what I will say.” Wayne starts.  “What you been doin’ lately ain’t good for you.  Drugs, drinkin’, work, repeat.  Comin’ home all banged up and bleedin’.” He explains, blue eyes staring straight into Eddie’s.  “Wayne we don’t need t—“ “I’m talkin’, son.  And you’re gonna sure as shit listen cause it’s what’s good for you.” Wayne is firm with his words.  Eddie’s lips press into a tight line as he waits for Wayne to continue.

“I get it, this town hasn’t been good to ya.  But that don’t mean you get to act like a goddamn college kid every night.  I figure there ain’t really any way to stop you but I talked to Marlene—“ “You called Marlene!  Why the fuck—“ Eddie is cut off again.  “She thinks it’d be good for you to stay with her for some time, however long you want.  Get away from these people, figure yourself out without havin’ to confront a mob everywhere ya go.”

“Wayne I can’t even afford to live in this shit hole of a town, how am I gonna pay rent out on the west coast!  Are you trying to set me up for failure!?” Eddie seethes, hands grabbing at his curls in distress.  Wayne feels hurt by his insinuation at first but comes to the conclusion that Eddie is scared, having known nothing but this small town his entire life.

Wayne closes his eyes and exhales.  “Ed, we’re tryin’ to help.  Marlene isn’t chargin’ rent, you just gotta help out.  Y’know chores.  Earn your keep.  She wants to help.  She knows how these people can be, she experienced it firsthand too.”  He says.  “I’m not charity—I-I’m not—“ Eddie struggles to find words.  “You’re family to her, Ed!  Remember!  Her and your mom, they were there for each other and that also means she’s there for you too.” Wayne voices, attempting to keep the emotion to a minimum.  Eddie’s big brown eyes soften and he slumps back against the couch.

He has no words and he refuses to go into this territory.  He can’t.  Without another sound, he stands up and heads to the bathroom, slamming the door to signify that this conversation is over.  

Wayne feels defeated and hopeless.  The rest of the night carries on, he eats one of his TV dinners on the couch watching Jeopardy like every other night.  Eddie is still in the bathroom, the sound of the shower is heard from where Wayne sits, the pipes singing through the walls.  Eventually the water turns off and minutes go by.  Eddie emerges from the bathroom, curls dripping and a towel around his waist.  He focuses on Wayne with intensity before softening his features ever so slightly.  “I’ll go.” He states before padding off to his room.  

He’ll never admit it but the smallest smile graces Wayne’s face.  

—

 Downtown is much busier than back home.  Cars are constantly speeding past, traffic builds up at the lights, and there’s a man selling fruit on the corner.  Eddie has witnessed so much in so little time as he walks along the damaged sidewalk.  So far he’s handed his resume to four auto shops.  Jocelyn assisted him in creating one that would stand out and highlight his skills.  

He finishes handing in the last copy to one more shop before they hire him on the spot, letting him know he starts on Monday.  Things are okay, things are going to be okay, he reminds himself through his doubt. 

On his way out he bumps into something, another body, shorter than him.  You let out a small chirp as you attempt to enter the shop but instead collide with something firm. 

“Sorry-“ you both say simultaneously.  You look up to find none other than Eddie Munson, now grinning down at you.  He smells like tobacco and something wood-like you can’t quite put your finger on.  It’s nice.  His curls are as wild as when you met him a few days ago.  “Hey.” He greets you, his eyes have a twinkle in them and you’re in a trance.  “I was just—“ you begin to stumble over your words.  “Something wrong with your car?” He asks.  “Y-yeah it’s making all this noise and I put off taking it in so… that’s what I’m doing…now.” You awkwardly answer.  

He leans in toward you before quietly saying “I could take a look at it.  If you want.  I won’t overcharge you unlike some—you know maybe we should talk outside.  I don’t wanna get fired when I haven’t even worked a shift yet.” He ushers you back out the front door of the shop, the air conditioning vanishing as the heat takes back over.  “You sure?  You don’t have to.”  You fiddle with the car keys in your hand.  

“Yeah it’s no problem.  You can drop it off at Mar’s and I’ll take a look at it when I get back.” He assures you.  “Wait, did you say you work here?” You backtrack.  He’s squinting at the sunlight as he answers.  “Yeah, just got hired actually.  Just don’t tell em’ I stole one of their customers.” He raises his brows and gives you a stern look although you can tell he’s playing around.  “Noted.” You agree, your face feeling hot and it’s not just from the sun.

There’s a silence among the two of you, you awkwardly shuffling your feet on the concrete.  “Not gonna lie, I don’t have shit left to do til’ Monday.” Eddie breaks the silence.  “So I could just take a look at your car now.” He admits.  With that, he follows you in his van back to Jocelyn’s house.  Meanwhile, you’re giving yourself a mental pep talk the whole way back, simultaneously scolding yourself for being so uncool.

—

Condensation drips down the tall glasses of lemonade as you carry them out from the house to the front yard where Eddie’s head is tucked beneath the hood of your car, the mid-afternoon sun blazing.  

Except when you left a few minutes ago to get him and yourself something to drink he was wearing a shirt.  Now he’s all sweaty, tattoos littered along his torso and chest, his hair in a low bun with some strands escaping to frame his angelic face, and his happy trail on display.  His rings are discarded on a small workbench he found next to the house that he had dragged over.

He’s gorgeous, lean but not pumped with muscle.  His arms aren’t bulging but the flex in his bicep when he moves his arm a certain way does things to you.  He has a rag hanging out of his back pocket, covered in grease.  The image before you is nothing like you’d ever seen before.

You try and shake the thoughts forming about him in your head, setting the glasses down on the workbench.  “Mar made some fresh lemonade with the lemons out back, so I brought you some.  Hope that’s okay.  Or I could get you water instead.” You watch as he tinkers with something in the engine, his tongue poking out the side of his mouth in concentration.  

“No, no, that’s perfect.  Thanks—fuck.” He grunts out of frustration.  “I’m gonna need to get a new part for your car.  Sorry about that, Peach.”  Peach?  “Probably not gonna be able to use it for a couple days til’ I find what I need.” He finishes.  You nod in understanding.  “Why—why Peach?” You ask timidly.  He shrugs.  “Just seem sweet is all.” He smiles and glances at you for a brief moment as he messes with something else in the engine.  “Like a peach.”

“Jocelyn’s got a nickname too.” He continues, voice somewhat muffled since he’s hovering over the engine again.  “Oh?” You urge him to complete his thought.  “Yeah, fuckin’ grumpy ass.” He turns to you, a playful smile tugging at his lips.  At this you laugh.  “Do you know the shit she’s given me in the short time I’ve been here?  Almost beat me to a pulp for taking too long in the bathroom. I mean Jesus Christ.”  Eddie’s rolling his eyes dramatically.  “She has a way with words.” You state, watching as he finishes up and closes the hood.  

His hands are covered in black streaks, some sneaking their way up his forearms as well.  “Well, so do I.” He says, taking the rag out of his back pocket and wiping his hands off.  As he turns his face to the side you can’t help but notice a little silver hoop earring dangling from his ear.  

There it is again, that hot and heavy feeling.  You feel your cheeks starting to tint pink and you can only hope that he doesn’t notice.  “But I’ll—uh let you know when she’s done.” He taps the hood of your car twice with his hand.  “If you’re okay to leave it here.  Really wouldn’t recommend driving it home at this point.  Could’ve fallen apart on you at any moment, Peach.” He enunciates the nickname with a grin.  This is so embarrassing, you can’t stop the color from taking over your cheeks, can’t even look him in the eye with how charming he is.  

“Yeah, no for sure.  It’s not like I drive to work anyway.” You say crossing your arms nervously.  He grabs his shirt from the workbench, draping it over his shoulder before grabbing the glass of lemonade, taking a long gulp.  And god, how could he look so good doing the most mundane things?

“Well I’m gonna go get cleaned up.  You need me to drive you home or are you gonna hang here?” He asks.  “I uh, think I’ll just hang out til Jos gets home.  She should be here soon.”  You take a sip from your glass.  Eddie gulps down the rest of his lemonade, some of it escaping the glass and trickling down his chin and to his chest.  Why was everything he did so erotic to you?  

“Thanks for the lemonade.” He says, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, a small smile appearing.  His face is flushed from the heat, lips a pretty shade of pink.  You can’t seem to respond before he’s sauntering back into the house, leaving you a flustered mess in the yard.

—

You’d been waiting around for Jocelyn in the garage for around an hour before texting her, asking her where she was.  Her college classes should have ended already.  She responds letting you know that she was at the library with a study group, not sure how long she’d be.  

Sighing, you kick your feet up on the coffee table.  Guess you were going to have to find something to do with your evening which wasn’t uncommon.  You always hung out at Jocelyn’s even if she wasn’t there, busying yourself with playing with the dogs or helping out Marlene, even working from your laptop.  

Jonathan would probably also be at the study group which meant Argyle would follow him and Will and El wouldn’t be coming around tonight since he was their ride.  In a way, you felt like everyone had a pairing or a group.  Jonathan, Argyle, and Jocelyn were always on campus together, always exchanging inside jokes from classes or something that happened that day.  Will and El, while they were a little bit younger, both being 19, they were also taking courses at another campus a few cities over.  And then you just had work.

Sometimes you couldn’t help but feel that your decision not to go to college hindered your social life but it wasn’t even that.  Everyone was around all the time regardless of their class schedules.  If they weren’t at their classes they were almost always in the garage.  It had to be the dynamic set out from the very beginning.  

You were the quieter one, the more soft spoken one, the tie breaker if Jonathan, Argyle, and Jos got in an argument over something and couldn’t make a decision or if Will and El were bickering about where to eat.  Your role was essential when Jonathan and Will got into disagreements however those never seem to end seeing as they’re brothers.  Something in you just felt that while Jos was considered your best friend, you just weren’t bonded to everyone in the way that they were bonded to each other.  Will and El were inseparable but it didn’t feel that way with yourself or anyone in the group. 

It wasn’t to say you didn’t feel loved by your friends because you did.  There was just something missing, a void that wasn’t being filled no matter how hard you tried.  No one would ever notice but you were drowning in self doubt and lacked the confidence to swim back to the surface and ask for help.

In the distance, the sky is fading into hues of purples and pinks, a cotton candy mess of clouds consuming the skyline.  The day is coming to a finish as the city just beyond the view of the reservoir glimmers like a jewelry box.  You can just barely see it from where you’re sitting but it's still hypnotizing.  Life still continues even into the dark of the night, the hustle of people working their night shifts prominent among the millions of lights in the distance. 

“Hey, where is everyone?” Eddie strolls into the room, breaking you from your provoking thoughts.  His hair is damp and he’s wearing a black muscle tee and some black basketball shorts.  Some small tattoos are scattered throughout his legs.  His curls look fresh and not as frizzy as before and he smells faintly of aftershave.  Not the gross kind that’s too strong but just a subtle scent.  

“Class, I guess.” you mutter, taking your legs off the coffee table and sitting up straighter.  “I was just gonna get going.”  Before you can stand up Eddie is slumping onto the couch next to you, a beer in his hand that he had just grabbed from the fridge in the kitchen.  “I don’t bite y’know, Peach.” he pops the cap to the beer off and tosses it onto the coffee table as he takes a sip.  You shift uncomfortably, unsure of how to answer.  “You’re just gonna leave the second I sit down?” he continues, brow raised, offense in his voice.  “Well I uh–no–”  his eyes narrow and then travel across your face as you stutter before he displays a huge grin.  “I’m just fucking around, don’t let me tell you what to do.  I was just gonna chill out here for a little bit.  If that’s cool with you.” he settles back into the couch, resting his head against the back of it.  

“Yeah, it’s basically your house isn’t it?  At least while you’re here, like you live here.”  you manage to say.  “I mean, it seems like you basically live here too and you’ve been here longer so you have the authority to kick me out if anything.” he mentions.  You just nod in response, focusing your sight on a rip in your denim shorts rather than his face.  

You don’t know where it comes from but before you can even think your mouth is already running.  “Have they shown you around yet?  We could like–take a walk and I could show you around the area…I don’t know.”  you offer.  Mentally, you’re now kicking yourself because why would he be interested in hanging out with you for the night?  Why would he entertain the idea when he was probably waiting for everyone else?  

“Let’s go.” he smiles, finishing off his beer and throwing his shoes on.  You’re surprised by his answer, not because you think he would just simply tell you no but because you’re you and he seems enthusiastic if anything.  But you’re boring and that enthusiasm won’t last long, you know it.  That’s how it usually goes, right?

Eventually the gravel is crunching below your heels as you walk alongside Eddie down the driveway.  The air is dry and it's still warm despite the sun no longer hanging in the sky.  Eddie’s hands are shoved in his pockets and as you sneak a quick glance at him from the corner of your eye, you notice a chain with a guitar pick dangling from his neck, the jewelry reflecting off one of the street lights as you approach the road.  

“Do you mind if I smoke?” he asks, pulling out a carton of cigarettes from his pocket.  You shake your head in response as you decide to veer off to the right, the street crumbly from not being maintained for a while.  Eddie follows your lead.  “Been trying to quit so I only let myself have one a day.  You smoke?” he questions, you hear the lighter flickering before he inhales as you keep your gaze on the broken asphalt beneath you.  The scent of tobacco soon fills your nose.  You take slow steps in rhythm with him, lazily shifting from one foot to the other.  “No, I don’t.  Never tried before.  Cigarettes, at least.” you say.  

He just nods in understanding.  “I used to smoke so much, we’re talkin’ like chain smoker.  Shit was nasty.  But I’ve been trying to cut back and quit.  Mostly been smokin’ weed.”  he explains.  “Well you’re gonna love what Jonathan and Argyle smoke.  The stuff you find out here is unreal.” you tell him.  You almost frown at the thought.  It seems like so far you have had the opportunity to hang out with Eddie one on one more than anyone else but you’re certain that will change and once again you will be on the backburner.

“Good cause I’m gonna need it.” he laughs.  You haven’t gotten very far, the house still a couple yards away behind you as you both had been leisurely making your way along the street.  He clears his throat, cigarette hanging in between his fingers, there’s a look in his eye.  You can’t quite pinpoint what it is, maybe a bit mischievous?  “I don’t mean to hijack your tour or anything but let's go over there.” he chimes in, pointing to the reservoir, the concrete part at the opposite end of the field.  There is a ‘no trespassing’ sign displayed a few feet away and a sparkle in his eyes as he looks from you to the sign and back.  

You’d crossed the field a few times in the past to sit on the part that appears to be like a dam with no water to block.  No one’s ever said anything but you feed into Eddie’s antics.  “If we get caught–”  “I’ll go down for the crime, don’t you worry.”  he smirks, throwing the cigarette butt on the ground before stomping it out and then picking it back up, putting it back in his pocket.  You give him a questionable look before he elaborates.  “Bad for the environment…”  You can only laugh in response.

—

The city stares back at the two of you, lights sparkling as a treasure chest filled with gold and jewels would.  You stand on the concrete dam overlooking the sight before you.  Eddie’s eyes are filled with wonder, huge pools of honey taking it all in.  “Can I be honest?” he says next to you.  “Sure.” you respond.  “I’ve never seen something like this before.  I mean I’ve seen a city before but it didn’t look anything like this.”  he says, his stare remaining in front of him.

“That’s fair, Indiana’s a lot different than here.” you say.  “A lot different.” he emphasizes.  He sits himself down on the ground, bringing his knees to his chest.  You join him, sitting criss-crossed.  Eddie finally tears his gaze from the city, shifting it to you.  “So tell me about everyone.” he says.  “What do you mean?  You’ve met them.” you respond.  “Yeah but what’s everyone like?  I’ve only known them for like less than a week.”  he elaborates.  “Well, you know Jos.  She’s my closest friend.  And then Will and El are like the twins around here.  They’re always together.  El acts like Jos’s little sister and she’s a party animal once you get her started.  Will’s shy around new people but he’s super funny.” you explain with a small smile.  Eddie’s full attention is on you, listening intently.  “And then there’s Jonathan and Argyle, they’re complete stoners.  Will is Jonathan’s brother if they didn’t tell you yet.  Sometimes they don’t tell new people they’re brothers and wait to see how long they can go without telling them, it’s super weird.  Argyle is super chill, he’s usually up for anything.”  you finish.  

Eddie tilts his head to the side.  “What about you?” he asks.  His voice is quiet, almost as if he could disrupt the calm atmosphere you two created.  You stare down at the ground, fidgeting with a pebble.  What about you?  What was there to tell about you?  Not much, you decide.  But he wasn’t going to make this easy and you knew that.  

“I’m just me.” you sigh, giving him a sad smile.  His face falters at this.  “Yeah, you’re you.” he says intrigued.  “Tell me about you.” he pushes.  What were you supposed to tell him?  I have deeply rooted emotional trauma which makes it hard for me to get close with others?  No, he would run for the hills.  “I’m–” you try again, unable to find the words.  “I have to get home.” you could punch yourself for the words that involuntarily left your lips.  You panicked and now you’re going to regret ending the night early.  

“Do you really?” Eddie challenges you, almost as if he can read you like a book.  His eyes are burning a hole in you.  It’s hard to look at him because you know you’re lying and he knows it too.  “Yes.” you lie again.  He looks at you in speculation and sighs, giving in as he stands up.  You follow, dusting your legs off.  “I can drive you then.” is all he says.

Now you worry that you’ve angered him, that you pissed him off and now he’s never gonna interact with you again other than when he’s forced to when everyone else is around.  The fear that you’ve ruined another good thing because you couldn’t get over yourself bubbles within you.

Eddie walks in front of you, making his way down from the dam along the slope of concrete and onto the field, you’re not far behind.  He’s giving you the silent treatment, you think to yourself.  You barely even know him and he’s already done with you.  That is until you hear his voice speak up as he glances behind at you, a smile on his face.  “Thanks for trespassing with me.”  He’s not mad?  “No problem.” You respond confused.

The two of you make your way back to Jocelyn’s in a quiet but comfortable silence, now that you know he’s not mad, or at least not showing it.  Approaching the open garage, you hear voices laughing and bantering.  Everyone must be home.  Sure enough, you and Eddie walk into a room full of your friends.  “Heyyyy!” Jonathan greets from the couch he’s melted into.  His eyes are bloodshot and a grin seems permanently etched into his face.  Looking at Jocelyn and Argyle also attached to the couch, Jocelyn cuddling a pillow to her chest, you realize you just missed their post class smoke sesh.  You’d usually be a participant had you been around but you don’t mind.

Will and El are seated on the cushioned bench on the other side of the garage doing homework.  Will seems reluctant to participate but does so anyway as he shuffles through the flashcards he’s holding.  Highlighters are scattered among the binders littered on the floor next to them.  Will offers a “hey” while El greets you with a “hi” and a wave.

“What’s up?” Eddie asks as he plops himself next to Jonathan.  “Where have you brochachos been?” Argyle questions looking between you and Eddie.  Jos gives you a quick look as if something’s up but you return a stern one back to her so she drops it.

“I was showing him around and he wanted to see the reservoir.” You explain.  “Why the hell did you wanna see that out of all things?” Jos just about yells at Eddie with a puzzled look.  “It said no trespassing so you know I had to.” He smirks.  “Fight the man, dude.” Jonathan fist bumps Eddie.  “Thanks?” he responds.  

“So, Eddie The Wise…” Argyle begins before Will chimes in.  “Hey!  It’s Will The Wise!”  Argyle chuckles mischievously.  “I love riling that little dude up.  His eyes get all big and he starts freakin’ out, it’s classic man.” He laughs a little harder than necessary.  “Whew!” He wipes the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes while Jos and Jonathan laugh along with him.  “Anyway, how are you liking Californ-i-ay?” he asks.  

“Can’t complain so far.” Eddie replies, and you swear he shoots a glance at you for a brief second.  “Peach has been showin’ me the ropes.” he jokes.  So he definitely glanced at you.  “Who’s Peach?” Jonathan questions, confusion evident in his features.  Eddie gestures to you with a tip of his chin, his lashes are casting shadows over his rosy cheeks, no doubt sunburned from being outside more than he’s used to this past week.  “She’s too nice to everyone!”  Eddie explains.  Jos, Argyle, and Jonathan all share a look, Jonathan wiggling his eyebrows before shrugging it off.  You shoot each of them a glare as you speak up.  “I’m gonna head home now, it’s starting to get late and we have a long day tomorrow.” you remind them of the trip to the beach that was planned.

Eddie drove you home that night just like he did the first time just days ago.  And hopefully there would be many more, you think to yourself.  If you were lucky enough, if you were strong enough to let him in.  If that was even his intention.

–

“Sunscreen, towels, sandwiches, drinks, and where is my…” El lists off the necessities until she’s looking around puzzled, lips in a pout and eyebrows scrunched.  “My book!” she yells as Argyle mindlessly flips through the pages while he leans against Eddie’s van, back doors wide open as Jonathan is tossing in an umbrella.  El snatches the book from Argyle’s grasp, tucking it into her canvas tote bag hanging off of her shoulder.  “I wasn’t gonna hurt it!” Argyle defends, shoving his hands into the pockets of his bright teal swim trunks.  Scoffing and rolling her eyes, El makes her way back to the house to gather anything else they may have forgotten.  

Eddie passes her through the doorway carrying two beach chairs.  “Good morning, Sunshine!” he just about shouts in her ear.  She flinches, her bangs momentarily falling into her eyes.  “Good morning?” she responds as he continues walking.  “If I have to be up early and ‘get glad’ as Mar says, then so do you!” he sing songs from down the driveway.  She waves him off before making her way into the kitchen where you and Will had been making the rest of the sandwiches for the day.

“You won’t catch me making a bologna sandwich, I’m not doing it.”  Will cringes as you’re handing him the container of meat, all processed and packaged in perfect circles.  “Well I’m working on the turkey ones.” you whine, dropping the container in front of him, returning to your task of smothering mayo along the white sandwich bread.  “And I’m working on the peanut butter and jelly ones.” he puts on an exaggerated frown.  “Will, you’re literally on your last one.” you argue.  Will starts to mimic you in a high pitched voice.  “Oh my god, I’ll do it!” El chimes in with annoyance, dropping her tote bag on one of the chairs near the table, making her way next to you at the kitchen island.

“Who even requested bologna anyway?” El questions as she steals the butter knife from you to slather some mayo on the bread.  You give her a glare but she pays no mind so you drop it, grabbing another knife from the drawer.  “Who do you think?” Will finishes off his last PB&J, pushing the pieces of bread together and packaging it in a sandwich bag and then into the small red cooler on the counter.  “Argyle.” El seethes as she pulls a piece of the over processed meat out of the container, a disgusted look on her face.  They didn’t hate each other by any means but he knew how to push El’s buttons and she did nothing to hide it.

You finish off the sandwiches just as Jocelyn stampedes down the stairs wearing her black denim shorts which used to be jeans but she cut them at the knee and a cropped white band shirt, showing off a hint of her torso.  “Let’s go, losers!” She grabs her sunglasses from the counter and heads toward the door.  “Be safe!” you hear Marlene yell from the top of the stairs.

Everyone meets up at the end of the driveway, piling into the van with the beach essentials.  There are no seats in the back so you just grab a spot where space is available.  Eddie drives and Jonathan calls shotgun.  The engine is rumbling to life and before you know it you're on the road, only a 30 minute drive around the mountain and through the coastal cities.

–

The air is more crisp than inland and it's still overcast since it was still early.  Families walk along the sidewalks, dads carrying foldable lawn chairs and pool toys, moms herding the kids while carrying diaper bags and other miscellaneous items.  The chatter in the car was continuous throughout the whole drive, the seven of you leaving no room for silence.  Except for of course when you all stopped for a mandatory gas station run, leaving everyone with their selected snack and drink before heading down to the beach.  It was a ritual you all had.

The parking lot comes into view and so does the open ocean along with the sand you couldn’t wait to dig your toes into.  The water is a deep blue compared to the lighter blue of the sky.  You spot the pier and the little diner at the end, hoping you’d get to treat yourself to a milkshake later on.  Eddie had to circle the parking lot a few times before actually finding a spot.  “It’s baby’s first beach trip!” Jos yells as she crawls toward the front of the van, slapping her hand on Eddie’s shoulder.  He rubs his shoulder, putting the van in park and not even a second later everyone is rushing out of the van.  

You can hear the waves smacking the shore, smell the salt in the air, you can almost feel the cool water against you as you play in the waves and even taste the saltwater when you get hit in the face by one that was bigger than you estimated.  But first you have to help with carrying everything from the van down to the sand which is the worst part.  But not as bad as having to lug it all back at the end of the day.  You opt to carry one of the smaller coolers and some towels, everyone else finding something to carry.  It was nice having so many people though, you didn’t have to make multiple trips.  Unlike the time you, Jocelyn, Jonathan, and Argyle went to the beach and overpacked, the four of you had to make two trips out of it between the beach toys, a tent Argyle insisted on bringing, chairs and food, among other things you can’t even remember.  

The shore was populated with families and groups of people seeing as it was a Saturday in the beginning of Summer.  The sand was warm, almost hot on your feet.  Jonathan managed to point out a spot that would fit your group perfectly among the crowds.  It was a little ways down from the pier but not too far, complaints were still heard from Jos and Argyle though, they just wanted to drop everything and run into the water.  Towels were laid out, the coolers were set in the sand near the foldable chairs, and a colorful umbrella was propped up.  Everyone claimed their respective spots to lay out for the day in between swimming and playing in the sand.

El situated herself on her towel underneath the umbrella, pulling out her book as she laid back.  You decided on a faded Star Wars towel, setting your bag on the corner and pulling out some sunscreen to apply to your face and body.  Will held his hand out for some as he claimed the towel right in between you and El.  You obliged, squeezing the bottle of lotion onto his palm as you spread it along your cheeks and nose.  Jonathan and Argyle were already throwing a frisbee back and forth, not even shedding their shirts yet.  Jos sat in one of the beach chairs with her shirt discarded in her back pocket, now sporting a neon orange bikini top with her sunglasses sitting comfortably on her face while she basked in the sun.

With another glance around at your friends, you can’t help but notice one is missing.  That is until you shift your gaze toward the water where Eddie is already standing just before the very shallow part where the tide rises up and down.  The sun is starting to overtake the overcast morning, bringing with it a bright Summer day.  There’s a slight breeze and with it, the occasional mist of sea water.  His curls are dancing with the wind as he overlooks the water.  He hasn’t even taken his black converse off yet, wearing a ripped up black muscle shirt with ‘Metallica' across the chest and black swim trunks.  

You avert your gaze as he begins to turn back around toward the beach towels.  You remember what Jos said in the car and gather that he’s probably never seen an ocean before.  He kicks his shoes off and lifts his shirt over his head, tossing it at Jocelyn’s face and yelling “come on!” before running back down to the water, this time stopping until it's at his waist.  Jos throws the shirt down on the chair next to her, tugging her shorts off and then running to the water as well.  She reaches Eddie and without hesitation, pushes him forward, sending him face first into one of the waves.  You laugh to yourself at the sight but when you don’t see Eddie resurface for a few seconds your heart drops.

Suddenly he pops up from beneath the water, shoving Jos into another oncoming wave which causes her to lose her balance and land ass first as the water rushes over her.  Their shouts and giggles are muffled by the sound of the crashing waves as well as Will chattering next to you about some new movie he wants to see.

With courage, you decide to join them inviting Will and El as you stand up and discard your shirt and shorts.  El declines, too engaged with her book but Will agrees and follows.  The water is ice cold and shocks your body as you take your first steps along the wet sand into the water.  But in contrast to the hot sun blazing from above, it also feels refreshing.  As you approach Jos, a splash of water meets your face causing you to gasp.  “Shit, sorry!” Eddie apologizes.  “Yeah sorry, Peach!” Jos emphasizes the nickname, this brings a blush to Eddie’s face but he’s hoping the sun has already burned him enough to cover it.

Scooping up some water with your cupped hands, you toss it at Jos but it does little damage since she’s already been engulfed in the waves and you’re still halfway dry.  She starts doing the same, cupping her hands and flinging the water at you, your skin slightly stinging at the cold shock.  “Jos, it’s cold, it’s cold, okay—okay!!” You surrender, throwing your arms up in front of you to shield yourself.  “Get in dummy!” She splashes once more.

Eddie is standing near you, pulling a piece of stray seaweed out of his curls, his face wrinkled in concentration while his torso is glistening with seawater, sparkling even as the sunlight beams off of him.  His chest and arm tattoos are on full display and you subtly try and take them in, your attention drifting to the black widow just below his collarbone.  As you scan over the artwork, Jocelyn is now peeking behind Eddie at you, gesturing that she was going to push him yet again.  Except this time she pushes him straight into you.

The next thing you remember is slimy skin on skin, the sand scraping against you as your back crashes against it along with some making its way into your swimsuit bottoms, and the loss of breath from the impact of another body on top of you.  Eyes scrunched shut and hands clenched, you realize just who is on top of you can you can’t seem to face reality.  The tide continues rolling in, covering everything but your face, however you did manage to ingest a large mouthful of seawater on your tumble down, leaving you with a salty aftertaste and sand particles wedged  in between your teeth that you might still feel in a few days.  

Exhaling a deep breath, you convince your eyelids to flutter open and above you is none other than Eddie, arms on either side of your shoulders and stomach touching yours, a little too intimate for your comfort.  His large deep brown doe eyes are looking directly at you with surprise in them, seaweed still hanging from one of his curls.  You could swim in his eyes if the world around you paused and he allowed it.  

“Um—“ you begin, slowly sitting up.  He takes his weight off of you and starts to back up on his knees.  “I’m—she pushed me—I’m so sorry.” He stumbles over his words while running a hand through his tangled hair, his fingers getting caught.  “No it’s okay—“ “Here.” As he stands up he offers you his hand which you now notice is naked without his chunky rings.  His grip is firm but somewhat gentle, you could feel that he was trying to be careful.  As his fingertips graze your wrist while he pulls you up, you note that they are slightly rough, most likely calloused from playing guitar and his work as a mechanic.  

“Thanks” you mutter almost under your breath, brushing some of the wet sand off of your legs.  Eddie still appears to be flustered, his stare not once leaving the water in front of where he’s standing.  Everyone else seems to have already moved on from Jocelyn’s stunt, continuing to play in the waves as you recover from the awkward interaction.

Jonathan sneaks behind Will, a beach pale in hand while he silently fills it with water and then dumps it over his head with a maniacal laugh.  They’re now the center of attention as they wrestle in between the waves.  You’re thankful since it seems no one is going to mention what just happened.  What was an innocent joke to Jos and your friends was actually a huge embarrassment in your eyes and your heart was still racing at any attention it may have brought to you.

—

Everyone took a break from crashing into the waves and messing around in the sand to eat lunch when the sun reached its peak in the sky.  El started passing around sandwiches, asking each person what kind they requested for the day before delicately handing it to them along with a bag of potato chips.  Jonathan tossed beers to Eddie and Jos, offering one to yourself and Argyle but the two of you declining.  Argyle opted for a more natural substance whereas being under the influence of anything in public made you anxious.  

By this point, Eddie’s shoulders, face, and torso were as red as a lobster since he neglected putting on any sunscreen.  Everyone else's faces were sun kissed and slightly pink but nowhere near as bad as Eddie’s wicked sunburn.  Your skin felt warm even being sat in the shade of the umbrella, taking Will’s spot next to El.  Tan lines began forming, your hair was filled with sea salt, and it officially felt like Summer with the smell of coconut suntan lotion and hotdogs on a grill nearby filling your nose.

Will and El finished off their sandwiches and raced towards the water and not long after everyone else was wrapping up and scarfing down the last bites of their lunch.  “I’m gonna go grab a milkshake from the diner, anyone want me to bring anything back?!” You shout as you throw your clothes on, not even bothering to button the denim shorts since you’d be back in the water soon enough anyway.  “We’re good!” Jonathan shouts back with a thumbs up just as Argyle dunks him underwater.  

“I’ll tag along if that’s cool.” You hear from behind you, not even realizing Eddie had still been lounging in one of the beach chairs with a beer held between his fingers.  “What, so you can get even more burned?” You joke as you fish some cash out of your bag.  “Ha.  Ha.  Very funny.” He deadpans.  His hair is twice as big as it normally is, the seawater giving him some added volume and his curls are extra coiled.  Freckles are starting to appear more prominent along his nose and dusting just under his eyes along the tops of his cheeks.  He almost looks like a surfer, the ones who are out every morning waiting to catch the biggest wave and you wouldn’t guess that he was from a small town in Indiana just by looking at him.  Except for the fact that he has a massive sunburn, that’s what gives it away.

“Let’s go.” You nod toward the pier, sliding your sandals on.  He throws his muscle tee back on but leaves behind his shoes, opting to walk all the way to the pier barefoot.  “The grounds gonna get really hot.” You warn him as you start making your way over.  “Psshh I grew up barefoot, especially in the Summer, I’ll be fine.” He waves you off.  

The walk to the pier took about five minutes and you smiled to yourself every time Eddie let out a “shit!” under his breath.  He may have underestimated the power of the California sun on the sidewalk that runs alongside the beach.  Reaching the pier, you step onto the dark wood and head for the diner at the very end.  Men are fishing on either side as you pass by, their poles resting against the railing.  

The diner is small and can only seat so many people on the inside.  It appears to be older with the wallpaper peeling and the cushions of the stools coming apart, the foam peaking through.  Despite this, it’s as popular as ever.  Every table is filled and the counter is fully occupied as patrons sip on their milkshakes and stuff themselves with burgers and fries.  You can smell the grease from the kitchen, your mouth watering even though you’d just eaten.  But the idea of a cookies and cream milkshake is far more enticing at the moment, creamy and delicious, your go to treat.  

“Hi, what can I get you?!”  The cashier behind the counter greets you with a grin.  She’s a small enthusiastic woman with her sandy blonde hair clipped up and wearing a t- shirt with the diner’s logo on the chest.  Sandra, her name tag reads.  “Just a cookies and cream shake please.” You request kindly.  “Make that two.” Eddie slaps down a $20 on the counter.  “Oh you don’t have to—I wasn’t expecting you—“ “Already done.” He smirks as the cashier counts out his change, handing it back to him.  “I’ll have those out in a few.” Sandra says as she returns to the kitchen window, shouting out the order for two milkshakes.

“Why’d you do that?  I have money—here.” You try to place the cash in his hand but he just crosses his arms, hiding them from view.  “Consider it compensation for knockin’ you over earlier.” He chuckles.  You huff out of frustration, returning to people watching throughout the diner as you wait. 

—

Walking down the pier with your milkshake in hand, you and Eddie slowly make your way back.  The afternoon is just now shifting into golden hour and with it, Eddie has never looked more gorgeous.  At least in the little time you’ve known him.  The sunlight brings out new hues of caramel from his irises, a swirl of golden honey and a hint of molasses evident in them and while his skin is bright red he still has a glow to him.  Lips plump and pink, he wraps them around the red straw while he enjoys his shake.  

“So I’ve never been to the beach before.” He pipes up while he stares at a fisherman reeling in a large catch.  “And while it should suck cause this sunburn hurts like a bitch, it’s been fuckin’ cool.  Your friends are cool, y’know that?” He asks, dipping his finger in some whip cream from the top of his shake and licking it off.  You can’t help but feel insecurity bubbling to the surface within you.  Your friends are cool.  Which meant that he didn’t include you, right?  “Yeah.  Yeah they’re pretty great.” You agree with your best smile.  

“Yeah it’s way different than back home.  It’s kinda like no one really gives a shit what I look like or how ‘scary’ I am.” He uses finger quotes.  “Scary?” You ask.  He nods as he gulps down some more of his shake.  “I won’t get into it but let’s just say Hawkins is probably the worst place to live if you’re me.” He explains simply.  “Actually… It is the worst place to live.” He decides.  “I’m glad you’re liking it here at least.  Are you planning on staying then?” You question as you come to a stop at the pier railing, deciding to remain there until you finish your shake.  The horizon is now transforming into a burnt orange as the sunset just barely starts, still enough daylight left but the sun is slowly making its way down, bringing with it hues of pinks, purples, and oranges.

Eddie gazes out into the ocean before him, his shake now finished as he tosses it in a nearby trash can and rests his forearms on the worn down wood of the railing.  “Dunno yet.” He says honestly, his eyebrows raising slightly as if to question himself.  “There’s no plan.  Just trying to figure shit out.” He admits, a melancholy undertone to his words.  You take in his body language, his shoulders sunken in some kind of defeat and a barely there pout to his lips.  “I think we’re all in the same boat believe it or not.” You try to offer him some comforting words with a sympathetic smile.  He doesn’t give up much more to you as he returns a small smile.  “I think we should get back before they leave us here.” He chuckles, trying to lighten the mood.

But you know.  There’s something darker lurking below his surface.  But who are you to want to uncover those parts of him if you can’t even offer those parts of yourself to anyone?  Why should you be so curious as to what darkness clouds over him when you can’t even confront your own?   

Eddie Munson was unknowingly making you question everything you knew.  And whether that was a good thing or not was something you couldn’t determine right now.  

~end~

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Masterlist

[randomvarious]

1990s Trance Playlist

Got a couple sweet adds for this 90s trance playlist that I haven't updated in a while, with both of them coming from a source that some people might think a tad unlikely: the catalogue of Guerilla Records.

Co-founded in 1990 by the great William Orbit, Guerilla would not become chiefly known for its trance output, but for playing an indispensable role in the development, growth, and spread of progressive house instead, long before that genre would become a predominant 'sound of the dance underground' in the late 90s and 2000s, with mix series like Boxed Records' own Global Underground selling like relative hotcakes.

But here's the tangled-web thing about early 90s electronic music and progressive house and trance in general: that part of the decade had some Wild Western attributes to it when it came to not only categorizing, but producing music itself. You would see overlap between genres within the same song, and you would see people who didn't know any better using words like techno and house interchangeably too. Everything was always changing and so fluid. When genres were in their earliest days, no one had even really realized it yet, and no one had a name for it, so it got categorized as the thing it sounded most like, rather than the new thing it actually was, and it was because there was no generally accepted name yet for the thing that it actually was. And to complicate matters even further, progressive house and trance already have similarities between them, so it's not all that uncommon to see songs get labeled as either-or, which really came to a head at a certain point when some DJs started to just say that they were 'progressive,' rather than fleshing out what kind of progressive they were, because regardless of what they would end up declaring themselves as, they played essentially pretty similar types of music anyway.

So all of this is to say then, that even though Guerilla was a premier progressive house label, a natural byproduct of it was some killer trance tunes as well. And sometimes it just happened as one of those either-or cases, and other times it was a far more deliberate thing, like when one of the remixes on a 12-inch was clearly a trance tune done by a trance act.

But the Guerilla tunes I have for this week feel more trancey to me than they do prog-housey. And they're both midtempo early 90s bangers: UK duo Spooky's "High On Hedonism" mix of UK duo Dr. Atomic's "Schudelfloss," and UK duo Lemon Sol's "Deep Blue" mix of their own "Aquamarine." Guerilla itself actually referred to its own strain of progressive house as 'dub-house' back then, and with these tunes being both slower than your typical trance ones and their infusions of dubby basslines, you can definitely see where the label was coming from with that specific term. But regardless of tempo, if the final two minutes of a song with over 56.6K plays like "Schudelfloss" don't sound like trance of any type to you, then I dunno what to tell you, because that's very clearly what they are.

Dr. Atomic - "Schudelfloss (High on Hedonism mix)" Lemon Sol - "Aquamarine - Deep Blue mix"

But with the YouTube version of this playlist, I was able to add both those songs, plus a few more that can't be found on Spotify too, some of which come from the Guerilla catalogue as well. We have UK duo Ernie & Bert's steadily beating and calmly hypnotic and hazy 1992 "Travelling at the Speed of Light" mix of UK duo Euphoria's "Mercurial," which currently has around 68.4K plays across a handful of uploads on YouTube, and we also have the eminent duo of John Digweed & Nick Muir—aka Bedrock—providing their mix of "Intoxication," a song originally done by a UK act called React 2 Rhythm, who both Ernie & Bert happened to be members of too. The original version of "Intoxication" came out in '91, but in '97, another UK progressive house label called Jackpot seemed to get ahold of the Guerilla catalogue, and had artists create new remixes for a bunch of their classics, including this one, which, despite the name recognition of a dynamic duo like Digweed and Muir, only currently has over 3.6K plays on YouTube across a few different uploads 😮.

Euphoria - "Mercurial" Maxxtor - "Signals" Earth Nation - "Educated (Untouched Mix)" React 2 Rhythm - "Intoxication (Nick Muir & John Digweed's Bedrock mix)"

And this playlist is also on YouTube Music.

So with this new update we now have 20 songs on Spotify that clock in at 163 minutes, but over on YouTube, we're now at 31 songs that clock in at 257 minutes. So if you want more trance gems and jams that aren't as easy to find, give the YouTube one a listen!

And here's the growing list of comps and mixes I've used to compile this playlist so far:

Harthouse Retrospective Part 1 - 4 (1998, Harthouse) Jackpot Presents Guerilla by Phil Perry & Danny Howells (1997, Jackpot) California Dreaming (1994, Internal / FFRR) The Warehouse Remixes (1994, Djax-Up-Beats) La Collection (1994, Fnac Music Dance Division) Spundae Presents Interpretations by Jerry Bonham (1998, Spundae) Stars of Europe: A Trip in House, Trance, and Goa (1998, Hypnotic Records) The Dance Floor Chemist (1997, Hypnotic Records) The Uncertain Future - The Fourth Barramundi Sampler (1996, Barramundi / Antler-Subway) Trilogy, Part One: Empire by Christopher Lawrence (2000, Moonshine Music) Essential Selection, Vol. One by Fatboy Slim & Paul Oakenfold (2000, London Records 90) Perfecto Presents Another World by Paul Oakenfold (2000, London-Sire Records / Perfecto Records)

An update to a 90s London playlist next week!

Enjoy!

More to come, eventually. Stay tuned!

Like what you hear? Follow me on Spotify and YouTube for more cool playlists and uploads!

[gamenburger]

update on Review of the Killer print versions

Hello everyone who has followed me after my zine release. Thank you! You can expect other (hopefully) cool things from me about many things both niche and big, so look forward to that.

But about some things I'll be releasing probably tonight:

So what many of you might not know is that I finished playing Anthology of the killer, fell in love with it, and realized I needed to write something about it- esp when I discovered the bonus zine tucked away in the files. I realized that the steam release was in 14 days, and so i tried to do something I never do: finish something on a short deadline. This meant my life sort of became this zine outside of work (and inside of work. wouldn't it be cool if slime cooper ever stole time from work?? what am I saying), but even with dedication you end up running into time slipping away and things getting cut. 24 pages gets cut to 20 (which I will discuss in detail in the bonus features coming out in a few days) but the biggest thing to get shafted was the quality of the print versions. So let's really talk about this: I don't know jack shit about printing, in the way nobody knows jack shit about anything until they do it a bunch. So yes- those bleed versions are -bit- worthless since they will always provide no actual bleed on one side. Those black and white versions will look, well, strange. because they unfortunately use a lot of red, which will look very dark in greyscale. I also use a lot of flats because it looks nice in color, but in grey you really need images to have a lot more space (except for the black zones. Tbh I love wasting ink on a big blob of ink for contrast sometimes. I do it IRL all the time with my actual ink). In addition, it turns out printer settings that have booklet modes will force margins on the interior page side as well. It means I need to make versions of the pages that are pre formatted to print booklet mode, rather than relying on you to have a printer that does the hardwork for you. I was simply running out of time, and needed to get *something* out that could be printed.

Also it turns out if you don't bundle everything in a zip file, nobody downloads the readme. There was useful stuff in there!!! But I understand. I know why you wouldn't read it. I'm just shaking my head over here because i literally declare my love for you (yes you, reading this) in the readme. SMH, once again. So here is what i'm doing tonight:

extending the border trim of all pages so that way the master bleed version will ACTUALLY have room for bleed (1/8th of an inch around) for both formats.

Make new print versions that ALSO have the bleed room left in for Letterhead and A4, in case you felt like getting these professionally printed. I do all my stuff homegrown, so this truly is for in case you wanted to sell these. Which you totally can!! But I say that because I'm picturing someone actually thinking the thought "i'm going to print this zine read by about 150 people and print it for mega profit, and ill do this by spending 500 dollars at a print shop" and my brain instead pictures a dog dressed in a really cute clown outfit instead, because seriously who is that? Just print some printer copies and give them to some bookstores. Keep the money they give u so you can make the money on material back, and maybe buy some more cool artist's stuff.

Looking at all my pages and adjusting them by hand to be more economic for black and white printers in new separate Greyscale editions. This will include adjusting some colors manually, as well as doing that cool dot thing that printers do (well, i guess all printers do this just really finely) to save on ink. Plus the texture will look better on crazy cool looking paper. Seriously go visit a paper store. They make all sorts of nuts stuff. Read the manual for your home printer too- it can take a lot more punishment than you realize.

Correcting some egregious spelling mistakes. I am sorry. Lmfao. grant me this one indulgence since I literally gave everyone a free pass to distribute it.

Zip up all the print versions together in organized folders, along with and updated readme, including new instructions for all the versions as well as how to print these if you have a printer that doesn't do double sided printing. I glibly said "just go to library" in the original readme, but seriously. I had no clue how to do anything as a baby child and so i have deep sympathies for anyone in the exact position I was (not knowing anything+not having anything).

The in browser version might get updated as well. I'm not honestly sure tho... part of me is super against editing. but man those grammar errors on the paper doll pages are bad... lol anyways have fun with these. If you print them/ give them out you do not have to give me money- although i like money. well, i like not not having money, if that makes sense. but im already not not not having money, so thats why i'm fine with you all selling it- I'm not a starving artist, and I would rather u all get some of that not not not having money in your life so you can spread it around to artists who are! And if you print them, please show me pictures, esp if they go on a shelf or in a library somewhere. I love seeing things out and about. And once again, thank you for reading and sharing this online. This has crossed the threshold for everything else I've ever published as far as confirmed reads, and i've received a lot of kind words from a lot of kind folks about things I've personally agonized about trying to get right. Its validating. Its nice.

okay kids, you can go back to playing. thank you for listening to this old skeleton tell you some things about paper.

[the-coolest-pharaoh]

(This post is constantly being updated; headcanons are in no particular order.)

TW: Mental health conditions and trauma

My Headcanons for Ahkmenrah

——

He is short and likes to wear his crown (not just because he is a pharaoh) to make him look taller

He’s been claustrophobic ever since he got trapped in his sarcophagus

Refuses to take his cape off around other people (besides Bahiti) due to his scars

He hated being treated better than everyone else; if he had it his way he would have made it so that Egypt treated him like a normal person rather than above everyone else and deserving more respect

He loved his people so much; he was always so kind and generous to them

He spent his entire reign trying to create equality in Egypt (banning slavery, providing more care to the poor, etc.)

He LOVES duckies (King Tut reference the real ones know what I mean)

He pulled a Princess Jasmine a lot and snuck out of the palace dressed like a commoner so that he could just be a person

Does not like to discuss his brother, but will if asked about him because he does not want to be rude

Can walk really well in high heels

He doesn’t believe that fashion has gender—but because of the time period he is from he feels like has to refrain from wearing women’s clothes

His love language is physical touch

He is very ~skittish~ and ~jumpy~

He is pretty shy and likes to observe people before he introduces himself

He’s pretty quiet (kind of canon actually)—both in how much he talks, his volume, and his overall being

He likes to spend most of his time in his tomb where it’s quiet, especially if he had just recently spent time with all of the museum because socialization tires him out

Due to having been sheltered in the palace most of his life and kept as innocent as possible by his parents, Ahk has a hard time grasping real world events and does not have the best social skills

Going off the last point, Ahk also feels like he can fix anything and everything that is bad because he was taught that he can, and when he can’t fix something he gets very uncomfortable and upset

Hates confrontation beyond logic

When he is upset with someone he becomes pretty sassy (again having to do with hating confrontation and also not having great social skills)

He loves loves loves animals and always has; if you take him to a zoo he will refuse to ever leave

He is the only one that the lions do not try and murder; they actually really love him

He’s naturally super graceful

He can do his eyeliner perfectly on his first try

His ears are pierced but all his earrings are in other museums :((

He is physically unable to swear change my mind

He is such a mama’s boy :((

There has always been some tension between him and his dad because of their differing views on how Ahk should rule (aka he has daddy issues)

He has separation anxiety, social anxiety, and epilepsy, also suffers from weak bones, though this issue in particular didn’t start until after he died.

He has OCD from being controlled his whole childhood having high expectations put on him, and he and his brother being compared.

He fidgets with his clothing as a coping mechanism when he’s stressed, anxious or scared.

He has a lil overbite and it’s so cute <3 he has always been a little self-conscious about it though because it slightly affects how he speaks (again kind of canon because Rami has an overbite so)

This boi wouldn’t (more like couldn’t) hurt a fly unless they hurt someone he cares about

He is bisexual

He LOVES 70s music and fashion

Ahk thinks the museum is his kingdom because let’s be honest it is

His birthday is what would now be September 14, 1105 B.C.E. though the Egyptians didn’t celebrate birthdays so he doesn’t make a big deal of it

He is a skilled hunter

He is very curious and interested in academia—he loves to read books and poetry and learn

He loves listening to music, he could dance with his headphones on for hours

Being called ‘dead’ is offensive to him, and probably the rest of the exhibits tbh

He loves all the “mom shows;” reality tv, cooking shows, home improvement shows. His most favorite show is the Kardashians because he relates to the toxic family drama <3

He has daddy issues (confirmed, actually)

His best friend is Sacagawea :)

My version of him died at the age of 24 (long explanation as to why)

[oldguy56-world]

Hands Across the Table

Recently I read an article about the 19 important parts of table manners that people don't observe anymore. It was educational. Did you know that it is proper etiquette to use a spoon to eat soup rather than a knife or fork? I had no idea that I have been observing proper etiquette my entire life. What do you know about that?

There was a whole bunch of things like how many forks and knives to put out (obviously not for soup) and how to serve food. You know boring stuff. My concern is that these appear to be a lot of things that are old examples of table manners.

I truly believe that this list needs to be updated so I took it upon myself (because it is a Monday) to set some more important rules for around the dinner table. Follow me to being a proper person while eating.

If you don't like the taste of the food you just put in your mouth do not spit it out onto your plate (or the table, or the floor). Slyly put a napkin up to your mouth and extract the offending morsel. Then you can place it on the plate to the person ONLY to your left. (make sure they are not looking). One caveat: If it is your wife's cooking you cannot do this, You have to eat it. No explanations required.

Should someone say something offensive at the table you can only stab them with a steak knife. A butter knife takes too long to penetrate the skin and completely disrupts the meal for an unseemly amount of time.

Do not feed kids like a mother bird feeds its young. Some people don't like that. This is the reason the 'Kiddy table' was initiated for large family meals. It took away the temptation.

You can only give a Wet Willy to the person on your right and only if it is in reaction to them putting chewed food on your plate.

You can toss a bun across the table to someone who asks only if it is not buttered.

If you have to pass wind you must excuse yourself from the table and move at least 2 rooms away. Should you live in a condo or apartment going into the hall is your only alternative. It is also an opportunity to meet some neighbors who are also out there for the same reason.

Never put your feet on the table unless you have removed your shoes and socks. Pedicures are appreciated.

Should someone answer their phone three times during one meal it is perfectly acceptable to beat them with a serving spoon. You can also provide their number to every telemarketing company that calls you for thirty days.

No singing with your mouth full.

If your place setting has cutlery or dishes that you end up not using you are within your rights to take them home. Hosts have an obligation to provide sustenance for every utensil or plate they put in front of you.

Never tell the host/hostess 'At least that was better than last time.'

As time goes on there will undoubtedly be more to add to this fine list. Take care, eat properly.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: In all scenarios even if you do not know what is right common sense is usually a good place to start.

[chevvy-yates]

Why I'm so … away lately:

Spending my freet time with my Info PDFs on Vijay and Ryder.

This project is somewhat insane and ate already a lot of free time (doing all the casual outfit shots alone). I know I do not need to present it in this way, but as the graphic designer who I am, I enjoy doing this way too much! I just love to create layouts and in this way I also make use of my own VP pics as well in a secondary usage. It is something I cannot life out in my daily job. I've always wanted to create some sort of a guideline. And my ocs are just perfect for that. I wanna do Thyjs and Jaysen as well ofc but I won't start with them for a while. Ry and V need to be done first, then I 'll look into other priorities (e.g. roleplay story -> + turn it into fanfic, get more creative in VP, help some modders maybe) for a while and then I go back to getting this done for Thyjs and Jaysen as well. <3

So what about these documents?

of all they provide some huge help for me to have the best overview possible on their main mods and clothes I use for them. Once this is done, I can just open the PDFs and click onto the links that bring me to the mod page of a specific mod. I've been asked a few times what I used so this will help me find it within no time. Searching on nexus is sometimes a whole pain for me when you do not know the title of the mods. And I don't want to keep everything in "tracked mods" either except for the core mods such as CET, archive XL etc. needed for the game.

it hopefully does a good service to the lovely @gloryride who's going to turn both, Vijay and Ryder, into NPVs soon <3 I want her to have it as easy as I can make it (hopefully it works how I imagined it). So she's got everything neately sorted to look up in lists — especially for the outfits I want to include — even though I'm going to send over all the needed stuff. But if there's need to look it up you can just simply klick on the link that brings you to the nexus page that has the usual additional info, original mods (since my are renamed with prefixes) and who it belongs to.

it also will serve for everyone who wants to take pics of my boys in the future. Because I do love to share them and I wanna see how they look through other VPer's eyes! Therefore I added a short backstory, character dates and inspiration, likes and dislikes so you can imagine them better plus every up to this date outfit I've got for them so far. A bunch of outfits will be included to their NPVs but not all since both have already something between 15-20 outfits and some mods require permission for NPV (it takes ags for me to ask permission). I assume people love more to take pics with NPV rather than having to install all their mods (tho Ry's and V's are okayish; Thyjs on the contrary has like approx. 50 main mods alone lol) but I'll still provide both once I'm done. Dunno how often I'll update these docs since there will always be new outfits for them.

If you read all through to the bottom: please feel free to send me a dm or write me on discord if you think about wanting to VP my boys some day! <3 Once I'm done and NPVs are there I'm more than happy to share.

Once this massive main project of mine is done for the time being, I may reach out to some of you in the future asking if I can VP your ocs as well and I'm always happy to see my ocs making new friends too! I'm just very bad at doing all at once, so I never came around asking – I need to finish one thing first, before I can take on antoher or I'll get completely lost, :,D I've already got a list of stuff I have to/wanna do. So everything I've promised some time back will be still done at some point!

Thanks for reading <3

[thevindicativevordan]

What are Mark Waid's takes you don't agree with?

The Lois/Superman/Clark love triangle is essential to Superman’s narrative. Either have Lois date one of the identities, or have Clark and Lois date someone else while still teasing the possibility they might get together. Having Lois chase Supes while Supes tries to point her towards good ol’ Clark doesn’t interest me at all, nor do I think the general public wants that anymore.

Lex being CEO of Lexcorp/a villain with good publicity is a bad idea. I love mad scientist Lex and The Last Days of Lex Luthor does provide an example for why that status quo might be better. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Lex cut loose and just slaughter people, handcuffing him like that hurts him in the long run… but I like CEO Lex! I think that’s a better place to position Lex for the opening years of their feud, culminating in Lex getting elected to the Presidency and Superman bringing him down. After that you go full supervillain Lex, with him being the most despised man in the world only fueling his hatred - he had everything he wanted and the goddamn alien took it away! - as he becomes singularly focused on killing Supes without caring anymore for maintaining the facade of benevolence.

Clark is just a disguise. By all means, emphasize that Superman is not a normal person with normal problems, but he grew up thinking he was Clark Kent. Superman and Kal-El are identities he discovers later on, even Waid doesn’t seem to want to bring back Superbaby retaining full memories of Krypton. I agree with PKJ that it makes sense for Superman to think of himself first as “Clark”, even though I vehemently disagree with takes that try to say he’s just a simple farmboy. If I had to choose an identity to be real, I think I would say “Clark” is the real one, and the nervous neurotic wreck Clark comes off as at the Daily Planet is actually how he really feels. Superman is just the visage of confidence he projects to the world, at heart Superman is a huge dork who is nervous/shy. Basically the MAWS/American Alien approach to Clark being the “real” identity rather than the Byrne one where Clark is as cool as Superman. Of course the ideal is the Busiek approach where both halves are valid parts of who Supes is.

I don’t think having lots of other Kryptonians around is a good idea. Definitely not the Kandorians. Waid likes having lots of Kryptonians around to contrast them with Superman, and his approach to how they can be around yet Supes remains unique in TLDoLL is a good one… but I prefer the current mainline take to Kandor. Let Kal access the Kandorian libraries, but he shouldn’t actually be able to talk to them.

Maybe his takes on Superman’s villains outside of Lex? He’s barely used them which makes it difficult to judge his approach, but his Metallo was straight out of the DCAU. Reads as old fashioned compared to how Morrison and PKJ have updated him. Brainiac in TLDoLL is the Silver Age incarnation and again, Morrison and Venditti had superior updates. Zod was fine, wasn’t a bad Terrence Stamp impression like Jurgens, and there were the bones of an interesting take there. I know that Waid believes Mxy NEEDS to stick to the whole “he plays pranks until Supes tricks him into saying his name backwards” formula and I’m sorry but that is painfully lame. Maybe Waid’s execution of that would win me over, but on a ideological level I think that approach to Mxy sucks, and is why he isn’t taken seriously.

Perhaps it would be shorter to say that I diverge from Waid when he’s too stubborn to properly update old Superman lore. Morrison loves to play with old stuff too, but their Brainiac was a genuinely thoughtful update that built on what Johns had done, rather than just recreate the Silver Age Brainiac like what Waid seems intent on doing. Waid doesn’t want to be seen as “retro” but he absolutely is. Put Hickman and Waid side by side and tell me which of the two reads as more “modern” given they are both sci-fi fanatics. Waid is a solid and enjoyable superhero writer, but what he doesn’t know how to do is create something new. He only knows how to take old stuff and make it more palatable for modern audiences.

[aburruso-capstone-uhwoacm]

Progress Update #5

Not that much has happened since the last update, but I still managed to hit some major milestones.

First of all, I got *almost* all of the preliminary sprites done.  I actually forgot to make sprites for the markers, though this is because the markers themselves were not part of the original plan.  Other than that, I did all the sprites for Sasha, the firewalls, the servers, and the buttons.  That being said, I’m going to have to redo them.  I will explain why pretty soon.

Besides the sprites, I also made some sound effects.  I made them with the help of a website called jsfxr, where you can generate various sound effects for video games.  For most of the sounds, I just fiddled around with jsfxr and then downloaded them when I was satisfied with them.  However, I did a bit more editing for the sounds that play when you take down a server and run into a firewall.  For those, I made two different sounds in jsfxr and then blended them together in Adobe Audition.  I am mostly satisfied with the end results, but I ran into an issue with the firewall sound effect.

Now, remember how in the last post, I mentioned that I was going to do a playtesting session?  Well, I wanted to get all the sprites and sound effects into the game so that the students who would be playing it wouldn’t have to just look at squares; even if the sprites weren’t perfect, they would still be a step up from what I had in the first build.  So, the day before the session was spent importing all the sprites and sound effects into the game.  This is when I found some issues. 

First of all, Sasha’s sprite is super small compared to the play area (see the picture below - this is before I put in the other sprites; fortunately, their sizes were fine).  Her sprites’ current resolution is 22x22, so I’m thinking I’ll have to increase it to make it easier to see her.  Besides that, the firewall sound effect sounded different when I put it in GameMaker.  Specifically, it sounds less like an electric shock (which is what it’s supposed to be) and more like a really loud and annoying grinder.  I don’t know why the sound changed, especially since the others didn’t.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to fix those issues, so I just had to leave them as is in for the playtesting session.

As for the session itself, it went rather well.  A lot of the kids had fun playing it.  They also provided a lot of good feedback for the game.  While they provided some suggestions that I do not think I can do (such as adding more levels), they also had some that I will try to do this month.  They include:

Polishing the graphics

Recoloring either the servers or firewalls so they look more distinct (most likely, I’ll make the firewalls yellow instead of orange)

Adding a working tutorial (fun fact: the old tutorial still used the squares, and I didn’t have time to add the new sprites in it, so I completely removed it from the build the students played.  As a workaround, I did demonstrate the game in front of the class.  Regardless, I want to get the tutorial done since I obviously can’t do that for all the people who play it).

Try to implement numbers into the grid (to make it easier to see where the coordinates are)

Fixing the firewall sound effect

This is quite a lot to get done.  I am a little nervous about redoing the graphics; I'm not 100% sure if my skill is up to par to make something better than what I have now.  Still, I’m going to try my best.

Also, here’s the link to the game; you can now try it out with the new graphics: https://aliyah-burruso.itch.io/capstone-sneaker-first-build.  (Yes, the url says “first build.”  No, this is not an April Fools’ prank.  I just didn’t want to change the url and confuse the teacher who let me playtest with her class.  I’ll definitely change it later).

That’s all I have for this update.  For the next couple of weeks, I’ll focus on revising the sprites.  Once I’m done with that, I’ll do the tutorial and add some more things I’ve been wanting to do for the game.  Let’s see how things go.

[insomniaccipher]

EDIT (24/3): so um, I posted this way way too early. In my sleep deprived state I guess I posted it rather than save it as a draft, since it's clearly not done. I'm not going to private it, people have already seen it so expect this to be updated with the remaining notes. Sorry and thank you for understanding!

(tw for mention of depression and a depressive episode)

After a few days of me being absolutely fucking drained and progressively chipping away at this, and having a surprise d3pr3ssiv3 episode

(seriously though, don't do what I did and work yourself into a depressive episode. I'm okay now, but I should have rested before I crashed.)

And I can finally present the original sketches, notes (internal dialogue included) and with additional notes provided by present me.

Thank you to the few people who showed interest in my little character for being patient with me, I know I wasn't super loyal with the time frame and kept having issues arise but here it is. I apologise for not having a full illustration of them, It's one of those things that I have to be 100 percent satisfied with and right now, it's not there.

Thank you so so much again and I hope you like them, please feel free to critique them or ask questions but try to keep it polite please. Love you all!

Page 1 (left) - Bits and bobs

- Originally I was thinking of giving Arc moving tattoos. This was because I wanted them to have a more clear connection to ink since they would already be around it quite a lot also I imagine it would have been funny for Arc, who is a very calm and collected person, to be in a frustrating situation but can't express it so their tattoos just fucking loose it showing that they are fucking fuming but looks calm as can be.

After I decided on the hat with a veil however I decided to scrap the idea, or at least save it for a different character, as I realized the character would feel too busy and between the two ideas I liked the hat and veil more.

- There was a short-lived idea of them having blackout tattoos but after a bit of research I decided not to ask I wasn't sure if they had any cultural significance, so better safe than sorry.

- Arc, as stated in the notes, is seemingly always calm. That doesn't mean they can't feel frustrated, sad, embarrassed it just means they can keep their composure and level headed. They're like one of those people that if you upset them they'll walk out the room yell and throw shit and walk back in calm as can be.

- Their role has by now developed more than just being an archivist, as now I see them as just a general records keeper. They find and keep old records and text organised, while also writing down new information and such. I'm not changing their name though, cause honestly I've just grown attached to their nickname.

Page 2 (right) - the first note and ideas

- Weirdly enough, the very first idea I had for this character wasn't their story or personality: but their hat and veil. Yup. I just liked the idea of a character with a big halo hat and a veil hiding their face.

- There was another character at one point or they might have been the same, I don't exactly remember and the details between them were similar enough that it's possible that they were just the same character just with minor tweaks. But that character was more connected to the band (again as in the personas/characters they play, not the irl people) while Arc is more of a solo unit.

Mentioning this other character is relevant because, and this is purely based on memory, I think the whole reason they were reworked/scrapped/whatever-the-fuck I did with them was because a hat and veil wouldn't be practical on stage.

- Anyway whenever they do take the veil off, either for more delicate work or they have to be in public, they'll put on a basic mask that covers the majority of their lower face.

- A lot of stuff I see, so forgive me if it's not actually a popular concept, seems to make the band members some form of inhuman. Which I fucking love, however to be honest the inhuman stuff was always kind of going to be part of them no matter what, even if I hadn't chosen the hat and veil concept (See top bullet point for the moving tattoos concept).

[kariachi]

Okay who wants some actual worldbuilding rather than just updates on bits you aren't really seeing?

How people carry shit around day-to-day per species.

Erinaens

On Eri you'll find that every person you meet has some form of bag on them, generally coming in two most common styles- either belts with pouches or something more akin to a satchel or tote. You won't normally see anything similar to a backpack or the like on Eri for the same reason you don't often see clothing in Erinaen-majority areas- not so comfortable with the quills, lessens natural defenses against predators, makes it harder to track kittens. Meanwhile anything that hangs in the front risks getting in the way of climbing.

Belts with pouches are rather self explanatory- a belt with a pouch at each hip typically of a semi-framed construction to keep them from moving too much, that closes generally at the front though in some areas the back is preferred. Traditionally the pouches tie or button shut, but nowadays zippers and magnets are also a thing.

The satchels normally sit a little higher on the body, resting more against the waist than hip. They come with at least two straps, sometimes three, with one or two that go over the shoulders and one that belts around the waist. The idea on this is that you want minimal moving around so that it doesn't get in your way if you have to bolt or climb something. Like the pouches, they come with a flap top that traditionally buttons or ties shut but in the modern era also can have zippers or magnet closures.

Which a person uses in day-to-day life is generally up to personal preference. You can normally fit more in the satchels, but since the bag is on one side it can mess with your balance and make it dangerous to go on thinner branches, far from the colony, or out in the open. The pouches meanwhile have less space, but are better for your balance. On the other hand, some satchels are able to have things hung from the opposing side of the belt, which interferes with movement but can allow for better balance.

Pretty much any Erinaen above a certain age can expect to have one or the other, though few have both. Adult guardians will normally provide one to each kitten when they get old and large enough to wander the colony without direct adult supervision. Normally this'll be a satchel, in a sort of attempt to discourage them from wandering into more dangerous areas. Sort've putting a hobble on your children to keep them from running onto small branches and where the equivalent of eagles can grab them. Teenagers and adults, meanwhile, can normally get their own shit and so go with whatever their preference.

You can expect an Erinaen, on any given day out and about, to be carrying some amount of money, a few small personal effects that they want to ensure other people aren't using or that they're particularly attached to, personal utensils, communicator, some snacks maybe. Some people will carry collapsible bowls, water flask or bottle, a book or puzzle or some such to pass the time, medications. If one has small kittens then their utensils, definitely a collapsible bowl, maybe some small things to keep them occupied. There might even be a place for a knife somewhere. All of this stowed away in various sections or pockets, with a main space that can be used to carry goods when shopping.

How personalized these are really varies. Normally they're made from plant fibers or leather, but in depending on the area and owner you can get everything from a plain plant fiber thing to an embroidered patchwork of specially shaped leather pieces. What has become the norm is that colored ribbons- or in areas with high Osmosian populations chains- will be woven through straps or belts to denote general profession and therefor pronoun use. These colors don't always align between colonies, but they're normally similar enough to get by.

Osmosians

In day-to-day like an Imperial Osmosian is most likely to use something akin to a backpack when carrying shit around. It allows to no change in usability when shifting between bipedal and quadrupedal, encourages keeping a bit of personal space, etc. You might see something more similar to the belt pouches Erinaens use, or saddlebags, but the pack is more common. And I use 'common' lightly, as most Osmosians don't carry shit around with them, or not enough often enough to really worry about it day to day, and you'll rarely see anyone below teen growth using one. If you do it's generally because they wanted to feel grown up.

These packs tend to sit lower than those used by humans, with longer straps, and to be smaller as well. They can be made with organic or synthetic materials, but most are going to be chainmail of either metal or some sort of stone. This makes them very interesting as far as closures go, because they generally come with excess links that can be fused together to keep whatever portions of it shut you'd like- most will have a side pocket or two for more daily needs- and then absorb this links when you need to open it. Eventually you run out, but it's just as easy as getting some new large links to throw on.

As a rule you can expect an Ossy to be carrying around a few potential trade goods, more valuable tools, medications, maybe something to entertain themselves in quiet moments. Mostly you carry things from your personal den to your worksite and back so, it's not a load of items. Even snacks and water are kept pretty available through the public areas of a packden, so they're mostly carried back to the personal den at the end of a day rather then out. Generally it's just bits and bobs.

As far as personalization goes, the sky is the limit on this one. Colors, materials, patterns, as long as you can make it or find somebody to make it there's really no end to your options. Some people prefer to do them in clan colors, or designs with personal meanings, but it's really all down to what you the owner would rather.

Perison

At least in the region Kwarrel grew up, Perison have pockets. Like, pockets. 'If I hold my arms straight down I only just don't hit the bottom' style pockets. They normally don't need anything else, there's nothing they're going to be carrying in their day-to-day life, but some individuals do choose to utilize something vaguely similar to a fanny pack if there's larger items or more items they want to have on hand. You'll see those more often in the bachelor herds, but also from farmworkers during harvest seasons and under similar 'I'm going to be outside and active all day' situations.

The pockets are self explanatory, but the bags are actually a little unique. More of a cross between a fanny pack and a pair of saddle bags, while they're strapped around the middle they're draped over the base of the tail, with the bag portion stretching from the hips down the length of the accessory. These are most often held shut with magnet clasps anymore.

As a rule Perison in this region can be expected to be carrying keys, identification, communicators, tablets, winterwear (you would be amazed the number of people who still have a winter hat in a pocket come summer), sewing kits, hobby materials, something to keep them busy, any medications they may need. Somebody might be carrying a pocketknife, some water, some food. Water and food are very common if they have a pack, alongside first aid supplies and maybe a few tools depending. It's really a lot, and they have the space for it.

As far as customizing the packs, it goes the same as anything else. Typically plant or animal fiber, sometimes leather, dyed, undyed, but if they get the chance that shit is being embroidered and beaded all to hell and back.

Lenopan

Lenopan are really easy because as amorphous fuckers who are really big they don't so much carry shit as subsume it for a brief period. Day-to-day, you don't need any bags, you take shit without yourself and move the fuck on.

On a day-to-day basis your average Lenopan will have on hand some money, maybe identification depending on where they live, a little something to entertain themselves maybe, any supplies they may need wherever they're going. Much like with Ossys, not really a lot.

[supermo0]

Hot take: As a relative Tumblr neophyte, the announced roadmap-ish thing that Tumblr announced today doesn’t sound all that bad.

The difference between reblogs and replies is not terribly clear to people coming from other sites. You don’t need to break it, but it would be helpful to find a way to either better explain it to new users at a site level, or provide a functional difference between them. Right now, you have to rely on finding people who explain it (see below) and there are a *dizzying* amount of different opinions about how to use them! It’s really weird! You don’t have to find a tutorial to retweet posts on Twitter.

Improving the ability to follow conversation branches seems fun! It’d make more sense to be able to read the wider conversation around a post that you catch on your dash, rather than being stuck with the one sliver that you get reblogged.

And finding people to follow is another difficult thing! Believe me, I hate the “Best stuff first” feed as much as anybody, but probably for a different reason - to me, it just surfaces nonsensical posts, and it seems to wait 3 days to update which posts to surface. As a new user, I need to get my dashboard started *somehow*, and the search feature doesn’t work. Following tags makes zero sense if you turn the algorithm stuff off completely, but that’s also the easiest way to find a group of people who’re talking about things you like, or posting art about it, or what have you. Something’s gotta change on that front, and they didn’t really get into details, so it seems premature to worry about it.

Please, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to blindly accept whatever slop gets handed over by the overlords. Healthy skepticism is fine. I just wanted to provide a little bit of a perspective. To me, it sounds like the heart is at least in the right place. I hope they execute on it.

[best-smartwatch]

Smart Watch Series 7 : A Luxury Brand For All Mankind

Fortunately for you a new brand has emerged “Address Tech” With Smart wearable Gadgets including Smart Watches at a very competitive prices with only 4,999 INR Giving you complete features and look alike feel of top brands in the industry

This review is focused on Smart Watch Ultra for Men and Women.

Although the 46mm version is a little bigger, I found it to be pretty comfortable on my wrist, and the advantages are rather clear: A larger screen and a longer battery life are two things that are particularly essential to me. And occasionally, the stainless-steel silver shine still manages to capture my eye. in light of this, regardless of your wrist or gender

Our new Smart Watch Series 7 and Series 8 is all equipped with Latest 1.15GHz Exynos 9110 dual-core processor and 4GB of storage. The noncellular editions, however, have 748MB of RAM while the LTE editions come with 1.5GB.

Main difference between the Smart watch Series 7 New Smart Watch Series 8 series are the new founf GPS Tracking System and Bluetooth Calling Features found in the inside

The Smart Watch for men Series 8 Ultra is waterproof up to 50 meters. This Smart Watch for women is specially designed to be swim-proof, detect their periods including those who love to swim in salt water. Rinse a little your Smart Watch belt or strap and Display after swimming in such conditions.

You will get around four days of battery Life in Series 8 and 3 days of Battery life from Series 7 Smart Watch models. I will provide more details of Smart Watch Series 7 battery life further below.

The fact that former Smart Watch FK88 models now track 39 tracked workouts in total and 21 indoor exercises is a result of significant upgrade in the technology. The Address Tech Smart Watch — Health app is connected to the fitness and sleep tracking functions, and there are also tie-ins to other well-known fitness applications like Under Armour, MayMyRun, Speedo, and others. As promised, Your Smart Watch Amoled Display is Crack Proof and also comes with a stress-management software that I have undoubtedly found helpful when situations call for a few deep breaths.

I’ve used this smart watch for kids at my homes for my offsprings specifically, and over that time I’ve seen the sleep-tracking feature get better thanks to recurring upgrades. When your Smart Watch monito heart rater continually as opposed to the battery-saving once every ten-minute setting, I found it to be more accurate. Although the Smart Watch for men, women and kids performs admirably overall, keep in mind that BoAt and Garmin watches offer less accurate sleep tracking for people for whom this feature is important.

The same caution applies to exercise experts who, for a variety of reasons, strive for perfection in their Smart watch Fitness workout monitoring. All of these watches are undoubtedly a motivational component to meet daily goals for steps taken, activity performed, and calories burned. Additionally, to better understand the relationship between your calorie intake and burns, I advise manually recording your intake of food, water, and coffee. For those Apple Watch devotees, I must say that the step and distance monitoring in Address tech Smart Watch needs no improvement to match that of Apple or Samsung For that matter.

Adequately tracked by Address Tech Smart Watch Workout regime of 3–4 mile runs along with a few simple workouts, especially with its software update improved GPS performance. With a weekly and monthly schedule, I am always motivated to accomplish my daily goals as well as make them better. I do have to admit, though, that the hourly reminders to get up from my desk and move around are far simpler than the 250 steps required by Firebolt.

To those who like to use voice commands, Edith is AddressTechs voice assistant at your service in the New Smart Watch Limited Edition. You can voice various commands such as “Play music” and “Start workout,” and also ask questions such as “What’s the weather?” To the delight of many — especially my neighbor’s kids who like to bug me by answering to text messages on my watch — you can reply to text messages. Search on Google Smart Watch Series 8 Ultra on Flipkart and Amazon with your voice command and Book your colour of choice today.

If you have a Smart Watch Series 7 , you’ll be just fine with a variety of different pairings and apps with your Kids Smart Watch Series 7. The optimization is also good with other Android phones and to some degree with iPhones.

Like me, you could have the impression that the smart watch industry is intensifying its competition with the Apple Watch by introducing a number of mobile brand items to entice consumers to buy their goods in bundles. Apple and Samsung are the market leaders for wearable goods and have achieved extraordinary success in this area. However, Apple and Samsung are both becoming aware that consumers’ attention is turning away from traditional fitness trackers and toward the new Series 7 and Series 8 smartwatches, which offer an all-in-one, variety of everything in a single gadget package.

There are already some areas where the AddressTech Smart Watch outperforms the Apple Watch and still draws buyers. The primary characteristic and distinction between AddressTech watches and Apple watches is their circular faces as opposed to their square counterparts. Simply a question of taste, this is a contentious subject among my friends. Numerous round-table arguments at dinner have really caused some of my friends to stop talking to me for a few days! I’m kidding, but it’s still the subject of a heated discussion.