#ross i am free all day every day

[abiiors]

I’ve been dreaming sooo much with Ross lately ugh he’s SUCH A MAN I LOVE HIM ASJSKSKDJAL MY HEART 😭😭😭 i want to have his babies

SO SO REAL!!! he is so man it activates some primal part of my brain and i WANT HIMMMMMM

[dorothylarouge]

US Presidents as Dril Tweets

George Washington: another day volunteering at the betsy ross museum. everyone keeps asking me if they can fuck the flag. buddy, they wont even let me fuck it

John Adams: "ah boo hoo hoo i want to post Foul comments to content leaders" Fat Chance, Dimwit. I will annihilate you under bulwark of the Law and God.

Thomas Jefferson: Q: If your post was proven by a counsil of wise men to be racist, or bullshit, would you bar it from the record? A: I do not delete my posts

James Madison: (sniffing a crumpled up one dollar bill i found on the floor of a dog kennel) ah.. thats greenbacks baby

James Monroe: for decades i have traversed the unforgiving mountains and rivers of south america, hoping to catch a glimpse of the fabled "ass downloader"

John Quincy Adams: "This Whole Thing Smacks Of Gender," i holler as i overturn my uncle's barbeque grill and turn the 4th of July into the 4th of Shit

Andrew Jackson: handing Faves over to my enemies is FRAUD !! base, contemptible FRAUD!

Martin Van Buren: Food $200

Data $150

Rent $800

Candles $3,600

Utility $150

someone who is good at the economy please help me budget this. my family is dying

William Henry Harrison: (spends all of 7 seconds skimming some blog posts) yep. just as i knew all along. having pnuamonia is good

John Tyler: fuck "jokes". everything i tweet is real. raw insight without the horse shit. no, i will NOT follow trolls. twitter dot com. i live for this

James K. Polk: thhere is no such thing as charisma, and art is fake. the only metrics by which we must determine the worth of a man are Strength and Wisdom

Zachary Taylor: the doctor reveals my blood pressure is 420 over 69. i hoot & holler outta the building while a bunch of losers tell me that im dying

Millard Fillmore: trying to heal..... please donate to my go fund me... $10 will make me less racist... $100 will make me extremely less racist...thank you...

Franklin Pierce: blocked. blocked. blocked. youre all blocked. none of you are free of sin

James Buchanan: #NationalGirlfriendDay please cherish your gal's.. in honor of us, the single Boys who must sacrifice all companionship to #CarryTheBrand...

Abraham Lincoln: unloading an entire belt of ammo at me with a minigun or some such device will now get you "Blocked"

Andrew Johnson: who the fuck is scraeming "LOG OFF" at my house. show yourself, coward. i will never log off

Ulysses S. Grant: i regret being tasked the emotional burden of maintaining the final bastion of morality and Nice manners in this endless ocean of human SHIT

Rutherford B. Hayes: using the toilet when i hear Our national anthem start to play. i do what i must. i stand tall in complete agony; as shit runs down my leg,

James A. Garfield: too much truth in such little time. feeling the heat cominh down to silence me... signing off........ for now

Chester A. Arthur: i WILL wise the fuck up. i WILL super charge my content for 2017. i WILL get blue check mark

Grover Cleveland: the way i see it, people who come on here and submit content that is not up to par, could possibly be considered the "Villains" of this site

Benjamin Harrison: i help every body, im not racist, i keep myself nice, and when i ask for a single re-tweet in return i am told to fuck off, fuck myself, etc

William McKinley: boy oh boy do i love purchasing large amounnts of Fool's Gold. wait a minute... fools gold fucking sucks. this stuff is no good..!! Fuck !!!

Theodore Roosevelt: IF THE ZOO BANS ME FOR HOLLERING AT THE ANIMALS I WILL FACE GOD AND WALK BACKWARDS INTO HELL

William H. Taft: ah.. the perfect Souffle! cant wait to dig in to t(*EVERY PIPE IN MY HOUSE EXPLODES AT THE SAME TIME, COVERING ME IN SHIT AND BOILING WATER*

Woodrow Wilson: the conflicted supersoldier stares over the horizon as he smokes a cigarette. "war is the most fucked up thing ever." he takes a sip of beer

Warren G. Harding: somebody please Bribe me

Calvin Coolidge: aggressively joyless oaf hhere. painfully obnoxious respect demander checkign in. extremely dim witted frowning man looking for pals

Herbert Hoover: it is really quite astonishing that I have yet to win The Lottery, given how good I am at selecting six numbers and saying them out loud

Franklin D. Roosevelt: ive never heard of this “europe” but it sounds like a big bunch of shit to me

Harry Truman: everybody wants to be the guy to write the tweet that solves racism once and for all because it would look good as hell on a resume

Dwight D. Eisenhower: my "F*&k It!! Let's Go Golfin" t-shirt maintains a tenacious stranglehold on my life. after 1,125 days of Golf my body is twisted, deformed

John F. Kennedy: when you do sutuff like... shoot my jaw clean off of my face with a sniper rifle, it mostly reflects poorly on your self

Lyndon B. Johnson: incredibly handsome , charismatic famous boy credited with ending income inequality after saying that slumlords should be called "dumblords"

Richard Nixon: i attribute the complete failure of my brand to the actions of detractors, oor my “trolls”, as it were, as well as my own constant fuckups

Gerald Ford: shutting computer down until the shitty moods & attitudes can fuck off., if you need me ill be on my other computer, sititng 60° to my right

Jimmy Carter: i warnned you all that bad things would happen if you kept letting your wives wear jeans. AND NOW LOOK! the damn gas prices are up again

Ronald Reagan: spend a lot of time thinking about how sometimes even war criminals can be heroes sometimes... Dont like it? Click the unfollow buttobn

George H.W. Bush: just thought off an idea i believe to be bad ass. lets find the address of the leader of isis, and mail him/ her pieces of our SHIT

Bill Clinton: were at the point now, that when i offer to impregnate my girl followers, people assume my motives are sexual. disgusting, grow the fuck up,

George W. Bush: friday night gathering up together a big pile of things i like to respect (flags, crucifixes ,etc) and just roll around in it ,give kisses,

Barack Obama: my IQ has increased 10 points ever since i stopped tollerating people mucking about, on the time line

Donald Trump: THERAPIST: your problem is, that youre perfect, and everyone is jealous of your good posts, and that makes you rightfully upset.

ME: I agree

Joe Biden: I will shut the fuck up , IF , it will restore the Harmony. I will get on my knees like a dog and make that sacrifice, for the sake of Calm

[dflogerzi]

Political musings

Okay. I am going to post this and then take a bit of a break. I suppose I need to clarify. And I mean my standings in politics. I posted a few things on RFK Jr. the last couple of days, but I may not have been understood. So here are my real standings since the 1980's.

I served under Ronald Reagan in the US Navy. I voted for him twice. I voted for Bush Sr. once. I voted for Ross Perot twice. Okay... you get the drift. Central right. Moderate. And proud to have served my country.

I was registered Republican always until 7 years ago when I had my awakening. I am now Independent. That is only because I am beyond unhappy with many in the GOP. I have never voted for a Democrat, that is that I know of.

No. I was not going to vote for RFK Jr.

Yes. I am going to vote for Trump. Again.

Am I a huge fan of his? I think at times he has been one of his own worst enemies. But here is what I do know. Without him winning this election we will be at the best headed to total socialism. At the worst communism. And I believe that many here in America do not fully understand what that is going to mean. I have been spending my time offline preparing myself for any scenario and getting right within.

Yes. I am nostalgic over JFK and Bobby Kennedy. They were assassinated when I was a young child. I went with my parents to a rally in Santa Barbara just days before RFK died. My sister and I got right up very close. He was quite funny as I remember, making jokes of his competitor's signs in the crowd. And magnetic.

The Democrat party now is nothing like the party of JFK.

Robert Kennedy Jr. is fully awake.

Okay, that was all streamed from consciousness. I REALLY try not to get involved here in politics. It is hard. My feed is FULL of it every day. Driving me nuts. I do not want to argue with anyone. I do not want to change minds. I want everyone to be free to be who they are. And I just wanted to find a place years ago to come and have some excellent vents over what I could see that Meghan Markle is, and what Harry shockingly is as well. I intend to continue with that mission until the end of the saga. Going to do it here, which is my only true social media home where I am active.

Now. Off to my evening and perhaps off a bit more tomorrow. I intend then to return myself to all things royal and fluff and stuff. Hope I can make it until the election...

Pray for our world.

[byuljoonie]

Never Goodbye // myg

It’s never goodbye, I’ll always see you again…

pairing: yoongi x reader

genre: one shot, angst, fluff, quick smut, rash decisions

word count: 3k

warnings: mentions of mental health, mentions of past SH/scars, sad-ish smut, d-day tour, swearing, almost oral (m4f), dom!suga sub!reader, unsafe sẽx, creampie, fluff if you hate fluff.

note: My depression has been hitting so hard lately. I will re-edit tomorrow, I’m exhausted and can’t double check tonight. I love Min Yoongi, I will backflip for him. In all honesty, when Yoongi did his first live since being gone for a while, I ugly sobbed over my iPad. I missed him so much and the thought of him leaving shook me to my core lmao. Though I’m overdramatic, I am a proud military wife for 3 so far of 7 husbands. Enjoy the one shot and feel free to submit requests to the link in my bio, and listen to some of my playlists also in the bio. I will post Ramo Buchón and this story on Ao3 next week. -dubu

I stood in the dimly lit record store, surrounded by rows upon rows of vinyl records, each a portal to a different musical era. I held in my hand the debit card my thoughtful boyfriend, Yoongi, had given me to use this afternoon. He had gifted me a beautiful scarlet record player, and now I was on a mission to fill it with music.

The store was a treasure trove of musical history. Rows of records stretched out in every direction, organized meticulously by genre and artist. I traced my fingers along the spines, feeling the nostalgia emanating from each one. Rock, jazz, classical, pop – it was all there, waiting to be explored.

My indecisiveness was palpable as I contemplated my choices. I would pick up one vinyl, then another, carefully examining the album artwork and reading the tracklist. Yoongi had given me complete freedom to choose, and I wanted to make sure every selection was perfect.

In the midst of my contemplation, my thoughts drifted to Yoongi. I couldn't help but smile as I remembered the way he had surprised me with the record player earlier. It was clear that he knew just how much I loved music like him, and he wanted to share that passion with me.

As I continued browsing, my eyes suddenly lit up when I spotted the records I had been searching for. There, among the vast collection, were albums by Queen, Mac Miller, Lee Moonsae, and Diana Ross – artists whose music had shaped my life. I felt a rush of excitement as I reached for each of them, holding them close as if they were precious treasures.

With a heart full of gratitude for Yoongi's thoughtful gift and a bag full of vinyl records, I headed to the checkout counter. I knew that each record I had chosen would be a soundtrack to special moments shared with Yoongi, and that made the indecisiveness and the joy of discovery all the more worthwhile.

My collection is finally growing again and I’m so grateful to him. I checked out quickly, holding a brief conversation with the nice blue-haired woman at the counter. Thanking god for the half empty store, I stepped out into the cold air. I called a taxi on my phone and waited the everlasting 10 minutes as I nearly froze in place.

The sleek navy-blue car pulled in front of the little store, a middle aged man stepping out of the drivers side to open the door for me. I thanked him as he grabbed my bag and set it in the trunk for me. The short drive back to our apartment was quiet, the hum of NPR coming from the radio piercing the silence. The heater blowing directly at me.

We pulled up to the tall building hurrying so I can escape the cold air. I grabbed my bag from the man and tipped him extra for his generosity and service. I scanned into the building making my way to the elevators past the front desk. After I exited the elevators I grew more excited to see Yoongi. I skipped happily to our door, putting in the key code.

I’m greeted by the smell of air freshener and our puppy running up to me. Excitedly licking my hand and wagging his tail. I closed the door setting my bag on the small table near it and then taking off my shoes.

“Hi baby!” I said cheerfully looking at Yoongi as he walked over to me. He grabbed my waist and placed a kiss on my check, making his way down to my neck. Resting his head on my shoulder as he held me. I felt like putty in his palm, moving to grab his face and plant a kiss on his lips.

He hummed into the kiss, letting his hands sneak around my waist to my ass. I giggled and pushed him away immediately, missing the feeling of his hands on me already. He pained a hurt expression and I gave him a knowing look. He was supposed to be packing but the laundry basket I left him to sort through seemed to be almost untouched as it sat idle by our sofa.

“Min Yoongi why is your laundry still folded neatly in that basket?” I questioned pointing to his clothes and resting a hand on my hip. “I needed a break,” he said nonchalantly, walking to go sit back on the sofa. He was precious but we have things to do and I can’t let his cuteness distract me. I grabbed my shopping bag from the table and walked over to Yoongi, sitting on his lap so I could show him the merchandise.

“Let me show you what I bought and then I’ll go start on dinner while you actually pack,” I said smiling at the way he rested his hands on my thighs. I took the vinyls out of the bag, setting the first two on the sofa cushion next to us.

“First I got this classic Diana Ross record, but I can’t hold in my excitement anymore!” I said grabbing the Mac Miller record and handing it to Yoongi. I watched as his eyes light up in excitement. “I know I was supposed to be shopping for me but I couldn’t help myself.” I said starting to tear up. I didn’t want to cry but the emotions are hitting hard, Yoongi leaves in a few days.

“Thank you so much baby I love it,” he said setting the record aside to kiss me softly. Yoongi sighed as he stared down at me on his lap. I noticed the worry in his eyes and sat up placing a hand on his cheek. “Are you okay my love?” I probed gently.

“It’s just…I can’t help but worry about leaving you alone again while I go on tour. Your depression and anxiety, I’m afraid they might worsen, and I won’t be there to help you when you need me the most,” Yoongi said staring deeply into my glossy eyes.

I smiled warmly at his confession, cupping his face in my hands. “Min Yoongi, it’s so easy to see why your parents named you light. You’ve helped me through so much already, you are my light. I’ve learned so much from you about handling my emotions, and even on my worst days, just a phone call with you can calm me down. I’ll be okay baby, I promise,” I choked out.

Yoongi looked at me for a second, seemingly analyzing me. He nodded slowly pulling me into a tight hug. “I know you’ve grown stronger, but I can’t help but worry. You mean the world to me Y/N,” he said as I buried my face in his neck.

“And you mean the world to me too, Yoongi. We’ll get through this together, just like we always do.” I said hugging him tighter. We stayed in our embrace for a while, finding comfort in each others presence. Eventually I break the hug and get up to go make dinner, while Yoongi starts to sort through his laundry basket.

“I guess I’ll actually start getting my things in order,” he mumbled to himself with a huff. He stood up flinging open his suitcases, and throwing in a few items he eyeballed. I giggled at how unenthusiastic he was being.

“I’ll help you pack after dinner Yoongs, you know I have to double check and make sure you have everything you’ll need.” I said busying myself at the stove. After I mixed the pasta, I told Yoongi to set the table while I change and I’d be right back.

I retreated to our bedroom, eager to change into my comfortable pajamas. As I shed my days attire and donned my soft, oversized pjs, my eyes involuntarily drifted to the prominent scars that crisscrossed my body, momentos of a harrowing time that altered my life.

A wave of sadness washed over me, recalling the challenges in my journey to recovery. Moments of doubt crept in, but just as I was about to get lost in my melancholic thoughts, I heard Yoongi’s voice gently calling me from the dining area.

“Babe come on I’m hungry and your food smells too good,” he whined cutely as I walked into the dining room. I placed some pasta in his plate and sat in the chair across from him, unconsciously tugging at the short sleeves on my shirt, hoping he wouldn’t notice.

Yoongi hummed in delight at the taste of the cream pasta, and I quietly chewed along. It didn’t take long for us to finish our meal, I stood up making my way to the sink, grabbing the dishes from the table. I started washing dishes, mindlessly humming one of Yoongi’s songs.

“Why’re you so quiet tonight sweetheart?” Yoongi questioned as he walked up behind me. I felt his hands wrap around my waist, he then pulled me flush against him. “Talk to me Y/N,” he said in my ear, leaving a soft lingering kiss behind.

“I’m sorry I just don’t feel the best, honestly, I feel like a burden. All these ugly scars already make me feel less than, but the thought of me holding you back from doing what you love pains me the most, Yoongi,” I said nervously, melting into his embrace.

Suddenly Yoongi unraveled his arms, reaching around me to turn the faucet off. I turned around to face him, confusion flooding my features. He gently placed his hands on my face, searching my eyes for an unknown answer.

“Will you let me show you how much I love you Y/N?” He asked. I nodded slowly, bringing my hand up to touch his that rested on my cheek. He leaned down to place a kiss on my lips, hovering close after he pulled apart.

We walked hand in hand to the bedroom, closing the door behind us. Yoongi guided me over to our bed, helping me up onto the tall mattress. He climbed onto the bed, gently pushing me to lay down flat on my back.

“With every piece of clothing I remove from your body, I’ll leave a trace of me behind. You deserve to know how gorgeous you are Y/N, how utterly irresistible and perfect you are. Every piece of you that you view as an imperfection, I view as another reason to love you.” Yoongi said removing his black shirt from his toned figure.

He removed his shorts, carelessly tossing them to some shadow realm. He looped his fingers under my, formally his, oversized shirt, pulling it over my head in one swift motion.

He stared at my exposed chest for a second, eyes flickering back to mine every so often. He then leaned down, placing a trail of kisses down my neck, and stopping when he reached my collar bone.

He started leaving behind love bites, sucking and licking at the quick forming bruises. I hissed in pleasure as his tongue felt like pure ecstasy, sighing at the way he took my nipple into his mouth.

He looked up at me through hooded eyes, staring at me intensely as he massaged and sucked my breasts. I moaned his name quietly, wrapping my legs around his torso as he moved his attention to the other side.

He made his way down my exposed front, leaving no inch of skin without a trace of his love, or tongue. He moved further down the bed, hooking his fingers under the band of my flower covered panties.

His eyes never left my face, he smirked as I watch him in anticipation. Stomach quickly rising and falling with every nervous breath. He pulled them down my legs painfully slow, I shivered as the cold air hit my exposed clit. He’s barely touched me and I’m already a soaking mess.

He placed a kiss on my left hip bone, massaging the right one with a free hand. He kissed his way down until he hovered over my center, watching the way my eyes drank in his sinful appearance. I could feel the warmth of his breath hitting my core, causing an accidental whine to escape my pouty lips.

He let out a breathy chuckle before placing a kiss on my clit. That earned another moan from me as well as a tight grip on the rappers long hair. He sat up suddenly, receiving a look of disappointment from me. “I can’t wait any longer pumpkin, I need to fill you up like the good girl you are. Gonna make you cry for a much better reason than before.” Yoongi said tossing his boxers to the side and rubbing his length against my pussy, I squirmed in anticipation.

I felt his tip probe at my entrance, his length slowly being engulfed into the hot, soft cavern. I gasped at the intrusion, squeezing Yoongi’s arm as he began to move slowly. With every thrust I clenched harder, scratching down his back as he loving fucked me into oblivion.

“I can never get enough of you princess,” Yoongi grunted out as he sped up his rhythmic movements. “This is my pussy baby you’re mine, all mine, and no one else’s.” He growled eyes darkening with pleasure.

“hmfp I…I’m all yours Yoongi all yours please please fuck me just like that,” I stuttered out, crying as my body grew sore with the force of Yoongi’s hips slamming into mine. I enjoyed every second of this painful pleasure, yanking him by the neck down to my mouth. Lewd noises echoed through our apartment, a melody of wet sounds and heavy breathing reverberating off the walls of our bedroom.

I screamed in pleasure as Yoongi reached down and started furiously rubbing my swollen clit. “Fuck down on me Y/N, let the neighbors hear all those pretty noises you make. Tell me how much you love this dick baby it’s all yours,” he said hotly leaving a trail of wet kisses down my neck.

“It’s mine oh f…fuck Yoongi I can’t take it, I want you to cum inside me please. N…need you to fill me up so I can fully be yours,” I choked out in between sobs. Before I could react the bed shook with extreme force, Yoongi unbelievably fucking me deeper, lifting my hips off the bed and squeezing my bruised hips.

I felt his dick pulsate inside me, indicating he was just as close as I was. “Fuck…cum with me baby,” he grunted out head rolling back in pleasure as his pace slowed. I felt his warm cum shoot inside me, I shook furiously hips spazzing as Yoongi gently set me down. He wiped my tears as I exhaustedly went limp, too tired to get another word out.

“I hope you know I’m going to think about this all the time while I’m gone,” Yoongi said grabbing some water from his bedside table to give to me. I mustered the courage to sit up and graciously take the water, passing him the rest after I finished. He leaned over and placed another kiss on my lips, holding me in his arms as he quietly talked me into a restful sleep.

Yoongi stood by the door, his bags packed and ready for the waiting vehicle outside. I watched him, my eyes brimming with emotions as he turned to face me.

“Y/N, I wish I didn’t have to leave without you, but I know how important your work is to you. I promise I’ll try to call you everyday, no matter the time difference,” he said softly.

“I know Yoongs, but I’m going to miss you so so much,” I said voice quivering as I struggled to keep my composure. My body shook with sadness, shoulders slouching in defeat. Yoongi cupped my face in his hands and gently wiped away my tears.

“Hey look at me, beautiful. I want you to know that no matter where I am, my heart is always with you. If you ever need anything, if you’re feeling down, just call me and I’ll answer in a heartbeat. I would fly across the country in seconds to get to you my love. I might not say it enough, but you mean everything to me Y/N there is no me without you. You’re my inspiration, my strength, and my love.” He confessed, his eyes holding a depth of emotion he often struggled to express.

“I love you too Yoongi, more than words can say,” I said while sniffling. Yoongi smiled at me through glossy eyes, clearly trying to hold it together for me. “Actions speak volumes, right? I’ll prove it to you everyday I’m away. This tour won’t change how I feel about you, and it damn sure won’t change us.” He said pulling me into another tight embrace. A car horn could be heard impatiently honking in the background.

“Goodbye my love,” I said smiling through my tears.

“It’s never goodbye, I’ll always see you again darling.”

[stargazer-sims]

Count On Me

Like your favourite chair, I'll hold you close whether you lose or win. I'm that breath of air flowing out and flowing right back in. I hope you know that I am here, always close and always near.

♫ Count on Me - Diana Ross ♫

_______________

This will make more sense if you've already read Full Circle and Broken Glass

CONTENT WARNING - violence, death

_______________

"Ugh... I suck." Fox sinks onto his sister's couch with all the grace of a seal flopping onto a beach rock. He leans his head against one of the decorative cushions on the back of of the sofa and lets out a groan. "I never imagined I'd screw up a conversation so much. And with my own kid, no less."

Now that he's calm, he realizes how exhausted he is. He navigates difficult situations all the time at work with kids in care, biological parents, foster parents, and professionals connected to each of his clients, but none of those interactions ever seem to drain him as much as this one conversation with his teenage son has.

He'd shared everything with Clancy in the car on the way over to her house, all about his confrontation with Forest and what had led up to it in the first place, and about his frustration and sense of inadequacy to handle it. Clancy was sympathetic, but he could tell she also had a lot she wanted to say. To her credit, though, she hadn't offered any of her own opinions in the car. She'd let him talk

Clancy hands him a mug of tea and then sets her own mug on the coffee table before sitting down next to him. "You don't suck. Your kid sucks."

"No, he doesn't."

"Okay, maybe not him personally, but it sounds like his attitude could use a serious adjustment."

"I don't know where we went wrong," Fox says. "None of our other kids are like this. Not that they're angelic or anything, but the other five combined don't give us as much trouble as Forest does. I thought we were parenting them all more or less the same way, but we must've dropped the ball with Forest."

"I don't know why you think it has to be your fault, or Takahiro's," Clancy says.

"Because we're his parents."

"And?"

"And we're supposed to teach him how to be his best self," he says.

"Kids are individuals, you know," Clancy points out. "You can try your hardest, but at the end of the day, they're the only ones who can decide if they're gonna be the best version of themselves or not. Forest is seventeen. He's going to make his own choices whether you like them or not."

"Yeah, but I hoped he'd make better ones."

"We all want that," Clancy says. "I want Grey and Frankie to make good choices too, but they're getting to an age where I have less and less influence over them. Especially Frankie. A sixteen year old with a driver's license and a part-time job? That kid thinks she owns the world."

"I'll bet she's never openly questioned your love though, or looked you in the face and told you to shut up."

"She knows better than to do that," Clancy declares. "She's free to make her own choices, with the understanding that every choice has consequences. I might not be able to spank her any more, but she knows I'm not above handing out other punishments."

"You know Taka and I don't punish our kids."

"Maybe you should," she says. "I know you guys are into that gentle parenting or whatever, but sometimes trying to reason with a kid is about as effective as banging your head against a brick wall. I'm not saying you're failures as parents, because you're totally not, but I think a few well-placed slaps on the bum when he was little might've done Forest some good."

"Violence isn't the answer, Clancy."

"Nobody's telling you to commit violence," she counters. "People shouldn't be indiscriminately hitting their kids every time they make some little mistake. All I'm saying is that on the occasions when using your words isn't getting the job done, sometimes you have to use other methods."

Fox sets his tea down on the end table and then turns to fix his sister with a level gaze. "Such as assaulting children?"

"Oh my God." Clancy lets out her breath in an audible huff. "I see where Forest got that hard head from."

"Excuse me?"

"Fox, you're deliberately missing the point," says his sister. "Look, I know spanking was never in your playbook, and it's fine. It hasn't been in mine either since Frankie was maybe six or seven years old. My point was, sometimes just talking to a kid isn't enough. Sometimes they need a stronger message."

"Such as?"

"Such as consequences that make them think about their actions. Some people have to learn things the hard way."

"I guess that makes sense," Fox concedes.

"Of course it makes sense," Clancy says. "Forest needs to understand he's not entitled to a free ride through life and that he can't get away with throwing a tantrum when things don't go his way, and you and Takahiro need to teach him that before someone else does, 'cause they won't love him like you do and... you know."

"We'll give him a safety net, and other people won't."

"Exactly."

Fox sighs. "Why can't parenting be easier?"

"If I knew how to make it easier, I'd write a book, make millions of dollars off it, and retire from the police force." Clancy gives him a half-smile. "Incidentally, if you think you've got it hard, you should try parenting by yourself.

"Sorry," Fox says. "I wasn't thinking of—"

"No, don't apologize. I was the one who brought it up." She reaches for her own mug of tea. Several seconds pass as she holds the mug between both hands and gazes into it. "The actual parenting part wasn't any less difficult when Garrett was alive. It's just... I miss being able to discuss things with him, and I miss us backing each other up."

"I don't know how you got through it," Fox tells her. "I'd be devastated if anything happened to Takahiro. I have no idea how I'd survive losing him."

"You'd survive," Clancy says. "I can't tell you how, but you'd do it somehow. If you were on your own, you'd have no choice. You'd find a way to do it for your kids."

His sister is right. As much as he knows a part of him would want to lie down and surrender, he would go on for the sake of his children, just like Clancy did. "I guess I would."

"You would," Clancy reiterates. "Sink or swim, you know? It's what you've got to do."

Fox nods. "I know."

He recalls the day, eight years ago, when his brother-in-law Garrett died. It had started as a perfectly normal Friday in early August, and Fox had been at the office finishing some paperwork and writing notes on the files one of his co-workers, Chloë St-Jean, would be overseeing for him while he was on vacation for the following two weeks. His mind hadn't been entirely on the task. He'd been too busy daydreaming about his family's upcoming camping adventure. He pictured himself playing and exploring with Taka and their kids, spending hot, hazy afternoons painting by the lake, making s'mores and singing campfire songs, and then snuggling by the slowly fading fire with Taka after all the kids were tucked into their sleeping bags.

Lost inside his own head, he barely acknowledged the approaching sound of police sirens on the street outside his office window. About fifteen minutes later, the distinctive wail of ambulance sirens racing past the building didn't entirely register either. It was only when Chloë dashed through the open doorway of his office with her phone in her hand and a wild look in her eyes that he pulled himself away from his reverie.

She announced herself with, "I just got a call from my brother."

"What happened?" Fox asked, and then because Chloë seemed so upset, "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, he and Belle are fine, thank God. They're shaken up, probably like everyone else, but they're not hurt."

"What happened?" he asked again.

"Fox! There was a literal high-speed chase outside your window, like twenty minutes ago, and you didn't notice?"

"A high-speed chase? In downtown Willow Creek?" He was thoroughly confused and knew he sounded incredulous, but he couldn't help it. "I heard the sirens, but I didn't realize—"

"Davian said the car the cops were chasing crashed straight through the front of the building where his studio is," she explained, breathless. "Some people in the building got hurt, and Dav said they could hear shooting outside and he thinks somebody might've died, but he didn't know if it was a police officer or one of the bad guys or somebody else."

As things unfolded, Fox learned that more than one person had lost their life. While Chloë was still in his office, trying to calm herself down after the phone call with her brother, Fox's own phone rang. It was his sister.

"Fox, I need you." Clancy's normally strong, assertive demeanour had been replaced by a voice so weak and small that he almost didn't recognize it. "I got a call from dispatch. It... it's Garrett. There was a situation... something happened downtown."

She offered as much information as she knew, and asked Fox to meet her at the hospital. When he arrived at the ER, he found Clancy, her partner Harry, and two uniformed officers standing in the waiting area, apparently heedless of the handful of unoccupied chairs. To an outside observer, Clancy might've seemed steady and composed, but Fox could tell she was a hair's breadth away from losing it. He couldn't speak for Harry or the two patrol officers, but he knew why Clancy wasn't sitting. The instant she let herself relax, she'd fall apart.

The uniformed cops started to move toward him as if they might try to stop him from getting to his sister, but Harry reached out and put a hand on one of their shoulders. "That's her twin brother. It's fine."

Fox hadn't wanted to be right, but the moment Clancy was in his arms, she let out a sound that was so filled with anguish that it couldn't have been mistaken for anything else. Then, she began to sob. It was as if every tear she'd never allowed herself to shed throughout her life finally burst out of her in an almighty flood.

He'd never seen his sister like that before, and he hoped to God he'd never witness anything like it again. He didn't know what to do, so he just held her as tightly as he could and let her cry.

Clancy was wholly incapable of getting any coherent words out, so it was Harry who told him, "He didn't make it. Garrett, I mean." The detective clenched his huge fists and growled, "That bastard got him."

Harry went on to explain that Garrett and his partner had responded to a 911 call from an employee at a downtown bank who reported an armed robbery in progress. Just as they arrived on scene, the two armed suspects exited the bank and jumped into a waiting car where a third person was already behind the wheel. That, Fox learned, resulted in the chase Chloë had seen from her office window. Harry couldn't say if the getaway driver had lost control of the vehicle or if he'd smashed through the front of a building on purpose, but the collision had effectively ended the chase.

The driver of the getaway car was killed on impact. The back seat passenger, who was still armed with his gun from the robbery, scrambled out of the car and attempted to escape, but he was injured too. He fired at other officers who'd arrived on the scene, but he didn't get far before they were able to disarm and apprehend him.

Meanwhile, Garrett and his partner were checking on the front seat passenger. The guy was obviously injured, and according to what Harry found out from Garrett's partner, they thought the man was unconscious. When Garrett reached in through the smashed car window to check for a pulse, the man suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed Garrett's wrist with one hand and whipped out a previously concealed knife with the other. Before anyone had time to react, the man plunged the long, sharp blade directly into Garrett's neck.

The paramedics made a valiant effort to save him, but he'd passed away in the ambulance, less than a kilometre from the hospital.

"This job's a fucking nightmare some days," Harry concluded. "We all know the danger, but it's like you put it out of your mind so you can get shit done. And then you develop this thing where you start to believe it's never gonna happen to you. Or to somebody you love."

Clancy and Garrett had loved each other passionately, and they both knew the risks. They'd met when Clancy was still a patrol officer too, and despite the warnings of their parents and their fellow officers that getting involved with another cop wasn't a great idea, they would not be deterred.

Six months after they met, Clancy earned all her qualifications to become a detective. Six months after that, she and Garrett got married in a stunningly elaborate ceremony. complete with a police honour guard made up of their colleagues and friends.

They were over the moon when baby Francine came along, and just as elated at the birth of Greyson three years later. It was obvious to everybody who knew them how devoted they were to each other and to their little family, and their bond only grew stronger as time went on.

They loved like there was no tomorrow, as Garrett's mother had put it, or in Garrett's own words, "Make it count. Do all the living you can while you've got a life to live."

Fox was left utterly shaken by the description of his brother-in-law's last minutes. He couldn't imagine what it must've been like for Clancy to hear it again.

"Can I take her home?" he asked Harry.

At that, Clancy raised her head from his shoulder. "No," she said weakly. "I can't go. Not until I see my husband."

So, they waited.

When a doctor eventually came out and said Clancy would be permitted to view the body, both Fox and Harry went with her. When she saw her husband lying on the gurney, with a pristine white bandage across his throat, Clancy let out a scream so feral that Fox struggled to accept it was coming from a human. The sound of his sister's pain and the image of her cradling the pale, still body of her husband had haunted his dreams for months after that.

When they finally did depart the hospital, Fox had to guide her to his car. She stumbled along beside him, seemingly unaware of anything, mumbling things to herself that Fox was unable to comprehend.

He'd been afraid to leave her, so he took her to his own house. Knowing Frankie and Grey were safe with Garrett's parents, he made the decision to let them stay there undisturbed for the time being. Clancy was in no condition to help her kids, and Fox knew they'd be even more traumatized by what had happened if they saw their mother in that state.

As soon as they walked through the front door, Takahiro was there to meet them. He held out his arms to Clancy and she stepped straight into his waiting embrace. Open-hearted Takahiro, with his gift for comforting others, didn't say he was sorry or utter any meaningless platitudes. All he said was, "We're here for you."

Fox could visually observe the tension leaving Clancy's body. She sagged in Taka's arms and whispered, "Thank you, Takahiro."

It wasn't until the next morning that Clancy was ready to be with her kids, and even then she wasn't able to tell them about Garrett herself. It was actually Takahiro who’d broken the news to them and, in his gentle way, answered their questions about what dying meant.

Fox was grateful. He wasn't sure he could've handled it as gracefully as Taka did, and when he said as much to his husband later, Taka's response had been, "It's all right. Sometimes people need help from someone who's one step away. Close enough to care, but not too close to see things in perspective."

That piece of wisdom is something Fox has carried with him ever since. He thinks he fulfills that role in the lives of his clients, his niece and nephew and his friends, and he's taught himself to recognize when he needs someone to step into that role for him. As much as he wants to prove he's grown enough to manage things on his own, the truth is that he can't keep all the proverbial balls in the air by himself. No one can.

"Hey."

Fox realizes he's allowed too long a pause in the conversation when his sister's one-word sentence interrupts his reminiscence. He glances over at her. "Sorry."

"You okay?" she asks.

"Yeah. I was just thinking."

"About...?"

"Garrett," he admits. "Sorry if that's weird."

"It's not," Clancy says. "I was thinking about him too."

"Because of what I said?"

"Not really," she says. "There isn't a single day where I don't think about him at least once. Sometimes it's the most random thing that'll remind me of him. Like, when I accidentally burn the toast at breakfast, or when I catch myself squeezing the toothpaste in the middle. That annoyed Garrett so much. He used to say I was wasting it."

Fox smiles. "Taka gets after me for being a middle-squeezer too."

Clancy releases an abrupt laugh. "A middle-squeezer?"

"That's what he calls it. He's an end-squeezer, and he thinks that's the only correct way to squeeze out toothpaste. He also thinks there's only one correct way to put a roll of toilet paper on the holder too."

"There is. I had it on good authority from my late husband."

"We have to heed the experts," Fox says.

"Yeah," says Clancy. "God, I miss him. Sometimes I still come up with stuff I want to tell him, and I have these moments where I think 'I can't wait to tell Garrett when I get home from work'. But then I remember, and... yeah."

"So then you call and tell me."

"I'm glad you don't ignore my calls, even when it's about something dumb like seeing a stray chicken in the parking lot at Tim Hortons."

It's Fox's turn to laugh. "Can you imagine the lame jokes Garrett would've made about that? But yeah... you know I'll never ignore your calls. I'm here for you, one hundred percent."

"Same goes for you," Clancy says. "And you're not wrong about the jokes. Garrett thought he'd be a great stand-up comic, you know. He used to write down all his best material, as he called it. Kept it in a notebook in the apartment."

"The garage apartment?"

"Yeah. Well, it wasn't the garage apartment then, but you know what I mean."

As far as Fox knows, Clancy and Garrett's attached garage had never actually had a vehicle in it. The previous owners had been using it primarily for storage, and when Clancy and Garrett bought the house, Garrett decided it'd make a perfect family room. They had the garage door removed and replaced by a regular wall, had a small bathroom built in one corner, and moved in their big-screen TV, exercise equipment, pool table and an old sofa Clancy got from one of their cousins. Fox and Taka had spent many evenings hanging out with Clancy and Garrett, chatting and watching movies while all the kids played together nearby.

After Garrett passed, Clancy had the space converted into a bachelor flat so she could rent it out and supplement her income. She hired a contractor to construct a kitchenette and to install a separate entrance so her tenants wouldn't have to enter or exit through the house.

"Do you go in there much?" Fox asks. "To the garage apartment?"

"Only to collect the rent, or to fix stuff or clean up after somebody leaves," she says. "I gotta go in there this weekend, actually. I thought the student I had was going to stay for the whole school year, but she up and left. Decided she was going to move in with her boyfriend instead. She left it looking okay, but I still have to clean the floors and give the bathroom a good scrub."

"If you need help, let me know."

"Why? Are you going to send your kids to..." She lets the sentence fade and then grins at him. "Oh, wait."

"What?"

"I just had a genius idea," Clancy declares. "It's brilliant. Kind of a win-win, you might say."

"So, tell me what it is."

"You really could send one of your kids to the garage apartment. I mean, if Forest wants to move out so badly, maybe he should."

"And you think he should move in here?"

"Why not?" says Clancy. "He has a part-time job, doesn't he? He could pay me a little bit of rent every month. You wouldn't have him disrespecting you under your roof any more, and he'd learn how to be responsible for himself."

"I don't think he could do that, being totally on his own."

"He wouldn't be totally on his own. I'd keep an eye on him to make sure he's not going completely off the rails." She winks conspiratorially. "We just wouldn't tell him he's being surveilled."

"He wouldn't last a week," Fox says.

"Weren't you ready to let him run off to Japan by himself earlier today?" Clancy inquires.

"Do you think I actually believed he would?"

"You called his bluff."

"I did," Fox confesses.

"I'll bet Mom and Dad didn't believe you'd run away, but you did. They didn't think you'd make it on your own either, but you did that too."

"Fair point, but the difference between me and Forest is that my life was actually terrible and I had a valid reason to run away. I had to get out of there, and I was ready to change. Plus, I was twenty-five and fully educated."

"True, but the end goal is still the same," Clancy insists. "Look how much getting out from under our parents' roof did for you."

Fox considers it. He likes Clancy's plan in theory and he's thankful that she's willing to covertly supervise Forest, but he's not totally convinced his son could cope with being independent. As much as he wants Forest to learn that particular lesson, it'll defeat the purpose of the experiment if Forest begs to come home after only a few days.

"I'll have to discuss it with Taka," he says.

"I'd be concerned if you didn't," Clancy replies. "You can let me know what you decide, but don't take too long, okay? I want to advertise it for rent again if Forest isn't going to be moving in."

"Okay," Fox says. "Hopefully, we'll be able to let you know by the weekend."

[crowsource]

🐦‍⬛ 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐒 —quotes taken from the first novel in rebecca ross' letters of enchantment duology. some edits have been made to allow for rp purposes. feel free to adjust for pronouns/names/etc.

❝ It takes courage to let down your armor, to welcome people to see you as you are. ❞

❝ I can’t risk having people behold me as I truly am. ❞

❝ You will miss so much by being so guarded. ❞

❝ I don't think you realize how strong you are. ❞

❝ Sometimes strength isn't swords and steel and fire, as we are so often made to believe. Sometimes it's found in quiet, gentle places. ❞

❝ I hope you will find your place, wherever you are. ❞

❝ I think we all wear armor. I think those who don’t are fools, risking the pain of being wounded by the sharp edges of the world, over and over again. ❞

❝ I am coming to love him, in two different ways. Face to face, and word to word. ❞

❝ I am destined to always be at war within myself. ❞

❝ Your grief will never fully fade; it will always be with you--a shadow you carry in your soul--but it will become fainter as your life becomes brighter. ❞

❝ You are not alone. ❞

❝ I never told you that I love you. And I regret that, most of all. ❞

❝ That’s it. You’re doing great, ____. ❞

❝ I think there is a magical link between you and me. A bond that not even distance can break. ❞

❝ It’s not a crime to feel joy, even when things seem hopeless. ❞

❝ ____, look at me. You deserve all the happiness in the world. And I intend to see that you have it. ❞

❝ I don’t want to wake up when I’m seventy-four only to realize I haven’t lived. ❞

❝ I’m not going anywhere, unless you tell me to leave, and even then, we might need to negotiate. ❞

❝ I realize that people are just people, and they carry their own set of fears, dreams, desires, pains, and mistakes. ❞

❝ I can’t expect someone else to make me feel complete; I must find it on my own. ❞

❝ I pray that my days will be long at your side. ❞

❝ Let me fill and satisfy every longing in your soul. May your hand be in mine, by sun and by night. ❞

❝ Let our breaths twine and our blood become one, until our bones return to dust. Even then, may I find your soul still sworn to mine. ❞

❝ I’m not afraid to be alone, but I’m tired of being the one left behind. ❞

❝ I broke my engagement, quit my job, and traveled six hundred kilometers into war-torn land to be with you. ❞

❝ And yet I keep moving forward. On some days, I’m afraid, but most days, I simply want to achieve those things I dream of. ❞

❝ Let us make our names exactly what we want them to be. ❞

❝ How do you make your life your own and not feel guilt over it? ❞

❝ I am so afraid. And yet how I long to be vulnerable and brave when it comes to my own heart. ❞

❝ I grew something living in a season of death. ❞

❝ I don’t think you can even begin to understand what your words mean to me. ❞

❝ I want your hand to be in mine, no matter what comes. ❞

❝ You’re distracting me, ____. ❞

❝ Endings were often found in beginnings. ❞

❝ By law, we’re both legal adults who can drink and be formally charged for murder. ❞

❝ Be safe. Be well. I’ll write soon. ❞

[wwillywonka]

wwillywonka's Interests

(links are in red)

-here is my super long, super detailed list of the things i blog about. if you read the whole thing, you're amazing and i love you. thanks<33 -a more comprehensive list of my interests can be found here. i update it often. -please for the love of god do yourself a favour and listen to blooms by arthur sharpe

Willy Wonka/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

special interest since 2014

read my ongoing willy character study fic here

my willy playlist

beside the original dahl books, the 2005 movie is the best and most superior version. i believe this with my whole body, mind, and soul and cannot be convinced otherwise.

other favorite versions of canon: gareth snook on the recent uk tour, gene wilder (of course). see gareth snook’s take on willy’s character here

i have consumed every single piece of wonka related media/content that is reasonably available to the public including horrible elementary school productions on youtube and random college theses. i consider myself the foremost expert about anything and everything regarding willy and can get defensive if that is challenged. i am also aware that i take this way too seriously considering willy is just a silly little fucked up guy who forever ruined my taste in men in my preteens. but i stand by my opinions.

i’ve also been writing a very self-indulgent willy x oc (ross able) fic for nearing 4 years now and have yet to publish it in any capacity. that being said, i tend to talk about it in tags for my own reference, so if you’re ever curious to know more, feel free to ask<3.

i do not support roald dahl, tim burton, or johnny depp in any way. their existences are entirely separate from my enjoyment of catcf. bigotry and prejudice are not tolerated on this blog.

i think the prequel is fine but unnecessary. it’s so whatever to me that i sometimes forget it exists.

i am literally charlie bucket (so obsessed with willy wonka that my parasocial need to be in a weird friendship with him is all-consuming and the only thing that keeps me going). if you ship any of the literal children ticket winners with willy, get off my blog.

willy is my specialist girl, a genius inventor evil capitalist, the blorbo i spin around in my brain 24/7 and want to put in a microwave, my wife, and also the absolute worst guy to ever do it. she is my everything. they’re just a sad gay twink. he’s even bigger than jesus.

Jesus Christ Superstar

the 1973 movie has been one of my favorites since childhood but i became obsessed after seeing the musical on stage in 2023.

yes i connect everything i liked about jcs back to willy and my other fav characters :)

things i write and blog about that are perfectly captured in jcs:

being mortal and being a god are not so different

the line between godhood and celebrityhood being more blurred the further society progresses. both are corruption

toxic, all-consuming co-dependency

sacrificing everything that makes one human for the sake of the “greater good”; becoming unrecognisable, becoming a monster (metaphorically and/or literally)

faith in something that ultimately betrays

being gay and being supppeerr dramatic about it

Alice in Wonderland

i love all versions but have a soft spot for the 2010 movie

fav character: the mad hatter/tarrant hightopp

the 2009 miniseries is weirdly good

alice in wonderland is a war story. to me.

i feel similarly about alice through the looking glass 2016 as i do about wonka 2023

once again, i’ve been writing a fic based off the 2010 movie for years but have yet to publish any part of it. one day, i promise.

Loki

my love for loki started in 2012 when i saw the first avengers movie in theaters but has since grown into a love of norse mythology and its extended history and lore. loki by mevlin burgess is one of my favorite books and is, in my opinion, the best portrayal of the character in recent years. neil gaiman’s norse mythology is also great.

i love tom hiddleston so so so so much<33. he is a phenomenal actor and also a really nice man and deserves so much more recognition than just being “that hot guy who played that villain in marvel.” i recently had the pleasure of sitting in the audience for an interview he did and it was the best day of my entire life. only lovers left alive is one of my favorite movies.

i hate the disney+ show except for the literal last 20 minutes of the last episode which gave me everything i’ve ever wanted out of a loki story.

i used to be really, really, really, extremely into marvel but pretty much stopped caring after endgame (which i feel is the case for a lot of people). that being said, i still love tony stark and spider-man, particularly the toby mcguire movies (cough cough…alfred molina as doc ock <3333).

Star Trek

obsessed with tos and tng, particularly the movies (undiscovered country is my fav!). huge fan of picard. don't really care about the aos movies or a lot of the newer series. i'm also currently watching voyager (janeway is insane i love her).

spent a lot of my nerd life not understanding the appeal until i started watching tng in april 2023 and swiftly became Aware of why it's one of the most famous franchises of all time. also as someone who's super interested in fandom history, particularly queer fandom history, i don't know why i didn't get into trek sooner.

spock is my fav character because he is literally me. i am always crying over him. no one understands spock like i do (<- is exaggerating knowing he is one of the most famous characters in all of pop culture history). we are both mixed race and jewish. we are both autistic and queer. there is literally no other character whose mixed identity is portrayed so well and as such a significant aspect of their story, and i (along with so many others) see so many of the internal conflicts he deals with in myself, particularly when it comes to his relationship with his parents.

sarek's biggest hater. like bestie, YOU married the human.

data is my second fav. mccoy is a close third. picard is a very close fourth. unification pt 1&2 are my fav trek episodes!!!

huge spirk/spones/mcspirk shipper. because duh.

Doctor Who

my favorite show since 2012

fav doctor: capaldi

fav companions/other characters: donna, river, missy/the master. and yes, the tardis

fav episode: heaven sent

murray gold invented music and is everything i aspire to be as a composer

please no moffat discourse i will block you

that being said, chibnall ruined doctor who. jodie whittaker deserved so much better and i do not blame her, an amazing actress, for the horrible writing she had to work with.

currently working my way through classic who and the eu

Other Notable Favorites

Arcane

Nightmare Before Christmas

Danny Elfman/Oingo Boingo

The Mighty Boosh/Noel Fielding/BritCom

Flowers/Will Sharpe Films

Good Omens

Frankenstein

Shakespeare

Dan and Phil

Adventure Time

Wes Anderson Films

The Beatles

The Picture of Dorian Gray/Oscar Wilde

The Adventure Zone/The McElroys

AURORA

Other Things I Blog About

Robots & cyborgs, dolls

Body segmentation/body horror

Fashion/Fiber Arts

Nostalgia

Clowns

Nature

thanks if you read this far xoxo

[risingoftime]

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕼𝖚𝖊𝖊𝖓’𝖘 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖋𝖎𝖉𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖊 | 𝖘𝖍𝖚𝖗𝖎 𝖔 𝖗𝖎𝖗𝖎

"I am the Queen of the most powerful nation in the world, and my entire family is gone. Have I not given everything?"

summary: Shuri is to be enthroned as Queen of Wakanda and doesn’t know if she will be able to bare the weight of the crown without her mother’s wisdom. She seeks out Riri’s guidance and warmth to thaw her frigid heart.

word count: 2.5k

warnings: death, grief, angst, hurt!shuri, loss, hint of friends to lovers, fluff, anxiety, wakanda forever spoilers. 

a/n: This is definitely something that I’m not used to writing. But I hope y’all like it as much as you like my other fics! I’ve been struggling with major writer's block :|

➴ feel free to send me more thots

RIRI’S POV

I stared after her as she glided down the staircase. Shuri’s dress cascaded behind her like a black pool of water. It was made of the finest silks, held by gold rings and an encrusted black panther head with fangs on her chest. The dipped fang dangled in between her breasts against her bare skin. I tried to gulp down the lump in my throat, but my mouth became dry when I focused on the cutouts that exposed her dark skin. Okoye sure knew how to pick a dress. Shuri had tried her best to fight her way out of it, but it was clear that this was the dress. She had exclaimed that the outfit had fit too tight, too provocative, just too much for her. Yet as I watched her approach her subjects, all the nerves she had exhibited earlier were untraceable across Shuri’s posture. Her stride was regal, almost identical to Queen Ramonda. The people of Wakanda silently watched Shuri in awe. They had never seen the Princess in this light. No, not their Princess, their Queen. I was not able to be in attendance during Shuri’s inauguration amongst the Wakanda Council. Not only because I had school, but I wasn’t allowed. The ritual had been private, a sacred ceremony to officiate Shuri’s place on the Wakanda throne. Outsiders were not welcome. However, when Shuri insisted I attend the Public Crowning of the Wakandan Queen, I couldn’t refuse.

I stood off in the distance at the side of the balcony with Agent Ross to obtain the perfect view for the event. Out of sight from curious onlookers but close enough to make out every detail. M’Baku held the crown in his hands as if it was a delicate flower, and tiny beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he walked towards Shuri. He had argued with Okoye for days that placing the crown on Shuri’s head should be him. Shuri told me that he yelled at Okoye and told her “she hadn’t become the general again until a couple of weeks ago.” This struck a chord with the Dora Milaje, leading to both groups almost getting into a physical altercation. Shuri had to break it up in the end. They settled it over a coin toss. I couldn’t hold in my laughter at the audacity of it all when we’d been on the phone. Imagining the mighty M’Baku keeled over a coin in anticipation was enough to elicit a giggle out of her.

“I present to you, Shrui Udaku, the Queen of Wakanda.” As M’Baku gently settled the gold crown atop Shuri’s head as his voice boomed loudly across the silent crowd of Wakandans.

“I present to you, Shrui Udaku, the Queen of Wakanda.” As M’Baku gently settled the gold crown atop Shuri’s head as his voice boomed loudly across the silent crowd of Wakandans.

“I present to you, Shrui Udaku, the Queen of Wakanda.” As M’Baku gently settled the gold crown atop Shuri’s head as his voice boomed loudly across the silent crowd of Wakandans.

“I present to you, Shrui Udaku, the Queen of Wakanda.” As M’Baku gently settled the gold crown atop Shuri’s head as his voice boomed loudly across the silent crowd of Wakandans.

“I present to you, Shrui Udaku, the Queen of Wakanda.” As M’Baku gently settled the gold crown atop Shuri’s head as his voice boomed loudly across the silent crowd of Wakandans.

“I present to you, Shrui Udaku, the Queen of Wakanda.” As M’Baku gently settled the gold crown atop Shuri’s head as his voice boomed loudly across the silent crowd of Wakandans.

The sea of people began to bow down to one knee, row by row, like a wave. I was in complete awe to see the power that Shuri held. She was now the sole leader of a whole country. I fell to my knees but kept my head raised to see only Shuri left standing and staring at me. A hint of a smile on her lips. She was breathtakingly draped in black and gold. I couldn’t help but feel special amongst all the people in front of her. She chose to steal a glance at me before she bellowed for everyone to rise.

The Dora Milaje raised their spears, and the Jabari tribe beat their chests in triumph, celebrating the new ruler of Wakanda. Shuri placed her arms over her chest as an “X,” yelling, “Wakanda forever,” and it wasn’t until she did so that I saw the tears flow from her eyes. They were leaving a streak down her perfected makeup—a sign of the girl who had nearly lost everything.

Shortly after the public inauguration, I returned to Shuri’s headquarters, where I stayed for the week. Desperate to change out of my heels, I mindlessly flung them on the floor to walk barefoot on the black marbled floors. My feet instantly felt soothed by the contact of the cold tiles. The only sound echoing is the soft padding of the soles of my feet, walking to sit at Shuri’s vanity overlooking the city of Wakanda. Shuri’s room was quiet and sombre. I bet I could hear a pin drop. At times it felt surreal to be in Wakanda, miles away from the loud streets of Chicago and the MIT students' crowds. When I first met Shuri and Okoye, I had been ready to throw anything to keep them from taking me away from the familiarity of my dorms. Although it had been months ago, I could recall the memory like it was yesterday. One would find it difficult to forget. When I first set eyes upon Okoye, she appeared viperous and ready to strike at any moment’s notice. I’m still surprised I was able to gain her respect. Okoye does not offer that to just anyone. Then again, I’m astonished about many things that have occurred these past few months.

The sweltering heat and sun from the ceremony had caused my dress to stick uncomfortably against my skin. I desperately needed to change into an outfit that allowed me to breathe. I fumbled with the zipper behind my neck, and my fingers struggled to pull down the clasp lock that kept the fabrics mended together. I am to be a scientist, and I still couldn’t figure out the intricacies of a simple dress zipper. Midway through my struggle, I heard my phone ping from a text by Shuri. We had unique ringtones for each other.

Meet me in the lab.

I looked at the clock to see not much time had passed since the public inauguration. Shuri should have been on the road for the parade throughout the city. That was the plan; she shouldn’t be in the lab. I made my way to the familiar doors I’d entered countless times to find Shuri sitting on the floor. Her dress puddled around her in a great heap of black silk. Once we made eye contact, Shuri was unrecognizable. The gold crown was still pinned to her head, and Shuri’s makeup remained perfectly painted on her face regardless of the tear stains. It pained me to see the softness in her eyes become cold and void. I’ve wished to keep the tenderness alive within Shuri, but since the murder of her Mother, Queen Ramonda, she hasn’t been the same. Shuri had become quick to irritate and rash. She still refused to tell anyone about the family member she had encountered in the ancestral plane. I knew better than to ask. The question always triggered an argument.

“Shuri, what’s wrong? What are you doing here? You should be with your people.”

“You are my people. That’s why I called you.” Her eyes remained trained on the ground. I’m convinced her glare could bore a hole in the laboratory floor if she wished. I couldn’t find the words to respond, unsure if I should correct her or scold her that she knew what I meant when I first said it. Deciding to remain quiet and listen was a safer option; once Shuri overcame her grief and anger, it was best to stay silent. I lowered myself to the ground to sit patiently in front of Shuri. Finally, Shuri released her lips from the tight line to speak again.

“Bury your dead. Mourn your losses. You are Queen now. Those words have haunted me for days as a prophecy I wished would not come true. I walked down these hallways a million times, feeling like a ghost in a shell. My insides cried for anyone to reach out and extract the pain that held my heart. But, instead, I’ve spent the remaining months making myself digestible for others to the extent that I no longer know what is left of me.

“The tears that have escaped me since that day felt like they would choke the life out of my soul. I would force myself to scream out from the empty cavern of my chest, yet no matter what I do, it’s as if it will never end. I wake up overtaken by a body that no longer knows rest, Riri. I don’t know how to cultivate the strength to be a Queen for Wakanda.” Shuri’s voice remained bleak as she spoke. I noticed the changes that had come over Shuri for quite some time but did not dare to look deeper. It wasn't easy to find the right words to provide comfort.

“To understand the depths of mourning, you must know love. The feeling you are experiencing is your yearning for your Mother with nowhere to go. It’s the final act of love. But she is still a part of you. Although she may not be present in the physical plane, she lives on with your ancestors. Or at least, that’s what Okoye has told me. She was quite brief with answering my questions.”

“Okoye has time to talk to you about Wakanda history?” Shuri asked.

“She doesn’t. I annoy her enough until she spares me some details.” The comment gained a full smile from Shuri. Her body language shifted slightly to face me onward, our knees lightly brushing against each other. I took this as a chance to use the light fabric of her dress to dab at her wet eyes, careful not to smudge her mascara. Thankfully her dress was black, and the action didn’t ruin it.

“That’s the thing about grief. It’s messy, and it gets everywhere,” I whispered.

As I was about to retrieve my hand back to my side, Shuri grabbed it to encase it into her own. Her skin was soft and warm while she traced circles on the back of my hand. She’s held my hand countless times, but the way she grasped it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I didn’t have to look up to know that Shuri was now staring at me.

“I’ve prayed to feel a release, and at times it felt like no one was truly listening. So, Riri, I’m thankful I have you in my life, especially now when I need to bring myself back to Earth.”

“I think this is the first time you’ve admitted that you like me around.” Then, slowly raising my head, I offered Shuri a toothy grin.

“But there’s no need to thank me, that’s what friends are for!”

Shuri’s lips pursed when I said “friend,” as if the word tasted sour on her tongue.

“What? Did I say something wrong?” I felt worried that I may have ruined the moment. It wouldn't have been the first time. Shuri’s mood has been unpredictable, and I could never be sure what I might have said to trigger a reaction.

“No, not at all. It’s just…”

“Just what? Come on; you know that you can tell me anything.” Shuri broke eye contact to watch our intertwined hands, twiddling her fingers as she did so. She often did this when she was nervous or agitated. I wanted her to spit it out, but considering she finally stopped crying, I didn’t want to welcome another onset of tears.

“I don't want to ruin the friendship that we have together. Still, I want to be honest with you and myself. I like you, Riri, more than a friend. I’ve felt this way for a while now. I guess by saying this, I’m wondering if you feel the same way.” Shuri stumbled over her words. They all seemed to come out quickly and jumbled.

I wasn’t oblivious to how close Shuri and I had become. I held her down when she took the heart-shaped herb. I have never been much of a fighter, but I fought for her and would do it again if I had to. She never had to ask because I would always be there without a second thought or doubt. Thinking back, Shuri has done the same. I can’t remember a night without not talking to her on the phone. I never thought about her busy schedule as an upcoming Queen because Shuri made time to pick up my calls. The stolen glances and shy touches were not in vain. Shuri had become a part of my world. Of course, I felt the same way.

Wrapping my arms around Shuri, I brought her close to my heart and said just that. Her body fit perfectly against my own. As I held Shuri close to my chest, Shuri began whispering a song. I didn’t understand the Xhosa language but a deep understanding capsuled in my mind of memories that would never be erased. Almost ancestral to a place that I felt akin to. It offered a tiny bit of abreaction that denied us. I felt her breath on my neck as she sang; it left goosebumps and a fluttering feeling in my stomach. Numerous thoughts clouded my mind. The outstanding one was the desire and fantasy of what it’ll feel like to have Shuri’s lips against my own. However, this was not the time. Not when she had a duty to fulfill. As if the Universe had heard her, Okoye burst through the laboratory doors.

“What is the meaning of this? Queen Shuri, the people of Wakanda await.” Okoye’s eyes were ablaze, and darted between the two of them. I became increasingly aware of how we must’ve looked at that moment. I opened my mouth to say something, yet Shuri beat me.

“I’ll only go if Riri comes with me.”

I attempted to separate myself from Shuri, but she didn’t budge. Okoye looked as if she was at a loss for words. Unsure if she should risk her position to oppose the new Queen. When she didn’t immediately speak it felt like my heart would beat out of my chest. The seconds felt like hours as I watched Okoye’s face slowly morph into a soft expression.

“As you wish, my Queen,” she sighed.

---

[qveerthe0ry]

Hi you! 🍓 🥤 & 🪐 for the ask game pls?

Hello friend! <3 Thank you for playing ilysm

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction? 

This one is wild. It was a long, long time ago, probably around 2008 or maybe a bit earlier. I was an absolute emo rascal in middle school, very into Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco and the likes, and as one does, I was taking those "which member of Fall Out Boy is your soulmate" quizzes on QUIZILLA. Remember that site? And I believe that's when I stumbled upon my very first fanfiction. Probably Pete Wentz/Ryan Ross, if I had to make a wild guess. And I had always been into writing stories, like as early as 2nd grade I remember. So the next logical step was to write about emo boys kissing, obviously. The rest is history. I like to think I've come a loooooong way since then lmao

🥤 ⇢ recommend an author or fanfic you love

This is rude, Gideon. There are so so SO many. I think I'd like to shout out @ezrasbirdie and their fic Bright Lights ft. Dieter and nd!reader because I just finished reading the last chapter recently and I am so extremely obsessed. Bridie's writing just hits me SO hard in the feels every time, as everyone knows I'm also like, the #1 Catalyst stan. The way I actually feel all the emotions deep in my chest when I'm reading her fics is just INCREDIBLE. I can't get over it.

🪐 ⇢ name three good things going on in your life right now

1.) I'm going to an NHL game for free tomorrow!!

2.) I'm finally taking care of my health after a lot of anxiety around going to the doctor, I got the meds I need and I'm eating healthier and going on walks after work - which leads me to my third thing ->

3.) I have NEVER been more motivated to write than I have recently. Like I pumped out that threesome fic in RECORD time, I'm a chapter ahead of LATK, and I'm steadily working on my WIPs that are clogging my google docs. I really think I owe it mostly to my daily walks. I work from home and it's very easy for me to just not leave my apartment for DAYS, but these 30 minute walks every day have been a huge way to reset after working and also think about smut plot and organize my thoughts. Also I obviously owe it to Pedro too, and you and @perotovar and @for-a-longlongtime for letting me yell at y'all about my ideas <3

[noellesnowelle]

Monthly (& weekly) Update

Missing almost all of Octobers spooky, autumn mood ... but it's going upwards again

October Recap

A lot of time was spent in some kind of mind fog. I rewatched all 50 episodes of 'The Untamed' before the 24. of October because Netflix showed me that the series will be taken down then. Weirdly, but luckily, it is still there but I wasted a lot of my time and energy on watching Netflix. Originally I planned to rewatch the series during winter break when I actually have more free time, but because it is my favourite series and Netflix wanted to take it down, I had to watch it again.

Because of that my mental and physical health suffered a lot during that two weeks...

But I also did a lot of art in October! I did my first ever Bob Ross tutorial and it was so fun! I also went outside and did tree and leaf studies around my house (in the picture). Hopefully I will do it again sometime soon.

Besides that I also jumped into research about Romania and Romanian (prompted by a question in my Finnish course).

Romania is such a beautiful country and Romanian is also such a beautiful language! I didn't realize before that Romanian is a Romance language (even though it is literally in the name) and it is so useful! Because I learned Spanish for 6 years in school I can already understand a little bit. But I also love the sound of it. Especially because of the eastern-european influnces like 'sch' sounds.

I hope I can travel to Romania in the future. (I also have such a strong longing for the mountains. That is really the only thing I am missing here in Finland...)

Now a good old Weekly Update

28.10.-03.11.2024

finally a good week again... studying, dancing and the first snow!

Studying

I had a schooling for the Hygiene Passport and it felt so good to finally learn something else again besides Finnish

during this week was another self-study day and it is so nice to have these inbetween regular days (I can focus better on things that I don't know already, plus I am quicker with completing all the tasks!)

I took a deep dive into research Finnish Art as preparation for the coming week, it is so interesting!

Languages

I still need to work on my method for studying vocabulary, this is definitely a project for the next weeks

I studied a bit of Romanian. Every time it is so much fun trying to pronounce a new language. Although it is like taking wobbly baby steps. But it is an exhilarating feeling!

Health

the dry and cold air outside and the dry and warm air inside is not good for my skin and eyes...

I did a few dance workouts this week - my favourite form of cardio!

feeling a bit stressed this weekend and relaxing was difficult, but Yoga helped a bit

For myself

I learned the chorus dance of Kiss of Life's 'Igloo' Dance and it was so much fun. The dance is so addicting. I actually managed to learn it in 2 hours which is super fast for me. But it probably helped that it is in a style that I move more naturally in.

I took time to watch the old Addams Family movies for the first time and it was nice. I want to catch some of the remaining spooky, autumn vibes (even with snow outside) as I feel like I missed my favourite time and month of the year...

this week's

reading / watching / listening

Bitterthorn - Kat Dunn (2nd time I am reading it)

Addams family 1 & 2

Ronja Rövardotter

Imaginary Friend - ITZY

Igloo (Igloo) - Kiss Of Life

Smoke - Otyken

(I literally accidentally deleted this post right after posting it and instead of letting the hour of writing go to waste, I am rewriting it now stubbornly instead of crying and never doing it, even though I already wanted to sleep. Which is why it is also shorter than it was, but maybe that's a good thing... Good Night... 40 min. later than planned...)

[dogstarmoonheart]

Hello darlings

I get personal questions daily regarding my name/pronounce/age etc…I want to underline that I haven’t been ignoring these questions. I just haven’t been sure about how much I want to share on here, until now:)

so yeah. right. coolcoolcool.. ready now..

here we go lads and lasses

.・。.・���✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭

I’m Hazel (I do love a good nickname though!!! feel free to call me whatever u want)

I am indeed of age.

I go by she/her

Im in a loving relationship with Lewis Capaldi.

I just lied :(

I have a variety of crippling mental illnesses…so don’t expect me to serve and slay, all the way, every day. cuz..I am in fact clinically insane.

I love yer mum.

If ur mom’s a cunt, I take it back.

fast facts:

My favorite book is carry on by Rainbow Rowell.

My favorite artist is Leith Ross

My favorite color is brown

I drink coffee and tequila. I eat veggies and crisps

I’ve…never been able to finish atyd. I just read to when Hope Lupin dies and then I start over..

hope this makes me seem less like a robot and more like a git..if there’s anything else yer wondering just send me an ask :)

kisses

[happy-little-painter]

Little Intro

Hello every, it's me your favorite tumblr painter account run by the very popular Rob Boss. I am hope to paint little scenes over tumblr posts and spread love on this little hellsite.

Here are some rules so we can make this just a nice little happy family here.

NO POLITICS WHATSOEVER, I don't want to have to dip my little brush in all of that drama out there so if you try to spread any hateful ideas on or through this blog, pack your bags and go else where because I will not tolerate it here. DNI if you are homophobic, transphobic, acephobic, racist ect.

Feel free to send in asks for requests, but I am only one person and while I try my best to look at and reply to any messages I receive. I am busy and it may take a few hours or days, just have a little patience and we'll all have a jolly old time

Last one, I am not affiliated with or am the really Bob Ross in anyway, I just appreciate the kindness he spread and hope to replicate that idea through a fun blog idea

This blog was inspired by those like

@the-purple-painter

@the-blue-painter

@the-yellow-painter

@the-orange-painter

@the-void-painter

@the-redpainter

@the-green-painter

@the-pink-painter

@the-bazzow-painter

@the-rainbow-painter

[morrisxn02]

ogden college (un)official class playlist ! available NOW at a therapist near you !

PART ONE: the student body

lacy by olivia rodrigo・henrietta astor

"oh, i care, i care, i care. like ribbons that you wear. my stomach's all in knots. you've got the one thing that i want..."

hurricane by halsey・reina azarolla

“i’m a wanderer, i’m a one-night-stand. don’t belong to no city, don’t belong to no man. i’m the violence in the pouring rain. i’m a hurricane.”

american teenager by ethel cain・ida clarke

“grew up under yellow lights on the street, putting too much faith in the make believe.”

this link is dead by deftones・lincoln crawford 

"pay attention! watch me close! as i decide which way i move"

february 15h by hobo johnson・nova dodson

"she went to columbia and i went to jail. i just wanted another apple when she really wanted yale. and that is the problem where all of this lies. i'm emotionally unstable. i'm a crazy fucking guy!"

crocodile tears by suzanna son・sassa fiske

"crocodile sitting all alone, painting nails the shade of pink to match princess peach's cheek. maybe they'll think i'm beautiful. maybe i can trick them."

perfect day by hoku・charlie fletcher 

“people say, they say that it’s just a phase. they tell me to act my age. well, i am.” 

the boy who blocked his own shot by brand new・jesse hart 

“a crown of gold, a heart harder than stone and it hurts to hold on, but it’s missed when it’s gone”

happy by marina・carmen hearst

"couldn't relax, couldn't sit back and let the sunlight in my lap. i sang a hymn to bring me peace and then came a melody."

too much by carlie rae jepsen・ollie inoue

"i live for the fire, and the rain, and the drama too, boy. and it feels like you never say what you want, and it feels like i can't get through, babe."

nina cried power by hozier and mavis staples・ mika ishii

“power has been cried by those stronger than me straight into the face that tells you to rattle your chains if you love being free. ah lord, and i could cry power!”

people watching by conan gray・logan iyande

“i’m only looking just to live through you vicariously. i’ve never really been in love, not seriously.”

summer child by conan gray・samantha jimenez 

"and you laugh and you dance in the wind, and you sway, and you hug and you kiss, but there's darkness behind those eyes."

savage daughter by sarah hester ross・ nixie linghui

“i am my mother’s savage daughter. the one who runs barefoot, cursing sharp stones. i am my mother’s savage daughter. i will not cut my hair. i will not lower my voice.”

mirrorball by taylor swift・roxie marsh

“hush. when no one is around, my dear, you’ find me on my tallest tiptoes, spinning in my highest heels, love. shinning just for you.”

don’t tell my mom by renée rapp・courtney mills

“so don’t tell my mom i’m falling apart. she hurts when i hurt. my scars are her scars. she’ll talk to her friends, impress all of them. at least in her mind, her daughter is fine.”

donttrustme by 3oh!3・cara morrison

“she's an actress, but she ain't got no need. she's got money from her parents and a trust fund back east."

halloween by novo amor・edward morrison 

“more and more with every accolade, i get carried with away with being carried away.”

i did something bad by taylor swift・greer morrison

"they're burning all the witches even if you aren't one. so light me up. go ahead and light me up."

autoestima by cupido, lola indigo and alizzz・ milo navarro

“my mother and my father gave me an extremely nice face. people don’t usually like pretty people like me.”

forsaken by paris paloma・alethea pierce

"i think i've done something to upset the stars again. the moon won't return my calls, but i deserve it. i deserve it all.”

strange overtones by david byrne, performed by whitney・lennon reed

"how long have i been missing? it's getting colder tonight. snowfall's reminiscing... i watched it melt before my eyes."

frankenstein by rina saywama・magnolia rhodes

"put me together, thread a needle so i'm like other people without all of the evil. i'm trying to be normal, but the trauma is immortal and none of this is your fault."

baseball by hippo campus・monty richler

“there goes that moonboy looking jungly with all his leaves a-growing.”

king by florence and the machine・anya saetang

"my empty halls echo with grand self-mythology. i am no mother, i am no bride. i am king."

stick season by noah kahan・nathaniel shaw 

“now i'm stuck between my anger and the blame that i can't face and the memories are something even smoking weed does not replace." 

liability by lorde・natalia vega

"she's so hard to please, but she's a forest fire. i do my best to meet her demands, play at romance, we slow dance in the living room, but all a stranger would see is one girl, swaying alone, stroking her cheek."

satanist by boygenius・jacqui velazquez 

“will you be a nihilist with me? if nothing matters, man, that’s a relief…”

you're on your own, kid by taylor swift・parker walsh

"there were pages turned with the bridges burned, everything you lose is a step you take. so make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it. you've got no reason to be afraid. you're on your own kid. yeah, you can face this..."

river by leon bridges・malik wright 

"as my sins flow down the jordan, oh, i wanna come near ya and give ya every part of me. but there's blood in my hands, and my lips aren't clean..."

tolerate it by taylor swift・mari zuko

“i made you my temple, my mural, my sky. now i’m begging for footnotes in the story of your life.”

[lovebirdgames]

Deep breaths.

This is it, everyone...our Final Quarterly Progress Update. I would like to start it off with a BIG announcement.

Band Camp Boyfriend fans, we have heard your pleas! It is to our understanding that literally no one liked any of the current love interests so we decided to scrap all of them in the eleventh hour of our game’s development. Instead, we are proud to announce that due to popular demand, Band Camp Boyfriend will instead consist of two routes: DRUM AND DRUMMER!

I’m sure you’re all very excited, just as I am!

...Did I fool you?

Hahaha Happy April Fool’s Day, Bandits. If any of you WERE excited, I’m sorry, there will be no Drum and Drummer route. To the rest of you, please put down the pitchforks and torches. I will stop pulling your leg and get on with the show! Our final major update!

To begin, I’m thrilled to say that we have been given the green light by Steam and Band Camp Boyfriend has been approved for release. It was a much smaller headache this time around! Though there was a hiccup with the game being too big for Itch.io, but I managed to wrangle it under the file size limit. So we should be good to go on both.

Here is our beloved to-do list for the last time...

OST: I know I said we wrapped up the soundtrack last time, but Alex still worked on it quite a bit these past three months! She revamped a number of old songs and composed a few new ones! The soundtrack adds so much to the game and I’m certain you will love it.

GUI: We also finished work on the Extras menu this quarter, fixed the history menu, and then some. This was mostly thanks to my phenomenal friend Ross, whom we never could’ve done this without. Thank you so much, Ross, for putting so much time and effort into this!

Beta Testing: As you can see, beta testing is done. The deadline was yesterday. I had planned to work on beta tester feedback during the month of April, but I wound up working on it as it came to us. I really can’t help myself. I’ll treat myself to a break once the game is out!

Cleaning: This is the last thing, really. Playing the game and making sure that everything is looking and sounding great. Making last-minute fixes where needed. I’ve got a little “before release” to-do list I’ll certainly be looking at this month.

We are truly in the home stretch! One thing I want to make you aware of is that I’ll be having free game giveaways on our Tumblr, Twitter, and the r/otomegames Reddit once we’re closer to release date. Make sure you’re keeping an eye out for those so that you may throw your hat in the ring. :)

Now...our final announcement...and I promise you that this is no joke...

Drumroll, please!

Band Camp Boyfriend will release in its entirety on May 11, 2023.

I expect to see every single one of you on that field, fully hydrated and ready to work hard! We’ve got a show to learn!!!

[sixbucks]

Lemme see all my AARPeeps!

This list is floating around on the social medias. I can’t speak to each of these discounts, but some of them are legit.

Not all these are AARP discounts but are available to anyone over 65, 60, 55, or even 50.

I know there are at least 3 tumblrs who fall into this category, because I am one of them.

Embrace your seniority and go get that discount!

Dunkin Donuts gives free coffee to people over 55 .

If you're paying for a cup every day, you might want to start getting it for FREE.

YOU must ASK for your discount !

RESTAURANTS:

Applebee's: 15% off with Golden Apple Card (60+)

Arby's: 10% off ( 55 +)

Ben & Jerry's: 10% off (60+)

Bennigan's: discount varies by location (60+)

Bob's Big Boy: discount varies by location (60+)

Boston Market: 10% off (65+)

Burger King: 10% off (60+)

Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink or coffee ( 55+)

Chili's: 10% off ( 55+)

CiCi's Pizza: 10% off (60+)

Denny's: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members ( 55 +)

Dunkin' Donuts: 10% off or free coffee ( 55+)

Einstein's Bagels: 10% off baker's dozen of bagels (60+)

Fuddrucker's: 10% off any senior platter ( 55+)

Gatti's Pizza: 10% off (60+)

Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)

Hardee's: $0.33 beverages everyday (65+)

IHOP: 10% off ( 55+)

Jack in the Box: up to 20% off ( 55+)

KFC: free small drink with any meal ( 55+)

Krispy Kreme: 10% off ( 50+)

Long John Silver's: various discounts at locations ( 55+)

McDonald's: discounts on coffee everyday ( 55+)

Mrs. Fields: 10% off at participating locations (60+)

Shoney's: 10% off

Sonic: 10% off or free beverage (60+)

Steak 'n Shake: 10% off every Monday & Tuesday ( 50+)

Subway: 10% off (60+)

Sweet Tomatoes: 10% off (62+)

Taco Bell : 5% off; free beverages for seniors (65+)

TCBY: 10% off ( 55+)

Tea Room Cafe: 10% off ( 50+)

Village Inn: 10% off (60+)

Waffle House: 10% off every Monday (60+)

Wendy's: 10% off ( 55 +)

Whataburger: 10% off (62+)

White Castle: 10% off (62+) This is for me ... if I ever see one again.

RETAIL & APPAREL :

Banana Republic: 30% off ( 50 +)

Bealls: 20% off first Tuesday of each month ( 50 +)

Belk's: 15% off first Tuesday of every month ( 55 +)

Big Lots: 30% off

Bon-Ton Department Stores: 15% off on senior discount days ( 55 +)

C.J. Banks: 10% off every Wednesday (50+)

Clarks : 10% off (62+)

Dress Barn: 20% off ( 55+)

Goodwill: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Hallmark: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Kmart: 40% off (Wednesdays only) ( 50+)

Kohl's: 15% off (60+)Modell's Sporting Goods: 30% off

Rite Aid: 10% off on Tuesdays & 10% off prescriptions

Ross Stores: 10% off every Tuesday ( 55+)

The Salvation Army Thrift Stores: up to 50% off ( 55+)

Stein Mart: 20% off red dot/clearance items first Monday of every month ( 55 +)

GROCERY :

Albertson's: 10% off first Wednesday of each month ( 55 +)

American Discount Stores: 10% off every Monday ( 50 +)

Compare Foods Supermarket: 10% off every Wednesday (60+)

DeCicco Family Markets: 5% off every Wednesday (60+)

Food Lion: 60% off every Monday (60+)

Fry's Supermarket: free Fry's VIP Club Membership & 10% off every Monday ( 55 +)

Great Valu Food Store: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

Gristedes Supermarket: 10% off every Tuesday (60+)

Harris Teeter: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

Hy-Vee: 5% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Kroger: 10% off (date varies by location)

Morton Williams Supermarket: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

The Plant Shed: 10% off every Tuesday ( 50 +)

Publix: 15% off every Wednesday ( 55 +)

Rogers Marketplace: 5% off every Thursday (60+)

Uncle Guiseppe's Marketplace: 15% off (62+)

TRAVEL :

Airlines:

Alaska Airlines: 50% off (65+)

American Airlines: various discounts for 50% off non-peak periods (Tuesdays - Thursdays) (62+)and up (call before booking for discount)

Continental Airlines: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations

Southwest Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

Rail:

Amtrak: 15% off (62+)

Bus:

Greyhound: 15% off (62+)

Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50+

Car Rental:

Alamo Car Rental: up to 25% off for AARP members

Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members

Budget Rental Cars: 40% off; up to 50% off for AARP members ( 50+)

Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off ( 50+) Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members

National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members

Overnight Accommodations:

Holiday Inn: 20-40% off depending on location (62+)

Best Western: 40% off (55+)

Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)

Waldorf Astoria - NYC $5,000 off nightly rate for Presidential Suite (55 +)

Clarion Motels: 20%-30% off (60+)

Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)

Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)

Econo Lodge: 40% off (60+)

Hampton Inns & Suites: 40% off when booked 72 hours in advance

Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)

InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)

Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Traveler's Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)

Marriott Hotels: 25% off (62+)

Motel 6: Stay Free Sunday nights (60+)

Myrtle Beach Resort: 30% off ( 55 +)

Quality Inn: 40%-50% off (60+)

Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)

Sleep Inn: 40% off (60+)

ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT ;:

AMC Theaters: up to 30% off ( 55 +)

Bally Total Fitness: $100 off memberships (62+)

Busch Gardens Tampa, FL: $13 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)

Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off

Massage Envy - NYC 20% off all "Happy Endings" (62 +)

U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)

Regal Cinemas: 50% off Ripley's Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket ( 55 +)

SeaWorld, Orlando , FL : $3 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

CELL PHONE DISCOUNTS :

AT&T: Special Senior Nation 200 Plan $19.99/month (65+)

Jitterbug: $10/month cell phone service ( 50 +)

Verizon Wireless: Verizon Nationwide 65 Plus Plan $29.99/month (65+).

MISCELLANEOUS:

Great Clips: $8 off hair cuts (60+)

Supercuts: $8 off haircuts (60+)

Remember YOU must ASK for your discount!

[fabaceous]

i was tagged by @thenelse to do 8 shows to get to know me better...ok honestly i dont watch a lot of tv. i mostly watch the same shows over and over so i actually could barely list 8. fyi the first 4 are probs my favorite shows but the rest are just shows that have impacted my life in some way. please dont judge me i swear i have good taste in other things 👍

1. yellowjackets obviously because it has literally everything i could ever ask for in a tv show. it irreparably alters my brain chemistry on a weekly basis

2. always sunny in philly. i can always bond with my girl friends’ boyfriends over this one LOL. ive seen every single episode a truly embarrassing number of times and i dream of being randomly thrust into a trivia situation where there is a question about always sunny because i have an obscene amount of knowledge on always sunny lore and am 100% confident i would nail it.

3. arrested development. second only to always sunny in the making lanie laugh category. tobias funke character of all time

4. haunting of hill house. winner of the making lanie cry category. great autumnal watch, i love rewatching around halloween. bent neck lady reveal had me legitimately in shambles

5. i mean the office i guess. i watched it in high school or maybe college,  mostly because my friends were always referencing it and i wanted to get the jokes...and lol i rly thought jim/pam was peak romance. luckily now im older and wiser and know jackieshauna is peak romance

6. back in college i watched all of friends because of a vaguely homoerotic bestie situation that later imploded and the one perk of losing her was that i was finally free to admit that show fucking sucks especially ross fuck that guy fr. me and my friends would have killed ross with hammers i can tell you that much

7. i used to watch bones with my parents when i was probably a little too young to be watching it. perhaps this is the origin of my fascination with morbid things

8. another childhood nostalgia show is monty python’s flying circus which i always watched with my dad. to this day we are capable of annoying everyone else in the room by having an entire conversation made up of monty python quotes (complete with bad fake accents)

EDIT BECAUSE I FORGOT THE MOST OBVIOUS ONE I KNEW I WAS MISSING SOMETHING: DARK (the german time travel one) thats actually a legit favorite of mine, took me on so many emotional journeys and made me laugh and weep and theorize and ponder. and it was good german practice 👍

well now you know, for better or worse...probably worse...anyway i nominate @chel-c-fsea @jamesv-t @movingtoparistoshootheroin @excluded-from-the-narrative ummm ermmm ehhhm... i would also say @teabookgremlin but you already got tagged...but...get double tagged i guess? lol ok i wont be offended if any of you guys dont do this but i didnt want to be boring and not tag anyone hehe <3