#sending the first letter/package tomorrow!!

[candycandy00]

I’m Your Present! - A Togame x Reader Fanfic

Togame jokingly asks Santa for a cute girl he can play with all night long. He gets you. 

Smut. 18+. Fem Reader. All characters are adults. Bondage. Use of toys (vibrators, handcuffs, blindfold, anal beads). Overstimulation. Praise kink.

Dividers by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more!

Part of CandyCandy’s Kinkmas 2024!

Totally ripped from the hentai Eromame. I basically just rewrote it with Togame lol. I recommend giving it a watch! It’s very cute! And required yearly Christmas viewing for me!

It was just a joke, really. Just the Bofurin guys fooling around at their annual reunion/Christmas party. For some reason they always invited the guys from Shishitoren, and Togame always showed up. He brought drinks and passed them out, laughing when someone stuck a pair of reindeer antlers on Sakura’s head. 

Togame can’t remember who came up with the idea first, but someone joked that they should write letters to Santa. Most of the guys were half drunk by that point, so they all agreed. Some of them proudly read theirs out loud while the others cheered. Some very quickly ripped theirs up or threw them away. Maybe they asked for something a little too personal to share with the group. 

As for Togame, he wadded his up and crammed it in the pocket of his jacket, thinking he’d toss it when he got home. 

Now, standing in the kitchen of his small apartment, he fishes the crumpled letter out and smoothes it back out. He chuckles to himself as he reads it. 

“Dear Santa, please send me a cute girl to play with all night.”

He wads it up again and drops it into the trash. What a dumb joke. 

But it was at least a little sincere. Togame hasn’t had a girlfriend since his first year of college, and lately he’s been feeling a little lonely, and a lot horny. 

It’s probably because Choji of all people got himself a girlfriend earlier this year. And in true Choji fashion, he doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut. He’s been bragging about all the sex he’s having with his hot girlfriend, and it’s only made Togame realize how much he misses being intimate with someone. 

It’s all he can think about the last few months, and he’s been jacking off like a teenager. 

He sighs as he takes off his jacket and gets ready to turn in for the night. It’s Christmas Eve, and he’ll be expected to visit his relatives tomorrow. 

Just as he starts to turn his lights off, he hears a thump on his balcony.

You squeeze past three people carrying loads of presents, your own arms full of brightly colored packages. You stack them in the pile next to the giant sleigh, there to be sorted and packed by other helpers. 

Someone calls your name, telling you to come to the office. You straighten your red, fur-trimmed dress and walk back into the main workshop. The office is a wide room in the back where the Wishlist Management team works. Three of them are behind a counter, reading over lists and letters while the rest are either sorting through last minute mail or relaying orders to the workshop. 

“Hello? Did you need me?” you ask, stepping into the room. 

The helper in the middle looks up from a crumpled piece of paper. “We have an unusual wish here. Would you be interested in granting it?”

“Me?” you ask, taking a seat across from the counter. You’re a standard helper, usually working on gift wrapping, sorting, or transporting. You don’t usually make gifts yourself, so actually granting wishes is a little out of your wheelhouse. 

The helper behind the counter looks a little embarrassed as he slides the piece of paper over to you. When you read it, you feel yourself blush. A cute girl to play with? You’re pretty sure he doesn’t mean board games. 

“Who wrote this?” you ask. Sometimes letters like this arrive from teenagers, and they’re always discarded. For the Management team to be taking it seriously means it has to be a sincere wish from an adult. 

The other helper slides a photo across the counter. “Togame Jo. Twenty-eight years old. Lives alone.”

You pick up the photo and look at this Togame fellow. To your surprise, he’s extremely good looking. In fact, he’s totally your type. Midnight black hair and kind emerald eyes. Wow. 

“Of course you’re free to say no,” the other helper says. “We can ask someone else if you’re uncomfortable with-“

“I’ll do it!” you say, cutting him off. 

He looks surprised. “Are you sure? You do know what he’s asking for, right?”

You nod. “I know. I’ll get some toys from the adult department and head on out. Thank you for bringing this wish to me!”

The other helper gives you an awkward smile and wave as you walk out the door. 

You’re not sure why, but you were instantly drawn to Togame when you saw his picture. It’s not just the lovely green eyes or the gentle smile. There’s something there, hidden just beneath his calm expression. A sadness, a loneliness, that touches your heart. You want to give him the best Christmas present ever.

When Togame pulls back the curtain from the glass door to his balcony, he’s not sure what to make of the scene before him. 

Outside, on his balcony, is a young woman sprawled out as if she’d fallen from the sky. 

He hurriedly opens the door and steps out into the cold, but before he can kneel down to check on her, the woman suddenly sits up. She rubs the back of her head and straightens her Santa hat, then looks up at him. 

“Oh, hello! You’re Togame Jo, right?”

Rendered momentarily speechless by this bizarre situation, Togame nods, then extends his hand to her and helps her to her feet. 

“Come inside,” he tells her, unsure of what else to say. It’s too cold to be standing around out here, especially in that short dress she’s wearing. 

Once inside his apartment, he gets a good look at her. She’s very pretty, with a cute Santa girl dress on. It’s candy apple red with white fur trim. There’s a cloth sack hanging from one arm. She’s looking at him with bright eyes and a smile. 

“How did you end up on my balcony?” he asks, shutting the glass door and closing the curtains. 

“The express sleigh dropped me off. I think they misjudged the distance a bit though,” she replies, still smiling. 

“Express sleigh?” The words make no sense to him. She doesn’t seem drunk. Is this some kind of Christmas prank? Before she can elaborate, he asks another question. “Who are you?”

“I’m your Christmas present!” she declares, doing a little curtsy. When Togame simply stares at her with a confused expression, she stands up straight and says, “You did ask for me, right? Someone to play with all night? We got your letter.”

Togame’s stunned face reddens. How did this woman he’s never met before know about his joke of a letter to Santa?! “I didn’t mail any letter,” he says, feeling a bit dazed at this point. He never even showed it to anyone.  

“Oh, that’s okay! Letters with sincere wishes make it to us even without being mailed,” she says cheerily. 

Togame picks up on something. “Us? Who do you work for?”

She giggles. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m one of Santa’s helpers!”

Wait. Is she saying Santa is real? And they somehow received his pervy letter?! And answered it?!

“Uh, that was just a joke,” he says, mortified that anyone saw the letter. 

“Really?” she asks. Why does she sound disappointed? She holds open her sack. “What a shame. I brought all these toys for us to play with.”

Togame can’t resist peeking inside. The sack is full of sex toys! Just at a glance he can see furry red handcuffs, candy cane striped dildos, and what appears to be vibrators. He feels heat creeping into his face as he looks back at her. 

“You’re really my present from Santa?” he asks. 

She smiles so sweetly at him. “Yes! And since you specified ‘all night long’, you have me until dawn. During that time, I’m yours to do whatever you want with!”

Togame swallows. “Whatever I want?”

“Yes!” she says enthusiastically. “So do you want your present?”

The man standing before you seems hesitant. He probably didn’t expect his wish to be granted. 

Togame is even better looking in person. He’s so tall! You really hope he still wants his present. You’ve been excited since you saw his picture, and now you’re practically dripping just from thinking about the things he could do to you.  

He scratches the back of his head awkwardly. “Are you sure about this?”

You nod emphatically. “Of course!”

He still seems a little unsure. It’s kind of endearing. But eventually he gives you a warm smile and says, “Let’s go to the bedroom then.”

Once there, you spread out the toys from your bag on his desk. He looks them over, glancing back at you every few seconds. 

“I can use anything I want?” he asks, picking up a huge dildo and sitting it back down. 

“That’s right,” you tell him, hoping he doesn’t notice the way your eyes gravitate to the small red bullet vibrators. This night is for him, not you. 

“Any preferences?” he asks, looking you in the eyes.  

You blush a little from the heat of his gaze, but shake your head. “I like all of them!”

He picks up the padded handcuffs with red fur trim. “Even these?”

You hold your wrists together. “Just tell me if you want them in front or behind.”

He seems to think for a moment, then says, “Behind.”

You turn around and hold your arms behind your back. You hear his soft footsteps as he approaches, feel the warmth of his body as he stands right behind you. Then, there’s the touch of his hands as he gently secures the cuffs on your wrists. 

When you turn back around to face him, his cheeks are slightly pink as he looks at you. With your arms pulled back, your tits are jutting out more prominently, your dress struggling to stay up and over them. 

He puts his hands on your shoulders, then slowly slides them down, pulling the straps of your dress down with them. Your breasts bounce free as the fabric slides down beneath them. Togame’s eyes widen slightly. He moves one hand up to cup your breast, then lightly squeezes. His thumb circles one nipple as his other hand gropes the other breast. 

You suck in a breath of air as he leans down and kisses your neck, his lips making a soft, wet trail down your collar bone and finally wrapping around a nipple, suckling lightly. 

He looks back to your face, seeing how flushed you’re getting, and ushers you over to the bed. He sits down on the edge of it and unbuttons his pants. 

“Can you get on your knees for me?” he asks, his tone still polite. 

You’re happy to oblige, dropping to your knees right in front of him, staring at his hands as they pull out a deliciously meaty cock. You lick your lips in anticipation, the handcuffs being the only thing stopping you from gripping his shaft immediately. You look up at him with your sweetest expression. 

“What do you want me to do, Jo?”

He blinks at the sudden use of his given name, perhaps a little flustered by how intimate you’re getting. But he recovers quickly, smiling down at you as he says, “Suck my cock, little Miss Santa.”

You don’t waste any time. You lean your face forward and begin licking the hard, thick organ, from base to tip. You make sure to get it nice and wet, coating it in spit before taking the entire thing into your mouth, letting it fill your throat. 

Togame shudders and grips your hair, his cock twitching in your mouth. Maybe he didn’t expect you to take him so far so quickly. 

For a moment, you pause, just letting him feel your throat constricting around him, your tongue massaging the underside of his dick. But eventually you have to breathe, so you pull back just to get some air, only to plunge him right back in. This time you wrap your lips around his base and bob your head, sucking and licking as you go. 

Togame groans, his fingers threading through your hair, holding you firmly in place. You couldn’t pull back enough to let his cock slip out of your mouth if you wanted to. But why would you ever want that? He’s positively tasty, and throbbing so nicely. Such delectable precum is leaking from his tip, sliding down your throat. 

When he reaches his limit, he pulls your head back, and you open your mouth wide, letting the tip of his pulsing cock rest on your extended tongue. As he cums, his entire hot sticky load lands on your tongue and in your mouth, filling it full. 

After savoring it for a moment, you swallow it all, then lick your lips clean. Togame stares for several seconds, his face a little red. You know what you want from him, but you won’t ask directly. Instead, you look up through your lashes and ask, “Did I do good?”

He takes the hint, patting your head and saying, “Yeah, you did really good. Such a good girl for me.”

The words leave you dripping. You squirm on your knees, rubbing your thighs together. Your hands are still behind your back, your dress still pulled down to nearly your waist. 

Togame stands up and goes to the desk to get something else to play with. When he returns, he helps you to your feet and then stands behind you. He reaches around and ties a deep red blindfold around your head, blocking out your vision. You draw in a sharp breath. This is getting exciting!

He guides you back to the bed, and you hear the mattress squeak as he sits down again. Then he turns you around to face away from him and pulls you into his lap. 

You listen carefully, trying to figure out what he’s going to do next. The mystery is making you nervous in the best way possible. You hear only faint sounds you can’t identify, then you feel something smooth and firm touch each of your nipples. Is this…?

A clicking sound, and then one that’s very familiar to you, one you’ve been hoping to hear. The soft hum of the small bullet vibrators! At the same moment, you feel them vibrating against your tender skin, making you automatically jerk on the cuffs. Togame must be holding them to your tits. 

You’re making little breathy sounds, not quite moans but close, leaning back against his hard chest, feeling the cozy fabric of his shirt on your bare back. He’s so warm. 

One vibrator leaves your breast, and you feel him sliding the bottom of your dress up your thighs and above your hips. Thankfully you came prepared and wore no panties tonight. 

He pulls one leg away from the other, and you move the other leg, eagerly spreading for him. Then you feel his fingers on you, stroking your pussy, slipping between the folds to smear your wetness around. 

“You’re soaked already,” he says into your ear. The feeling of his breath so close causes goosebumps to form on your neck. 

“I have been since I got here,” you say back, your voice shaky as his finger circles your clit but doesn’t touch it. 

“Really?” he asks. “Do you grant a lot of wishes like this?”

“This is my first one,” you answer. 

His voice is like a purr. “What kind of work do you usually do?”

His finger is so close to hitting the jackpot. You squirm a bit in his lap. “Ahh… I usually… wrap presents… and sort them…”

You hear him chuckle under his breath. “So why did you decide to do this?”

“Th-they showed me your picture… and you looked sad. I just wanted to give you a merry Christmas!”

There’s a pause, where he stops moving for a moment, then you hear his voice again: “I want to give you a merry Christmas too.”

Immediately after, you feel the vibrator pressed against your clit, pulsing wildly at maximum power. You cry out, your body jerking with the sudden explosive pleasure. 

You cum instantly, trembling in his arms, but he’s still holding the vibrator to your extremely sensitive clit. With your hands cuffed behind you and the blindfold on, it makes your sense of touch so much stronger, and you feel truly helpless in a way that thrills you. 

“Ahh! T-too much!” you whine, reflexively trying to scoot back. But the vibrator is relentless, and Togame’s grip on you is firm. 

“You’re so cute when you cum,” he says, his voice dripping honey. “Show me again.”

The words make your already overstimulated clit throb, and only a few minutes later, you’re cumming again. Your entire body is shaking as you moan, your hands pulling at the cuffs. 

“There you go, being so good,” he murmurs, finally pulling the vibrator away and wrapping his arms around you. He holds you tight until your body stops trembling, then eases you off his lap. He unties the blindfold and lets it slip from your face, but he leaves the cuffs on. 

You look up at him. “What toy are we trying next?”

He walks over to the desk and looks over the items, then holds up a long anal bead stick. The beads are in alternating colors, red and green, and made of silicone. “This looks fun,” he says. 

You climb onto the bed, carefully since your hands are behind you, and look at him over your shoulder. “Come play with me,” you say, wiggling your ass. Your dress is just a piece of wadded fabric around your waist at this point, leaving most of your body exposed. 

Togame steps over and gets onto the bed behind you, pushing your top half forward until your face is pressing into the pillow, your ass in the air. He nudges your knees apart, and you feel him drip lube over your ass, rubbing it in and spreading it over both your holes. You hear him squeezing more out, probably onto the beaded stick, and then you feel the tip of the stick pressing against your little puckered hole. 

When the first bead slides in, you gasp. You’ve never tried this toy before, but you’ve always wanted to. The second bead slides in, then the third. There’s no pain, but the sensation is strange. Two more beads go in, and your breaths are coming faster, your heart racing.

Togame watches his adorable Santa girl twitch and quiver as he pushes more beads into her, causing her dripping pussy to clench and flutter. He’s waited as long as he can. He needs to be buried in this pretty little cunt right now. 

He positions himself at her entrance, rubbing the tip along her slit to let her know what’s coming. Her hands, cuffed behind her, are balled into fists. When ready, he pushes in, going all the way to the hilt and hearing her gasp. She’s so unbelievably tight, he almost gasps too. Maybe it’s because of the beads, but she’s clamping down on him so well he can hardly stand it. 

When he starts thrusting, she makes the sweetest sounds, little cries and moans that dance into his ears, occasionally whimpering his name. 

“Taking me so well,” he says, his hands gripping her hips to keep her in place as he plunges in and out. “Good, good girl.”

She feels so fucking good around him, so soft and warm and pliable. And she’s taking him so deep with no complaints. It’s like she was made for him. 

He reaches down and grips the handle of the bead stick, then begins pulling it out by a few beads before pushing it back in. Her pussy clenches, as if it’s trying to hold onto his dick forever. 

All at once, he pulls the whole stick out in one go. She cries out, her back arching and her mouth hanging open. He thinks she just came again, and it’s making her squeeze him impossibly hard. 

He can’t hold back any longer. This pussy is just too good. With a groan, he cums, shooting everything he has into the deepest parts of her. When he eventually pulls out, gobs of his cum leak out of her, making a lurid sight to see. 

They both pant for a few moments, then he uncuffs her hands and helps her turn over.  

She’s gazing up at him with her big, pretty eyes. “What do you want to play with next?”

She looks exhausted, spent, but she’s still willing to keep going. He’d specified “all night” after all. 

“Let’s take a quick break,” he says. 

They sit beside each other on the bed, and he asks the question that’s been burning in his brain for a while now. 

“After tonight is over, will I ever see you again?”

She looks up at him. “You can if you wish for it!” She seems happy he asked. 

He smiles. “Maybe next year I’ll wish for a wife.”

She flushes, looking away to hide her embarrassment. “That sounds lovely,” she says. 

He wraps one arm around her. “You’ve made this the best Christmas of my life.”

She snuggles closer. “And you’ve done the same for me.”

The two of them sit there a little while, just enjoying each other’s presence, before going back to enjoying each other’s presents.

Tag List:

@coldluminarykoala @atomicweaselpaperapricot @chocoyanchan @calculust-prime

[spiderwcd]

Stalked | s.g. 

pairing: Sam Golbach x influencer ! f ! reader 

summary: They knew something was off, but they never imagined it to be this bad.

Warning(s): angst! stalkers, breaking in, fear, profanity, mentions of a weapon

A/N: honestly first time writing angst, so forgive me if it's really bad, ALSO, please read the last note, I need your guys opinion on something.

images from pinterest ! 

Sam loved y/n, so much so that Sam let her finally move in. Well rather, they made it official. She had practically lived with Sam for a year now, always sleeping over and leaving all her things around his house. 

It was great, she loved waking up to Sam every morning and making him breakfast. She adored how he'd show up for some of her streams and talk to her fans. Sam was the love of her life, there's no doubt behind that. 

But recently something was off. 

It started off with a few overly creepy dm's, saying perverted things to her. She would block them but they seemed to never go away, assuming as they made multiple accounts to send the horrid messages. 

But then she felt like she was being watched, going out in public became sketchy for her. She noticed a hooded man in the coffee shop she frequented or around the corner in the supermarket. 

Then, it was getting really out of hand. She would receive random packages from fans all the time, opening them on her live stream and laughing at gag gifts. But it was odd to receive gifts on her front porch, when she regularly received gifts via a P.O. Box. She had opened one, regretting it to this day. 

In the box were various pictures of her around town, heart shapes surrounding her face. On top was a letter, long story short, she realized it was a stalker. 

Sam and y/n tried to figure out a way to put a restraining order, but couldn't due to the fact that they didn't know this said man's identity. 

Unfortunately, enough was enough. All she could do was go on another live stream tonight, explaining reasons why she wouldn't be streaming anymore. She propped up the camera, Sam in the back for moral support. 

"Are you ready?" She weakly smiled. 

Sam nodded, reaching for her hand as she sat back down as many fans joined in. 

She tried to put on her bubbly personality, attempting to welcome many of the fans. 

"Hey guys," she waved to the camera. "How are you guys?" She asked, placing her other hand on her chin as she looked at the various comments. 

Her fans knew her all too well, quickly recognizing that something was wrong. 

'oh no, y/n you okay? you look sad :(' 

'woah, mom and dad look so serious!? Are we in trouble?!' 

Y/n smiled at the concern, "yeah, guys you have all been bad," she sternly pointed to the camera. "Right sam? We gotta take away their Xboxes." She turned over to Sam, causing him to chuckle. 

"Yeah guys, who shit in the kitty litter? The cat's shit is not that big!" He joked trying to lighten up the mood. 

Y/n smiled, squeezing Sam's hand a little stronger as she looked back at the camera.

"Alright guys, Imma wait a little longer for more people to get in just so they don't miss anything." She announced, continuing to read the comments. 

'mother is mothering' 

'y/n, ask sam when the next video is coming out?!' 

'y/n is so pretty guys :)' 

She turned to Sam, "they're asking about your next video, babe." She pointed out. "I don't know, I've been put under a contract not to discuss any future videos guys." She put her hands up in defeat. 

Sam grinned at her before looking up at the camera, "Well, Colby will kill me for saying anything, but we're working on something to record tomorrow actually." He raised his brows, pursing his lips a bit. 

"You heard it here folks, Sam is not retiring." She joked. 

As they were goofing off and joking around, the viewer count went up to nearly 50k. She was impressed by the amount, amazed by her followers. 

"Wow guys, there's 50 thousand of you here!" She cheered, raising her hands up into the air. "So now that we have a lot of your attention, don't get too distracted by this beautiful face." She pointed towards Sam. 

Sam dramatically covered his face, pretending to be flustered. "Oh, stop it guys!" He responded with a high pitched voice. 

Y/n playfully smacked his thigh as she giggled, "Well, so this is sorta sad news guys," she began, trying not to look at the comments. "But this will be my last stream for a little bit, just there's been stuff that came up and it's no longer safe for me to stream. I would go more in depth but again, for our safety I can't really say why." 

She held back tears as she glanced over to her comments, fans practically panicking. 

'what?! noooo :(' 

'omg what happened?!' 

'nauuur! I look forward to your streams :,('

Y/n gulped, holding back tears as she read the comments. "Yeah guys, it's only temporary," she sighed, Sam holding her hand as he laced his fingers with hers. "But it's just to ensure safety for me and my loved ones, it's only until this problem goes away guys. I just gotta say, I love you guys, you guys give me purpose and I'm so thankful for that, so I hope you guys understand."

She weakly smiled, reading the many comments of support and touched by their kindness. 

"Well with that guys, I'm just gonna end it here," she sighed, leaning towards her computer. "See you guys, hopefully soon." She blew a kiss into the camera before cutting the stream off. 

She let out a sigh as she sat back down in her chair, a creak emitting from it. Y/n looked over to Sam, who offered her a smile as he rubbed his free hand on top of hers. 

"You okay?" he asked her, furrowing his brows as worry coated his voice. 

She nodded weakly, "I will be," she replied. "I just hate to stop streaming, I really want this stupid stalker to like chill the fuck out." She groaned as she rubbed her face. 

"I'm sure it won't be long," Sam tried to comfort her. "I mean he hasn't been around for a while." Sam shrugged. 

Y/n couldn't help but stare off into the ceiling, taking Sam's words sink in, "That's true," she mumbled. "I've had stalkers before, but they were never this bad." She emphasized. 

Sam understood her frustration, he knew streaming was everything to her. She worked hard to please her fans, streaming every other night practically. He loved that about her, how caring she was and worked for her fans even when days weren't as good to her. 

"Well let's get some sleep, okay?" Sam patted her thigh, standing up from his seat. 

Y/n groaned, throwing her head back, "This feels so weird," She grumbled, mimicking Sam's movements and walking towards their bedroom. "Are you still going to that haunted hospital or whatever?" She asked him, removing her sweatpants and sweatshirt. 

"Yeah, but I can always stay here with you if you want," Sam answered, watching her movements. "I can always reschedule it." He offered. 

Y/n threw on one of Sam's t-shirts, jumping into bed next to him, "No, no, I'll be okay," She declined, stabilizing her head onto her hand. "I don't want you to disappoint your fans, plus the cameras you installed really give me a lot more comfort." She smiled, her heart warmed by his gesture. 

"Are you sure? I-I just don't know how I feel about leaving you here all alone." Sam sighed, pulling her close to his chest. 

"Yes, I'm sure sam." She laughed a bit, laying her head onto his chest. She listened to his heart beat against her ear, she breathed in deeply before looking up at sam. "I love you, you know that?" She whispered to him. 

Sam smiled down at her, placing his finger under her chin as he pulled her into a kiss. "I love you more." He whispered back, pecking her on her forehead. 

The next day, she watched as Sam packed various equipment into his bags. But he wouldn't stop pestering her about his offer, her refusing it every time. 

"Okay, baby I will call you when I land, i'll check the cameras often, oh, and update me every like hour," Sam commanded, his suitcase in hand as his backpack strapped to his back. "I don't care if you think it's annoying, I just need to make sure you're okay." 

Y/n laughed at his demands, kissing him on the cheek, "I promise, but youre gonna have to worry about Colby in about two seconds cause it looks like he's gonna drag you away." She joked, pointing at Colby in the car. 

Sam sighed, "He’ll be fine," He rolled his eyes playfully. "Okay, I love you like a million, please be careful, okay? Lock all the doors and keep the windows locked, I'll call Celina or someone to come and keep you company." He suggested, landing a quick peck on her lips. 

"Alright, love you too," She chuckled, embracing him into a long hug. "Okay, okay, now you have a safe trip okay? And make sure Colby brings you back in one piece." She joked. 

She watched as Sam ran towards the car, looking back every few steps as he blew her kisses. She noticed Colby rolling his eyes, impatient as is. 

Y/n sighed as she locked the door, making her way to the living room. She dropped down onto the couch as she exhaled a breath. She looked down on her phone, deciding to check up on her socials. 

She was surprised by the sheer amount of support she received, fans encouraging her. She smiled at the many comments, her smile soon fading away as she looked at the random drama article of hers. 

Streamer Y/N L/N, goes on break cause of STALKER?! 

She rolled her eyes, of course they're trying to profit on her vulnerability. She threw her phone down onto the pillows, standing up onto her feet as she made her way towards the kitchen. She figured she could distract herself and make something to eat. Usually when she was bored she would stream, but for obvious reasons she couldn't cure her boredom at that moment. 

After she had made some dinner, she turned on one of her favorite shows. She decided a few episodes wouldn't hurt to catch up on, resting her head onto a few pillows as stared at the screen. 

A season and a half in, she heard her phone ding. She picked it up, letting the phone turn on and the message displayed on her screen. 

sam: 

just landed! How are things over there?

Y/n started typing out her answer, trying not to make it sound depressing as it felt. 

y/n:

great, i'm just watching some of my shows right now :)

It didn't take long for the phone to ding again, Sam's response delivered onto her phone screen yet again. 

sam:

sounds good

Do you want some company? I could send Jake or even Celina over

y/n:

I think i'll be okay for now

I prolly will be up for a while anyway so i'll let you know

sam:

okay, be safe babe 

I love you 300 million tons baby!!!

Y/n smiled at the text, seeming to miss her boyfriend even more now. 

y/n:

well I love you 300.01 million tons!

She shut off her phone, tossing it back to where it last was. She blankly stared into the TV screen as she tried to focus on the show. Her eyes began to grow heavy, slowly beginning to grow more tired. 

It didn't take long before she found herself sleeping on the couch, the random show adding as a background noise.

She awoke from her sleep, hearing her phone buzzing next to her. She fluttered her eyes, looking outside at the now dark night that had overtaken the evening sun as she slept. 

She groaned as she picked up her phone, Sam's name displaying on her screen with his photo on it. She mentally cursed herself for falling asleep, forgetting to update Sam. Y/n slid the answer button, bringing the phone up to her ear. 

"Hey, sorry I fell asl-." But before she could answer, Sam cut her off with panic in his voice. 

"Babe, Babe?! Are you okay?" Sam frantically asked. "Where are you right now?" He added, panic rising in his voice. 

Y/n furrowed her brows, confused on why he had begun panicking over not updating him on her whereabouts. 

"I'm just home, in the living room right now." She sighed, rubbing her eyes out of her tired state. 

"Okay, okay, please tell me you locked all the doors and windows," Sam sternly replied. 

Y/n stood up, noticing the TV had still been blaring. "Yeah, I locked the front door when you left and the backdoor had been locked, what's going on sam, you're really freaking me out." She grumbled. 

"Y/n, please listen to me very carefully," Sam began, shaking in his voice. She heard him talk to another person in the back, something about a ride to the airport. "Go to our bathroom, and lock the door, please baby." He panted, hearing a car door shut in the background as he began to run. 

Y/n just was more confused, but complied with his instructions. She began walking towards their bedroom, but froze when she heard a sound from downstairs. The sound of glass shattering echoed from the home. 

She sprinted towards the bedroom, locking the door and entering the bathroom connected to it. She swiftly locked the bathroom door, backing away as she tried to cover her heavy breathing. 

She forgot she was on a call with Sam, faintly hearing his loud shouts for her. She brought the phone back to her ear, barely stabilized in her shaking hand. 

"Y/n!? y/n!? What happened?! Y/n, please answer me!" Sam shouted, calling out for her. "Was that glass breaking?!" He called out. 

"Y-Yeah, I just heard someone fucking break a window or something downstairs," Y/n whispered into the phone. "Sam, I-I'm scared." Her voice cracked as tears began to spill onto her cheeks. 

Sam cursed a bit in the background, "Fuck, it’s gonna be okay baby, I promise." His voice shook, distressed as he felt hopeless in this situation. "Colby called the police so they should be over there any moment, just stay there and don't make a sound, okay?" He informed her. 

Before y/n could respond, she heard faint heavy footsteps make their way up towards the stairs. It seemed as if he had stopped at the end of the staircase, in front of the living room.

"Sam, I-I think he's upstairs," Y/n sobbed softly. "I’m so fucking scared, Sam." She whimpered out.

Sam cursed yet again on the other side, clearly frustrated and worried. "It's gonna be okay, Colby's still on the line with the cops, they said 5 more minutes, okay? Just don't say anything, it's g-gonna be okay." She heard Sam's frustrated sniffs as his voice cracked. 

Slowly, the footsteps became louder. They thudded with each step, slowly making their way towards the locked bedroom. Y/n felt hot tears stream down her hot cheeks, her heart pumping as if she ran a marathon. 

But then the footsteps stopped at the door to the bedroom. She listened carefully, her ears perking up to every sound. 5 minutes will feel like eternity. She listened as the door handle started jiggling to their bedroom, with a frustrated man's voice as he kicked the door once, then twice and with a loud crack as it swung and hit the wall.

She let out a scared squeal, Sam still shouting for her on the other side. She didn't dare to move, still intently listening as the man rustled around the room, trying to find something or someone. 

She could practically feel her heart beating out of her chest, feeling nothing but pure fear as the man began stepping closer to the bathroom door. 

Y/n found it odd when the man knocked. She didn't answer, letting yet another tear slip out of her eye. But she found it even more odd that he slipped a piece of paper under the door, seemingly blank. 

Y/n prayed that the police would arrive any moment, rescue her from this nightmare. But mostly wanting Sam to be there for her, to protect her. 

She shut her eyes, bringing the phone to her ear again. Sam kept calling out for her, freaking out. "Sam, If something happens, I-I love y-you okay?" She sniffed softly as she whispered softly into the phone. 

"Y/n, don't say that! You're gonna make it just a little long-" as Sam was about to finish his sentence, the door cracked just like the one in the bedroom. 

She jumped, tears spilling as she let out a sob. Just as quickly as he opened the bedroom door, the door ricocheted against the wall. She felt herself shake like a leaf as her back pressed up against the bathtub, watching intently as everything moved very slowly. 

The background noise of Sam's voice and everything else drowned as she heard her heart beating, eyes glued to the broken door. The man slowly stepped closer inside the bathroom, turning his head very menacingly.

The masked man creeped into the bathroom, the glimmer of a blade in his hand. She let out a sob as she turned her head away, shutting her eyes shut as she prayed it was a nightmare she woke awake from.

She could practically feel his breath on her face, now kneeling in front of her. His hand at first moved to her face, tracing his fingers on her wet skin but then moving his attention to the phone clutched in her hand. He scoffed as he snatched the phone out of her hand, bringing it to his ear. 

"Y/n? Y/n?! answer me, please." Sam begged on the other line. 

"She's unavailable at the moment." The man's deep voice rang out in the bathroom. 

"Dont you dare fucking touch her," Sam spat through the phone, gripping onto his phone with anger. "I swear to God, I will fucking kill you." He growled. 

The man chuckled a bit, amused by his threats, "Well, I don't see you anywhere." He laughed. 

Before Sam could give an answer, the man hung up the phone and set it down onto the counter. He turned back ever so slowly to her, staring down at the floor to avoid eye contact with her stalker. 

He kneeled back down, looking at her as she cried. 

"You're much prettier than I expected," He laughed, running his finger on a strand of her hair. "Don't be scared, only brought this if your little boyfriend would get in the way." He smirked under his mask, tilting the knife. 

As y/n froze up, tensing under his touch, she heard the loud sirens pulling closer to her house. The red and blue lights filling up the room, causing the man to jolt up and look at her one last time. 

"This isn't over." He mumbled, running out of the bathroom. 

With him gone, she let out a sob as it rang throughout her body. She covered her face, trying to calm down and reassure herself it was all over. 

Y/n heard the shouts of a police officer, warning the man to get down. She heard frantic footsteps run down the hall, afraid it was the man again. 

But instead it was a female officer, her gun drawn out and a flashlight shining onto y/n's face. She lowered her weapon, turning to her shoulder as she spoke through the walkie. 

"Are you y/n?" She kneeled down to her level. 

Y/n nodded, "Y-Yes." she let out.

The officer reached for her hand, helping her up. Y/n's legs shook as she stumbled forward slightly, apologizing as she straightened herself up. 

"It's okay, you have no need to apologize." She reassured, beginning to walk her out of the bathroom. 

"T-That paper, he slid it under the door when I was locked in h-here." She pointed with trembling hands. 

The officer nodded, kneeling as she lifted the paper. Y/n couldn't help but peek at the paper, curiosity eating at her. 

From what it looked like, it was a love note as he declared his love for her. The officer's face retorted into a one with disgust, hiding it quickly from y/n. 

"This will be put into evidence, my other officer will take you down to question you," She informed y/n, letting one of the other officers grab her arm and lead her down the hall. 

Y/n's eyes wandered to the broken bits of wood that was flown across the room, their bedroom in complete disarray. She noticed that the same knife he had carried was now lodged into the broken door that hung loosely on the hinges, on the door was a picture of her and sam. Sam's face was scribbled on, with a few profanities scratched around. 

Y/n felt sick to her stomach, unable to hold back tears as she trembled down the hall. The street was filled with cop cars, neighbors coming out to investigate the commotion. She spaced out, deep into thought as the police officer's informed her about the break in. 

Y/n simply nodded, still in shock. Then she noticed a figure run up to her, Sam. She felt tears spilling out again and a wave of relief washed over her as she watched him sprint towards her, hugging her as he panted and sobbed into her hair. 

"Thank fucking god," Sam cried, rubbing her hair as she trembled in his arms. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. I should've never left you alone." He cried, stroking her hair as he comforted her. 

She peaked over his shoulder, the flashes of blue and red covered the streets. She watched as the officers handcuffed the now revealed man as his mask had been removed, pushing him into the back of the cop car. Y/n quickly looked away, determined not to be afraid of him any longer. As long as she had Sam, she was safe. 

She didn't say anything, soaking his sweatshirt with her tears. He didn't let go of her, talking to the police as they interrogated him to find the story.

"Hey, can we do this another time?" Sam snapped, holding y/n as she rested her head onto his chest. "I would love to answer your questions, but she's been through a lot and I need her to rest." He sighed, stroking her hair softly. 

The officer understood, handing him a card. They thanked them for their time, getting into the car as they sped away. Y/n sniffled, gripped onto Sam's arms tightly, as if he would leave again. 

"You guys can stay at my place for the meantime," Colby offered. "I know your house is sort of a crime scene right now, and your doors are completely wrecked. I have the space." He added. 

Sam nodded, thanking his best friend. Y/n hasn't said anything to Sam, still traumatized from her experience. She sat silent in the car, holding onto Sam's hand tightly as they drove. Sam couldn’t help but glance at her, guilt building up inside him. 

When they had finally reached Colby's house, Sam followed y/n around. He was so afraid to leave her side again, y/n was comforted by his presence but she knew he had blamed himself for it. 

Y/n laid on the bed, glancing at her phone as she looked at the many articles about her. She frowned at the media article, turning off her phone when she noticed Sam enter the room. Sam jumped into the bed, letting out a deep breath as he stared up for a moment. 

"It's not your fault sam," Y/n began, causing Sam to avert his gaze to her. "If anything, I'm glad you weren't there, you didn't see what I saw." She added, looking over to him. 

"Y/n-" Sam started, but was ultimately cut off by y/n.

"No Sam, don't blame yourself, I told you to go," her voice cracked, fighting back tears that threatened to spill. "He would've hurt you, o-or killed you." She let out a sob. 

Sam didn't say anything, pulling her into his chest as she let out tears. He whispered to her that everything's gonna be okay, kissing her head as he petted her hair.

"T-There wasn't much you could do, Sam," She whispered, sniffing. "He came there to hurt you, you did the right thing to call the cops." She commented, looking up at her boyfriend. 

Sam half smiled down at her, "I know, just I wish I was there to protect you, I'm sorry." He mumbled, sniffing back tears. 

She smiled, placing her palm onto his face. "It's okay Sam, I'm okay," She reassured. "I have you around me to protect me now." She shushed softly. 

Sam nodded, reaching for her hand off his face. "It's all over," He sighed. "That's all that matters, you're safe." 

Sam wrapped his arms around her, her head pressed against his chest as she listened to his heart beat gently against her ear. It didn't take long for her to finally rest, his scent and gentle heartbeat to soothe her to sleep. 

"I'm never leaving you ever again." Sam whispered to her, kissing her head. 

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

hey guys, thanks for reading!

so now for my question, I want to know if you guys would like smut from me. I have a few works saved, but I'm so nervous that you guys wouldn't like it so please please PLEASE let me know if its something you'd like :)

thanks for your attention!

[axelsagewrites]

Aemond Targaryen*Poloraids

Pairing: modern! Aemond x f! Reader

Word count: 2373

Part Two at bottom

Warnings: nudes, talks of sex, phone sex, sex toys, nipple play, dom Aemond, slight bratting, teasing, smut 18+

A/n: wrote this on my notes app and posting on mobile cause I can't sleep so pls forgive formating errors till I can check on my laptop tomorrow but for now enjoy desperate Aemond phone sex

Masterlist here

You had only been apart from Aemond for a mere three weeks but in that time you missed him more than you could have imagined. He was off to his dream college while you packed up to go to your own dream school. Aemond would never even think of asking you to follow him or potentially ruin your dream and had insisted you would survive the distance.

He was only a four hour drive away but being in your freshman year you barely had time to sleep let alot drive four hours one way to see your boyfriend. Maybe after the first semester it would be easier but for now you had to be content with late night phone calls and the letters he sent.

Yes Aemond had insisted on writing letters. You both wrote a letter to each other the last night you spent together before he left for college and mailed it out to the others dorm. You usually got two, sometimes three letters a week and of course you always returned his mail.

While you kept each other up to date on life and school over the phone the letters were a more personal touch, romantic even. Aemond did his best to write you poety even if English was not his strong suit. You just new he was blushing as you read his poems all those miles away. He'd sometimes send small packages with the letters. This ranged from books he thought you'd like to a sweatshirt from his college that he had worn for a week and covered in his cologne.

You almaot made sure to put just as much love into your mail. Your letters rambled on for pages about what you missed about him and the life you would build after university. He'd gifted you a Polaroid camera and a stack of film before you had left and you made sure to include pictures of you in your dorm, your campus, and the sights around you. Aemond had sent you a snap of his desk set up with your poloraids pinned around his reminder board, a picture of you unpacking your dorm with a cheesy grin right beside where his laptop would sit.

However while you knew you would miss him you hadn't even thought about how much you'd miss his touch. And not just his hugs which always warmed your heart but for gods sake you had never been so horny. Your roommates boyfriend was only a building away and you were jealous every time she came back with hickeys covering her neck and mascara smudged under her eyes.

"Don't worry you'll see your precious Aemond eventually," Sara joked after you had admitted to you jealous states, "then he can fuck your brains out so you're not so tense,"

"I'm not tense," but you were. So fucking tense.

It was one night when you caught Sara taking suggestive pics out the corner of your eye did you get the idea. Your eyes fell to the poloraid camera on your desk. So far you had never sent Aemond any kind of explicit pictures like that. Sure you did your best to look good when you snapped him but he'd never asked for a nude and you had never thought of sending them. But maybe if you started it, like the mail, he would return the favour.

When Aemonds latest letter came in the mail Sara happened to be out the dorm and staying the night at her boyfriend jaces frat house. After reading the letter your eyes fell to the camera. You racked your mind for a few moments, wondering if the reason why Aemond had never asked was because he never wanted them. But what guy would turn that down, you wondered. Plus it wasn't like you and Aemond hadn't done stuff in the past. He was always sneaking into your house to get his hands all over you.

Fuck it, you thought. You quickly rummaged through your drawers, finding the few nice lingerie pieces you had brought with you before you settled into wearing Aemonds boxers and a sports bra religiously.

You quickly slid into the black lacey bra and thong set you had convinced yourself you would wear to a party for a confidence boost and never had. It had been one of Aemonds favourites before you left for college. You did your best to straighten the sheets and hide your clutter as you set up for the first photo.

You took a few moments trying to get into the perfect pose before snapping a picture of your chest, sticking your tits out to make them pop. And boy did they look good. When you saw them printed on the film you couldn't help the ego boost when you saw yourself dolled up. You moved the camera lower, taking a picture of your hips and thighs, twisting your body into the poses you'd seen on dirty magazines.

You took a couple more in that set, trying the recreate some tiktok recommended poses you'd seen, when you suddenly really started to feel yourself. You changed quickly into another set, a dark red body you had bought for the first time Aemond would visit you. You were sure he wouldn't mind you wearing it without him when he saw the results. This time you made sure to capture your ass perfectly, loving how it looked in the angles you tried.

Then came your last idea. Your eyes fell to the sweatshirt he had sent you. You quickly stripped off the lingerie and tugged on a more simple thong that still looked amazing on. You slipped into the hoodie, letting yourself emerse yourself in his smell. This time your pictures were you sat at your desk, set up as if you were studying but you lifted the camera to a high angle so he could see your bare thighs. Next you lifted the shirt, giving him a show of your underboob and waist. Then finally one last pic of you bent over the desk as if you were waiting for him.

As you snapped the last pic you heard Sara's key in the lock and quickly sprinter to jump under your covers, trying to look as innocent as possible as you put the printed Polaroids under the covers.

The next day you finished writing your letter and slipped in four of the nine poloraids you had taken. You made sure to sit them behind the letter in the envelope since you didn't need his roommate getting a private show. You posted the letter and did your best to act casual over the phone with Aemond but you couldn't help feel anxious about his reaction.

Two days later your phone rang as you were sat in bed finishing an essay on your laptop. "Hey baby," you greeted as you read over your list of spelling mistakes.

"Don't hey baby me," Aemond said, catching your attention and making you move your laptop to the side, "You think trying to tease me is funny?"

"Tease you-" you said as you sat up properly in bed trying to figure out what he meant when it hit you. "Did you get my letter?" you said not able to hide the smirk in your voice.

"Oh I got your letter alright darling," Aemond said darkly and you could just imagine him pacing his dorm room while his roommate was out. "and the pictures,"

"Did you like them?" you said with a light giggle as if you had been transformed back to the start of your relationship. "I thought you mightve been getting lonely over there. So far away," you said with a fake pout, loving the affects you had already had on them.

"Are you kidding me?" Aemond said with a dark chuckle, "You look positively fuckable in these doll. I don't know how I'm supposed to contain myself till I see you,"

You felt your stomach go light like butterflies were dancing in it at his words. "I've got more if you'd like," you said as you twirled your hair like a school girl.

"God's you really are a little minx aren't you?" Aemond groaned making you giggle, "You won't be so cocky when I get there. No you get all shy don't you? Like a good little girl,"

"Maybe I don't wanna be a good girl," you teased as you discarded the laptop onto your bedside table, moving to lay down as you spoke.

"You know what happens when you don't behave doll," Aemond warned in the same voice he used when he used to hold you by your jaw, forcing you to meet his eye.

"Whatcha gonna do about it?" you grinned as your hand searched your bottom drawer for the vibrator you had stashed away for nights like this where all you wanted was Aemonds touch. "You're not here to make me do anything,"

"Just you wait doll," Aemond said as you heard him crash down onto his bed, "When I'm there you'll regret being such a brat,"

"I don't believe you," you teased as you slipped the vibrator between your legs, slowly running it up and down your folds before it was even on.

Aemond was silent for a moment and you wondered how good he must look right now with that stern look on his face," You're touching yourself aren't you?" he said making your actions pause.

"No I'm-" you started to stutter out only to be interrupted by Aemonds chuckle.

"Oh baby girl you really are that desperate aren't you?" he said, his smirk evident in his voice, "trying to get off by just my voice. Bet you could as well love you're that desperate," you tried to argue but Aemond kept talking, "Turn it on doll. I know you're using that pretty little vibe of yours aren't you?"

"maybe," you said, your voice shaky as you reached for the button.

"So predictable," he chuckled, "God's you looked good when I would use that on you. Turn it on doll and go slow. I want you to earn it if you're gonna be such a tease,"

Even from so far away Aemond still had a control over you which made you switch the toy onto it's lowest setting and slowly run it up your folds, gasping as your ran it over your sensitive clit." that's a good girl, "Aemond praised when he heard your noises through the phone. "I'm just looking at these pics love," you heard him say as you moved the vibe to slowly circle around your clit, "Such pretty pictures," he said, "almost as good as the real thing. Almost because it won't be long till I bend you over that desk of yours. You'd like to that wouldn't you? Me fucking you over your desk in my sweetheart,"

"Yes," you whimpered but Aemond tutted over the phone.

"Yes what?"

"Yes sir," you correct yourself, moaning as you felt a knot bubbling in your stomach.

"Good girl," Aemond praised and you could swear you could hear him jerking off on the other end, "now turn up the vibe baby and slip it in,"

You whined but did as instructed, the soft silicone easily slipping into your wet pussy, "It's in," you said, your voice whiny.

"Good. Now tighten your thighs to hold it there. You're gonna need your hands love," he said, a slight groan in his voice as he stroked his member.

"Okay," you stuttered, doing as he said but also laying your phone next to your head on speaker, "now what sir?"

"Now I want you to squeeze those perfect tit's of yours," he said, his breathing more rugged, "they look so good in that red little number of yours. Can't wait to tear it off you,"

"Thank you sir," you moaned as you followed his instructions and wishing it was his hands.

"Now pinch those perky nipples of yours," Aemond said which you gladly complied with, rolling them between your fingers, "Miss kissing those perfect tit's of yours. Gonna cover them in hickeys next time I get my hands on them. Might even take a picture for good measure. You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"Yes sir," you whined as you felt your body start to jerk at your already approaching climax.

"You gonna cum baby?" Aemond asked, his breathing shaking as he approached his own edge.

"Yes," you whined, greatful your roommate had left for the night, "Please sir can I cum now please?"

"Fuck," Aemond gasped, "Yes baby cum for me. Be a good girl baby don't hide any of those pretty noises. Think I might just cum from hearing them," he said.

You couldn't even say anything else as your body began twitching, your legs shaking as you felt your orgasm rip through your body. You didn't try to hide your moans and it wasn't long till you heard Aemond mumbling curses and praise through the phone. "Fuck," Aemond gasped as he started to catch his breath.

"Did you..?" you asked, your voice trailing off.

"Yes darling," he said with uneven breath, "All over these pictures love. Is there any chance you could send some more?" he asked but this time his voice was far more shy.

You laughed lightly as you rolled onto your side, snuggling into your pillow now suddenly tired, "of course baby. How come you never asked before?"

"I didn't want you to think I'm some kind of pervert," Aemond confessed now far more sheepish than his sexy persona.

"You're not a pervert Aem, you're my boyfriend," you laughed, imagining how his cheeks would be flushing right now. "Of course I'll send some more baby you'll just need to be patient," you teased.

"I'm sick of being patient," Aemond groaned like a toddler who had been told no, "I'm driving up to see you Friday after class no questions, no excuses,"

"Aemy that's a long drive are you sure?" you asked, worried how he'd be able to get all his work done if he was so far from college.

"More than sure baby. I need to see you and besides. I have a few new ideas of what you could do with that camera,"

Part Two here

Taglist: @clairacassidy @valeskafics @starkleila

[ayatai]

Gratitude

Comfy-vember Day 16 Prompt: Reading Aloud

The tavern door creaked open.

“Rufus, I told you already. It’s Sunday morning, we don’t open until later,” Liliana said. Did the man ever do anything but drink?

“Excuse me, but I’m looking for the owner.”

Liliana popped her head up from behind the counter where she’d been moving casks around. “That’s me.”

The sandy-haired man nodded. His official looking uniform was damp from the rain. “Liliana?”

She nodded, and he opened the bag he had slung over one shoulder and pulled out a large package. “I’m under explicit instructions to hand this to no one but you or your husband.”

The package was addressed to her and Alton, but she didn’t recognize the handwriting. Delivery via courier would have cost a good sum; she had no idea who would have spent that much to send them mail.

“You arrived on the ship this morning?” she asked.

“Yes, miss. I’ll be returning when she leaves port tomorrow, if you’d like to write a reply before then. All my expenses have all ready been covered, so no charge.”

“You need a room for tonight, then?”

“And meals, if possible.”

She nodded, still pondering the mystery package.

Ten minutes later, after setting the courier up with his room and breakfast, she cut the strings with her belt knife and carefully unwrapped the contents.

A pouch, well padded, jingled as she freed it from its wrappings. A second bundle proved to be a set of wooden tops, finely carved; meant, she assumed, for her son, Jadon. The last items were two envelopes closed with seals she also didn’t recognize. She broke the seal on one and pulled out the letter inside. She read the first few sentences, then hurried to the back door of their tavern, grinning.

“Alton! Take a break for a minute and come inside. You too, Grandma.”

Alton took one last swing at the log he’d been chopping despite the light drizzle, then set his ax down. He moved over to his wife and looked over her shoulder. “Who’s it from?”

“Just listen,” and she started reading out loud, struggling with some of the longer words.

To Liliana, Alton, Edith, and Jadon,

I hope this letter finds you all doing well; it’s been several months since I left Llewdor to try my luck in Daventry, and I imagine it will take a while more for it to reach you.

The voyage, as you warned, was doomed from the start; Reid had no intention of honoring our agreement. But his traitorous actions begot him nothing but misery; I escaped, along with a portion of his ill-gotten treasure.

You’ll find a pouch enclosed along with this letter; I’ve found it only fitting that you should be the recipients of said coins. Both for the years you were forced to endure his patronage, and your invaluable assistance and the incredible kindness you showed me.

In summary, I managed to arrive in Daventry in the end. The dragon is now dead, and to my astonishment and jubilation, I have reunited with my family at last. As I’m sure you’ll note from my signature below,

Liliana glanced further down at the signature; her eyes went wide.

Alton, who couldn’t read at all, became impatient. “Keep going! And what is this pouch he’s talking about?!”

“Shh!”

As I’m sure you’ll note from my signature below, it has been more than I ever could have imagined! But the real shock for me has been just how welcoming and accepting they have been. If ever you were concerned about my fate, you may well put those fears to rest.

My good fortune could never have come about without your aid. Forever grateful and in your debt,

Prince Alexander of Daventry

P.S. I’ve added a toy for Jadon as well; please give him my regards, though given his young age I’m unsure if he’ll remember me.

“I thought his name was Gwydion?” Edith asked, confused.

“That was the name Manannan called him,” Alton explained. To Liliana, he said, “He told us his real name right before he left, remember?”

Edith looked indignant. “And did you also know he was a prince and never told me?”

“No, no, he never mentioned that. If he even knew himself,” Liliana said. “Can you believe it? That sweet little slip of a boy!”

“Good for him; he deserves it,” Alton said.

Liliana handed him the pouch; while he and Edith opened it and gasped at the contents, Liliana broke the seal on the second, shorter letter, reading silently this time.

To the proprietors of the Port Bruce Tavern,

My son tells me you rendered him crucial aid at a time both he and my daughter were in peril. I cannot begin to express how thankful I am for your help in both saving their lives and in our son’s return. If you ever find yourself in Daventry, please know that you are welcome any time as our honored guests.

A most grateful mother,

Queen Valanice of Daventry

Her heart went out to this woman she had never met. Queen or not, she was a mother all the same; Liliana could not imagine how she would have managed if Jadon had been taken from her. Being turned into a cat was too good for that wretched wizard.

[missys-mansion-of-mistakes]

July 26th, 2024. Friday.

🌊 Today was good! I got a lot of things done I'd been meaning to do for weeks. I completed:

Looking at a list of programs that apply to my research and the information I'm presenting at the conference in 2 (!!!) weeks. Added it all to the spreadsheet I'm compiling.

Sending in an application to be on an organization's Board of Directors. I got an auto-reject because they got a lot of applications, but that's alright, I put it on my calendar to try again in 6 months.

I drafted the CF scholarship and, on a whim, just submitted it. It was kind've a bad essay but... I just wanted it done. Bad call, and I won't win the scholarship because of it, but that's OK. More writing practice earned and that helps.

Drafted the PC scholarship. This one was WAY hard. Required a brainstorm session with my boyfriend to even figure out what to write about. But I got an outline together, a first draft, and a 2nd draft too. Need to sleep on it though.

In exchange for all the above: skipped all my morning routines except relaxing for an hour. In that hour I wrote a letter to my boyfriend that I'm going to tuck in a book I send him on Monday. There's 2 books he bought when he was here with me that he wanted me to send him, and I'm buying him a copy of a book I think he'll really love too ("Seed to Dust"-- it's an amazing book!) I'm also sending him a sticker of a snail and a frog in a long-distance relationship... it's us!!

So yeah. Very productive with the one-off tasks.

💤 Very tired today. Need to transition fully back onto the looseleaf yerba instead of messing with the canned yerba-- the former of those is more medicinal, the other has like ~150mg caffeine per can. Not good. 💄 So, I was looking at getting myself more makeup/"beauty" supplies because of my new job. Now, I'm a girl who-- until recently-- would consider herself pretty butch. But as I've been trying to get into professionalism more, dressing better at work, etc, I've realized that I get a lot more positive attention when I dress way more femininely. This also plays into the oft-quoted statistic about how women who wear makeup are chosen way more often for promotions/job opportunities/whatever than women who don't. So I figured, since it seems I've finished taking the leap into wearing dresses, now was the time to take the leap into actual makeup.

Now, I have makeup already too. I have these things: foundation, sunscreen, moisturizer, highlighter. That's IT!

So when I mentioned offhandedly several weeks ago that a job in a fancy, rich town wanted to interview me, and I might need to learn makeup, a friend was shocked that I didn't even have a lipstick to speak of.

I ordered this mystery beauty box to fix that. No this isn't an advertisement, I just wanted to share because honestly this fixed my problem elegantly AND made me happy-- win-win!

Everything in the first picture is what I got in the box. 3 lipsticks, 2 eyeshadows, 2 lipliners, 1 eyeliner, 1 undereye highlighter, a bunch of brushes, a ton of spa stuff I'll have to convince myself to use, and more! Now I'll just have to experiment with them lol.

Anyway, yeah, it was pretty and I'm happy.

📦 My parents need help going through boxes in the garage tomorrow. I'll have to drive up home tomorrow morning to help. So, another couple days working on the laptop at their house. Let's see how productive I can be up there...

What has made you happy recently?

Sending happiness your way!!

[Photos: mystery box unpacked, my tie-dye envelope in front of my PC, tie-dye envelope and long-distance snail and frog sticker, mystery box still packaged up.]

[promethea-silk]

The familiar smell of old books and aging parchments hung in the air of the library within Highgate Manor, a place in which Cordelia often had found herself spending much of her time during her time growing up. It was the one corner of her old home that she recalled being able to hold herself up within to be able to escape the ever boresome lessons and droning commands of her mother and father.

Being here now, it felt empty and cold, lacking in that comfort she once so frequently sought after. Then again, the entire estate seemed to have that impression about it and yet, in spite of this, Cordelia reveled in the darkness that lingered there.

Soft clicks on the hardwood floors called her attention away from the spines of the books where her fingertips had been idly tracing over the intricacies of each one. "I trust Wren found you and things have been settled for Lady Cress?" Cordelia mused in question as she turned to address Tilly as she approached.

"Yes, M'lady, the gifts have been procured for her to deliver first thing as well as your bracelet packaged well and secured for travel." The red headed sprite of a hyur nodded pleasantly with hands folded in front of her.

"Good. Very good." The words were distant as she adjusted now to retrieve the large tome and documents, all that had been discovered in the past month or so regarding the details of her newfound lineage. Steel hues locked onto the book itself, her realization coming full force that she held no true connection to the relic and was entirely prepared to release it to its owner, where it belonged.

"I will be preparing to return to Gray Manor the day after tomorrow and once I hear word from Lady Cress that she is well and prepared to meet with me, we will do so. Please see that this, all of this, is settled and packed with my things discreetly and safely to travel once I am ready. There is a letter I also need to you send off to Master Blythe at your earliest convenience once I am through with it." And with that, she offered the items in hand over to Tilly slowly. Once within her grasp, the woman nodded yet again and briskly went about doing as she was asked.

Cordelia watched as her head of staff disappeared from sight before she turned to a small writing desk that was nestled by the window. Moving to take the seat there, she moved about some of the items, opening the ink well she had brought with her and set about dipping her quill within the dark pool. Penning the letter, she wrote each word with purpose and was defibrate with her tone as she offered affections and thoughts to the parchment. They were faint, hardly what one might find in a typical letter to a lover, but they were there. She still teetered on the edge of unsure on how to maneuver and navigate these waters, rough and cloudy as they were, but for the time being, the widow allowed herself to float amongst the waves of uncertainty to let the current take her - them - where it was meant to.

What she was certain of was that she was going to need support, whatever she could muster from those closest to her and it was becoming clear to her that Ricard had bled into that role whether on purpose or not. Taking a deep breath, she blew gently on the wet ink while pushing to stand, readying the letter to be handed off to be sent.

There had yet to be an instance that caused Cordelia Gray to shy from it, neither her ties to House Cress nor her unexpected connections to someone would change her ways now. Steadfast, she was prepared to face a new chapter head on, whatever that may bring.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Steve Brodner

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

April 18, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

APR 19, 2024

I will not spend the rest of 2024 focusing on Trump and the chaos in the Republican Party, but today it has been impossible to look away.

In Trump’s election interference trial in Manhattan, Judge Juan Merchan this morning dismissed one of the selected jurors after she expressed concern for her anonymity and thus for her safety. All of the reporters in the courtroom have shared so much information about the jurors that they seemed at risk of being identified, but Fox News Channel host Jesse Watters not only ran a video segment about a juror, he suggested she was “concerning.” Trump shared the video on social media.

The juror told the judge that so much information about her had become public that her friends and family had begun to ask her if she was one of the jurors. Legal analyst Joyce White Vance noted jurors’ fear for their safety was a concern normally seen only “in a case involving violent organized crime.”

Nonetheless, by the end of the day, twelve people had been chosen to serve as jurors. Tomorrow the process will continue in order to find six alternate jurors. 

It is a courtesy for the two sides at a trial to share with each other the names of their next witnesses so the other team can prepare for them. Today the prosecution declined to provide the names of their first three witnesses to the defense lawyers out of concern that Trump would broadcast them on social media. “Mr. Trump has been tweeting about the witnesses. We’re not telling them who the witnesses are,” prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said. 

Merchan said he “can’t blame them.” Trump’s defense attorney Todd Blanche offered to "commit to the court and the [prosecution] that President Trump will not [post] about any witness" on social media. "I don't think you can make that representation," Merchan said, in a recognition that Trump cannot be trusted, even by his own lawyers.

An article in the New York Times today confirmed that the trial will give Trump plenty of publicity, but not the kind that he prefers. Lawyer Norman L. Eisen walked through questions about what a prison sentence for Trump could look like.

Trump’s popular image is taking a hit in other ways, as well. Zac Anderson and Erin Mansfield of USA Today reported that Trump is funneling money from his campaign fundraising directly into his businesses. According to a new report filed with the Federal Election Commission, in February and March the campaign wrote checks totaling $411,287 to Mar-a-Lago and in March a check for $62,337 to Trump National Doral Miami.

Experts say it is legal for candidates to pay their own businesses for services used by the campaign so long as they pay fair market value. At the same time, they note that since Trump appears to be desperate for money, “it looks bad.”

Astonishingly, Trump’s trial was not the biggest domestic story today. Republicans in Congress were in chaos as members of the extremist Freedom Caucus worked to derail the national security supplemental bills that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has introduced in place of the Senate bill, although they track that bill closely. 

The House Rules Committee spent the day debating the foreign aid package, which appropriates aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan separately. The Israel bill also contains $9.1 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza and other countries. A fourth bill focuses on forcing the Chinese owners of TikTok to sell the company, as well as on imposing sanctions on Russia and Iran. 

At stake in the House Rules Committee was Johnson’s plan to allow the House to debate and vote on each measure separately, and then recombine them all into a single measure if they all pass. This would allow extremist Republicans to vote against aid to Ukraine, while still tying the pieces all together to send to the Senate. As Robert Jimison outlined in the New York Times, this complicated plan meant that the Rules Committee vote to allow such a maneuver was crucial to the bill’s passage.

The extremist House Republicans were adamantly opposed to the plan because of their staunch opposition to aid for Ukraine. They wrote in a memo on Wednesday: “This tactic allows Johnson to pass priorities favored by President Biden, the swamp and the Ukraine war machine with a supermajority of House members, leaving conservatives out to dry.”

Extremists Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) vowed to throw House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) out of the speakership, but Democrats Tom Suozzi of New York and Jared Moskowitz of Florida have said they would vote to keep him in his seat, thereby defanging the attack on his leadership.

So the extremists instead tried to load the measures up with amendments prohibiting funds from being used for abortion, removing humanitarian aid for Gaza, opposing a two-state solution to the Hamas-Israel war, calling for a wall at the southern border of the U.S., defunding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and so on.

Greene was especially active in opposition to aid to Ukraine. She tried to amend the bill to direct the president to withdraw the U.S. from NATO and demanded that any members of Congress voting for aid to Ukraine be conscripted into the Ukraine army as well as have their salaries taken to offset funding. She wanted to stop funding until Ukraine “turns over all information related to Hunter Biden and Burisma,” and to require Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to resign. More curiously, she suggested amending the Ukraine bill so that funding would require “restrictions on ethnic minorities’, including Hungarians in Transcarpathia, right to use their native languages in schools are lifted.” This language echoes a very specific piece of Russian propaganda.

Finally, Moskowitz proposed “that Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene…should be appointed as Vladimir Putin’s Special Envoy to the United States Congress.” 

Many congress members have left Washington, D.C., since Friday was to be the first day of a planned recess. This meant the partisan majority on the floor fluctuated. Olivia Beavers of Politico reported that that instability made Freedom Caucus members nervous enough to put together a Floor Action Response Team (FART—I am not making this up) to make sure other Republicans didn’t limit the power of the extremists when they were off the floor.

The name of their response team seems likely to be their way to signal their disrespect for the entire Congress. Their fellow Republicans are returning the heat. Today Mike Turner (R-OH) referred to the extremists as the Bully Caucus on MSNBC and said, “We need to get back to professionalism, we need to get back to governing, we need to get back to legislating.” Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) told Juliegrace Brufke of Axios:  "The vast majority of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives...are sick and tired of having people who...constantly blackmail the speaker of the House.”

Another Republican representative, Jake LaTurner of Kansas, announced today he will not run for reelection. He joins more than 20 other Republican representatives heading for the exits.

After all the drama, the House Rules Committee voted 6–3 tonight to advance the foreign aid package to the House floor. Three Republicans voted nay. While it is customary for the opposition party to vote against advancing bills out of the committee, the Democrats broke with tradition and voted in favor.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[ask-richard-jackdaw]

*a large package is delivered by a disgruntled snowy owl*

Richard,

In anticipation of Thursday, I wanted to send you some supplies. I brewed up some pepperup, wiggenweld and pain potions and invigoration draughts, just in case. I also packed some chocolates, for when you're once again able to enjoy food!

If you find yourself in want of company, or require help carrying supplies to the hotspots, do let me know.

Yours,

Elizabeth 🖤

My dear,

It's always a pleasure to humbly receive A letter from you on the rousing eve Of every Thursday when I am to turn I little more human: your presence to yearn.

It is true, Thursday is almost here and I've had such a wonderful time in the past month turning fully corporal once a week! I still hesitate to call it living since it is not permanent. I am, however, eternally grateful for even those fleeting moments I'm able to catch up on that which was stolen from me so early. 

I must admit, I haven't actually met many students yet because I keep getting distracted on my way to the castle. It's either having some nice food at a friend's place and forgetting the passage of time, or my employer catching me in human form and giving me tasks here and there (I almost paid off that broom!), or running around and trying to see if I can get any period-appropriate clothing. Or at least an extra Hogwarts cloak — I still look like a 7th-year student! My family paid for my education that unfortunate year I lost my head so teeechnically I should still be eligible to finish my final year at Hogwarts? I should be sorting out all manner of paperwork but instead I worry about the colour of the cloak I want to wear once a week!  

*Richard looks up from the letter to steal a glance at Elizabeth's portrait on the wall and then at the photos she took of him a while ago. His hair looks normal there but last Thursday when he examined himself in the mirror his hair still looked like ghost hair. No, it was not transparent but mostly white instead. Maybe ancient magic did not do it correctly that one time? Or maybe Richard focused too much on being a human and not on the details? But he rather liked that colour, perhaps because after decades of seeing himself as a ghost having white hair was in a way comforting. He would never admit to that, of course. Being human again terrifies him: if the papercuts taught him anything it's that his body is very much mortal. The topic of death starts becoming more and more unsettling to him as a result.*

I just looked at what you sent me and... Do you even know how wonderful and thoughtful you are? I will have to make sure to remind you of this every time I get the chance. I think the drawbacks of being in the land of the living are here to stay but at the very least now I do not have to be aware of that misery. You spent so much of your time just to brew those potions for me and I am forever in your debt! 

And chocolate! Believe it or not, but I haven't had any chocolate yet, yours would be the first few pieces I've had in ages! Thank you! 

*Richard whines a little looking at the sweets: he could almost taste her chocolate but he knows that it's just his memory acting up and he cannot actually taste anything. Still, the thought of trying them tomorrow warmed his undead heart.*

I think the potions will stay here in my secret room for now since I start feeling tired and sick closer to the end of the day. That way I can just stop by if I feel like I need some more energy. My Scribe managed to find some pillows and a blanket for my sofa last time so that pain relief potion will come in rather handy when the night falls: it'll actually allow me to fall asleep without feeling like my body is falling apart. At least I hope it wor 

And I most certainly would love to visit some more people! If I don't get distracted by food again. Or fall off my broom again. I've also been dreading of going to the Olivander's to get a new wand... I feel so silly not being a ghost and only being able to cast basic wandless magic things... 

Anyway, I hope our paths do cross tomorrow. Your potions will literally be guarding my sleep in the night. As for you being their creator, does that make you my... guardian angel? If it is not the case then I must assure you: you are a very talented, kind, and thoughtful witch, and I would choose your company over that of even the most beautiful of angels — for your beauty is the one I wish to behold not only with my own eyes but with my heart as well.

Yours forever grateful,

Richard

[bvannn]

Weekly update August 30, 2024

Man I was so productive this week I did so much it’s great! I’m tired and all that but not as much as I expected, I got a pretty much free weekend in front of me, and I think I might have Monday off too (not 100% sure yet though so I’m not making any plans until I know for sure). I’m hoping I can keep it up into next week too, but wouldn’t be surprised if some bad luck hits me down.

I finished up a (mostly) instrumental piece today, it’s as done as it’s getting and I’m queueing that up for tomorrow. RR is also basically done, I might fiddle with some audio effects a touch more but otherwise it’s good to get a video together. I’ll outline what I need to draw for that tonight or tomorrow morning. Between that and another one I have planned for a mostly finished cover (WOTW), I’d like to try and get one video done by Halloween, so I’m going to try to dedicate more time to animation. The little ones I did before artfight were pretty quick so I hope I’ll be able to get enough done.

Oh also forgot to mention: I buy the bullet and got the Vocaloid mobile editor. Gotta play around with online converters to get midi into the format it needs to be and onto my phone, but it works fine. Bad news is: the ZOLAs are sold separately? The whole reason I wanted to stick with them was because they’re a package! They are still cheap at least, nd still some of the better sounding male voices so I might grab them eventually anyway, but for now I’mma stick with Mizki, and send the vsqx to friends if I want to export with the ZOLAs or Kagamines. I’m also tempted to grab Miku since she’s cheaper than everyone else on mobile for some reason, but I’ll see how Mizki sounds for now. I don’t know what the differences between the ‘light’ and full versions are, but so far she’s getting by.

Comic was also the big thing this week, Page 9 just needs textures and shading and lettering and it’s all good to go, which I plan to do tonight, whereupon the comic will be 31% done! I’m also planning to take bigger bites out of that while I’m still not so tired, hopefully it lasts a while.

Epithet Erased TTRPG is going good, got maps planned and more statblocks done, applied the math I did and have a good base for how much stamina everything needs to have so I can just sit down and plow through the rest once I’m ready. Only got one character token done this week, and it took longer than anticipated so I do need more practice with the EE style, but it can chip away at that over the weekend if we end up getting Monday off. I’ll probably decide to do the maps first though. If maps don’t take super long I’ll try to hammer out the rest of what I need for the campaign soon too.

Yeah not a lot to show off this week but I did a lot. And I get a long weekend to do even more. This feels like the save room before a really hard boss, but I’ll take advantage of it and release what I can soon. Song tomorrow is the biggest thing, hopefully it goes over well even though it’s an unpopular genre!

[memesandtvshowthings]

The interviewer- a Dramione fanfic

Chapter one!

Author’s note: This is seven years after the war. Hermione is working at the ministry of magic in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, in her case, the Anti-overthrow office which was established after the war to prevent the ministry from ever being overthrown again. Her job is to interview new businesses and make sure they aren’t planning anything against the ministry. 

There are a lot of pictures too! But only of the rooms, outfits, and other random things. I’m going to let you imagine the people yourselves. (Because I hate it when people show me what they’re supposed to look like!)

Hermione is 24 and Draco is… 23? Look it up. My math ain’t mathing right now!

That’s all I have for now, so, enjoy!

            September 21, 2005

Hermione’s house 

Hermione woke up to the sound of her alarm clock ringing.

(Her bedroom)

She quickly turned it off, got up, and went to her kitchen. She had a nice house. A little big, but, whatever floats your boat. 

(Her kitchen) 

She quickly made some coffee and buttered some toast. 

Once she finished, she washed her dishes and sat down on the couch to read. It was her day off so she decided to relax. 

(Her living room!)

A few minutes later, there was a tap on her window. She looked up and saw an owl. 

“Hello.” She said, opening the window for it. 

It held out its leg for her to untie, took a treat from her, and left. Once she sat back down, she read the letter.

Dear Ms. Granger,

I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow when you come in don’t bother going to your office. I need you in my office because I have arranged a meeting with the owner of a new company and I need you to interview him. I will give you more details tomorrow.

Sincerely,

                                       Kingsley Shacklebolt-                    

                                          Minister of Magic  

She reread the letter to make sure she understood it all and then put it down. 

“I wonder what business it is.” She said to herself. And picked her book back up. 

Draco’s house

Draco woke up to his alarm clock but turned it right back off. It was Saturday, he wasn’t getting up till he had to.

(His room!)

Once he finally got up, he flicked his wand to make up is bed, stumbled into the kitchen, and sat down.

(His kitchen!)

Even after an hour of extra sleep, he was still exhausted. Starting and running a business was harder than he thought. Once he ate breakfast (Ham and Eggs) he went into the living room.

(His living room!)

He sat down and picked up his coffee, thinking about random things. There was a peck at the window so Draco got up, already knowing it was an owl, and untied the letter. Opening it he read,

Dearest Draco,

Hello! I was just wondering if you would like to join me for lunch? Please respond!

Love,

         Pansy

He rolled his eyes. He had been getting the same letter every Saturday since his father had passed. He had only accepted the first time because he thought it was just a friendly gesture. Turns out, she only wanted his money. So he had declined making up an excuse every time since then. But today he just wrote, 

No.

And that was it. He was too exhausted to think of an excuse. 

Hermione’s house 

Hermione woke up with a jolt. Her stomach felt like it was burning. 

“Gosh, I’m hungry!” She said to herself. She looked at the time, 1:30, and made some lunch. Once she finished, she decided to sit on her porch. 

(Her porch!)

So she went outside and right as she was about to sit down she saw a package by her door. She went to pick it up wondering who would have sent her this. Opening it she saw a note that said,

Hey Hermione!

Sorry I didn’t send this by owl, it was too big! I hope you like it and Happy Birthday!

Love,

         Ginny

She opened the box and found a beautiful red lace dress.

(The dress!)

She couldn’t help but gasp when she saw it. It was…Perfect! She couldn’t wait for an opportunity to wear it.

Draco’s house

Draco woke up to Blaise Zabini tapping his shoulder 

“Hey mate, wake up!” He said.

Draco grunted and said, 

“I regret giving you a key.”

“Whatever. C’mon, let’s go somewhere!”

“I’m to tired.”

“Aww! Come on! We can go to lunch… on me.”

Draco immediately got up saying.

“I’ll be ready in five.”

Blaise just  laughed and sat down to wait.

Draco came back with a green sweater and jeans.

(His outfit!)

“Alright, where are we going?”

Ok! That was chapter one! Stay tuned to my page for more!

[hermioneneedsdraco]

The interviewer

(Keep in mind that this is my first fanfic ever!)

Author’s note: This is seven years after the war. Hermione is working at the ministry of magic in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, in her case, the Anti-overthrow office which was established after the war to prevent the ministry from ever being overthrown again. Her job is to interview new businesses and make sure they aren’t planning anything against the ministry. 

There are a lot of pictures too! But only of the rooms, outfits, and other random things. I’m going to let you imagine the people yourselves. (Because I hate it when people show me what they’re supposed to look like!)

Hermione is 24 and Draco is… 23? Look it up. My math ain’t mathing right now!

That’s all I have for now, so, enjoy!

            September 21, 2005

Hermione’s house 

Hermione woke up to the sound of her alarm clock ringing.

(Her bedroom)

She quickly turned it off, got up, and went to her kitchen. She had a nice house. A little big, but, whatever floats your boat.

(Her kitchen) 

She quickly made some coffee and buttered some toast. 

Once she finished, she washed her dishes and sat down on the couch to read. It was her day off so she decided to relax. 

(Her living room!)

A few minutes later, there was a tap on her window. She looked up and saw an owl. 

“Hello.” She said, opening the window for it. 

It held out its leg for her to untie, took a treat from her, and left. Once she sat back down, she read the letter.

Dear Ms. Granger,

I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow when you come in don’t bother going to your office. I need you in my office because I have arranged a meeting with the owner of a new company and I need you to interview him. I will give you more details tomorrow.

Sincerely,

                                       Kingsley Shacklebolt-                    

                                          Minister of Magic  

She reread the letter to make sure she understood it all and then put it down. 

“I wonder what business it is.” She said to herself. And picked her book back up. 

Draco’s house

Draco woke up to his alarm clock but turned it right back off. It was Saturday, he wasn’t getting up till he had to.

(His room!)

Once he finally got up, he flicked his wand to make up is bed, stumbled into the kitchen, and sat down.

(His kitchen!)

Even after an hour of extra sleep, he was still exhausted. Starting and running a business was harder than he thought. Once he ate breakfast (Ham and Eggs) he went into the living room.

(His living room!)

He sat down and picked up his coffee, thinking about random things. There was a peck at the window so Draco got up, already knowing it was an owl, and untied the letter. Opening it he read,

Dearest Draco,

Hello! I was just wondering if you would like to join me for lunch? Please respond!

Love,

         Pansy

He rolled his eyes. He had been getting the same letter every Saturday since his father had passed. He had only accepted the first time because he thought it was just a friendly gesture. Turns out, she only wanted his money. So he had declined making up an excuse every time since then. But today he just wrote, 

No.

And that was it. He was too exhausted to think of an excuse. 

Hermione’s house 

Hermione woke up with a jolt. Her stomach felt like it was burning. 

“Gosh, I’m hungry!” She said to herself. She looked at the time, 1:30, and made some lunch. Once she finished, she decided to sit on her porch. 

(Her porch!)

So she went outside and right as she was about to sit down she saw a package by her door. She went to pick it up wondering who would have sent her this. Opening it she saw a note that said,

Hey Hermione!

Sorry I didn’t send this by owl, it was too big! I hope you like it and Happy Birthday!

Love,

         Ginny

She opened the box and found a beautiful red lace dress.

(The dress!)

She couldn’t help but gasp when she saw it. It was…Perfect! She couldn’t wait for an opportunity to wear it.

Draco’s house

Draco woke up to Blaise Zabini tapping his shoulder 

“Hey mate, wake up!” He said.

Draco grunted and said, 

“I regret giving you a key.”

“Whatever. C’mon, let’s go somewhere!”

“I’m to tired.”

“Aww! Come on! We can go to lunch… on me.”

Draco immediately got up saying.

“I’ll be ready in five.”

Blaise just  laughed and sat down to wait.

Draco came back with a green sweater and jeans.

(His outfit!)

“Alright, where are we going?”

[zodiyack]

Love At First Package

Pairing: Gardner Langway x Fem!Reader

Warnings: fluffffff

Words: 843

Request: Could I request a fluffy Gardner Langway x fem. reader long oneshot where reader wakes up and hears giggling and finds Gardner in the living room playing with their 2 little girls and reader just gushes over how good of a father Gardner is to their girls and while she’s watching her little family, reader thinks back to how she met Gardner from him being her mailman and it was love at first sight?

Taglist: @matth1w , @redspaceace-writes , @fandom-puff , @darling-i-read-it , @simonsbluee , @sebastianstanslefteyebrow , @livlaughquinn, @bubsonnobx, @bunnyweasley23​

Masterlist | Joe Mazzello Masterlist

Waking to the sound of laughter, she bolts upright and her hands fall onto the bed next to her sides for support. Noticing the lack of another body weight in the bed, she turns to see that Gardner is nowhere to be found. The giggles continue, a high pitch voice as well as some chuckles from a deeper voice. Gardner's voice.

It clicks as she rubs her eyes, a small smile on her lips as she thinks of her baby girls and husband. It had been a few years since she'd given birth to the most recent bundle of joy, Sammy. Two year old Sammy and five year old Alyssia were quite the handful, but with Gardner, she somehow survived.

Getting out of the bed and waking to the living room, her smile grows at the sight she's greeted with. Gardner, in his mailman uniform, is on his knees, Lyssie on his back and Sammy being chased by the duo. Y/N crosses her arms and leans against the wall, deciding she'd rather watch her happy trio a bit longer.

Gardner wasn't the most outgoing person, but his girls got the most energy and attention any of his coworkers had ever seen him put into another human being.

As she thought about his change with becoming a father, her mind drifted further back down memory lane.

The shy, antisocial mailman sighed as he looked at the letters in his hands. He loved his job, he loved stamps, and he loved the routine of his route. Walking to the next house on said route, he noticed a woman sitting by the front door, a box in her lap and a worried look strewn across her features.

"Excuse me?" She spoke when he came into her vision. Her voice was sweet like honey, sending a chill down his spine.

"Yes?"

"Someone left this on my porch, but I'm afraid it's not the right address. I'd hate to have this package not reach it's rightful owner. Do you think you could deliver it?"

A small smirk met his face. What a decent citizen. He nodded and walked over to her to collect the box. However, he froze just as he approached, his face mere inches from her own. He gulped. What was this feeling?

She appeared to feel it too, the way her face flushed as she averted her gaze. They stood there for a few moments before she handed the mailman the box. "Thank you..."

"Gardner. And I'm assuming your name is..." he checked the envelope in his hand, the address reading the same as the one he was at currently, "Y/N?"

Her face flushed again before she nodded. "Yep, that's me."

That's when Gardner did something he never did. He handed Y/N her mail in person. The second their fingers touched, he felt a strange chill run over him, a shiver throughout his body. It wasn't an unpleasant shiver. Rather, it was one he wished to feel again.

"Thank you, Gardner."

With a nod, he turned to walk away. Before he made it past her fence line, he stopped and looked back, "Same time tomorrow?"

The seventeenth time, he'd been counting, that he dropped off her mail, she wasn't home. He'd started hand-delivering hers, just to feel that spark again. A part of him felt down. He couldn't experience it with her being gone, no, but that wasn't the only reason. He'd felt sad that his favorite stop on his route was nowhere to be found for the day. Dare he say, he missed her.

Hesitantly, Gardner stuffed the envelopes in her mailbox. He tried to stall for time, fiddling with his bag, resorting the letters he'd put in the box. Eventually, he realized she just wasn't there, and continued on his route. He cursed himself when he noticed how much time he'd wasted while on the job- he was never late, never missed a box, never forgot a letter. Was breaking his good streak for her really worth it...?

He thought back to that question when he kissed her for the first time. The answer? Yes. It was worth it all, and he'd gladly do it again.

"Hey you." Smiled Gardner. The moment he addressed her, their kiddies whipped around and ran towards their mother.

"Momma!!" They squealed with joy, and a little too much energy for such a lazy morning.

Regardless of her current state of conscious, she returned their smiles and lifted both of the girls up, one on each hip and a loving peck on each of their heads. Then came Gardner's "loving peck", to which the girls audibly complained about, eliciting chuckles from the couple.

Looking back, she's glad she collaborated with the neighbor to make a package that would give her the courage to talk to the cute mailman. After all, she got two beautiful girls and a loving husband out of it. Of course, Gardner lost it, laughing so hard he held his sides when he found out, and he hasn't stopped teasing her since.

[shiningwonderland]

Cecil Aijima (Repeat)

Translator: Raz (Twitter: agnadance)

Proofreader: Sera (Twitter: serayagami)

Editors: Melanie (Twitter: melabonbon), Plaid (Twitter: cecillovemail)

QA: Rei: (Twitter: wolfe_raine)

June — Turn your Excitement into an A capella

It’s now June, the rainy season.

After I wake up, I check the date on my alarm clock to find that it's definitely June.

Haruka Nanami: June…

No matter how many times I look, nothing changes. It was April just two days ago. That means tomorrow is… July. 

A whole school term will end in an instant. Even though I finally got into Saotome Academy...

And I had decided to work so hard to become a professional composer…

Originally, I was supposed to go to school for just one year, but a sixth of it has already passed.

Time keeps slipping away and I can’t do anything about it… 

I have to do something… As quickly as possible…

Thunk.

I hear a sound from my mailbox.

Haruka Nanami: A package?

My cell phone won’t even connect…

The day Satan possessed the principal, the entirety of Saotome Academy was blocked off from the rest of the world.

Phones won’t connect and an invisible wall prevents us from going outside. I can’t even get in contact with my parents.

Cecil theorized that the principal had probably placed a barrier around the school before attempting to summon the goddess of music and that that was why the school is closed off from the outside world.

This was to prevent the worst-case scenario from happening in case he summoned something bad.

I think the barrier is working. However, Satan’s power is so strong that the outside world is also being influenced by his power.

Even so, to think that he put up a barrier beforehand… The principal really is amazing. He thought out all possible outcomes.

Maybe if I hadn’t been there and it had only been the principal, then maybe he would have been able to do something…

I have to keep trying…

Anyway, I need to collect the music sheets as quickly as possible and seal Satan.

Haruka Nanami: But before that, I have to see what I got in the mail.

I fearfully open the post box lid.

There's an envelope inside.

Haruka Nanami: I wonder who this is from? Maybe this is from Hyuga-sensei or Ittoki-kun…

I cut open the envelope.

But there is something unexpected inside the envelope…

Dear Haruka Nanami-sama,

I love you!

I can’t forget the first day I met you

and my heart keeps pining for you.

For so many nights, I haven’t been able to sleep.

These passionate urges keep piercing my heart.

My heart keeps screaming, "I want you!"

I can’t hold it in anymore.

If this letter reaches you,

then wait for me under the legendary apple tree.

I don’t want you to come with anybody.

Just come by yourself…

I will be waiting for you here

no matter how long it takes,

I'll be waaaiting~!

— Tokiya Ichinose

  Uuuuum…

Select the Phrase!

ラブレター？ Love letter? (+5 Love +0 Music)

It sure looks like one… But maybe it could be one of those pranks where it’s supposed to look like a love letter.

We haven’t even met each other that often; it doesn’t make sense that he would send me such a passionate letter.

On top of that, I’ve never received a love letter in my entire life.

I’m not even sure if this is supposed to be a love letter.

Kuppuru: This is a… trap. This letter… I feel Satan’s presence from it…

Kuppuru peeks at the letter as he spoke.

Kuppuru: You shouldn’t go.

He looks at me with a serious gaze.

Select the Phrase!

だったらなおさら If that’s so, then I should definitely go. (+25 Love +0 Music)

Haruka Nanami: I have to save him…

Kuppuru: Is that so... You have a point... But, you have feelings for…

Haruka Nanami: What?

Kuppuru: No… it’s nothing… 

Kuppuru: I can’t let you go alone. I will go with you.

Haruka Nanami: But… The letter said to come alone…

Kuppuru: I won’t let you go!! I don’t want to… let you go… Haruka… please kiss me…

He looks at me with pitiful eyes.

Select the Phrase!

止めないで Don’t stop me. (+25 Love +5 Music)

Kuppuru: You are kind, so I knew you would say that. But I don’t want to let you go.

Kuppuru: There is probably no reason… for this impulse. I’m just scared… That’s all…

Kuppuru: Please let me go with you… not in this form, but as Cecil. I want you to let me be at your side… Please… I beg of you…

Haruka Nanami: But… If I kiss you, Cecil-san won’t let me go. I’m sorry!

I turn my back to Kuppuru and run away.

There might be a chance that I can save him. I can't just ignore him!

Haruka Nanami: I wonder if Ichinose-san... is waiting for me...

When I arrive where the letter said to meet up, who I see isn't Ichinose-san but HAYATO-sama...

Haruka Nanami: Eh... HAYATO...sama... Why are you here?

HAYATO: That's... well... I... Tokiya Ichinose... am HAYATO himself.

I hear a loud gust.

A strong wind blows through and rustles our hair and clothes.

Haruka Nanami: The one... and the same? That... can't be... you're different people... You said that yourself...

HAYATO: Yes, I had to give you that excuse. I was hiding who I really was because it would’ve been bad if everyone knew.

Haruka Nanami: Is that… true…?

HAYATO: Yes. HAYATO is me. And HAYATO is the one you love.

HAYATO: Isn’t that so, Haruka Nanami-san?

HAYATO-sama smirks.

He never made such a wicked smile on TV…

HAYATO-sama… Is this Satan’s curse as well? I want him to return to normal as quickly as possible.

Haruka Nanami: … HAYATO-sama is…

Select the Phrase!

アイドルです An idol. (+0 Love +5 Music)

Haruka Nanami: HAYATO-sama sings and dances, and just seeing that brings me so much joy. He is just that amazing of an idol.

HAYATO-sama’s smile is like the sun, and…. And he has never made such a sinister face before…

Haruka Nanami: … so HAYATO-sama is Ichinose-san, and Ichinose-san is HAYATO-sama…

So the person in front of me is HAYATO-sama, and also Ichinose-san…

My mind goes blank with confusion.

HAYATO: You love HAYATO. Isn’t that true?

He places his hands on my shoulders from behind and whispers in my ear.

Haruka Nanami: Eh… uh... um…

HAYATO: Haruka-chan, I love you!

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

H-HAYATO-SAMA!!!

W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-what do I do!?

I need to calm down. Th-this is just a curse… Satan’s… the principal…

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

HAYATO: I want you to accept this. My love…

L-love!? Nonono. Nope! Nope!!! This is straight out of a dream!!

HAYATO: Why…? My love for you is deeper than music. Love me… more than music…

W-w-w-why? B-because… Ichinose-san is the S-class’s top student and…

He is an amazing person whose music and performance are perfect. HAYATO-sama is an extremely popular idol.

I-I’m just a failure of a student... And…

Ichinose-san would never say anything like this. He’s so cool, even when female students talk to him, he doesn’t give them special treatment.

He is more sincere about music than anybody… So… This is wrong… this is just wrong…

HAYATO: Now… I will become one with you…

His lips slowly approach mine.

Haruka Nanami: Uh... um…!!

I… I can’t!!

This is wrong. This isn’t how he really is. I don’t like this…

I love HAYATO-sama. I’ve always looked up to him, but this is so wrong.

Aaah… But I can’t look away. My body won’t move…

W-why?? Is this... Satan’s curse?

Kuppuru: Get away from her!!

Suddenly, Kuppuru lunges at Ichinose-san.

He then swiftly jumps onto my shoulder and comes close to my face…

Haruka Nanami: Ah… no…! Mm...!

He kisses me.

Cecil Aijima: I won’t let you have her!

Cecil-san blocks me with his shoulder to protect me.

... Cecil-san, is he angry?

Cecil-san is always so gentle, but now he is making such a scary face.

HAYATO: You won’t let me have her, you say…? I don’t think you have any say in the matter, though.

HAYATO: However, you got in the way… Just a little bit more and I would have…

HAYATO: You and her… Nanami-kun’s contract… If she were to kiss anyone else, that contract of yours would break, am I correct?

The contract would break with a kiss? Does that mean he was trying to break the contract between me and Cecil-san?

Haruka Nanami: The contract… would break?

HAYATO: Ahh, you didn’t know, did you? I said too much… But you cannot resist my kiss.

HAYATO: Your face earlier… You were unmistakably desiring me… HAYATO…

HAYATO: Yes, isn’t that right? Haruka-chan.

BA-DUMP!!

I know. I know he’s brainwashed by Satan, but…

Whenever HAYATO-sama smiles at me, my heart leaps out of my chest!

B-but a kiss… That moment, I faltered.

Even though I love and look up to HAYATO-sama so much, I…

Cecil Aijima: Silence! I won’t let you speak any further. She is my… my only… soulmate. My eternal Mana.

HAYATO: You seem desperate. You even look a bit pitiful to me. Ah, I see now.

HAYATO: How about we compete to see who can make her heart flutter first? We will see who can passionately romance her... Who would be loved…

HAYATO: Let’s have her decide herself. If you both really love each other, then my words shouldn’t reach her.

HAYATO: Isn’t that right? Or do you not have any confidence? You’re her so-called soulmate.

Cecil Aijima: Urgh…!!!

U-um… wait… What is he trying to start here?

A competition to make my heart flutter?

W-what!!

Ichinose-san is HAYATO-sama, he’s so admirable and…

Cecil-san is… Cecil-san is… my…

HAYATO: Then I will go first.

He stands between me and Cecil-san and grabs me by the arm and pulls me towards his chest.

Haruka Nanami: Eh…!?

HAYATO: Hey, do you remember the first day we met? You called me HAYATO-sama.

Ah… That’s right, I saw Ichinose-san at the entrance ceremony and mistook him for HAYATO-sama.

B-but, at that time he said he was his twin, but he really is the one and the same.

But why? HAYATO-sama is already an idol.

Why would he want to become an idol again…?

HAYATO: I pretended to be calm then, but I was actually flustered. You were just so cute.

Haruka Nanami: C-cute!!! I-I-I’m not that cute at all! Aaah, I’m so happy even if you’re just saying that!

Wait, noooo!

This is Satan’s curse and the actual person isn’t thinking that at all! There’s no way he’s thinking that!

I have to run away. I… My heart can’t take it.

But… When Ichinose-san looks at me, my head gets all fuzzy and my body becomes limp.

Is this the charm of a super idol? I can’t… run away…

Aaaaaaah… I know that I have to resist… But...

HAYATO: I knew you liked HAYATO from the start. I always wanted to gaze upon you.

HAYATO: The moment I saw you, I fell in love.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! H-HAYATO-sama… This can’t be real…

N-now he looks like HAYATO-sama but HAYATO-sama is Ichinose-san and…

Ichinose-san is usually very calm and would never say something like that…

Ah, but, HAYATO-sama… He is everybody’s idol and would say this on TV for fan-service…

My head explodes.

My brain… short-circuits... Smoke billows from my head…

Right at that moment…

Cecil-san puts his hand on my shoulder and pulls me away from Ichinose-san. Then…

Cecil Aijima: Haruka. My sweetheart. You are my light.

Cecil-san kneels before me and takes my hand.

Cecil Aijima: You give me a reason to live. You are my entire life. Please give me your love…

He kisses the back of my hand and looks at me with watery eyes.

So… So lovely…

Once he does that, Ichinose-san hugs me from behind.

HAYATO: You… Only you understand my loneliness. I want to push the boundaries of music. I cannot sing earnestly unless it is your music.

HAYATO: Haruka… Save me… Please release me from this darkness.

He whispers in my ear, releases his hold, and looks at me straight on.

HAYATO: Only you can do that. So please… I love you.

There is sincerity in his eyes. I don’t really feel like he’s lying to me.

He is in pain. He is stricter on himself than anybody else and he deeply loves music more than anybody else.

Such a person is pleading for me to save him. If I could help him, I would, but…

HAYATO: So… kiss me…

Ichinose-san closes his eyes and his lips draw closer.

I-I’m going to be kissed at this rate…

Cecil Aijima: You can’t…

Suddenly Cecil’s arm reaches out and holds onto me.

Cecil Aijima: Don’t be fooled by him… He is fake… He’s not his true self.

Haruka Nanami: But… What should I do…

Cecil Aijima: Convey your feelings in song.

Select the Phrase!

そうか音楽なら…  I see. If it’s music… (+25 Love +5 Music)

When I say that, Cecil-san smiles.

Cecil Aijima: Let’s release him. If his love for music is real, there is something better than words to convey your feelings.

Cecil Aijima: You, too… together…

Haruka Nanami: Y-yes.

Speak not words but sing love from the heart.

To convey with “music.”

We meld our voices and sing together.

It’s so mysterious; this is the first time we've sung together, but our voices meld so well that it feels nice. It even feels nice.

It doesn’t feel awkward at all. The pleasurable harmony passes through my ears and reaches into my heart. 

When we finish, Ichinose-san applauds us.

His eyes are still blank, and only his hands are moving stiffly.

HAYATO: Song… the true... It touches my heart… … music… this is… song… Song’s… true quality… I…

Ichinose-san is wavering? Maybe Satan’s curse on him is breaking.

Haruka Nanami: Ichinose-san! ... HAYATO-sama! I love your music!

Haruka Nanami: You are always so direct and you pursue music so seriously. Isn’t that true?

Haruka Nanami: If that’s not true, there’s no way you can sing that way! Let’s… take back our songs! You can’t be defeated by Satan!

Haruka Nanami: If this keeps up, music will disappear from our world. Are you okay with that?!

HAYATO: Song… music… Once more… Ah… AAAAAAARGH!

Ichinose-san screams with all his might. He is probably fighting the evil in his heart.

Then… A black cloud emerges from Ichinose-san’s body and disappears.

HAYATO: Ha… ha… ha… I… cannot throw music away… I have to… take music back…

Cecil Aijima: Haruka. Now is the time.

Haruka Nanami: Yes!

Cecil-san and I put our hands together and place them over Ichinose-san’s chest.

Cecil Aijima: Muse, give us your blessing…

Haruka Nanami: The melody of the wandering goddess.

Cecil Aijima: Show us your true form!

A swirl of light overflows from Ichinose-san’s body and takes form.

Musical notes of light float in the air.

The musical notes line up and shine brightly.

A sheet of music takes form.

HAYATO: A music sheet… What is this? What was I doing right up until now…

Haruka Nanami: Thank goodness, the curse broke.

HAYATO: Curse? Wha— Why am I wearing HAYATO’s outfit…

Haruka Nanami: Um… you were cursed by the king of the demons, Satan.

HAYATO: … I see. A curse you say… That is illogical, but it seems like it’s the truth.

We explain the situation to Ichinose-san, lead Ichinose-san to the secret base where Ittoki-kun is, and return to the dorms.

Haruka Nanami: I’m glad… we obtained the music sheet.

Even though we managed to retrieve the second music sheet, Cecil-san looks displeased and hangs his head.

Haruka Nanami: Cecil... san.

I look at Cecil-san’s face and he suddenly embraces me.

Cecil Aijima: You are… You are my one and only soulmate.

Cecil Aijima: My irreplaceable, one and true, honest love.

Haruka Nanami: U-um… the competition is over…

Cecil Aijima: That’s not it! I’m serious... I really, truly…

Cecil Aijima: I won’t let anybody touch you. I love you so much it’s maddening.

Cecil Aijima: Please do not let your lips touch anybody else’s but mine.

Haruka Nanami: Ah, yes, if the contract breaks, that would be a problem… I will be more careful from now on.

Cecil Aijima: No… that’s… not what I meant… If your lips were taken by somebody else… My heart would be torn asunder and I would perish.

His arms tighten around me. Cecil-san embraces me tightly, as if he's clinging to me.

Haruka Nanami: Cecil-san…

Cecil Aijima: … I’m sorry… I… got distressed…

Cecil Aijima: The way you laid your eyes on him… I couldn’t bear to watch… So I forcefully kissed you.

Cecil Aijima: Even though I decided to wait for you… and not kiss you until you loved me back… I could not contain my urge.

Cecil Aijima: I’m… so sorry. You were so against kissing him as well.

Cecil Aijima: I did the same thing to you. I am… deeply sorry.

As he says that, he sheds many tears.

Haruka Nanami: Eh!? U-um… don’t cry… It’s fine…

Haruka Nanami: I'm... not used to kissing, so I don’t want to do it so casually but… I’m not mad, considering the situation.

Cecil Aijima: Really…?

Haruka Nanami: Yes. You were trying to save me that time…

Cecil Aijima: Haruka… Thank you. My beloved. My sweetheart.

Haruka Nanami: Cecil-san…

It’s been three days since I met Cecil-san. Why does this person love me so much?

While I am fascinated by him, I have difficulty gauging how much distance to put between us.

Mini Game

After yesterday’s pop quiz, Hyuga-sensei told me, “Do this when you have time,” and handed me a CD with a program for learning how to write lyrics.

There was a memo attached to the CD that said, “Even though it’s rough right now, try your best.”

Haruka Nanami: … Sensei, thank you. I will use this as best as I can.

Haruka Nanami: Let’s see… “Complete the lyrics to the following song,” it says.

I have never written lyrics before. So I am a bit nervous… I wonder if I can do it…

Haruka Nanami: Ah, I don’t have to write all of it. If that’s the case, maybe I can do it.

Haruka Nanami: Okay, I’ll give it a try.

S Rank

Cecil Aijima: A thousand words do not compare to one, single song. Your composition and your heart’s voice—I can’t help but love everything about you.

He nimbly reaches his arms around me from behind and embraces me.

Haruka Nanami: Ce... Cecil-san…

Since when…? I was so engrossed in the lyrics that I didn’t notice him.

I wonder if Cecil-san writes lyrics? I’ll ask him later.

Chapter End

[jodilin65]

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2008 As of Sunday, we were officially moved in! Everything we own was cleared out of storage and brought home.

Tomorrow I should have the beauty baskets I won from Spa Finder, according to the email I got, and we should have the DSL kit, too. I just hope Jesse’s home to sign for it! We were just saying the other day how we hoped his finger healed enough so he could get back to work and have less opportunity to pester us, so I’d say there’s a good chance he’ll be around to sign for it. I hope so! I really need to get back to the sweeps!

I’ve set up some of my dolls, but I want to take new pictures of them with the new camera and wait till the windows are replaced before I set them up in a more permanent way.

I’ll be sending Paula’s package soon, but not my folks until I’ve lost some weight. That way I can enclose the before and after pictures. I’ve decided that once I get down around 120 pounds will be when I cut and dye my hair, too. Next Monday will be when I start the tea, diet, and exercise regimen I have mapped out.

I finally got to listen to my stereo yesterday and I love the iPod but hate the tiny display. With my eyes getting so bad it’s a real struggle to read it without glasses. I have all my songs and pictures backed up on it. Documents aren’t necessary because I back those up online.

FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2008 We finally have a phone! Not the DSL, which may take another week, but at least I can check my mail when he gets in tonight and sets things up. It turned out that the phone company messed things up, and when I had to wake up with a little bit of wheezing since there weren’t any doors or car stereos to wake me up with, Tom was on his way out. That was when he told me the phone company would be by to fix it today. When I got up a few hours later at 6:00 and 84º (we still need to get this funky old cooler a thermostat), I was bummed to find there still wasn’t a dial tone. Then I heard someone pull up to Jesse’s 15 minutes later and I could hear voices too, although I couldn’t make out any words. At first I doubted it could be the phone company that late, but sure enough, I checked and found we finally had a dial tone! I swear something up there has been trying to interfere with my sweeping for nearly a year now! Hopefully, when we get the DSL, it won’t go out too often.

I also hope Jesse’s dogs won’t bark more often as the days get warmer. It was only a few barks at a time, but I heard it 4 times since I’ve been up and I got up late. I also heard the puppy whining at 3:30 last night, so like most dogs of the West, they’re not house pets. I’m sure they’ve never seen the inside of a house in their lives. He also has a cat, too.

During the first part of my sleep, I dreamt the horses won 120 million dollars. Tom took us out to dinner to celebrate, but I was too shocked to react much, other than to say, “Omigod, this wasn’t a joke after all.”

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2008 Got the washer and drying rack. The washer’s cool. There’s no agitator in it. Instead, it uses these little fins that stir the clothes around by swishing the water back and forth.

So far, though, we’re still no closer to getting online, and I’m still sleeping well only every other day.

Got a letter from Mary. She’s happy for us. Yes, she’s a very empathetic person. She feels my grief, she feels my joy.

MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2008 We’ve been busy, but making progress. Meanwhile, I’m getting used to typing on my new regular keyboard once again. It’s nice to have that in addition to the laptop’s keyboard, especially so I can 10-key, which I’ve missed the convenience of. But I’d gotten used to the laptop’s funky keyboard and now I have to get used to this again. I like this regular one better, though, and this one’s wireless. It came with speakers that sound much better than the laptop’s, but not nearly as nice as my stereo speakers. I still haven’t gotten that and my stereo yet from storage since it’s way in the back, along with my bed. I’m looking forward to getting those things back!

I’m still not sleeping much better than in the motel because of all the activity going on around here to set up the internet. Jesse ran into problems on Saturday because he couldn’t find the pipe he wanted to join with the new pipe. Then I was annoyed with him because he was supposed to return the next day but didn’t. He didn’t even call. Still, as Tom said he would, in order to help out and speed things up for our sake, he continued digging the trench for the pipe that’s to carry the wire.

Today Jesse finished filling it in. According to him, he had to run over to Reno yesterday because he had been there doing a construction job, which was where he hurt his finger, and he had to get some tools of his that people were getting into.

Jesse was impressed with the shed we got and wants to see it when it’s all set up, as he’s never seen a Rubbermaid shed made of hard plastic like this one. Yeah, we decided it was ok to splurge on this wonderful 7 x 7, $600 shed that’s actually high enough to stand up in. He thinks he may even be able to set up a little workshop in one area of it. It seals up way better than a traditional flimsy metal shed with a slider door. This one has double doors on hinges and is way sturdier. It even has a floor and little skylights so you can see things better! It can be moved and we can have it all our lives. It’ll be great for storing things we rarely use and stuff we plan to sell on either eBay or at swap meets. It saves us a lot of room inside the house. It may also be good for storing trash each week till we can take it to the dump. This way we wouldn’t have to worry about raccoons or anything getting into it.

Jesse’s brother and a friend were here on Saturday while I slept (or tried to), and Maryann came by with the smoke detector with her sister in tow the next day. They missed us, though. We ran into each other along the drive as they were leaving and we were returning from storage and shopping. She had just “fessed up” again for the second time on the phone the previous day, telling Tom that they wanted to keep things in Jesse’s name because this isn’t legal. They never got the proper permits to rent this place to people and all that, which explains why the utilities are included and all we have to pay for is propane. Meanwhile, if they had just told us this up front, maybe we could’ve gotten back online sooner. So we told them we didn’t care whose name it was in, we just needed to get back online. That’s the second thing she fessed up to. First was how they weren’t going to tell us that Jesse lived right up the hill, now this. Anything else we should know? I hope not. And I hope they don’t make a habit of bringing friends and family around any more than themselves alone, but if so, we’ll just remind them that we came here to live, not to be buddies. I doubt they’ll pester us, though, because so far they’ve only come by when they’ve needed to. Maryann left the smoke detector with Jesse, who gave it to Tom, who installed it himself a little while ago.

Tom says we should be able to at least check our email via modem tomorrow. But it’s still going to be 3-5 business days before we get the DSL kit, and possibly longer if Jesse either goofs off or has something else come up with him.

There’s still a part of me that worries that my sleep is doomed no matter what and that something up there is going to use these people to make up for the lack of city noise that used to wake me up. As shitty as we’ve both been sleeping so far, at least it’s plenty peaceful when we’re awake!

What an ideal piece of land to own! A long, winding drive all your own in the woods, yet in a nice climate, and with plenty of privacy and space to build on. I don’t think there’s any house closer than 400’ away from his or ours, but it seems like miles, unlike in Arizona where they didn’t seem as far as they really were. That’s the difference between living on flat land with hardly any trees, as opposed to hills with tons of trees. Jesse said to watch out for some of these trees. You can get poison oak that gives you the same rash poison ivy does.

We can actually see the houses up on the hill easier than Jesse’s because there are no gaps in the trees between us and Jesse. Jesse’s one lucky dude. I guess he inherited the place from his parents and that he lived here before they died, then moved up the hill.

I asked him about the howling I heard and he said he’s never seen wolves here. Just coyotes, deer, skunks and raccoons. He might’ve said badgers, too. Tom thought he saw either a badger or a possum in the road one night on his way home.

Unfortunately, Jesse’s got two dogs, not one. He drove back and forth to get stuff he needed on an ATV and he had his puppy with him, of course. This is the one that does the yipping, but so far it’s been quiet when it’s here. This one’s Whiskey. Brandy, the adult dog, is the one with the regular bark. I wish all dogs could be like these. I hear them maybe once a day for 30 seconds. Even that would be annoying, though, if it were just a few feet away. It’s still nice to hear just a few barks once a day as opposed to it going on and on for hours.

This place is definitely not as dumpy as the Klam house, but it has the worst kitchen I’ve ever had. This is mostly because most of the cabinets are hard to reach. It’s weird how they put in a new sink and countertop but left the old bummy cabinets and drawers.

I’m glad that he’s pulling stuff from storage a little at a time for me to work into the place, rather than going and renting a truck and hauling it all back at once. That would’ve been much more overwhelming and very hard to sort through with so little space. In a house like Maricopa, that was fine, but not in this little thing. There’s actually turning out to be more space than I thought there would be, except for in the kitchen.

Here’s what we got so far with the money and what we plan to do with the rest of it. First, we each got a new desk. That wasn’t the original plan, but the desk we initially got me was too big for this room, so he ended up taking it which worked out well in the end cuz all he had before was the stand he’d gotten at the motel. The desk I got for myself is perfect for this room. It doesn’t have any shelves, but I can add them later if I want to. It just has a little storage space underneath.

I also got a chair that takes some getting used to. It’s got a higher mesh back and lumbar support that I had to adjust to get the most comfort. Its fabric is rough, so I may reupholster it with some spare fabric that’s softer.

For less than what the camera we pawned and never got back cost, we got a shiny pink camera, and best of all, a darker shiny pink iPod Nano! It was a toss-up between that and the Microsoft Zune. Both Tom and the salesperson pointed out that Zunes may be cheaper and have bigger screens, but they have some problems with copyright and downloading issues, so I went with the Nano. Zune also has a touch-screen that would leave fingerprint smudges.

Seeing the tiny screen without glasses may be quite a task, but it definitely takes up much, much less space than an additional computer! No more desktops for me! I’ve completely upgraded my office. I should be able to store all my songs, documents and maybe my pictures as well on the Nano, so this stuff can always be with me wherever I go. When I go out I can carry it in a case in my pocketbook. This way, if there ever was a robbery, all my stuff would be safe. I only have just my docs and some pics backed up online, but no music at all.

I got some wind chimes that may be too pretty to ever hang outside. Its metallic reeds are different colors. Usually, they’re just gold or silver, but besides that, I’ve got pink, purple, blue, green and yellow.

We got a new and nicer water dispenser than the one we had before, and the washer we ordered will be at the store for pick-up tomorrow. We got a microwave when we first got here. It’s a stainless steel one, which I normally didn’t care for cuz it looks too commercial-like, but it was the best deal.

We decided not to let our money get lower than $1300, figuring we could live comfortably on that if they let him go before he got a new job. He calculated that we’d have around $50 extra each week, and we agreed to save half and spend the rest. He said I could have $20 of it since all he really needs is $5 so he can get sodas at work. Whenever they’re Coke or Pepsi, he brings home the caps and I enter the codes on them for points that can be redeemed for prizes. That is when I can get online! We’re not going to start this until he gets his May 9th check. We’re also going to split the grand we’re expecting from the government. In the end, it will be nice when we have 3 grand saved. He thought of what could be our most expensive catastrophe, and that’d be the car’s transmission going out, so our goal is to have at least 3K saved, although we’ll keep saving all we can.

I was finally able to put together Paula’s package, but not my parents’ yet. I’ll need the printer set up first so I can print their incense labels. I’m giving them one stick of each scent and I want to print the names of the scents so I can tape them to each stick so they’ll know what they are. Speaking of them, it’s been 4 months since I’ve heard from them. I know most people aren’t into writing, but I wonder if something’s up. Are they busy? Ill? Not wanting to write, or what? If I don’t hear from them after I send the package, I’ll assume they want no more contact and will stop writing them. I’ve only sent 4 or 5 letters since October, but I won’t send anymore if I don’t hear from them after the package is sent, because then I’ll know it is because they want no contact. If something were wrong, I can’t believe they couldn’t get word to me somehow.

Anyway, I’m sending Paula the necklace I won that I think she’ll like, especially after losing the bracelet I also won. I’m sending some incense I don’t want, some CD samplers, plus 6 dolls – Rapunzel, Pine Leaf, Snowy Owl, Praying Spirit, Kayla the lollipop doll, and one of the kissing dolls I got at a swap meet we went to right after we got to Oregon.

My hair is just starting to creep past my ass and I am getting sicker than sick of it! It is such a bitch to deal with. I’m also getting sick of being 138 pounds, as much as I love to eat and would hate to trade in pleasure for hunger, but I think I’ll take before and after pictures and make some changes. I’ll take a shot of the current me who’s fat with insanely long black hair, then the smaller me who will have shoulder-length auburn hair. I’m not going to start dieting and cutting my hair just yet, though. One thing at a time. First I want to get settled, then I’ll move on to that and whatever else.

THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008 I never did hear Jesse’s dog today, now yesterday, but I did hear that wolf howling. It sure sounded like a wolf anyway. But I thought they were nocturnal. Maybe it was Jesse’s dog. I suppose if it can whine as well as bark, why not howl, too? I don’t think so, though. This time the howling came from further away. All I heard from Jesse’s place was him driving in and out of his driveway, obviously working on the wires. Tom said his truck was parked at the fork. At times I would think he was driving down here, but then when I would fail to hear the crunch of gravel which covers most of the clearing or see his truck, I knew no one was coming down here. He was gunning some engine for 5-10 minutes at one point. It wasn’t too loud, though I still hope he doesn’t do that regularly.

I wonder if most of these trees lose their leaves in the wintertime. I hope not. We’d lose some privacy, not that we’d be hanging outside then or leaving windows open, but it would really allow sound to travel better as well, too.

Right now there are scattered patches of pretty wildflowers and dandelions throughout the land.

The more I think about it, the more I don’t think the neighbors next to the Oregon dump were really 50’ away as I first assumed. I think they were more like 30’ and I doubt this lot is even 100’ wide like I first thought. I think it’s closer to 75’ if even that.

In some ways, it’s even quieter in the daytime, as surprising as that may sound. In the daytime all I pretty much hear are birds. At night, since sound carries better then, I hear trucks whizzing through the freeway that runs from Sacramento to Reno.

What was neat in a freaky sort of way was doing what I dreamt I did. I didn’t know the dream I had about a couple weeks before finding this place, where I saw myself gazing at a distant house from where I lived, was a premonition. Usually, I have feelings that tell me so, but not that time. Just yesterday I walked up to the window and gazed out and about through binoculars just like in the dream. It was like a strange case of déjà vu. The only things that were different than the dream are that we don’t have the rats yet and I certainly couldn’t see wall hangings or furniture inside the houses like I could in the dream. They’re not only too far away for that in reality, but I couldn’t see detail like that through the trees and with the houses being so much higher.

As much as we’re anxious to get rats, we want to wait till everything’s set up and done, like the upcoming window project.

There’s a hose running down to the irrigation ditch. Tom said not to drink out of the black one or else I’d get sick. That one’s just for watering plants. I’m amazed they got the hose down such a steep incline and that the deer could navigate it, too.

Unfortunately, it’s going to be about a week before we’re back online. I can’t wait to get back to work! Tom says he no longer considers my wins as wins, but as income earned. Yeah, that’s what all these W-9 forms think, too.

TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008 Jesse stopped by before Tom went to work. He had his dog in the back of his pickup. It’s a medium-sized dog of some kind. I think it’s the same one that makes the yipping sounds. I heard one bark earlier today, then about 10 seconds of this strange whining, and I’m pretty sure they both came from his dog. It didn’t utter a sound while it was here, any more than Maryann’s dogs did. I guess it’s customary here, like in Oregon, to take your dogs out with you.

I asked him about the road in back. He said it just winds up around his place and that every so often he takes his bulldozer to clear anything that grows on it to create a firebreak in the event of a fire. I sure as hell hope no fire ever does race up the hill in back. It’d turn this place into a raging inferno in no time! Fortunately, though, it’s unlikely in this area.

He said he’s off work today cuz he hurt his finger. He didn’t say what he does and Tom didn’t ask. Tomorrow he’s going fishing, but today and the day after tomorrow he’s going to string wire from his place to ours, then we can choose whatever internet setup we want. At first I was like, “I have to lose another day of work so he can go fishing?” But then Tom pointed out that he’s spending a lot of money to have this set up. I asked why he hasn’t asked for money, and Tom said it was because he wants us to be happy. I’m definitely happy here as opposed to a motel room! Oh, what heaven it is not having to deal with doors slamming, housekeepers, people coming to the room for various reasons, the annoying buzz of the blowers and tree-trimmers, car stereos thumping, and TVs blaring.

He measured the slider so he can put a screen in it, and said that the new windows he ordered will be here in two weeks. Good timing for my schedule. The job will take 4-5 hours.

I was stunned to find I weigh 138 pounds once I unpacked the scale since I look 150. I actually thought I was 145.

I received the incense, and while their timing has improved, they’re still fucking up things unlike Kepa’s ever done. They obviously either never got my letter or blew it off completely because they didn’t replace Joy with Tranquility as I had asked. They left out one of my all-time favorites, Hugo Boss. They gave me two Vanilla Musks instead of one of those, plus a Sweet Musk. They substituted Blueberry for Blue Nile. The writing on one of the bags was smudged, so I can’t tell what it is, and of course, most of the scents have changed. This is why I rarely order from them. If there are any other bloomers, I haven’t discovered them yet. I’m happy with everything else, though.

MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2008 Today’s been even quieter if you can believe that! I did hear distant trains, sirens, maybe a car stereo, and a coyote or wolf howling. The coyote sounded cool. I didn’t hear dogs at all today. This would definitely scare most people. The only thing that scares me is the idea of losing this place due to some unforeseen crisis, though we’re doing everything we can possibly think of to cover all our bases in that area. We got renter’s insurance, signed up for AAA, and with the exception of a few goodies I felt I deserved after all I went through, I’ll seldom get new dolls. There’s no room for them here anyway, and as it is, I have no room to set up a 120-piece collection. Some of those pieces may be stuffed animals, but the fact is the same – I have a lot of junk! I’m going to focus on things I need instead. I could use a few sundresses and sleeveless loungers for this climate. I still have to deal with my ear and teeth once he gets us insurance, but those have been a little better lately cuz I’ve been praying about them. They still need to be dealt with, though, at some point.

Although I thought it was a waste of money, I let him spend $20 on a cell phone for me to give him peace of mind when he’s gone. “What if the water leaked or something? You’d need to get a hold of Jesse. You couldn’t just let it run for 6 hours,” he said. Yeah, I suppose he has a point. And it wouldn’t be like I could just run up the hill, especially on a moonless night. There’s a long, winding driveway leading up to where it forks off to each place. Ours goes down to the left, his goes up to the right.

Ok, now I’m hearing Jesse’s dog. You definitely only hear it when nothing’s running or there’s no music playing. Sometimes I couldn’t even drown out the canal dog with my stereo turned up sort of loud. I just hope it never barks a lot. Then it would get old. Up here, though, I don’t suppose there’s much to bark at. I wonder when and where Jesse works. Tom was under the impression he and Maryann had money. If not, maybe he just got home from work.

It was $117 to have the propane tank filled, and Tom expects it to last all summer. I’m glad we don’t have an electric bill. Those are always the worst of the utility bills. No water bill, of course, with the well and septic. The heater, which sounds like a plane rumbling in the distance, makes this weird tapping sound at times and the hot water tank sounds like popcorn popping but seems to work quite well. With these flimsy walls, we’re having to use the cooler during the daytime and the heater at night as we make the transition into summer. I remember we had to do that in Dennis’ trailer on the Maricopa land before the house was hauled in. This was in November when it was starting to cool down. This far inland causes much higher fluctuations in highs and lows, that’s for sure.

Jesse wants to name this road, but as we told Maryann, we’ll probably just get an Auburn UPS box. There’s even a road I didn’t notice the first time around in back of the property, but you can tell by how grassy it is that it hasn’t been used in ages. It winds way up the hillside between Jesse’s place and that little farm where there are actually two houses. You had to go way down to the end of the property to see them, and they’re huge, too. Goats and horses were out grazing in the pasture. We didn’t follow the entire road as we didn’t want the people to think we were nosy. I’ll ask Jesse sometime where it goes.

It’s now illegal to sell non-fluorescent bulbs in California, so we bought some fluorescents, which are brighter and last way longer, to replace some of these old bulbs.

I washed the front kitchen blinds in the shower since they were filthy. I’d like to do the living room and bathroom blinds too, but not until after Jesse replaces those windows. The rest of them look newer and cleaner.

Tom, who’s been making runs to storage, though we have until May to clear it out, pulled the wooden TV tray out today so I could put my laptop on it. We’ve got almost half the stuff out of there now. I’m not going to set up dolls or anything like that till everything else is set up and Jesse’s done with the inside work.

This ought to show you how much time we’ve spent in motels since knowing each other. He said he thought that the stand had been in the motel room, and I told him it hadn’t been. Then he said he was sure it had been in some motel room somewhere, and as I told him, yeah, 3½ years ago in Oregon it was!

We got an inflatable bed because we know it’ll be a while yet before we get to the bed, which is in the very back. I also picked up a cheap blanket at Walmart that’s suitable for this climate. My big heavy comforter is better for cold climates, though I’ll still use it at times here.

We decided a shed alone would be good enough, rather than that, plus a canvas garage as well. Instead, he spent the money that would’ve gone towards the garage on new tires, something he knew he’d need to get soon enough anyway. One was vibrating really badly and cupping the road cuz it was out of balance. They also left a message saying they’ve taken the truck to strip and kill, so there’s an additional $100 for us.

SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 In the Woods in the Auburn Trailer…

We are now in the trailer!!! I thought I’d wait till I got a desk to do my writing, but then I’d be so backed up I’d forget things.

It was so exciting to see Tom wheel that dolly up to the room yesterday! I never thought we’d get out of there. I still can’t believe we did. I think there’ll always be a part of me that can’t believe we did. If it weren’t for me winning that 9K we could’ve been there for years.

Jessie and I had been swapping evening emails once I told her about the place. She checked out the view from a satellite image and asked if we were getting a rat and things like that. When I was describing how small the place was, I said, “Sorry, you’ll have to stay in a motel if you come to visit.” Then added. “Ah, but I think I know one I can recommend!” I’m sure she got a kick out of that one, although she’d probably be better off staying at the Best Western in Roseville cuz it’s closer.

I said goodbye to Say on our way out and she asked about the new place, saying she’d miss me. I waved goodbye to Rosalinda up on the second floor too, so I guess she was the one to do our room and haul out all the books I left behind.

Both Maryann and Jesse were here when we got here. Maryann was cleaning the oven and Jesse was working on the cooler, stuff I wish they’d done during the week, but at least it got taken care of, and they were nice enough to bomb the place for us beforehand. The only things they’re going to have to come back for that we know of are to replace the living room and bathroom windows with new dual-paned windows like the kitchen and bedroom have which will seal the place up better, and to put the patio roof up. He already has the posts set up for that. Of course, there’s still the phone and internet that needs to be set up. At least it looks like we should be able to get high speed. I sure hope so!

Jesse’s also going to get a screen for the sliding glass door, though we don’t expect to use that or the door outside the bathroom and bedroom. The kitchen door is fine enough and closest to where he parks. Why this little trailer had to have 3 doors is beyond me. Talk about total overkill in an asinine sort of way! I wish those areas were part of the wall so I could have more places for the free-standing, adjustable bookcases we talked about getting from Big Lots that are dirt cheap. I could probably still put stuff in front of the part of the sliding glass door that doesn’t open, but not the other door. The hallway area there is too narrow. We got blinds for that door because, for some reason, this door has clear glass and is not frosted like in the kitchen.

Maryann said they weren’t going to tell us this, but we seemed like nice enough people who wouldn’t be a bother, so she let us know that “the neighbor” whose motorcycle the last people here stole, was really Jesse, and he lives just up the hill in front. I would never have known anyone was up there till she pointed it out and I squinted through the trees. It’s about 75 feet higher and about 150 feet away. So the houses you can faintly make out from the north end of the house aren’t on his property like I originally thought. This property only consists of his place, ours, then the ditch which is another 50-75 feet down, maybe even 100’. Jesse’s place could be 100’ away too, but definitely no closer than 50’. It’s hard to tell for sure with all the hills, but the other houses are definitely 400’ or more.

I told Maryann I sometimes like to play my music a little loud when I’m cleaning and asked if that would be ok. She said yes, and that I’d probably hear Jesse’s, too. That wasn’t a thrilling thing to know, and neither is the fact that he’s got a dog, which isn’t allowed indoors, no doubt. With the windows open or without background sounds from fans, heaters or coolers, it’s a little annoying, but it’s fine otherwise and rarely barks. It’s nothing like the canal dog was. If anything worries me, it’s his Harley Davidson motorcycle Maryann says he’s got. Those are ferociously loud, and I worry it may wake me up, but we’ll see. Other than that, Tom heard a yipping dog before I got up that was way off in the distance, the faint sounds of big trucks on the freeway, and a possible chainsaw or motorcycle, it’s been wonderfully dead quiet. I can’t believe we’re in a place quieter than Maricopa! We’re still in town enough that no sonic booms could be heard here, nor could car stereos be a problem. If it were flat and open like Arizona, then it wouldn’t be as quiet. It’s anything but flat and open, though! Most of these trees appear to be California oaks. I had no idea you could live where there were so many trees without being in a cold climate or a rainforest. This is definitely no pine forest or rainforest! The land is like this all the way from here, which is considered the gateway to the Sierras since we’re at the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, on into Nevada. The problem is that while the land gets cheaper the more you head towards Reno, which is about 100 miles from here since it’s harder to get to, it also rises in elevation, which means snow. It’s really dark at night too, save for the moon, which is a little more than half-full right now. I can’t wait to see how bright the stars are once there’s no moon!

Later…

I’m sitting by the open window now with nothing running and all I hear are birds chirping and the distant hum of trucks. It’s awesome! The sun is setting now, though, so the birds aren’t chirping as much. Although it’s not literally “remote” it sure feels that way cuz of all the seclusion, yet all the stores we could possibly need are just minutes away.

It would’ve made the motel time much easier to deal with had I known what was waiting for us in the end. I mean, I never thought we’d be lucky enough to get 20’ away from the neighbors, let alone this much. And so much peace, too! It’s so country-like! I feel like I’m back in the wilderness again, yet not the miserable kind in Oregon where we had to watch out for bears and big cats. We still have deer here, which is kind of cool. Tom saw 3 of them this morning. I love the rural, farmland setting! Like I said, if only someone could’ve told me. Then again, I’d never have believed them anyway.

I’m more sure of the prayers and spells than ever. Once the coincidences become one too many, you know they’re not just coincidences.

Here are all the ins and outs so far. The trailer seems to have been made in ’66, judging by the date on the taillight. The license is from ’94 which is probably when it was hauled in here. It’s got the number 4 on the front, so it must’ve been in a park at some point before ’94.

The cooler sucks because as low as these ceilings are, I’m still too short to reach the control knob, so I’ll have to stand on a step stool once we get it out of storage. It also sucks because it has no thermostat. The heater, which runs off of propane as does the hot water tank and oven, has a thermostat.

The tub’s back isn’t slanted at all, which sucks, though I take a lot more showers than baths anyway. The faucets are old and it’s a little hard to adjust the temperature because it’s got a knob for both hot and cold water, and the hot water doesn’t last long. The pressure’s sort of wimpy like the Klam dump was. The bathroom’s the nicest-looking room, though, with the most storage space.

Just about everything in here has been upgraded. The bathroom has a new, but ugly back countertop same as the kitchen. The drawers are old and don’t open easily, but there’s sufficient counter space in the bathroom. Not the kitchen, though. The tub is a nice mauve color with a light blue surround with gold streaks. We got a shower curtain with a beach and palm scene. I don’t like the floors which are the same in the kitchen, bathroom, and hallway area outside the bath and bedroom. Nonetheless, I dislike it because it’s vinyl tiles, rather than one continuous sheet of linoleum. Tile edges tend to lift here and there and that’s why I don’t like them. I don’t know why they didn’t run the carpet straight through from the living room on into the bedroom, yet a small square area just outside the bathroom door and in between is tiled.

So even though the trailer itself looks like poor trash lives here at least from the outside which badly needs a paint job, we’re not doing bad at all for two people who were staring death right in the face half a year ago! I cannot believe we’re alive today to enjoy this moment. Tom pointed out that this is just a small stepping stone toward where we want to be. Sure seems like quite a leap to me! Sure, we still want to own someday so everything can be what we want from the carpet to the appliances, and for the security and other reasons, but this is great for now. Now he can work the horses without the pressure of trying to get us out of a bad place as fast as he can, and we can be patient when it does start making serious money in order to give it time to show consistency. So we can easily enjoy a few good years here, as small as the place may be and with whatever imperfections it may have. Worst-case scenario, we stay here forever, if people can’t stop messing up our credit or we can’t find another place this quiet.

Shortly after our arrival yesterday, Jesse left to take his 10-year-old son to his ballgame. Maryann said he wasn’t a very good husband, but that he was a great dad. Nothing wrong with that, considering how many guys don’t want or care about kids. He returned a couple of hours later with a package of vertical blind slats. There were a couple missing from the blinds by the slider so I wanted to replace them.

Jesse put sheetrock on the kitchen and bedroom walls and redid those ceilings. Those rooms look modern and quite nice compared to the living room. The walls and ceilings in there are ugly.

Later…

Tom just went to bed. I was relaxing for a while cuz my feet are killing me. I’m not used to being on them so much. I think I’ll call it a night myself soon enough.

FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2008 Less than 24 hours to go! Before Tom left for work, we ordered a small portable washer and a drying rack, as they call it. I just hope there’s room in that little kitchen for a washer, a drying rack, a water dispenser, and a little dinette! Maybe even a mannequin to sit at the dinette if there’s no room for her in the bedroom.

The truck can’t be picked up till Monday, but the manager was okay with us leaving the keys in an envelope with the guy’s name written on it who’s to be towing it away, so we’re pretty much done with that heap of shit. While I certainly won’t miss it, Tom had a point when he said that the truck never let him down. While just about every other vehicle has left him stranded at least once, the truck never did. It sure scared the shit out of us, though, and made us think it would! Anyway, it will be gone Monday, then Tom will go into their office later on to get the $100 they’ll owe him.

I hope we can get through the next 4 hours with no one checking in on either side of us so we can have our last night with no one just a wall away. They sure as hell can’t be after tomorrow!!!

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2008 Kissum did our room one final time yesterday and gave us a bottle of champagne that had been left in another room. I drank a third of it. I was hoping she’d be the one to take care of us this last time around. She won’t be here Saturday, so that means someone else will get the honor of cleaning this room after we leave it and hauling out all the unwanted books I’m leaving behind. I hope it’ll be Prasaad. I just never liked her that much at all.

I went down to give Michelle some outgoing mail and told her about the new place. She said she’d miss seeing us around and that we’ve been such good guests. I told her to feel free to keep in touch since she’s got my email, but I don’t expect her to. After all, we won’t exactly be close by.

I emailed Satish and filled him in, too. I thanked him for letting me go off on him for waking me up and putting up with me clogging his drains and wished him luck if he ever changed his mind about buying a new house.

While others come and go more seldom, the end room still comes and goes quite a bit. It’s nice to be able to hear it only from a distance and to know they couldn’t wake me up. They’d have to really slam the hell out of the door to do that, but in just two days no one should wake me up unless it’s a visitor! Hopefully, that won’t happen too often, but when it does, the bulk of the visitors should be Maryann or Jesse. I can’t imagine sales or religious fanatics going out there.

Yesterday I was surprised with an email from Incense Galore saying the incense had been shipped. That was fast! Now it’ll be interesting enough to see how badly they fucked it up.

The only ones I’m a little worried about right now are the Spa Finder people. They’re claiming they haven’t gotten the GC. I told Tom it’s no wonder they stress sending certified mail; so they can say they never got it and save money. But Tom says it’ll get there soon enough and I’ll get the beauty baskets. I hope so because first class mail shouldn’t take a week.

Our timing for getting out of this damn motel is perfect! For the third time since we’ve been here, they’ll be conducting their “annual” fire inspection next week when my schedule will be rolling onto nights. Wow, their years are short! I swear this place is worse than apartments at times. There’s always something going on here. Today was the fourth time someone knocked on this door that wasn’t related to housekeeping and we haven’t even been in this room for a month.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2008 Just 4 days and counting! Yeah, we not only found a “suitable” rental, but we also found one that’s darn near perfect!!!!!!!!!! Yes, we got that trailer in Auburn! Its only negative is that it’s small, old and dumpy, but not quite as bad as I thought it’d be. The lot it’s on far exceeds my expectations! As I told Jessie, Mary and my folks, as soon as we buy a camera since I can’t seem to win one, I’ll take pictures, but I don’t see how pictures could do the area justice! Talk about postcard material! It’s so secluded and country-like! It’s no doubt to be the best place I’ve ever lived in before or after meeting Tom. I don’t know that I’ll ever want to leave there. If anything, I may want to see if we can buy out that portion of the land and haul in something newer and bigger. If not, we still do want to own something and wouldn’t want to live crammed and jammed into such a tiny place forever, so we agreed that we’ll buy a place elsewhere when he’s 55 or the horses start raking in serious dinero, whichever comes first. So 4 years maximum if we can’t buy him out at some point. Land out there is very, very expensive. This is California. Nothing’s cheap here.

From left to right it goes, bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen. We wish we had one more bedroom and another bathroom! The office could be in the other bedroom, and I hate having to pee when he’s in the shower. I think maybe the Klam dump was 625 square feet rather than 400. It seems one bedroom shy of it, and that’d be about 100 square feet less. It’s going to be totally worth being cramped in there, however, and the very few negatives we can see with it like the fact that it’s got a shared well cuz there are one or two other houses on the property that are on 8 acres.

It’s beyond secluded!!! I fell in love with it before the back wheels of the car were even on the land!!! It doesn’t have a washer and dryer hook-up, but it’s total heaven!!! No AC, either, just an evaporative cooler. I love those swamp coolers, though, and have missed them. As dry as the summers are around here, we shouldn’t need an AC, though we do have a window one. Swamp coolers are much cheaper to use than ACs, and it’s going to be so nice to be able to crack a window and not worry about losing any privacy. The only other negative, though it’s not that big a deal, is the brown paneling in the living room. At least it’s not too dark. The trailer’s got to be 30-40 years old, so that was the thing back then. It also has coffee-colored carpet. That is coffee with cream, of course. Again, if I had to have those earth tones I don’t prefer, at least it’s a lighter shade. I don’t like dark colors as much as neons and pastels.

Wooooo-hooooooo! We’re outa here! No more motels! It’s truly over! If someone had told me between June of ’04 and now, “Don’t worry. You will escape the city before getting into a retirement community, and you will live in a rural setting again like you love, just 4 years after leaving Arizona,” I never would’ve believed it in a million years!

Tom loves it too, of course, and agrees it’s totally gorgeous and peaceful. It shouldn’t snow, but just get a few flurries once every few years that won’t stick cuz it’s below 2000’. It’s just over 1000’ actually. You can barely see the other houses that are hundreds of feet away and way up higher peeking through the trees, and it’s set so far back from the road. Technically, the Oregon land was even more remote cuz you couldn’t see any houses at all through the giant aspens, pines and junipers, but the climate was horrible, and the commute very long, so we’re glad that didn’t work out. It sure is secluded compared to Maricopa! When we left there we could see 8 houses from ours, and of course people driving by could see all around the place easily. There was no privacy with it being so open and flat.

The peaks and valleys of the rolling mountains and farmlands are breathtakingly beautiful. Some hills are so steep that they put canvas tarps along them to prevent landslides. No biking around there, cuz it’d be too scary! It’s hillier than Klamath. The roads are a bit narrow too, right in that area. Tom says it’ll be scary the first time he drives at night. We can’t figure out how in the world they hauled the trailer in, even if it is just a single-wide.

Oh, I’m just so happy I’m practically crying tears of joy and relief!!! Wooooooo-hooooooo! I’m so thrilled it’s hard to do anything but mutter Omigod! We’re outa here! Yippeeeeeee! I’m glad I’m in shape so I can move, set up and help build whatever. Fat-n-fit, that’s me! Not for long, though. I’m gonna love jogging on the land. The clearing isn’t overly huge, though, maybe 300’ by 100’, but that should be plenty of space. I was worried we’d never get a place more than a driveway’s width away from the neighbor, let alone 20-50 feet. I think the neighbors are about 400’ away. I love the breathing space around us!

The property is managed by a 55-year-old woman named Maryann but owned by her brother Jesse. We’re going to meet them both on Saturday, our last day here. It’s $825 a month and includes everything but the internet. They only wanted a $175 deposit, no lease. We were a bit nervous when she brought up that dreaded issue of credit, but we simply told her the truth. We told her how we lost our Arizona home/land, even though we did make a little money off it, and later found stuff on his credit that wasn’t his. The Oregon land was never an issue cuz the guy who sold it to us simply bought it back.

It was a bit strange that Maryann expressed concerns over us being able to make the payments when Tom later talked to her by phone, but then why did she accept us? Her words were that she decided to “give us a chance.” Tom reminded her that we managed to survive this place and that he still hopes for a better job, and I do win my share of money, too. We sure hope there won’t be any problems! Wasn’t it I who always said the good places were hard to stay in while the bad was hard to escape? Well, we’ll be smart about it, not get carried away on non-necessities, and save as much as we can whenever we can.

Where I was about 60-something percent sure prayers helped, I’m in the 90s now! We’ve certainly come a long way from that fateful October night. We nearly lost our stuff twice, our lives once and our sanity a million times, but in the end, we survived the storm! Yippeeee! We’re going home, we really are!!!!!!! I not only can’t believe we got the perfect car and house but on the very first try! I also never thought you could live in a secluded area where car stereos won’t be an issue, yet still have the convenience of the city just minutes away. And Auburn and its surrounding towns like Ophir and Newcastle, aren’t cities in the way the bigger and dumpier cities around here are like Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Carmichael, Rio Linda, Marysville, etc. Words can’t express just how lovely it is out there! Tom’s job is even closer too, though he still intends to get a better job till the horses can if not get us rich, at least make us enough so he can work at home. Then we can have the wonderful problem of figuring out how to insure us. His job is 35 miles from here, but 25 from Auburn.

It’s so awesome and I’ll make that old dump gorgeous! You pull in off the main road and go up a narrow winding drive. Then you get to a fork. The road to the right leads to the neighbors, the other to our place. Outside you don’t hear a thing, nor do you see a thing other than vivid green trees, underbrush and lush hills. You can’t see as far as in Arizona cuz it’s not flat, but still quite a way in some directions. It’s way more private cuz of the vegetation and hills. The lot is a bit narrow because it’s the only clearing on that lower level of the land. You couldn’t walk to the neighbors if you wanted to. Most of the land has dense vegetation and super steep hills. You can’t walk behind the trailer either. That’s cuz it’s set close to a huge drop-off down to where the irrigation ditch is. There is a narrow wooden plank Maryann says you can walk on, but I wouldn’t trust it. If you fell off it you wouldn’t be killed or even break any bones, but you may get scraped up bad enough. It’s a steep valley that rises up to where the neighbors are a couple of hundred feet above towards the end where the kitchen is. You literally have to go outside to see them, and outside you’d still need binoculars to see much! A near-sighted person would never know they were there. It’s hard to describe and I don’t know if you get what I’m saying, but anyway, you can faintly make out the property with the horses and goats grazing one of the steep hillsides up on Duncan Hill. The front of the place is such a steep hill it’s like a wall! The land has been left in its natural state so we don’t have to mow, but I may plant a flower, fruit and veggie garden someday. Palms and Prickly Pear cacti can live there, but there aren’t as many in this area.

I am so not going to miss this city or motel!

Auburn is so much better than Maricopa was. It was certainly better than Phoenix, but such a trashy town nonetheless. Loose dogs running rampant, garbage blowing everywhere, boom stereos that could be heard 5 miles away cuz of the openness. Here, even though it’s not fenced, we don’t have to worry about stuff like that. Like I said, it’d be very hard for people and animals to possibly scale those hills and wade through all that brush.

I guess they either evicted or were unhappy with the last people that lived there. They stole the neighbor’s motorcycle. At least they think they did. It was later recovered down the road. They left a nice grill there on the front deck, too.

We may still never have the luxury of a dishwasher, but we’re gonna get a small washer that you hook up to the sink and do big stuff like the comforter at Laundromats. We have dressers, and the surprisingly large walk-in closet has built-in dressers on either end of it, too. We have a self-defrosting freezer, and they’re getting us a new oven. The bedroom and kitchen have dual-paned windows, but no ceiling fans. A person Tom’s height would get their head chopped off with those low ceilings! I like them cuz it’d make killing spiders easier as short as I am.

We’re gonna get a small computer desk and a little two-seater dinette at Goodwill or Big Lots. Probably a canvas garage too, and a storage shed of some kind will be good enough for stuff we don’t use much.

They said pets are ok. New ratdoggies soon, woooooooo-hooooooooo!

A part of me wishes I’d never become a doll collector. I do intend to downsize my collection a bit. I can’t wait to not only see my fiberglass friends but my vinyl and porcelain ones too, my stereo, and all our other stuff. It’ll be like going on one big shopping spree!

We haven’t had a landline since Arizona. We may have that again but aren’t yet sure just what the phone and internet setups are going to be. Also, we’re going to get a new UPS box a mile away cuz it’s just not easy to make deliveries there. This way we also won’t have to worry about being around to sign for packages that need a signature when we’re both out.

According to my online research, there’s been just one murder there since ’99, and the owners are clean, too. We checked them out. Maryann has a profile at classmates.com, and Jesse’s a year older than Tom. He was worried at first that since Maryann said we couldn’t live there if we were felons this was because Jesse was a felon, and they’re not supposed to associate with each other. In the end, we’re pretty sure she said that because they just didn’t want to rent to felons. I made the comment to Tom about not many people wanting the place, but he said, no, people would want it. Just the wrong kinds of people like druggies wanting seclusion. Yeah, no one would see much of you at this place, that’s for sure, so I can understand their concern. You can’t tell how steep the hills are by satellite. You’d think it was perfectly flat if you didn’t know better.

Jessie, who’s so fed up with her evil coworkers and seeking a new job, is happy for us but says she’d be scared to live that secluded. Maryann said it was “scary quiet” when she was there cleaning.

SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2008 The plan was for Tom to focus on vacant houses, hoping that’d up the chances that the owners would be desperate enough to have it rented and therefore not as picky about who they take in. Well, we found this trailer in Auburn that seems very promising. It’s a very small, old and dumpy trailer at 10 x 50 which comes to 500 square feet, and may get a dusting of snow since it’s just over 1000’ high in elevation, but it’s in a remote area. The woman he spoke to, who said we were the first to call about it, said you have to “look hard” for the neighbor. But she also said the neighbor complained about the last tenants, so either they were unbelievably loud as in hanging outside with car stereos and company galore, or it’s not as secluded as it seems to be. She never said what they were doing or if she evicted them. Either way, we’re anxious to check it out and have an appointment at 1:00 tomorrow. It’s 35 minutes from here but would be half the distance to work, not that he’s still not going to look for a better job elsewhere. As small and as dumpy as it seems, it seems pretty ideal for us, but Tom got the impression that the woman, who sounded like she could be in her mid-60s, was stern and so we don’t know how picky she is. He also thought she may be Jewish, cuz he got the impression that she wore the pants in the family, and because she wouldn’t see us today. A lot of older Jewish people don’t do things on Saturdays. I don’t like how she said we’d have to fill out an application. If she checks for credit, we’re screwed, unless she can accept our explanation of why it’s screwed up. The rent would be $825 and she only wants a $175 deposit. If it’s going to be free of car stereos, barking and other shit, the size, age and dusting of snow just might be totally worth it. It’s only 3º cooler there right now. Meanwhile, K-Falls, which is over 4000’ high, is 30º cooler at the moment. While it’s definitely kind of rural, it at least has high-speed internet and probably mail service, too.

She didn’t ask about pets or where we were living now but asked about our ages. I just hope we get it! It seems so ideal for us until we either get rich or into a retirement community, whichever comes first. If anyone deserves to be compensated for the chaos we’ve gone through with a peaceful place, it’s us. I’m praying like crazy, but I still don’t know that God would ever let us live in peace. One thing I can say for sure, though, is that if He grants us this wish, it will totally convince me more so than ever that yes, praying really does make a difference. I used to think prayer was total hogwash, just pure wishful thinking, figuring that what’s fated to be is going to be anyway whether we ask for it or not. But now even I have to admit it at least seems we’re more likely to get something we want if we ask God for it. However, this would surely go a long, long way toward convincing me quite a bit. I asked Mary if she thinks repetitive prayers makes a difference. I wonder if it matters if I asked for a quiet place with good neighbors once, versus 20 times, versus 100 times. Are we more likely to get what we want the more we ask for it?

Mary also suggested in the letter I just got from her that I do a prayer where I take 3 white candles and write my name on one, Tom’s name on another, and what we want on the last one. Then, placing them in a pyramid, call on Emlael, Sachiel, Stamiel and Simiel, angels of power, peace, money, security and other things good. I asked her to spell these names out phonetically for me since I couldn’t possibly call on anything I didn’t know how to pronounce. She said once I call on them, tell them what we want and all that and speak from my heart.

I was just telling Tom that the candle spell I did before we came here seemed worthless. The one where you take a white candle that represents yourself and a green one that represents money. Then you place them an inch closer over a 9-day period till they touch. Then Tom pointed out just how much money I’ve won. Well, that was a hell of a delayed reaction time and we nearly died along the way, but better later than never!

I’m not going to pray that Incense Galore comes through cuz that’s not nearly as important as a home and a better job. We’ll just get PayPal to get our money back instead, cuz something’s obviously not right with them. They haven’t answered my letter.

Anyway, if we get this place we’ll definitely have to look into some sort of storage, be it an RV, a small trailer or something. This place may be even smaller than the Klam dump. As I said, we seem to be getting smaller and smaller each time! We’ll take it, though, if it’s going to be peaceful. An RV may be good just so he can have an office since it’s only got one bedroom. The more I think about it, the more I think the Klam dump was around 400-500 square feet and not 600-700.

We checked out a duplex in Citrus Heights, and we both agreed there was no way we’d take it. Not only were the houses miserably close, but each house had half a dozen cars! The driveways and curbsides were jam-packed with cars. Soon they’ll have to start making houses not with driveways, but with parking lots! It’s also a scummier town with car stereos galore. There was nothing good about it other than that the garages were between the units and everything was on concrete. That’d be a negative to the trailer, but if there are no car stereos cruising by every few minutes, and no one parking right next to the wall of it, it won’t matter cuz we wouldn’t have to worry about sound reverberating underneath the floorboards.

If we do get the place and the lady visits, I wonder how she’ll take to dead squirrels, live rats and a couple of mannequins. I still intend to get my taxidermy squirrel. It’s still a funny thought, though. I mean what would I tell her, “Don’t worry, the squirrel’s dead, but the rats are alive, so be careful where you step?”

THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2008 Say just came to take the phone book and exchange it for a new one. I’d have been pissed if I’d been asleep just to be woken up over a phonebook. That explains the annoying door-slamming frenzy that’s been going on for hours now. That’s part of it. I guess it was kind of full last night so the housekeepers had more rooms to do than usual.

The best thing is that Tom got the rest of the money without issue, and so now we’re down to just two more things to do; get him a new job, and us a place to live. I still say we’ll never have a real home. Not even a suitable rental that’s at least relatively peaceful with civilized neighbors. The best we can hope for is to get a place that isn’t too wild, as in Phoenix or the duplex.

As for a job, 10-12 bucks is the best he’ll probably be able to do for a while.

I just want a place to live! One where I can sleep and hear myself think when I’m awake! Think that’s too much to ask for? Probably, cuz it’s me asking for it, but we still both agree that we’re anxious for a place to live. I’m going to do all the spells and praying I can, but if it ends up that bad, there’s no saying we have to stick around once we’ve had a little time catching up on lost things, like my stereo, for one. As I said before, God can keep us from where we want to be, but He can’t make us live in bad places if we choose to kill ourselves.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2008 Kissum did the room earlier. Someone’s already in our old room, too. Could they have fixed what was broken that fast?

We tried to pull my credit report online and couldn’t do so. In order to obtain it, we have to send a government-issued ID, plus a utility bill with my name on it. Something’s fishy, I think, but Tom thinks it’s probably just blank cuz I never had any credit. I don’t know about this, though, cuz as it turns out, it wasn’t enough that the property management had to steal our deposit with bogus “repair” claims. They had to fuck up our credit with bullshit, too. So seeing that I also filled out an application with them, if they fucked his credit up, I’m sure they fucked up mine, too. Now we’ve got a triple whammy against us. We have lousy credit, no rental references, and shitty income. Someone’s got to really want their house rented bad in order to take us or else we’re going to end up cramped and jammed into a trailer and living like trash.

I swear something up there does not want us to have a home! Only motels and the streets are what we deserve as far as it’s concerned. It really, totally wants us to be a couple of bums! This is what makes it hard for me to trust that God has our best interests at heart. First He allows people to walk all over us, then He protects them.

Satish bullshitted me again too, as far as the realtor goes. I think he just said what he said cuz he knew I was pissed at being woken up. That is unless he really did pass the info onto the realtor and the realtor didn’t want to help us cuz of how little he makes.

[reii18]

Letter💌(Akita Rian.2024.04.13)

Welcome back to Rian's blog~ The package that I've been waiting has finally arrived! What is it? Well it's chocolates from a local friend!! It's been about 2 months since she told me on Valentine's Day that she would send chocolates to me in Tokyo! It seems it's finally delivered to me. Along with the chocolates, she also gave me a towel with my favorite panda on it.🎁I'll be using that towel for my lessons from now on!💪 Oh yes, she also included a letter, giving me updates on what's going on, talking about my blog, etc… I wonder if she'll read my blog today..💭It's a weird feeling to have a friend you've been talking to in person read your blog. Letters always make me happy. I read the letters I receive from my fans over and over again. It makes me so happy to hear their thoughts and feelings about me, and it makes me want to work even harder! It also encourages me a lot😌 so thanks everyone for the letters!🫶 I'm afraid I'll forget to add a picture if I continue writing so I'll add it now lol.

"I'm going to do my best today"

Also one where I'm smiling in another angle^^ Only 4 days to go until the solo performance of Kumogumi #04: ！！！！ I'll do my best for the last spurt 🔥! Last but not least, the deadline for the FC pre-registration for the "1st anniversary of formation, the one-man live Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora vol.1" is coming up soon, on 23:59 tomorrow! I hope everyone remembers to apply! Let's all feel youthful together! https://bokuao.com/news/detail/1238

Also, The performance of the song "Repaint it white again! which was performed for the first time at the "One-man live vol0.5", is now available on YouTube!

Please check it out!

Well, that's all for today...

This is what the sky looked like today! It was warm enough that I could wear short sleeves. ☀️ I'll be going out with a certain member tomorrow🤭 I'll write it in my blog then. Thank you for reading till the end!

[calamityandme]

I’ve had a better couple of days thank goodness.

Yesterday I had a “me” day. I played a lot of BG3. ROMANCED ASTARION! It was at the tiefling party/bonfire or whatever. It was so fun lol.

I made myself chicken and dumplings for dinner that night. Spent time with Danny. Overall a good day.

✨(I need to talk about my special interests now)✨

Today I cleaned for R. I had a slightly different list than usual. I didn’t clean parts of the upstairs bathroom because she had already cleaned them, for example. I decided to switch things up with my listening selection. While I cleaned I listened to Rhett and Link’s podcast Ear Biscuits on Spotify. I hadn’t listened to them in a while because I’ve been enjoying cleaning while listening to my library audiobooks, but I remembered that they do special sex themed episodes during the month of September called Sextember so I checked those out.

I really enjoy those episodes of Ear Biscuits. I enjoyed What Are Our Sex Lives Like? (Ep. 395).

I listened to half of EP. 394 Kinks We’ve Tried (Or Will Try) but it was also funny. I only listened to half because I had finished cleaning by then, nothing against them. I plan on finishing it sometime soon.

I want to go on a little bit of a Rhett and Link tangent lol. I have been watching Rhett and Link’s content ever since I was first given access to YouTube. I was introduced to them when I stumbled across their video Squirrel Rights Song.

I have watched Rhett and Link videos at many varying points in my life. Sometimes almost religiously watching uploads, other times forgetting about them for a year until I’m recommended an interesting Good Mythical Morning segment by the YouTube algorithm.

Their videos are just a safe place for me. I have definitely looked up to Rhett and Link as father figures in my life when my dad wasn’t there when I needed him. Rhett and Link had time for me every morning lol. That was enough to leave a good impression on me. I even wrote to them back in the day and drew something of me and my friend meeting Rhett and Link lol. I was 17 and she was 15 at the time lol. Looking back, I’m sure if I actually ended up sending them my letters/package that the drawing of the two grown men standing next to two teenage girls would probably be creepy lol. Maybe it was a good thing those letters stayed in my sentiment box.

I loved the first Good Mythical Evening. I paid for it so my friend and I could watch it together. My friend C is also a long-time fan of Rhett and Link.

I just have enjoyed their content and how it’s changed over the years. I loved the small town commercials, the rap battles, the many GMM changes and skits that have stuck with me throughout the years (Moolissa, Cotton Candy Randy✨). I have a lot of good memories with their content.

But anyways done talking about that lol.

I went to this coffee shop by my work and got myself a special coffee to celebrate going to work today. I really contemplated calling in sick today but I knew in my bones I needed to get it over with.

A few days ago I tried to get coffee from this place and I didn’t have enough money to get the coffee, so i apologized and left the drive thru coffeeless. I thought I had enough but I was $2 short. Today I asked to pay for 2 coffees and only get 1 to make up for my grievance. They were nice about it.

It felt really good to pay for the coffee I couldn’t have earlier. I got myself some lunch and dropped some things off at a donation center near me before going back home for the day.

I played more BG3 today lol. Started watching this alien movie called Arrival. It’s pretty good so far. I have just been trying to take it easy since today was my “hardest” day of the week. Hard meaning most physically exhausting I would say.

Tomorrow is engagement photos. I’m so so nervous but excited. I know I’m fat and I’ll look fat so I’m trying to brace myself. Fat doesn’t equal bad. I am fat and that’s okay. I’m beautiful because of me and everything that I am. Mantra for photos ✨ I’m excited for my mom and maybe nana to see our venue too.

I’ll end this post with some marigolds from our garden. Ignore the dirt lol.