#their tiny ha n ds

[theblehthatbloos]

[m3-kk]

Sharing my TCF notes because sharing is caring 😬 ⬇️. (All of them… so far)

Ch. 086- sad time for Raon :(. REVENGE HAHAHA LETSGOOOO

Ch. 335- Eruhaben protect Roan & Cale from ugly WS 😆

Ch. 352- Cale’s greatest fear…😭

Ch. 378- Choi’s uncle (DS) left info book written in KOREAN?!?! 😵

Ch. 394- Letter from Death & shiz show😬

Ch. 395- CALE IS AFRAID?!?! 😱

Ch. 401- “Plavin was laughing on the outside but crying on the inside.”😌

Ch. 404- “And Miss Cage, please cuss out the God of Death for me.” -Cale 😇

Ch. 411- They were talking about the Lion King (person) and I thought they were talking about the movie 😭

Ch. 414- Choi Han woke up crying “Kim Rook Soo” 😰

Ch. 415- “What am I supposed to call the friend of my nephew once removed?” -Choi Han 😳

Ch. 423- “Oh, by the way, the original owner of your body is living well too. He said he is happy.” -Lee Soo Hyuk ☺️

Ch. 423- CALE CRIES! BABY NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! 😰

“It's a new record! You were unconscious for 20 days, 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 19 seconds!”- Roan Miru🤠

Ch. 431-

“You son of a bitch!” -Bear King

"Why am I your son? Such an idiot.”

-Whale Archie🫡

Ch. 434- Which Henituse sibling wants to become what?🥱👑⚔️

Ch. 435- Sworn brothers 🤞

Ch. 455- Ron says he has a cute young master (Cale) who he doesn’t want to disappoint.🥹

Also that Roan is cuter than Cale 😂

Ch. 457- “This is nice.” Beacrox commented before swinging his greatsword horizontally.🙂

Ch. 461- Cale’s merchant name is Bob XD

Ch. 465- The Sound of the Wind was a top underneath a boulder surrounded by whirlpools.

The Indestructible Shield was a pit under the tree.

The Scary Giant Cobblestone was a stone in the Super Rock villa.

The Fire of Destruction was a sculpture at the center of the magma.

The Vitality of the Heart was a stone pillar at the center of a whirlwind.

The Sky Eating Water was a chained spear.

Ch. 476- More Dragon Family Drama wtf

Ch. 481- To the Fake World Tree

Ch. 501- Illusion of Other World..RAMEN!

Ch. 504- Stick from World Tree (Cale’s blood is special?!)

Ch. 515- Vampire Duke Fredo (seems nice)

Ch. 516- Demonic Race, Rosalyn, White Star after cookie prince?! NOOO

Ch. 520- WEAKLING. Alberu is a mage swordsman badass dark elf

Ch. 526- These brothers are so cute OMEGALUL

Ch.555- Sealed god test, wtf this is so sad I’m crying I’ve never been so genuinely sad

Ch. 559- CHOI HAN OUR LOVE THANKS🙏

Ch. 581- AWW BESTIEEE

Ch. 584- Cale saying he could beat 3 strong peeps

Ch. 589- Alberu goes to Blood Boulder

Ch. 601- AHH CALE BDAY AHHH

Ch. 612- THEY GAVE ALBERU A GUN!!

Ch. 618- Cale explains to LeeSooHyuk the truth

Ch. 622- HOMEEEEEEEE AYYAYAAY

Ch. 627- @Capital w/ Dad y Alberu YAY

Ch. 628- BUBBLEGUM PINK DRAGON

Ch. 629- We are a big family!

Ch. 631- 5 FUCKIN DRAGONS AHHH-

[THE AUTHOR STARTS SAYING SHIT LIKE “IN THE FUTURE.. “ LIKE F U MAKIN ME ALL SAPPY N STUFF WTH UGHHH!!!]

Ch. 640- 2 Cats are Molan house’s future 🥹.. They can’t go berserk?..

Ch. 645- Roan & Cale Solo Fight letsgo!!

Ch. 646- Cale uses ‘instant’ to destroy 2 unranked monsters.. I’m crying actually..

Ch. 647- wtf I’m crying, goosebumps fr

Ch. 649- Roan has grown so much 🥹

Ch. 652- COM. WITH EARTH 2 AHHHH—

Ch. 655- Cale is healing❤️ OG Cale!KRS

Ch. 656- SOO much info from OG Cale!!

Ch. 658- CALE IS AWAKEEE YAYA

Ch. 662- OMG Cale’s BioMom was cooking

Ch. 663- WE KNOW HOW TO KILL HIM HA

Ch. 670- World Tree-nim

Ch. 677- Explaining ALOT lore dump!!

CB. 681- WOW the end of that chap tho

Ch. 682- I stan Cale’s hatred for the White Star. We love the PJs! Alberu is moon that’s so *legs in air kicking*

Ch. 683- So are we gonna kill WS or whatt?

Ch. 684- HAHAH OMG CALE’S BDR POWER IS SO SCARY EVERYONE THINKS ITS THE WS!! HAHAH ITS CALE’S THOOO

Ch. 685- omg.. DANGGG!! Our Cale is truly terrifying! New Pokémon acquired! White star!! 😏 wait we have a tiny WS in our pocket how cute! 🥰

Ch. 686- HAHA BOOM BOOM 💥

Ch. 688- Rashell says he wouldn’t be able to sleep if many humans died 🥰

Ch. 689- ROCK SHEILD LETSGOOO

Ch. 694- DEAFEATED! Alberu faints and thinks he’s like Cale now 😭

Ch. 695- NAHH WE LOVEEE

Ch. 699- ENTERED THE TEMPLE! We can’t leave…? CALE IS GHOST AND WATCHING OTHERS TESTS HUHHH?!! (DespairTest2)

Ch. 700- This chapter is just amazing, these people are so smart ughhh I’m screaming! In a happy way tho

Ch. 701- OK we have Choi Han, Clopeh, Rosalyn and Cale so far.. MARYYY

Ch. 702- +1(Roan) Cale can use the cintamani to contact other world. PEOPLE CAN SEE HIM YAY!

Ch. 705- Talking with Cale & others through the Cintamani :>

Ch. 706- Tonka! And Dark elf Tasha&Alberu

Ch. 707- My heart, Alberu was so sad and lonely back then…

Ch. 709- Eruhaben! WS is badddd

Ch. 710- Whyyyy I’m actually feeling despair it’s so complicated ugh and no ones receiving correct info ughhhhh

Ch. 713- Mary is #GIRLBOSS for not being tricked! ❤️❤️

Ch. 717- So glad that was settled 😮‍💨

Ch. 718- So the test Cale was in wasn’t the original one so now we are doing the actual sadness test ok 👍

Ch. 719- WOW NOT CALE ALREADY FINISHING BLUE TEST.. also someone else?

Ch. 721- Toonka left the test, Cale met Choi Jung Gun, I’m I’m scared 😶

Ch. 722- Rosalyn finally put the tests goals into words! She’s so smart. I love herrr

Ch. 726- Cale confronts CJG and he’s being used as bait bc a hunter is here oh no. Cale is going to cause chaos ialrk

Ch. 727- WOWW Cale was about to be isekaied lol. Good thing we have ancient powers! 2 Hunters?! 🫣

Ch. 730- Cale actually skipped a level bfr

Ch. 731- Cale has to observe past Roan (during the night) and Alberu (during the day)

Ch. 732- FLIPPING OVER THE FIRST PRINCES PALACE HAHAHAHAGA

Ch. 735- Freeing Roan! Again Again?

Ch. 739- Still loving how Choi’s test is taking care of tiny KRS. Alberu test completed!!

Ch. 740- I’m loving Clopeh during this test so far. He knows his goals and he sticks to them. He’s crazy!

Ch. 744- Damn Dodam Miru. I think DM’s world is not an illusion. Cale “tricking” the Wrath test is crazy I love that sly bastard!

Ch. 745- Cale hates when the children hate their side dishes ahah! The Wrath test is actually really difficult it surprised me frfr! Clopeh & Cale are angy

Ch. 749- How dare this low-life Dorph ever consider sacrificing the great and mighty Roan Miru. I pour all of my hatred and anger toward him. He needs to die. 😡

Ch. 750- Finally! Flipping every over heh!

[animalcrossingshowdown]

I am LOVING the furniture brackets!! If it's not too much work, coule you maybe include what games the items are from/in? (Dw about it if it's too much though, the brackets themselves are probably very time consuming already)

I think maybe it is too much work but I'll list all the ones I know without googling here for you. I'm extremely familiar with NH's and NL's catalogue, and I mostly know which items are new to those games, but the older games I'm less sure about. if you wanna know a specific one, nookipedia is pretty good. I pulled all the images I'm using for the NL items from there

for the stand alone items, all of them except balloon dog, snail clock and lovely phone are available in NH

this isn't true 100% of the time, but here is a gist oh how items have progressed through the games:

the original game was developed for N64, and was ported to gamecube in the west. as a result these items have like 6 polygons and needed to be remade for the jump to DS. I believe most items made it to the DS, but I definitely know of a few that didn't make it (rip lovely stereo).

from DS to Wii, many items were ported directly as they were & use the same models (the ones with round parts were mostly remade though), so most items returned. same thing from Wii to 3DS, the 3DS has a tiny screen so the items could be reused again and most items returned. at this point though you can start to really tell the difference between the new and old furniture, since the new stuff has so much more detail and is generally less boxy

from 3DS to Switch EVERY item had to be remade. NH is an HD game and you can't be using models from 2005. as a result, less than half of the items in NL made it to NH (682 out of 1764) and many that did return look noticeably different

anyways here's a list of the tournament items and sets and where they're from to the best of my knowledge:

Items:

froggy chair - all games

leo sculpture - NH, NL (but it was stone and had glowing eyes in NL)

balloon dog lamp - NL

eggplant cow - definitely NH and NL, idk if it was in other games

dreamy wall rack - NH

throwback skull radio - NH

dried flower garland - NH

rose bed - NH

creepy skeleton - NH, NL, CF

elaborate kimono stand - NH

pergola - NH, but a similar item called "wisteria trellis" was a public work in NL

mom's plushie - NH

greenhouse box - NH, NL

soft serve lamp - I think all games? definitely NH and NL, but I think it's one of those classic forever items

cherry-blossom pond stone - NH

rocket lamp - all games, but it was called lava lamp in every game except NH

snail clock - NL

imperial dining table - NH, but a similar item called lazy-susan table was in NL. not sure if the lazy-susan table was in older games. possibly CF?

decayed tree - NH

lucky cat - all games

ACNH nintendo switch - NH (duh)

spooky cookies - NH

virgo harp - NH, NL, but it was wooden in NL

rescue mannequin - NH

kerropi bridge - NH, NL

tiny library - NH

scattered papers - NH, NL

lily record player - NH, NL

skull rug - NH

mom's cake - NH

star clock - NH

anatomical model - I think all games

moon - I think all games

hyacinth lamp - NH

cancer table - NH, NL, but it was all gold in NL

paper tiger - NH, NL, idk about older games

colorful juice - NH

music box - NH, WW, though it didn't play KK songs in WW, it just had one unique song that it played. I think it was an item for reuniting Katie and Kaitlyn. idk if CF had it too. one of the VERY FEW items that were in previous games to not appear in NL

bathtub with yuzu - NH

plain party lights arch - NH

cinnamoroll sofa - NH, NL

dreamy rabbit - NH

elephant slide - all games

fortune teller set - NH (though NL & CF had the creepy crystal)

cucumber horse - definitely NH and NL, idk if it was in other games

dessert case - NH, NL, maybe CF???

peach chair - NH

starry garland - NH

bonsai shelf - NH

afternoon tea set - NH, NL (NL girlies remember the struggle)

my melody clock - NH, NL

monster statue - NH

hamster cage - all games

wheat field - NH, NL, CF

dragon zodiac figure - NH, NL, CF, but it looked different in NL and CF

lovely phone - all games except NH

toy duck - NH

crescent moon chair - NH

retreo stereo - all games

titan arum - NH

resetti model - I think all games?? I think it's been the groundhog day item in every game. maybe not WW since it didn't have real holidays

rattan towel basket - NH

cherry blossom branches - NH

sets:

I'm gonna skip any "ACNH redesigns" since obviously they're only in ACNH. I don't consider any sets other than the sanrio sets and the mermaid set to be truly the same between NH and NL (all 7 of those sets were new to NL, so NH has NO SETS that are the same from older games)

dreamy - NH

wedding - NH

patchwork classic - NL

spooky - the version in the tournament is only in NH. the old version is in NL, CF and PG

throwback - NH

mush classic - NL, CF, WW

rococo - NL

elegant - NH

diner - NH

flower - NL

glowing moss - NH

ruined - NH

fruit classic - all games except NH

sweets - NL, CF

my melody - NH, NL

cabin - all games except NH

log - NH

green - all games except NH

modern wood - NL

insect - NL

mario - NH, but every game has had some version of a "nintendo set". NH is the only game to only have mario items

motherly - NH

kiddie - every game except NH

ironwood - NH

hello kitty - NH, NL

kerropi - NH, NL

house plants - every game except NH

stars - NH, kinda NL. NL had the zodiac items but they all looked different, while NH made the set more cohesive and added the glowing star items

gorgeous - NL, CF

nordic - NH

alpine - NL (very obviously added to show off the new customization feature)

construction - all games except NH

modern - all games except NH

chess - all games except NH

shell - NH

blue - all games except NH

cherry blossom - NH (but the clock was in NL)

cute - NH

lovely - all games except NH

rattan - NH (redesign of cabana, which is not in this tournament but was in every game except NH)

astro - NL

plaza - NH

fish - NL

moroccan - NH

kiki & lala - NH, NL

harvest - NL, CF, PG

mermaid - NH, NL

gracie - NL, CF

imperial - NH (redesign of exotic, which is not in this tournament but was in every game except NH)

cinnamoroll - NH, NL

regal - every game except NH

sloppy classic - NL

ranch classic - every game except NH

cardboard - NH, but NL also had a cardboard set

robo - every game except NH

classic - every game except NH

antique - NH

card - NL, CF

princess - NL, CF

[misc-obeyme]

oh I love talking abt tbwse my creativity block is go n e

I like to think most of them don't live at the castle, though. Like they just work there and come and go and have varying shifts. Uhh but that's if they're just normal people and not criminals lol!

this too! in my hc Lil Ds, Maidservants, cooks & scullions and others with a criminal past lived at the castle while others worked shifts. some also didn't need shifts since their jobs weren't that heavy. some of the ones who's family live far away from the castle also do live there, younger ones as well. oh to be a teen wingless demon running erands at the castle and knowing Barbatos....,,,

I suppose whether or not they actually did something terrible has to do with how deranged you want Diavolo to be. Like if he was really kinda off the deep end, he could absolutely just obtain people he thinks are pretty and for no other reason. That's real villain behavior generally speaking. But if you want him to be a little less that way, you could say they were criminals. Then at least there's a legit reason for it, even if the punishment is a bit intense... they are demons, so really there's a lot of ways you can go with it!

My Diavolo is the villain.. in other people's stories lol /j i just love my man being a tiny bit cruel. he's actually pretty kind, and way kinder than the older kings. they ruled with iron fists and even something as small as stealing bread for your hungry child was punished with amputation-

the past devildom was horrible to say if you weren't a noble. When Diavolo took over the throne it became way better and even commoners could live a comfortable life.

most of those "I just thought they're pretty" staff are from the timed either he was a child or still new to the throne. he did learn, although still sometimes he can't help it. plus, demons are hard to rule, they're not like humans. one sign of weakness and you're done for. if it wasn't for Diavolo showing his power, MC & the angels were possibly dead at the first weeks lol (although, since RAD .. is a royal academy, the students are nobles or have family members work at the castle, similar things. also its smth like all grades are there so Luke makes sense >:( RAD isn't that populated as well- but itsbpopulated with famous people >:) )

but that doesn't mean the whole city RAD takes place in is like that though!. RAD may be safe, but the outdoors are not.

Ohh it sounds like you've worked out quite a bit about how these things work! It definitely makes sense for there to be a lot more people living and/or working at the castle.

Okay I dunno how I missed the part about Luke... if he's really supposed to be ten why is he attending school with everybody else?!?!? How did I not realize this previously?!?!?!

Anyway... that just isn't something I really thought about before, but now it's gonna bug me lol.

I think it makes sense for previous demon kings to be... well, demons. Then you get Diavolo who is still definitely a demon, but unique enough to have his own ideas, which makes him just a tiny bit softer than the others. I like the consideration of the fact that demons are harder to rule than humans. That makes sense to me. And I think canon could use a little bit more expansion on that in general. Just because they aren't humans, but sometimes the stuff the characters say makes me go hmm.

But anyway, I quite like your worldbuilding here, expanding on canon in a way that makes it a little darker, but also more realistic. Since we are dealing with demons!

I don't mind the demons being fluffy at all, but it's also interesting to explore them being more villainous in general!

[peanut-tyrug]

Some DS quotes that make me giggle

(Most of these are Balloonomancy quotes)

Wolfgang:

All of these are hilarious tbh (especially that last one. “Tiny clownman” got me L A U G H I N G)

Willow:

PLEASE DON’T

WHY SPECIFICALLY WES!?

Winona:

WHY YOU GOTTA BE LIKE THAT!?

Maxwell:

It’s so funny that Maxwell is horrified of Wes. He has powers beyond Maxwell’s comprehension.

[ceasarslegion]

Ive finally been playing breath of the wild. I know im about 6 years late to the party. The last zelda game i played before now was spirit tracks on the DS, but my games of choice were phantom hourglass, twilight princess, and ocarina of time. That big of a time gap between the franchise and i has made a few things stand out to me about breath of the wild

-"sheikah slate" my ass. They made link an ipad kid </3

-no epona?? No more special pony??? N-no, no its... its fine :(( yeah no its fine man. Yeah ill just tame my own wild horses now i guess

-the zora got fucking bimbofied !!! Sidon can stay though

-thank you nintendo for giving link a little ponytail under his hat. Thank you also for showing me the one and only instance that a tiny rattail doesnt make me want to gnaw my own arm off like a feral beast in a bear trap. If youve ever seen the jesus camp documentary links rattail is like the anti-jesus camp kid's. Im up past my bedtime

-loving how when drafting the english speaking voice actors nintendo clearly wanted to make zelda and mipha sound regal and sophisticated and just ended up accidentally implying that only women can be british in hyrule

-im sorry but the beginning is so good. Imagine waking up from cryosleep with no memories of anything and the first thing that happens to you is some 100 year old guy tries to scam you. Dont even know your own name anymore but you do know that that old guy was a piece of shit

[widowshill]

A-Z Fandom Asks: N, P, R? (that wasn't planned, just. happy accident?) please and thank you!

A -> Z FANDOM ASKS.

N - Name three things you wish you saw more of in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

my number one is r/v obviously <3 i do actually feel kind of spoiled with the shippy stuff ive found in some old blogs though, i tend to adopt the rarest of rarepairs so i'm not complaining. but more is always better! and i'm steadily converting people to the cause 🏴‍☠️

generally speaking i think the pre barnabas episodes could always use more love. it's quite different tonally to later on and I can understand why folks might skip it for those reasons, but I fervently protest the idea that they're boring ! I'm biased of course because my faves are the 1966'ers, but there's so much delicious character work going on, and I think ... you need the rotted b&w gothic foundation for the technicolor house of horrors built on top of it, if that makes sense. i also think barnabas is kinda :/ it should be pre and post laura collins if we're all being honest with ourselves here.

hmmm. possibly a symptom of like, only being here / a tiny bit on twitter and not on like, actual forums, but i would love to see more long ass ds metas. love to read the insanely smart things b.lack s.ails people (and p.otc!) post on the reg. need that about haunted maine ppl

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas).

okay well you can guess where i'm going to go with this west indies piracy au go

The Collinses are descended from merchant wealth in England and currently control a small port city in the Bahamas. the family's connections to the Marquess of Winchester manages to land Roger an appointment as governor, although everyone knows the title is only a formality: his sister runs everything, including Roger. once prosperous, a combination of over-fishing, hurricanes, and an earthquake twenty years past has left the town desolate, and the sand beneath their feet liquefied. rather than abandon what she has built, Elizabeth is determined to hold on, but without any support from England for what they feel has no hope to turn profitable, the family turns to investing in forced trade.

enter Burke Devlin, a privateer employed under a letter of marque signed and sealed by Roger Collins. Devlin is the best, most profitable, and most infamous of their captains, often dining with them at their table and a close friend of the governor. For a while they enjoy mutual prosperity with Spain's wealth, and pirate labor. But the world is growing more respectable around them, and what was once the fringes of civility is gradually becoming its center. The way to survive is no longer with the pirates. When Burke is captured and tried for piracy, his benefactors turn their back on him: he is sacrificed, essentially, as a figurehead for the port and governor's respectability (vaguely à la Kidd). Even his wife sends written testimony against him, and remarries before her husband officially swings, to his former friend and sponsor, Roger.

Burke manages to escape before his hanging, and turns to piracy in the Mediterranean – after ten years, in 1698, he comes back to raid the Collins shipping fleet, with the eventual goal not of razing Collinsport to the ground, but of installing himself as governor there. One of the ships he captures carries a special passenger – the new governess, sent for from England – and he personally delivers her to their doorstep, but not before she can witness how different Captain Devlin is from the terrifying stories about him and his crew.

the governess also brings news from England: William III has passed a new law against the pirates in the West Indies. any person to aid and assist, or maintain, procure, command, counsel, or advise the pirates, are condemned to the same loss of property and life as the pirates themselves.

meet also:

maggie evans, the no-nonsense tavern wench, and her sweetheart, the honest merchant sailor joe haskell that hates pirates and everything they stand for

carolyn stoddard, who has a copy of Exquemelin in both French and English and has memorized every word, and is violently jealous of vicki for dining with a scary pirate captain. she'd like nothing better than to be kidnapped out of the governor's mansion. her cousin david loves the stables and knows everything about horses ... including how best to spook them.

sam evans, former court painter, now art forger

julia hoffman, naturalist (and other sciences as required)

bill malloy, who oversees the merchant fleet and the warehouses, and carries carolyn home from the docks or the tavern by the scruff of her neck, if he has to.

laura collins, sent away to bedlam for hysteria, managed to come back, and is now setting boats on fire as a hobby

the blairs, hailing from massachusetts: james, a well-respected lawyer eventually revealed to be working with devlin, and his cousins, nicholas and cassandra, political and religious exiles who spent some time in maritinique, where they both adopted quimbois practices.

jason macguire, irish smuggler, and willie loomis, former indentured servant working out his sentence in america. they have a run in with cousin barnabas, who's been making his questionable fortune in the east indies rather than the west, and who definitely does not do any cannibalism.

R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?

ROGER AND JULIA. in other places, eleanor and flint >>>> also elizabeth and barbossa. i feel like this is forming a pattern of some kind hang on

[oswednesday]

i was actually in this row for a purpose i was looking for certain parts that are sometimes in baby toys but there was a surprising lack of that like, i guess it was just The Day for like the Fancier higher end stuff, like this thing! it was above my sight line, like a shelf over my head i had looked up in like ugh i cant believe im striking out like this and like look! at this thing, i have a fantasy about tabling and stand working for art stuff again that would be nicey, like a little gacha mini zines or tiny beasts as this thing was once intended for, so i got it with that dream in mind! i have not yet tested it out but the battery fob has zero corrosion (despite still having its old batteries in it, the scream emoji!!!) it takes ds which i dont have on hand! the sticks move perfectly fine, it only seems to have some wear n tear around the branding and the top side plastic

it even still has all these play coins!! ive already started to peel at the sticker but it was like five something or other and it appears to be this thing!! [link] of course what makes it more costly is all the branded beasts that come with it which were obviously absent but o m g, i hope the price point doesnt mean it doesnt work but unless its some kind of nightmare horror show in there like, ive seen people repair things in much much worse condition but a!! everyone manifest that itll work when i get the right kind of batteries!!

[meganuzlockediary]

Pokemon Black! Already Worked up!

20th June

Ok it is decided! I got excited about playing these games so I chose Black over Platinum for now. I loved Black when it came out and in my opinion this genration is the best in the series. So much thought was put into it! It really was the pinnacle of the DS era. It is also probably one of Pokemon's toughest era. Fortunately with 150 new pokemon to use plus the old ones in Black and White 2 im not so worried about my losses!

So here goes nothing!

My starter choice is Tepig this game. A strong Fire Fighting type which was my brother favourite in the past. I have never been a fan but a strong and guaranteed fighting type for the famous run killer Lenora will be useful. I name him El Piggo he has a -Speed nature which I am already feeling but Emboar wasn't horrendously fast anyway.

Honestly, I breeze through the opening. Tepig is a great start and blasts through all opponants. I feel bad because there are so many cool touches at the beginning. The little scene with Bianca is literally 7 lines long but is very well written. The battles at the start walking onto route 1 together and Ghestsis' speech are really engaging. With that I battle N. His purrloin ain't much to my level 7 tepig at this point. I actually get my girlfriend to fight him. A rare video gaming occurance.

With that I head to route two and get a Patrat I name Alvin. Honestly He is just fodder again in preparation for Lenora especially with the worse ability but we shall see. Last but not least I head to the dream yeard for Pansage as it really is the only answer to the upcoming Panpour and honestly when else am I going to use one.

This is going to be tiny on mobiles but these are the three. The new format sucks for this unfortunately.

With that I handily beat cheren with Pansage and Tepig before heading into the gym... OK a bit of a power increase. I ahve to grind on patrats and lillipups for bloody ages to get to level 14. The xp just doesnt go up! I'm glad I do though because the battle against Cress does not go as planned.

So yeah, When I said this is when pokemon starts to actually get hard. I wasn't kidding! I send in Tepig against Lillipup because thats what you are meant to do and I start tackling. Unfortunately it can only do chip damage about 25% he is doing 20% with his bite and didnt use work up. So, I'm happy I'm chill. He gets down to about 50% and then pulls off a critical hit bite! Which Flinches me! activates my berry! Which he then steals at the end of the turn and ALSO HEALS!!!! WHAT! I blame Cheren for this! Since when did pickup do that! I am astonished. Whats worse is I have another pokemon in the back with another Oran berry! I sneak in a few more tackles before I am forced to switch into Patrat! Who I did not train. So I spend the time using leer, I eventually go for tackle fearing a work up that could wipe the team. But it doesnt hit the range and procs a potion. Patrat goes down but I bring in Pansage and finish it off with a vine whip. Which fortunately does finish it off. Enough monkey business! Pansage basically can't be beaten now. As water gun deals practically nothing and vine whip is dominating the panpour!

That insane combination can't have been a high chance but I'm fuming. I was mere inches from losing my starter there and would have been furious! I can't believe how lucky I had to get there! Never again!

Gym badges won: 65

Pokemon Used: 140

Pokemon Defeated: 31 (didn't like Patrat much anyway)

[dreamswapafterdark]

So i had another idea yoinked from that old server when i was a minor

you know the dreamswap blue bittie, i think his name was rogue or some shiz. Oh yeah specifically all bitties here are skeletons btw,,,

there was an nsfw roleplay between ds error and bittie blue getting boinked, and i kiiiinda wanna maybe add to it again

specifically: error owns two bitties, Magnum (a ds nightmare) and whatever the fuck the name was for the ds cross if there even is one, then one day lil ol Rogue mossies along and becomes a problem

and problem as in non-violent rogue since that bittie was made ages before the redos of ds blue.

anyway! So Magnus and Quack (its 5 am and i have had no sleep so bare with the name) love each other and help each other through their heats, but Rogue is kind of a dick to them and so they refuse to help him ever

except that this is the first heat! and Rogue doesn't show too obvious signs yet. So he decides that while Error is done working from home, he bothers Error. He's clingy as fuck and annoying as fuck and after a little while Error does tend to him.

Except now Rogue is now humping his hand and Error realizes. oh. Oh. Oh.

He gently grabs Rogue and asks Magnus and Quack if they can help but they do not want to so Error has to think of something else. Meanwhile Rogue is still trying to go down on Error and Error *still* thinks its only because of the heat. Error is wrong. Very much wrong.

so in the while Rogue has been trying to get down and wiggity with Error, and once Error walks into his bedroom, Rogue is already tryin' to fuck him even with his tiny size. Or in this case yk. Tryina get a finger inside.

I'm not sure what to add here so there's something between I guess. Rogue just saying something romantic accidentally n shiz but not dwelled on too much. Anyway!

I do not know how big bitties are exactly but if they are about a finger and a half tall then. yeah it's finger only but like.

if bitties are the size of your hand Error got a discount fleshlight there

mhm

yeah

I went here

anyway fun times and then off to sleep for rogue who snoozes next to Error's bed on his bedside desk.

[jrueships]

JCPennys Karen

[puppys-rhythm-heaven]

tbh the funniest thing to me about ds' reading material lying about the racing fans in freeze frame to avoid referencing tengoku is that glee club 2's reading material mentions the clappy trio BY NAME-

like.

here's this part of the supporting cast 1 reading material.

n here's the clappy trio LITERALLY BEING NAMED IN GLEE CLUB 2'S READING MATERIAL-

i don't fully understand why they did this honestly-

[ne0nlightzz]

Creepypasta halloween headcanons 🎃

THIS IS ALL FUNSIES!! ALSO ARE MORE MY HEADCANONS FOR MY OLDER STORY RATHER THEN LIKE MY ACTUAL HEADCANONS- I DUNNO BUT ENJOY

CW:Cursing

SALLY WILLIAMS

• she 100% makes at least the few creepypastas that suck up to her [toby,jeff,L.J and semi shockingly Nina] dress up in costumes with her

•She walks around the "mansion" knocking on everyone's doors saying "trick or treat" because just about everyone set up a mini trick or treating thing since she can't actually go out on Halloween but is a literal 7year old girl who deserves to have some semi normal experiences such as their own versions of Halloween, Christmas, etc.

•she probably dresses up as a princess but also puts Charlie/Mr.D[her teddy] in a tiny suite/formal etire

•Jeff probably bought her Charlie/Mr.D's suite from build-a-bear because she wouldn't stop pestering him about it.

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

-

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

JEFF [THE KILLER]

•He ends up being forced to dressing up as the joker[/hj] by Sally[obviously]and hates it but only does the minimal amount of complaining because it makes Sally happy

•It was partially his idea to set up the indoor trick-or-treating thing for Sally

•He walks around the hallways with Sally as a chaperone but is just downing beer or some sort of liquor/alcohol like one of those red-neck dads who are forced to go with their kids on Halloween and wish they would have left to get a 6pack and never turned the truck around.

•I'm out of things for this man- everything I've ever read with him in it only has minimal character development so it's hard because though he's what some consider a "classic" he's still not in my top 5[sorry Jeff fangirls/boys/ppl!]

•He also probably blasts "Thriller" while standing in a dark hallway being just really fucking weird and creepy

[it concerns Ben a bit on the days he gives a shit.]

[this also just goes all throughout September and October-]

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

-

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

L.J[LAUGHING JACK]

•He stands in the hallway with Jeff just being a creepy ass weirdo too while "Thriller" is blasting.

•He just walks around chucking handfuls of candy at people.

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

-

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

BEN[DROWNED]

•Probably forces Jeff and Toby to play horror games with him and uses the month as an excuse.

•100% is a part of forcing the others to watch horror movies all night long but also gets bored haft way through and ends up playing games on his DS

•Just stands there staring at Jeff and L.J having a full "bro wtf" moment before either walking away or picking up, turning off and throwing their speaker at them [depends on his mood-]

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

-

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

--

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

Moral of the story.

Sally=The baby

Jeff=Sally's big brother

Jeff n L.J=Fucking weirdos

BEN=Oh baby I'm barely even here

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

--

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

Authors note-

I don't know what the hell I've made--

I think I'll make supernatural ones next-

If anyone has any requests let me know!

Please go drink water!

-Luv Lee&lt;3

THIS IS NOT RLY PROOF READ OR EDITED-

10/29/22

PART TWO HERE

[kaaytea]

How about being the manager of Inarizaki, Nekoma, Seijoh and Shiratorizawa and how the boys would feel when they finally finally get a manager? :0

New Manager

⤷Includes: Nekoma, Inarizaki, Seijoh, Shiratorizawa

A/n: I haven't written for the HQ boys in a hot minute so I was sUper hyped for this! Thank you for the request, dear 💕

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

Nekoma

Nekoma has been manager-less for so long that literally the entire team was dumbfounded when they spotted you chilling next to Nekomata

Like hello??? Who are you and what are you doing in their gym???

There's a good few seconds of silence when Nekomata introduces you

Despite being cats, they greatly resembled their Fukurodani rivals as they blinked back at you with big curious eyes

That is until Yamamoto slumps to his knees and starts tearing up, blabbering on about how they've been blessed with a manager while a quiet Fukunaga pats his back in an almost humouring manner

Yamamoto's out burst is what loosens up the team and they start making their way to introduce themselves to you

The first is Kuroo, who approaches you with a welcoming smirk which was quickly followed by a gentle smile from Kai and a reassuring pat on the back from Yaku

The first years are VERY eager to meet you! Lev and Inouka are bouncing around you spewing out questions to the point where Yaku has to kick them both and send them off to warm up

Sweet Shibayama very nervously bows at you and thanks you for taking care of the team (what a baby 🤧💕)

The entire team absolutely loves you by the end of your first day (yes even the aloof creature that is Kenma, though he'll never admit it)

Nekoma's inner team dynamic is very familial and you're immediately sucked into the little family vibes they got going on

The first years love to be around you! (Specifically Lev bc you're not as mean to him as everyone else)

The first years are always volunteering to help you carry equipment or water bottles

You once caught one of the jokes Fukunaga muttered during practice so now the two of you bounce little puns and jokes off of eachother to see who can get the other to laugh first (he is currently winning. although, you got him to tear up from laughing so hard once which you've been counting as 10 wins)

The third years tend to mother hen you a bit, specifically Yaku and Kuroo

Kuroo made it very clear to you that you're apart of the team even if you don't play on the court, so as captain it's his job to make sure all his players are ok (mentally, physically, socially, you name it! He's always looking out for you and is basically your big brother)

You and Yaku bond over the fact that you're both the unofficial team moms. The two of you are very organized and have a whole ass check list that you BOTH go over at least twice before the team leaves for a game or training camp

Kai is like your calm in the storm that is Nekoma. The two of you have had numerous conversations about anything from books to cafés and he's always willing to lend an ear if you need to rant

Kenma is a fairly distant person but he warms up to you when he notices how caring you are. He even let's you play his DS on the train rides to and from Nekoma

Inarizaki

You're a brave soul if you are willingly becoming the manager of Inarizaki

Kita is actually the one who asked if you wanted to be the teams manager

He saw you cleaning the board in a classroom during lunch break and was impressed by how well of a job you did

It doesn't matter if you said yes out of fear from Kita's blank stare or because you were genuinely interested bc now you're standing in the volleyball gym, clad in Inarizaki's signature maroon tracksuit

The team notices you instantly, particularly a certain blonde Miya

Before Kita even got a chance to introduce you to everyone, Atsumu had wandered over to you with a lazy smile tugging at his lips

Atsumu introduced himself and then started asking what you were doing here

"Are ya lost?" "Ya here to admire me?" "Ya dating one of the players?"

You didn't get a chance to answer his questions as Osamu lovingly threw a Volleyball at Atsumu, cutting off any moment you had to respond

The only problem was that Atsumu noticed the volleyball rOcketing towards him and scrambled out of the way like a startled cat, leaving the ball to hit you instead of its intended target

The silence that hung over the gym was deafening as the younger team members watched Kita and Aran rush over to assist your now bloody nose

Just as quick as it had started, the silence was broken by Atsumu yelling at his brother for hitting a helpless person in the face and the gym quickly descended into madness

Aran held a towel to your nose and gave you a few encouraging pats on the back as the both of you watched Kita chew out the twins (safe to say Kita was hard on them during practice)

Osamu approached you during a water break to apologize and, to the surprise of the entire team, gave you the extra pudding he had as a peace offering

Since that incident Osamu and Atsumu stopped throwing volleyballs at each other's heads (at least when you were around that is)

The team is also surprisingly protective of you

The glares people get at tournaments if they try to flirt with you are terrifying

You become pretty close with Suna as the both of you tend to sit back and watch Atsumu and Osamu fight (you tried to step in once but they literally only respond to Kita so it didn't do much)

Suna also pats you on the head whenever he passes you

(it's something he does to his little sister to show some form of affection/appreciation and now he does it to you for the very same reasons)

This goes with out saying, but the twins love you

Osamu still feels bad about the whole hitting you in the face thing so he always shares any snacks he's got on him with you

Atsumu truly just likes being babied by you

Any ounce of praise or happy smiles directed at him has him acting like a puppy

(does 'Tsumu have a tiny crush on you? Yep he totally does!)

Kita and Aran are absolute sweethearts!! They are both very grateful for all the work you put in and treat you to boba every other week as a thank you :))

Seijoh

It was a new school year and you decided to push yourself out of your comfort zone a bit

What better way to do that then be a manager for a sports team!

Apparently one of your classmates let it slip that you were looking to be a manager for a sports team because you were approached by a very buff and very attractive guy a few days after asking if you'd be interested in helping the volleyball team

You happily agreed to do a trial day that afternoon, to which the player, who you now know as Iwaizumi-san, breathed a sigh of relief and said he'd pick you up after school to take you to the gym

So the school day is over, Iwaizumi meets you outside your classroom and you're off!

As you walk to the gym he fills you in on some of the tasks the manager would have to do

The job didn't sound that terrible so you were a bit confused as to why Iwaizumi was having such a hard time finding a manager

"Let's just say that the applicants were more interested in staring at our captain than the actual job." He had told you

Ok so first unofficial rule....don't stare at the Seijoh volleyball team's captain? A bit odd but who were you to judge, maybe the guy was shy and didn't like attention

Your thoughts were cut off by the crisp slap! Of a ball hitting the floor followed by a few short yells from the players littered across the court

Your attention was then caught by the sensation of someone draping their arm over your shoulders and a tangy apple smell invading your senses

"Oh? I didn't know you were dating someone, Iwa-chan~"

Iwaizumi shoved the brunette off of you and quickly explained that you were just here to test out being the manager for the day

The player's eyes lit up and he turned to you with a bubbly smile, introducing himself as Seijoh's captain, Oikawa Tooru

Ah, Captain.... Now you knew why they were having trouble finding someone who didn't stare

Your first day went fairly smooth, just a few blunders that were quickly forgotten by the team after Oikawa cheerfully told you: "Everyone has to start somewhere, (y/n)-chan!"

After the first week you had to admit that the Aoba Johsai volleyball team were quickly becoming some of your best friends, you all fit together like a dysfunctional family

Makki, Mattsun, and Iwa would always agree/praise you when you joined in one the daily Oikawa roast session

Oikawa (when he wasn't pouting about how "mean" you are to him) was fairly sweet to you

He spent the first month helping you learn the rules about volleyball and explaining the lingo the team often used during plays

Although, he does jokingly flirt with you about 40 thousand times a week so...

Kindaichi is a nervous wreak around you the first few weeks. Eventually his nervous demeanor melts away. Now he goes to you whenever he needs someone to toss the ball up for him so he can practice his spikes

Kunimi likes you simply because you let him get away with napping during water breaks

Kyotani acts like you annoy him but if anyone made you cry or hurt you in some way he would burn the entire gym down in a heartbeat

Did I mention that Seijoh are also very protective of you?

When at tournaments they travel in a small pack with you in the middle to reduce the chances of you getting hit on

Shiratorizawa

Shiratorizawa is a very nice and prestigious school so you thought why not participate in an extracurricular that would be beneficial for, not only your resume, but you yourself as well!

Out of all the clubs you chose volleyball which you're starting to regret a bit since one of your friends informed you that the team is a powerhouse school

Which means you can't make a bad impression or silly mistakes.....at all

That entire philosophy is thrown oUt the window on your second day as the official manager

You somehow managed to trip over your own feet and slam into a cart full of spare balls AND spill the water bottles you were carrying all over yourself

You were hoping that the team, by some miraculous reason, didn't notice but the stifled giggles from a certain red head said otherwise

You would give anything for the ground to just swallow you up and disappear forever

But then you saw a pair of gym shoes standing in front of you and when you looked up you were met with THE Ushijima Wakatoshi, captain and ace of shiratorizawa, offering you help to stand up

You hadn't seen Ushijima be more than a stoic and intimidating guy so you were even more surprised when he gave one of his spare shirts to change into now that you had spilt water on yourself

I guess you could say your little clumsy episode was what broke the ice for you and the team

Tendou loves talking with you

You're an interesting person to him and he finds great pleasure in teasing you (in his own words it's "out of love")

Ushijima ended up not being as intimidating as you originally pegged him to be. Instead, he was just a quiet guy who surprisingly could say some pretty funny things (whether or not he intended it to be funny)

Goshiki just loves you. Period.

You praise him and give him head pats so he couldn't be happier!

Tendou and Shirabu tease him all the time about how he has a case of puppy love for you (which Goshiki aggRessively denies no matter how red his face is)

Semi is someone who is grateful for your assistance with the team and does his very best to get Tendou out of your hair when you're trying to do your manager work. He also shares his headphones with you on long bus rides so you can listen to music together!

[elfyourmother]

I hope you haven’t been asked this to death, but how has your general experience been playing ffxiv as a black player? I feel like I’m missing a huge community aspect of ff because I can’t quite get a read on how hostile/how friendly people are to players of color in the community, which makes me very hesitant to interact with others.

ngl this sat in my box for a couple of days because I really didn't know how to respond to it tbh. I haven't actually been asked about this very often

from my experience, going on 5 years now, there is next to no open hostility in game. this is not like WoW where I was constantly reporting Hunters for having gorilla pets named after Black celebrities and being subjected to the N word hard -er in daily heroics and shit. It's more subtle in XIV, for better or worse. I got a really gross comment in a Prae run one time during one of my Viera stints where some weirdo called me a beautiful chocolate bun and I had to shut that shit down posthaste. For the most part though that kinda stuff is rare.

But it absolutely feels lonely at times as a Black femme. There was an Elezen meetup on Crystal last night organized on the bird site and there were very few of us, though more than I anticipated (I was fully prepared to be The Black Girl there and was surprised I wasn't). I felt pretty out of place, especially once the 1 person I knew left, but I am not an RPer and I was doing that sadly familiar calculus of "is it because these folks are just hanging with their cliques or is it because I'm visibly, unambiguously Black". There were some nice people who I hung out with towards the end of my time there though.

There is a segment of the community that looks down severely on people who use m*ds, while not understanding or caring that if you want to play a character that looks like anything besides a skinny cis white person you're forced to resort to them. But then in the m*dding community there is rampant racism, like popular creators that are straight up N*zis and raking in cash by Patreons, most popular site is run by somebody who fetishizes trans women and "BBC" type shit. Outside of that scene, talking about fic writers and artists, there's the way Raubahn is talked about too often, with nasty Mandingo type fetish overtones, an absolute dearth of WoLs of color being shipped with NPCs in favor of tiny pale white women, etc etc

It's a lot and it's exhausting and why I tend to stick to small circles. I try to seek out other players of color where possible. but it's hard. Especially with a WoL who is also fat and polyamorous. But there are definitely friendly and cool people out there if you make the effort to seek them out. DC travel is making it easier to connect with likeminded people too, at least if you're in NA.

[justthehiddleswrites]

The Ties That Bind | Chapter 3 | Plans

A/N: This is unlike anything else I have ever written.  It is dark fic.  It is a Mafia AU. There may or may not have a happy ending.  So read at your own risk. The chapters are likely to be shorter in this fic from time to time.  Also writing credit goes to @fadingcoast , @lokifae42 , and @emeraldrosequartz​ . Not only did they write parts of the first few chapters, but they created the inspiration for the entire premise and fic.  And I am forever in their debt for it.  Thank you.

Pairings: Tom Hiddleston x OFC (Jae Birichinata), Tom Hiddleston x OFC (Madison McMahon), Loki Laufeyson x OFC (Jae Birichinata)

SERIES MASTERLIST HERE

Summary: When a one night stand with the only daughter of one of New York’s biggest crime bosses results in a pregnancy, Tom is trapped. Fast forward, now 10 years later, Tom is stuck in a loveless and cruel marriage with four kids (only one is his), a cheating wife, and no escape.  The only bright spot is in his life is his love, Madison, the sweet bookshop clerk working a block away from the university he teaches at.  Going on four years sneaking around with Madison, Tom is certain Madison’s important news is she is breaking up with him.  The truth rocks his core.  

Now Tom has only one goal, getting his son, William, and himself out of the hellscape called his life alive.  A vindictive wife, in laws with access to money, resources, and brute force, and not to mention his wife’s lover who is more than meets the eye, Tom is starting to wonder if his father-in-law is right. No one leaves the family alive.

Trigger Warnings:  Violence (both graphic and implied), forced marriage (sort of), infidelity, mentions of pregnancy, mentions of childhood physical abuse and sexual abuse, implied in*$t, smut, torture, death and more as I can continue to write it.  

READ WARNINGS BEFORE YOU INTERACT WITH MY WRITING. IT IS YOUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR YOUR MEDIA CONSUMPTION.  MINORS DNI, THIS IS AN 18+ STORY.

Taglists are open, please let me know if you want to be tagged.

~

After her bath, Jae got dressed and then went to wake the kids for school. She first went into Magnus and LJ’s room, softly opening the door. 

“Wakey, wakey eggs and bakey.” She smiled as she rubbed their backs. “Time for school.” They groaned and rolled over. 

Jae repeated the process in Frigga’s room, which was decked out in full mermaid regalia. Finally, she reached William’s bedroom, really more of a glorified closet, and she banged on the door, yelling. “WAKE UP, TIME FOR SCHOOL! THE KIDS NEED BREAKFAST!” She walked away, not even bothering to open the door.

While the kids get dressed and William made them all breakfast, Jae stood in the bathroom doorway, inspecting her nails while Tom showered. 

“You’re welcome.”

“Excuse me?” Tom popped his head out of the shower.

“Ew, your hair is dripping on the floor, Tom. I’m taking the kids to school on my way to Dr. Schulman. Say thank you.” 

He resisted the urge to smile. “You’re not feeling well, I’m sorry to hear that.” He went back into the shower.

Jae snorted. “Dr. Schulman is a plastic surgeon. I’m thinking about getting my boobs done.”

“What that…” Tom turned off the water and stepped out, not bothering to wrap a towel around him. “Didn’t you get your boobs done a few years ago?”

She gagged at Tom’s naked form and spins around. Tom grinned, knowing he had his desired effect, only now drying off and wrapping a towel around his waist. He tried to get in tiny victories when he could.

“That was a boob LIFT, Thomas. This would be an augmentation.” Jae scoffed as she picked at her manicure. “I thought you were smart or something. Lucy thinks I would look better with Triple Ds.” She pressed her boobs together and grinned. “It’s not like you look, anyway.” 

Tom walked past her and dropped his towel. “You’re right, I don’t.” He paraded naked in the bedroom, taking his time. “Is ‘Lucy’ paying for this augmentation?”

“I figured I could dip into the kids’ college funds. We have time to put it back…” She glanced up and frowned. “For fuck’s sake, Tom!” She shoved past him. “Put on some fucking clothes. What if one of the twins saw you?” Jae slammed the door shut as she stormed out.

Tom took as long as he could to dress and headed out to the kitchen in hopes they would be gone. He heard the blessed sound of silence as he stepped out of the bedroom. He sent a quick text to Will to apologize for not saying goodbye before they left. 

It’s okay, Dad. Love you too.

Tom teared up at the simple text. He made his coffee and surveyed the wreck of the kitchen. Their most recent housekeeper quit three weeks ago, and Jae hadn’t bothered to either clean or hire a new one. Tom and Will did what they could, but the rest of the family made messes faster than they could clean. 

He sipped his coffee and for the first time in years; he felt hopeful; he dared say, possibly even happy. The love of his life was pregnant with his child and he was finally going to get out of this train wreck, nightmare marriage. 

“Freedom…” he hummed to himself. But it was going to take work. And a very detailed plan. The Birichinatas, probably the third biggest criminal family in New York, made it clear to Tom on the day of his wedding, it meant this marriage to be forever.

“Now Tommy, you mind if I call you Tommy?” Mikey, Jae’s dad, commented as they waited in a small room at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. “My number one concern is my daughter’s happiness. She’s my precious baby girl and my princess. And should anyone decide to hurt her, I would feel obligated to hurt that person back.” He smiled at Tom as he tightened Tom’s tie. “And I hate hurting people, but I will do it because my family is the most important thing to me.”

Tom cleared his throat. “Of course, sir. I am thrilled to be joining your family today, sir. I will do my best to make your daughter happy.”

Mikey chuckled darkly and patted Tom’s chest. “Oh, you’re not family, Tommy. Just because you are marrying my daughter doesn’t make you family. Family is committed. Family is loyal. Family would die for you, Tommy. Are you willing to die for me, Tommy?”

Tom paled. “Die… for… you…? You can’t be serious.” He chuckled nervously, glancing at the door, praying for someone, anyone, to interrupt.

Mikey smiled at him. “And that’s why you’re not family, Tommy.” He smacked Tom hard on the shoulder. So hard, Tom winced. “Let’s go get you hitched.” Mikey headed for the door. “Did my little love tap leave a bruise?” His laugh echoed off the walls as he headed out.

The first thing Tom was going to need was money. Specifically cash. And lots of it. Frugal was not a word he would use to describe Jae. She demanded the best of everything, even that meant Tom worked summer school or did private tutoring from time to time. And he couldn’t leave cash around the house. She could sniff out cash like a bloodhound. 

After searching his study and the rest of the house, he collected about five hundred bucks that won’t go missing. It wasn’t enough to leave, but it was a start. He had a few hours before his first lecture. He grabbed his phone.

Meet me before my first class. Usual spot. 

-

Maddie spent most of the night after Tom left crying. She couldn’t pinpoint whether it was hormones, despair, or a bit of both. 

“I don’t understand why she won’t agree to a divorce. You hate each other. She has ‘Lucy’ or whatever the fuck his name is.” she asked him that night.

Tom sighed as he pulled her tighter against his chest, smoothing down her hair. “It’s not about happiness, my princess. It’s about ownership. It’s about control. She takes some sort of sick pleasure in torturing me.”

“She’s a fucking bitch.” Maddie clenched her fist. “And I ever get the chance…”

“Please don’t, my love.” He kissed her. “She’s not worth it. None of them are. You are worth a thousand Jae Birichinatas.” He kissed her again.

She saw Tom’s text as she stepped out of the shower. 

I have work. But I will be there. 

She quickly pulled on a pair of faded jeans and floral off the shoulder top. She slipped on a pair of black Chucks, grabbed her slouchy no name purse and locked up, heading to her first of two jobs, working at an independent bookstore in Tribeca. 

Twenty minutes before she was set to clock out, a woman with slightly too much makeup, skirt slightly too short, and boots definitely too high approached. 

“You.” The woman snapped her fingers at her. “Mousy girl. Come here.” 

“I have a name, ma’am.” She moved towards her. 

The woman sneered. “So do I. Ever heard of Michael Birchinata? That’s my father. Now…” Jae glanced around the place, not touching a thing. “My… son… has a birthday coming up, and he’s into this sort of stuff.” She waved her hands around.

It took every molecule of self-control in Maddie’s being to not lunge at Jae and pummel her into a pulp right there in the Young Adult section. She took a deep breath and exhaled. 

“You mean books?” Maddie crossed her arms and pursed her lips. “Or did you mean the shelves?”

Jae shot Maddie a condescending sneer. “These shelves wouldn’t be caught dead in my home. And I don’t appreciate your tone. What’s your name, Mousy?”

Maddie bristled. She chewed on her lip, contemplating what to say. “Madelyn.” She lied, but a white lie. “McClary.” Another lie. 

Jae leaned in. “Any relations to the McGregor-McClary clan of Rockaway?” 

“I’m Canadian.” Maddie added.

“Oh, well. Aren’t Canadians supposed to be friendly or some shit.? I’ll be speaking to your manager. Humph.” She spun on the heel and headed to the front of the store.

“Shit!” Maddie hissed and weaved her way through the shelves to spy poor Marshall, the assistant manager, getting an earful from Jae.

“If that insolent little twat of an employee isn’t fired, I am going to sue this place for emotional distress! Do you know who my father is?!”

Whatever Marshall said placated Jae such that she left the store with a smile, catching Maddie’s eye and giggling. Maddie counted to ten and approached Marshall, who sighed. 

“Madison.” He beckoned her over. “First off, why did you tell that… Karen your name was Madelyn McClary?”

“You didn’t tell her my real name, did you?” She yelled. “Do you know who she is? Who her family is?”

Marshall narrowed his eyes. “Birichinata? Don’t they own that gigantic gold building 5th and 56th?”

“And her father is commonly known as Mikey the Mook. He runs one of the largest crime families in New York, possibly the United States. That Karen is Jae, his only daughter.” Maddie huffed.

Marshall raised a brow. “How do you know so much about her and her family?”

Maddie turned bright red and chewed on her lip. “No reason, I just read the papers.”

“You are the worst liar, Madison. I told her I would fire you.” She sighed and headed towards the counter to grab her purse. “But I never agreed that you would stay fired.”

“Marshall!” She ran up and hugged the goateed man. “You are a good man.” She shook him.

“No, I am a stupid man, but you’re like family, Madison. And the best sales worker I have. Take a two-week vacation, paid. That should be long enough to convince Ms. Birichinata I fired you.”

Maddie grinned. She hadn’t taken time off in two years. “Thank you. Oh, and she’s a Mrs.” She grabbed her purse and hugged Marshall one last time before skipping out to meet Tom.

“I don’t want to know how you know that, MADISON!” he yelled after her. 

-

Tom’s foot bounced as he waited for Maddie. The roar of the waterfall did nothing to soothe his nerves. He kept glancing around at the few other people milling about Greenacre Park, seeing if anyone looks familiar. Tom assumed these days he was being followed. A wide grin came over his face when Maddie plopped down in the chair next to him. 

“You never mentioned how pretty Jae is. In that sort of Jersey Shore, Snooki kind of way.” Tom’s mouth fell open. “How did… what… What happened today at work, Maddie?”

“Your wife came into Dashwood looking for a birthday present for William. She called me mousy, I might have gotten sassy.” Maddie winced.

Tom tugged at his curls on the nape of his neck. “You met her? Like talked to her? This is bad, Maddie. She has seen you. She knows where you work.” He swallowed hard to keep from hyperventilating. 

She reached over and grabbed Tom’s hand. “Hey, hey, hey. It’s fine. Everything is fine. The whole thing was maybe ten minutes, and I didn’t even tell her my real name.” Maddie chuckled. “She had me fired.”

Tom’s mouth dropped open. “My bitch of a wife got your fired and you are laughing. This is serious, Madison. We can’t afford—”

“My boss gave me two weeks’ paid vacation, instead.” She grinned and pushed a curl behind his ear. “Two weeks to plan.”

Tom took several moments to process everything Maddie just said. A grin grew and grew over his face. “That’s my princess.” He squeezed her hand. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Now why are we meeting?”

“Right.” He dug through his satchel and pulled out two thick envelopes. “Here.”

She opened the first one to find a flip cell phone. Maddie raised a brow. “I already have a phone.”

“I know. This is a burner phone. I have one too.” He waved an identical phone in the air. “I want you to communicate with my only through this phone until I tell you otherwise.”

“You make it sound like someone is tapping our calls.”

Tom gave her a stare. 

“Okay…” she opened the next envelope with a stack of tens and twenties. “Tom?”

“It’s the first feathers of our nest egg, darling. It’s not safe at my place. Jae is a goddamn bloodhound. Keep it at your place.” He watched as she tucked both envelopes into her purse. “The first steps to us being together.” 

“The family… the life you deserve, Thomas.” 

“WE deserve.” He took the risk and gave her a quick kiss. The moment broken by his phone buzzing. “It’s time for me to go.”

Her eyes turned down. “Then you should go. I wish you were coming over tonight. We have so much to talk about it.”

Tom sighed. “Believe me, princess, I wish I was too. It is my preferred evening activity, eating a good meal cooked by you and me than the pretentious affair that is dinner with my in laws.” He stood up.

Maddie quickly got to her feet. “Well then, to help you get through dinner, just think about me naked, on the bed, wet and ready for you.” She smirked. 

He groaned and pulled her into a passionate embrace. “My father-in-law is going to wonder why my pants are so tight all evening.”

“And your mother-in-law?”

“Is going to want to get into my pants. Did I tell you about the reception?”

“No….?”

Tom pecked her lips. “Another time. I have to go, princess. I will call you. Soon.” 

“I can’t wait. Stay safe, my prince.” 

“What could go wrong? They ignore me anyway.” Tom gazed over his shoulder one last time at Maddie before heading back into reality.