#this is funny to me bc i work in architecture

[bumblebeesfromvenus]

Here are some German specific quirks I think König would have <3

─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ────── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───

(yes, I know he's Austrian, but the difference is really only that they talk funny and have better desserts)

♡ he HATES fans and air conditioning. Like I'm talking disdain from the deepest pits of hell kinda hate.

Ceiling fans and AC are not a thing here, and literally every German looks at it with a very disapproving look if there happens to be one somewhere.

König absolutely refuses to sleep with the fan or AC on, just open a window, Liebling!

He's so upset that he can't put the window "auf kipp" :( (pls Google it, it's so hard to explain lol) like he's crushed that he can't keep the windows "auf kipp" all day.

You have a ceiling fan? Nope, not anymore. That thing is getting taken down the minute you move in together. But if you insist on keeping it, he'll secretly cut the cable to the switch.

Everyone knows all they do is whirl around dust and make you sick! He's not having it.

König acts like artificial ventilation is his worst enemy (I agree with him) and he'd rather suffocate than turn on the goddamn AC.

♡ Sundays are strictly lazy/rest days. Nothing's open on Sundays here, so we're forced to relax and not run around like headless chickens trying to get things done.

He's absolutely baffled if you have plans to go somewhere on a Sunday. What do you mean you need to run errands? What do you mean you're going out? And if you want him to come along?? Yeah, no.

His brain stops working. After the many years he's been alive, not once has he gone somewhere on a Sunday that wasn't his Oma's house for Kaffee und Kuchen.

You're not going anywhere. Plans are canceled, and you better spend the day on the couch with him.

♡ König probably misses all the beautiful old architecture Vienna has to offer. You don't quite appreciate it as much when it's just there all the time, but now he wishes he could quietly people watch in the city center :(

In my mind he's a bit of a history nerd, so he probably frequented museums and castles, admiring the delicately sculpted ceilings and wondering how people lived back then.

He'd be most fascinated by the masonry work done on the outside of most buildings. I mean, that's stone, but it's so smooth and carefully crafted.

♡ there are some very weird sayings in German that you just can't translate because they don't make sense. König is sick of having to awkwardly try to explain what they mean after he's been caught muttering one under his breath, only to realize halfway through that he looks like a maniac.

German is a very literal language, and I think he misses speaking it. We have very specific words for some things and he probably struggles to talk in English sometimes purely because the words he wants to use just don't exist.

(I'm very upset they didn't give him an Austrian accent bc it's one of my favorites, but I can also confidently say that I think he wouldn't be taken seriously at all if he had one lmao)

♡ König goes on random ass walks sometimes. Where's he going? On a walk. No, like where is he going? HE'S GOING ON A WALK.

There's no destination, you just walk. No matter the weather. Ya walk until you feel like you've walked enough. (A very German experience and I hate it)

♡ dreams of his Oma's Kaiserschmarn (me too, König, me too.)

It's basically a giant pancake that you tear into little pieces (traditionally, it has raisins too, I think) and you eat with either cinnamon sugar or applesauce (or both) and you will drift up to heaven.

It's warm, it's fluffy, it's sweet;

It's perfect for a gloomy Friday afternoon spent with his Oma and Opa 🥺

(Can you tell that I'm projecting)

─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ────── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───

"Auf kipp" is a very specific window position where only the bottom two hinges stay attached so you can tilt the window towards you and a little crack is open so you can always have fresh air!

"Oma und Opa" grandma and grandpa, which he loves so much, undoubtedly.

"Kaffe und Kuchen" basically tea time. You get together and eat cake and have coffee! Mostly on the weekends :)

"Kaiserschmarn" what dreams are made of.

🩷

[fairyhaos]

seventeen as teachers

requested by @weird-bookworm ! it's a little to the left of what you asked but i hope it's alright anyway ><

masterlist

seungcheol

architecture professor. kind of thanks to physics!cheol anon for this idea but he really encourages hands-on learning especially for his subject, and he draws big diagrams on the board and gestures wildly with his hands as he's explaining why the models work and what do the students think of it? also he definitely gives vibes of someone who high fives the students when their models withstand his shaking tests, but also laughs and claps when they fall apart. because it's all about learning, isn't it? and he's with you to help you learn every step of the way. 

jeonghan

kindergarten teacher. cannot for the life of him handle kids older than that because then they get too tricksy and talkative for him and he gets tired too easily to deal with that. actually really good at handling the toddlers. he's also very pretty so all the kids unironically hang onto his every word, basically making him the god at keeping children in line. when he gets too tired of running around after them he just goes “kids :((( jeonghan is tired :(((“ and they immediately settle down to do something else

joshua

music teacher (1). he's a total department crush (and even school-wide crush) amongst the other teachers because he's so pretty and so kind, always and accidentally keeps making teachers fall for him bc he talks to them so nicely w that pretty smile of his. renowned for his ability to compose melodies on the piano on the spot, and always has students wanting him to help (cough compose for them) parts of their composition work. no one knows what he does outside of work, though. it's like he disappears into thin air after school finishes. 

junhui

gives me eccentric uni professor vibes. sits on his desk with his feet dangling and asks all sorts of strange and irrelevant questions to the students that are, actually, not strange and entirely relevant. has everyone walking out of his lectures feeling like a changed person because he either a) managed to get horribly off track or b) made them rethink their entire life choices. loved by all, and maybe a bit too much. poor guy definitely had an obsessed student try to follow him home before he got lost himself and so they both ended up in the middle of nowhere

hoshi

chemistry teacher. no other reason other than i think he'd look great with a pair of goggles on his forehead pushing his fringe back at funny angles whilst he grins maniacally and goes, “hey, kids, today we're gonna set things on fire!!!!”. so passionate about teaching these things to the students, and rambles on like he only has 5 minutes left on earth and he's gonna use every second to cram in as much chemistry knowledge into the students’ brains as he can in that time. it works, too. his passion inspires so many of them to take chemistry further up in the school. 

wonwoo

history teacher. all the students want him for their teacher when they take history because he's actually, like, competent and knows stuff. known for taking no shit when it comes to doing assignments on time because he sets reasonable deadlines and if you can't make them, then that's on you, not him. students love him. also super duper helpful if you have any questions and is always free at lunch to help bc he'll do anything to escape the hyperactive claws of mr. kwon and mr. wen who are always up to shenanigans

woozi

music teacher (2). mans life literally revolves around music and i can't imagine him doing anything else. department ace. conductor of both the symphony and concert orchestra, and rearranges all of the parts himself when the students find it a little too difficult. also do Not engage this man in a conversation about anything to do with music theory because he will rant for ages and any quick question turns into half of your lunch break being missed. he means well, though, and always gets ridiculous amount of thank-you presents at the end of the year. 

minghao

art teacher (1). dresses like one, too, and has been voted as ‘best dressed teacher’ for the past 3 years in a row. all the art students are kind of afraid of him because if you ask for feedback, there is a 50/50 chance that he'll rip you a new one whilst explaining what you did wrong. there's never any true cruelty to his words, though, cuz hes always actually giving genuine advice and he's always right in what he advises, so students either love him or hate him for his criticisms, though mostly it's the former. he's pretty, too, and his works are pretty, so that's a plus

mingyu

teaches business studies to the older students, purely cz i think he gives maths-adjacent vibes. he teaches a “special” subject that's not available to the younger kids and he's ridiculously handsome so he's kind of like a legendary figure in the school. even if he's a bit silly and adorable at times, he's also super good at holding intellectual debates with his students about current economic and political affairs. can be found bickering with mr. yoon bc the kindergarten teacher wants him to help with his taxes.

dokyeom

art teacher (2). smiles brighter than the sun at all hours of the day, and when the senior students are drowning in coursework and artist research deadlines, he's like the one and only guiding light that helps them get through it because of how endlessly optimistic he is. half the seniors take art solely because of him, actually. also a firm believer that all art is good art and there's no such thing as a “non-artist”. scolds minghao after work when he feels like the other teacher was being too harsh to the students

seungkwan

part of the senior leadership team. takes his position veryyy seriously, strides briskly around the school with a jingle of w set of keys he managed to procure from…somewhere. is always on top of uniform inspections which is always annoying for the kids, but he's also melodramatic and smiley so they love him anyway. the students are always try to recruit him for teacher quizzes and events bc he makes everything way more fun. 

vernon

classics teacher. this might seem odd but hear me out!!! dude loves ancient history and Will do deep dives on old artefacts and cultures that interest him, and i think that passion can definitely be transferred to him teaching kids about latin, ancient greek, old civilizations. known for sharing nothing about his personal life but also being able to talk for ages about something that happened over 1000 years ago. the students all find him super cool and also super endearing. 

chan

the guy who's hired externally from some sports club to act as the teacher to students during after school clubs. teaches martial arts, mainly, but he supervised an impromptu dance club one semester and the students loved it so much that they managed to bring the dance club onto the permanent schedule. everyone loves him. his sports club is 10000% sure that half the children who come to them were recruited through chan's lovely personality alone. 

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[ssparksflyy]

hii, this is my first time requesting and I’m not very good with English, so I’m a bit nervous but, I read the Leo Valdez x daughter of Athena and I loved it! So could I request for some general headcanons for Leo Valdez x daughter of Athena? Totally okay if you don’t have time or anything!

thank you so much 💗💗🥰

ask and thou shall receive ༉‧₊˚.

leo valdez dating hcs ! ° ༘⋆₊˚ෆ

pairing: leo valdez x daughter of athena!reader warning(s): none!! a/n: hii! tysm for requesting! i hope u enjoyed this, i love writing leo w a child of athena cause i can finally talk abt his smarts !!

nerd alert!!

its ok tho cause you guys are always able to help each other out when u have an issue with wtv ur working on

leo asks u for advice and ur opinions whenever hes working on a project

i feel like leo would be popular bcs he's a mf social butterfly

which means he knows everything abt everyone

that's why his hair is so big, its full of secrets

so while ur mapping out a plan for the next capture the flag game, you'll ask him if he thinks your plan could work based on how well people know each other

like ur not gonna put 2 ppl with beef by each other, cause then they'll end up fighting each other and not focus on the game

yk? yk.

ur smarts definitely compliment each other, and ut always trying to learn more about each other's interests

leo's definitely picked up some books in ancient greek about battle techniques and architecture

as have you on mechanical engineering

sometimes at the end of the day, when ur laying on the couch in bunker nine together, he'll ask you questions on architecture, just to hear u talk about things ur passionate about

he just loves seeing ur eyes light up and adores the way you practically talk with your hands as well

call me maybe crazy

but

athena would actually kinda like him ?!

she doesnt appreciate his constant jokes

but she thinks hes smart ( bcs he is ) and knows he makes u happy

hephaestus also rlly likes you

he likes anybody who shows his kids love lowkey

which means he likes you extra

if u were ever to get married, leo would 100% make your engagment ring, but hephaestus would me the one who would make you two the most beautiful wedding rings

its his way of showing he cares as a father

all of cabin 9 loves you

i feel like cabin 6 and 9 (omg 69) were already good friends, so they were ecstatic when they heard their fav mfs finally got together

i feel like in the flirting era it was a lot of spending time together, but just being unable to confess your feelings

now you still spend a bunch of time together, but dont rely on longing glaces and lingering touches

leo is the touchiest mf we all know this

but when u touch him?? the boy is in shambles

this sound a little strange but i promise i dont mean it like that

like yea he loves holding ur hand and kissing your knuckles

but when you kiss his knuckles?? hes a flustered mess

when he cups your cheek and you kiss the palm of his hand, he goes craaazzzyyyy

bouncing off the walls nd everything

he loves it when you tell him random little facts nd shit

ur literally his google

his go-to when he has a question

hes super proud of his smart gf ok ??

leo and percy actually get closer when you start dating

cause now they can both obsessively talk abt their genius gfs

and theyve evolved from the "my gf is smarter" "no my gf is smarter" fights

you and annabeth used to find their fights funny tho

annabeth is literally so supportive :))

she trusts leo and knows he makes you happy and has also obvi noticed how u light up his world

she still plays a semi-protective big sister role

like if shes leo getting a little to close, she'll shoot him one of her warning looks, and he'll move a little further away

but other than that she literally loves u guys :)

morse code is used quite often with you two

especially at night, when you dont want to break the comfortable silence, so you tap messages onto each other's backs.

or when your in a crowded room

or when your talking shit

before you met leo, you had only known a little bit of morse code but as you became closer, he taught you more nd more ♡

he loves it when you read to him

ur like his personal podcast

when you finsh reading a book together, u both write reviews about the book and have them all in a little notebook ♡

leo is for sure the type of guy to take pictures of you 24/7, 365

he has his all time favs taped up by his bunk in cabin nine and ofc has some of his bulletin board in bunker nine

he has the rest saved in a box, along with a bunch of other trinkets from dates u went on :))

you have a box like this yourself, filled with pictures of him, trinkets, and metal flowers he's made you ♡♡

oh and you for sure have a spot

you stumbled acrosss it while on your way to bunker nine and showed it to leo immediately

its a small clearing in the trees, where the sun shines through the leaves, and theres a small patch of flowers ♡

u have most of ur dates there, it ur special little place

leo is literally ur most perfect scholar bf fr ♡

a/n pt.2 : heyyy, i hope u enjoyed these hcs!! im trying out hair rollers overnight rn so its a little hard 2 lay down but we will manage! also heres a leo x child of athena moodboard that i did for my event :) anyway, have a good day/night!!

peace from manhattan,

percy jackson ♡

[quodekash]

wait what did patpran's friends say when they told them they would be playing the main characters

how did they react during rehearsals and stuff

obviously kornwai wouldnt care, but what about the others who think they still hate each other??? who think theyre currently exes?? i have many questions.

but more importantly: THEYRE DOING THE PLAY AND PHUPHATIAN WENT TO WATCH IT AAAAAAA

INKPA INKPA INKPA INKPA

GIRLFRIENDS

LESBIANS

MY WIVES

AAAAAAAAAA

oh i wasnt expecting that

i wouldve expected it to be the other way around

that's so interesting, subverting expectations

i love subverting expectations /gen

veriudjksgbvouerbjsdoguvbre im so excited

im so freaking excited

holy hell

INKPA

THIS RANDOM AUDIENCE MEMBER IS SUCH A FREAKING MOOD OMG

THAT WAS MY REACTION TO THAT PART, TOO

I LOVE THIS AUDIENCE SO MUCH

HES ACTUALLY CRYING

HOLY FREAKING HELL

BRO IS SUCH A GOOD ACTOR

its a shame that the tear is on the side of his face that the audience cant see buT STILL

BRO

HES COMMITTED

I LOVE HIM SO FREAKING MUCH HOLY HELL

SAAAAME

ALSO: INKPA

oh dear merciful god please let them freakin kiss

THEY MEAN SO MUCH TO ME

IM SOBBING

SAME

I LOVE HER SO MUCH

SHE JUST WANTS THEM TO FREAKING KISS

AND SAME

please

OMG THE PART IS COMING

FHWDSFHEASDF

IM SHAKING IN ANTICIPATION

Y E S

THEY DIDNT EVEN HESITATE

AND THEY DIDNT HAVE TO DO THAT

THEY COULDVE JUST LIKE. LEANED THEIR HEADS IN CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. OR DEMONSTRATED WITH THEIR HANDS.

BUT NO, THEY HAD TO KISS EACH OTHER

AND IM DYING BC OF IT

D U D E

LOOK AT HOW HAPPY THEY BOTH LOOK AFTER THAT

GIO34ERPHGSO[VEI4HRSNG0VIO4ERNGSOIBVERJDF

AAAAAAA

G0EVIRODGNOVDVVORILNDFG034IPEJHGT0I34HERQGIUOVBNREULGJBWVNEKSEJDGNVPOREH98GEH0458REHGV9BWVERWG9WBOVHVENPRIOJGKVBLREIKJGB94VOUERGN8943OEBHGNOPUEVRLNGVIORUEJBDGIUBEROUPGB9PU54BERG9UBI4EPOURBGIPOWU4BEGPUBW4IERGJOBREUGWREJOUFVJHKDFFOPEUTRNGHPOIAU5RENGPOIRVBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-

EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE IS SO DESPERATELY ANTICIPATING THEM KISSING, AND THEN THERES PHUPHATIAN LAUGHING THEIR ASSES OFF, AND ITS SO FUNNY TO ME

YYYYYEAHHHHHHHHHHH

FINALLY

HELL YES

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

GVREIJKDBGERVJD

PA'S LITTLE WHOOP I LOVE HER SO MUCH

LMAO THIS ONE KID FILMING IT

KORNWAIIIII

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

HOLY FREAKING HELL

bro did you not watch the previous architecture play?

the other one he literally starred in?

YOU BROUGHT HIM HIS XYLOPHONE STICKS AT THE AUDITION

PA I LOVE YOU BUT WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT

i agree

also: I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

they just mean so much to me, your honour

i get that you wanna congratulate them buT PLEASE, THE MAN HAS TOO MANY FLOWERS ALREADY, SPARE HIM

LOOK AT PA

SHORT ONE LOOKING LOVINGLY UP AT HER GIRLFRIEND GHREKBFGS

which, by the way, this is one of the few times i can say that theyre short, because shes the only one that's shorter than me. i am a whole two centimetres taller than love, and im proud of that

LUCKILY FOR YOU (and all of us), IT'S ALL ON YOUTUBE AT THE GMMTV CHANNEL

look at me, promoting them. i could be their spokesperson. (hire me gmmtv, im begging you)

YOU'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT (please let him be about to walk up to them, please please im begging you)

yES

I WAS RIGHT

please, make it stop, he cant carry any more flowers

THEM <3

VUHREKDSBGVIOREJBGUI3F4REBGPUVI4ERJBDSGV9UPOERBDSGV9UOREBDSVVER9UDNVREUOBDVNU9BIBRE8VDIYBR8EDVIFBHVUBOGVUV9UERODHS9V8REH9GR8VHRED98GHRE8GHR98HGV9DEHVOIE9VD9UERYFER9DSIBVGRIOEGUOIRE8RE8FGREUGIRFHRDEGUIGEU9RFEROGOGRIEOSDHVODH

[quodekash.exe has stopped working]

i wouldve inserted the image again but uh. youll never guess who ran out of images again

[poppitron360]

PART TWO!!!!

Okay, so I’ve already posted Pt 1 of this fanfic I’m gonna keep posting it bc fuck it I’m enjoying myself.

I’m posting this all under the tag #​PJO- THE NEXT GENERATION: OLYMPIA JACKSON-CHASE CHRONICLES so if you need to find the rest, that’s where to look. Not sure how many chapters there will be, as I’m still figuring out the story, but it will probably be for as long as I’m having fun writing it.

Tagging my mutuals who might be interested/ppl who seemed to like pt 1 (I’m trying to get better at tagging ppl):

@green-tea217 @123letsgobestie @fadas-are-important @imasimpdealwithit @coraldeermoon

Summary: Kind of an OC/FanChild fic about my hcs for Percabeth’s kids. VERY Leo/Nico heavy bc they’re my two favourite characters, particularly Leo. If you missed Pt 1, pls read it, but we’ve just ended on the line “I think I have news about your brother,” so ooooh chills cliffhanger scary.

TWs: Swearing, lack of smut (she is a teenager)

Disclaimers: I was between SoN and MoA when I wrote this chapter, and I am currently on HoH, so if I’ve missed anything that gets revealed later, that’s why. Also I listened to the audiobooks, so if I spell a name wrong, that’s also why, either that or I’ve spelt something the British way.

Chapter 2:

Olympia never talked about her brother. That was one thing the kids at camp didn’t know about her family. She had been five years old when he had been taken, on that stormy autumn night. She didn’t remember much, just yelling from the other room and a sound like an eagle screeching. She remembered her mom running in and scooping her up in her arms. More sounds. Her dad screaming. A sword being drawn. A baby crying. A window smashing. Her parents calling his name. She was sobbing. Her mom was holding her dad as he wept on the floor, glass shattered at his feet. Her baby brother, Tyler, was not in his cot.

They started going out every night, searching for a sign he was alive. Leo, Nico, Tyson, Grover, Rachel, Frank, Hazel- all of them helped. Olympia had begged them to take her with them too, but she was still too young. Six months passed. Nothing. A year. Two years. She didn’t know when exactly, but eventually they gave up looking. They assumed he was gone forever.

Her parents had seemed different after that. Her mother buried herself in her job, working day and night at the architecture firm so she wouldn’t have to come home to the gaping hole in their family. Her dad had tried carrying on as normal, but he’d become a broken man. The legendary Percy Jackson failed to save his own son from a monster, now his son was dead.

That’s what they had told Olympia. That was the story. But she refused to believe it. She always thought that with enough training and fighting, she could find him and bring him home. And then, they’d tell the story of the brave demigod who rescued her brother, maybe, just maybe, she’d no longer have to live as just “the daughter of Percy Jackson”, but could become her own legend.

Of course, that was only part of it. First and foremost, she wanted her brother back.

“Do you really think he’s dead?” She’d asked Leo one night, when she was about eight, while her Mom was at work and her Dad was off doing something at camp (he was often brought in as a Special Guest Speaker because he lived close to camp and was cheap, not for any other reason).

“No. Tyler’s not dead,” He replied.

She looked up, “Really?”

He nodded. “Remember that story I told you about Festus the Dragon?”

Leo was the only person she liked to hear stories from. He told them in such a funny way, she didn’t care if it was made up or exaggerated.

“Everyone thought he was super dangerous, but you fixed him and made him better, and he sacrificed himself to save you,” she recited.

“Yup. I didn’t give up on him, even though they told me it was hopeless. I’d waited ‘til I’d looked him in the eyes myself to realise it was hopeless, and then I still tried anyway,” he looked at Olympia, “I believe your brother isn’t dead until we’ve tried every possible way of proving me wrong, and then some. Your parents believe it too, but they can’t risk giving up everything they have, i.e, you, on what is most likely a hopeless case. Besides, Nico said his vision of his soul had been clouded by something- if he was just dead, why hide it?”

“I’m gonna find him someday,” Olympia said, determined.

“And I’m gonna help,” He replied.

She looked at him now, sitting on her bunk in Cabin 3.

“Wha- What news? What do you mean?”

“It’s not… it’s nothing concrete… just a rumour about an 11-year-old boy with dark hair fighting monsters with power over water,” he looked up at her, his eyes solemn, “Camp has a network of automatons looking out for potential demigods, we get alerts like this all the time, but this was different, Oly- I think… I think it might be him.”

She was speechless. All this time, she’d been telling herself she’d find him, but she’d never actually had a lead before.

“Well then, what’re you waiting for, little man?” She said, sliding on her shoes and shoving clothes into her backpack, “Let’s go find him!”

“Oly, not so fast,” he warned, jumping down from the bunk, “this kid- the message said he was pretty hardcore, the way he attacked. If he’s been running from monsters since he was a baby… I can’t think what that’s done to him.”

He put a hand on her shoulder.

“What if… what if he doesn’t want to come home?”

Olympia looked at Leo. Despite his jovial presence and cheery manner, he was dark and twisted just like the rest of them. He knew a thing or two about running away, he’d spent most of his childhood running from schools and foster homes. She knew with a sinking feeling that he might be right. She shook her head.

“We can’t let “What if’s” stop us now, you taught me that,” she said, and shouldered her backpack.

“I guess you’re right,” Leo flashed her his trademark playful grin, “Let’s go.”

The kid was apparently in Nashville, and had caused quite a scene when he’d fought off two wild dogs in the middle of a busy high street by pouring a bucket of water over them. At least, that’s what the mortals were saying online. When Olympia saw the video they’d posted, she noticed how the boy had no bucket, the wild dogs were actually wolves, and when he attacked them they hadn’t just ran away like the internet said, but had completely disintegrated.

She stared at her phone. Demigods weren’t supposed to have cellular devices, especially at camp- they acted as a beacon for monsters to find them- but Leo had found a way to scramble the signal. It wasn’t flawless, and it became more and more risky the longer you used it, but it gave Olympia an hour or so of doom-scrolling on Tumblr every day.

She replayed the video again.

“He doesn’t look anything like I’d expected him to,” she concluded.

“I dunno… he has dark hair, like you. And water powers, like you. And grey eyes, like your mom, and I guess like you as well,” Leo studied her mismatched eyes, “And the way he fights… That’s Jackson blood in his veins if I ever saw it.”

“But he’s… he’s older.”

“Yes. That’s what happens when time passes. Did you expect him to still look 10 months old?”

Leo grinned, the way he always did when he was being sarcastic. Olympia poked him, playfully, and then turned back to the paused image on the screen.

“And he’s so… thin.”

Leo nodded in agreement, “Though, somehow I doubt he’ll be showing up on the front page of Cosmo any time soon.”

She looked at Leo. He tried to hide it with baggy clothes, but she knew that his scrawny look and vertically-challenged appearance weren’t all traits he’d been born with, that the long months spent on the run with little-to-no food had definitely played a factor. He was probably a lot healthier now, but those hard years had scarred him in ways she couldn’t imagine- and had left him looking permanently emaciated. She couldn’t bear the thought of that happening to her brother when she had grown up healthy and strong.

“Come on,” she said, putting away the phone, “Let’s get Nico, and leave.”

“A quest must be undertaken by three,” he recited.

“Yes, but also he can shadow-travel so we won’t have to pay for transport.”

“And that.”

Leo’d managed to intercept the demigod alert from his automaton, and direct all other alerts straight to him so that they could track where the kid was, and so Chiron- or, gods forbid, Olympia’s dad- didn’t see them. He was smart like that, but it only delayed the inevitable. Leo reckoned it was only a matter of time before the Camp Satyrs caught up to the boy. They had to act quickly.

Nico Di Angelo was never the easiest person to find. Luckily for them, he had a soft spot for Olympia, and always made sure she was able to call on him when she needed to. Whenever she wanted help with homework, or a ride to a dangerous incognito solo monster-fighting death quest, all she had to do was knock.

She pressed her body against the floor of Cabin 3, and rapped hard on the wooden floorboards.

“Uncle Nico!!” She called, “I know you’re down there!! We need your help.”

“Boo!” Came a voice from behind them.

Leo yelped, “Holy Hephaestus, Death Boy, don’t do that!”

Nico gave him a skeletal grin. Leo took a deep breath and patted his own hair, which was smoking.

Olympia stood up, and pulled him into a tight hug. She was taller than him now, but he looked good for an 102-year-old.

“My gods, you’ve grown,” he remarked, breathing in her warm smell. His skin was icy cold and pale.

“You’ve been spending too much time in the underworld,” she said, “get some sun in you, man.”

“Oh I think he is getting some Sun in him, if you know what I mean,” Leo winked and turned to Nico, “Hey, Nico, how’s Will?”

Nico ignored the question, “Whatever it is you want me to do, I hope I don’t have to put up with hotshot over here the whole time.” He jabbed a thumb in Leo’s direction.

“Hey!” Leo cried, offended.

Olympia rolled her eyes.

“I need you to take us to Nashville,” she said, “Leo thinks my brother might be there.”

An anguished expression played across Nico’s face.

“T-Tyler?” He asked, “You really think-“

“Yes. We do,” Leo said, confidently. They proceeded to fill him in on everything, even showing him the video on Olympia’s phone.

Nico’s face hardened.

“Right then. I will absolutely do anything I can to help. Nashville, you say? Peace of cake.”

He cracked his knuckles and rolled his head, like he was warming up for something. He then held out both hands, expecting them to take them. Olympia obliged.

“Do I have to?” Leo moaned.

“Don’t worry, Fire Guy, this won’t get gay,” Nico assured him.

“It’s not that,” Leo replied, “Your hands are just weird and cold. And small.”

“You’re one to talk,” he retorted, “I’d much rather just take Olympia, so if you want to be left behind, I’m sure-“

“Fine,” Leo groaned, and took Nico’s hand.

And then the world caved in.

[marblemoonstones]

we were in screaming color 🩵

main masterlist

summary: you didn’t want to go back to your hometown, not when your frustrating parents were there. you left that life behind. but who knew that rebuilding your old elementary school would also bring a new romance?

warnings: f reader, curse words, angst, frustrating/toxic parents, car accident (nothing graphic)

word count: ~ 6.7k (longest fic written so far!! 🥳)

a/n: I’m super excited to start this series :) 💗 (song lyrics won’t start until later into the fic bc I had to add background details. most of the lyrics will be used)

song: out of the woods 

album: 1989 (taylor’s version)

trope: small hometown romance

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The year was 1989… 

“Mom, dad, I have something to tell you,” I say, trying not to pace anxiously. 

“Sweetie, is something wrong?” Mom asks, her eyebrows furrowed in worry.

Dad also looks nervous, as I never usually act in this manner. They’re both sitting on our worn cream couch, slightly sagging from overuse.

“Well…you know how I wanted to go pursue my architecture degree in Seoul?” I ask, remembering their horrified reactions to me having a desire to move out of our small hometown of Tonjung. 

“Yes, I remember. And I also remember us not wanting you to leave,” Dad says, his face solemn and sure. 

That’s funny. They both think I’m staying. 

“I know, but I got into the University of Seoul School of Architecture,” I say, hoping that they’ll be at least a little proud. But knowing deep in my heart that they won’t care.

“Good for you honey, but I thought you were going to stay here and run the family business. You’re the only child we have, y/n. You have to carry on the legacy,” Mom says firmly. 

“That’s what you want,” I sigh, already weary of the conversation, “But I want to go and live my dream.” Every time that I bring architecture up they always dismiss it. I don’t know whether or not it’s because they don’t believe in me or because they want me to follow their perfect vision.

“You and your dreams! Don’t you care about your family at all? Our dream is to be grandparents! Why don’t you settle down here and find a nice boy and-“

“Mom, dad, enough!” I hiss, my anger finally boiling over, “I don’t want to fucking live in your dream, I have a dream of my own. And I’ll be damned if I let this opportunity go to waste. I already paid for everything and set it up, so I just wanted to see if you were going to support me. But I guess not.” 

My parents are now in shock, eyes wide and mouths slightly agape. But I don’t care.

“Goodbye.” 

And with that, I leave, grabbing my suitcases that I had hidden and waiting by the door. The tears prickle at the edge of my eyes. 

“Honey!”

“Wait!”

They shout, but I ignore them. Opening the door, I run straight into a man. Oh, is this another poor soul that they’re trying to set me up with? Too bad for him.

I shove my shit into the car and start it. Turning out of the driveway, I’m off to my new life. 

~

Thirteen years later

~

“Ms. Choi! We need you to sign this, approving the floor plan for the new hospital. We added all the details you requested and-“ 

(I don’t know anything about architecture, so I’m trying to not add details. I’m sorry if I’m inaccurate with anything!)

I sign it quickly and then walk to the meeting room. My assistant has a ‘new project’ that I’ll ‘definitely want to be a part of!’ That means one of two things: either it’s a horrible project and they’re trying to hype it up so I’ll do it, or it’s actually a good investment and I’ll be pleasantly surprised. 

I tend to have a ‘pessimistic’ point of view, but that’s only because I have high standards. After graduating top of my class, I started a job at one of the top architect corporations, Park Designs. Slowly climbing the ranks, I am now one of the top architects at Park. And it only took me five years. Some of my classmates are still low class designers at middle-class businesses. Not to sound cocky of course, but I had to work my ass off in college and during my internships. While my classmates were out partying and drinking, I was working on my designs and making sure they was the best. 

Stepping into the meeting room, I’m not surprised to see my assistant, Jungwoon, but I am surprised to see my boss Seonming. Seonming usually doesn’t come to these meetings, as she’s usually busy helping the CEO, Park Ji-young. 

“Hello y/n, it’s good to see you,” Seonming says shaking my hand. I’ve always admired Seonming, partly because she’s an amazing architect and partly because she’s a high ranking woman in a usually male dominated field. 

“Good morning Seonming, it’s good to see you too,” I say, meaning every word. 

I take a seat in the plush chairs, glad to get the nice meeting room.

“You’re probably wondering why I’m in here. As you know, I don’t usually comes when there’s a new project for you,” Seonming starts, “But this project is especially personal, and I wanted to pitch it to you.”

Personal? What does she mean by that?

Jungwoon hands me the files before bowing and leaving the room. 

“Before you look at it, please know that I specifically selected you for this project because I know that you like designing for the greater good. You have a good heart, y/n, and that’s why I chose you for this. Not for any other reason,” Seonming says, making me wonder what’s so special about this project.

I take a deep breath and open the files. Instantly, I see the location. Tonjung, South Korea. Oh no, oh no no no. 

“Now, before you get all mad, please understand-“

“Seonming. You know why I can’t do this. I left that life behind for a reason,” I say, irritation rising in me. Seonming of all people knows why I can’t go back! I haven’t seen my parents in years, only talking to them at the holidays or our respective birthdays. Our relationship is formal at best.

“I know y/n, but please consider it. You haven’t even looked at the project yet,” Seonming says implored.

I know she’s right, as she always is, so I scan the summary. Building a new school? Did something happen to my elementary school? 

“What happened to Tonjung Elementary?” I ask, thinking about the cozy and warm school I went to.

“There was an earthquake,” Seonming explains, “And it all but destroyed the current school. They need an architect who can rebuild the school, and I recommended you. Not because you used to live there, but because I knew you’d be able to do it justice.”

Damn. Seonming is really good at making someone feel guilty. She knows I’m a sucker for humanitarian projects, whether it be building a new hospital or, in this case, a new school. 

Why didn’t I know that the earthquake happened? Why didn’t my parents tell me? I’m assuming it’s because they think I don’t care, but just because I left doesn’t mean I don’t have an attachment to the town I grew up in.

I sigh, already knowing my answer. 

“Okay…I guess for Tonjung Elementary…” I grumble, trying to ignore the happy look on Seonming’s face. 

“Great! You’ll have to stay there for a while, of course, but the project doesn’t start for another two weeks. That should give you enough time!” Seonming is being surprisingly brief with details. Usually she gives me a full run down and explains every last aspect.

“Okay…how long will this last?” I ask, suspicious. 

“Oh, yeah, it’s supposed to last two to three years. Anyways, I’ll send the rest of the information soon! Have a good day y/n!” Seonming leaves in a rush, clearly trying to avoid me so I can’t back out.

Two to three years? In my hometown? With my parents? Oh boy. What did I just agree to?

~ 

Two weeks fly by and before I know it I’m leaving with a lot of my stuff. Even though I may come back to the city once in a while, it won’t be often because the drive from Seoul to Tonjung is a good seven hours. 

“Goodbye y/n! Have safe travels and try to have a little fun,” Jungwoon says. He’s handling my office while I’m gone. I trust him, and I know he’ll do a good job.

“Thanks, Jungwoon. And don’t forget to text me if there are any problems!” I call, waving as I drive off. 

I put on music and try to enjoy the long drive. It is beautiful by the coast, and if I ignore the awkwardness with my parents, then going back home isn’t too bad. 

I’m just glad that I’m staying at an Air BnB because otherwise I’d have to endure my parents’ constant nagging about how I left them, how I need to settle down, and all that bullshit. Besides, I’m only thirty-two. I have plenty of time to find a partner. I want to keep working towards my goal, becoming a CEO (like Park Ji-young) of my own architectural business. 

The drive passes by quickly, and soon the tall skyscrapers of Seoul turn into quaint houses with chipping paint.

I pull into the Air BnB and get out of my car. Breathing in the salty air, I feel the crisp breeze on my skin. It’s June and the weather is a bit hot at times so the breeze is a nice reprieve. I start yo unload my stuff and place it in the bedroom. This is a nice Air BnB because it has all the essentials (washer, dryer, dishwasher, etc.) for one person. 

I go to the bathroom and freshen up. After changing my clothes, I decide to rip the bandaid off and go to my parents since it’s only about 3 in the afternoon.

Tonjung is small enough to walk place to place, and my parents’ house is only a couple blocks over from the Air BnB. 

I steady myself before knocking on the door. The aqua paint that used to be cheerful and welcoming now feels cheap and tacky. 

The door opens, and my dad’s face appears. He opens the door slightly wider for me to come in, but I can tell he’s not that happy to see me.

“Hi honey, come on in. Your mom’s in the living room.” He shuts the door behind me and I feel as though I’m heading straight to my doom. 

I cautiously step into the room and see my mom.

“Hi mom…it’s good to see you again,” I say, tentative of how this visit will go.

She turns her head.

“Hi sweetie. How are you?” It’s turning into another one of our phone calls. Only this time I can’t make an excuse and hang up.

“I’m fine. It’s good to be back.” I hesitate on what to say next, trying to break the awkwardness that’s lingering in the air like stale perfume. 

“Good to have you back. Maybe this time you’ll stay,” mom says, and I stiffen.

“You know I had to go. And look at me now, I’ve achieved so much.” I always try my hardest to make my parents proud, even if they don’t know it. 

“Yes honey, you have. So why don’t you come back here for good? You can do your building business or whatever it is you do from here.” 

Mom never understands. It’s not just a ‘building business,’ it’s my life. I have big goals, and they’re only going to happen if I keep pursuing them. 

“Mom, you know I can’t move back here. I have to continue in Seoul because that’s where there are better opportunities for me,” I try to explain. Before anyone can say anything else, I hear a knock on the door.

“Oh, that must be Namjoon,” my dad says, going to open the door.

Namjoon? Kim Namjoon?

“Hey Namjoon! Yes yes, come on in. She’s right here.” Dad leads the handsome man over to me. 

“Hey, y/n! Long time no see.” 

Kim Namjoon sure has grown into those long legs and dimples. His eyes have always been beautifully sculpted, but they’re even more gorgeous now. I notice that he’s got some serious muscles in him now too. Seems he’s discovered working out.

“Hey Namjoon. Haven’t seen you in a while,” I say, trying (and failing) not to seem awkward.

“Namjoon here has grown up, hasn’t he y/n? And he even stayed in town,” Mom says pointedly.

I roll my eyes. So small town Namjoon stayed in the small town. Mom and dad probably wish he was their child.

“Okay, mom. I get it. Now, not to break up whatever this-“ I gesture to mom and I- “is, why did you call Namjoon here?”

“Oh! It’s because I’m the principal of Tonjung Elementary. We’ll be working together on the rebuilding a lot,” Namjoon explains.

“Oh that’s fun…” I trail off, not sure what else to say. Yay? Spending two to three years working with someone I haven’t seen in ages?

“Yes it is! Now, why don’t you two mosey on down to the beach and get to know each other after such a long time. I’m sure there’s much to catch up on. And your father and I have to go to the store.” Mom practically forces us out, and before I know it Namjoon and I are standing outside the front door. So much for subtleness. Mom just wants me to find a boyfriend.

“That was quick,” I mumble, “Even for them.” Usually our visits on the phone last at least fifteen minutes, but this one breaks the record with being about five.

Namjoon chuckles. I blush, not knowing that he heard me. 

“Well, it seems that we are supposed to go to the beach. Shall we?” Polite as ever, Namjoon is. 

“Sure. We shall.” 

Traipsing down we make our way to the beach and I immediately take off of my shoes to feel the sand. I find a good spot and sit down and stare at the ocean. The crashing waves do little to smooth my mind. 

“So…” Namjoon starts, sitting down next to me. “You escaped. And you’re very successful now. I’ve seen you in magazines and such.”

Magazines? My name is almost never mentioned but I suppose there were a couple pieces written about my various projects.

“Heh, yeah. I’m lucky to be where I am today,” I affirm as I start drawing hearts in the sand. 

“Yeah…the last time I saw you you weren’t doing the best so I’m glad you made it.” Namjoon has a look in his eyes I don’t recognize. Pity? Sympathy?

“Wait when was the last time I saw you?” I don’t remember seeing him since high school graduation.

“When you were leaving. For college. After,” Namjoon winces, “The fight with your parents.” 

Wait how did he see me then? Unless-

“YOU were the man outside the door! I thought it was another random man my parents were trying to set me up with!” I exclaim.

Namjoon smiles sheepishly. 

“Well…that was me. And I wasn’t just there for fun…” 

“Ohhh so you were another poor suitor sent by my parents,” I side eye him for a second before we both burst into laughter. 

“Ah yes, that’s me. A ‘suitor’ for you! Perhaps you should like to date me madam?” Namjoon says in an accent.

As I laugh, I think, Was he always this funny? I guess he’s more goofy now than in high school.

“Nah, I’m not ready to date anyone. I have to start my own architectural corporation first,” I say wistfully. Someday. 

“Oh yeah, I bet you’ll be able to do that. You always were so driven, even in high school,” Namjoon says, reminiscing. 

“Ugh, don’t remind me! I remember when I missed senior homecoming because I had to study.” 

I wanted to go, but I had a huge AP chem test the next day that I ‘couldn’t afford to fail.’ So, while my other classmates were dancing to ‘Party Rock’ I was at home poring over my textbooks. It paid off, I suppose, because I aced the test, but it wasn’t worth missing homecoming.

“Those dances weren’t that fun anyways,” Namjoon says, breaking my train of thought.

“Oh! Yes I guess they weren’t. I wonder how everyone’s doing nowadays. I haven’t spoken to any of them in ages,” I mused. I’m only friends with some of them on social media, and even then I don’t check it frequently enough to know what’s happening in their lives.

“Remember Cho Eun Jung? Well, now she’s a famous fashion designer. Heard her designs were featured in Paris Fashion Week or something. And little Kim Ha-Joon? He has a family of his own now. They moved to America a while ago,” Namjoon notes, nose crinkling as he thinks. 

“Wow. Seems as if everyone’s out there living their life and I’m stuck in Seoul, single and still pursuing my dream career,” I say, melancholy sinking in. The truth is, what have I done with my life? Sure, I’m a successful architect but I’m not famous and I don’t have a family. I’m not even close with the family that I do have.

“Hey, don’t think of yourself that way. You’re still successful, I mean only five years and now you’re a top architect at one of the top corporations. I’d say that’s impressive,” Namjoon says, making me laugh. 

“Thanks, Namjoon. And look at you, principal on Tonjung Elementary. That’s impressive. If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to Mr. Han?” Mr. Han was our principal when Namjoon and I went to Tonjung. 

“I don’t mind at all, and he retired. I think he’s living around here somewhere with his wife,” replies Namjoon. I’m glad that Mr. Han retired, he deserves it. That man was an excellent principal. 

“Oh, that’s good. I’m happy for him. I’m also happy for you, and I’m happy that we can catch up. I mean, we are going to be working together for a couple years,” I say sheepishly. 

“That’s true. I’m glad that it’s you who I’m working with,” Namjoon says, flashing me a smile, his dimples prominent. 

I smile back.

“Me too.”

~

(I won’t be adding many details about the new school design because I am not an architect and don’t want to mess up anything about the process :))

The months pass by in a whirlwind with planning and sketching the new school. Namjoon and I try to make it similar to the old one, but there are a few modern adjustments that we add.

Currently, all of the students are having to go to school in a neighboring town. Namjoon and I work as quickly as we can so that they can come back and attend school here. 

~

September arrives and with it cooler weather. The leaves are starting to turn their gorgeous shades and I start wearing my knit sweaters. 

One day I’m heading over to Namjoon’s house because I forgot my laptop charger. I knock on his cerulean door and he answers, smiling that cute grin of his.

“Hey y/n! Come on in. I’m assuming you’re here for your laptop charger?”

I step inside, replying “Yes! I can’t believe I left it here. I’m so forgetful sometimes.” 

I grab it off of the coffee table, and am about to leave when Namjoon clears his throat.

“Would…you like to stay for a bit? I remember you wanting to watch that new k-drama and it just came out. You don’t have to though if you don’t want to! Sorry, I just thought maybe-“

“Namjoon,” I interrupt, smiling internally at his shyness, “It’s fine. I’d love to stay for a while. I’m glad that you remember when the k-drama was coming out because I sure didn’t!” 

After popping popcorn (our second bag as Namjoon burnt the first batch) and grabbing sodas we settle down to watch ‘Business Proposal’ (I know it didn’t come out this early but I love this k-drama okay? 😭). 

We binged the whole season that afternoon. After the last episode my stomach hurt from all the popcorn and soda but my heart was full. 

“The last scene was so pretty! Those cherry blossoms…” I sigh as I lean back into the couch, “I can only dream to have such a perfect proposal someday.”

“I know the right person will come along y/n. Just wait and see,” Namjoon says with such certainty that I look at him. How does he know that I’ll find someone?

“Yeah, I guess so,” I reply, letting my head drop to the couch. If I close my eyes, I can just imagine that this little moment was perfect. Namjoon and I in a perfect bubble. No outsiders or prying parents to belittle me. 

‎♪ looking at it now

it all seems so simple ‎♪

I hear the sound of a flash and open my eyes to see Namjoon holding a Polaroid camera. 

“Hey! Did you just take a picture of me?” I gasp at him as he grins sheepishly.

“Maybe?” 

“Why?” I ask him, trying to grab the camera out of his hand.

“Because! Look,” Namjoon says, showing me the picture.

I look so pensive, eyes closed to the world. The sun beams down through the window and hits my face perfectly like I’m in a movie. My hair is spread on the couch in a surprisingly beautiful way.

‎♪ we were lying on your couch

I remember ‎♪

“Wow, I didn’t know you had such a touch for photography Namjoon!” I praise, seeing the man blush.

“Oh, it’s not that hard when I have a great subject to photograph.” Namjoon waves off the compliment. 

“Can I keep the picture?” I ask, grinning excitedly when he drops it into my hands, “Thanks!”

Namjoon holds the camera out in front of both of us. “Let’s take a selfie together, y/n.” 

“Okay!” I say, getting close and throwing up a peace sign. Flash! 

‎♪ you took a Polaroid of us

then discovered ‎♪

The picture comes out beautifully, the sun hitting the two of us just right and our beaming faces genuine. 

“Aww, we look so cute Namjoon. Why don’t you keep this picture because you let me keep the first one. A memory when we watched Business Proposal!” I cheer, feeling happy for the first time in a while. 

When was the last time I let myself just be with someone? No work, no worrying about parents or expectations. Just me and them. 

‎♪ the rest of the world was black and white

but we were in screaming color ‎♪

I blink, surprised with my sudden desire to cry. Was my life so monotone that simple moments like these made me happy? Did…Namjoon make me happy? No, it was just the fun of hanging out with someone. That’s why, I’m riding the high of having a true friendship. No other reason. 

‎♪ and I remember thinking

are we out of the woods yet?

are we in the clear yet? ‎♪

~

It’s December and the air is cooler as winter sneaks in. I’m over at his house about a week until Christmas, complaining about my parents (yet again). 

“They want me to go to their annual Christmas party! Which is fine, because, like, my family will be there, but that means a night of suffering as they compare me to my cousins. Half of my cousins are married, some have children, and the others at least live close by. I don’t check any of those boxes so they’ll just use the night to make me feel guilty!” I rant while sitting on Namjoon’s couch. 

‎♪ looking at it now 

last this december ‎♪

Namjoon winces. 

“I’m sorry…do your parents even know how they make you feel?”

“But it’s not just my family! You know my parents, they invite the whole damn town!” I plow on, then stop after realizing Namjoon said something, “Sorry, what did you say?” 

“I said that I’m sorry and asked if your parents know how bad they make you feel. It’s obvious they don’t, but have you tried talking to them about it?” Namjoon repeats. 

“Oh, don’t apologize. It’s not your fault they’re this way. And yeah, I have tried to talk to them. Since high school, actually, when I told them I wanted to pursue being an architect. But they turned it down immediately! They didn’t even listen to me!” I put my head into my hands.

Namjoon puts his arm around me in a half hug.

“I wish there was a way for me to help you, y/n. If it makes you feel any better, I can come to the party with you. Your parents did invite me.”

Of course they did. They want me to find someone so desperately that they probably invited all of the eligible bachelors in Tonjung. 

I lean into Namjoon’s hug, trying to absorb some of his calming aura. 

‎♪ we were built to fall apart

then fall back together ‎♪

The day of the dreaded party arrives and I shove myself into a sparkly red dress that’s itchy and uncomfortable. I feel like a present. 

At precisely 5:20pm my doorbell rings. Grabbing my purse I open the door to see Namjoon. In a suit. Wow, he cleans up nice.

“Joon! You look great. That suit looks great on you,” I babble. Since when have I been nervous around him?

“Same to you! Well, not about the suit but that dress. Looks really good on you,” Namjoon stumbles out. Looks like I’m not the only awkward one. 

I smile. 

“Thank you Namjoon. Shall we?” 

“Oh! Before we leave, I wanted to give you your Christmas gift.” He brings out a small velvet box from behind his back.

I gasp, then say, “Joon! You didn’t have to get me anything. I didn’t get you anything!” 

“It’s okay,” Namjoon says, stepping inside, “I don’t need anything. I’m just glad that we’re friends.”

He hands me the box and I open it. Inside is a simple chain necklace with a gold North Star charm at the end. I look closer at it and realize-

“Namjoon! This is your necklace! I can’t accept this. It’s yours!” I try to give him the box back but he refuses.

“Please accept it. It will look perfect on you,” Namjoon pleads, and after trying again to give it back but failing, I accept it. 

“Okay, Joon, thank you. It’s beautiful. Could you help me put it on?”

“Of course.” 

He takes it out gently and brings it in front of my neck. Fastening it carefully I look down at it. 

It fits perfectly.

‎♪ ooh, your necklace hanging from my neck

the night we couldn’t quite forget ‎♪

The party is dull. My parents compare me to my cousins, introduce me to tasteless men, and force me to talk to their judgmental friends. Luckily, Joon is there to help ease some of the pain. We last about an hour before leaving, saying we have ‘work to do on the design.’ To which my parents ignore. Oh well. Who cares? Not me.

Namjoon and I go to his house after (we always go to his house instead of my Air BnB because I said it feels more cozy). We collapse on the couch and laugh, thinking about our escapades at the party. Counting how many mini quiches my cousin ate, seeing how many chocolates we could sneak into Namjoon’s pocket. 

“Hey! Why don’t we do karaoke? That’ll be fun way to ring in Christmas!” Namjoon says excitedly. And he’s right. It is Christmas Eve after all.

“Okay,” I agree. And we move the coffee table and chairs and then plug in the machine. After a couple rounds we tire out and decide to just listen to the Christmas radio. Jingle Bell Rock comes on and I find myself pulling Namjoon up off the couch.

“C’mon Joon, dance with me!” He’s reluctant at first but eventually we find a rhythm, happy and free.

‎♪ when we decided, we decided

to move the furniture so we could dance ‎♪

White Christmas comes on and Namjoon grabs my hand and we start to slowly ‘waltz’ around the room (it’s mostly swaying). I feel my heart start to beat faster, my face flush.

‎♪ baby, like we stood a chance ‎♪

I can feel Namjoon’s body heat and force myself to look into his eyes. Those, caring, sweet, beautiful eyes. He looks back at me. Our faces are mere inches apart, and I slowly press my lips to his. He doesn’t pull away. 

‎♪ two paper airplanes flying, flying, flying ‎♪

~ 

I spend the night, wearing his clothes and sleeping next to him. We cuddle up and wake up together on Christmas morning. 

“Good morning beautiful,” Namjoon says in his deep morning voice.

I blush. 

“Good morning Joon,” I reply, trying to hide my face.

“Merry Christmas,” he says, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. 

“Merry Christmas. I’m sorry I didn’t get you a gift,” I say, still thinking of what I could give him.

“Don’t apologize, sweetheart. You are the best gift.”

‎♪ and I remember thinking 

are we out of the woods yet?

are we in the clear yet? ‎♪

~

December turns to April, four months of dating Namjoon. My parents are overjoyed, but I manage to ignore their suggestive comments and instead focus on the man himself. 

Valentine’s Day is a whole affair, Namjoon giving me the biggest bouquet of wildflowers, handpicked by him. And if that wasn’t enough, he also gifts me a whole bouquet of chocolate-covered strawberries (which he found out are my most favorite food ever). I get him a moon necklace that matches my North Star one, teasing, “Now we can be one of those cheesy couples who have matching necklaces.” 

On a muddy spring day in March we make a spontaneous trip to a neighboring town’s traveling carnival. After buying sugary cotton candy and popcorn, Namjoon and I try our hands at the games. We each win a stuffed animal for each other, me winning him a koala and him winning me a giant panda. Their names are Koya and James respectively. The carousel is fun, us holding hands like lovesick teenagers the entire time and (probably) annoying all the kids riding. At the end of the day Namjoon and I go on the Ferris wheel, kissing sweetly at the top beneath the velvet starry sky.

Namjoon makes me feel the happiest I’ve ever felt. My self esteem has definitely improved and my heart is constantly full. He treats me like a queen and I hope that I treat him like the king that he is. 

We go on cute dates around town. Coffee shop dates on rainy days, reading for hours on end at the library, feeding each other chocolate-covered strawberries at the park. Although, I think the best ones are either a simple afternoon at the beach or cuddling on the couch. 

We often dance together in his living room, two souls in their own world. Just like the day of the Polaroid picture (which he has up on his wall), I feel as though I’m in my own bubble of joy. 

‎♪ are we out of the woods yet?

are we in the clear yet? ‎♪

But not all good things last forever.

Talk of the future rarely come up, but when it does Namjoon is surprisingly avoidant of answering anything. I know that I have my job in the city, and I also know that he loves the beach and being away from crowds of people. How could this work? 

A particularly bad argument leads to me storming out, irritated that Namjoon doesn’t want to discuss our relationship after the school is finished. And with how far it’s progressing, it looks to be done in about a year. 

“Sweetheart, please. I’m not ready to talk about this yet because I don’t want to think about it,” Namjoon implores as I start to gather my things.

“You’re never ready. We have to talk about it someday, and I need to know about the future of us.” I’m so frustrated about this reoccurring disagreement, and this is a sign that it’s time for me to leave. “I’m leaving, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” His hand on my arm only further annoys me. 

“Sweets, please don’t leave. I just…have commitment issues. Forgive me, but thinking that far ahead makes me feel tied down. I just want to live in the moment,” he pleads.

I look into those dark eyes and see something vulnerable and raw in there. There’s a nagging voice in the back of my head that says to stay but I turn and go out the door. 

“Y/n!” 

‎♪ remember when you hit the brakes too soon? 

twenty stitches in a hospital room ‎♪

I get into my car and start driving in the downpour. I don’t know where I’m going,  but I do know that I need to get out of this town.

The rocky cliffs are jagged in the lightning and I angrily pump the gas once more. I see a shape dart out and try to hit the brakes. But I’m too slow. All I see is black as the world fades away.

‎♪ when you started crying, baby, I did too

but when the sun came up, I was looking at you ‎♪

I groggily open my eyes and the first thing I see is a body sitting in a chair. As I come to, I also notice curtains and an IV. I’m in a hospital.

“Y/n! Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I feel like it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let you leave I should’ve made you stay and you could’ve died…” 

Namjoon. 

He’s here.

I turn to look at him and smile weakly. 

“Joon, it’s okay. I’m okay.” 

Those words seem to break him and he comes and holds me close while sobbing.

‎♪ I was looking at you ‎♪

After he’s calmed down he tells me what happened. I hit a deer last night and had a concussion. After finding me and rushing me to the hospital I had to have twenty stitches (this probably isn’t accurate and I apologize). 

Namjoon tells me that my parents have come to visit but I wasn’t awake when they came. It’s now two pm.

“I’m so sorry. So so sorry. It was my fault and I shouldn’t have let you leave-“

“Namjoon.” I cut off his rambling, “You sound like a broken record. It’s okay. I’m okay. Can we talk about what happened before the accident?” I know it’s quick, but I need to know before another horrible happens.

I feel his hand tense before he says, “Sure.”

“Please, Namjoon, tell me why you have commitment issues. I want to know everything about you. Please tell me. I want to be with you, I want to stay with you, but we need to be able to trust each other. Trust me, Namjoon,” I beg, trying to understand.

‎♪ remember when we couldn’t take the heat? 

I walked out, I said “I’m setting you free” ‎♪

Namjoon casts his eyes down. 

“I’m sorry y/n…you deserve to know. I-I’ll do my best to explain it.” He takes a deep breath before continuing. “The future used to be something I would obsess over, planned to the very last detail. I had a girlfriend that I dated all through college, and I truly thought that she was the one.” It doesn’t bother me that Namjoon had another girlfriend, but I’m surprised he didn’t tell me about her sooner.

 “She was a part of my future, but I suddenly found out that she’s been cheating. That changed everything. My whole future was thrown askew. It was then that I decided to live freely and not worry about the future because I didn’t know what was in store. To not be tied down and to be spontaneous,” Namjoon finishes.

‎♪ but the monsters turned out to be just trees ‎♪

It makes so much sense, why he wants to live this free life. I understand that his past girlfriend scarred him in many ways, and I don’t blame him for being nervous. But I still wish he would’ve told me all this.

“I understand Namjoon, and I’m sorry that happened to you. Why didn’t you tell me this before? I know we’ve only been dating for a couple months, but I feel that this is something important to share.” 

“I know, and I’m sorry. I should’ve told you all this. Do you think you could forgive me? I promise that I will try to be more open and think a little bit more about my future with you,” Namjoon vows.

“I will forgive you. Eventually. But we need to work on communication if we want this to work.” I raise my eyebrows at him.

“Deal.” 

He leans over to kiss my cheek.

‎♪ when the sun came up you were looking at me ‎ ‎♪

And I let him. 

‎♪ you were looking at me ‎♪

~

Two years later

~ 

The beach is hardly crowded today, only a few people set up with their umbrellas. Which is surprising, since it’s the start of summer. I guess the tourist waves hasn’t hit yet. 

Joon carries a picnic basket in one hand and holds mine in his other. He says that he has a surprise date planned, but I don’t see much of a surprise because of the picnic basket. 

We decided that it was best to take things slow, build up trust within one another. While the school was being finished, we took time to relax and get to know each other a bit better. Joon opened up more and I listened and now I better understand him. After the school was done, we had a big talk about our future. 

I decided to quit my job and start my own architecture business in Tonjung, letting me live that CEO life while also being in Namjoon’s life. It’s a pretty successful corporation, as my main goal was to focus on smaller towns and help them. 

I also had a big talking to with my parents. I explained how I felt and tried to get them to listen and understand me. They still want grandchildren, but they’re a little more understanding now of how that may or may not happen.

Joon and I aren’t even married yet, let alone thinking about children. Right now, all I want to do is enjoy this picnic ‘surprise’ date that he’s set up.

“Here’s the perfect spot for the picnic,” Joon says, leading me to a place away from other people while also being shaded. So much for a surprise.

We spread the blanket out then open the basket. I instantly see the chocolate-covered strawberries that I adore so much and grab one to munch on. 

“You and your strawberries,” Joon says fondly, shaking his head at me. 

“Hey, what can I say, I love them,” I mumble with my mouth full. 

Joon laughs and I see those dimples of his pop out. That grin still never fails to make me have butterflies. 

“And I love you.” He kisses the top of my head. 

We enjoy the picnic and as we’re packing up Joon stops me. 

“Wait, y/n, I have the surprise.” 

I look at him questioningly as he pulls out a tiny box. 

Then he gets down on one knee.

I start to go teary-eyed. 

“Choi y/n, I know this isn’t a cherry blossom proposal from Business Proposal-“

I laugh at that, thinking about that evening.

“-but I hope this is just as special. You are the most talented, smart, amazing, and gorgeous woman I’ve ever met. Even in high school you were already surpassing everyone else. I’m so lucky to call you my girlfriend. Thank you for putting up with me and for loving me as I am. You never fail to make me laugh and always make me feel better when I’m having a rough day. I trust you more than anyone and I love you more than you will ever know.”

I let the tears fall as Joon finishes.

“And with that, I ask you, Choi y/n, will you marry me?” 

Blinking, I answer the question.

“Yes.” 

‎♪ are we out of the woods yet?

are we out of the woods yet?

are we out of the woods yet?

are we out of the woods? 

are we in the clear yet? 

are we in the clear yet?

are we in the clear yet? 

in the clear yet, good ‎♪

a/n: thanks for reading! 💕

[crystalflygeo]

🦉 who was your first five star?

🦢 what’s your favorite region?

🍐 what’s your favorite game mechanic?

🫖 dump a headcannon or theory here

🦋 show off your serenetea pot, if you want

🍨 who’s voice is your favorite? (added: for each of the voiceover languages you play in :D)

Hiiii Riiiin <3

🦉 who was your first five star?

In NA it was..... Mona.....;;;; I lost 50/50 on Zhongli's banner but THAT'S OK I got him later ehehe a funny thing is that I also got her when pulling for him in asia and also Raiden so for a while I was just like "wow I'm cursed" //silly

In Asia it was C1 Hu Tao yup. Not only did I win 50/50 but I got a double on the same pull and that day I decided to be a Hu Tao main ehehe

🦢 what’s your favorite region?

Liyue definitely. Bias aside for some reason it just captured me since the start. I don't personally connect with any of the cultures so far;;; and I never even knew much about China/Chinese culture tbh (no offense or anything, just more typical anime/japanese oriented media for me Ig) but genshin just kinda opened me to it, it's insane all the little meanings and nods I see ppl doing analyses about in clothes, food, customs, places, names, etc etc.

There is just something about those falling leaves in the rocky path at Chihu rock or the beautiful architecture of Feiyun Slope with the red pilars, walkpaths and staircases, the lanterns, the little grass areas and water with lotuses.... I just dunno man seems all so gorgeous for me yet warm, full of life.

🍐 what’s your favorite game mechanic?

Ouuuhhh though question I think the combat style the ability to switch characters on a second and make elemental reactions and combos offering infinite possibilities for team and strategy combinations. Building teams is fun and seeing them work together is rewarding <3 Also the puzzles and for some reason I really liek the -grana used to solve them ehe

🫖 dump a headcannon or theory here

sagcvghasvcjgsavgja ok ok hear me out I always hc it's kind of an open secret that Li is an adeptus like, he won't say it but also not deny it and ppl just eventually kinda put 2 and 2 together at least on that front (but not which adeptus ehehe) paaaarticularly bc for a long time too I also had the hc that he's actually worked at wangsheng for decades so yeap ppl know he's not human they're polite about it tho, it's just an open secret like I said. I also have a ton of cute familial/platonic hcs between him and Yanfei (as they were my OG team) like how she looks up to him and calls him 老師 and he taught her about adeptal energy/affinity and how to make a shield etc

🦋 show off your serenetea pot, if you want

omggggg alright! :3c (the inside ones are basically main room/meeting table, kitchen, Yanfei's room, infirmary, Lumine/my room hehe)

🍨 who’s voice is your favorite? (added: for each of the voiceover languages you play in :D)

sgcagsvcgjavchjabckabk lemme thiiink I mean obviously Zhongli for both. Man's english voice is what got me into genshin in the first place but his jpn voice is also so hhhhhhh ALL OF THEM TBH as for other characters.... I really really like Yanfei's and Hu Tao's english voices, also Ganyu, Faruzan, Alhaitham, Neuvillette, and Childe as for the japanese ones, Ei, Kazuha and Ningguang are definitely the best imo

Eehehe this got long cxghsavcghsa sorry Thank youuuuu!! <3 //hugs

[themyscirah]

42, 11, and 78 for the ask game!

42. Ted Kord Blue Beetle for this one. I'm gonna admit I'm not the most knowledgeable abt him as he's rlly only showed up in the JLI I've read (1st 25ish issues) and the background in various events in the 80s/90s but I like that he makes Star Trek references.

11. John Stewart Green Lantern!!!!! What a guy <3. This made me remember I need to read the new War Journal actually so thanks for this one. Won't do a favorite issue/run here bc I have gaps in his most notable eras but he's shown to quietly appreciate a cup of fancy coffee (esp when doing like architecture type work/w the mindset) as a fun fact

78. Just Lucky! He's a star wars character from Alyssa Wong's Doctor Aphra run that just wrapped up, (so that's the run to read there ofc) but I love that him and Aphra have a "no hard feelings" policy on attempted murder and betrayal. That's rlly just how it goes sometimes. Also i find it funny that his fiancé is like the whitest guy ever with weird hair, like whatever floats youre boat bro. Lucky you're way too cute for him but sure

[askintermissionfandom]

What are some of your favorite felt head canons if you don't mind, and is your intermission discord server still active?

Oh yeah psh the server is defo active. We talk there every day and we had a group vc like just yesterday! Feel free to join! Even if you’re going to lurk we got good fanarts being made like every other day! https://discord.gg/VMtTxQj

NOW TO THE INFODUMPING! Sry not sry you asked for this I’m just gunna go full ham. (I figured out how to add a read more link! hah!)

OK SO! I’ve got so many! Top fav is my ones for Crowbar of course. I love making his juju a sentient being and having it effect him negatively by applying sensitivity for timeline shenanigans on him. This also means Crowbar is weak against temporal movement like teleportation. He’s fine for the most part if the Doc teleports him with green sun magic but if Droog does it, it gets him sick and dizzy for a bit.

Oh! Also that Crowbar has lots of hobbies, but every single one is a benefit to his Felts. He’s incapable of doing activities selfishly and has a hard time detaching himself from his work. Expressing himself creatively? Sure! How about he gets into woodworking and architecture so he can repair walls, doors, and clocks whenever they break around the manor. Taking time off to zone out and relax? No problem! He unironically loves doing paperwork because the exactness of the wording comfort him and he can keep business flowing. (He secretly collects the small manuals that comes with most products because finding grammar mistakes in the terms and conditions amuses him.) He even has a mild special interest in car detailing and cleaning so that the getaway cars for everyone are in top condition, and so that the manor is clean and free of evidence.

Oh and that reminds me that I love to hc that the manor (I make it sentient) looooves Crowbar the most out of any member since he’s the only one that takes care of it. The manor’s architecture shifts constantly to confuse intruders and such, but for Crowbar it shifts to get him to wanted destinations faster. If Crowbar wants to get to the west wing from the east wing, only Itchy has a chance to close the distance faster than him. Ah! It’s so funny! I’m smiling about it now! Aaaa I love them!

And! And and I love to hc Crowbar being super dense in matters of love. In the server (there is rp and I am the dedicated Crowbar rper) I make sure to have him make the perfectly wrong assumption any time someone falls for him bc Cro mentally cannot comprehend someone being attracted to him- OH THAT REMINDS ME OF ANOTHER ONE! I hc that to us irl humans Crowbar is the most normal and even the sexiest felt, but in leprechaun standards Crowbar is like, the ugliest leprechaun ever. Leprechaun standards value weird shapes, weird chaotic habits, and the scrungle vibe, and Crowbar is intimately aware he doesn’t embody any of it, so it’s just like. “Um. I know damn well I don’t make an effort to strive towards beauty standards, so,,, why are you falling for me again? Surely this is a joke? This, isn’t what people are supposed to do.”

On that note though, I think Crowbar has a hard time with charms as a system. He’s effected by it and feels it occasionally, but he does much better with quadrants and carapacians in general. He doesn’t like talking about it with his men because he’s scared they are going to make fun of him for it, but they probably already know what with his little Snowman crush.

Hot take I could do with or do without Snowbar. It really depends on who I’m roleplaying with. For the most part I love it because it emphasizes the fact that Crowbar is just really fucking weird compared to other leprechauns. He’s orderly, he’s bi, he likes things to be a certain consistent way, and there’s nothing be can do about it. It just makes me feel warm inside. If my rp partner doesn’t like the ship though I loooooove to make Snowman and Cro like, slumber party pals. They engage in the tea and girl talk! Wlw and mlm! Snowy is the man’s rock and sense of reason in a sea of idiots.

Though hm, now for other Felt. I do like the idea that Itchy actually has garbage reaction time and is in a state of single focused mania a lot. My mans has trouble sleeping and knowing his environment and it can take a toll on his mind, but when he does sleep his metabolism is too fast for such a long sleep and he has to go into a hibernation state! Like a hummingbird! (That’s @naturallydark ‘shc for the Itchy they rp in the server) aaaa good stuff. Oh and I love to think Itchy is chronically bored and has big issues with being under-stimulated, which is why he is friends with most of the felt and will bother them. The company makes him happy! And when he’s not being a lil fuck, he does know how to cheer the majority of the Felt up when they are down.

On the flip side I love imagining that Doze actually has insane reaction time, his world just slows when he’s stressed, which doesn’t happen as often as folks might think. I imagine Doze’s biggest fear is getting irreversibly maimed so his powers activate during physical combat, but other than that he’s a pretty normal dude. Probably the type to catch a bunch of dishes and have everything land on the tray again cartoon style. Definitely thinks he’s the coolest guy in the room (civilized edition)

Fin is just cute. Man just, swims in the dumbest places. You can never predict when he will be in a body of water. Kinda hates when anyone dumps dead bodies in the canal and will drag them out of the water to toss to the lusi (lusus’s?) wandering the desert when he can.

Clover and Snowman get along really well. Like, Snowman thinks Clover is strangely charismatic, but this is almost purely because the universe loves Clover.

Anything @ontdah does with his Die makes me happy. Just. Anything. Love that angsty man.

Snowman can absolutely take damage without it effecting the rest of the universe. (I despise the fact that the prominent badass female character can’t roughhouse) like, she is a universe avatar. She can just choose to be an avatar of some useless far off planet, she just likes the power trip with being able to stop any fight she’s in by just standing there. Only the Felt know this but they keep it a safely guarded secret and they still respect the rules of it. After all she likes having star freckles when she embodies everything so she actually is in that vulnerable state most of the time. It’s like, her shitty personal version of a Russian roulette, but with the lives of every single person alive. She’s a massive troll. In the most dignified way possible. Stitch thinks she’s crazy, Crowbar finds her fascinating in her selfishness.

Stitch is one of the rarer less chaotic leprechauns, and he gets along pretty well with Crowbar. For the most part he’s the dad figure of the felt despite not being the oldest, and will let any of them silently hang out with him if the fucked up ness of their life becomes too much. The official sawbones, and less official therapist of the lads. Makes sure they have everything they need to handle any mental stuff they struggle with. He helps Itchy with his adhd, works with Matchsticks (more often) and Cro (less often) on their ptsd, helps lots of them with anxiety, rationalizes through Clover’s survivors guilt, and even has chats with Snowy when she’s feeling existential. He is incredibly emotionally intelligent and likes to use that ability for good, however gruff it comes across.

Sawbuck is the nice fuck boi of the Felt and you cannot convince me otherwise. Clover may be the most charismatic over all, but Sawbuck definitely has the most game. The guy is a dream boat, an absolute hunk. Sawbuck is the sexiest man alive and everyone in the felt (no matter how reluctantly) agrees with it.

Matchsticks is a pyromaniac and is constantly curbing his own urges to just burn everything to the ground, timeline included. He’s a REALLY nice guy, but the urges get to him sometimes. (Hc from @ontdah )He has troubles staying present at times and keeps multiple fires burning around the manor for convenience and for reminiscing. Crowbar has to tell Matchsticks when meetings will be hours or even days in advance or else he might not be able to include him. The guy just, travels a lot and is hard to find. His jokes cheer everyone up, but it’s clear he’s not always happy. Stitch and Matchsticks spend the most time with each other. Stitch has personally guided Matchsticks into being more present, but it’s a constant process.

Eggs is fantastic at retelling heists in engaging ways. If anyone wants a retelling of events, they tend to go to Eggs, even if Crowbar has the better memory. It’s more entertaining that way.

Biscuits makes food for the Felt. Without him they would all immediately starve. Some felt know how to cook, but only Biscuits knows how to portion meals to feed all of them correctly. He’s also their silent nutritionist and will give you a look of disappointment if you ever come into the manor with, ugh, FROG FORBID Store. Bought. Sweets. He has standards. Most of his free time is spent in the kitchen and he is the only Felt besides Crowbar who is allowed an allowance for groceries.

Quarters is a gun freak and gives all of them names and backstories like iron dolls. If you handle a gun incorrectly in front of him he’s going to very passive aggressively judge you until you piss him off enough to drag you back into gun training. He taught most every member how to use firearms (except for Stitch, Matchsticks, and Clover) but he has made every single one of them take a firearms course, hosted by himself of course. Snowman and Quarters have long bouts of dark humor involving weapons sometimes too. They started being friends after he taught her how to use a sniper rifle.

Cans is Crowbar’s bean bag and they are bros. They cuddle lots and talk about stuff. I imagine Cans has almost an enthusiastic butler sort of relationship with Crowbar and Crowbar can do nothing to refute this. After many, many, months and years of Cans comforting Crowbar and being there for him and helping him out of risky situations, Crowbar has succumbed to trusting the man fully. Whenever Crowbar is having troubles sleeping he will simply drag himself over to Cans’s room and nap with him. They are cute.

AH! oK DONE! I have more Cro hcs of course but this has taken me ages to type and! I! Need! To go to work soon!

[thevagabondexpress]

alright so I went to geelong gaol today and I have to admit I finally learned the definition of ‘vagabond’ while I was there. and it just makes me appreciate your url even more! an express (train)?!? perfect for vagabonds. nomads. travellers, lost and searching but who like it better that way, without a home that stays in one spot. and it got me thinking, why is so much architecture designed for those who have a home base? why? Australia was never like that. we were always a land of those who roamed around in harmony with the seasons and cycles of nature and heck, I don’t do well with just One Home Base when I’m someone who makes a career about building places that are home for people and I work at the moment at a planetary scale. the homes I create don’t have to be in one place. more often they are relational. tracing the stories written in the land like sheet music. paving our cities, paving the land I now think I’ve figured out how to decolonialise, to de-occupy. Steward again. bc people don’t really care about the land if they go by this colonial way of settling, it’s just all about prime location for the things they’re around and property value and what buildings and shit they put on top of the land. not the land itself. and if you’re a traveller like me. the land connects all the places you go. speaks and begs for better. maybe I’m getting emotional bc of bushrangers who were all so young, too young to go through what they did, and the devastation of colonial settlement that honestly makes me numb it’s so horrific and I’ve had it in the back of my mind for years, but maybe australia has always been the land of the vagabond and we do best to get back to it.

not a knife's throw from here you can here the night train passing / it's the sound somebody makes when they're getting away

(you throw 5sos at me and I'll throw bruce cockburn back at you)

it's funny because initially, .thevagabondexpress as a url wasn't something into which i put much deep thought. when i set up my ao3 (the first thing with this name) it was throwaway, a silly reference to a crack fanfic i wrote and never published in early high school. i wanted my friends who knew that story to be able to recognize me from the reference if they found me, that's all.

here on earth i tend to put down roots. i get attached to a place. i don't travel, much. but i grew up in chicago with railway tracks literally right on other side of the alley behind my house, i could've stood in the garage doorway and thrown a stone and hit them. train was how we went downtown and how we got home, green-tinted windows that left you seeing pink and the rock island line is a mighty fine road, the rock island line is the road to ride and singing "don't stop believin'" with a bunch of drunk college students in the upper deck on the way to pride. and it was how we got around downtown too, this is the purple-line train to howard, howard.

i still prefer the train. it's how i took my graduation trip, back to edmonton to see the city where i was born. i've been lost in union station toronto.

i think of poems i love: elizabeth bishop's the moose, and gate a-4 by naomi shihab nye and rosebud ben-oni's matarose tags g-dragon on the seven, and my beloved, lunar baedeker by mina loy which makes me think of vera historia makes me think of science fiction. a favorite genre. makes me think of astronomy magazine.

[vettely]

lmaooooooooooo isn't it funny how i've been doing good at my architecture uni even tho i wasn't the best and professors didn't really like me bc i was introverted but i still did good but due to lot of stress i didn't study at all in my last year so i lost a right to study at that uni and on one of the last projects i did that completely destroyed me mentally i got a 3 (it's basically a C) and i was so disappointed and sad and now 2 years later my friend who i worked with on that project submitted it to some festival that is organised every year in our country with no expectations at all and only bc a professor from one of her classes said if they enter the festival with any project they'll pass that class and yesterday she received an email that we actually won the first prize and we were like no way ????? but today all of the submitted entries were posted online and it turns out we did actually win over all the other people in our country in that category but most importantly we won over students from my ex uni who were always so full of themselves and professors loved them fkdkkfjfkdkf i've been laughing since yesterday oh my god fjjdjdj but also i can feel my depression kicking in again bc i finally came to terms with me being out of that uni but this was a reminder that i really did have potential but life just got in a way.... oh well

[dawnthefluffyduck]

Just got out of class where we had our group critique; can finally post something I've had done for a couple days now 🎉🎉 project details/commentary/funny(?) story under cut because I don't know how to keep things brief

tl;dr: Made some stickers that show things that interest me in Japan for class :) might try to print them later on, if I do then I'll post that too

This was for Digital Art, it's another "draw concepts of a specific location," but I didn't like, draw where I live this time, so I can actually post this one online haha.

The actual instructions were: "Create six 3"x3" stickers that represent parts of a city, country, landmark, or attraction you would like to visit/have visited." I, a typical art student, chose to do Japan, but I didn't really wanna lean into the whole anime thing a lot, partly because I just don't watch it as often as I used to. I wanted to stick with architecture and major landmarks, but buildings are hard to draw repeatedly in a shorter time limit so I ended up drawing some food too. Also, I'm a percussionist, so I wanted to include a taiko drum just cause they're really cool

The lineart itself took the longest since I reeeaaaally wanted to emphasize a hand drawn feeling to the stickers. I felt this was the best way to make all of the stickers match stylistically, aside from general color matching. I couldnt entirely rely on colors to make them match because things like the ramen bowl had wayyy more colors than the buildings/mountains, and the onigiri was mostly one color. Matching the stickers was part of the grading criteria, so after a lot of brainstorming, I ended up deciding to put more attention to detail into the linework than to the color scheme (though I did try to weasel in that orangey red into as much as I could)

Illustrator did not like line style I used, 'cause apparently all those textured pens take a lot more to load than the normal ones (never had that problem in the program I normally use to draw, so it caught me off guard). Halfway into the project my laptop's fan would sound like a jet engine every time I opened the file; needless to say, progress was slowed a bit as the program started to get extremely laggy haha.

I wasn't able to start on the coloring until a few days before the project was due but I was still good on time . Ultimately ended up having to pull a near all nighter though, because Illustrator crashed in the middle of the coloring process (guessing bc of the lineart), which got rid of hours worth of work :D so cool, love that

Got it done, walked into class on Monday w/ three hours of sleep ready for critique, but five or so other people didn't finish theirs on time so prof ended up extending the due date anyway :D :D so cool very awesome

Can't really be mad though. I would've been happy if that courtesy was extended to me if I were in that spot, so I just went home and used the extra time to knock out some homework lol.

The extra time was worth it too cause everyone's turned out so cool :D wish I could share those too cause I loved looking at all of them during critique today

I said I just got out of class when I wrote this but I took so long to finish the post that two hours have passed since then,,

[galacticlamps]

I was tagged by @terryfphanatics​ (thanks! sorry I took forever - I started answering these & didn’t finish and just remembered it was in my drafts)

What book are you currently reading?

The Two Towers! which upsets me bc I’ve been at it since August (technically - I wasn’t ‘at it’ in, uh, October, November, December, January, or February, for lack of time - but I’m back at it now, and I even convinced myself to start over from the beginning so I didn’t forget anything)

What's your favourite movie you saw in a cinema this year?

sorry but the last time I went to a movie theater was probably in 2017, 2018 at the latest, so... yeah I’ve got nothing

What do you usually wear?

jeans, boots, at this point in the winter usually some combination of flannels, sweaters and/or sweatshirts. (I’ve been really cold lately)

How tall are you?

5′6″ ish

What's your star sign?

capricorn

Do you share your birthday with a celebrity or historical event?

I do, yeah

Do you go by your name or a nickname?

mostly nicknames, I have quite a few at this point. I’ve yet to pick one to use on here, I should probably do that soon, I’ve been meaning to for years now

Did you grow up to be what you wanted to be as a child?

I don’t recall ever wanting to be anything in particular as a child, honestly, but I can say that so far I’ve pretty much stuck to the career path that first caught my interest in high school, if that counts

Are you in a relationship? Who is your crush if not?

nope! and it’s been a very long time since I’ve had a serious crush either, which I’m honestly grateful for. I wouldn’t want to be in a relationship at this exact point in my life anyway, so I’m just gonna keep vaguely admiring every funny girl who’s kind to me for the time being without actually developing feelings for her. I hope It seems to be going well so far mostly

What's something you're good at versus something you're bad at?

(I’m trying to think of two that relate to each other)

I am very good at drawing objects and not at all good at drawing people! technical plans are something I’ve dealt with extensively both academically & professionally, but in the more general sense I’ve always been an ‘I can’t draw’ person. tbh I should find some of those artists who complain about backgrounds and just do all their architecture etc for them

Dogs or cats?

nothing against dogs but cats for sure, always cats

What's something you'd like to create content for?

not to sound like a jerk, but I work in the arts industry & really hate the place ‘content creation’ has come to occupy in everyone’s vocabulary, even though I totally realize that in a context like this it’s probably just trying to be a vague enough term to be inclusive of the many different things people can create. I like writing the fanfic that I do, so without switching subjects, I would like to get better at drawing people because sometimes I have ideas that would be better expressed as images or even short comics

What's something you're currently obsessed with?

Obsessing over 60s who is my baseline so I don’t think that counts - but it’s been almost a month since I watched Holding Achilles & there have only been hours when I didn’t think of it, not entire days

What's something you were excited about that turned out to be disappointing this year?

Ngl, (& not to be a total downer, but) the last 12 months-ish have been an extremely busy/hectic/unpredictable year for me, with both the good & the bad stuff coming out of left field most of the time. So while there were certainly more than enough disappointments, for the most part, they weren’t the kinds of things you could be excited about beforehand (relatives dying, people fighting, strained relationships, illnesses, work stuff in a perpetual state of flux - or as I’ve taken to calling it: death disease & dubious employment). I suppose there were a lot of events I wanted to make it to that I didn’t, due to the aforementioned junk, and I certainly imagined myself getting to read more books & write more fics than I did, but that doesn’t feel like a good specific answer.

What's a hidden talent of yours?

I suppose that depends who you ask? There are lots of work or work-adjacent skills I could name that would be news to people on here, but those are such prominent parts of my life otherwise that they definitely don’t feel ‘hidden.’ But I guess even among people who expect me to be handy/crafty, more overtly artistic things tend to surprise them - like I’ve had people forget that I was the one who painted something, for instance, because that’s not the kind of skill most associate with me. (and I am very good with color & pigment tbh)

Are you religious?

nah. I’m not like, a committed atheist or anything either, I just grew up catholic & don’t go in for that anymore, nor do I have any desire to go seek out another faith

What's something you wish to have at this moment?

time uh, let’s say a haircut

tagging people kinda seems rude after taking multiple months to come up with so many kind of non-answers oops, but if anyone would like to copy the questions, either as an opportunity to do a little q&a or an excuse to tag/ask your friends, be my guest

[pacificgasandelectric]

one thing i really like about dreamwidth over tumblr is that it’s so much easier to socially interact with other people without feeling like i’m being invasive

on tumblr, it’s pretty much taken for granted that adding a comment to someone’s post is the internet equivalent of walking into their house and shouting “here’s what i think!”. it’s not inherently an annoying behavior, but if you’re gonna do it to someone you don’t already know well, you’d better have something really funny (or useful, or important) to say

replies are less invasive (but only by a Little) because they’re not As public, but they’re still very much “hello let me Share My Thoughts on Your Post” and also have a Very Small character limit, so they’re not the best place to discuss anything complicated or get to know people

tags don’t count as “social” interaction imo because they’re pretty much unidirectional (from tagger > person they reblogged from and tagger > op, and never the other way around, bc of How Tags Work) and also bc there’s a General Social Understanding that tags are for “private” commentary, inasmuch as you don’t typically respond to someone else’s tags in replies or comments unless they ask a specific question to which you have the answer, and if you reply to their tags in your tags then they’ll probably Notice and Feel Appreciated but there’s not exactly a convenient way for them to respond to you about it, and imo this one-sided quality of tags-as-interaction influences the way tags are typically written

and DMs are fine; they don’t technically have a low character limit but in practice, the size of the messages that people send is limited by the size of the messaging interface; it’s just not designed to be a good place to have long, discursive conversations. (it’s designed for sending memes. a noble cause, but again, not the most effective way to form meaningful social relationships, in my experience.) also they’re limited to 2 participants, and Also also my personal read on the “invasiveness” of DMs is that they’re kind of like walking into someone’s house and like, sticking a note on the fridge, which isn’t super annoying in and of itself but could definitely start to feel weird if someone you don’t know well does it a lot.

anyways, so this is my List Of Reasons Why I Don’t Feel Particularly Comfortable Socially Interacting In-Depth With People I Don’t Know Well On Tumblr

COMAPARATIVELY, on dreamwidth, the culture is much more permissive (& even inviting!) of people showing up on a random post that a relative stranger made and being like “hey i have Thoughts on this too”, and the formatting of comments allows for in-depth discussions to occur (if people want to do that) with Multiple Participants even, and Without anyone feeling like they’ve barged into someone else’s bedroom uninvited, because if the poster didn’t want comments, they have Several privacy tools available to make sure that only the people they feel comfortable doing so can see or comment on the post

basically i wish more people would get on dreamwidth because it’s so much more of a community-oriented space than tumblr is, simply due to differences in the architecture.

and this isn’t to say that I don’t like tumblr, (i do, i’m here all the time, lol), just that it’s difficult to form genuine connections and friendships in fandom on this website for me, and therefore i’m marching for my cause of “everybody get on dreamwidth” sharing some thoughts on Why this is and also noting the ways that dreamwidth makes those “issues” a non-issue on their platform, which is why Everybody Should Consider Getting On Dreamwidth.

[mijashdi]

hello^^ im vivvy, im white & 20 & i use she/rot :3

my old/main blog is @mijashdi-moved

--------⬇️carrd⬇️-------- (‼read my dni please & ty)

tag guide⬇️

#tag organization = all tag collection(?) posts

--general:

#f = funnies; #sfl = save for later; #art, #fashion, #jewelry, #makeup, etc = self explanatory

(#lmao = my old funnies tag)

#beauty = beauty of earth and humans and life and space<3

#🐾 = all non-human creatures. (animals birds bugs fish etc) (ive tried to make different tags for different categories of creature but it just got too confusing; any other type of #[animal emoji] is one of those.)

#nsfw & #nsfw ? = literally "Not Safe For Work". encompasses artistic nudity/near nudity(including visual art and photography), erotic/sensual art/photography, sexual jokes, sexual discussion, etcetc. (i dont rb pornography, but i might decide to one day idk)

#gore = artistic visual depictions of gore, artistic visual depictions that imply gore Or explicit or graphic writing/words that conjures mental images of gore.

#blood = artistic visual depictions that include blood Or imply blood.

#pin & #fav = basically the same. dont ask the difference bc idk either.

#knowledge = fun/interesting facts, historical facts, important history, etc

#potent = kinda a catch-all for things that make me feel strong emotions but i dont have any other sort of specific tag for.

#receipts = informative posts/resources/etc that i might need to save if someone asks, etc

#things = knick knacks. objects. Things

#guitar = cool guitars. i do not play guitar nor do i have any interest in learning

#aes = scratches my brain

#scary = things that are scary/unsettling/creepy/gothic(?)/just halloweeny

#🏰 = architecture, architectural design/art, buildings in general, etc.

#photo = photography. (ive only recently started using this tag and i often forget to put it on things so. but youll find most photography in #beauty!)

#refs = mostly art references/resources. but sometimes i forget<3

#nefoedd = art of angels/angelic beings/angel-coded beings/etc. "nefoedd" is welsh for heaven, bliss, etc.

#me = hashtag relatable

#taylor swift = taylor swift criticisms. i dont like her

#🍒 & #[any tag that includes 🍒] = this is embarrassing but. its things that i think (or used to think) my ocs/favorite characters would do/own/post/etc. (mostly inactive atp)

#the feeling = man. idk. i cant explain it.

--fandoms/media/etc:

#xtr = things that apply to media i like but dont have a specific tag for.

#i dont go here = content of media ive never consumed, but i wanna rb for whatever reason

#babymetal; #mitski = self explanatory

#dc= dc comics(further dc tags in #tag organization)

#dunmesh = dungeon meshi (americanized title is delicious in dungeon)

#mob = mob psycho 100

#danny = danny phantom

#ladybug = miraculous ladybug

#atla = avatar the last airbender

#jerma = Jerma985 on Twitch.Tv

#miku = my best friend hatsune miku

#meg = megan thee stallion

#bey = beyonce

#marina = marina [and the diamonds] diamandis

#mlp = my little pony friendship is magic

#mcr = my chemical romance

#gaga = lady gaga

#nope = nope (2022) dir. jordan peele

#gf = gravity falls(inactive)

#steven = steven universe(inactive)

[malrie]

Very funny I went to bed mad about the tlh trio sooo far a tangent from what I was doing originally. here are my pjo show thoughts morning after:

Happy kids of today get to grow up w this show. I honestly believe it’s filling a kids media gap at the moment

Set design gorg as expected. I just want an architectural map of the buildings + grounds layout. giddy to see everything basically as imagined as a kid. also wondered if they used anything leftover from the old movies lol

Acting was good but script made me double check riordan helped write. I guess he’s a lot less serious in external dialogue. Maybe it was just the cost of cutting everything down to very short moments but the effect is a somewhat serious show with a sprinkle of humor and I think it works it’s just funny bc Percy’s narration was the most comedic riordan ever got. hoo was the serious narration imo lmao

I don’t think I necessarily NEED to watch the rest of the show after the first 2 eps not bc it was bad or anything I just don’t have a burning need to watch it. I say this but anyway if I do want to i might go 🏴‍☠️ the next eps instead bc riordan’s recent 🍉 words still piss me off and Disney is Disney so whatever. Truly not that deep

I smiled a lot with the kid interactions :’) and yes I murmured aloud “You drool when you sleep” before she said it like I am sure 91838282 other depressing adults did as well AUGH