#traveller amily

[plumbtales]

Some pictures from the Traveller family playtesting Three Lakes.

[hotelbooking]

Amili's GuestHouse Desa Anthurium is a venerable Victorian-style apartment complex cozily sitting amidst a floral paradise, surrounded by lush greenery and colorful flowers flourishing in the cool Cameron's climate. Comfortable and serene, far from the hustle and bustle of busy towns, and yet is located conveniently close between the central town of Tanah Rata and the bountiful bazaars of Brinchang. Our own humble abode within this garden sanctuary is only a flight and half of stairs above the parking space (with a spot reserved for our esteemed guests right next to the staircase), facing the botanical gardens below and the Strawberry parks of Taman Sedia beyond. Hot shower is provided, perfect for those super cold mornings here. Soap and shampoo are also available, so leave yours at home and have more room in your luggage to stuff special souvenirs from Cameron Highlands (preferably not pilfered from our own apartment, thank you :p). Our microwave is also at your service, so feel free...

[lhelene]

One of many guardian dragons of the archipelago, Lee never seems to have anything to do. When a pirate ship makes it past the outer islands to chase down a young witch, he leaps at the chance to prove himself. The witch, Amili, explains that the pirates are after the precious treasure hidden somewhere among the islands. The two of them agree that they should try to find it before the pirates do, which means enlisting the help of Lee's grouchy ex, whose only obsession is someday travelling through the stars. Their adventure will take them to depths they have never imagined.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 1/5

Book Blurb:

In this warm-hearted debut rom-com, a young woman returns home to run her family’s casket business and falls in love with a seemingly perfect stranger. But there’s just one problem . . . he works for Death. “A charming, original love story about grief. I loved it.”—Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year Nora thought she was finished with Rabbittown, Alabama, for good. But an unexpected tragedy turned her life upside down, and she’s found herself back in her tiny hometown running the family casket business.

There aren’t exactly a lot of prospects for a single woman in her thirties in a place like Rabbittown. Until Nora Clanton’s ordinary, casket-selling day is interrupted by a handsome stranger wandering into her shop and asking for directions—as well as a date.

Garrett Bishop seems like the ideal guy. He’s thoughtful, he’s kind, and he has a lucrative job as a logistics coordinator, for which he seems to have a passion. She’s not totally sure what “logistics” entails, but she knows it means long hours, lots of travel, and urgent calls in the middle of the night.

When a few of Rabbittown’s residents suddenly pass away—a heart attack here, a car crash there—and Garrett is spotted at the scenes of, well, all of the deaths, his frustratingly vague job description starts to become increasingly . . . suspicious. What is it that Garrett actually does for a living?

He’s a logistics coordinator for Death.

When Nora discovers the truth, she is unable to reconcile the wonderful man she knows with the unthinkably cruel job he loves. Will she ever be able to understand how he can do what he does, or will she have to lay her best chance at love to rest? Casket Case is the heartfelt story of a small-town girl who feels surrounded by death—literally and figuratively. This clever, endearing, and romantic debut explores how love and loss are forever intertwined . . . but death might not be as scary as it seems.=

Review:

She's running her family's casket business but falling for a guy who is working for Death. Nora has unexpectedly found herself back home in her little town of Rabbittown... and working at her amily's casket business. Garrett Bishop seems like the perfect guy, he's sweet and has a good job... only he's hiding a secret and it's odd that his odd job behavior and the strange uptick in residents of the town passing away, has Nora's red flags up. What does he actually do and can she trust him with her heart? This was a small town romance that explores loss and dealing with death Unfortunately this one did not hit the mark for me, I really didn't care for the characters or the romance, despite how hard I wanted to like it. The premise made it seem like a book I would absolutely love but while reading it I just felt bored overall. Nora just didn't make all that much of an impression on me and I did not feel any chemistry at all between the two characters. The romance just didn't feel all that romantic and the story just felt "meh" for me unfortunately. If you do like small town romances that deal with grief and death, I'd say give this a go, maybe you'll have a better time with it than I did.

Release Date: September 10,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[checkoutmybookshelf]

Ok, I'm in the last chunk of Valdemar, the third in the Founding of Valdemar trilogy, and a companion quite literally just went "We want and need our Chosen to be healthy, in mind, heart, and body," and y'all...not only does this ping my ableism bell, but it also seems to be rewriting Valdemaran history a little bit???

Like, let's be absolutely real here. On the page, heralds in other Valdemar books have experienced depression (Vanyel), PTSD (literally most of them, but Vanyel, Thalia, and probably Mags), hypervigilance (Vanyel again), anger management challenges (Tylendel), anxiety (Lan), and a host of varying physical disabilities (Jadus, Thalia, Amily, Pol, and the heralds whose name I forget who ends up severely burned in the Arrows of the Queen trilogy). I haven't always liked how the physical injuries and disabilities are handled, but they've always been present and they've never actually disqualified anyone from being a Herald, even if Amily had to be partly cured before being chosen and Jadus retired after losing his leg.

This new statement about how companions prefer explicitly abled heralds feels like a really icky attempt to rewrite history, and this book has handled disability in general really poorly, even for a Vakdemar novel. And no, this book doesn't even get the excuse of "it's a survival situation" because they've been in Haven for ten years, they're fine. They aren't actively traveling, they've succeeded in building a sustainable and defensible keep, everything else is details and time.

This whole passage is really problematic in the context of the Valdemar universe:

So there are a couple of key issues. First, we really, REALLY need to address why casual sanist language is not ok. The companion isn't talking about quirky behaviors or idiosyncrasies when they say "madness," and we shouldn't be quick to elide what I am choosing to interpret as clinical madness (mad studies scholars, help me out here, I know definitions can be slippery, but I don't have a good one for fantasy contexts) with personality quirks--which is what Restil is doing here. Be CLEAR about your term use and watch where you're using sanist language and maybe stop.

Second, I really dislike the whole idea that madness can spread. Yes, I know, companions are magical and have a weird hive mind thing happening, but I dislike the perpetuation of the myth that madness is contagious or that associating with mad people can make you mad out of nowhere. That's a deeply harmful, isolating idea that is kind of antithetical to heralds as I understood them in other books--particularly Vanyel's trilogy. Community strengthens and supports, it does not ostracize and isolate. This was actually WILD to hear in a heraldic context in a Valdemar novel, because I think every other Herald would rightfully lose their absolute shit over this. Whatever happened to "there will never be another Tylendel?"

Third, the swimmer and drowning man analogy is bad here, for the same reasons that perpetuating the idea that you can "catch" madness is bad. We do not leave people to drown, and the analogy oversimplifies the ever-loving hell out of mental health crises and what can be done to support the person in crisis. We do not just leave them to drown, and again, the Heraldic Circle literally would never.

Fourth...that last sentence is just straight ableist. It is very much expecting what Rosemarie Garland-Thompson defined as a normate: a 20-something cishet white man who is athletic. Literally the normate is so narrow and focused as to barely exist in the real world, and it completely negates the value of anyone who doesn't fit that mold. It's also contradictory to the "we take the weird ones" ethos the companion expressed earlier, so the writing itself is wishy washy on the whole thing.

I am just...floored and kind of disgusted by the blatant rewrite of what companions look for in their chosen here, and I cannot square it with other Valdemar books that handled this better (although not perfectly). Like, as someone who lost communities to chronic illness, I'm very much soured on companions after this book. I will take Yfandes or Kalira or Rolan over any companion in this book, and I'm pretty sure the circle in earlier books wouldn't have stood for this.

[chronicallylatetotheparty]

So what's the tally on who's keeping secrets from Adrien that he deserves to know? Marinette, Felix, Lila, Nathalie, Tomoe, & Emilie (if she's alive) know Gabe is Monarch. Marinette, Felix, Kagami, Tomoe, Nathalie, Emilie (if she's alive), & maybe Amelie know he's a Senti. Alix maybe knows stuff from time traveling? Have I missed anyone? Or any other secrets being kept from him?

There's Amilie! Who holds the uncoveted position of being an adult family member who SHOULD care about Adrien but doesn't even remember he exists most of the time.

Tikki, which... Meh.

And Plagg. Who I'm choosing to believe CAN'T tell Adrien because I can only handle so many character assassinations at once.

[generalluxun]

ML Fanfiction: A Modest Proposal

Author's Note: MCD, Fluff and *ANGST*, Post-Canon, Post S5, Adrienette, engagement, ficlet.

Summary: things are great for Marinette. She's sucessful, Paris is safe, and she has the best boyfriend in the world. If only she could get him to take the hint she would like the best *Husband* in the world.

Returning from a business trip to Munich, Marinette loses touch with Adrien. Having never been out of touch for more than an hour in years, she instantly panics. However her panic seems to be founded as Adrien is not the only one who has disappeared...

Full Text Below the cut. Link to the fic on AO3 in the bio.

Marinette shuffled the papers in her lap, Even traveling first class could feel cramped with too much work to do. Amid ideas for the summer lines, wrap up work for the show she was returning from in Munich, and some wedding ideas she planned to leave in a conspicuous place for Adrien, she nearly missed her phone lighting up. She’d half buried it on purpose to keep from picking it up every five seconds, and sent work scattering as she snatched and thumbed the pick up.

“Alya?”

“I haven’t heard from him today, Marinette. When was the last time you did?”

Fear gripped Marinette’s chest. She had really been really hoping this was just a ‘Marinette thing.’ “I talked with him last night after the show. He sent a good morning text when he woke u, but I never got anything after that.”

Aya sounded slightly exasperated, “Marinette that’s… four hours?”

“Alya… we haven’t been radio silent that long in forever. He would have mentioned it if he had something going on. I sent texts and called when my train left.”

Resigned, “Alright Marinette, but you owe me. I’ll grille Nino and Luka first. You get to talk to his cousin.”

“Alya, I still have to-”

“Marinette, if I’m chasing this goose, so are you. Spread that net, buggababe.”

Alya hung up and Marinette admitted she was right. The work before her was important, but this feeling in her stomach wouldn’t go away. Marinette stuffed it all in her briefcase, feeling a twinge as she handled the wedding ideas. This is what I get for being selfish and dropping hints.

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

Felix: Nothing. Kagami: Nothing. Nino: Nothing. Luka: Nothing. Zoe: Nothing. Nathalie: Nothing. Emilie: Nothing. Amilie: Nothing. All their friends: Nothing. Marinette got desperate and called Chloé Bourgeois of all people.

“You stole him years ago. Now you’ve lost him?”

Marinette hung up.

She jammed her phone into her bag and fumbled with her luggage and keys all at once. Even before she got her key in the lock a black ball shot through the door and latched onto her face.

“Where have you been? I can’t find him anywhere! You need to find him! You’re the guardian! That’s your job! My kitten is missing!”

Marinette reeled and snatched Plagg from the air. Instincts had her looking up and down the hall -no witnesses- “Hold on!” She pushed open the door, throwing, rolling, and kicking her luggage through haphazardly before slamming the door shut. She let Plagg go, and Tikki spiraled up out of her coat.

“Cat Noir is missing? Marinette felt that pit in her stomach getting worse. “What happened Plagg?”

The black cat Kwami flitted back and forth. “I don’t know! I was napping in the ring, then *bop* I get jostled out. I’m on the ground! No -bubbles rippled from Plagg’s mouth- anywhere!”

Tikki flitted forward and began a whisper-argument with Plagg as Marinette leaned on the kitchen counter. The room felt like it was spinning. She’d barely eaten anything this morning and was glad for it right now. Her stomach lurched. Both of them? Her thoughts went instantly to the missing butterfly. Marinette’s mouth went dry, but her hero-self took over. “Plagg. You know who the other holders are. Give me your ring, but go find them. Tell them who Cat Noir is, you have my permission as Guardian. Just tell them not to tell me. Tell them to look everywhere.”

Marinette turned, shedding her long coat,”Tikki, you and I are going to find Felix. He’s got the best means of tracking Adrien down. I have a hunch if we find one, we might find the other. This doesn’t feel like an accident. Tikki, Spots on!”

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

Nothing, nothing on both fronts. Three days had passed. The police were notified for Adrien, who could she tell about Cat Noir? Felix hadn’t changed back from Argos once, and was only sleeping right now because Kagami was sitting in the room, keeping him in bed.

Marinette sat in the dining room of their flat, puffy eyed, with Nino and Zoe. They’d taken shifts with her since the double disappearance. She resented and loved them for it. She was all but useless at the moment. She’d slept even less than Felix, no one had dared try to hold her down. In an effort to help give her pain meaning, and to grasp for a positive outcome, she was going through wedding ideas again.

Agreste manor was the obvious choice, but also Cliché. Someplace out in the country would give them more room for the scale their wedding would probably take on. Marinette had a brief moment of happiness envisioning a giant wedding with a thousand guests… all waiting while she and Adrien eloped to be married in private.

Adrien was allergic to feathers, so no doves. She wondered if it would be viable to release hamsters. She wanted to take him back to Shanghai for their honeymoon. She wanted him to be a part of her diving into the part of her family she hadn’t had the time to really explore how she wanted; past and future in a perfect balance.

All she had to do was get him to actually propose. Them getting married was a forgone conclusion at this point. Everyone was simply waiting. Marinette had even used her friends to feel him out. The answer was always ‘I just want to make sure it’s perfect.’

How did she communicate that he could throw her over his shoulder, plop her in front of a judge, and make her the happiest woman in the world?

A phone lit up in the middle of the table, and all three present dove for it. Marinette got to it first. She hit pick up, “Hello?”

A strange voice questioned, “May I speak to Adrien Agreste?”

“Who’s calling?”

“Umm… Mr. Agreste left instructions to only speak to him.”

Marinette moved the phone from one ear to the other, trembling with fear, rage, anxiety, and she didn’t know what else. This replacement phone might be their only lifeline. She couldn’t be coy. “Mr. Agreste is missing. If you’re someone who’s seen him in the last few days then tell me who you are.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry. I- this is Alois Riché, from Louis Cartier. I wasn’t the one who dealt with Mr. Agreste directly. I was just calling to tell him his order has been completed.”

Marinette knew the name of the boutique, but her brain was too swamped in emotion-chemicals to make the connections. “Order?”

“The engagement ring, Madam.”

From the corner of her eye she saw Nino wave to her, then give her the thumbs up. The device Max had given them had traced the call. Not that Marinette needed to be told the address. The phone fell from her nerveless fingers and Marinette told the air, “I’ll be right there.”

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

It was something. It was pointless. It was everything. Marinette threw the doors to the boutique wide even before they could be opened for her. She stormed the counter and threw down her ID. Nino and Zoe followed slowly after her, both keeping close and trying to counterbalance her anxiety with outward calm.

The jeweler, Alois, brought out the engagement ring quickly. Mixing excitement with an awkwardness as his clear artisan’s pride mingled with the occasion. He opened the box and turned it for her inspection, “Here it is Madam.”

It was perfect. A silver band cradled a full moon cut diamond. Adrien was always saying how he wanted to give her the moon. He finally did it.

The ring blurred as Marinette took it from the box. By the time she put it on her finger she could barely see. It felt warm. It felt Adrien. She couldn’t stop crying, but inside a core of resolve bloomed at the connection. They would find him. He would be okay. Then they would find Cat Noir. Then they would make whoever dared hurt her loved ones pay.

Marinette flexed her fingers, proposal or no, the ring was a touchstone. Tears were still flowing but Marinette managed a smile through them. She nodded her head to the jeweler, “Thank you.”

He was clearly caught out by the scene and retreated into professionalism. “It was an honor madam. It was an elegant design in its simplicity. I loved the idea the moment he told me of it. Two become one; such a romantic notion. It was the only reason I could bear to melt down the original rings to make it.”

Marinette collapsed.

[escapedartgeek]

[ B ] ASIC　INFORMATION　.

LEGAL   NAME:　Zora Lauryn Andrews MOST   KNOWN   AS:　Zora NICKNAME(S):　Z, Zozo DATE   OF   BIRTH:　08/25/1990 SEX GENDER:　agender [they/them] PLACE   OF   BIRTH:　Night Vale, Arizona CURRENTLY   LIVING:　rough equivalent to Los Santos. tends to travel regularly. SPOKEN LANGUAGES:　Spanish, Dine, a few alien tongues, Latin, English, learned a bit of Swahili EDUCATION:　got a Bachelor's in Graphic Design, continues to self-educate afterwards HAIR   COLOR:　Lavender-purple EYE   COLOR: sometimes brown, sometimes light silver HEIGHT:　5'5"

[ F ] AMILY　INFORMATION　.

SIBLING(S):　Isaiah Andrews PARENT(S):　 Lorraine and Henry Andrews, although Exor [a same species friend of Lorraine] is their biological father. CHILDREN:　none　. PET(S):　a fuzzy little thing named Jimi Jillix

[ R ] ELATIONSHIP　INFORMATION　.

SEXUAL   ORIENTATION:　Bisexual RELATIONSHIP   STATUS:　verse depends. .SINCE   WHEN:　late 20s.

I was tagged by @realmyths

if you want to do this consider yourself tagged.

[dukewife]

Mr. Rabbit is traveling through a colorful fairy village… fur coloring practice🐰 … from Amily Shen’s book Hey Mr Rabbit, why are you running? (book2) used Holbein, Irojiten, Kalour 300, Brutfuner 520, Obos pencils, Zig Clean Color pens.

[toastling]

It goes without saying that if an up-and-coming hero wants to help build their brand, it's important for them to have some sort of presence on social media.

While some of the heroes in older age brackets end up joining platforms in an attempt to bridge the gap with younger prospective fans, for new heroes of a younger persuasion, their success as a hero and their popularity online end up feeding into one another to help chart their course up the national leader boards.

Here are a few examples of 'rising star' heroes young and old and their respective online platforms:

Amily Garen: She is very active and outspoken on Bluejay, particularly in regard to both dragon and LGBT issues and media, but her biggest audiences outside her hero work are from her Pictogram profile where she shares workout videos, her adventures in parkour around the city, various self-defense tips, and the occasional clip of her hero work. One of the most Online of the heroes.

Snow Angel: All her personal pages are private, but she does have a Bluejay and yet to be named YouTube equivalent account for her band, Chelsea Says, which are both pretty active.

Good Ol' Greg: Despite being well into his 70s, he's wildly popular on Bluejay. It was recently discovered that he was the man behind his universe's equivalent of dril and it was worldwide news for like a week. Nobody saw it coming, but honestly, they really should have.

Kid Cthulhu: He's actually a pretty prolific artist online whose work tends to get reposted without credit more often than he'd like. He's very popular among teenagers and fans of the eldritch and macabre, but purportedly maintains a second persona for "normie" art that is also pretty popular. Nobody knows what the latter is though, only that he's out there, somewhere...

Cadence: She actually makes more money streaming video games than she does as a hero, which given the average salary within the hero industry for someone signed to a major agency such as her is really saying something. She's famous for her deep conversations on life, philosophy, and mental health with her chat while simultaneously no scoping e-sport pros like it's nothing.

Miyamoto Takuma: Also pushing 70, Takuma actually has a fairly successful travel blog. As the only pro hero allowed to work *without* an agency, he isn't bound to only areas his agency has a presence or affiliate in, or to the random assist request. He's always traveling the country and tends to take beautiful photographs of locals and environments.

Cheshire: She's an extremely popular food blogger on Pictogram. She's also a frequent sight in engineering circles all across the internet, both in the comments and in sharing projects of her own. All her tech is homegrown, after all, and she loves to share her inventions, innovations, and expertise.

Rave: Active on Bluejay. They speak entirely in emojis and textless reaction images. Their energy is that of some godforsaken combination of Deadpool, Harley Quinn, and the Joker with the aesthetic of an edgy Japanese schoolgirl with a weird sense of humor. They pop up in the most random places and run the single largest botnet on the internet for the sole purpose of trolling politicians in every country on Earth.

Amanda Reins: Very popular on that YouTube equivalent with videos of her various builds and robots. Think Adam Savage but if he also made fully autonomous semi-intelligent robots. She's also one of the internet's most well-known and respected white hat hackers.

Jack Hyde: Even villains need an online presence in the modern day. There are actually two Jack Hyde accounts active on Bluejay right now, each proclaiming to be the *real* successor to the name. Jack Hyde is one of the few legacy villains who has been represented by multiple people over the decades.

Providence: Extremists? Terrorists? Liberators? It all depends on who you ask. But they are absolutely everywhere online, from the front page to the deepest, darkest, nichest corners you can imagine. Their manifestos are as popular as they are eloquent, and are suspected to have drawn in 90% of its current members.

[usacounselingcredit]

DeLoris Maxine Angerer

DeLoris Maxine Angerer

Cedar Rapids

DeLoris Maxine Angerer, 96, of Cedar Rapids, died peacefully on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022, at her home. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick Catholic Church by the Rev. Dennis Miller. Burial: Mount Calvary Cemetery. A rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. Wednesday and a vigil service will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Teahen Funeral Home. Those not

attending these services may visit with the f

amily from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home and after 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the church.

DeLoris is survived by three daughters, Teresa “Terre” Britt of Prior Lake, Minn., Barbara Grove of Ely and Deborah (Larry) Oliphant of Muskego, Wis.; son, Thomas (Patti) Angerer of Greenfield, Wis.; nine grandchildren, Nicholas (Heather) Britt, Charlie Britt, Megan Britt, Chris (former wife, Candie) Levi, Dan (Kirsten) Levi, Delaine (Jeremy) Van Deraa, Justin (Candace) Oliphant, Greg (Penny) Grove and Kelli (Dan) Johnson; 17 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; and sister, Janet Kuehl.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; son-in-law, Bill Grove; brother, Don Holliday; sisters, Lorraine Hetzler and Estelle Sprinkle; and great-great-grandson, Matthew.

DeLoris was born on March 31, 1926, in Fruitland, the daughter of Clyde and Bertha Moore Holliday. She graduated in 1944 from Muscatine High School. On

Nov. 30, 1946, DeLoris married Richard Angerer in Muscatine. She worked for the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC) for 20 years and retired in 1981. DeLoris was a Red Cross volunteer and was very involved at St. Patrick Catholic Church.

DeLoris enjoyed life. She stayed active with daily walks and driving her car well into her 90s. She played cards with zeal, was a steadfast volunteer, and knew how to graciously entertain family and friends. DeLoris was an excellent seamstress and made the kids 'entire wardrobes when they were young. She loved making matching sundresses for the girls with matching shirt for Tom. She was an excellent cook and baker, but her true expertise was pie baking. She was known far and wide for the flakiest crust of all time. Dick and DeLoris

traveled the world. She was an amazing grandma, and loved the big Christmas Eve's at her home. And her morning coffee on the porch.

Memorials may be directed the charity of the donor’s choice.

Online condolences can be left at www.teahenfuneralhome.com.

December 25, 2022 Hammond Louisiana Ukiah California Dike Iowa Maryville Missouri Secretary Maryland Winchester Illinois Kinsey Alabama Edmundson Missouri Stevens Village Alaska Haymarket Virginia Newington Virginia Edwards Missouri https://unitedstatesvirtualmail.blogspot.com/2022/12/deloris-maxine-angerer.html December 25, 2022 at 01:06AM Gruver Texas Glens Fork Kentucky Fork South Carolina Astoria Oregon Lac La Belle Wisconsin Pomfret Center Connecticut Nason Illinois Roan Mountain Tennessee https://coloradovirtualmail.blogspot.com/2022/12/deloris-maxine-angerer.html December 25, 2022 at 02:41AM from https://youtu.be/GuUaaPaTlyY December 25, 2022 at 03:47AM

[kuizoku1986]

DeLoris Maxine Angerer

DeLoris Maxine Angerer Cedar Rapids DeLoris Maxine Angerer, 96, of Cedar Rapids, died peacefully on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022, at her home. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick Catholic Church by the Rev. Dennis Miller. Burial: Mount Calvary Cemetery. A rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. Wednesday and a vigil service will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Teahen Funeral Home. Those not attending these services may visit with the f amily from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home and after 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the church. DeLoris is survived by three daughters, Teresa “Terre” Britt of Prior Lake, Minn., Barbara Grove of Ely and Deborah (Larry) Oliphant of Muskego, Wis.; son, Thomas (Patti) Angerer of Greenfield, Wis.; nine grandchildren, Nicholas (Heather) Britt, Charlie Britt, Megan Britt, Chris (former wife, Candie) Levi, Dan (Kirsten) Levi, Delaine (Jeremy) Van Deraa, Justin (Candace) Oliphant, Greg (Penny) Grove and Kelli (Dan) Johnson; 17 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; and sister, Janet Kuehl. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; son-in-law, Bill Grove; brother, Don Holliday; sisters, Lorraine Hetzler and Estelle Sprinkle; and great-great-grandson, Matthew. DeLoris was born on March 31, 1926, in Fruitland, the daughter of Clyde and Bertha Moore Holliday. She graduated in 1944 from Muscatine High School. On Nov. 30, 1946, DeLoris married Richard Angerer in Muscatine. She worked for the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC) for 20 years and retired in 1981. DeLoris was a Red Cross volunteer and was very involved at St. Patrick Catholic Church. DeLoris enjoyed life. She stayed active with daily walks and driving her car well into her 90s. She played cards with zeal, was a steadfast volunteer, and knew how to graciously entertain family and friends. DeLoris was an excellent seamstress and made the kids 'entire wardrobes when they were young. She loved making matching sundresses for the girls with matching shirt for Tom. She was an excellent cook and baker, but her true expertise was pie baking. She was known far and wide for the flakiest crust of all time. Dick and DeLoris traveled the world. She was an amazing grandma, and loved the big Christmas Eve's at her home. And her morning coffee on the porch. Memorials may be directed the charity of the donor’s choice. Online condolences can be left at www.teahenfuneralhome.com. December 25, 2022 Berwick Pennsylvania Brinklow Maryland Arena North Dakota Sedalia Missouri Mc Girk Missouri Robbins California Clark Pennsylvania Turner Arkansas Glenwood New York Sheldon Vermont Sweeden Kentucky Williston Tennessee https://unitedstatesvirtualmail.blogspot.com/2022/12/deloris-maxine-angerer.html December 25, 2022 at 01:06AM Avalon Mississippi Whitewater Indiana Bernice Louisiana Braidwood Illinois North Clymer New York Blue Hill Maine Mays Landing New Jersey New Canton Virginia Greenvale New York https://bakersfieldcaliforniamailbox.blogspot.com/2022/12/deloris-maxine-angerer.html December 25, 2022 at 01:37AM https://unitedstatescounselingcreditconsumer.blogspot.com/2022/12/deloris-maxine-angerer.html

[lhelene]

Cover Reveal

One of many guardian dragons of the archipelago, Lee never seems to have anything to do. When a pirate ship makes it past the outer islands to chase down a young witch, he leaps at the chance to prove himself. The witch, Amili, explains that the pirates are after the precious treasure hidden somewhere among the islands. The two of them agree that they should try to find it before the pirates do, which means enlisting the help of Lee's grouchy ex, whose only obsession is someday travelling through the stars. Their adventure will take them to depths they have never imagined.

Set to be published digitally March 4th, 2023!

[imthepunchlord]

What are your potential Ladybug Miraculous holder candidates in Life Swap AU if Adrien Dupain wouldn't have it?

My main choices are: 

Felix, Adrien’s cousin who is sent to live with Adrien at Amilie’s insistence. His father isn’t doing too well and she thought it’d maybe be better to have Felix away from his sick father so he doesn’t have to witness him starting to wither away. This can open up two possibilities, either Felix alone has the earrings OR Adrien and Felix wind up discovering them together and they each take an earring and Tikki is able to travel between the two pieces. It does secure that HM will have a hard time getting the earrings, but Felix is the preferred hero as he can perform LC, Adrien though is far more interested in being the active hero. Here for the adventure and excitement, not “saving Paris as its the right thing to do”. And Felix himself isn’t all for this but he’ll do it. 

Nino, he has actually become my prime pick for what if Fu didn’t pick Adrien. Nino is shown to be another elaborate planner, though he may need more time in comparison to Marinette to figure out LC, but he’s better suited for the earrings than ring between him and Marinette (both in canon and life sway au). He’s also better set up to be apart of the “yin-yang” duo they want with Marinette and her partner, largely working off him being a very passive character. Not to say Marinette is aggressive, but she’s a very involved, direct, and active character, while Nino is a lot more easy going and calmer in comparison, though there is still a motion to him, a goal in life he’s moving towards (becoming a director). And unlike Adrien, he has very clear issues that need to be addressed that can end up arcs (learning courage, being ambitious to a fault that he’s thoughtless of others, learning to be more observant and aware of his surroundings, and learning to strength his resolve as he can give up too quickly as seen when he loses Alya). Nino is also 2nd to Marinette (in canon) to have the most friends. This can set him up to be an involved character as well and can give us more perspective on other classmates that we don’t get. He can be emotionally involved in the plot with Thomas’ tweet revealing that he had lost an older brother recently, and while he wants him back, he wouldn’t go to the extent that Gabriel is. 

Luka, a lot of the same appeals that Nino has, but unfortunately he’s got less to him. That’s actually why there’s not a lot of Luka content from me; while I do like him, there’s not enough of a character there for me to work with. He’s a struggle for me to think of including in most of my wips, and that’s largely because canon has set him up as a very removed character, to a point that upon his introduction, I really didn’t want to see him with a mriaculous. He can technically apply and work, but I’d have to reach out to some friends to get an idea on how to include him as a lead. 

[ethelphantom]

Like You Could Be Family

And I’m back with new soulmate AUs. This is my Maribat Secret Santa contribution to @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry​. I hope you like it even though it seems my brain took some liberties with the instructions. There shouldn’t be anything you specifically said you didn’t want, though. I think. So yeah. I hope you like it. (It’s Timari, by the way). There’s also a piece of art of one of the scenes that I ended up doing bc I’ve got absolutely no self-control at the end so don’t miss it!

Ao3 | Part 2 | Part 3

“Dick, are you seriously trying to model on the cheese shelf? I swear I’m going to disown you as soon as we get home— hey, miss, do you want a new embarrassing brother? You look like you could actually be family anyway.”

Marinette stared at her wrist. Of all the things she was expecting to read on her skin once she turned 18, she wasn’t— it really was not, well, whatever the hell this was.

She massaged her temples, trying to make sense of the sentence her soulmate would say to her as the first thing after today. She could not believe that she would actually have to see someone modeling on the cheese shelf in a grocery store judging by how it all sounded like.

Yeah… What if she just didn’t go on her trip to the States with Uncle Jagged like she had meant to? After all, the sentence was in English — in all likeliness, she was going to meet her soulmate there. Marinette most certainly was not ready.

Then again, fate had a funny way of making things happen anyway, so it wasn’t like she could just avoid it. Besides, she did want to meet her soulmate, so maybe she just should resign to her fate and go regardless of how much she was not waiting for it to happen.

So. Everyone got to see the first words their soulmate would say to them after their 18th birthday, and as it was, it was Marinette’s 18th birthday. She had earlier that day heard from Uncle Jagged that he was going to take her with him to the States to go around the country and to perhaps meet new people that might want to commission her or possibly sponsor her. It was very sweet of him and Marinette really did want to go with him — after all, she was finally able to travel since there was no longer a threat of akumas because Gabriel Agreste had been arrested; He could just rot in prison for all she cared because of how he had treated Adrien and for endangering the entire City of Lights for so very long — but she really was not ready to meet her soulmate, not so soon.

Especially not if this was how she was supposed to meet them instead of a peaceful, not so strange situation.

But, as all things always went with Uncle Jagged, she gave into him and told her parents she would be gone for the summer at least. Maybe longer, since if she got enough commission work or someone to sponsor her, there was a chance she’s stay. Then there was the fact she might meet her soulmate, which also meant there was a chance she’d stay with them.

Really, she just didn’t know if she would even come home after this or if she’d start a new home there, but she told her parents that too. Her maman and papa just smiled at her and embraced her, telling her that it was fine, that they would support her no matter what. She just needed to tell them where she was going to live so they could visit.

And as she had guessed (and hoped), they were there too on the day she left, stood in front of the aeroport and told her their goodbyes and shed a few tears. They wanted to wait with her for her uncle. After all, she would be travelling with him and Aunt Penny. And Fang, obviously. One must never forget Fang. Oh, yes, she couldn’t leave Adrien out either — Uncle Jagged had insister he come with them since he was her best friend, his aunt had given the go-ahead when they asked after hearing Marinette was going as well, and he really didn’t have a family outside the Graham de Vanilys and Dupain-Chengs.

Her parents hugged her and told her she would always be welcome home, as was Adrien, and that they loved her more than anything. Marinette smiled back and told them she was going to miss them. Then they — along with his aunt Amilie — made sure they hugged Adrien as well and told him he was like the son they never had (well, Amilie did not say that) and that they all loved him, too. Marinette was glad, seeing he now had a family as well.

That’s how their journey began.

Adrien was, as one might have guessed, excited about the trip. He hadn’t gotten out much in the years before this and now he was actually free from his father — no, just Gabriel; That man did not deserve the title of a father — and allowed to actually travel with his best friend and his idol. There was no Gabriel to stop him from actually living. He too had received a soulmark (“I doubt he would. So, your best friend is the soulmate of mine, huh? Wait… that’s weird, I could’ve almost sworn— It’s you??”) a year earlier, on his eighteenth birthday, and as that too was in English, there was  good chance they’d both meet their soulmates on the trip. The average age for meeting one’s soulmate tended to be between ages 10 and 23, after all.

Thank god both of them had oddly specific things on their wrists; it would make recognising their soulmates a whole lot easier.

They ended up visiting many beautiful cities (New York City, Los Angeles, Charlestown, Metropolis, Salt Lake City, St Louis and Portland) before Jagged decided he wanted to show his niece and her best friend his home city. Adrien was excited. Marinette was a little excited, but knowing Jagged, also suspicious. Penny tried her best to convince him out of it, but no. That did not help.

(If you asked Marinette, it was because she was weak when it came to Jagged being actually excited about something, and since it wasn’t messing with any actual schedules, she ended up giving in to him.)

And just like that, they were headed to Gotham.

“Listen up kiddos! I managed to contact my friend whose oldest kids I used to take to different places to have fun whenever I could, and he says he’s got room for us all! How does that sound like to you?” he asked, basically bouncing on the balls of his feet as they were on their way towards the aeroport. He had switched to French to make it easier for them to talk about it — it was a big decision to make, after all. On one hand, that person was Uncle Jagged’s friend, and to both Marinette and Adrien that meant it was unlikely they were going to run into another Gabriel Agreste. On the other hand, in reality they knew nothing about him and all those years spent as superheroes had taught them to be cautious of anything new. New could always be good, but the problem was, new could also mean a bunch of evil butterflies attacking the city, possessing people and torturing absolutely everyone in the city for years.

“Well, Chaton, it’s your call. I’m going to trust Uncle Jagged not to have chosen a serial killer to take us in—” Adrien snorted at that, “—but you’re the one who’s gone though more shittiness from rich people than I have, so yeah. I’m making this your choice. Please don’t feel pressured to say yes.”

Adrien looked thoughtful for a second before nodding. “Yes. I want this. I want to see new people that could maybe prove me wrong about what rich people are like.”

Marinette grinned. “That’s the spirit! Though, Chaton, I have to say, you are a rich person, Jagged is a rich person, Kagami is a rich person. I think you’ve got rich and not horrible people around you as well, and all of them also happen to be close with you. But yeah, I think I get what you mean.”

Adrien punched her in the shoulder lightly, grinning back at her. Marinette almost had to cover her eyes because it looked like he was brighter than the sunshine itself as he beamed.

Jagged seemed ecstatic to find out they wanted to try meeting his friend and spend time with said friend’s children. Penny rolled her eyes fondly at her husbands enthusiasm and excitement, but went along. After all, someone needed to make sure all of them got there alive.

Once they arrived at Gotham, Marinette was surprised to find the first thing they did was not going to whoever Uncle Jagged had said was his friend but to go to a grocery store.

To buy the ingredients to the favourite food of the mysterious friend was apparently the reason why. Marinette hoped the friend’s taste was better than Jagged’s, she could not handle another week of weird smelling, suspicious foods that Jagged wanted (thank heavens for Penny and the fact she had made ordering edible food an art of mastery.)

Marinette sighed, resigning to her fate. She snatched the shopping list from her uncle’s hands and dragged Adrien along before anyone could protest. “Alright, so we gotta get all of this… Could you please go find the vegetables? And actually the rice, too. I’ll text you which vegetables are needed in just a second, okay?”

Upon receiving a positive answer as Adrien nodded and walked off, Marinette went to search for the meat. It turned out to be a task more difficult than she would have liked to admit — the store was rather big and she didn’t even know where to start.

Finally she found her way to the milk products, proud of herself since usually milk products were placed somewhere near the meat. It wasn’t good enough just yet, though, so once she noticed a small group of guys goofing around (This is what it means boys will be boys, she thought, not when they don’t leave a girl alone even after she tells them no). She was just about to ask them if they knew where the meat was when she saw one of them walk to one of the shelves and lie down, propping one leg up as he posed himself to look like he was…

Modeling.

God, did Marinette wish this was not was she thought it was.

Marinette sighed and walked closer to them, watching as one of the shorter ones in the group groaned and buried his face in his hands. “Dick, are you seriously trying to model on the cheese shelf?” he asked. Marinette’s eyes widened but she walked even closer, not sure if she really had heard right. She needed to know whether she’d heard him right. “I swear, I’m going to disown you as soon as we get home—” The man turned around and looked Marinette up and down before putting a smile on his face. Then he walked to her and spoke as though what he was saying was completely normal and not weird at all. “Hey, miss, do you want a new embarrassing brother? You look like you could actually be family anyway.”

The man still lying on the shelf laughed. “You’re right about that, Timmers. Blalck hair and blue eyes, fits the picture. We gotta keep Bruce from adopting her somehow. You don’t happen to have a tragic backstory, kid?”

Marinette was still staring at them in shock, mouth hanging slightly open before she took a quick glance at her wrist. Indeed. She had heard right. Then she looked at the man who had first spoken to her and, summoning willpower and confidence she didn’t even know she had right now, spoke up. “I don’t think disowning him is even necessary to make him my brother, and it seems there’s a chance we might become family regardless of whether this Bruce adopts me or not,” she blurted out, grimacing at her strong accent. She knew she spoke better and with cleared English, but the shock of meeting her soulmate had her relapse to the accent of her natice tongue.

All of the laughter quieted down as though cut off and their smiles fell, all four of them now looking at her like they had seen a ghost. The first to recover was a guy a little taller than her with auburn hair and — were those eyes yellow? — whose smile was probably brighter than what she’d ever seen on Adrien , and well. Adrien was the literal sunshine personified. She had barely even managed to blink before he was standing in front of her, having shoved her soulmate away.

“It’s great to meet you, miss! We were wondering already when we’d get to meet you, if he’d try to hide you from us or if he’d let us meet you right away,” he said laughing and winked. “Turns out, we got to meet you at the same time as he did! I’m Bart!”

With a light tilt of her head, Marinette smiled back at him. “Marinette, it’s lovely to meet you as well.”

The man still lying on the shelf was the second to collect himself (the other two guys who weren’t her soulmate seemed to recover as soon as he got up, but both of them stayed silent). He stood up (god he was tall, she didn’t deserve this. Marinette seriously wished the rest of the family would not be as tall so she wouldn’t need to look up to be able to talk to them easily — she had enough of that with Adrien) and was in front of her with a few graceful strides. He too greeted her with a smile on his face.

“Name’s Richard, though I have to say, please do not call me that. Especially family should call me Dick. And, since you’re apparently the soulmate of Timmy here, welcome to the family. I’m his oldest big brother, and that scowling kid (“I’m not a kid, Grayson!”) over there is our little brother, Damian. There are a whole lot more of us though, but you’ll meet them later (“Not if I can help it she won’t”). Actually. You don’t happen to be free tonight, do you? We’re having dinner with the whole family for a change today, it’d be great to have you there as well.”

“You are aware Father invited his old friend and his companions to the manor today, aren’t you, Grayson?” the scowling kid — Damian, wasn’t he? — asked from behind them, arms crossed over his chest.

“Well, yes, but I strongly doubt Bruce would mind at all if we invited Timmy’s soulmate over as well. His freaking soulmate, Damian. It’s more likely that he will be happy we did so.”

“Er, I’m sorry, but my uncle wants me to be with him, his wife and my best friend today,” Marinette said, hopefully cutting off whatever argument was starting to form between the two. She was still standing in the same place, not completely sure how to act. She had never thought there would be this many people who were important in her soulmate’s life near at once. It was overwhelming — after all, it meant she had to manage to make a good first impression right away.

The last of them, the one who had yet to speak, was still staring at her, though now he no longer looked like he was shocked to see her. No, now he was scowling, glaring, looking like he was examining her. Marinette took a step away from him and closer to her soulmate unconsciously, her eyes never leaving him. Yet another thing years of fighting villains had taught her: do not let your guard down near people that looked even the slightest bit threatening — which this guy definitely look like.

She really wished she didn't need to be alone here.

“Maribug! What are you standing around for?”

Thank heavens for Adrien and his timing.

Adrien threw an arm around her shoulders and leaned forwards a little, whispering “I’m sorry it took so long to get here, my hearing and smell aren’t as good when in this form. Did they try to do anything to you?” in French.

She found it sweet that once he’d understood why flirting with her so much was not okay, he’d researched sexual harassment thoroughtly and now was quick to act and make sure she was okay if things ever looked like there was even the slightest chance someone was harassing her, just like she did with him and his fangirls (especially Lila.) Dear god did she love her best friend.

“No, there’s no problem. Thanks Chaton”, she replied, shaking her head. Adrien squeezed her lightly before he let go, now apparently having a staredown with the kind of scary guy. Marinette let out a quiet laugh before tugging him by the hand to look the other way, to her soulmate. “Adrien, I’d like you to meet my soulmate,” she said, easily switching back to English. That seemed to finally shake him — she recalled Dick calling him Timmy and Timmers, so his name was probably Tim — out of his trance. He shook his head and stretched his hand out to Adrien.

“Hi. I think I might’ve seen you before somewhere. I’m Tim, her soulmate,” he said, smiling at the two of them.

“I’m Adrien, her best friend. You better take good care of her.”

“Adrien!”

Tim just laughed. “It’s fine, I suppose mine will try to have that conversation with you later as well. I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself to you earlier either. Like said, I’m Tim Drake, it’s wonderful to meet you. I love your outfit, is it an MDC?”

Okay, wow. He recognised her outfit as an MDC — which, of course, was her own brand so it just meant she’d made her clothes herself, but it wasn’t like she had made her identity public information yet anyway. This guy was a keeper. “Ah, yes, it is! How did you know?”

Now that he had made it clear he knew who MDC was, she started examining his outfit for anything familiar — of, wait, his shirt. She’d made it as a commission as few years back. She was also pretty sure that the hoodie Bart was sporting was from her autumn line based on superheroes from last year.

Adrien shot her a knowing look and a smirk which had her want to just flip him off before he turned to look at Bart who was making his way to Adrien.

“The signature on the hem kind of revealed it,” Tim replied.

Marinette arched an eyebrow. “But it’s almost invisible. It couldn't be that easy.”

“I know how to look for details. I love MDC by the way, I have a few of her designs as well.”

“I noticed. The shirt is hers, isn’t it?”

“Yeah! I commissioned it from her a while… back…” Tim’s voice trailed off. “...how exactly did you realise it was hers? I know for a fact the signature is hidden and on the flip side, so that cannot be it.”

It seemed Adrien had been listening to their conversation instead of talking with Bart as it didn’t take him even a second to chime in. “Yeah, that’s because she made it. Oh, and I might look familiar because I tend to model most of MDC’s — Marinette’s — designs for men for her website. If you like MDC and are that familiar with her work, that’s probably were you’d know me.”

“Well, there goes that secret. Hi, I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng, better known as MDC. I’m glad to hear you like my designs.”

“Wait. Timmers, you got MDC as your soulmate? That is so unfair,” Dick said, leaning against Tim’s shoulder.

Tim didn’t even grace that with a reply. He was — once again — staring at Marinette, his mouth hanging open. It was a miracle he’d even managed to shove Dick away. Marinette just smiled sheepishly and shrugged, letting her gaze wander to the side and the suddenly very interesting floor.

The man who still had said nothing walked to them, placed a finger under Tim’s chin and closed it. “He’s just a big fan — as is a big portion of their family, apparently — couldn’t stop talking about how ‘amazing it was that MDC accepted his commission’ at all for weeks at the time. Hi, I’m Conner, also one of his best friends. You better treat him well, or…”

“Yeah, that’s enough, Kon, let’s not threaten her too much so she won’t run away. I think he’d probably like to keep her,” Dick snorted. “You can give her the shovel talk once they start dating — if they start dating, that is.”

Marinette didn’ t know what to say, so she just kept silent and smiled, instead opting to listen to Adrien talking with Bart next to her. It helped her ground a little, knowing her best friend was right there with her.

“Nah, sure I love her, but just platonically. She’s my best friend, like a sister to me, so he doesn’t need to worry about me coming in between them. Well, unless he hurts her, that is.”

In front of her, Conner stopped talking with Dick and turned to look at the two. Tim did the same. Marinette soon understood why, as well.

“I doubt he would,” Bart replied, an obvious smile echoing in his voice. “So, your best friend is the soulmate of mine, huh?” Marinette’s smile fell and she turned to look at her best friend, who seemed to recognise the far too familiar words coming out of Bart’s mouth as well. Bart was looking at his wrist, now mumbling. “Wait… that’s weird, I could’ve almost sworn—” Then his gaze snapped to Adrien. “It’s you??”

“Oh mon dieu.”

“Oh mon dieu vraiment.”

With a quick glance, it seemed that everyone was now looking at Adrien and Bart. There was a smile growing on both their faces, though it was there far faster on Bart’s definitely. Grinning, Adrien turned to Marinette.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and started speaking in rapid-fire French. Understandable, it was much easier to both of them to deal with feelings in. “I cannot believe this! We both got to meet our soulmates on this trip, almost at the same time, and in Gotham of all places! I swear this was the last place I would have expected to find them at and I am so happy about this and just look at him he’s so adorable and precious I can’t even! I have known him for all of three minutes but I already love him. Oh my god, Jagged is not going to believe this—”

“Oh my god, Uncle Jagged. And I forgot the meat. We have to hurry, we can’t let him and Penny and his friend wait for us too long. Please tell me you didn’t forget anything I asked you to find.” Thankfully, Adrien shook his head.

Of course she had forgotten something. Now, it meant that she was starting to panic. “I am so very sorry, but I forgot that I was supposed to find ingredients for my uncle and I have to go now. I’m so sorry. We’ll still be in Gotham for some time, maybe I’ll run into you later again? Bye!” And with that, she dragged Adrien with her, leaving both her and Adrien’s soulmates behind. Adrien just waved to them before running beside her.

She left them behind having completely forgotten about asking for any means to contact any of them.

This she, obviously, only realised when she was in the car with Uncle Jagged, Aunt Penny and Adrien, already on their way to Jagged’s friend.

“I cannot believe I forgot to ask for his number or anything. I had to clear my inbox a while back, too, so it’s going to take me ages to find even his email address,” she moaned and buried her face in her hands. Adrien just patted her head, trying to comfort her. Yeah, that’s right, she had dragged Adrien away from his soulmate as well. That made her even worse.

“Wait, who are you talking about, kid? Whose number did you forget to ask? A potential new client?” Jagged asked, confused about what his niece was on about.

Marinette lifted her head for a moment to answer him. There were tear streaks on her face, she realised, when the air was a little too cool at only some places on her cheeks and hands. “No, my soulmate’s. I finally met him but then I realised I was late and Adrien met his soulmate as well but I just dragged him away too and oh god I’m such a horrible friend.” Then she let her head fall into her hands again.

“You met your soulmates? In Gotham?” Jagged gasped. “I’m so happy you met them here.”

“Jagged, you do realise this is Gotham, one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world, right?”

“But Penny, I’m sure these kiddos’ soulmates aren’t bad! They are so pure, not even fate would be so cruel! Anyway, kid, you should have stayed with him or asked him to join us! There’s nothing as rock and roll as meeting your soulmate! I would have been fine with waiting for you so you could get his number.”

“His brother actually asked me to come over to his place and have a dinner with his family. I said no because I was supposed to come with you to your friend’s place.”

“You should’ve said yes, Mari! I could have told Bruce you weren’t able to come ‘cuz you met your soulmate and he would’ve been okay with it!”

“What’s done is done, Uncle Jagged. Can we forget about this now? I want to wallow in self-pity.”

Adrien just shook his head and took her hands to his. “No, and you’re not a bad friend, Buginette. I know how you get like when things start becoming hectic, but one, I’m already used to it, and two, maybe we’ll see him again. He lives here and he told you his name, didn’t he? And you told him yours? You can probably try to find him tomorrow. I’m sure you will. And, once you find him, I’ll get to mine as well because he said they were best friends. There’s really nothing to worry about, Mari.”

“You’re way too good for me. I don’t deserve you.”

“Yes you do. Now take this tissue, dry your face and we can go inside.”

Oh. They’d already arrived at the manor Jagged’s friend lived in. Marinette took the tissue Adrien handed her, wiped the tears off her face and then stepped out of the car, Adrien following right behind her. There was a man with a white streak in his otherwise black hair waiting at the door, a cigar in his hands.

“Hi Jagged. B said you were coming soon. Get in. It’s a little chaotic right now, babybird apparently met his soulmate and then lost her just about immediately, so he also invited his friends over,” the man said, drawing a breath out of his cigar. It seemed he recognised Jagged immediately, which was probably a good sign.

“Seems like we’er not the only ones with soulmate problems today,” Adrien whispered to her. Marinette just nodded. While she wasn’t one to take joy in others’ problems, she was kind of a little glad to hear that they weren’t the only ones who had to suffer with them right now.

“Well, hello Jay-lad, you’re alive again!” Jagged exclaimed as though being alive again was totally normal and squeezed the man. What the hell. When Marinette looked at Penny, hoping for some sort of an explanation for this, she just shrugged. “Great to see you’ve grown into a big boy now. These are Marinette and Adrien, my niece and her best friend. Oh, and Penny, my wife.”

“Oh give it a rest, won’t you, I wasn’t actually that small back then either. Where’s Fang?”

“Left him in my brother’s care.”

“The one that works at Arkham?”

“That one. He said he’s gonna take him with him to work today.”

“Great, let’s hope he bites Joker’s head or at least hand off. But yeah, good to see you’ve gotten yourself a family now so you don’t need to borrow me or Dick to have children anymore. Now, get in, it’s not too warm a night.” Once Adrien and Marinette got near him, he nodded as greeting. “I’m Jason, B’s second son and the kid Jagged used to borrow every now and then when he wanted to take a kid to concerts or the amusement park or somethin’.”

Adrien snorted next to Marinette who just chuckled. “Sounds like something Uncle Jagged would totally do. He basically adopted me as his niece after I designed him an atrocious pair of glasses,” Marinette laughed. “And Adrien got in because his father is an ass, and my family has joint custody of him with his aunt, which then led to Jagged wanting to take him with us as well.”

“Of course he did. Only Jagged and B would, I swear. Only them.”

They followed Jason inside (Jagged had already taken the liberty to just march in like he owned the place and announce he was back in Gotham, dragging Penny with him), marvelling at how gorgeous and beautiful everything looked. Even Adrien, who had grown up in a similar house, did, perhaps because while this manor was as big (if not far bigger) and just about as decorated as the Agreste Mansion had been, this was also warm and felt like home, like someone actually lived there instead of just… occupying the space. It was amazing.

A broad-shouldered man walked to them to welcome them in. It was probably B (Bruce? Marinette was pretty sure that was what Jagged had called him), based on how Jason greeted him, punching him lightly in the shoulder while he just ruffled Jason’s hair.

“It’s wonderful to meet the family Jagged speaks so fondly of finally. I’m Bruce Wayne. Come inside, I’d like you two to meet my children,” he said, smiling warmly at the two of them. Adrien was a little wary, but followed him anyway, never leaving Marinette’s side and his hand in hers. It wasn’t surprising and Marinette didn’t judge him for it — after all, as far as Adrien was aware, this man could be just like Gabriel (even if by all likelihood he wasn’t).

Jason snorted behind them. “He speaks of his children like there are only a handful of us instead of like, a million, like there in reality are. He’s a serial adopter, I swear. Be careful or he adopts the both of you — Blondie Locks sounds like he has a tragic backstory, and you have at the very least the blue eyes and black hair.”

Marinette rolled her eyes, somewhat ready to meet new people. But, once they actually got to the living room, they weren’t met with a bunch of unfamiliar faces, no. Instead, Marinette immediately recognised four of them, one of which was her soulmate.

How else. Fate had a funny way of doing things, making sure you couldn't avoid your soulmate.

Not that she wasn’t glad about it for this once.

Bart looked up and basically appeared next to Adrien — how fast was he anyway? — who then immediately hugged him. Well. If Bart was here and he was indeed every bit the precious sunshine he seemed to be and Adrien claimed he was, Marinette could safely leave Adrien to him. She squeezed Adrien’s hand once more before making her way towards Tim who met her halfway.

She smiled sheepishly at him. “Sorry, I kind of tend to get stuck in my head when things start to get hectic and forgot to ask you for your contact information,” she chuckled, tilting her head.

Tim just smiled at her, arching an eyebrow. “Well, we got to meet this soon anyway, so I think I can forgive you that this once.”

“Hey!”

He just laughed at her and crossed his arms over his chest. “Besides, you told me you were MDC — I would have been able to get in contact with you rather easily,” he reminded her.

Oh yeah. That too.

“It’s wonderful to meet you again, Tim. I can’t wait to get to know you better.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth, Marinette. I’m glad I got to meet you, soulmate.”

Marinette opened her arms slightly, and once Tim nodded and she got the go-ahead, she hugged him tight. Glancing at her wrist and the odd words written on it, the corners of her lips quirked upwards.

Perhaps, perhaps it wasn’t that bad to have “Dick, are you seriously trying to model on the cheese shelf? I swear I’m going to disown you as soon as we get home— hey, miss, do you want a new embarrassing brother? You look like you could actually be family anyway.” written on her body permanently.

After all, those words led her to the young man called Tim she could already tell was a wonderful person, and later on, Marinette couldn't have been happier to call him her beloved soulmate.

(click for better quality)

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@kris-pines04​ @thethirdwheelfriend​ @daminett4life​

[oc-factoids]

so i have these ocs and theyre a group of magical boys,, their story revolves around them - humans - being the only ones able to save this fictional star-planet called Dream from ruin, since there are people trying to steal the power of Dream to destroy it and recreate the entire galaxy. the powers of Dream are these things called the Dream Chests, of which there are six, and they need a key to be open - problem: there are only five keys, the sixth one was hidden away by the Dream royal amily ages ago and not even the current Dream monarchs know where it is. the six Dream Chests are the Shining Chest, the Blazing Chest, the Shocking Chest, the Freezing Chest, the Blooming Chest and the Crystal Chest; each one of the chests has a specific type of elemental power (light, fire, lightning, etc) EXCEPT the Crystal Chest, which has unlimited power and is the one with a missing key. that's the one the bad guys want.

each of the chests - again, with the exception of the Crystal Chest - have an assigned planet and magical mascot, the Shining Chest being assigned to Dream itself. to obtain the key, the mascot that belongs to that chest has to give it to you - either because it trusts you or because you forced it.

so how does this relate to the group of magical boys? easy. a native of Dream steals away the Dream Chests to keep them safe and travels to the farthest away planet - Earth! while on Earth, the misfit group of friends that are gonna become the magical boys befriend the magical mascots and gain access to the keys and chests, along with the power they hold. so now it's their responsibility to stop the evil people from opening the Crystal Chest and destroying the galaxy!

Ok but this is actually so cool I'm 😍