#wallaby love stories

[rossalotus]

Chapter 3 - Prejudice 101

Good morning darlings, it is a fine Monday morning in Sydney, Australia and I come to relate my experiences during the last week. I’ve wrote this on Friday but only had time to sit and read it now so please bear with me.

I told you about the Garfield reference guy and he is the main character of today’s story. We scheduled a date for Saturday night at a bar we both knew.

In the meantime we talked a lot and he seemed fine and he asked me if I wanted to add him on Discord to play TFT together on the afternoon before the date. In case you don’t remember, I had put on my profile that I’m a Master in that game and so I said yes. We enter Discord and as soon as I hear him talk, I have the feeling this will lead only to friendship. My brain goes: “Oh, I’ve seen this type, the needy type, I can’t take this.”

Of course, I immediately reprehend myself for that thought since the only reason I had it in the first place is because I have a friend who looks just like him and is like that. So I wipe away that first - wrong - impression from my mind and start listening to him again, getting to know him.

Then, we log off and I take a shower and get ready for the date. I wore a cute skirt and an even cuter cape and over the knee boots. Maybe I overdid it? Maybe. But the bar is a nice one, people would dress up too and it’s always nice to cause a good impression on a date, right?

Well, I get there and the boy is late. Shania Twain wouldn’t approve of him but Carol is horny af and so she does. I look around and realize I’m not overdressed at all, everyone looks similar. 

Good.

Then, I see him coming from the other side of the bar. He’s wearing sweatpants and a hoodie and I immediately reproach myself for judging him for his clothes and here I’ll stop the story and talk about Prejudice 101. 

I have spent years and years judging myself for my thoughts and feelings, believing myself to be a bad person because of them. But here I am, twenty years after the first time I felt like that, to tell you how unfair and ridiculous that thought is. What we think and what we feel doesn’t define us and, in a way, it doesn’t really matter. Stopping, evaluating and rethinking is what defines you. In other words, what you can’t control doesn’t matter, it is what you can that does. Your actions, your judgment. So if you, like me, have been reproaching yourself for things you can’t control, even when you know you acted so that those things don’t matter, find yourself hereby freed from that guilt by yours truly. Again, it is what you can control that defines you, not what you cannot.

With that in mind, during the few seconds between me seeing him and him walking towards me, I rationalized that some people just don’t feel comfortable wearing some kinds of clothes and that is not a bad thing. It could mean he wanted to be himself near me and if clothes were an obstacle for that, he decided to let it out of the way. And I appreciate it. By the time he was two steps from me, I had already disregarded the whole clothing thing.

And then he got into my orbit enough for me to sniff him and that’s when I knew this wouldn’t be anything more than friendship.

Let’s start by making it clear that this is not a homeless person or even someone going through a hard time economically speaking. He owns his own home and his own car (or so he said) and I’m sure no one with enough money to buy a home in this economy would ever buy one without a shower.

He didn’t smell bad per se but he smelled like someone who hasn't taken a shower in a while. Or someone who wore those same clothes for days in a row and didn’t wash them. Sure, I can forgive being late, I can forgive not wanting to wear clothes that make you uncomfortable but is meeting me so insignificant to you that you won’t even shower? Really? Not significant enough to wear clean clothes? To wear a little bit of perfume? Come on.

I was there already and super hungry so we ordered food and talked and though I thought the talk was ok, it wasn’t that nice or interesting. He drove me home at the end and I asked how much I owed him for the date. 

He said: “It depends. Will we have dinner again?”

I first thought we could be friends and I shouldn’t judge people from a first date. Maybe the talk wasn’t that nice because he was nervous. So I replied yes.

This was Saturday night. From then onwards, he kept on texting me every day, at every hour. I didn’t have much to talk about since I was just working and it started annoying me. By Wednesday I was so annoyed I couldn’t take it and just texted him saying I knew what I said on Saturday but I changed my mind, he could send me the amount I owed him and I would transfer. He sent me the bank details and asked if we could still be friends. At this point, I didn’t want to be friends either and so I just replied saying I had already transferred and we didn’t talk again.

So much energy wasted on this, I wanted to give up on apps. Then I remembered that if I do give up on them I will probably not ever have sex again or find love or anything so I went back to swiping but in these three days no one with whom I matched started a conversation.

Hopefully this week I’ll have a nicer story to tell.

[kakujis]

PIBBY OMG OK

Bookshop AU with Yone

You working in a bookstore is so magical to him. He starts coming in with his laptop and headphones to work on his music stuff but he keeps sneaking glances at you while you're rearranging the books on the shelves. He'll even talk to you about your favourite books occasionally

THROW IN SECRET ADMIRER omg he gifts you books he thinks you'll like but won't tell you they're from him so you'll be talking to him about this admirer and he's internally screaming bc IT'S HIM

hi wallaby!! i'm finally writing this cus i'm soooo enamored w him... but u are so right. this au is so cute. i can't believe i just wrote this in one sitting LOL, i'm going to lose it!!!!!!

wc: 684

warnings: gn!reader, mutual pining, mutual shyness. fluff. not proofread. reminder i'm an 18+ blog, likes and rbs are fine, but don't follow if under 18.♡ :>

yone loves a routine. but more importantly, he loves it away from heartsteel. don't get him wrong, he enjoys his bandmates, chaos and all, but sometimes he just needs a quiet place to work. imagine his delight when he stumbles across your bookstore, a quaint place tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

you are ever-present, ever comforting, and always there to lend an ear when he asks, "hey, sorry to bother, but do you think this sample is alright?" he notes your expressions, scrutinizing each piece to make sure you have something meaningful to say.

in return, he'll ask you about your favorite books, your recommendations and if you're working on anything yourself. it's an exchange of creativity that he craves, even in the early hours of the morning when you've just opened up shop and the sun is peeking slightly over the horizon.

the first time you pad over, holding a new book in hand, expression puzzled, he can't stop the light flutter of his heart, it's wings beating like a butterfly searching for a drink.

"look at this new book i got," you chime, handing him over the heavy hard-cover series, "have you read it?"

he'll shake his head, tucking a piece of hair behind his ear to fake getting a better look, before replying, "nope. any idea who it's from?"

you do the same, but spread a wide smile on your face. "honestly, i'm flattered. i didn't think anyone paid attention to me like that. they should spend more time looking at you."

"it's the red hair isn't it?" he jokes back and you'll giggle, a sound that's prettier than the chime of the bell on the top of your door.

the weeks continue on, the look of delight on your face a welcoming sight every time he comes in. he listens intently when you ramble about your admirer, the newest book you got, and more importantly, how it makes you feel.

he decides to step his game up, adding in little trinkets and confectionary with each book drop off. he thinks you have no clue, in fact, he's so confident you don't that he even starts leaving handwritten notes within them. but you are no fool, there's no one else you've ever spoken to about the intricacies of your own heart. no one else knows which stories captivate you the most. only yone.

"another book i see," he hums, taking a sip from his coffee and missing the glint in your eye when he asks. "still no clue who it's from right?"

"y'know," you say, taking a seat across from him. "actually, i think i have a little bit of an idea."

"oh... really?" he answers, trying his best to maintain eye-contact.

you nod again, "mhm." a small, yet shy smile on painted on your features, but you also struggle to make eye-contact, the sudden weight of your confession looming over you.

there's an uncomfortable silence that drapes over the two of you, or at least, yone thinks there is. he opens his mouth to apologize, so clear that he's been caught, but you cut him off.

"or actually, maybe, i know nothing at all." you say, quickly getting up and gathering up your things. maybe you'd like things to stay like this for a while, it's comfortable and cozy. "sorry about that."

"huh? oh no, don't-"

"would you like to go on a date sometime?" you interrupt again, clammy hands holding the book up to your chest.

for a moment, yone just stares at you. knowing that if things goes well, ezreal and kayn are definitely not letting him live this down. he can hear them now, exclaiming, "what do you mean you were too scared to ask them out on a date?! so uncool yone."

he also knows that letting you in means that you'll get hounded by them too, but you'll deal with it when you get there... if you get there. and yone decides that he's okay with that.

"sure," he grins, taking one of your hands in his. "i'd love to."

[lizzie-is-here]

valentine’s day one shot

poppies and babies’ breath

bucky barnes x fem!reader

bucky really wants to ask you out. but he can’t even dance anymore, much less date.

Bucky Barnes was not very good at dating. At least, not anymore.

No, that skill belonged to Sergeant James Barnes, a dumb, 20-something that hadn’t been made into an assassin for 70 years.

For all of his skills, that one is failing. He can toss a knife like nobody’s business, lift 1000 lbs to impress you on a training day, and speak dozens of languages.

But he can’t figure out how to flirt with you. Don’t even start on asking you out.

It used to be so easy. Flash a smile and the dames would line up to go dancing with a man in uniform.

Bucky can’t really dance anymore. Or he doesn’t want to.

He’s considering all of this as he stands outside of a flower shop, peering in and probably freaking out the kid at the register.

“Uh, sir, there’s a sale on flowers for Valentine’s Day…” the boy says, muffled through the glass. Bucky nods, finally stepping inside.

There are paper hearts strung up around the shop, only reminding him of exactly why he’s here. He’s gonna do it today. He’s gonna ask you out.

Well, he’s also here because he lost a bet with Sam. But that’s not important.

Bucky’s a dark shadow wandering through the quaint aisles, out of place in the colorful array of flowers. He skips over the roses. Too cliche.

He considers daisies, lilies, sunflowers, and flowers he doesn’t even know the names of until he finally finds what he was looking for.

Poppies. Your favorite. Apparently because of some story with opium poppies, wallabies, and crop circles. He was too distracted staring at you to fully grasp the story.

Bucky carefully grabs a handful and starts toward the counter before realizing that the bundle of red in his hand looks pretty bland. So then he adds some small white flowers, a pretty wrapping paper, and calls it a day.

“Can you wrap this for me?” he asks, setting down the items. The kid stares blankly at his metal hand, but nods.

He can’t remember the last time he bought flowers. ‘44, maybe? For his ma? He never bought any of his dates flowers. Too pricey and too significant when the relationships never lasted long.

You, though. You were different. Maybe it was the way you never looked at him like the teen boy in front of him had, with apprehension and questions Bucky didn’t feel like answering. Or maybe the fact that his brain had been through the blender.

But he loves you. And that’s more than he can say for most of his past ventures. He wants to give everything to you while also being selfish enough to take everything you may give him.

Bucky considers that he maybe deserves to be a little selfish sometimes.

The kid finishes wrapping the bouquet and hands it over.

“$25,” he mumbles, still in awe of the war hero in front of him.

Bucky tosses a $50 on the counter. “Thanks, kid.”

———————————————————————

A knock on the door of your room in Stark Tower startles you from your haze.

You’re in a shirt and pajama shorts on your bed, desperately trying to find a show that isn’t about true love.

It all reminds you too much of your own loneliness. How bad you wanted to ask out your own crush but never quite got ballsy enough to do it.

Grumbling as you watch a pair of high school sweethearts reunite in the picturesque Hallmark town, you stand to open the door.

There you find Bucky. The very man you’re conflicted over. Holding a bouquet and in a red henley to match the poppies.

“Hey,” he greets, trying to avoid staring at your legs.

You smile. “Hi, Bucky.”

He holds up the flowers. “I- I wanted to get you something for Valentine’s Day, and also…” He goes beet-red and stares at the ceiling for a moment.

“Sorry,” he mumbles. You shake your head, waiting for him.

“Oof, okay. I wanted to know if you wanted to go out with me? Sometime? Whenever works for you is fine-“

You rest a hand on his arm that’s still cradling the bouquet. “I’m free tonight?”

Finally, a shy grin breaks out on his face.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Bucky swallows, gives you a very real, very swoon-worthy smile, and hands over the flowers.

“Well, doll, do you wanna go dancing?”

Because yeah. Maybe he can’t dance anymore. But he wants to try with you.

[somebodyssherlock-heterodyne]

Hello!

do you have any headcanons about jayjon and the super twins? I'm interested in hearing your opinion on how the twins treat Jay, whether he babysits them, walks with them, whether they stay at his place overnight, and whether Jon gets jealous when they literally try to take his boyfriend's attention

Thanks!

I feel like it takes the twins a little while to actually meet Jay- settling into earth, extradimensional gods showing up to try and kidnap/murder/vivisect Osul, Otho actually getting kidnapped, etc. In that time, they do spend some time with Jon, who is besieged by complicated emotions he doesn't want to have or deal with the entire time he's in their presence. The twins, being the twins, ask him if he has any good stories about his victories.

Cue Jon's bedtime story retelling of the liberation of Gamorra. He monologues dreamily about Jay for at least two minutes every time he comes up in the story. Otho and Osul, who know Jon as a figure who briefly darkens the doorway before flying off again, as though he doesn't feel comfortable in the house anymore, are very perceptive children. They were gladiators- they had to be. They notice, immediately, that Jon's perpetually tense shoulders loosen the minute Jay's name leaves his lips.

I think Otho and Osul end up relating to Jon a lot. All three of them are out of sync and out of place with the softness of the house and the warmth of this family. It takes Jon a little bit to realize it, but once he does he and the twins effectively become a unit.

At any rate, the twins continually pester Jon for stories about his boyfriend, and Jay gives Jon leave to tell them everything he knows. Jon tells them the story of Jay Nakamura: of a rigged election, cruel experiments, a daring escape and a rescue by the Revolutionaries. Of the Truth, a college campus, a sinking ship, a rooftop meeting. He skims the romance bits in favor of the action, because the twins did ask for a battle story, but he still ends the story with 'and then we kissed over the smoking rubble of Bendix's dictatorship'.

The twins grew up under a cruel thumb they didn't have the perspective to want to get away from. They had Clark to rescue them, and periodically have nightmares about who they'd be if he hadn't. Jay, by Jon's telling, saved Jon far more often than Jon saved him, fought tooth and nail against a tyrant, and refused to back down even from unbeatable odds.

The twin think Jay is the coolest person they've ever heard of. They are Gossamer stans first and people second. You know that phase kids have where they find an interest and it becomes their whole personality for a while? Yeah.

Jon's cool with making them custom merch and showing them the fifteen thousand pictures in the photos folder labeled LOVE OF MY LIFE KING OF MY HEART. The twins are having fun, he gets to gush about his boyfriend all day, sure why not.

This is fine- Jay laughs when Jon repeats his life story back to him, because "when you say it like that it sounds badass and epic and not like I just spend ten minutes clinging to the ship railing like a wallaby"- until the twins and Jay finally get around to an introduction.

Jon is torn between jealousy and mild irritation because it's impossible to get a moment alone with his boyfriend these days, and immense fondness whenever he sees the twins bracketing Jay as they pester him for stories about the Revolutionaries. Which sentiment wins out depends on whether or not Otho chooses violence and starts asking doe eyed questions about when Jay and Jon are getting married. She looks like a postcard angel when she's doing it but Jon fucking taught her that look, he knows she's a hellion. Osul is less likely to be a menace but it's not out of any sort of kindness, he's just better at waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Jon loves them both but if they ask which of them will be the ring bearer at his wedding "once you finally manage to write a decent proposal" ONE MORE FUCKING TIME he's leaving them on Batman's doorstep. What's two more orphans to a billionaire anyway? Two phaelosian menaces can't possibly be harder to manage than Damian.

[doppotranslations]

Alcohol, Sakura and Kangaroo ~Cherry Blossom Evening Stroll~ - Part 1

===============================

Hypmic ARB in-game event story (Doppo, Hifumi, Jyuto), Rio, Rei, Hitoya

Recording Link: https://youtu.be/u9RnJaY2gfI (in case you wanna read along with the in-game voice lines and sound effects :D)

===============================

Chapter 1

[At the Police Station]

Jyuto: I deeply apologize…

Detective: Hey now… Iruma-san, you're going to have to assume responsibility for that case…

Jyuto: Be more careful in the future, for my sake as well......

Rio: ……

Jyuto: Well then, I’ll be off…...

[Outside]

Jyuto: *lights a cigarette* Phew… that whole debacle from before was solved thanks to Samatoki… Rio, why did it have to be in Shinjuku......?

Rio: How many times do I have to say it? I came here to look for a kangaroo.

Jyuto: …... what I meant was that I don’t get your reasoning at all, so why did you have to drag me into this? If I didn’t know you, I’d probably end up interrogating you too. Furthermore, what is it about this wallaby that would make it worth being taken in by the police for…... 

Rio: It’s not a wallaby, it’s a kangaroo.

Jyuto: *sighs* …... I don’t care which one it is…...

Rio: Getting accurate information about this is important.

Jyuto: If there really was a kangaroo in this city, there would immediately be a fuss about it. Don't you think so too?

Rio: In that case even I’d find out about it, wouldn’t I?

Jyuto: *sighs*...... That’s right…...

Rio: Though it’s true that I have brought you trouble. Jyuto, I apologize.

Jyuto: Don’t worry about it. What are friends for after all…... it was a cheap arrest too. After all, it was all thanks to that idiot Samatoki being used to getting people out of trouble.

Rio: Right.

Jyuto: Well, what do you say? Since we ended up in Shinjuku and all, shall we go drinking in this golden city?

Rio: Hm…... I would love to join you, but I must look for that kangaroo.

Jyuto: …...and if you happened to find it, what would you do?

Rio: That’s a weird thing to ask. I’d make a meal out of it, of course.

Jyuto: I see…

Rio: Kangaroos…... Their meat is easy to cook and delicious. There surely must be a stray kangaroo somewhere around Japan…...

Jyuto: …...just please don’t get arrested again.

Rio: Got it. Well then, I’ll be off.

Jyuto: Then…... guess I’ll be drinking alone, huh?

[At a Temple]

Doppo: (Aah…... The manager of the company I was doing business with today…... was so cruel…... What do you mean by “You look like you’re emanating an aura of misery so much so that it’s annoying. If you let me slap you, I’ll buy what you’re selling.” W-well,  it can't be helped. If it’s for the sake of my company, I’ll take the hit… but if it’s just one hit I promised, why do you have to go all in… What do you mean “I was only joking when I said I’d buy it!”...) Fuck……………………………………… Fuck fuck……………………………………… Fuck fuck fuck……………………………………… FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKING HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELL!!

???: Wait…...

Doppo: THIS IS BULLSHIT! EVEN THOUGH HE SLAPPED ME!! THAT ASSHOLE STILL DIDN’T FUCKING GIVE ANYTHING IN RETURN!!! IT’S TOO MUCH, MAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!

???: You over there!

Doppo: HYAH, HYAAAH!!!

Jyuto: I was thinking some idiot was screaming around here, but it was just you, Kannonzaka-san.

Doppo: I-Iruma-san… A-are you by any chance here to arrest me for being so loud…? I was being a bother, wasn’t I?

Jyuto: I’m not really impressed by the screaming, but I’m not gonna arrest you either.

Doppo: I-I’m glad…

Jyuto: By the way, Kannonzaka-san.

Doppo: Yes?

Jyuto: You seem to be feeling pretty stressed about something, don’t you? So, how about I treat you to a drink.

Doppo: Sounds great! Let’s go!

Chapter 2

[At Hifumi’s host club]

Hifumi: …...Um? What the?

Host A: Old man! Quit being so arrogant! The table isn’t a foot stool!

Host B: What the hell do you want!?

Rei: Right, sorry for that. Looks like our precious prince charming here is pretty rotten.

Host C: Asshole…... are you messing with us…...?

Rei: *lights a cigarette* It’s pretty fun being a wild guy with a temper, you know?

Host A: Ah?

Rei: If you would give me the favor of getting involved, then I would say we’re about to have a pretty fun twist.

Host A: You bastard…...

Hifumi: That’s enough!

Host A: H-Hifumi-san!

Hifumi: You guys, what do you think you’re doing acting like that in the host club? As usual, you’re supposed to behave elegantly here.

Host A: M-my apologies!

Rei: Oh, at last mister number one showed his face, huh?

Hifumi: Huh? You’re Osaka’s… Why are you here?

Rei: I’m here to collect some debts.

Hifumi: Why are you doing that…?

Rei: It’s something I simply cannot turn down. You see, I am a pretty influential person of the nightlife in Kabuki.

Hifumi: …...really? You talk about needing to collect debts, but I don’t think there’s anything to collect from here, is there? 

Rei: That’s right…...

Hifumi: Then why did you come here?

Rei: See the chick in this photo? Ya get it now?

Hifumi: That woman…... Some time ago, she was a guest here and requested me…... What’s the matter with her?

Rei: She’s been messing around at this host club with borrowed money. And…...

Hifumi: She ran away because she couldn’t pay it back…...?

Rei: You got it. I came here to ask you if you know about the whereabouts of that hoe.

Hifumi: I know nothing about it…... And even if I did, I would not be able to share any information about my beloved clients.

Rei: Heh…... Well, since you say you don’t know anything, should I ask you what the truth is by force?

Hifumi: ……

Rei: Hahaha! Juuuust kidding! Lil’ old me only does such unreasonable things on special ocassions.

Hifumi: What do you plan to do if you find her…...?

Rei: Ummm. Let’s see… if she pays back the money it’s all good, but if she doesn’t…... ya dig?

Hifumi: !

Rei: Hey, don’t look at me like that! I don’t want to come face to face with a young woman that has a bright future about something like this either, you know. Though rules can’t be broken no matter how much you complain about it. Since you work at a place like this you get it, don’t you?

Hifumi: …...Yeah.

Rei: I mean, it would be good for you too if she paid up since she’s got a tab to pay for you, right?

Hifumi: …...I forbid my customers from putting their payments on a tab.

Rei: Heh...... that’s uncommon.

Hifumi: It’s because we don’t want problems like this with debt.

Rei: Nonsense. Well then, looks like I gotta bounce.

Hifumi: Wait a second…...

Rei: What’s up?

Hifumi: I simply cannot let this go by, having a woman I know be met with mean eyes. I will go too.

Rei: You’re coming to do what exactly?

Hifumi: Once we find her I shall scold her.

Rei: Scold…... huh? Haha, sounds fun. ‘s all good then. Come.

Hifumi: ……

Chapter 3

[Out in the city at night]

Hitoya: (*sighs*... The Supreme Court is so tiring…...) It’s still early, I could probably get a drink and go home...... (How about viewing the sakura trees while having a drink? Maybe I could find a nice place for that, huh.) Oh, right, Shinjuku Central Park is right around the corner. I’ll get going.

[At the park]

Hitoya: Woah…... this is pretty impressive, huh… Since I bought both a drink and something to eat, I can enjoy the evening in peace over here. *opens his drink* Gulp… gulp… gulp… Pwaah~. Having a drink after work is simply exceptional. (When I’m in Nagoya either Kuko or Jyushi always find a way to destroy my peace and quiet…... That’s why, I’ll make use of this alone time while I’m here.) …...This park seems to be pretty big and all, so I’ll go for a little walk around here.

[Somewhere else in the park]

Rio: According to the intel I gathered, that thing is lurking inside this park...… as expected…...

???: Gwooo… Gwooo… Gwooo…

Rio: Mm? That sound is…

Kangaroo: Gwooo… Gwooo… Gwooo…

Rio: Just as I thought, the information seems to not have been wrong… Goddamn…...

Kangaroo: !?

Rio: Kh…!

[Somewhere else in the park]

Hitoya: Gulp… Gulp… Canned beer around the sakura blossoms at night… This is just the best, isn’t it? A night like this would make even cheap alcohol feel luxurious.

Kangaroo: Gwooo… Gwooo… Gwooo…

Hitoya: Hm? What was that sound…?

Kangaroo: Gwooo gwooo gwooo!

Hitoya: Wha!? A k-kangaroo!!????? Why is there a kangaroo in a place like this…...

???: Mm!!

Hitoya: Huh…? *gets hit and everything turns black* Gwah!

???: Guh!

Hitoya: *gets up* That hurts, man…

Rio: …...I apologize. I was in a hurry.

Hitoya: Right…... huh, you’re from Yokohama Division?

Rio: And you’re from Nagoya Division…?

Hitoya: What are you doing in a place like this?

Rio: I was chasing a kangaroo.

Hitoya: Chasing a kangaroo, you say… The hell kinda joke is this?

Rio: Looks like it completely got away…I know this is an embarrassing request to make but…...

Hitoya: …What is it?

Rio: Could you do me the favor of helping me catch that thing?

Hitoya: Why me… is what I would normally say, but I bumped into you and got in the way and all, so fine. I’ll help out.

Rio: …Thank you!

Hitoya: Was that kangaroo your pet or something?

Rio: No, it’s my food.

Hitoya: ???????????????????????????

Chapter 4

[Out in the city at night]

Hifumi: Is this the place?

Rei: According to what I was told, yeah. 

Hifumi: *tries to go in*

Rei: Wait a second.

Hifumi: Why…?

Rei: Just to be sure you’ll have to stay here. We’re in this together, so in case she tries to run away you’ll have to do something about it.

Hifumi: Got it…

Rei: Good, I’ll get going then.

[Inside the club]

Hifumi’s Former Client: I’ll have another drink, please~

Host: Which one would you like?

Hifumi’s Former Client: Open the bottle of Golden Dom Perignon~

Host: Really? A glass of Golden Dom Perignon then…

Rei: That order is canceled.

Hifumi’s Former Client: Huh? Who the hell are you…?

Rei: Who I am? Let’s see…

Host: That’s right, what’s with this jerk…?

Rei: Sorry to be a disturbance, but this young lady’s and Romeo’s little affair will have to wait. ‘Cause you see… I am a scary old man.

Host: Do you want to have your ass kicked…?

Rei: Haha! I like being threatened, lil old me is happy to hear that, you know?

Host: Hey…!

Manager: S-stop that…

Host: What was that?

Manager: Don’t you go yelling at that man!

Host: Is there a reason for that? The way we earn money here is by selling lots of drinks, you know?

Manager: That’s enough…! That man is Amayado-san and is one of the people who works in the shadows in this neighborhood.

Host: I-...i-in the shadows…?

Manager: Keep bothering him and our store will surely be shut down…

Host: R-really…?

Rei: Huh? You’re not gonna kick my ass anymore?

Host: A-ahaha…

Manager: P-please… enjoy your stay…

Rei: Oh, really? I’ll make sure to take my time then. *turns to the girl* Yo, sorry to have kept you waiting.

Hifumi’s Former Client: W-what do you want…?

Rei: What do I want…? You see, the reason a scary old man like me came here is… something you should know about as well, right?

Hifumi’s Former Client: ……

Rei: Oi oi… Don’t make me look like the bad guy here. Got it?

Manager: H-he’s talking about…...

Rei: You’ve got a debt to pay, so if you give me the favor of paying up right away nothing bad is gonna happen.

Hifumi’s Former Client: !!! *gets up*

Rei: !!

Host: Uwah!

Hifumi’s Former Client: *runs away*

Rei: *sighs* …What a pain in the ass…...

Hifumi’s Former Client: *pants*

Hifumi: You…...

Hifumi’s Former Client: H-Hifumi…...!

Hifumi: Why…...

Hifumi’s Former Client: !! *runs away*

Hifumi: Agh…...

Rei: Hey! Stop zoning out and let’s chase her!

Hifumi: ...…right.

[havvkinsqueen]

Get to Know Me

name: Victoria

height: 5'2" and some change

nickname /s: Vic, Tori

nationality: American (I'm sorry)

favourite fruit: I'm a pineapple girlie when it comes down to it, I think.

favourite season: Autumn. I love the spooky vibes and mild temperatures. (Spring brings pollen and sneezing, I'm heat intolerant so summer renders me useless, and I hate the cold)

favourite scents: Anything tropical, fruity, some florals, cut grass. Honestly, anything that smells like I'm on some island down in the Caribbean strikes my fancy.

favourite animals: Pandas, narwhals, wallabies, axolotls, fruit bats, cheetahs

tea, coffee, hot cocoa: I'm an iced coffee girlie when it comes to coffee. Green tea when it comes to tea. General hot cocoa fiend.

average hours of sleep: I need AT LEAST 8 to function like a semi-person.

when my blog was created: July 2022

# of followers: At least 1

random fact: I have a balisong and can do tricks with it.

favourite food: I feel like it changes all the time, but I love Shepherd's Pie always

favourite t.v. shows: (Disclaimer I do watch more YouTube than tv, so bare with me). Haunting of Hill House, Looking for Alaska, Expedition Unknown, Ghost Adventures, History's Greatest Mysteries, Jersey Shore

favourite movie/s: Pride & Prejudice (2005), Mad Max: Fury Road are both easily my favorites but some others are; Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Across the Universe, Ever After (The Cinderella movie with Drew Barrymore I need to clarify that), A Cinderella Story, The Cat Returns

sexuality: Bi.

pronouns: She / Her

favourite book series: SERIES? Okay, uh, The Raven Cycle

favourite video game/s: BIOSHOCK (I don't acknowledge or include Infinite in it. It's good as a standalone game). BioShock 2 I've played more, but BioShock is great as a classic.

favourite subject: Astronomy / Astrophysics

guys or girls: For what?

last time I cried: Yesterday! I'm a big crybaby!

what I should be doing: Getting ready for a CT scan. But, alas, Sam's account and Ordinary Adventures have my attention.

favourite fandoms: I'm going to get crucified but Star Wars. It's the only one I really consider myself a part of and actively immersed in. Yes, it's as bad as you've heard stories of, yes I love my dramatic space guys and gals.

Tagged by: @honeyedxhearts

Tagging: You!

[hypnotisedfireflies]

omg could we get some more of joel and sarah? i loved the little prompt story😭

Thank you, anon! Here's another one I hope you enjoy, based off another of @poetic-justicesong 's prompt ideas:

1991

With a grunt, Joel laid the last bundle of slats on the bedroom floor. He surveyed all the pieces and nodded to himself, feeling pretty good. This made sense to him. This piece would fit with that, and those bolts would screw in with not a lick of trouble. It was a good feeling to have something go easy for a change.

“Well, let's get it done,” Joel said aloud. 

“Get it done,” Sarah repeated.

His three year old daughter stood by his side. She crouched down and laid her hands on the bed frame, shaking it back and forth.

Joel got down beside his little helper and opened his toolbox. Sarah pursed her lips and leaned over to look.

“Well, go on,” Joel nodded to her own.

Luis had given Sarah the plastic toolbox a few months ago. It was stocked full of plastic toys just the right size for her little hands. There was a hammer, a wrench, a ruler, a screwdriver and a drill. There'd also been some pliers, but they were lost somewhere in the backyard.

“You know what? I am so glad you're here, baby girl. You really know what you're doin’, huh?”

Sarah chewed on the end of the ruler.

“Okay, okay. I need you to drill this one in for me.  Sarah.” He patted her knee. “Baby.”

Sarah held up her drill. “Make the noise!”

“Put it in the spot!”

She positioned the drill and Joel began a high pitched drone, imitating the whirl of a drill. Sarah giggled uncontrollably and copied the sound.

“And that's good! Great job!”

“Good job, Daddy!”

“Yeah, team! Give me five!”

Sarah lost interest soon after that. His helper bounced on her new mattress for awhile and then made up a new game with the plastic wrench and hammer. 

xxxx

Joel had had the talk with Sarah, gradually preparing her for the new bed and the exciting adventure of sleeping alone. Sarah was kind of ambivalent about it, which led Joel to think that she didn't really understand what was coming at all.

So they had spaghetti and a bath. Uncle Tommy called - that was rare enough to be exciting for them both. Joel wasn't sure where Tommy even was and his brother couldn't say, but he thought maybe Kuwait given what few clues he could piece together. Sarah was getting better at talking on the phone.

“She even know it's me?” Tommy asked.

“Of course she does,” Joel replied, picking up his beer and putting it down again when he realised how warm it had gotten. “Her face all lights up.”

“I wish I could see it.”

“We're tryin’ out her new bed tonight. We put it together this afternoon.”

“Oh, great,” Tommy's grin echoed down the line. “Finally get a girl your own damn age back in your - oh, shoot. Look, I gotta go.”

“Tommy.”

“Yeah? You'd better be fast.”

“Be careful.”

Joel made up Sarah's bed with the new quilt cover set he'd gotten at 30 percent off. It was the ocean at one end and the beach at the other, decorated with fish and crabs and dolphins and gulls. He picked Sarah up and put her in the bed. He thought it was such a little thing but it seemed enormous with her inside, sitting up with those sleepy eyes and her arms around Hoppy, her plush wallaby.

They chose a story - the same one they'd read every night this week, she didn't want anything else - and Joel opened up to the first page.

“Now, don't forget, this is your bed, now. When we finish the book, I'm gonna go to my bed, and you'll sleep the night away in yours. You're gonna stay here with Hoppy. Okay?”

“Kay.” She reached for the book, bending the pages as she tried to start the story.

“You are not followin’,” he muttered ruefully. He cleared his throat and got started.

Sarah fell asleep somewhere in the middle, like she always did. Joel paid a lot more attention to silencing his movements as he closed the book and stood, smoothing the covers down. He kissed her forehead, and then Hoppy’s, because she always insisted he not be left out.

He checked the safety gate at the top of the stairs and brushed his teeth. He thought about Tommy, who was maybe in Kuwait, and when he might be home again. It was impressive how much Joel knew about the war when he was so good at dodging the news. He didn't want to see those places, didn't want to catch sight of American troops in their tactical gear and goggles, wondering if Tommy was one of them.

Joel felt like he'd only just dropped off to sleep when he heard Sarah call out from the other room. He cranked his eyes open, paused. Listened. The plainative little cry came again, and then confused tears.

He pulled himself up with a grunt. “Yeah! On my way! I'm on my way…”

He trudged into Sarah's new room.  She was half crouched on bed like she was scared to get down on the floor, and her hand was clutching the rail. Her face was soggy with tears - he'd slept through the start, he realised. His stomach swooped. How long had she been crying?

“Oh come on, come here,” he mumbled, gathering her up and carrying her back to his room.  She sniffled into his neck.  “That's enough for one night, huh? Try again tomorrow?”

“No!”

“We'll talk about it tomorrow,” he sighed, depositing her into the warm spot in his own bed. Sarah started off the night tucked up under his arm, but was spread out like a little starfish in no time, sound asleep.

[precambrianhottopic]

OWEN'S NEXT TOP BEASTIE: EXTINCT ANIMALS WILD CARD FINAL

this is it!! whoever wins this one goes up against the reigning champion deep sea giant isopod in the main bracket on friday!

Thylacine

Bio: The thylacine was a carnivorous marsupial native to the island of Tasmania that went extinct in the 20th century. It was a nocturnal hunter of wallabies and birds, around the size of a fox, and had one hell of a jaw with a deceptively weak bite. Thylacines were the only member of their family to survive to modern times- eventually driven from mainland Australia by competition with dingoes and hunted to the brink of extinction by shepherds in Tasmania. The last living thylacine died in captivity in 1936. Since their extinction, there have been hundreds of reported thylacine sightings, but none of them have been conclusive.

Propaganda: theyre really cool to look at and their story makes me sad :( sweet thylacine you deserved so much better.

Anomalocaris

Bio: Anomalocaris were the greatest thing to happen to the Cambrian period. These funky little bastards had a body structure so unconventional it defied classification for years. They were apex predators of the Cambrian ocean, and one of the key species in defining the predator-prey relationships we recognize today. Giant compound eyes for visual hunting, huge grasping tendrils out front, and a segmented body- what’s not to love?

Propaganda: just go here ok?

[mybrainismelted]

WIP Wednesday!

Thanks for the tag @energievie A little snippet of one of the pieces I'm working on right now: Dinner was easy, lots of laughter, and silences filled with Franny telling them all about the field trip her class had taken to the zoo.  She loved all of the animals of course, but she seemed really excited about the Australia section, regaling them with tales of Koalas, Wombats, Kangaroos, Wallabies, and Tasmanian Devils.  They all oo-ed and aww-ed over her stories, asking questions and accepting whatever random answers she made up.  It was a good evening. Later, when Debbie took Franny up to bed, the three men headed out to the back yard.  Glancing around to make sure nobody would see, Carl pulled something out of his pocket and tossed it on Mickey’s lap.  “Snagged that off one of the street kids we arrested today.  Figured you might want something to take the edge off being here.” Mickey smirked when he saw the baggie of pre-rolled joints sitting in his lap, pulling one out and immediately lighting it up.  “Hell yeah, the family pig comes through!”  he breathed out after taking a huge hit

tagging some people to play along and share what you are working on right now!

@juliakayyy, @jrooc, @sam-loves-seb, @spacerockwriting, @rayrayor, @sweetperversiongirl and @ifallonblackdays

[thecluelessdoctor]

cw warning: mini rant about the welcome home fanbase

Ok sometimes I just HATE the welcome home fanbase. Especially the shipping side

When I first joined, it was really chill! The thing that basically stopped alot of the shipping arguments was because there really- weren't any immoral shippings. And like- you could ship what you want and people really didn't care!

I myself am a multishipper and I basically ship every ship in WH. Like. If it exists I likely ship it. Ofc, some ships hit harder than others for me! I.E, I personally like laughingstock/beaglepillar more than other ships like Wallaby! But that doesn't mean I don't like them! But now I've seen people getting attacked for ships, which just plain sucks.

And I'm sorry I accidentally hoped you had drawn a ship I personally enjoy a lot, even though it was a prank! You don't need to make me feel like your mad at me! You don't need to bite my head off!!! (Slightly directed. I'm sorry if this offends you if you know it's you but I need to get this out of my system right now.)

And don't even get me started on Wally x YN. Ok, I used to sorta like it even though I didn't personally see Wally that way! But now it's over sexualized and it's getting gross. And I don't mean stuff in the tag, I mean I've accidentally seen (untagged may I add) r@pe and other really gross things involving this.

It's becoming a repeat of undertale, and definitely not in a good way.

It's just becoming really unenjoyable to be in this fanbase which is really sad because I genuinely love this story and characters. It inspired me to try and make things of my own. It helped me build my art style and helped with many more things!

But now I don't even want to work on my own AU that's pretty unknown and secluded due to this!

I mean, the full blown temptations I've had to deactivate my account and make a new one for a fresh start has been insane.

And now it feels like I'm only expected to make WH content!!! It makes me so sad.

[emotionallyattachednerd]

𓆩 Progress + Life Update 𓆪

Evening beautiful goblins!

Hope everyone is doing well nearing the end of this year, which by the way is completely inase just how quick it's gone by. Seriously, it feels like it was only April last week. 😲

Giving a small update where I am with my requests and writing. Again, I'm sorry for the delay, its taking me much longer to finish requests than I had anticipated. Lately I've been staring at the screen thinking hard over scenarios for each one, before realising I have been staring for like a hour and I haven't writen any of that wicked shit down, like I just thought magic fairies were going to come along to write them all out from my head. 🧚

It all comes to that I'm unmotivaed to write, I'm too tired, or I'm distracted doing other things in my life. There's never enough time for everything sadly. Just have to plot along as the days pass. 👍

On top of all that, I'm currently looking after a orphan joey ( wallaby ) which I use to do years before, than this chance came to me again, and it's been a wild ride with the little girl, very active and never likes being alone, something I'm working on so I can release her when she's old enough. 🦘

Below is where I am with requests. 📝

⬇️ Writing Requests Queue ⬇️

Progeny | TP Soundwave x f!human reader ✔️

Firefly | RotB Bumblebee x f!human reader ✔️

Stress Release | IDW Rodimus x f!robot reader ✔️

Only Human | TP Ratchet x f!human reader ✔️

The Beasts Rabbit | TP Predaking x f!robot reader ✔️

Pet Play | TP Predaking x f!human reader ✔️

Speed of Light | TP Smokescreen x f!human reader ✔️

Hot Delight | IDW Rodimus x m!robot reader ✔️

Seeker Allure Part 2 | Starscream x Skywarp x Nova Storm x f!robot reader ✔️

Eternal Soul | IDW Rodimus x f!human reader ✔️

Darkness Lust | IDW Helex x f!robot reader ✔️

Zesty | TP Bumblebee x f!robot reader ✍️

Yearning | RotB Mirage x f!robot reader ✍️

On Break | IDW Starscream x f!robot reader ✍️

Nutrients | IDW Megatron x f!robot reader ✍️

Sweet Honey | G1 Bumblebee x f!robot reader ✍️

I'm hoping to get them finished before Christmas/New Year. After that I plan to keep requests closed for a short time so I can focus on some of my own wips that have been sitting around for months, and finally update another story on Ao3 which is well over due for that.

That's all for now. Fingers crossed I can do more progress this week. A million times over again, thank you all for oyur beautiful support and kind feedback. I love this community! ❤️

[rossalotus]

Wallaby Love Stories - Chapter 2 - Draught

So dating apps are harder than I expected. I mean, I knew it wouldn’t be easy but god I didn’t think it’d be this hard. As of this week there were a total of ZERO dates but I do have some updates on learnings and potential dates in the horizon.

Number one, did you know, dear reader, that Australians who play football (soccer) or like it a lot call themselves footy? Well, I did not and let me tell you how impressed I was by the amount of people with a foot kink in the dating app - not that I have anything against it, I just found it curious since I had never seen it in any other country I had lived in - and I commented my surprise with a gay friend who just so happens to be my neighbor. He told me footy meant a person who plays football and not someone with a foot kink and the gossip I wanted to tell my friends in Brazil vanished with his words. What a loss.

Another thing I had never seen before is a huge amount of people requesting a video call before meeting in person and honestly? I get it. I mean, no one likes being catfished and “wasting” their time but bro this is a dating app not an interview and we can meet in person and decide we don’t click over a drink, which is way less traumatic and more interesting than doing it via video call.

I have tried to keep conversations with all my matches but it proved to be harder than expected. Maybe it’s that I’m not used to even talking to more than one friend at a time or maybe it’s because I’m not made to be a girl with many dates at the same point in time but I just couldn’t make the conversation flow.

Then, yesterday, during my swiping time I came across a profile of a man who’s not really my time but wrote in his bio “Love me, feed me, never leave me” and me being the biggest Garfield fan, swiped right and asked if that was a Garfield reference which he replied it was but he had never had anyone mentioning it before. I replied that I had never seen a person mentioning Garfield on their dating profile but I liked it.

From then to now, I learned he’s also a Lord of the Rings fan and very funny. He asked me what I was looking for in the app and I said I didn’t know (again, didn’t think it was the moment to say I’m looking for a companion to conquer the universe together) and he said he wanted to take me on a picnic date to see if we clicked. And then he added (please buckle your seatbelts you’re not gonna believe this): “You sound like a nice person to have around, even if we don’t click romantically I think we could be friends.”

So yeah, I’m not sure where this will take me but in the worst case scenario I’ll make a new friend which isn’t bad at all considering I created a Bumble BFF profile and had a total of ZERO matches. Yes, the draught extended to the friendship realm as well though hopefully next week I’ll bring nicer news hehehe

[sh4p3h1fter]

HEIRS OF WELCOME HOME AU FACTS ABOUT EDDIANK(English version)

1: Eddiank is Frank and Eddie's eldest son

2:Eddiank was originally going to be called Felix or joke

3: the name of eddiank has an explanation, at the birth of eddiank Eddie brought a letter with him, since he believed that he could not express in words his happiness at the birth of his son, the crazy thing is that as you know that Eddie Sometimes He even forgets his own name and mixes it with several when he writes letters, because on that occasion he linked Frank's name with his, and from that mixture the name Eddiank came out, and for some reason Frank liked the name, and that's how it turned out XD

4: Eddiank, like Frank, has the ability to turn his head completely, only unlike Frank, he does it when he is extremely happy or excited.

5: He is 12 years old

6: Eddiank's favorite type of coffee is coffee with milk, and he gets VERY imactive when he drinks it (He once tried it because there was a cup on the shelf, and he loved it, but his parents won't let him drink it, at first why do they say he's still too young for that)

7: Eddiank hates broccoli, in his words he says it tastes very strange

8: Eddiank's favorite fruit is strawberry

9: Eddiank usually addresses the other neighbors as 'uncle' or 'aunt', since in his words, everyone is and can be part of the family

10: Eddiank once gave a strawberry to Wally, and he confused it by saying it was an apple but smaller.

11: Eddiank's favorite colors are red and blue, this is because his combination makes purple, which is Eddie's favorite color.

12: Although Frank and Eddian share a certain taste for insects, Eddiank is afraid of large insects, especially centipedes and cockroaches.

13: Eddiank prefers small, harmless-looking insects like worms and caterpillars.

14: Eddiank gets easily confused by things, which makes it difficult for him to organize, but this does not mean that he is very good at it

15: He is someone VERY innocent

16: Eddiank used to secretly go out to Frank's garden to eat some of his vegetables, one time he ate Joe by accident, (this happened when he was about 5 years old) and to make up for it Eddiank renamed another of the tomatoes after Jony

17: Eddiank found it incredible that Julie talked to the plants, so much so that he also sometimes tends to talk to the plants, even though he can't hear them, he finds it pleasant and fun to imagine that they were talking to him and imagine what they were saying to him.

18: Frank insisted that his children read, something that Eddiank did not do much, since he tends to get very confused and overwhelmed by all the words that are seen in books, for this reason Frank gives Eddiank books with pictures

19: both eddiank and Fradie, unlike their father Frank, liked sweaters with turtlenecks or long necks, Eddiank says that they were comfortable on cold days, but he only wore them on those days since, either it made them warm, or his neck itched

20: When he was little (we're talking about 2-4 years old) Eddiank liked to eat the glue that Eddie had at the post office, especially the glitter one.

21: He is very protective of his family, especially his sister.

22: He has a strong relationship with Eddie, he considers him his favorite father, although he doesn't say it with Frank around so as not to make him feel bad.

23: He laughed at anyone's jokes, except Wallaby's, since he said they were very heavy and offensive.

24: Poppy used to do cooking activities for all the mini neighbors, Eddiank was the one who brought the ingredients, mostly bringing and insisting on making meals with strawberries

EXTRA DATA (although this type of data will not be shown much in the story, one reason for this is that eddiank and the other mini neighbors are still young 😔) Eddiank is pansexual

It is possible (or at least I have planned) that in the future, Eddiank will have a small relationship with Barny (the eldest son of Wally and Barnaby)

[corhore]

The best way to play Phantom Pain is to play as Laughing Wallaby so that the games becomes a lesbian love story between a tomboy blondy and a mute Sniper.

[blubushie]

2/8/23 Kakadu, NT

The drive from Tennant Creek to Daly Waters is 4 hours. I arrive just before lunch, in the heat of the day and the usual suspects come to greet me Blackface with his low bleet Polly at the trough with a nicker and Kevo up last, wagging tail high wanting to know where his sheila is. I head in, patting as I go from one oven to the next. I greet my mate at the bar a how've you been, a few been a long whiles from the old familiar faces. For the first time in two years he doesn't pull me a pint but says they've got a new keg of XXXX and asks if I want a taste. "Stuff the XXXX, gimme the green stuff," and he does as he's told with a smile. The cook comes out to greet me with a grin miles wide and she hangs on my arm as we yarn on for a while. My croc slider is done in ten minutes. I finish my meal and the bartender sneaks me a roadie and laughs when I call him a bootlegger because the Territory might be dry now but we both know there's no laws out here.

The drive from Daly Waters to Jabiru is 6 hours but the drive from there to home is another 30 minutes through winding rainforest track. I drive with my windows down in a tiny little Honda not meant for this terrain and I stop for wallabies and drive slow to hear the chatter of flying foxes or let freshies cross the track on the way to sandbanks where they can lay their eggs. It's the middle of Wurrkeng and the night is cool eighteen degrees and the smell of smoke lingering in the air from my mob patch-burning the bush earlier. I get there at 7, long after everyone's settled and my brother hears the tyres in the drive first a warrior's sense — or something and he runs out to greet me with open arms. His lips meet mine as he pulls me into his solid chest for a bloke so scrawny he feels like a brick column and as we part there's a smack and then he biffs me over the head with his palm and asks where the hell I've been because mum's had a roast slow cooking for the past five hours and they'd begun to think I'd never show. I never told them I was even in Country. I follow him inside and into the kitchen mum runs from the sink to greet me and kiss my cheek dad greets me as well with an iron handshake and clap on my back. My sister waits in the lounge room and scoffs when she sees me and chastises me for taking so long but I see her smile when I apologise. She leaves to make a phone call. Wurlebme before I eat to wash the spirit from my flesh. We don't set the table tonight but instead eat out in the yard at a fire because celebrations are done under open sky. We bog in with our fingers and tell bad jokes that only I laugh at and make lewd comments and locker room talk and the goose is cooked to perfection and I can taste the ash in the damper and a part of my soul feels whole again as my brother smiles at me with mandem strings stuck in his teeth and my sister tosses frozen manngalele berries into my mouth and dad tells the story of that giant barra what got away that he loves to tell every chance he gets and mum sings a song to herself in the kitchen. By ten some neighbours arrive and we have a mulil to ourselves my ngadjadj runs to see me on toddler legs and I catch him when he falls. Behind him comes the girl who fancies herself my mararradj and she tussles the boy's hair before kissing me I don't stop her from removing my hat and sunnies and she remarks that he has my eyes, quarter-kukbele but his are still bright blue with youth and wonder that I hope he never loses. He sits in my lap, brother on one side, mararradj on the other sister and father and mother across as we eat. The neighbours brought a feast to celebrate my return mussels and fruit and meat and fish malalalk and dolek are choice, roasted on coals. Dessert is made for once, hot Milo and nutmeg and gelatin with mankurndalh berries. I bed down in the sleepout with my head positioned under the hole in the verandah roof that my brother and I cut a year ago so I could see the stars. I fall asleep to the chitter of flying foxes and the yips of dingos in the distance but tonight I don't dream of them. I don't dream of her face, or her touch, or her kisses or the brush of her fingers on my skin, or the softness of her hair I don't dream of recoil or heat or of angry voices, or the sting of a lash, or rushes at night I don't dream of yellow eyes watching me in firelight. I dream of snakes and keeled scales and colours indescribable and the sound of rain on marrunj leaves and of a mother's embrace, of hands cradling my face of lips on my forehead and thumbs wiping my tears and timeless tenderness in the voice of a woman who welcomes me home and says "You have never lived a day that I have not loved you."

[rockislandadultreads]

Read-Alike Friday: Pests by Bethany Brookshire

Pests by Bethany Brookshire

A squirrel in the garden. A rat in the wall. A pigeon on the street. Humans have spent so much of our history drawing a hard line between human spaces and wild places. When animals pop up where we don’t expect or want them, we respond with fear, rage, or simple annoyance. It’s no longer an animal. It’s a pest.

At the intersection of science, history, and narrative journalism, Pests is not a simple call to look closer at our urban ecosystem. It’s not a natural history of the animals we hate. Instead, this book is about us. It’s about what calling an animal a pest says about people, how we live, and what we want. It’s a story about human nature, and how we categorize the animals in our midst, including bears and coyotes, sparrows and snakes. Pet or pest? In many cases, it’s entirely a question of perspective.

Bethany Brookshire’s deeply researched and entirely entertaining book will show readers what there is to venerate in vermin, and help them appreciate how these animals have clawed their way to success as we did everything we could to ensure their failure. In the process, we will learn how the pests that annoy us tell us far more about humanity than they do about the animals themselves. 

Crossings by Ben Goldfarb

Some 40 million miles of roadways encircle the earth, yet we tend to regard them only as infrastructure for human convenience. While roads are so ubiquitous they’re practically invisible to us, wild animals experience them as entirely alien forces of death and disruption.

In Crossings, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb travels throughout the United States and around the world to investigate how roads have transformed our planet. A million animals are killed by cars each day in the U.S. alone, but as the new science of road ecology shows, the harms of highways extend far beyond roadkill. Creatures from antelope to salmon are losing their ability to migrate in search of food and mates; invasive plants hitch rides in tire treads; road salt contaminates lakes and rivers; and the very noise of traffic chases songbirds from vast swaths of habitat.

Yet road ecologists are also seeking to blunt the destruction through innovative solutions. Goldfarb meets with conservationists building bridges for California’s mountain lions and tunnels for English toads, engineers deconstructing the labyrinth of logging roads that web national forests, animal rehabbers caring for Tasmania’s car-orphaned wallabies, and community organizers working to undo the havoc highways have wreaked upon American cities. Today, as our planet’s road network continues to grow exponentially, the science of road ecology has become increasingly vital.

Between Light and Storm by Esther Woolfson

Beginning with the very origins of life on Earth, Woolfson considers prehistoric human-animal interaction and traces the millennia-long evolution of conceptions of the soul and conscience in relation to the animal kingdom, and the consequences of our belief in human superiority. She explores our representation of animals in art, our consumption of them for food, our experiments on them for science, and our willingness to slaughter them for sport and fashion, as well as examining concepts of love and ownership.

Drawing on philosophy and theology, art and history, as well as her own experience of living with animals and coming to know, love, and respect them as individuals, Woolfson examines some of the most complex ethical issues surrounding our treatment of animals and argues passionately and persuasively for a more humble, more humane, relationship with the creatures who share our world.

The Treeline by Ben Rawlence

For the last fifty years, the trees of the boreal forest have been moving north. Ben Rawlence's The Treeline takes us along this critical frontier of our warming planet from Norway to Siberia, Alaska to Greenland, to meet the scientists, residents and trees confronting huge geological changes. Only the hardest species survive at these latitudes including the ice-loving Dahurian larch of Siberia, the antiseptic Spruce that purifies our atmosphere, the Downy birch conquering Scandinavia, the healing Balsam poplar that Native Americans use as a cure-all and the noble Scots Pine that lives longer when surrounded by its family.

It is a journey of wonder and awe at the incredible creativity and resilience of these species and the mysterious workings of the forest upon which we rely for the air we breathe. Blending reportage with the latest science, The Treeline is a story of what might soon be the last forest left and what that means for the future of all life on earth.