#we don't have cats in the neighbourhood what the fuck

[mxnster-soul]

You've gotta be

(skibidi'ing)

kidding me.

Some dorito dude broke in while i was gardening.

[OG idea by @squidflavoredsoup]

[just-a-ghost00]

Channeled messages from your divine counterpart's higher self.

Images were found on Pinterest. In this reading, I have used several oracles, including one I made myself. This oracle provides us with songs that may hold significant messages for us. You may want to listen to the songs as you are reading the channeled messages or add them to your playlist.

Group 1

Songs : Sweater weather - The Neighbourhood, MIA - Bad Bunny feat Drake, Find me - SIGMA feat Birdy Merlin oracle :

Everything is fine. Don't worry.

Guinevra Queen of Arthur - There is no king without a queen : you need both feminine and masculine. Combine your thinking, your sensitivity and creativity to your decision making skills and your actions. It is in this fair and balanced union that fruitful projects are birthed.

The power of mischief - Laugh, laugh and laugh : If life is being tricky, laugh with it. If it is burlesque, make fun of it. If it is cynical, fuck with it. Facing it's provoking, remember that the more time goes by, the less it will matter. So laugh it off!

Cavansite - Expand your consciousness. Tourmalined quartz - Restore your perfect light. Copper - Energize your whole world. Spirit animals : Arctic fox, black cat, white shark Key words : being your true self, leaving behind old beliefs, noticing the toxic patterns in and around you, spirituality, intuition, mystery, Bangchan stan

I know you are trying to reach me. I can feel you in the air I breathe, on the tip of my tongue whenever I wake up from a (wet) dream. I know you wish to find me sooner than later. That you long for me as much as I long for you. But the universe has other plans. And I'm too busy anyway. I know it's a harsh thing to say considering all the love you have for me. Believe me, I couldn't be any happier to have you as my forever after. My partner in crime. But right now isn't the time. I have so much left to do. So many things to cleanse and dust off. I cannot hold space for you, no matter how much I wish you were in my life. Yes, it's painful. Yes, I think about us every day. Yes, I want you more than anything in the world. But there are surely more interesting things for you to do than to worry about my whereabouts and my well being. I don't want you to lose sleep over me. I don't want you to deprive yourself of good times, opportunities, love for me. I want you to live. To experiment. To have fun. I want you to be the soul everyone talks about. The heart of the party. The sunshine that doesn't need anyone to radiate their light. I don't want you to wait for me in vain. I don't want to be a burden to you. I know deep in my soul that if we both give our best and be present for the things and people that matter to us, that if we both deliver then surely our paths will cross. I know deep in my heart that all paths lead to you. And I want you to believe that too. There is no such thing as making the wrong turn. So please don't reject anyone or anything just because you think I wouldn't like it. Live your life. Speak your truth. Be you. And love yourself just as much as I love you. Talk to you later. *sends spiritual hug*

Group 2

Songs : At my worst - Pink Sweats, Life goes on - AGUSTD, 3:00 AM - Finding Hope Spirit animals : Scarab, Scorpio, Dragon

Serpentine - Awaken your reptilian nature. Celestite - Tune in to your serenity. Kunzite - Open up your love channel.

Merlin oracle :

Once upon a time, Merlin - Raise your potential : You were born with considerable internal resources. Honor the gifts that were passed down to you. Raise your potential and embrace from now on what you were destined to be. You have all that is needed to succeed!

King Uther Pendragon - Serve what is dear to your heart : if you have rights, you also have duties. By honoring them, you will earn respect and love from those whom you hold dear. Ask yourself what you duties are in this situation and you shall know what to do.

Pixies spell - Let go : If you're feeling lost, discover new horizons. Keep your mind busy with light occupations to ward off worries. Letting go is the best way to find your way back.

The round table - There is no Grand or Little man : you are as respectable, capable, important as any other being. You are important to the fates that intertwine to create new stories. Dare to act, express, fight for and honor. Show what you are made of.

Keywords : Seonghwa stan, animal crossing, showing your true colors, arthurian legends, mythology nerd, heaven on earth

This time again I had a dream. A dream where someone or something took you away from me. When I looked deeper, I saw my reflection in the eyes of the beast. And I understood that the only thing keeping me away from you was myself. I am scared to death. Scared that you won't love me for who I am. I'm afraid that my anger and my fire will burn you. I am not an easy person to be with. More than once, I have disappointed people around me. I disappointed myself. I'm afraid that I can't make you happy and give you the love and respect you deserve. You are like royalty. And I feel like a mere peasant. I'm afraid I have nothing much to bring to the table. I fear that I will dim your light instead of protecting and enhancing it. All kings have a queen. But if I'm a peasant, how could I ever dream to stand by your side? How could I ever raise to your level? I feel like there are worlds between us and terrible beasts to be slain before I can ever get to you. The journey ahead seems frightening. And I don't know where it will lead. If the path were to take me through hell only to make me lose you, I would never be able to forgive myself. I would never recover. So please, don't break my heart. And if you can, save yourself. Don't burn your wings trying to get me out of the well I fell in. Promise?

Group 3

Songs : My Power - Beyoncé, Comflex - Stray Kids, Don't go yet - Camilla Cabello Spirit animals : arctic fox, sea turtle, scorpion

Jet - Claim your space. Bismuth - Rewrite your code with rainbows. Sodalite - Deepen your intuition.

Keywords : Changbin and LeeKnow stans, self worth, body image issues, speaking your truth, destiny, intensity, blues, mental wellness, Blue Monday, Jutdae, Black Panther

Merlin oracle :

Arthur's fate - Be the hero of your own destiny.

The power of authenticity - Go beyond appearances.

The power of mischief - Laugh, laugh and laugh!

I feel so lucky to have you in my life. When I think of you, my heart lightens up because I know how special you are. You bow to no one and yet, somehow, you chose to let me in. You chose to trust me when no one would. To believe in me when all abandoned me. Surely, you must be a wizard or some deity. An angel maybe. Because never would I have ever thought that someone would care about me so deeply. I have never met someone like you. Someone so brave and powerful, so loving and kind, generous, fierce and loyal to a fault. I'm so addicted to you. In your energy, I feel safe and protected. I'm usually the kind to appear strong and fight for the people I love. But with you, I feel like I can be myself and let my guards down. With you, I know I will never be judged. I know I can be vulnerable without fearing that you'll stab me in the back. People have done that to me before, you know? But I know you would never. I trust you with my life. I can't wait to meet you. Where you at? What you up to? Do you miss me? Cause I sure as hell do. I want you all to myself. I know you are my destiny. Let's have fun together, shall we? I love you to the moon and back. Don't you dare forget me! Oh and no matter what you think, you are amazing. Don't let people bring you down, sunshine.

[still-a-morosexual-help]

my oldest cat (she's eight!) has been missing since last monday night and i've been a fuckin mess this whole time and i don't know what to do, we've spent hours walking and driving 'round the neighbourhood calling for her and yeah still no sign

I've got no clue how she even left the house on monday, i was sick and studying for an exam at the time and i couldn't pay her any attention beyond giving her dinner and that's the last time i saw her and i don't know i feel terrible i've been trying to ignore it by burying myself in work and tumblr and youtube but every second i'm not doing something i'm thinking bout her

She's gone missing a couple times before this once in 2017 & another time in 2018? i think but she's always managed to find her way back within 3-4 days and I can't stop thinking something's happened to her? But we know all the neighbours around us and they'd come and tell if something had happened (hell they used to come and tell us when our tortoise kept escaping from the gate when I was a kid) so maybe she just got lost? And I'll only be able to go out and look again after my last exam on the 14th

Also apparently there are local facebook groups about cats who run away and come back months later???? And also she's probably the smartest cat I've ever had so

But yeah no even with how positive I'm trying to pretend to be and how I'm going to keep looking the anxiety is crushing and i'm not doing so good rn and i keep thinking she's not going to come back and I can't even properly remember her on monday because i was so busy and i just

anyway prayer circle or something so Bubbles will please haul her ass back home before i lose my fucking mind and have my 3rd breakdown within this week

[redbirdbella]

I Can't sleep so here's another Clintasha origins story...

"Sorry, I'm late" Maria starts, dumping the case file against the glass table that stretched before Clint "We got another one- This time 65th Street East Chicago - people trafficker"

She slides the case file down to Clint before gathering herself.

"Another one" Clint whistles low, "You figure out who it is yet?"

"We have our suspicions"

"What? someone befriend the neighbourhoods biggest cat- fuck in that situation I'd rather a cat, feathers are nothing compared to the blood stains-" he flicks through the photos absentmindedly "ain't nothing getting that one out"

Maria sighs leaning back in the way that reminded Clint of his unreasonably strict kindergarten teacher "If I said the words Budapest and Debt, Barton. Would that mean anything to you?"

"Budapest is the capital of Hungry. Decent food, pretty buildings with all the joys of European weather" Clint replies suddenly closing the file.

"And the debt" Maria prompts

"Listen Maria if you just tell me who I need to pay- being stationed in an active war zone really depletes your cash flow"

He's rambling now. He knows he is, somethings should stay buried.

"We think they have declared their next target" Maria says smiling as she stands - conversation over, "A small-time weapons dealer out of Iowa, a er- Mr Barney Barton"

Clint sighs, some people just don't know how to stay dead.

"Maria wait-"

[gard3nias]

11| An overly ambitious hedonistic seductress

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wc: 6.04k

date: 24/08/2024

mdi // masterlist // playlist

—Now playing: Ti vorrei sollevare by Elisa, Giuliano Sangiorgi ✫

Sunday and, just as the name implies, it was a sunny day and the soft breeze of the town never failed to be present. However, as autumn approached, the mornings felt colder, prompting people to grab sweaters and blankets. The chill slowly dissipated as the day progressed, and by noon, temperatures returned to the usual comfortable levels of the summer. Today, unsurprisingly, temperatures rose even further in the afternoon, encouraging everyone to spend more time outdoors to avoid using air conditioners and fans.

Daphne and Cleo's neighbourhood is always silent, having barely any household containing little children who could be playing in their gardens. The only 'disturbance' came from barking dogs, chainsaws, the hammering from workshops or the buzzing sound of tractors from the neighbouring farms.

The neighbours obviously didn't expect they would hear the hysterical laughs of teenagers, the exhausted screams of another teenager and the overall chaos coming from Cleo's home.

She'd laid out her warnings the previous day: "I have a lot of cats"—two cats in reality but she didn't want to specify just to scare them—"My brother hates noise and messy environments" she stated, firmly advising them to leave their childishness at home when coming. Still, everyone knows that giving a piece of advice is useful only if the receiver takes it into consideration.

The five friends were all downstairs in her living room and they were planning on studying outside in her backyard because of the heat so the only thing left to do was take their things outside but suddenly a supposedly five-minute thing started taking way longer than she'd ever wish.

"Damn. The fridge is full as fuck! How many people are living here?" James asked, checking out the contents of the piece of furniture. He was unaware of the mini heart attack his words gave his friend. "Don't!— Don't touch the fridge. If you need anything, tell me. We went grocery shopping just yesterday and my brother eats a lot," she dragged the vowel to enhance the word and seriousness, "So no. If y'all feel hungry, just tell me." The warning was enough for the boys to lift their hands in surrender and back away from the fridge Cleo had just violently closed and was guarding with her whole body.

The girl sighed in relief, glad to have solved the issue only for her eyes to bulge out of their sockets again when she saw Nick approach her fireplace where, upon the sill, were family pictures, most especially, her childhood pictures. Why the fuck didn't she think about removing them earlier?

"Back off, Dominic!" she exclaimed, rushing up to him. The use of his full name had him on alert since it was rare but soon he understood her body language and what she was trying to hide as a mischievous smirk rose on his face. "Oh my God. You don't want me to see baby Cleo's photos?" he excitedly teased, seeing the shift in her as he understood her intentions.

"Nick, I swear to God if you dare— Nick!" she screamed when he made his first attempt to outsmart and pass her. "Nick, please," she begged, her tone wavered between a laugh and a cry because he was laughing at her distress. "They're just pictures and you're cute as fuck now so one can't imagine how cuter you were when you were a baby," he explained in a slightly more serious tone as he tried to understand the real reason behind her worry.

"I don't care and it's not true—"

"It's not true?"

In the meantime, James continued his tour of the floor without attempting to touch any food or object, Asher was tangled in the paws of Cinnamon and Lily while Daphne simply laughed at the scene as she recorded everything.

"I never knew I'd be the heartthrob of cats," he commented, surprised at their grip on his clothes whenever he wanted to detach them from himself. Daphne didn't do anything about it, having no type of experience with cats and most especially, enjoying the new memory that would occupy space in her phone.

"Pose." She finally spoke after laughing for way too much according to Asher. "What do you mean pose?"

"Pose for a picture," she simply repeated like it was obvious. She had to insist a bit more before he complied and posed, forcing a smile through the pain as she compelled herself to take good pictures before bursting into laughs again. This would be good content for her to upload to her Instagram stories and add to her new highlight dedicated to her friends—it already contained a few things thanks to Cleo's tags. And, exactly, she left to do so, leaving Asher in his despair while she lay on the couch to edit the picture with a few doodles and tagging everyone present.

Nick and Cleo had finished their little fight of resistance and the boy was now holding one of the pictures, congratulating Cleo for being a very cute baby while the girl simply stood next to him, checking if the picture was too bad for her, rolling her eyes at the compliments as she held her smiles back and eagerly begging him to stop satisfying his curiosity.

James had finished the tour of the floor and was now bored and that was when he remembered why they were there in the first place. "Hey, guys. Let's hurry and take what we need to study," his words froze the place up. Daphne moved her eyes onto him, Asher stopped struggling with the cats and Nick and Cleo stopped their activity, simultaneously turning around to look at the speaker. "James? Everything all right?" Asher broke the ice.

"Yeah like... you fine?" Daphne joined. Nick and Cleo nodded when the respondent turned in their direction since he was so confused and looking for clarification.

"What?" he asked, receiving no reply for a few seconds before Daphne spoke again, "We're just surprised you of all people suggested that."

"Yep, surprised,"

"Super surprised," Cleo and Nick added right after her. James simply rolled his eyes, realising he was getting worried over nothing.

"What the fuck guys? I thought it was something serious—"

"Oh, he was going to be serious—"

"Asher!" And everyone laughed. James still rolled his eyes and went on with his life while the rest stopped playing around and got up to do what they initially had to do.

"Cleo? Imma need you to come get your fur balls off me. I'm losing my shit. Thank goodness I ain't allergic to their fur. I would've been dead by now."

It was a five-minute thing, taking every book and device they needed. It was almost a twenty-minute thing, taking Cinnamon and Lily off Asher who fought against wailing like a baby in frustration. And that's how they found themselves sitting around the white table they moved to the garden under the protection of the wide white umbrella standing through its centre.

Cleo's home never hosted these many people. Ever since she was a child, the only companion she had with her was her brother, her father and, briefly, her mother. She'd known Nick, James and Asher since middle school but never had she invited them over because the thought never crossed her mind—and also they already spent a lot of time together considering their moments in class and at practice after school. Regardless if she wanted to hang out with them, they would opt for a destination in town, not anyone's home.

Today, when her neighbours peered out their windows into Cleo's garden, they were greeted with an unfamiliar sight: five people sitting around a white table. Usually, when they spotted Cleo in the garden, she would either be playing with her brother, helping him out with something, swinging on the swing hanging from the big tree, or playing with her cats—certainly not whatever she was doing now.

Barely a month had passed since Daphne had moved here permanently so the images of her reading in her garden weren't long-lost memories to the neighbours anymore but rather part of their routine since Daphne had always been reading there since she came back.

When they would look out of their window and into her garden, they'd find her there, sitting and reading peacefully. The only thing changing day by day was her clothing which would get thicker as the temperatures went down and autumn approached.

They didn't know that the five people in Cleo's garden had decided to meet for school reasons although one could deduct it by noticing the books filling the table and the focus painting the expressions of the teenagers.

One could also deduct that James gave no fucks about school and has a hard time staying focused for too long hence the phone in his hands while the rest were working. He had a leg bent over the other with arms crossed and a subtle frown on his face peeking through his blonde hair strands.

They hadn't even studied for an hour and little James was already out of it. He'd sighed many times by now, gaining Asher's side glances the whole time. James couldn't notice that. The only thing he knew was that his friends were boring, this was boring, life was boring and he couldn't bear it any longer. He even looked in Nick's direction, his usual partner in crime, only to find him focused on working, leaving him shocked.

"Isn't it time to like... have a little break?" he suggested only to receive silence as an answer from all of them. They didn't notice him except for Asher who didn't hold back from rolling his eyes. He had to repeat his question a second time before someone other than Asher answered him or, better, looked in his direction at all.

"It's barely been an hour. What are you talking about?" Cleo questioned with an eyebrow lifted. "It's funnier if you remember that he was the one that encouraged us to come out and study," Asher butted in, gaining an eye roll from James.

"Sorry, I can't stay focused for too long. I'm not as braindead as you are," he spoke directly to Asher who took his glasses off, slightly annoyed at the remark.

"You call having a long attention span being braindead? It literally proves that you're the one who's braindead because you don't know what the word itself means and trust me that anyone could appear 'braindead' to you because you can only stay focused for two minutes,"

"Okay, okay. Let's end it there. You wanna take a break? Let's take a break but then you'll have to seriously work later," Daphne interrupted, getting rid of the ponytail that was already stressing her sensitive skull.

James wasn't bothered in the slightest by Asher's words since he'd got what he'd been wishing for so he simply stood up and headed to the kitchen with Cleo running behind him to make sure he wouldn't empty the fridge.

"Be a bit nicer, yes?" Daphne was now speaking to Asher who simply rolled his eyes and got up, leaving her without any reply. She was a bit baffled just as Nick by her right with whom she exchanged looks of confusion before they too got up and went inside.

—Now playing: Beautiful by Lana Del Rey ✫

Once they got to the kitchen, they found James and Cleo arguing about what they could have to eat and, being already a bit annoyed, Daphne made them settle down and excused all of them out of the kitchen so she could handle it herself. Cleo didn't object and grabbed the chance to play outside with only James and Nick because Asher didn't look down for any type of physical activity—maybe only if it meant he could go back home.

He didn't budge from his position, leaning on the counter with legs and arms crossed and staring into nothing. Daphne, on the other end, was busy exploring Cleo's kitchen to understand where to find what.

She wanted to make some sandwiches and was having a hard time finding the pack of sliced bread they'd bought the previous day. She'd already gathered the filling onto the counter ignoring Asher's presence who had stopped staring into nothing and was now looking at Daphne most especially because she had succeeded in finding the sliced bread but it was in the cupboard, a bit too high away—not the cupboard itself because the pack was placed on the top layer.

"They most likely placed it here on purpose 'cause there's no way," she mumbled to herself and she kept jumping, pinching the packet closer and closer to the edge. She'd already jumped a few too many times to her liking especially because she hoped Asher would help her out but it seemed like he was in the mood to hold grudges against her as if she'd wronged him in any way.

She initially felt good because the packet was getting closer and closer and she would manage to get it without his help but her moment of glory was shut down when she accidentally pushed in instead of pinching it closer. When she noticed, she stopped jumping, looked up at the packet and stared in disbelief.

That was when she heard Asher chuckle behind her. Never had she snapped her head around this fast to glare at someone and never had he hid his smile so quickly.

"Were you just laughing?" she questioned, eyebrow slightly lifted and eyes glaring holes in his figure. "Why would you think that?" he questioned back, mirroring her facial expressions.

Daphne wasn't hallucinating, she heard him clearly laughing in her moment of distress and he was now denying it, denying to had been behaving like a bitch because she told him to tune it down.

Yes. She wasn't hallucinating because he indeed was chuckling since he purposely let her struggle for a bit just because he felt like it. He wasn't that immature. Yes, she scolded him a bit and yes, he was a bit harsh but no, he wasn't going to act like a bitch about it. He would've let her struggle even on the best of his days. The only person who could get him back to being annoyed was James and, at the moment, he wasn't there.

Right now, he was staring dead into Daphne's eyes and she did the same with him. The tension between them soon faded away when they both got the cue that it was all in good fun but Nick didn't know this when he walked in to have a glass of water.

The room was so silent and his friends were staring at each other, both with arms and legs crossed and a crooked eyebrow. "Nice staring contest," he thought to himself and he served himself with the glass of water.

Daphne and Asher, on the other end, struggled to hold back their laughs as they could hear Nick's loud gulping sounds. Asher could see it on her face just as she could see it on his that a smile tried to creep up but they would race against the clock to suppress it. They could see it in each other's eyes, the panting, the sweat and the fatigue the race caused them but soon everything resulted to being in vain when Nick let out the loudest burp right after emptying the glass.

Asher immediately burst into laughter while Daphne's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets and rolled onto the floor at the loud sound. Yeah, it was very loud.

"Jesus Christ, Nick. It's just water," she said, laughing at the situation but also Asher's loud laugh and crumbling figure in front of her.

Nick simply smiled as he rinsed the glass and kept it back to where he found it. "Y'all never heard anyone burp before?" he simply asked, seeing how they were losing their shit.

"Nick? That was exceptionally loud especially since you drank ordinary water. Imagine if you had drunk sparkling water," Daphne explained—to be honest, she struggled to explain that because every word that left her mouth would simply increase Asher's laughter's pitch and volume. Nick didn't reply, smiling at how hilarious Asher sounded before going back outside.

"What the fuck?" Daphne asked in disbelief before repeating her question when she saw that Asher had fully turned red and seemed really in need of help.

"Hey, hey! Young man!" she called. His laughter's pitch and volume had vanished as he was silently laughing now, tightly holding onto his stomach—nothing is deadlier than that shit. "This bitch is on the verge of dying, jeez," she laughed, staring at him in hopes he would stop.

He did, a few seconds later but he did and when he came down, he took in a huge amount of air before letting it all out to ease the feeling of his contracted abdomen.

"A burp... almost killed you," Daphne joked, watching him get back up, "Wouldn't have minded anyway because it would have been your karma," she added.

"My karma? For what?"

"For fucking ignoring me and letting me make a fool of myself as I tried to take that fucking pack of sliced bread just because I scolded you a bit before!" she explained, gasping as she saw him start laughing once more.

"Ok. Yes, it's like you're really trying to kill me with laughter and no, I wasn't ignoring you for that. I would ignore you on any day. Your scolding has nothing to do with it. I was having my own type of fun," and Daphne gasped, reaching over to smack his arm as he laughed and finally complied to help her take the packet and make the sandwiches. As background music were the screams and laughs coming from Cleo's garden.

Soon, their conversation moved on to school subjects regarding their project and most especially the campaign. Asher confessed to being interested in running in the campaign but he would only entertain the idea the following year as a senior as he didn't feel ready yet.

Daphne grabbed the chance to ask him what were the requirements for such and even asked if he was interested in becoming the class president.

Their conversation was cut short by the loud scream coming from the garden. It was so loud Asher worried James or Nick had hurt Cleo somehow. Daphne, however, did not share his concern at first, but she still hurried behind him when he dashed out. They both froze when they saw Cleo and Nick wrestling over a ball, with James confused in a corner not knowing if to join in or separate them.

"Erm?" Daphne asked, side-eyeing Asher who simply rolled his eyes again and went back inside.

"Gosh, I thought it was something serious," he said, making it back behind the counter.

"It was obviously nothing serious. Anyone could tell,"

"Yeah, but I'm used to having to medicate Cleo's wounds because of how roughly they play."

"Are they always like that?" Daphne asked, "Like... in compromising positions like that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... if an outsider had to take a look at them, they could suspect they are more than just friends, you know," she voiced out, placing the sandwich on the tray. "Were they ever a thing? Because as far as I know, Cleo never told me anything special about Nick."

Her question wasn't a surprise to him. He knew it would've eventually popped up in Daphne's brain and now he just happened to be the person to whom she addressed the question. "Not that I know of," he simply replied, placing his sandwich on the tray.

"Yes, they do look like more than friends and if I'm being honest with you, I always thought that Nick has a crush on her. James too,"

"Really?" Daphne gasped with bulging eyes and he nodded, "But I feel like if Nick does have a crush on her, his has existed for longer. We have known each other since middle school and Nick has always been like this with her. James started only like two years ago if I'm not mistaken,"

"Which was around when Cleo started getting popular and shit, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so,"

"But also, doesn't Nick also behave like this with everyone? I mean, he's not the shy type to worry too much about physical contact,"

"Yeah, he behaves like this with everyone and that's why one can't fully say that he crushes on Cleo because he isn't any different with others but he's just a bit different when it's just us, you know. There is a Nick with Cleo in public and a different Nick with Cleo in private such as hang outs like this. I do think that if James does have a crush on her, she knows and she also doesn't entertain the idea of starting anything serious with him because two years ago I wasn't the only person thinking he liked her. The whole class did,"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, but I think Cleo just sees him as a friend because she never really commented on the issue and it slowly faded, especially with the popularity she gained. It became easy to simply label him as a fanboy and nothing more,"

Daphne nodded and didn't speak further, looking out where her friends were. A part of her felt like her suspicions were true. Nick probably likes Cleo, James included, and it isn't surprising because Cleo is so charming. Like she'd already stated, Cleo could see the good in people, no matter the bad one could commit and she also seemed to never get sad or angry—unless you bring Valerie into the picture. Cleo is always smiling and happy. She seemed to have a social battery that never runs out and her smile was like a tattoo on her face.

Daphne hadn't seen her play volleyball yet, hadn't seen how competitive and just how skilled she was at the sport. However, Daphne knew Cleo's popularity likely stemmed from her talent in volleyball, indicating that she was genuinely good at it. 

There was just something fascinating about people being good at what they like.

All these were hypotheses that she would've changed into theories if she knew that Jungkook too fanboys over her.

"So right now, we're looking at a potential childhood crush from Nick?" she said looking at the scene in front of her.

Right in that moment, from the counter she could see Cleo and Nick going at it again, dragging to get the ball. They caught the attention of both she and Asher because Nick seemed to be giving Cleo a back hug from where he would occasionally lift her off the ground. She, on the other hand, would bend forward causing him to do the same. Another honestly compromising position.

"James is third-wheeling there," she comments before they get back to making the sandwiches.

"Worse it would be if he indeed likes her too," Asher added, gaining a hiss from Daphne as they both laughed.

—Now playing: Chiquitita by ABBA ✫

The boys left around dinner time, giving the girls enough time to finish tidying up. Daphne stayed back just for that reason.

There wasn't much left for them to take care of since they didn't mess up the place too much and the boys also helped a little before leaving to catch their bus home. Upstairs, Cole was still sleeping while noise still came from Cleo's dad's workshop. Been like that throughout the afternoon.

"Let's hurry cause I have to cook dinner,"

"You?" and Cleo nodded before turning around to sweep the kitchen. "Cole has been studying the whole morning and even after lunch. I just went to check and saw that he fell asleep so he's surely tired as fuck. My dad has been working nonstop on the project he wants to sell in his shop so yeah, I'm taking over the cooking." Daphne unconsciously nodded to the information as she adjusted the little pillows on the couch and armchair, picking up a few things from the floor and keeping others back where they belonged. As she did so, they stopped talking and completely focused on finishing their duty.

Since the boys had already helped with tidying up the living room a bit, Daphne was soon done with the work and was just roaming around, exploring the place now that she had the chance. In the meantime, Cleo was still sweeping the kitchen, trashing the packs of finished snacks that littered the counters. That was when a gasp from the living room diverted her attention away.

"Oh my god! You have vinyl records from ABBA?" Daphne exclaimed, taking the object in her hands and admiring it like it was a brick of gold. Cleo rushed to put the broom aside and went over to her overly excited friend.

"You listen to ABBA?" Daphne proceeded, taking the disc out of the packet and going straight to the vinyl player sitting next to the pile of records. Cleo smiled but the smile didn't reach her eyes. It wasn't the usual smile that painted her face, the infamous tattoo. No, Cleo struggled to smile and Daphne didn't notice.

She wanted to stop her friend, take the record from her hand, keep it back and shut everything up but that would require her to explain herself and if she failed to do so, she'd just leave a bitter taste in her friend's mouth or, worse, make her worry that there's something more. There is something more, but that more can stay in the isolated room Cleo had locked it in. She'd also trashed the key, wishing to never see that door open again. But it didn't stop the pain nor the insisting struggles as the door tried to open itself against its hinges and the lock.

Daphne maybe would've noticed this but maybe right now she was too excited to listen to ABBA or to play music from a vinyl player once again. The last time she'd done so was at Margot's place in the city but she didn't ponder much on that memory, especially now that Margot have been outcasted from her life just as she'd done to her. Daphne loved vintage things so she really had a thing for vinyl records—preferred them to the modern album packaging.

She didn't pay any attention to the song she was putting on since she was a great ABBA fan and eats up anything the group has released.

"You know how to use it?" Cleo finally spoke, her voice almost nonexistent. Again Daphne didn't notice this. Later, Cleo would be thankful for her inattention because she would've regretted dearly bringing worry upon her friend.

Daphne eagerly nodded as she backed away from the player, waiting for the music to start and it soon did as the soft sounds of a guitar started feeling the room.

"Chiquitita, tell me what's wrong?" she started singing along, gathering her hands on her chest as if the song had been produced in heaven.

"You're enchained by your own sorrow, In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow." Cleo smiled more now. Chuckled a bit at how fondly Daphne sang along.

Her friend behaved as if she was in a music video, arms spreading out and going back to her chest at each word she sang. "How I hate to see you like this. There is no way you can deny it, I can see that you're oh so sad, so quiet."

Cleo's smile almost faded away, understanding the words, the lyrics. What a choice of song, she thought to herself but, again, Daphne didn't know this so she couldn't show any emotion or any suspicious reaction that could cause her friend to ask questions, to worry. "Chiquitita, tell me the truth. I'm a shoulder you can cry on, your best friend, I'm the one you must rely on." Cleo simply smiled. Laughed seeing how her friend struggled to get on the couch and be even more dramatic. Once she got on it, she spread her arms out again, passionately singing and pointing at Cleo as she sang the next words.

"You were always sure of yourself. Now I see you've broken a feather. I hope we can patch it up together." She didn't know that the words were resonating with Cleo, hitting a very sensitive nerve she's been keeping hidden under her sleeve for a long time now and there was no way she could've known because, unlike Taehyung, Daphne isn't a keen observer but just a good listener. Cleo was the same: different from Taehyung, yes, but she was just good at speaking, with her listening skills not as refined as her friend's. Yes, she is so good at talking but, in that moment, she preferred silence because she was scared of having others worry for her. After all, there is nothing scarier than the sudden extinguishing of the sun—and it's not an eclipse.

Cleo was still standing by the vinyl player while Daphne had already travelled around the room and was making her way back to it, back to Cleo and once she reached, she grabbed her friend's hands and dragged her into the centre of the living room to dance.

"Chiquitita, you and I know how the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leavin'." Cleo's body was a bit tense but not tense enough to resist Daphne's force as she dragged her around. "You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end. You would have no time for grievin'" Daphne sang without caring to hit the right notes as they started spinning and jumping around. She was unaware that her free spirit at the moment eased her friend's tightened muscles, slowly bringing her to enjoy the song and hop around with her.

"Chiquitita, you and I cry but the sun is still in the sky and shinin' above you."

Daphne didn't know this—again. Not just the song but the whole musical group held a certain weight in Cleo's mind and occupied a certain space in her heart. Space she'd rather give to anything else in this world. A weight she'd gladly go on a diet to lose but this type of weight was particular. Wasn't the type you could lose either by going on a diet or starving yourself.

"Let me hear you sing once more like you did before. Sing a new song, Chiquitita," they both started singing, fingers intertwined, arms spread out and heads thrown back as they spun around, sometimes breaking into a simple dance move. "Try once more like you did before. Sing a new song, Chiquitita."

After parting ways for the verses, Daphne started first: "So the walls came tumblin' down and your love's a blown out candle. All is gone and it seems too hard to handle." And then it was Cleo's turn to become dramatic with her gestures as she started singing along to her own part: "Chiquitita, tell me the truth. There is no way you can deny it. I see that you're oh so sad, so quiet."

Again, unaware, Daphne's actions were like gauze covering the wounds lacing Cleo's body and soul. The smile spread across her face was just what Cleo needed to feel at ease.

"Chiquitita, you and I know how the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leavin'. You'll be dancin' once again and the pain will end. You will have no time for grievin'" Linking arms and running in a circle, they sang their hearts out.

"Chiquitita, you and I cry but the sun is still in the sky and shinin' above you. Let me hear you sing once more like you did before. Sing a new song, Chiquitita." With hands linked like a couple dancing at a ball and making each other spin around, they started singing the post-chorus: "Try once more like you did before. Sing a new song, Chiquitita. Try once more like you did before. Sing a new song, Chiquitita."

As they danced to the instrumentals, Cleo realized that maybe, just maybe, she'd found a possible solution to the weight occupying her mind, to the spot in her heart and to the wounds that were yet to heal.

Daphne had wondered where her mother was the day she came here and saw Cleo surrounded only by her father and Cole at lunch. She wondered what could have happened to her mother. Was she dead? Did the parents go through a divorce? And if they did, were the kids keeping contact with the mother?

Maybe if Cleo had opened up in that moment, she would've had a little answer to all those questions. She would've finally known something. She would've learned that Cleo's mother used to be a great fan of the group, and she was behind the reason why those vinyl records were there in the first place. She would've known that the last time any song from the group was played, the father was who put it on. She would've known that every memory revolving around the group's songs was in black and white in Cleo's head, bereft of any real colour. Cleo was just waiting, hoping, they would fade away completely, with no colours left behind. Not even the outlines. But she has been waiting for years now and her hope is disappearing faster than the memories she despises.

Maybe, with Daphne back in her life, she would be able to take control and instead of waiting for time to do what it does best, she could change her story, change those memories and replace them with something better, something as nice as this: them spinning around to the ABBA song.

But she knew that Daphne's help would be given unknowingly. Cleo would never ask for help but just grab it if it presents itself in front of her. She didn't know this but it was exactly why her healing process was so slow.

All these were uncertainties because Cleo wasn't sure and never would be unless she opened up to someone, anyone. For example, she could open up to her brother: he's always been there for her, through thick and thin but that was exactly why she didn't want to open up to him. He was already doing a lot for her and the last thing she'd want to do is add another weight on his shoulders.

She could also confide in the man watching the girls from outside through a window. He wasn't done with his project which was lying unfinished in his workshop because he rushed outside once he heard the ABBA song. He's the only person in this house listening to any song from that group because they carry a different meaning to each person in his little family. A meaning that revolved around the mother, the one person who had singlehandedly ruined their family, scarring everyone on her way out.

He's been working on his wounds. 'S been trying to turn them into scars and possibly erase them completely but he'd gladly help his children too if only they would let him in.

He was grateful though to have come this far and was also thankful for Daphne's actions at that moment. She was oblivious to the darkness looming around those songs but she managed to shine through and overshadow it allowing his daughter's beautiful smile to come out from its hiding spot.

He smiled too and a tear ran down his cheek as well, but it was a tear of joy. A joy he'd been looking for ever since that day it left their home with their mother. He'd convinced himself that that joy had run away from his family for good but it was slowly making its way back. Maybe the road was too dark, no streetlights present, no guiding star or moon in the sky but thanks to this, thanks to Daphne, a streetlight had restarted working, brightening the way a bit for as much as it could.

He was very grateful for that.

⤎ previous page | ❃ | next page ⤏

[trinitywc]

Your great light story is so much fun to read! May I ask about some of your research into nuclear effects on the environment and living things? It all seems too detailed for you to have winged it!

Thank you! (Long answer)

So a lot of my research started off from what I already knew about Chernobyl, Fukushima, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Three Mile Island, the Manhattan Project, etc, for the specific chain of events or immediate after a nuclear incident. For general "what happens in a disaster", you can research any kind of disaster for the basics of survival and what needs must be fulfilled for life. I've linked some books I recommend below. I also recommend Slaughterhouse Five for an account of the Dresden bombing and how absurd and insane these things are.

I also used films like Threads, Grave of the Fireflies, Where the Wind Blows, for the more "human" or down to earth element and start researching from there; Cold War nuclear theories and nuclear war tends to be quite macro- and focus on the *big*- and not the day to day human (and then animal) aspect. I guess I wanted to focus on the lesser thought about things- I've always wondered "what happens to a hobby shop during a war" and while the answer is obvious, no one really thinks about the specifics; rubble is not rubble, it's a cafe and a mechanics and a dress shop, all tattered in the brick. What happens to the park when it is abandoned? The school? The pet shop? Walk around your neighbourhood.

A lot of stuff on the Internet is sensationalised- especially ""crazy nuclear wildlife"" and pictures of "crazy" flora and fauna are likely misleading- the wildlife bounces back quite well decades later; a little skew-iff, but no six legged deer monsters en mass, or Deathclaws. Disregard it.

Also remember, nuclear winter is just a theory. A lot of the side effects from radiation/nuclear war is just that! We don't know, because it never happened; however as volcanic clouds, ie Krakatoa, or debris from meteor strikes, ie the Dinosaur Extinction, have caused weather disturbances, long winters, etc, so its reasonable to assume the debris from nuclear firestorms would do similar. A lot of the nuclear war theories come from the Cold War idea of Mutually Assured Destruction and nuclear panic (or even todays) and is likely over the top. The Manhattan project feared setting the whole world on fire through chain reaction so. Have fun with it, take creative liberties. Radiation fucks with DNA- do you know how little natural/accidental mutation it takes to make people ginger? Why not have radiation change the future cats colours as well. Hell why not have it change the landscape entirely. It's your story. Pinefrost should likely be dead, but nature always finds a way.

I also played a shitton of Stalker. Thats neither here nor there.

[whywhatswrongwithblue]

DW REWATCH

S1E1 ROSE

When Rose Tyler meets a mysterious stranger called the Doctor, her life will never be the same again. Soon she realises that her mum, her boyfriend and the whole of Earth are in danger. The only hope for salvation lies inside a strange blue box.

1. LOVE this opening. Such a great bedroom hahah. Perfectly messy and pink—makes me wonder what t2r’s shared bedroom must look like now!

2. What does Jackie do for a living? I know it’s canon (or fanon?) that she’s a hairdresser but do we actually ever see her working as one?

3. Who’s Derek? And why does Rose think a mannequin prank would be up his lane? RUN. Such a great meet cute 😭😭😭😭 these two are married now you guys!!!!!!!

4. ‘Cos to get that many people dressed up and being silly, they got to be students. 
That makes sense. Well done. 🥺🥺 nothing just the Doctor always appreciating the insight Rose brings🥺🥺

5. WILSON’S DEAD

6. ‘So, I'm going to go up there and blow them up, and I might well die in the process, but don't worry about me. No, you go home. Go on. Go and have your lovely beans on toast.’ ohhhhh he wants her to join him so bad 😭 the poor guy. This is right after he’s destroyed his entire planet and there’s just SOMETHING about Rose he sees, huh? 😭🥺 also ’Nice to meet you, Rose. Run for your life.’ Such a great line!

7. TARDIS appearance!

8. ‘Honestly, it's aged her. Skin like an old bible. Walking in now you'd think I was her daughter.’ oh my God Jackie Tyler I have missed you. Imagine your mum reacting to you almost getting blown up like THIS though 🤣 yikes!

9. Rose doesn’t tell Mickey about the Doctor—no matter how ridiculous the plastic plot sounds she believes him, even if it is unconsciously at the moment

10. All the calls Jackie is getting one after the other insinuate a pretty closely knit neighbourhood, doesn’t it? All these people know where Rose works and are concerned enough to call up. Imagine how traumatic the sudden shift to Pete’s World must’ve been for Jackie—I know she’s got the parallel version of Bev but it’s not the same, and it must’ve taken a WHILE to adjust to everything.

11. “The airs and graces” comment. So much to be dissected here! Jackie’s relationship with herself and with her daughter implied very heavily in this one line. She seems to be jealous, even.

12. They have a cat flap! Rose confirmed cat person moment (1). The Doctor waiting outside the flat xD. Talk about picking up strays🥺

13. The dialogue is so damn gooood. And Christopher’s delivery is so endearing

14. Jackie hitting on the Doctor!!!!! Need tentoo to bring this up ASAP. She’s his mother in law😭

15. Staircase shot is incredible. Love the Sort of, yeah❤️ bit. Also love how the Doctor repeatedly checks on how she’s handling the information (*Are you alright? Do you believe me?*)—however unconsciously he’s doing it, he IS checking her suitability as a potential companion 🥺

16. Mickey SMH. Also apparently he doesn’t wash his dishes 🤣

17. Loveee Clive. RTD’s writing is so immersive, it really makes the whole world come alive. These side characters add so much depth to the story—something sorely missing in the Moffat and Chibnall eras.

18. THE WHEELIE BIN. I always forget how fucking ridiculous this episode is until I rewatch it 🤣 also lord Rose is so uninvested in this relationship. P-P-PIZZA will always be one of my fav lines

19. The infamous Jimmy Stone! I love how we’re given the one line about him and it’s inspired thousands of fics. Rose considering completing her A Levels here—would that be something she’d be interested in doing in Pete’s World?

20. TARDIS!!!!! Doomsday theme begins here 😓😓 love how the Doctor is judging how easily she can accept his alienness—he claims to be done with human companions every time but he is undoubtedly impressed by Rose. Also find it incredibly interesting he didn’t even think about Mickey being dead. This, contrasted with other alien lives (including the Daleks, sometimes) that the Doctor seems to value…is an intriguing juxtaposition. Is there a little simmering jealousy of the boyfriend already? Is he slightly unable to look at consequences of actions beyond his own? He has just come off of a genocide at this moment

21. Mickey’s mother! Bit of a mistake here, we learn that he was raised by his grandma in *Father’s Day*

22. Lots of planets have a North!!!

23. I always found it funny that Rose, who seemed so upset about Mickey a second ago, is now holding hands with Nine and running down the bridge lmfao. They really are very alike in their love for the thrill.

24. ‘Yeah, that was always a possibility. Keep him alive to maintain the copy.’
You knew that and you never said? 
Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?’ hmmm. Jealousy, perhaps? Or a disregard for lives he doesn’t believe are at the same level as that of higher beings? As much as he rejected the Time Lords, he is a product of his origin, and has quite a condescending view of humans

25. Shunt off. God, I love you RTD

26. The Nestene Consciousness is alarmed when it recognises that he is a Time Lord. Later in the show, it’s implied that the Time Lords were almost, if not as bad as the Daleks were, during the Time War.

27. RIP Clive 🕊️ fingers crossed it’s your cameo we’re getting in the 60th

28. Rose! My beloved! Bronze medalist! This screencap in particular is very Bad Wolf

29. I honestly can’t wrap my mind around people who say Rose was wrong for going with the Doctor. He came back for her!!!

30. The perfect opening episode. Extrapolation is done so elegantly and we even get a sense of how absurd the show can get. 10/10, and one of my favourite episode 1s!

[byfulcrums]

ngl i genuinely don't know what side to take on when it comes to the outdoor/indoor cat, at least when it applies to me and my own cat

all of the arguments that i've seen against outdoor cats always involve things like coyotes/bears/raccoons (there are none here) , for example

or also dogs (all the dogs here are domesticated), and also cars (small neighbourhood so there are barely any cars), the whole thing with rats and birds (the only rats and birds my cat has ever caught were already inside the house) and them fighting w other cats or getting pregnant (the only cat mine ever fought with is one that literally tries to chase him inside the house, we struggled a lot to get it out, + he's castrated)

and all of these come from (mostly white) people that live either in the US (as in the big cities, there's obviously gonna be danger) or in places like australia (i think this one speaks for itself) so it really doesn't help at all

my neighbour is a relatively safe one, even for stray animals (there's some of them here bc the neighbours and us like to feed them. there's like a uh, club??? so there's always someone watching, which means they'll know if the animals get hurt) so i don't think that applies to me

my cat goes outside, but never even crosses the street. he stays right at the door and walks a bit and then goes back inside, and he almost never leaves. besides that, he often likes to be on the roof of my house and he likes to climb trees

i don't really see anything unsafe about this. idk if this is right or if it's genuinely dangerous, can someone help me? (without going "people with outdoor/indoor cats are horrible and having an outdoor/indoor cat is abuse!!" because that does not help at all. don't fucking start with that kind of shit because i am tired it hearing it and it genuinely DOES NOT HELP)

[blueengland-ocposting]

THE GRAND FINALE // THE SAVIOR | THE FALSE RULER

BLUE?: Ah... everything's all in order... BLUE?: Nobody left to stop me from taking that core and KILLING EVERYONE! BLUE?: Sounds a lot lamer than I thought it would. EH. THE SAVIOR: ... BLUE?: Oh, if it isn't my partner, hows my gift treating you? THE SAVIOR: Now!

[Everyone pushes him into the battle room, THE SAVIOR running in afterwards and activating it.]

BLUE?: Oh wow, you broke free from your strings, not like I can just WRITE YOU OUT OF THE STORY!

[It doesn't work.]

BLUE?: What-? HEARTY: The battle room is controlled by us now, and I'm not letting you do anything! BLUE?: Ugh, the third wheel, I should've destroyed you when I had the chance... HEARTY: Well I wasn't here for most of this so I was basically destroyed. BLUE?: YOU CAN'T BE DESTROYED AND COME BACK FOR THE FINALE THAT'S NOT HOW THIS WORKS! HEARTY: Well- HEARTY: FUCK YOU! HEARTY: Stage shift!

[The room transformed into a nice little neighbourhood... until it all sets on fire.]

BURNING MAN: HAHAHAHAHA BURNING MAN: burn baby burn BLUE?: Him? This'll be easy. DRUNK DANCER: nah DRUNK DANCER: alcohol go

[DRUNK DANCER throws a glass of alcohol at not BlueEngland, dousing him.]

BLUE?: Wow. So effective. Really hurt me with that one. BURNING MAN: no

[BURNING MAN leaps at Blue, setting him on fire.]

BURNING MAN: ENJOY YOUR aFTERLIFE BLUE?: Ow- yeah, okay whiteboy, I made you into this, I know your weaknesses.

[Blue? tosses the burning person into the pool located behind one of the houses, instantly dousing him.]

BLUE?: And as for you?

[He punches the hell out of what remains of Cy.]

BLUE?: Try harder.

[The room changes again, now a forest.]

BLUE?: Who's up next? ZTARGAZER: Do you want to zee the ztarz? RED MOGUS: Cause I can take you there motherfuckface. BLUE?: Oh, it's just you two. a bad memory.: why would you do this? BLUE?: Hmpf. a bad memory.: i... i thought you cared about me... a bad memory.: was i not good enough? BLUE?: Out of my way.

[He kicks the small cake into the distance, turning his attention to the two space-themed non-contestants.]

RED MOGUS: FIGHT STARTED!!!! FUCK HIM THE FUCK UP!!!! ZTARGAZER: Pay for what you did.

[ZTARGAZER phases in front of him, punching him in the stomach.]

BLUE?: You can hit harder than that! ZTARGAZER: I could... RED MOGUS: I'll hit you harder than your mom

[Red Mogus rushes Blue, knife forward.]

ZTARGAZER: Wait a zecond-

[Just before impact the world goes pink and gray.]

PLACEHOLDER: BLUE?: Thanks for the assist, buddy-

[Placeholder is not his buddy. He began to cry pink tears.]

[But something resisted.]

THE MASKED: Wakey-wakey!

[THE MASKED hit him right in the face, breaking the old vision. The area was gray and minimalist, a few doors lining the room.]

SOUL EATER: Push? THE MASKED: Push! COPY: ^_^

[SOUL EATER pushed Blue? forward, making him slip on Copy and land on some spikes - a transformed Mimic.]

MIMIC: That was easy! BLUE?: I'll... tell you what's easy... BLUE?: Cybercat, get rid of these meddling cast members. CYBERCAT: [Yes sir!] THE MASKED: Alright, time to get out of here. MIMIC: Copy-Cat...?

[The room shifted once more, now a dark shiny cave area.]

BLUE?: Hmpf, of course you'd switch it when I'm the one winning. CLEMENTINE: You won't be winning for long... OUTER FLAME: You have won nothing.

[Clementine launched itself at Blue, holding nothing back, while OUTER FLAME stood back, watching the fight go on.]

OUTER FLAME: Look at yourself. OUTER FLAME: Powerless. OUTER FLAME: Sad. OUTER FLAME: Alone. OUTER FLAME: I wish we could help you, but you won't let go. BLUE?: I don't need your help- OWOBALL: Heyo! Did someone need help! CLEMENTINE: Yaaah hurt the guy with me OWOBALL: Ooh, sounds fun!

[The fight lasted a bit longer before the room shifted again.]

DREAMS: Hey what's up guys today we'll be seeing how much damage a person can sustain before they collapse! BLUE?: You think I'm weak, don't you? BLUE?: I can take you down as easy as I wanted. SOMEONE: But where's the show in that? L.C.: Yeah! You need to put some action in it! SOMEONE: It's just boring otherwise. BLUE?: He could never write action. AUSTRA: He's writing it now. BLUE?: Eh?

[A surfboard smacks Blue onto the floor.]

DREAMS: I thought you could take me on easily...

[The room shifted again, an island above the ocean.]

MAIN CHARACTER: Feels familiar, huh? BLUE?: I guess you want to hurt me too? MAIN CHARACTER: Nah. MAIN CHARACTER: I don't really care. BLUE?: Then why are you here? MAIN CHARACTER: Just wanted to be. HIGH SCORE: [YOU ARE BOTH INSUFFERABLE] WARPER: ṱ̶̈̈́h̷̯̼̹͒͑͋ȉ̶̧̳̈͜s̶̱̻̅͂ͅ ̸̲̮̣̈̅̔i̵̲̎s̸̝̰̥͗͘ ̸̡̦̝͂̋͝t̷̫͍̋̇͑h̷̳̒̉͌ͅȇ̴̥̱ ̵͇̓͛̆ć̵̨̡̘̆̍a̶͈̒ͅl̴͙͍̉m̷̨̫͇̊̽ VILL: I want my own home... MAIN CHARACTER: Wow. You just took the spotlight away from me. MAIN CHARACTER: Thanks, I guess. BLUE?: What are you gonna do with me after this? VILL: You'll see.

[A loud splash is heard below, and a familiar face jumps up from the ocean.]

GUYMAN: Hey y'all! GUYMAN: Lookin like I've missed a lot! MAIN CHARACTER: I thought he was a shark? BLUE?: ...I kinda lost him after the match. GUYMAN: Welp, time to deliver my blow!

[Guyman punches him into the ground.]

[...]

[...]

[...]

BLUE?: Where am I now? BLUE: Hey all! BLUE: Or, well, just one. PUPLE: You. BLUE: Me! BLUE: Welcome to my mind! BLUE: Or at least the battle room's representation of it. PUPLE: I'M GONNA KILL YOU BLUE: Nope!

[Blue snaps his fingers, floating into the air as paper circles around him.]

BLUE: Now I've got something physical to work with again, all that power you've enjoyed is gone. PUPLE: I don't need your stupid powers or your stupid face to kill you! BLUE: Yeah, yeah you do. BLUE: I could end you right here if I wanted to. PUPLE: Why don't you? BLUE: Because... BLUE: Because I'm sorry, okay? BLUE: I... made you to be an evil monster who wanted to kill everyone and... BLUE: That's not okay. BLUE: So... will you take my hand and come with me outside? BLUE: It wont be easy breaking out of what you were created as... BLUE: But they're all very nice people, they'll help! PUPLE: People will care about me? PUPLE: A- and... like me? BLUE: Yeah. PUPLE: I...

[The puple line sits on the floor, hands in their face.]

PUPLE: I... never wanted that... BLUE: Nobody likes being outcasted. BLUE: I'm sorry for putting you through that. BLUE: And for locking you up.

[The puple line rushes in and hugs Blue.]

PUPLE: Thank you... BLUE: I- uh- BLUE: Yeah. BLUE: Second chances and all...

[Everything dissipates, everyone surrounding Blue's body on the floor.]

???: Cough- augh- THE MASKED: Evil eyes!

[THE MASKED kicks him.]

???: Ow-! ???: It's me, I'm back. BLUE: Fuuuck that felt like hell. THE MASKED: If you're really Blue then why do you have those purple eyes? BLUE: I do? BLUE: ...Probably a side-effect of possession or something I don't know. BLUE: Ugh it's so nice to be able to touch things again... HIGH SCORE: [RESTORE EVERYONE] BLUE: What? SOUL EATER: He means undo everything that line did to us. BLUE: Oh, yeah. BLUE: I will, don't worry. BLUE: But one of you made it to the finals, right? BLUE: Gotta keep it until that's over.

[Everyone groans with a notable exception.]

BLUE: I've gotta get going to... whatever's left of my room. BLUE: Drawing some important stuff. OUTER FLAME: 'Kay.

[Blue leaves, and everyone starts to disperse.]

CAULLI: Hey guys! Did I miss anything? AUSTRA: ... DREAMS: ... SOUL EATER: ... CAULLI: What? Was it something I said?

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Hello my fellows, and thanks for keeping up with this for all this time!

Sorry I couldn't actually finish off with what I wanted, but I feel like I'm happy with this.

It's been a while, so I felt like I should actually wrap this up.

I'm gonna save the sequal for until BLT has ended, but until then stay jammin!

Wait, this isn't Mashup Week-

(Make sure to vote on the finale match!)

[rawk-chikk]

Bro just sent me this. We lost him 10 years ago yesterday. Didn't realise it had been that long, but I'm absolutely terrible with dates. He died in Bro's arms tho, so I think it's permanently etched for him.

For y'all who don't know the story, this is Pushca, the fam's first cat.

It was the year 2000. Mum had been trying to persuade Dad to let us adopt a cat from the local shelter for ages. He was adamant that we were not gonna get a cat. You know how dads are. So mum, and us kids (well, teens and young adults at that time) had resigned ourselves to being catless.

Fast forward about a week. The sibs come home from school and Mum tells them to look in the garden. They go out, then come back in like 'OMG you got a cat!'

She was actually referring to the trees over the back garden fence. One of em fell during a bit of a bluster and destroyed our fence and next door's shed. And the picnic table where my folks sat and had morning coffee when it was nice out. If it'd been nice out that morning we'd probably have been orphaned 😬. Anyway, the trees were inspected and it was decided they should be lopped for safety. I mean these were tall fucking trees. You could see em all the way from Milton Tesco, so you'd always know the way home.

So yeah. The trees were now a lot less tall. And there was a cat in the garden...

Fully grown but still young. And scrawny. Not full-on starved looking, but definitely not in receipt of frequent, substantial meals.

He was just sat on the path quietly, watching as Bro and Sis approached him with a dish of tuna flakes, which he wolfed down.

Then he got up, walked into the house like he'd always lived there, and promptly fell asleep on the recliner we had back then.

Woke up a couple of times for a bit of a fuss and some more grub, then went back to sleep. Went out to do his business, came right back to his spot on the recliner. He was still there when Dad came in from work in the small hours. Rather than throw him out, Dad just opened the kitchen window so he could leave then went to bed.

He was gone the next morning and we thought that was that. A nice flying visit from a random neighbourhood cat. Maybe now Dad could be persuaded to let us adopt one?

Later that day, Mum hears meowing by the back door...

This went on for a few weeks. He came in, had some food, then spent the rest of the day on the recliner. We were in a situationship with this cat. We hadn't talked about making it official or anything coz we weren't sure he wouldn't just pull a Littlest Hobo on us at some point. We just went along with the happy status quo.

Then one day he comes round and my spidey sense for poorly pets starts tingling. As the day goes on it becomes obvious. He's lethargic, withdrawn, not bothered about food etc.

Suddenly we've got a sick cat on our hands. What the hell do we do? I mean he was ours but he wasn't ours, ya dig? Mum phoned the RSPCA for advice.

Let's just say they were less than helpful. Actually they were downright rude, like they suspected us of being shitty pet owners trying to fob off a cat onto em 🙄. Their 'advice' was to leave him under a bush to let nature take it's course (I shit you not!), alternatively they would take him in and treat him, but we wouldn't be getting him back.

Well fuck that noise!!!

That was the point we decided we were going all in on this boy. We got him to a vet, got him treated for an infected bite on his head, got him registered, chipped, booked in for neutering, insured, the works.

Dad didn't want to adopt a cat.

The universe had other ideas. A cat adopted us instead.

In fact we ended up with three. And after they'd all passed we took on three more.

And it all started with him. He helped raise two kittens, and two puppies (one's still with us, tho very much not a puppy anymore 🙁). He put up with a baby (Nephew One), who then became a toddler 😬. He saw me off to, and welcomed me back from, various stints at university. He curled up with me during the worst of my mental health struggles, and the Christmas I was too ill to get out of bed. He was there the day my dad died. He was a solid, dependable presence on the back of the sofa.

That sofa still bore a Pushca sized dent in his spot years after he was gone. Guess you could say he really was part of the furniture 😁.

Miss ya, boyo ❤.

(Absolutely do not miss your nagging tho 😋😆)

[sugdenlovesdingle]

I was talking to some friends from the neighbourhood (we always walk our dogs together- have done for a LONG time) about me having to move soon and how i don't have a clue what to do/where to start because i've only ever lived in this house.

and how it's SO MUCH work to clear out this house and figure out what to keep and what to throw away and how it's such short notice (they're saying I could move in April 8th). And I have to do it all on my own.

"Well you should have started sooner. You knew it was coming."

My sanity has been hanging by a THREAD the past six and a half months - and that thread is getting thinner by the day. I started packing/sorting stuff the day I was supposed to leave this house - about 2/3 weeks ago - but EVERYTHING has memories attached to it. I have to pack up/process/get rid of (parts of) a whole LIFE in a little over a month. and every day I find things that I know meant a lot to my parents but I don't know what to do with.

Do I keep my mum's baby photos? My dad's highschool/secondary school diploma? My dad's French comics? books by my mum's favourite author?

There's no-one I can talk these things through with because I don't have siblings and my cousins from my mum's side are too busy with their own shit and I'm only just kind of reconnecting with my dad's side of the family.

I gave away my mum's plants yesterday (to someone who was really happy with them) that she was always telling me she'd had since before I was born, I threw out a cabinet that I'd written I ♥ Westlife on the back of when I was 16, I found a fuckton of cassette tapes that my dad has recorded classical arabic music onto. SO many pictures of people I don't recognise but must be related to me somehow or their picture wouldn't be in my house.

Everything is just so fucking overwhelming and I just want to switch OFF for a day and reblog cat pictures and read fics and not think about *everything* and then there's that woman telling me i should have started sooner when I'm barely holding it together!

(and legally I couldn't until the inheritance was sorted - I still don't know if everything is ok now)

[cfmanymuses]

I don't know if I'll be around much this weekend, my sleep is all kinds of fucked up since the people in my neighbourhood don't lock up their dogs at night. I got woken up at... I don't know, 5ish? It was still dark, all because I could hear a dog barking and it was way too close. Turned out that one of my cats had let himself out (probably to go to the toilet, he doesn't like the litterbox), and I guess this dog had seen him and tried to go for him?

My clever little boy did what he was supposed to do, and ran up the tree until I woke up and came to get him. Chased off the dog and talked him out of the tree, and he ran under the house. I had to go back in, since the sun was rising and it was getting cold again, and eventually went back to sleep.

He's fine, don't worry! He's just scared, but who can blame him, really?

Admittedly, I'm also very distracted with Genshin (Fontaine's too pretty and I'm trying to help a friend grind wishes for Venti's rerun), and I have D&D tomorrow. We seem to have hit our time-stop arc, so hopefully our characters have a chance to get stronger so we can stop our big bad. It would be nice if they have a chance to bond as a group, too.

[khodorkovskaya]

08.04.23

today was a great day at the shop! it was very slow at first and there were no customers for the first like two hours and i was starting to get upset. but then so many people started going in! in the end i was only 15 chf away from the ultimate goal!!! (and by ultimate goal i mean really we don't get these kind of numbers every day so it was an extraordinary result)

the best moment of the day was when these two american ladies came in and one of them bought the céline leather jacket and it suited her sooo well! and she was like "show me something i might have missed, do you have anything unique?". and i remembered about the absolutely gorgeous versace top we received the other day. it looks a bit weird on the hanger and i was like just try it on trust me! and she did and it looked AMAZING on her! so she ended up buying it. and i was just a tiny bit sad bc i wanted to keep the top for myself but oh well.

here it is btw:

anyway nik came to chill for a bit. he was coding in the storage room/kitchen while i was with the customers. his gf broke up with him bc he got drunk and shouted at her. it's the same story with him every time, i swear. like idk if i can be compassionate anymore. and idk how to judge him bc the first couple of times his alcohol problems and the issues related to them seemed sad. but idk if he's putting in any effort into fixing his life and becoming a better person. it's always the same shit with him.

but to be fair, it's always the same shit with me too so im not the one to judge. it was his bday party yesterday and he invited everyone to a bar. and im in my tea drinking era and really didn't feel like going. but the thing that motivated me was that it was B's favourite bar and he's there every weekend. so i, being the absolute pathetic loser clown that i am, was like "oooo i might bump into him if i go". and guess what, the first thing that nik said to me when i got there was "yeah, B was there a minute ago but i told him that you were coming so he left". like 💀💀💀 and then the night was ruined basically. bc i was paranoid the whole night. i was like omg what if B's gonna come back what if what if what if. i felt pathetic.

and it's frustrating in a way bc i feel like B must be handling the breakup so much better than me even tho im the one who left. like he doesn't watch my insta stories, he didn't stop to talk to me that one time i bumped into him by the river, he seems so much more disciplined than me... like idk. meanwhile im still obsessed and dream about him every night. and i fuel this obsession more and more like i can't stop myself.

this week im catsitting for my neighbour and again, i can't stop being a loser about it. bc ive known her and her cat (bless her!) since high school. and guess who else i knew since high school? like i have these vivid memories of going to check up on the cat and then coming out of the building and B waiting for me by the door with his bike and everything. and then going to the frog pond and passing by the petrol station to get pasta for dinner and then going to his place. and the fucking birds singing fuckk i hate those stupid birds i want them to shut up. because it takes me back to those evenings with B. and even tho this is the same building in front of which i used to take the school bus every morning when i was a kid, the only thing i can associate with it is B. despite all the other memories i have in this neighbourhood, it's always B B B.

and now i live in a different neighbourhood and listen to different music and have completely changed my wardrobe, i still have those memories ingrained in me. of me in my denim skirt and pink velvet top from bershka i bought when i was 17. him on his bike with his stupid backpack and cheeky grin. that one picture of us smiling in the countryside with wheat fields and the lignon towers behind us. the birds singing and the sun setting.

fuck.

when will it end?

[very-grownup]

I'm an extremely introverted person. I'm very shy. Sometimes I have trouble saying sentences to people I've known for over /twenty years/ and I'm here to tell you it is good to know your neighbours and it is good to be able to show some of yourself to your coworkers and it is nice to exchange simple words with baristas and grocery store clerks and the folks who maintain the building your work in.

Here are some tips:

go on walks around your neighbourhood

ask if you can pet dogs you run into if their owners aren't in a hurry and then ask them about their dog some more

weather it is the default small talk because you know for certain you are experiencing the same thing and it has an effect on your every day life

say thank you

can you see their garden you have a nice garden I like your flowers wow your tomatoes look good

if I have to be out of the office for a vet appointment I put I am taking the dog/cat to the vet in the office calendar and then people may ask you how is your dog/cat and if they like dogs/cats maybe you can show them a picture of your dog/cat

probably some variant on the above if you have kids?

I like your tattoo it is cool

that is a nice colour you have dyed your hair

prepare some things that you are comfortable saying if people ask you what you're doing for the weekend/holiday and then ask what are you doing because then they will do the talking and it will be a successful interaction

thank you for bringing doughnuts/I have brought doughnuts

hold doors

be chill about neighbourhood children

I left cards for people at Halloween telling them I liked their decorations which I guess wasn't really a people interaction but it felt nice

don't be a fucking narc

Here are some nice things that can ensue:

it is nice to go into a bakery and be greeted by name

maybe you will get a ride home or a lift to the grocery store

once I had to get Whimsy from the university vet hospital but the friend who I would get a ride from had her car break down suddenly and a coworker helped me pick her up and get her home because she also liked dogs

would you like some apples we have too many apples

I can't drink this tea because I'm pregnant you like tea here is some tea for you

I noticed a strange man in your yard and he said he was your dad but I still kept an eye on him was he your dad

the building repair man will help you carry a giant bag of dog food up to your office

sometimes you are having a sad day because your mother is dying and the unhoused man who avoids the wind by nursing a coffee in the shop run by a chill dude will ask if you are okay and then ask if you need a hug and then you get a hug

shoveling the walk for you because they're out before you

do you want me to take that to the dump for you because I'm going anyway

I cannot overstate how hard it is. A coworker is about to go on maternity leave and I bought her a present for her baby and for her three-year-old who's going to be a big brother and giving them to her was hard but then I got a picture of her son hugging the floppy stuffed frog I bought him and that was really nice.

This is how you get those moments that are really nice and small and precious. You have to put in the small works that connect you.

ETA: It's about doing things you don't have to do. You didn't have to thank them. You didn't have to tell them their skirt looked nice. You didn't have to remember their birthday. You didn't have to ask them. But you did and they probably don't know if it was hard for you and maybe it won't stick with them into the next day but in the moment you noticed them, somehow.

the allergy i am seeing grow up around small talk in any form is troubling to me. do you know how to make friends with people in your physical environment? it typically starts with small talk. do you want to live in community? small talk. do you want to have the type of relationship with your neighbors where you can run over and borrow a battery for your smoke detector when it starts beeping at 10pm? small talk!! do you want leeway from your coworkers when you fuck up something small? you gotta be able to build a relationship and that's small talk, baybeee.

"but i don't need friends and i don't care about community!" okay, lone ranger, what about the people in your community who need you? "but i have social anxiety!" me too, bud! we simply must soldier on. making up lists of questions to ask people helps. and people are predisposed to be generous, i've found. even if you make some kind of mistake, what is this but the natural give and take of human interaction? nobody is perfect.

you were not put on this earth to live by yourself and then die. you need people and people need you. treat those around you with curiosity and generousness of spirit and you will gain so much goodwill in return.

[elijasz]

I am struggling financially right now and I already have a job again but won't get paid for a while and I'm literally pushing all payments as far as I can right now but I need to get my medication refilled this month and now my cat is having an emergency and is doing bad health wise. I'm so fucking worried. I mean my partners will likely be able to pay for it as its one of their cats aswell but I'm going to fucking throw up, I'm feeling so guilty. I want to go see a doctor for her tomorrow, hell if I had the money I'd get her to the vet hospital right now, but my partner is really not keen on going to the doctor tomorrow because itll be several hundred euros but I'd quite honestly hate myself forever if anything happened to her. She's my everything and its because someone in the neighbourhood got a cat and he keeps attacking our cats in our yard. I'm literally going to catch this cat and drive him far far away if I ever see him attacking my cat again. I've literally thrown a shoe at him before to scare him (a sandal and I didn't aim to hit him) and our cat doesn't even leave our small garden. Like he assaulted her on our fucking doorstep. I don't even know who the owners are but god knows what I'll do if I find out.

I know the risks of letting our cats out but we tried keeping them as indoor cats and they literally went crazy no matter what we did. They have to be allowed out. God I wish the previous owner hadnt lied about them never having been outside.

[cherry-romper]

You Sound Like a Song

Playlist

+ Yuji, Megumi, Nobara, Maki, Inumaki, Yuta, Todo, Gojo, Nanami, Toji, Geto, Choso, Kusakabe, Higuruma, Sukuna.

Yuji; Magnetic - ILLIT

Even from afar, Pulling me close,

You're my crush

Everything about you sticks to my heart

This time, I want you, You, Like its magnetic

Don't wanna hide it, the magnet in my heart

Megumi; Pretty Boy - The Neighbourhood

Even if my heart stops beating, You're the only thing I need

Now its all about to end

As long as I got you, I'm gonna be alright

I'm not afraid to die

No, I'm lucky you're with me

Nobara; God is a woman - Ariana Grande

You love it how I touch you, my one

When its all said and done, You'll believe God is a woman

Have it any way you like

And I can tell that you know I know how I want it

When you try to come for me, I keep on flourishin'

Maki; Rules - Doja Cat

You ain't talk money, then really that's none of my business

I don't even need these lenses, 20 on 20 my vision

Look at me like I'm alien, bitch, I'm fucking reptilian

All y'all bitches was wrong, Talkin' bout I fell off, You ain't even get on

Inumaki; Blondie - Current Joys

There are flowers in my heart

They're growing thorns and it hurts

And I won't, See you again

Can we kiss? Can we dance?

Yuta; 死ぬのがいいわ (Shinunoga E-wa) - Fujii Kaze

I want you to be my last

If I have to keep being separated from you like this, I'd rather die

I choose you over three meals a day

I'll always stick with you, my baby

Todo; Talk - Hozier

And I'd be the immediate forgiveness

Imagine being loved by me

I wont deny Ive got in my mind now, All the things I would do

I'd be the sweet feeling of release mandkind now dreams of

Gojo; Heartbeat - Childish Gambino

I wanted you to know, That I am ready to go

Whenever you're around, Can't speak, I can't speak

So we fuck 'til it come to conclusions

Im a ghost and you know this

But you don't want the same thing, Well, two can play that game

Nanami; Trash Magic - Lana Del Rey

Boy, you wanna hold me down, Tell me that you love me?

I do my hair up, all high and wide, White flowers tied

He said, "Lana Rey. Will you serve me lemonade?" I said, "Yes Bill, I will, It's the day of the parade, And you look even more handsome than you, Did the day that I left you"

All I want is to feel good

Toji; L'AMOUR DE MA VIE - Billie Eilish

I wish you the best for the rest of your life, Felt sorry for you when I looked in your eyes

Did I break your heart? Did I waste your time?

It isn't asking for a lot for an apology

Its not my fault, I did what I could, You made it so hard, Like I knew you would

Geto; favourite crime - Olivia Rodrigo

Know that I loved you so bad

I was your willing accomplice, honey

One heart broke, four hands bloody

The things I did, Just so I could call you mine

I hope I was your favourite crime.

Choso; Is There Someone Else? - The Weekend

Is there someone else or not?

'Cause I wanna keep you close, I don't wanna lose my spot

If I ain't with you, I dont wanna be

I don't wanna be a prisoner to who I used to be

'Cause I wanna be with you forever

Kusakabe; The Color Violet - Tory Lanez

I left the party with a barbie marking X on the dot

But she likes my watch and my droptop and my persona

I've got some nerve to play hard

I've waited for my chance, but playboys we don't dance

Tis beat in my dance is not for romance

Higuruma; Salvatore - Lana Del Rey

All the lights are sparkling for you, it seems, On the downtown scenes, shady blue

The summer's wild and I've been waiting for you all this time

I adore you, can't you see you're meant for me?

I was so wrong not to doubt your Medellín, tangerine dreams

Sukuna; Living Dead Girl - Rob Zombie

There's only one sure way, To bring the giant down

Crawl on me, Sink into me, Die for me

Living dead girl

Blood on her skin, Dripping with sin, Do it again