#works by elliotts-personal-property

[elliotts-personal-property]

I Think I Love You (Joe Elliott x Reader)

A/N: Hey y'all, as promised here's the Joe one shot. Feeling super nervous rn, considering this is the first time I’ve posted my writing on here. I'd love to hear your feedback so I can improve on my writing. I'm open to any and all constructive criticism and encourage it! Anyways… I won't keep stalling for any longer. I hope y’all enjoy this one!!

Warnings: Mentions/references to making out/smut but nothing actually explicit happens.

Ps, if you really want to feel the vibe of this one shot I'd suggest listening to "I Think I Love You" by The Partridge Family while reading this💗

With love, Kris<3

-

Sheffield, 1982

I'm sleeping

And right in the middle of a good dream

Like all at once I wake up

The poor guy had been tossing and turning all night.

Joe couldn't get his mind off of you.

Just the thought of you disrupted his sleep.

From something that keeps knocking at my brain

In his eyes you were perfect. You were the only girl in the world he wanted. Of course that also meant you were the one girl, who in his eyes, had got away. The one he could never have. Why? Because you were his best friend.

For months upon months he was stuck in this endless cycle.

It went a little something like this:

He'd think about you so much so that he'd convince himself that he had to go tell you.

Then he'd work up the courage to say it.

He'd find the perfect time to confess but then start to reconsider his choice. He always would hold it back when he decided it wasn't a good idea after all.

He'd then go back to thinking about how perfect of a moment it would've been and mentally kick himself for not saying a thing.

And the cycle would repeat.

It went on and on and on.

Before I go insane

As a result of this, he hadn't had a good nights sleep in a while.

That night was different though.

I hold my pillow to my head

Something had finally snapped.

And spring up in my bed

He had known how he felt for a long time. But he had never actually come to terms with the gravity of it.

Screaming out the words I dread

I think I love you

All at once it hit him like a brick wall. He realized he truly loved you.

-

On the rare occasion that your best friend felt brave he'd indirectly hint at something more. After a while of not getting any knowing looks from you he just assumed that you were oblivious to all of his side comments. You in fact were not.

After a while you started to get impatient with him.

You wanted to shout it out loud, right in his face, "Dear God Joe just ask me out already!"

Recently those side comments from Joe had stopped. You would've said something to him if he hadn't stopped. But now you weren't even sure if he still cared, or if he had just given up and moved on. It would be stupid to lose your friendship over this. So you stayed quiet just to be safe.

It was a shocker to both you and everyone else how you two hadn't gotten together already.

There were so many signs. It was only a matter of time.

-

This morning

I woke up with this feeling

I didn't know how to deal with

Another night of restless sleep had gone by. It was worse than usual, so much so that by dawn he had already come up with a plan.

He knew what he had to do. He was going to tell you the only way he could. In the only unique love language he knew, through music.

If he was gonna do it, it had to be big and flashy. Joe wouldn't have it any other way.

He couldn't let his feelings lie dormant anymore. No, he thought, this time will be different. This time I won't back out.

And so I just decided to myself

I'd hide it to myself

And never talk about it

He had kept his feelings to himself for the past few years. Joe wanted to tell you, he really did. But in the back of his mind he worried about ruining the relationship you guys already had.

Joe loved you so much that he was willing to hide his feelings just so you wouldn't walk out on his life. He didn't want to lose you over some feelings he had. Ones that he couldn't guarantee you'd reciprocate. So, he believed it was best to keep it to himself.

And did not go and shout it

When you walked into the room

I think I love you

Joe didn't just think, he knew.

Joe was dead set on what he had to do. He just needed to get a few things sorted. First off was getting the guys on board with it.

-

Joe gathered his closest friends together. They were less like bandmates and more like brothers to him. He knew they would help him out. All it would take was a bit of convincing.

"Can you please help me out?" Joe pleaded.

He assured them about his plan.

"It's just one, and it'll be real quick."

"Alright, fine," the bassist answered for them all, "What song is it anyways?"

Joe told them his song of choice and they all gave him odd looks.

Sav cocked an eyebrow at the song choice.

"The Partridge Family? Are you serious?"

Phil chimed in, "You really think a band like us should be playing a song like that?"

Steve rested his hand on his head, "Everyone's going to make fun of us."

Joe tried to defend his choice, "You know it can't be that bad. We're playing in a pub for god's sake. It's not like the whole world's gonna be there."

The rest of the guys seemed unconvinced.

"Come on guys, you said you'd help me. Please?"

He kept on.

"Just help a bloke out, alright?"

And on.

"Please I promise I'll never ask for anything ever again."

Rick half-whispered to Sav.

"You know he's never gonna let it up. Not until we say yes at least."

Sav knew he was right. Joe wouldn't stop bugging them until they agreed.

"Okay fine, but it's only one song."

Joe nodded enthusiastically, "Mhm yeah, just one."

It was settled, they would help. Now all that was left was to get you there.

-

I think I love you

So what am I so afraid of?

The thought of telling you was exciting to him, yet terrifying.

I'm afraid that I'm not sure of

A love there is no cure for

His heart raced as he drove over to your place.

I think I love you

Joe was already cheery about just the thought of you going.

Isn't that what life is made of?

He hadn't felt this excited over something in a long time.

As he pulled onto your street he tapped on the steering wheel. It was due to the mix of both the pure joy of excitement and an ever growing anxious feeling that was building up inside.

Though it worries me to say

That I've never felt this way

-

Believe me

You really don't have to worry

"You'll be there tomorrow, right?"

"Of course," you answered with a wide smile, "You guys go on at eight, right?"

God he loved your smile. It could light up any room.

He melted just looking at you. Anytime you spoke to him he lost all train of thought.

You snapped your fingers to get his attention.

"Joe?"

"Oh- um, yeah. Eight, we'll be on then."

I only wanna make you happy

After you said yes he began going through that same cycle again. He started doubting his whole plan. Wondering if it would work or not.

There was no way he could back out now though. For the past few days they'd been practicing that song, not stopping until Joe felt satisfied with the final product.

He wondered if you would stick around after all of this.

Would you tell him to "beat it" and move on with your life without him? Or would you stay there by his side?

And if you say, "Hey, go away"

I will

Joe crossed his fingers, hoping for the best outcome possible.

But I think better still

I'd better stay around and love you

He was determined to make sure you stayed.

Do you think I have a case?

Let me ask you to your face

Do you think you love me?

Tomorrow night he'd get the long awaited answer to that question.

I think I love you

-

You arrived early, wanting to make sure you were right up front. This is what you always did. It was your way of showing Joe you cared. You mindlessly tapped your fingers against the small stage, waiting for them to come out.

Meanwhile Joe was there fixing himself up in their tiny dressing room, (if you could even call it one). It was fairly small. The owner had "renovated" one of their small back rooms into a "dressing room".

He stood in front of the vanity mirror fluffing out the rest of his hair. Joe was doing any and everything in his power to keep his mind off of the plan. He looked at his reflection as he told himself to just smile and hope for the best. Whatever happens happens, it was no longer in his control anymore.

After waiting for what felt like forever the guys finally came out on stage. As Joe got on he stopped in front of you and sent you a quick smile before turning his attention to the other patrons of the bar.

You cheered along the whole time as they went through their usual set list. It didn't matter how many times you'd seen them, you were always captivated by their showmanship.

Time always seemed to fly by whenever you watched them play.

By now you had memorized their set list and were almost sure they were closing out now, having just played Wasted. They always saved it for last and were just about ready to leave.

That was before Joe had something to say.

The cheering in the room died down as Joe placed the mic back in its stand. He adjusted it right to his level, getting ready to speak.

"We have one last song for you all tonight. We're gonna take a little change of pace if that's alright with you."

He took a glance around at his bandmates, giving them all a quick nod before adding on.

"This one goes out to a very special someone. Someone who means the world to me."

His eyes drifted down to the people in the front row, moving one by one until eventually landing onto you.

"This is for you, Y/N."

Taking one last deep breath in he calmed himself before counting the guys in.

All of them started in, "Ba, ba ba ba, ba ba ba ba, ba."

You giggled at the ridiculousness of it before fully realizing the gravity of this song.

You knew what it was the second they sung the first line.

You hadn't heard it in such a long time and had practically forgotten about it, forgotten how much you loved it. It was always one of your favorites, and Joe had known that for a while now.

All thoughts completely left your mind when Joe began to sing.

"I'm sleeping,

And right in the middle of a good dream,

Like all at once I wake up,

From something that keeps knocking at my brain,

Before I go insane,

I hold a pillow to my head,

And spring up in my bed,

Screaming out the words I dread."

The rest of the guys joined in on the next line.

"I think I love you!”

This was his confession.

His eyes couldn't help but drift towards you.

"I think I love you."

While preforming Joe tried to keep his attention with the rest of the audience equal, but he kept on letting his eyes go back to you, like some sort of magnet that couldn't be pulled apart.

If him dedicating this song to you wasn't the most obvious thing, you'd say his looks alone were enough to tell you that this was for you.

You couldn't help but feel a smile tugging at your lips. Your cheeks started to feel sore from the excessive smiling.

"So what am I so afraid of?"

Every time his eyes caught yours you felt your heart skip a beat.

"I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for."

Joe really did care about you, deep down inside he did, he always did.

Soon the song came to a close with their repeated "I think I love you's" becoming more and more quiet as they faded off.

They all came front and center, taking a short bow together as the crowd in the bar cheered them on.

The girl next to you had to have already been out of it.

"You're a lucky girl, huh?" she practically yelled into your ear. You couldn't blame her though, she was standing directly in front of an amplifier the whole time.

It snapped you out of the trance you seemed to have slipped into.

"Oh-uh yeah," you smiled.

"Look," she said, swinging her arm to point at the guys in front of you.

The rest of them were making their way off, leaving through the stage left.

Joe was the last one still up there.

You stayed staring at him in disbelief, not even knowing what to do. He had finally said it... or well sung it, same difference. What was there you could do?

He tilted his head to your right gesturing off to the side of the stage, to what you only could assume led to their dressing room.

He flashed you a quick smile before sending a subtle wink your way.

If it was anybody else, you'd say you were surprised by their actions, but for Joe? Well that's a different story.

With both of her hands the girl next to you latched onto your arm.

"Ooh looks like someone's gettin' some action tonight!"

Your cheeks flushed red and you prayed to god no one else heard.

Immediately you turned to Joe, hoping he hadn't heard the girl's remark.

His eyes darted away from you. Before Joe left you saw him trying to suppress his chuckling, but ultimately failing. His smug smile was the last thing you saw as he walked off the stage.

Of course he had to have heard it, why wouldn’t he?

The girl let go of you when you told her you had to leave. She told you something along the lines of, "Have fun tonight!" before you left.

You went around the corner finding the door that you guessed led backstage. The door was locked from the inside and there was no way of getting in. You didn't worry though, knowing that the guys would come out soon enough.

After a couple minutes of waiting by the door an ecstatic Rick swung it open. The rest of the guys shuffled their way out, but with their lead nowhere in sight.

You turned your attention towards the last member to come out.

"Is he?"

"Third door to the right," Sav answered before you could even finish asking your question.

"Thanks."

He gave you a warm smile, still holding the door open for you, letting you slip through to the back hallway.

"See you in a bit," he said, letting the door shut behind you.

Even though there was no reason to, you counted to yourself as you passed by each of the doors.

One...

Two...

You felt your heart race as you got closer to the last one.

...Three

You stood there for a moment trying to see if you could hear anything on the other side. You didn't and knew it was time to stop stalling.

After taking a deep breath to compose yourself you rested your hand on the cool doorknob.

Here goes nothing.

You slowly opened the door as quietly as you could and after shutting it watched the scene play out before you.

He stood there in front of a vanity mirror facing away from you. He hadn't noticed you but you could see his face clear as day through the reflection.

Joe was humming a tune while brushing his hair. You immediately recognized what song it was.

He was humming the one he had just played. His tone was full of pure joy.

Once he was done he ran his fingers through his hair, trying to shape it some more.

The man in front of you looked fine already but seemed to be getting ready for something more.

He adjusted the collar of his shirt before picking up a small bottle of cologne. Adding just a spray to his neck and one to his wrist before turning around.

Joe's humming abruptly stopped and his eyes widened.

"Oh… you're here?"

You'd been caught staring.

At this point any embarrassment that you could have had got washed away whenever he decided to dedicate that song to you.

"Sorry, I-"

"Don't be," he cut you off.

He set the bottle down and slowly approached you, seeming to take his time with it.

You watched carefully as he took every painfully slow step.

You didn't know where to start, but knew you had to say something.

"You guys were great."

"Thank you."

You had to bring it up, you couldn't bare to wait any longer.

"That song you played. Did you?"

You stopped, taking a quick glance around, noting that it was just the two of you in the room, before finishing.

"Did you really mean that?"

His gaze softened at the question.

"Yes."

He paused before stepping closer, leaving barely any room between the two of you.

"I meant every word of it."

Your heart sped up with every word he spoke.

"Y/N I mean it."

His hand moved up to tuck the loose hair behind your ear.

"I think I love you."

You had been longing to hear those words for such a long time. Never in your lifetime did you think it would happen, but it finally did.

He said that to you, and you only.

After all this time, you heard those three words you loved the most.

"I love you."

His hand moved down to cup the side of your face. You lightly nudged your face against his warm palm. Closing your eyes you took a deep breath in, wanting to smell more of the cologne that rested on his wrist.

When you opened your eyes his hand moved down to carefully tilt your chin up.

Your eyes faced him now.

"I love you too."

This was the moment. The moment you waited forever for.

Heart racing and eyes wide you both slowly drew in closer. It felt like the longest seconds of your life, waiting for him to connect with you.

You looked into his emerald green eyes before letting yours flutter closed.

Soon enough you felt the feather light touch on your lips. It felt like heaven to you.

You brought one hand up, letting you fingers run through his light brown hair.

You felt Joe's other hand reach down to the small of your back, gently pulling you closer into him.

All you could do now was relax your body and take in the overwhelming smell of his cologne.

After what felt like an eternity, the two of you finally pulled away from one another. You already missed the feeling of his soft lips on yours.

You refused to back up from him, leaving hardly any gap between you two.

His warm breath fell on your lips as he mumbled, "You don't know how long I've wanted this."

"Me too."

Joe's hands dropped down and his fingers latched onto the belt loops of your jeans before lightly tugging at them, pulling you closer.

Your hips were pulled forward and you lightly bumped against him before falling back and resting mere inches from him.

Joe's eyes quickly scanned over your face as if he was looking for a cue of some sort.

Though you had never seen this look on him before, you knew exactly what it meant.

"Please Y/N."

That short plea was more than enough to get you going.

Your arms almost instinctively wrapped around his neck, letting him know you were okay with it.

"Come on," he said, slightly lowering himself to reach the back of your legs. He lifted you up and stepped back to sit in the armchair placed in front of the mirror

Your legs were pinned close on either side of him, resting between his outer thighs and the arms of the chair.

Without warning the two of you crashed into each other once more, desperate for each other's touch.

He hummed into the kiss, making you relish in the feeling he gave you.

-

You didn't know exactly how much time had gone by, but you knew a decent amount had passed.

Slowly, you drew away from his neck and let out a shaky breath, still wanting more. It had now been a little while since you first got in there and you knew it would only be a matter of seconds until someone barged in looking for two of you.

Your eye contact with him continued as you calmed your breathing.

Lightly pushing yourself away, resting your hands on his stomach, you finally spoke up.

"We should go. They're pry wondering what's taking so long."

Joe thought about it for a second. Seemingly weighing the pros and cons of both staying and going.

"Who cares? Let 'em wonder."

You planted one last quick kiss before making an offer.

"How about later, yeah?"

A wicked smile spread across his face, already thinking of what was to come, "Yeah."

You pulled yourself off of him and tried to fix the newfound wrinkles in your clothes. After getting up he did the same and you stayed there fixing yourselves up.

Just as the two of you were about to walk out you stopped him.

"Wait."

He turned to you.

"You’ve got a little…," you trailed off as you brought your thumb up to the corner of his mouth.

"Something," you finished as you wiped the last bit of red lipstick off of him.

Feeling content with how the two of you looked, you set off out of the dressing room and back down the hallway.

He held the door open for you and led you out into the main room.

You both scanned your eyes around the bar floor trying to find the guys.

Joe grabbed onto your hand and held on as he guided you through the crowd. He led you over to the round booth where they were all seated. As you approached the booth he gave your hand a light squeeze before letting go.

It took only one glance at the you two for the teasing to start.

"Woah!" Phil exclaimed, "What happened in there?"

"Nothing," Joe replied making his best attempt at a deadpan tone.

"You sure about that?"

The rest joined in on by adding "ooohs," sounding exactly like a group of kids in elementary who just found out one of their classmates was called into the principals office.

This was only the beginning of the never ending teasing that was to come.

Phil raised his eyebrows, "Just couldn't wait until you got home, huh?"

Joe rolled his eyes at his bandmates teasing.

Sure you had been gone for a bit, but you knew there had to have been something else causing their reactions.

You looked between yourself and Joe quickly noticing the culprit.

Though you had made sure to get all your lipstick off his face you forgot to check the collar of his shirt. The sloppy kisses had caused you to completely miss his neck in some spots and just get his shirt. The shirt in question being a white one didn't help your case.

There was no sense in trying to rub it off now, and not like you could anyways.

Rick and Sav scooted around to make room for you and Joe.

As you sat down you both noticed all the other guys were already starting their night off with their drinks in hand.

Joe looked around at each and every one of them, "You started without us, aye?”

"We waited for a little while, but you guys took too long," Sav replied.

Joe turned to face you, "How 'bout a round?"

You smiled, "Sure."

-

Thank you so much for reading!! I hope you liked it💗

[sunsetzer]

Hello I am not dead I've just been sucked irrevocably into Stardew Valley by my friend who bought it for my birthday (and also Christmas, because my birthday is three days after Christmas, which is usually the way presents go for me and I don't mind). I've already put like 42 hours into my little farm in the forest and making friends with the residents and I'm having the most delightful time. Also my friend's boyfriend is purchasing a copy for my girlfriend so we can play together. What really sold her was when I told her we could get gay married in co-op. 10/10

[moonferry]

OKAY here's part 2 of the "how the stardew marriageables would feel to hug" once again will be in alphabetical order !!

bachelorette version HERE

the bachelors (and krobus)

alex: alex loves working out and is obviously very strong. with this in mind, i think he'd be another person who accidentally hugged far tighter than he meant to. his hugs feel like sitting in a reclining chair - like one of the demo ones at a furniture shop. despite how tight he hugs you, you find yourself relaxing into him. plus, i just think it would be nice to bury your face in his chest, alex gently rubbing the back of your head and you telling him about your day. i think alex would smell like leather and maybe musky cologne. a bit more overpowering than the rest (his smell literally latches onto you, your clothing, or even the air around you.) it's not a bad scent tho, just very "masculine" in a way?

elliott: elliott's hugs are lovely! i imagine he has the softest hugs of all the marriageables (likely do to the copious amounts of skincare products/lotions he purchases, but that's just an added bonus.) hugging elliott would feel similar to hugging a silk pillowcase: nice, soft/gentle, and an overall enjoyable experience. elliott's hugs are the perfect "i just want a simple hug right now" kind. i imagine he'd enjoy wrapping his arms around your waist and complimenting you as the two of you hugged. elliott probably smells like an inkwell, with some pomegranate and maybe some ginger (and the ocean, of course!) very light and fruity (honestly you might steal his cologne a time or two.)

harvey: the man who brought this entire spiel to life.. harvey definitely gives the best hugs. his hugs feel like being wrapped in a comforting blanket or feeling the wind gently blow across your face as you sit outside and watch the sun set. i've mentioned this before, but i think harvey loves back hugs. something about having his arms wrapped around you, drawing small shapes on your stomach, and gently kissing your cheek just draws him in. i imagine harvey smells like coffee, a warm chocolate cake, some sandalwood and fresh pine. his hugs are perfect for when you both need to unwind after a stressful day. something about them (maybe it's his doctorly aura) makes your body feel calmed, like it's being healed in a way. legend says that harvey's hugs tend to have healing properties so 👀

krobus: he doesn't exactly have arms, so hugging you back isn't an option. at least not physically, that is. he somehow manages to transmit the feeling of hugging you into your mind and it causes your skin to tingle. however, if you were to actually hug krobus, i imagine it would feel similar to hugging a stuffed animal or a mystical cat. i imagine krobus would be very soft (possibly fluffy!) and his little wisp at the top of his head would rest against your shoulder. as for smells, krobus is a bit difficult. (obviously, coming from a life in the sewers, it's not going to be the greatest thing to smell) HOWEVER i imagine he would smell like black cherry or the "black ice" car air freshener.

sam: oh sam gives amazing hugs. unlike alex, sam crushes you on purpose. he's just very excited and full of love - he needs to share it by squeezing you until you pop! (not literally, of course). i think it's primarily a case of "cuteness aggression" where he just gets so overwhelmed with positive emotions from seeing you that he has to let them out by hugging you tight enough to crack a rib. you don't mind though, and even joke that he could take up practice as a chiropractor because, after hugging him, your spine always seems to become board straight. i imagine sam smells like strawberries, soda, and the beach, maybe a slight hint of desert mist. i like to imagine he also uses his height to an advantage and often picks you up when he hugs you, probably spinning you around as well.

sebastian: another one who i don't think is much of a hugger, especially if he doesn't know you that well. if he does warm up to you, though, he prefers side hugs or he prefers to be the one being hugged, not the other way around. full contact hugs always result in awkwardness and he'd rather avoid that. his hugs are a bit "colder" in a way and usually are finished within a few seconds. it's not that he doesn't like you, he just isn't a big fan of physical touch. however, if you decide to hug him, he will happily lean against you for as long as you want him to. if you drape your arm around his waist and let him lean into your side, his head on your shoulder, he may end up falling asleep. (yoba knows he needs it...) i think sebastian would smell like the outdoors: like a smokey campfire, like peaches, like the crisp, fall air, and faintly like motor oil.

shane: oh another amazing hugger. shane's hugs are very pillowy and sweet, also slightly addictive. it's very easy to sink into him and enjoy the moment. on the other hand, i feel like shane also enjoys being hugged. he loves having your arms around him, your head resting against his chest or shoulder (or in between his shoulder blades if you're back hugging him, this one's a real favorite). bonus points if you trace shapes onto his stomach or lower back, he goes crazy for that sort of thing. (but he'll never admit it, obviously). i like to imagine shane smells like cherry cola, maybe something outdoorsy or something light (ie body wash or soap). i don't think he would go out of his way to make himself a certain way. however, i do think it's hilarious that he has that line of dialogue where he's like ""Sniff*... *sniff*... mmm... what's that wonderful fragrance you're wearing? Eau de pepperoni?”" <- goober.

[irisinluv]

Yandere Stardew Valley- Sebastian

I've been playing some Yandere Stardew mods recently. While I love them..... I feel like they do my husband (Sebastian) wrong. The citizens of Pelican Town are telling me that they can't hang out with me because Sebstian threatened them. That they've noticed some weird behavior. That he's physically violent. I disagree with all of these for Sebby.

He's our hot programmer boyfriend who lives in his basement bedroom, and only emerges to enjoy a smoke break, or to go see his friends. Now, while again, I do enjoy playing the mods...... I think his cannon behavior sets him up to be the perfect chronically online yandere. Pelican Town isn't exactly the most connected (6 out of the 11 rivals have access to a computer), but there's still potential. Obviously they're gonners if they have a computer. Sam finds himself doxed after making a comment about the gifts you gave him this week, and poor Haley's socials are blowing up with hate comments- from her personal insta to her photography blog.

But what about the other 5? The ones who are more disconnected? Well. It's easy enough to get Shane fired from joja. A little email to Morris from "HQ" saying he either fires Shane or his own pay gets docked..... well. Suddenly, everyone's favorite alcoholic doesn't even have a job anymore. Elliott suddenly has all these taxes he hasn't paid on his little shack..... beachfront properties cost a lot, you know. The parents stop letting Penny watch their kids after some..... explicit photos get leaked. It doesn't matter that they're edited. These people don't know about Photoshop. All they know is apparently Penny's making ends meet to support her mother..... and there's a new favorite subject to gossip on between all the older women. The other rivals are equally taken care of. All you need to focus on now is how Sebastian is the only reliable option in the whole damn town.

And he knows you so well, doesn't he? You, who lived away from it all until now. You, who WAS connected to the internet. Who had their entire life detailed through Facebook updates and Instagram posts. Honestly, Sebastian thinks that maybe he DOESN'T need to leave Pelican town... looking at the life you lived before coming to the valley, he thinks its much easier to keep you safe when he can control everything that goes on. There were too many factors to your old life. Too many parties to go to, coworkers to talk to, ex-boyfriends/girlfriends worry about. No. Sebastian thinks that city life isn't fit for the two of you to start you life together.

While he enjoyed seeing the trip down memory lane of who you were before becoming the farmer, and learning more about your likes and dislikes, he much prefers this version of you. The version of you who he found bouncing on their toes outside his door, excitedly shoving a frozen tear at him. Who eventually became the only person he was genuinely excited to have come barging into his room unannounced. And the thought of moving into the farm with you was all together far too tempting. He can picture it already. He'd set up a little area to work on his bike, he'd help out around the farm for you (he saw your hands covered in scrapes and splinters one day, and you sheepishly told him your fences had started wearing down.... but fixing a fence was another first for you. So you ended up scraping yourself up a bit on the old wood. Now, Sebastain, who, while he doesn't enjoy it, grew up with a carpenter mother..... well. He's going to make sure you never have that many splinters again.) Oh and he can already imagine it. The two of you, far away from the rest of the town, from prying eyes, no one to hear what you two would get up to as he helped you relax after a long day of working the feilds.....

This fantasy would sustain him until you eventually asked him to marry you. I don't think he would rush anything. To you, and the rest of the citizens, he was just normal Sebastian. Showing up for band practice, playing pool at the bar (although he seemed to play much better when a certain farmer came to watch). He just realized that the best way to control all the factors in town would be to remain anonymous. Avoid suspicion. After all. In a small town like that, it would be all too easy to turn against him if he decided to publicly threaten someone. And how would you react if you came to drop off some fresh sashimi to your boyfriend, only to find him being dragged out of his house by Clint, with Marlon standing nearby, ready to ship him off to face justice in the adventurers guild? No. That wouldn't do. He can't add any more stress to you like that. He'd remain the puppeteer, pulling the strings of the valley.

This isn't to say Sebastian never stalks you in person or anything like that. He can't help himself. He's a night owl. He knows the villagers schedules, has since before you even came to town. So, he knows he can get away with digging in the trash to find the straw you threw away at the bar. And if someone does hear him.... well. Linus is going to be everyone's first thought. He does, however, start adopting a stricter routine as far as monitoring your house after you mention how you sell your produce.

Sebastian was rightfully horrified when you explained that Mayor Lewis comes by your farm at night to collect anything you wish to sell. How it's such a relief to be able to just chuck things in the the bin as you're rushing to bed at 1:50 in the morning, only to get up first thing and start your day again, and not have to worry about lugging all your goods to the store. Sebastian won't criticize you for the lack of sleep..... no. That's not what's worrying. What's worrying is that this old man who has a gold statue of himself and who gets it on in the bushes with his secret girlfriend (of course Sebastian knows about that) is showing up to your house sometime after 2 am. His mind flashes back to his fantasy of the two of you, completely alone on the farm.... and then is mortified as this fantasy morphs into a nightmare where he looks up from bed with you, and sees Lewis' wrinkled face peering through the window. Yea. No. Sebastain installs some hidden cameras to make sure Lewis doesn't get up to anything funny while you're defenseless, asleep, alone..... ok he might need to get a new mayor elected. The old man might just have to go. Perhaps to a home outside the town. Regardless, he makes sure Lewis stops coming by as frequently. Frustratingly, he isn't able to completely stop it, but that'll be an easy fix once the two of you are married. He'll act surprised, "wow Lewis, that's so kind of you to help out the farmer all this time. But hey, don't worry, I'll take over. I'm up late anyways, and it's the least I can do!" But Sebastian still wakes up in a cold sweat and frantically rushes to check the cameras, making sure you're OK. That Lewis really is just checking the shipping bin.

Once y'all get married, he shows a bit more of that possessive side to you. But you chalk it up to just bedroom spicy time, and honestly find his hand tightening on your waist as Elliot asks you to read his latest poem hot.

Just. Yandere Sebastian brain rot.

[queen-paladin]

disclaimer: yes, I am complaining about cheating in media. Because, yes, writers have the freedom to create what they want but if the morality in creation is free for all forms of media, but no piece of art is exempt from criticism, and that includes criticism on personal moral grounds. I betcha if I said Harry Potter is good, actually, everyone on here would flood my blog telling me I am wrong because of the author's intense prejudice. That being said, I am criticizing cheating in fiction, If you don't like that, don't interact

So often lately I see period dramas where the husband cheats on the wife (ex. Poldark, The Essex Serpent, Queen Charlotte, The Great)...and not only do I despise the cheating trope with every fibre of my being to where I get panic attacks when I consume the media...but specifically with period dramas...

Do these writers not understand the greater implications of a husband cheating on a wife during these periods? More than just the humiliation and heartbreak in the case of a loving, good marriage just like it is today.

In the Western world, probably until certain laws were enacted in the 1900's, if a woman married a man, she was legally his property. She had no legal identity under him. She was financially dependent on him. Any wages she made would automatically go to her husband. Her children were also not legally her children- they belonged to the father. If the husband died, even if the wife was still alive, the children were legally considered orphans.

Women could only rarely gain a divorce from their husbands. In England in the mid-1800's specifically, if a wife divorced a husband she had to prove he had to not only cheat but also be physically abusive, incestuous, or commit bestiality. On the other hand, a husband could divorce a wife just for being unfaithful. Because, kids, there were sexual double standards.

Getting married was often the endgame for a lot of women during that time. Sometimes you couldn't make your own living enough- marriage was a way to secure your entire future financially, with more than enough money to get by. If you were a spinster and middle class, you could get by with a job. But if you are an upper-class lady, the one thing a lady does not do is get a job and work. So upper-class spinsters basically were dependent on their families to get by (ex. Anne Elliott in Persuasion faces this with her own toxic family). As strange as it sounded today, marriage gave them some freedom to go about since a husband could be persuaded sometimes more easily than a father and one had a different home, their servants, etc. A husband was your foundation entirely for being a part of society, and standing up as your own woman.

So if a husband cheated on a wife, that was a threat to take all of that away.

He could give a lot of money that could be used to support his wife and children to the mistress. He could completely abandon said wife for the mistress. And since the wife legally couldn't get a job as he still lived, she would be dependent on any money he would said- and that is IF he sent over any money.

He could take her to court and publicly humiliate her to get a divorce away from her (look up the separation of Charles and Kate Dickens, he would call her mentally ill and say her cooking was bad and that she was having more children than they could keep up with all while having an affair and divorcing her to be with the misteress). And even if the wife was the nicest, more proper, goodest, more rule-abiding never-keeping-a-toe-out-of-line lady in town...as a man, the law was default on his side (look up Caroline Norton's A Letter to the Queen which details exactly that, the poor woman had her earnings as a writer taken by her husband and was denied access to her children from said husband)

So yeah...even if there was "no love" between them (and anytime the wife is portrayed as too boring or too bitchy so He HaS tO cHeAt is brought up is...pretty victim blamey)

So yeah. Period drama writers, if you have the husband have an affair ...just consider the reality of these things and address them, maybe punish the husband for once (*gasp* men facing consequences for their actions?!?!!), and if not, just please find other options and other tropes and devices for once.

[threewaywithdelusion]

Alec Lightwood Not Giving a Single Fuck About the Law

(Spoilers! So many spoilers! For everything except Secrets of Blackthorn Hall, because I haven't read it yet)

I'm not too clear on what the Accords say about Shadowhunters policing Downworlders/what Downworlders are not allowed to do. But I'm pretty sure all of these must be illegal (or at least frowned upon):

Not reporting that Magnus started a joke cult that turned in a real cult that was killing people and worshiping a Greater Demon

Letting the person actually running said evil cult go free after they had captured her because he knew the Clave would execute her and even though Shinyun was literally responsible for several murders, he thought she deserved a second chance (and Magnus related to her, and Alec wanted to spare Magnus pain)

Never reporting Elliott of the New York Vampire Clan for literally everything he has done, including biting several Downworlders at a party, having multiple incidents with faerie fruit, "accidentally" biting 17 mundanes while under the influence (including at least one time where Lily had to stop him from killing the mundane in question), and cheating on two Selkies who then caused property damage in a fight with each other

relatedly, not reporting Mordecai, the faerie fruit dealer

(I just love this entire exchange: "As the current head of the New York Institute," Maryse said, with an attempt at firmness, "if there is illegal Downworlder activity happening, it should be reported to me." "I do not talk to Nephilim about Downworlder business," Lily said severely. The Lightwood parents stared at her, and then swung their heads in sync to stare at their son. Lily waved a dismissed hand in their direction. "Except for Alec, he's a special case.")

Watching Juliette, Werewolf Queen of the Buenos Aires Shadow Market, kill a Shadowhunter and just lightly suggest she try to take the Shadowhunters alive (and then not punish her in any way for killing that one guy)

Not reporting that Ragnor Fell had found a realm for the Greater Demon Sammael and also worked for him for a period of time (I don't think the Clave would care that Ragnor didn't had a choice because of the sventhorn)

Suggested in the final battle in Queen of Air and Darkness that an effective way to render opposing Shadowhunters unconscious would be to have vampires bite them and drink enough of their blood that they passed out

Protecting Marcy, the werewolf who transformed at a club during a full moon, and never reporting her for almost revealing the shadow world to Mundanes and injuring several of them

Breaking the Cold Peace several times by visiting several Shadow Markets, interacting with faeries, and pretending not to know about multiple illegal Shadowhunter-faerie relationships (Tian/Jinfeng and Mark/Kieran/Cristina)

Not illegal but probably seen as outrageous by other Shadowhunters:

marrying Magnus in Shadowhunter gold

traipsing into a hell dimension to save Downworlders

letting a vampire (Simon) drink his blood

offering his blood to a different vampire (Lily)

raising a Downworlder child as his own (and also training that child like a Shadowhunter)

raising a Shadowhunter child that has a Downworlder parent

Basically, Alec Lightwood is a badass and the fact that he went from the type of guy who said "sed lex, dura lex" to the man who did all of this is the reason he is one of my favorite characters ever

[avikard]

let me tell you a little more about my SDV farmer OC Ventan? 🍓

this is her latest redesign, i really wanted to make her outfit a little closer to her personality.

Ventan has lived in the valley for six years, four of which she has been married to Elliott. she originally came to her grandfather's farm to clean up the property a bit and then sell it, as she didn't want the taxes on this unused piece of land. but then something went wrong.

as i wrote earlier, she's physically really strong. i'm starting a logically muscular physique farmers OC club!

is an old reply to one fandom ask group.

"Your character is like…

a color: Blackberry (is the color of her hair in the sunlight)

a plant: Chenomeles (this flower blooms on the tree in the spring on her birthday)

an animal: Bear (she's strong and seems as sullen as a bear)

a scent: Strawberry (it's her favorite crop)

a music: "Remember me" from "Coco" (she promised to come back)

a feeling: Uncertainty (she's constantly wondering if she's doing the right thing)"

this is art for a halloween event in the same ask group.

the event consisted of the task of depicting their farmer as a yandere. at the time i participated, Ventan was still canonically married to Sebastiane, so Abigail's name is on the tombstone.

if it were Yandere, it would be really creepy stuff.

this answer (translations of the texts will be in the descriptions of the pictures) was based on a true story!!! and perfectly illustrates Ventan's first year on the farm.

although she had no intention of staying then, she had to make the days go by while saving up money to restore the farm for sale.

more facts about her!!!

🍓 she doesn't like fishing, but nevertheless she fishes just fine.

🍓 at first sight she is a closed and even a bit gloomy person, but if you have something in common with her - most likely you will see her real friendly and soft nature.

🍓 lived in a big city all her life before moving. never liked nature and small communities until she came to the valley.

🍓 she wasn't too fond of farm work either, but over time she got used to it and even loved the routine. and the people of Pelican town too.

🍓 works most of the time with music in her headphones.

🍓 doesn't like sunny days.

🍓 all her livestock are named after planets and stars.

🍓 loves going to Zuzu City just for fun and for business.

🍓 she's hard to piss off.

…i also did her wedding to another artist's farmer OC in that ask group for a joke and we had a lot of fun. and here she is so beautiful!!!

[joes-sha-la-la-la-girl]

Support

Def Leppard x Reader

Masterlist

For @steveperrysorgasmicpipes

A/N: So as requested this is a fic where the guys look after the reader. I incorporated a condition which I have and the symptoms which relate to me. Obviously each person with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder is different, and not all symptoms relate to everyone. I am happy to answer any question about the condition as I am trying to be more open about it whilst I come to terms with my diagnosis. Writing this fic has helped a lot and I hope you enjoy it. Also thank you to @elliotts-personal-property, @bring-on-the-heartbreak-joe and @i-love-def-leppard as well as all my lovely mutuals who have been there for me recently, I appreciate you all 💖💖

---

Groaning, I sit up as carefully as I can and climb off of the hotel bed. From experience, I knew it was better to move around rather than sit still and let all my joints stiffen up even worse. I also knew that I had to go to work, hence the reason I was in a hotel room in the first place. 

Being Def Leppard’s assistant definitely had its perks. First of all, although the hours were long, the entire band was understanding if I couldn’t make it into work one day. Not that I had ever told them about my condition and had instead made up excuses as to why I couldn’t work on my bad days.

I was hoping it would remain that way. Unfortunately after hearing all the cracks of my joints as I stood up, I knew that it would take more than a hot shower and some painkillers to help me today. Taking a deep breath, I got ready for the day as quickly as my body would let me. I was hoping that I would be able to hide the pain but as I walked out of my hotel room, I felt myself walk with the familiar limp from the pain in my hip. 

Def Leppard were on tour with Mötley Crüe and whilst I didn’t have too much interaction with the other band, I was really hoping that today of all days would be one where I could avoid them altogether. However, that was not meant to be as both bands were sitting down ready for breakfast. Plastering a smile on my face I went over and joined them. 

The only good thing was at the moment it was just the two bands there and that their wives were not on this leg of the tour. This meant that there were less people I had to hide my pain from. 

“Morning guys.” I grinned at them all, hoping to disguise the wince I made as I took the seat between Joe and Phil that had been saved for me.

There was a round of ‘mornings’ coming from the group, most of them almost incoherent as they struggled to wake up for the morning.

Despite feeling unwell, I knew I had to eat on my painkillers so I decided to grab a few pieces of fruit and just nibble on them whilst trying to engage in the conversations around me. As much as I tried to hide my discomfort, I knew I had failed when I saw Sav looking at me concerned over the table. As I looked into his blue eyes, which had not faded with time, I saw the question that was lingering in his mind.

I subtly nodded my head at him and gave a small smile, trying to convey that I was alright. However, much to my dismay, this had only attracted the attention of Joe who was seated to my right.

“You okay Y/N/N? You don’t look right.” 

Quietly I took a deep breath yet again and looked towards him, knowing that if I didn’t he wouldn’t believe the lie that was about to escape my mouth.

“Of course, I'm just tired. Didn’t get enough sleep s’all.”

It was very obvious on his face that he did not believe me but he did not press the matter any further in front of the others. Instead, he just looked at Sav and then the rest of his own band, all of them talking silently, something they had mastered over the years. The only upside was that the guys of Mötley Crüe hadn’t noticed that something was up. Whether it was deliberate because it didn’t concern them or they were really that oblivious didn’t matter. I was just grateful I didn’t have another group of eyes trained on me. 

When we finished breakfast, the bands had a day off so all I had to focus on was making sure everything was ready for them when they next perform. This meant that I should be running around all day between the hotel and the venue. I was dreading the day ahead of me, knowing roughly how it would go. I knew I would have to keep myself hydrated and well fed to try and prevent the dizzy spells as well as carrying my joint braces and supports just in case. 

I carefully made the trek back up to my hotel room, vaguely aware of the eyes that are on me as I leave. I carefully pack my bag for the day, making a mental note of everything that I have to get done. Just as I am about to leave I hear a knock at my hotel room door. Gently padding over to the door, I try to ignore the limp in my step. When I get there and open the door I am shocked to find all five members of Def Leppard standing there.

With a sigh I move out of the way, allowing them all to enter the room. They quickly made themselves at home with Rick, Vivian and Phil sat on the sofa and Joe and Sav perched on the foot of my bed. The two men on the bed allowed me room to sit in between them. Reluctantly I made my way over. Usually, I wouldn’t mind sitting and talking to the band, but right now, when I knew all they wanted to talk about was me, I would rather be anywhere else.

“So are you gonna tell us what’s going on or are we all gonna have to guess.” Joe started though his voice was soft and filled with concern. As I looked around, all I saw was five sets of eyes staring back at me waiting for a reply. 

“Honestly I’m fine. I’m just a bit tired.” I told them wanting them off of my case.

“Don’t lie to us Y/N.” Phil spoke, his tone the same as Joe’s. “What is really going on?”

I sighed as I looked around again. It was obvious they were not going to leave me alone until I told them what was going on. 

“I have a condition called Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder.” I started as I looked down at my lap. It wasn’t that I was ashamed of my condition but it was hard for me to talk about. 

“I was diagnosed a few years ago but I have been having problems since I was about nine. There are multiple symptoms but the main ones that affect me are chronic pain, fatigue and dislocations. It is incurable but there are things I can do to lower the pain. Some mornings though I just wake up and I know that it is going to be a bad day.”

“How come you’re only telling us this now?” Sav questioned with worry flooding his face.

“I didn’t want to be a bother to anyone. There's not much anyone can do anyway.”

“You still should've told someone Y/N/N.” Viv spoke up. “How many times have you gone through the day in pain and we haven’t noticed.”

“I don’t know. Look I appreciate the concern and everything but I really have to get to work.”

“Are you joking?” Joe scoffed, his eyes wide.

“Umm no, I can’t just stop everything…” I was interrupted by Sav. 

“Yes you can. You’re in pain Y/N. You can’t possibly work like this.”

“I have done in the past.”

“Only because we didn’t know then.” Rick interrupted this time with a pointed look on his face.

Realising this was a battle I was going to lose, I gave in.

“Fine. But I can’t stay in bed all day, if I don’t keep moving then my joints will seize up and I’ll end up in more pain.”

“Whatever you need Y/N. I’m just going to make a few calls so that you can have as long as you need off.” Joe told me before going to leave the room.

When Joe came back the entire day was spent with the five of them looking after me, despite my insistence that I could do it myself. A few times we went for a walk around the hotel corridors so that I could move around a little bit. Overall the whole day was a lot more comfortable than I originally planned. They had made sure that I was taking my pain meds and eating and drinking enough. 

The only time there was trouble was when I had a subluxation in my knee, which is where my knee had a partial dislocation. Whilst painful it was something I could deal with myself. Luckily I had my knee support on hand to strap my knee back up. By the evening time, all of them apart from Joe and Sav had left.

“So Y/N/N, are you going to tell us the real reason as to why you didn’t tell us about your condition?” Joe asked. I looked between him and Sav and I could tell that just like earlier, I wasn’t going to be able to avoid the question.

“When I tell people about my condition they always look at me differently. Whilst I knew that all of you would be the last people to judge me, I’ve gotten used to not talking about it.” I told them, hardly being able to look them in the eye.

“We get that Y/N/N but don’t let yourself be in pain again, alright?” Sav smiled at me.

“Yeah okay. And thank you for today.”

“It’s no problem at all.” Joe smiled as he patted me gently on the shoulder.

Sav did the same and the both of them smiled at me one final time before they left me alone for the evening to get ready for bed.

*

Over the next few weeks I continued to work with only a few problems but I noticed that all of them looked out for me. Things like offering to carry a heavy bag or walking slightly slower so that I could keep up and if I was honest it was making my life so much easier. Part of me wished that I had told them sooner but at least now they were all aware and I didn't have to struggle on my own anymore.

[armageddonviv]

hey friend! how are you? long time no talk?

Heya Rem, unfortunately I've been really busy with work recently & just barely get time to myself anymore at this rate so i apologise for being inactive on here and lack of chatting. Also been busy pushing edits out when i can but yeahh hopefully all my moots can understand i apologise in advance for my inactivity 😭🥺💗

@leppardcampbelllove @stevesfuzzypinkslippers @i-love-def-leppard @jimmysdragonsuit13 @elliotts-personal-property @genxrocker @littlemissheavenonearth @joes-sha-la-la-la-girl @raycookiss

[bloodyfangsandfreckles]

PLEASE READ THIS IF YOU HAVE A MOMENT!

It would be greatly appreciated!!

EMERGENCY COMMISSIONS (10)

Hello, my name is Fangs/Elliott

My Mom had a bad fall/severe concussion that resulted in her hospitalization for almost 3 weeks before being discharged home unexpectedly without home care

This resulted in my moving home to take care of my mom for 24 hour care, My best friend/better half/roommate Bear agreed to move with me because we both were worried about her getting hurt/sick without anyone around

Bear (A Personal Support Worker) thankfully has stepped up to the plate to help me with Mom’s basic health, personal hygiene and cooking/laundry, however a new crisis has been uncovered; my mom has delinquency on both her water and property taxes probably due to her health issues

I, myself, am currently on medical health leave from work due to mental illness causing me to struggle in a professional work environment (su*cidal id*alation) and my decrease in income has made paying bills on time to be a struggl

I was unfortunately unaware of how my mom’s health had caused her bills to fall so far behind and with her delinquent in water and taxes, Im terrified of her losing her only home while her health is precarious at best right now

My mom’s phone has been disconnected after a battle with Bell and she was basically fleeced badly by them

My phone is the only active account between 4 people in this house; mom, bear and my brother and myself so it is used a lot and loosing it would be devastating

I’m trying to sell as much of my stuff as possible on kijiji to get some money scrapped together and get everything back on track but it’s not guaranteed until i have cash in hand

I’m currently accepting commissions on ko-fi to try and get some of my mother’s bill arrears paid up and dealt with before the new year as well as my phone partially covered so everything is more under control

We are currently at a rough estimate of $2.5k needed to try and square everyone away a bit

Thank you in advance if you please reblog this even if you don’t or cannot purchase a commission at this time

I just want my mom to be safe with water available and to keep my phone on so if there’s an emergency I can call 911 again

[kinonostalgie]

Sam Elliott: Hollywood's Iconic Look and Golden Voice

Born on August 9, 1944, in Sacramento, California, Sam Elliott has carved out a legendary career spanning over five decades in Hollywood. Renowned for his unmistakable voice and rugged charisma, Elliott has portrayed a diverse array of characters across film and television, earning widespread acclaim and numerous accolades along the way.

Samuel Pack Elliott was raised in Portland, Oregon, where he attended David Douglas High School before pursuing higher education at the University of Oregon and Clark College in Vancouver, Washington. Despite initial academic pursuits, Elliott's true passion lay in acting, leading him to make the bold move to Los Angeles in the late 1960s to chase his Hollywood dreams. This decision, fueled by a deep-seated work ethic inherited from his father, marked the beginning of a remarkable journey in the entertainment industry.

Elliott's career began with humble beginnings, taking on minor television roles before gradually making a name for himself with appearances in series like "Judd for the Defense" and "Mission: Impossible." His big-screen debut came in the classic "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969), laying the groundwork for a series of pivotal roles that showcased his versatility and magnetism.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Elliott's star continued to rise with standout performances in projects such as "Lifeguard" (1976), "The Sacketts" (1979), and "Mask" (1985), where he captivated audiences with his commanding presence and deep emotional range. His portrayal of characters in Westerns and dramas solidified him as a versatile actor capable of both tough, stoic roles and nuanced, heartfelt performances.

Elliott's career reached new heights in the 1990s and beyond, with memorable roles in films like "Tombstone" (1993) and "The Big Lebowski" (1998), where his portrayal of The Stranger became iconic. His ability to infuse each character with authenticity and depth resonated with audiences, establishing him as a beloved figure in Hollywood.

In recent years, Elliott has continued to captivate audiences with roles in acclaimed series like "Justified" and "Grace and Frankie," as well as his starring role in the Netflix sitcom "The Ranch." His performance in "A Star Is Born" (2018), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, underscored his enduring talent and relevance in contemporary cinema.

Beyond his professional achievements, Elliott's personal life reflects a commitment to authenticity and balance. Married to actress Katharine Ross since 1984, with whom he shares a daughter, Cleo, Elliott maintains a tranquil life on their Malibu ranch and other properties in Oregon, embodying the grounded nature that defines his persona both on and off screen.

Most recently, Elliott's portrayal of Shea Brennan in the Paramount+ miniseries "1883" has garnered critical acclaim, further solidifying his status as a definitive figure in the Western genre. His enduring appeal as a character actor and voiceover artist continues to resonate with audiences, cementing his legacy as a Hollywood icon whose contributions will be celebrated for generations to come.

Sam Elliott's journey from a young dreamer in Portland to a revered actor in Hollywood is a testament to his talent, perseverance, and unwavering dedication to the craft of acting. With his distinctive voice and timeless presence, Elliott has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, ensuring his place among its most cherished legends.

[neathbound-fiends]

💙👖🌊🌱 for Elliott and Florence for the ask thing <3333

Elliott:

💙 - Describe their bedroom! Is it personalized, unchanged? Messy, neat? It is definitely not neat! It is, however, like the rest of the house, very personalized! He keeps the floor clean if it kills him, mostly so that if Warren needs to come in and get him for some reason, she isn't contending with whatever nonsense he's all over the place, but that just means that every other surface is more cluttered and he's got like a million shelves crammed full of shit. He's got all the requisite paraphernalia that comes with being Catholic, but he's also got letters from friends, and art Warren did, and paintings he's bought from @wildergrimm's Cerine, and the ceiling is covered in papers he spent months slowly working out to draw the closest rendition he could get to a star map of the northern hemisphere so the night sky doesn't feel quite so far away. Quilts he made on the bed, and mugs that once held tea that he keeps forgetting to take to the kitchen to wash on the nightstand, and all manner of trinkets and baubles and tchotchkes and whatever you wanna call them all over the place on shelves, and the nightstands, and his vanity, and on top of the wardrobe

👖 - Coffee shop or high school AU, your choice: tell me their role. Coffee shop AU, he's a regular patron who comes in to order a tea and just people watch, and occasionally strikes up conversation with other customers

🌊 - Does this oc have a secret or repressed desire? He wants his life to be easy. He's seen the lives that other people lead, and he feels selfish because he wants that for himself, too. Not to worry about money, or about having to prove his worth to people, or whether or not he's doing a good job of things. He envies the layabouts who drift through life without a care in the world, for themself or for others. Ignorance does seem to be bliss for them, and he craves it

🌱 - Share one of this oc’s early memories. He is standing on the bank of the creek that runs through their property, and his daddy's got a hand on his back, and encouraging him to get in the water. One second he's standing, the next one Daddy's got him flipped up and in the air, hollering to hold his breath, and then he's under the water. He wasn't born to be a fish, struggling against the water as best he can, and then he's breaching the surface with the same grace that God gave a newborn fawn. His daddy's down in the water right beside him, hauling him up under the arms to keep him from dropping back down, just holds him close for a minute, and hefts him back up onto the bank

Florence:

💙 has already been answered!

👖 - Coffee shop or high school AU, your choice: tell me their role. Coffee shop AU, she's the barista who hates her job so bad because retail food service is beneath her and she hates having to do things like "be nice" and "give good service if she wants to get tipped"

🌊 - Does this oc have a secret or repressed desire? On a deep level, she wants to feel safe, and to be loved. She won't admit it to even herself, but she's so lonely. She's tired. She doesn't want to play this game forever, and knows that eventually her luck's gonna run out and she's not going to be able to get out of whatever jam she's gotten herself into, and she won't have anything to show for it but a lot of fun memories that intersperse the fact that she's barely scraping by and lost her husband and her kid and has, like, one friend

🌱 - Share one of this oc’s early memories. She's sitting on one of the rope bridges in the Flit, looking down at the City, and everything sparkles down below, and out on the Zee there are ships going out and disappearing once they're too far past the buoys. There's an adult here, telling stories about what his life was like on the Surface in exchange for gossip they've got on someone she's never seen before. His stories are of the Sun and the stars, of grass and trees, and cats don't talk and lives that don't come back. There's a weasel sleeping in her lap, lulled to sleep by her petting, promised to her gang if they keep quiet about him poking around. He says there's a whole world up above them full of things she's never seen before, and never will

[joes-sha-la-la-la-girl]

Thank you @freddiemercurydearie1991 and @littlemissheavenonearth for the tag 💖

Name: Ellen

Sexuality: bi

Hogwarts House: it was Slytherin but I don’t really know now (I haven’t seen or read it is years)

Dog or Cat person: Cat

Current time: 8:03pm

Dream Job: working with children

Favourite animal: crocodile/aligators

Blog creation date: September last year

Reason for url: I’m a Def Leppard fan

10 followers I want to get to know better (no pressure): @elliotts-personal-property @rockstar-pornograffitti @i-love-def-leppard @bring-on-the-heartbreak-joe @make-me-your-animal @keyboardpiss @genxrocker @steveinscarlet @de-luxeviolets @alexaelliott 💖💖

i-am-just-a-skeleton:

etherealspacejelly:

dakrapatops:

jaguarguard:

romenthenoodle:

elexnorthesecond:

everyoneforgetsme:

we-are-the-multitude:

ghostsandfools:

victor-not-frankenstein:

artoutoftheblue:

mysticcroissant:

achickennamedcheese:

random-fandom-chaos:

loud-kid2:

silly-inky:

spectrayus:

verogoblin:

urlocalbowserfangirl:

tf-rosesong:

doodlethings:

xeo-kunmew:

peachlolitasevillacourtstuff:

autumn2art:

kodoku-roxi:

colehence:

spirit-elementmaster:

rumibug:

masterofswag213:

i-am-the-bluejay:

four-oreos:

stronk-anime-nya:

Name: Moof

Sexuality: Bisexual

Hogwarts House: Gryffindor unfortunately

Dog or cat person: Cat

Current time: 7:35 AM

Dream job: Psychologist

Favorite animal: Uhh cats lol

Blog creation date: idk sometime in april

Reason for url: the blursed curse that is animejago

10 followers I want to get to know better: @friendly-neighborhood-ninjager @ninjahoes @ninjamelissajulien @riftid-fox @four-oreos @regretfulartist @bluewolfeevee @her7emeralds @ninjnerds2017 @ninjas-and-tea

alpal-pie:

Rules: tag 10 followers you want to get to know better.

I was tagged by @seakhajiit

Name: Alphonse

Sexuality: Aro/Ace

Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff

Dog or Cat Person: both tbh

Current time: 1:00 am

Dream job: just an artist I guess. In the art field somewhere

Favorite animal: Corgi

Blog creation date: uh I think early 2014

Reason for url: I’m an Alphonse Elric kinnie

10 followers I want to know better: @kiwisandpeas @stronk-anime-nya @buff-anime-time-twins @midnightsbloom @ducksarebetter (eh fives enough I’m on mobile)

Name: fudge, people usually call me Peri bc if my old name

Sexuality: Ace

Hogwarts House: er… i don’t read… HP

Dog or cat person: Both? I love all animals! I want them both and other animals when I get my own place etc

Current time: 11:55AM

Dream job: Animator, or somewhere in the art industry. I really wanna try storyboarding but you have to be quick and messy and i’m not there yet lol

Favorite animal: I can’t choose just one

Blog creation date: i think june or july? like… four years ago? idk. that’s my best guesstimate.

Reason for url: the good place.

10 followers I want to get to know better: this probably isn’t going to be 10 but whatever, @saline-coelacanth @jay-machine-broke @ninjagianloser @ninjahoes can i tag ppl i do know but wouldn’t mind getting to know more @afrenchfrypassingby @i-am-the-bluejay

Thanks for the tag! 

Rules: Tag 10 followers you want to know better. I was tagged by @four-oreos Name: Alex 

Sexuality: Ace bby 

Hogwarts house: Hufflepuff, I guess?? 

Dog or cat: Cat all the way 

Current time:7:30 PM 

Dream Job: Published Author 

Favorite animal: mmm snakey snakes

Blog creation day: Long before time had a name 

Reason for url: The Inkheart trilogy 

10 followers I want to get to know better: AHH I havent been on tumblr too much lately but um- (btw feel no obligation to answer lol) ((also this probably won’t be 10 but)

@fairygirl04, @ninjagianloser, @echojulien, @masterofswag213

@hypernixation

Ahhhh thank you to @i-am-the-bluejay for tagging me! :D

Rules: Tag 10 followers you want to know better.

Name: People on here call me Swag ;)

Sexuality: Bi peeps

Dog or cat: DOOGO

Dream job: Animator and/or freelance illustrator

Favorite animal: Dragons…? (If we must have real ones, it’s dolphins)

Blog creation day: Sometime this year

Reason for URL: I honestly dunno

10 followers I wanna know better:

@lloydskywalkers @9d00m @precious-cosmos-lurks @shock-tastic @jairaatsundown @acrylic-skeleton @buff-anime-jay @rumibug @mcfanely @fandomrecycling

I was just thinking about how supportive @masterofswag213 has been on my blog and then they tagged me, so thank you!

Rules: Tag 10 followers you want to know better.

Name: Three people on here know my real name but let’s just go with Rumi

Sexuality: Ain’t no lie baby bi, bi, bi (and also greyromantic tbh)

Dog or cat: I’m bad with animals so uh fish tank? Fish tank.

Dream job: Marketing for animation or animation focused networks. Basically I want the power to give Ninjago more promos on CN (and possibly air no ads for TTG so it withers away).

Favorite animal: Whale Sharks! They are so majestic~

Blog creation day: Two-ish years ago? I wasn’t active until last year though.

Reason for URL: It combines two of my favorite characters Harumi from Ninjago and Marinette/Ladybug from Miraculous.

10 followers I wanna know better:

Honestly any of ya’ll but-

@yozakame @tokeromaru @spirit-elementmaster @colehence @loveistoredinthelego @lloydskywalkers @kayyeh1 @masterofswag213 @i-llove-lloyd @sodasyrup

Thank you for the tag @rumibug

Rules: Tag 10 followers you want to get to know better

Name: I go by Queen, if you please!!

Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff

Sexuality: I prefer no tags, I just like whoever

Dog or Cat: Both, too cute to decide

Dream Job: Pediatric nurse

Favorite animal: Sun Conure or Tiger

Blog Creation: idk

Reason for URL: It’s because it the powers of my OC, also it sounds cool in my opinion lmao

10 followers I want to get to know better:

@colehence @thenightyuki @masterofswag213 @justanothetfangirl'snightmare @ooflifeshard @trashno0dle @creativekiki @sobartz @peppyart @cheezbot

I only have real 9 followers so, yee😅

I was tagged by @spirit-elementmaster, @rumibug and @sillki. Thank you all very much!

Rules: Tag 10 followers you want to get to know better

Name: I don’t use my real name here, but you can call me Syan

Hogwarts House: I don’t know. Maybe Hufflepuff

Sexuality: I like humans with a lovely character, who are around my age, maybe a bit older

Dog or Cat: I … uhm … both cute, but I don’t want to have them myself?

Dream Job: Something with languages, cognition, phonetics, sociology and ethnology. I love learning about that!

Favorite animal: -

Blog Creation: November 2019

Reason for URL: well … I like Cole the most. Very simple!

10 followers I want to get to know better:

I don’t know which one of you already did that or want to, so I just try it:

@i-reblog-ninjago-stuff @9d00m @mcfanely @ninjagon-spectre @ninjahoes @syreok @ninja-go-to-therapy @kodoku-roxi @rainingcloudz @helloimfreak  and everyone who wants to.

I was tagged by @colehence​ (Thank you!!!~ and wow uh sorry for the delay.. ;-;)

Name: …..Kodoku Roxi 

Sexuality: Bisexual

Hogwarts House: Slytherin..

Dog or Cat Person: -

Current time: 3:08 AM

Dream job: I hope I’ll never regret that I gave up my passion for chemistry in favor of art .-.

Favorite animal: Snake

Blog creation date: IDK 2017?

Reason for url: Yes!

10 followers I want to know better: @zfg-orion  @theloneloba  @periditegreenwitch  @autumn2art  @the-true-pink-ninja  @avomorg  @darknessmegatron (only 7 people ;-;) 

hi, thank you @kodoku-roxi for taking me ^^

Name: Autumn Doll. or Just call me Autumn if you want.

Sexuality: Asexual.

Hogwarts House: I don’t know.

Dog or Cat: Cat (Use to have a dog)

Current time: ?

Dream job: I’m already living it ^^

Favourite animal: cat and dog I guess

Blog creation date: Feb 22nd 2019 I think.

I love October the one time I feel calm and relaxed like to go for walks in the forest.

10 followers, I want to know better If they want to-  @lukasmcsbr @billydrawings @berlewyn @slugdogs @shadow-the-clone-of-epsylonn @peachlolitasevillacourtstuff 

Not quite 10 but what I think of right now. ^^;

hi, thank you @kodoku-roxi for taking me ^^

Name: Peach lolita sevilla

Sexuality: None

Hogwarts House: Nel..

Dog or Cat: Cat 

Current time: o(*￣▽￣*)ブ

Dream job: Artist profesional

Favourite animal: cat, Rabbits an chihuahuas

Blog creation date: september 2017

Best very friends @imoonblaze @autumn2art @tf-rosesong @billydrawings @xeo-kunmew @x-master-brock-x @ghostbunnyarts

Thank you @peachlolitasevillacourtstuff for tagging me.

Name: Xeo

Sexuality: Asexual/Demisexual (?

Hogwarts house: wat?

Dog or Cat: Both

Current time: i dunno

Dream job: Animator

Favorite Animal: Black cats, wolves, rats, red pandas, foxes and many animals

Blog creation date: i don’t Remember

Very Best Friends: @kaifanjc-the-one-and-only @z-doodle @wetontheguy @jordan-star

Name; Ghost

Sexuality; has not yet been discovered

Hogwarts house; o..

Dog or cat; cat

Dream job; Being a doctor

Current time; so..

Favourite animal;sheep, goats and rabbits

Blog creation date;I do not remember

Best friends;@peachlolitasevillacourtstuff @tf-rosesong @candytoonsarts

Thank you for tagging me @doodlethings

Name: Lizbeth (Liz or Lizzy)

Sexuality: none

Hogwarts house:…

Dog or cat: both

Dream job: Disney studio

Current time: err…

Favorite animals: Owl and Tiger, Rabbit, panda and Orca, emperor penguin, wolf and Pumas, moth and butterfly, clouded leopard, foxes, red panda, whale, snow leopard and swan.

Blog created date: I don’t remember

My dear friends: @doodlethings @xeo-kunsatan @marybellgs @yourstrulylightstar283 @imoonblaze @spectrayus @mamawolfy @inksn-ke @qiaopiao

Name: Skyler (Sky for short)

Sexuality: Bisexual

Hogwarts house:…

Dog or cat: Both

Dream job: Hot Topic

Current Time: Ehh….

Favorite animals: Wolves, foxes, butterflies, hedgehogs, and raccoons

Blog created date: Idk

My dear friends: @verogoblin and @buttercupmiller285

🦋 thanks for tagging me: @peachlolitasevillacourtstuff

@urlocalbowserfangirl

Name: Vero (Verónica) no one calls me Verónica xd everyone abbreviates it to vero

Sexuality: Bisexual (I am gender fluid)

Hogwarts house: I don’t know anything about Harry Potter xdd

Dog or cat: I like both, but I lean more toward dogs.

Dream job: Be the best Formula 1 driver 🏎️ (I am a fan of Checho Pérez) / be a good artist and one day make my own comics.🎨

Current Time: 3:00 pm xd

Favorite animals: butterflies, wolves, hyenas, tigers and seals

Blog created date: today duuh

My dear friends: @sweetheart-weeb-33 @spectrayus @urlocalbowserfangirl @peachlolitasevillacourtstuff

about the followers I would like to meet: I have been able to meet several of my followers, and they are really very nice, they have shown me their own art, their own ideas and I am completely fascinated, I am very grateful for the community that has formed over time, I really thank you all very much ;)

Thank u very much for tagging me!!: @peachlolitasevillacourtstuff @tf-rosesong @verogoblin

Name: “Heya, I’m Billy Itzel!”

Sexuality: “Bisexual! …. I think, I don’t care anyway, I just want to be happy :D”

Hogwarts house: “No, I prefer my house”

Dog or cat: “I’M OBSESSED WITH CATS”

Dream job: “Me??? work??? let married people work! I’m an ARTIST ✨ Artists do artistic things! and one of the least artistic things in this world is to work”

Current Time: “Time to drink coffee!! aaaaaaaa 😩”

Favorite animals: “cats, feline breed, foxes, owls, eagles, horses, mice! and more :D”

Blog created date: “This is recent, created in 2022. But I had one before, I think around 2017 or 2018 but I deleted it :D”

Now, tagging to!: @silly-inky @saicha @sandycheekscockvore @thepotatodrawer @toad-in-a-trenchcoat @cartooncadet666 @razialart @queenmusa

Thank you for tagging me @spectrayus I hope i get to know you more too

Name: Inky is obviously one of them, but another name I go by online is Milo (it’s a nickname a friend gave to me) (when i make new friends I prefer to let them try and guess my real name first, it’s always so fun lol, so no hints here lol)

Sexuality: Pansexual

Hogwarts house: I think it was Hufflepuff last time I checked

Dogs or Cats: both are very lovely animals, but I do favour dogs, their happy selves always make me so happy

Dream job: honestly haven’t figured that out, I know it definitely involves art or crafts of some kind

Current time: 4am

Favorite animals: foxes, snakes, ducks, bats, giraffes, oh and definitely crows

Blog creation date: i think around 2021? But I didn’t start actively coming onto and posting until early 2023

Now I’m tagging: @brosif40 @chaotic-deity @tastelessghosts @loud-kid2 @profoundlytenaciousgalaxy

I couldn’t think of anyone so I scrolled through my notifications to see who popped up and who I kind of knew cause it won’t let me see my followers for some reason

Thanks for the tag

Name: I go by Loud Kid here, my real name is for irl stuff

Sexuality: Demiromantic and Asexual

Hogwarts house: Not into Harry Potter anymore but Hufflepuff

Dogs or cats: both

Dream job: Don’t have one

Time: 6:07 am

Blog activation: don’t remember but during 2023 I think

Only tagging a couple since I just woke up

@wallydarlinsblog @random-fandom-chaos

THANK YOU!!!!

Name: (f#ck it. My IRL name is: Helena.) you can call me Chaos or Kai (name I want to change to)

Sexuality: Non-binary and Bisexual

Hogwarts house: religion ain’t allowing it and parents either… 😒

Dogs or cats?: both. Honestly depending on my mood.

Dream job: Family Medicine doctor, Actress (live theatre)

Time: 10:05pm

Blog activation: idk somewhere around 2022 or 2021 my other acct was erased so probably 2022

(P.S. THANKS FOR THE TAG !!)

Tags: @knightcorqueen @hahskeleton @celestialweido

@achickennamedcheese @hammyham-o-o

Name: (Call me Cheese)

Sexuality: Aegosexual

Hogwarts house: Either Ravenclaw or Slytherin

Dog or cat person: I don’t like pets, but if I have to choose, then a cat

Current time: 9:11 pm omfg

Dream job: Creator

Favorite animal: Seals

Blog creation date: Somewhere around 2022 or 2023

Reason for url: what that

@mysticcroissant

@potatotato-26

@lazyboy-baby

@kittybot57

@atherflame-theconcubus

Name: Jan

Sexuality: Bi

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw

Dog or cat person: I love both, but I guess a cat person

Current time: 9:25 pm

Dream Job: YouTuber/content creator, artist, animator

Favorite animal(s): Snakes, red pandas, and raccoons. Mainly raccoons :]

Blog creation date: January 2024

@galaxysugarr

@aspvera

@artoutoftheblue

@rxndom-crow

@blakes-cloudy-m1nd

@hikkokoro

@thatweirdocryptid

Hi thank you :D

•Name: Blue (Not gonna say my real name cuz I just dont like it anymore, so I go by Blue <3)

•Sexuality: Still figuring it out but I’m pretty sure I’m Asexual at least

•Hogwarts House: I know nothing about Harry Potter-

•Dog or Cat Person?: Definitely a cat person. Fucking terrified of dogs

•Current Timw: 9:42 PM

•Dream Job: I wanna be a lawyer then move up to being a judge :]

•Favorite Animals: Fennec Foxes, Aardwolves, Sand Cats, Black Footed Cats, Servals, and Caracals. I cant choose between them lol

•Blog Creation Date:

Uhhhh, tagging @crumpet-doodles , @deirunn , @potatotato-26 , @ranbutler-epicsans-moon , @rayofmisfortune , @vectorisheree and @xaloncat

Thank you for tagging me!!! ^^ (this is @vectorisheree’s non dca blog)

Name: Vector or Viktor

Sexuality: Pan

Hogwarts House: I don’t like Harry Potter or its creator

Dog or Cat Person: Cat!!

Current time: 20:56

Dream job: Anything that I can mindlessly do

Favorite animal: Dragon

Blog creation date: January 22nd 2024 for my main

Reason for url: vectorisheree - ‘VectorIsHere’ has been my user on most sites since 2020, I stole the name ‘Vector’ from a YGO character when I was 12ish because it sounded cool and the ‘Is here’ part was tacked on in 2020 because I needed a unique enough username on youtube

Victor-Not-Frankenstein - My name is Viktor and I like the book Freankenstein Anyone can join!! I’m not going to tag anyone in specific because I just tagged a bunch of people in a different game and don’t want to bother them again ^^

Ooooh, I wanna join.

Name: Rose

Sexuality: Lesbian

Hogwarts house: Idk, whichever one’s the coolest ig

Dog or Cat person: Dogs are cute but they are so so high maintenance, and I love my cats, so cat person.

Current time: 4:30 PM

Dream Job: Rocket Scientist

Favorite Animal: Literally any <3

Blog creation date: I forgor :(

Reason for URL: I likes ghosts and I’m foolish. Also, y'know, ghouls. Fools. It rhymes. Idk.

Anyways. All my fellas @notokbutthriving @puggod33 @mildredtefoneck @cgarttrailsandtails @coolgirl576 @spacekitty @elsajoyagent8 @type1dragonwolf @we-are-the-multitude if you guys wanna come hang out that would be cool

Ooo, yay!

Name: Donatello!!! But literally everyone calls me Donnie.

Sexuality: Omnisexual!

Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff. (down with jkr)

Dog or Cat Person: BOTH!!!

Current Time: 3:36 pm

Dream Job: Film director

Favorite Animal: Rn, it’s a Bird of Paradise! Silly little guy who cleans up leaves and stuff to make a silly little dance floor to dance and attract mates.

Blog Creation Date: Uuuuuuuh…..

Reason for URL: I was going through a really big goth/horror phase and wanted to have one of those ~aesthetic~ blogs with like a dark theme and shit but then I realized that I was too much of a silly little guy to keep that up.

Tags: @autistic-katara @everyoneforgetsme @xx-sketchy-xx No pressure!! :D

Omg I’m so excited to get tagged in this!!!

Name: Elliot

Sexuality: I really don’t know!! It’s really fluid though, like my gender lol, so if theres a sexuality like that then that!!

Hogwarts house: Hufflepuff (had a major Harry Potter fixation before I came out as trans lol)

Dog or cat person: Cat :))

Current time: 11:22 pm

Dream job: Forest Ranger, poet, travel photographer, or musician (I have a lot of dreams that I put a lot of effort into teehee)

Favorite animal: Capybara, but if going off of cool factor than peregrine falcon

Blog creation date: like 2 years ago? Maybe in October? Idk ;-;

Reason for URL: vent poem I wrote in 8th grade (cringe ik), I wanted to make a poetry blog but now it’s just whatever lol

GUYS PLEASE FEEL NO PRESSURE I JUST WANT TO TALK TO YALL PLEASE

@elexnorislingtxn @adxxastra @silviettastreghetta

hihi (main is @elexnorislingtxn btw)

name: eleanor :)

sexuality: uh idk I think I’m heterosexual

hogwarts house: slytherin or ravenclaw, I’ve gotten mixed results

dog or cat person: catssss

current time: 12:54 pm

dream job: musician/artist/writer/stand up comedian/actress

favorite animal: raven

blog creation date: january, I think (idk)

reason for url: okay so it’s a version of eleanorislington, which is my name and a part of london that I used to go to a lot as a child.

uh hiii :)

@killerwithknife @sec0nd-breakfast @necr0heartt @sevendursted @romenthenoodle @averyzversi0n @tilebytiles yeah sorry if you don’t want to be tagged

thank you for the tag!!

name: rom

sexuality: man do you even want ti know??? its all over the place but mostly lesbian ig

hogwarts house: i hate jkr too muvh ti answer this

dog or cat person?: i love them bothhh

current time: 11:47 AM

dream job: either a psychologist or working at a pet/animal shelter

favourite animal: snakes!!!

blog creation date: um sometime in 2022 i believe

reason for url: my gf came up with it when they made me join tumblr

open tags bc i did not sleep last night and my brain isnt functioning <3

HELLO! I’m joining cause I’m bored and overstimulated and tired!

Name: Mimi(nickname)

Sexuality: not a clue, not straight, not essentially gay, who knows :D

Hogwarts House: I also hate jkr,, but Hufflepuff

Dog or cat: ALL OF THEM, YOU CANNOT MAKE ME CHOOSE.

Current time: 6:18pm

Dream job: horse trainer or dog trainer or cosplay would be fun, voice acting could be cool too

Favorite animal: HORSES!!!!

Blog creation date: also sometime late 2022

Reason for url: it was generated for me as a random username for something a bajilion years ago (Guard Of Jaguar Kingdom) and now I use it for around everything cause I like it a lot

Open tags but also @dakrapatops @steeltotoro

hello love <3

name: karat 🥕

sexuality: queer

🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈FUCK JK ROWLING🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

dog or cat: cats I love cats forever

current time: 14.33

dream job: fuuuck man idk. frivolous gay artist paid to live and be weird by an obnoxiously rich loser whom I have homoerotic tension with

favourite animal: I don’t even know man. quite fond of pangolins and cats

blog creation date: fuckinuhhhh (check the memories blog) 19.6.22

reason for url: my name is karat so I was gonna be smth about karat tops (a nickname from my grandpa) but every combination I could think of was taken so i switched around some letters

tags: @beachghoulz @theblack-dogs @etherealspacejelly @catgirl-vampireboy @soullessjack @montied @sine-fine-inanis @muscosoviridi @t4tvampireisms @passiveagressivepoet

i havent done a tag game in ages because. its so much effort lmao so ill do this one for once because i feel bad that people keep tagging me in things and i keep not doing them

name: Robin

sexuality: gay oriented aroace!

FUCK JK ROWLING!!!

dog or cat: uhhhh both??? i really like dogs and i think im more of a dog person in general but i have a cat and i love her to death

current time: 10:34am

dream job: conservationist??? idk man im figuring it out as i go

favourite animal: sharks!! specifically lemon sharks. i also really like ants

blog creation date: 13/8/23 (8/13/23 for the americans :P)

reason for url: my friend once pulled me aside at the club when he was very drunk and lovingly told me i dance very fluidly like an ethereal space jelly. and i thought man that slaps. gonna make that my tumblr url

tags: @titan-god-helios @plague-doctor-who @devil-with-three-heads @bhawk-goose @i-am-just-a-skeleton @shortgaything @anomalocaris-and-shrimp @geodethecrow @toby-the-mushroom @bassguitarinablackt-shirt

i don’t usually do tag games but sure

name: Asher

sexuality: aroace

dogs or cats: cats

current time: 10:18 am

dream job: slightly eccentric man who owns a cool little music shop and plays drums with a weird local punk band

favourite animal: uhhh maybe an iguana. they’re neat. also i really like how the word sounds

blog creation date: idk something like a year and a half ago maybe

reason for url: i don’t remember honestly

tags: @freddiemercurydearie1991 @internaleggplant @hileynoteson @that-one-bi-theatre-nerd @plainxte @agneswarda @whitechocolateandwindydays @stayyysweet @chaosthedemon @beverage-cowboy

Name: don’t want to give my full name but my first initial is F

Sexuality: lesbian/bi/queer

Hogwarts House: Slytherin

Dog or Cat Person: cat

Current time: 2:11pm

Dream job: depends on the day lol

Favorite animal: idk maybe cats

Blog creation date: may December ish of last year

Reason for url: I love queen

10 followers I want to know better: @defleppardfan1 @ringos-left-eyebrow @sydb @beverage-cowboy @damesvirusalert @littlemissheavenonearth @theblackqueenqueen @annotated-catastrophe @brianmaysleftclog @horrormovie-addict (ik u don’t follow me but I want to get to know you u seem so cool)

[gay-for-the-snz]

Miscommunication (M, cold)

This was supposed to be short. This was really intended just to be a short silly little "haha, wouldn't that be funny if" sort of thing, and instead it is almost 12,000 words. Lol. Elliott accidentally goes on a date with a new coworker who may just be interested in him for more than just his personality...

Contagion ment, 11.5k

⁂

He's hunched over his lunch when he sees Bolormaa for the first time today, the new hire hot on his heels. He fondly recalls his first day, the trepidation and eagerness to make a good first impression. It's been a decade now, and he's showed his share of new hires around, but he's glad that today it's someone else showing her around, a little extra help for the holiday season. He could do it, and certainly would if anybody asked him to, but he's got an absolutely streaming head cold, and, really, he'd rather not have to spend the whole day talking and being the first friendly face she sees.

"You didn't really get to see it much when we came in this morning, but this is the break room, and the locker room, and the whatever else room. You'll clock in in the corner in the mornings, stow whatever you brought in your locker, and then won't be back here until you're on your breaks or your lunch. Smoke breaks are off property in the smoke shack, but if that's not your poison, you can--"

He's really trying not to interrupt, but he can't help the sudden jagged inhale. "hiH-! YISH'ue! hH'DZZHhue! 'DZZHhieww! Hh--huH-!? ...huH'UDZZHHyue!" He manages to partially suppress the first one, but the other three aren't so keen on behaving themselves, scraping roughly across an already sore throat. He gasps for a fifth, but it evades him, just leaving him snuffling blearily and fishing the crumpled tissues from his pocket and attempting to tend to his dripping nose as unobtrusively as possible. He offers a congestion laden, "excuse me" that doesn't do anything except draw more attention to himself.

A scattering of "bless you"s meet him, especially from the new girl, and Bolormaa puts a hand on her shoulder. "This," he gestures towards him with a flourish, "is Elliott. He does that. Pay him no mind."

He pockets the tissues again and offers a sheepish smile. "It's, uh, true. You'll have to forgive the lack of a handshake, I'm--well, I'm sure you can see. A little under the weather."

She reaches out and takes his hand anyway, and gives it a warm squeeze. "Don't be silly. It'd be rude to refuse a handshake, especially from people I'm supposed to be getting to know. Bless you."

He's so surprised he doesn't know what to say, shocked into a rare moment of silence, save for a somewhat incredulous, "oh! Uh, thank you! Elliott, it's nice to meet you."

"Marissa."

Bolormaa pulls the two chairs on the opposite side of the table out, but she seats herself beside him, and he decides it clearly isn't worth the battle to truly try and move her away from him. "You're taking a gamble if you wanna sit next to him. He likes sharing, including his colds."

"Oh, you're--don't listen to him, I'm not half as bad as he makes me out to be. I think there's a certain, uh, inevitability perhaps with it, but they don't catch half of what I drag with me into work. But you wouldn't know it, given the way he complains."

"Be SO for real right now. Even if I don't catch everything you do, even if it's, like, call it a quarter, that's still several things a year?"

"It is not that bad--"

"ELLIOTT. A sniffle happens to cross into your zip code and you've got it, and then some of us have got it."

"All I'm saying is, there's no telling for certain that it's always my doing, instead of just the, you know, seasonal sort of 'whatever' floating around!"

Marissa hardly seems bothered by the conversation, and remains where she plunked down next to him. "Ah, you know, I've got one of those immune systems of steel."

"Well he'll put it to the test then. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"You don't have to be so negative, it's not like I go out of my way to do anything!"

"And it's not like you try and keep it to yourself either? You KNOW I love you, dude, but you're, like, a gangly plague rat. You don't have to have your tongue down my throat or, like, sneezing into my open mouth for it to happen."

Marissa chokes on her bottle of water, a spluttering cough as she waves a hand to bid them not to pay it any heed.

"Look at what you've done. Bolormaa, you're going to kill her on her first day."

"Alright, alright, whatever. Consider it dropped. Just don't say that we didn't warn you."

He turns his attention to his own lunch, and leaves the two of them to do whatever they please.

"So, how are you, uh, liking it so far? I know it's not terribly glamorous, but it's good work. Good people and all--or most of them, anyway." Bolormaa doesn't look up from his phone, but sticks his tongue out from across the table.

"Oh, it's great! It's a lot different than I really expected, I think. I was picturing something a little more...I don't know, high tech?"

"Ahh, nah, it's just us, some power equipment, and a bunch of dusty pallets. Nothing super fancy, but it gets done. If you were in one of the Amazon warehouses or something, I'm sure they've got tech that'd boggle my mind, but we aren't really backed by any huge companies or anything. We're more of a storage and then distribution center for some of the local businesses that can't afford to have their own building." He wrinkles his nose, distinctly aware of the irritation trying to bud into a sneeze. "Like, there are stores around here, mostly mom and pop sorts, that are too big to just have everything all their product stored in the actual store, but too small to really be able to have a warehouse that's just theirs, so that's where they end up partnering with the Captain and sort of, like, renting the space."

"That makes sense. I guess I never really considered what people would need for that intermediary phase." She's got pretty eyes. The way they're locked on him makes him a little shy, because he's sure he's not saying anything that actually deserves this level of interest or enthusiasm, but he's deeply flattered by the notion that she's trying to be friendly. He doesn't envy having to be in that position again, where you've got to make new friends and do that whole 'get to know you' routine.

He, in return, wants to make a good impression on her, and he feels like he's probably not doing a very good job of it when the only thing on his mind right now, distracting him from what she's saying, is the fact that now he really needs to sneeze. He's never been any good at holding back, and the only way he can ever really stifle it is to do something physical about it, and that's really never a sustainable option. For two or three, he can survive it, but it never really satisfies that need to sneeze, so it never ends up just staying at two or three.

He manages to rush out a breathless warning, before he's pitching into tented hands, the little bedraggled tissue nest the only thing between him and blowing this. "Excusemeholdon--'DDZZHhieww! hyeEIZZHhue!" The double does nothing to actually sate the itch, so much as it merely makes it back down somewhat. He still feels distinctly sneezy, but it's not really actionable at this precise second. It will be, and probably soon, but for now he's just left wrinkling his nose hard and sniffling back the moisture threatening to leak from nostrils blushed a warm shade of pink.

"Bless you...quite the cold you've caught, huh?"

"Gosh, excuse me. This is, uh, actually not too bad. I'm sure it'll be a little more vicious tomorrow, and probably the day after, and then it'll be on the upswing." He can feel his cheeks match the same color as his nose as he gives the softest, most pitiful little blow he can possibly manage.

And she must be embarrassed by it too, because he can see that she's blushing a bit when she looks away to grant him a little extra privacy. "Is it usually bad for you, then?"

"I wouldn't say--okay, well, some people would say it's always bad, but I don't think it's usually too terrible. No worse than for most people, I'd think." Bolormaa looks like he's going to say something, so he preempts him. "But, I guess it depends on who you'd ask. All things considered, I'd hate to complain about something that's really more of a nuisance than anything actually terrible to deal with."

She pushes his mug of tea closer to him, and he doesn't need to be told twice to take a sip. He is nothing if not obedient. "So, is one of us going to have to make you some soup, then? Convince you to stay home and rest?"

Someone across the room laughs, a single, harsh bark of a ha! that startles the both of them. Niklas gestures towards him with his fork, waving a piece of broccoli like he's conducting an orchestra. "You'll need nothing short of about twenty feet of rope to tie him to his bed if you want him to stay there when he's caught something."

Bolormaa joins the prosecution, a partner to Niklas in their little imaginary law firm, he's sure of it. "He'll be here, rain or shine, sick or not, if he's on the schedule. He doesn't leave for anything, unless the Captain himself tells him he's being sent home."

"You're all horrible gossips, did you know that? I hardly think a cold is something worth calling out over--and besides, if I waited until I was in pristine health, I don't think I would ever leave my house again for the rest of my life. I've gotta strike while the iron's hot, and all that." He can hear them snicker, and occupies himself with pointedly ignoring them and sipping his tea. It's warm, all soothing and sweet in a way he can feel the heat permeate his whole being, not just in his belly.

She's looking at him so intensely that he freezes when he catches it out of the corner of his eye, unsure if looking back at her would make this more or less weird. He swallows his sip, and carefully sets his kitschy little travel mug back on the table. Her gaze is still locked on him as he tries not to sniffle, not to wrinkle his nose or do anything else that'd be gross while people are trying to eat--and especially when she's looking at him like...well, honestly he isn't sure what she's looking at him like.

With the same caution as one might defuse a bomb, he tears off one of the paper towels from the middle of the table and brings it to dab away the wet sheen that clings to his nostrils.

"Did you forget how to move?" He's suddenly aware that Bolormaa is staring also. "You're being...weird." He reaches across the table, hands him a fork with some kind of meat on it. "Here, taste this. Deenii made us some lunch."

"You know I'm a vegetarian."

"Actually, I know you enough to know you're vegetari-ish, so taste this or I'm telling her that you hate her forever."

He rolls his eyes, but takes a bite anyway. It practically melts in his mouth, tender and fatty. "I mean, it tastes like cooked meat. It's kinda plain, though, I feel like she's usually more...liberal with the spices, I guess?"

"Yeah, this is probably the most plain thing she ever makes. It's JUST salt, pepper, and caraway. But it's not bad, and I think she misses making it like we did when we were kids--not that we can do that in a duplex, but you know what I mean. It's got the like--okay, so when you make it, you've gotta--"

"heDZZHhue! hH'ZZhhyue!"

"--do hot stones and meat and vegetables like a fucked up lasagna, and then water, and it'll all start cooking itself in the milk jug. Or, in this case, a pressure cooker that we had on the stove, because we can't really have an open fire in the living room."

"Rea--hH-!? heEIZZHhue! 'ZZhhyue!--ugh, okay, I--sdf!--think that was it. Excuse me." He snuffles thickly, still reluctant to emerge entirely from the little nest of tissues he's shuddered into. "Reasonable."

Marissa's hand on his shoulder startles him, and he can feel the blush on his cheeks that's washing clean through to his ears. "Bless you...you've really got it bad, it sounds like."

"Aw, that's nothing. Four is, like, amateur hour." Bolormaa inclines his head towards a whiteboard on the wall by the sink. Among the cluttered notes about upcoming projects, reminders to schedule leave a month in advance, and a blurry and strange photo of the Captain taken like someone might take a photo of a cryptid, is a set of tally marks nestled in the corner. "See those?"

"Oh, Bolormaa, don't--"

"Four is nothing compared to how bad he gets sometimes. Seventeen is the current record."

"I keep telling you, it was not seventeen. It was, like, maybe eight, and then nine."

"And I keep telling you that if you don't come up from your sleeve or your hands or whatever in the middle, it counts as one."

Someone on the other side of the room butts in. "We're not starting this debate again. The Captain already made us lay this one to rest."

He's mortified to be such a topic of conversation. Not even him, really, just his nose. He is going to melt into the tiles to escape if the world is merciful.

Fortunately for him, while the world may not be merciful, the clock over the door chimes the half hour--and the end of lunch--and everyone begrudgingly begins to shuffle towards the door. He stows the rest of his lunch in his locker, and is almost back onto the floor when a hand on his wrist catches him.

"Hey, sorry, I just--" she glances sideways, like she's afraid of being caught, "--just wanted to say that your girlfriend seems really nice. She's done a good job of showing me around today."

He blinks in surprise. "Bolormaa?" The grin that splits his face is goofy, he's sure, showing off that little gap between his teeth that makes him consider trying braces again now that he's more stable and an adult (but, Lord, orthodontics are so expensive!) "Nah, he is really cool, but also unfortunately a lesbian, and married. I'm not seeing anyone right now."

"Oh, really? I'm surprised."

He snorts, a dangerous act with a cold that's settling in, but it works out in his favor this time. "I guess. But I won't keep you--I'm sure he's probably waiting for you, and I don't wanna be the reason you're not learning more. Have a good rest of your shift!"

What a nice woman!

⁂

He's absolutely in the thick of it when he turns back up to work on Saturday. He's breathing through chapped, parted lips, the skin around his nostrils a horrid shade of scarlet and raw from the constant moisture and rubbing that it's being forced to endure. He muffles a cough into his sleeve while he trudges through the puddles in the parking lot to shoulder open the door and avoid spilling his thermos on the cracked concrete at the threshold.

He's surprised to see Marissa here already--he hadn't thought she was going to be starting until closer to eight or nine, not here at six like himself and a scant few others. Bolormaa doesn't even work today. Perhaps that means she'll be his charge for the day, or perhaps it means she's been released to go do her own work without the need for a chaperone. Either way, she's here, and he offers a congested "morning" as he reaches over her shoulder to grab his time card.

"Oh my God. Elliott, you weren't kidding--did those sick days even do you any good?"

He huffs a mirthless little laugh, that becomes a cough. "They weren't sick days, but they definitely didn't." He wishes he could be buried in his blankets, snuggled in all cozy and enjoying the sound of the rain on the windows. Instead, he's in his steel toes and hard hat and shivering from the same rain he was listening to this morning. "Can I, uhmb, clock in?"

"If you're sure you want to be here today..."

"I am. I mean, it's just a cold. It sounds worse than it feels, I promise."

"Does it look worse, too?"

He smiles sheepishly. "It might be closer on that aspect. But I'm fine, it's really not a huge deal. I'll probably just go home and eat a can of soup and go to bed after I get off." The siren's song of his bed is already calling to him, especially when he won't have anyone else to feed or take care of tonight. Just him, some soup, and an early bedtime...

"Uh--listen, if that's the case, I know it's kind of sudden, but I had dinner plans tonight with a friend, and she canceled on me, and I've already got a reservation for two, so I was wondering if you might want to take her spot? I can pick you up, so you wouldn't have to worry about driving or anything, and it can be my treat. I'd just hate to see the reservations go to waste...I'm not really much of an 'eat by myself at a restaurant' type of person."

"Oh!" Well...shoot. There go the evening plans--or lack thereof, he guesses. He doesn't want to leave her hanging, but he also isn't really super enthused by the prospect of going out anywhere.

But...he also doesn't really want to say no. He knows how it is to have plans canceled last second, and also what it's like to not want to have to go by yourself out to something. And, besides, it should really be encouraged that she's trying to reach out and make friends with people. It won't do any good to punish behavior they want to see.

"Uh, you definitely don't have to treat me, and I don't need you to pick me up, unless you're really sure it wouldn't be a huge imposition. What, uh, time is it? What side of town?"

"Six thirty, downtown in a place I've heard has got some killer food and I've been dying to try out since I moved here." She offers him her phone, the screen pulled up to add a contact. "I'll text you the address?"

Gross. Downtown parking, and he won't have time to go home and shower after he gets off. "Uh--maybe I will take you up on that offer of a ride, actually, if you're sure you wouldn't mind." He would rather be boiled alive than have to try and parallel park on the street. "I can give you my address and I'll, uh, just rush home when I get off and meet you there?"

"Sounds perfect! Just text me your address once we've got numbers situated. They hold the table for fifteen minutes, so we've got a little wiggle room." She takes the hand that's holding her phone and gives it an affectionate little squeeze as she retrieves it, now freshly holding his contact details, and practically bounces off towards the receiving bays.

She is SO friendly! It's refreshing to get someone in here who isn't quite so curmudgeonly, and actually seems interested in meeting people and making friends.

He slowly makes his way over to his own little corner, because nobody else is putting these pallets up if not him, and if he doesn't start doing something then he's going to fall asleep standing up. He doesn't just want but needs to make it through this shift as painlessly as possible.

It's smooth-ish sailing, save for the constant intrusions of needing to smother a cough into his sleeve, or to duck down into the tissues and napkins he's hoarded together like a rat in its humble garbage abode with sneezes that are just viciously productive and ragged, both in sound and feeling. Ugh, goodness gracious, this cold is annoying. He is so much sicker than he really wants to be. He takes a couple of the rare opportunities of solitude to blow his nose, and he actually winces from the mere sound of it. He is disgusting right now.

Which is why he's surprised that he sees Marissa pop by every now and again, and he's glad every time she has something to do on this side of the warehouse, because aside from just being pleasant company, she always has a couple of tissues, or a stack of napkins, or something else on her person that she lends him. He takes them gratefully, every time, and this time is no different.

"Uh, sorry, this is--just gross." He blows his nose to try and gain some semblance of his consonants back, but also to try and do something about the wet congestion that's so intent on trying to drip, and not giving him any real way to try and sniffle it back. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were finding excuses to come over here."

She laughs, the sound of it so warm and bright and cheery. "Truthfully, I am. You looked like you were having a rough go of it, and I thought you might be in need of someone to come peek in every now and again and get you something."

"Oh! Aw, shucks, that's really nice of you." Well now he feels silly.

"I figured if you weren't taking care of that cold, maybe somebody else ought to." The grin she gives him is positively teasing, and he can't help but rub the back of his neck.

"Aw, man, it's really not that bad, I promise. I do appreciate it, though. You're really kind to be trying to look out for me." He slides off the forklift, stretches his back out and winces at the cracking of his joints. "I'll be good for dinner, I promise. I'm sniffly, but otherwise unscathed--and I promise I'll try not to make you worry about me."

"I don't mind it. You seem like you could use someone actually looking out for you." She hands him a little travel packet of tissues, the plastic decorated with some bright pink gingham and a little cartoon mascot he doesn't recognize. "I've got a bunch of these in my locker, if you ever need any and I'm not here."

"The old ladies back home would've called you just sweet as pie. That's a really generous offer--I'll try not to abuse it." He probably won't ever actually avail himself of them--going into somebody else's locker feels so taboo, but especially to pilfer something like this. He'll just make do with whatever napkins or paper towels he can get his hands on, or occasionally a couple tissues when he's feeling especially gracious to his poor nose.

And maybe she can read his mind, because she puts a tender hand on his forearm. "It's really okay if you do, I promise. I bought them to be used, I'd rather they do you some good than just sit in my locker doing nothing."

"Man, you've got me in a tough spot to try and refuse, huh?" He worries the plastic between his fingers, listening to the crinkle and watching the way it distorts the face on the little smiling bear. "I suppose I'll just have to say yes, then. Thank you."

"Aw, man, your poor nose is so red. That must hurt..."

He sniffles reflexively, and gently brings a knuckle to the tip of his nose. "It's not too bad, just a little sore. Nothing that, uh, a little lotion or something tonight before bed will have it good to go."

She reaches to take his cheek in her hand, and he instinctively leans away from her in surprise. He doesn't mind being touched, usually, but it comes so suddenly that he doesn't know what to do about it--to have his face touched so intimately, he doesn't know what's coming or how to handle it.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you--"

"No! No, it's fine, I was--uh--was h-? hH'DZZHHyue! eIZZHHieww!" He ducks into his tented hands, the feeling coming way too quickly to be able to actually get a tissue out of the packet in time. Now that he's here, though, he's mortified that he opted to do that instead of using his sleeve--and especially because the tissues are still halfway clutched in one hand, the spray shiny and slick on the plastic.

"Oh--bless you, are you-?"

"Don't--uh--" He grimaces, and awkwardly pulls his hands away, thankful to his core that this wasn't so messy as he feared it would be, just thin and liquidy enough to be able to avoid the most mortifying moment in a long while. "Excuse me. I didn't mean to, uh...do that...to--my hands, I mean--"

"That's okay, it happens. You don't really seem like someone who makes a habit of covering like that, you seem really conscientious of others." She fishes through her tool pouch, grabs a little squeezy bottle of hand sanitizer and offers it to him to squeeze into his palms.

"I really try, it's just, uh, kinda hard sometimes, I guess." He rubs the sanitizer into his hands, aware of the fact that his skin is getting dry here in the fall. Gosh, he should probably put lotion on when he gets back into the break room. "I really do my best, it's just sort of, like--I don't know, I guess there's only so much that can really be done? I really do wanna, like, make sure I'm not giving anything to anybody else, but it's kind of--it's sorta--" he falters, unsure of what to say to really convince anyone of anything. Maybe he's trying to convince himself more than her.

"I can only imagine. You're a really nice person, though, and so considerate. You've got a cold, it's not a crime. It happens to everyone, and there's really only so much that you can do for it." She scooches a little closer, gently wraps her arm around his waist. "I'm not concerned about getting it, at least."

It's reassuring, honestly, to have that acknowledgement. "Yeah, well, that's really sweet to say--and to think, honestly. You're brave, to be this close when I'm sick like this. I'm assuming you're still feeling brave enough for dinner, then?"

"Of course! Assuming you're still willing to come?"

"I'm not one to back out from plans I've made." He really does kind of wish he could be in bed tonight instead of dinner, but that's not the important bit right now. "As long as I've got enough time to get to change into something clean, it'll be nice to--to h-? hH-! hH'DZZHHhyue! 'DZZHhyuuee!"

He groans, the little packet of tissues now empty as he grabs the last couple from it, his nose streaming in earnest now. He can feel her tense against his side, and it finally clicks in his mind that he's still holding onto her. Oh, no?

He releases her from his grip, a panic washing over him as he sort of scrambles away a little. "Oh, gosh, I'm sorry--I didn't mean to still be--to, uh--"

Her brow wrinkles in sympathy as she looks at him. "Oh, Elliott, bless you. It's okay, you're totally good. I don't mind, you're sick, there's nothing to be sorry for. I was close to you, by choice, so don't even worry about it."

"Are you, uhmb--hold on--" He turns his back to her, and blows his nose, more vigorously than he'd really ever want to in front of another person, because he's so stupidly congested and drippy that he knows, for certain, that he wouldn't be able to get away with just some little polite thing like he'd hope to. "Are you sure you don't mind if I tag along for dinner? This is honestly kind of gross."

"Elliott." She takes his hands in hers, even though he's got the tissues still clutched in one of his palms. "I swear that I don't mind. I want to have dinner with you, and I want to be close to you. Please...just trust me that I mean it."

Oh. Gosh. Oh, Lord have mercy. He blushes deeply, especially when she gives his hands a little squeeze here. Were she a man, he thinks this may well be close to praise enough to get him hot and bothered. As it stands, he's still quite flattered--and rather embarrassed--to hear how adamantly she wants him there, and having to reconcile that with how he's so grossly cold ridden tonight. "If you insist..."

"I really do. I've gotta get back before the Captain catches me distracting you and lingering, but I'll see you tonight."

It's silly to be overwhelmed by someone just being nice, but something about it just feels so much, he isn't quite sure how to process it all. He watches her bounce back off out of sight, worrying the empty package between his fingers. He sniffles, thickly, and shakes his head as he goes back to work.

⁂

He doesn't have any time to shower when he gets home, his hair will be wet for hours if he does, but he's at least got enough time to change out of dirty work clothes and into something that doesn't meet OSHA safety guidelines. He does consider pulling his hair from the braid, if only because it's been tied back all day to keep it out of the way while he's working, but he thinks with a cold like this, having his hair in his face is just asking for trouble--he doesn't need it clinging weirdly to the moisture when it blows into his face, or comes into contact with his nose.

Someone knocks on the door, and he glances at his watch. Aw, Hell, it really is time to go, isn't it? He sniffs, shoves a couple tissues into his pocket for later, and swings the door open.

"Hey, you--wow."

She looks stunning. She's got her hair done up and curled, her makeup done with eyeliner sharp enough it could cut him clean through, some cute little heels that've got bows tied at the ankle.

She laughs, strikes some cute pose. "Yeah, wow? I'm glad somebody appreciates it, it's nice to have a chance to wear something pretty for once."

He feels so inadequate next to her. "You look great! I can, uh--I can go change, I kinda feel like something the cat dragged in--"

"Oh, no! No, you look fine, I promise!" She takes his hands and squeezes them between hers. "I don't want you to feel like you've gotta change, you look lovely, I promise. Besides, we've gotta get going or we're gonna be late."

He supposes he can't argue with that logic. If he'd realized this was more of a 'look nice' kind of dinner, he'd have put on at least something with buttons, not just a sweater and a pair of jeans, but she hadn't mentioned it was that sort of affair. He can feel that shame creeping up on him, that flush of embarrassment as he catches sight of himself in the hall mirror before he locks the door behind them.

"Thank you for picking me up, I really appreciate it. You're a braver woman than me to be able to park downtown--I don't think I've parallel parked a car since I took my driving exam, and even then I only got through it by the skin of my teeth." He grabs one of the tissues, chagrined to be needing to use one already, but it's a little chillier than he expected it to be, and his nose has been running like a danged tap since he woke up this morning.

Her car smells nice when he steps in, and his eyes instantly alight on the little bouquet in the backseat. "Oh, those are beautiful!"

"You like 'em?"

"I do!"

"Well good, 'cause they're for you."

He's dumbfounded by the statement. For him? He looks between the flowers and her in baffled silence, his mouth hanging open in the shock of it all. "They're for me?"

"They are! I was at a nursery earlier to get something to spruce up my new apartment a little, and I thought, y'know, while I was there I might as well pick up something for you, too. I've heard talk around work that you're a fan of flowers, so I got you a few. It's nothing super flashy, but, y'know, still nice anyway, I'd like to think."

"They're gorgeous! I--" he trails off into a surprised little laugh. "I guess I don't know what to say. I'm rarely speechless, but this is--man, this is so sweet of you, I can't believe it." He gingerly picks them up, the plastic sleeve crinkling in his hands as he takes them to be cradled in his arms like a baby. "These are just beautiful!"

"I'm glad you like them! I was a little worried you might be sort of, I don't know, put off by receiving flowers--I know a lot of my male friends wouldn't even dream of accepting any--but you seem...different. In a good way, of course!"

"I think 'different' is one of the nicest ways people describe me." He leans down, takes the deepest inhale he can manage, and sighs. "I'm sure they smell good, but I can't really tell right now." He pauses, briefly, to scrub at his nose with the tissues. "I've gotta say, I'm lucky that these are some of the ones that don't get me sneezing something fierce. Honestly, we're both probably lucky for it--I don't think you'd really want me in your car if I was in a state like that."

"You'd be surprised."

"Would I?"

"I don't think you'd be bad company in any state you're in."

"You may change your tune when allergy season hits, but I'm happy to enjoy it while you think so." Even without any real ability to smell it, and the fact that they don't really bother his allergies, he can feel that prickling irritation that's creeping back into his nose, front to back and everywhere in between. He pauses in his attempts at buckling his seatbelt, awkwardly setting the flowers on his lap and leaning them against the dashboard so he can grab his one, singular tissue and into tented hands in preparation.

"Are you--"

"hH-! eEIDDZZHhyue! 'DDJZZHhuue! hUH'UDDZZhyue! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph--" He can feel the moisture soaked through the tissue and into his palms, and he fishes through his pockets for the other few tissues he'd brought with to try and take care of the mess. He wipes the moisture away with a grimace, and then gingerly pinches at reddened nostrils with the remainder. "Excuse me."

"Bless you, you poor thing. Are you sure you're up to this? You can go back upstairs if you want to, it isn't too late..."

"No! No, I'm good, I'm just--it's just a cold. As long as you're still fine with having me, of course--I know I'm kinda gross. Or, more than 'kinda', honestly." He wants to sniffle so bad, but he's more afraid to upset this delicate balance he's got struck right now. If he sneezes again, it's gonna be a nightmare with nothing to really clean it up, so he just resolves himself to trying to very delicately mop it up and hope he can keep things in check until they get there and he can zip into the bathroom to wash up and take care of himself.

"I don't have any tissues, but I might have a couple napkins in the center console?" She gently nudges at his elbow until he moves it out of the way, and pops it open for him to peek. It is, unfortunately, empty, aside from a little container of breath mints and a lighter.

"Afraid not, but it's fine." He can hear as well as feel the congestion creeping into his voice, threatening to spill over the flimsy tissues. "It's not a super far drive, and I'm just sort of sniffly." He punctuates that thought with a little throat clear. "And, uh, sneezy, but that's sort of par for the course."

"So I've gathered." She reaches over and puts a gentle hand on his knee. He goes rigidly still, unwilling to move at all and risk her touch migrating anywhere. He would be mortified if she accidentally touched him a bit...sensually, especially if they both had to deal with the fact that her hand on his thigh would have him an absolute mess. No, that'd be weird. He can't let that happen.

Gingerly, he takes one hand from the bouquet, the other still firmly parked beneath his streaming nose, to grab hold of one of her bangles and gently pluck her hand away from his leg. "I'm admittedly not thrilled to know that it's a defining characteristic of mine. I'd rather be, like, nice, or funny, or generous, or something like that, instead of sickly. There's a lot more to me than just my respiratory system, but that seems to be what people notice the most."

"Well," she starts thoughtfully, fingers drumming over the steering wheel as they wait at the stop light, "I think it is pretty noticeable, but it's not the most noticeable thing about you. You're also pretty tall, and have really long hair. Those were the first two things I noticed. But you're right--you are really nice, and really generous, and have a good sense of humor--and it doesn't hurt that you're handsome, too."

He can feel the color flooding his cheeks and he looks away, a bashful little laugh rising up from him. "You're sweet to say it, but I don't think handsome is really the word most people'd use. 'Pretty', maybe."

"I'd use handsome. You've got beautiful eyes--and those lashes, ugh. I'm jealous. Do you know that even with mascara on, mine aren't as dark and thick and pretty as yours?"

"The women in my life do tend to be pretty jealous of them, yeah. I was always sorta--I don't know--not really ugly, but I think I've always been a little...odd, I guess. A little homely, the older ladies used to say." He trails off, wrinkling his nose against the irritation, and it's a move that doesn't really do anything to quell the irritation, but does remind him just how soaked these tissues are. He's verging on a sneeze, that feeling looming threateningly deep in his sinuses. "I'm, uhmb--" Oh, God, they're not gonna make it to this restaurant fast enough. "I don't know. Always just sort of long and thin and weird."

"Someone might call you graceful? Willowy, maybe?"

He can't fight it anymore--his breath scissors, and he shudders roughly into the bedraggled tissues with a trio of rough, wet sneezing. "heEIDDJZZHhyue! hiH-! hiIDDZZHhue! 'DZZHhieww!" It soaks the tissues to a useless degree, and he has to blink away the tears in the corner of his eyes. "Oh mby gosh--"

"Bless you! Oh my God, you poor thing." She gently rubs one of his shoulders, and looks over at him with a sympathetic frown. "Here, do you--I think I've got a bandana in the backseat from my hard hat, if you're not too put off by it?"

Oh, God. This is mortifying. He doesn't want to be so grossly sick in front of other people, especially someone who's so nice, but he really isn't being given any choice by his own body, here. "Excuse me" feels so inadequate for this, but he doesn't know what else he should really be saying for it. He turns away, unwilling to let her really be looking at him like this while he's practically drowning in his own fluids, and gratefully takes the bandana she offers him. He doesn't want to sound ungrateful, but, man, it probably would have been pretty helpful if he could've gotten this a little sooner to clean himself up, but he's not looking this gift horse in its teeth, for sure.

He's more or less cleaned up by the time they arrive, nostrils still deep red and wet, but not actively dripping anymore. "I would take your hand but I, uh, don't think I want to offer mine to anyone right now. At least until I can wash up, anyway."

"I'm not shy, but I won't push you on it." She does, at least, put a hand on the small of his back, and guides him into the restaurant. Her hands are warm, even through his shirt, and it's nice to be touched by another person.

The restaurant is warm, decorated handsomely. It's a little dimmer in here than he'd thought it would be, candles on tables and chandeliers hanging down and all sorts of little accouterments that make it sort of...intimate.

They're guided to a table in the corner, and he feels noticeably worse dressed than most of the other guests. There's a candle in the center of it, flickering gently and casting delicate light across the both of them, softening their lines and edges into something easier on the eyes. "Oh. Man, it's a little, uh--this might be a good date night spot, huh?"

"I guess so! I didn't expect it to be so nice, here!" She doesn't share that same wide-eyed wonder that he's got, but she does seem impressed by it.

He pulls her chair for her, and then seats himself across from her with a bashful smile. "I feel like I should've brought you flowers--or worn something a lot nicer." He glances towards the entrance, trying to decide where he thinks the bathroom might be. "If I leave you my ID, will you get me a glass of wine?"

"Yeah, white or red?"

"I know there's a method to how you're supposed to pair these things, but something red. I'll leave it up to you, whatever sounds good and isn't stupidly expensive--a ten dollar bottle tastes the same to me as a three hundred dollar bottle does."

"Ahh, maybe I'll have to dazzle you with some wine knowledge, then. Talk about tasting notes and bouquets and pairings."

"Consider me dazzled. I'll be right back."

He can't skirt around people quickly enough as he moves towards where he's pretty sure he saw a sign when they walked in, and slips into the men's room. He winces when he catches sight of himself in the mirror--ugh, Lord above, he looks just as bad as he feels, maybe even worse.

The red in his nose is garish, the color threatening to bleed down towards his cupid's bow with the way it's been running all day. The skin around his nostrils is shiny in the harsh lights over the sinks, the moisture catching the fluorescents, and it's starting to peel from the abuse. The shadows under his eyes are particularly noticeable, more so than usual, and he carefully turns his face this way and that to inspect the damage.

Boy. He really should've said no and just gone home to nap, especially since he's going to have to go from work tomorrow directly to Mass and then home for bed to be ready for work again. He regrets agreeing to work the overtime, but they could use the help--and, more than that, he could use the money. Raising a child is expensive, raising a teen even more so.

He grabs a handful of toilet paper, frowns at it as if that might make it thicker and less rough. One would think that a nice restaurant like this could spring for something that he wouldn't consider being well at home in a prison, but apparently all businesses fall victim to the siren's song of one-ply that may well have started life as sandpaper. It's not the most soothing thing when he brings it to his nose, but it's worlds better than the nothing he had earlier, and beggars can hardly be choosers.

He blows his nose, the sound of it grossly thick and productive, and he has to swap it out for a new handful to try again to finish the job. Everything still feels thick and wet and crackly in his sinuses, which is dumbfounding considering how saturated the sodden toilet paper is, but he supposes that's just how this cold is going to be. At least it seems relatively unlikely to try to become a sinus infection--he knocks on the metal stall door in lieu of any wood--and shoves another handful of toilet paper into the pocket of his jeans.

Okay. Okay. He can do this. He's just gotta make it through dinner, and then he can sleep this off and he'll feel better in the morning. Surely.

He pauses, glances at the door, and ducks back into the stall for a second. He can feel that he's going to sneeze, and it'd be better if he just waits for a second to do it here instead of immediately wasting what he's bringing with him. Besides--he hasn't been gone long, he can afford a little longer before he's been gone a weird amount of time. And, if he's being honest with himself, he's sort of savoring the alone time.

He wrinkles his nose hard and sniffles. Of course now, of all times, his nose is deciding that it doesn't want to cooperate and just sneeze. This is one of few times he's actively hoping for it to happen, and it's just being a tease. He can feel that spark of it, that gentle, shy little itch nestled deep in the back of cold-filled sinuses.

He juuuuust has to focus on that, to avoid doing anything that's going to actually soothe it, like trying to avoid blowing too hard on a little ember and snuffing a flame instead of nurturing it in a fire. He closes his eyes, brows knit in concentration, taking slow, deep breaths through his nose to try and nudge it a little further along. He can feel the moisture threatening to leak, and that little bump of irritation when he sniffles it back.

It isn't quite enough to be actionable just yet, but he can feel it starting to blossom into a sneeze. It's close--his breath hitches involuntarily, and he slowly brings the handful of toilet paper up in preparation to catch it. It's playing coy with him--he knows he's going to sneeze, so the fact that it's pretending it doesn't want to happen is frustrating. This must be how Florence feels--his sympathy for her plight deepens somewhat. This is torture just waiting for it.

He sniffles again--and oh, that did it--

His breath snags, a sharp inhale that has him scrambling to catch it. Even though he's had all this time to actually prepare, it still threatens to catch him off guard.

"huH-!? uUDDZzh'yue! eEIZZHhue! Hh...h-hH'ZZHhieww! hEZZHhyue!" He whimpers in the aftermath, the feeling of them scraping across an already sore throat unpleasant enough that it draws it out of him without his meaning to.

"Jesus! Bless you!"

When someone else came in, he has no idea, but he can feel how dark he's blushing, the hot shame creeping down his neck and bleeding clean through to his ears. He awkwardly straightens up from where he's just been standing there hunched over. "Uhmb--" it's a thick croak, beyond congested, and he has to make the mortifying decision to blow his nose again to try and regain his voice. "Excuse me, thank you."

He awkwardly clears his throat and goes to the sink to wash up, distinctly aware of the fact that now somebody is in here and just listening to all the sounds of him being horridly cold-ridden. He tries his best to keep things as quiet as possible when possible, but there's little to be done when he's so weirdly sick and in public. He just hopes that it isn't too off-putting, given that this is a restaurant, and people don't typically want to listen to somebody sneezing like their life depends on it while they're trying to eat.

He hustles back to the table, and Marissa lights up when they make eye contact as he makes his way back over. "Hey, you made it! I was starting to worry I'd have to drink your glass and order you another one before you got back."

"Oh, yeah, sorry. Was trying to do something about this cold, get a little more presentable." After begging to sneeze, he's fairly certain his nose is accepting all the encouragement as an invitation. He already feels vaguely sneezy again, which is, to put it mildly, a massive pain in the neck. With the same subtlety as a brick to the face, he swipes at his nose with the makeshift tissues. "Did you get a chance to look at the menu yet? I was gonna try and remember to check it out before we got here, but I was so busy it totally slipped my mind."

"They look like they've got a chicken parm that looks pretty good, and if you're a seafood guy, I saw somebody else get a cedar plank salmon carried by and it looked delicious."

"Ah! Chicken parm might be good. I am, unfortunately, going to get my Dutch card revoked because I am very much not a seafood guy."

"You're Dutch?"

"I am! I mean, kinda, I guess. I've never been, but my parents were first generation, and that was pretty much all we spoke in the house for the first few years of my life. Enough English to get through schooling, but it wasn't my strong suit by any means." He grins, takes a sip of his wine. "I think it surprises people--they know I'm definitely not from around here, but they don't really expect the guy with the Southern drawl to bust out the Dutch."

"I've gotta admit, if you asked me to guess where your family was from, I wouldn't have said the Netherlands. I would've said, like, Tennessee, maybe."

"Ah, you insult me!" He sets his jaw, affects a thicker, slower drawl like a proper bumpkin. "No, ma'am, I grew up in Virginia, in the sort of town somebody from the boonies would refer to as the sticks. Our population was literally, like, a thousand or something. We have coworkers who had more people than that in their high school alone."

"Geez, I'm one of them. I think my high school had like three thousand kids."

"Yeah, it was definitely a podunk sort of town. It was not lovingly that most people called it BFE--though that's kind of crass. It wasn't a bad place, but it was...small, with all the small town stuff that comes with it, for better or for worse."

"What brought you out this way? Just needed something bigger?"

He winces. "Something like that. It's, uh, not really great dinner conversation. I don't wanna, like--what do they call it on TikTok--I don't wanna trauma dump on you. But suffice to say that I haven't been back in awhile, and I don't know that I ever will be unless something drastic happens."

Her eyes are impossibly sympathetic as she reaches across the table and takes his hand. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Maybe. I don't know. I guess the tl;dr of it is that after my parents passed, things were...rough, between my brother and I, and eventually I had to just get out of there. My boss called in a favor from the Captain, and I moved out here, and I've been here ever since." It isn't really a lie, so much as an omission of...most of the story. But it feels selfish and rude to, like, drop everything into her lap like this, when they've only known eachother a couple of days. Especially because he doesn't really know her--even if it wouldn't be weird and rude, it just feels too...vulnerable, maybe? to be telling someone things about his life like this?

"Your parents passed?"

"Uh, yeah. It's been awhile, though, it's not, like, recent. Not that I don't miss them! I don't want it to sound like I'm glad that it happened, or like I don't miss my daddy, but it's been long enough that I guess I'm not really...I don't know, I don't know what I'm trying to say here." He laughs, a pitchy, nervous thing that bubbles up from his throat of its own accord. Oh, God, he needs somebody to shut him up. He takes a much more indulgent drink of his wine than he normally would--not that he thinks he'll be really inebriated; he can hold his liquor pretty well--but if he paid for it, he intends to savor it, not to just waste it by immediately downing it.

"Do you wanna change the subject?"

He doesn't mean for it to sound so desperate when he answers, "please."

She's mercifully obliging when she gives his hand a squeeze and nudges his glass gently. "How's your wine?"

"Good! It's good. I mean, it's red wine, so it's hard to really be bad--well, maybe that's not true. I'm sure there are a lot of people who would wholeheartedly disagree with me. But for my intents and purposes, it's all good." It's also a little itchy, but it's hard to say whether that's the cold or the wine talking. Or, he thinks regretfully, probably both. He rubs his nose, his knuckle pressing in against the side of one nostril. He's probably gonna sneeze.

"I wish I wasn't so picky. I'm more of a--"

"holdonsorry--'ZZHhyue!"

"Oh! Bless y--"

"heEIZZHhieww! huH'UUZZHhue! UZZHh'ue!"

"Bless you! Are you done?"

He shakes his head, eyes still squeezed shut, brows pinched together at a desperate slant while he teeters on the brink of a final one, jaw slack and breath snagging unevenly. "H-huh! hH-!? hEEIIDDZZHhyue!" It scrapes his throat rudely, leaves him teary eyed in the aftermath of it, snuffling desperately into his destroyed tissues. His voice is thin and nearly whimpery when he finds enough space between sniffles to speak again. "Oh...excuse me."

She scoots her chair closer to him to wrap an arm around him, to pull him closer against her body. She's warm, even in a dress that isn't particularly covering, and he scrubs hard at his nose. "Elliott, God, bless you..."

There's a certain...something in the way she says it that feels reminiscent of something else in the back of his mind--someone else--but he can't quite place who it feels familiar from. It's really sweet, just--there's something else about it, too. "Are you--would you be terribly upset if we maybe...?"

"Went home early?"

"If you'd be willing...I wouldn't want to, uhm, stop your night early, especially because you were looking forward to this and we haven't even eaten yet--and even if we did leave early, I'd at least want us to get to eat before we go--but I'm not wanting to...stay out as late as we might otherwise." Especially because he's exhausted, and because he's so miserably cold-ridden. He wants to eat a bowl of soup and go to bed.

She brushes the hair away from his face, cups his cheek in her palm. He leans into her touch. Her hand is so soft and warm, holding him like he's the most precious thing in the whole world. "We can just pay the bill now and go. You were so sweet to try and come out for me, but you didn't have to do this."

He scrubs dejectedly at reddened nostrils, at the gross dampness that meets his hand there. "We'll have to try again another time. But we could, uhmb--" he sniffles thickly, and it crackles weirdly in his sinuses. "You're welcome to hang out at my apartment for a bit? I'll probably be in my pajamas, but I'm decent enough company, I think."

"I'd love to. You're going to be good company in any shape, I wouldn't mind sitting with you for a bit. Get you all comfortable and well taken care of before I go."

The drive home is pretty quiet, save for him intermittently sneezing, and she reaches over to touch his shoulder, his knee, his hair; anything she can reach on him to take hold of gently and grant some semblance of reassurance. Perhaps she was a little more tired than she'd let on as well, because he feels like they probably would be doing a little more chatting if she wasn't just sort of waiting to take him home.

Then again, he doesn't really blame her for it. Working this morning was a lot for the both of them, and he's hardly been the kind of company a lady ought to have for the evening. His momma would've smacked some sense into him if she'd seen his sorry excuse for this outing. He'll have to invite her out again next week when he's back in fettle.

He leans in to hug her, and is surprised when she puts a hand on his chest. "I meant it when I said I wanted to make sure you were set up well before I left."

"You're just begging to catch this off me. If your fate wasn't already sealed, this is gonna be the thing that does it." It's really silly to still be protesting like this, he knows, she's already got him holding his hand, letting him lead her up the stairs. She hasn't got any reservations about his cooties, and, honestly, she's probably already caught this anyway. He feels bad about it, but, who knows, maybe somebody else will have passed it to her, not just him? Or, even if they hadn't, maybe he should just accept her confidence as a sign to get some himself. He obviously isn't going to be swaying her from her decision at this rate.

He actually invites her in properly this time, lets her in from the little landing and into the apartment itself. He lets her go in first, holding the door open to let her go ahead of him (even though it's somewhat awkward to be leaning into the apartment to hold it while still waiting for her to be the first one whose feet hit the threshold) and then following in behind her.

It stands just as it did when he left it earlier, and he sets about flicking on a couple of lights so it doesn't look quite so desolate in here. Not that he's going to have them on for long--after a cup of tea and maybe a bowl of soup--he's starting to have second thoughts about how hungry he is--he'll be switching them all back off anyway and crawling under his blankets--but at least for now, while someone else is here to benefit from them instead of just navigating in the dim light of the streetlights through the window, he'll have them all on.

"It's cozy in here, I like it. It's got a certain "grandma chic" vibe to it."

"You know, you are not the first person who's ever said that."

"I'm not shocked. Your couch looks like it was bequeathed to you by a woman who never saw the year 1900."

"Aww, c'mon, it's not that bad." It is. It's a hideous floral that he is beyond in love with, complete with an antimacassar that the cat's spent his fair share of time lovingly tearing to shreds with his many, many, many sessions of making the most intense biscuits he has ever witnessed from a cat in his entire life. He should really replace it, but he found it for a steal at Goodwill, and replacing it feels like more hassle than it's worth, even though it looks kinda ratty, especially because he knows that anything new will end up in the same state as this one in relatively short order.

"Elliott, I'm pretty sure my Nana owned that exact couch." Her hand is still in his as she leads him further into the apartment, her eyes taking everything in. "Maybe what it needs is a woman's touch."

"It could probably use a little work, but I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out over the years." She drifts closer to the table when he pulls the pair of them closer to it to be able to snag a few tissues with his spare hand, awkwardly stuffing his keys into his pocket to have his hand free to be dedicated to nothing but the current task of sopping up the moisture that's begun running against in earnest at the temperature change. The apartment is pleasantly warm, and he's grateful to be home.

"Why don't I make you a cup of tea, and you," she lets him go to let one hand trail down his back, "go change into something more comfortable?"

"Oh! I couldn't ask you to do that."

"I want to."

"Well...if you insist, I guess it might be alright..."

"I'll bring it into you when you're changed."

"That's really kind of you to offer. Thank you."

She's so nice! Gosh, it just makes his heart feel so warm. There's really no need to be shy, then, if she's so insistent on doing something kind for him, but he has a hard time turning off that nagging anxiety that he's being needy, or rude, or just too much in some way or another. He doesn't want her to get tired of him already, especially once she realizes that he really was being truthful when he said that he's in this state pretty often.

He shakes his head as if it'll shake the thoughts loose, and heads in to go change. He's aggressively throwing the crumpled tissues on the nightstand and the floor into the overflowing wastebasket where they should've gone in the first place, trying to get this room into some semblance of tidiness before she walks in and sees it. If he'd known he was going to be having company, he'd have done something to actually clean up last night before bed, or something this morning before he left for work. Instead he's doing it half-frantically now, trying to turn this mess into something he can tolerate another person seeing.

He hears the microwave beep in the other room and knows he's basically out of time. He sheds his clothing in a pile on the floor and just kicks it underneath the bed--and prays he'll remember in the morning that he's done it when he wonders where on God's green earth his wallet and keys are--and tugs on his nightgown. It's the most comfortable thing he owns, and also the only pajamas he's got that aren't in the wash waiting for him to remember to start the load.

Unsure of what to do with himself, he's just weirdly sitting there on the edge of the bed when she walks in. He doesn't know what to do with his hands, so he folds them in his lap. "Welcome." Oh, God, that was so stupid. Welcome, to his bedroom, in the apartment she's already been welcomed into. Smooth. He laughs nervously.

Luckily, she seems more distracted by looking around than by what he said. He follows her gaze, to the little altar on the corner of his dresser, one of the half burnt votive candles still flickering.

"Oh--I know it's, uh, probably not great to leave a candle burning when I'm not home, but I've scooted everything away from it--" He gets up and sets the little snuffer over the top of it to let the candle slowly die out. "Don't worry about it, it'll go out on its own."

She gently sets down the cup of tea on the nightstand, gently nudging the box of tissues aside to give it enough space to sit. "Why don't you just lay down and get comfortable?"

He accepts her suggestion, if a bit awkwardly, and slides underneath the covers halfway. "I'm sorry that this is what our evening ended up being. I doubt you were hoping to watch me sniffle and sneeze through the first twenty minutes of a dinner." He snuffles, thickly, and snatches a couple of tissues out of the box to try and wipe at his nose, and it threatens to be his undoing. He can feel the itch rising sharply in his nose, and he fights to try and keep it in check as best he can.

"I don't mind at all, honestly. You give so much of yourself to everybody else, I want to be able to take care of you and do something nice for you instead..." She cups his cheek in her hand, and he closes his eyes and leans into her touch.

Her thumb brushes against the edge of one nostril, and he instinctively tries to jerk his head away from her touch before it's too late--but he fails. His nose, already on the brink of sneezing, isn't satisfied to just let this action stand without consequence. He gasps, unable to do anything else--

"hyeEIZZHHue! iIDZZHhue! 'DZZHh'huh!"

It's a drenching trio of them that he doesn't even get a chance to cover, only barely able to turn away from her to spray the bedding with the contents of his cold. He shivers, grabbing the tissues to swipe at his dripping nose. "Oh, I'm so sorry--I didn't mean to--my nose is so sensitive--"

"Bless you." She pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose, and he nearly whines in response.

"Please don't, you're going to makemesneeze--? Hh...h-hH'HEZZHhyue! EDJZZHhue!" His lashes flutter shut and he ducks down into tented hands, the tissues struggling under the burden he's putting on them. Crimson nostrils flare and quiver as the itch consumes him. "H-huh--huH'UUDDZZHhieww! UZZHh'hue!"

Tears roll down his cheeks in irritation, his thick lashes damp and studded with tears. He snuffles, everything so wet and desperate, and he is deeply aware that this cold is sinking its claws into him in a way he won't be shaking it anytime soon. He looks up over tented hands, unwilling to want to pull them away just yet. "Excuse me..."

"You poor thing...you must be so itchy. Your poor nose is so sensitive, isn't it? All it takes is just a little touch to set you off..."

He can feel the blush wash through his features, a deep pink of self-consciousness. "It's usually not so bad, I'm just--it's just this cold." He can feel her eyes on him as he turns away, taking a couple of tissues to wipe away the moisture, and then when he turns away a little harder to blow his nose. It's a thick, wet sound that's so mortifyingly productive. He can see her sort of squirm in the corner of his eye, and he can't imagine it's with anything else except disgust.

"I can go wash up."

"I don't mind. If you want to, you're welcome to, but if not, it's nothing to me. This is your apartment."

"It is, but you're my guest here." He takes a little sip of the tea, and it's hot, and sweet, and soothing. The mug is one of his favorites--it's bright yellow, textured like a pineapple and green and semi-thorned on the handle. It's cute; he loves carrying it around the apartment and sipping anything out of it. "Did you know that this is one of my favorite mugs I own? My daughter got this for me."

Her expression is unreadable. He isn't sure what he should really say, what she wants to do. "Is her mom still in the picture?"

"Oh. I mean--kinda?" He coughs into his fist, some shy little gesture that ends up becoming an actual cough into his elbow, deeper and chestier and congested. "She's around, but not really. She's my daughter's mom, but I'm not her father--I mean--I am her father, but it's like--not biologically. I adopted her. Her mom couldn't care for her, so I ended up taking her in, with my husband at the time. We aren't together anymore, but we do co-parent."

She brushes the hair away from his face, tucking the locks of hair back behind his ears. "Maybe I shouldn't have asked. We don't have to talk about it, if you're not wanting to."

"No! I mean, it's fine. I'm just kind of--I don't want to make anything weird for you, especially because you're really nice, and especially because we're going to be working together. You shouldn't have to, like, deal with me being weird." He runs his fingers over the mug, his nails catching in all the grooves and texture of the whole surface. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can."

He looks over at her, their eyes locking on one another. "Was this a date?"

She laughs, but something about the way she does it just sort of confirms things. One of her hands finds its way into one of his, just holds onto it with a little squeeze. "Maybe I was hoping it would be."

His mind is a stew of thoughts that he doesn't know how to actually pick out anything coherent from. He just nods and breaks the eye contact to look away sheepishly. He's never had to really turn down a woman before--honestly, he kind of can't believe that anyone would ever look at him and think he was anything other than flaming. "You know, I do want to say that I'm really flattered. More than I really know how to say, honestly. It's just not really...in the cards, I guess. I don't really--there's a reason I have an ex-husband and not an ex-wife. But you're really nice--you're really sweet, and you're so pretty, and I do hope that you end up finding someone who digs you."

He's pulled into a hug, hard enough it almost sloshes his tea out of his mug, and he gently wraps his arms back around her. "I can't say I'm not disappointed, but you know how it is. I'll survive, somehow." Her smile isn't bitter like he expects it to be--she does seem to be okay with it, but he can feel the anxiety gnawing at his insides. She extends a hand. "Friends, then?"

"Friends, for sure."

She stands up, smooths out her dress, and gently pushes him flat against the board with a hand on his chest. "Good. Then you go to bed, and I'll see you at work on Monday--and if that cold isn't any better, you'd better believe I'm gonna hit you with some caretaking that'll knock your socks off." A kiss is pressed to his crown, and she's off to the front door. "Sleep well, Elliott. Thanks for dinner."

"The next one'll be better, I promise. We'll even get to eat something this time."

"I'm holding you to it!"

[citynewsglobe]

[ad_1] First-time homebuyers can navigate the method easily by setting a transparent finances, getting pre-approved for a mortgage, and prioritizing wants over needs. Researching neighborhoods, working with a dependable agent, and completely inspecting properties are essential. Consumers could find a property that matches their way of life and finances by being affected person and adaptable. Introduction Embarking on shopping for your first house is each exhilarating and daunting. Discovering an ideal match would possibly look like chasing an elusive dream, however with the right steering, it’s inside attain. Corporations like Elliott Houses acknowledge first-time patrons’ distinctive challenges, providing insights and experience to assist navigate this important milestone. From understanding finances constraints to mastering the closing course of, the following pointers are designed to light up your path to turning into a home-owner. Setting a Lifelike Funds The primary step in your home-buying journey is establishing a practical finances. This could embody a radical evaluation of your funds — together with revenue, current money owed, and month-to-month bills. As you intend, don’t simply deal with the down cost; contemplate the long-term points like upkeep, taxes, and surprising repairs. Crafting an in depth and sustainable finances is crucial, as it's the basis upon which all different choices can be primarily based. This proactive method will stop monetary overstretching, making your homeownership expertise pleasing and stress-free. Understanding Your Wants and Needs Distinguishing between your wants and needs is a crucial but typically missed a part of the home-buying equation. Start by itemizing must-have options such because the variety of bedrooms or accessibility to your office. Subsequent, contemplate way of life enhancers like a big yard or trendy kitchen home equipment. By setting priorities, you could deal with homes that suit your fundamental necessities whereas in search of engaging options. Finally, this technique ensures you’re making an knowledgeable determination that fits your way of life and preferences. Researching Market Tendencies The true property market is dynamic, with financial situations and geographic shifts influencing tendencies. By conducting complete analysis on present market tendencies, you achieve beneficial insights into one of the best occasions to purchase and the areas poised for progress. Understanding market intricacies can considerably improve your bargaining energy and put together you for potential fluctuations in dwelling values. Being knowledgeable helps you make strategic choices that align together with your monetary objectives and imaginative and prescient to your future. Partnering With a Actual Property Agent For a lot of first-time patrons, the steering of an skilled actual property agent proves invaluable. These professionals possess deep data of neighborhoods, college districts, and market situations, offering you with a aggressive edge. Past their experience, actual property brokers handle the advanced processes of submitting affords, negotiating phrases, and finishing paperwork — permitting you to deal with discovering the best dwelling. Constructing a strong partnership together with your agent can considerably cut back stress, offering readability and confidence all through your search. Exploring Mortgage Choices One of many tougher elements of buying a home may be navigating the mortgage market. Every possibility comes with its phrases, from fixed-rate to adjustable-rate mortgages. Understanding these variations and the way they match into your monetary blueprint is essential. Assembly with a number of lenders to match choices lets you safe a aggressive mortgage price tailor-made to your circumstances. This diligent method can prevent 1000's over the lifetime of the mortgage, making it a pivotal step within the home-buying course of. Attending Open Homes Open homes

supply a singular alternative to have interaction with a house and its surrounding space, permitting for a radical evaluation of the property’s format, construction, and upkeep points. This firsthand expertise helps decide if a house really suits your imaginative and prescient, because it lets you observe the property’s ambiance, neighborhood noise, and daylight ranges, offering beneficial insights that will not be obvious from an inventory. Making an Supply When you’ve recognized your good dwelling, crafting a well-considered supply is the next move. Work together with your actual property agent to make sure your supply considers the market state of affairs and monetary limitations. Be ready for negotiations, which can contain counteroffers or further phrases. Your flexibility and responsiveness can considerably affect the method, turning the tides in your favor and growing the probability of touchdown your dream dwelling. Navigating the Closing Course of The closing means of a house buy includes inspections, value determinations, and finalizing mortgage particulars. Organizing and sustaining clear communication with all events can stop delays and confusion. Rigorously reviewing crucial paperwork and asking questions ensures understanding of each element, stopping surprises post-purchase. This consideration to element is essential for safeguarding funding and settling confidently into the brand new dwelling. First-time homebuyers can method their journey with assurance and readability, remodeling homeownership goals into achievable realities. The put up Good Ideas for First-Time Homebuyers: Discovering Your Excellent Match appeared first on Vamonde. [ad_2] Supply hyperlink

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Timothy Hawking: Amazing Facts You Need to Know

Timothy Hawking is now 43 years old. Born on April 15, 1979, in St Albans, Hertfordshire, Timothy is the third child of Stephen Hawking and Jane Hawking. He has two siblings, Robert and Lucy, who are also accomplished in their respective fields. Timothy Hawking has made a name for himself in the marketing field and now works as a brand developer and legacy manager, protecting the copyright of his father’s work.

Who Is Timothy Hawking?

Born in 1979, Timothy Hawking stands out for his relationship with renowned physicist Stephen Hawking and his remarkable achievements. While his path seemed predetermined, he pursued his interests, focusing on a career in marketing. His Timothy hawking education in French and Spanish highlights his diverse intellect.

Beyond academics, his pivotal role in safeguarding the late icon’s legacy through the Timothy Hawking occupation, what Timothy Hawking do for a living goes far beyond mere brand management. Despite sharing a name with an unrelated actor in the Hawks film Timothy Dalton, curiosity remains high about Timothy Hawking, reflected in his discreet life and continuous growth on his journey. Timothy Hawking’s achievements truly reflect what Timothy Hawkes do and their dedication to the esteemed Hawking legacy.

Timothy Hawking’s Early Life and Family

Timothy Hawking was born to parents Jonathan Jones and Jane Hawking. Many speculate that renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is his biological father, but clarifications confirm that Timothy Hawking’s biological father is truly Jonathan. Despite this, Stephen Hawking raised Timothy Hawking as his own.

Education and Academic Achievements

Timothy Hawking, unlike what some may assume, is not Stephen Hawking’s biological son. His father, Jonathan Jones, and his mother paved the way for his education. Despite this, Timothy has forged a significant career, as shown on his Timothy Hawking Wiki page. His journey started with a solid foundation in language, earning degrees in French and Spanish. This education led Timothy to a career far from theoretical physics. What does Timothy Hawking do for a living? He ventured into marketing, utilizing his academic achievements.

Timothy Hawking’s Amazing Career

Timothy Hawking’s career has been impressive. He pursued education in French, Spanish, and Marketing, which led him to his first role as a Timothy hawking job at Cogent Elliott, where he worked on Range Rover brochures, displaying his skills. Later, his career took him to Rees Bradley Hepburn, which allowed him to develop further.

Role at The Stephen Hawking Foundation

Timothy Hawking plays a pivotal role at the Stephen Hawking Foundation. Timothy is not hawking Stephen Hawking’s biological son, but his commitment shines brightly. Timothy Hawking, son of Timothy Hawking biological father Jonathan, inherits a profound legacy. His education fuels his passion, steering his job toward promoting science education and safeguarding intellectual properties, honoring both Stephen Hawking and Timothy Hawking’s father.

Timothy Hawking Wife/Girlfriend and Relationship Status

Regarding his personal life, Timothy Hawking has kept many details private. This includes insights into Timothy Hawking married status or Timothy Hawking kids information. Currently, there is no public record of a wife or girlfriend. This secrecy adds mystery while focusing on his professional endeavors listed on his Timothy Hawking Wiki page instead of personal ties.

Timothy Hawking Net Worth

Timothy Hawking’s financial situation is intriguing. Estimates suggest that by 2024, Timothy Hawking net worth is between $50,000 and $1 million, owing to his diverse marketing career and stewardship of the Hawking legacy as part of the Stephen Hawking Foundation. Additionally, involvement in different projects contributes to his earnings Read More