#you have no idea how often i dream of burgers for real.

[b-blushes]

stupidest craving of mine is Burger. allergic/intolerant to literally every single ingredient unless it was made with a wheat free bun with no sauce on it and then that's just a. piece of bread.

[rowdyhughesy]

Remember that I love you - Thomas Bordeleau

Content warning: mention of self inflicted death, mental health and angst. If you or anyone you know are dealing with mental health know that there is help available, you’re not alone and there are people that love you. Please do not read if you know this is something that will trigger you.

“ And high up above, or down below. When you're too in love to let it go. But if you never try, you'll never know. Just what you're worth “

- fix you, Coldplay

October 6th 2020

Looking over at the boy beside her, an anxious and nervous look plastered on his tanned face. She can practically feel how his body is shaking from the nerves even if she’s not touching him. He’s told her time and time again that if he doesn’t get drafted it’ll be alright but they both know that’s not true. This is his dream and he’s so close he can practically touch it and not reaching it now would crush him. It would crush her too because everything he feels she feels with him. Thomas has never said it out loud that he hopes for Montreal but she knows it’s in the back of his mind, this is his home and to play here would be the greatest thing ever.

“Hey.” The girls voice snaps Thomas out of his trance that is staring at the TV screen. He forces a small smile at her that doesn’t reach his eyes but it lets her know she has his attention. “No matter what happens today, remember that I love you okey? You’ve got this I know you do.” This time a real smile forms on his cheeks as he reaches for one of her hands grasping it with one of his, intertwining their fingers. “I love you too.”

August 12th 2025

Packing up his first ever own apartment felt weird. Seeing the place he’s called home for the last couple of years blank, most of his stuff put away in moving boxes. The only thing left untouched is his bedroom. Brendan, William and Jacob having left 30 minutes ago to get food for the group, leaving Thomas alone in his apartment.

Standing in the middle of his apartment living room the hockey player decides that he might as well get started on his bedroom. The 23 year old not loving the idea of his three close friends snooping inside his drawers just to get a rise out of him. They do that enough so adding gasoline to the fire is something he’d rather avoid. He loves the boys but they sure can be a pain in the ass if they want to.

Trudging across the room he pushes open the door of his bedroom. It’s messy, blanket and pillows thrown around on the mattress. Clothes scattered over the floor and about three pair of shoes laying around. Thomas let’s out a huff of air at the sight, he really needs to start cleaning up more often. Grabbing one of the boxes marked bedroom he starts packing.

After another 30 minutes the front door of the apartment opens, the voice of Truss loudly reenacting a story breaking the silence.

Not moving from his location in the bedroom Thomas continues with his task thats currently putting all of his picture frames in tissue paper before they go inside a box. “Need any help Bords?” Brendan sticks his head in from behind the door. Two wrapped burgers in one of his hands and bottles of coke tucked under his arm. Bordeleau nods his head at the question, a wordless invitation that Brendan is allowed inside the room.

The brunette steps inside, handing one of the burgers to his friend as he sits down next to him on the floor. They sit in a comfortable silence taking bites of the food, listening to Will and Jacobs conversation in the other room.

Brendan finishes first, throwing the trash away he grabs a couple of frames that’s placed on a shelf standing against the wall. Taking in the image in one of them a sad smile forms on his lips. Softly brushing a finger tip across the girl in the photograph. Blinking away his tears Briss sits down again, unsure he offers the picture to Thomas who’s been looking over at him since he grabbed the frame. Both of the boys sit there for a while just looking down at it.

The image showing Thomas and Y/N, the former standing with his arms wrapped around her. A San Jose jersey covering his upper body while Y/N has a SJ hat on her head. Both of the teenagers flashing wide smiles and eyes almost shining from the happiness coursing through their veins. “That’s probably one of the best days of my life, Y/N screamed so loud when my name was called I think she almost busted my eardrums.” Thomas’s breath growing shaky as he lets out a watery laugh. His eyes glossy from tears.

“I bet she told you how she never doubted you for a second right?” Nodding in response Thomas rises up from his sitting position. Walking over to his wardrobe he reaches up on the highest shelf, grabbing a shoebox. It’s dusty, like it hasn’t been touched in a long time but the material is faded and worn from years of usage. Brendan giving his friend a questioning look as Thomas hands him the box. “She saved memories from every date, every game, every holiday since we were 17. It’s all inside.”

Taking off the top of the box Brendan is met with printed out pictures, souvenirs, small merchandise from hockey teams and every other thing Y/N could’ve seen as important. But the one thing that really catches Brendan’s attention is the white envelope. The word Thomas written in scribbly handwriting across the paper. “It was taped to the box when I found it outside my door, the day that she uh- you can read it. It’s alright Briss.” Opening the envelope Brendan pulls out a sheet of paper. It’s stained with what he can only picture being tears, maybe they’re from Y/N but also Thomas. Taking a deep breath he starts reading.

Hi Baby.

I’m sorry, I know it sounds bad to just say I’m sorry but I really really am. You can be mad at me, I won’t judge you. It’s okey. You have every right in the world to be mad at me. I know I should’ve said something about how I’m feeling, how nothing really matters to me anymore. The only thing that feels like it matters is you, but that just wasn’t enough anymore. I don’t wanna keep fighting it anymore. I’m so tired Thomas, so tired of feeling like this. I hope you’ll understand why I’m doing it someday but I know you probably won’t. I’m just happy I was still here to see your first game with the sharks. I’m so proud of you and I always will be. You’re going to do amazing things in the league I just know it. Never doubt what you can achieve in this world my love you are the most loving, smart, talented, charming and best person I’ve had the chance to know. Do what I can’t, live. I might be leaving but know you made my life better for the last two years. You loved me in every way you could but I just can’t love myself. This might be a goodbye but we’ll meet again in another life. Just remember that I love you Thomas Bordeleau, with everything I have. Yours forever, Y/N

November 14th 2023

One year after the day that turned everything Thomas knew upside down he stepped foot inside the tattoo shop his girlfriend had talked about for months prior. Always saying how she wanted to get a tattoo there but never having the courage to do it.

Looking at the fresh ink on his chest, above his heart is the words I love you in her handwriting forever imprinted. Tears start running down his cheeks but he makes no move to wipe them away. “You and me forever mon ange. I’ll never forget about you.”

[sparrowvei]

(\ - ◇-/)

I need to write here more often but like actually.

Anyway, I had a nightmare last night. It was vivid, felt real, took forever, and emotionally visceral.

Nothing groundbreaking in terms of the contents of the dream. Standard "evil authority high school" dream, coupled with an escape sequence.

(Upon clicking Read More, several cutscenes will play in sequence.)

So I was in this school. Clearly a high-school kind of setting, and I was probably in either Junior or Senior year. 16-17 age range here. Dream started right smack dab in the middle. I'm in a hallway, and the very first thing I notice is that water isn't allowed for students. Like, at all. Like, water is treated as contraband during the school day kind of thing. I sit in a classroom after discussing how bullshit this actually is with someone else, and people are sneaking drinks of water when they think staff isn't watching.

Anyway, I'm in this classroom. The teacher in charge of this class is eerily reminiscent of my worst, most hated math teacher from 9th grade. Subconsciously, I knew what to expect, even if the dream-class wasn't math adjacent. We had to copy this essay thing on a tiny whiteboard in the corner above the door. I can't read it from my seat, which is in the opposite corner in the back. Time to finish this essay is something ridiculous like 5 minutes or something. I obviously don't finish.

Teacher comes by to inspect. I don't remember exactly how the exchange went, but it came to the idea of me saying that the whole thing was bullshit, including the "no water" rule. I get up and walk out, but not before spraying some water from a concealed water bottle at the whiteboard essay. The teacher is following me of course, to set out some kind of punishment and make an example of me. But she (an elderly woman, I remember her vividly) follows me unnaturally calmly. Like, all the way to the exit of the school.

I've very clearly had it with this entire school and its bullshit, and I'm just planning on walking out, thinking that legally, they can't do a damn thing to me. As I get to the front door, the teacher has been following me and talking very calmly. Before I can leave, she hits what is clearly a panic button, and even though I know exactly what that means, she still tells me (with an uncharacteristic-to-her-real-life-counterpart giggle, that stuck with me) that the cops would deal with me.

I leave, she's still following me, I see another student arrive in a pickup truck. I'm begging and pleading for my life (because police are now involved, naturally I'm afraid for my life) to have this guy take me off campus and somewhere I can hide. Home feels like a bad idea, because the school would obviously have my address on record. But I can't think of anywhere else to go, so I have the student drop me off at a payphone (those exist in this dream-world apparently, but I remember it clearly) so I can call my mother or older sister and figure out what to do.

A timeskip happens, because, dream. At this point, I should mention I had a previous dream about some kind of amalgamate "house" that my mother and older sister have and we all live together in. The previous dream this night (because my sleep is perpetually broken, but I fell back asleep super quickly this time) was us in this house, kind of a nothing-burger of a dream, I think my sister got a new custom PC or something, IDK. I was exploring the house, so I knew the details of it.

Anyway, timeskip to me back home. In previous-dream's amalgam house. I guess I called my sister, because I had to explain all of this to my still-sleeping mother, that the school was after me. I told her to not let anyone in, you haven't seen me, etcetc. And I hide. For hours. I'm in this weird not-dresser kind of cubby hole under my mother's bed, piling clothing in front of myself to be as concealed as possible.

It gets a little hazy from here, since the dream is winding down and I'm beginning to feel like I'm about to wake up. (Yep, this was a lucid dream!) Two times, I hear the headmaster of this school (middle aged man, deep voice but not imposing, not anyone I seem to know) come by, talk to my mother, and then leave. His voice gives a calm, eerily calm nature just like my teacher. It really comes off as a cult to my kind-of-waking-up brain, now that I think about it.

The teacher then comes by. This makes three visits by the school within the span of (in universe) like 4 hours or something. The headmaster did not find me, but the teacher did. I just tell her to leave. Technically, in verse, I recognize she's breaking the law, and has no grounds to take me back to the school. She makes some vague threat, but I threaten to expose this school for its "No Water Allowed" rule, and… then it gets fuzzy enough as I'm basically waking up completely.

I just know that my mother and older sister in this dream were firmly in the "fuck off" camp towards school staff, once I told my side of the story. They sure as hell were not accommodating towards school staff. And the dream didn't end with me going back, so we "won" I guess.

Like I said, the dream itself isn't scary in a bubble. But the atmosphere, the almost-but-not-quite Stepford Smiler teachers (Not brainwashed or programmed, but also super cult-creepy) and how emotional it all felt in the moment, combined with how vivid it was and how long it took, it just shook me I guess.

…

Then there's the other nightmare, before the amalgamate-house dream. Same vibe, chased by an authority figure, but it's like a boss type person at a shitty retail job, and ended with me getting some sweet Skyrim weapon that shot lightning (it was a 1h hammer but Our Mjolnir Is Different) so it got silly enough to not stick with me beyond me remembering it like right now.

[estrangedaframian]

pasiphaedemetriadevil​:

One of Juno’s eyebrows raised at his cold tone, but she didn’t comment on it. Just kind of… glared at him a bit, for a split second. But that was it.

Of course, Juno was impressed by his stories. By all the creatures he has hunted down in the past. "Scooby-Doo, huh? What a show that is. Love the older, classic one better. And Daphne. Mmm. Had a huge crush on that one for a time. Velma is nice, too.” She pressed her index finger to her lips, and upon moving it away, she bit her lower lip, chuckling.

Giving him a challenging look, she leaned forward. “Medusa.” She actually snorted, laughing behind her hand. “Oh dear. I think you owe me five bucks now.” She spoke in a somewhat sarcastic tone, shaking her head. “Honestly though. You don’t owe me anything, lover-boy.”

The witch settled in, taking a bite of burger, chewing, swallowing. “Zombies? Dear god, and you clearly got to em before they took over half or more of the population. I do not want one chewing on me.” She held a hand up, scowling. “I’d only thought those… things… existed in movies and video games. I mean, for goodness sake, one video game had something called Clickers. They can’t see a damned thing, but they will hear you quite well.” Juno snapped. “Ha! Bet you haven’t crossed paths with them, because Clickers, and Lickers, do not exist.”

The vampire groaned, shaking her head and rubbing her temple, once she realized she’d gone all… video game girl on Dean. “God, I am truly sorry you had to hear that. Don’t know where that came from.” Your mouth, Juno. Your mouth… She thought to herself, wanting to shrink in on herself. Instead, she hissed and dove into her burger again, a light red tinge coloring her cheeks.

"... I don't owe you anything 'cause I've fought a gorgon, and that's damn close enough... Also, Medusa died before my time..."

He had begun to watch her eat but looked away (hopefully) before she noticed, taking it as a cue to start in on his own burger.

"A little fangirling's nothing to apologise for... I don't think I've ever met a nerdy vamp before... It's kinda cute, if you don't mind me saying..."

The hunter stuttered, looked around the room, then nervously, softly cleared his throat.

"Look, the more you open up about yourself, your experiences, the better for my research... Besides, I like games. I don't have time to play 'em, but I like 'em... Though sometimes they hit a bit too close to home... I mean, shootin' demons after a long day of shootin' demons ain't really my idea of break time..." Dean sighed, unable to stop himself from thinking about the creep Juno had alluded to earlier; he was a natural nurturer and no matter how many hundreds or even thousands of years ago the incident had occurred, that part of him wanted to comfort her. In close proximity. With arms involved.

Truth be told, he had often fantasied about meeting a dark, handsome woman who shared his taste in greasy food and graphic media. The only real difference between Juno and the dream girl was the pointy toofs... and the magic... and the attitude... All things the equal parts horny and romantic Dean Winchester was willing to overlook.

Juno had one huge pro over the fantasy babe, though-- She was REAL-- Two huge pros if you count the fact that Juno could handle his line of work! With Juno, he wouldn't have to worry about cover stories for things like keeping strange hours, or bringing home splatters of this 'n' that on his clothes...

"W- will, uh, you excuse me? Gotta use the little boys room... Don't stop eatin' on my account... I'll just be a minute..."

[dystopiandilfs]

Dream's discord podcast. Basically him answering questions for 2.5 hours. This will sort of be in order but I fucked up my notes so it might not be in order completely. (From 13th May 2021)

For reference the photos at the end are: A prototype of fidget spinner merch as loads of people asked, a reference photo of his favourite merch and a photo he sent of his hair to prove he wasn't a brunette.

•He said his teeth are mostly straight but he's thought about getting Invisalign. He's never had braces. He has a tiny gap in the left side of his mouth and his canines are longer and sharper (vampire arc). He's never had teeth surgery so has his wisdom teeth still.

•He thinks pineapple on pizza is good.

•He likes seafood like lobster and crab. He had crab made in an air fryer last night. He like peas. He thinks quesadillas are good and likes most food.

•He hates Coffee and most drinks

•The Dream Shorts team is Ken who is his personal reminder (Ken's main job is to spam him with texts so he doesn't forget things as he's got a habit of reading texts and not replying) and also comes up with a list of sets for Dream shorts. The builder is a friend and munchymc builder "his talent gets wasted on Dream's shorts but we pay him so"

•His editors are currently Dizzy, Firesale and Mjcr. Willz doesn't edit for him anymore

•The mask animation isn't done but Mask should be released May 21st. He wants to release them together as "the whole song is a double meaning and the whole nuance will be lost without the animation" but no matter if the animation is done the song is getting released on the 21st.

•He and Sapnap eat together often.

•He and Sapnap prefer medium rare Steak

•He wants a home gym it's something he's willing to splurge on. They currently have a weight rack but they haven't even set it up.

•"Eat the rich? Shut up shut up" - Dream

•Talked about money basically saying "Most people don't understand how money works I don't have millions in my bank account it's in assets like merch, land and warehousing for that stuff" (He's not in his landlord arc)

•He's been debating Pride Merch because of Rainbow Capitalism. He doesn't want it too be seen as a money maker and if he does most proceeds would go to charity. He's currently super busy merch wise with Sapnap joining and George in the middle of joining. He did say "Only if the LGBTQ+ community in this community wants it" He thinks he's going to at least change the merch website to a pride one. Sapnap wants to make pride merch including a rainbow flame on his.

•He wants to create a charity that's centered around helping LGBTQ+ one day because he thinks that there's a lack of them. He mentioned that creating a charity was expensive and took a lot and was a complicated process including a board of directors but he wants to do it someday.

•He wanted to buy a bunch of houses in Florida which was a service to house mostly LGBTQ+ youth and people stuck in abusive households for free to get them out of bad home environments. But he didn't because he didn't want people thinking he was profiting of of abuse victims and LGBTQ+ community.

•He said he's terrible with time management and replying to people which is why Ken helps him (and also helps George and Sapnap). He mentioned how Sam messaged multiple times and Dream just forgot to answer but felt bad "I feel like people think I hate them..... Cause I'd be mad if people did that to me"

•He tries to reply to a few texts a day (community number). He also can't do birthday messages everyday because you can only reply at certain times so it's not abusing the system so if you get one it's special. He said he does try but it's got a weird time gap.

•Him and the manhunt winner are trying to come up with a good time to film

•He wants to stream this MCC on twitch and says his team is good.

•He talks about why he's not partnered with Twitch. Basically Twitch has a lock rate (in which you make money) and you legally can't stream on YouTube. So legally if Tommy wanted to stream on YouTube he couldn't. Someone then mentioned how Bad is a twitch partner but still streams on YouTube "Bad streams on YouTube but he has for a while and I don't think that he cares" - Dream

•He likes to reply to every donation he gets on stream and feels bad when he doesn't so he'll turn them off when he streams and wants a platform deal where he can be payed to stream (not twitch). If he gets a streaming partnership he will stream a couple of times a week. He looked in to Facebook but they don't have an alias system meaning you can see everyone's actual Facebook account and personal info, he doesn't like seeing real names on Facebook so it would require a lot of altering if he was to stream there so he's thinking it's probably going to be YouTube.

•He was asked about if his demographic was what he expected and he said he went in with no expectations, he didn't even know what stans were, wasn't really on social media so he wasn't aware of the fan culture. "You guys are a handful sometimes but it's worth it"

•He also mentioned how he and the DreamSMP changed the twitch audience demographic. It used to be male dominated in both streamers and audience and now it's almost split which is unheard on.

•He has 5 fidget spinners in his house. Two in his bedroom. Two in his office. One in the living room.

•He likes his Minecraft skin as he thinks the arm is cook and you never see the rest of his skin really. He says it's unique and different and "me". Dream: You can't even tell half the skins apart on MC.

•He's not lost the motivation to stream. Most of the times if he wants to stream he gets George or Sapnap to do it and he just turns up. It's more beneficial to them as they have donos and subs on. (Don't we fucking know it "can you say hi to")

•He has listened to Lovejoy. Says the ep was great and they're very talented and awesome. Doesn't know what his favourite song is but probably would pick One Day because the chorus slaps.

•RIP to acoustic Roadtrip. He said instead of acoustic Roadtrip we get Mask so no losses today for Dream stans.

•"With Roadtrip I went to Parker and I said Hey I have a story I want to tell through music. I have no experience with that can you help me" He said sure. He crafted the music and melodies and how things are formed where it's catchy. I have less comfort singing that. I love the song and it's my song, it's very representative of me and I'm sure I could sing it but it's a song I'd be kinds of scared to sing live, with Mask I basically did everything. I sat there the entire time and maybe an hour out if the 100 I wasn't in the call. Dream came up with the lyrics and main melody for Mask (First one he's ever come up with) "That was just notes in my fucking voice memos"

•The clip we heard of Mask was a prechorus not the actual chorus. He thinks he'd be more comfortable to do a mask acoustic and it's more melodic than Roadtrip. The chorus also has a lot of instruments similar to Roadtrip. Mask starts of slow and guitar with minimal reverb and is more raw.

• He doesn't want music to be his main thing. It's something fun to do and he's passionate about it as it's a way to express emotions. He wants to release mask then go from there. He wants to release at least one more song but has nothing on his mind currently. His two ideas were Roadtrip and Mask.

•He wouldn't quit his job to become a pizza delivery man.

•His favourite features on himself are eyes or freckles and he also confirmed that he does have eyebrows.

•He was told that Parkour warrior would be bought back some time in the near future and he got excited for it. "Even if I don't win, which I will, it'll be fun"

•Went on about his MCC team but I'm not going to put that in as we should be getting them today. He did say he wasn't on Pink but he did sound confused. (For reference he's always in Pink as it's the last team announced and keeps the hype up by announcing the biggest streamer last)

•Said he and his mum had the Mr Beast burger. He recommends because he likes the avacado. He mentioned how Mr Beast uses "Ghost Kitchens" which is basically where he gives restaurants permission to cook his food so it's restaurant quality food.

•His favourite piece of merch is the circle smile. (The pool photo on Instagram). He said the quality was bad (he worked with a different company and didn't have his own company) and it was elasticy feeling and he's planning on re-releasing it again but with good quality.

•He's started to send merch out in custom packaging. So his bags have the smile and will mostly be green. Sapnap's has the flame and is either black or white. He's also trying to make it so every order has the sticker packs for both him and Sapnap.

•He loves the coins as it's cheaper than a hoodie but still celebrates the milestones and will last a long time. He mentioned how the old coins are getting removed off the site and how if you have any of the coins your special because only a few thousand get made. He's kept around 100 of each coin that he wants to give away in person.

•He wanted to have a cool store where you could access computers that give you access to the DreamSMP in spectator mode. But it's too costly and would require too much time and isn't safe fight now. He doesn't think it'd be worth it financially.

•Most of the hoodie are black instead of multiple colours because of limited supply and covid. Getting the colours are harder because if the pandemic which hopefully won't be an issue soon.

•He wants to do a short meetup tour with Sapnap and George with a few locations in the US (and if others nearby want to join like Quackity or Karl they can). He also wants to visit Australia, UK, Canada, Mexico and Philippines and do something like that there but definitely at least visit with George and Sapnap.

•He's never been to the Philippines but his mum has. He wants to set up a place in the Philippines where he can ship merch in bulk and it would help to reduce shipping. However it would probably be big milestone merch.

•He's not got the vaccine yet but will get it when he needs to. He doesn't leave the house so he doesn't see the point.

•He's the ideas man. George's footcam video was Dream's idea. The T-shirt video was Dream's idea. Most if not all of the Dream Team's videos are Dream's ideas.

•Said he's got a similar/the same hair colour as Froy (Dream buddy at this point the only difference between you and Froy is that one of you is dating Richard Madden /lh)

[dreamboundedstar]

Zekina Princess and the Frog AU Idea

I really wanted to write down this prompt idea because this is somehow the most perfect idea and also the most frustrating in how much I have to fix it up to make it work in this idea. XD Like you think, yay restaurant this is perfect, but no actually because Tiana and Tina are vastly different personalities and I have to completely redo the path she goes along to do the things she does. So anyway, here's the cast I have so far. It's not going to be a complete list because I'm going to leave it up to anyone else who wants to do this idea. Tina - Tiana (I don't even have to change anything for her name XD) Tiana was once an idealistic young girl full of dreams of love. She dreamed of getting married to her childhood sweetheart. However, after the death of her father and getting her heart broken by her childhood sweetheart she vowed to help make her father's dream come true. She stuffs down her idealistic, hopeless romantic self deep down in order to never be hurt by a cute dancing boy again. So instead of pursuing love like her younger self would have wanted, she chose what she felt was the easier option and work hard to make "Bob's Burgers" a real restaurant in honor of the dream her father never got to see through. She feels that it would be wrong to even consider trying to find love again when her dad never got to finish his dream. Still, when she's alone, and no one's looking she still writes about the fantasies of love she wishes would be real for her as a stress reliever from all that life throws at her. She is a decent cook but she often laments about how she'll never be as good as her father was. Even so, she refuses to let his legacy die.

Zeke - Prince Zaveen Zaveen is not really a prince but a con artist that's flat-out broke. He does have an immensely wealthy inheritance coming his way but only if he gets married. His parents consider him a screw-up for never finding a talent that he could profit from. He spends his days flirting, having fun, and living his best life but all of this is to hide much of a loser he feels like and to fill the void of how lonely he actually is.

He later finds out he has a talent for cooking as a frog to the point Tiana brought is to tears because it reminds her so much of her dad's cooking. Zaveen also gets Tiana to dance again after giving it up years ago when her heart got broken. Tammy - Tottie La Bouf Tottie's a horrible, rich girl that has never heard the word "no" in her life. The only reason Tiana even associates with the girl is that Tottie's parents pay Tiana's mother to make so many of Totties dresses. Tottie tricked Tiana to kiss so many frogs in their youth because at first she couldn't be bothered to do the work of finding a frog prince herself but then she just kept tricking her into doing it just to find out how long it will take her to figure out she was being duped. Tottie causes kids to know Tiana as "frog lips" and the poor girl was never able to live it down even in her adult years. Tottie in the end would do only one unselfish thing for Tiana after years of being terrible to her. Linda - Lindora Lindora is Tiana's mother who makes all of Tottie's dresses. All she wants for Tiana is for her to be happy and live for herself. As long as Tiana is set on making her late father's dream come true the best she can do is hope that Tiana will finally let herself live for her own dreams (and maybe finally get some grandkids XD). Bob - Bob (you try to come up with a good name combination of Bob and James! LOL)

Bob is Tiana's late father. All he ever wanted was to be able to own a restaurant that sold creative burgers that made people happy. He died before he could ever see that dream come to be. He loved his family so much though that as long as he still had them he didn't care that he didn't live to see his restaurant dream come to pass.

The Fishoeder brothers - The Fishfenner brothers It just made perfect sense. I mean Calvin is a landlord so that's close enough to a real estate agent I suppose. lol Teddy - Leddy the alligator Seems like a decent enough pick. That's all the cast I can think of for this idea. I have no idea how to even include Gene and Louise in the story? I don't even know who to pick for Dr. Facilier either which is a shame. This idea all started because I thought "Never Knew I Needed" fit Zekina really well. So I thought, hey why not put the prompt idea out in the world to see if anybody digs it too. Though I did leave the story with a funny plot hole that could get called out by Tina herself that since Zaveen was never a real prince so she has no way of turning them both human again. So she has to shoehorn in an abrupt reason for it to work, oops! XD @tacosandtouchtanks

So fingers crossed someone gets inspired by this!

[storytellerofuntoldlegends]

gods and the mortals they worship

A/N: honestly this idea started out due to the fact that scott and jack are gonna be housemates, and a friend and i were like "haha what if c!scott moved into Innit Hotel with jack" which turned into "haha what if c!scott was the god of mcc but he just seemed like a Dude to everyone else" which made my brain go brrr and think "haha what if god!scott and goddess!kristin met for tea" and then this fic happened. it got much angstier than i intended it to whoops

Warnings: implied/referenced temporary character death, grief/mourning, hugs, emotional hurt/comfort

Summary: Kristin, the goddess of death. Scott, the god of champions. Two deities that at first glance, have nothing to do with the other. But all the same, the two deities are close friends, meeting for tea and talking about the mortals they adore. However, some conversations painfully remind them of the mortality of their loved ones.

-

Kristin rather enjoyed it when a fellow deity joined her for tea. Not many would, XD was a little wary of her, being her opposite in a sense. And his sister Drista visited her often enough, but the young goddess was a bit on the rambunctious side, which was expected for the trickster. But the deity's whose visits pleased her the most were Scott's. The god of champions was always lovely to chat with, and she looked forward to each event he organized- always rooting for her husband's team, of course.

They met for tea weekly, but this visit... something seemed off about Scott. He seemed cheery enough, talking about how he had recently moved into the Innit Hotel with Jack and the other servers he was drifting between. But there was a melancholy expression on his face for a brief moment as he traced the flower pattern on his teacup, and a lost, faraway expression would come over his face from time to time. These were expressions Kristin recognized all too well- grief. She saw it in the faces of many mortals when she called their loved ones to her side- and it was unnerving to say the least to see such an expression on a god's face.

"Who are you mourning?" she asked, startling Scott slightly. The god's ever color-shifting eyes refused to meet her.

"The loss of my mcc team, of course," Scott countered with a half-hearted smirk. Kristin gave him an expression of disbelief, and the smirk melted away to something more downcast as he fiddled with something on a chain around his neck. A ring.

"Oh Scott," she said softly.

"Tried the married life thing. It was nice, for a bit. But it was a modified hardcore world, and it didn't end well. For him... or for me," Scott said, hand drifting to his throat with a grimace. Kristin set down her tea, placing a comforting hand on Scott's shoulder. Scott had a unique position as a god- he was one of the few who felt the sting of death. As he willingly lived among mortals most of the time, his godly power had to be diminished to do so. Which meant he could die- but it would never truly stick for him. Granted, death didn't really stick for most of the crowd he stuck around with. They would be reborn into other servers, maybe retaining impressions of the ones before- but Scott was the only one who truly remembered each server he had been on.

"I'm so sorry. Is he..." Kristin trailed off, unsure if she wanted to know if Scott's husband had been reborn into a different server.

"He's on another server with me now. Empires SMP. Calls himself the Codfather these days. I keep hoping he'll remember... but I don't know if I want him to," Scott said, eyes watery.

"Why not?" Kristin asked. If she was in a similar situation with Phil, she absolutely would want him to remember her.

"Because what kind of god can't even keep his husband alive?! I couldn't protect him before, who says I could do it now. Besides with my luck, by the time he'd remember me, I'd only lose him again. Why waste the effort on more heartbreak," Scott said, something vengeful in his tone. The aura around him tinged red, and Kristin drew her hand back with a jolt. Scott took notice of his surroundings, and with a sheepish smile his aura shifted to something more neutral and warm.

"That's why you're hiding in the Dream SMP with Jack, isn't it? You don't want to risk him remembering," Kristin asked softly. Scott let out a sigh.

"I'm not... hiding, exactly. Just lying low, somewhere where I don't have to pretend I'm not a god," Scott explained with a faraway glance.

“What if you were to tell this... Codfather," Kristin suggested. Scott wrinkled his nose in disgust in the name.

"Jimmy. His name is Jimmy," Scott corrected, sounding reverent as he murmured his name the second time. It was almost silly, a god worshipping the ground a mortal walked on- not that Kristin was one to talk. But then again, Phil wasn't exactly mortal.

"Then why don't you tell Jimmy the truth about who you are," Kristin prodded. Few knew the truth about Scott's godly status- Phil, most notably, and Wilbur. And now, she supposed, all who were on the Dream SMP. Otherwise, most knew Scott as someone who had a connection to the god of champions, and carried out his invitations to the games- not that Scott himself was the god in question.

"I... I don't know. Maybe it's safer for him if he never knows," Scott said with a sigh. Kristin squinted at him suspiciously.

"Scott, I've known you for centuries. Tell me the real reason you don't want to tell him," she said pointedly. Scott laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. With a deep breath, his expression settled into something more solemn.

"I don't want things to be different between us. I liked the way it was, on that modified hardcore world. We had a flower valley, with a pond and overgrowth and- and his silly insistence on wanting to protect me, like I was the fragile one, not him. I even experienced a brief afterlife with him, after we had lost all our lives on that world. And that... that was beautiful. But then things reset, and he was reincarnated. And how could I not follow him?" Scott said wistfully. His eyes shone with bittersweet tears, a fond smile on his face.

"You truly have the heart of a mortal, my friend," Kristin said with a soft smile. Scott chuckled, shaking his head.

"Well I certainly can't let anyone know that, think of my reputation," he joked. Kristin laughed.

"Oh please, we all know how much you cherish your champions," she teased.

"Don't tell a soul," Scott said in a mock-serious tone.

"Oh please, the only souls I know are dead ones," Kristin replied with a chuckle. Scott laughed too, but it fell short as his eyes landed on the flowers that decorated the teacups.

"I think the worst part is that he sees me as an enemy. I guess rightfully so, I pushed him away because I was afraid of letting him back in. I don't think I'll be able to look him in the eyes if we end up on the opposite sides of a battle," Scott said, voice fragile as the delicate teacups on the table before them.

"Maybe there's still time to make amends. You could extend some token of peace towards him?" Kristin suggested gently.

"Maybe. I just..." Scott trailed off.

"You just want to mope around in a world of constant hardship and destruction?" Kristin teased lightly, smirking. Scott laughed.

"I guess the Dream SMP isn't the greatest place to hide out," he said, still chuckling. Kristin was relieved to see her friend back to his more genuine smiley self, multicolored eyes glinting with amusement.

"Maybe not. Are Phil and Wilbur staying out of trouble?" Kristin asked, picking her tea back up to sip at. Scott laughed again.

"Staying out of trouble is asking a lot for your family. But I think Phil has forced Wilbur to make friends with Ranboo," he replied, picking up his tea as well.

"Oh? How did that go?" Kristin asked.

"Not sure, honestly. I think they opened a burger place? I've mostly been keeping to myself in the Innit Hotel," Scott said with a shrug.

"I'm sure Tommy loves that," Kristin said dryly.

"Oh yes, cussed me out until I threatened to not let him on mcc anymore. He changed his tune pretty quickly," Scott laughed.

"Doesn't Jack actually own the hotel now?" Kristin asked.

"Yes, but Tommy doesn't seem to know that," Scott answered with a sigh, shaking his head.

"I'm sure he'll get over it. Probably still a little jumbled from being brought back," Kristin muttered, unable to help looking miffed at that. She wasn't exactly fond of people being torn from her domain, especially by an overzealous mortal and the god who he eerily resembled. Although she couldn't exactly blame XD, the book had called him and he was forced to answer.

“Maybe life and death shouldn’t be toyed with anymore,” Scott said softly, after a few beats of silence. Kristin thought of Scott’s struggles with death and rebirth, then thought of her own family. Her husband who survived and lived, never dying- and her son, who fought and died, but ended up living.

“You wouldn’t see me complaining,” Kristin replied, voice coming out more melancholy than she meant it to. Scott looked to her with brows creased in sympathy.

“What a pair we make,” he said with a humorless laugh. Kristin laughed too, just as bleak as Scott’s own laugh.

“The goddess of death whose loved ones live, and the god of champions whose loved ones lose,” she said, voice forlorn. Scott set down his tea, dropping his gaze from Kristin’s.

“I do tend to be drawn towards the lost ones, don’t I?” he said with a weak smile.

“Nothing wrong with rooting for the underdog,” Kristin pointed out with a shrug. Scott looked at the flowers on the teacups, and his smile was a bit brighter this time around, less sad and bittersweet.

“I guess not. Maybe you’re right, maybe there is time to smooth things out with Jimmy,” Scott said, looking back up at Kristin.

“Good! Being mopey doesn’t suit you. And telling him the truth couldn’t hurt either,” Kristin insisted brightly. Scott rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

“Okay Mumza, no need to get on my case. I said I’d try and smooth things over, not reveal that I’m an all-powerful god that was married to him once because I like playing mortal,” he replied, dragging out her nickname with a teasing grin. Kristin grinned back.

“I guess your situation is a little different than when I told Phil I was a goddess,” she said semi-sheepishly.

“Phil was also hopelessly head-over-heels for you when you told him. Jimmy is decidedly not,” Scott pointed out with a laugh.

“Oh Jimmy will come around eventually. If he knows what’s good for him,” Kristin said, sipping at her tea. Scott blinked at her in confusion.

“Are you threatening my ex-husband?” he asked, tone so adorably baffled that Kristin couldn’t help but laugh.

“All I meant was that he doesn’t know what he’s missing. Any man would be lucky to have captured your attention," she clarified with a teasing grin. Scott flushed in embarrassment, the aura around him tinging pink.

“You’re acting like an embarrassing mum trying to convince her son to get out there and start dating,” Scott huffed, trying to play off his flusteredness.

“You’re the one who called me ‘Mumza,’” Kristin pointed out, still grinning.

“This is rude, I’m being attacked and you’re twisting my words against me now-” Scott cut off with a laugh, unable to keep up the mock-offended act as his aura shifted back to being a neutral warm color. Scott finally looked the most himself that he had been all day- aura full of warmth, a smile on his face, and color-shifting eyes sparkling.

“Oh, whatever will you do?” Kristin teased. Scott shook his head, picking up his tea and finishing it off with one last sip before standing from the table.

“I think I’m gonna leave, actually. It’s about time I head out anyway,” Scott said. Kristin looked at how low her own tea had gotten, and sighed before standing with a gentle smile.

“Well as always, it was wonderful to have you. I hope everything works out,” she said softly, holding out her arms. Scott hugged her without hesitation, and Kristin got the feeling he was silently thanking her for her advice through the hug.

“See you next week?” Scott asked after he pulled away.

“I look forward to it,” Kristin replied. Scott smiled, giving a two-fingered salute before disappearing in a burst of color. The lightshow faded, leaving Kristin in her rather gloomy domain. The loneliness after a fellow deity left was always the worst, and the heavy conversation from before didn’t help matters much. Scott and Kristin were very similar beings for two deities that ruled over extremely different things- both of their hearts were too big, too smitten with mortals. Scott could at least compete alongside mortals if he so chose, but Kristin was in a plane of existence that her loved ones could only reach through tragedy. Perhaps Scott had it worse- Kristin could at least distance herself from mortals, while Scott stubbornly refused to. But all the same, Kristin was hopeful that things would work out for the god of champions. And maybe, things would work out for her family as well.

-

MCYT Taglist: @corazon10000 @damiensaidno @franticfandomfanatic @hetapeep41 @space-ace123

[greensword101]

This is for @barely-nok. I’m sorry it took so long to get some Obake content out for you to consume. I hope you find it tasty lol.

Obake never drank on principle. He needed to keep a clear head and heads were meant for thinking. And thinking meant he could create what he wanted to the limit or even beyond that.

But even sober, his brain would...fizzle if Kei ever so much as blinked at him prettily. Or pouted. Or cheerily threatened to sing “I’m Henry the Eighth , I Am” if he didn’t agree to take a break and - urgh! Just acknowledging the phrase made him feel filthy - spend some “quality time” with a coworker.

Personally speaking, Obake would have preferred the term “expendable” or “replaceable” or “unpaid intern that wasn’t getting extra credit or the merits of knowledge.” Oh, but he would pay anything to get DeciBull out of his sight! And hearing range.

Then again, hearing range would be preferable. Wild cards like Kei were acceptable. DeciBull - or Wil as Kei had casually greeted him by to the former’s chargain -  was more of a Jack; weaker than Obake, but still a threat nonetheless.

If Kei hadn’t taken the car and driven off to God knew where, he would have stormed out of the bar and left that arsehole behind. Maybe steal his glasses and see if the chubby man with a guitar gimmack could find his way back home without falling off the pier.

Wil had barely touched his first bottle and was glowering at his phone for the past half hour. This suited Obake swimmingly, if not for the fact that Kei would know that they hadn’t made any attempt at all and would be tormenting him with that song again! And she would enlist Noodle Burger Boy this time, he was certain. And possibly Trina, though he was certain she would be directed towards Wil instead.

Obake collected himself and recited the longest formulas in the Periodic Table before he rigidly glanced over to Wil.

“I’m surprised you aren’t taking advantage of the karaoke here.”

Wil yelped and fumbled with his phone - mumbling apologies to the bartender as he passed - before gaping at Obake.

“Interesting...” Obake murmured.

“What?” Wil asked bemused.

“You almost looked like an intelligent being for a moment.”

Wil scowled, “Funny.” 

Then a smile crept onto his face. Obake stiffened. He knew he could take the man, he was slimmer and certainly wasn’t sluggish, but bars were always tricky to maneuver around in. Inebriation, sympathizers, or anyone looking for an excuse to be aggressive would make Obake beating Wil up...troublesome.

“Something amusing to you?” Obake took a sip from his own glass to appear ignorant and casual.

“Just thinking how whipped you must be if Kei could make you spend time with me,” Wil leaned in conspiratorially, “Tell me, does she make you sleep on the couch when you misbehave?”

Obake sputtered and and gave Wil a hard stare. Wil stared back undaunted.

“Shut your mouth and have your bloody drink, why don’t you?” Obake snarled and took another, deeper sip from his glass. He was used to dealing with the aggressive and almost territorial behavior Wil demonstrated back at the base. He did not want to be sober to process that Wil was capable of having bloody cheek.

“How can I have my ‘bloody drink’ if my mouth’s shut?” Wil asked innocently.

“Test my patience and we’ll find out soon enough,” Obake growled under his breath. He could do it.  One stab between the ribs and he could slip out in the noise and confusion. He just didn’t want to put up with Kei pestering him when he got back and possibly annoying her with a potential murder.

Wil sniggered and had another swig of his beer. He went back to his phone, but he barely seemed to be reading what was on the screen.

That was...unexpected. But it was a better alternative to dealing with a feral monkey by himself. Obake found himself enjoying the Manhattan more than he expected and finished it off. He was beginning to fish the cherry out when Wil spoke up again.

“Was it good?”

Obake groaned and glowered at Wil, who was starting at his empty glass curiously. What didn’t that fool understand about having a little peace and quiet?

“I don’t typically drink myself,” Wil mumbled into his bottle and drank. He sputtered for a few moments and continued, “I just stick to a beer once in a while.”

“Thank Heaven for small miracles, then,” Obake narrowed his eyes and waved the bartender over, “Another one, if you would be so kind.”

“Me too,” Wil smiled at the bartender and held up his empty bottle. Amazingly, the bartender smiled back and came back moments later with their second drinks. Wil called after him as he walked off, “Thanks, Jim!”

“You frequent this place often?” Obake ventured and helped himself to his second Manhattan. Screw sobriety, it had been so long since he had anything that tasted so good touch his lips.

“I used to,” Wil admitted, “Just for a bite and maybe a bottle. That’s kind of how me and Kei met, actually.”

“A little nip before beddybye?” Obake cooed mockingly at him.

“Crime and I have something in common,” Wil smirked, “We rarely sleep.”

“Tragic,” Obake chuckled and raised his glass in mock salute, “To your insomnia, I suppose.”

Wil raised his beer in kind, “And to good company if I ever get any.”

Now, they both laughed for real. Obake noticed for the first time how pleasantly red Wil’s face had become. Was it the alcohol or the first genuine spark of life he was expressing? If it was the latter, that would mean Kei was behind it somehow.

Suddenly, the good feeling popped like a soap bubble and Obake hid his displeasure by finishing off his second Manhattan. Wil gawked at him.

“You should slow down, Kei is gonna freak if she has to pick us up from the ER because you got alcohol poisoning or something.”

“Kei this, Kei that, you haunt her like a lapdog!” Obake spat out. Damn that woman and her silly, childish notions of fun and damn that boulder she decided would make good company!

Wil blinked and leaned back a little. A moment later, he was glowering back with that familiar hostility, “At least I don’t treat her like a nuisance like you do! Do you have any idea how much she cares about you?!”

“Cares?” Obake snapped his fingers at Jim for another glass and leaned closer to Wil’s face. His nostrils flared and he could feel Wil tense inches away from him. “Why would she have to care about me? If that’s what you call pity, then I’ve no need for it! She can pretend all she wants that we’re all supposed to be some family, but in the end, that’s all it’s going to be. A stupid dream! Why would she care about making me ‘socialize’ with the others or spending ‘quality time’ with her silly boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend?!”

Obake jabbed a finger into Wil’s chest, “Don’t play coy! I know you think I’m a prat to her! And I know you won’t believe that she can almost make me feel human! But you don’t have to worry about me getting in the way, Prince Charming! She’s all yours, so you don’t have to worry about me -”

“I’m gay.”

“And I’m Bob, the pleasure’s all...what.” Obake had to take a moment to process Wil’s flat retort.

“Gay. I like guys. I love them. I love kissing them. And I’m already taken.”

Obake opened his mouth and closed it again. He noticed that his third Manhattan had arrived and wasted no time downing it. Wil didn’t repeat how it wasn’t safe to do this time, and he was thankful for that. 

Suddenly, he felt someone standing right behind him and stilled.

“Is he giving you problems, Wil?”

“No worries, Eugene,” Wil smiled at the person behind him, “Just clearing up a misunderstanding over here.”

Obake felt a little dizzy and pinched his nose, “Let me understand this correctly. You have never had feelings for Kei?”

“Platonically, yes. Romantically or otherwise? No.”

“And this whole time, yo - you’ve...” Why couldn’t he find the right words? “You’ve...acted harshly because...?”

“Because she’s one of my best friends and I don’t want her to get hurt,” Wil said firmly. He pointed at Obake with a fiercely protective look, “I can’t help who she wants to connect with, but I won’t stand by and let her get hurt. She’s gone through too much to deserve that.”

“Alright, I’m just going to butt in for a moment here,” Eugene moved from behind Obake and stood to Wil’s left, wrapping an arm across him protectively. He was pleasant to the eyes; tall, broad, dark brown hair and a scruffy goatee. He looked at Wil, bemused, “You weren’t here scooping for another cutie, babe?”

“Wh...why...why would he...?” Obake’s tongue felt like lead. Dear Lord, he could barely speak, he was so embarrassed.

“Because this is a gay bar?” Eugene supplemented as if it weren’t obvious. Obake blinked. Come to think of it, it was rather odd no one had come to bother them when they came in. Did...did that mean...?

Somewhere in San Fransokyo, Kei was laughing herself silly. Obake was certain of it. 

“Everything alright over here?” Another voice, deeper than Eugene’s mischievous and light tone asked.

“Hey ‘Nan! This is an acquaintance of mine,” Wil helped himself to his beer, “and apparently he thought I was stealing his girlfriend until a few moments ago. Bob, this is Kanan. My other boyfriend.”

“Other...” Obake’s head was swimming. This was too much to process...

“Yeah,” Wil said shyly, “We’re...we’re kind of a poly sort of thing.”

As if to prove his point, Eugene promptly gave Wil a deep kiss on the lips that was eagerly returned. Kanan came into view and Obake noticed how dark skinned he was and the ponytail before he decided he was too sober to handle this all right now.

He made to stand and tripped over his stool. And a moment later, his Manhattans returned and splashed all over the floor.

In hindsight, he should have checked how much alcohol was in each glass...

It was about a half hour later when Kei found all four of them outside the bar with Obake being supported by an irksome Wil and amused Eugene. Kanan looked torn between disapproval and laughter.

“Was it fun?” Kei asked hesitantly. Obake took one look at her and sighed. It was his own fault for drinking too much.

“It was something,” Wil supplemented as he helped buckle Obake into the backseat, “And educational, apparently, so that’s a plus.”

“We were there at the tail-end,” Eugene added helpfully, “It was kind of entertaining.”

“You sure you can take care of this?” Kanan asked Wil.

Wil looked at Obake and sighed, “We’ll be alright. Thanks, anyways.”

“See you at the next heist meet, babe!” Eugene blew a kiss.

“Tell Raps and Hera I said hi!” Wil called back as they drove off.

“And here I thought I’d be picking you up at the police station for a bar brawl,” Kei half joked.

“Stay with me, Bob!” Wil shook Obake gently, “Don’t go to sleep. First rule in treating alcohol poisoning.”

“Piss off...” Obake slurred.

Wil sighed and let his head sink against the headrest for a few moments. Why didn’t he just become an accountant like his parents wanted?

“Wil...” Obake said sluggishly, “In..in the...event...I survive this with my memory intact. Would you...do it again?”

Wil blinked in surprise and chuckled weakly, “Only if you watch what you drink next time, lightweight.”

“Momma’s boy.”

“Evil Brit.”

“Four Eyes.”

“Nnnnnnnnnnneeeee~rrrrrrrrrds!” Kei cackled as her passengers bickered with each other without any former hostility from before.

[esonetwork]

The Alpha Male Isn't

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/the-alpha-male-isnt/

The Alpha Male Isn't

You may have run into one of these guys.

Alpha Male Aquaman

They’re big, maybe bearded, scowling. “I am a dominant Alpha male by nature,” they say. “I’m a Bull… a primal hunter. I have no time for any liberal/democrat rhetoric or narrative. I don’t support BS movements and I bow to no one. I am a man’s man.”

They may have the suits, the Ray Bans, the Harley Davidsons, or the Hummers, but they’re not Alpha Males.

Why? Because there is no such thing as an Alpha Male.

And if you haven’t run into one in real life (or you aren’t under the delusion that you are one of those guys) you see them all over popular entertainment, and in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Comic Book movies in particular.

Captain Alpha Male

SF & Fantasy movies are littered with straight-up badasses that all the guys picture themselves as wanting to be (or, in their dreams, actually are). Conan the Barbarian. Captain Kirk. Batman. Tarzan. Aquaman. Wolverine. James Bond (not Fantasy? Think again, my friend!)

The list goes on. Surely these examples, as fantastic as they are, are pure and simple Alpha males?

The answer, my friend, is still; No.

So, how is it that I can say this with such certainty? It’s because the whole concept of the “Alpha Male” originally came about from research on wolves. Research that, it turns out, was flawed.

Rudolf Schenkel wrote about social structure and body language among wolves in 1947. Schenkel studied wolves at the Basel Zoo in Switzerland, where up to ten wolves were kept together in an area of 10 by 20 metres. He saw that the highest ranked female and male formed a pair, and that the hierarchy could change.

“By continuously controlling and suppressing all types of competition within the same sex, both ‘alpha animals’ defend their social position,” Schenkel wrote.

According to another well-known wolf researcher, David Mech, it was Schenkel’s work that gave rise to the idea of the alpha wolf, according to The International Wolf Center website.

Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman

In 1970, the book The Wolf: Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species was published, written by David Mech. It was a success. The book helped to popularize the alpha concept, which was soon adopted to human interaction.

The idea of an Alpha Wolf feeds naturally into human interaction. Among any group of men there is always a leader. The expression “Top Dog” is an idiom for the boss. In a competition, it is also the favorite or the one expected to win, and the opposite of the underdog. It may be a shorthand reference for a dominance hierarchy.

And it’s natural that male leaders would lionize themselves as “Alphas” and assume that this means that they represent some sort of superiority either in physical power, emotional dominance or, in a disturbingly high number of cases, genetic supremacy.

But it’s all nonsense.

You see, the research done on the wolf pack structure in the 60s and 70s was mainly done on wolves in captivity. These wolves were not necessarily related and were kept in an unnaturally small area.

Since that time, Mech had studied wild wolf packs on Ellesmere Island in Canada for 13 summers. He discovered that what was commonly called the alpha pair was simply the parents of the rest of the pack. As parents, they consequently led the pack’s activities.

Peggy Carter as Captain Britain

“Dominance fights with other wolves are rare, if they exist at all. During my 13 summers where I observed the pack, I saw none,” Mech wrote in an article entitled “Alpha Status, Dominance, and Division of Labor in Wolf Packs”.

The male will hunt on his own only when the female is nesting with the young cubs. And the male needs to hunt a lot because he ends up having to bring the majority of what he catches home to the family. When the cubs are older the male and the female share hunting duties equally. The cubs begin to hunt as well but they are not yet skilled at it so will hunt in packs until they get better, then will hunt on their own. But a young male hunting on his own does not catch much. It’s tricky for the lone wolf to survive and often times he only does because wolves are physiologically designed to survive on very little.

So what does all this do to the idea of the human “Alpha Male”? Well, it pretty much lets the air out of it.

You see, according to current research, humans look for some dominance in a potential partner, but only to assure that the potential mates are good providers. What turns out to be more of an attraction is kindness

T’Chala as a kinder, gentler Star Lord

The conclusions of a study by Jerry Burger and Mica Cosby suggest that woman do not want a demanding male, and only 12 percent wanted an aggressive person for a date and romantic partner.

Dominance is attractive, but beyond that, the big winners were easygoing and sensitive.

So, what does this mean for our SF, Fantasy and Comic Book heroes?

Well, what it means is just what we see happening. Less emphasis on the unattainable ideal of the “Alpha” hero, and more situations where men and women work together, and where sometimes the women take on the dominant role. More stories where consideration and kindness towards others wins the day over brute force.

More heroes like Captain America, Wonder Woman, Black Widow, Michael Burnham, or Frodo Baggins, who is no one’s conventional idea of an Alpha Male, but is a hero nonetheless. Peggy Carter as Captain America and Steve Rodgers as her devoted sidekick. T’Challa as Star Lord, who’s compassion, and sensitivity, paired with his action hero skills, helps make the galaxy a better place (and who even talks… TALKS… Thanos out of his idea to cull half the population of the galaxy).

The world is changing, slowly but surely and the whole idea of the “Alpha” male is slowly fading into irrelevance. Now and again we hear the plaintive cries of outraged fanboys who are desperate to hold on to the status quo, but it’s all for nought. Things are proceeding apace and those who cling to the past will get pulled further and further away from the “Now”.

There are no “Alpha” males. Might does not make right. One does not become dominant by being aggressive, demanding, or intimidating. These traits are, by and large, disagreeable.

Just like that other Rogers; Fred… Mister Rogers… said: When things get scary, don’t look for the “Man’s Man”… “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

[lovelyirony]

okay but hear me out hear me out hear me OUT: hunger by ross copperman for rhodeytony

Everyone knows that Tony would die for Rhodey. It’s as easy to see as green grass or a blue sky. He would burn everything down for Rhodey. 

Something that others don’t catch onto is how willing Rhodey is to do the exact same. Rhodey doesn’t often tell people his side of the story of how the two met. 

As it turns out, Rhodey wasn’t supposed to be in room 63-J, he was supposed to be in 65-J. Due to mix-ups in housing and a particularly horrible employee, Rhodey was moved into what was supposed to be a private room. 

“I’m, um, sorry,” Rhodey says. “I can move to a different room, I just have to email the people--” 

“Uh-uh, don’t worry about it,” Tony says, eyes shining. “There’s more than enough space in here, and I’d really prefer to have a roommate. I’ve never really shared anything before!” 

Tony is a small seventeen year old. Rhodey is eighteen, takes one look at this kid who could honestly pass for fifteen, and realizes that he knows nothing about the real world. Absolutely nothing. His head is empty, and he has no idea about that either. 

So Rhodey stays. He teaches Tony how to do things, although Tony isn’t completely helpless. He loves doing laundry and he knows how to cook some serious gourmet shit. 

This is how Rhodey learns how to make his own pasta, and Tony smiles as he smears flour against his cheek. 

Rhodey teaches Tony what coffee to drink, which restaurants are the best. (This does not stop Tony from eating at Burger King near-religiously.) Tony learns how to dress how he wants, and to stop showing up to classes in what is essentially a full suit. 

Tony falls in love with old jeans, worn band tees that he finds after combing through racks of all the thrift stores. 

He laughs as he makes Rhodey get a neon orange fanny pack. 

“Since you claim you always lose your shit at parties,” Tony teases, grinning. 

Tony’s a kid. 

And yet...not a kid. 

He knows immediately who to trust, who to avoid. The way he phrases things has Rhodey’s head going in circles. He’s brilliant with people, to a point where he can drive anyone away. 

Except for Rhodey. 

He made a promise over Thanksgiving break, when Tony realized that his mother penned a note explaining that “darling, your father and I are still in the Maldives, so you have free reign of the house for Thanksgiving...” 

It meant that he would be Completely Alone. 

Well, Rhodey wasn’t having that. 

“If I have to clean the carpet, I’m forcing you with me,” Rhodey says. “And I promised that I would bring a dessert, and I know that you make killer tiramisu.” 

“If I only have to prove that I’m clearly the better roommate, then so be it,” Tony says dramatically. “Take me away, Jim-dear.” 

(He cannot stop calling him that after they stole the VCR of Lady and the Tramp from the English department’s catalog. Not like they’re gonna miss it. 

Rhodey cannot stop thinking about how much he really, actually loves it, that nickname.) 

Tony is shy when he gets to the house, although Dad immediately pulls Tony into the family. 

“Rhodey promised us a dessert but I know that he didn’t inherit my cooking skills, so I’m assuming he’s just promised you,” he says. 

“Yes he has, Mr. Rhodes,” Tony says, grinning. “How do you feel about tiramisu?” 

Tony later on impresses Mrs. Rhodes--from that night on, referred to lovingly as “Mama”--with his piano playing skills. Tony’s perfect memory reads notes as if he’s always known them, and plays piano with a skilled sort of ease. He even adds his own little stylings, making it even better as Rhodey watches his parents dance. 

They haven’t done that in years, not since Rhodey was little and they still had the old record player with Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington records stacked to the side among others. 

Tony laughs along with the music, grinning as his little sister tells him every single embarrassing story about Rhodey. 

“He thought watermelons grew on trees,” Jeannette says, cackling. “Can you believe that?!” 

“I can,” Tony says, putting a finger to his chin. “And I think that if no one had told you, you still would.” 

“Of course if no one had told me I still would! That’s how belief works!” Rhodey calls out. 

“Shush,” Mama says, smoothing a hand over Rhodey’s hair. “Some people are dumb, baby, it’s okay.” 

Rhodey makes an offended squawk, and Tony laughs. 

They go to sleep in Rhodey’s bed. It’s a queen, not like they both can’t fit onto it. 

And if Rhodey wakes with Tony curled into his arms, soft breathing? If Rhodey realizes that life could be like this all the time if they really wanted it to? 

Well. It’s not the worst thought in the world to have. Not by a long shot. 

- 

This feeling continues on long after they graduate, when they start spending every holiday they can together. They always make a dessert together and Rhodey always gets something Super Shit from the thrift store. 

Last year, it was a mug proclaiming “Best Regional Staff Manager of 1978.” He has just discovered that he could custom-order a burnt orange shag carpet, and Tony will put it into his bedroom. 

And then Afghanistan. 

Rhodey grieves like nothing else. He is almost always dehydrated from crying, he can barely eat, and Pepper has to check in on him. 

“You smell bad,” she tells him one night. 

“I know.” 

“Go shower.” 

“Later.” 

“No, now. I swear to god if Tony knew you smelled this disgusting, he’d douse you in Chanel no. 5, and I know how you feel about that.” 

Rhodey manages to get out a small smile. 

He showers. He feels a bit better. 

And he starts looking. 

Everyone in his squad and in the military itself thinks he’s crazy for still looking. The chances of Tony being alive are less than fifty percent. He is most likely dead, but Rhodey can’t stop looking. He just can’t. 

He gets Tony in his arms months later, skinny and frail and yet still so alive. Rhodey tells him he’ll never let go. 

“Not even to let me take a wizz?” Tony asks, smile weak. Rhodey laughs and lets a little bit of tears slip out. 

He does something that was not supposed to happen. 

He leaves the military. 

Realizes that that isn’t what he wants, night after night, to count down days until he’s back in Tony’s arms. He wants to work alongside his someone, to smile at him, and cook breakfast. 

It’s at this time when Tony keeps coming into his room. 

“Like old times?” he asks. Begs, almost. Rhodey nods. 

“Always, Tones. You know that.” 

Tony introduces him to Iron Man, and Rhodey oohs and ah’s, questioning what works and why it had to be that garish, bold red. 

“Aw sweetheart, who else would pick such a color scheme?” 

Rhodey grins and asks when he’s getting his own suit. 

“I do not believe in a god, but I think I might start praying,” Jarvis says dryly, and they both snicker. 

It is Rhodey who helps keep Tony from working himself to the bone, forcing him to come with him. 

“Come on, it’s pizza night and you have to help me make breadsticks otherwise I’m not putting on enough garlic butter.” 

“Rhodey I know that you love garlic butter so this is essentially an empty threat but I will and can kill you.” 

Rhodey snorts as Tony chases him around the kitchen. 

Then the Avengers. 

Natalie Rushman comes into Tony’s life, and Rhodey just knows she isn’t who she says she is. 

Doesn’t help that Tony’s reckless and trying to hide a pretty impressive crossword along his chest. 

What’s an eleven-letter-word meaning “a destroying agency?” 

(Destruction.) 

He doesn’t let her even near Tony. 

“I’m supposed to be here,” Natalie says plainly. She has a coy smile on her face. 

She does not know that for a wild variety of reasons, this will not work on Rhodey. 

“So am I,” Rhodey says evenly. “So I guess we’ve come to a stalemate. I’ll give him the paperwork. You can ask Pepper about the gala’s appetizers and security measures, as I’m sure you have questions.” 

He knows she doesn’t. He also knows that Tony won’t look into her because he’s--

He’s busy. 

Just that. 

(Not dying, his brain whispers insidiously. Not planning a trip six feet or below.) 

Rhodey does not blow off Tony when they have a fight in the house, when Tony wants everyone to leave and get out and tries to get Rhodey to leave by saying he’s a sidekick. 

“You idiot,” Rhodey scowls. “If I’m a sidekick, what does that make you? The very minor character?” 

“What? No, I’m Iron Man--” 

“Yeah, but still. I think Pepper or someone else would be the main character. Quit being an idiot and help me clean up the glass you shot at, idiot.” 

Tony doesn’t like knowing that Rhodey knows. He also doesn’t like Pepper screams about an omelet and how “It wasn’t even that good Tony! How did you mess up eggs! You didn’t even get any seasoning!” 

Rhodey laughs. Helps Tony discover that a.) SHIELD is a bunch of assholes collectively getting a salary, and b.) Howard still had tricks up his sleeve. 

But tricks are tricks. 

You get a solution? Well, that’s even better. 

Tony smells like metal and coconuts, and Rhodey whoops with joy. 

Tony kisses him on the lips, and it’s amazing and he definitely wants more of that, and-- 

“Okay we gotta go take down an evil genius,” Tony says, grinning. “Come on sugar-plum.” 

War Machine and Iron Man work like a dream together, and they’re panting and tired but smiling at the end of all of this. 

“Sour patch, we need a vacation,” Tony says. “We need to just. Lay somewhere.” 

“Agreed, honey.” 

So after all of these years, they become an item. A couple. People who love each other and don’t get too mad when someone else eats all of the butternut squash soup (Rhodey). 

And Tony will tell anyone who listens how in love he fell, so hard, and Rhodey will smile and agree. 

But he’s pretty sure that he’s the one who fell first. 

[swiftlymoniquesblog]

To the Fandom from Dean

Hey, there sweetheart,

So, things aren’t the best right now, huh? Sammy was just telling me one of your favorite shows is ending, is that so? Well, I don’t know anything about being that invested in a tv show, or anything really, to fully understand how you’re feeling, but I hate seeing you like this. Come on, you’re supposed to be smiling and laughing loudly as you do! Where did that go? A tv show really affects you that much? Why is it ending anyway? Look, I don’t know how to answer any of these questions for you, and I wish I could, I really do, but I can’t. Maybe I’m not really helping here, but I am trying, really. Sammy mentioned too, that it was that stupid show where people are acting like us and are telling our story? Oh, come on now sweetheart, there can’t be any part of that show that makes you feel so strongly, is there? Well, I guess there is otherwise, I wouldn’t be writing you this letter, now would I? You know me, I’m no good at expressing my feelings or sympathy too much, but for you, I’ll give it my best shot.

I’m really sorry that the show is ending. I had no idea it meant that much to you and if I did, I probably wouldn’t have said all the mean things I have about it. Or even in this letter. So, know what? Just ignore those negative comments I mentioned earlier. Ah, you know, I just, I don’t know, I’m just sorry. Nothing bothers me more than seeing you sad; I hate it. But I know it’s so much than just a show to you. It’s how you’ve met a lot of your friends, whom you probably wouldn’t have because of that show, so I guess it’s good in that way. I have a confession and you probably don’t even know this, but I watch you sometimes when you’re watching the show. Shocker, I know, but I do. Have you ever wondered how you look when you watch that show? Well, I can tell you, it’s pretty freaking adorable. You get so drawn into it, I’ve thrown things at you, and you don’t even flinch! Seriously, I’ve done a lot of crazy things when you watch that show…I mean…pretend I didn’t just say all that, okay? The look on your face gets really intense when things get intense on the show or they're funny; your laugh is too cute. And your eyes go wide whenever you see that guy who plays me. I’ll admit, he is pretty damn attractive, but I’m obviously cuter. Plus, he sounds too Texan to be me; I’m from Kansas for God’s sake!

With all that being said, there’s something else I want to talk about. I know too, that in your world, I’m just a fictional character. I’ll be honest, that scares me. Not that I think it would actually end up happening, but I don’t want people to forget about me. I’ve prayed to Castiel that people won’t forget me after the show ends. It’s one of the only ways we can communicate and you know I’m real, but as soon as the tv gets turned off, I’m just a thought in your head. And I hate that. There’s nothing more I wish I could do than to come and see you. I want to be with you, on a more regular basis! But I can’t and that scares me. You’ve been a huge part of our family in the last several years and now you’re leaving. I don’t know why; I wish you wouldn’t leave me-I mean us. We’re all going to miss you. Oh, screw it, I’M going to miss you. A lot. In fact, I can’t think about you not being here with us all the time. That’s why I didn’t mind that show because you would be here with me, even just for an hour at a time, once a week. And that! What’s up with that? They can’t air it more often? No, I guess not, but there are reruns, right? So, if you watch more often, you can come back and see me, right? Please visit me. I’m cool with it not being all the time, but you’re too damn important to me to lose forever. Don’t do that to me, please? You have to come to see us soon; we won’t survive if you don’t.

What will the future be like for me and Sammy? Not sure to be honest but I do know one thing; we’ve asked Cas and Jack to move in here, so we can be a family. You always wanted that, remember? I do know too, that we’ll take that vacation to the beach soon. I need a chair, a drink in one of those cheesy pineapples with the fake umbrellas! And a bunch of girls around me. And beer. And bacon. And burgers. Oh, and pie! Can’t forget the pie; remember I told you that. Don’t give me that disapproval look about the girls, you know you’ll always be my number one girl. With everything going on in your life, you’re doing one hell of a good job. Your work is a bitch, that stupid virus is still holding on and keeping everyone from living a normal life without a mask! Not to mention, your inner thoughts and demons you are constantly fighting. You are so strong and I know it feels like you are just barely hanging on, but you gotta keep fighting, okay? You gotta fight for yourself, your family and friends, and me and Sammy. We’re rooting for you, all the way, 150%! You’re our girl, please don’t ever forget that either. Hold tight to the thought of the first time you came to see us. That was a day I’ll never forget; the best one in fact. Guess I should probably tell you this since I won’t be able to say it after I finish this letter, but I love you. No, not just as a friend or a little sister, I fell in love with you. I love it when you watch that show, or any show really. When you give me attitude back when I tease you, throwing your hands on your hips and staring up at me like you’re going to fight me, but I just wrap you in a hug and tickle you until you turn red. I love it when you get annoyed with my jokes but you laugh anyway. Or how you always give me a hard time about how much I love Baby. I don’t care if it’s “not healthy to love a car that much.” I overheard you tell Sam that you think I love that care more than I’ll love anyone, and I want you to know, that’s not true. I love you way more than that car but I guess it really doesn’t matter anymore does it? And I know how you’re going to be when you read this. You’ll be so mad that I admitted my feelings to you in a stupid letter and not to your face, as a “man should do!” And I’m sorry this is the way you’re finding this out but I couldn’t find the right words to speak this out, so I wrote it down.

Anyways, I want you to know, no matter what happens to you in your world, you’ll always have me, Sam, Jack, and Cas cheering you on. We may not be right there with you, but you will always have us in your heart and your mind. I’m just a thought or an episode away from being there for you. And I’ll always come running when you call; that’s what I do for my girl. If it were up to me, you’d be living in the Bunker with us all the time so we can protect you from dangerous situations and I can just easily hold you when you cry and kiss your tears away, but I can’t. Damn it, I started crying. Haven’t cried over a girl in a really long time; see how much I care about you? It’s a lot. Wherever life takes you, I am so proud of you and I am always rooting for you; your biggest fan. I love you, kiddo.

 Yours,

Dean Winchester

Read Sam’s letter here

Masterlist

Prompt List

Inbox/ask

Tag list: @to-my-beloved-fandoms-2 @fandom-princess-forevermore @tloveswriting @forever-trapped-in-my-dreams @juju-la-tortue @marvelfansworld @grace15ella @thwiso @67-chevy-baby @angeredcrow @simpleb00x @polina-93 @deansmyapplepie

[officialotakudome]

New Post has been published on Otaku Dome | The Latest News In Anime, Manga, Gaming, Tech, and Geek Culture

New Post has been published on https://otakudome.com/aew-rampage-was-a-rare-pro-wrestling-surprise/

AEW Rampage Was a Rare Pro Wrestling Surprise

AEW made it’s formal conception on January 1, 2019 and has since been making a number of accomplishments since. Including sold out shows, record merch sales, signing major stars, and  breaking one million viewers semi-regularly just to name a few. As we come to closing out the year AEW is looking to continue the highs they’ve been receiving in 2021 with the debut of their second televised program AEW Rampage. An hour series that will act as an equal to it’s sister program AEW Dynamite. And with the show they put on for night one that promise has so far already been kept.

AEW Rampage is a 2021 pro wrestling series produced by AEW & WarnerMedia. It currently airs Fridays at 9:00 AM Central on TNT. 

Editor’s Note: Spoilers for the debut episode of AEW Rampage and potential spoilers for the second episode may be present within this review.

AEW Rampage opened with an amazing match and a shock finish.

Kenny Omega (c) vs Christian Cage for the Impact World Championship:

In the opening (and first ever) contest of AEW Rampage, AEW featured a historic moment in which the Impact World Championship was defended for the very first time on another national wrestling promotion’s television program. AEW, Impact, and AAA World Champion Kenny Omega defended against challenger Christian Cage in a bit of a preview to their upcoming All Out main event match for the AEW World Championship. First just wanted to point out that the Pittsburg crowd was HOT for this show from start to finish. It really goes to show that if you give your audience a bit of respect they often respond in kind. Which is a polar opposite to a lot of WWE crowds who often attack the shows with obnoxious chants such as “What!?” & “CM PUNK!”. But WWE often shows little respect to their audience so it can be a bit forgiven.

Omega and Cage are both rather high level in-ring performers, especially the latter at age 47. AEW typically has their best matches open and close their shows and this philosophy continued on the debut of Rampage. Most of the offense surprisingly came from Christian who was really showing out against Omega who was mainly selling everything. At one point in the match Christian hit Omega with a Spear and had a cool near fall. Finish saw the Young Bucks coming out while Don distracted a ref and they handed Kenny a chair. As Omega was preparing for the One-Winged Angel, Christian turned the tides with a Killswitch on the very chair Omega had prepared for a three count. Omega sold the Killswitch like he was shot and Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus join Cage for the post-match celebration.

Winner AND NEW Impact World Champion Christian Cage: **** 1/2 stars

Beloved jobber Fuego del Sol gained a life changing victory in defeat.

Following the commercial break with get Mark Henry interviewing Cage with Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus having A Little Bit of the Bubbly. Cage said Kenny caused him to bring everything he had and felt he wasn’t going to win. He then states that if he gave him so much trouble for the Impact title it’ll be next to impossible for him to win the AEW title, but the victory has Cage in Omega’s head. Next match is God’s Favorite Champion Miro taking on everybody’s favorite jobber Fuego del Sol for the TNT Championship. If Sol wins he’ll be signed to an AEW contract.

Fuego del Sol vs Miro (c) for the TNT Championship:

If you’re even remotely apart of AEW’s social media circles you’ve probably heard of the rise of Fuego del Sol fka Kage. Sol began wrestling in a trampoline fed on Youtube prior to pursing his dreams on the independent circuit. Fuego; real life best friend of rising AEW star Sammy Guevara found his way to the promotion through recommendation working AEW Dark during their stay at Daily’s Place during the pandemic. Fuego also had a starring role in Guevara’s vlog entitled “Sammy’s Vlog” in which he films & documents his & his friends & co-workers’ real lives and careers as a professional wrestlers. Fuego became a fan-favorite due to his likable personality and optimism. AEW took notice of Fuego’s skyrocketing popularity and often had him featured on Dark and occasionally on flagship series Dynamite. The running gag of Sammy’s Vlog was Fuego’s real-life quest for a contract despite his losing streak and the fact that he also worked at Burger King to support his family while on PPA (pay per appearances) bookings with AEW.

Sammy stated many times that the goal of his vlog was to help his friends and guests to establish a gimmick, place to explore personality, and an opportunity to reach an audience basically to help wrestlers get over. And it’s kind of poetic that Fuego is one of the first to truly accomplish those goals. Fuego is now a hit on social media with many of his tweets gaining five digit numbers in likes something that’s rather unheard of from someone who’s had no real presence in the WWE. Now that we’ve gotten to the background of Fuego and the importance of this storyline (apologies for being so long winded about it) we can move on to the match itself. 

This was more or less a squash match, but the point was to get Fuego over in front of a big crowd. As the match began Fuego showed his bravery by hitting Miro with a variation of the Tornado DDT his finishing move of which he is the master. Fuego goes for a pin but only got a one count, he follows up with a second Tornado DDT as the crowd goes ballistic in cheers and Miro wisely rolls out of the ring. Commentary reminds people at home that if Fuego wins via count out he may not win the title but he will in fact still win the AEW contract. Miro unfortunately gets back into the ring at nine only to be hit with THIRD Tornado DDT at this stage the crowd is all over Fuego. He goes for a pin, but gets a very close near fall. As Miro recovers he nails Fuego with the Bulgarian Drop & Thrust Kick followed by the Game Over submission for the win.

Winner and still AEW TNT Champion Miro: *** stars

AEW Women’s World Champion returned to Brittsburg in the main event.

Miro celebrates and rips the contract as we head to commercial. Returning from the break Fuego recovers from his heartbreaking loss as the Pittsburg crowd gives him a standing ovation for his efforts. Commentary is selling the idea that this is Fuego’s final official appearance in AEW as they’re back on a touring schedule. Suddenly, Sammy Guevara’s music hits and he appears (briefly) with Tony Khan who hands him a mic and clipboard. Sammy tells Fuego that despite losing he may have still won. Reminding him of his disappointing win-loss record, he tells him it doesn’t matter as the fans and the wrestlers in the back all love him. Realizing what’s about to go down Fuego starts ugly crying as Sammy tells Fuego that Tony Khan wanted himself as his best friend to inform him that as of tonight he is officially All Elite and the crowd goes nuts. In an interview with Sports Illustrated Tony Khan stated that this was 100% shoot and that only Sammy knew Fuego was getting signed regardless of his loss. If you’ve followed Fuego’s journey from the beginning or middle where he made his AEW it really shows that anyone can get themselves over if they work hard enough and have the right platform. Contrastingly, in WWE if you get over without being their chosen guy or gal you’re punished for it being viewed as “having gone into business for yourself”. A testament to this is the infamous rise of Matt Cardona fka Zach Ryder who rose to fame with his “Z! True Long Island Story” Youtube series and had a fundamental role in teaching pro wrestlers to use the internet and social media to work for themselves to get over and would go on to inspire shows such as BTE (Being the Elite) & Sammy’s Vlog.

Cardona would regularly embarrassed and buried on WWE TV after a pity run with the WWE United States Championship rarely finding success beyond point for the remainder of his run in the promotion. Reports stated that morale among talent hit a record low, Cardona’s best friend Impact Wrestling star Brian Myers was also quoted as saying WWE “would hold “brass ring” pep talks every WrestleMania that suddenly stopped once Cardona got over”. So in short, unless you’re their flavor of the week/month/year WWE won’t take it kindly if you work hard and gain a following without their say. Whereas AEW (and virtually every other promotion ever) will do the compete opposite and show support, but enough of the rant it’s time for the main event.

Red Velvet vs Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D for the AEW Women’s World Championship:

Fuego wasn’t the only new signee of the night.

As the match starts Velvet is understandingly thrown off by the boos. More confusingly Velvet is working as a babyface for much of the match, rectifies this when she begins working Britt’s wrist. Obviously, Britt is the heel, but for the sake if the circumstances I’m glad Velvet played into being the baddie for the night. Also can I just say how crazy it’s been seeing Red Velvet grow as an in ring performer? I’ve seen her since her debut on Dark and basically followed through since her debut on Dynamite with Cody against Jade Cargill and Shaq. She’s still fairly fresh and young as a worker, but has really shown off her potential especially here. Lots of back and forth offense from Britt and Red. The finish saw Britt attempting the Lockjaw with the hurt wrist, but once Velvet escapes she brilliantly reverses it with her opposite arm for the submission. 

Winner and still AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker: **** stars

While Britt celebrates she beats down Velvet who comes back only to be beat down again by the returning Jamie Hayter with a new look. Hayter had a bit run on AEW Dark & NXT UK prior to her return as a full-time AEW talent. Britt had been hinting that she was opening up a bodyguard position and Hayter will fit that role moving forward. AEW Rampage’s debut was an extremely strong show with fantastic matches and excellent storytelling. This Friday is surprisingly going to be even more important, as unless you’ve been living under a rock “The First Dance” in the United Center will be the host of the long-awaited return of CM Punk to pro wrestling and not as an analyst as an in-ring talent. AEW and Punk himself are barely trying to throw fans off of what is undoubtedly going to be a legendary moment for them in their short time alive. 2021 has been very good to AEW and pro wrestling as a whole and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. AEW gives AEW Rampage’s debut episode an 80 out of 100.

[thenightling]

Hello. Do you have any certified methods or even just general tips that you're sure it will work for lucid dreaming? Sorry if this is an annoying or frequently asked question; I used to do it in my teens but after being forced to attend a religious conversion therapy I found that I couldn't do it anymore. I'd like to go back to it now that I'm working past that trauma and going back to my former self.

Actually, yes, there are a few tricks. The easiest way to lucid dream is to let yourself dream normally and then become aware that you are dreaming. This is just the easiest way and I'll provide a few tips and tricks on that in a moment.

Sometimes people can Lucid Dream without knowing it is a lucid dream. They think it is something else entirely. All that is really required is becoming aware of your surroundings (even if you don't think it is a dream) and taking control.

It is always easier if you know it is a dream. Some people initiate a lucid dream by accident. Ever hear the phrase "Pinch me. I must be dreaming." Some people mistake that as thinking the pinching is to wake them. In reality the phrase has an origin with the idea that you cannot be truly hurt (or hurt yourself) in a dream.

When I was a small child I accidentally set off a quasi-lucid dream by attempting to pinch myself (and failing to even make contact with my own flesh) inside a dream. As I had no experience or control lucid dreaming yet (I was only about four) this deteriorated into a nightmare of trying and failing to wake myself because I could not pinch myself.

Some lucid dreamers use books and clocks to orientate themselves in a dream. I have been able to read in dreams but others say they cannot. Not being able to read in dreams is completely normal because reading uses a part of the brain that is usually dormant during sleep.

The notion that most people dream in black and white is pretty much a myth. Now clocks. Most people cannot read clocks in dreams. If you look at a clock in a dream (especially an old analog clock that has hands instead of digital numbers) and then look away and back again, usually in dreams the time will suddenly be different, clocks are usually not consistent in dreams. This is a trick some lucid dreamers use to orientate themselves and make them aware that they are in a dream.

This does not always work.  Some people do claim to see consistent time on watches and clocks in dreams.

The next trick is be creative. If you are in a dream or believe you may be in a dream but it feels very vivid an real, try to gain some kind of control. Not over the whole thing- that might wake you. Something small. Pick an object or if you think you are skilled enough, the sky. think of changing the color. Pretend you are playing Sims or are on IMVU in Create Mode.  Will something of the setting to change.  Try adding something that feels natural to be there.  

I personally advise never trying to take full control.  It takes the fun out of it and might wake you up too much and spoil the setting.  Let things play out naturally but if things start to go wrong then try to will things to go a little differently.   

Add detail, make things vivid and real.   For example if the setting is Victorian, think how the cobblestones might feel under you feet, or under the soles of your shoes.  If you’re defying gravity or are being lifted up, remember how gravity works, and how your own body feels when being lifted into the air.  The more details you give it, the more real it becomes.   

Let the characters behave according to their own natures. Sometimes they may surprise or otherwise entertain you.  Dreams often have a story to tell or some symbolic meaning.  It’s always good to let the story play out naturally enough (even if it’s a nightmare) that you may learn from it.

If you start to lose control in the dream and you have any Pagan beliefs, try calling out to the Greco-Roman dream God (later conceptually also known as The Sandman), Morpheus, by name.  In mythology there are three Oneiroi (Dream entities) whose names are still remembered.  Phobator (Also known as Icalus), and Phantasmo are the other two.  Fear and Fantasy. But Morpheus (Shaper of forms) is the most reliable because he is the most remembered in the human collective consciousness today.  He might be annoyed at the summoning but if you believe in him you can dream him into halting the stray dream for you.  This does not necessarily require being Pagan, it just requires having enough belief to think he’ll come and intervene.  Even if you believe you created him to do so (though the character often has an ego so that might piss him off further).

Any time I’ve called out to him in a dream, the dream will freeze up like a paused video and he’ll appear or I’ll awake.  

Thinking heavily about the setting or characters you want in your dream sometimes also helps to establish the premise automatically.

If you have trouble getting to sleep I recommend counting sheep. Most people don’t really know what this means.  It’s not literally counting imaginary sheep.  You pick a topic like “How many vampire movies have I seen?” or something else you can count off.  And you name them silently in your head as you count.  “How many Disney princesses have I seen wear blue?” Name them and count.  Pick any subject you want.  Counting something related to the topic you want to dream about may also help.  If you chose that one you can also Vividly imagine all the details of your setting, from sight, sound, smell, and touch or even taste.

Bonus: How to induce vivid and remembered dreams:

Statistically people have more vivid dreams if they consume high amounts of protein right before sleeping.  This raises the potential of vivid and recalled dreams by at least twenty five percent.  A neurological study about this caused the novelty creation of the Burger King “Nightmare King.”  This was a seasonal (Halloween) burger consisting of two beef patties, a breaded chicken cutlet, American cheese, bacon, onion, pickles and spicy mayonnaise on a sesame seed bun that had been dyed green with food coloring for an extra gross / eerie effect.  

You can make a similar burger or just eat a little cheese (or drink warm milk) before going to sleep.

Laying on your back while sleeping also improves the chance of dreams being remembered.  If you’re used to sleeping on your side, don’t worry about it if you can’t sleep on your back.

Laying in a star or “Raven” formation with arms spread and legs spread also helps.

You always dream when in the REM state of sleep.   REM stands for Rapid eye movement.  The eye movement does not CAUSE the dreams.  It’s just something that happens while dreaming.  People without eyes or who are blind can and do dream.        

Sleeping in cool weather or a cool room, while under a blanket while the air around your warm blanket is cold, also helps induce dreams.

Ritualistic behavior to induce dreams sometimes helps. I have a felt blanket with the words “What a Wonderful Nightmare” written across it.   And I seem to have interesting dreams when it is on my bed.

[shiny-procrastinates]

(re)Watching Magia Record S1 - part 2

part 1 here

I had no idea it’d turn into a run-on text when I posted the last one, am now regretting several life choices.

Hello everyone and welcome to the second post of this series where we watch Magia Record together! (Hopefully)

Last time our cute protagonist was kidnapped by a witch and taken to a mysterious city called Kamihama, only to be saved by a singing chibi Kyuubei, getting kicked out by a blue haired op magical girl, and remembering that her long forgotten wish was to cure her missing sister’s illness. You know, happens everyday.

So then, where is Iroha’s younger sister Ui? What is going on in Kamihama? What’s up with those full-body tights? Guess we’ll have to watch to find out! (There is no answer to the last one.)

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record Episode 2

So we kick this episode off with what seems to be a flashback of Iroha visiting her younger sister in the hospital.

The smile that was not protected.

They do some sister bonding and we are now back to the scene of Iroha making her wish, just a little trippier this time.

Iroha’s covered by some white sheets and…

Of course, it was all a dream. Yes, we’d like to know that, too, Iroha. I like how the camera moves back to show the empty part of her room, emphasizing how her sister’s completely gone.

And cut to the op. Talking about nice shots, this one’s my favorite in the opening:

Later, Iroha is telling Kyuubei about her wish. Today, she just bought her lunch instead of making it. Did you oversleep?

Regardless, Kyuubei does not know her sister. He asks if Ui really existed. According to him, it would take something like a magical girl’s wish to erase someone’s existence completely like that, so he suggests it’s more likely that someone implanted false memories in her. Iroha, however, believes those memories are real, and plans to visit the hospital she saw in her dreams in search for clues.

So Iroha is now going to Kamihama. She tried to get in contact with Kuroe but couldn’t reach her. Considering how determined Kuroe was to go to Kamihama though, she might be there already.

Iroha asks Kyuubei about the chibi Kyuubei from earlier, but Kyuubei doesn’t know anything about it. Rather, he says something like that shouldn’t exist.

This bus has ads. And Iroha really does like kids a lot, doesn’t she.

Alas, it seems you can’t even ride a bus in peace in this town. Before she can arrive at the hospital, Iroha gets caught up in yet another witch’s barrier.

Hello, Witch Delivery Service. How can I curse you today?

Once again, she’s not alone in the Labyrinth. There’s another girl getting her butt kicked having a hard time with Kamihama’s witches.

The new girl knows she can’t win, so she’s all in on running away, but Iroha can’t just leave the passengers to become witch food. They’re weak though, so as soon as they stop they’re attacked and end up stuck in a web.

:fuyuu～:

When all seems lost, in comes our knight in shining armor, with her weird shaped sword. If it was jagged, you’d think someone took a bite out of that.

This confident, strong-willed magical girl is called Momoko, and she came to help out the girl from earlier. I can’t screenshot this, but it’s cool how the camera slightly shakes as if affected by the wind when it shows her from the front.

Then there’s Rena.

The two join hands and do something like enchanting, I suppose. Borrowing Rena’s water powers, Momoko dives straight into the enemy and clears everything, not like a tidal wave, but literally with one. Iroha is very impressed… and then she gets run over by a ball of fur along with Kaede. gg

Iroha was abducted, this was actually sci-fi all along.

Of course not, though Madoka does happen in the near future.

Iroha wakes up to find herself in an unfamiliar place. Momoko explains to her that they are at the Coordinator’s, some sort of hospital + consultation center for magical girls… Iroha, please don’t repeat “magical girls” as if it doesn’t ring a bell, you are one.

You’re too nice for this world, shame only suffering awaits you.

Rena criticizes her, but Momoko reassures Iroha that’s just Rena’s way of showing concern. Seems about right.

Momoko offers to escort her back to the station, and Iroha asks if there really are that many witches in Kamihama. I’d say yes, considering how we’ve already seen three in only two episodes. They were way more rare in the og.

According to Momoko, it’s just like the blue haired magical girl had told her yesterday: not only there are a lot of them, they are also stronger than normal. However, Momoko says it was not always like that.

Iroha still needs to go to Satomi Medical Center to investigate her sister’s disappearance, so she explains her situation to Momoko’s trio.

:momokoncerned:

Rena’s not keen on believing Iroha’s story, but Momoko can’t leave someone in need, so she decides for her team to help Iroha. Even Iroha’s perplexed.

Rena complains that they already have their own investigation going on, but the other two argue that they haven’t found anything anyway and Rena was the one who least believed the rumor they’re investigating. Iroha just has no idea what’s going on.

It seems Momoko’s trio is chasing down a witch called the chain Witch, but Iroha has never heard about it.

Feeling bad about the trio arguing, Iroha says it’s fine and that she doesn’t want to bother them with searching for her sister too when they already saved her earlier, but Kaede pushes the point of “we’re all magical girls after all”, even when Rena’s clearly unwilling. They then finally properly introduce themselves.

The fiery blonde is Momoko Togame, the red haired druid is Kaede Akino and the blue haired tsundere is Rena Minami. They’re a magical girl team acting in the Shinsei Ward in Kamihama.

The group heads to Satomi Medical Center but, as expected, I guess, they wouldn’t let Iroha in. After all, not only her sister is not hospitalized there right now, as there are no records of her ever being there.

So the obvious choice here is going for some burgers.

Momoko says about Momoko.

She snatches the lunch from Iroha and goes upstairs… then she’s Rena. Guess we can assume Rena’s power is shapeshifting. Iroha is understandably very confused. (poor girl’s been like that ever since she came to Kamihama).

I do want to be spoken, too.

Iroha apologizes for having them accompany her for nothing, and says she’ll find a way to get to Ui’s hospital room. Momoko’s trio seems to have some plan, but Rena refuses to do it. Kaede confirms that Rena can shapeshift.

Momoko and Kaede want Rena to shapeshift into a nurse and infiltrate the hospital, but Rena doesn’t want to take the risk. Kaede and Rena then start fighting. Kaede’s upset that Rena refuses to use her powers for others, while Rena doesn’t want to put herself at risk for a stranger. Rena gets worked up, and ends up saying something bad enough to erase the background stickers.

Yeah, getting caught up in a friend fight is quite awkward isn’t it.

Rena runs her mouth and accidentally says Kaede’s wish is stupid. But magical girl’s wishes are their biggest desires when they make them, so it’s extremely rude to diss one. Kaede starts crying. Rena really screwed up there.

If only the background could talk for you, Rena.

Kaede is so upset she breaks up her friendship with Rena and walks off. Momoko tries to cheer Rena up with a mood-deaf joke, but it backfires and Rena also runs off. It’s nice how the girl’s thoughts they can’t put in words are expressed by the background stickers here. Rena would’ve seemed like a jerk if not.

Iroha and Momoko make their way back to the station. Momoko apologizes for the previous scene and Iroha apologizes for making them fight, but Momoko reassures her that that happens all the time.

Yeah, seems tiresome. From my experience, poking your nose in your friends’ fights more often than not only makes them both turn against you.

Iroha asks Momoko if the Chain Monster she joked about earlier was the same as the Chain Witch, and Momoko tells her about the rumor of the Staircase of Severance. According to the rumor, if you end your friendship with someone and write your names on a certain staircase at the school Momoko and co. attend, the first person to try to make up will be abducted by the chain monster. It would be fine if it was just a rumor, but the people who had their names written in the staircase did in fact disappear, and-

Hands- *cof* I mean, what do you have to do with this?

No, Kaede, don’t do it, it’s not worth it!

After a brief flash of a call to(?) or from(?) Momoko, Iroha meets up with her and Kaede at the station. According to them, Rena has been missing ever since their fight, and I’ve just now noticed the detail on the background showing the train lines. Nice.

The girls search for Rena until late, and finally find her at the arcade. Rena tries to pass herself for someone else, but the keychain doesn’t lie. Rena runs away, turning into a lot of other people, and the girls chase after her. As they do, chains follow their path.

Kaede catches Rena and asks why she’s running away. She says their friendship isn’t over, since Rena didn’t throw away their mascot, so she’ll apologize again if she has to and she won’t let go until Rena forgives her.

So Kaede apologizes to Rena and says they’ll go back to being friends. Rena then starts seeing chains.

The familiar-like things start mocking her. They say Rena wrote their name on the Staircase of Severance, so they won’t let them go back to being friends. Rena’s also the only one who can see them. The chain monsters start saying what should be the reasons why Rena would break up their friendship, which Rena desperately denies. The monsters then take Kaede away.

And that’s it for this episode. The rumor of the Staircase of Severance was true, Kaede was kidnapped and we still have no clue what that flash to the blue haired magical girl when Momoko was talking about the rumor even means. Leaving this episode with more questions than answers, and barely making any progress on Iroha’s investigation, we now get the ending for this season: Alethea, by ClariS.

It’s a beautiful ending, but it’s kind of funny having this when Yachiyo’s name hasn’t even appeared in the anime yet. I actually thought for the longest time that this song was called Alicia since the katakana sounds like that (or I may have misread it), so you can imagine my surprise when I learnt over a year later I was wrong lol

There’s also the little but nice detail that Yachiyo’s holding the umbrella she has when she meets Iroha on the opening.

With that, we are done with episode 2! Will our girls be able to save Fuyuu from the Chain Witch? Will Rena be able to be honest for once? Guess we’ll have to find out next time! Looking forward to having you guys for episode 3, same hour, same Tumblr blog.

(P.S: I went with Staircase of Severance for the name of this rumor since that’s what is being used in these subs, but I think it’s Friendship Ending Staircase somewhere else. Same thing tho)

[jemelle]

these are ties that bind (8/8)

fandom: criminal minds

rating: t

(chapter) word count: 1,465

story masterlist / all writing

you can also find this story on ao3!

summary: emily and hotch must pretend to be in a long-term relationship in order to foster carrie. shenanigans and serious conversations alike ensue. this chapter: two years later, a perfect summer evening.

a/n: when I started this fic in march, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into. eight months and 50(!) pages later, here we are, and it has been such a pleasure to get to tell this story. thank you so much to everyone who has given tattb a chance. i’m endlessly grateful for your likes, reblogs, and especially your kind words.

this final chapter is lovingly dedicated to my sibling for beta-ing, to @ssa-lesbian​ for being there since day 1, and to @robins-gf​ for endlessly hyping this fic <3

epilogue.

The string lights Emily had hung made the backyard look like something out of a fairytale. The guests mingled together, drinking homemade punch and eating food from the grill Aaron was carefully tending.

It was a warm evening in August, a few days before Carrie’s eighteenth birthday. The air was humid and the occasional mosquito buzzed around the edges of the party. From the kitchen window, Emily could see Penelope and Spencer swaying slightly to the music while JJ and Morgan fought over a football that had appeared seemingly out of thin air. Rossi sat in a deck chair, watching the proceedings with an amused look on his face, while Will sat beside him, cradling Henry in his arms. Even Jordan was here, making conversation with Aaron as he slid burgers into buns.

True to Emily’s prediction, Penelope had been the first to figure them out. She swore she’d never tell how she connected the dots, but Emily suspected that Penelope regularly checked in on all of them in less than legal ways. Once Penelope knew, their cover was all but blown, so Hotch had convened an all-team meeting to break the news.

He and Emily had told them the story straight, so to speak. The team understood that they weren’t really in love, but neither Emily nor Aaron felt that coming out was necessary for the story. Emily had come out the next year anyway, telling everyone as they sat around a crowded booth in the same bar where she had first told JJ. Aaron, for his part, he had reassured Emily that he was content with just being out to her.

Two years later, Emily thought that they were doing pretty well. Not every day was easy, of course. Sometimes Aaron snapped and Emily swore and Carrie sulked and Jack sobbed, but those days were few and far between. More often, there were sad days, because nothing would ever really heal what had happened to Carrie. On sad days Emily or Aaron begged off work, watching terrible movies with Carrie until she had cried herself out.

Every year, the three of them flew out to Denver to visit Carrie’s family. The old lady who ran the florist nearest to the cemetery knew when to expect them by now, and Emily’s perfunctory refusal to accept the flowers she insisted on providing free of charge had become something of a routine. Carrie liked to visit the cemetery alone, and she often sat there for hours, seemingly lost in thought. After she was finished, she and Emily and Aaron would go visit her old friends, the ones who had turned up for her when she had expected to be most alone.

There was always a little part of Emily that was scared Carrie would leave them. She would decide that Denver was still her real home, or that she wanted to live closer to her aunt and uncle in Phoenix. Emily had long since promised herself that she would support Carrie in whatever she wanted to do, but that wouldn’t lessen the sting. Nothing like that had ever come to pass, but in less than a month, Carrie would be heading off to college. 

Emily knew that Carrie’s parents had emphasized the importance of college, and that she had been fighting with them about it the night they had died. When she first came to live with them, Carrie had wanted to re-join all the activities her parents had encouraged. It had taken time and a lot of therapy, but eventually she had realized that straying from her parent’s wishes wasn’t a betrayal, not when what they had wanted most was for her and Danny to be happy. 

When the time came for Carrie to apply to college, Emily and Aaron made sure she understood that they would be proud of her no matter where she went. In the end, Carrie had chosen the University of Virginia, promising to make the two-hour journey home often. Still, it would be strange to not have her around every day. Emily had gotten used to her snark and sincerity, the way she cut right to the truth every time.

Tonight, Carrie was standing in a corner, Haley by her side, both of them watching over Jack. Emily and Haley would never be the best of friends, but they had long since formed a truce, recognizing that they both wanted the best for their strange little family. Haley loved Jack, that much was obvious, and she treated Carrie like the big sister Jack had never had. She was happy to take them both when cases ran long, though Emily secretly suspected that was because Carrie was able to calm down Jack better than anyone.

Leaving the house, Emily made her way over to the snack table, setting down the bowl of pretzels she had been carrying. When she looked up, Haley was motioning her over, gesturing at her empty cup and then Jack in turn. As Emily reached their corner of the yard, Haley headed off to refill her drink, leaving Emily and Carrie to monitor Jack.

Without warning, Emily was overcome by a wave of emotion. This life still felt like a dream sometimes. Past Emily would never have believed that this was where her life would end up. After Italy, she had been so angry, and after Declan, so resigned. In her lowest moments, she had told herself that she would never deserve a family. Emily knew now that she had been wrong, that she deserved to love and be loved. She also knew how exceptionally lucky she was to have found this family.

“I love you, you know that?” Emily said, keeping her gaze fixed firmly on the party. If she looked at Carrie, there was a good chance she would cry. If anything could ruin the joyful mood of this evening, that would be it, even if the tears came only from a place of happiness.

“I know,” Carrie said, no trace of sarcasm in her voice. She took a slow sip out of the cup in her hand. In her periphery, Emily saw a single tear fall down Carrie’s cheek. “I know.”

When Haley came back, new drink in hand, neither Emily nor Carrie had looked at each other. She gave them a strange look before striking up a conversation with Carrie about what she wanted to study in college.

Emily bid them adieu and headed towards Aaron, the adoption papers burning a hole in her back pocket. They had applied for them months ago, but the envelope had only arrived a few days ago. Emily had snatched the letter from the mail as soon as it arrived, hiding it among her paperwork. The plan was to give them to Carrie on her birthday and let her make a decision about what she wanted. 

Unlike the thought of Carrie leaving, this decision didn’t feel Emily with dread. No matter what she chose, Carrie would always have them to come home to. 

She reached Aaron as he was finishing up making dinner, flipping the last of the burgers and sliding them into perfectly toasted buns. At his call, the guests flocked to the table, Spencer and Penelope almost tripping over each other in their haste to get food. After grabbing a plate, they dispersed once more, leaving only Emily and Aaron by the grill. 

A few months ago, JJ had asked Emily if she and Aaron would stay married after Carrie turned eighteen. Until JJ had asked, Emily hadn’t considered the possibility they wouldn’t, which she supposed was answer enough. That thought process would have been unthinkable two years ago, when begrudging respect was the only thing keeping them together.

They stood next to each other as they ate, watching the future they had built together. The lines around Aaron’s eyes were softer now than they had been two years ago, and he smiled more, though he was still tough-as-nails Hotch when he needed to be. At the end of a long day, or a tough case, the thing Emily looked forward to most was his companionship. He would sit with her at the kitchen table, or rope Carrie and Jack into a game of pictionary, somehow always anticipating what she needed. When she woke up thrashing, he was there, and when he couldn’t sleep, she sat up with him until his breathing evened.

Emily finished eating, setting her plate on the table behind her and wiping her hands on a paper napkin. Aaron mimicked her, then refilled his cup from the nearby punchbowl.

As he turned to her, Emily raised her own cup, bumping it against Aaron’s before taking a drink, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. “So,” she said. “How about that divorce?”

tags: @robins-gf, @catgrantknows, @lizziechase, @blakes-dictionxry

[lovemesomesurveys]

[-lastcall]

how often do you look in a mirror, a day? I honestly avoid that as much as possible. If I need to, I spend as little time doing so. I’ve become extremely self-conscious these past few years.  

you are thinking about somebody, and who might that be? I’m not, though.

who is the last person to see you in your underwear? Just me.

you need to vent about things, who do you call? No one. I’d do that in a survey and/or series of tweets.

do you enjoy deep conversations? Yes.

did you/are you planning on going to college? I did and graduated. did you ever place in the spelling bees in elementary school? I never participated in one.

do you remember your kindergarten teacher? I do.

what color is the shirt you are wearing? Like a lilac or lavender color.

the last text message you sent out said..? “Oh okay.”

do you ever feel like you are being watched? I haven’t felt that in a long time.

what color is your bedspread? Light blue.

you get a text saying they love your older sibling. you say? I’d have no idea who would send such a text. I’d assume it was a wrong number and just ignore it.

what is your biggest kept secret about? Hmm.

if you see a shooting star, do you make a wish? I’ve never seen one.

does it take a lot to make you in a bad mood? Not these days that’s for sure. It happens in the blink of an eye at anytime, multiple times.

what is your favorite relative? I don’t choose favorites when it comes to that, but there are family members I’m closer to than others.

your mom says she is in love with your principal. you freak out, right? I’m not in school, but yeah that certainly would have been shocking.

what was your biggest fear as a child? Bugs.

my biggest pet peeve is one-worded texts, what is yours? Eating sounds. Gahhh.

why did your last relationship end? He decided he was done.

did your parents ship you off to summer camp as a child? No.

in ninth grade, all you cared about is what? *shrug*

what would be your acceptance speech if you won an award? Uh, I don’t know? That’s something I’d have to spend a significant amount of time to think about. I couldn’t just come up with something like that on the spot.

have you ever lost a close friend? Yes. A few.

are you angry at anyone? if so, why? Just myself.

when was the last time you smiled truly? It’s been a long time. :/

pick: mcdonalds, wendys, or burger king. McDonald’s.

what is the most played song on your ipod? I haven’t used my iPod since like 2012, so I have no idea.

why did you choose this survey to take? I haven’t done it before and felt like taking it.

are there mosquitos where you live? if not, consider yourself lucky. Yes.

have you ever been inside of the statue of liberty? Nope. I’ve never even been to New York. I’d like to someday, though.

what is the first thing (other than clothes) that you see in your closet? A couple of my mini backpacks hanging up.

have you actually watched JONAS, or just assumed it was stupid? I did watch it. I was a huge Jonas Brothers fan at the time. I still enjoy their music.

what is the first thing you think of when i say blue? Sadness.

how old are you? I’m 31 years old.

what is your name, anyways? Stephanie.

have you ever built a snowman? Nope.

i fell down the stairs five minutes ago, ever done that? No.

do you still own any stuffed animals? I have a room full of stuffed animals, majority of which are giraffes.

where is the weirdest place you have ever had a bruise? *shrug*

what is the most addicting thing you have ever done? Drink coffee the first time.

do you visit your grandparents on a regular basis? No. They live out of state, unfortunately. They used to travel here to visit every summer, but a few years ago they just couldn’t make the long drive anymore and I haven’t been able to make a trip there.

what kind of deodorant do you use? The Secret brand in powder fresh.

did you basically waste your life in school, if the world ends in 2012? We’re still here.

do you sing to songs in the car when you are alone? I don’t drive so I’m never alone in the car, but I do sing along to songs in the car anyway.

do you laugh at other people when they are alone in their car singing? No. have you every actually written a song? I’ve attempted to before.

the world will end in an hour. what do you do? Die? <<< Ha, yeah.

ever visited time’s square? Well, no, since like I said I’ve never been to New York.

do you live in a place that is full of snow or only wishful, in winter? No, sadly. I wish it snowed here.

ever accidently sent a text message to the wrong person ABOUT that person? Omggg, no. I would die.

what makes you relax? I haven’t felt relaxed in a very long time. I really need a beach trip. 

are you one of those camera whores? No? What’s a camera whore? Just curious... <<< Someone who loves to take selfies. I’m definitely not.

what is the longest amount of time that you have gone without sleep? A little over 30 hours.

ever cried in public? Yes.

what color eyes does the person you are currently head over heels about have? There’s no such person, currently.

does the weirdest dream you have ever had involve your history teacher? Uh, no...

d03z iiT b@hHt3R y3wH d@T ii R0t3 liiK3 diiz? it bothered me. YES.

how many christmas trees are in your home during the season? One real one and then the mini one in my room.

do you remember the reason for the season or are you all for the presents? I absolutely do remember the reason for the season.

how many trophies do you own? Zero.

have you ever played any sports that involve a ball bigger than a coconut? I’ve bowled before.

do you still watch cartoons? Yes. Just earlier I was watching Braceface.

what name do you think is the prettiest on a girl? I really like the name Autumn.

do ya know a guy named ben? Yeah, they go by that nickname.

ever told your date you were going to the bathroom and actually left? No.

what never fails to put you in a bad mood? The miserable summer heat.

do you journal/blog any? This is it.

have you ever read any sarah dessen books? No.

what is the first thing that comes to mind when i say green? Christmas trees on my mind now.

have you ever made a threat that you went through with? I don’t make threats.

how many pillows are currently on your bed? I’m surrounded by them.

do you share a bed with anyone, or is it allll yours? It’s alllll mine.

are you scared to be alone after you watch a scary movie? Nah. are you totally annoyed when taylor swift wins all awards at an award show? I’m personally not a fan, but hey good for her.

do you own any songs that are from limewire? Not since the late 90s/early 2000s...

have you smacked anyone’s butt today? No. I don’t smack anyone’s butt.

are you from the north/south/west/east? West.

ya live in America, right? I do.

would you ever want to be a celebrity? Nooo.

did you ever take ballet as a kiddo? No.