#you may NOT have any hobby that will not benefit you as a wife and mother

[astridthevalkyrie]

“eloise was so mean to those girls who had an interest in embroidery :(“ maybe they should’ve chosen something more interesting to talk about then!

[maislovebot]

Top 10 bsd characters oral scenarios: Francis Scott-Key

Welcome to the chapter of my 4th fav Fitzy:3

Contains: afab reader, no pronouns, fuck me till I forget trope, overstim, they’re married and have a kid, silly, reader is 30-35, some au where reader takes Zelda’s place and their daughter isn’t dead but he’s somehow still attacking the ADA??, idk just imagine he goes against them for a different but still noble reason, domestic, vaginal fingering, praise kink, come eating, overstim, p in v at the end, service top Francis

Everything seemed to be going wrong lately. Your beloved daughter was struggling with her school work, even though Francis had hired the best tutors available. You didn’t mind helping her with her homework, in fact you enjoyed the bonding time, but it was like talking to a wall a majority of the time.

Let’s not even get started on work. While the Guild wasn’t technically your group, you were practically the co-leader, as to be expected of Francis’ wife. Some members were beginning to show some hostility towards Francis, especially one specific farm boy, and it was getting tiring. You knew he wouldn’t ever actually harm Francis, as he was the man in charge of his payroll, but it was still exhausting.

Technically speaking, Francis is powerful enough to just punch John's lights out if he ever became too much of a threat, but you knew Francis couldn’t do that. As vain as he may seem, he is fiercely loyal to any and all members of the Guild, even Lucy who got kicked out some time ago. She was no longer a member, but she was still receiving many of the benefits, along with a new payroll from some coffee shop near the Armed Detective Agency’s office. And if worse comes to worse, she would still be allowed back with open arms if anything were to get too difficult for her, or if she was dealing with an ongoing threat.

Pretty much, she was still a member, but she wasn’t doing any of the dirty work anymore. Francis claimed he simply couldn’t bear to let her go out there all alone, which you understood. Lucy was a delight after all. She was polite, and honestly quite fun to be around. If you were younger, you could see yourself being genuine friends with her. You agreed to continue giving Lucy a payroll, under the condition that if she ever betrayed the Guild, all those remaining assets would be cut off.

To sum it up, things weren’t going very smoothly at the moment. You knew this would all pass once everything with the Armed Detective Agency passed, but as of right now..

You were stressed. Very stressed.

You haven't confided in Francis with your feelings, as you could tell he already had a lot on his plate. If you were stressed, you can’t even fathom how nervous he must be right now. The succession of this mission will result in either prosperity, or the end of the Guild as a whole if he doesn’t play his cards right.

Even among all this stress, Francis still managed to make time for you and your daughter to eat dinner every night at the luxurious dinner table.

“Francis, I’m sorry I didn’t make dinner tonight, I’m incredibly tired. At least the chef is available.” You apologized, as you normally make dinner, even if you don’t need to. He has over thirty-five chefs working under him, it’s a nice hobby though, so you make dinner. Francis says that even if it’s not professional grade, it has a home-esque feeling no other chef has been able to replicate.

“Don’t apologize, dear. Everyone needs a break sometimes.”

Francis brought his hand to your knee, and rubbed circles along it. His hand trailed up a little, just enough to tease, but he quickly pulled away as your daughter bursted through the door, presumably finished with her tutoring.

“Hey, sweetie. Have you finished your homework?”

She nodded boldly.

“Alright..tell me three things you learned. You’re studying ecosystems, correct?”

“Mhm!” She nodded again.

You gave her a look she knew all too well.

“Alright, well then, tell me three things you learned.”

Francis looked at you knowingly, knowing all too well she was having problems processing the information given to her.

“Uhhh..I learned about..precipitation?”

“Wasn’t that last unit?” You chuckled.

She looked to the floor, defeated.

Well, that’s a dead topic.

“Alright. I’ll quiz you again tomorrow, but you better remember something in that big head of yours!” You knocked her head gently and she frowned.

“Alright, I’ll try, I promise!”

As much of a face as you were putting on, you were beyond stressed. You were worried about her test scores. Even if she was only in fifth grade, she is going to a private school. Grades work differently there. Anything below a B- and you legally have to retake the class. What’s even the point of all the other grades, then? you wonder. Private school nonsense, is the answer you come to.

Just as you were about to let out an accidental sigh, you were cut off by the chef walking in with a large tray with dinner on it, along with a dessert (mainly for you and your daughter, as Francis preferred simplicities like tea). Francis, however, noticed your cut off sigh, and raised an eyebrow at you, unbeknownst to you. He decided to put it aside for now, and he looked at the plate of food in front of him, along with the cup of tea that was brought to him while he wasn’t looking.

“This looks good!” Francis looked at your daughter and pet her almost like a dog before grabbing her cheek gently, making her frown.

“Right, doll?” Francis questioned your daughter, obviously teasing her.

“Dad!” She yelled out, “I’m not a little kid anymore! I’m ten!”

He raised his hands in the air.

“Alright, alright. It does look good though right?”

She nodded furiously, before grabbing her fork and digging in enthusiastically. You and Francis chuckled, and when you made eye contact, he made a knowing look to you, before you two were cut off.

Your daughter swallowed her bite of food, holding her pointer finger in the air.

“Yum! Alright, so my friends want to sleepover at their house tonight, if that’s okay with you two.”

You looked at her quizzically.

“Which friends?”

“The two sisters.”

Ah, they were good kids. It was only five pm, and she did have her homework done, even if she didn’t remember any of it. It was also a weekend.

And of course, there was Francis. Considering the looks he was giving you, you could tell he wanted something out of you, and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t dying to find out what. You were even rubbing your thighs together once he had teased you earlier.

“Alright. You can. But you have to promise you’ll study at their house.”

Once you agreed, Francis smiled and placed his hand on your knee again, although it was rather innocent this time.

“Yes! I’ll call and let them know!” She ran off to her bedroom, before remembering one vital detail.

“Mom.. can I use your phone to call them?”

And now you and Francis were home alone, the only other company being the housekeepers packing up to return home for the day, and they’d be gone any minute.

You and Francis were going steady, with you straddling atop of him and kissing him deeply, ruffling his well kept hair with your hands. Although it was fairly innocent right now, you couldn’t ignore the strain you could feel against your crotch as you straddled him. Just as he couldn’t ignore how you were grinding up against his erection with each passing moment.

“Please, Francis.” You pulled away from his lips.

“Please what?” He teased.

“Please give me more.”

Francis nodded, and began to fondle your chest, rubbing circles along your nipples, pushing you over so you were now on your back with him above you. He trailed his hand down till he was prodding at your underwear, pulling it aside. You were only in your bra and panties now, and he was only in his button up shirt and boxers. So it wasn’t exactly difficult.

He pushed his middle finger inside your cunt, and he quickly moved his finger up to curl against your g-spot. When he dragged his fingers you trembled slightly and whined, making Francis chuckle.

“Looks like you needed this.”

Francis added another finger and thrusted inside faster, feeling you tighten around him. He smiled at your reactions, and kissed your forehead.

“You look stunning like this.”

He added another finger, and curled his fingers up to your g-spot harsher, and as he fucked you on the majority of his hand. Your eyes rolled back from all the intense feelings and you gripped the bedsheets. You gripped his wrist to keep him in place, aware of how much of a tease he could be at times. Francis chuckled, his voice riveting and vibrating against your skin. You couldn’t hold on anymore, and you let go of his wrist.

“Ah, close—I’m close..”

Francis sped up his movement, using his thumb to press your clit and rub circles against it. You arched your back up into his body and you finally came. The loud cry you let out went right to Francis’ ego and he got even harder than before, continuing to rub along your clit, slowing down his movements with his fingers. Allowing you to calm down from your high. Once your body relaxed and your orgasm died down, he pulled his fingers out of you and he licked his fingers clean before leaning down to kiss you again, making you taste yourself on his tongue.

“God, I can’t get enough of you.” Francis said once he pulled away, looking at your breathless face. Francis began to pull down your underwear, smiling at the small gasp you let out from your sensitivity.

Once he pulled your underwear down he continued feeling up your clit, relishing in the way you whined into his mouth as he kissed you. He needed this so bad. He was so tired, and you were proving to be a perfect stress reliever, even if he wasn’t getting all that much stimulation. He reached behind your back with his free hand and undid your bra, pulling it off your shoulders. You turned your head away from him, feeling a little shy. Which Francis wasn’t having at all. He gripped your chin with his dominant hand and looked into your eyes and kissing you yet again.

You were great at comforting him, but he was growing desperate for something that would help the ache on his hard on, so he straddled your thigh and started grinding against it like some teenager. He in turn whined into your mouth and groped you with his free hand. So much was going on at once, all you could do was grip his waist, wrapping your arms around him tenderly.

He was rubbing soft circles into your clit while leaning over you, helping you reach your absolutely ecstatic orgasm, your entire body practically giving out, with the only function left for your body to offer being to arch your back into him. The arching of your back brought your chest closer to him, and he almost instantly began licking at your chest at the opportunity.

It felt amazing, but it sent a wave of shock down your body and you jolted your back down into the bed, forcing his lips to detach from your chest.

“Are you okay?” He asked, looking up at your face with worry and regret covering his eyes completely, although he still had that iconic smile on his face

“No—no, it feels great, I’m just sensitive there as is, you going at it right after I come is..” You weakly got out, hoping that despite your underwhelming, tired tone you would get your point across.

That reassurance went straight to his ego, resulting in an aroused jolt (as if he wasn’t already painfully hard) on his end this time.

“Damn—I love you, s-so much—I want to—”

He didn’t even manage to finish his sentence before he was moving himself down between your thighs like a man starved. He tentatively licked at your clit and hole. It hurt a little because it was immediately after your orgasm, but it also felt phenomenal. It felt so good in fact that you rode yourself onto his face briefly before he took a hold on your hips.

“There’s no need to fuck my face, I’ll give you everything you want.”

And oh God did he keep his promise. He noticed how you were desperate for more tension, and pressed his tongue inside your hole as much as he was physically capable, stretching it out as far as he could reach. His thrusts with his tongue were emphasized by the way he tightened his grip on your hips, as he pulled your pussy onto his face as much as possible. Your legs were spread pretty far, considering how his head was separating your thighs, but it soon didn’t matter as you simply wrapped your thighs around his head.

You bucked your hips into his face, allowing his tongue to reach even deeper, and you cried out at your own movements. Francis’ thrusts of his tongue were driving you crazy, and you were starting to really forget about all the problems going on.

You didn’t have to worry about dinner right now, or tucking your daughter into bed, work was out of your mind, and all that you had to focus on was the miraculous way Francis worked with his tongue. No more stress today, Francis was going to make sure of that.

Francis was doing wonders with his tongue, kissing your clit whenever you whined particularly loud. He held your hips down with force, keeping you exactly where he wanted you. He kissed and licked at your clit, taking breaks every so often to kiss and nibble your thighs, it was sweet but you were going crazy with the way he’d switch from eating you out like his life depended on it to tenderly kissing your thighs, and in order to lock his head in place you gripped his hair, messing it up more than it already was from his rather stressful day. He throbbed at your actions and began licking and sucking your clit with even more determination. He moved his right hand up and put two fingers inside of you, curling them towards your g-spot, making you let out a loud whine and finally come all over his face.

You breathed heavily and slowly loosened the grip on his hair before letting go entirely, resting your arms on the bed.

Francis was known for being a man with a lot of self control, but he was absolutely desperate at this point and saved no time in kissing you quickly before pulling his pants down and lining himself up with your currently recovering heat.

“Wait.. Francis, I gotta recover.”

“Please, Dear. You can handle just a little more, just for me right?”

You nodded, unable to resist him. He treated you so well, he should get what he wants as soon as possible, right? You pulled him down by the shoulders and unbuttoned his dress shirt, his tie already long gone. By the time you were done taking off his shirt, he was already halfway inside of you, making you whine and tremble, and the buttons more difficult to undo.

Francis asked if you could handle a ‘little more’, but by the time he was done you were practically passed out. He went at it for such a longtime, you distinctly remember seeing white everytime you came. It was a strangely comforting feeling to fall asleep to. It almost felt airy, despite the aching pain in your hips from him gripping them so hard as he thrust himself into you. It felt like you were going to some second heaven, and it made you fall asleep with a clear head.

You fell asleep in Francis’ arms, holding him tight as he rested his head on yours, not having a care in the world.

You fell asleep with a smile on your face.

Wc - 2.6k

Omg we’re in top three territory now!! Ango will be next:)

[amnotaqueen]

He Doesn't Want To Do Anything For Me

My narc husband has double standards and is shockingly selfish. I'm always being berated as a wife and being treated as if my role is to cook for him, have sex with him, and do whatever he asks me to do. He hyper focuses on cooking. Doesn't seem to have any significance that I clean house, do laundry, tutor and care for our special needs son during the day as well as cook. He only focuses on if and what I have cooked. And he is difficult to prepare food for. He doesn't like American food because it is unhealthy. He wants everything made fresh, no canned goods, nothing with preservatives. His meat he likes overly cooked, just about burned. He does not want carbs except for green plantain and this type of wild rice he gets from Nigeria. He loves Nigerian vegetable soup, pepper soup, and other soups from Nigeria. I've attempted to make Nigerian soups and dishes. He may act like he likes it the first time, so I make it again only for him to not eat it. There is always a problem, and he expects me to spend hours and hours in a day, all day, just preparing his breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday. He couldn't care less about cleaning, laundry, doing activities with our son, etc. I do the best that I can with my background, time, and energy. I can't make everyday just about making meals my husband wants. My son is a picky eater and I myself do not prefer or want Nigerian foods all the time. He was actually telling his friends that I don't cook when actuality I DO cook but he rejects what I make most of the time. So if you are always cooking food for someone who never likes your food, doesn't eat it, would you keep making their food or would you allow them to prepare their food exactly how they like it so no food goes to waste and you haven't wasted your energy?

My role as a wife is to please my husband no matter what. Support my husband at all costs. I have to do my role. It's my obligation. But he doesn't see himself as having any obligation to me. As a 'Christian' head, he is supposed to provide for his family materially, physically, mentally, and emotionally. He doesn't want to provide a thing for me. There was a time when he got mad at me for disagreeing with him, and he took the credit card from me. He wouldn't put gas in the car that I used. This was when I was not working. I had to stop working because our son was having issues at school. Even though I was not working, he seemed to expect me to put gas in our car. He berated me for not working too, ignoring the reason why I stopped working, as if I were just being lazy.

So he expected me to chip in and help financially, but he never chipped in to help with, say, cleaning the house. He believes I exist to help him but he never raises a pinky to help me of his own initiative.

My husband does not give me an allowance. He does not pay for my nails to be done. He does not pay for my hair to be done. We rarely go out on dates. The only money I spend is on food, gas, groceries, things needed around the house, toiletries. Anything outside of those things like clothes, make up, hobbies, supplements for our son, and treats I have paid for from my own savings or my mom has bought me and my son things. He pays mortgage and car note and insurance which I benefit from. But many husbands take pleasure in being the provider, providing for his wife and children. They want their wives to have nice things, look nice, and feel nice and are happy to contribute financially for that purpose. Not my husband. He wants his money for his own personal agenda.

He tells me I am ungrateful when HE is the one who is ungrateful. I never say thank you, he said, when he never says thank you to me and instead insults me everyday. What am I supposed to be thankful for exactly? Thank you for being resentful for anything you may do for me financially and for berating me constantly?

I can't be tired. I can't get sick. He refuses to help out in any meaningful way. It is I who should help him, not the other way around. He has left me home sick with our son, expecting me to cook and clean and care for our son as usual.

I'm afraid to ask him for anything. I try not to. That's exactly how he likes it.

[screeching-parrot-2]

Merry Christmas!

And happy holidays, whatever you celebrate :) I wanted to tell a little story about how my Christmas went this year. So, about a week ago I met Santa Claus. He didn't have reindeer with a sleigh, or any army of elves to make him gifts, or a big red coat. But he did have a white beard, which I think qualifies. He was someone in my neighborhood who sent out a message on our Facebook group asking if there were any single parents who could use a bit of help this year. Well, my mother of 2 who works multiple jobs and rarely has time to relax replied saying yes, we could use a visit. Well, a few hours later he and his wife showed up at our door with a gift card to a local grocery store. Great! what an awesome gift, thank you! They stayed for a while and talked about life and the struggles my family faced this year (which, I'm not going to write about but let me just tell you that a lot of shit went down for us this year). He asked me about my hobbies and what I was hoping to get for Christmas, and after hearing that I played banjo he asked me to learn how to play Jingle Bells. He was really sweet, but my mother and I thought that would be it. After all, a gift card out of nowhere is already so much for a stranger to give! But after our conversation, he said that he'd be back. A few days later, he returned to our house and I am not exaggerating when I say that there was no more room under the tree. He and his wife came to our place with bags and boxes overflowing with gifts, all neatly wrapped. We'd gotten gifts from non-family before, but this was just something else entirely. My mom was overwhelmed with joy and exchanged many hugs. We opened the gifts today and got nearly everything we wanted. But it wasn't just the presents that made this day special. What made this Christmas great is that they showed that they cared. They asked how my sister's school was going, and what major I was persuing in college. They listened to my banjo performance, even though it was a little rusty. The man's wife shared how she also had a divorce and understood what we were going through These random people we'd never met decided to bring love and happiness to our lives, for no gain or benefit to themselves. I wanted to tell this story to remind you that there is still hope in the world. This man wasn't some rich and famous philanthropist with a camera in our faces. He didn't point at us and say "Look at these poor and miserable folks, who I'm going to save" He was just some guy, a complete stranger to us a week ago. In the dark cold nights of this winter, may you find warmth in hope

[where-our-stories-start]

Children are not transgender. They’re groomed by the same kind of pedophiles as the one who created the trans flag and abused his wife.

I am choosing to respond to this not because anonymous transphobes deserve our time and energy, but because it may be seen by A) trans kids who benefit from validation and/or B) cis people who may on some level agree with the above statement out of ignorance rather than malice.

Being transgender has nothing to do with sexual activity, sexual orientation, or sexual relationships with adults. Gender identity is the relationship between your biology (body parts, hormones, chromosomes, etc.) and the way in which you express yourself and interact with the world around you. Gender identity is who you are; sexual orientation is who you're attracted to. Children have a sense of identity based on gender just like they have a sense of identity based on race, ethnicity, culture, hobbies and interests, their position among siblings, etc etc etc.

All children deserve the chance to explore what types of self-expression make them feel best. As they grow, they experiment with different hair and clothing styles, accessories, nicknames, etc. There's no reason pronouns and gender labels can't be treated the same way, particularly when there's so much evidence to show that tolerance and acceptance hugely benefit kids' mental health.

As far as the trans flag goes, I don't pretend to know a ton about the history, but the first few google results tell me her name is Monica Helms. I can find no evidence of her abusing her spouse, and the only claim I can find that even resembles pedophilia is a cherry-picked twitter thread by a very transphobic "feminist" organization. So I'm going to take that claim with a big grain of salt, but regardless, whether or not the creator of the trans flag is a good person has no bearing on the legitimacy of her gender identity or that of any other trans person.

We don't need to understand trans people's experience to respect it. It costs us nothing. Letting kids experiment with pronouns and self-expression costs us nothing. Addressing children the way they ask us to costs us nothing. But for a trans kid coming into their identity, it can be the difference between life and death.

[bangbaby]

##FAMILY AND PETS !

a look into lucy’s broken-yet-complete family . . .

LU: it might be a mess, but i love who i can.

all five moodboards by kiki !

WARNINGS: mentions of death, divorce and members’ families (none are named except lucy’s, who are fictional). faceclaims are also only for aesthetic purposes and don’t necessarily represent what the characters look like (as they may be of contrasting ethnicities).

##PARENTS !

MOTHER: MIA (엄마, eomma)

— 황미연 HWANG MIYEON [ born 1968 ]

lucy’s mother is an architect with very high expectations for her kids; even despite her intensive job preventing her from taking care of them for most of their childhood. when she does get the chance to be with them, she’s quite controlling in terms of the way they act/present themselves and what they can contribute to the family or society. however, she is still fond of her children’s passions/interests/hobbies because deep down— she wants her kids to seek a life out for themselves and do whatever makes them happy. it is likely her strict attitude only arose from her and her husband’s divorce (where he had attempted to paint her as the immature half of their relationship). her children support her side now that they’re old enough to understand the situation. she currently lives with her youngest son in melbourne; not too far from her eldest son’s family. she has not remarried, or have plans to.

note from lucy . . . even though she hurt me, i can’t really blame her. maybe, it’s the brainwash talking— but maybe it’s because i’m a daughter who understands what it’s like to be manipulated and turned into someone they’re not. mom cares about us more than dad ever will, even if a lot of her love takes the form of discipline, non-verbal support and working too hard for anyone’s benefit. so i love her, but i still miss the person she used to be when we were kids.

FATHER: HENRY (아빠, appa)

— 강성호 KANG SUNGHO [ born 1965 ]

lucy’s father, much like her mother— was a business-oriented man that very rarely had the time to watch his kids grow. lucy was ten years old when her parents legally separated (2008) to which she eventually found out was due to an affair he had with his now-wife (lucy’s step-mother). though less strict/controlling than their mother, his love is practically non-existent (or comes in the form of some stupidly-expensive gift with no thought whatsoever). his children still think he is a selfish individual who only cares about his own accomplishments and needs. when confronted (by his son, harry) with why he’d even bother to marry his wife and have her children— he couldn’t answer. lucy believes he was forced to by his parents.

note from lucy . . . sure, he’s my dad. but if he’s happy with the choices he’s made, then i don’t really care.

##BROTHERS !

OLDER: HARRY (오빠, oppa)

— 강영훈 KANG YOUNGHOON [ born 1992 ]

lucy’s smooth-talking, confident older brother who remains as one of the only extroverts in the family. harry works for the korean entertainment industry in marketing/advertising. he frequently travels as an international analyst (but not recently as a result of australian travel bans, though he’s enjoyed being able to raise his kids), allowing him to visit his sister more often than others in his family. he is also a very big nerd (though you wouldn’t think so upon first sight, since he shows more of his athletic side to the public) and has very much influenced his siblings to become the people they are today. lucy is really close with her brother (seeing as he’s also been a more present parental figure in her life) and often asks him for advice. they have fought on numerous occasions, but never to an extent that could permanently damage their bond.

note from lucy . . . just because oppa’s a tall himbo with a big mouth and a hot wife doesn’t mean he’s any cooler than me. really, it just means he’s older. but thanks for being a bro, i guess? your kids are already a thousand times more awesome than you. just saying.

YOUNGER: SEAN

— 강수빈 KANG SOOBIN [ born 2004 ]

lucy’s fashionably-edgy-but-humorously-sassy younger brother is currently in his last year of high school and is looking to study animation or game design at (a preferably korean or japanese) university. he is a very artistic individual that is almost a carbon copy of his passionate (but at the same time, kinda lazy) sister. he’s also musically-inclined but only because of the lessons he and lucy used to take when they were younger. he misses his sister dearly and constantly communicates with her as a result of their similar interests and need to play video games together. they are very close and rarely get into altercations. he is also somewhat close to lucy’s band members for this reason.

note from lucy . . . excuse me, i am not sean’s sister. he is lucy’s brother! i mean, he deserves all the hype in the world but— what the heck is this younger sibling supremacy nonsense?

##NON-IMMEDIATE FAMILY !

NANNY: LISA (이모, imo)

— ELIZABETH SANCHEZ [ born 1975 ]

as the three grew up in a well-to-do area of melbourne, their filipino nanny/maid/tutor raised them like they were her own children when neither parents could. of course, she’s not actually blood related to any of them, but she’s essentially their second mother. lisa proved to the kids that even though money means a lot— it can never replace their smarts, passion or love. she always made sure they were well cared for after all of their activities and even managed to teach them some tagalog. when sean finally came of age (in 2017) they all shared an emotional goodbye that even lucy came home for. the brothers still visit her from time to time, regardless of wherever she’s posted. she is extremely proud of lucy and even likes to say she is the very first stay.

note from lucy . . . imo is the best. i wouldn’t have had a very happy childhood if it weren’t for her. and you know, i still think she sings better than me now.

AUNT: MAY

— 황민주 HWANG MINJU [ born 1980 ]

lucy's youngest aunt (on her mother's side) is a bachelorette who takes care of lucy's dogs. she used to live in melbourne (and therefore adapted to the first name custom) but recently moved back to seoul to teach visual arts at a prestigious university. she is a charming character despite not being particularly social. she is soft-spoken, sweet and a lot more graceful than her niece. but sometimes, it feels like lucy takes care of may more than vice versa. living alone as a successful artist, her apartment is quite spacious. however, it is mostly filled with her equipment, projects, plants and books. out of all of the members in lucy's family, harry and may are the most familiar with the members and who the members are most familiar with.

note from lucy . . . i'm starting to think may loves hyunjin more than she loves me... it was only recommendations before, but now she's giving him painting supplies for free!

SISTER-IN-LAW: MICKEY

— 渡辺ひみこ WATANABE HIMIKO [ born 1990 ]

mickey (“like the mouse”) is harry’s wife and therefore lucy’s sister-in-law. they met through mutual friends and became college sweethearts that eventually got married (2016). lucy and sean feel really close to mickey (again due to similar interests but also) because of her loyal and protective personality. she is extremely caring, funny and a seamless addition to their crazy family (especially as an only child). mickey is a freelance fashion designer that runs her own small business in the heart of melbourne.

note from lucy . . . oh, mickey, you're so fine, you’re so fine, you blow my mind— i’m sorry. to be honest, i think you’re way too cool to be with my brother, but i do appreciate you never failing to put him in his place.

NEPHEW + NIECE: HARU & MARI

— 강하루 KANG HARU [ born 2018 ] — 강마리 KANG MARI [ born 2020 ]

born to harry and mickey, haru and mari are lucy’s nephew and niece respectively. lucy’s unfortunately only met mari via facetime so far and hasn’t spent a lot of time with haru, but she hopes she can head home to australia to fulfill her aunt duties. she still thinks they’re the cutest despite how fast they’re growing.

note from lucy . . . i will spend every waking moment showing off haru and mari to absolutely anyone— that i can guarantee.

GRANDPARENTS: 할머니 (halmeoni) & 할아버지 (harabeoji)

— 황 HWANG (mother’s side)

lucy’s grandparents on her mother’s side love to bring smiles to their children’s and grandchildren’s faces. lucy’s grandfather is an extrovert that loves animals whilst her grandmother is a homebody that loves to keep up with modern trends. the arts is what the two have in common, seeing as lucy’s grandfather used to be a photographer and her grandmother worked with textiles. lucy’s grandparents now live in the province where they grew up (first met as kids) and run a small local winery now that they’re retired. lucy’s mother actually designed and built her parents’ house as her very first project.

unfortunately, lucy’s grandmother passed away recently (2020, not covid-related) to which lucy was the only individual of their immediate family who could attend the funeral in person. this was really difficult for lucy, especially considering how close they’ve gotten over the years she’s spent in korea (chan and felix accompanied lucy, as they got to know her extended family well during school/trainee/work breaks).

note from lucy . . . my grandparents always seemed a lot happier than my mother, but i’m sure on the inside they hurt for their daughter and her children.

— 강 KANG (father’s side)

lucy vaguely knew her grandparents on her father’s side. she only met them a couple of times, but from what she remembers— they were very intimidating (as well as rich). they both passed away before her younger brother was born but had accomplished a lot before then.

note from lucy . . . they were pretty scary people. when i remember how they used to treat me and oppa as kids, i kinda see why our dad’s a little messed up.

AUNTS + UNCLES

lucy’s mother has three younger sisters and one younger brother, whilst her father has one sister and one brother.

note from lucy . . . i guess we have a pretty typical family dynamic. there’s always the cool aunts versus the karen aunts and the hyperactive uncles versus the drunkard uncles.

COUSINS + STEPSIBLINGS

lucy has eight first cousins on her mum’s side and three on her father’s side (she doesn’t know them too well). lucy also has one step brother who is twelve years old, she only met him once as a baby but hasn’t seen him since. lucy’s not really close with her dad or his new wife, but she hears news from her older brother who is a lot more amicable with him.

note from lucy . . . i heard they’re fans of stray kids. *wipes tears of laughter*

##MEMBERS’ FAMILIES !

BANG CHAN

chan and lucy’s family are naturally very close as they’ve known each other the longest. her mother is good friends with his parents and chan’s parents treat lucy as if she were their own child. she feels very at home with them and loves how affectionate/caring they all are. lucy is also adored by chan’s siblings and vice versa, even if they haven’t spent a lot of time together (they’re very appreciative of how the two have taken care of each other over the years). lucy’s brothers are also very friendly with chan’s family as they frequently travel to sydney. sean has become very good friends with chan’s younger siblings not only because of their little difference in age but their aligned interests.

note from lucy . . . we might not get to see them often, but family is family.

note from chan . . . it is very possible my siblings love lucy more than they love me…

LEE KNOW

lucy doesn’t travel to minho’s hometown often (much like most of the members), but she has met his family on several occasions. considering he’s an only child, minho’s parents love the idea that their son gets to spend the rest of his life with the siblings he’s never had. lucy has also once met minho’s grandmother, who although was very verbal about her appearance— appreciates how well lucy stays humble and treats her loving grandchild.

note from lucy . . . minho is so sweet with his grandmother. you guys don’t see it often, but he’s like that with us too.

note from minho . . . i think halmeoni thought lucy was my girlfriend. it took a pretty long time to explain to her that she’s just a friend— that happens to look like a cat.

CHANGBIN

lucy’s family is not that close with changbin’s family (they’re friendly, but don’t communicate to the same extent as chan’s or felix’s family). however, changbin’s sister and lucy vibe on the same frequency (ie. poking fun at their brother). changbin’s parents have hosted lucy before, much like they have with chan and believe she’s very well-mannered and kind.

note from lucy . . . i’d say i’m rich, but i’m not chandelier-marble-floors-kinda-rich…

note from changbin . . . what is it with older sisters and always banding against me?

HYUNJIN

like minho, hyunjin is an only child— so his parents absolutely adore the fact he now has a sister (that strikingly resembles him). again, their families aren’t the closest— but hyunjin’s parents are very familiar with lucy and her aunt as they visit them quite often. kkami isn’t any less colder to lucy than she is to hyunjin; but she does maintain the dog kissed her once whilst she was carrying her (hyunjin does not believe her).

note from lucy . . . one time, hyunjin’s dad called me by his son’s name. i thought it was a compliment, but he kept apologising to me for a solid half hour.

note from hyunjin . . . kkami is not a cheater. she loves me and me only.

HAN

lucy has seen jisung’s family the least out of all of the members, despite knowing him for so long and his hometown sharing the same border is minho’s. although lucy‘s met his parents and older brother before, she has yet to visit his home. jisung doesn’t seem that open about it, but lucy wouldn’t want to force anything that would make him uncomfortable anyway.

note from lucy . . . he does send photos of his new puppy and that’s enough for me.

note from jisung . . . honestly, the only reason lucy hasn’t been to my house yet is because hyung made a bet with me as a trainee that the first girl i bring home has to be my girlfriend. it’s stupid, i know.

FELIX

much like chan, lucy’s family is inherently close to felix’s family due to their experiences in australia. harry and mickey are good friends with felix’s older sister whilst sean is close to felix’s younger sister (again because of age and interests). felix himself is very loved by lucy’s brothers and was asked to be mari’s godfather (as chan is haru’s godfather). of course, felix’s siblings also love lucy and treat her like another member of their family.

note from lucy . . . everybody loves felix. it’s just a fact.

note from felix . . . when the three of us are finally allowed to go back to australia, i can’t wait to meet mari. haru is already so much bigger than when we saw him last.

SEUNGMIN

despite being at each other’s throats half the time, seungmin’s family is quite fond of lucy. they took care of her a lot during their trainee days and because the both of them also went to school together, lucy would often carpool with seungmin’s family. like changbin’s sister, lucy and seungmin’s sister also get along extremely well.

note from lucy . . . the older sister advantage is just too strong. i’m sure seungmin can never beat me, but i mean— he can try if he wants.

note from seungmin . . . lucy’s one of my best friends. but she’s also my worst enemy. yes, it’s possible.

I.N

jeongin lives the furthest (busan being his home city), so lucy has only met his family a few times from whenever they performed there or visited seoul. like lucy, jeongin has an older and a younger brother— so she feels she relates to his family dynamic the most out of all of the members. their families know of each other, but jeongin’s parents and brothers are most familiar with lucy.

note from lucy . . . it’d be nice if oppa and sean ever met jeongin’s siblings. but then again, it might not be…

note from jeongin . . . you’d think having lucy as a sister changes things, but she’s just like my brothers. she does have a way cooler sense of fashion though. thank god.

##PETS !

BIBI

short for jollibee, bibi is a brown toy poodle who lucy first adopted from a shelter as a puppy (2014). she is a lot calmer (and more clever) than her brother, but shows her affection through obedience and tailing the people she loves. the dog loves cuddles and will often mimic/reflect lucy’s emotions (especially when she’s sad or tired).

note from lucy . . . my baby. my best friend. i honestly don’t think i would have survived failing my auditions over and over again without bibi keeping me company.

LOKI

loki is a black toy poodle who was also raised by lucy as a puppy (2015). he is a very active dog that loves to smother lucy with kisses. he loves to play with toys and anything that involves the outdoors. he is an energetic and cheeky dog that is very friendly to anyone he meets. both dogs are also bilingual (trained in some korean) but are only really responsive to british-australian accents.

note from lucy . . . the god of mischief is simply a perfect description for him. but he does have my heart, as well as the rest of the kids’ hearts.

OTHER

lucy’s had other dogs in the past, but her grandparents currently own at least three whilst her older brother owns one (both parties also prefer big dogs, which contrasts lucy). her mom and little brother are more cat people (they have three), though her grandpa owns a couple that just made a litter (he really houses animals like he runs a farm). lucy’s only ever had cats and dogs at home, but her grandpa loves taking care of fish, birds, chickens, rabbits, hamsters and more in the province.

note from lucy . . . harabeoji always said animals have always kept our hearts warm. it only makes sense that we return the favour.

[ nav ] [ masterlist ] [ skz ] [ itzy ] ©bangbaby

TAGS: @skz-angel @woopetals @just-some-weird-blog

[inarizakibabe]

Changes

As the first prince of his country Suna had just about everything his heart could want. Riches, fine silks and linens, and more food than he could eat. One would expect with a life as luxurious as his he would be happy. Unfortunately his father could see the sadness deep in his son's eyes. Maybe he needed  new hobby or more servants to boss around? Then again looking at things carefully the king noticed his son avoided the servants as much as he could. Just what could cheer up his son and bring back the joy in his eyes? Oh! Maybe that could work.

"You called for me father?"

"Yes Rintaro. I've noticed your sour mood these past few months and I think I know what could make it better." the king smiled down at his son. "I remember entering a funk as you young kids say and your grandfather threw a ball in my honor and I ended up meeting your mother."

Suna fought hard to hide the disgust creeping onto his face. Surely his father didn't really think he wanted to meet someone.

"So that's why three days from now we will have a ball and invite all eligible maidens to attend. Maybe I'll be able to see you smile again,"

"Um father with all due respect I don't really see how a ball will improve my funk as you called it. Maybe if I took a ride around the forest I'll feel better?" Suna hoped his father would get the message but knowing how stubborn he was he'll most likely be engaged three days from now. "I'll even bring my attendants to make sure I'm alright."

"Nonsense going for a ride isn't what you need. Trust me on this Rintaro. A ball is exactly what you need. You're dismissed. You have a ball to prepare for." The king said before turning back to the papers on his desk.

Suna sighed and left his father's office. Maybe if he ran away nobody would miss him. Or the entire kingdom would be put on lock down until he was found. He couldn't put his people through that so there was only one thing to do.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next day Suna found himself taking a walk in the garden. If all goes to plan he wouldn't have to propose and maybe he could get the freedom he was craving. Sure castle life was fun but when you have people constantly telling you how to live and doing every thing fro you it can get tiring. Before he turned eighteen he didn't have as many responsibilities as he does now. Life was simple he would take lessons during the day and after a certain time he was free to do what he wanted until dinner time.

Now he's stuck behind a desk everyday taking on the tasks of the kingdom he father didn't want to do. If he got to leave the castle anymore it was for business and once all was settled he'd come right back home and behind the four walls of his personal office again. His home had become a prison and his office his cell.

"You know if you continue to frown at the ground it's less likely to open up and take you away from here."

Suna looked up and found one of his attendants speaking with him. He had two personal attendants who miraculously happened to be twins. They met each other at the age of six and have been together ever since. The one speaking to him now was the blonde one Atsumu which meant his brother Osamu, with gray hair, was most likely harrassing the kitchen staff.

"That sounds like a dream come true right now. Don't you feel suffocated here? You've lived here your whole and trained to work for me. Was it something you always wanted or was this chosen for you?" Suna asked.

"Sounds like someone is scared of their responsibilities. Alright Rintaro tell me what's wrong." Atsumu offered Suna an encouraging smile until he noticed the deadpan look on Suna's face. "You don't have to look at me like that you know."

"No offense but, actually take as much offense as you can from this but last I checked advice giving wasn't something you were capable of. Where's Osamu?"

"Looking up one of the maid's skirts. Now what do you mean I'm not a good advice giver? I happen to give great advice to people in need." Atsumu huffed.

"Right right remind me again why ten percent of the palace guards quit after you left 'inspiring' words with them." Suna mused.

"Be glad you're a prince." Atsumu muttered dejectedly.

"Threatening the crowned prince? That's grounds for dungeon time. Let me know if you want gray or white sheets." Suna laughed as he continued in the direction he was headed before.

"I'll take green. Look the fact of the matter is you're clearly not happy about something and as one of your attendants it's my job to fix that. I can get your horse saddled if you want and tell your father you had an entire platter filled with cheese." Usually Suna would grimace at the mention of cheese but a ride through the kingdom sounded more like what he needed.

"Thanks but no thanks, after the last time my father would kill me if he found out I ran off again. If you did want to cheer me up you could figure out a way to get him to cancel this ball he's throwing in my honor."

"You know as well as I do just how stubborn your old man is. You'd have better luck raising the dead than changing his mind. Look on the bright side. There'll be cake." Atsumu smiled at Suna who in turn frowned at him.

"For saying that you get purple sheets."

"Wait! Let's talk this out!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The following day Suna found himself in his room being fitted for a new suit. In the twenty minutes he's been standing there he's been pricked by pins three times.

"Last warning tailor. The next time you hurt the prince you'll be charged for treason." Today Osamu was keeping Suna company

''Forgive me your highness. You're more built than I'm use to dealing with. Rest assured this suit will be the most beautiful suit you'll ever wear." the tailor put another pin in the fabric he was working with and prayed he hadn't pricked Suna again. "If I may ask, what occasion is this ball in honor of? The last celebration we had was your eighteenth birthday and I believe your birthday isn't until next year so what's the joyous occasion?"

"You'll find out the day after the ball until then please focus on leaving skin on my body." Suna sighed.

"Of course your highness my apologies again."

"Tsumu talked to me yesterday. What's going on with you?"

"He talks too much. He simply saw me walking in the garden nothing else."

"Oh yeah? I heard that princess you met in Shektor is coming tomorrow. Should I make arrangements that she's your first dance of the evening?" Osamu smirked at Suna who scowled at him. "Oh dear your highness what an expression. Be careful Princess Tsumaki doesn't see it she might think one of the wind goblins is tickling your nose again. In fact I'll write a letter to her right now to bring her special medicine to cure you!"

"Osamu you bastard! Ow! Alright fine enough I'll answer both your questions just stop tormenting me! I should have both of you locked up for treason." Suna growled trying to keep the parts if his sanity he still had.

The tailor and Osamu smirked at each other as Suna began to speak again. "I just felt trapped behind these walls recently. Is everything I'm doing really important? I sit down and sigh papers all day either about farm rations or mining and I just don't see the need to do any of that. The people know what they need to survive and they know how to do what they need to survive so why should I waste time looking over it for them? They're not children who need to be supervised they'd be well off without me. The again if I don't do that then what is my purpose here? What am I suppose to do with my life? Am I just the face the people use when they need something? No wait that's my father's job so I'm just here. I make agreements and trade deals with other countries and attend diplomat meetings my father can't make it to. If I didn't do any of that then I'd be a regular boy in the kingdom maybe doing stable work. Sounds better than being the one everyone blames for everything if things go wrong. My father apparently doesn;t know me very well and thought I was lonely so he's throwing a ball for me to find a wife. What's not to love about that?"

Osamu sighed and pulled one of Suna's cheeks. "First don't talk about yourself like that. Like it or not this is how you were born and there's literally nothing you can do about that. It doesn't matter what kind of job you do even if all you did was tell someone to move a chair you still did something and it benefited somebody in the long run. You can't see yourself for the things you do but me and everyone else around you can. You just need to look at things from a different point of view."

Suna looked away from both of them and sighed while taking in Osamu's words. Maybe all he did need was to view things from a different perspective. Yeah maybe that could work. "Ow!"

"You didn't have to stick him again Mori." Osamu sweatdropped.

"Nope that time definitely was an accident. Please try not to move your highness." Mori smiled innocently.

Or maybe his tailor would take him out first. Whichever came first he guessed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The day of the ball finally arrived and carriage after carriage arrived at the castle holding nobles and royals from near and far. Suna was in his room again watching from the window as carriages entered the palace grounds. Maybe if he's lucky he could make a run for it during the party and jump the fence to get away from everybody to maybe save himself for a little while. Or maybe one of guards sees him and tries to follow him and ruins his plans.

"Just sit through the ball and I'm sure your father will let you leave for an hour tomorrow."

"Yeah right after his engagement announcement. Listen Rin if you don't want to do it then I don't see why you should."

"Don't listen to Tsumu. We'll help you if you need a breather every now and again but we can't cover fro you the entire night."

"Or eat these two slices of cheesecake right now and be excused for the rest of the night." Atsumu suggested wiggling his eyebrows.

It was a pretty solid plan but a night of pain wasn't worth missing the ball. His father might only postpone it and he'd be confined to his room until everything passes.

"Well gentlemen it's my last night a single man. If I'm lucky Tsumaki won't be my future bride. The small bout of freedom I had was nice but it's time for me to be a big boy and do what I have to. Once I'm king the first thing I'm doing is making sure Asami doesn't go through this." Suna sighed.

"I doubt she'd have a problem with it. Which girl doesn't want to be entertained by a handsome man? Bonus points cause he's rich." Atsumu shrugged.

Suna's eyebrow raised in confusion, "Are you calling the princess a money whore?"

Atsumu chuckled softly and smiled at Suna. "You and I both know that's not what I meant. You're really the only person who has a problem with palace life. Asami is actually looking forward to her happily ever after which is something you need to start doing. You can hate it but if it's something that has to be done then you have to suck it up and get it over with."

"You can say that because it's not your life. I need to teach Asami about how dirty boys are. Osamu you'll be the example for what you and Mori did yesterday. Who could've imagined my attendant and the tailor conspiring against me. The mutiny." Suna shook his head in mock disappointment.

"Be disappointed all you want. I did what I had to do. Now you have to get ready for tonight. If you need us you know where we'll be." Osamu left with Atsumu right behind him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*

Night fell quickly and two hours into the party Suna finally met all the young women his father had invited. Many were kind and some more beautiful than necessary but all quickly looked away when Princess Tsumaki approached him. The night continued on as his father hoped with Suna being forced to mingle with everyone present. Eventually his social meter began to run out and he retreated to a hidden balcony for air.

A sound close by caught his attention and Suna found a young woman who seemed to be in the same situation as him. If he remembered he remembered her name was (y/n) third princess of a neighboring country. Suna tried to sneak away before you could see him but alas luck wasn't on his side.

"Your highness good night."

Suna counted to three then slowly faced you with a friendly smile, "Good night my lady. I hope you're enjoying the party."

"It's lovely and so is your country. Please give your father my thanks for inviting my family."

"I can assure you he'll give his thanks for attending. If I'm not being too forward may I ask why you're out here instead of enjoying the food?" Hopefully pressuring you like this will give Suna the quiet time he was hoping for.

"Forgive my rudeness but the amount of people inside made the room a little stuffy. I came out here for a little air." you smiled at him.

"Fair enough. I hope the air is to your liking."

"With all due respect your highness it's been a long night and it's exhausting speaking like this so if you don't mind we can call each other old acquaintances and speak like old friends would. It would be an honor if you would call me (y/n)."

Suna blinked at your request and fought the grin trying to rise on his face. "If that's so then feel free to call me Rintaro. Blame my father for taking things the wrong way and forcing us all to go through this."

"We can't really fight what our parents want us to do. Comes with the title really. You seemed upset earlier should I assume that you don't really want to get married?"

Suna sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't mind getting married I just don't think I should get married because my father thought I was in a funk as he called it. Sounds cliche but I actually believe in meeting someone and falling in love."

You blinked at the prince and giggled. "You're very cute Rintaro. I like to believe everyone wants to fall in love that way. Nobody wants to have their partner chosen for them. What good is being married if you're gonna be miserable everyday."

"If it means I don't have to sit through marriage consultations and weird balls like this one then I may just prefer the other way."

"Careful what you say. I think we both know your father is capable of that. I saw princess Tsumaki looking for her Rinnepoo earlier. Maybe I should let his majesty know you've chosen someone." You looked up to find Suna pouting at you. "Careful your highness they may send you back to etiquette classes for making such a face."

"Good evening Prince Rintaro. It's a pleasure to make your aquaintance tonight. I do hope that-"

"Ok! That's enough! Don't you dare repeat that."

Suna smirked and hid his mouth behind his hand. "Pardon me princess. I just found your greeting to me this evening amusing. I mean no harm it's just you were so cute. How many times did you practiced that?"

"Whatever. Let's see what you would do if the roles were reversed."

"Sorry princess but this isn't about me." Suna giggled.

"So you can smile and laugh. I almost thought you were emotionally constipated. Is that the funk your father thought you were in?"

Suna sighed being reminded of the situation he was in. "It's more than that but nobody would understand."

You smiled at him encouragingly. "The whole you're royalty so you have absolutely no reason to not be happy thing?"

"Exactly that. It's gonna sound stupid but I guess I miss the freedom I had before I turned eighteen. Well more I don't see the need for me to do the things I'm doing."

"Ah you feel monarchy should be abolished. Look at it this way crackers taste good on their own but with cheese the taste is elevated. Cheese and crackers is superior to just plain old crackers by themselves or just cheese by itself. Yes your kingdom could probably prosper on it's own but there are situations the people shouldn't handle on their own. Budget distribution, land distribution, diplomatic matters and many other things. We exist to keep harmony in the kingdom. Imagine leaving children to raise themselves. Many would unfortunately die before reaching a certain age. Think of your kingdom as your very own children. They're self sufficient yes but without you to guide them in the things they don't understand they'll be hurt. You can still do the things you love but your children come first. If you don't take care of them then someone may just take them away. "

Suna sighed. "I can understand that but I just don't understand why it has to be me."

"I don't understand why it can't be you. Anyone could've been chosen for the job but you were chosen. I don't know you well enough to speak on certain things but I have heard rumors that you basically run half of your kingdom on your own. The fact that nothing has fallen apart shows that you're more than competent to do your job. You need to have more confidence in yourself. I've only known you for a short time but I can already tell you're a wonderful person. Don't sell yourself short." You smiled at Suna who looked at you unsure.

Suna shrugged, "If you say so (y/n). Are you hungry?"

"I'm alright for now. But I do think we need to get back before someone misses us."

"What's the rush? You know the reason for this party."

"Is that you asking for my company your highness?"

"I didn't hear a no princess." Suna smirked when you giggled.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A few months later Suna found himself sitting in his office again. He was hard at work but this time with a slight smile on his face. A knock on the door took him away from the work he was doing and Atsumu stepped into his office.

Atsumu placed a sandwich and a cup of tea on the table in front of Suna "You seem to be in a better mood these days. What's your secret?"

"Sorry but secrets are secret for a reason."

"Keep your secrets then. Simply means I can't tell you the one I just heard." Atsumu smirked.

"I heard the dungeons don't have heat." Suna shrugged.

"Really? Just make sure my sheets are red."

Suna laughed and shook his head, "You little turd nugget. What's going on?"

"Alright fine but only because you asked so rudely. I heard your favorite princess is coming by later today. Maybe if you finish all your work you can be at the doors to greet her."

"Lucky for me this was the last page I had to look over. Prepare two horses and I'll make sure your sheets are maroon."

"And you call me the turd nugget." Atsumu rolled his eyes. "His majesty said you can do whatever you want for the rest of the day once you stop keeping him in suspense."

"Sounds good. Thanks for lunch."

Things were definitely starting to look up and with one simple question later tonight Suna's life was about to change again. This time for the better.

[unohanadaydreams]

Can you do 💍 and 💦 with Unohana and a fem!partner please!

YETH!! Unohana, ma’am pls let us adoring fans be carried away in your strong embrace. I was thirsting so hard that this is almost 2k words, so to everyone in lesbian with miss Unohana: come get your mf JUICE.

Also forgive me for using a non-manga cap, but google said only blood thirsty unohana and i cried.

RETSU UNOHANA + Arranged Marriage AU 

“Will you marry me, despite the thorns?”

Proposal:

When Yamamoto summons her to the 1st division, she assumes the purpose is clerical error. On his part--of course. Her underlings know far better than to hand in faulty reports. She’s relaxed and unassuming in the soft morning light, not yet brought rigid by disrespectful patients and the unskilled hands of Academy interns. Yamamoto takes his time getting to the point and comments on the good old days--the uncertain future--the pretty bird song outside the window. They sip at delicate white tea, steeped perfectly, at ease.

Only once she’s thanked Yamamoto for the relaxing chat does he lean forward with a heavy sigh and spill the bitter truth of the visit. Unohana knew his plan to arrange the marriages of eligible captains—to garner a secure future with stronger children—but she had thought herself getting entangled in such a plot unthinkable. The strength he sought could not be manufactured. Only the most prejudiced adversity churned out the strength of Hell itself. The monster that wore her skin in youth could not be born in comfort and raised by loving parents.

Nonetheless, he persisted. Yamamoto raised his voice in that insufferable tone that spoke of ‘noble causes’ and the ‘good of everything’ and demanded her cooperation. Unohana gave him a wonderful back and forth—made him endure the arguments of every devil’s advocate she could summon. Backing down without an enjoyable fight (or performance) was beyond her. The mix of free flowing tea and frustration in Yamamoto’s voice made for a wonderful morning spar.

But all swords must be drawn, eventually. After all, Unohana had chosen this as her lot in life. She was the captain of the 4th division and would aid the Gotei 13 to the best of her ability, for as long as she was able. Her only terms of surrender were: that she be able to propose and that she marry a woman. Not that Yamamoto could force her to marry a man on his best day.

Explaining the exact process of artificial insemination--to a man so entrenched in tradition there was a monthly fight between he and the other captains over the banning of soul phones—was enough for Unohana to leave smiling despite the bitter news.

Unohana has never considered herself a romantic. Considering her peers—like Jushiro and Shunsui--, she might be considered hostile to the idea of relationships. Avoiding romantic entanglements had been self preservation when she first joined the 4th division. Plants don’t properly grow when forced to share space.

She was thankful for her conviction to wait, too. Unohana has planted long, lush roots over the years. Marriage might be nice at this point. Someone to share her thoughts and frustrations with--someone to kiss in the mornings and hold at night--someone to grow in love with. The thought of growing roots with someone was only…somewhat daunting.

The manila folder sat on her desk the next day contains only sparse details. A glossy photo of you, draped in the beautiful silks of an expensive kimono, is on top. She stares at it for some time, trying in vain to parse how well you’ll fit into her life purely from the superficial, before being rushed to the side of a shinigami lucky they weren’t torn completely in half by a hollow.

It’s after the sun has set that she finds time for the singular page of written information in your ‘file’. There’s more sentences dedicated to the accomplishments and pedigree of your noble family than your self. But she takes earnest note of your listed hobbies and passions, even if they are sanitized into one unfeeling list, and smiles at what you both have in common.

The proposal is awkward, considering it’s also your first meeting. A calm face and gentle voice can only ease someone so much when their entire life is in upheaval and Unohana isn’t sure for who’s benefit she’s being purposefully placid for. She suggests a short walk, away from the shinigami chaperones that accompanied you. The smile she gives them when they start to follow churns your stomach. But she asks easy questions and you give expected answers and she is perfectly wane while addressing you.

When you start to smile back, your shoulders no longer up to your ears, Unohana invites you inside. The room she escorts you to is in full bloom. Rows of vivid flowers are paired in well-made arrangements behind a pile of haphazard lain blooms on towels. Two cushions sit with empty vases prepared, between the piles. You can only stare--all of this for you?

Her smile is serene when she directs it toward you. “I find occupied hands do well to ease tensions.” With an easy grace, she gestures to a cushion and does not move to sit until you’ve taken the wordless invitation.

Your tensions rise at the change of pace, despite her words. You feel confused and your sentences are stilted as you stumble over them. You know how Unohana came to sit here, in the Gotei 13—any good noble knows the pedigree of important figures. This—casually arranging flowers--was not what you had expected. All day, you had been prepared for a thin veil of manners concealing a fierce and unknowable menace.

Unohana stops your hand from falling victim to a thorny rose with a gentle hold of your wrist. You start, wrestled from your thoughts by the touch. Eyes wide, mouth gaping, you watch her don thick gloves and de-thorn the stem with practiced sweeps of a pairing knife.

The pale yellow rose seems like a peace offering when she hands it back to you, “you’re nervous.” Flushed, you apologize. She hums, continuing as if you hadn’t, “It was careless of me to leave the thorns.” You settle the rose into your arrangement and your nerves slowly settle with it.

It’s there, trading bits of conversation and odd silence, that she asks. As though she even needs to. “Will you marry me, despite the thorns?” There’s no expensive ring or desperate declaration of love. Just a vase of flowers, beautiful in its riot of colors, that she turns for you--so you may see its best side. Remembering her diligence in protecting you, you say yes.

Wedding Night:

You’ve heard whispers of what misfortune can take place in a marriage bed. Despite the oddity of your marriage, you still feel the tickle of fear slide down your back upon entering Unohana’s bedroom—well, your bedroom. She wears a beautiful kimono, like you, but her hair is free and her face is bare beyond a kiss of eye shadow and blush. The gruesome scar trailing the top of her kimono had taken much of your attention during the ceremony. Now, your eyes are transfixed on the large bed.

“On the chair there,” Unohana pointed toward a simple wooden chair to your right, “put that on, if you will. The bathroom’s to your left.” Nodding, you unfolded the black clothes on the seat of the chair to find…a shinigami uniform. You turned to ask why, only to find the room empty.

The more you were around Unohana, the more you realized how much of a captain she was. Never really asking questions so much as telling and always assuming it would be done. Nonetheless, you donned the uniform, taking off your wedding kimono with some regret—it really was a gorgeous creation of silks and embroidery. You assumed the bathroom was for your hair and make up to be taken down and off. It felt odd being bereft of all your wedding trappings when finished. Hours of preparation undone so quickly, with so little fanfare.

You didn’t have time to analyze how it all made you feel. Unohana was in the room again, when you shuffled out of the bathroom. “Come this way,” she smiled. “Unless you’re ready to sleep?” Did she mean sleep or…? Actually. You didn’t want to find out yet. “Where are we going?” “My dojo.”

The room was smaller than you expected. And barren, compared to the image you’d conjured in your mind—a few cushions, a thick mat on the far side, and some wooden swords resting against a wall were what greeted you. The walls were decidedly barren of wicked, complicated weaponry. Unohana went for the wooden swords. “I prefer katas over meditation before bed, nowadays.”

You’d never done a kata. You said as much. The sparkle of mischief in Unohana’s eyes ensnared you--enough to agree when she offered a lesson.

First, you observed. Her body moved slow, focused. She was beautiful to behold and your eyes danced from place to place, observing the small ways her graces manifested as she commanded her body from form to form.

“There,” she said. “A simple set to start. Come here.”

Leaving the cushion on shaky knees, you took the wooden sword she offered. The first two stances weren’t hard to find, but to keep. Your arms were wobbling as you searched for the third stance. Unohana chided you, like she’d seen the mistake a thousand times, and slid behind you, her front pressing to your back until you felt molded into the correct position. Even her arms, her hands, seemed a second skin over yours.

You looked back and instantly regretted it. Her face was inches away. Flushed, you couldn’t help but think how scandalous this all felt. The intimacy of her strong form guiding yours into the fourth stance and the feeling of her muscles flexed, keeping you from collapse dizzied your thoughts. “Is this our wedding night?”

“It is,” her voice was steady--frustratingly unaffected. “B-but. Is that allowed,” you whispered. Her face was so, so close. “We make the rules. It’s our marriage.”

The idea of an unconsummated marriage filled you with dread. You had no desire to fulfill your wifely duties tonight, but your family had always emphasized its importance. Spluttering just that—the importance of consummation—you insisted on…well, something!

“You’re sure?” It was her first real question. Too overwhelmed by the press of her body to resist, you said yes. With a clatter, the wooden sword dropped from your flimsy hold as her arms circled your waist. The first kiss was like an attack, sudden and firm. You were certain her grip was the only thing keeping you from collapsing. Especially when her tongue slid between your lips.

The confident way she conquered your mouth, as you were sure she conquered everything, left you buzzing. You opened your eyes, gathering yourself enough to put substantial weight on your legs again.

Unohana’s pupils were blown wide, her face flushed. The physical proof of her affected state made you feel pleased--almost giddy.

“Do you feel consummated?” “Y-yes. But I don’t think I can do anymore katas.”

Laughing, she lifted you into a bridal hold in one smooth motion. “It wasn’t a bad wedding night, then.”

[sorry-rosie]

✧ Personality Tidbits ✧

➼ Ethan

He’s more optimistic and hopeful than Mia, often reassuring her whenever her mind wanders to darker places. They often comfort each other in their own ways; he’s particularly partial to holding her hand. He just wants her to be happy and safe, even if that means him going through hell and back for her.

Of course, he’s not without his occasional moodiness, especially with how long he spent alone, grieving over his wife’s supposed death. It’s all the more reason for him to be protective of Mia and devoted to her, fearful of losing her above all else, an even stronger terror felt than his trauma after the Baker farm incident.

He can be paranoid and over-protective, seeking to do whatever he can to ensure his family is protected. When Mia got pregnant, they both went into parent mode.

He can also just jump to conclusions and make rash and impulsive decisions when it comes down to his family, as shown with how he just took off after one incredibly vague five word email with just the slightest hint of Mia truly being alive.

His internal struggle is one between the past, present, and future. He can often be stuck in the past, even when everyone else has moved on. It’s likely he lost quite a few friends while he was grieving his wife’s death, as men’s emotional support circles aren’t that good. They probably wanted him to finally move on and be more like his old self, but frankly Mia is a permanent part of him. It’s not something he could ever get over.

He’s a huge nerd. He enjoys problem solving, hence why he’s a systems engineer. Yes, he was in the chess club in school at one point, why do you ask?

That also means Ethan’s incredibly awkward and more withdrawn. He’s not very talkative since he appreciates actions over words, but he’ll turn more emotional and chatty to Mia as he values the time he spends with the people important to him.

He is sarcastic and has really terrible jokes at times. Sometimes he’s not as funny as he thinks he is, but that’s okay. After Rosemary’s birth he probably turns up the dad jokes to an eleven. Mia just groans at him or shakes her head.

Ethan is happy when the people around him are happy. He kind of feeds off of others’ energy, so he doesn’t mind pleasing others because in the end it benefits him too. He’s particularly entertained when Mia is partaking in any of her hobbies or gets excited about something.

He curses a lot, as you can probably tell. However he’s too respectful of Mia and the ones closest to him to curse directly at them. His voice tone is consistently pretty gentle and soft with her, even when he’s mad at her.

While Mia was often lying to him and going away for her job, he also become more possessive and insecure. It wasn’t abusive by any means, but of course he felt very betrayed and felt that he wasn’t good enough at times for her. He finds great importance in trying to impress and provide for her.

➼ Mia

Although she may seem quite joyous from the video message she sent Ethan, it’s mostly what she wants to be, oblivious and cheery. In her youth she was more optimistic and idealistic of the world’s ways. Oftentimes now she’s more of a hardened pessimist (she’d say a realist) from her time working with the Connections. She is reminded by how unfair and brutal the world is and isn’t very trusting of anyone except Ethan. Blue Umbrella especially gives her pause and she isn’t particularly fond of Chris either, even if she’s polite since he did save them.

She’s quite good at maneuvering social situations and getting people to trust her. Her words are always complete and she’s to the point. Mia is still outgoing enough to maintain conversations even if her experiences have hardened her.

She takes a long time to personally open up to people she doesn’t know, especially now.

From a surface level, you probably wouldn’t even realize she could be capable of lying since she does seem quite forward and brutally honest at times. She’s not someone who enjoyed lying to or keeping Ethan in the dark, it’s simply what she had to do to stay alive.

She’s very guilty and regretful, as much as she tries to put the past behind her, she will always have that self-hatred that she got Ethan into the world of bioterror. Mia’s bitter that she ever worked for the Connections to begin with, especially when they knowingly abandoned her at the Baker house and instead employed Lucas instead of saving her.

Often she leads the way in their relationship, as she’s more headstrong and self-reliant. Though Ethan definitely is appreciated for how much he comforts and softens her when she often has many anxieties of the future, especially once she got pregnant.

She loves adventure, traveling the world or at least feeling like she is going on some sort of hunt. In addition, she’s quite a creative and innovative soul, often trying new things.

Mia doesn’t care what others think of her, save for Ethan. This means she’ll get brutal if she needs to when it comes to protecting her family.

Even before Rose’s birth she enjoyed reading a variety of books. Once Ethan got her those really cheesy romance novels as a joke but she ended up liking them, so she’s now big on romance. The often silly plots help take her mind off of everything else. Other books, like fantasies and mysteries, let her live out her adventurous fantasies as she mentally explores a new world.

Like Ethan, she is also willing to die for him. She wanted him to move on with his life after she died, to be happy without her because she knew it’s what he deserved. However, she’s more in love with him after he showed he didn’t want to and the rest is history.

[gymbunnycandiehart]

The Girly Life is Fantastic--You’ve just got to Breathe!

It doesn’t take much for me to get all worked up about being girlier and girlier.  I enjoy what femininity brings into my life, but there are also times when I get so frustrated with it.  It’s almost like I’m dating a needy person who demands my attention and affection on a daily basis.  Chasing girliness steals away so much time and energy, as well as money.  Yes, “dating” my fem-side gets expensive.  Yet, at the same time, it brings so much joy and purpose to my life, which I am also able to share with my wife–even if that’s not as often.  It gets somewhat stressful from time to time, juggling back and forth and trying to find the right balance.  Of course, any reasonable person would understand that life in general must come first for a family man like myself.

So, what do I do?  What should you do?  I realize that for some of you, you have no issue jumping in the pristine waters of womanhood--and all the time at that.  We are all proud of you.  But what about men like myself and thousands of my followers who must keep our girliness at bay or possibly see our openly girly times as more of a joy-filled hobby or an escape from the hum drum life of being male?  To be honest, it’s like straddling a fence that’s too tall to straddle (ouch!) or trying to fold a fitted sheet. 

I’ve had plenty of years to try and figure out this conundrum, but I have yet to find the best solution.  However, I have learned something that helps me and that I hope will help you too.  It helped me transition my mindset to where I am today. To be honest, it sounds cliche, but here it is:

Breathe. 

Obviously, I speak metaphorically.  A good practice of exhaling and inhaling is good for the soul, but I mean something else.  To breathe is to find your space and time.  It’s like when my wife goes shopping for groceries.  She enjoys shopping, not because she likes to spend money, but because that is a time and space she can be away from the kids and breathe.

For me, exercise fits the bill.  I get to be Candie for a short period of time almost every morning.  I may be pounding out some serious reps, but I’m doing so in my yoga pants and sports bra.  I may be exhausting my energy, but I’m doing so in cute tennis shoes and racer back tanks.  This gives Candie some attention while also benefiting me on multiple levels of health for the body and mind.  It also helps me to be more in tune with my feminine self throughout the day when being externally girly is not necessarily the best option. 

Breathing is not just about finding time to crossdress.  It’s also about finding time and space to be "all male” without even a girly thought.  Dinner with groups of guys, playing sports, going on vacation with the family, a date night with the wife, etc. etc.  You need this time and space and it will help you appreciate time when you can go “all princess” even more.  It will help to create some balance to your passion for girliness as well.

Life is too complicated no matter how you look at it.  Even trying to simplify is an exercise in complexity–like making spread sheets or organizing your closet.  So, it’s not about simplifying.  It’s about finding the time and space for all of who you are.  When you can do this successfully, there will be much less stress over who and what you are and when you can be anything you want to be.  And that can help you truly find a fantastic life in your girliness, perhaps in all of your girliness.

I hope you’re living a fantastic girly life!  Just breathe...

CandieHart

[rpgsandbox]

Introducing the Teacher-Gamer Handbook

The Teacher-Gamer Handbook is a resource for educators to lead Role Playing Games (such as Dungeons and Dragons) in the classroom, in homeschool and online. It contains a full semester of robust lesson plans and the pedagogical infrastructure to last years that teach 36 life-skills to players with pre-created adventure suggestions, narrative arcs and prompts.

The main premise is: you can’t learn something unless you notice it. The purpose of the RPG Skillset is to generate multitudes of continuous opportunities to notice things within at least 36 major domains of self-development. The possibilities are endless.

My name is Zach.

Here is a brief history of how the Teacher-Gamer Handbook came to be:

1982 played Dungeons and Dragons for the first time - my character died in the first 10 minutes, it was so fascinating and unlike anything I had ever experienced... I was hooked! I have been playing RPGs for thousands of hours and almost 4 decades. Some would call me an O.G. (Original Gamer).

1990’s adventuring in life, school, work, music production, becoming Canadian and starting a family steered me in new directions.

2002+ raising two boys with my wife Sophie, I was teaching and studying by day, hangin' with the family and playing RPGs when I could on weekends.

2006 enrolled in an MA program in Education to better understand the “how” of teaching and learning.

2010 finished my Masters in Education focused on authentic learning and life-skills curriculum development.

2012 realized that role-playing games (RPGs) in Schools was an untapped resource. I began working on the Teacher-Gamer as an extension of my Distinct Self well-being program.

2014-2016 brought RPGs in Schools curriculum into the classroom at Green School Bali

2015-present Wild Mind Training workshops blending RPGs in Schools with mindfulness ramps into wilderness trips with Wildlife Conservation Society.

2020 Teacher-Gamer Revolution! - happening offscreen on tabletops everywhere! Let’s get radical about balancing EdTech and AI coming into schools by bringing our teacher’s hobbies into life-skills classes that enrich youth with socio-emotional and literary skills while maintaining the distinctly human teacher-student relationships that cannot be replaced by computers.

What We Need & What You Get

I started this campaign for three main reasons:

It is time to put the Teacher-Gamer Revolution on the timeline, now, globally. It is so important to take what you have inside you and put it into the civic sphere. I urge all educators to make the world a better place by combining their passions with their pedagogical skills and make them available to the public.

Self-publishing the Teacher-Gamer Handbook (TGHB) will launch this new step of my career with all the support of my colleagues, friends and anyone who likes the idea that robust off-screen game-system-learning (engaging face-to-face life-skills development) is a viable initiative to balance the influx of technology into schools.

The TGHB is my calling card, a beacon, an organized methodology that I can put into the hands of people I meet at conferences, conventions and school boards wherever I go.  

I took a calculated risk and have already borrowed the money to:

finish the book

have it typeset in the style of a role-playing game handbook

make videos to explain how teaching RPGs in schools works

build a website with a private interactive forum.

I also plan to use the momentum and connections I make with so many people around the world to take the curriculum to the next level.

My ultimate goal is to hit at least $60,000 so that I can spread the methodology online and hit the road when the world opens up again to safe conferences and in-person education.

Here's the Teacher-Gamer Revolution plan for the funds raised on IndieGoGo:

Hard Copy prints of the book for everyone!

Hit our stretch goals and produce additional resources for Teacher-Gamers to accompany the Handbook.

Finish the next three handbooks full of additional lesson plans, classroom activities and teaching strategies.

Newsletters with practical activities

Instructional videos

Teacher-gamer website features celebrating educator success around the world  

Weekly Webinars for online outreach and support

Teacher training workshop deployment to implement new full-scale RPGs in the classroom programs.

Head to Conferences and speaking events to grow the community and gain traction.

Continued customization of RPGs in Schools curriculum in community centers, school boards, correctional facilities and homeschools far and wide.

Finish the next three handbooks full of additional lesson plans, classroom activities and teaching strategies.

Benefits for the Educators

help schools transition into more life-skills programs that prepare youth for adulthood

build progressive opportunities for face-to-face off-screen courses in schools

maintain positive attitudes about the future of schools

work to make life-skills more prominent in schools for the subject teacher who is getting pushed out by tech

Strengthen relationships with students through gameplay

The last thing a teacher wants to feel like is “obsolete”. There is some hustle each teacher must do to remain fresh, viable and relevant in their community, but if teachers are trying to battle incoming tech or are being asked to do more tech type roles, they will have to find ways to shift the consciousness of the institutes they work in or be moved around or pushed out.

This is a call to teachers to take their passions- or at least an opportunity to pick up this methodology to teach games- and deploy life-skills into their learning environment.  

The Impact

By contributing to the Teacher-Gamer Handbook, you are doing more than just buying a book or helping it get printed, you help:

establish the printing, distribution and sale of the book

the off-screen Teacher-Gamer Revolution gain traction and take flight

bring viability to the TEACHER-GAMER profession

subject teachers to collaborate with their peers to build robust game systems into learning opportunities

wilderness survival teachers establish classroom simulations of safety and role-playing through authentic learning narratives

bring a whole new piece of curriculum to holistic education

make in-roads for RPGs in Schools to become a discipline unto itself that helps youth process the multiverse of systems, franchises, worlds and cultures that are coming at them at high-speed through the internet and media.

The Story

The Teacher-Gamer Handbook has been over 8 years in the making!

The RPGs in Schools program was originally developed as an extension to a Personal and Social Development Local Programme course cycle in Canadian public school – a well-being curriculum program of life-skills electives at The English Montreal School Board in Quebec. Since then, the RPGs in Schools program has been adapted into the Wild Mind Training resiliency program for youth, 10 years old and older in schools and camps in Indonesia and the UK where I have been working over the last 6 years.

Starting in 2014, Green School Bali was an early adopter of the RPGs in Schools Program where I ran Introduction to Dungeons and Dragons as an English literacy course (creative writing) in high school and as an English literacy course (communication thematic) in middle school.

Every child surveyed in Green School reported that they liked the RPGs class and over half of them considered it their favorite class!

As I went along, I started realizing that all the life skills (21 basic and 15 advanced) that I was teaching could be dialed in to meet various curriculum goals and that if I put learners on a narrative cycle such as the Hero’s Journey, they would begin to recognize so many more thematics, symbols, motifs and literary forms as they relate to so many of the stories, books, films, TV series, mangas and other sagas that they follow.

Re-branded as Wild Mind Training, over the last 4 years. I have been experimenting with more mindfulness, wilderness conservation and improvisational theatre elements. As a home school aggregate on the weekdays and a weekend workshop for day school children, I have ironed out the kinks of three different levels of Introduction to Life-Skills through 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons courses.

As with any pedagogy delivery system, the context and content (ie. role-playing game being used) can be adjusted into the area of study or subject. What matters most is that the learning system is authentically motivating and delivers opportunity after opportunity to acquire literacy, socio-emotional and life skills.  

Risks & Challenges

Getting the book printed is only the first step. I’m taking a huge financial risk of my own even if the project does not get funded. In order for it to succeed, I have to get out there and hit the road to show people how the methodology really improves the learning experience for the students and teachers.

I’ve got to hit trade shows, book speaking events, and still create workshops to help teacher-gamers really kickstart this program.

Let’s keep it real: this is an alternative learning method that requires adaptation. There may be backlash as conventional school systems are entrenched in “standardization”. I have to keep pushing this body of work as a complement to curricula by expanding the resources for teachers.

Gamification has brought games into education, but have also made the teachers gatekeepers to the computer. The negative result is that kids will be on their best behavior just to be allowed to get on screen. We need to bring value back to the teacher-student relationship, also making the teacher-gamer an exciting part of education - off-screen!

The Teacher-Gamer Revolution is on!

And I am ready. The time is NOW. If not us, then who?

As a network of early adopters it is YOU that will help me carry this forward and YOU that by belief in this project, will help extend the reach of the Teacher-Gamer Revolution.

We have some goals to hit, and time is of the essence. There has been so much learned by going for it and I am so excited to turn this guerilla-style launch of getting the first Handbook off the ground and into teachers hands everywhere.

We will try to get questions answered as soon as possible, just know we are also trying to get the book to print BEFORE the end of the campaign and have a lot going on.

That being said, we are GOING TO PRINT and get your copies to you as SOON as possible. Depending on your location this could take some time as we are a GLOBAL movement with community around the world, but can only afford to print in ONE location at this time.

Print and delivery is scheduled for June 15th and getting copies in your hands by July 1st. But again, your patience is much appreciated and we will update you every step of the way!

Thanks to you for all your patience and getting involved.

Indiegogo campaign ends: 24 April 2020

Website: [Teacher Gamer] [facebook] [twitter] [instagram]

[nickcifonie]

In 2021, Anyone Can Make $ Playing Video Games!

I grew up playing games like Risk, Monopoly, a little Chess... and still remember buying my first computer somewhere around 1986 solely to play a computer game on. It was an Apple IIc, and that first game was some type of Pirate Adventure. I wish I remembered the name. It wasn’t all that good, but still, I was hooked!

Since that first adventure, I’ve spent thousands of hours as well as dollars playing just about every type of digital game that has followed! PC games, Atari, Wii, mobile games... you name it, I play it! I’d always generalize the cost (to myself at least) thinking “some guys play golf 3 days a week at $100 a round... I play computer games”.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! However, the story has changed...

“Pay to Play” has become “Play to Earn”!

If you would be to search terms like “crypto games”, “blockchain games”, “make money playing video games”, and others, you’d find some really incredible statements. Today, quotes like the ones below are becoming more and more common!

“I made $400 last week playing a computer game” “I just sold my RPG character for $200 profit”

“I was offered $1k for a skin for my laser rifle of doom” (I made up the “laser rifle of doom” part)

“I bred my pet thingamajig yesterday and sold the baby!” (it’s digital, for those of you wincing)

In 2021, thanks to the blockchain, there’s a growing community of gamers who are making real dollars daily, mining, fighting, shooting, jumping... all while playing the same type of mobile and PC games that you had to PAY to play just a short while ago...

...but let’s start at the beginning.

You paid $172,000 for a what!?

Yes... all the way back in 2018 a CryptoKitty named “Dragon” was sold for an incredible $172,000. (300 ETH) Don’t be too surprised, it’s justified! It’s an adorable digital image, or “NFT” of a cat, after all.

It’s a lot of money, but for NFTs and blockchain gaming, flipping a Kitty today may as well be considered the stone ages. It’s still a record, but while you can still get started collecting these digital felines for as low as a couple of dollars, big-dollar trades still happen daily.

On the flip side of mortgaging your home to buy a digital picture of a CryptoKitty, Bored Ape, or CryptoPunk, you may feel better if you begin your adventure into making crypto (it’s real money, dear!) by playing a video game where you can “make money” instead of spending it.

I’m not saying owning a CryptoKitty or any of a plethora of “Avatar NFTs” we see popping up on various exchanges isn’t one way to do it... I’m saying to me at least, as a life-long gamer I’d much prefer playing a mobile, console, or PC game to collecting pictures in a digital wallet.

So what the heck is an NFT?

I could go into a long explanation... but since this article is about gaming and not cryptocurrency, I’ll tell you an NFT is a “non-fungible token”, and leave you google it if you really want to dig in deep. I do want to share more, so I’ll ‘splain it as simple as I can for you Lucy!

A CryptoKitty, as stated above, is a type of image called an NFT. (the collection is called “CryptoKitties) It’s a digital picture of a cartoon cat. There are thousands of different ones that have different shapes, colors, expressions and traits. (kind of like a real cat, but eats less)

The difference, is only one of each design is actually a legitimate “CryptoKitty”. (or a legitimate whatever type of image it happens to be) To be clearer... each NFT is a “one of a kind”, so if you’re thinking “but can’t I just make a copy?”, nope you can’t.

I mean... you “can” make a copy of it if you really dig the design and want it on your desktop, but it would only be a copy of that particular NFT, not the real McCoy! Ok... so what makes one real, and the rest fakes? The blockchain.

Now, I’m going to be true to my word and keep my promise of not making this an article about crypto or the blockchain, so just know this: the difference between an image that is an actual NFT, and a copy of one, is there is an underlying digital code that designates the real thing.

So real in fact, that artists are creating or importing their paintings and creations to the web as NFTs, numbering them as they would a lithograph, and selling their entire collections. So if you are an art fan, check with your favorite creators... you may be surprised to find all of their “works of art” on an online marketplace!

NFTs are viewed on certain marketplace websites and digital wallets where the copies cannot be displayed, so that is how we know one is real, and the others are not! Having said that, sure, there’s more to it, but just know that there’s a 100% secure way of knowing an image is a real NFT.

In addition, there can be more than one NFT with the same identical image. However, each has a unique underlying code, so even if they look exactly the same, they are not! Look at it like the playing cards or comic books of old... there may be 1,000 created (or “minted” as it’s called in NFT land) but they will each be numbered 1 to 1,000.

And guess which is more valuable.....? I knew you’d get it!

And these NFT’s make money how?

You’re getting warmer! There are a lot of different types of games coming out these days where you can make money playing. There are RPG’s, MOBA’s, Shooters, games in first person and in third, dungeon crawls... you name it!

If you’re thinking “how did I not know this!”, I was the same until recently! I have been gaming almost daily since I stepped into Ultima Online back in 1997, and I can’t even begin to tally how many hours and/or dollars I’ve invested into gaming.

Now, our hobby pays!

After 30-something years, my wife still thinks I’m bonkers... but I got a totally different look from her a few days ago when I told her I sold my game character for well over $200. Legit. I sold two more yesterday, and another this afternoon.

Some of these only cost me $10 or $15, some much more. Some are free. I sold another NFT character last week for $1,950, and it was sold on the game’s website, not on the black market.

So not only can an NFT be a picture of an Ape, Vegetable, Duck, or Stripper on a pole (we’ll leave it at that) but it can be a character in a game, a weapon, a mount, armor, or more.

One game is giving away free pet turtles with each character. For the uneducated on “pets” in computer games, it’s not the kind you keep in a bowl in your bedroom. It’s a companion that fights with you in an online game and may shoot fire from its eyes, heal you, or similar.

Soon after being handed out for free, they’re now selling for around $60 each.

So an NFT can be an image, a video, music, a meme... or even a shirt or shoes! But we’ll leave the NFT clothing explanation to another article. ;)

Remember that rare skin you paid out the nose for a year ago in Apex? Or the L33T character you built up in Fortnite or Warcraft? If you’re no longer playing that game, it’s money under the bridge. And you don’t own the bridge!

In this new breed of blockchain games, you could have LEGALLY sold that character, skin, weapon, land, house, mount, or whatever it was when you tired of the game. For a profit. Maybe for a LARGE profit.

Yes, in the past we were able to find ways to get around the system and dump our pixels from time to time. We’d sell the account on the black market, or cut a deal with someone like a drug dealer on a Chicago Street corner. Then we’d over who went first...

“You give me the account and weapon first!” “No you give me the money first”.  Sometimes the deals even went through. Others well... let’s just say half of the parties walked away happy.

I made good money when after 4 years of daily playing I sold my Ultima Online account for somewhere around $2,000, but I needed to find a trustworthy “go-between” to broker the deal. Even then, I was sweating it!

With today’s crypto games, not only do the games provide the platform to buy, sell, or trade your character and items, but it’s encouraged, and done with good old U.S dollars! I’ve made $ playing 4 or 5 different games already this week, as well as flipping (buying low and selling higher) NFT characters!

How else can I make money playing games?

The way you earn varies from game to game, but each week seems to reveal another new strategy, platform, or idea. Many are new strategies, and while some have “triple A” 3D animation and graphics, others are simpler and use basic one-dimensional graphics for the gameplay.

Some of these games are actually tied to a token on the blockchain. The game developer creates their own token, not too unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, and it can be bought or sold on the open market as well as used in the game as currency.

Could you imagine if back in League of Legends, Guild Wars or Final Fantasy, when you were ready to move to a new game, you could sell or easily convert your gold to cash? Some of today’s blockchain games encourage it!

Not only can you now buy and sell characters and weapons, the gold in the game can be traded, bought, sold, or saved like real currency, stocks, crypto, or collectables. Never have I been as excited about PC and mobile gaming as I am today!

As an example, I am doing some work for a new game that will launch soon called Pepper Attack. Pepper Attack has its own token or coin... called MYTE. It can be used in the game as currency, but also be traded like Bitcoin. A lot of today’s blockchain games offer this same benefit.

Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to mine I go!

Just by owning an NFT from the game, you can login on a daily basis and click “mine” earning real-value tokens passively. Your Pepper goes to work like one of the 7 Dwarves mining MYTE, and later on you can convert it to other tokens or cold, hard cash.

There's more to do in this particular game as well. Like any good RPG or MMORPG, each pepper has a unique combination or skills like attack, defense, evade, hit points, and more. As an example of the possibilities, if you have a high attack score, other characters will be able to pay you in MYTE to “train” them, raising their score as well.

In addition, these NFTs have unique physical traits, some are common and some are very rare. This game in particular have toons that look more like anime-ish elves with weapons and a stem... I have to admit the artwork is really spicey! (see what I did there?) Other games are of course totally different.

Some people will simply collect these NFTs/characters as an investment, like playing cards or comics. Others will use them in the game, and still others will do both. Either way, they can be held, or sold for a profit!

Unlike the games of the past, when you’re ready to move on you don’t walk away and lose all the $ you have spent for characters, skins, weapons, potions, and other items. When you’re done, you’ll be able to sell your character and items... possibly for a profit... maybe a lot of profit... and move on.

These are not your father’s computer games!

As we move ahead in the genre, we are seeing AAA studios coming out with big-dollar productions, like Blankos, Mist, Illuvium, Ember Sword and others. Some of these games actually let you buy the land you build on!

Did you have your own house in Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies, or Archeage? What if you could have used It as a shop and been paid in dollars for your wares, rented it to another player, or sold it for cold hard cash at a huge profit down the road?

In many of today’s games, not only is it common, but extremely hard to come by, and quite expensive. Not only are people paying thousands of dollars for a plot in some of the games that have land, but they’re paying it many months before the game is even released.

They do it, because in many cases they know that they can easily 2X, 10X, or even 50X their investment a short piece down the road. Seriously? Seriously... and the early bird catches the worm!

Other games with lesser budgets are more graphic-based, but have super earnings potential as well, and are just as fun to play. These include Splinterlands, (a card game like Magic!) Crypto Blades, Axie Infinity and more.

Regardless of if the new blockchain game of your choice is a RPG, MOBA, a card game or racing game... the fact that you can put some coin into your pocket playing adds a whole new element. It’s heckafun making money playing a game!

The early nerd catches the worm!

In many cases, if you can catch a game before it releases, the land, characters, weapons, and other items... in most cases all NFTs... can be grabbed at a tiny fraction of the future value.

Of course, always check out the game details and team first, and be confident it’s a good place to put your money. Not all games are made the same.

If you’re lucky enough to find out about and partake in an early sale, for example, like grabbing a character NFT or two in   “Pepper Attack”  before the late September launch date, you may be in for a real treat!

There are plenty of new titles coming down the pipe that look to be fun, have great communities, and offer earning opportunities. A web search will find services and websites that will keep you on your toes and alert you of upcoming blockchain game releases, marketplace opening, and more.

As we look forward, the future of gaming on the blockchain is really, really exciting! Not only are the games getting better and more fun, but they’re getting better at making the economics work more smoothly as well.

The games are not without challenges, as they need to be made to sustain themselves economically over the long haul. In addition, they need to have higher levels of security (thanks blockchain!) and of course, work without becoming “pay to win”. Thankfully, the new breed of developers have risen to the challenge!

The next time you look for a new game to add to your phone or desktop, or just want a change of pace, look to a game that pays to play! Your wallet might thank you.

Another perk, is your husband or wife will appreciate it as well! Instead of hearing “are you going to play that stupid game all night again?”, you may start to hear things like “I’ll put the kids to bed tonight sweetheart, so you can get online and play”.

One can only hope...

Author - Nick Cifonie

Nick is a lifelong gamer, who cut his teeth at the local Chicago arcade playing Tetris as a teen. Better known as Znick or Deacon Z, Nick became a Game Master in Ultima Online in 1997, ran a large multi-game guild for 15 years, and now spends his time in the “play to earn” arena. Professionally, Nick is a writer and 4-decade marketer working with the  Pepper Attack team, as well as others. Nick is also a Catholic Deacon.

[relationshipstats]

Covid! An end of good relationship

The word “Lock Down” enough is enough. Believe it or not but Covid 19 has changed us entirely. More than just spending time on the couch relaxing, this home arrest actually brought us all family members closer to one another.

Few things that we never could have recognized of a person we are living with came to light after spending almost two years together of Covid 19.

Few that believed spending time together makes a relation healthy, broke up the first this Covid? Being together for a few moments and 24*7 makes a difference.

This widely spread virus has brought major negative impacts, especially on the recently married younger couples. If you feel you are the one among many then keep reading you are just a few steps away from making your relationship strong bold and beautiful.

Mental stress What if you are under observation 24/7 in front of a surveillance camera? Just thinking of it is enough to piss off one mind.

Exact becomes the case when you are around the same person 24/7 for a longer duration. Especially, staying together in a closed environment makes it tougher.

Family is a strength but being surrounded all the time causes a bit of mental stress. While you’re with your family, you’ve few responsibilities and when you stay surrounded by family round the clock, you end up getting stressed.

For those who have a big family living together with a wide fake smile on their faces yet it is manageable you have lots of monkeys inside the house. But for all those only couples inside the house, No doubt your neighbors are the first who want you out of their living area.

So without spending any of your time here are few things that can relax your mental stress.

Do try to make room for yourself 24/7 together inside a room will obviously create world war 3. So make time for yourself. Do not keep on talking to one another as if you do not have a phone. But make sure it is not exceeding your limits of talking over a phone.

Now when you have so much time left sitting at home utilize that to fulfill your hobbies. This will make you feel happier and present.

Exercise and yoga are most important for all sitting at home. Do you know people are suffering more from heart problems than from Covid 19?

Exercise has a lot of advantages, Just Google, and your life will come to end reading only about the benefits out of exercise. Reduced stress, a calm and patient brain are what we need the most during the lockdown, and no other than yoga/exercise can provide you at this time.

No matter what, exercise and do yoga on regular basis. In my opinion, meditate daily will give you extra energy to stay cool and calm when your other half has decided to turn you into a green monster the great Hulk.

If not exercise, engage in playing mobile games of your choice. This will help pass time full of enjoyment. If you are good at shooting try your hands on games like PubG or Call of Duty.

Couple problems For all those dirty minds, say no to regular sex or there are chances you may develop a dislike for each other. Though you are a new couple try not to have sex on regular basis, especially during this lock down time. You may put your sexual life for a toss.

Minimize the sexual intimacy Being around each other doesn’t mean you end up sticking to each other on bed round the clock. So try to keep minimal sexual intimacy as this helps you to engage in good sessions whenever you engage.

Keeping minimal engagement will help you not feel like you are engaging forcefully. This will help you enjoy your sexual life better than anyone else. But at the same time make sure it is not too late, where the horse is been fed by some other field owner.

Don’t engage unless you feel so Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, Science says. So is the case with sexual life. It has no second thought that Having sexual intimacy makes your love life good and even communication becomes uninterrupted.

But this works well only when both parties are actively trying to get involved. Hence, do learn to engage only when both have the consent of each other. This assists the couples to mesmerize good moments.

Use contraceptives Better avoid giving good news to each other? Everything goes planned, but some uncertainties are likely to occur, unlike pregnancy. Already the pandemic causes a bit of burden on your pocket and pregnancy can cause much stretch.

Even if you are rich enough to feed the entire street, my suggestion would be to wait for things to settle down. Healthcare sectors are full of Covid Patients so why risk your, your wife, and your newborn baby's life.

Financial condition What is gone is gone. What is left spend wisely? The most common reason for relationship spoiler is financial problems and especially if you have lost your job during Covid 19 all the best.

Here are few tips on how to manage your spending when time is not in your favor.

Spend responsibly Spending is a necessity and is a responsibility. A lot of bigger companies have shut their business down. Things should not go in your direction but you never know the job you’ve today might not be there tomorrow. Hence, spend wisely and only on necessities. If your wife thinks the latest iPhone is a must for status make her understand eating a real apple is more important at least for now.

Add to emergency saving Add more amount to your emergency Quota then filling up your wardrobe. Anyways you are not allowed to move out of your home so why to waste money on outfits and looks. In fact, save money and be prepared for any bad situation that comes your way.

Budget makeover Don’t worry, you don’t need to decorate the paper on which you might jot down the points. Simply reconsider the expenses that you make. The situation is not normal and uncertainty is likely to continue.

Reconsidering the budget doesn’t mean you do cut down the necessity, do only cut down the options that really are an option. Well, financial instability does affect the relationship of the couple and at times you end up yelling at your partner.

I hope I am clear with what I wanted to express. If there is any problem in the relationship that is affecting do write in the comment section. Maybe I or someone reading can help you suggest some good advice and tips.

Stay Safe and Healthy.

[my-practiceblog]

If I could start all over

This is going to be a long one.  And it has no practical purpose, just getting my thoughts out.  I saw a post on Facebook a while back that asked if you would choose $1 million now, or start your life over at 12 years old, knowing all that you do now.  The obvious choice, assuming you’re trying to build your best life and don’t mind reliving all those years, is of course to go back to 12.  Now middle school/high school was not the best tie for me, but reading this I just keep thinking about what I would and wouldn’t change if I went back.  There are some things, like my camp, that I enjoyed, but looking back didn’t have any sort of positive impact on my life, where replacing it with something else could have.  There are other things, like where I went to school, that while I am sure there are schools out there that would have been better for me, but I don’t think I’d be willing to risk my friendships and experiences I had there without getting a glimpse of what things would look like if I replaced them.

So I am going to go into all that I can think of, what I would and would not change.  I am going to think of this in a way that I have all the knowledge I have today (and hopefully also the confidence and social skills, because those were highly lacking before college), but still feel the age that I am so that I can have friends and relationships with people my own age without it being weird.  

Let’s see what’s first.  I think 7th grade, the only big thing I would have liked to change was my friendships.  Currently, I speak to no one I went to high school with.  And I am perfectly fine with that.  However, I think if I had some better friends when I was in middle school/high school it would have been a much more enjoyable experience for me.  I think the only friend I definitely should have dropped at that time was this girl Sarah.  We had been friends I think since fourth grade (maybe earlier?) and in real life our friendship ended within a year of graduating from college.  But I am pretty sure it was as early as 7th grade that she stopped being a good friend towards me, and I think ending that sooner would have been very good for me.  Then there are a bunch of girls that I was friendly with, who I think could have been actual friends of mine, even if those friendships still wouldn’t have lasted past graduation.

The next thing I would work on at that time would be hobbies.  I’d like to take up a hobby that could somehow monetarily benefit me at this point, maybe ceramics?  I feel like that’s something that I would enjoy, and after enough years of doing it I would be able to sell pieces that I made.  Or maybe photography.  Graduation shots and likewise could bring in some nice money.  I also wish I started dance lessons (would have been much better prepared for TikTok) and improved my swimming skills so that I could become a lifeguard when I turned 16.  Currently I try swimming laps for exercise, but according to my mom, no one who watched me swim would ever guess I grew up with a pool.  Oops.  But I think being a lifeguard is a fun summer job for a kid, that also pays well, so if I started developing my skills when I was 12 I would be more than prepared for the lifeguard exam at 16.  Maybe even prior to that I would get my scuba license (apparently something you only have to be 10 for a junior license, and 15 for a real license) which is something I’m looking into getting now, but have not found the time.

Last thing I think I’d focus on starting in 7th grade (or 8th, depending on timing of seasons, but I could at least start developing some skills in 7th) is joining school sports.  It looks like all of the sports I wish I did may have been in the fall, but the number one sport I wish I joined was tennis.  Again, something I’m looking into now, but I need to find time and someone to teach me.  I also don’t want to have to pay someone to teach me.  So many things I wish I learned when my parents were willing to pay for them, haha.  But I think it’s a great skill to have because it’s a good workout, it’s social (if you play doubles, or casually against a friend) and it’s the perfect sport for when I am someday a country club wife.  The next sport I wish I did was volleyball.  I remember I tried the first day of try outs and the coach said we would get bruises and I was just like ABSOLUTELY not.  And then years later I told my mom that I was mad at her for not forcing me to continue.  I just think it would have been a fun team to be apart of.  Also, I could have used volleyball skills both social in college at the sand volleyball court we had outside my dorm, and now in one of the social leagues they have in the city.  Besides those two, maybe in the other season I would have tried track and field or lacrosse, but honestly I probably would have hated both, so probably not worth it.

Adding on to the sports section, there was one sport that I did for a season, and would 100% change.  It was 8th or 9th grade I was on the JV softball team, and I would have never done it if I knew how it was going to turn out.  This was not long after I got my braces off, and I was really bad.  Not only did I hate it, but once during practice I was having a catch and missed.  It hit me in the mouth, and slightly shifted my teeth that I had just spent years, and my parents spent so much money to finally get perfect.  So yes, joining that sport was a mistake, and not one I would make again.

Also not sports related, but just wanted to add this in.  I did a school play in 8th grade, and that was actually a very good experience for me.  I am not sure whether the sports I would be doing would overlap with the play, but even if it did I definitely want to do both.  That play is one of the only things I remember from back then that I specifically would not want to change.

Anyway, this post is getting so long, and I have much more to add, but I feel like I can end part one here.  I feel like these things are mostly ongoing until I graduate from high school, while the rest of my things might be more specific, at specific times.

[consultapsychologist]

How to cope with losing your job

Losing your job is no doubt one of the most stressful, overwhelming, and challenging times in your life. The thought of being unable to support your family, fulfilling your own needs and wants, watching your savings depleting by the day can adversely affect your mood, your motivation, and put a strain on your relationships. All these combined can become a severe cause of anxiety and depression.

According to research, people who have recently lost a job, downsized, or they are in-between jobs, are more prone to mental health issues than those having a relatively stable life due to job security. The reason for this is losing a job is almost similar to losing your identity. It is as if you are no longer able to perceive yourself the way you used to and also the people around you stop associating you with a certain persona. By virtue of this, losing a job brings the kind of uncertainty in life that your future seems all dull, and falling into a dark abyss becomes inevitable. You really cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel!

For times like these, when your self-esteem and self-confidence are beyond shattered, you are advised to take certain measures in order to get back on your feet, search for hope, and start pushing yourself again to find your purpose and identity.  The right coping techniques and developing some new, healthy habits can help you overcome these setbacks and assist you in focusing on what truly matters; You!

Here are some healthy mechanisms to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression that your unemployment has brought you:

Seek therapy: Talking about your feelings and what goes through your mind every day to a professional in the field of psychology/psychiatry is not only a way of catharsis but also makes you realize that it is okay to not be okay. You do not have to carry the burden of the entire world on your shoulders. Unemployment depression is real and must not be ignored at any cost. Also, there are so many platforms now offering online and in-person therapy sessions. Get help, get better!

Start meditating: As you may have heard before, meditating brings a myriad of eminent benefits in your life. One of them is increased focus. Meditation is proven to help you achieve peace of mind and in turn, enhance your focus on the tasks that you are set out to do. For instance, you are able to set new goals for yourself, the ones that are specific, measurable, achievable, time-bound, and realistic. Perhaps you are planning to write down a new cover letter. If you have started your day with meditation, your flow of ideas when you sit on your desk to work will be smoother and you will feel more productive.

Learn new skills: While losing a job is the kind of adversity that triggers a lot of negative emotions, at the same time there is some silver lining as well; a lot of free time at your hands. You can use it to hone your existing skills and learn new ones. The job market is ever-changing and demand for people who are experts in a certain field is increasing by the day. So do not rely on the skills and capabilities you needed in your last job, rather equip yourself with those highly sought after by employers.

Reach out to friends and family members for help: You must realize how important this is! Albeit being moody is a natural outcome of job loss and you may not help getting frustrated from time to time, however, it is crucial to speak to your friends and family members who have stood by you during the toughest of days when you felt lonely and desolated. Leaning onto your close ones is a great way to blow off some steam and lighten up your mood.

Find who you are outside your work identity: As mentioned earlier, losing your job pretty much feels as if you have lost your identity as well. While that may be true in many cases, you must affirm yourself that you are more than your career. One of the ways can be to spend more time with your family, which can be truly wholesome. You may be able to identify yourself through the eyes of our children who see you as a loving father, or your spouse seeing you as a caring husband/wife, etc. Besides that, finding new hobbies like learning to play guitar or getting connected with your interests from the past will help you see things from a wider lens and make you realize that your career identity is only a small piece of the puzzle in your life.

[chicagocityfclanspromoblog]

Percival ‘Percy’ McCormick III → Charlie Cox → Dhole

→ Basic Information

Age: 228

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Straight

Born or Made: Born

Birthday: January 22nd

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Religion: Jewish

→ His Personality Percy has very rarely failed in his life. This is not necessarily because of his skills or brains, but mainly his family’s money. He is a creative and often idealistic person, who is focused on pushing the envelope to see what else is out there. He is confident and charming, and has managed to make most things he creates work. One thing that isn’t working is his idea of a joint pack. It began in the 1930s as a way to bring people to Chicago and keep themselves above boat during the Depression. It worked for a while, but in the last 20 years has begun to spiral. Violence and hatred have gotten to a boiling point and the pressure only rises with new members moving in every month. He still thinks it is working and an idea worth fighting for, however even he is feeling the cracks. Percy has become an insomniac and his emotions are so high strung that his eyes frequently flip back and forth between white and his typical brown. He has taken to carrying sunglasses to hide his effect from those in and outside of his pack.

He has recently decided, under Liz’s recommendation, that he needs to destress his life. Percy gets self-confidence and pride from his work, so slowing down feels as though he is failing more. It has allowed him to attempt to fix his relationship with his wife. He is absent at best and neglectful at worst when it comes to Rose, and he realized he had started to become exactly like his father. He wants kids and he wants his kids to see two people in love raising them. Percy has a habit of thinking about those who benefit from all his actions, rather than those who must suffer with the other side. He is willing to sacrifice the few for the many and even if it hurts others, may refuse to give up what he wants.

→ His Personal Facts

Occupation: Head of the Triumvirate and Owner of WJDF station, The Chicago Herald, McCormick Media, and a conglomerate of publications.

Scars: None

Tattoos: Up to Player

Two Likes: Sunglasses and Skyscrapers

Two Dislikes: Close minded people and Conspiracy Theorists

Two Fears: Bankruptcy and People thinking he’s fraud

Two Hobbies: Genealogy and Proofreading

Three Positive Traits: Idealistic, Charming, Confident

Three Negative Traits: Assertive, Proud, Unyielding

→ His Connections

Parent Names:

Percival McCormick II (Father): Percival II built the media in Chicago from the ground up. He initially ran the telegraph and telegram stations out of Chicago and eventually created The Chicago Herald and the radio station. These catered to humans, but also supernaturals. There were special channels to broadcast supernatural news and it created the foundation for other supernaturals to create content and information for themselves. Creating an empire so expansive was not without cost. Percival II was rarely home and treated his wife and son as merely objects set out to impress. It left him with a constant need to prove to his father that he was just as clever as he was, even in death. Percy III created the first television station and has expanded into the internet and digital sphere as time has gone on.

Pamela McCormick (Mother): Pamela was not frequently involved with Percy. She was there for the worst moments to comfort him, but she was dealing with her own issues and didn’t have the time to help both. She was never cruel and often was willing to listen and entertain his imaginative ideas.

Sibling Names:

None

Children Names:

None

Romantic Connections:

Rose McCormick (Wife): Percy is admittedly a horrible husband. He’d like to blame it on the way he was raised, but even he knows he could stop that cycle whenever he wants. Rose is smart and fierce, but didn’t fully know what she was getting into when marrying him. He needed someone to stand by his side and have no desire to get involved in his life. He’d provide for whatever she wanted as long as she’d keep everything in their marriage private and eventually have a kid with him. It’s been a decade since they’ve been married, and they’ve kept up their deal. She has her own bedroom and they only typically see each other over dinner. Rose hates him and he understands why. Recently, Percy has begun to think being open with his wife and mate may calm him down more. He wants to start a real relationship with Rose, and is attempting to show that to her. She is becoming more receptive though she doubts him.

Platonic Connections:

Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Snow (Best Friend): Percy knows Liz better than anyone else. Liz is the only one who has truly seen him at his most vulnerable. They understand each other and the choices they make and support one another fully. It’s hard not to fall in love with someone who knows you well, and Percy was not immune to this. However, he knew it would never work. He found a dhole shifter who would agree to what he wanted from a marriage and tried to block out any thoughts of Liz, unsuccessfully. He still is much more emotionally connected with Liz and confides in her, rather than in Rose.

Simon Brodeur (Packmate): Percy has over 90,000 nimbles in his care and would be lying if he said he knew all of them by heart. However, Simon has recently popped up on his rader and Percy has been keeping a worrisome eye on him. Percy has never had a bad experience with Simon but when Simon’s mate was obviously killed by a hunter, Simon had blacked out causing a mess for Percy. Simon had gone into a frenzy and changed a few humans. Percy and Liz were able to cover it up and Simon was released punishment free but Percy is unsure what his next step should be and whether to go after the hunters who did this.

Austin Semler (Packmate): Percy is familiar with Austin work and the work of Austin parents. Percy knows potential when he sees it and Austin is bursting with potential but it is clear to Percy that Austin isn’t ready yet.

Isla Johns (Packmate): Isla acts as the speaker for the prey members of their clan and is also a member of the Triumvirate. Percy and Isla are nearly never on the same page making Liz their referee on larger impact topics. They can never have a strong relationship while he knows what she thinks of him and how he runs the clan. It would both him more, if he wasn’t as confident that Liz saw his vision and wanted it to succeed.

Anton Kowalski (Unsure): Anton has not been a part of his clan for long but Percy isn’t blind to how Anton avoids him in comparison to the way he flocks to everyone else. While Anton isn’t the first coywolf that Percy has met, he is one of the first shifters to transition into Chicago in decades from a single shift nimble pack; meaning their pack one had one type of nimble species. He’s been keeping an eye on Anton and plans on giving him a proper introduction soon.

Clarisse ‘Clara’ Fields (Clan Leader): Percy and Clara have known one another since they were kids. While Asa and Sam preferred leaving him in the dust, Clara was always a bit more willing to be friendly. He was glad when she took over as head of the Heavies and they often end up on the same side in council meetings.

Chris Bialar (Clan Leader): Chris stated once that he would be neutral when it came to nimble affairs and Percy has done the same for him. Percy personally doesn’t care about the local cat clan and only communicates at council meetings with them. Percy, however, has recently heard rumors about Chris and Ellis discussing a supernatural schooling system and wants in on the project.

Ellis Watts (Clan Leader): Percy has little interactions with the jackal clan and stands neutral when it comes to Ellis. Percy, however, has recently heard rumors about Chris and Ellis discussing a supernatural schooling system and wants in on the project.

Nick Hamelin (Clan Leader): Nick has been around for a while and was friends with Percy’s father. This made things a little easier when it was Percy’s time to take over. Nick and Percy are the closet of allies and their clans often work together to gather information. Percy’s people teach the rats reporting and/or journalistic investigating skills in exchanging for information and leads.

Isaac Baker (Clan Leader): Percy rarely has to deal with the wolves. When he does he typically sends Isla to discuss any incidents they come across with the wolves. Isaac certainly brings more spontaneity to the votes and certainly makes council meetings more interesting.

Scorpius Getta (Clan Leader): Percy is indifferent about Getta and the vampire community as a whole. The only time they communicate is at council meetings.

Sirius Cobic (Clan Leader): Sirius and Percy have come to an understanding as the police and media to keep the people of Chicago from finding out that over 1/3rd of their population is composed of supernatural beings. Their people work closely together but Percy personally deals with Sirius each time as a sign of respect and good faith.

Hostile Connections:

Sam Thompson (Childhood Bully): Sam and Asa used to bully Percy as a child. They would bring him into the middle of the woods, shift and then run. He frequently got lost, and only found his way back by accident, or by Clara helping him. He thinks Sam believing he could be the head of the Heavies is laughable, and ignores any contact that Sam tries to make with him.

Asa Fields (Childhood Bully): Sam and Asa used to bully Percy as a child. They would bring him into the middle of the woods, shift and then run. He frequently got lost, and only found his way back by accident, or by Clara helping him. Asa disappeared about a hundred years ago, which Percy was grateful for. Unfortunately he’s returned and apparently wants to make things right within his pack.

Pets:

None

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Charlie Cox (Percival “Percy” McCormick III) [1][2][3][4]