#Getting emotional in this Chili's about this book

[kcrabb88]

Pre-order info for Sailing by Gemini's Star coming sooo soon (ebook pre-orders are populating now, non-Amazon print in a week or two since that takes a bit more time to go live once I check the proof, Amazon print you can't buy until the day of release on 5/28) but! I am honestly so excited to have Gemini out in the world. It's my best work to date, I think, and I'm so hype to see what people think of how everything turns out.

#Getting emotional in this Chili's about this book #Sailing by Gemini's Star #The Constellation Trilogy #KCrabb rambles

[luveline]

jade my heart I’m really feeling Peter parker tonight in this chilis. maybe just Pete listening to r go on about something she likes? Like a book or a tv show and he’s just listening but also so obsessed with her and thinks she’s adorable? I love u! 🫶🏻

ily ty for requesting <3 fem

“It’s a prequel, you know?” 

Peter feels fondness for you pretty much every second of the day, but the way you’re asking without looking at him, and the way you’re laying across his lap so unbothered, he finds himself grinning like a mad man. “I did not know that,” he says. 

You nod up and down with a severe sort of look about you, as though this is of the utmost importance. If Peter doesn’t get on the same page as you soon, he’s not gonna make it. “I can’t believe you’ve never seen the first trilogy. Like, I like you so much, but where the hell have you been?” 

“Where have I been?” he wonders. 

“Anyways, that’s not the point, sorry. They’re complicated movies. You’d like them, though. Next time I’ll bring my DVD’s and we can watch them, if you want to, you’ll really like them, or you’ll really like Natalie Portman, at least. She’s beautiful. And her character is so… complicated, I guess, she’s doomed from the beginning of the narrative and she’s the catalyst for so much but she’s also just… sorry, I’m being totally boring.” 

“Says who?” 

Doesn’t take much more than that to get you rolling again, you want to tell him that badly, “I don’t wanna spoil it anymore because I really think you’ll love them if you watch them, but you’re gonna need to watch the first trilogy to get the emotional impact, and you’ll love them, don’t worry.” 

“I’ll love them,” he agrees, attempting to lean down for a kiss. 

“Wait, is this a shut me up kiss?” you whisper. 

Peter shakes his head as he kisses you, serving for a wobbly but soft press of your lips to his. “Never. Tell me everything about it.” 

You talk until you’re hoarse, literally hoarse, and Peter has to make you a cup of water. His cheeks are hurting from smiling at you. You’ve never looked this cute, not once, not even when he took you to Coney Island and you screamed the house down on all the rides. 

“I think we better go and get those DVDs,” he says. 

“It’s dark out,” you say. 

“We’ll swing.” 

“Isn’t that against your code of ethics?” You sip your drink, pointing at him. “We’ll hear someone who needs help on the way and you’ll drop my extended editions to save them.” 

“I won’t drop anything,” he says. “Come on! Come on, if you’re this excited just talking about it I wanna see how pretty you are when we’re actually watching the movies.” 

You press your smile into a line. “You’re not just humouring me?” 

“I could listen to you talk for hours, baby, but you sound like you did the second time we got off of The Cyclone.” 

You do a spinning, meandering dance into his arms. “If you insist.” 

Your feigned reluctance is adorable. He grabs you in both hands for another misaligned kiss.

#tasm peter parker #tasm peter x reader #tasm peter parker imagine #tasm peter parker x you #tasm peter parker x reader #tasm x reader #peter parker x reader #tasm!spiderman x reader #tasm!peter x reader #tasm!peter imagine #tasm!peter parker #tasm!peter parker x reader #tasm! peter parker x reader #spiderman x reader #peter parker oneshot #peter parker blurb #peter parker imagine #peter parker x you #peter parker x y/n #spiderman x you #spiderman fanfiction

[myuiis]

incorrect lookism

these were really popular on reddit back in my mxtx days so :)

1:

vasco: so what if i press the gas and the brakes at the same time?

daniel: the car takes a screenshot

zack: please shut the fuck up

2:

zack: why are you like this

johan: i used too much 'no more tears shampoo for kids' as a child and haven't felt any emotions since then

3:

goo: me, an intellectual--

gun: you, an intellectual?

4:

samuel: he died of natural causes

jake: you pushed him into a fucking fire

samuel: fire is natural

5:

daniel: oh boy, its pretty cold today

jay: here, daniel, borrow my coat

goo, looking at them: damn, it's cold today

gun: well shit, not like i can change the weather

6:

daniel, trying to flirt: hows the sexiest person here doing?

jay: i dont know, how are they doing?

daniel, blushing: i- 

zack, from across the room: i'm doing great, thanks for asking

7:

samuel: pass the chili

jake: whats the magic word?

samuel: or else

jake: thats two words but point taken

8:

jake: it's really muggy outside today

samuel: if i go outside and all our mugs are on the front lawn, i'm going to kill you

jake: sips coffee from bowl

9:

goo: yall know what? if youre not perfect, that's okay

goo: you don't have to be perfect. you don't have to feel bad about yourself for not being perfect

goo, putting on sunglasses: because obviously, nobody can be as perfect as me is and that is completely normal

10:

jace: can you recommend me a book that made you cry

zack: general mathematics 6th edition

11:

sinu: what if we inverted our initials? i'll start: hinu san

jake: kake jim

jerry: kerry jwon

jason: yason joon

brad: lrad bee

samuel: samuel se-- this is a stupid game

12:

eli: i unironically believe that i have suffered more than jesus

13:

daniel: *sneezes*

gun: bless you my favorite successor

johan: *sneezes*

gun: get that diseased trash away from me

14:

zack: dating tip: hold the door for your date. rip the door off its hinges. use the door as a weapon to fight off other men. establish dominance

daniel: i really begin to see why youre single

15:

[lookism at disneyland on the spinning teacup rides]

eli and warren: [spinning slowly while calmly talking]

gun and goo: [spinning slightly faster while having a heated argument]

jake and jerry: [flying past them, spinning as fast as they can, screaming]

#lookism #lookism manhwa #lookism webtoon #daniel park #park hyungseok #vasco #euntae lee #zack lee #goo kim #kim joongoo #gun park #park jonggun #jay hong #hong jaeyeol #jake kim #kim gimyung #samuel seo #seo seongeun #i fucked up samuels korean name last time i spelled it hopefully nobody noticed #oh well #sinu han #han shinwoo #eli jang #jang hyun #johan seong #seong yohan #i forgot so much of early lookism so sorry for not having a lot of j high interactions #might make a big deal exclusive one later down the line since theyre my favorite crew #<3

[budgie2budgie]

tagged by @theosconfessions & @simmenycricket, thanks guys! ❤️

oc deep dive with samson grey

What uncommon/common fear do they have? deep waters! even tho he love fishing, swimming and take (skinny) dips, he find really big deep waters scary. sinken ships? brrrrrr! i don't see him taking diving lessons any day soon.

Do they have any pet peeves? sims that interrupt other sims while they are talking and when he was living in big cities: traffic jams! never happens in moonwood! lol

What are 3 items you can find in their bedroom? a lot of books, a cap collection and condoms 😏

What do they notice first in a person? their posture, it can tell a lot about a sim, but also eyes and hair. (especially brunettes)

On a scale of 1 to 10, how high is their pain tolerance? 7-8? he pretty much get bruised every day from work

Do they go into fight or flight mode when under pressure? fight!

Do they come from a big family/are they a family person? he's not from a big family, he's the only child BUT def. a family sim and he wants one of his own

What animal represents them best? dah! everyone in moonwood mills is a wolf! ;)

What is a smell that they dislike? strong perfumes, they make him sneeze

Have they broken any bones? 1. nose (rugby) 2. second toe, left foot (heavy plank falling down on him at age 16)

How would a stranger likely describe them? friendly, calm, reserved

Are they a night owl or a morning bird? morning! (and early sleeper)

What is a flavor they hate and a flavor they love? not a fan of bananas, too sweet and mushy. as the manly man he is, (HA!) he love heat, all kind of strong chili! (he enjoy watching hot ones on simtube, and would secretly want to try all the wings himself)

Do they have any hobbies? running, fishing, like outdoorsy stuff, reading

Boom, surprise birthday party! How do they react to surprises? he would be a good sport but he doesn't like being in the centre of attention

Do they like to wear jewelry? not really, he has a couple of necklaces, but wouldn't mind a ring 🙃

Do they have neat or messy handwriting?

What are two emotions they feel the most? restless >< calm

Do they have a favorite fabric? denim

What kind of accent do they have? moonwoodish

let's do this @zosa95 @jayveesim @deardiaryts4 @nilonne & @sirianasims (no pressure ;))

#sims 4 #tagging game #samson extras #character building

[cherryrainn]

can you do triple s (sonic, shadow, silver)(separate) best friends with reader headcanons?

━━ ✧ 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬

─ ✩ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 ; sonic + reader, shadow + reader, silver + reader (all platonic)

─ ✩ 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ; i love all these new requests i'm getting! of course i can do this for you. here you go.

─ ✩ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 ; none

─ ✩ 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆 ; none

𝙎𝙊𝙉𝙄𝘾 ★

sonic notices when you're feeling down, even if you try to hide it. he stays up with you into the early hours of the morning, sitting with you in silence or letting you vent about what's bothering you.

on particularly tough days, sonic takes you for a high-speed run through green hill zone or other scenic spots. the rush of the wind and the beauty of the landscapes provide a brief escape from your troubles.

sonic opens up to you about his own challenges, reminding you that even heroes have their moments of doubt. he assures you that it's okay to feel vulnerable and that you're not alone in your struggles.

sonic and you embark on spontaneous adventures, exploring new zones and discovering hidden paths together. the laughter and thrill of the journey bond you even closer.

sonic treats you to his favorite chili dogs at a cozy corner in station square. the two of you chat, joke, and create new memories while enjoying the comfort food.

when you're in need of a mood boost, sonic teaches you some of his signature dance moves. the two of you end up laughing uncontrollably as you try to keep up with his lightning-fast footwork.

just remember, even the fastest hedgehog has days when he stumbles.

𝘚𝘏𝘈𝘋𝘖𝘞 ★

shadow has a knack for picking up on your mood shifts, even when you're trying to hide them. he may not be the best with words, but he sits with you in silence, offering his presence as a source of comfort.

when you need space, shadow understands better than anyone. he doesn't push you to talk; instead, he joins you in your solitude, letting you know he's there without overwhelming you.

on your worst days, shadow leaves a simple note or a small gift by your side. these thoughtful gestures remind you that someone cares about your well-being.

despite his serious demeanor, shadow surprises you with spontaneous adventures. from racing through the fields to exploring hidden caves, these unexpected moments lead to some of your fondest memories.

you find solace in watching the stars together. shadow may not show it, but he enjoys these moments of quiet connection, where the vastness of the universe reminds you both of the bigger picture.

you discover that shadow has a dry, often sarcastic sense of humor. you share inside jokes and witty banter that only the two of you understand, creating moments of laughter amidst your adventures.

𝘚𝘐𝘓𝘝𝘌𝘙 ★

silver has a strong sense of empathy and is quick to notice when you're feeling down. he approaches you gently, offering a kind ear and genuine concern, creating a safe space for you to open up.

when you're troubled, silver's psychic abilities sometimes pick up on your emotions. he visits you to share his visions of hope, assuring you that brighter days are ahead.

when you're feeling overwhelmed, silver uses his psychokinesis to create a soothing environment. the gentle movement of objects and calming energies help alleviate your stress.

silver takes you on journeys through different eras, giving you a firsthand look at the past and future. these trips create unforgettable memories and deepen your connection.

you and silver bond over shared interests, like stargazing or reading. learning about his love for constellations or his favorite books becomes a source of joy and understanding.

silver surprises you with lighthearted pranks using his psychic abilities. your laughter and camaraderie strengthen as you engage in good-natured tricks and friendly retaliation.

#these suck because im tired but its okay #sonic the hedgehog #sonic #shadow the hedgehog #silver the hedgehog #reader insert #y/n #x reader #ask #headcanons #platonic

[wrrrenff]

Our First Valentines

Stardew Valley Elliot x F! reader. Synopsis: You and Elliot have been dating for a few months now. Being the romantic he is, Elliot went all out for the woman he loves of this special holiday. Warning: n/a

Valentine's day was approaching. Everyone with a partner in the valley was practically buzzing with excitement, speculating what plans their loved ones have planned for them and sharing what they themselves have planned. It was sweet. You had never really had a valentines day that was more than a 'fancy' (chili's) dinner and sex right after. Not that you hated that, it just wasn't anything magical. You were very happy to have probably the most loving boyfriend you ever had to spend the holiday with this year. Thinking about your time together, you started preparing you gifts for your man.

In his cabin, Elliot was busy at work making Valentine's preparations. He has always wanted to go above and beyond for his love and now was his chance. How could he not celebrate the greatest person he has ever met? You're the woman who changed his life, became his muse, inspired him to finish his novel! He got up extra early to begin preparing, going as far as to travel to Zuzu City to get supplies for today. After hours and hours of work, it was almost time to pick you up at the farm for the big night. Elliot walked over to his mirror, made some final adjustment to his outfit, and he was off.

Just as you finished up putting yourself together, there was a knock on the door. "Coming!" You put on your shoes and headed to the door. You were greeted with you devilishly handsome boyfriend. He was wearing a play on his normal attire. A sleek red blazer, a white button down, a vibrant green tie that paired nicely with his matching slacks and a pair of dress shoes. As you were taking him in, he was admiring you just as much. You decided you wear a beautifully fitted red dress that showed of all your best assets and a pair white heels that extenuated your legs. He wanted to drink you up, but he resisted like the gentleman he is. "My darling, you look incredible. Like a work of art." He took you hand in his and kissed it leaving you a blushing mess. "You look so handsome my dear." You replied, walking up close to him to give him a proper kiss. Elliot composed himself. You were not making it easy to control himself. He extended his arm to you. "Shall we?" You accepted him arm and you both headed off towards his home.

Arriving to his shack, he leads you in an you notices the lengths he went to celebrate your relationship tonight. Candles decorated the room, flower petals trailing around the room, the table set with a lavish meal, and the ting that impressed you the most, a bouquet of white lilies, apple blossoms, baby's breath, red camellia, honeysuckle, and of course, red roses. Elliot had told you about the language of flowers after researching it for his book. After this, you two would use this language to send each other meaningful messages. You were speechless. You turned to Elliot and captured him in an emotional hug. "You didn't have to do all of this. Thank you so much. I love you." Elliot pull back from the hug and locks his eyes onto yours. "I would walk to the ends of the earth if it would make you smile. This is nothing." You both laughed at his cheesiness.

"Now I feel like my gift to you is dumb." You looked at the ground feeling embarrassed. "You don't have to give me anything princess. You being here is plenty." Before you could worry much more over it, you handed him a carefully wrapped box. He opened it up to reveal a few bottles of squid ink. Now was Elliot's turn to be speechless. You worried he hated it so you started rambling. "I'm sorry. I know it's lame. I just remembered you mentioning when you got to try writing with squid ink but couldn't keep doing it due to the rarity and expense so I thought I'd raise some squid on my farm and-" Before you could realize it, Elliot and set down the gift and captured your lips. The kiss was filled with with so much love and adoration for you. It almost brought you to your knees. "Y/N, this is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me. You truly are the best thing to happen to me."

After that, you both headed to the table to eat. You had complimented his cooking, surprised at how good it was considering Elliot claimed to be a terrible chef. Sheepishly, Elliot admitted to having Gus cater your dinner. It didn't matter at all to you though. Just the amount of thought put into the night was enough to solidify this is the man you were meant to spend your life with. The love and care he has shown you time and time again only supported this. After your incredible dinner, Elliot put a record on the vinyl and you two danced for a while. It felt perfect. Everything felt perfect with him. Swaying in his arms, you couldn't imagine anywhere else you'd rather be than here with him.

#fanfic #fanfiction #ao3 fanfic #fanfic writing #my fanfic #stardew valley #ao3 writer #stardew elliott #stardew valley elliott #stardew #stardew farmer #stardew valley farmer #valentines day #valentines fanfic #fluff #one shot #sweet fluff #stardew fluff

[margaret-the-duck]

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟIntro post*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

"Writers aren't exactly people... they're a whole bunch of people trying to be one person" - F. Scott Fitzgerald

hello I'm Maggie :)

basic infos: she/her, scorpio, minor, bi and ace, goblin/hobbit core, wanna be writer, chaotic, has far too many projects at the same time, anxious mess, always confused, lost in fantasy worlds, gets really emotional when a long fanfiction updates the last chapter, tea enjoyer, member of the moss cult, wants new friends but is too socially awkward :,)

bands and artists I like: queen, ABBA, david bowie, red hot chili pepper, conan gray, nirvana, bon jovi, movie music in general

"Someone will always be prettier. Someone will always be smarter. Someone will always be younger. But they will never be you" - Freddie Mercury

Food I like: Strawberries, Cereals <3, any dessert, pasta and pizza, chicken nuggets, ananas (but not on pizza), cheese, chocolate, croquettes, anything with chicken

things that make me happy: my friends/family/girlfriend, music, my fandoms, my OTPs, raccoons, cats, my comfort characters, crocheting, creative things in general, braids, the netherlands, acorns, flowers, books, greek mythology, hugs, rainbows, character inspired playlists, owls, goats, frogs, lotr ambience playlists, walking through a forest (especially in spring and autumn)

my fandoms: lord of the rings, the hobbit, percy jackson, marauders, gravity falls, mcu/marvel, night at the museum, star wars, carry on

"I've never been so wrong in all my life" - Thorin Oakenshield

currently reading: the silmarillion, circe, percy jackson and the chalice of the gods, rereading the song of achilles

comfort books: percy jackson, the song of achilles, carry on

"Being a hero doesn't mean you're invincible. It just means that you're brave enough to stand up and do what's needed." - Piper McLean

comfort movies and series: lord of the rings, the hobbit, anything from marvel but especially the guardians of the galaxy and ant man, night at the museum, gravity falls, monk

"There's some good in this world Mr Frodo, and it's worth living for" - Samwise Gamgee

languages I speak (more or less) : luxemburgish (don't ask what it is. barely anybody knows that language lol), german, french, english, currently learning spanish

things I do when I'm not just starring at my bedroom wall: baking for my friends, crocheting, designing clothes based on fictional characters, daydreaming about writing, wasting my time on pinterest and ao3, writing, reading, thinking of fake scenarios, listening to music, writing bad poetry

"I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind the process" - Vincent van Gogh

#intro post #blog intro

[vintagelacerosette]

Weekly Tag game (Catch up)

Forgive meee I am late but I had the other one in my drafts & I hadn't be able to finish it off yet 😅

I was tagged by these sweethearts 💖💕💖

Jessica @guinguin1984 Julia @blue-disco-lights Deanna @deedala Georgia @iansw0rld

Face @burninface Jaclyn @crossmydna Evie @energievie

Bri @y0itsbri Lyle Lyle crocodile @kiinard Macy @heymacy

Mel @gardenerian Sarah @sleepyheadgallavich Julissa @heymrspatel

Harvey @mikhailoisbaby Kat @mybrainismelted Ling @lingy910y

Name: Shermyn

Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (or you): Sydney in the western part  

Ok, so this week we are going to snoop into your google search. Type in each phrase and tell us what the first suggestion is that google gives you!

What is the best way to….rule? (hehe nice maybe my Leo tendencies 🤣🦁

This is what I saw on Quora

1) Become a community organizer · 2) Learn to speak eloquently · 3) Tell people what they want to hear · 4) Sell your soul to the Devil · 5) ...

😂😂😂

Where can I…. watch Saltburn? (it's on my watch list haha) Amazon Prime

How old is…. Taylor Swift? (i didn't search this but i guess she's top result) 34

How long does it take… to get to mars? (wow a fun one) Now quoting NASA, "If jt all goes well, you'll get to the Red Planet in about seven ot eight months." ♂️🔴

How many… states in Australia? Six states 🇦🇺

Who set the record for…. the highest jump? Javier Sotomayor good job my dude 👏

When did….michael jackson die? 25 june 2009 (woah I started 1st year of high school then)

What does it feel like to… to be in love? (ummm ive never searched that but damn a pointed search 😭😭😭) Reddit says "when you wake up thinking of that person & go to bed thinking of them"

Can you…go parasailing in sydney? (So me bc i missed out when i was in the Philippines 🥲) You can't anymore booo 👎

Why do… i sweat so much? Google says could he nerves that trigger it.

Is there a way… to save karlach? I really wanna play Baldur's gate 3 what's gonna happen to her?? I love her?? 🥺

How old do you have to be… to work? (boooo i don't wanna work but i want money 😩) In NSW minimum age for full time work is 17

Where do the… kardashians live? (i don't care) Malibu

What is the best time to… to go to fiji? (aaayee holiday??) June to September

And to finish us off…. What comes up when you type in Shameless? shameless last episode date

11 April 2021 I needed it for my gallacrafts 🥹

Name: Myn

Age: 27

Astrological sign: Leo ♌️

Upon which continent do you reside: Stralia 🦘

tell us how you're feeling right now using 3-5 emojis: 🥶💸🤔🤫🤗

whats your favorite flavor of gum? Juicy fruit but the flavour never lasts long

whats the last movie you watched? Anastasia for my nieces first viewing 😆 It mostly became a sing-a-long with my big sis 🎤

what was your worst subject in high school? Maybe science?

whats the job you stayed at for the shortest period of time? Working for a weekend event at a convention centre for the active wear brand Lorna Jane. I got lost on the 1st day & didn't get paid for that 15 min 😅

whats your favorite thing to do at an amusement park? Try all the interesting foods 😋

what condiments go on top of the perfect hot dog (meat or plant-based)? BBQ sauce & caramelised onions 🌰

cincinnati chili, thoughts? Never heard of it!

do you sleep with a plushie? No my plushies are on a shelf bc I can get kicked out of my room every 2nd weekend bc my sister & her family takes it over haha. But worth it to have my baby niece over 🥰

how do you feel about thunderstorms? No strong emotions. It's cool when boom

what's the last animal you touched? My dog Roxy 🐕 ❤️

grab the nearest item with words on it that ISNT a book and tell me the final word: Tulip on this korean dry shampoo I'm trying 🌷

have you ever forgotten to do an assignment until the night before its due? Oh I was organised at knowing darw but procrastinated the hell out of the assignment until the due date. Then trying to finish the night before 😅 I found an old diary entry calling myself a dumb bitch for doing that to myself & saying to never do it again (she did) 😭

Not tagging anyone bc LATE but if you wanna play consider yourself tagged! 🩷🐇

#tag game #plus a shameless gallacrafts plug 😂

[beevean]

Honestly, as someone who wasn't a huge fan of Frontiers from a gameplay or story perspective, I couldn't help but feel alienated from the fanbase for a while. People seem to praise it up the ass, and I honestly don't see what their seeing in the game. And often times when you point out criticism, you get responses like "It's a step in the right direction, we should praise it" or "You're not a real Sonic fan if you don't like this"

Are you me? :^)

After all the shit we endured with IDW and its endless, vitriolic discourse about its writing and take on Sonic and Eggman and its "deep" morality (which stopped being deep once Flynn got tired of the discourse, then it became "a book for kids")... Frontiers broke me. Again, I must stress: it's not about the game, because I haven't played it and videos don't make it justice. I can believe it's a fun experience. But the writing is honestly '06 level of bad, mostly for how boring and pretentious the story is.

Where are all these deep, emotional character moments? Where are all these compelling character arcs (that are totally not rehashes of past games)? Where is Sage's depth? Why are we praising Eggman sitting on his ass for 90% of the game and then suddenly developing fatherly feelings when past games made clear that he's only proud of his creations when they make him look good and he's more than willing to abuse them for the slightest transgressions (which Sage has made)?

Then you add the forced references (some of them straight up wrong, like the Neo Metal one), the meta jokes, the completely unnecessary lore that to this day I still don't understand, the underwhelming villain, the wasted conflict of Sonic getting corrupted, the lackluster finale, and the fact that literally nothing happens - which would be fine if this game had a tone more like Heroes or Generations, which were aware that story was their lowest priority, but no, this game wants to be DEEP, a step in the right direction after the EVIL PONTAFF! (I still find very... unprofessional? that Flynn wrote a jab at Baldy McNosehair in one of the Egg Memos. It's not even the first time he does that, he also did it in IDW. I get it man, you think your writing is so much better, "thanks for putting the chili back on my dog" :^) )

So anyway. It got to the point where the praise genuinely made me feel like there was something wrong with me. I don't like IDW, I don't like Frontiers, now I don't see anything promising in Prime - am I a bad Sonic fan? Am I being stripped of something that gave me joy since I was 8? I had to distance myself. I had to keep my few friends close and think about the parts I still enjoy.

It's not the first time I took a "break" from Sonic - the period from 2013 to 2017 was... bad. But everyone else agreed that it was! That's the thing. It's one thing to disagree that SA2 is a masterpiece, because fine, whatever, you can't always agree with the majority. But when it comes to modern material, the majority is so vitriolic and nasty, and I can't deal with it anymore. I'll make my own fandom :\

#sonic the hedgehog #also this is personal to me but i also watched nfcv during that time #another product praised up its ass when i genuinely think it's horrible under every aspect #so let's just say i lowkey felt gaslighted at the end of 2022

[alwayswasagoodthief]

Abigail Marston - Getting down to the RP basics!

The Basics:

Main Blog: Bio:

General Information:

Name: Abigail Roberts Marston

Gender/Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Age: 22

Date of Birth: (this rp takes place in 1899) May 11,1877 Zodiac: Taurus MBTI: ISFJ Enneagram: 6w1

Language: English, French

Alignment: Neutral Good

Occupation: Former sex worker, outlaw, later rancher

Religion: lightly protestant 

Affiliations: Van der Linde Gang

Physical Appearance

General Appearance: Raven hair often worn up, about mid back length, blue eyes, fair skinned with hints of pink. Face Claim :Lauren Cohan despite her hair color.

Distinguishing features: Freckles and a few sunspots

Height: 5’7 / 1.7 Body Type: Average, on the thin side

Personality

Personality: At her core, Abigail is a compassionate, steadfast woman who is willing to do absolutely anything and everything to protect those she loves. She does not have a formal education, but she is intelligent, cunning, insightful, and a diligent worker.  She used to be something of a romantic and a dreamer. Part of this aspect is still present, but her pessimism and exhaustion have taken precedence.  She is very motherly overall. She doesn’t plan on mothering people, but she finds that the people she meets need that sort of nurturing. However, she is frustrated with her lot in life. She wants nothing more but to settle down, be properly married, work a ranch, and enjoy her family. Abigail can be cold and calculating and ruthless, even to those she loves. She is also very assertive, stubborn, and emotional at times.

Likes: Chili, warm blankets, mystery novels read to her, good wine, playing the piano, chocolate, the color blue, a cozy fire, deer

Dislikes: Snakes, liars, opossums, filth, unabashed cruelty, etc. 

Habits: Bad posture such as leaning over too far, crossing her legs, scrunching her nose, humming, putting her hands on her hips, singing, tends to go into quiet coughing fits, especially in RDR 1.

Family: Mother- Adelle deceased. Father -  Henry - Deceased

Sexuality: Bisexual (Not counting past clients)

Relationship Status: Estranged

Romanceable?: Tentatively, yes.

Miscellaneous Information

Skills: Lying, manipulation, stealing, seducing, killing, gambling, foraging, light tracking, sewing, some hunting skills, infiltration, explosives, acting, decent at reading people

Living situation: Transitory (later Strawberry and Blackwater)

Special belongings: Most of her and Jack’s belongings were left behind in Blackwater. Photographs, baby clothes, Jack’s books and toys, nearly everything. She has a few clothes, but not much else 

Level of education: No formal education, but has street smarts and a sense for business due to her days as a working girl.

Weapons:  Knives, poison, gun proficiency - has  a Schofield revolver gifted to her by Uncle, a knife John made for her as a gift, a carbine repeater - used to borrow John’s - he bought her one so she’d quit taking his, cunning

Horse

Breed: Tennessee Walker

Coat: Dark Bay, nearly Black.

Name:  Arabica

#rdr 2 #abigail roberts #rdr 1 #abigail marston #red dead redemption 2 #van der linde gang #red dead redemption 1 #john marston #jack marston #arthur morgan #hosea matthews

[stingslikeabee]

meet the mun

1. what made you pick up the current muse(s) you have?

I always credit Melissa to a combo of three particular things: a) my personal interest and passion for the Japanese nightlife scene and its uniqueness; b) the movie 'Sucker Punch' (and particularly the character of Vera Gorski); and c) a post that once made the rounds when I first joined the FFVII rpc that wondered if the Turks didn't visit Wall Market for the chili fries or because the girls happened to have the best intel.

And then it was like something clicked inside - I sudden had this 'vision' and Melissa was born after some crafting as a brothel madame who had strong mama bear/caring and nurturing vibes and who had set herself in opposition to Corneo. The two alternatives in terms of earning people's loyalty (fear/love), a cold war of sorts, a lot of fun and layered dynamics to play with from a Wall Market perspective (such as trading intel, working as an informant, etc) and tying in to the game main events.

I always preferred to pick 'minor' muses or to craft characters that fill in spaces and make a world livelier - Melissa just felt right. I guess she works nicely because no one ever thought it was absurd to have Corneo as a nemesis - even with Remake revamping the HBI and making it something else, I decided to stick to my OG view and I was incredibly well-accepted! :)

2. is there anything you don't like to write?

I am very plot driven - and therefore threads that are just winging something and with no ulterior purpose just bore me and I lose muse fast. I like threads to be like book chapters, with an objective in mind - once that's done, I prefer wrapping it up and starting a new one. Smaller things I deal with in asks (although there is nothing preventing me from turning an ask into a thread when it sparks the good muse food).

So I tend to have a basic, over-arching plot line to follow and I enjoy discussing it offline with my partners so we can ask each other what we are thinking in terms of next steps, if a certain event would be interesting, etc. Believe me, this doesn't take away the surprise - I have been hit by unexpected feelings so many times, I love it.

In addition to that, I struggle with fighting/action sequences (I am just super bad at it), overly descriptive things (a room, someone's clothes, a landscape). It just feels like everything I have ever studied about English goes out of the window and my writing turns super dull, I hate it.

3. is there anything you really enjoy writing?

Emotional stuff - of any kind. I have found out that my preferred writing method is one that mixes a lot of thoughts, emotions and bits of lore together, so although a given reply may not give much in terms of objective actions, it will make room for further emotional or introspective discussions to happen. Characters working out their own feelings and perceptions in relation to certain things is a favorite of mine and my replies are frequently novella-like because Melissa thinks (and feels) so damn much.

I also do like setting the scene (as in giving context for a particular interaction) in starters or asks and expanding on lore. Worldbuilding is another favorite of mine and I often make extensive research into stuff that is only going to be briefly mentioned in a thread. Other than that, I'm also into sharing/including NPCs to make the flow of a thread feel more like a book and crafting these small cameos is super fun.

Oh - I do enjoy writing the usual shippy things (including those on the platonic side of things), particularly with Melissa who has such a strong preference for these themes when compared to other muses. However, without plotting (and since she's an OC), it all feels very soulless if I don't know how to get there in a way that makes sense or seems to be aligned with every character involved.

4. how do you come up with headcanons?

I get inspired by different types of media and a lot of real-life references. For general lore/worldbuilding, I tend to leverage from historical or current events whenever possible, all the while trying to tie these things with the existing canon; for muse-specific verses, anything can spark an idea: a quote in a movie, a song, a certain TV show.

5. do you write in silence or do you play music?

I always have music on - it tends to change depending on the specific verse or muse, but I generally have key songs to fall to while writing.

6. do you plan your replies or wing them?

I plan them as a rule (including asks and memes) - even if it's mostly in my brain and as a general line that I want to follow so I can go from A to B within a few paragraphs. It doesn't always work, though - sometimes I rework the entire idea, or get hijacked by the muse and directed to something else instead.

7. do you enjoy shipping?

Yes - I adore it, and building connections and creating ships is something I really like to do, from discussing it to dropping aesthetic posts to a customized tag. For Melissa in particular, they play a large and significant role as she is someone very much transformed and shaped by love and attachment to people, so my ships for her invariably become a part of much larger and complex verses.

This also goes for platonic dynamics - I like the concept of ships because they allow me to visualize a setting/plot much better and build around it with so many little additions that it feels alive and organic. I start creating timelines and events and it is just so satisfying to see it all coming together.

One thing I have learned with time is that, despite enjoying shipping, I like to be able to talk/connect to the other mun offline (talking about it and plotting is fun!) but also I try to be selective to the point of exclusivity. Because I am so plot-driven, I end up building so much around one variant/portrayal of a given character that I just become partial to it and blind to others - and because I don't want to project my dynamics onto duplicates, I'm multi-single-ship as a result (as in multiple ships, but just a single one per each muse - although exceptions sometimes apply).

8. what's your alias/name?

Mari, because that's how everyone calls me anywhere, anytime. I actually get confused/bothered if my full name is used because it sounds more serious and I just think it's either a stranger calling me or a boss/my mother being angry, haha.

9. age?

Old enough to remember the hype re. having a Blockbuster card around here; these where the premium video rental shops, haha (and nope, I never had one, I only wished I had).

10. birthday?

A late winter/early spring child! As a kid I thought I was born in spring and loved it, but then I realized spring is just later in September and that I was actually a winter kid by a few days, haha. But growing up, winter (winter as I know it, mind you) became my favorite season, so it was all good!

11. favorite color(s)?

Used to be black, silver and blue but these days I'm super fond of turquoise and shades of green? I seemingly cannot settle on a single one forever.

12. favorite song(s)?

I am contractually required to always reply with 'GLAY' and 'Yuuwaku' haha (this song is so damn important in my life). Here's an awesome video to introduce you to my favorite band.

13. last movie you watched?

'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' - one of my top 10 favorite movies, one of my top 5 movie openings, one of my top 3 Fincher movies.

14. last show you watched?

I just finished (re)watching 'Nana', only this time I made it to the last episode. I forgot how emotional this show made me feel and how epic the soundtrack is.

15. last song you listened to?

'Raise Your Glass' by P!nk, a courtesy of my spotify shuffling things haha.

16. favorite food?

I never know what to say here, there is just SO MUCH I love? I think pasta generally ranks very high, followed by pastel and pão de queijo. On the sweet side, I am obsessed with coconut and paçoca.

17. favorite season?

I might have spoiled it here, but it's winter - again, my winter. Brazilian winter. Tropical winter. The winter I have experienced in the Netherlands was depressing, dark and horrible where my nose bled, my skin cracked, I got shocked every time I touched anything metallic and I was just miserable; I love blue skies with sunshine and something below 20 degrees outside.

18. do you have a tumblr best friend?

I do! I mean, I could just say that I have a bunch of really awesome mutuals and I wouldn't be lying; or that I am closer to some than to others, and that would also be true. But it's no secret that @dojimakaichou is just on another level because Dawn and I talk every day to the point I feel weird if we don't; we don't just talk about roleplay, we talk about everything, we have weekly movie dates, we send each other gifts, we record videos for our families and we spent 10 days together last year with plans for more annual encounters. :) She's my bestie (and not just a 'tumblr' bestie) and honestly I only wish we lived closer but we make do!

tagged by: @bitterarcs cursed me (and I loved it!) tagging: anyone who wants to - this has gone around for some time now so I'm pretty sure I'd be tagging people again~

#dash games #been a while since I did these mun memes #hopefully this helps anyone who wishes to reach out?

[findursoulmateorfindyourself]

I see you

Sitting stoned on my couch, with the blanket we were gifted yesterday and Marian protected so dearly, he was his gift for his new flat. It’s so cozy I’m so happy like wtf how do I deserve this.

I meet so many beautiful people everyday. I just came from the museum with Emily and Ellie

they have so much in commmin and we have so much in common within each other. Ellie and I are born on the exact same day same year, emily and Ellie both come from uk both have this love and desire for the east and get it other immediately. It’s all so smooth as if we were friends forever, we go to this exhibition

it’s so good it’s so full but it’s still so easy everyone is appreciative. Everyone is beautiful the art is so amazing her book is sold out for ages I guy three postcards I knew immediately which ones I wanted. It’s all intuitively. We share so many interests

I learn so much from you Emily your so wise. You inspire me to the max.! So I sit here writing down all the beautiful things I have witnessed today I had ah amazing breakfast with Marian after an amazing weekend with him it’s like we’re glued together hahahaha when u don’t see u enough I’m going crazy like when I was waiting for u in the park with my friends haha u know what I am talking about, yes the night before was indescribable it just all came together then we met Joshua again the second night he joined us later again like the first night to then go to the spontaneous second house party with us. Joshua who is actually my bzw. Marians neighbor hahahahahah se everyone is my neighbor literally. He is very good looking and has a beautiful special spirit he loves to go the movies and we talked about Saint Omer and Wolfpack. Then we danced and smiled at each other like we’ve been friends forever. It’s insane. everyone is sweet everyone is welcoming this cooooool photographer just welcones a big group of young bobo kids and allows them to use their space to just put up some techno and get naked and get into ahh group make out so sexyyyy everyone is just sex I dance with Marian pole dance I dance with myself I dance with Mattia mattia is doing the most insane stunts

I meet another guuy from ifm Fabio is so kind, Pierre is so sweet Joshua and I dance to turn me on from Kevin lyttle, Mattia is yelling I wear TuS beautiful latex tip from Marie and everyone loves it Vittoria is straight ok kian is a seeethrart in a bike who loves nosferatu, pascaline has a million wigs. They’re all Italians and then there is Andrea and the sweet boy from

ifm who introduce himself with is IG handle iconic ?!! I sit here and think about the art I just saw when I met emotion and Ellie

this artist RINEKE dijkstra made very sensitive comments or quotations of different aspects and perspectives on art and society. She manage to capture very honest but conscious relevant moments of society. The perception of these young children who not only think about art in a very elaborated and reflected way because it is about perspective and perception two things everyone learns at a very young age is it through sound distance falling standing up touching things tasting, testing out we all know what I am talking about now.

this is literally all it takes to understand art and then contextualize it. And here jr comes what do we need to cintextualize and he’s true knowledge deffo helps. But ahhhh chicken. Egg chicken eggg chili en egg. What is knowledge.

anwhoo Emily said: ah this could be art critical so it wasn’t even me and we agreed in that point.

so basically this children analyze in a very elaborated way how the origin of this painting could be laying at. They name very emotional intelligent options for where the well-being or not existing well-being/ crying of this women can be originated. It goes from trauma, financial suffering, violence, loss, abuse, spirits, souls and health. Money power, loneliness togetherness

to just the fact that Picasso might have been liking the colors or maybe also he just wanted to do sth different. It’s plane but it’s smart and it’s honest and it’s diverse.

They remainders me of how I would imagine a Greek discussion instead of their school uniforms they would wear those toras? Is that the name those beautifully draped clothes going to finish this now and show some pics because I could keep going for ages sorryyy

[changelingsandothernonsense]

For Sydari and Teldryn: 11, 33, and 45!

Time for me to actually work on them as a couple!

11. Do either try to hide their emotions if upset? Can the other still tell?

Sydari has been trying to express how she feels verbally. She used to drown her sorrows out in a skooma-enhanced haze but a very close call made her stop doing that. She's gotten better at talking about it but it doesn't come naturally. She's afraid she'll be judged and tends to just... word-vomit the problem.

When she's upset she'll be silent, fuming, calculating Teldryn knows this because he does it too. Her shoulders tend to slump and she shrinks back into herself quite a bit. She becomes small, and it scares him a little, she's usually so bright and energetic. He's not used to her getting quiet like that, that's his job. He's, he's not good at the emotional stuff but he knows when she's quiet, she needs comfort. He can manage that. He can listen. He likes to feel needed, it's become another addiction.

Teldryn has so much turmoil locked up that it'll just spill out. He's in a near-permanent mood. He mostly relies on drinking his feelings until he passes out. He'll do it again as soon as he remembers why he started doing it in the first place. If he's mad he has some trouble controlling his pyrotechnics. Things have a tendency to catch alight.

Sydari has started to notice that the alcohol isn't just harmless fun. He's taken it too far a few too many times but he won't tell her why. She's been trying to coax it out of him. Something that happened in Morrowind a long time ago. Like a really long time ago. If she's honest, she's a bit confused because his timelines don't match up. He doesn't look like he was "around before Red Mountain". She's confused by it and she can't get any info out of Geldis or Aphia about it. Something about "when he's ready, he'll tell you", she just wants someone to give her some insight.

He's been trying to tell her in his own way, he thinks leaving some history books around might give her a hint. He doesn't know that she can't read the language in any of those tomes that he's left on her nightstand.

When she finds out it's explosive.

33. Who's the better cook?

Sydari is the one who does the cooking when they're on the road, Teldryn has almost no sense of taste and his sense of smell is iffy unless the scent is particularly pungent. If he's cooking he'll add way too much chili oil to the food, it's all he can taste. Everything just tastes like ash, ash and salt. If he's cooking no one else can eat the food. It's absolutely ruined. He doesn't think that that's everyone else's problem. No, Sydari makes the food, she'd actually like to taste something outside of burning! Ideally, the two of them would hit Geldis up for food. Geldis is the cook. Geldis actually knows how to cook, that's why he runs the inn. Plus he knows how to cook for Teldryn's preferences (You add his preference at the end, at the goddamn end with plating!).

Severin Manor has colour-coded dishes now, and so does their travel gear. It's been switched way too many times and Teldryn can't deal with dairy so... It's better if their things are separate. Separate but together.

45. Can they fall asleep without the other?

They're used to sleeping alone, they've always slept alone. It's been an adjustment since they're both quilt hogs and they spend a lot of time in the cold. Teldryn tends to hug during the night and he runs hot. It's a constant fight between being too hot and then freezing after kicking off the blankets...which then get stolen.

Sydari talks in her sleep and flails a bit. She's also a light sleeper so every noise wakes her. Teldryn snores and sleeps like a log. You can't wake him, he's dead to the world.

They have their own separate beds and their own rooms. This is mostly because they travel together prior to actually defining their relationship (it just sorta merges into a romantic thing organically, they kinda do things a bit backwards though, certain milestones happen out of order, get forgotten and then happens again... whoops).

When they actually do make things official towards the later part of the Main Quest they compromise. They're doing a lot of travelling between holds so the tent situation remains the same. They just put up one tent, one of them takes watch whilst the other sleeps. If they're staying in a tavern or in one of Sydari's homes they use two blankets. They kinda get used to their weird way of sleeping, so when Sydari leaves to go to Sovngarde and Teldryn can't follow her well he stops being able to sleep of his own volition. He stops sleeping, Sydari isn't sleeping much either but for different reasons.

They'll get their normal, one day.

#asks #oc asks #sydari aralen #teldryn sero #trying to work on late-game relationship

[chaseyesterdays]

Tag 9 people you want to get to know better

Tagged by @blorbologist!!!! (thank u blorb 🥹)

Favorite color:

I… don’t know that I have one? I tend to like combinations of multiple colors more than just individual colors, so it’s really hard to pick just one. I love pairing silver and gold together though, and I wear a lot of black. (Does that count? I don’t even know if that counts 😂)

Currently reading:

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik! I’m a fast reader and usually I would finish a book in one or two sittings, but I’ve been writing too much to read lately, so. It’s been such a good book so far though!

Last song:

An oldie but a goodie - Holocene by Bon Iver. I’ve got an emotional attachment to the song for nostalgia’s sake, but it also set the mood/tone perfectly for what I was writing at the time, so I put it on repeat while I drafted.

Last series:

Haven’t watched actual television in a WHILE (see: writing) but the last thing I watched in a series was Candela Obscura: Eye for an Eye. Brennan Lee Mulligan has my brain in a CHOKEHOLD with Sean Finnerty. 11/10, y’all please watch it so I have someone to talk to about it 👀

Last movie:

…Um. Was it the Dungeons and Dragons movie like…months ago? God it can’t have - oh, nope, it was My Cousin Vinny. Never mind, I’m not as pathetic as I thought.

Sweet, Savory, Spicy?

All of the above?? I usually tend to alternate between sweet and savory because I can’t have much of one without needing the other, but I do dearly love chili dark chocolate, so 😎

Currently working on:

@percahliaweek prompts!! I’ve got six of seven done and I’m halfway through the last one, which is more writing than I’ve done during a single year in a very long time. A little nervous to show them all to people but I’m excited for it, too. Fingers crossed this last one actually lets me finish it 😅

Tagging:

Anybody who wants to play! I’m sticking to the spirit of the game and I might not have nine people who haven’t already played that I don’t know super well, but I’ll do my best: @rightpastnowhere @crithaus @essayofthoughts @nilesdaughter @katia-dreamer @officialtrashbin @burr-ell and anyone else from the Perc’ahlia server who wants to play!

#tag game #get to know me #forcie rambles #adventures of a panic-stricken word nerd

[alephnol]

General Info

Name:  Nikolai braginsky

Nickname: Sky-Na5

Gender: male

Race: cyborg? (Russo-Ukrainian)

Age: 28

Appearance

Height: 7”

Weight: 235 pounds

Hair: imagine male octoling, now with hair, this hair is translucent with LED’s adorning it. Sides shaven with cool light accessories 

Skin: almost translucent pale

Distinguishing marks: well, none?

Eyes: pure blue, near almond, pupils white hollow diamond.

Clothing: gothic cybernetic stuff

Personality

Temperament: ISTJ

Very serious and dedicated to his craft, protective, slow burn kinda guy. Very soft inside if you break his hard shell. 

Moral/ethical beliefs: justice is more important than custom morality. What comes around goes around. Take time for trust.

Religious beliefs: probably Was catholic, now undecided.

Political stance: he only cares about which side makes more sence. Hates politics.

Hobbies: he writes music, jams out in his room, reads, and overall just chills.

Habits: he has a mild drinking problem, flinching when someone comes too close

Quirks/eccentricities: has a thing for people he can’t Stand? Believes that chilli is superior in all shapes or forms.

Likes: goulash, chili, goat, milk, Smirnoff, music, flashing lights

Dislikes: all but one of his siblings, murderers without purpose, cheese by itself

Fears: scared of ivanska, death(slightly) scorpions, gunshots (from other sources)

Strengths: very strong and agile, very stoic and good at using his emotions to intimidate if need be. Great memory.

Weaknesses: trauma can trigger a very mean side to him. (Ptsd) too many people gets him paranoid

Short term goals: wants to get over his crush on fourtbit

Long term goals: maybe get married and have a tzaritsa, and to be mentally happy? To kill lunny and ivanska

Hopes and desires: he wishes that he can float in an endless dark void. He wishes he could express himself better

Occupation: assassin/hitman and music writer

Skills: logical thinking, high memory, deadface, encrypting, instrumental music writer, mild coder

Secrets:

He was nearly murdered by lunny, which is where his paranoia comes from, he is the only “straight” (secretly pan) in his family, and is a big ally, Hates his government, has two pairs of arms, his eyes are actually LED’s, not socket eyes.

Gear

Always has:

Gun, sickle, some kind of drink (usually water)

Sometimes has:

16 journals, shotgun, books, his previous models

Explicit

Many vibrators, like, an entire box full

Events and History

Recent notable events

He gains a crush on fourtbit, the semi popular singer who likes seeing people happy

Bad events in the past

One of his brothers, who is disguised as in the costume “lunny”, shoots him in the jaw, somehow missing his brain entirely, then using a knife to saw off his arms minus the bone

He nearly died from bloodloss if it weren’t for  Maksim, the youngest brother, to turn him into a cyborg with the help of one of his friends.

Only Maksim and lunny know, ivanska has no idea that lunny tried to kill Nikolai, and was only told he beat Nikolai up.

Good events in the past

He was reconstructed as a cyborg and kept getting new models for him. He was “adopted” by fourtbit’s crew to try to help him fit in. Good thing he likes his crew and treats them like family.

History and background details

Warning, most of the story includes mildly homophobic characters, which makes sence for the time period, and place.

Nikolai has three other brothers, ivanska, Maksim, and [REDACTED]. you see, Maksim is gay, along with ivanska. However, ivanska diddnt like the fact that Maksim was gay because of internalized homophobia. He asked [REDACTED] that he was disturbed by it and to talk to him. However, Nikolai butted in saying it was fine. Ivanska then understood. [REDACTED] however, was homophobic, and beat up Nikolai for standing up for Maksim. Eventually, one of these fights ended up being his last, as [REDACTED] shoots him and renders him immobile. Maksim ends up finding out and is devastated. Not letting his brother die, he built him into a cyborg.

Years later, [REDACTED] is assasinated by ivanska via a spring lock bunny suit resembling a white bunny.

#oc art dump #oc rambling #cyborg oc #Russian cyborg

[bisexual-horror-fan]

Bex's Blossom By Kate Winborne Annotations.

Hello, hello, hello! SO! This has been a project that I have been working on since August of 2022. I have been re-reading and annotating Blossom by Kate Winborne or @xmichaelmyers here on tumblr. I love Blossom, it is a fantastic book and when the hardcover update came out I just had to get it! So I did and when I did I thought why not write my thoughts out as I go? I have never annotated a book before. Kate didn’t ask this of me, I am not being paid, this is purely out of the sheer love I have for Kate, her work and these characters. So! Settle in and watch me scream in a spoiler heavy annotation of Blossom. Seriously I talk about spoilery things, if you haven’t read it and want to than please read the book first. 

I am going to annotate the next book After The Lamb Bites Back in smaller chunks as I go when I start reading it soon and will post them here on my blog so you can experience my going insane as it is happening! I will give notice and give this a tag if you wanna blacklist for spoilers! Now, under the cut, let’s get into it! Warnings for me being horny on main and discussions of heavy topics and violence and gore. (P.S. Food is a big thing in this book so I outline what I ate before and during and after my reading sessions to be extra.)

—

Starting at 7:41 PM on August 5th. Blossom Re-read of the hardcover edition. Dinner: Chili lime fish tacos with pickled red onions, salsa and chipotle mayo, drinking whisky and ginger ale over ice, snacking on while reading, salted caramel caramilk bar. 

What Kate wrote inside the cover is still so sweet. As is the foreword, so much love and so much excitement. 

Prolog:

The opening of the women watching their daughters in the park, still hits. That is the first thing from the book I ever read when Kate started posting and it still stands out so well. I want white wine and cheese now. 

It is wild how Kate can drop a fucking line about a throw away character, one we just meet, overdosing three hours later, someone we know nothing of and should not give a fuck about and are made to feel and care. Amazing, haunting, I feel bad for his son. 

THE WHORE IS HERE.

THE TREES KNOW MORE THAN THEY DARE SAY INDEED!

–

Chapter One

–

I love the description of us truly seeing him, it is so evocative. Also. I am weak. Professor Williamson, has such a good ring to it. 

Henry in the showerrrr. All of that is good but the man just going for it and getting off. Amazing image, ten outta ten. 

The man eating one packet of oatmeal and not even finishing it and whiskey for dinner while watching a nature show. This man. He needs someone to cook for him. I am that someone. 

The first sex scene of the book, Henry taking home a woman from Happy’s is short but vivid. A great insight into him. Henry is not satisfied by this encounter, to me, when reading it, the impression that she is seemingly so into it, so close and intimate, doesn’t make him feel comforted or seen, but rather the opposite. It makes him feel more hollow, more aware of the hunger inside of himself. This is one of the parts I kept thinking about knowing this re-read was coming. Henry is entirely unknowable, this woman and her illusion of closeness only serves to remind him of that. No one can know him, there are things about him that no one could ever understand and so he has to hide them, forget about the fact that he does NOT have the ability to allow someone so close to him or tolerate such vulnerability and honesty and emotional intimacy. What a lonely fucking guy. 

The detail of a single hair left behind that he curls around his finger until it breaks really stands out.

He’s got a new casssse!

—

Chapter Two.

—

The casual and consistent use and description of colours is one of my longest standing faves in this book. So effective! 

Henry shoving the bible into the nightstand out of sight? Fucking same dude. My guy!

The man packing the alcohol in his bag so fucking neatly to make sure it is safe. To then get drunk and pass the fuck out. He is not okay.

Ahhhhh this discription of The Town is so fucking good!

“-residing alongside the trauma that coated her tongue like honey, sweet as ripe tangerines, but bitter against the back of her throat like coffee grounds.”  I still think of this line often. It will pop into my head unbidden frequently.

—

Chapter Three.

—

Henry looking down at his medication with disdain before swallowing them down with cold coffee making me like, hey king you need to talk? Need your dick sucked? You know my number get at me.

I would eat at this hotel's breakfast. I really would. 

Blossom is officially here! Vanilla almond milk latte, as someone who has worked in coffee shops since seventeen on and off, reads as a very her drink. 

I have always really loved the description of Bethany. The detail of her avocado socks always stuck out. Considering the use of colour Kate applies throughout the whole book I know I should think of them being just the colour avocado, but part of me likes to think of them as printed with little cartoon avocados and that is cute as fuck and I love it. 

Blossom sees Henry for the very first time! God, the excitement I feel from this is far too much! 

“She wanted to crack him open like an egg, spool through his brains, his guts, burrow herself deep inside his roughness. As if there was a safety to it all. A home in all that damage.” The first line that really hooked me my first read and it still hits. It is a line just so full of, God, promise of so much shit to come.

Henry met Sophie and this time around, I feel differently about it just her saying that nothing bad has ever happened in this town is just, infuriating? On a deep level. Nothing bad has ever happened here? Really Soph? Not even in your own home? You fuck.

I am begging, begging the people in The Town to acknowledge the horrors in front of them as if I am Charlie Day in It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia ranting about Pepe Silvia.  

Sophie seeing Blossom staring and being like “Please, for once, PLEASE-” and Blossom being like “Ahahaha, no! <3.” Adore it.

—

Chapter Four.

—

Norman has arrived. He wants a steak before seven thirty. This man is an animal and not in the good way. Henry’s reaction is appropriate for once, I too, am disgusted.

Stop judging Sophie! The man BARELY eats, he needs all the nutrition he can get! Let him have his fucking raspberry pie and ice cream!

Discussion of the first two murders. Henry is much too excited by the prospect of a serial killer, which bitch, same?!

Henry going into the detail of the first real gruesome crime scene he was sent to like damn, DAMN! FUCK KATE!

Henry talking shop! About the pattern, how confident, talking about the killer being addicted, the parallels. Mannnn. 

PROLONGED EYE CONTACT!

Finished reading for tonight at 10:11 PM. 60 pages covered this first session. 

—

Wednesday August 10th. Second session. Starting at 9:20 Pm. Off tomorrow. Dinner: Peanut and sesame noodles with chilli oil and green onion. More whiskey with ginger ale over ice. Snacking on hot cheetos and a crispy caramel kit-kat while reading. 

—

Chapter Five.

—

Oh the HOSPITAL! YES!

Tv is on a cooking channel because of course it is. 

Henry just cutting the small talk short asdfghjkajshglakhdg, “Take me to the bodies FRANK-” And Frank being like “If you got the stomach for it.” Like Frank. Honey. You know nothing of this man. 

Henry being totally unfazed by the smell of the dead. This man is not okay. (This will be said many times throughout this.) 

Why, why, why do I love this passage so much? Talking about how Henry looks over the body? The image is so crystal clear. It is almost like I am in the room. Like I can smell the bleach as I look over his shoulder, watching as he inspects the cadaver below him, watching how the bright harsh lighting catches on the cold thick blood clotting between his gloved fingers? I can see Henry at this moment. Like I could just reach out and touch him. How can something like this be written in a way that is so telling, so intimate yet so detached? It is captivating as hell. Just like Henry himself.  This was another moment during my first read though that made me want to know more about him.

“Coffee, yeah. Thanks.” That is such a human moment that just reeks of reality. A phrase I have heard uttered a million times in my line of work and I can hear how it was said perfectly. The little details really make this. 

Shit coffee indeed, let me make this man a good cup of coffee PLEASE-

He needs a fresh body!!!

—-

Chapter Six.

—-

Man is so particular about his coffee honestly I love what it adds to his character. It says SO much by saying so little. 

Oh my God and Mr.Clemmington was a cook.

Henry hating small talk makes so much sense. What an asshole. Love him.

Name drop! Blossom James ooooohhh.

“Anyway, I hope no girl in this town is capable of such a thing…” Oh giiiirlll. You don’t know shit about shit. 

Henry taking his pills with leftover coffee with cigarette ash in it like SIR can you PLEASE take care of yourself even just a little?!

Henry, you need more than dry cereal for dinner. 

—

Chapter Seven.

—

Henry’s breakfast, coffee, cigarettes and fucking twizzlers apparently. 

Watching him at work is captivating. Henry rattling off what should be done and in what order is justttt a sickening delight. What a freak.

Ethan is missing. And Henry is a little too defensive. “I didn’t say anything.” Mmmhmmm. You didn’t have to. 

—

Chapter Eight.

—

Henry deadass like “We are looking for a body-” and Norman just, “Oh you’d like that sooooo much wouldn’t you?!” Uh. Yeah. Duh dude, he’s the worst. 

Ethan and Blossom went out, eh? Oooh boy. 

This chapter is short but so fucking gooood. I love how they haven’t even formally met and he is getting frustrated by her! The build up and teasing before we really get to know her is just so fucking delicous.

—

Chapter Nine.

—

The description of the hotel’s restaurant is another stand out. I can imagine myself sitting there, smelling the vanilia of the candles and partaking in the food, almost as if I can taste the vegetable medley myself. 

I love Blossom's dress, periwinkle is an underrated colour and the meaning of her wearing it here, tonight, during their first official meeting is not lost on me and the impact is strong.

They are sitting, they are talkING-

Blossom clearly has thoughts about Ethan. I can hear the bite of the way she says ‘Golden boy’ and it is telling. 

“Henry.” Whore. Him. Not her. He is the whore. Like call me Henry, the fuck IS that?! Asking her to use your first name? Mmm? Already so informal? Like a slut? Have you no shame?

“Picky with your food.” “If you’d call it that.” The TENSION! I’ve already read this before but I am still so like !!!!

“-he just didn’t fuck me anymore.” girl fucking say it. 

“Do you like me Henry?” I mean fuck how could he not?

Oh mannnn another masturbation scene hell yeah baby! Unlike the first one this one lingers for longer and it is good. The idea that he doesn’t even necessarily enjoy the act of this, it is a means to an end, an annoyance, it’s a mix of anger, of disgust, of maintenance, of hatred, it’s this balance that is just so fucking right. The idea of hating the act of this is just, so interesting to me. Not just from a narrative perspective, not just for the way it lets us into Henry’s mind, but because it is so utterly different and conflicting from my own personal feelings about the act. Not even the act as he is doing it but my own relationship with it on a deep and personal level, the differences between he and I, they don’t divide me from his character, if anything, they intrigue me further, beckoning me to know him. 

“The taste of her name as sweet as the frost-glazing of a strawberry filled cake, flowering in his chest until it choked him.” Pure poetry. Gorgeous. Perfect. Another stand out line. Makes me think of so much, the images of digging my fingers into a pretty little decorated cake, of ripping and tearing and splitting it open simply to destroy something beautiful, to mirror what Blossom is already doing to Henry in such a short time, to then just lick the mashed and sugary strawberry mixture of the filling from my fingers, just because, flit through my mind while reading this line. What is this book capable of? The things it can conjure up cannot be understated. 

Hot, hot, hot. Love he was still half dressed and just spills himself onto the sheets. 

—

Finished second session at 10:53 PM. 45 pages covered in the second session. Word count over 2K now. 

—

Such a large break happened because of me leaving my previous job, moving into a new town and starting a new job, better late than never, I am back on it!

Starting this session at 11:02 AM on January 17th, a Tuesday, I have the day off today. Breakfast was cereal, I am having ice water and no snack because I will break for lunch soon. 

—

Chapter Ten.

— 

 I adore the description of Blossom’s house, it is so clear that just like all things Kate writes, a ton of thought was put into every detail. 

More food, this reminds me I should make meatloaf again soon,

“Seeing the Agent made her hungry.” I fucking LOVE. 

“Breathing out with the softness of a flowering bruise, tender and hesitant.” Kate I simultaneously want to kiss and punch you for always doing this! You throw out just the best fucking lines so damn casually. As if we are roommates, I finished a long day at work, sitting at the kitchen table and you just stride into the room, drop one of the most profound things I have ever heard and then just waltz off back to your own space as if it were nothing and I am not left changed and struggling to contend with what you just forced upon me. That is what lines like this feel like and do to me. Does that make sense?

And here it is, another real heart stopping and revealing moment of what makes Blossom her. You just know from the jump that there is something more to her, and this passage makes it abundantly clear and makes you feel for her. While I personally have experienced my fair share of this sort of thing in my own life it is of course, like a lot of stories, different from what she has but my heart goes out to her. Why can’t Blossom use, abuse, and take from these men as they have taken from her? Why not?

This chapter isn’t long but it doesn’t need to be, it is honestly very necessary and I love the look into Blossom alone and at home. 

—

Chapter Eleven.

—

Man fell asleep still dressed and cum covered. What a fucking whore, what an inspiration, what a guy. How down bad am I, do you ask? So bad that I read this and my first thought was, “I could fix that. Fuck the shower, I have a mouth-” With all the coffee he drinks, his alcohol problem and the smoking his cum must taste terrible. Still wouldn’t stop me.

I love this so much. Having Blossom showering in the last chapter towards the end and Henry at the next towards the start and difference in how they do even down to the temperature they prefer, amazing. 

Back at the diner, another meeting, more tension and of course, more food. It is impossible to read this and not get hungry and also slightly nauseated at points, it is beautiful. 

“-reached for more, satisfying herself in front of him.” I fucking canNOT. 

I love any scene with them talking back and forth.

This is so fucking good, she is getting to him so easily and just how unapologetically she is eating. Also, “But you’re not sorry. Why would you be?” Might be one of my fave quotes so far, it stuck out my last reading as well. 

Interrupting Henry when he immediately assumes the killer is a man and her fighting him on it. 

“Don’t underestimate the rage of a woman, Special Agent.” YEAH HENRY! And maybe it WAS a threat. What are you gonna do about it? 

Invite Blossom to the search part apparently.

—

Chapter Twelve. 

—

I feel it is important to mention at this juncture that I cannot read in silence so I have on a thunderstorm in the woods audio going and it feels just totally perfect for reading this

Henry runs through the details of the practised lie of what happened between him and his wife with a shocking amount of detachment, but not that shocking for him.

Mr.Whitmore you should learn to like, I dunno, lie better. 

The cropped tea and pink bell bottoms is unironically one of my favourite Blossom looks described in this book. 

This conversation, the back and forth and talking about favourite colours, their characters really shine here, another stand out moment. After having read this once before Henry saying “Blue” and knowing what will come later, I had to put the book down for a moment, and not just to type up this annotation. 

“How old are you, Blossom?” “Eighteen.” Old enough to legally...Vote. But on the real again the tension in this scene, sharing the cigarette, the closeness, just THIS. 

A body has been discovered! 

Blossom admitting she doesn’t feel anything upon seeing the disgusting corpse is just so fucking good. 

Chapter twelve was fucking great, I forgot how much happened in this one chapter, a total fave. 

—

Chapter Thirteen.

—

Blossom and Henry are just lying to police now, alright, alright. 

Short but to the point, I enjoy the small details in this one. Describing the grotesque nature of the body especially was very effective. 

Also the forgetting a clipboard and letting Blossom write on his back, cute, realistic, adore it.

Course you can’t pass up a fresh corpse Henry you fucking freak. 

—

Chapter Fourteen.

—

The entertainment centre! I remember simply adoring this next chapter, I am excited!

Grilling Mr.Whitmore on why he works here occasionally. Henry you are so, so transparent and projecting really hard here. Being so critical with him being so close to the teenagers when what are you doing with Blossom? You woke up splattered in your own cum after passing out post-nut, post-jack sesh thinking about a certain eighteen year old blonde, remember? 

More Henry and Blossom talking <3

“Oh, come on. You can’t deny that…You don’t look at all these…Preppy, skimpy seventeen and eighteen year old girls and don’t think about when you were that age with the impulse control of a twelve year old.” HENRY! 

“No. I don’t. Because I’m not seventeen, or eighteen anymore, Henry. And neither are you.” “Doesn’t mean I still can’t look.” He is so fucking gross. And yet…

I do feel for ol Norm here but at the same time he really does need to let Henry do his damn  job. 

“We’ll see if the Coopers are ready to talk and resume the work on Monday. I’m sure the killer will understand.” What a note to go out on Henry damn.

A knock on the door? This late? Who could it be? I ask having fully read this book before.

I was right by the way, this chapter was so good and so engrossing.

—

 Chapter Fifteen. 

—

Of course it’s Blossom who is here. Obviously. Who else?

Naturally she comes in. 

Absent mom and a dead mom. Gotta love two people with mommy issues getting together. 

I find myself unable to pull away during their conversations, they are just still so engaging to read. That being said, “Why don’t you like white wine?” “I’ve always preferred something stronger. Something that bites.” Oh I bet you do.

She’s making the move, SHE’S MAKING THE MOVE-

The description of Henry here, hands up, not looking at her, trying very, very hard to maintain his composure and will and not touch her. Oof. 

They are kissing! This is where it all starts to really go tits up and I am so here for it.

“We shouldn’t be doing this-” Oh but you’re gonna Henry, you are, we all know it just do it!

He really is trying here, and he does make a good point, they shouldn’t get involved with each other like this but that is part of what makes it so good!!!

She isn’t wearing any panties. 

Man is done for. 

And he gives in! Get it Henry! I wish that were me. Who in this scenario? Like a true bisexual. Both. 

Just going for it and with no protection! Henry, you animal. 

His garden. This whole section is phenomenal. People could learn a thing or two about writing sex scenes from reading how Kate does it!

Kate’s work is just mind blowing. It is incredible how she writes the differences between Henry and Blossom post their first time together. For him feeling like he can breathe for the first time in years and her imagining becoming one with the forest, consumed with rot and dying like the way they view sex and each other is so intensely fascinating. It just so interesting too because I have felt like Blossom has, chest feeling scooped out and hollow and empty but never relating to sex, reading this book with just how different my perspective on physicality with another human from there's never bores me.

“RISE AND SHINE, ASSHOLE, NEW DAY! AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU’VE DONE NOW!”  That is just this book and Henry’s life all over, huh? A good alternate tagline. 

Ahhhhh a dream sequence and such a fucking good one! The imagery in this is immaculate, the one that stands out to me the most is the mention of Blossom’s hair in a high ponytail tied with a pink ribbon, so fucking good and so clever. Blossom becoming a literal monster and tearing him apart, what do you think it means Henry? C’mon, THINK!

Another fantastic chapter, of course.

—

Chapter Sixteen. 

—

He is making her breakfast. Also blueberry pancakes are in fact the best, I will not take criticism at this time. 

“Colour me impressed.” My gesturing to a board covered with papers and tacked with pins, red strings connecting seemingly random things and moments, “It all comes back to COLOUR! IT’S ALWAYS ABOUT THE COLOUR! DO YOU SEE-”

“Yet, there was still nothing ever as tooth-rotting as Blossom James.” I am punching the air!

—

Chapter Seventeen.

—

Her being so excited to see him oh my GOD. “I missed you.” “You always miss me.” Things that happen between me and my husband all the time, no word of a lie.

Planning secret meetings ooooooh.

“I want you to do exactly what you wanted to do the day we found Ethan.” Blossom. Have I told you lately how much I love you?

Also I love the little jump here. The few weeks and the mention of just how many times and places they have fucked thus far, they have clearly been very busy. 

Fucking right next to the scene of the crime, extremely risky but also, extremely hot.

This is all fucking amazing. The depth, the feeling, Blossom’s and Henry’s worry and doubt and hungry fervour for one another being so all consuming constantly. The question of how does this end is a good one to leave the chapter with.

How will it all end?

—

Chapter Eighteen.

—

Kate describes kisses in a million ways and I am here for all of them. Preppy and sickening or otherwise. 

This man smokes. So fucking much my God. Third read I should do a cigarette counter. 

Henry drinking and getting sloppy and good ol Norm comes to the rescue. 

Bro. Dude. Asking for Blossom in your drunken stupor is not going to help anyone or anything my GOD DUDE!

He is such a fucking messss.

—

Chapter Nineteen.

—

Yeah you forgot your shit at the bar you fucking walking embarrassment of a man Henry.

I’m part of the Abby fanclub. 

I really like Sophie and Norm interacting. It totally reads that they have known each other a very long time and I love the easy and playful air between them both very much. A joy to read. 

The suspensions are not misplaced Sophie, not at all.

Blossom comes by to bring a lot more than just coffee in this scene that is for damn sure. Norm is really trying to give Henry the benefit of the doubt and struggling. I think he is almost trying too hard to convince himself but as he told Sophie before, what else can he do?

Another great chapter with more tension. I am stopping for now to break for lunch. I am thinking of an egg salad sandwich. It is 1:34 PM. I covered 110 pages this round, over halfway through the book. This has been the longest session so far and the doc is now over 4,000 words. 

—

It is January 29th, a Sunday, it is 12:31 PM, I have the day off and the laundry going as I sit down for this session. I had a sleep in and a late breakfast of an open faced sandwich consisting of egg and honey ham with chive cream cheese and hashbrowns. Water and no snack again. 

—

Chapter Twenty.

—

Blossom is having a party and again, I love the outfit described here, it is one of the first ones I think of, totally iconic and so her. 

Blossom in the bathroom with some fucking guy and this guy, Kyle, God, I hate him. Hated him the first read, hate him this one too, what a complete shit stain. 

I hate and love how real this is. It is just so fucking sickening because it is so common and happens all the damn time and has happened to her how many times? I wish Blossom would, I wish she would rip his teeth out, or scream or something but I know all too well what can happen in these scenarios and why she doesn’t. God, Kate, stop being such a good writer all the time damn it!

This is the kind of part that makes me want to reach in the pages and kill Kyle myself. Reminding myself he is a fictional character means nothing because Henry and Blossom are fictional too, you know? But the feelings they make me feel are real, what I get from reading this book is real and while they aren’t real living breathing people, Kate writes them so well they feel like they are. Even if they are fictional and I am real and I cannot touch them in a tangible way, this asshole, Kyle is fictional just as they are and therefore can and chooses to do harm and the threat of Blossoms hurt by him feels so sharp I could cut myself on it. 

“Did you cum?” Kill yourself Kyle you pathetic rapist fuckwad. 

Mr.Whitmore why are you at a high schooler’s party exactly???

“Rather, there was a tenderness to his bruising touch.” Kate. Girl. I am eating this line. Crushing it up and snorting it, need it in my bloodstream. 

The drama of it all, neither of them can communicate properly at all like just please can you for once be normal. I say as if I don’t love them at their absolute worst. 

—

Godddd what a fucking chapter, so good, so much happened but not enough to feel like overwhelmed by it, you know? Stellar as to be expected.

—

Before. Technically Chapter Twenty-One.

—

The wife is here. Cindy, poor, poor Cindy. Love the pjs tho.

Siiiigh, you too Henry? I say as I read him about to force himself on his wife as if I have not read this before.

This scene is so hard to talk about but I want to talk about it, you know? Like it is very intense how unintentional it seems to be, he didn’t come home planning to kill his wife, it isn’t a big premeditated thing, also I love how real this is. How he is so comfortable, so sure everything will be fine and cares so much about what he wants or feels he needs that he has no regard for her and pays the heaviest fine for it, her death, being the one that killed her. But also, even though we see him leaning on booze and pills and the rest, the man is still alive, he still goes on living, walking free after he did that.

RIP Cindy, we hardly knew you and you definitely deserved better.

—

Short chapter but it is deff supposed to be, gets across just what it needs to and it hit hard and is insanely effective.

—

Chapter Twenty-Two.

—

Blossom got into the car and now after a short but tense drive they are having a conversation and this conversation my Lord! Henry is totally upset that Blossom is right by the way, she knows he likes how she looks next to him and how she makes him feel but he’s all “oh I’m so much older, my job, my station, my morals-” WHAT MORALS HENRY?

Also Henry has a point, Blossom James does have main character syndrome and is just constantly inserting herself into the narrative but she is fucking interesting as hell and I wanna see her all the time so damn Henry let her live!

“You know nothing about me.” Mmmm don’t be so sure Henry.

Blossom is again correct, you wanted to fuck her from the moment you saw her, don’t deny it you mess of a man!

Him hitting her !, her nose bleeding and her smiling up at him with fucking red teeth, !!, the description I never get tired of reading ever of her being a predator of equal conviction !!!!!!!!!

Like I could go on and on about this section just it is so fucking good! Henry’s complex and swirling emotional state consuming him so thoroughly and being unable to control himself around her! The conflicting wants and feelings and him being just thoroughly unequipped to deal with it all! They are a car crash I cannot look away from, nor would I ever want to. I stare and let the images of them tangled up in a gory flaming pile burn into my retinas until the fumes of spilled gasoline make me literally pass the fuck out. 

Me dancing in my chair as I read how Henry wants to kill and main Blossom, just a nice Sunday afternoon.

Henry saying he doesn’t want to fight her. Like I don’t believe you again Henry,

They are fucking in the carrr! Which like yes, hot, get it, but also, Blossom are you good?

Henry chasisting her over smoking, like, dude. For real?

Blossom calling him Daddy, him calling her disgusting and shotgunning smoke into her mouth, her being so fucking coy and pleased with herself, “And you love it.” Like yeah he does and so do I! Do it again!

Blossom asking him to the fucking dance! THE DANCE IS COMING! AH!

Henry of course you can’t go to the dance you old fuck but also her teasing him about going with a boy her own age and him getting so angry over it has me so amped, like the playfulness on display here it is just all a game to her!

—

I want to make this chapter breakfast in bed and then smash the coffee mug over its head before giving it a big ol kiss.

—

Chapter Twenty-Three.

—

Chinese food late at night in a hotel room sounds so fucking good right now it is unreal.

Okay but now I need a disgustingly detailed section of how exactly Henry eats pussy or do I gotta do that myself? I can do it myself! I just need to know, we know I can deliver it too. I just gotta think on it.

Blossom asking to get choked by him like girl you don’t know what you are asking of him! He CAN hurt you! He wants to! You are meddling in forces you do not understand!

Every little piece and look into Blossoms past is so fucking sad. She has been through so much I hate it. 

Must every guy in Blossom’s life suck so fucking hard?

Also the milk and honey thing coming around and around again is so fucking perfect and apt and slots into this story fucking amazingly well.

Blossom making him breakfast! I would eat what she made, it sounds fucking good honestly.

Another amazingly described kiss that is so fucking perfect I ache.

—

Another banger of a chapter my God I feel so full and spoiled during this re-read.

—

Chapter Twenty Four.

—

Why are all the suspects older dudes? Hum. I wonder.

Also Henry dressed like a total slut today, we love to see it!

Someone who hangs around the younger guys and girls. Man, I wonder who he is thinking of!!!

I could listen to Henry go off about this kind of thing forever, Freud or otherwise.

Stacy do be Stacy though that is for damn sure Norman.

Norman inviting Henry for dinner and asking him for a smile that turns out to be so unsettling that he is just straight up like nevermind please don’t ever do that again oh my God. Perfection. Hilarious. Whenever and I do mean WHEN, not IF, the movie or tv series or whatever adapt of this happens, that detail needs to be left in.

Blossom out alone with a bunch of boys in the woods and drinking, a horrible idea really.

I can hear the “I wasn’t gonna let them do anything, I was just playyingg-” in my head and it is great. Also sure, Blossom.

This girl will not stop running her mouth to save her life. You are gonna get you and Henry in so much trouble!

I don’t blame Sopher for hating Henry, man is always acting suspicious.

And so it comes out again! Henry I think you do have it out for Whitmore and I think it is because you see an uncomfortable amount of yourself in him at times and refuse to acknowledge it. But also yeah Whitmore is really weird, keep an eye on that guy.

Ooooof. Norman laying it down, like he knows what is up! He isn’t dumb Henry! “I hope to fuck I don’t.” Hits so fucking hard.

Man I do not like Sophie but that is totally a ME and my issues thing because she is right about a lot of this.

—

Another fucking awesome chapter, the scene with her in the woods and Henry coming by is another stand out in my mind I find myself thinking of often. 

—

Chapter Twenty-Five.

—

Henry finding the old pictures of Blossom on the fridge and wondering what made her so “hard” like man if you only knew.

God, the imagery you describe Kate everytime it gets to me. Reach into her brains and feel around, discover what is really wrong Henry do it!

The girl was just fucking waiting for him! Also the lingerie sounds cute as fuck.

C’mon Henry we both know you are gonna fuck her, just do it my guy. 

The give and take between them both, the constant fight and unease and just inability to just exist without conflict. Man do I love it. 

Blossom calling him daddy has me feeling some kind of way.

The choose to kiss me thing has my in knots just it is fucking fantastic Kate just truly something else.

The softness and the not wanting to be so vulnerable but being unable to help it.

—

Finished this session at 2:31 PM. Stopping at page 288. I covered 73 pages this time around. The doc is over 5.5K words. Less than 100 pages left to cover. The next annotation session might be my last. Excited to finish strong!

—

It is January 31st, a Tuesday, once again it is my day off. I have less than 100 pages left to cover in Blossom and I am going to attempt to complete the book and the annotations this session. For breakfast I had a fried egg sunny side up on a single slice of buttered toast, topped with green onion and everything bagel seasoning. No snack as I am planning on lunch today, perhaps mac and cheese? I am drinking a country peach herbal tea out of my mug Kate sent, “The Trees Know More Than They Dare Say” stares back at me as I put on more thunderstorms in the forest sounds at 10:56 AM and this new reading session begins.

—

Chapter Twenty-Six.

—

I don’t think I have mentioned it until now but Henry smoking Marlboro’s just makes like way, way too much sense. I can see him holding the classic iconic white and red and gold pack in his hand very clearly.

Henry staring into the forest and wanting to lie down and rot and let it all overtake him in many a similar way that Blossom has is so interesting. Also it makes me wonder like are they just this similar? Or is something up with this forest in particular? But then I remember all the time I have spent in forests and that they are just Like That.

Henry plays nice at the dinner with Norm’s family and I love the honesty of him telling Norm when asked, that he doesn’t give a shit what he thinks but what Stacy thinks actually matters. Good shit, consistent with his character and just an awesome detail. 

Norm filling in Henry on the ‘rumours’ and him brushing it off as just that. Henry is understandably very upset as am I!

Another shower, him gripping the sink and staring at himself in the mirror, again, reminiscent and similar of Blossom earlier. 

Talking about her perfume being on his coats and his pillows, and then this, “She was everywhere. Infecting him.” She so is! I love how slowly it happens but how clear it is here, how much she is burrowed inside him and has affected him so heavily, she has set up camp inside him and he isn’t even fully aware of how much she has. I am obsessed. 

“He felt as if she was the biggest mystery of all.” Fucking cut, print, beautiful note to finish on. Another moment I can see put to screen.

—

A fantastic chapter, seriously so many good smaller details, thoroughly enjoyable yet again,

—

Chapter Twenty-Seven.

—

This chapter is only about two pages but what a two pages. 

Two pages of Blossom breaking down after expecting Henry to reach out and him not, her sobbing, clawing at herself and drinking. The descriptions here at the end, of so desperate for relief you hurt yourself immensely in the process, willing to tear till you see bone just hoping for a moment’s peace, goregous. 

—

Ethan, or, Chapter Twenty-Eight.

—

Another very short chapter, describing Blossom in the cemetery and Ethan following her there. The conversation is brief, him saying she shouldn’t be out like this, him affirming that it’s not girls like her that are dying, it’s boys like him and him assuring her that he can “bench 200” so the guy will have his work cut out for him. Okay, nice attempt to flex Ethan /s. But this last line is the stand out to me, “-and Blossom let her head fall back, snaking her arm around his shoulders and closing her eyes, engulfing him.”  Phew. Truly a banger.

—

Chapter Twenty-Nine.

—

Oh my God this is it, this is the chapter, the long, extended dream sequence. I dunno if I am ready again! This part is so intense but so good. Okay, okay, be cool, here we go.

We kick off with a wonderfully descriptive scene of Henry eating, frantic, hungry, desperately trying to satisfy himself, right? Eating meat, drinking red wine, eating pomegranate, and it’s all fine until we pull away to see that he is actually eating Blossom. And not in the way we have seen before, we are talking full out, full on, raw, animalistic, cannibal style consumption. 

It isn’t enough and it will never be enough as he feeds and eats until there is literally nothing left of her, going so far as to consume bone, marrow and cartilage. 

He reaches back in and instead of finding warmth and hopefully more food instead he finds a nest of baby spiders and I get a chill every time I read this part ugh!

This image is the best. Henry trying to fight to get the spiders off, almost tripping and then Blossom, still dead, reaching out, catching his wrist and holding him there, mouth opening and dark legs of a much larger spider reaching out from the darkness just- my GOD. Horror, pure, horror, goodness.

Tea update, I have gotten so distracted reading and annotating it has now gone cold.

The dream shifts suddenly to Henry being in front of and then going into Blossom’s house in search of her, the hope that he will find her safe is one that I cannot share with him because Henry, awake or asleep she is never safe with you.

The description of the room in total disarray is fantastic and also again something that one can picture so easily. 

Blossom is dead and Henry is holding her and sobbing and I am FEELING!

Him crying and apologising is everything. 

But, it was all a joke because all of this is a big fucking joke to Blossom, even pretending she is dead all for him to discover. 

“Does it make you feel good? Tearing those around you apart? Destroying those that care about you?” Go off Henry. But also yeah Blossom, does it?

“I’m sorry.” “No you’re not.” - “You never are.”  Fucking snaps Kate. 

This moment still fucks me up, Henry realizing that he is dead on the floor, has been watching himself this whole time. 

“Are you going to hurt me like you hurt her?” She asked. “Do you want to hurt me Henry? Do you want to kill me too?”  This whole scene, this whole sequence is indescribably good. I wouldn’t want them to cut a single moment or movement from this pure gold. 

Words are failing me.

He’s awake!

The bitch is back and she is drunk.

I have read a few reviews that claim the work of Kate and this book in particular to be ripping off Gone Girl, calling it plagiarism, especially for this next part. Blossom, drunk and a mess giving a speech, a rant, going the fuck off about the awful treatment of men and expectations thrust upon her and all women and that just pisses me off. The reviews, not her speech, her speech is great. I hate that reviewers see a woman giving a speech about mistreatment, and the entitlement of men and look at Kate and her work and compare her to Gillian Flynn negatively.  Because don’t you know there can be only one book like this? Only one story delving into the rage inherent to the feminine? Only one book can have this kind of character, this kind of story, everything else is clearly a copy, a cheap imitation, instead of insulting and making unfair and frankly incorrect claims, looking at the broader picture. These reviewers look at this and compare instead of seeing that both these stories and many more like them can have their own spot in the conversation, and can co-exist. And the biggest point of all, maybe, just fucking maybe, the reason there is multiple stories, conversations, rants, characters like Amy and like Blossom is because what they are talking about, what they preach has distinct truth and basis in the reality of the experience of tons and tons of women and that is why it hits and resonates. 

Also Henry thank God you stopped yourself from saying that shit because holy fuck no one is ever asking for it ever.

Henry not believing female rage, like alright bud, sit down.

Blossom’s feelings are so valid here. The want for people who have harmed you to see how they have and understand it and share that feeling. It is fucking powerful, this whole section is!

“Would you kill to take back your power?” Henry, you are getting closer to getting it. 

The way I need this whole scene filmed yesterday.

Blossom’s got a fucking gun. The first time I read this my stomach dropped. 

This scene with her holding the gun to him is so tense.

Kate you could write about the issues with women only becoming empowered in media through abuse and hurt from men for hours and hours and I would eat it up. Oh shit, wait, I already have. I’d do it again. 

I like to think for sure a part of Blossom wants to stop this, wants to be ‘normal’ wants to love as Henry describes but again, the constant mistreatment from everyone all her life prevents that. How can she just swallow back all this hate and not let it poison her? How can she just move on from that? It IS like saying that they won, she becomes another person standing idly by, a part of the problem. 

Finally she falls asleep and the chapter ends.

—

This is my favourite chapter in the book by far. I could scream on and on about it more than I already have, the dream sequence I could read it and go line by line diving in deeper I swear to God. I gotta hold myself back in some places though. 

—

Chapter Thirty.

—

A hard and tense conversation is had once Blossom wakes up in the morning.

Henry keeps on choosing her, she didn’t ask for it, true but he isn’t unreasonable in wanting her to choose him back and some proof of this. 

She clearly doesn’t want him to go, but he does. 

She usually has cold showers but takes a hot one in an attempt to understand. I could never take a cold shower so Blossom girl, I do not understand you in that respect. 

—

A shorter but extremely emotionally driven chapter that hits the spot after the last one.

—

Chapter Thirty-One.

—

Blossom asking for some help with her photos.

Oh my God Mr.Whitmore you fucking creep. Yeah I will look over your photos for the end of year project, how about I bring a bottle of wine along?! You sick fuck I hate you.

She is eating once again, drinking once again, watching a nature documentary and wishing she as the wolf and the prey all at once and I am still just so fucking captivated by it.

Yeah those Barbie commercials suck, I’d turn off the TV too.

—

Chapter Thirty-Two.

—

We finally got another body hoooo boy! 

Again tied with a pink ribbon, again many, many stab wounds, throat slashed this time, leaving him to choke on his own blood. 

I afforded myself a ten minute break at this time to grab an ice water and make lunch, I sit back down with my mac and cheese ready to eat and read. 

The killer is being unorganised and cocky, in broad daylight no less?

A school ID at the scene of the crime!

A frantic call from Blossom oh my God!

Mr.Whitmore is with her and when Henry gets there he is dead and she is holding the knife.

Her sobbing about how she lost control is haunting knowing what we know. Knowing how important control is to her and this is why she is doing this, convincing herself whenever she is being hurt or used she is still in control it is like what happened? The tension!

—

My mac and cheese threatens to go cold at this rate because this book, again even on the second readthrough, is so captivating. 

—

Chapter Thirty-Three.

—

Blossom is in the hospital and Henry is there with her.

The girl has been really fucked up my God. 

Norman is totally a bit salty and mad at himself that Henry was right this whole time about it being Mr.Whitmore. 

Love Henry describing the motif of the pink ribbon representing Blossom, just, real good.

I really, really like Norm and Sohpie’s interactions, again the air of how long they have known each other hangs heavy.

Of course it actually happened Norm. Come on. What kid lies about that?

—

Another chapter in the books that I love, a big smooch for this one.

—

Chapter Thirty-Four.

—

We are finally at the dance hooo boy.

The theme of the dance being love, gag me. 

Henry is here like she wanted! 

Be still my heart she is wearing fucking blue. SHE IS WEARING BLUE!

It’s all like a dream, an actually good one for once Henry, a rarity for you I am sure. 

They dance and yeah all the parents watching on like uhhh? Hilarious, like shut up you don’t know them like us the readers do!

And they leave the dance togetherrrr. God I love them way too much for how bad they are for each other.

Back at the hotel, much making out and getting drunk together.

He wants to rip away the blue and bury himself in her pink oh my fucking-KATE! I love you.

Blossom is that girl. Drunk all like, “I wanna go swimming!” And fuck I felt that. 

Kate could write something just listing colours over and over and I would love it. 

Of course he doesn’t want her in the pool. She wants him in the pool with her, so she drags him in, naturally.

The build up of what you think is going to be a steamy sex scene poolside ends up with Blossom breaking down and man my heart hurts. 

—

This chapter is just so well paced AND well placed, you know what I mean, it is just mwah, amazing, very needed, tonally it flows so well.

—

Chapter Thirty-Five.

—

It’s summer, a month after the dance and Henry pays Blossom a visit. 

We get to hear some of her statement and mannn. It is just, fucking pitch perfect, immaculate. 

“I want to love you…So badly…” - “But?” - Blossom didn’t answer.  I am ripping my own hair out oh my God. 

Blossom is so empty inside, nothing there at all and so she instead of dealing with the internal pain, she seeks physical pleasure.

Okay this next sex scene, so fucking good, just I love the juxtaposition of the flowery language with harsher terms thrown in there, it is through the whole book and it feels like it sums up Blossom the character insanely well. 

“In return, Blossom gave him exactly what he needed, at the same time, taking exactly what she wanted. A perfect balance.” Can I get this line tattoo’d on the inside of my eyelids as well as marry it?

—

Chapter Thirty-Six.

—

Post fuck our fave creep Henry Williamson watches Blossom shower and I wish that were me.

Oh he is smoking less look at him!

“He wondered if this could last forever.” Doubtful. A nice thought though. 

You’ve been here how many times and you only look around her room now? Alright. 

Of course you go for her underwear drawer you little freak of a man! 

Henry finds an envelope and in it a series of pictures of the bodies, of the crime scenes but they aren’t copies, oh no they are originals and very different from the ones he has seen previously.

A delectable little cut back showing Adam Hall from the start going to the woods for a run and Blossom following after him oh my God.

—

And just like that the book is over. It is, amazing, truly a gripping read even the second time. I noticed more, picked up on more and really loved it even more. Blossom being the real one behind all this is fantastic, well played and woven without it feeling shoved in your face or obvious and reading it now after the first time knowing she did it was a trip! This book is fantastic, I could read it over and over and I intend to! It plays like a movie, I love the characters and it is just phenomenal. I cannot recommend it enough. Seriously everyone needs to read this and then review it afterwards I am begging! Kate, this book is just, ugh, so special and something so different and I am just totally enamoured with it and you and how you write. In case this 8.6K document didn’t express that already. Thank you again so much for this story and now I can’t wait to read After The Lamb Bites Back!

#Blossom #Blossom By Kate Winborne #horror fiction #BHF writing #annotations #I fucking love how this came out and hope it captures how much I love this book #my thoughts and just how insane it makes me #I LOVE YOU KATE #Fr there are spoilers in this tho so tread lightly #Henry Williamson