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#aquarium gig
songofsaraneth · 2 months
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if you are standing next to the otter house and don’t instantly notice that they want attention they will Scream at you
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froody · 8 months
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One thing that pisses me off is people seeing fish in aquariums (the establishments, not home aquariums) and being like “It’s so sad because the ocean is so big and the tank is so small and they’ll never know freedom blah blah blah-“ I’m not talking about sharks and marine mammals here but the majority of fish are not at all bothered by being in an aquarium instead of the open ocean. Like, I personally would love to be a little clown fish in one of those big reef tanks. Fed regularly. Whole team of people monitoring my health and well-being. No predators. Medicated if I show signs of illness. Aquarium fish have cushy gigs in comparison to their wild companions.
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gloomlet · 1 year
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Gloomlet’s TS4 Script, Gameplay & Replacement Mods
So I decided to compile a list of all the script/gameplay mods that i use or have used in my game. This was mainly made for my personal use, but i’m sure it could be helpful to other people too!
UPDATE! PLEASE READ!! This list is no longer up to date - use the Google Doc! - 04/25/24
Basic & Recommended!
TS4 Mod Manager ui cheats extension mc command center Carl's Sims 4 Gameplay Overhaul Relationship & Pregnancy Overhaul Wonderful Whims The Mood Pack Mod First Impressions Contextual Social Interactions Simulation Lag Fix Teleport Any Sim Better Exceptions
CAS Mods
Stand still in CAS More Traits in CAS Tidy details in CAS More CAS columns Lifetime Aspirations Child Aspirations Set Housewife - Aspiration Unlimited Likes + Dislikes Preferences Plus Homebody - Preferences 100+ CAS Traits Resized Facial Piercings
Replacements & Retextures
Fan Art Maps Map Replacements Overhaul Clean UI Sims 1 & 2 Font LIS Fonts Fluffy Clouds (Ghibli Clouds) Feet replacement Hand replacement Bra + Panty Default Replacement better babies + bottle replacement Another baby bottle replacement Default Cutlery! Cute Kitchenware Replacement Boxing Gloves Aquarium Fish Recolor Ceiling replacement paint it up mod A brighter mop Selfie Override
Objects Phone Replacement Smaller dollhouses Switch Controller + console Game controller PS1 console pc game override Remote control sponge & spray override Another Sponge & Spray override
Electric Toothbrush Razor Bassinet override infant rug +  infant tub child drawing replacement weather controller Cats & Dogs Fireplace Headphone/earbud override Old-fashioned Suitcase The slightly nicer Tree House Fireplace Lil Campers Light
Replaced + more Interactions Bed Cuddles Better Woohoo Reactions Realistic Reactions Brush Teeth From Toothbrush Holders Wake-up animation Greetings
Visuals & effects No overhead effects No zzz No object highlight no plumbob please Smaller Mosaic Minimalist CC Icon More Holiday icons
Gameplay!
Playable Pets Slower infant needs Expanded Mermaids Who's Knocking More Visitors No Bad Microwave Buffs Memory Panel Smarter Pie Menu: Searchable Smart Sim Randomizer Play Chess on any computer Strangerville Story toggle
Careers & Jobs Career Overhaul New Careers Simdeed Recruitment Services Flex Part-Time Recruitment Agency Game Developer Career Ultimate Nursing Career Modeling Career Tumbling Tots Daycare Career Shear Brilliance - Cosmetology Seasonal Odd Jobs - Autumn Odd Job Overhaul Modeling and Makeup Odd Jobs Babysitting Gigs Freelance Chef
Education Uni Tweaks Education Overhaul Uni Application Overhaul University costs more Choose Your Roommate Long Distance Learning No Uni Housing Restrictions Uni Aspirations School Lunch Override Longer or Shorter Degree Requirements
Cooking + Food Food Retexture Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3 Breakfast Retextures Pizza Retexture Grannies Cookbook Chef Buffet S’more Options Srsly's Complete Cooking Overhaul Dine Out Reloaded Delivery Services Sims Eat and Drink Faster Porto Luminoso Market Cutouts Buyable Cakes Functional Mixer HCH Mixer & Cookbook Functional Air fryer Functional Blender Functional Cookie jar Another Cookie Jar Functional Toaster Functional Cake Stand Functional Rice cooker Functional Pressure Cooker Boba Tea Add-ons Functional Beer Functional Frozen Ice Cart
Pregnancy Realistic Pregnancy Cherished Moments - Pregnancy Science Baby Tweak
Services & Apps Sim National Bank “SimDa” Dating App Exchange Store
Interactions Meaningful Stories Cute Romance Drama Mod Autonomous Go Steady and Propose Autonomous Break Up and Divorce Dynamic Teen Life Parent-Child Relationships Let's Get Fit Modpack Sumba Fitness
Functional Items Playful Toddler Pack Toddler Play Telephone Little Chef’s Toy Kitchen Void Critter Tablet Functional Pool Slide
Functional Toy Bin Functional Hopscotch Functional Broom Functional Paper Sketchpad Functional Drumkit Functional Spiral Staircases In Your Safe Piggy Banks Film Reaper Movie Theater Left End Counter Dishwaser
Random Small mods
Loading and CAS screens
Free Sims 4, Free Loading Screen Bonehilda Loading Screen Custom Color loading screens Lights Out Loading Screen The Blues Collection Loading Screen Lin Sims Loading Screens San Sequoia Loading Screens Abstract Art + Landscape Loading Screens H-O-B & Sulani Loading Screens Autumn Loading Screens Pink Kitten Animated Loading Screen Life is Strange Loading Screens Cloudy TS2 CAS Background Ocean Waves CAS Room Old School - CAS Room Modern Minimalism CAS Room Plumbob replacements Crystal Loading Screens
lighting mods
sunblind lighting + installation Milk Thistle Better in-game lighting Gentle CAS lighting
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angelbitezzz · 18 days
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Recently read Tilikum by Llama_Goddess on Ao3 (check out the link it's so good) and it gave me some interesting brainrot ideas
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Fic under the cut
A day dawned like any other for Sans. Get out of bed, work various odd jobs, slack off at said odd jobs, and get home to sleep some more.
Today was a new gig—Janitor work at the local aquarium. It was good, easy work. He'd been all sorts of things in his time both underground and now on the surface, so he was largely left to his own devices practically since the first day.
Some kid spilled one of those themed ice creams on the floor in front of one of the siren tanks. Big attractions, those guys. Not quite human, too physical to be a monster, they sort of floated in this odd in-between state of natural existence. Word was that the song of one would easily lead you to your drowning death. It was a good thing that glass was thick and soundproof, otherwise any of the ones held captive would likely jump at the chance.
Sans mopped away at the spill slowly, dragging out the task. The place was closing for the night soon, he certainly didn't want to be redirected to something else when he had such an easy job right here. A whistle leaked from between his teeth, some song he'd heard on TV earlier in the day.
The room was empty now. With the evening settling in and closing time within the hour, no one had come by to this one since he'd gotten here. Probably since this specific siren didn't seem a fan of performance, or being seen. You were lucky to get a glimpse of it if it was feeling curious on a given day, or so Sans had heard.
He wrung the mop in the bucket and set about just mopping the entire room, still whistling away. But a chill ran up his spine, halting his movements.
The unmistakable, burning feeling of being watched.
He turned his head slow, pupils sliding up along the glass he stood next to until they connected with a bright purple gaze that seemed to peer right through him.
The siren.
It—She? She floated right there, hand pressed against the glass. Her pupils were blown wide open, though they dilated just a little when their eyes met properly. There was something curious about the look on her face, so human if not for the subtle shine of fine scales along her brown skin. Dark hair drifted around her face, some kind of kelp braided into it at certain spots, that same stuff even braided and tied together to make up the cloth she was wearing around her chest. Did sirens care for modesty? He didn't know. Her lower half was that of a fish, something tropical he hadn't bothered to learn the name of. Powerful muscles twitched the end of the tail, keeping her afloat in the same position with ease.
He wasn't sure when he'd stopped breathing. It seemed like time itself had stopped when he realized he was being watched. Was this typical of sirens? Did the gaze of one paralyze as much as the song?
No, that couldn't be the case. Otherwise they wouldn't bother with displaying them at all.
When he didn't react behind meeting her gaze, she seemed to relax just a little. Her eyes slid along his form, taking in the details of his Janitor's uniform and the bones that were visible.
"huh. you're, uh, curious, i guess?"
Sans wasn't sure why he was talking, it wasn't as if she could hear him. But the way his eternal grin moved with the speech seemed to fascinate her. She lowered herself to be more at eye level, both hands against the glass. He slowly put his mop back in the bucket and turned towards her, tugging at his gloves to pull them tighter before stepping closer. The siren didn't move, only followed every movement with that same burning gaze.
"heya." Sans gave a little wave, the way the kid had taught him.
The siren waved back, copying his movement exactly. Then she did something new—she pointed at him. He pointed at himself.
"me?"
She nodded and did something else, crossed her hands over her chest in fists, only the index and middle finger half extended. She bumped them together at the wrist, tapping the fingers to her shoulders and sliding them down to a point at her mid-chest. When he responded with a blank stare, she repeated it. His head tilted.
"now what does that mean...?"
The siren only did it once more before she seemed to give up. She made a recognizable motion this time, both hands in fists together and turning down as if snapping something. He almost frowned.
"that a threat?"
Her face broke out into a wide smile, revealing teeth sharper than he expected before she was laughing on the other side of the glass. There was no other explanation for what she was doing, she was laughing, entirely too amused by his reaction as her shoulders shook. His grin widened a little at that. Well, at least someone here was having fun?
The siren seemed to recover from her fit and gazed at him once more, pupils dilated again. Then they flickered up—an alarmed look flashed over her features before she was suddenly gone. There was a flick of her great tail and then she had twisted away into the kelp and seaweed populating her tank, only the waves of the greenery giving away how fast she'd moved. Sans glanced backwards, feeling oddly like a kid caught doing something he wasn't supposed to when he met the fascinated stare of a fellow janitor.
"hey, paul. uh. somefin the matter?"
"....I didn't see a damn thing."
The older human just turned and walked out, grumbling something about working here for too damn long just for a newbie to get the attention of one of the shyer sirens. Whatever that was about.
When the intercom crackled to life to announce the night's closing, Sans cast one last glance at the tank as he retrieved his bucket and mop.
The siren was nowhere to be seen.
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sakasamurai707 · 11 months
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Oh boy I can’t sleep so here’s some Cyberpunk Relationship Headcanons!
Kerry x Male!V
-Kerry genuinely sung the ‘I love you, bitch. I’ll never stop loving you, bitch’ song to V on their three month anniversary, complete with the guitar. V had no idea what to say, and didn’t understand the reference.
-Kerry sleeps starfish style and with his mouth open. V has had to close his mouth because he drools in the night.
-Kerry swore he would never have an animal in his mansion before Nibbles came to be. After he met nibbles, Kerry bought him a throne style cat bed.
-Kerry doesn’t understand that not every kiss has to be with tongue. V has genuinely bitten his tongue because he just wanted a quick smooch before a gig.
Panam x Male! V
-Panam is allergic to pollen, but due to being in the badlands, she never knew until V brought her organic flowers. She sneezed for a week straight before realizing.
-V and Panam like racing, but V is terrible at driving. He once accidentally crashed her car into a pile of cacti.
-V and Saul sometimes have family dinner together, and Saul asks really personal questions about the relationship every time. (Example: ‘sooo…have you two screwed yet?’)
-when V can’t sleep, Panam takes him out to look at the stars. The first time she did, he cried, since he’d never seen them before due to the city lights.
….”if we don’t fix this chip thing, V, I’ll be looking up at those. You’ll be the prettiest star out there.”
Judy x Fem! V
-Judy loves telling V about her ocean and fish hyperfixation. Sometimes, she wishes she could afford to go to a real aquarium. V swears if she gets the money, she’ll take her on a date there.
-Judy and V have made braindances before, all to be kept in Judy’s “private folder.”
-V doesn’t understand why Judy is so emotional sometimes, but she’ll awkwardly hug her or kiss her when she starts crying.
-Judy’s favorite movie to watch with V is Ponyo. Judy knows the song by heart and sings it during the credits.
River x Fem! V
-Both River and V really want the other to quit their jobs, so sometimes they jokingly leave resignation papers on each other’s desks. V doesn’t really have a ‘boss,’ so River just leaves a sticky note that says “quit.”
-River really likes iguanas, so when V hatched hers, he cuddled with it more than her for a week straight. V had to deal with it being in between them in bed.
-Joss and V talk a lot, to the point where V will show up at his house just to completely ignore him and talk to his sister. River just ends up standing behind them awkwardly.
-River does the ‘broke boyfriend stance’ every time they’re in a store. Johnny makes fun of him for it.
-River and V are really cuddly, to the point River can’t fall asleep correctly without her beside them.
Bonus!!!! Johnny x GN! V
-Johnny has tried to convince V to kiss the mirror to see if it feels like an actual kiss. (It doesn’t.)
-V has a habit of telling Johnny ‘I love you’ out loud. They said it in front of Hanako right before the relic malfunction, and Hanako looked at them and said
“Uhm…thank…you…?”
-V eventually figures out how to get Johnny a new body and repair the chip. (In my heart I’m delusional.) Once they did, they didn’t let go of each other for weeks. They had the worst honeymoon phase.
-Johnny excessively jokes about soul killer. V does not find it amusing.
Bonus Bonus!!!! Takemura x GN! V
-Takemura cooks most of their meals after V revealed they mainly eat frozen tv dinners instead of real food. He’s Also really insistent that they drink water and shower.
-Takemura once brutally cried after seeing the full effects of the Relic Malfunctions, comparing it to when his Arasaka implants got revoked.
-Takemura didn’t know how to hug someone, so he accidentally nearly choked V.
-he also didn’t know how to kiss, so he just…opened his mouth.
-Takemura doesn’t understand sarcasm, so he takes whatever V says to its fullest meaning.
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ofmdjanuaury · 11 months
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Welcome to OFMD AU-gust! Check out the prompts and start creating 💙
Rules and text version under the cut!
RULES:
Any OFMD fan creations count! Fic, art, dioramas, bakes…
You can do one day or all of them, and use as many prompts from the day as you want!
Tag everything #OFMDAU-GUST
Every time you post something, try and comment on someone else’s, too!
You can post any prompt any day AFTER that prompt’s official day! So you can post Improv fics any day after 8/1, but you can’t post theatre fics till 8/31.
HAVE FUN!
Text version of the prompts:
1. Mechanic | Mail Carrier | Improv
2. Fantasy | Solarpunk | Fiber Arts
3. School Staff | Art Model | Taxidermy
4. Social Media | Tentacles | Identity Theft
5. Music/Band | Specific TV Show | Jumanji
6. Journalism | Specific Movie | Planetarium
7. Phone Operator | Rennaissance | Y2K
8. Sports | Ancient | Pacific Rim
9. Medicine | Aquarium/Zoo | Makeup Artist
10. Celebrity | D&D | Gig Worker
11. Science Fiction | Superheroes | Birdwatching
12. Coffee Shop/Bakery | Magical Girl (gn) | Influencer
13. Restaurant | Medieval | Eldritch Horror/Cryptid
14. Science | Place-Based | Weed Guy (gn)
15. Porn Star | Specific Book | Natural Disaster
16. Crime/Mob | Specific Cartoon | Drag/Burlesque
17. Farm/Rural | Time Travel | Polar Explorer
18. Small Business | Apocalypse | Stargate
19. Writer | 19th Century | Escape Room
20. Law | Nightclub | Professional Cuddler
21. Rebels | Zombie | Desert Island
22. Bar | Ghost Hunters | LARP
23. Transit | Daemon | Community Meeting
24. Archeology | Aliens | Paint and Sip
25. Epistolary | Public Access TV | Gas Station
26. Neighbors | Heist | Reality TV Hosts
27. Noir | Grocery Store | Blacksmith
28. Disney | Olympics | Sentinel/Guide
29. Boats | Non-Anglophone Place | Lumberjack
30. Canon-Divergent | Gardening | Kink Club
31. Theatre | Free Space | Someone Else's Universe
(Thanks to yerbamansa for reminding the mod to be accessible!!)
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shyvioletcat · 9 months
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ROWAELIN MONTH: DAY EIGHT
~ Single Parent ~ Ah yes, this is always one of my favourite days. This is part two to my Fish are Friends fic, so please enjoy. @rowaelinscourt
~~~~~
���This guy is loaded.”
Aelin snorted at her friend's awed exclamation as she eased off on the accelerator coming up the long, paved driveway. The house wasn’t obnoxiously large, but it was well beyond decent with a pretty facade and well kept gardens. And if the price he had offered initially for her services today was anything to go by, yes Rowan did have money to burn. 
She had waited until she got home to text him back and to say yes to the offer of Ivy’s birthday party, claiming that now she had turned back into a mermaid she could talk mermaid business. With how the girl was so enamoured by the whole mermaid performance Aelin couldn’t even think of saying no. Rowan had immediately come back with a price just under what her gig at the aquarium paid in a fortnight and she stared at it wide eyed for a full minute. She knocked it back, then there was a mildly heated discussion over what the price should be. Rowan was overly generous, and Aelin helped equate the cost by saying she needed to bring a friend along to help her with her costume and they would split it. That had been fine, of course, and why Lysandra was sitting in the passenger seat. 
The car stopped and Lysandra was still peering out the windows trying to get a better look. “His wife, slash girlfriend, slash whatever must be living the life.”
“He’s divorced,” Aelin said, pushing the gear stick into park. 
“That’s an awfully weird thing to find out in a conversation that went for two minutes,” Lysandra added.
Aelin shrugged, seatbelt clicking as it undid. “Well his daughter did demand he kiss me.”
Lysandra paused from where she was checking over her make-up in the sun visor mirror, head turning sharply. “She what?”
“I had to keep the magic alive and I may have told her that I needed a kiss from my true love to stay a mermaid. There was something about a sea witch curse in there too.”
The mirror closed with a snap. “That’s real dedication.”
“Yes it is and that’s why I need you to go knock on the door and suss out where I need to go so Ivy doesn’t know I’m here until I’m dressed. I’m only human between three and six to her knowledge,” Aelin explained, gesturing to the dark wood door.
“I feel like there was an easier way to do this,” Lysandra said.
Aelin shooed her with a gesture of her hand. “I was under pressure, now go.”
Lysandra didn’t answer, just did what she was asked, hopping out of the car and making a show of knocking on the front door. Aelin sunk in her chair a little, ready to hide completely if anyone little appeared at the door. She managed to see an older woman with greying auburn hair look her way as Lysandra pointed to the car. There was some more conversing and then some nodding, and then Lysandra was coming back over to the car. 
She opened the car door and lent in. “So, that lady was Iris and she’s the grandmother. She said all the littlies are inside making bracelets or something so you are all clear to sneak in using the side gate and use the pool house to get ready.” 
“Fantastic,” Aelin replied and didn’t waste any time. Children were unpredictable, who knows when they might choose to stampede outside. “Let’s go.”
The two of them unloaded the gear, managing to get it all gathered together in one load. Tail and accessories in hand, the side gate was easy enough to spot. Aelin led the way, listening out for an excitable little girl who’s birthday she did not want to ruin. Sounds of laughter and music came from inside the house, but Aelin ignored it all and headed straight to the pool house. Luckily, the blinds were down on the floor to ceiling windows saving them the trouble. It was a tidy space, besides the child’s toys stacked in a corner. There were a few lounges, a small kitchenette and a door Aelin assumed led to a bathroom. 
The gear was dumped on one of the lounges and Aelin started to strip off. “Alright. Let’s do this.”
~~~~~
Rowan tried to keep his hand steady even as the little girl in front of him was determined not to stay still. Ivy had begged him to do face painting at her party, and of course he was going to say yes. He had spent the last month practising on paper, his daughter and even his friends when they let him. Rowan had been good to start with, and now he was considering making it a weekend job. Not really, being a deputy principal during the week and being a full time dad was more than enough work for him. But at least it was therapeutic. 
“Hold still for just one more second,” Rowan told the brown haired girl sitting in front of him. She huffed, but listened, the lure of a unicorn horn and ears overriding the need to see what was going on. Adding a few last details on the horn to really give it some sparkle and then he was done. “There.”
Rowan didn’t need to say more than that and the girl was off. He wiped his hands on an old tea towel and was about to refill some of the snack bowls when his mother approached him looking like she was holding in a secret. 
She sidled up close, beckoning him a little closer so Rowan had to lean in as she whispered. “Your mermaid is here.”
“Oh,” Rowan said, taking a look around. “Where?”
“I sent her and her friend to the pool house,” Iris said. “After Ivy’s rave reviews I’m excited to see her myself.”
Because Aelin was all Ivy could talk about and she already fawned over her to anyone who would listen in her select circle of people she chose to talk to. Rowan had kept the mermaid appearance under wraps and he was glad to see his surprise hadn’t been ruined. His daughter was going to lose her mind. 
“Pool time!” Rowan announced to the room, excited squeals drowning out his chance to say anything else. 
Ivy was by his side in a second, pulling at her dress so she could get to the swimsuit she had insisted on wearing underneath. Rowan helped her before he could do some damage, revealing the mermaid scale patterned one piece with a frilly little tutu skirt around her waist.  
“Come on, Dad!” Ivy said, pulling on his hand  and trying to drag him towards the pool.
Rowan smiled at her eagerness. “Hold up, we gotta wait for everyone else to be ready.”
That didn’t take long at all and it was only about 10 minutes later that everyone was crowded around the new location for gathering. To help ease the minds of the parents he’d paid a couple of his friends to be honorary lifeguards. In the end he had chosen Connall and Vaughan, and it had taken some heavy consideration. Lorcan was out because his lack of care and observation might just end in disaster. Fenrys’ sole purpose would be showing off shirtless in front of the mums and anyone else who found themselves interested, and Rowan needed the children in the water to be the priority. And even though Vaughan had similar motives, he would at least include the supervision of the children in his displays. Connall was the easy decision because, besides Rowan himself, he was the most level headed and had more than an ounce of common sense. 
“Excuse me.”
Rowan turned at the unfamiliar voice behind him. A stunning brunette who he did not recognise stood there. She didn’t have the look of one of the parents and she wasn’t a caterer—she was dressed too casually for that. It had him wondering who she was.
“Hi, I’m sorry but…”
“Oh, Lysandra,” she said, a hand on her chest. “Friend of Aelin.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Rowan extended his hand for a handshake which was returned. 
“Likewise,” Lysandra said. “Aelin is ready but we’ve hit a bit of a snag.”
“How so?” Trying not to sound too panicked at the potential flow in his party plans.
“Um, she can’t exactly walk out of there.”
Rowan felt the confusion on his face as he tried to figure it out. 
Lysandra smiled. “She doesn’t have legs.”
“Oh, right,” Rowan said, laughing a little. “What do you need me to do?”
“It’s a good thing you at least look strong,” Lysandra said, beckoning Rowan to follow. 
“Mam, can you watch Ivy and the pool,” Rowan threw over his shoulder—her affirmative answer sounding as he headed towards the pool house. 
The blinds were closed and Rowan did one last check of the pool before he ducked into the building right behind Lysandra. Aelin sat on one of the lounges in her full get-up, tail and seashells and the make-up that had her face sparkling. Once again, he was struck by how beautiful this woman was, it was an impossible thing not to notice.
“Nice to see you again,” she said with a little wave. 
“You too,” Rowan said, then hastily added. “And thank you. For doing this.”
“Anything for the kids, right?” Aelin said. 
“Speaking of, should we get to it?” Rowan asked.
Aelin gave a flourish of her hands down the length of her body. “By all means.”
Rowan tried not to be awkward as he bent down and scooped Aelin up bridal style, she even draped her arms around his neck. The tail made her stiffer than other women he’d carried like this, but he managed. 
“If you could get the door?” Rowan asked Lysandra. 
“Of course.”
Rowan was concentrating so hard as he stepped through the doorway, trying his best not to knock Aelin’s head or tail. She must have been concerned as well because her grip tightened and she hugged herself closer to him. He managed it all without incident and brought them safely into the sun. 
“Look who I found in the bathtub!” Rowan announced, drawing the attention of the party. Ivy’s exclamation of Aelin rang out over all of it. He lowered his voice so only Aelin could hear. “Where do you want me to set you down?”
“Shallow end, by the steps,” Aelin replied quietly before turning her attention to the party. “I heard it was someone’s birthday.”
Rowan set Aelin down and Ivy was there a heartbeat later. 
“It’s me, Aelin. It’s my birthday,” Ivy said nearly climbing onto the mermaid. 
Aelin graciously took it all in her stride, wrapping her arm around the girl. “I couldn’t miss that.”
Within moments Aelin had control of the party, all the kids flocking to her and her magnetic energy. Rowan left her to it, heading outside the pool fence to grab himself a drink. He grabbed a beer from the cooler in the kitchen before returning to the back patio to watch the show. There was no doubt in his mind that Aelin would be putting on a performance if her work at the aquarium was anything to go by. 
“Dude, you got a mermaid?” That overly question came from Fenrys, who had appeared next to Rowan, face still decorated with a large rainbow and a collection of stars. Ivy had insisted her uncle get his face painted and like everyone else in her life, he hadn’t refused. “She looks legit. Where’d you find her?”
“The aquarium,” Rowan answered before taking a sip from the beer bottle in his hand. 
“I don’t know if you’re kidding or not,” Fenrys said. 
That made Rowan laugh. “I’m being serious. She works at the aquarium, and Ivy fell in love with her the other day. I asked her if she did private functions and she said yes.”
“Private functions? That sounds shifty as hell,” Fenrys added. 
Rowan thought for a moment, recalling how Aelin had stalled and the awkwardness had skyrocketed. It was nearly enough to make him flush with embarrassment again. 
“Yeah, I realised my error in wording pretty quickly,” Rowan admitted. 
“How much did she cost?”
That voice was female and accusatory, it made Fenrys grimace sympathetically before he left Rowan to deal with answering. He turned around, finding his ex-wife just behind him, glaring in the direction of the pool before her eyes darted back to him. Waiting. 
Strained was an apt description to describe the relationship between him and Lyria. They had been high school sweethearts that decided to get married before they knew anything of the world. They’d stuck it out years longer than they should have, divorce had been up for discussion when they’d found out Lyria was pregnant. It hadn’t helped the already precarious relationship and by the time Ivy was two Rowan found himself a first year teacher and a single father with majority custody. He had been ready to fight for Ivy but it was an obvious choice considering the stability and flexibility of his job. Rowan was guaranteed a job with manageable hours, he’d have school breaks off, and with the money he made plus what he had from his family to back him, allocating him as primary carer was an easy choice. It just left him open to continual criticism over the choices he made about raising his daughter, especially when it came to money. 
“It doesn’t matter,” Rowan said. “She’s made Ivy’s day, what’s more important than that?”
Lyria hummed her objection, her gaze darting over to their daughter again at a bright burst of laughter. “You need to stop throwing money at things just to make her happy. She’ll grow up with a skewed view of the world, not knowing what the real world is like.”
Rowan resisted rolling his eyes. They’d had this discussion before, and they’d have it again. She always accused him of spoiling their daughter in the worst way. And maybe he did, to an extent, but Rowan was also sensible to a fault as his friend’s like to point out. 
“We figured it out, and so will she,” Rowan said. “Hopefully sooner than we did, hmm?”
He left Lyria to muse over that, not wanting to have this fight and potentially ruin the party. Rowan decided his time was better spent refilling the snack bowls and checking the cake hadn’t been damaged in the fridge. Once those menial tasks were done and his beer finished, Rowan wandered to the poolside again. 
Aelin was in the water now, showing the kids how she swam from one end to the other with her tail. It wasn’t just the kids watching either, like at the aquarium she had the whole crowd entranced. Rowan took up a spot on the transparent fence waiting to see what Aelin might be up to next. She’d stopped swimming and sat on one of the pool steps, from her hips down in the water. Bubble bottles had been conjured from somewhere and all the kids sat in a row having a competition to see who could blow the biggest one. Aelin pursed her lips, bubble wand poised in her hands. He was again struck by how beautiful she was, and just as he had been that day at the aquarium Rowan found it hard to look away. 
The makeup she wore still remained intact depite he time in the water, the gold shimmer around her eyes highlighting their unusual colour. What had him damn near entranced was her smile, it seemed to brighten her entire being. Rowan felt like he was getting dangerously close to leering—respectfully—when he was interrupted.
“Not, bad Ro. Not bad at all,” Fenrys said, his only reply was an eye roll. “You don’t have to dent it, mermaids are hot.”
“I didn’t know you had that much experience,” Rowan quipped back. 
“I’ve been chatting to her friend. Did you know she’s a mermaid too?” Fenrys asked.
“I did not,” Rowan replied flatly. 
“Well, she is. And just like your friend here, she’s smoking. You did me a solid favour,” Fenrys went on to say. 
Rowan sent his friend a questioning look. “What does that mean?”
Fenrys backed away, shrugging his shoulders and giving Rowan a conspiratorial wink to an unknown conspiracy.    
Ivy saved him from being made to suffer through more idiocy, her damp hand patting his forearm where it rested on the top of the fence. “Daddy, I need to ask you something.”
Rowan stepped back so that he could lean down a little closer. “What is it, love?”
“Um, can I… wait. No, can you—“
Ivy’s rambling had him confused but half a second later it was all made clear. A wave of water hit him, drenching his head and arms, the rest of him saved by the protection of the fence. Ivy was caught in it too, but she just cheered and laughed, trying to clap but the floaties on her arms stopped her hands from meeting fully. Rowan wiped the water from his face and saw Aelin swimming away, smiling and sending him a wink. Rowan let out a chuckle at the antics, grinning broadly at the uncontrollable giggles bubbling out of Ivy. 
“We got him!” Ivy squealed and then launched herself back in the pool. 
He saw on Aelin’s face the mirror of his own lurching gut as Ivy hit the water. She knew how to swim of course, he wasn’t stupid enough to throw her a pool party if she didn’t, but most confidently with assistance. The concern for her safety was hard to shake, and luckily Aelin was right there, arms out to keep the girl’s head well and truly above water. 
Rowan had no idea how Aelin was able to do everything she did without sinking to the bottom of the pool. If he had his legs bound together he would not be doing so well. His shirt was clinging to him uncomfortably and decided to change. So he left his daughter to the mermaid, knowing that she was in safe hands. Or maybe that was fins.
~~~~~
Aelin hadn’t expected to have this much fun at a kids birthday party. It might have been because Ivy was just so stinking cute and enthralled by the whole mermaid thing that it was hard not to be infected by it as well. Or it might have been because the pay was just that good it was an immediate mood booster. Aelin had expected it to be the latter, when in fact it was the former. 
She had been in the pool for a good two hours, playing around and telling stories. When the kids started to shiver the parents had dutifully begun to dry them off. With the afternoon sun fading behind the clouds it was hard to keep warm, and that included Aelin. Her tail offered no insulation and just made the situation worse. Even though the kids begged for more entertainment while drying off or returning to the poolside, Aelin could feel the goosebumps on her skin even when she tried to ignore them. Soon she would start shivering and she was sure her lips would start turning blue. There was a lull in the activity around her and Aelin looked around for Lysandra or at least Rowan, hoping to flag either one of them down to get some help getting out of the pool. 
Neither was within Aelin’s sight, and a shudder went from head to hip, everything lower down completely immobile. She needed to get out of her tail, and fast. Looking around again Aelin spied Ivy talking to a woman sitting on one of the pool chairs. Her brown hair was wavy and her gentle face seemed to hang on every work Ivy said. If Aelin were to hazard a guess, she would say that woman was the girl’s mother. 
“Ivy,” Aelin called, her voice catching because she was just that cold. “Hey, Ivy.”
That time Ivy heard her, quickly walking over because she had announced more than once that her father said there was no running around the pool. “Hi, Aelin.”
“Sweetie, I wonder if you could find your dad for me,” Aelin said. 
“Yeah, I can.” The little girl was excited and easy to please. 
But on the way past the woman stopped Ivy, catching her by the hand. “We should get you dried off for cake.”
Aelin nearly groaned, because that was enough to divert Ivy attention completely. Watching Ivy being led away Aelin started cursing her friend who had somehow entirely disappeared without a trace. She kept looking over the various adults milling around and moving into the semi alfresco dining area readying for cake. Never spotting Lysandra, Aelin eyed the cement around the pool and contemplated the damage to her skin and tail if she had to crawl her way back to the pool house. The children might just die from shock if she stripped off her tail here. 
The chorus of ‘happy birthday’ sang out from the house and Aelin peered through the crowd to see Ivy beaming at her expertly mermaid themed decorated cake. This was now ridiculous. Lysandra knew the kid even less than Aelin did, if she was in there singing along and hoping for a slice of cake while she was freezing her tits off out here.
“Where is she?” Aelin muttered as she wrapped her arm around herself. 
This silicone tail might be the death of her. All she could do was be resigned to her fate. Aelin zoned out, keeping her body distracted and warm as she could by flicking her tail through the water. The sound of the pool gate creaking had her looking over and found Rowan approaching, a plate in hand. 
“I brought you some cake,” he said.
“Thanks,” Aelin replied, voice unsteady. 
That was enough to stop Rowan in his tracks, and Aelin watched his eyes dart over her. “You’re blue.”
“It’s turquoise, actually,” Aelin said, pushing a lock of damp hair out of the way. 
Rowan put the cake on one of the pool chairs. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. What didn’t you tell me?”
“I tried to send Ivy to you but she got distracted,” she nodded over at the cake. “By cake.”
Rowan just shook his head, motioning for her to get ready to be picked up. Aelin bent her knees the best she could now that her legs were stiff and cold, and let herself be scooped up. He carried her back to the pool house, Aelin holding on tight while there was some awkward manoeuvring around the door handle. 
“Where’s best?” Her saviour asked. 
Aelin couldn’t stop the whole body shiver. “Uhh, here. I just need to get this tail off.”
Rowan obliged, easing her down onto the couch. It was difficult and awkward but Aelin rolled to the side and started battling with her zipper. Her cold and numb fingers were completely useless, all they did was slip and fumble. When she swore viciously she heard Rowan halt in his exit. 
“Are you okay?” He asked. 
Aelin gave up and flopped onto her stomach, she had never felt more like a fish in her whole career as a mermaid. “I can’t get out of my godsdamned tail.”
“Oh. Should I go see if I can find your friend?”
“No.” Aelin blurted out, quite loudly and on the wrong side of desperation. She was ready to start begging. “I need it off, now. Can you help me?”
~~~~~
Rowan just stood there, blinking down at the mermaid sprawled out on his couch. He could see goosebumps raised on her exposed skin, she was obviously freezing. The smartest option was to go and find her friend because he had never once in his life removed anything close to this tail. He didn’t know how, didn’t know where to begin. 
“I feel like this isn’t a job for me,” Rowan said. 
“I feel like a literal popsicle, and I’m not beyond begging right now,” Aelin said, and he swore that her teeth were chattering. 
“If you insist,” Rowan said, leaning down and finding the top of the zipper. 
It might have been the most impressive zipper he had ever seen, sturdy and strong, it had to be to hold the silicone together. Awkwardly unfortunate for him, it sat tight over her ass and it was hard not to touch it in the process. At least the materials were thick and Rowan told himself that was the firmness he was feeling. He tugged the tail down, but everything came to a rushing stop when he caught sight of what Aelin wore underneath. Peeking through the gap between the zipper sides near the top of her hips was a dark blue thong.
“Is it stuck?” Aelin asked with a glance over her shoulder.
Rowan felt his face flush, only deepening his embarrassment. “Ah, no.”
She laughed, maybe at him, maybe it was the situation. “I’m not shy.”
And by the gods did he believe that. Rowan ignored the flaming in his cheeks and the hint of a broad grin on Aelin’s face as she turned back around. “I’ll, uh… close my eyes then.”
Like he said he would, Rowan kept his eyes closed and let the zipper run its natural course. And then he didn’t know where else he was supposed to try and extract it. 
“You have to pull at the hips and then work your way down, then do it all again until it comes all the way off,” she explained. 
“Right,” Rowan said. That would be mighty hard to do with his eyes closed. 
But Rowan gave it his best effort, fumbling between closed eyes and squinting. When there was a tug that gave way more than he was expecting on instinct his eyes opened, a hand flying out to stop himself from falling right on top of Aelin. His hand was lucky, his eyes not so much. He copped an eyeful. 
Just as quickly he shut them, but the damage was done. He wouldn’t be forgetting that sight any time soon. Rowan went back to his task and in the end when she was free enough Aelin ended up kicking the tail off herself. Respectfully he kept his eyes down, rubbing at the back of his neck. 
“There’s a shower you can use, it’ll get you warmed up,” he offered. “There’s clean towels and everything in there.”
“Thank you,” Aelin said. 
Rowan left her to it, and even though she’d undoubtedly take a shower he was still concerned. Back inside the party had died down, mainly just family remaining, so he went to the kitchen and turned the kettle on. While that boiled he went upstairs and retrieved a hoodie. The day had started out fairly warm but without the sun the atmosphere had begun to chill. If she didn’t bring anything with her she’d just catch te cold again. 
By the time he got back down to the kitchen the kettle was done and he filled a mug with water, along with grabbing a few selections of teas. No one noticed him leave and head back to the pool house. Most thankfully Ivy remained oblivious. She was better off not knowing Aelin was out there un-mermaidified and the magic be ruined at the end of such a perfect day. 
Rowan knocked and heard a faint Come in. Aelin was sitting on the couch, dressed in leggings and a loose shirt. She was drying her hair with a towel, looking much better than she had a few minutes before. 
“I brought you some tea,” Rowan said, gesturing to the mug. “And a jumper if you needed it.”
“Thank you.” Aelin took both and slipped the hoodie right over her head. The hood caught on her head and the rest of the fabric drowned her. But she at least looked warm and content. 
Rowan offered the teabags and Aelin took a few moments to decide. She picked and dropped the bag into the awaiting water. 
“You did a great job today,” Rowan offered. “Although you didn’t have to go as one as you did.” 
Aelin picked up the string and bobbed the tea bag up and down. “How could I not? Ivy was having such a good time.”
“Still, it wasn’t something to risk your health over.”
“Not the worst situation I’ve been in,’ Aelin said, taking a sip of her tea and sighed. 
The door opened suddenly and for one sickening moment Rwan thought Ivy might have tracked him down. But instead it was Lysandra, turning up from who knew where to finally help out her friend. 
“Where have you been?” Aelin demanded, putting down her tea. 
Lysandra gave a noncommittal twist of her shoulders. “Here and there.”
“I nearly died,” Aelin said drastically. 
Lysandra actually shot Rowan before looking back at Aelin. “I am sure that’s not what happened.”
“You know what?” Rowan said, cutting through the building tension. “Why don’t I keep an eye out and you guys can head off?”
“Great idea,” Aelin said, putting her mug on the low table and pointing a damning finger at her friend. “If you think you’re getting a cut of the money you’re severely mistaken. You did nothing for me today.”
Lysandra actually laughed at her friend’s theatrics and Rowan decided this would be the best time to leave. He went and stood by the corner of the pool fence where he had a good view of anyone who might be coming outside. It wasn’t long before Aelin and Lysandra left the pool house, a hissed conversation passing between them as they headed for the side gate. Just before disappearing around the side of the house aelin stopped, giving him a broad smile and a wave. Waving back, he had to admit that he was sorry they hadn;t had more time to chat. 
As Rowan watched her disappear from sight he was disappointed that he didn’t have another excuse to see Aelin again. Maybe he would have to take another trip to the aquarium just to see what might happen next if he by pure chance she was there too. 
~~~~~
I’m currently in a quirky hotel room and posting from my iPad so I’m not even going to attempt the disaster that is tagging at the moment.
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Patti Smith Group / John Cale / Television - The Palladium, New York City, December 31, 1976
I finally got around to Sonic Life, Thurston Moore's recent memoir, this month! You can read a few of my quick thoughts about it (along with some other nice recommendations) in the latest edition of the Aquarium Drunkard Book Club. As I mention, I was a little surprised at how much I enjoyed Thurston's memories of his teenage years, way before Sonic Youth was even a twinkle in his eye — A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Fan? From the suburbs of Connecticut, Moore made countless trips into NYC to soak in the punk/CBGB/Max's worlds, catching shows by The Ramones, Suicide, the Dead Boys, Sid Vicious ... and Patti Smith, of course.
Thurston paints an evocative portrait of this New Year's Eve blowout, which doubled as Patti's raucous 30th birthday party. He was dangerously high on mescaline.
"We zombied our way down the street to the Palladium and found our seats, and I sat in a state of tenuous control as Television arrived onstage. I figured if I just maintained my cool, the mescaline's threat of wiping out my sanity would begin to subside and all would be okay. 'A song by Dylan' — were the only words I remember Tom Verlaine saying to the audience as the band began to play a plaintive cover of 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door.' By the time John Cale and his group came onstage, I felt as though I were sliding slowly down the side of a porcelain sink, managing only the barest of friction, my reality threatening to fall into a drain hole never to return. I was gripped by the fear of losing myself completely, another entry on the list of acid casualties. I concentrated on specific thoughts, pinpricks of salvation that I'd cling to, slip from, then hold on to again. I feared that if I closed my eyes, I would be forever vanquished."
Happy new year?! All these decades later we can enjoy the Palladium gig via dusty audience tapes — your call if you want to drop a tab of mescaline while you listen. Interesting to hear Television at this point, with Marquee Moon more or less in the can, playing a much larger venue than ever before. They'd just finished several nights in a row at CB's — which is maybe that's why they sound a littttttle bit tired. But there's plenty of sweet stuff, of course, including a truly go-for-broke "Kingdom Come." Billy Ficca, baby! Cale, meanwhile, happily provides a bad trip soundtrack for Thurston's bad trip — a short but powerful set highlighted by a maniacal "Guts" and an even more maniacal "Fear Is A Man's Best Friend." That guy sure could scream.
And what about the belle of the ball — Patti herself? Let's hand it back to Thurston, who had recovered a bit by the start of her set. Here, he describes the all-star finale with Fred "Sonic" Smith joining the melee.
"Fred and Patti had become an item. Now here was Fred onstage, unassuming and spectral, as Patti howled and whirled. With 'My Generation' culminating in obligatory destruction, all players would eventually leave the stage except for the two Smiths. Like Fred, Patti had a Fender Duo-Sonic strapped on, and she leaned her head on her sweetheart's shoulder as both their guitars emitted a whistling-bird noise of feedback through the amps. How this translated to everyone around me, I couldn't say. For me, it was an emblematic vision of all I would ever desire from rock 'n' roll — transcendence, devotion, sonic love."
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justnoodlefishthings · 11 months
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i have a side gig cleaning a fish tank at a pediatrics office. two weeks ago i replaced the paw patrol ornaments because all the paint had flaked off and they were gross looking. i put in a baby shark ornament. baby shark doo doo doo doo baby shark doo doo doo doo that exact baby shark, right? because what goofy goober baby doesn't like baby shark. well today baby shark was missing. gone. evaporated. raptured. mind you, the aquarium is at least 8ft off the floor so there is no way a child took Baby Shark. I emailed the secretary asking what happened to little yellow Baby Shark, gone too soon.
y'all
the staff at this pediatrics office decided that Baby Shark, a cartoon character from a show for literal Infants, was too scary looking. So they THREW HIM AWAY
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ronnieafterdark · 2 months
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Starting this side blog off with a bang, here's some previews of some fics I'm working on. Who knows if they'll ever be published! I certainly don't.
Fic one:
Mike narrows his eyes as continues to watch the camera footage, his chin nestled in the crook of his hand. He watches as the trespasser fidgets with a book, as if they're trying to read but they can't take in any of the words. Like when you read an entire page and realize you were zoned out for most of it so you have to go back and read it again. This person broke into a building to read a book? That's really fucking ballsy. He wants to confront this person (because that's, you know, one of his number one job duties) but he can't help but think about the last time he ‘confronted a criminal’ at a security gig. His eyes drift over to the dust-covered intercom to the side of the monitors which has gone unused for the entirety of his tenure at Freddy's (and probably for the past few decades, too). He would say that there's absolutely no shot that it still works, but, then again, the owner of this place tends to place a weird amount of care in keeping things functional. He knows how to use a modern intercom (he used to be in charge of announcements over the intercom at an aquarium he worked at once—his boss thought he had a great radio voice, or something. That was until he flubbed one of this lines, accidentally saying ‘testicles’ instead of ‘tentacles’... Yeah, he wasn't on announcement duty anymore from then on), but he has no idea how an intercom from the eighties would work. It should be pretty intuitive, he figures.
Fic two:
"You act like you think I care about you," you say, rolling your eyes. "I don't think that. In fact, I want nothing less than for you to care about me," he mutters, voice suddenly growing colder, his previous playfulness dissipating. "And why is that?" You ask, eyes meeting his. "Because I don't care about you. I don't want my apathy to be unreciprocated." You nod, a quick breath leaving your nose. "Gotcha." "You know," he shrugs, leaning back in his chair and kicking his feet up on his desk, "you should probably stop worrying about me as much as you do. Between the two of us, do you really think I'm the one who's most likely to have a bounty on their head? You're the one who does all the killing." You glare at him. "Well that's a real fucking comforting thought, but I assure you that I don't have to worry about myself. Nobody stands a chance against me." He sighs, resigning to your stubbornness. "Fine. Just remember that you can never be too careful."
Fic three:
I'm the one who first notices it— no, wait, I think he notices first. He can be a bit of a baby at times and he gets all dramatic over the turbulence. He's the first to say ‘something seems wrong’, but because Derek is Derek, it sounds something more like: "What the fuck is up with this damn thing? It's shaking like a goddamn druggie going through withdrawal. Hold on... Look at that. Look at the fuckin'... System... Thing." Error: server maintenance. "The hell does that mean?" "It's like when you can't play a video game because they have to do something with the server," I respond, taking a closer look. "That's a lot of error signs. How do we fix whatever's going on?" "Fuck if I know. I'm not an engineer." "I don't want to touch anything and make it worse." He gets up, standing next to me and gazing at the ever-increasing amount of error messages on the screen. Error: unable to connect to server. "What, so we can't use Bluetooth anymore? 'Least I don't have to hear your damn music anymore," I mutter. Error: piloting system down. "Oh, that sounds bad—" Error: controls disabled. "Controls disabled? Wait, does that mean—" Error: engine disabled. "Engine disabled? Holy shit— Derek! We're crashing!" Derek's head whips around, immediately locking eyes with me. Pure panic. He lurches forward, grabbing hold of my shoulders and—
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inkqueer · 7 months
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Modern OFMD Headcanons: Jobs/Hobbies
Stede - Obviously runs a hotel with his boyfriend Ed. Does a lot of work at the front desk.
Volunteers at the library and reads to kids (may have been told off once or twice for being too loud and working the kids up too much.)
Ed - Obviously runs a hotel with his boyfriend Stede. I feel like he does a bit of everything around the hotel, like he's never in one place, one minute he's helping out the catering staff, the next he's in his office doing paperwork and then off having a chat with random guests. He just wants the hotel to be successful.
Not really a hobby, but loves taking Stede to the aquarium for little dates when they have the time.
Frenchie - Lives in a van, and plays small gigs at random bars/clubs when he can. Busks in the daytime.
I feel like his van isn't neat, but also, not messy, like it's organized in his own messy way.
Jim - For some reason, I feel like Jim, Archie and Oulwande go along with Frenchie on his gigs, maybe to help set up and all that, and also just to cheer him on. (Frenchie groupies, lmao, jk.)
Also does special effects make-up, loves to practice on Archie
Archie: Just wants to be near Jim, but she also loves the nightlife, bars, clubs, anything and she's there, as long is Jim with her, of course.
Zheng - Runs a soup kitchen in her spare time with Auntie. Loves to go along with Oulwande to Frenchie's gigs.
Oulwande - Volunteers at said soup kitchen as much as possible, when he's not with Jim and Archie.
Lucius - Is an artist, basically lives at the local art studio. Loves to just sit at the park and sketch.
Black Pete - Works as a welder or locksmith. Always bringing home small gifts for Lucius when he finishes work.
Wee John - Is a tattoo artist by day and a drag queen at night. Maybe he does a little bar-tending here and there.
Izzy - I get fitness vibes, idk, possibly owns a gym, does a little personal trainer work, but had to slow down a bit after losing his leg. One time while getting tattooed by Wee John heard about his drag shows and went and saw one just out of curiosity and fell in love with drag right then and there.
Spanish Jackie - Runs a nightclub with her bartender husband, The Swede.
Buttons - Is a fisherman with a small boat of his own. Keeps pigeons, and has named all of them. Would live in the enclosure with them if he could. Also likes to befriend stray pigeons
Roach - Is a line cook at a small diner, and sometimes sleeps in the diner when he doesn't pay rent at his apartment (I feel like he forgets sometimes.)
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anamelessfool · 5 months
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Papa Knows Best (AO3)
From my "Domestics" Ficlet Series
GEN Young Primo (1962)
Tags: Mother and Son, Vintage Suburban Childhood, TV Rots Your Brain, Single Mom, Latchkey Kid, Fluff and Humor, Maybe I should send this to my Therapist, Sorta Sad Fluff Because That's My Brand
First and foremost dedicated to @fishwithtitz the most badass mom I know (besides my own), @ghuleh-recs because they like my Young Papa HCs. Also special shout out to @thew0man and @can-of-pringles for their unbelievable support.
Ficlet below the cut!
1962
Primo [Irving Robert Olson] was born at the New York City Chapel of the Satanic Church of the Void in 1953 to Sister Nance and Brother Nihil. He and his mother left the Church in 1960. Looking back, the fact that his half-brother Secondo was born the following year was probably a strong factor in Nance's decision.
The world wasn’t designed at all for a single parent household. His mother Nance did what she could to be there, but it was hard making ends meet as a poet and freelance writer so she was often out late, teaching at the nearby college or researching for the occasional newspaper gig. Nance would date other men but none stuck around, especially when they had strong opinions about her son. She preferred being alone anyway.
Primo early on learned to take care of himself, and to understand that she couldn't really attend all the bake sales, meetings and neighborhood events like the rest of his classmates.
He would ride his bike home easily enough, over the train tracks, quickly past the kids shooting bottles off of the rails with bb guns. Primo was the heaviest kid of his age group, and the other boys delighted to remind him of that. (He also was the strongest kid so they kept a healthy distance from him when they started crowing about his weight as he rode past.) He would arrive at the house soon after the train track gauntlet, parking his bike by the front yard vegetable garden. The key would always be under the mat and a sandwich in the fridge just for him. If Nance would be home past five o’ clock there would be a note for him with a silly doodle by the phone.
Primo had a big imagination, but he was never interested in books. The two things he really enjoyed was his portable turntable and the television. He had the entire week’s programming memorized and luckily Nance wasn't around right after school to chide him about too much of it rotting his brain.
One of his favorite programs (besides the Lone Ranger) was a sitcom entitled Father Knows Best. On the afternoons it was on, Primo would scoot up too close to the television, twisting the volume knob until it would not crank any further. He even dared to eat his sandwich right in the living room, the plate balanced on his lap. No one but the bronze Baphomet sculpture on the side table ever witnessed his small acts of defiance. But it was a little ritual that he enjoyed as the music swelled and that familiar house with the white picket fence appeared on the screen.
He felt odd watching it, like he was spying through the window of a classmate’s house. Trying to understand the ins and outs of this perfect family and their small dramas. Often he imagined the television screen was a window to an aquarium, a zoo exhibit featuring a rare organism. Sometimes he felt it was the smiling figures on the screen that were the real people, and he himself was the creature in the enclosure. Those were not very good days.
At the end of each episode Father would strike a dapper figure, poised against the stiff gray couch, wearing an equally stiff but smart suit even in his own home. He'd thoughtfully put his pipe to his lips, nodding at his son standing sheepishly in the middle of the living room. “Now I suppose, Bud, that today you’ve learned the importance of telling the truth,” he would chide smoothly. His voice would keep a manly tenderness despite his scolding. “And because you didn't tell the truth today, you lost the money that you were planning on buying Barbara’s birthday present with.”
“That's the pits, isn't it,” Primo said out loud, half to himself and half to the bronze Baphomet nearby.
But like the namesake, Father always knew best, and the son would get a few new dollar bills, a playful rifling of his hair and an order to go out and play. THE END, announced the title card, and the music would wash across Primo sitting in the living room alone.
“Is Mister Walter coming back this weekend?” Primo expertly captured another one of Nance’s Sorry pawns. It was evening and the two of them were doing their usual after dinner bonding time. It was fun to chat and play board games with his mother, but Primo secretly enjoyed them better when there were three people playing.
“Mr. Walter…hated cats,” Nance muttered through her cigarette. Apparently a lot of them hated cats. Primo thought it odd this was a hard limit for Nance since they had never owned a pet bigger than a goldfish.
“He was alright,” said Primo. “He liked watching TV with me.”
“TV rots your brain,” Nance replied. “Have you been enjoying Robinson Crusoe?” She had gifted the book to him for his birthday and had subsequently planted it in strategic locations to encourage him to read it. He kept reading the first page, getting confused, and then putting it down.
“TV makes sense.”
“Yeah, of course it does. Take a plot, throw it in the mixer and then drink it up. I once got offered a job writing one of those family bilgefests and turned it right down.” Nance had forgotten they were playing the game. She tapped her nail on the table. “You're smarter than that, Irving.”
“Mom, it's your turn,” reminded Primo. He stared hard at the game in front of them. “There was a good Father Knows Best episode today. Bud lost the money for Barbara’s birthday gift.”
“Father Knows Best?” Nance’s neat ponytail twitched. “Irving, you know best.” She moved her piece and collected one of her son’s pawns off the board. “Sorry.”
Primo started to feel her seething agitation, although he knew it was never about him. “Are you…thirsty?”
“Are you offering?” Her small elfin smile started to emerge. “Shall we split a Coke?”
Primo nodded and obediently went to the icebox, grabbing one from the door. He pulled out two glasses and carefully emptied the bottle into them, stooping and staring with intensity as he ensured the Coke was perfectly divided between them. He returned from the kitchen, fully smiling now, and handed one to her. Nance did a silly toast and then they clinked glasses.
Nance sighed and ruffled her son’s hair. “I'm sorry this is hard. But it's necessary. You'll understand soon. This world is full of idiots who wait for things to happen, and it never comes. Who expect things to go a certain way. Who think someone else knows what's best.”
Primo suspected she must have had a rough day. She was usually cheerful, quippy and energetic but today she gloomily tapped the ashes from her cigarette into the crystal ashtray and stared at the Baphomet across the room. At last she sipped her glass and waved her hand around.
“But all of this? All mine. I made this happen. I did it. And I'm not holding my hands out at the sky either. I'm grabbing what I want with my fist.” Nance's face softened. “And I love sharing it with you, son. I choose to share it with you.”
My AO3 | Tumblr Fic List | My Terzo/Omega Fics
Please comment and reblog! Thank you.
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taakosleftshoe · 9 months
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Finally, the Oksamber Cafe AU we've all been waiting for (there will also be an aquarium, later.)
Love You a Latte
Summary: Amber Gris works at Joshy's, a cafe in downtown Founder's Wake. When a cute girl from the aquarium starts buying all of their danishes, Amber has conflicting emotions. Her fucking danishes…. This AU has no real canon spoilers, and doesn't require any background knowledge of Ethersea.
Chapter 1:
Amber Gris did not think she would be the type to work at a cafe. She was too tough for that– but it turned out to be a pretty sweet gig. What started out as a convenience job offered by a family friend had become a pretty stable part of her life. It had its perks– namely, since she took the closing shift, she got to save whatever didn’t sell. Whether this was refrigerating for later, taking them to the folks who needed them, or taking some for the road (it was usually a combination), it was her favorite part of the day.
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pigeonwit · 11 months
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odd and specific au number uhh four i think: jack is a lifeguard at a pool and davey is a mermaid. a professional mermaid. as in the kind with the silicon tails you can hire for parties and shows and stuff. he teaches mermaid classes at the pool and does gigs at a local aquarium and he's pretty sure jack's judging him for being a grown adult man whose job is pretending to be a mermaid but in actuality jack just thinks he looks hot as hell in the mermaid getup and is trying to decide whether or not that makes him a scalie.
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sharpestasp · 6 months
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so about things
Fic is being held -- there's 17 fics in my holding pen, but I'm posting a drabble a day on my Dreamwidth for 'advent'. Once that is done, I will go back to posting via the archives.
Fic exchanges - tis the season. So at least two full fics will release before 'advent' is done. FemslashEx was a ton of fun, and ready to be read now, with de-anon on the 16th.
Aquariums - We bought a school of ember tetras to join the remaining two from the last school. Guess what? Our veteran pair IMMEDIATELY schooled with them and were showing them the ropes. Including 'that thing outside our world being shown means food will fall from the sky in a moment' at me showing them the food can. Azure, the betta, was like... ugh. And then immediately in the midst of them and being his unusually social self by not snapping at their schooling.
On a more personal note, my children are Going Through It, I'm having Emotions, and the week was terribad. Losing someone fully from your life is never easy, but worse when it is their dad, and I cannot be RIGHT there to help them. Bless fandom and friends; I think they've raised a solid portion of the cremation fund already. Given one does gig work, two are baristas with one of those in school as well... it's tight over there.
(I'm linking my ko-fi because I am helping them as best I can with fundraising.)
May the coming winter or summer be kind to you all.
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moonrevolutions · 4 months
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vi's half-sister, laksika jaroensiri. he doesn't know her yet, due to... a history. aka their father had a little something with a woman a few years after virote was born and it resulted in a child. laksika's mother, too ashamed to say much about having a child unmarried, took a lump sum of cash to provide for laksika while moving on to atlanta, georgia with her girlfriend meena lahiri. she didn't want to speak to the father ever again.
laksika grew up in a way more stable environment than virote, moving on to study anthropology at gsu before transferring to santa cruz in california. after getting her BA, she went to beauty school to learn how to do nails. in the meantime, she started dj'ing at small college gigs. mostly without pay. but, when she got pay, the pay was pretty nice.
she also has an asmr channel on youtube called SIKA SOUNDS due to her pecular voice and affinity for tapping her nails against mirrors and cutting soap. she also has an aesthetic instagram called _SIKASIKAHH0. and a tiktok called SIKKYSIKAHSY for ambient videos.
laksika has a very vibrant, breezy soul and doesn't stress about much. sometimes, she comes off as a meek, obidient type but that's a pretty good front for someone that knows exactly what they're doing. she isn't phased by much. she's from atlanta.
she's been nearly killed at an atlanta waffle house at least 10 times, you can't make her feel any type of way... her hobbies include studying fish, her personal aquarium, watching videos of capybaras, producing awful beats in fl studio, and wondering what the hell is up with the stranglehold ikea has on people.
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