#cress talks sometimes

[crest-of-gautier]

i think it’s really funny that both of my blogs start with “cres.” is it annoying when i want to look at one blog and not the other? sometimes. but i think it’s hilarious, and life is better when you find many things to laugh at, me thinks.

#lizz.txt #i think its also for this reason that i jokingly tell myself in my head that if people were to make a name for me based on my url #in the scenario that they didnt read my bio and that me name is lizz. they should call me cress #anyway... im still thinking about pq... i heard about some things about it #i was shown a beautiful iceberg and now i feel like i HAVE to take yosuke out of the party sometime to see him approach minato #something something about wanting to be stronger for his partner? i want to see the exact phrasing... #anyway... i wonder if i'd post about my playthrough of p3 reload here... #i'll talk about that when its closer to release so that i can tell y'all how to mute but... #i really like making gifs.. and editing videos.... i might record some of me playing it just because i wanna see how i react to ryoji #and i wanna be able to look back on that.... but anyway... im gonna go home to my beautiful bed of freshly washed sheets

[pagesfromthevoid]

Are you gonna update either story any time soon

I mean I updated Cowboy like me on the 30th so chill lol

Safe & Sound will be updated when it’s updated (I’m lazy and my brain decided to stop working

#cress talks too much #sometimes you guys will see I will stop functioning

[a-tale-of-legends]

The Striaton Triplets a don't have much depth, as with many of the league members.

Sure they get more in the anime, but that can be said about literally any character.

Woooooh boy the straiton triplets are obscure alright. I haven't really thought of them much tbh, and when I have, I haven't been able to get many headcanons of my own. But hey, that's what these asks are for, eh? Let's see....

Starting with Cilan, let's get the obvious out of the way. The anime made him a submas twins fanboy, so I'm making him a submas twins fanboy lmao. Moreso due to his interest in trains. Speaking of interests I also feel like he has an interest in botany. I know I know, grass type leader, good with plants, it's cliche yes. But it's more so he can grow his own herbs for meals! It's a group effort between him and his brothers, but off the three, Cilan definitely has the green thumb. I imagine he's also a really good singer, and he likes singing when he's attending the plants. That being said he is painfully shy about it, despite his brothers encouragement. I think Cilan, just from his memory link with his brothers, is the more....non combatant of the three? Both in his shy nature compared to his brothers, but also like. He's more accepting of a certain rhythm or expectation,and doesn't really try to change that? At least to me. Post BW has certainly changed that for him, but it's still a flaw I think. He accepts things how they are even when they aren't great. And it's not entirely his fault, I just think he doesn't always see The Problem, you know?

Chili, ngl, give me younger brother energy. Or maybe middle child energy? No clue lmao. I think, of the three, he's the most interested in battling. He likes the energy of it! Of the three, Chili is arguably the best cook, and has a pretty diverse palette. Sweet, savory, spicy, you name it, he got it! Unlike Cilan, can't sing for shit. Got amazing dance moves though ( a great tap dancer). He....is very bad at ignoring rumors. It doesn't help that Cress is a sucker for them. He's even worse at not taking them to heart sometimes. Sometimes it's justified ( look at the memory link) but sometimes he gets ticked off if someone says anything bad about him or his brothers. He's not good at letting things go ( though, at the same time, he would often forget what he was upset about unless what's being said was really bugging him). Chili is the one that wants to be seen as his own individual with his own strength the most. Cilan is too complacent in his eyes, and Cress....well Cress understands but also thinks Chili's overthinking it ( which, to an extent, he is).

Cress! The trio's main gossiper! I don't know where I got this idea from but it's funny thinking how easily Chili falls for whatever shit Cress talks about. 99% of the time it's fake, but he's not telling Chili that. Cilan can sing, Chili can dance, and Cress can play a mean piano. He also can make a stellar latte. Not in combatant like Cilan, but not as eager for a fight like Chili. He likes battling, naturally, but it's like. " Okay, well I like this enough, sure". I think he's also, somehow, the one who's the most organized of the three? He's the one that makes sure the other two are on track with work in my eyes ( again, that memory link changed how I see these three). It's usually him and Chili butting heads but when there's a moue serious conversation in which Chili and Cilan aren't exactly seeing eye to eye, he's usually the one listening to both sides, and making sure everyone remains level headed ( mostly Chili, but you get it).

Now. These three, in my eyes, are teens. Who are they're parents? Where are they? Never said. It's not unusual for kids in the pokemon world to be doing this type of stuff, but you still gotta wonder about it. So I propose this: The restaurant that is their gym was just a restaurant before. It became a gym after the three became gym leaders ( why three gym leaders? Because alder thought it would be funny. Plus he didn't have the heart to pit the boys against each other). Said restaurant was and still is owned by their parents, they've just taken a back seat due to the gym leader thing. Once the boys retire, the restaurant comes in full swing! And....yeah that's all I got.

Hopefully this was an interesting read! I wasn't expecting to have Thoughts about these three but here we are. I have Thoughts about the three monkeys at what they mean for the triplets but that's for another time. And yeah! Thank you for the ask!

#r answers #r rambles #legendverse #striaton trio #pokemon cilan #gym leader cilan #pokemon chili #gym leader chili #pokemon cress #gym leader cress

[that-multi-fandom-hijabi]

: ̗̀➛ 𝐨𝐡, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨, 𝐠𝐨, 𝐠𝐨?

call me nova | she/her | enfp | aroace | extrovert | muslimah | minor born in april | aries (don't believe in zodiacs though) | FREE PALESTINE 🇵🇸 | single certified dating advice dealer | fitz vacker and sophie foster defender | cabin 6 girly | telepath/empath | cress darnel's twin in another universe | xander hawthorne's #1 stan | monet's apprentice in another timeline | your friendly neighborhood hopeless romantic | a chaotic arab-american hijabi fangirl | bubble tea supremacy

pinterest - carrd - wattpad

(i don't do chain asks anymore, sorry!)

𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐭…

DNI if: pro-israel, zionist, islamophobic, antisemitic, proshipper, religiophobic, xenophobic, NSFW, racist, sexist, creep, 20+ (unless i follow first), or just a crappy person in general.

fandoms: keeper of the lost cities, the riordanverse, a good girl's guide to murder, the inheritance games, the lunar chronicles, six of crows, avatar the last airbender, gravity falls

i also rp as my kotlc oc aliza windward sometimes

ships i live for: sophie x keefe, percy x annabeth, jameson x avery, cress x thorne, aang x katara, zuko x katara, dex x biana

i write: short stories and fanfics (i do not write smut or y/n)

here is my writing blog! @novaaaaaa-writes

music i like: olivia rodrigo, maisie peters, sabrina carpenter, conan gray, gracie abrams, mitski, melanie martinez, one direction

hobbies: fencing, crochet, coding (i run a girls who code), art, scrolling through tumblr and pinterest, cooking, baking, and sewing.

personal tags: #nova talks fandom stuff (fandom posts) #the hijabi rants (rants) #on aliza windward (my oc) #aliza windward speaks (also my oc) #the nova chronicles (life updates) #nova writes (my writing) and #nova's music (lyrics i post)

the completely insane cult of teenage girls i'm in (i love you): @moondust-on-the-hijabi @loife1m @reyna-obsessed @queenie-blackthorn @tinadablackthorn @heartstars @someonewhogotanaccount @hijabi-desi-bookworm

my friends: @swans-chirping-in-the-distance @queenpiranhadon @iam1withthepeggy @labaguetteisdabest @tam-shade-song @bookishirishdancer @newyorktimesbestsellerr @an-j8 @lillibethnougatesquirethe3rd @mxnkeydo @sleep-can-wait @yourtwistedlies @the-princess-fangirl @mushroomcarrotstick @tastetherainbow290 @nerdy-girl3791 @trilingualwannabe @averyriskygamble1989 @deulalune @therealkaidertrash21 @the-bookish-bitch @isilee @electricguitarhasmyheart @fireflychaosdemon @torifuckingspring @rainbow-flavoured-skittles @fly-inghighx @lucyshypemaster

…𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞

#pinned post

[althaiareads]

Hiya, I'm normally way too anxious to pop into someone's asks but I love the selection of Joel and Tommy Miller fics you have. Do you have any authors you would recommend for either of them and any fics you'd recommend? Thank you <3

Aaaahhhhh! Thank you so much for sending an ask! It means the world to me that you enjoy my carefully curated (not at all) blog. You are so lovely!!

As for recs... I recently responded an ask with outbreak day themed fics, and I wholeheartedly recommend their work. They are amazing writers.

Here you have some more recs.

For authors, a.k.a. please read their entire masterlists:

@ay0nha is just an amazing writer, seriously. Their work is absolutely incredible. I would recommend Dead Man Walking and Violent Delights, Violent Ends, both are Tommy Miller fics that are unbelievable! I am currently in a brain rot over VDVE Tommy, it's so good.

@inej-ruination-ghafa again, because I just love her so much. I am in the process of devouring her entire masterlist. I would recommend Bloody Hands for Tommy Miller, absolutely amazing! As for Joel I would go with Mine it's just so cute, absolutely incredible.

@pedgeitopascal just read her entire masterlist. Please. Vee is an amazing writer, everything she writes is gold. If I had to rec some of her work, I would go with To do the right thing (which she's turning into a full out series and I'm so excited about it) and A safe haven an ongoing series that I love so much. But seriously, go through her entire masterlist, I did, and wow.

@inklore I mean, Laur is a must when talking fic recs. Her work is amazing, she's in hiatus right now, but she has posted some of the most delicious smut I have read in my life, and I say this as a non smut girly. My fav would have to be Folly it has the angsty edge I love. It is part of the wicked game series, and I love it.

@nexusnyx Nyx, the absolute love of my life. Her writing is straight up poetry, I love it. I melt in compliments whenever she posts. My favs from her are the series Journey to Kintsugi, and this drabble, both are for Joel Miller. Again, please check out her entire masterlist.

@kteague have I recc'd them yet? I don't know, but they are astonishing! Their work is art in every single way. My fav has got to be A Future Together, I promise there's the most twisted unexpected twist halfway through the series that'll make you question your life!

@guess-my-next-obsession is absolutely incredible! I would rec Elementary a series set pre outbreak, and all the drabbles she's put out in that universe.

For one-shots or short series, a.k.a. people that I have not yet had the time to read all their work, but they are absolutely amazing:

Tommy Miller

It will come back by @moonlight-prose the softest hottest smut you'll read in your life, I promise. One of the first Tommy fics I read, I think, and it made me fall for the man.

The best thank you by @augustghosts it's domestic, established relationship with Tommy, and it's so cute. Tommy is a little shit sometimes, but that's okay, he makes up for it.

You are the reason by @angsty-twihardxx it's a three part series, and omg did I suffer reading it! Angsty as fuck, and absolutely beautiful, I loved the ending so much.

Apple of my eye by @gtgbabie0 is just so me, you know? It's set in Jackson, and it is just the cutest.

But then I found her by @iraot right so. I cried. A lot. So, I think you should too. That's all I'm gonna say. Please check it out, it's amazing.

Joel Miller

Safe & Sound by @pagesfromthevoid Cress is an amazing writer! And I wholeheartedly recommend all of her work. This is her first Joel Miller series and is just so good? Two chapters out, and I am eating this shit up!

Why She Spared Me by @colonelarr0w spoilers for the game TLO2, so careful, love. But... I sobbed like a baby reading this. It hurt, it broke my heart, it was awful, I loved it.

This one by @forever-rogue wing woman Ellie for the win. Joel being all nervous, Jackson being the safe place it is. It's such a cute and fun read, amazing!

Unexpected by @typingcorgi okay, this one is HOT! But also, soft, it is a lovely relationship between the two of them and I love it so much. I am eagerly waiting for the last part <3

Ughh, I feel like I'm forgetting many talented writers, and I've come back like 20 times already, but that's all I have for now :(

Please if anyone has more recs, do add them! 🫶🏻🩷🫶🏻

Happy reading, love <3

#Joel Miller fic recs #Tommy Miller fic recs #lovely anon #althaia answers

[oceanspray5]

Linh Cinder is epileptic because I say so and because you dont have your brain completely switch off due to water damage and then repaired just like that without some form of lasting damage (not to mention the various other times she had to be jump started again throughout the series mainly by Thorne).

Anyway so Cinder has epilepsy and its generalized epilepsy meaning she has no auras, just random seizures whenever her wiring and neurons are being all funky. She discovers it after experiencing absence seizures on Luna and wonders if its just her processor working over time with all the responsibilities now being heaped on her as Queen. The first month after abdicating once she's back in New Beijing she blacks out and then wakes up two hours later to a splitting headache, half the Rampion crew around her and the remaining half on their way. Her cybernetics specialist and a neurologist are there with her too when she discovers she has been diagnosed with epilepsy.

Cinder's seisures aren't frequent but she occasionally forgets to take her meds and she occasionally just hates how they make her feel. Kai is the one who always sits with her and every time she wakes up from a seizure he's sitting right next to her, without fail. He'll be doing paperwork sitting in bed but he won't leave her side and his hand is comforting on her shoulder or head so when she wakes up she knows she's safe.

Her temples hurt because they do anyway post-seizures in epilepsy but her facial muscles stretch out and clash with the metal in her skull too so they hurt a little too much and her jaw is sensitive for weeks and so either Kai or Winter (if she's available) massage her forehead and temples for her to ease the muscles and reduce extra swelling. Its soothing for Cinder who's never been touched so lovingly while she's sick before.

Its very frustrating for Cinder knowing that despite all her modifications to "fix" the disabilities caused by the burns Levana gave her, the one thing that can never be "fixed" is her brain. No amount of wiring can replace whatever issue is in her neural circuitry so it's a condition she has to live with and take medicine for. Frustration aside though, she has friends and is grateful she found a family who will take care of her if she ever happens to convulse because Adri would have done so much worse to her had Cinder discovered she was epileptic under that heinous woman's roof.

Cress is the one who understands Cinder's highs and lows when it comes to her anti-epileptics the best because she has experience with anxiety and depression. Scarlet understands the frustration and mood swings the drugs cause and tries to call Cinder every time she hears from Kai that her medicine is making her irritable. Meanwhile, Winter understands the pain of a brain that just "isn't right" and the struggle that comes with accepting the fact that something is wrong at all. She is the one who is best able to help Cinder accept the help she needs.

Wolf and Cinder sometimes just sit in silence together and it helps that they both understand what its like to have a part of you that's not bad or even wrong but just... different in a way that can be a struggle sometimes. It helps to have someone to talk to who they don't need to explain the frustration to.

Thorne tries, bless his soul, to cheer Cinder up. He takes her crown shopping or something equally ridiculous when she's in a mood because he knows the one thing she needs to not do after she has a seizure is stay trapped in her head thinking about the setbacks to her prior progress or else she'll drive herself insane.

Anyway in conclusion: Cinder's epilepsy isn't debilitating but it can be frustrating and the Rampion crew especially her loving husband Kaito come together to help ease Cinder whenever she's feeling down on herself because of the random seizures she's prone to experiencing.

#the Lunar Chronicles #linh cinder #kaider #rampion crew #princess selene blackburn #tlc #marissa meyer #zeev kesley #winter hayle blackburn #emperor kaito #epilepsy #yes this is me projecting on cinder but also everything about her screams she could be epileptic post Winter and feel all these feelings #it is not at all illogical to presume she could have epilepsy #not after her brain circuitry was damaged as well #cress darnel #carswell thorne #scarlet benoit

[cherry-aqua-blossom]

I haven’t gotten into it on this blog, but I’ve been super into The Lunar Chronicles since September 2022. Anyway, below are my late night ramblings that nobody cares about on why Angel with a Shotgun is Jacin Clay’s song. I’m making this list at 1:45 in the morning while I’m supposed to be packing for a trip, so this isn’t gonna be neatly organized or coherent lol.

Spoilers below for Cress and Winter btw

Alright, so we’re properly introduced to Jacin during Cress. He’s made a couple cameos in Cinder iirc (at least one) but it’s during the third book we finally learn his name, personality etc. 

A crucial part of his character is of course, his Princess Winter, aka childhood best friend/crush. Typically around others he’s serious, sarcastic, cold. But with her it’s like….I mean look he keeps his face and mind blank around others as a place guard of Queen Levana’s would but whenever it comes to Winter it’s just….his face visibly changes ok this doesn’t make much sense now that I’m reading it but onwards.

Onto the analysis of Angel with a Shotgun and how it relates to Jacin Clay

““And they say before you start a war, you better know what you’re fighting for. Well baby you are all that I adore, if love is what you need a soldier I will be.” -He stays as a puppet of Levana so he could stay and protect Winter the best he can, he doesn’t want to leave her alone. He knows Levana despises Winter and would take any chance to hurt her/kill her (as shown when she inflicted her scars and when she gave her letumosis.) -”I’ll throw away my faith babe just to keep you safe, don’t you know you’re eveyrthing I have.” -He’s not loyal to Levana whatsoever (“I serve my princess, no one else.”)he’s loyal only to Princess Winter. He risked their lives and kills Ryu in order to fake her death and help her escape.  -”“Sometimes to win, you have to sin.” As I said above, betrayed Rampion crew and killed Ryu for Winter. 

-”“And I wanna live not just survive.”

He wants to be a fuckingh doctor ok he doesn’t wanna be a palace guard he wants to be a doctor. He wants to live. 

Anyway, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk, I love Jacin Clay and this essay isn’t structured properly but I stand by every word goodnight.

#lunar chronicles #jacin clay #princess winter #winter hayle #winter hayle blackburn #angel with a shotgun #jacinter #wincin #marissa meyer #levana blackburn #queen levana #lazuli rambles

[vahalia-cress-ffxiv]

Blessing or Burden

A dim orange glow against frost glass grew and grew, the candle in hand flickering away the more it caught at the wick, and Vahalia lowered the pillar down to the windowsill. A vibrant and dangerous glare settled outside just past the glass pane as she watched a few people walk the streets just at the other end where Ishgard met the Cress property and gates.

Strange, watching the world move at its own pace while Vahalia herself felt within her own bubble. Sometimes the bubble crossed the threshold into the living world around her, other times it was entirely closed off. This evening had come to be one of those times.

Her gaze pinned to a figure outside that had stopped briefly to appraise the grandeur of the iron gates that separated the two – she did not know the person down below, but she was also not too remiss to find it strange and odd even for a stranger. With the fabric of the curtains between forefingers, Vahalia drew the curtain to shield herself from the figure outside.

May they look upon what the Cress name had built.

Little had crossed her mind in the few short hours she had left the old Slater grounds. Strange that even through it all, she had never really considered them as hers, even now as they had been tacked under Cress rule. Osric had barely crossed her mind and the stint that had been played out within the small room they had talked in. Her arrival with a gift hoping it would help place some newfound pride in his work almost felt it was all for naught. Her care in asking him how he was – ah, she held it all well, harboring it within the depths of her own whittled psyche.

Absent-mindedly her fingers fussed with the warm onyx that rested at the elegant slope of her throat, hugged by silver filigree, held taught by delicate lace – there was an odd comfort there and a sensation of easiness. Just beyond the facets of the stone was Creature.

Perhaps it was a good thing she had not delved further with Osric and had not furthered to tell him anything. What she held, for how long, how she had come across it and how it would – intentionally – infringe on the bloodline to come. A necessary boon for solid power. How could she not want to succeed in even that? 

A curse, perhaps.

But she saw it to be vastly more than that. A boon. Protection and so much more. Something she could harness and allow the right folk that come after her – her kin – to carry on the legacy.

It wasn’t a burned to carry so much as it was a blessing to utilize.

Dainty lacquered nails fell away from the heirloom and her attention was dawn to the door of her room the moment Annette entered with several garments draped with care along her forearm, “Here we are. I’ve just managed to find the jacket with this set for you and I’ve mended the shirt for warmer weather.” the elderly woman settled the outfit along the bed.

“It looks fine, Annette.” Vahalia confirmed and she stepped over to get a better look at what Annette had prepared for her, fingers working over the silken thread of the shirt. Light and flowy, a blouse that was far more adequate for hotter climates. The thought of having to contend or settle for what she had in Valnain was enough for Vahalia to further prepare for the now.

“How long are you going for?”

“A few days at most.”

“What would you like me to tell your husband my Lady?”

Vahalia pulled her hand away and folded it to her front primly with the other, “Just that. I’ll be gone for a few days and will return promptly once my business has concluded.”

“A business trip?”

“Yes. I have some trade routes to go over. A contact given to me by Miss Bancroft so I trust her authority on the matter. In addition to that I think it would be wise to finalize on a ship deal for Valnain. Hakan and Sieg will want to begin their work soon and I’d rather not idle on that since they are keen on seeing it through and not dally.” Vahalia’s hand lifted to place at the older woman’s mantle as a silent thank you. Thank you was something she often found a hard time expressing.

“Very well, Ma’am. Anything else you would like me to handle in your absence or more to pass along?”

“No. But you may keep your eye on Valeria and should the necessity of it arise that she needs to go anywhere, she is to take Bruce.” there was a pause and Vahalia went to step away but then turned back to look at Annette, “Ah, there is no exception either when it comes to leaving the estate, she is to avoid any Gray Household member.”

A bow came as Annette retained all that Vahalia had to offer her. With a small wave of Vahalia’s hand, Annette merely carried on about her business, silently being excused after being given directions on what to carry out next.

If there was little else to do in Ishgard for the time being and she wanted to put as much space between she and Osric that she could, she would spend her time on other matters and where it was significantly needed.

Radz-at-han.

Valnain.

The Sea Scorpion.

Hakan.

All things she could put her attention into if only to balm herself against the ailment that had been toiling around within her ribcage and braincase. Osric had not returned home and thus, it was enough confirmation on top of the slamming of the door in the old Slater estate, that truly solidified his temper regarding her.

She did not fear Osric’s temper, prior to their marriage she had only heard of it through word of mouth and those within the Ashen Wolves – the documents she had access to at the time. No, she wouldn’t placate for the sake of peace and niceties; nor for his sake or hers. She was fine leaving him to his own devices as he saw fit.

They did, after all, have an arrangement and that was all that it needed to be. Between them, she could have lived well enough as she had always done; alone and tending to her work and interests – others be damned.

By morning she would have done what she had always done and what she only knew to do, continue on as always with her eyes on the prize.

#Stories #Blurbs

[slate-skylar]

JANUARY - JULY 106

One month. Kya lifts her head during the strange ritual called tummy time. She likes to stare at her parents' faces. Her eyes are big and when she cries it's also big and very loud. She smiles once and it maybe is because she has pooped but he and Cress both cry.

The days pass in an exhausted blur. He doesn't accomplish much by way of revolution because he is busy accomplishing the smaller, more granular parts of life: cleaning blowouts, figuring out how to warm up the bottle just so, endlessly supporting Kya's little head, himself panicked and careful, not a natural at this at all. But Enna has agreed to let him help. Nano might be moved. He wants back in.

Two months. She coos and gurgles a lot. She is less jerky, she picks her head up more consistently when they do the tummy time. Slate reads to her several times a day, in part to pass the time, breaking it into chunks of one book to the next. She reaches for the pages with splayed fingers.

Spring coming to the Capitol. They go on walks with her, strapped to one of their chests. In Eleven things intensify. In every District, they intensify. Slate longs for the drugs that numbed him. He has nightmares almost every night now. He wakes to Kya screaming as if she too has seen Mercuria's death again in her mind's eye. He goes to her and finds comfort in her little body and her small, human needs.

Three months. She laughs now and smiles when they make silly faces. He is better at being silly than he'd thought he would be, better at making her laugh than he'd feared. At tummy time she tries to push herself up. It's like she, too, wants in on the action.

Free Eleven. It exists. It's out there. He keeps himself from whooping with joy when he hears. The neighbors, the walls, the light fixtures all have eyes, all have ears. And then shortly after, the Victor's Ball. An announcement. The age limit is gone. No one is safe. Cress isn't safe.

Four months. She grabs things. She still babbles: babababa, dadadada. When she says this, dadadada, he cries again and is surprised at himself for the outpouring of all this emotion, all this water. Maybe it's the water he soaked up in the Arena, finally draining out.

Free Eleven is a mess but it's free. Difficult to get reports. He wants to go, itches to go, but he won't leave. He can't leave. He's being watched. He and Cress fight off cameras, the press; they all want a piece of Kya but if they each take something she'll have nothing left. Instead they offer themselves up. Smiling and patriotic. At night he helps Enna sometimes. He does what he can.

Five months. She plays with her hands and feet and thinks these limbs of hers are a miracle. She rolls from her tummy to her back. She can sit up for a moment, sometimes two, all on her on.

The 136th Reaping draws closer. Tensions rise. He and Cress get word from friends, other sympathizers, about advances and defeats in Two. The news talks about how exciting this next Games will be, how great for everyone to be able to be involved.

Six months. She is ready for solid food and Slate samples some of it and nearly retches. Cress laughs at him. Kya jabbers and seems to recognize her own name. She puts lots of things in her mouth.

The Games draw closer, closer. The fever pitch the country is at; deafening noise from everywhere. Pressure and fear. He sometimes feels like he can't stop screaming, though he's making no noise at all, no noise ever. He's being perfectly silent. Perfectly good.

#ah135 #life update #writings

[ratgingi]

some little doodles and rambles pages :-] bonus Longer Ramble under cut, goes into some general oc stuff as well as kinda how things work in my oc group set up

on the topic of michy, her name is accidentally a nod sorta to her relationship with mingus. since her last name is knight . you can make the connections there but it was Not intentional on my part i just happened to name her that (just like i. named her michelle before finding out that was mingus' original name HJSHBAVJDSAB) and my qpp cress pointed out the potential for it

speaking of names, i got inspired to pick jacksons name based on a tiktok i saw while creating him, with a character named 'chase wood'. i thought it was Really Funny but didnt want to directly rip either of those names so got to work thinking of something. i took the name jackson from the song that sort of inspired his personality (called "jackson, you are dying" by picture us tiny) and grabbed the last name coxx after seeing a randomly generated npc in a video i was watching to complete the joke

also charlie got his last name the same way jackson did in the sense of a random npc in a game video i was watching had it and i thought it was good enough. while i was trying to figure out what kind of name to give him (hed already had the name charlie for a good while, since he was a generic objecthead oc i had but decided should Become a dt one) a character named 'warden steiner' was mentioned like. once. and i thought that sounded close to frankenstein and was like. yeah thatll be cool

also kara has a second major nondateable technically. she may or may not get scrapped bc shes genuinely horrible (i hate. writing her. i made her design pretty nice but i just actually hate her BHJSJHABJD), but shes a rival from karas pageanting days who would lead to two different bad ends if she became real, one of which is. a death end for kara. i dont wanna go into full detail bc again its likely to get scrapped just bc i literally hate the rival but tldr kara gets shot(? or smth idk she eats absolute shit either way) during a performance because the rival convinced the player that the only way to help kara realize performing isnt for her was to sabotage it and it goes Wrong. the other bad end is just kara trying to warn the player that the rival isnt good to hang around and eventually cuts off from the player which would lead to the shit yourself and die end bc player probably gets thrown under the bus by the rival during smth. most likely in a literal sense

i wanna talk about mechanics some now uhhhhhhhh ok so on the topic of 'major nondateables'

i have probably explained how it works before but in order for a character to qualify as a 'major nondateable' they have to 1. heavily effect the route [to the point of interactions with them being able to change its course] and/or 2. heavily influence the route's dateable's thoughts/actions/general motivations during it, sometimes both. they also CANNOT be another dateable in a different route. if i were to apply this to in-game characters for example, mr dickens would be a major nondateable from olivers route, and mayor mingus would be a major nondateable from norms. the majors dont have to have an active presence near the dateable during the route, they just have to apply to the above guidelines. these are the reasons why characters like exie, adelaide, stephan, stop, etc are not considered major nonedateables, because while they are close with the dateables from the routes they have a presence in, they do not change the route or motivate the dateable toward anything. charlie actively changes the route and clearly has a big sway over lillith, oakey would be mentioned several times by kara as a reasoning for why she says or does certain things during her route, and juniper - despite not being close to margo - has the ability to effect the outcome of the route.

and not every route Has to have one obviously . and there are some that would Technically be major nondateables for each other (ex. murr and roe, isaac and vinnie) but Because the other half of the pair is also dateable in a separate route, they do not qualify

also smth i dont think ive talked abt much is the fact that yes outis genuinely does call the ocean his wife. i mentioned he does that a few times when i first made him but there would be several points in his route where he does this (its mostly joking but there would be points where hed be talking abt it and say smth like 'i love my wife a lot but she scares me very much'). also originally i was going to give him a shark tooth on his necklace, based on the one i have irl, but the story for my irl one is a guy punched it out of a sharks mouth and i think if outis found out about that hed start crying and would not want anything to do with it. so shell necklace it was

also the two instances the petstore would show up in are once in outis' route and once at the end of murrs. for outis, you would be accompanying him to his shift that day, and brainstorming ideas for what you can do to try and figure out how to help him overcome his anxiety. kiki would approach you once you arrive and would spend a moment interrogating the player on who they were and what their intentions with her friend were, and would occasionally chime in with her opinion while you talk to him. in murrs route, youre taking him there to introduce him to the idea of maybe getting a pet he can dote on. after he doesnt really connect with any of the animals there would be a little interaction with twerpy where he gives the two of you directions to the shelter that their sister works at and he decides hell go sometime alone. (he ends up getting a cat, her name is darling and hed kill for her. you dont get to meet her bc murr and roe still dont show up in ch3/4 but she Exists)

murrey is a firm believer in the concept of true love and believes hes found it multiple times in the past, and absolutely Despises the thought that some people have of only being able to really find it Once. during his route thats what hes chasing (there would be a point where he complains hes gone so long without feeling true love that he intends to find it again, and the player has the option to tell him you can only find it once - which would start you down one of his bad ends), and the thought that its something you can only obtain once and never again makes him incredibly miserable.

murr is also entirely aware that there are different kinds of true love, but hes been stewing in his loneliness for so long that the romantic kind is the only one his brain will allow him to focus on. this is why his good end sort of helps remind him of that along side dealing with his loneliness in healthier ways

also adelaide has a side job at the shelter as well. when you meet her with margo and juniper in chapter 4 shed mention something about murr adopting darling and inform you that hes a lot happier now that he has the cats company. also margo and juniper are doing better after your help as well bc margo is getting a bit better at communicating and juniper is trying to be less. [gestures vaguely] . shes still an ass bc thats just her but yknow what i mean

also im thinking about making michy my only dateable that shows up in chapter 3. everyone else's interactions that would be in ch3 have been moved to 'chapter 4' but she was my first gal i think she deserves her spot there. youd meet her with norm while heading down to the subway and shed run up to you two after recognizing his voice (shed talk about being on her way to a date with her partners, i Wanna make them show up in person but as they both belong to friends of mine im not confirming anything really bfhdjbfdjs) and talk about how after your help to get out of her parasocial issue shes found true love and is focusing more on her friendships and her happiness. :-]

also funfact i have partial scene scripts for stephan and stops routes somewhere on my laptop. they were both going to be dateables at one point and i wrote a little about what mightve happened + pieces of a scene from each but idk if ill be able to find them nor will i ever show them if i do probably but they are there. somewhere

also !! alex is intersex . i dont think ive ever stated that anywhere bc it isnt really relevant to the story or anything but its pride month so might as well share. good for them

also i am gonna confirm at least ONE of the library dateables is actually a vampire. probably. yall dont get to know who though (my qpp knows but cress keep that info to urself /vlh)

i had more i wanted to say but forgot to write down somewhere so. take this

#dialtown oc #jack dlc #dlc wiki #hobos creations #enjoy big dump of things idk if ive talked abt any of this before but

[spirit-speaking]

Valeria Cress

-𝔅𝔞𝔰𝔦𝔠𝔰

•Name: Valeria Cress (Val)

•Age: 27

•Race: Hyur, Midlander

•Gender: Female

•Sexuality: Pansexual

•Marital Status: Single

•Server: Balmung

-𝔓𝔥𝔶𝔰𝔦𝔠𝔞𝔩 𝔄𝔭𝔭𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢

•Hair: Dark brown

•Eyes: One golden (right), one green (left)

•Height: 5′7″

•Build: Dainty and lithe

•Tattoos/Scars: Small, faded scar above left temple.

-𝔓𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔬𝔫𝔞𝔩

•Profession: Librarian & Ishgardian cultural heritage and book conservator.

•Hobbies: Reading, taking walks on nice days to overall enjoy the outdoors, hunting down relics all over the world, cooking in her free time and gardening.

•Residence: Ishgard, Cress family home.

•Birthplace: Ishgard

•Qualities: Empathetic, Mindful, Quiet, Rational

-ℜ𝔢𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰𝔥𝔦𝔭𝔰

•Spouse: None.

•Children: None.

•Parents: Father; Adrian Cress, deceased. Mother; Odessa Cress (Formerly Blackheart) , deceased.

•Siblings:  Sister; Vahalia Cress, alive ( @vahalia-cress-ffxiv)

•Other Relatives: Family tree.

•Pets: Clotho, a falcon given to her by Damien Gray

-𝔗𝔯𝔞𝔦𝔱𝔰

extroverted / introverted / in between

disorganized / organized / in between

close minded / open-minded  / in between

calm / anxious / in between

disagreeable / agreeable / in between

cautious / reckless / in between

patient / impatient / in between

outspoken / reserved / in between

leader / follower / in between

empathetic / callous / in between

optimistic / pessimistic / in between

traditional / modern / in between

hard-working / lazy / in between

cultured / un-cultured / in between

loyal (to a fault) / disloyal / in between

faithful / unfaithful / in between

-𝔄𝔡𝔡𝔦𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔞𝔩 ℑ𝔫𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔪𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫

•Smoking: never / rarely/ sometimes / frequently/ to excess.

•Drugs: never / rarely/ sometimes / frequently / to excess.

•Alcohol: never / rarely /sometimes / frequently / to excess.

-ℌ𝔬𝔬𝔨𝔰

Finding Wings:  The twin sister to Vahalia Cress. She is the less known of the two and a little quieter than her sibling. She tends to enjoy being in the background a little more and live a muted life. Her sister often refers to her as 'Sparrow', a moniker that has stuck with her since childhood, one her mother used to call her and was eventually adopted by her sister, Vahalia.

Spirit Speaker:  Due to an accident resulting in trauma to her head and many weeks of being in an insentient state, Valeria awoke having odd abilities where sometimes -- without warning -- she is loosely existing between both the mortal realm of consciousness and the plane of the unknown. To some, it is called the afterlife, limbo, the underworld but Valeria believes it is some space between the current world and where the aether eventually travels into the aetherial sea. She tends to describe this as quick, and disorientating and usually happens when someone within close proximity dies. She can sense energy but also hear voices while dazed while also recently being able to find residual aether and magicka linked to items that belonged to others. Little is known about this little hiccup of hers and she very rarely talks about it.

Fresh Face: It is no surprise that Valeria is a common face around the city of Ishgard. She was born there but had spent several years away due to a family dispute that involved her father. As a local, she tends to frequent many of the walkways while out on a walk or even in the local shops doing some shopping. You can bump into her just about anywhere.

Regal:  Born into House Cress, Valeria often holds up a more sophisticated appearance and dresses the part. She frequents tailoring shops quite a bit and enjoys fashion. It's not uncommon to catch a glimpse of her at a scattered soiree or event within the city; sometimes even abroad. Though she is not as big on the social scene as her sister, she is known to attend a few events here and there or even at her sister's bequest. It is rumored she was once even betrothed to a Blythe relative in the Blythe Household, but no longer. Rumors swirl around that often leave people wondering why the arrangement had been abolished.

Page by Page: Sometime after her accident Valeria decided to take up the job of a librarian in one of the libraries in Ishgard. On the side she also works to restore old books and tomes that are connected to the cultural history of the city as well as the residents and Houses within. She takes great care as a conservator to archive and tend to the preservation of these items. She also takes great care in the gallery to help oversee the preservation of relics and artifacts linked to Ishgard's architecture and past.

Looking for:  Anyone I can connect with, befriend or collab with. I thoroughly enjoy being able to meet new people and be a part of stories or to contribute to them. Valeria is a character who tends to have a bit of a dark story and based on that I do ask that people be at least 18+ when engaging with more mature, dark and gruesome content involving her life or work. Darker and mature-themed RP doesn’t always mean ERP either so please do not message me inquiring about such since it isn’t content I’m interested in writing.

#lfc #Character sheet

[pagesfromthevoid]

Sometimes I forget that I work with people 20+ years older than I am so when I send them emails with bad news but include 😎😎 or 👉🏼😎👉🏼 at the end, they get fucking confused

#cress talks too much #sometimes it’s just B) and that confuses them even more

[mistbow]

Love Umbrella

It’s still technically Spring, but it’s almost Summer soon (about one month until early Summer, at the time of writing this post). And when Summer comes, it’s gonna be tsuyu (梅雨) or rainy season where samidare (五月雨) falls. So it’s too early to talk about this, because the “5th month” referred to in the word is not May (yet I see a lot of people mistranslated it as “May shower” despite of that, and this spurred this post anyway lol), but the fifth month in Wareki (和暦), which means sometime in June this year, but hey. You don’t need any particular reason to talk about something, after all.

But anyway. You see, the [Japanese] official hub for Tales is Tales Channel+, and they have this fun little corner for members where they can do various activities, such as trivia quizzes, matching cards minigame, and public opinion poll, and we’re gonna talk about the last one specifically here. Basically, every month they hold two polls (each for first half and second half of the month) where you can participate, in which the subject/question and options are decided by the official side (so you can’t enter your own answer).

For the first half of June 2022 (yes, it was barely a year ago), the question was: “梅雨の時期、相会傘が似合いそうな2人は？” which I would translate as “During the rainy season, which pair would look good under a shared umbrella (相会傘, ai ai gasa)?” (and I know this might seem oddly random to some, but I will explain the cultural context right after this).

The results were:

Cress & Mint: 31.9% of the votes

Sorey & Mikleo: 26.4% of the votes

Lloyd & Colette: 12.4% of the votes

Before I begin to explain the cultural context, I would like to say that among all the options they gave, Sorey and Mikleo are the only one that is not M/F, yet they finished at 2nd place.

“Shared umbrella” is a really crude translation of “ai ai gasa” (“相合傘”) because it absolutely doesn’t retain the romantic implications of the phrase. Anyone remotely familiar with the Japanese language knows that “love” in Japanese is “ai” (“愛”), so 相合傘 can also sound like 愛・愛・傘. It’s seen as a romantic gesture for two people to share an umbrella. Aside from this, “相合” is also more than just “sharing”—it’s when two people do things together, being equals.

(Source)

Now I hope it’s obvious enough why “shared umbrella” has become an image for two people being in love in Japan.

It’s still crazy to me that the official side even considered Sorey and Mikleo as an option here, the only same-sex option, and they managed to be 2nd place, just below the OG Tales hero/heroine pair (Cress and Mint, good for them!), and winning against another pair of childhood sweethearts (Lloyd and Colette, also good for them!). Congratulations for all three, lol.

I admit, I don’t like it when Sorey and Mikleo are reduced to just romance only and I don’t even mean this in a “romantic love is shallow (at best) or icky (at worst)” (I even believe that romantic love can become one of the most beautiful, purest things ever to exist in this world) but more that since they’re meant to be a symbol of humans-seraphim coexistence, I believe they can’t be limited to just one label. They’re family, they’re best friends, they’re rivals, they’re Shepherd and Sub Lord, they’re partners, they’re the right and the left, they’re the physical and the spiritual, they’re two halves of one whole... their bond encompasses every one of those and even more. They are there to show the limitless possibilities of what a human and a seraph can be when together, so trying to say what they are exactly is kind of pointless to me. But still. I don’t deny things like this lol, I’m a チョロい person after all.

#mino talks zesty #srmkほんとうに公式が最大手すぎで頭がおかしくなる #i'm insane but sometimes koushiki is more insane #this is the kind of stuff i don't usually care about but i'll take the bait here #mino rambles #btw there were many other options #these were just the top 3 of the poll

[brekker-by-brekkerr]

comfort things tag game

hey you. you’re lovely and i’m glad you’re a part of the world :) 

anyways sometimes it’s just nice to do things that comfort you. if you have the time. so let’s tag some people and talk about our comfort things yeah?

here’s mine:

comfort show: gilmore girls

comfort movie: any pixar movie but to be specific monster’s inc. also tangled, love rosie, the to all the boys trilogy, the twilight saga

comfort book: cress by marissa meyer. or a cute rom com like people we meet on vacation or tweet cute or anything by morgan matson

comfort article of clothing: cozy sweatshirt or this one super soft yellow babydoll dress

comfort song: don’t worry baby cover by the brook & the bluff or briggs by mike mains & the branches

comfort place: anywhere with my friends or at barnes & noble. the best day ever involves both <3

comfort food: macaroni cheese

tagging, only if you’d like: @bouquet-of-wilting-violets @fangirlforever-15 @vrakali @mel-street @lovedust4starlust @mszenik @kaztiel-angelofthetimelord @kanerallels @look-up-to-the-skies-and-see @thatonecrowguy @galwithalibrarycard @twentythreesuns @sisterofartemis and anyone else who sees this and wants in!!

#tag game #comfort #comfort things #comfort show #comfort movie

[crunchycrystals]

every book i read in september 2023

i did in fact bring this back because i thought it would be fun and all my followers should know that before everything, i am a book nerd. i genuinely think i only feel like i'm alive when i'm reading regularly. no spoilers for any of the books i talk about because i can only have one cut per post

before i get into the books here's some general info on reading stuff this month. so i read 9 books which i'm really proud of myself for after being in a reading slump for ages. i was still reading then but i really was not enjoying myself nearly as much as i was in previous months and i'm really enjoying myself now. 5 of the books i read were physical copies of them, 1 was an ebook, and 3 were audiobooks. my average rating was 4.29/5 and read a total of 13.78 hours on audiobook and 2476 of pages shout out to storygraph for all this info i am telling you use storygraph if you want to track your reading its so great

the cruel prince. i really liked this surprisingly??? the worldbuilding was great and i loved all the political aspects of it. jude was a really interesting main character and i had a lot of fun with the story (especially the plot twist/s, no i'm not saying if there's more than one). i liveblogged a couple parts of the entire series this month so you can check my tfota tag for more in depth thoughts

the lost sisters. it was pretty interesting to see the plot of the cruel prince from the perspective of a different character but i didn't think much about my enjoyment of it since i was just reading it for more info on the series lol

captain stone's revenge. so i went on a nancy drew diaries binge once and i've been keeping up with the series ever since then just because, and i had a hold on this book for like 2 months at the library and i finished it in a day lol. it's a short book and definitely not as good as other books in the series but yk it wasn't awful still had fun reading

we are okay. this is one of my favorite books and i cried for 40 minutes straight as i finished the last like 50-80 pages. it's a really great exploration of different kinds of grief that are complicated and how it affects people. i posted while reading it "every chapter there's something that makes me take psychic damage" which was very fun but also deeply painful (in a fun way most of the time, sometimes i was in public trying not to cry). the ending is so hopeful it made me cry for a different reason why i was crying for the past 35ish minutes. it's a great book i highly recommend it it's only like 230 pages.

the wicked king. sequel to the cruel prince, i also really enjoyed this but i don't think i enjoyed it as much as the cruel prince. still well written though and i have more in depth thoughts under my tfota and/or reading commentary tags

queen of nothing. 100% my favorite from the trilogy i loved it i thought the characters and plot in this one were all super great and i loved the ending especially. i do have more detailed thoughts that i wrote down for me personally but this is a no spoilers section so i won't share it unless someone asks

cress. this is the 3rd book in the lunar chronicles series and aaaaaaa i loved this so much i had so much fun reading it i love the alternating povs and how they all end up clashing with the dramatic irony in that one scene i loved kai's povs i wanted to keep reading constantly i love these characters so much go read the lunar chronicles please

chalice of the gods. uhhh so i finished this in less than 12 hours i liveblogged it all i really enjoyed it you can see my thoughts there go check it out (cotg or reading commentary tag). a lot of cringe moments (WHY does he mention boomers so much) but i am choosing not to see it i only see percabeth and percy grover friendship content again and i enjoyed reading it

daisy jones and the six. i listened to this on audiobook and it was incredibleeeeeeee the voice actors were amazing it was so entertaining. another taylor jenkins reid book about the drama between famous people and it was very entertaining to read about. stressful at times but overall i liked it. once again there are some notes in the reading commentary tag

i also started winter this month but i am definitely finishing it in october so i don't count it lol

#crunchyposts #books #monthly wrap up #<- in case i end up doing this again

[hella1975]

I just applied for a breakfast waitress position in a hotel do you have any tips if they accept me oh great hella

omg im so excited for this ask yes i DO have tips anonstie i have so much to tell you hi im hella ive been doing different waitressing jobs since i was sixteen here's what i know:

your first 3 weeks/month are the golden time. im being so serious when i say ask ANY question you have. you will have stupid questions. you will panic about which way a tap gets turned or where a plate goes. you will feel like a tit. ask anyway. in this time NOTHING you do can get too harshly judged bc you're the 'new person' and it stays that way for a good 3 weeks SO ASK AWAY. a month is pushing it but honestly rather ask in the first month than fudge it yourself and make a mess

dont try and carry three plates straight away. just.... dont

you will drop things. you WILL break things. i promise you they're not going to fire you

you will have some of the most outragously awkward encounters with customers. this is probably their fault (they told a bad joke, they dont look at you when they talk, they're generally an asshole) BUT sometimes it'll be your fault. the other day my mate was serving this old bloke and he said he was just waiting for his wife because she was 'out partying', to which my mate laughed thinking he was telling a joke. it was only when she walked away that she realised he said 'parking' and she laughed really hard at it for seemingly no reason and she literally had to go to the office and put her head in her hands. she's been waitressing there for two years

speaking of other staff. god. omg. okay. yes, all chefs are that much of an asshole it's not just yours. no, age-gaps are not frowned upon in the catering industry. yes, everyone is shagging each other all of the time. good luck

dont slag any of the other staff off until the first month is over. even if that staff member is the designated victim of everyone's abuse, just dont join in yet. the last thing you want is to join in on harmless bitching bc you think it'll appeal you to the staff just to find out you've gotten involved in some deep-seated years-long politics. also it's just respectful. you're new at the end of the day and you dont really earn a right to an opinion on anyone until youve been there a while lol

bring food to work with you. worst case scenario it sits in your bag untouched bc you dont get hungry. best case scenario you're on your feet for a 10 hour shift with no progress on your staff meal and suddenly that tesco egg and cress sandwich you packed looks a lot like god

also drink water!!!!!! literally no one acknowledges how fucking hard waitressing is but you are ON YOUR FEET FOR HOURS moving the entire length of the restaurant usually carrying shit AND dealing with the social drain of constant interaction. you need to take care of yourself

dont write down verbatim what the customer ordered unless you can write very very quickly. you'll get used to your own shorthand bc FUCK KNOWS customers cant seem to recognise what it looks like when someone is clearly still writing and they tend to just KEEP FUCKING TALKING

that's another thing. never underestimate how stupid and/or rude people can be. you're going to experience levels of ridiculous unbenownest to you until now. you are going to hear shit come out of people's mouths that you thought humanity had evolved past centuries ago. get that poker face down

it's okay if it gets to you. there's going to be shit days where every customer you speak to tears a strip off you and it's fucking DRAINING. im lucky bc i genuinely dont view customers as other human beings so literally nothing they say to me even resonates, but other people get upset and need to cry. that's okay. everyone has terrible days. it's a natural reaction to people being rude to you so just remember it's a VERY impersonal industry. you'll make mistakes that you're convinced will make people (either customers or other staff) hate you but honestly? it'll be forgotten about the next day

know from the start what shifts you're willing to do AND MAKE YOUR MANAGER AWARE OF IT. are you part-time? if so, specify how many days MAXIMUM you're willing to work a week. can you work sundays? say so if you can't. if you say all of this stuff repeatedly from the beginning then when the day inevitably comes that you've been put on rota five days in a row or they've stuck you on a sunday regardless of buses, you can shrug your shoulders without any guilt and turn it down

clean up after yourself. dont see yourself as above any jobs. polish the cutlery when it needs doing (this is your friend). clean up the coffee counter. your employer - especially when your new - wants to see INITIATIVE, not just an ability to follows instructions. when there's nothing to do and you've done what you were told, FIND SOMETHING TO DO. if you cant think of anything (though dw the longer you're there the more familiar you'll become with the little jobs), then ask another waitress or your manager if you can help with anything. it makes you look eager and on the ball

there's a hierarchy in the catering industry and it can get nasty. for example, barback and kitchen porter are seen as really unprestigious roles and as a result a lot of the staff are really horrible to them. dont fucking do that. waitresses have a really awful reputation for this kind of bitchiness and it's not nice. your job isnt superior. dont just dump your plates with the kp when there's food still on them. talk to the barback instead of just handing them your empty glasses without even acknowleding them. youd think this was all a given but it really really isnt

try get in with the chefs. typically their egos are really fragile but that can work in your favour. even if you just get on well with ONE chef, the kitchen staff are usually quite loyal to each other so that'll get you in with the rest of them. it just makes your day easier bc you can relax with them more, so checking your orders and getting yourself food isnt a faff

learn the menu as quick as possible. a good place will give you some sort of food-orientated role at first for exactly this reason (e.g one of my first ever shifts i did 10 hours JUST on the food passe. i wanted to die but in a single shift i knew that menu like the back of my hand and it makes life soooo much easier). still, you'll trip up a lot at first when customers ask the dreaded 'do the fishcakes come with _____' and you dont know the answer. smiling sweetly and going 'oh im not sure actually, i'll just go ask someone for you :)' is your best friend. to this day i still say this (though that's for drinks bc im HOPELESS at remembering what we have on tap)

have fun! it sounds dumb but if you like where you're working then waitressing can honestly be such a laugh. it's a job that has a real solidarity aspect to it and it bonds people. dont deep anything and just enjoy yourself <3

#forcibly restrains myself from adding more bullet points #there's so much else i could say i hate this #GOOD LUCK ANON IM ROOTING FOR YOU! #tell me how it goes <3 #ask