#wear thimbles when you sew kids

[thedemonsurfer]

having nerve damage in the tip of my middle finger is really inconvenient when that's the finger i use for the trackpad

today is a 'vague hurty/achy feeling' day and i want to gnaw it like a cat that doesn't understand Why something feels like it does, only that it's Annoying

#wear thimbles when you sew kids #and dont get into the habit of pushing the needle through the fabric with your fingertip #coencidentally do you know how often you bang your fingertips into things every day? #its a lot 8'D #i've never had this diagnosed by a doctor #but it p much feels like there's a bruise there when there's nothing visible #and it's been that way for like 4+ years now #i thought it was a bone bruise but since it hasn't improved with me taking a hiatus from cons i'm p sure its nerve damage #and what is a doc gonna say anyway #“wear a thimble and try not to bang your hands into things” #banging my fingertip into things hurts like a BITCH btw #so im so glad that I have the neurological disorder that impacts my brain's ability to keep track of my extremities /sarcasm

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

[against all odds, your hand is in mine] [1/4]

Seasons change, and with each comes a different story. In a world where the dead roam around, romantic companionship seems unlikely. Yet Ericson stands, and within it are four couples who are proof that it's possible.

Spring: Briolet | flowers, picnics, blueberries, running river

Read on AO3

Notes: Sometimes I get the urge to write four oneshots over the course of two days. This is the first of those oneshots. It’s briolet in spring, but be careful: there is so much hand holding and some smooches. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. 

[screenshot used is from the lovely @pi-creates]

---

Brody pricks her finger again. It's easy to avoid that, but she doesn't have a thimble, and her hands refuse to stop trembling.

No blood, and really, it didn’t even hurt. It more startled her, a bit of panic sparking in her gut at the idea of staining the martial and ruining her project. She stops her work to rest her hands and the fabric in her lap, closes her eyes, and sucks in a deep breath. It does little to calm her nerves or her impatience.

“Don’t rush,” she mumbles to herself, readjusting her position on the bed. She crosses her legs and notices a long strand of thick, pale blue thread stuck to her pants. Great, she needed that color an hour ago to finish one of the flowers.

Doesn’t matter now, the floral design is complete and all she has left is to sew the pieces together. If she can finish soon, there’ll be more than enough time to clean up, gather the basket she made up the night before, and head down to the greenhouse. Violet should still be there.

Brody smiles, setting down her needle and holding the handmade eyepatch in her hands. She rubs a thumb over one of the little white flowers. She embroidered them just this morning, a final touch to the overall design. That feeling strikes her gut again, exciting her nerves.

The idea came to her one night after Violet found her in the common room. It was late at night, and the two shared a blanket on the couch and drank tea. Violet's ruined eye was covered with bandages despite being healed over. No one was able to find her an actual eye patch. The best they found was a plastic one used for a children’s pirate costume, so she kept it bandaged.

Violet never complains about it. She considers the bandages her patch, even though they're not the most comfortable to wear every day.

Brody decided at that moment that she would make her one. She tore through her closet the next morning, sorting through old shirts until she found one she never wore. Taupe in color, a thicker material, something she could easily work with.

Though she had no idea how eyepatches were made, figuring those things out came easy to Brody. She made several patterns, testing each one out on scraps until one worked. From there, it was all about creating a design should could see Violet wearing. It wasn't difficult- sewing and embroidery work came easy to her.

A family thing that stuck, she assumes.

Her grams used to do embroidery and cross-stitching work. She made a living off sewing intricate designs, all more beautiful than any painting. If Brody closes her eyes, she can still see the doorway into her gram’s cabin. The framed design of a flowery cottage with a stone path, rural trees and a cloudless sky hung up on the wall. Her gram’s final masterpiece. She worked on it for months, pouring every ounce of love she had into each stitch. It was something Brody admired every time she walked through that doorway.

She learned to hunt and skin animals from her dad and uncles, and sewing from her grams. Best of both worlds, she supposes. Two skills that became handier than she would’ve ever thought at the time.

Though her flowers weren’t as flawless as her gram’s once were, she still put her heart into each stitch just as she did. She hopes that when Violet sees it, she’ll feel the unspoken words Brody threaded through the fabric.

Purple, white, and blue flowers of all sizes, each with a yellow french knot in the center, standing bright against the muted taupe. She sewed a thicker piece beneath it, used a tiny bit of stuffing from an old, ripped pillow to give it some comfortable cushion. A piece of a silky shirt lines the inside so Violet’s skin won’t get agitated while wearing it.

After weeks of work, all she has left to sew is the straps she made. She had no way to measure the fit for Violet’s head since she wanted this to be a surprise, so she figured she could make them extra long enough to tie comfortably while wearing. If she needed to adjust anything, she could do that later.

Brody picks her needle back up.

It doesn’t take long to finish, even with her forcing herself to take her time.

With triumph, Brody sticks her needle back into its rightful container and hops off her bed, singing, “Ta-daah~ !”

Her mind is all over the place. Wrap up the patch-- does she have a box or even a bag?-- and hide it at the bottom of the woven basket she found in the basement, stuff the blanket in as much as she can so the two cups don’t clank together, and start boiling water for tea-- where the hell did she put the jar of blueberries?

She flicks a match to light the heater she borrowed from Clementine, letting the water come to a slow boil as she searches around for the mason jar. It’s right under her nose, of course, sitting in plain sight on her shelf.

With the greenhouse running smoothly and the trading they’ve done with the traveling caravan that comes around, they're able to plant seeds for several different fruits and vegetables. This week, they finally got their first bunch of blueberries in. She managed to pick a bunch and seal them away in a jar yesterday without Violet noticing. She thought they’d make for a refreshing picnic snack to pair with tea.

Brody’s been planning this picnic for a while now, all while she was working and spring came to chase the cold away. Her favorite time of year where it’s finally warm, but cool enough to not overheat everything. Grass grows greener, flowers bloom all over the place, the river flows, and the sun shines bright in the sky most days. Other days, like yesterday, it rains. She was worried it would rain today as well, but there isn’t a cloud in the sky today.

She lets the tea steep in a large mug and squeezes what she can from an old container of mostly crystallized honey. When it’s cooled down enough, she pours it slow and steady into an empty water bottle. Sure, they can’t have iced tea given they have no way to actually make ice once winter ends, but lukewarm tea would be just as good.

Basket in hand, Brody looks out her window one last time before leaving the dorms. With every step she takes, she grows closer to the greenhouse and her heart thumps gaily against her ribs.

Outside, everyone is out and about, enjoying the warm weather. AJ and Tenn color together at the table while Mitch works on sharpening his favorite knife. Willy sulks on the couch beside him with Ruby attending to his bleeding knee. She's going on about him needing to be more careful.

Clementine and Louis sit on the steps leading into the admin building. She sits a step lower, leaning back into his chest as the two talk. Brody waves at them as she passes, and Louis gives her a knowing grin when he eyes the basket.

It’s not a long walk to the greenhouse from there. She stops when she notices the wildflowers growing by the fence of the rabbit coop. Bees buzz around the white flowers, landing in their yellow centers. She hates to disturb them, but these flowers were part of her inspiration when designing Violet’s eyepatch. They're too perfect not to pick. She shoos away a fat bumblebee with pollen sticking to its little black legs, and gathers eight of the flowers, leaving plenty for the rest.

A simple bouquet, if she could even call it that, but it works.

Once inside, the fresh scent of wet soil and leafy greens hits her. Not as refreshing as the sweet air outside, but still, it fills her lungs with warmth. Or perhaps that sensation is from seeing Violet standing beside Omar, watering what Brody believes are the potatoes.

Most of her hair pulls back into a hair tie, apart from the bangs that fall over her forehead and bandages. She hasn’t had a haircut in a while, letting it grow long enough past her shoulders. A surprise, actually. Violet hasn’t had long hair since they were kids.

Not that Brody was complaining- she likes it very much.

Violet breaks her attention from the potatoes to meet her gaze. She grins, and yes, that warmth is definitely from her. Omar continues on about some sort of new stew he wants to try making, only stopping when he notices he’s lost Violet’s attention.

“Everything doin’ okay in here?” Brody asks.

Violet gives a shrug. She sticks her hand out to run along the wooden planter to steady herself. She meets Brody halfway, replying with, “Eh, nothing too exciting. Willy biffed it while watering the rabbits this morning, but other than that...”

“He about crushed one of the babies,” Omar adds with a shake of his head. “More upset about that than he was about his skinned knee.”

“Aw, poor little guy,” Brody laughs. “That why he looked so miserable when I passed him?”

“Probably. He tried to catch it to apologize, but it was too quick even for him, and Ruby didn’t want him getting a bunch of muck all over him with an open wound, so…”

Apologizing to a baby bunny that they’re eventually going to eat? Sounds like Willy, Brody thinks. But never mind that, she has more important things than rabbits.

She reaches out to grab Violet’s free hand, her lips involuntarily curling into a bright smile as she asks, “Are you almost finished ?”

“Yeah,” Violet says, raising a questioning brow. “Why?”

“We’re going on a picnic!”

Violet pauses, only now noticing the basket in Brody’s grasp.

“We are?”

“We are!”

“That’s news to me.”

Brody lets go of her hand to present her with the flowers. Violet stares at them for a moment as her skin flushes, starting at her neck and blooming along her cheeks. If Omar weren’t standing over there, Brody would lean over and kiss that lovely blush.

“And where exactly would we have a picnic?”

“By the river. Already got a spot in mind.”

Violet holds the flowers close to her chest and clears her throat. She glances back at Omar, and says, “Uh, I don’t-”

“Go ahead,” he interrupts with a wave of his hand. “I can take care of the rest. Go have your picnic, be careful. And Brody,” he points to her, putting on a stern voice, “have her home by eight, and don’t have too much fun.”

Brody laughs.

“Yes, sir!”

Violet shakes her head, but her smile betrays her amusement.

“Well, okay, I guess we’re going on a picnic. There better be peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in there... that's what people eat on picnics, right?”

“Yeah, but no. Close, though.”

Locking their hands together once more, Brody leads Violet out of the greenhouse and through the gates. Soon, they’re outside the walls of Ericson. Heading down the path, she makes sure to keep watch out for any obstacles to warn Violet about.

Brody knows that Violet’s other eye works perfectly well, but given that her depth perception isn’t what it used to be, she can’t help but be extra careful. She used that excuse to hold Violet’s hand before they were together, both still recovering from their respective injuries. Better safe than sorry, use the buddy system, and that system requires hand-holding. Brody didn’t make the rules.

“Never been on a picnic before,” Violet breaks the silence.

“No? Not even before?”

“No.”

“We used to go out on picnics to eat and play games all the time. Me, my grandma, my daddy and uncles, cousins- if it was warm out, we were out.”

“That sounds nice.”

“Most times it was,” Brody says, giving Violet’s hand a squeeze. “ Just because those days are gone doesn’t mean we can’t do that kinda stuff now, y’know?”

“Yeah, I guess so. Though there are more walkers around than there were back then.”

“True, but that shouldn’t be a big issue today,” Brody smiles. “I asked James to check the area and he collected the walkers he found. The river should be clear.”

Even without looking at her, she can sense her surprise. Violet’s quiet for a moment, turning her head to peer around them before saying, “You planned this.”

It’s not a question, but more of a realization.

“I thought this was a spur of the moment thing,” Violet admits. “I, uh…”

When she doesn’t continue, Brody says, “ Not many opportunities to take you out on a date,” the word makes Violet blush and repress a smile, “and when one does arise, you bet your bottom dollar I’m gonna take it .”

Violet says nothing more, but her grip on Brody’s hand tightens.

They make it to the river without spotting a single walker. She kept her knife handy in case, but James was thorough, it seems. Brody makes a note to thank him again for helping her out.

The running water is soothing and the grass colors with golden dandelions. It’s nice to be down here without the intention of working up a sweat while fishing, she thinks. They find a flat piece of grass, kicking rocks, sticks, and pinecones out of the way to lay the blanket down. Together they sit side by side with the basket between them.

Rubbing her hands together, Brody digs in to pull everything out. Except for the eyepatch. It remains, wrapped in a pillowcase she found. Hopefully Louis won’t notice she snuck it from his horde of pillows.

“Alright, we got tea and blueberries,” Brody says, handing one mug to Violet and opening the mason jar of berries. Their sweet scent escapes into the air, making her mouth water.

“How’d you manage to sneak these past Omar?” Violet asks, popping a blueberry into her mouth. Her face twists at the taste, and for a moment Brody worries they might be sour, but Violet shakes her head. “They’re good, just not used to that.”

By now the tea is completely cooled, and while not cold, still delightful to sip on.

“Open wide,” Violet says, holding up a blueberry. It misses Brody’s mouth, bouncing off her chin. Violet laughs. “Pfft, c’mon.”

“Okay, okay, I’m ready, try again.”

Another miss.

“Aww, nope!”

“Well, let's see you try!”

Brody throws up a berry, and Violet misses it completely.

“Damn depth perception,” she grins, grabbing the berry and tossing it up herself. It hits her cheek, lost to the grass. “Damn it!”

Violet’s laugh, while rare, is as bewitching as it is infectious. It’s been so long since Brody heard her laugh like this, and to know that they’re here together, comfortable together…

Emotion builds in her throat, and she has to eat berries to suppress it. She aims the blueberry just right, and Violet catches it this time. As she chews, they both let out victorious giggles.

Once the laughter dies down, Violet brings her knees to her chest as she watches the river.

“Think we’re missing out on a fish haul?” she asks.

“Nah,” Brody pulls the basket closer to look inside, biting her lip as she runs her fingers over the covered patch. “And if we are, I’m sure the traps’ll make up for it.”

Should she do it now? They did just get here, did she want to surprise her early, or…?

Brody grabs a flower instead, bringing it up to her nose to inhale the soft scent. An idea occurs to her as she admires the girl before. Scooping up the flowers, Brody breaks off most of the stems. The flower slips in through Violet’s hair, right where the hair tie is.

Violet jerks her head around to look back, but Brody says, “Don’t move.”

“What are you-?”

She doesn’t need to answer the question, she merely secures a few more flowers within the light strands of hair before leaning back to admire her work. She even tucks one behind her own ear so they match.

Violet remains quiet, but lays her hand on Brody's. A silent, content thank you.

Brody doesn’t know how long they sat there watching the river, sipping tea, and listening to the birds chirp from the trees . A small butterfly flutters by them, and for a moment, Brody forgets the world around them. Forgets the walkers, forgets Ericson, too swept up in the way the warm air blew against her skin, in how Violet’s hand felt in hers, and the strange sense of wonder, a desire to kick off her shoes and run through the river.

It took Violet kissing the back of her hand to break her out of it.

Violet grew sheepish, glancing away as if she needed to come up with an explanation for the kiss, and that was it.

“Vi,” she started, pulling her around to face her. “I have- I made ya somethin’.”

The nervous pounding in her chest thumps in her ears as she reached back into the basket, pulling out the pillowcase.

“Aw, from Lou’s stash,” Violet grins, amused. “You shouldn’t have.”

“No, no, not the pillowcase,” Brody fidgets with it until she finds what she’s looking for. Her thumb brushes over the flowers beneath the thin material. With a deep breath, she goes for it. “Listen, I’ve been thinkin’ a lot about you. Us... just everything, and- Remember that night we stayed up in the common room talkin’? I thought… well, I wanted to do this for you.”

Brody hands her the pillowcase. Not once does she take her eyes off Violet’s face, noting the curiosity and confusion playing in her features as she accepts the gift.

The eyepatch is finally brought out into the sunlight, laying in Violet’s palm.

Neither of them speaks. Violet’s lips part, eye widening.

Brody lets the air out of her lungs slow, and then the words spill from her lips before she can stop them.

“We couldn’t find you anything to wear other than that stupid costume patch, and I know you said you didn’t mind the bandages but then I got to thinkin’ ‘bout how bandages might not always be the comfiest-”

“Brody…” Violet’s voice is quiet, trembling as it breaks.

“-and I want you to be comfortable in somethin’ that you like, so I made this for you- the whole thing, hand sewed it myself. I- but y’know, if it’s maybe too much- I wasn’t sure if it might bring too much attention and you wouldn’t like that-”

She’s cut off when Violet practically throws herself at her, burying her face in the crook of Brody’s neck and holding her tight. Brody doesn’t hesitate. She embraces her back, pressing a hand to cradle her head.

“I… don’t know what to say,” Violet's voice quivers.

“You like it?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s enough.”

Violet pulls back, and without warning, her hands cup Brody’s face. She presses their lips together in a way that’s anything but gentle. It’s firm, purposeful, and loving. All tension from her body melts away, and Brody truly believes she could kiss her all day and that tingle? The one that coursed through her veins, the butterflies that fluttered in her belly? It would never go away. It wouldn't even lessen.

They break apart, and Violet’s staring down at the eyepatch in her hands.

“Holy shit. It’s… I don’t-” she tries again. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I wanted to,” Brody assures her, brushing the bangs that fell over her face.

“No one’s ever made me anything like this before. I mean, not a patch, just … you know.”

“Want to try it on?”

Violet nods, and Brody’s undoing the bandages with ease. Her eye's healed from the damage the raiders inflicted, leaving only angry scars. The patch is a perfect size, covering everything.

“Does it feel okay?”

“Yeah, it’s… nice. Soft.”

“Does this feel tight enough? Like it won’t fall off, but not too tight?”

“Yeah, it feels good.”

“Couldn’t figure out a good way to clasp it together, so it ties. If ya want me to change it or anything, I can make adjustments... There!”

Violet turns back around, avoiding her gaze. Brody studies her face, the way the colors of the embroidered flowers make the green in her other eye vibrant, how the taupe of the fabric flatters her.

“Beautiful.”

Violet scoffs, ducking her head to hide the flustered smile that betrays her lips. This gives Brody the perfect excuse to place a quick kiss on her forehead.

“You’re so mushy,” Violet says, embarrassed but trying to force a playful tone. “Y’know that?”

Well, to be fair, Brody could be mushier, so she replies with an over-the-top, sweet, “Only with you.”

Violet groans and they laugh once more.

They know their little picnic will wrap up soon, so together they sit close and enjoy the comfort of nature for a few minutes longer.

“Thank you, Brody… really.”

Brody responds with another kiss.

Yeah, she thinks. She could kiss Violet all day.

#[against all odds your hand in is mine] #twdg briolet #twdg violet #twdg brody #briolet #violet twdg #brody twdg #spring: briolet #thank you for reading #it's always super appreciated :D #twdg fanfics #twdg fanfiction

[laryna6]

KHR bunny - So one of Kawahira’s identities - the ‘old woman’ was canonically having tea with Haru, a weird kid who was probably bullied because of it. Who else in Namimori was getting bullied? Tsuna. 

There’s also the issue of ‘powerful skies don’t grow on trees and if this kid commits suicide I’m down one potential candidate for a post that needs to be filled or everybody dies.’ So even if Kawahira has a ‘they’re not my problem/look I got enough shit to deal with just with the pacifiers’ view of the Vongola and Mare rings, Tsuna isn’t even supposed to be a Vongola ring candidate, so definitely a potential arcobaleno.

So like, post-seal Tsuna trips while running from bullies and lands in the mud in front of this old lady who takes him into the realtor’s office she runs, gives him hot tea to warm him up and a kimono her ‘son’ wore as a ‘child’ to change into and then probably walks him home since Tsuna can’t remember his phone number with the seal fuckery. So chibiTsuna joining Haru for tea and making Friend and also having an adult who doesn’t tell him the bullying is all his fault for being ‘dame.’ So yeah, Kawahira-obasan/an actual source of support and validation/someone who listens would be a lifeline.

Kawahira is a mist and fucking with people is a mist thing (even if he’s not doing it for fun in canon), so if it’s basically his/her duty to... discourage the other kids from bullying Tsuna and destroying his self-esteem/WILL to live...

So Tsuna grows up doing cosplay together with his friend Haru, learning to sew but needing to wear a thimble bc clumsy, liking kimono bc Kawahira-obasan lets them play dress-up with tons of antique clothing, knowing a lot about tea and history, knowing the tea ceremony bc he and Haru decided to do one for Obasan’s birthday one time, not having a knee-jerk reaction to being pushed around bc bullies tended to ‘lose interest...’ 

Reborn turns on the charm when meeting her since this is a woman. She gives him tea in a sippy-cup after he says stuff that’s bad for Tsuna’s self-esteem in her hearing. Reborn is like ‘I don’t like this old lady’ but he and everyone else thinks it’s a sitcom arch-nemesis thing re. how he treats Tsuna. Gokudera is new FRIEND Tsuna must bring to tea to meet Haru and Kawahira-obasan. Gokudera looking at Namimori’s records of identical mother-son-daughter-son line and goes ‘obviously an immortal cryptid’ and is starry-eyed at UMA but absolutely no one believes him. Daily Life Arc shenanigans but then when things get more serious and she casually reveals she’s a powerful mist Reborn is ‘who are you’ ‘did you think Takeshi’s father was the only retired assassin in town’ ‘I never heard of a powerful female mist user your age’ and she’s ‘yeah bc unlike you I was good at my job and actually killed people DISCRETELY’ 

Mentioning ramen addict son who is conveniently away at college so people are ‘oh that’s the Kawahira-ojisan I-pin mentions,’ but mist shenanigans... 

#hitman reborn cannons #khr #kawahira

[aziraphalescloset]

Aziraphale at the Bastille Part 1

This costume is going to be a long process so I’m going to post about it in chunks. 

I think everyone who watched Good Omens who cares a whit for fashion fell in love with this confection of a costume: the angel Aziraphale in lace and frills and white satin pumps in a French jail, possibly about to be guillotined, until he’s rescued by a tall, dark demon.

(The left two pictures in the second image show the executioner, now wearing Aziraphale’s wasitcoat and frock coat, after Aziraphale miracled a costume swap.) Close examination of the costume reveals a couple of things: first, it’s actually kind of shabby-looking, and second, it’s out of date for 1793; by that time, men’s waistcoats and frock coats had become much shorter and more svelte, with smaller cuffs and coat fronts that sweep back, exposing more leg. Naturally, that’s what Crowley is wearing in the scene, though he’s dressed as more of a plebe than Aziraphale.

Now, Aziraphale looks a little shabby in modern times -- his waistcoat especially is very worn around the buttons and hem, presumably because it’s the same one he’s owned since Victorian times. But I’m not going to go to all the trouble of making this outfit and make it shabby, so I’m going to upgrade it when I make it in doll form.

Process photos after the jump.

First, I need a shirt. Again I’m turning to Thimbles and Acorns via Pixie Faire for the pattern for an 18th Century men’s shirt and stock. At this time, a man’s shirt served exactly the same purpose as a woman’s shift: it was a simple, comfortable, readily washable garment that separated the human (with its attendant grime and odor) from the clothes (which might be made of harsh fabrics and dyes). The tails were very long in order that they could tuck between the legs to act as a sort of underwear. In fact, the shirt was regarded basically as underwear; it was unseemly for more than the cuffs and collar to be visible, and the collar was always held closed with a tied neckcloth called a stock. The basic design of the men’s shirt remained unchanged for centuries. For those of you who are fans of the 1995 TV version of Pride and Prejudice, this is the garment that Colin Firth goes for a swim in, and for Elizabeth to stumble upon him, post-swim, still clad only in shirt and breeches, was really quite shocking!

Anyway, back to the matter at hand.

The Thimbles and Acorns pattern is fairly simple with a self-ruffle at the cuffs and neck. For Aziraphale I upgraded the cuffs to two layers of lace, and I added lace ends to the stock. I originally planned to use a very thin cotton batiste but it was just too transparent and was too stiff. So I’m using a white synthetic fabric of some kind, rayon or nylon or something. It’s a little staticky but it has a beautiful soft drape.

There is a lot of fiddly hand-sewing in these patterns to make facings that cover seams. This is the view through my magnifying lamp while I’m sewing the facing down over the front neck opening with its self-ruffle.

Finished shirt, without the buttons and button loops yet.

The next thing I did was adapt this pattern for Crowley. I have a Crowley doll that is a different type than Aziradoll. Aziradoll is an American Girl, which has a pretty wide, soft body compared to most such dolls. I found on eBay a used doll of a skinnier type, Just Pretend, Inc., with extremely weird pink eyes and red hair. It is roughly the same measurements as more popular skinny 18-inch dolls like Kids N Cats and Carpatina. So I modified the width of the shirt and made a few other changes to convert the pattern to Crowley’s size. No lacy frills for Crowley; it’s crisper self-fabric cuffs and stock. The fabric is just a regular acetate lining. It’s a little shiny, which seems suitable for a flash bastard like Crowley. Here’s a process photo of those self-fabric cuffs.

It’s still loose -- these shirts are supposed to be loose -- but fits the doll pretty well. Here’s a photo without buttons or stock.

Next step is breeches. Again, Thimbles and Acorns provides with this pattern for a George Washington military costume. I made the breeches almost straight from the pattern, using a really luscious-feeling crepe-backed satin. (The parts on the left are for a waistcoat, which I’ll post about another day.) The parts for these breeches are weirdly shaped -- these bear no similarity whatever to the cut of modern men’s trousers.

I discovered while making these that crepe-backed satin is a pain in the butt to work with. It seems like a very fine fabric, but it’s made of rather wide warp threads with very thin weft threads, and once cut it really wants to fall apart. It’s also desperately easy to accidentally pull a little weft thread and create what looks like a run in the fabric. My first assembly attempt ended in failure because the fabric started disintegrating around the tight corner at the junction of the drop front and the trouser leg.

I cut some new parts and substantially beefed up the interfacing around that seam. I also used a more stable cotton fabric for the invisible inner facings of the drop front and vents. It seems to be holding.

More assembly pics. Really interesting topologically.

Leg plackets. The detail in this bit is exquisite. If I ever need to sew a placket on any garment I’m creating from scratch, I’ll work from this pattern.

Drop front is sorted. It got a little off-center, I’m actually not at all sure how, but it didn’t matter in the end.

Adding the waistband.

Test fit. The next step after this was the sheer terror of buttonholes. I hate buttonholes. BUT I DID IT.

At least the terror of sewing buttonholes comes with the pleasure of selecting buttons. After a lot of agonizing (and, I’ll admit, some shopping), I eventually used some vintage pearl and mother-of-pearl buttons for the breeches. They’re Heavenly.

That’s it for shirt and breeches for Aziraphale. I’m working on the waistcoat, but more urgently, I need to replace those plain brown shoes with some gorgeous satin pumps. I also need to adapt that topologically weird breeches pattern for the smaller Just Pretend doll for Crowley. 

In the meantime, here are the two Ineffables lounging around in, basically, their underwear. How indecent!

#Good Omens #Aziraphale #Crowley #18 Inch Doll #handmade #sewing #historical costume #18th century #Bastille #Ineffable Husbands #but in doll form #I hope this isn't creepy #pixie faire

[im-not-shouting-im-projecting]

Some Seamster!Quinn Cooper HCs

I didnt intend for this to be this long, but my seamstress heart was inspired. I got kind of carried away, and had to refocus, so I'm going to do another post soon with some advice and anecdotes for wrighting costumers.

For the last couple of months I have been absolutely Obsessed with @poindextears 's Crickets, her SMH post-Waffle Frog OCs, and I have had a lot of headcannons about Quinn Cooper: a theatre kid extrordanare and Hoh icon who talks like he's from 50s and is the boyfreind of Nando (Cricket dman) as we have quite a bit in common. All of Mel's fics are amazing, and I would highly recommend! Give them a read on tumblr or AO3

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I know Mel has said that Quinn's favorite place is Joanne's, which is completely understandable for someone who doesn't live near actual textile markets... but Joanne's (and similar chain craft/fiberarts supply stores) suck.

Like first of all, on a monetary level... I'm going to start with the assumption that high school Quinn didn't have a large project budget (reasoning: 1. his family is already tight with money, 2. I can't imagine his not-particularly-supportive guardians gave him lots of spending money (esp with theatre fees and materials) 3. I can't imagine he brought in tons of money on the side with a theatre schedule + grades good enough to go to med school + time with his old lady freind + time for sewing)

With that being said: Fabric is expensive. Way more expensive than people expect. Especially if you don't have expensive machinery (like overlock machines) that make cheap synthetic fabrics usable. Also I like to imagine Quinn is in the "fabrics made of plastic are itchy and bad for the enviornment" club like me.

All that is to say: Joanne's is absolutely the worst place that isn't actively upscale to buy fabric (or materials) on a budget.

- The shop's target demographic is stay-at-home white suburban moms who have the time to clip coupons, buy materials on a "when it's on sale" basis as opposed to a "my sister didn't notice the four seperate places I marked my shears 'fabric only' so now I physically cannot continue this project without buying new extra-sharp fabric scissors'" basis, and importantly: can stop by the store every day for a month because discounted items change on a day to day basis, all of which is not particularly conducive to someone a high school kids on a budget.

- Even with all the discounts in existance, the fabrics there are still super expensive and especially for the often lackluster quality (like... they are fine but if I'm paying literally $40/y for enough faux fur to make a big enough "mane" to cover the gap between the cowardly lion's padding and the actor's neck, we shouldnt have to sweep the fur bits off the stage at intermission)

- Additionally if you need a lot of fabric, say enough 7ft squares of heavy mustard yellow fabric for 30 lioness cape/pants? You might just need to run 4 seperate Joanne's out of two different fabrics that were close enough to each other to work

If you are putting in the time and effort to make something complicated,

- Also, and this is probably the most obvious: there just aren't that many options. If you want anything other than a cotton or fleece, than you better hope the single shade they have in the right color works

So I have established: Joanne's = Bad

So how does Quinn factor into all this?

Well first of all I would like to imagine that at some point Quinn helped out in SMH costuming, where they teach him the magic of using something that already exists. Samwell being as liberal as it is, I would like to think that the costuming people are aware of how awful the current state of fabric waste is, and, how his sewing skills are so much better used altering things at thrift shops beginning his journey twords my completeley basess headcannon that he one day adopts some vintage looks

While I think he would be down to adopt some of these practices in his costuming (a la my personal anectode below), I have a feeling that Quinn is one of those people who just likes to make things from scratch. (reasoning: 1 his general personality, but far more importantly, 2 THIS BOY WANTED TO MAKE EVAN HANSEN'S POLO BY HAND, WHY??? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE??? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TIME THAT TAKES???????? YOU ARE WILLING TO SPEND UPWORDS OF TEN HOURS OF YOUR LIFE ON A MODERN STYLE SHIRT THATS GOING TO BE SEEN 4 TIMES???)

I get it, especially for historical reconstructions, there are people who genuinely love sewing by hand, I love Bernadette Banner as much as the next seamstress, but I honestly don't know how they do it.

I like to think that Quinn would be wandering around some thrift store and out of the corner of his eye notice some curtains and have a vision of frolicking through a meadow like Julie Andrews in cloths made out of a curtain... metaphorically. But he def gets "Do a Dear" stuck in his head every time he wears it

Of course the SMH Costuming crew introduce him to some better places to at least get draping and mock up fabrics, but I think they would also introduce him to an actual fabric store.

Samwell is close enough to Boston that I'm sure there's an actual fabric warehouse within driving distance, so when Quinn can't find a suitable material at his beloved Joanne's, and is understandably skeptical about ordering fabric online, Ford is just like dude, go to the fabric warehouse, so he gives it a try.

Ok his fist thought when he gets there is omg everything is so big. Ok, that's his second thought, his first thought is ugh this smells like the SMH locker room, bc a giant block of concrete with no internal climate control in the New England humidity stuffed to the brim with moisture-holding fabric is def gonna make some kind of funk.

But after that like...

Ok, on the left is your average Joanne's while on the right is your average fabric warehouse

I can totally imagine him physically getting lost. He is tiny, and those places are total mazes, absolutely ginormus, they are all stacked literally 8 feet tall, and all the rows look the same.

Fabric in warehouses is stored for maximum capacity as opposed to places like Joanne's where it is purposely stored in ways that display the whole selection at once. Additionally, while hobbyist bolts face out as much as possible so you can see it at a glance, professional grade bolts face in for protection

...If it's on the shelves at all, the hallmark of a textile warehouse is just dozens of bolts leaning haphazardly in precarious places

This tiny boy is just absolutely surrounded by rows upon rows of fabric, stored in ways that are absolutely not conducive to being looked at easily, and is incredibly frusturated bc Aggghhh I can't look at any of this without moving all of it around, and I can't reach any of it!!!

BUT!

Guess what he has?

Nando to the rescue!

Quinn's big strong dman boyfriend is more than willing to move around and carry the bolts for him and when need be he'll just straight up plop Quinn on his shoulders so he can see the stuff at the top :)

Ok, that's the gist of what I had to say, some other little seamster!Quinn hcs:

his old lady friend taught him the absolute basics, and his wedding gift from her is her 70 year old sewing machine that he first learned to sew on and he treasures that thing FOREVER

bc of his apparent love of hand sewing he is one of those people that swears by genuine leather thimbles, idk why it just feels like him

whenever people compliment his outfit he is just casually like "Oh thanks, I made it" (bc non sewers are always astounded by that and we get to gloat) because I said so

he makes Nando cute crop tops

#quinn cooper #the crickets #Poindexters #alannah talks about sewing #oh look i said something #sewing #costuming #quindo

[polandspringz]

Killing was never easy, not for me anyway With whomever comes to mind for it?

Okay, so I started this back in May, but didn’t touch it for three months and just sort of banged out the second half of it last night at 3 AM, so it might read a little jarring. This prompt was part of the “First Sentence” writing prompts, so I had to start with the line, although it won’t make much sense until later in the story. I decided to write about my gen:LOCK OC Yolanda and her trying to distract herself a few days after she had to kill Union soldiers in battle, and the perspective shifts and the way she’s thinking is rooted in my own habits of narrating things, so I apologize if it’s confusing.

If you want to read about Yolanda and where she exists in the gen:LOCK universe, click here for my profile about her!

Killing was never easy, not for me anyway.

“Hey, Cameron!” 

The tech-whiz kid visibly stiffened as the high pitched voice bellowed from down the hall. The walls of the Anvil carried it and the sound of clicking heels as the older girl raced at her, one hand cupped over her mouth as she waved her arm wildly, some sort of fabric scrap in her hand. This was the sixth time this week that the pink-haired woman had approached her like this, and it was only Wednesday.

As the footsteps got closer, Cammie eventually turned around, sighing as she braced herself to be slammed by exuberance. Sure enough, she opened her eyes to find a bright white smile and lime green eyes smirking at her through her bubbling energy.

“Yolanda, I told you already-”

“This isn’t about that! I listened to what you said and talked to Dr. Weller about it, so that’s all good-”

“-not to call me Cameron-”

“-but I wanted to get your measurements so I could sew something for you! I finished up my gift for Miranda, so I was hoping you would let me design for you next!”

Cammie winced as she thought about the previous designs Yolanda had dished out. While they were pretty, in their own way, their practicality during a time of war was debatable, and Cammie had a hard time wondering what the Colonel would say if she tried to send them out on the battlefield. She tried her best to look busy with whatever she could yank up on her display and gave her best fake smile.

“Oh… Well, while that’s nice, Yolanda, you shouldn’t waste your fabric on me, or any of us, for that matter! We can’t really change out of our suits so-”

I knew what she meant. I watched the two of us interacting from afar, and could see myself from above flailing to get her to listen to me, to tell her it was no trouble at and that if she would just see my sketches, that I promised I could make her something special.

I ended up slumping away from that, my heels clicking away, and the fog in my mind persisted, and I felt my soul float up and overtop me once more as I made my way disheartendly back to the dorm and my sewing machine.

Valentina heard the door clicking open before Yolanda’s hand even fell on the doorknob. Or perhaps it was her heels down the hall, that even though Valentina insisted on wearing something similar, never sounded as obnoxious as their own. They pushed themselves off the bed and stood up, leaving the other person grumbling as they went.

“Just stay there, Yolanda is coming in.”

Kazu groaned something intelligible in Japanese, to the point that the tech in their eyes couldn’t even translate it. Valentina sighed and rolled their eyes, yanking the blanket overtop of Kazu’s form just as the door opened.

“Oh, Valentina…” Yolanda sounded nervous, which was weird, for starters. There were only a handful of occasions that Valentina could cite that didn’t start with Yolanda bursting into a room with some high and mighty laugh and began to harass all of them. They tried not to look alarmed, and instead popped one hip as they waited for the girl to come in all the way.

“Did you need something?”

“Oh, I was just going to sew something again, but if you’re in here I can take my machine and go elsewhere-” 

The girl had stumbled over to the desk and began picking up her tool belt with shaking hands, all the while Valentina’s eyes followed her across the room and back towards the door. 

The dumb machine is so heavy. I can hardly lift it with my wrists, but if I take too long, Valentina will get annoyed or think I’m weak. I need to hurry and-

A pair of scissors leapt out of the belt as she hurriedly jostled it towards her waist. Valentina swooped in and caught the blades expertly before Yolanda could flail and cut herself or drop it on her foot, which was vulnerable somewhat through the suit she wore. They regarded the blades for a moment, the rusted and scratched up state of the dulling blades, before handed them handle first to the girl.

“Try and be careful,” was all they said before the picked up the sewing machine with ease, “Do you have a cart or were you planning on carrying this by yourself?” 

“Oh, uh, well! If you handle it to me I can carry it, I promise! No need to worry, but if you’re offering then I really don’t- Oomph!” 

Yolanda blinked and the machine was thrust into her hands, Valentina walking back towards the bed, flopping down beside the blanketed form of Kazu. Yolanda tried to ignore the pain in her wrists and she shuffled through the door. 

“Is she gone yet?” Kazu’s voice registered and translated itself on the display in her eyes. 

The door slammed shut behind me. It took me a moment to clear my mind and walk forward, but I can confidently say that I was okay!

She narrated to herself even as her lips trembled, her face growing red as she tried to hold it all in. No, go back to the angry but sadly optimistic stuff. She shook her head and forced a determined smile, and if her hands were free she would’ve pumped a fist to psyche herself up.

I staggered out of the dorm, waddling from the weight of the machine. Thankfully my scissors had been away before Valentina had given me the machine, or something bad might have happened. 

But, it’s okay. So I can’t sew in the dorm? So what? Or should it be, sew what? Chase would hate that pun. But, it’s not just my dorm. There’s got to be plenty of places I can I’ll just go to the lab. Dr. Weller will let me sit in there and sew. He’s done it before. Surely he’ll understand-

“Watch where you’re going with that thing!” She barely had a moment to register that she had banged into someone before she was stumbling backwards, then forwards, and then she was tumbling towards the ground, her hands flying wildly, the machine leaping from her hold to crash against the concrete floor.

“I’m sorry!” She yelped just before the sound of springs and metal exploded in her ears and her machine popped apart right in front of her face. It had bounced a few feet, but the force had sent it colliding straight for death, and she could see the mess that had fallen on the floor. She was not looking so hot either, as-

My sewing shears had flown out of my pocket and slid across the ground to be beside the trashed machine. My bobbins and thread, they wrapped around me, my thimbles were rolling by my eyes, and my spare needles and pins had fired out of their casing and were stabbing my elbow and my cheek. If I wasn’t so lucky, they might’ve poked my eye out.

She forced herself up from the floor to kneel, and without a word or anything said to the spectators, she went about picking up the pieces of her fallen work. She grabbed the shears and sliced through all the string that had tied itself into a bundle, and made quick work of tucking it all back into the pockets of the tool belt. The case for the needles was gone, so she threaded them into the canvas fabric of the thing and then went about scooping up the gears and coils that had rocketed out of the machine like a jack-in-the-box. When she actually got close to the machine, however…

“Yolanda, are you okay?” Chase was leaning over her, his hologram staring at her concerned.

“Oh, what? Of course I am! Just a little stumble.”

“But, your machine-”

Don’t let him see. Don’t let him see, “This old thing? I’ve dropped it so many times, much worse too, it’s no big deal! I can fix it in a few minutes, once I find a spot to set up. I’ll be back to making outfits for Caliban to wear in no time!”

He seemed assuaged by that, as he straightened up as Yolanda pulled the broken thing onto her lap to hold, “I’m glad to hear that. I was worried for a moment. Leon saw you fall, so he paged me. Apparently the others were too busy, but I’m faster anyway,” his eyes gazed around at the remaining screws and other machinery that was still on the ground, “Sorry that I can’t help you pick this stuff up.”

“No, no, it’s okay! Really.” That’s it. Force your best smile. It’ll all be-

“Are you really okay though? Leon said you seemed kind of down.”

You idiot! Hurry up and move past him! Get going before he sees- “Me? Down? Does he know who he’s talking about?”

“I saw you leave your dorm looking distressed. I figured it was a gL team issue so I didn’t want to get involved right away,” Leon said, walking over, “But hearing you say sorry after knocking into someone? Yolanda, I never knew you had those words in you.”

Leon folded his arms and stood beside the Chase, looking down at her. 

“He does have a point. You seem rather… polite, no offense though. Are you positive nothing is up?” 

“Yeah, normally by now, you would be calling us names or demanding we bow down and help you. I picked these up for you, by the way,” Leon said, holding a broken off piece of plastic from the machine’s thread guides in his gloved hand.

She took it and tucked it away before standing with the machine wrapped tightly in her arms. Her face was getting hot, and she knew it was apparent by the two’s expressions, but she forced herself to remain calm.

“Of course I’m fine! Just trying to find a decent place to sew around here! I’m going to the lab. Chase, I know you live there, but if you’re going to bother me please don’t return there while I’m working. I’ll be there all night, at most. And you don’t need to sleep anyway, right?”

That was a low blow, even for me. She pushed through the two of them with her head bowed, and when she reached the elevator and heard Chase calling after her, she bolted inside, shutting the door and letting the platform ascend to the third floor. Now that she was alone…

Once I was alone inside the elevator, I found myself circling back to Valentina and Kazu. It a shared room, yes, but I haven’t sewn in there for weeks, and there was no reason for them to be so rude about it all, what with slamming the door closed and all-

There was still a little bit of time before the elevator would shift and the door would open, so she set the broken machine down and pressed her hands against her face. I’m feeling hot, I’m probably all puffy and red. This won’t do. She sucked in a deep breath and smacked her cheeks twice, trying to calm herself down, but her eyes kept stinging. I couldn’t allow myself to cry. I don’t want anyone to think I’m upset now, do I?

I need to think about something different. This elevator ride is long, the Anvil should really add some music…

As the door opened and she shimmied the machine back into her arms, she let herself become consumed in her internal discussion about which classic J-Pop song would work the best for the rides. Something from the 2000s or 2010s, she said as she felt herself returning to her usual self, PonPonPon maybe. I’m sure Kazu would get a kick out of it. She rounded the big window that stretched on the wall outside the ESU, her heels clicking along the polished tile, she felt a smirk stretch across her face, her eyes crinkling with pride as she shook her head and let her pink hair tickle against the nape of her neck. Her long elegant strides carried her through the doorway and into the main part of the lab, where she heard voices echoing.

“I’m telling you Doctor-”

“And I’m telling you, Colonel, that I am not allowing-”

“Hello, Rufus!” Yolanda interrupted with a cheery voice, waving one hand slightly from where it was buried underneath the weight of the machine, “Do you mind if I sew?”

I wasn’t oblivious to the fact that the two of them were very much in a meeting right now. I could see as clear as day the fact that the Colonel was appearing in person in the ESU instead of mixing in as a hologram or summoning the Doctor upstairs to her office. However, I needed this. Dr. Weller would never say no to me, I knew that-

“Oh, Yolanda! I’m sorry, could you wait a bit? I’m a bit occupied at the moment with the Colonel,” His eyes glanced at the woman twice for emphasis, and Yolanda couldn’t deny that she was pierced by some form of annoyance even though the Doctor masked it behind a kind smile.

No… I found myself thinking, no… he can’t say-

“Merriweather. You heard the Doctor. Leave us.” The Colonel demanded. Yolanda was frozen in her tracks.

“Ah, but I thought that-”

“This is the ESU, a lab meant to advance gen:LOCK technology. You shouldn’t even be bringing your hobbies inside of here, as it will only get in the way. You have a dorm for that. Now, go.”

“Colonel, that’s a little harsh, don’t you think? I’m sure she means no harm?”

Yolanda’s mind was spinning, complete radio silence buzzing in her head as she struggled to find the words, to spin something together. Luckily, her face and vocal chords went on autopilot, and her muscles shifted into her trademark grin as she backed out of the lab flashing a peace sign at them.

“You’re right! So sorry! I shouldn’t have barged in like that, forgive me!”

She could see from Dr. Weller’s face, that she had said something wrong. She crossed the threshold and felt panic rising in her. He was looking at her sympathetically, brow furrowed as he watched her. 

What did I say, oh god, what did I say? Her words had sounded like mush in her own brain, but the Colonel seemed pleased by them, because she turned back and continued addressing the Doctor. Yolanda kept slowly backing away until she was around the corner again and back in front of the elevator. Just before she stepped in, she glanced back through the large window, and froze.

Chase’s eyes were open and watching her from the tank. 

I dropped the machine with a crash and bolted into the elevator. The doors closed before I could see if any heads turned their way at me.

Probably not. I didn’t matter anyway.

She wasn’t even two seconds into her elevator ride to who knows where when Chase appeared behind her. Yolanda let out a scream as she jumped and slammed her back into the buttons, adding to the confusion on which floor they were traversing. Chase merely folded his arms and stared her down.

“I’m sorry for scaring you, but honestly, there’s something wrong and you have to talk to at least one of us about it.”

“What are you on about?! There’s nothing wrong!” She snapped as she turned away, folding her arms. 

“Yeah, as if you apologizing once and curling into a ball wasn’t enough, you apologized twice. Plus, you’ve been super jumpy all day.”

“I have not been jumpy.”

“You just left your sewing machine on the floor of the ESU’s hall. I’m pretty sure it’s in even bigger shambles than it was earlier, when you dropped it the moment you accidentally banged into somebody. Now, look, you can talk to me. What’s up?”

I watched the numbers fall lower and lower on the elevator’s display. We were going to the hangar, it seems. The basement even-

“Hey,” Chase’s hand brushed against her, causing soft sparks to erupt along her shoulder as the hexagonal display forced itself around the solid it was cutting through, “You’ve been doing that a lot. Out of your head now. We’re in our brains too much in those crazy Holons.”

Yolanda leaned against the elevator wall and twisted her body, her legs almost crossing as she hugged herself tightly, “That’s the point of them, Chase.”

“You think I don’t know that? I’m not dumb, and I know you know that. I also know, from what Yaz tells me about that mindshare you guys did a few days ago, that you think way too much. We’re outside now. We gotta use classic words to communicate.”

The door to the elevator dinged open, leading to an empty concrete space. Unless she turned around a hit another button, and risked being subjected to another music-less elevator ride with her interrogator, this would have to do.

I sighed and gave him a glare, waving my hand so he backed off. I could have easily walked through him but-

“Hey,” Chase reminded her as he tapped his finger against his head. She sighed again, shoulders slumping as she stepped out into the tunnels.

“Alright, fine. I thought about walking through you but that seemed rude, so I did that. Happy?”

“Not really. I will be when you tell me what’s wrong, though.”

“UGH!” She screamed as she clawed at her face, throwing her head back in frustration, “Nothing’s wrong! Nothing that any of you would even care about is wrong! We’re in the military, my petty problems about my machine breaking and being unable to find a place to sew don’t matter! You heard the Colonel! My hobbies should be in the dorm, but unfortunately, Valentina and Kazu didn’t really want me disturbing them right now! I wanted to make something for Cammie because I was starting to feel really good for once even though I haven’t been sleeping, but she didn’t want it either!”

“So you haven’t been sleeping. Yaz had a feeling about that.”

“Like I said, that’s not a problem, oh my ga-awd!” Yolanda drawled out as she began to storm down one of the tunnels. Chase quickly teleported in front of her.

“Now, hold on-”

“It doesn’t matter what Yasamin said, okay? We tried to mindshare, and it fell apart. It was a complete failure, so whatever she gleaned from that was probably corrupted or whatever.”

“Yeah, well, she said it failed because the amount of information you were giving off was too much to handle. She was getting too much from your head, she couldn’t decipher anything that was happening. She said it was like reading a novel or something. What’s up with that?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, tube boy.” Yolanda hissed as she sped past him so more, trying to shove him out of the way but instead her arm sliced through him, almost at the exact spot his real body ended at, to add insult to injury. I didn’t know where I was going and I didn’t care, I just wanted to get away from-

Chase continued to reform every few feet so he was next to her face as she stormed off.

“That’s another thing too. Sure, on a good day you’re a bit harsh, but you would never say shit like that to me. There’s got to be something seriously bugging you if you’re pulling out these sorts of jokes.”

“They’re not jokes! Okay?! Just leave me alone!” This wasn’t good, my composure’s shattering, she thought, the words spinning in her head making it easier for her to steel her expression even as tears welled up and her face grew puffy.

“Look, I’ve been locked in that tank- or tube, if that’s what we’re calling it now-  for a long time. I think I get what you’re going through, you’re narrating in your head, right?”

“Just, stop! Stop, stop, stop! Okay?!”

“Although I did it to help me pass the time, I realized with the help of the Doc and Yaz that it was something else. Depression. Something’s affecting you right now too, isn’t it? Well, it’s not going to get better unless you open up a bit.”

“It’s nothing-!”

“It’s the soldier, isn’t it?” Yaz’s voice cut through the echoey chamber of the place, and Yolanda froze. Standing in front of the elevator, the young woman stood patiently, “I may not have been able to get much out of that chaotic mindshare, but I know that I got plenty of fear from it. Your emotions were spiking, but you were keeping them under control with your words, giving feedback on every single motion you did to what was going on in front of your eyes. It was a lot to process.”

She walked forward and after the string of silence stretched out, she reached for Yolanda’s hand, holding it surrounded by her own.

“You weren’t here when we all arrived, but everyone else saw something terrifying their first time. Right after Kazu, Valentina, and Cammie suited up, they watched a Union spy die from being incompatible. Then, Cammie had her head torn off by that Union mech. I-” Yasamin swallowed, “I may not show it, but every Union soldier we swat away, send flying to their death or shoot down from their jet, I always have to stop myself from overthinking because… I know there’s a chance there’s someone I once knew inside there.”

Yolanda stood there, frozen for a few more seconds as Yasamin’s words sunk in. Chase’s presence was comforting beside her as well. Even though she had been rude to them too since she got here, they had been the most understanding of her plight, and the least bothered by her haughtiness. She slowly let herself be lulled by Yaz’s confession-

But then she felt the tears on her face and her strength came back to her and she pulled away harshly, her hand smacking away Yaz’s as she looked at the woman with disgust almost, “How dare you think you understand me. I’m not upset in the slightest. I always wanted to join the military, I knew what I was getting into-”

“You joined it to develop technology, clothing- you didn’t sign up for battle-”

“I knew it would happen eventually, okay?! I’m not an idiot… “ She turned away, rubbing her eyes so they couldn’t see, and yet, she felt herself spilling, “I get it… I’m not the best person to be around, I’m terrible, no way around it. I can’t hold my tongue ever, and in times like this, I just get panicked and I just became meaner and meaner, and worse and worse. I’m spoiled, and I don’t like it that everyone here is so content with how things are. I’m not. I’m not happy in the slightest. I wasn’t happy when I left for England, I’m not happy that I’m back. I don’t know where I want to be frank, I just know that this isn’t the world I was meant to be in.”

She thought she heard Yasamin’s gasp, but Yolanda kept going.

“That soldier… He wasn’t a drone… He wasn’t mindless… They screamed for help when I smashed them into the ground… I… I didn’t mean to be that strong, I didn’t mean to do it that roughly… I just didn’t know how to stop him and it was my first time in battle with that Holon and the necks of people are so small and our hands are so big then and underneath my feet I thought about how many people I had trampled accidentally that evening and I just-”

At long last, her legs gave out and she felt all the pieces of her break, spilling out onto the floor like the machine she had dropped earlier. She was thankful none of them tried to hug her, as they weren’t that close and while Chase physically couldn’t, Yasamin settled on giving her a simple hand on the shoulder as they both waited for her to finish. 

When her breathing had been reduced to mere hiccups, and her words slurred to simple angry comments at herself for being so uncouth, (crying in a tunnel underneath the military base, like, who I am?) Yasamin gave her a gentle smile.

“Killing isn’t easy for any of us. We all find our own ways to deal with it. Cammie and Kazu treat it like a video game, Valentina knows what those people are capable of, and stays back so they don’t have to hear or see the lives they’re taking. Chase and I-”

“We get up close, because we know that it’s the only way we can take back what they took for us.”

“-Yes. You just have to find your own way.”

Yolanda sniffled and thought for a moment, hands balled up on her knees as she felt her feet slipping along the floor.

“Does it have to be something on the battlefield? I don’t think that’ll work.”

“No, I suppose it doesn’t. You’ll need to be calm afterwards so you can download, so-”

“Then,” Yolanda sat up, feeling strength come back into her even as she felt more vulnerable than she had before, “then, can I sew you something?”

“What?”

“I tried to ask Cammie but she said no, and Kazu and Valentina were busy so I didn’t want to bother them but I’ve thought of designs of things for you guys and even though I know we won’t get much use out of it all I wanted to try making stuff and I stayed up late the other night because it helped calm me down and-”

“Alright, alright, alright. I’ll let you, but no guarantees I’ll actually wear it. Now, let’s go back up, shall we?”

“We’re going to have to fix your machine first though,” Chase added.

“And we will need to talk to the others,” Yaz said, helping Yolanda to her feet, “It will be important in improving our connection to you.”

“You may be a member of gen:LOCK 2, but until we find more compatible people, you’re part of our team.”

Yolanda managed not to cry as she let Yaz support her with an arm slung over her shoulders and a hand on her waist, supporting her as her legs had gone weak with the sudden exhaustion brought on by crying.

“So, what’s the to do list? Machine, sewing, dinner, group talk, then I can give you guys my gifts?”

“Actually, it’s sleep, then we have the talk. Fixing the machine and sewing come last.”

“Sleep?”

“We’ll kick Valentina and Kazu out. We don’t know when we’ll have another attack, and you need to be in your best form if we want to try mindsharing again.”

“Okay,” was all Yolanda managed as they reached their floor and walked out. 

Yolanda easily fell into slumber after Yaz and Chase managed to extract the other two from the dorm. Unbeknownst the girl, they called Cammie and everyone to the lab where they spoke to Weller about what they had been told. Although no one was really surprised, and Valentina certainly felt no guilt towards whatever had been happening (“It was her choice to bottle it up”) and Cammie continued to feel annoyed at the girl (“She’s mean spirited. I doubt she actually cried that hard,”) Chase was the one who managed to convince them all to settle down and work on including Yolanda more in their lives on the Anvil.

“We all managed to click from spending all of time together. Maybe she’s still mean spirited because she doesn’t feel connected to any of you guys yet, and doesn’t want to intrude.”

“A wall, I certainly agree,” Dr. Weller added from where he tinkered with the broken mish-mosh of metal and plastic that had been dropped outside the lab, “I’ve spoken with her a few times alone, she would genuinely like to get to know you all.”

When Yolanda woke up, she went into the dorm bathroom and washed her face as she tried to get whatever blotchiness still remained off. Yesterday was embarrassing, she was completely out of character and let herself be too weak, she thought. It was one thing to be giddy about a design, it was another to spill your guts out to two strangers you hardly knew. 

It was late, according to her watch, but Yolanda had never been one for rules. Breaking the curfew, she strolled down the halls to where she assumed her machine had been dumped off at, after that second drop she assumed no one else would recognize it as anything other than trash, but couldn’t find it near there. She traced her way back up to the ESU, finding a few screws on the ground by the elevator, but no signs. Carefully, seeing Caliban was still circulating while Chase rested, the jazz music playing through the open door into the hall, she snuck inside, looking around the lab for another clue.

Her eyes landed on the rebuilt machine, covered in sticky notes of different colors with a message from each member.

I spotted your designs when I went to tinker at the desk earlier, I liked that jumper with the rabbit ears! - Cammie

It may not be sewing, but you could design something for me in the Ether maybe. -Val

The design with the studs wasn’t too bad… -Kazu. This one was in Japanese, but the tech in her contacts easily altered it for her.

Same thing Val said, I may be pretty dressed down in the other world, but it wouldn’t hurt to get a bit more fashion oriented. -Chase

The embroidery you started was beautiful. I look forward to seeing the finished product. -Yaz

Chase and I could always use the company, don’t let what the Colonel said get you down. You’re welcome anytime she isn’t around. It’ll be our secret. But hey, maybe if you make something for her too, she’ll be more receptive. -Dr. Weller.

She smiled down at the last one, noticing the way he had underlined his signature. She knew she was pushing it calling him Rufus, but it was too fun not to be see where she could get the Doc to crack. Sure, she may have broken down earlier today, but like Yaz said, they all had done something like that at one point or another, so it wasn’t weird. Besides, she couldn’t keep going around apologizing and being sappy. That just wasn’t her. 

She felt a mischievous smile come to her as a new design idea began to bloom. Eagerly, she sat down and flipped over one of the post-its, pulling out a pen as she quickly sketched. 

She hadn’t even thought about doing something for Leon, yet. She would have to come up with something extra gaudy to make him forget her pitiful state from earlier today, she grinned.

#ask poland #yolanda oc #gen:LOCK #genlock #gen lock #my ocs #genlock oc #my writing #ask prompt #writing

[hauntedbyvisionsof-flight]

A Deed

Medda Larkin hadn’t grown up poor, but she certainly hadn’t grown up rich. She was definitely middle class, especially for a coloured family. But she knew that even from a young age, financial trouble would follow her her entire life.

But still she fought.

She fought her way through ninth grade, being the first in her family to make it into high school. During the day Medda worked in a factory with other children. Her job was to change out the spools and tie any threads that broke. It was exhausting work, but Medda was determined to do it.

Every night after work she went immediately to school. A few other kids joined her, but not many. Oftentimes she fell asleep in class, the ink from her pen smudging on her face. More than once a teacher made her stand at the front of the class as he brought a ruler down on her already aching hands.

At fourteen, Medda was working at a shirtwaist factory, sewing buttons onto men’s dress shirts. She often came home with bloody fingers, as none of the factories would provide thimbles to the girls. She helped her mama prepare supper, and soon afterwards the entire family fell asleep.

At sixteen, a few girls from the factory told her about the Bowery. How the girls got paid to dance there, and a lucky few even got to do shows where they got to sing. It didn’t take much convincing, but finally Medda joined them one Saturday night to go to a show.

The girl on stage was wearing a long, yet skimpy, blue dress. She had an elaborate headpiece with huge blue feathers coming off the top of her head. In her hand was a large blue fan with feathers the same shade as the headpiece that ‘covered’ her legs from the audience’s view.

Medda watched, enthralled, as the woman began singing. Her voice was deep and raspy, and hit the notes so beautifully that Medda felt them resonate in her soul.

“My lovey-dovey baby, I boo-hoo-hoo for you,” she sang. She swept the fan across the front row, brushing more than a few men on the face. This only seemed to get them more excited, as the whoops and hollers picked up speed. “I used to be your tootsie-wootsie, then you said toodley-doo . . .” Okay so the words were a bit silly, but it still sounded pretty.

“Having fun?” Elizabeth asked, nudging Medda with her elbow. Dumbstruck, Medda nodded.

“Good,” Virginia laughed. “Cause we’re going out with her after the show.”

Medda turned to look at Virginia. “We are?”

Virginia laughed again, a pure and happy sound. “Yep. She invited us out for drinks across the street. Liz and I used to go to school with her and she wanted to catch up.”

Medda turned and stared, enraptured for the remainder of the show. She didn’t want to turn away as Elizabeth and Virginia led her out of the showroom, staring at the stage as long as she could. The girls both hooked their arms in Medda’s, talking gaily as she stood silently between them.

“Have fun, Medda?” Elizabeth teased.

“I think that was the prettiest thing I’ve ever head,” she said softly. Elizabeth and Virginia giggled.

The three girls entered the saloon across the way and immediately found the girl they’d been talking to earlier.

“Eleanor!” they called. Immediately her head snapped up from her drink and a smile spread across her face.

“Hey, girls!” she greeted. They all gave each other hugs before sitting down at the table. Eleanor called the bartender over and ordered them all drinks.

“And who is this?” she said, turning to Medda. Medda could feel her cheeks heating up at the attention.

“This is Medda Larkin,” Virginia said. “She works at the factory with us.”

“Medda,” Eleanor said, tasting the name in her mouth. Medda thought it sounded heavenly coming from her mouth. “That’s a beautiful name. Would make a great stage name too.”

“Oh no, I could never,” Medda laughed.

“Why not?” Eleanor said. “You have a lovely voice, I can already tell. A few years of proper training and You’d be on your way to stardom!”

Medda smiled. “That’s very kind of you to say. But I’m afraid I haven’t got time for that.”

“You mean you haven’t got the money.”

“Well,” Medda said, caught off-guard by her bluntness. “I suppose so. Yes.”

“Brilliant!” Eleanor clapped her hands together. “We have that all taken care of! Meet me here every night after work and I’ll teach you!”

“Pardon?” Medda said, choking on her drink.

“I’ll be your teacher!” Eleanor said. “I’ve been looking for a new pupil anyways, and you look willing to learn. Besides, don’t think I didn’t notice the way you stared at my performance. You were meant to do this, Medda Larkin.”

Medda cast a glance to Virginia and Elizabeth, who were both staring at her expectantly, grins on their faces.

“Well,” Medda said. “Alright. I’ll do it.”

Eleanor smiled and took a swig of her drink as Elizabeth and Virginia cheered.

“It’s settled then! You’ll be a Bowery beauty in no time.”

~~

Five years later the For Sale sign went up on the Irving Hall. Medda watched sadly from her spot outside the dance hall. Irving Hall had been the first place she’d performed, and she was sad to see it go.

She turned away sadly to walk back to her apartment a few blocks away. She knew that the sale sign meant that it would probably be condemned soon. Coney Island’s Bowery was going through a bit of a tough time, and lots of halls had to close their doors.

Medda swung the door shut behind her and hung her coat and muffler on the coat rack beside it. She poured some leftover soup from a bowl into a pot on the stove and began stirring it, humming to herself.

“If only I had riches,” she murmured. “If only there was gold.”

Her head snapped up. “That’s it!”

Frantically, Medda ran to her bedroom and pulled out a tin box from under her bed. She hurriedly counted the money in it, and when it was too good to be true she counted again. She’d been saving it for years, and after the fifth count, she conceded that it was enough.

~~

Monday morning saw Medda standing outside the First National bank, dollar bills clutched in her hand. An hour later she emerged, several bills lighter, but with one piece of paper clutched in her hands.

The deed to Irving Hall.

~~

Tag List:

@albertdasilva  @albertslamb  @actually-races-erster  @alixismad 

@ben-cook-can-cook  @thebookofbella  @broadwayandbookblog  @brooklyns-here-enthusiast  @bwaysrose 

@daeynore  @daveys-pet-snake   @delanceys-pantsies  @djrebeldr 

@elmers-half-a-cup  @esyazzmean 

@fallingoutofpanickedpilotss  @fandomscraziness22 

@heytheywascoronas 

@ishouldprobablyworkoutmore  @i-got-personality 

@livingdeadmeme  

@marvelmerlinao3  @mcoomcoo 

@newsieofnj  @nymphadoratonksx 

@piercings-and-pearls 

@racetrackscigar  @races-cigar  @races-erster  @rebecko 

@santafeismycity  @thesmallestbi  @spot--conlon  @stuckinmyneverendingheadspace  @sparkleystallion  @spracetrack-higgins 

@thatshiscigar 

@wetcoffeee 

#girsliesweek18 #medda larkin #saturdays submission like three days late lmao #newsies #newsies live #newsies fanfiction #brooklyn writes #grace writes #fanfiction

[martymango0]

I actually did a thing for once!

It is not “make progress on the Corona Quilt.” I will write an update on that shortly.

No, the thing I did was mending, but important mending! For myself & for a friend

The first part involved the return of an old friend:

[ID: colorful handmade simplistic octopus plush sitting on a red ottoman. Its legs are each two-toned and its body is paneled like a beach ball; no two sections are the same fabric. It has an embroidered smiley face. End ID]

I made this guy all the way back in January of 2014 (I had to go find the post I made on my old blogspot blog to remember that) for friend of the family Kayla’s (then immanent) first kid. It’s face was one of my first forays into embroidery & I’ve actually made versions of it to welcome other babies since, so it was really nice to learn that it has apparently been much loved by not only it’s original recipient, but his two younger siblings as well! Perhaps too, much because, well... While we weren’t told the circumstances of the injury, Mom & I suspect, given the nature & location of the tear, that it was the subject of a dispute; likely one kid had one leg & one kid had the other & there was tugging and the poor octopus came out of it the worse for wear. Luckily, it was a totally fixable tear!

The original concept for the octopus was to make it out of a lot of different colors & textures of fabric so it would be engaging for a baby to interact with, which means I had a lot of scrap fabric from the original project that got stuck in my stash & forgotten about. The upside of that is I actually still had a decent amount of the fabric the torn section was made from to make a patch out of! I was also able to find a spool of thread nearly the exact same color amongst my mother’s supplies so score!

[ID: a folded piece of yellow-orange cloth with a dense pattern of lighter yellow-orange spirals End ID]

My first step, though, was making the tear wouldn’t get any bigger. For that I first coated the edges in the magic potion we mortals call Fray Check. Man do I love that stuff, even if it dose stink to high heaven before it dries...

[ID: a hand holding a little bottle labeled Fray Check  End ID]

I then set about reinforcing it. I used a square of another, boring scrap cloth I had on hand that was a bit more robust than the yellow calico. I slid it in underneath & secured the torn edges to it with a blanket stitch to help prevent any future fraying or tearing at the weakened point & closed the hole

[ID: a pair of tears in the yellow body section between two legs on the octopus plush. the torn edges have been stitched down onto a white cloth using yellow thread End ID]

Then I covered it with the yellow patch to make it look nice. After some trial & error, I ended up using a ladder stitch, as that gave me the cleanest edge with the most hidden stitching - the latter being both an aesthetic concern & I didn’t want the kids to be able to accidentally snag a stitch while playing with it.

Getting the seams to look nice around the arms was a bit of a struggle but I got it looking nice & this octopus is ready to return home when Mom sees Kayla next month!

[ID: the yellow body section now with a neat, unobtrusive triangular patch of identical fabric covering where the tears were End ID]

My other project was for myself & way less involved: the second-hand button down I use as sun protection on the beach has been starting to fray along the edges of the front & sleeves, so since I had the sewing stuff out I finally just sat down & put a blanket stitch on all the fraying parts. (It also got Fray Checked ‘cause redundancy is my watchword & momma didn’t raise no fool.) I’m a very slow stitcher so that took at least five hours (judging by the number of episodes of “PBS Poetry In America” I made it through) but the stitches are the nicest & evenest I’ve ever done without a drawn line to follow and hopefully the shirt will last me for a few more years! Also, I feel god-damn productive after that!

Side note, though: don’t be like me kids - USE A THIMBLE! I don’t actually have one because I’m an idiot and man I was feeling that for days afterward! You don’t think friction from thread or the minor pressure of pushing a needle through a few layers of fabric could be that bad, but after a while it starts to hurt...

#Marty sews #plush toy #plushies #repair

[beckettdoll-blog]

Get the Scoop on Barbie Doll Dress Before You're Too Late

Choosing Good Barbie Doll Dress

No matter which you decide on, this project is fairly simply even when you're a beginner. The options are limitless in regards to Barbie games. Whichever game you opt to play, it's not going to matter for as long as you receive the fun and excitement that you truly deserve. You'll be amazed by the number of games which are waiting for you.

You are able to print it and begin with these tutorial videos. Well Barbie itself and Barbie games are among the most favorite playoff types that are obtainable for girls. This has been among the oldest Barbie games. They are not only for kids though.

The Do's and Don'ts of Barbie Doll Dress

This is the way that it should look. Beach balls that could be kicked around increase the fun. For more information about how to adjust the size (in case it doesn't fit), the notion is exactly like the one described in Barbie Basic Socks. So you've got to think accordingly. Spend just a little time to customize your Barbie's looks according to the occasion.

Mark the point at which you would prefer the base of the sock to be with a pin Mark the middle of the cap of the sock with a pin On the left side of the greatest pin, stitch a little zigzag or knit stitch to the pin at the bottom and stitch out to the left side. Thimbles may be used to guard those precious little digits. If you've got a sewing machine, velcro will be simpler to attach. A lot of the larger chains are going to have fantastic range of dolls, play sets, and accessories, but often only carry some of the different fashion sets which might or might not be what you're searching for.

You're able to make pretty much any sort of Barbie fashion at home, and if you like doing so, you may want to think about turning it into a means to make some fantastic additional money. To begin with, make a decision as to what shape you are interested in getting the dog bed to be. Here is something which you're looking for. Begin with her living room and work your path to the kitchen.

It isn't difficult to maintain or add entries to once it's completed. The web is also a great place to look. With an internet search you may discover clothes that are designed and made by men and women with the exact same interests as you. As it is for my personal usage, I didn't cite your site, but for the email in your pattern. There are a lot of reasons to want to find the very best and latest fashions for all sorts of dolls, and with a resource like the internet you can more easily see what's available. Rather than buying it from the current market, you can just apply your crochet experience and expertise to crochet a beautiful one at home!

To start with I would advise making a top and circle skirt for your very first outfit. A crumb coat is no more than a light layer of frosting over the full cake. It's been crocheted in pink that's the most liked girlish color! The dress is sleeveless and has a very small bandana that's simple to make with a little quantity of machine and hand stitching. You're able to observe how I traced out the pattern on the sock. If there's a noticeable pattern (stripes), ensure the grain markings are in accordance with the pattern.

If you by chance delight in sewing, this is an excellent way to add to Barbie's fashions. You can also select the shade of her makeup which you think will match her outfit. Look no further than our giant group of dress up adventures, which are here in order to suit each one of your requirements! You should produce the torso and the bottom more time to make the clothes fit. You may find Barbie doll clothes on auctions websites such as eBay, where you're able to discover some amazing bargains on fashion clothes. Utilize my vintage Barbie patterns to make your own looks.

In case the school doesn't provide diaries you can purchase one for your child and speak to their teacher to make certain that all work which they are given is written down. Perhaps it's time to meet it. Ruth Handler produced a dream for every small girl in the usa and around the world! Go through the diary to be sure that the child has done all that they should do. You and your children may add furniture to make it resemble a attractive scene from a movie. Your son or daughter might get irritated if you attempt to play but find the story wrong or aren't paying attention to the particulars of the story. Grab younger siblings and have a break to sit down and revel in the show.

The New Fuss About Barbie Doll Dress

To help then pick the best career first you need to ask then what they would like to be. Doing this will reap tremendous rewards. Girls gaming industry isn't as big as boys gaming market. It is crucial to support your children in their career paths so they can be motivated to work hard and prosper in the assorted careers.

The Debate Over Barbie Doll Dress

This normally includes giving Barbie the appropriate hairstyle and accessories for a specific appearance, including a background in many instances. Simply have a brush and style her hair how you feel suits her the very best. And with the broad selection of styling heads readily available today you're almost bound to locate your youngster's favourite doll character has a styling head in their product range. There's no need to go out and purchase the special Barbie cake pans. Therefore, you might get a person to train them or do it yourself until you ensure they are bale to handle it by themselves. The filling in addition to the materials may be used for this objective. These small clothes can be challenging, but only need small sums of fabric when supplying a excellent deal of satisfaction for seamstresses of all ages.

The Secret to Barbie Doll Dress

Don't neglect to present your digital doll the appropriate look with her make up. Once you are finished with the conventional stuff, select the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-SGvWKhW5M party scorcher makeover. We easily get fascinated from these terrific creations, which are popularly referred to as mascots. 1 trip to the toy aisle and you will locate dolls that suit nearly every taste. Then you can pick from a wide variety of outfits and accessories to provide your fairy that special look you would like them to have. Barbie dolls houses come in assorted sizes.

Barbie Doll Dress: No Longer a Mystery

Many animated characters result in popular wallpaper. As an issue of fact, there are many kinds of Barbies offered and all of them are different, wearing diverse outfits to suit their mission. If you're going to take part within this type of character play with Barbies it is great to obey your child and find a feeling for what is happening with their story so it's possible to fit in with their game. A few of these games are fantasy-esque while others are somewhat more realistic, sometimes using true princesses from all over the planet.

[aldreaoakley]

PETER PAN: KBTBB one-shot

(Please don't hate me as this is not an easy story to adapt when most the cast is male... Also KBTBB guys sometimes reminds me of the story. I'll explain in my note. @maidofstars this is what i was talking about.)

Ota watches as a young woman argues with a man whom he assumes is her dad.

"Dad I'm not ready yet," he observes her yell. "Don't talk back to me young lady," the man roars back. "As of tomorrow, you are no longer in that nursery!" "Fine," she hollers with tears running down her face. Wait a second he's not suppose to he watching her! Shaking his head, Ota waits on the roof top above where he'd lost his shadow a while ago. A small bell-like chatter rings in his ear and he turns to see his fairy, male, next to him. "Quiet," he hisses. "She'll hear!" The ringing twitters stop and the fairy hovers next to him. Once he feels that it was safe, Ota glides down and opens the window. He spies a doghouse and looks at his fairy and the little thing flies into it. "Is it in there Baba," he whispers. Baba, the fairy, shakes his head. Ota frowns then gestures to look elsewhere. As Baba goes one way, Ota goes the other. As he looks through a toy chest, he hears Baba and glides over to a dresser. Baba is pointing at the top drawer. Ota opens it and unknowingly shuts Baba inside with his shadow flying out. He grabs it and tries to get it on with brute force. The ruckus makes the girl wake and he cringes inwardly at his mishap. "Ota! I knew you'd come back to get it," she smiles at him. "Huh? How'd you know I'd come back," Ota asks while pinning his shadow. "Meanie! Your shadow's been causing nothing but trouble," she whines and Ota sees in time that his shadow just flipped her off. "And that dog," he wonders. "Kenzaki? Yeah he grabbed your shadow- Why are you using your hands like that? I can sew your shadow back on," she laughs and fetches something. He keeps a hold on his shadow as she deftly works. But he can't help hissing in pain. "Do you have something not as sharp," she inquires as she readies herself to move to his other foot. Ota produces the needle he uses to fix his clothes and she accepts it with a smile. Ota hides his smile and decides to tease her. "You are a brave girl, girl," he smirks. "I'm not girl," she frowns. "My name is ___." "Oh. Well thanks ___ for getting this idiot back on," Ota chuckles while flipping his shadow into place. He then notices she's looking at him with a funny face after making sure his shadow is moving with him. She didn't make a move so he holds up an acorn. "Oh... thank you," she sighs and takes the little seed. "So are you here alone," he hears her ask while he looks around the room. "Nope. I came with Baba," he replies and draws his sword upon meeting a toy soldier. "Who's Baba?" "My fairy," he pouts upon realizing that he toy soldier wasn't going to fight him. "But fa-" she starts and Ota dashes over to cover her mouth. "Don't," he hisses dangerously with his hand clamp on her mouth. "Whenever someone says that, a fairy dies." He sees her apologetic face and lowers his hand. Then he notices she is about to get close when something darts in front of him. "Baba! Where were you old man," he whines upon seeing the fairy. He watches as Baba gestures and rings like crazy before he face palms himself. "What did he say," __ wonders. "He said that if you ever dare give me a thimble, he'll personally kill you," Ota translates in an irritated tone. "Why won't you come with me to Neverland?" "Neverland?! Yes," she giggles with joy. Tactic distraction works like a charm. Flashing ___ a smile, he offers his hand. ~*~ Captain Hook pounds his hook into the table then wrench it out with a snarl. Clearly he is having no luck in finding Ota. He's still angry at the boy for cutting off his hand. He scans the map in front of him muttering. He already trapezes all over Neverland but never finds Ota's hideout. But then his crew can't find the little Ice Dragons who fight with them whenever they meet. That frustrates him more than his ship being frozen in the middle of the ocean. "Sir! Sir! The ocean's thawing," he hears his first mate cry out. A deadly smirk forms on his face. This is it. It's time to take down the self proclaimed ruler of Neverland. ~*~ ___ flies next to Ota through the skies with a wide grin. She's always dream of flying with him to Neverland and exploring the land with him and his band of Ice Dragons. When Ota directs her to land on a cloud, ___ feels nervous. After she got sprinkled with fairy dust, combining with faith and trust, she gain the ability to fly. The fact that she knows that Ota hasn't let let down yet makes her braver and settles next to him. He hands her his spyglass and points to below them. ___ peers down the spyglass and her eyes widen in surprise. It wasn't just that there are real pirates in front of her. It is the man with the hook. The man looks exactly like her father. "What's wrong ___? Cat got your tongue," she hears Ota. "Who's that man pointing at us," she asks. "Damn," Ota frowns, making her worry. "Baba get ___ to safety. I'll draw Hook's shots." She struggles to keep up with Baba as the fairy streaks off before she can even get her bearings. The next thing she knows after using her memory to follow where she sees Baba's glowing form, something knocks her out! ~*~ Ota glares at the little boys in front of him. Then Soryu steps out to take the responsibility for hitting the blow that knock ___ out, it was Rhion and Hikaru who tells him what Baba did. "Go and get everything ready to carry her to the hideout," Ota instructs them. The Ice Dragons run off to follow his order. He finds Baba and snatches him. Ota shows the fairy ___'s unconscious form then snarls at him. "I'm not letting you back. You're banished," he states then chucks him towards some trees. Ota looks at ___'s form and feels relief upon seeing his acorn being the only thing that saved her. He doesn't want anyone else to have her. He doesn't want her to grow up either. ~*~ Baba sits quietly on a twig after being thrown by Ota. He worries about Ota like a brother but that was half his problem right there. He has fallen for ___ after seeing her for the first time. He had no idea how Ota feels about her until he sees her prone form after he orders the Ice Dragons to fire. He didn't want her to die. He only wants her for himself. The only thing is that he can't argue against Ota once the youth makes up his mind. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize that he is inside some kind of fabric thing. He thrashes around before he flaps himself out and realizes where he's at. Baba got himself inside the captain's cabin. Now he really regrets hurting ___. And he really got from the frying pan and into the fire. The cloth thing he was under is now beneath a glass orb. /What am I to do now,/ he sulks and collapses to a sitting position. ~*~ Back on Earth, Eisuke Darling paces in his office. He can't sleep. ___ is what he has left of a family and only wants the best for her. He glances at the picture on the mantle of himself and ___'s mother when ___ is born. "Did I do the right thing," he whispers, sorrow marring his face. "I only wanted her to be a woman.... I guess it's too soon at age eleven...." Sitting at his desk, Eisuke starts to think. Thinking about how he can make it up to his little girl. ~*~ ___ wakes to the feeling of something soft and the sounds of feet pattering. She pushes herself upright and sees Ota enter. "Good, you're awake. It's time to meet the boys~" Ota grins. "Boy- Oh. The Ice Dragons," ___ realizes with a smile. "Yep," Ota laughs. Once she's inside an underground main hall, a bunch of boys barely older than seven are already there. "The twins are Rhion and Hikaru," Ota starts," the little runt with the blue tattoos is Soryu. He's a good shot." An indigent 'Hey' jumps in but Ota continues despite the small frown on her face. "The kid with the teeth marks, Samejima. Don't let those fool you because those are shark and not human teeth. The sleeping one is Mamoru." "What about the one next to the skeleton," ___ wonders. "Luke? He's always like that when we aren't- Oi! Where's Ryusuke," Ota yelps. One of the boys start coughing. ___ rushes to a small spring she'd notice in a corner and scoops some of it into a flower cup. She was about to offer it when one of the other boys (Luke maybe?) asks her what it is. "A medicine to help his cough," ___ fibs. "We don't need that! Come on! We don't leave one of our own behind," Ota snaps. "Right," the boys chime and all run after Ota. ___ sets the "medicine" next to what she can assume is Ota's chair then chases after them. The search wasn't easy and it's hard to make your way through a jungle wearing nothing more than a nightgown and light traveling slippers. A splash catches ___'s attention and she turns to see a merman sunning himself on a rock. She let out a startled yell at the sight of him. ___ has never seen a man naked from the waist up before. "Stop screaming and what are you doing," the merman snaps at her. "Um... I'm trying to find a boy named Ryusuke. Have you seen him," ___ inquires. The merman thinks then nods. "Follow me," he tells her. She does and he leads her to a cave where there is also- "Damn it," she hears the merman swear. "The pirates have him," ___ whispers in horror. "Stay here and I'll tell Ota," the merman directs then splashes off. ___ tries to wait but she couldn't after what seems to be half an hour later. She starts inching towards the cave when she hears "Thanks four-eyes". ___ looks to see Ota flying past the merman and to the cave. "It's Shuichi! Sigh... that kid," the merman complains. "And what did I say about staying in your spot?" "I couldn't help it that I wanted to comfort the little boy," ___ pouts. "Just be careful Miss," Shuichi pauses. "___." "Miss ___," Shuichi finishes then returns to the water. "First time seeing a merman," Ota wonders as a loud scream echoes around them. /Kenzaki?! That's the name of my guard dog,/ ___ puzzles. She didn't show it as she shakes her head to answer Ota's question. "Well let's get back then," Ota chuckles as he carries the one he said is Ryusuke with him, by his ankles. ___ stops him to carry Ryusuke in her arms. Ota whines that she's being too nice when she really just worries too much. ~*~ Baba watches as a drenched Captain Hook drags himself into the cabin silently. He doesn't like the hook-handed pirate because of the fact that Ota hates him with his life. Then Kenzaki rushes in to help Hook get out of his wet coat. Once that was done, he gets sent out and he realizes that Hook is now staring at him. "I can guess that Ota's done more harm than good to you," he sees the man mouth. "How about a little revenge?" The reminder of what Ota did to him has him more than willing to side with his enemy. What Baba didn't notice is that Hook's eyes had a malicious glint in them... ~*~ "I can't stay here then," ___ says to his face. "If I'm going to be causing trouble then I have to go back and grow up." "Then go and don't ever come back. I'll get some fairies to get you and the boys back," Ota fires back before slamming his door shut. The cry that he hears not long after makes him sad but he shrugs it off. It's her fault for even wanting to be involved with his problems with Hook. Hook has always been a thorn in his side because he's an adult. That was it. He hates them with a passion. He remembers that he told ___ during their flight to Neverland that his parents wanted to decide his fate. He didn't want that. So to him, Hook is the same. Trying to force him to grow up. He didn't realize that ___ and the Ice Dragons have been kidnapped by the pirates, fairy escorts dead, and Hook slipping into the small flower cup a single drop of poison. ~*~ Baba regrets this now. After freeing himself from his prison and through a small crack in the cabin window, he swallows the tainted water that Ota was about to drink. "Baba," he hears Ota's distant voice. "Baba no!" It wasn't long before the frozen cold takes over his body. With the last of his strength, Baba hugs Ota's finger then passes out. He didn't realize that he was in a limbo like state until power courses through him. It was a power he thought had been long gone. Belief of his and other fairies' existence. He opens his eyes and hugs Ota's finger while his crimson wings flutter vividly. "Now I need your help in getting them back," Ota enlists. Baba is ready. More than ready. He is so ready to screw Hook up. ~*~ The battle was hard and Ota didn't want to admit it. The Ice Dragon boys are defending not just each other but ___ as well. She however decides to help by repurposing a throwing dagger that missed her. He is in a gridlock sword fight with Hook. Hook had forced some of Baba's fairy dust onto himself and now both men are equally matched in the air. "You know she hates you," Hook taunts him. "She'll leave you forever." That was enough to make Ota not only drop his sword but plummet to the deck, landing hard on his back. "Ota!" It wasn't the boys who cries out his name in fear. It was "_-___... you're... you're still here..." he gasps. "Hook... ugh..." "Ota," he hears her whisper. "___... if it's you... can... can you give me a thimble," he requests as his voice grows fainter and fainter. "Ota... of course," he hears her soft giggle. If that giggle means that she understands what thimble means!? Ota feels a set of warm lips on his own. His eyes fly wide open while a strong rise blush floods his skin. He didn't hear anything around him as he rockets into the air with a strong whoop. "Hook! You're a dead man," he yells and nosedives for the pirate captain. The action forces him off the side of the ship and over a hungry crocodile's gaping toothy maw. ~*~ Eisuke opens his daughter's door to reveal not just her but a bunch of little boys and a huge chest of gold and precious stones in the center of it all. "Father," ___ laughs and he catches her in his arms with a warm smile. "___, I'm sorry about earlier," he whispers into her hair. "I was wrong in wanting you to grow up quickly." "It's okay father," she smiles back. "Um... is it okay if I have new little brothers?" "That's... if I can find a bigger house," Eisuke sighs. "E'en wi'h all this," Rhion and Hikaru chime while holding up some of the things from the chest. "I bet we can," Eisuke chuckles.

EPILOGUE ___ smiles as her new brothers run in the backyard after school. She then looks up at the sky. "Where are you looking," she hears Soryu ask. "Neverland," ___ sighs. "Do you think he'll still remember us," Mamoru yawns. "I bet he does. Ota isn't the type to forget easily," ___ smiles. Little did any of them know that hidden behind a tree is Ota and Baba. The duo watches them then fly off to go back to Neverland. None of them know that ever since Hook's death, Ota and Baba both have been watching and helping them from the shadows. Even though they did have some suspicions, the two don't stay near for long. But one thing that Ota and ___ knows is that "I'll always believe in you Ota," ___ whispers before turning back to her book, the gold letters Peter Pan glittering.

Author's Note: Okay so I did leave out a lot of the story. But if I left all the itty-bitty details in, it basically would be like watching a version of the story. I use a mix of Peter Pan movie from 2003 and the old classic Disney version. And I did adapt it the best I can while dealing with college stress... it is a good way to relax from focusing on my studies too hard. My usual work will be ready to read in a few days. 

One other thing: I didn’t want to make MC grow up.

#serenity writes #kissed by the baddest bidder #kbtbb #one-shot

[itcowcer]

Subject: Pumpkin Patch

Subject: Pumpkin Patch

Paul Holland [email protected] 2:05 AM (6 hours ago) to Mark

Heeeeey Mark!

So I know it's been a while, and I wanted to give you a quick heads-up on what’s going on and why I haven’t sent any drafts in recent history. Let's be real, it’s been months. But I want you to know that I haven't just been laying around over here, and that I do have something planned to give to you. It's just not ready yet. Sorry :( Now I'm not trying to tease you; I've hit a wall. What I do have is a bunch of source materials which (I hope) will prove to you that I'm building something, potentially pretty big, for my next novel. That's Right!!!! I've been researching Mark!!!! Who would've thought I knew how. Anyways, I thought this might tide you over until the rough draft or, at the most, spur you to send some seed money..... ;) You will find the sources in the subsequent attachments to this email. I think they kind of speak for themselves, but if you need me to elaborate on what I'm thinking just shoot me a message and I will give you deets.

Pleasure as always [?]

Paul

Paul Holland [email protected] 2:56 AM (5 hours ago) to Mark

Whoops! I forgot to attach the sources in that last message. Oh well, I will take better care to attach them this time. I figure I should go ahead and let you know what's going through my head right now, just so we are on the same page. First off, all of this is real. All of this stuff has apparently occurred or is currently occurring, and I've been able to pick up more bits and pieces the longer I've stayed in town (hence the long turn around). Where am I? I don't particularly want to tell you. For that reason I've redacted some information which might clue you into my whereabouts. I'm sure with a certain amount of cyber- sleuthing you'd be able to pinpoint my location, as some of the major points I just cannot change. However by that point I figure it will be too much work for you anyways. DO NOT COME AFTER ME! This story is too good for me to pass up on. I'm only messaging you as a courtesy, and to let you know that I haven't forgotten the money I owe you. I will hopefully be able to pay you back with this novel's completion.

Now onto content. I found this story, of all places, in the newspaper. Yeah it was this grotesque murder which had all of the city community in a hubbub. It was strange too, like ritualistic and such. I've included the short blurb I found in the newspaper, it should be the 3rd attachment. Of course I saved it. I wasn't sure where to go next with my writing and everyone loves true crime or at least a good murder mystery. Then, in the next week, I saw a couple other odd articles (I have attached them as well). One is a letter of resignation from one of the news paper's journalists, due to some kind of journalist ethical concern. Apparently he hasn’t been heard of since. Like completely disappeared. For some reason I was sure that the initial murder, and the later disappearance were related, though I couldn't figure how.

This forced me to dig a little further and I think what I found is captivating at least. Even if I'm grasping at straws I think it tells a compelling narrative, and might sell. I found a small interview, written by the Journalist that disappeared, in regards to a cultural movement within the city. As it turns out this place has a long history of creepy shit, like underground slave prisons, civil war ghosts, a history of catastrophic fires, train accidents, macabre poets, dilapidated asylums turned apartment complexes, and even a vampire legend. No kidding! The guy is entombed down at this old cemetery that overlooks the river. Well the interview is with a member of this group of artists, all of whom were trying to keep this inherent creepiness a part of the city's culture. Though she went by a code name, as all members of Pumpkin Patch do to remain anonymous (in this case kittykat666(=^.^=). I believed that she was the victim in the murder. Having contacted the victim’s parents, I asked if they knew anything about the group Pumpkin Patch. Only the mother would respond, with an invitation to meet with her. Though the meeting was brief, she gave me a series of her daughter's journal entries, a forwarded set of emails between her and her daughter on the topic, and permission to use these things in publishing my next book, so long as I didn't use her daughter's name.

 The first attachment is the newspaper interview with kittykat666(=^.^=) It describes really well what the group is about, and how it operates, and it shows you where I'm leaning for main characters (the girl and the journalist). I think it introduces everything well. The second is the girl's journal entries (at least the ones I've deemed relevant). All of these pertain to Pumpkin Patch and they really get you to see who this poor girl was and how she got sucked into this whole mess. The next attachment is the first article blurb I found, the one that describes the murder. The fourth attachment is the letter of resignation from the journalist who interviewed “Kat”. I figure I will just forward those emails that the mother sent to me. There aren't many of them, however there is some character building stuff there. You can see the loving family “Kat” and her mother had before. They also show how the two found Pumpkin Patch. Sorry in advance, the mother has no clue of grammar. I have also included one last attachment, which is unnerving and chilling when you understand how the group finds its inspiration. It's a series of screen shots I took from the group’s auction site. Here, they post a bunch of their work for buyers. They had just posted a new auction when I checked out the site page. Pay attention to the groups shared theme in the artwork.

Whew! That was a lot for an email! Let me know what you think! Paul

Paul Holland [email protected] 2:59 AM (5 hours ago) to Mark

-_____-

Paul

Attachment 1, Attachment 2, Attachment 3, Attachment 4, Attachment 5 

 Paul Holland [email protected] 3:08 AM (5 hours ago) to Mark

Weird. Someone just rang the door bell to my apartment. I went to go check and no one was there. I'm a little unnerved, especially given what I've just sent you (that subject matter which is still fresh in my mind). I'm not entirely sure it's nothing, but realistically it’s probably nothing so I'm going to get these emails to you and then cool off. Here you go,

Paul

forwarded message

From: [************] To: [email protected] Cc: Sent: [, * *** **** ::**] Subject: opportunities ;)

Hey Kit Kat i hope everything is going better. i know that finding friends can be rough in college but im sure there are a ton of great clubs over there. Just get off your little butt and look!!!! :p only teasing. Also your father should be put that money back into ur college fund. Evidently he needed to buy his new gal pal a car lol. The man's no good! Either way i will make sure everything is all set, u just worry about school work and meeting people and HAVING FUN!!! Let me know if you need anything, im just a phone call away!!!

Love, Mom

. . .

Resp:opportunities ;)

Thanks Mom. Everything is fine, I was just a little worried because the tuition bill is overdue and it needs to be paid in order for me to sign up for classes next semester. He's buying her a CAR!!!!! SMH! SMDH! But my classes are going well. I actually turned in my first couple of paintings and the professor really liked them. He told me I thought out of the box, already had a unique style, and that I should keep pushing myself. He said that I might run into trouble when we start doing other forms, but that he'd help me if I need it. I thought that the class wouldn't like my work or be weirded out, but all in all I got good responses and helpful critiques. Some people in my class invited me to hangout, idk I might go.

. . .

Resp:resp:opportunities ;)

Oh kitty thats great! im glad your classes are going well. And you should SPEND TIME WITH THOSE CLASSMATES!!! Jeeesh!!! Also i am not sure what SMH stands for. i tried to think but cant. :( i did some looking because i knew u wouldnt and i found a club that you might enjoy. They are artists in the area who have auction events, have group meetings and they seem to do a lot in the area. it might be the kind of thing to set u on an art career, if thats what u want to do. i just happened to hear about them and i looked up their site. A lot of their work looks right up ur alley! There is a submission section on their page, and maybe u can send in some of you drawings? i was surprised by how much they were selling for, and i think a lot of ur work is better. I will send you the link. There called the Pumpkin Patch. Thats kinda cute!

Love ya! Mom

. . .

Resp:resp:resp:opportunities ;)

Yeah I'll look it up and send something in. I'll also try hanging out with my class, I'm not sure what we will be doing. Thank you for everything. Love you Too! P.s. SMH is Shaking My Head.

forwarded message

From: [************] To: [email protected] Cc: Sent: [, * *** **** ::**] Subject: Pumpkin Patch

Remember that group you were talking about? Pumpkin Patch. I submitted one of my works and it got accepted. I think you'd remember the one, it had that spider made out of sewing needles and thimbles, strung up in a wire web, the one that I got an award for in school. The group admin sent me an email and wanted to know why I wanted to join the group so I kinda bullshitted an answer and I guess they liked it. I'm supposed to go to a meeting with them, however I have to wear a mask and create an artist name which is kind of weird. I guess they want all the artists to be anonymous even to each other. I told them that that made me uncomfortable, but they assured me that the meeting will be on campus. I'm going to see what it is and drop it if its too sketch. I guess most meetings are online, but bimonthly meetings are in person.

. . .

Resp:Pumpkin Patch

Kit Kat. Idk this sounds a little scary. i wish i had known all that before i sent you the link. Be careful there are a lot of weirdos out there and i dont want u to get hurt. u are a grown women and i hope you will use you best discretion. There is always your classmates, and maybe starting a group with them would be better for you. How did that go with them? I expect you to call me soon.

Be safe, Mom

. . .

Resp:resp:Pumpkin Patch

Please don't freak out but I ended up going to that meeting. It was cool though. We kind of just sat around, discussing what the next theme will be, what scary movies we like that kind of thing. We also planned a little get together at a museum. There are a couple other girls there so I think it's fine. I kind of know one of the people in the group too, although I'm not supposed to. He was actually one of the guys I hung out with last week. He's not in my art class but he is a year above us so everyone knows him. He sort of let it slip that he was in the Pumpkin Patch when we were all hanging out. He assured me that it wasn't going to be weird and that the mask thing was more like a gimmick than anything else, to make the group interesting. That night with my class was fun too, we just sat around a fire pit talking, eating hot dogs, sharing stories. Somebody had a guitar and they all started singing these old songs. They are a good group. I'm going to spend time with them again.

. . .

Resp:resp:resp:Pumpkin Patch

Well im glad that you had a good time. Just remember to be careful, and that u dont have to do anything u dont want to, and CALL YOUR MOTHER. Also im glad you met some nice people. Is there anyone I should be meeting anytime soon? ;)

Please call, I worry Mom

forwarded message

From: [************] To: [email protected] Cc: Sent: [, * *** **** ::**] Subject: What's Up!!!

Hello Kathryn? Im not sure if you remember me, however im YOUR MOTHER! What's been going on? u haven't called me in a while. I hope you've started thinking about housing for next year. Dont worry about the price its all being paid for by ur father. Also I see that you have another exhibition thingy coming up with your Pumpkin Patch. Im thinking about coming down and rooting u on, seeing as u failed to mention the last one. What do you think?

. . .

Resp:What's Up!!!

Yeah I've been looking at some places. Some friends and I are thinking about getting an apartment together a little off campus. I will let you know what we find. Also that first exhibition wasn't a big thing, and I didn't think you'd want to miss work for it. This next one's not a big deal either and I'm not even going to be there, we aren't supposed to associate with or present our work in order to retain the whole aura of mystery. We can still check it out if you want, we just can't let anyone know that I'm a collaborating artist. Also I can't tell you which work is mine, sorry. :/ We can go to this nice little french restaurant after. I just went there recently with a close friend of mine, it just might be my favorite place in town now :3. Let me know when you're in the area.

forwarded message

From: [************] To: [email protected] Cc: Sent: [, * *** **** ::**] Subject: New Exhibition

Hey Mom, I know that there is another exhibition coming up, however I'd prefer that you didn't come to this one. I had fun last time, it's just that I don't think I'd be comfortable with you being there. Also I've decide to leave the group. I just didn't like where it was going and it didn't feel the same as when we first started. That's part of the reason why this latest exhibition would be no good. Also things are falling through at the apartment so I'm trying to find another one for the rest of the semester. I'll send you the places I've found. So far the rent will only be slightly more expensive. Also my roommates already have someone lined up to sublet so we don't have to worry about paying for two places. I will call you soon, and I love you.

Kat

Mark Gergich [email protected] 7:13 AM (1 hour ago) to Paul

Paul,

I just read through everything you’ve emailed me. The forwards, the attachments... everything. Paul Pick up the phone, let me know where you are, I am concerned. I think you may have stumbled onto something that needs to be taken care of by the police. Please Paul. Do not write this book. Don't worry about debts you think you owe me, I'm not worried about that I just want you to come out of this safely without a target on your back. You need to STOP writing this book.

Your friend and publisher, Mark

Paul Holland [email protected] 8:06 AM (3 Minutes ago) to Mark

Mark,

He says I can’t.

Paul

#pumpkinpatch #PP #itcowcer #writing

[tragicbooks]

Transgender rights, viral good deeds, and the Oxford comma: Your weekly dose of good news.

<br>

Did you hear the news?

You may or may not have heard yet, but all over the world, people are showing each other love, lending a helping hand, committing selfless acts of kindness, and fearlessly pushing society forward.

No, it's true. I swear!

In fact, here are 12 things that happened recently that will definitely make you feel good about the world.

1. Best family reunion ever? These orphaned siblings live in separate foster homes, but hopefully not for long.

Bradley, Preston, Layla, Landon, and Olive were recently featured in the Kansas City Star under the headline "Family Wanted." Shortly after their heart-wrenching story reached the public, the state's adoption service had to take down the family's profile due to overwhelming interest.

Hopefully the three brothers and two sisters will be together again under one roof real soon.

WANTED: Loving family for 5 siblings who want to stay together. PLEASE share & help find them a home --> https://t.co/vG0xsQuaOt #fostercare

— ProjectMeetMeHalfway (@ProjectMMH) March 14, 2017

2. When a passenger wearing a headscarf was harassed on the subway, this Chinese Peruvian woman Shut. It. Down.

Tracey Tong confronted the harasser (who was berating a fellow passenger on the crowded train) in both Spanish and English, telling her: "I'm asking you to please respect her. In Spanish, in English, in Chinese, in French, whatever language you want me to say it, I will say it to you."

Latina defends Muslim couple from another Latina in the NYC subway. 👍

Posted by I'M STILL SO NYC on Saturday, March 11, 2017

3. A moving campaign by Jews in Tucson, Arizona, raised a ton of money to replace some vandalized Qurans.

Someone broke into a local Islamic center and destroyed over 100 copies of the Quran, the Islamic holy book. So some members of the nearby Jewish Community Center started a campaign to raise money for replacements.

So far, they've raised over $9,000 — enough to replace the books and help the center install better security.

Jews in Tucson raised over $3000 in hours to replace Qur'ans damaged by a vandal at the Islamic Center of Tucson. https://t.co/sS8o97s7sP

— Shoulder-to-Shoulder (@S2Scampaign) March 15, 2017

4. Only a couple of hundred years late, this old "boys only" golf club is now allowing women to join.

The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers has been around for nearly 300 years but is just now getting around to allowing female members. It only seems fair since, you know, some of the best golfers in the world are women.

Rui Kitada. Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Staff.

5. This adorable young girl wants to teach you about sharks (and life).

Olivia is a 9-year-old girl who's obsessed with sharks, books, and sharing her wisdom and passion on her blog, The LivBits. Following her is a guaranteed way to brighten your day and feel inspired about the next generation of humans.

This #LivBit celebrates #SharkLove, my idol #EugenieClark AND my fav #TeamGenie author @hblang ❤ @OCEARCH @ChrisOCEARCH @ConcordBookshop 🦈❤ http://pic.twitter.com/YDMcGDuEQb

— Olivia Van Ledtje (@thelivbits) March 7, 2017

6. We finally have proof that the five-second rule might be real.

GIF via "Parks and Recreation."

A study out of Aston University finally confirms what we have all known (hoped?) to be true our entire lives:

"As long as it's not obviously contaminated, the science shows that food is unlikely to have picked up harmful bacteria from a few seconds spent on an indoor floor," said the study's author, Anthony Hilton.

7. The Oxford comma, at long last, got its due.

The lack of a comma in a key document passage sparked a legal battle between dairy drivers in Maine and their employers over whether they qualified for overtime pay. The judge in the case said that without an Oxford comma, the text in question was too ambiguous and open to interpretation.

Boom. History has spoken.

8. This teenager is completely reimagining donated clothes for underprivileged youth, and it's making a big impact.

Dillon Eisman hard at work. Photo by Sew Swag.

Dillon Eisman, a junior at Malibu High School in California, believes kids in poverty shouldn't have to only wear people's baggy unwanted sweaters and old hole-y jeans. So he started the nonprofit Sew Swag to upcycle them into pieces kids could feel confident in, and his work is remarkable.

9. A heartbreaking photo of a selfless dad looking on as his daughters enjoy a meal went viral, and now people are stepping up to help.

After a local man took a powerful photo of a hungry father looking on as his girls ate at a fast food restaurant in Manila, it went massively viral. People from all over the world have offered donations to make sure the family can all eat together for a long time to come.

#KwentongJollibee I can't contain my emotion when I saw them in Jollibee. Walang kinakain si kuya, mapakain lang ang...

Posted by Jhunnel Sarajan on Saturday, March 11, 2017

10. The people have spoken, and Monopoly might be getting a T-rex piece.

RAWRRRR. Photo by Hasbro.

Monopoly held a vote to replace some of its iconic game pieces, and if they honor the results, we can officially say goodbye to the shoe, wheelbarrow, and thimble (by far the most boring game piece of all time) and say hello to the Tyrannosaurus rex, among others.

See? Change isn't always bad.

11. This news anchor fired back after a viewer criticized her "revealing" wardrobe.

Anchor Toya Washington of WISN-TV in Wisconsin received an anonymous letter chastising her for "exposed skin" and suggesting that maybe she was starting to "feel her age."

Washington responded perfectly in a Facebook post, writing, in part:

"If 'feeling my age' is in reference to still being able to effectively slay at work and at home as a wife and mother, then yes...I feel star-spangled-banner good for 'my age.'"

Image via Toya Washington/Facebook.

12. And this common-sense bill in Oregon that would help transgender people make changes to their legal documents is gaining momentum.

According to KXL, many transgender people in Oregon have difficulty buying homes, getting health care, and applying for jobs because their birth certificates and other vital records don't accurately reflect their identities.

Oregon is trying to make it easier for those people to make changes without having to go to court, and the proposal cleared the Oregon House just this week.

Woohoo!!

See, good news is all around us, even when things feel bleak or scary or trying. You might have to look a little harder for it some days, but I promise you, it's worth it!

<br>

[socialviralnews]

Transgender rights, viral good deeds, and the Oxford comma: Your weekly dose of good news.

<br>

Did you hear the news?

You may or may not have heard yet, but all over the world, people are showing each other love, lending a helping hand, committing selfless acts of kindness, and fearlessly pushing society forward.

No, it's true. I swear!

In fact, here are 12 things that happened recently that will definitely make you feel good about the world.

1. Best family reunion ever? These orphaned siblings live in separate foster homes, but hopefully not for long.

Bradley, Preston, Layla, Landon, and Olive were recently featured in the Kansas City Star under the headline "Family Wanted." Shortly after their heart-wrenching story reached the public, the state's adoption service had to take down the family's profile due to overwhelming interest.

Hopefully the three brothers and two sisters will be together again under one roof real soon.

WANTED: Loving family for 5 siblings who want to stay together. PLEASE share & help find them a home --> https://t.co/vG0xsQuaOt #fostercare

— ProjectMeetMeHalfway (@ProjectMMH) March 14, 2017

2. When a passenger wearing a headscarf was harassed on the subway, this Chinese Peruvian woman Shut. It. Down.

Tracey Tong confronted the harasser (who was berating a fellow passenger on the crowded train) in both Spanish and English, telling her: "I'm asking you to please respect her. In Spanish, in English, in Chinese, in French, whatever language you want me to say it, I will say it to you."

Latina defends Muslim couple from another Latina in the NYC subway. 👍

Posted by I'M STILL SO NYC on Saturday, March 11, 2017

3. A moving campaign by Jews in Tucson, Arizona, raised a ton of money to replace some vandalized Qurans.

Someone broke into a local Islamic center and destroyed over 100 copies of the Quran, the Islamic holy book. So some members of the nearby Jewish Community Center started a campaign to raise money for replacements.

So far, they've raised over $9,000 — enough to replace the books and help the center install better security.

Jews in Tucson raised over $3000 in hours to replace Qur'ans damaged by a vandal at the Islamic Center of Tucson. https://t.co/sS8o97s7sP

— Shoulder-to-Shoulder (@S2Scampaign) March 15, 2017

4. Only a couple of hundred years late, this old "boys only" golf club is now allowing women to join.

The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers has been around for nearly 300 years but is just now getting around to allowing female members. It only seems fair since, you know, some of the best golfers in the world are women.

Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Staff.

5. This adorable young girl wants to teach you about sharks (and life).

Olivia is a 9-year-old girl who's obsessed with sharks, books, and sharing her wisdom and passion on her blog, The LivBits. Following her is a guaranteed way to brighten your day and feel inspired about the next generation of humans.

This #LivBit celebrates #SharkLove, my idol #EugenieClark AND my fav #TeamGenie author @hblang ❤ @OCEARCH @ChrisOCEARCH @ConcordBookshop 🦈❤ http://pic.twitter.com/YDMcGDuEQb

— Olivia Van Ledtje (@thelivbits) March 7, 2017

6. We finally have proof that the five-second rule might be real.

GIF via "Parks and Recreation."

A study out of Aston University finally confirms what we have all known (hoped?) to be true our entire lives:

"As long as it's not obviously contaminated, the science shows that food is unlikely to have picked up harmful bacteria from a few seconds spent on an indoor floor," said the study's author, Anthony Hilton.

7. The Oxford comma, at long last, got its due.

The lack of a comma in a key document passage sparked a legal battle between dairy drivers in Maine and their employers over whether they qualified for overtime pay. The judge in the case said that without an Oxford comma, the text in question was too ambiguous and open to interpretation.

Boom. History has spoken.

8. This teenager is completely reimagining donated clothes for underprivileged youth, and it's making a big impact.

Dillon Eisman hard at work. Photo by Sew Swag.

Dillon Eisman, a junior at Malibu High School in California, believes kids in poverty shouldn't have to only wear people's baggy unwanted sweaters and old hole-y jeans. So he started the nonprofit Sew Swag to upcycle them into pieces kids could feel confident in, and his work is remarkable.

9. A heartbreaking photo of a selfless dad looking on as his daughters enjoy a meal went viral, and now people are stepping up to help.

After a local man took a powerful photo of a hungry father looking on as his girls ate at a fast food restaurant in Manila, it went massively viral. People from all over the world have offered donations to make sure the family can all eat together for a long time to come.

#KwentongJollibee I can't contain my emotion when I saw them in Jollibee. Walang kinakain si kuya, mapakain lang ang...

Posted by Jhunnel Sarajan on Saturday, March 11, 2017

10. The people have spoken, and Monopoly might be getting a T-rex piece.

RAWRRRR. Photo by Hasbro.

Monopoly held a vote to replace some of its iconic game pieces, and if they honor the results, we can officially say goodbye to the shoe, wheelbarrow, and thimble (by far the most boring game piece of all time) and say hello to the Tyrannosaurus rex, among others.

See? Change isn't always bad.

11. This news anchor fired back after a viewer criticized her "revealing" wardrobe.

Anchor Toya Washington of WISN-TV in Wisconsin received an anonymous letter chastising her for "exposed skin" and suggesting that maybe she was starting to "feel her age."

Washington responded perfectly in a Facebook post, writing, in part:

"If 'feeling my age' is in reference to still being able to effectively slay at work and at home as a wife and mother, then yes...I feel star-spangled-banner good for 'my age.'"

Image via Toya Washington/Facebook.

12. And this common-sense bill in Oregon that would help transgender people make changes to their legal documents is gaining momentum.

According to KXL, many transgender people in Oregon have difficulty buying homes, getting health care, and applying for jobs because their birth certificates and other vital records don't accurately reflect their identities.

Oregon is trying to make it easier for those people to make changes without having to go to court, and the proposal cleared the Oregon House just this week.

Woohoo!!

See, good news is all around us, even when things feel bleak or scary or trying. You might have to look a little harder for it some days, but I promise you, it's worth it!

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