id like a little violence, as a treat

The Shining (1980) Hannibal (2013-2015)

Cause of death: Read a Goodreads review that was stupid

Satanic manufacturing cannot appear in the realm of god

Still can't believe this happened

Hob hates changing lives.

He tells himself he likes it, a year or so in. He tells himself he enjoys the variety, the meeting new people, and seeing new sights. And he does. Just . . . not now. Now when he's still mourning his old life.

He sits on the couch—a new one, not the one that's formed to him over the last twenty years—and sighs as he stares at the few boxes he was able to bring with him. The small flat in Cardiff was fine, arguably lovely, in fact. He's been excited about it when he's first done the paperwork, and there's a distant part of himself that's still excited. But as he looks up at the unfamiliar walls and listens to the unfamiliar sounds of the street and city below, Hob can't help but feel trapped.

He can't go back. Not for a while. Not until he's forgotten in people's minds. He won't see the New Inn again or any of his friends from KCL or the Chens who knew his order by heart because he couldn't go more than two weeks without craving their food.

Robert Golding was gone to the world. Now he's just Rob Garroway—a nobody who lives in Cardiff who does . . . something. Hob hasn't actually gotten that far into figuring out what job he'll pick up this go-around. Maybe he'll try his hand at writing something other than historical essays for the university. Or maybe he'll buy a boat and become a fisherman. Lots of choices. All of them too overwhelming to even think about.

He collapses into the still-to-firm couch and tosses his arm over his eyes. The day is still young—its barely past one in the afternoon—and already he's exhausted. He can feel that familiar weight settling into his bones, holding him close to the earth. He doesn't even know any good take-out joints yet because Lord knows he won't have any energy to cook for the next week. Or two. Or more.

A problem for future him. For now, Hob turns into the back of the couch, face hidden from the sun and the foreign place he now calls home, closes his eyes, and sleeps.

His dreams are quiet and dull, something he's used to happening around times like this. It seems even his melancholy ebbs into his subconscious. Hob slowly opens his eyes into the grey fabric of the sofa. It's darker out than it was before, though much of the light is still blocked by how far tucked-in his face is.

Hob wonders, briefly, if Dream can tell something's off with him. He'd told him last they met—about a month ago now—that he was moving, that he'd spent too long in this life and had to leave. He wonders if Dream even realized he's moved. Time works funny where he's from Hob had been told. S'why he doesn't get too upset if he doesn't see his friend for months at a time (though he prefers the times when he'd see him a few times a week).

It's a week later when he gets his answer.

Hob had been living off cheap take-out and coffee from the café across the street as he tried to work up the energy to do anything, really. He managed to unpack one box that held some cups and silverware, though half of it just rests on the kitchen counters, waiting to be put in a new home. Most of the daytime, he'd spent setting up his new phone and his (albeit minimal) digital footprint and then proceeded to watch the endless amount of cheap entertainment the internet provides.

He did finally watch that Netflix special that Joan had told him to watch multiple times. Too bad he can't call her up and tell her how much he enjoyed it. Which, after realizing that, sent him into another mop session that ended with him staring blankly at the other side of his shower as he sat in the stream of water until it got cold.

Hob counts it as a win that he showered. Technically.

When Dream shows up out of nowhere, as he is want to do, Hob doesn't flinch from his spot on his bed but does think he probably looks a right mess for his friend, though he doesn't have much energy in him to care.

"You have spent much time in my realm as of late. More than is common for mortals."

Hob shrugs, staring up at the ceiling. "Maybe I just enjoy your realm. S'quite nice."

From the corner of his eye, he can see Dream frown. The dark figure walks closer until he's at the edge of the bed, leaning over it as his eyes rake across Hob's face.

"Something troubles you."

Hob doesn't reply immediately. He just sighs, debating whether or not it's worth trying to explain the heaviness in him and the why of it. But he also knows his silence is an answers in itself.

"Hob," Dream says. Tilting his head much like he's seen Matthew do before. Hob angles his head on his pillow to look up into the star-filled eyes above him. "We are friends. As such, if I can be of assistance, you need but ask."

Hob smiles weakly. "I'll be okay, Dream. Just . . . need a bit of time to settle in, that's all. It's always like this after a move. Don't fret over me."

Dream frowns further. "You are unhappy."

Hob huffs. "Kinda. Yeah."

Dream stares down at him for a while as if he could peel back the layers of Hob's mind and pluck the sadness right out of it. Hell, maybe he can somehow. It feels like everything he talks of himself, Hob learns about a new power of his.

Then, with only a shallow nod of his head, Dream slides onto the bed beside Hob with ease. He's pulled against Dream's chest, a strong and lithe arm Curls around him. Hob's got his face pressed right against the dip of his collarbone. It's the closest he's ever been to him before. He's so close he can smell him, what little scent there is.

"Dream?" His heart races in his chest and he knows without a doubt Dream can feel it.

"I apologize," Dream says. Hob can feel a nose nuzzle into the top of his head. "It had been a brief daydream, one I had not intended to see. But it was clear and refined even in its brevity. You have thought of this often."

Well. Hob wasn't about to lie about it.

"Yeah. Yeah I have."

"And does this make you feel happier?"

" . . . Yeah."

"Then rest, Hob Gadling. I will stay here as long as you wish me to."

Tears prick at Hob's eyes, but he blinks them away. "Be careful what you offer. I might want to keep you here with me forever." He feels Dream's grip tighten and a kiss is placed upon his forehead.

"Then so be it."

How the 1889 meeting went, essentially

the smallest artist i listen to? probably the bird outside my window

For some reason I'm imagining Hob and Dream getting together and Hob- closet monster fucker- hesitantly asks about Dream's shapeshifting abilities. But of course Dream- idiot with zero self-esteem- immediately assumes that Hob asked because Dream's form must be "unattractive by human beauty standards". So suddenly Dream keeps showing up looking like various supermodels and now Hob has to figure out the best way to explain that actually Hob is head over heels for Dream's usual form, he just wanted like. Tentacles.

@cuubism YOU'RE SO RIGHT THOUGH

Hints don't work with Dream, in his mind all roads lead to "nobody loves me for me and I am never enough"

Just saw a TikTok complaining about ‘kitten’ as a pet name in fanfiction and while I do agree with their discomfort on that one the comments were FULL of people mentioning all the other common pet names ?? Like honey babe baby sweetheart etc ?? Is your partner just supposed to call you by your name the whole time ????????

God SORRY to drag this out bc I’m not doing this to like screenshot and expose people for having opinions I don’t like BUT I rounded up the wildest ones I found and blurred the names so no one can be mean to them for it I hope that’s okay 😭

Yeah a very common and go-to pet name is actually just one big joke. Everyone was tricking you the whole time!! Pranked <3

I can’t imagine the horrors that this would entail… I don’t wanna hear my name unless you’re reading off a legal document

“TW: British People”

Lettuce gives me such a big ick in salad I swear 😭

WHAT DO U WANT TO BE CALLED 😭 PLEASE YOU HAVE TO GIVE US SOME OPTIONS 😭

the kids are not alright, petnames are fucking normal you little freaks

Someone warn these kids away from the Southern US, please. Especially our diners. They'd implode in five minutes.

I went through a phase when I was younger, when I found pet names absolutely icky and upsetting, because my only experience with pet names was in the form of adults condescending me.

I preferred my real name, up until college when I had a friends group that assigned everyone a silly nickname as part of a game, which somehow ended up being the only name we called each other. It was then I realized - oh - little nicknames can be loving and affectionate, after all.

After that, I took a leaflet out of Gomez Addams' book, and started calling my partners all manners of ridiculous pet names until some of them stick.

Nowadays it feels strange and weird to call my wife by their name. Icky, even. Their 'real' name is for Serious Topics, or introducing them to strangers. Beyond that, it's 100% darling/dear/babe/honey/lover/waifu/dearest/sunAndstars/My Light/My Love/ etc. etc. etc.

Murderbot, a construct that was built and used to do extreme violence it's entire existence : I hate talking to people but I will try to resolve this situation peacefully if I can, threats only make people panic and then they take irrational decisions. Extreme violence is sometimes unavoidable but last resort.

ART, a peaceful research transportation : I love talking to people because I can threaten them with extreme violence right off the bat and it makes them do what I want (ads more totally-not-weapons to it's research equipment)

A little animatic I made after brainrotting “It Only Takes a Moment” after rewatching WallE. It took two months but I DID IT

tom animal crossing nook made you work for like 3 minutes and you spit on him like this god damn

he forces you into debt

that you literally never ever have to pay off unless you want him to build you a bigger house you floppy shoes rainbow wig ringling brothers ass bitch

Defending Tom Nook’s debt-based economy is going too far

you pay it off by selling him fucking bugs and rocks go make me a balloon animal bozo

#debt-based economy #bro have u like noticed thats literally the world we live in??#honestly i WISH i had a tom nook in my life are you kidding me????#no rush to make payments just pay when you can if you intend on getting an upgrade#no INTEREST i CANNOT emphasize that enough #great reliable quality of work#always polite when speaking to me???#probably genuinely concerned with my well being????#and yall are disrespecting him like this!? #i think the fuck NOT

The best possible landlord is still a landlord, and stands at the top of a steep incline

He gives you a house for free that you never have to pay back for. He’s not a fucking landlord he’s a real estate agent you dimwitted radioactive mushroom. You’re never gonna get “evicted” you have complete sovereignty over your land, can place anything and everything you can fit in the space, put up whatever decorations paint jobs and wallpapers you want. The only downside is if you want to make a large purchase from HIS STORE you gotta pay off the last large purchase (you can still buy mailboxes and fences and nice cobblestone paths)His entire backstory is that he got his heart broken by capitalism and decided to move to a small town and give people affordable housing and affordable upgrades to said housing.

And the house? The money you don’t even have to pay unless you want HIM to expand your house for you?

18,400 bells

For reference a single apple sells for 100 bells

Which means you pay for a house (really you are paying for the upgrade) for the same price as 15 dozen apples.

You are literally buying a house for the same price as 15. Dozen. Apples

Let’s put that in perspective to say. America. A honeycrisp apple at Kroger costs 1.70 each on average meaning a dozen costs around 20 dollars. Meaning the price of a house in Tom Nooks store (that once again you never even have to pay back) is equivalent to a whopping 306 dollars.

That’s it. To pay off a house and let you get renovations you have to pay less than a single months rent at any apartment.

Go throw a pie in someone’s face since you want to be a clown.

seagull girl and bird boy should meet and become a bird family

that’s just impressive

I’m in love

My cat emerged from behind my TV like a blood lusted demon at these sounds what in the fuck

people misunderstand what ‘gifted kid’ actually means but it’s ok it’s fine it’s cool it’s good

it’s not about actually being gifted, it’s about an initial higher scoring on standardized testing that means little to nothing or being good at learning in the way elementary and middle school wants you to, so you get marked as ‘advanced’. in reality, maybe you had faster development in certain areas, but the issue with being a gifted kid isn’t that “everyone told me I was so cool and special for reading and then I actually wasn’t :(” it’s “I wasn’t properly taught to handle things not coming easily to me, but the adults around me were counting on me not being a ‘difficult’ child in school.”

people who use it as some weird bragging method or interpret it that way are ignoring the way a lot of school systems force certain roles on students to simplify the learning process. If your kid doesn’t need to take notes to understand a science concept bc they get it naturally, well that’s good, but now you’re not teaching them how to take notes and they’re not learning that important soft skill. but because ‘gifted’ kids are easy and don’t show that they’re falling behind in learning in other categories that are harder to quantify, they eventually fall behind after that catches up to them. It’s about the failures of a one size fits all school system trying to compensate in the worst way possible.

And also the thing where ‘gifted’ kids are super likely to also be neuroatypical, which they don’t get screened for because they appear to be doing well in school. Or “You can’t be ADHD/autistic/etc, because you’re doing so well in school!”. Or being shamed for developing mental health issues/generally not being able to keep up with school work later, because you USED TO BE able to do it just fine.

Or the assumption that just because you can read well or you like math class, you’re somehow more EMOTIONALLY mature than your little kid brain is actually capable of being.

Or gifted kids whose parents and teachers put immense pressure on them to Do Great Things and Save The World and you’re like. “I’m 10 and I have no idea how to do that, but everyone is saying that’s my job?”.

This is the best “gifted kid” post out there. I never took notes until college because I didn’t have to, snd when it got challenging I had to literally teach myself note taking at age 18. It also fucks with your perception of asking for help - you’re advanced, you’re competent, you should be able to understand every topic easily. Asking for help/going to office hours/asking for a tutor feels like failing when you were praised in your early years for not needing to do that.