𓆝 GloriaDeo 𓆟

•°𓏸 ts4 ｡gameplay ˚ legacy ° fun ｡creativity 𓏸°

[gloriadeo7]

♢ Family tree (5 gen, spoilerish)

♢ Gallery ID: GloriaDeo7

♢ Sims Dump | CAS Challenge | Ask | Tag Game | Reblogs | Updates

♢ Generation 1: Start | Latest ♢ Characters: Matt | Otto | Gia | Cat Kuzya

♢ Generation 2: Start | Latest ♢ Characters: Rachel | Jordan | Anya | Christopher

[moodycowplant]

Time at high school for Archie was passing practically uneventfully.

He quickly realized that most classes bored him to death. Teachers seemed obsessed with the plain basics and grades. Scores mattered more than actual interest or knowledge.

Archie wasn't exactly shy about sharing his opinions, and whenever he pointed out that he didn't think half the things they were teaching would ever be useful to him in the future, teachers would roast him in front of the class for being shallow and then make him stay after school.

Archie, however, wasn't one to simply accept that. If they wanted to call him shallow, he made sure they got the full experience. His pranks started getting a little out of hand, but as far as he was concerned, they had it coming.

The school's social hierarchy wasn't making things any more interesting either.

Getting paired with a famous cheerleader instead of Lucas for a project ended exactly how Archie expected. He ended up doing the entire thing by himself while Daphne was, quote, "busy with cheer practice." Then she had the audacity to complain that he hadn't included her name in the project title.

"What do you mean you excluded me from the project title?" Daphne screamed at him in the middle of the cafeteria.

"It's simple," Archie replied calmly. "The project was done by me alone. You were... God knows where."

"I was at cheer practice before the big game yesterday. If you were less of a loser, you'd know that. It's not like I can be in two places at once."

"Well, that's why this loser finished the project without the school queen and forgot to include her on the list. You set your priorities, I set mine. It's that simple."

He remained completely unbothered, which only seemed to annoy her more.

"And what am I supposed to do now? The project is due today!"

She was still yelling at him as if it would somehow change reality.

"I guess you can keep practicing your cheers. Who knows, maybe you'll cheer the teacher to death and won't have to hand in the project today."

A smirk appeared on his face as he stood up to leave. "Cheers."

"Wait, did you seriously say that to Daphne in front of everyone?" Lucas laughed later when they met at their favorite local diner after school.

"Yeah. I did the project myself. She ditched me. Why should I bother?" Archie shrugged, slurping his drink. "I couldn't care less about their school royalty crap. They can all go to hell for all I care."

"I think we're never getting out of our school weirdo status." Lucas chuckled.

"I like my untouchable school weirdo status," Archie proudly declared. "At least everyone leaves me alone. I have you and Maddy...well... occasionally... when she's not too busy with cheer stuff or trying to be cool, and that's more than enough for me."

He playfully bumped Lucas on the shoulder.

Archie genuinely valued quality connections over the number of people in his life. Spending time with Lucas, who had been by his side since diapers, meant far more to him than being popular or liked by everyone.

He enjoyed their study sessions at Lucas's house, even if his little brother Harun could be a bit of a menace at times. Archie liked him a lot and was low-key a little jealous that Lucas had a younger brother who was fascinated by Archie's sci-fi stories about space.

As midyear exams approached, a new teacher arrived at school. His specialty was physics and astronomy, and Archie later learned that he had also been assigned to lead an after-school Tinker Club.

At first, Archie was skeptical about the invitation to join, but he decided to give it a try. It turned out to be one of the best decisions he'd made all year. He genuinely admired the new teacher, who seemed to know everything there was to know about space. Archie felt like he had found a role model.

With the new teacher's arrival, school became a lot less boring. Archie started looking forward to astronomy classes, and the after-school club was surprisingly fun too. Lucas occasionally joined them, although lately he seemed to be skipping Tinker Club more often with no explanation.

When midyear grades came around, Archie's results were less than impressive. He had scraped by in almost everything except the subjects he genuinely cared about. Astronomy, on the other hand, he aced with the highest grade in class.

The school called Nova and Joe to complain about his performance, but Archie found an ally in his grandfather.

"Grades aren't the most important thing. Knowledge is. I'm getting all the knowledge I believe is valuable to me," Archie said when Nova asked about school.

Joseph smiled at the corner of his mouth. "I mean, he's not wrong. Plus, it's only the first year of high school. He'll get there, honey."

"Exactly. Thanks, grandpa." Archie grinned as he stood up and grabbed his phone. "Gotta answer Karina. Continue the dinner without me."

After Halloween, Karina and Archie had grown a lot closer. Their conversations became more frequent and much deeper. They understood and supported each other as if they'd known one another their entire lives.

Karina often called to vent about her mother, who now had a new baby with her new husband. Lately, it felt like she and her mother fought about absolutely everything, and Archie was usually the one she shared it all to.

"Thanks for listening to all my whining again. I swear, this woman is driving me crazy..." she said after finishing a long monologue about her latest argument with her mother.

"Maybe it would be easier with your dad, here in Willow Creek? Haven't you thought about it?" Archie asked, hoping to ease the situation.

"Ugh... honestly, Arch? I have no idea. My dad's new girlfriend is pregnant too... and my brother is there as well, and you know how Stewart is..." she complained.

"Ah right, your brother." Archie laughed. "I completely forgot about him."

"Yeah. At this point, the easiest solution would probably be living alone, far away from all of them." She paused for a moment. "Would be cool to run away somewhere with you though... and get away from all this family drama for a while."

"Yeah, sounds great, but I think if I ever run away again, it has to be farther than this planet. Maybe the Moon... or another galaxy," he joked.

"Whoa... that's ambitious." She laughed. "In that case, if you ever go to the Moon, take me with you."

A small smile appeared on her face and Archie could feel it through the phone.

"Absolutely. I'd need a never-shutting-up negotiator to distract everyone if we got into trouble and needed a Plan B," he teased.

During those calls, Archie shared his own thoughts and frustrations about life and family too. Talking to Karina felt easy, almost like talking to a sibling. It was strange how someone he'd met less than a year ago already felt like one of the most familiar people in his life.

Life at his grandparents had settled into a comfortable rhythm. Most evenings were spent having dinner with Nova and Joe, walking Vulcan, checking the night sky through his telescope, gaming with Lucas, or getting lost in another sci-fi book. Somewhere between all of that, Karina's calls or calls with Lana or Conrad had also become a regular enjoyable part of his days.

With the winter break finally here, Archie would have a lot more time for the things he actually enjoyed. Karina was also coming to visit her dad in Willow Creek, so they'd finally get to see each other again and hang out, which, to Archie's surprise, he was actually looking forward to.

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

Valerio woke up early, as always, to walk Bandit and prepare breakfast.

"You know you're going to spoil me, and I could get used to this treatment," Gabriela teased, hugging him from behind as he was fetching something for them.

"That is my real intention," he smiled. "Haven't you thought about it?"

"Will you be spoiling our kids as well with sweet, fresh breakfasts?" she chuckled.

"If they let me, for sure."

"Speaking of kids, have you ever thought about having them?" she asked, trying to keep her curiosity neutral.

"That's a random one." Valerio raised a brow and glanced over his shoulder at her.

He could tell by the look on her face that she was waiting for an answer. "Of course I've thought about it. Considering Lana had Archie so young, I've wondered what my reaction would be if it happened to me."

"And what would your reaction be?" Gabriela pressed.

"If it was with you, I'd have them without a second thought. Here and now," he replied with a smile.

"Perfect answer." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, grabbed the cutlery, and went to set the table.

When breakfast was ready and both of them were about to sit down, Valerio noticed a playful but worried look on Gabriela's face.

"What's on your mind?" he asked. "You're still thinking about the kids topic, aren't you?" He paused. "Actually... why the sudden interest?"

He studied her curiously, and that's when he noticed she was holding something behind her back.

"Gabriela?... What's this all about?" he asked playfully, though his heart skipped a beat.

"There's something I have to show you, and I'm very worried about what it might mean... but your answer today gave me courage..." she began.

"Now I'm worried," he admitted with a nervous laugh as she took his hand and placed a glossy piece of paper into it.

"What's this..."

He looked down, realizing the little picture he was holding was an ultrasound scan.

"Wait... is this?... Are you..."

The words got stuck in his throat as he tried to process the thought.

"Mhm." Gabriela nodded softly. "It's almost eight weeks now."

She watched him as he stood there completely stunned.

"Say something," she pleaded as he continued staring at the picture in his hands.

"I'm not a doctor... but... are those two little beans I see in there?" he asked, his voice still slightly shaky from the surprise.

"You have a good eye," she laughed. "Yes."

"Are those two babies? For real?" he asked again, just to make sure he'd heard correctly.

"That is correct. There are twins. It's too early to know the gender yet, and I refused to find out while you weren't there with me."

She barely finished the sentence before he swept her off her feet and lifted her into the air, finally realizing what had just happened.

"I can't believe this... I'm going to be a father... of two babies at once..."

He kept mumbling as he covered Gabriela's face with kisses.

"You have no idea how happy I am right now. I want to scream to the whole world that I'm the luckiest man alive. Thank you, Gabriela. I love you so much."

He kissed her before dropping to one knee and gently touching her belly.

"Do you feel them moving?"

He carefully placed his hands on her stomach, trying to feel something.

"No, not yet. It's way too early for that." She grinned, shifting slightly from his touch. "Ooh, that tickles."

"I'm sorry, little guys, I tickled your mommy," he chuckled, doing it again before placing a kiss on her belly. "You two have no idea how loved you already are. Your mommy and I can't wait to meet you."

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

"Old flames die hard".

Lana's stay in Willow Creek ended up lasting longer than she had originally planned.

During the last couple of days of her stay, Clifford called to let her know that Jayson was coming home for a visit, and he already planned their meet up before another long break separated them again.

After Conrad's arrest, they had grown even more distant. Lana had shut herself off from everyone, while Jayson had moved to Tomarang with his family after being recruited by a major football team.

It felt refreshing to meet at the old place they used to hang out as kids, going over old memories, sharing childhood banter, and catching up on life.

Cliff shared that he and Harmony were thinking about opening their own business now that the kids were old enough for them to focus on their own dreams again.

Jayson, meanwhile, was at the peak of his career, playing quarterback for one of Tomarang's most prestigious football teams.

"So Lawrence and Kenz moved to Tomarang with you?" Clifford asked after Jayson revealed he had fully relocated there.

"Kenz spends more time there than in Willow Creek these days, but Lawrence refused to leave his school and friends behind. He only visits during school breaks."

"Ah, that explains it. Lucas told me Lawrence joined the football team at school, and the coach is already thinking about making him captain next year. Like father, like son, I guess." Cliff nudged Jayson's shoulder playfully.

Jayson simply smiled.

"What about you, Lana? How's Del Sol Valley treating you?"

The look Jay gave her lingered a little longer than it had to.

"Ah... it's alright."

"Uh oh..." both Cliff and Jay said at the same time.

"That doesn't sound good," Clifford added. "Want to talk about it?"

"Seriously, guys, it's alright." Lana laughed softly. "It's not easy fitting in. The business is rough, to say the least. But despite that, I really enjoy what I'm doing. Acting is definitely my thing."

She smiled as she began sharing stories about awkward encounters with celebrities and some of the roles she had worked on.

By the time they left the restaurant, it was already dark outside.

"Well, I guess that's my cue," Clifford said as he pulled out his phone. "Harmony's waiting for me."

Lana smiled and hugged him. "Of course. It was really nice seeing you, Cliff. Say hi to Harmony for me."

After saying their goodbyes to Clifford, Lana and Jayson shared a cab home. Jayson was staying at his parents' house, which is right across the street from Nova and Joseph's.

"I'm really glad we got to catch up, Lana," Jayson said as they stopped outside her house.

"It felt like old times." She smiled. "Thank you, Jayson." She hugged him. "Say hi to Oscar for me. Good night."

She barely made it a few steps before something pulled her back. A hand grabbed hers. The next thing she knew, she was standing in Jayson's arms as he tried to kiss her.

Lana immediately pulled away, but when he didn't let go, she raised her voice. "Jayson! Stop."

He stepped back, looking like a mix of guilt, frustration, and... longing.

"What's gotten into you, Jay? Had too much to drink?" Lana asked surprised.

He let out a long sigh. "I never stopped loving you, Lana."

Lana froze. "Jay..."

"I thought I got over it years ago. But all it took was seeing you again, and everything came rushing back." He looked away before continuing. "First there was Gerard. Then Conrad. I buried those feelings because I knew you were happy." His voice grew quieter. "Then Conrad was gone, and I saw how broken you were. It broke my heart too." "And today..." Jayson continued. "Today I couldn't stop thinking about you. I don't know how to get over these feelings." He shook his head. "And honestly? I don't really want to."

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

"I saw the way you looked at me today. I thought maybe..." He sighed. "But I don't want to pressure you. If you tell me you don't feel anything, I'll stop." He looked directly into her eyes. "Just tell me.... what you feel.."

Lana stood there for a moment, completely overwhelmed. Her life was already complicated enough and the last thing she needed was her best friend bringing up old feelings.

"I..." She took a shaky breath. "I care about you, Jay. I always will." Her voice softened. "But we're friends. We'll always be friends. I'm sorry."

She gently removed his hand from hers, turned around, and walked inside the house.

When she got inside, the clock read 1:00 a.m.

Hoping everyone was asleep, she quietly kicked off her shoes and headed toward the kitchen.

The moment she turned on the light, she nearly jumped.

"Geez... Archibald... You scared me. What are you doing down here in the middle of the night? And why are you sitting in the dark?"

Archie sat there casually eating his cereal.

"Couldn't sleep. And the light is too bright." He took another spoonful.

"How was your evening? How are uncle Jay and uncle Cliff?"

Lana forced a smile. "Refreshing."

"You don't sound very convincing, mom."

"I'm just tired, son." She grabbed a cup of coffee and sat beside him.

"If you say so." He shrugged.

"How was your day?" Lana asked. "Why can't you sleep? Is something bothering you?"

"Day was fine. Pretty ordinary." He paused.

Lana noticed the thoughtful look on his face. "What are you thinking about?"

Archie looked at her. "Can I ask you something? And can you give me an honest answer without getting mad?"

Lana immediately tensed. "That's an interesting introduction." She smiled nervously. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Promise?"

"Scout's honor." She raised a hand dramatically.

Archie smiled. Then his expression turned serious.

"Do you ever think about dad?"

Lana nearly choked on her coffee. "Uh..."

"You promised honesty," Archie reminded her.

"Yes." She sighed. "I do think about your dad, Archie. He's part of my life. He's your father. I'll never be able to forget that."

Archie nodded. "Do you think you could ever forgive him?"

Lana looked down at her coffee. "That's a very difficult question." She paused. "I can't answer it. At least not right now."

Another silence followed. "Do you still love him?"

The question caught her completely off guard. But she had promised honesty.

"I think I do." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "But that love is buried under so much pain that I don't know if the wound has healed enough for me to feel it properly."

Archie quietly listened. "I think if you visited him and just talked..." he said carefully. "Maybe it would help you understand it better."

"I'm not sure I can do that, son. Not right now." She gave him a guilty look.

Archie stood up from the table. "I understand...and thank you for being honest." He looked at her for a moment. "I just think it could help both of you if you talked. I know it helped me."

Before Lana could reply, he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Good night, mom."

Then he disappeared upstairs, leaving Lana alone in the kitchen with all the complicated feelings he had brought back to the surface.

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

Home had always been a place of energy for Lana and her family had always been her element, the thing that recharged and grounded her.

Nobody was expecting Lana to visit, so her arrival came as a pleasant surprise to everyone. Everyone except Joseph.

For some reason, his reaction made Lana feel as if he had been expecting her. She didn't think much of it, though, as everyone quickly surrounded her with hugs.

"Lana, honey! What an amazing surprise. Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Nova gasped as she watched her step out of the cab.

"Hi, mom. Sorry, it was a last minute decision. I got some time off from filming and realized how much I'd missed you guys."

Lana kissed Nova on the cheek.

"Mom?"

Archie stepped out of the house after hearing the familiar voice.

"Didn't expect to see you here so soon."

"Does that mean you're happy to see me, son?" Lana teased, though there was a slight bittersweetness in her voice.

"Of course, mom."

Archie stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug.

Joseph greeted her as well, pulling her into a warm embrace and giving her a smile. Still, something about him seemed distracted.

"Is everything alright, dad?" Lana asked.

"Hm? Oh, everything's fine, honey. Don't worry about it. Let me help you with your bags."

The answer came a little too quickly, but Lana let it go.

While Nova hurried into the kitchen, already planning dinner, Lana took a moment to settle in.

Vulcan was just as excited to see her, greeting her with enough kisses to make up for the time she'd been away.

"Looks like he missed you," Archie laughed.

"I'm surprised he did. We weren't exactly best buddies."

Lana giggled as she sat down on the couch beside him.

"So, how have you been? How's school?"

"I don't know. It's alright." Archie shrugged. "Maddy dragged me and Lucas to a Halloween party last week."

Lana immediately gave him a curious look.

"Before you ask, it was a disaster."

"Did something happen?" she asked with a little concern in her voice.

"Nah, everything's fine. It's just totally not my thing."

"Speaking of things..." Lana suddenly exclaimed. "I got you something."

She jumped off the couch and headed toward the luggage that was still near the front door.

"I actually had to bring an extra suitcase for it."

As she struggled to lift it, Archie immediately stepped in.

"Here, let me help."

"Thanks."

Lana smiled.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Dig in. It's for you."

Archie looked at her suspiciously before opening the bag.

Inside was a carefully packed telescope.

A brand new model.

"How did you know?" he exclaimed.

"Please tell me I got it right because I have absolutely no clue about telescopes." Lana laughed nervously. "The guy at the store said it was top of the line."

"The guy wasn't lying."

Archie's eyes lit up.

"Mom, this is amazing."

He pulled her into a hug before immediately getting to work unpacking his new toy.

Lana smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder before heading into the kitchen to help Nova with dinner.

As the family gathered around the table, the atmosphere felt light and familiar.

Most of the conversation revolved around everyday things. Everyone was happy to have Lana home. They asked about Del Sol Valley, her work, and how she was settling in.

One question led to another until Lana suddenly fell quiet, stopping herself before mentioning the recent events that had driven her back home in the first place.

A brief silence settled over the table.

Archie was the one who broke it.

"I spoke with dad, by the way. He was asking about everyone and sent his regards."

Lana froze slightly.

"I also read that some prisoners can get out early on parole." Archie turned to Joseph. "Do you think that could happen for dad, gramps?"

Nova exchanged a quick glance with Joseph.

Joseph's expression tightened for a moment before returning to normal.

"It's possible, son. But it isn't that simple."

He gave Archie a reassuring smile.

Meanwhile, Lana's mood had noticeably shifted, as her phone kept buzzing with a new message. She quickly glanced at it, typed a short reply, and slipped it back into her pocket. But for the rest of dinner after that, her mind seemed to be somewhere else entirely.

After dinner only Lana and Nova remained at the table.

Archie had gone outside with Lucas to try out the telescope, while Joseph excused himself, claiming he had some work to finish.

Noticing how tense Lana seemed, Nova finally asked the question she had been holding back all evening.

"Is there something you'd like to talk about?"

Lana laughed softly.

"Is it really that obvious?"

"You're my daughter, Lana. I know you. I can feel when something's wrong." Nova smiled warmly. "I don't think that connection will ever go away."

Lana exhaled.

She talked about Del Sol Valley. About the long lonely hours at night. About Delilah. She carefully avoided the more serious topics, though. Nova's recent heart issues were enough reason not to worry her any further.

While Lana and Nova reconnected over their favorite wine and a relaxing spa routine, Joseph was quietly fighting battles of his own.

Ever since Conrad's arrest, something about the case had never sat right with him. He had been conducting his own private investigation, keeping it secret from the rest of the family.

For years, he and Phillip had carefully dug into the details, trying to understand what had really happened. Back then, part of Joseph still wondered if he was wrong, if Conrad truly was nothing more than a criminal who had gotten exactly what he deserved.

But Phillip and Scarlet's tragic death in a suspicious car accident, just before Phillip called to share an important discovery with him, changed everything.

Now Joseph knew his instincts hadn't failed him. Whatever had happened to Conrad was far bigger than any of them realized.

And no matter how long it took or what it took, Joseph was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

╰┈➤ Mr. & Mrs. Snow 🥂 12.2025

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

They met as kids online and became important to each other before they even knew who stood on the other side of the screen. They lost each other, found each other and spent years unknowingly circling back.

Because that's what soulmates do. They get lost or take the long road. But against all logic, they still end up together.

And now after all those years and all the distance, Valerio and Gabriela are finally here... together, exactly where they were always meant to be, promising forever… 🤍

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[gloriadeo7]

[moodycowplant]

Archie already knew this Halloween party was gonna be a disaster the second Madelyn started her “high school reputation” speech. Apparently surviving freshman year now depends on getting drunk at somebody’s house. Great. But he only agreed because Maddie would never shut up otherwise. Lucas though? Weirdly agreeing with all her nonsense. Crazy.

Party got slightly less unbearable once Karina showed up though. Unlike Maddie, she couldn’t care less about popularity, reputation, or whatever social pyramid high schoolers keep inventing. Both of them had enough family mess going on to always find something to yap about.

Meanwhile everyone else was busy dying from cheap alcohol while Archie helped a few people into cabs, including Maddie and Lucas.

Fun😐.

At least the night ended better after he managed to bring Karina back from zombie land with disgusting vending machine coffee.

“Feeling any better? Call you a cab too?” Archie asked, holding another coffee just in case.

“Nah.... And if I drink more of that I’ll die for sure... I wasn’t even that drunk… just tired,” Karina mumbled, holding her head.

“If you say so. That beer really sucked though.” Archie sat beside her.

She smiled. “I know. Awful.”

“Didn’t expect you’d come to the mundane high schoolers party in boring Willow Creek. Last time I checked you were still living in Ciudad.” He laughed, making air quotes.

“I am,” she looked at him. “Couldn’t let you get all the fun, could I?” she joked and paused. “But my mom dumped me here at my dad’s for the weekend, while she travels with her new husband, so I figured I could survive one stupid school party with my not less dumb brother...”

“Well…” Archie smiled. “For what it's worth, I’m glad you did.”

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

Nova and Joe. Still each other’s favorite person 🤍

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

Just another day in high school...

• Had beef with Stewart again. Dude’s still annoying as hell 🙄

• Got scolded by the principal for being late to class, but talked my way out of it 😎

• Turned the math board into actual art because those formulas were ugly as hell anyway 💀

• Absolutely destroyed Lucas in video game during computer class. Gotta work on his skills...😏

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

Teen Archie unlocked 🔓

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

Whatever consequences waited for him next, Archie honestly didn’t care anymore. Every questionable decision of his had been worth it.

Joseph was already waiting for him in the prison lobby. The disappointed look he gave Archie said enough on its own while he finished the paperwork with the guard.

“Keep an eye on this one,” the guard joked while handing the papers back to Joseph. “Kid’s smarter than he looks.”

As they walked back toward the car, Joseph stayed quiet for a while. Archie was already mentally preparing for a massive lecture, but before they reached the car, Joseph stopped him.

“I’m not going to waste time explaining how dangerous and irresponsible this was, Archie. I think you already know that yourself.” His voice stayed calm. “What I will ask of you is this. Next time, before risking your life over something you want, think about the people around you too. Your grandma had to take her pills because of the stress, and this trip could’ve ended much worse if anything had gone sideways.”

Archie lowered his head slightly.

“Please,” Joseph continued more quietly, “come to me next time. We can talk through literally anything.” He paused. “Is that okay with you?”

“Yeah, grandpa,” Archie answered quietly. “And... I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you guys. Especially grandma. I just...” He struggled to explain himself.

“...felt like life was unfair and you were the only person who could fix it,” Joseph finished for him.

Archie looked up slightly surprised.

“I know that feeling, son,” Joe admitted. “And I’m not mad at you. I’m just glad you’re safe. So let’s make a deal. Next time you come to me first, and I promise we’ll talk without judgment. Hm?”

“Deal,” Archie agreed, already getting into the car.

By late evening they were finally back in Willow Creek, where Lana and Nova were already waiting for them. Archie expected yelling, maybe even a complete meltdown from Lana after what he’d done.

Instead, she hugged him so tightly it almost hurt.

Later during dinner, Lana carefully brought up her plans to stay longer in Del Sol Valley because work there was going well.

Archie already knew where this conversation was going.

“I found a really good high school there,” Lana explained later that night while sitting in his room. “And if you come with me, we could get a bigger apartment. You’d have your own room, there’s always stuff happening in the city, and...”

“No,” Archie interrupted calmly. “I want to stay in Willow Creek.”

Lana blinked at how immediate the answer was.

“But Archie, I thought this could be good for us. A fresh start.”

“I said no, mom. I want to stay here. And I want you to keep your promise. If I move to Del Sol Valley, seeing dad becomes almost impossible.”

“I never promised regular visits,” Lana sighed tiredly. “Calls were part of the agreement too.”

“But you said you’d think about it,” Archie pushed back immediately. “Listen mom, I’m not mad at you for leaving and you don’t need to prove anything to me,” Archie added more quietly. “Grandma explained why Del Sol Valley matters to you. I get it. Seeing dad matters to me as much.” He gave her a firm look.

Lana stayed quiet for a moment after that. Part of her was genuinely afraid he’d just run away again if she pushed too hard.

“Alright,” she finally gave in softly. “I won’t force you to come with me. You can stay here.”

Archie visibly relaxed.

“I just hope you’ll still want to visit me too,” Lana added with a small smile while tucking him into bed.

“I promise,” Archie mumbled sleepily. “And you can visit me too, mom.”

“Of course I can.” Lana leaned down and kissed his forehead. “I love you.” She turned to hit the light switch.

“I love you too, mom,” Archie mumbled, already drifting to sleep.

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

Looks like Archie’s suffering, stubbornness, and absolutely terrible survival decisions finally paid off. Against all odds, he actually got what he wanted. A family visit with his father.

The second Archie walked into the visitation room and saw Conrad sitting there, every speech he had prepared instantly disappeared from his head. All the frustration, anger, and questions suddenly felt unimportant. He was just happy to see him.

Conrad looked genuinely surprised for a moment before smiling faintly.

“You’ve grown so much, son.” He paused. “How did you even get here? To Oasis Springs? I was told you ran away and spent two days on the road. Archie...” He shook his head.

“Yeah... it’s been a long time,” Archie admitted quietly before frustration slipped back into his voice. “Mom wouldn’t let me see you. No matter how hard I tried. And I have a right to see my father, don’t I?” Archie snapped. “And I don’t care what everyone says about you either. I know you. Whatever happened, I know it wasn’t your fault.”

Conrad stayed quiet for a moment, caught off guard by how serious Archie sounded.

“Son... things are complicated.”

“Please don’t start with that,” Archie interrupted immediately. “I’m not a little kid anymore. I can tell the difference.”

A short silence filled the room. Conrad sighed.

“Alright. Let’s make a compromise. No more running away across the desert to visit me and nearly giving your family a collective heart attack. In return, I promise we’ll see each other more often. Calls too. As much as we can manage.”

“Mom will never allow it,” Archie muttered.

Conrad thought for a second before holding his hand out.

“Call her.”

Archie blinked. “What?”

“Call your mother and give me the phone.”

The second Lana picked up, she immediately started bombarding Archie with panicked questions. Archie barely answered any of them.

“Hi Mom. I’m okay. Someone wants to talk to you.”

And then he handed the phone to Conrad.

Most of the conversation was honestly just Lana yelling at him while Conrad sat there surprisingly calm, letting her vent before finally telling her that if she wanted Archie safe, sneaking across the country alone probably wasn’t something they could risk happening again. Mistakes had already been made. Now they had to deal with the consequences.

By the end of the call, Lana reluctantly agreed to think about it.

To Archie, that already felt like winning.

The rest of the visit went peacefully. They talked about Archie’s life, school, his friends, hobbies, and his obsession with space, right until the guard finally stepped in.

“Time’s up, boys. Your grandfather’s here waiting for you.”

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

Summer camp was going okay-ish. Archie tried his best to blend into the whole experience and attract as little attention as possible. He wasn’t exactly there to make friends, as his head was too busy with way more important things. But when some kids were trying to be friendly, he didn’t push them away either.

The night he picked to sneak out to Oasis Springs was the so called a “fireworks night.” Mostly because Archie overheard some of the camp counselors whispering about sneaking alcohol in to have fun while the camp director was away. Perfect distraction.

On the big night, while everyone else was busy partying near the bonfire, Archie pulled Lucas aside.

“You gotta be ready after curfew. Tonight is the night.”

But the second Lucas looked at him, Archie noticed hesitation.

"Don’t tell me you’re about to bail on me last minute.” Archie looked at him sharply.

“I... uhm... I don’t know, Archie. I’ve been thinking about the whole thing and the more I think about it, the more it feels like something we really shouldn’t be doing.”

Archie already felt irritation building up.

“I should’ve known you’d chicken out. Why agree in the first place if you were never gonna do it?” He paused before shrugging. “Ah, whatever. I don’t have time for this.”

He turned and walked toward the vending machines to grab more supplies.

Lucas stood there for a second feeling how anger started to boil inside.

“This is unfair, Archie!” Lucas snapped. “I’ve always supported every single one of your ideas no matter how crazy they were... and now you act like I’m the enemy?”

Archie barely looked at him. “I said whatever, mate.” He waved him off while turning back to the machine.

“Yeah? Whatever?” Lucas let out a bitter laugh. “So that’s it? You’re just showing me you don’t care what I think or how I feel? The one time I actually try to stop you from doing something completely insane and protect you, you act like a total dumbass.”

“I told you, I’d do it with or without you. This is important to me, and if you’re such a chicken then go back to the party and pretend nothing happened.” Archie replied while picking up the supplies from the machine.

“You know what? I don’t even wanna talk to you anymore. Good luck not getting arrested... or killed.”

Lucas turned around angrily and stormed out.

“And I will!” Archie yelled after him right as the door slammed shut.

It was their first real fight. Both angry at each other and both feeling hurt. But Archie didn’t really have time to think about it. This was his best chance to sneak out before anyone noticed he was gone.

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

Moonwood Mill. Summer Camp.

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

Every little token from the trip now carries a memory attached to it🪼...

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next

[moodycowplant]

When you are (un)lucky enough to get sick during your summer trip and forced to miss all the fun… but you have world's best grandpa, who does the impossible, like catching a gigantic rare jellyfish for your aquarium just so you can smile when you wake up 🪼🥹

And then such little family moments start giving you this weird warmth inside, you’ve never actually felt before.

Previous | Mobile Navigation | Next