Photographs

Rachel scoffed. Personhood is a religious belief. It said so on LessWrong, so it has to be true.

Is poker solved?

Depends on what you mean.

So, given any position you are in, and the last couple of bets made, can you always find the highest expected value bet?

The question is certainly not solved in the sense of there being an endgame table. But it is metasolved: for every defined resolution, there is a full solution.

Quinine helps Aurora read Juniper's flowers, without revealing they were related.

Maybe Juniper knew the whole time?

David laughed. I'm excited for your new career as a Marvel writer. Here's a superpower: make wife horny whenever mad at you. Good one, right?

You did not just say that, Solomon groaned, and took the last piece of toast, chewing while complaining, I hope I can even make it to second period.

“No telling your mom about that joke, yeah?”

“No shit,” Solomon said, and headed out the door.

The father watched the son put on his coat, and wondered where his little laughing baby ever went.

He didn’t even answer my question, and said something to the effect of “All I have to do is make money from being smart. Even an idiot can do that. Time and patience, plus a few choice drugs. Time to write a masterpiece!”  
  
I left his front door wide open on his way out. His cousin-wife would get back in half an hour to find her cousin-husband writing up a storm.  
  
At home, I stared at family photos. So many of Solomon, before the events of his last year at Sunview. I hate the school for taking away my nephew.  
  
Don't you remember I was the one who loved you?  

Solomon was confused, even though he remembered her trying something funny, back before he started dating Juniper. “She tried to take my pants off,” h said aloud, making that forgotten fact real.

“What?” Monloso exclaimed. “To wash them, right?”

“She took off her bra.”

Nomolos whistled. “Oh, man. You know, if I were you . . .”

“Don't you dare say that again,” Solomon said calmly, and waved his inner voice away. He finished the rest of my soda, threw it in her trash bin, and put the notebook back on her shelf.

Here's an idea: an NPC based on this card.

A draft chaff common?

I see a flavorful little machine.

You tap that. Solomon clapped his shoulder. So, three pips in power, two pips in toughness, three pips in hit dice...

Chases after nearby artifact users til he gets a good hit in. This reminds me of that question with the invincible assassin snail.

I'd take the ten million.

I hope my players come to that decision, he said. I want to roleplay this guy so badly. Oh, wait. His phone lit up with new notifications. I thought of a banger to send my girl.

New one, or?

Same one, bro. I’m back to second year. I have a crush on a girl who loves me back, but needs me to change. How familiar.

Poor you, needing to get a job.

It is what it is. Oh, total gamechanger! Special talent: Player character's player character (in an in-universe roleplaying session) gains a new ability.

Metafiction?

“Never mind,” he said. “That was cringe. Forget I ever said that.”

Solomon wondered if he should tell his buddy the truth: that the last suggestion was his best idea of the night.

  
He is against masturbation, Pretty said, turning off her screen and doing a sign of the cross over her sushi. Became a Christian in March of this year.  
  
What a weird guy.  

He's sweet, she said, and showed me another text: 

I told Mother that I understood life again after I heard your gentle way with your words. I want you and our children.

I love him. I want his children, when he isn't a bum.  

Aurora coughed. Not to be a prude, but I think you need better boundaries.

Come on, really?

I said love her, not let her take off all her clothes.

She had her panties on, Solomon almost said, but clicked his tongue. You know, I wonder if you're gay for me or something. Why do you care this much about my life?

You're my best friend, Aurora said, standing and straightening his collar. Church on Sunday, man. He patted Solomon's shoulder, and saluted his host at the front door, then leaned in one last time for a quick side hug.