#60 Minutes Of Prayer | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mlmxreader · 1 month

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100/50 prompts

rules: you can send more than one prompt per request! prompts can be used until (basically) i get bored of them!

please do NOT use for your own writing/inspiration, this list is specifically for requests to be sent to @mlmxreader .

rules & guidelines

song fic prompts (ongoing)

help Palestinians!

ICE NINE KILLS LYRIC PROMPTS

1. "We're caught without a prayer"

2. "It won't rest til we stop breathing"

3. "We came here today to get away"

4. "But is it real or am I dreaming?"

5. "Is the life we once dreamed of now dead?"

6. "Burn this plate to the ground"

7. "Just hold your rifles still ans then wait for my command"

8. "We took the fort, we stormed the gates but became the very thing that we hate"

9. "We're what we swore we'd not become"

10. "Who gives a fuck how long it's been?"

11. "If a soul must be taken I demand you take me"

12. "I'm every man you've ever dreamed of"

13. "But I would not change a bloody thing"

14. "Fuck that, I'm the king"

15. "Don't think of this as damnation 'cause we don't need their salvation"

16. "If parting is such sweet sorrow to hell with waiting for tomorrow"

17. "You and I both know that death won't matter"

18. "Love doesn't have to be something that we hide behind the scenes"

19. "Did you really think I would falter, my friend?"

20. "I've destroyed you before, I'll destroy you again"

21. "Even Van Gogh would call it a bloody good impression!"

22. "Rest your head, here's a lullaby"

23. "Fell in love with hate 'cause evil fit like a glove"

24. "You'll never sleep again"

25. "All your friends are fucking dead"

26. "Fueled by the flood, we pay in blood, the curse of Crystal Lake"

27. "Throats get slit in this neck of the woods"

28. "You just scratched the surface"

29. "Don't you know he'll never be gone for good?"

30. "So we'll never get out of the woods"

31. "A machete in one hand and an axe in the other"

32. "Oh, doctor can't you see?"

33. "I kill with every strike"

34. "I'll haunt you day after day"

35. "I'll change the face of Halloween"

36. "You can't kill the boogeyman"

37. "I am the shadow where there once was light"

38. "The choice is yours: trick r' fucking treat?"

39. "Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide"

40. "Never will forget my name"

41. "You wanna play a fucking game?"

42. "But the jig is up"

43. "Game over"

44. "Buildings burn and people die all of the time"

45. "You can't save yourself or save your soul"

46. "With weathered wings and broken bones, a flight foe the fallen flies the crow"

47. "May you rest in pieces for your grave mistake"

48. "Four and a half miles due east of Amity Island. This is an official distress call, over."

49. "Coastguard this is the Orca again, we need you out here now! The boat is under attack! It's a great white! Over!" "Roger that, ETA fifteen minutes, over." "In fifteen minutes we'll be fucking shark bait!"

50. "We'll need a bigger boat"

51. "Smile, you son of a bitch"

52. "Plagued by the past and down a badly beaten path, lies a place, one of a kind, cursed by a blinding light that no one can outshine"

53. "The writing on my walls will tell you how it's gonna be"

54. "Oh can't you see that you're just rats within my halls"

55. "I'm not gonna hurt you, I'm just gonna bash your fucking brains in"

56. "So follow me"

57. "Cross out the words "do not disturb""

58. "We kept the pace but we're done pretending"

59. "We're all messed up inside"

60. "Forced to act like everything's alright"

61. "How'd I end up here?"

62. "It cuts deep cause our lives are still attached"

63. "A deadly touch spreads an itch that can't be scratched"

64. "Sometimes I wish it would all just fade to black"

65. "I won't go back"

66. "And I won't leave a witness"

67. "So howl at the moon, oh how can it be?"

68. "The softer the skin, the sharper the teeth"

69. "I've fallen prey to a curse I can't disown"

70. "Is it all in my head?"

71. "Blood on the hands of a man so filled with doubt"

72. "I've got some big fucking shoes to fill"

73. "Follow me and I'll show you the truth"

74. "I'm sorry, sir, but I think you have the wrong number"

75. "In just a minute you'll be dying to hang on the line, tell me your name, I'll tell you mine"

76. "I wanna know who I'm looking at"

77. "You ought to know it's a sure death sentence, have you not seen this movie? Freddy, Michael, Jason Voorhees, learn from those who came before me - next question, same category, such a familiar story"

78. "I wanna see what your insides look like"

79. "Come on in, the weather's dreadful"

80. "I hope saying goodnight, doesn't mean saying goodbye!"

81. "They say behind those gates, eternal life awaits, but those beyond the grave come back beyond depraved"

82. "The flesh is living, but the souls have spoiled"

83. "In the wealthiest sections, a killer complexion is often a great alibi"

84. "Some might say it's extreme, but it's time to say goodbye"

85. "I'm just leaving" "But why?" "I have to return some videotapes"

86. "Soon, hearts will be broken and the damage, severe, you'll fall headless over heels once the 14th is here..."

87. "He's back in town and he won't be undermined, got a bone to pick and a fucking axe to grind"

88. "You're blushing while he's crushing cause' you've known it from the start, there's more than one way to lose your fucking heart"

89. "When the screams echo in the Hanniger mine, Cupid's calling for a homicide"

90. "'Cause roses are red and violets are blue, they'll need your dental records to identify you"

91. "Is it pleasure or pain?"

92. "On his command, they'll tear your soul apart!"

93. "At the right price, you're just a pretty piece of meat"

94. "Ditch the gag, no white flag, let me hear you squeal!"

95. "I'm going old school, a gun is too American!"

96. "Don't get close to the glass, and be careful"

97. "If he smells your fear he'll eat you alive"

98. "Contrast his nasty habit with my refined palette, then tell me who kills in poor taste"

99. "Don't let a good meal go to waste"

100. "We've all found a flavor we can't resist"

rules & guidelines

song fic prompts (ongoing)

FILM QUOTE PROMPTS

1. "Yeah, you know, we were drinking and then this guy came along and tried to break into the cabin. We had no choice but to get rough."

2. "So you two can fuckin rot, but not me, no fuckin way not me!"

3. "Do you believe in destiny? That even the powers of time can be altered for a single purpose? That the luckiest man who walks on this earth is the one who finds... true love?"

4. "I... love you too much to condemn you."

5. "Should you leave these rooms, you will not by any chance go to sleep in any other part of the castle. It is old and has many bad memories. Be warned."

6. "Gentlemen like me have to be very careful of what we do and say."

7. "This I did not intend. I saw a light but did not know where it was headed. I have tresspassed on your domain. I've gone further than man should go. Forgive me. Help me!"

8. "You can make it last, dear. Oh, I love you. Be near me always."

9. "Whatever you do... don't fall asleep."

10. "I just asked you to do one thing, to stay awake and watch me and to wake me up if it looked like I was having a bad dream, and what did you do, you shit?"

11. "This is just a dream, this isn't real. This is just a dream, he isn't real. He isn't..."

12. "I don't know who he is, but he's burned and he wears a weird hat and a red and green sweater, really dirty. And he uses these knives, like giant fingernails..."

13. "You're doomed! You're all doomed!"

14. "You'll never come back again"

15. "He neglected to mention that downtown they call this place Camp Blood."

16. "It's Halloween. Everyone's entitled to one good scare."

17. "Death has come to your little town, Sheriff."

18. "I just can't take no pleasure in killing. There's just some things you gotta do. Don't mean you have to like it."

19. "Congratulations. You are still alive. Most people are so ungrateful to be alive. But not you. Not anymore."

20. "Know that I'm not lying. Better hurry up. Live or die, make your choice."

21. "Help! Someone help me! Is someone there? Hey! Oh shit, I'm probably dead."

22. "Fuck this shit!"

23. "Oh for fuck's sake! I give up!"

24. "By the way, that's a flammable substance smeared on your body, so I would be careful with that candle if I were you... "

25. "If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them. Buildings burn, people die, but real love is forever."

26. "Can't rain all the time..."

27. "This is the really real world, there ain't no coming back. We killed you dead, there ain't no coming back! There ain't no coming back! There ain't no coming back!"

28. "I'm not gonna kill you. Your job will be to tell the rest of them that death is coming for them, tonight."

29. "Y'know the thing about a shark, he's got... lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn't seem to be livin'... until he bites ya. And those black eyes roll over white, and then... oh, then you hear that terrible high-pitch screamin', the ocean turns red, and spite of all the poundin' and the hollerin', they all come in and they... rip you to pieces."

30. "You're gonna need a bigger boat."

31. "This shark, swallow you whole. Little shakin', little tenderizin', an' down you go."

32. "I'm not going to waste my time arguing with a man who's lining up to be a hot lunch."

33. "Now this guy, he... he keeps swimmin' around in a place where the feeding is good until the food supply is gone, right?"

34. "Boys, oh boys... I think he's come back for his noon feeding."

35. "You yell barracuda, everybody says, "Huh? What?" You yell shark, we've got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July."

36. "I think that I am familiar with the fact that you are going to ignore this particular problem until it swims up and bites you on the ass!"

37. "You bet your sorry ass I did."

38. "No, please don't kill me, Mr. Ghostface, I wanna be in the sequel!"

39. "What's your favorite scary movie?"

40. "You've seen one too many movies!"

41. "There are certain rules that one must abide by in order to successfully survive a horror movie."

42. "And number three: never, ever, ever under any circumstances say, "I'll be right back." Because you won't be back."

43. "Okay, I'll see you in the kitchen with a knife."

44. "You already cut me too deep. I think I'm dying here, man!"

45. "Ow! You fuckin' hit me with the phone, dick!"

46. "Then you should know that Jason's mother, Mrs. Voorhees was the original killer. Jason didn't show up until the sequel. I'm afraid that was a wrong answer."

47. "Careful. This is the moment when the supposedly dead killer comes back to life, for one last scare."

48. "You hang up on me again and I'll gut you like a fish!"

49. "Never say "who's there?" Don't you watch scary movies? It's a death wish. You might as well come out to investigate a strange noise or something."

50. "See, it's a lot more scarier when there's no motive"

rules

song fic prompts (ongoing)

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crinosmonsters · 6 months

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Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder

The Original creator of the Thrulls, Endrek Sahr was a member of the Order of the Ebon Hand, a depraved cult which operated upon on the continent of Sarpadia on the plane of Dominaria thousands of years ago. Sahr created the Thrulls initially as slaves and sacrifice fodder, but felt like his creations could be more, pushing him to create larger and more powerful Thrulls. These Ambitions led him to create the Derelor which, while physically powerful, consumed too many resources to be viable. As a result, Sahr was sentenced to death. But while history considers Sahr dead, there was a period in Dominaria's history where time and space became mutable, and Sahr may yet have escaped his unfortunate fate and lives on.

Endrek Sahr's Enchiridion

Endrek Sahr has access to numerous unique magic spells, some he created himself (Breeding Pit and Thrull retainer) and others which were created by the Order of the Ebon Hand. These spells can be found in Sahr's spellbook on his person, or an ambitious and unscrupulous wizard can learn the spells themselves under the evil wizard.

Thrull Retainer

1st level Necromancy

casting time: 1 action

range: An unoccupied space within 5 feet.

Components: V, S, M (at least half of a humanoid corpse or more)

duration: Concentration: up to an hour

This spell summons a single Servitor Thrull (descriped in Guildmaster's guide to Ravnica) Which loyally serves the caster to the best of its limited abilities. The Thrull will not move more than five feet away from its caster, and can be called upon to use its self sacrifice ability as a reaction.

Classes: Cleric, Warlock, Wizard

Hymn to Tourach

2nd level Enchantment

Casting time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

Named for the evil cleric which founded the order of the ebon hand, the Hymn of Tourach requires the caster to unleash a dark infernal prayer to torment their enemies. One target within 60 feet must make a wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn. In addition, if the target was a spellcaster, they lose a spell slot of the highest level they are capable of casting.

Classes: Bard, Cleric, Warlock, Wizard

Breeding Pit

Third Level Necromancy (Ritual)

Casting time: 10 minutes

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (a large hole, approximately 1,000 pounds worth of corpses, and alchemic potions equaling about 500 GP)

Duration: See below

Endrek Sahr's masterpiece, this spell allows for the mass production of Thrulls on a massive scale. The Spell creates a breeding pit, a 10 foot wide, 80 foot deep pit filled with bubbling ichor comprised of numerous alchemic reagents and liquefied flesh.

Once per day, at sundown, a Servitor Thrull emerges from the Breeding pit, loyal to the caster who created the pit. So long as it is maintained, the Breeding pit will continue to produce new Thrulls in this manner indefinitely.

Maintenance of the Breeding Pit requires two things: First, the pit must be replenished with a periodic supply of new chemicals and corpses once a month, to the equivalent of one medium sized corpse and 50 gold pieces. More importantly, the Pit requires a constant source of magic to function. Each day, a spellcaster (not necessarily the one who created the pit) within 60 feet must sacrifice a level two or higher spell slot in order to keep the pit alive. Without this magic, the pit will dry up and die in a matter of hours.

There is no limit to the number of breeding pits that a single caster can create at one time, so long as the upkeep requiements are met.

If you enjoy my work, please consider joining My Patreon, Where I post compilations of the monsters that you see here (Along with Patreon exclusive new monsters) Or donate to my Ko-fi where you can request a monster writeup for the low low price of one dollar.

#dnd 5e #Monster #Spells #Thrulls #Magic the Gathering

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sister-cna-reader · 5 months

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Math tutor

“Please save me Becky” Anya pleaded, rubbing her hands together in prayer at the heiress.

Golden eyes narrowed. “Why? What are you avoiding?” Becky still did not move her bag nor pull back from the table for her best friend to drive under.

“Nothing! Really just nothing!”

“FORGER!” a deep voice boomed across the campus, almost rattling the panes of glass on the library.

Becky perked up at the sound of her boyfriend’s voice then smiled with a promise of torture to the pink haired victim.

“Nothing huh?”

The Heracles of Eden, Bill Watkins rounded the corner, eyes set on the dainty procrastinator, the Math textbooks in his hands. His frown wavered only a moment at Becky’s wave, pinning Anya down with annoyance.

“It’s 2:30.” he observed.

Anya futility hid behind her betrayer, making the decision to crawl away like a Bond with a plushie he shouldn’t have.

She only got so far as the table edge as his massive hand fished the belt of Anya’s uniform into three fingers, the sturdy leather firm against her petite, flailing body as he lifted her.

“We agreed 2:30 was for an hour of math tutoring.” The teen said, letting go momentarily to adjust his hold on her. Anya dropped a few inches in the air with a screech before being pinned- arms to waist- by one of his large arms. Between the rock of his limb and the hard plane of his chest, there was no place she could pry apart.

“I hate Math!” was the only thing that Anya could protest with as she wiggled in vain to escape. “Why do they gotta put letters with it?!”

Bill was unbothered by his prey’s struggles, leaning down to dutifully press a kiss on Becky’s head with a promise of talking later.

“60 minutes of math tutoring won’t kill you.”

#mini fic #spy x family #becky blackbell #bill watkins #anya forger #becky/bill #Eden: License to Drive

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keiththecat · 1 year

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Admissible (Part Two)

Pairing: Sam Winchester x Female Reader (You)

Summary: You've always hunted alone. That is, until Bobby sends you on a hunt near the Winchester brothers. How will things change when they come to help?

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings: 18+, series typical violence and monsters, weapons, cursing, groping/ almost sexual assault, self-doubt/ self-esteem issues, character death, injuries, hurt/comfort

Author's Note: Warning! The groping and almost sexual assault is stopped, but it is at the beginning of this part. I have marked the end of the section to skip with <>. (Be warned, the section to be skipped starts right at the beginning of this part!) I have also put a small summary at the very end of this part to explain what you need to know about the part that is skipped. (So if you're skipping the start, scroll down to the end, read the short summary, and come back up to the <>). Feel free to message me if you have any questions or concerns about anything. Y/N is your name, and feedback is always welcome. Thanks for reading and thanks for all the love so far! <3

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, or any of the related characters. The Supernatural series is created by Eric Kripke and owned by The CW Network. This work of fan fiction is for entertainment only. I am not making a profit of any kind from this story. All rights of the original Supernatural series belong to The CW Network.

Part One

AO3 link here

You’ve been patted down, fingerprinted, photographed, and now you’re sitting handcuffed to the table in an interrogation room in front of Officers Davis and Johnson. Davis is the ray of sunshine that arrested you and processed you, getting a little too handsy when patting you down and taking your weapons and belongings. Johnson is a very tall and gaunt man in his 60s with the worst dark circles you’ve ever seen. He also looks like he hasn’t seen sunlight in probably the last five years. Desk jobs will do that to you, I guess. Davis is the one doing all the talking, leering at you.

“So here’s what we know,” Davis says, counting offenses on his fingers, “You’re not FBI. In fact, the name on your badge is completely fake. You had illegal knives on you and an illegal unregistered pistol. And you were caught around two of the families who have already had members killed recently. Sure does make us wonder who you are and what you were doing.”

Missus Miller must have been the one who called them. You stay silent, knowing that it’s your best bet. They won’t find an ID by searching your prints, but they will likely find them tied to other crime scenes, just due to the nature of your job as a hunter. They won’t find any record of the pistol, the serial numbers have been filed off for years. You send up a prayer to anything listening that they won’t find anything serious enough to keep you for more than a few days.

“You would be smart to talk to us, explain some of this. Maybe if you gave us some answers, we could help,” Davis says.

You know he’s lying. The last thing you want to do is dig this hole any deeper. You smirk at him, then look at the ceiling and start counting the tiles to kill the time.

The officers sit, watching you for several more minutes. Davis continues trying to get you to talk, you continue ignoring him. This is going to be a very boring few days. I hope the boys can figure everything out and kill whatever it is before it gets anyone else. I hope they’re doing okay.

“I don’t think she’s talking, man. I’m taking a few,” Johnson gets up and walks out, leaving you alone with Davis.

After a moment, Davis gets out of his seat, moving around to lean on your side of the table. He places his hand on your chin, forcing you to look at him. “Just us now, sweetheart.” You glance at the camera in the corner of the room and notice the red recording light is no longer on. He’s leaning closer and you’re trying to decide if you can get away with headbutting him, adding assault to your charges, when there’s a knock at the door. Davis drops his hand as the door opens and Sam walks in.

“I certainly hope you haven’t been questioning my client without me, Officer,” Sam says, practically spitting out the last word. “I trust she has been informed of her rights and any charges against her?”

Davis moves away from you, “You’re her attorney?”

“I am, and I need a moment with my client. Thank you,” Sam leaves no room for discussion, taking a seat across from you and looking at Davis expectantly.

Davis looks between the two of you for a moment, then scoffs and goes to leave.

“And make sure all recording devices to this room are off,” Sam calls after him.

Davis grumbles under his breath, closing the door behind him, leaving you alone with Sam.

“Not that I don’t appreciate you being here, because I do,” you say, “but why aren’t you still out there hunting this thing? I can handle a day or two in jail-”

“Y/N,” Sam cuts you off, “I’m here. I’m getting you out of here. Dean is working on it. He can handle himself for a few hours. Besides, I saw how that creep was with you, I’m definitely not leaving you here. They’d probably have you here for longer than a couple days, impersonating a federal officer is a felony. Anyway, I’ve called in some help. What do they have of yours? Anything we can leave behind?”

You tell him about your weapons, holsters, and phone. He nods, looking up and seeming to think to himself for a moment. He pulls out a small kit from his pocket and picks the lock on your handcuffs, finally freeing your wrists. You reflexively rub at the red skin. “You seem strangely comfortable here,” you comment.

“Yeah, I was on my way to becoming a lawyer before... well, just before.” He stands, coming to your side of the table. “Ready?”

“Um, I guess?” you answer, “Want to fill me in on this plan of yours?”

You hear what sounds like wings fluttering, you register a hand on your shoulder, and the next instant, you’re standing inside your hotel room. Sam is still in front of you, “yeah. That’s my plan. Meet Castiel,” Sam gestures behind you.

You turn around, looking into comforting blue eyes. A man stands in front of you, messy dark brown hair, wearing a suit and tan trench coat. “Hello, Y/N. It’s nice to meet you,” he says. “You’ll find your belongings on the bed. Don’t worry, I disabled their cameras. They were not able to see me retrieving your things or us leaving.”

“Oh, wow, um, thanks,” you stutter out. “I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you? What are you? How did you do that?”

Castiel takes it all in stride, “Not rude at all, Y/N. I would expect you to be curious. I am Castiel, an angel.”

“Oh. Okay.” That’ll take some getting used to. “Thank you, Castiel.”

“Of course, Y/N. Any friend of Sam and Dean is a friend of mine. Pray to me if you should need help again,” he says, then nods at Sam and disappears.

“I can send you his cell number, too,” Sam says, pulling out his phone.

“He’s an angel with a cell phone?” you ask, starting to pick up your things and put your weapons back in their places on your body.

“Yeah,” Sam says, “he’s basically one of us but with perks.”

Sam’s phone rings and he answers, “Hey Dean, you’re on speaker. Y/N is here.”

“You busted out already? That was fast,” Dean says.

“We had some help. I called Cas,” Sam tells him. “What’d you find out?”

“Well, Sam, remember the bank in Milwaukee?”

“A shifter?”

“You betcha. All dealt with. I’m on my way back to the motel now. You guys need a ride?”

Hearing it’s over, you let their voices trail off and sink down onto the edge of the bed. I stupidly got caught, Sam had to save me, and Dean finished the case. Maybe I’m not good enough for this job after all. You realize Sam is no longer on the phone and is looking at you in concern. “You okay, Y/N?”

“Yeah, I’m good,” you try to convince yourself.

You can tell he doesn’t believe you, but he doesn’t push the issue. He goes to watch out the window for his brother. A few minutes later, the Impala is pulling up outside and Dean is knocking on the door.

“Alright, Princess, I figured out what is wrong with your car. I can get it up and running in the morning, should be able to have you out of town by noon, “ he says, making himself comfortable on the chair across the room.

“Sounds good. Thanks, Dean. What do I owe you?”

“Hmmm,” he taps his chin, thinking, “I’ll consider us even if you buy me some pie at that diner.”

“That’s it?” You ask. He nods. You smirk, “Wow, you’re easier than they say. Deal. Let’s go.”

You end up at the diner, all having a slice of pie, Dean filling you in on the details of the shifter. Apparently Missus Miller was the shifter, or rather the shifter was pretending to be Missus Miller. Dean went back to question her, and she recoiled when he shook her hand. “Silver ring,” Dean explained, holding up his right hand and wiggling his fingers in the air. He was able to draw his silver knife and stab her in the heart before she could attack him. “Reflexes like a cat,” Dean bragged, mouth full of pie. You can’t help but smile at him.

You all finish your pie and pile back into the Impala to go back to your rooms for the night. Once again, you can feel both of them watching you during the drive. You do your best to ignore it, watching the streetlights pass by outside.

Outside your rooms, Dean promises to text you when he’s done with your car tomorrow. You thank him, say goodnight to the brothers, and head into your room for the night.

You strip down, deciding to take a bath to unwind. With the bath full of warm water, you sink in and hear your phone go off.

[Sam 9:52PM: You doing okay?]

[Y/N 9:53PM: Doing fine, sunshine. Why?]

[Sam 9:53PM: You’ve seemed off since Dean’s phone call earlier.]

Yeah, I’ve seemed off. I should be able to do this job by myself. I have been able to, until now. I shouldn’t have to rely on you and your brother and your angel friend to save my ass and finish my case.

[Sam 9:55PM: You know you’re one of the best hunters out there, right?]

You let his message go unanswered again. After a few more minutes, you decide to call it a night. You get out of the bathtub, dry yourself off, and put on your favorite pajamas. You’re crawling into bed when you hear a knock at the door. You get up and look through the peephole, seeing Sam standing there in black sweatpants and a long-sleeved grey henley. You sigh and open the door, “Yes, Sam?”

“You stopped answering, so I figured you could use a pick-me-up,” he holds up the bags in his hands, small smile on his face and dimples peeking out. Damn that smile and those dimples. You step out of the way, letting him inside. He comes in, emptying the bags onto the small table while you close and lock the door. “So, I brought ice cream: Phish Food and Americone Dream. I also got some Kit-Kats and M&Ms. We can talk or watch some TV. I’ve also been told I give good hugs.”

You feel like you’re in shock. He just met you today. Sure, he had apparently heard about you from Bobby, but you’ve only known each other for about ten hours. So far in those ten hours, he has taken your sarcasm in stride, gotten you out of jail, went shopping for snacks for you, and is now standing in your room offering hugs. Either he’s insane, or I’ve stumbled upon the eighth wonder of the world. You’ve spent your entire life building walls around your heart, firmly believing that feelings lead to nothing but hurt or death. Somehow in less than half of a day, this man in front of you has managed to obliterate them, leaving you feeling more vulnerable than you ever thought possible.

He turns around, looking at you, unsure what to make of your silence. “Or I can leave. I mean, if you want to be alone-”

He’s cut off by you rushing forward into his chest, wrapping your arms around his middle and resting your head against his chest. My God, he’s solid like a tree. Once his brain catches up, his arms wrap around you too and he rests his chin on your head. He’s absolutely right, this is the best hug ever. He squeezes you a little and then runs his fingers through your hair. You feel all your muscles relaxing. You stay like this for a while, his hands switching between playing with your hair and rubbing circles on your back.

“I’m strong,” you whisper.

“I know,” he says.

“I can take care of myself.”

“You do,” he agrees. “And you’ll continue to. We’ve just joined in now.”

You pull back a little, tears forming in your eyes. You look at each other, his eyes flicking to your lips for a moment before returning to your eyes. You shy away, pulling out of his arms and clearing your throat. “This all seems very… not your taste, Mister Chicken Wrap,” you joke, gesturing to the sweets and trying to deflect.

He shrugs, “Not really yours either, Miss Salad. But sometimes a little sugar rush can be a good thing.”

You give him a small smile, greatly appreciating that he is willing to change topic, opening the M&Ms and pouring yourself a few before offering the bag to him. He takes the bag, pouring out a couple into his hand and popping one into his mouth.

You sit on the bed, back against the headboard, and pat the space beside you, "So, tell me all about the enigma that is Mister Sam Winchester."

He sits beside you, and you spend the next few hours trading questions and learning all the little things about each other. You learn that his favorite color is blue, he is full of knowledge about true crime and serial killers, and he hates clowns. He listens to The Smiths, Bon Jovi, and Celine Dion. He prefers to eat healthily, and he runs at least once a day to stay in shape. “There are so many unknowns in this world and so many things that can take you out, I refuse to let my cholesterol be what does it,” he reasons. You open up to him as well, telling him your favorite holiday, color, music, and foods. By the time 2AM rolls around, he has resorted to telling you terrible dad jokes.

“You know,” he says, sounding serious, “I’ve realized I only know 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know y.”

You groan and laugh at the same time, “Your jokes are terrible, Sam!”

“Oh, I’m well aware. But hey, they make you laugh,” he says, laughing and nudging your shoulder with his.

Your laugh dying down, you rest your head against his shoulder and sigh. “I guess we should get some sleep.”

“Yeah,” he sighs, “you’re probably right.” He pats your head before getting up. You follow him to the door and when he turns around to say his goodbye, you wrap your arms around him again. “Thank you, Sam. You’re kind of alright, I guess.”

He laughs a little, “yeah, you too, I suppose.” You think you feel the ghost of his lips on the top of your head before he pulls away from the embrace. With a smile and small wave, he closes the door, leaving you alone but your heart feeling lighter than it ever has. You crawl under the covers, smiling to yourself and sending one more message before turning out the lights.

[Y/N 2:09AM: Goodnight, Sam.]

[Sam 2:09AM: Goodnight, Y/N.]

<> You have been arrested and are being questioned in an interrogation room by two officers, Davis (who arrested you) and Johnson. You stay silent throughout their questioning, despite their threats and their attempts to coerce you into talking. Johnson leaves, and Sam enters shortly after.

Part Three

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y-rhywbeth2 · 6 months

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Lore: Time and Festivals in Faerûn

Accuracy Disclaimer & The Other Stuff [tldr: D&D lore is a giant conflicting mess. Larian's lore is also a conflicting mess. You learn to take what you want and leave the rest]

As in days of the week and months, terminology and measurements, timepieces available, the calendars and holidays (and some of the different ways different people celebrate them).

The most common calendar in use in Faerûn is the Calendar of Harptos - technically created by a wizard of that name, but nobody really knows who he is, it's just the name of the calendar to them.

The calendar is split into 12 months, each consisting of 30 days, and a day is 24 hours long. The equivalent of a week is 10 days, most commonly referred to as a tenday. The final day of a tenday is referred to as the elf day, which is the equivalent of a weekend (except only one day long), and is usually a day off work.

Years are 364-365 days long. Festival days occur between the months, with an extra festival (Shieldmeet) occurring every four years.

In Chondathan (the language spoken on the Sword Coast, including Baldur's Gate) a year is called a dael, plural is daelin.

The terms for minutes, seconds and hours do not exist on Toril.

Approximately, what we call second is termed in most of Faerûn as "a breath," and a minute is a "goodly breath or three".

In rural areas, most people don't measure time. One organises oneself by keeping an eye on the light levels, shadows, and the rhythm of daily activity around. Around monastaries and temples, the equivalent of an hour is "a bell" - as the buildings will ring their bells at regular intervals, and people can track the time accordingly. Urban areas, being full of the things, can track their daily activities by the bells.

Wealthier individuals can afford candle clocks and similar, which has lead to an alternate name for the hour-equivalent; "a candle". Candles can be expensive. A standard candle clock costs 1 gold, and those meant to measure longer periods of time can go as far as 10 gold (for comparison, the average income for most of Faerûn is 10 silver a tenday, most of which will go towards rent and food).

Neverwinter, being a city known for its glass working, produces water clocks. A few, more advanced models include gears and clockwork. Neverwintan clocks are known to be the most accurate timepieces, leading to the phrase "by the clocks of Neverwinter" being used as a phrase to swear one's honesty and reliability. Another phrase is "even a water clock run dry tells the correct time twice a day."

And of course there are sand-clocks, also called sandglasses (we would call them hourglasses). Sand-clocks come in various types, depending on what time you plan to track (varieties include: 30 seconds; 60 seconds; five minutes; ten minutes; an hour; two hours). Costing between 5-25 gold, an hourglass is typically well out of the price range of the average Torilian.

"Time bell" is a term for any time signal, such as alarm clocks (although strictly speaking, those exact objects don't exist in this world) - the term comes from the striking of temple bells as a call to prayer.

Halflings have their own distinct time keeping terminology. The equivalent to a minute is a tune, with multiple minutes being called "long song" - for example, five minutes, would be "five long songs." In terms of longer time periods, halflings will tell the time according by describing the zenith of the sun.

Faerûn has no names for the days of the week as Earth does; if you want to be specific about what day it is, you have to use the whole date: the day of the tenday [of the month, optionally]. For example, "the ninth day of the third tenday [of Flamerule]."

There are multiple systems tracking the passage of years, the most commonly seen in Forgotten Realms products being Dalereckoning (DR). The first year (1 DR) began with the year that the elven court of Cormanthyr granted humans the rights to settle in their lands. The preceding year being 0 DR, and years before that continuing into negative numbers (as with BCE on Earth).

Dalereckoning is the most commonly used measurement in most of Faerûn - though not on other continents, which have their own systems, and even within Faerûn various kingdoms also have their own systems. (Cormyr Reckonings (CR) begin with the establishment of the kingdom's founding dynasty and trying to track CR and DR together causes a splitting migraine for sages in-universe. Tethyreckonings (TR) begin with the founding of Tethyr (this measurement is, thankfully, rarely seen outside of legal documentation.))

Attempts have been made to create a year-counting system that brings all the calendars together into a cohesive whole, but generally, on Faerûn, you'll count the years in Dalereckoning.

---

Times of day are split into periods related to the height of the sun:

Godswake [Predawn hours]

Dawn

Morning is split into two halves, Harbright and then Elsun

Highsun [Noon]

Afternoon is split into Tulsun then Tharsun

Sunset

Night

Midnight, or Deepnight

The Months (and the festivals) and their corresponding months:

Hammer - January

(Midwinter)

Alturiak - Feburary

Ches - March

Tarsakh - April

(Greengrass)

Mirtul - May

Kythorn - June

Flamerule - July

(Midsummer)

[Shieldmeet]*

Eleasis - August

Eleint - September

(Highharvestide)

Marpenoth - October

Uktar - November

(Feast of the Moon)

Nightal - December

The Festivals are held across all of Faerûn, and the specifics and names of the festivals may change by region. Some regions also have several other festivals unique to that location (the city of Silverymoon has dozens). There are also numerous holy days devoted to certain gods, and some faiths have specific ways to mark the festivals.

That said, they all follow the same general themes.

Shieldmeet occurs only once every four years, and is traditionally a day when the rulers must open their courts to the common people and allow them to make their voices heard. Shieldmeet is a large celebration, featuring all fashion of bazaars, fairs, large musical and theatrical performances, and especially competitions of skills - including spellcasting tournaments for mages.

To elves Shieldmeet is Cinnaelos'Cor [Corellon's Peace], which is basically elven new year (the elven equivalent to a year is basically four years - an aeloulaev - and even then elven farmers are the only ones who have any need to measure the passage of time. Most elves aren't paying enough attention to time to measure it.)

Midwinter: Traditionally a day for making or renewing alliances between the nobility, who celebrate it with parties. If you're a commoner and you live in a place with cold winters, such as the North, there are no parties and you call it "Deadwinter Day" and it's a day to hope your food stores hold out and that you don't freeze this year.

To deep gnomes, this is the Festival of the Star; a holy day in celebration of their patron god and protector, Callarduran Smoothands. A bioluminescent fungus is cultivated through the year, which are timed so that it will release its glowing spores on midwinter day. The fungus grows on a cave roof over a body of still water, and the light they cast causes a reflection like the night sky in the dark water. The festival celebrates svirfneblin history and their ancestral ties to the surface, as well as celebrating Callarduran for the protection he continues to provide his people.

Duergar settlements cease their tireless production for a single day, to listen to priests of Laduguer recount tales of their people's suffering as they denounce the weakness of their non-duergar kin and the Morndinsamman. This is followed by a recounting of the names of people who have wronged the Duergar, and collective promises of retribution against them.

Unsurprisingly, this is one of the holy days of Auril - goddess of cold and winter. Aurilians celebrate by dancing in the ice and snow and having fun, and they are tasked with proselytising to the masses, encouraging them to convert to the service of the Icedawn.

This is the Day of the Masked Lord's Embrace for Drow followers of Vhaeraun, who pass the day in a state of introspection and sensory deprivation - levitating in the centre of a patch of magical darkness for the full 24 hours. The magic required is provided by Vhaeraun himself.

Greengrass is a festival to welcome spring. Traditionally, the wealthy gift flowers to the commonfolk who wear them or offer them for the gods relevant to summer (Lathander, sun god of renewal, for example)

Orcs begin to gather their hordes under the guidance of priests of Ilneval, preparing for war. In response, dwarves under the guidance of priests of the goddess Haela Brightaxe prepare their people and homes to defend against the oncoming orc armies.

For Chaunteans, Greengrass is a fertility festival and the day is celebrated with feasting, drinking and hedonism - uninhibited behaviour is encouraged.

Midsummer is about music and feasting and also pretty much it's valentines day, with betrothals and new courtships and dancing. If the weather is bad on Midsummer then that's a bad omen.

The scattered Harpers often have reunions on this day. The church of Tymora, goddess of luck, hosts night-long revels that serve as reunions for various people, including for the Harpers, who have agents within the church.

Svirfneblin observe the sister holiday to the Festival of the Star, the Festival of the Ruby that celebrates deep gnome history and their descent into the Deepearth and their life there. According to their legends, the deity hid rubies (which the deep gnomes prize above other minerals) deep in the earth to guide his people down there.

Highharvestide is, as the name implies, the harvest festival as the crops are all pulled in for winter. It's also the day travellers who haven't already left wherever they're staying leave before winter sets in

Worshippers of Malar, god of the hunt/wilds, provide one of their few positive services for the world by going on a massive hunt for the last tenday of Eleint. They then gather all of the meat and take it into the nearest towns and villages, parading their trophies and leading the people to a feast. For as long as the feast lasts, none may commit violence there.

The Feast of the Moon is a holiday for honouring the dead and your ancestors. Unsurprisingly, it's a hit with the gods of death.

Bhaalists celebrate it by honouring dead members of the faith, and retelling the stories of memorable deaths.

Myrkulites consider it a day when the souls of the dead may walk the earth again, and pass on messages to the living. They burn wine as offerings to the spirits, to offer them a brief respite from the chill of death.

Halfling communities, led by priests of Arvoreen, observe the Ceremony of Remembrance; a remembrance day for those who died defending their communities. It is said that loved ones of the lost experience brief, wordless contact with the spirits of the departed on this day.

Similarly, dwarven communities honour their fallen defenders, and craft arms and armour for future defenders in their name.

To elves, this is the Mystic Rites of the Luminous Cloud, If there is a full moon, elves will gather under it, joining their minds and souls in communal reverie. They are joined in their shared trance by the deity of dreams, mystery and death, Sehanine Moonbow, who physically manifests amongst them as a mantle of silver light that they dissolve into, being lifted up to fly through the night sky (rematerializing where they began at the end of the night). Through this meditation some of the faithful find their way to deeper enlightenment in the mysteries she represents.

Kelemvorites hold the Deeds of the Dead, a high holiday when the priests recount the names and deeds of the lost so that they will not be forgotten. Priests use spells like speak with dead to allow the living and the dead to meet.

#hey some demihuman stuff #was not expecting Svirfneblin #what is the Festival of the Ruby Ed #WHAT IS IT #long post

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divinatorydoll · 1 year

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masterpost on planetary hours: ⏰

earlier today i made a tweet about ordering food under a mars hour, and how mars hours can be helpful for doing things quickly. here, i’ll define what a planetary hour is and how they can be used in our everyday lives !!

planetary hours are periods of ~60 minutes that occur on a repeated cycle throughout the day, with each hour ruled by one of the seven traditional planets. the hourly cycle is arranged by each planet’s orbital period, from longest to shortest:

saturn (29.5 years)

jupiter (12 years)

mars (687 days)

sun (365 days)

venus (225 days)

mercury (88 days)

moon (29 days)

HOW TO USE PLANETARY HOURS:

saturn: taking care of responsibilities, getting rid of useless items, working with the elderly, meditating and enjoying stillness, any kind of selfless action or donation, reflecting on forgiveness

jupiter: traveling long distances, learning a new language, having discussions about commitment, starting new commitments in general, prayer or leaving offerings, political or academic work

mars: doing laborious work (like saturn hours), exercising, ordering food or cooking, getting things done quickly, participating in competitions (especially of an athletic nature)

sun: working with people in power or children, applying for jobs or other career opportunities, enjoying yourself recreationally, achieving success, humorous or comedic activities, selling things

venus: sending a romantic message, learning a form of dance or music, spending time in the natural world, expressing yourself artistically, having sex, giving yourself a new cosmetic change

mercury: getting groceries (like moon hours), business transactions and meetings, reading, making progress on literary projects, washing your car, taking your animal to the vet, teaching

moon: helping out pregnant people or new parents, taking care of infants, buying dairy products or other goods made of milk, redecorating or cleaning up your home, doing chores, gardening

it’s also important to note that the state of the planet you’re relying on will be important — be sure to check the dignity and motion of a planet before trying to use its energy for a specific task !!

venus, for example, is fallen in the sign of virgo. so it may not be the best time to cut your own hair under a venus hour while it’s in this sign (as virgo governs criticism and nitpicking). however, this is an amazing time to be generous and helpful to others (since virgo governs service and assistance)

HOW TO TRACK PLANETARY HOURS:

personally, i like to use the cosmic insights app to track planetary hours because you can add the hourly calendar to your lock screen !! planetaryhours.net and astro-seek.com are resources i've used over the years that are also reliable — just keep in mind that some websites may show different times for the planetary hours because of the calculations they use to find them

do y'all have any questions about planetary hours ? feel free to leave them in my inbox or in the replies :)

book a reading !!

my linktree

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babstheyaga · 1 year

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Fear Me Or Die: Ch. Six: Don't Trust a Cop, Day 2

Pairing(s) for chapter: Oc(s)&Reader, Optimus&Reader, Ratchet&Reader, IronHide&Reader, CliffJumper&Reader.

Previous Ch. - Next Ch.

Word count for chapter: 6.3k

Rating for chapter: Explicit

Warnings for this chapter: Violence, blood&gore, curse words, police

A/n: (from Ao3): B) Back again again again boyz, it's time to part-ay hart-ay! We got the next chapter here for you! And guess what... GOT THE OFFICIAL HEIGHT COMPARISON DONE!!

That's IronHide, and Cliff Jumper!

Then the height comparison: From left to right: Optimus (Of course), IronHide, CliffJumper, BumbleBee, Derek, Ratchet, Jazz, Arcee, and reader!

It's all of them! Once we get a little further into the series, (Currently taking a small break, maybe a week break from writing fmod so I can focus on work and a personal novel), I'm going to get more characters done. No spoilers on who they are, though, of course! it makes me really happy to see people gen liking this series. I don't plan on abandoning it like I did so many other projects, I promise, I'm still fully invested into this one. Anyway, love yall ;3; ttyl see you in like two-three weeks! (Sorry for bad cliffhanger, but also not >:) )

Everything around me was intense. The thundering, slowly becoming darker by the minute sky above was still storming, still raining and keeping my freezing body shaking. I was walking in the direction BumbleBee had told me, the cold wind making the rain feel like hail on my skin, I tried my best to not think about it. The sticks, pine needles and stones underneath me was like walking in hell itself, I whimpered with each and every step.

The forest felt like it never ended, the storm above caused everything to be gloomy and dark, I found it hard to look straight ahead, instead looking down at the ground. Mother nature was anything but kind to me today, and I'm starting to think it might have been a sign. But I was at least thankful for her for the cover she provided me from my scent that they could detect, if she didn't Arcee probably would have found me, and only lord knows what she would have done to me...

I couldn't see past a hill some ways away from me, and I dreaded the thought of going over it. I was already exhausted, let alone bleeding everywhere. I struggled toward the hill, looking up at it then looking back behind me. No one was around, no one to kill me. Well, at least that's good. I blinked back to the hill, taking in a deep breath through my nose and exhaled out my mouth. I was tired, soaked, scared and freezing. And now I had to push myself more. For normal people, this would be easy... I had a hard time believing I couldn't do this regularly. When I started to force myself up and over the hill, I used every ounce in me to push myself to my limit, grunting with each climb, feeling my mind spin and stomach turn.

I reached the top of the hill, looking out when something came up my throat. I fell to the ground on my knees, throwing up the sandwich I ate earlier. I kept heaving up food till nothing came up, my stomach empty again, making my sight blur with panic. I choked and coughed, gagging on stomach acid and when it finally stopped, I tried so hard to catch my breath. The rain washed away the snot and spit dripping from my face, but the awful taste in my mouth was horrid.

I battled to stand to my feet again, but I was persistent. I was going to get out of here even if I die trying.

But my silent prayers for help from any god out there was answered... The road! Behind the hill was pavement, a proper road that wasn't made out of gravel, and I could feel my body shake with excitement. I dipped down and slid down the mount to the road, looking both ways and to my left was a giant sign facing adjacent from me. I made my way to it, wanting to see what it said on it, hopefully showing how far civilization was.

When I approached it, I put a hand up to shield my eyes from the rain.

'Next Exit 60 miles'

Oh... Great...

I flicked my eyes across the pavement, instinctively looking both ways as I stepped onto it, surprisingly feeling it was warm, aiding some relief to my slowly deteriorating skin on the bottom of my feet. I started to make my way down the road, hoping not to see someone I wouldn't want to...

I wondered if there would be any cars that come by, would it be safe for me to get them involved? I need a ride to safety, but I don't want to ruin their chance at life. Getting more people killed is not on my to-do list.

The bandages on my hands were drenched, and when I looked down, I saw the red spilling out on them... Great, now it's not only just my feet, but my hands too. I'm going to need one hell of a doctor, and pray to the lord that I don't get on the news! If they even get a general idea of where I am, I'm a goner.

I couldn't tell if a rumbling I heard was thunder, or if it was a car. I was nervous to look behind me, or even look up from the ground in general. Petrified that I'd get caught and killed. But when I heard it approaching faster by the second, my terrified eyes blinked up from the ground. Coming through the rain was a old Jeep Cherokee, and I instantly knew I was safe. I rushed to jump into the pavement, flinging my hands up and I heard the car's wheels squeak on the wet road, quickly coming to a stop in front of me. I could see as the wipers were at high speed, a man and woman in the driver and passenger seat. The man got out the car, making sure to stay behind the safety of the door.

“What the hell are you doing?!” The man yelled.

The woman got out too, also staying safe behind her door. “Are you okay?!” She shouted.

I could feel my words get stuck in my throat, I could feel my head rushing, my heart was deafening in my ears, the world around me spinning faster and faster, and within only a few seconds... I passed out in front of them.

I was dead, wasn't I?

I killed myself by running away.

I'm in the void of death, nothing around me, just pure darkness. Yet... My mind is running at top speed. I couldn't hear anything, or... Could I? I knew I couldn't see. But I could hear faint voices. Them being far away, but the more I lay there, the closer they got.

“Mommy, she's bleeding!” A high pitched male voice said, telling me he was young, no older than 9 by the way he talked.

“I know honey, make space, she's sick.” Said a female voice, hers being soft and understanding.

“Angela, get in the back with her, I don't want her to wake up and hurt the kids.” A different male voice said, he was older though. Probably in his late 20s, possibly early 30s.

“Kayden Alexander, you look at this girl and tell me she's going to hurt the boys!” The female sounded angered.

“It's okay daddy, I can protect Peter!” Told the same small boy.

“Alright. Angela get in, we gotta get going. She looks dead.” The older man rushed.

“Let me check her pulse again.” The woman's voice came closer to me, and then stepped back. “She's alive, but we need to get her to a hospital... She still looks familiar...”

I heard the sound of a door slam, and that shook me enough to jump in my seat, taking in a enormous breath through my mouth and into my chest, eyes jolting open and looking around.

“You're okay!” The sight of a dark skinned female, her hair long, dyed red and curly said. “Take a deep breath, you're okay.” She calmed, but I looked around, finding myself in the back of a old looking car, what I guessed was the one that stopped for me. A young cool colored skinned boy next to me, holding what looked like a orange nerf gun at me. Behind him was a baby car seat, a small child sleeping in it. A white man in the front seat, looking at me in the rear view mirror with great intensity.

My breathing was harsh, one hand gripping the door handle, the other gripping the top of the seat. “Calm down sweetie, you're okay. We're taking you to the police.” She was cool and calm, putting up a hand as she leaned over the passenger seat, slowly reaching over to pick up the nerf gun the child was holding and pulling it to her lap.

“Why are you bleeding?” The child asked, and the mom shushed him viciously.

“Don't mind him, he's just nervous. You're okay.” She calmed me again, but I knew I needed to relax... There are children present, I can't get them into trouble.

“I-...” I released the tension from my chest, trying to sink into the seat behind me. “I... Ran away from my husband.” I said, surprisingly honest.

“Oh goodness...” The mom cursed, putting a hand to her mouth.

“Why?” The boy asked again, not even being phased by my fearful face and bloodied, beaten body.

“Micheal Alexander, you shush up now.” She hushed the boy, but he just leaned back, still not worried.

“We don't have any phones.” The dad suddenly said, answering a question in the back of my mind.

“Yes, we're coming back from a camping trip, but we'll get you safe, honey.” The mom comforted.

“What did your husband do?” The kid tilted his head, and the mom almost shushed him again but I beat her to it.

“He... Tried to hurt me. But I got away.” I simply stated.

“Is that how you got the purple stuff on your neck?” His boyish lisp was adorable, but the questions he asked were awful.

I brought a hand to my neck, softly feeling the deep purple bruises... Just lie. Don't get these people into danger.

I opened my mouth to say something, the mom catching me off guard with a gasp. “You're the Decepticon girl, aren't you?” She whispered, kind of to herself... I felt my heart drop, my breathing hitching and I coughed out loud. She looked to her husband, telling him to, “Drive faster...” Under her breath. When she saw me looking, she rushed to say a quick, “We'll call the police, just try to stay calm. You're bleeding a lot, we don't want you to lose too much blood.”

“They've been looking everywhere for you.” The dad said. I looked out the window, seeing a sign say 'Next Exit 45 Miles' Well, at least we're getting closer.

I remembered they were looking for me on the TV this morning, but it's surprising that even people without TV's or phones know about it.

“I've been trying to get away...” I mumbled, blinking down to my hands and finally putting them to my lap, feeling a little more relaxed.

“Bless your heart...” The mom said. She kept her eyes on me, and so did the young boy, he put his arms under one another like he was studying me. I tried not to keep eye contact with any of them, worried they will see me as a threat. They're already doing so much for me, helping me get to safety wasn't something everyone would do... What I guessed was the mom's motherly instinct kicking in. She was sweet, trying to make sure I know they're not dangerous, nor that they would call someone bad, if she knew them, that is.

I looked to the boy next to me without turning my head, thinking if I had the courage to talk to him, or would the parents get offended...?

“You're brave for protecting your sibling...” I tilted my head up for a second to nudge to him, feeling a small smile form on my lips when he sat up and looked to his mom for confirmation. “What's your name...?” I asked softly, leaning over to my door to give him space. He looked to his mom again, and she nodded to allow him to answer me.

“M-Micheal.” He answered, and I felt my heart lighten at his nervousness...

“Ahh, Micheal...” I started, tilting my head to the side to not seem intimidating. “Do you know what Micheal means in the bible?” I asked, a gentle tone to my cracky voice. He shook his head. “It means, gift from God.” I quoted. He perked up, a faint grin morphing on his childish face. The mom reached a hand out to him, and he took it, a small moment that I helped create... I felt a little happy, though I knew these moments would be shortly lived.

“Tell her your brothers name.” His mother encouraged, and he took his hand away from hers, leaning the other way and putting a hand into the car seat, offering it to his baby brother.

“His-His name is Peter.” He answered shyly, I smiled more, answering him again.

“Peter... A good name. Strong name. You know Simon Peter was one of the three...” I started.

“The three?” He asked.

“The three closest to Jesus, the three chosen ones. Jesus had many disciples, but James, Peter and John were his closest... “ I stopped, thinking on my wording. “You can always have multiple friends, but the three you know as your best, will always be your closest.” I answered. My quotes on the bible were nothing compared to a preacher, but the years of my mother reading me it each and every night as a child always made my day better. So what I was taught from it, I will always remember.

“What does Peter mean?” He asked, and I brought a hand up to my face to fake scratch my chin in thought.

“It means a stone. Or a rock. So I guess that means that Peter is as strong as a rock, doesn't it?” I said, trying my best to lighten the darkened mood. He nodded vigorously, looking back to his baby brother and holding a finger out to his tiny hands, which Peter grasped. “You care for him a lot, don't you...?” I said lowly, and he glanced back at me, then back to his brother. He smiled greatly at him, and I felt my heart flutter.

“There's no hospitals or police stations for the next 50 miles, we might be able to call someone at the visitor center.” The dad interrupted, shaking me back to reality.

Okay, stay calm. There's probably a payphone or a phone in the center that we can use. If not, we might be able to use the phone at the front office, if there's anyone there, that is. When I looked out the window, I saw that the rain had stopped finally. It seems mother nature might finally be on my side, either that or she's preparing me for something...

“I'm sure there is a state trooper somewhere on the highway, we just need to get there. The visitor center is six minutes away, if we want to try there first...?” The dad asked, and I looked up from my thoughts.

“That would be great, thank you.” I replied, feeling myself lighten. I'm free at least, thankfully. I'm safe with these people, what are the Autobots going to do? Kill a baby? I think not. They're bad people, but they can't be that bad, right? I'd fight tooth and nail for these people, they saved me. “Mrs., Mr.?” I asked aloud, the dad looked at me through the rear view mirror. “Thank you... You guys didn't need to take me in, and... I'm thankful. I probably would be back there again if it wasn't for you...” I thanked, and the woman laid a caring hand on my knee, squeezing it and smiling gently.

“We did what God told us to do.” She answered, and I nodded.

When the mom pulled back and sat properly in her seat, I looked down at my hands, studying them harshly. I knew I was safe, but everything inside me told me there was something wrong. I felt like I was running straight into a trap, if it be when I get to the police station, or at the center... I felt terrible, scared out my mind.

No. Stop. I'm safe, I'm not in trouble, I need to calm down. Everything will be alright, don't think about the past, I'll be safe with the police, they can't get me there. I'm alright, just calm down. Don't worry about it, we're fine.

“We're gonna be okay, kid.” The dad said, pulling me out of my horrific thoughts. I looked up to him to see him spying on me in the mirror. I blinked a few times, looking to the boy who was playing with his brother, to the mom who was looking at the dad, and the dad who was now focusing on the road ahead. When I blinked out the window, I took in a breath and saw the sign, 'Visitors center next right' And when I noticed us moving off the highway, I straightened myself and looked out of the front window, seeing us pull into the lane and stop in a parking spot.

When the dad turned off the car, I looked out to see a bunch of truckers, a few cars behind the semis, nothing was bad, so why am I so afraid? The mom got out, opening the door for me as it had child safety lock. She went over to the side the children were on, I watched her take out the baby and let the kid get out. I slowly got the courage to stand up, my feet still bleeding out of specific spots, my hands as well. I began to rise, and the dad rushed over to put my arm over his shoulder to help me stand, luckily he was on the shorter side, helping me walk to the sidewalk and sit on a concrete bench. I looked up to the mom as she had the baby in her arms, the dad whispering something in her ear.

“We're gonna see if they have a phone in there, do you feel comfortable enough to stay out here alone?” Asked the mom, and I looked around, seeing a few cars that I couldn't name, and when a specific oversized truck caught my attention, I bit my tongue.

I didn't want to be a problem, I didn't want them to have to stay out here with me, or take me back to the car. What if they didn't trust me alone in their car? I don't want to make them uncomfortable... Dammit...

“I'm-... I'm fine out here.” I said, though it was a god awful lie, I even stuttered...

“We're going to go see if they have a phone in there, be careful, okay?” She told, and I nodded, watching them start to make their way to the main building. And I was left outside. But I was anything but comfortable. The car in between two semis was the black truck that I saw back at the cabin. It could have just been any truck, maybe I'm remembering it wrong, but they looked identical. The license plate was on the back, making it impossible to read it and remember what it was... I was terrified, if they were in that building, they'll have to come out and see me. And since the raining had stopped, my smell was back again.

There was a few people getting out their cars, all people I didn't recognize, thankfully... It made me wonder how many of these people could realize that I was the girl on the news. I wasn't sure if I wanted that or not. The looming thought of the Autobots being in the building, the more people who notice me, the more people are at risk.

There was another family of four that came out of a van, except they had a little girl instead of a little boy. She was adorable, having on a pretty little yellow dress and princess rubber sandals. The mom was carrying a baby, no older than a month, probably just born within the past couple weeks. She was precious. I use to wish I could have a child, but now I don't think it would be good. I would be on the run my entire life, it would be unsafe to bring a child into the mix.

Jesus... I'm going to be on the run my entire life... How was I going to explain to the police that I found the Autobot's leader? How was I going to explain to ANYONE about it? Everyone I know could get me killed. Because of the TV, they know what my mother looks like. The whole US is looking for me, let alone the rest of the squad. I'm sure the police will believe me, but how do I know they don't have insiders? It's dangerous no matter where I go. With my parents. The police. My boyfriend. All of it is dangerous. I can die no matter where I go. Hell, I don't even think I'm safe here. The mother promised me I would be safe, but promises are meant to be broken...

“Hey!” I jumped at the sudden shout for my name, looking to the direction of the voice and seeing that it was the dad. I struggled to stand, knowing that they needed me for something. When he jogged over to me, he instantly put my arm over his shoulder to help carry me. “There's a state trooper and a EMS worker in there, they're talking to Angela right now about getting a ambulance out here. They're gonna drive you to a hospital!” He said excitedly, and I felt my heart skip a beat. Oh thank god, a trooper! They tend to be more believing of people rather than regular police officers.

I limped my way up the sidewalk to the main building, seeing the doors and feeling a rush of excitement wash over me as I entered into the building. I looked around frantically for the trooper, expecting to see a man in a uniform, but I only saw four... Figures...

“Over here officer!” The dad shouted, and turning around was... Optimus...

My legs collapsed.

“Matthew, help her.” Optimus told and CliffJumper came to help pick me up. I could tell he was holding down a grin. He threw my free arm over his shoulder, forcing me to stand and I almost went limp in their arms.

All I could do was stare and walk towards Optimus, Ratchet and IronHide. I watched as Optimus was facing me, a still, soft smile on his face like he was amused by me, but serious with the family. They took me to Ratchet, who lifted my chin and looked down at me from over his nose.

“Put her on the bench, I need to check her out...” Ratchet said, obviously despising the fact that he gets to see me again, and in such rough shape too. They led me to the bench next to a line up of magazines and fliers. I sat down and stared up at Ratchet with wide, petrified eyes, my mouth slightly ajar, looking like a idiot. He kneeled down before me, allowing me to see Optimus come over with a small notebook and pen in hand.

“Run me through what happened before you saw her.” He asked.

“We were driving from the state park's camp ground, it was raining and we couldn't really see too far. The trip went well, no bears or wolves showed up this time! But there was a camper in a RV that said they saw this girl on the news, and they said to keep an eye out of her on the way back to the city.” The mom said.

“And where did you say you found her?” He asked the mother, and she readjusted the baby in her arms.

“Probably 40 or 50 miles away from the state park campsite, we were just coming back from a family trip.” The dad came to her, pulling the small boy to his side. I couldn't believe he was playing these people like a goddamn fiddle!

“Did you find her in this condition?” He asked, paying my awestruck expression no mind.

“Worse, actually...” The dad scoffed, the mom shushed him.

“She passed out in front of our car, Kayden almost ran her over!” The mom said, shocked.

“And where did you say she came from?” Optimus asked.

“We're not sure, we think she might have been walking the roadside since the camp ground... That's where we heard about her missing for the first time, another camper said he saw her, but we just assumed it was on the news.” She replied.

Ratchet was too busy undoing my bandages, what I knew for a fact was him faking looking at me, as he wasn't actually doing anything to me. He looked over his shoulder a couple times from the corner of his eye, making sure no one was watching. I was still dead silent.

“Around what time did you spot her?” He asked.

“Um...” She looked to her husband.

He rushed to answer. “Around 2:20.” He stated.

“Is there anything that happened during your drive here, anything usual? Cars tailgating you, other people on the side of the road, possibly a hitchhiker?” He asked, and she shook her head.

“No, nothing like that. Everything was normal besides the fact that she was scared to death!” She took in a breath, looking over at me with pure concern.

“You said you think she might have been at the camp ground... Did you see any signs of her there?”

“No, not at all! But there's no other places that she could have come from! Besides maybe that old cabin camp ground, but that place has been abandoned for decades! Oh jeeze, do you think they were holding her there...?” She whispered the last part.

“We visit that area regularly, ma'am. Kids nowadays want to start fires, or have parties around there. You've heard the legends around that area, I'm sure.” He comforted. She gasped.

“That horrid ax man, I'm sure of it! I've heard the stories of those poor children going missing, but... I was never sure if they were true or not.” Her voice was dripping with concern.

“Most of the legends are fake, but there have been dozens of reports of families going missing back when the cabins were populated.”

“Oh thank goodness... We've always thought of taking a look around that place, but from what he know it's locked up, right?” She asked.

“Correct ma'am, we keep a tight hold around that area, as it's a big fire hazard with all the old clothes and sheets in the cabins. But luckily most of them are caved in or already burned down.”

“You're doing an amazing thing for the girl, sir.” She thanked. Optimus nodded the entire time, and when he realized he had enough information, he closed the notebook and clicked the pen, stuffing them both into his back pocket. I looked away from him for just a second to see IronHide on the phone, obviously being sneaky and not wanting them to hear. Cliffjumper was standing next to Ratchet, his arms crossed and eyeing the family, seeming awfully distrusting.

“Thank you for reporting this, you probably just saved this girls life. Lord only knows what she went through out there. You're her guardian angel.” Optimus praised, holding her free hand lovingly.

“It was all God's work, I knew there was a reason we needed to come out here. God has her in his sight.” She looked to me and smiled gently, I just kept my eyes on Optimus.

“Johnathan, is she okay?” Optimus said, referring to Ratchet. He took in a breath, fake stress as he stood and shook his head.

“She's lost a lot of blood. Her wounds are full of dirt and will most likely get a severe infect if we don't get her to a hospital soon.” He answered. The mom gasped, putting her free hand to her mouth and tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

“Will she be okay?!” She came to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. He put a caring hand on hers, trying to comfort her though I knew he was lying.

“If we can get her home, she'll do just fine.” Jesus, these guys were award winning actors...

“Get her to the car. We already have EMS on the way, we've got it from here.” Optimus said, and the mom went in for a hug.

“What was your name again, officer?” The dad asked.

“Demetre Finley, Sir.” The dad reached out his hand and shook it, the both of them sharing a small moment. He turned from the couple and went to my side, his back to them and winking down at me for a second before turning back around to face them. “Do you need help to stand?” He said, hinting at the first time me and him talked alone. I couldn't help the small tears forming in my eyes, opening my mouth properly but nothing came out. Just pure shock filling my body and face. He nodded and dipped down, picking me up bridal style and beginning to take me out of the building and away from the couple.

“Please...” My voice squeaked, barely even a whisper it was so small. I watched them disappear from my sight, the mom waving to me and the dad holding his son tight.

CliffJumper opened the door, allowing for Optimus to walk through, and just like that... They stole me again.

They took me away from everyone, Optimus saying a quick, “Keys, Ratchet.” And Ratchet handed them to him, his huge hands having no trouble in taking them while holding me. They took me away from the walkway, back onto the pavement and towards their car. When he was away from seeing eyes, he threw me over his shoulder, and it was then that it hit me like a train. I choked on the words in my mouth, pushing myself up and on his shoulder, seeing he was taking me to the truck.

“Wait- No no no- Please- No-” I began to beg, but CliffJumper ran up behind Optimus, putting a hand to my mouth and shushing me with his other.

“Shhh, baby. It's alright, don't make a scene.” He hushed, and I stared, stunned that they managed to take me again.

Optimus opened the back door, practically throwing me into the seat. I stumbled up, fear lurking in my mind as CliffJumper climbed on the stair and pushed me back, sitting in the seat closest to the window. I jumped again as IronHide opened the opposing door, shoving me back and I was forced towards CliffJumper, who elbowed me. I sat up again, this time only sitting in the middle seat, breath on edge and staring intently towards the front window. Ratchet got in the passenger seat, and Optimus got in the divers. He took no time with starting it, but stopped when he looked over his shoulder.

“Andy?” He barked.

“Already here.” IronHide answered.

“Take the kids.” He replied darkly, I jumped, looking between IronHide and Optimus frantically.

“Wa-Wait- Nononononono, you-you can't hurt them-!” I whimpered, Optimus interrupted.

“You should have thought of that before you ran away.” He said, then put the truck in drive and began our way back to the cabin.

The drive back was intense. No one dared talk, the livid Autobot leader was staring darkly at the road ahead, his grip on the steering wheel deathly tight, and if looks could kill, all four of us would be corpses. He was enraged, and no one wanted to mess with him. Occasionally I would see IronHide look over at me, or CliffJumper sneak a glance, but nothing prepared me for when Optimus glared at me from the rearview mirror. I was a goner, I knew I was.

I couldn't move a inch from my seat in any direction, the two people beside me hogging up their seats and some. My knees were latched together, my hands sealed to my lap, I stared intently at the bottom of the center consul.

How was I going to make it out of this one? I'm a dead man walking.

I was ossified to my seat, not even thinking about moving, let alone talk. Everything felt like it was in slow motion, watching my life go by so passively, I didn't know what to do. I was going to be six feet under their cabin, and there wasn't a damn thing stopping it.

The mother told me I was safe. The dad told me it would be okay. So why am I here? How am I here? How is this even possible? Being caught twice in a week by the Autobots... The second time being an accident. I knew it was a trap, and I ran straight into it, like it was perfectly planned. Was this BumbleBee's idea all along? Did he call in and have them watch me? All I know is I'm heading back to my death.

We got to the driveway, it being obscenely long as we drove down it. I looked up to the front window without moving my bowed head, the outside going slower as we had to go through gravel. I felt the rocks in the road making the car bounce, I tried not to bump into the two men around me. I took in a breath through my nose, trying to be silent as I saw the cabin approaching. I watched CliffJumper and IronHide hold onto the door handle, preparing themselves to jump out as soon as the car stops. And when it did, the two doors rushed open, darting out like there was a bomb.

I watched Optimus take the keys out the car, throwing them to Ratchet who caught them and they both got out. I was still too scared to move, but when Optimus went to the door to my left, he instantly reached in and grabbed for me. I jumped out of my skin, falling on my back and trying to crawl away from him, but he gripped my ankles, yanking me towards him and grabbing the shirt on the back of my neck. He dragged me out the truck, me falling out as it was tall, but he gave me no time to catch myself, pulling me along side him, my knees and legs scraping on the gravel.

I was a doll in his hands, dragging me along him as he barged into the cabin. “Autobots!” When we were fully in, he threw me to the ground. I caught myself on my stomach, looking up to see BumbleBee, Arcee, Jazz and... Derek. He was alive!

Optimus stomped his gigantic boot into my back, slamming me to the floor, and my face hit the wood.

“You have 1 minute to explain yourselves.” He bellowed. All three of them rushed into action.

“Me and Jazz went out for a cigarette-”

“I was just having a ciggie when-”

“Then Bee came out being all angry-!”

“Then we heard a shout from the woods-”

“But I found Jones with a AX-”

“The lake was empty so I went back to the shack-”

“We beat Jones up because, I mean, he shouldn't have ran away ANYWAY-”

“I just went back to the cabin with Arcee-”

“THEN WE LOST HER!”

“THEN WE LOST HER!” The both of them said in sync.

All three of them went silent. I couldn't see BumbleBee properly with my head plastered to the ground, so I tried my best to listen. Derek was across from me, his head bowed, his face slowly dripping blood, a pool of it on the carpet he was sitting on next to the couch. Praise the lord, he's at least alive... For now.

Optimus went silent, looking to Derek, when he asked a low, daring, “This was your idea?” His voice was laced with anger, every part of him pissed off and ready to kill.

Derek looked up slowly, He only could see out one eye, his nose completely broken, and lips busted to high heaven. His breathing was slow, he was obviously exhausted. I wanted so bad to get up and help him. He looked to me, his expression not changing, probably unable to. He blinked back to Optimus, then nodded.

“Derek... No...” I whined, but Optimus wasn't ready for me to talk, he put his boot on my face, squishing me and I whimpered.

“You take full responsibly for this?” He barked, Derek stared. No, he'll get killed, I can't let this happen...

“Derek...!” I cried, a little louder, not caring what would happen to me. Optimus ground his boot into the side of my face, and I sobbed.

Derek kept his eyes on Optimus, unwavering, an expressionless face and blood seeping out through his entire body. I was in sorrow, I could help him, I could save him! I lost him once, I can't let him go again.

“Please!” I choked, and Optimus about had it with me, he took his boot off my face, but I couldn't react in time for him to kick me in the stomach. I coughed, gagging at the feeling of stomach acid coming up my throat.

“Answer me, Jones!” He snarled, and put his boot on my back again. I tried to push myself up, thinking I could outsmart him, but he slammed me back down, now putting more pressure on me.

Derek wasn't fighting, his hands tied behind his back, his legs underneath him as he sat on them, the unforgiving, enduring stare made every inch of me cry out. He was giving up, he couldn't fight anymore, he knew he couldn't win this, and it was killing me.

Derek nodded, a slow, gentle nod. Optimus straightened himself, looking around at all the quiet, dead still people. They were terrified, and rightfully so. I couldn't move, I couldn't get up to help, I was stuck here with these heathens.

Optimus looked to IronHide and CliffJumper who were at the edge of the living room, his glare intense.

“Drown him in the lake where they found him.”

#bumblebee x reader #optimus prime x reader #dark fic #transformers fanfiction #fem reader #transformers x reader #fanfic #bumblebee x you #optimus prime x you #bumblebee x y/n #optimus prime x y/n #x reader #reader insert #humanformers #fanfiction

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betterlifeinoverall-rethabilep · 1 year

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Hearing Of Jerusalem

Jeremiah 2:2“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:“This is what the Lord says:“‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.Let us note that Christ delights to think upon His Church and to look upon her beauty. As the bird returns often to its nest, and as the traveler hurries to his home, so the mind…

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#02am Holy Spirit Thoughts #60 Minutes Of Prayer #Holy Good News #How To Be Consistent #How To Meditate Through Holy Bible Verses #How To Read Holy Bible #How To Recite Holy Bible Verses #How To Recite Meditative Poetry #Insightful Holy Bible Readings #Insightful Holy Bible Stories #Insightful Holy Prayers #Lord&039;s Portion #Monday Devotion #Monday Holy Bible Readings #morning devotion #What Are Sermons

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lianabrooks · 10 months

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How To Keep Your (Found) Family Happy

A friend posted a cartoon about weaponized incompetence on another website and talked about how every family has this. In fact, most groups of humans have run into this at some point, it's pretty normal for humans to try to find a way to take the easiest route (even if it means more work for others).

Despite all that, I've been with the same person since 2001. We've been married most of that time, had four kids together, and moved countless times as we restarted jobs, hunted promotions, and switched career fields. And we've managed to avoid most of the pitfalls. Here's how my spouse and I have avoid fights, weaponized incompetence, bitter feelings, and feeling neglected in our relationship for over 20 years (Hint: there's a lot of communication going on)... P.S. These are all very family/relationship-centric but you can absolutely adapt them for the workplace, school, or anything else.

MAKING CHOICES AHEAD OF TIME ... the menu is made at the start of the month, money is allocated before major events, we plan trips sometimes years in advance. All of that reduces the choice making later and is one less stress to handle. This is purely a decision making fatigue thing, if you have to make a decision, it requires brain power, and after a long day you'll have none. So why not sit down on a quiet day and make all the decisions you need to make for the next week? Poof! Brain power is freed up and there is less stress!

MONTHLY & WEEKLY CALENDAR SCRUBS... we sit down and make the menu around the first of the month, and we fill in the calendar with schedules so we know which days someone will be too busy to do things like cook, wash up, or something else.

DAILY CHECK-INS... whoever is home together in the morning does a morning devotional (yoga, dance time, scriptures, motivational quote, prayers, whatever works for you) and review what's happening so everyone is tracking major tests, work meetings, stressors, ect. Then we try to have dinner together if possible (even if it means eating at 5) and then a bedtime check-in before light's out (usually scriptures, prayers, and chatting, then bedtime stories for the littles). If people are working from home, we might have lunch together too. That means we have 2-4 planned meetings a day so we can course correct. -> If you're not religious, don't stress it. Pull out some Terry Pratchett quotes, favorite poems, pick a theme song for the week and dance to it. Just give you and your people five minutes to do something happy together. -> If this is at work this might mean a team meeting at the start of the day or a 12 minute check-in at 1:30 when everyone is back from lunch. The goal is to make sure everyone is on schedule for what they need, haven't run into an emergencies, and no one has questions. A supported work team gets more done.

SPENDING LIMITS... we got married in college when we lived off college stipends of $400/m. And we had a kid. Our rule was never to spend $20 without consulting the other person. We never changed that. We discuss everything from birthday presents to grocery lists and when we're getting gas in the cars even though we're much more financially stable. It means everyone spending out of the main accounts is tracking where the money is going so we don't over-splurge.

CHORE SCHEDULES... when we were first married we'd set aside an hour or so to clean the house together. It worked. As the kids got older this got more complicated (they needed to learn how to clean). But now we're at a point where everyone has assigned chores and we put bounties on chores that need to get done and are unassigned. And then we have one cleaning day (usually Friday or Saturday) where we take an hour and all clean the shared spaces. It takes 30-60 minutes to clean the entire house if you have six people working together. Laundry has assigned days for every load. The dishwasher and cooking have assigned days. It works. Everyone helps to the best of their abilities. -> With this is a lot of Adjusted Expectations. My house is not color coordinated with everything in a bin. My family is all neurodivergent. Most our dishes live on the counters because putting them away makes them vanish. This works great for us but might be overwhelming for other people. Who cares? It's our house, we're doing what works for us and the person mad about messes on Instagram can suck a lemon. -> If you really cannot do chores, cosplay it. Roll the dice and make it a game. Set a timer. Bribe yourself. Make it work for you.

ONE-ON-ONE TIME... not just for me and hubby, but for parents and kids. We try to make sure everyone gets some alone time where they are the focus of attention and we can check-in and make sure their emotional needs are met. Kids need a space to vent. Adults to a space to not be parents. -> This is super important for friendships too. Make time for people in your life! -> At work, this means managers need to make time to talk with their employees, check-in, and assess who needs things (and consider the people's needs first, not the CEO's bonus)

SCHEDULED DOWNTIME... usually this is Sunday for us (the Sabbath day for our religion), but it can be whenever, and we might have more downtime scheduled on a stressful week than in an easy one. The goal here is to make sure everyone gets time to not work, not lead, not think, and just chill. They can play, listen to music, nap, whatever their brain needs, and they can do it without upsetting anyone or feeling guilty because it's part of the schedule. -> In an office this would mean not lean staffing, maybe having an early release day once a week (or a late start) or long lunches. Give your people space to zone out and chill so they can come back refreshed. -> Quiet Quitting only exists because management is trying to exploit their staff. Don't be that boss. (P.S. Join Your Union)

SOME THINGS DON'T HAPPEN... our kids are limited to one after-school activity a year and one AP class for high schoolers. We've tried other ways and found it generates too much stress. I limit projects I take on because I have a set quitting time, even though I work from home. My husband passes up on some away-from-home events with friends because we prioritize family time. Figuring out that balance is something you have to decide as a family. What works for one person won't work for all. -> In business this means doing sustainable, slow growth over rapid booms that overextend and hurt the system. Stop looking for the short term boost when long term is better.

ADAPT TO WHAT YOUR GROUP NEEDS!... this is the most important one, because what we've done over the years has changed in reaction to the needs of people around us. My kids in college need something different than the one starting middle school. My team at the lab needed something than my team at a newspaper. If you have a bunch of introverts, they probably don't want a dance party, they want a three minute meeting with a heads up about any major disturbances and then ten minutes of silence to prepare their souls for any human interaction. Do what works.

#life hack #quiet quitting #weaponize incompetence #how to prevent problems in life #how to make your life measurably better #after 20+ years of marriage this is what works for me #Liana Brooks #former teen mom pays for her kids to go to college out of pocket because she can

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