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#I feel like I need to do more research to stake a Proper Claim
rawliverandgoronspice · 3 months
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What do you mean you don’t think you can be THE Professional Impa Spokesperson? It’s been YEARS since I’ve seen someone praise Impa as much as yourself. You should take the title so that I have a rival (like Impa was supposed to have the Triforce of Power but then MY WIFE Ganondorf took it and became the power guy so 😏)
I mean, it is on.
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givemethatgold · 3 years
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Fix’er Upper - Part Twelve
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Pairing: Frankie Morales x F!Reader Warnings: Mentions of sex, swearing, mentions of drug use, fluff, smidge of angst? Length: 1.7k Notes: Managed to whip up this bad boy during a quiet moment today and should probably make y’all wait for it but I don’t really do posting schedules (as you’ve noticed) so enjoy. Not beta’d, not proof read, I’ll die on this messy hill.
Series Masterlist
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Surprisingly, life didn't change too much after that night. Frankie continued to run his acreage and oversee the making of this year's cider. With some encouragement and support from you, he was starting to expand the business and already had a few pubs in the closest city clamouring to have his product on tap.
Meanwhile, the improvements on the house were nearing an end, for the indoors list anyways. The first thing Frankie had helped you do was to install your new soaker tub, immediately followed by christening it by making soft, slow love to you inside of it.
There hadn't even been any water, your impatience to be close to each other wouldn't allow for that. You had just stripped out of your coveralls, convenient work-wear for people who fucked like rabbits you had to admit, and sat in his lap with your arms and legs wrapped around him. His hands guiding your hips in a slow rocking motion, breathing each other's air as your open mouths hovered in a not-quite kiss, only breaking eye contact when you threw your head back as you came.
Autumn passed quickly and Winter had gripped Vermont, cloaking the countryside in a heavy blanket of white. Christmas was a cozy affair, you and Frankie had been asked to join Jacquie and Mark in their family's merriment. It had stirred something inside of you, watching a functional family laugh, sing, argue, eat, and love with such abandon. 
It was everything you'd dreamt, initially, for your future with Brad. Now? Now you were starting to picture that future with Frankie's face as the patriarch, you just haven't built up the nerve to broach the subject yet. 
You'd started working at the bakery, enjoying the early mornings surrounded by rising dough and sculling back coffees with the adorable older ladies who ran the place. You'd also begun doing the books for Morales Acres and Catfish Brewery. Frankie was a veritable genius but he claimed he had no patience for keeping receipts and tracking numbers.
You had a sneaking suspicion he was playing dumb in an effort to give you more time together but you really didn't mind. Your break-of-dawn mornings at the bakery had you tired, but after a full day of renovating or bookkeeping, you were downright exhausted and ready for bed by eight pm. This, mixed with Frankie monitoring the brewing, bottling, and distribution of his cider and networking at bars and pubs throughout the state meant the two of you rarely saw each other.
All of your hard work in your own house had made you a popular friend to call when someone needed decorating advice, or a helping hand once they realized they couldn't tile their kitchen backsplash solo. You never charged for your time, although payment had initially been offered until work had got around that you preferred a good meal and conversation over money. I mean, sure, you could use the cash but it just didn't seem right. And you loved helping people and making deeper connections with the town you now truly felt you belonged in.
Tuesday evenings had become an unofficial date night for the two of you. The bakery was closed on Wednesdays and bar owners tended to be less interested in business halfway through the week, something to do with the rush of the previous weekend having worn off and the worry of setting up for another one starting to grow.
This meant you could stay up late, enjoy a proper homemade dinner, maybe even watch a movie or share a bottle of wine while soaking in your big ass tub. It usually ended as a sleepover, your house being the preferred location; Frankie's loft was perfectly fine but it did lack a certain homey appeal.
This pattern, this life, that you'd created for yourself was making you happier than you'd ever been in your entire life. You weren't one hundred percent content, not yet anyway, but the path to getting there was on a direct trajectory. You still wanted to finish your college degree, maybe switch it over to horticulture. Building a greenhouse and selling flowers was still a pipe dream but something your heart truly longed for, something that Frankie was constantly encouraging you to do.
"Look, hun," he had called out to you a few weeks ago while supposedly researching the new line of bottles. "There's an auction next county over and they have all this confiscated stuff from a grow op that got busted!"
"What?" You'd made a face and laughed at the absurdity of it all. "What on earth would you use from a pot farm?"
He just gave you a salacious wink as an answer.
Frankie had been open about his past drug abuse and while some recovering addicts may want all mention of it banned from a conversation, Frankie found levity in treating the topic like any other person would.
It had taken you a couple of hours to realize why he'd brought up the auction. It had hit you with a jolt, knowing that he’d remembered your rambling from on top of the Ferris wheel. You didn't realize he'd been listening when you'd told him about your idea of taking over the flower stand at the market once the current couple retired.
Your heart had swelled and there was a concerted effort to prevent the sudden onset of tears from running down your face. God, you loved this man, maybe one of these days you should tell him...
This particular routine was working well for the two of you. It gave each of you your own space to relax, destress, enjoy the shitty tv shows you were too embarrassed to watch in front of another living person. It also forced the two of you to take your relationship slowly, communication being a constant learning curve. You were both really good and telling each other when you needed time alone, when you were feeling stressed or sad. You each had learned the tells for when the other was angry or just hungry, if it was hormones or if there was something that was actually pissing you off.
The thing you each seemed to struggle with was expressing the softer side of the relationship. Neither of you appeared to have the Words of Affirmation love language skill, yet you both craved to hear it. You showed how much you cared for Frankie with your acts of service; helping him with the boring side of the business, baking, deep cleaning the loft, even scrubbing out the massive fermenter in the Catfish Cider warehouse.
Frankie, on the other hand, showed his love through physical touch. At first, you had assumed it was a staking-his-claim kind of thing but then you noticed how he'd do it all the time. A hand on your lower back while walking, caressing your hand with his thumb when driving in the truck, carding his fingers through your hair while you watched tv.
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This week's date night found you at his place, relaxing in the loft after a busy workday. You were making dinner while he 'helped' by sneaking bites of the prepped ingredients, arm slung around you with a hand in your back pocket.
"What're you looking for?" He asked, taking advantage of your distracted searching through his cupboards to sneak a few more pinches of grated cheese.
"A can opener!" You replied, exasperation raising your voice an octave. "I could have sworn I saw a white one around here somewhere..."
“No, pretty sure that one's yours. I don't think I have one?"
"Frankie," you deadpanned "how did you survive as a bachelor without canned food?"
"I ate a lot of take-out?" He looked indignant at your laughter, "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Can you stop judging me long enough to eat some burritos?"
Smoothing his playful scowl with a kiss, you sat down at the counter and enjoyed your first meal together of the week.
An idea was formulating in the back of your mind, though, and you barely tasted anything. As the evening progressed, the idea grew and you were liking it more and more. The final straw was you not having a toothbrush in his bathroom anymore, having forgotten that it had fallen off the counter and into the trashcan the last time you'd spent the night.
Using his, with a strange mixture of distaste and nonchalance, before making your way over to the bed, you began to plan how the conversation could go:
Hey Frankie, so you know how I have a big house all to myself? Yeah... And it had everything we need in it? Yeah... And there's more than enough room for two adults to store all of their things? Yeah... And I wouldn't have to use your toothbrush ever again? Yea- wait what? I think you should move in with me.
It wasn't very romantic but it was the most likely, considering your dynamic. Just as you were crawling into bed and snuggling under the arm he'd raised to allow you to get closer, his cell phone rang.
"Hello? - This is he. - Yeah, biological. - Oh god, when?"
The immediate change in his tone from questioning to horrified caught your attention, sitting up to face him you grabbed his free hand, silently letting him know you were there for support.
His eyes were out of focus and a panicked expression was slowly morphing his face as the conversation went on, but he gave your hand a squeeze back in acknowledgement.
"Yes, in Vermont. Do you have my address? - Okay, good, good...okay - When? - I'll have something ready. Umm... does she... does she remember me? - Oh. Okay, thank you."
Slowly lowering the phone from his ear, Frankie sat staring into nothingness for what felt like hours. His side of the conversation and the way he was reacting had you rattled. You could guess as to what was happening but weren't sure if now was the right time to pry.
"Babe? Is, is everything okay?"
Silence.
Gripping his hand tighter and rubbing his back you sat with him for a few more minutes before trying again. You didn’t want to push him but your heart was constricting in your chest from nervousness and concern for him.
"Can I get you anything? What do you need?"
His hand was now completely dead in yours; eventually, he turned his head towards you, eyes never fully focusing, and shook his head.
"I- she- fuck... I think you should go.”
Part Thirteen
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terrence-silver · 3 years
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Some Yandere!Terry Silver headcanons, please?🐍🖤
giffie provided by the beautiful @atmostories
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- When Terry hates, he hates all the way. No middle grounds. Without limits, reservations or boundaries. Same goes for when he loves someone, as rare as that may be. He relinquishes all sense, all reason and absolutely embraces bias and favouritism without even hiding that he does. As I keep reiterating, his person is simply the best, the greatest, the loveliest, the most correct person that ever was, purely by virtue of them being his person. There might be a great trace of narcissism to such a stance too seeing as how Terry can't comprehend a world where anyone associated with him isn't purely the most admirable individual because why on earth would he of all people associated with anything less in the first place? Sure, objectively, you might be the most commonly mundane person, but not to Terry. No. To Terry you're extraordinary and he'll demand everyone else to hold such an opinion under duress if need be, and he tends to turn real antagonistic and standoffish real quick if he finds someone isn't fawning over his person the way they ought to. But, if they fawn too much, well -- that doesn't please him either and might just inspire jealousy. No winning with him. He loves that he's so hard to appease.
- He is also one for control. He is a control freak to excess. So, a Yandere!Terry might hold a certain resentment if he falls in love. Because one can't control who and when they fall for someone. It is usually entirely spontaneous and unpredictable and Terry doesn't like surprises, especially not of the emotional kind because he might feel it leaves him exposed and vulnerable. Endows him with another weakness he didn't previously have - so, in light of that, for a while, he might be out to hurt you. Toy with you. Test your resolve. Prod and poke at you, like a voodoo doll - sadist that he is. He might even take you and tuck you away somewhere within some dark corner of his mansion and not let out out until he figures out just what to do next, strategically. Or he might observe you. Stalk you. Research you from afar. Collect some of your things, or steal them rather. Outright manipulate and induce mental anguish in a roundabout way - he doesn't quite enjoy the emotions you've inspired in him, due to his own issues of just needing to have ever miniscule thing in order, at all times, even the things connected to his own heart. Especially those things. So, once you do, for the longest time, you're Terry's enemy and you've officially declared war. The devil works hard, but Terry Silver works harder.
- He gives obsession by definition a whole new meaning, because in spite of his partial resentment and adoration towards you, he'll also want all of you. All. Literally all. The good. The bad. The very worst. The very best. Everything in between. There's honestly just no telling how far it goes when he starts adopting actual tid-bits of your behaviour or mannerism into his own because that's how he shows his love. His attachment. Through imitation. Through...adopting some miniscule trace of your habits or your appearance, or maybe he just starts tapping his fingers to excess on the surface of a table in anticipation once he catches wind of you doing, or perhaps, he starts incorporating your favourite color into his attire, purely because it's your most preferred one. Not unlike a black hole, Terry has the tendency to consume. Consume fear. Consume power. Consume markers of hedonism. Consume identities, if need be. Either due to grief. Remembrance. Possession. Merely because he can. Because he wants to. Your body's his. And your heart is his. Your soul is his. Everything you own is his. Your very personhood might as well be his as well. He sees no reason why he shouldn't usurp everything his darling has to offer and then some. What he does with his new stake of ownership is another thing entirely - whether he loves or destroys or both is of little importance, because he sees, he likes, he claims and then proceeds doing whatever he pleases. End of discussion.
- People from your past might mysteriously start, uh, falling off. Disappearing. Distancing themselves from you. Surely, Terry had no part in it, except, well, now that he's here, he sees no reason why you should need anyone else? Isn't it a given he's the best? And as such, more then a worthy replacement for any amount of individuals serving as your support system prior to him arriving? Surely, he's a far superior choice. He outmatches anyone and everyone. You don't need those other pesky nobodies. Those distractions. He slips sweet poison into your ears and convinces you he's all you ever needed and craved, but you simply didn't even know. But, oh, he's the face of kindness and he came along in the nick of time to help you. What an angel. He's all favours. Good, well-meaning advice. Strategic encouragement. Protection. Being eerily there whenever you need him. And he'll make sure you need him all the time. He wants you to be unable to function without him, crippling all your defenses. He says the exact perfect thing you want to hear, at the exact, perfect calculated time, like someone capable of reading minds. He gives affection and then removes it. Gives it and removes it. Hot and cold. Hot and cold. He keeps repeating the process, both overstimulating you emotionally, only to suddenly deny you enough times where you're a simpering, stuttering pathetic, dependable little mess for him. Putty in his hands. He'll play you like a fiddle. And you'll dance to his tune eagerly because he'll make sure you adore him and want to appease him so much he'll land himself with a sweet little slave. No, no - he's not an egoistic narcissist, he's just looking after his investment and making sure nobody infringes upon it. And how could anyone possibly, if there's nobody beside you but him?
- Although, that being said, nothing's for free, right? Not even him caring for darling you. Don't you know how very exclusive that is? How rare? How unusual. Terry hasn't been significantly close to much of anyone but John Kreese, and that's a camaraderie forged in blood and war, two decades in the making, so for you to be deemed so very special, above all others, the least you can do is repay Terry's emotional courtesy, after he's allowed you into his inner circle like this. After he's allowed as much as your fingers to graze his skin. Don't you know he doesn't fancy being touched by much of anyone else, almost? Don't you know he isn't kind to just about anyone, but his people? Don't you figure you owe him something after he's provided you with every luxury and comfort known to man? Practically pampering and fussing you to trips and trinkets and indulgences? How lucky you are. How privileged. One in a million. And of course, being something of a petulant, unpredictable Yandere himself, what he expects in payment is your undying desire, devotion and discipline. He wants you yearning for him, always. He wants your undying, absolute loyalty. And he wants you attuned, focused and his. He expects to domineer every aspect of your life just due to the fact that he showed you the vague mercy of allowing you in. He's nitpicky and a perfectionist, so, if he singled you out as something or someone he wants, he expects the fact he put in actual time, effort, conditioning and proper seduction into you to a fruitful venture. Don't you know that for a billionaire with his own world-wide conglomerate, time's the most expensive capital in the world? So, if he gives you some of his, he expects it given back by the tenfold.
- For all his many shenanigans, cat and mouse games, tricks, ploys, schemes, obsessive outburst, denial, once Terry loves you, he loves you, and not in five, ten, fifteen, fifty years will that state of mind ever change for him and in spite of his best, most desperate borderline strategic methods to prevent being commanded by a feeling, he still ends up very much controlled by it and really, everything he does to you, ultimately, he does to himself too, invertedly, falling into a trap of his own making. If he strived to make you his slave, he becomes yours. If he tried to make you putty in his hands, he eventually became just that where you are concerned. If he wished to make you disciplined, devoted and full of desire for him, that's the stance he takes towards you. He becomes a mirror image of all his actions and they reflect back on him, and his dedication to you becomes a lifetime affair. You're his most prized person. His madness. And rock. And light. And everything. Where Terry's concerned, you're one. You're an Ouroboros. Snake biting a snake's tail. Infinity. Where he begins and you end is hard to gage, because in his plans to slowly consume you, you've consumed him as well, it's best not to test or try him where the question of just how far he'd go for your sake is in question, because Terry would go to any lengths, by any means, for any and no reason, and if he had to pollute and burn down and kill and manipulate the whole world for your sake, he would. His adoration, turns out, can be a very dark place to be.
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softinkshadows · 3 years
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valentine dates with adultrio (x female reader)
Disclaimer: It’s February! This means it’s time for some lists of valentine’s day scenarios with our problem trio :p Takes place in a semi-AU where I’d imagine they would have some semblance of normalcy (if they could ever) in their lives hehe. Smutty descriptions included.
HISOKA
- you bet he will do something over the top - we know that man loves to put on a good show. he will schedule a dinner with you on valentine’s at your favourite restaurant, and when you get ready and arrive, he will probably break up with you over the phone as a joke. by the time you get back to your apartment, on the brink of a breakdown, you’ll open the door to him sitting on the couch with an exquisite candlelight dinner prepared.
- “did you think i’d let you go so easily?”
- he will be dressed up, sporting a loosened tie and maybe a jacket, with his hair combed back and smirking at you while you take in everything with your mascara running down your tear-stained face
- you’ll be so damn furious and probably take out the rage on him through sex that night and he’ll love you even more for that 
- “how much do you hate me right now?” he’ll whisper in your ear, teasing you while fingering you at a torturous pace 
- when you both shower together after, it is strangely not sexual, a rarity for hisoka. amidst the rising steam from all the hot water, both your bodies clean and wet, he doesn’t say anything, but he’ll hold your face in his palms for a moment, as if to show how much you mean to him 
- in another scenario, he will turn up at your front door on valentine’s dressed to impress - suit, tie, his hair let down in the most sensual way possible, holding a dramatically huge bouquet of roses
- he’s usually busy, and you don’t get to see him much, so this is a treat. “roses? didn’t take you to be a romantic sort,” you’d say
- after he crosses the threshold and enters your home, he’ll sigh. “you’re right. it’s valentine’s, so i thought i had to get them. troublesome things.” then he’ll casually discard them on your table, loosen his tie and prepare himself for what he really came for
- “let’s skip dinner and get started shall we?”
ILLUMI
- he’s an affection-starved bb and won’t really know how to say i love you, let alone do valentine’s day
- so he’ll be studiously researching on the internet a few days earlier on things to do and how to go about preparing for them
- you want him to take it easy, and suggest meeting him at his apartment first. but when you get there, you see him in a white dress shirt and simple apron, sleeves rolled up and long black hair tied back, going back and forth between recipe instructions on a computer and the mixing bowl on the kitchen counter, looking determined but confused as he goes about making some valentine’s day chocolates from scratch
- it’s a mess and the chocolate is half-ruined, his fingers are covered in them, and some have gotten on his shirt as well
- “isn’t it... supposed to be something like this?”
- you can’t help but double over in laughter, your heart warm from the sight. after cleaning it up together, he places the little strange blobs of chocolate gingerly in the fridge before you go for dinner
- dinner is at a cafe nearby, and he’s his usual quiet self, only occasionally recounting his recent assassination jobs, something which you have gotten used to
- afterwards, you both walk home together. something about the soft warm glow of streetlights and music coming from all the cafes lining the street makes him stop. you follow suit, turning to him.
- “y/n...” his voice will trail off quietly. then he will put his hand on your head and give it a soft pat - a precious moment
- back home, he will try one of his handmade chocolates but it will undoubtedly taste funny. you see his back stiffen but you demand to try one. you both get into a physical tussle (you forcing your way to the chocolate, and him barring you from them), but you’ll kiss him fiercely to taste it. you’ll see him blush deeply
- in the afterglow of sex, he will play with your hair and cuddle you to sleep
CHROLLO
- he has great taste and has exceptional class, so you can expect him to pull out all the stops. a swanky restaurant for sure, the kind which needs to be booked months in advance with a dress code
- he will pick you up from your apartment right on time. when you step out to the street he will be leaning against his porsche, dressed in an expensive 3-piece suit, holding an elegant bouquet of flowers
- “you look so beautiful”
-  when you greet him, he will look at you with a mix of pride, lust, happiness with his piercing grey eyes, his hands instinctively moving to your lower back, as if to stake his claim over you
- so far he seems very by the book, but over the course of the night, his sweet demeanour gives way to his more possessive and dominant self beneath his calm and gentlemanly facade 
- in the three star michelin restaurant, his hands will be on your legs beneath the table, hiking your dress up and slowly stroking your knees, your upper thigh. he will continue to make conversation like everything is normal, his smile drawn into a slight smirk, eyes twinkling, watching you struggle to eat and hold a proper discussion, your face turning redder as his hands travel further upward
- afterwards, you’ll be walking down the carpeted, exquisite hallway outside the restaurant. if there’s no one, he’ll suddenly push you against the wall, leaning on one of his forearms, spreading your legs gently with his own, raising your right knee to rest on his thigh, while his other errant hand slides up into your dress. by then you would be slightly wet from his consistent advances over dinner, and he confirms this by slipping two fingers beneath your underwear and into you
- “s-someone m-might see us,” you will sputter, gasping from the pleasure. “so what? lucky them,” he will chuckle
- his audacity makes you blush, and when you’re about to give in to this ridiculous situation, he pulls his fingers from you, cleaning them with his tongue
- he will whisk you back to his apartment straight after, and the door will only just click before he is on you in an instant, his lust overpowering and wild with an unfettered hunger. you will feel the hot, hard bulge of his pants rub against you while he slips his tongue into your mouth almost desperately, and you realize how much he held himself back throughout the night
- sex with him is feverish; he will take you anywhere, in any position. when he pounds rapidly into you, as you are about to reach your release, he will grip you gently by the hair and growl in your ear - “does hisoka make you feel this good?” and it’s enough to send you over the edge
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Notes: That’s all for this February special for now! I really wanted to include some illumi x hisoka x reader or adultrio x reader scenarios because valentine’s day celebrations aren’t restricted to two ;P but i didn’t have enough time - maybe a next part? I will be quite busy over the next week, and wouldn’t get a chance to write much so wanted to do this tonight :) Thank you to everyone who has read my previous writing and left likes and words of encouragement; i’m so thankful!!! I appreciate y’all and im so happy that you enjoyed them~
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lydia-bell · 3 years
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The Twelfth Time’s the Charm
Happy TBTP Holidays, @mysugarglidersrox​! I wrote you a bit of AU Stragan fluff (mostly). I hope you enjoy it!
[Edit: now with AO3 link!]
The Twelfth Time’s the Charm
Alex finally made it to the front of the line for signings. She'd let everyone else go ahead of her because she wanted to have a bit of fun without worrying that she was holding anyone else up. Handing the hardcover to the author, she said "I'm really looking forward to reading this. The chapter you read was pretty compelling."
"Thank you," he said, giving a small nod of acknowledgement. He was even prettier up close, those bright blue eyes catching and holding her attention. 
"So, to whom shall I make this out?"
"Alex Reagan." She waited to see if he would make the connection.
"Is that spelled with..." his voice trailed off. He looked up at her, his brow slightly furrowed. "Alex Reagan. Have we met?"
"No, we never did quite manage it," she replied lightly. Maybe if I'd called a twelfth time."
He actually looked abashed. It was a good look on him. "Of course. The reporter." Then his eyes narrowed a bit and he said, "I hope you aren't still trying to get me to agree to an interview."
"Nope. We wrapped on that story months ago. I just thought it would be fun."
He relaxed then and started to sign her book. "Is 'Reagan' spelled with or without an 'a'?"
"With. It used to be pronounced like the president but I guess my dad's family decided they didn't want the association. It was easier to change the pronunciation than the spelling."
He laughed, signed the book, and handed it back to her. 
"I hope you didn't take it personally when I didn't call back, Ms. Reagan. But at the time, I was very much focused on finishing this book, and in any event I'm afraid I've never enjoyed talking with the press."
"It's OK, lots of people don't."
"I presume you were able to find someone else to talk to."
"Oh, sure. Though the whole 'paranormal investigator' well ran a little dry after that. Maybe if you'd returned my calls, we could have done a whole series on it," she teased. 
"I'm sure I'm not that fascinating," he demurred.
"Oh, I don't know."
He chuckled. "You have a way with flattery, Ms. Reagan."
"Alex."
"Alex. I haven't had dinner yet. Would you be interested in joining me?"
"I think I'd like that a lot, yeah."
***
Strand—he'd said to call him Richard but she was struggling a bit to adjust—wanted some good, fresh seafood because "it's not the same in Chicago." That was fine with Alex, so they found an oyster bar a couple of blocks from the bookstore. Once they'd placed their orders, and thus run out of obvious small-talk fodder, she wasn’t sure what to say next. She was feeling oddly nervous, like this was a date with stakes instead of a spur-of-the-moment meal with a (granted, hot) former prospective interview subject.
She decided to ease into the conversation by asking about something she knew he would want to talk about.
"So, what inspired you to write your book?"
"I'm trying to do my part to encourage rational thinking in the world, against the tide of all of the forces that seem to be pushing in the opposite direction."
It was really unreasonable, Alex reflected, to be attracted to someone who talked like that all the time. But here she was. "Sure, but I meant more like, why this particular book, and why you?"
"Let's just say that I have experience with," he paused, "family members who have turned to the occult in times of crisis. It didn't provide the answers they were looking for, and it probably prevented them from doing something more useful."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."
"Thank you."
They both fell quiet for a moment as the waiter brought their food. When he'd gone, Richard continued as if he'd never stopped.
"The impulse to turn to paranormal explanations is understandable in some ways. Especially for people who have suffered trauma, or who lack a proper understanding of science and statistics. Other people have a psychological need to feel that they're special, that they have secret knowledge of some hidden aspect of the world. Some people are just looking for a break from the mundane. Of course there are other outlets that for these impulses—things like conspiracy theories or radical political movements, for instance. Either way, if people aren't careful about how they get their needs met, they can become targets. They can delude themselves. I want to prevent that, as much as I can."
"Wow," Alex said. "I guess that's...I don't know, deeper than I expected it to be?" Off his raised eyebrow she added, "That may have come out wrong. I guess I just expected something more along the lines of the videos I've seen you in."
"Ah, yes. Less human nature, more ripping apart the claims of charlatans."
"Something like that, yeah."
"Well," he admitted, "there's some of that too."
Alex laughed.
"Speaking of charlatans," Richard continued, "I certainly hope you found someone to represent the rational point of view on your show."
"We couldn't really find another person with your particular profile, but we did talk to a couple of skeptics. And a woman named Arianna Asadi called me..."
Richard groaned softly.
Alex laughed. "What? She said she heard I'd been calling around to paranormal researchers, and she wanted to make sure I didn't get the wrong idea. She warned me off of them!"
Richard huffed. "Ms. Asadi is an odd case. She purports to be a serious researcher. She even offers very well-founded debunkings of the ghost hunters and so-called psychics who prey on people looking for answers and meaning. And then she publishes books about 'historical hauntings'. I believe she's actually sincere, but it's all very frustrating."
"Well, she thinks highly of you."
"And what makes you say that?"
"That she said she admires your body of work." He actually blushed a little. Alex grinned and continued. "Anyway, you're right about the debunking. She asked who I'd talked to so far, and when I told her, she immediately listed off all these tricks they do to make it seem like lights are going out on their own and things like that. It was amazing, she basically described everything that happened with Emily Dumont and the old psych hospital. I think Dumont must do the same stuff a lot."
"Oh, I assure you, she does."
"See, it could have been you, explaining all this to our listeners," she teased.
"It could. But to be honest, knowing that you'd been talking to people like Dumont and Abruzzi, I wasn't sure what kind of show you were making or whether I wanted to be part of it. And anyway, I needed to focus on my book. I'm trying to reach as wide an audience as possible."
"Well, that episode was only downloaded 100,000 times, so I can see how that might not be a big enough audience."
His eyes widened. "I apologize. To be honest, I have no idea how many people listen to shows like yours. I'm not really familiar with the podcasting medium."
"I'd noticed."
"I shouldn't have assumed."
It was fun having him a bit on on defensive, a bit flustered. "It wasn't very intellectually rigorous of you."
"It wasn't," he agreed.
"It did help that we got a big boost from the mothership—from Pacific Northwest Stories," she admitted. "But yeah, the show's doing pretty well, and we have enough sponsors these days to keep us in plane tickets and free socks, so I have no complaints. Well. I might want to do something a little more substantial at some point. But this is fun."
"So if you were to do something a little more substantial, as you say, what would it be?"
"I don't know. Maybe people who are working on climate change mitigation. Like, we still have to think about reducing emissions, but there are lots of people who've just basically decided that's not going to work or it's not going to be enough and are figuring out how they're going to live in the new climate. It's kind of depressing? But also kind of hopeful. There's a lot of people doing that work around Seattle. A lot of Indigenous people, in particular. I don't think it would be hard to at least get a mini-series out of it."
"That's a big departure from interviewing Emily Dumont."
She laughed. "It is! Don't get me wrong, I definitely think there's room for both kinds of stories in the world. All kinds of stories. But I just feel like I want to branch out a little."
"Well, I hope you get a chance to do that show sometime soon," he said. "It sounds like a subject worthy of your talents."
OK, wow. And he'd said she had a way with flattery. "Thanks. So, um. What about you, what's next for you?" she asked.
"I had to basically put the functions of the Strand Institute on hiatus while I finished the book, so I'll work on getting that running again," he said. "Also, as it happens, I'll probably be back in Seattle a few times in the next few months."
"Oh?"
"Yes, my father lived here before his death. No condolences necessary," he said, pre-empting her, "it was almost 20 years ago now. But there are still some aspects of his estate that need to be dealt with, including the sale of his house."
"Oh, well. I can show you around, if you'd like. When you come back."
"I would like that very much."
The waiter came with the check. Alex started to say something about paying her share but Richard said "Please, allow me. I did invite you to dinner, after all." She had to admit to herself, as she watched the waiter show Richard how to settle the bill on his iPad, it was something of a relief; the prices had been frankly terrifying on a journalist's salary.
As they were walking back to her parking spot, they passed a quiet-looking bar. Richard stopped in front of it.
"Would you like to get a drink?" he asked.
Yes. She took a deep breath. "It sounds nice, but, I don't think that's a good idea. I had that beer with dinner, and it was a while ago so I should be OK, but I have to drive."
"Of course." He hesitated for a moment. "Although, if you don't want to drive home...you don't have to."
"Ah." It wasn't a complete surprise, but—OK, yes, maybe she was stereotyping because of his age and his manner, but he hadn't struck her as a sex-on-the-first-date kind of guy.
She must have come across as pretty unenthusiastic, because he added, "That's not why I paid for dinner."
"I know." And she did. He wasn't really smooth enough to be a manipulator...unless, of course, he was such a good manipulator that he was only faking the bluntness and questionable social graces in order to lure her into a false sense of security.
It didn't seem likely.
Did she want to have sex with him? (Well, yeah.) Did she even like him? Everybody had said he was kind of a prick, and they weren't wrong. But he wasn't just that, either. Maybe it was his obvious passion for his work, or maybe it was just that she'd seldom known anyone quite so confidently, exasperatingly himself—even if that self might be, well, a little stuffy and self-important. He wasn't even a little bit charming but he was somehow still endearing. (He'd also been very respectful to the waitstaff, and that was always a good sign.)
She was pretty sure she liked him. He was a challenge, no doubt—but Alex was never deterred by a challenge. But she had a stupidly early morning tomorrow and also, God, she hadn't worn her pretty underwear or shaved or anything, and it was silly, yes, but she liked to make a good first impression.
And then she imagined saying that out loud and how ridiculous he would find it. "The male libido," she imagined him saying sternly, "isn't deterred by those things. Women are far more concerned about their body hair than men are."
God help her, the thought made her giggle. She suppressed it, though—it didn't seem polite to start laughing right after someone asked you to sleep with them. "I'm very, very tempted," she said. "But it's late, and I have an 8am meeting for some ungodly reason."
"I understand."
"But," she continued, poking him gently in the chest, "I'm going to hold you to that promise to look me up the next time you're in Seattle."
He smiled, probably the warmest smile she'd seen on him all night. He really was very attractive, damn it. "Good."
In a couple of minutes they were back at her car. Neither one of them seemed to be sure what to do next, so she unlocked it, but didn't make a move to get in.
"Do you want me to drive you back to your hotel?" 
"What? Oh. No, thank you. I'll be fine." He seemed very distracted all of a sudden, like he was looking past her, or just a bit over her head. She turned around, but there was nothing there. Just deep shadows.
"Everything OK?"
"Of course. I just thought I saw something." 
"OK. Well. Good night?"
"Good night." A bit hesitantly, he bent toward her.
He was so tall, she had to almost get on tiptoes to kiss him. It started out light, but they both lingered and it quickly became intense. Not sloppy, do-me-right-here-right-now intense, more like... like there was a lot of feeling under that buttoned-down exterior. They stepped further into each other's space; he was so much bigger than her that his embrace was like being wrapped up in a cloak, and it could have been intimidating but it wasn't, it was warm, it was hot. He ran one hand through her hair and gently cupped the back of her head to pull her closer. Fuck, it was good.
To hell with 8am meetings, she thought. To hell with next time. She deserved some fun.
She pulled away, not far, but far enough to look him in the eye and say, "I think...I think I'd like to take you up on your offer after all."
His hand was still in her hair. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
They got into the car to drive back to his hotel. She fumbled her keys a bit, making them both chuckle in that high-strung way of people who know something's about to happen. As they pulled away, she noticed that Richard was looking back at that same spot.
It was weird—all she could see were shadows.
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Riverdale OC Masterlist
(several of these ocs may end up getting scrapped entirely, but I’m not ready to commit to that yet so they’re on the list for now)
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Name: Amethyst Andrews
Story: (Cast Not Your Stone at the) Wayward Daughter
Series: (Child, They’re) Seeking Weakness Tonight
AO3 | FFNET | WATTPAD
Face claim: Kaya Scodelario 
Love interest: queerplatonic poly Serpents, endgame romantic Sweet Pea & Jughead Jones
Summary: Amethyst Adams was 8 years old when her father died, 12 when she joined the Serpents, and 15 when her adoptive father, Fred Andrews, was shot in a diner. Between trying to run a gang, keep her family alive, and maybe, just maybe, not die along the way, her return to Riverdale never had a chance of going smoothly.
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Name: Aaliya Andrews
Story: My Brother’s Keeper
Series: (In Their Triumph Die) Like Fire And Powder
Face claim: Danielle Rose Russell
Love Interest: Jason Blossom; eventual Sweet Pea & Fangs Fogarty
Summary: Aaliya Andrews loved her brother more than anything, and she would do anything for him; even keep her summer a secret.  Archie didn’t need to know that she’d joined the Southside Serpents towards the end of their freshman year, he didn’t need to know that she’d done a strip show in a sketchy biker bar to earn the jacket that she hid in the back of her closet, and he definitely didn’t need to know that she’d started that fateful Fourth of July by waking up in bed with Jason Blossom.  But then sophomore year starts, and with that comes cheerleading and football, playing guitar and talking about going professional, her boyfriend’s - now ex boyfriend’s, she’d suppose - body being found in the river, and an investigation that threatens to reveal every secret she’s ever kept.
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Name: Abigail Adler
Face claim: Hailee Steinfeld
Fic: Swan Song
Love Interest: Archie Andrews
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Name: Addison “Addy” Blake
Face claim: Troian Bellisario
Fic: Alike In Dignity
Series: (From Ancient Grudge) Break To New Mutiny
Love Interest: Sweet Pea & Toni Topaz
Summary:  Addison Blake had it all. Class president at Greendale Prep, captain of the field hockey team, reigning champion of Riverdale’s Country Club’s teen tennis tournament, all around top girl. But when a shocking scandal shuts her school down and she’s forced to start at Riverdale High, she’s less than impressed—especially when she learns that an entire gang is transferring there too. When one of the boys catches her eye, she tells herself that she can resist the electricity she feels, but something is hanging in the stars, and star crossed lovers have never had a chance.
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Name: Adelynn Andrews-Smith
Story: Abyss
Face claim: Phoebe Tonkin
Summary: Back in 2000, Mary Andrews was told that she could never have kids; and so, she and Fred looked into adoption.  They found eight year old Adelynn Smith; and despite her temper and how many families had given up on her, they knew that she was perfect for their little family.  And when Mary miraculously got pregnant with Archie a couple of years later, they were thrilled that their family was going to grow.  And for several years, everything was perfect.  They knew, and Adelynn knew, who her parents were; they allowed and encouraged her to develop her relationship with her father; and they always listened when she talked about her long-since adopted twin brother.  And when, shortly after Fred is shot, Adelynn tells them that the Chic claiming to be Charles Smith is definitely not her brother, they listen.
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Name: Alina Allan
Story: Violent Delights
Face claim: Krysten Ritter
Love Interest: FP Jones
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Name: Ally Andrews
Story: Home Again
Series: (Make This Place) Your Home
Face claim: Adelaide Kane
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Name: Amber Andrews
Story: Petrichor
Face claim: Kennedy McMann
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Name: Anastasia Andrews
Story: Say I’m In Too Deep
Series: (Cause I’ve Still Got) A Lot of Fight Left in Me
AO3 | FFNET | WATTPAD
Face claim: Abigail Cowen
Love interest: Jughead Jones
Summary:  Starting high school was supposed to be fun, right?  Apparently whoever said that had never found their brother hooking up with the pedophilic music teacher on their first day, but Anastasia Andrews could tell you from experience, that ruined it.  And if Archie was lying about his relationship with Grundy, could that mean he was also lying about July 4th?  She might not care about Jason Blossom, but she cared about protecting her brother, and if the best way to do that was to team up with Jughead Jones to solve the case themselves, well, she’d do it.
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Name:  Angela DeSantos
Story: Gold Lie Promises
Face claim:  Sofia Carson as Evie
Love interest: Veronica Lodge
Summary:  Angela De Santos was a born Serpent, although she and her twin brother didn’t officially join until they were thirteen.  She loved the Serpents, she really did, and she would do anything for them.  So when her brother got roped into disposing of Jason Blossom’s body, she kept her mouth shut; when he got assigned to seduce the Keller kid to keep an eye on the investigation, she gave him a folder of research on all of his interests and hobbies; and when she got assigned to seduce the Lodge heiress to keep an eye on her parents?  Well, it’d hardly be the worst thing she’s done for the gang, so long as she can keep her own feelings out of the mix.
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Name: Ariel Blossom
Title: I’m No Princess of Pain
Series: (Something) Next to Normal
Face claim: Holland Roden
Love interest: Malachai
Summary: As the oldest Blossom child, Ariel was always supposed to inherit the family business.  But after learning the truth she rejected the “maple industry”, moving to California the day after she graduated.  Pursuing her dream of acting and modelling, she had no desire to ever look back.  She wouldn’t have ever stepped foot in Riverdale again, if not for her baby brother’s corpse being found with a bullet hole in the head.
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Name: Artemisia Andrews
Story: Watch What Happens
Face claim: Katie Douglas
Summary: When Arti Andrews first left Riverdale during her parents’ divorce, she was happy to get away from the small town and live in a big city.  But over the years, things changed, and she wanted nothing more than to go home and reunite with her dad and her twin brother.  So when, five years later, Ari Andrews is finally going home, she couldn’t be more excited.  But Riverdale isn’t the town that she remembers, and with all of the secrets she’s keeping, the stakes are higher than ever.
Name: Astoria Topaz
Story: There’s A Fire Burning In My Bones
Series: (Hell Is Empty) And All The Devils Are Here
Face claim:  China Anne McClain
Love interest: Jughead Jones
Summary: Astoria Topaz was a Serpent by blood, and by choice.  She joined with her twin sister and their two best friends, Fangs and Sweet Pea, when they were all thirteen, and had quickly risen in the ranks among teenagers.  She never expected to be a leader though, until FP Jones got arrested.  Suddenly there was a hole that needed to be filled, and apparently Astoria would have to fill it.  That’s fine, she’s a born Serpent and knows how to keep her family together–or she did, until Jughead Jones walks into the Wyrm, suddenly ready to take on his legacy.  But still, Astoria was born a Serpent, and she’ll die a Serpent, she’ll live as a Serpent come hell or high water.
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Name: Barbie Booth
Story: New Girl In Town
Series: (Cause I Am) So Much Better Than Before
Face claim: Candice King
Summary: By fifteen, Barbie Booth already had her eye on the prize: early admission to Tisch for musical theatre, followed by an upper east side apartment with her best friend Veronica Lodge - who would be studying business at Columbia, and then starring as Elle Woods in a revival of Legally Blonde The Musical.  But her plan didn’t include Veronica’s dad getting arrested, and her other half moving to some bumfuck town called Riverdale, leaving her alone for her sophomore year at Spence.  And it definitely didn’t account for her parents up and moving them to Riverdale, for reasons that they refused to explain.  But at least she’d be with Ronnie again, and at least Ronnie told her that Riverdale High wasn’t as bad as they’d imagined.  But then they get to Riverdale, and her plans really go to shit -not only did her parents not research the town that they were moving to, but they bought a house on the south side of the town, dooming her to the rundown school on the wrong side of the tracks, riddled with gangs, murder investigations and, worst of all, no musical theatre program.
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Name: Becca Jackson
Story: Everybody Else’s Girl
Series: (Maybe One Day) She’ll Be Her Own
AO3 | FFNET | WATTPAD
Face claim: Sofia Carson
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Name: Bella Baxter
Story: The Beauty of A Secret
Face claim: Ciara Bravo
Love interest: Reggie Mantle, Sweet Pea & Fangs Fogarty
Summary:  Bella Baxter is as Northside as they come. Raised in a two story house with a white picket fence, River Vixen since freshman year, best friends include Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Kevin Keller, and Jughead Jones.  The only thing that isn’t “proper Northside” about her is simple, FP Jones, the Serpent King himself, is her godfather–and more importantly, has been her legal guardian since she was ten years old. Bella has clung desperately to her Northside image for the past five years, but when Jason Blossom goes missing, it’s time to decide: is her loyalty to her family or to the persona she’s so carefully crafted.
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Name:  Beverly Mantle
Story: Steady Satellite
Series: (I’ll Walk Through) Hell With You
Face claim: Arden Cho
Love interest: Fangs Fogarty & Sweet Pea
Summary:  Everyone at Riverdale High knew the Mantles.  Beverly and Reginald, Bev and Reg, as inseparable as they’d been in the womb.  Vice-Captain of the River Vixens and Vice-Captain of the Bulldogs, they were untouchable.  And Jason Blossom’s murder only brought them closer together.  They’d never had any secrets from each other, it was them against the world.  Or it was, until a fight causes Beverly to run away, to cross the bridge to the Southside, where she meets two boys as attractive as they are mysterious, and she knows that she can never let Reggie find out.
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Name:  Beverly Mantle
Story: The Inevitably Cursed Life Of Beverly & Reginald Mantle; The Inescapable Secrets That Follow You From Riverdale
Series: (I’ll Walk Through) Hell With You
Face claim: Arden Cho
Love interest: Fangs Fogarty & Sweet Pea
Summary:  Fangs got shot, the Serpents were at war, Archie had just been arrested, and Beverly had been shot. Well, the Mantle twins had always known how to cut their losses. They’d already dealt with being emancipated, after Reggie’s jingle jangle business had Marty hospitalizing both of this children, so it was clearly time for the next step. Get the hell out of Riverdale. Rosewood seemed like a nice enough place to go, and they already had a friend there. Sure, they hadn’t talked to Allison since last summer but really, how much can change in a year?
(aka the PLL crossover that nobody asked for)
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Name: Caden “Adder” Archer
Story: Snake Bite
Series: (In Unity) There Is Strength
Face claim: Tyler Posey
Summary: Caden and Carson Archer, Adder and Asp to most of the world, had always been inseperable.  Even as young children, stuck in the Sisters Of Quiet Mercy orphanage, they were always together.  So when the Archers showed up, looking to foster a child, they knew they had to take the pair.  Growing up on the Southside brought them closer, and the duo found themselves joining the Serpents together and quickly embracing their new names; Adder, dangerous but only when provoked, and Asp, unassuming but volatile and lethal.  But even after they joined the gang, found themselves an extended family in the form of rough around the edge bikers, they were always closest with each other.  And that’s why they’re the only ones who know the truth - on July 3rd, Caden and Carson Archer were hooking up with Cheryl and Jason Blossom and on July 4th, they heard a gunshot.
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Name: Cameron Newton
Story: Ghost Of The City
Series: (The Ashes Of The People) You Really Meant To Be
Face claim: Maia Mitchell
Love Interest: Archie Andrews
Summary: After the creep in a black suit - the Gargoyle King - took over her town and sent her parents to work at his prison-slash-drug-den, Cameron Newton really didn’t think that anything could surprise her.  And then the so-called Red Paladin showed up with nothing but his best friend an an absolute determination to destroy the man who ruined his life.  Well, Cam can relate, and she quickly appoints herself as their third musketeer - if only she’d known what the quest had in store for her, for all of them.
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Name: Candy Barker
Story: Sweet As Sugar
Series: (The Loneliness) Of Loving You
Face claim: Elizabeth Gillies
Love Interest: Poly Serpents
Summary: Candy Barker knew that the Blossom and Cooper children didn’t know that they were related.  She also knew that they didn’t know that there had been a third brother once, who broke off from the family and changed his name to Barker.  And that was fine with her, she could keep the secret from her cousins - it’s not like they’d ever talk to ‘Southside Scum’ anyways.  No, Candy had no problem with keeping the secret between herself and her closest friends.  At least, not until Jason Blossom is murdered in the Wyrm and Candy’s life gets thrown into madness.
Name: Carolyn Cooper
Story: Dirty Little Secret
Face claim: Dianna Agron
Love Interest: Reggie Mantle, Archie Andrews, endgame Poly Serpents
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Name: Carson “Asp” Archer
Story: Snake Bite
Series: (In Unity) There Is Strength
Face claim: Shay Mitchell
Summary: Caden and Carson Archer, Adder and Asp to most of the world, had always been inseperable.  Even as young children, stuck in the Sisters Of Quiet Mercy orphanage, they were always together.  So when the Archers showed up, looking to foster a child, they knew they had to take the pair.  Growing up on the Southside brought them closer, and the duo found themselves joining the Serpents together and quickly embracing their new names; Adder, dangerous but only when provoked, and Asp, unassuming but volatile and lethal.  But even after they joined the gang, found themselves an extended family in the form of rough around the edge bikers, they were always closest with each other.  And that’s why they’re the only ones who know the truth - on July 3rd, Caden and Carson Archer were hooking up with Cheryl and Jason Blossom and on July 4th, they heard a gunshot.
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Name: Carter “Lilith” Lane
Story: No Sweet Dream
Series: (I Keep A Record Of) The Wreckage Of My Life
Face claim: Nina Dobrev
Summary:  Everyone at Riverdale High had heard of the infamous Serpent, Lilith Lane, and the equally dangerous Ghoulie, Carter.  But no one would have guessed that they were the same person, let alone that she was their very own Carter Lane.
Carter “Lilith” Lane was something completely unheard of in Riverdale - a Ghoulie and a Serpent.  Born to parents in rival gangs, she’s never really known who she was.  Lilith Lane didn’t deal anything harder than weed; she was a party girl; she was very vocal about hating the Serpent Dance.  Carter was the best drug dealer in town; a street racing champion; a part time stripper.  And Carter Lane?  She was little more than a ghost; a River Vixen who hated Cheryl Blossom, the main supplier for Bulldog parties who never showed up herself; someone who everybody knew of but who nobody knew.
It had always been easy to keep those parts of herself separate.  And then summer came around; Carter Lane got emancipated, Carter moved into the House Of The Dead, and Lilith Lane dumped Jason Blossom’s body into Sweetwater River.  And she’s fine.  
But then school starts up again, and when Jughead Jones decides to investigate the events of the summer, her worlds start to collide.
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Name: Cecilia Chambers
Story: Miss Americana And The Serpent Prince
Face claim: Josephine Langford
Love Interest: Jughead Jones
Summary: In a town like Riverdale, everybody knew everything about everyone.  Or at least they liked to think that they did.  And they certainly thought that they knew everything about Cecilia Chambers.  They thought that she was the perfect All-American girl, the sweet, blonde, girl next door type.  They didn’t know that she was a Southside Serpent, born and raised.  They didn’t know that FP Jones was her godfather, and her parents’ best friend.  They didn’t know that, when Archie bailed last minute, she was the one FP went to, whom he begged to get Jughead out of town for the summer.  And even she didn’t know why, didn’t know what dark secrets he was trying to protect them from.  But she agreed, and  found herself embarking on a cross country road trip with Jughead Jones.  
Name: Charlotte Jones
Title: No One Has to Know
Series: (This Time Maybe) I’ll Be Bulletproof
Face claim: Britt Robertson
Love Interest: Malachai
Summary:  Alice Smith told FP Jones that she was pregnant, and he decided to raise their daughter.  Serpent princess, heir to the mantle, and protective older sister, Charlotte would do anything for her family, including keep the secret about what happened to Jason Blossom; and she knew the truth, she dumped the body.
Trying to protect her brother without letting him in on the secret should have been easy, if only he hadn’t decided to write a novel about what happened on the Fourth of July.
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Name: Christine Cooper
Title: Young & Beautiful
Series: (When I’ve Got Nothing But) My Aching Soul
Face claim: Sasha Pieterse
Love Interest: Poly Serpents
Summary: Christine Cooper had always gone after what she wanted.  She’d gone after the Queen Bee title of Riverdale High, ruling the school with her best friend Cheryl.  She’d gone after her older sister’s boyfriend, sneaking into Thornhill for clandestine hookups with Jason.  She’d gone after the picture perfect life, existing in a different world from most of the town.  And everything she went after, she got.  She got the popularity, she got the boy, she got the dream tv life.  And then Jason ran away with Polly - no, then Jason died.  And the perfect, lovely, completely fake life that Chris had build fell apart.
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Name: Daphne Dwyer
Fandom: Katy Keene
Story: Pasts That Haunt
Face claim: Leighton Meester
Love Interest: Katy Keene
Summary: Of course Daphne Dwyer remembered Riverdale, how could she not?  Even when she wanted to, there were too many reminders: daily texts from her former foster brothers, Fangs and Sweet Pea, the leather jacket that she hid so carefully in the back of her closet, and, especially, the serpent tattoo she covered up every single morning.  But she wasn’t a teenage biker gang member anymore.  No, she had left that behind her when she was eighteen, when she moved to New York, when she began to climb the ladder as an Upper East Side socialite.  Now she’s up and coming designer DeeDee; now her past is in her past and she’s only looking forward; now her best friend Katy is introducing their newest roommate - her former brother’s former fling, the daughter of Riverdale’s last mayor, Josie freaking McCoy
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Name: Delaney “DC” Carlyle
Story: This Business Of Surviving
Face claim:  Kristine Froseth
Love Interest: Endgame Jughead Jones & Archie Andrews
Summary:  Matthew Carlyle was innocent, Delaney would bet her life on it.  But, despite DC’s absolute belief in her father’s innocence, the FBI agent was still arrested for the murder of his fellow agent, Christopher Wells.  So Delaney’s mother packed up their house in Washington, DC and moved her daughter back to her own hometown.  But when they get to Riverdale they find a town shaken to its core by the disappearance of Jason Blossom.  Honestly, DC couldn’t have cared less; she only cared about solving her father’s case and proving his innocence.  At least until her mom brings her to the local Drive-In and everything changes.  
First, she meets a boy in the projection booth who’s writing a novel about the murder; then she meets a man who turns out to be that boy’s father, her mom’s childhood best friend, and a gang leader - a gang that her mom is apparently a part of; finally she meets another boy, one with a snake tattooed on his neck and an undeniable magnetism. That’s when her whirlwind summer begins.  But just as quickly as it started, her summer of romance, Serpents, and mysteries ends, and it’s time to make her space in a new school. DC is ready to put the past behind her and focus on the future, when in walks the daughter of Hiram Lodge - the last man her father put in jail.
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Name: Doria Mary Wallis
Title: Untitled
Face claim: Jenny Boyd
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Name: Drake Dawson
Title: Son Of Steel
Series: (Cause He’s) Stronger Than You Know
Face claim: Matthew Daddario
Summary: FP Jones and Derek Dawson had done everything together.  They’d been Southsiders at Riverdale High together, they’d joined the Serpents together, they’d joined the army together, they’d even gone to Afghanistan together.  But only FP came back.  Drake Dawson had been raised by FP Jones for as long as he could remember, had idolized the man who was like a father to him, and had always tried to make him proud.  And now, after four years of military service, the Serpent Prince is back in Riverdale.  But everything has changed, and Drake no longer recognizes the town he grew up in.
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Name: Emily Blossom
Story: Bloom
Face claim: Debby Ryan
Love Interest: Jughead Jones
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Name: Everett Evernever
Story: Ain’t From No Heaven
Face claim: Madison Davenport
Love Interest: tentative poly Serpents
Summary: Of course Everett Evernever loved the Farm.  Of course she respected her father and of course she pretended that her mother was her sister.  Of course she only had one kidney and a partial liver.  She would never consider anything else, would never question Edgar’s rulings.  At least, not until her psychology class started to study cults.  And the more Everett learned, the more things seemed familiar.  But the Farm couldn’t be a cult, could it?  It was her family.  So she started acting out, determined to prove herself wrong.  And that’s when Alice Cooper comes into the picture.  In order to prove her loyalty and dedication, Alice is assigned to set Everett back on the right track.  And it’s while she’s living with the Coopers that Everett meets the Southside Serpents, and her perfectly planned, perfectly secret life is thrown into a whirlwind.
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Name: Evan “Fairy” Fogarty
Story: Don’t Take My Kindness For Weakness
Series: (Gonna Feel Me) When I Fight Back
Face claim: Lana Condor
Love interest: Sweet Pea & Jughead Jones
Summary: Evan Fogarty has been affectionately known as “Fairy” by the Serpents since she was nine years old, trailing after her brother and his best friend.  It was Sweet Pea who came up with it, thought it was fitting for the sweet girl who paired a leather jacket with pastels, a switchblade with her ice capps, and razor blades with her pigtails, and honestly?  She loved it.  The Serpents, her family, knew that she was a lot tougher than she let on, but the Northsiders constantly underestimated her.  They hear the nickname and expect an airhead child, not a girl who’s been taking care of her sick mother since she was ten.  They expect a naïve fool, not the brains to her brother’s brawn.  And yeah, she’d rather make peace with the Northsiders than start an all our turf war, but if that’s what’s happening, she’ll still be on the front lines.  And when FP Jones is arrested for a murder she knows he didn’t commit, Evan knows that war has finally come to Riverdale.
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Name: Fallon Parris “FP” Jones
Story: Every Day Is Like a Battle
Series: (We’re On the) Road to Ruin
AO3 | FFNet | Wattpad
Face claim:  Brenna D'Amico
Love interest: Toni Topaz, Sweet Pea, Reggie Mantle
Summary: Fallon Parris Jones, FP to her friends, was taken to Toledo against her will when her parents separated.  She would have stayed, for Jellybean, except her dad called her and told her that her twin had just been hauled in and questioned for murder.  Fallon may play at obedience, but her twin’s wellbeing is always the most important thing in the world, so she hops on the next bus to Riverdale with no intention of leaving him ever again.  It isn’t until she arrives that she finds out just how deep her family is in this mess, and clearly no one else can be counted on to fix everything.  Armed with nothing but her well-worn Serpent jacket, a switchblade, and an unstoppable determination to protect her brother, Riverdale is about to find out that they messed with the wrong family
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Name: Francesca Jones
Story: Living In Sin
Face claim: Lili Reinhart
Love Interest: poly Serpents (not Jughead of course)
Summary: Hal and Alice Cooper had only ever wanted two children, two perfect daughters for their perfect family.  But when Alice found out that she was pregnant with twins, they agreed to keep both, and Francesca and Elizabeth Cooper were born.  But then they found out that Francesca was deaf and, despite their decision to keep both twins, they were quick to give her to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy.
Shortly after Jughead was born, Gladys Jones was told that she could no longer have kids.  Devastated, she and FP were quick to look into adoption, and found the perfect addition to their family; Francesca.  
Francesca Paige Jones grew up on the Southside with her brother Jughead and their miracle sister Jellybean, although she chose to stay on the Southside and not interact with the other side of town, despite knowing that she had a twin sister and biological parents somewhere across the tracks, despite knowing that Jughead was even friends with her twin. But then Gladys and Jellybean move to Toledo, Jughead leaves home, FP helps dispose of Jason Blossom’s body, and suddenly the Northside is paying attention to them.  She would have been perfectly happy to fly under the radar, to continue to pretend that she had no ties to the Northside, had she not come face to face with a mirror image of herself named Betty Cooper.
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Name:  Genevieve Grundy
Story: Perfect Stranger
Series: (Don’t Like Your) Little Lies
Face claim:  Natalia Dyer
Love interest: Poly Serpents
Summary:  Genevieve Grundy wasn’t a born Serpent like her friends, but she was still Southside through and through.  She’d been raised on the Southside by her grandma, until her grandmother died and she was taken in by Serpent foster parents.  She’d attended Southside High and joined the Serpents, she was a Southsider.  Keyword being was.  But after the Jason Blossom Incident, as they had taken to calling it, Gen found herself being moved to the Northside.  She would be fine, she told herself, she could still visit her friends and it might be nice to go to a better school.  She would be fine.  And she almost believed it, until she walked into her first music class of the year, only to find that the teacher was using her grandmother’s name.
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Name: Harley Day
Story: Legendary
Face claim:  Bianca Santos
Love interest: Poly Serpents
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Name:  Harper Hope Harrison
Story: My Demons and My Muse
Series: (Though It’s Truth You Find) It’s Innocence You Lose
AO3 | FFNET | WATTPAD
Face claim:  Dove Cameron
Love interest: Fangs Fogarty, eventual Fangs & Sweet Pea
Summary:  In the midst of her parents’ messy divorce, Harper Harrison and her mom go to live with her mom’s cousin, Fred Andrews. She was really excited, her Uncle Fred was the coolest person ever, and apparently her cousin Archie is now as into music as she is. But after an accident during the drive to Riverdale lands her in the hospital instead of onstage, Harper has to reconsider everything she’s ever known. She doesn’t think that she could ever be on Broadway now, not after the accident left her with severe hearing loss, but the boy across the hall, recovering from a gunshot, is determined to prove otherwise.
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Name: Hera Lodge
Story: Sins Of The Father
Face claim: Camila Mendes
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Name:  Holli Hansen
Story: A Thousand Cuts
Face claim:  Skyler Samuels
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Name: Ivy “Vine” Verona
Title: Dreamers Often Lie
Series: (Look Like The Innocent Flower) But Be The Serpent Under’t
Faceclaim: Emily Rudd
Summary: If there was one thing that Ivy Verona was good at, it was lying.  She lied to the Northsiders; she said she was Northside pure, that her guardian was an accountant, that she’d never even heard of the Whyte Wyrm.  She lied to the Southside too; she said she was flunking all her major classes, said cheerleading was only a front, said she planned to stay in Riverdale the rest of her life. And then there was the lie that she told the entire town - that she had no idea what might’ve happened to Jason Blossom.
Only her uncle FP and best friend Joaquin knew the truth.  She’d been Jason’s dealer; she’d brought him to the Wyrm; she’d watched him die, and then washed away his blood; she dumped his body in the river and pretended it never happened.
But the biggest lie she told was to herself - that Jason Blossom’s death was not her fault.
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Name: Jac Daniels
Story: Light In The Dark
Series: tbd
Face claim:  Alycia Debnam-Carey
Love interest: Fangs Fogarty & Sweet Pea
Summary: Despite being a Southside Serpent, Jacqueline Daniels was one of the last truly good people in the town of Riverdale.  Despite being surrounded by darkness, she wore her heart on her sleeve and always kept her heart open for more strays.  Of course the majority of it was taken up by her three best friends and fellow Serpents, but when Jughead Jones transferred to Southside High, she knew there would be a place for him too.  And there was, and Jughead found himself with a new tour guide slash bodyguard slash friend, whose open heart and pure soul were rivalled only by her fierce loyalty and protective nature.  But even the brightest light in Riverdale has a breaking point, and when Northside drama starts to endanger her friends, her family, Jac may just discover her own.
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Name: Jasmine Blossom
Story: Archaic
Face claim:  Abigail Cowen
Love interest: tentative Archie Andrews
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Name: Jennifer Andrews
Story: Two Can Keep a Secret (If One Of Them Is Dead)
Series:  (Though It’s Truth You Find) It’s Innocence You Lose
Face claim:  Dove Cameron
Love interest:  FP Jones
Summary: Before there was Harper or Archie or Jughead, there was Jennifer and Fred and FP.  The Rebel Girl, the All-American Boy, and Mr. Varsity.  Jennifer and Fred Andrews may have been cousins, but they were as close as siblings, and rarely seen without their best friend FP Jones.  They’d always been inseparable, and detention was no different.  While Fred and FP were in trouble for streaking, Jen had gotten caught spray painting the boys’ locker room.  It was just supposed to be one Saturday, but instead it ended with a corpse, hair dye, and a secret to bring to grave.
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Name: Jennifer Andrews-Harrison
Story: My Demons and My Muse
Series: (Though It’s Truth You Find) It’s Innocence You Lose
AO3 | FFNET | WATTPAD
Face claim:  Kristin Chenoweth
Love interest: FP Jones
Summary: Jennifer Harrison (née Andrews) had been in love once and married once, but they weren’t the same man.  She’d been in love with Forsythe Pendleton Jones Jr. since she was fifteen, although she only confessed it when she was sixteen and left Riverdale for good.  She’d been twenty five and three months pregnant when she married Joseph Harrison, and they’d managed to put up with each other for sixteen years.  But when she finally files for divorce, she realizes that she can’t keep her daughter in the middle of it, and moves her to Riverdale.  She tells her boss that it’s to write an exposé on the small town now rife with crime and corruption–a girl had just been murdered during a school musical, after all–, she tells her cousin Fred that it’s for her daughter’s sake, and she tells the town that it’s to get away from her husband.  She didn’t realize that going back to her hometown meant going back to a secret she buried twenty five years ago, or to feelings that she’d tried to bury the exact same day.
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Name: Jett Jones
Story: Daddy Lessons
Face claim: Crystal Reed
Love Interest: Jason Blossom, Archie Andrews
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Name: Opal “Jewel” Cooper
Story: This Be The Verse
Series: (In This Town) There’s No One To Trust
Face claim:  Grace Phipps
Love Interest: poly serpents (not Jughead, of course)
Summary:  Opal Cooper, the youngest of the Cooper sisters, had always known that she was different.  How could she not? Her dark hair made her the literal black sheep of her perfectly blonde family.  Sure, her mom always claimed that she inherited it from her grandfather, but Opal knew that something was different.  So, in the summer before she started high school, she did some digging.  She wasn’t surprised at all to find she wasn’t a Cooper, but she was more than a little shocked to learn her biological father was none other than FP Jones.  A simple desire to build a relationship with her real dad started Opal down a road that she never expected; a road of gangs and murder and nicknames.  Starting high school armed with a switchblade and the truth about what happened to Jason Blossom, the newly nicknamed Jewel Cooper was nothing like the Opal anyone remembered.
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Name: Julia Smith Thomas
Story: Begin Again
Face claim: Lily James
Love Interest: FP Jones
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Name: Juliet Capes
Story: Star Crossed
Face claim:  Sarah Jeffrey
Love interest: Fangs Fogarty
Summary:  When Fangs Fogarty got dared to seduce the uptight Northside princess Juliet Capes, he knows it’s a dick move. But he also knows that it’ll get him his stripes, get him accepted with the teen serpents. The river vixen is easy to win over, and soon he’s claimed all of her firsts. Fangs would be happy to keep his motivations, and the gunshot they heard, a secret, but in a town like Riverdale, the truth always comes out, and someone always gets hurt.
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Name: Fraser Paxton Jupiter Jones
Story: Amphisbaena
Face claim: Dylan O’Brien
Love Interest: Poly Serpents (not Jughead)
Summary: Fraser Paxton Jones was many things.  He was a Riverdale Bulldog, a Southside Serpent, Cheryl Blossom’s boyfriend, Jughead Jones’ big brother, FP Jones’ firstborn son; he was Jupiter Jones.  The one thing he wasn’t was a murderer.  But when Clifford Blossom showed up at the Wyrm in early summer, threatening to kill his little brother if the Serpents didn’t do what he said, the line between who Jupiter Jones was and wasn’t started to blur.
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Name: Kathryn Keyes
Story: All That Glitters (Isn’t Gold)
Series: (Glory And Gore) Go Hand In Hand
Face claim: Olivia Holt
Love Interest: Archie Andrews
Summary: Kathryn Keyes loved growing up in Orange County.  She loved the sunshine and the beaches, Disneyland and busy streets, shopping and even school.  She loved that boxing classes, her dojo, and her ballet studio were all within five minutes of each other, with a Starbucks in between.  Really, she loved everything about her perfect glittery life.  But that didn’t stop her parents from moving her all the way across the country to some hick town called Riverdale.  There’s no Disneyland or busy streets, no beaches or shopping, not even a Starbucks.  But there’s a gym and a studio, a forest and a river, so her summer is spent boxing and dancing, running and swimming.  And on July Fourth, she runs into something - a redhead boy who couldn’t be any older than she was, and a woman at least twice their age, and despite what they said, it definitely wasn’t just music lessons.  But still, when the boy offers to walk her home, she says yes; she figures she might as well have one friend at her new school, after all.  
But then they hear a gunshot and Kathryn finds herself drawn into the web of lies surrounding that day.  She knew that helping to unravel the mystery would reveal some secrets, but she never expected to learn that her perfect glittery life in California wasn’t quite as golden as she thought.
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Name: Keegan Rhodes
Story: Everybody Else’s Girl
Series: (Maybe One Day) She’ll Be Her Own
AO3 | FFNET | WATTPAD
Face claim: Jordan Fisher
Love interest: Stevie Cooper
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Name: Kit Cooper
Story: It Gets Worse Here Every Day
Face claim:  Kiernan Shipka
Summary: Hal and Alice Cooper had only ever wanted two daughters.  Two perfect daughters.  They’d never wanted the third; the wild child, the unplanned twin.  They were going to keep her, they weren’t going to separate Betty from her twin, but when Kit Cooper was diagnosed with severe hearing loss and that was the last straw.  Only five years old, Kit was shipped off to The Sisters Of Quiet Mercy, out of sight, out of mind.  They told her sisters that she was at a private care facility, one that was better equipped to handle her disability than they were.  They would have gotten away with it, if ten years later they hadn’t sent Polly to the Sisters as well.  Now the secret is out, and Betty and Polly will do whatever it takes to get their sister back.
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Name: Kristiana Keller
Story: Silver Screen
Series: (Know the Water’s Sweet) But Blood Is Thicker
AO3 | FFNET | WATTPAD
Face claim:  Danielle Campbell
Love interest: Toni Topaz
Summary: If the Keller twins could explain one thing, just one thing, to the people of Riverdale, it would be that they were exhausted.  With their father as Sheriff, it always seemed like they were held to a higher standard than the rest of the town.  Lieutenant of the cheer squad and the best wrestler in his weight class; student body vice president and social coordinator; Model UN Secretary General and Chargé D’Affairs; 4.0 GPAs; and a secret to take to the grave.  And if anyone found out that they heard the gunshot on the fourth of July, it might just be to the grave.
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Name: Lola Lexington
Story: Living Like A Devil
Series: (Find Me) Where The Wild Things Are
Face claim: Emeraude Toubia
Love Interest: Toni Topaz & Sweet Pea
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Name: Lyra Lovell
Story: Unconquerable
Series: (With A Devil) On Your Back
Face claim:  Haley Lu Richardson
Love interest: Jughead Jones
Summary: When Jughead Jones moved to Toledo after his dad’s arrest, he thought that he was finally leaving  Riverdale, and the Serpents, behind him.  But when his mom introduces him to his guide, he knows that’ll be impossible.  Lyra Lovell was a Serpent legacy like he was, and left her mom in Riverdale to move to Toledo with her dad.  Being surrounded by the so-called Toledo Serpents would have been bad enough, but then FP is proven innocent and Gladys sends him straight back to Riverdale. Fully prepared for the worst, he’s pleasantly surprised to find out that Lyra has decided to go home too–if only they can find a way out of their seemingly inevitable destinies.
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Name: Mallory Mason
Story: Lamb To The Slaughter
Face claim:  Willa Fitzgerald
Summary:  Mallory Mason had been popular once - with Moose as her brother and Cheryl as her best friend, she couldn’t have been anything less.  She had been popular once, and happy, and desperately in love with her best friend.  And then she came out.  At fourteen, Mal Mason was sent to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy for conversion therapy.  At sixteen, her best friend and first crush shows up in Mal’s personal hell.  And then she gets rescued, and drags Mal out with her.  And suddenly, after two years, Mal has to face Riverdale again.  And, more importantly, Mal has to face her family.
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Name: Mila Turner
Story: Fearless
Face claim:  Victoria Justice
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Name: Nova Nixon
Story: Serpentine
Face claim: Emma Dumont
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Name: Olivia Cooper
Story: Walls Come Tumbling Down
Series: (Does It Almost Feel Like) Nothing Changed At All
Faceclaim: Lily Collins
Love Interest: Sweet Pea & Fangs Fogarty
Summary:  As much as Olivia Cooper loved her sisters, and she truly did, it often felt like she was living with strangers.  While Betty and Polly were thick as thieves, she never quite fit in.  But she still knew her sisters better than anyone, and she knew that Polly wasn’t sick.  No matter what their parents said, she knew her twin and she knew that something wasn’t quite right.  She just never expected her investigation to bring her face to face with two magnetic Southside Serpents, and she definitely never expected to find herself feeling more at home with them than she ever had with her sisters.  But that won’t stop her from finding out the truth about Polly, no matter how many secrets get revealed along the way.
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Name: Pandora Peabody
Story: The Snake Whisperer
Series: (It Isn’t In) My Blood
Face claim: Ashley Benson
Love interest: Poly Serpents
Summary: Everyone on the Southside knew Panda Peabody, daughter of the Snake Charmer, Penny Peabody herself.  A king pin in the making, Panda was virtually untouchable, and she had her mom’s talent for business.  But instead of dealing in favours, she deals in secrets.  
Everyone on the Northside knows Pandora Patterson, the aloof queen bee herself.  Pandora isn’t popular the way that Cheryl Blossom is, through a desperate grasp at the social ladder, but rather because she’s so disinterested.  She walks like she owns the halls, she keeps to herself, and she knows everything about everyone.  
While the Serpents knew that their own Snake Whisperer was a student at Riverdale High, dealing in both secrets and drugs, the Bulldogs had no idea that their It Girl was not only a Serpent, but the one most capable of destroying all of them.
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Name: Persephone Parsons
Story: Heartbreak Is The National Anthem
Face claim: Ginny Gardner
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Name: Presley Palmer
Story: Living In The Garden Of Evil
Series: (Tell Me All Your) Sweet, Sweet Little Lies
Face claim: Carlson Young
Love Interest: Sweet Pea & Toni Topaz
Summary: Presley Palmer wasn’t just a normal Northsider.  No, she was the peak of the Northside.  Raised by a single father who was as rich as the Blossoms, in a sprawling mansion near Thornhill, and Cheryl Blossom’s best friend and co-captain of the River Vixens, she was the girl that every Northsider wanted to be or to be with.  But, as popular and social as they were, Presley and Cheryl were equally insular.  It was always, only, the two of them; ice and water; Queen Pres and Cherry; Presley and Cheryl.  Two sides of the same coin, they knew everything about each other.
Well, not everything.  Cheryl didn’t know about the snake tattoo that Presley covered up every day; she didn’t know that on the other side of town, Presley Palmer was known as Prissy Peabody, the only daughter of the infamous Snake Charmer; and she most certainly didn’t know that it would be Jughead Jones’ investigation into her brother’s disappearance that would bring those secrets to life.
Name: Queenie Quincy
Story: Liability
Series: (Die Only For) You Above All
Face claim: Marlo Kelly
Love Interest: Toni Topaz
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Name: Raven Richards
Story: Cruel Summer
Series: (This Town Will Be) The Downfall Of Us All
Face claim: Emma Mackey
Love Interest: Poly Serpents (not Jughead)
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Name: Rayne Rivers
Story: An Ounce Of Loyalty
Face claim:  Lucy Hale
Love interest: Poly Serpents
Summary: Maybe Rayne Rivers wasn’t the most popular Serpent, or the most feared Serpent, or anything special whatsoever by her gang’s standards, but she was loyal. Loyal enough that FP Jones asked her, personally, to help deal with Jason Blossom’s body. Loyal enough that she did so without question, without complaint. Loyal enough that now that his body has been found, Rayne would sooner die than give her up her gang’s secrets. But in a town like Riverdale, be careful what you wish for.
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Name: Renee Steele
Story: Ourobos
Face claim: Winona Ryder
Love Interest: Robert Steele
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Name: Riley Richards
Story: Cruel Summer
Series: (This Town Will Be) The Downfall Of Us All
Face claim: Kathryn Newton
Love Interest: Jughead Jones & Archie Andrews
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Name: Robert Steele
Story: Ourobos
Face claim: David Harbour
Love Interest: Renee Steele
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Name: Rose Blossom
Story: A Rose By Any Other Name
Series: (Ill Met) By Moonlight
Face claim:  Sophie Turner
Love interest: Sweet Pea & Jughead
Summary:  The youngest of the Blossom siblings, Rose had always been the most spoiled. Affectionately, and mockingly, referred to as Princess Blossom, she was everything a Northsider, everything a Blossom should be.  Of course, things started to fall apart when her brother disappeared, but when she joined the River Vixens, things seemed to be getting back on track.  At least they were, until her brother’s body is found with a bullet hole in his head.  Unsure of what to do next, Rose runs.  She runs and runs until she finds herself on the Southside, falling into the arms of a tall, dark, and handsome stranger who goes by Sweet Pea.  And then there’s the question of Jughead Jones, and the magnetic attraction she feels towards him.  The cycle always ends the same way; a Jones and a Blossom, a Serpent and a Blossom, but by god, Rose will make sure that she’s not Riverdale’s next tragic Juliet.
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Name: Rosebud Reynolds
Story: The Price Of Your Greed (Is Your Son And Your Daughter)
Series: (I Gotta Recognize) The Weapon In My Mind
Face claim: Halston Sage
Love Interest: Archie Andrews, Toni Topaz, Sweet Pea, endgame FP Jones
Summary: At seventeen years of age, Rosebud Reynolds had… well, she definitely didn’t have it all, but she had what mattered.  She had the Serpent jacket that she’d been wearing for ten years and the nickname she’d had for even longer - and god help anyone who used her real name.  She had fifteen years of ballet lessons under her belt and an upcoming audition for Juilliard.
But everything is on the line when she gets sent to Riverdale High to keep an eye on Jughead Jones.  It would have been fine, if he hadn’t decided to investigate the disappearance of Jason Blossom.
It would have been fine, if she didn’t know the truth about what happened.
It would have been fine, if she hadn’t watched her father shoot him.
His son.
Her brother.
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Name: Roxie Harrison
Story: Nothing Town
Face claim:  Shelley Hennig
Love Interest: Poly Serpents
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Name: Ruby Klump
Story: Blood In The Water
Series: (This Town Kills You) When You Are Young
Face claim:  Meg Donnelly
Love interest: Fangs Fogarty, eventual Fangs x Sweet Pea
Summary: Ruby Klump had been thirteen when she was first sent to a school for “troubled kids” on the outskirts of Greendale and, despite still living in Riverdale, that had been the beginning of a lifetime of isolation.  She barely knew any other teens in Riverdale, not even her older sister’s friends.  Her parents had worked long and hard to keep their problem child away from their perfect Riverdale life, but when Midge is murdered during the school musical, Ruby has to come to the funeral.  And once the floodgates are open, there’s no going back.  Finally making friends in her town, Ruby refuses to be hidden away anymore.  Especially after she befriends a particularly cute boy in a leather jacket… who just got arrested for her sister’s murder.
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Name: Ryann Hernández-Viamonte
Story: A Real Nightmare
Series: (Dangerously Having) The Time Of Our Lives
Face claim: Sofia Carson
Love interest: Toni Topaz
Summary: Next to her brother Malachai, Ryann Hernández-Viamonte had always been underestimated, never seen as a real threat by anyone outside of the Ghoulies.  But the Ghoulie Princess knew that, despite everyone’s assumptions, she was one of the most dangerous people in Riverdale.  And after the stunt that Andrews kid pulled at the drag race, Ry found herself spending eight months in Juvie.  Finally, two months after her brother and most of their fellow Ghoulies were released, Ry is back in Riverdale, only to find that everything has gone to shit.  First she finds out that she’s now attending Riverdale High, and then she learns that not only did Malachai make a deal with Penny Peabody, but now they’re also working for Hiram Lodge?  Well, not if she has anything to say about it.
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Name: Samantha Cooper
Story: Glissade
Face claim: Willow Shields
Love Interest: Fangs Fogarty & Sweet Pea
Summary: Skating was, and had always been, Samantha Cooper’s entire life.  But not by choice.  No, as much as she had always loved skating, it was her mother who had forced her to focus her entire life on perfection, on the Olympics.  It was her mother who didn’t let her have friends, or hobbies; who didn’t even want her to go to a proper school.  And Samantha really didn’t mind skating being her priority, but she’d always wanted a real life.  And when Alice pushes too far, when Samantha runs off in the middle of the night, right into the arms of two tall, dark, and handsome boys from the wrong sides of the track, she may finally get her chance.  But everything comes at a price, and Sam is soon going to find out the cost of her choices.
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Name: Skylar Smith
Story: Lonely World
Series: (This Town Has Got) The Youth Of Me
Face claim: Amanda Seyfried
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Name: Stevie Cooper
Story: Everybody Else’s Girl
Series: (Maybe One Day) She’ll Be Her Own
AO3 | FFNET | WATTPAD
Face claim: Sabrina Carpenter
Love interest: Keegan Rhodes
Summary: The middle Cooper sister, Stevie never really knew or cared about the Riverdale drama or the Cooper drama, because she was “eat, sleep, breathe, gymnastics”. She didn’t even live in Riverdale, she lived just outside of New York City at an elite facility, where top athletes could train with the best of the best, while also attending a school designed to accommodate their training.
She knew that Polly had been dating Jason Blossom, but didn’t really care as long as Polly was happy; she knew that Betty had been in love with their neighbour since she was eight, and that she was spending the summer with some fancy internship, but that was it.
But after a broken wrist takes her out of gymnastics for a while and she has to trade her gymnastics-oriented boarding school for Riverdale High, just in time for the first day of class, she realizes exactly how much shit her little sister is caught up in, at school and at home, and god help anyone who tries to stop her from protecting her.
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Name: Summer Simmons
Story: Such Sweet Sorrow
Series: (Serpent Heart) Hid With A Flowering Face
Face claim: Janel Parrish
Love interest: Archie Andrews
Summary: Much like her twin brother Sweet Pea, Summer never used her real name.  No, no one needed to know that–most people didn’t even know their last name.  So yeah, names had never really meant anything to Summer, until she finds out that the Archie she’s been dating, ever since he walked into the Wyrm in a Riverdale High varsity jacket, is none other than Archie Andrews–her brother’s new enemy and now the leader of some teen vigilante gang that’s sworn to hate her gang–her family.  Well, as Shakespeare would say, the course of true love never did run smooth.
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Name: Talia Steele
Story: Ourobos
Face claim: Zoey Deutch
Love Interest: tentative Poly Serpents
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Name: Tanya Conway
Story: Yesterday’s Girl (Is Not What You See)
Series: (This Human Place) Makes Inhuman Monsters
Face claim: Kat McNamara
Love Interest: Poly Serpents
Summary: Identity was fickle, as far as Tanya was concerned. To some she was Tanya Trent, a first generation serpent whose mother was the principal of Southside High, until the Black Hood killed her. To others she was Tanya Svenson, a Southside punk whose father was the janitor at Riverdale High, until he was killed for being the Black Hood. To herself she was Tanya Conway, a teenage girl who knew that the Cooper family had killed her dad’s family; who knew that, even after they divorced, her dad loved her mom; who knew that, no matter what anyone said, her dad wasn’t the Black Hood. And now she’s just Tanya, a scared but stubborn girl with no sense of identity who’s just been sent to Riverdale High with her fellow Serpents, armed with nothing but the snake tattooed on her back and the need to clear her father’s name.
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Name: Tiara Blossom
Story: Dollhouse
Face claim: Maddison Brown
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Name: Victoria Lodge
Story: You Inherit The Sins, You Inherit The Flames
Series: (Now We’re In The Ring) And We’re Coming For Blood
Face claim:  Jenna Ortega
Summary: Victoria Lodge was the black sheep of the Lodge family.  She didn’t care about the constant parties or connections, she didn’t particularly like her dad, she’d never even watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and oh, right, she had no interest in being a mob princess.  Maybe that’s why she’s the only one looking forward to moving to Riverdale–until she realizes she’s walked onto the set of a real life murder mystery, and even her parents are suspects.
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firsthopemedia · 3 years
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Will The Next Cold War Be An Economic One? FIRST HOPE FINANCIAL Several big stories hit the financial news this past week but the real significance of these stories were not discussed anywhere. Number one, the U.S. Congress pushed to file unfair trade practices against China, stating that the Bush administration’s quiet behind-the-scenes negotiation strategy was unacceptable as a tactic to bring economic reform to China. In another story this week, these words appeared - Rather than serve as "an apologist" for China, "I hope the administration will join this team," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters after testifying before the Senate Finance Committee in the second hearing on China's economic and currency policies in two days. This article reported that Congress aimed to pass bi-partisan veto-proof legislation that will force the Chinese Yuan to appreciate against the dollar. American manufacturers have claimed that the Chinese government’s unfair manipulation of their currency has hurt them and their Congressmen are listening. Then finally at the end of the week, this headline appeared in an article: “The U.S. Commerce Department announced sanctions against paper imports from China, the first time in 23 years that U.S. duty law has been applied to imports from that country.” Reporting the above is fine, but what are its implications? Here is my view. For once, I agree that the Bush administration is taking the proper stance and their disapproval of these brash, flag-waving Congressmen is merited. When sending U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke and the U.S. Secretary of Treasury Paulson to China only resulted in China defiantly stating that they will not allow another nation to dictate to them how they should run their economy, U.S. Congress should have gotten the hint. Instead, they escalated an already potentially volatile situation with their threats and sanctions this week. Stephen Roach, the chief economist at Morgan Stanley warned Congress that currency valuation was far from being the sole component hurting American manufacturers. He stated that China’s cheap labor costs, burgeoning modern infrastructure and technology and growing investment in human capital and research also have greatly contributed to the burgeoning trade imbalance between China and the United States. Mr. Roach commented, "The foreign-exchange rate is not the answer, in my view. You in the Congress need to ask yourselves an important hypothetical question: How would you feel if you got your way on the Chinese currency adjustment but found that after three or four years the pressures bearing down on American workers had only intensified? As I see it, that's a very real risk that should not be taken lightly.” Although I have vehemently disagreed with Mr. Roach’s past views on other subject matters, I believe that he is on the mark 100% this time and I’ll tell you why. U.S. Federal Chairman Bernanke has already publicly stated that everybody knows that the weak dollar is good for the U.S. government because it makes their debt cheaper and also helps to close the trade gap. So if you don’t think that the U.S. is not guilty of manipulating their own currency as well to serve their purposes then you are living in some kind of economic fantasyland. There are a whole lot of American expats living abroad that would like to see their own government do something to protect the value of their own currency instead of lecturing other nations as to how they should be managing theirs. Furthermore, this event is indeed a watershed event in the ongoing re-structuring of the world’s economies. In the past, colonized nations had bitterly complained to Europe and the U.S. about the harm their economic policies inflicted upon their economies. But now we see a 180% reversal, with developed countries complaining to emerging nations about their policies. But this is almost beside the point when it comes to examining much more significant fallout of an open trade war with China. The reason the Bush administration is trying to negotiate quietly with the Chinese rather than take the more hard-line stance assumed by the U.S. Congress is that they know that the Chinese government holds far more important cards than the valuation of the Yuan, namely the more than one trillion dollars of U.S. dollar denominated assets that they currently hold in their reserves. As I stated in a blog I posted about a week ago to The Underground Investor, the U.S. Congress would be foolish to aggressively alienate the Chinese government with so much at stake. The problems with the U.S. economy are much more a product of past U.S. fiscal irresponsibility than the manipulative actions of the Chinese economy and if the U.S. chooses to try to scapegoat an economic giant like China for their current problems, I believe, as Mr. Roach stated, that re-valuation of the Yuan will not be the answer. Furthermore, it is exactly these protectionist measures that the U.S. is seeking to implement that have hindered emerging markets in the past. Instead of addressing the real reasons behind a lagging economy, protectionist measures many times seek to scapegoat another country’s economic policies for far more deep-rooted economic failures at home. Furthermore, protectionist measures often harbor and encourages domestic inefficiencies to persist instead of encouraging proactive solutions that attack the root of the problem. In fact, if the U.S. Congress pushes through their punitive measures, I can tell you right now that revaluation of the Yuan will NOT be the answer to the problems of the American economy. And despite the fact that offloading massive amounts of U.S. dollars will hurt the Chinese economy as well, there will also come a time when the Chinese government, if pushed far enough, will offload massive amounts of U.S. dollars because their strong economy will be able to absorb its negative effects much better than the weak U.S. economy. And if they do so, the U.S. Congress will have given them the perfect excuse to do something that I believe the Chinese government is planning to do anyway. However, they will be able to do it, save face at the same time, and do it earlier than anyone expects, as opposed to having the global community heap loads of criticism upon them for what would otherwise seem to be a sudden decision that came out of nowhere. Instead of such an action being viewed as the selfish actions of a nation, it will instead by viewed as a reaction to U.S. bullying, and U.S. Congress will have given the Chinese government the perfect out. In this case, quiet negotiations is the proper way because any other way is bound to bring harm to not only Americans in the future, but to the global economy as well. When I have blogged about governments being chronic liars in the past, certainly the Chinese government or any world government is not immune. While the Chinese government has publicly stated that they will not take any sudden actions that will greatly hurt the U.S. dollar, do you really believe that they want to hold a trillion dollars of a currency that continues to lose significant value every year? Trust me, they are planning to get rid of these dollars as soon as economically possible and behind the scenes, they have a plan in place to offload them. Again, I can tell you why punitive Congressional U.S. measures will not coax the Chinese to assume policies the U.S. wants but only anger them. To begin, Japan is on the verge of replacing America as China’s number one trading partner. If the Chinese choose to bow down to American pressure, they would undoubtedly anger the Japanese who have heavily invested in China and would be adversely affected by the Chinese government’s decision to appease the U.S. Congress. Angering your number one trading partner would be even worse than angering the U.S. And this just in, even as I write this blog, in a report originating out of New York: Today, China called the first of U.S. protectionist measures, tariffs on their paper imports, “unacceptable.” China strongly demands the United States to reconsider this decision and correct it as soon as possible," China Commerce Ministry spokesman Wang Xinpei said in a statement on a government Web site. Secondly, I believe that the Chinese government, despite what diplomatic statements they release to the financial press about being concerned not to enact any policies that will cause the U.S. dollar to fall quickly, desire to unload a significant portion of their $1 trillion dollar of U.S. dollar-denominated reserves. The Chinese government realizes that offloading significant portions of dollars, whether it is to purchase oil and natural gas for their state reserves, or the purchase of other assets, will automatically cause the Yuan to strengthen. They are not going to appease the U.S. Congress now and watch the Yuan strengthen and then see this effect multiply as they unload U.S. dollars from their reserves. I believe that this is how the Chinese will eventually allow the Yuan to strengthen – by merely cutting back on their dollar-denominated assets, something that they want to do anyhow. With this potential trade war, it is important to ignore the preening of the U.S. Congress but to consider the implications of their potential actions instead. U.S. Congressmen are no doubt influenced a great deal by their most important constituents, in this case, large manufacturers. However, in this case, it is not the concerns of the large manufacturers that are most important. Here they serve merely as a smokescreen. Sure, large manufacturers are being hurt right now by Chinese imports, but rather than considering this part of the equation which the financial media gives much attention to, it is more important to consider the other side of the equation that is never spoken of in the financial media. Rather than listen to the complaints of the hurt, seek out what t
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Love me, love me not ~ pt.2
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02: When Grayson stakes his claim
Summary: Grayson spends a day with Y/N, heavily recorded by the paparazzi. However, just as the day ends, things get a little hot and heavy.
Warnings: swearing, fluff, angst
Word count: ~ 2.6k
Love me, love me not ~ Series Masterlist
“Why would we go with your car?” Y/N crossed her arms, already on edge with their first outing minutes away and she just wanted the safety and comfort of her car – the familiarity of the pine scent and designated playlists for every opportunity far too appealing to her than the car Grayson offered her.
Sure, she had caught herself staring at the beautiful Porsche in his driveway more than once, the baby blue being her favorite color didn’t help either, however, she wanted a better reason than ‘it looks pretty’ for her to trust Grayson and his driving skills.
“Because if I’m driving, they’ll buy into it easier, especially if we want to make it seem like we’re a little closer than friends. I mean, I rarely let people into my car and my fans will know.” Grayson smirked as her frown deepened, knowing his poorly executed argument had gotten her thinking long enough to assume he was successful.
She swayed back and forth, ever so slightly, almost invisibly to an untrained eye, but Grayson had paid enough attention to notice. She pursed her pink lips, her discontent evident but the crease between her eyebrows had made his stomach flip, now grateful he has a chance to be near such a beauty, such an enigma.
“But if you end up driving me home, I’d have to get a cab to my shoot in the morning. I hate cabs.” She noted, stepping closer as her arms resumed their favorite – crossed over stomach, just under her breasts – position and Grayson had to force himself not to look down, reminding himself to be respectful.
“What if I stayed over? That way, they’d get a shot of me in front of your building and they’ll fill in the blanks. And then I can drive you myself?” Grayson counters, realizing this is how it’s going to be – negotiating every move they make, regardless if they’re making it alone or as a couple. But his words lit her up, the cute crease between her eyebrows disappearing as her face softened and her disgruntled worry turned to a weak smile – weak, but genuine.
They sat in the car, a little uncomfortable and unsure of what to do, now too close to run from each other and too close to not acknowledge they'll need to learn how to live with one another.
“Where should I go?” Grayson questioned, leaving it up to her as her team probably set up a paparazzi trap already.
“Beach. We’re having an ice cream and take a romantic stroll.” She responded, face remaining impassive.
“Should we…Try and be a bit touchy?” Grayson asked, carefully as if he’s tiptoeing around shattered glass, waiting to get cut in case he makes a wrong move.
Shrugging, she turned to him, swallowing as she found his beauty compelling. “Sure. If it feels right.”
Grayson felt her burning gaze, finding it hard to concentrate. She observed him, captured in his soft glow – so naturally charming and appealing, genuine and sweet. She couldn’t understand why he needed to resort to this stunt because if he couldn’t get that role on his own, who the hell could? He reminded her of her ex, way before things went downhill. And that wing shaped earring on his ear had made her stomach flip, taking her back to a time when she was just a girl who loved watching a goofy set of twins on her screen every Tuesday night. Back then, things were simple. But would she ever admit any of it to him? Probably not. It would cross boundaries and blur lines she preferred to be quite clear. It would save them both some grief.
But then he turned to her and she nearly gasped. His eyes were the softest brown infused with green, as if he held the new spring growth inside. They were the forest ground and the gentle flowers, somewhere to rest and breathe. And she knew she had to look away and end her infatuation.
“If it feels right?” Grayson raised an eyebrow, not as oblivious as she hoped he’d be. He could tell she was looking his way, even more, he could tell she liked what she saw. But he decided not to call her out on it, letting it go for now.
“You’ll know. Trust me.” She smiled, glancing back at him, catching his eye for a moment longer before looking down on her phone. “The paparazzi are there. You probably won’t see them right away, but they’ll be around. So, hold my hand and smile softly, try to act like your life depends on it, because it does. In a way.” She instructed, giving him a fair warning. And he believed her. He knew she was already a pro in Hollywood, even if she’d say otherwise due to her one year tenure, but it was better than being a novice like he is.
Grayson parked, taking in a deep breath before putting on a smile. “Wait inside.” Getting out, he made his way around in a few seconds, opening her door like a proper gentleman, offering her his hand to take. She could lie and say she wasn’t surprised by how well he already played the part, but she wasn’t the type.
“Impressive, Dolan. I like your style.” She took his hand, her cold one bringing a chill down his back as he closed the door behind her and locked the door with a single click. Intertwining their fingers, Grayson smiled at her, bringing their hands up to press a chaste kiss on the back of hers, bringing out that blush he had craved to see ever since it faded.
“Very convincing.” She leaned into him, her hair tickling his arm even through the fabric of his shirt – one that’s a bit too fancy for a beach date and would guarantee him to drown in sweat, but it matched the look he wanted to have – sophisticated with a touch of sugar daddy.
“I already see the flashes.” He spoke through a smile, trying to remain impassive to the situation, but he couldn’t. He knew this would be a norm after he made it, but it wasn’t a very lovable part of his job. He was chased after by fans before, but paparazzi was never a concern. Until now.
They walked into the ice cream shop, Grayson pressing his lips together as he looked for something to get, while Y/N didn’t have a dilemma. She had pressed her face against the glass like a kid, playful for the first time since he had met her and he couldn’t help but wonder if that’s who she really is or if this was all for show.
“I want the cherry one mixed with the yogurt one and sprinkles on top, in a cup please!” She ordered, straightening her back as she clapped her hands in excitement, looking back on Grayson who had a hard time looking away. A part of her was smug about it, knowing she’s left a lasting impression on him and he clearly liked her – a girl can always tell. Especially when the guys like Grayson have one of those hearts that easily feel for others. She already knew he’s a romantic one, bringing to life all the times she talked to her best friend about meeting him one day and wondering if he’d ever give her a second look.
Well, she had her answer now.
A smile flashed across her face from beneath reams of hair. It created slight dimples and creases that made Grayson almost breathless. Even though it was gone quickly, it was still there. She dipped her head down; never someone to be loud or extroverted despite her image. That was something he already appreciated in so many ways because she just got on with it and never needed anyone else’s validation. She was fierce and yet still so soft about it, a rare combination. Casting her eyes to the side, Grayson could see the shape of her face like a silhouette. It gracefully moved up and over her cheek bones then slanted sharply at her mouth.
“He’ll have a dairy free option.” She told the young girl behind the counter, already taking over his order since he remained quiet for too long.
“We only have chocolate.” The girl frowned, making Grayson nod.
“Chocolate is fine.” He took the cup and paid for them both, noticing her lips part to remark his choice only for them to seal a moment after, replaced by smile.
He couldn’t place his arm around her, busy with the tiny spoon and chocolate goodness, but he could walk close this time around, leading her to a distant rock, rather close to the shore.
“Did you mind me ordering for you?” She asked, a little frail in comparison to her usual sturdy, very certain self.
“No. Kind of shocked you knew I’m lactose intolerant, but that’s all.” Grayson shot her a smile, one that seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that sent an unexpected warmth crashing through her body.
“Did my research.” She quipped, trying to stop the almost lovey dovey talk he wanted to start.
Sitting down, they ate their ice cream in peace, watching the crashing waves as they hit the rock they were perched on, silent and very well aware they weren’t alone. A flash would come through every few minutes, especially when Y/N leaned her head on Grayson’s shoulder.
“Wanna take that stroll now?” Grayson is the first to speak. He got down first, taking on a daring task when he placed his hands on her hips, pulling her down with him as she squealed. She had both palms plastered against his chest, his heart beating wildly for her to feel as she giggled, clearly surprised by his chivalry.
“Thanks.” She brushed back a loose strand of hair from her face, smiling up at the guy she would be stuck with for a while…not stuck with, no…she’d just be with him…they’ll just be.
“Yeah, didn’t want you taking the jump. It was kind of iffy for me too.” Grayson sneaked a hand around her waist, pulling her into his side before placing it over her shoulder, his hand open, his fingers fanned out casually. Y/N saw the perfect opportunity, lifting her left hand up, her fingers filling the empty places between his and while he seemed startled, Grayson felt his heart jump with the action.
Walking together at sunset, smiling, they were picture perfect target for everyone who recognized him and the photos were already surfacing online from fans who were quite honestly shocked by the pairing.
“You do realize I can only get you an audition. The casting director owes me, but you need to nail this on your own.” She told him, noticing the way he bit his lip in response, clearly a sign of anxiety. “Which is why I could give you pointers, if you’d like?” She offered shyly, unsure if she’s doing it to keep her end of the deal or if he just wanted more time with him. Probably a bit of both.
“Y-yeah, that – that would be great!” Grayson stuttered, not expecting her to ever want to help or spend extra time around him, but she did and he couldn’t quite believe his ears. His hand released hers as he stepped before her, grabbing her so suddenly she yelped so loudly the cameras caught it. He had pulled her in and up, twirling her around so easily, as if she weighed as much as a feather, his grin so wide as her hands came down on his shoulders to keep herself steady, a pure smile appearing on her lips as well.
Lowering her back to the sand, they were both out of breath and giggly, her hands clutching his clothes before giggling once more, resuming their previous position, a little closer this time around. They walked back to the car, getting inside, more sure this alliance was a good one than before.
“If you listen to me, I think you’ll get it.” She said as she put her seatbelt on, watching him do the same – safety first. She typed in her address into his GPS, leaning back into her seat.
“I mean, they don’t call me Mercy for nothing.” She locked the door manually, more free and comfortable than she was when they first came here and definitely chatty in comparison.
“Why do they call you that?” Grayson asked, because no matter how hard he looked, he never found out why. It seemed like one day, the nickname appeared and just stuck.
“My boy – ex boyfriend called me that in an interview because every audition I ever went to ended up with a callback and eventually an official offer for the role. He said the rest of the people going against me are begging for mercy whenever I show up and I always knock ‘em down. My team heard him say it and it stuck.” She shrugged, pressing her lips together as her eyes dropped to her lap instead of ahead or toward him. Grayson was no fool, he could tell she was having a hard time talking about it – either the nickname or the ex.
“Do you mind me calling you Y/N, instead?” He asked, wondering if he had called her Mercy at all that day.
“Nope. I think the nickname is dreadful. Never liked it.”
Finally home, Grayson and Y/N thought they were in the clear, however, they were very wrong. The moment they stepped out of the car, they were instantly surrounded by fans and paparazzi, forcing Grayson to wrap his arms around Y/N in order to keep her at a safe distance.
They called out for them : Grayson and Mercy, some even using the newly formed ship name – Mayson, but what really got them wasn’t the crowd that building security had stopped from following them, rather a tall man standing in front of her building – her ex-boyfriend – Henry Cavill.
“What are you doing here?” Y/N hissed out, feeling her blood turn to poison as Henry stepped closer, stopping once Grayson stepped in front of her – a shield to keep her from him.
“I see you’ve found yourself a new one? One more guy to screw over?” Henry spoke quietly, just enough for the pair to hear, but the crowd couldn’t.
“Don’t talk to her like that.” Grayson’s face darkened, visibly clenching his jaw as he felt heat rush to his head.
“Oh, please. You won’t last.” Henry waved his hand back, as if Grayson was a leaf and he the wind that will send him flying. “She’s had a real man and she’ll want a man again. You’re probably some pathetic PR stunt for her.” Henry’s words had brought up something Grayson had tried really hard to control and repress every day. It was a constant battle for Grayson to keep his anger in check – exercising control in every aspect of his life by working out often, by yoga to keep himself centered, by having chores and early mornings – all to exhaust himself and let the anger go. But Henry had him on edge and lucky for them both, Y/N had senses it, placing her hand on his bawled up fist – the cold bringing his temperature down just enough to breathe in and think properly.
That’s when he turned around – so quickly, his warm hands cupping her face as he leaned down, smashing his lips onto hers, and staking his claim.
Tags: @xalayx @dolandolll @godlydolans @dolanstwintuesday @anything-dolan @peacedolantwins @maybgrayson @nowheredolan @graydolan12 @beautorigin @justordinaryjen @starrydolan @pitreshawn @grays-laugh
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marchivists · 4 years
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not the place to fall in love: chapter one
read on ao3! [i didn’t format anything below the “keep reading”, so it’ll probably be easier to read on ao3]
Iwaizumi was stuck, perhaps perpetually, on level fifteen of Candy Crush.
Once, as a child, he’d dedicated an entire afternoon to climbing an unclimbable tree in his backyard. He’d grown quite a bit since then and a lot had changed, but the addicting taste of chasing a difficult victory bubbled in his stomach now just as it had under that tall tree so many years ago. The stakes were higher than they probably seemed from the outside; Iwaizumi’s honor waited at the finish line and his pride danced around the colorful screen, following his finger as it swiped left and right, up and down.
He’d had an audience that afternoon by the tree and he had the same one now. Oikawa leaned against Iwaizumi’s side, head resting on his shoulder. He seemed to understand how much rode on Iwaizumi’s performance; he oohed and aahed over each move, offering words of encouragement and advice which Iwaizumi would rather have done without.
Though Iwaizumi didn’t realize it in any way that he could express with words, a bubble of sorts had formed around the pair, as it often did when they were together. Passerbys skirted around it without consciously deciding to do so, as if they too understood on some unspeakable level that Oikawa and Iwaizumi, or more accurately, OikawaandIwaizumi, lived slightly apart from everyone else. Outside the borders of the bubble, the airport waiting area produced airport noises. Hidden speakers made booming announcements, feet clicked and clacked towards unknown destinations, babies voiced their dislike for the whole business of airports, and adults coughed and sniffed as they waited for time to pass and flights to arrive. Oikawa and Iwaizumi had claimed a corner of the airport waiting area, opting to relax picnic-style on the floor instead of in two of the many empty chairs nearby.
Iwaizumi made one final swipe before slumping against the wall in despair. You failed! flashed across his phone in bright colors.
“Ah well,” Oikawa sighed, giving Iwaizumi two pats on the shoulder. He slunk down too, crossing his legs and resting folded hands on his lap. “I’m pretty sure only old people are good at that game anyway.”
Iwaizumi glared. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“No, no. Just an observation. I can try again though if consolation is what you’re looking for.”
“Go for it.”
“Gimme a minute,” Oikawa looked up at the ceiling as though his thoughts were stuck to the plaster. “Alright. I’m pretty sure old people are terrible at Candy Crush.”
“I think you’re missing the point.”
“On the contrary, I’ve found the point. See, I’ve always suspected my Iwa-chan was secretly a grumpy old man in disguise,” he sighed dismissively, as though the thought was almost too disheartening to address. “I just wish you would have told me beforehand. Your tickets would have been so much cheaper.”
“I think sitting here has made you stupider than usual.” Iwaizumi elbowed his setter, and, ignoring Oikawa’s protests at being treated so unfairly, moved to put his phone in his pocket. He hoped the turn of his shoulder was enough to hide his blush at being called “my Iwa-chan,” or that, at the very least, Oikawa had lost at least fifty percent of his perceptive abilities after being trapped in an airport with no stimulation for so long.
Iwaizumi had always loved airports. They were big, loud, and full of hope and potential: the kind of place that, as a kid, you’d long to sprint through at full speed without consequences.
Oikawa had always hated them. Iwaizumi could see that hatred now that neither of them were distracted. It bled from the way Oikawa scanned the crowd of unfamiliar faces around them, the way his rigid shoulders and stone-statue-posture screamed I am untouchable. It was obviously convincing, as anyone searching for spaces to camp out on the floor scurried elsewhere when their eyes reached Oikawa’s proud, rigid form. The fear and hatred made Iwaizumi want to grab Oikawa’s hand, but for the moment he wasn’t sure if the untouchable part applied to best friends or not.
He checked his watch. They had an hour or so before their flight would be ready to board. Despite his aversion to the place, Oikawa had insisted on arriving unnaturally early, and Iwaizumi had complied with minimal complaint.
Oikawa mirrored Iwaizumi and glanced at his own watch. “Do you think we’ll be late?”
Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “Only if it takes us an hour to walk ten meters.”
Oikawa huffed. Iwaizumi took out his phone again.
For the next fifteen minutes, their bubble was uncharacteristically quiet. Iwaizumi resisted the urge to perform a victory dance after reaching level sixteen. An incoming text momentarily stopped him from lining up five purple gummies.
From: you know who it is
         iwa-chan~~
Iwaizumi swiped the notification away and watched with satisfaction as the five gummies disappeared. Level seventeen.
From: you know who it is
    i can see ur phone from here :3 congrats on leveling up, old man iwa-chan
Iwaizumi flipped Oikawa off without taking his eyes from his screen, missing the strained smile he received in return. There was more silence. Level eighteen, then one more. Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two. He reached level thirty before receiving another text.
From: you know who it is
            you know, there’s an 86% chance we’ll both die if the plane crashes
That got his attention. He turned to look at Oikawa, who sat scrolling through his phone, expression casual and bored, as though he’d run out of things to like on Instagram and was most definitely not worrying about dying in a plane crash.
Iwaizumi had prepared for this moment. Oikawa’s anxiety was a vigilant companion; it never took a day off and spent most of its time searching for something new to latch onto which it could then suck the rationality and safety out of. In the past, it had made the setter afraid of coughing fits, books with an odd number of pages, eating out in public places, opened drawers, and rooms with too many people in them. Comparatively, flying was an easy thing to demonize. To ward off any excess fear, Iwaizumi had scoured over research and data on plane safety, committing them to memory in case they were needed. He’d tried to put himself in Oikawa’s shoes, tried to image how anxiety would twist the safety of air travel into something horrible. He had imagined dramatic explosions, smoke pouring out of engines and catching flame. He had armed himself with information contradicting these imaginings, just in case Oikawa needed it. He opened his mouth to say something about how their chances of dying were one in seven million when his phone, practically forgotten in his hands, dinged again.
From: you know who it is
      maybe we should go home. lol
Iwaizumi put his phone away. He scooted away from the wall until they sat close together, knees touching. He poked the setter’s leg. “Oikawa.”
Oikawa continued staring down at his phone.
Iwaizumi sighed. “Tell me the stats for getting into your school. For getting into the volleyball program there.”
Oikawa shrugged dismissively, like someone who hates bragging but can’t tell the truth without unwittingly doing so. The movement made Iwaizumi want to headbutt him.
“Only three percent of the applicants get in, remember? Three percent.”
“I know that.”
“Then tell me, why should we go home when our chances of dying are dozens of decimal points below that percentage?”
Oikawa looked up and his eyes were wide with questions he probably didn’t want answered.
Aren’t you scared, too? Yes, Iwaizumi wanted to respond, but not of the same things you are.
What if they just send me back? What’s the point?
Iwaizumi’s own eyes were impenetrable and knowing. He stared back, hoping he managed to get his own silent message across. You are amazing. You deserve this chance.
A few long seconds passed before Oikawa broke their staring contest, eyes jumping over stranger’s faces, presumably to see if anyone had noticed his sudden break in character. “I suppose I can endure the devastatingly long flight. Even though it will be practically unbearable sitting next to a brute like yourself.”
“Good.” Iwaizumi cleared his throat and moved back to his original spot. He looked Oikawa over, relaxing at the way his posture was no longer screaming as much as it was talking. The setter waved to a baby sitting with its mother a few feet away and earned tiny smiles from both parties in return, mother and child hopelessly charmed by his easy smile and fluid movements.
Iwaizumi was charmed, too, and had always been. He was amazed by Oikawa’s ability to quickly recover from anything, to go from scrambling to find purchase in reality to storming forward with quick, confident steps. For the second time that day Iwaizumi felt the urge to take his hand.
He stopped himself, running his hand through his hair to chase the feeling away. He’d sworn to himself, and to Hanamaki and Matsukawa, that he would not come back to Japan without confessing someway, somehow. A crowded airport didn’t seem like the proper place and right before a fifteen-hour flight didn’t seem like the right time.
He didn’t expect the feelings to be reciprocated. They’d been best friends for so long that it almost felt impossible to make the trek from platonic intimacy to the romantic kinds without falling off the edge somewhere in-between. Besides, Oikawa had received so many confessions from so many people, each much better than Iwaizumi in every respect. And he had rejected each one with a sad, polite smile and a few empathetic words of kindness. It’s the moments after that Iwaizumi feared the most, the switch from being someone Oikawa didn’t have to handle with intentional delicacy to someone on the receiving end of pity and a false smile. The gap the truth might create between them, the spacing out of OikawaandIwaizumi, made him want to run home and crawl between the sheets of his bed and never come out again. But, Iwaizumi Hajime hated cowards and liars more than most anything and he had felt like both for far too long. In a way, he imagined spilling his feelings would work like a sort of redemption. He could reclaim his dignity, live without fear, and push Oikawa Tooru away forever. He hoped to minimize the force and longevity of the last part with distance and time; perhaps, with thousands of miles between them, Iwaizumi could move on or Oikawa could learn to live and forget and things would return to normal. Maybe. Hopefully. Whatever the outcome, Iwaizumi would not let Oikawa go without telling him everything. As long as he didn’t have to sit next to his rejector for fifteen miserable hours, everything would be fine. Probably.
Minutes ticked by in comfortable silence and Iwaizumi reached level thirty-one. Oikawa stood, stretched, and announced his decision to mark the momentous occasion with a trip to the bathroom.
Iwaizumi slid a red jellybean to the right. “I’ll watch our stuff.”
“No, no,” Oikawa hummed, pulling Iwaizumi’s phone from his hands and putting it in the pocket of his jeans. “You have to come with me, Iwa-chan. It’s boring doing it alone.”
“Do you think you could sound more perverted if you tried?”
Oikawa stuck out his tongue. “So immature,” he held out a hand to pull Iwaizumi up and dragged him over to the woman with the baby. “Excuse me, do you mind watching our stuff for a moment?”
The woman assured them she could and the baby babbled pleasantly in agreement.
For reasons only his heart could explain, Iwaizumi allowed himself to be pulled across the airport into the bathroom. He only half listened to Oikawa’s chatter as they went, hearing bits and pieces about the memes Hanamaki kept sending him, and doesn’t that lady right there look ridiculous in those clown shoes? Iwaizumi focused most of his attention on the firm warmth of Oikawa’s hand in his own, the way stranger’s eyes glanced over them and flashed with assumptions Iwaizumi could only wish were true. And then, too suddenly for Iwaizumi to keep up with, Oikawa stopped moving.
Iwaizumi collided into him with a grunt. He moved to get a good look at Oikawa’s face, scold and insult primed on the tip of his tongue, just to balk at the painful grimace he found there. He followed Oikawa’s shell-shocked gaze to see Ushijima Wakatoshi standing in front of one of the urinals, doing what one does in a bathroom. His gaze was firmly settled downwards and their entranced hadn’t seemed to break his concentration. Iwaizumi blinked a few times to prove his eyes were really seeing what they said they were before turning to try to share a silent conversation with Oikawa, to ask what the hell? and set up a game plan.
Should they confront him, tease the shit out of him (no pun intended)? Should they walk out and go about their day, knowing that, at any moment, they could run into the second most repulsive person on the planet? Should they pull down his pants and leave him stranded, alone in the bright white airport bathroom? But Oikawa was staring at Ushijima and seemed too busy having a silent conversation with himself to worry about Iwaizumi.
The next few seconds moved like solidified grease making its way into the trash: very slowly, with moments of gag inducing repulsion and general disgust. Finally, Ushijima zipped up his pants. Oikawa tensed, squeezing Iwaizumi’s wrist. He was trying to communicate something, surely, but Iwaizumi wasn’t given enough time to decipher the message before Oikawa flew into action, turning around sharply. Iwaizumi stumbled over his feet, shoes squeaking as Oikawa practically pulled him out of the door. Oikawa flipped the light switch just as they hit the exit and the bathroom flooded with black.
“Holy shit,” Iwaizumi hissed as the door closed behind him, leaving Ushijima trapped in the dark.
Oikawa continued to pull him forward, heading in the direction of their belongings. His voice was hoarse with nerves and conspiracy. “What the fuck, Iwa-chan?”
There had existed an unspoken truth between them that the airport represented a doorway to another universe. When they’d bought their plane tickets and printed boarding passes, they’d solidified the plan to leave their old world behind in favor of something new and unknown. When they’d stepped foot in the airport, they’d left the past waiting at the doorway. And when they finally boarded the plane, the world they’d shared together for so long would disappear like leaves scattering in the wind. Despite the existence of this truth, a piece of their past seemed to have crossed the threshold with them. And it was not a piece either of them would have chosen to pack in their carry-ons.
They arrived back at their luggage in record time. Oikawa sat up their suitcases, forming a barrier between them and the rest of the airport. He squatted behind it, only the top of his head visible as he scanned the waiting area. Iwaizumi joined him just as Ushijima walked out of the bathroom.
“He’s hideous,” Oikawa whispered. Iwaizumi nodded in agreement. They watched with horror as Ushijima made his way towards them, closer and closer to the bubble they’d created.
“Holy shit,” Oikawa wheezed. The shocking boyish-ness of the sound pulled all the dramatic tension from the air. Oikawa’s eyes shone with delight and repulsion. “Iwa-chan, oh my god. Look, look! He’s wearing crocs.”
Iwaizumi looked and saw that it was so. The shoes, bright purple, looked out of place in the stainless-steel backdrop of the airport.
“Holy shit,” Iwaizumi breathed. Oikawa couldn’t, or wouldn’t, stop wheezing, and Iwaizumi felt compelled to cover the setter’s mouth with his hands as Ushijima sat in a seat only feet away from their hiding spot. Iwaizumi stared at Oikawa and Oikawa, trapped in place behind Iwaizumi’s hands, was forced to stare back.
“What do we do?” Iwaizumi whispered. Oikawa shrugged. “He’s right there.”
Oikawa made some muffled attempts at forming words behind Iwaizumi’s hand before Iwaizumi set him free. “We could go get some plastic knives from the cafeteria. There are plenty of places to hide a body in an airport. Probably.”
“You’re a really shitty guy, you know that right?,” Iwaizumi chastised, voice slipping from a whisper back to it’s normal volume. Oikawa, returning the favor from earlier, used both hands to cover Iwaizumi’s mouth with a loud shush! Iwaizumi licked them in retaliation. Oikawa screeched as he pulled his hands back to furiously wipe them on his pants.
The arrival of a third party popped the bubble. Ushijima’s form towered over them. “Oikawa.”
Iwaizumi and Oikawa shared a look. Yikes.
“Ushiwaka-chan,” Oikawa replied, voice cool and detached. Teenage, boyish, silly Oikawa had waved sayonara and disappeared in half a second, leaving confident, collected, not-a-genius Oikawa in his place. He did not dignify Ushijima’s arrival by getting up, but instead fell back on his hands and looked up, like a beachgoer relaxing in the sand and staring with distaste at the hot sky above. He waited in silence, inviting Ushijima to continue.
Ushijima looked between the pair for a moment before clearing his throat. “I would refrain from using the restroom. The lights do not work.”
“Or maybe you just really suck at going to the bathroom,” Oikawa sneered, voice laced with so much poison it almost seemed as though he was wielding a dagger instead of a flimsy, pitiful excuse of an insult.
Ushijima stared. “I don’t think that is the case.”
For another long, uncomfortable eternity, the three shared the same air in dumb silence. To Iwaizumi, it seemed like Oikawa was drawing Ushijima into a silent dueling match and was waiting for his opponent to make the next move. It also seemed like Ushijima had no clue he was a participant in any kind of match, nor that there was a need to host one in the first place. When enough time had passed for Iwaizumi’s legs to start cramping, Ushijima nodded a sudden goodbye and left.
The pair sat in stunned quiet for a moment before Iwaizumi looked Oikawa over and rolled his eyes. “Real smooth, captain.”
Oikawa sucked in a breath of fast, disapproving air. “I pity the person,” he started, standing up and offering Iwaizumi his hand. His posture screamed I am a weapon. Do not touch. “who has to sit next to that on a plane.”
Iwaizumi grabbed Oikawa’s hand without question. “And you thought you had it rough sitting next to me.”
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mal-likes-biscuits · 5 years
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The Picnic - Epilogue
A proper epilogue for this thread with @macabrecabra​, because Magtherius did tell him to be more overt in his affection. Set in Series 2, before Act III and after most of the Series 1 angst has worked its way through. Also after, uhm, other things have happened. You’ll understand.
This is romantic and probably really sappy and there’s absolutely no demon stabbing in it.
“This is quite unusual,” Farah said, smiling as she gathered her zala about her shoulders and followed Malthael out of the library. 
Usually, he appeared at home after her work had ended for the day, or she was forced to interrupt him from his studies in the library in order to get his attention. But today, he had sought her out as she was tidying her desk, with a rather surprising request.
“As you said before,” he replied, raising an eyebrow. “Quite observant.” The sun was just beginning to dip towards the horizon; the amber glow illuminated tree leaves and the few stray strands of his hair that always managed to escape proper wrangling.
That aside, however, he was uncharacteristically.... well-kept. Not that his usual appearance bothered Farah terribly; she knew it was due to his travels, or his becoming distracted with his research. The months they had spent living together had shown her most of his disorganization was kept to his study and himself. Neither hindered her affection for his person, or his ability to demonstrate the same to her.
But such demonstrations were usually subtle or took the form of the gifts he brought back for her. Fresh clothing, a distinct lack of dirt on his face, and him appearing at the library to take her someplace?
Now, that was strange. Had he not maintained his usual verbal wit, she would have assumed something was wrong. Or that some demon had stolen his form in a poor attempt to abscond with her.
“You are thinking far too much about this,” Malthael chuckled, as he led her through Tristram towards the town’s outskirts. 
“You’ve caught me. Usually you’re the one I accuse of that.”
“Rightfully so.”
“It’s not without reason, though.” She spun to walk side-step, so she could better see him. “This is unusual. And I’m very curious.”
“That is entirely the idea.”
“Are you being coy with me, Malthael?” She grinned wryly, and before he could reply, she skipped ahead through the nearest alleyway; there were only so many places in Tristram he could take her, and given their general direction, she had a fairly good idea where they were going.
“You assume a great deal,” he called, though he made no attempt to redirect her.
“Only because you are being surprising. Did you get an idea from Lyndon?”
“No.”
“Tyrael, then?”
“No.”
“My sister?”
“No.”
“Well, that would explain how you managed to keep this a secret. Tristram has loose lips.”
“Verily. I have my ways. Also, you are assuming I needed ideas.”
That was true, though Farah had enough suspicions to know the surprise was more than likely outside Malthael’s area of expertise. He had already taken steps to dress himself in a way that was beyond his usual habits. She sneaked another glance backward, noting what she had suspected before, which was that his shirt was not only clean – it was new.
“You look quite nice,” she offered genuinely. The least she could do was acknowledge his efforts.
Though, unsurprisingly, the comment also brought a subtle colour to his cheeks. He ducked his head in thanks, the twitch of a smirk flashing across his lips before they were hidden behind his hair.
His footfalls were close behind hers as she charted the deer trail from Tristram to their destination. The meadow was not exactly a secret, but as Malthael often claimed a spot near the pond to read, it saw little use from the other residents. There were still some who preferred the former-reaper keep himself out of sight, and were therefore happy to concede the more remote location to him.
Farah pushed aside a fruit-laden branch and considered what lay before her.
There, under the reading willow, was a crimson blanket, spread tautly across the grass, its corners pinned in place with several metal stakes. On the blanket was a large covered basket, neatly stored beside matching ceramic dishes and utensils. A row of arcane braziers flickered gently, their light dancing in the water’s reflections and in the glass of a wine bottle, unopened and leaning against the trunk of the tree.
“Oh!” She had expected a book, perhaps. Or maybe a mug of tea. But certainly nothing like he had prepared.
He bumped her shoulder gently with his as he walked to the blanket. Then he took a seat crossed legged on it and gestured for her to join him. “Unless, you have somewhere else to be?” His eyes crinkled.
“You are coy,” she managed, her voice tremoring from warm elation. “And this is entirely unlike you.”
He hesitated. “Is it…all right?”
“Of course!” The blanket was soft to touch, woven from the more expensive cottons that were grown in tropical locales. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have implied otherwise. It’s wonderful. It’s just…you really did surprise me. What brought this on? It’s not my birthday.”
The wicker basket rustled as he opened the lid and withdrew several wrapped packets. He still wasn’t looking at her, but the smile had returned to his eyes. “Is a reason always necessary?”
“For you? I would think yes.” She took one of the bundles, helping him unwrap what turned out to be an assorted variety of picnic foods. Hard cheeses, various smoked meats, long-breads that had been drizzled with several types of cooking oils and vinegars.
It was not too different than what she had brought for him in the past. But she had always taken the initiative to do so, assuming he was not comfortable expressing his feelings for her that way. Still, seeing it all set out before her, clearly his doing, touched her far more than their usual private get-togethers did. It wasn’t the food, or the wine, or any of the specifics.
It was the degree he had gone out of his way to do something for her. Not because she had requested it. But because he knew she would like it.
Their fingers brushed as he handed her the last bundle.
“You won’t tell me, will you?” His hands were cold, as always; she wrapped hers around them, silently sharing the warmth. “Your reason?”
He considered their entwined fingers, and the package clasped between them, his expression nearly unreadable, but softening as he shook his head. She waited patiently, knowing he was trying to find the words, as he so often had to do when he spoke about her.
“Perhaps,” he whispered, drawing his thumb across the back of her hand, “you are reason enough.”
When he finally raised his head to look at her, it was with the most naked, disarmed expression she had ever seen him wear. From a man who was always certain about everything, such clear hesitation about his own words, and her reaction to them, said everything.
Malthael had always been astute at giving her whatever she needed, and whenever possible, she had never made him guess. They were stronger that way. But seeing him show her the extent of his inexperience with his own emotions, and his willingness to trust her with that vulnerability—
“That is a good reason,” she whispered in reply. “Now, how about you show me what you have brought? And then we can eat.”
#
The stars shone through the firmament, pinpricks of light that echoed faintly in the now-still waters of the pond. The earlier breeze had all but gone, leaving only the trilling of birds, and the occasional stifled laughter from the two of them. The empty wine bottle lay discarded on the grass, and they had stacked the plates to the side, to allow them to stretch out on the blanket proper.
“I still can’t believe you liked it,” Farah snickered, turning her head to grin at him. “I assumed you’d tried it before and didn’t.”
Malthael raised a finger and gestured absently in the direction of the wine. “It’s not entirely different from mead.”
“It’s made of grapes, pi’ra.”
“Aye, verily.”
“Which are the same as raisins.”
“No, they are not. Grapes have moisture, and substance. Raisins have been leached of any redeemable quality by the Lords of Hell.” He slapped his palm onto the blanket emphatically. “Wine also has moisture, and substance, and flavour. Because it hasn’t been demon-sapped.”
Farah stifled a cackle, though her grin did acquire some teeth. “How very astute of you, Aspect of Wisdom.”
“If I didn’t know better, I would think you were mocking me.”
“Never. Would not dare. I’ve been privy to your revenge on Lyndon often to enough to know better.”
Neither would she point out the slight drawl to his speech, or the way grammatical contractions sneaked into his usually impeccable phrasing once he’d had something to drink. She enjoyed watching him far too much and didn’t want to tip him off too heavily.
“That is wise.” He paused, then snorted loudly at his own joke. “It’s probably best…it’s the two of us.”
“Cowl down?”
“Cowl is…” he shrugged. “Floating on the water, alongside my sobriety. Somewhere.”
“Somewhere. But not here.”
“I still believe you are mocking me,” he muttered, without bite. “And I am not so drunk as to forget how to plot.”
“If you intend to keep me quiet, that may be difficult.” She raised an eyebrow, intentionally imitating his usual gesture.
“Farah. Owing to my apparent…confusion, you may have to be more forthright. Exactly in what way do you assume I will be distracting you?” Then, after a beat, he mirrored the eyebrow, amusement flickering across his face. “Detailed, if possible.”
“I meant nothing of the sort!” she sputtered, though she knew the mirth in her words gave away the truth.
“I am sensing…dishonesty.”
“And how will you prove it? Scry the Chalice?”
“Mmm, I think not. I think I know you quite well, indeed.” He trailed off, giving her a chance to ponder the joke they’d often tossed back and forth between each other, ever since she’d first caught him off-guard with a particularly effective flirtation.
“Ah, then what am I thinking?”
“If I were to guess,” he murmured, before shifting to her side and wrapping an arm loosely about her. “I assume…” His hair tickled across her face as he leaned close, his forehead gently tapping hers.
He waited for her, as always. She took the moment to close her eyes and absorb the moment. The soft whispers of the night, and the trace of the wine on his breath. Underneath, the always present hints of pine and smoke that were his scents.
“Just this,” she whispered. “No more. I won’t have you over-indulge me to your own detriment because of wayward grapes. Promise?”
“You have my word.”
“Also, I know I enjoy reading about these sorts of things all the time, but it’s not entirely the best climate to do this outside—”
“Farah.” She shivered as he slowly traced his fingers down her cheek. “I brought a quilt.”
Oh. He really had thought of everything. “Sneaky.”
“Verily. Did you expect otherwise?”
“From you? No.” And truthfully, she was more concerned about his respect for his own boundaries than the weather. But she also trusted him, implicitly. And she could help him keep his promise. “I think that is why I love you.”
He pulled her closer, exhaling briskly, the same as he did nearly every time she said it. Then, so quietly, it was almost lost to the night: “And I, you.”
Words she never thought she would hear spoken, and on the heels of an evening already filled with the unexpected. Perhaps it was finally the right time, for him. Or perhaps something else had driven him to it. She didn’t know, and it didn’t matter. It was a thought for another night.
She carefully snaked an arm behind his head, and when he didn’t protest, she buried her fingers in his hair and gently pressed her lips to his.
#####
[Oh hey look @oyeedraw they managed to kiss in writing. >:D]
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batterymonster2021 · 5 years
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51% Attack, Free Speech Under Attack? | Hodler's Digest
New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/51-attack-free-speech-under-attack-hodlers-digest/
51% Attack, Free Speech Under Attack? | Hodler's Digest
My fellow american citizens, tonight i’m speaking to you considering the fact that there is a growing humanitarian and security concern in our southern border. The U.S. Executive will have been shut down for a long time but Cointelegraph didn’t take any breaks, we’re the hardest working staff within the crypto trade. This week, the Winklevii confirmed in an AMA their dedication to a Bitcoin ETF; japanese regulators, then again, denied rumors they had been on account that approving Bitcoin ETFs. Additionally this week, a 51% assault hits Ethereum traditional, right wingers love free speech and Bitcoin, 70% of imperative banks are interested in CBDCs, and Fortnite hasnt fairly embraced the crypto future. Women and gentlemen, Im Molly Jane and this is your weekly Hodlers Digest. After attaining the $4,000 benchmark final Sunday, Bitcoin might not hold it for long. Lets have a appear on the contemporary market updates.On the fifth of January, major crypto alternate Coinbase detected an assault being carried out against Ethereum basic, a cryptocurrency generated through an Ethereum fork, leading to of loss of reportedly over $1 million valued at crypto. Consistent with Coinbase, a malicious agent took manipulate of over 50% of the blocks making up the Ethereum Classics network, main to a so-called chain reorganization, in which nearly half 1,000,000 greenbacks valued at tokens were spent twice. The assault was once later tested by means of researchers at crypto exchange Gate.Io and chinese safety firm Slowmist. With a view to safeguard its shoppers, Coinbase, Kraken and other crypto exchanges have quickly suspended Ethereum basic deposits and withdrawals. A fifty one% assaults refers to a distinct entity taking manipulate of more than the 50 percentage of the blockchain community, which is able to lead to the falsification of transactions and permit double spending. Even though they occur rather rarely, fifty one% attacks are visible by means of many as a major hazard undermining the success of blockchain science.In the wake of the and so on attack, creator of Litecoin Charlie Lee underlined blockchains intrinsic vulnerability to fifty one% assaults. He stated: with the aid of definition, a decentralized cryptocurrency have got to be prone to 51% assaults whether by hashrate, stake, and/or other permissionless-acquirable assets. If a crypto can’t be fifty one% attacked, it is permissioned and centralized. Different authorities cited that whilst 51% attacks are certainly a chance for somewhat small altcoins such as and so forth, they are unlikely to have an impact on higher players comparable to Bitcoin and Ethereum, as that would require a ways larger quantities of hashrate. We talked to Nir Kabessa, president of the group Blockchain at Columbia at Columbia university, and asked him to give us his point of view on the drawback.I feel it turns into enormously problematic to do something like that to a sequence the scale of Bitcoin and Ethereum. But when there may be some thing that this assault has showed us is that it is feasible that it could happen to a prime blockchain. A good-revered blockchain with gigantic amount of miner neighborhood and developer neighborhood. So yeah, I consider above all Ethereum traditional was prone to whatever like this given that of the maximalism and fundamentalism of Ethereum traditional. The fact that they’re giant proponents of immutability, I think makes them form of a reputational target for a 51 percentage attack to type of prove that they’re now not a hundred percent immutable and that matters may also be converted or reorganized. I think there is obviously room for Ethereum classic sooner or later of blockchain. However severe alterations will must be made and new factors to use Ethereum traditional over different chains will need to come out. There will must be new aggressive advantages in one way or another to Ethereum traditional due to the fact one of their strong fits was protection and immutability and that is an argument that they just cannot make to the same full extent anymore.After the attack, the status of Ethereum traditional looks critically compromised. We also talked to Ethereum classic developers Donald McIntyre and Zach Belford and asked them to remark on the accident. Its a fallacy to say that on the grounds that and so forth has been attacked that suggests a proof of labor is just not comfortable. That is ridiculous. In phrases of what we spoke about, what to do. The first thing was to do the postmortem and we did that assembly today and we’re gonna do a couple of extra conferences to continue analyzing the main issue. One concrete protection advice is to use from two thousand five hundred to 5 thousand confirmations for medium or significant transactions, gain knowledge of that probability to put in force a deep reorg safeguard in and so on which I suppose is not likely given that additionally it is something that is untested but it surely’s something that is underneath evaluation. Then, to set a limit on the highest measurement of the dag is another thing. We will be able to not follow any changes unexpectedly without proper research. So there have been double spends and there have been victims of this attacker that’s some thing that we’re not going to revert on change.Of direction we can aid with knowledge to regulation enforcement or if there is any investigation. But the trade is in no way going to be reverted. In the early days of Bitcoin, it was once getting fifty one% attacked at all times. All proof-of-work cryptocurrencies can be fifty one% attacked. Ethereum traditional is obviously no longer the most cost effective one to 51% assault however the reality of the subject is that our hash premiums is 4% of Ethereum and it’s been that for a very long time. The point there is that we isn’t watching at making protocol changes in times of main issue. That is anything that is a part of proof-of-work. I believe that probably the most matters that’s going to reaffirm trust within the group is that there had been a variety of blockchains that have been fifty one% attacked within the last yr or two and a variety of them have answered with protocol degree changes which to me shows numerous immaturity and a lot of simply now not knowing or not understanding what proof-of-work is and how where this genuinely stems from and why.Technically according to the protocol it is now not an assault. It can be part of the protocol. Up to date reviews claiming that the standard online game Fortnite is accepting Monero for on-line repayments grew to become out to be unfounded. The crypto group used to be full of pleasure when Monero CEO Riccardo Spagni announced on Twitter that Fortnite will take delivery of Monero as a fee system for its merch retailer. However, a couple of days later, CEO of Epic games Tim Sweeney refuted the rumors in a tweet, defining the adoption of Monero purely as unintentional. With its over one hundred twenty five million registered avid gamers, Fortnite would have performed a predominant function in pioneering the integration of crypto within the gaming enterprise. In the final few years, other makes an attempt to combine the sector of video video games with blockchain technological know-how became out triumphant. One of the crucial earliest illustration of crypto-video games is Dragons story, a 3D on-line game released in 2013 wherein players can stake Bitcoin at the same time competing in a style of mini challenges.Marking a deeper integration of blockchain into gaming, the card trading recreation Spells of Genesis was once released in September 2016. This was the primary game to use the Bitcoin blockchain to retailer the collectible cards at the core of the game. However neither of the earlier recounted games can healthy the fame of Crypto Kitties, the first Ethereum-centered video game. The Ethereum blockchain is on the core of Crypto Kitties, because it serves to guarantee the uniqueness of each and every digital cat owned by using the players. Nonetheless, while blockchain remains to be to obtain traction as a specific sport-play modifier, on the sport builders side there is some exciting news. After raising $forty million in dollars last September, Cocos Blockchain expedition, a sport development platform developed on blockchain, launched its testnet last week. Cocos Blockchain expedition or Cocos – BCX is built with the Cocos engine, the highest game engine in Asia and number 2 in the world by way of market share, objectives to create an open procedure the place developers can create and test video games constructed on unique blockchains.To extra enhance the combination of video video games and crypto, main companies in both sectors got here together final September to kind the Blockchain recreation Alliance. The workforce includes massive names reminiscent of Consensys, Everdreamsoft and the French gaming big Ubisoft. One factor that blockchain is fairly just right at is presents value to persons. The transparency, the immutability, so all those points furnish a ability to create new facets and those facets are excellent for gamers. For example, if i am a participant and say I watch an commercial, like I do with the cell phone for some video games, I acquire credits however on a platform that you could virtually receive some tokens and people tokens you need to use them to buy games can use them to buy a event and tendencies. For illustration, If I come to a decision as a participant to take part in a beta scan, i will be able to take part and i receives a commission for it by means of the developer in tokens once more. So all those mechanism provide me as a participant the capacity to earn forex or cash and i will use that money to without a doubt purchase anything i would like. We’re working to allow humans to make tokens, to create their art.Now it’s visual artwork however as time goes, it may be extra things like stages or sounds or special elements. And the game creator us right here can be more like a moderator, like an orchestra, anyone who will control the orchestra. We are shaping our product to allow humans to contribute, to have a marketplace so persons can enrich the game in a technique that we even havent feel of. And we’re environment the stones to allow users to do that. Late last yr, Google CEO Sundar Pichai had to explain to not-so-tech-savvy Republican senators why the Google search term fool brought up pix of Donald Trump.Even as many were amused with the aid of the exchange, the actual query involving these senators was whether Google, and extra largely big-tech, have a correct-wing bias. Two figures who agree with this sentiment are the host of Koch brothers-funded speak exhibit The Rubin document, Dave Rubin and Andrew Torba, CEO of Gab, a so-referred to as free-speech social network. Just lately Dave Rubin announced, alongside yet another proper-winger Dr.Jordan Peterson, that they have been leaving funding platform Patreon. That is no small gesture, Petersons account makes over $30K a month and Rubins about $22K. The cause for such an abrupt departure? Protest in opposition to alleged censorship on the part of Patreon.The victim of this assault on free speech in their minds is Sargon of Akkad, a some distance-correct YouTuber who used to be kicked off Patreon for utilizing the n-word on a separate platform. Patreon defended the transfer, citing its community instructional materials prohibiting hate speech. Rubin clearly disagrees and plans to delete his Patreon on January 15. He announced an substitute censorship-resistant funding option: Bitcoin via Squares cash App. One of the crucial first Bitcoin purchasers used to be, unsurprisingly, Gab claiming to have transferred 0.0025 Bitcoin to Rubins his Bitcoin deal with. Gab CEO Andrew Torba has been voicing similar issues when it comes to the stifling of free speech. Gab, which purports to be an uncensored area without spending a dime speech on-line, but critics call a far-correct echo chamber, had their Coinbase account closed for allegedly promoting hate speech. Also, final year, for instance, the new York times stated Gab as the social network the place the Pittsburgh shooter posted his final message before shooting up the Synagogue. Torba acknowledged that the shooter did not signify the broader consumer base of his platform. Nonetheless, Gabs account was once shut down.Whether or not or no longer you supply any credence to Rubin or Torbas views, it’s clear that the decentralized utopia the internet once was is now dominated with the aid of very centralized platforms that have complete control over numerous our content and communications. One answer could paradoxically be to break up colossal-tech firms, control them by means of subjecting them to anti-believe legal guidelines. That means at least they would be defended by way of the first modification; 2d only to the second modification in the hearts of many conservatives. Final yr, after closely criticizing crypto, the IMF head got here out in want of CBDCs. Now it seems they are developing in popularity across the globe. 70% of the worlds crucial banks are presently watching into launching digital currencies in any other case known as CBDCs. That is according to a recently released a survey through the financial institution of international settlements, BIS, in Switzerland, which comprises 60 primary banks around the globe.CBDCs are of course controversial in the crypto neighborhood due to the fact they’d have legal soft popularity, be heavily regulated and, of path, centralized. Of the 63 crucial banks surveyed, 22 are in evolved economies and 41 in emerging ones–that bills for 90% of the worlds financial output. The survey determined that 70% were actively engaged in establishing a CBDC, or at the least at the study section. So far, best 5 banks have sincerely run pilot or experiment runs. Ahead of the % are Uruguay and Sweden; the latters Riksbank plans to launch the E-Krona pilot project this year and start issuance as early as 2021. Uruguay, on the other hand, is leading the %, their pilot venture of the E-Peso successfully led to April of last yr. CBDCs do carry some very interesting questions involving censorship, surveillance and even the loss of life of Stablecoins. Outstanding Swedish Youtuber Ivan on Tech last yeah voiced concerns that Swedes may be at risk someday of going to the flawed protests and dealing with monetary consequences.KMPG for his or her section released a record questioning the necessity for something like Tether if there ever used to be is a Fedcoin We spoke to Thomas Moser of the Swiss country wide bank concerning the emergence of CBDCs and what that would imply for a crypto-pleasant nation like Switzerland. We are obviously in phrases in phrases of study we’re looking into it however this is fairly theoretical study and in addition conceptual research. However we now have no longer had the intention to try out the pilot or to position that into a proof of idea. So it’s quite theoretical research but we came to the conclusion like other critical banks that we don’t consider that at this stage as a minimum that the benefits are larger than the negatives or disadvantages or the risks at least that we could see. If you happen to would provide a CBDC that will sincerely fulfill the function of a stablecoin except once more you’ve got all these ideological issues that you do not want to trust the primary financial institution or when you have just right cause that you don’t want to rely on the imperative financial institution forex in case you once more when you’ve got a primary financial institution that that is not that supplies a currency with hyperinflation i assume then that may certainly no longer be a excellent alternative for a stablecoin.But in that case the stablecoin would traditionally not repair its price closer to the country wide forex however toward the U.S. Greenback or the euro. Previous this week, the French anti-institution motion often called the Yellow Jackets referred to as for the French public to participate in a giant bank run as a mean of protesting towards the monetary elite. Dubbed The Collectors Referendum, the initiative geared toward bringing people to withdraw their savings from banks and other financial associations this Saturday. This, in step with the activists, used to be going to be elected officials worst nightmare and its goal was once to scare the State totally legally and without any violence. The announced occasion resounded broadly within the crypto neighborhood, as it aligned with crypto in criticizing the failings of the common fiscal approach.Many noticed a clear parallel between the Yellow Vests financial institution run and the Proof of Keys event, a protest against centralized crypto exchanges announced by using entrepreneur hint Mayer prior this month. Mayer referred to as upon merchants to withdraw their money from exchanges as a reminder of Satoshis common imaginative and prescient of decentralization and fiscal independence. At the same time the French activists made no reference to crypto, by using highlighting peoples distrust in the direction of normal economic actors, the Yellow Vests protests would have a constructive knock-on outcomes for the crypto industry. To underline the connection between crypto and the Yellow Vest action, street artist Pascal Boyart hid a Bitcoin puzzle in his brand new graffiti committed to the protest. In step with the artist, fixing the riddle will unlock a prize valued at $1000 in Bitcoin. Boyart mentioned the enigma can also be solved best by bodily standing in front of the graffiti.What are you ready for, hodlers? Time to jump to the subsequent flight bound for Paris! Charlie Lee has accused Bitcoin maximalists of being Bitcoin extremists, do you settle, and where would you set your self on his survey? Are you a Bitcoin Extremist, Bitcoin Maximalist, Altcoin Maximalist or Nocoiner? Comment beneath! This episode is backed via alternate Santa. Alternate Santa is a cloud-based buying and selling bot. Set it up in less than 2 minutes, exchange a couple of pairs, pick between long and quick approaches, use tech analysis warning signs, and see your results in real-time.Exchange Santa works 24/7 to get you the revenue you set. The platform is already built-in with Binance, Bittrex, Bitfinex and HitBTC. The link is within the description beneath! And as continually, remember to like, subscribe and hodl! .
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airoasis · 5 years
Text
51% Attack, Free Speech Under Attack? | Hodler's Digest
New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/51-attack-free-speech-under-attack-hodlers-digest/
51% Attack, Free Speech Under Attack? | Hodler's Digest
My fellow american citizens, tonight i’m speaking to you considering the fact that there is a growing humanitarian and security concern in our southern border. The U.S. Executive will have been shut down for a long time but Cointelegraph didn’t take any breaks, we’re the hardest working staff within the crypto trade. This week, the Winklevii confirmed in an AMA their dedication to a Bitcoin ETF; japanese regulators, then again, denied rumors they had been on account that approving Bitcoin ETFs. Additionally this week, a 51% assault hits Ethereum traditional, right wingers love free speech and Bitcoin, 70% of imperative banks are interested in CBDCs, and Fortnite hasnt fairly embraced the crypto future. Women and gentlemen, Im Molly Jane and this is your weekly Hodlers Digest. After attaining the $4,000 benchmark final Sunday, Bitcoin might not hold it for long. Lets have a appear on the contemporary market updates.On the fifth of January, major crypto alternate Coinbase detected an assault being carried out against Ethereum basic, a cryptocurrency generated through an Ethereum fork, leading to of loss of reportedly over $1 million valued at crypto. Consistent with Coinbase, a malicious agent took manipulate of over 50% of the blocks making up the Ethereum Classics network, main to a so-called chain reorganization, in which nearly half 1,000,000 greenbacks valued at tokens were spent twice. The assault was once later tested by means of researchers at crypto exchange Gate.Io and chinese safety firm Slowmist. With a view to safeguard its shoppers, Coinbase, Kraken and other crypto exchanges have quickly suspended Ethereum basic deposits and withdrawals. A fifty one% assaults refers to a distinct entity taking manipulate of more than the 50 percentage of the blockchain community, which is able to lead to the falsification of transactions and permit double spending. Even though they occur rather rarely, fifty one% attacks are visible by means of many as a major hazard undermining the success of blockchain science.In the wake of the and so on attack, creator of Litecoin Charlie Lee underlined blockchains intrinsic vulnerability to fifty one% assaults. He stated: with the aid of definition, a decentralized cryptocurrency have got to be prone to 51% assaults whether by hashrate, stake, and/or other permissionless-acquirable assets. If a crypto can’t be fifty one% attacked, it is permissioned and centralized. Different authorities cited that whilst 51% attacks are certainly a chance for somewhat small altcoins such as and so forth, they are unlikely to have an impact on higher players comparable to Bitcoin and Ethereum, as that would require a ways larger quantities of hashrate. We talked to Nir Kabessa, president of the group Blockchain at Columbia at Columbia university, and asked him to give us his point of view on the drawback.I feel it turns into enormously problematic to do something like that to a sequence the scale of Bitcoin and Ethereum. But when there may be some thing that this assault has showed us is that it is feasible that it could happen to a prime blockchain. A good-revered blockchain with gigantic amount of miner neighborhood and developer neighborhood. So yeah, I consider above all Ethereum traditional was prone to whatever like this given that of the maximalism and fundamentalism of Ethereum traditional. The fact that they’re giant proponents of immutability, I think makes them form of a reputational target for a 51 percentage attack to type of prove that they’re now not a hundred percent immutable and that matters may also be converted or reorganized. I think there is obviously room for Ethereum classic sooner or later of blockchain. However severe alterations will must be made and new factors to use Ethereum traditional over different chains will need to come out. There will must be new aggressive advantages in one way or another to Ethereum traditional due to the fact one of their strong fits was protection and immutability and that is an argument that they just cannot make to the same full extent anymore.After the attack, the status of Ethereum traditional looks critically compromised. We also talked to Ethereum classic developers Donald McIntyre and Zach Belford and asked them to remark on the accident. Its a fallacy to say that on the grounds that and so forth has been attacked that suggests a proof of labor is just not comfortable. That is ridiculous. In phrases of what we spoke about, what to do. The first thing was to do the postmortem and we did that assembly today and we’re gonna do a couple of extra conferences to continue analyzing the main issue. One concrete protection advice is to use from two thousand five hundred to 5 thousand confirmations for medium or significant transactions, gain knowledge of that probability to put in force a deep reorg safeguard in and so on which I suppose is not likely given that additionally it is something that is untested but it surely’s something that is underneath evaluation. Then, to set a limit on the highest measurement of the dag is another thing. We will be able to not follow any changes unexpectedly without proper research. So there have been double spends and there have been victims of this attacker that’s some thing that we’re not going to revert on change.Of direction we can aid with knowledge to regulation enforcement or if there is any investigation. But the trade is in no way going to be reverted. In the early days of Bitcoin, it was once getting fifty one% attacked at all times. All proof-of-work cryptocurrencies can be fifty one% attacked. Ethereum traditional is obviously no longer the most cost effective one to 51% assault however the reality of the subject is that our hash premiums is 4% of Ethereum and it’s been that for a very long time. The point there is that we isn’t watching at making protocol changes in times of main issue. That is anything that is a part of proof-of-work. I believe that probably the most matters that’s going to reaffirm trust within the group is that there had been a variety of blockchains that have been fifty one% attacked within the last yr or two and a variety of them have answered with protocol degree changes which to me shows numerous immaturity and a lot of simply now not knowing or not understanding what proof-of-work is and how where this genuinely stems from and why.Technically according to the protocol it is now not an assault. It can be part of the protocol. Up to date reviews claiming that the standard online game Fortnite is accepting Monero for on-line repayments grew to become out to be unfounded. The crypto group used to be full of pleasure when Monero CEO Riccardo Spagni announced on Twitter that Fortnite will take delivery of Monero as a fee system for its merch retailer. However, a couple of days later, CEO of Epic games Tim Sweeney refuted the rumors in a tweet, defining the adoption of Monero purely as unintentional. With its over one hundred twenty five million registered avid gamers, Fortnite would have performed a predominant function in pioneering the integration of crypto within the gaming enterprise. In the final few years, other makes an attempt to combine the sector of video video games with blockchain technological know-how became out triumphant. One of the crucial earliest illustration of crypto-video games is Dragons story, a 3D on-line game released in 2013 wherein players can stake Bitcoin at the same time competing in a style of mini challenges.Marking a deeper integration of blockchain into gaming, the card trading recreation Spells of Genesis was once released in September 2016. This was the primary game to use the Bitcoin blockchain to retailer the collectible cards at the core of the game. However neither of the earlier recounted games can healthy the fame of Crypto Kitties, the first Ethereum-centered video game. The Ethereum blockchain is on the core of Crypto Kitties, because it serves to guarantee the uniqueness of each and every digital cat owned by using the players. Nonetheless, while blockchain remains to be to obtain traction as a specific sport-play modifier, on the sport builders side there is some exciting news. After raising $forty million in dollars last September, Cocos Blockchain expedition, a sport development platform developed on blockchain, launched its testnet last week. Cocos Blockchain expedition or Cocos – BCX is built with the Cocos engine, the highest game engine in Asia and number 2 in the world by way of market share, objectives to create an open procedure the place developers can create and test video games constructed on unique blockchains.To extra enhance the combination of video video games and crypto, main companies in both sectors got here together final September to kind the Blockchain recreation Alliance. The workforce includes massive names reminiscent of Consensys, Everdreamsoft and the French gaming big Ubisoft. One factor that blockchain is fairly just right at is presents value to persons. The transparency, the immutability, so all those points furnish a ability to create new facets and those facets are excellent for gamers. For example, if i am a participant and say I watch an commercial, like I do with the cell phone for some video games, I acquire credits however on a platform that you could virtually receive some tokens and people tokens you need to use them to buy games can use them to buy a event and tendencies. For illustration, If I come to a decision as a participant to take part in a beta scan, i will be able to take part and i receives a commission for it by means of the developer in tokens once more. So all those mechanism provide me as a participant the capacity to earn forex or cash and i will use that money to without a doubt purchase anything i would like. We’re working to allow humans to make tokens, to create their art.Now it’s visual artwork however as time goes, it may be extra things like stages or sounds or special elements. And the game creator us right here can be more like a moderator, like an orchestra, anyone who will control the orchestra. We are shaping our product to allow humans to contribute, to have a marketplace so persons can enrich the game in a technique that we even havent feel of. And we’re environment the stones to allow users to do that. Late last yr, Google CEO Sundar Pichai had to explain to not-so-tech-savvy Republican senators why the Google search term fool brought up pix of Donald Trump.Even as many were amused with the aid of the exchange, the actual query involving these senators was whether Google, and extra largely big-tech, have a correct-wing bias. Two figures who agree with this sentiment are the host of Koch brothers-funded speak exhibit The Rubin document, Dave Rubin and Andrew Torba, CEO of Gab, a so-referred to as free-speech social network. Just lately Dave Rubin announced, alongside yet another proper-winger Dr.Jordan Peterson, that they have been leaving funding platform Patreon. That is no small gesture, Petersons account makes over $30K a month and Rubins about $22K. The cause for such an abrupt departure? Protest in opposition to alleged censorship on the part of Patreon.The victim of this assault on free speech in their minds is Sargon of Akkad, a some distance-correct YouTuber who used to be kicked off Patreon for utilizing the n-word on a separate platform. Patreon defended the transfer, citing its community instructional materials prohibiting hate speech. Rubin clearly disagrees and plans to delete his Patreon on January 15. He announced an substitute censorship-resistant funding option: Bitcoin via Squares cash App. One of the crucial first Bitcoin purchasers used to be, unsurprisingly, Gab claiming to have transferred 0.0025 Bitcoin to Rubins his Bitcoin deal with. Gab CEO Andrew Torba has been voicing similar issues when it comes to the stifling of free speech. Gab, which purports to be an uncensored area without spending a dime speech on-line, but critics call a far-correct echo chamber, had their Coinbase account closed for allegedly promoting hate speech. Also, final year, for instance, the new York times stated Gab as the social network the place the Pittsburgh shooter posted his final message before shooting up the Synagogue. Torba acknowledged that the shooter did not signify the broader consumer base of his platform. Nonetheless, Gabs account was once shut down.Whether or not or no longer you supply any credence to Rubin or Torbas views, it’s clear that the decentralized utopia the internet once was is now dominated with the aid of very centralized platforms that have complete control over numerous our content and communications. One answer could paradoxically be to break up colossal-tech firms, control them by means of subjecting them to anti-believe legal guidelines. That means at least they would be defended by way of the first modification; 2d only to the second modification in the hearts of many conservatives. Final yr, after closely criticizing crypto, the IMF head got here out in want of CBDCs. Now it seems they are developing in popularity across the globe. 70% of the worlds crucial banks are presently watching into launching digital currencies in any other case known as CBDCs. That is according to a recently released a survey through the financial institution of international settlements, BIS, in Switzerland, which comprises 60 primary banks around the globe.CBDCs are of course controversial in the crypto neighborhood due to the fact they’d have legal soft popularity, be heavily regulated and, of path, centralized. Of the 63 crucial banks surveyed, 22 are in evolved economies and 41 in emerging ones–that bills for 90% of the worlds financial output. The survey determined that 70% were actively engaged in establishing a CBDC, or at the least at the study section. So far, best 5 banks have sincerely run pilot or experiment runs. Ahead of the % are Uruguay and Sweden; the latters Riksbank plans to launch the E-Krona pilot project this year and start issuance as early as 2021. Uruguay, on the other hand, is leading the %, their pilot venture of the E-Peso successfully led to April of last yr. CBDCs do carry some very interesting questions involving censorship, surveillance and even the loss of life of Stablecoins. Outstanding Swedish Youtuber Ivan on Tech last yeah voiced concerns that Swedes may be at risk someday of going to the flawed protests and dealing with monetary consequences.KMPG for his or her section released a record questioning the necessity for something like Tether if there ever used to be is a Fedcoin We spoke to Thomas Moser of the Swiss country wide bank concerning the emergence of CBDCs and what that would imply for a crypto-pleasant nation like Switzerland. We are obviously in phrases in phrases of study we’re looking into it however this is fairly theoretical study and in addition conceptual research. However we now have no longer had the intention to try out the pilot or to position that into a proof of idea. So it’s quite theoretical research but we came to the conclusion like other critical banks that we don’t consider that at this stage as a minimum that the benefits are larger than the negatives or disadvantages or the risks at least that we could see. If you happen to would provide a CBDC that will sincerely fulfill the function of a stablecoin except once more you’ve got all these ideological issues that you do not want to trust the primary financial institution or when you have just right cause that you don’t want to rely on the imperative financial institution forex in case you once more when you’ve got a primary financial institution that that is not that supplies a currency with hyperinflation i assume then that may certainly no longer be a excellent alternative for a stablecoin.But in that case the stablecoin would traditionally not repair its price closer to the country wide forex however toward the U.S. Greenback or the euro. Previous this week, the French anti-institution motion often called the Yellow Jackets referred to as for the French public to participate in a giant bank run as a mean of protesting towards the monetary elite. Dubbed The Collectors Referendum, the initiative geared toward bringing people to withdraw their savings from banks and other financial associations this Saturday. This, in step with the activists, used to be going to be elected officials worst nightmare and its goal was once to scare the State totally legally and without any violence. The announced occasion resounded broadly within the crypto neighborhood, as it aligned with crypto in criticizing the failings of the common fiscal approach.Many noticed a clear parallel between the Yellow Vests financial institution run and the Proof of Keys event, a protest against centralized crypto exchanges announced by using entrepreneur hint Mayer prior this month. Mayer referred to as upon merchants to withdraw their money from exchanges as a reminder of Satoshis common imaginative and prescient of decentralization and fiscal independence. At the same time the French activists made no reference to crypto, by using highlighting peoples distrust in the direction of normal economic actors, the Yellow Vests protests would have a constructive knock-on outcomes for the crypto industry. To underline the connection between crypto and the Yellow Vest action, street artist Pascal Boyart hid a Bitcoin puzzle in his brand new graffiti committed to the protest. In step with the artist, fixing the riddle will unlock a prize valued at $1000 in Bitcoin. Boyart mentioned the enigma can also be solved best by bodily standing in front of the graffiti.What are you ready for, hodlers? Time to jump to the subsequent flight bound for Paris! Charlie Lee has accused Bitcoin maximalists of being Bitcoin extremists, do you settle, and where would you set your self on his survey? Are you a Bitcoin Extremist, Bitcoin Maximalist, Altcoin Maximalist or Nocoiner? Comment beneath! This episode is backed via alternate Santa. Alternate Santa is a cloud-based buying and selling bot. Set it up in less than 2 minutes, exchange a couple of pairs, pick between long and quick approaches, use tech analysis warning signs, and see your results in real-time.Exchange Santa works 24/7 to get you the revenue you set. The platform is already built-in with Binance, Bittrex, Bitfinex and HitBTC. The link is within the description beneath! And as continually, remember to like, subscribe and hodl! .
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ambermurdock · 6 years
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Perfect Little Girls
Had an idea for a Grown Up PPG fic. It got long, so I added in a readmore!
The girls retire from fighting crime after high school. Times have changed, and a lot of their enemies have retired, died, or are serving their time in prison. They’re ready to have their own lives. Professor Utonium supports and is proud of them.
Buttercup decides to backpack across the country. Being able to fly is super helpful for this, and she can visit her sisters whenever. Finds herself doing bouncer work, and keeping an eye out for women in danger to protect. Spent some time working at a lesbian bar, where she felt at home. She misses crime fighting the most, but not more than she misses her goody goody sisters.
Bubbles became an independent content creator, as something like a Youtuber. Lots of Story Time videos, makeup tutorials, whatever she feels like sharing. Sells comic/coloring books based on her adventures with her sisters. She thrives in the community. She makes enough to be more than comfortable, but gives a lot of her money back. She prefers to use her influence to save the day, if possible.
Blossom spends her 20s investigating several careers, decides she’s wasted on office work, lacked the capacity for stupid for running a store, and she has too much heart for politics. Not that she ever technically failed at any of it. She was good at it all but none of it was right. After spending some time with her dad in the lab, helping him with his research into Chemical X, she realized it felt... right. Like coming home, or slipping into your favorite shoes. She decided to become a scientist like her Very proud and Touched dad, and after her schooling becomes known as Dr. Blossom Utonium.
She moves back home, both to take care of her aging father and be closer to her research. He insists he’s fine but she loves him and she worries. They have a good time working together, and make some breakthroughs that required Blossoms methods and analytical mind (and sometimes tests on Buttercup.)
Over time, they begin to notice the world becoming more like their youth. Dangerous. People who would call themselves villains are working their way into notoriety. The girls childhood rival Princess is running for Mayor (a position long held by Ms. Bellum after their good friend retired) and her methods are ruthless. It’s looking like playing fair isn’t enough to ‘Re-Elect Bellum’, as the signs staked in yards all over town say. She has some ideas for prison reform that don’t benefit the right people. Blossom is worried.
She calls a family meeting. Buttercup is eager to get back into the game, though Bubbles is hesitant. She has a life now, and things at stake. Blossom assures them that wasn’t her intention for Them to return to heroism, but instead to create 3 new little girls for a changing world. Research in chemical X has advanced enough that she thinks they could even have fingers, and maybe smaller eyes.
The Professor and Bubbles are unsure. The work is dangerous, and this kind of thing hasn’t been tested intentionally. Bubbles would want these little girls to have a chance to be little girls. Buttercup is on board immediately, offering herself as their trainer. Blossom is absolutely positive that it will work. Their work life balance will be better than theirs was, knowing what they know now. They’ll have tech assistance as well. They all eventually agree that they would try it, but if it works and the girls Don’t Want to do it, they won’t be forced.
It takes some time. Hundreds of failed experiments that fortunately do not turn grotesque, calls to the fire department, and sleepless nights later, they Know they’re going to succeed. Buttercup moves back to town permanently and opens her own bar, with financial assistance from Bubbles and Mayor Bellum. Bubbles moves into a house in the neighborhood to be closer to the kids. And Blossom has been gathering ingredients.
Sugar, Spice, and everything nice are not all little girls are made of. They need compassion, creativity, and cunning. They need to be kind empathetic and open minded. They need more than powers to save the world, they need a drive. They have to care about other people.
Each of the girls contribute something of their own. Blossom donates the first chapter book she ever finished. She loved it, wore the covers down with her hands as she read it over and over through the years. The girls to have curiosity and intrigue in things around them, as well as imagination.
Bubbles makes the hard decision to contribute Octi, her favorite stuffed animal. He was a fuzzy purple octopus with a top hat when he was still new. Now he was grayed and flat and missing parts of his face. The girls need love, she figured, and Octi was as loved as he could get.
It took Buttercup a little bit to decide what to add. She didn’t keep a lot of relics from her youth, and she worried her own personality would be too volatile. She gave up the first leather jacket she bought for herself when she left townsville. Once shiny and black, it was now dull and well broken in. It also had been converted into a vest, and decorated with patches and buttons. It was her armor for her years abroad, a second skin. She never went a day without it. The girls need to be able to protect others, but also themselves.
The day comes, and it couldn’t be a better time. Mayor Bellum is again Ms. Bellum, as Princess won the election. It’s hard to say how, most of the citizens of Townsville had declared their intentions to Re-Elect Bellum. It was safe to assume there was money involved. A new villain, claiming to be the apprentice to Mojo Jojo, has begun causing trouble. Several older villains that are ‘mysteriously’ being released from prison and are getting jobs as Mayor Princess’s personal security and enforcers. They need this to work more now than ever.
This time the measurements are careful. Each of the girls treasured belongings are added, along with portions of the expected sugar, spice, and everything nice. Blossom offers for the Professor to do the honors of adding the new reformulated Chemical X, but instead he poured it for them into 3 portions to add together. With cautious excitement, they did, and before they could cover their eyes there was a blinding FLASH of light! (This, of course, is why you wear proper lab equipment.)
After their eyes recovered, and the Professor returned to a standing position, they saw the fruits of their labor, asleep in the individual pods designed for them to be born into. They looked more... traditionally human than the girls did, and a couple years older. Closer to 10 than 5. Eyes are large, but not as off putting, 8 individual fingers and toes each, a nose on each of them. Upon careful inspection, one had yellow eyes, with red hair like Blossoms, but curlier. One had orange eyes with Bubbles blonde hair, though shorter and messier. And the last had red eyes with Buttercups dark black hair, styled blunt and long. They were named Daisy, Daffodil, and Dahlia respectively.
After they gained consciousness and were given their own clothes, dresses similar to the ones the girls once wore when they were young, it was clear that the experiment had been a success. Professor Utonium was thrilled to have children in the house again. He loved his grown up girls, but something about having 3 little trouble makers jumping on the bed and asking for ‘One More Bedtime Story’ warmed his aging bones. 
None of the three of them could have children traditionally, the way they were made, and for the most part they had decided that was for the best. There were a lot of kids out there that could be adopted if they wanted families. Blossom, for one, wasn’t sure if she even wanted them. But something changed in those moments when she saw them come to life. She would do anything for them, and she knew her sisters would do the same.
Buttercup, the cool aunt, became their trainer. She taught them how to kick ass, take names, and be confident in who they are. Bubbles was the fun aunt, who as well as taking them to the mall and painting their nails (weren’t they so lucky to have them, and so long!) taught them about inequality and humanitarianism. And Blossom was mom, doing everything in between. Shepherding them to school and back between lab work, making sure they were fed and clothed.
In return the girls saved Townsville, again and again. They took to it naturally. And more than fighting monsters, they fought injustice. They protected their classmates from bullies and strangers from unjust arrests. Perhaps to the older crowd who thought crime fighters should stick to villains and monsters, they wouldn’t be as popular as the crowd pleasing original trio. But to the young folks, to the kids who grew up with Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, who are raising their own kids with theirs, they couldn’t be more thrilled for the future.
Nothing was more exciting for them than getting that Google alert on their phones whenever a news site would announce in a title; “The Day was Saved, Thanks to the Powerpuff Girls”
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altonjdorado-blog · 5 years
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The Law of Attraction - The seven Biggest Myths Debunked
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The Law of Attraction has gotten a good deal of media interest in the recent past. Because of the film The Secret as well as the consequent explosion of tv, print media as well as web coverage, almost every person in Western society has read the expression "Law of Attraction". Most people, nonetheless, have picked up incomplete information and snippets here and there and do not really have a great understanding of the way the law works.
This has resulted in a widespread misunderstanding of the way the Law of Attraction actually works, or even whether or not it actually works at all. A large amount of people are feeling a deep resonance when they're told they produce the own reality of theirs. They identify a truth in this particular notion. Nevertheless, they usually swiftly become frustrated when they are exposed to incomplete info and myths, and cannot appear to be successful. They "know" that there is something to this, they could feel it; though they just do not understand how to use it just yet.
This article seeks to debunk the 7 major misconceptions presently circulating about the Law of Attraction and bring some clarity to the topic.
Myth #1: The Law of Attraction is magic
The Myth: "Law of Attraction supporters will let you know that all you've to accomplish is think positively as well as the material you need will simply come to you. Naturally this's wrong, after things as cash, automobiles and houses do not only show up out of thin air."
The Myth Debunked: Nobody with a genuine comprehension of the Law of Attraction has previously said that in case you simply assume a good consideration, a home with a thousand bucks over the kitchen table along with a Ferrari in the entrance will simply drop from the skies right before you. This's often a quote utilized by individuals attempting to say that the Law of Attraction is a fraud. But the quote is not correct. Which is not the way the Law of Attraction operates at all.
The Law of Attraction does not only literally drop stuff in the lap of yours. It brings you gatherings with only the right folks at the proper time, coincidences and brilliant ideas. It is the duty of yours to pay attention to those suggestions, adhere to your hunches and understand the coincidences.
For instance, you would love to reveal a house. The Law of Attraction provides you with an insight to push through a particular neighborhood you do not usually drive through. You see a home with a For Sale sign in the backyard. The house appears perfect, except you are pretty sure it is entirely out of the budget range of yours. You decide to end as well as knock on the doorstep anyway. It seems the owners are a beautiful few that are going to Australia in a month. You and they actually hit it off and they also choose to offer you lease to own terms you are able to pay for. They really want you to lead there. Thus, you find the best home at a cost you are in a position to pay, under circumstances which you never could've expected. Did it drop directly into your lap? Well, not basically, absolutely no. But in case you paid interest and followed the insights as well as impulses the Universe was driving for you, it could've seemed virtually as simple as in case it'd. This's the way the Law of Attraction takes you items. It finds whatever you are searching for that's also searching for yourself and also brings you together through many events that are perfect, hunches and insights.
Myth #2 - All you've to accomplish is visualize
The Myth: "The Law of Attraction is simply about visualization. That is the reason they tell you to produce the like and vision boards. You are meant to stare at the items you would like and they'll simply arrive at you (see Myth #1)"
The Myth Debunked: This one is partly correct. Visualization could be a valuable tool you consume training yourself to produce what you would like. It is not the visualization that produces, however. You produce through the vibration that you simply provide. The vibration you provide is driven by the views you habitually assume (beliefs). Visualization is able to enable you to retrain the ideas of yours, but there is more to it than that. In case you imagine a gorgeous automobile, but possess the perception that you will never get an automobile that way, you are able to imagine each day, every morning, which car's not likely to show up. How can you know in case you harbor a contradictory belief? You are able to tell by the way in which you feel when you imagine. In case it feels really, great to imagine the automobile, and entire visualization is positive, you are performing well. In case, nonetheless, it seems a little off and your visualization requires somewhat of a bad turn, you have only uncovered several negative opinions.
For instance, you ask exactly how you will afford the payments, that would point to a perception that states "I cannot afford a brand new car"; or maybe you may hope your children do not mess up the gorgeous brand new seats, that may point to a belief that you simply cannot have things that are good and often get wrecked, so, exactly why bother anyway... Visualization is an invaluable tool in manifestation, though it is not the development process itself.
Myth #3 - The Law of Attraction is new
The Myth: "If the Law of Attraction is truly a law, exactly why has not anyone found it before? This's only some new fad."
The Myth Debunked: The Law of Attraction is not new. It has been in existence since the start of, well, all. It may be argued it is probably the oldest law in the Universe. The main reason that a lot of folks are learning about it today, is since increasingly more individuals are waking up and knowing, and at least getting a look of, who they are. A lot more people are requesting this info than in the past, and consequently, the Law of Attraction should take them more information than ever before. You will find more books created on this subject than we have already seen. Because of the internet, individuals are able to find solutions to their questions immediately.
The info isn't "new"; we're merely seeking and also ready to get additional info, and also at a faster rate than in the past. Additionally, we're residing in a moment in which the majority of us can talk about religious things and Universal laws openly with no fear to be used at the stake or perhaps stoned to death. Almost all of this has permitted the thought of the Law of Attraction to distribute at an unprecedented speed. Myth #4 - The Law of Attraction is Non-Christian
The Myth: "I am a Christian and consequently I can't trust the Law of Attraction. This's merely a lot of New Agey stuff which conflicts with Christian beliefs"
The Myth Debunked: This a woman couldn't be further from the reality. You will find plenty of pathways in the Bible which reference the Law of Attraction. Several of these verses could be traced back nearly 3000 years. Jesus said "Everything is possible to him that believes." And "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and higher works than these shall he do..." Here are several more: "As a male thinketh, therefore he is." (Proverbs 23:7). "It is through believing that male forms that which he's in life". (Proverbs 23:7). "For everybody that asks receives; he who seeks finds; and also to him who knocks, the door shall be opened." (Matthew 7:8)
These, and numerous other proverbs just love them, support the idea that your thoughts create the truth of yours and you are able to produce something you need. The issue is the fact that Christianity and also the Law of Attraction aren't based on inherently disagreeing principles. There are in fact now internet websites on the internet dedicated to the research of the Law of Attraction from a Christian thing of perspective.
Myth #5 - I've to take action to think of the Law of Attraction "work"
The Myth: "You must learn how to make use of the Law of Attraction to be able to get it to perform. If it is not helping you, you have to be doing it wrong."
The Myth Debunked: This's one more myth that's dependent on an extensive misunderstanding of the way the Law of Attraction works. There's absolutely nothing you've to do, or actually is able to do making the Law of Attraction succeed. Just like there's absolutely nothing you've to accomplish and could do to earn gravity work. It simply works. That is why it is known as a law.
You create the own truth of yours. Most of it. All of the time. You cannot help it. You are a lean, mean, making machine. Anything you see around you, each individual in the life of yours, all in the truth of yours, can there be in reaction to the vibration you provide. There is absolutely nothing you've to do to make the process work, neither can you end it. That is the reason no one is able to claim that "it is not working for you." It cannot NOT do the job for you.
The issue arises when individuals are producing by default, which usually brings them things they do not truly want, rather than creating deliberately. Your role is remembering the way to create consciously, to recall just how effective you are. That is it. And it is not meant to be work that is challenging. It is claimed to be fun. In case you are not having fun, THEN you are doing it wrong.
Myth #6 - Thoughts are not safe. You've to manage every thought you believe.
The Myth: "You must manage every thought you believe. In case you believe a' negative' notion, or have a fear of food, you immediately produce that. So view every thought you think!"
The Myth Debunked: While it is accurate that every idea has the capability for creating, you will find 2 huge reasons you do not need to be fearful of the feelings of yours.
For starters, a small concept does not have all that much energy. The energy comes from thinking similar notion again and again, until it is a belief. The more you believe a thought and feel it, the much more it impacts the vibration of yours and it's this particular vibration which draws in the manifestations of yours. The Law of Attraction responds to the vibration of yours, not the words you have said or even concept (although discover that your feelings and words are able to change your vibration).
Second, we've this incredible thing called time. There's a time buffer between providing a vibration and getting a manifestation. Even though a lot of us usually curse this moment buffer in our impatience to get the stuff we want, it's extremely helpful. Things do not occur right away for a reason. You've time to notice in case you are harboring some conflicting beliefs or perhaps are offering a vibration which does not actually serve you.
For instance, in case you are traveling across the street and also have a random concept "I hope I do not enter an accident", you could possibly remember reading someplace that the Universe as well as your subconscious do not realize negative statements, and also you only put "I hope I enter an accident" available. So, of course you would better suck that thought back in, otherwise you will have a crash. Wrong. If you've the consideration "I anticipation I do not get in an accident" though you do not harbor an underlying perception that driving is unsafe and there is an extremely good possibility that you will get in a crash, your vibration isn't likely to actually start matching you up with an accident. If the fundamental idea of yours is "I am safe", you will be healthy.
If, nonetheless, you do harbor such a perception, created by many, a lot of ideas about just how you are a target, just how simple it's getting into crashes, the way in which driving is unsafe, reading through a lot of news stories about the way folks enter crashes all of the time, discussing those accounts, etc., that a small consideration just granted you a sign that you've an underlying belief. Do you feel these thoughts easily and often? You then may wish to do a thing about that (or maybe buckle up). The issue is, that although your ideas help you to develop the vibration of yours, and that produces the truth of yours, it's the vibration behind the thought you've to give consideration to. A random thought meaning absolutely nothing to you is not likely to produce a thing. But a notion that you believe and feel again and again, a notion you offer plenty of attention to, will change the vibration of yours and that will develop.
Myth #7 - The Law of Attraction simply teaches selfishness
The Myth: "The Law of Attraction shows individuals to concentrate on themselves and the way they feel, before concentrating on others. This's selfish, and that is awful. We've a duty being selfless."
The Myth Debunked: The perception and this myth that we should be selfless, have caused much more burnout among individuals with intentions that are great than anything else.
The Law of Attraction does show selfishness. But selfishness has become a very bad rap. There is a big difference between strolling over systems to obtain everything you would like, and that is what lots of people consider when they notice the term "selfish", moreover not allowing other people and circumstances to determine the happiness of yours. Giving of yourself with absolutely no regard to the way you think until there is nothing left though a clear husk, is neither virtuous or necessary. The choices are not only between being a self sacrificing saint or maybe a complete bastard.
The selfishness which the Law of Attraction shows, is the type that permits a mom with 3 children that are small to identify when she is becoming overwhelmed, plus offer herself permission to shoot a warm bath and then charge the batteries of her, with no feeling guilty about it. She comes back again refreshed and in a much better mood. Do you feel this will harm or even benefit her kids? In case we maintain ourselves (physically, mentally AND spiritually), we've a great deal more to offer others. In case we concentrate on our personal pleasure, we are able to uplift others, and genuinely assist them, rather than commiserating with them in the misery of theirs and just supporting them in their becoming wedged in that vibration.
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terrahistorian · 6 years
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TELL ME ABOUT JAX'S BACKSTORY :D
Okay, so, this might get a bit long. Jax is one of the most funcharacters I’ve played in D&D in years, and his story has takena lot of turns I didn’t expect, as the best ones always do. Thefinal draft of his backstory was born from several conversationsafter the game began, ways of integrating his story into what we weredoing, and giving him a personal stake, without redefining him.
JX-195 is a 6 year old Construct that killed his creator.
His first memory was of looking out from a pane of glass, floatingin this strange, viscous fluid. After many tests were done on him toconfirm he’d survive his, “Birth,” he was taken out of thechamber, and given his designation, JX-195. The Archmage who createdhim was never given a name, simply being referred to as, “MyCreator.” JX-195 was but the latest in a string of experiments,constructs made using different parts, different methods, differentarcane tricks, all in the hopes of reaching, in a sense, godhood.Creating life from nothing. In order to blend the organic andinorganic parts in JX-195′s creation, the Archmage developed avariation of the Mending spell, transcribed as runic tattoos alongall of his joints. This kept his flesh from rejecting the densermaterials comprising most of his skeleton, but had an unforeseenconsequence; every wound JX-195 received scarred rapidly. Overtime,he’d be more wound than flesh.
JX-195 was a failure. Through teaching him how to read, write, anddispatch of some of his lesser, “Siblings,” his creatorlearned that while JX-195 was an impressive machine, he had noemotions to speak of. No drives, no sorrows, no joys, he simply didas he was told. The archmage saw JX-195 as a blemish on his work,something to be wiped away quickly and thoroughly. JX-195 disagreed.So he took a surgical knife, and stabbed his creator in the backuntil he stopped twitching.
Taking the clothes on his back, the coins he’d been told hadvalue, and his creator’s hidden research notes on his construction,JX-195 set out to see what was out there in this grand world that hadbeen kept from him. He soon learned, however, that his creator wasnot the only foul being out there. In fact, he was nothing if not thenorm.
Beaten, bloodied, his coin stolen, barely holding ontothe, “Meaningless gibberish,” that were the tomes of hisbirth, JX-195 was found by a seemingly generous man. He offered warmmeals, a roof overhead, and work that involved travel and delightsbeyond imagining. He was a slaver, and appealed to JX-195′s baseneeds. Which, technically, were met, and JX-195 understood his placein the world. While there, he was branded across his right eye, andmarked as property of The Matron.
One night, bandits came. Freedom fighters, slaughtering themasters and freeing their slaves. Their leader, Cre’en, an old,jaded, cynical man, who was in it more for revenge than freedom, sawthat JX-195 had nowhere to go, and asked if he wanted to join him fora bit. Thus, JX-195 joined forces with The Wanderer, who gave him hisfirst proper name. Jax. Jax traveled with Cre’en for a year,far longer than most who stayed with him, and was taught how toprotect himself, and how to live among, “Normal, not crazy,slavin’, ass people.” Then, one night, Jax had his first dream.
A crossroads, his first real choice. Down one path, ease, andsolitude, a measure of peace, but ultimately a death and destructionthat shatters the heavens. Down the other, strife, battle, sorrow,but ultimately survival and peace. Along the second path strode threesilhouettes, under the marker of a town not too far from where Cre’enhad made camp. But above both paths, two warriors in gleaming sets ofarmor, beautiful, beguiling, and deadly, to any in their path. And onone warrior, Jax recognized a silken cloak, that had played a part inhis creation.
That night, Jax packed what supplies Cre’en had given him, andleft without a word. Making the short journey to the town in hisdream, it wasn’t long before Jax was found by those threesilhouettes. Mordai, the Tiefling, and defacto leader of this motleycrew. Sparky, the Ifrit, who was literally only there because agolden pineapple he stole told him to. (It was actually Mordaithrowing his voice to make it seem like the pineapple was talking. Atleast, at first) And finally Eren, an Elven cleric who always seemedjust a bit miffed that her god had forced her to work with the othertwo. They had also received dreams from various gods to find eachother, and hunt these two sets of armor. We later learned that theywere called the Greyguard and Paladin sets, eons old artifacts ofHoly Grail level of power and obscurity. Jax lead the way to thefirst piece of armor they’d collected, the cloak he’d recognizedin his dream, and bought his way into the group.
Some time later, the party found another piece, a brass bottlewith a cork topper, in a clearing without any hint of wildlife. Withthe usual stupid bravado of adventurers, we opened it, and a plume ofpurple smoke erupted from the bottle. Rising up out of it, a form farbeyond the size of the bottle itself, a creature of flame, smoke, andmagma rose up to it full height; an Efreeti stood before us, a FireDjinn.
Now, it’s important to note that my DM likes to leave as much tochance as physically possible. She plans a lot, but it’s largelybased on rolls, so twists are as much as a surprise to her as theyare to us. This bottle was no exception. As soon as the bottleopened, she rolled a percentile die. There was a 10% chance that theEfreeti would come out enraged, most likely killing us all. An 80%chance that it would do our bidding for an hour, then disappear. Andfinally, a measly 10% chance that it would arrive magnanimous,offering us three Wishes.
Her dice either hate her, love us, or some sick mixture of thetwo, because the Efreeti bellowed out in Ignan, “What are yourwishes?”
Two game breaking wishes later, that our DM is still pissed offabout, our party was trying to figure out what to do with the finalone. I mean, it’s a Wish, they can’t just be wasted on limitlesscoin and a fast travel system (Oh wait, we already did those). So, mylittle soulless self piped up, “Humanity. I want humanity.”
After some convincing, Mordai, the one who opened the bottle andhad to word the wish, started rattling off a list of, “I wishfor a soul that is kind, just, loyal, brave, trustw-”
The Efreeti cut him off by simply saying, “You cannot havea soul that is all good,” before a glowing orb of color appeared inhis hand, he rammed it into my chest, and disappeared as Jax fellunconscious onto the grass.
That day, Jax had his second dream. He was in a dark void, litonly by the six figures in front of him. They were all differentsouls the Efreeti owned, either by trade or force, and one was to beJax’s. They were of different races, genders, heights. Drow,Dwarves, Humans, and on the very end, a 6 foot tall Dire Pigeon. Ithink that’s the one my DM was hoping I’d get. One roll later, Igot the soul of Yeska Kreskoff, a human cleric, and inadvertentlyestablished Russia as some part of this fantasy world.
This started an arc where Jax struggled to understand threethings. First, his newfound feeling, both emotional and tactile.Second, the lingering consciousness of a tortured and insane Yeska,who began trying to take over Jax’s body to reclaim his life.Eventually, Jax had to beat down and kill Yeska’s consciousness,during a particularly vivid dream. This freed both Yeska and Jax, asJax claimed his soul as his own, and Yeska finally found peace withRoe. And finally third, Jax worked to understand the connection henow found with Yeska’s god, Roe. It turns out that Roe was the onethat sent Jax his first dream, which pointed him down the path offreeing one of his acolytes, and eventually stopping whatevercataclysm is connected to these armors.
So, Jax multiclassed from Fighter into Cleric, as a way to bothatone and thank Yeska and Roe for their sacrifices in freeing Jax.And that choice has been a lot of fun, and I’m really proud thatwas able to give my GM pause with one of the questions I posed Roeduring a communion with him. It had been a few months, and I simplyasked, “Are you pleased with how I’ve grown with this soul?”
It took her a few minutes to answer, but it’s stuck with me eversince. “It’s... Not about me. Am I happy? Yes, absolutely.But all of this is for you, and your growth, and your learning. Whatmatters here, and what I hope you remember, is that you’re not mypawn. You’re not a toy for me to tire of and set aside. I thinkthere are good things we can do together, and ways I can help you,but it has always been, and will remain, about you and your newfoundhappiness. So, if I may ask you a question. Are you happy?”
I ended that communion with a quiet, “Yes.”
Sadly, that was the last truly happy memory Jax has. Since then, him and his party have been collecting more and more of the Armor, and now they have completed both sets. Utilizing their power, the sets have been split among the party, and just recently we’ve let individuals wear a full set. Jax, specifically, has been wearing the Greyguard set. The Alignmentally Evil set. Each set has a consciousness connected to it, and a desire to be used for their own purposes, and the Greyguard has been patient with Jax. The longer he’s worn it, the less he sleeps, the more he depends on the armor, and the more open he is to death. At one point, Jax even contacted the Greyguard’s steed, an Ancient Black Dragon named Dryn, and struck a deal with him. Knowledge for power. I told Dryn all of our plans, everything we had done, and in return he allowed Jax to cast Power Word Kill once a day so long as he wears the full set of Greyguard armor, whose continued use is fraying what stability Jax has left.
Jax has never known peace. His six years have been nothing but imprisonment, battle, slavery, harsh travels, and feeling as though he’s a hacky sack for the gods. But I doubt that’s how his story will end. I suspect something with books, maybe a library. He hasn’t found his happy ending, but his story isn’t done yet. And I think that’s all any of us can say.
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mira-jones · 3 years
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Newbies Should Hire Real Estate Investing Coaches
As a new investor, the land is often very daunting. There’s such a lot to learn: various strategies to pursue, financing options, deal structures. Then, there’s the challenge of finding the deal, running the numbers, and doing all of your due diligence.
No wonder numerous people never buy their first property!
If you’re a new investor and you discover yourself feeling overwhelmed, it’s okay to invite help! It’s going to be one of the simplest investments you ever make. Finding the proper real estate investing coaches could change everything for you!
This investment in you is some things that will never be removed. No recession will put it in danger, and no market turn can damage its value.
The most successful people in our society, from athletes to corporate executives to artists, understand the worth of coaching. These individuals know that a coach can up their game in a way they could never be ready to on their own. They’re willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to harness this power to urge to the subsequent level.
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 Please don’t misunderstand me and leave and spend $25,000 on a training plan before you’ve even purchased your first property. At now, you don’t know if investing is even for you, so let’s scale this back a touch. There are many programs out there for brand spanking new investors that won’t break the bank.
How Can a Newbie Investor enjoy a Coach?
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 Real Estate investing coaches can prevent much time.
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A good Airbnb coach will assist you to determine exactly where you would like to travel and why. Real estate investing coaches can assist you to get to the basis of your motivations, so you recognize what's driving you. This may allow you and your Airbnb coach to strategically set goals that enable you to urge to your required end state as quickly as possible.
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Real estate investing coaches can provide encouragement and motivation.
Buying your first property is incredibly daunting. There’s such a lot at stake, and you don’t have any experience to believe. This is often why most wannabe investors fall prey to analysis paralysis and never actually buy anything.
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 An Airbnb coach can assist you to get through this and reiterate an honest deal or steer you far away from a nasty one. This second set of eyes and reinforcement are often exactly what an investor must take the plunge.
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Once you opt that real estate investing coaches are true for you, you've got to be willing to commit. This may require resources-both financial and time resources—as well as a commitment to your personal development.
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